Did you run out of time to send your holidays cards? Have no fear, our New Year cards are here!

If you're like me, you've got a million and one things to do, especially during the holidays!  Now, I design stationery, so it is a must for me to send out holiday cards, right?  Right.  This year, sales picked up (woohoo!) and work got busy and I could foresee that I would not be able to get my Christmas and Holiday cards out in time.  So, I decided this year I would do New Years cards!

Last year, my friend requested a design for New Years cards featuring a Jack Russell terrier, so I decided to make more color choices and an additional design for those of you who, like me, got a bit busy this year!  I've listed all the designs in my Etsy shop and would love for you to stop by and have a look around.  Also, please feel free to let your friends know if you think they might like them as well!  The site is www.etsy.com/houndandthistle

The cards are blank inside so you can write a note to your loved ones and send your good tidings and wishes for 2011.  As you know, I have drawn over 100 dog breeds in silhouette (plus a few cats and a horse), so we can put your breed on the cards.  If you'd rather leave off the silhouette, we can do that, too.  We aim to please here at Hound and Thistle!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and if you haven't gotten  your cards out, there is still time...If you can't get your New Years cards out, don't fret, I've got some Valentine's Day designs in the works!  ;)

Remember to Spay, Neuter, and Scoop the Poop! - Megan

Can Writing a Thank You Note Be Good for Your Health?

I just read an article on MSN.com called, "12 Little Instant Health Boosts."  Number 4 on the list is "Pen a Thank You Note".  Of course this caught my eye since I not only write thank you notes but also design and sell note cards.  In this day and age, it seems everyone is texting, emailing, and tweeting...everything is digital.  In fact, it seems many people would rather do the above than actually call someone on the phone, let alone actually write a note with paper and pen!  Sometimes I wonder if children who are growing up now will actually have good penmanship since it seems they know how to type before they can write!

According to the article written by Alyssa Shaffer (http://health.msn.com/health-topics/depression/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100265404&gt1=31036),  people who wrote notes of gratitude (and actually meant it) were happier. 

Some other benefits of writing according to the article may be improvements in:

• liver function
• lung function
• immune system
• reduced blood pressure
• well-being

A benefit that I think one gets from writing is the knowledge that the recipient of your note will be so excited to receive an actual hand-written note in the mail.  It seems the only things we get in the mail these days are bills and junk; it's always such a treat to see an envelope with a real stamp and your friend or family member's handwriting on the front.  When you see a note like that in your mailbox, you know something good is inside and can't wait to sit down and read the thoughtful note inside.

So, take a moment to grab some note cards, make some tea (another healthy item on the list!), and write a note or two to those you care about.  It will make you feel better and I guarantee, it will make the day of the ones you love!

Boxerstock - What A Blast!

We had an amazing time at Boxerstock presented by the Atlanta Boxer Rescue.  It was a great event with lots and lots of boxers...and a few other breeds for good measure!  ;)  I think the final count was 1200 people which was fantastic - a lot of great folks came out for a great cause. 

I learned a few things at Boxerstock:

• Check your boxer for lumps as boxers are prone to cancer.  Even if they are young, you should pay attention because if caught early, most cancers can be treated.
• Some breeders "put down" white boxers as they are seen as "undesirable".  Wait, what?!  Why not find them a home like the lovely ones I saw at Boxerstock?!  I realized I hadn't seen a white boxer before and I now knew why.  They are so pretty!
• Many people are not cropping the ears anymore...these guys are so cute with floppy ears!
• There's not as much barking at a boxer event as there is at a terrier event!  ;) 

We had a really good time and will definitely plan on being there next year!  Our thanks to everyone who came out and supported us!

O Magazine article - Megan and her border terriers!

Hi Everyone!

Sorry it's been so long since I've written, I started a second blog called Dog Friendly Spots (www.dogfriendlyspots.com) and have been super-busy!  Alas, I don't want to neglect this blog either, so I think I'm back on track.

For those of you who have been following this blog, you know that I had the honor to be trained by Victoria Stilwell for the October issue of O Magazine.  The magazine is out and the article is great!  They were really truthful and I hope the article will help other dog owners who have similar issues.  I cannot stress how wonderful Victoria was and how her positive methods of training really work. 
Here's a photo of Riley from the shoot...yes, she's on the kitchen table, and no, it wasn't a staged photo! ;)




Photo courtesy of Christopher T Martin.


Here's the link to the article: http://www.oprah.com/relationships/How-to-Train-a-Disobedient-Dog

Check it out and let me know what you think! 

By the way, I'm prepping for Boxerstock next Sunday 10/24.  If you're in the Atlanta area, come check it out!  It benefits the Atlanta Boxer Rescue and is sure to be a great day of live music, great vendors (including Hound and Thistle!), and great fun!  It's at Jim R Miller Park from 12 pm -  7 pm.

