MyDogRuss.com

Why does my dog love to roll in poo?!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:14:00 +0000

Ahhh the age old question, why does my dog love to roll in poo and everything else that stinks?

The first time I encountered this was out walking one of the daycare dogs & he started to really pull on the lead. When I looked down at Gus, a dazed yet mesmorised expression had crossed his little face and his eyes had completely glazed over. He appeared to have lost all control. I had no idea what was happening but in a split second I saw where he was heading - for a huge pile of bear poo!! It took all of my strength to hold him back, he'd turned in to a total dead weight.

The need to roll in poo and every other stinky substance on the planet is so deeply engrained in dogs I don't think they even know why they do it. It has been traced back to their wolfy ancestry when they roamed in packs and hunted for prey. Rolling in stinky stuff disguised their natural scent and meant they could sneak up on their prey without being noticed.

So there you have it, its simple natural instinct and the stinkier the better!!

Doggie Daycare - Top 3 Getting Started Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 27 May 2008 04:56:00 +0000

Business Plan: Put together a business plan of course!
Demand: Make sure that there is a demand for a dog daycare service in the area you are looking at
Location: The third most important thing (which kind of sounds the same as the first but isn't) - is location, location, location!

Getting Started Tip #3: Location, location, location!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 27 May 2008 04:45:00 +0000

As with any business where your clientele has to come to you, the facility needs to be located in a place that is easy to access. Somewhere that is either near a large population of dog owners, or even en route to an area where people will be going to work/shop. You will find that people tend to speed in on their way to work or an appointment and they will act like they don’t have enough time to come in and have a chat, or wait while someone else’s dog checks in. This kind of thing needs to be discouraged from the get-go. In my experience it only leads to problems in the future with clients behaving like their time is more important than yours. It also leads to pressure from clients in pushing their dogs on to you even if you are already at capacity. To minimise these problems and lower stress levels, an accessible location and speedy check-in system is paramount.

The key thing to remember is that before your daycare existed, these people did something else with their dogs during the day.

Getting Started Tip #2: Demand

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 27 May 2008 04:43:00 +0000

Make sure that there is a demand for a dog daycare service in the area you are looking at.

You can measure demand by putting together a survey and actively going out in to the community and talking to dog owners. You can also try posting an advertisement in the local paper or on notice boards with details of your proposal to gauge interest levels. Make sure to do some research too in case someone else has tried to start a dog daycare there before and has failed due to a lack of demand.

Getting Started Tip #1: Business Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 27 May 2008 04:32:00 +0000

Before you get started you need to be able to see that your business can make money, or at the very least break even. Most daycares in areas where they have regular clientele (as opposed to tourist areas) take about 2 years to make money. Make sure you are prepared for this! Figure out your base line for renting space, retail supplies, cleaning supplies, what you will charge for daycare, grooming, walking and any other services you offer.

Raw Feeding & Tom Lonsdale

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Sat, 17 May 2008 06:06:00 +0000

I went to a very interesting talk on Raw Feeding for Cats & Dogs the other night. It now makes a lot more sense to me. After learning more about anatomy and the stomach & bowel functions of these animals, I can see why it is so important that they eat the food that is right for them. It's like the difference between us eating fried food all the time or eating healthy food. Your little Benji might love the taste of his chicken & liver kibble, but it's just not good for him.

Most commercial cat & dog food is bulked up primarily with soy or wheat. Dogs & cats are carnivores, they are not supposed to eat plant matter all the time. In the wild, they will only eat plant matter if they cannot find a meat source. Not to mention their jaws & teeth are built to rip & tear their food apart & this just is not possible with commercial foods. Over 80% of dogs in New Zealand have tooth and gum disease. This leads to large amounts of bacteria & an immune system that is constantly fighting to stay balanced. This is generally because they are not using their teeth in the way they should be used. When dogs rip & tear their food they clean their teeth at the same time. Dog's do not chew their food in the wild; it's just rip, tear & swallow. When they just eat kibble and wet food, they don't even get to use their jaw muscles, they just swallow their food. This food then sits in the stomach, unable to be broken down and very sluggishly moves through the intestines and out the other end...eventually. But along the way it can be the cause of all sorts of skin problems, stomach problems, an inefficient bowel & even worms.. So that's just a quick round-up of some persuasive reasonings on why we should all be moving our dogs and cats on to the kind of food they should eat.

