Kimo and Noa followup

Kimo was in the front barking. It was Linda with Noa.

She brought him over to the fence. Noa started to bark and Kimo reacted by going wild.

I held Kimo's leash up (mainly so I would get bit) and waited for Kimo to calm down.

After less than a minute (I think), Kimo settled down and I gave him some jerky bits. And Noa too through the fence. And Linda gave Kimo some treats from the open palm of her hand (she didn't want to get her fingers bitten).

Later on, they were leaving and Kimo started yipping again. She brought Noa over and Noa barked and Kimo went wild. But I think the duration was shorter, then they both calmed down.

I told here we're making slow progress.

We'll see how long it takes next time.

***

I told Linda that I saw Noa in Midweek. She said no, but then she said maybe if it was Hawaii Fido (actually I forgot, but I found the Midweek photo and it said Hawaii Fi-Do). And sure enough here's a picture of Linda and Noa posted at Hawaii Fi-Do.

Kimo on Jojo

Hear commotion in the back. Run outside. It's Kimo on the back of Jojo (in the mount position) in the DH/Mauka corner.

I yell at them and Kimo comes off.

I sit down on the chair. Jojo goes under the chair and Kimo goes to the side and lies down like nothing much happened. However Jojo gives off a low growl as Kimo passes.

Have to monitor them for a little while.

***

Continue my nap. Here some barking. Jojo is up on the stonewall in the mauka/DH corner. Let him out. Kimo wants to go out too, but since I have the TV (that I picked up on the street and am testing) set up in garage, leave him in the back.

Big Koa and Fifi's first walk

readying to cook hotdogs for lunch. hear barking. It's Big Koa outside.

take out Kimo. He kind of ignores Koa. Then goes close to him as he goes to pee on the stonewall. Kimo doesn't really want to walk so let him go home and take Koa for a walk.

Starts to get tired after a little while and take him to Fifi's wall. Fifi wagging her butt as usual. And Koa seemed fine.

So WTH (again). Take Koa down to Fifi and take them for a walk.

Went pretty well. Except for one time when Koa was sniffing Fifi's butt and Fifi turned and snapped at him.

Then one the way back, Koa went to my palm tree and Fifi went up to his face and sniffed. So she's not scared of him.

Come back as let them greet the construction foreman at the lot between Koa and Kona's.

Take them to beginning of street and back.

And WTH, bring Fifi to Koa's place. She goes in and sniffs around. Give them both some water from the waterhose.

Take Fifi out and then turn around and see Koa's reaction. Pretty good.

Take Fifi home and scratch/massage her back before leaving. Fifi is kind of like the Daddy of the street. First walk with Tuffy. And now with Big Koa.

I'd say that was successful.

Now to feed Toni's fish and feed Koa. And clean the trash can lid. And take out the trash.

Finally can go home and eat my hot dog.

a mini dogpark

Jojo arrives in the morning again.

Take Kimo in front to poop, let him go up the steps.

Take out Jojo. RMAS returning home talking to Harriet up the street.
Retrieve Koa and walk with Harriet. She pau. Go back the other way

See Gerald dropping off Hershey. Pick up Hershey. Pick up Fifi.

Kimo doesn't feel like coming out, so walk without him.

Take Hershey home.

Now Kimo comes out to poop ewa side. Since I'm there, take them into the ewa gate. But need to close DH gate.

Hey it's a mini-dog park! Have to watch Koa to see he doesn't jump up wall. But Fifi comes next to me when I start digging out nut grass. Even Kimo comes partially on the grass too.

Jojo starts growling and running around trying to get Fifi to play. Limited success. Koa starts barking at the excitement. And even Kimo joins in to run and bark briefly.

Time to go home. Take home Koa and take home Fifi.

Joey fights with Fifi

After their walk, I was treating Hershey, Joey, Fifi, Koa at Hershey's steps [Kimo didn't want to come out and Jojo didn't show up today].

Things were going OK, then I noticed Joey showing teeth at Fifi. Evidently he was feeling threatened by Fifi. Maybe she was coming to close. Or he thought she was going to take his food.

Then then they went at it. And since Fifi is about three times Joey's weight, she was quickly on top of him [hard to imagine the reverse]. I separated the two, but then Koa got excited and he and Fifi started going at it. I grabbed their two collars until they settled down.

It was a chain reaction. Fifi accidentally threatened Joey, Joey shows teeth. They go at it (don't know who made the first move). Then Koa gets excited and goes at it too.

After that I took them walking up the street and home and they seemed OK. No hard feelings as far as I could tell.

Joey barks for Kimo

Heard Joey barking in the back. It was Pat and Keith in the back.

Both Joey and Kimo were at the fence, but only Joey was barking. And when I came out, Joey stopped barking and came to me.

So no barking at Keith for a change. That might be a first!

We'll see what happens the next time..

[posted 9/23/11]

Seven!

hear something in the morning. It's Jojo. Let Joey out and let them run around.

take out Jojo and Joey, chat with June (about her bugs)
hey Kimo comes out
retrieve Hershey
bypass Koa and Fifi, consider going to the park, but see Harriet coming so walk with her.

on the way back, see Kilauea waddling down the street and down the Miyamoto driveway.

take home Hershey and Kimo and come back with Jojo and Joey looking for Kilauea.
see Ann taking out Mochi and Fifi
can't find Kilauea, check with Toni, he went home
OK, I guess I'll take out Koa then.
Ann comes by and Koa reacts to them (maybe because Mochi or Ann was there)

retrieve Hershey (who was going after a cat near the steps)
hey Kimo comes out too

OK, with Ann taking Mochi and Fifi, that makes seven! That's a new record, I think. (Let's see, the old record might have been Kimo, Hershey, Oliver, Miki, Shammy, Fifi, Mochi. So also seven. If you count the humans, might have gone up to 11 or 12.)

Fifi pulling some. Koa too. But not too bad.

[posted 9/29/11 a.m.]

unlikely animal friends

This was a special on National Geographic. There was also a part 2.

But here's some photos too.

***

Bella tragically killed.

under Pat's house

Kimo's pees on the chair again. What's worse, it's the chair I usually sit in. I think the only way to prevent it is to put his water dish under this chair. Which would leave the other two. Maybe I should put three water dishes?

Take Kimo in front to poop. Joey wants to go poop, so let him out too. While I was with Joey, let Kimo loose to go home. Except he wanders over to Pat's house and goes under the house.

OK, go over to get Kimo. And Joey goes under the house too!

So they're both scampering around. And I see Kimo pooping. Twice.

Finally Joey comes out by the gate and I give him some treats and take him home.

Then I go to get Kimo. By this time, Kimo pops up out from underneath the house and goes to the back.

Go in the back to get Kimo. He now runs to the front and up the steps. Keith is strangely quiet.

Then I see Joey running to us (he pulled down the brick to get loose) and up the street. He sees a cat and take off after them. He's going house-to-house looking for the cat. Kimo wants to go too, but I tie him up to the utility wire (or whatever you call it at Cheryl's house.

Finally I manage to catch Joey when he comes back to the front of the house and I take them home.

Next to pick up Kimo's poop. Grab a couple of bags and go under Pat's house. I hear Keith barking. It's Joey loose again. I tied him near the gate and crouch around looking for the poop. Not fun.

OK finally home for good. Well, picked up the poop made at my house too.

What fun dogsitting.

More barking. What now? It's a guy come to cut down branches at Sakuda's. Go out and sit with them until Joey loses interest. Go back in and finish writing this up. Hey, they're kind of quiet for a couple of minutes at least.

Maybe have time to make breakfast now..

Ms. Ito

Joey barking on and off (seems mostly on) in the late afternoon.

I keep going out or calling his name to stop him, but then he resumes seemingly moments after I go back in the house.

I finally go out and sit on the steps and they both quiet down.

Ms. Ito comes walking down in the evening to give something to Pat.

I try to keep Joey calm. Kimo comes down but is mostly quiet.

But then Keith starts yelping frantically as Ms. Ito gets to the door. That sets off Kimo and Joey reacts by going after Kimo. And here they go.

Actually it wasn't that bad, as I grab the door mat from the railing to separate them. But then Joey gets by and Kimo squeals like he's scared and goes up the steps.

He sits there for quite a while and Joey lies down.

As I write this, Kimo is lying down on the top landing. And Joey is lying down on the lower landing.

Joey hurts his paw

Take out Joey, retrieve Koa, retrieve Fifi

Kimo comes out too. Then retrieve Hershey.

So I got five today. I let them sniff so it's pretty slow going at first.

Then at the beginning of the street, I shorten the leashes and we control-walk back. They walk pretty well with Hershey and Joey trailing. Kimo and Fifi are pretty much on my sides. And Koa slightly ahead but not pulling that much.

Treat at Hershey's. Take home Kimo and Joey.

Take home Koa and he lies down for his massage.

Take Fifi to Big Koa. Big Koa still reacting to her.

Take her to Tuffy. Tuffy wags his tail and seems to have no problem with Fifi now. Give them some small bits of treats.

Take home Fifi. She's jumping up for her food bowl which is on top of her roof.

Come home and notice Joey with his paw up. I wonder if Kimo bit him. (There was a bulky item truck that came by when I was taking Koa and Fifi home and maybe they got excited.) Or maybe he hurt it on the walk.

OK, rest for now.

In the afternoon, I hear a commotion downstairs. I rush downstairs and Kimo is on top of Koa with fangs bearing. I pull him off and he's out of his mind. But I hold for a little while and they calm down. Kimo sits panting on my left. And Joey lies down on my right.

When I went down, I noticed Big Koa outside the fence. So maybe that's what triggered the excitement and they redirected.

Let them out. Kimo runs over to Keith's house. Not exactly what I wanted. Goes to Keith's window. Retrieve him and take him to the road. Koa on the road too and Joey barking from the steps.

Take Kimo in the back. Joey and Koa go first. Then lock Kimo and Joey in.

Go to take home Koa. See Mrs. Wong and Stefan down the road. Then Joey comes out the ewa side. OK, I can't trust the fence to keep him in now.

