Lifelong Socialization (AKA Rogue about Town)

“You dog people are crazy,” my beau said when I told him about my canine enrichment plan.

“Yes darling, I know.” I packed up my camera and a bag of treats.  “It’s going to be fun.”

“Don’t drop your camera,” he said.

I sighed.  I’d broken a lens on my new camera four days after getting it.  I didn’t need a reminder. “Maybe I’ll get a few good shots this time.”

 

“Are you sure Riggs can handle it?” he asked. “The subway’s pretty scary.”

Riggs was actually the least of my worries. “It’ll be good for him.  Even at this age his brain can grow.” 

“Worth a try, I guess,” he said. Then he snickered.  

Riggs, my resident rogue, isn’t known for his brilliance, though he has other great qualities.  When he was a puppy, I took him everywhere, knowing that socialization in the early months was vital. Later, while helping breeder Pam Headon research a book, I discovered my job wasn’t done. Some experts recommend ongoing socialization, especially until the dog reaches social maturity at about age three.  

Take your dog out at least twice a week—once for training, and once for another activity.  The training is less about what the dog learns than about experiencing the wonders of the environment with a positive spin. … You can also reinforce some of the behaviors you’ve worked so hard to teach, such as being calm around other dogs and children.  

I’d done my best.  Riggs and I had joined agility class, which we bonded over disliking.  Then we tried advanced obedience and drop-in dog socials, which worked better.  Basically, I took him wherever he was welcome, and as my left-hand man, he’d become pretty much bombproof.  

Last year, I enriched Riggs’ life further by giving him a canine baby sister.  Mabel, my sweet sensitive darling, needed far more socialization than Riggs ever did.  And since she borrows courage from her stalwart blond companion, I had to sideline Riggs sometimes and get her out on her own.  

Besides, it soon became obvious that while one canine sidekick was company, two were seen as a crowd.  

Riggs didn’t exactly suffer.  In addition to beach runs, day care, and cottage trips, he got regular hikes through Toronto’s ravine system.  But social enrichment had taken a nosedive.  Our little pack fell into a rut.   

One day it struck me that I missed him.  We never have any one-on-one time anymore, and as my first dog ever—my golden boy—I’d loved our partnership. It was time to resume our outings.  

So, last week, Riggs and I traded our usual icy trails for the sleek marble of the Manulife Center at Bay and Bloor in downtown Toronto.  

Although his first subway ride unnerved him, he was happy to accept treats, so I knew he was being enriched, rather than traumatized.  

Once inside the upscale mall, he calmed down and glided gracefully by my side to the bookstore, Indigo, which is where I do some of my best brainstorming.

By the time I was finished my latte, Riggs had acclimated to café lifestyle.

He was ready to do some serious posing, which meant it was my turn to be nervous.  Not only am I a photography novice and dropper-of-cameras, I also hate drawing attention to myself.  By now, it was lunch hour, and extremely busy: no one was going to miss this show. 

Leaning against the marble wall outside the store, I snapped off a few quick shots.  Blurry.  Shaky hands.  I tried again.   

   

After a few minutes, someone said, “Don't tell me you're holding up traffic to take pictures of your dog?” 

By this point I’d slid down the marble wall to the floor.  I looked up to see a row of construction workers in orange vests waiting politely to cross my sight-line. But the voice actually belonged to a colleague from my day job.

Grinning up at her, I pointed to the Indigo sign and said, “I’m enriching his life.  Obviously.”  

“You dog people are crazy,” she said.

“I’ve heard that before,” I said.  “But it’s a good crazy.” 

By the end of the outing, I believed it.  A lot of people had stopped to say hello and pat Riggs.  A few had even asked for a photo op, and Riggs happily obliged.

Then a woman came up to me and said, “Nice dog.  Nice camera. I need money.”

It was time to go home.   

On the subway, Riggs flirted with the lady next to me.  He was already a veteran commuter. 

In the end, I was pretty satisfied with the experiences we’d checked off:

• Navigating stairs, subway, escalator, elevator and crowds.
• Obedience under distraction.
• Meet and greet with 20+ people.
• Polite mingling with mall dogs in designer jackets. 

Is his brain any bigger for the experience?  The jury’s still out.  But it’s been awhile since he’s looked at me like this:

So the rogue and I will hit the town again. I need some suggestions for dog-friendly destinations.  Where do you take your dogs?

 

*Please follow Rogues & Darlings if you'd like to receive updates as they're posted. If interested in being interviewed, contact rideoutsandy@gmail.com.  