Take Care, Megan

Working Terrier...In A Tree!

Check out this video...This is a border terrier who is quite a hunter!  We were watching it with Riley (yes, she watches TV) and she went nuts!  Now, if she could only be that intense at an earthdog trial...

John Paul Pet

We have border terriers and the proper way to groom their coats is to hand-strip them, not use clippers. When Finlay was a pup, our breeder recommended a gentle shampoo like Johnson's Baby Shampoo which worked really well. One day, we found a dog grooming salon that had a groomer who knew how to hand-strip, so we made an appointment. Finlay's coat is softer and fuller than most border terriers and it took us forever to strip his coat. We were excited that we found a professional who could help us!



It turns out, it took a lot longer than the groomer anticipated because of Fin's coat, but he looked great! That evening, we noticed bumps all over his skin and he was rubbing all over the sofas, scratching constantly. Since he smelled 'perfume-y", we bathed him with the baby shampoo and also put him in an oatmeal bath to soothe his skin. After a few days, Finlay was feeling better and we realized that we had to make sure to bring our own shampoo when we got him groomed.



Fast forward a few years and a colleague of mine gave me two bottles of a new shampoo her husband was representing, John Paul Pet. Yes, this is related to the famous human hair care line, Paul Mitchell; the founder is John Paul DeJoria (CEO and Co-founder of the Paul Mitchell brand). Now, I am not a frou-frou person and my dogs are not frou-frou dogs, but it was free and it looked and sounded good! Because of Finlay's sensitive skin, I was hesitant to use it, but after reading about it, decided to give it a try, after all, the kind she gave me was "oatmeal". We tried the shampoo and not only did it clean well, but more importantly, it was not irritating to our dogs' skin. What we love even more is that the company's mission is to promote proper care of all pets and they support several outreach programs for pets.



If you're looking for good shampoos for your pets, make sure to check out John Paul Pet. You can visit their website at http://www.johnpaulpet.com/ to see where to get their products.

Dachshund Saves Owner!

I am a sucker for dogs (but you already knew that) and a sucker for heart-warming stories. Today, a story is circulating that's both heart-warming AND features a dog. Woo-hoo!

A dachshund in Oregon saved its owner! Yep, you heard me right, a dachshund saved its owner! You may wonder how such a little dog could save the life of its owner. I've attached an article from www.widetrends.com for the full story and a photo (love those wrinkly little legs!) of sweet Missy, an 11 year old hero, um, I mean heroine.

Missy's owner collapsed so, like any dog would do (or as we would hope any of our dogs would do), Missy went next door and stayed in the neighbor's yard (he was gardening) until he followed her back to her house where her owner had collapsed inside. Paramedics were called and luckily, Missy's owner is recovering. In case you're wondering, her owner had recently had heart surgery and suffered vertigo, hence the fall.

Stories like this are not only fun to read and heart-warming, but they also provide evidence about dogs' intelligence and bonds with their owners. Dogs are amazing creatures and give us so much that we need to remember to give them all the love, companionship, and stimulation they deserve. Think about your relationship with your dog. Can you improve it? Does your dog need more playtime, more walks, or a fun exercise like agility or flyball? We are responsible for our dogs and in saying that, we are responsible for giving them fulfilling lives. Don't just be a dog owner, be a responsible dog owner, it's amazing how it will enrich your life and strengthen your bond with your dog.

Finlay's & Riley's Fabulous Friday!

Friday night was a great training night for me and the dogs. I got a late start as I was working on a stationery order, a memorial service program, and simply got the walks in late...but late was good in this case because we saw more dogs! It's been so hot here in the Atlanta area (yes, hotter than normal) that many owners were out with their dogs late in the evening. I have to give them props for being good pet owners and waiting until the sun was going down.

Riley saw Maggie, the neighbor dog who we trained with when Victoria Stilwell was here. At first, Riley barked which totally surprised me. However, I was talking to my friend, Maggie's owner, and Riley settled really quickly. In fact, Maggie is not confident with Riley (because of her nutty behavior), and was really trying to avoid Riley at all costs! I was treating Riley for he passive behavior and she was so interested in Maggie that she started "army crawling" on her belly to get to Maggie. Maggie also relaxed after a bit and they sniffed each other and were very good dogs. Being a golden retriever, Maggie wanted to see me really badly (Goldens just seem to love people SO much!) so I put Riley in a sit/stay and gave Maggie some loving. Riley was great, Maggie was great, and I was able to bring Riley one step closer to being more balanced around another dog - yea!

