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Are You Making Your Dog Fat?

Posted on: February 26th, 2013 by Asia

Is your dog fat? Unfortunately, many of our beloved pets are, like their human counterparts, unhealthily overweight.

If your dog is fat, chances are that you could lose a few pounds yourself because a fat dog doesn’t just happen from over-feeding – it’s also because of under-exercising.

Are You Making Your Dog Fat?

Chances are that if your dog is overweight, it means that you’re not giving your best friend enough daily exercise.

Have you taken into consideration the real exercise needs of your dog? Is your best friend naturally energetic, are they a working class of dog, or a breed that requires little exercise to stay healthy?

All dogs are amazing athletes who need to move to be healthy. Interestingly enough, we humans also need to move to be healthy which means for all us dog lovers, that we already have everything we need to shed some excess poundage.

Your dog is there, ready and waiting to go walking and help you both accomplish a healthy weight.

How Can You Tell if Fido is Fat?

There’s a simple test you can do to determine whether your dog is overweight and whether he or she needs to shed a few pounds.

All you need to do is feel around their ribs and spine. If you are unable to easily locate both with only a thin layer of fat between the skin and bones, you have an overweight dog.

Fat Like Us Humans

Sadly, our dogs are following in our footsteps as humanity rushes down that unhealthy path of being overweight or obese.

Make sure you know what your dog’s optimal weight will be once he or she reaches maturity, and check their weight regularly, because, for a dog, just 15% above that ideal weight means your dog is not just fat, it’s obese.

Anything up to a 15% increase means your dog is overweight, and sadly, according to a 2011 study, more than half of our best friends (53%) are overweight or obese.

Of course, this is a direct reflection on how little we humans are getting out there to exercise with our dogs because generally speaking, if Fido or Fifi is overweight, so are you.

Is It Genetic?

While some dog breeds do tend to gain weight more easily, this just means that these breeds require much more exercise in order to maintain a healthy weight, and humans should take this into consideration when deciding to share their homes with these breeds.

Simply because a certain breed may have tendencies to gain weight more quickly than others, is not a good excuse for allowing this to happen because you are ultimately responsible for making your dog fat.

Which Breeds Can Be Prone to Obesity?

While we know that some breeds are known for being typically slim, such as Yorkshire Terriers, Greyhounds, Whippets, and German Shepherds, there are other breeds that can be prone to obesity, including Cairn Terriers, Bulldogs, Dachshunds, Scottish Terriers, Spaniels, Beagles, Basset Hounds, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Shar-Peis, Rottweilers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Newfoundlands, and St. Bernards.

If you share your home with one of the breeds that may have a tendency to be overweight or obese, you need to get out there and exercise with your best friend that much more often and/or strenuously.

You’ll both be healthier for it.

Are You Overindulging Your Dog?

Many owners, for many reasons, may be overindulging their dogs by over-feeding them at meal times, or more likely with treats, snacks, or sharing unhealthy people’s food and these habits have created many a fat dog.

You’ve heard the saying, “Food is love” and many people over-feed their dogs because they believe that it makes them happy.

Unfortunately, many of our fur friends just don’t have any natural portion control, are very practiced and fixated on food and appear to be “starved” all the time, and will literally eat themselves to death if you let them.

Are You Feeding the Right Portions?

It’s important to make sure that you know the correct serving size of food for your dog so that he or she does not become overweight in the first place, or if this has already happened, to know how to exercise the right portion control to help your best friend shed the extra poundage.

You need to take into consideration your dog’s age and metabolism, and how much your dog is exercising, not just what it says to feed on the label, because feeding the suggested amount when your dog doesn’t get proper or enough exercise will make your dog fat.

Obesity-Related Problems

Just as being obese can seriously affect our human health, obesity can seriously affect our dog’s health in many the same ways.

When your dog is overweight, he or she could suffer from diabetes mellitus, joint damage, bone and ligament damage, heart disease, high blood pressure, eye problems, difficulty breathing, decreased stamina, decreased liver function, digestive disorders, skin and coat problems, increased risk of cancer, reproductive problems and surgical and anesthetic risk.

Just as being overweight and/or obese will shorten our human lives, there is absolutely no doubt that obesity can and will have adverse effects on your best friend’s quality and length of life.

What Causes Dog Obesity?

Of course, just like us humans, the primary causes of a fat dog are simply feeding them too much food and/or the wrong kind of food, combined with a sedentary lifestyle without the exercise they need to be healthy.

If your dog is taking in more calories than he or she is burning up through their daily exercise, they will be overweight.

Something we humans tend to forget as our dogs grow older is that, like us humans, they usually become less active, which means that we need to pay attention and adjust their food intake appropriately so that they can live out their more senior years not as a fat dog, but as a healthy older dog.

Also, when your dog is spayed or neutered, this will also affect its metabolism by slowing it down, which means that it then will require fewer calories to maintain a healthy weight.

Get Moving – Be Healthy

If you’ve been noticing that your best fur friend is getting a little chunky, take a good look at yourself and how sedentary your lifestyle may have become because a fat dog usually means a fat human.

Don’t be cruel to your best friend by shortening their life because you may have allowed him or her to be an unhealthy weight.

You have a dog, which means you have the perfect excuse for keeping both yourself and your dog healthy and fit. Get out there and get moving.

