"Positive" Bias?

As most of you know, we are what is referred to as "Balanced" trainers.  This means that we use both reward and correction - much like real life - to explain to dogs what we want and to encourage and enforce positive behaviour.

A properly fitted chain collar,
also known as "choke chain,"
"check chain" or "training collar"

Last night I was enjoying a live online interview and simultaneous chat about emergency care when one of the listeners/chatters started to rant on and on about how horrible and cruel "choke chains" and "traditional methods" were to dogs.  Of course, it only took a few minutes before several members were on board and were immediately decrying prong collars and e-collar use as well.

Their reasoning?  They claim that "traditional" methods (whatever that means) are inhumane and that clicker training is vastly superior in every way.

The facts, however, do not support this.

Not only are "check chains," "choke chains" or "training collars" (all the same thing, in case you were wondering) safe, but flat buckle collars, head halters and front lead harnesses all share an equal potential for causing physical harm.

Pay close attention to a few things in this video, which is actually a sales video for the Walk Your Dog With Love front clip harness.  First, pay attention to the dog's behaviour in the house - it's quite obvious that training has not been attempted here.  Second, watch the leash and the high level of tension involved - the dog has not stopped pulling!  Finally, watch the dog's gait while walking, and the position his front legs take when he finally comes to a sit.  Look comfortable to you?

The reality is that check chains distribute pressure equally around the entire neck - unlike other devices.  Flat collars place all the pressure directly on the trachea.  Head halters can do damage to dogs eyes and muzzle, and put all of the pressure on the neck and spinal cord.  Front lead harnesses alter a dog's natural gait and while their long-term usage has not yet been properly studied, one can imagine how this would cause a negative effect - not to mention the exceptionally low level of control these products provide.  One trainer even commented that she could identify a dog wearing a front lead harness from as far away as she could tell it was a dog she was looking at, simply by the altered gait.

Observe this dog pulling on his leash.
Note that all of the contact pressure
is on the very front of the neck

It is important to remember that check chains be used ONLY for correction, and not for punishment.  Yes, there is a difference! Punishing a dog is pointless.  Beating a dog, screaming at a dog, hanging a dog - all of these are punishments in the eyes of human beings.  After all, our parents punished us all the time, be it with chores or grounding or the ever popular "sit there and think about what you did!"  The problem is that even as children we have an ability to reason that greatly exceeds that of our canine companions.  The dog does not understand punishment - heck, the dog does not understand a correction if given after the fact.

A quick "pop" on the leash is all that is required.  The dog ideally should not move - we are not trying to knock the dog over.  What you are going for is the equivalent of a strong tap on the shoulder.  The leash should ALWAYS be slack, and corrections should be precise and clean.  To learn how to give a proper leash correction, please contact a knowledgeable trainer.  It is important that said trainer doesn't simply use a check chain, but also knows how to use one properly (this is not to say you can't choose to use another tool - but if your trainer lacks the basic skills to properly use a check chain, you need to keep looking).  If you can watch the trainer work with a client and the corrections seem excessive or overly strong-handed, walk away.

This "pop" instructs the dog that what he is doing that exact second is unwanted.

Dog walking done right! Notice the
leash is slack and there is no tension
in either dog or walker

"Purely positive" or clicker trainers would have you believe that the correct response is a verbal "ah-ah" or simply ignoring the behaviour.  This is fine if the offender is a sweet, stable dog who is sensitive enough to consider this a correction - however, if you are faced with a determined breed or individual, who is say... constantly eating things on the walk or greeting Grandma at the door by using his 80lbs to rear up and look her in the face just long enough to get a good hold and go in for an epic hump - well then, things are a bit different, aren't they?

The trouble here is that the behaviour ITSELF is rewarding.  The dog ENJOYS jumping up and humping Grandma.  The dog is REWARDED every time he manages to snag a snack off the sidewalk.  Some dogs have issues controlling their natural instincts, such as herding dogs chasing and nipping, gundogs being destructive, terriers doing whatever they please and hounds enjoying the sound of their own voice just for the hell of it.

Herding dogs were put to the test in one study which proved
that positive training was ineffective against intrinsically
rewarding behaviours. The stance and stare you see here is
pure instinct, and therefore unlikely to be altered using
positive reinforcement

Ignoring this behaviour is not going to make it go away.  To the contrary, it's likely to get increasingly worse.  In fact, the creators of modern "positive" dog training eventually wrote a paper stating that their original conclusions were incorrect - and that operant conditioning broke down readily in the face of instinctual behaviours.  In other words, it wasn't the magical method they first thought.  Of course, you'll never read that little tidbit in a manual on clicker training, will you?

Their other go-to move is "management."  Meaning that Rover has to be put in another room when Grandma comes in, or wears a muzzle on his walks to stop him from eating garbage, or isn't allowed in the yard unattended for fear he/she will dig a hole under the fence or bark until the neighbours complain.

What does this do?  First of all, it teaches the dog NOTHING.  Secondly, it instills frustration.  Third, you are left with a dog who could potentially do any one of these things if not "managed" correctly 100% of the time.

All this to avoid a correction?

I always recommend that dog owners learn to use tools on themselves before using them on the dog.  This gives the owner a full and complete understanding of the varying levels of correction, regardless of the tool.  Again, please seek out professional advice if you need assistance learning any tools' proper use.

This is a VERY dangerous situation - the dog
could injure the woman in several ways,
including simply knocking her over

The dog who greets guests inappropriately for example can instead meet them wearing a check chain and dragging the leash (under supervision at all times!).  When Rover goes to jump on Grandma, a simple foot on the leash will prevent the jump and provide an immediate and perfectly timed correction.  The dog quickly learns to avoid the correction and instead offers another behaviour - sitting, for example.  We like sitting, so we also keep a bowl of treats by the door for guests to reward Rover for appropriate behaviour.  Within a few days we have a dog who looks forward to a knock at the door because with it will come a reward.  At this point, a verbal "ah-ah" is usually enough to remind Rover what the appropriate behaviour is - followed of course by a reward for performing the correct behaviour.

The point is that not only are check chains an appropriate tool when used properly, they are actually superior to flat buckle collars for training purposes (although ALL dogs should wear a flat buckle collar on which to display their license, ID tag and Rabies tag).  Do they have the potential to be abused?  Sure!  But so does ANY tool.