Riley also saw her new "buddy" Baxter who is an adorable 9 month old terrier mix and she was great with him too. I call him her buddy because she's got to meet him before and really seems interested in him. She did the army crawl with him too and really seemed like she likes him. In fact, she may have been flirting a little, I'm not sure! ;)

Then there's Finlay; my little guy is making some good progress. We saw our neighbors with their Chihuahua, Lodai and I wasn't sure what to expect. Remember, my dogs are hunters and Chihuahuas are small and can be easily mistaken for rodents! No offense, meant here at all. So, Fin barked and barked as we passed, but then I began to talk to my neighbors and he settled. I gave him treats when he was calm and the one owner even wanted the dogs to meet. They sniffed and did well, though Finlay did "snap" a little bit after sniffing, but did not attempt to bite or anything like that. Since Lodai is very calm (yes, a calm, relaxed Chihuahua!), she didn't react and we used it as a training opportunity for Finlay. It got to the point where he was more interested in me and his food than Lodai and I was able to have a nice conversation with my meighbors. I think it was a success. Fin and I also encountered a Jack Russell who was off leash in his own yard, BUT when he saw us, he ignored his owner, walked across the street (thank God no cards were coming by) and came towards us. Fin did indeed react, don't get me wrong, he's still got a way to go, but we handled it well. I immediately turned him around and walked in the other direction as the Jack Russell followed...his owner still calling for him to no avail. Fin calmed down and we walked back the way we were going. The Jack was now back in his yard and we passed with no barking from our end - Finlay didn't seem to even care that the dog was in the vicinity! Again, it was a great experience for us to train and we are making progress!

Every chance we have to do training is a good thing and while I used to hope not to see other dogs, I now look out for them and try to walk where I know we'll encounter another dog!

Kong Toys - A Terrier Owner's Treasure

If you've been reading my posts, you know I have two border terriers, two border terriers with lots of energy, enthusiasm, and sass! I grew up with yorkies and was accustomed to having all sorts of cute, fluffy toys for my dogs to play with...then I got my first border terrier. I quickly realized that cute, fluffy toys of any kind are not a good thing in my house. Finlay can "kill" a soft toy in seconds. One day, I found an "indestructible" canvas toy that was made of military-grade canvas...This one lasted a bit longer, about 15 minutes.

I have found that Kong toys are the best toys for my dogs. Their website says they are "nearly indestructible" and I have to disagree...I find they are simply indestructible! Now, I'm sure someone out there can tell me a story of a Kong that was destroyed, but I'm not that person. Finlay is all about the food and loves to work out the treat. Riley loves this part as well, don't get me wrong, but she also loves to play with the toys, grabbing one, playing "keep away", tug (yes, we've found a way!), and simply running around with it, bouncing to and fro. When I am able to wrestle it away from her, she loves to chase it as it randomly bounces across the floor. She is cute, she gets such a kick out of her Kong toy!

Below is a short video clip of Riley with her Kong...Isn't she cute?! Oh yeah, that's Fin you hear in the background...we got him all excited with our play, but he was being camera shy. ;)

I'm really looking forward to the new Kong wobbler and will let you know what the three of us think of it!

What's your dog's favorite toy? Have you found anything else that is "nearly indestructible"?

Sneak Peek - Paperweights & Necklaces

Good evening!

Most of my recent posts have been about my dog training updates and I figured it would be a nice break if I showed you a sneak peek of my newest products. These items are not yet available, but will be really soon. I'm so excited about them that I just had to show you what I'm working on!

I got inspired over the weekend and off I went...shopping and working. So, paperweights and necklaces are in the on deck circle and I'd love to get your feedback.

My apologies that the photo isn't the best, but I was too excited to wait!

Dog Training - Week 5

'Evening everyone! And what a muggy, mosquito-filled evening in the South it is! I was out with Riley and saw a few neighbors, so we chatted and I think I've fed all the mosquitoes in my county!

So, I think Riley had a little break through tonight. While I was talking with the neighbors, we saw no less than 4 dogs and 2 of them we saw twice (they lapped us as I yapped!). While Riley got a little bark-y and pulled a bit, I refocused her and she settled down. One neighbor has a miniature schnauzer who is quite excited to see other dogs and we actually chatted for about 10 minutes. Riley did really well with Caesar the Schnauzer and at one point, she got on her belly and sort of inched towards him. I was quickly cataloging through my sleepy brain, trying to remember what Victoria said in her book about body language and cues from the dogs. At one point, she was licking her lips and I thought I recalled this was a nervous sign, so I called her over to me and treated her. She then got on her belly again and again inched towards Caesar. We let them sniff each other and she did really well - not one peep! I was a proud mama indeed!

Just so you don't think I forgot about Fin, we had a nice walk, but he didn't get a chance to see another dog, so no training opportunities for him, just a fun walk with me!

