The Bark Off - As Seen on TV

    I've never really gone in for infomercial shopping, but I do admit to every once-and-awhile taking a spin around out local "As Seen on TV" outlet store.  As many of you may have seen on TV recently they're advertising a product called the 'Bark Off' that the manufacturers claim will bring an end to all those annoying noises your dog makes to ruin your TV watching experiences.  It's not typically something I would rush out to get, but when it was in the store (no shipping & handling fees) and at 50% off the original price ($4.95), I thought why not.

    Cassie is an attention barker, which as a positive trainer I would normally handle by just ignoring her, even when she progresses to some heavy mouthing.  I've tried squirt bottles, bad smells and the only thing that has ever seemed to deter her are my threats of beating pots and pans together, which as you can imagine makes for a perfectly delightful evening!  I don't like painful or stringent punishments and simply crating her only staves off the problem, so sound aversion didn't really bother me as a concept, especially since it had been so successful in our pots-and-pans past!  Having a version that I didn't have to carry around or even listen to was like music to my ears (pardon the bad pun).   I should have been clued in to the 'Bark Off's possible faults when the cashier of the store said he had not heard the best reports from other purchasers as a means of explaining the heavy discount.

What it is:
   The 'Bark Off' is a plastic encased device that sets off a high pitched squeal (imperceptible to human ears) anytime it detects a sound it considers to be within a typical dog-bark frequency.  The 'Bark Off' is equipped with two levels of sensitivity, so that, if you choose, it will only react to strong loud barks, as opposed to softer whining and yips.  The intensity of the squeal it puts out is meant to never change.

  My only real concern, besides it not working at all, was that it would not be very selective about setting off the squeal...so that a dog bark on the TV or a similar sound to a bark might set it off when Cassie hadn't even done anything wrong.   Not such a big deal when it's only Cassie around, but in a multi-dog home when only one of the dogs is a barker, how would you keep from punishing the whole group?

How It Worked:
   Regardless, home I went and started searching for a 9 volt battery, happily finding one at the back of a drawer.  I let the dog out, placed the 'Bark Off' on a low shelf about five feet away switching it to the 'low' setting and waited to be serenaded!  Within minutes the 'play with me' dance started and I ignored it for the sake of study.

    Cassie then gave a very loud and pronounced bark and then stopped, turning her head to question what had just come from the bookshelf.  She'd definitely heard something that gave her pause and then proceeded to experiment with the sound in what can only be described as a game of "Barko-Polo!"  It did stop her from barking the first night, a little.  She didn't like the sound and was clearly confused by it, but after having it set to varying intensities for the last few days she now seems content to ignore the strange noise and has gone right back to barking her head off whenever she feels like it.

   I've tried it on Tobey and his 'killer dogs walking past the house' barking routine and he too just doesn't seem to care about the strange noise...he's too focused on scaring away that big German Shepherd Dog from down the street!  How dare it go to the bus stop to pick up its children each day!

Final Verdict:
   The final verdict on the 'Bark Off' is that if you can find it cheap why not give it a try on your dog, if you're ok with aversion tactics.  If you're suffering from insomnia one night and see it on TV, I really wouldn't waste your time.

   If you've had success with the 'Bark Off', please let me know and I'll update with your comments.

A Tail of Things To Come...Our Weekend with Jinx

   Sorry we've been a bit out of touch lately!  We've had a house guest since Thursday morning in the form of our friend Jinx!  It's been fun, but we are all a little tired now (especially Jinx's ears, which Cassie seems to find endless fun in biting).  You may remember Jinx from the Bacon Bubbles review.  In honor of his visit we have a few reviews coming up this week that we think you will enjoy!   While I work on putting them together and recovering from the mealy here's a preview!

• Bitter Apple: Other uses for the dog owner's long time love!

• Wildcatch For Pets' Salmon Jerky:  We were asked by our local organic dog food store (Bentley's Specialty Pet Foods of Hedgesville, WV) to give some feedback on these as they were a new product Jeff (the store's owner) just put on the shelves!  We are happy to oblige!

• The BackyardPet company's Soft-sided dog crate:  From a company that's now owned and run by Firstrax (Model E-28), it's something else that claims to be durable and still isn't Aussie proof!  

JW Pet Co's Cuz: A Life Saver For An Anxious Dog

   Sorry in advance for the long review, but I write a great deal about Cassie and her exploits and thought for a change I would bring you up to speed on Tobey!  This is the story of how a simple toy, the JW Pet Co Cuz saved Tobey from himself.

