Happy New Year

I hope the New Year brings you happiness and success equal to the love and care that you give your dogs and puppies (wow, is that a loaded blessing or what!?!) Enjoy and be safe New Years Eve!

and one more CGC to ConGRADulate!

...and last to get her CGC but certainly not least is Miss Lady Emma. Emma is a Welsh Corgi who has wiggled and squiggled her way through all 3 classes. She's as lovable as she is cute! Congratulations to Levi, Amber and Lady Emma for earning that Canine Good Citizen Award with flying colors!

Dreaming of a White Christmas?

Hah! They're almost nightmares now! We have almost 3 feet of snow here in Elk!
Whatever you celebrate this time of year I send warm blessings! Best wishes to everyone for a happy and safe holiday!

More CGC Grads to ConGRADulate!

Brody the Beagle (see article on Beagle Sedation Device)and Feileacan the Husky join classmate Bella the Yorkie on the graduation podium this week by earning their CGC! A lot of hard work and dedication with their dogs got them there, so lets give Vicki, Jill and Ron (Cody, where the heck were ya man?)a HUGE round of applause for all their effort!

Very Special Congratulations!

Dynamite comes in small packages and Miss Bella is no exception! Congratulate Bella and proud mom Connie for earning their AKC Canine Good Citizen Award!

It's COLD!

It's 10 degrees and snowing here in Elk at 6:30 am. My dogs are outside happily romping through the dark in the snow, having a rip-snort of a time it sounds like. I have Duke and Cody; two Alaskan Malamutes and Turbo the Giant Mountain Pomeraniac. They are arctic breeds, opposite ends of the spitz spectrum to be sure, but arctic breeds all. They love this weather! However, they also have a dog door so they can come in when they're ready. Cody, who usually likes to sleep outside on the sun porch, is sleeping inside these frosty-cold nights.
If you're still relatively new to Spokane you may not be aware of some of these things and even if you've lived here for years it's not a bad idea to refresh your memory:
Cold Weather Pet Tips
Written by PetDoc
Winter weather can be miserable for both people and pets. By taking a few precautionary steps, though, owners can help make cold temperatures and icy snow more manageable for their four-legged friends. Here are a few simple strategies for keeping your pets safe and happy during the winter months.


