TouchNPaws

Tellington TTouch Graduation

2011-02-26T09:09:00.000-08:00

March 2009 I embarked on my journey to become a Tellington TTouch Companion Animal Practitioner.

I created this blog to help me remember all the important moments along the way. Looking back through the posts I'm filled with so many emotions. Remembering each and every one of the Animal Teachers that have touched my life and helped me learn to help them brings me smiles and tears.

Some of these teachers have crossed the Rainbow Bridge but not without leaving a tremendous impact on my life. I thank them all.

Shelter Sam - Rainbow Bridge

One of the really important things I wanted to happen before my graduation was to get Marley into a training session so I could get some ideas for his dog reactivity. The only way for that to happen was to host a session here in San Diego. We did that in a big way. Our class here was huge! We had a great mix of junior and senior students.

I was blessed to have Kathy Cascade, who taught my first classes, as my final instructor. My mentor, Cynde Van Vleet, was here to assist the class and I learned so very much. Marley was a wonderful student hanging on her every word.

February 24, 2011 I completed my formal training! I have reached my goal and am now a fully certified Practitioner.

Because I will be focusing on building my business, TouchNpaws - studying Aromatherapy and concentrating my shelter work on a group of dogs we are not allowed to discuss in public arenas, it is time to give my blog a rest.

Looking at the statistical data that has been captured every time someone clicks on my page I'm tremendously humbled. There have been well over 4,000 unique visitors. I have had readers from all over the United States and Canada. People from the UK and all over Europe, Italy, South Africa, Russia, India, Portugal, Netherlands, Greece, Australia, Belgium, Latvia, Korea, New Zealand, Indonesia - and these countries only include the latest 500 hits to the blog! How you lovely people heard of me I have no idea but I'm amazed that so many have been interested in my learning process.

I hope some of these animals have left their paw print on your heart.

Super quiet on the blog!

2011-02-04T08:28:00.000-08:00

I have been asked by a few why things have been so quiet on the blog lately.

Well the truth of the matter is that I'm not supposed to share information about the dogs I work with at the shelter that have not yet passed their behavior tests. They can't be talked about until they are in adoptions. By the time they are in adoptions I'm working with new dogs that haven't yet made it.

Still working on the logistics of how best to share the wonderful work Tellington TTouch is doing to change the lives of these dogs without breaking the rules. :-) We'll figure it out.

In the meantime I'd like to share a few pics and notes about some of the dogs that have gone to adoptions.

Have you ever seen two more beautiful creatures in your life? This is Tucker and Tanya. These dogs are incredibly smart, well mannered and sweet.

This little girl's picture at intake shows a terrified and cowering little one not sure of where she was and what was happening to her. Just look at her now!

This is John Wayne, aptly named because he is slightly bow legged. Kinda makes me think he may be mixed with an English Bulldog. John Wayne is currently up for adoption at the shelter. He is a very loving boy that consideres himself a lap ornament. :-)

This little girl was truly scared to death until I put her in a Thundershirt and did a few TTouches on her. After that she saught out attention and cuddling.

Holy Smokes! Have you ever seen a happier smile than Java has?

Finally, meet Dallas. She is about 7 years old and as gentle as a lamb.

Did you know that finding dogs as wonderful as these at the shelter is not uncommon at all? I really hope you and your friends will consider checking you local shelter for your next best friend.

These dogs really deserve to find their Happily Ever After.

Oh by the way, I started this blog to track my journey to becoming a Tellington TTouch Practioner. Well guess what! That journey will be complete in just 20 days! On February 24, 2010 I'll be graduating!! (Can you see me doing my Happy Dance?)

Updates!

2011-01-08T19:25:00.000-08:00

Remember Aurora? She is doing really well and is making small improvements all the time. She still spins but not nearly as bad and is quite capable of walking straight to get a toy or to chase a ball. Problem is if she isn't focused on something she puts her head down and spins. Today I put a head wrap on her and the change was a bit more than remarkable. Not only does she look adorable in her little had but she held her head up and ran and played without spinning.

We are continuing to try lots of different options to get her to walk straight on a lead. But off lead with a head wrap she's pretty much got it!

Filipe

Felipe the beautiful blind Boxer boy made it to adoptions! But his stay there was very short. He wasn't adopted but the next best thing. Felipe made it into a rescue specifically for Boxer dogs! Not only that but when I arrived at the shelter today I saw the gentleman that was coordinating his transfer to a foster home in Los Angeles and we had a chance to chat. Seems Felipe will be fostered by an older couple that are home a lot of the time. They have Boxer experience but not blind Boxer experience. As we chatted I shared how well he reacted to my "Beep-Beep" technique. This info will be passed on to his new foster home.

Rascall

Also remember the little Puggle that was abandoned in a cardboard box? Well his new name is Rascal and he is available for adoption!

All good stuff.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

What a great way to start off my New Year! Meeting my friend Eli at the shelter and working with the dogs.

Quick update on Neo - he is a complete LOVE and was very excited to see me today. To tell the truth I was quite excited to see him too. He should get his behavior testing this week and hopefully a spot will clear for him to go into adoptions!

A quick note about Elmer - Turns out I didn't get to work with Elmer today. The Kennel Staff was in the middle of cleaning out their kennels and he wasn't where I could get him out. Next week I will be going later in the day so that shouldn't be a concern. But the excellent news is that he cuddled with one of the employees this week! He just hung out with her in a relaxed way. Not only that but he is being taken into a local rescue as soon has he is neutered! Yipee for Elmer!

This beautiful boy doesn't have a name yet - most in the back room don't. I've seen him many times and have given him treats on my walk through. Today I confirmed what I have suspected. He is blind. I don't have a lot of experience with blind dogs but as we walked and he bumped into things I had an idea. If he was walking toward something I would "Beep" like those big trucks do when they back up. It didn't take him long at all to understand that "Bang" soon followed "Beep". We walked all over in the play yard working our way around obstacles using the sound of my voice.

He is a bit on the thin side and needed a serious brushing to bring the shine back to his coat. I used my Jelly Scrubber to remove all the dead hair and he was comfortable with my doing so. He is an easy going boy and accepted touch all over his body. Hopefully a local Boxer Rescue will be interested in this sweet boy.

Dogs handle stress (and fear is a form of stress) by doing one of the "Four F's"...they "Freeze", "Flee", "Fight" or they "Fool Around". I'm pretty comfortable working with the first three but struggle when I am faced with a Fool Around dog. These dogs are hyperactive, jump and bounce all over the place. Basically they appear to be very happy but they are indeed stressed. Today I worked with a Fool Around dog.

Meet Leroy! Thankfully Eli had taken Leroy for a walk prior to me working with him. As I watched Eli and Leroy I was impressed with how well Eli could ignore Leroy's foolish behavior. Believe me I was taking notes!

First thing I did with Leroy was put him in a Thundershirt. He was not excited about the process at all but as soon as it was on he was far better able to focus on me. My entire session with Leroy was done with him in a Balance Leash Plus.

Between the the Thundershirt and the leash configuration I had a very well behaved dog on my hands! We practiced walking "Let's go", "and wait", and "Look at me". I had Leroy's full attention! When I decided to sit in front of him in a chair he became too excited. Edie-Jane's words of "keep the dog moving" came flooding into my head. As long as we walked and I stopped briefly for TTouches he was calm.

Leroy walked all the way back to his kennel checking in with me and responding to my queues. He sat nicely while I removed his Thundershirt and lead, gave him a treat and wished him a very happy day.

I know I say it all the time but certain things just really surprise me when they work so well. You would think I'd be used to it by now. I was really pleased with my session with Leroy. Maybe Leroy will be a turning point for me and I won't avoid the "Fool Around" dogs quite as much. Thank you Leroy! The animals really are our teachers.

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After thought: Today I keep having a certain thought pass through my mind. I keep thinking that IF every single person that has ever loved an animal of any kind did SOMETHING for another animal this year.....the world would be a far better place.

Elmer's Eyes

2010-12-28T19:05:00.000-08:00

Today I met Elmer. He is a small, frightened dog. Elmer is very different from most of the dogs I work with at the shelter because he is so little....and so shut down. His eyes look like he has given up on life. His big brown eyes are haunted. I don't know what has scared him so badly. Is it the sights, sounds and smells of the shelter? Had something bad happened to him before he ended up here? None of that really matters. When I work with a dog I address them based on what I see in that moment. Right now I see a sweet, terrified little guy that wants to remain unnoticed.

Elmer shares his kennel with 3 other small dogs. When I first saw him he was cowering in the back while the other dogs came to the front to see if I had treats for them. Upon entering the kennel the 3 other dogs all rushed to check me out and Elmer looked like he hoped I wouldn't see him. I lifted him up so I could take him outside and he had a very strong urine smell and was trembling.

Not wanting to violate his personal space I put him down at my first opportunity and clipped the lead to his collar. He froze. When a dog is this frightened there is no treat in the world that is tempting enough. He left me little choice but to apologize and scoop him up again.

When I got him out to the play yard I unclipped the lead and he could not get far enough away from me. His objective was to hide. Giving him plenty of time to observe me I spread out towels on the ground, sprinkled them liberally with treats and rummaged through my backpack. Elmer was plastered against the fence on the opposite side of the yard.

Finally I approached Elmer and put an Extra Small Thundershirt on his shaking body.

I carried Elmer back over to the blanket and I sat behind him doing some very gentle TTouches. His little body relaxed a bit as I worked on his tiny ears. This lasted about 3 minutes and I let him go.

My hope was that he would return to me - but he didn't.

Not wanting to overwhelm Elmer I decided he had enough for one day and I removed his Thundershirt and sat him down.

He ran away from me and nervously ran back and forth just outside my reach. He would watch me as he ran past. I gave him no reaction other than to calmly tell him he is such a good boy and deserving of love.

Finally I packed things up to go and Elmer came over to the fence where I was and started pawing at it. He was about 4 feet from me so I squatted down with my back against the fence and I reached out for him. Elmer didn't run and even took a single step toward me. I scooped Elmer up on my lap and held him against my chest as I talked to him and did more gentle touches on him until the trembling stopped.

Was it my imagination? At the very end I could swear I felt Elmer's body relax....ever so slightly.

The interesting thing about TTouch is that you don't always see improvement during the session. Take Neo for example. The first night I worked with him I thought I'd seen a very tiny bit of improvement, but the next day I was greeted by a completely different dog! I'm hoping that when I see Elmer next he will be far more relaxed.

Merry Christmas from TouchNpaws

2010-12-25T15:24:00.000-08:00

See how softly she takes a treat?

Most people use the New Year as a time to reflect. I kinda do it at Christmas time. Maybe it is just a good time for me to count my blessings. Working with these wonderful animals is a blessing to me. It makes my heart sing to see the changes Tellington TTouch brings to their lives. Where there was once pain, now it is gone. Where there were mobility challenges the dog now runs and plays like a little puppy. Where a dog would cry out in fear they now appreciate the warmth of human touch.

This past week has been one of those times I'm extraordinarily happy to be able to share the gift of TTouch with the animals at the shelter.

Remember Twinkie? She is doing incredible. If ever there was a silly, happy and lovable girl it is twinkie.

She loves her Hedgehog

A few days ago I was asked to help with an Australian Shepherd that had failed his first behavior test. He is polite, walks nice on a leash and is very good at paying attention. So what was the problem? He cried out in fear when being touched. Poor baby had no acceptance of social handling. But because he won the hearts of those that matter he is being given an opportunity to learn that touch is good. That is where I come in.

Neo in his Thundershirt

Our first session I saw for myself that he did indeed cry out if you touched anything other than his face, mouth or ears. I used my wand to touch his body and he did not cry. At least I could be confident he wasn't in pain. So I put him in a Thundershirt and used the back of my hand to stroke him. Sometimes he would cry and other times he did not. It was clear that Neo wanted affection, He would move close to me and put his head against my chest or on my lap.

Feeling that his issues are on an emotional level I was thankful that he readily allowed touch on his muzzle and even let me work on his gums. Emotional issues are closely related to the mouth so I happily stroked his muzzle.

By the end of the session I could gently put my hand under the Thundershirt and do some touches.

Next day I saw him again. To my wonderment I was greeted by a totally different boy! Neo allowed me to touch him anywhere I wanted and never cried....not one single time. Over night his brain had an opportunity to process the work we did and he must have decided touch was okay.

The fear has melted away and has been replaced by trust.

I worked with a friend, Eli, from the shelter that day and Eli was able to do anything with Neo that I did. It was not a selective acceptance on his part but a general feeling of trust.

Either Eli or I will work with him daily as he will be retested in a week or so. I will be honest here that during that first session I was thinking "Hmm, this may be tougher than I thought" but I pushed that thought out of my mind and took Edie-Jane's advice to "Just do the work".

I certainly do not agree with all aspects of the standardized behavior tests but my agreement is neither here not there - it is what it is. Neo must accept a "Dominance Hug" as part of the test. Today Eli and his wife worked with Neo and Neo accepted a Dominance Hug from his wife! Talk about a wonderful Christmas gift!

Go Neo!

This little guy doesn't have a name. I understand they don't name them in the shelter until after they are behavior tested. For now he is a number. In my mind I've named him Eddie. Doesn't he remind you a bit of Eddie Munster?

Puggle-in-a-Box???

Can you believe that a few days ago this little guy was abandoned in a cardboard box! I'll spare you the vile thoughts that occupy my mind about the type of person that would do this to him. Suffice it to say that he is better off without them.

When I arrived at the shelter yesterday they were working on integrating him with the 3 other little dogs he would be sharing a kennel with. Yep, enough dogs are "thrown away" on a regular basis that it is necessary for the shelter to house multiple dogs in one kennel. Better that than in a cardboard box - or being completely turned away because there is no room - but this is the reality folks...sad stuff.

Well a couple of the dogs were being a bit "enthusiastic" with little "Eddie" and he would get scared and growl at them. Well, this wasn't going to work when they were all housed together. I asked someone to get me an Extra Small Thundershirt and I wrapped him up, held him and did some TTouch. The other puppies were taken outside to a play yard and after a bit "Eddie" and I joined them.

When we joined the other dogs outside I put him down and reassured him as he began to interact with his room mates. The Thundershirt and TTouch helped him withstand the enthusiastic investigation of the other pups and in moments they were off and playing together. As I left the shelter yesterday I stopped by to wish the 4 pups a Merry Christmas and tell them that NEXT Christmas they would all be in a home with their own families. All were happily hanging out together.

That brings me to my plan for 2011.

For the past 2 years I have worked with the Adoptable dogs. Now it is time for me to work "in the back" with those that have not yet been tested or those that have failed but have been offered another opportunity, a make up test if you will. I feel what I have to offer will benefit these dogs - dogs like Twinkie and Neo - far more than the adoptables that have many, many volunteers available to help them.

My goal for 2011 is to help more and more dogs be comfortable in their skin, teach them to trust, and help them pass a behavior test that involves some things that are considered VERY rude in dog language. The test is tough and made far more difficult when they are stressed, frightened and in a foreign environment away from everything they have ever know. I wanna help to level the playing field.

A side effect from my change in direction is that I'll be writing about the good, the bad and the ugly. I hope to educate people about the wonderful dogs that end up in shelters. To shed a little light on how tough shelter life is and what over population is doing to innocent dogs. That sometimes things are unfair and a dog pays the ultimate price. Maybe one or two people will changes their minds about buying a pet shop puppy or decided to spay or neuter their dog and stop contributing to the problem.

Please keep Neo in your thoughts and prayers - send him positive energy, Reiki and distance TTouch as he studies for his upcoming test.

Can you help me help them?

2010-12-21T15:18:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Escondido Humane Society has 617 animals in their care? Some are housed in the shelter and some are in private foster care homes but either way that is a LOT of mouths to feed and needs to care for.

TouchNpaws will be walking in the Paws In The Park Walk-a-Thon to benefit the wonderful animals of Escondido Humane Society on March 27. This Walk-a-Thon is critical to the shelter’s survival as so much of their daily operating expenses are funded through this walk.

Last year friends and family helped me raise $1,300 for the animals at Escondido Humane Society. Together I believe we should have no problem raising more! I am asking for your help, donations and company matches again this year.

How can you help?

• You can join Team TouchNpaws by clicking on the link and and start your own fundraising page, collect donations and walk with us in person or be a "Virtual Walker".

• You can start a “catch all” jar and stash your loose change and spare bills in there and turn them in as a tax deductible donation.

• Speaking of “Taxes” - There are 9 days left to make a nice donation for the animals and have it count toward your 2010 taxes!

Thank you for supporting us!

How can you make a donation?

Visit my fundraising page!

CLICK here!

No amount is too small or too LARGE

Can we count on your support?

Twinkie and Krystal

2010-12-19T19:30:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I was asked to work with a dog named Twinkie. Twinkie is at the shelter and has not yet passed her behavior test so she can move into the adoptions area. It would seem that she does not care for any one to get near her mouth.

Twinkie

Friday night I stopped by to introduce myself to Twinkie and to get a feel for where we would need to begin on Saturday morning. I had made several different plans on what I might do to gain Twinkie's trust and get her to allow me to do some gentle touches on the outside of her muzzle.

