The APDT is planning a variety of events in January 2012 to celebrate National Train Your Dog Month.  We want dog owners to see how simple and fun training can be, and how patience, consistency and a deeper understanding of a dog’s behavior can lead to happier, healthier and harmonious households.  It’s our goal to promote using training methods that are kind, gentle and have an emphasis on building a relationship with your dog.

The APDT has over 6,000 members who are willing and able to assist dog owners who need help with their dogs.  We want dog owners everywhere to know that there are solutions to help dogs with behavior problems and there are alternatives to try before giving up your dog.

If you are looking for a great dog trainer, check out Namastay Training — http://www.namastaytraining.com/

Read more about George at http://dogblog.dogster.com/

dog

Unfortunately new strains of heartworms are making some medicines less effective, putting your dog’s life at risk. Ashleigh and Josh Bishop know this story too well. Their four-year-old Weimaraner, Porter, is like a third family member.

“I proposed to Ashleigh with a t-shirt on him,” Josh Bishop said. “Our art in the house is a picture of him and me together.”

That closeness meant Porter received a heart worm preventative on the first day of every month since he was a puppy. It was a huge surprise when Porter tested positive for heartworms just a few weeks ago.

“It’s like finding out someone really close to you is sick from something that’s completely preventable and that’s what was hard for us both to accept, ” Josh Bishop said.

The Bishops aren’t alone. Dr. Laura Mehaffy said she’s seen more and more cases of heartworms at her Little Rock, Arkansas practice, Pinnacle Valley Animal Hospital.

According to Mehaffy new strains of heartworms are the problem.

“It’s not that the medications aren’t good,” Dr. Mehaffy said. “They’re still doing what they’re supposed to do for that particular strain, it’s the new strains that are a problem.”

There are some medicines successful at preventing all of the strains. Dr. Mehaffy highly recommends dog owners talk to their veterinarians about which preventatives are working against 100 percent of all heartworm strains.

Heartworms are just what they sound like. They are worms that grown up to 14 inches long and invade a dog’s heart. Mosquitoes can pass the disease on with one bite.

Dogs generally do not show symptoms of heartworms until the worms are fully mature, which takes about six months. At that point, the dog may develop a cough, lose weight or get tired easily. Porter did not show any symptoms before he was diagnosed.

“Knowing what I know now, I’d probably go in every six months if nothing else, just for that,” Josh Bishop said checking for heartworms.

For now, Porter is taking antibiotics, preparing for two months of serious and expensive treatment during which his heart rate must stay low.

“He knows code words like walk and squirrel and treat,” Josh Bishop said. “We’ll have to watch what we say to keep him from getting excited.”

The dog off-leash areas at Cherry Creek and Chatfield are the two largest designated dog off-leash areas in the Denver metropolitan area.

The passes may only be purchased at Chatfield and Cherry Creek State Parks. The daily off-leash pass is $2 and the annual pass is $20. A pass allows up to three dogs per handler. And, each handler can only have three dogs. The dog off-leash pass must be kept with the person handling the dog(s) and available for ranger inspection upon request.

Initially, the emphasis will be on educating dog owners about the new regulations and the fees. The public outreach, which included 14 public meetings in the last two years, educated many dog owners about the new regulations and the fees. Whenever Colorado State Parks changes a regulation, time is set aside for public education.
The two park managers will assess how the education process is going during the transition. After this transition period, the park staff will begin issuing tickets to people who do not comply with the posted regulations.

On Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, the annual off-leash passes will be available at the Chatfield and Cherry Creek State Park entrance stations. The daily passes will also be available at self-service stations at the off-leash areas.

The regulations, which will be posted at the two dog off-leash areas, include:

·       Handlers must have a valid daily or annual Dog Off-Leash Area Pass in their possession and available for inspection.  A pass allows each handler to have up to three dogs in the Dog Off-Leash Area.

·        All visitors must use designated access points to enter the area.

·       Dogs must remain leashed until inside the fenced enclosure, when the fencing is completed.

·       Each handler must have one leash and waste bag for each dog.