Hershey is howling. Joey is barking. I'm concerned he might go after Stefan. So I take off Koa's leash and step on Joey's leash.

Stefan sends Koa home. Joey poops on Tsutsui's yard. Take him back to garage.

Another dog day (and the day's not over yet).

Joey and Jojo at Hawaii Kai

On his second day with me, I decide to take Joey and JoJo with me to Hawaii Kai on the way to Cyn's house.

On the way out, I see RMAS on the road. So I park my car at Betty's grass and catch up to them on their walk. They thought something was wrong with my car, but I told them I just wanted to walk with them. As we pass, Kimo runs up and down the steps and barks at us.

Drive to Hawaii Kai. Stop by the dog park before going to Cyn's house. A couple small dogs in the small doggie section, but the main section were about five or six bigger dogs, with about four of them looking like labs.

Jojo goes up to them and is soon on the run being chased by one of the retrievers. He's fast for a small dog and manages not to get caught by the retriever. Or maybe the retriever wasn't going full out. He seemed a little scared since his tail was under his body.

After that initial run, things settled down. Jojo wandered around and Joey mostly just followed me around.

Cyn's house. We decided to tie them up in the front. They weren't exactly buddy, buddy. When I looked up, JoJo was always standing up looking at Joey. On the other hand, Joey looked a little more relaxed but it was kind of like he was guarding the house.

One time when I looked out, they were both looking at each other showing teeth. It was kind of funny to me, but probably it's because they are both so small.

And they also had a brief scuffle outside (I wrote in my log).

They seemed a little more relaxed toward the end as Jojo was lying down (belly down, not on his side). But not completely relaxed as Jojo was still looking at Joey.

On the way back, things seemed mostly OK. But I think they may have had a couple of brief scuffles when they got too close.

At home, Garrett came to deliver the mail. Joey was barking and fussing. So I let him loose, so he could walk over and smell him. Instead he charged at Garrett and barked at him when he got close. Again I thought it was kind of funny, but probably not to Garrett. [What's wrong with me?]

[posted 9/23/11]

Noah and Kimo (and Jojo)

Linda brought over Noah and asked me if I want to bring Kimo over.

I let go thinking he would go down the steps, but he started jumping on the car and he and Noah were acting up at each other. It probably didn't help that Jojo was there too.

Linda didn't like the idea he was scratching at the car and I finally got him down the stairs. Linda brought down Noah and they were both excited. It took a while for the excitement to subside. And every time one would get excited the other one would too.

Then I told Linda that I usually try to walk the dogs together to get them used to each other and she was game.

But Kimo was acting up too much and I took him home and we tried with just Noah and Jojo. They seemed OK at the Sakuda yard, then we took them for a walk and that was OK. Then we let them play in their backyard the steps and they seemed OK there.

I was OK with that progress, but Linda wanted to get Kimo involved. So I went to get Kimo. Sure enough he acted up again as I proceeded up the street with Noah following.

Continue walking toward the front of the street, Kimo started to run out of energy and calmed down. Then Linda pulled Noah alongside and they seemed OK. Then I brought Kimo to my right side next to Noah and they seemed fine.

Back to the garage. Linda gave Kimo some water. He took a couple laps, then let Noah drink.

Then we went over to our side and Kimo went in the gate.

So he's in the garage now. And Jojo is hanging around the Fong garage because Noah is there.

So I'd say this was a success. We'll see how they act the next time.

the intuitive canine

Studies are starting to prove that dogs are more in tune with humans than we ever thought possible. They have an uncanny ability to read and respond to human emotions and gestures.

Unlike Any Other Animal
Professor Daniel Mills at England’s University of Lincoln has concluded that dogs are able to recognize human emotions from facial expressions and tell when we are mad, happy, or frightened. When humans come across another human face, their eyes initially look left and fall upon the right side of the face, which is said to be the most expressive. Through the use of eye-tracking software, Mills and his team have found that dogs follow a similar pattern when confronted with a human face. No other animals have proven to have the same type of relationship with human faces as dogs and only dogs engage in this “left face bias” when approached by a human.

Dog vs. Chimps
A study conducted by Juliane Kaminski revealed that dogs are the only animals that respond to human gestures such as pointing. Even chimps, the closest primate relative to the human being, are unable to comprehend the pointing cue. Furthermore, Kaminski’s research shows that dogs are even able to pick up on something as subtle as the direction of a human gaze.

Fifi jumps down the wall

take out Jojo, bypass Hershey (who's back - he didn't come yesterday), retrieve Koa, retrieve Fifi, then retrieve Hershey.

Jojo wants to play with Fifi
let them loose around Iha's house
Fifi goes to Tanabe yard overlooking the stonewall, then jumps down! I was surprised because it's kind of a high jump.

I go around to the garage to retrieve, but see there's no steps going down. But Jojo jumps down.

The dogs are making a commotion and Tanabe sister (don't know her name) comes out to see what is going on. Tell her the dog jumped down. She says there's no steps except through the house.

She hold Koa and Hershey and I jump down to get Fifi. Decide I can get her over the wall to the Pang house. She finally get up the wall and over and we go up the Pang steps. Then I come around to get Koa and Hershey. She was surprised because she went in the house to open the door for us.

She doesn't like the idea of the dogs peeing in her yard. So I tell her I won't let them when I walk them.

Then I go home, let Kimo out and he runs out goes under the Tsutsui fence and runs behind their house. But that's another story..

[Tuesday, 8/23/11, posted 8/27/11]

5 Ways Your Pet Keeps You Healthy

1. Pets are good for your heart

And we’re not just talking about the unconditional love they give (although that’s certainly good for your self-esteem). Several studies have shown that pet owners have healthier statistics for several cardiovascular criteria, including blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels than non-owners. Additionally, studies have shown that heart attack sufferers who have pets have longer survival rates than those who don’t.

2. Pets are good motivators for exercise

Not feeling motivated to hit the gym after a long day of work and traffic? That lack of motivation’s probably not going to fly with your dog. He’ll get you off the couch and into your sneakers for an evening walk or jog. Plus a dog means never having to worry about having a sports companion for the weekend. They’re always up for a walk, a run, a bike ride, or a Frisbee toss. It may also be one of the reasons pet owners are so heart-healthy.

3. Pets are good for your social life

Anyone who’s seen the scene at the local dog park knows this is a perfect place for dogs and their humans to sniff each other out for future potential companionship. Also, walking your dog gets you out into the community, where you can meet your neighbors, check out the newest merchants and get yourself out of the car and into the mix.

4. Pets are good for your immune system

Sure, having a pet means you’re going to stock up on lint rollers and vacuum cleaner bags, but children who are exposed to pets from an early age have been shown to be more resistant to allergies and less likely to develop asthma. Improved immune system response has also been linked to early exposure to the allergens and, well, dirt, which usually come part and parcel with the family pet.

5. Pets are good for your mood

Pet therapy has taken off in nursing homes and hospices around the world. Caring for a pet has been shown to lower stress, reduce depression and anxiety, and increase energy. And not just in the elderly and the infirm. People who have pets in their lives have shown increased levels of the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin. The benefits have been so remarkable that some cities have banned “no pets allowed” landlords from denying pets to residents above a certain age or who are living with disease or disability.

So the next time you’re walking along with a full baggie in your coat pocket and telling yourself you can’t believe the things you do for your dog, take a step back and think about all the amazing things your dog is doing for you.

Kimo vs. Tuffy

home from the volleyball tournament. whew, Joey is still on the steps.

JoJo returns. Let Jojo and Joey out.

Uh oh, Keith is coming out.

Keith (on the leash) and Joey are going at it. Keith shows no sign of let up. Eventually Pat pulls Keith away and I take away Joey.

Since Keith is now out, I take Kimo out and go up the street. Hey, that looks like Tuffy.

It is Tuffy. He must have gotten loose. Tuffy comes close. Kimo escalates. Fight.

I let Kimo loose so he is free to fight or run away. They got at it for a little while and to my relief Tuffy breaks it off, backs off, and heads home.

WTH (I crazily thought), let me try walking them together. [do not attempt these techniques without consulting a professional]

First I tied Kimo, Jojo, and Joey at the Taylor gate. Get Fifi's leash and retrieve Tuffy. (Sorry Fifi, not today.)

Bring Tuffy to the gate, holding him in one hand and untie the dogs with the other hand. I was hoping for the best, but as might be expected, Kimo goes nuts and Tuffy reacts too (probably the other two were going wild too, but I concentrated on the bigger two). I held Kimo and Tuffy up by the leash so they wouldn't attack each other, but in the meantime I got bit in the leg (the inside of my left knee). Not sure by who, but probably by Kimo.

So seconds (or minutes) later, they were settled down enough, so that I could proceed with the walk. Tuffy isn't a crazy puller but he pulled enough to not make it easy. But I managed to make it down the street and I think to the end of the street.

I took Kimo home (I think maybe on the way) and then Joey too.

Up the street I saw Roy, Charlotte, along with Amy out walking. So I decided to walk with them. Amy kind of separated from us (I think she might be scared of Tuffy), but I caught up to Roy and Charlotte. Charlotte seemed to get anxious though when Tuffy got near her.

After a little while, I handed Jojo's leash to Roy. And we walked for a while.

Then after a little while more, Charlotte wanted to try walking Jojo so she got the leash from Roy. She seemed pretty pleased that she was able to do it because she was always fearful of dogs since she got bitten when she was younger.

I stopped with Tuffy in the driveway and Kimo reacted. Not greatly, but he was barking and pawing at the fence. Tuffy didn't respond and in fact sat with his back to Kimo. After a while, Kimo settled down. And I retrieved Joey.

Caught up to Roy and Charlotte and handed Joey's leash to Roy. So now it was three humans and three dogs. Amy saw us and probably was amused. I told her she could grab Kimo and join us (no deal).

Charlotte went home to make dinner. Then Janice came by and picked up JoJo.

Roy finished his walk and went home. I took Joey home and that left me with Tuffy.

Wasn't sure what to do. So I walked a couple more laps and took him home. Couldn't find where Tuffy escaped from. Luckily there was a rope nearby and tied him to the gate (nobody was home).

