Book Review: Should I Spay or Neuter My Dog? Understanding the Secret Life of Sex Hormones.

I've decided to do book reviews here, to help you guys decide what's potentially a good book for you, and to help me get through my extensive reading list!

Book title: Should I Spay or Neuter My Dog? 

Understanding the Secret Life of Sex Hormones.

Author: Jane Messineo Lindquist (of Puppy Culture)

What is this book about:

This book is looking at the scientific evidence, and giving reasons and explanations for the benefits, and costs of neutering and spaying. It also explains the consequences of spaying and neutering (or not).

Who would this book suit:

 - Performance dog owners
 - Performance puppy owners
 - Performance dog breeders
 - Breeders
 - Dog trainers
 - Veterinary staff
 - Rehoming and shelter staff
 - Education about pet health and reproduction for children.
 - Pet dog owners that are willing to make an informed decision about their dogs reproductive health.

What was awesome about this book: 

The introductory paragraph is awesome. It really describes us - dog crazy people. It's written in an easy to read and entertaining way.

There are four main infographics that are visually excellent, and summarise the main points. This is great for skim readers that want the basic idea but don't want to read everything. It would also work for education purposes.

This book has a nice amount of relevant science explanations, which makes it somewhat technical with some of the words, but I think it's important given the subject. The science explanations are written in an entertaining way with anecdotes and the perfect amount of detail for the audience. I like how sections discussed the scientific research that was related, and in many cases pointed out potential issues or limitations with the studies.

The section on pyometra was really interesting. This is not something that I know much about, having never owned an intact female (Chace was spayed at 12 months). I found it really interesting that the chances of pyometra vary so much between breeds. It was also excellent to see the impacts relating to behavior discussed in detail.

The references at the back of the book were extensive.

What I didn't like about this book: 

It sounds silly but it's such a great book, but it has a flimsy light cardboard cover. This makes it almost more like a pamphlet than a book. I'd love this to be available in hardcover, and also an e-book which I think would be a great option for breeders to send home with their puppies to new owners.

I wish that the book had gone into other options, as it really only discussed entire, spay/neuter, or OSS. It would have been interesting to discuss other options such as ovariectomy, vasectomy,  or the hormone-suppressing bioimplant for males.

This book is definitely firmly in the side of keeping dog's intact. Whilst I appreciate this, some people may find it confronting.

Verdict:

This book is a must-read for anyone with a vested interest in the long-term health and well-being of their dogs. It's a well presented and well-researched book, and an excellent price.

4/5 stars:

Where to find this book: https://shoppuppyculture.com/collections/books-1/products/puppy-culture-spay-neuter-booklet 

The puppy trick that I HATE seeing people to do!

     So there's this one trick, that every time I see it I cringe. It's not that it's the end of the world if you have trained this, but I think it causes more issues than the benefits and uses you get from training it.

It's putting feet into small items. Small cardboard boxes, or small bowls.

The reason that I don't like this. 

Many of the issues that I see in dogs in terms of posture and fitness work is in how they hold their rear end. Many dogs tend to hold their rear legs under their hips, instead of in a natural stack. This is often because of muscle weakness, particularly core and gluteal muscle weakness. This trick encourages this positioning, as well as roaching through the back to hold the position  - this is another common issue in performance dogs and one that is often found in dogs that struggle to keep their rear legs in a correct position.

Flori's legs are in a similar position here as what they would be in box, or bowl. Her rear limbs are tucked under her body, and she is curling her pelvis under to hold this position. 

I want my dogs as they grow to learn muscle memory for correct form, in all positions. I would like my dogs to learn to use all their muscles correctly instead of using some areas too much, and some not enough.

Flori is standing more evenly here than in the previous photo, however, she is still placing more weight on her front limbs than her back limbs.

Here Flori is standing squarely. Her weight is even on front and rear limbs, and her topline is even. She is using her core, and glut's to stay in this position, and her limbs are positioned in an appropriate place under her body for her structure. * 

Alternatives to this trick. 

These tricks can look similar, and have a similar process in terms of shaping, however, have more benefits to stance and strength than the potential to cause issues. 

• Front feet on a small stable perch
• Back feet on a small stable perch
• Front feet on one small stable perch, back feet on a separate perch
• Stand on an aerobic step
• Send and stand on an elevated platform
• Pivoting on a perch (In my opinion MORE cute than feet in a bowl!)

So. Think about what you teach, why, and the potential fallouts as well as the benefits! Have fun, teach stuff!

* Note: Flori is only 6 months old in the photo's above, and even younger in the video. She still has growing to do! 