Dog Training - Week 4

I've taken a good look at my dog training posts and realized I'm going into way too much detail and likely boring you all to tears! So, these posts will now be weekly and hopefully much more entertaining than what has come before. :)

I was able to watch an episode of "It's Me or the Dog" while upstairs (read: dogs not in the same room) over the weekend and got a good idea from the show. It was the top 10 most difficult dogs that Victoria has worked with and one was a boxer who looks like he hates other dogs more than Finlay! ;) Anyway, I realized that my timing is of utmost importance when Fin sees another dog and that I should give him a "jackpot" of treats when I notice him realize a dog is coming our way. Victoria mentioned in the show that the boxer should learn that seeing another dog means treats which means that seeing another dog is a good thing.

So, tonight we saw another dog and I kept watching Finlay to see when he noticed the other dog. As soon as he saw the dog, I gave him a bunch of treats. I kept treating him as we passed the other dog and while he turned around and pulled once or twice, I was able to get his focus back on me and he never barked...it was a little victory!

I mentioned timing and Victoria talks about this in the chapter, "Dog School, Basic Obedience Training." Timing is so important in dog training as the dog needs to realize that what he's just done is the behavior you want. Remember this when you train your dog and you may also want to look into learning how to "clicker" train your dog. I've done clicker work with the dogs and since I have small dogs, sometimes I can click faster than I can treat them because they are much further away from me than a large dog.

Dog Training Days 18-21

OK, so it's beginning to look like I should write this blog weekly as my days are getting so busy!

We are making some progress on the walks with both dogs which is so exciting! Finlay is still a bit behind Riley in terms of "getting it" but he's getting closer. When we see a dog, I've tried putting him in a "sit" and have him watch me. While the dog is passing us, I give him bunches of kibble (I switched from treats to kibble so they wouldn't gain weight!) and get his attention on me. It seems that when we are stationery, I am able to control him better than trying to walk past the other dog. I have had success walking past, but quite frankly, I think it depends on how tired he is...

Riley is still doing really well, in fact tonight was great because she didn't make a sound when we encountered a dog off leash. I won't stay on my soapbox for too long, but I can't stand it when people let their dogs "roam". They may think it's safe, but it simply is not. We don't live in the country, the houses are close together, there are lots of children, cars, etc...just too many variables, plus plenty of dogs that get walked and don't react too well when they see another dog (surprisingly enough, my dogs aren't the only ones!). Anyway, I had my eyes on this dog and told him to "stay". We crossed the street and I was keeping an eye on him and didn't even bait Riley with food, I was so concerned about this loose dog. She just walked along with me and watched the other dog. I was so proud of her, that when the threat had passed, she got her fair share of kibble!

It's funny because I've been reading Victoria's book, "It's Me or the Dog", and she talks about body language. When I told the loose dog to "stay", I remembered her book and stood up straighter and felt confident that I could be the one in control of this situation. The dog kept his distance then ran between some houses and didn't bother us.

I'm really enjoying Victoria's book and think it should be required reading for anyone who is thinking of getting a pet or those who are buying a pet. It's so educational, even for someone like me who has read tons of books on the subject of dog behavior and training. Like I said, we have tried other methods and haven't seen the results we are seeing now.

Now I've got to figure out what in the world is making the dogs so excited to go out and sniff the grill! They are so anxious to go back out there and sniff and scratch at it...we checked it last night and didn't see anything, but their noses know and I bet something has been in there...

Dog Training - Days 15-17

OK, I got busy and neglected my blog for a few days! We're still working on the dogs' behavior on walks and Riley is still doing well, though she did let out a little bark after we passed a dog the other day. Finlay gets a little better each time, but Dorito still sets him off more than most dogs!

My copy of "It's Me or the Dog" by Victoria Stilwell arrived and while I've only just started it, I really like it so far! I like the way it's formatted as it's broken up nicely in the event you want to search for a particular topic. There are also some beautiful photos in the book as well. I'm anxious to get into it more so I can learn more of her techniques.

Overall, the dogs' behavior in the house is pretty good. Riley still barks a ton when she sees a critter. I think Fin has realized he needs to be quiet before I let them out, but we're still working on that with Riley.

I'm getting toned legs from all the walks I'm taking! I take them twice a day and since I have to walk them separately, that's 4 walks a day for me! Granted I'm not taking them each on the 2 mile walk, but the walks I do take them on are about 3/4 to 1 mile long. They are definitely getting me in shape!

Dog Training - Day 14

Whew, it's been a day! Just a long day, nothing crazy. I did just complete a super-cute bull terrier shirt. I'll post a photo in the a.m.

