GoodFellas Rescue

Fundraiser!!

2012-02-04T22:33:00.000-08:00

Having Insurance means we can do many things
things like:

Offering Free Training to Bully Breed Dogs in low income communities
*this starts back up in spring*

Going to local schools to teach about bite prevention

Attending local events with our dogs, especially in areas that still believe media hype about the temperament of Pit Bull Type Dogs

Starting educational seminars with local schools

Being able to bring our dogs many more places

There are many more things that we would like to do that having insurance makes easier to achieve, but without help, we will not have the funds to pay for our insurance premium this year.

Please help GoodFellas out by making a donation.
We are a 501c3 non profit and all donations are tax deductible

Without public donations, our rescue would not be able to create programs, continue the programs we have and care for the dogs we have at the rescue and in foster homes.

Thank you so much, feel free to share and cross post this blog

Zombie Apocalypse ~ Get Connected ~ Get Training

2012-01-16T15:43:00.000-08:00

Getting Connected

Learning new things is always better when your not doing it alone. What is that saying people use all the time,.. oh yes "There is Safety in Numbers"

So yes, this leads us to our next instalment of

How To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse With Your Bully!!

Being prepared is the best way to survive so let me throw down a few links of local groups dedicated to teaching people how to survive a Zombie Apocalypse. Oh yes, there are groups.

The first one is the Zombie Squad!!

You can find them on Facebook and they have great events, food drives and training available.

The Second one is TrackersPDX!!

They offer zombie survival training for teens and adults. Seriously looks fun and educational and way better then the normal run of the mill camp for kids.

I tried to find something to make this post funny and entertaining but i have the flu. I feel like one of the very plague carrying creatures that are the topic of these posts, so my humor is lackluster at best. Sorry everyone.

Let's Talk About Ex...tinction!

2012-01-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

Generally speaking, when you hear the word "extinction" your mind instantly drifts to dinosaurs. Or maybe some endangered penguins. Or maybe you're like me and regardless of the word your mind wanders to food, the weather, something shiny or how that guy's hair looks like Elvis hair. Whatever. It's cool. In a training context, extinction means the same as in other contexts, but with a small twist. It simply means that a behavior is on its way out, i.e. the behavior is going extinct. When I explain this to dog owners, they get very excited to hear that they can make an undesirable behavior die. Oftentimes, this excitement quickly turns to despair in the span of a coupe days because the undesirable behavior is getting worse, not better. Oops. Did I forget to mention that there is usually an extinction burst?

Prior to an undesirable behavior dying off, an animal (even people!) will try that very same behavior at an escalating intensity and frequency until they are sure that it really, really, really doesn't work anymore. A human example is the child who got a toy at the store once after throwing a tantrum and the next few times throws longer and louder tantrums in an attempt to gain the same reinforcement. Yes. Reinforcement. You'll probably hear that word a lot in my articles. Every behavior that your dog, your child or you do is based off of reinforcement. If you have been reinforced for something, you repeat it. Dogs in particular are quite sharp, and even though we may not be intentionally reinforcing them, they seem to pick up bad habits pretty easily. Leash pulling is a prime example. Puppy wants to go somewhere so it pulls, person follows along behind, puppy gets to go where it wanted: the puppy has been reinforced for pulling. This applies to adult dogs too.

Most people don't notice a behavior like pulling on leash until their puppy grows into a large, lumbering pulling machine, and by then the habit is so deeply established that remedying it could take months of consistent work. A great way to prevent some of these predictable (but still super annoying) habits from taking root is to use a "Nothing in Life is Free" approach with your puppy. Teaching a puppy, and even an adult dog, that if they want something they need to "ask" for it nicely not only helps to teach your dog that giving you their undivided attention is the best thing ever, but also a great way to teach important life skills like impulse control, prolonged focus and an automatic "sit"/"look." The value of teaching a puppy/dog to do something "nice" (sit, down etc) before receiving anything (attention, sitting on the couch with you, getting to play with other dogs) is that in your dog's mind it becomes very cemented that you are the bringer of all good things. When a dog realizes that you can make it rain goodies, they become very eager to offer a variety of behaviors, all you have to do is reward the ones that you like.

By rewarding the behaviors you like and ignoring (yes, ignoring) the rest, the undesirable behaviors will drop off into extinction. No yelling, hitting, scruffing, rolling or frustration needed. It is a lot more fun to watch your dog for good behavior than bad behavior. Admittedly, it can be very irritating to watch an undesirable behavior be repeated again and again until extinction, so here are some things to think about:

1) Is there any environmental management you can do to keep the dog from practicing the undesirable behavior? example: the dog pees in the house, solution: tether the dog to you until you are able to establish that outside is the best place to go.
2) Is there an incompatible behavior that can be taught instead? example: the dog jumps up to greet people, solution: teach it to "sit" when greeting people (it only gets attention if it sits, otherwise it is put in a time out or ignored)
3) What is so reinforcing about the undesirable behavior to the dog? example: the dog jumps on people and gets yelled at and kneed in the chest, solution: the dog will take any attention or is very tactile and just touching is rewarding to the dog
4) Can the reinforcement for the undesirable behavior be applied to the desirable behavior? example: the same dog from the above example jumps on people, solution: before the dog has a chance to jump it is asked to sit, or is praised and showered with attention when all four paws are on the floor (it is being rewarded with the attention and touch that it loves and put away or ignored for jumping up.)

