Pennsylvania puppy mills shutting down

Daniel Peachey's breeding dogs used to stand on wire flooring all day, cooped up in cages that provided no regular access to the outdoors.

No more. Peachey recently spent more than $20,000 on upgrades at his Stone Mountain Kennel, outside of State College, to meet stringent new health and safety standards that state officials say have gone a long way toward ending Pennsylvania's reputation as the puppy mill capital of the East.

While breeders like Peachey have found themselves shelling out tens of thousands of dollars to comply with the strictest kennel law in the nation, scores of substandard commercial kennels have opted to close instead — freeing a minimum of 14,000 dogs from bleak surroundings where they typically received little attention or care.

Pennsylvania had long been known as a breeding ground for puppy mills when Gov. Ed Rendell signed off on an overhaul of the dog law in 2008. The legislation was a response to appalling conditions in many large commercial breeding kennels, where dogs spent most of their working lives inside cramped wire cages, stacked one atop the other, and got little grooming, veterinary care or exercise.

Key provisions that went into effect in October required large-scale breeders to double cage sizes, eliminate wire flooring, and provide unfettered access to the outdoors. The new law also banned cage stacking, instituted twice-a-year vet checks, and mandated new ventilation and cleanliness standards.

Many breeders have closed voluntarily rather than comply. The number of commercial kennels in Pennsylvania plummeted from 303 at the beginning of 2009 to 111 today — a reduction of almost two-thirds — although a few of them are expected to reopen after making renovations, while other kennels got rid of enough dogs so that they are no longer classified as commercial operations.

Hoku lies down, Hershey lies down, Kimo snarls

Hershey came today after not coming at the end of last week.

Took them to Puna and saw Dottie out with Hoku. They started playing on leash with Hoku pulling Dottie (Hoku doesn't know her own strength). So up the driveway they went.

I walked around with Kimo a bit and he sniffed Hoku's butt.

Then soon enough Hoku and Hershey were playing/wrestling.

Dottie came out with the treats and Hershey went for the treats. But Hoku still wanted to play. So Hershey tried to keep Hoku away so he could get the treats.

Finally I got them to wait (it took a little doing with Hoku since I don't think they make her wait for her food) and fed them some kibble.

More play. Then after a while, Hoku was tired and lay down [I don't know if all this is in strict chronological order].

At one point as we were sitting down, Hoku came near Kimo. But too close as Kimo snarled to keep her away. I put Kimo on the other side. Hoku didn't seem flustered and both seemed OK being on either side of me.

Time for more play. But Hershey seemed tired. And he lay down on his back. Hoku kept pawing and nudging him to play some more. But after a while, they both lay down.

A little more playing and it was time to go.

Go up to see Joey. Didn't bark as were coming, but started to bark a little as we went to the front steps. Gave him some treats and he was mostly quiet.

Lulu was quiet waiting across the street. Went over. The Lulu got anxious and barked as Kimo came close. Hershey kept his distance.

Then down to Makanani. The pitball on the corner was tied up and barked at us. Hershey stopped to pee so more more barking. The brown boxer? was out and didn't bark so much.

Then I see Sonny behind the door looking out. Took them to over. Sonny's tail was wagging. Jennifer saw us and opened the curtain. There was a hole in the screen door so Sonny could stick her head right through. She said Sonny and the cat did it.

Next door, Maka was at the gate. Kimo didn't feel like greeting, but I brought him over and he did a sniff at a distance.

And so went another morning with the dogs.

[Monday 6/14, posted 6/15]

target training

Targeting - What is it?

A "target" is anything that the dog must focus on and perform some action towards. I usually introduce the idea of a target when I reward a dog for touching my palm, but it has really started earlier than that. Attention is a form of targeting, where the dog is focusing her gaze on your face (or hands). "Come" is a form of targeting in which the dog must find the area right in front of you. In agility, dogs must step within a certain safety area called a contact zone on many obstacles, to prove that they are dismounting correctly and not just flying off the top of a high dog-walk or A-frame.

Read the article for more.

[via Ken McCort @ dogbehaviorscience, (well he mentioned it)]

Kimo raw

Noticed the area around Kimo's mouth was looking raw (kind of reddish) a few days ago. I noticed it only when he was lying down and I had a better angle.

I hadn't been giving him his ivomec regularly as I had hoped his mange was under control, but maybe the condition is starting to come back. So I'm starting to give him his med again. I think it's starting to improve now.

[6/11/10] It spread a little to above his eyes. But I think it looks a little better now, now that he's back on his med.]

Seeing Eye Human

The following story is true as I witnessed the account firsthand. It taught me the meaning of “best friend” when it comes to animals.

