Rottweiler Ride

Lang Lang

When asked about what he thought about China girl lip-synching in Olympics, Lang Lang loses it.

Rottie Della saves the day!

Sometimes there’s just no explanation. How can a dog detect in advance a child is going to have a seizure - especially a dog that hasn’t been trained to do so?

There’s no doubt Heather Jones, 14, of Harker Heights and Della, a 4-year-old Rottweiler, have a special bond. Heather has been showing Della, owned by Mike and Robin Wheeler, at American Kennel Club events around the state for the past few months.

Though these two have a relationship, no one knew how close until Heather wound up in the hospital last week after suffering a series of seizures.

With permission from King’s Daughters Hospital staff, the Wheelers took Della to see Heather and it made all the difference, according to Andrea Jones, Heather’s mom.

While at the hospital, Della alerted those in the critical care unit when Heather was having a problem catching her breath. When Heather was released from the hospital Della went to the girl’s home and while there would pace and whine when she sensed an impending seizure.

Before Della arrived at the hospital, Heather was pale and lethargic, Jones said. Within an hour of the dog’s arrival, Heather’s color had improved and she was more alert.

Heather has been diagnosed with complex partial seizures and will be on medication the rest of her life, she said.

Della returned to her owners’ Temple home on Monday and around midnight the dog began to pace and could not be calmed. Wheeler called Jones and asked her to check on Heather. A few minutes later, Heather had a seizure.

“That told me neither time nor distance transcends the bond between these two,” Jones said.

Heather, out of the hospital since Friday, said having Della with her made her feel safe.

“It was comforting having her with me at the hospital.” Heather said. “She’s my best friend.”

The dog has a strong bond with her owner, but it’s different from the one Della has with Heather, Wheeler said.

Della is very in tune with people and dogs, he said, but there’s no denying what she has with Heather is special.

Della has had scent training and has been taught to scratch at or near the object once found, but it’s doubtful that it has anything to do with her uncanny ability to predict Heather’s seizures.

“What she has with Heather, Della did on her own,” Wheeler said.

“The fact that it’s a Rottweiler … you might expect such a bond between a child and a Lab or retriever,” Jones said. “Many people want to cross the street to avoid a Rottweiler and even I wasn’t so sure, but Della has changed all that.”

The family has had a running joke for the past couple of months with Heather saying she was going to get a Rottweiler and her parents being less than supportive.

“Now she’s going to get a ‘Rotty,’” Jones said.

The Jones raise Corgis and Heather spends summers working at the Belton Veterinary Clinic. Her sights are set on becoming a large animal vet.

Wheeler said when Della has a litter Heather will be getting a puppy.

Fighting the perception that Rottweilers are dangerous is a goal of Wheeler’s.

“Della is a happy-go-lucky dog, but she’ll do anything asked of her,” Wheeler said. “She’s a huge pleaser and honestly, that’s the typical Rottweiler.”

Wheeler has been training dogs all his life, and has run Sit Means Sit in Belton, a dog training business, for four years.

“We’ve seen hundreds of dogs over the last couple of years and the majority, even pit bulls, are great dogs,” he said. “It’s just bad ownership. If the dogs aren’t treated right and maintained, they’ll go bad.”

Most dogs can be trained, but the ability to detect a seizure must be instinctive, Jones said.

“Della means the world to me … she’s the best dog ever,” Heather said. “Without her I’d probably still be in the hospital.”

Heather will heading back to school today with Della in tow.

“I feel safe with her, because I know she’s looking out for me,” Heather said.

“Her teacher said Della is welcome anytime,” Jones said.

Sports

Agility


Schutzhund


Herding


Stack


Gait

Schutzhund

The Germans call it "hundesport", dog sport. For generations, people from Europe and North America have been drawn into this unique idea of participating in an active sport with a dog. Schutzhund offers this in a way that no other sport can. It is outdoors. It is physical. It is mental. The demands are great, but the sport also offers competition and new friendships. In short, it is what all recreational sports should first be: good exercise, fun and full of rewards.

