Last chance to help

I got this from Missourians for the Protection of Dogs:

"There are only A FEW MORE DAYS left to help Missouri's dogs! We are in the final week, and the dogs are counting on you in this last push for signatures! THESE LAST FEW DAYS ARE CRITICAL AND THE DOGS NEED YOU NOW - this is our last chance to help them by putting this measure on the ballot!"

I would remind everyone that this only affects breeding facilities of 50 or more dogs. No other livestock or animals are included.

If you live in Missouri and haven't signed already, or know someone in Missouri, now is the time. Here in Columbia, you can sign at their booth at the Earth Day festivities on April 25th.

The proposed act is at http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2010petitions/2010-085.asp

Ear Care

I've said before, my interest in dogs is primarily behavior. If you've read my other entries, you've probably noticed that. However, as I am running a self-serve dog wash, I thought an entry on grooming was well past due.

I'll start with the ears, because that seems to be the most unfamiliar area.

A dog's ear canal, unlike a person's that just goes straight in, is shaped like an "L" or a check. It goes down and in. It is much more difficult to get water or other foreign matter out. This accounts for the excessive head shaking when water gets in the ear. The advantage is that you can clean the ear without fear of damaging the ear drum. Of course you still want to be careful not to damage the skin inside the ear canal.

If you don't care to do the cleaning, your vet or a groomer will clean the dog's ear for you.

For more information about ear cleaning and a good diagram of the dog's ear, visit http://www.dog-health-handbook.com/cleaning-dog-ears.html

Ken McCort on Canids

First, I have to thank Leonard Cecil for sending this to me. He collects and disseminates more information than I would probably have heard about if I didn't know him.

I had to give a lot of thought on how I wanted to introduce this. I think I'll start as basic as possible. One of the most popular misconceptions out there is that dogs are domestic wolves. To me, that is akin to saying people are chimpanzees (or bonobos, to be more precise): there is a common ancestor, but we're different.

Are there things we can learn about our behavior from bonobos? Certainly, but I wouldn't try to define human behavior solely by observing bonobos. Likewise, there are things that can be learned about dogs by observing wolves, but there are marked differences that need to be addressed as well.

Something that needs clarification is the pack. Okay, wolves are pack animals, but what does that actually mean? It may be easier to explain what it doesn't mean. It does not mean that a group of wolves are together, each plotting a way to become "top dog." Packs are actually family units with the mother and father at the head and their children making up the rest of the group. When they become old enough, the children move off to create their own families. Even David Mech, who popularized the term "Alpha" has reversed his position on this in light of more studies he has done and a better understanding of the dynamics of wolf behavior. (There are too many studies to list here, but look him up.)

Dogs, on the other hand, are not pack animals. In studies done of wild dogs (or village dogs, as they are more commonly known now), they are observed to be lone scavengers sometimes forming brief, loose associations with other dogs, but for the most part they are loners. So interacting with a dog like a wolf, or as wolves are wrongly perceived to interact, is counterproductive at best, just like interacting with a person as a bonobo would be. Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior & Evolution by Coppinger & Coppinger is one of the best, and most easily accessible books on the topic.

Ken McCort speaks on this topic in a radio blog interview. It's only about 40 minutes, but filled with a lot of excellent information.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/regardingrover/2009/11/03/regarding-rover--ken-mccort-on-canids

Dog Park Etiquette

I just finished writing this, and saw AHA has posed the question of what people think is proper. The way I see it, now you have two resources to draw from.

Now that the weather is really changing, the dog parks are hopping. I thought it would be a good timely topic. In essence, you should be sure your dog is healthy (up to date on shots, etc.), happy (plays well with other and is not intimidated or anxious around other dogs), and remember the park is for everyone (just because you don't mind doesn't mean someone else doesn't mind).

My best example is one of our dogs. He was abused before we got him and as a result he tends to be very anxious, is fearful of and barks at people. For whatever reason, he loves the dog park and doesn't bark at people while we're there... to a point. While we have him there, we stay close to him and are hyper-aware of any cues that he may be getting stressed or reaching his threshold, or the other visitors are reaching theirs. Before that point, we leash him and keep him away from other people and, if necessary, dogs. If he doesn't calm down some, we just cut our trip to the park short. (I should mention that he has never bitten anyone or we wouldn't bring him to the park at all.) We do our best to infringe on our dogs, ourselves, and the other visitors to the park having the best possible time.

The Whole Dog Journal has a good article on the subject that's a bit more in depth.
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/sample/a_bark_in_the_park.html

Dog Park Etiquette

Now that the weather is really changing, the dog parks are hopping. I thought it would be a good timely topic. In essence, you should be sure your dog is healthy (up to date on shots, etc.), happy (plays well with other and is not intimidated or anxious around other dogs), and remember the park is for everyone (just because you don't mind doesn't mean someone else doesn't mind).

My best example is one of our dogs. He was abused before we got him and as a result he tends to be very anxious, is fearful of and barks at people. For whatever reason, he loves the dog park and doesn't bark at people while we're there... to a point. While we have him there, we stay close to him and are hyper-aware of any cues that he may be getting stressed or reaching his threshold. Before that point, we leash him and keep him away from other people and, if necessary, dogs. If he doesn't calm down some, we just cut our trip to the park short. (I should mention that he has never bitten anyone or we wouldn't bring him to the park at all.) We do our best to infringe on our dogs, ourselves, and the other vistors to the park having the best possible time.

The Whole Dog Journal has a good article on the subject that's a bit more in depth.
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/sample/a_bark_in_the_park.html

"The D Word"

Dr. Patricia McConnell recently wrote a great blog entry about what dominance is and what it isn't. Worth checking out.

http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/the-concept-formerly-described-as-dominance/

Another Mark Your Calendar

Columbia Second Chance is having an open house at their new location on April 10.

"Come see our beautiful new place and our progress on the Kitty Kondo construction. Lots of cool events this day:

12-2pm hot dogs, chips, & drink served
1pm Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
12:30-2pm BUDWEISER CLYDESDALE!
MoKan Dock Diving Dogs demonstrations
plus adoptable animals, tours, and more!"

Visit their website for more information and directions.