After dinner, I went to check on Tuffy. Still nobody was home.

Then I decided to check on Koa. Saw Toni outside watering and we started talking (her more than me). After quite a while, I finally got on my way, but not without first getting a free bag of lentil sprouts.

I noticed Nalu and Kristen got home and were in the car outside. So I let them know what happened.

Got home like 11:40 PM.

[Sunday 7/24, posted 7/27]

got poo?

Hey I do it for nothing!

Look At That!

I noticed this from Control Unleashed Yahoo Group which came from the book Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt (well-regarded by the positive trainers).

Here's some explanation of what it is.

We first learned about the “Look at That” (LAT) game from Leslie McDevitt’s brilliant book “Control Unleashed.” One of the most common dog training issues is on-leash reactivity. Our gut instinct is to tell Fido to knock it off or to try to console them and make them feel safe by patting them and speaking in high pitched voices. Unfortunately for a lot of dogs our attempts at canine communication are often misinterpreted and we see an increase in snarling, lunging and barking at approaching triggers like animals, people or moving objects. If we scold our dogs for acting like a lunatic when triggers approach, we run the risk of creating an even more negative situation for our already stresed or anxious friends. When we try and reassure Fifi that everything is going to be OK, they don’t hear our words but may assume based on our high-pitched tone that we like it when they are nervous and scared and they may enjoy the extra attention it gets them.

Although it goes against our human nature, the Look at That game diffuses both of these situations and quickly results in increased confidence and focus on mom or dad instead of incoming triggers. For a detailed description of the “Look at That” game, we encourage you to check out Leslie McDevitt’s web site and buy her easy-to-understand book or videos but we wanted to give you a brief overview of the exercise because the Clicker Leash makes it so easy to do.

The key is to keep your dog below threshold (ie quiet and calm) while teaching them to look at a stimulus they do not normally like and rewarding them for looking at it. To train LAT, use your Clicker Leash to click and reward your dog the second they look at a trigger as long there is no reaction. If your dog is too intense with the triggers being used, start with a neutral target like a piece of paper or other item your dog has no association with and again click as soon as they look at it. When your dog is offering a quick glance towards the target, name it “look.” Your dog will quickly start to look at their triggers and turn back to you for a reward. If your dog does not turn quickly, it is likely because they are over threshold. You should increase the distance between you and the trigger and try again.

How Many Dogs Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb?

Australian Shepherd: Just one. While the rest herd the property for any more light bulbs or even light switches that need to be replaced.

Pit Bull: As long as I'm here, nobody can change ANYTHING. Not as long as I'm around. NO WAY.

Golden Retriever: It doesn't matter. Even if someone breaks in, I will find the flashlight for them and show off all of my toys and will play fetch nonstop. I still got lots of toys that squeak.

Rottweiler: Won't you-- MAKE ME!!!â ¦..Just try it.

Labrador: Oh me, me!!!!! Huh? Huh? Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change it! Can I? Can I? You sure you only want me to change it? Too bad these bulbs float, or else I would even change the ones from way under the pool.

German Shepherd: Roger that. First of all, I need to see if that is truly a light bulb or a bomb. Second, I should check for any intruders still left in the premises. And third, see if they are still around, so I can sink these nice set of canines in that arm and keep on swinging from it. Not really. Any arm will do.

Maltese: Let the German Shepherd do it. Cocky bastard. You can fix my hair. Yes. Of course piggy tail. What else?

Saint Bernard: Man, I still got the hangover from last night and you're worry about a stupid lamp. Look. I threw up a few times and can't even wipe my own slobber. Those bitches once they're in heat, REALLY know how to party and I got hammered.

Border Collie: Just one. And then I'll replace any wiring, check for any hazards, and let you know how long that light bulb will actually last.

Weiner Dog: Yeah right. You know that I can't reach that stupid bulb! Hello? Besides, those big scary dogs just love to floss their teeth with me. And with/without any light they always find me. I guess it's because I just can't shut up. Can I?

Siberian Husky: You mean just yank it out of that ceiling and take off with it for miles without even looking back?

Minature Pincher: Why? I can still bite ankles in the dark.

Jack Russell Terrier: Dude, I have cats to chase, rabbits to hunt, and make my owners catch me if you can game. Besides, I will pop it again with my constant bouncing around anyway.

Bassett Hound: Leave that thing off. I am so tired and sleepy and I love it when it's dark. Too much light hurts my eyes. Why do you think my eyes are so freaking red all the time? Noooooo. I told you a million times that I DO NOT smoke pot. Gosh!!!. I only slept fifteen hours today and you kept on bugging me. ZZZZZZzzzzzz.z.z.z..z..z..z.

Chow Chow: Nope, don't change that light bulb, don't brush me, don't bathe me, don't medicate me, and don't ever mistake me with a goofy bear.

Poodle: Oh come on. Give me a break. Who wants to mess up the hair for a stupid light bulb? What if the minute I even try to install it, it burns my fro. I mean come on. The fro is back in style and these curls don't just happen, you know. Did I tell you I just got my nails done at Poodle Nook Salon today?

Lhaso Apso: Why change it? I can still mark every corner of this house blindfolded.

Doberman: Let them break in. I always wait in that corner and never make a sound. By the time they notice me, my teeth will meet their crotch. Then we'll talk about who's really going to get neutered tonight. GRRRRRRRRR.

Beagle: Light bulb? I don't sniff any light bulbs? What's the point. I will pop it again with my long barks anyway.

Boxer: Come on dude. Listen to my name.. BOXER? Who needs to change a light bulb when I can just box and knock out the intruder. Once they grab me by the collar, then I'll show you my psycho dance, that is guaranteed to break those fingers.

Chihuahua: Yo quiero TACO BULB?

Pomeranian: Hey, I was a chow in my past life. So don't you dare make me do anything.

Bulldog: No way Jose! Last time I tried that crap, I landed flat on my nose.

Bichon Frisee: Let the bulldog or the pug do it. Cute dogs don't have to work. Besides, all they do is snore and snore alllllllllll night anyway.

Pointer: I see it. There it is. That one right? Yep I see it. There it is. Right there.. hmm.. although it is not moving. I wish they have light bulbs in the jungle. That way I could point out those squirrels even better.

Greyhound: I told you people that I only move off that couch for rabbits! Plain and simple.

Afghan Hound: Light bulb? What? Huh? I'm sorry, what is that? Back in mountains there are no light bulbs. Besides, everybody knows that I don't need a silly lightbulb to prove how gorgeous I really am.

Written by Kevin Salem - Head Instructor of Sacramento's Real-Life Dog Training. [via Jody W. Ianuzzi]

Just Koa today

Kimo was on the steps, but didn't look like he wanted to go out today.

Jojo didn't come this morning.

So decided to see if CB was outside today (even though it's a holiday).

But as I come near, Koa spots me and is out on the walkway. So I get him. (I'm an easy sell.)

Decide to walk Koa a bit before getting CB. See Dorothy outside then the Yamamoto daughter comes by and they start to chat. So Koa learns to wait around on the leash.

Finally go back and go downstairs. See CB's leash on the table, but no crate outside. Maybe she took him with her? As we go back up, I hear barking, so apparently he's still inside.

So onward with our walk. Position the leash up and have him walk next to me. Goes fairly well. It's a balance of trying to keep the leash loose as much as possible but not having him out in front pulling me.

Notice a small black spot on his head. Thought it was a tick or something so try to pull it off. Koa yelped, so I stopped and looked like part of it came off. Still not sure what it is.

Picked up his poop on the grass (several days worth apparently) and went home.

Say Please

Like some dog behaviourist have a problem with the word "dominance", they also have a problem with NILIF (Nothing In Life Is Free).

The new phrase is Say Please.

But some still have a problem with even that, preferring an equal two-way conversation between the human and the dog. (.. insert your own phrase here ..)

ColtB

Jojo comes to the back, take Kimo in front, goes up steps.

Go to retrieve Koa, Mochi shows up, Ann comes to retrieve, Malie is loose too following Ann. I found that kind of funny, but maybe Ann didn't.

Ann calls Pomai to retrieve Malie

Retrieve Fifi. So I'm walking with Fifi, Koa and Jojo. Dorothy sees me and asks if I knew how to get the run roof of her Lexus down.

So I tie Koa up to the mailbox or something and take a look.

In the meantime (of all times), Melissa comes by with Rudy and Blue. And Koa acts up. Good thing the flexi-leash didn't reach all the way across the street (and was strong enough).

No luck with the sunroof, so I continue slowly.

Here comes Rudy and Blue on the way back. And the dogs all want to go after each other. (Good thing Melissa's strong.)

Head down to my house. Let Fifi and Jojo play. This time Jojo is growling while playing. That's sort of something new. And he's not running away so much now but turning and jumping on Fifi.

Koa kind of stays on the side. And Kimo gets a bit excited watching Jojo and Fifi.

Time to take the dogs home. RMAS is coming down, but decide to let them pass and take the dogs home.

Take home Fifi. Then take home Koa. Toni tells me about Summer downstairs and that she possibly might want me to walk her dog too.

Her dog escaped a couple of times and she had to retrieve him on the street.

Take Jojo with me. See the dog which is a pom/chihuahua mix with big unblinking eyes.

Jojo wants to play. But ColtB (the dog's name - stands for Colt Brennan) is defensive.

Take Jojo up to the fence and tie him there while Summer puts on ColtB's harness.

Take them out and pass RMAS coming back. Jojo still wants to play but have to correct him a bit as I just want them to walk parallel.

Take them to the driveway and Kimo doesn't act up too much.

Go to end of street and catch up to them as they go to the beginning of the street.

ColtB doesn't walk bad, though wants to pull a bit.

After I take them back, I tell Summer that it didn't go too bad, but not 100% back. I went to touch CB or something and he lightly nipped at me. At least it looks like he has bite inhibition (I hope).

We'll see how it goes next time.

[Sun 7/3, posted 7/4]

Kimo hits the street / Take Five

I was taking Kimo and Jojo out from the back. Or rather I was letting walk out from the back to the front.

