Snow and me

We've got loads of snow here. I got a change to play in it today. It was quite cool, in every sense of the word.

The sun was shining so nicely, and tomorrow is the first day of spring you know. It's just that the sun does have a lot of work to do with that white stuff in order to it look like spring around here...

Just a temporary solution...

...or at least I hope it is!

Wordless Wednesday: Helping out & mighty comfy napping place found

Woof Wednesday: Let's Just Walk!

Trying to walk a dog with poor leash manners can be quite a stressful experience. If you’re having trouble walking your dog, never fear! Berkeley Humane is holding a “Lets Just Walk” class starting on March 19 that offers a series of exercises which (with practice) will increase your dog’s ability to focus during walks. The ultimate goal is to reach relaxed leash walking with your dog, build team work and ensure that walking your dog in public is an enjoyable, stress free experience for everyone involved!

Walking on leash can ultimately be a very frustrating experience for dogs - they can feel uncomfortable, limited, or vulnerable if not guided and trained. When properly taught leash manners, dogs can get a lot of great mental and physical stimulation from a nice leashed walk!

Nancy Frensley, behavior and training manager at Berkeley Humane, explains that a good measure of walking manners is being able to recall your dog to your side when passing another person or dog, and have your dog stay walking right alongside you until passing is clear. As a rule of thumb, this is a good courtesy to extend to others - even though your dog may be very friendly, most dogs are not comfortable with other dogs rushing right up to their face, and some people may be afraid of dogs!

According to Nancy, a common mistake most people make is to not ask anything of their dog while on leash. She explains, “Without cues or a ‘job,’ dogs tend be free to do…well, what dogs do! They bark, chase squirrels, react to other dogs and sounds.”

Rather than teach dogs to robotically watch you and not enjoy the walking experience, Nancy emphasizes allowing dogs to sniff and explore in a relaxed manner on the other end of the leash, but guiding them to understand your requirements (such as heeling and walking beside you when called). A key to this is to be alert and aware your environment and recall your pup with positive cues before they get a chance to be aroused and riled up. 

In “Lets Just Walk,” dogs (and their humans) will learn positioning and heeling in all directions, which are both some key tools in working towards off leash etiquette.

“Good walking takes lots of energy and effort. An ideal walk is one where your dogs body is balanced over all four feet,” said Nancy, “This walking class will give people a very solid start and foundation to continue building on.”

You can register for the class as well as browse others at the Berkeley Humane dog training schedule page.

Dog Researchers Head to the City by the Bay: The Canine Science Symposium in San Francisco, CA

Hi Julie & Mia,

I wanted to write to the two of you about the Canine Science Symposium. It's happening this April 16 & 17 in San Francisco, and I thought you might be interested to hear all about it. I bet Julie remembers speaking about anthropomorphism at the very first CSS. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get her back to San Francisco for the next one!

This year's Symposium promises to be bigger and better with an extra half day of presentations, more speakers and new breakout sessions to dig deeper into the research. Three years later since that inaugural Symposium at Pawsitive Tails, we're now at the San Francisco SPCA where we’ve partnered with the organization’s Behavior & Training Department, brought on sponsors (such as the Karen Pyror Academy) and in all, expect well over 100 shelter staff and volunteers, trainers and dog enthusiasts to join us for this day and a half of canine science. We love coming to San Francisco in part because of the vibrant dog community there!

While many Symposium speakers continue to return each year to share their research, we ensure that the topics are new – and we’re real sticklers on the “applied” part of the research. We want those that come out to learn with us to be able to walk away with new techniques and approaches to try in their interactions with shelter dogs, dogs that they train and the dogs they live with. 

This year’s addition of breakout sessions will provide more advanced content (something we think the Symposium crowd is eager for) and live opportunities to discuss research and training ideas (and in some cases, as they’re happening!). We like sharing our enthusiasm for dogs, and the Symposium is our opportunity to make our research accessible.

Xephos running the maze at ASU.

Our CSS speakers for 2016 include Drs. Clive Wynne (Arizona State University), Erica Feuerbacher (Carroll College), Lindsay Mehrkam (Oregon State University), Sasha Protopopova  (Texas Tech University) and myself. This year, we have new additions to our speaking roster including Dr. Monique Udell from Oregon State University and post-doctoral scholar Dr. Nathan Hall from Arizona State University. Dr. Jeannine Berger, who heads up the SF/SPCA’s Behavior Resources, will be speaking too (in the past, she’s led our roundtable, but now she’s joining us at the podium).

