Search Dog Foundation gets $1 million, CA January 27, 2009

Source: Ventura County Star, By Gareth W. Dodd, Correspondent, Monday, January 26, 2009

The Ojai-based National Disaster Search Dog Foundation has received a $1 million grant from the S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation to help create a national training center on 125 acres of land in Santa Paula.

The grant comes on the heels of a $1.6 million award from the Frank McGrath Jr. family, which was used to make a down payment on the ranch site in Santa Paula. During the next three years, the Search Dog Foundation hopes to raise $14 million more to take ownership of the land, build a training center and establish an endowment fund for its maintenance.

The foundation pairs dogs — usually Labradors, golden retrievers or border collies found in animal shelters — with firefighters to create skilled search teams. The dogs are trained to find victims during natural or man-made disasters.

The group’s “proven ability to deliver highly trained teams at no cost to fire departments is especially important as emergency service budgets are cut and resources are strained to their limit,” Lauren Dachs, the Bechtel foundation president, wrote in a statement. “The economic crisis in our country challenges grant makers to fund projects which will have an important, lasting impact on society — and the creation of a national training center will help achieve that goal.”

Capt. Matt Garrett of the Ventura County Fire Department said establishing a training center in Santa Paula would save him time and money. He travels once a month to the group’s current training center in Gilroy, where he puts Gabby, a 2-year-old black Labrador, through her paces for two days.

The team also trains twice a week at several facilities in Southern California, said Garrett, who bears the expense of training, housing and feeding Gabby.

“It’s amazing what these dogs will do with positive reinforcement,” said Garrett. “She’s a working dog; she has a job. She’s not a pet that lounges around the house.”

The dogs are trained to find a scent and locate a victim under piles of rubble, no matter how long it takes.

“Their job is to make sure no one is left behind,” said Garrett.

“They find a scent, trace it to its source and get rewarded with love and play. Their payday is play day. We’ve been together since August, and she’s progressing well.”

Once used primarily for wilderness or avalanche searches, the dogs became more popular following their use to sniff out victims of the 1996 Oklahoma City bombing. The need took on a new urgency after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The search teams have been deployed to Hurricane Katrina, La Conchita mudslide and the Chatsworth Metrolink train crash last year, said Janet Reineck, the group’s development director.

Reineck said the United States needs more than 400 canine-firefighter search teams to handle all the disasters. Currently it has about 200, and teams are retiring every year.

The group has trained 85 search teams since its founding in 1996, including 61 that are currently active. It receives no government funding, relying on support from individuals, private foundations and companies, officials said.

Despite agriculture changes, herding dogs still vital January 13, 2009

Source: WCFCourier, By MATTHEW WILDE, Courier Staff Write, January 12, 2009

Dogs can be more than just man’s best friend.

To many Northeast Iowa farmers, canines are co-workers saving them time and money. Despite the changes in agriculture — more and more livestock confined instead of roaming in pastures — producers say herding dogs remain a vital part of their operations.

And in some respects, the president of the Iowa Herding Dog Association said demand for well-trained four-legged helpers is growing.

“This is a transitional time for the entire country,” said Deb Meier of rural Alden, co-owner of Leaning Tree Cattle Dogs and Border Collies. “There’s work to be had, but we need to educate people on stockmanship and training.”

Throughout the years, Meier said the focus of the association shifted from farm dogs to competition and show animals. She believes the time has come for the association to get back to its roots.

The association offers herding dog clinics upon request, Meier said. Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar does the same.

As agriculture continues to evolve, Meier said seminars covering breeds, training, good characteristics to look for when choosing a dog and other topics are useful.

Rotational grazing of dairy and beef herds is making a comeback in the state, livestock experts said. Though farmers still rely on confinement buildings and feedlots to produce milk and beef, many are now using pastures as a low-cost way to get into farming and to save on feed costs.

Vineyards are also popping up with more regularity throughout the state. Meier said sheep are often used as natural lawn mowers, just like in orchards.

To get the animals from point A to point B, Meier said there’s not a better helper than one or more herding dogs.

“A properly trained dog can replace two or three employees,” she said. “I can let my sheep in an open cornfield with no fences. That’s no problem; I have a dog.”

