Fact vs. Folkore
When it comes to training, some people pass off folklore as fact. “My grandfather did it this way, my father did it this way, I do it this way. It works.” That may appear to be true…on the surface.
With the cultural phenomenon of “dog whispering,” we’re lead to believe that there is a simple yet mystical path to gaining CONTROL over your dog. By providing discipline, exercise and affection, we’re lead to believe that our canine companion will be happy and obedient.
That may appear to be what’s happening, at the moment, to the humans. But from the dog’s point of view? Things are very different. By suppressing a desire to act, the dog avoids punishment. That creates an antagonistic relationship…and temporary results.
My Karen Pryor Clicker Training has begun, and it’s so refreshing to be learning the SCIENCE of learning. All living beings with nervous systems have the capacity to learn. Whether fish or fowl, canine or human, or anything in between, we all have the ability to learn, to modify our behavior. And through positive reinforcement (also called operant conditioning), we learn best. But what’s most exciting is the actual process of learning.
Contrary to the out-dated dominance theories that would tell us that dogs are all about pack order, we now know, scientifically, that their existence is quite different, more complex, than that over-simplified trendy talk would have us believe. While wolves in the wild do place a bit more importance on pack order as a necessary means of survival, our canine companions are different. Their interaction with us is like a dance, and they are following our lead, responding to what makes us happy, deferring to what makes us angry. They speak to us and react to us. It’s our job to listen.
Just How Hot Does it Get Inside Your Car?
I hate Summer. Maybe because I was born in January? I hate feeling overheated all the time. I even hate summer clothes. And I hate the fact that summer means my dogs can’t come with me for rides in the car as often due to the baking hot sun.
The Too Hot for Spot car thermometer
When the temps hit 70 and above, taking your dog with you in the car can be risky at best, deadly at worst. If you haven’t encountered statistics on how dangerous it is to leave your dog in a parked car in the summer sun (or anytime of year when the temps are over 70 degrees), you must be truly tuned out. But even though most people know the risks, it can be tempting to leave your pup in the car “just for a second” while you run into a store. That’s when trouble can happen.
I recently discovered one of the truly most ingenious, life-saving and valuable products for pets ever created. It’s called Too Hot for Spot and it’s a simple, static cling thermometer that you can attach to a window inside your car. It measures the temp inside your car, and is visible from outside the car. That means that before you even get inside your car, you can see exactly how much the temperatures inside resemble an oven! There are illustrations on the device that show you what is a safe temp range and what temperatures become very dangerous (both at the high end and the low end). AND…people walking by can see the temps, too. Talk about spreading awareness! Bravo and a huge thank you to the inventor of Too Hot for Spot. No car-driving, canine companion family should ever be without one.
DogParent’s 8 Great Gifts for the Holidays
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1. The Whole Dog Journal. $20 for a one year subscription to the monthly magazine that should be required reading for every dog parent. |
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2. The Bark Magazine. $14 for a one year subscription to our favorite lifestyle magazine. A wonderful read from cover to cover every issue. |
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3. Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Interactive Toy. $46.95. This will most likely be the best toy you will ever buy your dog. It’s interactive, promotes mental stimulation and delivers treats in the process. |
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4. “A Dog’s Purpose,” by W. Bruce Cameron. $13.60. We can’t wait to read this NY Times Bestseller that proposes that a dog’s purpose might be to be reborn many times. |
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5. “Three Dog Bakery Cookbook,” by Mark Beckloff and Dan Dye. $10.19. Even if you’re lucky enough to have a Three Dog Bakery nearby, nothing beats whipping up a batch of Simple Simon’s Birthday Bones from scratch. We make lots of great dishes from this book that we share with our dogs. |
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6. Tuffy’s Ultimate Tug-O-War Dog Toy. $16.75. For multi-dog families with dogs who like to play, this toy will stand up to rough and tumble play sessions. |
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7. Karen Pryor’s “Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs Kit.” $19.95. This kit contains the book, a clicker, flash cards, and a small bag of Charlee Bear treats. Clicker training is a fun, positive, GREAT way to train your dog! |
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8. A pet portrait or framed photo. Prices vary. While this might be more for you than your dog, this can be an especially touching gift for someone who’s beloved dog has passed on. Shown to the left is a portrait I did for a friend’s recently departed beloved dog. |
What if your dog was taken away because of his appearance?
