My dog offered a sobering lesson the other day, which I’ll get to in a minute. He’s a large, 85 pound husky-mix and not quite two years old. I’ve had him since he was a pup. He’s my right hand man; my shadow. Well trained, gentle, beautifully socialized and responsive. When we get playing, of course it’s fun to tickle and tease, wrestle and chase. Sometimes we get sliding across the hardwoods, me laughing and him panting and wagging with the goober-eyed look most dog owners know well. But on this day, I was getting him a little too riled and I pushed too hard and it scared him. He tensed up a bit and mouthed my arm harder than he normally would. His message was clear: “Please stop.”
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Holy Moly. This one really got to me…
A summer kids camp at Pet’s Lifeline in Sonoma County recently introduced a group of kids to pit bulls via the story ‘Saving Audie.’ Audie as you probably know, was rescued from Bad Newz Kennels and the story covers his rescue and recovery in kid-friendly photos and text.
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Happy Birthday Rescue Barn! Even though we’re still doing final touches (why do things always take twice as long as we expect them to?), we’ve had a gratifying first year of fine-tuning our system so the dogs that come here can get the best kind of help. Below: Jiggs enjoys a game of chase as the sun sets.
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At their best, behavior evaluations (some call temperament tests) – especially those used on canine victims of cruelty – are meant to tease out a few basic behaviors in dogs in order to give responders enough information to plan next steps including a search for appropriate placement options for each individual. Disposition recommendations are typically broken down into four main categories, including: A) a shelter adoption program B) a foster care home for continued observation and possible adoption placement C) sanctuary for extreme behavior issues or D) euthanasia for a dog that is clearly suffering from medical distress or that is considered unredeemably dangerous.
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If you live in the SF bay area, bring the kids over to the Martinez Public Library this coming Monday, July 25. At 6:30pm, Audie will be there to greet his fans along with his trainer and adopter, Linda Chwistek. Fourth grade teacher Charity Jara will be reading from the book “Saving Audie” and both ladies will be answering questions. Bring your cameras! Audie is the cutest little stinker you’ll ever meet and is handling his new found celebrity like a pro. More on the book Saving Audie.
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A older gentleman came to us recently wanting to discuss options for his pet should he pass on before she does. His dog is a lovely, four year old pit bull. He had a recent medical scare and at his advanced age, he acknowledged that his time on this planet was limited, so he was busy with tying up loose ends while he still could. He spoke plainly, gesturing with thin arms bruised by needles from a recent hospital stay. His candor was refreshing. We were discussing the life of his dog, and despite the down-to-business tone of the conversation, it warmed us completely to know that our meeting was centered around the life of a special pit bull who was so dear to him. Planning for your pet(s) comfort and care after your death is such a generous demonstration of love.
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Here’s a training video on using the flirt pole to train/exercise your dog. Dogs learn best when lessons are fun, and this is a great way to turn basic obedience practice into big excitement. We’ve used these in shelter situations, especially with dogs that can’t play with other dogs and it’s been a favorite tool for tiring them out while reinforcing new commands. To keep this valuable as a learning tool, the game must stop anytime a dog grabs the toy without permission. Great for healthy dogs, but be aware that the fast turns and jumping could aggravate faulty joints, so use wisely. Enjoy!
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By popular demand, a how-to video for correctly fitting the prong collar, followed by a video that shows a dog handler with a reactive dog on his first day in class. These will go into our How-To Videos file for future reference.
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Last weekend was the tenth anniversary of our first march in the SF Pride Parade. We started in ‘02 in support of SF resident Guy Lowe. Guy was battling AIDS, so his doctor prescribed a service dog to help him with his depression. Rescued from the old Pinole Shelter, she turned out to be the perfect medicine for him.
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Last month, BR alum ‘Big Sal’ and his handler Jackie Gunby accepted a Hero Award from Placer SPCA on behalf of the Kaiser Permanente Pet Visitor Program which brings dogs to visit hospital patients. You may remember Sal from this post on his work with psych patients. Read the rest of this entry »
My dog offered a sobering lesson the other day, which I’ll get to in a minute. He’s a large, 85 pound husky-mix and not quite two years old. I’ve had him since he was a pup. He’s my right hand man; my shadow. Well trained, gentle, beautifully socialized and responsive. When we get playing, of course it’s fun to tickle and tease, wrestle and chase. Sometimes we get sliding across the hardwoods, me laughing and him panting and wagging with the goober-eyed look most dog owners know well. But on this day, I was getting him a little too riled and I pushed too hard and it scared him. He tensed up a bit and mouthed my arm harder than he normally would. His message was clear: “Please stop.”
