The Dog Park - Ways to make it a good experience

The first thing to do to make your visit to the dog park a good one is to have a calm and positive attitude. Some dogs at the dog park are going to be crazy, unattended, stressed and ill-behaved, but if you are stressed, your dog will feel that and your visit won't be as much fun as it could be.

In my opinion, the dog park should not be your dog's sole exercise in a day. The dog park should be a reward after your structured walk or after obedience or agility class. The dog park should be a place where your dog can be a dog by running and roaming and using his nose. The canine companionship and potential for improved social skills can be a wonderful reward for your dog and for you as well. You should both arrive calm, exit the car and enter the park calm, and leave feeling both relaxed and rejuvenated.

Be observant and attentive, but realize that not all dogs like to "play" or interact with others. Some dogs prefer introducing themselves to all the people, or to walk the perimeter, or to roll in the grass. If the visit is supposed to be for your dogs, then let your dogs make the choices that make them happy. Foster says hello to all the people in the middle on the picnic tables and then trots around the perimeter. He also chases after tennis balls, sniffs other dogs, and allows them to sniff him. He play bows and runs at top speed. He experiences it all. Luna walks around, hunts for dandelions and finds a person or a dog or two interesting. Her dog park experience is about enjoying the grass, the outdoors and the adventure of it all. Two dogs raised in the same environment have different needs and I try to provide for them both.

I hope your visit to The Dog Park is wonderful!

The Dog Park - The Things I Don't Like

Fosse SO excited to be headed to The Dog Park

Actually, it is not The Dog Park I don't like. My discomfort with the dog park comes from the irritating behavior of humans. I understand dog parks are not just for dogs. They are community building, giving a wonderful place and open space for people with similar interests to gather. I wish that I experienced that communal feeling at the dog park, but I haven't yet. I've learned that sharing interests doesn't mean you share values.

There is one thing I don't like about a dog park that doesn't involve people. It's the communal water. Even when I bring our own water, other dogs drink from it. I've never met anyone else concerned about the communicable illnesses passed through sharing water. Some illnesses can be vaccinated against, but some cannot. I don't vaccinate my dogs against everything in the world, and I know not everyone at the dog park does either. Some of the illnesses spread by sharing water are Leptospirosis, Canine Parvovirus, Canine Influenza, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, Giardia and Coccidia. Those are just some.

Source: "Dogs Social Lives and Disease Risks," by the American Veterinary Medical Association

When we commit to a dog park visit, I envision a wonderful visit with attentive owners and politely socialized, fun dogs. I envision Luna and Foster relaxed and happy like we are when we walk in the woods. I envision dogs walking and running in harmony. Humans, Dogs and Mother Nature. Sadly, other people cloud our vision.

It often starts with the kind of person I call The Unobserver at the entrance gate. Most dog parks have a two-gate entry process. The Unobserver lets his dog bark incessantly at the second gate as you try to enter with your dogs. If The Unobserver happens to look over, he will tell you his dogs are "being friendly," or that "They're alright. Just come in," as if he owns the place and is inviting you into his home. This really bugs me and I feel like saying, "Get up off that picnic table bench and get your dog out of my dog's face," but I don't. I use my foot and my vision to move the rude dogs out of our way and we happily walk to the open space. The Unobserver also allows her dog to harass other dogs and poop all over with no correction or clean-up because she is busy talking to people instead of paying attention to her dog.

Then there's The Know-It-All. The Know-It-All brings an air horn to break up potential fights from her perch on top of a picnic table instead of walking around with her dog. The Know-It-All uses her air horn indiscriminately to make herself appear in control of the dog park. She's not. She just makes everyone feel kind of annoyed - dogs included.

There's also The Annoyer. This person either calls her dog 15 times in a row from 2 feet away or 20 feet away, and the dog never responds, yet she keeps calling him. "Max! Max! Max! Max! Max!" Uucchh. This is usually the same person who will tell you, "Oh, don't throw that ball. Max will run after it and you'll never get it back." So you are expected to have no fun with your dogs because The Annoyer can't manage or influence her dog.

The Clueless person will bring his unsocial dog to the dog park because he was told taking his unsocial dog to the dog park would be good for his dog. Without any guidance or direction, Clueless and his dog can't have a rewarding socializing experience at the dog park, and they diminish your experience too.

The Hoverer will never see her dog's rude behavior as rude, and if you or your dog try to correct her dog, or at least stop her dog from irritating you, she'll blame your dog. It's The Hoverer's fault. Completely. At least she's somewhat watching her dog.

The worst is The Leaver. He leaves his dog at the dog park. Alone. Yes. He drops his dog off at the dog park, and leaves. Inexcusable.

Foster loves the dog park. Luna and I do not. But we go, and I must be able to deflect the negative energies there because Foster always wants to go back, and Luna's tail wags as she searches the grounds for dandelions, even in the snow. It appears I'll do anything for my dogs' happiness.

