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Saturday, December 26, 2009

"Raki" The Showbiz Dog

Merry Christmas! But it's not yet over, we can still feel the fun and joy of the season, in fact we are not done celebrating, it’s been a busy tiring week yet we really are enjoying it. Just yesterday, me and my family went to Tiendesitas to shop and visit the famous Pets village that showcases the most exciting breed of dogs and other pets for sale. It’s a very pet friendly spot and a lot of passionate dog owners go to the place not just to shop but to socialize with other dog lovers as well. During my visit in Tiendesitas, I got the chance to meet Gio Marcelo and his amazing Belgian Malinois Dog Raki”. Gio is a local showbiz personality who has an enormous passion for dogs, and that passion led him to become a successful professional dog trainer, together with Raki who seemed to follow Gio’s showbiz footsteps has made various TV appearances, like in ABS-CBN’s morning show “Umagang kay Ganda” and TV Drama Series “May Bukas Pa”. Raki also appeared in Dingdong Dante’s Movie “One True Love”.

Raki is a fully-trained reality, off-leash, companion and protection dog with excellent agility who can perform amazing tricks. He has perfect temperament and is impervious to all distractions and this is the result of Gio's mastery of the Art of Dog Training. You can learn more about Gio's Dog Philosophy and his services at K9Manila.com


Wednesday, December 23, 2009

The 5th Annual World’s Coolest Dog & Cat Show Winners

Curious to see who took home the titles of Best Slobber, Best Costume, Naughtiest Dog, Best Purse Dog or the much-coveted Best in Show prize? Well, see the winners of the 5th Annual World's Coolest Dog & Cat Show presented by Dogster and Catster

Skye won Best Dog in Show!

Ball or Frisbee Player

Skye won Best in Show at Dogster.com!

Tongue/Slobber

CODY  is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Patriotic

Millie is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Sports Fan

Jesse ~CGC~ is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Naughtiest Dog

Chuppy  is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Purse Dog

♥Bridgette♥ is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Best Friends

My Buddy Luke Skywalker is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Smiles and Grins

Senna is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Craziest Tail

Quincy is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Costumes & Shades

Yoshi is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Jumper

Peanut is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!
more: dog pictures & breed info
World's Coolest Dog Photo Winner!
Roxie is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Sleeper

Murphy is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Car Dog

Buster is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Working Dog

Nani is a Worlds Coolest Winner! at Dogster.com!

Water Dog

PIDOE Says: The Dog Won't Eat Dog Food

Hi Pidoe! Nice site, very interesting and quite helpful, and I just found out that you are a Filipino too, Kamusta? (How are you?) I’ll talk in English so as to be fair with your foreign readers, lol..anyway, you’re just the right person to seek, since I have an Askal type of breed which you can perfectly relate to when it comes to their characteristics and preferences. My dog’s name is Brutus, he’s already 3 years old, I got him from my uncle who owns lot of dogs, all of them are mix of unknown breeds in short “ASKAL”. But I like Brutus, he’s different from the rest, tri colored, heavy boned, he has the looks and physique of a mastiff and so I took him, the thing is, he’s quite malnourished and needs to gain weight so I tried to feed him with high protein dog food and that’s where the problem comes in, he is not accustomed to eating dog food, he only likes human food, the typical left over foods with the tasty sauces, gravy, rice, etc. and this is what most Filipinos normally feed their ASKAL pets. They said that starving him will surely make him eat anything, so I tried that for a couple of days, but still he won’t eat. I don’t want to prolong the days just to make him starve because I’m afraid that he might get sick.

Is there a chance that Brutus will eat dog food? What will I do to make him eat real dog food?

Thanks and good luck on your blog.

-Michael-

PIDOE K-9 ADVISOR SAYS:

Hi there Michael, and thanks for the compliments. It’s good to hear from a good fellow “kababayan” or Filipino who reads and appreciates my Dog blog. First of all I admire your kindness to Brutus, because, not everyone cares as much about “ASKALS” (An abbreviation for Asong Kalye or Street Mutt translated in English)many rather give most attention to purebred dogs. And by the way they shouldn’t be called Askals in the first place; the best term would be ASPIN (Asong Pinoy or Filipino Native Dog). It’s true that normally, ASPINS, as I prefer to call them are not trained by most Filipino owners in eating commercial dog food. They think that dog food intended for ASPINS is expensive and impractical thus they chose to feed them with human grade left over foods that can be unhealthy and harmful to some dogs as well. But take note that its not always the commercial dog food you can purchase from the pet stores that brings the best nutrition for your dog, in fact it can be contrary to what we believed. Some owners prefer raw food for their pooches, while others consider organic food in their dog’s diet. But still, I would suggest that you consult first your veterinarian regarding the food that’s best for your dog.

