Looking Past the Headline

Several months ago, an employee of Plains Animal Hospital, in Plains Pennsylvania, contacted Modified k9 a to see if there was anything they could do to help assist in an "Aggressive" Pit Bull Dog case. At that time, a very upset owner was bringing in his pet pit bull dog to be euthanized. The dog was given the title of "Aggressive Dog," after being part of " Two Dogs at Large" incident.

The employee of the vet hospital reported this dog was extremely friendly with the entire staff that had seen him, and his temperament was very friendly and accepting upon arrival of their clinic. The owner came to the decision to euthanize his pet because of the weight that comes with the "Aggressive Dog" title. Also, the title does not allow the owner to have his dog off property at any time throughout the dogs life aside from, relieving itself, or when going to the vet, and was required to have a muzzle on at all times when outdoors. The dog was not allowed to be re-homed or adopted out, and the owner was required to pay heavy monthly/yearly insurance fees on the title. The fees unfortunately became un-affordable, and the owner felt he had no other choice.

After receiving the call and hearing the story, Modified k9 contacted the owner of the dog to go over the situation at hand. He explained everything that went on, and that he understood the responsibility was on him that his two dogs were outside in a pen and had gotten lose. While they were lose and "at large" the two dogs had come across some pedestrians, one dog had nipped at the pant leg while the other dog (kaos) kept his distance. When the police officer arrived, the instigator dog had nipped at the officers pant leg while the other dog (kaos) kept his distance again. In defense, the officer shot the first dog at point blank range, immediately killing the dog. The second dog (kaos) was shot from a distance, resulting in injuries to its jaw, and front paw, (Per Owner Testimony, and Court Account.) The owner then provided us with a link to the television news report.

After hearing the case from the owner, a spectator, and seeing the court report and the media coverage, members of Modified k9 made several appointments with the owner, his family and the surviving dog. During these visits the dog was evaluated on response/interaction to strangers, and acceptance of new people upon approach. Now given the extreme news report and having this be a dog we never met before, members approached with caution to take a safe approach. Once our members arrived, we were greeted by the owner at the door, and no barking from the dog. When welcomed into the house, the dog greeted our Modified k9 members with friendly low tail wags and relaxed gestures. He sat at our members feet with his back turned, welcoming their petting, and showed zero signs of any human directed aggression. The owner introduced his family and his children who all played and interacted with the dog while in the presents of our members. On a few visits, our members noticed there were also cats living with the family that interacted well with this dog.

After the several successful visits with this family and their dog, a Lawyer was found. Modified k9 members approached the lawyer with the case at hand and what we would like to do to help this family, educate this family and secure the property for this dog. The lawyer agreed to take on the case. He filed an appeal to extend the trial so they could present a plea to remove the "Aggressive Dog" title. During this extension, the owner had the dog neutered, micro chipped and updated on all the vaccinations. A fence company was also contacted for an estimate on cost to secure the property with proper fencing (see estimate below). When the court case arrived, the owner willingly pleaded guilty to charges for lack of rabies vaccine and dogs running at large. The lawyer then requested the "Aggressive Dog" title and restrictions be dropped as the owner and family receives help and takes measure to secure their property.

Through the cooperation of the law enforcement officials, the Court and everyone else involved, the parties reached an agreement that could save this dog. It is required that Modified k9 assist the family with training for their dog, which we have undoubtedly agreed to provide. However, part of the agreement requires the installation of a fence at the owner's residence.

If the fencing can be put up in a few months time, the court is willing to drop the aggressive dog title and this dog can live his life muzzle free, return to attending hikes, camping trips and outings with his people as a loved family companion.

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On a side note:
There are several lessons learned through this case.

One being the up most importance of responsible dog ownership.

Your job as a dog owner goes beyond walking them securely on a leash. It is the law to have your dogs under control at all times. This includes when you place them in a outside run, on a theater on your property and in a fenced area. You should know where your dog is and what your dog is up to.

