Posts filed under ‘Cool Products’
2017 Book List
- What The Dog Knows is the story of a German Shepherd who becomes a professional cadaver dog. Absolutely fascinating if you are interested in how sniffer dogs are trained. With pieces of dead human bodies.
- The Education of Will is by renowned dog behaviorist Patricia McConnell. This is a heartfelt memoir about trauma and the healing process – for both humans and dogs.
- Considerations for the City Dog is a for people like me who live in urban environments where there are dogs everywhere. This book covers management, training, everything to help you and your dog avoid stress! By Melissa McCue-McGrath whom I had the pleasure of meeting in Boston this year.
- We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves has nothing to do with dogs. But if you are interested in animal behavior and human-animal relationships, please read this. A very profound and stunning novel that I read from start to finish on the plane – which was not a good place to cry my eyes out. Hint: Chimpanzees. Then go watch the new Jane Goodall movie.
- Pit Bull: The Battle Over An American Icon is an exceptionally well-researched and riveting book about how dog breeds become cultural symbols of heroism or criminality. In different periods of history, there has always been a scapegoated dog breed. If you are thinking of adopting a pit bull, please also check out The Pit Bull Life by Linda Lombardi. (One of my illustrations is in it!).
- The Dog Merchants is very eye opening. Here is a book written for everyday people who adopt or buy dogs, about how the pet industry works. The takeaway message is that there are good and bad rescues; there are good and bad breeders, and consumers could educate themselves or where our dogs really come from.
- Science Comics: Dogs: From Predator to Protector is an educational graphic novel with a hefty amount of information about dog origins, domestication, genetics… everything you want to know about The Dog is here. Co-written by two canine scientists I follow on Twitter, Julie Hecht and Mia Cobb, with fun and dynamic art. In a similar vein, I also recommend the Biology of Dogs online course by the Institute of Canine Biology. (I am in the middle of this course right now)
- SOS Dog: The Purebred Dog Hobby Re-examined is written by Edith and Johan Gallant who used to breed and show schnauzers before they starting living with and sharing their knowledge about The Africanis – the landrace dogs of South Africa. This is a book about the health and welfare issues in dog breeding for conformation shows. Edith helped me out when I was designing the Africanis for my map.
- An Eye For a Dog: An Illustrated Guide to Judging Purebred Dogs is a trip. I bought this book because I was researching dog breeds. The book is full of images that test your ability to see subtle differences in physical structures within the same breed, and judge these by AKC breed standards. You learn to see dogs the way dog nerds see dogs.
- Million Dollar Dog Brand by Nichole Sears, a marketing coach for petpreneurs. After all these years working as an artist for dog businesses, I am finally going to learn how to define and market my brand. I am doing a workshop with the author next year. Wish me luck 😃
- Only Have Eyes For you: Exploring Canine Research by Linda Case. Myths about dog nutrition, training, and other issues get debunked by science.
- What It’s Like To Be A Dog by Gregory Berns. Because Patricia McConnell recommended it!
Did you read any good dog/animal books this year?
Plugging my work (sometimes still Boogie-related!)
Or click here: http://www.doggiedrawings.net/#!mailing-list/c1ll2
There are some new things happening this month, very soon 🙂
Meanwhile, I have just signed up for Donna Hill’s online course: DOG AS A SECOND LANGUAGE. Everything I know about dog body language so far I have learned from Boogie. Yes, ONE DOG only. So much more to learn!
The past month…
I apologize that I haven’t posted anything new in ages. Life has been very busy and challenging…
I started muzzle training with Boogie over a month ago. We were doing a few short sessions each day and things were going really well (we got up to the spray cheese part) when…
And the drama that ensued on the internet and all the stuff I had to do to legally protect and educate myself just sucked up all my time and energy and money. It has been exhausting and it’s not all over yet. The silver lining: I learned that I have a very large group of supporters whom I am very grateful to; I learned that I need to be much more proactive about getting my artwork out there in the physical world, beyond just posting stuff up on the internet… I need to market myself a lot better. Deep breath.
So let me present some stuff that you may want to buy for the holidays (HINT HINT)
1. My new series of Dog Breed magnets and buttons! There are 24 dog breeds in this series and I am selling a few of these in my etsy store. If you are interested in wholesale orders, or know anyone who might be interested in wholesale orders, please click here for the pricing and ordering information.
