K-9 Solutions Dog Training, Inc.: It's worse than I thought.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

It's worse than I thought.

Apparently I talk about dogs alot. Maybe abit to much according to my family. They don't walk around saying, "Hey you're talking about dogs to much". No that would be nice, (blunt but nice) instead they bust on me by saying "And there she goes bringing it back to the dogs" if I happen to mention dogs during a conversation about another topic. Hey sometimes it IS related! Besides, I can't help it if I know lot of dog related stories or tidbits.
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OK maybe they have a point. It happens. Frequently. Not everyone is as enamored by dogs as me. I get that. I didn't realize quite how bad it was until this weekend when there was a function at my grandmothers house. (She is 86 and Fabulous!!!) While seated at the kids table, (a great way to feed denial about my true age) I was the brunt of some jokes regarding my doggy "speech impediment". We all laughed alot and it was fun. It did however make me realize just how often it happens. I guess I need to try harder to stay on topic when dogs aren't the actual subject of the conversation. Yeah, you better wish me luck with that.
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Of course this is a dog blog where I CAN talk all I want about dogs and not get made fun of. Thank goodness for the small things. :-)
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If it is possible to be in love with a book, this is my new love.

Dog Man by Martha Sherrill. It is a story about a man that helped save the akita breed when it was in danger of extinction during WWII. Now I admit I was prepared to like the book for the topic alone. I have had akitas for 16 years so far and I am a fan. (ALERT: Not every breed is appropriate for every home so research BEFORE you buy the cute puppy or beautiful dog you see. PLEASE!!!) I have to say however that my expectations of the book were far exceeded. It is beautifully written with fantastic photos and is about more than the history of a breed. The life lived by Morie and his convictions are astounding. Not to say he was perfect either. Some of his decisions weren't always in the best interests of his family life. It was also interesting to read about another person who loved to talk "dogs". The observations about this from his family were also a bit of a wake up to my own tunnel vision at times regarding the subject. I highly recommend the book to other bibliophiles or dog lovers with an interest in history. It is well worth the time.

*Another book I found that I love is this one put out by Phaidon. http://www.phaidon.com/ Simply titled "dogs" it is antique photos of dogs sprinkled with a few fitting quotes through out. Again another good book for dog and history buffs.

Happy reading!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...: I saw that Dog Man book at Borders last weekend and promptly put it on my Paperbackswap wish list. I want.

I have probably 25 dog-related books here that I haven't read yet. Why I need more is beyond me.... but I do!; March 12, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Anonymous said...: whats wrong with talking dog?
i was with a group of friends recently, all sharing our 'favorite' movies...when it came my turn to fess up, someone asked if its 101 Dalmations! :) ha ha ha maybe if it were 101 Akitas! :) THAT'S how much i talk about dogs...my license plate reveals my breed, my walls are covered with dogs, my calendars = dogs, 90% of my friends have dogs: need i say more?! DOGS
M; March 13, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Anonymous said...: Guilty. My topic is worse though, because it's all civil rights, breed bans and political issues relating to dogs. 'Pit bulls'. Dog bites. Statistics. Irrational government behaviour. Democracy.

I made a conscious effort not to bring it up among my long-suffering friends about a year ago unless they asked about the Ontario case or other matters around our 'little problem'. It really wasn't that hard.

Being a political junkie, a person with a kid's sense of fairness that never went away and a lifelong dog lover makes it tough to avoid my favourite subject but I can always fall back on subject number 2: horticulture/gardening.

Hey, it's more interesting than talking about the latest pop starlet or clothing or the weather - isn't it?; March 15, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Anonymous said...: Caveat,

Yes it is better than other topics for sure.

One would say the first step in treatment is admiting you have a problem. LOL

P.S. I've tried to comment on your blog with no success. Not sure why it doesn't like me. Love your blog!!!!; March 16, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Anonymous said...: Marie,

Thanks for the compliment and back atcha!

I'm not sure what the commenting problem is. Some people have problems for a few tries, then they don't, then they might.

Overall, it shouldn't be a problem. I don't bother moderating (used to, way too much work with little payoff). I just delete comments (it's happened about twice) that incite violence, that kind of thing.

Make sure that when you are putting in your name, you use the lower form, not the login form. Also, backspace over all entered text, including leading blanks if you are making a correction.

Please try again and if it persists, email me at caveatnewsdesk AT hotmail DOT com and I can try to sort it out.; March 21, 2008 at 7:23 PM

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My Story

In 1992, after serving for 6 years in the United States Marine Corps, I decided to settle down in my hometown in Mid-Coast Maine. I got my first dog, (as a bona-fide adult) an akita, and joined the local kennel club. I also joined akita rescue and learned alot about the breed. In turn I began helping educate others. This taught me how important training is for ALL dogs. Thus began my (unofficial) foray into the world of dog training.

I worked for a few years at a local veterinarians office and then began working at our local humane society. While there I saw many dogs being given up for simple training issues. About that time the kennel club began looking for a new trainer to teach group obedience classes. I decided I might be able to handle that challenge once I had more official training of my own.

MY TRAINING:

I found an excellent trainer to mentor with and in October of 2001 after a year of hands on training and study I completed my apprenticeship under Lloyd Williams of Bear Brook Kennels. During that apprenticeship, in addition to learning all the basics, I got to assist in the training of police dogs in narcotics, tracking and cadaver dogs with the medical examiners office.

Not only did I learn how to be a dog trainer, more importantly, I learned how to teach owners how they could communicate more effectively with their dogs. I consider that training just the beginning in my canine education. I continue to attend seminars and keep current through reading about recent advancements in dog training methods. I am a former member of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers.

My training was sponsored by The Humane Society of Knox County and The Mid-Coast Kennel Club of Maine.

MY METHODS:

I use positive reinforcement methods whenever possible during training sessions. Positive reinforcement helps make the training experience more enjoyable for both the dog and owner, producing a better learning environment. I also utilize hand signals in my training which is very useful with deaf dogs as well as hearing ones. My methods include lure/reward and marker training. (with or without a clicker depending on owner preference)

MY GOALS:

My goal in training is to help pet owners develop a better relationship with their dogs. Many times that includes teaching about canine communication and behavior. I also like to help dogs stay out of the shelters and in their homes whenever possible. Training for those unruly dogs can make that a reality for some families.

MY OTHER JOBS:

I am currently the trainer for the HSKC's K-9 Corrections program. I also work as a receptionist at a local veterinary hospital.

MY FAMILY:

I am happily married and the mother of two fabulous children.

Dog Training and Behavior Seminars Attended

11-09 Self Control and Focus Games with Dee Ganley CPDT/CABC/CDBC
6-09 Dog to Dog Aggression with Patricia McConnell PhD
7-08 Debunking the Dominance Myth in Training with Jean Donaldson
6-08 PitBull Education Seminar with Drayton Michaels
3-08 Aggression and Canine Compulsion Disorders with Dr. Nicholas Dodman
4-07 How to Talk Dog with Sarah Kalnajs
6-06 Understanding Canine Body Language with Trish King
4-06 Aggression in Dogs 2 Day Seminar with Brenda Aloff
10-05 Play with Me and Feisty Fidos with Pia Silvani CPDT,CABC
2005 Canine Communication, Meet your Match and and Intro to "Safer" Training with Emily Weiss PhD