Dog Revenge

We visited relatives over Thanksgiving. Our dog was farmed out to relatives, but our two cats were left at home. In protest of our absence, the felines left several presents on the basement rug, despite the fact that their litter boxes and food supply were ample and clean. Our first instinct was that our cats were trying to get back at us for our absence. I don't know if that's true of cats, but for dogs, that's simply not the case.

Studies have demonstrated that animals feel basic emotional states, but a need for revenge is a far more complex situation which requires a dog to connect a simple biological act with a cognitive conclusion. Dogs, frankly, just can't do that. That's one of the reasons why it's important to discipline a dog immediately, because punishment that comes even several minutes after the fact will be more confusing than anything else. We love dogs because they're loyal to a fault and are completely without guile. If your dogs seems vengeful, there's something else going on.

A house-trained dog or cat that poops in your absence isn't trying to get back at you; they're simply confused, insecure, or lonely, which throws them out of whack and may result in a response you might interpret as revenge. Fixing the problem involves identifying the real causes and responding appropriately. Don't waste a second trying to "get even" with your dog. Give them more love and attention, and you'll be amazed at how quickly the problems get solved.

Cats, however, are just jerks. 

How To Knit a Scarf out of Dog Hair

It occurred to me that perhaps the idea of a Bernese mountain dog scarf might appeal to some of you with less sensitive nostrils.

A woman named Betty Burian Kirk has a website that provides extensive information on how to collect, process, and spin dog hair into a lovely scarf or a knit hat. Ms. Kirk, for a modest fee, will be happy to produce the product for you. You can read all about it at her website, www.bbkirk.com. I provide here some relevant excerpts from her page to get you started.

From bbkirk.com:
_____________

Tips on Using Dog Hair Yarn

Treat it and care for it as if it were fine wool. Weavers should take care if it is to be used as a warp. I advise the use of a warp sizing. Knit or crocheted dog hair is NOT elastic like wool. Gauge a garment the same as if you were using a cotton thread or yarn. Dog hair yarn items should be lined if it will be worn against the skin. Dog hair yarn does shed some at first. It is almost too warm to wear unless an open or lacy pattern is used. Many like it as an accent yarn used for trim or in design areas. This reduces your cost and prevents a garment from being too warm or heavy.

Don't cut your handspun yarn, break it. When joining two ends, overlap for several inches. Do not use knots. Handspun yarns have occasional thin areas. These are usually structurally sound. If they bother you or keep occurring in the same place, your can break the yarn and remove the thin section. Because of the thin areas, handspun yarn has an irregular yardage per pound. This must be taken into consideration when estimating how much yarn is needed for a project. Yarn breaking occurs occasionally. Because dog hair is silky and short, it does not hold together as well as wool. Breakage will happen more often when a tight tension is used in knitting etc.

When you are ready to knit or create with your dog hair garment, lay out all the yarn skeins and evaluate them. Some yarn may be thinner than other yarn. This is more likely to occur when you have had yarn spun on two separate occasions. You will need to design your piece accordingly, such as having the bulk of the piece in one type of yarn and the trim in the other yarn or the pattern in one type of yarn and the background in the other. If it is a block design, alternate blocks in the different size yarns.

Care Recommendations

Wash dog hair items in warm water with a mild liquid detergent such as Ivory dish detergent or dog shampoo. Avoid agitating the item in the water. Rinse in water the same temperature as that used with the detergent. Never let water run on the yarn or garment. Fill the basin with water and then add the garment. Gently squeeze excess water out and roll in a towel or extract the water in the spin cycle of the automatic washing machine. Be sure there is NO WATER BEING SPRAYED IN THE SPIN CYCLE. Dry flat and block if desired.

For more information, including an FAQ about dog hair yarn, click here.

How to Pick the Right Dog for You

Which dog is right for you?

My guess is that if you’re reading this, you’ve already made your selection and have your canine best friend at your side. Many, however, have decided that they’re interested in adopting a pet, but they’re not sure which one is right for them. Here’s a little friendly advice as you make your decision.

