Deerfly Diaries

My First Puppy Delivery

 

My friend Gary Metzler is a breeder/trainer/handler of AKC Field Champion GSP's. His five-year-old female Roxie was bred two months ago for her first litter and Gary had asked me in advance if I wanted to be there for the delivery. Without hesitation I told him I'd love to be there if it worked out.

Last Thursday, just as I had sat down to write an article that was due the next day, the phone rang with the news that the puppies were coming.

“Roxie is ready to pop these puppies any minute so you better get over here soon,” he said.

I closed my computer, grabbed some towels and headed for Gary's cabin. "What the heck. I'll write my article in the morning," I thought. Plus, I figured I had never witnessed a puppy birthing and it could make for some good writing material in itself.

When I got to Gary's, just minutes later, Roxie had already dropped one little female. The new mama paced in circles inside the whelping pen while Gary carefully watched the little pup to make sure she didn't get stepped on. Right away Gary asked me to jump in and help.

“Just sit here and make sure Roxy doesn't crush your own pup," said Gary. “She's not quite sure what to do yet. Get a little milk on your finger and put it on the pups nose. Try to get her interested in the nipple. It's important that we get this little puppy nursing as soon as possible.”

This was a first for me. I had never milked a dog. Roxy wasn't producing much yet, so it was a slow process, but in a little time the puppy was attached to a nipple and all was well.

About an hour later Roxy let out a scream and in a split second there was the second puppy. I helped get the puppy free from the placenta to get the puppy safely breathing while Gary carefully snipped the umbilical cord.

Within another two hours we had three more. All five were females. The puppies were as soft as could be- all white with mostly liver colored heads and large liver patches. Their eyes were closed and they appeared to only have one instinct, a cute little non-stop roto rooter action that allowed them to wiggle and squirm their way to nourishment. The last two puppies were much quicker to get on a nipple than were the first two.

The most amazing thing about the whole process was the obvious transformation in Roxie. When I first got to Gary's she was anxious and unsettled. But after four short hours and birthing five little pups she was a mom in full swing. It was as if she had been doing this all her life. I suppose it was part exhaustion, but Roxie was as relaxed as could be with her new babies. She tiptoed around them and made sure not to lie down on top of them. She licked them and nuzzled them to her belly where she knew they should be.

I went home amazed at the little miracle I had just witnessed. In the middle of the night, long after I had gone home, Roxy had one more puppy—a little male. She had six puppies total and all are doing well. She is being a great mother and the future is bright for these little bird dogs to be.

 

Sue Melus is an Certified Dog Trainer living in Carbondale, CO. Her business Good Life Dogs specializes in private in-home dog training.

 

New Class Teaches Dog Clicker Training Basics

Beginning this Saturday at 10:00 am at High Tails Dog & Cat Outfitters in West Glenwood Springs, I will offer a new Level I Dog Obedience class. I will cover basic cues and behavior issues. All ages of friendly, vaccinated dogs are welcome. Students will be provided a free clicker learn how to use it to communicate with their dog and teach it new behaviors. For $110 students can purchase a 6-session punch pass to complete my six week curriculum. Learn more about the class.

How Does Clicker Training Work?

Clicker training simply uses a clicker to mark good behaviors in your dog. It is very similar to when you tell your dog, “Good dog,” when it sits, then you give your dog a treat. Instead of verbally praising the dog we use a clicker to mark the exact instance that your dog performs the good behavior (i.e. click when your dog’s bottom hits the ground). Then we always follow the click with a small, soft food treat. 

The clicker is very effective because it is a unique noise that is new to your dog. The sound of the clicker quickly begins to mean something to your dog. Before long your dog will start thinking, “What did I do to get my owner to click.” The dog will soon learn to repeat the behaviors that earned it a click. 

A Clicker Helps Your Dog to Understand What You Want

Clicker training can be a very fast and effective means of communicating with your dog because it relies on positive reinforcement rather than punishment or coercion. It creates a thinking dog that is eager to work for rewards. Clicker training works well with almost all dogs of all ages. It can also be a very effective means of working with shy, fearful or easily distracted dogs. 

 

Women's Pheasant Hunt at Pine Shadows Daybreak Lodge in South Dakota

I just returned from a week of pheasant hunting with five other women at the Pine Shadows Daybreak Lodge in Frederick, South Dakota. It was a 16 hour drive from my home in Carbondale, Colorado, but worth every minute. Just ask my two German shorthaired pointers, who also got to come along for the week of bird dog bliss in the heart of pheasant hunting country.

