Greetings!
Welcome to our first newsletter, and to our newsletter naming contest! We need your help to give our newsletter a catchy name, so put your thinking caps on and let us know what you think would sound catchy. The winner will receive a 25% off gift certificate good for any of our services. We've come up with the following so far, but just aren't happy with them: Pacifica Pet Tails, Pacifica Pet Pawprints; Pacifica Pet Dog Times...
Hopefully one of you will be more creative than that!
Our first newsletter is a little short this time because I'm so excited to use the new software and see what people have to think, but in the future we'll include articles on pet behavior and training and other fun & useful information.
I welcome your ideas, suggestions & comments!
)~ Wags! Loring
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Dog Parks: The good, the bad, the ugly, and how to stay safe.
by Loring Slivinski
A recent incident at Fort Funston and a seminar I attended a few weeks ago by Sue Sternberg of Rondout Valley Animals for Adoption has me thinking quite a bit about dog parks and dog play lately.
The Fort Funston incident involved a man stabbing a dog at the park. While nothing could justify such a senseless act, as the story unfolded I could see how circumstances added up to create an unsafe situation. Some of the elements that I think contributed:
- Dog walkers: Too many dog walkers take out too many dogs for them to supervise safely, and too many do not have what I consider to be adequate training. How to keep yourself safe? If you use a dog walker: Know your dog walker - does he or she take out 5 dogs or 15? What are the other dogs in that "pack" like, and how do they interact with your dog? Where did they learn pack management and behavior, and what techniques do they use? DogTec in the East Bay offers a Dog Walking Academy and referral list. Check them out here: DogTec. If you are out with your own dog: make sure your dog has good recall, and keep a close eye on any dog that seems to be having issues with other dogs in the area. If your dog has issues with larger numbers of dogs, do not hang out around water fountains or any other places dogs seem to be congregating.
- Intact Dogs: The guy who did the stabbing had an intact dog. Intact dogs are frequently targeted and harassed by other dogs, regardless of the intact dog's level of socialization, aggression, or training. How to keep
yourself safe? NEUTER AND SPAY YOUR DOGS and encourage friends and family to do the same. Do not allow your dog to harass any other dogs - intact or not.
- Previous Encounters: There had been issues with this guy and dog walkers in the past, and tensions were already high. How to keep
yourself safe? In this day & age of financial uncertainty and all sorts of unpleasantries, tensions can be high and people can react very strongly and out of proportion to an event. We could all (myself included) benefit from taking a deep breath & trying to see the other person's point of view. Being responsible pet owners by not allowing our dogs to harass others, picking up poop, and making sure our dogs are trained won't hurt either.
Several of my trainers, training assistants, and I attended a weekend
seminar at Marin Humane Society. Sue Sternberg was the presenter, and
she's an ethologist - she studies dog body language & behavior. We
spent 2-3 days watching footage of dog play, observing dog-dog
introductions, and live demonstrations.
It was nothing short of eye-opening for a lot of us. It's appalling how
many dogs out there have very poor play skills, and how many owners are
quite clueless. Some things to consider:
- Is your dog one of
those who never really plays with the others? Then ask yourself if the
dog is really enjoying dog-dog play, and if the answer is no, find
another fun activity you can do with your dog to get some exercise.
Take up hiking, take a scent or tricks class, get involved in a dog
sport, teach your dog to fetch - these are all great alternatives
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| Contact Us |
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4300 Coast Highway
Pacifica, California 94044
650-359-3685
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New Fall/Winter Classes
Our new Fall/Winter Class schedule is complete! Check out the following classes and join us for fun, frolic, and learning!
Doggie Manners 1
- Tues. Sept 7, 7:45 PM
- Tues. Oct 12, 6:15 PM
- Tues. Nov 30, 7:45 PM
Doggie Manners 2
- Tues. Aug 31, 6:30 PM
- Tues. Nov 23, 6:30 PM
Puppy Manners 1
- Thurs. Sept 16, 6:30 PM
- Thurs. Oct 7, 6:30 PM
- Thurs. Nov 18, 6:30 PM
Puppy Manners 2
- Thurs. Aug 26, 6:30 PM
- Thurs. Oct 28, 7:45 PM
Manners 3 (Dogs of all ages)
Scent 1
Scent 2
Growly Dog
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Dog Parks, continued.
- Really observe your dog to see what kind of body language is happening. Video taping your dog in play & watching it slowed down can help with this. (We will be offering a Body Language Lecture soon - keep your eyes out for announcements.) One of the most eye-opening videos we watched was a yellow lab chasing a pit bull around a tree. Everyone at the park was laughing at the dogs, and it looked like the dogs were enjoying a good game of chase, but when the video was slowed down, it became clear that the pit bull was only playing because she had NO CHOICE - the yellow lab would not leave her alone. Watch for role reversals (dogs take turn chasing/being chased, being on top/bottom, and initiating play).
Be careful & intervene when the following behaviors occur:- One dog is bullying others, grab and shakes to the neck, larger dogs chasing smaller dogs, chasing where the front dog's tail is tucked, three-dog play (pairs are best), stalking behaviors, body stiffness in any of the dogs, raised hackles, and snarls/snaps (some dogs are vocal players, but not all vocalization is good).
Other tips & hints:
- Give the dogs frequent play breaks, and require them to focus on you before going back to play for better control overall. Make sure you practice recalls away from other dogs, since not all are friendly. Leave the coffee cup at home and the cell phone in your pocket - watch your dog and the other dogs for signs of trouble. All too often dog owners release the dog to play and never give it another thought. Being watchful can often prevent issues from happening to begin with.
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