Sunday, May 30, 2010

Modern Dog Magazine

Modern Dog Magazine is "the lifestyle magazine for modern dogs and their companions."

Of course, they feature the "modern way" of thinking about dogs. Just looking at the current issue online, I see article by big-name heavyweights such as Nicole Wilde, Jean Donaldson, Ian Dunbar, and Stanley Coren (I can imagine hearing LCK groaning now). But Coren's article on dog's body language seems to be a good one (to me). Actually I guess they're all good.

Interesting to see though that Coren actually dared to include "dominant" behavior in the article. It's kind of funny how the positives try to avoid the use of that term when it's so obvious that dominant behavior exists (not just among dogs but everywhere). Whatever you want to call it or however you want to explain it.

[More surfing, here's a post while googling semantics in dog training. It's by a so-called balanced trainer (apparently meaning he's not all positive or all negative) named John Wade aka The Dog Shouter. I suppose they want to be careful about how the general public might use/misuse the term. Patricia McConnell writes about dominance in chapter seven in The Other End of the Leash. Cesar writes about it in Be The Pack Leader.]

Thus with that tone, I was a surprised to see an pretty-much "positive" interview with Cesar with mostly positive comments (in fact, that's how I found this magazine). Of course, the editor felt compelled to precede it with a disclaimer.

The Koehler Method

I keep reading about the Koehler Method. Mostly in a negative tone like it's the way people used to do it in the stone ages.

Well, the more I read about people's misbehaving dogs, the more sense I get that these new methods aren't any more effective (or even possibly less effective) than these old-school methods (which use both positive and negative reinforcement).

The idea these days is that negative reinforcement should never be used. In other words, yes you should spare the rod.

FWIW, here's a lecture on the method.

At quick glance, it sounds kind of like what Brad Pattison uses.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Koa comfy on couch

Heard the dogs barking, then heard howling outside. It was Koa.

Had him come to me, leashed him up, walked him home (still trying to control his pulling).

Yep, nobody home. Opened gate and he ran down. Then jumped on to lie on the couch. Looked pretty comfortable. I sat next to him and massaged him for a while. Then saw his water bowl. The bowl was pretty filthy with green algae growing. Washed it out in the sink.

[Sat 5/29, posted 5/30]

Friday, May 28, 2010

pet sitting

[Dear Dr. Fox]

A few months ago, you recommended pet owners hire a pet sitter to come into their homes as an alternative for boarding in a kennel. You recommended that people go to Craigslist.org to find a pet sitter. There's actually a much easier way to find safe, trustworthy and affordable care for pets and homes.

To find a professional, insured and bonded pet sitter, simply go to www.petsit.com, type in your ZIP code, and find all the pet sitters in your area that are currently members of PSI.

[Dr. Fox]

Thanks for this helpful information. Some pet sitters have dubious credentials, even using relatives as references and having no insurance coverage. I urge active, animal-loving retirees to get a new lease on life, provide a valuable community service, and generate extra income by becoming insured and bonded pet sitters.

***

Searching turned up three results

Hawaii Pet Nanny

Dogwalker Etc!

Loving Pet Care

A google search also turned up

Pawsitively Pets Hawaii

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Super Quiz

DOGS

For example: This "doggie" song was a big hit for Patti Page. Answer: "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?"

Freshman Level

1. England's national dog
2. What breed of dog has the keenest sense of smell?
3. This collie of TV fame was a female but was always played by a male dog.

Graduate Level

4. The cockeranian is a cross between what two dogs?
5. In what Disney film is Travis forced to shoot his faithful dog?
6. What breed of dog was Big Red in the 1962 Disney film?

Ph.D. Level

7. This Skye terrier guarded the grave of its owner in Edinburgh.
8. What maker of dog food is famed for its checkerboard trademark?
9. In what country did the Lhasa apso breed originate?


Isaac Asimov's Super Quiz on 4/30/10 (Honolulu Star Bulletin)

(Answers in comments)

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Only a third?

Husbands, if you end up in the doghouse, consider it a promotion.

A third of pet-owning married women said their pets are better listeners than their husbands, according to an Associated Press-Petside.com poll released Wednesday. Eighteen percent of pet-owning married men said their pets are better listeners than their wives.

