My Name Is Miss Priss, And I'm Your New CEO....

 I had considered starting off with Maddies Fund, but a gentle reader cautioned against lumping it in with some other agencies.  A tip of the hat to mid-west guest..I object to the numbers game being played by some recepients, but not the fund, so thats my take on the Schnauzer. Resource guarding was high on my list of things to get on the table, time to tackle that.  I have a tendency to resource protect, actually I am more into posturing than guarding.  Oreo never bought into the game..  In this picture you can see I have taken the lead spot, smack dab in front of the computer tower, strong message there.. Glad Mom got the shot, since I was only there about 4 days before Oreo restaked her claim.  You can't see from the pic, but Oreo is a little taller than me, and before her ill health was 135 to my 125. Yet, it was Oreo who decided that we should lay down to eat in our little twirl pattern.  It's hard to posture from the prone position.....I don't know how she knew to teach us that, but we all lay down and nobody ate til we were in our places.  There would , rarely, be the the token "showing of the tooth" but never anything vocal.  I believe that many folks encourage bad manners at the dish.  It's easy to react the wrong way and reward bad behavior.  We are never given separate treats we must sit at the same time, in the same room and share.  I tend to be a little Me-me-me dog, it's all about me.  Oreo accepted that and won every round by default. 

Most aggression is genetic, hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the old saw of " had a rough life" doesn't hold water.  Most dogs are aggressive because they can be.  by the time the dog is big enough to be a danger it's often to big to rehabilitate.  I would like to see more focus on truth in advertising, home checks for challenging dogs and putting some responsibility on the releasing agency.

Lucky for all of us, I came from steady parents, I am actually Burley's full sibling from a repeat breeding, but we never shared a womb , get it ? :)   Newf's are dredge dogs by trade, we pull boats, carts, and owners with determination.  so I may not be German, but Greta can watch my dust when my shoulders dig down.  I will be digging down on the issues that are causing my shelter friends to suffer.  I don't have Oreo's history as a volunteer, but I do have some training in how to play nicely and share, always share.....

My advice on resource guarding is pretty simple, first make certain it's not a game of posturing, then accept it's not a game and get busy.  Remember though, aggression is aggression in any form, food toys, owner.  It cannot be dismissed as a phase.  it will absolutely go as far as you let it, and that does include owner aggression.   Oreo got so many emails from new shelter dog owners who  "were doomed from the gate", be heads up that not all dogs are treatable.  Over the years Oreo came up with several plans for treatment, many of them worked, but the aggression only transferred to another high value possesion if it was true dominance.  you can't back up far enough to satisfy a true bully, I learned that from Mr. Nathan..

Pictured are Oreo, Burley Dog and Miss Priss, doing her best to be next to my chair.

My Name Is Miss Priss, And I'm Your New CEO....

 I had considered starting off with Maddies Fund, but a gentle reader cautioned against lumping it in with some other agencies.  A tip of the hat to mid-west guest..I object to the numbers game being played by some recepients, but not the fund, so thats my take on the Schnauzer. Resource guarding was high on my list of things to get on the table, time to tackle that.  I have a tendency to resource protect, actually I am more into posturing than guarding.  Oreo never bought into the game..  In this picture you can see I have taken the lead spot, smack dab in front of the computer tower, strong message there.. Glad Mom got the shot, since I was only there about 4 days before Oreo restaked her claim.  You can't see from the pic, but Oreo is a little taller than me, and before her ill health was 135 to my 125. Yet, it was Oreo who decided that we should lay down to eat in our little twirl pattern.  It's hard to posture from the prone position.....I don't know how she knew to teach us that, but we all lay down and nobody ate til we were in our places.  There would , rarely, be the the token "showing of the tooth" but never anything vocal.  I believe that many folks encourage bad manners at the dish.  It's easy to react the wrong way and reward bad behavior.  We are never given separate treats we must sit at the same time, in the same room and share.  I tend to be a little Me-me-me dog, it's all about me.  Oreo accepted that and won every round by default. 

Most aggression is genetic, hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the old saw of " had a rough life" doesn't hold water.  Most dogs are aggressive because they can be.  by the time the dog is big enough to be a danger it's often to big to rehabilitate.  I would like to see more focus on truth in advertising, home checks for challenging dogs and putting some responsibility on the releasing agency.

Lucky for all of us, I came from steady parents, I am actually Burley's full sibling from a repeat breeding, but we never shared a womb , get it ? :)   Newf's are dredge dogs by trade, we pull boats, carts, and owners with determination.  so I may not be German, but Greta can watch my dust when my shoulders dig down.  I will be digging down on the issues that are causing my shelter friends to suffer.  I don't have Oreo's history as a volunteer, but I do have some training in how to play nicely and share, always share.....

My advice on resource guarding is pretty simple, first make certain it's not a game of posturing, then accept it's not a game and get busy.  Remember though, aggression is aggression in any form, food toys, owner.  It cannot be dismissed as a phase.  it will absolutely go as far as you let it, and that does include owner aggression.   Oreo got so many emails from new shelter dog owners who  "were doomed from the gate", be heads up that not all dogs are treatable.  Over the years Oreo came up with several plans for treatment, many of them worked, but the aggression only transferred to another high value possesion if it was true dominance.  you can't back up far enough to satisfy a true bully, I learned that from Mr. Nathan..

Pictured are Oreo, Burley Dog and Miss Priss, doing her best to be next to my chair.

Hope Your Easter Was Filled With Joy, Mine Has Been..