It was a blustery autumn day and I had just arrived at my in-laws’ house after a hard day at work. My wife was enjoying her People magazine and my mother-in-law busily prepared our dinner. The aromas from the kitchen were heavenly and since I had to skip lunch, my body had a mind of its own. “Mr. Stomach” growled with such vehemence that it startled my poor cat Rocky, who was sitting on my lap at the time. “Mr. Salivary Gland” also joined the fray as Rocky darted off, eyes wide from the ferocious rumbling, drool peeked from the corner of my mouth. It was very embarrassing, to say the least.

Anxiously awaiting the delicious fare, I scanned the living room for some type of distraction to take my mind off of food. It was then that I noticed that my father-in-law was nowhere to be seen. Mom said he was out walking Lani, the family’s 19-year-old Pomeranian Silky Terrier mix. Fearing any further awkward bodily expressions, I headed out to see if I could catch up with Dad.

Once outside, I spotted my father-in-law walking Lani some 50 feet ahead of me on the sidewalk. Jogging to reach their location, I started to notice a golf club in his hand. Was he practicing his golf swing while walking the dog? I was quite impressed.

I pulled along side the duo and after a few minutes decided to ask Dad about the golf club.

“Hey, Dad, what’s with the golf club? Practicing your swing?” I chided.

“Actually,” he responded, “I use it to guide Lani as she walks. Since she is blind, she tends to walk into brush, poles and fire hydrants. She knows to turn away if I gently tap her.”

“Dad, I’ve heard of Seeing Eye Dogs, but you’re sort-of like a Seeing Eye Human,” I joked.

Laughing at my comment, he grinned and said, “I never thought of it that way, but I guess I am.”

Later that evening I began to take notice of all the things that my in-laws would do to keep Lani comfortable and happy. You see, besides being blind, Lani was deaf, arthritic and partially incontinent. The home nursing care for her was truly a labor of love. Lani provided years of joy and companionship for my wife and my in-laws, and in the end it was their turn to care for her.

-- by Dr. John Kaya

welcome back Amy and Reina

Kimo starting barking and running frantically back and forth in the morning. I'm pretty sure Keith started barking first.

Sure enough, Amy and Reina were back walking Miki and Shammy.

Took Kimo out as they went up the hill. Sat down on Iha's curb facing me but could still see up the hill as RMAS made their way back down. Seemed to stay fairly calm.

Then as usual, Keith began his frantic barking.

Started to chat with Amy a little about their trip to Europe. Took my eye off Kimo and then saw Kimo going wild, Shani-like. Held him by the collar so as not to get bit, but those teeth were awfully close. After I guess about a minute or so (it seems pretty wild when you have a wild dog by the throat), Kimo calmed down and I took him up the street trailing RMAS.

Despite his peeing and sniffing, we managed to catch up toward the end. And Kimo remained reasonably calm as he caught up to Shammy.

Try, try again.

Now that I think about it, I think he was reacting more to Keith than the Miki or Shammy. Or the dynamic of all three.

[Wed 6/9, posted 6/10]

catching fleas

Here is an old effective way to control fleas.

I ran across this when I was looking for a non chemical way to control fleas. I went to the agriculture department and check their files before 1946 to get this one.

I suggested it to Judy B. who had tried lots of other methods and spent a lot of money but found this to be the most effective ;o)))

Try the safe soapy water and light bulb flea controller. Hang light bulb 1 foot above a low container (about a foot wide and 2-3 inches deep and with at least 1 inch of soapy water in it. A great use for those old wire crates!!

It is moved around about 5 feet a day or have several and the fleas jump to the light (heat) and fall in the soapy water (very old method of getting rid of flees)

Best places indoors is within 5 feet of where your pet sleeps and you sleep, rather they drown in the bowl than you or your pet getting bit.

Remember that fleas are not found in your driveway gravel or in the open. The larvae do not survive high temperatures. They are found in shaded areas, like under porches, decks, car ports, at the edges of woods, and especially in places where your pets lay down outdoors.

[via dogwhispererfans]

Training Collars

The Canny Collar is a simple dog training collar designed to stop pulling on the leash and make walking your dog a pleasure. Comfortable, kind, safe and effective, its revolutionary 'behind-the-head' design makes it easy to fit and simple to use, transforming even the worst pullers into happy, well-behaved pets. No wonder the UK Pet Product Retail Association voted it 'Best New Product' shortly after it was launched.

If you're looking for an easy solution to your dog pulling problems, look no further than the Canny Collar. You'll be in good company. Since the Canny Collar was launched, more than a quarter of a million dog owners worldwide have discovered the simple pleasure of walking their dogs on a loose leash. Join them today and make training your dog easy!

[via Marykins]

It gets mixed reviews here. (In other words, it worked great for some dogs and not so well for others.)

***

Another option is the Easy Walk Harness. It gets four stars at Amazon.com.

It's made by the Gentle Leader folks. I'm guessing as an alternative to their flagship Gentle Leader product which could potentially cause neck damage if the dog starts to run and gets jerked back.

