Have you seen Roxy? Best friend lost! Sweet female, looks like small golden retriever mix, red/brown fur with black markings (incuding eye mascara), floppy ears, border-collie sized approx 35 lbs, noticeably brittle thin coat (espcially at the tail) and frail looking/skinny, esp in the hindquarters. Bare belly from ultrasounds. Has on green collar with our home and cell numbers, and address.

She wandered away from Hampton Park on Island Park Drive Monday night (March 8th) around 7 pm. Confused, debilitated, people friendly, but SO subdued these days its hard to know whether she would try to avoid people. NOT car savvy. She has never been lost before

If you have any info about Roxy, please call Lisa at 613-715-0297

It’s easier to teach your dog to shush when he is calm and focused. Therefore teaching your dog to “Woof” on cue is the first step in “Shush” training, this enables you to teach “Shush” at your convenience, and not at inconvenient times when the dog decides to bark.

First we have to teach this as a trick for a reward, like a treat.

Set up an accomplice outside the front door to elicit the barking so you can practice.

Say “Woof” (or speak, bark, alert) which is the cue for your assistant to ring the bell. Praise your dog profusely when he barks; maybe even bark along with your dog. This is a game; do not become frustrated, he will get it.

1. Your cue “Woof!” “Speak” whatever you choose you must be consistent.
2. Do something that will make your dog bark
3. Praise from you: “good! Wonderful!” after a few barks
4. Your cue “Shush”
5. Show the dog the food treat
6. The dog is distracted by the treat so stops barking
7. Get 3 -5 seconds of quiet during which you are praising “goooooooood Shush!”
8. Give the dog the treat he has earned after the 3-5 seconds of perfect quiet
9. Do it again from number (1) and gradually extend the length of time of the “Shush” up to a minute or two.
10. Do it over and over until your dog knows the game. It may take several sessions, so hang in there.

How do you know if he understands the game?
He knows the game when he “Woofs” on cue and doesn’t need the trigger anymore and he quiets on the first cue to “Shush” without you showing him the treat.

He still gets a treat though, that you have already placed in your pocket or next to you. But if he gets in even a muffled bark or two, say “Oh! Too bad” and start counting the “Shush” time from the beginning again. He needs to learn that barking during quiet time was a mistake that cost him his treat.

By alternating instructions to “Woof” and “Shush”, the dog is praised and rewarded for barking on request and for shushing on request.

Speak softly when instructing your dog to shush, and reinforce your dog’s silence with a whisper of praise. The more softly you speak, the more your dog will be inclined to pay attention and listen and therefore not bark. Use treats that are high value to your dog and that he does not usually receive. Make it worth his while to control himself.

You have to have the ability to yo-yo the dog back and forth between the bark and quiet in training sessions before you take it on the road for real situations. Barking is compulsive for many dogs so you have to build this up to actual visitor trials.

When you can turn the barking on and off anytime as a trick you can now start practicing in real life situations. The first few times may be rough and you may need to show the treat up front only if necessary. Or you can reprimand hopefully in your home, setting this up is the best option here. When the dog ignores you “Shush” cue, flatten him with the growliest, loudest “I said Shush” you can muster, even better get every family member to simultaneously do this. When the dog quiets “what a goooooooood super dog you are” in a very sweet quiet tone.

Something else that can help you with the “Shush” is to have the dog do a down-stay as well as being quiet. To earn the treat, he must remain on a mat near the door and keep his mouth zipped during the quiet period.

Dianne Sarasin’s Quick tips e-Book will be available soon through the Ottawa Dog Blog

“Allo, my name is Bouboule. I am a 10 year old male, white Shih Tzu with some charcoal colour on my behind and around my tail. I was adopted at 10 months old by my human parents Louise and Roger. When I first arrived, I didn’t know what grass was so I had to be trained (I was previously trained to go in a litter box).

I arrived in my new home and had two other dogs to play with, that is Piggy and Slinky! I was very happy with them until they both past away within 7 months (2008-09) of each other. I was really sad but Mom & Dad got me two other friends, Libby and Timmy. I love adults and kids.

My favorite game is to steal your shoe when you visit and you have to run after me to retrieve it. Hmmm, I thought humans were supposed to train us but in my case, its the other way around! I am very vocal so when I want something, I let Mom and Dad know! If you dare to disturb me in my sleep, I will growl but I won’t bite…just trying to scare you which never works with my parents. I guess they know me too well by now! I love walking to the park and meeting other dogs but I admit the big dogs scare me! Take a look at
my pictures…am I cute or what!

My mom helped me write this!” – Transcribed by Bouboule’s Mom, Louise

I love watching Mythbusters. Sciency stuff just gets me, as long as it’s done in a fun and interesting way and that’s exactly what the Mythbusters are all about!

Check out this video on testing the myth as to if a Bloodhound can follow a scent.

