The Dentist Vs. The Lion

Now I might be stirring up a hornet's nest here but this recent crud with the dentist luring the lion and then not even killing it, but letting ti suffer for HOURS. OK, here goes....

I'm not against hunting, say deer, per se, but this was basically a canned hunt which I think is despicable.

I have friends who hunt and BELIEVE me they don't let that deer suffer at all. And they use and eat (or donate to food banks) every bit of the deer. Folks who live up north in Alaska take a moose and eat it all winter.

I get where hunting in Africa is very big business and actually contributes to the big parks' survival. Very controversial, yes, I know. Photo safaris don't bring in nearly the money that big game hunting does You can go on a good photo safari for about $3,000-5,000. Hunting is about $20,000 and up. .

And the white rhino??? This guy has killed a white rhino. That one really got me. Those suckers are so endangered. Why the hell are people killing endangered animals?

But come on....a basically friendly lion? That's canned hunting, period I think it should be kind of equal: hungry, mean lion versus dentist with a spear and a loincloth and nothing else. I get hunting to eat but I don't get trophy hunting.

Feline Sleep Aid

Nap attack with former foster Jimmy who is staying with us until Friday or Saturday.....

I feel another one coming on.....

Cats: the new/old sleep aid!

And when/where did I start looking so fkg old/fat/unattractive?  Man, does that suck.  I wish I could afford a face lift.  Self-doubt is really creeping in.  Of course, to be fair, it's a dreadful angle!  Jimmy looks good!

Your Adorable Puppy? Welcome To Teenaged Dog Hell!

Someone on one of the cattledog groups wrote:

"I just want to share something for new puppy parents: When you see and read the stories on here of all the wonderful, well behaved, well trained, and awesome adult dogs that most have, and you wonder how they all "lucked" out and won the dog lottery- KNOW THIS: most of us wanted to KILL our little adorable pups when they were 4 months old. I personally lost half a bookcase of old books, 5 pairs of shoes, almost all my socks, two expensive rugs, a floor-stand antique mirror, and countless hours off my life due to blood vessels popping in my head. So remember, when looking at photos, you will look back and forget all that stuff when you see cute photos of your baby when he/she was a puppy. THEY GROW OUT OF IT. "

4-8 months, horrible, horrible, horrible time!  Sometimes it lasts into their first year.

Horrible!!!

Did I say horrible?  I meant horrible. Horrible with a capital Hor.

House training my last one, Artie, was a nightmare! I would get on FB and cry out to my friends. I'd sob on the phone to other dog people.  What the hell had I gotten myself  IN TO?  What was I thinking?  I'm too old for this.

I've had cattledogs since 1993, you think I'd have some kind of handle on it.

Oh, no!

He wasn't my first dog or cattledog either and I always seem to win the Dog Pooping Lottery because I never get to do that part in summer or fall.  Oh, no. Dead of winter.

Artie was a horrible, horrible puppy.

AND he got car sick!  What cattledog gets CARSICK??  He didn't get carsick with his foster mom. I was so stressed about that I almost got carsick.  I'd sit in the car on the way to dog classes, shaking, my heart hammering in my chest, my ears tuned to that "rrrrap-bleech-gack" sound.

His one saving grace: he was (and is) a social butterfly. He's whip-smart, funny and has a real zest for life.  He loves to swim.  He has a lovely combination of ON and OFF. He's the best hiking dog I've had in years. I adore him.

I had another one (Dru) for 6 months in 1999 I was working with (6-12 months old), he was the worst chewer I ever had.  I had him tethered to me, right by my leg, and he silently almost chewed the table leg right by me in half.  I never heard it, never felt it. He tore up and annihilated linoleum floor tiles etc. When I got him, his former owner had allowed him to poop and pee in the crate, dirtiest dog I've ever known.  Yes, Virginia, you CAN stuff a 50 pound ACD into a pretty damn small crate. He got through the horrible house-training thing but that was 3 weeks, (almost 24/7) of utter hell.

His one saving grace: he was a social butterfly, used to run with 5 Greyhounds and a Borzoi. Coolest thing you ever saw: a cowdog herding sight hounds!

Elke, our "found pupp" was another horrible chewer and dis-embowler of All Things With Stuffing.  And she had the extra bonus of being completely disinterested in playing fetch or any game for that matter.  Oh, and for an extra-extra bonus, she was (and still is to a great extent) 40 pounds of pull-you-off-your-feet.  My slightly deformed hand is thanks to Elke's pulling me off my feet and dislocating 3 fingers.  But wait, there's more.  She tends to be dog fear-aggressive too!  Which can be anything from a low growl to going after another dog to shrieking, whining and spinning!  Wheeeee, fun for the entire family!

Her saving grace is her complete and utter mesmeric ability to suck you in to her lair of sweetness.  Her coat is like velvet.  You pet her and your heart rate begins to lower.  Her eyes are limpid, brown pools; her kisses are softer and sweeter than a summer garden. People come to meet Artie; they stay for Elke.

The one thing I thank my lucky stars for is I have never had a dog in the last 20 years that wasn't ok in the crate.  I personally can't cope with that, separation anxiety or severe aggression.

I know they say you don't always get the dog you WANT but you get the dog you NEED many times.  Really?  Somewhere in the Great Cosmic Book of Life, it was written: "Mia needs the puppy from hell.  Not once, not twice, but we're going to give her that canine gift that keeps on giving."

Artie was the first all positive trained dog I've ever owned. Interesting process for all of us and continues to be.  But he really has turned into such an awesome dog in so many ways.  It must be like child birth I guess.  You know there was pain but it seems slightly dimmed.

God help me, I'm thinking about adding a third at some point.....the Gods will lead us in the right directions.  I'm a big believer in Fate.  And that they have a really sick sense of humor at times.

Puppies.  Simply Adorable!  There are not enough adjective or superlatives for puppies.

Teenaged dogs?  A new dimension of the depths of hell....Dante couldn't make up this stuff. If he did, there would be an Eighth Dimension of hell.

Our First Cat Show

We went to our first cat show today. Very interesting! If dogs were left in cages be handled by the judge, oh, my what a crazy thing THAT would be! The owners put the cats in these judging cages and go away, although they watch, of course. The judge then takes the cat out. So your cat has to be OK with being handled by a stranger.
Saw lots of interesting cats and I was very impressed with how gentle the judges were. Trust me, they REALLY handle those cats! They pick them up, stretch them out, look at their faces, wave wand toys at them.
I also liked that lot of the judges explained what they were looking at and what they liked about that particular cat TO the audience. One judge even answered questions from the audience about what makes a good Persian. All I knew about Persians you could fit into a thimble. Now I know more!
A purebred (with papers) altered cat can go for its championship AND they have a household cat (i.e. mutt cat) division as well!
Talked to a lady who shows Tonkinese and she was very informative!
Hey, AKC and UKC, wouldn't that be cool, having people show mixed breeds or altered for their conformation championship.....? it would put put some extra coin in your pockets too!??
I saw a panda-marked persian named Jack and this spectacular silver tabby Domestic Short-hair. I got to pet a Sphinx (hairless) cat which is a trip. You think they'd be sooooooooo ugly (by their photos) but they're not. They are so soft and WARM!
The cat owners were almost always very nice and informative. There were even folks around with Ask Me buttons on!
Very interesting experience and one I'd highly recommend if you love cats.