Then suddenly Kimo runs on the street. It was RMAS along with Harriet. He stopped short of Shammy but was barking fiercely. Amy was kind of blocking him with her golf club and Harriet was yelling at him to get away.

I went out and stepped on leash and grabbed him until he calmed down. It took probably about a minute (maybe more or maybe much less).

Then I took Jojo and Kimo back the other way as RMAS continued up the street and retrieved Hershey.

Then Koa saw us and started whining, so I retrieve him too.

WTH, retrieve Fifi too. Looped Hershey and Koa on the post by the driveway and went to get Koa. Had Kimo up by the stonewall.

Brought up Fifi, but evidently she went too close to Kimo and he had another outburst. Grabbed him by the back of the neck then held him two hand on the collar until he regained his senses. Caught me a bit on the inside of my left wrist (just above).

Kimo (the man) was out and commented that Kimo doesn't really attack. I told him he when he gets excited, he just goes insane and doesn't know what he's doing.

With five in had, decided to take them to the park. It was slow going, but wasn't quite as bad as I thought it might go.

Ran up the hill, then to the volleyball court.

Mostly the dogs walked around on their own. But then Fifi started to run around and Jojo kind of chased her. (Jojo seems to be appearing more aggressive because a couple days later [yesterday?] when he was playing with Fifi he was growling.)

So this ties my record of five dogs (last time though it was Joey instead of Jojo, and Koa happened to be loose that time and I leashed him on the way).

[Fri 7/1, posted 7/4]

Jojo and Musubi

Jojo comes before 6. Sorry, have to take Aunty to the airport.

Since Kimo was in the back, Jojo came up and stayed on the front steps.

Took Jojo out with Hershey. Hershey wanted to go into the back and jumped to the Nakano yard. Finds a bone. Jojo comes near and growls and Hershey growls aggressively back.

Drag Jojo away, but his collar comes off. Take Hershey in front and walk up the street with Jojo following.

Later went over as Mrs. Tsutsui was looking for her paper. Took out Hershey who poops at Pat's.

Hear barking up the street. It's Jojo barking at Mr. Yokomoto walking.

have him come back, lies down by front door, Janice calls looking for Jojo, there he is across the street lying on the Fong's grass. Janice comes to pick him up.

Comes back a couple hours later.
Take Kimo out, lies down on lawn, so dig some weeds

Here comes Malia with Katarina, Shirley AND Petey.
Better put Kimo away, but Jojo is still loose.

See Charlotte coming down walking, so decided to walk Jojo with her. On the way back, Jojo's collar comes off again.

Musubi is out. Comes a little too close. And Musubi chases him off.

Later Jojo is up the street barking. Musubi is lying down near Cheryl's house. I go up to sit by Musubi and Cheryl comes out.

Jojo continues to bark and I get him to follow me home

Fence Kimo in garage, so Jojo goes up the steps.

And later Janice returns to pick him up again.

[Tue 6/28, posted 6/30]
and growled aggressively at Jojo when he came near.

findtoto

got a automated mail message about a lost dog.

Apparently it was generated from findtoto.org. Looks like the dog (Ellington the dachsund) hasn't been found yet since the entry is still up there.

There is also findtoto.com which is a paid service and is apparently the sister site. How it works is that you pay a fee and the service auto-dials the phones in your area with the message.

Pricing starts at $85 for 250 neighbors up to $875 for 10,000 neighbors called.

Jojo and Big Koa

Jojo is back, but doesn't stick around long and is wandering around the street.

Leave Kimo in the back and take out Jojo and retrieve Hershey.
Debating which dog to retrieve next, looks like Fifi is snoozing so get one of Fifi's leashes and retrieve Koa.

Koa still pulling.

Take Hershey home and retrieve Fifi and walk some more.

on the way back, decide to tie Koa to Fifi and let them walk.

But the leashes untie and they get loose. Ann sees Fifi loose and Koa goes down the driveway. Retrieve Koa at one of the back houses.

Kimo comes out to assist and ties up Fifi.

***

Jojo comes to our door and mom tells him to go home.
That worked ... for a little while ... then he comes back

***

That afternoon I hear Keith barking. It's Big Koa loose. Goes up the street and comes back. Lure him to me with dog biscuits.

Jojo comes out on driveway. BK turns around and chases Jojo all the way up the street. Didn't know BK could run that fast. Jojo looked pretty scared so I assume he went home.

BK comes back and lured by the dog biscuits I take him home with little problem.

***

Nope, even BK wasn't enough as Jojo came back a few hours later just as Aunty Snips and Lynelle's family come over to visit.

[Thu 6/23, posted 6/25]

BAT vs. CAT

[6/23/11] this was mentioned by gayea in dogwhispererfans. What is it?

Here's an article.

As desperate dog owners look for approaches to managing or modifying aggressive behavior toward dogs and/or people, the good news is that there are several protocols to choose from. Two of the more recent approaches to emerge are CAT (Constructional Aggression Treatment) and BAT (Behavior Adjustment Treatment). Both techniques aim to shape calm behaviors in place of aggressive ones, but the end goal of each protocol is different, and the way they are facilitated differs as well. Understanding the differences can help you choose which approach is the best fit for you and your dog.

BAT always aborts when offered behavior is too undesirable (don't want to dog to practice unwanted behavior/get too aroused).

CAT prefers to still wait for an acceptable alternative behavior (aborting is a retreat and reinforces the undesired behavior). CAT prefers to use extinction for these unwanted behaviors.

For more about BAT, see:
http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/bat/

For more about CAT, see:
http://www.animalbehavioranswers.com/id160.html

[10/11/12 while searching for counter-conditioning a barking dog] Patricia McConnell talks about BAT and CAT in this article

Jojo and Keith

After the big fight, Jojo stayed away ... until the next afternoon.

I heard a dog barking outside and it was Jojo.

Then I see Pat coming down with Keith.
I intercept Keith. Jojo comes near and wants to play. Keith wants to attack.

So, probably to Pat's horror (though she kind of laughed), I let Keith chase after Jojo on the flexi-leash. Jojo would run away then come back closer after Keith reached the end of the leash. This went on for a while and Keith was panting.

Then I walked Keith up the street with Jojo following. But Keith still wanted to come after Jojo. Might have been better to walk both of them on the leash.

Kimo was at the fence, so, being the contrarian, I bought Keith to the fence. They were going at it so I turned Keith away in an attempt to get both to calm down. That worked partially. But then they started up again. And Pat couldn't take it and came to take Keith away.

[Wed 6/22, posted 6/25]

the big fight

Jojo was up on the landing and Kimo came up to join him.

Since Kimo has the probably of reflex attacking when he awakes from his sleep (or even not sleep), I moved away from the door.

Usually that causes Kimo to lose interest in staying by the door and go downstairs to lie down by the washer.

Unfortunately this time it didn't because I suddenly heard a large commotion and the two dogs were going at it viciously.

I went outside and luckily I was holding the Baron quarterly report which I managed to stick in between them and the fighting subsided.

Jojo went down the steps and Kimo stayed up at the top and I sat behind them. They seemed mostly calm though Kimo was breathing heavily for a while. Jojo didn't run away and just stayed a couple steps below me.

After a while I went down and sat on the landing. Jojo went down a couple of steps below me and Kimo went down and stayed on the landing.

After a while, Jojo decided to exit under the railing and went up the street.

Haven't seen him since, but evidently he went home because I never got a call later for Janice looking for him.

[Tue 6/21, posted 6/22]

nuclear fission

After a day's absence, Jojo was back. This time with a plastic ID tag with his name and phone number.

Decided to get Koa this time on the flex-leash so they could run around a bit. After a lap, decided to get Fifi.

Here comes RMAS, so decided to walk with them.

Natuarally Kimo barked when they came in sight.

On the way back, I decided to retrieve Kimo. So I went up the steps with the other dogs trailing me. Kimo went wild when RMAS came back in sight. That caused Koa to go wild. And then Fifi and Jojo went wild.

Luckily I had the leashed in hand and was able to pull them up to prevent them from really getting into it. After the worst had passed, I brought them down the steps.

It must have looked bad because Reina came over and offered to help but I told her everything was OK.

Then I followed them with the four in hand and the dogs seemed OK with each other.

Finally after reaching the end of the street, on the way back, I passed them and they all seemed to walk pretty well together.

[Sun 6/19, posted 6/22]

Jojo on the loose

[Monday 6/13]
Donna calls me up like near midnight and said that Jojo was at her house!

What happened was that somebody found Jojo near Times at Liliha Square. Jojo was playing with his big dog.

I had put Kimo's old collar on Jojo, since he had no collar when I first saw him, so anybody seeing him wouldn't think that he's a stray. And since Kimo's old collar had Donna's address on it, he (and another guy with a big dog too) brought Jojo over.

I drove over and Alvin was outside with Jojo.

Took Jojo in my car and decided to take him home. But stopped off at Walgreens to get another dogbed since the other one was in the back and Kimo might be been using it.

So Jojo spend the rest of the night near the front door on the dogbed.

[Tuesday 6/14]
The next day Ann came down with Fifi and Mochi. So I brought out Jojo and Kimo.

But then RMAS show up, and Kimo goes wild as they came down and passed. And we went the other way. Then I told Ann we should go the other way when RMAS comes back. So we went out round Natsunoya bend, down Kamalii, Hillcrest, Skyline, Makanani. Sonny was at the gate with Jennifer and daughter. Then we greeted Maka at his gate.

Going home, I could see Mochi was panting.

I guess Jojo was tired too as he slept at the front door the rest of the morning.

Then Janice called still looking for Jojo (she called the previous evening) and picked him up.

[Wednesday 6/15]
Sure enough Jojo shows up in the morning. Kimo has blood on his muzzle. Maybe he's scratching the scaly area? Take out Kimo. And he runs under Pat's house. Meanwhile Hershey and Jojo go behind Tsutsui's house.

Oh boy. Decide to leave Kimo and get Hershey and Jojo. Luckily Hershey's leash got stuck near the stonewall and I could retrieve them.