When I met Twinkie she was very friendly. I did a few basic introductory touches as I offered her treats. Never did she show any signs of discomfort. It was only a matter of minutes before I stroked her muzzle with the back of my hand. Twinkie was fine with this. We alternated play with TTouch. We'd do some TTouches and then play. Then we'd play some more and do some TTouches. Twinkie wasn't the least bit concerned when I lifted her flew and stroked the inside of her lip area. I was able to do circle TTouches on her gums, even if she had a toy or treat in her mouth! No sign of protecting her mouth at all.

I didn't have any clicker equipment with me but I used my word marker "yep" to do some very basic clicker training with her. We worked on "Sit" and "Look At Me" quite a bit. What a smart girl she is.

Saturday I spent an hour with her doing more TTouches as she crawled onto my lap and cuddled with me as I worked on her. Knowing how well she responded to my modified clicker training the night before I came prepared! We worked on "Sit", "Stay", "Look At Me", "Touch", "Come" and even loose leash walking. Again I was able to do any mouth work on her that I wanted to.

One of the most fun things we did was work on "Sit" and "Stay" while I threw her stuffed Hedge Hog for her. Then she would run and retrieve it for me. When Twinkie would return with her stuffy I was able to take it from her without any protest. She would willingly trade the toy for a treat or allow me to gently remove it from her. Of course she wanted something in return so I'd always offer her a treat or some TTouches. Either were fine with Miss Twinkie.

My guess is she should be moving to Adoptions very soon! She is going to make someone a wonderful companion.


Krystal the Beauty

Krystal is another dog I was asked to see if I could help. Isn't she a beauty?

Owieeeee baby!

Turns out this lovely little girl has a horrendous case of Demodex Mange! Demodex is not contagious but it sure can get pretty raw and sore. Knowing how painful the lesions can be I decided to do distance TTouches on her back end. With my hand a couple inches over her sore area I did TTouches that would help reduce pain and inflammation.

Sandy, a friend from French Bulldog Rescue Network has had wonderful results with a specific home cooked diet that has worked miracles on Demodex dogs.

While at my training in Portland in November there was a dog with very bad Demodex. One of the students, that later adopted the dog, made a strong chamomile tea and when it cooled used it as a compress for the sore and inf lammed skin. I shared both of these tips with the shelter to see what might be incorporated into her routine and speed up her healing.

Poor Krystal was turning to her back end and chewing on the open sores. Obviously they itch and hurt but allowing her to do this will only hamper her healing. I recommended a soft donut type collar for her so it could prevent her from chewing without the rough edge of an Elizabethan Collar roughing her up every time she turned her head that way.

This particular shelter has very dedicated volunteers and one would her her collar right away.

I've been told that as bad as Krystal looks in this photo she was far worse upon intake a week or two ago. Demodex is an amazing malady for a dog to have. Mites that are normally on the skin get out of control in stressful situations and eating the skin results in these sores. I have seen dogs with horrible Demodex that is so bad you really aren't 100% even what breed they are. Recovery with the right treatment and care can be swift and very dramatic. Let's hope this is the result we see for darling Krystal.

A Year Ago Today

2010-12-10T17:26:00.000-08:00

A year ago today our Marley was paralyzed and in tremendous pain. This very minute last year Steve and I were frantic waiting for the call that he made it through his surgery.....we still had another hour and a half to wait.

It is amazing that the pain and emotions are still so close to the surface. Even with the wonderful outcome we have had it is still very emotional to look back on it.

A huge Thank You to his Neuro Surgeon Dr. Tammy Stevenson who was able to clean out all the debris that blew into his spinal cord.

To his Rehab Veterinarian Dr. Clair Sosna for her physical therapy and nutrition counseling.

And to Linda Tellington Jones for giving me the ability to help my boy walk again.

And the biggest Thank You to God for answering our prayers and giving us our boy back the same way he was. It has been a heck of a journey.

Marley is the same happy, fun loving boy he always was. He runs, plays and jumps (giving me a heart attack) - I doubt he even remembers the ordeal. Steve and I will never forget and we tear up just watching him chase a tennis ball at times

Exciting Times

2010-11-24T11:35:00.000-08:00

With folks in the holiday spirit and engaging in the hustle and bustle of the season things have been a bit quiet on the blog.

That does not mean things aren't happnin' here at TouchNpaws. My Tellington TTouch training is about to wrap up. We are holding a 6-day training session here in San Diego in February, 2011 and this will be my final group of classes.

TTouch has ignited a fire within me and there are other modalities to embrace and learn. First on the list is Aromatherapy and Essential Oils. Because I feel this will be a fantastic fit with the Tellington TTouch work I've enrolled in a Certification Program to become an Advanced Aromatherapist. This training will leave me skilled in helping both animals and their people...well that is if I ever get this Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology figured out :-) I feel like I'm studying to be a Veterinarian!

When March rolls around I'll be putting the Aromatherapy training on a back burner for a month and a half while I concentrate on Reiki.

My vision is to help sick, injured and hospice animals and their people. Tellington TTouch, Aromatherapy and Reiki will be a wonderful foundation.

Of course other modalities are waiting for me as soon as I finish the next two.

At this time of Thanksgiving I can't help but be thankful for Linda Tellington-Jones and her marvelous gift of TTouch. Because of her and her work I've found the reason I was born.

Tellington TTouch 6-Day Training Comes to San Diego!

2010-11-15T12:43:00.000-08:00

Those of you that have been reading my blog - Thank You! You have seen example after example of what this wonderful, gentle method can do for our animal friends...and ourselves.

February 2011 will be a very exciting month. Tellington TTouch 6-Day Training, taught by Kathy Cascade, will be coming to San Diego Humane Society February 19-24!

Tellington TTouch can help in cases of

* Car Sickness

* Conditions Associated With Aging

* Provide Supportive and Comfort Care During Illness, Injury and to Hospice Patients

* Excessive Barking and Chewing

* Leash Pulling

* Jumping Up

* Aggressive Behavior

* Extreme Fear and Shyness

* Resistance to Grooming

* Excitability and Nervousness

San Diego's winters are very mild and there is so much to do here. I hope some of you will head this way to either continue working on your certification or just come for a visit and learn more to help your animal friends in 6 days than you ever imagined.

I'm super excited about the training behing held in San Diego for a couple reasons. Most importantly I've wanted Marley and Pierre to be able to enjoy the benefits of spending some time in a TTouch Session. Now they can!

Finally, I will be graduating in my home town and my very supportive husband, Steve, will be able to watch me get my final certificate. I hope you will consider attending and maybe discover a new passion in your life, like I did.

Pleae contact the office at http://www.ttouch.com/ to register....contact me directly if I can answer any questions for you or if you would like me to send you a flyer.

Busy day!

2010-11-13T22:05:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since I've had an opportunity to get to the shelter. Today was the day! Oh, and I also had 2 private appointments on the books as well.

Molly, the Adorable

Meet Buster.

He is a precious Rottie/Pit mix puppy. He is a "Singleton" meaning he has no siblings. One problem we see with singletons is they don't learn bit inhibition very well. That is where we are with Buster. He has been too mouthy with some and has reportedly growled over food. Not a good thing in a shelter environment. Even though he is only 8 weeks old there is little tolerance for a mouthy and pushy puppy.

Buster and I had a great time doing TTouch, playing and some clicker training. Because he has some concerns related to food I held a treat closed in my hand and clicked and treated as soon as he backed away from pawing, or licking my hand.

Please say a prayer and think good thoughts for Buster and I as we work together to improve his manners and give him a sense of security. He needs to make progress quickly before it is too late for him.

Then there is Molly.

Almost a month ago I saw this picture of Molly and was dying to work with her. I asked around but nothing came of it. I continued to look at her picture on the website and send TTouches her way. Well today I finally got to meet this little one.

I don't know how old Molly is but she is just a baby pittie girl. Molly was hit by a car and has much of the same neurological issues as Aurora. Just like Aurora she spins to the left.

Molly was amazing as soon as I put a body wrap on her. All of a sudden she was walking straighter and with purpose. She still spun a bit but not even close to what she had done prior. We spent an hour doing TTouch, playing, more TTouch, cuddling and more TTouch. I just adore this little girl.

Next I worked with a dog named Ned. Ned's "parents" are so giving to dogs in need that when I heard their boy Ned had a bum leg I wanted to see if there was something TTouch could do to help.

We did some touches, belly lifts and practiced the balance lead so Ned won't pull so much causing more stress and damage to his leg.

Pete and Jennifer were surprised that Ned would take treats from me. He never takes treats from other people. Because of the way TTouch builds trust and reduces stress I wasn't very surprised at all :-)

Back from Portland!

2010-11-07T17:53:00.000-08:00

Buster!

TTouch Training in Portland was so much more than I dared to dream. So many loose ends were tied up for me and I'm feeling renewed and ready to hit the ground running!

Edie Jane and Spirit Dog, Barney

Edie Jane was our instructor and simply fabulous!!! No two ways about it. I love the way Edie Jane is so detailed and helps really refine our technique and understand the reasons we choose to use specific tools.

Lauren McCall did a fantastic demo on a Bunny Rabbit. Bunnies are so delicate within their digestive system and sensitivities to heat that I'm amaze the rabbits I had as a kid even survived!

Here Lauren is putting a body wrap on this little bunny.

My new friend Chuck and I worked on Mr. Whiskers. He was adopted out before we had a chance to work with him a second time. Yeah, Mr Whiskers!!!

Client day is always a favorite of mine. I was thrilled to find out my client was a 7 year old American Bulldog x Pit Bull. Buster has severe arthritis and luxating patellas. Turns out he is quite fearful in public. That was the main concern we addressed.


First time Buster lays down in a public place

On the first day of class we all selected a dog we wanted to visit several times during the week. I picked Bella, part of a bonded pair. As my new friend Brigid and I stood before the dogs I selected Bella because of her strong resemblance to Alfie. Oh my was she a handful the first day.

Bella, the Beautiful

Bella is strongly bonded to her friend, Buddy. Bella also is very "forward" on a leash....in other words she dang near ripped my arms off :-)

The second time I saw her was during a visit with my friend, Dennis. Dennis did a full observation of any tension patterns she may have had and this time she was much more at ease and would even leave Buddy for a short time to investigate something and come back. Very nice!

Love Buddy's freckles

Finally on the last day I put her in a body wrap and a harness and took her outside without Buddy. Through some more advanced leash work, and a few helpers, we helped Bella find her balance! She was walking beautifully in a configuration we call a Homing Pigeon. This has been a technique I've struggled with since day one.....not any more. Thanks to the beautiful Bella I've got it!

When the final class was over I paid them a visit in an interaction area. I thanked both of them for all they had taught me. A woman in Adoptions told me that a very nice lady spent time with them and placed a hold on them. I do hope this lovely pair of dogs finds their forever home soon!

Wishing you well, little Bella

Session 5 - Portland, Oregon

2010-10-28T13:53:00.000-07:00

Things have been a bit quiet on the blog lately. Lots has been going on but I'm a bit more comfortable writing about my volunteer work than my paying clients :-)

Reader's Diegest version:

I've worked with a Great Pyreneese mix that had back issues. Her muscle spasems were so severe they could not do her Acupuncture. We did 3 sessions for her in one week. When she went back for her Acupuncture the Vet said it wasn't needed and there was no sign of a back problem! Yeah!!

Then there was the Doxie Duo, Phoebe and Beau. Phoebe has a tendency to bark a lot and Beau is hesitant to let his Momma share her attention and affections with Phoebe. Both had a quick change of heart (and behavior) after getting their own Thundershirts, some calming TTouch and simple behavior modification tools.

Now it is time for me to focus my attention on Session 5 of my training in Portland, Oregon with Edie-Jane Eaton! Portland is where I had my first training and a whole new world was opened up to me. I'm excited to go back. This will be my 5th session and one of my friends final session! Big Congrats to Dennis Fehling of Friends for Life Dog Training.

There are bound to be updates from Portland! Stay tuned.

And if you have ever considered giving TTouch a try you may want to consider attending a 6-day session in San Diego! It is unheard of to have trainings offered in San Diego but it is going to happen! Kathy Cascade will be teaching my 6th and final session right here in San Diego, February 19-25, 2011. (Check out the work Kathy did with Alf, one of the Michael Vick dogs.) If this is your first 6-day session you can attend for the discounted price of $600 for the entire training! You will walk away with plenty of new skills to help your own pets, friends animals or our shelter friends that need you so badly. Or, like me.......you could find your life will never be the same again. Contact me for more information. I'd love to see you there at my graduation and watch you discover something spectacular.

Aurora's Time Line - Not Mine

2010-10-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

Animals are my teachers and Aurora is quite the Professor! She has been doing so well and exceeding our hopes for her that I decided I'd try to raise the bar for her. As I thought about her next steps along her journey I planned to fit her in a Step-In Harness and using the Super Balance Leash I'd lay out some poles for her to walk through. I expected to lay them out rather wide and start trying some ground work with her.

Today it was 92 degrees by 9:30 am and Miss Aurora really wasn't too interested in working. She was interested in lovin' (TTouches) and kisses.

I fit Aurora into a pretty green harness and hooked up the Super Balance Leash. As soon as I had her all set up she began to spin wildly.

We regrouped and tried again. The funny thing is that she would spin if we held the lead properly. Guiding her with the wand and holding the lead like shown here she did reasonably well.

Mostly Aurora wanted to be loved on. There could have been a few reasons for this. It could be that she was more interested in having having fun since she IS a Lab Puppy! It could have been that it was hotter than the blazes today. Or it could have been because Aurora is very sensitive in the body and that the new harness and new leash configuration were a bit too much for her. Whatever the reason we switched gears.

When working with dogs sometimes you have to "chunk it down" into smaller steps. If the entire set up is too much (which is my best guess) then we break it down and get her used to the new harness first.

If the Lab Puppy wants to play then play we will.

Using a beloved squeaky toy I would get her to chase me in a pattern around the cones. Aurora was able to play this game and follow me in a pretty straight line.

She has the most adorable way of walking. She prances like a Lipizzaner Stallion. Aurora can really lift those feet. I'm thinking that will come in handy when we are able to progress to some ground work.

One thing the shelter would like Aurora to learn is how to be happy in a crate. So far she hasn't gotten to the part in the "How to be a Dog" manual that talks about a crate being their safe place and their den.

Given what you have heard about Aurora - her desire to be with her people and her love of PLAY I would appreciate ideas from all you readers! What fun, game-like ways can you come up with to teach Aurora to love her crate?

Elizabeth and I would love your input and I encourage you to post a comment with a suggestion for this little girl.

Boston Tea Party, 2010!

2010-10-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

TouchNpaws was invited to participate in Boston Buddies - Southern California Boston Terrier Rescue's largest fundraiser of the year! I have found that I absolutely love doing events and talking to people about the power of Tellington TTouch and was very excited to be a sponsor. Events are fun in and of themselves but when one benefits rescue that is all the better.

This is a young puppy that has the typical excited terrier personality and really isn't connected with his back feet. I showed his owners how adding scrunchies to his legs would remind him they were there. He tends to lunge forward with purpose and excitement to get where he wants to go. I demonstrated the "Balance Leash Plus" using his own leash. The family walked away with new skills they could put into practice right then and there.

I also had the pleasure of working with a service dog. This little guy helps his human with balance concerns. The problem is sometimes the dog will jump up or get overly excited. I fitted him with a Thundershirt and the calming effect was immediate. Using my demo dog "Jake" I showed how the "Super Balance Leash" would help bring the dog into balance and help with his jumping up.

Being that terriers are by nature high energy dogs and some suffer from stress and anxiety the Thundershirts were a big hit. Here is one little dog that is trying on a Thundershirt for the first time. You can see the concern on his face but he quickly adapted to the shirt and became quite relaxed.

The attendees were very interested in hearing how Tellington TTouch could help their specific dog's situation. Many times there was actually a line of folks waiting their turn to ask questions. Many, many dogs walked away with Thundershirts, a new harness, a lead or all of the above!

What TTouch demo would be complete without....well, TTouches! Here is an adorable French Bulldog that stopped by for some relaxing TTouches.

We had a great day teaching people how they can help their dogs physical and emotional balance and well being. Thank you to each and everyone that shared their day and their dog with me.

Boston Buddies will receive a percentage of today's sales!

Amazing Aurora and Elizabeth

2010-10-03T20:48:00.000-07:00


Aurora sporting a Thundershirt and Scrunchies

This morning I had a session with Aurora and her foster mom, Elizabeth. Aurora went into foster care last week and is making incredible advancements!! I was thrilled to see Aurora come walking across the tile and up one step to the landing to greet me with kisses.

Elizabeth was told that Aurora had no short term memory, didn't know she was supposed to eat and would never be potty trained. I saw today that Aurora has proven each of these statements incorrect! Way to go Aurora and Elizabeth.

The way Aurora greeted me made it very clear she knew exactly who I was and why I was there. She is walking with far more control, the spinning is less and she never did fall down. Elizabeth has noticed that Aurora has more balance when her head is raised and is feeding her out of raised bowls. Aurora knows what food and water is all about for sure. As for potty training? Can you believe that in almost one week of foster care she has had only one accident in the house? She has even gone and tapped Elizabeth on the hand to let her know she needed to go outside and potty! Oh, and one more thing. She is NOT deaf as we originally suspected. Aurora's hearing is just fine.

