Saturday, December 24, 2011

Two Years Without Jackie, CD (Companion Dog)

The late and great Jackie, Companion Dog.   2003-12/24/2009
too soon to be gone.
I want to mark this two year Jackie, CD memorial with an e-mail which was stumbled upon almost two years after it was sent out:(  A very wonderful friend of our family sent out the following sentiments about our dog, Jackie.   I know many people close to us "got" how we have felt about our dogs, cats, and their parting from our lives in the most permanent of ways.   This really highlights how friends can totally get your pain, and commiserate with you.

"Gentlemen, 


It is with great regret that I need to inform you of a loss sustained by the Rubin Family at year end. Jack the Dog has passed away. On a family ski trip, on a beautiful mountain Jack succumbed to a recurring stomach illness. Having fought an admirable battle against this complication, Jack died December 24th. He faced two surgeries on this same disease and the last operation was too tough to overcome.

We all can fondly remember Jack enjoying the family friends at this past years Boobapalooza! How lucky we all were to spend time with this champion. You see, Jack was no ordinary family pooch. He was a titled champion. He brought his family great joy and honor! He represented the dog training business as a partner, frontman and roll model for all dogs who came to learn in his presence.


Take a moment this evening to remember a fallen comrade and keep the Rubin family in your prayers. Time will heal this wound as it has always done but Jack will never be forgotten. I propose a Boobapalooza Award in his name! The Jack Award to be given to that attendee who best represents loyalty, honor and the heart of a champion at the next Boobapalooza!


Rob & Robin, our hearts go out to you!


Yitzchak will be read in Jacks name.

Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made. ~Roger Caras


Love


The Kippa"

Thanks Chuck.   I regret that we only recently found this note.   On the other hand, it has made my day this year to find this, and be able to enjoy these memories of my Jackie CD.   He was an underdog and a wonderdog in so many ways.   Not a day goes by that I don't miss Jackie, Jazz, Neptune, Clyde and Mustache.   Jackie CD gave a lot of hope to owners with dog aggressive dogs.   I wish he could have stayed with us longer.

And now I know how to properly spell "Yortsite" (my now old spelling) LOL.

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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Wonderful Memories of Neptune

Look how big Neptune
was!  Big Sweetheart
though.
December 21st, 2004 is the day that Neptune left us.   It was the day after a ski vacation he had been on with us.   My husband and I had hoped for this one last vacation with Neptune, but did not know he would literally leave us the next day.   Neptune had been diagnosed with a heart condition 4 years prior.

Ironically, it was not his heart that failed, but his tolerance of a medication given to keep him alive.   Neptune was the first dog that I HAD to train.   Jazzabelle, who came first, came largely trained and was a very good girl with no real behavioral problems anyway.

Neptune came with some dog aggression, which I was totally unfamiliar with at the time!  Thus began my education in dog training, and how it creates a partnership between you and your dog.   Neptune was the first to bring me along the dog training journey, because to not train him would have been to fail him.

Neptune is forever missed, and will never leave our hearts.   He had a will to live that was inspiring.   Despite his heart condition, he loved to have fun, and enjoyed his known dog friends and sister, Jazzabelle.   His true love was an Airedale girl named Ryan.

If you tried to ignore him, he would pretend that he was going to bite the couch.   He never actually touched the couch, but he would open his mouth and pretend to get our attention.  He also spun and twirled to indicate that he was ready for some fun.  Neptune loved our cats, Clyde and Mustache, as well.  

Miss you big boy, and bed hog!

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Monday, December 12, 2011

Part 1-Waterville Maine Thinking About Breed Specific Legislation or Size Canine Legislation-Yipes!

