Pat Embrey, Newsletter Editor

Taking Great Pet Photos

By

Kim Levin

Use natural lighting: Dogs and cats move around a lot, so it helps to be able to move around with

them. I like to photograph pets in the environment where they are most at home and comfortable.

 Using natural lighting is ideal because I find extra lighting sometimes scares pets and they don't

stay in one place too long.

Photograph outdoors: Photographing outdoors is good because it gives rooms for dogs, in particular,

 to be playful and happy. Shooting outdoors also eliminates the need for extensive lighting. This

 way you can move with the dog or cat to where they decide to take you. This allows for more

personable, personality-driven photographs. Use the background of the outdoors to your advantage.

Use natural light indoors: If I photograph indoors, specifically indoor cats, I like to use 400-speed

film in front of an open window so that the natural light is coming though. If I have to set up lighting,

I will do so in one of the pet's most comfortable spots in the house.

Get down on the same level: This is key to taking great pet portraits and showing the pet's unique

personality. Roll around and lie down on the floor so that you are eye-level with your dog or cat.

 This positioning shows you the world from the pet's perspective.

Use a wide-angle lens: Create some perspective by experimenting with lenses that make the pet

look a little different than in the traditional photograph.

Use treats: Use food and treats to your advantage. Treats help pets stay in one place so you can

take several shots at a time. Call their name to get their attention away from the treat. Or take the

photo while they are waiting for their treat.

Try the "shrill" noise My best shots come when I use a high-pitched shrill sound. Some dogs

 tilt their head to this sound. This may not work for all dogs, however. Cats tend to react when

you use a word or sound that gets their attention.

Or use a harmonica: A personal favorite, a harmonica has the same effect as the shrill sound,

 but sometimes even more so.

Develop a rapport with your pet: Before you take any photographs, spend some time getting

your dog or cat to relax and pay attention to you. Talk to them and let them know that you

love them. This creates a more relaxed atmosphere.

Always have the camera around:  Some of my best pet portraits have been truly

spontaneous. As they say timing is everything. You can't make your pet do your favorite

expression exactly on cue, so keep the camera out and ready. When your pet smiles or rolls

around on the ground in a funny manner, pull out the camera and begin photographing.

Take as many shots as possible because it usually takes many to get a really great one.

THE ATTENTION GAME

A Game To Improve Your Dog's Response to You Around Distractions

Teaching your dog to pay attention to you in public and around distractions is the biggest challenge to any trainer, new or experienced.

The difference in your dog's performance at home and in public has a lot to do with your dog's ability to pay attention to you and block out distractions. First of all- it can't be overstated that a tired dog is a good dog!! No matter how much time you spend training your dog, it will all fall apart in the face of distraction if your dog isn't getting enough exercise. Running, swimming, playing with other dogs, it doesn't matter what it is, but your dog needs plenty of it in order to be able to block out distractions and pay attention to what you want him to do.

Teaching your dog to pay attention to you and respond to what you have taught him do is simple if you work at it. With even a little bit of effort you'll find that your dog will have a greater likelihood to look to you for direction when he goes somewhere new. The attention game is simple, fun and can be played anywhere: you may want to start at home, until you and your dog get good at it. For the first minute: set the timer, and sitting in a chair with your dog on a leash, count how many times your dog looks at you- click and treat each time. Write down that number so you don't forget it! During the second minute you are going to click and jackpot (give more than one treat) for each time that your dog looks at you: you don't need to count the number of times.

The third minute is the test minute. This is where you find out if the training is having any effect. Time yourself for the third minute and go back to one treat with each click each time the dog looks at you, counting how many times you click and treat. If the number from the first minute increases in the third minute, then you are on the right track and are working with just the right amount of distraction. If the number stays the same- the distractions can probably be increased. If the numbers go down- the environment is too stimulating and you should tone them down, move away from them or change the environment completely.

