Pit Ed switches to Sundays

Like a flock of birds, we're following the migration pattern (ie, the fire fighter schedule) of busy Pit Ed instructor Donyale, and are switching class dates...

Pit Ed Beginning and Drop In classes are on SUNDAYS starting THIS weekend, Jan 30

We'll stay on Sundays for several weeks, so enjoy the quieter day with less traffic and overall fewer distractions.

One bird had to chart a different course: Linda Chwistek's CGC Prep Class will continue to run on Saturdays through to March. If you're in her class, keep your ear tuned to Linda for that shift in schedule.

Thanks for being so flexible as we do the seasonal flip flop.

We owe PBS a thanks

Many thanks to William Brangham and the crew from the PBS Show 'Need to Know' for being real people and telling a real story about real dogs. It was a rainy soggy week when you came to CA, our dogs stamped all kinds of muddy paw prints on you and your subjects were admittedly skeptical about the angle of your story. But you were all-time pros, and your segment on the canine survivors of Vick's abuses was brilliant. Thank you.

Link to open: The Dogs Are Alright

Please let the show producers know if you liked this story: Contact 'Need to Know'

Pssst. Pit bulls on PBS - Friday Jan 21st.

We're happy to announce a special feature on PBS that will introduce some of our favorite dogs to the television audience. The show is called 'Need to Know' and it's airing Friday, January 21st.

Check here for the SCHEDULE in your zip code.

Journalist William Brangham came to us with a lot of questions about the status of the surviving dogs trom the Vick case. He and his crew spent many hours filming dogs including Jonny Justice, Audie, Frodo, and Hector. You'll hear from the owners of the dogs as well as Jim Gorant, author of 'The Lost Dogs,' several members of BADRAP and Steve Zawistowski of the ASPCA.

We haven't viewed it yet, but are happy to report that there will no gruesome dog fighting footage or interviews with PeTA in this show. Yay.

We expect this to be a sensitive, intelligent piece. Enjoy!

Camps are back in 2011 - Owner support is key

We're very pleased to report that our Pit Ed Camps will be back in full swing in 2011, thanks to a generous grant from PetSmart Charities®. In addition to the usual hands-on work with dogs, this year's camps will hold a very special focus: Attending shelter staffers will gain the skills to create owner support programs back home so their communities can embrace pit bulls and reduce the numbers of dogs being relinquished to overcrowded shelters. That will include learning to hold Pit Ed training classes as well as the outreach work (aka the 'Shots Fairs') we love so much.

Owner support programs are an important alternative to BSL and can be implemented anywhere. All you need is the right combination of go-getters who want positive change rather than the same-old spin cycle of failed dogs and political hand-wringing. It's time to change the status quo, people!

Media Alert

Best Friends Animal Society is working to identify the fifteen shelters that will travel to Oakland for this training. If you're local to the SF bay area, we'll need your help. We'll be accepting interns who can help in our rescue barn while the camps are in full swing. So keep your eyes peeled here for an announcement and call for applications.

We look forward to working with the many partners involved in this project. With many thanks to the ever-progressive PetSmart Charities and the connectors at Best Friends.

Below, a glimpse into what it will be like for the shelters who come to learn how to bring resources to families in their community. (Thank you Jasmin Singer for the video ... and the ABA Animal Law Committee for giving us a way to test-drive our working classroom with this event!)

Thank you Green Bay Packers!

Ginger knows a good victory when she sees one. She survived you-know-who and is living a gentle life in Monterey now with her person, Stacy Dubuc. We join them in celebrating the Packer's big win today. Thank you boys!!

a worthy White House literacy project

There is a timely review of Gorant's book 'The Lost Dogs' in SFGate today. Like just about every red-blooded, dog loving member of the media, writer Christie Keith is less than impressed with Vick's big return, especially after having read the book. She doesn't want vengeance though, she just wants people to know the nitty-gritty of MV's actions before waving the 'healed by jail and touchdowns' flag. Simple enough. She writes:

I'm neither a sports fan nor a social worker, and I freely admit that that I care more about his victims than I do about Michael Vick. But unlike many dog advocates, I don't want to see him put back in prison, denied his right to vote, kicked out of the NFL, beaten, kicked or bashed in the head. I certainly don't think he should be executed, as right wing pundit Tucker Carlson suggested on Fox News recently. I just think his defenders should read this book before deciding what they think about Michael Vick's big comeback.

