Eddie Thunder’s review of low light laser therapy

IMG_7609My Name is Eddie Thunder

Well Actually that is my stage name..  imagine  Ed McMann  saying it.. that’s how I like it.. I am a Cardigan Welsh Corgi, yes I have a beautiful Tail , and, I have a beautiful tale.  I am 6 years old and live on a small farm with my sister, Dixie, and the rest of the gang, which includes a lot of cats, a horse, two goats, some chickens.. well you get the picture, it is a hard job to keep them all in line.  Any way,  I want to tell you  about how low light laser therapy has helped me feel so much better that now I can fly again.  Being a Cardigan Welsh Corgi isn’t easy.. I’ve got some big dog shoes to fill, and don’t call me little, I might be short, but I can run circles around most other dogs, and I practice doing it every day. I have to keep the other boys in line,  protect the chickens, keep the goats in, and make sure mom has a tennis ball all the time.

The Trouble with little legs

Eddie Flys!
Look at me Fly! Check out that Tail!

There are not a lot of corgis doing agility. Although my kind were bred to herd cattle, most of us don’t get that opportunity very often (although I did chase some sheep once.. ahh,  but that is a different story) and many of my kin turn into couch potatoes. Me, well I like to be outside. I got some great ears and I can hear things before anyone else, so I am kinda on high alert all of the time. Thing is sometimes it is hard for me to settle down and rest, unless I am really tired. Before I moved in with my mom, she used to do agility with my sister, Dixie, but Dixie was just not suited for Agility and mom was hoping that I would like it, Boy, did she ever get her wish. By the time I got my mom trained on how to do Agility, I was addicted to red kong frisbees. Mom was a bit worried about my addiction. If she didn’t watch me close I would destroy a Frisbee every day, so she started using my favorite toy only when we did Agility, (this is when I got addicted to tennis balls, but again, another story). Funny thing is Mom is a really bad Frisbee thrower, or maybe she is so impressed with my flying ability that she likes to keep me on the ground, anyway I catch a lot of ground throws. I am really good at it too. Just as I am within grasping distance, I spread my back wings and slide, like a pro baseball player, into the prey, oops.. I mean Frisbee, grab it with my teeth and shake it, of course I return it to her, so she can throw it again. One day I was helping mom move  my jumps and Eddie Overthings around and she was throwing my Frisbee for me.. I am pretty persistent.. I think maybe she threw it a little to much, because later that day I was unable to get up as my back wings were just worn out (mom said I strained the muscles on the inside of my thighs from sliding).

A Few of my Favorite Things

Bored Eddie
Ribbons bore me!

Like the song, I like to think of my favorite things when I am hurting, and one of my most favorite things in the whole world is when mom lets me sit on her lap, especially when she get the flashie flashie thing she calls the Laser. I don’t know how she does it, but when she holds the Laser on my skin I just relax and my muscles relax and before long I feel so much better. Before mom got the laser thing I was pretty stiff and tried my hardest, just like always, but sometimes I knocked down the bars when I would try to fly over them, and I know that I should not knock them down. Now, I get to be the athlete  I want to be, and I can Fly again.  I can do with out all the fan fair and ribbons, actually the ribbons kinda bore me, but I sure am glad that I can run and play Agility with mom again because it sure is a lot of fun going to different places just so I can get a chance to get that red Frisbee again.

Love Ya All, Well, except for strangers… so don’t be one

Click here to find out more about Multi Radiance Medical lasers and how you can get one for your best friends.

Tough and durable dog toys for multi dog households

 

pullingDog toys are intended to enhance the life of you and your dogs, and each one of your dogs will have a different approach to each toy. In a Multi dog household it is sometimes difficult to keep toys around, so it is important to consider what kind of toys are good for each of your dogs and, to purchase toys that are durable, safe and of quality.  You absolutely do not want to give toys that are worth fighting over.

I Love Dog Toys that my dogs love!  Having said that, I do not love some of the things that my dogs do with their toys, especially destroying  them. Stuffed toys occasionally make their way into my home, only to be quickly un-stuffed and de-squeaked, but if the outside of the toy is made from a durable fabric, like canvas, and it is large enough, this toy can go on to become a fine outside toy that can be tugged, shaken, buried and drug around. And if I have a couple of old un-stuffed toys I can tie them together in a knot and maybe even put a squeaker back in.

Chew Toys and bones are a requisite for the multi dog household, but a few things to keep in mind:

  • Always supervise when initially giving out new chew items. After a few days the new bones will loose their initial appeal and they will be available for general chewing..
  • Always provide more then the number of dogs that you have.
  • Stay Away from  chew toys that can be  easily eaten by any members of your pack. Besides being loaded with chemicals and empty calories, things like rawhides, bully sticks, and pig ears can cause coveting and guarding.
  • Choose Items that are designed for the largest dog(s) that you have … or bigger! Once any toy gets small enough to cause a choking or ingesting problem for any of your dogs….. THROW it OUT!