2. These dog breed designs as well as new Boogie/boston terrier drawings are also printed on totes, t-shirts, cushions etc. at www.society6.com/lilichin
I want these on pyjamas!!!
3. The World’s Most Dangerous Foods for Dogs – this is now available as a 4″ x 6″ fridge magnet, and I will have more available soon also at my etsy store. (including a version with blank spaces to write your own emergency/vet phone numbers) The Design Lab Creative Studio webstore is also selling these.
4. Dog Decoder is a new iphone app that I did the illustrations for. This is a really cool and slick app on dog body language which includes a quiz to test your dog-reading skills. There is more information and screenshots HERE, and you can purchase the app at the itunes App Store for $3.99. (Every download helps the artist too, thank you :)) Unfortunately I don’t have an iPhone so I am eagerly awaiting the android version which is in the works.
5. Then there are my Zazzle stores for dog training-related posters/flyers , and Boogie art. Example:
Socializing Your Dog – Written by Sara Reusche
Next weekend I am going to my first ever Dog Obedience and Rally event as an observer… This will be a totally new experience and I am kinda excited and also nervous (will the majority of dogs be happy or under pressure?) I will take photos if this is permitted.
December 11th is Boogie’s ‘birthday’/adopt-a-versary and it is coming soon! This year I will actually be in town to celebrate with him. I haven’t decided yet what to get Boogie for this special day. Which toys? Which treats? I am open to suggestions! 🙂
Playing with Boogie: Nina Ottoson Dog Fighter Game
To be honest, I am not sure how to teach Boogie to play this Nina Ottoson game.
I put pieces of CHEESE underneath the cups. Then I called Boogie over to get the cheese. Boogie hasn’t quite figured out the mechanics of this game yet. If I don’t remind him to slide the cup thing (by demonstrating the sliding action to him), he sniffs and nudges and paws at the cup, and doesn’t know what else to do. Sometimes he slides the cup and retrieves the cheese and I assume that he gets it; but sometimes he doesn’t, and he continues to nudge the cup with his nose. When the cup stays put, he gets confused, backs away to his little bed, lies down and looks at me: “Please can YOU get the cheese?”
I was hoping Boogie would know to LIFT or PICK UP the cup from the base. My sorry attempt to demonstrate “lifting the cup” and holding it in front of Boogie’s mouth, ended up with him running off with the cup as if it were a new cheese-scented chew toy…
Dognition games!
I can’t remember where I first heard about Dognition.com – I think it might have been via my Twitter feed. From what I can see, Dognition.com is a website that offers a series of structured games (or exercises) for dog owners to do with their dogs, and through these games, owners can gain new insights into their dog’s personality and cognitive style. I guess they are like doggie personality tests with no right or wrong answers, just an evaluation of how smart your dog is. The games are organized into these categories: Empathy, Cunning, Communication, Memory and Reasoning.
This week, I saw that Dognition were offering some games for FREE and I couldn’t resist. I signed Boogie up and had Nathan help out.These are short 10-minute games and I love that they are very clearly explained with video demos and step-by-step instructions; but you do need a human assistant to do them. One person has to follow the online instructions and log the scores while the other person interacts with the doggie. It’s hard to do everything at the same time with only one person, unless if your dog is well-trained to obey commands like sit and stay and um… Boogie isn’t very reliable. Well at least not right now, while he is suffering on Temaril-P (steroid meds) and might starve to death if he doesn’t grab the treat ASAP.
In the Dognition Empathy category, Boogie proved himself to be “bonded” to me.
Nathan: “He’s a boston terrier, after all!”
I did a series of yawns and Boogie yawned too. During the eye contact exercise, Boogie did not break eye contact at all even while he experimented with changing poses, from sitting to standing to lying down, to stepping back, to sitting down, to lying down again etc. Boogie . did. not. break .eye .contact. Except once or twice when he experimented with a quick head turn to see if these would earn him the treat. Yes, he has always been an eye contact champion. He can stare at me forever while I offer various behaviors trying to guess what he wants….
The Communication games revealed some fascinating results. I placed two treats on the floor in front of me at the same time, one on each side. I had to look at and point (first with my arm, later with my foot) towards one of these treats, alternating between left side and right side. This was a test to see if Boogie responded to where I was looking and pointing, or if he was more likely to make his own decisions.
Interestingly, almost every single time, Boogie moved towards the OPPOSITE treat – the one that I wasn’t pointing at.