It's likely that Obama missed the memo about Vick's sadism. I know - I know. Like you, we're over this whole thing and have banged our head on the wall plenty about our President's recent endorsement of the Eagle's profitable poster boy. It sucks to have to sneer at Obama for such a dumb move, of all moves!

No one has expressed this funk better than the Raised by Wolves blog. And Francis Battista of Best Friends offered this eloquent response that's been all around the Net.

But before we walk away from this political wipe-out, maybe the thing to do is take Keith's lead and help educate our dear leader. After all, the White House website states that "President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history." Rah. With that in mind, we're proposing that animal lovers with a few bucks to spare access that administration by sending a complimentary copy of the Lost Dogs to the first family. Maybe tuck a photo of your dog inside? or a personal note warning the Obamas to keep the book off their daughters' bookshelves for a few years? Couldn't hurt.

I've been intrigued by White House protocol for gifts ever since a friend wrapped up his nastiest shoes and mailed them to George Bush. So what would happen to your book if you were to send it to DC?

1) More book sales would help keep 'The Lost Dogs' high on the top seller lists. Good. 2) The White House would of course have to figure out what to do with your gift. According to the Brookings Institution, "Presidents and their First Ladies receive thousands of gifts each year, from large to small, from domestic to gifts from heads of state. Any gift not from a foreign official must be logged by the White House Gift Unit and managed by one of several domestic agencies."

It's fun to try and imagine how the Gift Unit would 'manage' a tall pile of books with Sweet Jasmine's face staring up at them. Would they distribute to random waiting room areas around the White House? Donate to local literacy projects? Destroy them all? Send a few up to the Presidential bathroom libraries .. or maybe a dog-loving intern would swift a few copies into the 'Situation Room?' Who knows - with some luck we might even spy one of the fire engine red books in the background of the next Lady's Home Journal get-to-know-you interview with Michelle.

Here's the address for your gift giving. And if you want to buy a fresh one, use this Amazon link, and BR will get a bit of change per sale. Let us know if you decide to support this project. Why not!

EDIT - HOLD THE PHONE! - More people than we ever imagined sent books to the White House after this blog post went live. A casual count tallied a minimum of 200 books sent. It seems that the large number reached critical mass a few days ago, and while the first few arrivals were signed for and accepted by WH staff (we're not sure how many), they are now turning others away. Mission Accomplished! Now what to do with all the books that are returning to their purchasers? We have a few ideas and will post asap. Thank you ALL for jumping both feet into this action.

Mr. President and First Lady Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

a true friendship and a good death

Bittersweet news from Kerry O'Connor - who said yes to a creaky little old lady dog plucked out of Oakland Animal Services as part of our compassion hold program in spring 2009. Kerry went on to adopt 'Gemma' as her very own. Photographs by Lori Fusaro

"I wanted to let you know that Gemma passed away on December 24. I always wondered what Gemma’s life had been like before she came to my house. She must have been an amazing young dog! She loved her comforts – blankets warm from the clothes dryer, snoozing on the sofa, cheese, scrambled eggs (I was always trying to put weight on that girl!) She didn’t mind taking baths, was great about getting her nails done, followed me around like a little shadow, and up until the second to last day of her life, served as my 'doggie alarm clock.' She was able to sense when 6:30am rolled around – but never did understand that weekends were different and that she didn’t have to woof me awake quite so early on Saturdays and Sundays.