Altered Persian bi-colored male, 7 months old named Jack. His owner just loves him! I think he has his championship already. I wish I would have gotten a really good picture of his panda face! 

Stunning silver tabby male American Shorthair. He has ALL the classic tabby markings. I didn't know there were so many....targets, bracelets, anklets, necklaces.... If you look on his forehead his markings look like an Egyptian Scarab beetle, which apparently is a really prized marking. He was a lovely cat, very sweet and totally laid back. "Yeah, I'm gorgeous. Whatever..."

Epic Dog Owner Fail

I wondered what the dogs were crunching on. 

I thought it was an ice chip...then I dawned on me, they haven't been outside in 2 hours.

Now I know.

"All Positives" Can Be Intimidating

I really hate those Grumpy Gus/sies giving me the stink eye at an Obedience event. Really? Wow, I expect that in the breed ring but at Obedience, Rally, Agility???

I am frankly rather intimidated by “Force Free” training even though I’ve used it with my herding-breed dog since I got him…..and I’ve known about it for over 15 years…..and for a very odd reason….

Mind you,, I’m not advocating forced training here. I had a dog years ago I did really well in Novice with (using luring mostly, very few mild corrections — ever) but she would not retrieve because it had been forced on her. The Ancient Method. You don’t want to know.

Here is where All-Positive or Force Free gets intimidating and it’s not just me. I’ve talked to other “novices.”

So much of it is based on timing: Correct Timing. You always hear about Timing and Accuracy! Now, I have a vision limitation which creates about a .5 to almost 2 second delay in either (or both) the click (or tongue click or Yesss!) and/or the treat delivery.

In other words, I want the dog to, say, give paw. My dog has offered me a slight paw thing and I’ve missed the proverbial boat by a mile. “Oh, yes, I DID see that!” Click!! Ah, but it’s not for the paw thing. He’s gone beyond that.

Thus, oftentimes, my dogs look at like me like I’m gone crazy. I end up feeling frustrated and feeling seriously sorry for two bright, willing canines whose mom just says, “It ain’t happening, kids. Sorry: bad mom! I’ll settle for you all to be reasonably civilized. I know ignoring the cat is not in the cards. And that Novice/Rally thing? Oh, well…..”

I’ve talked to a few AP trainers about this so they know that’s my particular “fault”. Seriously, picture me at Chicken Camp?? “The chicken did WHAT? When??” It could be amusing…and I think amusing is sorely needed in training.

I think a lot of people are so truly afraid they’re either going to get it “wrong” and establish an unwanted behavior or that they’ll NEVER get that wanted behavior — that it will literally take years. And years. If you’re like me and you grew up in horses, you were probably taught that 90% of unwanted behavior or bad performance is squarely on the rider’s shoulders. So if the dog “screws up,” you mentally flail yourself.

We all see a lot of good obedience runs from folks who either use force or a combination of treats and corrections. So you think, well, that’s the way to go because a lot of them are high scorers/winners etc.

The other thing is, and I know this is weird too — but more men are needed who use Force Free. They need to be in the spotlight. Women seem to “get it” and do it, at least in the spotlight. Think of the really big AP dog trainers: you, Sophia Yin, Karen Pryor, Kikopup on YouTube etc. etc. Ladies all.

Believe me, I always recommend AP or FF as the way to go when people ask me. And my younger dog has only been trained that way. I can certainly see where using force was a big detriment to my older dog and I’ll regret that to my dying day.

I just think being intimidated by the whole thing, thinking it is going to take FOREVER to compete for a certain title or working with people who have certain limitations needs to be addressed..

Just saying —- 

Too Many Cattledogs In Shelters?

I have gotten my cattledogs from responsible breeders, a breed rescue and a shelter.  I have also (briefly) fostered one.

A good point was made that yes, an abundance of ACDs in shelter are geographical.  For instance, in S. Ohio, you'll see many more than say in NE Ohio.

Also, it must be taken into consideration: different shelters have different criteria.
Some take owner surrenders.
Some automatically kill a certain type, look, age of dog.
Some are so antiquated that they kill black animals automatically, because statistics have shown that all black cats and dogs are the last to get adopted.
Some take the stray off the street.
Some only take abused, abandoned and neglected animals.

My Artie is from such a shelter and he is the only obviously purebred ACD under a year (he was 3-4) months they have gotten in ANYONE'S memory (going back 13-14 YEARS!).  He was literally, a rarity and because I was a volunteer there AND had ACD experience they wanted me to have him.  (Lucky me).

Secondly: a lot of dogs that are being labeled ACDs  just aren't.  They are mixes of ACD and something else. Granted there ARE a lot of fine looking purebred ACDs out there, but I'm sorry, if it's mostly body spots, narrow headed, thin-tailed, weedy-legged, pale-eyed it's not my idea of a cattledog; wonderful doggy though it may be.

Third: A responsible breeder will ALWAYS, ALWAYS TAKE THE DOG BACK.  If they aren't dead, they'll take it back. They may, after watching it, caring for it, analyzing and consulting other trusted folks (vets, behaviorists, etc.) about it's behavior etc. rehab it, wisely, carefully rehome it or humanely euthanize it.

Responsible breeders keep track of all their dogs and all the ones I know have spay-neuter contracts.

A responsible breeder microchips their dogs and most hold co-ownership with any intact dogs they sell, say for show.  Twenty years ago, my first cattledogs were tattooed.

When I owned a dog bred by the late, great Deb Clark, if WE (she and us) had decided to ever breed him (which we never did) she had the final say over who he would be bred to, as she knew bloodlines better than I did.  When his hips came back OFA fair, we decided to not pass that on and neutered him.  He was a champion of record and that was enough.

Very rarely does some responsible breeder's baby end up in a high kill shelter.  And boy, if it does, there's going to be hell to pay!

A good breeder doesn't just breed 2 litters a year to the same bitch.

A good breeder has AT LEAST TWICE as many approved homes for even the largest litter they'll produce.

A good breeder doesn't over-breed their bitch either.

A good breeder almost always DOES breed rescue; they help breed rescue in some manner, way, shape or form.

For many of you reading this, The Hershey puppy mill bust where so many ACDs were found is a faint memory.  Note this: ACD people from all over the area converged to help those dogs. Two years ago, over 200 Rottweilers were found in Texas in horrific conditions.  ARC (the national breed club) and devotees of Rotts from all over the country and even Canada banded together to save those dogs. These were BREEDERS and show people for the most part, folks.

If we put a moratorium on breeding:
A) we lose the breed
B) you will never, ever stop BYB*.  Ever.