A brief word about punishment:
As humans, we tend to get very irate when a dog (or child or another adult) does something we find rude or "bad." When it comes to dogs, they do not have the self-awareness or morals to be "bad." A dog is a dog and will act like a dog, which means they may engage in behaviors from time to time that we do not approve of. Punishing a dog (or any other being) for undesirable behavior is time consuming and emotionally draining... not fun at all. I would like to use an example that trainer Terry Ryan of Legacy Canine uses (paraphrased and with my own twist): imagine you are a taxi cab driver and someone gets into your cab and starts listing the places s/he doesn't want to go... how long would it be before you got upset and demanded to know where they wanted to go?
It sounds silly, but that is what punishment is; "Don't do this, that, that or this." Punishment does not offer the animal any alternatives, so they are forced to make a series of mistakes (many of which they will be punished for because they guessed wrong) until they find the "right" answer. Not only is this extremely damaging to the dog as well as to the dog-handler relationship, but it would have been much quicker to just teach and reinforce and alternative behavior (ignoring the old behavior) until the old annoying behavior went extinct. It is a common misconception that mixing aversives (positive punishment and negative reinforcement) with positive reinforcement will get better and faster results. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It creates friction between the dog and handler, has the potential for fall out (the dog responding negatively to the aversive methods by either shutting down or getting worse) and such methods also carry the risk of physical harm to the dog.

When it comes to dealing with unruly behavior, adding fuel to the fire by responding in anger (yelling, hitting etc) tends to make the problem worse. It is much more fun to teach a dog an alternative behavior and reinforce the crap out of that behavior until the good habit is established. The real art and science behind dog training is to catch your dog in the act of doing something right and to reinforce it. Using this approach is quick, fun, safe and not just limited to animals;-)

The Danger of a Reputation

2012-01-07T14:28:00.000-08:00

If there is a dog breed that has one of the lousiest reputations out there, it has gotta be the pit bull. Any bully breed, really, seems to draw harsh criticisms and judgments. It goes without saying that the bully breeds' bad rep is largely undeserved, but this bad rep haunts the breed. Some examples include breed specific legislation, not being permitted into some doggy day-cares, shorter hold periods in shelters, not being permitted in certain rentals (apartments, houses etc) and even not being allowed in some obedience classes! There are two sides to this reputation, the side that bully bigots take: "All bully breeds are vicious" and the side that many well-meaning advocates take: "Bully breeds are the best dog EVER!" A more healthy perspective is found between those two extremes. Being a trainer and not a rescuer, I would rather focus on another aspect of their reputation that pertains to their training.

Of all the breeds I have worked with, it seems like bully breeds are the ones that somehow earn a reputation as being stubborn, head strong and willful, even "not breed typical." Truth be told, I find all those labels to be deceptive as they mask the true issue: motivation. If any animal, not just a dog, does not leap to please us humans, oftentimes we write the animal off as "difficult" or "aloof." This is not the case, I promise you. I've trained both of my cats (a species that defines aloof) and it truly is just a matter of motivation. Where a lot of handlers and trainers run into trouble in training is that what they think should be motivating to the dog ultimately fails to motivate it. I've had to cycle through fourteen different types of motivators to find the right fit for one dog, and I admit, it can be a bit frustrating. It does not really surprise me that so many people use the breed of a dog as a reason to use forceful methods (prong, shock, choke, dominance etc) to train them. Sometimes, it really does seem like the easiest way... seems.

The danger of falling into the "the dog is stubborn/willful/difficult" thought pattern is that you (the handler) lose your power. All of a sudden, it is the dog who is making you resort to forceful methods. You had to, you reason, it won't listen otherwise. It is important to understand that as far as the dog is concerned, everything is does and doesn't do depends on reinforcement. If it has been rewarded for something once, the likelihood that it will repeat that behavior increases, and if it is rewarded again, it becomes even more likely until BAM! you have a habit. This is how leash pulling works, this is how begging at the table works, this is how whining in a crate works: it only takes reinforcing that behavior once for the dog to think "Ah! So this is what works!" In a dog's brain, pleasing you is not on the agenda: getting good things and avoiding bad things is. Sad reality, but the Disney dog doesn't exist.

I am interning under a more experienced trainer and one of the "homework" assignments she sends home with her students before they ever bring a puppy into class is a sheet that has about a dozen blank spots. Before bringing a puppy in, handlers are asked to figure out what their puppy's favorite food rewards and toys are and then list them. We glance over the list, but return it to the handlers and tell them to hang it somewhere prominent so that if their dog is not responding, they have that handy list of motivators to try. This helps pet parents to understand their dogs' minds a little bit more and to train using their brains as opposed to succumb to the "my dog made me use force" mindset. Happily, most pet parents have no problem maintaining a positive outlook and most seem to genuinely enjoy experimenting with different types of motivators. Some, however, think it is a waste of time and don't bother. It is no coincidence that these are the handlers who get lackluster results from training. After all, we work for rewards, so it really isn't surprising that our dogs work best that way too.

To a dog, a pat on the head and a kind word are seldom sufficient reinforcers. For dogs, the most powerful training tool in existence is food. This is because food directly affects a dog's (indeed, any species with a brain) brain chemistry. As the dog eats, endorphins (the pleasure hormones) are released. Dogs trained with food not only learn faster, but retain more than dogs trained with other methods. Plus? Dogs trained using food or toys as a motivator are happier and enjoy training more than dogs trained using force. That is all the reason I need to use food when I train! I will link another article below that I have found to be an excellent resource, as well as a link to some videos by wonderful trainer friend of mine who does amazing work with bully breeds... without any force or intimidation. We call him the Pit Bull Guru: Drayton Michaels.

Article

Useful Video

Drayton's Channel!

NOTE: Remember, just because you think something should be rewarding to your dog does not mean that your dog will think it is rewarding. If your dog is not offering the response you want, reexamine the reward you have been using. The higher value the reward, the more motivated your dog will be to learn and execute new behaviors. Not all motivators are created equal and you will find that what works in your living room may not work while out on a walk. Any time you are using a reward, be sure that it is one that can get and hold your dog's attention. I have found that I can get away with using kibble and maybe just a little bit of cheese inside, but outside I may have to switch to smoked salmon or garlicky chicken breast. It depends on the dog! Some dogs are perfectly happy to work for kibble anytime anywhere, and others are happy to work for a game of tug outside but prefer working for cheese inside. Experiment and find what works for you! Remember to stay positive! When you are having fun, your dog can sense it! Keeping training fun is a great way to keep training safe!