– Asia – Dog Whispering for 40+ years
© K-9SuperHeroesDogWhispering.com [Since 2008]

Asia

Asia Moore has been dog whispering for 40+ years, and along with K-9 Super Heroes Dog Whispering team members Jim and Boris the dog, offers insights about dog behaviour and psychology and their relationships with their humans! Many humans don’t realize that they could have a much happier life with their canine counterparts. You don’t have to live with the embarrassment of behavioral problems because with just a little dog whispering, everyone can live a happy, stress-free life together. ^..^

Dog Walking or Human Walking?

Posted on: February 19th, 2013 by Asia

Is Your Dog Walking Your or Are You Walking Your Dog?

So very often when you’re out and about and you see someone with their dog, it’s not the person walking the dog, but rather, the dog walking the person.

In fact, you see this scenario so frequently that it’s become quite a common joke you’ll hear from passing observers who comment, “Who’s walking who?”

It seems that far too many humans are unaware that by allowing the dog to walk them, that they are actually setting themselves up for possible serious, and unwanted consequences.

Follow the Leader

The basis of a happy and stress-free relationship between dog and human starts with what dogs do most naturally, which is to walk or roam about their neighbourhood and to do this in a safe and respectful manner, they need to be following their human leader at all times when they’re out dog walking, not dragging the human behind them.

Dog Walking Protocol

If proper dog walking protocol is not established right at the very beginning which places the human as the leader of the dog walk, then the dog has no alternative but to believe that the role of leadership has defaulted to him or her.

Couple this with the natural enthusiasm of most dogs who are most happy being outside sniffing, exploring, and moving at a pace usually much faster than the average human, and you’ve got the picture we so often see, which is the dog walking the human.

So What’s the Problem?

This type of dog walking can and often does have the potential to become a problem for many different and sometimes surprising reasons.

First and foremost, every time you walk your dog you have an opportunity to re-establish that you are the leader, both inside and outside the home, and if you are not making the effort to ensure that your dog follows you on the walk, you’re sending confusing messages to your fur friend.

You cannot then blame your dog for “not listening” to you at other times when sometimes you’re the leader and sometimes your dog is the leader.

Dogs in Charge

Secondly, there are many different dogs of varying breeds, sizes, and temperaments and you will not know whether all of them or any of them are actually under the control of their owners or whether they may pose a risk to your dog.

When you allow your dog to be in front of you on the walk, your dog has no choice but to have to figure this out for themselves and if an unknown dog in charge comes rushing in, this could frighten your dog, who may react aggressively because he or she feels threatened and the need to protect themselves.

No dog should be put in the position of feeling that they need to protect themselves, and any human who puts this type of stress onto the shoulders of their fur friends needs to be prepared for what could become an inevitable consequence that they may not be very happy with.

Dog Fights

Because our dogs have become so humanized, and thus many have forgotten how to properly greet one another, or they’re feeling your uncertain emotions, when you allow them to make human decisions and be in charge when you’re out dog walking, it’s almost inevitable that the outcome, somewhere down the road, maybe a dog fight.

Nobody wants to see their dog in a fight with another dog. Nobody wants to see their dog or someone else’s dog become injured and certainly nobody wants to be the cause of being blamed by a distraught human or suffering the consequences of what has become far too prevalent in today’s unforgiving society – a potential lawsuit.

What’s the Answer?

Being in charge when you’re out dog walking means that your dog always walks beside you when on a leash, not in front of you, not twenty feet behind you so that your dog always understands the chain of command and looks to you for answers when he or she feels uncertain.

Compared to dogs, we humans don’t move very quickly, which means that it’s doubly important to always keep your dog close enough to you so that you know what’s going on, can quickly correct any unwanted behavior, and can react in time to take care of any situation that may come flying toward you.

So ditch the retractable leash, get yourself a four or six-foot leash, learn how to have a comfortable (no pulling) walk with your dog at your side when out dog walking and have a happy, stress-free relationship with your dog who will love you all the more for being in charge.

– Asia – Dog Whispering for 40+ years – Dog Training
© K-9SuperHeroesDogWhispering.com [Since 2008]

Asia

Pets Outnumber Children 4 to 1

Posted on: February 14th, 2013 by Asia

You might have been recently noticing that there seem to be increasingly more and more dogs, cats, and other pet owners, and you’d be right because according to new statistics that are about to be released in a book written by Jonathan V. Last, pets now outnumber children 4 to 1 in America.

Fur Friend Explosion

I think most of us would agree that there certainly seems to be an explosion of pet ownership and all the subsequent businesses that go hand in hand with the age of fur friends.

Do we get pets for our children or for something we’re missing in our own lives?

Is this because our aging population has now seen their children become adults and now the many empty nesters are feeling lonely, like they’re something missing in their lives, and because of this they are turning to pets as human replacements….the need for a replacement that can in some ways satisfy their need to nurture and care for someone?

Perhaps the huge increase in pet ownership can be attributed to young adults being too busy or unable to consider today’s high cost involved in raising a human family, so, therefore, lower-cost pets are filling the family’s “need”.

According to various sources, including the American Kennel Club and the U.S. Census Bureau, pets, including dogs, outnumber children in U.S. households.