Note the halter digging in to one side of the
dog's face. When dogs pull on head halters
intently, this effect is magnified, sometimes
actually making contact with the eye itself
or wearing away the hair underneath the eye

 Head halters for example can actually cause scarring on the muzzle and around the eyes.  It can also lead to soft tissue damage simply by just standing there.  That's right - you're standing on the sidewalk with the leash in your hand when suddenly Rover bolts after a squirrel.  His head is whipped to one side as his muzzle is pulled back first.  His neck then bends sharply, while his forward propulsion swings his back end around in front of him.  There is a reason that horse people don't tether or tie down horses - many rescues want the practice banned, in fact.  This type of action while tethered by the muzzle is almost guaranteed to cause injury.  Think about sprinting a few yards - and then realizing your nose is tied to your stationary friend's arm.  Imagine the physical movements that would follow, and see if you think you would survive such an event without injury.

That's not to say that head halters don't have their place.  When dealing with dogs who are simply unmanageable any other way (particularly lunging dogs or difficult dogs with physically restricted owners) they can be a godsend.  They can allow you the ability to manage the dog WHILE you train it.  Keep in mind, however, that head halters are NOT training tools, they are management tools.  As soon as you remove the head halter, the dog's behaviour will continue unless measures have been taken to instill proper behaviour and the dog understands correction.  Note that a correction can NOT be given on a head halter.  If your trainer attempts to jerk on your dog's lead while wearing a halter, WALK AWAY.

Any trainer  who recommends a particular device and then refuses to try anything else if that tool does not work for that dog is NOT a very well-rounded trainer.  Great trainers understand all methods, not just the "how" but the "why" as well.  Great trainers understand the proper use of all available tools, or are willing to direct you to a trainer who does (there is nothing wrong with simply admitting you don't know!).  Great trainers use what works best for the dog in front of them.

With the appropriate tools and professional guidance
this could be you before you know it!

I have never had a client come to me with a difficult case after seeing a balanced trainer.  Every client who has come to me as a second, third or last resort after using previous trainers all had one thing in common - that trainer was stuck with a methodology that didn't allow for their particular type of dog, and could not provide a solution, only management techniques.  While there are certainly some cases that (for many reasons) will only allow for a management-type solution, these cases are incredibly rare.

Clickers and purely positive methods certainly have their place, and sure there are dogs who will respond well to this kind of training.  However, for a professional trainer to condemn a dog to "management" simply because they are unwilling to apply fair, well timed correction or look outside their own methodology for an answer is what I consider the definition of cruel.  Seek out a trainer who understands many methods and techniques, and you are much more likely to find a solution to your dog's behaviour troubles.

For a full and complete explanation of "balanced training" methods, please check out this .pdf created by Laura G White of Cinnstar Retrievers.

Also, please remember - NEVER leave a dog unattended wearing any kind of training collar.  Every dog should wear a flat collar on which to keep their tags and other important information.  To reduce the potential for injury, make sure this collar is also properly fitted - you should be able to fit two comfortably under the collar.  Too tight can restrict circulation and cause hair loss, too loose and it may get caught on something and cause an injury.

Fiona The Mongrel Purebred (aka What Will Crufts Think of Fiona?)

[caption id="attachment_53" align="aligncenter" width="276" caption="CH Shandowns Rapid Transit, the German Shorthaired Pointer that sired the very first litter of the LUA/NUA Dalmatian Project"][/caption]

An interesting blog post arrived in my inbox this morning from the Pedigree Dogs Exposed blog run by Jemima Harrison.  Harrison, as many of you already know, was the driving force behind the shocking documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed which delved into the dark secrets contained within pedigree dog breeding. (The documentary can be viewed here.  It is an hour in length, and it contains some very disturbing images that many dog lovers may find difficult to watch.  However, it is an eye opening look into the world behind purebred dogs and just what that world considers acceptable.)

She explored many breeds and the negative effects that our breeding practices have had on these dogs (not surprising considering many breeds started with only a handful of individuals - or less!) including Bulldogs, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Boxers, German Shepherd Dogs, and the star of today's post, the Dalmatian.

[caption id="attachment_56" align="alignleft" width="207" caption="Gr. Ch. Stocklore Forrest Can O Pee, a LUA/NUA Dalmatian"][/caption]

Let's first take a look at the history of the Dalmatian.  No, no, the REAL history.  As much as I would love to get into why the many fantasy backgrounds provided about each breed contain holes of logic and fact large enough to drive dog show caravans through, I'll let Terrierman explain the general idea for those of you who are interested.  I also recommend taking a look at his articles regarding Fiona, the LUA Project and pedigree breeding in general.

As for the real history of the Dalmatian, theories have been surmised for ages about the dog's original purpose.  The FCI recognized the Republic of Croatia as the origin of the Dalmatian - however, the breed became what it is today during it's time in England.  Once again, it would be reasonable to state that the Dalmatian was born of the English Dog Show Circuit.  Breed enthusiasts also claim that the Dalmatian has existed for thousands of years as a pure breed - which is backed by nothing but fiction and imagination.

Dalmatians first appeared in dogs shows in 1862 (in England) and were presented as a "guard dog and companion to the nomads of Dalmatia."  This seems unlikely given the dog's colouring.  As breed historians will tell you, dogs used for guarding humans are almost exclusively black, grey or brindle in colour.  After all, it would be fairly difficult for a dog with a white coat and black spots to get the jump on an intruder.  This is not to say they don't make good guard dogs, but it goes against common sense to create a dog for this purpose and then make it stick out like a Holstein in a field.

[caption id="attachment_57" align="alignright" width="268" caption="UKC Ch. Stocklore Squire of Britannia, another beautiful LUA/NUA Dalmatian"][/caption]

So other stories were concocted - Dalmatians in fire houses and running as carriage dogs.  Dalmatians as ratters,retrievers and guard dogs.  While they may very well have been used for these purposes, this is certainly not why the breed was created - and it is not used for these purposes today either, aside from the stereotypical Dalmatian firehouse mascot.  The real truth is simple - they looked interesting.

Sadly, the same standards that ensure the "ideal coat pattern" also bring with them hearing issues that leave 30% of dogs with some level of hearing loss.  In fact, it is surmised that initial reports about the Dalmatian being difficult to train or slow to learn were actually caused by early breeders failing to recognize that they were pumping out deaf puppies.

The standard is pretty clear world wide that the coat of the Dalmatian should be white with black or liver spots - and these spots should be evenly spread (2-3 cm apart) and plentiful.  However, a large patch of colour anywhere on the body is a serious fault.  The Dalmatian is born white and gains its coloured spots as it grows, unlike these "patches" of colour which are visible at birth.  While colour patches are a major fault in the show ring, these patches also decrease the potential that these dogs have hearing issues.