Today Aurora allowed me to put a Thundershirt on her without her going into a wild spin. Scrunchies on her feet were not a big deal since Elizabeth remembered me talking about that and has been putting them on her this week. This alone is a huge improvement.

Part of Aurora's therapy has been to swim in the pool with her life jacket on. Now she isn't totally sold on the idea of the pool yet but she loves human contact and toys. So if she needs to get in the pool to play with Elizabeth and her son then so be it. She's game.

Elizabeth has been making Aurora's rehab so much fun that she has no idea she is working on balance and coordination. Elizabeth will run around a cone and have Aurora chase her. Since Aurora spins counter clockwise Elizabeth will run clockwise. Aurora follows right along.

Toys are another part of her rehab. She can now lower her back end into a sit without falling and then stretch out her front legs to lay down. This is huge for her! Aurora loves to play fetch and toss around and empty bucket. All of these fun play things are exercises in walking straighter and gaining strength and coordination.

I was thrilled to see her progress today. Aurora scored big time when Elizabeth fell in love with her and decided to foster her. I can't imagine her in a better place to become all that she can be.

Thank you Elizabeth for all you are doing for this very special puppy.

TTouch Demo at Escondido Humane Society

2010-10-03T11:50:00.000-07:00


Rollin wears a 1/2 wrap and gets some TTouches

Escondido Humane Society has many volunteer run programs for the dogs. One of these programs is Canine Good Citizen (CGC) training run by my friend Marsha. Marsha leads a group of dedicated volunteers in working with the dogs to help them become more adoptable and a Canine Good Citizen at the same time. I was asked to do a Tellington TTouch demonstration for the CGC class and was honored to participate.

We have had some serious weather here this past week with heavy rains and significant thunder. The day where we had the heaviest thunder the shelter took in about 20 dogs in one day!

The reason I bring this up is there is a young boy named Briggs that is very energetic but was totally out of character yesterday. He was jumping and spinning all over the place. He had no focus at all. Marsha and I teamed up to see if we could help him "come back into his body". I tried the Balance Leash Plus with him but still that wasn't enough. After doing touches and getting Briggs into a Thundershirt, and the Balance Leash Plus he was able to focus on my wand and walk nicely. Later he waked fine with another volunteer without all his "gear" on. It was enough to bring his focus back.

It is typical for a dog to still have emotional and hormonal concerns 3 days after a major event such as Thunder or a scrap with another dog. If anything happens to upset them during the 3 day period the clock starts all over again.

We had a wonderful turn out for the demo and everyone learned about touches, wraps and ground work.

The group learned the important role that TTouchs plays in releasing tensions and fears.

Patriot is happy to let me show how to put on a body wrap. The wraps help a dog know where their body parts are and also help to send new sensations and information to the brain. Body awareness goes a long way to building a confident and emotionally stable dog.

Bean came to us from a very bad situation and has has some trust concerns. She is in a loving foster home learning how to relax and trust. Bean was very comfortable allowing me to do touches along her mouth and face.

She is also quite happy in a Thundershirt!

Callie is is unsure of new things but got to try her paw at the Confidence Course. With encouragement she was able to go through one and a half times. Then she was done. For Callie that was enough. It was a taste and we don't force or push the dogs beyond their ability. Next time I'm willing to bet it will be easier for her.

The Confidence course seems to know just what each dog needs.

Callie can build her conficence

Rollin can learn focus, calmness and self control

I believe everyone there learned a few things that will help them with their fosters and with all the dogs at the shelter.

If one or two people can give a shelter dog a mindful TTouch when they greet them or pass by their kennel it can make a world of difference.

Thank you!

2010-10-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

When I started this blog it was simply a place for me to write my thoughts about this amazing journey through the world of Tellington TTouch. I wanted a single place I could write about my feelings, what I was learning and the wonderful Animal Teachers that would cross my path.

Little by little I shared a blog post here an there and I wondered if anyone but me was really reading the blog. In February 2010 I added a "Hit Tracker". Adding the hit tracker quickly showed me that a great many people are reading my blog! There are people all over the world that are interested in what I'm doing with the dogs. I was amazed when I hit 3,000 unique readers at the end of September, just 7 months after installing the tracker.

It is so much fun to see where the readers are coming from. Not only are most of the States represented but a good many countries as well! There have been readers from Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Italy, The Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and many, many others.

It turns out that someone reading the blog in the UK mentioned me to PetsDirect UK. This week PetsDirect sent me a notification that my blog had received one of the most prestigious pet blogger awards!

TTouch has changed my life in many ways and it is my pleasure to share these experiences with all of you.

Thank you to all of you that read my thoughts and experiences and share the information with others.

Aurora progresses

2010-09-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

Aurora walks best when concentrating on something in front of her.

Last week I discovered that Aurora moves easier and in a more organized fashion when there is something in front of her to follow. The volunteers that worked with her this past week all used this to her advantage. Some held a towel in front her her and others used cream cheese.

Today a couple volunteers met me bright and early at 8am to learn what they could do to help Aurora along her journey.

The first thing I did with Aurora today was use her existing harness and my double ended lead to create the Super Balance Leash. This is a leash configuration that hooks on to her harness on the opposite shoulder of the dog from where I would be standing. It is threaded through a loop on the front of the harness and the other end is fastened to the two rings on the back of the harness. This configuration helps keep a dog in balance and is something Aurora needs.

The walk from the OK Corral to the Interaction area went quite nicely. Aurora adjusted well to the Super Balance Leash and followed my wand. There was some spinning but no falling down. The volunteers commented on how nicely she walked with me.

After some TTouches to her face, head and all along her body to release some tension we got to work.

I tried using either end of my wand. Aurora didn't have a preference

I had set up cones and encouraged her to walk along the outside of the circle, in the direction of her spinning. Using the theory that I'd have her do something that comes naturally to her (counter-clockwise circles) but in a more controlled and organized manner.

When it was clear Aurora needed a break we would stop for some touches. Tarantulas Pulling The Plow is her favorite.

Although she was overwhelmed when I tried a body wrap on her I decided to try again today. I gently draped the wrap over her shoulders and she was fine. After that I brought it in front of her chest and just held it in a mock 1/4 wrap. Later I was able to tie it. She wore the wrap about 1 minute before she got the wiggles and I took it off. This was a huge step over last week.

As we sat there and I showed how to do the touches Aurora began to get mouthy. She nibbled in my fingers, hands and knees. She was gentle but this is not a habit we want her to develop. I decided to put a calming band on her and bring some awareness to her mouth. She took to it rather quickly and stopped mouthing. Not only that but she was able to walk very straight with the calming band. I'm really not sure why this is worked the way it did.

I made a calming band out of one of the thin wraps I had in my case that has Velcro on the end. This wrap can be left at the shelter or with the volunteers that are working with her.

With all the love and attention Aurora is getting from people that really care about her and want to help she is seeing remarkable results in just a very short time. You couldn't ask for a more loving and precious dog.

A special Thank You to the folks at the shelter that are giving Aurora this chance and to all that are willing to work with her and help her be all she can be.....and more.

Responsible Dog Ownership Event

2010-09-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

For months I have been looking forward to the Responsible Dog Ownership event being held at Bates Nut Farm on opening day of the famous Pumpkin Patch!

Responsible Dog Ownership was combined with Farming Education and there was everything from Bee Keepers, Heirloom Tomato Growers to Vintage Tractor parades! Two Paw Up happy dog camp was the organizer for the "Dog People".

TouchNpaws had a booth too!

The day was wonderful but over 100 degrees! Because of the Boy & Girl Scouts that were there for opening day we had a steady flow of people to talk to.

It was wonderful to see so many people with all sorts of pets interested in what Tellington TTouch can do for their companions.

I met people with dogs that jump, bark and lunge. Those that are being treated for illness or injury. Some had dogs with no problems at all but were interested in the bond that TTouch forms. I even spoke with a Veterinarian who was interested in how TTouch could be used with her patients.

Of course I gave as many of the dogs as I could a little taste of what TTouch is all about. Some had demos on the Balance Leash and others enjoyed some touches!

I talked so much and for so long that I hardly had a voice by the end of the day! That's a great thing.

I'm looking forward to our next event on October 9.....the Boston Tea Party!

Kitties!

2010-09-22T21:27:00.000-07:00

Well all my case studies are done for my week of training in Portland, Oregon. My final five are ready to go. I've worked with so many dogs it is rather difficult to pick the ones I want to turn in for credit.

One that was an easy selection was my case study on another type of animal than I typically work with. One of my BFF's just got 2 adorable kittens and was gracious enough to allow me to practice working on cats using her kitties Willie and Nillie.

This case study was different for me in lots of ways. First, and most obvious, is that they are cats and not dogs. Also they are babies with no behavior or physical issues that needed influenced.

Celeste and I practiced touches of all sorts. I taught her to work on ears so she would be prepared in times of stress or injury. I worked on feet and toes to help with nail trimming. I would do some lying leopards as the kitties ran past me in play. I did touches with the kitties in towels and also in baskets covered with a towel.

One thing I wanted to try was a body wrap. Having never wrapped a cat before but knowing the difference it makes with dogs I gave it a try. Nillie was quite tolerant of the wrap but would leap high in the air once it was on. After a few touches she was fine with it. Typically Nillie is the independent one that is always on the go. This was the first time she laid relaxed in my lap.

The wrap didn't phase Willie in the least. He was fine with it off and fine with it on.

My heartfelt thanks to Celeste, Willie and Nillie for being such willing participants in my studies!

Aurora

2010-09-18T22:21:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine asked me to take a look at Aurora. Jan mentioned that Aurora has some neurological issues and it is believed she was hit by a car.

I have worked with many neurological issues and I enjoy the challenge and also the changes I see in a dog after a TTouch session. Typically I use wraps, ground work and scrunchies on their ankles.

When I arrived at the shelter I set up my ground work and went to get Aurora. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.

Aurora had serious troubles walking from her kennel to where I planned to work with her. She spun in counter clockwise circles and fell down a lot. It was almost as if she were Bambi trying to walk on the frozen pond.

Aurora is missing her right eye and is deaf. I'm sad to say my first thoughts were wondering if we were doing the kindest thing for her.

Once we got outside Aurora was able to walk without falling down so much but she still spun. It was clear that ground work was going to be way too hard but we tried some anyway.

I tried to put a body wrap on her and she got worse. She spun so violently that it was impossible to get scrunchies on her feet. Aurora and I went to the sheet I had laid out and I sat with her and she leaned into me very calmly as I did touches all over her body. TTouch can awaken unused neuro pathways and if ever a dog needed new neuro pathways to light up it is Aurora. I did Abalone touches all over her head. Python lifts and Raccoons on her body.

It became very clear to me why Aurora is being given this opportunity to find a special family that will love her the way she is. She is a complete Sweetheart, very happy and shows no signs of pain.

We got up and tried again and she still made her circles. Head low to the ground and body spinning as she tripped over her feet. Nothing I've used with other neurologically impaired dogs worked. Not sure what to do I used my TTouch wand and led her with the wand about 6 inches in front of her and she followed it! Aurora was able to walk relatively straight and didn't trip. Something about having an object close to focus on was making a huge difference for her.

Aurora needs to be in a loving foster home that can help her improve as much as she is capable of. The right home for Aurora will come along. Somewhere there is someone that will recognize her for the sweet girl and loving dog that she is. Helping her with her physical challenges will be a small price to pay for such a girl.

Carlee and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)

2010-09-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

Carlee getting TTouch to help her tight belly

Intervertebral Disc Disease or "IVDD" is a progressive disease which causes hardening of the disc material that is supposed to cushion the vertebrae. When this material hardens it can bulge and rupture.

Our Sammi has IVDD and his episode resulted in weakness and inability to use his back end. Through steroids, crate rest and Tellington TTouch Sammi healed up without surgery.

Marley is a great example of what happens when there is a severe and violent rupture. Marley had intense pain and full paralysis of his back end. Surgery was required. Tellington TTouch played a significant role in his recover.

Carlee is a Doxie that has IVDD and has had some pain and weakness in her back end. She is on conservative treatment with steroids, crate rest, acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Tellington TTouch. Dr. Weingardt of Animal Healing Center in San Diego is her Holistic Vet and I'm doing her Tellington TTouch.

When a dog is in pain they tense up and this tension can show up in a number of places. For Carlee she tenses her abdomen and I work on her tummy to help release that tension.

In addition to working on her tummy I also do specific touches along the sides of her spine that both reduce inflammation and release pain. To help Carlee maintain her awareness of her body and to help her feel connected with all her parts I do "The Tarantulas Pulling the Plow". This is a wonderful touch that works on dogs like Carlee and Sammi that still have feeling. For dogs like Marley who had lost use and feeling it helps to reignite the neurotransmitters and help regain sensation.

Cooper loves TTouch and will take every opportunity presented to make sure he gets his fair share.

And he is always appreciative of the focused attention that TTouch provides and isn't shy about saying "Thank You".

I'm certain with all the loving care that is being lavished on Carlee she will be better than ever in no time at all.

My "Other Animal" case study

2010-09-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

As part of our training we are supposed to do a case study on a different type of animal that we usually work with. At first I was a bit concerned about this part of my study as everyone I know has DOGS! We don't really have "other animals" - I wondered who would come along to fill this need.

Turns out one of my BFF's got two baby kittens! Nillie and Willie! Aren't they adorable? Aren't they wiggly? Yes, they are adorable AND they ARE wiggly.

Nillie and Willie

Celeste is trying to do all she can to have well behaved, happy, balanced cats when they grow up so she was more than willing to try some TTouch with them.

So far I've learned that working with kittens is very different from working with puppies. With a wiggly puppy I can give them a bully stick to chew on while I work for a couple minutes and let them go. Not so lucky with kittens. I felt like we were working with live, half filled, water balloons!

We would catch a kitten and try to work with them secured in a small towel but they would "squirt" right out the top....or we tried to work with them in a basket with the top covered with a towel..well they found a way out of there too.

We actually had our best luck holding them close with all 4 feet on the ground and doing about 30 seconds of touches and then letting them go.

Having 2 kitties to work with was ideal. We could work with one a bit and then the other.

I don't think the kittens were adverse to the idea of Tellington TTouch. It was more that they had other and better things to do. Not much for resting at this point in their 3 month old lives.

Nillie, the little girl and the most independent of the two, actually allowed me to do touches all along the outside of her mouth.

We worked ears, mouths, and toes. Were able to do a few Lying Leopards here and there.

Next time we may try tiny body wraps and see how that goes. I'm thinking the kitties will thing the wraps are really fun toys.

What do you think?

My Testimonial Book is complete

2010-08-29T18:04:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Building Confidence and Concentration

2010-08-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was "Shelter Day" and Steve & I set up the Confidence Course, or Playground of Higher Learning as it is sometimes called.

Angus is an adorable year old Pit Bull. When I met Angus he stood up on his hind legs with his front paws reaching for my shoulders and started giving kisses. Obviously a dog that is comfortable around people. Turns out he is not comfortable walking on a lead and will quickly "Pancake" - flattening himself to the ground.

I always work at a dog's own comfort level and Angus just wasn't going to walk with me to go out to the field where we had the ground work set up. It is very rare I ever carry a dog at the shelter and now I've done it twice in a month. Angus was quite comfortable being carried and resting his head on my shoulder.

Because Angus was so reluctant to walk I started off with some gentle calming touches. If you'll notice the way Angus was turning his head away, even this was too much for him.

We did some ground work. It was difficult for Angus to walk with me at all. Here he is stepping over the poles but at least was moving. We worked the course 3 times and it took about a 1/2 hour to do one pass through.

I would say that the time was well spent. After the ground work we did some more touches. Although his head is still turned he has a soft and relaxed look to him and his eyes are open.

I did not have to carry Angus back to the corral at the shelter because he jogged with me. :-)

Next we worked with DJ. DJ is a 5 year old Pit Bull and is a complete sweet heart. You would have sworn that DJ and done this course a thousand times.

Not only was he great working the Confidence Course but he was quite happy with his touches too!

My biggest challenge is working with what we call a "fool around dog". What exactly is a "fool around dog"? Well stress is dealt with a number of ways. The dog "Freezes", tries to "Flee", with "Fight" or "Fool Around". Lance is a Fool Around Dog.

When I started with Lance he was jumping and bouncing. Twisting and spinning. It was difficult to even get Lance to keep his feet on the ground. While Lance was going through all his motions I made sure I was breathing and focused on keeping myself calm and light. I tend to want to throw up my hands and give up. Not today!

Lance was "out of his body" and what he needed was a Thundershirt or a Wrap. At first I put him in a Thundershirt and it was okay but I thought it was just too much sensation for him. What gave me that idea? He got more wound up and rolled around in the dirt and stickers!

The Thundershirt came off and a 1/2 body wrap went on. Now I had quite a bit more of Lance's attention.

Usually I walk dogs counter clockwise around the star. Lance couldn't pay attention when we walked that way so I switched and we went the other way. He did fantastic.

A totally different Lance

How long did it take for Lance to calm down and focus? Well after his 30 minute session he walked back to the corral with me without jumping up at all. He was a totally different Lance.

San Diego Humane Society - TTouch Happy Hour Lecture

2010-08-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

San Diego Humane Society offers "Happy Hour Lectures" on various pet topics once a month. This month my Mentor - Cynde, another Practitioner in Training - Mary, and myself were asked to do a presentation on Tellington TTouch.

