How important is the height of a dog’s bowl? I have read a lot of information regarding barrel-chested dogs (Great Danes, Boxers, Standard Poodles, etc) and how they should be fed from an elevated bowl. The school of thought is this would help to prevent bloat. Having known of several dogs who died from bloat even with the use of an elevated feeding bowl, I am not so certain it is necessary.
It may look more comfortable for the dog to not bend over; however, if they were eating in a more natural setting; i.e., a rat, rabbit, squirrel, they would not carry it around in order to find something to put it on so they could be more comfortable as they ate.
I have tried elevated and the eat-like-the-rest-of-the dogs bowl on the floor and Mac (who is very tall and barrel chested) prefers to get very comfortable. Since a contributor to bloat is caused from inhaling too much air as a dog eats quickly, I think Mac may be on to something. There’s no chance of that with him…
In the words of another great dog behaviorist…most trainers train humans and rehabilitate dogs. I work with a lot of dogs who are, fortunately for them, not so much in need of rehabilitation given their age and history as they are in need of consistency. And, in much dismay to their humans, they are excellent at being puppies.
In my training of humans, I try to keep things light and also get the point across. For instance, as I am leash training their dog, the human will get excited when the puppy attempts to chew the leash as they repeat, “see, look what he does, look what he does!” If, when I provide instruction, they don’t want to hear what I’m saying, I’ll ask what they have been doing when Pookie chews the leash. After they respond, I hear myself asking, “how’s that workin’ for ya’?”
Another example is in the guidance I provide for house training a puppy. It almost always involves my suggesting crate training and complete supervision when the puppy isn’t in the crate. By now, they are exhausted from cleaning up poop and pee and not sleeping because of a destructive pup in the house. They will assure me it would never work and every reason why. I wait and listen because I do understand their frustration. Then, if they continue to negate my suggestion, I may hear myself ask, “do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?”
So, you see, this really is about human behavior modification as much as it is canine behavior modification. As I always say, dogs are great at being dogs. While it may not be the same in every case, behaviorists have learned what works. I’m sure there are a lot of other Dr. Phil-isms I could and do use. If what you are doing, isn’t working or in the way you had hoped, please contact me!
I took Melody to the vet (he is wonderful!) and I told him how she is better but because of her past, still pulls away from being touched. She had a heart murmur and was being checked for that condition. As he was palpating (touching) her, she flinched and made a purr-type sound. He said, she is ticklish. I love that!
I have to admit, I had never heard anyone put it that way. She is ticklish! As a dog used for breeding in a puppy mill, she most likely didn’t receive any affection as a puppy or as an adult for that matter. She has grown to love being touched and being held. AND, she is ticklish!
If there is a medical term for this, I prefer to let it go with calling her ticklish. Her nervous motion along with the sweet “giggle” she makes, brings a smile to everyone around her.
I conducted a sleep study on dogs, and the outcome was amazing! One of the dogs has sleep apnea - I’m sure of it! Knowing several humans with this condition, this is not to make light of it. During the study, his snoring and intermittent gasps were so loud I was torn between laughing at the sound emitting from this little guy and telling another dog to dial 911.
I am going to contact a veterinarian to see if there is a very petite C-PAP mask available. I will let you know what I find out. I am assuming he is not the only dog with a snore and restless sleep patterns.
Another interesting finding is that a snoring dog may be referred to as cute or funny, while a human making the same sounds was found to be annoying. Isn’t that fascinating?
The video below is of Schlappie, a Great Dane, that found my company less than stimulating!
Are your dogs ever silly? I don’t know what the term would be in dog world, but in human language, it is best described as silly!
I have written previously about Melody, a tiny Yorkie with a horrible past. If she never exuded a moment of happiness or silliness, it would be understandable. She, however, is beyond animated when she sees me approach or is ready for a meal.
She crab crawls, wiggles, spins, rolls and turns in excitement. She reminds me that regardless of how someone appears or what their past experiences have been, inside there may be a little silly waiting to express itself.
We expect puppies to be silly and on some days look forward to when they grow up. Melody, on the other hand, is far from being puppy age and is getting her silly on later in life. She shows us that it’s ok. I think I’ll join her.
This post is dedicated to all of us who have dogs. Real dogs. All dogs are “real” dogs; however, it is easy for us humans to want to think of them as four-legged, unconditionally loving, furry human wannabees! They are amazingly wonderful at being dogs.
If, no - when, you have a moment or a day when your dog does nothing exactly as you would like, take a breath, find something positive, and come back later to whatever it was you were doing. If you want a robot, go to Radio Shack. If you want a companion that will challenge you and just as quickly show their inexplicable love and loyalty, you might enjoy a dog.
For as long as women have tried to make men think like them and vice versa, it is really no different with our dogs. They don’t think like a human. I can guarantee you that regardless of their behavior (whether you like it or not) they are just doing what dogs do. You might as well learn to tell them they are a good dog as you shake your head in bewilderment. If you will notice, some of this undesired behavior is getting them high-fives from the other dogs!
I tried and tried to get the dogs to stay awake to help celebrate the coming of the New Year 2010. As their heads bobbed and soft snoring could be heard around the room, I decided to join them. This year, I would celebrate like dogs do.
They go to bed every night and wake up every morning without a care. They sleep when it’s night (and day) and don’t complain when they wake up - whether it’s in the middle of the night or at the dawn of a day. They don’t get anxious or worry that they didn’t do enough last year or what they will do in the coming year.
While it is not exactly how I see my life going this year, it’s a great way to start every day. Every day is a new day and every new day makes a new year. I looked at the dogs and said, “Thanks for that awareness.” They replied, “What the heck are you talking about…where’s our breakfast?” Enough said. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Not all dogs are good at being guard dogs. A barking dog is a huge deterrent to anyone entering a place they aren’t invited to enter. Mac, a large Labradoodle, is boisterous and can be intimidating because of his size; however, I am almost certain his bark is his way of saying, “hey, look at me…I can bark.” End of story. How do you know if you have a guard dog?
Where a dog chooses to lie down and rest, tells you a lot about their protective instincts. Ever notice how they seem to pick the same area or position even when you encourage them to lie elsewhere? Perhaps they choose the foot of the bed rather than snuggling up next to you.
I am not only referring to whether they are on the sofa or on the floor, but rather where they choose to be positioned in relationship to you. If I’m on the computer or seated in a room working, one of my dogs will almost always have her back to me and she is facing out so she can keep a watchful eye on what is happening around us. She instinctively will position herself as the guard.
Another dog, will always have his back to something (a wall or the couch) when lying down. He is able to watch what’s happening around him while keeping his back protected. He is far more concerned about his back than mine!
It is interesting to watch and learn from our dogs as they share their pack instincts with us. They are paying a lot more attention to their positioning in relationship to us than we may know. My lovely Chapin, a sweet Pit Bull, would have gladly told anyone who cared to break in that I was upstairs and that my purse was in the kitchen, but please don’t make her get up from the chaise lounge.
If a guard dog is all you want, maybe you should try a home security system. If you get a dog as a deterrent because of their bark, most will do a good job of that. They will also be a great companion and given healthy attention and guidance, be there for you whether or not they will protect you from all harm.
In this pack, I have what I refer to as the early warning system (barkers) and the backup - the ones who might do more than just bark. I hope I never have to find out!
This is the time of year when an impulse may hit to get a puppy for the kids. That may or may not be a great idea. Getting a puppy, or any dog for that matter, should be done with a lot of thought and consideration to the type of breeds and what would be the best fit for the family. Here’s an excellent article on Christmas puppies…