While many of us are former or current students of Clive’s, our research interests are diverse as evidenced by this year’s topics. Our presentations include decoding dominance in dogs; canine sociability and attachment; using advanced behavioral principles in dog training; applying cognitive, behavioral and physiological measures to improve shelter dog welfare; using play as training and enrichment; understanding visitor behavior in shelters to increase adoptions; exploring canine olfaction and interpreting canine body language.

We’re excited to return to San Francisco this April and hope to see many in the dog training and behavior community at the Symposium! 

For those folks that are interested in attending, head on over to https://www.sfspca.org/get-involved/events/CSS2016 for all the details including speaker bios and presentation descriptions, and online registration (registration is at the waaaay bottom of the page).

Our early-bird registration ends March 2^nd, so those that want to attend should sign up soon!  

Lisa Gunter 

MA, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA

Canine Science Collaboratory, Arizona State University

Staying warm

The kids leave often piles of clothes on the floor. I like to use the piles for my own benefit. The outdoor clothes also have some interesting smells in them, since the kids roam around fields and woods with them. I wish I could join them.

But the next best thing is to take a snooze inside a soft down jacket found on the floor.

Friday!

Why change a winning concept...

...a nap on the sofa, works every time. Especially on a Friday like this. Happy weekend!

Sleepyhead Carlos

zZZZzzzzzz....

How to Care for your Cat's Teeth - It's Brush Up February

February is the National Pet Dental Care Month and from experience, I can assure you that cats don't like having their teeth inspected, but paying attention to your cat’s teeth can help prevent disease.  As a breed, Himalayans and Siamese and I assume Tonkinese suffer increased rates of dental disease so I am always trying to find new and easy ways to keep their teeth clean. The most common dental problem is called odontoclastic  resorptive lesions or FORL. This causes decay on the gum line where the tooth meets the gum. Usually the gum line of the infected tooth is bright red and the cat has bad breath.  It is also very painful for cats with the end result usually being that the tooth has to be pulled.  Once the tooth is pulled, the gum recovers and the cat is no longer in any pain.

The "experts" have three basic suggestions in terms of dental care for your cat.   The first is brushing your cat's teeth with special cat toothpaste.  Good luck with that!  Experts suggest that you wrap a strip of gauze around your finger and rub one or two teeth and increase the number of teeth touched until the cat becomes use to it.  Sadly, mine never have gotten use to it.

Another suggestion for good dental health is to feed your cat dry food with the theory being as the cat chews, particles from the dry food rub against the teeth and act like a toothbrush of sorts helping to remove plaque.  My eight year old Himalayan, theMaxx will only eat dry food and he is now minus 4 teeth as a result of FORL, so this doesn't seem to have really worked for him -- on the other hand, perhaps it has because if he only ate wet food he might very well have less teeth.

My current new favorite way to deal with the inevitable cat tooth problems in addition to scheduling an annual cleaning with my vet is to give my cats a tooth friendly treat by the name of Perio Plus Feline Bites by Vermont based Verti Science Laboratories, a division of FoodScience. These are available from www.chewy.com. The way this works is the chewy inside contains minerals, probiotics, and CoQ10 to help control plaque and support healthy gums. The outside is designed with spirulina and pumice to remove bacteria and freshen breath. My one year old Tonkinese have taken a liking to them, but the kittens just sniff them...they are just getting their adult teeth so I think it will be some time before they try them.

The active ingredients include: spirulina, parsley, natural zeolites, cinnamon powder, champignon mushroom extract, Coenzyme Q10, Yucca Schidigera extract, cranberry extract, taurine, zinc, lactobacillus acidophilus and enterococcus faecium.  The package comes with sixty tasty bites with directions for up to 4 bites a day between meals for cats over ten pounds.

Burn!

And that was the very end of my cat tree. Now it has served its purpose by warming up our house when the big one lighted it up in the fireplace. 

Friday!

A glass of red maybe? It's finally Friday after a long week. Let's relax, chillax and have some fun. Have a great weekend!

Snow and rain

We've had quite a lot of snow for a while, but lately it's been raining so that most of the snow has melted.

I was let out the other day, but I didn't like it one bit. It was too wet, snowy and icy. I wanted back in immediately. Let's get back to business when the spring kicks in properly!

Cat tree in memoriam

And so it was time to part with the cat tree. I guess we were never meant to be, now I'll just have to settle with the sofa and the chairs. I will miss my view outside though...

