bull and terrier

just a stubborn, high drive, well meaning mutt.

[jessdolce-blog]

Want More DINOS? Follow Me!

As of this week, I will no longer be updating this site with new posts, so if you'd like to see the newest DINOS™ happenings, with links to handouts, the manifesto and poster, as well as upcoming merchandise, please come check out my new blog:

Notes from a Dog Walker

and

my new Facebook page: DINOS: Dogs In Need Of Space

Thanks and Viva los Dinos!

[jessdolce-blog]

New Blog, New Facebook Page!

Check out my new blog: Notes from a Dog Walker

and

my new Facebook page: DINOS: Dogs In Need Of Space

I hope you'll join me in my new adventures for 2012!

[jessdolce-blog]

My Dog is Friendly! A Public Service Announcement

There is epidemic happening across the country and no one is safe.  It’s occurring on crowded city sidewalks and spacious country walking trails. It doesn’t discriminate based on race, age, or economic status.

Innocent dogs and their owners are being terrorized, chased down the street, pinned into corners by…other dog owners.

But, you ask, don’t all dogs like to meet, greet, and play with other dogs, even unfamiliar ones? How rude of them not to greet me and my dog!  Not so, kind hearted dog lovers, not so at all.

In every city, town, and suburb, loving, law abiding families share their lives with dogs that, for a variety of reasons, cannot or would rather not, socialize with other dogs.

Today I call on all dog lovers to take a stand on behalf of dogs that walk in public while they simultaneously cope with one or more of the following:

contagious diseases

leash reactivity

service and working dogs

injuries and painful physical conditions

intolerance of other animals

recovery from surgery

fearful of unfamiliar or rowdy dogs

aging and elderly

learning self control around other dogs

are owned by people that want to be left alone 

To keep it simple, these dogs and their owners shall be known as Dogs in Need of Space (DINOS)™

These DINOS have every right to walk the streets, using a standard 4-6 foot leash, without interacting with strangers, human or canine.  And yet…they are hounded, day after day, by cheery, well meaning dog owners who insist on meeting them. 

Despite frantic efforts to cross the street or hiding between parked cars, DINOS are chased down by other people walking dogs, who refuse to believe that there is someone out there that do not want to meet them. 

How do you spot these terrorists? You can recognize these people by their battle cry, “My dog is friendly!” Henceforth known as My Dog is Friendly (MDIF)™

Pick any corner of any town in America and you’re likely to see a scene similar to this one:

A DINOS is working on his manners, let's say it's leash reactivity. He has some issues with strange dogs, but is in training so that he can learn to stay calm in their presence.   DINOS spots another dog coming and, like their trainer instructed them, they create some distance and do a sit-stay with eye contact. The goal: to keep cool while the other dog passes.

  But they didn't realize they were being stalked by an eager MDIF. Look! There’s one now, crossing the street, speed walking in a beeline right towards the seated DINOS, their own dog straining at the collar. 

The DINOS steps further away, trying again to create distance.  Any anthropologists (or kindergartner) can read the clear body language in play from DINOS.  Observe: no eye contact or smiling, they are facing away from MDIF, perhaps glancing frantically around themselves, looking for an escape. 

MDIF is impervious to body language and insists on coming closer.  The DINOS signals become escalated, and like a dog losing its patience with a rude puppy, DINOS issues a quiet, but firm warning, “My dog doesn’t like other dogs.”

Unable to understand their native language, MDIF continues their advances until DINOS is trapped and begins to lose his ability to stay cool.  See: lunging and barking, coupled with awkward struggles to get away.  Now, like a dog that’s being humped relentlessly by a teenage dog with no manners, DINO snaps, so the message is clear, “Stop! Don’t come any closer!”  

And, without fail, MDIF calls out their cheerful, pleading battle cry, “My dog is friendly!”  Usually this is received by the back of the DINOS as they jog away.

  Then, often followed by a hurt look, the MDIF mutters, “What’s your dog’s problem?”

The DINO, shaken, wonders why they are working so hard on improving their dog’s manners when the humans around them have the social skills of, well, a dog with no social skills.