I give you the DoginBlog Four Ss of Dog Ownership:

1. Size
2. Shedding
3. Sportiness
4. Should I get a pure-bred or a mutt?


That last one was kind of tortured, I know. I couldn’t think of an S word that fit. Sue me!

Let’s start by talking about size. There are big dogs, tiny dogs, and everything in between. The size of your dog should be considered in light of the space you have available to accommodate him. (I know I always use “him” instead of “her” is my pronoun of choice in dog descriptions. That’s because, in my tiny mind, all dogs are boys and all cats are girls. Sexist? Perhaps. It’s just easier than warping the text to be gender neutral. If you have a female dog who is offended my canine chauvinism, I apologize profusely.)

If you’re an apartment dweller or have very little space in the backyard, a St. Bernard or a Great Dane wouldn’t be the wisest of choices. It also wouldn’t be fair to your dog. Consider his needs as much as you would consider your own. Tiny dogs don’t necessarily mean less responsibility, either. A small dog is more easily injured and can even be stepped on, whereas if you step on a German Shepherd, you’re the one who’s far more likely to be injured.

As part of size, you might also want to consider your dog’s age, too. Everyone imagines getting a puppy and going from there, but puppies need to be trained, and they require a lot more attention. Adult dogs have a track record and enough training to know what you’re getting yourself into. There are many, many wonderful adult dogs who need a good home, and if you’ve never owned a dog before, it might be a good idea to start out with a dog who knows what they’re doing better than you do.

Shedding seems like a silly qualifier, but it encompasses a good deal of what you’re going to be facing with this new addition to your home. You have to decide if you want a high-maintenance or a low-maintenance dog. Some dogs drool a lot; floppy-eared dogs are prone to ear infections. Do you want to be brushing a dog’s hair on a regular basis - or brushing that hair off of your couch? Don’t pick a dog if you can‘t deal with the consequences.

We’ll address the other two Ss in a future post…

How to Make a Scarf Out Of Dog Hair

It occurred to me that perhaps the idea of a Bernese mountain dog scarf might appeal to some of you with less sensitive nostrils.

This scarf isn't a Bernese mountain dog scarf - it's made from the hair of a Collie and a Golden Retriever:



This was created by a woman named Betty Burian Kirk, and her website provides extensive information on how to collect, process, and spin dog hair into a lovely scarf or a knit hat. Ms. Kirk, for a modest fee, will be happy to produce the product for you. You can read all about it at her website, www.bbkirk.com. I provide here some relevant excerpts from her page to get you started.

From bbkirk.com:
_____________

Tips on Using Dog Hair Yarn

Treat it and care for it as if it were fine wool. Weavers should take care if it is to be used as a warp. I advise the use of a warp sizing. Knit or crocheted dog hair is NOT elastic like wool. Gauge a garment the same as if you were using a cotton thread or yarn. Dog hair yarn items should be lined if it will be worn against the skin. Dog hair yarn does shed some at first. It is almost too warm to wear unless an open or lacy pattern is used. Many like it as an accent yarn used for trim or in design areas. This reduces your cost and prevents a garment from being too warm or heavy.

Don't cut your handspun yarn, break it. When joining two ends, overlap for several inches. Do not use knots. Handspun yarns have occasional thin areas. These are usually structurally sound. If they bother you or keep occurring in the same place, your can break the yarn and remove the thin section. Because of the thin areas, handspun yarn has an irregular yardage per pound. This must be taken into consideration when estimating how much yarn is needed for a project. Yarn breaking occurs occasionally. Because dog hair is silky and short, it does not hold together as well as wool. Breakage will happen more often when a tight tension is used in knitting etc.

When you are ready to knit or create with your dog hair garment, lay out all the yarn skeins and evaluate them. Some yarn may be thinner than other yarn. This is more likely to occur when you have had yarn spun on two separate occasions. You will need to design your piece accordingly, such as having the bulk of the piece in one type of yarn and the trim in the other yarn or the pattern in one type of yarn and the background in the other. If it is a block design, alternate blocks in the different size yarns.

