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Nemo’s our only mixed breed dog. I’ve been looking into what activities Nemo and I can do together and I’m running into a brick wall. The American Kennel Club (AKC) has lots of cool stuff to do – Conformation, Obedience, and Tracking — but only if your dog is purebred.

I really want to get him started in tracking. Tracking is a sport where the dog must use his nose to search for an article (usually a glove), locate that article, and report back to the handler that he’s found it. The tracks vary in length and complexity. Doggie DNA test notwithstanding (we’re ignoring that because we don’t believe he’s a Golden Retriever, Dalmatian, Newfoundland, and Boxer mix), Nemo’s got one heck of a nose. And he likes using it. So what could be better than tracking?! We could be outside, work together, and let Nemie’s strongest sense go to work.

Trouble is, I’m having a hard time finding an organization that will let Nemo compete. I’ll keep searching because I think this could be something really fun that Nemo and I could do together. And I don’t really need to compete, but I do need the incentive that a competition would give me.

If anyone reading this knows about any organizations out there that will let mixed breeds compete against one another in AKC-like shows and competitions, please leave me a comment! Nemo thanks you in advance – WOOF!

Inwardly I cringe as I hear how an owner "earns" respect from his dog — roll him over and hold him down until he quits protesting. Otherwise known as an alpha roll, this is an outdated method, not to mention it usually scares the heck out of dogs. It doesn’t teach them respect, it teaches them fear.

And fear can look a little bit like respect, so people think it’s ok. A dog who’s fearful or doesn’t trust you can often look like he’s well behaved and "respects" you. Usually what’s really going on is the dog has learned that doing nothing is a whole lot safer than doing something. So what you’re really seeing is a dog who’s careful to tread lightly because he’s not quite sure when (or why) you may pin him to the ground again.

If I were a dog, I’d be dead by now. And not because I’m old. But because I respond very poorly to those who demand respect. I am decidedly obstinate – and pretty vocal about it. Not only won’t I do what’s being demanded, but I’ll be really loud about how I’m NOT doing it and why I’m not doing it, and how I’ll NEVER do it.

Cooperation, however, is something I do very well. I’m an exceptional cooperator. (I think I just made that word up.) I’m a different person if I’m asked to do something, then thanked after it’s been done. Say please and thank you (and mean it!) and I’ll just about walk across broken glass for you. And do it quickly. With a smile on my face.

When I was just out of college, I worked for the Federal government supporting 20 or so research scientists. I’d get them the supplies they needed, do their timecards, the usual administrative support stuff. Some of the scientists had poor communication and social skills and they’d demand things from me. Because they could, because they didn’t know better, I don’t know why they did it. But there were a few (just a few) who could actually take time to ask me how I was, and oh by the way, when you get a chance, could you please place this order for me. The order was done before they walked out of my office. And hand delivered by me when it came in. With a smile. We were Cooperators. And that’s what Cooperators do.

Those other folks, the Demanders, they’d have to wait awhile – I’d make sure of it. I’d put their orders at the bottom of my pile. Those orders would get placed, and in time so the experiments didn’t run off track, but they didn’t get expedited, nor did those scientists enjoy personal delivery of their items the minute I received them. We were definitely not Cooperators. We were Antagonizers. We didn’t enjoy one another and didn’t care that each of us knew that. It wasn’t pleasant.

My point of all this: start a cooperative relationship with your dog, not an adversarial one. Don’t go around demanding respect. Earn it. A cooperative relationship will benefit both you and your dog. You’ll look for reasons to hang out together, you’ll love the time you spend together, you’ll try to solve problems together instead of blaming the dog for being stubborn, hard-headed or manipulative.

Better yet, your dog will enjoy that time you spend together. You’ll have a dog who knows he can rely on you, he can trust you. He knows you’ll take the time to teach him the things he needs to know, instead of rolling him over on his back to show him you’re the boss. You’re not the boss – you’re his teacher. Good teachers hold themselves responsible for the progress of their charges. They don’t blame the student because they aren’t getting it – they figure a new way to teach it so it’s easy for the student to pick up the new skills.

