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Tel.: (913) 424-5072 For enrollment information e-mail: trainer@sympawtico.com Please visit The Sympawtico Dog Blog!
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Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC is owned and operated by Suezanne M. Thibodeau, CHES |
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Current Events
My Buddy Tank
Recent Graduates
Out and About
Press Releases
My Buddy Tank
Every once in awhile, a trainer comes across a dog-and-human partnership so special, so amazingly congruent in thought and feeling and deed, that any doubts she may have had as to the ability of our two species to truly live in harmony disappear as mist. Tank the Malamute and his dad Ryland embodied that partnership completely.
Tank and Ryland have had a special place in my heart ever since I met them. A better example of how to create beauty of all the trials and tribulations possible in a dog-human relationship there never will be. For there were trials and tribulations, and harmony does not imply that all of the notes of their particular song sounded in perfect tune or in perfect time. Rather it was what they did each moment and together that created the music.
Tank the Malamute, d. 12.02.2008. But the song lives on...
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Recent Graduates
Congratulations Graduates!
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Michael and Kyle with Mac Petiquette |
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The Gilberts with Rockie Petiquette |
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The Kraffts with Dutch Petiquette |
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Joel and Julie with Bennie June Petiquette |
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Tara and Kyle with Boston Petiquette |
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Pam with Zoey Petiquette |
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Kelli with Winston Petiquette |
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Michele with Hurley Petiquette |
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Renee with Polly Petiquette |
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The Bowens with Porter Petiquette |
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The Sokols with Zoey Petiquette |
Out and About
Boston Tea Party
Life is Sweet
Puzzle Pooch is a star! (George, too, of course.)
What's that dog saying?
Puzzle Pooch Goes to School
Ms. Thibodeau Goes to Topeka
Sympawtico Dog Training and Personable Pets Teach R.E.A.D. to Read
KCDogTrainers.com Veterinarian Seminar
George is a star!
Pet Pals Event
Ours to Give: The Long Legacy of an American Family
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Boston Tea Party
November, 2009
Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC continues to lead the positive reinforcement dog training revolution with our first ever Boston Tea Party. Five little Boston Terriers brought their families to enjoy an evening of training and fun. Check out these pictures!
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| Having so many Bostons all in one place was soooooooooo exciting! So, before playing, we worked on relaxation and focus. |
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We practiced paying attention... |
| ...and finished each recall with a sit. |  |
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We really were on our best behavior. |
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| But when we finally got to play, we were just a black-and-white blur! |
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| Still, after all the fun, we showed off our mad skillz again. |
| And when all the practice and play were over, there was only one thing left that we needed to know: "When can we do it again?" |  |
Thanks to Boston Terriers Theo, Hazel, Gus, Hurley, and Elvis for all the fun, and to their families for coming with them. We had so much fun, in fact, we've scheduled more Boston Tea Parties for 2010! See our Schedules and Pricing page for dates and times.
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Life is Sweet
June, 2009
Our new friends at Sweet Life Rosehill do a tremendous job helping residents to maintain their relationships with the animals they love. Recently I wrote an article for MetroPet Magazine about two of the residents who live in this beautiful facility with their pets. Then a couple of weeks later, I took my dog George to visit and show off some fun tricks. We also pick up home-baked treats that the residents made for our four-legged friends at Animal Haven.
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Del and kitty Vanessa welcomed us to their home. |
Life is certainly sweet for Edna and Ginger. |
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Residents without pets can enjoy the facility's many birds. |
Animal Haven's Bethany was happy to accept Sweet Life residents' donation of home-baked goodies for her four-legged friends. |
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And of course the kitties were happy to accept the treats, too. |
Don't forget the puppies - we can even say pretty-please! |
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Thanks so much to Sweet Life Rosehill's Jenny Hellman for helping me to make this awesome connection!
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Puzzle Pooch is a star! (George, too, of course.)
Monday, May 4, 2009
This morning, George and I visited with Fox 4 Mornings' Mark Alford about our upcoming Puzzle Pooch classes at Shawnee Mission Medical Center. Check out the video:
Thank you to SMMC's Shannon Cates, and also to all of our friends at FOX 4 Mornings for arranging this morning's visit.
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What's that dog saying?