For info on Tom Lonsdale's Raw Food ideas, research & more persuasive arguments to switch, go to http://www.rawmeatybones.com/

Rayden

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:21:00 +0000

A dog that has made a lasting impression on me in the past few years is an 85% timber/arctic wolf X husky by the name of Rayden.. He is a stunningly elegant dog that can leap with grace out of any situation - no matter how high the fence! His owner has put a lot of time in to making sure he had consistent training from the beginning as you have to when you have a dog that's a little more 'wild' than the rest. That's not to say he's without his behavioural quirks, but in general, he is the wolf/dog you want beside you when there's tension in the air between other dogs. With just a lift of his upper lip he reveals his sparkly, white, HUGE fangs & that usually settles any dispute without a noise...

Not long ago I had the pleasure of listening to Geoff Bowers share his vast knowledge of wolf behaviour, how it relates to your dog (a.k.a wolf) & how to use this knowledge in training. His talk was so interesting and relevant that I feel it should get a mention. Bowers is from the U.K but now lives in New Zealand where he has developed his own dog food brand K9 Natural Dog Food with the catch phrase "Feed Your Dog's Inner Wolf". Check out his website http://www.k9natural.co.nz/ for product information, some very useful dog training & care tips, and some fascinating reading sources for those who want to learn more about the wolfiness of our dogs.

Guide Dog Services

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:56:00 +0000

I had the fun privilege of a private tour through the Guide Dog Services facility in Homai (Auckland, New Zealand) last week.
It's great to see how many pups they have; only 7 weeks old and soooooo cute. They are in desperate need of Puppy Walkers though - these are the awesome people that look after a puppy in their own home from when they're about 7 weeks until they are 1 year old and ready to go in to full time guide dog training. It may sound sad to have to give up your dog after 1 year but it really is ideal I imagine, for some people. These dogs put on their red coat & they can go anywhere with you from restaurants to buses. No one is legally allowed to deny your dog entrance in to where you are going. What it means, is that you get yourself a super cute, temporary pet who can't cramp your style! If that is a concern for you.. Unfortunately, only 2/3 of all dogs that go in to training actually work out to be of a suitable temperament etc and continue on to find a handler. So, it means there is still a chance your dog will be offered back to you as a pet!
It costs approximately NZD$22,500 to fund one guide dog from breeding right through to being a guide. They don't receive any government funding so if you can donate some $ it's definitely a worthy cause! For more info on donating or becoming a Puppy Walker & gaining a furry buddy click here.

Top Ten Tips for a Successful Dog Daycare

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 05:09:00 +0000

Make sure you have knowledegable, confident & experienced staff with common sense
Don't cut back on staff in the daycare to increase the profit margin (see Staff/Dog ratio)
Explore new business options in grooming, retail, walking services etc. to bring in more $
Have one set of procedures for everyone & make sure they follow them exactly
All issues need to be referred to the manager/operator so clients have one face to deal with
Try to incorporate a walking service for high-energy dogs to keep a harmonious atmosphere
Always have an open line of communication with your human clients
Make sure your clients respect your staff & your time; don't let them push their needs on you
Always give feedback to human clients about their dog's day
Don't allow dogs to attend daycare every day as this could lead to dominance & bullying

Sled Dogs in New Zealand!

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:21:00 +0000

Recently, I worked with a lady who is heavily involved in sled dog running in Auckland, New Zealand. Who would've thought it?! A place that does not get snow, and some of the dogs running are not even huskies. They train and race on either a "rig" which is like a wheeled sled, or a "scooter", which looks like a converted bicycle for all intensive purposes. We had such interesting conversations and I learned so much about this sport, hobby and career for some. The NZFSS website (NZ Federation of Sled Dog Sports) has loads more information and I personally am so stoked to find out that this even exists!! I'll definitely be going along to check out a race meet.