Schutzhund started at the beginning of this century as a test for working dogs. Its initial purpose was to determine which dogs could be used for breeding and which had true working ability. The growing demand for working dogs made more sophisticated tests and training necessary. These dogs were needed for police training, border patrol, customs, military and herding. As these tests evolved, more people participated just for the sheer enjoyment of seeing if their personal dogs could be trained as effectively as these "professional dogs". Now, over sixty years after the first formal Schutzhund rules were introduced, tens of thousands of people participate in the sport each year.

Schutzhund tests three specific areas of a dog's training and behavior. The first, tracking, requires the dog to track footsteps over mixed terrain, change direction and show absolute accuracy and commitment to finding the track. It must also find dropped articles and indicate their locations to the handler. Often this is done under less than ideal circumstances with difficult cover, bad weather conditions and an aged track. Many find tracking to be the most satisfying experience in training, when only the handler and dog are working together. It is certainly the most peaceful part of Schutzhund.

The second phase is obedience. Those who are familiar with AKC obedience will feel more comfortable in this area, as many of the exercises are similar to those in Open and Utility. There is heeling, both on and off lead. The sit, down and stand are also done, except when the dog is moving. But Schutzhund applies its own style to this work. Instead of a forty foot ring, the handler and dog work on a soccer sized trial field. Some exercises require the dog to work under the noise of a firing gun. In addition to the normal dumbbell retrieval, the dog must retrieve over a one meter jump over a six foot wall. Down stays and a long send away conclude the test.

The final test is the most misunderstood by the general public. This is protection. The most important point to understand when watching a protection routine, is the relationship between dog and handler. The dog must never bite the trial helper, unless either the dog or the handler is attacked. Then it must attack fully and without hesitation. But here the real difference becomes apparent. The dog must stop biting on the command of the handler and guard the trial helper without further aggression. Often people confuse Schutzhund protection training with police dog or personal protection work. The Schutzhund dog is capable of the feats of never being aggressive except under those specific situations it is trained to face, and even then it must always be under the absolute control of the handler.

The above tests are difficult enough, but to make it even more demanding, they all happen in one day during competitions that are held all over the country. These trials are held by local clubs or in regional and national championships. Each dog is judged by a complex point system that then determines the winner of the trial.

When a dog successfully completes the first trial, it is awarded a title of Schutzhund I. It can then progress to Schutzhund II and, the ultimate, Schutzhund III. Each level makes ever greater demands on the dog and training in all three areas. Any Schutzhunder will tell you that a high scoring Schutzhund III dog is the ultimate working dog: one in a thousand of all working dogs.

In addition to the Schutzhund I, II and III titles, other titles in advanced tracking, temperament tests, police training and agility work are awarded.

Today, Schutzhund is more than the small group that started in Germany so long ago. Its organizations have several hundred thousand members, scattered across Europe, North America and several other continents.

Cow Methane

Did you know?

Cow methane (fart gas) is a major cause of GLOBAL WARMING!

Sometimes I swear...so is mine.

Oh well.

