Maniac Mutts

12/20/2024

She’s a mutt and we love it!

12/18/2024

At Maniac Mutts we love our mutts! We just got the DNA results of our newly adopted, clever, and snuggly dog, Pepper.

Can you guess what breeds this adorable girl has in her?

We'll announce in a few days....and GO!

12/14/2024

Quality of life over quantity always!

The mistake of milestones.

During this time of year it’s really important for me to address something that I am seeing a lot and also hearing from people. It is the idea of wanting to wait until after the holiday season or after a particualr day to say goodbye to a beloved old animal. This doesn’t just happen during the holiday season - I see it also during birthdays or vacations anything like that, but this time of year it is especially prevalent.

What people need to understand is that disease trajectories, pain, suffering, and decline don’t wait or pause for holidays. Hanging on to an animal because it’s a certain time of year or stretching their life to meet a milestone isn't always a good option, and often times is more for us than it is for them. When we set a milestone such as a holiday or event passing as a marker for when we will be ready to say goodbye to an animal, it means we are looking through the lense of wanting more time, not what the quality of that time should be. Quality of life should always come before quantity of life. If you are choosing to not see the pain or struggle an animal is feeling as they deteriorate, simply because you want more time, you are not being fair to them.

Death and age don't wait, and yes that's difficult, but it's also our responsibilty when we bring these animals into our lives. Social constructs are totally foriegn to animals, but suffering an pain aren't. The hard thing to accept is that waiting until after a holiday will not make your grief or loss any harder to bear, it will not make their death any easier. No matter what it is going to be difficult and heartbreaking, but a number on a calendar should not determine that decision. Weighing function, purpose and joy together and ensuring not just a good quality of life, but a good quality of death, is not to be saved until after special occasions. A peaceful, painfree and loving goodbye is one of the greatest gifts you can give your animal, and so is the acceptance of making that decision before they have to endure any longer than they should.

Your dog doesn't have to go through one more Christmas to have had an amazing life with you, or know how loved they are. They will be with you always, whether physically, or in your heart and mind. It's okay to let them go before, and not hold on for you.

12/12/2024

12/02/2024

The algorithm doesn’t care if a dog training video promotes harmful outdated mythology. It only cares about engagement. So if you want to help dogs by seeing more reward based training content then be sure to like it and share.

11/20/2024

I tell my clients once I teach them dog body language especially signs of increasing stress they won't be able to turn it off. They'll see concerning interactions everywhere but especially with dogs and children. Children are the most common recipient of dog bites and it's often to the face. As a parent of young children and a positive dog trainer I know we can do better. Check out this informative post from Confident Canines LLC on one of the many misunderstood behaviors, "face licking." in many situations this is a dogs way of saying nicely "give me space."



https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14Sb7UKCCF/

Dog licks are often thought of as doggy kisses. But, it’s actually something to take a step back and notice. And could sometimes be considered a, “Kiss to Dismiss” (more on that below). These licks do trigger some questions that may seem a bit silly to ask in response. Something like, “Describe the licks for me. Fast, slow, and then does the dog move away?”
“Is it a full tongue or a little bit?”
“Full tongue lick or quick flick?”
“Is the child sitting and the dog approaches or vice versa, what level of mobility does the child have, is food present or remnant?

There’s many questions! But, these questions help us gather valuable information to help us understand what the dog may be communicating. At Family Paws Parent Education, we want to help parents consider and recognize that dog licks may not always be what we think they are, “affectionate kisses”, or indications of “love,” but could have other meanings. We refer to this as “Kiss to Dismiss”. If you are curious of these doggy “kisses” and if they are a “Kiss to Dismiss”, ask yourself,
🐶 Is your dog in need of space? (what just happened? Did your baby crawl closer to your dog?)
🐶 Is your dog in need of space and there is a reason they may choose not to move? (example: comfy spot, resource, pain)
🐶 Does this licking deter closeness or lead to an increase in space?

Thank you, Steve Bishop of Bishops Gate Dog Training for this graphic! Steve is also a Family Paws Parent Educator.
We do not recommend baby and dogs interact as shown in these illustrations. Never allow your baby to crawl up to or freely explore your dog in this way.

You can also find him on Instagram at

11/17/2024

Create a plan before you welcome a new dog into your home! If you don't and you find yourself overwhelmed then hire a local reward based trainer who can help you setup your home and teach you the basics I assure you it will be well worth the time and money you invest now.

Here are some tips from Companion Animal Psychology to get you started off on the right foot.

https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2024/03/17-training-tips-for-first-time-dog.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawGmJjFleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHXdV7UcSSgHlSRpt__pSKQRqesr51h1v43whN1NJFNnXcn9-QEI9C1qogQ_aem_h61eAx8fJY5tqBNYEMr0kQ

What first time dog guardians need to know about dog training to get better results and build their relationship with their dog.

09/09/2024

Bagged p**p bags are everywhere. Clean up your #%*$!

**p

08/10/2024

Dog guardians contact me all the time about their “teenage” dog who’s “stubborn” or who is “blowing them off.” This article puts things in perspective:

https://www.facebook.com/100077961200725/posts/416742510934452/

ADOLESCENCE:
As dogs go through adolescence, it’s safe to say things turn a little topsy-turvy! 🙃

If you’re currently at this stage and feeling like you’ve taken one step forward and two steps back, don’t panic! During this stage of life, there’s a lot going on in their busy little brains.