Jed Becker of rural Cresco started using herding dogs in 1999 on his dairy farm. His two border collies and a terrier/blue heeler cross help get cows in from the pasture, move bovines from one lot to another and keep cows standing in the barn during milking time.

Becker isn’t sure how he managed without his employees that require nothing more than food, shelter and a scratch behind the ears.

“They take a lot of aggravation out of farming and moving cattle,” Becker said.

With 65 head of cows, heifers and calves on hand at any one time, Becker said moving them is too difficult by himself. If he didn’t have the dogs, Becker said he would have to hire help, put up more gates and fences or wait until his wife got home from work.

In other words, a waste of time and money.

“I wouldn’t do grazing without a dog. It makes things so much easier,” Becker said.

Herding dogs, depending on breed and pedigree, typically cost $500 to several thousand dollars, said Meier, who trains and sells herding dogs. It’s not uncommon for top dogs to cost more than $30,000, she said.

On average, Meier said training costs $300 to $500 per month. A working dog typically takes less training than one aimed at competition, she said. The training period usually takes one to several months.

Though popular herding dogs like border collies and Australian cattle dogs have a natural instinct to work livestock, Meier said training is still important. Without proper direction, dogs could push livestock too fast or get into the habit of nipping at legs too much. The safety of animals or the handler could be in jeopardy, not to mention equipment.

“There’s no purpose in chasing. They (livestock) could run into fences,” Meier said. “Stock will defend itself. … There’s a fine line between being a benefit or a liability.”

On Scott Koether’s farm six miles west of McGregor, he knows first-hand that a good herding dog is a benefit despite the initial purchase and training expense.

It used to take Koether and Topher, an Australian Kelpie, 30 minutes to an hour to move 200 meat goats from a 40-acre pasture to buildings on the farm.

On July 4, Topher died after getting hit by a car. After Topher’s death, it took Koether, his wife and three neighbors a couple of hours to get the goats in.

“I lost a good friend. He would work so good,” Koether said.

Topher’s grandson, Gunner, a border collie/Kelpie cross, is now Koether’s assistant. He keeps animals corralled in pens while gates are open and helps gather stock.

Koether said herding dogs, for the most part, are an under-utilized asset on farms. He said many of his neighbors with livestock realized as much after a visit or two to his farm.

“I would ask them to come over and help get in animals. They (neighbors) expected to be on foot,” Koether said. “I would send the dog out and we would visit by the gate and the animals would come in. The neighbors went out and got dogs.”

Northeast Iowa Community College last held a herding dog clinic in April 2007. About 70 people attended. Becker and Koether were on hand to answer questions.

Mary Steen, the school’s continuing education program manager, said area farmers are curious about herding dogs. If people continue to show interest, she said another clinic could be held.

“Dogs can be a tremendous asset,” Steen said. “It’s not just a farm dog, but a valuable member of the staff.”

Dog-greeting tips to help avoid a bite November 20, 2008

Source; Newsday, by Denice Flam, Animal House, November 20, 2008

It made for a lot of cute jokes about being “biting mad” over everything from his master’s imminent departure to liberal media bias. But there’s nothing funny about the bite that Barney, President George W. Bush‘s Scottish terrier, gave a Reuters reporter recently.

Had Barney been a Rottweiler or – heaven forfend! – a pit bull, nobody would be laughing.

(And it turns out Barney is an unrepentant recidivist: In September, he chomped Boston Celtics PR rep Heather Walker when the team visited the White House, and there is a standing order that tour-takers are not permitted in the Rose Garden if Barney is meandering outside. Ankles, watch out!)

Barney took responsibility for the Reuters incident, issuing an apology to political reporter Joe Decker on his own letterhead.

The First Dog’s transgressions seem a timely prompt for some dog-greeting tips:

Get permission Decker did ask Barney’s handler if he could pet the dog, but many passersby do not. The verbal exchange also lets the dog know that his owner knows and accepts you, and so he should, too.

But actually wait to hear the answer: No means no.

Approach obliquely In polite canine society, approaching head-on is a serious faux pas, and one that can trigger defensiveness. Instead, approach from an angle, always making sure, though, that the dog can see you.