A day in the life of Dog Rescue

2012-01-05T19:29:00.000-08:00

I rescue dogs. My dogs are with me pretty much everywhere I go. In the morning, after they are let out to potty and fed, they settle once I sit down, ever ready to accompany me as I wander through the house. They are there when I decide I really need coffee, walking at my heels, staring up at me adoringly, except for Capone, who I am convinced, really just wants some food. I have learned to shuffle as to avoid paws and I walk slowly so no one gets left behind.

I make several trips from my computer to my kitchen, refilling my coffee cup and trying to avoid spilling it while I herd my gaggle of dogs back through the maze that is my home. The dogs looking up at me adoringly, except for Capone, who I am pretty sure just really wants some food. This goes on all day, to the kitchen, to the washer, they even invade the bathroom.

Anytime I stop moving for a few moments, they lay at my feet or sit nearby, looking at me adoringly, well, except for Capone of course. It makes me feel loved, needed, paranoid I might accidentally step on one and create a large vet bill for myself.

It is pretty easy to start thinking of yourself as pretty damn special. I mean ALL the dogs want to be near me ALL the time. They want to lay at my feet, go with me when I leave, keep me company as I do dishes and guide me around the furniture every time I move. I must be a DOG GODDESS!! I am Worshiped and Adored!!!

Then reality hits. I drop a lot of food, that is not adoration, that is hunger.

You Take the Good, You Take the Bad and There You Have......?????

2012-01-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

It used to make me angry and indignant to see how much bad dog training advice is floating around on television, the internet and even in books. Nowadays, I have a sort of practiced indifference to it all. It has been my observation that raising a dog is very similar to raising a child, and just like parents of human children don't take kindly to unsolicited advice, so too do pet parents get annoyed when training advice is offered. When it comes to raising and nurturing another living being, somehow the well-meaning intentions of the advice-giver don't matter because the core message sounds the same: You're doing it wrong. To illustrate my point, here are a couple examples of well-meaning (but ultimately not helpful) parenting advice I have received since having a child:

"If she isn't sleeping at night just keep her awake during the day.": Last I checked, sleep deprivation is considered a form of torture. This is a home, not Guantanimo! There will be none of that craziness here!

"Slap her hands when she touches something you don't want her to.": This advice was given to us when our daughter was not even a year old. Developmentally speaking, she would not have been able to connect the punishment with the crime, so essentially we would be hurting/startling her for (in her mind) no reason. Not really how I want my child to remember our interactions.

"Don't let having a kid slow you down, they sleep when they're tired!": LIES. Anyone with a child will corroborate that a child sleeping when they are tired is LIES. Usually, when a child is that exhausted, there has been a couple hours of crankiness which is then followed by short and poor-quality (fitful) sleep. Our kid NEVER sleeps when she is tired, she gets more wound up, then inconsolably cranky and when she finally crashes she doesn't crash for long and the sleep she does get is not good sleep.

Now here are some examples of well-meaning (but ultimately shoddy and incorrect) dog training advice:

"The best way to establish yourself as pack leader is to hold your dog on its back/side.": Hoo boy..... I cannot even count how many bite cases I've referred to other trainers that started with "dominance" training. I can't go into too much detail here, but please follow the following links to learn more about why dominance theory does not apply to dog raising or dog training, as well as why it is so dangerous to try to apply it. Please note that both the articles provided are written by veterinary behaviorists (i.e. people who have extensively studied dogs and their behavior.) Link #1 and Link #2!

"A dog who stares at you is trying to be dominant, stare back at it.": Yikes! Another big reason people get bitten is because they stare at a dog. Children in particular suffer because they unintentionally stare at a dog's face. Staring into the eyes is a threatening thing for most dogs. If a dog is staring at you, read the context. Is it scared? If the animal is scared then it may just be trying to keep an eye on you because it wants to make sure you won't get her. Is the dog standing over food or another prized possession? If a dog gives a hard-eyed stare while in possession of something it considers valuable, it could be resource guarding it. Don't stare back and don't try to intimidate your dog into surrendering the object. For more about what to do with a resource guarder, follow this link.

"A dog who pulls when on leash/tries to go through doorways first thinks it is boss and you shouldn't let it!": Gosh, a dog who pulls on leash is indeed a problem. I'm nearly 7 months pregnant and a big dog pulling on leash is actually kind of dangerous for me, as it is for most people. Be that as it may, it isn't that the dog is trying to be boss or is trying to "lead the hunt", the dog has just learned that pulling gets him where he wants to go. In other words, it is a self-reinforced habit. Dogs are gamblers, and if something is rewarding once, then, by the laws that govern learning, they will try again and again. This is one reason why consistency in training is vital to raising a well-adjusted and well behaved dog. It is easier to prevent pulling on leash than it is to cure it. There are a variety of ways to handle pulling on leash, but in my experience the most effective are reward-based (after all, why would you punish the dog when it is just being a dog? It is more humane and effective to instead teach an alternate behavior.) Follow the links for some ideas on how to prevent AND turn around a dog's leash pulling behavior. **Please note that if your dog has been pulling for a while, that there will be an epic extinction burst where the pulling will actually get worse for a short time. Much like how we tend to yell when someone doesn't hear us the first time, the dog is just trying the same behavior (pulling) at a higher intensity in order to get rewarded (move forward) since it has worked in the past. I promise that if you are consistent that the pulling will stop=) **Another thing to note: training should always be at the dog's pace. If at any point your dog is regressing, go back a step or two in training. The goal of training is to always set your dog up for success and reward the success, thus increasing the odds that your dog will be successful again. Link #1, Link #2

