TRAINING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Writing on this blog five days a week is work. Make no mistake about that. Coming up with fresh and new ideas is always a challenge, especially for someone like me. I’m very self critical about my writings. It always amazes me about the articles that get the most responses. Sometimes the ones that I’ve spent the most time on are not necessarily the ones that most people respond to. Sometimes the ones that I’m not the fondest of are the ones that people respond to and like the best. Go figure!

One of my favorite things about writing on my blog is the people that I get to “meet” that respond to some of my articles. There are worlds of fascinating people out there that share their love of the German Shepherd Dog and what makes it even more fascinating is the way they live and share their lives with their dogs. Not everyone that reads this blog is a show person, an obedience person or a dog trainer. But one thing that they are is a lover of the German Shepherd. Writing this blog brings many different German Shepherd people together and makes us realize that it’s not just about you and me. It’s about them and those as well!

One such person that I’m delighted to have made an acquaintance with is one of my newer readers. He’s responded to some of my articles that I’ve written and I was drawn to look him up on his own blog that he writes. I was taken with this mans lifestyle that he and his lovely wife have chosen to live with their three dogs that they adopted from rescue……two German Shepherds and a Border/Collie mix. These German Shepherd lovers have chosen to live their lives with their dogs in God’s country….in the wilderness. His pictures on his blog tells the story of how they live in their beautiful cabin and of their “neighbors” that happen to trespass on their property from time to time……..black bears, mountain lions and wolfs to name just a few. Do check out Bruce and Carol McElmurray's blog and look at their pictures of their cabin and their  lifestyle. Bruce is a down to earth kind of writer…….hmmmmm similar to his lifestyle. You can check it out here: www.brucecarolcabin.blogspot.com/. Oh yeah and Bruce just wrote to tell me that one of his articles was just published in “Mother Earth News” in the Aug/Sept issue that comes out on 7/20. I can’t wait to read it.  I hope everyone gets a change to read it as well.

I asked Bruce if he would write an article as a guest writer for my blog. I am thrilled that he did just that and I share it here with you now. Okay Bruce, take over…..

TRAINING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

We live in the mountains of S. Colorado at 9,750', in a rather remote area with our two German Shepherd dogs and our Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix. Bozwell is our 95# male GSD, Sarah our 65# female GSD and Gypsy our 60# mix. All are rescues. Our property is heavily wooded and has two springs on it which attract various forms of wildlife. We see and encounter bear, mountain lion, coyote, wolves, lynx, bobcat, deer, elk, and a host of other animals on a fairly regular basis.

When we lived in Central Pennsylvania within the city we had totally different circumstances to deal with. When we walked (our now deceased) dog Ben (GSD) in the city we had to watch for different dangers like traffic, weird strangers, children on bicycles and so forth. We had sidewalks but sometimes we had to cross busy streets and a mini mall parking lot where there was a Pizza Hut that delivered. We trained Ben to look both ways at intersections which he always did. Being run down by a Pizza Hut delivery vehicle can ruin your day so we trained for specific risks peculiar to our area. When we would come to an intersection or corner like the mini mall it was best to peek around the corned of the building to see if a pizza delivery vehicle was screaming down the alley. Ben would stop, sit, look both ways, (as would we - except the sit part) and if safe we would proceed. As to weird strangers, I was out walking Ben one night and this spectral image came floating down the other side of the street semi illuminated by the street light. It turned out to be someone wearing a pill box hat and silky flowing robes dressed in traditional African style. We were on the dark side of the street and Ben went on alert and gave a low guttural primitive growl that sounded like it came from the pits of hell. The person stopped instantly and made a 'U' turn and wasted no time getting out of Dodge. That growl was so compelling my hair stood up. I heard it twice in Ben's 13 years.