Erin Vey is a photojournalist waaaay out in Washington. I wish she were closer because I’d die to have her photograph a day in the life of Nemie, Tango, and little Lily. I love her work. And I love her Dane, Gracie. Who I’ve never met by the way. Does that make me a bit odd, that I love a dog I’ve never met? So be it, it’s probably not the first time I’ve been thought of as odd.

I check out her blog every day – most of the time I’m rewarded with some new shots of Gracie and her adventures. Other times there’s no Gracie, but there’s almost always a dog! And she’s such a great photographer, it doesn’t matter that you’re looking at dogs you don’t even know!

If you’re into photography, she’ll even occasionally post about techie photog stuff — way over my head, but I can always just get lost in the pictures, even if I don’t understand what the heck she’s talking about. Or she’ll have some cool website links there,too – that’s where I heard about Daily Candy that I posted about earlier.

Check her (and Gracie!) out…

Found this really cool website called Daily Candy. The link will take you to the Washington, DC edition, but they have lots of cities. If you’re not in the Metro DC area, just look for your city on that home page.

It’s got lots of cool info on stuff that’s going on in your city. They seem to also be quite devoted to doggie goings on as well.

I love their art (there are usually lots of dogs in their art, too – bonus!).

From their website, here’s what they’re all about:

DailyCandy, a free daily e-mail newsletter and website, is the insider’s guide to what’s hot, new, and undiscovered — from fashion and style to gadgets and travel. As useful as it is entertaining, it’s like getting an e-mail from your clever, unpredictable, and totally in-the-know best friend. The one who knows about secret beauty treatments, must-have jeans, hot new restaurants — and always shares the scoop.

DailyCandy publishes thirteen daily editions, which are all delivered through e-mail: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Dallas, London, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Philadelphia, Miami, and Seattle are devoted to those cities; Everywhere is national (style knows no boundaries). There are also eight weekly editions. Kids Everywhere (for busy and hip parents) is published on Thursday; local Kids editions are published on Monday in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago; DailyCandy Travel is published on Wednesday; DailyCandy Deals (which features special sales and promotions) comes out on Tuesday. 

One year ago yesterday, I quit my Federal job and made the full-time jump working with dogs and their people. I remember that day vividly – I was terrified and thrilled all at the same time.

It was very scary – I’d been with the Government for 18 years. I grew up there, for heaven’s sake! It was secure, the pay was pretty good, and I had a nice job. But it wasn’t what I loved. It kept me away from my husband, from my dogs. I was not particularly happy.

My ridiculously supportive husband told me to just go. Go and be happy. Give it a whirl and give it your best. So I did. And it’s the best decision I’ve made (except marry him, of course).

Before I quit, I was working two jobs — the Federal job from 7:00a – 4:30p and the dog training job from 5:30p – 9:00p. Every day. Every night. It was killing me. I didn’t see my husband, I didn’t see my dogs. I was grumpy. I was mean. I was unhappy.

Fast forward one year, and my life has done a 180 degree turnaround. I’m happy. I’m not stressed. I’m living my very own dream. There’s nothing like it! I’m not making nearly the money, I’m working a lot more hours. But…I couldn’t be happier. I’m doing what makes me happy.

A big thank you goes out to all my clients who have become friends along the way. It’s been a great year. I’m looking forward to another (and another, and another).

Begging. Nemo’s the KING of begging. Nobody’s better than Nemo. He dramatically drops his big mug flat on the table, boring those sorrowful and pitiful eyes into your head as you eat.

I put this under Problem Behaviors because most people find begging to be troublesome. And so do we, most of the time. But Nemo’s got this look, that look on your left, that we just can’t get enough of. If we ask him to go to his bed and lay down he will, so it’s not like it’s uncontrolled. It’s just so danged adorable.

My parents can’t stand it. And can’t believe I let a dog beg at the table. (In my family, I’m kind of the "tough one" who doesn’t put up with much rude behavior – from dogs or people.)

This was the first time we grilled out this season and the smell of a steak (my husband eats it extra rare – ick!) was just too much for dear Nemo. He couldn’t help himself. And I couldn’t help but grab the camera and start snapping pictures.

All the dogs got a small taste of the disgustingly rare steak, by the way. (They seemed to like it just as much as my husband, go figure.) We did ask Nemo to do some extra tricks so that he didn’t get the steak for begging, but instead for his performance.