 The Monroe Kennel Club will be hosting an AKC dog show the last weekend in sept. Every year Monroe hosts one of the area’s best Dog Shows. This is an outdoor show, with many vendors. They also will be having Canine Good Citizen tests at the 4H pavilion. You can also have your dog Micro chipped , Eye certification, and Heart testing as well.
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Dog show in Monroe
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009A pet Australian cattle dog swam to shore after going overboard
Thursday, April 9th, 2009Australian cattle dog Sophie Tucker spent her life as a pampered house pet, but when the going got rough, showed mettle that could put her human counterparts on *Survivor* to shame.
The plucky pooch was separated from her owners when she fell overboard in choppy waters, but swam five miles to an island, surviving on a diet of wild goats for four months until miraculously being reunited with her family.
*She surprised us all,* ecstatic owner Jan Griffith told the National Australian Associated Press News Agency. *She was a house dog and look what*s she done, she*s swum over five nautical miles, she*s managed to live off the land all on her own. We wish she could talk, we really do.*
Sophie*s mind-boggling survival story, chronicled on TODAY Tuesday, began as Jan and husband Dave took their pet along for a sailing trip off the coast of Australia last November. When the sea grew rough, Sophie dropped into the water.
*We searched well over an hour,* Jan Griffith told the Brisbane Times. *We thought once she hit the water she would have been gone because the wake from the boat was so big.*
Not so. Sophie * named after the bawdy American vaudeville entertainer * dog-paddled her way to the remote island of St. Bees, in Australia*s Great Barrier Reef. The island, largely bereft of humans, is known for its koala bear population, but island rangers were taken aback by the sight of a seemingly wild dog in their midst.
Griffith said she was told Sophie looked thin and mangy when first spotted, but told the AAP *all of the sudden she started to look good and it was when the rangers had found baby goat carcasses, so she started eating baby goats.*
Becoming wild in the wild
The family*s inside dog underwent a fundamental personality change to survive in the great outdoors. *She had become quite wild and vicious,* Griffith told the Brisbane Times. *She wouldn*t let anyone go near her or touch her. She wouldn*t take food from anybody.*
After four months, rangers finally managed to trap the dog. And when news broke that a wild dog had been captured on St. Bees, the Griffiths met up with a ranger*s boat bringing Sophie back to Australia*s mainland * and saw, it was indeed Sophie in tow.
The story of reuniting is one for the ages. *She*d been ferocious in the trap, but we called her and she started whimpering and crying, and so did everybody,* Griffith told NBC News.
*They let her out [of the cage] and she just about flattened us,* Griffith told the AAP. *She wriggled around like a mad thing.*
Sophie not only showed amazing adaptability living in the wild, but returning to domestic life * the Griffiths reported the dog*s transition to house dog once again has been seamless.
The dog*s survival story has even animal experts scratching their heads. Australian veterinarian Vicki Lomax told the Brisbane Times that Sophie*s is a hardy breed, but virtually no dog would have been likely to survive what she went through.
*Cattle dogs are probably the most suited type of dog to survive something like this, but it would have been a major ordeal for her,* Lomax said. *Five nautical miles is an incredibly big distance for any type of dog * she is lucky she wasn*t taken by a shark.*
Flyball Seminar In Ann Arbor
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009On March 21 and 22, 2009, there will be a Flyball Seminar at the Ann Arbor Dog Training Club in Ann Arbor, MI. The seminar will accommodate dogs at all levels, from having never seen flyball, to working on specific problems in a trained dog. There will also be an opportunity for Private Lessons after the Seminar is finished. If you go to <aadtc.org> and look under “seminars” there is a flier and registration material. There is a limited # of spots for working dog/handler teams (but still some spots available) and an unlimited # of “audit” spots available (you come without your dog, soak up information like a sponge, and learn from watching others work their dogs.
During the next term of classes at the AADTC (starts early April) there will also be a beginning Flyball Class. On the website there is also information about classes and how to register for them.
There has not been a Flyball Seminar in this area for quite a number of years, so I am encouraging as many folks as possible to take advantage of it.
