Old man-dog…

Dear Parker,

It’s only mid-February but it feels like it has been winter for a whole year. I’m beginning to think that this weather is tough on you, despite the fact that you love the cold. I started noticing a couple of strange things lately and they are concerning, but I’m keeping calm because I know it’s all to be expected.

Your back paw has become a little disifigured – the toes are pointing up and you’re not resting on the pads of your foot anymore. Your hips look fine and we’ve had two Canine Physiotherapists tell us that your gait is perfect, so I’m not feeling all that concerned about Hip Displaysia. What does concern me is that you’re been loafing around a lot lately and this weekend when you tried to move to the back seat of the car, you whined out of pain and I still don’t know why. I suppose it could be arthritis, which wouldn’t be a shock…but still not great.

You’re almost 9 now, old man. You don’t look a day over 5 though. You are lean and handsome and so very strong. You’ve slowed down a lot over the last 6 months and I’ve been diligent about brushing your teeth at night, making sure you have the best food on the market and fresh cold water all the time. You have your choice of three beds – one with a down duvet and a pillow just for you! – and the opportunity to go out for a walk any time of day or night. You get tons of exercise, and even more love.

I know your patience has also worn thin as you don’t seem to have the endless supply that you used to, more so with excitable puppies. You’re so tolerant and sweet with them, but I think that anything over a 10 minute visit seems to drain your energy, so maybe we’ll take it easy and you can hang out with your older friends who have calmed down. No sense in stressing you out over it.

I debated getting a puppy – a little brother or sister for you – but in light of all these things I think that I’m going to pass on that idea for now. I don’t want to upset you, change things too much, or take away your rights as an only child. I’m happy having it this way too – it’s nice, just you and me.

You’re good company, old man. I love every minute of it, even when you break into the bathroom and turn the tap on in the bathtub and I come home to find that we’ve probably used up all the water in the building. Really though – you’re the best dog I’ve ever known and I’m looking forward to 8.5 more years with you, even if you turn into a crusty, grumpy old man-dog.

Love,

Mama

A Letter to my Three-Legged Love:

Dear Parker,

It’s been over a year now since we started our company and I can’t believe how quickly time has passed. I love that I wake up every day knowing that I get to spend the whole day with you. You’re the best company a gal could have. You bring me so much comfort when I feel down or stressed and you know when to leave me alone to hash things out while you lounge on my bed patiently awaiting the next walk.

You’ve been awfully brave (for the most part, but we’ll get to that later) – you accompany me on most of my dog-walks during the days, which can sometimes mean that you’re out for 5 hours straight. It can’t be easy with three legs, but you always let me know when you need a rest. You’re such a great member of the pack when we’re out; you keep everyone in line and calm, which means there are few tiffs and tussles. You are so attentive and seem to know to watch my feet when we’re walking so that you can figure out which way we’re going next.

It pleases me so much to see you sit at every corner without me asking you, and it always prompts the other dogs to do the same. Now most of them do it without my command! This is the whole point. Get them out and working, learning and bring them home happy and exhausted.

This past summer, I injured my ankle while walking down the street – tore the Tibialis. You know. The usual. Anyways, I was in a walking cast for 10 weeks. 10 WEEKS. I mean, it’s not like I lost a leg or anything, but seriously. You were so amazing during that time. You slowed right down to match my pace and kept making eye contact to ensure I was okay to continue – curiously, the same thing I do with you during our long walks!

Do you remember that day we were walking with all the big pups on the Group Walk and that crazy man started yelling at me? He was threatening to kill you guys and me too? Well, remember how Mama let you off your leash and got up in that guys face and started using some pretty loud words? Well, it kind of worked, but I was really hoping you’d have my back a little more. I turned around and there you were, cowering behind me. Need I remind you that you are 50% German Shepherd and 50% Husky? You were bred for protection and loyalty to the pack. Where were you when I needed you?

