Service Dog Denied From Working In Classroom

As a huge supporter and believer in service dogs, I read this story from Petside.com yesterday and was greatly disturbed.  In Mississippi, a teacher who is a Type 1 Diabetic, has been denied repeatedly to bring her Diabetic Alert Dog into the classroom with her.  

 The teacher, 29-year-old Christina McCurdy, uses her female boxer, Jinx, as a Diabetic Alert service dog. The dog is trained to alert McCurdy when her blood sugar is dropping, something she says she cannot tell the majority of the time. The huge swings in McCurdy's blood sugar levels could lead to seizures, organ damage and even death.

As a result of her condition, McCurdy has continuously lobbied her school district to allow her to bring her pup Jinx into the classroom. She's been denied repeatedly, and she still has not received an answer as to why.

In McCurdy's estimation, her dog Jinx is purely a service dog in the same fashion that a seeing-eye dog is. While dogs have been helping the blind for many years, diabetic alert dogs are a relatively new trend. They rely on scent to sense when blood sugar is dropping.

I think this is just wrong and to even suggest that these "types" of  service dogs are not "real" service dogs is ridiculous.  Though it has taken humans a while to figure out exactly what our four-legged friends can help us with, dogs have been alerting people on dropping blood sugar levels, cancer, epileptic seizures and many other things for a long time.  Their noses can do things ours simply cannot.  Trained bomb dogs can go into a huge warehouse and find the slightest scent of bomb materials, that is a pretty impressive nose!  

This story is disappointing to me and I think the school board that is denying the dog to work in the classroom should at the very least fully explain why they continue to deny it.  Otherwise, one is left to believe this is pure ignorance in play or some sort of discrimination.

To read the full original story, bark on the link:  Bark!

How To Help Pups With Arthritis

K9 Magazine's online newsletter had some great tips for puppies or dogs that have arthritis.  Since this is a problem that effects so many, I wanted to share this information with you.  There is also a video at the end that I really found helpful as well.  Please remember that this publication is out of the UK, so some of the facts quoted are from there, but they are similar to the US. 

It is quite common for puppies to have genetically acquired hip dysplasia and/or elbow dysplasia. Unfortunately, these are the results of improper breeding, and with the huge amount of puppies being born each year from people that are not dog breeding professionals, you may come across a puppy with these conditions often.

Elbow and hip dysplasia are essentially the same thing, except where the problem occurs, one being in the hip joint and the other being in the elbow joint. In normal dog growth, the femur head is supposed to grow into the joint socket and then be able to rotate freely around as a puppy moves. Dysplasia occurs when the femoral head grows outward and when the bone thickens, there is a gap left in the front. This gap unfortunately causes slight falls in motion, which induces high levels of discomfort and makes a dog’s walking and running unstable.

If your puppy has been diagnosed as having hip or elbow dysplasia, there are a few ways in which you can make his life a lot more comfortable. Below are some pointers to help guide you along:

1. For starters, look to the future and avoid passing this genetic disorder on. This can be accomplished with the simple procedure of neutering your dog.

2. Clinical Nutritionist and A Walk in the Park expert, Marge Chandler says, “Establishing a healthy diet with your dog while it is a growing puppy is the key to decreasing the risk or delaying the onset of osteoarthritis. It’s important that you don’t allow puppies to become overweight or grow too rapidly. To help achieve this feed a complete and balanced diet without giving additional calcium supplements.”

3. Feeding your dog too much food in high amounts of calories may cause him to grow at a faster rate. This can cause the disorder to become highly aggravated. Simply feed your dog a balanced diet and try to avoid inducing growth spurts with too much food and protein.

4. Help cushion your dog’s walking by laying carpet in your house and in as many areas as you can. By adding a layer of softness to hard floors, the pain your dog feels will be diminished significantly.

5. Do not encourage fast pace running or jogging from your dog. Although hitting the great outdoors and taking long strides through nature can be a fun way to bond with your pet, you are only doing him a disservice when the disorder of hip dysplasia is prevalent. His joints can become inflamed and induce pain and irritability

Dog Park Etiquette

It is no secret that I am not a fan of dog parks.  I simply think that way too many people go with dogs that shouldn't be there.  They want to work out their issues and that is the wrong place to do it.  The dogs in a dog park should be trained, well-mannered and completely socialized.  It would be such a different experience.  But, just because I don't agree with them doesn't mean that they readers of this blog and some clients of mine aren't taking their dogs.  So, if you are going to take your dog, you should have some rules to live by. 