Dog Show
Friday, February 27th, 2009  Detroit Kennel Club is holding there dog show this weekend. Sat. feb.28th and Sun. mar 1st. from 9am to 5 pm. This is one of the few benched show left in the country. Benched shows are great for the spectators to see all of the different breeds, talk to the handlers and breeders. The main difference is the dogs must stay at the show all day so the public can view them.Â
 Besides the normal dog show there is also demo’s of police dogs, rescue dogs, agility competitions and demo’s, obedience competitions, etc.etc. Just about any dog related sport you can find info and see demo’s. Last year they even had Jack Russell races and herding demo’s.
 They will also have vendors for about every dog product there as well. from collars,and leashes, to dog food, dog beds, tread mills etc. you can find it there.
 This is a great time for all. It is very educational for children as well.
Is Breed Banning discrimination
Thursday, January 15th, 2009Â Â Â Banning of certain breeds of dogs is taking place all over the country. Some of these bans are for good reason, Some are not.
When you look at some of the insurance companies out there, they are canceling policies, if own certain dog breeds.
Pit Bulls, Rotts, Dobermans, Chows, Akitas, Shepards Etc.  These bans are because the insurance co. has been forced to pay,  because of these dogs biting.Â
  If you look at bite statistics there are 1000’s of dog bites every year in every state. These bites are from all breeds of dogs.
When I last checked in Toledo Oh. the Shepard mix was the #1 biter and the Lab mix was #2   followed by the Pit bull at #3.  Â
   Cocker spanials, & Terriers are always on the list as well Chows, & Chihuhu’s.
                   WHY is it that when someone gets bitten by a lab mix its not news, But when its a Pitbull its national news.    Â
         Also WHY is it that Pitbull bans have many other breeds grouped together calling them all Pitbulls.
 In the Toledo Oh Pitbull ban they have 14 different breeds making up the pitbull category. It of course includes American bulldogs, Bull terriers etc. but also Boxer mix, Mastiff  mix, etc.Â
It seems silly to say that a Lab is not banned and a Boxer is not banned , But if they had puppies together all of the puppies would be banned because they are boxer mix’s.
This ban is in place saying that the breed of dog called PITBULL can be Vicious.Â
 If this Is true then it would not  take 14 different breeds to makeup the pitbull category. Even then it is still at #3. If you notice the German Shepard is split from Shepard mix. Is this fair when you consider Pitbull includes not only mixes but mixes of several other breeds. Â
       We DON’T do that with PEOPLE why is it OK with a DOG.
   1st of all people need to be held accountable for there own actions. If you cannot trust your dog you NEED to get help. You are responsible for training and socializing your dog.Â
          There is no public school system for dogs. You cannot put them on a bus and send them to school. You have to bring them to a trainer or get help from someone.
 I see it all to often that people ignore  little problems with there dogs. As these problems progress and get worse, they are still ignored until some one gets hurt.
        Then its all of a sudden a major problem. The dog must be trained in a hurry or he has to go.Â
 2nd  TRAIN YOUR DOG. A well trained dog is a pleasure to be around. The breed does not matter.  The Target dog should not be banned,  He has been trained,  He would be fun to be around.
 Lets not blame an entire breed of dog for lack of responsibility on the owners behalf.   Lets also not blame 13 breeds of dog when you are complaining of only 1.
   I have heard of people wanting to ban large breeds. They say that any large dog has the potential to cause serious injury to someone. This is really dumb , because most Pitbulls are not large breeds. With this ban in place you would have to tell a 70 yr. old lady that her Golden Retriever is banned, But the teen aged gang bangers can still have there Pitbulls.
    If you are going to put a ban on dogs for aggression, it should be on all aggressive dogs. Not just #3 on the list.Â
 I think it would be better to require testing of certain breeds before these dogs get a licence. The AKC canine good citizen program would be a great way to start. Any dog that cannot pass this test is in need of training.  If you cannot or will not train this dog you should not own it. Find a different dog that you can handle.
 If we were to put a program like this together, It could include any breed equally, do to statistics from past dog bites. If your dog is a good dog, and he is under control,  you can prove this due to the test.  He is then licenced and  would not be banned.  A dog without a licence is banned. Â
The people who always protest the breed bans say BAN THE DEED, NOT THE BREED. The deed is dog fighting,and it is already banned. So is owning an unlicensed dog.  Lets focus on the laws we already have.
