 ARE YOU THE BOSS?
by Michael Chill
"I always go through the door first!", or "I always make sure I eat before my dog does" or "I never let him walk in front of me" are all common statements I hear from clients nowadays. The reasoning behind these comments? "I want to make sure I'm alpha!"
Being "alpha" or, more grammatically correct, being dominant, is the new catch phrase for this generation of media watching pet owners, much as was the word "walkies," made famous during the seventies and early eighties by the British dog trainer, Barbara Woodhouse. But, unlike "walkies," which was a harmless euphemism for the command "heel," the idea that every problem you may be having with your dog can be boiled down to "lack of dominance" is not only naïve, but can actually be destructive.
To begin with, there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the word, dominance. The best definition I have heard is "confidence." The most dominant animals I have worked with, both dogs and wolves, were actually some of the nicest. They didn't fight for their dominance, as they didn't have to; they were calm, confident animals, who exuded such self-confidence and security in themselves that they had nothing to prove.
That's not to say that dominant animals can't be aggressive; of course they can. But many animals who are aggressive are not dominant at all. Fear biting, defensive growling, stand-offishness can all be signs of underlying apprehension, and to handle these dogs as if they are dominant would not only be useless, but could very well increase their problems.
Furthermore, even if the dog in question were, indeed, dominant, that doesn't mean the practice of not letting him walk in front of you will in any way address his issues. IF your dog is truly dominant OVER YOU, AND one way he expresses that dominance is by walking ahead of you, then, yes, discouraging that behavior would make sense. However, many dogs walk in front of their owners not as a show of dominance, but merely because they have never been trained to heel. As Sigmund Freud said, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar!"
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 HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES IT TAKE
TO SAVE 5 PUPPIES?
There are just some emails that make us jump off the computer and into
the car with crates, collars and leashes! The email about 5 pups on a street corner in Compton
was one of those emails.
We met up with the rescuer and took one look
at the poor little pups and our hearts broke...we knew that they were
going to need lots of TLC. What we didn't know (until the next day at
the vet) was that they all had parvo.
Named the Snack Pack, we started them all on IVs, nutrients and
antibiotics immediately. We're lucky...our vet has someone on staff
24/7 and the Pack was monitored hourly. Tidbit went downhill and we
started a blood transfusion and it wasn't long before they were all
having multiple transfusions, more antibiotics and the best care offered
in Los Angeles.
Munchie, our gorgeous brindle mix, was
struggling. When our Founder, Carole, stopped in to see them on her
way to work her heart sank. She knew Munchie was not responding well
and by the time she got to work, Munchie was gone. It only made her,
and the vet staff, more determined to save the rest of these pups. And they did it!
Two days later, Tidbit was eating broiled chicken
and was sent to her foster home. The rest of the gang, Nosh, Nibbles
and Snack, followed closely thereafter and they began to thrive. Nosh
needed prodding but eventually she began to chow down with her sisters.
We didn't give up but it wasn't easy and it
wasn't cheap. The cost to-date - $10,000. Crazy? Perhaps, but we have no regrets. Just look at their faces and you'll know what we mean. But now we are stumped. We are running short on ideas for fundraising....our brains are just too tired. That's
where YOU come in.
If you've got a great idea, big or small, to help
us raise money to pay off The Pack's bills, we are open to any and all
suggestions. Just shoot us an email.
Our wonderful friend/supporter Grace Chon has come up with a
photoshoot on June 19th. Shine Pet Photos is in demand throughout S.
California but Grace is giving up her Saturday to help us and the pups. And our adopter Bret McQuoid will be at the photo shoot with
designer jeans and clothing (all brand new!) at amazing prices for you
to replenish your wardrobe. What's your idea?????
Email us with your ideas: dawgsquad@rocketmail.com
And to those of you who have already opened your hearts to these
little girls...Martha, Emily, Barbara, Darrell, Gabrielle, (just to name
a few) THANK YOU!
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DOG OF THE MONTH
Meet DUKE
Not into dog parks? Think the beach is too crowded?
Then Duke is
YOUR dog. He'd rather take a solitary walk with you than hang out
with a bunch of other dogs!
Not into partying? Neither is Duke. He
just wants ONE best friend...could it be you?
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SPONSOR A PET
IN Need
Would you like to sponsor
a furry friend in need?
Make a donation to the Squad.
Your monies will go
directly to the food,
housing and medical expenses of your
favorite pet!
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