From the American Kennel Club's standard for the Dalmatian:

Patches are a disqualification. A patch is a solid mass of black or liver hair containing no white hair. It is appreciably larger than a normal sized spot. Patches are a dense, brilliant color with sharply defined, smooth edges. Patches are present at birth. Large color masses formed by intermingled or overlapping spots are not patches. Such masses should indicate individual spots by uneven edges and/or white hairs scattered throughout the mass.

Read that again - the same colour patches that are considered a disqualification in the show ring also help to ensure that these dogs have proper hearing function.

[caption id="attachment_58" align="alignleft" width="247" caption="A Dalmatian with a "patch." This dog would automatically be disqualified in the show ring - and yet has a lower chance of having hereditary hearing issues.*"][/caption]

So the question must be, why have the breed clubs not changed the standard?  By all accounts breeders should be selecting FOR these patches.  This topic is addressed on numerous Dalmatian websites, and the general consensus is that breeding for patches would result in some dogs turning out with excessive patching - making them "not true Dalmatians by the breed standard."  You read that right - a dog with 100% "pure" Dalmatian blood but an excess of colour would NOT be considered a "true Dalmatian."  Some individuals surmise that selecting for patches may actually create a BLACK Dalmatian (oh, the HORROR!).

If that's the argument - that blood line doesn't matter if the dog does not conform to the standard... what the hell is the problem with Fiona?

Fiona's beginnings started 15 generations ago** in 1973 when Dr. Robert Schaible began the Dalmatian Outcross Project, also known as Low Uric Acid Dalmatians (LUA Dals) or Normal Uric Acid Dalmatians (NUA Dals).  Their website can be found here.

For an in depth look into the Backcross Project and a quick primer on the genetics involved, check this out.  From the Dalmatian Club of Canada (who is pushing its members to support this project!!):

At the US National Specialty 2005 more than 260 Dalmatians were ultra-sounded and they found that: “The results for males were 26% no detectable sediment for calculi (stones); 27 % sediment less than 1 mm and 47% calculi (stones) one to three millimeters or larger.
For females, the results were 72 percent had no sediment: 17% sediment; 11% calculi one to three millimeters: and 0 percent calculi three millimeters or larger.” Dogs in Canada September 2005 Vol 97 No. 1

Dalmatians have long suffered with a genetic disorder that causes an excess of Uric Acid.  From the LUA/NUA website:

Dr. Robert Schaible conducted the breeding in an effort to address the Dalmatian fixed genetic defect that affects uric acid metabolism and that may lead to increased urinary uric acid, urate crystals, urinary bladder aggregate formation, stones, urinary tract obstruction and even death.

AKC registered Dalmatians were used in subsequent matings of the progeny of the original Dalmatian-Pointer cross.  The first three matings, termed “backcrosses”, yielded progeny generally distributed as ½ Low Uric Acid (LUA) and ½ High Uric Acid (HUA). LUA and HUA backcrosses were initially distinguished by a ten-fold difference in their urinary uric acid to creatinine ratios in spot urine samples. Today DNA analysis is done to identify the specific single gene that has been discovered and is thought to control normal canine uric acid metabolism, residing on canine chromosome number three.

The breeding program is now termed the “Dalmatian Low Uric Acid Project” and is presently at the 14th generation from the original cross.  The progeny have 99.98% AKC registered Dalmatians in their pedigrees and on parentage analysis. Their DNA is 99.8% the same as AKC registered Dalmatians.  These facts suggest that the LUA/HUA Descendants cannot be distinguished genetically from AKC registered Dalmatians.

[caption id="attachment_60" align="alignright" width="255" caption="A visual comparison of the urine from an LUA/NUA Dalmatian on the left and what fanciers consider a "purebred" Dalmatian on the right.  Both samples have been chilled on ice - the sediment in the sample on the right is easily apparent."][/caption]

So here we have a group of Dalmatians who no longer suffer from a potentially deadly and certainly painful genetic disorder.  Dalmatians afflicted with HUA (High Uric Acid) require a lifetime of treatment and sometimes even surgical alteration to allow their bladders to drain properly.  For an explanation of this surgical mutilation, you can take a look here.

This group of LUA/NUA Dalmatians also appear both physically and genetically to be... Dalmatians.  So why are the breed clubs and Dalmatian breeders so furious that Fiona is allowed in the ring?

I suppose I should properly introduce the lovely Miss Fiona, aka Grand Champion Fiacre's First and Foremost.  (You can check out her and other NUA Dalmatians at the Normal Uric Acid Dalmatians Blog on blogspot.)

[caption id="attachment_51" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="This stunning Dalmatian known as "Fiona" is being hailed as both a saviour as well as a mongrel imposter by breeders everywhere, but particularly in the UK"][/caption]

Fiona was imported to the UK from Nevada by a Dalmatian breeder Mrs. Julie Evans.  She is three years old and is NOT a carrier for HUA.  Mrs. Evans is committed to doing what it takes to preserve her favourite breed, and believes that by introducing LUA/NUA Dalmatians into the breed that the dogs will be healthier and happier in the long run.  Breed purists disagree.

Paul Heaton, a dalmatian breeder from Liversedge, West Yorkshire, said: ‘It is pretty unethical to allow this dog in a pedigree show. As far as I’m concerned it is an illegal entrant and makes a mockery of the dalmatian breed.

‘This is a dog that is not pure-bred. This is a mongrel. You can’t cross a dalmatian with a pointer and say it’s a dalmatian. This is unethical and I’d be disgusted if the dog won.’ Anne Harcraft, a breeder from Sheffield, agreed.

'The dog is unpure and I do not think it should be shown with pedigrees,’ she said. ‘I would be really miffed if it won.’

Ok, first let's look at the fact that those "pedigrees" are not worth the paper they are written on.  In fact, in the past there have been instances of registered litters involving pedigree dogs previously sold by the breeder and then registered as parents of future litters (despite never having been bred).

“It is relatively easy to falsify parentage as registrations are taken on trust”. – James Skinner, The Kennel Club.

[caption id="attachment_61" align="alignleft" width="263" caption="Fiona was inspected by several Kennel Club judges before being permitted to register as a Dalmatian."][/caption]

Journalists, critics and flat-out frauds have, in the past, registered litters from deceased dogs, a litter of cats, and shelter mutts as pedigreed dogs.

Pedigree dogs require three things to be identified as a purebred.  A registered dog, a registered bitch, and an identifier (usually a tattoo).  This means that obtaining false Kennel Club records is as easy as filling out a form.  All you need is the registration number of two purebred dogs (one male, one female).  They don't have to be intact, or even alive for that matter.  Or, in theory one could tattoo any animal with the alphanumeric identifier and then proceed to register its progeny.  When this became apparent, news organizations all over the world began to question the validity of "purebred" dogs.  The most popular headline online was "Pedigree Fraud Casts Doubt Over Every Single Pedigree Dog Alive Today."

