More Healthy Dogs

Wouldn't it be great if our beloved dogs could add a few more years to their lives?

Ted Kerasote has written another inspiring book which addresses the issue of how to give our dog the longest life possible. The book is a combination of anecdotes about the author's dog, Pukka, and research about the factors that may effect the lifespan of our pooches: genetics, inbreeding, lifestyle, diet, vaccinations and other traditional veterinary practices, environmental toxins, and more.

A MUST READ for all dog owners!



Ebbie and I get outdoors everyday for a walk or skate on the Chehalis Western Trail in Olympia, Washington. Exercise and socializing her with other dogs are healthy options for a long life. And for us too!

916 Marathons

916 marathons or about 916 miles is the distance an average owner walks with her dog during the dog's 12.8 years, according to a British study of 3,000 dog owners.

The average dog in this study was walked three times a day, totaling 107 minutes. That amounts to almost 6,000 hours of her life spent walking.

Do you think Americans walk their dogs as much?

Ebony and I have logged several hundred marathons already!

Light on The Trail

The Chehalis Western Trail in Olympia, Washington is one of my favorite places to take my dog for a walk. It was especially stunning this evening.

After a few days of rain, today the sun kept trying to pop out. Ebony and I were on the Trail late afternoon. The smell of the woods after a rain is very intoxicating and wonderful. The low sun was highlighting the yellow leaves and the plethora of colorful leaves on the ground. I was wishing I had my camera, but I did have my cell phone.

Here is a glimpse of the beauty I discovered today.....

I love the arches formed by these trees.



And the light across the path.


The yellow leaves of the popular trees against the dark sky is absolutely brilliant.


What a beautiful place to visit.

How Many Dogs?

For the next two weeks I am "baby sitting" my son's dog, Ginger. Adding a second dog to the household has its challenges.

I find that I am constantly watching the dogs and training Ginger to our routines. She is a "city dog" and not use to the amount of freedom Ebony has taken for granted. I have also realized that Ebony and I have a good relationship and understanding of each other's needs.

Ginger and Ebony Ready To Go
My plan is to take the dogs for a good long walk each morning; hopefully, this will keep them content for the rest of the day. Ceasar Millan, the Dog Whisper, believes that a walk is the dog's work ethic.

So how many dogs is too much?

One thing is for sure, how many dogs you can humanely care for depends on your availability, energy and resources. For most people, owning one or two dogs is a full time job, but some may be able to balance upward of four to six dogs. Anything above this number requires a special kind of person with special circumstances if each animal is to receive the kind of attention he should receive as a pet.

I think I will stick to one dog!

Problems on the Walk?

Many people don't take their dogs on as many walks as they should because they have issues keeping their dog under control. Whether it's pulling, lunging, or other problem behaviors, there's hope!

Here are The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan's tips for a successful walk:

Be aware of your energy and body language. Make sure you are communicating a message that says, 'I am the pack leader!' Keep your head up and your shoulders back. Think positive, and envision the walk going well. You might be surprised at the results.

Keep the leash short – but not tight. This simple tip can save you a lot of headache. Flexi-leashes and other longer leashes make it harder for you to communicate with your dog and easier for her to go wherever she wants. But, don't forget, it's also important to keep the leash loose. If you make a correction, it should be quick, and then the leash should be returned to the relaxed state.

Position the collar at the top of the neck. If you've ever seen sledding dogs, you'll notice that the harness is around the lower part of their neck, near the shoulders. Why? This is where their pulling power is located. You're actually helping your dog to pull you around if you have the collar placed there. Instead, position it on the upper neck, which is the most sensitive area.

Record the walk. Ask a friend or family member to help you film you and your dog on the walk. It may be easier to see your problem areas after the fact. What's your posture like? How do you react when your dog misbehaves? Are you putting tension on the leash? These are the types of things to look for while you watch. If you don't have access to a camera, ask a friend or family walk with you and then share what they noticed.

Enlist the help of balanced dogs. If your dog barks or lunges at other dogs that you pass on the walk, take time to do just that activity with another dog you trust. That way, you can practice remaining calm and correcting your dog. Then, when the situation arises when you're not expecting it, you'll feel better able to handle it, and that confidence will be communicated to your dog.

Practice! You and your dog won't get better if you don't go out there and do it! Celebrate every success along the way. Learn from the bad days, but don't dwell on them. And then one day, you'll find you've done it! You've mastered the walk!

"You Are Not The Boss!"

This beautiful evening I was walking with my dog, Ebony, on the Chehalis Western Trail in Olympia, Washington.

I meet the most interesting people on the Trail. Tonight I met Chris who was jogging with her Australian Shepard, Bug.

When I first past her she told me her dog was being naughty and to not allow my dog to meet her dog. As Ebony and I walked away I heard Chris say,

"You are not the boss!"

I could not help but chuckle.


"You are not the boss!"

When we passed again on our return trip, Chris asked if our dogs could meet. I guess Bug had improved his behavior over the course of the hour.

Walking Multiple Dogs

What do you do when you run out of hands to walk several dogs?

Abbink-Burgers of the Netherlands came up with a great idea.

Walking The Dog Pack

When I go skating with Ebony at my side, people tend to make comments........usually about my weird skates, my method of walking my dog, or my well-trained dog.

I wonder what kind of comments Trudy Abad of Quitman, Arizona receives when he takes his dog pack for a walk?

Swinging Dog

Most dogs get excited when you mention the word "walk," right?

Sara gets excited when she hears the work "park" because she gets to go on the swings.

Watch Sara swing....