I think the most important thing I can add is that a walk is not an obedience drill. A walk should be enjoyable and relaxing to your dog and requiring it to stay by your side the whole time just isn't fair, especially considering all the sights and smells! I like to dedicate about two minutes of walk time (maybe only 15 seconds for a puppy) to "obedience" (sit, look at me, walk by my side...) and the rest is just "let's wander around and look at stuff" time. When walking a dog, keep in mind that if you want your dog to pay attention to you, you will have to be more interesting and more rewarding to your dog than everything around it. Some easy ways to get and keep your dog's attention are act silly (skip backwards, squeak a toy, talk in an upbeat happy voice) and reward your dog with some food or a game (tug etc) when it redirects its attention to you. If you would like to teach your dog to walk by your side, no amount of yanking on the leash or shortening the leash will make the dog want to be near you. The easiest and quickest way to teach a dog to heel is to reward it with a treat (or a toy, whichever is its favorite motivator) when it is in the desired position (aligned with your leg.) Practice around the house and then gradually (at the dog's pace, not yours) start working in more distracting environments. Remember, drilling a dog endlessly on a walk will 1) make the dog dislike walks (which are a powerful reward for many dogs) 2) Dislike training (which makes it very hard to motivate the dog) and 3) could potentially make the dog not want to be around you (I wouldn't want to be around my husband if he were always giving me pop quizzes!)

To me, the ultimate, helpful dog training advice is this: Keep training sessions short, sweet, fun and thus successful. My goal as a dog trainer is to build owners and their dogs up by setting them up for success. When the dog and the person are enjoying training, results are quick to come and long to stay=)

Zombie Apocalypse ~ Supplies to keep on hand

2011-12-24T16:12:00.000-08:00

Keeping some needed supplies on hand in case of emergencies will give you a better chance of surviving a Zombie Apocalypse

Gathering supplies to keep on hand in case of an emergency is the latest trend, everyone is doing it, or at least they should be. Today it may be a power outage or a storm, but tomorrow you may wake up to find everyone in your neighborhood has been infected by some unknown disease that has turned them into Zombies.

Everyone who is not prepared will be heading to town to loot their local supermarkets and gas stations, so counting on those as a resource could be a big mistake. The more you have on hand, the longer you will be able to get by without having to leave your house and the safer you and your pet will be. We will learn in later posts what to do once we have exhausted our supplies but until then, lets just focus on what we will need to keep our animals just as well cared for and prepared as ourselves.

Many websites out there have wonderful resources on how people can stay prepared, I will add a link because if You can't stay alive, Your pet will not have much of a chance at all.

One of my favorites is from the Center for Disease Control

Now here is a Shopping List of needed supplies to have on hand for your Dog *or really all pets* and you can find it at PetFinder

Now you will notice on this page that it lists a crate. Having a crate for your dog is actually a good idea, while you are still in a secure location, even though when you have to leave your home, taking it along will be highly impracticable due to the weight and the fact that once you are no longer secured, a crated animal is unable to escape should you be overwhelmed by zombies. A crate does come in handy for many other emergencies so don't disregard its usefulness in keeping your pet safe.

Another little post about getting supplies ready can be found Here.

So this concludes our second post in our ongoing guide on How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse with your Bully

Look forward to even more

This information can also be found on our website

Zombie Apocalypse ~ Training ~ Touch

2011-12-17T23:45:00.000-08:00

Just the other day I was thinking to myself, what if my town was suddenly filled with the Living Dead?

Yes, I do think about these things, I mean who doesn't? Don't answer that, let's just assume that everyone has, on occasion, contemplated what they might do should a zombie apocalypse happen.

Taking into consideration the fact that I do Dog Rescue and currently house 4 Bully Breed dogs, I decided to ponder how my dogs and I would survive.

This brings us to the topic of this post.

After careful consideration, I have come up with some pretty important things that you and your dog should know in the event of zombies.

Look forward to regular posts that contain information on How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse with Your Bully. Though the intent is to keep you and your pet safe in case of rotting, infected, brain eating zombies, it should prove invaluable during any crisis or emergency as well.

As you know, you should not wait until an emergency is at hand to prepare.

Training, Knowledge, Supplies and Survival will be our 4 Main categories.

This post will involve Training.

Regardless of the disaster, having a dog with a strong recall can quite literally mean the difference between life or death.
There will be distractions and chaos and you need to know that when you call your dog, they will listen. If you see a swarm of zombies headed for your pet, you need them to come when called the first time you ask or else they might quickly become a meal, and no one wants that.

So here is a video covering the most important first step to establishing a strong recall.

Managing Multiple Dogs ~ Leaving your Dogs at Home

2011-08-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Many of us simply can not be at home all day without having to go to work, run errands or go to school. Returning home to destroyed furniture or knocked over trash cans pale to the possibility of an injured pet. One of the biggest issues we have found from owners of multiple dogs is that their dogs get into scuffles or destroy things when left by themselves so we have decided that this would be our next topic in "Managing Multiple Dogs"

A crate should be a place your dog feels safe in. *Never Leave Two Dogs in a Crate Though :) *

Please keep in mind that most of our articles are designed to address concerns and tips in managing homes with Bully Breed Dogs, however these tips are handy for any breed and any combination of animals or dogs.

Leaving your dogs at home:

Always Have one Crate or Kennel per Dog

If you have a safe place for each dog to be confined when you leave, there will never be the need to worry about something happening in your absence. Always make sure that you have one crate or kennel per dog and use them! All of my dogs are crated when I leave except for the one dog I trust to behave himself to be loose in the house.