Here's a critique of the Gentle Leader. A positive review. 4.6 at buzzillions. 4.75 at viewpoints. 4.5 at petsmart. 4.5 at amazon.com. LCK hates it.

***

Then there's the Ilusion collar used by Cesar's fans. Kind of expensive. Here's one owner's experience in using it. It gets mixed reviews here, 4-1/2 stars at Amazon.com.

natural flea repellent

Well, natural stuff is worth a try to avoid side effects by chemicalflea treatments which in my opinion (from what I have seen) is MUCH WORST than the fleas themselves.

HERE are some suggestions....

CITRUS REPELLENT: Cut a lemon into quarters and place in a pint jug. Cover the lemon with boiling water and let it steep overnight.

Next day you have a flea repellent that you can use in a spray bottle. Spray over your dog remembering especially behind the ears and around the head generally (careful of eyes), around the base of the tail (once again keep away from delicate bits) and under your dog's armpits".

[from Lori Reynolds, DogWhispererFans]

***

Apparently Lori got the above from here which also mentions other natural flea repellents.

More here, including garlic and how much to use.

*** [5/1/12]

more suggestions in the comments section

[5/26/12 - more links on garlic]


And maybe a change in diet?

Commercial dog food is bad and maybe your dog is telling you she doesn't like it. If you can, try giving her freshly made homemade food. After a while you won't need any flea control coz when dogs eat homemade diet they have no odor inside or outside so no fleas find them interesting enough to come around. I have 5 dogs and all of them eat homemade and are all vegan. I give them brown rice with bunch of beans and veggies and they love it! No surprise NONE of them have fleas ever or any health or skin condition.

Maybe make Kimo some chili :)

[8/29/17] you can use Apple Cider vinegar too

Cesar divorcing

Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan and his wife Ilusion are divorcing.

Millan announced the split Friday on his website.

"We are sad to announce that after 16 years of marriage we have decided to file for divorce," he wrote.

"The decision was made after much consideration and time. We remain caring friends, and are fully committed to the co-parenting of our two boys."

Kimo turns away

Took Kimo out in the morning. Went to poop. Then went up the front steps and lay down. He didn't seem interested in going for our morning walk.

So I took out Hershey solo instead. Walked him through our backyard. Had to encourage him to go through the gate. Seems he doesn't like to go certain places. Like into Koa's garage for example.

Then up the hill. See Kimo coming out with Fifi and Mochi and the baby in a carriage. Mochi started pulling on the leash to greet Hershey.

Then we walked down the street. Normally Kimo doesn't walk his dogs down there, but he does when I'm out with the dogs. Kimo looked at us from the steps. Keith started barking. Then Kimo barked at Keith barking. He barked a little at us going back. So I went over to see if he wanted to walk with us. He didn't. OK, stay home.

Later that morning, I was reading the paper on the steps. Kimo was lying down facing me on the far end of the landing. Suddenly he got up and charged at me. I raised the paper to block and he quickly veered off toward his food dish like he was going to eat.

I dunno. Maybe he's stopping quicker after his charge. Maybe. Or maybe it was because he was kind of far away this time.

[Thu 6/3/10, posted 6/4]

Makiki dog park

O'ahu could have another off-leash dog park if a community group is successful in securing a location at Makiki District Park.

Advocates for a Makiki dog park have been working on the project for about a year, trying to identify a suitable location, deciding on a design and raising money to build and maintain the site, said state Rep. Della Au Belatti, D-25th (Tantalus, Makiki, McCully).

"Between the fact that there's not anything in the district and the closest park is Diamond Head, there's certainly a need for pet owners," said Au Belatti, who has helped the group navigate through the process.

Last week the dog park advocates received much-needed support from the local neighborhood board, which advises the city about community issues.

The Makiki/Punchbowl /Lower Tantalus Neighborhood Board recommended that the city allow the off-leash park to be placed in a back corner of the district park, said John Steelquist, board chairman.

service monkeys

WILLISTON, Vt. — From the time she first heard of the possibility, Judy Zappia has thought a lot about how much a trained monkey could help with the day-to-day tasks multiple sclerosis has made increasingly difficult.

If she dropped a jar of oregano and it rolled under the counter, the monkey would be able to fetch it. If the remote was across the room, the monkey would deliver the device. And if Zappia needed a hug, she hoped the monkey would be able to provide that, too.

Zappia, 58, who relies on a motorized wheelchair to get around, will soon find out exactly what it is like to have a companion monkey.

After initially being denied approval, she has the OK from Vermont Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche to acquire a monkey from Helping Hands, a non-profit organization in Boston that breeds and trains small capuchin monkeys to work as service animals for patients with limited mobility.

"I'm looking forward to it, but I'm also a little nervous," says Zappia, who hopes to get her capuchin monkey this month.