Can we stop puppy mills?  Absolutely. And yes, it's horrible that even one dear ACD ends up in a shelter.  Yes, the numbers are appalling.  6,000 estimated is too much.

But look at all the Chihuahuas inundating shelters in California, tens of thousands of them are killed every year.

And pits or pit types???  Those poor dogs?  Talk about crappy breeding!  So many of them have bad legs, bad backs, horrible teeth, skin conditions, mental screws loose.  That's what BYB and money grabbers have done, just in the last 15-20 years, to American's Dog, The Nanny Dog, the dog breed that gave us Sgt. Stubby, the most decorated dog in US military history, still. If you talk to responsible breeders of APBTs and AmStaffs, those people have such a tight grasp on where their pups go it puts most ACDs breeders to shame (and that takes some doing.) Plus they must fight the daily onslaught of idiot bully owners and Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), an evil which even touches our beloved herding breeds.

Do not blame the responsible **COE breeder. Talk to them instead.

Rescues, Kennel clubs, National, Area and State breed clubs MUST learn to work together to help dogs and help owners who are overwhelmed, need help with training, in financial difficulties, have severe health issues etc.  We all need to remember that this is not necessarily a "dog problem", this is mainly a "people problem."  If we all band together, instead of flailing each other (and rescue groups are NOTORIOUS for infighting and flailing) miracles can and do happen.


*BYB: Back Yard Breeders
** COE: code of ethics

Men Wanted

One Person's Experience With Cesar Millan

Good article, thank you to my friend for sharing.

I think something that NO ONE ever mentions is CM seems to be particularly appealing for men.

I am NOT dissing men (I'm married to a wonderful one) but I have heard of so many folks who have a "ruined" dog because their male partner watched Cesar and it "just made sense."

What positive training needs DESPERATELY are more MALE voices out there, posting, holding seminars (yes, I know about Ian Dunbar...), appealing to men and how a lot of men's brains work: goal oriented, needs to be fixed NOW!

Most of the AP trainers out there are WOMEN! In my area, I can't think of one guy.  Lots of fabulous women of course.

Clicker training, all-positives, Anti-Cesar...however you want to phrase it....needs more MALE voices.

Maybe if more clicker classes. seminars came with beer, BBQ and brauts and a guy saying and showing this is all going to work...we'd not see events like that being clustered with females.

Ladies with dogs/cats/horses etc. have you EVER tried to get your Significant Male Other to attend a clicker/All-Positive class or a seminar?

"Dr. Sophia Who???  What the hell....uh....Honey, I'll pay for you, YOU go. I'm going golfing/sailing/gaming/hunting/gardening/lawn-mowing/doing-nothing-in-it's most-violent-form."

And if we had more guys attending, training etc. AP it would be more (eeek....I'm using one of those CM words) balanced, wouldn't it?

A Rose By Any Other Name: Owner or Guardain

Animal Owner vs. Animal Guardian:

No offense, and bless you all, but I am so damn tired of the whole PC thing, whether it's animals or people. No, they are not "property" and all that but instead of getting all hung on nomenclature, let's just education people, foster low or no cost spay-neuter and vacs clinics, help animals, raise awareness, be kind, teach kids, report and punish dog fighting rings etc etc. etc.

People get hung up on "correct" phraseology and then get all honked off if you say it wrong.  How about just DOING good stuff instead of worrying about how in the hell you say it.

Besides, my cat OWNS me, he is not my Guardian!

Never A Dull Moment! (Aug. 2013)

From the Never A Dull Moment files:
I was at an adoption event in Orville, Ohio for some LOVELY dogs and was taking a break outside the pet shop where the event was held.
Suddenly, there were two little dogs (about the size of Jack Russel) one white and one black running loose!  And scared, especially the black one who OBVIOUSLY had babies as her poor bags were almost to the ground.
Luckily for those 2 little dogs there were a ton of people who A) do rescue B) train dogs and/or C) know a lot about dogs!  I had a pocket of freeze dried litter (which by the way I never carry...have to get some of that dog-crack), and began tearing pieces and tossing them to the little dogs while sitting on the ground.  The white one was in my lap almost immediately, grabbing at the food.  The black one was much more skittish, poor baby. Eventually she too came up.  Both dogs ate the liver like they hadn't eaten in DAYS!
My trainer friend, Jennifer got loop leads around them and someone had called the police, who came very quickly.  (Small town)
Yes, someone had reported their dogs missing!
The little dogs wouldn't get into the back of the squad car so I did, urging them with treats.
Kelsey has the incriminating evidence of me in the back of a squad car. (LOL, not the first time although i don't ever remember hard plastic seats....).
Everyone was so on their game, quiet, calm yet with a sense of urgency and helpfulness. the cop seemed nice actually.
I hope those little dogs are OK, poor darlings.
I'm kind of surprised that all my "training" over the years kicked in immediately but I sure am glad I wasn't by myself!
Not by a long shot.
Merely one of the players.
It was actually one of "those moments" when you do darn near everything right and you kind of feel proud of yourself!

It Isn't Just A Pit Bull Thing. Cattledogs Get It Too!

OK, OK, I know. A lot of my friends have or work with or volunteer for Pitbull type dogs.  Two of Artie's bestest friends are pit-type dogs.

The Spousal Unit with Kinners: two guys hangin' out.

Oreo: he's down with that!  Artie loves him!

The boys check out Co
usin Artie

So yes, we have contact with many "big heads."  And we love our pit-type friends.  We hear the stories, the misconceptions, the comments about them.

I've been a lot of places where there are dogs and now because of my exposure to pit-types, I don't have any pre-conceived notions.  It's a dog with a (usually) square head, period. I ask if I can pet etc. just as I would with any dog.  And I've done events with a pit-type on my arm, so to speak, and have educated and advocated for them for years now.

I think I've heard darn near every comments a person can make about pit-type dogs and I'm here to tell you, it runs the gamut from "Awesome" to "Satanic."

I've heard, "You can't trust 'em, not one of 'em," to "Best damn dog my family ever had!"

What is fascinating to ME, personally, is for as many bad or  fearful stories that people tell, I've heard an almost equal amount of curious, respectful questions to misty-eyed memoirs to powerful stories of love and loyalty.

I can honestly say (if the locale is pretty neutral) that the nice comments or questions run about anywhere from 40-75% of what I've heard if the dog I'm with is a nice, mellow dog or goofy, happy dog.

The negatives just seem louder than the neutrals and positives.

Now folks who have pit types wail and gnash (rightly so) about how misunderstood their dogs are.  They are.  I'm not saying they're NOT!  BSL, extreme prejudice, unnecessary killings and incarcerations. Pit type owners have every right to feel, nay, be paranoid, vigilant and on guard. If you're on a Pit Group on Facebook or you know folks who have them or work with them, this is nothing new. It's an exhausting round of educating John Q. Stupid-Public.

However, you're not the only ones.

We have (for those of you who don't know us) a lovely female mix and an Australian Cattledog (ACD). He will be 2 in Sept. 2013 and his name is Artie or "Blooby" as he is most often known.  (Blame the S.U. on that.)