This 3 month old Golden loves watching the movie Air Bud. I love how her tails starts going – she’s really loving it!! Corduroy LOVES The Dog Whisperer and last week she watched a full 1 hr documentary on wolves with us – and she really watched it! She was captivated! Paddington doesn’t care so much for TV but Cordy will watch if there are other dogs on the program.

Does your dog like watching tv?

If you are Maddee’s owners or know them, please contact me ASAP through email or by phone at 613-869-5549

Maddee had her Bad Dog Mug Shot taken by me at Westfest last summer.

I often post on here about charities doing fundraisers because they need money, but something I don’t post about enough is that most of the dog rescue organizations in Ottawa also need foster homes. Many shelters these days don’t actually have a shelter, but have their dogs rehabilitated in homes that are lovingly opened up to them by some amazing families.

Fostering a dog can bring up a lot of questions, and fears. What if I grow too attached? What if I can’t do it?

I am friends with an amazing pet photographer who is based out of Southern California and recently she took the leap and fostered a dog. This dog is named Harry, and this is Grace’s story of their journey together.

***PLEASE NOTE: Harry is available for adoption in Southern California. He is NOT in Ottawa.***

I’ve always considered fostering, but the thought of it honestly freaked me out. I couldn’t imagine taking care of a dog and inevitably growing to love him, only to give him up to his forever home. So while it sounded really awesome in theory – I knew I just didn’t have the guts to do it.

I feel like if me, miss scaredy pants, can bite the bullet and foster, anyone can! It’s a really amazing experience.

But on Christmas Eve 2009, Los Angeles Best Friends Animal Society volunteers went to the Balwin Park Shelter and rescued a group of dogs from euthanasia – including this little Bischon-Poodle mix named Harry.

Poor guy was in REALLY bad shape. He was lifeless in his cell at the shelter, and upon closer examination volunteers discovered he was badly wounded. It looked as if he’d been dragged on asphalt by a car, resulting in a big, painful patch of road burn on his side. He had also developed hot spots around his back legs and tail, probably from all the anxiety of being in the shelter.

They bathed him, groomed him as much as they could, and off he went to the vet for boarding.

With so much recovering Harry needed to do, it seemed that it would be best for him to heal in a foster home instead of yet another scary, cold cage in boarding. My friend and Studio Manager thought he’d be a perfect fit for my house. Maeby and Zoey love small dogs and I work from home. The ONLY REASON I really had to say no was my own selfish anxiety about growing attached to Harry and eventually giving him up.

So I sucked it up, got over my fears, and in early January I went to the vet to pick Harry up.

See the giant patch of road burn on his side? Poor guy had wounds on his legs too.

It’s been about 7 weeks now since Harry has come to live with us. He had to wear a cone for the first month, learn to be in a crate, and learn to be home alone. I can’t lie – it’s been a long journey. He had EXTREEEEEEEEME separation anxiety and couldn’t stand being in a crate. Once when I was out of the house for an hour, he actually CRACKED the bottom of the plastic crate trying to get out!

But our little man Harry come a long way in the last 7 weeks!! His wounds are completely healed, his hot spots are gone, and he loves hanging out in his crate even if I’m home. Harry is extremely obedient – if I tell him to “go inside” his crate, in he goes. He learns commands very quickly – I taught him sit, stay, and shake in a matter of minutes. Harry loves all dogs big and small and doesn’t have an aggressive bone in his body. He has complete respect for Maeby and Zoey, and doesn’t have rude doggie manners other than trying to snatch food from my hand (but he quickly learned not to do this too). His favorite thing in the world is cuddling and having his belly rubbed. Best of all, Harry is 100% potty trained! He still has some minor separation anxiety issues (especially compared to how he was 7 weeks ago) and loves to follow me around from room to room. We’re trying out best not to enable his clingy-ness by only giving him affection when he’s calm, relaxed and not asking for it.

Harry is still a little withdrawn and hasn’t completely emerged from his shell. He doesn’t quite know how to play, but every once in awhile something in his head clicks and he goes bonkers playing with Maeby and Zoey. He’s come such a long way since I met him 7 weeks ago and I know he’s ready for his forever home. Overall Harry is an AWESOME DOG and whoever gets to adopt him is one very lucky person!

My hope is for Harry to get adopted in Los Angeles so I can have a photoshoot with him and his new lucky owners someday. But until that day comes, we’ll continue to love him and get him ready for his new life.

And check out how handsome our little man Harry is now!

Interested in adopting Harry? Email me: grace at shinepetphotos dot com.

As far as the fostering experience goes, would I do it again? Absolutely. This is our way of contributing to the rescue process – a karmic act of gratitude for the people who fostered Maeby and Zoey before we adopted them, and for the people who will foster our future rescue dogs. It’s really amazing to be a part of the rescue cycle and can’t wait for our next dog (which won’t be until 2011 since The Boyfriend has made me promise we can only foster 1 dog per year!)

~Grace

Reposted with permission from Shine Pet Photos.