Booming Pet Industries

Certainly, this is true anywhere pets ownership is prevalent, as we’ve all noticed the increase in the number of veterinary clinics, pet stores and boutiques, grooming salons, training services, pet walking services, pet magazines, pet TV shows, pet paraphernalia, and doggy daycare businesses springing up across the city to meet the demands of a busy working population that doesn’t have the time to devote to their dogs during the day, yet wants to have it all when they get home.

According to statistics in Jonathan Lasts new book, What to Expect When No Ones Expecting, “In 1994 Americans spent $17 billion on pets; …even in the face of a massive recession, it had climbed over $4.8 billion.”

Cost Increases of 100% or More

According to statistics, over a span of just eight short years, the cost of medical care for the average American dog-owning household (with Canadians following closely behind) has increased more than 100%, from $383. in 1998 to $672. in 2006, and dog grooming costs have increased more than 100% during this same time, too, increasing from $59. to $127.

Of course, we dog lovers have known for a very long time that there is much evidence to support the reality that over the years our beloved pets have indeed been elevated to the level of full-blown family members and that our furry family members deserve the latest fashions, food, and services we would give ourselves.

Certainly, the marketplace has taken full advantage of our pet-crazy society, leading us humans down an ever-manic path, which has created a humanizing hailstorm of our doggy friends, which in turn has caused a great deal of unsettling behavioral issues to arise in our dog population who continues to do their best to fulfill the desires of humans who disregard the real needs of the dog.

Travel Policies for Fido

For instance, did you know that there are now companies offering policies for pets traveling in cars? And did you know that the more affluent dog owners have been able to successfully lobby for changes in estate law that permits pets to be the legal recipients of inheritances and trust funds?

Tax Breaks?

You may not have heard that a bill was recently put forth in Congress asking for a $3,500. tax break for pet care expenses, which is apparently more than a family would receive for a human child. This bill was called the HAPPY Act (Humanity and Pets Partnered through the Years). Although this bill failed to reach a vote, if the population continues to choose pets over procreation, perhaps the time is not too far off when it will.

The Growth of Pet Owners

How has all of this coincided with the growth of pet owners? To say it has been anything less than explosive, would be an understatement as surveys indicate, during the last 38 years (from 1947 to 1985), while fewer than half of Americans reported that they owned a pet, today American pets outnumber American children by more than four to one, and statistics indicate nearly 3/4 of all households have pets.

As of 2024, there are approximately 74 million pet cats in the United States. This figure represents a significant increase from previous estimates, which ranged from 60.2 to 62 million pet cats according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) data from 2022.

The number of households owning at least one cat is also substantial, with around 47 million U.S. households having a pet cat. This makes cats the second most popular pet in the U.S., following dogs, which are owned by about 65 million households.

According to Last, “Educated, middle-class people have all but stopped having babies,” as “Pets have become fuzzy, low-maintenance replacements for children.”

– Asia – Dog Whispering for 40+ years
© K-9SuperHeroesDogWhispering.com [Since 2008]

Asia

Is Walking Your Dog a Real Drag?

Posted on: January 29th, 2013 by Asia

Do you enjoy walking your dog, or does this picture remind you of how taking your dog out for a walk has literally become a painful drag because your dog is pulling your arm out of its socket?

Don’t worry, because the above picture is more common than you might imagine as easily 90% or more of all dogs (from Chihuahuas to Great Danes) are not enjoying their walk, either, and many humans with larger breeds avoid the activity altogether because it’s just too embarrassing or too painful.

Walking the dog sounds simple enough – everyone knows how to do that, or do they really?

Most humans think that they just put a collar on the dog, snap on a leash, and away they go for a wonderfully relaxing walk, when in fact, many humans and their dogs are suffering every time they go out the door.

Unfortunately, whether you’re walking a small dog, or a large dog, or walking many different dogs at a boarding kennel, pet care service, or your local SPCA, not mastering the walk is painful, and it can and does lead to many other behavioral issues that can endanger you, those around you and the life of your canine companion.

Why is Walking Your Dog So Important?

It’s important that you are walking your dog correctly because this is the time when you will have an opportunity to bond and help your dog to realize that you are the leader and they are the follower.

An uncomfortable, unproductive and/or out-of-control walk with your best friend very often leads down the sad and lonely road to the local shelter because the human element can’t handle it anymore and feels forced into making the difficult decision to put their canine companion up for adoption.

Mastering the walk with your dog is the number one, most important primal activity that you will do with your canine friend, therefore getting it right is paramount.

Mastering the walk helps to create that all-important respect, build on trust and fulfill your dog’s needs in such a way as to create a deep, lasting bond, easy communication, and a happy, relaxed relationship between you and your best friend where there’s never any question about who is the boss.

Dog Out Front Creates Many Problems

When you allow your dog to take the lead, you are “telling” him or her that they are the leader, instead of you. This can be very confusing for your dog, especially if you expect them to listen to you at other times and in other circumstances.

When the dog is out front you are putting a great deal of stress onto the shoulders of your fur friend, which means that you are ultimately helping to shorten their lives, because stress doesn’t just shorten human lives.

When you are not walking your dog, and instead permit your dog to walk you, you are putting your dog in the position of having to make humans decisions about what to do whenever you meet another dog or person, or encounter unknown circumstances, which means that you’re asking them to do your job for you.