So since your dog has mostly been in a diet of human food, it might not be a bad idea to phase it out in your case but this should be done gradually. Start adding a few kibble to his usual diet, and while he gets used to it try adding more and reducing human food at the same time then just follow thru with the program, transition may take long until your dog appreciates 100% kibbles. While dogs are survivors and will go without for a while, they won't starve themselves when they realize that mealtime is when it is and this is what's available to eat. If they do, then there might be a medical problem.

Just don’t rush him and soon Brutus will like it and perhaps beg for it when he’s hungry. Be patient and good luck!

Monday, October 5, 2009

Having a Dog in your Bed


I just received an email from one of our Dog Loving friends, and I'm so grateful to them for taking sometime to visit and read our posts which they appreciate. And I thank them also, for sharing a very informative article that our dog owners would like to know.

Our friends from dogfencediy.com came up with this original piece on "having a dog in your bed." It was written for us by their staff Veterinarian, Dr. Susan Wright.

This is a very interesting post, in fact, I know a lot of people who share the bed with their dogs. So, I guessed they have to think about of sharing their bed with their dogs again after reading this.


Here is the actual article.

Is having a dog in your bed a good idea? That's a bit like asking if babies should sleep with their parents. Some will say it's fantastic for all concerned, yet others will say that it's not okay under any circumstances.

Very young children should not be allowed to sleep with their dog. They may inadvertently kick or nudge their sleeping dog, and knock him out of bed. If he lands awkwardly, he may be injured. Older children with a medium sized, calm natured dog often love having something warm to cuddle, and love having their dog with them at night.

Most people would agree that it's not a good idea to have young puppies on the bed. They're not usually toilet trained and you may end up cleaning up more than just dog hair. Wait until your dog is fully toilet trained if you'd like to have him snuggle up with you in bed.

Consider the hygiene aspects of sharing your bed with your dog. If he has fleas, they'll breed in your bed linen and you'll wake up with itchy flea bites. Older dogs may have incontinence issues and you'll have to take steps to keep your bed clean and dry.

How big is your dog? Depending on the size of your bed, a giant breed won't leave much space for you. A toy breed may become lost in the blankets, or you may roll on him during your sleep. If you do, he may wake with a start and bite you before he knows what he's doing.

Are you a light sleeper? Dogs fidget, snore and snort in their sleep and may disturb you several times during the night. Conversely, if you find it hard to go to sleep, you may find that your dog may help you settle into sleep.

One big issue that many behaviorists have is whether or not having your dog on your bed makes him more dominant. There is a school of thought that allowing a dog to sleep where you (the pack leader) sleep elevates him to the same status as you.

This may be the case if your dog already feels he's dominant. However, if you have already put time and effort into your relationship with your dog and he respects you as his leader, having him sleep on your bed shouldn't be a problem.

If your dog does think he's the boss, he should sleep elsewhere. In fact, if he does think he's in charge, you need to work with a trainer to show him where he fits in, in all areas of your lives together.

Clean, well behaved dogs who know their place in your household are a pleasure to own. There's no reason why such a dog can't enjoy a good night's sleep on your bed.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

A Dog Loving City in Ruins-Typhoon "Ondoy"

Marikina is just one of the ill fated places that “Ondoy “destroyed. It used to be one of the cleanest and progressive cities I’ve seen. I’ve known and admired the place for its passion and love for dogs. Marikina is a very dog loving community, an ambassador of animal welfare particularly dogs. An active participant and event host for Dog Shows, Exhibitions, and other pet relevant programs, and now, a dead city that would perhaps take years to recover and rebuild what it has lost.

It’s hard to imagine that the so clean & lovely city of Marikina that I visited a week before is now submerged in muddy flood, cars were piled up like matchboxes washed away from the garage and into the streets, elegant homes destroyed and ended like eerie caves, and what was even worse was seeing bodies already floating around, including the body of a 3-month old baby stuck in a car windshield!

“It is too devastating, shocking and horrifying!” These are the words you’ll hear from the people who is now in severe desperation and trauma caused by the tragedy that Typhoon “Ondoy” left them. Too many families are now suffering from hunger, sickness, and emotional distress. It’s a tragic fate. Billions worth of property were lost, but what’s most painful was the lost of a loved one. So now we pray that after this great tragedy, people will continue to move on with high hopes and in time return to their normal happy lives.




