Thursday, July 17, 2014
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Plan To Train Your Dog? Adoption Denied
Rescues & Shelters: Plan to Train the Dog you Adopt?? -- Application Denied
Trainers: Aggressive behavior -- Don't Train the Dog. Just Rehome. Or Better Yet Kill the Dog.
You would be outraged if that were common practice. But the truth is, they are putting down dogs
that have potential to be perfectly trained dogs. And doing it in the name of all positive
training.
Daily practice around this
country in many towns, including ours, denies adoption of dogs to potential adopters
who are willing to get them trained. Dogs
with common, fixable issues die every day because to fix them would require
using a training method that is not a treat or clicker. Dog’s that show any sign of aggression, even
if it’s rooted in fear, lack of socialization, or shelter stress are killed
because the all positive trainer can’t fix it with a treat and affection.
So it’s better to die than to let a trainer like me correct them. We’re not talking full on aggression – but common
issues.
Keep Reading……
Last year, I went to a trainer’s conference and was completely
distraught at the message of many trainers there. Upon posting
my blog, someone I know personally, began a campaign to beat me up through
social media. Floods of all positive
trainers rallied to condemn my point of view.
Truth be told, I was rattled to the core. Despite how totally hateful my “all positive
peers” actually were, I explored many
resources in an effort become a convert to all positive methods. But I failed.
I have looked for videos and information demonstrating PP success with the
kinds of dogs I see every day. I can’t
find it. At least not with long-term
success and efficient results.
Gosh, what the heck is wrong with me that I
can’t figure out how to be successful without correcting a dog or without using
training tools for some dogs? Surely, I
ought to be able to do it too.
Wrong. I truly was
spending time on a losing effort. And
still there are frequent recommendations to kill dogs who need training that
corrects behavior.
Thankfully, though I have found several other like-minded,
experts in their field who believe using a balanced approach to training saves
lives.
________________________
I meet dogs and handlers every single day struggling to
coexist together. Dogs that are
miserable to walk, stressful to live with because they are simply out of
control. Owners struggle with common,
fixable issues. Some dogs may have signs of biting, separation
anxiety, dogs that are scared of their own shadows, dog fighting, peeing in the
house and so on -- but in most cases it
can be fixed.
And at least a few times a week, someone contacts me about a
dog that someone else has told them needs to be rehomed or put down. This
is not an occasional problem anymore.
It’s becoming much more frequent.
If our goal is a no-kill nation, and a home for every dog – we have to make some changes to attitudes and
opinions. Take a very close look at those you
support and follow and when you find yourself appalled or outraged, take action.
Owners just want to fix the dog they love. In most cases, they don’t really care about
agility, championships, or other high performance sports – they just want a
family dog that is calm and happy in their home.
Owners are stressed.
Financially impacted. And
sometimes at risk of someone getting hurt or of losing the dog. Literally, ending the dog’s life – because
who the hell else is going to take your dog with issues?
So yes, too many shelters and too many rescues are killing
dogs because they refuse to allow the dog to be given a correction (aversive: verbal no, touch, leash correction, bark
collar, pet corrector, use a prong collar or ecollar) or with a trainer who can
actually fix the problem using these tools.
Without pain, without stress to the dog, without unnecessary financial
costs and without significant time.
Dogs are being denied adoption to great families who are
willing to train a dog – because the owner has said they will work with a
trainer who may use a training tool to end bad behavior (prong or
ecollar). I see it more often than I
can stand, and I am finding a very large number of balanced trainers who are
seeing the same thing all over the country.
Owners struggling.
Dogs are dying. Some problems are just not being fixed with affection and food. If you
can make it happen with a marker and a treat – do it and rock on with absolute
accolades from the balanced trainer community.
But, in many cases some trainers either refusing to take the dog on at
all or suggesting the dog be put down.
Some owners kill their dogs without hope because a vet or trainer gave them none. Some owners refuse to give up and continue
to seek help – thank goodness.
My findings are that there are a number of excellent
trainers with many years of experience and 1000s of successful rehabs that
believe what I believe. They are seeing
the same problems
Help is available.
Sometimes, to fix a broken dog, you have to communicate with
them in a new way. You must give a
correction that they understand. A way that creates a new response. Treats and love alone are not going to fix
aggression. Treats are not going to fix
a reactive dog dragging their owner down the street to attack another dog. Treats are not going to fix Separation
Anxiety. These
issues can be corrected without stress or pain to the dog. It’s done daily by really good trainers and
committed owners.
