Ncrr Summer 2009 Newsletter

North Carolina Rottweiler Rescue

Stormy Times Rescued from Doubt, Placed with Love ncrottierescue.net

Summer 2009

[email protected]

Our dogs have fleas… Not really, but we need your help!

NCRR’s Flea Market Sale Saturday, August 29th 8:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. Raleigh State Fairgrounds We are requesting donations of your time, gently used items, craft goods, whatever you can spare. Bring yourself, your family and your friends to help NCRR and meet our dogs. Freedom means many things. With this special boy, Freedom means never having to scrape a plate clean for the dishwasher. He’ll be happy to tackle that job for you. Freedom means never having to be alone. He’ll keep you company any time, day or night. Freedom means never turning into a couch potato. You need a little exercise, he’ll take you for a walk. Freedom means unconditional love, unwavering devotion and unlimited companionship.

To donate, please contact

[email protected]

Brandy We can’t think of anything better at the end of a long day than a little Brandy. Warm and soothing, mellow and relaxing, this little girl is content to just sit in your lap and let you pet your cares away. She’s a calorie free indulgence you can chill out with whenever and wherever, no designated driver needed. What other proof do you need? Find out more about this and other great dogs at ncrottierescue.net.

All Freedom asks is that you make your home his furever home. Freedom, and many other beautiful dogs like him, are waiting for you to take that step, make that commitment, and give them that chance to show you just what a blessing bringing them into your life can be. Just what a blessing Freedom is. Please adopt an NCRR dog. If you can’t adopt, please foster. If you can’t foster, please donate. Please help us help these wonderful animals.

ncrottierescue.net [email protected]

Nottweiler of the Month 1

This n’ That Are the dog hair dust bunnies in your house bigger than the dog? Are you tired of having to vacuum every day to keep up with the mess? Then you need the

Ear Cleaning Solution for Yeast Infections

FURMINATOR!!!

16 ounce bottle of witch hazel 4 tablespoons boric acid powder 16 drops 1% Gentian violet solution

Rottweilers and many other dog breeds have what is known as an undercoat. Regular dog brushes just don’t do the trick when it comes to getting rid of this deep down fur. The FURMINATOR is more than just a brush, it is a deshedding tool. Using the FURMINATOR once or twice a week, for 10-20 minutes per session, can reduce shedding up to 90%.

Mix. Shake before each application. Fill ear with solution and massage gently for 30 seconds. Wipe with tissue. Apply a second time without massaging and let the dog shake out the excess. Be careful, the Gentian violet may stain. Use 2 times per day for the first two weeks, 1 time per day for the next week, and 1 time per month thereafter. Ingredients should be available at your local pharmacy.

Pack Your Lunch

Contact

Everyone’s short of funds these days, but for too many animals this means being shorted out of life. Just one day a week, take your lunch to work instead of going out. This $5 weekly savings for 50 weeks would put $250 toward saving a life. We think the choice is simple.

[email protected] For your FURMINATOR, and tell dog hair, Hasta la Vista, baby!

And Save a Bunch!

A-Nub-er Happy Ending - in Duplicate

Donations may be sent via PayPal to

[email protected] or mailed to

5613 Old Ridge Road Raleigh, NC 27610 No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes

Meet Reese and Rocky. Like most dogs that come through NCRR, their story did not have a great beginning. Animal control found these two poor boys underneath a house. While one seemed to suffer no ill effects from this, the other was terrified and soon became very sick. During an examination by the vet, it was discovered that his skull was fractured by “a deliberate action.” This injury was not the type that could have been caused by an accident. Thanks to the kindness and efforts of a good person, NCRR was contacted. Both brothers were taken in, nurtured, loved and brought back to health. Soon, they found a furever home together.

you rich. Louis Sabin

Check out the

ROTT SHOPPE Grrreat stuff Grrreat prices

ncrottierescue.net

Please help us help other dogs find a happy ending.

Donate, Foster, or Adopt ...ncrottierescue.net 2

This n’ That Sam Says...

I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self-contain'd, I stand and look at them long and long.

Quality omega 3 fish oil for dogs can significantly improve a range of conditions and prevent more serious ones from occurring.

They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake in the dark and weep

Fish oil for dogs is one of the most commonly used supplements in veterinary medicine. Fish oil has such healing power, it is recognized as a primary rather than an alternative treatment.

for their sins, They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,

Protection from heart disease, allergies, cancer and arthritis are the main benefits. The change can be quite dramatic as well. I have personally seen many examples of an aging dog limping and moving slowly around due to arthritis, and within weeks of taking a quality omega 3 oil, the limp was almost gone. The dog was running and moving much more freely than before, with increased levels of energy.

Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived thousands of years ago, Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.

