Chewy Salmon Treats

Baking some Chewy Salmon Treats to bring with us to Wag It tomorrow for our Rally O trail. It is my hope that they will inspire Simon and I to greatness!


The Basic Recipe
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix All together:
14 to 18 oz. canned fish- do not drain (salmon, tuna)
2 or 3 eggs
1/2 cup cheese finely grated
1 1/2 cups four (oat, wheat...)

Spread onto an oiled 9 x 13 inch baking sheet.
Bake about 20 minutes.
A large chef's knife works well to cut them. After cutting remove from pan to cool.
Makes about a bazillion training size treats!

Feed to your dog- who hopefully relishes them- woof, woof woof!

Halloween Dog Bite Prevention Tips

Changes in routine and the strange sights and sounds associated with Halloween can cause stress in a normally placid family dog. Keep dogs out of the fray by securing them away from the door and providing a long-lasting chew treat. Teach kids to Be a Tree and stand still if any dogs come near them on Halloween.

Halloween is lots of fun for kids, but many dogs will be confused or upset by kids in strange costumes and by lots of people coming to the door, but never being invited in. Peaceful Pack Dog Training and Doggone Safe (www.doggonesafe.com) offer the following tips for dog owners, kids and parents:

Dog owners:

1. Secure your dog behind a closed door or in a crate in a room away from the front door or the party if children are meeting at your house.
2. Give him a juicy bone from the butcher, a sterilized bone or Kong stuffed with hotdog, Rollover or other soft dog treats or a pre-stuffed bone from the pet store.
3. Play music or leave a TV or radio playing in the dog’s room to help mask the sounds of the activity at the front door.
4. Close drapes so that the dog does not see people coming and going through the window.
5. If you have a dog that barks at the sound of the doorbell, disconnect it or watch for trick-or-treaters so that they do not have to ring or knock.
6. Puppies and dogs that like to chase can get overly excited by costumes with dangly bits or streaming material. Supervise very carefully if you have a dog that may try to play with your children’s costumes while they are wearing them. Teach kids to Be a Tree and stand still if the dog does start nipping at their costume since the more they move, the more exited the dog will get.
7. Keep your dogs (and cats) indoors around Halloween time. Pets have been stolen, injured or poisoned as part of Halloween pranks or other rituals.


Kids and Parents:

1. Avoid houses if you can hear a dog barking behind the door, you can see a dog behind a screen door or you see a dog tied up in the yard or barking behind a fence.
2. Never approach any dog, even if you know him. He may not recognize you in your costume.
3. If an owner opens the door and there is a dog there, just stay still and wait for the dog owner to put the dog away. You can tell them you do not want to come near the dog. Do not move toward the person and dog. Wait for them to come to you to give you your candy. Wait for them to close the door before you turn and leave.
4. If a dog escapes just stand still and Be a Tree (hands folded in front, watching your feet). He will just sniff you and then move on. Wait for the owner to come and get the dog before you turn away.
5. If you meet a loose dog, Be a Tree and wait until it goes away.
6. It is best to ignore other people’s dogs on Halloween if you meet them out walking. The dog may be worried about all the strange creatures that are out and about. Even if you know the dog, he may not recognize you in your costume.


Here is a great video from Emily Larlham, a truly gifted dog trainer, to get you in the spirit- enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup

Peaceful Pack Dog Training and the Peace Pups wish everyone a safe and happy Halloween!

Peace Pups on the Trails: Not Always Welcomed by Other Hikers

Recently, on one of the hiking forums I belong to we have been having a months long conversation about dogs on the trails and to leash or not to leash. Below is one of my recent response. I felt the information was important enough to torment you all with : ) so here it is.

a fellow forum member wrote:
"the worst case scenario with my dog is she really wants to say hi to the other hikers"

To which I responded:
I do not mean to offend, but allowing your dog to be able to do this with anyone she meets on the trail is a path that will end up getting dogs banned on the trails or someone- human or canine getting hurt. Or worse, I am thinking here of the child who is allergic to dog saliva- yikes!

I think that there is a lot of misinformation about dogs circling about- probably could say that about anything! One fantastic educational resource is Doggone Safe. This group focuses on teaching folks, and specifically children, how to read a dog's body language and keep themselves safe in the process. Many of the ways we humans communicate are not perceived by dogs as being friendly- for example looking directly into a dogs eyes, approaching a dog straight on and hugging dogs may all be viewed as threatening to dogs. Yes, dogs can learn that these human behaviors are all ok, but I would not count on any dog I meet to have been schooled in our ways.

I think the bottom line is that there are going to be folks who adore being with our dogs and want to hike with them (myself included) and there are going to be folks that are not so thrilled with dogs on the trails. How to find a balance and make sure that both camps are respected is key. For me, the bottom line is that I am always able to control my dog so that other folks I meet on the trail never have to interact with him. If other hikers want to say hello to my dog I am all for it. The respectful, safe thing for us to do is to err on the side of politeness and safety.

Not to be preachy.... well, maybe a little bit , but the Doggone Safe website really is an amazing resource. A little bit of education can go a long way to ensure safe dog/human interactions. Here is the link to their "Speak Dog" page:

http://www.doggonesafe.com/Speak_Dog

So, even though we may not be able to completely understand this- there are actually some folks who do not enjoy our dogs as much as we do! Enjoy time hiking with your dog and try to keep this in mind when you meet up with fellow hikers. We want those Peace Pups to continue to be able to be with us as much as possible!

When Your Dog Hurts

Simon and I were all packed and ready to head out the door for agility practice this morning when I turned around and he was limping towards me. I immediately dropped all of our gear and went to check him out. I could find nothing stuck between his toes and he did not seem to react when I moved his leg. But he has continued to limp and has little desire to move much at all this morning.

When one of my dogs is injured or does not feel well, I fret. I think this is one of the most difficult times in a life shared with dogs- they just can not tell me what is wrong! I try to do all the things that I think will be helpful and then we wait. We wait to see if things improve. We wait to see if a trip to our veterinarian is in order. I wait for my pal to feel better.

Times like this also teach me patience and how to stay in the moment. It is far too easy to allow my mind to travel to places where the worst case scenario reigns. If you have ever practiced yoga or mindfulness exercises- now is the time to put those skills to use.

Simon and I shall spend the day chillin' out and hoping for the best. Love your dogs extra today and remember to appreciate your time together.

Tracy Haskell, MSW, LCSW, CPDT-KA !

Tracy Haskell, MSW, owner and lead trainer of Peaceful Pack Dog Training, has successfully passed the examination to become a Certified Professional Dog Trainer- Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). The CCPDT is an international testing and certification resource for professional dog trainers.

The CCPDT's certification program is based upon humane training practices and current scientific knowledge in the field of dog training. Candidates for certification must demonstrate that they have completed a minimum of 300 hours of training and working with dogs in group and private sessions prior to receiving permission to sitting for a psychometrically sound written examination. Candidates must also provide references from a client, a colleague and a veterinarian as part of their certification application.

The written examination tests a candidates knowledge of all aspects of the dog training profession. Areas of competency include: classroom management, instructional skills, canine ethology, the science of learning theory, humane training equipment and animal husbandry. CPDT-KAs are required to to stay informed of current scientific advances in the field and be familiar with the newest, humane, most effective training techniques. Attaining continuing education is a required to maintain certification; which is reviewed every three years. Additionally, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer- Knowledge Assessed follows a strict Code of Ethics.

Peaceful Pack Dog Training provides group and private lessons to people and their dogs. It is our business to help people and their dogs create lasting friendships with training solutions that REALLY work!