She has been a swinger for 4 years

Cesar's Dream

Upon approaching his 40th birthday this month, Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer, spoke about his dream in this month's newsletter.

I thought it was thoughtful and wanted to share it with you.

Cesar says, "I have a dream that one day every human who has a dog in their family will learn to master the walk. To me, the walk is the foundation for the human-canine relationship and crucial to establishing pack leadership. It's one of the most powerful tools we have for bonding with our dogs.

Many of you have written in to ask what you can do for my birthday. I thought it over and what I would love is for people to master the walk with their dogs - or to start the process - and to influence others to do so as well. That would honor the dog guy in me. And I hope you will send photos of you with your pack behind you or by your side. I'd love to see them!"



His website: http://www.cesarmillaninc.com

Mastering the Walk

Have you seen Cesar Millan walk with several dogs?

Cesar says, "The dogs see me as their pack leader. This is why they follow me wherever I go."





Here are some pointers from Cesar Millan:

Position matters. Walking in front allows you to be seen as the pack leader. Conversely, if your dog controls you on the walk, he’s the pack leader. You should be the first one out the door and the first one in. Your dog should be beside or behind you during the walk.

Use a short leash. This allows you to have more control. Attaching the leash to the very top of the neck can help you more easily communicate, guide, and correct your dog. Always keep your dog's safety in mind when giving corrections.

Set aside time. Dogs, like humans, are diurnal, so taking walks in the morning is ideal. I recommend setting aside thirty minutes to a full hour. The specific needs of each dog differ.

Define exploration time. After your dog has maintained the proper state of mind, reward him by allowing him to relieve himself and sniff around. Then you need to decide when reward time is over. It should always be less than the time spent focused on the walk.

Don't punch out. When you get home, don't stop leading. Have your dog wait patiently while you put away his leash or take off your shoes.

Share food and water. By providing a meal after the walk, you have allowed your dog to "work" for food and water.

So, are you the pack leader, too?

How to Calm a Hyperactive Dog

Frequently, I hear from customers that they have a hyperactive dog.

As I was surfing the internet, I found some sound advice from Cesar Millan regarding five ways to calm a hyperactive dog.

Ignore the behavior! Dogs seek attention from you. By paying them that attention during hyperactive outbursts, you’re reinforcing the very behavior that you’re trying to eliminate. The next time your dog is jumping or nipping at you in an overexcited way, give it a try – no touch, no talk, no eye contact – and see how you fare. You might be surprised how quickly the dog settles down.


Give your dog a job! Having a task to focus on can help tremendously. Hyperactivity can come from psychological needs as easily as it can from physical needs. By giving your dog a job to do, you are removing him from his state of hyperactivity and redirecting his energy elsewhere. The task should have a clear beginning and end, and should never be considered a replacement for physical exercise.


Go for a walk! If your dog has a lot of built-up energy, a really vigorous walk is another excellent way to redirect it where YOU want it to go. Once you’ve burned that extra energy away, your dog should be pleasantly exhausted and too tuckered out to jump and nip. Without that frustration, he’ll find it much easier to relax.


Check your own energy! Your dog is your mirror. Any energy you project, he will reflect back. Are you in a calm assertive state of mind? Are you projecting a confident energy? Are you stressing out over an argument, or burdened with the worries of the work week? Nervous or anxious moods can translate into nervous or anxious body language or tones of voice, and can affect the energy of your dog.


Try out aromatherapy! Don’t forget that dogs experience the world primarily by scent! Just as the smell of lavender is said to relax human beings, a soothing smell can also have a very calming effect on your pet. Talk to your vet or consult a holistic professional to find out what smells may work for your dog and which dispersal methods are the safest for him.

Dogs and Car Rides

It seems to me that dogs either love car rides or hate them.

Fortunately my dog, Ebony, looks forward to car rides. She anxiously watches me when I come outside because no matter what I do, I must pass by the car. I can see the expression on her face as she watches my every move.

She asks, "Walk?" "Car Ride?"

If I walk past the car, she is immediately bounding joyfully down the road. If I open the car door, she scrutinizes me.



She asks, "Can I come, too?"

A "No" response gets a sad, poor me look. But, If I open the back of the car, she is READY for adventure. You can see the smile on her face. My buddy off to explore the world.

I feel sorry for those pet owners whose dogs get car sick or do not like traveling in cars. There must be a way to help them. Any one have some training advice?

Playtime with Luke

Ebony scored again today!   A chance meeting with her friend Luke; perfect timing as Luke was about to go for a walk.  PLAYTIME!  The two dogs immediately start to wrestle. Ebony's favorite game is chase and she controls the speed.  It is funny to watch her as she looks back to see how far behind Luke is and will slow down or reverse direction to continue the game.  

I wanted to take photographs of the two of them playing, but the camera battery ran out before they slowed down enough to get both of them in the viewfinder.   I did get a posed photo of Larry, Luke and Ebony who does not like to be pinned in place.

"Time to Walk!" Says my dog

This morning I looked at the thermometer and it read 29 degrees. The sun was shining and I decided to postpone our morning walk until it warmed up a bit.

Ebony has full freedom of several acres of woods, but loves her morning walk with me. She looks like a small Black Lab, but Ebony is part Border Collie and they are task masters. She does not like it when her morning walks are delayed and will let me know by "THE LOOK."

Ebony came to the door this morning and "THE LOOK" was intense! It was nearly 10am and we have not walked, yet. I quickly got my camera as I have been trying to photograph her expressing her feelings.

Please excuse the nose prints on the window.

Here is "THE LOOK" that says, "Time to walk!"