Monday, September 14, 2009

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

PIDOE Says: Our First Dog Advise Seeker:Fixing Aggression

Hi Pidoe,

It's a dog-meet-dog worldImage by Steffe via Flickr


First of all, I would like to say that your site is great and pretty cool, especially the so “help desk” that I would like to consult. I have a lab-shepherd mixed dog named Rupert, and I’m not sure if he is really an aggressive one, kind of unpredictable. Sometimes he would bark and lunge on other dogs in the park, and sometimes he just plays with them, no harm done. The worst part is, he does the same thing with certain people. He is suspicious and nervous unless he knows them well, I was afraid that sooner or later, he might bite someone or any other dog we might come across.

What do you suggest to control his aggression?

Best regards
-Susan-

Pidoe K-9 Advisor Says:

Hi Susan,

Would you believe, I had the same problem with my dog before, and it really took a while before I knew it, that dogs behavior has something to do with genetics and how it was brought up. It is so important that you know the cause and source, where this negative behavior is coming from, with that we can assess and recommend the best training approach in dealing with it.

You have mentioned that Rupert is a lab-shepherd mix dog, knowing that, we can look on the possibility that your dog’s strong aggression could have been inherited from the genetics of a German Shepherd, that’s why it is so important to know its parentage, I’m not saying that German Shepherds are bad, in fact they are one of the best breed there is, but naturally they are protective of their masters, and their aggression is one way of instilling fear on people or dogs alike they feel as a threat or harmful. However with proper training this aggression can be controlled and commanded at the right time.

Another possibility of the cause of your dog’s unbecoming behavior, could have been inflicted during his puppyhood, I have an article about the importance of socialization. I said in that article that dogs need to have a constant interaction with different people and animals, in various situations and environment. And most importantly it should be a positive experience for the dog especially when he/she is still a puppy. Although, I have no idea of what it’s like for your dog when he was growing up, since you have not mentioned it. What I’m saying is, your dog must have lacked the socialization he needs during the early stage. That explains why he is so suspicious and nervous or better say uncomfortable with unfamiliar things or people that surrounds him. He is confused how to react to such situation, so he decides to display dominance thru aggression to counteract his fear.

Learning those two possibilities, the first thing you should do is train your dog to get used to his environment, by spending more dog walks with him. You need to use a training collar (you can choose between a choke collar and a prong collar, you can research on these on the Web) to correct any of his unnecessary behavior, and get his attention that you are the Alpha, Master and Leader. Your dog should know his position in the pack; he's the follower and you’re the Leader, A simple rule of the thumb in the Dog World.

Another thing when walking, don’t let your dog go ahead of you, so start with a short leash first during your walks, (you can read the article about the proper dog walk) so he stays close to you as possible especially when you come across another person or dog, in this way you can easily get control of him but make sure you’re getting slack in the leash, so it goes loose-tight-loose, your correction will be a sudden quick pull on the leash which will make the collar tight for less than a second. The objective is associate a negative reinforcement to a negative behavior so as not to repeat what took place. You'll know when it is motivational when she stops that bad behavior, and looks at you or submits every time you do the correction. You will have to be consistent on this until your dog gets accustomed to the surroundings and situations you used to avoid. I would suggest that you walk with other people, who walk their dogs too, its one way of getting your dog socialized with them, its called a “pack walk”. The dog will only consider the people walking with you as members of your pack as long as you the “Alpha Dog leader” allow it.

Practice the sit-stay command, if your dog has no obedience training yet, you can check the videos I have on my blog and watch how it is done. It is best that you make her in the sit-stay position while other dogs walk around and smell him. If he decides to lunge or bark, correct him with the “No!” followed by a quick pull on his leash then repeat the sit command. He needs to stay relax on a sit position until you give him the release command.

Always use positive reinforcement, like rewarding your dog with a treat, toy or a simple praise for every positive behavior he does. Let your dog play with other dogs, you can start with the dogs his familiar with.

I hope that helps. Good luck to you and Rupert.


Your K-9 Advisor

-PIDOE-

Monday, August 10, 2009

A Dog's Grief for his Alpha

For the past several days until now, We Filipinos are still in great grief over the succumbed of a great historical leader, an icon of true democracy, an advocate of God, a persevering peacemaker, and most of all a loving, caring and enthusiastically supportive mother to her family, all these adjectives best describes a queen worthy of her throne, a president best commendable for her country, and I spoke of no other than Madam Corazon “Cory” Aquino. We were stunned by the overwhelming respect and honor given by infinite number of Filipinos whom she led with spirited great deeds.

Though it may seem awkward to say, but I saw the characteristics of a true alpha, based on my dog perspective point of view. An assertive and calm leader of a pack, for even the cunning wolves vowed their heads in submission.

Truly, with her remarkable spiritual prowess, and honest leadership, she will not be forgotten as one of the simplest, most honored, loved, and respected President of our Nation.

 
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