A Good Read

I did something Saturday I haven’t done for years.  I read an entire book in a day.  This may seem trivial to the voracious bookworm but I simply could not put down the true story of a man, his family, and the senior dog they adopted from a shelter. 

For want of nothing better to do, I took the latest addition to my canine library down to the courthouse square with Dixie in tow and read passionately in the shade while taking in a bluegrass festival.  We didn’t leave until 5 p.m.  The images created by the talents of Mark Levin in his book “Rescuing Sprite” simply would not go away.

I know nothing of reviewing books but this one was a winner.  I implore you lovers of all things dog to pick up a copy at your local library or on line.  After reading this guy’s biography, I thought it unlikely that such poignancy could come from — well — an attorney.  A right wing one at that.  His politics and mine are polar opposites yet we found common ground when it came to the love we share for our dogs and the unique ways they touch our lives. 

Yes, I cried.  And you will too.  Levin points out that the only flaw in a dog is that they don’t live long enough.  No doubt!  Yet what they give us in those few short years greatly exceeds what they take when they leave this world. 

So curl up with your dog and this book.  And when you feel a lump in your throat, do what Sprite did.  Lift your nose up and sniff the breeze!

Furry Little Monsters Welcomes  Tim the Trainer! 

Please join us from 6 to 6:30 on Thursday, July 9 for 

Waggin’ Tales  

 This month’s program “You are My Master.”   The first of our monthly forums on “Doggy Decorum Teaching Your dog to Live in Your World.”   There will be Refreshments, gifts, and a lively presentation!  

**This month’s special is 30% off of all ETTA SAYS TREATS!** (Please Mention this add) 

 PLEASE due to space constrains this event is only for two-legged members of your household.  

 If you have any questions please call

928.443.1998

Whose Throne Is It?

Dixie keeps a vigil

Confessions of a dog trainer…

I allow my dog on the furniture.  I freely admit it.  Even THIS chair — my beloved oversized recliner that eased my infant son into a peaceful slumber somewhere between revelry and 4 a.m.  Park yourself in the comfy confines and you can still see traces of pale 15 year old stains on the arm rests when Josh’s formula refused to conform to the laws of gravity.

That is not to say that Dixie has a free pass to the one creature comfort I have afforded myself.  She learned a long time ago that I am the “Great Gatekeeper” to all things wonderful in her world.  I control her access to me, my affection, her food, water, toys, the multitude of olefactory delights that await her beyond my apartment door — and yes — my throne.  In fact, Dixie has to sit (her default position) then perform a simple trick before hopping up on any piece of furniture.

Dixie is really OK with this.  Dogs are pack animals.  They communicate with us in the same manner they do with other dogs (we’ll save the discussion of “my dog jumps on my mother-in-law” for another day).  From Dixie’s point of view, I’m just a hairless member of the pack.  Most dogs are happy to accept whatever position in the pecking order that we assign to them.  It’s not something they dictate to us.   

So be the leader!  Love your dog enough to set some boundries and start having fun!  Reward behavior that you would like to see again.  Withdraw your attention from behavior that is unacceptable.   It’s called reward-based training.  

Dogs had jobs back in the day.  The tracked.  They herded.  They retreived.  They disposed of rodents and other pests.  I don’t know about you, but I can find my own way to the local food barn.  My landlord doesn’t allow livestock on the property and the pest control guy takes care of the vermin.  Still, Dixie has a job.  She works for me.  And I’d like to think she is happier for the experience. 

Dixie and I will be appearing live at Furry Little Monsters at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 9 for a lively discussion on being the “Great Gatekeeper” in the eyes of your dog. 

 Due to space constraints, Lila and I ask that you leave your dogs at home.  My training classes are for you and your dog and I’ll have information about them as well.  RSVP to Lila.  You’ll find a link to her website to the right of this post.

Tether-Dog

Dixie at play

Dixie’s Waggin’Tale today is the saga of tether-dog — arguably, in Dixie’s opinion, the loneliest canine on earth.  Tether-dog came home to the Hanson family of Anywhere, USA three years ago.  His arrival created much anticipation.  Specially formulated food of the finest organic ingredients were purchased along with a designer collar and matching leash.  Toys of every texture and shape were scattered throughout the house.  Tether-dog slept on an orthopedic bed and ate from ceramic crocks proclaiming the Hanson’s love for their four-legged friend.

But tether-dog grew.  The Hansons got busy.  His weight doubled between his celebrated six month of life and his nearly forgotten first birthday.  His swooshing tail turned coffee table knick-knacks into airborne projectiles.  Muddy paws blemished the new carpet and his insistence on bringing little Naomi’s shoes to whoever rang the doorbell resulted in banishment to his kennel for the duration of the evening.  Suddenly no one had time to play with tether-dog.

Tether-dog met his Waterloo when a frightening storm passed through Anywhere one Saturday afternoon.  The family was across town cheering on Benjamin’s team at the soccer megapark.  Terrified by the thunder, Tether-dog crashed through the baby gate and chomped the couch cushions into a million blobs of fluff leaving the living room looking like a snow globe. 