This simple exercise can change the whole quality of your training program, give you improved overall response from your dog, and give you greater control around stimulating distractions. Try playing this game everywhere and notice where your dog has the most problems and make adjustments to your training program to insure your dog's success.

CLICKER TRAINING

What is a clicker ?

A clicker is a training device that makes a sound which the dog learns to associate with food.

How does it work ?

The dog learns to associate the sound of the clicker with what they are doing at the moment they heard the click. Since they already know that the click means food is coming, they repeat the behavior to get the reward. The clicker replaces your voice to more accurately identify what your dog is doing right at the moment he is doing it. Absence of a click tells your dog he is off track and should try again. The clicker acts like a snapshot of the dog's behavior and allows the handler to work at a distance from the dog.

Why use a clicker to train your dog ?

it's more accurate than verbal praise

you can work at a distance from the animal

it removes food from the immediate picture (helps for dogs that get distracted easily by the presence of food )

it gets the dog to think on it's own ( the dog has to figure out how to make you click, which increases his focus on you ).

Where can you use it ?

agility

competition obedience

polish heeling

lengthen stays

jumping or not jumping

nail trimming

aggression problems

to teach a positive retrieve

movie tricks - light switches, roll over, play dead, etc.

visits to groomer/vet

YOU name it !!!

Easy, Fast Puppy Training Can Be Done At Home
The old way of training puppies and dogs relied on choke chains and orders: you do what I say or else!
A new type of training, known as Clicker training, uses the power of timing and rewards versus the power of punishment. This innovative training method, which is supported by the American Kennel Club, is used and taught by renowned behavioral scientist Karen Pryor, who originally trained dolphins with clicks. She was one of the first to see how this gentle method could also be used to train dogs, puppies, horses, turtles, lobsters, birds, virtually anything-even goldfish.
With this technique, a puppy can be trained to come when called, chew only its toys (and not your shoes and socks), sit to be petted, not jump on people, and to "go" where it's supposed to go, as well as how to chase its tail, retrieve a toy, and other games.
Here's how clicker training works:
• The puppy/dog begins to do something you want it to. You instantly signal your approval (a clicker works well for this). Click while the behavior is happening. Reward with a treat (one small taste of something special).
• The puppy misbehaves. No click. No reward. You wait for a behavior you like.
Clicker training focuses on building behavior, not stopping behavior. The clicker is an event marker; it tells the dog exactly what behavior is "good." You then "reinforce" the message with a treat. This is the beginning of "shaping" the behavior of the dog. Using this method, a dog can be trained to do virtually anything that it is physically capable of doing.
Because the dog is working with you and you are communicating with each other (with no yelling, chain jerking or punishment), the dog becomes an enthusiastic partner in its own training. Free clicker information is available on the Internet at clickertraining.com.

 

Pancreatitis: The Other Stomachache

Most cat and dog owners become alarmed when their pet vomits or experiences diarrhea. Yes, it may be from that stick Fido ate in the backyard, or the hairball Fluffy is trying to cough up, but the attention focuses on the stomach. However, the stomach is not always the organ that produces classic "stomachache" signs. The pancreas may be the culprit!

"The pancreas is a digestive organ responsible for producing enzymes that break up food. These enzymes are delivered to the intestine, where they are activated and become able digest food," explains Dr. Eric Linnetz, an internal medicine resident at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana.

Pancreatitis results when there is a problem with the transport of enzymes to the intestine. Enzymes either get activated in the pancreas itself or are activated before they get to the intestines. This leads to irritation of the pancreas or surrounding tissues.

There are two forms of pancreatitis. The acute form springs up all of a sudden and can be more severe. The chronic form is a mild irritation that may go on for weeks, months, or even years. Dogs are more likely to experience acute pancreatitis and cats the chronic form.

Animals with pancreatitis behave as though they have a stomachache, refusing to eat and acting droopy or lethargic. Vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain can be seen too.