My Favorite Treat to give my pack of dogs is Antlers.  I prefer Moose antlers as most manufacturers use naturally shed antlers,  Moose Antlers are also the hardest  of the three antlers that are commonly used. Elk Antlers are not quite as hard and can splinter, and deer antlers are the softest and most common. My dogs will grind away on an antler for hours, and my moose antlers will last for months.Prairie Dog Pet Products Deer Giant Antler Treat, 8-9"

Nylabones are also a very good option, and in a multi dog household, a variety should be available.Nylabone Big Chew Monster Original Flavored Durable Toy Beef Bone for Large Breeds

Teaching your dogs to love to chew on antlers or Nylabones is easy if you already have a chewer. If your dog likes to chew on inappropriate things, the key is to make the Antler more appealing then your furniture or shoes, by redirecting your dog to it and showing him how happy you are to give it to him. Show our dog the new “bone” , talk happy talk and Physically hand the Antler to your dog and tell him “bone, get the bone”.   You can purchase antlers that are flavored, and/or you can even spread a small amount of Peanut butter or cheese spread on the antlers. While your dog is preoccupied with checking out his new bone, and not watching you, now is the time to spray or wipe some deterrent on the object that was getting chewed. I like to use  Bitter Orange

Things that squeak.2015 25798

It is a mystery to me why, when given a toy with a squeaker in it, most dogs have to get that squeaker out ASAP..  So I stay away from stuffed toys with squeakers, but we love toys that squeak and have no stuffing. Two of my agility dogs have “special” balls that we use only for training that squeak, and for every day playing we use kong squeak air balls. Toys that are made of fabric, no stuffing, just squeakers are a favorite in my house.   Plush Puppies  snakes are large enough for tugging, and are fun to  carry and squeak.Gnawsome TPR Squeaker Ball for Dogs, 3.5-Inch, Various Colors

Ropes and Tugs

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Years ago, I ended up with two puppies in one summer, both were rescues, one a German  Shepherd and the other a little beagle mix.  The beagle, Bandit, was a little older then the Shepherd, Bailey and for a little while they were the same size. One day, while I was peacefully managing the barn work, and they were entertaining each other, they got rather quiet in a stall. As I peeked around the corner to see what they were up to, they both stopped and looked back at me… each one hanging onto the end of a bailing twine.  I took the bailing twine, added a couple more tied it into a bunch of knots, and it became our first rope tug toy.   Tug Toys have come a long way , but the appeal to dogs is amazing. Fleece tug toys and tugs made with ropes come in a variety of combinations.  Many in the Agility world use fleece or rope leashes that dogs can tug and pull, but in a multidog house hold a heavy duty rope tug out in the playing field can give your dogs a chance to play keep away with each other, and you can join in shake and tug and throw and let them run and have fun with a sturdy toy that will be around for a long time.Braided Fleece Rope Tug With 2 Balls 36 inches

Power of the Toy

Remember that all the toys ultimately belong to you. You worked hard to buy your dogs the best toys, that would last long and play hard. Train your dogs with a release word, so that when fun time is over, you can put away the toys that are “special”. With the use of a high value treat in one hand, grab hold of the toy that is in your dogs mouth and tell him “give” or ” trade” or what ever you want your release word to be. Liver Bits Treats for Dogs (4 oz) When your dog releases the toy for the treat, give him the treat and place the toy out of sight .

Enjoy your dogs daily, have fun with them and remember to let them see you play!

Dog Tug Toys @ ActiveDogToys.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Train bad behavior out of your dog

2015 6019Even if you only have one dog,

you are part of a pack, and if you are not doing the thinking and training, Your dog(s) is! This is  a very interesting and dynamic opportunity to redirect behaviors that are unsafe and/ or annoying. Here is an example;

I had done obedience training with 3 or 4 dogs before I had kids.. so I kinda knew what I needed to do to live happily with dogs..   Through horses I met a little Jack Russel Terrier named “Bud”.  Best darn farm dog I had met.. short  and stocky with up ears and a brown patch over one eye on his otherwise all white body.  When “Bud” became a dad, my husband had an opportunity to barter for a puppy.. and so “Jack” came into our household.