"balanced" trainers

Besides John Wade (The Dog Shouter) and Cesar, here's another (so-called) "balanced" (meaning they use both positive and negative reinforcement) trainer, Ed Frawley. Fortunate K9 seems to be another one. Here's their viewpoint on corrections stating that positive trainers actually use them too.

All these seem to be "real-world" kind of people. (Not to say the others totally aren't.)

Actually I note few professionals using purely negative methods these days (individual owners are a different story). The Monks use a lot of praise. Cesar likes to give massages (rewarding state of mind). Pattison? Well, he runs/plays with the dogs.

And Victoria likes to use sound adversives (vs. physical adversives). Plus what looks like sort of a Koehler method in teaching loose leash walking (which seems to pretty standard).

Temple Grandin

I was scanning through the TV listings and noticed a listing for Temple Grandin. Looking closer, it's a movie from HBO about Temple Grandin who wrote the book Animals in Translation.

Here's the one-line description from Zap2It: "The scientist becomes an advocate for autistics and the humane treatment of livestock."

Sounds like it might be interesting. But since I don't have HBO, I would have to wait for it to come out video.

According to Amazon, the DVD will be released on August 17, 2010. It gets five stars on 25 reviews, 24 five-star review, 1 three-star (and even that one was mostly positive). [Warning, that Amazon page somehow ate up my memory causing a lot of writing to disk.]

Evidently HBO puts out some pretty good movies. Another excellent one is Something The Lord Made (although dog lovers might get squeamish as they used dogs in their research).

***

Seeing in pictures -- The Costco Connection, June 2013

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.

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]

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

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)

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.

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)

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]

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.

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)

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.

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.)

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]

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.

cradling therapy

Dear Dr. Fox,

I have a 4-year-old female bichon/Shih Tzu cross, Missi. She is absolutely precious, but when I take for walks, she is absolutely uncontrollable. When I try to calm her down, she bites me. It's the same at home if she sees anything move outside.

Once she settles down, she's great with people. How can I make walking easier and more enjoyable for both of us?
K.S., Fargo, N.D.


Dear K.S.,

Your dog lacks self-control (or internal inhibition), a problem that is partly genetic, but also most probably due to her being raised indulgently, over-permissively and with no boundaries being set early in life.

I see her as a “delinquent” who may benefit from “cradling” therapy (gentle, repeated restraint in a trainer’s arms) that should have been part of her puppy-rearing regimen.

I describe this technique in my book Dog Body, Dog Mind.

A similar therapy was developed by psychotherapists several years ago in Canada to effectively help adolescents develop trust and self-control.

anxiety wrap

DEAR DR. FOX: My 15-pound Bichon trembles whenever there's a thunderstorm. Holding her doesn't seem to calm her down.

Is there something I can give her to help? Someone suggested baby Benadryl, but what dosage?

D.R., Lake Worth, Fla.

DEAR D.R.: Ten to 15 mg of Benadryl may make your dog a bit drowsy and thirsty, helping subdue thunderphobia. But there are other, safer treatments.

Try wrapping your dog in a light cloth, binding it tight with Velcro or duct tape. An "Anxiety Wrap" is marketed for this specific purpose, having a calming effect on many sound-phobic dogs.

Some readers have told me that giving their dogs Melatonin before a storm (and on July 4!) had a calming effect. PetzLife's @-Eaze is a fast-acting calming remedy that may prove helpful for your dog. Ingredients include L-Theanine, tea and chamomile extracts that are safe and purportedly help animals relax without making them drowsy.

skirmish on the steps

Hear barking. It's Koa at the back fence.

Open gate. Kimo runs out. Goes to front yard, but then runs up Keith's steps
Barking and growling at the front door. It's closed, but Keith is going nuts inside.

Here comes Koa following up. He picks up on Kimo and starts growling too. Then Kimo goes after Koa and they go at it. I manage to leash Kimo and separate them. Then try to calm Kimo down. It took a little while. Then we go back down steps. I wonder what Pat is thinking.

Go up street with Koa unleashed leading the way. Kimo poops at Mamo's place. Koa comes back to see.

We go to Koa's house, but Koa continues down the street. We go back, get a bag, pick up the poop. Then go home.