Limit your pet's time outside during extreme weather. Although some animals enjoy spending time outdoors when it's cold out, no pet belongs outside for more than a few minutes in freezing temperatures. In more moderate winter temperatures, furnish your pet's dog house with warm, dry bedding material and provide a heated bowl to prevent his water from morphing into ice. Cats need access to shelter, too -- a garage or screened porch, for instance. A kitty who seeks a warm refuge on her own may end up under the hood of a car -- a mighty dangerous place for any animal. Finally, avoid taking certain pets outside at all. Parrots, for example, simply cannot tolerate the same temperatures as their hardier counterparts. Schedule routine vet visits for milder times of the year for this reason. If an emergency arises, be sure to warm up your vehicle and cover your bird's traveling cage with a towel or blanket before venturing out into the air.
Avoid antifreeze poisoning. Most antifreeze solutions are highly toxic to cats and dogs. Just a teaspoon of this substance can be deadly for a cat or small dog. Clean up any spills as quickly and completely as possible, and check your radiator regularly for leaks. Store antifreeze in tightly sealed containers, and keep them away from areas your pet frequents. A smart alternative to conventional antifreeze is a product made from propylene glycol. This is considerably less toxic than ethylene glycol, the poisonous ingredient in traditional antifreeze.
Don't leave your pet unattended in your vehicle. Whether you leave the engine running or turned off, allowing an animal to remain inside a car alone during cold weather is a recipe for disaster. The air inside a parked vehicle can plummet to dangerously low temperatures in winter weather within just minutes. This can lead to frostbite and even hypothermia for pets left inside the vehicle. Unfortunately, leaving the motor on can be equally hazardous. Animals are considerably more susceptible to heatstroke than people. A pet suffering from this affliction can lapse into a coma and even die if not treated immediately.
Keep the water running. It is vital to keep your pet hydrated at all times of the year. When the weather outside is frightful, though, it can be easy to forget that dogs and cats are thirsty. As we turn up the thermostats in our homes, our pets may even need more water than during the summer months when air conditioners keep our homes cooler. If you repeatedly find your pet's dish dry, consider investing in a fountain-style bowl that refills itself -- a great device for any time of the year.
Practice proper foot care. Keeping the hair on your dog's paws trimmed will help ice and other uncomfortable debris from sticking to your pet's feet. Applying a thin layer of paw wax will help protect your dog's pads from nasty burns from salt and ice. Cleaning your pet's paws after trips outdoors can help rid them of salt and sand. Remember, your dog will lick off whatever fragments are left on his feet upon returning indoors. For this reason, it is wise to use only non-toxic deicing treatments on your driveway, stairs, and sidewalks. Ask for pet-friendly products at your local home supply store.
Shovel snow away from fences. If you have a fenced yard, avoid allowing snow to accumulate where it might enable your pet an easy escape. Although it might look a little funny, shoveling snow into a large bank in the center of your yard will help prevent your dog from jumping over your fence -- and it might be a fun place for him to play, as well. Just be sure to keep an eye on him if the snow gets too deep.
Bundle him up. If your pet is extremely young or old, he is much more vulnerable to the cold than other animals. Pets with chronic conditions may also possess a lower tolerance to winter weather. An older arthritic dog, for example, will feel the effects of frigid temperatures far sooner than a more robust canine in his prime. Toy breeds also tend to feel the cold more quickly. If your pet falls into any of these categories, consider buying him a coat or a sweater for him to wear when going outside to relieve himself in the winter. Better yet, provide him with a litter box, so he doesn't even have to venture outside at all.

This article is provided by our friends at PetDoc, the nation's leading resource for pet care information.

More November Graduation Congratulations

Miss Sheba
Mr. Qi
Miss Precious
Mr. Duke
Mr. Blessing
Mr. Harley
Congratulations to these fabulous November Graduates!

A Soldier Is Never Too Busy To Protect His Friends

We've Been Elfed for Yule!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

just plain cute...

Excerpts from a Dog's diary


8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!


Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary :

Day 683 of my captivity:

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.

They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something
in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the floor.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. The audacity!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of:"allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded!

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe....... for now...

More Graduates to conGRADulate!

Charlie and Marley graduated last night and Miss Priscilla graduated last week! Marley the Golden is already signed up for Intermediate! Way to go, pet parents!

No Classes Next Week

I will be gone from 11/26 through 12/3 so there will be NO CLASS the week and weekend of Thanksgiving! I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!
Please remember - do NOT give your dog the turkey skin, this has SO much fat in it, your dogs pancreas may not be able to stand it!
Always looking out for your puperoonie - Tori

Avocado - Dangerous or Not?

I get asked about this quite a bit during the nutrition chat week. Will Avocado harm my dog? Given that out of the thousands of dogs eating Avoderm dog food are by and large doing fine, I stand by the fact that leaves, pits and hides would be the harmful part to keep away from the pup, just like any other "pit" fruit. Cody seems to be doing fine on Avoderm Large Breed, and he's the poster child for icky poo on most other foods.
So here's the downside of the avocado from ASPCA, followed by the Avoderm websites philosophy.
ASPCA - Avocodo Toxicity
According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, IL, pet poisonings from avocado and avocado-based foods like guacamole are a consistent risk. In 2008, the Center managed 115 cases involving ingestions of avocado, and though an overwhelming 83 percent of those incidents involved dogs, the most devastating effects were seen in birds, rabbits and certain large animals like horses and cattle.

A native of Central and South America, avocado (Persea americana) is a subtropical tree that produces a pear-shaped fruit prized for its high fat content, vitamin-rich “meat” and smooth texture. Unfortunately, the fruit also contains a toxin called persin that’s harmful to animals, especially in large quantities.

