Kicks for your dog

As people, we know that how a person dresses probably reflects on their personality. I truely feel that a dog should be given the same outlet to express their personality. It's just kind of hard to know what their favorite color is.

Obviously, the owner's personality is going to affect the dog's wardrobe, but hopefully the two personalities agree enough for the pink bows and mini leather jackets to not be illsuited (for more than just fashion reasons!). Personally, I love Bella Bean Couture. It's a small, San Fransisco-based company that personally oversees the design and construction of their collars and leads. They have a couple of cute looking store fronts that I haven't been able to visit due to being in Florida, but I would definitely think they're worth a visit if you're in the area. And, if you're like me and can't hope on the trolley to downtown SF, they are more than happy to take your order over the phone and send the collars to you. Or, if you prefer to avoid the human interaction (hey, sometimes we all do) Muttropolis has a great selection of Bella Bean products as well as an abundance of other doggy (and kitty) accessories. I always end up spending a little too much time (not to mention money) on that site.

For instant gratification I go The Dog Bar. They have two store fronts (in Coral Gables and South Beach) and a great selection of products available at their online store. The employees are friendly and love having a few puppies around, so feel free to bring your furry one in with you. They have a great selection of healthy, all-natural treats and foods, more than a few collars (nylon, leather, bling, etc), and a superb selection of toys. Not to mention mini chairs and couches for the dogs that think they're human. And they don't forget that sometimes the dog's best friend is the family cat. The cat selection is rather small, but still there. It's nice to be able to bring something home for all the children without having to make stops :)

Obedience Training

No matter what people are going to try to tell you... training your dog is frustrating. I guess it's an introduction to having kids - you love them no matter what and sometimes this makes you blind to their faults :) Izzy had her first group training session this week and while not a complete disaster (I did come away with some good advice) she had no interest in what was going on at all. Apparently Izzy has puppy ADD. Whether this is because she's still a puppy (sort of - she's somewhere between 10 and 12 months) or because she has an extremely short attention span remains to be seen. I hope it's the former.

The most important piece of advice I received was about how attentive your dog should be. ALWAYS. A walk shouldn't be the dog leading you around - the dog should always be "checking in" (i.e., looking back) to see if you're happy with what they're doing. When you're watching TV the dog should be, at least occassionally, looking to you to see if you want them to do anything. The trainer said it'll be creepy at first, but a properly trained dog is always thinking of you. (Nice to know someone will be!) She said that if you ever find your dog watching you when you're doing random things (watching TV, getting dressed, folding the laundry, basically anything that wouldn't normally attract their attention - cooking doesn't count!) you should "treat it". And treating it doesn't mean give it a treat (neccessarily) but by doing whatever the dog enjoys. Some dogs like treats (ahem, labs) while others enjoy attention or playing tug of war. Eventually the dog won't need the treat and will just be attentive at all times. Makes sense now that I've heard about it, but wasn't something I thought about until it was brought up.

I'll try to impart any advice I come across that isn't obvious. In accordance with this pledge, I wanted to let people know that there is such thing as herding obedience! My dog chases bikes, roller bladers, joggers (if they're going along at a good pace), skateboarders... anything that's bigger and faster than her. She doesn't hurt anyone, but really enjoys the chase. Even without training she chases the object and then stops when it does. She just sits down and stays next to it. Rather than curb the behavior entirely I want to train her to do it (or not do it) on command. When I get the information about the class (and dog club offering it) I'll post it.

The dog club I'm taking basic obedience from is:

Miami Obedience Club

Meetings held at Tropical Park (Bird Road and the Palmetto) Miami, FL

Basic Obedience is $95 (includes training collar and lead, which are actually nice)

Also offer: puppy training, advanced obedience and agility

To sign up you just show up between 7 and 7:30 on Mondays

Traveling with pets

Who would have known that traveling with a dog could be such a hassle? Maybe I'm the only one that thought it'd be as easy as checking your dog in as luggage. Think again! In an effort to be considerate of our furry friends, the FAA has put some major restrictions on pet travel. Most notably, a temperature restriction that does not allow the animal to be exposed to temperatures above 85F and below 25F. Some of you may not think of this as too restricting; however, considering that many hub cities are in the Southwest you may want to start considering travel times when you fly, as the hub city counts when considering these temperature restricitons. For me it's particularly restricting as I regularly fly between Florida and California, where temperatures often exceed the 85F maximum.