Animal control office could do this testing before a dog licence is issued. The fee for the testing could raise a lot of money to help the county. The animal control office could then concentrate on the true bad dogs instead of dealing with restrictions on puppies and well behaved dogs.
Oxygen masks
Sunday, November 30th, 2008Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Suzette Swies understands firsthand the relationship people have with their pets.
         ”I would risk my life to save my dog,” Swies said of the 4-year-old lab-mix Sammy. “Pets are a huge part of people’s families.”
And that is why Swies is such an advocate of providing area fire departments with the equipment necessary to save pets’ lives in a fire.
“You save a life of someone’s pet and they don’t forget it,” said Novi Fire Chief Frank Smith. “When a fire happens, the people will get out, but the animals sometimes don’t
Friday, the Novi Fire Department received animal rescue oxygen masks through a donation from Invisible Fence of Tri County, based in Wixom.
“In 2006, it was estimated more than 40,000 pets died in fires and most were due to smoke inhalation,” said Swies, who is the marketing development coordinator of the company. “These have been used on everything from dogs, to cats, to birds.”
Each of Novi’s four fire stations received a kit containing small, medium and large oxygen masks with different oxygen flow settings, specifically designed for pets.
“We’re going to put one bag on each of our four engines,” Smith said. “In year’s past, we kind of did the best we could with what we had, but when it comes to animal care, this is state-of-the-art.”
Invisible Fence of Tri County also donated kits, worth $60 each, to the Walled Lake Fire Department
Invisible Fence Brand Tri County
29242 Lyon Oaks Drive
Wixom, covering Washtenaw, Livingston and Oakland counties
(248) 437-9663
www.invisiblefence.com
Heated dog beds, and large dog coats
Monday, November 17th, 2008    Winter is coming soon, the weather is getting colder. My older mastiff will be 11yrs old in a few weeks. He is not as heavy as he used to be. This is a good thing for his joints, but not for the cold. I have tried different dog coats on him, nothing seems to fit large breed dogs. They say they are x large but only fit dogs around 90 lbs or so. If they fit around his chest they are not long enough to go to his rear. Dogs wearing coats is silly looking to me.  I used to pick on my wife for making him wear one.  Until last year in the training barn, He keep poking at his coat hanging on the rack. I new he must really like it. This coat did not fit very good, and did not stay in place very well, But he liked it. So I did some checking and found that RUFF WEAR makes a really nice dog coat, It truly does fit the large breed dogs. I also know of a man in Milan who has one on his service dog,�a Great Dane. This is a nice product, Fits well, looks nice, and stays in place. This is one birthday present for Justice.
    The other one is his new dog bed. PET SAFE makes a dog mat, a dog bed, and a dog sleeper. These have heat and massage, The mat is good for putting in a crate, and it is heated,  Like an electric blanket. The dog bed and the sleeper both have heat and massage. The sleeper is a bed with sides on it. Not necessary for my dogs, they just lay over the sides anyway. But more than likly the little dogs would like them. These beds are awesome for dogs with arthritis. It not only helps keep them warm, it also seems soothing to there joints. Just like a recliner with heat and massage.  When your cold, stiff, and tired that chair sure feels good.
Vote Now Milk-bone election
Thursday, October 30th, 2008With the Presidential election rapidly approaching I just wanted to inform you of another election happening in November – one closer to home.
Two Detroit area dogs are begging local residents to get to the internet and cast their votes to help them win an election 100 years in the making! Shadow from White Lake and Cooper from Brighton are looking for votes in hopes of being named the first-ever Milk-Bone® SpokesDog. During the past 9 months, thousands of pet parents from across the country have entered their pet in the Make a Milk-Bone® Moment™ contest, but there can only be one winner. 100 finalists were chosen including Cooper and Shadow. America will decide which four-legged friend deserves to be the official face of Milk-Bone® by voting at www.Milk-Bone.com between now and November 18, 2008.
In celebration of 100 years, Milk-Bone® went looking for pictures and videos that captured those irreplaceable, special times that you have with your best friend. The top 100 Milk-Bone® Moments™ are m o m en t s of joy that strengthen the bond be tween a pet and his or her pet parent. The 100 finalists were chosen based on a picture/video entry along with the essay they entered in the Make a Milk-Bone® Moment™ contest.