You know how the story ends.  Daddy Hanson bought a tie-down at the hardware store and pounded it into the earth.  A 15 foot cable was attached.  At the other end was tether-dog.  For the next seven years, the 15 foot patch of grass and dirt surrounding the tie down was his playground — and his alone.

Dogs are probably the most social animal on earth.  They thrive on interaction with their own kind and with us.  We enter into a relationship when we bring a dog into our lives.  Dog are not yard ornaments nor are they fashion accessories (hear that, Hollywood divas?).  Rather, they are sentient beings with a soul more evolved than yours and mine.  To exile them to the existence endured by the thousands of “tether-dogs” out there is a crime of unspeakable cruelty.   

The more complex our lives become, the more we need the simplicity of play.  After all, isn’t that one of the reasons you got a dog?  Dixie and I took in the local dog park after work today.  I arranged the rickety agility equipment just so and we hooped, tunneled, climbed, and jumped.  Then we celebrated with treats and a victory dance to the bemusement of onlookers.  In short, we played —  and we drew closer as a result. 

I’m going to talk about reward based training a lot here.  But if you remember nothing else about these rants, please note that training is and should always be fun!  Can you think of a better way to bond with your dog than through the uninhibited exuberance of play?  Whaddya mean you don’t have “time” to play with your dog?  We’re talking 10 minutes a day here.  You spent that much time logging into your computer and reading this blog!  Need ideas — reply to me here or visit me at my Petsmart store in Prescott.  Better yet, go see my friend Lila at Furry Little Monsters or click on the link to her website.  She has some great products for you and your dog to play around with.

So tell me — did you play with your dog today?

GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES!

ULTIMATELY,  the purpose of this prose is to offer tips that will help enhance the relationship between you connoisseurs of all things canine and the cherished souls that have nuzzled their way into your heart.

Let me begin with an introduction.  I am affectionately known by my students at Tim the Trainer.  For nearly three years, I have been teaching humanoids how to live in harmony with their dogs.  My business is based out of a Petsmart store in the scenic mountains of central Arizona.  The climate and lifestyle here are idyllic — an average of 300 days of sunshine a year and a web of hiking trails rivaling Estes Park (you’re welcome, Prescott Chamber of Commerce).   Lila, a new friend and proprietor of a wonderful little doggy boutique called Furry Little Monsters, recently encouraged me to write a blog about all things dog as a means to promote a joint venture between our respective businesses.  I came up with the name “Dixie’s Waggin Tales” and she created the blog or domain or whatever cyber do-hickey it is that supports these ramblings. 

Thanks, Lila — I think.  But I digress…

Which leads me to the inspiration for this blog — my beloved Dixie.  Ah, there she is.  I just figured out how to upload a picture.  Look at those eyes make your case for the absurd notion that animals have no souls.  Go on.  I dare you.  One quick study of Dixie reveals that she is not like other dogs.  The story goes like this. 

In October of 2005, Dixie was struck by a car.  Her owners — I’m not making this up — chained her up in the yard AFTER she suffered a horrific injury to her left leg.  On the third day of her torment, the owners looked outside and thought she had caught a rabbit because she was chewing on something bloody.  Enough said.

Not wanting to shoulder the expense of medical treatment, the owners abandoned Dixie at a shelter.  Dixie lay in agony nursing a leg that looked as though it had been through a sausage grinder.  Meanwhile, director Carol consulted with veterinarian Dr. Darrell who volunteered his services at the shelter.  Her fate would soon be determined.  There was not enough money in the shelter’s emergency medical fund to fund an amputation.  Dixie would have to be euthanized.  The good doctor, however, became enamored with this dog’s gentle spirit and offered to perform the surgery for a penance if Carol agreed to keep Dixie until she found a forever home. 

Our paths crossed a week later and my life was irrevocably changed.    Dr. Darrell advised that I give her time to heal and treat her like any other dog and I have taken those words to heart.  I jog.  So does Dixie.  Three miles, three times a week.  We hike – most recently 12 miles at Goldwater Lake.  I have always been the nurturing sort so Dixie and I became a therapy dog team to spread a little good will wherever it is needed.  Here’s the kicker — Dixie runs agility.  In fact, she earned a second place ribbon in her last competition. 

Each of these feats has brought Dixie and I closer together.  I became a dog trainer so that I could share the basics of reward based methods with you.  In turn, I hope it inspires you build a bond with your dog that even time itself cannot erase.  We all know that more dogs are relinquished to shelters because of behavior issues than for any other reason.  Four million dogs were euthanized in this country last year.  It’s time for the killing to stop — one relationship at a time.  Are you with me?

If so stay tuned.  The first “Waggin Tale” is coming your way soon.  You Prescottonians will be able to catch our act live at Furry Little Monsters in the very near future.  Until then, remember that “dog” spelled backwards in “God.”

Think that’s an accident?

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