After discovering the temperature restriction I began looking for airlines that offered temperature-controlled cargo areas where the restrictions would not apply. Woe was I after discovering that, of all the major domestic airlines, only Continental offered such an amenity. I've never flown Continental, but will start to as I intend to bring Izzy with me on every trip to the Sierras (it's like Dog heaven on Earth out there!). I'll let everyone know how the experience is after I fly, but I hope it goes smoothly and that they don't loose Izzy!

For others seeking information about traveling with their pets, see Continental's PetSafe program website: http://www.continental.com/web/en-us/content/Travel/animals/default.aspx. If you're lucky enough to travel to areas where the temperature restrictions do not apply then you can consider other airlines (American Airlines, Delta, Northwest, etc); however, be sure to check as some airlines, especially "discount" airlines such as Southwest and JetBlue, do not allow any pets to be flown in their cargo areas. Also, do NOT sedate your pet! If any airlines discover that your pet is sedated they will not allow it to fly!!

Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions! Hope this helps everyone looking to enjoy their pet's company while enjoying their favorite vacation spot. Safe traveling!

A new puppy means a different life

Everyone says it, but I guess I didn't really realize the extent of how it would change my life. I've grown up having cats (and still have two wonderful kitties that are part of the menagerie) and always considered myself a cat person. It wasn't until I started watching a wonderful dog, Rita, that I realized dogs aren't all that bad ;) Then my brother got a little puppy, Kona, and I really started to consider getting a dog of my own. Cats and dogs are different, but both are wonderful. After I turned 25 I finally took the plunge and adopted a dog from animal services. That's how Izzy came into my life! She's a wonderful 10mo(ish) old chow chow and border collie mix. Since adopting her my life has changed. I can't say it's all been enjoyable, but overall I'm happier. And after the first few weeks (when she was chasing the cats nonstop and chewing everything in sight) it's been mostly smooth sailing. The experience is entirely different from having cats. My cats are not the typical "aloof" type - they come when called and love to be loved, but they're still largely independent.

Izzy is not. I think that's the biggest difference, and the one that causes the largest divide between cats and dogs. Recently I read a quote:

"Women and cats will do as they please. Men
and dogs should just relax and get used to it."

While the comment on gender is up for contention, I think it hits the head on the nail about how the difference between cats and dogs. And should truly be considered before bringing a new puppy into your life. You have to be ready for committing your love and your time, which are intricately linked when it comes to a dog. I love having Izzy, but I purposely adopted a dog that was already house trained and wouldn't need pee breaks every 3 hours. My life doesn't allow that. I also adopted a smaller (30lbs) dog so that she'd fit in my apartment. And I made sure she was just curious about cats (and not hungry for them).

When you adopt a dog make sure that he/she fits into your lifestyle (sedentary, active, moderate, small house, big yard, etc). And, if it's your first dog, consider adopting first (I would say always, but some people are really intent on having a purebred dog). Purebred dogs can be immensely more difficult than mutts. Not to mention the medical problems most will have as they grow. I'm not trying to say that purebreds are bad or anything, just that it may be smarter to know the basics about dogs in general before committing to one that could be problematic, both physically and mentally. Not to say all mutts are great! Definitely hang out with your dog (with the whole family) before bringing him/her home. Most dogs don't like cats... some don't like babies... even weirded, some have a preference for their owner's sex (and I say sex on purpose - dogs don't know about a person's mental perception (gender), just the chemicals they emit).

Oh, and don't forget that, in general, females are easier to care for than males! Females don't pee on everything to mark their territory, they are less aggressive, and don't hump other dogs as much. I think one of the things that most people don't realize that humping is a dominance thing, not just a sexual thing. Some males will hump other males just to say they're dominant. Same goes for females. Or between the sexes. Due to females usually being less aggressive, they are less likely to express dominance over other dogs and thus hump less. But I've definitely met a few females that are a little hump-obsessed. These are usually more aggressive breeds, and while the dogs themselves weren't aggressive, they were obviously displaying their physical prowess through this behavior. And, honestly, humping is a lot safer than fighting so I'm ok with it!

In short, think a lot about getting a dog to make sure you make the right decision for you, your family, and the puppy! Don't forget that an unhappy dog has ways of making everyone around them unhappy, too! But a happy dog can bring years of joy to everyone.