As smart as your dog probably is and as much as they really want to please you, asking them to think, act and respond as a human is simply unrealistic.

If your dog is taking the lead by walking in front of you when you go out for your walk, and straining and pulling you on the leash, you both can benefit greatly from a little dog psychology so that you can learn what you need to do to correct this situation and instead work toward creating that special bond that all dog lovers seek to have with their best friend.

You Can Easily Fix The Problem

The good news is that even if your dog has been taking the lead and walking you for years, after just a few minutes of learning dog whispering techniques, you will soon understand how to easily become the master at walking your dog and Fido or Fifi will love you all the more for it.

A dog is not just for Christmas – a dog is for a lifetime. Walking your dog is the most important time you will spend with your fur friend, so why not make the all-too-short lifetime you have with your canine companion a pleasant, loving experience for both of you?

Call K-9 Super Heroes Dog Whispering today and we’ll help you learn, among other things, how to walk your dog properly, because if you’re not being the pack leader in all circumstances, you’re sending confusing messages to your dog, who then has to figure out when the leadership role has defaulted to them.

Never forget that if you force your dog into the role of leadership and they make the wrong choice, it’s not their fault because they’re a dog with limited brain power and zero reasoning skills, therefore, it’s you who will literally pay the price of your dog having made an incorrect decision about how to deal with what may be coming along down the road.

Walking your dog should be a pleasurable experience, so keep yourself and your dog safe at all times by learning how to keep them walking comfortably at your side so that you can both look forward to your daily walks together.

– Asia – Dog Whispering for 40+ years
© K-9SuperHeroesDogWhispering.com [Since 2008]

Asia

The Flexi-Leash Fiasco

Posted on: January 29th, 2013 by Asia

Many people are huge advocates of the cumbersome flexi, retractable, extendable, or cord leash concept and have happily laid out anywhere from $15. to $50. or more, depending on the size they required, to purchase one of these dog walking devices for their favourite canine counterpart, and why not, after all, they seem to be just the thing for a great walk, or are they?

What the flexi-leash offers is (on average) a free range of 16 to 26 feet for the fur friend so that they can get plenty of exercise sniffing about and exploring while remaining safely attached to their human. Isn’t this great – or is it?

Unfortunately, while many people have been lulled into believing that they are doing a great service to their dog by purchasing one of these leads, exactly the opposite is actually true.

How can this be, you ask because this leash comes highly recommended at so many pet stores and all my friends use one.

While it’s certainly true that the flexi-leash can be purchased at just about every pet store outlet known to man and dog, and yes, they appear to be enormously popular because you see a lot of them around, the fact remains that the use of these devices are causing far more harm than the perceived good they offer to the dog at the other end.

Teaches Bad Manners

For starters, a well-behaved dog must be a follower, which means that at no time during the walk should your dog be romping 20 feet ahead of you, or lagging 20 feet behind you.

The walk is the time when your dog needs to be concentrating on following its leader and this is impossible with a flexi-leash arrangement.

Teaches Your Dog Not to Listen

Secondly, every dog must be safe and listen to its leader (you) so that they don’t find themselves suddenly in trouble, and this just can’t happen when the dog is so far away.

When you allow your dog to reel out on the flexi-leash, he or she is no longer paying attention to the leader, but instead may be so totally engrossed in smells, sights, and sounds that they might even forget you’re there at all.

Dogs can move at a speed much faster than the average human has adequate time to react.

I’ve seen it happen many times when a dog who is 20 feet or more in front of its owner is suddenly startled by another dog, becomes nervous or afraid and before you’re able to reel them back, a fight has already broken out.

Hazardous to Humans

Thirdly, the flexi-leash is a hazard to humans, both small and tall because often they are not seen and because of this they create dangerous tripping hazards, and if you’ve ever been wearing shorts and run into a flexi-leash, you will know the pain of that nasty rope burn.

I know someone whose daughter was tripped by the flexi-leash, fell down the stairs, and broke her toe and this is mild compared to other more serious accidents that have been caused by these devices.

Teaches Pulling

Fourthly, putting a flexi-leash on your dog encourages the dog to pull and be in charge of the walk, which is both painful for the human as well as potentially dangerous if your dog feels that it needs to protect the follower and decides to attack another dog, person or animal.

Dangerous for Dogs

Fifthly, there are many sights and sounds outside, and when your dog is so far away you might be distracted and not notice quickly enough that he or she has just spied a squirrel crossing the road and chased it out into traffic until it’s too late and your beloved best friend has just been struck by a vehicle.

False Sense of Security

Sixthly, the flexi-leash provides the human with a false sense of security that can quickly create an embarrassing situation as simply being attached to their dog becomes a substitute for not paying attention to what their dog is doing.

If you’re not watching, you can be certain that most dogs will be engaging in self-rewarding behavior which can then lead to the dog teaching itself to act inappropriately in most public situations.

Leash Laws

Seventh, we have leash laws that require that we have our dogs under control, which is just not possible when the dog is already 20 feet or more in front of you.

Difficult to Hold Onto

And finally, my eighth peeve is the actual handle of the flexi-leash which is not only cumbersome to hold, but can also become a weapon in itself that has the potential to cause much harm and pain.

