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Posted on February 12, 2010
We have kind of been fostering with the goal to eventually adopt another dog. And I know we are, by far, not the only fosters who do that. And it really is a great way to get to know your dog before you decide to make him a permanent part of your family. With Maize for example, she is the third dog we picked as a foster. We all picked them by the same criteria (as we would pick one to adopt), and all of them were sweet and lovable, but only Maize has been the one that totally fits our family.
But of course not everyone can take such extensive measures to find the perfect dog for their family. That’s why every county or at least every state should have “Mutt Match”! Run by dog trainers Liz Maslow and Meg Boscov, the Philadelphia based organization helps families find the right dog for them.
Liz Maslow explains a little bit about what they do: “Since Mutt Match is such a novel idea, it is a work in progress. What we do is first, we meet with the family in their home (home visit), discuss what their wants and needs are in a dog. We ask lots of questions about their lifestyle and together we talk about what type of dog would do well in their family. We write up a bio about the family, describing their ideal dog and send it to the rescues we are affiliated with, currently we have over 15 rescues and shelters we work with. Our hope (and it seems to be working) is that the bio gets sent to the fosters and if a dog seems like a match we get an email or phone call. We find that the foster family really knows the dog and speaking with them helps us determine if the dog and family will be happy together.
Next, we schedule a time to visit the dog to do a behavioral assessment and if all goes well, we have the family meet the dog. We require the entire family, including any other dogs, meet the prospective adoptee, before a decision is made. When the family decides to adopt it is done through the rescue (they sign their adoption contract and pay their adoption fee). After the dog is happily in his or her new home Meg or I will visit and spend about an hour with the family discussing the adjustments for a new dog, housebreaking, crate training and basic good manners. We are available for phone consults for the lifetime of the dog and offer a discount on training.
We have written several articles to help make the process as easy as possible for the new dog owners, which we give to our families on our first visit. Mutt Match is a non-profit organization, funded by donations. Our goal is to make smart placements, help people who may be afraid to rescue a dog feel more comfortable doing so and try to keep dogs in their new homes. So many adopted dogs are returned due to “wrong dog in the wrong home”, by matching a family and dog we are hopefully keeping dogs in their homes.”
They totally make me want to go out to get some more training and start the same kind of organization! But since not all shelters have trainers available, please make sure you make your decision about a new family member carefully. I love the idea of adopting a foster dog, because the foster family can tell you so much more than the shelter staff ever could from seeing a dog in a kennel most of the day. Make sure you trust the advice of foster parents and rescue workers, even when they tell you this might not be the right dog for you.
Liz Maslow gave me a few tips on how to choose the right dog: “When looking to add a dog to the family, the first step is considering what type of dog will fit in most comfortably. For example, if you would like a couch potato of a dog, a greyhound or a basset would be a better fit than say a border collie. There are many dog breed books on the market that can help narrow down the look and characteristics you may want in a dog.
Most of the dogs you will find from a rescue or a shelter will be mixed breeds, consider all the breeds in a particular dog and think about the specific characteristics of those breeds. The dog could have any and all of those traits. When walking through a shelter, remember first impressions are important! The dog that is actively seeking out your attention is a social dog. We like to look for dogs that seem unfazed by the crazy surroundings. They are happy to see you, with a wagging body in addition to a wagging tail. Their body is loose and wiggly, they could look as though they are smiling.
If you see a dog like this kneel down and make friends press your hand up to the cage. The dog should either lick at your fingers or press his body to the other side of the fencing so that you can touch him. This tells you that he likes to be touched, another hint that it is a social dog. If you feel comfortable, ask to see the dog in a private room to get to know him better. Once in the room the dog should pay more attention to you than his surroundings. He should calm to your touch, not get more excited. You should not notice any fearful behavior or shyness towards anyone in your family.
Try to engage the dog in play, ask yourself, is it too rough (jumping, biting at, pulling on clothes)? Is the dog exerting force (some dogs like to show you how strong they are)? If he is jumping up at you is it in play or is it a power play? Now stop playing, the dog should settle in a couple of minutes. Take the dog for a short walk outside. Dogs in rescue usually do not know how to walk politely on leash; they may pull, but the dog should not drag you and should pay attention to you. You want the dog to notice that you are at the other end of the leash. If you stop walking, the dog should also. Some shelters, but not all, do behavioral evaluations. Ask to see the evaluation on a particular dog. Pay particular attention to the body handling and the food aggression sections of the evaluation.”
Thanks to Liz and Meg for starting such a great organization! Keep it up and I hope that many more of these are going to follow all around the country.