OK, so I realized I'm getting WAY too long-winded with these updates, so they will be shorter. The gist of it is that Riley is doing really well, saw several dogs today and handled all of them really well. One was a very energetic pit bull who was pulling towards her and she didn't make a sound. She saw him alright, but acted like a lady! ;) I have to say, I am still moving to the other side of the road when I see another dog, but she's doing great!

As for Finlay...Can you guess? Yeah, still acting up when he sees another dog. I don't think we saw one on our morning walk (it seems so long ago, I can't remember!), but we saw what looked like a Maltese or Malti-poo this evening and he was still anxious and barking. The dog was in its own yard and I think it was calm - my focus was on Fin - and I think it may have been a good training scenario for him, but I honestly had a hard time calming him down. Now I'm really wishing that Victoria and I had worked with Finlay instead of Riley on this one! ;)

It's OK, a challenge is a good thing and I will feel such a sense of accomplishment when Finlay acts like a gentleman when we see another dog. I'll be the proudest dog-owner on the block!

Good Night!

Dog Training - Days 12 & 13

All I have to say is: S-U-C-C-E-S-S!


Riley and I saw Dorito (Finlay's nemesis) on our walk last night and while she did stiffen up when she saw him, I got her to focus on me and she didn't utter a sound! I gave her a treat which was ready and waiting. She looked back at Dorito, but kept quiet so I told her "good girl", she re-focused on me and I gave her a handful of treats. I figured she should realize that she hit the jackpot with her good behavior! I was so proud of her, I petted her and told her how good she was. I think I was beaming with pride the rest of the way home.



Finlay and I went 2nd and if anything, I had much more confidence than usual. Confidence does surely help, but Finlay and I didn't see any other dogs. However, I used the opportunity to practice getting his attention while we walked. I would say his name then treat him when he looked at me. It is something I wanted to practice so that when we do see another dog, he'll be more likely to focus on me when I call his name than the other dog.



Day 13 - Morning Walk:

Riley and I saw Dorito again and again, she was a champ! This time, the owner himself seemed surprised because the night before, his father was walking Dorito and not as accustomed to my dogs and their antics. Because Riley was calm, Dorito was also pretty calm. Again, I gave Riley a jackpot of food when she behaved well.

Now on to Mr. Fin...When we left the house this morning, we had a jogger and a chocolate lab & owner coming our way. Finlay saw them and pulled, so I crossed the street. He began barking (I'm not sure if it was at the jogger or the dog, because lately he's been doing both), so I turned and walked the other way. This time he did settle and I gave him a treat. When we turned around, after walking a few steps, he started barking again, so I turned again got him settled and gave him the treat. Because I was so focused on him, I didn't realize the lab was gone and had not passed us, but the jogger had. This is why I think he was barking at the jogger. In the meantime, Dorito came down to our street but had crossed and started going the other way as we approached the next street. Finlay did bark, but I was able to get his focus on me and treated him. Dorito's owner must have been thinking, "That's more like it, that's the dog I know!" ;) Eventually, I will post about Finlay seeing Dorito and being calm. It may take a while, but it will happen!



The lab had gone up the street that we turned on. They were a good distance ahead of us and while Fin pulled a bit, I was able to focus him on me and we had a nice walk. We saw the lab again as they turned to go a different way and when Finlay saw them and did not react (granted they were walking away from us), I gave him several treats. Baby steps, baby steps!

Day 13 - Evening Walk

OK, this post is getting way too long, so here are the cliff notes...Riley did great, though barked once as another dog started barking and lunging at her - she didn't start it, yea! ;)
Finlay saw Dorito and by now I'm sure you can all guess what that meant. Yep, I had little impact and he was barking and lunging at Dorito...Then we saw a silky terrier. I was ready, the treats were ready, Fin had calmed down. I let the owner and his son (who had the leash) have the sidewalk and I took the grass, in fact, I walked in the mulch just to make sure there was enough space between us. I had a handful of treats that Finlay could see. He was all eyes on me...and then the darn kid let the dog have free reign on his flexi-leash and he got within inches of Fin. You can imagine, he didn't like it. The silver lining: he didn't go crazy, turned and barked, then I was able to get his attention back. Baby steps, baby steps!

Dog Training - Leash Aggression

Since I'm a bit behind on the blog, in an effort to catch-up, I'm going to post my daily progress and also add in the specific training I did with Victoria.

Our biggest issue is the dogs' behavior on leash when we see another dog coming towards us. The dogs don't seem to mind when a dog barks at them from inside their own house as we pass, or when we pass a fence and that dog is in their yard barking at us. For some reason, it's just when they see another dog walking.