DBKL's dog pound an animal Auschwitz

Chin Siew Yoong | Mar 12, 09 5:10pm

I refer to TV3’s ‘360 Degree’ programme on Feb 4. I am appalled that this kind of cruelty can be allowed to happen in our country using taxpayer's money. As a nation, we are not much different from barbarians, if we turn a blind eye to defenseless animals being tortured so mercilessly. The visuals which were captured with a hidden camera showed a pound worker dragging a dying dog (not a dead dog) with a loop around its neck. To make matters worse, the ‘execution’ was watched by another terrified dog waiting in line for its turn to be killed. In the programme, the two people who had brought the matter to the attention of the television station said the dogs’ necks were fractured and that cats were drowned or clobbered to death at the pound. How long has this been the practice at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) Setapak pound? To my mind, any living being - be it a dog, a cat or a rat – is part of God’s creation and should not be made to meet death in such a brutal way. There is an existing set of ‘Humane Management of Stray Animals Guidelines’ for all municipal councils in Malaysia issued by the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS). The basis of the guidelines are the Five Freedoms For Animals; covering aspects of catching, transportation, housing, and euthanasia. Based on my limited knowledge, under the prescribed guidelines, municipal pounds must be manned by a permanent staff of properly-trained personnel and a permanent veterinarian that oversees the shelter, the condition of animals brought in and administers humane euthanasia. My questions to DBKL are as follow: How many of the DBKL personnel are properly trained? The DBKL’s health department director Dr Zainol Ariffin Pawanchee had mentioned recently that the Setapak animal pound does not have a veterinarian to supervise the killing of the strays. Why is DBKL violating the existing guideline set by the DVS ? We also hear that there are sufficient funds allocated by the government for the purchase of drugs for euthanasia, as confirmed by the DBKL health department director. If so, why bash up the animals or drown them mercilessly? Why make the animals suffer a slow and painful death? What is the use of the funds already allocated for euthanasia? Is this some sort of sick, savage sport by DBKL workers? What about the guidelines covering the award of contract to bounty hunters? What is the basis for their selection and are there guidelines covering their activities? The monetary incentive for setting up such a company is sinfully attractive, with many municipals reportedly paying them between RM30 - RM45 per dog. A number of cases had been reported in the press. With the lucrative income at stake, it is tempting for these bounty hunters to resort to illegal means (as demonstrated by the reported cases) to lay their hands on the money. It is easy for these dog-catchers to use the excuse that the dog is not licensed, in order to try and justify their actions. They just need to remove the license tag from the dog collars. What is there to stop them from flouting the law and break into homes, just to turn a quick profit? To stop these atrocities from happening, the task of nabbing strays should be given to non-profit NGOs such as the SPCA, so that we can be assured that animals are afforded their basic rights. Having said that, what are the follow ups to the cases of dog-napping and maltreatment of strays? It has been months. Are the local councils as usual, still investigating whilst waiting for the news to die down (before the atrocity starts again)? What are the outcomes of the investigations conducted by MBSA, MPSJ, Majlis Perbandaran Sepang and DBKL? How long will it take? A bit of accountability to the tax-paying public would be most gratifying. We know that in this country, charges of animal abuse can be laid under the Criminal Code of Animal Ordinance 1953, which make it an offence to cause unnecessary pain, suffering or distress to an animal. Under the current law, however, the punishment is a joke. Perpetrators walk away by paying a paltry fine of RM200. It is high time this law is amended to reflect the gravity of the offence in current times. I wonder how we are to progress as a nation and proudly proclaim to be a caring Malaysian society when we have in our midst something so dreadful, so evil and satanic - the torment of animals that can barely defend themselves. Surely God did not create these animals for us to torture in such a heartless way. Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated’. I hope there is hope for us.

DBKL animal cruelty on '360 Degrees' show (TV3)

Interesting facts about Rottweilers

The Rottweiler is originally from Germany. The first fact includes that German Rottweilers are actually more muscular and shorter than American Rottweilers. Somewhere along the way, American Rottweilers have become taller and slimmer. So this means that with a German Rottweiler you would be better trying out sports such as carting. With an American Rottweiler on the other hand a sport such as Rally or Agility may be better suited.

The Rottweiler was given its name because of a small German town. The town of "Rottweil" was a place where the Romans used to leave their Rottweilers whilst they went on with their business. So because so many Rottweilers were left there, they got the name "Rottweiler" after the town.

All throughout history the Rottweiler has been used as a working dog. It has been used for a number of different purposes including guarding shops, herding cattle, pulling carts of supplies and carrying money from stores to the banks.

Despite its poor reputation, in America the Rottweiler is the second most popular dog. This is said to be down to the breeds characteristics and they are incredibly gentle dogs. They are even excellent with children and they love nothing more than a child's company just as long as they have been socialised properly from an early age.

The Rottweiler played an extremely big part in Roman times. They accompanied the Romans over the Alps and if they hadn't have been there then the Romans would have never have made it across the Alps. They helped to protect them and drive the cattle over the Alps too which was the Romans main food source.


Finally the Rottweiler almost became extinct in Rottweil at one time. They were replaced by donkeys for cart pulling and so they were considered to be of no further use to anybody. It got to the point where there was just one female Rottweiler left. However that is when the police started to use dogs as protectors and they took on the Rottweiler and made it quite popular once again.

