so much for my Ethan Allen sofa .....

so much for that Ethan Allen sofa.....I mean just look at them. First, it was "no pit bulls on the new couch", rules in stone! Then I discovered what they call "pet throws" that just happened to perfectly cover the back and cushions of my new Ethan Allen sofa. Of course, I needed a pair of them, but that was such a nice compromise. With the covers in the wash....you can see that they continue to reign supreme as they wait for the covers to come out smelling fresh and new. Perhaps I should see if the company would like to use them as a testimony to the "comfort" of this sofa model. And, the durability of the plush fabric. So much for my rules in stone. I will tell you about rules; "the pit bull rules"!!

We saw some great dog toys yesterday and wanted to share. Visit http://www.tailsbythelake.com/ and see these new dog toys with a story! Measuring 9" tall and made of durable canvas with "2" squeakers, the toys depict the designers three rescue dogs and are complete with their rescue story! The depiction is taken from artwork done on the dogs and these are just delightful toys. The best part? 20% of the proceeds from the company's sale are donated to local rescues! Visit the link and see for yourself. This is just the kind of dog toy you will love to give to your favorite dog mom!

Electric Fence Training for a Rescue Dog

We love the invisible fence , I personally use one around my property and I have trained many dogs to respect and earn free yard rights successfully over the 19 years since we installed it. Many families who are interested in adopting a dog are proud and happy to announce to me, "we have the invisible fence for the dog!".

While this may be a wonderful asset for the dog eventually, we promptly "put the breaks" on all of this enthusiasm. It was explained to me once by a wonderful trainer that it takes several months for a newly adopted do to "put down his mental roots". Puppies grow up quickly into a situation, but an adult or young adult dog needs to slowly comprehend that their new setting is indeed their new home. Prior to this, the dog would not really understand where to return to in the event they leave the yard.

Be patient. There is another reason to take your dog outside on a lead for the first few months. Having a person on the end of a leash creates a bond with the dog and positions you immediately as the leader. From my previous article, readers know that I suggest this same concept with a physical fence. When the dog settles in to a nice routine and several months have passed, you may begin the structured training on your electronic fence. Tip: Be diligent and consistent. This is probably one of the most important concepts you will teach your pet. This will create boundaries and contain your family pet safely. I don't believe invisible fencing is good for all animals. I will go into more depth in the future on this topic, but for now....just know that the timing is important. Wait at least 2-3 months from adoption before even considering the training. Good luck!

A rescued dog + a new family with a fenced yard = too much freedom

This can sound a bit strange to a new family who is ready to adopt a dog. Many times the family feels that their "large fenced yard" can be a wonderful offering to a newly adopted shelter dog. Don't all dogs love to run free with no rules and enjoy their fenced yard?

While we agree that eventually this wonderful fenced yard can be a huge plus, that huge plus falls mostly into the asset column for the "owner", not the "dog". The dog can learn to enjoy the fence in due time, but our advice for the first month after the dog adoption process is to pretend the fence is simply not there.

Rule #1 in our book: The dog goes out on the end of a 6' leash to potty. That means that you are on the other end of that leash. This is important for several reasons. The dog is in a new environment and we generally have little idea about the past of a shelter dog. This may be their first introduction to a yard where they will eventually have some freedom. Some have been kenneled or tied their whole life. The dog feels more secure in a new environment when you are on the other end of the lead. It takes several months for a new dog to mentally "put down roots". That means that if they should get out of the fence that they have some sense of where they belong and to where they should return. Certainly this applies with an electronic fence as well. In the case of the electronic fence, there is no "visual" barrier so this is especially important to wait before training on this type of fence.

So much learning and bonding takes place with a new owner on the end of the leash. The dog begins to understand that you are their leader. It limits their freedom and gives them a chance to become familiar with their borders and their yard. We have experienced that adoptive families can tend to put their guard down after a few days if they simply let the new dog free in the fence to potty or play. The fence quickly becomes a convenience for the owner as the nervous dog roams their yard and tries to come to terms with this new area. One of two things happens. A nervous dog tends to feel confused and overwhelmed at this new freedom that comes too quickly. A pushy and dominant dog tends to become inflated with a sense of importance with this freedom. Both are not desirable and can be avoided by slowly introducing your dog to freedom. Baby Steps. That is my mantra and it has served me and many adopted dogs very well! Good luck with your new family member.

Celebrate with Kitras Birthday Wish Birthstone Balls!

Kitras Art Glass is one of our gift shop's most popular lines! And, we are now excited to report that the popular Birthstone Birthday Wish Balls will soon be available in the smaller 2" ornament size! What a great and unique gift for that special someone who would appreciate such a one-of-a-kind keepsake!

