Yes, I am Still Alive

Lots of things have been going on in my life in the past few months (I know I'm preaching to the cyber choir), and when I popped over to my blog this morning, I couldn't believe that I haven't posted for over 2 months. While it was a conscious decision to remove myself from blogging and focus on other things - like actually living with my husband and dog - there has been a lot going on that is worthy of a quick entry.

Let's start with Oscar and our nose work training...

I am happy to report that Oscar passed his birch ORT a few weeks ago.  He had a fabulous run - found the odor in 18 seconds and, more importantly, behaved himself like a true gentleman the entire day.  With all the hub-bub of the day - lots of people and dogs in relatively near proximity - he only had one little reactive spat. (Did I mention it was "little"?)

The weeks leading up to the ORT test, I was somewhat doubtful of our ability to pass, but with some clear, concise reflection and wonderfully constructive coaching calls with Kathy Kawalec, we went into the day feeling confident.  I had a great training plan - and the ever important, back-up plan in the event that things went awry.  I stuck to my plan and, golly gee-whiz, it worked.

Speaking of Kathy Kawalec...

For those who do not know Kathy, she is an amazing woman and teacher. I have learned more from the handful of times I have worked with her than the cumulative traditional "training" seminars and workshops and books I have read on dog training throughout the past 8 years.  The emphasis she places on developing - and supporting - the partnership you have with your dog/s is intoxicating. The way she helps you build that relationship is even better...her kind words and support, yet critical critique are empowering.  Her ability to communicate the importance of using personal rewards (that would be you) over non-personal rewards (treats, toys...) and how to use them has turned a new leaf in my everyday interactions with Oscar.  She has helped me shift my awareness in so many ways and I continue to learn from her through her amazing online Cognitive Dog Training Foundation course.  For anyone wanting more...more than the click and treat- type training...consider working with Kathy. She's simply fabulous and your dog will truly thank you for it. 

And on the home front...

Aaron and I have been busy builder bees with our bathroom remodel...a complete tear-out...and it's finally getting near completion. What a project it has been.  The day we began demolition the water line busted from the old pedestal sink (and of course, it was the hot water) and shot water across the room until one of us could run down to the basement to turn the water supply off.  Lesson learned: turn the water off before you being working - and have a plan when $hit hits the fan! As with all projects that wasn't our only surprise along the way.  A near 90-year old house sure has a history...let's just leave it at that.  So, here we are, today, 3 months later with a beautiful new bathroom (still in progress) that was built from the foundation up - the way we wanted it.

I hope to get back into some regular blogging and share a lot of my recent learning.  God knows that I've done a lot of that lately...between nose work, more nose work, Kathy Kawalec and a new instructor's puppy course through the Karen Pryor academy...I'd say my academic mind has reached it's tipping point for the first half of the year.  Phew!

A Farewell to Ms. Fanny

~ Farwell, my sweet Ms. Fanny ~

It's been shortly over a week since Aaron and I sent Fanny to the rainbow bridge. Though it was a tough decision on all levels, it was clear that she was suffering over the weekend. Although the current winter has been quite mild, a godsend for Fanny's ailing body, a recent cold snap, coupled with freezing rain ended up being too much for her to cope with. In the final 48 hours of her physical existence with us, she struggled to stand up outside...falling to her belly on a several occasions.  It broke my heart to watch her in such a state because I knew she was trying so hard to fight her failing body.

~ Fanny on one of our camping trips in Door County ~

 When I arrived home from work last Monday evening, there she was, laying on her bed - exactly where Aaron had left her 5 hours earlier when he left for work. She could barely lift her head as she opened her eyes to greet me. Her breathing was rapid and shallow, she struggled to keep her eyes open and as I quickly came to her side she gave out a great sigh of relief. I knew it was time. She was ready to go onto the next part of her life.

As tears began to pool in my eyes, I made the call to the vet...telling them that it was time for us to let our sweet Fanny's body go and that we needed to honor her request tonight; it could not wait until the next morning. I called Aaron and told him that when he got home from work we needed to do this act of love. Shortly thereafter, Aaron arrived home and we both consoled Fanny and promised her that soon she would be happy and running pain-free. Her lungs would be free and clear and her back legs would have the strength and abundance of a puppy. With a great sigh, and one last request for an eye rub, she agreed and asked, "Well, let's get goin' then!"