What’s worse?
- A correction to a dog using prong or ecollar that is quick, uncomfortable but not painful (yes, I’ll prove it to you and give you a list of referrals) and effective almost immediately - OR – Your kids being at risk?
- Financial burden because they are eating the couch?
- Injuring people (someone else’s pain) because you don’t want to correct the dog?
- Vet bills because they are hurting themselves (pain) or emotional stress (also pain).
- What about your stress? Lack of sleep? Fear of what if? Giving the dog away? A dead dog?
In most cases, your problem can be fixed.
I BEG you – before you consider the death of a dog or rehoming a dog you already own or another day of struggling with problems – go talk to a balanced trainer face to face. Get a demonstration. Get help. You have everything to gain. You have nothing to lose with a consult.
More from experts in
the field of aggressive dog rehab:
Tyler Muto:
Jeff Gellman:
Leerburg:
Just keep digging if
you need more info….. True, there are
two camps. I will always land in the
camp that saves dogs. I'm still open to having my mind changed if you have the results and shared knowledge to back it up....
Friday, March 14, 2014
Someone You Know Contributed to the Animal Abuse Problem
Someone You Know Contributed to the Animal Abuse Problem
Well, that's a pretty harsh statement. You're thinking, you certainly don't know anyone who would do such a thing. Think again. I challenge you to think about this with all sincerity. Think about people you know with dogs that may need to learn more about the reality.
4.5 Million a year.
458 an hour.
8 a minute.
Every year.
And Rising....
This doesn't even count abuse, abandonment, neglect or other quality of life issues dogs are suffering from daily.
That volume of death and abuse simply cannot happen without someone knowing somebody who is part of the problem.
It's not enough to do nothing! Don't turn a blind eye. Don't hope someone else will do something. We all need to take action. Even if its a small step at a time. We have to do it.
I'll make a confession. I needed to learn. When I was a little girl (many years ago), we got puppies from people the family knew. We even had a litter of puppies that were given away to other family members and friends. We didn't know better. I bet you didn't know much about this problem either at first.
You may find it surprising that there are still people around you who are still contributing to this problem. It is not necessarily uneducated or poor people. It's not just the people you think of as a P.O.S (though they clearly exist). It's people all around us who are are not "getting it". Either no one has told them or they aren't listening.
Remember it takes people at least 3 times to hear something before truly understand/remember. If they aren't paying attention or hearing it in a relevant way, they won't get it. It may take much longer for them to care, and even longer to make a change. If it doesn't feel relevant to them, they won't care.
The average person turns away from the graphic pictures posted on Facebook because they are too painful to see.
The average person will NEVER actually step into the back of an animal shelter and see the reality of loss and death. Even those adopting from shelters don't see the one's who didn't make it to the showroom floor. Those who drop off the dog and leave, never really see or understand their dog will probably not make it out.
Some people truly believe that if they can't afford medical care or training, that they have no other options and that by taking the dog to the shelter he may find a new home. Most people are uneducated and inexperienced. They are not stupid or hateful. They simply don't know better. There are options. Educate them. Some people (yes, the POS people) don't care. Sadly, there are people in our human race that are animal abusers, child abusers, abusers of women, etc. Only by the Grace of God will these ever be eliminated.
So what can we do?
I believe we as a community can make the most effective impact by working with our neighbors. Not necessarily the person who lives next door. But those around us at work, the park, social networks, church (yes, church), and in your own family, who simply don't know any better. Certainly you should report criminals! But the criminals are not our greatest threat here. It's people who aren't breaking any laws!
- You may know off the top of your head of a dog who us not spayed or neutered.
- You may know of a dog not being well cared for. (Food, Water, Shelter)
- You may know of a dog tied to a tree and never having any interaction with humans (which by the way is a sure way to make a dog aggressive)
- You may know someone who had a puppy or a senior dog that is just "no longer around"
- You may know of a friend or family member selling puppies for cash out of the back of the truck (Leave breeding to experienced professionals who do proper genetic testing, better the quality of the breed, etc)
- You may know someone who has too many animals to care for properly.
- You may know someone who is abusive to the dog (verbal, physical, emotional)
- You may know someone who just doesn't do what is necessary to help their dog's issues.
- You know someone who's putting "free to a good home" puppies on Craigslist - (which is a sure fire way to have that dog killed as a bait dog in a fighting ring)
- You may know someone dropped off a litter of puppies on Christmas Eve at the shelter with their children watching.