Now we live where there are few people, (we have one seasonal neighbor 300 yards away - our next neighbor is one mile) and more animals than anything. Our dogs have been and are continually trained to cope with animals that would endanger them. Instead of Pizza Hut deliveries and city risks we are now concerned with predators. Since we rely on our dogs instincts of smell, hearing and sight as well as our own limited instincts, we certainly don't want to train any of the natural instinct out of them. When a bear and her two cubs come up out of a ditch on our dirt road we don't want our dogs to mis-behave and create a crisis. That happened last year right in our driveway and Bozwell our male GSD conducted himself perfectly. He sat down next to me and watched the bear with her cubs 20' away, and when the mama bear realized we were no threat we all maintained our places for several minutes and then went our separate ways. The key ingredient is the human staying calm and in control. Those situations do not occur often but when they do if the human jumps around flailing their arms yelling "Oh my God, a bear" you will have an excited dog and ultimate catastrophe. Both GSD's are trained to take their cue from either myself or Carol. Last year for example Carol was walking Gypsy down the road in front of the house and 8' away on the down hill side of the road was a bear munching grass. Bozwell and I were on the deck and he did not bark but went on full alert. I waved to get Carol’s attention and when she looked up told her calmly not to panic but she was standing 8' from a bear. She looked over and there was the bear not paying any attention to her or Gypsy, simply grazing along the road. She promptly made her way up to the house without causing any incident. She did put new meaning to the word promptly however. Had I yelled or Bozwell started barking the bear would have instantly been on alert and it could have turned into a nasty situation. Instead the bear just watched her walk away in the opposite direction.

Our dogs have been trained to expect the unexpected. Bears are curious and only one out of a hundred is aggressive. Even then they will leave you an escape route. Wild animals have instincts that we probably used to have but have evolved away from over the years. They know immediately if we pose them any danger and if you stay calm you will be all right 99.9% of the time. Even mountain lions will avoid you especially if you have two or three dogs with you. Wild animals are a whole lot smarter than people give them credit for. We have examples and stories to prove that but will write more on that later should anyone be interested.

Maybe the most important element is that you need to have excellent rapport between you and your dogs. You are the pack leader and you want them to look to you first for who is in control of the situation. They also need to be flawless on walking on leash right beside you. If they are out in front of you that is an open invitation to disaster. Training is an ongoing process with us because no two situations are ever alike. The only time our dogs are off leash is in our fenced in back yard. We have a 6' steel fence which is an area for them to be relatively safe but still we are always with them, even in the back yard. A mountain lion can leap up to 15' and a deer can vault a 6' fence without any trouble. They also need to respond well to the command 'come'. Ours do and even when there are deer on the other side of the fence, given the 'come' command they will immediately come. That proved itself last year when a bear head suddenly appeared over a small hill just past the back yard. Bozwell did not see the bear but when given ‘come’ he came instantly.

How dangerous are these wild animals you may ask. Not dangerous at all as long as the human respects them and their territory and most of all remains calm. It also helps if you understand their ways and traits and know the potential danger sighs. Coyote's will lure a dog away into an ambush where it stands no chance. A swat from a bear will break bones and kill a person or dog. Wolves have much more powerful jaws than a domestic dog. Mountain lions will avoid humans but will track and stalk a dog by itself.

How close have I come to wild animals? I have been 8' and 30' respectively from mountain lions. Up close it is easy to see they are killing machines. When they curl that lip back, snarl and hiss at you with those yellow teeth it can be hard to stay calm but if you want to walk away you have to be calm and in control. You also have to look big and face them. Cower or run and you are dinner. Another time we were about 50 yards away walking behind a lion that was also walking down our road. I have been within 4-5" of a bear; nose to nose, with a flimsy pane of storm door glass between us. Had our GSD standing right next to me barked it could have been an ugly scene. Both the bear and I were surprised to see each other that way and up close. Always the key is to stay calm. Deer account for the injury and death of more dogs than most other wild animals. Those hooves can be deadly. It is foolish and very unwise to not have your dogs on leash where we live. Those who do allow their dogs to run loose invite disaster. We love our dogs far too much to put them at any risk.

