Baby Kisses Dog

I have seen tons of pictures recently showing babies and toddlers face-to-face, lying on top of, or tightly hugging their dog. Babies and dogs together aren't anything new—and the photos are sweet, but have you ever noticed how uneasy the dog often is? Perhaps these photos stand out to me because I am both more aware of how a dog communicates and I have two new grand-(great?) nephews (1 year and 9 months). More often than not, the poor dog looks like it is tolerating the interaction and gratefully, is well-behaved enough to suffer through the interaction. But how many people unknowingly subject their dog to the discomfort and their child to the danger? It seems like a lot.

I came across this video showing very subtle dog communication around a wee one. I sent it off to both new sets of parents. They may be comfortable with the interaction between their baby and their dog, but do they know their friends' dogs as well?

After Lucy passed away, we briefly trialed-for-adoption, a male pup around a year old. He was a sweet, young thing, but I realized almost immediately he harbored more issues than I was skilled to deal with. Although he suffered several bizarre personality traits, the clincher for his return was nipping a neighbor's young daughter. The little girl, around eight at the time, came over to see our new pup. She was shy and stood quietly by her mother, when Jake came up and nipped at her shirt. No one had anticipated that. He didn't touch skin, and neither the mother nor her daughter was bothered by it. The little girl was unharmed. However, I was greatly concerned! We travel a lot and are in many different situations which include children. I did not want a dog that needed constant monitoring; I had already experienced that with Lucy. After much distress on my part, the young dog was returned to his foster home for more evaluation.

Lovely Bella is as sweet as can be, but she isn't used to babies who grab her fur for balance or grab her neck to hug or topple accidentally on top of her. Whenever we are around small ones, I monitor her and the babies like a hawk and do not allow close interactions. I am guarding Bella as much as the baby. Bella is far more quick than I and a baby's face is far closer to Bella's teeth.

On the street, there are several things I do when a child runs up to Bella, as often, the parent with the child does nothing.

• First, I safeguard Bella. I make sure she is not anxious (never the case) and next to me. 
• I explain to the child they should never run up to a strange dog. 
• They should always ask the owner permission to pet the dog.
• They shouldn’t shout or grab at the dog—all things that can frighten it and precipitate a bite.
• When greeting a strange dog, they should extend a fisted hand, fingers down, for the dog to sniff (safe-guarding small, tasty fingers).
• When leaving, it is wise to walk, not run, from the dog.
  
  

A bit of overkill, perhaps, but if the parent is non-responsive, I assume the child hasn't been taught how to behave around an animal. Better to know how to approach an animal safely, than risk a bite.

Recently I read the article, Why Some Pet Photos Make Me Nervous, by Dr. Nancy Kay, DVM. In it she advises parents to:

• Actively teach young children how to interact with animals in a gentle, respectful fashion. Role model this behavior every chance you get.
• Be reminded that every animal is capable of unpredictable behavior. Never leave a young child unsupervised with an animal, even if that animal happens to be the beloved family pet.
• An eating or sleeping animal is wearing a “do not disturb” sign which should be respected.
• If your pet enjoys spending time in a crate or other small, enclosed shelter, consider this to be their sacred space and bar young children from entering.
• Avoid subjecting your pet to unnatural, uncomfortable poses for the sake of a photo!
  
  

Respect a dog's sense of space—and be responsible for your child’s interactions with pets.

Great Point of View Regarding Training

I came across this article today and had to share it. I couldn't agree more with the author! In Common Misunderstandings About Training and Behavior, author Kelly Gorman Dunbar writes about two important facets of our human-dog relationship. One, the use of treats—to use or fade out, and two, our misinterpretation of dog behavior—are they being willful or are we being unclear.

I'm sure you've noticed that after you've phased out treats, and months (or years!) have passed, your pup seems to ignore or forget basic behaviors. "Oh! You want me to stay (sit, heel, etc.)?" And meanwhile, you are thinking, "Wait a minute! You learned this years ago!" Ms. Dunbar hits the nail on the head when she writes:

"Yet it seems that people want their dogs to do their bidding without getting some sort of reinforcement in return. It’s interesting to me, because this is not how we humans operate; we expect to get paid for a job well done. Nor is it the way of the rest of the natural world. We mammals do what works for us to keep us healthy, happy, and alive. Behavior is driven by its results or consequence; life is inherently rewarding or punishing."