I suppose it’s my own fault. I’ve spent the last few years showing you that I’m the leader here and that you need to look to me for direction. You were just waiting for direction…is that it? Sure. We’ll leave it at that. I’m still proud of you anyways. You’re a pretty tough pup.

It’s been a bit of a hard couple of months for you and I. We lost a couple of really good friends. I realized it the other day when we went to pick up Angus and you went straight to Portia’s door instead. She’s gone now. I know you loved her like crazy because she didn’t put up with your silly antics and had no problem telling you off when you were a little too nosey. You loved walking with her and I think she brought you great comfort as a friend. She was your size, but such a sweet and gentle dog. She was always so happy to see you and to welcome you into her home. She may not have shared her toys or chews with you, but to be honest, it takes time to really trust someone with your stuff so I hope you don’t hold it against her.

We also lost Georgie – your long-lost brother. He only lived with us for three days, but those three days were telling of your love for him. You were so gentle with him and it was obvious that you knew he was struggling. Every time he had a seizure, you were by his side, waiting patiently for it to end as I held an ice pack to his lower back and cried uncontrollably. You were so much more composed than I was. When I had to resurrender him, I was a mess. I’m sorry I couldn’t take you with me. I felt like I needed that time with Georgie to explain to him and show him how much I had grown to love him in such a short time. When I got home, you were so calm when I walked in the door, broken-hearted. I curled up on the floor in the living room and you lay beside me with your head on my chest. It took me a long time to get up, but you didn’t rush me. I really appreciate that. Georgie is gone now too, but it’s better for him – he had a brain tumor that was making him really sick and there was no way to make him safe and comfortable 24/7.

On a lighter note, we started Clicker Training this past week and I’m absolutely amazed at how quickly you picked it up. Not only that, but we spent an evening working on it, then didn’t do it again for a few days and when I asked you to “touch” a target at PawsWay this weekend in front of a room full of people, you didn’t even hesitate before touching it with your paw. Sometimes I forget how brilliant you are and when you do stuff like that, it pretty much kills me.

I’m really looking forward to the next month with you as you get your Canine Good Citizenship, become a registered Therapy Dog with Delta Society and continue with our Clicker Training. You may be eight and a half years old, but you are a young pup at heart and so smart.

I love you all the way around the world and back again.

Love,

Mama

Effects of Fear and How it is Translated to Your Dog

Fido hates Bull Mastiffs. When he walks with his owner, Sally, he is a very friendly and well-socialized dog. Years ago, he was attacked by a Bull Mastiff with Sally. He escaped with simply a bruised ego and a couple of scratches. Now, when he walks with Sally, he lunges and snarls at Bull Mastiffs. Why doesn’t Fido like Bull Mastiffs and how does he differentiate breeds?

Sally’s adrenal glands are to blame.

When you feel anxious, your body reacts in ways unknown to you. When there is a trigger (Bull Mastiffs for Sally), you become anxious. Your mind races, your heart pounds and then your adrenal glands take over. They produce hormones in response to stress and in a stressful situation, they will raise your blood pressure, transfer blood from your intestines to your extremities, increase your heart rate, suppress your immune system and increase your blood’s clotting ability. They are responsible for our “fight or flight” reaction.

What you may not realize is that as soon as this anxiety hits you, you begin to produce a very different smell; not one that we can detect, but one that a dog certainly can. In response to that smell, dogs will react. If they have had a negative experience in the past with an anxious person, they will react accordingly every time until they are reconditioned. Some dogs will “fight” – lunging, barking, baring teeth, even attacking if necessary. Others will choose “flight” and try to run away.

In Sally’s situation, Fido can sense her anxiety immediately and chooses to “fight” as a means to protect her and himself.

What does Sally need to do?

Sally needs to do some breathing exercises in order to gain control of her breath. As soon as she can control this, she will be able to control her fear, which in turn, will cause her adrenal glands to rest and avoid producing said hormones.

Our adrenal glands don’t know the difference between imagined danger and real danger.

While it seems simple, it can take a lot of work and coaching. If you are experiencing something similar to Sally and Fido, contact us and we would be happy to work with you to help you learn to control your fears and keep your dog under control as well.

