Fido… Come… Sit
By Yvonne Passmore
http://www.FidoComeSit.com

Recently I had the great displeasure of helping a friend of mine try to find an older dog to adopt. She was concentrating on retired breeding females, which brought us to the scene of the crime.
As we turn into the driveway, we encounter a beautiful private setting lush with trees. A gorgeous chalet type home leads to a pine bush. Further down the lane is a lovely building showing generous indoor/outdoor dog runs nestled in this bush. I size up and envy what seems to be a luxurious setup. This is where the fantasy ends and the nightmare begins.
As the breeder greets us and leads us into her kennel, the noise is deafening and the smell is unpleasantly overwhelming. We learn at this point that all of these dogs live full-time, and always have and apparently always will, in these kennels.
Issue One – Dogs should not live in kennels. I understand a breeder’s need to find housing solutions for dogs that are their bread and butter. As uncomfortable as I am with it, it’s there and a part of society that seems to get worse instead of better despite all the education out there. These were dogs that refused to leave their kennels, sadly because that life is the only one they are comfortable with. Once the breeder dragged the dogs out of the run, both females cowered in the corner of the viewing room refusing to make contact with us. They trembled and shivered because our presence.
Issue Two – The dogs that we went to see were six-year-old females that already had five (!!!) litters.
Issue Three ­– I don’t understand how these dogs could be so under-socialized to strangers if people are meeting them while viewing the mountains of puppies they already had. People that are buying puppies often feel they have no need to see the mother. They are buying the puppy. In reality these puppy buyers are also buying the mother and that mother’s life experiences. Those life experiences contribute to how the mother interacts with other people. The mother’s confidence level contributes to the pup’s confidence levels. It should go without saying that these mothers had nothing mentally to give their offspring.
Issue Four – None of these dogs, parents or puppies, have ever been in a house. The crucial early stages of a puppy’s mental development are barely met by being raised in a loud, cold, barking, and stressful environment such as this. Many breeders of kennel dogs manage to allow their female dogs and their litters some justice by having the whelping and puppy rearing in the house. They do this to provide the mother a stress-free environment to nurture her puppies, and for the puppies to benefit by learning the sights, sounds and smells of a home life before they reach their new forever homes.

The problem is…
That these dogs didn’t understand anything about children, about stairs, about doors, about leashes is something that careful and positive training could tackle.
That these dogs didn’t understand anything at all about how to about being handled, pet, stroked, love or life is something that my friend, a mother of two young children, didn’t have the time or know-how to tackle.
I know that the right person with the right circumstances could eventually teach one of these dogs how to lead a happy life, but it was best in this situation to walk away. To have to walk away because of the mental state of these dogs was heartbreaking. That this breeder made no excuses or saw no issues with how these potentially lovely dogs were in the psychological condition they were in brings me to issue numbers 5, 6, 7, 8, 9…

Visit Yvonne’s website www.fidocomesit.com for training help, column suggestions, comments and book info.

Fido… Come… Sit
By Yvonne Passmore
http://www.FidoComeSit.com

Well, apparently not.
Over the holidays my youngest dog, Chiclet, had what most people would consider a bad encounter with another dog. While we were visiting with my parents, a friend stopped by with her dog. Now, I’m not sure what exactly happened to create the fireworks but there was an explosion and the fur was flying.
My Mom’s friend’s dog is a lovely older dog that gets along well with people and other dogs. Chiclet generally isn’t overly interested in dogs. She prefers to say a quick hello and then go about her business. The situation we were in, at someone’s home, didn’t allow these dogs a slow or proper introduction to each other.
To prevent problems in these situations, we really need to stop thinking like people and start thinking like dogs. Close quarters offer no escape and homes may translate as turf.
When most dogs meet each other, personal space is the last thing they think about. Most dogs instantly invade another dog’s space by immediately sniffing the other’s behind. In the dog world, that’s totally acceptable. What happens next will determine the type of relationship they may have. Dogs that take the next step of going in to investigate another dog’s face too soon, or the ultimate insult of putting its head or paw on another dog’s neck or back can lead to all out war. The wrong sideways glance from either my dog or the friend’s dog resulted in snarls, growls and teeth being bared. These two dogs, both who generally get along well with other dogs, became heavyweight boxers standing on their hind legs duking it out.
These things can happen so fast that no one really notices who or what started it. The one thing I know for sure is that the brawl wasn’t the dogs’ fault, but ours for taking their good natures for granted and not going through the proper procedure to help ensure a good first meeting.
If we choose to meet this dog again, and I certainly would like to, it will be on neutral turf and not in such a personal ‘in-your-face’ manner. A walk together to feel each other out and then allowing them both off leash where there is room for them to move freely would probably result in a pleasurable experience despite their initial awkward first date.
I guess there’s always some embarrassment when ‘our kids’ can’t play nice with each other, but if it’s only the occasional dog that your dog doesn’t care for, does it really matter? It does if those dogs need to be in social settings together often, but if they only meet in passing in shouldn’t matter much. It’s not up to us to decide who our dogs like. We shouldn’t be so pompous to try to make that decision for them or make the assumptions that they should all just get along for our sake.
No dogs were hurt in any way for the contents of this column.

