Paws About Town: Canine Training & Obedience

Our extended family here at Paws just took another huge blow with the loss of their beautiful Keisha. A frequent flyer here at the house for over 4 years now and shock doesn't even begin to cover it.

When we started boarding dogs some 5/6 years ago, I never really considered how much these dogs would become part of our family. But your babies absolutely do become our babies too. They watch movies on the couch with me when I'm sick, they hang out with our friends when we have gatherings, they sit by our desks while we work on the computer, they stare at us while we cook and eat, and they're with us in the back yard while we talk philosophy, politics, literature, music, whatever random nonsense Bob and I come up with. Your babies were with us when we got engaged in the snow (yes it was during potty rounds) and they were with us when I lost each of my parents. Through all the highs and lows, your dogs are there with us.

I've been thinking a lot about the pups we've lost over the last couple of years. It never gets easier to get these calls and hear these stories. Whether it's old age or tragic injury or illness. Bob and I grieve with you and for our extended family.

“It came out of nowhere!”

Very few bites come without warning. They may be quick but most dogs do give us signals before they feel backed into a corner enough to use their teeth. Knowing what to look for can save human and dog lives alike.

Did you know 'up to' 50% of children are likely to be bitten by a dog? Children under five are statistically most likely to be bitten out of any age group, bites usually occur on the face or neck and are most often inflicted by the family or family friend's dog. Contrary to popular belief, dogs don't have an innate desire to protect or care for children, but rather, can find the body language and eye contact of young children unnerving. Bites don't come out of the blue, there are always warning signs, yet these subtle signs of stress usually go overlooked. By the time a dog growls they've almost certainly been uncomfortable and showing it for some time. Dogs generally don't like their space being invaded, arms around their neck or having children lean or sit on them. At best they will tolerate it (for a while). Nearly all of the signs you see in this video are dogs asking for space, and it's important to understand a dog won't always move away to create space, they will use their body language or eventually teeth. There is no such thing as a bomb-proof dog and no such thing as a 'child safe breed'. EVERY dog has the capacity to bite. Understand that when children get bitten in the home this doesn't necessarily mean a dog is 'aggressive'. All the behaviours in these videos are normal and in the dog world, using teeth is also normal. It's our job to learn how to read and advocate for our dogs so they don't need to advocate for themselves. Some of the many stress cues in this video: - Tongue flicks - Stress yawns - Eye blinks - Ears back/flat - Whale eye (seeing the whites of the eyes) - Closed/tense mouth - Freeze/tense and stiff body language - Averting gaze / turning the head away - Shifting weight - Lifting paws - Appeasement licks (these are often thought to be loving kisses, whereas in this context they are space-increasing signals) Would you have picked up these cues? EDIT: Sharable link available here: https://youtu.be/UnCWKL64AaY

Appa is with us to learn how to not pull his Mama down on walks. Reigning in that big boy energy!

Bruno wonders where all the Halloween decorations went. It hasn’t even happened yet! 🤦‍♀️

Young Bruno is with us to learn some basic skills to help him on his path to the Canine Good Citizen test. He’s going to use this sweet personality of his to brighten others’ days someday.

Newest recruits Landry and Cooper are with us for the next 2 weeks to learn a few behaviors to help improve their manners in the home. These sisters from another mister are learning when their explosive, excitable behavior is allowed and when it’s not.

Rehome alert!

Rizzo belonged to a good friend of Paws About Town who passed away a few months ago. Housing restrictions to his breed have left his family in a pinch to find Rizzo a new home.

He’s approx 3 years old, 45-50lbs, neutered, and current on his vaccinations. He’s a happy boy but can be nervous if handled too rough or harshly. He will likely need some polishing on his manners which we will be happy to provide at a discounted rate.

Message for further details!

Newest recruits Magnolia and Conan are with us to polish their leash and home manners. They’re here to prove to the world that good manners can be found even in the unlikeliest of packages. It’s not just for the big dogs!

Kilo and Violette’s 2nd (and 3rd) outings continued to be successful. Although not the most eager to be photographed, they caused a stir everywhere they went! Well on their way to becoming the best behaved Husky siblings for miles around!

Kilo and Violette’s first trip to the park! We splashed in some puddles, made some turtle friends, and practiced recall. Round 2 coming soon!

First bluebonnet photo of the season! Washington transplants Roscoe and Nelson are true Texans now!