I know Bella loves "payment" and as soon as it arrives, she is more anticipatory to the next command. Sometimes that payment is food, sometimes a bit o' loving, or maybe some ball time—but the point is, the reward works. I don't always have food with me, but I consciously bring training treats with me on certain walks or adventures, just to reinforce heeling, sitting at stops, paying attention. It works!

Ms. Dunbar goes on to write about what some owners say is their dog's willful behavior. She counters with:

"I often say that dogs don’t generalize well and that’s why we have to painstakingly break things down into tiny exercises to teach with clarity. However, there are other reasons a dog might not be learning what you are trying to teach. Or perhaps it’s not that they don’t generalize well, but rather that they really just aren’t getting clear instruction most of the time. We humans are incredibly inconsistent. We have such terrible and confusing habits as changing verbal cues (is it Off or Down?), changing the reward marker if we have one, and not telling the dog when she’s got it right."

Early on, my husband and I were wondering why Bella wasn't "getting" a couple of commands and we realized we were using different words. I was using "down" for laying down and "drop" for spitting something out of her mouth; he was using "drop" for both the former and latter command. Oh boy! So we agreed to use "down" for laying down, "drop" for downing at a distance and "out" for spitting things out. But I've noticed we occasionally use "out" for when it's okay for her to proceed us through an open door. No wonder she doesn't always respond—she's confused about what we're asking of her!

Training us is much more difficult than training the pup. Not only do we need to be consistent with the words used, but it's necessary to use clear markers when a command is executed (timing is so important here), when training is over, or when we're just talking/working with her. I wish I had not used "OK" as completion, as that word has come back to bite me several times. "Release"...or another uncommonly used word, would have been much better. Perhaps a reason for another training session for us!

Loose Dog—"Oh! He's friendly!"

This kind of situation would not have been an issue for me had we not been blessed with Lucy. Lucy was aggressive with any dog who approached her—unless it was a puppy or a dog she knew. Lucy was always on a leash, not so other dogs, though some were on equally unmanageable flexi-leads. Somehow, dog owners assume that because their dog is non-aggressive, all will be well, but they don't consider the other dog. Lucy was beautifully behaved on a leash—unless charged by another dog.

I can't tell you the number of times people allowed their dog to zoom in our direction with the shout, "Oh (s)he's friendly!" (The flexi-lead walkers were almost always oblivious to the location of their dog.) No one ever bothered to ask if my dog was friendly. Usually, I could maneuver Luce away or yell to the owner to grab their dog before things got out of hand—but not always. A fight would occur and who was considered the guilty owner? I always felt horrible that Lucy was in a situation in which she clearly felt threatened. Her psyche was so fragile and I did my utmost to avoid those scenarios.

So I was quite taken aback the other day while walking mild-mannered Bella. A loose Golden Retriever, hackles raised, came rushing at us from behind some shrubs. What did the owners yell? "Oh, he's friendly!" In fact, there was no problem because Bella reacts beautifully in those kinds of circumstances, giving just the right doggie "I am not boss" signals. But that's besides the point as I don't want my girl to have to be in those situations. I had no time to extricate her or avoid the oncoming Golden. Had it been Lucy, there would have been no question of a fight.

The owners were walking their dog off leash. Mistake number one. Two, they assumed because their dog was friendly (although his approach was anything but), there would be no issue. Three, they made no attempt at calling their dog to them, but let the situation unfold. Trying to be as calm as possible, I explained why it was very unsafe for them to allow their dog to do that. They looked at me like the problem was mine. I feel very, very sorry for their pup. He may not be so lucky the next time he charges a dog.

Baja's Second First–Mountain Biking in the Bufadora

Biking through the cactus last year.

We took Bella mountain biking in the Bufadora! This is a large cardón cactus forest at the end of our bay. Last year we kept her to the sand road skirting the area, but yesterday took her onto the trails. My concern was that Bellie's Australian Shepherd genes keep her running alongside my husband's bike. Not viable in a cactus forest! She tried to maintain her position, but she understands the command "Ahead." We tried to keep her there as much as possible.