If you want help with trick training, fitness, or anything else email me on hybriddogtraining@gmail.com 

#FDSANaNoWriMo blog post number 6

November the 6th 2018

An open letter to my vet about my last day with Brody

Dear Tristan and the Rothesay Vet Clinic team,  Lyn and the Raw Essentials team, and VSG.

This has taken me years to write, and for that I'm sorry. But the day I'm going to write about was, in all honesty, the most difficult day of my life so far. I still tear up thinking about it. This letter was actually written over a long time, because revisiting this day is still extremely difficult.

Brody's healthcare was far from simple. He was always not quite normal, with new problems popping up, and old problems never fully resolving. It was always about managing his strange body, and doing the best thing for him, and for me. For him this included food and environmental allergies, epilepsy, strange not quite right blood work, and a big pneumothorax requiring days and huge surgery at VSG. You were always supportive, happy for me to work with multiple healthcare professionals, and explore complementary therapies. You were supportive of our raw feeding at a time when not many vets were. You referred me immediately to specialist care when we required it.

Thank you.

When Brody was finally diagnosed with prostate cancer you explored treatment options and discussed them openly with me, and with both Brody and my best interests at heart. You explored palliative care options and got in drugs 'just in case' even if we never used them.  You fitted me in whenever I needed and talked on the phone whenever I needed it. You were caring and gentle with Brody, even when you had to squeeze his bladder to empty it causing both him and me pain.

Brody's last walk - at Murawai beach

Brody's last walk - at Murawai beach

On Brody's last day Tristan was honest when it was his time. He organized his day so that we could give Brody some pain care so I could go have one last walk at the beach. He then organized that there were no appointments after we put Brody to sleep, so I could stay with him as long as I needed. Because I have worked in vet clinics before I knew what normally happens to animals while they are awaiting pick up from the animal cremators, and Tristan arranged immediate pickup so this didn't happen.

Thankyou. It really means the world that I had people who cared about Brody and what was best for him.



I've written this letter for two reasons. One to thank the amazing team at Rothesay Bay. Secondly, because I can't even imagine how hard it is to do this job. But we are so lucky to have some amazing, and caring veterinary professionals in New Zealand. Thank you to all the vets who put 110% into the amazing care of their patients, and genuinely care for their patients. 

Summer 2018 / 2019 Workshops

Over my summer break I'm available for lessons in Morrinsville pretty much any time, up until my little mini holiday (mid-end of January) before I'm back to my 'normal' full-time job teaching.

I'm also open to workshops if you have a group interested, and I'm happy to travel for these within reason.

Here is my workshop schedule so far! 

• Sunday the 16th of December - PERFORMANCE PUPPY WORKSHOP (Morrinsville) 

• Saturday the 22nd of December - INTRO TO COOPERATIVE CARE (Morrinsville) 

• TBC some time on the weekend of the 29th / 30th of December - FITNESS WORKSHOP

• Wednesday the 2nd of Jan - PUPPY AND AGILITY WORKSHOPS in Whakatane with EBOP members

• Saturday the 5th of Jan - AUCKLAND WORKSHOPS (Auckland, North Shore Dog Training Club in Greenhithe) 

• Sunday the 6th of Jan - PERFORMANCE PUPPY WORKSHOP 2 (Morrinsville) 

• Friday the 11th of Jan - COOPERATIVE CARE 2 (Wanganui Agility show grounds ) 

If you are interested in booking a spot in a workshop, arranging a lesson or workshop, or have questions please email: hybriddogtraining@gmail.com

Snuffle mat in a box

Here, I've got your back! If you are anything like me, then you need a holiday project (that will keep you busy over holidays or even better when Family visit...), and also super cheap presents. And if you are also like me all your favorite people that may need presents are fellow dog geeks.

So I've got it sorted - the amazing snuffle mat in a box. This will cost you around $6-$8 dollars per box.

The cool thing about this is that being in a box it will contain crumbs and treat fallout at the bottom, so it would be perfect to use at trials where people may have concerns about treats falling on the ground.

So what do you need? 

• A container that has holes in the side (I got a three pack for $4 at the warehouse)
• Fabric sissors
• Fleece fabric (about half a metre ish)
• Hands and time

How to make

1. Cut the fabric into strips about one inch wide, 10 inches long

   

 
2. Push the fabric strips through the holes, so the ends are facing into the box

     

3. Tie a knot in the fabric around the plastic container

     

4. Make pretty colour patterns as you keep putting fabric strips up the sides of the container

     

5. Use! 

It's pretty much up to you how long the strips are, or how OCD you are about making the outside fabric in neat patterns. You can really full the thing up with fabric by doubling strips through each hole (like in the bottom row in the example), or single strips. 

So go forth, craft, have fun! 

** Also here's Flori testing :-) **