Fish oil is also effective for reducing cancerous tumors. It is recommended that all dogs with cancer have a daily fish oil supplement in their food. Fish oil also helps prevent cancer in a healthy dog.

Walt Whitman—Song of Myself

I cannot hype the benefits of fish oil enough. In my opinion it is imperative for every dog. Fish oil is exceptionally effective for healing hairless, dry, irritated areas and encourages the growth of a healthy coat. Part of the problem today is that most dog foods are very low in the two important omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, with DHA being by far the most important. When selecting a fish oil for dogs, it is important to select the right one. You choose should those that have been molecularly distilled to remove any impurities like mercury to ensure a safe pure oil. You don't need to use one especially for dogs, as any good quality omega 3 oil for humans is perfectly fine!

Come Meet Us… Every month we like to strut our

In addition, to gain the maximum benefits, ensure the DHA level is high, at least twice that of EPA at around 250mg of DHA per capsule, as it is responsible for most of the incredible health benefits.

stuff at the local Petsmart or Petco so people can discover what great

Samantha VickersVickers-Lowe is one of NCRR’s dog wellness, training and behavior experts.

dogs we have at NCRR. For times in your area, please go to ncrottierescue.net, click on “Events”

Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without doubt the best deal man has ever made. Roger Caras

and make plans to spend some time with us. 3

Polo’s Pointers Old Dogs Do Learn ew Tricks association. I know that I have less than two seconds to praise or correct a behavior, as well as the fact that dogs anticipate. I know what motivates my dog and I understand that my dog is not a human in a dog suit. My dog’s brain will NEVER be more advanced in reasoning than that of a 12 or 18 month old human child.

Basic principles to keep in mind are: 1: Dogs learn by association; they will repeat behaviors that bring reward and avoid or discontinue those that have no reward or are have unpleasant consequences. 2: I have less than two seconds to praise or correct a behavior.

Dealing with a child requires patience and so does dog training. Potty training a dog is no different than potty training a child. If you take a child 12 to 18 months of age and have them around the house wearing no diapers, they will have accidents. If the child is within close supervision, they can easily be caught in the act of going to the bathroom in the wrong place. The parent would yell NO, grab the child, take them to the toilet and once on the toilet praise them for using the toilet rather than the floor. In the end the child learns that to urinate or defecate in the living room makes mom or dad mad and a correction follows. When this child does their business in the bathroom mom or dad praises them. We would not grab that child and rub their nose in their mess, so why do we rub the dog’s nose in their mess? This is abusive.

3: By using classical conditioning, the dog learns to anticipate. For example: I see a stranger = praise and may be food reward, so there is no need for me to lunge because I anticipate the reward every time I see the stranger. Here we would be going to operant conditioning where the dog performs an action to get a reward. 4: By using operant conditioning, the dog learns that performing an action will bring a consequence. I see the stranger = I sit and I get a reward (praise or food), whereas lunging will bring a correction and delay my reward. 5: Dogs are opportunistic and will do anything necessary to obtain what they want. If there is no leadership, they will step up and take charge. If there is a chance to be praised they will do whatever they have to do in order to get the rewards.

I may not treat my dog as a human, but I still treat my dog with dignity and respect. When you rub your dog’s nose in their feces all the dog learns is that the presence of feces or urine makes their owner unstable and bad things happen. So the dog associates the feces with bad things and may start to eat their feces to hide them from their handler. The handler or owner is to blame here, not the dog.

6: Dogs live in a black and white world. Consistency is key to training. Give them gray areas and your dog will get confused. If out of ten times I jump on my owner, I get corrected only 8 or 9 times, there is still one chance of me getting what I want, so I will keep trying. The correction MUST happen 100% of the time.

Motivators for a dog can be food, toys, praise, etc. If your dog is not food motivated, don’t feed him a day or two before the exercise, or decrease their food intake at dinner time and use the food during training. A hungry dog will be food motivated.

7: Yelling at a dog is useless. They see it as barking and excitement. 8: I am a dictator, but a fair one.