On Wednesday 12/22, Gemma feasted on tiny meals of chicken breast and baby food. She found a sunny place on the back lawn, and we sat together watching the leaves fall from my neighbor’s birch trees and the squirrels running on the fences. I couldn’t get her to eat or drink at all on Thursday, and on Friday she was becoming unsteady on her feet, and still wouldn’t eat or drink. She was alert and sweet, but I knew she was ready to leave, and that the kindest thing I could do was let her go.

The nobility of old dogs has always amazed me. Gemma had the look of a wise old ferret. The white fur around her eyes reminded me of a pair of spectacles. I also think about the huge numbers of our breed that never get the opportunity to be old dogs. You, and so many articles I’ve read, talk about how many of these wonderful dogs don’t make it to their second birthdays. Even the technicians at the vet mentioned it – seeing a pit bull type dog able to live to such a ripe old age.

I’m so happy to have known Gemma, and to have had the privilege of being her guardian since April 2009. I know, as you do, that there are so many other Gemmas out there, who deserve a sunny spot in a peaceful home to live out their days, and if her story makes one person consider adopting an old dog, then all the tears that have been shed in the last few weeks have been well worthwhile." Kerry O'Connor

Sweet blessings to both Gemma and her devoted person Kerry.

news year's eve message a la video

wishing everyone a warm and wonderful 2011 with many happy endings for the dogs!

the Ins and Outs of language for 2011

“Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.” - Benjamin Lee Whorf

Various catch phrases of every kind have been used over the years to shape how society views - and ultimately treats - pit bull type dogs. In the interest of evolving ourselves so our dogs can escape the generalizations, stereotypes, and myths that bring them harm, here are some outdated terms and ideas that need to be kicked to the curb. In the new year, we encourage better, cleaner language to help listeners gain a better understanding of the breed, and a more practical and compassionate view of dogs in general. Here's hoping that 2011 represents a period of fast growth and that even these new-and-improved terms will be replaced once again.

OUT - "Bully Breed"

What the hec IS a bully breed, anyway? We have no idea. This catch-all phrase has been used to stereotype more than help by causing some to apply over generalized traits and behaviors to several different breeds of dogs and breed mixes, including boxers, boston terriers, mastiffs. Aye! It gets so messy. Seriously, let's help the dogs and phase this term out.

IN - "Pit bull type dog"

We aren't terribly fond of this term either, but it matches 'our' dogs more than any we've found yet. Let's hope a new and better term emerges in the new year to describe dogs that appear to be pit bulls. With that in mind, remember that we've already learned from the scholars of the world that properly identifying breed type based on physical appearance alone is virtually impossible. Here's why.

OUT- Temperament test
IN - "BEVAL" (short for behavior evaluation)

We now know that you really can't see a dog's true temperament through any given 'test.' At best, we can get a snapshot of personality type by observing behaviors during assessments. On that note, the word 'temperament' has been dropped altogether in some circles and replaced with the more generous word, 'personality,' to reflect an animal's flexible nature, given his environment and handling.

OUT - "Fighting dog"
IN - Victim of cruelty

Needs no explanation. Lots of cruelty victims are ready to see the term 'fighting dog' go far, far away.

OUT - "Bait dog"
IN - Victim of cruelty

Like nails on a chalkboard, 'bait dog' is one of the most over-used and irresponsibly applied terms used to describe dogs with scars and unknown histories. Drop this one like a hot potato, please.

OUT - "Bred to fight"
IN - Born to be a companion animal

Since when are dogs born ready to be abused? Stop saying pit bulls were 'bred to fight,' or we'll have to cyber-smack you.

OUT- Mandatory spay/neuter.
IN - Dog owner support programs.

Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) including mandatory spay/neuter laws are always out. Teach a man to fish and change the world. (For a less cryptic example of owner support, visit our webpage on outreach programs, and watch us power it up in 2011.)

OUT - "Trained to fight"
IN - Abused ... Victimized ... Encouraged to be anti-social.