Victoria and I worked on this with Riley and with the help of our neighbor's dog, Maggie (a beautiful Golden Retriever who is sweet as can be). We had a handler with Maggie on the opposite side of the street from our house and off to the right. As we walked out the front door, it wasn't long before Riley saw Maggie and started barking and lunging. Victoria promptly turned on her heel, walked the other way for about 4-5 paces then turned back and walked in the direction of Maggie. We had to do this a few times before Riley realized we weren't going to go towards Maggie if she was barking; once she was quiet, we would head back towards her. When we did get to where we were right across the street from Maggie, Riley didn't bark, but was looking right at Maggie. Victoria told me to reward her because although she was looking and interested in Maggie, she wasn't barking at her. Eventually, the goal would be for Riley to be focused on me, or just not interested in the other dog, but we are taking baby steps!

It took about 5-10 minutes of this training for Riley to "get it". Much to my surprise, she even did well when Victoria turned the leash over to me! In fact, at the end, I was able to get within about 5 feet of Maggie with Riley. It felt so good, I almost cried! I was so happy to see that it is possible and that it does work!

Now the key is to see other dogs on our walks! I may have to borrow some neighbors' dogs just so we can get in some practice. I especially need to practice with Finlay.

Dog Training - Day 11 - Murphy's Law

So, Victoria told me to walk the dogs separately so it would be easier to handle/train them when we encounter another dog. This makes perfect sense because the dogs feed off of each other when they see another dog, making things worse. When I go on my early morning walks, I never see anyone with a dog. I see joggers, lots of birds, and the occasional deer, but never people with dogs.

Remember, since I've started this training, I hardly see any dogs ever - so I figured it would be safe to take both dogs at the same time since the mornings are especially quiet...


Well, this morning, not only did we see a dog, but we saw Finlay's nemesis, Dorito. Dorito is a Lhasa Apso and for some reason, Finlay does not like him at all. Perhaps it's because Dorito is still intact and likes to pee on our mailbox, marking Finlay's territory as his own, I'm not sure. What I know is Finlay does not like that dog, period. Of course, that's who we saw this morning.

Riley actually did pretty well, not reacting until Finlay started pulling and going bonkers. I was also able to easily calm her down, but the same can't be said for Fin. Luckily Dorito's owner just kept walking as I was struggling with tangled leashes and loud terriers (sorry neighbors!) and as soon as they past, all was quiet.

Alas, now I will get up 30 minutes earlier (I am not a naturally early riser) so I can walk them separately. One thing is for sure, these dogs are going to get me in shape!

Evening update: Ask and you shall receive! Tonight we saw dogs and unfortunately, Finlay didn't do so well. We saw a West Highland White Terrier coming our way and we were in a nice, open area, so there was plenty of room for me to walk in the grass so we weren't so close to the other dog. Well, it didn't matter. Every time I tried to walk in the other direction with Fin, he would turn around, pulling and barking at the Westie. He knew it was behind him and didn't want to do anything but bark at it. I tried calling his name to get him to focus on me, tried the "watch" command, but all his focus was on the Westie, nothing I did seemed to help or even register.

Riley and I saw a chocolate Lab the minute we walked out the door. Since it surprised us, she barked a bit, but I was able to get her attention on me and let him pass. She pulled a lot as the dog was going in the same direction as us, but again, I was able to slow her down and get her focus on me. Then, they turned around and passed us and she did well. She did bark once, but that was it and she responded to me very well. Further down on the walk, we encountered River, a Ridgeback/Pit mix who we've met before. He loves to play so almost immediately, he jumped towards us, doing a play bow. Riley sort of bowed/crouched down and began to bark at him. I don't think hers was a play bow...I think she was spooked because quick movements startle her. I was able to talk to the owner with just a bark here and there and was always able to get Riley to focus back on me. We then walked behind them for a bit and she was just fine. I think I'm making progress with her.

Dog Training - Day 10

It's getting to the point where I never see other dogs on our walks and now I actually want to so I can work on training them!

Each dog got 2 walks today and we never once encountered another dog. Riley did encounter a cat and much to my surprise, she didn't make a peep! She did stare at the cat and the cat stared back at her, but that was it, no hissing from the cat and no barking from Riley. We stood there for a bit, talking to the cat's owner and not a peep, so I gave her some treats and we were on our way.

Finlay did so well with heeling, it was such a pleasure to walk with him, but again, we saw no other dogs.

Oh, I almost forgot, Riley and I saw a deer on our morning walk and that was cool. It was about 15 yards down the street from us, crossed the street, paused and looked over at us, then disappeared in the brush. I pointed the deer out to Riley since she wasn't looking that far ahead and while she saw it, she didn't bark, just pulled a bit, out of curiosity I'm sure.

With the barking today, it's mainly been at the back door, when they see a critter. I go to the door and wait until the stop barking before I let them out. Fin usually stops first, but it takes Riley a while to settle...she gets SO worked up! But I wait...and wait.