Upcoming Events

Best Paw Forward – October 3rd, 2009

Join us for “Best Paw Forward” at PawsWay at Harbourfront Centre where are featuring the necessity of obedience.

Whatta Pup! will be there to demonstrate obedience, provide tips and advice, and maybe even teach your dogs to do a trick or two!

We will be there on Saturday from 11am – 4pm.

Bring your dogs and enjoy the day! Hope to see you there!

Click here for directions

Tricks for Treats – November 1st, 2009

Join us for “Tricks for Treats” at PawsWay at Harbourfront Centre where will be teaching your dogs to do a trick or two in light of Halloween!

We will be there on Sunday from 11am – 3pm.

Bring your dogs and enjoy the day! Hope to see you there!

Click here for directions

Proper Feeding Habits

If you call your pup “Hoover”, then this article is for you. Many people are in doubt about how to properly feed their pet and are doing harm despite their best intentions. Dogs these days have it easy – their food is delivered straight to them and chances are, they haven’t had to work for it. Sometimes they even get home-cooked meals and table scraps too! Whatta life!

While they are living the life of luxury, this isn’t necessarily the best thing for them. There are too many dogs who are overweight and suffering medical issues that are directly related to diet. How do we feel when we are carrying around extra pounds? We feel lethargic, lazy, chronically fatigued and most likely, still hungry. How are we affected by the extra weight? Perhaps we have sore knees and ankles, back pain, headaches, improper sleep patterns, heart problems, or worse medical conditions. The same goes for dogs – they require a balanced diet just as we do – the only difference is that they don’t have the opportunity to control what they eat, and when they eat.

The first step is to find a healthy food that agrees with your dog’s system – something that is as natural and as preservative-free as possible, that doesn’t include fillers and other ingredients that can cause allergies and aggravation of the bowels. It can take some time to find the right food for your pet, but do your research and ask questions. You can always find a phone number on the packaging where you can call with these questions – take them up on the offer and start a dialogue!

Dogs, as domesticated as they have become, are still animals first and foremost and we must keep that in mind as we care for them. They have a different set of basic needs than humans do and in order to keep them happy and healthy, these basic needs must be followed. We humans need food, water, shelter, clothing, sanitation, education and healthcare. Dogs need food, water, shelter, socialization, structure, discipline and exercise.

Dusk and dawn are dogs’ most active times of the day and the reason for that, is that these times are ideal hunting times. How would wild dogs acquire food? They wouldn’t have a lovely human to home-cook each meal for them and set it down in front of them on a silver platter, so they would have to work for it. By working for it, I mean “hunting”. Chances are, your pet dog does not hunt for his food, but we can certainly imitate this scenario in our everyday lives in order to keep them balanced.

One way of doing this is to “work” them before their meals. Ideally, we would walk them first thing in the morning in order to allow them time to stretch and eliminate after a long sleep, but also get their minds working so that they are not bored during the day while we are at work. When we return home, they should be physically and mentally drained so that they are able to rest quietly until our return. This is the perfect time to feed them – it teaches them that food does not magically appear without some effort; that they have to work for it.

A couple of notes:

• Dogs should eat after we do so that they understand the hierarchy; pack leaders always eat first.
• In multiple-dog households, it’s ideal to separate the dogs when they are eating in order to avoid any food-related aggression issues, stealing and hoarding.
• For dogs that “inhale” their food too quickly, you can find special bowls on the market that will dispense the food slowly in order to slow down the process.
• If your dog is overweight, try to avoid feeding them “diet” food = instead, feed them according to the measurements on the packaging, for their ideal weight – not their current weight. Increase their exercise and make regular visits to your veterinarian to ensure that they are not losing/gaining weight too rapidly.

In addition, I always suggest to my clients that after 15 minutes, if the dog has not finished the meal, the food should be taken up and put aside for their next meal.