This year has seen a lot of rain; the whole drive down we talked about how green everything was. The forest was truly spectacular. Desert grass skirted the trails, cactus were in bloom and everything was green, green, green. The trails were in excellent condition as the rain had packed the sand. Cycling was easy because of it.

No one puts their dogs in booties down here, even though I was told to bring them.  Although I had them in my Camelback, I didn't make Bellie wear them. Every major trail intersection, we'd stop and check her paws. She was good to go!

The temperature is still cool and there was no need to worry about her overheating. We had plenty of water with us. We'll keep riding with her until the morning temps prove to hot.

Dogs versus Drugs

Anyone who truly loves their dog understands the benefit dogs provide for stress and healing. Growing up, my mother's mother lived with us after my father passed away. When my grandmother died at the ripe, old age of 103, we knew my mother would make it through her grief more easily because of her dog. When her dog died, our concern went way up. I don't mean that losing her mother wasn't traumatic; her mother, my grandmother, was one of the most wonderful people I know. But my siblings and I knew that being able to pat her dog's head, kiss her ears and rub her belly would be the best "medicine" my mom could have.

Dogs, beyond  family pets, have many different jobs—entertainers (movies, dock divers, etc.), sniffers (bombs, drugs, disease, etc.), helpers (disabled, blind, and so on) and now on another field, for soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A program, Paws for Purple Hearts, was started in California in 2006, to offer "therapeutic intervention for veterans and active-duty military personnel by teaching those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to train service dogs for their comrades with combat-related physical disabilities."

A recent Smithsonian Magazine article said researchers have learned the benefit dogs have over drugs in helping veterans cope with the debilitating effects of PTSD. As stated in the July-August issue in the article, How Dogs can Help Veterans Overcome PTSD, author Chris Colin states:

The animals draw out even the most isolated personality, and having to praise the animals helps traumatized veterans overcome emotional numbness. Teaching the dogs service commands develops a patient’s ability to communicate, to be assertive but not aggressive, a distinction some struggle with. The dogs can also assuage the hypervigilance common in vets with PTSD. Some participants report they finally got some sleep knowing that a naturally alert soul was standing watch.

Not only do the soldiers training the dogs benefit from the dog's presence, but they also know they are helping other vets. There is a wonderful video that accompanies the story that further corroborates the value that the presence of a dog provides both to the training vet and the soldier receiving the service dog.

There is a petition available to sign asking the U.S. Senate to provide service dogs to vets with PTSD. Now that's good medicine! (I don't know if this was something incorporated into HR 1627 or is separate.)

PAWPRINT: Here is a lovely story about a vet suffering from PTSD who was reunited with the dog he worked with in Iraq.

PAWPRINT 2: Using dogs to aide soldiers is a big deal right now. Just recently the U.S. Senate passed bill HR 1627 that helps with some of the obstacles vets run into. Here's another story.

PAWPRINT 3: This post just isn't going away. I came across this article today (10/18/2012)on a military dog with PTSD. Luckily it found a good, supportive home. Now if we could just honor and care for all men, women and dogs suffering from this...

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UPDATE: This bit of news just came through our paper today.n The VA (Veterans Affairs) will no longer pay for service dogs for vets with mental disabilities such as PTSD.

Dog Communication in a Nutshell

Here's a great doggie posture chart drawn by Lili Chin and posted on City Dog Country Dog facebook page. The chart is a cartoon, but definitely worth reviewing as it shows different postures that are worth knowing! I saw this first through Grisha Stewart's book on Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT) for aggressive dogs. Lili is a great illustrator!

Lili Chin Dog Postures

What? Another Class?

This is the question I was asked the other day. Yep. Another class. This one is called "Clicks and Tricks" and it's offered at my favorite facility, Seattle Agility Center. I've found a wonderful instructor there (although they all are great.) Tawnya, the woman from whom I've taken several classes, said something that clicked at the end of our Rally class. I knew it intuitively, but I hadn't verbalized it. She said, "I'm glad you are taking Bella through more courses. It keeps her thinking and helps with your bond." I might add that it keeps me thinking also! I love working with Bella and enjoy learning more—and better—ways to do things with her.

