Dog Food

Dog food.

From here on end, I spend the rest of time writing about dog food, the most interesting of which can be summarized on this dog food analysis website, it has reviews on the different dog food brands. So feel free to stop reading, if dog food holds no interest to you.

I put a lot of thought into what foods I eat and yet somehow dog food was always "dog food". The group I adopted from warned me that many of the best known brands of dog food, were not the best options for any dog, so I was expecting to have to pay a little more for a quality brand that would not be in my supermarket.

However, Beckett's digestive system would prod me to do a bit more research into dog food. Beckett came to me eating a kibble which wasn't always the best, but any problems could be saved with a little bit of pumpkin and or cottage cheese. (Pumpkin and cottage cheese can work wonders on a upset dog digestive system.) Then, I opened a new bag and noticed a difference in the kibble. I doubled checked the bag, it was the same brand, same type. What wasn't the same - was how it went over with Beckett. I will spare you the details, but lets just say... Eeewww. I thought it might be a bad bag and so I exchanged it for a new one, but the women at the store warned me that the company had changed their processing facility, so it might just be the food.

At the time I was pretty limited in options, not having a car limits the distance one can travel for and the amount of dog food on can buy. The nearest pet store was my only choice. I went through several different kinds and brands trying to find a decent food. It got me to seriously look into dog food, what went into, where it was made, ect..

About the same time, I stumbled upon the wonders of small online dog food suppliers. Even including the shipping, buying the dog food on-line costs the same if not less then the pet store -once you calculate for taxes. For the first time I had more selection, I had a ton of high quality choices and all of it would be delivered right to my door. AWESOME! Based on hearing only good things, I decided on EVO, made in the US, grain-free, and had good manufacturing processes.

Each time I switch dog food several things occurred: Beckett did better; the food escalated in price;I found myself feeding him much less.

I won't go over the costs, but I can safely say I was buying quite a bit and now I'm paying quite a bit, but buying less. The EVO red meat bites has been working out great. No longer am I afraid of ... well, again, I won't offend anyone's sensibilities. Things are great; well almost... just don't stand down wind of the dog. So we have decided to try again; with the Mercedes benz of dog kibble Orijen.

I'll start the transition when the new bag arrives and will update this post. P.S. The white thing in the dog bowl is a measuring cup

Greyhound Picnic

Last week at the Minnesota state fair I was invited to a greyhound picnic. I have to say usually, I might not take up a strangers invitation to join an event with and organization I have no relation to (aside from owning a greyhound). However, I just moved and am desperate to make friends. And friends who can handle my slight obsession with the dog, would be even better.

It was bigger then I expected with stands, shows, and competitions. It reminded me of the adoption expo, except the picnic had kiddle pools. Nothing compares to the cuteness of a dog in a kiddle pool, except maybe if he is wearing a pfd (personal floating device).

It was also longer then I thought, and I sort of bid on a winter coat for Beckett so we had to hang around most of the day, waiting to see if anyone else would win. We did see some "dancing greyhounds" and they had frosty paws (ice cream for dogs).

The fun part was it was a great bonding experience for Beckett and us. Also Beckett and I won the best trick competition. That is right, Beckett and I are two for two in greyhound obedience competitions (if your counting, which I am). Several factors are major contributors to our winning streak 1. Not *that* many dogs participate 2. Beckett and I did a lot of our training while volunteering at open houses (where general fun ensues .. oh and we talk to potential adopters and show off dogs ready to adopt) more importantly at the open houses there are lots of people, lots dogs, and lots going on. So while the other dogs have more tricks and are often better in general, few can compete with us in the melee of the moment (also, there aren't that many people competing).

We didn't meet anyone, it was so big... we um.. didn't really make any new friends. I tried (well I can be shy) I did win the winter coat, the food was good, it was a beautiful day, and I got some fun pictures.

Dog Training

Beckett slept through the night. Not just without barking like before, but without whining. I have to admit I was flustered before Jo (an actual dog trainer and dog behaviorist, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, well actually she has a whole lot of other certifications as well, but I digress) gave me a little advice.

I have to admit there are times when I'm still doubtful. I don't know why, when I need plumbing work done I call a plumber (after I scouted out the Internet and library only to determine I lack the expertise to complete a do it yourself fix it job), why not use a (certified) positive (positive only) dog trainer/behaviorist? I was strangely reluctant. One of few reasons I can think of is that there are so many resources out there, books, television, the Internet. I should be able to figure it out. How many people actually need to see or talk to a dog trainer or behaviorist?

Then there are the resources themselves - which vary. Some say one thing, others say another, and some say things I'm pretty sure border on animal cruelty - but all believe they are in best interest of a dog (all are very convincing). There is such a wide range of ideas.

I remember the nicest guy telling me that a shock collar would solve all my problems. A shock collar?! Its a dog, at what point do you think the dog is going to understand that a electrical shock is because he didn't come when called and not because of the squirrel which he was chasing. Great - so now I have a dog who is afraid of squirrels. I'm still digressing. I also get distracted - and I don't even need a squirrel.

And so I happen to run into Jo. We talked a bit and Jo introduced me to the idea of clicker training. I was doubtful of both (the clicker training and getting professional help). The clicker training seemed to require so much stuff. Why use a clicker and treats, when I can just use treats? Don't get me wrong, I whole heartedly stood behind treats. But, on an average day, I'm already carrying a plethora of dog paraphernalia, leash, treats, bags for waste removal, what more did I need to lug around with me. Also, I didn't have a clicker and it seemed like an added expense (they are about 1$ but there was shipping to think of). And professional help? It wasn't like my dog was aggressive or problematic, he didn't really need professional help.

In hindsight, its like saying, I can read, why go to school; because the right school can open up new possibilities you didn't even know existed. The right trainer (using only positive methods) can not only work on issues before they even arise but just as importantly (if not more so) can create a bond between you and your dog that you didn't even know was possible. That's what training should (in my opinion) be. Its about communicating with your dog, learning to understand the dog while learning to teach the dog to understand to you.

I'm a scientist. In science, if you have hypothesis (in this case, clickers are unnecessary) you test it, you don't just go on a gut feeling. And so I reluctantly tried clicker training. I and my hypothesis were wrong.

The clicker was a catalyst. It didn't change the training, but made it faster. What used to take Beckett weeks to learn, now took a week. It was magic. If a trainer knew this what else did one have to give? The answer: a lot. Beckett isn't always the easiest dog, he hates transitions (ie moving), but ask anyone and they will tell you he A.) well behaved and B.) adores me. Its not a life long bond, I got Beckett only about a year ago. I want to say, "dogs simply love me." The truth is, it's been a learning experience one through which the bond between me and my dog has grown and clicker training was the first big step to that new and improved bond.

So when Beckett was struggling with my move, you might think previous experience might have taught me to pick up the phone, send out an email (anything really) and ask for some advice from someone more knowledgeable, but no... instead I went a week without sleep. And when advice came to me, I was still doubtful. Move the crate a little and play a CD for dogs (A CD for dogs?! I can't even make this stuff up) - I was already using the radio... what difference could it make. Still a good little scientist I am, I made the changes night A. we changed the crate played Mozart night B. played through a dog's ear. Night A. was better only a little whining. Night B.? Perfection. It could simply be the effect of a second night, but when sleep is involved, I'm choosing superstition over science and am not changing anything.

Barking All Night

Beckett's night time barking has only increased. Signalling that whatever we are or are not doing is not working. Last night, around 2am (since I was unable to sleep through the noise) I combed my go-to websites for dog training. Since Beckett seems to be adjusting during the day when we leave and it seems to me it might be more of an anxiety issue. I started playing the yo-yo game from the Karen Pryor website http://www.clickertraining.com/node/1556 I'm not sure that it was the best bet, but it was the best I could do with little sleep and not a bad choice considering it being 2am (not my optimal functioning time). It might have helped, but it seems almost impossible to work up to, since it requires me to stay awake all night. So probably not a long term solution. Of course everyone has suggestions, my favorite (and that is sarcasm) is how everyone who ever saw a dog whisperer episode thinks they are a dog trainer. I've read books, papers, taken a class, and there is so much I don't know. What I do know is two things, 1. I'm not a dog trainer 2. The idea of staring a anxious dog down or yelling is a bad idea and it being a bad idea is supported by scientific evidence. Tonight we will try duct taping the travel crate together and putting it upstairs and playing through a dog's ear (a audio cd for the purpose). Wish us luck.

