Breaking News: C.M. Does Something Good for Dogs!

Good news. I just hope all the pups that will be rescued as a result don't end up in his training program.

Why I Hate Retracable Leashes

Most of these things have very thin material for the leash part (see the picture). It fine for walking because it's lightweight yet strong.

However, this leash becomes a hazard when a dog who is on the retractable meets another dog. Basic doggie instinct tells them to sniff each other's.....errr....ass ends to get the information needed to form a social opinion. When dogs do that, they tend to circle each other. When they circle each other and one or both have retractables attached to them, it's a nightmare of a tangled situation. The thinness of the leash makes it really easy for the dogs to get wound up, but very difficult to get the leashes unwound. When dogs get stuck together like this, they begin to get upset, then frightened, then they fight.

Franklin and I have a few doggie friends in the neighborhood and many of them use these types of retracables. I hate that I can't let Franklin sniff & jump & play like he wants to because the tangle will be horrible to undo. He has gotten tangled with one of these in the past and I had to undo his collar in order to extricate him before a fight started.

How about just a nice, normal, wide leash, huh?

Since I Was Here Last...

There's way too much to tell, but some highlights:

-I now teach sections of the class when Lloyd is there, and whole classes when he's off on vacation! I'd say I'm getting close to me 225 hours of required lead teaching for my CPDT.

-I've been to a ton of seminars by such luminaries as Ian Dunbar, Pat Miller and Patricia McConnell - all fabulous. Read their books!

-Franklin is as bratty as ever, but my one-and-only baby boy (the cat is my "Best Boy").

-Please watch & support Animal Planet's POSITIVE trainer, Victoria Stilwell (It's Me or the Dog). It's nice to see a network promoting gentle methods, instead of quakerous and dangerous techniques. You know who you are. (Cesar).

-I've lost a ton of weight due to no longer driving to work.

I'm Baaaaaaack

jj has inspired me to start this thing up again.

Visit jj and many others at The Village Hall to discuss your favorite Brit reality TV shows.

From JennB's Blog

8 Random Things about me

I picked this up off JennB's blog.... here's the deal:

The Rules:

• 1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
• 2. People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules.
• 3. At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names.
• 4. Don't forget to leave them a comment and tell them they're tagged, and to read your blog.And here I go!

1. I'm the World's Biggest Slob.

2. I want to move back to Vermont as soon as possible.

3. I still love my childhood crushes: Dirk Benendict and Simon LeBon.

4. I listen to Neil Diamond all the time.

5. I don't think kids are cute. Any kids.

6. I think clothes are stupid.

7. I worship Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson & James Madison.

8. I hate work, especially office work.

I'm going to tag.....

• JennB who lives in VT and makes me nostalgic with her VT stories.
• Hockey Chic who has traded hockey for motorcycles
• Dearest Cupcake who knits stuff and dogs up stuff
• 8 people?!?!? Kee-rist.

Seminar

Very very interesting stuff, and yet more criticism of Cesar Millan. Every highly-trained doggie behaviorist and trainer I have heard speak has mentioned (not in a good way) dear Cesar, although never by name. Very interesting that the majority of the dog training and behavior community seems to think he's a quack. Probably because he says his training is "instinctual", which seems to be a bunch of B.S. since he himself is not actually a dog and therefore can't empathize with dog instincts. His methodology flies in the face of decades of empirical study and carefully controlled research. But so much for science!

Anyways, the lecturer, Brenda Aloff, has a couple of books, but one in particular seems the most fascinating. It's a photo essay of doggie body language. Check it out <----click there (or click on the pic).

We did not attend Day 2 of the seminar because of Lloyd feeling under the weather and my anxiousness about the actual weather. We got home in 4 hours, about and hour and a 1/2 longer than normal due to the heavy rain and many attendent accidents. The Harbor Tunnel and BW Parkway were poor choices is all I can say. Luckily we were able to cut over to I-95 due to my superior navigation skills ;) .

And We're Off!

Almost. Off to the doggie body language seminar with Lloyd tomorrow!! Probably won't be time for a cheesesteak. But I hear from reliable sources that neither Geno's nor Pat's is the way to go. Hopefully I can rustle up a good slice of NY style pie, though.