What can I do about my shedding dog?

 Well, it is summer here in the western hemisphere of our planet. With the warmer temperatures, your little buddies will shed more than in the winter months.

Certain breed also tend to shed much more than others. German Shepherds and Labradors tend to shed larger amounts of fur than some other breeds. The Lovely Shane may not believe this based upon the hair that accumulates around the Dog Trainer shack, but, Beagles are fairly moderate shedding dogs. Cuddles, our Corgi mix barely sheds at all.

I once had a lab/pit bull mix named Critten. She was a big time shedder!

A little more hair shed this time of year is normal. However, excessive shedding can, in some cases indicate a medical problem. This is particularly true if there are also other symptoms such as excessive scratching, skin irritation, etc. Our friends at the ASPCA have some information on their website that lists other symptoms for which to be on the lookout. The information may be obtained at http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/dog-care-shedding.aspx .

I have mentioned before that our Whopper Beagle, Copper has a thyroid problem that we treat with medication. Before he was diagnosed, one of his symptoms was excessive shedding. Since he has been on the medication, he does not shed nearly as much and his coat is much brighter and softer.

Excessive shedding can, in some cases, be caused by insufficient nutrients and can be treated through diet or supplements. Only your veterinarian can diagnose this for certain however.

There are things that can be done to control the normal summer time shedding.

I have found that regular brushing is a very effective way to cut down on the amount of shed hair that we find in the shack. The Lovely Shane and I do our best to routinely brush our little guys. The way we do it is that we brush them on the back porch just before they come in to the shack. I use a slicker brush(similar to the red one in the picture)

. It is the type of tool that I have used for many years on Beagles. You must be careful not to scratch the dog's skin with the bristles but once you get the feel for it you will have no trouble.

The slicker brush however, is not the tool that most professional groomers that I know recommend. Most groomers that I know recommend a tool like the Zoom Groom (the blue one in the picture). It is made of some sort of rubber like material. The bristles will never cut into the skin.

There is a great deal of hype about the Furminator (the yellow tool in the picture). It is a good tool but I can not justify the outrageously high price for my use. I have also been cautioned by some of the groomers that I know to be very careful with the blade on these things because they can be rough on the skin.

When I worked for Petco we did a remodel. As a result of this remodel we replaced some of the items that we previously carried with similar items in different sizes. There was quite a good clearance sale on much of the stuff we were no longer carrying. I picked up a bottle of spray on conditioner that was suppose to control shedding. I got it for almost nothing. I tried it and in my experience the stuff works very well. Petco still carries it in a different size than I purchased. The same sort of stuff can also be sourced from many other places.

The Lovely Shane and I have very little carpet in the shack here. Our goal is to have no carpet at all. We have mostly wood and vinyl flooring. This may be extreme for you and I am not suggesting it for everyone, we just find that it makes clean-up exponentially easier.

Something that I do recommend is changing or checking your central air conditioning filters very often this time of year. You will probably be surprised how much dog hair get sucked up by the returns on your AC system.

Remember, if you have any dog training needs or dog related questions or concerns, please contact me at any time.


Till next time

-William -

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791

What should I do if a dog fight starts?

I always enjoy watching Snoopy fight the Red Baron. However, real dog fights are not a matter to be taken lightly.

The issue came back into my mind when I read a story on the news about a dog fight that happened in a Petco Store in Austin, TX. The local ABC TV affiliate in Austin has the story on their website at http://www.kvue.com/news/Petco-responds-to--214415401.html .

Appearently, this particular Petco is located in a higher crime area than the one at which I worked in Peachtree City, GA. The Petco in Austin felt it necessary to hire an off-duty law enforcement officer as a security guard. A fight broke out when a dog got away from its handler and attacked another dog. For some reason that is obscure and nebulous the off-duty law enforcement officer decided that the best way to handle the situation was to fire two shots from her handgun into the dog who was the aggressor. This all happened inside the store.

I realize that I may not have all the facts regarding this situation however, it appears to me at least ,from my reading of the story, that there are multiple things wrong here. Readers and friends, I have been around dogs for the vast majority of my life. I have seen many fights break out among dogs over the years. I have never used deadly force to break up a fight. There are too many less dangerous options.