[caption id="attachment_62" align="alignright" width="261" caption="Ch. Robinwood Rain Storm at Sea, another stunning LUA/NUA Dalmatian"][/caption]

So how did we get to the point where "purity" became more important than health?  When did "purity" become more important than genetic diversity, function or overall wellbeing?  Except in the case of form, of course - form is only more important than purity if the form doesn't involve a disqualifying fault according to the breed standard.  After all, a black Dalmatian wouldn't be a Dalmatian, according to many breeders.†

I, for one, will be watching Crufts this year for one reason only.  That reason has four legs, lots of adorable spots and is known as "Fiona."  If she wins, or even places, she will have proven to the world that the backcross projects are not only doable, they are in everyone's interest - particularly the dogs that the people standing in the way claim to love.

The world of purebred dogs is shrinking, and a large part of this is due to the poor genetic condition of most breeds.  This obsession with "purity" is coming at the expense of health and well being, particularly in breeds like the Dalmatian.  The Dalmatian Backcross Project has proven that these issues can be addressed by improving the genetic health of the breed without changing the breed itself.  Let's hope that Fiona's success can be an inspiration to those behind the Boxer Outcross Project and the dozens of other breed clubs who have considered it but fear the traditionalist backlash.

* photo by Andrea Schwartz, via flickr

** I've found it difficult to determine what generation of backcross Fiona is.  Some reports put her at 12th, others as high as 15th.

† I should point out that this is not uncommon - the same feelings are held toward Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies born without a ridge.  They are considered so undesired that several breeders had an issue with removing an endorsement for euthanizing ridgeless puppies from the Ridgeback Club's website.  This, despite the fact that scientists now know that the ridge is caused by a spinal defect that is detrimental to the breed.  Of course, when asked by Ms. Harrison about the issue, one breeder stated quite dramatically that when Ridgebacks were used to hunt lions the ridged dogs were far more successful.  Of course, to that I say - show me a Ridgeback hunting a lion today.  Even if it were true (which it is not) what is more important as a pet dog who will NEVER hunt lions?  Lion hunting ability, or health?
Edited to add: It should also be noted that ALL breeds were originally crossbreeds (or at least cross-types).  Oh, and just in case Fiona doesn't make a big enough splash in 2011 - she's already qualified for Crufts 2012!!

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Update!

Unfortunately, Fiona was completely overlooked at Crufts this year.  No matter, she's already qualified for next year and the biggest hurdle - acceptance by the Kennel Club - has already been passed.  LUA/NUA Dalmatians will continue to be a part of the breed and will eventually become the norm.  After all, if you were a Dalmatian puppy buyer and your choices were between a dog who stood a 30-50% chance of developing a bladder full of sludge and a dog who had ZERO chance of having this occur - which would you choose?

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="226" caption="Meet Ch Dalmark The Shaded Moon at Nospar JW, the Best of Breed winner Crufts 2011"][/caption]

Play Behavior or Something Else?

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Fable and Lexus in the back yard - notice that Lexus is NOT touching the ground!"][/caption]

Recently I added several photographs of my dogs playing to my private Facebook page, and a (very dog-savvy) friend of mine pointed out that non-dog-savvy viewers of the photos may find the images disturbing if they don't understand them.  I subsequently began to add the caption "No dogs were harmed in the making of this album" to every new series of photos when I realized - she was right!

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="163" caption="Fable and India playing bitey-face while Achilles tries to get in on the action."][/caption]

Some days I take for granted that even experienced dog owners have difficulties identifying and separating true aggression from aggressive displays.  Physical displays of mock aggression between pack members are common, and they allow for conflict resolution without the risk of injury.  Consider teenage boys who play football, hockey or wrestling - they are not trying to cause physical damage to one another, but study after study shows that being able to express that natural aggression in a controlled environment (meaning an environment that incorporates physical contact without encouraging or condoning true physical damage) reduces aggressive outbursts in other areas of their lives.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="236" caption="Fable playing bitey-face with her friend India. India has some self-control issues when it comes to other dogs, but as usual Fable is able to win her over"][/caption]

The same can be true with our canine companions.  Proper play behaviours, even mock aggression, serve as a physical and emotional outlet for natural behaviours that may become problematic (even dangerous) if expressed in an inappropriate fashion.  For example, dogs who attempt to direct this kind of aggressive play behaviour towards the humans in the home.

If you are having difficulty managing your dog's play behaviour either at home with their own pack or at the park with other dogs - or if you are concerned that your dog is consistently getting picked on or picking on others - please seek out the opinion of a professional.  All the photos you see here in this post are of dogs playing with one another - illustrating just how difficult it can be to discern play from aggression.

Meet Our Assistant Trainers - Fable

[caption id="attachment_38" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Fable's beauty is undeniable - but her best attributes are the ones you can't photograph"][/caption]

Fable actually came to us as a solution to Lexy's depression.  In November 2008 I was at home watching the US election on CNN, and my husband was going through the dog's bedtime routine.  He took Lex and Molson, our Golden Retriever, downstairs to the kitchen to get a quick snack and a drink and to go outside to do their business before bed.

This was all carried out with great normalcy, and upon coming back inside the house they both ran upstairs to go to bed.  Lexus jumped into bed while Molson, who was almost ten at this point, was a little slower on the stairs and was just ahead of my husband.

Suddenly my husband yelled "seizure!" - Molson had epilepsy, and although his seizures had not surfaced in over four years (we had gotten them under control using only food and some supplements) he had abruptly fallen over on his side and began twitching just a few feet shy of the bedroom door.  I jumped out of bed and came running, and immediately knew that while I wasn't sure what I was looking at, it was definitely NOT a seizure.

[caption id="attachment_39" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="This was a common sight as Lexus grew up - the closer she could get to Molson, the happier she was"][/caption]

Sadly, my sweet boy, the dog who was personally responsible for my study of nutrition, behaviour and training, had a stroke and died within minutes.  CPR was performed to no avail.

Lexus witnessed the entire ordeal, and we allowed her to smell his body afterward in the hope that she would not try to look for him when we came home without him.  She knew immediately what she was looking at, and by the time we got back from the vet clinic she was already in a deep depression.  She ate but without any interest, she wouldn't play and my previously cuddly dog became downright glue-like.  She would wake me in the middle of the night, pawing at me and crying.  You see, from the moment she was brought home her and Molson were never separated.  They even shared a gigantic St. Bernard sized crate because if Lexus was crated separately she would injure herself trying to escape the crate (and was frequently successful).

