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CB K-9 advice, PO Box 1132, Crested Butte, CO (2024)

01/22/2024

CB K9 will now also be posting frequent canine advice on "Notd.io". For a low monthly or yearly fee (for some of the experience/research time), you will have access to all of these posts. Please check it out. I want to get this canine advice out to as many people as possible.

In this stream, you will find holistic techniques, such as essential oils, calming techniques, and tons of other information that will help you and your furry companion have the happiest, and safest life possible.

01/04/2024

December 28, 2023

11/16/2023

November 16, 2023

07/14/2023

July 17th, 2023

04/14/2023

April 13, 2023

Canine Stranger Aggression in the Home

With the tremendous number of people who adopted furry companions during the COVID isolation, this is becoming a far more common occurrence. Especially when you remember that many of these furry companions haven't experienced strangers entering your home for several years, and some of the younger ones never have. They have gotten used to only people they know entering their home. As such, they aren't familiar with this occurrence, which can cause them to feel the need to protect the home from the stranger.

Before I proceed any further, I would like to state that your first step should be to have your furry companion examined by your veterinarian, to ensure that there are no medical causes for this behavioral change. Pain and illness can also cause idiopathic changes in behavior.

The first rule when dealing with these types of behavioral challenges, is NEVER punish growling. Growling is a means of communicating displeasure without resorting to violence. When a dog growls, it is the equivalent of you telling someone in a bar “please give me a little more space” rather than just immediately punching them. You furry companion is attempting to do the same. If you continuously punish them for growling, they may eventually resort to going straight to biting without the benefit of the “polite warning” first. However, if your furry companion does have a tendency to resort to violence first, a muzzle should be selected, and introduced for the safety of others, and your furry friend. Two good resources are: www.muzzleupproject.com and www.muzzletrainingandtips.com.

Remember, your furry companion CAN communicate clearly with you. You just need to learn how to listen. Study your companion's behavior when they begin to get stressed or fearful, and you will learn to recognize when it is first starting. Then you will be able to react to, and adjust the situation. The process of bringing new people into the home should be done slowly, and calmly. This will help show your furry companion that the new person does not pose a threat to their home and family.

Always meet the new person outside, and react calmly when approaching them. The stranger should keep their attention on you, not your companion, and you both should speak in a soft, calm voice. This will help demonstrate that the stranger is safe.

The stranger should NOT approach your furry companion. Let your companion approach them, on his/her own terms. The stranger should not pet or touch him/her, rather just let them sniff. This is how your furry companion gathers information. When your furry companion has gathered the information he/she needs, observe their reaction, and proceed from there. If your furry companion seems comfortable with the stranger, then you can all start proceeding toward the house together.

For more information on dog training, I recommend the services of Jenni Pfafman with Elevated Dog Training, LLC. She can be reached on the web at: www.elevateddogtraining.com.

By David A. Windsor, CTMT, CSMT, SCMT, SASA

04/14/2023

April 12, 2023

Home Safety for Senior Furry Companions

As we all know, our furry companions age much faster than we want them to. And as such, we all eventually reach the point where our furry companion is a senior. They start having arthritis in their joints, start having more trouble going up and down the stairs, maybe they start having more accidents in the house, etc.

When we reach that point with our furry friends, we need to start adjusting some things. Maybe doing shorter walks, taking them out for potty breaks more often, etc. But there are also other ways that we can help our senior companion.

The first, is to make sure that you never yell at them when they have accidents in the house. They aren't doing it on purpose, sometimes you just can't hold it that long. They may also be loosing their ability to control it. Odds are, they are already worried about how you will react, because they know that they are supposed to go outside. Yelling at them will only make them feel worse. Instead, talk to them calmly, and without blame, so that they know that you understand that it wasn't done on purpose. For example, what I tell my Senior companions “It's ok. Don't worry about it. Accidents happen.”

Another way to help is to get them thicker dog beds, to give them a softer sleeping area that will be more comfortable on their joints. There are many different sizes, shapes, and styles you can choose from to fit the area you want it for. And many of them are pretty reasonably priced. Another option, would be to take a couple thinner beds and stack them to make a thicker one.

A common area we forget about is the stairs. There are a couple of different options here as well. The easiest and least expensive is to install carpeted, non-slip stair treads. These are very easy to use, easy to clean, and come in a wide variety of colors, patterns, and solids to match your other carpets. A second, and slightly more expensive option is the portable ramp. These come in a wide variety of lengths, and strengths, so you can find the size that fits your stairs, and the size of your furry companion. Personally, I use both. I have the carpeted stair treads inside the house, and a small portable ramp for the outside steps. It took a little time to get my girls used to the ramp, but the stair treads they loved immediately.