[Sat 4/24, posted Mon 4/26]

Sonny's mom

RMAS out
Kimo runs back & forth, then pees on sidewalk :(
take out Kimo
Gerald brings Hershey / RMAS gone by the time we get up there
up Lolena Hill, Kimo wants to go back, make him press on
see Cheryl (Joey's owner) at bus stop. car being fixed in Waipahu
treat Joey, Kimo, Hershey at corner of Ilima / but then Joey barks as we leave
see Betty down street w/ Sonny (mom's name is Jennifer)
drop off Hershey w/ Allen / walk w/ Betty, Kaylen, Buddha
go to pick up Hershey, wait a little while as they play a little more
visit Maka, dog next door, move bag by him and he bites it, but not frantically running around this time

[Thu 4/22, posted 4/23]

Sonny makes three / three more names

take Kimo out / again reluctant to go
pick up Hershey / drizzly
see Kimo out w/ Mochi & Fifi / Mochi pulling to come sniff / cat's owner name is Jennifer
Aulii / see Sonny & mom, catch up on Puna, Dottie out w/ Hoku
then Betty comes w/ Kaylen & Buddha / take Hershey up driveway, Sonny joins them
walk w/ Betty / Nicole out w/ Cleo
visit Joey, treat w/ chicken jerky, Buddha sits w/ Kimo, Joey sits behind gate / Cheryl chats with Betty
retrieve Hershey / Hershey poops for second time

three more names to remember: Jennifer is the owner of the cat who plays with Paco
Renee is the name of the lady who lives down toward beginning of Puna
Nicole is the owner of Cleo, short for Cleopatra

Blackjack

Fumio called me the other day and mentioned that his dog passed away. Blackjack was a pretty big dog and was over 12 years old. Probably around 60 pounds or so. I don't know what breed he was. Maybe a lab mix. Seemed to be pretty friendly despite Fumio pulling on his tail and such.

Fumio would walk him several times a day to take him out to pee. [I took him for a short walk one time and he didn't exactly heel and was pretty strong.] He made it sound like a chore, and there were times when he pulled when he saw a cat. But I'm sure he misses him.

barking at the paper guy

Kimo's been barking at the newspaper guy who comes early in the morning. Like 3:30 or 4:00 or so. This started when the guy started driving a new van which is sort of noisy. Especially when he revs the engine.

Kimo would go to the fence and bark. Then I would come out and walk to the fence and he would go back, sometimes reluctantly. I'm trying to get him used to the new car (or was it a van?)

Last night, he soft-barked but didn't get up. So I held him lightly on the back of the neck and massaged him when he calmed down. And kept massaging until the van left.

We'll see how this goes.

This is like how it was when he was in the front and would bark at the paper deliverers. (Then I moved him in the back at night because of Melinda's complaints.)

***

This morning the paper guy came as Aunty Snips was getting ready to leave. I could hear soft barking and I went outside. Kimo went to the fence and barked. I touched his neck to move him away and he touched the back of my hand with his teeth and then ran away from the fence. Not really a bite, though I think I see slight redness on the back of my hand. Which is OK I guess. [4/18/10 a.m.]

***

[4/21/10] Kimo barked at the paperguy, but came back from the fence when I softly called his name. So I guess he's not really going so nuts now at him.

***

[4/23/10] Kimo softbarked. I went out, placed my hand on his neck and sshh'd when he softbarked. And massaged when he stopped. He fussed slightly, but made no move to run to the fence.

closing the door

Kimo was lying quietly by the ewa gate until Hershey howled or something. Then he started barking and didn't stop until I came out.

Then that evening he started barking for I don't know what. Maybe for more food, for me to come out, to poop? Anyway I decided to shut the door and he stopped barking. Then I re-opened it after a little while still quiet.

[Wed 4/14]

Then last night, I gave him a little food by hand. Went back inside and he started barking. I looked outside and he was barking while sitting. So I figured he must want more food. But I figured he had enough since I had fed him earlier, so I partially closed the door and he stopped barking. I guess he got the message. Then a minute or two later, I re-opened. No barking.

[Thu 4/15, posted 4/16]

Koa sniffs the small dog

Kimo barking. It's Koa loose.

Koa runs up behind Tsutsui house. I follow. See him sniffing the small neighbor dog. The small dog sees me and barks. Lady comes out and shows the small dog the slipper. I call Koa over and carry him down the wall.

Leash him and take him for walk back up street. He's pulling me. Reverse leash and have a more controlled walk.

Eddie drives by and sees me. Offers to take Koa with him as he's going to the store. But I say I'll take him home. He walks better (doesn't pull so much) on the way back.

Let him in the gate. He runs down.

[Sat 4/3, posted 4/4]

Patricia McConnell

From RBDT on twitter, I see that Patricia McConnell (author of The Other End of the Leash and For The Love of a Dog) has a blog (more like a journal) and website.

the come command

Get Your Dog To Come Now Matter What

nipping

Kimo has a nipping problem (not to mention a biting problem).

When people pet him, he growls or nips at them. It's the prelude to a bite.

Solutions? Try to get him used to people petting him by having him relate a hand going toward him as a good thing. This is done by touching them as they're being treated (touch training).

Victoria shows this in Tiny Tyrant and Eight Is Enough.

Cesar showed this in the episodes in the boutique? (it was a salon: Hardy Attacked With Love) and where the grandkids couldn't come over (Lorelei). Both currently available for viewing on the internet.

