Foster Update: Bahamian Potcake Dog

I was going to save this announcement for Ruby Tuesday, but I thought it deserved its own post. I have committed to fostering a Potcake Dog! Potcakes are a recognized type of dog in the Bahamas and named for what they are fed: the scraps of peas and rice caked on the bottom of the soup pot. Ruby's rescue group, Colorado Animal Welfare League, is involved in Operation Potcake along with the Humane Society of the Grand Bahamas, helping to spay and neuter the island dogs whose populations are out of control. While there, they earmarked about 15 dogs that they hoped to bring back to Colorado and make available for adoption.  With every American Eskimo foster falling through (which is wonderful for the dogs since it meant they were going directly to forever homes!), and having an open spot in my home and heart for a foster dog, I could not resist agreeing to take one of the Potcakes.

"Lydia" will be coming to stay with Ruby and me in a few weeks' time. She is still in the Bahamas and will arrive by plane. She is around 25 pounds and possibly 2 years old. I can't wait to meet her, and I will admit to thinking about any number of fun, tropical names for her and feeling slightly in danger of "foster failing" already. The Potcakes are said to have lovely, friendly temperaments. I just love her sweet smile and her little milk mustache and chin!

Photo Courtesy of Colorado Animal Welfare League

Reading with Ruby: Hit By A Flying Wolf by Nicole Wilde

As a follower of Nicole Wilde's blog , I was excited to learn that she had a new book out, especially one that talked about her experience with her own challenging dogs. The book is divided into two segments. The first focuses on her current dogs, Sierra and Bodhi, who presented issues with separation anxiety, resource guarding, destructive behavior and resource guarding between the two of them. In the second part, Nicole describes her time working with the wolf-dogs of Villalobos Rescue Center which eventually resulted in her housing three of the wolf-dogs herself. I'm very interested in the differences between dogs, wolves and their various crosses after reading Ceiridwen Terrill's book, Part Wild. Nicole also emphasized the challenges that wolf-dogs face in the human world, and the complications of keeping them in the back yard. 

Hit by a Flying Wolf is written in a friendly, conversational tone, with humorous moments as well as the inevitable heartbreaking ones that come with any dog story. It also includes two groups of color photos of the dogs and wolf-dogs that have touched Nicole's life. I especially enjoyed the narrative about Sierra and Bodhi, who had moments of not getting along much like my girls Freya and Lasya. Nicole's honesty about her frustrations illustrates that difficult dogs are difficult dogs, even for professionals! In living with wolf-dogs in the California desert, Nicole also dealt with some unusual perils, such as wildfires and rattlesnakes. This was a fun book to read, written with obvious heart and a great deal of compassion for our canine and lupine brethren. 

Disclaimer: Nicole Wilde provided a copy of the book to me in exchange for my honest review. 

Five Ways to Ditch the Dog Dish

Ruby with her Nina Ottosson treat maze

Recently I listed to Episode 17 of The Great Dog Adventure podcast, which featured an interview with renowned dog trainer and behaviorist Dr. Ian Dunbar. It contained some wonderful information, and at the end, host Fern Camacho asked Dr. Dunbar what was the one single most valuable piece of advice he would tell every dog owner. Dr. Dunbar replied "take away the food bowl." Don't worry, he didn't mean not to feed your dog! What he meant was, use your dog's food to train, reward and build your relationship. It's a powerful tool that we take for granted, setting down a dish of kibble thoughtlessly when we could be using at currency for communication and bonding! While he suggested doing this for one week's time, I think it's a tool that can be incorporated regularly, and something I've included in Ruby's routine from the beginning. Breakfast is normally a little more hurried since I'm rushing out the door to work, and I feed canned or freeze-dried/dehydrated in the morning, but dinnertime kibble is usually doled out in a number of different ways:

Puzzle Toys

Puzzle toys are a great way for busy, inquisitive dogs to use their natural seeking and foraging instincts to work food out of a variety of doors, compartments and mazes. Kyjen and Nina Ottosson make some good ones.  You may need to help your dog out at first, by showing them where the food is and possibly using a clicker to reward their attempts. Some dogs are more "pawsy" or mouthy than others. Ruby tends to use her paws a lot, and our favorite is the Nina Ottosson Treat Maze. We also like the PetSafe Busy Buddy Mushroom.

Trick Training

Kibble can be used just like treats (if your dog considers it high-value enough) to teach new tricks or practice old ones. I think trick training is a fun activity that nearly every dog/human team can benefit from. For more about it, check out my guest post on the Kyjen dog blog! 

Mat Work

I've talked a lot here about the Relaxation Protocol, a training regimen that is especially beneficial to anxious, high energy dogs to help them learn impulse control and, well, relaxation! It's a perfect way to distribute dinner. Sometimes I take a more informal approach and just ask Ruby to "go to your mat" while I clean up the kitchen, periodically giving her a small handful of kibble on the mat.

Basic Obedience

One of the things Dr. Dunbar suggests is that you pocket the dog's kibble ration for the day and hand it out whenever the dog is showing appropriate behavior. You could reward the dog choosing to go lay on its bed while you're having a snack, or sitting nicely when a visitor arrives. The possibilities are endless!

Other Games

There are so many ways you can turn mealtime into engaging, interactive quality time with your dog. One of Ruby's favorite games is "Catch the Kibble" where I toss each piece on the floor and she scrambles after it, or tries to catch it directly.  We have contests in which I see how many pieces she can catch in a row. Sometimes I ask for sit or a down before I toss, and we also practice "leave it." You can turn recall practice into a game, play hide-and-seek, or introduce nose work.

However you choose to integrate training or games into your dog's meals, I encourage you to take advantage of your time together, and teach your dog to play with its food!