When I find articles or stories that express my feelings and opinions just as well as I do, I have to share them with you.  Dogster published a dog park do's and don'ts list from guest blogger Casey Lomonaco, a trainer that has my respect and support.  Everything I have read from Lomonaco suggests our training philosophies are very similar.  This is all sound advice and if everyone followed these etiquette rules, dog park life would be much different.  Please read and take it in and share this with everyone you know that takes their dog to a dog park.

 

Dog parks are popular places for owners to try to address their dogs’ needs for social interaction with other dogs alongside physical exercise in a safe, off-leash environment. While my feelings on dog parks are very mixed, if you and your dog enjoy using them, you should set firm rules to ensure everyone has a fun, safe time.

Here are a few suggested dos and don’ts to help you set a positive (and safe!) example for other dog park attendees.

The DOs:

Do exercise your dog well before you go to the dog park. Dogs arriving with an overabundance of energy, many having had no exercise whatsoever since last week’s visit, tend to come in like freight trains and either cause or be on the receiving end of dog park drama.

Do leave kids at home. The dog park is a park for dogs. Bring your children to the playground separately — small children at the dog park are often a danger, or in danger.

Do leave your dog in the car for a minute while you scope out the scene — while you may visit this park daily or weekly, there may be times when the arousal level of play is too high for your comfort level, or when you notice the dogs are bullying or playing in a manner that would make your dog uncomfortable. If it doesn’t look like the kind of play your dog would enjoy, consider going for a walk instead and trying the park another day.

Do educate yourself on the signs of healthy play and how to read dog body language. If you can observe and respond effectively to gradually increasing signs of arousal, you will be well-equipped to intervene and keep your dog safe before things get out of control.

Do remove your dog’s leash upon entering the park, and keep it with you while you are there.

Do leave your cellphone and other distractions in the car — you should focus on your dog the entire time you are at the park. If you want to chat to a friend at the park, keep at least one eye on your dog and do not allow him to get so far away that you cannot intervene and control the situation when necessary.

Do interrupt play frequently with short and fun training sessions. Dog park time should never be a free-for-all. Practice calling your dog to you (provided you have established good foundation response skills), rewarding him, and releasing him to play again immediately. If you call your dog only when he is over-aroused, chances are your recall signal will not work and he will learn that ignoring you has big-time payoffs when it comes to fun!

Do clean up! I think the ultimate dog park etiquette is that if you see a pile, you pick it up. It doesn’t matter which irresponsible owner neglected her obligation to clean up: Taking initiative to keep the park clean will increase the likelihood that the park stays open and protect both your dog and all other attending dogs from communicable illnesses. Bring more poop bags than you think you’ll need, just in case!

Do bring your own water and water bowl, leaving them in the car. Removing your dog from the park frequently for mini-breaks is a great idea, and I worry about the safety of community water bowls and their potential as vehicles for illness transmission (and resource guarding, especially on hot days when there are far more thirsty dogs than there are bowls of cool water!). Better to be safe than sorry — bring your own water and bowl.

Do think carefully about your decision to bring your dog’s favorite treats or toys to the park. It is best to use them only when there is plenty of distance between your dog and other dogs. Be aware that the risk for possession aggression is high, which is why treats are banned in many parks.

Do a brief physical warm-up before and after. Because play at the park can be very strenuous, a 5-to-10-minute walk before and after can reduce the risk of injuries to your dog when enjoying the park.

Do keep your small dog in the small dog section, even if he likes playing with big dogs. Small dogs in the large dog section of the park can easily be injured even in regular play, but are also susceptible to a seldom-seen but dangerous type of interaction known as predatory drift that can quickly become deadly.

The DON’TS:

Don’t allow your dog to drag you into the park. Entrance to the park, for dogs that enjoy the experience, should always be a reward for desirable behavior and should never reward pushiness, lunging, barking, or other demand behaviors. This is a great chance to practice loose-leash walking and focus techniques with real-life reinforcement.

Don’t allow your dog to bully other dogs or be bullied by others. Be proactive, and remember your job is to be your dog’s advocate. If another dog is bullying your dog, ask the owner to control it so you can remove yours to safety. Similarly, do not be offended if another owner asks you to temporarily restrain your dog so that she may remove her own.

Don’t allow your dog to enter the park with a collar, unless it is a breakaway one. Collars can get caught in teeth or on fencing and cause choking incidents — a breakaway collar or harness that does not fasten around the neck are safer bets for dog park attire.