******

Photo Courtesy of NZFSS website

The Right Food For Your Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:45:00 +0000

If you aren't convinced that raw food is the go for your dog, or you're not sure how to do it right, make sure to read this article which covers alternatives when choosing the right food for your dog. This is courtesy of Cesar Millan's website from his 'Ask The Vet' specialist, Dr Sherry Weaver:
'The decision on what to feed our canine children is a complex one. There are pet food companies shouting at you that, if you don’t feed their food, you don’t love your dog, and well-meaning others who want to convince you that anything commercial is taking the lazy way out. There are foods that are “all-natural” and foods with tasty bits to convince your finicky dog to eat. Just like feeding ourselves, it is very hard to sort out the truth from the marketing.' Read on

Consistency in Training

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 01:06:00 +0000

Consistency is key in training!

It's hard work, but as I've said before, you have a dog so by association you are his/her role model and therefore, you are his Pack Leader.
Once you get in to your role, I guarantee you'll find it easy and rewarding beyond belief. And you will also see that there is plenty of time for cuddles, love and affection. Just not during your dog's 'work' hours - not while he's 'on the job'! This is a concept we human-doings must surely understand in relation to our own work lives. In light of professionalism, no matter how much we may like it, we prefer our loved ones do not disturb us or drop in on us during our work day for cuddles or random chatter.
Our 'work' gives us purpose in our lives and this is no different in our canine buddies. Your dog would have a job within his pack in the wild. He might be in charge of digging a hole for the pack to sleep in to keep cool, hunting to keep the pack fed, or watching out for predators. Give your dog a job, train him to do his job and make sure he works hard every day. Then at the end of the day you and he can enjoy the rewards of affection and share in the sense of achievement that comes with having purpose and responsibilities in your life.

Dog in Zero Gravity

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:03:00 +0000

Here's what happens when a dog goes up in a plane and gravity disappears..

There are no bad dogs, only bad pack leaders

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:14:00 +0000

Your dog picks up on your energy. High pitched, squeaky voices, angry yelling or soft, weak directions are all varying vocal tones a dog can become conditioned to react to. That sounds a little confusing so I'll give you an example.
The first time your dog heard angry yelling he came out to see what was happening and in the heat of the moment you or another person a) chased him away aggressively b) yelled at him or c) everyone stormed away and your dog was left alone.

In your dogs head now: angry yelling = negative outcome.

Here's another example: you come home from work and open the door. Happy to see your dog you speak in a high-pitched, excited voice and he jumps up on you to say hello also visibly excited.

In dog language: high-pitched voice = jump up on person.

Now of course when someone comes to your house that is scared of dogs they may walk in, see your dog and speak in a high-pitched, squeaky voice to say "please take your dog away from me!" and what will your dog do?? He'll jump up on the person because that's what he thinks he's supposed to do. Then you react aggresively to move your dog off the guest, most probably put on a stern voice to scold him for jumping up, so he slinks away as he's conditioned to do.

Can you see the confusion for your dog? Dogs don't think so much as they are conditiond by events, action = response, throughout their puppyhood. There can only be one outcome for one action and this needs to be consistently reinforced through continual training and practice.

Make the Switch to a Raw Food Diet

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 02:11:00 +0000

Here's a fantastic list of reasons to switch your dog to the food he's built to eat. This is courtesy of Jane Anderson's website http://www.rawlearning.com/

"A raw diet provides a range of benefits that commercial dog diets can never hope to even closely match.

These benefits include:

no doggy odour
naturally cleans teeth - no need for toothbrushes, de-scaling jobs, or gum disease
the time it takes for a dog to chew a raw meaty bones give their stomach adequate time to get the acids moving
much less stools produced - and they are firm, and turn chalky after a couple of days
decreased or non-existant vet bills (your dogs are healthier!)
less cost for dog food - commercial dog foods are ludicriously expensive
mirrors what a dog would be getting in the wild - and certainly even the modern day dog has a digestive tract exactly the same as a wolf
puppies develop at a more appropriate rate - and quick growth spurts are avoided. A GOOD breeder will want to stop fast growth in any pup.
the ripping and chewing involved in eating raw meaty bones develops the jaw, neck, and shoulder muscles of the dog. Commercial dog foods will never assist in this important muscle development. "

So what are you waiting for? Make the switch!!