~ Fanny's favorite activity (besides eating!)
was going for car rides ~

Having never experienced the loss of a close pet before, I knew the evening's events would be difficult. Aaron and I packed a full Kleenex box, Fanny's blanket and got Oscar situated. We had been preparing for this inevitable day for a few months, still there was a huge flash of reality when we were going through the motions of getting her ready for her last breathing car ride. Upon arrival to the vet's office, they welcomed us into our private room, where they had already set out a thick warm blanket for Fanny to rest on. We laid her down, never once ceasing to be with her...Aaron rubbed her ears and eyes and I quietly beamed healing energy to her as I steadily placed my hands on her rear end.  Soon, our sweet girl would be at rest. The tech administered a sedative to help Fanny relax before the procedure and gave us a few minutes alone before the doctor came in. They prepped the injection site and together, we all told Fanny how wonderful she was and how her life was only going to get better...a new body will be born and she will run wild and free until we see her again. Without hesitation, she went quietly and peacefully to her final rest.

~ "Is he really staying?"~

We had made prearrangement's to bring her home the evening of the procedure to help Oscar - and us, quite frankly - cope with the event. Just like he always has, Oscar went over and sniffed her body... concentrating on her sweet front paws and her ears. We quietly spoke to the two of them as they said their good-byes and Oscar finally got his wish...for Fanny to allow him to lay by her. It was a sweet moment between the two. The following morning, we returned Fanny to have her body cremated.


So as we wait for Fanny to return home to us, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on how much she brought to my life over the past 10 years.

To my dear, sweet Fanny,  

You were my first dog. The memories I have of the first day we met are some of the happiest moments in my life. After 22 years of begging my parents for a dog - I finally went out and got one myself! Fanny, you were simply stunning...a beautiful White Shepherd girl...all alone in your adoption room. I knew you would bring great joy to my life as I signed the application papers. I didn't care about the 'negatives' on your intake form - they didn't scare me - although you certainly fulfilled them as some of my friends would soon find out. 

You taught me that kangaroo tails aren't reserved for kangaroos - you had a fabulous tail and carried it well...on multiple occasions hitting it on something that made it go limp. You taught me that you would gladly eat any and all food that was offered to you - even those that were for my anniversary dinner with Aaron. You taught me that you are smarter (and stronger) than most humans - I will never forget the time when you moved Chris' entertainment center away from the wall to puke back there. You taught me that you could, in fact, be trusted around anyone - it just took some time, love and lots of hot dogs for some of those scary men to be OK. You taught me that I couldn't live a day without finding white dog hair everywhere - admittedly  I would miss it if it weren't around.  You taught me that finding a man who really loves dog is a hard thing - but I found him and will never let him go. You taught me that I had to be careful when I was preparing your food b/c you have secret ninja skills and could sneak up on me nearly tripping me on multiple occasions. You taught me to never give up on anything, and make adjustments along the way - I regret those days when I didn't know any better and used a prong collar on you, but it afforded me the opportunity for ultimate growth into the positive training world and I have never looked back since. You taught me that you were always there with me - your timely "drive by" nose bumps at night are sincerely missed. You taught me about unconditional love - I never once regret staying home on a Friday night to be with you because I know appreciated it, even though I got shit from a lot of my "friends" for it. Fanny, you were a wonderful companion. You put up with your little brother and set a wonderful example for your breed. Your presence will be missed by all that knew you...but the memories you have given will always be there.

Until we meet again, my dear, run wild and free - and jump on a counter or two, especially if there's a steak up there in the sink. ~ Your proud Momma, Laura ~

~ The ultimate lounger in her golden years ~

2012 in Review

Another year has flown by in the blink of an eye and, 2012, you were another year to remember. You gave many of us new challenges, new victories and a few failures. As I look back on my review from last year, I am grateful for so many things and am proud to say that I lived up to most of the goals I set for myself and my family, both skin and fur.

So, let's begin...here's the year 2012 in review...

To my loving husband...
You never cease to amaze me with your kindness. Not only to me, but the dogs and almost everyone in your life (and I know your Grandmother does love you, even though she can be very nasty). Your patience is unmatched and your tolerance is that of a saint. I love you more each day and know that between all of the "adult" stuff we deal with, my love for you grows with each pass of the clock hand. I look forward to growing old with you and will keep my promise that our next dog will not be a GSD :)

To my dogs...