Visit www.fidocomesit.com for column suggestions, training help and book info.

Fido… Come… Sit
By Yvonne Passmore
http://www.FidoComeSit.com

At this time of year I have a few: C-O-L-D, S-N-O-W, D-A-R-K, W-I-N-D, W-A-L-K.
The more miserable the weather gets, the happier my dogs become. I love the mildness of the summer. It’s warm, the sun is shining and my dogs are lazy. The older I get, the more I appreciate lazy dogs.
When the seasons turn from mild to wild, so do my dogs. I guess I have only myself to blame. My dogs are physically strong and in good shape. They get exercised in every type of weather. They’re either running and swimming in the rivers and lakes or running and jumping through the snowbanks that are to come. The colder air makes their fitness levels evident.
Most dogs are made for cooler climates while I am not. I don’t really mind the cold and the snow but I do mind the inconvenience of it all. Extra layers of clothing make it more difficult for me to walk as quickly as the dogs love to. The layers of ice on the roads make it almost impossible. I find my daily wardrobe is geared only towards comfortable and easy walking. I wear coats with bulk and lots of pockets for poop bags and tennis balls. I wear boots with the thickest tread that I can. I am far from a glamourous creature in my utilitarian get up while the dogs look lovely with their extra fur to keep them warm.
I have to take baby steps, picking through the ice and snow spots to find safe asphalt to walk on. I’m sure I look lost and confused to anyone spying on me through their frosted windows. My dogs look prancy and surefooted.
They love the cold. They can go forever and try to. In the milder weather, a three mile walk, along with a generous run and a round of fetch would more than satisfy them for the day. They would be exhausted, happy to languish and pant on the floor. Now, with the cooler temperatures, they require an extra walk and an after dinner wrestle on the floor (in front of the TV of course) like a class of five-year-old children on a sugar high.
Baby, it’s cold outside, and they’re loving it.
There are times when I am glad I have dogs that force me to go outside when I wouldn’t otherwise. During these times, I can really appreciate and be awed by the ferocity of a snow squall, the quietness of a fresh snowfall, the beauty of iced over trees in the morning ice mist. These things I wouldn’t see or notice if my dogs didn’t require more exercise in the winter.
There will be times when I’ll thank my dogs for forcing me to appreciate some of the beauty of winter. That thanks will be quiet and under my breath. The complaining that I do – about my dogs forcing me to be outside when I really don’t want to be – will be loud enough for all to hear.

To all of you dog lovers, thank you and Merry Christmas!
Visit www.fidocomesit.com for column suggestions, training and book info.