My darlings

Rottweiler Standard

Cane Corso

The Cane Corso is a very rare and ancient Italian molosser that has been derived from the now extinct “Canis Pugnax”. It is believed that, in ancient times, this historic Roman Molosser gave rise to two very different breeds of dog. One dog was massive and became known as the Neapolitan Mastiff, the other was a taller, lighter more agile mastiff which has become known as the Cane Corso. As the Romans bred dogs based on their usability, the Cane Corso was used primarily for hunting big game such as wild boar, wolf and bear. The hunters would release their Cane Corsos once hounds had flushed out the prey and it was the job of the Corso to hold the prey allowing the hunters to draw near and dispose of the wild animal.

Over the years, as big game hunting declined, the Cane Corso was used by farmers to herd cattle, protect the livestock and as a guard for the family home. Cattle were raised in rural areas and were driven many miles to market towns where they were to be sold. The long quiet roads to the market towns meant that cattle were in danger of being attacked by wild animals or being stolen by cattle thieves. It was the important job of the Cane Corso to ensure that the cattle and the farmer could go about there journey without coming to any harm.

Owners, breeders and enthusiasts have described the Cane Corso as being extremely bold, intelligent, easily trained, keen to please and having a strong sense of territory. They are a powerful breed that have the ability to identify dangerous situations and also differentiate friend from foe.

Today Cane Corso’s are owned primarily as pets. The Cane Corso makes a wonderful family pet and they adore the company of children, being protective yet surprisingly gentle.

The breed does require a lot of attention and training and they do not like to be left alone for long periods of time often becoming bored and potentially destructive. The Cane Corso is also a very dominant breed and therefore not a dog for the first time dog owner who has no experience with large breeds.

Obama and Bo

Obama's Portugese Water dog, Bo.

HELP! HANDSOME THE HUSKY IS MISSING!

Handsome is found missing on the 12th of May around 7am at Sri Rampai Setapak area.He doesn't have any chips or collar. He's noticeably smaller then other husky and have blue and brown eyes. Anyone who found Handsome please contact Cheng Hoo at 012 - 215 2686 / 03 - 4142 0050.reward RM2500 for anyone that found him. thanks!

BARF

BARF - raw food diet

Is it good for your dog?

Benefits include:

1. no doggy odour
   
2. naturally cleans teeth - no need for toothbrushes, de-scaling jobs, or gum disease
   
3. the time it takes for a dog to chew a raw meaty bones give their stomach adequate time to get the acids moving
   
4. much less stools produced - and they are firm, and turn chalky after a couple of days
   
5. decreased or non-existant vet bills (your dogs are healthier!)
   
6. less cost for dog food - commercial dog foods are ludicriously expensive
   
7. mirrors what a dog would be getting in the wild - and certainly even the modern day dog has a digestive tract exactly the same as a wolf
   
8. puppies develop at a more appropriate rate - and quick growth spurts are avoided. A GOOD breeder will want to stop fast growth in any pup.
9. the ripping and chewing involved in eating raw meaty bones develops the jaw, neck, and shoulder muscles of the dog. Commercial dog foods will never assist in this important muscle development.

People who switched from kibble to BARF have found:

• dogs who were previously un-energetic, and sluggish become completely new dogs once the raw diet feeding begins
  
• allergies their dogs previously had on commercial foods, disappear once they start with the raw diet
  
• arthritis has significantly reduced or disappeared in some dogs switched to raw
  
• better weight control
  
• no more doggy odour!
  
• their dogs are living longer on a raw diet than what their other dogs previously had survived on commercial dog foods
  
• that their bitches managed their pregnancies better
  
• better weight and survival figures in puppies

Are chicken bones dangerous?

Raw chicken bones are fantastic for your dog. They are soft enough so that they bend easily, and break well for the dog to digest.

On the other hand, cooked chicken bones can be a problem, and I recommend that you DON'T feed COOKED chicken bones.

What food?

• raw meaty bones and/or whole carcasses - chicken, lamb, pork, whole raw fish (at least once a week), beef, rabbit
  
• whole raw eggs in their shells (I let the dogs crack the shells)
  
• organ meat

  
  

Woman accused of taping dog to fridge faces drug charges

BOULDER — The woman arrested this week on suspicion of felony animal cruelty after police said she used tape to attach her boyfriend's dog to a refrigerator was allegedly found with a trace amount of heroin while being booked into jail Tuesday.