Hershey howling

Had an early morning call. Uncle Bobby was in emergency room at St. Francis. Went to pick him up and take him out.

Back home, I see Hershey is here today (after not coming yesterday, I assume because of spring break. Go for short walk, Kimo out w/ Mochi & Fifi. Walk with them for a little while.

Now off to Fumio's house. But I hear a howling. Not sure from where, but it sounds like it might be Hershey. Check next door. And sure enough, Hershey ran away and Lindsey is after him.

Go up back to look. It sounds like he's howling over the fence at the school. Go up to Ito's wall and over and look. Don't hear howling any more. Check with Maile. Nope, she hasn't seen any dog. Wait, the person she's talking to said somebody picked him up.

Back to the house. Don't see them. But here they come. Lindsey said she climbed over the fence and got him. And went around to take him home.

***

That afternoon, read paper in front. Kimo sort of lies on my foot. Move foot slightly. Jumps and growls. But stops short of biting. Then comes to senses.

***

Koa loose. Runs up Hatatanaka driveway. Go to his house. Soon enough, Koa arrives. Let him in gate which was open.

[Tue 3/23, posted 3/25]

Joey quiet in the front

RMAS comes
take Kimo out, a little excited as I follow them up the hill
As we come down, Kimo goes wild
I think he's reacting to Keith reacting to M&S (Pat is home holding him)
Hold his collar as he Shani's out

retrieve Hershey, catch up to them as they're coming back
then Fifi & Mochi are loose;
Ann calls in Fifi as Mochi scampers onto road and then comes back, take Kimo up Nalu's steps just in case (plus a car was coming)

Lanakila Hill, Aulii, Puna
see Betty out w/ Kaylen and Buddha (this time he wanted to come out cause he missed up last time?), walk with them

After we come back and they go home, visit Joey
He's in the front by the steps and doesn't bark. Treat them

Hoku is tied up at home w/ gate open
visit, Hoku wants to play, but Hershey doesn't particularly want to
Hoku excited, get her to calm down and lie down

[3/12, posted 3/13]

biting the branches, pees on foot

take Kimo & Hershey out
walk a bit w/ Harriet & mom / but they walk too slow
duck into Wong's garage as it rains / lady comes home

Lolena Place - big boy, minpin barks from a distance (lady has little control)

Kamalii, Hillcrest pit on a line wild, so wild that he starts to bite the branches of the hedge in rage. Doesn't calm down readily. After the intensity slightly wanes, we walk off

down Skyline, Maalaea, Naio
the little dog on line doesn't bark for a change, looks like he's stuck on wall
tie up K&H, go to free free him, barks at me & goes down by himself (ok never mind)

corner dog barks - lady comes out

small dog pack - doesn't bark too much, mostly just one dog

Maluhia dog barks - guy on bike riding out

RMAS coming to end as we come back
Kimo anxious but doesn't erupt even when Miki takes a couple of steps towards us (non-aggressively)

***

That afternoon
take Kimo out briefly
pees on hedge which drips on foot
rinse w/ hose, tries to avoid the water on feet

[3/11, posted 3/13]

Keith doesn't bark (much)

took Kimo out

as we walked up on Pat's side, Kimo runs and jumps wall and goes to Keith's window

I went to retrieve him and surprisingly Keith didn't bark.

I held Kimo to keep him from jumping and going under Pat's house. He was breathing heavy and I waited for him to calm down a bit then treated him.

Then we slowly walked away toward the sidewalk. Keith started barking a bit, but that was about it.

complaining about barking dogs

QUESTION: Can you let everyone know what the proper procedures are regarding making a noise complaint, specifically about constantly barking dogs? I sent a letter to the Hawaiian Humane Society last month about new tenants moving into our neighborhood and how everyone has had to endure almost constant barking from their dogs. We suspect they are breeders. We're not sure anything has been done. Is there anything more that we can do?

ANSWER: The Hawaiian Humane Society confirms it did receive your complaint about the dog owners. In fact, "numerous complaints" have been made about the dogs at the address you provided, a spokeswoman said.

Under Honolulu's animal nuisance law (Section 7-2 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu), an owner is in violation when his or her dog barks intermittently for 30 minutes or constantly for 10 minutes "to the disturbance of any person at any time of day or night."

The Hawaiian Humane Society is under contract with the city to handle barking-dog complaints.

According to Keoni Vaughn, field services manager for the Humane Society, the organization receives more than 2,000 calls a year for help about neighboring dogs that bark excessively.

Once a complaint is made with the Humane Society, a letter is sent to the dog owner with information about why dogs bark and how to correct the problem.

"If, after 10 days, the barking continues, the complainant should contact us again so that we can follow up in person," Vaughn said.

The result could be a citation for a court appearance, if the complainant is willing to testify and it's proved that the owner is in violation of the nuisance law, he said.