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Once again, Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC teamed up with the wonderful trainers of KCDogTrainers.com to host a seminar for area veterinarians and their staff members. This time, though, we were the featured speakers! The seminar was titled "What's that dog saying?", and focused on teaching our attendees dog body language and communication signals, plus handling tips to help them do their jobs more efficiently and stay safe at the same time.
Suezanne (in red shirt) explains Hannah's body language while Hannah's handler looks on
Sharon Woodrum of Personable Pets Inc. Dog Training demonstrating handling techniques with George
The Dogs' Spot's Laura Devine gives tips on paw handling with Olive
Then it was their turn!
Hands-on is what it's all about. And George didn't mind a bit!
Thanks to all of our helpers, including our canine volunteers and their handlers, Linda Toombs of Go Dog...! Pet Care Services and my lovely daughter Emily.
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Puzzle Pooch Goes to School
Friday, April 10, 2009
Today Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC worked with our friends at Animal Haven to bring humane education to the kids of Mill Creek Elementary school. Animal Haven's Brendan Wiley started the program with some terrific information about the importance of adopting pets from the shelter, and he even brought a couple of cute puppies along to socialize with the kids. Then, my good friend Puzzle Pooch taught the kids about dog body language and communication - and passed out bookmarks and activity sheets, too! What a fun day!
Suezanne and many, many Mill Creek kids!
Thanks to the Mill Creek kids for their rapt attention and love of animals, and to the Mill Creek teachers and administrators for helping to make the day a great success. And as always, thanks to Animal Haven and Marlo Martin - you rock!
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Ms. Thibodeau Goes to Topeka
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Today, Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC joined the Humane Society of the United States at the Kansas State Capitol Building in Topeka to lobby for the animals. We met with state legislators to encourage their support of a new law which would make cock-fighting in Kansas a felony offense, and also to ask them to oppose a resolution allowing Kansas horses to be exported for inhumane slaughter. It was a beautiful day for beautiful work.
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Our lovely State Capitol Building in Topeka. |
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Waiting in the Rotunda to see the legislators. |
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Inspiration for the good work that lay ahead. |
I was in good company: my kids Emily and Aaron came along to learn the lobbying ropes |
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In between meetings we took the opportunity to climb further up into the Rotunda. |
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We went inside the Rotunda, too - easier by far than getting inside the brain of a dog... Also scarier. |
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A quick stop outside the Governor's Office. |
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Kansas has a rich history of pioneering women protecting what they hold dear. |
![why I love this statue]](images/Lobby Day/why its my favorite.jpg) |
And we've always loved our dogs. |
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Sympawtico Dog Training and Personable Pets Teach R.E.A.D. to Read
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Pets for Life organization's Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) help at-risk children improve their reading skills through support and inspiration -- and without judgment. My colleague Sharon Woodrum, of Personable Pets Inc. Dog Training, and I decided to help the R.E.A.D. crew have even more fun with their young friends by teaching the dogs to "read", too!
Using a simple technique called Cue Substitution, we helped the R.E.A.D. handlers teach their dogs to respond correctly to cards printed with a variety of cues. Just look how much fun we had!
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Big dogs can read. |
Small dogs can read. |
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It's true, in fact, that ALL dogs can read! |
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I can read "Sit". |
And I can read "Down". |
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When I read my card, I spin 'round and 'round! |
We learned some new tricks... |
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...and we shared our delight. |
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We worked oh-so-hard that we'll sleep well tonight! |
Thanks to the Tails R' Waggin facility for hosting all the fun. And to Caroline of Olive's Hope Pet Rescue and Linda of Go, Dog...!: thanks for lending a helping paw! We couldn't have done it without you.
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KCDogTrainers.com Hosts Seminar for Area Veterinarians
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Today Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC, in partnership with colleagues from KCDogTrainers.com, hosted a seminar for area veterinarians titled The Role of the Veterinary Community in Addressing Problematic Dog Behavior. Our featured speaker was Dr. J.C. Burcham, of Olathe Animal Hospital. It was a terrific success!