We had a wonderful turnout of 43 participants and raised $516 for the shelter.

As Cynde talks about Ear TTouches I deomonstrate how to do them on my demo dog, Jake.

After seeing the demo it was time for everyone to practice on their own ear. The Ear Work is so very important because it influences the vital statistics and can bring respiration under control and can actually prevent an animal (or a human) from going into shock.

We use several different leash configurations in Tellington TTouch. Mary is demonstrating the Balance Leash.

Cynde wrapped things up by doing a demo on a dog and a cat.

I have always enjoyed teaching friends how to do TTouch on their animal. In my week long sessions I have valued the opportunity to work with newer students and help them learn the work. So far I have presented to the Whippet group and co-taught at the Humane Society. It's official! I love sharing the gift of Tellington TTouch with others.

Busy week!

2010-08-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh what a busy week this has been.

You have to see the darlings I worked with at the shelter on Saturday.

Silly Trooper boy!

Trooper is no longer showing any signs of being stressed. Quite the opposite! Look at this sweet clown.

Frankie is "Stinkin' Cute", says I

Frankie is getting more and more handsome every day. I love how he roars like a lion. Really brings a smile to my face.

Baby Huey

Baby Huey is one big boy and so very smart. He knows how to sit, lay down, shake with BOTH paws and Saturday I started to teach him "Touch". I found out he is also tender hearted and very in tune to the person he is with.

As I worked with Baby Huey a young girl drove by and it was clear she was upset. She circled back to me and told me she had accidentally hit a dog that was running loose and she was bringing it to the shelter to see if they could help. I directed her where to go and then I sat there and said a little prayer in my head for the dog, the vet that would try to help and for the girl. Huey was sitting in front of me facing the other way and couldn't have known that a tear had slid down my cheek. But he did know. Huey turned round and licked the tear away and buried that big head on my shoulder. He is going to be a wonderful pet for someone.

Pretty Willow

Then I got to work with Willow! What a beauty she is. She came to the shelter and lost a puppy that was still born. This is really hard on the Momma dogs. She has been feeling down and we thought TTouch just might cheer her up. Do you think it worked?

Have I ever mentioned that working with the shelter dogs feeds my soul? Come to think of it, I'm sure I have.

Greater San Diego Whippet Club TTouch Demo

2010-08-12T17:20:00.000-07:00

Whippets everywhere! The Greater San Diego Whippet Club invited me to come share about Tellington TTouch at their annual meeting.

The dogs had some off leash fun at Fiesta Island and then settled in while their people enjoyed a wonderful potluck and tried their hand at TTouch.

I had the help of some really great models.

Dazzle and I showed how to do Lying Leopards and Ear Work.

This is a Thundershirt.

I'm sure Cedric enjoyed the warmth as much as the comforting pressure of the shirt's design.

Temperatures dropped and the wind picked up.

Both people and doggies were bundled up.

My friend Jo made the observation that possibly one of the reason Whippets are so calm is because they are often swaddled in Jackets and Coats very similar to a Thundershirt.


Cedric wears the 1/2 wrap

Red wears his Tellington TTouch Step-In Harness.

Here we are getting ready to teach everyone how to use the Balance Lead.

See the beautiful boy in the tent? That is Tommy, he is being trained by Freedom Dogs to be a hero for our heroes that have returned from war. Freedom Dogs are trained to help with post traumatic syndrome and other challenges our worriers face as they enter back into their former lives.

I have been invited to do a demo for this incredible group.

Tellington TTouch has brought so many wonderful people and opportunities into my life. Now I have been given the chance to play a small part in this gift to our military. I look forward to meeting with those that are training these very special dogs and showing them ways that TTouch can be integrated into their training. Finally a way for me to thank these brave men and women for their own personal sacrifice for my freedom!

2010-08-10T09:43:00.000-07:00

I apologize for those that have already signed and forwarded this important petition……..but

Somehow our Petition to keep Complimentary Veterinary Therapies Legal just went "poof" in cyber space and all signatures were lost.
Click to Sign this URGENT Petition

Right now it is California that stands to lose their rights but any other state could be next. Please sign regardless where you live. Your voice needs to be heard.

Bubba wants his TTouch!

California Senators vote on a bill Thursday that will determine if you have the right to seek complimentary care for your pets. Complimentary care included TTouch, Reiki, Massage, Chiropractics and many other modalities.

If you haven’t already contacted your Senator and asked them to remove this offending language to AB 1980 I encourage you to do so.

Find YOUR Senator and let them know that YOU want the right to decide what is best for your pet and that using complimentary veterinary therapies does not replace your veterinary needs.

I apologize for those that have already signed and forwarded this important petition……..but....you know what they say about the squeaky wheel. Let's squeak! :-)

I look forward to returning you to your TTouch filled, Pet Lovin' blog posts just as soon as we win this war.

Protect Your Rights as an Animal Owner - They are at RISK

2010-08-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

Immediate action is required NOW before AB 1980 makes it through the next hurdle to becoming law.

What is AB 1980 and what does it mean to you?

If AB 1980 passes into law, YOU as a pet owner, will not have the right to seek alternative care for your pet. You no longer will be able to seek out massage, Tellington TTouch, Reiki, aromatherapy, flower essence therapy, laser light therapy, assistance with mobility issues or any other type of health enhancing care that is not specifically administered by a licensed veterinarian.

On the surface you may think that it is a good idea that only a Veterinarian has the right to help pets. Problem is it takes many different modalities to offer our pets the health benefits they deserve. The veterinary community cannot do everything on their own any more than the above mentioned modalities can. It takes a group effort to give our animals the quality of life they deserve.

Take action NOW!

The issue will be voted on this
Thursday, August 12.
Time is running out.

Contact your Senator and express your opposition to proposed change (c) in Section 10 of AB 1980.

"(c) Administers a drug, medicine, appliance, application, or treatment of whatever nature for the prevention, cure, or relief of a wound, fracture, bodily injury, or disease of animals, except where the medicine, appliance, application, or treatment is administered by a registered veterinary technician or an unregistered assistant at the direction of and under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian ...."

Please provide an example how an alternative modality has assisted your pet, that it is an enhancement to and not a replacement for veterinary care.
Pass on this Blog Post to all your contacts.

Here is an example of how it takes many different specialties to help an animal:

Marley ruptured a disk in his back in December resulting in intense pain and full back end paralysis. He had the best Neuro Surgeon for his surgery and he had the best Rehabilitation Veterinarian. Marley did fantastic and regained mobility and muscle tone. At the end of his rehab his hind legs were still not set square under his body and his feet badly crossed each other. Tellington TTouch body wraps, touches and ground work changed that. It took a Neuro Surgeon, a Rehabilitation Veterinarian and a Tellington TTouch Practitioner to complete Marley's recovery. No one player on this team could have gotten the same result alone.

Complimentary Veterinary Therapies are just that COMPLIMENTARY and not a replacement for veterinary services.

As a pet owner you should have the ultimate decision regarding your pet's well-being, not the politicians and not the California Veterinary Medical Board, the California Veterinary Medical Association, or the California Registered Veterinary Technician Association.

Veterinarians are not trained and certified in the very modalities that they alone will be able to provide. If these Veterinarians do not make a commitment to this education and actually offer these modalities to their patients then the animals are the ultimate losers.

Medical Doctors do not force such ridiculous restrictions on humans. The person that gives you a massage to release tension and pain is not a Medical Doctor. As humans we have the right to take control of our own bodies and seek out treatments that are right for us. Why should it be any different for our animals?

If this isn't enough to garner your support think about the high rate of unemployment in California? This bill would take contributing, self-sustaining business owners and strip them of their business. Strip them of the right to practice their modality that they have worked so hard to learn and earn certifications and licensing to practice.

What gives the California Veterinary Medical Board, the California Veterinary Medical Association, and the California Registered Veterinary Technician Association the right to do this? Well if you don't stand up and fight against this insanity then YOU give them the right.

Please don't give them the right to take away the rights of pet owners and licensed Practitioners!

I had a serious "Jack Attack"!

2010-08-08T08:14:00.000-07:00


Could he be any sweeter? Nope!

Saturday I had my first official session with Jack. Yes, we met at the shelter last week and I worked with him but I still consider this one our first.

Jack is settling in his new foster home quite nicely. Gone is the timid boy I met last week. He is 100% puppy, full of kisses and all "wiggly butt".

The big plan for the day was to get Jack fitted into a TTouch Step-In Harness and a double ended leash. We decided to let Jack select the color of his harness and I spread them all out on the floor. Although at first he thought he wanted Navy Blue he quickly returned it for the Bright Blue. Not only is Jack ultra precious he has a fantastic sense of color and fashion.

After fitting him in his harness his foster parents and I took him outside and practice using the Super Balance Leash. We practiced "let's go!" & "and wait". Jack caught on quickly. Since he has had such serious trauma to his head and face it is safe to assume that his neck has had trauma as well. I don't want Jack doing any pulling that will irritate his neck. The harness is perfect for him.

I was so happy to see that Jack's eye is getting better. The swelling is going down a bit and you can actually see his eye now. The abscess is draining and getting smaller. Jack will be having a full medical evaluation on Thursday, August 12. As bad as his eye and the abscess are what really concerns me is his leg.


The angle of Jack's left leg is NOT because of how he is sitting.

My concern is that Jack is going to be a really big dog. I'm not a Vet but I have to wonder how this badly healed leg is going to handle all the growth to come. How will the bone grow? How will it support his weight? What about all the calcium build up on the inside of that leg? These things concern me. Right now we don't know if the Shelter will recommend and provide surgery to fix his leg. We will know more Thursday if the Vet recommends surgery to fix it and if the shelter has the funds to do it.

With all that this little boy has been through, and the incredible attitude of love he has, it is my hope he will receive everything he needs to make up for what has happened to him.

Please keep Jack in your thoughts and prayers as very important medical decisions are made that will impact the rest of his life.

Confidence Work at the Shelter

2010-08-07T22:07:00.000-07:00

What a day of fun we had at the Shelter! Steve came with me and provided the help I need to set up the Playground of Higher Learning.

Morty was too nervous to walk

I hadn't planned to work with Morty today but a shelter volunteer asked if I would help him. Morty is a very, very sweet and loving puppy but he really lacks confidence. Although Morty was too nervous to walk he was quite comfortable being carried over to the Playground of Higher Learning - also called the Confidence Course.

Morty gets some ear work

As soon as we started I knew Morty would be different from any dog I've worked with in the labyrinth. He was just too nervous to go. We started with ear work.

Eventually Morty would take a few steps and quickly sit. I used lots of treats to get Morty to take a few more steps. We graduated to tossing treats on the ground up ahead to get him to go a little further. Thankfully Morty LOVES turkey liver :-)

After about 20 minutes we called it done for the day. At first I had to carry Morty back toward the shelter but then I sat him down and encouraged him to walk. He walked about 50 yards on his own! I was very proud of how much braver he was in such a short time.

Next up was Frankie! I've seen this adorable Chow x Shar Pei mix before. Poor Frankie has had a goodly amount of eye surgery and a nasty bout of demodex mange. The first time I saw Frankie I though he growled at me. I never worry about a growl and just take it to mean that the dog is not comfortable with me and I need to change something. Well, turns out he was not growling at me! Poor guy just sounds like that when he breathes! He is a complete angel.

Frankie loved his Tellington TTouches and snorted and smiled the entire time. What fun it was taking this little monkey through the course. He caught on so quickly and really paid attention to me.

You know, Frankie didn't hesitate one little bit when it was time to do the ladder. You would have sworn this wasn't his first rodeo!

Darling Trooper has been at the shelter too long and he really isn't happy about that. In fact word has it he is getting a bit depressed. I thought some fun in the Playground of Higher Learning and some loving TTouches would be perfect for him.

At first Trooper was not focusing on me and really had no idea what I was asking of him. I admit from a dogs point of view it is a bit odd.

Well on about the 3rd pass through the course Trooper really started to get it.

He focused on me and waited for directions.

By the end of our session Trooper was even doing the ladder with a stranger near by watching him.

One of the things I really love about this work is the dogs are so different for me. I never saw any sign of depression in Trooper. He was fantastic!

I believe the dogs appreciate that I speak their language and understand them. It makes them comfortable that I mimic proper dog body language to them, never force them to do anything but make it fun so they want to engage with me. They get TTouches as rewards or encouragement and they know they have my undivided attention. By the time the session is over, I have theirs too!

Tellington TTouch a criminal activity???

2010-08-06T21:08:00.000-07:00


Animals like Camelot benefit from many different modalities

Normally this is not the place for political agendas. Today is not a normal day. The California Assembly passed a bill that will prohibit Tellington TTouch, Massage, Flower Essence Therapy, Reiki, Laser Therapy and many other modalities unless they are performed by a licensed veterinarian. This bill is now going before the Senate.

Who would think of passing such a one sided bill? Well, AB 1980 is jointly sponsored by the California Veterinary Medical Board, the California Veterinary Medical Association, and the California Registered Veterinary Technician Association.

Helping Jack relieve pain with gentle touches can't be wrong.

Tellington TTouch is not a substitution for veterinary treatment and it never has been. Tellington TTouch is complimentary and supportive of health services.

Practitioners of these specialized modalities take years to complete their certifications and perfect their skills. Dreams have been followed and realized, small businesses built and countless animals and their people helped along the way. All of this may be ripped away.

Please take the time to help the animals and Practitioners of these modalities continue doing what they do best...helping the animals.

Included are some links where you can take real action and help fight the fight.

Lily walked again with Acupuncture and TTouch

Sign and share this petition
Examiner.com article - Quick facts and Steps to Action

The bill passed through the Assembly with absolutely no opposition. It is my belief that the reason it made it through the Assembly so easily is very few people knew about it. Well we know now! Practitioners of various modalities and their clients are not happy about this change and they are making their Senators aware.

Will you help us? You don't have to live in California to help. You can spread the word. You can make sure this blog post is emailed to all your friends and ask them to do likewise. Post it to your social networking sites and ask friends in California to make that call or send an email.

Time is critical. They could vote on this as early as Thursday, August 12.

If the bill passes as-is the animals are the ones that stand to lose the most. If the bill does pass as-is it is my hope and prayer that Veterinarians from all over California begin enrolling in certification programs for Tellington TTouch, Acupressure, Flower Essence Therapy, Laser Treatment, Reiki, Aroma Therapy, Massage and all the rest.

It took Veterinary Care, TTouch and a special diet to help Gertie

Lookie what I got!!!

2010-08-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

Nicole is awesome! She just sent me these pics of Jack and Darla. No point posting tomorrow what can be posted tonight!

I'm not sure if it is my imagination or if it is all of the "distance" work that has been offered up to Jack but I swear his face looks quite a bit better than it did yesterday. We have people from all over the world that are doing distance TTouch, CranioSacral Therapy, Theta Healing, Thought Field Therapy and Emotion Code Therapy on Jack. Not to mention all the prayers that are being said for him.

When I first heard about how sweet Darla is being with him my first thoughts were "Jack has a girlfriend"...but I think what Jack has is a Momma!

Such a good girl isn't even competing for his bone.

All babies need a bit of a nap after playing and having a snack. Jack is no different. He and Darla snuggle in for sweet dreams of happy days!

Thank you to Nicole and Dale for opening their hearts and home to this very special boy.

Update on little Jack!

2010-08-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

Nicole is the Kennel Manager at the shelter and also the short-term foster mom for Jack. Yesterday she promised to keep me updated on how he is doing. Bless her heart she has kept her word :-)

Turns out Jack is a totally different dog now that he is at her house. He loves her Boxer x Pit girl, Darla and Darla is pretty fond of Jack too. She is letting him jump on her and even pull on her lips like puppies will do!

All signs of Jacks shyness are gone. He is eating and drinking, running and playing, even going potty outside like a big boy. Dogs usually do much better after leaving a shelter environment but this little guy is just exceptional in every way.

Nicole will be sending me pictures tomorrow and I'll ask if I can share them here. Jack has a fan club that reaches 'round the world thanks to all of you that read my blog and my entire TTouch family.

More good news! I heard from my friend Steph. She will be doing the longer term foster for Jack once he has his surgery and has given me the green light to continue working with him then too. As soon as Nicole and Jack are ready I'll bring over all my harnesses and we will pick one out that is just his color!

We are all pulling for Jack to make a complete recovery, mentally and physically. I'd say we are well on our way!

A Very Emotional Day

2010-07-31T16:11:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to admit that most times I'm pretty much of a Pollyanna and very rarely feel down, or blue. Today is one of those days where I'm an emotional roller coaster. As always I see the silver lining, it's just my nature but I also have a heavy heart.

Last night as I looked through the photos of dogs at the shelter and was trying to see if anyone "reached out to me"....one did. I saw this face and immediately started paving the way to work with this dog.

This is Jack. He is a 3 month old Pit Bull puppy. In Jack's short life he has seen more violence than anyone ever should. Here is a list of the issues he has:

Fractured skull
Old, improperly healed fracture to his front right leg
Left eye pushed back into his head
Huge Abscess on his face under his eye
Scars that appear that the left side of his face was all but removed
Countless old scars

Please keep in mind he is a baby. He is only THREE MONTHS OLD! My heart aches for what he has been through. There is speculation that he was used as a bait dog. With a fractured scull and no bite marks to the top of the head I have to wonder if there is a "human" element to this violence as well. Come to think of it there is a human element in using a puppy as a bait dog too but you know what I mean.