The ever-popular 6" size continues to be a great seller. With traditional witch ball inside threads, the Birthday Wish balls have a unique twist: the inside webs weave sideways. As with all glass handmade creations, each one is a bit unique. Each ball comes with a charming card that talks about the ancient art of glassblowing and describes the traits of someone born in a particular month. Check out our website for the Birthday Wish balls in every month on the calendar! http://www.aloveofdogs.com/

For the Fabulous Easter Table!

Those of you who are familiar with Peggy Karr Glass know what a wonderful touch their glass can be when added to your collection of favorite plates and trays for entertaining. Easter season is no exception. Featuring wonderful everyday designs and favorites for holidays, see our current assortment of Peggy Karr Glass.

NEWS FLASH! Watch for the fabulous new dog and cat patterns due out later this spring from Peggy Karr Glass.

Another Forclosure Dog

A sign of the times! I received yet another call today from a woman who needed to place her dog due to her and her husband both losing their job in the same day with the same employer. In my local rescue group, Love A Stray Animal Rescue ( www.love-a-stray.petfinder.com ), we hear this almost daily. Many folks fail to call us until the absolute deadline of either transfering to a new area into an apartment that prohibits pets or the day the bank takes over their home. And although we aim to help in any way possible, this leaves us little time to go through the process, prepare a foster home situation or get updated medical and behavior accessments on the animal.
The woman today was the exception. The lose of jobs for both her and spouse resulted in a decision to move south to Tennesee where they had family. The husband left yesterday and is seeking work while the woman stays behind for 3-4 months to wrap up things and sell the home. I would say to anyone who may be facing similar circumstances that the sooner they seek help in placing their animals, the smoother the process and the less stress for the animal. Quite often, we are able to create a petfinder listing, post the animals information on our website and find a suitable and loving home that the dog can move straight into without us taking the dog foster care first. This is one less transition for the dog and works out wonderful for everyone involved. Especially the pet. The owner can be involved in the process and find themselves much more at peace with the entire placement of their beloved pet.
I can think of few things as devastating as being in a tough financial situation and then having to face the loss of your pet. Many rescue groups are non-profit and work with a network of volunteer foster people. The more advance notice and communicating you can do with a potential group, the more likely they are to provide you with the help you need. Let us help you...please seek us out with as much advance notice as possible. And God's blessing in helping your beloved pets find wonderful homes.

A Treat for Wine Enthusiasts!

Do you enjoy a great bottle of wine in the company of friends, family or just man's best friend? We have the perfect thing for you! See our new collection of Whine Coolers from Zeppa Studios, featuring a fun version of your cherished breed. These are fired clay, handpainted and glazed and are sure to keep your favorite bottle of wine to the correct temperature. Just get the bottle to desired temp and the cooler will help hold the temperature from increasing or decreasing. Not to mention, what a great way to show off your love of the breed!

You may see ZEPPA WHINE COOLERS in our selection of breeds by visiting our store: www.aloveofdogs.com

Teach me to Come!

Lesson #3 , the final step!

Thanks so much for following us as we teach you to train your dog to come when called to you.

Lesson #3

By now, your dog should be happily trotting back and forth between two people who are calling him. Make sure to not proceed to Lesson #3 until your dog is performing at the Lesson #2 level.

• Take your dog outside to an area where there is a secure fence. If you are fortunate to have your property fenced...great! If not, you can use a ball field, quiet time at the dog park or possibly borrow a family or friend's fenced yard. Use your "other person" again, standing about 10' apart. Don't stand further apart when beginning because now that you are outside, there is a sense of open space and many more distractions.


• Let the dog's leash drop and repeat the same routine as in Lesson #2. As you proceed through the week, increase the distance between the two people. If the dog gets distracted, simply go to the dog and take the leash and continue again. As in the previous lesson, you may move closer together if things start going backward! Eventually, the dog should come from any distance in the yard.

In summary, you will notice that we have NEVER scolded or punished the dog when they have strayed off track. The command of COME should not result in the dog sensing any anger or frustration on your part. It always has to feel like a great and rewarding experience to the dog. You will see the payoff quickly on this. Enjoy a lifetime of being able to recall your dog, and possibly save them from harm!

Teach me to Come! - Lesson 2

Here we are...back for our Lesson #2 in "Teach me to Come!". After working on Lesson #1 techniques for approximately one week, you are ready to progress. By now, your dog is probably looking forward to this exercise every time you grab his leash because he is now thinking that you are playing "a really fun game where tons of treats are involved". You have set the stage for the following equation:




COME = PRAISE , COME = TREAT






Now that you have a foundation, we are moving to the next level and this will involve having a partner, preferably someone that the dog knows.