Seriously. You don't need to train a dog to defend himself or to scrap with other dogs. You simply set him up to fail in several different ways. The Vick dogs taught us well; when dogs fight, people are always to blame.

OUT - "It's all about how they are raised."
IN - "It's all about how they are managed."

(Thank you Andie of Espanola Valley Humane, NM). Last we checked, dogs are still animals with behaviors that need to be managed by responsible owners no matter what kind of upbringing they have had. This definitely applies to all breeds, however some of the most abused and mistreated pit bulls out there are leading the way with reminding us all that dogs are a reflection of their owners.

OUT - Using images of pit bulls you haven't actually helped to fundraise for your cause.
IN - Actually helping pit bulls.

OUT, OUT, OUT - Celebrity dog abusers and their political allies.
IN - Compassionate, kick ass, boots on the ground advocates who work tirelessly to help the dogs.

OUT - "Pittie"
IN - Anything but pittie.

I have to admit that last one is a personal pet peeve (pit peeve?) and not necessarily a needs-to-go-away term, but if you must use it to describe your dog, recognize that it sounds like pity to some ears - aka pitiful. And our dogs are anything BUT pitiful. But I promise not to wince too hard if you use it in front of me, since clearly, it's a term of endearment - and what's sweeter than that?

Holiday Zoomies

Barn puppy Pepper, now re-named Elektra, is spending her very first holiday with her pack ... a group of huskies that make up the Hertel's family home and Idaho based rescue. The little pit mix has loved herself some huskies since "Uncle Elliot" took over the work of raising her and her litter this past summer. (Video) We love a good happy ending, and a happy holiday to boot.

Wishing many happy romps in winter weather to you and yours this season.

pack aggression & the media microscope

This isn't a happy blog post to write, but two recent incidents in our home towns demand attention.

Troubled dogs are in headlines after loose dogs attacked women in two separate incidents this month - in Marin County and just recently, in San Jose. Luckily, both incidents attracted good samaritans who intervened to stop the attacks, and each victim is home now and healing from their injuries.

The San Jose incident is still hot news (82 news stories and counting, including a nationally distributed piece in the AP), as one of the dogs is still missing. The captured dog appeared to be a very nervous and altogether unsocialized pit bull type dog in a KTVU television report. The body language of this animal helps piece together the 'whys' of frightening stories like this and moves us beyond the formula media hype and hand wringing over breed type.

Pack Aggression - where two or more dogs gang up and attack a victim - is not a breed specific behavior. While the National Canine Research Council reminds us that dog bites are on a steady decline in this country, dog attacks involving unsocialized packs of dogs still factor into many of the recorded incidents each year and they can include any breed type of dog. Even small dogs weighing less than 27 pounds have participated in packing together and harming people, according to a 1983 study "Attacks by Packs of Dogs Involving Predation On Human Beings," by Borchelt et al., published in the journal "Public Health Reports." It's not happy reading, but worth the understanding.

According to the Borchelt study, "The past history of the social interactions of dogs with people in a variety of circumstances is probably an adequate predictor of whether these dogs are inclined to bite someone." In other words, if dogs aren't socialized to people properly (ie, they're kept as resident dogs in garages or yards instead of as family pets) they're more inclined to revert to unruly and sometimes dangerous pack behavior when the situation presents itself.

After a horrible fatal attack involving a pack of dogs in GA last year, Bonnie Beaver, a professor at Texas A&M University and an expert in pack behavior, explained that when pack mentality takes over "they do insane things that they would not do" under normal circumstances. This news link shows two of the dogs involved in the GA incident. CNN

Meanwhile, the second bay area dog attack victim is safe and healing in Marin County after a good samaritan came to her aid. She and her dog both needed emergency care after two loose dogs tore up her jack russell terrier and bit up her face, arm and legs. The Novato Patch said that an "employee with the North Marin Water District is to thank for preventing worse injury or even death to the woman and dog."

The loose dogs in her situation were rounded up by authorities and are being held at the Marin Humane Society. You won't hear much about that incident outside of this singular news report, however. Why? The attacking dogs were identified as "chocolate labrador retrievers" so apparently didn't interest our local news cameras. And so it goes.

Hang tight all, as San Jose jaws at the topic of breed specific regulations again. They won't help reckless dog owners learn how to be more responsible, but they make for exciting headlines.

it feels good to laugh

We're all loving Anderson Cooper today for putting Michael Vick on his 'RidicuList' and coming up with the perfect solution to his hope for a new doggy ... the kackel dackel.

Dog bless you, silver fox.



In other news, we wanted to report that "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" sent a generous donation to BR for Christmas this year. Jay got into trouble when he set Chris Rock up for a really bad joke late last year, letting MV off the hook since "a pit bull ain't even a real dog." The world was as mad at Leno as they were at Rock. Rock even lost a role as Richard Pryor for pissing Pryor's widow off with that comment.

My mother-in-law Margaret phoned me last night to laugh about a new joke that aired on the Leno show last night. Apparently they put together some clips of dogs running for their lives after news anchor Brian Williams announced Vick's hope to get a new dog. (If anyone can find that clip, please share.)

It feels good to laugh. And even better that Leno's gift to BR will become our emergency vetcare fund for our dogs in 2011.

Never thought I'd say this, but "thank you Jay."

Hat tips to Samantha Laine for the kackel dackel news. LOL

file this one in your "Have you been SMOKING CRACK?!" category...

From the book "The Lost Dogs" written by Jim Gorant, the senior editor of Sports Illustrated.....

As that dog lay on the ground, fighting for air, Quanis Phillips grabbed its front legs and Michael Vick grabbed its back legs. They swung the dog over their head like a jump rope then slammed it to the ground. The first impact didn't kill it. So, Phillips and Vick slammed it again. The two men kept at it, alternating back and forth, pounding the creature against the ground until, at last, the little red dog was dead.*

From today's Atlantic Journal Constitution.....

"I would love to get another dog in the future," Vick told a Website called theGrio in an article published Wednesday. "I think it would be a big step for me in the rehabilitation process. I think just to have a pet in my household and to show people that I genuinely care, and my love, and my passion for animals."

Vick has critics who believe the ban (on owning a dog) should be permanent, but others say he can be a responsible pet owner.

"I have been around him a lot, and feel confident that he would do a good job as a pet owner," Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, told the AJC Wednesday.



* By the way, I gave away one of the very worst moments in the book "The Lost Dogs" with that paragraph. (Sorry, Jim) If you can get through that, you're ready to read the whole book. Here's our review and link to order.

The Lost Dogs was nominated by goodreads as one of the 15 most important non-fiction books of 2010. If you agree, head here to cast your VOTE.

The little red dog that is no more has a mighty roar.

Miss Natty has left the building.

From our 2005 Happy Ending story of the most wonderful Madeline:

Lady Madeline was found running stray on an Oakland street. She could've easily been dropped here from another century: With old world looks and casual, devil-may-care confidence, she seems to embody decades worth of wisdom and street smarts.

Her finder grabbed her up and filed lost dog reports in hopes of finding her family. No luck. So she was spayed, vetted and kept safe until a spot could open up in our program.

We took one look at this girl's big intelligent eyes and knew we had just met a very special little bulldog. She didn't disappoint: Natty is a friend to all and even maintains her ladylike composure around pushy dogs, despite the peppering of old bite scars on her face that serve as a reminder of a colorful past.

Her back legs are weak and don’t always work right, but in true Natty fashion, she pushes on through and shoulders her body weight on her powerful and motivated front end. That seems to be her m.o. - "When the going gets rough, chin up and carry on." Such a bulldog!

Her perfect match showed up in a woman named Stella, who was hoping for a gal just like Natty. They enjoyed a sweet friendship full of fun adventures. For many weeks after her adoption, Stella sent letters outlining their newest discoveries and simple pleasures together.