A brief interlude from the author:

Quickly, let’s turn to the similar epidemic of off leash dogs that are not under voice control. It's the law: Put your dog on a leash.  No one but ME gets to decide who my dog interacts with.  Not you, with the “friendly” dog who just wants to say “hi” or you, with the dog who “knows” not to leave your property, but charges me up my porch steps. I, and I alone, will decide if my dog will be interacting with your dog and when you let your dog run loose you are ROBBING ME of my right to choose whether or not we want to interact with your dog. Not cool.

  And now back to our Public Service Announcement:

Dogs In Need Of Space are good dogs. They may not want to socialize with your dog, but they have the right to walk with their owners, on leash, without harassment from strangers who insist on a forced greeting.  Their owners do not want to cause a scene or yell, in a panic, at strangers. They don’t want their dog to act inappropriately, get hurt, backslide on their training, or frighten anyone. Please, dog lovers of the world, allow these dogs and their people some space and, if they are walking or turning away from you, keep your dog close by and pass them without comment.

All they want is to walk their dogs in peace, without having to hide under a park bench in order to escape the relentless pursuit of dogs owners who call out...

 “My dog is friendly!” 

(if your dogs are DINOS, joins us on Facebook!)

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Follow the DINOS at: http://notesfromadogwalker.com

DINOS © Copyright Jessica Dolce 2011

DINOS Dogs In Need of Space© Copyright Jessica Dolce 2011

[jessdolce-blog]

Who needs reindeer when you can use pit bulls to pull your sleigh?  Get your holiday cards from StubbyDog this year and spread the pit bull cheer!

[jessdolce-blog]

The StubbyDog Art Aution is on!  Get bidding between now and Dec. 5th for your chance to bring home some ridiculously great art, like this sweet piece from Suzannah Ashley. It's for a good cause!

[jessdolce-blog]

Tough Toy Thursday: GoughNuts

People who have dogs that destroy toys spend a lot of money buying toys that are supposed to be tough, but get ripped to pieces in less time than it took to go to the store to buy the toy. 

If your dog destroys everything, it's time to check out GoughNuts. More expensive than your average toy, they're worth every penny, because they really do last. These super tough, solid toys are so hard core, I know a family with three pit bulls that have had one black ring for over a year, subjected to heavy use, and it doesn't have a dent in it.

My own dog, Boogie, who rips apart "Tuffies" and other toys designed for heavy chewers, could barely lift the large black ring. I finally got him the lighter green ring, same size, and it suited him better. That's the first time I had to find a less-tough toy for Boogie! 

Not only are they super tough, but they have a nice safety feature - the inner red core.  If your dog does manage to do some damage, then you know it's still safe for them to play with, until you can see the red core. I've never seen the red core, because I've never seen a damaged GoughNuts in real life, but I believe that it exists.

The store where I used to work sold these, and every time I sent one home, I would ask the customers to let me know if their dogs were able to rip these up.  Not one customer had a dog that destroyed these and never once did they get returned. Unheard of from a customer base that liked to return bags of $80 kibble, 3/4 empty, wanting their money back because the dog didn't like the food. 

GoughNuts the real deal folks. And I don't get paid to say that...I'm just a GN fan.

Check out the website here and, if you buy one, let me know if your dog can crack this nut!

[tystna]

[jessdolce-blog]

Get your Pit Bull Holiday Cards right here! Spread good tidings and positive pit bull images to friends and family this year!

[jessdolce-blog]

Just in time for the holidays, we're kicking off a fundraising art auction with something for everyone: paintings, jewelry, ornaments, photographs, custom portraits, and more! Take a look, you'll be amazed, and then...let the bidding begin!

[jessdolce-blog]

We have a mini aussie shepherd and he's going to turn 3 this december. But for the past 5 or 6 months he's been pooping in the hallways or the dining room! We take him out 4 or 5 times a day and try to make sure he does his business out there, but it hasn't been working! Just this morning my mom took him out, then 20 minutes later my dad took him out. They both leave to get dressed and not 5 minutes later our dog had pooped right in the middle of the dining room! do you know why he woulddo this?

It sounds like he was house trained for a couple of years, right?