Never Leave a Puppy free to Roam your Home

Puppies are cute and oh so cuddly however leaving them to roam around will mean pet messes and chewed up things. That is just the reality of it. Leaving your puppy loose in the house with another dog may also mean the possibility of a scuffle and that is not the experiences that your puppy or adult dog need to look forward to whenever you leave. Talk about anxiety.

Make Sure All Animals are Safe Before you Leave.

If you crate most of your dogs but one, and perhaps have a cat or cages with little fluffy animals, make sure that the cat is confined to a secure location like a bedroom or a bathroom *wherever the cat box is* and that any doors to rooms that hold cages are secured. When you are Managing Multiple Dogs *Or Animals* Safety is the number one priority. We want to make sure that no animal is at risk for injury.

Only One Dog Loose at a Time.

So you have a wonderful adult dog who just curls up and sleeps the entire time you are gone without making a mess or destroying your things. Awesome! I have one of those as well and he always gets the house when I leave. I would never leave another dog out with him however. No matter how good some of my dogs are together when I am home, I make sure that only one dog is loose when I leave and all others are safe and happy in their crates. Why? Because for the safety of all my dogs, and my peace of mind, I would never put any of my dogs in a situation that might not work. If there was an argument between two of my dogs while I was gone, it could not only create further problems in the future, it could be a situation where one of my dogs could get hurt.

Just because your dogs love each other when you are home and supervising them, does not mean that those same dogs will be just as harmonious when you are not there. Better Safe then Sorry.

A handy checklist that we use when we leave is this:

Make sure Crate Bedding is Clean and Comfortable
Let Dogs out to Potty and Drink Some Water
Put Dogs in Their Crates
Make sure there is Nothing they can Pull into Their Crate *cords near crates should be moved so that bored dogs can not chew on them*
Gather Kongs, Fill and stuff them with Peanut Butter and Treats, Hand them out to crated dogs and one for the uncrated dog should you have one.
Make sure the Cat is in the Bathroom with fresh food and the door is closed.
Make sure there is nothing on the counter or table that uncrated dog may try and eat

Sure it takes a bit more time, however making sure that all dogs are safe means less anxiety for your dogs, a harmonious home with happy healthy and safe pets. It means not worrying when you need to leave and not being frustrated and scared of the idea of Managing Multiple Dogs. It also means you will never need to call a rescue because your dogs got into a fight when you were not able to supervise them.

Stay Safe, Stay Happy and Stay Responsible.

Rocky Road to the Rescue

2011-06-14T23:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, maybe your saying to yourself, isn't this a Dog Rescue Blog?
Why yes, yes it is, however even rescue workers love cupcakes!
In a few months we hope to have our fund raising cookbook, Baking for Bullies available to purchase, in it I will have my favorite cupcake recipes *yes we will also have plenty of treats to bake for you and your dog*, so I decided it would be fun to enter a contest called The Ice Cream CupCake Contest 2011 you can also learn more about it at Scoopalicious
Don't worry, even if we don't win, i will have this in our cookbook.

Rocky Road to the "Rescue"

Recipe for Cake:
1 cup Mayo *yes mayo*
1 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
You want to mix the mayo, boiling water and vanilla together.
Some of you may want to dirty another bowl and mix the cocoa, sugar, flour and baking soda together before putting it all in with the wet ingredients, if you do, go for it. I don't, i put it all in together, sugar, cocoa soda then flour and mix it up with a hand mixer or a stand mixer until it is light and well incorporated.
Bake for 25 minutes at 350

Butter Cream
1/2 cup butter room temp
1/2 cup of cocoa
1 tsp vanilla *sometimes i put more in shhhh*
add powdered sugar one cup at a time while mixing until your frosting is the right consistency. You want it firm but still light. I normally add about 4 cups. If you add too much and your frosting is too stiff, add a tsp of milk.

When cooled i hollowed out the bottom and the top just slightly, added the ice cream, replaced the top, drizzled melted dark chocolate and let that harden. I then added the frosting and garnished with mini marshmallows, chopped walnuts and drizzled with chocolate syrup.

Rocky Road is my favorite ice cream flavor but to just add it to the cupcake seemed a bit like cheating, so i thought i would recreate all that is good about rocky road into the topping.

I was not sure how it would work to add ice cream to a cupcake, it got a bit messy at times so i strongly suggest you make sure your cake is 100% cooled before doing this. work fast as some ice creams melt faster then others.
It was so good, just saying.
Don't worry, next blog will be back to the dogs.

Managing Multiple Dogs - Feeding

2011-04-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Managing Multiple Dogs and Feeding

I get too many calls from owners who want to give up their pets due to aggression that started over food and ended in a scuffle.

Dog-Dog food aggression is easily avoidable with just a few extra steps and precautions and can save all of your pets lots of stress as well as yourself.

My number one Advice to owners of Multiple Dogs is to Feed their Dogs Separately!

No I do not mean feed them one at a time. I mean feed them in different areas, areas that are secure and prevent one dog from wandering to other dog bowls once their food is gone.This might mean feeding your dogs in crates, installing a baby gate to act as a barrier and feeding dogs on separate sides of that barrier or feeding one dog in a different room with the door closed.

There are not many dogs, regardless of breed, that would not react to another dog nosing around in their dog bowl or steeling their food. Would you be happy if someone else in your house came up to you while you are eating your favorite food and took the fork out of your mouth? Especially when you are hungry.

We also suggest setting a feeding time limit for dogs.

Now that you are separating your pets for meals, its now time to set a limit for how long food bowls stay down. One dog that takes hours to finish one cup of food and another who is done in under 5 minutes can also be a reason for tension at meal time. Set a reasonable time limit for meal times and once that time is up, the food gets picked up and put away so that everyone can settle and relax.

Do not free feed your pets.

I can not stress this point enough. If there is always food down, there is always something to fight over. Free feeding your pets can lead to a scuffle if your dogs are food protective. Get your pets on a set feeding schedule so that you control meal time as well as prevent fights over food.