Tired from some time at The Dog Park

The Dog Park - The Positives

The safety of fenced-in acreage can provide a dog with some freedom to roam and run, but I think the freest feeling a dog park provides is your lack of worry. When you feel more free and relaxed, your dogs do too.

While fences don't mean complete safety, for a dog like Foster, the boundary of a fence creates a comfort zone for me. Our neighborhood does not allow fences, and I'm not comfortable with electric containment systems, so I accompany my dogs every time they need to go out. With Luna, and before her Satchel and Koko, there is never a concern she'll run away. I trained them all to know their boundaries - Koko wanted, and Luna wants, to stay near me anyway - and I've done the same training with Foster, but after a year, he is still enticed by the prospect of an unsupervised field trip into the woods. A trip to the dog park means he doesn't have to be attached to me by a leash. He can just be a dog.

Being a dog means being around other dogs and using one's nose. A dog park can be perfect for that. Calm, attentive, good owners who bring calm, balanced, good dogs to a dog park help provide an essential element to a successful, fulfilling adventure for a dog.

Being around other dogs - Socialization:

Dogs know we are not dogs, and they benefit from canine companionship. There are a lot of wrong ways to bring dogs together, but done well, the experiences your dog will have at a dog park can teach him more things more quickly than you could teach him on your own. Dogs learn so much about manners and limits and play from other dogs. Dogs encourage and accept good behavior, and they correct unacceptable behavior quickly and without grudge. Dogs are awesome that way.

Also, it's not just the interaction with other dogs that benefits your dog socially. Walking to the park or riding in the car, entering the park, and encountering new people all provide exposure to experiences in which your dog must follow your lead and use her skills. You are helping build her confidence, as well as practice and succeed in our social world.

Using their noses:

Dogs who have been traumatized or overly-humanized tend to lose the connection to their noses. They don't absorb information about their surroundings by smelling. When attempting to rehabilitate dogs like these, encouraging the use of their noses seems to provide quick healing. While dogs can get into trouble in your home from using their noses - getting into garbage for example - a dog park can provide them with the chance to use their noses for good. Inhaling the scents of nature, and gathering information about other dogs, can be a sort of reset button for your dog. Connecting her to Mother Nature helps her connect to herself.

The Dog Park

I like to take my dogs on adventures to new places and spaces. I am frequently asked what dog parks I like the best, and how often do I go, and don't my dogs just looooove The Dog Park. Honestly, I don't like dog parks. I never went to one until Foster came into our life. Foster, though, he LOVES the dog park and I see that it's good for him.

Foster is a runner, and has a terrier nose, and the open space of dog park acreage provides him with the freedom to run and follow his nose and experience the smells, sounds, sights and energies around him. He is always relaxed and happy when a dog park is involved.

Because of Foster's undeniable joy, we go to The Dog Park. This week I will share the positives, the elements I experience as negative, and the ways you can give your dog the best dog park adventure.

Making Treats For Dogs! Why Do We Do It?

Why would anyone want to cook anything for her dogs? There are a million kinds of prepared dog foods and a billion kinds of boxed and bagged treats, and most dogs are happy to eat anything. There seems to be absolutely no reason to make something home-cooked for your dog. Weeeellllll, I like to cook for my family, and my dogs are my family, so I cook for them! You don't have to cook every meal for your dogs, but it can be really fun to make treats, and fun isn't the only good reason to be in the kitchen for your dogs.

Allergies. Just like humans, dogs can have indoor and outdoor and food allergies. It is super super hard to pinpoint any allergy, and food allergies are particularly difficult, especially when the allergy isn't an allergy but an intolerance or a sensitivity. Regardless, there are some breeds of dog that are more prone to food allergies than others. They are: Boxer, Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel, Collie, Dalmatian, German Shepherd, Lhasa Apso, Miniature Schnauzer, Retrievers, SharPei, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, Dachshund, West Highland White Terrier, other kinds of Terriers, Beagle, Pug...just about every dog owner can share a story of allergens.

Luna seems to be allergic to grass, which creates a major problem when she tries to relieve her ear and eye itchiness by rubbing her face IN THE GRASS! She also seems to be allergic to grains. Since I started using a commercially prepared dry food with no grain, Luna seems to be more comfortable. Main culprits for food allergies are: Wheat, Corn, Chicken, Chicken Eggs, Beef, Dairy, Soy and Pork. And common allergic reactions are: Dry, itchy, red skin, rashes or skin infections; Chronic ear infections, Constant hot spots; Excessive chewing or licking of paws or other body parts; Dull coat; Stomach upset like diarrhea, vomiting or irritable bowel; Bald patches. These are reasons why people like to cook for their dogs!

Source: "Food Allergies 101," by Elizabeth Pask and Laura Scott, Modern Dog Magazine

Making Treats For Dogs! Things to Avoid!

I've been having a few computer issues, so it's almost the end of Week 14 and I'm just getting to I'm a D.O.G.! That stresses me! For a fun short week, I'll try to cover Making Your Own Dog Treats.