For instance, I was sitting on a grassy hill with my dog one summer afternoon when a couple of children came by with their little dog who was attached to a flexi-leash.

They accidentally dropped the handle which snapped back while the dog ran and I received the full weight of the handle against the side of my head.

Thank goodness it wasn’t my eye and I only had a headache for the rest of the day.

So let’s recap in bullet form what we’ve learned about the potential hazards of the flexi-leash.

it places your dog in the wrong walking position
it teaches your dog to pull and be in charge on the walk
it teaches your dog not to listen to you
it places your dog in danger of approaching dogs
it places your dog in danger of traffic
it’s a tripping hazard to humans
it provides a false sense of security
it doesn’t fully comply with leash laws
the handle is cumbersome and can be a weapon

Bottom line, if you truly care about the safety of yourself, your dog, and those around you, dump the flexi-leash and get yourself a simple 4 or 6-foot leash that fits comfortably in your hand, keep your dog beside you when walking, and avoid all the potentially flexible problems.

Flexi® is a registered trademark with Flexi USA INC.

– Asia – Dog Whispering for 40+ years
© K-9SuperHeroesDogWhispering.com [Since 2008]

Asia

Dog Poop Bombs

Posted on: January 28th, 2013 by Asia

Now that I’ve got your attention – don’t worry…I’m not about to tell you a story about some evil-intentioned human blowing up dogs, although what I am going to chat about in this article certainly could have its own devastating effects.

What I am going to talk about is a problem that is part of all dog ownership and depending on the size of your dog can be a small, medium, or large problem.

Yes, whether we’re talking about dog feces, doggy do-do, doggy poo, scumber (the fancier name), doggy 2’s, or just that plain, old four-letter word – s-h-IT…whatever you call IT, if you have a dog, and you’re not out there picking IT up every day, you may be guilty of creating a problem far worse than you may be aware of.

Do You Pick Up?

As conscientious dog people, we’ve all seen the little or not-so-little dog poop bombs when out walking, and we’ve all most likely silently cursed those who just left it there for us to get all over our shoes.

However, for those of us who are lucky enough to have a lovely backyard for our favourite fur friend to romp about in, this is likely the first place that Fido or Fifi runs to every morning when first waking up, while we’re busy putting on the coffee pot or getting our kids ready for school, or ourselves together for the start of our day.

So, out runs our best friend(s), and what do they do when they get out in the yard and rip around for a few minutes? Yes, that’s right…they leave you a nice doggy poop bomb, water the grass or shrubs, etc., and back they race inside for their breakfast or hopefully a nice walk with you.

What a wonderful life and what could be easier…but wait…this wonderful and easy life is what could be creating a serious problem, because if you’re not being vigilant about taking the time to get out there and pick up the doggy poop bombs every single day, you ARE guilty of creating a health hazard in your own back yard that can eventually have far-reaching hazardous consequences.

For instance, you might not be aware that over two decades ago, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated pet waste as a dangerous pollutant, right next to oil spills and toxic chemicals.

Why Are Dog Poop Bombs so Dangerous?

Even though you may not live near water, if you don’t pick up your yard every day, unscooped dog poop bombs from your yard will be carried by overland water flow which is then washed into storm drains, ending up in far away streams, rivers, oceans, and groundwater, and if you do live near a water source, this problem is far worse.

Parasitic Infection

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms that pet waste can and does spread parasites including hookworm, ringworm, tapeworm, and Salmonella.

For those of us living on Vancouver Island, where it rains a lot, the problem is even more quickly spread, because when infected dog poop comes into contact with your lawn, the dog poop will eventually seem to wash away or “disappear”, however, the hazardous parasite eggs can linger for years!

When a human or animal comes into contact with that soil through everyday activities like walking barefoot, gardening or playing, they risk infection from those eggs, even years after the dog poop bomb is no longer visible.

Do you think your dog cares about where it romps when it’s out in your backyard, or carefully makes sure that it doesn’t accidentally walk through some old dog poop bombs? Wishful thinking.

Consequences of Infection

You may not be aware that as much as we love our favourite fur friends, their waste is teaming with E. Coli and other harmful bacteria including fecal coliform bacteria, which causes serious kidney disorders, intestinal illness, cramps, and diarrhea in humans and when you don’t religiously pick up, you subject your children and yourself to infection.

Just 1 Gram

A very shocking statistic you may not be aware of is that there are 23 million fecal coliform bacteria in a single gram of pet waste!

As well, dog poop bombs often contain roundworm larvae, which can cause blindness. If a human ingests a roundworm larva, it can migrate through the body causing disease to the brain, lungs, kidneys, liver, heart, or eyes. This means that when we humans (especially children) touch the soil, dog toys, or anything that has been in contact with dog feces and then touch their mouths, they can become infected.

Consider that if your dog is running about in your yard that has many dog poop bombs that were just left to naturally dissolve, they could be coming back into your home with this on their feet, then pawing you, your bed, their toys, your children’s toys and then you or your children touch your mouth and become infected.

Even a group of teens or adults playing Frisbee or touch football in an open area where someone hasn’t been picking up after their dogs could be putting themselves in danger. Parasitic infections can make humans extremely sick, and for pregnant women, can pose serious harm to their unborn child.