So depending on where you live you should train your dogs to your environment. In our case basic commands are important but many times you need to improvise. Our dogs look to us for leadership and we need to meet that need. We are constantly on guard and aware of our surroundings. Different situations require different tactics. I can not express in words how much we love our dogs and we want them to have long and healthy and safe lives with us. By staying vigilant that will be the case.


Coghlans Bear Bell W/Silencer: Attaches to clothing or pack with a velcro strap. In the bag, the magnet eliminates any noise. Out, movement will cause a steady ringing to warn animals of your presence.

My rating: Living among animals and the wilderness: (4), Having guest writers: (4)

IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE BUT I ONLY SIGNED UP FOR THE DOG!

Anyone that owns a dog knows that one of their biggest concerns is fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. If you own a dog, more than likely you’re going to own a few fleas or ticks along the way as well. While you want to keep the dog, you want to get rid of the fleas and ticks. The mosquito presents its own problems, namely heartworm. So you know that you need to do everything possible to prevent these critters from infecting and in some case killing your dog. Some people choose the conventional medications and assorted poisons to get rid of these bothersome pests. Other people look to treat their animals with a more natural approach. But what about other creepy, crawling things and things that go bump in the night? Fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes are not the only things we have to worry about when it comes to our beloved pets.

It always amazes me that something so small can be so deadly. We already know how deadly the above mentioned insects are. But what about their cousins? Spiders, (one of my most hated creatures on this earth) can also cause problems for your dogs and especially puppies. Dogs lie on the floor, in crates, in dog houses, outside, etc. They are easy prey for these little "uglies!" Depending upon where you live, there are some very poisonous spiders like the brown recluse or black widow. And even a spider that isn’t poisonous can cause an allergic reaction in your dog. Many times I hear of people saying that their dog is swollen on some part of their body. Sometimes it’s caused by a spider bite. Little puppies are vulnerable to a spider bite. Rarely is the black widow bite fatal, but if a puppy is bitten by one they may have bigger issues with the venom due to their size. Treat bites with ice and Benadryl (your vet can tell you the correct dosage). If he develops an unusual redness, pain or difficulty breathing or paralysis, get the animal to your vet as soon as possible. The brown recluse spider’s venom destroys tissue surrounding the bite. Clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide, chorhexidine or vovidone iodine. If your dog becomes lethargic, develops a rash, fever, chills, vomiting or diarrhea or if you notice that the wound becomes larger or persistent drainage occurs, get in touch with your Vet immediately.

Another bothersome insect can be of the flying kind like the bee or wasp. My dogs will snap at them and sometimes chase them. Some of these flying insects have a temper! They will actually attack you or the dog if you go after it. Sometimes they will lose their “sorry” little lives if the dog gets it. Other times, your dog will be in danger. Again, like a person, a dog can have an allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting. Many times if bitten, the dog will paw at his fur trying to remove the insect’s stinger. You can scrape away the stinger with a stiff object like a Popsicle stick or credit card. Now researching this article, I read two conflicting directions. One writer said to pull the stinger out with a tweezers. Another writer said pulling the stinger out with a tweezers or your finger could rupture the poison sac allowing the toxin to enter your dog’s body. The second writer suggested administering 1 mg. of Benadryl per pound of your dog’s body and applying a cold pack to the swollen area. I would recommend calling your vet to find out the correct way of removing the stinger and the correct dosage of any medicine before you use it.


Snakes are another creature that can prove deadly to your dog depending upon what part of the country you live in. Not all snakes are venomous. Knowing which ones are can be a life saver for both you and your dogs. Naturally prevention is the best medicine. If you live in an area that is known to have venomous snakes, don’t let your dog run loose. Walk him on a leash. Don’t let him explore holes or dig under logs or rocks where snakes are known to hide. Keep your dog away from areas that are covered in ivy or wood piles. This is where mice tend to hang out. Where there are mice……there are snakes! Yuck to both of them! If your dog is bitten, even by a non-venomous snake take him to your vet. Why? Because all snakes transmit bacteria simply because they eat rodents which can carry numerous amounts of diseases. And don’t assume if it’s a baby snake and you or your dog gets bit that you don’t have to worry. Baby Snakes can be just as dangerous as their full-grown counterparts. They are born with fangs and venom as well!