Today I put all that out of my head and spent an hour and a half hanging out with Jack. He is comfortable and happy in his huge dog crate but he doesn't want to come out at all. So with the upper half of my body in his crate I did TTouch on his little body and told him how special and wonderful he is. I promised that no one would ever hurt him again and that he is loved by many. This happy puppy responded to my play bows with lots of kisses. In some respects he is no different than any other puppy.

The pictures I took of Jack are very poor. My beloved Nikon is feeling sick and was not my trusty companion today. Add to that the fact that Jack won't come out of his crate and go outside with me and he is housed in a darkened area of the shelter - this is the best I can do.

You can see the lump on the left side of his face and that is the abscess.

Nicole, one of the medical staff, will be taking him home with her and keeping him a few days. Early next week he will be evaluated and at minimum will have his left eye removed and the abscess dealt with. As you can see from the paws he will be a BIG boy when he grows up. I don't know that they plan to re-break the leg and fix it but you can see it is a mess.

Nicole will be fostering Jack after his surgery and as agreed to have me work with him and assist in his recovery. I'll be approaching another shelter friend of mine that will be doing long term foster for him and see if I can continue working with him after he moves to her.

Jack will need help learning to trust. He needs his self confidence built up and his fears put to rest. Jack will need to learn to balance that big 'ol body he will be growing and TTouch can help with all of this.

I have visions of this beautiful boy walking the labyrinth, stepping over the poles of the star, walking the balance beam and weaving through cones - all with a smile on his face.

Please send your warm wishes and prayers for his speedy and complete recovery - physically and emotionally.

This loving, precious, amazing, adorable little boy deserves all the good this world has to offer.

Today I also learned that little Pinky, the frightened dog I worked with a couple weeks ago was lost to a Parvo outbreak at the shelter. Rest in Peace little one. You no longer have to be afraid of anything.

Before you start to think that volunteering at the shelter is a big downer I have to share that a very special boy, Charlie, started his new life with a family that loves him today!

Not every day at the shelter is a walk in the park. Sometimes there is anger, rage or painful tears. But the Pollyanna in me always sees the bigger picture.

Jack is surrounded by people that love him and will take care of him. He will see more tenderness than ever before. He will grow to be happy and healthy in body and spirit. Someone will be very blessed to welcome him into their lives
Little Pinky is at peace and no longer afraid of the world
Charlie has a home
And I will find someone to fix my dear friend, Nikon

San Diego Dachshund Club Summer Picnic

2010-07-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

TouchNpaws table at the Doxie Picnic

Today was San Diego Dachshund Club's Summer Picnic. I was invited to have a booth next to my good friends at 2nd Chance Dachshund Rescue and my husband, Steve came along to enjoy the day.

It was a great opportunity to raise TTouch awareness and funds for the rescue all at the same time.

I met many wonderful dogs and their people. We did a 5-10 minute session for a nervous and dog reactive boy. It made my day when his owner stopped by to tell me how well he had done and that TTouch really worked! He was not being reactive and there were many, many dogs at the picnic.

It is always my pleasure to talk to people about the benefits of Tellington TTouch and make sure they understood how to do ear work and the life saving benefits it can offer.

Not only did the dogs enjoy the touches but the owners came away with some things they can do to help their dogs.

Phoebe models her beautiful hand made harness

Take a look at these fantastic custom made harnesses that my friend Cathleen makes. The funds are used pay for Camelot's medical care. Camelot is an amazing doxie girl that I've worked with. Put Cami in the search field of this blog to read all about her. Please post a comment that you would like one and I'll put you in touch with the designer!

News from the Shelter

2010-07-17T15:57:00.000-07:00

Well we have some great news. Both Max and Bullet made it out of the shelter and into private rescue groups! Max's sister Carly made it out of evaluation and into adoptions. These events happened right before a parvo break out! Thankfully these dogs are saved but others are in danger. I'm saying a prayer that the parvo has been stopped and no more dogs will be lost.

I had a helper today! Steve joined me with plans to read to a dog that is now in lock down due to the parvo situation. Since we couldn't do that he helped me with Sassy, Daisy and Carly.

Meet Sassy! OMG she is wonderful!!! Incredibly loving and calm she will make someone very lucky when they discover her! She loves nothing more than being cuddled and loved on.

Then came Daisy! Daisy is all fun and games and very strong. It took a bit to get her to settle down but once she felt Tellington TTouch she was so much calmer. We were even able to get her to pose for a new photo for her adoption page.

I believe Steve is enamored by Carly....and Carly with Steve. She is such a little character. Carly quickly figured out what the clicker and sauteed turkey hearts were all about. That little one sure can target to a hand :-)

With temps hitting 100* by 11am we called it an early day. But 2 hours of our time this morning made a beautiful day for 3 young ladies at the shelter - and for us too!

Count your blessings and hug your pups tonight. If you know anyone wishing to add to their family please ask them to check their local shelters. There are many, many wonderful dogs and cats just waiting for their furever home!

Tellington TTouch, CAPiT

2010-07-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

This past week I have been in Santa Fe, New Mexico taking my 4th round of classes. Linda Tellington-Jones taught this class and we had an incredible group of Assistants and Students.

I had opportunities to work with numerous animals that taught me so much. A few of these Animal Teachers are featured on the blog but there were many others as well.

We had a very large group of first-time students and they were gracious enough to allow me to help them and that in turn helped me build my teaching skills. I formed many friendships that I hope will grow through the years. TTouch has a way of building "families" out of new friends.

"Benny", Jessica, Melissa, Linda Tellington-Jones, Me, Penny, Cynde and Jeannie

This is not the end of my adventure with Tellington TTouch but it is my first big milestone. I have graduated from "Student" to "Companion Animal Practitioner in Training".

Please visit my new website and pardon some of the bugs I'm trying to work out so that things line up on as many computer figurations as possible. TTouch is my specialty, not web design :-)

TouchNpaws

The Simple Things

2010-07-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had Client Appointments. As the dogs were introduced by their owners I knew immediately I wanted to work with Muchacho. Muchacho is an older dog with some type of neurological disorder that causes his back feet to cross when he walks and has difficulties balancing. In addition he is frightened of fireworks, thunder and noise from near-by concerts.

My goal for Muchacho was to help him walk in balance and see if he could walk with his feet squarely under his body.

I engaged the help of his owner, Jodie, because Muchacho was nervous around me and not sure he wanted me to work with him. I asked Jodie to do a couple touches on him and at that point he decided I was okay after all and walked over to me and allowed me to work on his body.

Muchacho had never worn a harness before so it was important to go very slowly when introducing him to a body wrap or a Thundershirt. At first neither were acceptable to him. Jodie and I took turns draping one or the other over his body.

Eventually I was able to get him into a Thundershirt and a Super Balance Leash configuration.

Between the equipment and walking Muchacho through the labyrinth he was able to walk more confidently. The wrap/Thundershirt and the Super Balance Leash helped him to feel and organize his body but one very simple addition immediately allowed him to uncross his back legs.......hair scrunchies!

I hope to hear from Jodie in the coming days to hear how Muchacho is doing!
Thank you to Jodie and Muchacho for this very rewarding experience.

Kindred Spirits

2010-07-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

Oscar

Okay, so I couldn't wait! I just have to write about Kindred Spirits. Kindred Spirits is a 501C non profit dedicated to end-of-life and hospice care for unwanted dogs, horses and poultry.

Yesterday our TTouch class visited Kindred Spirits to share our love with these very special animals.

Now some may thinks that visiting a hospice situation would be an emotionally painful experience. These animals are elderly, broken and/or dying. What I found at Kindred Spirits was not a bunch of sad and pitiful animals. No, what I found was animals that are different from others but as one with their peers. All of these animals lived in harmony with each other and are at peace.

Let me introduce you to a few of my new friends.

This is Ralphie. He is 16 years old and is mourning the loss of his best friend and Bassett Hound Brother, Junior. Junior passed last year and though Ralphie is surrounded by buddies it just isn't the same. Ralphie has arthritis and pain in his legs and hips.

Eskaya is a lovely dog that is about 15 years old. Her past is not known but she was so free with her love and greetings for all of us that you could not help but reach out to her.

The dog I'm spending time with in this picture is Lilia Rose and my new friend Kathy is working with Gracie. Lilia Rose is about 14 years old and was emaciated and fearful upon coming to Kindred Spirits. She is nearly blind but has learned to trust. Sure looks like she is enjoying her TTouch to me!

I went there with the intention of bringing joy and love to these animals. I did that. But they gave me so much more. I left with a full heart and confirmation that this is an area that will be at the heart of TouchNpaws!

Update on Romeo!

2010-07-09T06:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday our class visited an incredible place called "Kindred Spirits". It is a hospice and sanctuary for Dogs, Horses and Poultry - yes, poultry :-) I will be writing in detail about this in a day or two.

When we returned from Kindred Spirits one of the TTouch Assistants told me that Jill (Romeo's person) stopped by to thank me for working on Romeo and to share some wonderful news. She said that the next morning he got up before her which is something that never happens. He was getting around with ease, was happy and "full of beans".

I wish I would have been there to talk with her but I'm so thankful that Romeo and Jill had such a positive outcome from a session that lasted about 30 minutes!

This work never ceases to amaze me!

Santa Fe, NM

2010-07-07T19:18:00.000-07:00

Well here I am! I'm in Santa Fe, NM with Linda Tellington-Jones my mentor, Cynde and about 25+ TTouch students. It is quite apparent that TTouch is alive and well.....and growing!

This session is my 4th and very important to me because when I leave Santa Fe I will be a Practitioner in Training and I will have quite a few more privileges.

This afternoon we were joined by a local group that trains Service Dogs. Some of these dogs were young and for others "being a youngster" was some time ago. As soon as the dogs were introduced I knew exactly who I wanted to work with.

Meet Romeo!

Romeo is a retired service dog. At 15 years old this fine gentleman is experiencing the pain of arthritis. As if the arthritis in the back end isn't enough he has bad pain in front too from over compensating. Jill's wishes for Romeo is that his remaining time is filled with as much comfort as possible. We want Romeo to be as free from pain as he can be and to be able to receive pleasure....just for the pleasure of it.

I worked on Romeo's entire body with a warming Abalone TTouch and made note of where he was open to touch and where he had his concerns. Because he has pain I used a very light touch. I also wanted to wake up his cells and help his body reconnect with itself.

Romeo allowed me to do work on his ears, face and muzzle getting more and more relaxed. Since his legs have pain I wanted to do some Raccoon TTouches and Snail Tail TTouches to reduce pain and inflammation. Romeo retracted his front leg when I touched it so I honored what he told me and moved to another. As his trust in me built up and he knew I was there to help him and that I would listen to his concerns he allowed me to work on all 4 of his legs. I did the pain and inflammation reducing touches and also did some Python Lifts on his legs. Just for the pure pleasure of it and also to help his body connect I did some Tarantulas Pulling The Plow along the entire length of his body.

Now that Romeo was a pool of Jell-o on his bed it was time to show Jill how she can work with him at home. We practiced Lying Leopards and Raccoon TTouches. To help Jill get a good feel for the work I put my hand on top of hers and together we made the touches along Romeo's body. After that Jill was up and running on her own.

Romeo is so fortunate that he has someone that loves him so very much. He is fed a species appropriate raw diet and has not had vaccines for years. 15 years old is incredible for a large dog. He is a happy and healthy boy and now Jill has tools to help him through his senior years.

Thank you Jill for sharing your precious boy with me.

Max & Carly

2010-06-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

I think I'm smitten with Max! Max has joined the ranks of the shelter dogs that have really gotten under my skin. Out of the hundreds of dogs I've worked with at the shelter I have 5 that that hold an extra special place in my heart: Elektra, Alfie, Sam (aka Magnum), Princess (aka Lucille) and now Max!

Just 4 visits ago this little guy was petrified! He avoided touch like the plague. Today I spent an hour with him and had a ball. He was so excited to see me today.

Max has blossomed into a happy and carefree puppy. He is playing with toys, sitting on my lap & giving kisses and no longer barks at things! He has "sit" nailed!! We worked on "stay" and "down" a little bit and I'm sure next time I see him he will have that nailed too. Such a smart little boy. He is still looking for a rescue to take him in and help him find his forever family.

Max's litter mate Carly is so full of energy. She couldn't wait to get out of the kennel. When she did she wanted to run, run and run some more. So far the best way to work with Carly is to do touches while she is laying down trying to kill a stuffie! With more sessions I'm sure she will calm down and start learning some things.

Shelter life is so hard for a puppy that really just wants to play.

What a happy girl she is!

Gertie Crosses the Bridge

2010-06-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

Gertie's friends are so very sad to learn that she took a turn for the worse this weekend.

Today her very loving Momma helped her across the Rainbow Bridge.

Not only was Gertie fighting cancer but she also had Cushings Disease. It is believed it was the Cushings that ultimately became too much for her tiny body.

LeeAnne made sure that Gertie's senior years were truly dipped in gold and then made the ultimate sacrifice and allowed her to pass with dignity - despite her own personal pain. LeeAnne is a hero in my book

Run free sweet Gertie. You no longer have cancer and Cushings and your eyesight has been restored.

We all loved you!

Buffy

2010-06-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

Buffy is a dog that reached out and grabbed me. She was posted to our "dog list" at work with this bio and photo:

PLEASE Help this gorgeous healthy terrier (shelter claims she is schnauzer mix). She was in the shelter for 7 weeks and is terrified. She was just rescued last week, and has anxiety and is scared. She warms up to another dog with in one day (lashing out at first), so needs a place to decompress where there are either no other pets, or a very mellow pet and where someone is home all day. We need someone willing to teach her life is safe and how to get over anxiety (we have a great document to get you started). She does very well in a yard, but has chewed in the house, so will need supervision. Once she is calmed down, the original foster may be able to take her back. PLEASE HELP HER. We can provide a pen/crate, food, etc.

This is the kind of dog TTouch was created for! I responded to the notice and paid her a visit at a new foster home on Saturday after the shelter.

What I found was a lovely little dog that has yet to be taught where to potty. Although she was cautious at first she came around quite nicely. By the end of our session a neighbor approached her head on with his hand sticking out and she didn't so much as flinch!

Buffy needs a foster home that is around most of the time that can take her through a proven protocol for separation anxiety. You know, if you don't give a terrier something to do they will create their own fun. That is what I think we have going on with Miss Buffy!

Lets hope that right home, or foster home, come along quickly for her.

Gordon

2010-06-14T19:56:00.001-07:00

I'm running late with my post this week. Things have been busy insane! Not to busy to help the shelter pups but a bit busy to write about it.

Gordon was nameless Saturday morning when I started my session with him. Talk about a busy little boy! He is about 7 months old and "stinkin' cute"!

I wish I'd have had someone there to video me trying to get a Thundershirt on this kid! Holy Cow!

Finally I wrestled one on his and this is the final product.

Somehow this angel failed his behavior test and was written up as aggressive. Oookay, he must have really adjusted to his surroundings by the time I saw him. Yes, he is frantic to get out of that kennel and get to playing but the worst he is gonna do is run your hide ragged :-)

So, how did I end up calling him Gordon? Well the first name that came to me was "Spaz" but I believe an animal will take on characteristics of what we name them. Not because they know the difference but because of the attitudes one projects when they say their name.

Example: Picture a big, strong, muscular dog named "Killer". What are your thoughts? Now picture that same dog and call it "Cupcake". Any difference? You bet there is.

So ruling out Spaz I try Flash on for size. Flash is okay, kinda. But I want him to grow into a dignified calm boy. Flash...Gordon.....Gordon! That's it!

Meet Gordon!

Hopefully he can be reevaluated and charm his tester the way he has charmed several of the volunteers.

Remember Max from previous posts? He was a barker to no end. This was his 3rd session and I could not be more proud of him. He barked a little but not much.

Check out shy, timid Max watching the Canine Good Citizen class going on behind us! Not a peep. I took this as my queue to teach him some fine leash manners. For a first lesson it wasn't bad at all.

Max is looking for a rescue to take him in and help him become the confident boy he is learning to become.

I sooooo love this boy.

Finally I worked with Linus. Linus is 10 months old and is a Mastiff x American Bulldog...and quite the looker. Problem is he has torn ligaments in both of his back legs and hip dysplasia! Each step he takes is filled with pain and contributes to a lifetime of arthritis.

His surgery is going to be incredibly expensive but he is the sweetest dog you would hope to meet. This big lug thinks he is a lap dog. He is a baby you know! If you are so inclined to make a tax deductible donation toward his care you can do so here - Donation for Linus!

Just say it is for Linus!

Shelter night!

2010-06-08T21:04:00.000-07:00

Oh how I LOVE shelter night. The only thing I don't love about it is there are far more dogs needing help than there are hours in the evening.

Right now I'm focusing my efforts on a couple very special dogs, Max & Bullet.

I had difficulty finding Max when I got to the shelter. He was not in the area the computer said he he was in. My heart sank! Had Max done something to get his third strike? It couldn't be. Thankfully he was in a different area and the computer had not been updated.