The Dognition verdict?
*I forgot to add: Boogie is sort of nervous around hands or feet … (he will rarely take treat that is placed next to a foot) I wonder if this had anything to do with his decision?
And so we completed the freebie games. To continue, I would have to pay for membership… not something I can really afford to do right now.
I am curious – has anyone signed up for full membership and done all the games? Your thoughts?
Products and supplements for skin issues and seasonal allergies
I have been receiving LOTS of tips and product/supplement recommendations from Boogie’s Blog readers. Thank you!!! I am going to list some of these items here for people whose dogs are suffering the same problems. I can’t tell you if all of these work because I have only just started using some of them, and keep in mind that Boogie’s skin problems are REALLY BAD.
it’s 100 degrees here in LA…
1. Apple Cider Vinegar.
I have been spraying a diluted mix of this on Boogie’s coat after his last two baths. I can’t tell if this is making a difference. I have been told by several friends that adding ACV to a dog’s food makes a big difference and eliminates the skin itchies so I started doing this today. We’ll see if this works. From this Whole Dog Journal article: “recommended dose usually 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight.” According to our vet, diluted ACV also makes a good ear cleaner. I have ordered some ACV pills because I can’t stand the odor.
2. Witch Hazel.
I have been dabbing or spraying diluted witch hazel (the ALCOHOL-FREE version) on Boogie’s skin, and on mine too when I get insect bites. It is also good for cleaning “raw red areas” on his face from scratching, as well as his ears. I actually add a couple of drops of Lavender Essential Oil when using as an insect repellent. This helps ME (I am super attractive and allergic to fleas) so I am assuming it is helping Boogie too. I don’t know how it compares with the ACV in terms of effectiveness but it doesn’t smell as bad as the ACV.
Astringents work their magic by quickly tightening skin and subcutaneous tissue, and thereby reducing inflammation and redness. A classic example of such an astringent is witch hazel extract, which can be purchased in a clear liquid, distilled form at any drugstore. A dab or two of witch hazel applied by cotton ball can bring instant relief to angry flea or mosquito bites. (Whole Dog Journal)
3. Brewer’s Yeast and Garlic.
I bought a big tub of this stuff and have been adding a teaspoon daily to Boogie’s food for the past week. This is supposed to protect him against fleas. I can’t see any significant difference (yet)
Fleas particularly dislike the flavor of garlic and yeast (nutritional or brewer’s yeast). Mixing garlic and yeast with your pet’s food can render their blood unpalatable to fleas. However due to risks associated with garlic which affect cats and some breeds of dogs, it is generally recommend that you avoid feeding your pets concentrated amounts of garlic. (Eartheasy.com)
4. Fish Oil.
I have been adding Salmon Oil to Boogie’s food for years. It has made no difference whatsoever.
5. Coconut Oil vs Virbac Resicort Lotion
I was massaging Boogie with Extra Virgin Coconut Oil after every bath. The dryness disappeared and his skin was no long flaky. I found the coconut oil to be way more effective than the Virbac Resicort lotion that our vet recommended. Boogie likes to lick himself so I feel better applying something that is safely edible. And then I was alternating between the two “moisturizers”. I no longer use either of these because I am trying out the Apple Cider Vinegar spray and I can’t imagine that it’s healthy to overload his coat with too much stuff. p.s. The Resicort lotion has a very strong fragrance.
6. Pramoxine Spray
This spray is supposed to soothe itchy inflamed skin, but I couldn’t tell if it worked. It also has an overpowering fragrance (poor Boogie nose) so I would rather stick with Witch Hazel or something less intrusive.
7. Virbac Cortisoothe Shampoo… and other options?
Our vet gave us this shampoo and I bathe Boogie once a week. We have been using this shampoo for months…I think it might be a bit drying (hence the Coconut Oil/Resicort lotion), but I am open to trying other options. So far, people have recommended to me this Dermacton Skin Conditioning Shampoo Bar and also a Pine Tar or Coal Tar Shampoo. I haven’t tried these yet. Any thoughts?
8. PetzLife Complete Care spray
This natural pesticide-free insect repellent was recommended by Dr. Fox (SPARCS conference) so I have ordered some. I hope it’s fragrance-free…
9. Colostrum and Quercetin supplements
From what I have read, these are supposed to support the GI-tract and immune system, and quercetin would help with the itchies.