As I come back, Kimo comes out from under the house and sprints to the back with Jojo in pursuit. I see Musubi(?) in the back observing and evidently the dogs don't see him. Meanwhile Hershey is off sniffing by the stonewall.

Then I hear barking. The cat is under the plant shelves with Kimo and Jojo on each side. I pull them away and retrieve Hershey. And take them for a walk.

See a little blood on Kimo's nose. Evidently the cat scratched him. And then Kimo starts puking on the road. Must have eaten some grass.

Then it was time to take mom to the doctor. So I carried Jojo into the backseat (didn't want to go in with the wheelchair in there).

And Jojo didn't come back until the next day.

[Thursday 6/16]
Jojo arrives again. Saw a cat and chased it to Iha's yard, but stopped when the cat stopped.

Retrieve Hershey and see RMAS coming, so retrieve Kimo too. Go up the street ahead of them. Then turn around after they turn around.

Let Jojo loose and he wanders by Shammy.

RMAS go home, so I retrieve Fifi. Koa sees us and wants to come too, but four + Koa would be too much. Jojo sees Jennifer's cat and go wild and the rest kind of follow suit.

Treat at Hershey's. The three eat while Jojo keeps his distance.

Then let the dogs loose, trusting that Kimo would home. Instead he goes behind Hershey's house.

Hear mom beeping, so take Kimo home and Fifi home.

Later Wayne's friend comes to visit with two shih tzus in the car. Jojo goes to the street while I try to keep Kimo under control

Finally, since I had to go to Walgreens, took Jojo home in the early afternoon. Henry sees me and tell me that Jojo jumped out the car on Monday at Times after they came back from the beach. Then he found him in the yard. Apparently Janice didn't tell Henry the story. Anyway that's how he wound up at Times.

[Friday 6/17]
Jojo shows up with a partial leash.

That afternoon, Henry drives by and picks up Jojo. Evidently he had tied him up with the leash but he chewed the leash in half.

[Saturday 6/18]
No Jojo today. So maybe the poor guy is now chained up.

Kimo and Jojo fight

I was feeding Kimo and Jojo and they didn't finish eating.

So I spilled the food on the concrete for them.

Jojo and Kimo were kind of facing each other and all of a sudden Jojo got aggressive and attacked and Kimo counter-attacked.

It was kind of scary and I finally got in between them and they settled down.

Kimo seemed to be favoring and licking his food and Jojo a little bit with his leg too. But there doesn't seem to be much damage or animosity.

Later Jojo lay down on the steps and allowed Kimo to sniff his butt.

Don't know what triggered it. Maybe it was food aggression that Jojo thought Kimo was stealing his food. Maybe that's a reason why food is fed from bowls?

Pets in the City

We’re all familiar with the smash box-office hit and television series Sex and the City. But what about Pets in the City? Brooke Hasegawa took off on this business venture just last month, offering a private school experience for dogs that includes boarding, day care, grooming and more.

“Our schedule for our students is focused around providing a fun, safe and interactive environment for a select group of dogs,” says Hasegawa, a self-proclaimed dog lover. “I always struggled to leave my Frenchie Bully at a facility that was overcrowded and understaffed, where he might not receive the love and attention he is used to at home. Pets in the City offers dog parents a home away from home for their child and a school that is sure to train and tire out even the most active dogs. By collaborating with other knowledgeable members throughout Hawaii’s pet community, we hope that our dogs will be the most pampered and privileged pups on the island.”

Serenity Pet Massage, Hawaii Doggie Bakery and Sirius Puppy Training with Wendy Mah are a few of many businesses that have contributed to Pets in the City’s private school curriculum.

“We specialize in small breeds, although often the 75-pound Lab has a miniature personality and enjoys the company of a Chihuahua,” says Hasegawa, who also serves as vice president for Progressive Communications LLC.

“We offer private walks four times a day, rubberized flooring to help alleviate strain on canine joints, air conditioning and organic treats. As a result, a dog who requires a specialized level of personal attention is our primary clientele.”

Jojo and Koa

Jojo came to visit this morning.

Took Kimo in the front and decided to see how Jojo would interact with Koa. So I walked up with Jojo without leash.

At first Koa was aggressive/protective. And Jojo growled back So I held Koa by the collar to prevent the initial attack.

Jojo didn't run away. So I leashed up Koa with the flexi-leash to give him some running room. And Jojo initiated play.

Koa would chase until reaching the end of the leash. And after a little while, they got used to each other and seemed ok with each chase episode.

RMAS came out and so I started walking behind them at a little distance. At one point it was a dog train with Shammy being sniffed by Koa being sniffed by Jojo (I think that was the order).

Kimo still acted up when we passed. And Keith too. But Miki seemed OK. There was only one worrisome incident when Koa growled at Miki (I think).

So we went on ahead. And made it way back to my house. I took the leash off Koa and they played chase. The sequence was mostly Jojo initiating play and Koa chasing him. There were a few growls when the action got too close. But no biting.

Wanted to wait until they got tired and settled down (like Kimo would after a minute or so). But Jojo kept wanting to play)

Walked back with the two of them unleashed with them playing all the way back on the various neighbors yard.

Took a little doing, but got Koa leashed up and took him home.

Seemed a little defensive again once he was leashed, but much less than previously.

We'll see how it goes next time.

Big Koa and Kimo

For the second straight day, Big Koa was loose.

This time he didn't walk up to the end of the street and I saw him peeing on Pat's wall.

Kimo (and Keith) were barking and I wanted to see what Kimo would do if I let him loose. So I did. (Don't try this at home.)

So he ran out and instead of heading for Koa, went straight up Keith's steps and barked at him.

So I'm interpreting that to mean he's scared of Big Koa and wisely chose the safe route.

After I got Kimo down, I wanted him to walk with me when I took Koa home, but he wanted to go back home up the steps.

So I went back with Koa unleashed. He kind of followed me up the hill, then I started to run back to his house and he followed suit.

[Sat 6/11/11, posted 6/12]

hump day

Jojo came to visit and I decided to let Hershey and Jojo play.

Hershey wrestles with Hoku. Jojo plays chase with Fifi (mostly is the chasee).

Hershey starts to wrestle with Jojo, but then started to hump him. I figured it was just part of playing and let them play while I took Fifi home.

However when I came back, I saw Jojo humping Hershey! And a number of seconds later, Hershey was humping Jojo.

I thought it was pretty funny. Especially since both of them are males (and Hershey is neutered). But upon reflection, I don't know if allowing it is harmful to the dogs.

According to some pages, it's a way of displaying dominance (though webmd says it's normal play behavior if not take to extremes -- it was getting extreme).

So as I don't want either dog to be dominant over the other, I suppose I should stop it.

[posted 6/7/11]

Resolutions for the dogs

New Year’s resolution No. 2: I will try to be more like my dogs in 2011.

They don’t whine, they’re helpful, vigilant, do no intentional harm, never get mad, are loyal, they value relationships, are sensitive and have fun. Also, they sleep a lot, stay very hydrated and deeply stretch every time they get up.

However, one of a few traits of theirs I plan not to emulate in the new year: shedding.

In search of JoJo

Took Kimo out early (pre-Hershey). He wanted to go down the Miyamoto driveway. Fifi (wearing a cone) saw us an barked. Kimo acted up, but not too badly.

The dogs at the other house barked. Or maybe Fifi barked. And Kimo came out to look. I told him I think they're barking at us. He got Fifi's leash and off we went.

I'm think Henry's going to tie up or confine Jojo after he took him home last night, so by some twist of logic, I decided to see if we can find him.

Up behind Chung's house. To the side of the school. There were a couple of places where we could through to Mason Place. But I didn't want to trespass. Then Kimo jumped down the wall and Fifi too. So WTH.

Luckily nobody was home, that I could see. Went down the left side of the house and crossed to the front and had to go to the next house to go down the steps to the street. No shotguns in sight.

Over to Henry's house. No sign of Jojo in the front. Then his little old white terrier (or something) came to the front and started barking. No sign of anybody coming out, so off we went.

Down Mason, down to Walea, to Mahalo, dogs at the corner at Judd barked but not too badly. Turn left toward Liliha.

The three running dogs were down to two runnings dogs. The brown dog with the short legs was running back and forth, while the other one was trying to jump up the fence and sniff. Didn't look too aggressive.

Down to the huskie. He/she was lying in his house. So after waiting a bit, we passed. Then the five (or six) poms across the street starting yapping. And the huskie came out. Back we went. I was surprised that the huskie bared her teeth at Fifi, but didn't go wild. Leaving I could see her name on a metal tag. I think her name is Coda (or something).

Down Liliha, a little boy saw us and seemed interested in the dogs. Then to Chibi's house. I could see part of his white fur around the bend and called him. He seemed to want to sniff but Fifi and Kimo kept their distance. After a while, Fifi gave a quick sniff. And after a longer while, Kimo gave a quick sniff. Chibi looks like how Kimo was supposed to look. Fluffy and white (while Kimo is kind of raggedy and brownish with dirt).

Turn to Bachelot. The house with the dogs had the driveway gate open. The dogs were at the inner gate and barked at us.

Up Bachelot. Visit the Tomomitsu dog at the corner. Looks like a german shepherd and is about calmest dog I have ever seen. Came to the fence to greet us, but the dog never engaged much.

Back to Liliha, this time go down further to visit the dog behind the white railing fence. This dog always seemed friendly to me, but growled at Fifi. Kept sticking her head through and under the rails. And seemed friendly with the excited wagging tail. But the dogs kept their distance.

Up Kunawai. Visit Kunawai springs. The ducks saw us and went to the water. Fifi found some bread and started munching. Rested a little then went across the street to the park and rested on the playground set.

Up Kunawai, turn to Kam Heong, up Laki. Pitbull (caling him Grampa) came to the fence and was friendly. They gave him a quick sniff.

Decided to go down Hala, past people cleaning at Maluhia. No little dogs barking at the old fence. There's no some vegetation growing on one of the fences blocking their view.

Up Naio. Had a man working outside at the corner house and no sign of dogs. Only after we passed a couple of them came out and barked.