Care Recommendations

Wash dog hair items in warm water with a mild liquid detergent such as Ivory dish detergent or dog shampoo. Avoid agitating the item in the water. Rinse in water the same temperature as that used with the detergent. Never let water run on the yarn or garment. Fill the basin with water and then add the garment. Gently squeeze excess water out and roll in a towel or extract the water in the spin cycle of the automatic washing machine. Be sure there is NO WATER BEING SPRAYED IN THE SPIN CYCLE. Dry flat and block if desired.

For more information, including an FAQ about dog hair yarn, click here.

Daily Brushing for Dogs and Teenagers

Cleaning your dog is difficult if the dog is an unwilling participant. In order for a dog to willing submit him or herself to a cleaning regime, they need to be trained from the outset. The cats, it seems, got all the natural instincts for grooming. Left to their own devices, dogs have the grooming habits of a thirteen year-old boy who sleep with their skateboards. (Although thirteen-year-old boys do tend to slobber more.)

Experts suggest that a puppy be introduced to a brush within the first three weeks of their life. This gets difficult if you adopt your dog at a later stage in life, but it’s the same with any training regimen. You can teach an old dog new tricks; it just takes more patience and time. It’s the same with teenagers, too, but dogs will probably be willing to be seen with you in public.

The bottom line: set predictable ground rules. Grooming time is not playtime, and the dog needs to know that. The routine should likely begin with ten-minute increments and increase as necessary, depending on how long the dog’s coat is. The time should be the same each day, so the dog knows what to expect and when.

In order to decrease that lovely natural dog smell, brushing the coat should begin at the end of the hair and work its way down to the skin. Some mistakenly believe that short-haired dogs don’t require grooming. Certainly the ablutions will take less time depending on hair length, but it’s not a good idea to neglect the shorthairs just because the dirt is difficult to see. Like teenagers, you will likely be able to smell them before you see them if you let them run wild.

It’s also important to get your dog to relax and enjoy the ride. Grooming doesn’t have to be a tedious exercise, and it can be a great opportunity to bond with your dog. (Not so much with teenagers, obviously, but you’re going to have to find another blog to help you out there.)

How to Housebreak

Much is made about how divided we are as a nation, yet there are still several undeniable truths that everyone can agree upon. Here are the top three:

1. There’s no such thing as a good toupee.
2. Bob Dylan should never have recorded a Christmas album.

And, most importantly,

3. Nobody wants an incontinent dog.

Training your dog not to pee on the furniture is, or should be, the first order of business for any pet owner. And that’s an important first priority, because experts say that the whole housebreaking process should take place between the ages of eight and twelve weeks old. (Or between fifty-six and eighty-four weeks in dog weeks.) The idea that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks doesn’t matter much when you’re talking about teaching a dog to fetch a ball, but if your dog reaches his first birthday and is still leaving you unwanted presents around the house, that’s a bit more of a problem.

For younger dogs, the idea of setting up a crate where the dog can sleep is very helpful, as dogs aren’t willing to soil their sleeping turf. This crate shouldn’t be a place where the dog goes when he’s being punished, and the dog shouldn’t spend more than a couple of hours there at a time. Since puppies, on average, have to relieve themselves every three hours or so, their schedules will usually accommodate benign, short-term incarcerations.

Dogs are essentially creatures of habit, so if you take them out to do their business at the same time every day, they’ll be sure to hold it in until their appointment. The more regimented you can make this process, the better. Try taking the dog out the same door for each potty break, because then they’re more likely to scratch at that door the next time they want to get out for any future, unscheduled private time.

As always, praise is the greatest reinforcement you can provide. You don’t even have to be specific about the quality or quantity of the dog’s output – just “good boy” and a pat on the head will probably suffice. You’ll never know just how far a little praise can go. If my parents had been willing to do that for me during my own potty training, I’d have probably become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.