It is the law to have your dogs properly updated on the Rabies vaccine. (no if, ands or buts).

As a responsible dog owner this day in age, having your dogs spayed or neutered is another great way to do your part not only for your dogs but for the community. Spaying and neutering your dogs decreases their will to roam, it decreases some dominance behaviors and can aid in the health of your pets, not to mention population control.  We at Modified k9 HIGHLY recommended spaying and neutering your dogs. If you visit our site you will find links to local low cost spay/neuter/vaccine clinics, please take advantage of them.

Last, but definitely not least. Please, do not allow media coverage to affect your outlook on specific breed of dog or in this case specific families at hand. What took us back were the comments we read under the media coverage article, people not knowing the family or the dogs and automatically accusing them of abuse, health neglect and harboring "aggressive" dogs. When Modified k9 met this family and the surviving dog from this case we found none of this to be true. This family adores their dogs and is heartbroken over the entire situation, not only for their dogs, but everyone involved. They never expected to be in this position (and this could of happened to any one of us). Which they now know could of been avoided from day one. This family is taking steps to learn and make better decisions for all, including their dog and their community. 

We all make mistakes. Now, what you do and how you learn from your mistakes will determine weather you will have a future with positive or negative life changes.

Lets learn from them, not allow them to happen again and move on.
Thank you all for taking the time to read this and also staying opened minded about the case at hand.

ALL dogs are results of human responsibility or human negligence.
ALL dogs are individuals and SHOULD be treated as such.

Sincerely,
The Modified k9 Family
www.modifiedk9.org 

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Please meet the dog and family you are about to help move forward towards a better life.

This is Kaos or K Bear ( as we call him ;) 
and the Rimmer family.

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Thank you to Rutkoski Fencing Inc of Swoyersvile, Pa

for taking time to give an estimate and the offer of installment if the funds are raised in time. 

Fencing estimate from Rutkoski Fencing Inc.

 

Here is the fencing project, the hard working volunteers, the family & the happy pup all together. 

click here:

Tie Downs

Brad Pit & Johnny Royal: "Ha Ha, Uma's on a tie down."

Tie down is another "structure" method we use for the new dogs that enter our program. A tie down, helps the dogs adjust to in door living. It comes in very handy to us since we can not have the dog on leash with us at all times. (Not when chasing a 3 year old and a few other dogs around). 

The tie down's allow us to be hands free, but it also allows the new dog to be involved in all that is going on in our home. Our mentor dogs can walk freely around the new dog with out getting pounced on for play ever 5 seconds, our kiddo can walk passed without having his snack taken off of him or be smothered in kisses every 2 seconds.

Tie downs are a useful tool to help manage dogs that may jump on people, that need house breaking , play a bit too rough with us or our dogs and for dogs that like to jumping on furniture as they please. Tie downs limit your dog's "rude or inappropriate behaviors" and get them adjusted to every day in door living with the rest of the family. Another plus is that, they can be used for is meeting the resident dogs and even the cat.

To make a tie down get a 4-5 foot piece of cable wrapped in plastic with clips at both ends. Attach one end to an eye-bolt and screw it into the baseboard of your wall. Attach the other end to your dog's flat buckle collar or martingale. With Uma we used an extra leash we had and wrapped it around a very heavy piece of furniture. (She doesn't chew the leash other wise we would use the cable like we had to for Johnny when he first came into our program.)

If you use "Uma's way" MAKE SURE that your dog can not pull the furniture around the house or chew on it. Tie downs should only be used when you are home as well, this way you can keep an eye on your pup and make sure they are not getting themselves into any trouble.

In the dogs tie down space, put their bed and some chew toys to keep them buys. Frozen Stuffed Kongs work well as they are learning to adjust.

Let us know how this works for you and if you have any other tips regarding tie downs :)

Homemade Tug Toys

1.) What you will need is (3) long pieces of material from old jeans, blankets, clothing or any type of fabric.