First dear readers, here is what is happening in Waterville Maine.  If you have a large breed dog, you may soon find your rights of dog ownership to be impeded upon depending on the size or breed of your dog.  If Waterville Maine starts limiting what breeds can be owned (without regard to any other measures), it will be sure to crop up in other cities and towns in Maine.

http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/police-chieffired-up-overdog-attacks_2011-12-02.html

http://bangordailynews.com/2011/09/12/news/waterville/waterville-police-chief-wants-bad-dogs-away-from-kids/

http://www.ohmidog.com/2011/09/13/police-chief-in-maine-suggests-breed-ban/

http://blessthebullys.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/action-alert-for-waterville-me-residents/

http://www.keepmecurrent.com/american_journal/opinion/editorials/editorial-dog-laws-should-target-owners-first/article_93e7badc-e9e4-11e0-a20d-001cc4c002e0.html

I personally find it appalling when a human adult or child is attacked by a dog.   I find it appalling when a child is put in any number of dangerous situations, quite frankly.   When I have a training situation that involves the safety of a child, I pull no punches.   I may not take on the client because they sound like they are endangering their child or family members.   I can't be involved with that sort of liability, and I make it clear to the client what I think about it.

My definition of endangering others is already having multiple incidents happen to people without any action on the part of the human to keep others safe.   Usually they are contacting me in order to have someone else say their dog is safe or wave a magic wand at the situation.   Chillingly enough, sometimes these people are calling from a daycare situation, and want their dog to be handled by their dog with a previous bite history at will despite their dog clearly not being okay with that.  

People have unrealistic expectations of dogs as some sort of stuffed animal that they take out only when they are interested in them.   Obviously, large breeds of dogs have bigger teeth and more strength than a toy breed.  It is therefore more likely that if a dog is put in an inappropriate situation or if warning signs of a bad temperament are simply ignored, the more serious injury will be given by a larger dog.   Also if a dog has not had socialization or training done, that dog can misinterpret a situation on go on the defense due to lack of experience and usually supervision.

Not all dogs have great temperaments, but treated with respect and supervised not a danger generally to the public.   Some dogs are dangerous and this always comes with having a flawed temperament (at least for living as a domesticated pet) or in very rare cases a serious medical issue has not been found.   However, it is extremely rare that a dangerous dog would be able to exit the shelter system alive or be purchased from a reputable breeder.   These dangerous temperaments are uncommon to a large degree.   They are perhaps more common in a segment of the population that values a guard dog (not talking about a trained well temperamented guard dog here) type of mentality in their dog.   There are some people that feel it  "machos" them up to have a dog that may decide to protect or guard them with their teeth.  Unfortunately, these dogs can not tell the difference from kids, domestic animals, ET that are not threats.   Often they are owned by people that have little to no interest in training these dogs to be safe and supervised, and they have in fact through neglect and lack of socialization trained them to be viscious.  People like this are prone to valuing a badly temperamented dog whether it came that way or was created to be that way. It would be better that these people had no dogs at all, never mind what kind of breed of dog it is or what temperament it began with.  If you penalize the breed by size or actual breed class, these people will find something else with which, and it may even be a smaller dog now that is more feral in nature, that they can neglect and use as a weapon against people.  Will this now become that breeds fault?   If so, hamsters will someday be an illegal pet (okay I am exaggerating there but you get the picture). 

So if people that have properly cared for their dogs are penalized and in the same boat as those that have irresponsibly cared for (and this includes ignoring dangerous situations and acting upon them to include realizing they may need to destroy a dangerous dog), what does this change?  Well it will put a large population of people that love their dogs and care for their dogs in an impossible and tragic predicament.   The irresponsible population will either hide the fact that they own these animals, put them to sleep and pick something else to neglect, or if they are interested in protection find another way to "protect" themselves in an irresponsible way.

It is real easy to pick on a breed (or minority) in an effort to feel control (humans do it to themselves all the time).   Death and serious injury are life altering events.   Humans want to be able to control death itself.   Of course we do, it effects us and the people we love.   We have a mind numbing lack of control when it comes to this.   We can not control all irresponsible human behavior or mechanical failure on inanimate objects.   When we find something we think we can control, often we wish to do this fast, now, and in very illogical and non helpful ways.  The fall out of this is controlling, often, the people who are acting responsibly, and not effecting so much the irresponsible parties as intended.