Dog-Dog Aggression at meal time is very different then dog-human aggression.

Just because your dog is exhibiting food protective behaviors with your other dogs, this does not mean that your dog is human aggressive. It is your job as a pet owner to prevent scuffles between your dogs. Arguments over food may lead to a strained relationship amongst your dogs and can result in future problems. Again this does not mean it will lead to human aggression. Simple changes in feeding routines can keep multiple dog homes running smoothly and stress free.

If your dog is food aggressive with you or members of your family we suggest you find immediate training help to redirect and eliminate the behavior before it becomes a situation. You should seek training at the FIRST sign of human directed food aggression, don't put it off until it is something you can't fix.

Temperment, a quick overview.

2011-04-01T02:18:00.000-07:00

Temperament: The manner of thinking, behaving, or reacting characteristic of a specific person *or in this case, Animal*

Dogs, just like people, have unique personalities that include their behavior, natural and learned traits and how they react to situations, stimuli, people and other animals.
Each breed of dog has a general guideline as to the traits that a stable dog of that breed should exhibit. Temperament is more then just traits, it is the accumulation of training, socialization, personality, history, genetics, traits and also current situations. Every dog is different, and while it is acceptable to look for these breed specific traits, one needs to consider all of these things as a whole when understanding their dog's temperament.

When you understand your dog's personality and how they react to things, training, socialization and introductions can be easier and you can get a clearer grasp on what your dog needs and how to approach meeting those needs.

Temperament tests are often used by rescues and shelters to judge the adoptability as well as the individual personality of new dogs. These evaluations are used as a tool in understanding a new dog and to identify what needs the dog has.

What do they mean by a "Stable" dog?
A stable dog is one who exhibits adaptability and tolerance to new situations. One that has breed specific traits and reacts favorably under stress. One who is friendly, outgoing and accepting.

You can use Temperament to determine what dog would be the best fit for your family. If you have children, you might consider a dog who is tolerant, calm and accepting of loud noises, lots of chaos and being touched hugged or pestered. If you have an active lifestyle you might consider a high energy dog who reacts favorably to new situations, new people and is not bothered by change.
Keep in mind that the dog's age does play an important role. Many stable puppies can still grow up having unstable temperaments if not given proper socialization, training and boundaries. Puppies Temperament changes as they enter into adulthood, sexual maturity and as they mature in general so by the time they are a mature adult, their temperament is pretty consistent. *This is why i recommend adopting adult dogs, their personality will be generally consistent unless they are placed in extremely distressing situations*

Examples:

Mia

Mature adult female. spayed.

Mia approaches people with tail wagging and a soft look. She has the tendency to jump up on people but accepts redirection nicely and responds to verbal commands. Mia does not bark at strangers, she exhibits a very calm and tolerant demeanor. She is very accepting of children and does not startle or become nervous when approached, tolerant of exuberant childhood greetings, touches and affection. Mia will engage in play with toys, will play tug but is not interested in winning. She is active when asked to be active and when things are calm she is happy to find a cozy spot to sleep. She enjoys being close to people and willingly shows her belly. With proper introductions and slow integration she is accepting of new dogs. She can be dog reactive on leash but in general she exhibits desired positive breed specific traits, adaptive and friendly personality and is of Stable Temperament.

Betty

Young puppy, female.

Betty approaches people with tail wagging but is not an overly exuberant greeter. Betty shows more interest in other animals then in meeting humans. She is highly adaptable and does not become shy in new situations. she is a very vocal puppy who is not afraid of alerting people to her needs. She enjoys playing with toys if interacting with people or other dogs. She wants to be out with everyone and does not like having her own "safe zone" such as a crate or other quiet secluded place. She loves being in the middle of the activity shows no shyness about loud noises lots of movement or new people coming and going. She is not very submissive towards other dogs in play, this in no way means Betty is aggressive. She is confidant and sure of herself yet will give up on an activity should she become bored or frustrated. She exhibits desired, positive, breed specific traits and is of Stable Temperament. with proper training, socialization and introductions, she can continue exhibiting friendly behaviors and maintain positive reactions to new people and situations.

These examples of temperaments are not the same as temp testing at shelters, they are observations about dogs who have been placed in a home setting and subjected to real life situations and environments. They are a way of showing how you can understand a dog by looking at its overall temperament. Testing through shelters judges animals based on key points and reactions to touch and stimuli. How long it takes to approach the evaluator, if the dog looks away when looked at, if the dog stiffens when touched or acts aggressively when approached while eating or playing with a toy.

In a home setting it is easier to get an even better idea as to the personality of your pet. Does the dog follow you around the house, an alarm barker, unable to settle if the house is chaotic, or if they prefer to find a quiet bedroom or the solitude of their crate. Sometimes a shelter situation can have a negative effect on the outcome of a temp test because the dog is stressed, nervous or depressed from living in a shelter situation or being introduced to the chaos and noise.

This is why Goodfellas Rescue keeps every rescue for at least a week, preferably two before that dog is available for foster. We like to keep new dogs at least a month before they go to adoptive homes so that we can learn how each dog reacts to things. Being in a home is less stressful and we can get a better feel for the real personality of a dog and what home might be best for that dog based on their Temperament.

We look at the basic guidelines for traits of the breed.

Human Aggression is 100% not tolerated in any of our Pit bull type dogs as it is NOT a breed trait and it is a sign of an unstable dog.

We only place breed ambassadors up for adoption. Dogs that exhibit appropriate breed traits, stable and friendly temperaments and personalities that best match the homes they are going to.

If you are looking for a new dog for your home, you want to look for a dog that compliments your situation. Getting a submissive dog of opposite gender if your dog is dominant is a good match. Getting a young and energetic puppy if your dog is older and does not tolerate rude behavior then that is not a good match. A shy dog in a house full of children, not a good match. A puppy for a mother who has just had her first child is not a good match.