   Tobers is a four year old Min Pin/Rat Terrier mix (we think) who came to my parents at about four months old.  Before he was picked up by the local animal squad it's believed that he spent much of his life, as my mother puts it with a pouty face, "on the mean streets."  As a result of this harsh upbringing, he came with some very significant guarding and aggression issues (not great in a house that at that time had two other dogs) that we have worked very hard to get him through.  In the beginning he was always tense, almost on a razors edge even when he was sleeping and would easily become fixated on guarding places, food, toys and people.  With some positive reinforcement and handling training and some exercise he has come a long way.  He still has a few grumpy moments, but his real 'problems' have pretty much disappeared, especially now that he's the only dog at my parents'.

   When he moved in it was also difficult to teach Tobey to play.  He was (and still is) very food motivated, so teaching tricks was easy, but really playing with him was hard to even get started.  I found he liked to chase balls, but was not happy to bring them back.   People often don't realize when they adopt a shelter dog that many have missed out on those important weeks of puppyhood where they learned things like socialization, sharing and yes, even play! This is no excuse not to adopt an older dog, but still an important factor to keep in mind.  Many shelter dogs will need some help learning the basics of what we consider 'doggie-hood.'

    My mother, for instance, was very sad that Tobey was not acting like a 'normal' dog and determined to find a toy he would like.  After some tennis balls and soft toys (which he liked to sit on), she brought home a red Cuz that came to be known as Tobey's friend.  This one toy would, in my opinion, go a long way to helping Tobey overcome not only his guarding issues, but his general day-to-day rubberband-like tension.

   It started out simply enough.  We gave him the toy and treated him for sniffing it and then picking it up.  After a little while we took it out back and gave it a toss and off he went as if it were a tennis ball.  We stood there watching him run like a shot in the direction the Cuz had disappeared and then started across the yard after him ready to lure it away with a treat when he ran off with it.   To our surprise a great squeaking could be heard and from the other end of the yard Tobey came charging with the Cuz in his mouth giving a squeak with each stride.   He loved it!  When he reached us I quickly pulled out a treat and as he opened his mouth I said: "Drop it" and placed the treat in his mouth.

  From that moment he wouldn't let the Cuz go...he raced around the house by himself squeaking the Cuz as he ran, he would chase the Cuz when we threw it for him and bring it back.   Interestingly, he would even lie on his blanket and just squeak the Cuz with his eyes closed.  I wish I had pictures of this, but sadly I don't.   The Cuz did more than give Tobey an outlet for his nervous energy (though that did help I'm sure), it's hard rubber had just enough give to make squeezing it pleasurable.  As when people who are stressed grind their teeth, nervous or anxious dogs often carry a lot of pent up energy in their jaws.  T-touch massage techniques teach you to massage the anxious dog's jaws by holding thier heads or using a circular motion, but for Tobey (who didn't like people touching his face), chewing on the ball seemed to relieve his anxiety.  The Cuz acted as a self-soothing device and allowed Tobey to see that when he was more relaxed the world wasn't such a scary place!

   He has gone through many Cuzes since that first one and now doesn't really need to use it that much, though he still loves it.  Since then he has learned to love other types of play as well and I am thinking about starting him at home with some agility training very soon.   He's very smart and still super fast!

  Though this is a great story it's not much of a review, so here you go:

   The Cuz, like most JW Pet Co toys is very durable.  The hard pliable rubber is a joy for dogs to chew, but seems to outlast even the strongest chewers I've seen!  Cassie has a few of these types of toys and they have lasted well over a year.  With Tobers, his first Cuz lasted about a year before the squeaker fell out inside of the Cuz and a new one had to be purchased.  We've since bought him two others and the squeaker always seems to be the fail point.   They bounce very well and because of the odd shape and the feet at the bottom the bounce is unpredictable, making the dog have to think while they are chasing it.  The squeaker is the best part; it gives a loud and satisfying sound that seems to drive the dogs crazy!

  Cuzes come in a variety of sizes (S,M,L) and colors, including: red, green, purple and yellow/orange.  They also come in both a Good Cuz  (no-devil horns) and a Bad Cuz (with devil-horns)...Tobey started out with the Bad Cuz, reflecting my mother's feelings at that point in his life and now has two Good Cuzes.   You can buy a Cuz at Petsmart, Petco, Amazon or many other places online from between $5-$10 depending on size and style.   They're a great foundation to JW Pet Co's squeaky toy line from which many other shapes can be purchased, even a Cuz with a fluffy tail!  Overall, a stimulating alternative to a boring old tennis ball and one that will last for ages!

