The Dog Lover Theory

Throughout the summer my hubby, dogs, and I are fortunate to be able to enjoy many weekends in Kennebunk, Maine, thanks to my in-laws. They own a denture business, whose office sits below a comfortable condo that often becomes our weekend home.

The fortunate thing about staying above a denturist's office are the many magazines in the waiting room that I can choose from to bring as my light reading to the beach. I'll be honest, after spending my busy weekdays running a business, on weekends I prefer to turn off my brain and indulge in mindless reading, my magazine of choice is People Magazine! However, this past weekend as I browsed the waiting room table, a magazine cover caught my eye. A National Geographic magazine pictured a fox on it's cover, headlining their feature article, "Designing the Perfect Pet."

I immediately knew the article. I posted my thoughts on it a couple months ago. However, in hopes that the actual magazine had more content on the subject than the online version that I had read, I scooped up the magazine and eagerly headed off to the beach.

For those of you who did not read my last post on this subject, I'll quickly summarize. A study about animal domestication in Siberia has raised and bred foxes for friendliness. They now have a population of foxes that greet humans and crave attention just as your yellow lab or golden retriever does. What's more, these foxes have changed in appearance; they have floppy ears, curled tails, and a piedbald coloration. The study suggests that the genes that are necessary for domestication, also correlate to changes in appearance and behavior. To read the entire article, you can click here.

In browsing the magazine, I was correct in that there was more content in the magazine than the online version. However, it wasn't where I expected to find it! As I read the Editor's Note, I was incredibly intrigued by what was said and the suggested theory. So much that after reading it, I nearly ran across the beach to where my hubby was searching for sea glass and read it out loud to him (I've said it before and I'll say it again, yes I'm a dork, I love this kind of stuff.)

And just as I hurried over to my hubby to share what I read, I hurried this morning to put together this blog to share with you the editor's note. The end of the second paragraph is the part that I found most interesting:

"In Jackson's mind there is no such thing as a good person or a bad person. There are only people he desperately wants to meet. Jackson, I should explain, is my Jack Russell terrier. When he meets someone, his short tail wags at warp speed, sending a vibration through his piedbald body right up to his floppy ears. He is exuberant, playful, affectionate - everything a dog lover could wish for. He fits the description of an animal domesticated through years of selective breeding.

In this month's issue we explore animal domestication, which began more than 15,000 years ago with dogs. As humans bred wolves to be our hunting companions and friends, changes in appearance occurred along with changes in behavior. Traits that might otherwise have been weeded out in the wild survived because they were, well, cute. Jackson, with his piebald coloring and floppy ears, is a classic example. But I think there is more to it than that. When my family went shopping for a dog, Jackson confidently trotted over and made it clear he liked us. We immediately responded by picking him up and hugging him. I have to wonder if there is something in human genes that makes our response to a puppy so immediate and positive. Are we genetically predisposed to connect with dogs? Can a case be made that dog lovers had a better chance of survival with the help of man's best friend - in a violent and uncertain world - to put food on the table and guard against threats? It makes sense to me, but cat lovers may not buy my theory."

Chris Johns

Are we predisposed to connect with dogs because our ancestors were more likely to survive if they were using domesticated wolves to hunt, for protection, and as companions? They now say that people who own a dog are healthier, happier, and perhaps live longer. Was that the case 15,000 years ago when dogs first became domesticated? Let me know what you think!

Beat the Heat With These Fun Games for Your Pup!

Because of the heat wave we're currently experiencing, Facebook decided to put together a list of who they think has the worst hot weather jobs. Turns out dog walkers have made that list! Sure, it's hot out there, really hot. But I'll be honest, I've been having a blast walking dogs in this heat!

To start, I want to make it clear that "walking dogs" hasn't exactly been just that. It's just too hot to go for a brisk midday, half-hour walk. Myself and all of my walkers haven't had our pups walking for more than 10-15 minutes per visit. However, we still have lots of other fun and stimulating activities up our sleeves! And the great thing about these activities is that even wayyou can try them at home to help your pup burn some energy! They'll keep your pup busy and happy in the house, while enhancing your bond and reinforcing good behavior.