Ron Farber, 55, of Hoxie, Kan., said it's easier to talk to his dog Buddy than his wife because "the dog doesn't have an opinion."

"I think better out loud. He doesn't care what you say or do. He looks at you, pays attention, you walk through the problem in your mind and eventually, the answer comes. It's not as easy when other people are offering opinions," he said.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Kimo in control

Kimo was soft barking at the birds in the morning. Still sounds like he has a sore throat or laryngitis. Can dogs get laryngitis?

Took him out in front. He went poop in the front yard. Then on with our walk. He didn't really want to go, trying to turn back at first. But eventually he got more in the flow and wanted to turn back less.

Up by the teahouse. See Maka's mom driving away. She waves to me.

The puffy dog (looks like a pom or pom mix) on Aulii was out this time and barking. For some reason, don't see this dog that often these days.

Turn on Puna. Guy coming down with what looks like a puppy, white with large brown spots (colored kind of like Cleo and Betty). Puppy seems to want to come over and greet Kimo, but guy pulls him/her forward and past us.

The dachsund is outside barking. Later joined by the retriever who trots/limps from the back. No sign of the black dog next door.

Bypass Hoku's and Buddha's house. See Joey outside. Doesn't bark, so I go over to treat. Barks when I stop with the treats. So I cross the street and wait until he stops. Then come back. Turn on Ilima to go in the back and treat him on the wall since a car is in the driveway today.

Continue on Ilima. Man outside working in yard. Looks like a basenji in the driveway. I think it was basenji because it didn't bark.

Further, the two tiny terriers were out and yapping at us. The two dogs on the other side started to bark too, but quieted when the owner told them to.

Back down on Aulii. Man walking a boxer. Stop and massage Kimo while they walk past on the other side of the street. Seems relaxed.

Cross street and follow at a distance. They turn around near Makanani and come back. Move a little to the side and massage Kimo's neck again. He seems OK. Man thanks me.

Back to Kula. See Amy coming with Miki and Shammy. Slowly approach. Kimo doesn't seem to react much. Catch up to them as they turn around. Kimo seems to want to approach them, but make him on my left side so I'm between them. Walk side by side with Miki. Miki turns to me, but Amy corrects her. I think the dogs are OK, but Amy is the one nervous. I remark that Kimo seems to behave better when Reina not around. Maybe because she gets anxious with Kimo and Miki near each other. (She's seen him act up many times when he spots Miki. But not today.)

All in all, a successful morning for Kimo, control-wise.

[Sat 5/22, posted 5/23]

Steve Dale

Found this guy while googling Oprah and Cesar. Here's the article he wrote. Followed by this one.

He's a pet journalist who writes a newspaper column and has two radio shows.

I noticed this show interviewing Patricia McConnell about dominance.

It was obvious they were talking (negatively) about Cesar Millan and I found it amusing that they couldn't even bear to speak his name. Like he's Voldemort or something. Steve called him the flavor of the month and both seem to regard his methods as barbaric.

They seemed to equate dominance with being mean. And anybody who's ever watched Cesar knows he's the opposite of mean. I'm not saying what they're saying is wrong. But I'm saying they they are wrong in characterizing Cesar's methods as mean. I think they're just hung up on the word. Patricia has a chapter in The Other End of the Leash about dominance. (They don't use that term anymore.) And then talks about being a benevolent leader.

Well, I guess you might get that idea if you saw him jabbing a wild dog in the neck or forcing a dog to lie on his side after an attack. They probably saw that back in 2005 and were horrified and stopped watching. (Cesar says he keeps learning and is a work in progress. As we all should be.)

Not trying to be negative about Steve and Patricia. Well maybe Steve, but don't really know him. Still love Patricia's books. But still love Cesar too.

***

Funny. As I continue to watch Victoria Stilwell, I notice more and more of Cesar's concepts being used in her show. And Cesar using a lot of positive methods on his show. Oddly, I seem to notice a lot of these "positive" trainers speaking negatively about people, something Cesar rarely, if ever, does.