2.) Tie the one end into a tight knot. We like to tie a few knots to make sure it is secure. 

3.) Have someone hold that end so you can "very tightly" braid the three pieces of fabric. If you do not have anyone to hold it for you, put it under your foot. 

**The tighter you braid the tougher it will be for the dogs to pull it apart.

4.) Tie the end piece into several knots as you did the first, find a pup and let them enjoy their new toy!

Rope toys in stores range in price anywhere from $8.00 to $25.00 depending on length and size. Using recycled fabric you will save a load of money. ;)

Making homemade toys for our fur kids is a lot of fun! We think so and so do our dogs.

Plus it tires them out. ;)
!!Enjoy!!

Come when called. - Recall Game

We use the clicker (or marker) during a lot of our training sessions. When we use the clicker we never us it to attract our dogs attention. The clicker is used when our dogs are doing the exact action we want.

Today we are going to fill you in on a fun game we do with our pups to teach them how to come when called. This exercise will help your dog understand to come to you every time you call them.

Pick a spot that is safe, fenced in or even start in your home so your pup can't get away from you if they get distracted. Start off with two people standing about 8-10 feet apart from one another. Each person will have some soft, small sized treats and a clicker. We like to use Natural Balance food rolls for our dogs training.

When everyone is ready start calling your pup with the word "come" or "here". Make sure everyone uses the same word in a happy tone. When the pup comes to you click, put your hand on the dogs collar and give him/her the treat.

As your pup learns the game, start increasing the distance and the distractions. You will want to start of at a short distance with little to no distraction at first to help your dog succeed in this game. Have fun and make the training sessions short. Making sessions short will keep your pups attention and your pup will learn to stay focused. Too long of a session and your pup can get distracted easy. You always want to end on a good note and the command you asked of your dog.

Tips on when to call your dog:

-Never call your dog for negative/bad things
-Never call your dog and then lock him up for the day to go to work or leave the house.
-Never call your dog to come in from play time, instead go get him.
-DO call your dog for positive/good things like dinner time, treats, walks, car rides, games, play, cuddle time ;)

When you teach your dog to come when called remember you may need it one day to save your dogs life so every time you call your dog it MUST be related to something positive. Then watch them come flying into your arms.

Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) - It can happen to anyone!

Many dog owners are oblivious to the fact that Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) even exists. Then of course there are the huge masses of dog owners who rely on a notion that it only targets "pit bulls", and not the German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Akita, etc. However, here is the reality of the painful concept known as "BSL"...it affects us all and targets dozens of breeds in various countries. Everything from 220 pound mastiffs to 40 pound mutts of unknown origins if the law deems it necessary.

BSL is the sort of thing that mainly affects happy, normal, loving families and their pets, because the types of people who should be targeted by animal regulations will continue to illegally harbor the dogs in question if they so choose. Essentially all that breed specific legislation has going for it, is the fact that it kills mostly innocent dogs and destroys the families which love them. It's easy to turn a blind eye and say it "isn't your job to worry", but one day it will knock on YOUR door, either from an insurance agent denying your coverage, or an official coming to take your dog.

If you live in the United States, there are no country-wide bans put into law at this moment (as a matter of fact, for the first time in years, trends are showing a decrease in BSL, finally), however the Marine Corps has banned or restricted "large dog breeds with a predisposition toward aggressive or dangerous behavior" in base housing and privatized housing, as have many Army, Navy, and Air Force installations. Of course we do have various municipalities putting bans/restrictions into effect, as well as the county of Colorado - Denver with their city wide ban (which has been revamped to not be as devastating as it once was).

The varying restrictions, regulations, ideas and definitions within the laws all over the world are all over the map, so in short this is a brief definition: Breed specific legislation, or BSL, is simply defined as it sounds regulating your right to own or not own a dog based only on the breed of dog, not your responsibility as a pet owner. These practices let people know that no matter how hard they have worked on training, socializing, loving, and securing their dog, none of it has ever really meant anything.