Fido… Come… Sit
By Yvonne Passmore
http://www.FidoComeSit.com

Of our three dogs, Viva is the oldest. She’s just approaching nine years old and is a great little Golden Retriever. From that first day driving her home in the car, she had a strange confidence. She calmly looked out the window without a whimper and without much excitement.
She walked into our home, where two other dogs lived with us at the time, and just took over. Here was this adorable golden and fluffy puppy that did not blink an eye as she stole all the toys available on the floor in front of these two large older dogs and calmly placed her loot in her crate. I think the other dogs were as baffled and awed by her cockiness as we were.
I usually spend the first night or two with a new puppy on the couch. I take that time to bond with the puppy and to provide comfort and company. This girl would have none of that. She wasn’t interested in sleeping and snuggling with me and was happier on the floor next to the couch. Again, I found that strange but was impressed by her calm independence.
She learned well and won all the awards available in obedience classes. She was never an obnoxious dog so we never really had to deal with bad habits. She’s quiet with people and wonderful with young children. We can take her anywhere and she’ll be quiet and mindful. She’s a fantastic dog. Everyone says so, but…
The words ‘warm fuzzies’ and ‘Viva’ never belonged in the same sentence. From the beginning, she quietly ruled the other dogs and acted as if she had no use for us. Viva never showed a desire to be petted and would actually leave us when we would try. She was never a lap dog or a snuggler. She didn’t need or want a best friend, human or otherwise. There have been many times that I wasn’t even sure if she was still in the house because she would never seek me out to say hi. We used to say that she was still waiting for her real owners because she sure didn’t act like we were who she wanted.
Now my husband believes I should take her to the vet because she is acting strange. She’s playing with the other dogs. She actually laid on my lap twice last week. Every evening she lays at our feet with her head on our legs waiting to be petted. She sleeps on our bed and doesn’t leave when we pet her or when we touch her by accident. This is not the dog we’ve known for the last nine years, but it is the dog that we were hoping for nine years ago. Maybe dementia is catching up to her. Maybe she’s finally realized the owners she’s been waiting for aren’t coming and she’ll have to settle for us. For some reason she’s finally appreciating and liking us. I think I’ll just treat my old dog like a new dog. I’m going to feel foolish telling the vet that there’s something wrong with my dog when the only symptom is that she finally likes me.

Visit www.fidocomesit.com for column suggestions, training help and book info.

Fido… Come… Sit
By Yvonne Passmore
http://www.FidoComeSit.com

With fall officially upon us, Mother Nature had decided to grant us with some wonderful summer like days. With vacation season over and the kids back to school, it was a perfect time for us to take advantage of the now quiet beaches. My dogs love the beach. They can run and play fetch endlessly because the water helps keep them cool to continue playing.
There are a few dog beaches in the area and this is where we go when time and weather allow. There are some other like-minded people that also bring their dogs to the beach and I certainly don’t have any issue with that.
I guess my issues come with what I assume.
When we see that we are approaching other dogs, for the peace of mind of myself and others, we leash our dogs to pass by when there isn’t much room. It’s at this point when the other loose dogs will approach my dogs and come to say hello. Again I have no problem with this as long as we all say a quick hello and go back to minding our own business. For the stranger dog, I assume that he will go back to his owner to continue what they were doing. Failing that, I assume that the owner will come and take him back to continue doing whatever they were doing. At the very least I assume the owner will come to be with his dog while he’s interacting with my dogs. I assume when I see dogs off leash anywhere, that those dogs are well trained and controlled by their owners. I’m sure you all know the saying about ‘assuming’?
My two retrievers will ignore other dogs that approach them while they are playing. They are only interested in fetching their balls and returning for another throw. They’ve experienced other dogs that come to steal their balls, physically try to push them around, jump on them, chase them, or spoil their little game while the owners of those dogs sit on the beach and watch. While walking we’ve had unleashed dogs come barreling up to my dogs acting aggressively. The only thing that probably prevented those instances from turning into fights was having my dogs remain focused on me to avoid eye contact with those types of dogs.
I have no problem with off-leash dogs, or with dog friendly beaches and parks. These places make my time with my dogs more enjoyable. I’ll still be enough of a sucker to be optimistic enough about humans to make the assumption that they have enough control over their dogs to give them off-leash privileges. At the very least I’ll still assume those dogs are amenable enough to both dogs and people that any contact will remain calm.
If your dog isn’t one of those, I’ll assume you will take the fall and winter to work on your dog being a good off-leash citizen. I will also assume I’ll see you at the beach next year where we can let our dogs enjoy the fruits of good training.

Suggestions, comments, questions, book info?
Go to www.fidocomesit.com.