"Many predisposing factors can trigger a bout of pancreatitis. Diet is a main cause, especially in dogs. Pancreatitis is a common consequence of a sudden change in your dog's diet, eating a high-fat meal, or eating garbage," advises Dr. Linnetz.

Other potential causes of pancreatitis include hormonal diseases, such as Cushing's disease. Pancreatitis can be a side of effect of certain drug therapies. Any disease or condition that decreases blood flow can lead to pancreatitis; examples are shock and prolonged anesthesia.

With cats the causes are less well-known. Toxoplasmosis and irritable bowel syndrome can lead to pancreatitis. Often with both cats and dogs we don't know what triggered the episode.

Diagnosis of pancreatitis is challenging. Taking a biopsy-taking a sample of the pancreatic tissue and examining it-is the only way to be certain of pancreatitis. Generally a biopsy is not done as this requires surgery and can often worsen the condition. The preferred diagnostic approach is to rely on clinical signs, blood work, diagnostic imaging (radiographs and especially ultrasound), and response to treatment.

There is no single cure for pancreatitis. Treatment involves helping the pancreas function correctly or possibly rest. At the same time any complications need to be controlled and underlying causes need to be resolved. Fasting the animal helps avoid stimulation of the pancreas and allows it time to heal. Other supportive care is vital. Fluid therapy to maintain hydration and blood flow and medication to calm the inflammation are often used. Pancreatitis heals with time.

The prognosis for chronic pancreatitis is good; it is a disease that can be controlled effectively with diet. It is rarely life threatening.

Acute pancreatitis has a variable prognosis and depends on the severity of the case. "Some dogs experience only one day of sickness. Other dogs progress to kidney failure and even death. Pancreatitis is an unpredictable disease that is easier to prevent than to treat. That's why we caution owners not to give fatty treats like ham and sausage to the dog, even if he's handled it for years. It can cause a sudden and sometimes severe problem," states Dr. Linnetz.

For more information about this disease, please contact your local veterinarian.

DOG OR DAWG?

To all you dog lovers out there and those who understand

the difference between Yankees and Southerners...

A Translation Of Yankee Dogs To Southern Dawgs

(Yankee) German Shepherd Dog

(Southern) Poh-leece Dawg

(Yankee) Poodle

(Southern) Circus Dawg

(Yankee) St. Bernard

(Southern) "Thank Gawd, Here Comes The Whiskey Dawg"

(Yankee) Doberman Pinscher

(Southern-2 versions) Bad Dawg, or Dobimin Pinches

(Yankee) Beagle

(Southern) Rabbit Dawg

(Yankee) Rottweiler

(Southern) Bad Dawg AND Mean As Heck Dawg. Good dawg to guard

the still.

(Yankee) Yellow Lab

(Southern) Ol' Yeller Dawg

(Yankee) Black Lab

(Southern) Duck fetchin' Dawg

(Yankee) Greyhound

(Southern) Greased Lightnin' Dawg

(Yankee) Malinois

(Southern) Another kind of Poh-leece Dawg

(Yankee) Blue Ticks, Red Bones, etc.

(Southern) Prize Coon Dawgs

(Yankee) Pekinese

(Southern) Mop Dawg

(Yankee) Chinese Crested

(Southern) Nekkid Dawg

(Yankee) Dachshund

(Southern) Wienie Dawg

(Yankee) Siberian Husky

(Southern) Sled-Pullin' Dawg

(Yankee) Bouvier, Komondor

(Southern) "What The Heck Kinda Dawg Is That?"

(Yankee) Great Dane, Mastiff

(Southern) Danged BIG Dawg

(Yankee) Any dog that raids the hen house

(Southern) Egg-Suckin' Dawg

(Yankee) Any lazy dog

(Southern) Good fer nothin' Dawg

(Yankee) Any dog that's dead & buried & gone to Rainbow Bridge

(Southern) Best danged Dawg I ever had