Finlay is being pretty barky right now and has been for the past hour. He's been out to potty, so I'm not sure what it's all about...I'll have to see if the frog is on the patio, because that's usually why he does this when it's dark out...the frog is hanging out, getting his dinner on our patio and Fin barks at him, I'm sure that's how it is for every household, right? ;)

Dog Training - Walking/Heeling

OK, now you know what my dogs' issues are, so I'll discuss the training I received from Victoria for those issues.

Walking - Victoria worked with me on the "watch" or "watch me" command. This is something that I had previously taught my dogs, so that helped. With a treat in your hand, hold it near your eyes and give the command, we use "watch". This gets your dog to focus on you. We did this a few times - and in doing so, Victoria realized that Riley does not have a soft mouth when taking a treat, so we also worked on the "gentle" command. With the gentle command, Victoria did not give Riley the treat if she tried to get it without being gentle. She then said "gentle" and slowly lowered the treat to Riley. It didn't take long for Riley to realize that grabbing the treat wasn't paying off, so she started lightly taking it. Success!

Back to the watch command...Victoria had me walk with Riley and while walking, I would say "watch" and when Riley looked at me, she got a treat. Then, whenever she would look at me on her own, I would praise her or give her a treat. This got her attention on me and she slowed down and stopped pulling on the leash. I should note that after the dog seemed to understand the command, I would mix up giving a treat or just saying, "good girl/boy". Victoria noted that this is important because you won't always have food on hand and they need to learn that they won't always get a food reward.

In our first 10 days of training, this has probably been the most successful thing for us. Victoria noted that I should walk the dogs separately because of the aggression issues and with the watch command, the dogs are heeling very well and not pulling much. At this point, Finlay is responding especially well to this and walking right by my side. Riley is doing well too, but pulling a bit more than Fin. Since Riley has the issue of taking the treat too hard, I am also able to work on the gentle command with this and all other commands. She's getting a lot better and is starting to take food gently without having to be told...but not all the time just yet!

Dog Training: The Issues

First, I'm going to cover my dogs' issues and the issues on which I worked with Victoria.

Leash Behavior - Probably the most frustrating issue. When on leash, my dogs go berserk when they see another dog. It doesn't matter what kind of dog, big or small, they bark at them all! They also lunge at the other dog and Riley tends to nip at Finlay (redirection of her aggression). Not only is this embarrassing, it's not healthy for the dogs. Note - This behavior is worse in our neighborhood, but does still happen to a lesser extent in parks and other "neutral" locations (territorial behavior for sure).

Barking - Excessive Barking (Ha, right when I typed that, Finlay barked!) - The dogs bark whenever they see a critter out in the yard (bird, squirrel, lizard, etc...), Riley barks when she sees a dog or cat on TV, and Finlay just barks for no reason (boredom?).

Manners - We have had some disputes with my family over my dogs' manners. Namely, Finlay stealing food off coffee tables or Riley jumping up in someone's lap at the dinner table. There are also issues with Riley getting into your lap and demanding attention.

Walking - The dogs also need help heeling on the leash.

For the most part, we worked on the above issues, mostly focusing on the leash/walking and manners. All in all, I think some of the training will help with other issues as well, because we are reminding ourselves that we need to teach the dogs what behavior we like. I've ordered a copy of Victoria's book from www.amazon.com and when it arrives, I will use it as a supplement to the training she provided to me.

Back to the Basics

I was very fortunate to get to spend some time with Victoria Stillwell from Animal Planet's, "It's Me or the Dog" last week. Victoria came by to help me with my wild terriers, Finlay and Riley. Now, I've talked about them before and you know they are my muses for Hound and Thistle and you know how I love them. It is clear that we didn't do the best job training them and we have some issues that need to be addressed, so I'm going to blog about our progress which will help me stay committed to the training.

Victoria could not have been nicer and did not judge me for the way my dogs are. That meant so much to me because I do realize that I didn't do the best job...it's the old, "give them an inch and they'll take a mile." Now, my husband and I have tried various training methods and have not been successful thus far. After meeting with Victoria, I can see why - we hadn't tried her methods which are purely based on positive reinforcement. Now I want to note that we did not use forceful methods before, but we tried the "choke chain" (which in itself has a horrible name), tried a citronella collar (we never wanted to use a shock collar) and tried to show our dogs that we were the leaders...None of which worked.

Victoria explained to me that our goal is to show our dogs the appropriate way to behave in the human world. After all, they are animals and we can't expect them to "guess" what we want and they do what comes naturally. She told me that what I needed to do was to reward the dogs when they were doing what I wanted them to do. Sounds simple, right? Yeah, I thought, "Why couldn't I have figured this out myself!" I was too busy telling my dogs, "no" instead of showing them the behavior I wanted and rewarding it when I got it. With this new knowledge, we started our training session.