(This is Part 1-To Be Continued)

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Friday, December 9, 2011

Why A Dog At Large on My Property Irks Me



Bad picture of this dog, but the owner was able to identify as theirs.
These neighbors (who own this dog) complain about other dogs even when viewing them from 20 feet away, obeying the law and under voice control...because they are afraid of large breed dogs.   Yet they have no problem with their own large breed dog (or Jack Russel) being at large, unsupervised, on their neighbors' land.   This is not the first time either.  One year the Great Pyrenees that they had (and subsequently got rid of for aggression) was on our property with one of the Jack Russel.   Rather than admit that these were her dogs (and other trespassing infractions from her family and various ATV vehicles), I got this instead:

"As I have said from the beginning I have NEVER been on your property, even prior to you living there, so any claim of that is false and can never be proven."  Hence the necessity to carry a camera around, since if there is no documented proof, it simply did not happen.  Luckily, other neighbors reports and animal control reports proved this to be inaccurate.

"I have viewed your land lot and am now clear on where your lot is. I had no idea prior to today where you land lot was. Prior to our meeting last weekend I did not know you, although I have seen you out walking your dogs. Moving forward from today I will make a point that none of my dogs cross over the line during our walks in the woods.I do not ride the ATV's but when people do I will reiterate where they can and cannot ride and the property lines. I enjoy my dogs and walking in the woods but never intentionally have allowed them cross over into other people's property. Over the years I have had some disobey the rules from time to time and if they crossed onto your property I am sorry.I was not aware they were troubling you."  Her above words were amended only after much discussion and proof were presented.  Perhaps if she had been WITH her dogs, we could have discussed where my land lot was, and also dogs in York Maine are not allowed to be at large.  Thanks to "responsible" owners like my neighbor we lost our right to voice control and being out with our dogs without a leash.   Trust me, she could care less that her dogs were interrupting lessons or my personal dog training.


"We are all clear I will continue to walk on land I have permission to be on and will ensure none of my family 2 and 4 legged go onto your property."  Perhaps my neighbor does not know the meaning of the words that she writes.   That would mean that I would not have run into her dog today without an owner anywhere in sight.

"Hopefully it will be 5 more years before you and I or any of our 4 legged companions cross paths."   No sadly it will be in far less time than that. 




The below pictures were taken at the same time the strange dog appeared.  Here is what my dogs and my clients' dogs do on our property when a trespasser appears (whether a different species than human or not):

Very proud of two year old Boris listening without any type of training collar or lead on.

Murphy also listening and on long line only.

Leon and Tommy both being obedient.  Both do have training collars on, but not used.

Harley has no training equipment (the Great Dane), and he is not in a sit command due to his knees (but he is staying put).  And new e-collar client, Spencer, is staying put as well.

That sort of cooperation and trust from a group of dogs (to not interfere while I check out a situation) is why I do this. No drama, no pulling dogs off of dogs, ....   just go check it out.   Wish the dog had come to me so regardless of whose it was, I could have been sure it was safe.

I was a little worried for the dog, as I couldn't see if the electronic device around his/her neck was from a remote electronic collar or an invisible fence type collar (which could mean he was loose and lost).   It seemed he ran off towards a noise as if someone was calling him/her though.

Generally, I am normally not bothered when a dog is on my land.   With the "hunting accidents" lately however, and the way people will assume certain breeds of dogs are aggressive, I personally don't want a dog coming onto my land that I have to protect my dogs against (or against their owner who sees a sitting Doberman on our own land but goes into a panic getting out their gun).   This dog did not seem very social at all, and I really was not sure what his intent was.   I can't imagine having others responsible for guessing the intent of my dogs by leaving them loose and unsupervised.   I have had my dogs attacked when walking by Border Collies, Springers, Golden Retrievers, Pointers, Cairn Terriers, and it is not cool with me.   People think that since I have a Doberman or Bullie type breed attached to me (that is heeling, onlead, and minding their own business---my dogs that is not the attacking dogs) that this is okay as their dogs are not considered a "dangerous breed" of dog, as they endanger me and my dogs.