After about six weeks we started to look for a suitable dog for Lexus, as her depression was only getting worse.  We were looking for a cattle dog and so I went through PetFinder and all the breeders within driving distance to see if we could find an adult male that would provide a similar energy to Molson.  We found nothing.

I began to look through rescues and "to good home" postings in Saskatchewan, where I was scheduled to spend a few weeks at the end of December/beginning of January.  Cattle dogs are extremely common in Alberta and Saskatchewan, much more so than here in Ontario, but the only suitable choice I found was a litter of puppies in Northern Saskatchewan that turned out to be half Malamute.  Not exactly what I had in mind.

[caption id="attachment_40" align="alignright" width="194" caption="Who could resist this puppy?"][/caption]

Just before leaving I came across a local litter that had been purpose bred for stock work - a litter of what some people call "Texas Heelers" but the rest of us call Australian Cattle Dog/Australian Shepherd mixes.  We went to visit the litter and I did what you should definitely NOT do.  I chose a puppy based solely on what she looked like.  Notice I said "she"?  The puppy I chose wasn't even male!  Regardless, I spent the entire time out west checking my email for new photos of the puppy who was soon to be mine.

I arrived at the airport to find both my husband AND my new puppy waiting for me.  It was love at first sight!

The same was not true for Lexus, who immediately decided she wanted NOTHING to do with this THING that I had brought home.  However, her depression lifted as she tried to put on an "I see you, but I don't care" attitude towards the puppy.  We named her Fable (yes, after the video game.  Our cat Pey'j has also been saddled with the name of a video game character) and within a week Lexus had gone from veiled disdain to tolerance to enjoying having a little shadow - even if it did bite her occasionally.

[caption id="attachment_41" align="alignleft" width="161" caption="We call this photo BigSisterLittleSister"][/caption]

Today the two of them are inseparable.  Literally.  We do our best to get them each out of the house on their own, but the entire time neither of them are happy and both are simply waiting to be reunited with the other.

Fable has a very different way of dealing with aggressive or difficult dogs - she puts on such a ridiculously large display of submission that the other dog is almost embarrassed, I swear.  She throws herself to the ground and grovels, licking their mouth and ears and generally making a fool out of herself.

As time goes on, Fable begins to push buttons.  A paw here, a hip check there, the occasional bark or woo-roo.  Using this technique she inevitably gets the other dog riled to the point that it chases her - and now it's a game.  I have watched her break down frightened dogs, angry dogs, frustrated dogs and even dogs who had "shut down" with these techniques - and with such little effort.

When dealing with dogs who are reported to have "dog aggression" we have a three step program.  Lexus is step number one, where she alternates between ignoring and flirting with the troubled dog, all the while feeding me information about the dog's flight distance, sensitive areas and her overall impression of the dog's temperament.  Next comes Fable, to break through that play barrier and to teach both the dog and the client that they are capable of interacting nicely with others.  The last stage belongs to the baby in the house, Juno - but more about her later.

Fable was such an amazing addition to our family, to our pack, and to our rescue/training staff that when I found out the breeding was going to be repeated, not only did we jump at the opportunity to bring home another puppy (Juno) but we also had two friends who brought home puppies as well (Rogue and Cairo).

She has been my rock, my friend, my companion, my assistant, my entertainment and my anti-depressant.  It is impossible to be around her and not have your spirits buoyed.  Most importantly, she really drove home how important it was for us to have canine assistants who were great at their job if we wanted to reach the incredible level of success that we have obtained.  Fable has saved the lives of many dogs simply by changing their perception of the world and reassuring them that their own species is not something to be feared.  We are incredibly proud of her record, and we are lucky to have her on our team - and a part of our family.

[caption id="attachment_44" align="aligncenter" width="497" caption="Fable always greets new situations with confidence - here she is her very first time in Lake Erie"][/caption]

More Nature's Variety Information

I was perusing through my loooong list of Google Alerts today when I came across this gem.

It seems that Jeff Denzen Public Relations (JDPR) has taken to the interwebz to brag about their recent successes with who else but... Nature's Variety!

From JPDR's website:

In early 2010, Nature’s Variety experienced a salmonella contamination in their fresh raw frozen dog food product line, presenting a threat to over 40% of their business.

JDPR aided Nature’s Variety in recovering from a crisis that had the potential to put the raw pet food company out of business. JDPR helped Nature’s Variety develop a strategy to blunt regulatory sanctioning, regain the confidence of retailers and consumers, and increase awareness of an innovative new process that would ensure the prevention of future product contamination. (emphasis added)

"Develop a strategy to blunt regulatory sanctioning."

Does that sound like a company that is concerned about producing the highest quality product possible?  Can you trust a company that hires a PR firm to help them "blunt regulatory sanctioning" while every concerned pet owner is pushing for more regulation, stricter penalties and more transparency?

I'll let you judge for yourself.  Want to see the case study JDPR is putting out?  You can download the .pdf here.

Pay special attention to this line under "Objectives":

Negotiate with FDA to change product status from a mandatory recall to a voluntary withdrawal, and reduce negative brand perceptions among retailers and consumers.

Because that's what pet owners believe will increase the safety of their furry family member's food - voluntary withdrawals!  As if the FDA needed another reason to reduce their efficacy....

Nature's Variety Kibble Issues - UPDATED

I have posted about this issue previously on our Facebook page, however I felt that a more complete explanation of events and findings was required.

On December 24, 2010, we stopped by our local pet store and purchased a bag of food for one of our rescue fosters, a lovely little Chihuahua named Olivia (who is still looking for a home, by the way!).  Olivia came to us in terrible condition, having been repeatedly (and recently) bred and ranking a 1 on the body condition scale.  When she first arrived she ate a homemade diet we prepared for her.  Once she had gained a bit of weight we decided to transition her to a kibble.

We have a very short list of "acceptable foods" that we allow in our home.  These foods are generally grain free, and all are of the utmost quality.  In compiling this list we take multiple criteria into account, including my own personal experience in pet retail and the experiences of my customers during this period.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, rabbit is a recommended meat during the winter months.  As Nature's Variety offers a grain free rabbit kibble in their Instinct line, and Instinct happens to occupy coveted spot #2 on our Acceptable Foods List, we opted for a 4lb bag of Instinct Rabbit Dog.