Artie is my 7th (including fosters) ACD. This is my 20th year with cattledogs.

Brief synopsis for the uninitiated: An ACD (sometimes known as a Blue Heeler, Queensland Heeler or Heeler) is a medium sized herding dog breed, originating in (who'd a-thunk?) Australia!  They come in blue or red (plus blue or red speckle).  They were bred to herd and guard feral cattle in the outback.  They are also used on sheep and other stock, including reindeer! They are very smart, pretty biddable (I think) and tough. They have teeth (scissor bite) which they use to herd stock with, often nipping at the heels of recalcitrant cows. Thus the name "heelers." They are often called "velcro" dogs because they want to know what you're up to at any given moment.
They are athletic and sturdy with a weather-resistant coat. They should have upright ears and tight "cat feet."
They are loyal to their humans but often diffident to down-right suspicious of strangers. They often are not tolerant of other dogs.  They need a ton of positive socialization. They have a lot of energy, although I have had a few that were pretty laid back. (That's not the norm.) They are a "busy" dog but I think there are many dogs that are far busier.  They love brain and/or body work and excel in a wide variety of dog sports.  At 17-20 inches, it's an easy size to live and travel with.

Artie has some of the best qualities of his breed and of a companion dog in general.  We're very, very blessed.

ACDs are also an extremely unusual LOOKING dog. Once you know what a cattledog looks like (or SHOULD look like) you can honestly say, "Yep, that's a cattledog!"   They are pretty unforgettable!

(I have to preface this by telling you I live in the Midwest.)

Here are some of the "usual" comments who someone has met Artie (or any of my other cattledogs.)

"Wow, what kind of mix is THAT?"
"Man, how old IS your dog?" (This only seems to happen with blues; must be the grey hairs in the coat.)
"Does that dog have WOLF in him?"
"Is that a little German Shepherd?" (I never know where people get that from.)
And startlingly close to the truth) "Is that a (part) Dingo?"

Once in a while (and it's getting to be more commonplace than it was 20 years ago) you hear:

"Is that one of them blue heelers?"  This is often said in the same semi-suspicious tone as many a pit type owner has heard.  "Is that one of them pit bulls?"

Now, OK, all right, call me grammatically biased but the minute someone (no matter what city or state I'm in) says "them heelers" or "them there heelers" or even 'them cattledogs," (yes Virginia, some people DO get it right), my intellectual-snobbery-hackles start rising up.  Even when someone say "those cattledogs" with the emphasis on "those," I inwardly cringe.  I'm sure pit type folks do too.

"Oh, God, here we go. And it's not going to good."

Here's where the pit type folks and the cattledog folks diverge. With a pit type on the other end of your leash, you COULD ostensibly B.S. your way through that query especially if your dog is black, brindle or fawn colored.  I've heard lab-boxer mix, hound-boxer mix, poodle-terrier mix (yes, we had one of those of the Humane Society) etc. etc.  John Q. Stupid couldn't pick out a pure-bred American Pit Bull Terrier out of a line-up!  Many experts can't either!

But if they've identified your ACD as a heeler or cattledog, yeah, you're pretty much sunk.  Here it comes, I think.  The Bad Cattledog Story. And it almost always begins with "My cousin" or "My friend had one of them."

It's usually a cousin. If it's a cousin, you know (9 out of 10 times) it's going to be bad.

Let's say, on a good week, you and your friendly, social dog meet 20 pretty neutral-to-nice people, all men.  In a good week, the pit type folks  might get 40% - 60%  neutral to positive reactions.  The rest, admittedly, are going to suck.

In that same week, the cattledog owner, meets 20 people (men) who guess (correctly) what he is. 17-19 of those people will say the following:

"Cool looking dog. You know....my cousin (insert other friend or relation) had one of them (there) dogs.  Meanest damn dog you ever saw. Bit everybody.  Loyal as hell but damn, was he ever mean!"  

Your heart does a little downward spiral because you know that yet another jerk owns an out-of-control, untrained (or badly trained) cattledog and is doing a huge disservice to the breed. Your brain goes slightly postal and you think with in inward sigh:

Educate. Again. It's a training exercise for my dog, meeting new people. Again.  I bet Lab/Pug/Fluffy Dog people don't go through this sh*t.

So, Pit type dog owners and lovers, you are not the only ones.  If you're out in public, cattledog people get this all the time.  All. The. Tine.

So do Rottweiler people.  And Doberman people. And German Shepherd people.

Perhaps it might comfort you folks with pit type dogs to know you're not alone.

Memorial Day: The Old Ones

Our dogwood May, 2013

It's Memorial Day 2013.  I think about our veterans, living and gone. I think about my mom and dad, and aunt and uncle.... I think about my brother in law, Bill and my darling sister (in law) Kaya.....

I think about the old dogs.  Winger Joseph and Jesse Ann.

Real names: Keltoi's Power Play, CGN and Truhart's Rescue Remedy, CGC. Winger was from a breeder and Jesse was from a cattledog rescue.

Christmas with the old cattledogs...click here to see picture.

Had we but known it, that was our last Christmas together.  I'm very grateful we have that formal picture. By Christmas 2011, they had left us and (I'm convinced) brought Artie into our lives.  (Read The Story HERE. And Part 2 HERE.) I knew Jesse was getting a bit frail and she had some health issues but cattledogs are tough. I really figured Winger would definitely still be with us next holiday season.

The dogwood tree the spousal unit planted in 2010 or '11 (I can't remember) is getting bigger.  It makes me think of their dear hearts.  I hope it outlives me.  Every year I pray for it to bloom and thrive. At its base is a rustic cattledog metal sculpture.

I thought about owning other breeds as I've gotten older and I've fostered some of them. Border Terriers, Papillons, Pit types.... Elke, of course,  is a lovely mix of Elkhound, Shiba, Spaniel and Hound.

But I do think cattledogs are my Heart Dogs and it's very hard to conceive of my life without one in it.

Jamie with dogs 2003
Dri, Jesse and Winger

Winger was with us just short of 10 years (born 3/14/99, arrived her April '01, died 2/11/11).  Jesse was with us from Valentine's Day 2001 to August 2011. Not long enough.  He was almost 12, she was somewhere between 13 and 15, as near as we can reckon. Jamie has Jesse's ashes now, as it should be. I gave the box of Jesse's ashes to her when she visited us last.  Jesse was as much Jamie's dog as ours. So was Wingie. She came into our lives around the same time Jesse Ann and Winger did. We sort of "adopted" her too. The dogs were our Family.  So is Jamie.

Their collars still adorn my mantle. Winger's collar came with him the day he arrived, terrified in a crate, flying from California, until the day he left us, holding him, while his mighty, loving heart stopped.  Jesse wore hers almost the whole time she was with us!