I find this particular clicker class exhausting for both the B Girl and I. I am not adept at it yet (a little slow on the click and treat) and I'm sure this causes confusion with Bella, but we both like it and Tawnya is great. She drops little comments that are spot on and like all instructors, I'm sure she is thrilled when she sees a student "get it."

I am presently working on not using Bella's name as a correction. I think dogs are intelligent enough to get your tone of voice and know that their name said in "that" tone means they had better pay attention and toe the line. Yet I also understand Tawnya's advice that giving verbal instruction instead of just using the name as a correction is more positive and pro-active.

I'm ready! I'm ready! Whaddya want? High five? Spin?

Bella and I are clicking our way through rolling over (so far she is merely laying down, no "over" so far), high five with both paws (my girl is definitely right-pawed), spin (check!), grabbing and retrieving a basket (she nudges it, but has not mouthed it yet).

Does Your Dog Really Understand You?

I ran across this article on canine communication skills which I found very interesting. I particularly like this sentence:

"...evidence that humans and dogs may be undergoing cognitive convergent evolution with each other based on our close social relationships over the millennia."

This article targets another which goes into more detail about the convergence of canine/human understanding.

"However, although wolves are generally equal to or better than domestic dogs at memory tests and tasks involving general problem-solving abilities, wolves (even those raised by humans) are simply unable to match the performance of dogs at spontaneously using human social cues to solve problems."

We often take it for granted that our pup "gets it" which is expecting an awful lot from a different species. Yet it's a two way street in that you know when your dog wants something, isn't feeling well, that something is going on. Without an awful lot of sleuthing, you can usually figure it out—not much different than your pup trying to perceive your desires.

I find it exciting to think that we (humans and dogs) are able to communicate and that it will only get better (my extrapolation). When I talk to Bella, she cocks her head. I know not all dogs do this (Bella is my first pup that does), and that doing this doesn't mean that she truly understands what I'm saying. But the action makes it look like she is concentrating and trying to intuit my conversation. I know I've asked her numerous times, "What is it that you're trying to tell me?"

Right now she's telling me it's time for our morning walk.

How to Speak "Dog"

I am always surprised when a parent allows their child to run up to pat my dog without first asking me if my dog is friendly. The child's pell-mell approach shows lack of training on how to safely approach an unknown animal. Bella is patient and tolerant, but every dog has a limit. When I see a child approaching, I intercept and explain the proper way to introduce oneself  to an unfamiliar dog. Rarely do I get thanks from the parents. My guess is the information is new to them also.

Recently there have been a plethora of articles on the Internet regarding the bite incurred by Denver's KUSA TV anchor, Kyle Dyer. Here is an individual who is purportedly a dog lover, so we assume that she'd be knowledgeable about handling a strange dog. Apparently not. An article in Huffington Post by veterinarian/animal behaviorist Dr. Sophia Yin, goes through the progression of errors that were made by both the owner and the anchor. In another article, author Michael Curran goes a step further. In his blog entry, he states that in a series of articles, he hopes  

...to answer some of your questions, pique your curiosity in regards to dog behavior and communication, discuss why dogs bite, and finally how to be a friendly stranger and more responsible dog owner. 

Mr. Curran gives some background information (number of dogs that annually fall through the ice in the Denver area) and more details about the specific bite incident, including how the TV channel and animal behaviorists handled the situation after the fact. He brings up some very good points and I look forward to reading the rest of his series.

Depending on the sources you read, annual dog bites in the U.S. is a big deal. One site, dogbitelaw.com, states:

In 2010 there were 34 fatal dog attacks in the USA. More than 350,000 dog bite victims are seen in emergency rooms every year. Approximately 800,000 victims receive some form of medical attention annually. Based on data collected in the USA between 2001 and 2003, the CDC concluded that there were 4.5 million dog bite victims per year.

The American Humane Association has a long list of bare statistics that on their own are quite staggering. However, the National Canine Research Council (NCRC), counters with how difficult it is to gather accurate information. (Is it a playful nip from a puppy or an unprovoked, angry bite that breaks the skin? What is the difference between a good Samaritan being bitten helping a dog or a police dog stopping a criminal?) Adding to the confusion on gathering accurate bite statistics, the NCRC states that for animal control, the impetus is to assess if the biting animal is current on shots rather than the circumstances surrounding the bite itself. They go on to say:

[A] form used to record an animal exposure, probably called a bite report, will usually include space for a description of the circumstances. Did a dog scratch his owner during a playful romp? Did a dog chase and bite a child riding a bicycle?