No staring contests Similarly, making direct eye contact – and, worse, maintaining it – communicates a significant challenge in canine body language. Instead, use signals that communicate calm and friendliness: eye-blinking, offering your profile (more of that oblique stuff), even yawning. Don’t hold your breath.

Learn to read a dog Though seemingly subtle to humans, canine body language expresses precisely what a dog is feeling. A wagging body, loose lips, relaxed ears and “soft” eyes mean “come hither.” In turn, a tensed body, braced legs, stiffly wagging tail and flattened ears are not welcoming.

No aerial assaults “Never, ever swoop down over a dog. No dog, no matter its size, likes that,” admonishes Darlene Arden, author of “Rover, Get Off Her Leg: Pet Etiquette for the Dog who Pees on Your Rug, Steals the Roast and Poops in Improper Places” (Health Communications, $14.95). Indeed, Decker’s approach to Barney was lightning fast and, from the dog’s perspective, totally unanticipated.

No head pats “Never immediately bring your hand down on the dog’s head,” Arden warns. “From the dog’s perspective, this looks like he’s about to be hit or have something land on him. And he is going to have something land on him – your hand!”

Be underhanded The safest and least provocative “hello” you can give a dog is offering your knuckles to sniff, with a closed fist, “so you don’t risk losing fingers,” Arden recommends.

After the dog has sniffed your knuckles, “you can start to slowly scratch the dog under the chin,” she continues. “Be gentle and move slowly. If the dog accepts this, then you can slowly move your hand around to scratch behind the ears.”

Slow and steady Dogs do not like quick, jerky movements. Try to approximate the fluid movements of your hands underwater. Be gentle, but not hesitant or unsure: This is just as worrying to an insecure dog.

No kidding Small children, with their sharp, birdlike movements, can be unsettling to dogs; watch the canine body language carefully. Also, be prepared to quickly pre-empt any hugging or hanging around the neck: Though this is a natural expression of affection for humans, it is a common aggression trigger in dogs.

Think calm This is tough to do if you are nervous, but dogs can pick up on your body English, breathing patterns, even the pheromones you emit, and respond accordingly. If you are not comfortable with the idea of petting a dog – any dog – then don’t.

Valerian – the natural solution to help animals fight firework nerves November 2, 2008

Valerian – the natural solution to help animals fight firework nerves

It may sound barking but valerian, a herbal remedy for anxiety and
sleeplessness, could be the perfect solution for calming the frazzled
nerves of cats and dogs this Fireworks Night.

This weekend fireworks displays will be taking place across the
country, causing many cats and dogs to experience high levels of fear,
anxiety and apprehension. Just as it is the herbal supplement of choice
for many anxious flyers, valerian could also help cats and dogs over
come their Fireworks Night nerves.

The herbal remedy, which is extracted from the roots of a riverside
plant, was used by ancient Greeks for its calming properties and
continues to be popular today as it helps relax the body without any of
the side effects associated with pharmaceutical sedatives such as
valium. And pet owners today are increasingly seeing the benefits as
they realise that when it comes to calming down Fluffy, valerian really
is the cat’s whiskers.

Valerian has a long history of clinical trials which have demonstrated
that taking standardised valerian can help to relax and aid sleep
naturally in the short term.

Dosage

One 300mg valerian tablet is sufficient for a medium sized dog. For
small dogs and cats, give them half a tablet and for larger dogs two
tablets.

Expert: It’s a mistake to humanize dogs October 23, 2008

Dog expert Cesar Millan says it’s a mistake to humanize dogs.

Source: By Jeanne Huff, McClatchy Newspapers

BOISE, Idaho — “Oh, isn’t he cute? My little smootchie-wootchy!” Some women talk baby-talk to their boyfriend or husband.

Some folks talk baby-talk to, well, babies.

And some of us talk baby-talk — to our animals.

“You shouldn’t use the D-word, as far as we’re concerned,” Diane Turner said. Turner is the proud owner of a pug named Madison, and, as the local pug meet-up group organizer, she’s speaking for the entire pug-owner world.

“Madison is my baby, and that’s the beginning and end of everything.”