To help you get started on keeping your pup active and happy during this hot weather, I've explained two very fun games to try out:

"Find It!"

What you need: Tasty treats or a fun toy, and a crate if your dog doesn't know "stay."

Instructions: Ask your dog to "stay" or put him in his crate. Take a cookie or his favorite toy and hold it up so that he sees it in your hand. Then walk to a spot in your house where he can still see you, put the item down, then return to your dog. Say "Find It!" and release your dog from his stay, or open his crate. Watch as your pup runs to the spot and gobble up his treat or play with his toy! Next, start all over again, but this time placing the item in a slightly more difficult spot. Watch him search for the item and find it! Repeat over and over again for lots of fun!

Remember: Your dog needs to be rewarded to stay motivated. Start the game very easy to make sure he understands the goal. If things get too difficult and he looses interest, try going back to placing the item in an easy-to-find spot. Egg him on with your voice, and if he needs help, try pointing to the area that the item is hidden. Reward him once he finds it with lots of praise and clapping so he's extra proud of himself!

Why the game is so great: You're burning your pup's mental and physical energy by challenging him to find the item. You're also reinforcing the "stay" command while teaching him a new command, "find it." And the best part about it is he's got to pay attention to you and read your body language so that he knows where the toy is! It's a great way to connect with your pup, and I think at times we all wish our dog paid more attention to us!

Who enjoyed this game: Kande the Wheaton Terrier could not get enough of this game with me yesterday! She was great at staying, so I'd amp up the excitement by asking her if she was ready before telling her to "find it!" She would get so psyched, that the moment I said "find it!" she'd give me one big WOOF then sprint off into the living room, as if to say "here I go!!"

"Hide & Go Seek!"

What you need: Tasty treats or a fun toy, and someone to help you if your dog doesn't know "stay"

Instructions: Ask your dog to "stay" or have someone hold him, and show him that you have a treat or toy. Then walk into another room, stand still, and say "(dog's name) come!" If someone's holding your dog, have them let go. Then stay quiet until your pup finds you and when he does, reward him with lots of praise and a treat or some playtime with his toy! Next, repeat the game, but this time hiding in a slightly more difficult spot. If you're playing with someone else, have them hide this time. Reward your dog for finding you, and repeat over and over again for lots of fun!

Remember: Keep your dog motivated and help him understand the game by first hiding in an easy-to-find spot. Increase the difficulty based on his success. If he suddenly looses interest or can't find you, give him a hint with a whistle or by saying his name. Make it super exciting when he finds you so that he has lots of fun and stays enthusiastic about the game!

Why the game is so great: You're burning your pup's mental and physical energy by challenging him to find you. Plus, you're reinforcing both your "stay" and "come" commands. It also teaches your pup that being around you, or finding you, is a wonderful thing! That way when you're outside one day and want to call him to come, he'll be more happy to do it!

Who enjoyed this game: My two Collies, Elsa and Reese, absolutely love this game! They've become so good at it, that I'll ask them to stay in the basement, and hide all the way upstairs in the bedroom and they still manage to find me! The two flights of stairs are great exercise for them when it's too hot to go for a walk and they've learned that being called to "come" is fun and exciting!

So even though it's sometimes too hot outside for our dogs to burn a lot of energy, that's no excuse to have a bored pup! Try out these games to help your dog stay active during the hot summer days while reinforcing good behaviors, enhancing your bond, and having fun!

Spending the Day with BlueDog!

I hear it over and over again, the constant exclamations of how lucky I must be to be to spend every day walking dogs. And I have to agree, my walkers and I are very lucky! And what makes it even better are the fantastic dogs that we walk. There's tall dogs and short dogs, energetic dogs and lazy dogs, cute dogs and silly dogs. The personalities are endless! And there's nothing I love more than capturing those personalities with a picture. One of BlueDog's wonderful walkers, Jenn, also has a passion and talent for photographing dogs. So we planned a BlueDog photo shoot; an entire day with an ambitious list of dogs and walkers for Jenn to meet and photograph throughout Andover and North Andover! She had a blast, our walkers had a blast, and most importantly, the lovable pups that we walk had fun showing off and smiling for the camera!