Don't Get Walked By Your Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:44:00 +0000

We've all seen it & giggled. Someone getting dragged along behind their dog and you can't help but make the smug comment - "Who's walking who?". It can be an uphill battle if your dog was born with leader instincts or is an Alpha dog as we like to call it. But even an alpha dog can become a follower, given the right direction and guidance.
It's easy to see who the Pack Leader is - the one walking out front. This is best observed during off-leash walking but can also be seen on a regular leash (not a retractable leash). So if your dog drags you down the street and insists on sniffing everything in sight, then he is the pack leader and you need to correct this. As mean as you may feel, your dog should not be allowed to sniff everything he wants until you allow him. He should never drag you down the street - despite what you think, your dog is not just over-excited about the walk. He is exercising his authority over you & this relationship will never work. Not only are you showing everyone in your neighbourhood and at the dog park that you have no control over your dog should he decide to snap at something, but these people may develop a fear of your dog which will come through as negative energy. Your dog will sense this right away & could react aggresively towards it. Remember, dogs sense negative energy and interpret it as a threat or a weakness. They do not nurture weakness as we humans do. Instead they will act to eliminate weaker pack members for the overall strength of the pack.

Funny dog

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:05:00 +0000

Hehe, I just found this silly clip of a lab patiently waiting to go outside...

Top 5 Staffing Tips for your Dog Daycare

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:55:00 +0000

Finding good staff is often the hardest, yet absolutely THE most crucial part of running a doggie daycare. Sourcing good, reliable, well-balanced, experienced pack leaders for your business will always be a challenge, but once you have a solid crew working for you the only way is up!

Here are my top 5 tips:

Don't hire the "I love Dogs!" person. There are plenty of them out there but without any real experience of working with dogs it can turn out to be a disaster.
Previous experience working with animals required. This needs to be in your job advertisement. At the very least they need to have a background in animal psychology or canine behaviour.
Establish your staff/dog ratio and stick to it. Pushing this limit can create a dangerous & unpredicatable environment for staff and dogs alike. Only 1 bad incident could see you having to close down.
Pay your staff what they're worth. As I've said above, good staff are very had to find and once you find them, do what you need to do to hang on to them. It can be the difference between your business flying or failing.
Offer incentives. You may not be able to offer the highest wages or the best perks, but find a way to get your staff discounts in the pet industry, access to further education and get those contra deals working for you and your team.

Staffing Tip #5: Offer Incentives

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:20:00 +0000

If you are just starting out you most probably will not be in a position to offer healthcare, bonuses or high pay rates. What you can offer your staff is free use of the daycare for their own dogs while they are working and while they are not. However, you do need to be aware that for some reason, professional dog people often have the worst behaved dogs! I don't know why this is exactly. Perhaps because they spend so much time with other peoples dogs that they neglect to properly train their own? Not sure. So you must make it clear that the very same rules and warning systems apply to their dog as do to client dogs.
Another idea is to work out some freebies & discounts for your staff with your own retail suppliers. Then maybe strike some contra deals for your staff with veterinary clinics & other pet services in exchange for word of mouth promotion of their businesses to your clients or put up posters for their services in your facility.

Staffing Tip #4: Pay Your Staff What They're Worth

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 22:16:00 +0000

Whatever you do, don't take advantage of animal lovers. If you've been through the hiring process already, you know that good staff in the daycare are very hard to come by. Establishing a fair pay rate is a must. It is a lot of people's dream job to work with dogs but at the end of the day, if it doesn't pay the bills, any job no matter how much you love it can become a burden. A decent pay rate in the animal industry only confirms to the staff member that they have made the right choice coming to work for you. I know it may be hard to come up with a decent figure when you are starting out so really rack your brains to think of any other incentives you could offer your team to make it worth their while.

Staffing Tip #3: Establish your Staff/Dog Ratio and Stick To It

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:57:00 +0000

A good staff/dog ratio to work with when deciding how many staff to hire is up to 10 dogs to each person. Once you have been going for a little while or if you have very experienced staff, you can run it with up to 15 dogs per staff member. However, at this level staff must implicitly follow all aspects of the daycare processes you have in place and adhere to these with no exceptions. That includes following detailed safety precautions, avoiding putting staff & dogs in danger & preventative measures where possible.