A third area is traction and balance. Again, there are several options you can use. One of my senior dogs uses the glue on nail caps (she gets a lot of attention and complements when we are walking around town). They go on easily, and give her a little extra traction. Another option is the doggy booties. They come in both rubber balloon style, and the regular doggy booties. Both types can help. However, be sure if you use the rubber balloon booties, that you take them off when you get to your destination. If the balloon style booties are left on for too long, they can cut into your furry companions legs. Personally recommend the standard booties, which are safer.

If you have any topics you would like to see covered, feel free to email me at [email protected] with the subject line “Article Idea”.

By David A. Windsor, CTMT, CSMT, SCMT, SASA

04/14/2023

April 10, 2023

Safe Kids & Dogs Relationships

There is a very important thing to remember when you have kids and dogs in the same house. As humans, we have numerous ways to express when we don't like something that someone is doing to us. We can talk, yell, grab, push, hit, kick etc. However, dogs don't have all of the abilities we do. All they really have is their mouths. They can growl, but if the growling doesn't work, all they have left is their teeth.

I have a Service Dog who many of the locals here in town know, or would at least recognize.

I always have at least one of them with me 24/7. I was at an event in Gunnison with one of them a few Summers ago, and there was a young child there who was petting her. I was ok with this, as he had asked first. However, a minute or two later when I looked over, he was pulling on her fur, and yanking on her tail. His parents (who were sitting a few feet away), were watching, yet said nothing. Yet if their child has been bitten, the parents would likely still have blamed my dog. Fortunately, I heard her growl, and told the child to stop, and that it is not ok to do that, because dogs don't like it.

As humans, it is our responsibility to both educate ourselves, and educate our children about proper behavior around dogs, and how to pay attention to their “warning signs”. There are several warning signs that dogs display when they are getting aggravated, in addition to their growl. When a dog begins to get aggravated, they will flatten their ears, stiffen their tail, often their fur will get stiffer and may stand up more than usual, and they will show their teeth more obviously. Dogs don't like to have to be aggressive, so they will likely also try to move away from the cause.

It is also very important to teach children that their furry companion is not a jungle gym. Climbing, standing and laying on them is a very common cause of aggravation to dog bites, and a very common cause of dog bites. But, if you pay attention to your furry companion's reactions, teach your kids how to read them, and teach them to treat your furry companions properly, and respectfully, then you will all have a safe and happy companionship, and both you and your children will have the best and most loyal friend and protector you could ever ask for. If you would like more information on how to read you furry companion's reactions, or how to know what they like or don't like, feel free to email me at [email protected].

By David A. Windsor, CTMT, CSMT, SCMT, SASA

04/13/2023

April 6, 2023

Remember Your Furry Easter Child

Easter is always a fun holiday. We all enjoy watching all the kids dying Easter eggs, and hunting for Easter eggs, and chocolate bunnies. But we still need to remember our furry Easter children as well. It is very important to remember that there are still some Easter dangers. Chocolate of course being the main one, but others such as the plastic Easter grass can be dangerous, as well as foods that contain raisins, sultanas, currents and grapes can all cause fatal kidney failure for dogs. So make sure that these foods are kept out of the reach of your furry friends. It is also common (and very easy) for your furry friends to chew on and swallow things like plastic Easter eggs, the silver foil that the little chocolate eggs come in, and the little plastic toys that are often hidden in the plastic eggs, all of which can cause internal damage to your furry companions. Also, be sure that the Easter Bunny keeps all of the hidden treats outside, and that any larger inside treats are put out of your furry companion's reach. When your furry companion goes outside (between the Easter Bunny's arrival, and your human kids' egg and treat hunting), be sure to take them outside on leash, to ensure that they don't find and eat any of the treats. Also, when your kids are done hunting, do a complete check to make sure they didn't miss any before letting your furry children outside off leash.

However, there is also a fun Easter hunt you can set up for your furry friends as well. It is pretty simple: Pick a room to use, and either close the door, or secure your furry friend outside of the room in a place where they can't see into the room. Then, hide 10-12 of their favorite treats around that room. When they are all hidden, bring your furry friend into the room, and say “find the treats.”

However you decide to celebrate your Easter Holiday, remember these safety tips, and you can ensure a safe and fun holiday for everyone. Have fun, and Happy Easter!

If you have any specific topics you would like to see covered, feel free to email me at [email protected].

By David A. Windsor, CTMT, CSMT, SCMT, SASA