Quercetin is a bioflavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. I call it ‘nature’s Benadryl’ because it does a great job suppressing histamine release from mast cells and basophiles. Histamine is what causes much of the inflammation, redness and irritation characteristic of an allergic response. By turning off histamine production with a quercetin supplement, we can suppress or at least moderate the effects of inflammation. (healthypets.mercola.com)
I may consider getting some if the Apple Cider Vinegar doesn’t work.
*edit to add:
10. Chlorhexidine (antibacterial) soak and spray
I still do this occasionally. I fill the bathtub with some water and solution and let Boogie soak his feet (if he is licking them excessively). I also spray him with this Duoxo Chlorhexidine spray. Interestingly, my dentist sent me home with a prescription for the SAME Chlorhexidine solution to use on my gums so I now have more than a gallon of this stuff at home.
11. Triamcinolone cream
From Dr. R (our previous vet). This is an anti-inflammatory cream that I use only on Boogie’s face when he has scratched it red and bloody.
Genius ideas
1. Home-stuffed Holey Ball! – I got this idea from 38 Brilliant Hacks for Dog Owners (Also see #30!!!!)
8. For a dog who loves to tear apart stuffed animals, make a durable activity ball with a Hol-ee rubber ball, scraps of fabric, and treats.
I may never need to buy plush/stuffed toys ever again. I stuffed this holey ball with scrappy fabric from old dismembered plush toys. It took Boogie 20-30 seconds to unstuff it. But oh it was so much fun! And we can do this over and over again!
Just received a handy tip from Melita on Facebook: “Maybe knot some of the scraps onto the ball?”
2. “Bow Wow Barrier” Retractable gate. A big thank you to the lady whose name I don’t remember (at Grisha’s L.A. BAT seminar) who told me about this local company. There is also a UK company that makes a similar product but international shipping costs more than the gate itself. Last week I ordered the Bow Wow Barrier gate and today, Nathan helped install it. If you LIKE Retract-A-Gate on Facebook you get a discount coupon. This is a genius concept and is way less cumbersome and aesthetically-intrusive than a regular baby gate. The tough mesh fabric is see-through from the inside (good for Boogie) and unrolls when you open the door. The “gate” can also be unclipped from the door whenever you want. Will be VERY USEFUL when mail delivery people bring packages that I have to sign for, and when visitors arrive! *Boogie isn’t the kind of dog to run away, but he does always rush to the door to greet.
Pawalla mini box!
He’s a lucky Boogie. You may remember that about a year ago, Boogie was sent a Pawalla box for review. See the blog post here.
Pawalla now offers a mini box and it contains just a handful of doggie products… definitely less overwhelming 🙂 Again, these are products that are new to me; I have never heard of them before, and they all look and sound pretty cool. Here’s what we got:
- Wild Salmon treats <– Boogie loves these! Nice that they are grain-free.
- Grain-free Baked Duck treats made with potato and tapioca flours.
- Wigzi (treat-stuffing) ball
- Gerard Larriett “Balancing Rose” Aromatherapy Freshening and Shining Spray <– this is the only item we are not keen on. I would never spray Boogie with fragrance anyway, and he hates being sprayed. The only stuff I am applying on his sensitive dry skin are raw coconut oil and/or Virbac Resicort skin lotion (which unfortunately, has a fragrance).
“Another salmon treat, please”.
I checked out the website. It costs $12 per month to have a mini box of surprises shipped to you, and “Limited offer available only for the first 200 subscribers.”
National Train Your Dog Month – My dog book reading List
Will I ever get through this list?
1. The Science of Consequences by Susan M. Schneider. I am about 30% of the way through this book and enjoying it so far. It’s like seeing the world with new eyes through the filter of Behavioral Science (Operant Conditioning) and how this philosophical approach applies to genetics, evolution, behavior modification in humans and all animals large and small, etc. I am very chuffed that Susan Schneider wrote a blog post about my Animal Training poster.
2. The Misunderstood Dog by Jordan Rothman (my illustrations are in this book!) There’s a sale going on this month! So far I have skimmed through the first few chapters and can’t wait to read through it properly. I promise I will post a blog review. The Misunderstood Dog is like an easier-to-read, friendlier, jargon-free version of Jean Donaldson’s “The Culture Clash”, and it is written for dog owners rather than dog training professionals.
