Living with dogs

The dog bite

2010-04-19T21:03:00.003-07:00

So you want to work with dogs? Sometimes you get licked, sometimes you get bitten. We went to a friends house for a cook-out and took two of our larger dogs, Josie and Shakia. They have two dogs about the same size.

When we arrived all the dogs were greeting each other and chasing one another around the yard. Shortly after our arrive we popped inside the house and the dogs followed. With 5 people and four dogs all crowding the kitchen two of the dogs became agitated with one another. I suspect it was a territorial dispute. At first it seemed they might separate peacefully but then it escalated into a full on dog brawl. Now the standing advice is not to get in the middle of two dogs fighting, but when they are your dogs, and you live around dogs, you can often grab them by their scruffs and pull them apart to “negotiate peace”. Plus if they are your dogs, a fight can become costly if the dogs become injured and require vet care. But there is a risk.

So my wife jumped in and scruffed our dog in the midst of the turmoil and managed to catch one of the dog’s teeth across her finger. Knowing that any trip to see a doctor will end up in a mandatory “bite report” being filed, we opted to take care of it with our own bush medicine.

With plenty of bleeding, the wound had flushed itself out pretty good. I put a Compeed bandage on it,, splinted it to another finger to reduce bending, and we were off and running. It’s been several days now and the wound is healing nicely. A good explanation of the bandages:

My wife is not angry or bitter, knowing it was not intentional. She would do the same thing again in the same circumstances. Working with animals, and living with dogs, it’s not “if you’ll get hurt”, it’s only “when and how bad”! Dogs live in the moment and so should we, taking the good with the bad.

Taking great photographs of shelter dogs

2010-02-25T09:37:00.000-08:00

It seems taking great photographs of dogs is harder than taking great photographs of people! The key is to think like a dog. Many of the tips here will help with taking pictures of the family pet, but when you’re working with shelter dogs there are even more challenges than usual. Quite often shelter dogs are neglected and untrained. Couple that with the fact that shelter life often means limited time running about outside being a dog and it’s no wonder that many of the pictures of shelter dogs involve out of focus cages in the foreground. Many of the photographs of shelter animals are not particularly helpful in showing potential future families the best of what future family member may possess. I have had many compliments of how myr pictures really bring out the best in an animal. Here are my top 5 tips for taking great photos of shelter animals, guaranteed to increase your shelter’s adoption rate to great forever homes!

Top 5 tips for taking great photographs of shelter dogs

1. Think like an “animal” person
Have you even seen a picture of a dog and just fell in love? There are certain qualities of a potential pet that pull on us as humans. Their eyes draw us in on an emotional level, so make sure their eyes are crisp and clear. If you have a great photo except for their eyes, touch them up with your favorite graphics design program to make them look realistic and not a casualty of a “bad flash”.

Additionally pet owners want to know their future “best friend” is alert and attentive; not sad, scared or droopy. Most of what attracts us to an animal in a portrait is their facial features, so focus on that, and crop out the rest if needed!

2. Think like a dog
So how do you get a picture of them looking alert and attentive? It’s critical to make sure the handler isn’t projecting a highly animated energy. In fact it’s best if the handler gives the dog very little attention so that the animal can focus his or her senses elsewhere. (see tips for working alone if one isn’t available) It’s also important for you as the photographer to project the same energy, as you don’t want the dog’s attention focused on you specifically, rather their environment.

Now that we have the humans ready, let’s think like a dog! First, recognize that a dog’s primary sense is their nose (see tip 3). Secondly recognize that the most expressive part of a dog’s face is it’s ears. Neither of which are particularly occupied on a instinctive level within the confines of the shelter itself. So…. Go outside!

Now, develop a repertoire of dog friendly noises; whistles, clicks, an old squeaky toy. Use them but be ready for their instinctual nature to kick in as they listen to the sounds of nature all around them. Capture alert attentive ears and you’ve virtually guaranteed a great shot!

3. Get down on their level

Remember, a dog’s primary sense is smell, which means their first priority is likely going to be sniffing along the ground. This means that’s where you need to be to catch all the action. If a sound captures the animal’s attention he’ll likely lift his head a moment to check it out, and go back to sniffing the ground. You need to be ready when the opportunity arises.