"Avocado leaves, fruit, seeds and bark all contain the toxic principle known as persin,” says Dana Farbman, CVT, Senior Manager of Professional Communications at APCC. Guatemalan varieties—sold in grocery stores nationwide—are most often involved in pet exposures, Farbman adds, while other strains have varying degrees of toxic potential. Birds—who accounted for 5 percent of avocado cases in 2008—appear to be particularly sensitive to the fatty fruit; consumption can result in respiratory distress, congestion, fluid accumulation around the heart and even death. In curious canines, clinical signs of ingestion can include gastrointestinal distress, vomiting and diarrhea. Typically, these effects are seen in dogs who’ve nibbled on significant amounts of a tree’s fruit or branches.

Pet parents should prevent their animal companions from coming into contact with avocado by placing the fruit—or that festive bowl of guacamole—out of reach. For those lucky Californians who have an avocado tree in their backyards, keep a close eye on your pet when he’s outside, and don’t mistake the toxic fruit for Fido’s gnarly tennis ball.

As always, if you suspect your pet has eaten something toxic, please call your vet or the ASPCA’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435.


AvoDerm Natural and Avocado Safety
You can feel quite confident in AvoDerm Natural pet products safety and nutritional value. In the 25 years since Breeder’s Choice first introduced this product line, millions of dogs and cats worldwide have consumed AvoDerm products with no negative reactions from avocado oil or meal. The avocado is full of vitamins A, C, D, E, and B6. Also, avocados are rich in potassium, niacin, essential fatty acids and many other nutrients for excellent skin and coat condition. AvoDerm Natural pet products use only carefully selected suppliers of avocado meal and avocado oil. Years of problem-free consumption of these products indicate that AvoDerm products are not only safe for dogs and cats, but also provide vital nutrients for them.

Concern has been expressed by the ASPCA about the consumption of the leaves, fruit, bark, and stems from the avocado tree, with the exception of the avocado fruit which is used for the oil and meal; none of these parts are factors in any of the AvoDerm Natural pet products formulations.

Dr. Art Craigmill, UC Davis, Professor and Extension Specialist in Environmental Toxicology has said that his studies and other research in the United States and Australia have shown that the problem of toxicity is in the leaves and the pit of the Guatemalan variety; the avocado meat of the fruit and oils have not been shown to be toxic. AvoDerm Natural pet products do not utilize any Guatemalan variety avocados, nor do we use any leaves or pits of any variety of avocados for our avocado meal and oil.

The avocado meal and oil used in the AvoDerm Natural pet products comes from the meat of the fruit and does not contain leaves, bark, skin or pit of the fruit. The oil is extracted from ripened fruit in which the meat pulp has been separated from the skin and the pit. Through a mechanical separation process the oil is extracted and filtered and placed into sealed containers. The pulp of the fruit is dried, ground, and screened before being placed into its final packaging and than shipped to our facility.

Dr. Guy Whitney, Director of Industry Affairs and Research of the California Avocado Commission, has stated: “...in California there are around 7,000 family farmers who grow avocados and almost every one has dogs that actively seek out fruit that has fallen from the trees to snack on. The happy, well-filled out and shiny-coated orchard dog is a familiar sight to anyone in this industry and we have NEVER had a report of a family orchard dog getting sick from eating avocados. Also, the US Forest Service and UC Santa Barbara are about to publish a paper on the importance of avocado orchards in California to sustaining carnivore populations (bears, coyotes, mountain lions, foxes and small cats) during drought conditions. All of these animals are known to eat the protein and nutrient rich fruit that has fallen from the trees. Now birds are a different creature and it IS known that avocados are toxic to birds. Avocado leaves are known to be toxic to horses. Avocado seeds (pits) are NOT edible and are toxic to animals.”

Our AvoDerm Natural formulas put dogs and cats on the right nutritional track with healthy skin and coat on the outside and the right nutrients to keep them healthy on the inside as well.