So to all of those people who tell me how lucky I am, I'd like to share a look into what it's like to be a BlueDog walker for a day.

Jenn started her day off with a 9am visit with Katie and Romeo. Romeo is BlueDog's most senior pup, he just celebrated his 14th birthday! The two of them enjoy slow, sniffy walks in beautiful downtown Andover.

I've never known dogs to get wrinkles as they age...but apparently their tongues do!

Next was Chloe, a little Havanese pup who enjoys two visits a day from her walker Katie as she learns how to be house trained (and Katie had taught her a trick or two already too!)

She likes laying in the summer sun with Katie and her best friend Chance. Chance is Katie's dog and joins her on nearly every walk. All of her pups absolutely love walking and playing with him! It also promotes socialization and all of our walkers are encouraged to bring their dogs on walks with them once I've determined they're well behaved, well socialized, and great with other dogs.

Usually we try to keep our walks structured and controlled to promote good manners, but Bella was just too excited to get her picture taken and ran ahead of her walker Meghan to smile for the camera!

There's the smile!

Then Jenn was off to North Andover for a walk with Butch and Amy. And speaking of smiles...Butch makes it clear that dogs can indeed, smile : )

He absolutely loves his walker and best friend, Amy. Amy also occasionally house sits for Butch, he always has a blast during their slumber parties!

Daisy is a rescued terrier mix who lives in a beautiful neighborhood, though her and her walker must watch out for poison ivy! I walked Daisy myself earlier this summer and ended up with a whole bunch of the itchy stuff all over my legs!

Daisy likes to have some cuddle time with Rebecca. She also enjoys it when Rebecca brings her dog, Sadie, who is also a rescue, over for a visit!

Jenn has got photographing dogs down to an art...but sometimes the pups just get too excited! Like Sarah here, who just couldn't handle her excitement about making a new friend. She just went straight up for a kiss!

And then it was on to her best friend Katie, who she absolutely smothered with kisses! Sarah is just a pup and is learning good manner's from BlueDog's trainer, Amy. Amy has also taught Katie what they've learned, so that she can be consistent with Sarah's training during their walks!

Look at that tongue! Simba is just growing up from puppy-hood, he's currently going through that awkward stage most of our dogs went through as they matured! But he's a very good boy and not only enjoys walks with Amy, but they also work on his good manners and commands.

Amy has been walking him since he was only 8 weeks old!

Next Jenn headed to the park by the library in North Andover where Lauren and Stanley were playing fetch with a tennis ball. It's his absolute favorite game and he could play for hours!

They also worked on a couple commands in between games. Look how well he stays for her!

Amy and Sadie were enjoying some cuddle time in the yard. Sadie had no problem rolling over for a belly rub, she knows Amy can't say no to that!

Jenn loved photographing Sadie, she was such a ham and totally loved the camera. Look at that face!

Amy also walks BlueDog's amazing three-legged dog, Sophie. After being diagnosed with bone cancer, Sophie's parents made the brave decision to save their girl by having her leg amputated. She has been healthy and happy ever since!

And still keeps up on her tricks!

Next up was Bruno who enjoyed a nice, shady walk with his walker Lauren.

And then on to a fun game of fetch in the yard. He's another one who could play for hours!

Tell me that isn't love! Another BlueDog senior, Sasha, still has the energy to go for long walks despite her age...and grey hairs! But her older age has also brought on some health risks, so we all know the signs to look for when she's gone far enough.

She has fun walking the fields along Spring Hill Farm and loves barking at the cows!

The last stop of the day was at 3pm with Katie, Max, and Cleo. Max is by far BlueDog's tallest dog and towers over Katie when he stands on his hind legs!

But these guys, despite their size, are as gentle and sweet as they get. They love to walk with Katie down to the North Andover town common, or play in the backyard.

We will surely be doing another BlueDog photo shoot in the future! It was absolutely impossible to take pictures of all the dogs walked by BlueDog that day, but we'll be certain to feature more pups soon. If your dog was featured today and you'd like to see more pictures, just let me know!

And I hope you were able to enjoy daydreaming about what it's like to spend a lucky day with BlueDog : )