One, you want to make sure there's no medical issue that contributed to the change, like parasites. Then, you need to clean any rugs or floors that he's gone to the bathroom on with a special enzyme, specific to pets. Like Nature's Miracle or Icky Poo.  Regular cleaning products don't get the job done - dogs can still smell it and as long as they can still smell it, they believe that's an ok place to potty. That might be why he uses he those two spots over and over. 

Here's a great resource for house training a dog of any age, so check out her book for a good plan of action:

http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/housetraining-question-for-dr-mcconnell.html

[jessdolce-blog]

Soft Serve Dog Poop. Let's Go There Together.

I've been working with dogs for a decade - as a dog walker, shelter worker, holistic pet store clerk, trainer - so if there's anything I know a lot about, it's dog poop. I deal in dog turds on the daily. I literally know my shit. 

And here's what I want you to know: you're not the only one who's getting up at 3am to let your dog out to take a dump, even though he just went a few hours ago. You're not the only one that is patiently waiting for the day when your dog's poop comes out as a solid nugget, worthy of bronzing, so you can put it on your mantle next to your baby shoes. 

You're normal and so is your dog. 

If your dog has ever been on antibiotics, has food sensitivities, has trouble switching from one food to another, received poor nutrition in his previous home, or was under fed, your dog's gut probably needs a boost. In order to have solid poop, your dog needs a little help from good bacteria in his digestive system (just like us!) and the fastest, cheapest, most effective way I know to get from soft serve to solid turd is: Enzymes and Probiotics.  I use NaturVet (see below) which costs about $15 for a few months supply. You can find it online or at independent pet stores. It's a powder you add to their kibble and it works wonders.

Try it.  It doesn't hurt and it almost always helps.  For my pit bull, it changed his digestive system around completely.  He went from squirming to go out round the clock, unable to switch foods with out major stomach troubles, and no solid poop for a year (!), to 2-3 number twos a day, always solid, and comfortable with new foods.  And because I work with dogs, I know about a hundred other families who have had the same results. 

It's pretty exciting the day your dog starts pooping like a normal kid.  You might want to jump up and down and take photos to share...it's a proud moment, I know. Go on and celebrate.

[jessdolce-blog]

Breed Standards and Individuality in Dogs. It's not one or the other:

From Patricia McConnell, Ph.D. in this month's Bark Magazine, discussing lessons learned from two Border Collies, one of which loved herding sheep in an open field, the other not so much: "It is a cautionary tale with two parts: One, dog breeds were created not for looks but for behavior, and we need to do a better job of matching a dog's needs with the environment in which he or she will ultimately live. Two, all dogs, no matter how pure or eclectic their breeding, are individuals...Two Border Collies, two individuals." Good advice whether you're an adoption counselor or a policy maker: Reference breed standards, be honest about what you know for sure, but ultimately respect the dog that's right in front of us, knowing that many dogs never got the memo about how they're "supposed" to act based on their looks or breed

[jessdolce-blog]

Check out my latest video - pit bulls AND Queen! It's the last day to vote for the Super StubbyDogs 2012 Calendar!  Vote here: https://www.360photocontest.com/117

[jessdolce-blog]

'Don’t try to win over the haters. You’re not the jackass whisperer.' Thanks to Brené Brown for passing on Scott Stratten's mind blowingly helpful quote in a recent interview. This may just change the entire way I function online.

http://www.justbeenough.com/interview-with-brene-brown/

[jessdolce-blog]

Does your Pit Bull turn Stereotypes Upside Down?  Share this StubbyDog.org video and help the public Rediscover the Pit Bull!

[jessdolce-blog]

The corn is sweet and the tomatoes are turning red.  The dogs have new life jackets for their first swimming lessons next week at the lake.  Brian made me laugh so hard the other night, I almost threw up. The library lets me take out back issues of Vanity Fair magazine. I found a bathing suit that fits and it was 60% off. And I found a tree frog in my mailbox this morning.  Dude. 

[jessdolce-blog]

I think I'll stay in Maine, just so I can spend my summer nights at the Drive-in.  A double feature for $7 per person, plus a snack stand straight out of the 50s, and crowds of kids, dogs, lawn chairs, tents, and frisbee games, all on a 75 degree night was perfection.