Abby Toll, 20, now faces a potential felony charge of introducing a controlled substance and a felony charge of sale and distribution of a controlled substance. She was released Wednesday on a $12,500 bond.

Toll made headlines Tuesday after she allegedly bound a 12-pound Shiba Inu's legs, tail and snout with packing tape and elastic hair bands and taped him to the fridge in an act of revenge against her boyfriend. Police said the dog, Rex, was in severe pain as he was cut loose from a "tomb of tape." Police brought Rex to the Boulder Valley Humane Society, and officials said the dog is in good health but "not in the friendliest of moods." Boulder Daily Camera

Getting attention from your dog

Getting Attention

Step one, have a pile of tasty treats cut into small bite size pieces. Pieces should be half the size of a nickel, or smaller for tiny dogs. Use tasty smelly bait. Cheese, hotdogs, left over table meats, etc.

To begin attention training, take some treats in each hand, and show the dog you have them. Don’t let her have any, but let her see that you have food in each hand. Then stand up straight and naturally, and let your hands with the food in them hang normally at your side.

Ignore any bumping, sniffing, licking, nudging, nibbling etc. of your hands. Stand still, and be quiet, but keep a close eye on the dog. You are waiting for her to look at your eyes. The SECOND she does, say YES!! in a very happy voice, and immediately feed her several treats, one right after the other from alternating hands. Each time you pop a treat in her mouth, say YES (treat) YES (treat) YES (treat). Give at least 4 treats. Remember to SMILE and be joyful when praising and treating the dog.

Then stand up again, making sure you have food in both hands, and wait on her to look again. Many puppies “get it” after the first time. Many also need more time for the lightbulb to come on, but sooner, or slightly later, it will “click” for the dog that looking at your eyes turns you into a treat machine. Hmmm. Now she thinks this is a MARVELOUS GAME. Look what I have trained this poor human to do. All I have to do is look at his eyes, and I get goodies. Yahoo.

Once you get to this point, it is obvious, because the dog will begin “throwing” eye contact at you. In other words, she will very obviously come up to you and make eye contact in order to get a reward. When it gets to this point, then when she looks you start saying her name each time. This is also the time when the rules of the game will change a bit. You will treat for longer looks. Looks in heel position. You can also introduce MILD distractions. If she looks away, you move away so she has to move to come find you to make eye contact and get treated.

Most dogs pick this up very quickly, so it’s a good way to introduce yourself and your dog to hands off operant conditioning.

Try it, and see how long it takes YOUR dog to figure out she’s training you. :D

Who's the Alpha?

Dogs descended from wolves, and deep within the psyche of your dog lies instincts they have retained from their wild ancestors. In order to live with and communicate with your dog you need to understand why you must maintain Alpha position in the "pack."

Your dog depends on you for its survival. It has learned that it must cooperate with you through thousands of years of evolution and adaptation in human society. The first domestication by man was the wolf. About twelve thousand years ago we discovered that having a wolf as a "pet" was a great asset. They could hunt alongside us and they could guard us as we slept.

As the years went by, the wolf began to mutate into different breeds. Scientists are unsure exactly how the first breeds developed. There are several different theories that include natural mutations, climate, and environment. The breeds became more numerous and more specialized. That is how we ended up with groups such as herding, hunting, shepherding, guarding, and of course, companion and lap dogs.

Of all the animals that we have domesticated, only the dog has willingly allowed itself to accept the authority of man without constraint. But as I said, it still retains the instinct to test its position. Yes, even sweet little Lady, the Maltese lying at your feet, has the genes and instincts of the wolf.

Wolves live by rules and have a social structure. The entire pack cooperates under a single leader. Lines are clearly defined. The leader of the pack eats first, and then the rest of the pack can eat. When your dog growls at you when he is eating, he is saying "I am the leader, and you must wait."

If your dog has a growling problem, here are some "rules to live by" that may be of help to you.