3. 25 Dog and Puppy Training Tips e-book by Emily Larlham. I am a big Emily Larlham/Kikopup fan. I can’t wait to read this. *Does anyone know of a good program that can convert PDFs to Kindle Format without messing up all the photos? The e-book is a large PDF file with lots of photos that got lost when I emailed it to my Kindle.
4. Decoys and Aggression by Stephen Mackenzie. This book was recommended to me on a dog training forum. I believe this is a book on teaching police dogs to PERFORM AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS (in a humane way) and therefore has some very insightful offerings on how to read and shape dog body language . Also liking this video by Steve White, another police dog trainer whose DVDs I would love to watch but cannot afford.
5. K9 Kitchen: The Truth Behind The Hype by Monica Segal. Not a training-related book but one about nutrition. I think I will start cooking for Boogie again soon. *Does anyone have good tips on using a Dehydrator to make pet treats? eg. do you cook the meat first before dehydrating it?
6. Understanding Cat Behavior by Roger Tabor. Not a dog book. I ordered this because I need a cat book for drawing reference, one with lots of photos showing various body language poses and expressions. Unfortunately, some of this information might be very outdated. Just take a look at this little blurb on dog training –
So it’s not OK to boss around and scold a cat because it will damage your bond and mess up your cat, but it’s OK to do this with dogs? While it’s great that nowadays many dog-lovers are promoting and teaching the world about modern force-free HUMANE dog training methods, I wonder if this info is also getting through to the non dog people…. And btw, are there any CURRENT books on Cat body language/behavior/training?
Seeing that it’s National Dog Training Month, I am learning to use a MannersMinder!
To be honest, it looked a little intimidating until I watched the instructional DVD which goes into a lot of detail about training games, the correct order in which the games should be taught, and how to work the machine settings. It’s quite loud too. When you press the remote control (to dispense the treat), there is a loud BEEP followed by a loud whirring sound before the treat plops out.
Ah… my scaredy Boogie dog. As soon as I put the MannersMinder down on the floor, I could tell that Boogie was scared of it. It wasn’t even turned on! I put a treat in the bowl; Boogie looked at it and backed off. He would not go near the machine. He went to his bed, instead. After some coaxing, Boogie ate the treat out of the bowl and then everything was fine after that. He learned very quickly how to make the “BEEP and TREAT” happen. So far I have been training “Eye contact”. Tomorrow we do “targeting”. Now I need to find some treats that are of consistent size so that they don’t get stuck…
This is going to be an adventure! 🙂
Happy Holidays!
Apologies for the long silences between posts and thank you to everyone who has left comments (advice, tips, personal stories etc) on this blog, particularly with regards to Boogie’s skin issues. I have been out-of-town; now I am happy to be back home and snuggling with the Boogs again. He is less itchy now that the weather has cooled down. His coat is still very thin with the same bald patches, and his poor skin has been dry, flaky, and dandruffy.
I am trying a few new things:
- No chicken in his diet at all. He has been eating lamb and/or fish-based meals. It has only been 1 week… I can’t tell if there is any difference.
- Adding Pet Kelp to his food. 3 weeks, now. Can’t tell if this is making any difference with his skin, but his poop is looking very good!
- Virgin Coconut Oil massage, every other day <– THIS is making a difference! Skin is noticeably less dry.
- New Year Resolution: Make pet treats with the new dehydrator (which is still in its box)
I am determined to do anything to avoid more vet visits & antibiotics! In fact, I took advantage of Monica Segal‘s recent Black Friday Sale and ordered a dietary consultation for Boogie in the new year. I need help figuring out what foods (if any) that Boogie’s system may not be tolerant of.
Meanwhile…
Check out Jordan Rothman’s new book The Misunderstood Dog, with my illustrations. I would describe it as a simpler, easier-to-read version of “The Culture Clash”, written for dog owners. The Boston on the cover is the author’s dog. Here is the Amazon.com page.
Order a snazzy little name tag that I designed for blanketID. A percentage of sales goes to Boston Buddies rescue. I think this would make an awesome Xmas gift. They come in red or blue, and small or large sizes. The photos that I have of Boogie wearing this blanketID tag on his collar are kinda blurry…. Will try again later. ORDER HERE
Who is going to Clicker Expo in San Francisco next month? I would love to meet up! I know names but not faces, so if you recognize me, please say hi! I will be there for the full three days. First time that I am staying for the whole expo and very excited!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! – Lili & Boogie x
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