Vaughn said the court process can take up to two months.

The key element in prosecution is the willingness of complainants to testify in court.

For more information about how the Humane Society responds to barking-dog complaints, go to hawaiianhumane.org/investigations.html.

The Humane Society notes that "while barking is a natural form of canine communication, excessive barking can be due to prolonged confinement, loneliness or boredom. Dogs that aren't exercised enough often bark to release tension."

For owners struggling to deal with excessive barking by their dogs, the Humane Society has a brochure with tips on what to do. You can download a brochure at hawaiianhumane.org/sites/default/files/barking_dog.pdf.

***

Question: I have a neighbor who has several dogs, and the smell from their droppings is awful. Both my husband and I have asthma. The smell is overwhelming, and the dogs bark late at night and at all hours.

Answer: The state Department of Health used to investigate all complaints about dog dropping nuisances on private property.

However, with limited staff and resources due to budget cuts, it no longer can do so, said spokeswoman Janice Okubo.

Instead, phone consultations are available. Call 483-2535 and "a determination will be made on the severity of the situation and whether further state involvement is warranted," she said.

Okubo noted that neighbors often can resolve these types of problems just by talking with each other and "developing a mutual understanding."

If not, the Hawaiian Humane Society may be able to help.

The agency handles complaints about incessant barking (continuously for 10 minutes or intermittently for 30 minutes or longer) for the city.

flea light

Question: When my cat has fleas, I use what I call my "flea light" -- it always gets fleas.

I have a small spot lamp that I place on the floor at night near the cat's sleeping area. I place a saucer of water with a small cake of soap near the lamp. I turn off all lights in the room, except for the small lamp that shines only on the saucer. In the morning, you would be surprised at how many fleas there are in the water. I counted them one morning -- I had caught 121 fleas in one night. My cat thanked me.

Answer: Many thanks for reminding me of one of the best methods for trapping fleas. A warm light-bulb trap does work and is an excellent way to help control the flea population, especially if you have an indoor/outdoor cat and/or live in one of the warmer states.

Use a clip-on lamp with aluminum shade and a 25-watt light bulb on a chair leg about 12 inches above a wide dish of sudsy water. The fleas will be drawn to the warmth of the lamp and try to hop to it, but will fall short and into the suds.

Homeowners with pets going on vacation may find this a good way to cope with flea larvae hatching out while they are away. This is much safer than bug sprays, fumigants and those hazardous year-round anti-flea drugs that make too many pets sick.

[Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 2/13/10]

Ron Mizutani says aloha to Zeus

Saying aloha to a friend can be painful, especially when that friend has been at your side for 15 years. Zeus was my best friend.

It’s been a month since we said goodbye to our beautiful black Labrador, and the pain has yet to ease. I still find myself staring at the door where he greeted me every morning, hoping he’ll be there - but he’s not. I picture his gentle eyes, his wagging tail and his loving smile - but I know they are only images burned in my memory.

There is much emptiness, but sweet memories fill the void.

***

Two weeks ago I sat on my living room floor in front of my laptop with a heavy heart. I’m not sure what flowed more freely that evening, my words or my tears, as I shared our family’s tremendous loss with all of you.

Frankly, I hesitated to write a column about the death of my black Labrador Zeus. I questioned if I was overstepping my role as an ocean-related columnist. I was exposing a very raw and emotional chapter of my personal life for all to read, and it had nothing to do with the Pacific blue. In a bizarre way, I felt vulnerable not knowing how my sadness would be received.

My worries were quickly put to rest first by MidWeek editors Don Chapman and Terri Hefner, then by publisher Ron Nagasawa and finally by many of you.

Simply stated, my family and I were blown away by the heartfelt e-mails, greeting cards, phone calls and letters we received and continue to receive. I truly had no idea so many island residents have endured the roller coaster of emotions that one experiences following the loss of their best friend.

***

Our family is hurting once again after saying goodbye to a special member of our family, our sweet Nui. But while we ache, we also embrace and celebrate the memories made with our gentle Thai ridgeback. She wouldn’t want it any other way.

Several years ago, I shared a very personal story in this column about the loss of my dear friend Zeus. In January 2010, I made the most painful decision of my life when I let him go. He was suffering, and he deserved to leave this world with dignity.

Many of you expressed your condolences about our Labrador’s passing. Some of you even opened your hearts and talked about your losses. I read each email and letter with deep appreciation, and I thanked all of you individually because your well wishes and stories helped in our recovery, and eventually allowed us to move forward as a family without his physical presence. His memories were still very much alive.

Some of you may recall that we welcomed Nui into our home Jan. 14, 2012, nearly two years after saying goodbye to Zeus. I shared, in a follow-up column, my initial reluctance to open my heart to Nui, fearing I’d grieve again one day.