Posted on February 10, 2010
One of my favorite doggy supply websites is SitStay.com! Hands down. Because before they sell anything, especially dog food and treats, they will talk to the manufacturers to make sure it is good for the dogs. They test and tri before they sell and whatever they wouldn’t give to their own dogs they won’t sell either. How about that for feeling good about what you buy?
But SitStay.com does not only sell great dog products. Besides their forum and newsletter, they’ve also got a great blog, written by Darcy Turner. She is the president of SitStay.com and has had her share of experience with dogs and dog products for many years. In fact, her blog was one of the influences that made me question the dog food I feed and after some more research I was led to change Mac’s food to the better. Yesterday she shared her opinion on the dog treat Pup-peroni. I personally am in love with baking my own treats, but if you don’t have the time to do so pay SitStay.com a visit to find plenty of great treats that your dog will love!
Here’s Darcys opinion:
“Dear Darcy, What do you think of Pup-Peroni? (name withheld by request)
Hi Everybody, In my opinion, it’s not a good thing to put into a dog’s body.
Clever and heart warmingly emotional advertising works, we all know that. But will people who love their dogs bet their dog’s life on it?
I’m glad to see that most online pet food makers and supply stores have recently started adding ingredient lists, even the biggest stores are doing it now. You know that they are hoping the majority of pet owners stay in the dark and uneducated about what’s in that stuff and what it will do to a dog or that they won’t care and they’ll keep buying it.
Not all food and treat makers are made of the same cloth. Some really do care about the health and quality of your dog’s life and use only the best ingredients that they can, those are the ones you’ll see at SitStay.com. Ingredient lists will tell you so much about character, ethics and morality.
If you feed your dogs junk, you will be giving your money to the vet to try to make them well again, even to trying to save their lives from infections, kidney disease, heart failure, aggressive behavior, obesity, tooth decay.
Google.com the words “Pup-Peroni ingredients” to see first, who sells it and promotes it, and second, what is being reported about it. I was shocked to find which websites are promoting Pup-Peroni, I didn’t think it of them. Some of the stores who are selling it have always sold this kind of stuff so no surprises there but really, some of those sites who I thought were really here for the dogs seem to have caved to the almighty dollar. It’s simply hard for some to turn down a lot of money no matter the outcome. I find it very sad.
Del Monte’s Pup-Peroni Ingredients: Beef, Meat by-Products, Soy Grits, Sugar, Liver, Salt, Propylene Glycol, Garlic Powder, Caramel Color, Natural Smoke Flavor, Potassium Sorbate (used as a preservative), Sodium Nitrite (for color retention), Red 40, BHA (used as a preservative), Onion Extract. Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 24%, Crude Fat 12%, Crude Fiber 2%, Moisture 24%
Del Monte spend $8 million dollars to get you to buy Pup-Peroni. Added sugar, Onion, Sodium Nitrite, flavors, colors, BHA. Ack. Don’t we all know by now that these things are not good for dogs? After Del Monte had to recall food in the 2007 recalls, I’d think they’d research and go the good direction, it was a perfect time to reinvent themselves as the good guys. You’ll have to write to Del Monte to ask if they use the 4D meats: dead, down, dying and diseased in their foods. I can’t find anything that will prove for or against that. Susan Thixton, in an article speaking of Pup-Peroni, wrote: “Meat by-Products. This is a rendered meat ingredient commonly used in ´grocery store´ type pet foods and treats. The FDA determined this ingredient to be a probable source of pentobarbital, a lethal drug used to euthanize animals. Thus, this pet food/pet treat ingredient more than likely contains rendered euthanized animals and the lethal drug used to kill them.”
According to the FDA, the drug pentobarbital used to euthanize animals follows the animal all the way through the process of making dog food out of them and into your home and into your dog. Drugs.com states: “Pentobarbital is in a group of drugs called barbiturates (bar-BIT-chur-ates). Pentobarbital slows the activity of your brain and nervous system. Pentobarbital is used short-term to treat insomnia. Pentobarbital is also used as an emergency treatment for seizures, and to cause you to fall asleep for surgery. Pentobarbital may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.”
Here’s a survey and aside from all the disclaimers keeping the FDA out of trouble with manufacturing, it’s a lot of worrisome info: FDA Survey The FDA concluded at some point that your dog ingesting foods and treats that have pentobarbital in them are unlikely to cause adverse health effects. Hmm. I find that so interesting. Just how much would they have to eat and over how much time until there were adverse health effects? There is some research on the amounts but what about my individual dog? How much is okay for him? There’s no conclusive proof that I can find that tells me it’s safe and will help keep my dog well. Far from it.