Fido… Come… Sit
By Yvonne Passmore
http://www.FidoComeSit.com

A puppy was born. She was the smallest of the litter and, for that reason, she was named Chiclet. Cute and adorable? Not Chiclet. She was restless, busy, a scrapper for food, and would strike at your face like a cobra. This little girl seemed not to understand the meaning of no or can’t. She was independent while the other puppies were snuggly and sweet. Chiclet would lunge at your face, snag clothes with her claws, bite too hard, bully the other puppies and she thought she was the best of the best. She easily was the worst puppy I ever had and for that reason we decided to keep her.
During her first year, there were many times my husband and I regretted keeping her and wondered why we chose to punish ourselves this way. My other dogs, including her mother, also seemed to have their patience pushed to their limits with her antics.
I always make it a point to take a new dog to as many different homes as I can to help with that dog’s socialization. My parents usually welcomed my visits, with or without man’s best friend, until I started bringing Chiclet. Chiclet was a tornado if given the chance. She ravaged my mom’s beautiful gardens. She chased and pounced on their Bichon’s tail. Before Chiclet, my parents welcomed a visit. Begrudgingly, and I’m sure with lots of eye rolling, they allowed me to bring that tornado over in my quest to make this lunatic puppy into a well-rounded dog.
Fast-forward three years. My husband and I wanted to take a mini-vacation a few weeks ago. Arrangements were made with family to care for the easy-going Great Dane and Golden Retriever. I assumed we would take Chiclet with us because her reputation preceded her. I just didn’t believe anyone would want to deal with her exercise needs and her goofiness.
Amazingly my wonderful parents offered to take her so we could enjoy our time away. I was so grateful to have some time alone without dogs.
As it turns out, my parents had a great time with Chiclet. My father enjoyed their walks together and my mother enjoyed spending time on the beach playing fetch. Even Moppy (the terrorized Bichon) enjoys Chiclet’s company. Chiclet was well behaved and affectionate.
The years of work with Chiclet, while still allowing her to be who she is, had finally paid off. I didn’t do this work alone. Never giving up on her, finding ways to work with her instead of against her, redirecting her bad behaviour towards good, and having a patient and willing family have all helped to make that chaotic puppy the best dog we’ve ever had, no question.
Suggestions, comments, questions, book info?
Go to www.fidocomesit.com.

Fido… Come… Sit
By Yvonne Passmore
http://www.FidoComeSit.com

It’s the age of “designer” dog breeds. Years ago, any dog that wasn’t a purebred was considered a mutt. Now mutts are developed on purpose and called designer breeds.
Breeders that deal solely with producing true purebred dogs are flailing their arms and frothing over the way purebreds are being mixed to produce new types of dogs. Conscientious purebred breeders are breeding dogs for the betterment of their breed, striving to produce the perfect dog. In that quest to produce that perfect dog, many purebred dogs are developing inherent and genetic defects. I’m sure most of you are aware of German Shepherds, Great Danes, Golden Retrievers and many other large breed dogs that are prone to hip dysplasia, bloat, heart defects, blood diseases, skin conditions and the list goes on.
Breeders of the new designer breeds are capitalizing on this sad situation to find a sound dog by breeding two purebred dogs together and claiming their dogs are healthier because of ‘hybrid vigor’. Hybrid vigor advocates claim that breeding two purebred dogs together helps eliminate, or at least lessen, the woes of current purebred dogs.
It’s a great sales pitch, but absolutely not true. When breeding dogs (bitch and/or sire) with any genetic faults, there is a strong chance that the puppy or puppies will inherit those faults. This applies to purebred and mixed breeds.

Intended benefits
The nice thing about designer breeds is the development of something new. All purebred dogs have evolved from an assortment of breeds. Different types and breeds of dogs were mixed together to create a dog to fill a special niche or perform a certain type of job. The same is true for a variety of designer breeds. The most popular are the Labradoodle and Goldendoodle. The Labradoodle was originally bred in Australia with the intention of enabling blind children with allergic reactions to dogs the chance to have a service dog that shed little to none. Since Retrievers have been the dog of choice for this purpose for many years, it seemed to make perfect sense to combine that type of dog with the intelligent and affectionate Standard Poodle. This combination helped to open a huge new world for people in need.