Up Naio. See a lady outside on the phone with the hyena dog. Didn't see us until we passed. Up Maalaea. Decided to turn right on Hillcrest and cut through the graveyard.

Took Fifi home. Wanted to take a crap bad and took Kimo home and crapped downstairs.. whew.

***

Well, it wasn't the last of JoJo after all. Mom said he stopped by when I was out. And I saw him scooting up the street when we came back from Costco. He didn't give and, in the afternoon, Donna heard him whining outside and I let him in the gate. Henry came to pick him up later that afternoon.

Cookie found five years later

A Chihuahua that vanished from its San Diego home has been reunited with its owners — five years after it went missing.

Dawn Danielson, director of San Diego's animal services department, told City News Service on Thursday that the plucky canine, named Cookie, was found wandering the streets in the Golden Hill area near downtown San Diego on Saturday.

Cookie had disappeared from the South Bay area, several miles away.

Danielson says Cookie was reunited with her owners — thanks to a microchip implanted in the dog that stored its owners' information.

It is not known what Cookie has been up to for the last five years.

Kimo and the little brown dog

The little brown dog came by again this morning while I was digging some weeds. Came pretty close, but after awhile ran back up the street.

Don't know if he's a stray, but he has no collar and isn't neutered. Always seems scared since his tail is tucked under his body.

Later he came back. Went outside on the driveway and this time he took some treats from me. Last time he wouldn't even take treats even if I left it on the ground and I was behind the fence.

Kimo came down to the fence and he went over to sniff Kimo and Kimo sniffed back. Seems attracted to Kimo.

I let Kimo out and the dog went into play mode trying to get Kimo to play with him. Eventually Kimo started running around too, though running away most of the time. That's probably the closest I've seen Kimo playing with another dog. Kimo ran across the street with the brown dog in pursuit. And I brought Kimo back home.

Went back around the house and the dog followed me. Was a little cautious but eventually went through the gate. Managed to take a few photos. And he took some kibble and later drank some water after a while.

Let the brown dog in the gate and he went up the steps and wanted to continue sniffing and playing. Eventually I blocked him so as not to stress out Kimo too much.

Went back to the back. While eating, I lightly touched him on the back and he didn't flinch. His tail is now angled up, so apparently he's no longer scared. Still not able to leash him as he seems afraid of the leash.

Eventually went inside. And he went back to the front and I could hear him whining like he wanted to go back up the steps to Kimo.

Tried to take a nap and finally I guess he went back home or wherever he stays.

Kimo breaks loose

Kimo was up early so I took him out.

He was on the steps when suddenly he exploded down the steps, but I didn't know why. So I let him out to see where he went.

Up the street he went and finally he went down Miyamoto's driveway, next to Oliver's steps. Then onto Miyamoto's house.

Reina arrived and he seemed a little anxious but didn't lose control (at least he didn't bark at her). Mochi was on the balcony and started barking at us a bit.

As I went back up the driveway, I checked. And sure enough, there was Fifi howling for me to come get her. Ann was out and I told her Fifi did well on her outing yesterday, even when the two brown dogs came running out on the street.

So took Kimo and Fifi walking on the road. After some walking, I sat by Fong's storm drain. A cat was crossing the street. Kimo finally noticed and went after the cat. To my surprise the leash came off the collar and off he went in pursuit of the cat around back of Pat's house.

I hooked Fifi to our mailbox and got the slip leash to retrieve Kimo. He went to Keith's window then under Pat's house. So under I went too, waiting for him to come back to the gate. But when he came, he slipped past me, under the gate and out.

Next destination was Ito's house. So up I went and finally got him leashed.

Took him in the back, then took Fifi home.

I was afraid I would have to get a new collar, but when I looked what happened was that the key ring holding his dog tag was pulled open. So I don't have to get a new collar after all. Found his tag on the road and wired it back to the collar ring.

And it looks like that run was enough for Kimo as he pretty much slept in the dirt in the back all morning and until now in the early afternoon.

Fifi and the pitbull

After visiting Hoku, we went up Puna and back down again.

The pitbull was at the fence looking and I let Fifi wander closer. There was a fence fight and Kimo went wild too. I pulled them away and they calmed down pretty quickly. At least they weren't pulling me trying to go after the pitbull.

I guess Fifi can defend herself if she needs to. Have to watch that now.

[5/10/11, posted 5/11/11)

puppy IQ test

Question Eight: Your owner has just thrown a ball about a dozen yards away and is now saying: "Get the ball! Get the ball!" What does he want you to do, and what will happen when you do it?

Puppy Answer: He wants me to watch him get the ball. When he gets the ball, he will throw it again and say, "Get the ball!" again. He'll repeat the process until he gets bored, and then we'll go inside so I can pee on the carpet.

[take the rest of the test here]

Joey's first day back

Sheryle drops Joey off early in the morning.
take Joey and Kimo out, early with Hershey
Tuffy barks, yep there's Fifi. Take her out too.

Around Natsunoya wall, up Aulii, up Puna, no Hoku, no Buddha
go up to Kam gate, then WTH take to Joey's house
Fifi runs around a little, Kimo goes up steps and stays there, Hershey sniffs in bushes
head back, Nicole is out with Cleo and waves to me

down Skyline, to Makanani (find an ID card by the stonewall)
visit Maka, Maka in doghouse, comes out to gate, but nobody really greets him
back to Kula, Malia's father greets me and Katarina comes to railing to look
Mamo talking to Deanna

let Joey go as we head to Hershey's house
Joey instead goes to my house, pushes open gate, and goes up the steps
heck leave him there

go to Hershey's house to treat the dogs
and soon enough Joey shows up

leave Hershey home, take Kimo home
bring Joey as I take home Fifi

feeding time, prepare food
Joey comes down, so I feed him first
then Kimo comes down, so give him his food
but Joey wants to eat Kimo's food before finishing his, block him
let Kimo eat until he goes to drink water and let Joey finish the rest

on front steps, Joey crowds Kimo too close, Kimo reacts
fight, step between them until they cool down then grab them
looks like Kimo got bitten in the leg as I see blood, looks fairly minor

barking, it's Koa loose
Joey reacts to Koa, but after sniffing through fence they seem OK

bring Joey with me as we follow Koa home, but he continues to the Miyamoto driveway
never mind, turn back
wait here's Koa again

OK, try again. And off goes Koa again.
let's look at the fish pond.
Toni hears us and comes out to chat
then Troy comes home with son, and here comes Koa again
Koa follows them downstairs and I close the door

more barking, it's the replacement mailman
Joey barks, but quiets as he gets tossed a biscuit
Kimo stays up on landing and gets tossed a biscuit too

take Joey in the back, take a nap

hear barking, how come it sounds like Joey's in the front
it's because he is
it's the neighbor lady with her grandson in the carriage
Joey pushes open the gate, runs out, but then runs back
give them treats as they return
no barking, she stops to chat a bit

[or the did the mailman come after the lady?]

Kimo goes to lie down, but seems a little tense when Joey comes

take Joey in back again, blocking opening with broom
this time, he lies down in chair

watch some Dog Whisperer on DVD (Jake, Kona, Scrout)

barking, it's Big Koa loose
go out to leash him
decide to take him back to see Joey
Joey barks and growls a bit
wait until Joey acclimates a bit, then leave
hey Joey's loose again
take off Koa's leash to put on Joey
then retrieve another leash for Koa
take Koa home
was going to walk a bit, but see the van taking home the kids, so I take home Koa

continue down the street a bit with Joey
it's the first Koa tied up in driveway
reacts a bit to Joey at first then acclimates
take Joey home again

take Joey and Kimo out
talk to June who says her dad is acting strange lately
pets Joey and Kimo, Kimo goes to nip her, luckily June is still pretty fast

Koa loose yet again
this time leash him and take him home with Joey
he lies down in garage and I give him a massage
girl opens door and thanks me for bringing him back

Keith is out as I come back
Kimo barking at him from landing
talk to Pat from yard
Joey goes up with paws on stonewall
Keith acts up and Pat take him up steps and home

take Joey up street again
see June who calls for her cat, but doesn't show up
Malia is out with Katarina, decide to walk with them

feed Kimo and Joey light evening meal

take Kimo in back, Joey follows us, take Joey back in front

A busy dog day for Joey (and for me)

[Thu 4/14, posted 4/15]

Hershey bites at Fifi

took Kimo, Hershey, and Fifi out.

At the Natsunoya parking, some lady rushes out and stops us. She wanted to check whether Hershey was a girl.

She has a male beagle pre-snipped and wanted to give him some action before snipping. Sorry, Hershey's a male too and has already been snipped. She says her beagle is 55 pounds. Sounds fat to me, but she says he's just solid.

Up Puna. See Hoku's gate open and go up. But no sign of Hoku. Continue up. No Buddha either. Wait, there's Hoku looking at us.

Turn around and go up. Call Dottie and she comes out and closed the gate.

Hoku gets Hershey to play, but Fifi wants to play too. Fifi gets too close and Hershey growls and goes after her and looks like he bit her. That gets Kimo going and he gets wild. Grab Kimo's leash and it's quickly over.

Fifi doesn't seem bothered. Don't see any wound, so maybe he didn't break skin.

Then later more excitement. Kimo jumps on Fifi's back growling. Lift him off with the leash. It's over again.

Good thing Fifi doesn't react back.

After that, Hershey didn't seem to want to play much, despite Hoku hounding him.

They play only a little bit and we leave.

They walk as usual with no apparent problems between Hershey and Fifi.

walking Big Koa

Kimo didn't want to go out, so took Hershey for a lap instead. Fifi wasn't out, must have been downstairs because of the rain.

Afternoon.

Keith comes charging out. Kimo naturally responds.

Go out to walk Keith. Full of energy, likes to run ahead. Pat says he's scared of garage doors. Wants to go back when we go out too far.

Take up to the other end. Seems more comfortable there, sniffing the grass. Let him run ahead, but stop at the end of leash. Then run again.

Practice going down the steps slowly. Uh oh, Big Koa shows up on the street.