Max has a little room mate, a white and brown Chihuahua mix. More about him later.

Max was leery of me at first and I could tell he was quite uncomfortable. I took my time with him and did three little Llama touches on his side and it was as if he remembered me from Saturday and allowed me to put he lead on him. Max walked outside with me like a good boy.

It didn't take any time at all to regain the ground we had on Saturday. Look who has learned to sit! Isn't he adorable?

Turns out he is quite the barker when concerned about something. He barked at dogs 50 yards away! He barked at people I could barely see....and he barked at the rabbit guy that uses a walker. Oh how he barked at this guy. Fortunately the rabbit guy was very patient and understanding with him. I was able to get his focus back on me and do TTouches on him to relieve his stress. By the end of our session Max was barely barking at anyone and when he did it wasn't up at the fence, he stayed by me and barked. Much better.

I used a Thundershirt on him and while I liked the effect I did not like what happened when I had to release the Velcro to get it off. Poor Max screamed, cried and ran away. Not the reaction you want with a frightened dog. I was thrilled that he was able to quickly recover and was soon sitting back in my lap getting TTouches and giving kisses. Yeah for Max.

When I put him back in his kennel his roommate was desperate for attention and desperate to get out - it was heartbreaking. Then I saw that he had failed his first behavior test and was pending retest. I'm going to seek out permission to work with him. He doesn't have a mean bone in his little body but he is terrified. I can help him with that.

Tonight Bullet was so funny. I really like that little dog. I thought our boy Marley was into his ball. Marley hates balls compared to Bullet.

We did lots of touches and lots of ball playing tonight. My goal for Bullet is for him to drop his ball when asked. We practiced dropping the ball for another ball, a throw of the ball, zig zag touches or a bite of cooked turkey hearts. He is really catching on.

If anyone is looking for a partner in fly ball or agility I'd like to recommend my buddy, Bullet.

Shelter Marathon!

2010-06-05T20:43:00.001-07:00

Not being familiar with all the dogs we have in the shelter right now I reached out to a couple friends for recommendations on who would benefit from some TTouch. Can you believe within a very short time I had a list of 13 dogs! Holy Smokes!

So last night I organized my list of (1) Jack Russell, (3) Rottweilers, (2) Shepherd mixes, and (7) Pitbulls. Several of these dogs are overly exuberant and needed both body work and could spend some time in the Confidence Course using their brains to calm them down. A couple lack confidence or are starting to get depressed with shelter life.

This morning I arrived about 7:30 and got all set up and started working with the dogs. My very first "customer" was Jackson, a big, beautiful Pitbull. As soon as I let him off lead he ran over to my TTouch case and pee'd on it. Oh boy, we were off to a good start.

I won't tell you about each and every dog but I do want to share two very interesting ones with you.

Valentine is a Shepherd mix that is gentle and sweet. The problem is just about everything spooks her. I'm told she came from the local Indian Reservation. We see some of the saddest cases come out of there. Valentine is one of them. Fortunately everyone loves Valentine and is helping her learn the world is not so bad.

I had no expectation of taking Valentine through the Confidence Course today but I wanted her to at least experience the equipment on her own terms during her pauses in the body work. She was so brave to walk around the ladder and cones.

Valentine was very receptive to touches all over her body and face. By the end of our session Valentine walked back to her kennel far more relaxed. Yeah for Valentine!

You met Bullet in earlier posts and I worked with him again today. He did great in the Confidence Course and settled in with me far quicker and without the aid of a Thundershirt. It was great he didn't need the shirt today because it was HOT!

While I was working with Bullet the Adoption Manager was working with a 6 month old dog in the interaction area next to Bullet and I. She asked if I'd work with this boy, Max, sometime. Of course I worked on him right after Bullet.

Max came to the shelter as a newborn with his litter and his momma. Mom is a Beagle Mix and we don't know who Dad is. At the tender age of 6 months Max is destined for Rescue rather than adoption. Max has a record....a bite record. In fact Max has been adopted, bitten someone, and returned - not once, but twice.

The first adoption failed because at 10 weeks old he had an accident in the house. During a harsh reprimand he bit and broke skin. Back he came. He also bit on his 2nd adoption and was returned. Fortunately he is slated for rescue rather than euthanasia.

Max has an aversion to being touched. He is afraid and most likely for good reason. It took me about 10 min to get him on a lead so I could bring him back to the interaction area I was working in. I didn't want to frighten him so I took it very slowly. Once he was leashed he happily came with me.

Max is a dog where reading his body language and offering calming signals is very important. When I offered Max Turkey Liver and Turkey Hearts he was not the least interested. Hmmm, STRESS!

My experience with dogs that don't want touched is that if I can get a few very light Llama or Chimp touches on them and then stop it tends to break the ice. That was the case with Max. I worked with him on a 6 foot lead so he could move away from me but not run away. In very short order Max was cuddling next to me and allowing touches everywhere. I was able to work his curled under tail, do Python Lifts on his legs, Raccoon Touches on his feet and Lying Leopards all over his body. Can you believe he also allowed Mouth Touches?

On a hunch I decided to take him through the Confidence Course. He did everything I asked except the ladder. I tried to encourage him with a piece of liver but he still wasn't interested. We took a break for more touches and I tossed treats on the sheet we were sitting on and then didn't look at him. Very slowly he started eating the Turkey. Then he did the funniest thing. He went behind my back and curled around me while laying on his back. When I turned and looked at him he wiggled like a happy puppy offering his belly.

Time for the Confidence Course again. After each piece of equipment I did more touches on him. We got to the ladder and he went through like he had been doing it all his life.....all 6 months of it. I was even able to introduce some clicker training to him.

Max is one of the special dogs I'll work with on a regular basis until he finds his way out of the shelter.

So of my list of 13 dogs today I worked with 9 of them and 1 I hadn't planned on working with. I think 10 dogs on one shelter visit is a record for me.

I really wish I had photos of the dogs going through the Confidence Course but until the day comes I can figure out how to take photos of myself doing that we will just have to imagine what it was like.

I'm really proud of how far little Max came today!

Shelter night - Finally!

2010-06-01T20:35:00.001-07:00

Well after not being able to get to the shelter last week I was thrilled to get there today.

Bullet is still looking for a Rescue group to take him in. It is suspected he may not pass his behavior test when it comes to taking away his food or toy. I really it just matters WHO does it and HOW they do it. Bullet will give me his toy if I ask nicely and offer a trade of another toy (higher or lower value is no concern to him) and I always praise him and give him a little treat.

Isn't he just the cutest? He is a very smart boy that is learning to walk nicely on a lead using the Balance Leash Plus. I don't have a harness small enough for him yet.

Honey is another special project of mine. When I first met Honey months ago I never guessed she would make it to Adoptions. Why? Because she is frightened of life. In the shelter that is enough reason for her to be euthanized.

Well Honey has a few angels watching over her and helping her along the way. She is still fearful but is also very trusting. She is no threat to anyone.

I've noticed the strangest thing when I work with Honey. She will not face me which is not strange but she will back up into me with such pressure I almost fall down!

She wants the contact and touch, she will sit on my lap facing away from me but isn't brave enough to face me.

Don't think I've ever seen a tail tucked up under a dog so tight in all my days! So, Honey gets lots and lots of tail work. We use the saying "Calm the tail and calm the dog", I'm trying to create a "Happy tail" to get a "Happy dog".

Lastly there is Charlie! Charlie is a Boxer & Greyhound mix puppy.

He has been adopted out twice. Not sure why he was returned the first time but the second return was of no fault of his own. It was not a match made in Heaven. Charlie was sent home with an older woman and her small dog. A jolly happy puppy like Charlie needs a sturdier family and when he knocked over the visiting grand kid it was back to the shelter for him! He is a big puppy so these things are bound to happen.

When Charlie was brought to me for his session tonight my friend wished me luck and hoped he would calm down enough to get the work. It told her No Problem and put on his Thundershirt!

With puppies like Charlie and Bullet I let them play and then do some touches, then off to play again. It seems to be a good balance for them. No way are they gonna hold still for a long session. Moments, not minutes.

Gertie's Tumor

2010-05-22T20:46:00.000-07:00

I want to share something remarkable. I have had 3 sessions with the little Doxie with the tumor. Gertie is 15 -17 years old, blind, mostly deaf and with an inoperable tumor. But she is spunky and has a real zest for life.

Medically nothing is being done to treat her tumor. The Dr.s said they can't help her. She is on a custom made diet by Sabine Contreras of Better Dog Care. Sabine made her a diet specific for cancer patients. Gertie has had the diet and TTouch only. Who knows how much of each contributed to the success or if it is a blend of the two. Either way her owner, LeeAnne is beside herself with joy. LeeAnne is the owner of Rowdy (another Doxie) that had a reaction to a bite and LeeAnne and her daughter saved her life using ear touches on the way to the vet.

Gertie - Before (April 23)

Gertie - After (May 19)

We used touches all over Gertie's body but concentrated Raccoon Touches on her tumor. I focused on asking her cells to remember their perfection. LeeAnne was very dedicated in doing the work between our visits and this is the result of our joint effort for Gertie.

The 3 C's

2010-05-15T21:17:00.001-07:00

Camelot, Cooper and Carlee

Today was our final session...well officially it was. I have no doubt I'll be seeing these sweethearts again down the road. My goal for today was to make sure that Cathleen was comfortable doing the touches and answer any questions she had.

As usual Cooper was first on my lap but Cami made sure she got her's too! Carlee is very laid back and really enjoys the touch but at the same time takes a back seat to Cooper and Cami.

The last couple sessions Cami has been doing something quite unusual. Something I've never seen with any other dog. At certain points in the work, when I'm doing Heart Hugs or touches to her chest her ears take on a life of their own. Normally they hang down like Doxie ears should.

Then as I start to work on her chest she starts moving her head almost like she is stretching and then the "ear thing' happens. The left ear kinda folds over itself and the right ear sticks straight out!

Here she is stretching her head and the ears are beginning to transform.

I'll be asking others involved in the work if they have seen anything like this before. I'd be curious if it has any significance.

I'd like to share something Cathleen said:
Cooper really likes TTouch.... which makes quite a bit of sense, seeing how his poor little body was so disconnected from itself for the first 5+ years of his life that he battled with a liver shunt, bladder stones and multiple infections throughout his body. I truely believe TTouch felt so wonderful to Cooper because it helped him to finally be one with his whole body...Cami on the other hand is a different dog from the first session to today.

This case study has really taken on a life of its own. Some may say "by chance" and others may say it was "in the plan" but a simple email asking a local rescue if they had a dog I could work on has really brought joy to my life. I have met some very knowledgeable ladies who are dedicated to the health and well-being of dogs. I have learned much from them and there is so much more to learn.

When people say that you receive more than you give doing this work they couldn't be any more correct!

'Nilla's 2nd Session

2010-05-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

Today I saw Nilla and her family again. She was still fearful of me when I came in but quite better than last time. After a few minutes I decided to put a Thundershirt on her and see if that reassured her any. Once again I was in awe over the influence the Thudershirt has on a dog's behavior or emotions. I should be used to seeing this but I imagine it will all seem new and fresh to me every time.

Instantly Nilla became relaxed and actually laid down while I talked with Bill & Tina. Nilla is doing better on her potty training and has a very reliable "sit". Not bad for such a young puppy. I was able to do touches on Nilla today without any fear response. I showed Bill and Tina how to do Mouth Work, how to work on her Tail & Ears.

One thing that was unique about today's session is I worked with their son, Cole. I showed Cole how to do some Chimp touches and how to be very calming and gentle with Nilla. Cole is Nilla's main target for jumping and biting. When Cole was very softly touching Nilla's muzzle and she was licking him it was a good time to explain how puppies test things out with their mouth like we do our hands. It doesn't take much excitement for a puppy to go from licking to biting. Cole understood and was very good to make adjustments where needed.

I put Nilla on my lap as we sat on the floor and she was more than accepting to the touches, she was welcoming. Then we took the shirt off to see if she would remain confident or if she would revert to being fearful. It seemed to be a mix. Her body language said she was not as comfortable as she was with the shirt but she was really trying and she was interacting.

Bill questioned how to get Nilla to drop the ball when they are playing so I showed the steps to teach "drop it". Nilla was great to engage with me. This is when I discovered how good at targeting the had she had become in the last two weeks! She was dead on each time. Bill has been working with her It really showed.

We were unable to duplicate the jumping and biting behavior and that isn't something we really want to set up so we talked about how to handle this when it happens next time. I consulted with Dennis Fehling a fantastic positive trainer and a Tellington Touch Practitioner in Training in Oregon. Using Dennis' technique we talked about making available a time out area upstairs and one downstairs. We would use a sound to replace the word "no" and if she repeated the behavior he is to say "too bad", pick her up and put her in time out for 2-3 minutes. When she is quiet let her out but don't acknowledge her. It won't take too many times before she learns that biting the boys is unacceptable.

Bill and Tina are ready to put the new things they learned in practice in the up coming 2 weeks. I look forward to hearing how things are going!

A Little Bird.........

2010-05-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

On the way into the office today I saw two guys kneeling down with something in their hands. Turns out it was a little yellow and green/gray bird. they had seen the bird fly into the window and fall to the ground and were holding it trying to decide what to do.

None of us know how to help this little one. Its left foot looked broken and it was holding its neck at a backward angle like it was looking up at the sky. He handed me the bird and I sat quietly talking to it and doing little tiny TTouches with my fingernail. At one point the bird which was facing away from me turned around and looked at me. A little later he fluffed up and it looked like he was doing really good (considering) so I put him on some soft ivy to see if he could rest there. He wouldn't have any part of it and wanted back into my hand.

The guys and I talked and thought it would be best if I took him with me and called Project Wildlife. Unfortunately this little one passed away in my hand on the elevator ride up to my office :-( I know the odds are slim for a little bird in its condition, they are so very fragile. But I'm sad. I've never held anything while it died before. He never even closed his eyes. He just relaxed while looking at me and left.

I'm thankful for the guys that stopped so he didn't have to die by himself hurting and scared.

Although TTouch didn't help him get better I do believe he liked it enough he didn't want to stop looking at me with soft eyes or get out of my hand. I think TTough gave him peace through his pain and helped ease his transition.

Rest well little one.

Cami and Friends

2010-05-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

When I visited Cami and her friends yesterday I got to see her in all her glory! This little girl is completely different from the one I met at our first session! She is really feeling great and running and playing. Such a joy to see.

The Doxies seemed to know I was there for their benefit and promptly got up in my lap for their TTouch. As I hold all three, Carlee, Cami and Cooper, I switch off on who is actually being worked on and who is having a pause to process. It actually works out quite well.

Cooper enjoys his ear work. What better ears for Ear TTouch than those of a Doxie? I do believe he looks like he is going to fall asleep!

Carlee has a very BIG yawn during the Abalone TTouches I'm doing on her chest.

I made another wrap for Cami and I think she looks like a little present. She is a little present to all those who know her so it is very fitting. Doesn't she look pretty?

Soon little Gertie stopped by for some TTouch before heading to the vet. Gertie has been having some trouble that does not appear to be related to her tumor. This sweet one sure doesn't need another thing on her plate. Thoughts and prayers are with her as they look for answers.

As for her tumor, even though it looks large and I couldn't really SEE a difference I absolutely could FEEL a difference. The tumor felt very full and tight before. Now there is relaxation in the lump. According to Lee Anne it has shrunk quite a bit. Before when Lee Anne would cup her hand over the tumor her hand would be full. Now there is a significant difference in how much of her and the tumor fills. We are happy for any reduction in size or pressure that we can get for her.

Gertie would benefit from a few more sessions

I think Cami is pretty much back to normal. She seems to be feeling fit as a fiddle which you can see in this video clip of her playing. We will most likely have one more session where I can make sure Cathleen can carry on the work on her own. Then I'll be around on an as needed basis for this sweet girl for as long as they need me.

- Camelot, Cami, The Princess -

This has really been a fantastic case study. Not only had Cami benefited but so has Cooper. Cooper was described to me as a nervous boy that was cautious of women and would leave the room when company came. I never met that Cooper. The Cooper I know is quite confident, loving and the first to hop on my lap and the last to leave. As for Carlee, I think she just plain loved TTouch and how good it feels to her. Gertie has had a reduction in size and pressure of her tumor. On top of all these things I've met two very nice friends in Cathleen and Lee Anne. What more could I ask for?

Hoarders

2010-05-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I did an evaluation for a Powerpuff Chinese Crested named Skylar.

Skylar was rescued by my friend Nichole about a year ago. Prior to that he lived with an animal hoarder. Skylar is under socialized and frightened of the world in general and tends to mark his territory. Nichole has done an amazing job in the year that she has had him. I actually expected his issues to be far worse that what I saw.

It is so easy to get angry at hoarders for the mental damage that is done to these dogs and typically the lack of veterinary care too. Studies have shown that many hoarders are previous victims of violence and / or sexual abuse. They start off with a genuine desire and need to protect and save these animals. They can't say no and saving one dog turns into many, many more than they are able to deal with. So although we can understand how one thing led to another it is so important to reach out to the authorities if you suspect a hoarding situation so that all involved can get the help they need.

Now, back to Skylar.