Do your research, take a real look at your family and your needs as well as your other dogs. Take your time finding a new pet, sit and talk with them about your current pets personality, your activity level, your experience and your situation.

Understanding your dog's temperament will help you understand their needs so that you can work together and create positive interactions and happy memories. We always recommend researching dog breeds and taking the time to really consider what type of dog will be the best fit for your family.

FYI

A stable pit bull should have a proper temperament for the breed. Intelligent, friendly and outgoing, exuberant and adaptable. A pit bull is not a guard dog and should greet people with a soft positive demeanor. It is not uncommon to be drowned in kisses, with tail wagging and body wiggling. Even dogs that do not become this excited should always be happy to interact with people. This breed, even when under great distress, exhibits the desire to be with humans. A pit bull who exhibits human aggression or avoids human contact does not display proper temperament. Dog aggression and human aggression do NOT go hand in hand. Many terrier breeds can exhibit signs of dog aggression however this is NOT a sign the dog will react negatively to humans.

Nose to Nose is a No No

2011-03-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

As all of us know, socialization is vital to a well adjusted dog. Every dog, regardless of breed, should be well socialized with not only humans but with various dogs as well. Owning a Bully Breed can present unique challenges when it comes to dog-dog interactions however and owners of these breeds need to be extra vigilant to make sure they are acting responsibly and in the best interest of their pets.

This is where proper introductions come into play and how we introduce our pets with new animals is an important step in future interactions.

Nose to Nose can be a No No.

Just because dogs gather most of their information about other dogs from their noses, does not mean that your dog has to greet every dog, nor that every dog has to greet yours.

Things such as:

Facing off
Tangled Leashes
Rude or disrespectful dogs
Unexpected aggressive reactions

Can lead to harmful as well as counterproductive situations, not to mention possibly setting your dog up for failure.
We love our dogs, and their success is our success.

You are in control when it comes to who gets to greet your dog. Don't feel bad about saying no, it is not rude, it is responsible.
If your dog is being reactive, keep walking. If the other dog is being reactive, keep walking.
Know your dog's personality and be picky.
If your dog tolerates other dogs walking by praise and move on. Lingering to long can turn a good situation into a bad one.
Learn your dog's personality. The better you know your pet, the better you can select potential play partners that will keep your pet happy, social and positive.

Example one: Puppy introductions
When you have a puppy they are generally very social, very tolerant and very excited to meet new dogs. They love every one.To give them the best experiences we make sure that dogs who greet them are tolerant as well as fully vaccinated. This may mean that puppy only greets the other dogs at the rescue as well as friends or neighbors dogs until they are up to date on shots, and out of those dogs, only the ones that are stable and tolerant will get to interact with the puppy. Puppies need to learn manners in a safe and appropriate way and other dogs are great teachers. Hand picking those teachers is vital.
Get puppy into age appropriate obedience classes where you have other responsible owners as well as an instructor who can help monitor interactions and give you tips on teaching puppy good social skills.

Example two: Leash reactive/dog selective dog
Teach your dog to Ignore. Sometimes the best introductions are no introductions at all. Use food rewards to gain your dog's attention and either have them sit and look at you, or hold treat in closed fist in front of dog and continue walking in opposite direction. (of course give your dog the treat when they walk with you or give you their attention :)You never want to let an excited or frustrated dog meet another dog. If your dog won't calm or becomes reactive as a dog approaches then simply ignore and move on. Don't ever feel like you need to stop and let an introduction happen. A scuffle may create more of a problem later and amplify your dogs behavior. Instead of focusing on getting your dog to meet other dogs, with a dog reactive dog, it is best to focus your training on getting your dog to be calm and unresponsive while on walks. Even if your dog never gets to the point of being able to greet strange dogs, it will be a win if your dog simply ignores them.

Example three: Rude/disrespectful greeter
What if your dog is the one who has little social etiquette and does not respect strange dogs boundaries?
Being a responsible pet owner means teaching your dog how to greet properly or not to greet at all. Strange dogs may not tolerate rude behavior and may react poorly to a dog who rushes towards them, gets into their face or goes straight to their rear. Rather then making excuses about how "friendly" your dog is at it strains on the leash towards a strange dog practically pulling you along with him, it may be time to admit that maybe your dog needs to learn some social graces before they rush up to a dog who is not going to tolerate that sort of interaction. Enrolling in an age appropriate obedience class will give you the opportunity to learn as well as be around other owners that your dog can practice with, all under the supervision of a dog trainer.

Dog Parks
Socialization should be conducted on your terms and under a very supervised eye so that it benefits your dog and their development rather then setting them up for possible failure. Dog parks are not the best situation for Bully Breeds. We encourage bully owners to find alternative ways to exercise their dogs or provide them with social opportunities. Your dog may be highly social and friendly, yet with so many off leash dogs, you can not guarantee that a strange dog will be as social. If there is an issue, and your dog does get into a scuffle, this can create a negative experience and may make your dog more gaurded about strange dogs.

We suggest being very selective about the dogs your dog greets, so they can enjoy the experience, keep it positive.Dogs can have great friendships but you have to take it slow and make sure that play is supervised and stays fun for all.

Interested in learning more about greeting strange dogs if your a bully owners?

Here are some more sources with great information.
Bad Rap on Dog Parks
Bad Rap on Socialization

We will have more blogs about introductions later, including introducing your foster dog to resident dogs.

Product Review ~ Jolly Egg

2011-03-03T00:40:00.000-08:00

No the Easter Bunny is not early, this is the Jolly Egg. I don't know about you but as a Bully Breed Rescue, I have some pretty strong chewers, so I am always interested in finding toys that are durable.

While wondering around a pet store I happened upon this peculiar looking toy and picked one up to go see what the heck it was all about.