Buyer, Beware... More Bad Dog Food Out There

If you feed Nutro or Canidae products and your dogs are having ANY health problems, you might consider switching them to something else. I visit an Alaskan Malamute Forum on the internet, it is a great source of information about my favorite breed. I was reading a post about nutrition and there are some very unhappy people out there who's dogs are getting sick from Nutro foods. I've been hearing this from customers, so I did a consumer search and found this:
String of Illnesses Afflicts NUTRO-Fed Pets

consumer complaints
Now, a few disgruntled customers is one thing but there are HUNDREDS of complaints listed here. Please review and be sure none of your pets are showing similar symptoms if you feed Nutro Products.
Concerning Canidae dog food, same thing. They changed the formula, dogs start having health issues with the new formula. This web site is full of letters from scandalized and angry dog owners. Whenever your dog goes from good poo to bad poo, something's wrong!
Canidae Problems
Like I say, you might be paying for the "best dog food in the world", and it may very well BE the best dog food in the world, but that doesn't mean it's the RIGHT dog food for your dog.
Read your labels - if it says FORMULATED to meet AAFCO requirements, it hasn't been tested on real dogs and you should be aware of that!

ConGRADulations, Toby!

Toby the Keeshond and his mom Cindy couldn't make graduation with their own class but that didn't stop them from coming back in and getting the ol' sheepskin!

Dig 'er Bigger Duke

Honestly, I'm not exaggerating when I tell people about Duke's Digs. She's dug this yawning hole in the ground, it goes down at about a 45 degree angle nearly 5 feet, then it turns left and I cannot see the end of it. There's room for her to go in, turn around, and come back out. She's about 85 pounds. It's not a "little" hole!
I was finally able to capture her on my camera, in the act of carving her cavern out a bit bigger. The whole thing being near the carport, I've put "spatter shields" up, because she flings dirt so far, I'd come out and there would be dirt on my truck!
It's the only place she digs,(the boys aren't so particular)so I encourage her to dig, and warn visitors not to fall in the gaping hole in my back yard!
The Hole
She's goin' in!
Ahhh! Hole Sweet Home

ConGRADulations!!

Danny the Golden Retreiver, Lola the Boxer X, and Toby the Mini-Aussie all graduated Beginner class last night. We all love Danny, his mom and dad rescued him; when he first came into class he was very subdued and shy and afraid, but we've all cheered as he's come out of his shell and become a happy, waggy, boy. Toby is also shy by nature but has joined Danny in becoming more social. Lola... well no social issues there! Lola has been the waggy, playful girl who's helped Danny and Toby make their progress! Lola's mom has worked very hard with her energetic young pup and I'm impressed with her handler skills!

Fall Foliage

What a fun trip to the coast we had! We stopped on Stevens Pass to take in the great fall foliage and soak up the sun a while by the river. The trees are all turning gold, red, and bronze, and with gas prices even being rather low we sure enjoyed it!
I also got to visit my wonderful friend, Becky Turner. Becky is an equine artist, and she does absolutely fabulous stuff with other pets too. She paints, she does pen and ink, and she paints individual, personalized Breyer Horses. She sculpts, and is amazingly detail oriented.
http://www.solticeart.com/drawings.htm
If you ever want someone who can capture the image of your pet, she does some great work. Check her website out!

Another Halloween Costume Contest

The folks at Blue Buffalo Dog Food are offering a years free food to the winner of this contest! Might be worth it to dress up the pup after all, hmm?
Blue Buffalo Halloween Contest

Bob is the Winner

There were about 15 costumed pets at the contest, and by crowd volume, Bob was the winner. Isn't he the cutest Lion ever? The headpiece was hand crocheted by Bob's mom. There was also a tail piece too but Bob was so busy wagging, it kept flying off! In case you can't see, Bob is HUGE, of undeterminable mixed large breed, and his mom and dad adopted him from a local pet rescue agency.
Second place went to Gigi the chihuahua dressed as a death princess in a lovely purple and black hand sewn gown, and third place went to a pink-leopard punk Priscilla the Maltese, currently in puppy class! Silly me for not taking more pictures with my cel phone but I was pretty busy conducting traffic and handing out goody bags! We had leftover goody bags so for a short while I will have $10.00 training coupons for you so please stop by and ask for one if it will help you get to the next level!
Thanks to everyone who stopped in and helped make our Howl-o-ween event so successful! Please send me pix of your pups in cute costumes and I'll post them up here throughout the rest of the Halloween season! Here's Cody in a pirate hat! I was amazed he sat still long enough to put it on and take the picture!

