Inspired training for dogs and their families
Jill Bowers
Dog Training and Behavior Specialist

Thank Blog!
is written by Jill and Jamie Bowers.

Jill is a private, in-home dog trainer based in greater LA.

We believe that dogs offer companionship that adds unique and valuable richness to human lives. We help dogs and people realize the fullest potential of their relationship.

Should you have any questions about dogs or our services you can contact us or feel free to use the comments.

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Friday, September 29, 2006

Dogster

I am sure you have all seen this. But for you, new dog owners, maybe you haven't! If you have ever used friendster or myspace, this an equivilant for your doggies!

http://www.dogster.com/

It's a cute way to pretend your dog is human like most of us like to do. You are technically speaking for your dog and treating it like they are really getting friends from this, you can get play dates, or just fun dog talk to other owners.

There is lots of resources, blogs and forums to look through as well. It's very well done...check it out!

Note: you can find both Quinn and Riley on dogster...

Tags: dogster, dog meeting place, dog friends, dog playdates

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Wednesday, September 27, 2006

These are actual newspaper ads:

FREE YORKSHIRE TERRIER. 8 years old. Hateful little bitch. Bites

FREE PUPPIES: 1/2 Cocker Spaniel, 1/2 sneaky neighbor's dog.

FREE PUPPIES... Part German Shepherd, part stupid dog.

FREE GERMAN SHEPHERD 85 lbs Neutered. Speaks German.

FOUND DIRTY WHITE DOG. Looks like a rat ... been
out a while. Better be a reward for this nasty little thing.

COWS, CALVES: NEVER BRED.. Also 1 gay bull for sale.

NORDIC TRACK $300 Hardly used, call Chubby.

GEORGIA PEACHES, California grown - 89 cents lb.

JOINING NUDIST COLONY! Must sell washer and dryer $300

WEDDING DRESS FOR SALE . WORN ONCE BY MISTAKE. Call Stephanie.

(AND THE BEST ONE):

FOR SALE BY OWNER: Complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica. 45 volumes. Excellent condition. $1,000 or best offer. No longer needed, got married last month. Wife knows everything

I thought these were funny and wanted to share. Thanks Melinda at Doggie Style for sending this to me!

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Tuesday, September 26, 2006

VPI Pet Insurance


I get a lot of clients asking about pet insurance, so I am going to go ahead and refer you to a company that one of my past client uses. He has really good judgement on these kinds of things...you should see his dog (haha...actually, his dog is the one on my about me page). Anyway, he mentioned that they are prompt on payment and very professional. Another key factor is that they just added cancer coverage for only $14.99/yr extra - on top of the actual fee.

Here is the info...
http://www.petinsurance.com/
888-899-4VPI

Thanks to Ken Coombs for submitting this!


Tags: Pet Insurance, dog insurance, dog cancer, VPI Pet Insurance

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Monday, September 25, 2006

NBC

I was approached by NBC to submit a video of me dog training to possibly earn a part in a new reality series that will have a dog behaviorist and a dog psychologist. I am sure they have a lot of trainers submitting, so who knows if I will get it. I just thought it would be fun to try.

Jamie and I are going to video tape me and Quinn doing basic obedience. Sooooo, I guess I will share it once I am done with it. I could have used the video of my being interviewed for the Burbank local channel, however, I think I would rather do my own, plus I probably wouldn't be able to get my hands on it in time...submission is the 29th.

It would be a great opportunity...Wish me luck!!

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Thursday, September 21, 2006

Dog Odor - Foul Smelling Gas

When dogs were wild, earth’s water had so few pathogens and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), that it was able to clean itself. The air was completely free of the toxic spew that scientists have been arguing is responsible for global warming. Oxygen levels are lower today then they were then, and are declining!

When dogs were wild, they hunted and ate fresh kill: They were leaner and meaner then they are today, but they were also healthier! Along with the domestication of dogs, came the domestication of their diet, followed by an epidemic of health issues related to the breakdown of their GI tract. Certainly diminished water and air quality, plus constant exposure to toxic cleaning chemicals, disinfectants, and pesticides haven’t helped.

If you have ever owned a dog(s) you’ve experienced foul smelling gas. Sometimes it’s enough to drive you out of a room. Did you ever stop to think about why, this happens? The answer is as close as the nearest mirror!

In computer lingo, the acronym GIGO stands for - Garbage In, Garbage Out.

Owning a domestic dog is a huge responsibility. It should not be taken lightly! What are you feeding your dog?
Dog Food

Here’s an old joke that makes the point: Two guys are walking down the street. They walk past a restaurant. One says to the other “Man the food in that place is awful!” His friend replies “Yeah, but they give you a lot of it.”

The same can be said for commercial dry dog foods, which are sorely lacking in nutritional value, but compared to canned is relatively cheap. Despite the list of ingredients on the label, they are mostly bland tasteless empty calories; basically they are hardly more than filler. Some manufactures actually spray their dry food with recycled restaurant grease, just to give it some flavor. I’ll bet you didn’t know that!