Remember - at the end of the day, if a fight breaks out in the daycare you are essentially dealing with a pack of wild animals. The last thing you want is a staff member in a position where they feel threatened or worse, where a staff member is injured or bitten.

Staffing Tip #2: 'Previous Experience Working with Animals Required'

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:45:00 +0000

When you advertise your jobs, make sure to put 'previous experience working with animals required'. Working with animals is very different to living with animals, or growing up with a family dog. You need staff that can walk in to the daycare & exhibit the right energy & attitude from the get-go. Make sure you sort through the resumes you receive and only take people seriously if they have a) worked with pack animals before (not necessarily dogs) or b) studied animal behaviour or canine psychology papers. Owning a dog and taking it to puppy training by no means qualifies someone to work with animals. You can be sure that more than half of your applicants will still not have had any experience working with animals, but at least it may discourage some people from applying and reduce your work load.

Once I had a very nice guy show up pulling a crumpled up, wet resume out of his pocket while opening his wallet at the same time to show me a photo of his beautiful Staffordshire. When I asked where his dog was he told me he had left it on the other side of Canada while he went traveling & was missing the animal contact, had seen my ad and thought he'd be a shoo-in. He had been a delivery driver prior to this point & was now applying to be the Manager of a very high-end dog daycare!

Staffing Tip #1: "Don't Hire the "I Love Dogs!" Person

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:08:00 +0000

It may sound harsh, I mean of course your staff have to love dogs, but there is a lot more to it than that. One of the first things you will notice when you begin hiring is that there are an awful lot of people out there who 'love dogs'. They will come rushing in droves when they see your advertisement for staff, with no experience, some with photos of family dogs, others with just a passion for playing with dogs 24/7. Don't hire these people no matter how much you may feel they should be given a chance.

In saying that, if someone is absolutely desperate to work for you and won't take no for an answer, consider taking them on as a volunteer for a few shifts working alongside your current staff. Don't think of it as a money saving option and put them on the schedule in a regular shift. If you then decide to train them up bear in mind that the valuable time you take training them could be wasted if you (or they) decide they're not cut out for the job. Make sure they are aware of the hard work involved in the job, that it is not just about 'playing with dogs', the potential hazards involved in working with animals and what kind of remuneration they can expect for their time.

Walking Your Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:32:00 +0000

During a walk or run it is essential to maintain your status as Pack Leader. Dogs work on cues. These can be physical, visual cues but more often there are non-visual cues that they pick up on through your energy. I guess that may sound a little deep for some people, maybe even a little hard to believe? But if you assume the air of superiority & truly believe in your role, your dog will recognise the energy you are exhibiting and fall in behind you.

You are your dog's provider as well as companion.

Exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:11:00 +0000

If you have to start work early, get up even earlier to make sure your dog gets some exercise before you head out for 7-8 hours. I know, I know, I can hear the sighs from here - 'Get up even earlier?!'. In reality, if your dog were in the wild like her ancestors, she would spend about 10 hours a day on the move with her pack. I'm only suggesting 30 mins - 1 hour in the morning. If you don't like exercising in the morning, then just throw her in your car and drive to the nearest dog-friendly park or beach. Let her run off-leash and wear herself out, it does help if there are other dogs to socialise with too (I call it the 'self-exercising' dog). Not all of us have the fitness to run with our dog for an hour or more, so this way they do it for themselves.

If these ideas do not appeal, then be prepared to spend some money on a dog walker. In many places you can either provide a trusted dog walker with keys to your house or leave your dog in an accessible area of your property. Your dog walker will come and collect your dog, walk her & return her for between $10-$20/day. This is the way to go if life is just too hectic to find the time to do it yourself.

In saying this, can I underline that there is really NO REPLACEMENT to taking your own dog out walking & running every day. It is all part and parcel of establishing yourself as Pack Leader. A dog walker will assume that role too and they will be the leader of all the dogs out walkign each day. It is the only way to maintain control of the pack & be certain, in the case of off-leash walkers, that they will all return to the walker at the end of the day.

I know I'm probably pushing it now, but when you come home from work once again, your dog needs another, this time longer, energy-burning walk. And this time it needs to be you that does it!