If you are interested in fostering a dog for one of Ottawa’s rescue organizations, please see the Adoption Shelters page and contact the organization directly.

Growling is one of the most misunderstood expressions in canines. Growling or snarling is not evil and it doesn’t necessarily always mean a dog is unfriendly. It’s a warning. Often growling may occur when a dog is in pain, playing, frightened, annoyed, or if it’s telling you “what you’re doing is really freaking me out. Please stop…or else.”

A dog that growls is actually a good thing. In fact you are more at risk with a dog that doesn’t growl than one who does. Growling is part of a dog’s communication. Growling is a signal that is used to say “back off” without injuring other pack members. Dogs use their communication system with all species even humans. The growl belongs near the top of a sequence in a group of signals called “Distance Increasing Signals”.

When dogs use “distance increasing signals” they are in fact telling you to “Go Away”.

Growling is a warning; it’s a warning that something is not right and must not be punished in anyway, otherwise the problem remains but the dog learns you dislike its growling, so bites instead. The problem of why the dog is growling is what must be addressed, so that problem can be removed and the dog no longer needs to growl or act aggressively.

When you punish a growl or other early warning signal, you may succeed in suppressing the growl, snarl, snap or other warning behaviour— but you don’t take away the stress that caused the growl in the first place. In fact you are increasing it, because now you, the dog’s guardian have become unpredictable, possibly angry as well. (Think Dog and not human).

Worst of all, and most significant, is if you succeed in suppressing the warning signals, you end up with a dog that bites without warning. The dog has learned that it’s not safe to warn, so it doesn’t.

You should not punish your puppy or dog for growling at you or at anyone else. Dogs that are chastised for their growling very often will show more serious behaviours later on.

Don’t be confused in these situations and do not take dog growls more personally than you should. Identify the cause and fix that, but don’t take away the dog’s communication.

Everyone expects a lion to roar, knows to stay clear of bears and not to play with snakes. We don’t call those animals evil or mean because they roar, chase or hiss at us.

To put growling into perspective let’s take a moment to review some of the ways in which humans express these emotions. We complain, yell at people, scream at other drivers on the road, argue, throw things, break things, slam doors, stomp up or down the stairs, make idle threats, punch walls, talk nasty about certain people or tell someone to take a hike (or substitute another 4-letter word). This is quite different than me pulling out a gun to shoot you because you cut me off on the highway. Being angry and being violent are some distance from each other.

Despite the vocal and often violent ways of expressing ourselves we’re quick to call a dog vicious or dangerous if it snarls growls or even attempts to bite us. While growling is a means of communication it does make people quite uneasy. Therefore, growling and snarling should be addressed immediately by consulting with your vet to rule out a medical cause and by hiring a professional behaviourist to help your dog overcome its fears.

Pay attention to what your dog is telling you, Listen with heart and compassion, treasure its growl and come to its rescue.

There are many reasons why dogs growl.

• Growling is communication, so take note as to what is going on that the dog thinks it has to growl.
• What environment is growling occurring in?
• It can be a perceived threat, dogs don’t interpret situations or our actions in the same way we do. (Think dog).
• Dog is scared, a dog will growl out of a combination of fear and aggression.
• The dog may be unsocialized.
• In other cases a dog maybe trying to assert itself as the leader dog referred to as dominance aggression.
• Dogs are also very territorial, they may growl is someone or something is on its property or if someone or something is threatening the things it values’, such as its toys or food or person.
• It may feel a need to protect its space.

What should you do?

• You can avoid being growled at by taking steps to prevent the dog from feeling threatened.
• When you hear your dog growl calmly move him away from the situation, making a mental note of what you think triggered the growl.
• If you act stressed you’ll add stress to the dog’s stress and make a bite more and not less likely.
• If the growl was triggered by something you did, stop doing it.
• Understand a growling dog has a reason, perceived threat, insecurity or possessiveness. Find its root.
• Make sure your children understand what to do if a dog growls at them. They should stop anything they were doing that may have irritated the dog and slowly move away to a safe place away from the dog. They should never run from an animal and tell your children to report any of these incidents to you so you can continue training your dog properly.
• Yes, the dog has learned one tiny lesson about how to make you stop, but you override that when you give him lots of lessons about how that thing that made him uncomfortable makes really, really good stuff happen.

Dianne Sarasin’s Quick tips e-Book will be available soon through the Ottawa Dog Blog

I’ll be asking owners to give [my] frugal homemade dog treats to their pets and record their reaction [on camera].

It’s short notice, but hopefully some lucky dogs can make it!

“Maximus or ‘Max’ is a 4 month old German Shepherd. He is a quarter Sable and three quarters black and tan. He full of life and energy! His favourite things are shoes and playing catch with his frisbee in an open field. His best friend is my brother’s boxer Rogue. They will play together for hours on end. He is a cuddly puppy with loves to have fun and play tug of war! I simply cannot imagine life without him! ” – Max’s Mom, Tara