Immediately upon opening the bag we found several issues.  It was obvious that the food contained items that did not belong, and closer inspection revealed multiple sharp objects contained within the kibbles (these were later identified as fish bones and sunflower seed shells) as well as a single kibble that actually contained a large pink piece of what appears to be plastic.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="217" caption="This kibble was pulled from the first bag - it's difficult to tell exactly what the embedded object is, but it is clearly NOT supposed to be there"][/caption]

On December 27, 2010, we returned the bag to the store we purchased it from.  The manager of the store proceeded to open several bags of rabbit kibble, and we found similar issues with every bag.  We then proceeded to purchase a bag of the chicken variety.  Immediately upon opening it we once again found that hundreds of kibbles contained sharp objects.  While the individual kibbles were much scarier in the chicken variety (containing very large, sharp bones indeed) the overall adulteration was heavier in the rabbit variety.

At this point I contacted the Nature's Variety sales rep for Canada and provided him with photos of what we had found.  At the same time we purchased another bag of Instinct Rabbit from another store in a neighbouring city and once again documented heavy adulteration of the kibble with sharp objects.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="145" caption="Clearly a sharp piece of bone protruding from a piece of Rabbit Instinct"][/caption]

Several days later I was contacted by a service rep from the US office who requested a portion of the samples I had retained.  I was more than happy to comply, and we agreed that due to issues arising from trying to send food over the border it was easiest for me to submit the samples to the store I purchased them from and the Canadian sales rep would handle it from there.  We complied the following day.

On January 11, 2011, I finally heard from NV's Vice President of Quality Systems and Technical Services notifying me that in their opinion there was nothing wrong with the food.  We were told the following:

"As has been communicated the pieces you identified are not bone.  The meals, as you know, do contain bone.  However the meal is ground and screened to a very small particle size and then ground again before going to the extruder, this combination assures that bone pieces are extremely small if visible at all."

"We investigated the specific lot codes you identified as well as reviewing other codes to assure us that our findings were correct.  First of all the pieces you see have always been in the product, this is a result of the fact that it is formulated with whole sunflower seeds rather than a powdered sunflower.  During processing these seeds will be broken and cracked into smaller pieces but are not taken down to an extremely fine powdery consistency.  Next we looked at the frequency of these particles, comparing our retains and warehouse samples to the videos and found that the rate of occurrence looked about equivalent.  We then took multiple pieces and examined them carefully where we determined that they are in fact the seed and not the bone."

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="232" caption="This could be a bone shard OR a seed shell - either way, it easily cut through several layers of GLAD plastic without breaking or coming loose from the kibble itself"][/caption]



Now, it doesn't take a microscope to tell that what we are looking at is not simply sunflower seed.  Notice that NV admits that the "frequency of the particles...looked about equivalent" when comparing the videos I made of the adulteration to their own samples.  Let's digest that slowly - NV considers this to be NORMAL.

My response to this email was understandably one of frustration.  They had failed to inspect the kibbles I had sent in for sampling, they had failed to give any explanation for the large pink object we found, and they had failed to address the fact that these objects were capable of cutting skin and definitely were unsafe for consumption - particularly by a small animal such as the Chihuahua the product was purchased for.

I also found their assertion that because they believed these objects to be seed casings rather than bone that therefore the product was safe.  My response was that I did not care if the offending objects turned out to be bits of dry yogurt - it did nothing to diminish the safety risk.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="180" caption="This is our photograph of Chicken Sample 1-17"][/caption]

At this point we had identified sharp objects capable of cutting skin in two lots of Instinct Rabbit Dog and one lot of Instinct Chicken Dog.  My reply email did not get a response until February 2011.  More on that later.

In the meantime we set about trying to identify the objects more clearly in the hopes that we could convince NV to take this matter more seriously.  A friend of mine happens to attend the local university and is enrolled in their Anthropology program.  As such, she has access not only to some pretty impressive laboratory equipment, but also some pretty impressive experts.  We gave several kibble samples to the lab and waited to see what they came up with.

It took some time for the kibble to be looked at, but on January 28th I received an email informing me that they had taken apart the worst kibble of the bunch, Chicken Sample 1-17.  After dissecting this particular kibble they took photographs of what they found.  The expert looking at these samples was a zooarcheologist who had done her thesis work on fish bones.  Not only was she able to identify the seed shells, but also a large amount of fish bone particles in the samples we sent including a partially complete Dorsal Ray bone and a piece of clear plastic from CS1-17.  Photos of that kibble and the bone found within are provided here.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="184" caption="This is the magnified photo of the Dorsal Ray bone removed from CS1-17"][/caption]

Armed with this new evidence we immediately set to notifying everyone we had been speaking with about this issue, including Nature's Variety.  We received an email back on February 2, 2011 - this was the first contact they had with us following our receipt of the initial email.

They assured us that they had taken our complaint seriously, yet again refused to address our most basic concerns.  It was at this point we were notified by the store that the rep had failed to take the samples we had provided - therefore we knew that they had not even bothered to inspect the offending kibbles.  We received this explanation:

"My previous e-mail was reporting to you on what we found looking at our samples.  However as you pointed out these are not your samples, only our attempt to find duplicates to your photos.  We even had our Canadian sales representative bring samples from the same code date bags that he pulled from the store where you purchased your kibble, but we couldn’t find any kibble or stray matter in the sample that matched your photos.  As you undoubtedly understand it is very difficult to investigate without having access to the material or having investigative results or conversations with  the parties."

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="229" caption="This is a magnified image of the plastic the lab found in the Instinct Chicken Dog "][/caption]

Of course, our response was that conversations with the vets and our zooarcheologist had nothing to do with the issue at hand - after all, Nature's Variety had full "access to the material" and chose not to look at the samples provided.  We had provided dozens of photos, several videos, and now photos taken under microscope of our findings clearly illustrating objects that a) should not be in the product and b) posed a danger to the animal eating it.

On January 31 we were informed by a staff member at the store in question that a customer had returned a bag of Instinct Cat Rabbit that the cat would not eat.  Out of curiosity the staff member and manager inspected the kibbles and reported to me that sharp objects were found throughout.  Unfortunately I have not been able to document the rabbit cat kibble - however I have no reason to doubt the report of the store manager who at this point is now seriously concerned with the product safety.