Well I have arrived ,The bridge isn't really a Rainbow by the way....I felt Mom crying last night, and put my paw on her heart as she slept.  Lets see if she gets it right here:)  I suggested she use the picture from last year,  this is the way I want to be remembered, here in my office. Of course the picture of me taking a break under the tree is an accurate portrayal of my work day as well.  I have many things to say, and now my time to say them has passed.  Thats why it's always good to raise your children with a strong work ethic. there were over 150 letters to my Mom.   Let me say, for starters, thank you,  We are going to stay open, but with a new leader.
The name Advice from Oreo will stay the same, but I am passing the baton to Miss Priss.   She is every bit as saucy as I was at her age., damn smart and very dedicated.  she is however not a German Shepherd..  As I have always been a Girlydog, Miss Priss is a turbo tanker, so she may actually do quite well dealing with the bullies.  Sorry Greta, you'll be the only German in town.  Most readers will know Miss Priss as the young Newfie who came to live with us when she was 5 months old.  She's pretty funny because she thinks she is a GSD and really is almost smart enough to pull it off.  I have taught her to share her toys and her opinions with equal  vigor.  Always be the first to listen to the other point of view, but stick to your principals.  I am leaving you in good paws. I think her first post will be an expose on the underbelly  of the new greed running the show . it comes from a well intentioned endowment called Maddies Fund.  the concept was great, but it has drawn the lowest form of humanity to the animal kingdom.
I hope you show kindness to Mom as she learns to interpret what Miss Priss is trying to convey, and transitions to being coached from the floor versus the chair...    Although Miss Priss is actually a little smaller than I was, she is not so flexible.  Newf's tend to be bulky and not curl so tightly. You should note many similarities since she learned from me, and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree..
  We don't pop back down for visits often, there is a God and He treats us well, we are content.  But, because I left so suddenly I wanted to offer some special thanks to all of the people and their critters who walked this road with me..To brave Catmom of Kent, and sweet Jen  with Rio and Moon Dog and her good work on Dog Logic, To Sgt. Diehl and the ACO gang at Kent Shelter........Special blessings to Gret and,  Chap of No Kill No Way...Must not forget Honesty Helps and all the workers to numerous to mention......All the good doctors and helpers who worked so hard to keep me feeling good to the best of their ability.  If I could put my head on Mom's knee one more time, I would tell her to rejoice for me.  " The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises I must keep; and miles to go before I sleep....." 
Oreo's work will continue through this blog as Miss Priss learns the tricks of blogging. Untill Mom invites me into a dream agian, listen to Miss Priss....

Oreo Has Gone Over The Bridge, We Are Devastated.......

Nobody could have guessed 11 years ago watching Oreo noshing on a tennis ball, being quite calm while her siblings raced about, that she was destined for greatness.  Oreo grew up to be an " inspirational instructor" that said, she taught people to live well.  Early on, going to dog shows and watching her sib's running around the ring, she sat on a folding chair at the judges table making friends and influencing people.  Even at 4 month's she had the smooth way of drawing people into her view of things.  I have cried, it's hard to hit the keyboard without Oreo here beside me, big button eyes on the monitor. She always sat in the wicker rocking chair which amazed me, how she managed to not fall on her butt is beyond me.  But she never took the role of observer, she participated fully in life. She was the official greeter on trails and in dog parks, the first to run up and drop her ball for inspection by her new friend.
 In her later years she picked up a fascination with Rattlesnakes that made me very nervous, and resulted in her being run on a 25 foot rope.  No sooner would we hit the wilds than her nose would go up, and then I would hear the dreaded rattle. I would throw her ball in the opposite direction and off she would go, letting the Rattler be.  At Rancho the ball would whiz through the air and she would fly on winged feet, if a closer dog got the ball, she sat politely waiting til he gave it back, or she trotted back to me for a replacement.  I taught her early there were always more balls where that one came from, and they were never worth being rude over. She had more social graces than most people I know.  She loved to run along behind my bike on the trail along the wetlands, she thought that was absolute heaven.  She got to race full tilt, and still keep an eye on Mom, best of both worlds.
 Oreo struggled with several health issues after a cruciate repair, the general anesthetic had a strong effect on her, and we had to change her life style a bit.  She lost her tear production and the vet worked for a year,trying everything, before a new product came on the market that allowed Oreo to live in relative comfort for 5 more years. We had a full tube of it when she passed away, so we gave it to some other clients, Oreo's version of being a "donor"...... Working for a vet, and having several dogs in the last fifty years, I know that animals often have reflex movement after the heart stops, I had never seen more than a gentle movement, much like a dog sleeping.....Oreo, however, opened her eyes, turned her head, and looked at me for a second, put a paw on my foot and gently lowered her head, closing her eyes again.  I have always believed those movements were directed by impulses from the brain.  A reflection of the brains last intention if you will. At home, here at the computer, when ready for bed; Oreo would curl up, give me a look of love and put one paw and her head on my foot. I am crying again.
I guess what I wanted to share with the gentle reader is the importance of having a steady relationship with a vet.  Not everyone is as blessed as we have been to go to the same vet hospital for 30 years, but keep a visit going, it reduces anxiety.  Oreo was always a little different after her cruciate repair....she sensed the rest of her life was changed that day.  Prior to that she had walked in like she owned the place, after, there was some trepidation., not really fear, but an awareness of her vulnerability.  But on the day, the final day, there was no fear, only Dr. Janet, a familiar face, in a familiar place.  Do that for your guys if you can..........
Pictured is Oreo shortly before her death, an old gal, napping in the sun...