- You may know someone who took their 13 year old dog to the shelter to be put down because they got a new puppy (or new carpet).
- You know someone.
I'll confess again, I know folks in my family in this day and age who have not spayed/neutered their pets. They aren't out their selling puppies from the back of the truck, and to my knowledge haven't had puppies, but the risk is there.
I got it. I got the message loud and clear about the problem with animals dying in shelters, people abusing them and doing nothing, abandonment, failing to train, etc. Lack of training -- simple skills training -- is one of the primary reasons become frustrated with their dog and why the dog misbehaves. It's EASY to fix with a little effort and time.
I along with MANY other people work diligently to save as many dogs as possible. But we outnumbered, but people still making the same uneducated mistakes.
The challenge I have for you is to start educating the people who don't know better. Educate 1 person. Don't try to educate the world, it's too big a task. Educate 1 person you know. If you need information or support to do so, there are countless resources. We just have to get the information to the people who don't know better! Then educate another. And together we can change the world!
I'll also challenge my rescue friends who want to ban someone from their FB pages who ask about adopting an unaltered dog to use that as a teaching opportunity. Leave them on your page to learn more from you.
Do something. Do Anything. Make a difference, even if it's just in the life of 1 dog, or the prevention of 1 more litter of puppies.
Or nothing will change and 11,000 dogs will die a day.... every day.... forever. Surely, you and the people you know and care about cannot be comfortable with that.
Volunteer. Foster. Adopt. Donate. Train. Educate. Pray.
Spay/Neuter.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Rescue Groups Charge Too Much for Adoption Fees
Rescue Groups Charge Too Much for Adoption Fees
Some of you think this is true.
They charge way too much.
Anywhere from $150 to $350. It’s
Outrageous.
Ok, we know you have other choices when selecting your dog.
You can go directly to the shelter. Or you can *buy* a dog from the guy on
craigslist or the back-yard breeder who won’t let you come to their house to
check out the conditions*. The same
“breeder” that has no experience breeding for betterment of the breed, but
rather just thought puppies would be a great experience for their kids to have.
Before you take that route, there are a few things you should consider:
1.
There will be an adoption fee from the shelter,
and we know it’s no where near the cost of the rescue fee. The dog may be spayed and neutered and have
a rabies shot.
2.
The dog in the ad will certainly have a for
profit fee of a couple of hundred dollars and will most assuredly not be
spayed/neutered, and may not be current on vaccinations. He may not have received any of the developmental care needed for his age or even his breed.
3.
When you get your dog home, you probably know
nothing about his medical needs. What if
you find he has one of the following.
a.
Heart Worms Treatment --
b.
Torn ACL / Luxated Patella etc
c.
Hip Displaysia
d.
Wobblers Disease
e.
Parvo?
f.
Distemper
g.
….Other?
4.
What if you find that the dog has (is)
a.
Mammary Tumors
b. Demodex Mange
c. Matted so severely that his skin is infected
d. Toenails so long they have grown into his paws
e. Cherry Eye
f. A leg that needs amputation
g. Kidney Failure
h. Cancer
i. Pregnant
j. Infection
l. other issues you have never even considered possible.
Oh wait – that's right, most people going into the shelter or responding to an ad will skip over dogs with those issues and
leave them for a rescue group to deal with, or for him to be left alone to
die.
Do you have any idea what the volume of death is in our area? Its significant. Even if they don't die, shelter dogs may suffer just from the stress of being in the shelter.
Do you have any idea what the volume of death is in our area? Its significant. Even if they don't die, shelter dogs may suffer just from the stress of being in the shelter.
5.
What if you find that the dog has
a.
Resource Guarding Issues
b.
Hates your cat
c.
Hates your kids
d.
Isn’t house trained
e.
Has severe separation anxiety
f.
Can’t be walked on a leash without reacting
aggressively
Now what – do you take him back to
the shelter? Call the rescue to take him
off your hands? Give him to a friend? Put another ad on the internet?
Rescue groups work with the cute and cuddly love muffin
you’re about to adopt for weeks to work on house training, crate training,
basic skills training and socialization.
Rescue homes volunteer their time and resources to save a life. It’s not likely your dog will be 100%
trained when you adopt the typical foster dog – BUT – you will
receive a ton of insight from the foster home on where he is in his
learning. You’ll know whether he gets
along with cats, other dogs, kids, men, etc.