Pine Shadows Daybreak Lodge

Daybreak Lodge is owned and operated by the Haglin family. Mark Haglin (below left) got his first springer as a gift from his wife Sophie in 1975. Now the company operates Pine Shadows, the country's largest English springer spaniel kennel, located in Brainerd, MN. Mark's son Morgan (below right) is the head dog trainer and one of several guides at Daybreak.

The Daybreak Lodge is ten square miles of private hunting grounds west of Aberdeen, South Dakota, way up in the northeastern corner of the state. The terrain is unique in that it includes a variety of rolling hills, forested draws and sloughs, as well as the more traditional flat farm country that is generally associated with mid-western pheasant hunting. There are two guest houses on the property, the Hudson House and the Campbell House. At one time, the property marked the southern most outpost for the historic Hudson Bay Trading Company.

Women Hunters Convene for a World-Class Pheasant Hunt

The female hunters on the trip included five other women who are all involved with marketing and communications for the hunting industry: Cristie Gates from Benelli USA, Cathy Williams from Federal Ammunition's Media Agency of Record, Kim Eveland of Eveland&Partners who oversees marketing of the Beretta Trident Program, Anna Stubna, Editor of the The Ruffed Grouse Society magazine and Cheryl Riley V.P. of Education and Outreach from Pheasants Forever.

Also joining us were Scott Cherek and Scott Buchmeyer, who handle advertising sales for PF and RGS and several other hunting and conservation publications. Scott and Scott graciously organized the trip and invited me to come along with my dogs to document the trip for a future Pheasants Forever magazine article.

Daybreak is equipped with several ATV "Mules" and even a 4-WD "short bus" to transport hunters into the field. It didn't take long to realize that the cover in Daybreak was exceptional. My jaw dropped when I first saw my bouquets of hundreds of birds explode from the cover. With the help of our guides and their hardworking dogs, everyone got their fair share of shooting and birds. We even had one female guide named Joan (below right) who was an experienced and successful dog handler.

Joanie's husband, Lynn (above left) was our chef extraordinaire for the week. Breakfast and dinner were served family style in the dining room. Lunch and happy hour were served in the Post, a relaxed meeting building adjacent to the Hudson House where we all stayed. There was no lack of nourishment. Despite all the walking and hunting we did, my scale claims I came back three happy pounds heavier. 

It was a blast to share the week with other women who share my love of the outdoors. The camaraderie was similar to any other hunt, yet this was the first time as a women that I was part of the majority of hunters. There was little pressure to "bag our limit." The agenda was to have fun, enjoy the adrenaline of the hunt and learn everything we could from each other.

Daybreak sent us home with cleaned, packaged and frozen birds, along with a selection of their favorite pheasant recipes. I hated to leave the lodge, but I packed up and headed west with my dogs to some wonderful public walk-in access that topped off my week of hunting. The next day I drove all the way home from Pierre, SD. I had plenty of time to reflect on the successes of the week and to dream about the next time I meet my friends at Daybreak.

A big thank you to Pine Shadows Daybreak Lodge and staff, the Haglin family, Scott and Scott, and of course my new huntress friends.

 

 

Volunteering at CARE Rescue for my ABC Externship

To complete my ABC Certified Dog Trainer program I am required to volunteer at least ten hours of training time to a local shelter. The goals is to help the dogs become more adoptable and at the same time, improve my dog training skills.

Volunteering at an Animal Shelter Helps Place Rescue Dogs in Homes

I actually have been volunteering once or twice a week at C.A.R.E. since I started the ABC program back in May. I find it to be a very rewarding experience. Many of these dogs come into the shelter very wired and excited. They are confused and not sure what is happening to them next. The shelter provides a safe place for them until they find a home, but it is still filled with unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells that can be very intimidating to a homeless dog in transition. Just walking the dogs allows them to get outside of the shelter, relax and unwind. A little training goes a long way to help the dogs focus, which in turn also helps them to relax.

Finding the Potential in a Shelter Dog

One of the dogs I have worked with recently is Hayduke. A sweet pitbull mix that seems to love everyone, but when I first met Hayduke I wasn't sure if he would ever calm down enough to be walked by the average person. He jumped, fought the leash, was short on attention and was SUPER strong. After a little time outside of the shelter, Hayduke calmed down enough to put a Gentle Leader on him. This really helped calm him and allowed him to be more easily handled on a leash. Now that he is used to the Gentle Leader he is calm and better focused– a joy to walk.

Hayduke is not yet adoptable because he is still in line to be neutered. The exciting thing, however, is seeing this dog's actual potential. He is really a beautiful dog that just needs a little training. With a little effort, I hope we can find him a great forever home sometime soon. 