Unfortunately, when animal exposures are tallied up, they are released to the public as simple bite numbers. The circumstances of the incidents have been stripped away. In consequence, bite numbers are not an accurate representation of canine aggression, which is, in itself, a general term that is applied to range of different behaviors.

This leads me to believe that we are woefully ignorant of the signals our pets are continually giving us. We expect them to understand us, but too many of us—even those of us who have always owned a dog and feel we "understand" our pet—are clueless at truly comprehending them. Wouldn't it be nice if new pet owners had to take a class on doggie communication? How about teaching people (of any age) how to approach a strange animal? Wouldn't you think parents would consider this a mandatory lesson for their child?

In writing this post, I came across a site called Doggone Safe that has good information about dog communication and recognizing signals given when a dog feels stressed or frightened...or ready to bite. I urge all of you—particularly any of you with children in your home—to look at this site and learn to recognize a dog's signals. The information isn't terribly in depth, but it is a good start in understanding our pets. We all suffer from miscommunication at times, but the more we are able to speak "Dog," the safer all of us—including our dog—will be.

Let me add one more thing. Here's a great cartoon poster of some dog signals from Dr. Sophia Yin. It might be worth printing out for your kids and posting on the fridge!

Puhleez!

Girls just want to have fun.

Bella has been on a long walk, a short walk, a medium length bike ride, enjoyed a moderate chuck-it session and still she says, "Puhleez! More playtime!"

Another Bella and Tarra

For those of you familiar with the story of the incredible friendship between a stray dog, Bella, and Asian elephant named Tarra, here is the final chapter in their friendship. How sad; what good friends they were. Poor Tarra. I'm sure her heart is heavy.

Rally!

Bella and I have started a new Rally class at Seattle Agility. What a great class! I've included a little video of someone running the course in case you haven't seen rally in action before. (I don't know who is in the video.) With our impending trip to Baja, I wanted to work with Bella on paying attention to me and being able to follow commands in very different environments.

I've lucked out. The class is very small and my instructor, Tawnya, is amazing. In two classes, I've learned more about how to train/work with Bella, than I have from any other class or teacher. I am completely jazzed about what we're doing. Because of Tawnya's eagle eye and great ability to communicate, I feel I'm able to make myself more clearly and more quickly understood to Bella. Who could ask for more than that!

Someone has MY toy!

I love this picture.

Boone stole Bella's toy and she is none to happy with the situation. He's studiously ignoring her.

Oh the unfairness of it all!

Buddies

We've been gone for a while on a cycling trip with friends. It's an annual camping, active affair and always fun—road and mountain biking, hiking and sometimes, even kite boarding thrown in! This year, however, we cut it short as temperatures soared into the high 90s/low 100s. Can't do much in that kind of weather!

Bella blistered both front pads early in the trip, so she was out of the mountain biking loop early—much to her disappointment! Luckily we were usually near water, so there were many fetch-it games involving sticks and swimming.

Bella and Boone resting.

Her new buddy, Boone, was along for the trip. Our friends have had him just over six months. He's around five and obviously was well-loved and cared for by his previous owner. He's gentle and trusting, but didn't know much about playing. He's a fast learner!

Bella taught him all about play, fetch, and swimming. At the start of the trip, he did none of those things. He'd step in the water, but that was it. Play? Wasn't sure what that was about. Fetch? Why bother? Retrieve isn't his forte, but he loved chasing Bella (on land or water) as she went after the stick or ball.

Boone's owners are gone this weekend (celebrating their 30th anniversary), so Boone is here. We were a little concerned how he'd handle being left at our house being that he is fairly new to the group. But he'd been to our house several times already and lived with us in close proximity on the trip. What a gem! Bella's nose is a bit out of joint, but they've had a wonderful weekend together.

Flashback

Dora-Nellie-Bella, 5 weeks old.

I ran across this picture of Bella at about 5 weeks old. She was called "Dora" at the point by her first family. They renamed her "Nellie." She was so pudgy and cute; her coat had a lot more white in it. Her eyes were hazel then, though now they are light brown.