***

[7/14/10] Maybe not. Today I was looking at IMOTD's last episode called Victoria's Outdoor Secrets which was basically a highlights show. Featured near the beginning was actress Nicole Sullivan (the dogwalker on King of Queens). She mentioned she had been using a guy from the "alpha" camp and Victoria came down hard on "them". Funny, I had thought she had been on Dog Whisperer but I guess not (since I haven't been able to dig up that episode that I thought I had seen -- maybe it was another actress). Anyway, I'm happy that Nicole has her problem solved (I assume). Note: The IMOTD episode she was on was Hollywood Hounds.

***

[8/11/10] Apparently (or not apparently) Steve did have an interview with Cesar on his show (2/18/07)

***

[8/11/10] article from 11/8/08

***

American Humane to include Cesar in symposium, Steve Dale gives some props (2/17/10)

***

[8/11/10] More Steve Dale on Cesar (7/14/10)

***

[8/11/10] the latest on Steve Dale on Steve Dale on Cesar Millan (7/16/10)

***

[9/3/10] Patricia McConnell on Cesar in her blog (via Bark Magazine)

Friday, May 21, 2010

Jennifer's cat and Kimo's bark

Jennifer's cat is becoming less and less afraid of Kimo.

This time, she (I assume she's a she) walked slowly away before going under the steps in garage. Then as we moved away, she came out even letting Kimo sniff her a bit.

Kimo still has a problem sometimes just charging at me (or anybody, but it's always me who's there) when he's not looking and senses somebody near him (or aroused by something). This time he was lying down facing away and I called his name and he got up and came to me in a calm manner. Treat.

Later Kimo saw a cat coming out of Fong's garage and charged out and barked. But this time he made a funny sound before the bark came out, like he was scared or crying.

[Fri 5/21]

Kimo's bark now sounds different, like he has a sore throat or something. Maybe he blew out something when he barked at that cat.

[Sat 5/22am, posted 5/23]

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Paws on the Path

Every month, dozens of canine paws hit Hawaii's scenic hiking trail as part of the Hawaiian Humane Society's "Paws on the Path" hiking club.

From the Makapuu lighthouse to Aiea Loop and the Maunawili Gulch Trail, canines of every breed, mix and size (and their accompanying humans) get together to hike and socialize.

On the last hike -- in March along the Maunawili Gulch Trail in Waimanalo -- the gathering included huskies as well as golden retrievers, German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, boxers, a beagle, Chihuahua, King Charles spaniels, poi dogs and even a rare Havanese named Nukilani.

"It's a great way for people to come out, socialize and get one-on-one time with their animals," said HHS community outreach coordinator Bianca Trombi. "It also gets people who are dog lovers together. We get dogs of all sizes and all breeds. It's a fun mix."

no bones for you!

The Food and Drug Administration issued a reminder to consumers Wednesday to toss out bones from their meals rather than feed them to their pets.

“Some people think it’s safe to give dogs large bones, like those from a ham or a roast,” said Carmela Stamper, a veterinarian in the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the FDA. “Bones are unsafe no matter what their size.”

The FDA spelled out 10 reasons it’s a bad idea to give doggie a real bone.

Among them: broken teeth, mouth or tongue injuries, bones or fragments of bones getting stuck in a dog’s esophagus or even its stomach, which might require surgery. Bone fragments also can cause constipation.

Worse, it could be deadly. Giving your dog a real bone could cause a bacterial infection of the abdomen, called peritonitis, when fragments poke holes in a dog’s stomach or intestines. “Your dog needs an emergency visit to your veterinarian because peritonitis can kill your dog,” says the caution from the FDA.

Monday, May 17, 2010

LCK's book reviews

Lee Charles Kelley KNOWS he is right (and all the "experts" are wrong). That makes for entertaining book reviews. Here's the list.


Five Stars

Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
by John Grogan
Marley Scores Big with Me

Natural Dog Training
by Kevin Behan (3.5 stars, 18 reviews)
The Best Book Ever Written About Dogs

Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: And Other Unexplained Powers of Animals
by Rupert Sheldrake
Telepathy as a Common Biological Function


Four Stars

The Good, the Bad, and the Furry: Choosing the Dog That's Right for You
by Sam Stall
Covers all the Bases (Though Not all the Breeds)

Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide Interpreting the Native Language of the Domestic Dog
by Brenda Aloff
Highly Indispensable

How to Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days
by Shirlee Kalstone
A Must for All Puppy Owners

Bones Would Rain From the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs
by Suzanne Clothier (4.5 stars, 86 reviews)
Close, So Very, Very Close -- But Still No Cigar

I'll be Home Soon
by Patricia B. McConnell (4 stars, 29 reviews)
A Thorough, Comprehensive Pamphlet with Only Two (Major) Errors

Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats
by Susan Hubble Pitcairn
Excellent Handbook, With Two Caveats

The Original Dog Bible: The Definitive Source to All Things Dog (Original Dog Bible: The Definitive Source for All Things Dog)
by Kristin Mehus-Roe
Until Something Better Comes Along

Playtraining Your Dog
by Patricia Gail Burnham
Still Relevant After All These Years

Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software
by Steven Johnson (3.5 stars, 91 reviews)
Mind Opening Book


Three Stars

The Loved Dog
by Tamar Geller (4 stars, 104 reviews)
The Great White Hype

How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With
by David H. Neil
Outdated, with Some Good Tip

How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves
by Sophia A. Yin
Dog Training Lite, B+ : Understanding Your Dog's Instincts, D-

On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals
by Turid Rugaas
Almost Right on Target, but Ever so Slightly Off

Help For Your Fearful Dog
by Nicole Wilde (5 stars, 45 reviews)
Useful but too Ideological

Good Owners, Great Dogs
by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson
Some Good Info, But too Heavy on "Firm", too Light on "Fun and Fair

Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training
by Pamela Dennison
Sounds Great, But Is it REALLY Positive?

The Dog Listener: Learn How to Communicate with Your Dog for Willing Cooperation
by Jan Fennell
The Dog Misunderstanderer
(I enjoyed this book.)

Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior
by Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson (4.5 stars, 182 reviews)
New Insights, The Same Old Same-Old, Or Both?

Behavior Problems in Dogs
by Wlliam E. Campbell (4 stars, 10 reviews)
A Breakthrough Book
I remember Dr. Campbell doing his jolly routine on Good Dog U (I'll have to double-check this).


Two Stars

Dog Training in 10 Minutes
by Carol Lea Benjamin
Some Good Advice, with an Unfortunate Streak of Meanness

The Truth about Dogs: An Inquiry into Ancestry, Social Conventions, Mental Habits, and Moral Fiber of Canis familiaris
by Stephen Budiansky
The Whole Truth About Dogs? Not Quite

Before and After Getting Your Puppy: The Positive Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy, and Well-Behaved Dog
by Ian Dunbar
I Think Somebody Needs to Relax...

Dog Language: An Encyclopedia of Canine Behavior
by Roger Abrantes
Mostly Old-Hat, Sorry

Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
by Cesar Millan
Why Cesar's Way Isn't Really the Dog's Natural Way

Dog Training by Bash: The Tried and True Techniques of the Dog Trainer to the Stars
by Bashkim Dibra
Some Good Techniques, but Totally Off-Base on Theory

The Power of Positive Dog Training
by Pat Miller
Nestled in the Arms of the Zeitgeist

The Other End of the Leash
by Patricia B. McConnell (4.5 stars, 189 reviews)
The Backward End of the Truth
[Personally, I loved this book]

The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs
by Jean Donaldson
"Positive Training" = A Negative Learning Experience?


One Star

Man Meets Dog (Routledge Classics)
by Konrad Z. Lorenz
Mean Beats Dog - A Nazi's View of Dog Training

The Intelligence of Dogs
by Stanley Coren (4 stars, 33 reviews)
Smart Dogs, Dumb Authors

How To Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication
by Stanley Coren
Another Bogus Book from Coren

The Dog Who Loved Too Much: Tales, Treatments and the Psychology of Dogs (4 stars, 34 reviews)
by Nicholas H. Dodman
The Dog Who Jonesed too Much
[I borrowed this book from the library and thought it was interesting. Use of drugs not surprising since that is what is taught in Western medicine (for treating both dogs and animals).]

Smarter Than You Think: A Revolutionary Approach to Teaching and Understanding Your Dog in Just a Few Hours
by Paul Loeb (3.5 stars, 114 reviews)
Dogs: A Lot Smarter than Certain Authors

How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend
by New Skete Monks (4 stars, 169 reviews)
How to Be Your Dog's Worst Enemy

The Art of Raising a Puppy
by New Skete Monks (4.5 stars, 226 reviews)
The Art of Ruining a Puppy

Don't Shoot The Dog
by Karen Pryor (4.5 stars, 127 reviews)
Don't Believe the Hype! The Ineffective Art of Teaching and Training
[I bought this book based on the good reviews. It's classical conditioning for the layman.]

[6/1/10] Kate Connick is another outspoken reviewer/critic (whom I sure is also a great dog trainer)

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Dog Training DVDs (and a few books)

Obviously there's a ton of books on dog training, but while browsing Amazon for videos, I notice they have a category for Pets & Pet Care

Cesar has 7 out of the top 10. No. 3 is the "original" Dog Whisperer Paul Owens. No. 8 is the same DVD, but in region 2 (which makes me wonder how accurate this list is). No. 2 is the Monks of New Skete.

Browsing down the list...

12 - Train Your Dog (Nicole Wilde)
13 - Clicker, Puppy (Karen Pryor)
16 - It's PAWsible (Beth Ostroski-Parks) [which gets good reviews]
28 - Woof! A Guide to Dog Training (Uncle Matty)
32 - The Loved Dog (Tamar Geller)
34 - Living With Your Dog (Jack and Wendy Volhard)
36 - Dog Obedience Training (Cindi Tringali) [mixed reviews]

Here's an interesting one
56 - Fighting Dominance in a Dog Whispering World (Jean Donaldson & Ian Dunbar)
which is one ahead of
57 - Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan: Celebrity Edition

66 - People Training for Dogs (Cesar Millan) [which has zero reviews]
70 - Dogs for Dummies (Jenny Taylor) [also comes in a bundle with the book by Gina Spadafori]
73 - Old Dog, New Tricks (Mark Harden)
76 - Dog Training: The John Fisher Way [disappointing reviews]
88 - Drool School (Amy Robinson) [no reviews]
90 - Training the Dog in the Human Pack (John Fisher, I assume when he was alive)
91- Calming Signals (Turid Rugaas) [I didn't know this was out on DVD)
95 - Home School: Dogs [no reviews]
99 - Unleash Your Dogs Potential (Linda Tellington-Jones) [of the Tellington Touch]

A few others (general rank in Movies & TV)
43966 - Teach That Dog! - Super Good Manners (Pat B. Mitchell) [four five-star reviews]
66084 - It's Me or the Dog (Victoria Stilwell)
81110 - In The Dog House (Brad Pattison)
154782 - Natural Dog Training (Neil Sattin)
70181 (VHS) - Good Dog U

The list supposed to be updated hourly. So maybe I'll check later to see how the ranking changes.

***

How about the best-selling books?

Surprisingly, the current top selling dog book is none of Cesar's books, but Oh My Dog by Beth O Stern and Kristina Grish which came out this month. But it gets only two-1/2 stars from 135 reviewers. Why is it so popular? The author's husband is Howard Stern. It's actually a collection of tips from experts, not first-hand from the author.

Cesar takes positions 2, 3, and 5. Surprisingly, no. 4 is an audio cassette(!) from the Monks of New Skete.

Friday, May 14, 2010

ouch, my finger

In the afternoon, I was surprised to see Kimo lying down as Pat was taking out Keith. Usually he charges down the landing while Keith is going wild at the end of his leash.

This time I saw Pat keeping Keith close by her side (instead of letting him lead the way on the long leash as she usually does). Maybe she was watching Dog Whisperer today [Friday].

I went out to keep Kimo in check in case he acted up on their way back.

I think I kneeled next to him but wasn't watching him. Suddenly he went wild and I felt him biting my hand. Not sure what triggered him (I think he just forgets somebody is next to him, then suddenly senses somebody next to him and gets threatened and reacts without thinking). I grabbed his scruff and held him until he calmed down. Took a number of seconds as he was fighting to get loose.

Then I looked down and saw my blood on his fur. He had bitten the side of my index finger. I took him down to the driveway and hosed off the blood.

Then took him up the street as Keith and Pat were still out. Went up by Tanabe's house. StevenC had come home as was retrieving the recycle bin from the Hayashida house (Au now). I meekly waved but he ignored me. I guess they're both not friendly to me now. (Or maybe they think I'm not friendly to them.)