C.A.R.E. Rescue opened its doors in 2000. Since opening, C.A.R.E. has taken in and placed over 6,300 dogs, cats and exotics. The 501 c 3 is primarily funded through private donations, funding from Garfield County, Colorado, fundraisers. They are always in need of donations of money, supplies and volunteers.

Sue is a dog trainer in Carbondale, Colorado. She offers affordable private dog training sessions and group classes, upon request, to residents in the Roaring Fork Valley.

Animal Behavior College Certified Dog Trainer Program Externship

Earlier this spring I enrolled in the Animal Behavior College's Certified Dog Trainer program. The Animal Behavior College is a private vocational school approved under California Board of Education. It's a great program for people like me who want a high quality of training, but who do not have the means to travel to a dog training school for several weeks at a time. It was also a good choice for me because I have quite a bit of experience training and working with dogs, but was lacking in the academic side of learning theory and canine behavior.

ABC Certified Dog Trainer Program Combines Distance Learning With Hand-On Experience

The ABC programs consists of nine units of book work that include a basic study of canines, learning theory, training tools, obedience cues, the art of problem solving, safety, public speaking and teaching group classes and business building.  Students are paired with a program manager that helps grade their multiple choice and essay exams.

The second half of the program is hands-on training work with a mentor trainer and volunteer hours at a local shelter. I recently started my externship and am excited to announce that I will be working with Tracey Yajko as my mentor trainer. Tracey is the Training and Behavior Manager at CARE, Colorado Animal Rescue, in Glenwood Springs. She is a graduate of the San Francisco Academy for Dog Trainers. I have been volunteering at CARE since I started the ABC program, so this is a perfect match for me and is very convenient.

Learning to Become a Dog Trainer While Helping Dogs Find Homes

For my externship, I am required to attend group dog training classes where I will observe, train and assist other students. The classes are held each Tuesday night at High Tails Dog & Cat Outfitters in Glenwood Springs, CO. I will also volunteer to train dogs at CARE, in hopes that it well help them become more adoptable. 

Currently I am working with two dogs at CARE: Bear and Hayduke. Stay tuned for pictures and updates on my training and volunteer externship.

It's a Long Road to a Finished Adventure Dog

It's Monday morning after the two-day Wildrose Kennels Hunting Retrieving and Adventure Dog Workshop in Vail, CO and I am kicking myself because I don't have any photos to share with you. The fact of matter is that it was hard enough to stay on top of handling and training my dogs. There was little time to put down the leash and pull out the camera.

The Wildrose Way

Mike Stewart, head trainer at Wildrose Kennels, taught that good leadership skills are paramount to good dog training. Leaders must be calm, focused, assertive, have good timing, use the proper tone of voice and be confident. Likewise, followers (the dogs) must be calm, patient and focused.

The workshop commenced in the classroom covering the "Wildrose Way" of training Gentleman Gundogs. These are dogs that are skilled and enthusiastic hunters and retrievers, but are also calm and focused in duck blind as well as in the house or anywhere else it needs to travel. Mike and the other trainers at Wildrose have adapted and applied the same methods to training Adventure Dogs and Diabetic Alert Dogs. Deke the Ducks Unlimited mascot dog is a Wildrose Dog and joined us at the workshop.

Wildrose Adventure Dog Certification

Mike, with the help of Grayson Schaffer, Senior Editor of Outside Magazine, have developed a training curriculum for people who want to put their own dogs to the Adventure Dog test. The Adventure Dog curriculum focuses on 14 skill sets including biking, hiking, camping, rafting, skiing, shooting, etc. Owners work through each skill set at their own pace. After each skill set is mastered, they are given a sticker of completion that brings them one step closer to the final Master Trekker certification. This is a long process that could take a couple to a few years to complete. The Wildrose Adventure Dog Certification program is open to all breeds and age of dogs and is a fun way for owners to work on their training skills and set goals for themselves and their dogs.

Adventure Dogs are Well Rounded Dogs

In the afternoon of day one we did a lot of handing exercises. The dogs were asked to remain calm and focused as the owners heeled their dogs around the other dogs. We put the dogs in a sit or whoa and Mike tossed retrieve bumpers in front of the dogs. We also did some work on building memories for retrieves with the dogs. 

The second day of the workshop we did more specific Adventure Dog training like teaching the dog to heel to a bicycle, log and ramp crossings and river crossings. We also did a lot more work on building different types of retrieve memories, such as 180 trailing retrieves and circle retrieves. We discussed using retrieve and scenting skills to teach dogs to hunt for mushrooms and hunt for sheds. Mike stressed that these skills need to be practiced repeatedly and in different places in order for the dog to be able to generalize the skill in any circumstance. 