12.07.10. UPDATE: Although Lennox’s family has a wonderful new attorney, their previous attorney STILL has not turned over all relevant documents. So the judge moved the hearing to February. We’ll keep you updated. Please sign the petition to save Lennox (see link below) and follow and support him on Facebook!
UPDATE: The court hearing on November 23rd took place. But the attorney for Lennox’s family left them (!) two days prior, so Lennox’s family had no choice but to ask for an adjournment while they find a new attorney. The adjournment was granted and the new court date is December 7th. Please read the heart-wrenching interview with Caroline, Lennox’s human Dog Mother, where she describes the seizure of Lennox, it’s devastating effects on her young daughter, and how she has been so moved by the worldwide outpouring of support.
Lennox in deplorable conditions in an unnamed kennel in Belfast.
For Dog Parents with Facebook accounts, you may have already seen the story of Lennox. If not, let me share this nightmarish story with you. Five years ago, Caroline Barnes and her family adopted Lennox, an American Bull dog cross, as a pup. Raised with love and kindness, the Barnes family followed all the legal requirements for responsible dog ownership: Lennox was neutered, trained, microchipped, and registered annually with the city of Belfast. He has been a loved, sweet family member and companion to their disabled 12 year old daughter, Brooke.
On May 19, 2010, the city dog wardens arrived at the Barnes’ home to deliver the dog’s license (apparently, hand delivered licenses are the practice in Belfast). They measured Lennox’s face and limbs, determined him to be a “Pit Bull type” breed, and took him away. A dog who has NEVER done anything wrong, who has been nothing but a loving family pet, was forcibly removed from his home. Since then, he has been kept in isolation, in an undisclosed kennel. A photo released of Lennox in the kennel shows the horrid conditions: sawdust floor surrounded by his feces, no water or food bowls present.
After six months of isolation and sub-prison-like confinement, a hearing determining Lennox’s fate will be held in Belfast on November 23.
It’s nearly impossible to comprehend the injustice and devastating sadness of this story. We want to believe that humans can behave in reasonable, just ways, whether they are politicians or not. There are two issues here:
1. Lennox is a good, innocent dog who needs to go back to his family NOW. The council, the Belfast government, needs to find whatever is necessary in their rules and regulations to allow this dog to go home now. Whether they take the high road and admit their error or not, the bottom line is that Lennox needs to be released and returned to his home on November 23rd.
2. Breed Specific Legislation, outlawing or banning certain breeds of dogs, needs to stop. It DOES NOT WORK. This is a perfect case to illustrate the flaws and stupidity of these types of laws that only cause suffering and death amongst innocent, law-abiding and responsible dogs and dog owners. The criminals who select dogs to train for vicious behavior will not stop their activities because of these laws. The irresponsible owners of dogs who neglect their pets and foster bad behavior will not change because of this law. Incidents of violent behavior through dog attacks have not decreased because of this law. As the singer and writer, Maria Daines, said: “BSL teaches nothing, fixes nothing and blames and condemns dogs for the irresponsible behaviour of human beings.”
If this law results in a perfectly well-behaved, sweet dog being taken away from his loving family and sentenced to death: THIS IS PROOF THAT THE LAW IS FLAWED.
To help Lennox and his family, please take action. Sign the petition here. Read more about Lennox here, where you can see who to contact in the Belfast City Council. Join the over 14,000 people around the world who are following and fighting for Lennox on Facebook. Spread the word. And may the power of love from around the world light the fire of compassion in the hearts of Lennox’s captors when his hearing takes place this Sunday.