This is one election where multiple votes are encouraged, as www.Milk-Bone.com visitors can cast one vote per day until November 18. The dog featured in the winning Milk-Bone® Moments™ will receive a $100,000 contract to serve as the Milk-Bone® Spokesdog for the next year. The winning Milk-Bone® Moment™ will be announced in January 2009. The SpokesDog will also have his or her picture featured on a Milk-Bone® box and will be used in the brand’s marketing campaigns throughout the year. The 99 runners up will receive a digital camera.
Howleen party at dundee K9
Monday, October 27th, 2008
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- Mickey’s won this toy bobbing for hot dogs
Here are a few photo’s from the howleen party. The people had just as much fun as the dogs did.
More photo’s to come soon
Socialization
Thursday, October 23rd, 2008
The term “socialization” is thrown around a lot by dog people. Owners hear from their breeder, trainer and veterinarian that they should “socialize” their puppy. Owners of ill-mannered dogs are frequently told that their dog’s bad behavior is due to a lack of “socialization”. For a term that is used so often, it is surprising how few people understand what proper socialization is, and how critical it is to reducing dog bites.
Proper socialization is probably the single most important thing an owner can do to guard against the most serious behavior problem there is – aggression. Dogs who bite are frequently banished to the back yard, re-homed, taken to the pound or euthanized. Therefore, proper socialization can mean the difference between life or death for a dog. Dogs get euthanized every day because they bite someone, not because they don’t heel well.
A dog that has not been properly socialized will tend to be shy and over-reactive. They may flinch, freeze or withdraw when petted. They may startle easily by things considered routine like children squealing, cars, bikes, automatic doors, etc. They may even become fearfully aggressive when people do things like: Make direct eye contact, make direct frontal approaches, smile, make movements over the dogs head, neck, or shoulder area to pet. Undersocialized dogs fear these normal human greeting behaviors, because they are the same as some very threatening canine behaviors. Because we see undersocialized dogs acting in a fearful manner, we often presume that they were “abused”. This may be the case sometimes, but not usually.
Many dog owners feel that just getting their dog out in public occasionally constitutes proper socialization. It is true that some dogs do just fine with this kind of exposure. They never bite anyone or behave aggressively. These owners are lucky. They have a dog whose breed, genetics and temperament allow them to get away without a specific socialization program.
However, many dogs, because of their breed, genetics or upbringing, need a special socialization program. Some breeds are harder to socialize than others. Dogs that are bred to be naturally suspicious like the guarding breeds (Rottweilers, Chow Chows, Shar peis, Brazillian Filas) or breeds that have been developed to work independently of people, rather than in conjunction with them (some Terriers), usually need more work on socialization.
Certain individuals also may need a special socialization program. Poor breeding practices may produce a litter of puppies that are shyer than the norm. Puppies inherit a lot of their “shyness” from their mother. Breeders who place a lot of emphasis on the stud dog will often discount the importance of the mother and will believe a good father can overcome a mothers marginal temperament. Also, puppies reared in isolated situations often need more socialization than others.
As trainers, we must encourage every owner to properly socialize their dog. Each puppy or new dog must be given every opportunity to become as social as possible. It is a dangerous practice to allow owners to go along “feeling lucky” with their puppy. It may be too late to help them after the dog has bitten someone.
While every new dog or puppy owner should begin proper socialization immediately, it is more important for people who adopt from shelters or find a dog on the street. In these situations, the new owner doesn’t know the genetic make-up or personal history of the dog or puppy. Therefore, it is much more important to give these rescued dogs every advantage by properly socializing them.
The optimum time to socialize a dog is before it’s 5 months old. After 5 months of age, socialization occurs at a slower rate. Socialization can start as soon as a puppy is born. Even puppies that are still nursing from their mother can benefit from brief, gentle handling from a variety of humans. Socialization should always start as soon as possible – as long as the puppy or dog being socialized is healthy and the socialization is done correctly.