On February 4 we provided NV with the phone number of the store we had originally purchased from and the name of the store's manager who had gone through the product with us and was aware of the problem and its severity.  To date NV has continued to demand the contact information for our experts but has failed to contact this concerned retailer.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="194" caption="Another example of Chicken Instinct, CS1-11. Are you concerned with what this object is, or would you simply rather that it not be there at all?"][/caption]



February 8, 2011 my husband was going through some baskets of pet supplies we had stored away and came across a sample of Instinct Cat Duck and Turkey that the sales rep had given to us at an annual trade show in September 2010.  I am positive of this date - the food had just been released and the rep knew that I had been waiting to see how much chicken would be included in the product (for some reason NV puts chicken meal in all of their cat flavours - something they do not do with the dog formulas.  This renders the cat varieties as useless for allergy or elimination diets, a frustrating issue for retailers who are always looking for grain free products using alternative protein sources for hard to feed cats).

On a whim (half joking) my husband brought me the sample and suggested I inspect it for sharp objects.  I was about to have him throw it away and decided it couldn't hurt to take a peek.  Considering that NV was still maintaining that they were finding it impossible to locate samples of their product that contained objects matching those I had documented, I quite honestly did not expect to find anything.

Sadly, immediately upon opening the sample bag the foreign objects were obvious.  We poured out the sample and went through it - not only did it clearly contain sharp objects (including bone), but the saturation was the highest we have come across.  Even worse, while inspecting the sample we came across a kibble that contains a very small piece of green material.  Upon inspection with a 45X hand held microscope, this piece appears to be a very thin but clearly rectangular piece of plastic.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="479" caption="Kibble from the Instinct Cat Duck & Turkey sample - note the uppermost kibble containing the tiny piece of green plastic.  Do any of these kibbles look like food you would want to feed your cat?  Do these kibbles look safe to you?"][/caption]

Of course we notified NV immediately, although their response was what we have now come to expect - namely further insistence that they speak with our experts.  They also requested that we submit the sample for testing.  Given that all previous samples submitted have ended up disappearing, I am seriously reluctant to hand this sample over.  Remember, the previous sample containing the large pink object was utterly ignored by NV.

The cat kibble shape is a flat circle just a few millimeters thick.  Unfortunately this means that many of the kibbles contained bone pieces that protruded through both sides of the kibble and were firmly anchored.  For cats who chew very little or swallow pieces whole (which would be most of them, in my experience) this product is especially dangerous.  This form of adulteration matches what was described to me by the staff at our local store when they inspected the bag of Rabbit Cat - although the rabbit kibbles are apparently tiny and globular, bones extending out either side of the kibbles were found throughout.

While Nature's Variety continues to claim that they have been unable to find a sample of kibble that matches our findings, the reality is that we have been unable to open a bag of Nature's Variety Instinct kibble of any variety that does NOT contain these objects.  We also firmly reject their claim that all of these objects are seed casings, and in any matter we stick by our original assertion - that is, we don't care if these objects turn out to be dried yogurt - the objects are hard, sharp, and firmly embedded enough to cut through several layers of GLAD heavy duty plastic bag and have succeeded in cutting skin when tested.  These are NOT objects you would want sliding down your pet's throat, particularly firmly embedded in the kibble at a 90 degree angle.

We have advised all of our clients to stop feeding ALL Nature's Variety products.  While our own experience has been limited to the Instinct line of cat and dog food, an online search has discovered potential issues with their canned, freeze dried and frozen raw diets as well.

You can view photos of the affected kibbles from the first bag of Instinct Rabbit Dog here and here, the second bag of Rabbit Dog here, the Instinct Chicken Dog here and the Instinct Duck and Turkey Cat here.  Photos taken under the microscope can be viewed here, and photos of the pink object found in the first bag of Instinct Rabbit Dog here.

Please feel free to comment on this issue - comments will not be moderated.  I am interested to see if other pet owners consider these photos to show an acceptable product or one that poses a safety issue and should be avoided.  If you feed Nature's Variety I urge you to take a VERY close look at your kibble before feeding it.  Should you discover anything that gives you pause, feel free to link to it in the comments or email me at dogsintraining.hamilton@gmail.com with a description and photos and I will add it to this post.

We strongly urge Nature's Variety to take a closer look at their raw materials as well as their current screening process - until these products are removed from the shelves and replaced with a product we are assured is safe, namely one that does NOT contain sharp objects of any kind, regardless of what they are made of.

 

*** Update, February 11, 2011 - we received an email from NV again today which contained several interesting statements.  First, that other complaints had been received about the same issue (something they had previously denied).  Second, that the company could not find an "underlying issue that is as critical as you imply." To me, this suggests once again that they are aware of the issue and simply do not find it "critical" enough to act upon.  With this information in hand, we are adding Nature's Variety products to our permanent "Products To Avoid" list.  This is incredibly unfortunate, as we believe that NV puts out a unique product that fills a necessary void in the current marketplace.  However, given our findings we can not agree that this issue is of a "non-critical" nature. ***

Meet Our Assistant Trainers - Lexus

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="367" caption="Lexus 2009"][/caption]

Lexus did not have a very easy start in life.

While looking to rescue a Rottweiler or Rottweiler cross in 2005 we came across a litter of Rottweiler/Lab pups that had been born on a nearby farm.  We were looking for an adult female Rottweiler or Rottweiler cross who would fit in well with the pets we already had - a Golden Retriever named Molson, a Pomeranian named Gretchen, and our two cats, Jasper and Katrina.

With the exception of Molson, all of our pets were rescues and we had every intention of continuing this trend.  Unfortunately, after more than a month of searching we had been unable to find a suitable candidate.  We were in the process of moving from our security conscious apartment building to a detached home in a less than stellar neighbourhood, and we were ultimately looking for a dog that would serve as both a playmate to Molson as well as a visual deterrent to unsavory characters.

Molson had been taught to "Guard" on command, and would put on quite an impressive display of intimidating vocalizations when asked.  However, we never could get him to stop wagging his tail while "Guarding," which merely added to the fact that even the most vicious Golden Retriever is hard to take seriously.

After finding the newspaper ad I contacted the number provided and was informed that there were three female puppies approximately 7-8 weeks of age.  That afternoon we went to see the puppies with absolutely NO intention of bringing one home (those of you who have tried this already know how this story ends).

Upon arriving at the farm we learned several disturbing facts.  First, the mother dog was an 80lb Rottweiler - who was only 8 or 9 months old.  Still a puppy herself, she had been left intact and allowed to roam during her first heat.  Somehow this family was surprised (and appalled) by the outcome.  They had no intention of breeding her, and had no use for puppies.  As soon as it was discovered that she had become pregnant she was locked in a stall in their empty barn to await the puppies' arrival.

Eight puppies were born, but only three survived.  The trio was then left in the barn with their mother until they were ready to be sold, at which point they were brought into the mud room for viewing.  They received no socialization, no exposure to other dogs, people or even sunshine.  Further questioning exposed their true birth date - a mere 4.5 weeks prior.  The owner of the Rottweiler was charging $50 a puppy - with the funds going to spay their female to prevent future litters.