Don’t bring an intact female in heat to the dog park, no matter how well socialized she is. You’d think this would be common sense, but I’ve seen it! This is dangerous for both the dog in heat and all other dogs at the park.

Don’t feed anyone else’s dog or allow your dog to take food from strangers. Food aggression and potential allergies are just two reasons these situations can cause problems.

Don’t expect the dogs to “work it out.” It is always better to intervene first — humans are responsible for maintaining peace and order at the dog park.

Don’t bring your dog to the park if he is suffering from any sort of communicable illness. Find other ways to provide your dog with exercise until he is no longer contagious.

Don’t think of the dog park as a great place to socialize a dog with “issues” (reactivity, aggression, fear, etc.) toward other dogs or people. One of my biggest gripes about dog parks is that they’re actually much more popular than they should be — they should be for well-trained, well-socialized, tolerant, and savvy dogs. Don’t assume that the dog park is fun for all or even most dogs — if you study up on canine body language, you will be better able to determine if the dog park is enjoyable or a scary, overwhelming, stressful experience for your dog.

Know your dog’s play style. Does your dog like to chase and be chased? Does he like to play “bitey face” with other dogs? Does he enjoy rough, physical, high-contact wrestling play, or does that make him uncomfortable? Encourage interaction with dogs with similar play styles, and remove your dog from the situation if there are no compatible playmates.

About the Author: Casey Lomonaco graduated with distinction from the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior, and is a member of the following professional organizations: APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers), CGC evaluator — AKC (American Kennel Club), TDF (Truly Dog Friendly), and the No-Shock Collar Coalition.

I really love the overall message here, it is what I preach at all my clients.  If you go to the dog park, don't just release your dog and check out.  You as their owner/human parent/advocate, however you see yourself, need to stay engaged and present just in case they get in trouble, not to mention to continue to interact with them for breaks and training.  I also love the point of educating yourself on dogs play style and reading body language.  If more owners understood what their dog was doing or saying, so much could be prevented.

I hope you all got as much out of this as I did.  Great advice!  If you go to dog parks, please follow these rules, it will keep your dog safe!

Guide Dog Attacked By Two Dogs

I was watching the 11 o'clock news last night when I saw this story out of Sacramento where a guide dog was attacked by two Rottweilers and I new I had to blog about it this morning.  This makes me so angry on one hand but it also completely warms my heart on another. 

On Saturday morning Frank Lopez, a teacher who is legally blind, took his guide dog Nolan for a walk.  During this normal walk Lopez says he heard the dogs approach behind them, "I could hear the nails from his paws running on the concrete and then I heard Nolan whimper."  Lopez then tried to get in between the Nolan and the first Rottweiler, but then the second dog came into the attack.  It wasn't until a bystander and the dog's owner came out to intervene that the attack on Nolan ended. 

"I could feel he was bleeding really badly," said Lopez, who was also injured when he fell during the attack.

Nolan was taken to the El Camino Animal Hospital, where doctors immediately operated on his ears - a surgery that had an upfront cost of $1,400. In the surgery room, the veterinarian said his injuries were not life threatening, but it was unclear if Nolan could resume work immediately as a guide dog.

"He didn't leave me. He didn't even try to run away during the attack," said Lopez. "He just stayed by my side the whole time and didn't even think about protecting himself."
Nolan is a 3 year-old yellow lab from Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael. Lopez has had Nolan for two years.

"I had to use my cane for the first time in two years," said Lopez. "I'm really fortunate to have Nolan. I depend on him for a lot of things. I kinda feel naked without him."

I am left feeling completely appalled at the owner of the Rottweilers!  You know if your dog is at that level of aggression with other dogs.  To be willing to track down a dog and attack them with no reason is awful.  Let me be clear, I am NOT saying all Rottweilers are this way, this has nothing to do with the breed, everything to do with what the specific dogs did.  But even with that, I don't blame the dogs fully, I blame the owners.  Those dogs should not have been allowed to get to the street and run freely.  I do understand dogs escape now and then, but if your dogs are aggressive like that, you can't take that chance and it is YOUR responsibility as an owner to keep your dogs from harming other dogs, humans or themselves.

On the other hand, I am left feeling completely in awe of Nolan that stood by his owner and continued to do his job.  I wish Nolan well and hope he is back to work soon.

For the complete story, bark on the link:  Bark!