First Aid for a snake bite: keep the wound below the level of the heart. Carry the dog if possible. Increasing the dog’s pulse and respiration also increases the absorption of the venom. Make sure you call the Animal Emergency Center to make sure they have anti-venom and let them know you’re on your way. Ask if you should give the dog Benadryl and what dosage you should give him. Identify the snake or describe it, but stay away from it. Do not cut over the marks or try to suck out the poison. Do not move the animal more than needed. Do not place an ice pack over the bite because this can result in the limb having to be amputated. Venom is caustic and immediately breaks down tissue and blood cells, so as much as you don’t want it traveling to the vital organs, you also don’t want the concentration of toxin frozen in one place.

Another concern for the pet owner is rabies. The rabies virus is present in the saliva of a rabid animal. Many wild and domestic animals can be infected with rabies: dogs, foxes coyotes, wolves, and bobcats; also skunks, bats, raccoons, otters, cats, and ferrets. Small rodents, such as rabbits, opossums, squirrels, chipmunks, rats and mice are rarely infected, and their bites rarely, if ever, call for rabies prophylaxis.

I found this surprising to learn……Rabid bats have been documented in all 49 continental states, but Hawaii is rabies free! Bats are increasingly implicated as important wildlife reservoirs for variants of rabies virus transmitted to humans.

If you’ve ever seen an animal that has rabies, it’s not a pretty sight. Many years ago, I saw a cat that had rabies. This poor creature had absolutely no control of the nerves and muscles in her body. She tried so desperately to walk, but all she could do was back flips, shakes and distortions to her body. The authorities came and they shot her. They actually shot her three times because her body was still jerking all over the place. It was horrible.
What about other creatures that can attack our pets? According to the Veterinary Pet Insurance Co., the top ten wild animals that attack our pets in order of frequency are: snakes, coyotes, raccoons, squirrels, scorpions (specific to Arizona), javelina (pig-like creatures specific to the southwestern U.S.)…..I never heard of them……., porcupines, groundhogs, skunks and rats.

Animals like a bear will usually stay away from humans or dogs. In the rare occasion that they don’t it’s usually because it’s a female bear with cubs. However, that said these are tremendously big and strong animals and sometimes they have been known to attack without provocation. They can become very bold around campsites where people cook their food outside. They have been known to tear campsites apart looking of food. They have a tremendous sense of smell can can smell food miles away. With more and more homes being built in what used to be the wilderness and the animal’s domain, it is not uncommon to see the once “camera shy” bear or other large animal like a mountain lion become more brazen and venture closer to the human’s home and property. After all this was once their and their ancestor’s property and they consider us the trespassers!

Most of the times these wild animals stay away from dogs that are large like the German Shepherd. However, when an attack does occur, most of the time it’s because the dog initiated it. So how can we prevent this from happening? You shouldn’t leave your dog unattended outside particularly at night. Keep food indoors, clean out the bird feeders, and don’t keep food scraps in open trash cans outdoors. And ALWAYS make sure you have a fence around your property if you own dogs. Don’t sell your puppies to families that don’t have a fenced in yard!
We don’t want to become paranoid and never leave our house because of the dangers that are out in the wild. We must do what we can to co-exist in a world that is home to many different species of animals and unfortunately (in this writer’s opinion) too many insects. Our dogs don’t stop and think before they charge at something or put their nosy little noses where they don’t belong. So although the German Shepherd is our guardian MOST OF THE TIME, so we too must be their guardians when it comes to the other living things on this planet.

My rating: respecting other living creatures: (4), learning first aid: (4), having a first aid kit: (4)
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