I sat in the mud room on the floor with the three lucky survivors, every cell in my brain screaming "Bad Idea! Bad Idea!"  As a trainer I was fully aware of the impact such a start in life would have on these dogs, and knew better than to take one of these puppies given that it was quite likely we would forever be dealing with behaviour issues related to their pathetic upbringing to this point and being separated from their mother at such a young age.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="163" caption="She knows the flower bed is not an appropriate place to play - but with a face like that, I'd rather just replace the flowers"][/caption]

Efforts to relay this information to the owner were futile - he had lined up more than enough "visitors" to place the puppies in unsuspecting homes and just wanted "the problem" gone.

I have no suitable explanation for what happened next, but I snatched up the puppy that seemed most interested in my husband (at the time I would have liked to have taken all three - however the thought of housetraining a puppy while living on the 14th floor and trying to get the apartment packed up was only made worse by imagining the same situation times three) and suddenly found myself seated in the car with two brown eyes staring at me from inside the towel I had pulled from the trunk to wrap our new family member in.

Our entire ride home was one long conversation about what a "Bad Idea!" this was, peppered by rationalizations that at least she was going to a knowledgeable home and perhaps this puppy might actually turn out ok.  None of which made me feel any better about my decision.

Fortunately, Lexus turned out to be the easiest puppy I have ever raised - before or after.  She housebroke within weeks, much faster than she should have given my lack of consistency at the time.  She gained an immediate respect for the cats thanks to... well, the cats (Jasper has always been a better dog trainer than I am) and fell head over heels in love with Molson despite the fact that he wanted nothing to do with her and spent her first week home perched on the couch, beyond the reach of the tiny little puppy.

Training was a breeze, with her being reliable off leash by six months of age.  A "correction" for Lexus can be as simpleas a dirty look or the slightest "Ah-ah!"  Never before (or since) have I met a puppy with such a fabulous combination of intelligence and sensitivity.

However, it wasn't long before her past caught up with her.  When she was six or seven weeks old we went to the local pet store to pick out some supplies for her.  We were crouched down in the leash and collar section, trying different colours on her to see which one brought out her eyes the best, when a German Shepherd (about 15 feet away) innocently poked his head around the corner to take a peek down our aisle.  He was not aggressive and made no sound - he was merely checking things out.

Lexus took one look at him (or rather his head, which is all that stuck out past the end of the aisle) and SCREAMED.  She bolted to the end of her leash and even released her anal glands out of sheer terror.  Staff and customers came tearing down our aisle expecting to find a little dog being mauled to death by some horrible Cujo-esque creature - and instead found Lexus - reeking of anal glands and shaking violently.  It took several minutes to calm her (and the onlookers) down to an acceptable level, but from that moment on she never looked at dogs the same way again.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="207" caption="Lexus observing the world around her"][/caption]

People who know Lexus now are aware that she is sometimes a little uneasy around large, pushy dogs but would never believe that once upon a time the mere sight of another dog caused her to totally lose her mind.  She was never one to go looking for a fight - it's quite common for fearful dogs to posture aggressively as a preemptive strike and to maintain their bubble of security - but she was prone to snapping at dogs who got too close too quickly.  Despite the fact that she never actually made contact with any of them, we opted for safety and had her fitted with a cage muzzle before beginning to go to work teaching her that dogs were not to be feared.

Oddly enough she overcame her fear of little dogs quickly.  I say "oddly" because at the time she lived with aPomeranian who never missed a chance to try and make her life miserable - including repeatedly beating her up (or at least giving it a good try).  It was not unusual for Lexus to attempt to initiate play only to find herself running through the house with a growling Pomeranian attached to the side of her neck or face.  I should explain that Gretchen never actually hurt Lexus, and Lexus truly seemed to enjoy the attention.  So much so that to this day her favourite dogs to work with are snarky little dogs who think they are big and scary.  Nothing makes her happier than a little dog who wants to chase and bite her.  Go figure.

She is still occasionally wary around large dogs, but now responds by returning to either me or my husband to allow us to enforce her bubble of safety.  In fact, I frequently observe her judgment of other dogs to let me know who I need to be particularly cautious around.

Over time we realized that our visual deterrent was never going to materialize as it became obvious she was never going to hit 50lbs.  Judging by her behaviour, body type and mannerisms, combined with the area in which she was born, we believe her to be a Rottweiler/Australian Cattle Dog cross - all 42lbs of her.  The combination of breeds is an interesting one, and while mixed breed dogs are always a crapshoot as far as what traits they will inherit from their parents everyone who meets Lexus comments on her unique personality.

From her Rottweiler mother she has inherited her "talking" ability, close observation skills, patience and stoicism.  From her (presumed) ACD father she inherited her sleek body type, efficient movement, energy level and intelligence.  When Molson passed away in 2008 I knew that cattle dog crosses would always be our breed of choice, and this is how we came to acquire to two more in the following years.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="272" caption="Lexus enjoys her part time job, as her goofy grin illustrates"][/caption]

Some of Lexus' more interesting habits include trying to nurse kittens (repeatedly), adoring tiny dogs while avoiding puppies of all breeds (ew, puppies! is her general reaction, as if you have asked her to play with slugs), and a sense of cleanliness that she passed on to her younger sister Fable (but seems to have skipped her youngest sister, Juno).  She loves to be bathed and avoids dirt and mud at all costs.

Her main job as Assistant Trainer #1 is to work with aggressive dogs smaller than she is.  Her utter ignorance that perhaps these dogs are serious in their threat display coupled with her incessant desire to play puts even the most determined little dogs at ease as they quickly realize that not only is this dog NOT going to mirror their aggression (which of course only escalates the situation) but she is going to respond to their aggressive approach with play advances.

Lex's secondary job consists of dealing with dogs who are aggressive on leash.  Her failure to react to even the most out of control threat display soon puts other dogs at ease.  This is born from her utter and complete trust in her handlers, namely myself and my husband.

Could we do what we do without our Assistant Trainers?  Absolutely - and there are some cases where their presence is not required.  However, by including the dogs in our efforts we have found that we achieve results quicker - thanks in part to their ability to speak dog much more fluently than we can, and partially due to the fact that they allow us to show owners of "problem" dogs just how easily their dogs can be influenced by external stimuli.  Since we are generally called in as a last resort, this is a very important step in each dog's rehabilitation - showing the owner that rehabilitation is possible right off the bat ensures that they are far more motivated to stick with the program we prescribe.