A few reasons are:

• by monitoring the intake, you can predict the output;
• you can help them maintain a healthy body weight and prevent over-eating
• for multiple-dog households, you can ensure that the more dominant dog isn’t keeping the other from eating
• you can eliminate fights related to food-aggression
• it allows you to control their potty-breaks
• it allows the dog’s gastric juices and digestive system to rest between meals
• it will decrease the chances that your dog will become picky about their food

Lastly, try to avoid feeding them table scraps as our food contains preservatives and other ingredients that are not safe for dogs. It will also allow you to teach your dog not to beg for food when you are eating your own meals.

When in doubt, contact us directly and book a time to meet with us.

New Whatta Pup! Programs

Hey folks!

I’m branching out. I’ve decided to take on some mini projects that I hold very dear to my heart – anything to do with dogs (obviously) and kids.

Recently I added “Dog Safety for Kids” to my repertoire and tonight added a few more:

• Bringing Baby Home – for soon-to-be Mommys and Daddys who need to have complete control of their dog before they bring the new baby home
• Good Manners – for folks who have pups lacking manners when guests come over
• Cats and Dogs – for anyone trying to keep the peace between felines and canines in their home

I’m pretty excited about these new programs and hope that they’re a hit, as I’m sure they’ll be. Check them out under “Programs” at http://www.whattapup.ca

Tell your friends!!

Dehydration in Dogs

When summer hits, the heat can be too much for our pups and it’s paramount that we keep a close eye on them. Dehydration can happen very quickly so always be sure to have a bottle of water on hand, not just for yourself, but for your dog.

What is dehydration?
Dehydration is when we lose body fluids faster than we can replenish them; we lose water as well as electrolytes. It is the same for dogs. Dehydration commonly occurs when dogs have severe vomiting and diarrhea, but can also be caused by inadequate fluid intake (if they have a fever or severe illness), as well as heat stroke.

There are a few signs of dehydration that we should look out for:

• Lack of skin elasticity
• Dry mouth and gums
• Thick and tenacious saliva
• Sunken eyes (advanced cases)
• Collapse (advanced shock)

Check on your dog often and always have fresh water available, even if it means more frequent potty-breaks.If you see that your dog is exhibiting any of the first three signs, bring them inside to a cool place and encourage them to drink water. If your dog is not vomiting, you can also give an electrolyte solution (Pedialyte or Gatorade) in small quantities by bottle or syringe into the cheek pouch. Recommended is 2 to 4 ml per pound of body weight per hour, depending on the severity of dehydration.

If at any point you are unsure or your dog’s condition worsens, contact your veterinarian immediately as speedy intervention can be a life-saver. Your pup may need intravenous fluids in order to replace lost fluids and prevent further loss.

Better safe than sorry – invest in a travel water bottle and bowl for your pup and keep them in the shade as much as possible. They will not be likely to tell you when they have had enough as they’re having too much fun, so it’s up to us to keep a watchful eye.

Sunday, August 16th, 2009

Hi folks,

Quick note: I am going to be at PawsWay today (Sunday) from 11-3 – come on over with your dog and visit! Hope to see you there!!

http://www.pawsway.ca

Bootcamp Training

It’s been an interesting week to say the least. Not for me, but for Parker. He’s always been a very emotional dog and it cracks me right up for the most part, but this week he seems to have exposed nerves from dusk to dawn.

Things have been quiet since most of my clients are on vacation, so I have been able to sleep in a little later and go to bed a little earlier; catching up on all the rest I was not getting before. Where I normally have seven or eight dogs to walk, I’ve had one or two. Parker has been getting a lot of “mama-time”, which I think he enjoys, but it means less social time for him too.

On Wednesday, we had a rough day. By “we” I mean “he” but hate pointing the finger since I know that it all has to do with me. I guess he wasn’t fond of the idea of spending less than 4 hours walking and working, so he started acting out a bit. My first clue was the pulling; when he starts pulling on the leash and is completely indifferent to my corrections, I know that we’re in for it. Before we even make it out of the building, he takes a running lunge at a Boston Terrier and makes some awful noises that would convince anyone but me that he is attacking. He has tried this before with this poor gal and I saw it coming. I pull him off and have him lay down beside her in order to cool off and relax in her presence. Finally he gets over it and we head outside for the walk.