Check out the makers making it and the stores selling it and see if you still want to do your business with them. Character of a company means so much. – Darcy
P.S. Del Monte also make Kibbles ‘n Bits and Milk bone. Here’s the OMG!
Kibbles ‘n Bits Ingredient list: corn, soybean meal, beef and bone meal, ground wheat flour, animal fat (bha used as preservative), corn syrup, wheat middlings, water sufficient for processing, animal digest (source of chicken flavor), propylene glycol, salt, hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride, caramel color, sorbic acid (used as a preservative), sodium carbonate, minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), choline chloride, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, niacin supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), calcium sulfate, titanium dioxide, yellow 5, yellow 6, red 40, BHA (used as a preservative), dl methionine.
Milk Bone: Ingredients: Wheat flour, wheat bran, beef meal and beef bone meal, wheat germ, beef fat (preserved with tocopherols), poultry-by-product meal, lamb meal, salt, chicken meal, dried beet pulp, dicalcium phosphate, bacon fat (preserved with BHT, propyl-gallate, and citric acid), brewers dried yeast, whey, artificial color (includes red 40, yellow 5, blue 1), vitamins (choline chloride, dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate [vitamin e], vitamin a acetate, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin b12 supplement, d-activated animal sterol [/source]), malted barley flour, iron oxide, casein, natural flavor (source of peanut butter flavor), sodium metabisulfite (dough conditioner), minerals (zinc sulfate, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide [source 1="iodine" language="of"]), soy lecithin.
As an added bit for people who will read the bad news, Google the words “FDA pentobarbital”. Apparently to this day, and it doesn’t surprise me or others in the know, some dog food companies are still adding animals who have been euthanized with pentobarbital to their foods. Pentobarbital follows from the live animal into death and into food, intact. Generally before an animal is enthanized, it was ill or diseased and full of drugs and antibiotics to try for a cure. Then the pentobarbital shot to end the suffering.”
To stay updated on Darcy’s blog, just became a friend of SitStay.com on facebook!
Posted on February 8, 2010
Before I get to yet another thing you can spend your money I’ll tell you what cheap solution kept Mac busy for the longest time.
I don’t throw out any of my empty juice bottle (the sturdier plastic kind). Instead I keep them to fill them with all sorts of treats. And whenever I have to leave Mac alone, I will put those out around the house for him to entertain himself, trying to get out all of the treats. Now officially I am probably supposed to tell you to supervise your dog while he is playing with things like plastic bottles. And I have the first few times. I learned that he usually won’t chew them up until they have been laying around for a few days. So I feel safe letting him play with them while I’m not gone and while they’re still new.
Anyway, so although I’m still giving him bottles with treats he really has figured it all out by now and I had to look around for new things to keep him challenged. And I have came across a toy (that I have not tried, yet) that will soon replace one or two of the plastic bottles. They are made by the company Canine Genius, and what loving dog owner does not believe that their pooch is one of those, right? Well, I definitely fall into that category and will get Mac several Canine Genius toys. Two of their toys are interactive treat dispenser (did i just make that up?). They are a little bit more challenging than the usual Kong, since they have little prongs at their openings which makes it harder for the dog to retrieve their treats. I think I’ll start with Mike (picture below), before I move on to Leo. Leo seems super intriguing to me, because you cans stick several of those into each other and make it infinitely more challenging. I will take bets how long this will keep Mac busy until I have to think of a new toy!
And I’m all about rubber toys lately, by the way. I think I have finally passed the stage of replacing stuffed toys that have been ripped apart after a day or even just a few hours. How will the stuffed toy industry survive without me, I wonder?
Posted on February 5, 2010
I have just recently come across a new blog that I just love. Because it inspires me.
So far I thought my dogs are doing pretty good, they got their basic obedience down, they are very managable and know one or two tricks just for fun. Well, it is probably needless to say that there is more than just “shake” and “roll over”. But most of the tricks I saw in books so far seemed rather silly and I kept forgetting that even working on a silly trick is another step towards that perfect bond I aspire.
Laura Waudby keeps a blog, The dogs are really in charge, to share her training experiences with her two dogs Lance and Vito and most importantly to keep track of them for herself. She shares her training goals and updates regurlarly how those plans are coming along. And lots of her “tricks” aren’t so silly after all. One that I found last week is actually super handy and I’m totally going to start teaching it to my dogs. It’s the boundary cue, which tells the dog that they cannot cross a certain boundary (into a room, out of the yard, etc.).