Further, leaving a yard full of dog poop bombs will also attract rodents, such as rats and mice who can spread Salmonella through their droppings and bring with them other diseases, including murine typhus, infectious jaundice, Weil’s Disease, and rat-bite fever.

What About the Condition of Your Lawn?

Besides all the other toxic and smelly health issues dog poop left on lawns can create, dog feces release nitrogen into the soil and can literally ruin your nice, green lawn. While small amounts of feces and urine create dark green patches of grass and noticeably taller grass, large amounts of feces left on the lawn for a long period of time will kill the grass by smothering it as well as leaving “burn” marks on the grass that creates ugly brown spots.

Pick Up Every Day

I think by now you must be really starting to understand that dog poop bombs don’t just “wash away” or disappear and if you’re not disposing of your dog’s waste every day, whether your dog is leaving it’s smelly calling card out in a public park, on the side of a street, or in your own back yard, you’re putting yourself, your family, your dog, your water supply and your environment at risk.

– Asia – Dog Whispering for 40+ years
© K-9SuperHeroesDogWhispering.com [Since 2008]

Asia

Are You Really a Rescued Dog?

Posted on: January 28th, 2013 by Asia

I was recently chatting with a local dog walker/sitter who told me the most shocking statistic about her business is that “…90% of the dogs I work with are rescued dogs with serious issues…many are aggressive…”

Curious, I asked why she didn’t suggest to the owners that they engage a professional for a dog whispering session so that they could learn through dog psychology all about how they can help their dogs regain balance and become the happy companions they were meant to be.

She replied, “I have suggested it to many, offered to take them myself but if they say no, that’s where it stops.”

Rescued Dogs Need to Regain Balance

Then I have to ask the question, “From the dog’s point of view, what’s the difference between living in a rescue facility or living in a home with a human who is just providing a different “kennel” when the human is not willing to address previous behavior issues?”

Rescuing a dog can present itself like a two-sided coin where one side or the other often lies hidden. Oftentimes the hidden side requires the assistance of a professional that can teach humans how to understand the dog.

On the one side, the human feels good about providing a dog with a new home because this act of compassion imbues the human with improved self-worth, and a sense of righteousness from doing a good deed for a creature less fortunate. Indeed wonderful human characteristics, but does this help the dog regain balance?

Are the Dog’s Needs Really Being Met?

However, the other side of this coin, and the one that is often forgotten or not immediately recognized or acknowledged by the human, is whether rescuing the dog was more for addressing human needs because if the rescued dog’s needs are not also being met, which includes being aware of and eliminating previous unstable behavior concerns so that the dog can become a stable, happy member of its new human pack, the “rescue” can be very one-sided.

Oftentimes a human will rescue a dog from the SPCA or local facility because they feel sorry for it being “locked up” and facing possible euthanasia or because of breed-specific persecution or because it looked dejected and sad or because it was frightened, or perhaps it reminded the person of a childhood pet, or the human was feeling lonely or sad…or any number of other human emotions.

What Are Good Reasons?

Although all of these above reasons are what makes us caring humans, none of these are good reasons for rescuing a dog. Good reasons would be because the human is willing to really provide for all aspects of their new 4-legged companions’ needs, which are dependent upon firstly addressing any behavioral issues that are already present or may arise in their future.

Dogs live much more in the moment than we humans, and once the humans understand what their particular dog requires in order to get back in balance, they will both be on the road to recovery and a loving, fulfilling relationship.

Unfortunately, what awaits many rescued dogs in their new home can be even more heartbreaking when the human, although kind and well-meaning, is not capable (because of personal circumstances, work commitments, health, lifestyle, age, etc.), of giving the dog what it really needs to be happy and so, the newly “rescued” dog ends up being further frustrated and unfulfilled.

Is a dog really rescued when the only thing that’s changed for them is the size, shape or colour of their four walls?

A Kennel is a Kennel

A kennel is a kennel is a kennel in any dog’s mind. They don’t care how large or beautiful your home may be, because, in their mind, it’s still their kennel when they’re left in it without you being there to provide the companionship and direction they need.

When you’re gone, they’re still locked up, they’re still left alone, they’re still frustrated, they’re still frightened, fearful, nervous, anxious, or aggressive because they still aren’t having their needs fulfilled which means they’re still unbalanced and unhappy.

To really rescue and rehabilitate a dog takes time, never-ending patience, and unwavering commitment. Yes, it can be hard work because it demands firstly, an understanding of what’s required in a particular dog’s circumstances, and a skill set and understanding of dog psychology that most humans can learn, but don’t naturally come by.

Taking the time and effort to learn what your dog needs to be a well-balanced member of your family is priceless because a happy relationship with your dog reaps untold positive rewards that many of us don’t even realize and that simply can never be measured.

The very definition of the word “rescue” tells us that to rescue means “to bring (someone or something) out of danger – to deliver or save.”

Understanding What’s Required

Therefore, when a human rescues a dog but doesn’t follow up with learning how to bring the dog back into balance and harmony with itself and its surroundings, they have not brought this dog out of danger or saved it from anything other than possible euthanasia.

It’s a very sad situation indeed when canine guardians (humans) are not willing to make the effort to learn what they need to do so that these rescued dogs can become well-balanced and happy companions.