Mom and Wingie on
a road trip to Florida

Darling, weirdo, "pansy-ass-fairy-boy" Wingie, who came to us so damaged, frightened and abused in spirit we never saw his beautiful raccoon tail until he'd been with us three days.  He finally got over his fear of men and blossomed even though he always was scared of thunder and fireworks and had little seizures from age five years on. (Oh yes, and he ate poop. Gross. His worst trait.) A champ at traveling, every trip.  Best traveling dog ever. Loved to play ball, leaping and hopping on a moon-shadow, catching the ball waaaay above your head!  Such a willing dog. Favorite place to sleep: on anyone's legs. Often his head was on or by your foot. If you were at the computer, you had to be careful you didn't trip over him. If you got up, even as he aged, he'd pop up and be fully alert and ready to go. Always "commenting" on every little thing. (His second worst trait.) "Winger, SHUT the F-up!" was said hourly by anyone near by.  Would squeak a stuffy until the squeaker gave it up yet rarely destroyed a toy.  So desperately wanted to get Evil Squirrel.  Loved the water and would fully immerse himself, head and all! Wonderful trail and hiking dog, going a bit ahead of you with his "can't miss it" raccoon tail.  He stop and look for you over his shoulder and wait. (I know he is waiting still for Mom at the Bridge.)  He'd eat anything!  "Clean up in aisle seven!" meant let him in the kitchen to do his job. When he didn't eat for a day, I knew it was near his time. At the end his mighty heart grew three sizes (a tumor) and it was time to let him go. He was a very good dog, so well-behaved.  Probably the best behaved dog I've had yet.  He loved the Spousal Unit, Auntie Jamie, Uncle Daddy, Auntie Megs but he loved, loved, LOVED me. I think he would have died for me.

Jesse 2006

Jesse Ann, the princess. The Boss from Day One. Calm, confident, assertive. So easy-going (except where lawn mowers and vacuums were concerned). Cattledog-stalwart to the end until that time that her body couldn't take much more. The softest ears in Christendom.  Immediately house-trained from day one. Always wanted to play ball!  Madly waggling her stubby at the word "Ball?" Even though, at the very end, she could only go a few shaky, wobbling feet to get the ball, she still wanted to play. Marking like an intact male every where she went on a walk. Learned how to play ball by watching Winger and then, for years, beating him every time!  (We'd keep score, like a volley ball match.) Had the older, pathetic, gimpy dog act going on and then would stealthfully hop over a 4 foot fence like it didn't exist. Quiet; rarely barked.  Except when we'd let them out to potty. She would wait just outside the door for Winger and then snarl, "Barrra-raaar!" right in his face.  Just to remind him just who was who.  She would lean against you and, curving her spine,  bash her head into your jaw when she wanted a pat. She could do "pity-paw" on command.  You would throw the ball, she'd bring it back and you could say "Not close enough, not close up....Cheater!" until it was finally at your feet easily within reach.. Stubborn, lazy and smart.  She was easy; such an easy dog to live with.

I've loved all my "grown-up" dogs: Lab-Shep: Tzara, Cattledogs: Hart, True, Druid and German Pinscher: Dri.   Hart lived the longest (4.22.93-8.19.09, most of those years with just her daddy). We just had Wingie and Jess the longest, it seems. 

I love Elke and Artie with all my heart and we are so blessed to have them with us and sharing our lives.  They can be a royal pain but I adore them!  

But now and then....I miss the Old Ones. Here's a classic moment from around 2005.

Always in our hearts.  (And a million blessings to you, Dri, wherever you are....)

Wingie JoJo & Jesse Ann

Until we meet again.

Choosing A Puppy: What's My Motivation?

Before people get all inflammatory and weird and slam me for "not getting a rescue" and "contributing to pet-over-population," just stop right there. Halt.  Cease,  Desist.

Almost all of my dogs have come from pure-bred rescue, a shelter or were "found-puppies."  I've had 3 re-homes from reputable breeders and therefore I had a lot of information, good or ill, from those breeders. I had a bit of an inside track.

I was talking to a friend who has a handsome, rescue dog who has such extreme issues that he may never, ever live a normal life.  But she's committed to helping him live the best life he can. But even she, a drinker from the Rescue-Rehab Fountain admits she's looking into getting a good, sound, correctly raised puppy from a great breeder.  Rescuing a dog or cat is one of the noblest things you can do.  But it seriously is the luck of the draw.  I've been pretty lucky with my rescues.  But a lot of them have had Huge Issues too.

My friend would like to start it "right" and do it right without a bunch of unknown crap coming up.  She's looking at a couple of different breeds too.

We hoisted a mental glass of wine because I know whereof she comes from!

For me, and this is just for me because I'm starting to think about a puppy in the fairly near future......I'm researching breeders.  I've got my short list.  But I need to ask myself the hard questions.  I know the breeders will ask me the hard questions.

One of my questions is one of Motive.  We don't often think of Motive as a reason for getting or adding a dog to our home and life.  But it's huge!  Do I want unconditional love, companionship? Do I want ribbons? Do I want accolades, recognition?  There is very little that is "wrong" with Motive.  Unless you're some sicko, of course.

I think anyone who is adding a dog to their life needs to honestly look at their motivation for making this step!

Of course there is the obvious:
Health concerns?
Have both parents been tested?
Can I meet both parents? (Sometimes Dad is just frozen semen).
Do I want a male or a female?
Intact?  Or Altered?  Am I willing to take a lifetime of responsibility for an intact dog?

I'm up in the air on the sex but that's just for me. I know, if I (we) put my mind, ability (and money) into it, I (we) could finish a female!  I have no worries about that but I'm also a "if I'm going do this damn show thing again, I'M doing it my damn self again!" kind of person.  Any professional handler can finish a decent dog. I'd rather do it my damn self!  As much as I enjoyed that part of our lives, I might not want to do it again.  Not in Conformation. And I really don't think I want to raise a litter either!

When it comes to Motive, I guess you have to ask yourself: what is my goal for this purebred dog?  Do I want a happy, balanced, in-my-house dog or can I go higher maintenance?  Do I want him to win Westminster?  Am I willing to do a life-time of crate shuffling to have that dog in my house because s/he's that exceptional but doesn't get along with everyone?  Or do I want everyone lounging on the sofas and hanging out in the car, on a trail?

What is my goal for what I WANT TO GET from this dog? (Performance, Westminster, perfect hiking companion, herding, therapy?).  I think many people never face this, ever.

If you know it, you can say it out loud.

Face it, dogs love us.  They need love, food, proper care, a safe home, training so they're not complete jerk-offs, etc. The titles, ribbons, accolades...they are cool. I won't deny it.  But in the end, for me personally, they need to be our dog, our buddy. I really love the idea of a dog that does something cool and/or useful, and it can be performance, work, service, therapy.

My dream dog could help kids and adults learn about proper dog care and safety and bite prevention  He and I could educate together!!  I confess, I love the interaction and applause!

How much am I willing to put in? (time, money, training etc)  Is he going to be "my" show (performance) dog or is someone else going to do it?  In my case, Hell-NO.

What kind of personality can I live with and what can't I live with?

As I get older, and less "able," do I need an easier-going yet less "showy/driven" dog?