Here is how to teach it:
1. Start at a threshold or someplace where there is a very clear boundary that the dog can actually notice. Differences in flooring makes this much easier. The smaller the space the easier as you can easily guard a doorway but will have a harder time using the entire front yard vs. street. If your dog does not know how to patient while you open a door, then start at a threshold with no door or start with the door already open!
2. With your dog’s attention on you and good treats in hand, step across that boundary and immediately pivot in front of your dog so that your dog is on one side and you on the other. This should have been easy, so immediately click and toss a treat behind your dog so he has to run away from you to go get it. Click again while he is still in the other room and hasn’t yet raced back to you and throw that treat someplace else. Throwing the treats encourages your dog to move around and shows him that you are not wanting a formal stay. Repeat this a few times just to give your dog the idea that the good stuff happens in the other room. You should still be right across the boundary so your dog should have zero interest in trying to squeeze by you.
3. Now start moving away from that boundary line, just a few steps, but keep clicking and throwing treats before your dog gets to the boundary. You simply want to introduce your movement into the picture but are making this extremely easy for your dog to do.
4. Start delaying the click. You are still very close to the line, less then 5ft, but you aren’t going to be constantly chucking treats into the other room. This is where your dog is going to start to experiment and will likely cross the threshold. I simply body block the dog back across the line. If you want to you can use your no reward marker, but remember you can’t get upset since your dog doesn’t yet know what you want. Just think of yourself as a hockey goalie and your job is to prevent the dog from going forward. As SOON as your dog starts to think of moving forward, lean your body in to counter act. Still click and toss the treat behind him for not crossing across the boundary.
5. If this is a boundary you eventually want your dog to be invited in, release your dog with an “ok!” (or whatever word you use) and invite him in with your body language. I usually don’t give a treat at this point since I want to be rewarding the actual waiting on the other side rather then the freedom from it.
6. Once your dog is doing pretty well at this short distance and easy boundary, you can start to add a cue. I say “wait” and then my hand signal is my index finger held straight up at the heavens. Since this is a duration behavior you can occasionally repeat it, but I try to avoid that since eventually my dogs do 20 minutes plus waits and I want the responsibility to lie on them without the added reminders.
7. Make it harder! Work on the 3 D’s: distance, duration, and distractions. Remember to only work on one thing at a time so if you are starting to drop treats across the boundary, remain very close and reward often. At any time the dog goes across the boundary, body block him back over. But if the dog is screws up twice in a row then you need to make things easier.
Here are distractions I work on: food dropping, playing with another dog, training another dog, dogs walking by, people walking by, and the door bell. And of course I slowly add in distance to being out of sight and time until about 20 minutes.
8. Generalize. If you have only been practicing from the kitchen to the living room, then take this cue on the road! Work it in different rooms, at the pet store, outside on walks, your front yard (use a long rope for safety) etc. Also try to do it randomly without any of the normal context. Can you get your dog to suddenly wait while you are carrying up laundry from the basement?
Are you as excited about this new cue as I am? If so, make sure to check her post on the topic to get a little additional advice from her personal experience.
Thanks, Laura!
Posted on February 3, 2010
If you are a dog owner in or around Manhattan, KS, the Manhattan Aquarium Co. needs to be on your list of visits for this coming Saturday (Feb. 6th). As every other Saturday, the Riley County Humane Society is holding their adoption day from 10am to 2pm. But on top of that Hagin Photography is taking Valentines pictures with your pet and we are selling home made dog treats for which your best friend will give you two paws up!
All proceedings will go to the Riley County Humane Society. We will be there from 11:30 until we run out of treats or 5pm at the latest. So mark your calendars and come see us!
Posted on February 2, 2010
I loooove etsy. It is my go to source for everything stylish and a little different. Like right now I am searching for a treat bag for training treats and I realy just don’t want the ones everyone has. So I went to etsy and voilá! I found one. Several.
But that’s not what this post is about. I will tell you about my cool treat bag once I’ve actually received and tested it. Right now I’d like to show you the art of a seller I found by just browsing around the website. Gemini Art Studio.
The artist, Stephen Fowler, gets his inspiration from the big town Chicago, but creates all of these wonderful pieces in a studio in his small hometown Ohio. I am in love with this vintage-feel and I’m an now risking a lot by showing you the piece I really, really would like to have. And I really hope no one else buys it, before I can come up with the money 
Maybe I should save up a while longer and have him do a custom piece of my doggies. He does that, too!