Kimo going wild. Get BK to come to me and leash him. Kimo gets less wild after a while, then calms down.

Koa pulling me at first, but more to sniff the grass. Then starts getting used the leash.

Then Amy comes walking, so I decide to walk with her. After walking a while, Koa behaves better. By the second lap, he's tiring and walking even better.

Uh oh. Big poop. Go to get bag. See newsaper in bag at Wong's house and get that one.

Pick up poop. Walk some more.

See Mrs. Wong outside looking for Koa. OK time to take Koa home.

Later. Malia comes walking down with Katarina.

Bring Kimo out, but not TOO close. Chat with her by the stonewall. She notices Kimo is losing hair around his eyes too. Kimo lies down on sidewalk.

[Fri 4/8, posted 4/9]

three dachsunds

Take out Kimo. Tuffy barks. Sure enough, I see Fifi up the steps.

OK retrieve her.

Go round the teahouse wall. Visit Maka. The dogs sniff very briefly. Kimo pees a little on their gate. Followed by Maka's much higher volume pee.

See Randy out in the yard with Sonny. Tell him that Sonny doesn't like Fifi. Barks at Fifi as we pass.

Up Skyline, up Puna, Joey's house is being tented.

Ilima, Aulii. See Gary at a house. I guess he just finished doing some work at the house. Chat a bit.

Stop at Steve's house. Fifi is munching on something in his yard.

Come back via the stonewall. Kimo's in front and I hold Fifi behind me.

See RMAS walking. Kimo breathing heavy. Turn around. They come back for their second lap.

Wait til they turn around and I follow, holding Kimo and Fifi on short leashes. Fifi wants to go over to sniff Shammy, but I don't let her.

See lady with dogs going down the street. I thought it was Melissa with Rudy and Blue.

Kimo seems OK, but then Miki reacts a little to Fifi going down the driveway and Kimo briefly loses control.

Continue down to Amy's garage. It turns out it wasn't Rudy and Blue, but a lady with three dachsunds. She's now renting Oliver's old house.

We'll see how Kimo reacts to them next time he sees them.

Kai (the dog)

take out Kimo, see RMAS out, Kimo starting to get excited, Tuffy barking, Fifi hears us and comes up steps.

Duck down to Fifi's house and hold Kimo as he reacts as RMAS go home down the driveway.

OK, take out Fifi. Take Kimo home. Keith barks, Pat is outside and I take Fifi over. Pat pets her.

Later, feeding Kimo in the garage. Kimo goes charging to the gate. It's Wayne and Coco and his wife (I assume) and another dog. They're talking to Mrs. Iha who's out in the yard.

Take Kimo out. The other dog is a white/brown pomeranian who's well-groomed named Kai. Kimo is reacting to Kai. And Kai is reacting to Kimo. Keith is barking.

The wife says Kai acts like an alpha male to Coco.

Kimo calms down after a while and sits. (Thinking back) I knelt down to see if Kai would come to me and suddenly Kimo erupts going into full mode. I hold him by his collar and he's out of his mind.

Wayne and the rest take off back up the street. After a while, Kimo comes back to his senses and we follow them up the street. Then I hear whining on the side. It's Koa by the gate. I go over to pet him.

Then we head home.

Don't know exactly what happened. But I'm thinking maybe Kimo reacted when he saw Kai coming toward me. Kind of doubt they're going to bring Kai to our street again. That's the first time I've ever seen Wayne and Coco come all the way down our street.

[Sat 4/2, posted 4/3]

Kimo chases Fifi

Took Kimo, Hershey, Fifi to the park. Still don't see Fifi's regular leashes. So took her flexi-leash.

On the way, Dottie sees us and stops. Tell her I don't see Hoku when I pass by. She says maybe she's in the back.

Down Hala, turn at Laki. The little white dog (looks like he has mange) comes out and backs, charging as if trying to chase us away. None of the dogs react (thank goodness). After visiting with "Mr. T" for a while (the old pitbull), we head up Kealakai.

There's Siki barking at us, sort of out of control. Sort of like Kimo. The owner comes and picks him up (so not exactly like Kimo, as even I would hesitate picking up Kimo). Puts him down and Siki continues barking.

On to the park. One of the workers says something as we go up the hill. It's "pick up the dog shit." OK, I guess I understand where he's coming from. "Always" I reply.

Up the hill. Myles parents' come down, their two dogs follow them into the car.

Down the hill. To the volleyball court. After a while, Fifi starts running around. Hershey doesn't bite. But Kimo catches the energy and starts chasing. Growls as Fifi passes by. Fifi continues running. Then Fifi sort of reverses and chases Kimo briefly. And the run is still over. The growling was a little worrisome to me. But I think it's OK as they both came to me right after and sat for treats.

Later I sit down on the court. Fifi comes over and practically sits on my lap. Not necessarily good. I haven't set boundaries with her. Kimo comes over and lies down behind me. I guess that's good.

Time to go. But first Fifi wanted to go to the playground set. Kimo too. Didn't want to force Hershey up, so tied his leash to the lower railing at the bottom. After a short rest, we go home.

[Wed 3/30, posted 3/31]

Shirley on the loose

This morning I take Kimo in the front, but he doesn't want to walk and wants to go up the steps. I make him go up the street and he poops at Tsutsui's strip.

Later I go to put away the trash cans and I see Mrs. Tsutsui out on the steps bringing in Hershey. She sees me. OK, go to walk Hershey.

Take him up the street. Fifi sees us coming back and goes up the steps. OK, retrieve her too. Ann sees me and says her schedule is changing and she'll be able to join our walks.

Kimo watches us walk and stays on the landing.

***

In the afternoon...

As usual, Keith runs down the steps and runs back and forth excitedly at the end of the flexi-leash. Can't really blame Kimo too much for reacting and running down to the landing to the railing and barking at him.

However he seems to calm down a little more quickly now when I go down to grab his leash or block him back from the railing with my legs as Keith goes running back up the sidewalk.

With Keith going up the street, I took Kimo out the other way. He pooped and made his way slowly up in front of Pat's house.

Then later more barking. It was Malia with Katarina and Petey. I come out and have Kimo go up the steps and sit by me.

Then I see Shirley loose up the street. I go up to get her but she runs over to Sanford's house who's outside sweeping.

Then she comes down and comes to me when I call her. I put on my slip leash and take her down the street. Keith and Kimo bark. I pause by my driveway, wait for Kimo's barking to subside, and slowly bring Shirley a little closer. But not too close. And I go up the street.

Shirley periodically pauses as she's probably wondering who's bringing her away from home. I wait until she stops going the "wrong" way and continue on.

I finally catch up to Malia coming back and walk back with her. She walks pretty well next to the carriage. But Petey is kind of zig zagging at the end of his leash.

Kimo and Keith still bark as we come back.

At the end, Petey comes to me and I pet him. Or at least rub his chest. Malia says he's already ten.

Kimo's peeing

Kimo's almost eight now and still has a peeing problem.

He likes to mark frequently when going on his walks. I used to let him not mark so often and tug him along to the designated marking point. But reading about Turid (let them sniff and pee), I've become more lax about it.

More of a problem is his peeing on the lawn chairs in the back where he sleeps (he's not allowed in the house or he'd probably be peeing on real chairs).

Actually he doesn't do it all the time and more often goes to the bushes or to the side of the house by the air conditioner or the bucket with the tools in it or to the potted plants on the hothouse concrete slab.

And he rarely does it on the chair where I now put his water dish. But he still does it sometimes. And also in the garage, on the car tire, or on the railing in the front.

I normally dab it up and spray it. But that hasn't worked yet.

What have I used? I originally used (and still use) Odo Ban because that's what Donna used and she had a big jub or Odo Ban concentrate. Simple Green. Lysol spray (or generic equivalent). Oreck No Return (from Diane, Max's owner -- it worked for Max). Out! Stain and Odor Remover (from Wal-Mart). urine gone! (from Walgreen). Nature's Miracle: No More Marking (from Longs).

Now kdogspa is touting this product called Urine Away. Don't if this is just spam, but the message was allowed at dogwhispererfans. Doing a search of the group, kdogspa has been a past contributor to the group and has never touted this product before. So it might be worth a shot.

Dog Whisperer leaving National Geographic Channel

and heading to Nat Geo Wild

That must mean the ratings are dropping, though I have always thought he had and has the highest rated show on NatGeo. Maybe not. [I hope they're not caving in to the "positives" criticism.] Maybe it's the beginning of the end. Well eight seasons is a really good run (currently on the seventh season).

Well that's another reason to not ditch the Digital Variety Pack. Nat Geo Wild is channel 561. Alas, Oceanic doesn't carry it in HD (yet?). Strangely, 1561 is MGM HD which is not telecast in SD.

Raymond and Lorna Coppinger

Carol Whitney @Pos-4-ReactiveDogs writes that "the traditional model of dominance and submission has been thoroughly and effectively debunked". (So has the moonlanding by the way.)

She cites the book Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior & Evolutions by Raymond and Lorna Coppinger. Here's an excerpt of a review.

The Coppingers admit that there is "no appreciable differences" in the genetics of coyotes, dogs, jackels and wolves, and note that these species can interbreed. Still, they say, "dogs have diverged, changed, transmutated from their wolflike ancestors."

Thus, training programs that say the owner/trainer should be the "alpha wolf" and the dog a subordinate member of the pack is wrong, because dogs are not wolves.

The brains of dogs are different from the brains of wolves, just as the brains of humans are different from the brains of chimpanzees, a close relative, they argue. Dogs don’t think and react to signals as wolves do.

Ray Coppinger, who has trained hundreds of sled dogs and sheepdogs, says it is wrong to treat our best friends like wolves. "Asserting dominance over one of my favorite working dogs by pressing it on the ground and snarling at it is preposterous." He stresses that he doesn’t want his sled dogs to roll on their backs and urinate like a subordinate wolf every time he shows up.

Anyway, this interview was interesting and so are some comments at Amazon.