Can this puppy get along with Artie AND Elke??  Could he be OK with the cat?

Do I need to research other breeds?

What's my lifestyle like?  It's pretty busy, crazy with huge moments of "chill-out-sofa-time".  My neighbors shoot off firecrackers in the summer.  Kids come in our house. We ride bikes and take hikes in the woods.  Kids play softball in the street.  I live in suburbia!

What will my lifestyle be like in 2, 5, 10 years.  Etc. etc.

To me, if the puppies are all pretty nice-looking, I really have to trust the Mommy Dog owner because she's with those puppies day in, day out. But kennel-blindness can come into play.

I surely would get another opinion from someone, (even if they "do" another breed) on the litter because correct structure is structure!  I"m lucky that I could call in some cards and get someone from another breed to look at the litter. Most people that I've seen make a successful match do seek another opinion from outside that particular breed.

I need to see them interact with their siblings, other dogs, people. other animals if possible.  I'd drag along a dog person (like a trainer or behaviorist)  I trust to look at the litter because maybe the one that appeals to me most might not be the right dog for me, for us, for all of us!

I will definitively take the breeder's advice; she should know that litter inside and out.

But I'll also send it up to the Gods, and ask that the right puppy come into my life and be a blessing for its whole lifetime.

©2013 Mia Hess

Black Dog Syndrome

Who says you can't take a good picture of a black dog!  (Which is one of the stupid reasons why black dogs AND cats are overlooked in shelters, by the way).

I'm not bragging but I'd say these disprove THAT little myth!

Here endeth the lesson.  Any questions?

Kelly Ripa and Pit Bulls?

To Kelly Ripa and all fans of her show. 

(And yes, I posted this on the LIVE Facebook page but no doubt it'll get yanked.)

Ms. Ripa: You should not make blanket comments about pit bulls (or even that type of dog). It shows a blatant ignorance and an assumption on your part of biased, quasi-education. 

Should we say the same thing about blondes, your appearance or your intelligence, you'd be rather angry, hurt, disappointed, wouldn't you? Perhaps not, as by your comments, it's highly doubtful as to whether you possess any of the virtues of basic intellect but rather an alarmist, punt-kick attitude towards dog related things of which you could not possibly have any reasonable knowledge.

In other words, Ms. Ripa, you be needin' some educatin'!

That's A First!

Life time first: I'm very excited. Mile 6 0r 7 on bike ride, I come around a corner up a slight hill (so I was going pretty slow) and there is a huge buck with a full rack about 8-10 feet away from me. I slam on my brakes because we were so close we might have collided. There was about and five or ten second pause and then he turned and went back into the woods. Holy Crap-mobile! I was so stoked. Kept walking up the hill, shaking my head. Wow! I've never seen one, ever,, except once in great while driving quickly by. Not a buck and certainly not that close. Far out! Glad we did NOT hit, because I would have lost that encounter for sure! I can wipe that one off my bucket list. (I did 18.01 miles, which is really, really good for me.

Puppy Mills: Some Solutions

Let me start by saying: PUPPY /KITTEN MILLS ARE HORRIBLE. 

Some friends of mine, people I really respect and care about by the way, recently went to a Dog Auction in Millersburg, Ohio. (I'm pretty sure that's where it was.) They bought 8 dogs (maybe more) at what I would consider to be outrageous prices for unvetted, most likely unhealthy dogs.  This was a very noble gesture and I commend them for going there and opening up their hearts and wallets.  It is heart-breaking to see the dogs.

Years ago, I helped dogs at a puppy mill bust and believe me, that is ten times worse than the auctions are and they are pretty shitty.

The problem is.....

As long as dogs are considered "Livestock"...puppy milling will continue. Let me state that I'm not a vegan, nor would I ever want to be one.  I think it's pretty extreme stuff myself but that's for another blog. I can eat a "farm animal" (beef, pork, fowl, etc.) but I just wouldn't want to eat Fluffy or Mittens.  So yes, I don't consider pet animals to be livestock. Nitro's Law didn't pass in Ohio because the line was too vague.  I didn't support it because I thought it was badly written albeit with noble intentions. California (thanks to PETA and DDAL) passed a similar law and it decimated that state's agriculture and put California into a financial spin from which it may never recover.  Should "farm animals" be treated humanely?  Absolutely.  I don't think any animal should be "milled." But I digress.

I am going to be really blunt here but seriously, you could get a fully vetted, healthy nice, pet-quality dog from a REAL breeder for the same price that these dogs were purchased for. You could go to the humane society or a reputable rescue (mutt or purebred) and get a fullly vetted, "speutered" dog for that price.

Trust me on this: The sellers at this auction, mostly Amish, saw my friends, all the advocates and protesters and privately laughed in their beards. They don't give two shits about The English and their sentimentally over an animal. As a matter of fact, they were probably thrilled.  More publicity for the auction.  Next crowd will be bigger, I'll bet.  Hate to be harsh but there it is.

Somebody is buying these dogs because trust me, the Amish and other millers would not be doing it if it weren't a big money maker.  What is interesting to me is that the Amish HAVE gotten into puppy milling, 30 years ago they weren't.  I've also noticed they have in recent years taken worse and worse care of their horses.  I don't get that at all. Hey, that's your f-----g CAR!! The Amish I knew when I was a teen and early 20s wanted and needed their horses to last and be sound and healthy.  Even the Amish has bought the myth of disposable animals, part of our disposable society.

The big Puppy Millers in this and other states have (occasionally) been shut down and (definitely) hunted by advocates. They are being watched and often, when they try to relocate, some advocates go after them.  You can't stop them but you can root them out.  Temporarily. Trust me, people need to protest the farm breeders and they are not. Maybe because someone is going to get hurt or killed as a result. The Amish won't kill you, it's against their faith but since there is money to be made, someone will protect that investment.

A huge part of the problem are the dog brokers....the ones who buy puppies from auctions like this or very young dogs to turn around and sell at a profit.  These are the people they are making huge money, the middle man.  The pet stores who sell milled puppies don't make as big of a profit as you would think.

In buying breeding age females, you can stop the misery and chain a tiny bit by spaying the girls you get.  It has made a difference to that particular dog and her future life.  It is a noble and kind gesture. Of course: you won't see older dogs at an auction. They are killed usually. There is profit in puppies and breeding age females.  Like society at large, there is no profit in the old.

I didn't hear there were too many males at that auction.  If they are getting rid of females, the chances are very, very good they were not good producers, no large litters or poor quality (like fading puppy syndrome).  One male dog can pretty much take care of a large quantity of females.  And remember, they don't give two shits about health testing, pedigrees, pre-natal care, care in general.

I love the "papers" thing.  I know kennel clubs get the rag on this but, in spite of the face that yes, you can find AKC and UKC registered dogs in someone's backyard or at an auction, most carry bogus papers from made up registries like the Continental Kennel Club.