Waiting for Keith to come back. As we were waiting, the cat comes to visit us. But I kind of limited their interaction this time.

After Keith went home, I went up the street. Banzai was being taken out by father and daughter (I think that's his daughter). They continued on, but we turned around at the beginning of the street.

On the way back, Kimo hears Miki barking. I think it was Miki because Kimo started acting up. I had him sit down with his back to the barking.

Then go home and wipe up the blood drop stains on steps and garage floor.

Another day in the life of Kimo..

[Fri 5/14, posted 5/15]

walking Hoku

Took Kimo out a little early.

As I go up the street, here comes RMAS. Decide to have Kimo sit with his back turned to them. They pass and we follow.

Keith barks, decide to sit down by Iha/Pang wall as RMAS continue up. See Ann walking down. Have Kimo lie down.

Later she lets Kimo go up to her and sniff. Miyamoto's say they stay away. I say make sure to keep away from his teeth.

Gerald sees us and drops off Hershey, we walk a little with RMAS, then head to Puna.

See Nicole coming with Cleo. Hershey bows down. I hope it's a play bow. I say he's either getting ready to play or to eat her.

Walk toward Hoku's house. Gate is open. See Hoku tied up. We go up driveway. Let Hershey and Hoku play. Then decided to put leash on Hoku and practice walking around a little. Not bad. Except for the times when she wants to play with Hershey.

Look around. Don't see anybody home. Decide to walk a little on the street. Take them to Buddha's house. Betty coming out with Kaylen, but couldn't catch Buddha. Take Hoku home and walk with BK.

Joey doesn't bark when he sees us. Treat him. Then he barks as we walk away.

The next pass he barks again. Betty decided to go into the back. I remark we're rewarding him for barking. Treat the dogs anyway.

[Fri 5/14, posted 5/15]

Pos-4-ReactiveDogs

I subscribed earlier, but now I'm starting to have the messages from this Yahoo group sent to my email inbox.

Seems there's a lot of problem dogs out there (though percentage-wise not that much). Worse than Kimo.

From the first few messages I've received, the people here seem helpful, empathetic, knowledgeable, and of the positive school. I guess that's what the "Pos" in the title of the group stands for. Turid Rugaas seems big here.

***

[5/18/10] Mentioned in this group is LAT from Control Unleashed. Control Unleashed is a book by Leslie McDevitt. There's also a DVD.

Learn how to turn stress to confidence and distraction to focus using methods that are 110% positive. Leslie McDevitt's versatile Control Unleashed® program is designed to help "dogs with issues" learn how to relax, focus, and work off-leash reliably in either stimulating or stressful situations. Whether you're training a challenging dog on your own, an instructor trying to figure out how to help dogs in your classes, or an instructor who wants to design a special program just for stressed out dogs, this book is for you.

Who needs Control Unleashed®?
Dogs that are uncomfortable or unable to work off lead around other dogs
Dog that are easily distracted and have difficulty concentrating
Dogs that are reactive or easily aroused
Dogs that are anxious or stressed and shut down
Dog that are unable to control their impulses when excited

LAT stands for the Look At That game, which for me really represents what makes CU so different from most other reactive dog rehabilitation programs. It's a training game that teaches a dog to look at the thing that is worrying them, and then return attention to the handler, instead of demanding 100% attention from an anxious dog and never allowing them to look at their trigger.

Sounds promising (has good reviews on Amazon) and I'll probably investigate further.

There's also a DVD set, though I don't see it on Amazon or swapadvd.

***

[5/27/10] Reading more messages, there is definitely an ideology here. While I have no doubt that many/most in the group are great people, the group is pretty focused (I didn't want to say narrow-minded), in the sense that it is focused on positive only techniques. And anything not purely positive is looked down upon (to say the least). So no Cesar Millan allowed here. Or Kevin Behan / Lee Charles Kelley for that matter.

From their List Guidelines:

"This list is not a place to debate or discuss different methods of training. The methods discussed here are positive and respectful toward dogs, period. Written discussions about methodologies that rely on punitive measures, corrections or over exposure to physical exercise or high stimulation are not acceptable and will not be tolerated. Members who write messages of this nature will be removed from this group."