I let him off leash around the corner so that he can go do his business before we start the real walk, and he takes off running. I call him back, but this temporary amnesia gets in the way. He forgets that I exist and continues to ignore my calls. When I catch up to him and tell him to come, he looks straight into my eyes, turns around and lays in the grass with his back to me.

Not minutes later, he’s off running again, back up the street, following the scent of an unfixed male. I know this run – I’ve seen it before. He dodges across the one-way street and around a parked car and runs face to face with his nemesis. He promptly grabs him by the scruff and pulls out a mouthful of fur. I wait until it’s done and finally he’s at my side, knowing he’s done wrong. Luckily the owner knows me and we know that this happens now and again, so he’s patient and calm while Parker has his little fit and I regain control.

I deepen my voice and give him a command in German and he hits the deck and rolls onto his back. Submission. Good. I walk away and pet the other dog who was kind enough not to kill mine. Today. After a good three or four minutes, I let him up and he prances happily around, ignoring this dog and acting like nothing happened. It was a moment and it passed. If he’s over it then I’m over it. We’ll work harder.

For the rest of the day, all of our walks consist of him being tethered to my waist and stopping every few metres when I tell him to stay or sit prior to heeling. I will work this dog until he gets out of this grumpy mood.

Thursday and Friday showed me that I did the right thing. He was acting up, so I worked him and he proved to be an attentive angel.

Moral of the story? A tired dog is a good dog. Exhaust them both physically and mentally and I would say that 100% of the challenges you are facing will vanish into thin air.

We all have days like this – we just need to channel that energy into something useful rather than letting it fester and worsen. One bad day in 365 days? I can handle that.

What are you feeding to your pup?

What food do you feed your pup? When you read the ingredient list, what are they top 5-10 ingredients? You may find that the cheapest brands and those that you find most advertised have the most fillers. By fillers, I mean carbohydrates like corn, wheat, wheat flour, rice, barley and oats. These are foods that to cause your dog feel full, longer.

According to the labeling guidelines/regulations, the ingredient with the most weight must be listed first. Many times, pet-food companies will weigh the ‘good’ foods before they are processed so that they can be added first to the list; however, once processed, they are lighter in weight, therefore should be further down the list. This is a loophole in the system.

My rule of thumb is to read the ingredient list and if I cannot pronounce it or would not eat it myself, I will not feed it to my dog.

Dogs are naturally carnivores, therefore their bodies need more protein than they do anything else. Vegetables come in second, fruits third, and carbohydrates? I doubt that they should really be on the list at all. Where would they find carbs in the wild? They wouldn’t.

It is so important to feed your dog a good, healthy food if you are not home-cooking for him/her. Find out more about the company that makes your dog food – what else do they produce and sell? Do you support and believe in those products too? Where do their products come from? How many by-products can you find?

After doing much research on dog foods, I came across a brand that really struck a chord with me: Orijen. I think they explain it best:

Our fresh regional ingredients include free-run chicken, turkey & ducks, whole Grade A eggs, free range wild boar, bison and heritage pork, grass-fed lamb, and a variety of wild-caught freshwater & saltwater fish—all farmed or fished within our region, passed ‘fit for human consumption’ and delivered FRESH TO OUR DOOR. Each & every day!

• Our focus is on ingredients that are sustainably farmed or fished WITHIN OUR REGION – by people we know & trust, and delivered to us FRESH (never frozen) each day,
• Our award-winning dog and cat foods are based on our ‘Biologically Appropriate’ nutritional philosophy (Processed under the Government of Canada’s highest food safety standards, ORIJEN’s fresh meats are produced exclusively from animals passed as ‘fit for human consumption’ and are all certified free of antibiotics and growth hormones.)

So, what about your dog food? Can you say the same for yours?

Read more: Orijen