Natty died last week, and the news sucked a bit of wind out of us. Thank you for blessing us all with your friendship, little Natty. Warm condolences to her grieving human, Stella Winslow.

sign of the times

A recent email:

Hi there,
I had the sad task of surrendering my Pitt bull mix Prada Jane to the Pinole Animal Shelter. I recently lost my home to foreclosure. I advertised on Craisglist, Facebook, and friends and family but could not find a home for Prada Jane. I am now concerned that she will be assessed as unsuitable for adoption because when I brought her in, she was shaking with fear. It was heartbreaking to have to do this.

Prada is by far the sweetest dog ever. Even my friends who are not fans of dogs, find themselves falling in love with her.

Prada's profile: Black and White Pitt Bull mix (not sure of the mix), 2+ years old, 65 pounds, Spayed in 2009
Responds to commands "sit", "lay down", wipe your feet, (stops at the mat on her way into the house), "pillow" (she goes to her pillow)

Thanks in advance for your time.

.... Yes, she's in our barn tonight. Although our hearts are still breaking for both the dog and her human .....

foster dog bandwidth

Because you need more excuses to graze the Internet, in the tradition of the Vick Dog Blog, here are three new blogs from dogs that are currently in our program, written by their foster homes. These have been such a fun way for us to share the dogs' progress as well as remember how far they've come as the weeks tick by.

Robin - a recent intake from an Ohio case.

Chunk - also from the Ohio case.

Winnie - our new favorite diva, from Florida.

Two of our locally rescued dogs are about to get their own little spot on the Internet too, so stay tuned. Below, Robin exploring the brave new world of dog beds and stuffy toys.

giving thanks

Counting our blessings today and appreciating the support, the inspiration, the army of helpers who help shoulder the load, the little miracles that come along just in time - and especially - the lessons learned from these impossibly generous creatures.

Have a safe and gentle holiday with you and yours.

Photo: Cruelty case survivor 'Chunk' asking me to slow down just a bit and sink in. Thank you Chunk.

schooling a former stud muffin - it takes a village (of dogs)!

When Chunk came to us from the crap-ass breeder in Ohio, we knew that he'd most likely been used as a stud dog for much of his life. He showed the classic behavior that's so common with puppy mill studs; one track mind with no idea how to relate to dogs outside of, well, you know. A neuter helped curb some of the reproductive drive, but he didn't have a clue as to how to play. Since most homes want dogs that can have one or more dog-friends, it's important to us to socialize our charges as much as possible while getting them ready for adoption. This is where having a group of well-socialized, known quantity dogs is such a life saver. Chunk needs to learn 1) not to hump and 2) how to play. And since he's a rather low-key, middle aged guy who's never done either, it will take very tolerant dogs to bring this out in him. We grabbed video clips of Chunk's progress during short, well supervised play sessions. Here are some of our favorites. With each clip, he learns something new from each dog.

First, Elliot. The loose-bodied malberian's been great for teaching Chunk that dogs are safe, but he's too young to teach him not to hump. That's fine. We wanted some of Chunk's first experiences with dogs to be happy, even if altogether frustrating.



Next, Sally. She takes great pride in correcting dogs that offend her, but without going overboard. We don't employ our senior as much as we used to to socialize dogs since she tends to throw herself into these sessions with so much gusto that she sometimes throws her back out (!) But she told us that she thought Chunk was uber sexy, and was game to teach him some new moves. Immediately, she gave Chunk a few VERY loud and scary corrections for trying to mount her (not shown).

Once he showed a little more respect, in classic Sally fashion, she invited him to play. Chunk's not quite sure what to think of Miss Sally now - which is fine. Being confused at this point is a good lesson for the former stud muffin. We want him to think rather than fall back into old patterns (FYI, We're giving Sally LOTS of praise in this clip because she hates the camera and tends to go on strike when it comes out.)