Here are three facts about the adolescent brain 🧠👇

1. The inhibitory neurons of the amygdala that help to dampen down emotional responses don’t fully mature until the END of adolescence.

2. Communication between the frontal cortex and amygdala, which is essential for skills training, decreases during adolescence.

3. Extinction memory is impaired during adolescence, so if your dog has a bad experience it’s much more likely to lead to a ‘hard wired’ fear memory.

Have patience and compassion as you support and guide your dog through this vulnerable period of brain development.

07/12/2024

Do you want your dog to relax during dinner? We can help with mealtime manners and so much more.

07/05/2024

We are fostering Max for threelittlepittiesrescue. He is a wonderful family dog looking for a home. He LOVES kids, going for hikes, and just chillin in the house too. He’s super smart, affectionate, and playful. If you are interested in adopting Max, PM me or go here to apply: https://adopt.animalsfirst.com/animal/62cc8e128b02916730334440/65a97f0a2d7f88a9220e2edf

04/18/2024

Worf aka “the bear” 🐻 is very large, very strong, and very much an adolescent! His people are fabulous and have been working hard with him from the moment he came home. They’ve been successful teaching him the world is a safe place which is probably one of the most important lessons a young dog can learn.

I’m excited to continue supporting them during this challenging stage by building behaviors that promote self regulation including healthy ways of expressing his big emotions and giving him choices whenever possible.

Go team Worf!

04/06/2024

“Reinforce going to a bed, reinforce sniffing the fridge, reinforce all of it because it’s not biting.”

-M. Shikashio

04/05/2024

Vitamin D break at Clicker Expo 2024.

02/21/2024

A reliable recall takes strategic practice with varying degrees of distraction. Focus on quality of reps not necessarily quantity.

02/13/2024

My training buddy today!

01/31/2024

Coyote mating season has begun.

Coyote mating season is here, what you should know:

Late January through early March is the mating season for coyotes and they become more active during this time. MassWildlife officials are reminding the public to take action to prevent conflicts with coyotes with these actionable tips.
Have you seen or heard more coyotes lately? You’re not alone. Late January through early March is the mating season for coyotes and they become more active during this time. MassWildlife officials are reminding the public to take action to prevent conflicts with coyotes with these actionable tips.

Protecting pets: Dogs should always be supervised on a leash, especially during the coyote breeding season. Coyotes are territorial animals that live in family groups known as packs. During the breeding season, they become very active in marking and defending their territories to protect their pack from other coyotes and ensure they can successfully raise pups in the spring. Unfortunately, coyotes can’t distinguish your pet from an intruding coyote, and will treat the presence of dogs in their territories as a threat. During the breeding season, coyotes can become more aggressive toward large-breed dogs, including dogs as large as labs and shepherds. Smaller dogs and cats are viewed as prey items by coyotes at any time of the year. Most coyote attacks on pets involve dogs that are off-leash or loose in a backyard.
Removing food: As opportunistic feeders, coyotes will utilize whatever food is naturally available including small animals, insects, and fruits, as well as artificial sources such as garbage, pet food, and compost. Bird feeders and suet also attract coyotes to yards, both as a direct food source and by attracting rodents that coyotes feed on. Coyotes that find human-associated foods will spend more time in yards and neighborhoods. Coyotes that become dependent on these supplemental foods can become habituated, act tame, and exhibit bold behavior toward people. Never intentionally feed coyotes. Most recent coyote bites on people can be directly tied to intentional feeding in the community.

Hazing: Coyotes are highly adaptable to a wide range of habitats and can be found year-round in forested areas, beaches, wetlands, golf courses, and neighborhoods. Coyotes are present in every city and town in mainland Massachusetts, meaning the opportunity for human-coyote interaction is high. While coyotes and other wild animals are naturally afraid of people, this fear can disappear over time when animals spend a lot of time around people or when they are frequently fed by people. Whenever you see a coyote in your yard, you should aggressively haze it by physically chasing it out of the yard, spraying it with a hose, making loud noises by banging pots and pans or blowing an air horn, and throwing small objects like a tennis ball with the intent to frighten not injure. Repeated hazing helps teach coyotes they are not welcome in your yard, similar to how coyotes naturally chase other coyotes out of their own territories. The more people in a community that haze coyotes, the more effective it will be in making them avoid people.
Don’t let coyotes intimidate you: It’s important to note that negative encounters with coyotes are rare, and attacks on people are even more rare. The presence of a coyote alone is not cause for concern.

• Appearance: Coyotes resemble a medium-sized dog in body size and shape, but with longer, denser fur. Typical weights for females are 33–40 pounds, while males typically weigh 34–47 pounds. Coyotes often look heavier than they are, especially during the winter, because of their thick fur.

• Vocalization: Coyotes communicate by vocalizing, scent marking, and through a variety of body displays. It is common to hear them howling and yipping at night, or even during the day in response to sirens and other loud noises. When one hears a family of coyotes howling, it's easy to think the area is overflowing with coyotes, but it's usually just a few coyotes in a family group. Coyotes do not howl to announce a kill; this would attract other wild animals. Coyotes howl for a variety of other reasons, including locating family members within their territory, warning non-family members to stay away, and advertising for mates during the breeding season.

• When to seek help: Coyotes can be active at any time of day and daytime activity is not an indication the animal is sick. If you encounter a coyote that is exhibiting concerning behavior like approaching leashed pets, closely following people, or not running off when harassed, you should contact your local Animal Control Officer or local MassWildlife office for assistance. If there is an immediate threat to public safety, you should call local law enforcement.