First, and foremost, my dear, sweet Fanny. We almost lost you in May and many tears were shed during your hospital stay. It forced me to stop my life and focus on taking care of you - something that, admittedly, had been put behind Oscar as we were working hard on his behavior "problems." I am sorry for putting you second so many times in the past few years. Aaron and I took off of work while you were hospitalized because we couldn't be any other place than with you in those moments. I knew when that beautiful Spring thunderstorm rolled into the sky the afternoon we were to bring you home, you were not ready to leave your physical life with us just yet. You still had dignity and fight left in you. Aaron and I love you and - while it drives us crazy how you can sneak up on us and near trip us every time we prepare one of your meals - we want you to stay around for as long as you want to bless us with your presence.

Next, my silly, sweet Oscar. We had quite the year. I vowed to stop bringing trainers over to help me figure out what was "wrong" with you and I'm proud to say that I kept that promise. I did, however, take you to meet a wonderful woman, Kathy Kawalec, but I promised you a bit of fun (sheep!).  You have grown so much in the past year and I feel that our relationship can only get stronger. I'm happy that you have felt comfortable enough to hop up into bed with Aaron and I each night and are learning the fine art of comfortable relaxation on a warm, shared bed. I'm grateful that you have remained healthy this year and have filled out into your stud muffin body :)  You teach me so much and each day with you is an adventure. Never stop wagging your tail, my sweet little man.

To the "Dog Nerd Community"...
This year was a lot of fun and I had a lot of support along the way. First, to Eric...my dog boss. Becoming part of the BehaviorWorks family has been wonderful. Eric, you have allowed me to grow as an individual and as a dog trainer. Thank you for listening to all of my crazy ranting and receiving my emails :)  To Kathy Kawalec, meeting and working with you has been amazing. Even though we've only been together twice, your kindness and honesty has spoken volumes to the way that I want to be with everyone in my life. Thank you, Tresa Laferty, for hosting Kathy at your fabulous home and opening the invitation to those, like me, who are seeking a deeper connection with those in their life. To Kathy Sdao, an infinite "Thank You" for writing and publishing your book Plenty in Life is Free. Your words throughout the pages had me smiling and wanting to be more to every dog in my life. To Dee Wilsuz, a challenge for you. We need to get together in 2013. If for nothing else, to drink a bunch of margaritas and talk about dogs.  To Monica Segal, thank you, again, for supporting the entire Holder family. Your dedication, passion and humor are second to none and I wish that more people get the opportunity to get to know you and see that you are an amazing woman. To Ms. Kathy Hatch, I am thankful our paths connected in 2012. You have helped and supported me the most. Oscar and I joined your wonderful NoseWork classes and are having a blast, but what I am getting our of your classes far surpasses the fun sniffing we are doing.

Professionally speaking, I am most proud of passing my CPDT-KA exam this year. It was a long couple weeks of studying - followed by another stretch of time while I waited for the test results. (Eric - if you are reading this, you still owe me a beer!).

My wishes and goals for 2013...
First, and foremost, I wish that all of my family members stay happy and healthy this year. There were a lot of uncertainties in 2012 for some of my close family members and may this year bring you clarity and security.

To my husband, I wish for a year of challenges, but one with more rewards. I'm already looking forward to our trip in July where we can enjoy some food, wine and good company. You are my best friend and I don't want to share the world with anyone else. We will continue to grow together and I only see great things for us.

To Ms. Fanny, the fighter, what I wish the most is that this winter not be too harsh on your aging body. Wherever 2013 takes you, Aaron and I will be at your side, supporting you all the way.  Lots of warm beds,  delicious food, and on-demand belly and eye rubs for you, my sweet girl.

To Mr. Oscar, the ding dong, I wish you happiness mixed with a bit more learning. I vow to keep showing you that the world is not as scary as it may seem and that people actually like you when you aren't yelling at them :) My goal for the two of us is to get out there and pass the ORT birch test. That's it. If you want to try a NW trial, cool, if not - no biggie, I promise :) Lots of "butt flosses," Frisbee games and maybe even a few lure coursing dates for you, my silly boy.

To the other important folks in my life. May you have a challenging and fair 2013 that affords you the opportunity for personal, professional and financial growth. I wish that those around you be happy, safe and healthy and that you get to do something that you love every day.  Never stop learning.