There are many many many websites and recipes for dog treats. You don't need my help to find a recipe, but what I thought you might want to know a little about is what things dogs shouldn't eat. It's a really long list, and I'm certain my list doesn't include everything, but here are several things you shouldn't include in any treats for your dog. Some of them might sound fun and good, but they're not. Some may seem silly and overly conservative, but there are so many ingredients you can include in a dog treat, there's no reason to harm your dog for an ingredient that sounds good to YOU! You're not going to eat the treats, but because you're making them you could!

Avocado: Contains persin which can be toxic.

Alcohol: A little in a dog is like a lot in a human.

Onions & Garlic: Can destroy a dog's red blood cells, leading to anemia.

Coffee, Tea, Caffeine: Caffeine in large quantities can be fatal to a dog, and there is no antidote.

Grapes & Raisins: Can cause kidney failure, no one is sure why though.

Milk & Other Dairy: Can cause diarrhea and/or itchiness.

Macadamia Nuts: Can be fatal after eating as few as six.

Candy & Gum: Many contain xylitol (made from corn) which can increase insulin and cause a drop in blood sugar as well as liver failure.

Chocolate: The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous due to greater amounts of theobromine which is toxic and can cause problems from diarrhea to seizures to death.

Fat Trimmings & Bones: Fat can cause pancreatitis, bones can be choked on or can splinter causing an obstruction or perforations and lacerations of the digestive system.

Persimmons, Peaches, Plums: Seeds and pits can cause inflammation of the small intestine, blockage, obstruction; peach and plum pits contain cyanide.

Raw Eggs: May contain salmonella or E. Coli, and an enzyme in raw eggs interferes with the absorption of one of the B vitamins.

Raw Meat & Fish: May contain bacteria that can lead to food poisoning or death.

Salt: Too much can lead to sodium ion poisoning which can cause death.

Sugary Foods & Drinks: Can lead to obesity, dental problems and diabetes.

Yeast Dough: Can cause pain as it rises in your dog's stomach and as yeast ferments it can produce enough alcohol to lead to alcohol poisoning.

Human Medicines: Prescription or over-the-counter, even common pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) can be deadly.

Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Nutmeg, Some Spices: Toxic.

Raw Potato: Toxic.

I know people whose dogs have eaten many of these things and "been just fine." Yes, your dog's organs and immune system may have managed eating something on the list once, twice, even multiple times. Our Big Yellow Lab, Satchel, died one month shy of his 16th birthday from a demyelinating disease, not anything from loving garlic his entire life. I'm just saying, it's not advisable to feed your dogs any of these items. If you can prevent your dogs from eating things on this list, their organs and digestive systems will probably appreciate it!

YOUR TURN #2 - Door Manners - Your Guests

Your sign informs your guests that you are working with your dogs. And it tells them to ignore your dogs. They will be terrible at this. They will need more reminding of their one assignment than your dogs will need of their several.

Your guests will say, "Oh it's ok! I LOVE dogs!" or "Oh it's ok! They just want to say hello!" or "Oh it's ok. They just smell my dog." First, it's not ok. Rude dogs who don't listen to their owners are not ok. Second, when your guests encourage the non-listening, they are not helping. They like to think that your dogs' behavior is due to their irresistibility, but it's not, and who wants to tell them it has nothing to do with them personally? I appreciate people trying to make me feel better, and I don't want to make anyone feel badly, so I say something like, "Not everyone thinks they're as cute as you and I do, so I've got to teach them to have manners for every guest."

The best thing your guests can do is ignore your dogs. No high-pitched speaking. No vigorous ear or belly rubs. No looking them in the eye and bending down to be face to face. Your dogs can get a lot of information with their noses. I understand being curious, but I don't approve of excited, jumping up, barking, invading personal space behavior. When your guests ignore your dogs, they help create a calm environment in which your dogs can be curious and gather information about whom you have allowed into the environment.

My dogs bark at people and things outside that are not coming to my door. Runners, kids on scooters and bikes, even deer cause them to bark. This does not bother me, but I always respond. I go to the window, see if I can see what they are seeing, and say, "Thank you." I think because I am calm and softly say, "Good work," or "Thank you," they stop until the next things catches their barking fancy. I also believe our daily walking routine keeps the behavior from becoming obsessive. They do not have to depend only on their sight to experience the world outside the door. They get to be out in the world each day to sense it through smell and sound as well.

But back to your guests. Educate your guests that when they ignore your dogs they are helping you, and once your dogs have practiced welcoming guests with calm respect, you will release your dogs to interact with your guests. Once your dogs are released, encourage your guests to speak in quiet tones, if at all. Treats can be included if you like, but only if your dogs are calm, and ideally if they are in their "spot." Also, some guests do not want to interact with your dogs and this is an excellent opportunity for your dogs to experience that not all people are for up close and personal interaction. Gathering information from afar is entirely possible.

The ignoring, and the later calm greeting, help to keep the energy in your home welcoming and calm. Guests mean calm fun, and the more times you can practice this, the better you and your dogs will become at welcoming guests. If you can look to the doorbell ringing as an opportunity to practice good manners, you may not dread its sound anymore!