At that point I was fascinated by her coat, but more interested in another pup, an all black little girl called "Tweety" who was a bit spunkier than my girl.

It wasn't until I brought my husband to see the pups that Bella chose us...or more specifically, my husband. When he sat on the grass to observe, all five puppies jumped all over him, but only Bella settled in. I told him to move to see what she would do, so he got up and moved about 20 feet away. Bella got up, moved over to his side, and flopped back down  to sleep. Who could say no to a pup who says, "Your my family!"?

Do Our Dogs Love Us?

Do dogs love us? I have started this post numerous times and continue to save it as a draft. Why? It just seems a bigger question than I can cognitively handle combining what I feel at a gut level and what I'm willing to accept intellectually. And really, my pup and I share lots of things, but not a common language, so I can’t just out and out ask her, “Do you love me?”

This question is one I periodically have with my family of non-scientific dog fanatics. We all agree that we think so as the dogs behavior is similar to our own with those we love. Coinciding with a family visit, a friend sent me this article, (What Pets Think of Us, by Steve Dale, USA Weekend) on whether dogs actually "love" us and it made me ponder whether Bella really loves me? Having been inculcated with the "don't anthropomorphize" school of thought, I am hesitant to say "love", but I will emphatically say she is definitely bonded with me and because she's my pup and I'm me, I'll say (under my breath) she loves me too.

Then there is this post, When You Are Generous, Your Dog Is Watching You, by Con Slobodchikoff regarding canine generosity and this one, Why Dog Trainers Will Have to Change Their Ways, by Kate Kellaway with The Observer on John Bradshaw's studies regarding letting a dog "win" when you play with him.....so is it the old "do unto others..." with dogs also?

I've grown up with dogs and each had a distinct personality. Some were quite attached to us and stuck with us when it might not have been "fun" for them, contrary to Bradshaw’s point of view when the dogs weren’t always on the “winning” end of the equation (though I realize he isn’t intimating they always have to win). The dogs were our compatriots through and through. They went where we went. They were aware when one of us was sick and stayed by that person's side. So does that mean they loved us?

Of the three dogs I've had as an adult, two have exhibited that behavior: Suzy, our first dog, and now, Bella. It's not that I think Lucy wasn't attached to us, but she was such a re-actor. In retrospect, although we gave her a good home and good care, I think she needed someone else who was more knowledgeable in dealing with a dog who acted so impulsively. I never felt that she "loved" for us, as much as she "needed" us.

Bella, on the other hand, is very attached to us without being needy. She is quite sure of herself and her relationship to her world. She can be put in a myriad of situations and does quite well assessing her place. She is incredibly attuned to our moods and health. And though she enjoys everyone’s company, she is most definitely attached to my husband and me.

But is that love? Am I happy with saying she is “merely” bonded? I am, but what do you think about this? Do you feel your pup loves you?

UPDATE: I just picked up John Bradshaw's book, Dog Sense, from the library. Chapter 6 is "Does Your Dog Love You." I'll report back when I've read it!

Learning the Distant Drop

We're signed up for dog classes again. This time it is Intermediate Obedience through Seattle Agility. This particular class fine tunes some of the basics and introduces some new training. In general, I like taking classes. I'm not a trainer and feel the refresher is good for me and my dog. What I've found to be true for myself and friends is we tend to slide in our training once a class is completed. In other words, we get lazy about working with our dogs.

One of the things we'll be working on in this class is "Drop (and stay)!" from a distance. It's impressive to see in action, but more importantly, it could save your dog's life. Because we spend a lot of time mountain biking where Bella, by necessity, is off leash, it is imperative she responds to verbal commands at a distance. The example that is most often given, is that your dog is across the street from you (we won't go into what is the dog doing off leash over there...). You can't call him as a car is coming, but he's trotting back your way. What do you do? Shout, "DROP!" The dog plops down and stays there until the car goes by and it is safe to release him and call him to you.

The instructor is instructing us on how to teach our dogs to target a plate. This is fun and a great use of targeting. Let's assume you've already taught your dog to drop with the hand signal (looks like raising your hand in class to ask a question) at close range.

