This blog is a tribute to Belle, and all the dogs who have come before and after. They are my friends, my companions, my teachers and my students. They bring me both joy and heartache, laughter and tears. There is nothing as sweet as the smell of puppy breathe, and nothing as sad as the final goodbye.


Monday, June 10, 2013

WooFstock 2013


WooFstock 2013, August 24, 6-10p 
at Columbus Commons 
Hope to see you there!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

A message to small dog owners



When out walking a 120lb. leash aggressive labrador rescue I was training we were suddendly confronted by a snarling little chihuahua who could have easily been mistaken for Cujo. The little guy ran off his property, barking and snarling while trying to wrap his mouth around the Lab's leg. The attack was sudden and unexpected, the dog seemed to appear out of nowhere. The lab meanwhile, in the blink of an eye, was in full fight mode, ready and willing to take on the challenge. I was trying to move my dog away, which meant walking into the middle of a fairly busy residential street, mindful that the chihuahua had a good chance of getting killed by my dog or a passing car. I could have easily crossed that street with the lab in tow but I was truly afraid that the chihuahua would be hit by a passing car. The chihuahua was relentless, lunging at every opportunity. The owner appeared to my delight, but instead of calling off her dog, she stood there laughing her silly head off, oblivious to the dangers her dog was facing. I yelled to the fool, "get your dog before my dog kills him". She ignored me and called her friends from her backyard to come watch her macho dog in action. She was so proud. Now mad as hell and not much caring about the fate of the chihuahua I crossed the street, calming down the dog at the end of the leash in the process. The last I saw, the chihuahua was standing in the middle of the road still barking and snarling as we continued our walk.

The behavior of the chihuahua was not cute. The owner's behavior was despicable but not uncommon. I've always owned big dogs. I train many small dogs and enjoy their quirky personalities. I have always maintained that if a behavior is not appropriate for a large dog, then it is not appropriate for a small dog either. The behavior we demand from our big breeds is the same behavior we should demand from small dogs.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Why dog fleas are such a menace


by Paul Ryan


Dog fleas as well as ticks are a huge menace. There have been cases where these pests have heavily infected animals as well as humans. Initially one does not take these little creatures very seriously and when they attack, it is a huge problem.
Let us look at the dangers of being infected by dog fleas as well as ticks for both human as well as animals.

Seriousness of being infected by dog fleas and ticks

Dog fleas causes anemia
Dog fleas definitely suck up blood from pets but in puppies and kittens, they make the pet anemic slowly. Young pets do not have much blood and therefore they become anemic very soon. Fleas and ticks both can suck up blood from the host’s body 15 times their own body weight, so one can imagine how much blood they can suck.
Flea allergic dermatitis
Dog fleas can cause flea allergic dermatitis, this result in severe skin infection, excessive itching, and redness. The poor pet will keep on scratching its skin and develop serious wounds. Now saliva of fleas will directly meet the blood of pets and will further aggravate the situation. This can cause serious skin infection in pets.
Tape worm infection
Adult dog fleas are carrier of tapeworm. These tapeworms enter the body of dogs and cats ass well to breed further in their intestine. Tapeworm infection is very serious and these worms feed on the food digested by the animal. This means that in spite of having food, the animal will become weak continuously and gradually its immune system will suffer a lot.
Dog fleas bit are very serious on humans
Dog fleas bite are very serious on humans and it can cause very serious infection. The person will be heavily infected and will suffer a lot. It has been observed that in small kids, these bites take serious turn and they develop serious skin infection. It does not take time for the infection to spread all over the body and slowly with this spreading skin infection; it really becomes very uncomfortable for the person especially the kid to be comfortable and happy.
Therefore, it has been seen that dog fleas as well as ticks are really infectious and they must not be taken lightly. As soon as these tiny pests are noticed, immediate action must be taken so that human as well as their companion both can stay happy and healthy.
Dog fleas as well as ticks are a huge menace. There have been cases where these pests have heavily infected animals as well as humans. Initially one does not take these little creatures very seriously and when they attack, it is a huge problem.
Let us look at the dangers of being infected by dog fleas as well as ticks for both human as well as animals.

Seriousness of being infected by dog fleas and ticks

Dog fleas causes anemia
Dog fleas definitely suck up blood from pets but in puppies and kittens, they make the pet anemic slowly. Young pets do not have much blood and therefore they become anemic very soon. Fleas and ticks both can suck up blood from the host’s body 15 times their own body weight, so one can imagine how much blood they can suck.
Flea allergic dermatitis
Dog fleas can cause flea allergic dermatitis, this result in severe skin infection, excessive itching, and redness. The poor pet will keep on scratching its skin and develop serious wounds. Now saliva of fleas will directly meet the blood of pets and will further aggravate the situation. This can cause serious skin infection in pets.
Tape worm infection
Adult dog fleas are carrier of tapeworm. These tapeworms enter the body of dogs and cats ass well to breed further in their intestine. Tapeworm infection is very serious and these worms feed on the food digested by the animal. This means that in spite of having food, the animal will become weak continuously and gradually its immune system will suffer a lot.

Dog fleas bit are very serious on humans
Dog fleas bite are very serious on humans and it can cause very serious infection. The person will be heavily infected and will suffer a lot. It has been observed that in small kids, these bites take serious turn and they develop serious skin infection. It does not take time for the infection to spread all over the body and slowly with this spreading skin infection; it really becomes very uncomfortable for the person especially the kid to be comfortable and happy.
Therefore, it has been seen that dog fleas as well as ticks are really infectious and they must not be taken lightly. As soon as these tiny pests are noticed, immediate action must be taken so that human as well as their companion both can stay happy and healthy.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Canis Lupus Familiaris


 "Dog" is the common use term that refers to members of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris (canis, "dog"; lupus, "wolf"; familiaris, "of a household" or "domestic"). 
 The term can also be used to refer to a wider range of related species, such as the members of the genus Canis, or "true dogs", including the wolf, coyote, and jackals, or it can refer to the members of the tribe Canini, which would also include the African wild dog, or it can be used to refer to any member of the family Canidae, which would also include the foxes, bush dog, raccoon dog, and others.
 Some members of the family have "dog" in their common names, such as the raccoon dog and the African wild dog. A few animals have "dog" in their common names but are not canids, such as the  prairie dog.
  • The world’s biggest dog was an English Mastiff named Zorba. He stood 8 feet and 3 inches tall and weighed a whopping 343 pounds.
  • The world’s smallest dog was a Yorkshire Terrier. It stood only 2.5 inches shoulder length, 3.5 inches from tail to nose, and weighed only 4 ounces.
  • The tallest dog living is ‘Giant George’ a Great Dane, who measured 1.092 m (43 in) tall on 15 February 2010 and is owned by David Nasser of Tucson, Arizona, USA.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Memorial Day...

…is the day that is set aside to remember with gratitude and pride all those who served and died for our country and our freedom.

May your day be filled with memories and peace.

God Bless America