·       The handler of any dog shall immediately collect, remove, and properly dispose of all dog feces.

·       Dogs must be under control at all times. Dogs creating a nuisance or disturbance are not permitted.

·       If a public safety situation occurs, a park ranger will request that the dogs be leashed.

Work on fencing, entrance and exit points, and improvements to the trails, facilities, and creating water features will begin in the spring of 2011.For more information on the development of the Dog Off-Leash Area visit: http://parks.state.co.us/dogtraining

Put the apples in a food processor so those pieces are small. Combine in a bowl all of the ingredients — can add oil or water if dough is too dry. Using a rolling pin roll out dough to about 3/16″ thick (can make thinner or thicker). Using a cookie cutter – cut into shapes — place on cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 20 -25 minutes (until golden).

DAISY’S PEANUT BUTTER BISCUITS
Source: DailyDrool.com
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup quick oats – uncooked
1 cups hot water
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
2 eggs- lightly beaten
3 to 4 tablespoons peanut butter- smooth
2 to 3 tablespoons of your favorite nutritional supplement

Combine peanut butter, hot water, oil, and eggs in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Set aside. Combine flour, cornmeal, and oats in a separate bowl. Mix well. Pour the bowl of the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix well with hand mixer until dough forms.

Knead dough on a floured board until no longer sticky. Add flour as needed. Roll out dough to inch thickness. Cut into shape with a floured bone shape cookie cutter. Place on a lightly greased or non-stick cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool until hard. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. (Dough can be frozen for later use.)

Cheese Biscuits
Source: AllNaturalDogTreat.com
1 1/2 c. Flour
1 1/4 c. Grated Cheddar
1/4 c. Veg. Oil
4 Tbl. Water

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Cream the ingredients together, adding the water one tablespoon at a time to help bind the dough. When it begins to form a ball, roll it out on a floured surface, using cookie cutters, cut the dough into fun shapes and place on cookie sheet. Bake approx. 10 min. until lightly browned. Makes about 30 med. size biscuits.

Denver – September 21, 2010 – The Railyard Dogs and the City of Denver are pleased to announce the Grand Opening of downtown Denver’s first off-leash dog park, Railyard Dog Park.  The park will officially open to the public on Thursday, September 23 at 7:00 p.m. (the public opening will be preceded by an invitation-only event for donors and in-kind contributors to the park).  However, anyone who donates any dollar amount will be welcome to attend the Grand Opening event (even if they donate at the door).

City Councilperson Judy Montero and Denver Parks and Recreation Manager Kevin Patterson will be featured speakers at the Grand Opening event.  Jake, a yellow Labrador who has built a loyal following on his blog ( www.thatsoftdog.com ) during his successful fight against cancer will be the first dog to run in the park.

The one acre dog park, located at 19 th Street and Little Raven (in the Central Platte Valley), features an elaborate sand and gravel field that provides a safe, efficient and clean filtering system (the Railyard Dogs, a charitable organization and the driving force behind fundraising efforts, studied the possibility of using natural or artificial grass and found that grass couldn’t survive the conditions, and an artificial surface wouldn’t be allowed by the EPA).  Plans also include a decorative shade structure, trees and a fence enclosure.

Fundraising efforts are continuing in order to pay off the $84,000 loan that was generously provided by the Riverfront Park Community Foundation in order to commence construction. A challenge grant has meant that that loan is down to $20,000 since May and continues to fall.  In addition to the loan amount, the Foundation has been responsible for more than half of the money raised for the dog park to date.

“The Railyard Dogs, and all of the people who have worked incredibly hard to make this park a reality, are very excited to open this park to the public on Thursday,” said Matt Mahoney, President, The Railyard Dogs.  “Downtown Denver ’s dog population is growing nearly as quickly as its human population, and a public-private partnership building a dog park in the urban core is a tremendous achievement.  The park has gained the support of the entire downtown community, and over a half million dollars has been raised to build the park.  From Thursday forward, Denver ’s dogs will be able to run free in their very own spacious and environmentally friendly park.”

