August 2010
Competitive Canine Weight Pull
Sureshot’s Little Bit of Luck (“Itty Bitty”), a 24-pound, 13-inch Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Her personal best is 2,340 pounds (93.6 times her body weight)
Subscribers Only Work it! Work it! Work it! Lean-ing into the padded harness, muscles bulging with effort, eyes dark with determination, inch-by-inch, the American Staffordshire Terrier pulls the cart loaded with 60-pound pieces of railroad track toward her owner. This is Duvall’s Sureshot Kamakazi, “Banzai,” a striking 43-pound, 17-inch brindle girl. Her owner, Karyn Dawes, smiles wide as she realizes that Banzai is going to record a new “personal best.” It’s official: 3,900 pounds and 90.7 times her body weight. What a gal! Banzai wiggles in delight at Karyn’s hug and effusive praise for a job well done.
The Tellington TTouch For Dogs
This Border Collie gets a double dose of self- and spatial awareness, receiving TTouch from practitioner Victoria Swiger while on a raised plank.
Subscribers Only For many years, I was curious about Tellington TTouch (pronounced TEE-touch) Method, a training system that uses bodywork and non-habitual movement to influence behavior and health. But I was skeptical that the hallmark circular touches with fanciful names like “Clouded Leopard” and “Tarantulas Pulling the Plow” would have much impact beyond helping an animal relax; wasn’t this just another form of petting and massage?
How to Train Proper Leash Walking - Pull Over!
Even small and medium-sized dogs can pull hard enough to make walks uncomfortable or impossible for their owners. Reducing and eliminating pulling can take time, especially if the dog has pulled for months or years. But it’s so worth the investment of time and trouble!
Subscribers Only One of the more frustrating experiences for positive dog trainers is watching their clients being dragged by their dogs across the parking lot toward their cars, just moments after training class is dismissed. “Dang,” we sometimes think, “Will they ever teach their dogs to walk politely on-leash? What part of ‘Don’t reinforce your dog for pulling!’ didn’t they hear?” Of course, it’s equally frustrating for dog owners when their dogs drag them. And the training solution – stopping every time the dog pulls – gets tiresome.
Comfortable Dog Cone Alternatives
The classic veterinarian-supplied Elizabethan collar: Effective, but heavy, stiff, opaque (your dog can’t see through it), wide, unwieldy, and uncomfortable.
Are the classic plastic cones really all that bad? It depends on which dog you ask. Some dogs seem to accept the weight of the heavy plastic, the restricted visibility imposed by the opaque material, the need for increased clearances around the house, and even being gouged by the thick plastic tabs that are supposed to be belted by the dog’s collar at the base of the cone. Today there are a number of alternatives to the classic Elizabethan collars to prevent a dog from licking a wound, aggravating a hot spot, tearing out his surgical stitches, or removing a bandage. The alternatives offer a dog greater comfort, better mobility, and improved visibility.
Over-Vaccination - Dog Owners Beware
Educate yourself on canine vaccination practices using reputable sources so that you can have an intelligent conversation with your veterinarian on the pros and cons of vaccination for your dog; a good place to start are the AAHA Guidelines.
You check your mailbox and there it is: a reminder postcard from your dog's veterinarian. If you're like many of us dog owners, you groan and toss the card aside. In Whole Dog Journal's opinion (and that of the experts we consult), annual vaccination for most canine diseases is unnecessary and potentially harmful. Dog owners should avoid employing those old-fashioned veterinarians who recommend annual vaccines. Owners should also avoid those veterinary service providers who provide inexpensive vaccines and other routine care without the benefit of a relationship with you and your dog beyond a brief transaction in a parking lot or pet supply store.
When Your Dog Refuses To Walk On A Leash
Most balking dogs have a good reason for digging in their heels, and it’s usually either pain- or fear-related. Not surprisingly, dragging them fails to improve either issue.
Subscribers Only It’s frustrating and embarrassing when your dog puts on the brakes and refuses to move. If he’s small you can pick him up and carry him; although that might not be the best training solution, at least it gets you out of there and you can save face. But what if it’s a Great Dane, a Newfoundland, or any breed – or combination of breeds – that’s too big to be portable?
Something Is Not Right
Why are vaccinations so over-promoted by veterinarians? I’m begging for someone to explain this. Because, from my perspective, there are so many more serious threats to dogs’ health and well-being than whether they receive the fourth or fifth or tenth DHLPP vaccine in their adult lives. Let me be clear: I sincerely wish for all dogs to be vaccinated when it’s necessary. Spend enough time in an animal shelter in a poor district and you will see precisely how deadly it is to be an unvaccinated dog.