The act of BSL is simply a band-aid for a much larger social or criminal issue and is only a temporary fix which many states eventually realize doesn't solve or really help any of the real problems at hand in many of these dog attack cases which prompt the bans or restrictions in the first place. By volunteering certain breeds as "attack" dogs or "aggressive" by law, we are doing nothing more than giving criminals a heads up on which breeds to own and how to make them that way.

In my personal house, and within many of the homes of Modified K9, we live our lives fearing the day we hear that news or get that memo...the one saying that your dogs could be next. Despite being a pit bull rescue, many of us own various breeds and multiple dogs, in my own home i have 3 separate breeds, all of whom would be banned or restricted if BSL ever knocked on my door. I know that no matter what, none of us would go down without a fight, and i think it's safe to assume the same of most of you reading this. Now is the time when we have a say and our voices as pet owner's should and could be heard louder than ever. In the age of technology, we can get whatever message we must across, and I think we've been changing minds for some time now.

I can name a dozen or more instances in which my pit bulls or Akita have changed people's minds regarding their breeds. I smile every time I recall the events Modified K9 has attended at which our dogs have not only done the same, but also turned those skeptics into pit bull dog adopters. With every well trained, loving, and stellar breed example that exists within the breeds under fire by these laws, we as dog owners get one step closer to a world free of BSL, ignorance, and fear.

The amount of progress that still needs to come is great, however if we think of the ground those of us fighting breed stereotypes have already covered it doesn't seem as daunting. If we come together to spread factual information to the ignorant, shine positive lights on our dogs in every way we can,, and just be the most responsible dog owners we can be, this won't even feel like a fight against BSL....it will instead feel like a victory one day. That is the sort of world that I know will exist one day, and on that day I will finally feel like all of my efforts have been heard and that I had a small part in it by sharing my life with some of the most amazing breed ambassadors, and the most loyal dogs ever.

In closing I wanted to do something corny, but something I think should be done in order for those of you not understanding why we fight so hard: 

Imagine in the middle of the night, you are jolted out of sleep by a thunderous bang on your door and loud voices. You spring from your bed to position yourself between your loved ones and the threat. Your actions are misread and you're suddenly pricked with an intense jolting feeling. Next thing you know you're collapsing to the ground and unable to move as you watch this threat upset your loved ones. Your family is screaming and crying all around you and you can just lay helpless. You're abruptly picked up and thrown into a cell as your little boy tries grabbing at you one last time, still hysterical. You are a pit bull being labeled for "aggressive" behaviors when BSL came knocking on your family's door late one night. Now you sit on death row and wait everyday at your gate for your family, but they're never allowed to come. All you can do is wait and hope for an appeal.

Breed Specific Legislation tears families apart and destroys the lives of everyone around it. 
It is not a solution, it is only part of the problem.

-Nikki

The "Touch" Command

The "Touch" command is one our favorite exercises to do with our pups.  No only it is a mind stimulating exercise, but you can use this fun game to help you communicate with your dog(s).  Even Deaf dogs can benefit form this. Teaching the "touch command" helps your dog focus on a target and associate that target with something positive.  We use the touch command to guide the dogs on & off the couch, into their crates, heel by our side, sit by our side, go to a mark, go over an agility jump, we use it as a recall, for k9 nose work, to get them into and out of a car and we even use it for our dog reactive dogs just to name a few things you can do with this exercise. 

We first teach our pups to target our hand with their nose, than we teach the dogs to target objects like their toys, leashes and even other dogs. They will understand when they hit the target with their nose they will get rewarded for it. They start to associate things that may have at one time made them shy away or made them "reactive" towards it with something positive and therefor their behaviors will start changing to more of a positive behavior that is very manageable and more tolerable.

Below we are going to show you the basics to the touch command. After your pup picks up the idea of the command then the sky is the limit C:

First you will need to start out with a hungry pup. Try to teach this exercise before meals and with as little distraction as possible. If you  have more then one dog, put the other pup away some place that he/she can not disrupt this training session.