Donations for the dog park are still being accepted to meet the challenge grant and for continued maintenance and facility requirements (please visit www.railyarddogs.org ). – # # # -

1. MAX

2. BUDDY

3. JAKE

4. ROCKY

5. BAILEY

6. BUSTER

7. CODY

8. CHARLIE

9. BEAR

10. JACK

Top 10 Female Dog Names:

1. MOLLY

2. MAGGIE

3. DAISY

4. LUCY

5. SADIE

6. GINGER

7. CHLOE

8. BAILEY

9. SOPHIE

10. ZOE

After the Colorado State Parks staff presentation on the preferred alternative for each park, the board listened to public comments. Board president Bill Kane praised the park staff for their work, including the extensive public outreach process.

The preferred alternatives were developed by park staff after analysis of studies and user surveys conducted between 2006 and 2008, and with input from interagency stakeholders, user stakeholders and public comments collected at 14 meetings. The plans reflect concerns from dog owners about acreage, water access, separation from other park users and dog waste disposal.

The two dog off-leash areas at Chatfield State Park and Cherry Creek State Park are the largest designated dog off-leash areas in the metropolitan area. The fenced dog off-leash area at Chatfield State Park will be approximately 69 acres. Two separate areas for hunting dog trainers to use through a permit system will add an additional 19.3 acres for a total of 88.3 acres. The fenced dog off-leash area at Cherry Creek State Park will be approximately 107 acres.

The designated off-leash areas respond to a requirement by the land owner, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to develop plans for fenced dog exercise areas to ensure responsible and sustainable use of the land and water.

I have known Ana for years on a personal and professional level and know she is an outstanding trainer.  I have witnessed incredible results with clients from her private training sessions and group classes.  Hope you will check out her website and consider signing up for her newsletter, which is always chock full of great information.  Her company is called Training with Grace (www.trainingwithgrace.com).

Thanks,
Sara W. Nepomuceno
Denver Hound Hikers

Graaaaaacie, COME!!
by Ana Melara, CPDT-KA

A very common reason for people calling us for help is that they cannot get their dog to come to them.  Some people say their dog has selective hearing.  At Training With Grace, we believe that coming when called is NOT a suggestion.  It’s a skill that all dogs must have, solid.

What do you expect when you call your dog?  Running in the other direction?  A long game of chase?  How have you trained your dog?  With lots of yelling?  Inconsistent rewards?  Why do you call your dog?  Because he has done something naughty?  Because you don’t want him to roll in dead squirrel?

Here are some helpful tips to get your dog to come when you call him or her:

1 – Only call your dog for good things. Don’t call your dog when you’re going to do something that the dog thinks is yucky.  Nail clipping and baths come to mind right away.  If you are going to do something that the dog perceives as icky, you should go to the dog instead.

2 – When you call your dog, always use the same command and make it sing-songy and happy. It’s much nicer to come when someone is calling you with a smiling, happy voice than with a hard gruff tone.  Even better when there is a reward at the end.

3 – Every time you call and your dog does show up, give your dog a jackpot of wonderfully delicious reinforcers like little bits of cheese, roast beef, beef jerkey, or chicken. Whatever the reinforcer is, make it awesome and use at least 15 little pieces in a row.  It should be more amazing than what they left behind.

4 – In a public setting or in an area that is not secure, use a long-line. Have a family member or a friend hold the line while you happily call your dog and run away from her.  When she arrives, be sure to deliver your spectacular reinforcers.

5 – Practice often and in various contexts and situations. Don’t always call your dog from the kitchen.  Call them into the back yard, into the living-room, into the hallway and into the office.  Vary the when and where.

6 – If you have multiple family members in your household, play ping-pong puppy. Everyone takes a great big handful of kibble mixed with treats and each of you choose a different spot to call from.  Each person takes a turn calling the dog.  Every time the dog shows up, jackpot!

We hope this is helpful.  For further instruction, ask us about our Total Recall class (www.trainingwithgrace.com).  Your dog will thank you for it.