Friday Five (Top Things We Love about our Dogs)

I drop by several "doodle” groups on Facebook to check out the photos and confirm my dogs are the cutest.  Of course, I always come away reassured, but I can't deny there's some stiff competition.  

One beauty that caught my eye a few months ago belongs to Lucretia Schafroth.  Lucretia kindly agreed to share her Top 5 list of things she loves about Sophie Tallulah, a standard Goldendoodle:

1.  Sophie's incredible intelligence makes her so easily trainable and nearly human.  She knows all her commands in both English and French.  Sophie usually learns new commands after just three tries/demos--max.  Then, I switch to the other language and she gets it after no more than two repetitions.  She knows her right from her left, that a proper pooch shakes "hello/bonjour" with one's right paw, never the left one...and so many other commands I've taught her, such as dabbing her mouth/ lower jaw on a towel after a big drink, ringing bells to be let back inside, and walking onto a towel and standing still to be dried if it's wet outside. 

2.  Her huge, outgoing personality.   Sophie likes most other dogs but LOVES people.  While she considers herself to be a one-dog greeting committee when off-leash at the beach or woods, she is quite discerning.  Strangers get a friendly wag and gentle head nuzzle while most of our friends get enthusiastic greetings. However, there are a special few for whom she truly goes berserk!  I would never admit this to those not on Sophie’s “top 5” list, but she definitely has her own favorites!

3.   Her beauty and oh-so-adorable cuteness.  I know I'm slightly biased but she truly looks like a huge stuffed animal, which we've been told hundreds of times!  Many a stranger has commented, astonished, at her caramel-colored, three-inch-long eyelashes--they're major attention-grabbers!  All in all, she pulls off "regal Teddy Bear," which I know sounds like an oxymoron, 80 percent of the time.  The remaining 20 percent?  She's a goofy girl!

 4.   Her athleticism.  Sophie is a spot-on catcher of anything:  balls, frisbees, and toys.   It doesn't matter how far, high or awkwardly the object is thrown, if it still has air, she'll grab it.

5.   Her ability to respond to her many nicknames, the list of which continues to grow:  Soph, Lulu, Doodle or Doods, Dophie or Doph...  When Sophie was about six months old, one of our neighbors actually asked me if we had changed her name to Lulu because she heard me say it so often. (For some reason, I tend to use "Lulu" when I'm speaking French to her.)

This fur baby is truly our third child—my curly-haired daughter!

Thanks for sharing, Lucretia!  

Please follow the Animal Magnetism blog if you'd like to receive updates as they're posted. If interested in being interviewed or sharing your Top 5, contact rideoutsandy@gmail.com.  Sandy's latest book is Golden Boy: How to raise a dog all wrong and end up all right.

Five Things I Love about my Dog

The standard advice to new authors is to avoid reading reviews of your books.  But in the early days, I couldn't stop myself.  

It was quite an eye-opener.  Just as an example, here are actual reviews of Girl v. Boy from the 2,000+ on Goodreads.com.   

Five-star: Ahhh this was a really good book!!! I TOTALLY loved it! Great plot line and the whole story was hilarious, interesting, nice romance.

One star: Very predictable and somehow not logical or realistic even.  Honestly this was just painful to get through. The characters were horribly crafted, the plot wandered everywhere, and I just felt confused for the majority of the time. 

Right, so the old expression applies:  One man's garbage is another man's treasure.

The more books I published, the less I checked reviews.  Until Golden Boy.  Because that one's personal.

One review, by someone named "Ale," quite tickled me:    

Made me laugh, cry and even gag at times, but Sandy's journey with Riggs reminded me of my own with the Goldendoodle that owns me.

Ale later revealed herself on Facebook to be Alessandra Olmedo, and today she shares the Top Five things she loves about her handsome standard Goldendoodle, Pedro.  

 

1. I love his smile, Pedro is a happy dog and he is always smiling, even when he’s asleep!

 2. I love how well he knows us (his “daddy,” Glen, and me). He is very sensitive to our tone of voice and demeanor and is quick to offer his comfort by nudging us gently if he feels we’re upset for any reason. He’ll come over and lean on me and “encourage” me to pet him, which is therapeutic and calms me down immediately.

3. I love how he tilts his head in response to certain words and especially any question that starts with “Do you want to…?” It can end with something fun, like “go for a car ride” or not so much, like “go to the vet” but he always tilts his head with curiosity and he looks pretty cute!