LESSON TWO:

• Inside your home, find a place where you and another person can stand approximately 10 feet apart. Each person should take 4-5 treats. One person begins the exercise by placing the dog next to them with their leash dropped. Show the dog the treat (again, small soft treats work best). Have the other person use the same command you have been using, only this time the dog is across the room with their leash dropped. Make sure you instruct this person to use a very deliberate tone by belting out " Dolly - Come". Most likely the dog will respond on the first call. If not, have the person go toward the dog and pick up the leash and pull them back to where they were standing , repeating the command. Treat the dog.



• Immediately after the dog gets their treat, you will do the same thing. Give command, "Dolly - Come". Most likely the dog will now come back to you. If not, go get leash and repeat what the first person did, pulling the dog back to you as you did in lesson one. Keep repeating and the dog will suddenly realize the "back and forth" nature of the game. They keep getting called to come and when the do...Treat Time!



• If your dog has a hard time catching on, move the two people closer together. Once the dog begins to catch on, move further apart. Try this exercise several times a day and by day #3, begin moving further apart. By the end of the week, the goal would be to have the two people move far enough apart into different areas of the house where the dog can't see the other person. The dog will go and seek that person out. By now, we are moving right along and just about to really put them to the test in Lesson #3!! Keep up the good work.

FOOTNOTE: Once your dogs starts actively playing the "back and forth", sometimes they get ahead of themselves. If the dog turns to run to the other person before they are called, have that other person just ignore them as they sniff around looking for their treat. Have the opposite person who just treated the dog call them back to them and then treat them again. Make sure they ONLY get the treat as a result of someone commanding them to come. If your dog has a day when his attention is taken away and he wanders off, simply go find him and pull him toward you and get him back into the game! Good luck this week.

Teach me to Come!

Make a game of it and once and for all --- teach your dog to come when called. For the next 3 days I am talking about my "foolproof" technique that will get even the most stubborn dogs to come when called and enjoy it. I was once instructed on techniques to get your dog to come when called; commonly referred to in the training world as "THE RECALL". One instructor said something that I never forgot. "Teaching a dog to come when called is not OPTIONAL" ...IT CAN SAVE THEIR LIFE!

That made an impression on me. My personal dogs had almost never learned that skill, my fault! With so many foster dogs in my care, I have made this a part of their "boot camp" experience and so enjoy teaching this not only to the dog, but to the new adoptive family as well.

LESSON ONE:

• Attach a 4' (maximum length) lead to your dog's regular collar. Hold in one hand while the other hand is loaded with tiny bite-size morsels. I like to use tiny soft treats cut very small or tiny pieces of hot dog. Make it something soft so it takes the dog no time at all to chew...we are working too quickly for the dog to be munching his treat.


• Put the dog across from you, preferably having him sit and face you. Say your dog's name and the word COME. (Ex: Dolly - Come ) Made the command sound like two very deliberate words and use a strong tone. The moment the word COME is out, move backward 2-3 steps and pull the dog toward you. Immediately, "good girl" and reward with treat. The timing is important. The dog must hear "COME" just before they feel you pulling them toward you.


• Repeat this very quickly...giving the command, moving backward and pulling the dog toward you - then praise and treat. Pause in between just long enough for the dog to eat the treat and refocus between repetitions. Make sure you are moving backward far enough that you actually are pulling the dog toward you. I prefer a 2' lead, but most folks don't own those. A good trick is to "double up" you lead and keep it to a 2' length. Then you can more easily step back requiring that you are tugging the dog toward you.


• Repeat this exercise in spurts of 3-4 pulls. Try this a few times a day for the first week. At this stage I suggest using an inside setting so the dog is focused on you. I generally use a longer family room or open area. A long driveway will work well if you prefer outside.

RECAP: The idea is to make the command of "COME" not optional. The dog hears the word and then is pulled toward you, but immediately praised and treated. You are simply setting the stage and make the word "COME" a good thing! Stay tuned for the next step.

AWAITING SPRING!!

It is time to think spring everyone! Here in Ohio, it is particularly difficult when it snows 6" the week that daylight savings time goes in to effect! We have the perfect solution to help you "THINK SPRING". Isn't this Spring Tree of Enchantment a breath of fresh air?

Check out the amazing Kitras Tree of Enchantment Balls; they are a glass-blower's tribute to the season. Each one resembles the silhouette of a tree with glass threads forming the trunk and amazing foliage colors blown onto the surface of the ball which depict the tree foliage in the various seasons. Each one is unique; part of the charm of glass creations.

Tree balls come in the small 2" size which is great for a small kitchen window or Christmas tree during the holidays, the 6" size making an amazing statement in any sunny window and the larger 10" creating the ultimate decorating statement.