A good breeder makes a difference
There is plenty of room in this world to let us have it all when it comes to choices for a pet dog. Our priority should be taking the time to find breeders that only breed mentally and physically sound dogs. Good breeders should have no problems showing you the documentation to back that up. 
Whether you are considering a ‘true’ breed or a ‘new’ breed you must consider the original purpose of that breed(s) and the type of dog to make sure that dog and you will fit well together.

Suggestions, comments, questions, book info? Visit Yvonne’s website: www.fidocomesit.com.

Rules are important, but it’s more important that you and your dogs enjoy the experience

Fido… Come… Sit
By Yvonne Passmore
http://www.FidoComeSit.com

While talking to my mother about leash walking her dog, she seemed almost apologetic about walking her little Bichon with an extended or Flex-type leash. I assume she expected that I, as a dog trainer, would frown upon her dog not walking neatly by her side. While training a dog, I can get pretty anal about how to walk a dog, how a dog should walk with us and how to train a dog to walk.
Setting rules and expectations while dog training, especially with leash walking, sets the tone for how you will both get along, or not get along on walks for the rest of your dog’s life. I admit that I am particular about teaching a dog to walk on a particular side, about not pulling me on the leash, and about keeping my pace whether fast or slow.
I think I may differ from many dog trainers about how a dog should walk on leash. I teach my dogs to heel, but I certainly don’t walk my dogs in heel.
My purpose for walking my dogs is to release energy, to maintain good physical shape and to remain exposed to the outside world. This isn’t just for my dogs, but for me as well. Above all else, I want to enjoy my walks, and I want the dogs to enjoy our walks. I’m fine with letting a dog explore and sniff around. Go ahead and mark a post or a tree occasionally. Walk a little ahead of me, or behind, see and smell what the neighbourhood has to offer. There’s no need for me to continually enforce strict rules while trying to enjoy a walk. If I’m constantly nagging my dogs about where they are when on leash, I’m not going to enjoy all the benefits of that walk and neither are my dogs.
Perfection from my dogs has never been my goal with dog training. I certainly am not perfect, despite what I make my husband believe. If I can’t expect myself to be perfect, why would I expect an animal to be?
That said, the following are my expectations for leash walking.
As I mentioned earlier, I do expect a dog to learn which side I want them to walk on. I hate having a dog that constantly criss-crosses in front of and behind me.
Being pulled on leash is unbearable to me. I teach early on that pulling will not take them in the direction they want to go. I expect my dogs to come back to me to walk in check when I instruct and need them to.
I always walk one of my dogs on an extended leash. It’s good for her. She’s happy when she has the ability to explore a little. She has the freedom to be behind me or in front of me, but she knows and understands the rules so that we can both enjoy the outing.
As a dog trainer people probably expect me to apologize for allowing my dog to walk far in front and not in a tight and controlled heel position. But as a pet owner I feel no one needs to apologize for making walks as comfortable as we can for both our dogs and ourselves.

Suggestions, comments, questions, book info? Go to www.fidocomesit.com.