You’ll know if he has fear and anxiety issues in the current foster
home. You'll have some expectations of where to begin in integrating him into your home and lifestyle. In short, you have knowledge to help you select a dog suitable for your family.
Yea, but what about all that money rescues charge -- where does it go?
Rescues pull dogs of all ages, varying degrees of medical needs, and sometimes of unknown issues. Breed specific rescues especially take special needs dogs to care for, even if it’s just to give them sanctuary or to be held in the arms of love when they cross the Rainbow Bridge.
Let’s think about cost of rescue for a minute for those dogs they can take in. Let's assume Rescue "A" brings in 100 dogs shall we say for round numbers.
100 x $250 (an average) adoption fee is $25,000. Wow! That’s a lot of money.
Now let's see where that money is spent
Let’s make some conservative assumptions:
Let’s make some conservative assumptions:
·
25% of those dogs will have Heartworms at
approximately $800 each – there went $20,000
·
90% will need to be spayed and neutered – rescue just went into the red
·
100% of them will need HW prevention for the #
of months they are with the rescue - overspent
·
99% of them will need vaccinations (some owner surrenders may have proof of
vaccination)
·
And more often than not, even the rescue has a
pull fee from the shelter.
Surely someone else donated money to all those fundraisers
they hold -- right….
On the conservative side let’s assume:
·
Some dogs will need special food and nutritional
supplements to get them healthy when they have been malnourished.
·
Some dogs will have significant medical issues
that may cost upwards of $5000 for a single dog. (About 3-5% exceed $5000, about 3% exceed 2500 and about 20% exceed $1000! per dog)
·
Some dogs will have anxiety issues requiring
medication
·
Some dogs will have behavioral issues requiring
training
·
Some dogs will have no foster home to go to and
require boarding
·
Some dogs will never be adopted due to medical
issues and will be in sanctuary
·
Some dogs may need to be humanely euthanized due
to severity of their medical issues
Yes, it’s a lot of money the
rescue has to spend. – but what are they
to do? Not treat a dog’s medical
needs? Not train to overcome their
issues of fear and anxiety? Rescue
groups don’t give up on the special needs.
The money runs out quickly and often volunteers continue to
dip into their own finances to keep the rescue going or to care for the dog in
their home so that you will want to adopt him.
Your adoption fee doesn’t even cover the cost of vetting the dog
you adopt and in a majority of cases has saved you a tremendous amount of
medical costs, training, and time to get your little cutie ready to go
home. The fee is nominal compared to
the cost of expenses in the rescue. Even if the dog you selected had perfect
health and no issues when he came it, your fees contribute to the overall big
picture of saving as many lives as possible.
Can’t afford the fee – then you really should rethink adopting in the first place. You are
going to incur expenses with your dog.
Adopting from a rescue means you don’t have the other up front cost of
spay neuter, vaccinations, and unexpected medical that you might incur with a
shelter pull or buying from an add on craigslist*
Rescues cannot operate without income and without dozens of
people volunteering time and donating money or offering discounts on vet,
grooming, training services.
So you are mistaken if you think Rescue Groups Charge Too Much for Adoption Fees. They really don't. They don't charge enough. But there goal is never about profit, its about saving as many lives as they can -- and sadly, they cannot save them all.
So you are mistaken if you think Rescue Groups Charge Too Much for Adoption Fees. They really don't. They don't charge enough. But there goal is never about profit, its about saving as many lives as they can -- and sadly, they cannot save them all.
So pay the fee without giving the rescue group a lot of flak
about how much it is. Instead, tell the
rescue thank you for saving that life you will love so much and getting him as
healthy as possible so that you can take him home. Tell the rescue thank you for loving a dog as
it took its last breath in their arms after someone dumped them in the shelter
because they were too old or to sick.
Tell them thank you for working tirelessly to try and change the world
around us with efforts to educate on spay/neuter, efforts to education on how
training can prevent the need to surrender the dog, efforts to eliminate abuse,
breed specific legislation, and over-population.
Tell the Rescue -- Thank you! And in the name of the furry bundle you just adopted who now has a 2nd chance at life -- write your check to include a donation to help others.
And know that we Thank You for supporting your local rescues.
And know that we Thank You for supporting your local rescues.
Spay Neuter all Pets.
Educate friends and family on the importance of spay/neuter and
training. Volunteer if you can. Foster if you are able. Donate when possible.
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