I usually station myself lying on the ground as the handler approaches with the dog and ask them to come within camera range, but not quite close enough for the dog to reach me. Ask the handler to try and just stay put and see if the dog has a favorable reaction to the environment. Occasionally I find it best to have the handler take the dog away from me and slowly walk the animal in my direction.

4. Get the right light and the right background
This has more to do with photography technique rather than animal technique. This is where knowing the animal and finding the right spot can make all the difference.

The first consideration is to make sure the sun is somewhere behind you so that it can add light to the dog’s facial features. However as you shoot be aware of the shadows you and the handler are casting. A shadow in the wrong spot can completely ruin a shot and there’s nothing worse that finally getting a dog to have the right look, only to have your own shadow streaking across his face!

Be aware of what’s behind the dog. It’s best to aim for some sort of contrast. In other words, a dog with a dark coat may not “pop” if she is up against the dark trunk of a tree or a dark forest. Conversely, a light colored animal might get lost if there are only bright clouds or a white building behind her. It’s best to set your cameras/aperture so that anything in the background appears blurry.

5. Be patient!
Once in a while the perfect photograph of a dog happens within seconds of getting him outside. More often it requires a bit of time to allow the dog to release a bit of energy and begin to tap into the natural instincts that take over once they get outside. It’s best to follow the dog; not literally follow him or her around, but follow the animal with you camera lens as you try to get their natural instincts to perk up. Additionally it may mean taking a short break with the camera as the dog’s attention is focused the other direction or pulls the handler right over to you to investigate.

Work with then natural instincts of the dog. A beagle or bloodhound for instance is all nose. Have a good smelling treat to get their attention and see if you can toss it in the direction you want them to look. Many mixed breed with floppy ears look sad and dejected, until a sudden high pitch squeak freezes them and gets those ears perked right up and tuned in. A new shelter dog may be so frightened that the only way she looks attentive is in the security of a handler’s arms. Work with the dog to help him or her show their best features for their potential new family!

How to Take Great Pet Pictures with Any Camera

Pet Photography 101: Tips for taking better photos of your dog or cat

Additional tips

Tips for working alone
Sometimes it is simply not possible to have a handler with you as you try to get just the right shot to showcase a great adoptable animal. This presents additional challenges.

I have used a very stout tie-out so once I transfer the animal from the leash, the dog can explore a bit and learn his limitations. It is critical (particular with big dogs) to stay just outside of range of the animal once you begin photographing! I once had a playful Saint Bernard tangle my leg in the cable and jump on top of me to play, nearly causing injuries that required a hospital visit.

I have found that it is best to have a selection of toys available. Many dogs once they realize there is a bit more freedom than the leash, will actively play fetch, allowing you to capture their attention with a toy.

Cats

I prefer to have a handler step just outside the front door of the shelter. Cats tend to immediately respond instinctually the moment they are outside. Be aware that cats can and will recognize freedom and make a run for it! Sometimes it’s best get a picture in the cage. I always open the door and do my best to get a natural response.

Dogs and cold weather

2010-01-11T08:44:00.000-08:00

It amazes me when people feel badly for a stout dog, such as Husky or Malamute, who is “stuck” outside in the cold. Particularly if the dog spends most of it’s time outside anyway. To anthropomorphize our pets doesn’t help them or us. To apply only human emotions and thoughts towards our interactions with our animals deeply inhibits our understanding of the animal and our ability to help it reach it’s potential. If you’ve ever seen Caesar Millan’s Dog Whisperer, than you’ve undoubtedly seen an owner who treats their dog like a human child, and therefore can’t control it, because the dog actually wants to be treated like a dog. The same principles can apply to dogs and cold weather.

However, there must be balance. Dogs can get frostbite or even die from exposure to cold weather. Canines such as foxes and wolves understand fully how to survive in such harsh conditions without our help. They build dens to get out of the weather, they eat different types of prey, they develop thicker coats, and instinctively know how and when to adapt in order to survive. Our domesticated dogs however have lost much of that knowledge and rely on us to fill in the gaps. Here is a great common sense "to do" list, from a vet, regarding how we as humans can help our dogs survive and thrive during cold weather:
The cold weather "to do" list for humans regarding their dog

All dogs are different
All dogs are different, much like people, and some naturally have a higher tolerance for colder weather than others. Here are several factors which affect a dog’s ability to withstand colder temperatures.

