Category: Photo

Do They Always Have to Like It?

With temperatures in the high 40s and sunshine– today was a welcome respite from the near 3 months of rain, sleet, gloom, and snow that has been our constant companion here in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.  The sacred doggy pool has been one solid chunk of ice & muck for months and it finally thawed out enough so I could pump it out and clean it.

As you can see from the pictures, everyone had a great time and was really enjoying the extended romp today. Playing with the dogs I was reminded of how individualistic they are and that each one has their own peculiarities.

Physically handling our dogs is something that is both necessary and even pleasurable for us, but our dogs may not be so inclined. One of the first things that we try to work on with our dogs (especially when they are puppies and it’s much easier and safer to train) is that it is okay to be handled. Touching and holding every part of their body, as well as hugs and pats are all things that should be worked on. Some may disagree with the hugging and patting part but I’ve found that other people and especially children tend not to hear anything you tell them about a dog, they just dive right in. So it’s best to be prepared.

But just because we teach them to tolerate it doesn’t mean that they have to like it. Annie (above practicing her Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon moves) likes to be held and petted. Gavin (my blue eyed blue merle) absolutely does not like being held or petted, although he sings a different tune when it comes to a TTouch or massage session. Tosha (my red Aussie) is our new girl and although she like to be pet and scratched, the mood must strike her just right.

Remember that teaching our dogs to be handled doesn’t mean they have to like it, just that they will tolerate it. Dogs like humans are individuals and we all have our own comfort zones.

We hope that you are able to get out and enjoy your weekend just like we are.

Cheers

Kevin Jackie Gavin Annie Tosha

1 comments - Posted by Kevin Myers at 6:07 PM - Categories: Dogs | Photo | Play | Treats

Coming Soon Woof Wednesdays With...

A little less than a year ago I started Dog Lovers Digest in the hope that I would be able to share some of what I’ve learned about dogs and our relationship with them, to a larger audience. The process of creating and updating this website has led me to find and connect with people that I probably would have never known otherwise. The web and social networking has really come of age for dog lovers; it is one of the best tools we have to help combat much of the misinformation that seems to be en vogue. Networking on sites like Twitter and Facebook, I have met trainers, behaviorists, psychologists, veterinarians, and dog people from all walks of life; people that have a passion about what they do and the expertise and eloquence to share it with others.

 Borrowing from the “#WoofWednesday” tradition on Twitter, Dog Lovers Digest is starting a regular blog series called “Woof Wednesday With,” featuring interviews and articles from some of our favorite dog people that can be found tweeting away on Twitter. The series is going to start Wednesday February 9th and continue each Wednesday thereafter.

 Our first two scheduled guests are:

• Wednesday, February 10th 2010 – Debbie Jacobs of Fearful Dogs – Debbie, (@fearfuldogs on Twitter), is a trainer, columnist,  author, and a great advocate for fearful dogs everywhere. Her website can be found at www.fearfuldogs.com and you can read her blog at http://fearfuldogs.wordpress.com.  
• Wednesday, February 17th 2010 – Leslie Fisher of Look What I Can Do Dog Training – Leslie, (@lookwhatlabs on Twitter)is the owner of Look What I Can Do Dog Training and is a Pat Miller Certified Trainer and an Authorized Mentor Trainer for the Animal Behavior College. Leslie’s website can be found at www.lookwhaticandodogtraining.com and you can read her blog at http://lookwhaticandodogtraining.typepad.com/my-blog/.

I hope that you will find the prospect of picking the brains of some of our favorite doggie tweeps, as interesting as I do. If you would like to suggest some questions or topics for our first two guests, please e-mail me at kevin@dogloversdigest.com or leave a comment here, suggestions (or volunteers) for future guests on Woof Wednesday are encouraged as well.

Cheers

Kevin, Jackie, Gavin, Annie, Tosha

0 comments - Posted by Kevin Myers at 3:51 PM - Categories: Nutrition | Health | Dogs | Humor | Photo | Advocacy | Adoption | Training | Behavior

Reflections on 2009

The New Year is always a time for reflection and this New Year more than most. 2009 has taken a toll on me and my family like no other year has. Loss of a job, a home, loved ones, health problems, and a plague of other nastiness descended on my family in 2009; yet it is still a year that I am thankful for.