Duke, Duke, Duke, Duke's a Girl, Girl, Girl...

This here's Duke. Duke's a good ol' boy! Wait! Doesn't the title say Duke's a Girl? Yes it does, and yes, he is.
Isn't it fun how our dogs bring their own idiosyncracies and personalities into our lives? Duke has been a pleasure since I got her, but she wasn't always Duke. The story begins six years ago when I had to have Gypsy put to sleep. Gypsy was Hunter's mama, and besides him, the only member left of our once rather largish pack of six malamutes. Alone, Hunter withered. He missed his furry family! I decided to get another malamute to keep him company, and I went through WAMAL's website to find a nice, spayed female somewhat similar in coat and color to Gypsy. Her name was Precious. She was a foundling, and the people who'd surrendered her to WAMAL had 2 other boy dogs, and moving into a smaller home, had to rehome one. They had found her, no idea how old she was. They figured around 4ish. My neighbor and I drove out to Wenatchee and met Precious's escorts, a gal I used to show dogs with from Oregon. We fell in love with Precious, but decided we'd call her Karma instead, hoping to bring good karma back to Hunter, 8 years old, who was so darn lonely!
We drove back to Elk, Karma in the back with Jan's daughter Katie. We pulled in Jan's driveway and I jogged next door to bring Hunter over to meet his new friend on neutral ground. When he saw another malamute he was delighted, and strutted his stuff to impress. They became fast friends, and Karma showed her pleasure at her new surroundings by immediately submerging herself on both sides in a large muddy puddle. She loves the water! She doesn't swim, mind you, she only wades, but she sure loves to wade!
So began our life with Karma. The first week she came to stay, she saved our lives by waking me up when the electric heater malfunctioned. The repair man said if we hadn't noticed when we did (thanks to Karma barking loudly at the heater)our place would have gone up in smoke.
Once, while paddling in our pond in a one-man raft, Duke saved me by taking the oar and towing me safely to shore. She just kills me she's so funny! She tries to "save" me when I'm in the bathroom, because don't you know "awful things happen in there! Run, Run while you can, mom!" she seems to be saying, stomping her front feet and "rrrererrerring" at me
So where did the name Duke come from? The legend of girl dogs named Duke is a family joke, my brother nicknamed his girlfriends fuzzy little cutiepie shih-tzu "Duke" so his truck driver friends wouldn't think he was consorting with prissy little female doggies.
One day I had been playing with the dogs and had "good boy"ed Hunter and I accidentally "good boy"ed Karmie by mistake. The way she lit up when I called her "good boy" was hilarious. It was as if all her life she'd only ever been a good girl and now she was finally a good boy! She's been "good boy'ed" ever since and I decided to nickname her Duke after my brother's girlfriends beloved little shih-tzu, Rookie.
I've had several dogs who have earned many fun little pet nicknames over the years. Fuzzy Hogwaller, Pooter, Beelzabitch, Loo the Poo, Gyppiepoo, Licky Loo, Monkeybuns, and so on. What kind of fun (printable) nicknames have you given your dogs? Please use the "comment" feature if you like, or if you have pictures, you can email them to me! I'll post the responses I get but like I said, please only the ones I can comfortably print!

Way to Go, Coco

Coco was the only one who made it through to graduation out of his class so a big hurrah for little Coco!

Sometimes Turbo is just too cute...

Don't forget about the Halloween event on Tuesday at 6! Even if you don't plan on dressing up the pup for the costume contest you should drop by, because those free goody bags we're giving away have $10.00 coupons for training included with the treats, samples, Halloween safety tips and other sundry stuff!
I have Intermediate and Advanced classes coming up so if you are thinking about jumping on board, now's the time! Drop by on Tuesday evening and sign up!