If your dog is not toy motivated, keep them kenneled, and only allow Dogs are creatures of habit, and they live one day at a time. Dogs are them to come out to potty, to eat, and to play with the toy. If they show not constantly thinking no interest in the toy they go back to about what happened yeso matter what a dog’s background is, we can help them over- the kennel. Believe me after a week or terday or about what is come any issue through the use of effective obedience training. two that toy will be very appealing, happening tomorrow. Dogs since the dog will associate it with don’t premeditate, they react. Many behavior issues I encounter occur their way of getting attention and praise. because the handler sends mixed signals to the dog, or just sends the Using praise as a motivator is simple. While in a training program wrong signals unknowingly. remove 90% of the attention you usually give the dog for free and give Dogs with issues or misbehaviors are the product of poor early condiit during the training session. The dog will stop taking you for granted. tioning. That is, they were not taught properly. The average dog owner Make a dog work to earn everything from their food, to praise, to playcreates fear or socialization issues in their dog by taking them out of ing with toys and you will have a stable dog. the litter too early. By taking the dog out of the litter at 8 weeks keep a dog from socializing with their own kind as well as from learning bite It is important to be very firm and enforce all rules at all time if we inhibition. If the puppy has no chance to play with other puppies and want to succeed. Don’t be emotional when applying corrections or learn that when he bites a littermate play ends immediately, they will withholding rewards. You are doing the dog a disservice and not helpnever learn that biting hurts. ing them overcome the bad behavior. Stop feeling sorry for this abanIf the puppy is not properly socialized around humans before 14 to 16 doned, mistreated shelter dog and treat him as you would any other dog. weeks of age, they will not be at ease when strangers come by. Dogs Keep in mind that sometimes what is a behavior problem to us, to the can be socialized at any point, but after 14 to 16 weeks of age, the dog dog is a normal canine behavior. These behaviors can be redirected by is more cautious approaching new things. not allowing the dog to feel rewarded for performing behaviors that are not acceptable to us. One of many examples would be a dog that If you have a puppy, do your homework and socialize that pup with as jumps. In the dog’s mind he or she is just trying to lick the handler’s many people as you can. Let him play with other pups as much as mouth, just as they would do with other dogs, out of respect. Jumping possible. Play with the puppy and any time his teeth touch your skin is a natural canine behavior but is not acceptable to humans. To fix stop the play for 2 minutes, ignoring the puppy. Usually when I am this, simply make certain the dog gets no gratification from jumping, teaching a dog bite inhibition, I play what I call the ouch game. The but is ignored or corrected. ouch game is nothing but sitting on the floor playing with the pup or dog as rough as we can without hurting the animal. Any time the dog’s Humans tend to be great at correcting and punishing, but terrible at teeth touch my skin, even if it doesn’t really hurt, I say OUCH! very praising. If I find myself correcting a dog too much, that tells me that loud, stand up, cross my arms and look away from the dog. I focus on a the dog really doesn’t understand what the proper behavior is. I teach spot in the wall or something in my surroundings. Once the dog is the behavior, praise when the behavior occurs and once the dog has calm I go back to the play session. The dog learns to associate that any learned it I can use corrections if needed. Again, correction or punishtime his teeth touch skin, there is something unpleasant. Punishment ment can be something as simple as withholding the reward, whether it does not mean being harsh or hitting the dog; punishment can be someis food or praise. thing as simple as removing a reward. Play is a reward, ignoring the No matter what a dog’s background is, we can help them overcome any dog is punishment. With time, the dog will learn to work hard for the issue through the use of effective obedience training. There is no such reward as well as to avoid the punishment or unpleasant situation. This thing as an untrainable dog, or a dog that is naturally vicious, etc. If we is just one of many examples where this technique can be used. know what motivates the dog, we know what we can make the dog work for. Make the dog work hard to get the reward while also workNo dog lover wants to set their dog for failure, but yet we all do make ing hard to avoid the correction or punishment. A dog that is physically these mistakes. With good intentions we try to treat our animals as our or mentally tired or has a job is a dog with no time or energy for behavchildren. I spoil my own dogs every now and them. How I keep myself ioral issues. There is hope for all dogs, regardless of their past. from having behavior problems is simple. I know that my dogs learn by Polo K-9 will not assume any responsibility for injuries or damages you may suffer as consequence of you attempting the skills here discussed. Seeking the knowledge of a professional is always best when in doubt.

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Please take the time to send a donation… _____$10 _____$25 _____$50 _____Other Name__________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Email Address_____________________________________________________ Dog you would like to sponsor________________________________________ Would you like a receipt? _____Yes _____No Please mail to 5613 Old Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27610 Or, Save yourself a stamp and send your donation via PayPal, to [email protected]

All donations are tax deductible.

Our deepest thanks to those who already have... Sponsors

Angels

Susan Johnson Dr, Judith Hunt Bailey Family (in memory of Baloo) Jennifer Mezours Anonymous Paula Long Larry Gebhardt Jennifer Soberal Combs Nancy Colvin Anjela & Vincent Govan Joan Jones

Dorita LeMaster (in memory of Lacy) Han Su Pharm Lori Bishop Laura Napier Michael Gartner (in memory of Vixon) Dee Craft (in memory of Freckles) Rafaela Rodrigues Laura Bigaquette (in memory of Stella) Amanda Ferrell Sean Wagner Mary Alice Noble Julianna Selligson Danyell Tetreault

And heartfelt gratitude to our wonderful group of volunteers! The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined efforts of each individual...Vincent Lombardi 5