Now before you throw out the dry food and rush to replace it with canned food, know this: The meat in most canned dog foods is scrap, and/or meat unfit for humans. It is over cooked, over processed and likely loaded with hormones and antibiotics. (Not that most commercial meat is that much better). It is virtually devoid of life giving energy.

Hopefully you’ve come to terms with the fact that you need to become proactive regarding everything you give your dog! Giving your dog food that has little (if any) nutritional value eventually has a consequence. And that consequence has a price- which is typically quite high on many levels. It can’t be emphasize enough- Where is your dog going to get the nutrients they need if it is not in their food?

Many people “love their dogs to death” by feeding them people food, or table scraps, or sweets. Feeding your dog low quality foods, or foods and sweets that they are not meant to eat taxes their already compromised digestive system. Add multi-generations of similar feeding and it’s easy to see why dogs are suffering from a myriad of health issues today.

Not only do commercial food and table scraps lack nutritional value, they are also harder to break down and move through your dog’s GI tract, and out as stool. Is this beginning to smell? If this continues, gas is the least of your worries. So you can’t rely on dry or canned dog foods. Now what?
A Step In The Right Direction

The ground swell of awareness as to the benefits of raw, organic dog food is very encouraging. However, be aware that even though organic raw dog foods are vastly superior to commercial foods, they still do not compare to the nutritional value in a fresh kill!

And even if you are among the growing ranks of dog owners who have switched to raw organic food choices, your dog(s) can still experience bad gas. Why?

There are several reasons, including the obvious, somewhere along the way, between your purchase and use, the raw food was exposed to air, or sufficient heat to cause pathogenic bacteria to begin growing.

However, the primary reason for foul smelling gas is that your dogs’ intestinal tract and immune system have been highly compromised due to generations of domesticated diet, and exposure to toxic chemicals.

Ideally, a meal should move through your dog in about 24 hours. If it stays there much longer than that, the putrefaction process will overwhelm your dog’s GI tract. The longer it stays in your dog, the more likely it is that you will experience foul smelling gas. Over time, your dog constipation is also likely to develop.

The fact is, today, dogs need supplements to assist in the digestive process.

Gas is your first sign that your dog is in immediate need of beneficial intestinal flora supplements- or probiotics!
Probiotics

Probiotics are naturally occurring good bacteria derived from fermentation, or culturing. Yogurt is an example of a probiotic. Alas, it has been marketed as suitable to replenish the good bacteria (beneficial intestinal flora) necessary for proper food digestion.

Caution! There is a big difference between laboratory studies of how probiotic supplements perform in a petri dish, versus how they perform inside your dog’s gut.
Soil Based Organisms

Some 25 years ago, laboratory researchers began exploring an entirely new type of probiotic. Instead of coming from cultured dairy products, these probiotics thrive in organic soil. Appropriately, they were collectively named Soil Based Organisms (SBOs).

The benefit of using SBOs to replenish the good bacteria in your dog’s gut is their resistance to stomach acids. In order to produce SBOs in quantity, they must be cultured in a laboratory environment, using strict scientific protocols. This is both time, and rather expensive space consuming, but necessary to assure efficacy.

Formulating SBOs into a specific product capable of quickly restoring your dog’s proper GI balance took 5 years of intense R & D. The formula consists of 29 individual strains of active SBOs, working synergistically to overcome pathogens, and bad bacteria causing the foul smelling gas. If kept on hand, this combination of SBOs can be administered for each foul gas episode, or may be given regularly as a preventative.

http://www.thepetprofessor.com/press/press.aspx?id=2041


For more information on foul smelling gas, and how to solve the problem, contact Vitality Science, Inc.

Robert Hart
VP Marketing
Vitality Science, Inc.
www.vitalityscience.com

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Wagville

So, while I was in New York, I needed a place for my dogs to go during the day until my friend, Calen, was off work. We decided to use Wagville which is a daycare, boarding and grooming facility for dogs (obviously).

Side note: Wanna know the best part about it? It's SO close to my house! Wanna know the funniest part about it? Yeah, we went to open up the same type of facility a year and half ago right acrossed the street from it and was going to name it "Watch Dog" (get it? haha). We got all the way to facilities and lawyers before we decided against it. We realized we wouldn't have a life because of all of the time and effort this type of business requires.

Anyway, we went to have them evaluated before we left to make sure they would be ok there. I didn't tell the trainer, Julie, that I was a dog trainer myself because I didn't know if that would be awkward or not while she is trying to do her thing. Anyway, that is beside the point...

Quinn, being the small dog that she THINKS she is, got to be in the small dog area the entire time. She is so funny, it's where she is most comfortable and it showed when they introduced the areas (big dog area and small dog area) to her. She just feels right at home with the tiny ones...I love her to pieces for that.

Wagville gives report cards at the end of each day that the dogs are there and overall, Quinn was intimidated (yes, by the small dogs) but finally warmed up and made some friends, and Emmitt was immediately the man of the place. So cute.

A great feature Wagville has is the webcams, we got to watch them in New York which was quite a treat. I worry about my babies constantly so it was a great way to relax about them.