THE WINNER IS...TREATS

  By a narrow margin treats have beaten out wubbas as the next topic you would like my opinion on...That's great, I love treats (talking about them...not eating them).  I also have a plan for wubbas, since they received some votes, as well.

   Treats are perhaps our greatest tool in dog training...a clicker can be replaced by the verbal cue, a piece of rope will work as an impromptu leash, but the treats (or motivators) you select will determine so many things about how your training session will go.  If the dog becomes full to quickly then it will loose interest in training.  If the smell of the treat is not appealing to the dog she won't work for it.  If it's so messy that it gets all over your hands you will fumble with it or drop it or worse confuse the dog.  If you have to spend three seconds breaking a treat into pieces you have missed your window to treat following a click and your training has just become useless.  So in the theme of High Fidelity...here are my Top 5 All Time Greatest Treats:


   1) Zukes Mini Naturals (Salmon):

         Zukes are great all natural/high protein treats.  The minis are the perfect size for training sessions with any sized dog, because they pack a big taste into a small low-calorie bite sized treat.  Unlike many small treats they are moist and chewy.  The chewiness amps up the flavor, though when Cassie was a puppy I found that she would spend a little too much time chewing them.  Unlike other moist treats, I have never had the problem of them disintegrating in my pockets or covering my fingers in residue.    
   Though Salmon is Cassie's favorite (and the most smelly) they also come in Chicken and Peanut Butter flavors.  The Zukes brand offers a wide variety of treats, from crunchy bites to bigger jerky pieces and all are made with the best ingredients.  That said, they are a little expensive.  I alternate between buying from my local organic dog food shop (yes there is one on my doorstep, even in WV) and buying from a friend who gets them wholesale.  They can be picked up on Amazon for what I consider a very fair price (a $2 savings over my local shop and only $1 more than my wholesaler).  If you are training with your dog, I think you will see the benefits.

   One word of warning:  The bag must always be sealed tightly and the treats should never be left out to the air or they turn into little rocks.  I have even taken to putting them in a ziploc for class, because I have noticed they are less moist by the end of a training session.

   2) PureBites Beef Liver:

       Ok, another expensive choice...but well worth it, if you can afford it.  PureBites treats do exactly what they say on the tin...ie they are made of 100% freeze dried beef liver.  They are high protein (obviously) and only 10 calories per treat.   Unlike the Zukes, they are more like a crunchy treat, though not exactly a biscuit.  They have a wonderful earthy smell that you have to become accustomed to, but I actually really like it now.  Also unlike the moist Zuke Minis, the PureBites Liver treats don't go off in your pocket.  I've found some in old coats and they are just the same as new.  I tend to go through several in a session, but I break them up turning each treat into about 5 mini-bites.  They also work for training obedience, because one big piece can be nibbled at very easily when walking at heel.
   PureBites come in many flavors other than beef liver, including chicken breast, cheddar cheese and various fish combos.  I've tried all the others and though they're wonderfully healthy, I find the liver works best for training, because it doesn't disintegrate easily.  You will have some liver dust in your pocket, but the freeze dried chicken and fish are just plain messy and difficult to work with.  I've also found Cassie prefers the taste of the liver to the other flavors.
    The only thing that might put some people off (besides the smell, which I promise you will come to love) is that because these treats are literally just freeze dried pieces of liver, they are not always of a consistent size or shape.  Some of the 'edge' pieces can be large and difficult to break up...I use these for "jackpot" treats!
   The price on Amazon is a good one...only a few dollars more than my wholesaler and whole lot cheaper than my local store.

   3) Dogswell Vitality (Chicken Breast):

    My last budget breaker is the Dogswell Vitality line.  Like the PureBites, these are just dehydrated pieces of chicken breast, but unlike the PureBites chicken version they're more of an infused crispy jerky than a crumbly piece of flaky chicken.  Dogswell also infuses their chicken treats with omega 3's from flaxseed, which I think has added a sheen to Cassie's already pretty coat.  They also claim that the chickens are all cage free, non-antibiotic, no hormones or fillers...etc...though I'm a little more practically driven (ie how well does the dog work for it), these are all good things.  What I really like is the smell, which is just that of cooked chicken breast...as it should be.  I'll admit, I've popped them into my own mouth and they do taste nice (though I did spit it back out).
   I like to take these on walks, because I can pop two or three in my pockets and then break it up into about 20 little treats per slice.  If you break them up in your pockets like I do, you will start to notice some chicken dust in your lining, however not nearly as much as with the PureBites version.  Otherwise, they are not messy and are very convenient.  They last a long time, so a big bag can go a long way, but it is important to keep the bag well sealed!
   Dogswell makes similar treats in duck and sweet potato, some of which are focused on older dogs and dogs with hip problems.  I have only tried the Chicken breast so far, because it's been such a success.