Proper Socialization is the exposure of the puppy or dog to things in the environment the dog should ignore or not react negatively to in the future (people, children, mailmen, cars, cats, bicycles, other dogs, etc.). Another term for socialization is de-sensitization. Unsocialized dogs over react to many common things. (Other dogs, strange noises, cars, bicycles, new people, people who are different than their owners – shorter, taller, wear glasses, wear a hat, etc.). Proper socialization is the act of teaching the dog to not react by de-sensitizing him to those things. This de-sensitization is done by exposing the dog to the environment in small increments and by helping the dog make positive associations to the things we are de-sensitizing him to. It is important to not overwhelm the dog by over-exposing him to new things. This may cause the dog to become sensitized. By forcing or overwhelming the dog, we cause him to make a negative association to things in the environment and cause the dog to become more fearful and/or aggressive.
An example of proper socialization is taking a puppy to group class but only exposing him to pleasant dogs at a distance he feels comfortable with. The owner gives the puppy food treats, praise and petting when he is calm. If he becomes agitated, the owner does not punish him, but simply moves a bit further away from class until the puppy is comfortable again. A good sign that a dog is comfortable with a situation is that he or she will take food treats. The owner slowly gets closer to the other dogs over the next few weeks, keeping things positive as the puppy gets accustomed to the other dogs. An example or poor socialization that can lead to sensitization or even aggression is taking a puppy to group class and dragging him into the middle of the class where the puppy becomes overwhelmed. The owner continues to force the situation on the puppy despite the fact that the puppy is nervous (eyes dilated, stiff, low body posture, hackles up, unable to take food treats). The owner may even punish the puppy because they are embarrassed by the fact that the frightened puppy nipped at an overbearing adult dog that charged him. Over time, this puppy is likely to get more apprehensive during group class. The owners should expect to see his behavior get worse with each exposure. The puppy may even become dog aggressive.
It is very important for the owner to learn how to read their dogs or puppies body language so they will know if they are properly socializing their dog or overwhelming him. The puppy should always appear relaxed and happy during socialization. The owners must not force any socialization experience on their puppy (dragging the puppy into a noisy area or shoving the puppy into the arms of someone he’s frightened of). They should learn how to use food treats to encourage their puppy. Owners should be taught to look for any cringing, shaking, or freezing-up in their puppy and immediately make things easier. They should also be sensitive to any indication that the puppy is trying to hide or run away. Again, they should try to avoid these situations first. By choosing socialization experiences that are appropriate for their puppy and by bringing him into these situations when he’s hungry, their food treats will be most effective for distracting or re-directing his attention, should he become concerned or startled about something.
If their dog or puppy becomes tense, nervous or frightened, they must not “soothe” him. This will only imprint the fearful reaction. Instead, they must learn to re-direct the pup’s attention onto a food treat or toy. They should then calmly get the puppy out of that situation and decide how they can re-introduce their puppy to that situation in smaller steps. They may need to go a bit slower and build up the pup’s confidence with exposure to other public situations. Make sure they are properly using their food treats and that the puppy is hungry enough in those circumstances to be “brave” to get the treat. The owner can teach their puppy to learn to be “brave” by using the food treat to encourage the hungry puppy to overcome his fears in order to get the food treat. The owner can use a food treat to coax the puppy across a slippery floor or into a new or noisy area. The owner can give food treats to strangers to encourage a shy puppy to go to strangers.
It is important that we educate our clients about the importance of proper socialization. We must also let them know how they can socialize their puppy and protect him from Parvo. Most veterinarians will agree that it is important to avoid areas where other dogs have been. The owner can take the puppy places where other dogs don’t usually go – like shopping centers or their friend’s homes. The puppy should get to meet as many different people as possible. Tall people, short people, children, people wearing hats etc. These people should be encouraged to give the puppy food treats. This should occur on a daily basis. The owners should also be encouraged to get the puppy in a play-group with other healthy, vaccinated puppies. Exposure to healthy, friendly adult dogs is important too.
Many owners refuse to take their puppy out until it is fully vaccinated (at about 5 months old) for fear of contracting Parvo. They frequently misunderstand or overreact to their veterinarian’s warnings about not taking the puppy places where he may get exposed to canine viruses. However, a puppy can be taken many other places to socialize with people and healthy, fully vaccinated dogs the owners know personally. While Parvo is something to be concerned about with a new puppy, it does not claim nearly as many lives as behavioral problems do.