I put a lot of training on my dogs, act responsibly, supervise my dogs, and don't put client dogs in situations that they are not prepared for.  I don't do this so we can be attacked or be surrounded by people that do not take dog ownership so responsibly.  I am aware that it's not the dogs' fault, but the owners' fault in these situations.  Thankfully, some of these owners become clients, and not all of them are as uncaring and unempathetic as my neighbors regarding others.

A lot of dog owners are unaware that their dogs may make decisions (while unsupervised) that they normally would not with their owners there.   Not to mention if there has been no training in place or socialization and the dog is really scared and not perceiving the situation correctly.

Irresponsible dog owners are affecting my rights and my dogs freedoms as responsible dogs and dog owners in the community, and that is just wrong.  (and not neighborly) 

Next blog will be about why you should report these incidents to animal control when you have uncooperative neighbors.   Also, to expect your animal control department to follow their own ordinances as this actually protects your and your dogs rights in the community.  Last thing we need are more animal control legislations that take away the rights of responsible dog owners (you don't think the irresponsible ones actually adhere to the rulesdo you.   which is where the fines and civil penalties should come in)





Boris Has Three Legs But No Disability



Now tell me, what disability is it that everyone thinks Boris has?

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Thursday, December 8, 2011

Wednesday Daycare



A Wednesday daycare...ever wonder what it is your dog is doing at daycare here? You know, when they aren't training?

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Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Diesel and I Practicing Place In The Woods In September or October



Part of any command is practicing it in a variety of places, as dogs have trouble generalizing until they have experience in many different scenarios. Diesel in particular has been a very literal dog, and unless you show him the different ways and places it can be done, he assumes the command is the way he was shown orginally.

Diesel is an incredibly smart dog, so it's easy enough once he gets started in a new area for him to get it:)

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Tuesday, December 6, 2011

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

Wanted a little red (okay shades of purple) and green in the picture with Leon for Xmas.   He is not usually allowed on this family heirloom, but it seemed to lend itself to the theme.

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Monday, December 5, 2011

On the Fifth Day of Christmas

Picture came out better than I thought.   I think I would change out blanket of red for a different color to contrast with the beads.   Leon was a very good boy letting me drape these all over him.   Got this idea from Applewoods Dog Training.   Doing this gives you good practice in positioning your dog, and creating a relationship of trust when you need them to stay still for a project like this (not that this is any big deal, I am a total amateur at this).

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Sunday, December 4, 2011

On The Fourth Day of Christmas


Leon and I gazing at each other.

Leon presents cheek for a kiss.


Boris models hat and skarf.


Front view of Boris with hat and skarf.


Leon on couch with hat and skarf.


Leon gives a good look towards the camera.


I like Leon with the slight sideways look.
 I like some aspects of these photos, but I need to come up with better backgrounds, I think.

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Saturday, December 3, 2011

On The Third Day of Christmas...


OMG, I am glad I did not realize how cute Leon looked.   I would have bought those antlers!!  As you can see, Leon is also a ham for the camera!

Boris "Hey lady, you got treats?".   Interesting fact, this lady has a ferret rescue:)
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Friday, December 2, 2011

On The Second Day of Christmas...

Yup, more holiday pictures, using our client, Diesel, as a model as we train and tour around York Maine.


We started our training on the dirt roads in our neighborhood.   This house is more elaborately decorated than this, but I did not want to intrude into their yard while they were not home and I did not have permission.   So we practiced stand stay in front of the fence line.


Then we practiced our stays on Long Sands (no Xmas decorations sadly).   However, we do have some people proactively working off the pounds before the Christmas eating begins.   Diesel was a very good boy.


Finally, we took pictures at the Anchorage using a place, let's go and sit stay.   I was hoping no one would come out and yell at us LOL.   Diesel is a good boy.   Because of the size of the "place" he was a little confused at first, but he got it.


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Thursday, December 1, 2011

And the Christmas photos begin


The lobster trap Christmas tree by the Nubble Lighthouse is so big!   I didn't even notice that Leon was sitting beside it when I first saw it.   This was taken during a nice long walk that Robert took Leon on.