1. Never tolerate growling. This is a threat and it means your dog sees you as a subordinate meant to be dominated by him. Tell him No! Let him know it is not acceptable to EVER growl at you or your children. Make it clear that your children are the offspring of his Alpha leader (you) and that they are to be treated as Alpha "pups."
2. Do not let your dog walk through the door first. If your dog always goes ahead of you, you need to get your leash and open the door. When he rushes ahead you pull him back and tell him "No. Wait. " You walk in and then give him permission to come in. This will be easier and faster if you have someone help you.
3. Do not let your dog sleep in the same bed as you. This is a definite Alpha position. If you just can't be without your dog in the bed, at the very least you need to make sure he sleeps at the foot of the bed. A doggie bed on the floor beside you is your best bet for maintaining Alpha position. (this rule is for aggressive dogs or dogs showing signs they are forgetting their place... A pet that is well behaved and obedient can sleep next to you or your child)
4. Socialize, socialize, socialize. I cannot stress enough the importance of introducing your dog to different places and people. Find something to do with your dog. Join and agility or obedience class. Take your dog to the park. If you have a laid back dog or puppy share your time with the local nursing home. Volunteer with disability groups so children and adults with special needs can enjoy the non-judgmental love a dog or puppy can provide.
5. Do not let your dog ride in your lap in the car. Make him sit in his own seat or on the floor. It is unsafe for you and your dog. Buy him his own seat belt or safety booster or use a kennel. Some states will give you a ticket for being a distracted driver.
6. Do not baby your dog too much. He needs to learn to be a dog. Do not over-protect him. He needs to explore and learn to be independent. You do not want to raise a flighty, paranoid dog. When he acts afraid of something that he should not be afraid of, do not pick him up and ooh and ahh over him. Simply tell him it is okay, and show him the object, person, etc. Your confidence will make him a confident and dependable dog. If you feed his imaginary fears, he will become a snappy and untrustworthy dog. He may develop fear aggression. An example of fear aggression could be a dog that sits in its owner's lap and growls at people or other animals. If you pet him, and tell him "It's okay." You are really telling him this is the type of behavior you expect of him, and he will continue to do it because there is a reward attached to it. Tell him no and put him down off your lap. While some owners think it is sweet that their little lap dog is "protecting them," it is not. When a child reaches to pet the dog or hug Grandma it could bite them if it is allowed to get away with this antisocial behavior. This is a dog that has taken on Alpha position and you are a subordinate. I have seen so many children chastised when they get bitten, when it's the owner that is responsible. You will often hear people say "Now, you know Granny's dog doesn't like you to go near her. She is jealous, and protective. We have told you over and over not to do that." What a shame. And it could all be avoided if we would just take the time to learn canine behavior. As much as we would like to believe that they think like us, they do not.

If you have a problem with your dog growling at you or another family member, you may want to try having the person your dog growls at the most be the only one to feed him. You want to make him sit to reinforce your position as the leader. He is learning that he depends on you and he must obey in order to eat. And if he growls after you set down the food, tell him no and take the food away. Tell him to sit again. This is how you will reinforce the "no growling rule.''

You must never tolerate growling because this will usually lead to biting. Not always, but it usually does. So you need to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. I want to make it clear we are not talking about puppy play growling. Only growling that is geared towards aggression growling. Puppies need to be able to be puppies.

Do not play tug of war with a puppy. Play fetch and tell them to release the ball. Never be overly harsh with your dog. Use common sense.

When a dog is constantly leaning on you, putting his paw on you, or touching you in some way, this is not your dog loving you, it is your dog displaying dominate behaviors. In the dog world, space is respect. A dog who is constantly nudging you and leaning on you, is not only disrespecting you, they are being the alpha dog. You are the one who must start and end touching and affection. Affection should only be given when the dog is being calm and submissive. Never when the dog is excited, anxious, scared, nervous etc... or you will be reinforcing that state in the dog.

One last thing... spend time with your dog. Train him. Be calm, assertive and provide rules and boundaries your dog must follow. When you provide all of those things, play with him and love him up. Just as a child looks to his parents for guidance and boundaries, so does your dog. Sometimes we have to use tough love, but in the long run, you and your dog will be happier if you maintain the Alpha role.

Offer

Wha! Someone offered me a German Shepherd for RM2500, 8.5weeks old male.
Apparently he'll hold him for me until tomorrow (haha) before he will offer to other people.

Description: Large, good head, plush fur.

Sire: Jango vom Schimmelberg

Thanks...but I think I'm destined for rotties. GSDs are nice but they're not my type.

GSD lafs