Animals Unfolded

I felt him behind me before I heard him — the rumble of an old work truck, slowing down. "Hey there, old timer…" the driver called out, nodding at my charge that day: a 14-year-old Labrador with a fresh cancer diagnosis, osteoarthritis that had been along for the ride for a while now, and a muzzle so gray it looked like he'd stuck his face in a bowl of powdered sugar. I rolled my eyes — privately — then turned and gave a polite nod. Comments like that don't bother me much anymore. I've come to understand they're usually less about the dog and more about the person saying them — a reflexive way to deflect the discomfort of being reminded, out of nowhere, that life is short and bodies fail. I get it. There are bigger things to focus on. Like being safe. I don't see the world as a scary place. If you handle dogs for a living , you accept that it  can  be, under the wrong conditions — and that with training and skill, it's a lot less so. Defensive handlin...

Seeing the world through the lenses I’ve developed in working with dogs is interesting, especially when walking them. I’ve grown accustomed to assessing things by rote before I hitch a dog up to their harness and as we step out the door, with necessary tools aboard to enhance the experience and keep the adventure a safe one.  It’s rare that there isn’t an adjustment that’s needed at some point on a dog walk—pivoting direction when there’s another dog and handler approaching who aren’t handling themselves well, steering clear of a yard where kids are playing—you get the idea. It can be a minefield at times.  I’m all about dogs getting the most out of their adventures, with an emphasis on having a chance to sniff the heck out of everything along the way, regardless of their age or ability. It’s probably more important than the physical movement that is the aim of most people when dog walking. A dog’s nose is their most powerful sense, providing the most enrichment and it’s ...

This time of year teems with a lot of good stuff: the sun rising earlier and setting later, slowly unfolding warmer weather, and activities that come with all that. With witnessing what feels like an unfurling from a cocoon as the confines of the pandemic begin to loosen, it’s clear that people are even more ready to get out and about. With more families beginning to feel comfortable enough to actually plan to indulge their wanderlust, visit family—even return to their physical workplaces—that means that I’ll be regaining a sense of normal as well.  And I realize that in some ways, things will look different than before. Just as there are changes with my feline and canine charges, there’s most definitely bound to be a shift in the dynamic of their respective neighborhoods, not to mention trails, dog parks and other areas that our canine friends frequent. That can be a good thing, though when it comes to looking at things through the lens of a seasoned dog handler, we know there are...

One weekend evening earlier this month, I was on a typical outing with one of my charges -- a shepherd mix -- in her neighborhood. Dinner was a few hours before on that gorgeous spring afternoon, then a walk, and now, she was getting tucked in for the night. The weather was still hard to pass up at that hour, and the sun would be dipping low soon, so off we went for a walk before bed. Walking my charges in neighborhoods, as I’m sure my colleagues will exclaim, can be a challenge: too many humans thoughtlessly staring into the blue screens of their handheld devices, one [is] too many dog s hitched up to a retractable leash , and far fewer humans on the other end of any leash who understand canine body language and behavior. That imbalance of mindfulness has led to more unwelcome and tense, off-leash approaches between the dogs in my care than I care to think about. Thankfully, most instances can be quelled quickly with the training I’ve sought, and the fact that most handlers get...

Being out on an adventure with our dogs is a fun way to engage with them and is great for our mutual well-being. As a professional, I've had the opportunity to try out different leashes and other pieces of equipment, for example, harnesses—my requisite choice—to enhance the experience for myself and the dog I'm with. Comfort and safety are paramount for both of us, and since I'm in the driver's seat so to speak, it's up to me to ensure that and to gauge if my 'passenger' is having trouble.  Safety and ethics There are things that, for safety, ethical and professional reasons, I unable to use: choke, prong and shock collars and retractable leashes—the latter being my focus here—are off limits. Many families love them, and it's not hard to see why. They offer dogs more space to roam while still being tethered, the lead itself retracts back into the handset as the dog moves closer and further away. Some models have lights and even a dog waste d...

Upon meeting with a family of a happy Labrador mix a few weeks ago, the busy mom of two toddlers sheepishly mused, "I don't walk her as much as I should. I don't seem to have as much time these days, with the kids and all..."  "No need to apologize," I responded. "You have this ginormous fenced backyard, she's occupied with playing fetch and squirrel-chasing. Let's not neglect the fact that she can run around free." The truth is, walking said pooch is not all that fun. And by her human's admission, she's right—some of it has to do with poor skills on the part of the dog. But in my experience with her, outings are often fraught with challenges because of stuff going on in their neighborhood. The former could be remedied, but I know all too well how much work it is to try and smooth out. And for a busy young family, the bandwidth isn't there. And even if they could manage the training, there's the external stimuli a...

Wherever I am walking with one of my canine charges, there are usually a few smiles. It's hard for most people to walk past a dog without grinning and making a favorable comment, right? It goes without saying that for some, it's hard to suppress the urge to want to pet the dog I'm chaperoning or to stop and make small talk — and who can blame them? Dogs are fun!  I'll admit that I don't allow people — especially those who are unfamiliar and ditto for children — to approach or pet my charges, and that's for several reasons. Some of the dogs are not comfortable with that. Others may be recovering from surgery or are old (and may be experiencing things like cognitive dysfunction). A handful are well, a handful when interacting with others. But let's not forget that some folks, regardless of age, aren't very good at knowing how to get up close and personal to a dog with care and finesse.  And any of that could be a recipe for trouble, (and that...

It's been a mild winter across much of the Midwest in comparison to those in recent past. That despite the snowy weather we've experienced here in Michigan so late in the season. So clement in fact that it has resulted in far fewer days where I've needed to be extra-creative with indoor play for my charges because of the bitterly-cold temperatures.  It's no doubt that the winter weather can wreak havoc on our outdoor fun, and that of our canine friends. Their paws are a special consideration because they have direct contact with the ground. I'm seeing the use of dog booties more often. And, since I work professionally with animals, I'm asked about my opinion on them. It seems that though a lot of dog owner's gut instinct is telling them that using booties doesn't seem necessary, they feel like they might not be doing the right thing by forgoing them. They admit part of it is due to peer pressure, which is unfortunate.  I have to say that for the m...

No one likes to hear negative things about their dog's behavior, not to mention their own when it comes to engaging with their pet. When our pets behave in a way that is less-than-ideal in a social setting (namely with other dogs), it usually doesn't slip through our radar to some degree, though we hope that it has in the eyes of others. Some social offenses are negligible, even funny. Others are, well, quite telling with regard to how our ongoing training is going. But let's face it: some of us share life with dogs that just never get the hang of navigating some social situations, so it's understood that we need to pick our battles, right? Picking our battles is something we can easily do when in the midst of other folks and their dogs, too. I find that just as with everything else, there's no shortage of opinions when it comes to how a canine should behave or how their said human ought to handle a situation, and often it doesn't seem to matter how muc...