It is particularly remarkable that the shots, in this case, were fired inside a store that was open and presumably had other customers inside. The officer did move folks out of the line of fire before killing the dog however that does not give me much comfort regarding the situation.

I am no physicist nor am I a firearms expert. However, my common sense and rudimentary knowledge of physics and firearms leads me to the conclusion that discharging a firearm under any circumstances in this type of environment was a very dangerous undertaking. Even with people outside the line of fire, the projectile fired from the weapon could have ricocheted off any number of surfaces and hurt someone or some other animal.

I am also perplexed about why the security guard was handling this situation in the first place. This store presumably has a dog trainer. I was the Dog Trainer at the store at which I worked. As part of my training to become a Petco Certified Dog Trainer I was taught the proper procedures to use in the unlikely event that a dog fight broke out in my store or in one of my classes. The store management and other staff knew that I was qualified to respond to urgent situations involving dogs in the store (a dog fight, a dog running loose in the store, etc.) . I was never armed and would not have shot the dog twice in any attempt to break up a fight.

Okay..... Now that you have a wonderful example of the absolute wrong way to handle a dog fight perhaps I should explain the proper way. It is not rocket science. Dogs are not all that complex.

The best way to address this is prevention.  When you are out in public with your little buddies, I strongly suggest that you adhere to a three foot rule regarding other unfamiliar dogs. I always maintain a three foot separation between my dogs and other unfamiliar dogs. Remember, if the other dog is unfamiliar to you, there is a great deal of important information regarding the other animal that you do not have.  If the other dog has not been properly socialized or is not up to date on vaccines an up close encounter with your animal could be dangerous and ill-advised. Some dogs have severe dog aggression issues sometimes these dogs are great with people but dangerous with other dogs. This can happen for a variety of reasons but, for our purposes here just realize that some dogs are great with people but very aggressive and perhaps ever territorial with other dogs.

No matter how careful we are however, sometimes things, beyond our immediate control, occur and we are confronted with a dog fight. Sometimes they are just little disagreements that can be broken up pretty easily and are more noise than actual fight. Other times however, they are very dangerous for the dogs and any people who attempt to break them up. So, you must understand how to do this properly.

First, as I have written before, dogs take their cues from you. Remain as calm as possible! If you yell at the dogs and are overly agitated the dogs sense this and it makes things worse.

Next do whatever you can to divert their attention from a distance. Make a noise. There are little air horn like devices sold for this purpose. In a pet store you could kick a shelving unit or something like that
to get their attention. If the fighting does not immediately stop try throwing a blanket or towel or something over or between the dogs. We would utilize the big dog beds for this purpose at the store.

If this still does not stop the fight, you can use water. We always had a bowl or two of water for the dogs in the training area. These can be dumped on the dogs. We also sold citronella spray. The dogs hate the smell of this stuff and it can be useful in redirecting their attention.

In the extremely unlikely event that the above measures fail, you will have to take more up close physical action. Please read this carefully. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU GRAB THE COLLAR OR THE FRONT OF THE DOGS THAT ARE FIGHTING. You don't want to be this close to the mouths and more importantly the teeth. If possible have a helper handle one dog while you handle the other. Grad the HIND legs. In order to prevent further injury to the dog grab the leg as close as possible to the dog's body. This will prevent it from twisting. Lift up kinda like you would lift a wheel barrow. Then spin the dogs away from each other. Get them as far away from each other as possible. And get them medical attention if needed.

Remember also, any breed can be aggressive and dangerous under certain circumstances. So, please be careful with your little buddy when meeting new dogs. I used to always cringe when I saw strangers in the store letting their dogs sniff each other on leash in the store. This is not a good idea. A great deal of problems can be averted by simply following the three foot rule.

Also learning about dog body language is helpful. I will be happy to teach you what I have learned over the years about reading a dog's body language. Many times situations can be averted if you just know the warning signs and entirely avoid dogs that are showing aggressive or stressful body language. I give these stressed or aggressive guys much more than three feet. It is beyond the scope of this blog to teach the body language. But if you are interested, please contact me and I will happy to teach you what I have learned.

Be safe out there with your little buddies!

Till Next Time

-William-

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

Happy Independence Day! What do I do when my buddy is scared of fireworks?

The Lovely Shane, Cuddles the Corgi mix, Copper the Whopper Beagle, Cody the Little Beagle and wish you a happy and safe July 4th! The picture is from a laser light and fireworks show at the State Park in Stone Mountain, Georgia. If you have never seen one of these you should. This time of the year, I think they do them weekly.

Firecrackers and certain types of fireworks that makes noise is not legal for home use in Georgia. So, I am certain that none of my Atlanta area readers ever encounter loud fireworks in your neighborhoods :) . Many years ago, I lived in a sub-division in eastern Cobb County, Georgia. All fireworks were illegal at that time. It sounded like a war zone around my house on New Year's eve and July 4th. I am certain this was from some local licensed fireworks show and not my neighbors with  contraband firecrackers and M-80s :).

At the time I lived in Cobb County, I had a very nervous Beagle named Boomer. Like most of my Beagle buddies over the years, Boomer was a rescue. He was abused as a young puppy and had many anxiety issues. He was very scared of the noise that accompanied these local fireworks shows.

There are desensitization techniques that can be utilized for dogs that are scared of fireworks or thunder. They basically involve exposing the dog to loud noises that mimic the fireworks like recordings of fireworks, etc. You do this in a very controlled way and begin to associate good things with the offensive noise. Desensitization takes a while and if you are consistent with it, it can be very effective. However, the occurrence of fireworks is so infrequent that avoidance may be a better technique.

This may sound like common sense and the obvious answer, but I always kept Boomer inside during these fireworks displays. I also tried to mask the sound by having music playing or the TV tuned to one of his favorite channels.

It is always important to remember that, to a very large extent, your little buddy takes cues from you. So, with that in mind, try not to react to the fireworks. Do not make a big deal about them or call him poor dog and pet him every time you hear a boom. Also, if he wants to hide under a table or something, or if he wants to sit next to you on the couch, do not discourage this behavior. If your buddy sees that you are not reacting, it will probably help in calming him as well.

It has been my experience over the years that my little buddies who were afraid of thunderstorms were also afraid of fireworks and gunfire. So, some of the same techniques may be effective. I make this point because with many dogs that have moderate anxiety, the Thundershirt product is very effective. It does not work with every dog but I had many customers when I worked at Petco who said the product made a huge difference in anxiety level. There are also pheromone based sprays that seem to be effective with some dogs that have moderate anxiety. As in the case of the Thundershirt, this does not seem to work with every dog.

In extreme cases of anxiety, in other words if the dog is so anxious that he is hurting himself or being very destructive, your veterinarian can advise you about potentially using anti-anxiety medication for situations that you know are anxiety provoking.

If you do not have a regular veterinarian or if you suspect your vet is an evil alien :) , I will be happy to assist you in finding one.... I hope my readers appreciate my attempt at humor and don't just find it strange :).


I think our newest pack member, little Cody, may have some issues with fireworks this year. I have noticed that he is anxious during thunder storms. He is not relaxed like in this picture. On the contrary, he follows me everywhere and loves to lean on me an sit as close to me as possible. I will let you know how he does with the fireworks (if we have any in my law-abiding neighborhood).

Seriously, If you need help with an anxious dog or if you have any dog training needs, dog related questions, etc. , please contact me at any time!

I hope that you all have a great July 4th! The Lovely Shane is helping to care for her grandfather while her parents take a little out of town trip. I plan to take care of our pack and

 do some bathroom remodeling here at the Dog Trainer Shack. There is one other special activity in which I am going to participate: There is a radio contest this weekend called 13 Colonies. Amateur Radio Operators running special stations in all 13 original colonies are making contacts. If you contact all 13
of them you get a really cool certificate! I already have a start. Last night I contacted the New Hampshire station from the shack here. I was only operating at an output power of 5 watts. For those of you who are unfamiliar with radio, I probably would have used more power to yell out the window :) .

Well... Have a great 4th! Be careful.

Till Next Time

-William-

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

Dog care supplies do not have to be expensive to be effective

The Lovely Shane and I had the opportunity, yesterday, to attend a fund raiser flea market/yard sale for one of our local heroes of dog rescue, Bully Wag. We found some really good buys there and helped support these most innocent of God's creatures. We also had some of the best barbecue I have eaten in a long time. Michelle does a really good barbecue so, next time they have a fund raiser, my advice would be do not miss the barbecue!

Well, while we there, The Lovely Shane spotted a really nice looking huge basket. We bought the basket and put some old pillows and a blanket in it and it makes the perfect size bed for little Cody. We spent much less than half the price of a similar size dog bed at Petco or Petsmart. And this bed is unique. We think it is cool anyhow :). When Cody first joined our pack, he did not have his very own bed. Copper and Cuddles were very nice about letting him sleep on theirs and we put some old pillows on the floor for him too. Cody has absolutely fallen in love with this new bed!

The point of this post is to encourage you to be creative when it comes to things like bedding. This stuff is really expensive if you buy it at the Pet Stores. As you can see, little Cody is just as comfortable, or perhaps even more comfortable on his new yard sale bed as he would have been in the pricier model.

Another example is that there are many types of travelling water containers you can get for your pup on the go. Some of these are very good and not all that expensive. However, many times when Copper and I are out together, I get him a disposable Styrofoam cup. I put his name on it with a marker and he loves to drink from it while I hold it. During the short time that I used him as a demo dog at Petco, he had his own cup in the break room next to mine. This is not an appropriate solution for all outings with your dog but it works very well for Copper and I most of the time and he loves it!

The Lovely Shane made this sign for my radio station ( Ham Shack) the other day. I am not sure how effective it is because I have yet to figure out how to teach our pack to read. However, we think it is pretty cool. The Lovely Shane points out that it may be effective because the pack never barks while I am transmitting :). The cost of this really cool sign was nothing but the paper, ink and electricity required to produce it , and my unending gratitude to the Lovely Shane, of course :) . By the way, I picked up the really cool big white monitor on my radio station from the Bully Wag Yard Sale. Got a great deal on it too! Now I can see those little numbers on the radio control software much better now. I am not getting any younger, you know .


Another money saving idea is the one I mentioned in an earlier post on giving your dog a pill. You can use cheese instead of pill pockets and save a great deal of money. An extra added bonus is that you can have a treat with the pack :).

I am not suggesting that there are not significant costs associated with caring for a dog. I am simply encouraging you to be creative. There are many ways to save money if your think outside the box, so to speak.

Till Next Time

-William-

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com

Dog Fences and Other Containment Devices

When the weather is nice outside, it is tempting to let the dogs run. Actually, it is a really good idea to let them get off-leash exercise if you have the proper place to for this sort of activity. Our pack loves to be outside in the sun!

The Lovely Shane and I have a backyard that is enclosed with a 4 foot high chain link fence here at the Dog Trainer Shack. This is certainly not in any way an adequate containment system for an unsupervised Beagle. However, it is adequate for supervised romps. Copper just loves to track and chase chipmunks, squirrels feral cats, grizzly bears and whatever other interesting critters make their way inside the fence. Well perhaps I exaggerated the grizzly bear thing :).

I mentioned that this 4 foot chain link fence is not an adequate containment system for a Beagle that is unsupervised. Many of you new Beagle buddies or those of you who have never had a Beagle buddy in your pack may think that I am overly cautious here. I have been around Beagles most of my life. One should never, ever, ever, ever underestimate a Beagle's ability or determination to escape. It is not that your little guy or girl is not happy living with you, it is that the Beagle has a very strong instinctual drive to track game. If he/she is on the trail of something the focus of the little brain is very narrow. All he/she is thinking about is following the trail. This is one thing that makes them wonderful hunting dogs. A Beagle with its relatively short legs can follow a trail with its nose to the ground without slowing down to sniff.