   4) Nutro Natural Choice Crunchy Fruit Treats (Apple):
    I haven't actually used these in awhile, though when we did Cassie really liked them.  Nutro is a good brand and these treats were recommended by a clerk at our local Petsmart, so I gave them a try.   Cassie isn't normally into dry crunchy biscuit treats, so I was a little worried she wouldn't take to them.  I also try to keep her away from as much grain as possible, but what got me again was the smell.  They really smell like apples (the favorite fruit of the Cassie dog) and have a very light texture making them easy to carry and break up into smaller bites.
    When we use them now it tends to be for 'good night' treats...ie get in your kennel and have a treat! They also work well as treats to hide under a finger when you are doing things like training a 'nose bridge.'   If you've ever seen Celeste Meade on youtube, then you will know why it's often difficult to find treats of an appropriate size and texture for what she does.
   Going back to the smell, they are also good for playing games like Kyra Sundance's 'Shell Game,' where the dog has to find a hidden treat under a cup.  The apple smell is very distinctive and I've found much easier for the dog to isolate than meatier treats.
   They are very delicate though, even for a crunchy treat.  I've pulverized several trying to break them up, so you will probably have to empty your pockets of dust more than once in awhile.  They're a good healthy alternative to meat based treats and offer the dog a little something different.

   5) String Cheese:

    For everyone out there who, like me, is always spending a fortune on dog treats I have to say we're really wasting our time and money.  Nothing will ever top the simple string cheese!!!  Not a lot needs to be said here.  As long as you buy the low fat, low sodium (this is very important) version you can buy as cheaply as you want.  It all seems to taste the same to the dog.   It works well in just about every training situation, whether you chop it up into little bits for tricks class and agility or you simply twist off large pieces to teach heel work in obedience, string cheese is a winner and what all my trainers use.  I've hid it in Nina Ottosson toys, chopped it up and put it in food release toys and even stuck a whole stick down the middle of a kong full of wet dog food and frozen it.  As long as I have cheese, Cassie will never stop working.  I normally go through about three or four sticks per hour long class if I'm not using any other treats.  Though for digestion, it is often best to intersperse other treats between cheese sticks.   They are cheap and easy to find and probably the best thing on the market.  The only draw back is that you will sometimes get messy fingers and they don't keep outside the fridge for too long before turning into a gooey mush.


 I'll keep trying treats and update you off and on about them...do you have a favorite that I've missed???

Training Books I Love!

  The market seems flooded lately with dog training books and rightfully so, as our pets are becoming more and more important in our lives.  I have bought so many books, I now have a whole bookshelf dedicated to dog training, so I thought it was about time to list my favorites below.
   I'm not a professional dog trainer, so I need all the help I can get to keep Cassie calm and interested.  I also work exclusively with positive methods.  I'm not going to say I never utter a correction, but I do try to be a solid and kind leader...which isn't always as easy as it seems.


  My Favorite Training Books:

 Kyra Sundance's Do More with Your Dog series:
    After a couple puppy-related books, this was the first set of books I picked up for Cassie.  We started taking a Tricks class at our local training facility and these books were the basis of it.  Tricks, as Kyra notes, are a great way to start a puppy on the path to loving learning and to thinking for itself.  Cassie started out in the class at about 10 weeks old and has stayed with it throughout her first year!  It has done wonders for her focus, especially around a class full of other dogs and has helped me ensure that she's curious about new things instead of frightened of them.   Though she still doesn't like the sound the wagon makes when she pulls it behind her.  We're currently training the 'get me a beer from the fridge' trick...which is on the expert level!

Sorry about the little brown nose in the corner!

  Let's face it, these books are great!  Kyra is a fun and enthusiastic teacher, who guides you through increasingly more advanced training while teaching your dog to learn through play.  Best of all: Your human/dog team can earn titles from Kyra's website!  Cassie and I are almost ready to test for our Advanced Trick Dog title.  With the completion of a level, you can receive a very pretty certificate, a Do More with Your Dog bracelet and with Kyra has sent us encouraging hand written notes!  The DMWYD books are available in most big bookstores or from Amazon and now both a workbook and DVD's are also available (those are on my birthday list).

Kyra is just about to come out with a new Tricks book.  I've seen some of the photos already and it looks like this will be another winner! So look for that when it arrives at your local bookstore or on Amazon!


MORE TO COME IN A LITTLE WHILE, including: Leslie McDevitt's Control Unleashed and Pat Miller's The Power of Positive Dog Training!