So, what’s wrong with this picture? Some experts say that humanizing your pet — anthropomorphism — is just not the right relationship.

“People humanize dogs and don’t understand their psychology as pack animals,” Cesar Millan, also known as the Dog Whisperer, said on his Web site. Millan has made a business — and a small fortune — by helping people live happily with problem dogs. He’s been known to turn a nonstop barker/biter into a pussycat in a matter of 30 minutes.

“I begin by showing the dog that I am the pack leader,” Millan said. “I fulfill the dog’s need through exercise, which is walking the dog in the correct way. I give the dog rules, boundaries, and limitations … and then affection.” Millan said that especially in America, dog owners tend to overdo it on doggy love. They “give affection, affection, and more affection, when what the dog really needs is exercise, discipline — and then affection.” Turner contends that, at least for her pug Madison — and any other pug for that matter — the outpouring of affection is in no way detrimental.

“She is our baby; they’re part of the family and have the consideration anyone else in the family has. They send (Madison) cards, she sends cards, gives and receives Christmas presents.

“They’re obviously not human,” Turner acknowledged, a bit begrudgingly, “but that doesn’t make them any less a member of the family.” And, she adds, it’s not that Madison runs roughshod over the household. Turner believes in disciplining Madison — but more as you would discipline a child.

Millan says, though, that treating dogs like people can cause problems and, more often than not, it just doesn’t work.

“Many of my clients call their dog their soul mate or their baby, but the dog tears up the furniture and drags them all over the neighborhood on a walk,” he said. “The client pleads with the dog to behave, cajoles the dog, and offers her treats with no change in the dog’s behavior.”

Dogs are animals, Millan said, and they respond to calm-assertive leadership — “not emotional arguments or negotiations.” Dogs have found themselves in an odd predicament by living with humans, he said. In the wild, canines don’t need humans to achieve balance. They have a pack leader, work for food, and travel with the pack.

But when we bring them into our world, “We need to help them achieve balance by fulfilling their needs as nature intended them to be.” Millan’s formula: “exercise, then discipline, and finally, affection.”

“As the human pack leader, you must set rules, boundaries, and limitations and always project a calm-assertive energy.” By adhering to his formula, Millan said, you’ll be able to connect with your dog in a deeper way.

On the other hand, pug owner Turner said there’s no need to restrict affection.

“Madison has rules, she knows she has limitations. And she is very apologetic when she knows that she’s done something wrong. She comes and gives me kisses — just like a child would do.”

DogWise Dog Books May 23, 2008

One of my absolute favorite spots to look for ANY kind of dog book!

Affordable Agility Equipment! May 17, 2008

Dog Related Magazine List May 17, 2008

I am constantly searching the internet and more for any resources I can find on dog training, behavior, health and more. Over the years Ive compiled lists and lists of information waiting for that “one day” when someone will benefit from my findings. Having said that, below is a list of great dog magazines.

I can honestly say that if I can recommend any ONE magazine relating to canine health to dog owners, I would suggest the Whole Dog Journal. This incredible resources is like my bible when it comes to canine health and Ive saved and treasured every issue

And then of course when it comes to Agility, no one beats Clean Run

Below is a list of some more great magazines for dog lovers & owners!

* Whole Dog Journal

*Animal Wellness Magazine

* Clean Run

* Dog Fancy

* Dog World

* AKC Gazette

* Dogs In Canada

* Front ‘n’ Finish

* Off-Lead

* Fetch The Paper

* Pet Life

* Match Show Bulletin

* Animal Health Newsletter (Cornell University)

* Our Animals (ASPCA)

* Dog Sports Magazine

Sound vs Silence, Silence May 17, 2008

Next time around I kept my mouth shut (so as not to confuse my dog) and just tried to keep going while using big hand/body movements…

The result of this experiment ended just as expected, I should just shut up & let you dog do what she knows! The reality is we “speak” much louder than we think we do when we move. Dogs are physical animals, they communicate through body language… so whether you can see it, understand it or believe it, it is….. and as Ive proven to myself above. When I try to get my brain to think as fast as we are moving, I’m much better off if I just speak to my dog through body language as the actual human speech part is where it gets lost in translation.