Dolly The Dog

I was sent this amazing story last week about a puppy that needed saving and the founder of Dolly's Foundation stepped in, that story I will get to in a different blog.  Today I want to focus on the name sake of the foundation, Dolly the Pit Bull.  Dolly really stole my heart when I saw the video of her story.  Maybe I am sucker for rescue stories, being a rescue mom myself.  But I really connected with the fact that this dog has no reason to trust, be kind, loving or have any sweetness about her and yet she does.  

That point is what resonates with me the most.  It reminds me of my own dog, he was dealt a bad deck the first part of his life and I wouldn't blame him if he hated all people, but he doesn't.  I watch him everyday confront his fear and try to say hello to perfect strangers, something I didn't even know would be possible.  Dolly has this same theme.  You will see her resilience, her strength and her inspiring spirit.  Her owners are lucky to have her, she is lucky to have them, but I think they all know that.

I hope this sends you into the weekend on an inspiring note.  

Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to do something special with your pup!

Government Regulated Training?

Dogster had a wonderful piece a couple of days ago on a law proposed earlier this year in metropolitan New York City that would require all dog owners to pass a mandatory, state-regulated “obedience course” for dogs.  The thoughts and opinions in from the guest blogger are right on with my own views and I couldn't say it better myself.  So, I won't, here is the heart of what she said.

While I believe it was a noble effort by lawmakers to reduce the number of dangerous dogs and bite incidents in NYC, this is a law I just can’t get behind. Here are just a few of the reasons I believe that similar laws should be avoided or dramatically changed before implementation in any community:

1. State regulation of approved schools/instructors — It’s very important that pet owners realize not all trainers are created equal and that no training is often preferable to bad training. What sort of screening guidelines would be in place for eligible training companies? There are a great many “professional” trainers that I would not allow to touch or train my dogs under any circumstances.

2. Such a law could make pet owners resent training. — I find that the clients who are most enthusiastic about training are the most successful. A well-trained dog never does the bulk of its learning in the classroom — for training to be effective, it must be worked on at home, throughout the dog’s life. If people resent the fact that they MUST do training, they are unlikely to follow through with it.

3. “Obedience” classes are not for all dogs. — Just because a dog may know how to sit and lie down on cue does not mean it is a safe dog who doesn’t present a bite risk. In fact, most of the aggressive dogs I work with already know sit and down. Obedience classes are not the best learning environment for dogs with real aggression issues; allowing such dogs into group classes without laying down significant layers of behavior modification puts all dogs and humans in that classroom in jeopardy.

4. Knowledge, for people and dogs, is a “use it or lose it” enterprise. — I started learning French in 6th grade and continued studying it through college. Years later, I can’t have a coherent conversation. Similarly, an obedience certificate today does not mean that your dog is necessarily less likely to bite someone three years from now!
As an alternative, I’d love to see owners given incentives and positive reinforcement for being proactive and making training a priority. Potential incentives could include:
• discounts on homeowners’ insurance policies
• discounts on pet health insurance policies
• exemptions from breed-specific legislation (an issue worthy of its own blog topic!)

About the Author: Casey Lomonaco graduated with distinction from the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior, and is a member of the following professional organizations: APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers), CGC evaluator — AKC (American Kennel Club), TDF (Truly Dog Friendly), and the No-Shock Collar Coalition.

What do you think?  To Bark back, bark on the link:  Bark!

Dog From Harry Potter Movies In Rescue

If you saw all the Harry Potter movies as I did, you will remember this dog.  He played "Padfoot" or the dog that "Sirius Black" transformed into.  Petside.com brought us the sad news of his new situation.  The dog's real name is Berry, a black German Shepherd, and his owner has had to make a very hard decision to give him up for adoption.  Berry is now at an English dog rescue waiting to find a new home.

According to a Fox News Report, Berry was given up by his owner, stuntman Paul Thompson, after he could no longer care for the dog. Thompson went on to say that he could no longer care for Berry and another canine companion, Porridge properly due to constraints from his job.

Whoever adopts these two canines are quite lucky as both Berry and Porridge starred in TV and movie roles.

I know it easy to say or think nasty things about Mr. Thompson for giving up these two dogs, but I think it takes a good amount of courage to understand you are not able to provide the life they deserve.  Thompson said in the Fox report "I found myself spending a lot of time away from home, the dogs needed more attention than I could give. It was a difficult decision to make but one I had to accept was best for the dogs."

Now the dogs are at the German Shepherd Dog Rescue, just bark on the link to find out more information on how you can help.

Our fingers and paws are crossed that these two find a good home quickly.