The first half of the book was quite enjoyable and thought-provoking. The authors describe how dogs evolved from scavenger village dogs, rather than directly from wolves. They argue that dogs are a distinct and extraordinary creature, not an inferior subspecies of wolves, with behavioral traits that are different from and often surpassing wolves.

I found the second half of the book, however, to be a bit preachy, pessimistic, and overstated. One main premise seemed to be that keeping dogs as household pets (as opposed to working dogs) is a lose-lose situation for the dog and the owner. Humans lose because pet dogs take valuable resources, time and money, away from our species, resources we should be investing in our offspring. Pet dogs rarely give back to us in terms of affection or whatever enough to make up for what they take from us. Dogs lose because they are slaves to our every whim, often subjected to inadequate care and boredom, and purebreds are being bred for appearance at the expense of their own health and genetic vitality. The author lashed out at showdog breeders.

Point taken, but I think the authors overstated their case, throwing the baby out with the bath water. I don't believe dogs tap us out of resources to an unhealthy degree. If anything the huge dog industry (food, supplies, vet care...etc.) benefits our economy. I know many families who find great joy in owning a dog as a pet, and I think dogs add to a parent-child relationship rather than detract.

I also thought it quite hypocritical, given the author's use of dogs for sled racing, when the author ripped on the use of dogs to assist people with special needs, such as people bound to a wheelchair. The author argued that it is unhealthy and unnatural for the dog, but that sled dog racing was somehow exempt from the criticism.

Fifi chases Hershey

Took out Kimo. Retrieve Hershey. Tuffy barks. Hear Fifi's low howl. OK, retrieve Fifi too. Slow going at first with Kimo periodically digging in, not wanting to move forward.

Lolena Place. Big Boy gets up and barks at us. Up Lolena Hill. Decide to go down Kamalii. Pit bull barks briefly then stops.

Hillcrest. Don't see the wild dog today.

Up Skyline. On to Puna. Don't see Hoku.

All the way up. Then to Ilima. Terrier barks. But the other dogs didn't bark much.

Down Aulii. Decide to cut through to Betty's backyard. Let the dogs loose briefly after checking that the gate is closed. Kimo sniffs. Fifi wants to run. This time Hershey lets Fifi chase him and around they go for a little while.

OK, that's enough. Take them out the other side and see that the gate on that side was open..

***

Later I hear Hershey howling. It's Ann and the baby. Quiet Kimo down and he seems OK. Tell her that Fifi was chasing Hershey today. Think Hershey's getting a little more comfortable with her?

Grateful Stride videos

Grateful Stride is the pet sitting service run by Cesar adherent Lori Reynolds. She's probably the most prolific writer on the dogwhisperer fans yahoo group. (She also likes the Dog Listener Jan Fennell.)

Anyway, in a recent post she mentions she has uploaded a number of videos on youtube.

Waimanalo puppy mill

The Hawaiian Humane Society removed yesterday more than 150 puppies and dogs — some in poor condition — from what the society described as a dirty puppy mill in Waimanalo.

The society also seized a litter of pups born yesterday from the commercial dog-breeding kennel, which the agency investigated but said had complied with the law. Two more litters were born at the humane society, and several dogs were pregnant.

"Their puppies may be adorable in the pet shop window, but their mothers are in hell (from bad breeding conditions)," said Pamela Burns, executive director and president of the Hawaiian Humane Society.

The agency is citing the owner for animal cruelty. Its investigators found excessive waste that affects the animals' welfare, deplorable conditions, a lack of necessary food and water, as well as health issues with some dogs associated with the poor conditions, said Jacque LeBlanc, another society spokeswoman.

The land on which the kennel sits is owned by a woman who owns The Pet Spot at Pearl Highlands Center, according to city and state records. Calls to the pet shop yesterday were not answered.

The manager of the Waimanalo kennel declined an interview.

At 9 a.m. today, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear Senate Bill 1522 on regulating and licensing large-scale breeders to cap the number of breeding animals to 50 and limiting the number of breeding to twice in an 18-month period.

***

The timing could not have been better to give a nudge to necessary state legislation to improve regulations for the large-scale breeding of dogs in what have been called puppy mills. Police were called Monday morning about a barking dog in Waimanalo, and the Hawaiian Humane Society came to the rescue of more than 150 puppies and dogs at a commercial dog-breeding kennel.

They would be required to provide each dog under their care with basic food and water, shelter, veterinary care and enough space to turn around and stretch their legs, based on the dog's size.

A licensee would be limited to no more than 50 dogs over the age of six months.

The issue was hotly fought last year in Missouri, the birthplace of more than one-third of dogs in pet stores nationwide. That state's law was made at the November polls, with about 52 percent of the vote, and legislators now are arguing over a proposal to repeal the voter-approved restrictions.

The effort is being pushed by the Missouri Republican majority whip, whose mother happens to own one of what the Humane Society branded the "Dirty Dozen" puppy mills in Missouri.

Legislation has been proposed in Congress to set minimal standards of care for breeding dogs in puppy mills, which too often are forced to live their entire lives in small cages. The Humane Society notes that those dogs have little if any opportunity for exercise, socialization and human interaction.

The inspector general of the U.S. Agriculture Department issued a report last year criticizing the department's inadequate oversight of dog dealers under the Animal Welfare Act.

Hawaii has been graded as one of the nation's cruelest states to animals. It has the weakest penalties of all states for dog-fighting, and is one of the few states that have yet to classify cockfighting as a felony.

Marilyn Pona

For 30 years, Marilyn Pona, founder of Assistance Dogs for Living, has been training dogs: rescued, traumatized mutts; show dogs; obedience-school dropouts; neurotic dogs in danger of exile from their families; and service dogs of every kind.

“There’s one thing nearly every trainer does too soon,” she confides. “Train.”

The usual impulse, she explains, is to jump in and try to impose control immediately. Pona learned patience from her work with service dogs: When you’re transferring a dog from his trainer to his new person, you can’t rush it.

What are the signs that tell you it’s time? When ears and tail change position, the body relaxes, breathing slows, and the dog is not hypervigilant or showing any stress signals—that’s when you know the dog’s finally getting a calming message: This is all that’s required of you.

[via Pos-4-ReactiveDogs]

Koa comes

let Kimo out of jail, go eat breakfast

Kimo doesn't want to walk
take Hershey out for a half-lap, then take home

pick up Koa (still dog-watching until Saturday), retrieve Fifi
retrieve Hershey (had to coax him to come down from steps)

go for a couple of laps until panting / Kimo watching

take Hershey home, take Fifi home, take Koa home
feed the fish, water a little, feed Koa

That afternoon..
take Kimo out for a slow half-lap
poop is soft & yellowish, but at least not a puddle

retrieve Koa
Keith is out, bring Koa closer, Keith gets wild/excited, but Koa wags his tail

dig some weeds w/ Koa on leash with me
take Koa back on flexi-leash

see Fifi out, daughter (Alyssa?) calls Fifi to come and Koa comes to her too

Steven is jogging / take Koa to jog a bit w/ him too, I don't last too long

Tuffy barks at us, wait, but he still barks

feed Koa / visitor left him a full bowl of food, empty most of it back

another day w/ Koa..

[Thu 2/17, posted 2/26]

Turid Rugaas on exercise

Here's another view of exercise by Turid Rugaas (of calming signals fame) [as expressed by Jennifer Ng at Pos-4-ReactiveDogs]

I'm not convinced dogs require a lot of physical exercise. I realize that many trainers use the phrase "a tired dog is a good dog" but I don't agree with this. A tired dog "behaves" simply because he is exhausted - this is temporary and doesn't teach the dog to truly be calm or relaxed, or how to cope with triggers.

And in fact, over time, excessive exercise can create a dog who is very fit and needs more and more exercise to get worn out enough to be tired. But the underlying causes of any behavior problems are not addressed at all, and the physical exercise (especially fast-paced chase games like fetch) actually increases chronic stress and adds to the problem.

I attended the Turid Rugaas seminar that Beth mentioned in her reply. One topic she discussed that really made me think was regarding exercise. I've known that Turid feels that repetitive, fast-paced chase games (like fetch with a ball or frisbee) are unnecessary and detrimental, contributing to chronic stress.

However, she took the concept a step further, indicating that physical exercise really isn't necessary at all. She commented that there is no need to walk a dog strictly for exercise, that such walks are "meaningless." She feels that all walks should be leisurely walks where the dog is allowed to sniff and explore the surroundings. Turid stated that there is no such thing as a high energy or hyper dog - those dogs are stressed. And that dogs are "very good at doing nothing" and don't get bored.

Turid used the example of observing wolves in a naturalistic setting at Wolf Park, where there is very little activity for the majority of the day. There are short periods of activity at dawn and dusk, most of which is slow-paced exploring. And in the wild as well, the majority of time that wolves are active is spent tracking and searching for food, which is not stressful.

The actual chase to catch prey once it is found is pretty much the only fast-paced activity wolves do, and it only lasts for a short period and may only happen at intervals of a week or more. Once the prey is caught, there are many days of low stress recovery, spent eating and resting.

Another example Turid used was border collies, which she says is the most misunderstood breed. Most people seem to believe that BCs need hours of activity every day to keep them happy and satisfied. Turid said that those people should take a trip to Yorkshire and see how BCs really work and live on farms. The actual work of herding sheep is only for short periods at certain times of day, and they spend the majority of the day just hanging out on the farm.

I thought this view of physical activity was very interesting. I have always accepted the fact that a certain amount of physical exercise is necessary, and what that minimum amount is depends on the individual dog. I've also thought that if a dog doesn't get his required minimum amount of physical exercise, it can lead to boredom and unwanted behavior.

However, Turid seems to be saying that this is not true. That dogs don't require exercise beyond normal everyday interactions, and enjoying the mental stimulation from occasional exploratory walk. I would have to say that my experience with my own dogs supports what Turid is saying, but I'd always assumed that my hounds just have lower exercise needs than a lot of other breeds.

Perhaps the traditional assumptions about exercise are wrong. Turid believes that behavior problems in dogs with limited activity are due to other factors, not too little activity. And especially as I think about it more, I think it makes a lot of sense.

Jennifer