Skylar was quite timid but with an offer of an excellent treat he was not too timid to approach me. A very good sign. Using calming signals with Skylar and avoiding direct eye contact he was happy to let me do touches all over his body. I was able to do a nonthreatening Chimp Touch on his head, mouth, body, hind quarters (where frightened dogs have a lot of tension) and his legs and feet. I was impressed with his tolerance. He was actually relaxing rather than just being too afraid to protest.

I think Skylar would be a wonderful candidate for a Thundershirt and we found the Extra Small fit him just right. Skylar was quite accepting of the shirt but unfortunately in the process of putting it on him we ended up "cornering" him and he became very stressed and would not allow touches.

Time to regroup! Skylar told us he was uncomfortable and it was our job to fix that. So outside we went! From this point Skylar was less receptive of my touching him although I could touch his head and face. The rest of Skylar was now off limits.

This is where I turned the work over to Nichole. I asked her to do lots of mouth work on him since there is a connection between the mouth and emotions. Skylar did great outside with Nichole doing the work.

As Nichole and I talked she said that Skylar is afraid of the camera and will look away or leave as soon as she breaks it out. I took out the camera for the first time after putting on the Thundershirt. Connection? I'm willing to bet on it. The other thing was that Skylar usually won't accept touch to his back end. She didn't want to say anything to influence my work with him and just watched. Nichole was pretty pleased that Skylar allowed the touches where he needed it so badly.

I won't be taking Skylar on as a case study until after I get back from Santa Fe in July. I want to do some research on the best ways to help Skylar overcome his fears between now and then. I'm sure I will come back refreshed with lots of new ideas after training with Linda Tellington-Jones in July. In the meantime Nichole has lots of touches she can continue on Skylar and she knows how to find me between now and then.

I've seen some amazing responses using the Thundershirts and if you are considering getting one in the next two weeks please enter the code "2ndchance" in the Discount Code box when you order your shirt from Thundershirts. When you do 50% of the purchase price will go to help Doxi's in need. Doxies just like Princess Cami and her friends! This special run May 10 - 24! Help your dog while you help the Wiener dogs!

Shelter pups

2010-05-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had the pleasure of volunteering at the shelter. I really enjoy the time I spend there and as soon as I win the lotto I'll be spending TONS of time there. But for now I have to settle for the opportunities I do have.

Usually I will ask a couple of my friends, Jan (Zorro's new Momma) and Kathy (who was critical to his rescue) who they think could use some TTouch. Tonight I worked from Kathy's suggestions and one dog I wanted to redo his picture.

I started off the night with Argo. Argo's intake picture has a nasty looking prong collar and until a volunteer has a chance to redo pictures the dogs go on to the Available page with their initial intake picture. Not good. Thankfully more and more volunteers are seeing the benefit of a good picture and are helping me out quite a bit!

Argo is a handsome boy. I forgot to bring treats with me and he was rather shy of me at first. It seemed he wanted to stay just outside my reach. But when the opportunity allowed I'd do 1 or 2 touches as he walked by. It wasn't much more than 5 minutes before he came and sat next to me so I could do touches all over. Next thing you knew his head was in my lap and he allowed touches on his head, face, muzzle and gums! TTouch is a powerful tool for building trust.

Next I worked with Zada who has been at the shelter for some time but I've never worked with her. Have I ever been missing out!!! Zada is incredible. I just love the big Pit Bulls and Zada is about 75 pounds of solid muscle. She has a big 'ol head which is perfect for TTouchin' on.

I sat on my sheet and Zada backed her body right up to me and allowed touches everywhere. There was never a question if she would like something. Her body language said she was loving every touch or stroke. A few minutes into our session she turned that extra large head toward me and licked me from my chin to the top of my head, knocking my glasses off. One of the other volunteers commented she looked like she was going to pass out toward the end of our time together.

Now, before you start thinking Zada is a lover girl with no brains let me tell you she is attending classes at the shelter to earn her CGC and rumor has it she will be testing soon.

Someone is going to be extra lucky to get this beautiful girl with brains and manners!

Next came Sophie. I've both worked with and written about this sweetheart. Sophie is very receptive to touches also but is terribly camera shy. As soon as I lift the camera she is outta there!

Sophie is starting to get her waist back after having a litter of puppies and really putting on the pounds. One thing that may never change is her "underside". Poor Sophie's girlish figure may never return. Yet another good reason to spay & neuter your pets.

Lastly I saw Andre. Okay, talk about another love bug! Andre is taking the same CGC classes Zada is in. Andre loved touches all over too. He was good with me working on his feet, head, face and mouth.

Turns out Andre is a little vocal around other dogs. He gets excited and just has to tell them his life story. I saw this first hand when he spotted dogs several hundred feet away. He got all excited and started to bark and cry.

I've been talking with folks about Thundershirts today and I wondered if the shirt would help him settle around other dogs. Well, can't hurt and just might help. I fitted Andre in a size large and no sooner had I got it on him when someone came by with a dog. The dogs greeted each other through the fence and all was quite. Andre was a perfect gentleman! They played with a fence between them for a couple minutes and then the pretty girl puppy went on her way. It was only when she left that Andre let out a cry. This time it was quite easy to get his focus back on me.

Before you knew it my 2 hours were up and it was time for me to go home to my own pups. No matter how long I'm at the shelter it is never long enough. I always leave with a full heart, a smile on my face and a prayer in my heart that one of these lotto tickets pays off.

'Nilla - Puppyhood

2010-05-01T20:34:00.001-07:00

Isn't 'Nilla (Short for Vanilla) precious? 'Nilla is 12 weeks old and doing what puppies her age do....jumping up and nipping! Unfortunately the family and most especially the two very young boys in the family really don't appreciate this behavior. My goal is to help 'Nilla become a more calmed puppy and teach her lots of other wonderful ways to get attention.

Today when I arrived little 'Nilla was quite shy and hiding behind her person at every opportunity. Working in a large area where she could avoid me wasn't working so well. When we moved to a smaller area I was able to toss her treats and she would reluctantly take them. I was very surprised when I reached to pet her she was terrified of me and let out a scream and piddled.

According to her owner this is not a behavior they have seen in the 2 weeks she has been there. Although we aren't sure why she was frightened of me, one thought is that she smelled dogs on me and was fearful because she had been sternly barked at this morning. Maybe, I'm not sure. She most certainly isn't afraid of her family.

Bill and I reviewed the paper work I brought and I tossed treats to 'Nilla. We discussed food for her and picked out a nice high quality, grain-free diet that will get her off to a good start in life.

It was time to try touches on her again and I contained her in front of me and she was more accepting of touches. Oddly enough she was very accepting of touches on her head, face and mouth.

Thinking a body wrap would help calm her I used a 2" wrap and did a 1/4 wrap but didn't tie it. After 20-30 seconds she wanted it off and I complied. Later we tried again and as I contained her on my lap I very slowly put the wrap on her and she was fine with it. I allowed her to walk about with it on. Soon she laid down and was completely relaxed. At this point I was able to work her entire body, feet, face, head and mouth.

We did a minimal introduction to clicker training. We "loaded the clicker" and did some very easy "touch".

That was enough for today!

I'm constantly reminded that although I may have an idea in mind of where I want the session to lead the dog may have another idea. It is my job to meet the dog where she is and with tenderness and patience get her set up for success.

Chevy Graduates!

2010-04-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

When I think of the progress Chevy and Jeff have made in just three sessions all I can think to say is "WOW"! What a learning process this has been for me.

Chevy has been an ideal student and has done everything we have asked of him.

I emailed Jeff to let him know I was on my way since we are working on door manners. He commented that Chevy must have known I was on my way because he was very excited. Today he stayed while Jeff opened the door for me but in his excitement ran down the stairs to greet me. I turned away while he situated himself back at the top of the stairs and waited for me to greet him. He shook with excitement but he waited.

Because Chevy was so excited today I put him in a Thundershirt right away and did lots of Zig-Zag and Lying Leopard touches on him to help him settle a bit.

Tonight was lots of fun because we alternated working in the house reviewing commands and learning Leave It and going for walks and even some ground work!

In teaching Chevy "Leave It" I would hold a treat in my hand, not saying anything, and when he backed away I'd give him a different treat with the other hand. It wasn't very long at all that I couldn't even get him to LOOK at the treat he was not supposed to have. We would raise the bar and put the treat on the floor and tell him to leave it. "No Problem" said Chevy, "I know you're gonna give me another one!" Yes, he is a quick learner.

Outside we worked on his dog reactivity by teaching him "Find it". With "Find it" we would walk, get his attention and toss several treats on the ground around him and tell him to "Find it"! He loved this game.

Throughout the course of our session we encountered 3 or 4 dogs. They were at a distance but he saw them and did not react. We did not let that distance get too close so we could focus on setting him up for success.

At one point we redirected him and the other dog was close enough behind us that Jeff and I could hear the dog tags. You KNOW if we heard dog tags so did Chevy! What a very good boy.

Tonight I introduced Chevy to ground work. We set up a mini Confidence Course in the front yard and again he did fantastic. I noticed something really interesting about Chevy. When he was really excited and we wanted to reign him in he was an ace in the course. He would sit or lay down when asked and move along when asked. What was interesting is once we had his focus and he was calmed he wasn't interested in doing it any more and it was clear he wanted to walk on.

Jeff now has the tools he needs to help Chevy calm down, have nice manners at the door and walk down the street far less reactive than before. With Jeff's dedication and Chevy's smarts and eagerness to please they are going to do fantastic.

The Princess and her Court

2010-04-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

Me & Cooper

Saturday I had the pleasure of working with Cami, Carlee and Cooper again. Not only that but we also had a very special senior girl, Gertie.

Cami was quite the different dog this week. She was playful and sassy! It is clear that she is really feeling better. Must be all that lovin' from her Momma, the fantastic food, excellent vet care and a healthy dose of Tellington TTouch.

She has the most beautiful ears for doing Ear Touches!

Here she is modeling a special body wrap for the tiny types. Please say a big prayer for this special girl. Tomorrow she goes back to the doctor where they will draw fluid from her joints to see if she is in remission.

Obviously this is an uncomfortable procedure but the body wrap and the touches made her so relaxed that her Mom is going to see if the wrap alone is enough too avoid having her sedated. The less meds for this little one, the better.

Tonight I made Cami her very own little wrap and dyed it purple for her. Hopefully it will make her procedure a little more comfortable.

Here Cami enjoys her TTouches while Cooper makes sure he is next in line.

Gertie is a lady of a certain age. What age we really aren't certain and besides a lady never tells her age. Although Gertie has no vision it really doesn't seem to bother her much. She walks slowly and very gently bumps into things, adjusts her path and off she goes again.

The main problem Gertie has is a tumor on her neck. You can see it quite clearly in this photo.

Her Mom has taken her for treatment and learned the risks of surgery outweigh the benefits. Like Cami, Gertie is on a specially prepared diet for cancer patients. The tumor itself is not terribly large and it does not impact her breathing or cause her any pain. What you see in the picture is the blood and fluid that surround the tumor.

I showed Lee Anne how to do Raccoon Touches all around the area to reduce the fluid in that area and call upon the body to address the issue as only one's body can do. The touches are done very lightly.

Today I had an update from Lee Anne that the area is not nearly as tight as it was on Saturday! Fantastic news for this sweet little girl.

Front Door Manners

2010-04-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

When I arrived to work with Jeff and Chevy today I was in for a big surprise! Previously I was greeted by a happy, bouncing, kangaroo! Today Chevy was very polite and kept all four on the floor. It is obvious that Jeff and his friend have been working diligently with Chevy.

One thing that came up in our talking today that is worth mentioning is Chevy gets TTouch first thing in the morning when they are waking up and then again as they go to bed. Jeff commented that during the day sometimes it is only a few seconds of touches but not a concentrated effort of a full session. You know what? That is just fine! Tellington TTouch is all about moments and not minutes. It was quite obvious to me that the amount of touch Chevy is receiving is just right.

We had two goals for today. The first was to review what we learned during the week and then take a walk. One of Jeff's concerns about Chevy is his dog reactivity.

The other goal was one Jeff mentioned to me during the week. I will be the first to admit that when he said he wanted to work on calm door greetings with Chevy my first thought was "Ohhhh noooooo! Not calm door greetings."

Here is the ironic thing. Both of these goals for today are things I struggle with at home with our own boyz. Marley and Pierre are dog reactive. All three are very naughty at the door so much so that it impacts us having people over. I've tried it all. But with 3 dogs all feeding off each other and one who has challenges sharing treats it is difficult to work with.

So, I did some research this week and remembered a Victoria Stillwell episode I had recorded where Victoria helped a guy with 2 very boisterous pit bulls. I rewatched that episode and realized that was going to be the right method for Chevy.

I asked what Jeff wanted to see when someone came to the door. He had a very clear picture for us to work with. He wants Chevy to sit nicely at the top of the stairs when he goes down and greets the guest. This was perfect because you need a clear picture of the end result when you start.

What we did was have Chevy sit at the top of the stairs and "wait". We gradually moved away from him added one step after another.

Finally we could go to the bottom of the stairs and open the front door with Chevy patiently waiting at the top! Sometimes he got a treat and other times he got a few touches. Jeff and I took turns being the one to say "wait" and move away from him. Then we upped the ante a bit and I went outside and Jeff let me in. Still Chevy waited patiently. Today we progressed to a light knock on the door....all with success.

This is a homework assignment for Jeff this week. Keep practicing and building on this.

The next thing we did was go for a walk! But first we switched out his Flexi Lead for a nice soft fabric, double ended lead so we could walk him in the super balance lead. This is a configuration where one end of the lead hooks on a harness ring, through a loop on the front of the harness and then up to the top of the harness. This gives us 2 points of contact and better influence over the dog.

As expected, Chevy caught on immediately. He has very nice leash manners any way so adapting to the Super Balance Leash was no problem.

Soon we saw a dog and before it was too close I showed Jeff how to redirect using the "Touch" command. It worked like a charm. Then we let the other dog get closer (on the other side of the street). I wanted to show Jeff how to work with him when he reacts. Turns out he reacts the same way Marley used to. High pitch scream and trying to get to the dog. I was able to get through to him a little which kept it from getting worse but ultimately the thing that broke his focus from the other do was a handful of treats thrown on the ground.

Jeff had a great question. Does that reward him for acting up? No, it really doesn't. When a dog is in that state of mind he isn't thinking or making a connection. Food can act as a destressor for a dog and in these beginning stages we do what it takes to interrupt the cycle in a positive way. Later we will get to the point where he can sit and get treats as the other dog goes by. Right now we want to break the pattern without force of any kind. We want to start making an association that other dog = good things!

All in all I'm incredibly pleased with Chevy's progress. He is a very smart boy with a highly committed Dad. These two are really excelling in every way.

The Princess

2010-04-18T15:50:00.000-07:00

Camelot, Cami, or you can just call me "The Princess"

I love working with all animals. In fact I've not met a dog or cat I haven't liked along this journey of mine. Maybe it is because of the tough road we have traveled with Sammi and Marley's backs that I have an extra special spot in my heart for those with physical difficulties.

Tellington TTouch is no substitute for veterinary care but it can be quite complimentary to it. A supportive and comforting care to go along with what the Doctor orders.

Focusing on this special place in my heart my desire was to bring in more cases that have physical pain, those recovering from injury or surgery or issues that impair their mobility. The other day I started giving this some serious thought followed by an action plan. I asked myself what breed may fall into this category. Although there are many the Dachshund immediately popped into my mind and I ran a Google search of rescue groups in my area.

2nd Chance Dachshund Rescue of San Diego - www.2ndchancedoxie.com/ - caught my eye. 2nd Chance Dachshund Rescue is very special. They are local out of San Diego and only take 4 or 5 dogs at a time. The reason is they provide exceptional natural care. The dogs are fed the highest quality diet and an array of supplements. They are raised naturally without chemicals. They are given the best of care for mind and body. I sent them an email of introduction and an offer to assist any Doxies that may benefit from spending time with me. In a matter of hours I had a reply. They had such a dog. A little girl named Camelot, or Cami, or Princess as people tend to call her.

Saturday morning, bright and early, I met Cami and her "Mom", Cathleen.

Cami was born with a spine that has a 45 degree angle to it! As bad as this sounds Cami's spine doesn't slow this little girl down one bit. The big problem is that she has been diagnosed with an auto immune disease called Immune Medicated Polyarthritis that is requiring her to have some pretty nasty medicine. She has also had some painful episodes and some lameness. To read more about this disease please click on this link:
www.fecava.org/files/ejcap/678.pdf

There is something else she has that I'm going to talk about for a moment. This is something that did not have to happen to her. There is a breeding practice called Color Dilution where mutated genes are matched to produce unnatural colors. Beautiful unnatural colors, in fact.

So, what the heck is wrong with making these pretty colors?

The biggest problem is that by 2-3 years old the dog will begin to get bacterial infections (folliculitis) and require antibiotics. That will work for a time. The hair will begin to fall out and this alopecia will spread. The skin in the effected areas tends to be scaly and be at risk for sunburn and extreme cold temperatures.

Breeding a purebred dog should be done for the betterment of the breed. This practice is not in the dogs best interest and needs to stop.

Back to my visit with Cami.