4. I love the fact that when we go out for a walk or a hike with him off leash he always makes sure that he doesn’t lose sight of us. I normally walk a few steps behind Glen and Pedro so I can enjoy looking around.  Pedro runs back and forth between the two of us.  While he explores and sniffs the trail, Pedro always stays within visual range of his humans. It gives me a great deal of comfort.

5. I love that Pedro is usually oblivious to squirrels or chipmunks on the trails, or the cats crossing through his backyard. I don’t know if he doesn’t mind them or if he really doesn’t notice them.  It puzzles and amuses me!  

Wow. Do I really have to stop now? … Just one more thing, I love how Pedro’s voice has translated into his very own blog and his Twitter account.  He has so much to say and so many friends around the world!  You can follow Pedro's antics at www.pedrodoodle.ca.  His Twitter handle is @PedroDoodle and his Instagram account is: PedroDoodle1

So in the end, something good came of reading reviews:  I made a new friend.  

Thanks, Alessandra! (And thanks to everyone else who's posted reviews!)

Meet the Breed: The Barbet

Riggs & Nikki

I had never heard of the Barbet, or French Water Dog, until Riggs and I met Nikki and her owner on the snowy trails of the Don Valley ravine system. Over the next months, the dogs became best pals, and I came to appreciate all the Barbet had to offer.  

Nikki's breeder, Pam Headon of Willow Creek Waterdogs, agreed to let me help with her book on the breed, called Barbets: The Best Kept Secret of the Dog World.

I really enjoyed working with Pam, and still keep in touch to find out the latest Barbet news.  

She's kindly agreed to share her experience of the Barbet here, for our first Meet the Breed (and Breeder) entry.  

Over to Pam . . . 

  

1.     What made you start breeding dogs? 

True confession:  Once upon a time, I had a purebred Cocker Spaniel that I continue to call the “Spaniel from Hell.”  Tammy was really my son’s pet, and despite my experience with dogs, I failed miserably in housebreaking her.  I sensed that my busy household was too stressful for Tammy, and that she would fare better as the “only child” of a doting couple.  So I convinced my son to let the Humane Society find that perfect home for her. The deal was that if they re-homed Tammy, he could choose a new puppy.

In due course, they found a great placement for Tammy, so we went to check out a litter of what they said were German Shepherd-Collie crosses.  I thought that would be an ideal family dog. There were 13 pups in the litter, and my son selected his favorite, a curly black-and-white pup that was much smaller than the rest.  He named her Oreo. 

I’d owned Shepherds and Collies and crosses thereof, but Oreo didn’t resemble any of them.  Compact, adorable and spunky, she followed me like a shadow.  Still, there was nothing overt to suggest a more exotic pedigree than the typical pound puppy until I took her to a county fair a few months later.  Over the course of the day, three people came up to me separately to ask about my Portuguese Water Dog. 

Curious, I headed to the library to look at some breed books. Sure enough, Oreo did resemble a Portuguese Water Dog, or “Portie.” She had webbed paws, she didn’t shed, and she was maturing to be about the right size.  She also had an intriguing habit of sitting on top of the barbeque to survey the backyard as if she were on the bow of a boat. Even a Portie breeder who met Oreo thought she was likely a purebred.

I had Oreo spayed and that should have been the end of it, but a seed had been sown.  I decided I wanted a purebred Portuguese Water Dog.  There were only a few breeders in Canada at the time, and one lived quite close to me, in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. I visited and told her the story of Oreo. 

Under her mentor-ship, I began breeding Porties myself and it launched a new, happier phase of my life.

2.     How did the Barbet enter the picture?

I bred Porties happily for many years and consider them my first canine “love.” But then I discovered the Barbet. This ancient breed is similar to the Portie in all the best ways, but people who know both breeds well tend to agree that the Barbet is a calmer, easier dog.  In fact, I called one of my first imports “Sanka” because she struck me as a decaffeinated Portuguese Water Dog. 

As a responsible breeder, I have steered many prospective owners away from the Portie because the breed requires a lot of exercise and strong leadership. Happily, I can now steer them toward the Barbet, which is an ideal match for almost anyone. Though bred for hunting and sporting activities, the Barbet is a highly versatile dog that can flourish in rural or urban environments, in houses, cottages or even high-rises, providing their individual exercise needs are met.  Few breeds are so adaptable.

I love how gentle and loving this companion dog is.  I always say a Barbet is “unconditional love in a non-shedding coat.”