The Breed: Large northern breeds such as Alaskan Malamutes or Siberian Huskies, have physiological differences that allow them to withstand cold much better than say, a Chihuahua.
Their coat: A well groomed coat is an amazing insulator. Mats reduce it’s effectiveness and the longer and thicker the coat, the better the insulation. Look how this dogs retains heat versus the : Human face or a terrier or a puppy
Their age: A puppy has not developed enough muscle and fatty layers, nor have they developed their full coat. Elderly dogs lack the energy reserves to cope with the cold. Healthy adult dogs however can cope with cold much better.
The amount of time they spend outside, particularly in the fall: One of the primary reasons wolves and foxes can survive the winter is that the natural rhythms of the seasons have instructed their bodies to put on extra fatty layers and build up a thicker coat in preparation for the cold. Domesticated dogs that spend most of their time indoors did not have the opportunity to receive these instructions from mother nature.
Their food: Again wolves and foxes prepare their energy reserves for the oncoming winter by eating more. Be cautions of overfeeding if your dog is not getting plenty of daily exercise, but by all means give them a bit more food during the colder months. Additionally maintain a nutritious and well-balanced diet for your dog, and foods with a bit more fat content are certainly acceptable.

Check this out!

In addition, they do have some very interesting distinct physical differences than us humans, in order to be able to walk about in the ice and snow more easily.

Read my post about dogs physical difference

How dogs can withstand the cold better than humans

2010-01-11T08:20:00.000-08:00

It would seem that dogs must be somehow physically different from humans. I have watched them romp and play in the snow, and even walk about on ice, their feet in constant contact with the elements, yet they have no problems and continue on as if it were nothing. Yet I, even with gloves and boots, still manage to think I’m about to lose my fingers and toes due to frostbite. Dogs have two distinct advantages over humans in keeping their extremities going in colder temperatures.

The first physical difference

The first physical difference is in how their blood vessels are arranged at their extremities. As humans our bodies are designed to restrict the blood flow to the extremities if they are exposed to very cold temperatures. It’s a survival mechanism, we can live without fingers or toes, but if our core temperature drops to a certain level, we die. Imagine not wearing gloves, and the warm blood that enters your fingertips loses that heat at the tips, and then returns to the heart much colder then when it left. The body recognizes this as a potential lethal problem, and constricts the flow of blood to those fingertips in a effort to reduce the heat lose to the core.

Dogs limbs however are a bit different. The vessels that carry the blood from the heart to the pads, literally lie right up against the return vessels. The warm blood flowing out the tips literally is able to transfer some of the heat to the colder blood returning to the heart, in effect warming it up before it reaches the core. The core temperature therefore drops much slower and the dog’s body is much less inclined to restrict the blood flow to the extremities. It’s almost as if the blood is playing a trick on the body in order to keep the extremities alive longer, which seems as if it would become even more dangerous eventually. This leads us to the second physical difference. NOTE (This may in fact have something to do with why they pant in the summer as an alternative air-conditioning, since their skin at the extremities is not as well designed to conduct heat to the environment.)

The second physical difference
The second physical difference in dogs is in the actual flesh of their lower legs. If our blood played the above trick on us we would likely lose a lot more than just our fingertips to the frostbite, our entire hand might become entirely frostbitten at the same time. The flesh in our bodies contain a good deal of fat. Consider tallow. Tallow is a form of rendered fat that comes from animals and is pretty solid at room temperatures, resembling the white solid vegetable shortening you might use for cooking. Now consider Neatsfoot oil. Neatsfoot oil is also a form of rendered fat that also comes from animals, and is in a completely liquid state at room temperature.

Here’s the most interesting part. Tallow is derived from the core area of animals, while Neatsfoot oil is derived from the extremities. You see, nature has designed animals so their feet do not freeze solid as quickly as the rest of them might if it were constantly in contact with the snow and ice. So the combination of tightly packed blood vessels and fat tissue that doesn't turn solid as easily allows dogs to expose their feet to the cold much longer than us humans could ever dream. Pretty cool!