Place your dog at a slight distance from you. Position the plate at your toes. Make a big deal about placing yummy treats on the plate so the dog is E-A-G-E-R. Don't call you dog to you (you don't want to use "Come" in this instance), but say her name or "OK!" The dog will rush to the plate and gobble up the treats and then look up at you for more. Bingo! Say "Drop!" and give the hand signal. When your dog drops, load a few more treats on the plate. (I'm using a yogurt lid as a plate.)

Once that is perfected, move further away from the treat-loaded plate with your dog at a distance on the other side of it. Go through the same steps. When your dog drops, run up to the plate and drop a few more yummies down. Keep working the distance between the dog and the plate, and the plate and you until you have 100% compliance. At that point you can start fade the plate and start cutting back on the treats.

This is one of those exercises that bears regular practice and repetition. Hopefully you'll never have to use it, but if you do, you want it to work perfectly!

Contentment

"I'll always be here for you."

About a year ago my nephew went through a pretty nasty period of emotional upheaval. On his road to healing, he stayed with us for a while and we were happy to be able to offer whatever solace we could. Bella did her part, doing what all good dogs do. She helped with his healing by being present.

Now, passing through again and starting a new, happier phase in his life, our nephew joined us for an evening. Bella recognized him immediately and stuck with him nearly the entire 8 hours he was with us. When he started towards the bed, Bella beat him to it.

Although a rather blurry phone shot, this is how Bella works her magic.

Routines

With my husband gone this month, Bella and I have established our own routine. She still wants breakfast at the crack of dawn and on a weekend I stumble around fixing it before I shower or return to bed. As much as I may grumble, I actually like getting up early. It allows me a long, slow awakening before having to be fully functional.

Waiting for food; the drool is just starting.

I'll start water for coffee and while the coffee steeps (French press), it's Biscuit Time. There are several steps involved here. First, she needs to ring the bells hanging from the door knob in order to go outside. Once outside, we go through a series of tricks in which a biscuit is sometimes awarded after each trick or may not appear until the very end. The tricks are pretty standard: wave, weave (between the legs) and down plus waiting to eat the biscuit(s) between her front paws. Sometimes I'll mix in stay, come, front, heel, but it depends on the weather and how functional I am considering I still haven't had my coffee!

Post breakfast is a long walk, rain or shine. If it's a work day, her day is confined to the kitchen with a deliciously packed, frozen Kong. She's familiar with this routine, and trots over to her kitchen bed in anticipation. I'd love to give her the run of the house, but we use an alarm system (after our awful break-in) and a loose dog and the alarm don't mix. If it's a free day, anything goes. I often work from home and she's content to snooze or play with her toys, but is happiest when I work in the yard or better yet, go hiking!

Later in the day sees another walk and a chuck-it session. The latter is the highlight of her day and if we have the time, she might have more than a single session. She's worn grooves in the alley dirt from all her retrieving! The number of lost balls in neighbors bushes will one day be a great archaeological find. Each wind storm spits out a ball or two that's an absolute lottery win! Unfortunately, as my aim is not always spot on, there are still many hidden in the laurels.

Dinner is followed by cocktail ball time, chewing on any and all toys, cuddling up while I read. This is a lovely time and I've grown to really love the quietness and togetherness of this. If I'm on the ground, she'll lay as close as possible with her head and paws on me. If I'm in a chair, she's at my feet. Such pals—I love it.

I Love My Puppy

Sometimes I'm just overwhelmed how much I love Bella. She's not "perfect," but she's close to that in my book. For 11 years I was on "high alert" for any loose dogs while walking Lucy. My walks were limited by safe routes where I knew there probably wasn't going to be an issue. I couldn't go hiking with new friends who had dogs she hadn't met, yet I didn't feel I could not take her, so I wouldn't go.

After 16 months of living with Bella, a loose dog still puts me en garde—unfortunately! I am getting better about squelching that reaction and can imagine how hard it is for returning soldiers to stifle the knee-jerk reaction to loud bangs. Yesterday, Shari and Amber joined us on a couple of fun treks. There were loose dogs and barking, fenced dogs. Bella was oblivious to them. No reaction. She's diffused a stiff-legged, hackles-up Akita and enticed an unneutered, full-of-himself pit bull to play.

Bella is teaching me to relax. I feel like my years of vigilance with Lucy are being rewarded with smart, funny, friendly Bella.