Are rescue facilities doing these dogs any favours if they are not following up and/or recommending professional help as a matter of course for humans who don’t yet understand what dogs really need in order to be happy and well-balanced members of their new human pack?

Do You Really Have the Time?

Unfortunately, many humans throughout their busy days just don’t have the time necessary or inclination required to invest in the consistent effort necessary to do what’s right for the dog and believe that a bowl of food with access to a yard will fulfill all of their dog’s needs. Our dogs require and deserve so much more from us humans.

Many a rescued dog doesn’t get their needs met, or their problems addressed, and as they pass from owner to owner, become even more unbalanced because the humans they happened to come into contact with, although well-meaning, didn’t understand what they needed to do to really help them.

Sadly, many rescued dogs, even after finding a new forever home, are still left to fend for themselves as best they can within an alien, human society that doesn’t truly understand what they need to be happy.

When these dogs are “rescued”, will their humans be doing all they can to ensure that the dog’s needs are being met, or will these dogs simply have to endure a life of instability?

Dear Dog – My wish for you is that you are, in every sense of the word, truly a rescued dog.

Asia

What is Dog Whispering?

Posted on: January 25th, 2013 by Asia

First of all, let’s get straight about what “Dog Whispering” is NOT because some people seem to have the amusing idea that the term “dog whispering” refers to some sort of hocus-pocus, California crazy, psychic connection where the person doing the “whispering” has the eerie ability to read the dog’s thoughts and convey these to the owner, like some sort of psychic medium talking to the recently departed. Rest assured, this is NOT what “dog whispering” is all about.

Teaching Humans to Speak Dog

While a good “dog whisperer” indeed does have the ability to “read” the dog, this is not accomplished through any sort of dog/human mind meld, but rather through a combination of keen observation of body language and understanding of how this relates to the dog’s genetic behavior in the dog’s world of Mother Nature.

There are no bad dogs, just misunderstood ones trying to communicate with their humans. A large part of dog whispering, or dog training, is actually teaching humans to speak dog.

“Dog Whispering” can be difficult to define because it’s a combination of intuition born out of having spent many years observing dogs and their social behavior in their natural environment and then interacting with them at their instinctual level of understanding through the use of energy and body language, just as dogs would do amongst themselves running as a pack in the wild.

“Dog Whispering” is specific and very effective because it plays on the natural instincts and communication tools that a dog already knows and understands. Rather than reacting negatively to your dog’s perceived bad behavior, a “dog whisperer” can teach you how to lead your dog to the positive, good behavior you desire.

What Can a Good Dog Whisperer Do For You?

For instance, a good “dog whisperer” can recognize where the miscommunication between a dog and owner is causing a particular problem and then create a plan specifically designed to help eliminate the problems in each individual case.

Although “dog whispering” is a relatively new term for dog owners with respect to teaching their dogs to behave properly, in fact, it has been around for a long time, the term first coming to the forefront through “horse whispering”.

Effective Communication

The ability to effectively communicate with your dog can help to make any type of training not only easier but also much more effective.

In fact, there is little doubt that you can gain more control over your dog by utilizing this type of method and then integrating these techniques into your daily routines.

When you can communicate with your dog in a way that your dog actually understands, anything is possible.

Want One-on-One Expert Dog Training? We Can Help!

Disney Expectations

Unfortunately for many of the canines in our lives, as humans, we were raised on a daily diet of Disney cartoons in which animals have the same thoughts, ideas, feelings, expressions, and understanding as humans – when in reality, you and your dog are not living in a Disney cartoon and dogs don’t understand human language.

Therefore, although dogs can certainly learn to understand the sound of some words when humans persist in endlessly chattering with their dogs, the conversation is for the benefit of the human, because dogs communicate through energy and body language, not speech.

Rather than shouting confusing human words and commands to a dog and forcing it to somehow understand what you want of it, dog whispering is a much more natural approach to training or eliminating unwanted behaviors because it connects directly with the dog through body language and positive associations, at the canine level of understanding.

Dogs Are Not Humans

What many humans fail to understand when bringing a dog into their life is that dogs are a totally different species, not four-legged humans and that dog brains are NOT simply smaller versions of the human brain, complete with the myriad of human emotions, with the same capabilities to think, rationalize and solve problems.

Thankfully, for us humans, dogs are extremely agreeable to living within our alien human world.

When humans are capable of being truly honest with themselves, often when a dog is brought into a human family, this is for the fulfillment of a human need and although humans are indeed well-meaning and most often loving toward their canine family member because humans think like humans, there can be little understanding or consideration of what the human should provide (beyond food and shelter) in order to fulfill the dog’s needs.

From the human point of view, most behavioral issues that seem to surface out of nowhere are directly caused by the human failure to understand what the dog is “telling” them or consider what the dog’s needs really are.

Communication Breakdown

Once there’s a communication break-down between you and your dog, frustration and the command style of shouting orders don’t really work because when you get angry or frustrated your dog continues to be confused and may end up simply doing what you say (maybe) as a way of avoiding some sort of negative punishment which can then lead your dog to both disrespect, mistrust and even fear you, all which are very unstable legs upon which to build a solid relationship.