One of the biggest reasons I started Dog Lovers Digest .com was to help combat the sea of outdated and incorrect information out there about dogs and our relationships with them; 2009 taught me that there are a lot of people across the world that feel the same.

I have discovered some amazing sites that, along with the people behind them, aim to educate using principals based in scientific fact. I will be compiling a list and review of these sites, but for now let me share just a few of them with you.

www.fearfuldogs.com If everyone were as passionate about just one thing in their life as Debbie Jacobs is about helping fearful dogs, we could solve all the problems in the world. If you have or know of a fearful dog, this resource should be first in your list of bookmarks.

www.dogstardaily.com Unlike some sites that I won’t “whisper” aloud, the training and behavioral advice found here is based on provable scientific methods; not on “energy” and outdated ideas. This is a great training resource and should also be at the top of the list for your training bookmarks.

www.fun4fido.co.uk If you want to find excellent fact based information about training your dog, go to this site and Bob’s your uncle (“there you are” for the anglophilically  challenged). She communicates in clear terms and her love for dogs shows through.

www.dogspelledforward.com Although I just recently discovered this site, it’s obvious that Eric is another one of those people that just gets it. He knows that ethereal, indefinable, hocus pocus is not how you train a dog. His blog posts are a must read. 

www.whole-dog-journal.com I know that this is a print journal, but if you don’t have a subscription then use the link and buy one. It is worth every single penny you pay and then some. The Whole Dog Journal accepts no advertising income and so is able to give unbiased reviews and some of the best advice on training, behavior, and health around.

http://smartdog.typepad.com/ Another new discovery for me, but again another trainer who clearly gets it. I love her blog posts and they are always interesting and topical.

http://www.askdryin.com The website of renowned veterinarian and behaviorist Dr. Sophia Yin. This site is full of useful infromation that is based and backed by the science of learning.

I know there are tons more sites out there that deserve mention but I want to keep this post short. Those listed here along with many other positive people can be found Twitter and are definitely worthy of a follow:  http://twitter.com/dogloversdigest/dogloverstotweet/members. I will continue to add to this list as well as publish a review page of these sites here on dogloversdigest.com.

If you have suggestions of sites and people not on this list that should be; please leave a comment for me so I can find them.

Thanks to you all and here's to a better year in 2010!

Kevin, Jackie, Gavin, Annie, and Tosha

2 comments - Posted by Kevin Myers at 2:47 PM - Categories: Health | Dogs | Humor | Photo | Play | Advocacy | Adoption | Rescue | Training | Behavior

Holiday Pet Photo Contest

For most people that celebrate Christmas, it’s the time of year for peace, joy, and goodwill. But for many of our dogs, Christmas means something very different— humiliation by costume!

Festooned with antlers, red noses, elf boots, and other assorted holiday paraphernalia, dogs are paraded back and forth in front of the camera, all the while being encouraged not to look miserable while doing it.

Thinking back to my childhood days, I can empathize with these dogs. Trotting back and forth between the changing room and my mother— posing while she appraised the ridiculous outfit she’d picked for me to wear. I tried to look as sad and pathetic as I could, trying to convince her that making me wear something like that was the highest form of child abuse!

Although I empathize with their plight, even my own dogs have been subjected to this particular torture as well.  The wallpaper on my wife’s phone is a picture of my Aussie Gavin wearing Reindeer antlers. He seems to be happy in this picture but I know the mitigating circumstances behind it...

1. He is an Aussie and therefore a natural camera hog
2. He knows that a treat awaits, and being an Aussie will do just about anything for food

In order to make this annual humiliation worthwhile, the good people at Mambo Sprouts along with Wellness pet food are sponsoring a holiday photo contest. In addition to awarding prizes, Wellness will donate $1 per entry (up to $1000) and the grand prize entry will get to choose the animal related charity which Wellness will donate to.

For more information, and to enter your own photos, you can go to the contest website at http://www.mambosprouts.com/wellness-contest/. Just remember to tell your pet, it’s for charity!

So what's your verdict— is this just cute, harmless holiday fun— or is it leading to years of psychotherapy from which your dog may never recover? Tell us what you think! :-)

Happy Holidays!

Kevin, Jackie, Gavin, Annie, and Tosha

2 comments - Posted by Kevin Myers at 9:58 PM - Categories: Dogs | Humor | Contest | Photo