In the Tiki Mood with Tiki Catfood

In honor of the fire spewing volcano's and the crashing waves of the South Pacific Ocean, the ancient Hawaiians filled their Eden like island with the amazing lore of the Tiki gods.  These ancient oracles of Hawaiian kahunas were perched on volcanic cliffs, carved tiki gods were scattered through the rainforest and hidden in mystic caves and worshipped in many ways.  I have always been fascinated by the lore of the American Tiki Culture and was just delighted to see that www.chewy.com is featuring Tiki Cat Food at 20% off this month!

 Tiki Cat Food by Gourmet Carnivore is a new brand to me. I decided to try it because they use better than quality ingredients as it is "human grade" food.  In addition, it is hormone and antibiotic free and, the food is grain free, carb free and has a zero glycemic index.  The Tiki Cat Food is 55% protein and 35% fat with no carbs and truly replicates a wild prey diet.

My cats all seem to love fish so today I tried the Flaked Tilapia that is mixed with wild caught Mackerel loins.  Tiki Cat simmers this sustainable seafood combination in a consommé broth that is made with bones, heads, and unused portions of the fish in a traditional stock method that produces a healthy and flavorful setting for the big flakes of fish.  Oil, vitamins and minerals finish off this healthy dish.

The actual ingredients are: Flaked Tilapia 56%, Tilapia Consommé 25%, Flaked Mackerel 14%, Olive Oil 4%. Contains less than 1% of the following: Tricalcium phosphate, Taurine, Choline chloride, Magnesium sulfate, Potassium chloride, Ascorbic acid, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Niacin, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin A acetate, Thiamine mononitrate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Calcium pantothenate, Riboflavin supplement, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Biotin, Cholecalciferol (Source of Vitamin D3), Vitamin B12 supplement.  

Tiki Cat Food comes in lots of flavors including: chicken with duck, beef liver & lamb, chicken & liver, bonito tuna, chicken with turkey,beef liver and chicken, chicken with turkey, seabass and tilapia. Maybe for Valentine's Day, we'll have chicken and duck followed by seabass...a surf and turf.  If you would like to try this food for your cats go to www.chewy.com and order a sampler - it's 20% off.

Tiki culture made the jump to the mainland of the United States in the 20th century with Polynesian styled restaurants and clubs inspired by Tiki carvings and mythology. The first restaurant to open in the US began in 1934 with the opening of Don the Beachcomber, a Polynesian themed bar and restaurant in Hollywood that served Cantonese cuisine and exotic rum punches.  

Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman and Martin Denny integrated the Tiki idea with jazz music with  "tropical" themes creating the "Exotica" genre. This music combines South Pacific and the Orient and what a lot of people imagined the islands were like...it's pure fantasy but fun.  The term "exotica was coined after the album of the same name by Martin Denny. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2dQ3WbcF44.  The cats seem to like Tiki music and Tiki Cat Food! 

Not looking good...

My cat tree doesn't look very promising. I know my mom tried her best, but I honestly can't see that long of a future with this tree. Well, I've heard my staff planning a new solution for that, I hope it will come out as they think it will. We just have to wait and see...

Friyay!

Friday, tv, cozy pants and good feelings.

Have a great weekend!

Not a lap cat

Lately I haven't been spending too much time on any humans lap. I just don't feel like it. My mom still tries to get me on her lap to rest, but I tend to jump away quite quickly.

 

Like here, can you see the suffering of the kitty? I don't know if this is a passing phase, or am I really done with human laps?

Going Home: Lola

Welcome to Woof Wednesday! This week we bring you an update on Lola (formerly Cordy), who was scooped up by Lauren and Nick towards the end of 2015.  

Although she quickly bonded with new squeaky toys, Lola was a bit too nervous to venture outside during her first weekend. Thanks to some patience and gentle coaxing, she has now adjusted nicely!

“We've been able to take her for an hour long walk in the morning and evening, usually with a stop at the dog park so she can run off some of her lingering puppy energy. We've been keeping a close eye on her interactions, but so far she seems to get along well with any dog willing to run REALLY REALLY FAST and tussle. We've ecstatic with her progress-we even got her to jump in the water for a bit on a long walk on the Bay Trail.”

"We think Lola is happy with her new life as well "

Thanks to Lauren and Nick for your awesome update! We hope you and Lola continue to have more great adventures together!

If you’re interested in adopting a dog, check out our available dogs here. Adoption hours are Friday through Sunday, 11am to 5pm. 

Thinking ahead to Valentine's Day? #SkipTheRoses and give your loved ones the gift of helping adoptable cats and dogs! Check it out here and donate to see your name on our Honor Wall!