Puppy Grads - Congratulations!

Kudo's to Roxy, Maverick and Bogey for graduating Puppy Class! Keep working with 'em guys, if you don't use it you lose it! Intermediate starts Saturday, Nov. 1 at 10:30 in the morning or Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 6:00 pm! Sign up early to reserve your spot!

Way To Go, Jack!

Jack finished up Beginners Class last week, the only one of his group to stick it out til the end! I feel bad for the dogs who don't get the opportunity to shine. Then there's YOU guys!
Thanks and hats off to all of you who stay the course with your fur-kids! Anyone who has a free Wednesday and is ready for Intermediate Class can join Jack & Fred this Wednesday afternoon at 4:30, we'll get started on Intermediate level skills!

Cocoa Mulch - Danger, Danger!

A friend just sent me this, I thought I'd pass it on to all!

"Recently, the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. They loved the way it smelled, and it was advertised to keep cats away.

Their dog Calypso decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way. The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk. Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died
instantly.

Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company's website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats.

Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that It is
True that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa
Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees depending on
each individual dog). 'However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it.'

This Snopes site gives the following information:
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called 'Theobromine'. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like Chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Just a word of caution, check what you are using in your gardens and be aware of what your gardeners are using in your gardens.

Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, axanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the
ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine."
So be aware what you're putting down around the shrubbery, my friends! After Cody's pond scum incident and a grand vet bill, (not to mention, the pumpkin) I'm very aware that dogs will eat things you couldn't imagine they would.

Do Dogs Really Like Pumpkin?

Many of you have heard me recommend pumpkin for digestive issues, and this being October and all, I scooped up a couple of 15 lb pumpkins at Rosauers and brought them home. Not only can I whiz them up in the food processor and freeze them for use year-round, they can stand double duty for a few weeks as Home Decor! Nice! Very autumnal on my forest green carpet against the oak entertainment center. 2 big, orange, round pumpkins. Martha Stewart would be proud.
Got up the next morning, and Cody had ate an 8" hole into the side of one of the pumpkins. Do dogs like pumpkin? Mine do! So, that one's in the freezer now, but I used the other one to take a nice shot of Turbo and Cody by the pond.
How do I process the pumpkin? What do I do with it? I gut it and cut it into hand-size chunks, boil it til it's mostly soft, let it cool, peel the hide off and puree the peeled chunks through my food processor. I also puree the hide with about a cup of water added, and freeze this portion for pumpkin doggie treats. A tablespoon or so in their food helps add healthy fiber if they are "irregular"
For human consumption though, adding pumpkin in just about anything is good for us. It adds fiber to our diet, and can help stretch a recipe. Don't tell Dennis, but I stick pureed pumpkin in stews, meat loaf, muffins, and even hotcakes! He doesn't know!
So while the pumpkins are available, take advantage of the healthy benefits for both you and your lucky pup!
Pumpkin Ginger Treats

Ingredients:
2 Cups fresh pumpkin puree (you can use canned puree, just not the "pie filling")

1 Cup Rolled Oats

1 Cup Flour (your choice, Oat or Rice works if your dog is sensitive to Wheat)

1 Egg

1 tsp Powdered Ginger

1/4 Cup Honey

1/4 cup Sunflower oil

Directions: Preheat oven to 300 F.

Mix all ingredients together. If batter is too stiff, add a few drops of chicken broth or milk. If it's too drippy, add a bit more flour. Drop by the teaspoon on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Experiment with size, smaller treats = less baking time If you really want to go all Betty Crocker on this you can make little rosettes using a pastry bag.
You realize there is nothing in these dog treats that could prevent you from trying a bite! Remember, your pup will be very forgiving of most baking tragedies and eat most of your mistakes without complaint!