The reason “Dog Whispering” techniques are usually more effective than many traditional training methods is that it’s much more natural to communicate with the dog through energy and body language, at the instinctual level, which they already understand because this is forming a basis of mutual understanding and respect through a simple connection with the natural way a dog thinks and feels.

Humans who may have tried a variety of “training” techniques yet were unable to achieve the desired results and decide to give “dog whispering” a try, are often so amazed at the positive and rapid transformation that occurs in a very short period of time, that “dog whispering” done properly can seem like magic.

The bottom line is that we humans, more often than not, seem to forget that dogs are very good at being dogs, and unfortunately for them, are not very good at becoming humans.

Therefore, dogs only become unbalanced and stressed out when they are brought into a human family and expected to look like dogs but behave like humans without any regard for what they really require in order to be happy dogs.

A good “Dog Whisperer” knows that working WITH Mother Nature, instead of against it, by teaching humans how to speak dog, which will restore balance to their best friend, can have far-reaching, positive results because restoring balance at the instinctual level of the dog world usually also results in restoring balance and harmony to the entire family and the surrounding neighbourhood, too.

Get Custom One-on-One Training – Learn More!

Just Love is Not Enough

Possessing a lot of love and affection for dogs alone will not make you a “dog whisperer” because the love of dogs is just one part of a complicated combination of skills necessary to be a good “dog whisperer”.

There is no special course or training you can take in order to become a “Dog Whisperer” because if you don’t have the right kind of energy and a strong, instinctual connection with the canine world, no amount of training will help you.

Some of the traits necessary for the makeup of a good “Dog Whisperer” include being a natural-born leader and problem solver with highly honed skills of observation.

Also very necessary is a love of dogs, no fear of dogs, an understanding of dogs at their instinctual level, calm, assertive energy, exemplary teaching skills, unflappable confidence, patience, and persistence, plus an unshakeable belief that there are no bad dogs, but rather only misinformed humans.

Couple all this with a strong desire to help relieve dogs under stress while creating a closer canine/human bond, a belief that there is always a solution that will help alleviate unbalanced situations and an inventive mind to find the solution while creating a comfortable situation for counseling humans and encouraging them to get in touch with their own truths, and you will have developed a solid framework for becoming a good “dog whisperer”.

It takes time, usually many years, to evolve into becoming an effective “Dog Whisperer” because it’s equivalent to learning an alien language. However, the rewards are very much worth it when you see the amazing results that can be achieved when you help another dog and its humans return to a naturally balanced way of being.

Who doesn’t want a much happier dog, a stress-free home, a peaceful neighborhood, and a greater understanding that will create a strong, loving bond between two very different species?

If you want to take your dog training to the next level then consider a dog whispering session with us. Click here to learn more! Thanks.

Asia

CPR for Dogs

Posted on: January 22nd, 2013 by Asia

Nobody wants to ever be put in a situation where the life of their precious pet is at risk, however, accidents do happen, and knowing a little bit about how to help save your beloved pet is time well spent.

Please familiarize yourself with the simple American Red Cross emergency techniques outlined below so that you may be able to help save a life.

Asia

What Happens at Your House During Your Dog Whispering Session?

Posted on: January 13th, 2013 by Asia

What Happens During Your Dog Whispering Session

When you’re waiting for the Dog Whispering team to arrive at your door, you’re probably wondering what will happen. Don’t worry – it will be a fun and educational time for everyone.

Case History Interview

When the K-9 Super Heroes Dog Whispering Team arrives at your home, we first complete a comprehensive case history interview of you and your dog, your past dog history, and the family dynamics, including breed-specific characteristics and DNA traits, how your dog came to live with you, any changes in circumstance, what you perceive as problem areas and what your goals are.

Hands-On Training

We then spend as long as it takes with your dog and your family addressing the challenges, teaching you new dog whispering techniques, and showing you how to redirect your dog’s unwanted behaviour(s), which includes teaching you and your family how to work with Mother Nature and learn how to provide your dog with the leadership that is paramount for a happy relationship.

Once we are confident that all areas of need have been addressed, we leave you with new techniques for you and your family to practice every day with your dog which will make you AND your dog much happier.

Written Report and Homework

Whew, that’s a lot of info! But it’s OK because we put it all in writing for you, complete with pictures, to keep as a forever, personalized reference, specific to you and your circumstances, including extra suggestions, support, and encouragement. It’s like having your own personal dog whisperer “whispering” in your ear whenever you need reminding.

Follow-Up Visit

To be continued…After two weeks of practice on your own, we come back for a refresher visit, during which time we review you and your dog’s progress and address any areas of uncertainty.

Exclusive Extra Client Services

Now that you’re a K-9 Super Heroes Dog Whispering client, you have access to our exclusive services (Dog Sitting and your home, Dog Walking (Victoria area only), $75. refresher visits, and endless free Sunday Pack Walks).

You can come along any Sunday to our Free Pack Walk in Victoria. Here you and your dog(s) can get even more practice and a little tune-up if needed while enjoying the camaraderie of a friendly group of dogs and humans. We e-mail our Pack Walkers a Sunday picture of the happy group every week and you’re always welcome to call or e-mail us if you have any questions.

Call the K-9 Super Heroes Dog Whispering Team today and we’ll help you learn, among other things, how to use Mother Nature and dog psychology to help your best friend become your K-9 Super Hero.

Asia