The Dog Blog
From guest blogger: Janeen McMurtrie, Smart Dogs Weblog, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
“Felony” Police Dog Gets Death Penalty
November 27, 2009
Most of the local outlets aren’t covering this, but Minneapolis KARE11 News is reporting on the “euthanasia” of a local police K-9:At ten years of age, Felony was nearing the end of his K-9 career with the Howard Lake Police Department. It just wasn’t supposed to end like this.
Broder & the Black Dog
Broder, my visiting hound mix, and I were on a walk over by the river, just minding our own business and enjoying the crisp autumn air, when we passed a house with two barking corgis and a lab/chow mix. The medium-sized black dog was clearly more agitated than her two shorter companions that some interlopers had dared walk on the dike 30 yards from her fence line. In one deft movement, she launched herself off some furniture and sailed over the wooden fence, in a bee-line straight for us. It was apparent by her eyes that she was more interested in Broder than me. I could tell by her facial tension, ear set, body orientation and tail-carriage that she wasn’t interested in him in a good way.
A Dangerous Job: Perimeters, Porties & Police
I took a bullet for a dog today.
Okay, not really. But it kind of sounds cool, doesn’t it?
I was at my last training session of a rather arduous week of bad weather, difficult situations, cranky people and a few dogs with unusual issues (who really needed more help, but their owners were in a bit of denial). This last training was a 3-month-old Portugese Waterdog named Gaspar (meaning Treasure Keeper) that I was training for Invisible Fence.
Seriously, we all need purpose in life and dogs are no exception! Their job can be as simple as taking you for a walk to get your exercise, or being your comic relief at the end of a long day. Sometimes just this change in perception in the owner's mind can make a difference in the way a dog views their purpose, and that can lead to a change in behavior.
A fellow dog trainer looking for a solution for a client’s dog posed this question:
"What can be done about a dog that regularly climbs over a chain link fence? Would you suggest a privacy fence or invisible fence?"
I was just reminded of how simple dog training can be! And how complex!
Early this morning Rayna and I went for a long walk around the neighborhood. Rayna is a German Shepherd Dog I’m dog sitting for a few days. As we rounded the corner the early morning silence was broken by the faux threat of a young Pomeranian dog
When I was six years old my parents broke the news to me that Tico, our faithful and ancient poodle, was being put to sleep the next day. I knew the meaning behind the euphemism even then. Horrified, I looked at my parents and knew that drastic action needed to be taken.