To myself. I challenge you to stop and smell the roses every once and a while. The emails can wait and the dog nerd books will be on the book shelf...they won't walk off on their own. Be with your family and when you are, be as committed as you can be while you are with them. Go someplace new, fun and exciting with Aaron and explore like an 8-year old with no reservations....just breathe, love and live it up.

Here's to a great year!  Happy 2013!

Yay for Poop!

It has been a blissful several months (in fact, almost a year I think) that I have enjoyed picking up Oscar's wonderful poops. On the Bristol Stool Chart (pictured above), I would say he is in the "Sweet Spot" with a Type 3-1/2. Perfect, beautiful poops. Not to soft, not to hard. Simply wonderful.

Until this week.

Something that the Dog God only knows about has set Oscar's bowels into a tizzy.

Shame on me for almost forgetting what it was like to have a dog with a sensitive GI tract. Dare I even admit that I have not felt the need to look stare at Oscar's rear end every time he squats for a long, long time. I haven't needed to. With the ridiculous help of Monica Segal, we got Oscar to the point where he was wonderfully healthy with beautiful poops.

Just goes to show you that getting comfortable in routine - whatever that routine may be - often comes back to bite oneself in the behind.

Oscar has pooped 6 times today. I repeat 6 times. While I almost gasped in horror after my husband sent me the "Puke and poop in the kennel" text during lunch today, I almost started crying when he sent me the "He pooped outside" about 10 minutes later, then the "He pooped again, that's #6" messages. I put my head in my hands and prayed that whatever it is that was making my precious Oscar flail at the rump would quickly subside b/c, seriously, I don't know how much more Aaron and I can take. These GSD's are driving us mad. They are wonderful in so many ways and when it rains, it pours - on both ends  of the spectrum...both good and bad. The constant swinging of the pendulum has been steady since May, yet I remind myself that things could be much worse. Fanny could have left us in May, Oscar could still be a skinny-bone boy.

My dogs teach me much more than I ask for...and sometimes I wish they would just shut up. For now, I will try to focus on the good...the many months of fabulous poop from Oscar and the rebound Fanny has made form yet another bout of aspiration pneumonia. I'm grateful that each of them are in my life and that Aaron and I both can tolerate cleaning up more bodily fluids than one person should have to experience in a lifetime.  I leave you with this statement...something you shouldn't take for granted and a phrase that would make an excellent bumper sticker..."Yay for Poop!"

Finished Book: "Play With Your Dog" by Pat Miller

Q: What do I love getting in a plane for my 8a-5p work-related trips?

A: They allow me to read about dogs...and get paid while doing it.

Thursday morning's schedule had me getting up at 5am and heading to the airport for a trip to Seattle, WA.  The trip would be short; leave MKE at 6am, land in SEA around 11am PST, head to downtown Seattle, eat a little something, then head into a creative brainstorming session for a well-known mobile device manufacturer and their global branding agency.  The return trip would be quite similar; getting up at 4am, heading to the airport, landing at O'Hare for a connection flight that I didn't have a confirmed seat on. I ended up taking the bus back, which actually got me home and hour and a half earlier (yay!).

It all worked out in the end and during the combined hours in an airplane I got to pull back the cover of Pat Miller's Play With Your Dog.

While many of the concepts in the Pat Miller's book were not new to me, I was ultimately looking for additional ideas...new games...that I could implement into my relationship with Oscar.  He is a dog who LOVES to play. He will (literally!) spit out food if the Frisbee or orange Chuck-it! ball come out. Any movement toward the side door sparks an immediate dash and look of hope from my handsome little man. I got what I was looking for...a few nuggets of ideas and inspiration that I look forward to trying out.

The flow of chapters in Play With Your Dog is brilliant. Pat starts with describing what play really is, then moves along to describe different dog play styles (Oscar is definitely in the typical herding "cheerleader/fun police" category). Following these topics, she discusses proper ways for humans to engage in play, talks about the overall benefits of play (hint: the benefits are HUGE!), different types of play (object play, mind games, chase games, and contact play) and gives great examples of each type, including the wonderful game of TUG! She makes a point to discuss the importance of children playing with dogs and games that should be avoided as well as games that are well-suited to keep the dogs and kids safe and happy. She ends her book with a great section on rehabilitating the play-deprived dog...something that hits very close to home since I can count on both of my hands how many times my dear Fanny has engaged in play just for the thrill of it.