I am giving shout outs to Wagville because I was able to enjoy my vacation knowing they were in a good place getting tons of exercise. The fact that they allowed Quinn to be with the small dogs all day, everyday, regardless that she is a big Doberman, meant a lot to me. It made me see they really do evaluate the dogs accordingly and will take the necessary steps to make sure they are comfortable. So...Kudos to you Wagville!


2400 North San Fernando Road
Los Angeles, CA 90065

Phone: (323) 222-4442
Fax: (323) 222-4448

Email: info@wagville.com
Website: www.wagville.com

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Beautiful Quinn





Just thought I would share MORE pictures of Quinn. She had these done awhile back from a friend and I totally forgot to share them.

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Sunday, September 17, 2006

Still recovering...

from my New York and 30th birthday week. I will be back to my old routine tomorrow!

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Friday, September 15, 2006

Today is my 30th birthday!

Just thought I would tell you that.

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Wednesday, September 13, 2006

City Dogs

I am back from New York, it was amazing. We did a lot of tourist things like: seeing Wicked (Loved it!), went on a speed boat around the Statue of Liberty, ate and shopped in Time Square, Central Park, walked so much our feet hurt...etc...we ended our vacation doing 9/11 activities which was amazing and heartbreaking all at the same time.

One thing we were amazed about the city is all of the dogs! I can't believe how many people have dogs and how well adjusted they are! The only way they get exercise or a potty break is for the owner to bring them down to walk the city. I mean, they all have to go potty on the cement...obviously there is no grass. I was just pleasantly surprised at how much New York loves dogs.

There were pet stores and vets all over the place and restaraunts that allowed them to sit on the patios outside. I can't imagine what it would be like to have an unruly dog that you couldn't take outside though...I mean, they would have to be pent up...hmmm, maybe New York needs me. Um, no...I love Los Angeles and have way more of an appreciation for it now.

Although, I absolutely loved New York and all that it offers...Los Angeles is where my home is and my dogs LOVE it here.

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Off to New York!

Don't worry, my traveling will be done for the most part after this. I am so excited to go! We will be back on Tuesday. Until then...bye doggies!

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Sunday, September 03, 2006

Operant Conditioning and a funny story...


First, Operant conditioning is the use of consequences to modify the occurrence and form of behavior. There are 4 contexts of operant conditioning, but the one I am going to address is positive reinforcement.

Positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior (response) is followed by a favorable stimulus (commonly seen as pleasant) that increases the frequency of that behavior. In the Skinner box experiment, a stimulus such as food or sugar solution can be delivered when the rat engages in a target behavior, such as pressing a lever.

Do you get that? Ok, now here is my story...

Riley loves food. She loves food so much that I think she would literally die eating it. I wish I was kidding, but I am not. As I have stated before in a diary, she had to get an enema once due to her over eating. She will eat so much that she won't be able to move and will lick the air because she is so uncomfortable. She doesn't know when to stop. It doesn't appear she has that gene. We always say that we could get her to do nuclear physics for a treat.

Anyway, we don't free feed, we always have to make sure food is not available. We definitely have to work to keep the figs in our back yard out of her way. It's terrible. Now, the reason I am telling you this is for you to realize how much Riley loves food.

We have this dog shaped container for treats that when you open the head, it will either sing, "Who let the dogs out? woof! woof! woof! woof!" OR it will sing, "You ain't nothing but a hound dog, crying all the time". Now, Riley has caught on that when she hears these two songs, she knows a treat will be following them...so, when she hears it, she comes running...every single time.

We used to just make fun of it, but it has become a valuable tool. Because she is conditioned positively with these two songs, it has basically become the come command. One day, Riley, being the minpin that she is, decided to explore the outside world...meaning...she left our yard and started to run down the street. Gina was so worried that she would be hit by a car that she immediately went into survival mode and didn't think twice about running outside and frantically singing, "who let the dogs out? woof woof woof..."

She came back immediately.

Well...last night, a dog was barking and Riley slipped out of the gate while I was outside, I yelled Riley and one by one Calen came out singing, "Who let the dogs out", then Jamie, "who let the dogs out?", and finally Gina who came out with the real container and opened it to let it sing. There was a party acrossed the street and they saw the entire thing. It was the funniest thing I have witnessed in a long time.

Just imagine a little brown dog escaping the yard and then 3 adults running out one by one singing loudly, "Who let the dogs out? woof! woof! woof!..." and then seeing the dog come running back for her treat! We laughed for awhile after that.

Side note: Before you call me out...yes, that is right...I am a dog trainer and never taught my little Riley the "come" command. Like I said from the beginning...I never trained her except for dog and leash aggression and her other basic commands, plus playing dead (which is really cute when I say "bang!"). I had her before I had my extensive training and put all of my energy into Quinn. Riley is like a cat when she isn't running down the street. She is calm, lazy, and just likes to eat and cuddle.

Tags: Come, Operant Conditioning, Treat Training, Mininature Pinscher

 



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