Kitras Trees of Enchantment make wonderful housewarming gifts, wedding party keepsakes or graduation gifts. The Tree of Enchantment balls also come in a Sentiment Series which marks a celebration of Life, Love, Hope, Remembrance, Joy, Peace...what wonderful ways to commemorate a milestone in some one's life.

What are all the dogs sniffing????

Is it just me??? Or are dogs going crazy sniffing the ground under all of that FINALLY melted snow? This happens every year and once the brown and soggy grass finally emerges in late winter, it is almost impossible to go on a leisurely walk at a normal pace. There seems to be something most irresistible to sniff on that soggy, pitiful lawn and in the landscape beds. Even the most incredible morsel of a treat can't break their concentration.

I have tried letting each of the dogs have their "sniff time", but no amount of time seems to be enough. Truth be known...it is driving me crazy?!?!?! I am trying to be patient, but although the ground may be thawed there is still the stiff wind in your face that wears down that patience quickly. It probably mirrors that first day the thermometer tops 45 and we walk out the door to smell a slight hint of something fresh in the air..could it be? SPRING! You can almost put your arms around it. A dog's first sign of spring must be in the smells coming up from the ground that I am not privy to. Lucky me. But whatever is down there, it must really make dogs feel like their cabin fever is soon hitting the rear-view mirror. God Bless them ~ I vow to be more patient on the walks and let them "sniff away" for the next few days. Come next week .... they can get moving again!

Saying Goodbye to Toby

http://www.love-a-stray.petfinder.com/

Saying goodbye to Toby, that is my topic today. I have fostered many dogs over the last 8 years. During the course of their stay, at some point I inevitably wrestle with the thought of possibly keeping each and every one. "Is this a dog I should be keeping?", "This one has been through so much, I just had to make it go through another change", or "This one gets along so well with my own dogs". I have come to learn to expect these thoughts. They do pass once that family comes into the picture whose life would just not be complete without this particular dog. And then I sigh, "an answered prayer, they are perfect for this dog".

With Toby, it was quite different. He came to us after years on a chain, and I mean "years" as in 8. Never having any medical attention, he was an initial whirlwind of health problems; chronic infected ears, never-ending digestion problems and advanced arthritis. We knew this would be a long road. No problem!!! Just start walking the road, one issue at a time. After months, Toby blossomed into perhaps the most amazing German Shepherd I had ever seen. His personality came through for the first time in his life. And, there was someone on the other end to receive his affection, his shepherd bossing-around, his herding and general patrol of the compound here. He had a job; keeping law-in-order in a home with two businesses, other foster dogs and two pit bull sisters!

Our local rescue, Love-A-Stray in Avon, Ohio raised the funds to give Toby something he could only dream of...a pain free hip. They arranged for his hip replacement and his life was certainly taking a turn for the better. After several weeks, our hearts sank as we realized the hip had shifted in its new socket and Toby would walk with a wobbly, twisted leg for the remainder of his life. Truthfully, we were crushed - Toby could have cared less! He had one pain-free hip and even though it was a little twisted, he was pain-free and sailing around the house. He would tumble occasionally, get his back legs criss-crossed and didn't really have a great sense of just where his darn back legs were! Of little concern to Toby! He had a family to watch over and dog sisters to herd around the house.

And still, those usual questions just never entered my mind. I just knew this dog was not supposed to stay here forever---he was destined for another family. Well...fast forward a year and for many reasons too numerous to mention, Toby was still parading around our house. Every time we would begin to post him for adoption or take him to an event, something would hold us back. His legs would seem worse, he would do something quirky like bark too loudly at the postman and we would wonder if he could ever make the adjustment with another family.

My husband was the first to announce that Toby wasn't going anywhere! I am usually the first one to cave, but I held back with some resistance. I protested that our house was too small, we had too many outside steps for Toby as he would continue to age and he needed a ranch-style home. But my resistance was rather lame, as I was really beginning to sense that he did, in fact, belong here. How could we squelch the enthusiasm and love for life that this dog had developed after 8 long years of misery?

Toby was an inspiration to me. His pain was suppressed as he carried on with his daily "shepherding" around the house. His family and his dog siblings were the life he had never had, he would have done anything for us. He never took his eyes off any of us long enough to even enter the bathroom privately. He would guard the door. Last Friday, he could no longer walk. My husband was out of town and in the end, this dignified dog was unable to be my guardian, so we reversed rolls and I held and ushered him into heaven to wait for my arrival. It was then that I realized what I think I always knew. God placed Toby here for my sake, not his. In times of trouble, he will be a beacon to me of perseverance....and dignity during the rough spots. What an amazing dog.....see you on the other side Toby, your mom.