Cami shares her home with two other Doxies, Carlee and Cooper. Rumor has it that Cooper tends to have some nervous tics to him and is particular as to which women he trusts in his life. Carlee is as cute and affectionate as can be.

It is nice when I have multiple dogs to work with at a time because Tellington TTouch is all about moments and not minutes. The pause between the work is as important as the touches and gives the brain an opportunity to process what has just happened. So, having multiple dogs to work with provides these pauses naturally.

I have a tiny little body wrap that was perfect for Cami. She has tried a Thundershirt before but because of her hump it was not as comfortable as it is for other dogs. The wrap was perfect as we could avoid it all together.

I did short bursts of touches on Cami because this little girl is a bundle of energy and had other things to do~ A Princess' work is never done.

Cooper was a delight. Far more shy and calm than his sisters but he was not too shy to crawl up on my lap and get his fair share. While Cooper melted into my lap Carlee squeezed in for her turn.

One thing I noticed about these long nose dogs is they had no problem letting me know what they liked and where they wanted it. If I took the touches to the back end they would use those long noses to lift up my hand and flip it up toward their heads! All three did this and being a momma to "no nose" Frenchie boyz I got a smile from it.

Cami would look on and even "nose" the other Doxies when I worked on them but it was beneath her to come over to me so I'd reach out to her. It was an enjoyable juggling act.

Holding an intention of what you want to see in Tellington TTouch is very important. My intention for Cami is to help her through her treatment. When her body is in pain or swelling we can do Snail Tail or Raccoon Touches. Wraps can comfort her and generally help her feel better.

By the end of my visit all three dogs were relaxed and I hear had quite the late morning nap.

I look forward to seeing these special little ones next week.

Marley, the Graduate

2010-04-15T20:57:00.000-07:00

Thank you Dr. Sosna!

The Animal Acupuncture & Rehabilitation Center

Well after 3 1/2 months of Physical Therapy Marley has GRADUATED!!!! Steve and I couldn't me more proud if he were graduating from an Ivy League University - actually we are MORE proud of what he has accomplished.

Tonight was Marley's final walk on the underwater treadmill. Can you believe he does 25 minutes and the resistance is 12 times that of walking without water? Marley's da man!

One trick Marley learned was to put his feet on a non moving part of the treadmill and just move his back legs or sometimes 3 legs and hold on with one. That was super cute.

Here he is holding on with his front and moving the back.

Now you talk about a smart boy!

Marley does a super challenging obstacle course and both Steve and I take turns taking him through. When it is all fun and games he does much better with Dad! But when there is another dog around then he listens to Momma best. Together we make a perfect team.

Just came up the ramp and headed for the stairs.

Marley goes over the speed bumps like a little champ!

Marley finishes up his final run with Momma with a nice hand shake!

Here you can watch Steve in action taking Marley through the course. You can see just how hard he is working but still having a really good time.

Now you wanna see fun? Take a look at this video clip. Dr. Sosna laughing cracks me up. Can you believe all this fun is actually rehab?

When you realize that Marley took his very first tentative steps on Christmas day and now he is doing all this it is amazing. Steve and I have been consumed with his recovery since December 10 of last year. Every tear, every worry and every minute (and dollar) has been so worth it to see our boy running and playing again.

Congrats for all your hard work and accomplishments little man! We love you tons and tons.

Chevy

2010-04-14T21:02:00.001-07:00

Isn't Chevy a doll? Not only is he adorable but he is my latest case study!!

You just never know when a wonderful opportunity will pop up. My meeting Chevy was unique. You see I was walking our Frenchie, Pierre when a neighbor stopped me and asked if I would be willing to work with his friend that could use some help with his Frenchie. Well I never want to pass up helping a dog with a need so here we are.

In speaking with his person, Jeff, I find out that Chevy is 8 years old, full of energy and a strong dislike for the UPS man and dogs :-)

When I first arrived I was greeted by this adorable little kangaroo! I don't know I've ever seen a Frenchie that can bounce so high. Fortunately I must not resemble the UPS man because he didn't bark at me, he only bounced.

My thoughts for Chevy are to teach him some self control and how to calm down. Then we want a strong foundation on some tools to put in our tool box that we can use when he reacts to other dogs. My tools of choice are the "Look at me" and "Touch" commands.

Chevy does not appreciate the sound of a clicker, nor the lighter for the BBQ for that matter. No problem, we will use "Yep" as our marker word and accomplish the same thing.

We introduced Chevy to the Thundershirt to help calm him and did some Lying Leopard touches and ear & mouth work. Moving between touches, ignoring inappropriate behavior and praising the good and our pseudo clicker training it wasn't long before Chevy and I were having a fun game of Touch!

I'm constantly amazed at how dogs do what works. If they can get attention, good or bad, by bouncing and acting up then so be it. But when that no longer works and they are shown another way to get good things then that is what they do.

Chevy figured out very quickly that jumping on me was met with crossed arms and my looking away from him and that four on the floor resulted in calm and loving touches and treats!

Now it was Jeff's turn to play touch!

What team they are! We are well on our way to having valuable tools to rely on when the need arises.

As things were winding down we had an opportunity to put "Touch" to the test. Chevy became concerned about something on the other side of the fence and started to react somewhat. Rather than tell him no or try to correct him I asked him to touch in a fun and playful way. Chevy immediately left the fence and ran full steam ahead to touch my hand.

I see great things happening with Chevy already.

Jeff has his list of homework to do before we get together again. He will keep working on the Tellington TTouches he learned today and concentrate on teaching the "Look at me" and "Touch" commands in lots of different places. Keep it fun!

Shelter night!

2010-04-13T20:39:00.001-07:00

When one door closes another is thrown wide open. Today was one of those days.

My standing Tuesday appointment with Iggy was canceled so I took the opportunity to volunteer at the shelter. One of my very favorite things to do is to work with these special dogs looking for homes.

I was asked to work with Clyde because, and I quote "he has more issues than Time magazine". I didn't know what these issues were and I didn't know the breed. I only knew he had issues and where to find him.

Meet Clyde!

It isn't often I am asked to work with a tiny one like this and I always find it to be fun. As you can see I was very excited to try out my XS Thundershirt! I did try the XXS but it was a tad too small. That got me wondering what the heck fits in the XXS, a hamster?

I found Clyde to be a loving dog that wanted to sit on my lap and was very receptive to the touches. I tried some clicker training with him but he really wasn't all that interested. Clyde would rather be loved on and get lots of touches.

The little ones are so different. I may only use one or two fingers very lightly to do the work. As far as finding more issues than Time magazine, somehow I missed them. I only found a little dog that loves to be loved.

Malcom is a dog I've been watching in the "found" section for some time. I was drawn to him because of this picture:

I have no idea what happened to this sweet boy's eye and I've never seen anything quite like it. He has been in "found" for such a long time. Today I finally met him. He is available now and this is the picture the shelter is using for his page on the website!!!! Nooo, not good!

Not knowing if his eye was still this way I wasn't sure what to expect but either way Malcom needed a new photo.

I was so happy to see that this damaged eye is a part of his history. Malcom and I went outside and had a wonderful TTouch session with lots of play and kisses.

As you can see Malcom has come a very long way. It is now evident why he had not moved to the Available page before now. He was having a makeover!

Malcom is the sweetest dog and we had so much fun playing. If I didn't have 3 boys at home already this little man would NOT be looking for a home.

Is he "stinkin' cute" or what??? Something tells me he will not be homeless for very long!

Jackson was next. His intake picture spoke to me as well. What a sad looking boy!

I had to see for myself if Jackson was indeed as sad as his picture said he was. If so, we were going to have to change that.

Turns out Jackson is a very happy boy. He is one good looking Chocolate Lab x Pit boy that thinks he is a lap dog!

Photographing Jackson was a bit of a challenge because he either wanted to kiss the camera or he wanted to plop down on my lap and kiss me!

Think this may compel more folks to come and appreciate this big 'ol love bug than the other picture? I hope so!

It is dogs like Clyde, Malcom and Jackson that continue to draw me into the shelter. I go there with the idea of helping them but it is me that walks away with a full heart.

Zorro the Graduate??

2010-03-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

What could possibly be the icing on the cake today?

That icing was a wonderful update from Zorro's Mom! When we started working with Zorro he was very excitable (for good reason) and he had trouble relaxing. Because of his shelter background and concerns he might have with other dogs Jan has become proficient with rotating dogs in her home.

But Zorro is a changed dog. Over the past few weeks through TTouch, dietary changes and his much loved Thundershirt he is now a calm puppy! The next big hurdle was for him and one of the resident dogs, Buffy to become buddies. Well today was the day.

Here is the email that Jan sent:

I finally decided that Zorro was ready to be really meet with Buffy. Kathy and I have been walking the two of them and there was no aggression from either of them. And Linda has been here working with him(he has really started to mellow)We started out front, I had Zorro on a leash and let Buffy come out. It was love at first sight for Zorro--his little tail was wagging so hard I thought it would fall off. He tried to play with Buffy--who beginning the little Stuck up Princess she is would just stare at him then look away-as though to say "You are soooo far beneath me I have nothing to say to you". He has continued to follow her around the house and back yard in hopes she will give him some sort of recognition (this was the way she was with Teddy when he first arrived) I spent the last 4 hours with the two of them in the same rooms or back yard with each other, no problems. I am the happiest Mom ever, my kids can now be together. It will make my life a lot easier and it will be great for both Buffy & Zorro.

Note the Calming Signal that Buffy is offering to Zorro by turning her head. This is her way of letting him know she means no harm. Buffy is an excellent communicator.

I'm really excited to see that our biggest goals for Zorro have come to pass. He is a wonderful and happy boy. Thank you to Nicole from Just a Dog Rescue for springing him from the shelter and welcoming him into her private rescue. Thank you to Jan for opening her home and providing a safe haven to Zorro while he has undergone his transformation. And finally, thank you to our friend Kathy who is Jan's faithful sidekick and Zorro's Godmother! Together these ladies have made all the difference in a little dog's life.

I think Buffy is trying to get her new buddy to come out and play with her!

March 30 UPDATE

Isn't this latest picture of Zorro and Buffy a wonderful sight? I couldn't be happier for Jan and her pups!

Paws in the Park

2010-03-28T14:29:00.001-07:00

Paws in the Park
Escondido Humane Society Fund Raiser

Thanks to all the wonderful folks that sponsored team TouchNpaws we raised $1,300+ for the homeless animals at Escondido Humane Society! How wonderful is that???

TouchNpaws came in 5th place for fund raising. This was made possible by all our generous friends. Thank you, thank you and thank you some more.

You know. Raising the money was fun but the event was incredible. Hundreds and hundreds of people out enjoying a stunning day with their dogs. All the doggies behaved so nicely. I was amazed.

The morning started off with registration and prizes for our efforts. Then Tamilee Webb of "Buns of Steel" took us through what she called a "warm up" and what Steve and I called a "work out".

Tamilee has a sweet 3-legged dog and has the most adorable carrier for her.

There were vendors and snacks everywhere. Not only did I find a new market that has organic produce and vegan foods I want to try I also got a cute top and sundress for the hot Summer that is right around the corner. What more could a girl ask for?

Well a girl could ask for a kiss from an adorable Biker Dog named Chopper!

Then the walk began and it was a constant long line of people and their dogs walking for the homeless animals. Quite an amazing sight.

The start of the walk was marked by this massive balloon arch!

Steve and I walked with our Hairstylist, Erin and her husband Rob....and their beautiful Pitty girl, Tessa.

At one point we had to cross a bridge and Tessa wasn't too happy about that. Fortunately her Dad is a Fireman and had no problem helping getting her to the other side :-)

The day ended with recognition of the top 3 fund raisers and top 3 teams. And a Wet T-Shirt Contest for the dogs...of course!

On your mark.....get set....GO!

Gotta get the wet T-Shirt out of the bucket and get the shirt over the dog's head and their "arms" through and back to the start line to win.

I think we have a winner!

Of course it is impossible for me to be in the company of so many dogs without passing out TTouches to one and all.

And isn't this a pretty sight! These Pittys were so loving and well behaved. A stellar representation of the breed!

Iggy has a major breakthrough!

2010-03-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

Tonight's session with Iggy was better than I could have ever imagined. One thing we are taught in TTouch is not to hold expectations. Expectations can limit your results.

When I arrived Nicole told me that Anastasia from Relaxing Rex, canine massage, wanted to come by and meet me. I thought the idea was great. My goal for Iggy is for him to become comfortable with a wide range of situations and not just be comfortable with his foster parents....and me. The more things we can introduce him to the better.

While the three of us were in the back yard Iggy would run over and take a treat from me and run away again. This is typical Iggy behavior. The magical thing about Iggy is that when his doggie friends are present he becomes a lot braver. I suggested we bring out Doby and Benny.

As soon as his buddies were with us then Iggy wanted to be in the center of the action too.

Iggy gets very curious what the other dogs are getting that he is not and I use that to my advantage.

We want Iggy to eventually wear a Thundershirt so I had Doby wear one and let Iggy see it was okay.

Another thing we want to do is be able to clicker train Iggy. Strange noises scare him so we have to proceed slowly. A thought came to me to do some clicker with Benny and see what Iggy did. At first he flinched. The next time he watched but didn't finch so bad. It wasn't long before I had taught Iggy the very useful "Touch" request.

Look at Iggy doing a line drive across the yard to touch my hand!

I think he is actually smiling!

What a quick learner Iggy is. :-)

Of course I generalized Touch in various places in the yard. Including under HIS tree.

After Anastasia left and it was just Nicole, Iggy and I he seemed to really relax...for Iggy. He was stressed with a third person there but still he was able to deal with the clicker and learn to Touch.

It was at this point Iggy let his hair down, so to speak, and really enjoyed some good TTouch.

He laid on his side and allowed tummy rubs and let me work on his feet.

Time for some mouth work.

If you calm the tail of an excited dog it calms the dog. Here I'm using the opposite thought. I have a timid dog and if I try to duplicate a happy tail will I get a happy dog?

I think we did get a happy dog. What do you think?

It was at this point some very wise words came to mind.
End the session when you think things are going really well.
It was very difficult for me to leave at this point but I'll be back next Tuesday.

Damaged Dogs

2010-03-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

Thankfully it didn't rain this weekend. First one in 6 weeks! A break in the rain was what allowed me to work with Iggy on Saturday and get back to the shelter on Sunday.

I've been out of the loop at the shelter for a bit with tending to Marley and because of the rain so I wasn't quite sure which dogs I wanted to work with. Sometimes decisions are made just by reviewing the pictures on the shelter's website and making a list of dogs that could use a better picture.

That is how things went on Sunday. I went armed with a list of dogs that needed their personalities to be reflected a little better on their adoption page.

Two of the dogs I worked with really stood out among the others. Both are females and both have been damaged.

Cassadee

I've posted about Cassadee before and talked about how she is a survivor of distemper but it has left its mark on her body and mind. Cassadee wasn't on my list of dogs to visit because her picture on the website was quite cute. She is sitting there with a big smile looking at the camera. Not a glamor shot but precious none the less.

When I arrived a Lead Volunteer was walking her and she was quite stressed. You see, Cassadee is good with people but does not like other dogs at all. I was asked if I'd like to spend time with her and it was obvious she and I could do some good together.

My visit with the dogs usually includes TTouch, Clicker Training and a Photo Shoot. Cassadee remembered the Touch request I taught her last time. When she was agitated seeing another dog I could redirect her by having her touch my hand...we would move away and then do some more body work.

Unfortunately the shelter is a very difficult place for dogs like Cassadee. There are dogs everywhere and her dislike is strong enough that she has a limited amount of time to pull herself together. I do the best I can but sometimes the odds and time are against me. I hope I see Cassadee again but even if I don't I know that I was able to convey to her that she is a special girl. She has learned basic requests from me and I've seen her mobility improve. Cassadee has had some very nice experiences and happy days. I hope and pray she is successful getting her reactivity under control so she can have many more happy days.

Hailey

What an amazingly sweet dog Hailey is. She is calm, attentive, affectionate and smart...she is also a bit fearful. I discovered her fear when I took out my camera to photograph her. She went from nuzzling my neck and kissing me to trying to get away as fast as she could. My first though was of Iggy and his fear of the camera.

As I did touches on Hailey I could feel tension release from her body. I saw a large hole in her left ear. The hole looked like a tear that had healed up. This happens sometimes. I didn't think a lot of it.

I was captivated with Hailey's loving spirit.

I found out that Hailey has very good reason to be concerned with new things. Turns out this beautiful and sweet girl had been used as a bait dog for training fighting dogs! My blood boiled as I heard her story.

When Hailey came to the shelter she was chewed to pieces. The wonderful staff at Escondido Humane Society took fantastic care of her and the only physical sign is her over sized pierced ear. She is a quiet girl and didn't react to other dogs that were near by. I don't know if she likes them or not but she would be more than justified to be fearful of them.

Sam is another dog that was used as a bait dog for fighting. He had the same lovely disposition as Hailey. Maybe they are so thankful for positive human interaction. I believe Hailey's story will end up far happier than Sam's did.

There is something about a broken dog that draws me in. I've found the damaged ones have such deep and soulful eyes and they want to trust. Our paths cross so I can help teach them to do just that.

Here are a few of the other dogs I worked with on Sunday.

Enjoy: