Brown Dog Tales

The Homeless Ones

2011-12-24T11:06:00.002-05:00

You love your dogs and treat them as part of the family. Sadly, the lives of too many dogs are filled with abuse and neglect. Many end up homeless. Any many end up dead. In this time of giving, consider making a long-term commitment to help those dogs who find themselves in a shelter, pound, or rescue. Contribute your money, your time or both to a local rescue group. They are always underfunded

Unconditional Love

2011-12-16T07:18:00.002-05:00

Love your dog beyond reason. He will return that love a thousand fold.

Guilt ... a misinterpretation?

2011-06-16T07:43:00.007-04:00

Anthropomorphism is the phenomenon of interpreting animal behavior as "looking" like human behavior, thereby attributing human emotions to, in this case, our dogs. How many times have you heard someone say something like "He got in the trash again. When I walked in the door he looked guilty, turned around and ran the other way." Guilt? Perhaps not. Here the dog's perspective. 7:03 a.m. Bubba

Healthy Lifestyle Expo

2011-01-29T08:23:00.000-05:00

If you are anywhere near Richmond, Virginia on Saturday, February 5, the place to be is the Convention Center. CBS and the VCU Medical Center present the 2011 Healthy Lifestyle Expo. After you meet Dr. Oz, stop by Booth #9 - Diabetic Alert Dogs by Warren Retrievers - and learn about these life saving dogs. Visit with Master Trainer Dee Bogetti; Dan Warren, Owner of Warren Retrievers; and Sue

2010-12-17T06:50:00.000-05:00

Canine Elimination Problems

2010-12-12T10:05:00.007-05:00

According to Karen Overall in her book, Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals, there are 11 possible reasons for a dog’s potty training to break down. They are:A medical condition Incomplete potty training Lack of access to an appropriate potty place Surface preference (will go on grass but not on pavement; the carpet but not grass) Anxiety, most often separation anxiety Marking

2010-12-11T08:59:00.000-05:00

The Soldiers & the TSA

2010-12-09T07:56:00.003-05:00

Brown Dog usually sticks to dog-related topics. This story, however, made his hackles go so far up, he decided he had to share it with you. # # # As the Chalk Leader for my flight home from Afghanistan, I witnessed the following: When we were on our way back from Afghanistan, we flew out of Baghram Air Field. We went through customs at BAF, full body scanners (no groping), had all of our

A Premature Death

2010-12-08T05:45:00.000-05:00

Dogs rely on their humans for everything. Food and water. Shelter. Medical care. Play. Companionship. Love. And to keep them safe from harm. Too often, their humans let them down. This time it was two young dogs playing in the backyard without supervision. They played rough - chasing each other, rolling, bumping, and running. They mouthed each other's ears, scruffs, tails, and legs, sometimes

Holiday Safety Tips for You and Your Dog

2010-11-19T08:37:00.000-05:00

Keep Fido safe and happy this holiday season by following a few basic rules of thumb. And remember that he doesn’t have a clue what a holiday is – only that there may be more people in his home, his family may leave him for a while, his house smells and looks different, etc. So … Keep to your dog’s normal routine as much as possible. Vary feedings, play time, and bedtime as little as possible.

Veterans Day 2010

2010-11-11T07:24:00.000-05:00

It is the Soldier Father Dennis Edward O'Brien It is the Soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of press. It is the Soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us freedom to demonstrate. It is the Soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows

"We don't know what he was thinking."

2010-09-27T08:38:00.002-04:00

I'm a dog trainer. When working with a new client, I stress the importance of keeping Fido safe from injury. There are more ways dogs can get themselves in trouble than you can possibly imagine. And I've heard way to many of them. This email was in my box this morning. The client has an 11-month-old male Labrador Retriever: "We have to cancel our training for Wednesday. An unfortunate accident

Roselle & The Firefighters

2010-09-11T08:20:00.001-04:00

The keynote speaker at BlogPaws told a story about a man and a dog who made it out of the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001. The man was blind. His guide dog, Roselle, led him to safety from the 78th floor. That man was Michael Hingson. "The most miraculous part of the story to me is the part that people don’t pay attention to," Hingson told a reporter. "That is, that we were less than a hundred

Who IS that dog?

2010-09-10T16:20:00.000-04:00

When I arrived at the Hyatt in Denver yesterday, there was a dog tied up in front of one of the entrances. Later a crate showed up for her. Who was this dog? Why was she not inside with her human attending the conference? Did the hotel have issues with cute little herding dogs? Being the curious sort, I decided to ask. It turns out that Sadie is the unofficial canine greeter for the

The $5 Miracle

2010-09-10T11:28:00.000-04:00

Join me in the first $5 Miracle fundraising campaign. This one is for the Richmond Animal League in Richmond, Virginia. RAL is a no-kill shelter pulling from area kill shelters. Share this link with EVERYONE you know. Donate online. Let's change the world one rescue at a time. Your rescue may be the next $5 Miracle campaign.

Willie Nelson & Best Friends

2010-09-09T22:43:00.000-04:00

Thanks, Willie, for teaming up with Best Friends Animal Society to raise awareness: there is no place in a "civilized" society for dog fighting. And that includes Georgia!

Public Access Training

2010-08-20T08:16:00.001-04:00

Sammy is a service dog in training. As part of his public access training, he and his handler, Marcie, demonstrate how to enter a public place. Appropriate behavior in public is key to a well-rounded service dog ... and necessary for certification. Well done, Sammy! If you are looking into getting a service dog, contact my partner Dan Warren at Warren Retrievers about his world-class Labrador

Alert from Virginians for Animal Welfare

2010-08-01T10:19:00.000-04:00

I will occasionally post dog-related cases to illustrate existing laws in the state of Virginia. DB *** Washington County Trial CROSS POST PLEASE From VAW: Please be at the Washington County General District Court on Monday, 8/2/10, and bring a friend. If you cannot attend, please let the Commonwealth's Attorney, Dennis Godfrey, know you support enforcement of the law. Below is

Martingale Collars

2010-07-29T07:29:00.000-04:00

The day that I saw a frightened German Shepherd back out of her collar in a PetSmart, run head-long for the front of the store, and fly out through the automatic doors - straight into a busy parking lot - that was the day I started recommending martingale collars to my clients. It's a safety issue. A martingale is comfortable for your dog while while keeping him/her completely secure on

Three Dogs

2010-07-27T12:29:00.000-04:00

When I opened my eyes this morning, my first thought was of my chocolate Lab, Murphy. Last night, after being part of a therapy dog program, we came home and Murphy started rolling around on the floor (not all that unusual) and pawing at his eyes (unusual). I called him to me and was shocked to see that everything surrounding both eyes was swelling - fast. Left unattended I was pretty sure those

Murphy & The Soldiers

2010-07-16T08:31:00.000-04:00

My therapy dog, Murphy and I walked through the automatic doors, exiting the veteran's hospital. Several middle-aged men had gathered just past the "no smoking beyond this point" sign. Some were in wheelchairs. Spotting Murphy, smiles erupted on those soldier's faces. We stopped to say hello. Murphy is a big lovable chocolate Lab, who, at five years still has the joy of a puppy in him. When he

Bag Balm

2010-06-23T09:05:00.001-04:00

Years ago, two of my female Labs had a bit of a disagreement and one of them ended up with a cut on her ear. That's when I learned how much dog's ears bleed. Every time she shook her head, blood flew everywhere from a very small cut. I went in the house, grabbed the Bag Balm, and slathered the cut with it. It stopped the bleeding immediately and kept the small wound clean. There was no need

Hot Weather Tips

2010-06-22T15:27:00.002-04:00

It's summer and time for you and your dog to enjoy the great outdoors together! Here are some great tips to keep your four-legged friend healthy and safe. In nice weather you may be tempted to take your pet with you in the car while you travel or run errands. But remember: during warm weather the inside of your car can reach 120° in a matter of minutes, even if you're parked in the

Communication

2010-04-28T16:43:00.000-04:00

A client has a 7-month-old bully breed dog named Brewster. Her inexperience with pushy pups has allowed him to be way too mouthy with her. I was working with him to show her how to deal with him when he gets too excited. His mouth landed on my arm and scraped the skin. There was a bit of blood and doggy mom was about to get upset. I got her to step back and just observe. Within a minute or

Walking the Dog

2010-04-03T07:35:00.000-04:00

Are YOU the person whose little fluffy dog was BEHIND you, at the full length of that retractable leash, in the face of - and barking his brains out at - my 90 pound Lab the other day? And you were oblivious, chatting up a friend, ignoring your crazed little dog? Stop being that person!! Whether you walk your dog on city streets or hiking trails, be one of the good guys and do it right. First,

A Puppy at Soccer Practice

2010-03-31T07:58:00.003-04:00

At what age should you start training your puppy? As early as eight weeks. Why? Because what you teach (or don't teach) your puppy will stay with him or her for life. You get to choose. Do you want a well mannered dog or one who is anywhere from tolerable to out of control? What follows is from a client with a five-month-old German Shepherd. We have trained together an hour a week since Paladin

Blended Families

2010-03-26T09:44:00.001-04:00

In August 2009 I was contacted by a woman concerned about the relationship between her cat and her boyfriend's dog. The couple was preparing to combine households and his dog, Lady (a 12-year-old Chow/Golden mix) caused her concern. Lady had lived her life as the only animal in her home. When she visited what was to become her new home, her manners were lacking. Worse than that, she showed way

Why I love being a dog trainer!

2010-03-22T09:18:00.000-04:00

I usually don't share client testimonials on my blog but decided to make an exception with this one. This is why I train dogs: happy endings. New beginnings. Vegas, a handsome chocolate Lab, washed out of a service dog training program when he was a puppy because of a heart condition. You would never know he has a medical condition of any kind. He's a big, goofy, high-energy dog. And right there

Obese Dogs

2010-03-13T08:49:00.000-05:00

I got a call two days ago from our local Labrador Retriever rescue group. They had in their possession a 4-year-old chocolate female described as sweet, smart and overweight. We have four Labs at our house, so if I was to consider fostering this dog, I had to check with my housemate before adding a fifth. She didn't hesitate for a moment. "When can you pick her up?" was her response. So began a

One-on-One Animal Assisted Therapy

2010-02-21T05:46:00.004-05:00