And please....don't get on the rag of ALL breeding should be stopped.  This punishes legitimate breeders, the ones who care and IT WILL NOT (I repeat) stop backyard breeders or Puppy Millers.  It just won't.  That's an airy-faery pipe dream.  Even putting a moratorium on breeding won't stop the "bad guys" from breeding.  You'll drive them further underground like rats.

Part of the solution (a huge one) is to stop pet stores from selling puppies.  I don't know how the hell to stop this one but I personally have been threatened by a pet store employee if I didn't get away from the front of their stores and quit talking to their potential customers.  Before Security could escort me out of the Mall, I beat feet.  Please see my Blog (published) called THE RED DOG.

Part of the solution is to tell people just because it has "papers" doesn't mean dick.  If you didn't see one or both parents on premises and check their health records, you get what you deserve. A good breeder or puppy "grandparent" will be there for you from birth until death of that dog.  If they're not, you deserve what you got: dick.

Part of the solution is to tell people puppies (and kittens) are HARD WORK. Breeders and folks who are involved in the Fancy (judges, handlers, etc.) can help with this and should.

Part of the solution is helping and encouraging people to spay an neuter their pets AND giving them lost-cost or free ways to do that. There are some great grass-roots organizations  that are out there doing what they can to help with this. We need to give them money, which is what they need.  Helping people understand that neutering Butch isn't cutting YOUR balls off. He doesn't need to screw to be amused and satisfied.  Throw him a f----g ball.
           As an aside on this: We can encourage people who want their dogs to feed their human ego by winning prizes that there are about a zillion performance events to do with your "speutered"  purebred or mutt pet.  You can get a ribbons, sometimes prizes!  (Agility, Frisbee, Obedience, Rally, Dock-Diving, Herding, Carting, Pulling come to mind.)  If you want to show your cat, the American Cat Fanciers Association has competitions for altered cats to win ribbons and accolades.

Part of the solution is to educate kids, especially those from low-income, urban or rural backgrounds. They see dogs as a way to make money, not as a living creature.  You have to get them young and you have to be pretty graphic. I say: SCARE THE HELL out of them.  I want that image of dogs in tiny crates, dirty and scared to be burned on a 6 year old's retinas.  I want the picture of the cat burned with lye to make them reach for the nearest waste paper basket. Call me harsh, but I've done educational programs and when 4th graders consistently tell me it's "ok" to hit a dog if it steals your Nintendo, something is seriously screwed up. (By the way, this was ALL income brackets.)

Part of the solution (to be honest, ladies) is to get more MEN involved with this whole thing. Anti-puppy mill folks, etc. are mostly women. You start getting a whole bunch of testosterone on the picket lines and I think this will help change.  Remember that most millers are MEN!  Hoarders, for the most part statistically, tend to be females.  Women are also, alas, often brokers and definitely are used as agents for getting dogs for fighting or as bait dogs. Women are not blameless in this whole mess. Gentlemen, start your engines!  We need MEN educating MEN!

Pit Bulls: Yeah! Elke: Nay! (A "Reactive" Rant)

This past Saturday, I went to an event benefiting a Pit Bull group and there were 2 female "pit bulls" being big goofy, tail-wagging goobers. Those two girl dogs were being petted hundreds of times, having kids rolling around them, crawling on them, hugging them, yanking on their necks ---- for hours.  The tails never stopped wagging. I was so impressed by their tolerance and temperaments.  If Elke were in the same room, people would gravitate towards her because she looks "safe" and adorable.  And she is, sort of, with people for the most part. She might have taken that attention for about 15 minutes, tops. Which is fair; it's pretty stressful stuff. I get that.

 BUT if any other dogs would have been in her view, all bets would be off.

Go figure.

Last Friday, Artie The Cattledog goes off to Doggie Day Care and does just fine with the other dogs! He had so much fun he snagged a dew claw nail, so he's on antibiotics. I'm actually thinking about having those damn things removed. Hate them.  If I thought Artie would tolerate being a Conehead for 2 weeks, I'd do the damn surgery tomorrow. So yes, he is still a mouthy, somewhat disrespectful, bratty, adolescent cattledog boy.  But he's starting to mature a bit.  A little bit.
I am frankly so astounded that my cattledog did OK at day care. I know Elke has some issues but I figured Artie would be a wash-out too. He is, after all, a cattledog and they can be jerks! Yet again, he has pleasantly surprised me

On the other hand, there was today's debacle:

Elke, the one everyone thinks is so friggin' adorable (she's so snuggly, kissy and cuddly at home) FAILED. MISERABLY!

A big F.  As in Failed. As in Your Other Dog Is More Than Welcome But Don't Bring Her Back.

As in We Can't Get Her Out The Door Fast Enough And Don't Let The Door Hit You On Your Ass On The Way Out failed.

 I should have known this was doomed:
Death Knell #1: I had forgotten her vet records and we had to go back and get them.
Death Knell #2: A truly nice laid-back, hound-type dog walked into the lobby when she was in there and I had to get her in a corner away from that dog ---- fast.

It was embarrassing as hell. I get why parents, when faced with Little Johnny being a jerk at school, go home and beat the crap out of Little Johnny.  They are mortified. (No it's not "right," of course, so don't start with me.) And no, I didn't get mad at Elke until she pulled on the leash for about the bazillionth time which is getting so blasted old I could scream....I just yelled at her to quit it.

By the way: Gentle Leaders, harnesses, prong collars, C/T for loose leash walking....all a bust.  All the damn harness did was rub her fur raw in her armpits and cause huge problems.  Didn't affect the pulling one little bit. Walking her is even less fun than walking Artie on his worst days.  About like Dri, my German Pinscher.

Her "failing" means I've failed this dog somehow. Yet again. And it's getting really friggin' old.

Yes, I've failed. Period.  End of discussion.  You cannot convince me otherwise because: This is how I was trained in horses and then in dogs.  Your animal fails a test, an event; it is YOUR FAULT. Rider error, handler error.  It's all the same. You might get a pass with a shelter dog unless you're working with that dog every single day, a couple of times a day. But I felt like a failure is those "Help Train A Shelter Dog" classes; all my dogs were collosal failures, poor babies.....which is one of the reasons I stopped doing it. I might do OK in a Shy Dog class...I can toss hotdogs with the best of 'em to a dog who avoids me like the bubonic plague.

The Day Care People actually did a lot right. They took her into a very quiet room without me but I could see her (she couldn't see me) and brought in a very mellow, quiet, older, non-reactive dog.  At a distance on a leash. I heard her bark and I knew it was doomsday. I know that bark. She started being a jerk IMMEDIATELY. Growling, snarling, barking, snapping.... She was a total growling, shrieking, snapping mess of stupidity. They didn't even get the chance to meet and greet; the people at the Day Care were afraid Elke might hurt the other dog.

 I got Elke when she was 3-4 months old; she's never been attacked by any dog EVER to my knowledge. The boarding kennel where I normally take my dogs doesn't allow any dog interaction and she'll ignore the humans. The regular boarding kennel (Vistah Kennels) said she's very good but actually not much fun.