2015 23662  Jack was way more dog than I expected…

As a puppy Jack was easily over stimulated  and  often wide open, and full grown at 12 pounds, totally portable.! Jack became an important part of our family and went where ever we went.  Like his Dad, Jack loved to fetch and if I had a ball, I had Jacks attention. Jack quickly had me trained to throw his ball through his insistent barking.  Stall cleaning, the quiet reflective chore that it is, became constant barking.. he had done it.. he barked, I threw the ball… over and over.. Finally, I realized what  I had become, and that I was trained..! I knew I needed to fix this and teaching him to not bark was not happening.. I needed to teach him something else. I noticed that occasionally he would push the tennis ball with his nose, and when he did this he was not barking.. Jack quickly learned what “push it” meant, graduated to soccer balls, and went on to become a star soccer mascot for my sons soccer team, but that is another story.  Jack taught me if you have a dog that is motivated,  teaching is a breeze. Jacks motivation was a ball.

 Dealing with bad behavior

Barking was just a small part of Jacks annoying behaviors, and living with a Jack Russel Terrier is not a task for the lazy. Jack was the smallest dog I’ve ever owned, but he had the biggest heart and garnered respect where ever he went. Never mean or aggressive, but always ready to take on the biggest foe if necessary.   Jack could of been a difficult dog, but because we were an active family, and he was able to go with us, he got a lot of exercise.

Exercise makes dogs happy, and happy dogs make for happy owners.

No matter where you live, the size or breed of  your dog(s), or the weather,  there are many options for getting your dog a little physical and mental  stimulation while benefiting yourself as well.

There are dog clubs, breed specific clubs, and training clubs.IMG_5196

Doggie day care facilities, swimming pools for dogs and dog walkers

There are dog parks and retail outlets  that allow dogs.

And all kinds of cool sports and activities that people are doing with their dogs, from dock diving, nose work, agility, fly ball and barn hunts…

And the best thing about getting out with your dog(s) is the people that you will meet. I highly recommend starting out with a obedience lesson at a couple different facilities if possible. Meet the people, watch a class or two before you register and learn a bit about their training methods.  Many times we become so compliant At home with our dogs, we don’t even realize how  alone we are. If you allow your dogs to give you a reason to get out and explore new adventures, you will be amazed at the camaraderie, support and new doors that will be open for you.

Remember, in a multiple dog household, try to find  something that each one of your dogs enjoys, and spend a few minutes of your time daily enjoying life with your dogs using the motivation that your dog enjoys most.

 

Life is a game: Rewarded by toys and cookies

If you are here, chances are you are living in a multiple-dog household, or thinking about adding another dog.  Hopefully, you are searching for ways to improve the efficiency of your purchases and looking for fun and practical ways to entertain, train, and enjoy your time with your four legged friends.

There is a lot of dynamics that goes on in a multi-dog house, and it is important that you, as the one who pays the bills, remains the Alpha dog among your pack.  Pack dynamics can change for many reasons and managing the dynamics within the pack is an on-going process.

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This site will touch on dealing with  pack situations and help guide you on dealing with them. However, every dog and every situation is different, and as pack Alpha it is important to keep an open mind and to remember to look at things through the  dogs perspective. This is not a training site, rather an options site, as there are many products that can be utilized to help keep the peace.   Please know that not all dogs do well in a pack, whether due to prior experiences or breed type, some dogs like people, are just loaners.  If you are having  dangerous conflicts among your pack, please seek private trainers and/or behaviorists that can come to your house and see the situation first hand.

I have been fortunate enough to be able to foster a number of dogs.  Luckily, I  have a large barn with secure stalls and pens where I can first segregate new dogs and assess behaviors, health issues and any prior training.  Dogs come to me from many different directions,  I never seek them out, they come to me.. They may come from the local rescue where they may sit for years, becoming more and more un-adoptable, They may be a stray, or a dog that has just hit hard times.. What ever the situation, all basic training begins in the barn.  Sometimes the hardest decision to make is to adopt these dogs out.  I have had some absolutely great foster dogs, dogs that went on to become incredible members of their new families, dogs that I would of loved to have been able to keep… But all things must be considered first… The first question is: What does the rest of the pack think of this dog?   The second: what does this dog think of my pack? the cats? the other animals? And the third question is : What is the right thing to do for this dog? Once I get the answers to these three questions, my goal is obvious. I am proud to say I have adopted out many more dogs than I have kept, and my current pack of 8, including one foster dog, get along great.  Training is an ongoing process. Three of my dogs, and my foster dog, get kenneled when I am out and at night,  My foster dog still spends some time in the barn pen, but if some infraction occurs when I am out .. I know who not to blame..

Please take the time to check out my first two lessons; “The Leash and the Fence”  and ” Crate training in a multiple dog household”. I would love to hear about your pack and what and how they taught you.

Thanks for visiting!

Shelley Whittington

moredogsmorefun@gmail.com