But those fears quickly were put to rest the moment she walked through our front door and I focused on her loving eyes. You were correct; I was able to love again. We all fell head over heels for her.

Nui was everything Zeus was not. She was quiet, while Zeus playfully barked at his own shadow. She was gentle, while Zeus tore apart every pillow, T-shirt and towel he could get his mouth on. And she was polite. Zeus was rambunctious and rowdy and sneaked into the house every chance he got.

Boy, do I still miss him! He was, after all, me.

I don’t think Zeus would mind me saying this, in fact, he’d probably agree, Nui was the smartest dog ever, and she had an uncanny gift of knowing what each of us in the house needed.

The cancer came out of nowhere and swiftly moved through her 9-year-old body.

She fought a valiant fight, but it was obvious she was tired. We struggled with the thought of losing our beautiful girl, but true to her character, she waited until she knew we were ready.

Unconditional love.

The morning finally came when we knew it was time to let her go. It was the right thing to do, for she, too, deserved to go with dignity. We know she’s running wild with Zeus right now, free of pain and free of cancer.

Thank you for the memories, Nui girl … Thank you for walking into our lives.

tsunami day

Kimo soft barking at like 330
take him DH side to poop, but then I think I stepped on the poop :(

Pat Miller reviews Cesar Millan and other articles (see below - way below)

back to sleep

couple walking: big guy walking mastiff, lady walking beagle. It's Nalu's brother and they're here because of the tsunami.
Kimo reacts to mastiff / give bag to pick up large pile of poop on road

RMAS out / walk with them briefly

decide to go long: Makanani, there's cars parked by the cemetary and people sitting down on portable chairs. I guess they're there because of the tsunami.
Skyline, Puna, Dottie is out with Hoku
up Puna, Joey in back, doesn't bark at us, give treats as he's on stonewall (no room by gate w/ car in driveway), Ilima

WTH, go down Alewa Drive, TwinView, Mahalo, Judd (dog at corner barks at us),
three dogs instead of two (brown one jumping at wall and running in circles, new black dog trying to calm brown one with no success, big black "bear" barks)
sniff Husky while poms across street bark
down Liliha (see Gary across street getting ready to go), sniff dog across street from Chibi, visit Chibi (has less hair on rear area, has mange?), friendly puppy behind gate further down Liliha, trying to get out by squeezing under fence
Kunawai, Laki, Hala

[Sat 2/27, posted 3/1]

dog show DVDs

Found this Dog Whisperer infomercial for Season 1 on google

part 1, part 2, part 3

The infomercial is old and the price is high, so I wouldn't buy it from the phone number given (assuming it's still operations, which I doubt).

***

I see there's a DVD out for season one of Brad Pattison's show, In The Dog House

***

There's a DVD out for Victorial Stilwell's It's Me or the Dog too. It's not directly available from Amazon, but you can get it directly from Animal Planet.

Kimo plays with Koa

Kimo was barking early at cats, etc.
Take him in front. Brush him. RMAS passes. Sees them but stays mostly calm, though got a little anxious briefly.

take Kimo and Hershey out
Lolena Wall, Aulii, Puna, guy walking little dog turns into Aulii. It's Hoku's neighbor. Let the dogs sniff as we hold them. He says the dog is fear aggressive, but is getting better. I say Kimo too.

Betty is going out with Kaylen and Buddha. Walk with them. Treat them and Joey in the back. Then power walk. Well, it's fast for me.

Then see Allen is outside. Take Kimo and Hershey to the gate. Popcorn on ground, but Hershey doesn't eat it (thank goodness). After a slow start, Hershey and Hoku start playing by the cars in the garage. There's two cars for Hershey to run around. Hoku gets tired after a while and lies down. Then they resume.

Come back from taking mom to dentist. Pat and Keith are out. Kimo out on steps. Must have barked.

Hear UPS truck. Go out to hold Kimo. Hold him in front of me with him facing street. Goes wild as UPS truck passes. Claws my lip (no blood) and my glasses break as I'm holding them (the right arm of the frame). Well it was about to break anyway. And they still work. Just using one side. What do you call that? Ah, they're called temples.

Kimo barking in the back. It's Koa on the ewa side. Let him in while holding Kimo's leash. No fighting. Then take Kimo out in front. They start playing. Well, Kimo started chasing Koa anyway and they were running in circles. But when Kimo started getting to close, Koa started growling. Well, it's a thin line between playing and fighting. But I think Kimo was trying to play. But I think they both never learned how to play nicely.

Take Koa home. Let him pull me because I think he was pulling me to go home. Looks like nobody was home. He seems anxious to go to gate. Open the gate, unhook him and off he goes. I see the plank of wood was crooked, so it looked like he clawed the wood away to squeeze under the gate. But didn't want to squeeze under again? Though, I've seen him do it in the past.

[Tue 2/23, posted 2/24]