Hungry pup - CHECK!

Next you will need a treat bag ( we get our from Valley Dog ), you will also need a clicker and a food roll. (also available at Valley Dog) We like to use the food rolls because they are a high value treat that can be cut up into small pieces (shown below) and stored for later training sessions. You want to pick a treat that is soft so your pups can eat it fast and still stay focused on the task at hand. You also want the treats to be higher value then their every day dog food.

Food Roll, Clicker & Treat Bag - CHECK

Cut up treats! - CHECK

Once you have your treats cut up and your pup in a nice calm setting (put him/her on a leash if they tend to take off). You are ready to start.

Get yourself set up first. Place the treat bag where the treats will be easy for you to grab & place the clicker in your hand you use most. Take a piece of treat and put it between your fingers of the hand with OUT the clicker

Once you get that in a comfortable position, show your pup the treat. Don't say a word at this point, just show them the treat. As SOON as your pups nose or mouth touches your hand CLICK. Take the treat OUT of that hand and feed it to your pup with the clicker hand. Do this about 5 - 6 times.

Again:
Place treat between finger of hand with OUT clicker, show your pup the treat, as SOON as you feel your pups nose or mouth CLICK, switch the treat to your other hand and give it to your pup....

Note:
Make sure your pup comes to you and you don't shove your hand in your pups face. Also start off close to your pup so you set him up for success.

as soon as he touches your hand CLICK

take the treat with the other hand & feed the treat to your pup

Now that you have done that several times and your pup is going toward your hand as you drop it by your side. The next step is to remove the treat from your hand, hold your hand down, say "TOUCH" and wait till your pup touches your hand with his nose. When he does, IMMEDIATELY click and then offer him the treat.

Offer hand with out treat and say TOUCH to your pup!

Do this a few times. Start moving your hand in different areas, but keep it close to you when 1st learning this exercise. If your pup is doing really well end it on a great note and try it again later on. Try to keep the training sessions short at 1st and try to end them when you pup is still interested in learning.

As your pup get's better and better. Start giving him more of a challenge. Start raising your hand higher, over to the side, behind you, put your pup at a sit from across the room and say TOUCH and watch him come FLYING into your hand! 

When your pup understands the touch you can start adding more challenges to this exercise.
And remember HAVE FUN!!!!

Check out this Video of Johnny Royal doing his touch exercise and how we use it to also work on his "heel".. or "get to my side"  - CLICK HERE

** If you are doing this with a deaf dog, obviously you will not be using the clicker or your voice. Instead you can use a small key chain flash light as the "marker", flash the light at your dog when you feel his/her nose hit your hand and then follow the rest of the steps above :)

Dog Parks

We feel that dog parks are typically a poor idea for any dogs as a general rule (this doesn't mean we would ever condemn you for using them though!). As someone who has studied animal behaviors and displays for my entire life, i cringe when i watch dogs at dog parks. So many owners not paying attention to the slightest body posturing, bullying, humping, pooping, etc. Certain breeds are just more prone to being dominant to other dogs as well as low dog tolerance and flat out dog aggression. You can have a dog never exhibit an ounce of dog dominance or aggression....until the day another dog grabs ahold of it at the local dog park. It can also just be learned from the other dogs and the 'pack' environment dog parks usually create.

The most obvious reason, to me, for them being a less than amazing idea is how easy it is for larger dogs (of any breed or any background) to injure a smaller breed of dog, or a puppy (even in easy play). Most people say "these things happen" and "don't worry", but then you receive a vet bill totaling thousands of dollars, or a law suit, or the dog warden's visit. Unfortunately, we no longer live in a society where we can take people at their word. We also live in a society where, if you own a pitbull (or any of the other BSL-[breed specific legislation] targeted breeds), you are automatically expected to go above and beyond the precautions of the average dog owner. Is this a fair obstacle we must hurdle? Of course not, but it's simply the way things are in the world of BSL.