Below - finally - a decent play session with Lola. He's still trying to mount, but he's also starting to try out some new moves. A few more sessions with a variety of dogs including helpful teacher Lola, and new doors will open for this boy. For now, Chunk will also be getting verbal reminders from us when he falls back into humping, but the dogs are giving him the opportunity to learn and develop a real play style. What would we do without all these wonderful dogs to help us out?

One Caveat: Here's our "don't try this at home" disclaimer. Every dog - especially every under-socialized dog - is going to be wildly different in how much he can tolerate from new dogs. If you've never done new dog-intros, you're wise to mentor with someone who knows how to do them before tossing dogs that don't know each other together. It's not rocket science and it's really fairly easy to read dog body language, but experience is SO much kinder than blind experimentation. So be smart, k?

EDIT BELOW ...and finally, Chunk starts to play. Whew.

bootcamp, part II

welcome to bootcamp

I snapped this not-so-nice photo of a stressed little boy-dog when things were at their worst for him a few days ago. I want to remember this moment.

He didn't come from a cruelty case. He's a locally rescued dog who's still unwinding from several weeks of Good Intention Overload.

Let me tellya! His original rescuer didn't know it at the time, but by taking a drivey little never-had-nothing orphan and then lavishing heaps of freebies on him - free affection, free praise, free treats and snuggle time in her bed - she created the most insufferable BRAT.

Terrifically-Spoiled dog had lots of love on tap but no rules and not a leader in sight. His baby brain couldn't handle the freedom, the excitement, the non-stop vending machine of Life's biggest party. So, like a triple-latte-tanked teenager with a paw full of mom's credit cards, he (understandably) made all kinds of bad decisions, which got him ejected from one foster situation to another to another...to another! All told, this dog was said to be in eight or nine different addresses in ten weeks time. Just imagine.

It seems his big eyes, tiny size and sad story inspired each new caretaker to repeat the same structureless spoiling, including pillow time in their bed at night .. "Pooooor weeedle misunderstood peeboo." ... Until he chased the cat or snarked at a dog or otherwise acted like a terrier gone awry. Then, good bye! Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. By the time we met him in Pit Ed class, his eyes were bugging out of his stressy head and he was homeless again. His final caretaker pleaded for help and then ducked beautifully while we cussed and grumbled. She even bought us lunch, and suckers that we are, we accepted both the dog and the bribe.

So here he is, in our program now, making us slightly nuts (well, much less nuts than HE was a few days ago).

We'll ride it out. There will be rules. There will be structure. You will not snark dogs, chase cats, bounce off my body or otherwise get what you think you deserve. We'll ignore you when you holler, beg, cajole, YODEL for attention, and if you persist - Yes, Little Stinker - we will zap you with the squirt bottle and walk away ... entirely unimpressed. Gasp.

We're cold as ice, baby.

You are no longer a six figure rock star bouncing from one terribly exciting situation to the next. You are just a cadet in our bootcamp. We don't care how cute you are - Your pleading eyes will not move us to feed your addiction to frenzy.

Life will be perfectly boring, and you'll be forced to rest, ponder, breathe - come back down to earth, already. When you get out for stretches and exercise, you'll have to work for everything. E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. When you're ready to play with dogs again, you'll be grounded and sane - Not spastic and defensive (not surprising, spazz boy got into some scraps before he came to us). You'll look to your new leader(s) and we'll coo - very quietly so it doesn't excite you - "yes. good boy." But only when you do the good stuff.

And when we get to the other side of this, you will be truly adorable, and the world will wonder how such a fabulous dog ever ended up homeless.

Sigh. We'll fool everyone - I promise.

Wish us luck. Here's some good Nothing In Life is Free information in case your dog has had access to too many credit cards in your home. And our own personal 'bible' for teaching rules to a new dog.

UPDATE: 'Tater' survived bootcamp and gained some important manners while with our team. He flew off into the sunset to become the household pet of a working dog handler in VA. We're thrilled that he found such a loving home with someone who understands the little squirt. Yo TATER TOT! Below, at home with Ellen and Eric.