Overall Pat's book lays out a great foundation for those who are looking to engage their dogs in play. Pat challenges us, as owners and guardians, to tailor the play games/style to the individual dog and to keep it fun!  While play can be a very powerful reinforcer, it is absolutely OK to play just for play's sake!

Finished Book: "Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs"

Jean Donaldson's book, Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs, should be on the shelf of every dog trainer. In the perfect world, I would even say that it should be on the coffee table of every new puppy owner too.

Resource guarding is a behavior problem that I'm starting to hear more of the more I get into private consultations. More often than not I'm getting word of the owner's dog - who usually happens to be just around the cusp of adolescence - starting to exhibit aggression when the owner(s) go to remove a bone/chewie/pig ear/(insert other valuable item here) or move them from a certain spot on the bed/couch, etc. In preparation for some inevitable behavior modification I will be doing with a current client of mine, I purchased Jean's book and got reading.

Jean's book is a fantastic resource with step-by-step instructions to help one identify what type(s) of resource guarding their dog has and explains very thoroughly how to "fix" the problem with hierarchies that encourage the owner to break down the training into small, incremental steps. Jean explains typical areas where you may see regression and how you need to handle situations where you may have pushed your dog too much, too soon.


Having finished reading Jean's book, I patted myself on the back and gave myself some credit for instilling good sharing habits in Oscar from the moment he came through my door at 8-weeks of age. Doing the "I'll trade you this for that" games and doing "drive-by treat parties" when he was eating have paid off ten fold.  Like clockwork, when you walk toward him while he is chewing on a bone or rawhide he eagerly begins wagging his tail hoping that you might just hop down on the floor and join him in the fun. We usually do and then continue moving on...sometimes giving him a quick butt scratch, other times getting right in there and holding the bone for him (which he LOVES) and other times dropping him some delicious liver treats.  The only remedial resource guarding I had to do with him was a few months back when I gave him something he had never had before - a raw beef knuckle. He did just a bit of freezing as I approached him to take it away. Enough where I noticed that he was a little uncomfortable and immediately went and got some string cheese to do some "super tasty drive-by's." Problem averted.

Finished Book: "Plenty in Life is Free" by Kathy Sdao

Beautiful, memorable and as perfect as perfect gets.

On this unseasonably warm October afternoon (it's 70-something in Wisconsin!), I finished reading Kathy Sdao's beautiful, 93-page book Plenty in Life is Free: Reflections on Dogs, Training and Finding Grace.

For those who have not heard of or read Kathy's book, the pages within talk about rethinking the NILIF (Nothing in Life is Free) training protocol and challenge oneself to consider becoming an active, communicating partner (not leader) in the relationship with your canine friends through alternate ways of training. To be 100% honest, I have never felt comfortable with the NILIF protocol. I tried it with my own "problem" dogs and never made it past a week of of the program. It never felt "right" and I wasn't happy dictating that my dog had to offer me something, at my cue/command, in order to get what he wanted.

In Kathy's beautiful writing, her experience, outlook, passion and ability to deliver a salient message left me satisfied beyond belief.  I am energized, excited and ready to continue on the journey with my own dogs and with my clients, both current and future, with her approach to training. Throughout the pages, Kathy layouts a handful of alternative methods to the NILIF protocol/philosophy, all of which gravitate around the central idea that we, humans, need to get SMART (See Mark and Reward (Training)) with our dogs offer. We must be active in the participation and become skilled partners and listeners. It is our duty to reinforce our dogs (with petting, praise, walks, car rides...whatever!) when they reinforce us (with ANY behavior that you want them to do).

"...my training focus has shifted gradually away from ensuring animals' compliance with my directives. Instead I've become increasingly aware of the critical need for me to observe the animals I train - intentionally watching their behaviors with mindful intention. This cultivation of the skills of clearly seeing behavior and learning to recognize and respond to desirable behaviors trumps any reward-rationing protocol. It also precedes - temporally and philosophically - any attempts I make to improve the animal's obedience to my requests." 

For me to say that Kathy's book is the best dog book I have ever read would be an understatement. It is about as perfect as perfect gets and I will proudly recommend it atop the previously #1-ranked "Bones".

Kathy - if I ever get the opportunity to meet you in person, I will see, mark and reward you with the biggest bear hug I can offer.