The Arbitrator

06/08/2024

05/20/2024

Barking or Biting Dogs? Most aggression in dogs is manifested because of fears and confidence lacks.... Training is the answer!

Exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are the most effective treatments for fear-based issues. Exposure therapy focuses on changing a response to an object or situation that is fearful (building CONFIDENCE)

HABITS
A habit is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly (time based) and tends to develop occurrences subconsciously.

05/20/2024

https://www.lulu.com/shop/bill-grimmer/a-new-dog/paperback/product-23148348.html?page=1&pageSize=4

A teaching book for anyone interested in how a dog learns. How to develop the best relationship possible in this cross-species interaction. How to create a lasting bond and happy life together.

05/15/2024

Eye/sight - Question is now the combination of rods vs cones- Rods don't help with color vision, which is why at night, we see everything in a gray scale. The human eye has over 100 million rod cells.

Cones require a lot more light and they are used to see color. We have three types of cones: blue, green, and red.

While humans have more cones, allowing us to see more colors and brighter colors than dogs, dogs have more rods, giving them the edge when it comes to seeing in low light or identifying moving objects.

04/12/2024

TWO MUZZLE DESIGNS, only one is good!

04/12/2024

Tracking dogs vs Airscent dogs – a bacteria primer

The prowess of a dog’s nose is another subject, so let’s consider the “target” that search and tracking dogs are trained to locate.

A search dog (SAR air scenting) is trained by a human to identify and approach the highest concentration of the “human target scent” and then to perform a specific action. (sit, speak, dig, bump, etc.)
A “tracking dog” is trained by a human to follow a “scent picture” a combination of human scent and crushed vegetation scent in combination with disturbed ground scent. Both valuable dogs are using their noses to detect the differences in the excretions of ever-present bacteria.

Bacteria growth is a subject that dog trainers of scent work must understand fully to professionally train dogs to be successful.
Bacteria, those tiny, remarkable organisms, can indeed produce a variety of distinctive smells.

Let's delve into the fascinating world of microbial odors:

1. Metabolic Factors and Volatile Compounds:
Microorganisms themselves do not inherently have a smell, but they can generate various metabolites that carry their own distinct scents.
When these microbes metabolize substances, they produce volatile compounds that contribute to characteristics smells. These compounds depend on the specific organism's metabolic processes.
For instance, when anaerobic bacteria (like Clostridium) break down organic matter (especially proteins), they create foul-smelling, incompletely oxidized compounds such as:
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S): Known for its rotten egg smell.
Methyl mercaptan: Smells like rotten cabbage.
Cadaverine and putrescine: These smell like decaying flesh.

Interestingly, the odor produced by these microorganisms can sometimes provide essential clues for identifying specific microbes. For example, the smell of diarrhea can help distinguish between giardiasis and other types of diarrheas.

Laboratory technicians have been known to "smell the difference" between bacterial cultures, although some consider it a biohazard.

2. Other Notable Microbial Smells While bacteria themselves do not inherently smell, their metabolic byproducts create distinct odors:
Spoiled seafood owes its odor to trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) produced by bacterial action.
The earthy scent of soil results from geosmin, a complex metabolite produced by Streptomycetes.
Cyanobacteria contribute to earthy odors and flavors in freshwater environments.

Here's a glimpse of some characteristic smells associated with specific microbes:
Alkaligenes faecalis: Freshly cut apples.
Citrobacter spp.: Dirty sneakers.
Corynebacterium spp.: Fruity.
Eikenella corrodens: Bleach or cracker.
Haemophilus spp.: Wet fur.
Staphylococcus spp.: Dirty sneakers.
Streptomyces spp.: Musty basement

3. Body Odor and Bacteria: Our own body odor is influenced by bacteria too. As bacteria metabolize our sweat, they produce byproducts that contribute to body odor. Different bacteria digest sugars and create varying odors.

So next time you catch a whiff, remember that it's not just you—it's the microbial world at work! Remember, microbial smells are a fascinating blend of science and mystery, revealing the hidden world of these tiny life forms.

No written test at this time! Haaa!

02/19/2024

Train train train

02/19/2024

Small steps, building, building!

01/17/2024

Yikes in a few seconds !

01/15/2024

These are not a Service dog by the NS Government????

01/15/2024

Even the ADA need to revise their definition! A service dog helps people that have a disability. PERIOD! The owner does not need to have the disability!

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability”. Service dogs are trained to take specific actions that help individuals with disabilities participate in daily life more fully. The task the dog performs is directly related to the person’s disability. For example, guide dogs help blind and visually impaired individuals navigate their environments, while hearing dogs help alert deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to important sounds .

Service dogs need to be trained to be willing to please, ready to follow owners everywhere, calm and friendly, alert, socialized, nonreactive to public and strangers, quick to learn, and able to retain information

03/05/2023

Jay, Bill, Boo & Suki training on a beach walk!

12/30/2021

Sometimes sunsets defy words!

06/18/2021

“STAY” practice

06/07/2021

Puppy love!

06/05/2021

Pals!

04/27/2021

ShakTi the protector!

08/06/2019

When things are hiding, dogs can sniff them out. People, drugs, even certain types of cancer are evident to dogs through their superior olfactory systems

02/10/2019

02/10/2019

Get OFF my dock!

02/10/2019

Great Dane- Great Bite!

02/10/2019

A book by me!

02/10/2019

Protection pups! (a Lab here)

02/10/2019

Training in Bahamas - winter wonderland!

02/10/2019

My girl Hannah! "You hide it! She finds it!

02/10/2019

COLD training in Canada!