I went into the house for just a couple of minutes the other day and one of our pack (not sure which member, I am not convinced that it was not a group effort) was on the trail of something and began digging under the fence. I have temporarily filled the hole with brick and concrete block until I can make a more permanent repair. Under is not the only way a Beagle will try to escape either. I once had a very smart guy named Boomer. When he was about 4 years old, he once climbed over a 6 foot chain link fence! He looked a lot like the guy in the picture here scaling the privacy fence. If you need to leave your dog unattended outside for short periods of time (please do not do this for extended periods) there are some options. You can build or buy a kennel type chain link enclosure. some of these have tops that will keep out rain and sun.

If you anchor these enclosures to a concrete slab the dogs will be unable to dig out.

The Lovely Shane and I are planning to, one day, install a 6 foot privacy fence on at least one side of the back yard. Perhaps we will install one or two of these cool portholes. This will allow out pack to look out. Besides, I think it looks really cool :).

Okay, now I am going to mention something that is a little controversial.  The devices that utilize shock collars to make a so called "underground" or" invisible fence". What I am about to write is my opinion as an electronic engineer and a dog trainer. To call these devices "fences" fosters a false sense of safety and security and, in my opinion, borders on fraudulent. These devices sometimes use a buried wire and sometimes use RF (Radio Frequency) transmissions. When the dog gets near the "border" he receives what is sometimes called a static correction. I have studied electronics for many years. It was a career for me. I am now an FCC Licensed Amateur Radio Operator and it is also a hobby of mine. Please, let us not sugar coat this matter. I have never, other than from the manufacturers and advocates of these devices, heard the correction that they provide called "static". I suppose in the academic electrical sense this is technically accurate. But, my friends and readers, in a strictly scientific, electrical sense, lightning is static. Static does not, in any way, co-notate safety. What the collars that come with these devices do is administer a high voltage, low current electrical shock to the dog in the guise of "correction". To some extent it is effective. It does get the little guy or girls attention. However, do they really understand why they are being "corrected" ? I am not convinced that they understand.

A dog can and in many cases will learn that if he/she runs hard and fast enough the "border" can be crossed. He will only get a short and painful electrical shock. The really bad thing about this is if the dog tries to return he will get the shock at the border again. Also, my friends, these collars are in no way foolproof. Batteries can get weak or die. The collar can slip off. The control unit can lose electrical power making these things completely and utterly useless. The underground wire can be accidentally broken. An adjacent transmitter could possibly interfere with the signal from the wireless transmitter rendering its performance unpredictable. Many things can happen to make these devices even less effective.

I am also not at all convinced that these collars are safe. Because of the way the heart works (remember I am not a doctor, don't even play one on T.V.) electrical shocks, even non-lethal ones, can be dangerous to dogs and people.

It is very rare that I find myself in agreement with PETA. They are generally much too radical for me. However, I have to agree with most of their position on shock collars when used as a "fence" or containment device


If you use Google or the search engine of your choice, there is no shortage of images and stories of dogs who were reportedly hurt or killed by shock collars. By the way, just because a product has the word "safe" and "pet" in the name does not mean that it is absolutely safe in all respects to all pets in all applications.

Please understand I am not stating that there is no legitimate use for these devices. In some very extreme cases of aggression, these shock collars with a remote (not as a so called fence) can sometimes be effective as a last resort only. However, this should be done under the supervision of a professional ( a dog trainer, canine behaviorist, or veterinarian).

During my time working at Petco, I saw many of these shock collar devices sold. Some of them for bark control, some of them for containment, and some with the remotes were sold for "training" purposes. They were almost never sold to be used as a last resort in a difficult case. Many times people bought them expecting them to be a magic bullet for behavioral issues. Many times, at the store where I worked in Peachtree City, GA they were bought to be used as "fences" so that the people in deed restricted communities did not have to put up an "unsightly" real fence. I always explained how these devices really worked to customers. But in many cases they bought them as "quick fixes" because of the way these things are miss-marketed. These things are promoted by Petco as "training aides" look at their website there is really no explanation of exactly how these devices work and the inherent dangers of them. I guess there is a great deal of profit to be made here. I suppose that is the real focus at the place "where the pets go".


Well, as always if you have any dog training questions or concerns, please contact me. Also I do, as many of you know, operate a Handyman business. If you have any questions about proper fences or need one installed or repaired also please contact me.

Till next time
-William -

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791

William Moore
William Moore Lawn and Handyman Services
fayettelawnmoore@gmail.com
678-702-4791

Why does my buddy eat grass?

Our newest addition to the pack, little Cody the Beagle, was eating grass earlier today. All of the reasons that dogs eat grass do not seem to be fully understood. A quick Google Search on "dogs eating grass" or something similar will yield many speculations however, I have found little in the way of empirical scientific fact.

All of our happy little pack here (pictured in their den at bedtime) do, from time to time, eat grass.  I am not a Veterinarian, Doctor, or Biologist (nor do I play one on T.V.) so my knowledge is a little limited but here is what I do understand:

Dog's are not strict carnivores. They are, like us, omnivores. This means they need meat and plant matter in their diets. Modern dog foods provide this pretty well. However, sometimes a dog will nibble on grass for the plant material (roughage, etc.). Grass is pretty plentiful outside and is easy for the dog to reach so, the dog may eat grass to provide needed plant material in his diet. However, I do not think this is why our pack eats grass from time to time.

Sometimes when dogs are bored outside, they will eat grass. This is generally more of a grazing than a nibbling. Our pack usually has plenty of interesting things to do when they are outside so this is not why they occasionally nibble on grass. I would certainly discourage this sort of grass eating. It would be much better to provide something else to occupy the dogs time and perhaps even exercise their mind. If you need help with this, please contact me and I will be happy to offer suggestions and work with you and your little guy or girl.

I really believe that the reason our pack members occasionally eat a little grass is to help them with upset stomach. There are usually other symptoms as well that lead me to this conclusion. Typically there will be other signs of stomach distress. Copper, for instance will sometimes loose interest in food or treats before he eats grass. This is a definite sign that his tummy hurts. He never turns down food unless his stomach is upset. Cody has been a little less active today and seems not to feel as good as normal. He also has vomited at least once today after eating grass. He is using the grass to help induce vomiting. I tend to think this is instinctual. However, I really have nothing scientific to back this up it is simply a hunch.

Again, I am no expert here. This is simply my opinion based upon many years of observing the members of my pack.

Till Next Time

-William-

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com
678-702-4791

Cleaning your buddy's ears

Copper is contently and comfortably sleeping on the couch under one of his favorite blankets in this picture. In order for him to be comfortable it is important that his ears are clean and healthy. Ear cleaning is an important grooming task for all dogs. It is particularly important for dogs with long floppy ears like my buddy Copper here.

I clean his ears regularly. I make it part of his bath day. After he has a bath, he gets his ears cleaned. This cleaning removes excessive wax and deters infection.

Our newest pack member, Cody came to us with a yeast infection in his ears. I suspected an infection because I detected an odor coming from his ears. The inside of the ears also looked really black and dirty. Only your Veterinarian can diagnose an ear infection. Cody's is a yeast infection. He is getting special drops in his ears twice a day for a couple of weeks in an attempt to clear up the infection. He does not mind the drops because he gets a little chunk of cheddar cheese after each cleaning.

Cleaning the ears is an easy task and only takes a few minutes.

There are many different brands of ear cleansing products available at you local pet store. They are all very similar. Remember, these are not really intended for dogs with ear infections or ear problems, they are preventive in intent. If you suspect your dog has an infection or similar problem see your veterinarian.

All you really have to do is squirt a little of the ear cleaner in the ear. I then hold the ear down and rub the ear gently near the head. Then I let the little guy shake his head and move on to the other ear.

I strongly suggest praising the dog and giving him a high value treat as a reward after the ear cleaning. This makes it a positive experience for them and makes it easier the next time.

If your dog is scratching his ears or if the ears smell funny, he likely has some sort of infection and a trip to the veterinarian is needed.

The ASPCA also has some good information on their website about ear cleaning.

Some dogs do not like to have their ears cleaned at all. If you need help getting your dog comfortable with ear cleaning or grooming please contact me. There are desensitization techniques that I can show you that will help your dog.

Till Next Time

-William-

William Moore
William Moore Canine Training
678-702-4791
fayettedogtrainer@gmail.com