I have always been a big fan of Jolly Balls but unfortunately have always found they don't always stand up to strong chewers and was excited to see if this did.

Well let me tell you it is pretty cool. Because of the egg shape and smooth hard plastic, this puppy moves around the floor with ease, wobbling and tilting sometimes even spinning as it goes. Due to the size, it is not easy to get in the mouth and so it does not get chewed upon. Even the top is too smooth and cumbersome to really get eaten. The dog has to push it with foot or nose to get it to move and once it starts look out, my dogs will chase that thing from one end of the house to the other. It is great fun for any age and durable to boot! The great thing about offering your pets a toy box is that you can fill it with safe and durable toys that do not need constant replacing. These product reviews as in place so you can make smart toy purchases for your heavy chewers. To buy higher quality and durable toys initially, will mean spending less money to replace them in the future and will also provide your pet with great interactive entertainment.

Works best on smooth surfaces like low carpeting or on linoleum.
If proper size is bought for the size of your dog, dog should be unable to get their mouth around it.
Interactive, keeps dog's attention.
Easy to clean.
Inexpensive.
Durable, holds up to heavy play.
Play can get noisy if on linoleum or if toy gets pushed up against a wall or corner.

Capone Tested, Bully Approved

Product Review ~ Kong Wobbler

2011-03-01T15:29:00.000-08:00

Now I don’t know about you but I am always looking for the next great dog toy.

With Bully Breeds they have to be durable enough to stand up to some pretty strong chewers! A bonus is when we can find toys that are not just great to play with but may be great to occupy their attention for a minute also.

I have been a fan of the Kong brand of toys for a while now, so when the Kong Wobbler came out I debated purchasing it for some time. It was around the ballpark of about twenty dollars but as a rescue, money is always tight.

I decided it was worth the cost if it could stand up to our resident puppy Capone and give me some much needed quiet time. After a simple twisting off of the bottom, filling the small cup with a few handfulls of dog food and twisting the top back on, it was play time. Capone had learned to get treats from the Buster Cube *look forward to that review soon* So he was pretty sure that he was a pro at this treat dispenser game. Off and running he swatted and nudged it, rolling it around the floor to get at the food but this dispenser has one hole on one side, so he had to knock it down just right to get the food out. I helped a few times, showing him how to do it and soon he was pushing the toy from one side of the room to the other, bound and determined to get every last morsel of kibble.

So bottom line is this: If you have a dog who requires more supervision/attention/stimulation, this is a great toy to buy. It is easy to fill and refill and not as noisy as the Buster Cube but still durable and relatively inexpensive. You do not need to buy special treats to fill it, dry kibble comes out just fine. It is easy to wash by hand. It is too big to be chewed on however i suggest this toy be used for supervised play.

If you need a half hour or so to get some much needed quiet time, this is a great way to keep your dog happy and busy in a safe way.

Only downside is that this toy, like so many others you put food in, can easily be pushed up to walls or objects making it a bit louder at times.

Durable
Reasonably Priced
Easy to fill
Easy to clean

Capone Tested, Bully Approved.

Product Review ~ Buster Food Cube

2011-03-01T15:07:00.000-08:00

The Buster Food Cube is a wonderfully interactive toy that dispenses treats as dogs push it about. The square, hard plastic design makes it difficult for dogs to get in their mouths and that means it lasts longer.
I don’t know about you but as a Bully Breed Rescue, we are always looking for sturdy toys that can stand up to chewers. A toy that also provides mental stimulation and keeps busy minds occupied is always a bonus.
As a rescue, we have several different age groups that call us home, and with every age comes a unique set of challenges and needs. Sometimes it is nice to be able to provide a safe, durable and challenging toy to a dog and be able to get a few things done without needing to occupy their attention.
You know what i mean, when that young dog is bored and even though he has gone outside and played, and even though he has a toy box full of fun toys, he wants your undivided attention regardless how much homework or paperwork you have.
It can be frustrating for both you and your pet. They need to use their brain as much as you do, and if you won’t play with them, what else is going to mentally stimulate them? Chewing on that rope toy or a bone is not going to keep their mind busy, just their mouth. So instead of getting frustrated, try an interactive toy.
We recently did a review for the Kong Wobbler, and the Buster Food Cube is in the same ballpark as far as function.
The Buster cube is filled with kibble or treats (we use kibble because we can monitor their food intake that way and because treats can get spendy)
As the ball is pushed around, it dispenses treats out of a central hole. The inside of the cube has a spiral type interior so treats have to work themselves around and do not get dispensed on every single movement. Dogs really have to work for their food but once they get the hang of it, treats dispense easier.
My dogs can get the cube in their mouth by hooking a tooth on the treat opening so supervision might be required if your dog will not stop pestering the part that opens.
Because of the spiral like insides, treats last longer, the dog works harder and you have more time to get what you need to get done done.
The downside to this product is the noise. With all the food rattling around inside as it moves it is loud and gets louder if your dog is really moving it around. My dog Papi just pushes it behind him with his paw and as it flies across the room it is like a rain stick filled with rocks. Sophia tosses it into the air with her nose. So you will have to get used to the noise to some extent, but at least you will know your dog is still having fun right?
Another downside is it can be harder to fill then some treat dispensers. Depending on the amount of treats you have to coax the kibble out of the center and turn it around to make room to close it.
It is not as easy to clean as some other dispensers. Swish hot water around inside and let air dry. You can not get a sponge into all the dispensers chambers.
So overall

works with kibble or treats
due to construction, dog takes longer to get all the treats
durable
reasonably priced
great for busy dogs who need mental stimulation
can get noisy during play
can take some effort to fill if using more kibble or treats
not easy to scrub out with sponge

We love using interactive toys, it makes us feel better about doing our work when we know that the dog has a great toy that is getting their attention,

Capone Tested, Bully Approved