[Or maybe they just want to avoid ugly arguments, which is cool.]

[11/15/10 - apparently this is Jackie McGowan's group]

There's also another popular group called "dogbehaviorscience" which has some members who are also intolerant of Cesar.

Speaking as a Cesar fan, I prefer to use whatever works, not necessarily what is "proper." And both Cesar (from what I've seen and read) and Lee Charles Kelley (from his blog) seem to get real results using not-entirely "positive" methods. (Or maybe they just happen to be really good at using whatever technique.)

I also joined up the group dogwhispererfans who aren't hung up on using only positive methods, but seem to be mostly "positive" people (then again, they're probably hung up on using "Cesar's Way"). Not to stir up debate [or not not], but presented here was an article called False Positives from Fortunate K9. Seems balanced to me, but would probably be bashed by those of the positive-only school.

So it seems Cesar can be quite polarizing. Like Obama. Whereas their intent is just the opposite. Politics is everywhere. Or is it religion? Or simple closed-mindedness?

The negative energy is why I usually avoid Fox News (and Olbermann too for that matter). So we'll see how long I stick with these newsgroups.

However I did happen to catch part of Cesar's appearance on Fox and Friends the other day while scanning through the channels. (And now he'll probably criticized being commercial and pushing the Swiffer Sweeper Vac. You just can't win with some people..) And here's an interview with Colmes.

do you notice that I'm rambling?

rambling on. I googled idealogue (and noted that I spelled it wrong) and came to Flame Warriors which describes what goes on in many of these "discussion" groups.

***

[5/28/10] Neil ventures into the fray at dogwise forums.

Took a quick glance at the anti-Cesar Millan facebook group. Sheesh. Talk about your negative energy..

(And on and on.)

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Cleo = Chaos

The dogs were barking. I see it's RMAS walking earlier than usual.
Take Kimo out, he goes wild briefly as they pass.
Then follow and catch up.

Go home, then go out again, picking up Hershey.

Kimo poops at the cemetery. Pick it up, but carelessly allow it to drop on my food. (Ugh :(

Don't see Betty walking, so go right to Hoku's house.

Later Nicole comes with Cleo to the gate (I thought I saw them drive past me earlier at the cemetery). She decided to carry Cleo over the gate and let her loose.

Chaos. Cleo takes off being chased by Hershey being chased by Hoku!

Cleo gets too close to and Kimo panics and goes nuts (like blind rage when he doesn't recognize who you are). Grab his collar for several seconds until comes back to earth and regains his senses.

Betty (the dog) stops by briefly too. Dottie opens the gate so as to let Betty in, but then Hershey runs out, followed by Hoku. Dottie retrieves Hoku and Hershey comes back in.

Home.

Kimo barking at guys using portable piledriver at Sakuda's house.

Take in back. Then he barks at yardmen in back...

And so it goes.

[Tue 5/11/10, posted 5/12]

Monday, May 10, 2010

The Power of Intention

I see via Neil Sattin's twitter account that he's gotten into intent.com. That's interesting because Cesars talks about the Power of Intention.

I believe it came from Dr. Wayne Dyer who wrote a book with that title. But the review on Amazon implies he was predated or inspired by Jerry and Esther Hicks (who actually seem to be more connected to the Law of Attraction, a concept popularized by "The Secret".

OK, I seem to be getting a little offtrack here..

Or maybe not. Cesar writes about Dr. Wayne Dyer (Deepak Chopra too) in his book, Be The Pack Leader.

Aha. Intent.com was founded by Mallika Chopra who is Deepak's daughter. (And I see via Neil Sattin's twitter account that he's gotten into intent.com.)

More links

I added a number of links after seeing via twitter (Kevin Behan) that Neil Sattin was interviewed by Dog Obedience Training Online. (Funny that Neil never twittered it himself that I can see.)

So I put up Neil's Natural Dog Training Blog. Then that led to Lee Charles Kelley's blog. Then Cesar's tips. Then looking at Victoria Stilwell's page, I see she hosts a blog with some of the big names in positive training. And finally back to Dog Obedience Training Online.

Lots of information.

Added Patricia McConnell's blog too (from a RBDT twitter) mainly because I enjoyed a couple of her books.