Feeling more at home

At least Beckett looks more at home.

Beckett Day 2 Maybe 3 I'm Losing Track

The next night, Beckett did better, I plugged in those pheromone diffusers. I'm not sure they work, but it can't hurt and it makes me feel better when I ignore him. Its heart wrenching to hear him whine and not comfort him. But we've gone through this before, back when I first brought Beckett home. Experience has taught me that giving him any -and I mean any attention including going in the room with him, talking to him, even yelling- any attention when he is barking, whining, or sounding like he is about to die from fire ants, makes the situation worse. Ignoring him until he is calm and quiet will work, as long as I don't die of heart break or sleep deprivation. Its easy to say, but hard to do, something inside me wants to comfort him while he is upset, but I know I can save that re-enforcement for when he is calm. He stopped barking for several hours last night. Finally some sleep. He also started eating and played a game of fetch in the backyard, he seems to be adjusting, just slowly.

The First Days

The first day in MN (after 27 hours of driving)! We got in at night. I was tired, hungry, and grumpy (to put it nicely). As bad as I was, Beckett was worse. He was done. He would no longer get into the car (even for his favorite treat), he wouldn't eat his food, he was very nervous. He let us know how he felt by barking non-stop, all night. The morning was just as bad. Figuring that maybe he needed to stretch his legs after being cooped up in the car, we went for a morning jog. 3 miles did nothing to damper his enthusiasm. He was worse when the truck with our things arrived. Of course Beckett, has just many things as I have.

Aside from his two greyhound sized large crates, there are bags of food, toys, treats, coats, bowls, and lots of plush bedding. Like all greyhounds, Beckett is abnormally fond of the softest beds, maybe its due to his tall thin stature. If you want your greyhound to be in a particular location, I suggest making it the softest spot in the house. Its like a moth to a flame, an innate reaction, they seem unable to help themselves. If you covet your couch, you'll need a even softer spot for your dog.

The Move

At least a week or two before the move, Beckett had to have a sense something was different, he had spiffy new tag collar (with his info embroidered on) and instead of his metal crate he was staying in his cloth travel one. Just in case that didn’t tip him off there was the fact that ALL our stuff was gone and had been gone for a week. The moving truck had came and went, only after I had loaded it with all my worldly possessions, and most of Beckett’s. It wasn’t until I had to carry everything down the three flights of stairs, that I realized exactly how much of my stuff was actually dog stuff; dog beds, bowls, food, coats, treats, muzzle, nail clippers, shampoo, tooth brush, medicine, bathing supplies, not to mention the greyhound sized metal crate and two boxes of toys. And all of that was just what was in the moving truck. The car was packed with all the essentials, a few toys, soft bedding, a jar of peanut butter, two kongs, veterinary paper work, a lot treats, and as many of my things as I could manage to squeeze in.

We started our journey to our new home, Minnesota. Beckett did surprisingly well the first day, for a dog who has done 90% of his traveling by train, he settled down surprisingly fast, enjoying the ride, and the walks we took every 2-3 hours. Finding dog-friendly motels wasn’t as hard as I had thought, but still took us a bit off course. I was glad I had gotten the AAA dog friendly guide and the travel crate. Each day, Beckett went from ready to go, to neutral, to resistant to getting in the car. We made sure to make frequent stops, give lots of treats, but resorted to using bribery, the previous aforementioned hard to resist kong and peanut butter combination.

Our ride was estimated at 23 hours of driving, with traffic, stops, construction, it took more like 27, maybe 30.