Fido… Come… Sit
By Yvonne Passmore
http://www.FidoComeSit.com

Do you find that men get along better with female dogs and women with male dogs? That’s seems to be the way it works in my household.
I have two female dogs and one male. My boy dog is crazy about me. He seems to love me unconditionally. He doesn’t get antsy about not going for a walk if the weather is lousy. He isn’t always looking for something to do when I’m with him. When we go out for off-leash runs it’s almost impossible to get him out of my sight since he is always checking to see where I am. At home, he’s happiest lying in bed next to me. He just wants to be by my side. I love my mamma’s boy.
My girls are a different story. I love them as well, but their love and adoration towards me seems to come from a different place. Their first priority, or so it seems, is themselves. They are always looking to me for something, whether it be a walk, a run, a swim or a round of fetch. My one female will follow me around all day waiting for a big event. My other female pays no attention to me at all until it’s time for a big event. I know they love and respect me, but I have the feeling that they are using me.
I think they feel that I’m here for their amusement. I suppose I am. I do take care of their emotional and physical needs and wants. It just seems a little one-sided.
They are all great dogs. They are respectful and mindful and I enjoy taking them out and watching them run, swim and play. They keep me busy and active. Without them I know that I’d be putting on a lot more pounds than I already am. I guess that’s my pay off, but I still have the feeling that the girls aren’t giving me the same unconditional love that my boy gives.
Maybe part of the explanation is that I have sons. I admit that I have a better mental connection with little boys than I do with girls, especially young ones. After all, dogs are like two-year-old children. Is this connection the reason I prefer male dogs to females?
With my male dogs, what I see is what I get. With my girls, there is an ulterior motive for their actions. I know that if they are giving me kisses, they want something.
I spend all day with my dogs. I walk them, feed them, groom them, pet them and take care of all their needs. Once my husband is home, I may as well fall off the planet. At that point the girls have no further use for me. Again, I know they love and respect me, but my girl dogs adore my husband and vice versa. They have a way of lowering their heads and raising their eyes to him that makes him give them all the food from his plate. My husband likes my boy dog, but he doesn’t have that same urge to be willing to starve when my boy dog tries to look at him the same way. Good thing I’m in charge of feedings.

Suggestions, comments, questions, book info? Go to www.fidocomesit.com.

Fido… Come… Sit
By Yvonne Passmore
http://www.FidoComeSit.com

A past client of mine was just telling me how her dog is now trashing her belongings when she is gone to work for the day. She tells me that her dog is angry with her and that’s why he ruins her new glasses, her shoes, her couch, and the list goes on. She won’t accept my explanation that the dog is upset. Obviously he is upset, but not at her. He’s just stressed.
This is known as ‘separation anxiety’. It’s common, and most dogs do react unfavourably to being separated from their owners. It’s unnatural for a dog to be away from its pack; a dog is a pack animal, after all.
Of course we have to go to work. We have to shop (some more than others), and we have to go to school. We have to leave our dogs for a myriad of reasons.
The stress that dogs feel when we leave them is easily preventable. It’s in the dog’s best interest to have him adjust early on to being left alone, as unnatural as that is for him.
Too many people apologize to their dog for leaving them and apologize again when they get home. This is the cause of the stress. You have to teach your dog that it isn’t his business if you leave the house or when you come home.
I have the luxury of staying home most of the time with my dogs, so it is an adjustment for them when I’m not there. My Great Dane used to howl and whine when I left him home alone. It was my mission to never say good-bye to him when I was leaving the house and never to say hello to him when I returned. He has become so comfortable with me leaving, whether for 15 minutes or six hours, that he won’t bother to get off my comfy Memory Foam bed to greet me when I do come home. This certainly doesn’t hurt my feelings. It means he’s adjusted and has become quite comfortable out of my presence. I never have to worry about the damage those big jaws can do to my belongings.
There are other things you can and should do before you leave your dog alone to help ensure his comfort while you’re away.
Make sure he’s had enough exercise to help relieve any physical frustrations he may have, especially for a young dog. Make sure he’s gone ‘potty’ and don’t feed him just before you leave him. Make sure that you have any items that may be tempting to him out of reach. Leave a radio or television on for some distracting background noise. The obvious answer to prevent destruction is to teach your dog to become comfortable in a crate or an ‘X-pen’, which is the doggy equivalent to a playpen.
Above all else, your dog needs to believe you are the leader and that you call the shots. You pay the bills and you make all the decisions about lifestyle. That doesn’t have to be as mean as it sounds. Controlling your dog’s environment and having him understand that his role is as a follower will only help him cope with the realization that we have placed him in an unnatural lifestyle for a dog. By taking one simple step of acting like a leader when you leave and return, you will help reinforce to your dog that he lives with you in your home and not the other way around. In a pack, the alpha doesn’t go running to the rest of the pack to greet them, the pack comes to him.
Wait to say hello and only do so once your dog has calmed down about you being back. I’m sure some of you think that it’s cruel to not instantly get down on your knees and hug and kiss your dog when you come home. It’s actually an act of kindness to not let him get excited about you going about your life. The more relaxed your dog is about you leaving and returning, the more relaxed he will while you’re gone.

Visit www.fidocomesit.com for column suggestions, questions and dog training help.