Please keep in mind that what I write on here is my interpretation of what Victoria taught me and I would ask you to refer to her book for specifics from her (you can purchase her book, "It's Me or the Dog: How to Have the Perfect Pet" at www.amazon.com) . I would not want to lead anyone astray or misinterpret her training, because I am not a trainer and she is such a fabulous trainer! In my next post, I will discuss my dogs' issues and the training methods I was taught. Then I will update you on my day to day training which will be short posts about our progress along with what I learn from Victoria's book.

Stay tuned!

Gear For Fashionable Pups

When we were at the Atlanta Humane Society's Pet Parade, we met the nicest folks...Hollywoof Styles. The owners are a couple of dog lovers who like us, also love design. They create handmade collars, leashes, harnesses, etc...to set your dog (or cat) apart from the pack! If you are looking for a stylish collar or leash for your dog, you need to pay a visit to their Etsy site: www.hollywoofstyles.etsy.com because you'll find all sorts of cute stuff for your furry friends! Of course, not only is their stuff cute and cool, but the owners couldn't be nicer and more helpful. We're all about being kind and helping one another at Hound and Thistle and you will also find that is the case with Hollywoof Styles, they are good folks indeed!

Woofstock-Suwanee Town Center

We had a great day yesterday at "Woofstock" in Suwanee. Even though it was hot and humid, it looked like everyone had a great time - the watering tent for the dogs was across from our booth and a must-have on a day like yesterday.

The booth looked great and we got a lot of positive feedback from guests. In addition to the stationery and appliqued pillows, we had appliqued t-shirts and tote bags as well as pillar candles with a pet silhouette or initial and pet bandannas.

We met a lot of great people and their dogs! Our thanks to everyone who stopped by!

Dog Breed Tote Bags!

I'm hanging my head in shame because it's been way too long since I've posted here. I've been trying to find a balance between Twitter, Facebook and our Blog. My apologies for the delay...It won't happen again! OK, it might happen again, but I'll try my best not to let it!

On to the fun news...I've completed 3 sample tote bags and they look so cute! We've got a French Bulldog, Golden Retriever, and Long-Haired Daschund. Of course, like everything in our shop, we can put any dog breed on the tote bags - even customize one for your mixed breed!

Since they are so new, they are not yet available in the shop, but will be really soon! Please give us your feedback - we always appreciate it.

See you soon...

The Best Leashes!

We had to tell you about these leashes we have and LOVE! We got them from Dog.com a while ago and have just started using them again as the dogs have decided they really don't want to heel anymore! They are slip leads and while some have a name brand, the ones we got don't so I'm assuming they are a Dog.com product. In any case, they are also referred to as "British slip leads". Instead of clipping them to your dog's collar, they slip around the dog's neck. Make sure you put them on right (the lead should look like a 'P' in orientation) and place the lead high on your dog's neck, just behind the ears. It's very much like the nylon leads Cesar Millan uses, just nicer and more expensive! They are very easy to hold and even when the dog pulls the lead doesn't hurt your hands. They give you more control over your dogs and they pull less on these leads. Of course, we're also using Charlie Bear treats in our training so that helps too, but I have noticed a difference with the lead alone (like when we're at agility class, Riley is less fussy with the other dogs).

We're still working on new products and designs, but from time to time, we'll let you know about dog-related items that we just love and use!

Please click the blog title ("The Best Leashes") to view the leash at Dog.com.

Working Away!

What a busy month its been! January has been filled with lots to do. From working on new items to preparing our taxes, we've been working like crazy! The weather has been colder and gloomier than usual in Atlanta, so that does give us more time to be productive - when it's sunny and pleasant, it's too tempting to take the dogs around town and to the park, etc...Funny how it seems the weekends are always when the weather is the worst! We shouldn't complain too much because the weather is mild in our neck of the woods, this year has just been colder and wetter than normal.

As we mentioned in the last post, we're working on screen printing t-shirts and tote bags to add to our collection. We will be posting some photos soon and can't wait to get your feedback!

We always love your suggestions - from dog breeds to shop items, we're open to everything.

Stay warm and stay tuned...

Coming Soon - Tote Bags & T-Shirts!

We just wanted to update you that we are working on some cool screen-printed t-shirts and tote bags! As soon as they are ready, we will post some photos. These will be custom ordered items so if you want a Borzoi silhouette, we will make the screen and print for you, so the turn around will be a little longer than the stationery since it's a more technical process. But have no fear, we'll have them for you as quick as we can!

Stay tuned for photos and more details!