News

Everyone wants to give their dog as much freedom as possible and still keep them safe, right? It would stand to reason, then, that a long leash which is quickly retractable, would be the best thing out there. These leashes can be useful and helpful, but more often than not, they're a nuisance at best, and downright dangerous at worst.

PROS
Retractable leashes are great if you've got your dog in a big open field and you're letting your dog be a dog: sniffing, gamboling across the field, pouncing, playing. And that's about the only place and time that retractable leashes are good.

CONS
You can lose a finger, get a rope burn or break your dog's leg. These leashes are NOT good near roads, near other dogs, in pet supply stores, in training class, in downtown areas, or in doggie parks. Used in these locations, they actually hinder you and your dog.

Retractable leashes can actually teach your dog to pull on the leash. Because there's always tension on the leash, the collar is always tight. If the dog knows that to go anywhere his collar must be tight, you'll never convince him to not pull even when he's on his regular leash.

If you're headed anywhere other than a wide-open field, use a standard 4- or 6-foot leash. I like plain cotton web leashes – they come in varying lengths: 20, 30, even 50 feet. They don't retract which means there's less chance of me losing a finger, and there's never tension on the leash.

I mentioned that we'd taken in a new dog temporarily. I hoped to get him adopted as a companion or a service dog for someone who needed a little extra help. He was a client's dog and just wasn't the right fit for them. He touched me in such a way that I told them to let me know if he didn't work out for them. So they did, and I took him in.

Less than 24 hours later, we got the call from hospice to tell us my mother-in-law was dying. I spent four days in limbo at hospice, coming home every six hours to let the dogs out and feed them. Not the best circumstances for any dog, but especially not for a dog who was so new to us.

He got along great with all my dogs, although quite often he was a bit much for them, and they were always reminding him that he was crossing the line. He decided he liked to play with Lily, our seven year old Lab. Unfortunately, Lily's the most laid-back dog we've got, and she didn't share his love of play. He badgered her until she was in a state of denial. She'd lay still no matter how much he barked and play-bowed. Frustrated that his efforts weren't working, he then resorted to nipping her as she laid down and tried to ignore him. If I didn't step in to stop him, our other two dogs were more than happy to do it for me. Which, clearly, wasn't a good idea.

I began to separate the new guy from our three, which of course made him miserable. He jumped every gate we put up. Nothing could keep him away from these three. So I began leaving him inside and taking my three out for a romp, then taking him out while my three stayed inside. Everyone was now miserable! I couldn't win. I couldn't keep him safe in the house either – he had escaped from crates before and I feared he'd get stuck half-in and half-out and kill himself while I was gone. He could scale any gate (or two) I created with ease.

When he was outside, he decided the grass was greener on the other side of the fence. And he jumped it. With ease. And once outside the fence wouldn't let anyone near him. He'd bark and bark and bark, but wouldn't come close. And would run away when I tried to offer him some bits of chicken. I'd run in the opposite direction, hoping he'd chase me. He'd watch me, but wouldn't take a step closer. He just wanted to run, run, run. I could do nothing but wait for him to come back on his own, because my efforts to convince him to come back only made him go further away. So from that moment on, he was only outside on a leash. Which he hated. He wouldn't run (plus my two legs are so much slower than his four), he didn't want to go to the bathroom, he wouldn't play with me. He just looked at me.

These issues individually weren't insurmountable. But all these issues together with the emotions and stress of the death of a loved one were making everyone and every dog miserable. The new dog just wasn't happy when he couldn't be with our three. And our three were definitely unhappy when he was around them.

We didn't have a training issue, we had a compatibility issue. My dogs weren't happy with his being here. And the new dog wasn't happy, either. And no amount of training was going to "fix" these issues. It was one of the most difficult decisions I've faced yet in life, but I decided to take the new guy to the shelter. I'm glad there are safe places like shelters where dogs can get a second chance. I'm hoping this guy finds the perfect home: a young man who likes to go running and hiking; or some empty-nesters who need a walking partner and someone to shower with affection; or maybe a family with a young, energetic dog who would love to have another playmate.

Our family has had an emotional week. I wrote earlier about hospice and how helpful it's been to have a dog with us during the process. Those four days we spent with my mother-in-law were made much easier because we had the company of a dog.

While we were happy to have a dog with us, the remaining three dogs at home weren't as happy to be left alone. We've got a new dog (I'll try to get a good picture soon). He wasn't here for even 24 hours before this new schedule of home-for-an-hour-every-seven-hours was thrown on him. So he was in a new house, with new dogs, and a brand new (long and lonely) schedule imposed on him. I felt really bad for him. But he did just fine actually.

I tried to come home at regular intervals and keep their (new) routine, well, routine. I'd let them outside to do their business and run around, then feed them, and let them visit with me for 30 minutes or so. During that 30-minute block, I gave them each a peanut butter stuffed food toy. I didn't want the new dog to think "Uh oh, there's the peanut butter; she's leaving again." Then it was back outside for another pee break, and a few more minutes of lovin' before I gave them another peanut butter stuffed toy and left again.

I left a light on for them at night, as well as the radio. Then I began to wonder if that was a good idea — when we were home with them during the night, the house was quiet and dark. Was the light and radio a cue to the dogs that things weren't normal? So I compromised and turned on a night-light and lowered the volume on the radio when I left them at night. 

So now we're getting back into a regular groove and I hope to start working with the new dog. See what he can do, what he likes, doesn't like, and all that. I'll keep you posted on our progress…

After 2 1/2 years of lung cancer, my mother-in-law is in the final hours of her life. (She never smoked a day in her life, by the way.) My husband and I have been at the hospice facility since we heard she'd taken a final turn. We left yesterday at about 4:00p and took one of our dogs, Tango, with us.

The Kline House not only allows pets, but actually encourages (and dotes on) them. This has been a huge comfort for both my husband and me. Just having a wet nose bump up against you in the night seems to cut the stress that terminal illness can bring.

My mother-in-law is unconscious, but Tango will wag his tail and lick her hand. And we hope that contact can reach her somewhere somehow. And if it can't comfort her, it certainly comforts us. So, with the help of a dog, we're hoping to make her transition a peaceful one.

I've been back and forth between hospice and home three times to let the dogs out and feed them. I try to get home every six hours or so. The last time I came and left, they looked more than a little confused at our new pattern. So I've taken a chance to put a few extra hours this afternoon at home with the dogs. They're aware that something is different, but of course aren't able to figure out exactly what.

These aren't the ideal circumstances for the new dog who has a slight problem with mild separation anxiety! To avoid creating an association of my leaving for hours = peanut butter stuffed toy, I just stuffed a bunch and gave them all to the dogs — while I'm here for a few hours.

As I return again to hospice in a few hours, I'll take Lily this time. 18 hours at the hospice facility has taken it's toll on Tango. Just like people, dogs have their limits, too.

I just posted about my plans to help the newest Smart Dog University resident dog help conquer his slight anxiety at being left alone. My first step was to teach him how to love a food-stuffed toy. So I smeared some peanut butter along the inside rim of the toy — close enough so he'd only have to try a little and he'd get a big reward: a mouth full of peanut butter. Here's what it looked like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXseLj-m840