Dog Training Requires Time and Patience

By the end of the day on Sunday the dogs and owners had all accomplished a lot. The work was rewarding and, as always, pointed out strengths and weaknesses of both dogs and handlers.

The final rule of the Wildrose Way is to "Make hay slowly." In other words, take your time with training. Good training is a never ending process and certainly doesn't happen over night. It takes time and lots and lots of patience, but the rewards are big and will last for life.

More Resources

Links to Adventure Dog videos and the Wildrose Kennels Facebook page can be found at UKlabs.com and at Outsidek9.com.

Sue Melus is a dog trainer, certified Pet tech instructor and German shorthair pointer enthusiast based in Carbondale, CO.

Wildrose Kennels, with sponsorship from Outside Magazine, offer two day Hunting Retriever and Adventure Dog Workshop

This weekend I pack my bags and load up the dogs for a two day Hunting Retriever and Adventure Dog Workshop in Vail, Colorado. The event is led by Wildrose Kennels' Head Trainer, Mike Stewart, and Outside Magazine's Senior Editor, Grayson Schaffer, who has trained closely with Mike for some time now. Outside Magazine has sponsored the event so entry is just $25 for two days of hands on dog training- what a deal.

Wildrose Kennels, was founded in Tennessee in the '70s and is now based out of Mississippi with a summer operation in Granite, Colorado. Wildrose is known for breeding and training top British retrieving dogs- a classic "Gentleman's Gundog." Additionally they offer The Wildrose Adventure Dog to complement the outdoor lifestyle. Adventure dogs accompany their owners hunting, fishing, biking, boating and camping.

You can read some of Mike Stewart's training tips in an article by Dave DiBendetto in the recent August/ September 2010 issue of Field & Stream magazine.

Beyond that, I am not sure what's in store for us this weekend. They assured me that all breeds of dogs are welcome- even pointing breeds. Stay tuned for updates from the Hunting Retriever and Adventure Dog Workshop.

Positive vs. Negative Dog Training Does Not Mean Good vs. Bad: The Four Quadrants of Operant Conditioning

A lot of people have come to think that positive reinforcement training means that it is "good training," as opposed to "bad training." In actuality it is referring to the type of operant conditioning that is used to train a dog. 

B.F. Skinner coined the term "Operant Conditioning" to refer to his theory of how animals learn. In the broadest sense, Skinner defined four ways to change behavior: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, negative punishment.

Animal behavior and learning research has taught us that animals overwhelmingly respond best to positive reinforcement. That is why most dog trainers, such as myself, are overwhelmingly switching over to positive reinforcement training, such as clicker training. There is still, however, a place in training for negative reinforcement, negative punishment, and to a much smaller extent, positive punishment.

The diagram below illustrates B. F. Skinner's Four Quadrants of Operant Conditioning. The majority of my training these days falls in the category of positive reinforcement. E-collar training, which I also use in some situations, is considered negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement doesn't mean doing something bad to the dog. It just means the  removal of a stimulus to INCREASE the occurrence of a behavior

Learn more about e-collar training on my website.

Behavior: Something the dog does (sit, jump up, walk on a loose lead)

Reinforcement: The application or removal of a stimulus to INCREASE the occurrence of a behavior.

Punishment: The application or removal of a stimulus to DECREASE the occurrence of a behavior.

Reinforcer: The scientific word for a type of reward: food treat, toy, belly rub, etc. 

Aversive: Generally defined as something the dog will work to avoid.

 

Friday is National Take Your Dog to Work Day

Friday June 25th is National Take Your Dog to Works Day. It's a great way to get the boss to say you can bring Fido to work. Besides the fact it's fun way to spend the day with your dog, the purpose of Take Your Dog to Work Day is to celebrate the great companions dogs make and to encourage their adoption from animal shelters, humane societies and breed rescue clubs.

So don't leave Fido at home- take him to work!

The Best Walking Partner: Man vs. Dog - Well Blog - NYTimes.com

 

New research from the University of Missouri has found that people who walk dogs are more consistent about regular exercise and show more improvement in fitness than people who walk with a human companion. In a 12-week study of 54 older adults at an assisted living home, 35 people were assigned to a walking program for five days a week, while the remaining 19 served as a control group. Among the walkers, 23 selected a friend or spouse to serve as a regular walking partner along a trail laid out near the home. Another 12 participants took a bus daily to a local animal shelter where they were assigned a dog to walk.

via well.blogs.nytimes.com

Contact Sue for info on PetSaver classes and dog training.