Another much more common reason, is the laziness of other dog owners. If someone cannot watch their own dog's behavior, do you think they're going to be cleaning up after their dog? Not likely. The list of diseases transmitted via the simple sniff or step into a pile of waste is scary. You have no way of knowing for certain if these dogs in question have had all vaccines. Some dog parks want proof of certain vaccinations these days, and that is an awesome approach, but not fool-proof. This whole area is the one that I find most scary, as well as most unappealing, and just gross.

A third point to touch on is just setting your dog up for failure. I have known many dogs who never react after a first altercation or attack from another dog.I have also known dogs who have been completely ruined after an early serious altercation in their lives. It can have an adverse reaction in a dog's life, and can always make a dog anticipate the worst. This can in turn, CREATE fights that are stated by your own dog now thanks to that first ever highly negative reaction.

Every breed of dog has a specific genetic makeup. Each breed has certain temperament traits that have defined them for centuries. However, the genetic gene pool for "pit bulls" (american staffordshire terriers, staffordshire bull terriers, american pit bull terriers, and every single mix thereof) has been so watered down by unscrupulous breeding with no care to standard, that it has created dogs who lull you into a false sense of security with their behaviors towards canine friends. It has also made people who have adopted pit bull mixes for 10-20 years feel as if every single pit bull will be just like those 2 or 3 dogs they got lucky with. That is just that though.....a lucky streak on their part.

After being a life long akita owner, and adopting my first pit bull 7 years ago already, I once established that I would never be a dog park frequenter. At first this was an idea that really upset me, until I actually visited my first dog park. All I had to do was sit there and simply watch everyone else for a few hours. It was enough to provide a panic attack and make me feel blessed to have never been a regular at one. ;)

Things like doggie play dates with a small group of familiar dogs, or even only one other dog, are amazing alternatives to dog parks. Then you and someone you trust can handle every issue and situation that could arise. You can easily stop dogs when needed or break up any scuffles. You can also feel safe knowing no diseases will be transmitted if it's someone you have known for quite some time and feel totally confident in trusting. The keyword to me for doggie play dates, is TRUST. Make sure this is with someone you can trust, or an environment you can easily control if you need to be the one in charge.

Another fantastic option is a run/jog or a hike with canine friends and their owners, where all dogs are leashed. This enables positive interactions as well as the highest level of control. Dogs can easily focus on the other scents and sights in these ventures too, and not focus so seriously on another dog. See our Pit Bull PowWow outings.

The last thing I want to finish with is this: It will not kill your dog to never make doggie friends outside his or her house. Pit bulls and many breeds similar to them in temperament care about one thing above all else....YOU and interacting with you. All of the dog parks, play dates, and canine travels in the world cannot hold a candle to the joy little Fido gets from hanging out with you. So get outside and interactive with him/her, take in this gorgeous late spring weather, and most importantly bring a leash to guarantee the safety of pooches around you (especially your own pooch)!

Written by: Nikki Stixx

Frozen Stuffed Kongs

Froze Stuffed Kongs are a wonderful thing when we have a busy day ahead and need an extra few minutes to do laundry, dishes, check your emails or what have you.  The night before you go to bed and after the pups are settled in for the night. Collect all the Kongs you have laying around your house or in their crates.  Stuff them with your pups favorite canned dog food and some peanut butter.  Then place all the Kongs in the freezer until the next morning. It is that simple.

Frozen Kongs are great for when we have new dogs starting on tie downs and getting use to their crates.  Keeps them busy for some time which leaves you free  to catch up on some work or much needed rest. Esp if your a foster parent. ;)

Check out Johnny Royal and his first ever Frozen Kong. Kept him busy for about an hour this morning. No lie - an entire HOUR! With an active 2 year old son in our house we have no time for rest so the extra hour made time for some Lego building adventures.
YAY for Frozen Stuffed Kongs!