Read my blog about dogs and cold weather

A more detailed article on these physical traits

Dog pictures with Santa

2009-12-22T09:33:00.000-08:00

Dog pictures with Santa Clause, now that is entertaining! As a fundraiser for our local humane Society, I assisted with taking pictures with Santa. It was cold. There were dogs. There was Santa.

There were also gifts, given by the dogs. It always amazes me how true and genuine dogs are. They never try to manipulate, judge, nor chastise. They simply are joyful to be alive, and think nothing of what is coming next. Yet humans hold the power to destroy. Yet it is this time of year that our thoughts turn to the goodness in people, and dogs have an innate sense to recognize it.

After enduring hours of cold, a little dog warmed me up. You see, even dogs love the idea of Santa! The gift of a dog’s kiss is worth more than jewelry or gold, for it give us a smile and warmth inside, a connection with something deeper than ourselves, and for that we are appreciative!

Chicago the dogs's amazing leap

2009-12-03T11:35:00.000-08:00

Our “dog thing” all started with a free farm dog we named “Chicago”. He was the first dog either of us had ever had. This is the story of his amazing leap.

It was a wonderful summer day…. You know the type. Driving down the highway, windows down, radio on, life is good. I had my new puppy in the seat next to me. He had not figured out how to hang his head out the window yet, and I had not figured out to leave just enough room for his head to fit. I was about to!

I noticed some cows grazing in the field as I sped down the highway at 70 miles an hour. Chicago must have noticed he cows at the same time and decided they must be dogs with whom would love to play wit him, for before I could blink, Chicago had all four paws on the door frame and launched himself out of the car, presumable to go play with the “dogs”.

In my rear view mirror I saw a sight I will never forget. My dog, legs outstretched, trying to fly like Superman. He hit the beam of the highway and bounced 8-10 feet into the air. As he was air-born after the bounce, it was as if he had no bones whatsoever and was made of rubber, a complete rag doll appearance violently tossed into the air.

I pulled to the side, shaking, fearful, and in tears. I certainly could not afford the vet bill to fix him up if by the slightest chance, he had survived. Frankly, I didn’t want to have to see the mess that used to be my dog, and so I literally began to drive away, realizing all was lost. Yet something made me stop before pulling into traffic, and I realized I had to go see if their was anything I could do, you know, put a doggy band-aid on it or something.

So I backed carefully down the shoulder to where I thought Chicago had hit. No sign of him. So I opened the door and gave a whistle. Nothing. I tried again, and this time the bushes about 20 yards down the hill began to rustle. Out came Chicago, wobbling up the hill towards my car, as if he had just had one to many whiskeys. He hopped into the car, and looked at me as if to say “what the heck just happened!”

I never did take him to the vet. He slept soundly for the rest of the day, and after picking literally hundreds of burs out of his fur, he seemed no worse for the wear. He lived to be 12 years old, and had at least one other adventure that would have killed a normal dog. Chicago, was not your average pup!

Moving to Ohio - an intro to this Blog

2009-11-27T20:36:00.000-08:00

Dogs. When we packed up the moving van in New Jersey and moved the family to Ohio, we had three. Well Renee my wife soon began working at a local Humane Society, (nice Web site by the way!) and our "family" began to grow. When we left, we brought Bongo the Boxer, and Yamanuska and Kyeentay the Maltese. Now we have 13 or 14.... (I kinda lose count)

You see we foster dogs that need some extra attention, so there are always some here that won’t stay here. That’s okay, because there are enough her already! We have Chihuahuas, Maltese, a Boxer, some crazy mix breeds, and every one has a very unique personality and a place in the pack.

In the coming months not only will I introduce you many of the dogs I know, but will also share tips and advice. Here are some of the upcoming topics:

Chicago the dog
The Fence
The Cat killer
The top 3 tips for maintaining control of the pack
Feneca, the 5 pound bully
The misunderstood old dog
Adopting a shelter animal
Taking great pet photos
And so much more!

Stay tuned…