This breed is still so rare that it seems like a secret we Barbet-lovers share.  There are not even enough Barbets in the US to be AKC-recognized, although it is getting close. It’s nice to be breeding a dog that has a rich, long history as a purebred dog in France. They say Napoleon owned one!

 

Nikki's pups - typical Barbets

3.    What’s changed in your life since your book, Barbets: The Best-Kept Secret of the Dog World came out? 

I love that more and more families are familiar with the Barbet and know it’s the dog they must have even before they even contact me.  It makes my job easy! 

The book ruffled a few feathers in the breeder community when it was published, but now people seem to recognize that a book on this rare breed raises its profile in a positive way. 

 
 4.    What was your biggest surprise as a breeder?

The vast majority of Barbets are either black or brown, with a few fawn colored dogs in the world. Last fall, a black Barbet, Nikki, surprised me by delivering a light-colored pup with phantom markings.  To my knowledge, this is the only Barbet with this coloring.  If all goes well, I hope to breed this dog, and am super excited to see what kind of pups he’ll produce. 

Nikki's big reveal

 

5.    What was your favorite moment as a dog breeder? 

Hands down, it was the moment Sarah Leal described so well in my book.  I’ll share her version of the story here.   

Callie

We got Callie for the simple reason of bringing joy into our family.  We have a stressed house:  my daughter Madison is medically fragile, and we don't know day-to-day what's going to happen.  You need to find a way to laugh in between the moments of stress, and Callie helps us do that. 

People thought I was crazy when I said I wanted a dog, but I had an overwhelming urge, and it was the right decision.  Callie is absolutely wonderful.  She loves dogs, our cat, the bus driver, and the nurses who help Madi—everyone. 

I had been interested in a Portuguese Water Dog, because Madison has allergies. Madi also has Cerebral Palsy, and when Pam met us, she suggested that the Barbet might be better fit, because it’s a less energetic breed.  I wanted a dog that would love swimming, and be affectionate and loyal to us, and Pam assured me the Barbet would meet those requirements and more. 

When the puppies were two weeks old, we went back and chose Callie.  Since we live close to Pam, we were able to visit often.  A week before the puppy came home, Pam took a T-shirt Madi had worn to help imprint Callie. When we came to pick up the puppy, Callie acted like she recognized Madi.  She snuggled under Madi’s chin, and it was like she was saying, “Oh there you are—I was looking for you.”  We put down the accessible ramp and Callie followed Madi right up the ramp and into the van.  Pam burst into tears and said, “This is beautiful:  it’s meant to be.”  And it was. 

She’s so loyal and connected with us.  A few weeks ago, Madi had a medical crisis in the night, and the nurse had trouble with the intercom.  I woke up because the dog was making a noise I’d never heard before—it was a pained sound.  Callie clearly knew something was wrong in Madison’s room and was alerting us.  We needed to get in there, and she made it happen. 

Callie is the most intuitive, yet non-intrusive dog I’ve ever encountered.  I’m so glad Pam suggested we meet the Barbet.  It was absolutely the perfect match for us. ~ Sarah Leal

You can learn more about Pam and her work at Willow Creek Waterdogs.   

Please follow the Animal Magnetism blog if you'd like to receive updates as they're posted. If interested in being interviewed, contact rideoutsandy@gmail.com.  Sandy's latest book is Golden Boy: How to raise a dog all wrong and end up all right.

Does leading a dog come more easily to men? ~ with Ola Zalewski of Paws Above

As a first-time dog owner of Riggins, I was determined to bribe my way into the leadership role with praise and liver treats. But as anyone who has read Golden Boy knows, Riggs wasn’t so easily swayed.  He wasn’t food motivated, and praise left him cold.  The only toy that stirred him was a flirt pole, and that generated the wrong kind of energy (prey drive!). 

So I wandered from trainer to trainer in search of the key to unlocking this dog’s potential—and ultimately, my own. What I learned is that one size does not fit all as far as training is concerned, and that many roads can lead to a “good dog.” 

Since I’m not a natural leader and Riggs didn’t care to please, I had to change my mind about corrective training techniques. Riggs matured and changed his mind, too.  When he decided in favor of liver treats, I moved to what I consider a hybrid approach.  Now, I try redirection first, and correct only if that fails. As time wears on, correction is rarely needed ~ and I’ve become resigned to smelling of liver treats forever (although some may complain it's a romance-killer!).

Feedback on Golden Boy suggests I’m not alone in my training challenges. In fact, lots of owners—particularly women—have commiserated.  That’s why I corner every dog trainer I meet and ask the same question: Does leadership come more easily to men?  

Today we’ll hear from Ola Zalewski of Paws Above training.  If you missed Ola’s earlier interview, check it out here.  Feel free to ask Ola questions in the comments below, some of which we may address in future blogs.  

Thanks again, Ola, for your patience with Riggs and me! 

1.    What is the “secret” to being a strong leader to our dogs? 

I don’t think there is a secret, per say.  We just need to make a conscious effort to understand their language. Dogs primarily communicate with each other using body language, eye contact, different tones of voice, and touch.  When you know how to read them, you can create exercises that mimic their ways of communicating and let them know you are higher ranking than they are.  I have studied how dogs move around each other and in different environments.  This has led to a strong understanding of what they are communicating, and allows me to take charge.  I realize that some people don’t have a natural knack for this.  In fact, so many people have asked me about it that I decided to develop a new confidence-building workshop.  In this class, people will work with a group of dogs they’ve never met before.  It will take them out of their comfort zone, but as they work on controlling a group, they will gain leadership skills.  Practice makes perfect!

2.     What is the impact of NOT showing the leadership a dog needs?
 
Dogs live in a hierarchical system.  The term “pack” is falling out of favor these days, but regardless of what you call it, these are social animals and they must have a system of hierarchy.  If the top guy leaves or dies, the rest of the group figures out the next leader.  It’s in their nature. Dogs respect and follow higher ranking individuals. If your dog sees you as equal or lower ranking in relation to him, you will likely see undesirable behaviors such as jumping, biting, mouthing, and even aggression.  Now, this does not apply to every dog, but many of them.  If you take charge (as you should—you do pay the bills!), you’ll reach a nice balance and your dog will ultimately behave better.

3.    In your experience, do women have more of a challenge in leadership than men, and if so, why might that be?

Ah, this is a very common complaint I hear in classes!  Women frequently comment that their male partners have more success than they do in getting the dog to behave well.  I attribute this to the fact that men are usually taller and deeper-voiced, and may be more dominant by nature.  In my experience, dogs tend to be more respectful around men—although there are lots of exceptions to the rule.  Similarly, dogs challenge a child faster than they do an adult, probably because they are smaller, with higher-pitched voices.  Women have been raising this issue with me for as long as I’ve been in the business, and that’s one reason why my classes are predominantly filled with women.  It makes me really happy to see women stepping up to the plate!

4.    What can dog owners do from the very start to be a strong leader?

The best strategy is to do your homework BEFORE you even get a dog.  Learn about the breed that interests you, and then do your research about training and the services available in your area.  Get references from a vet or other dog owners for professional dog trainers.  Call and chat with them, or drop in to watch a class.  

Once you have your pup, it’s critical that you follow through on what you want.  I don’t have children, but I hear that leading a dog is similar to parenting.  If you bark commands or corrections at dogs all day, or get frustrated and yell, it will not get you far.  I recommend giving a dog one verbal command, and if it doesn’t obey, follow through with the behaviour you want.  Say the dog is on the couch.  Don’t yell “off” 50 times until you’re out of breath.  Say it once and then take the dog’s collar and lead it off the couch.  Following through on what you ask helps the dog learn what you expect, and, in my opinion, is fairer to the dog. 

5.    If our dogs are already not listening or obeying, what steps do you suggest?  

I would immerse myself in any resources I could find, whether it’s books, videos, seminars or classes.  Never has there been more information available on dog training, and much of it is free with the click of a mouse! 

It’s important to understand that there are two main schools of thought on training, and they largely conflict with each other.  In a nutshell, there are trainers who believe in positive reinforcement only, and others who believe correction has a place in dog training.  

 
The only way to know what’s right for you is to do your research on schools and classes.  Read reviews.  Talk to people.  Go with the methodology that makes you most comfortable and is in line with your own beliefs.  There is no “right” choice, only the choice that is best for you personally and ultimately works for you and your dog.


Ola Zalewski lives on a 100 acre farm with Jeff, 5 dogs, 35 chickens, and 4 goats.  Visit Paws Above here or on Facebook. 


Please follow the Animal Magnetism blog if you'd like to receive updates as they're posted. If interested in being interviewed, contact rideoutsandy@gmail.com.  And if you haven't read Golden Boy: How to raise a dog all wrong and end up all right, what are you waiting for?!