The Feels-Good Approach

Since we use reward based training, I wanted to share a concept that made sense to me. Puppies are opportunistic by nature, and they will usually make the "feel-good" choice whenever possible. So when we can make our desires coincide with their feel-good tendencies, we have good results.
How often has your puppy wiggled out of a sit? Well, wiggling feels good, and sitting doesn't feel nearly as good. Chase bunnies or come back to walk ho-hum slow beside you? What do YOU think feels better? Isn't it so that this is usually why training becomes so difficult? Getting the dog to focus on YOU instead of a million other things?
When we start acting frustrated and distracted, so do they. Heavens, when we focus and stay patient they get distracted! Part of the knack of training dogs is knowing when to give it a rest and let the pup percolate what he's learned. Play a bit with the little fellow at his level, then get back upright and back to business. Stand and ignore pup until he settles a bit at the end of your leash, thank him for settling, and go back to your trainer voice for a few more reps on whatever you're working on.
How to incorporate feel-good into your rewards system? Rewards isn't only the treat, it's the delivery as well. How delighted ARE you REALLY acting when your dog gets it right? Use a bit of showmanship and overacting when your puppy does well. Make it feel good for the puppy to get it right, and he'll be happier about learning.
Use your voice! Have a happy, you got it right voice, and a lower, calmer lets get back to work voice. Watch your pup as you modulate your tones from excited happy-you-got-it-right voice to more stern, back to business, listen-to-trainer-voice. If he's totally distracted, observe slyly as you ignore your silly, wiggly pup on his leash, and see how he processes from wild hyena back into a domestic dog, and finally, grudgingly looking up at you for some sort of direction. Knowing when to stand silent and when to act are critical, like I always say, timing is important! Learn your dog, learn to read your dog, learn to use that "feels-good" concept in your rewards bag, and meybe you'll find the elusive clue to training that you're seeking.
Remember, having fun with your pup while you're training is a lot more fun than the alternative for both of you, so lighten up, be patient, and take some time to be goofy when he earns it! You catch more flies with sugar than you do with vinegar and nothing could be truer than when working with puppies!

Congratulations, Intermediate Graduates!

September 25, 2008 - a great class graduated today. Moxie the French Bulldog, Oscar the Bouncing Boxer mix, Brodie the BSD spokesdog, and Otis the Chocolate Lab all passed with flying colors! Thanks everyone, for a fun 8 weeks!

New! Beagle Sedation Device

Ever wish that pesky beagle would just go take a nap? Help is here! Simply install a BSD - aka "fireplace"!

Our spokesdog is Brodie, a 6 month old Beagle who discovered the fireplace is a wonderful place to braise one's belly. Normally ripping around at light-speed causing a commotion, Brodie's peaceful slumber with his bobo-buddy is giving pet-mom Jill some much needed rest!

De-Skunkin' De Dog

I came across this recipe, thought it would be a good one to share. If you haven't lived in Spokane long enough to have a skunky dog come home one day, just wait. You will. Here, the latest skunk incident was a couple of months ago when I awoke to the racket of a yearling malamute romping around my living room, and an amazingly acrid aroma. Yes, my worst fears were realized, Cody had brought his fresh-killed skunk kit in through the dog door and was playing with him like his new favorite... stinky... squeakless toy. Ugh!
Well here's whatcha do if your dog gets skunked. You mix up this stuff and have at 'em in the bathtub or outside with the hose if weather permits.
16 oz peroxide
1 cup baking soda
1 teaspoon Dawn Dish washing Soap.
Rinse with White vinager diluted in water.
The faster you get them in the tub the more stink you can get out. concentrate on "ground zero" if you can find where exactly the dog got hit, spend extra energy and extra formula on that spot.
I hope it never happens to your dog, but if it does, now you know what to do!

Contratulations Puppy Class Graduates

What a fun class this was, a cute crop of pups you folks got there! Only Keona, Sophie and Moe sat still long enough for clear shots! Mimi and Lady Emma were just a tad bit too wiggly! Kudo's to Lady Emma & Levi for going on to Intermediate! Way to keep that training momentum going!