What is weird is so many dogs that I've seen who look like Elke tend to be assholes.  There must be something in the DNA combo that creates shepherd-looking faces, tan bodies, curly tails, cobby bodies and growling, snapping, asshole behavior. I have had more dogs that look similar to Elke growl, even from a distance.

I called the trainer we're supposed to take CGC prep classes with and left her a message that I'm afraid Elke is gong to get kicked out of class or fail it miserably. I'm afraid she's going to screw it up for the other dogs, Artie included. She growls when she sees people sometimes. She'll even growl at us occasionally, which is unacceptable. She only does it when we tell her to shut up because she's growling at something she hears outside. She definitely "reacts" to strange dogs. She's really bad in strange situations which, obviously this was.

How the hell is she going to pass the CGC, which is almost always in a strange place?  Let's not even TRY for the Therapy Dog or D.E.L.T.A.  (In fairness, that is a really hard test for any dog, regardless of breed/type to pass.).  I see my hopes for her going down the toilet like a torpedoed ship.

React. You know, I'm starting to HATE that word.

F---k "react." It's so P.C. It's so Dog Behaviorist-Don't Shoot The Dog psycho-babble lingo B.S. Don't misunderstand, I do respect those people.  They have tons more training and experience than I do.  I get that.

I got news: It's called Being Stupid. If we were talking about a child it would be: YOUR KID IS A BRAT. I don't care if they are 2 or 20.

In the olden days of dog training, we called it "Being An Asshole." We would have had her front legs off the ground by her face and she'd be getting a "what the hell" lecture in no uncertain terms if she pulled that crap.  You lunge at another dog (or worse a person) you're being an Asshole, a Bully.  (No offense to Bully breeds.) Nowadays with "positive only" types of training that is a huge no-no.  They're being "reactive."

Screw Being Reactive. They're being an ASSHOLE!  Call it what it is.  I'll try positive training, clickers, the yippee-skippy dance, whatever but PLEASE call it what it is.  Please "nice' dog training people, please, just call my dog an asshole. I'm OK with it.  Promise.  I know, far better than you, that my dog IS one! I want him/her to NOT be one!  The world sucks for doggie assholes.  Doggie asshole have very little life. Doggie asshole die all the time.

This is my issue...

I'm tired of having dogs I can't take anywhere or do anything with because they are reactive assholes. Just like one expects their kid to graduate from school, I expect my dogs to get their Canine Good Citizen certification.  Just the normal course of events. I expect that if I'm walking my dog on a trail I don't have to go 6 feet into the bush, stuffing hotdogs like I'm a sausage maker into my dog's mouth to avoid the other dog passing me or coming at me, even an ancient, calm one. I'd like to go on vacation with my dogs. We having a standing invite to go to NY state with our dogs too.  Bummer.  Kennel time!

I've only had one dog, Dri, my German Pinscher who couldn't pass the CGC test and it was one part...the "leave the dog with a friendly stranger" part.  He moaned. A lot. He whined. A lot.  People laughed.  A lot. (Frankly, I was stunned he did OK on the rest.)

Here is Elke, with those melt-you eyes, that soft fluffy fur, her adorable face...and she is being a jerk.

I'd love to take my dogs for hikes, bikes, maybe herding or agility or Rally.  I'd love to go to events like BARK IN THE PARK, the Humane Society's fun benefit and dog walk. I will probably try and take Artie. He might be just fine.  I'd love to do therapy work with my dogs; I've seen the benefits.  I know what dogs can do. I'm tired of my world shrinking because of the asshole dogs the goddamn Universe seems to throw in my way.

WTF? WTF am I doing wrong?

So, in conclusion, the next time you are out walking with your dog and see an adorable Elke-looking dog and a "pit bull" type dog, you might want to give Miss Adorable a wide berth and try walking NICELY past the Pit Bull.

The Australian Poppleschnotz Breed History

A BRIEF BREED HISTORY:

The Australian Poppleschnotz is a very, very ancient breed, believed to have been developed in Ancient Eygpt as a companion for temple cats. Several rare tomb paintings depict the APS along with Gods and Goddesses and as companions for wealthy ladies. The short legs were desirable and carefully bred, as was the distinctive spotted coat.

Through trade, the APS went then to Cyprus and thence onto the European continent where the short legged dog became the rage of what is now Germany in the Dark Ages, having been brought from Rome by the conquering Franks. This dog, relatively unrefined, became the Deustch Poppleschotz.

Another branch went from Eygpt to what is now modern Jordan, thence to Persia and then India. If you look carefully, there are some highly rare pottery portraits that show this journey. East India traders then brought several APS to Australia where refinements where done to the breed. Down Under they were called Short Legg'd Mates.

In the late 18th century, a German immigrant Baron Heinreich von Schtopp brought a pair of Deutsch Popplesnotzen to Virginia. Unfortunately, this pair was lost in a card game to an unscrupulous Whiskey distiller from Kentucky, Max "One Eye" Darrow in 1792 in Williamsburg.

The breed was thought extinct until the early part of the 20th century, when Frau Freida Schtopp (one of the early women automotive pioneers), having lost a tire in the Blue Ridge Mts. saw a little short legged dog and immediately recognized it as indentical to dogs she had seeen in etchings and paintings at her Great Uncle Carl's schloss, in the Black Forest. She bought the little dog back to Pennsylvania and called him "Popple." The little dog was being used to turn bourbon stills.

At a party Frau Schtopp attended on Long Island in 1912, she met an attractive Australian from a sheep ranch near Alice Springs, Mac McFeirson. He noticed her portrait pendant of Popple and declared that he, had a "bloody bonzer little dog who looks like yours, sheila! And she's a Sheila too!" Mac, at great expense, brought his female over to the US. Popps and Pippi produced 3 fine ltters; Mac and Freida produced 2 fine sons, Mac Jr. and Fritzie.

Alas, for the APS, as the breed in known amongst inner circles, Mac Sr. was lost at Gallipoli in WW1, Freida was never the same and the boys were eventually adopted by their Nurse, Nanny Darrow along with the entire known stock of APS in America. Nanny Darrow and the McFierson sons went back to her home state of Kentucky. Fritzie returned to Germany to try and regain control of the Schtopp fortunes but was lost during the Second World War. Mac Jr. upon his majority, sold off the remaining APS stock that he had to settle gambling debts incurred by his foster mother, Nanny Darrow (who was a lineal descedent of that same 19th century gambler, Ol' One Eye.)

Once thought lost, specimens were spotted by rare breed fanciers here and there, mostly in the back woods of PA, KY, VA, and W. Va. A resilient woman, Martha Winsom, a great world traveler, recognized the little back woods' dog for what it truly was, the rare Poppleschnotz. In 1960, she bought 5 APS, (2 males and 3 females) and 3 cases of fine Kentucky bourbon. With a stud she found in Australia, near Adelaide, began a very controlled breeding program.

Her granddaughter, Matty Windom-Zoblocnik is the current President of the APSCA (APS Club of America).