Excitement Won't Get You Those Desired Results

I read this blog today, Music To My Ears, by a professional dog trainer who I happen to know and respect. She owns a Bark Busters franchise, and I happen to like that they acknowledge pack behavior and know a lot of dog psychology. 


With that said, one of the things that I disagree with in this post is the way in which the reward is to be given to the dog when he remains quiet - "in a high-pitched voice." How can you tell a dog he's a "Good Quiet Boy!!!" if you're saying it in an excited tone of voice? This completely undermines your intent of calming him down and keeping him quiet. Anyone who read A Dog's Purpose fully understands what Bailey meant when he thought humans were confusing when they used emotions or verbalized thoughts that were the opposite of what they wanted him to do.


Yes, dogs need a job, and most certainly yes, dogs need to be drained of excess and pent-up energy. It's what keeps them from barking incessantly, digging, and developing behavioral issues like fur licking, pulling and chewing; chewing up your belongings and house, spinning in circles, and bouncing like a ball.


As for the yipping and yelping (notice it's not barking) when the siren wails, the coyotes out by me do the same thing when the six o'clock siren sends out its one notification from a mile and a half away in town. If you're quiet, you can hear where they are out in the woods sounding like a chorus. So, that to me is primal and normal. The rest is bored, hyper with no rules, zoom behavior.


What job can you give to a chihuahua? I, too, would vote for the physical energy draining of structured walks and play time (exercise=body) along with some mental challenges (discipline=mind) which Rachel offers up as treat games. Redirection is the key. Tired dogs are happy dogs and owners, and the perfect time to give lots of loving (affection=soul) when they are calm and submissive. I don't know why people think that small dogs don't need walks...they're DOGS for God's sake! Hey, look at those two words - made in his name. <3


It's easy to get a dog excited; it's challenging and difficult to keep him calm and submissive, and that should always be the goal. Get out there and walk!

Follow-up to Distressing Ride to Work

For the next couple of weeks I continued to travel over the reservoir due to a roadwork detour. The Thursday following the incident, way off to the calmer side in the water, I could see a goose in the morning mist. I think she was sleeping as her head was resting on her back. She was the only goose out there. I saw this same sight for the next few mornings and evenings, never caught sight of her sleeping again, but she was always alone. Could it be her waiting for her mate to return? I believe that all animals go through their own type of mourning ritual prior to moving on, and the cycle of life continues...

Distressing ride to work this morning...

I live in the Hilltowns of Albany County, New York, and feel privileged to partake in nature's wonderful array of wildlife, foliage, lakes and streams, and reservoirs. It was while crossing over one such beautiful reservoir that I encountered something I've never seen before.

I have been seeing Canadian geese roam about this causeway for the past several weeks, and I know it's dangerous because it is only a two-lane road. I usually fear for the folks fishing off the sides or walking along the narrow shoulder. I've seen the gander of one pair strutting, protecting his mate while she pecked at the grass. I noticed in days past that some drivers would stop and let them cross, or at least slow down anticipating their moves, and some pick-up drivers come very close to them as if to say, "if you get in my way, I'm gonna hit ya."


Well, this morning, the inevitable happened. Unless told by that someone, I'll never know what really happened, but the beautiful gander had been hit and sent rolling into and under the guardrail. I am not sure how long ago this had happened, but I think it was right before I got there because his mate was flurrying down the causeway, running and zigzagging back and forth, hooting and squawking like any wife would do that had just seen her husband killed. I felt so sorry for her that I'm crying now while I'm writing this remembering her hysteria. It was like something out of a children's story book - like Chicken Little when the sky was falling. I've never seen anything like it. I know that they are monogamous, but this went further than some fact about geese; it reached into emotion and my heart and soul.


My mind has a problem with death, as if it can't fathom it or wrap itself around it. It's always been that way for me. Things like this stay with me for a while and really bother me. Was it still dark and somebody just didn't see him as they came upon them, or did someone deliberately hit him without thought or remorse?


How long did that poor goose carry on, and did she keep going back to her dead mate? Did she prod him? How long until she quieted down - if she did? Do they have eggs or goslings to care for? Do they find new mates eventually? Do they commit suicide or spend the rest of their lives alone? I cried on the way to my pet sit prior to my full-time job, and hugged the cats when I got there.