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Sharon Woodrum of Personable Pets Inc. Dog Training welcomes our guests |
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Our sponsors helped us provide a nice array of amenities |
Laura Devine of The Dogs' Spot Dog Training Center works the registration table with one of our hosts from No More Homeless Pets KC |
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Kelly Benbow of Pawsitive Solutions Dog Training helps attendees settle in |
Ooh, what fun we'll have today! |
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Our wonderful speaker, Dr. J.C. Burcham, of Olathe Animal Hospital |
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The audience was gripped |
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Afterwards the panel took questions |
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Thanks to Dr. J.C. Burcham, my colleagues at KCDogTrainers.com, Olathe Animal Hospital, No More Homeless Pets KC, Merial, Bark to Basics, maranIllustrated, Pet Quenchers, iVet, and all who attended for helping make the seminar a success! |
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A Star is Born (again...)
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Today George and I had the pleasure of helping out with a commercial shoot for a local production company. As you can see, we had a ball!
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Did you say you have a Third Eye?? I mean, I knew you humans we were weird, but... |
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I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille! |
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You get comfy... then I'll get comfy. |
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Roll 'em! |
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Smile for the camera! |
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Pet Pals at Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead
Saturday, May 10, 2008
We had a great time helping out with Pet Pals at the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead!
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We visited the horses... |
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...and said moo to the cow! |
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The goat welcomed us. |
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Don't forget our feathered friends! |
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Sheep herding is so exciting! |
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We talked about dog safety... |
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...and taught the kids how to greet Stinky nicely! |
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We hung out with our friends at Mastiff Hope... |
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...and tried to help raise money for Theo's surgery. |
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It was a great day! |
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Ours to Give: The Long Legacy of an American Family
Spring, 2007
Humbug and George, my Boston Terriers, had the opportunity to appear in a documentary film about Kansas City's R. A. Long and Family. Thanks to filmmakers Bonnie and Pete Hanson for their invitation and ongoing support!
Suezanne (in red) communicates with her dogs using hand signals during the documentary shoot in front of Longview Mansion.
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Press Releases
2008 Press Releases
Family Friendly Training Techniques
Dogs&Storks Comes to KC!
Dog 101 Workshops for In-Home Workers
Mastiff Hope Invites You to Help a Big Dog with a Big Need
Dogs Days of Summer a Great Time to Celebrate Responsible Dog Ownership
Responsible Dog Ownership Not Just for Dog Owners
2009 Press Releases
New Classes Help Families Prepare Fido for Baby’s Arrival
Kansas City’s Pets for Life Holds Open House March 8
Kansas City Dog Trainer Continues City’s Long History of Humane Education
Protesters Ask Olathe Petland Store to Stop Selling Puppy Mill Puppies
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Family Friendly Training Techniques
IT AIN’T CALLED MANHANDLING FOR NOTHIN’!
Families Seek Dog Training Techniques Mom and the Kids Can Handle, Too
Dog training isn’t what it used to be. Once viewed as an endeavor of man against beast, the field was dominated by individuals whose physical presence and prowess were sufficient to that task: most often pioneering men who bent their backs and toiled alongside the animals in their care. These animals were sometimes treated well, sometimes not – just as human laborers were variously treated depending upon cultural norms and the compassion of their employer. But as men left the farmsteads and ranches to follow the promise of greater financial security in urban employment, the working dogs of yesterday became the family dogs of today; then, more and more of their care fell to the women and children of the household.
In the decades since, our relationships – with dogs but also with one another – have changed; and just as parents around the nation have found that sparing the rod does not spoil the child, so dog training within the home environment has taken on a kinder, gentler aspect. These changes are essential for, as Colleen Pelar, author of Living with Kids and Dogs… Without Losing Your Mind writes, “…any method that requires force cannot be safely performed by a child, so you run the risk of teaching the dog to be gentle only with people big enough and scary enough to manhandle her.” More than that, modern studies show that force-based training methods are not only inappropriate for use by many dog owners, but that they are unnecessary and counter-productive. “You may get obedience out of a dog by threatening him, but mostly you’ll get a dog who is afraid of you,” Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Dr. Patricia McConnell writes in her book The Other End of the Leash. She continues, “Far too often, you’ll get a dog who learns to defend himself by getting aggressive back. Aggression leads to more aggression…”
Fortunately, reward-based training has proven to be as successful with family dogs as it has been known to be with zoo animals and marine mammals for many years, proving what Mom has always known: you really can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Aphorisms aside, though, reward-based training works because it operates within the bounds of learning theory. Plus, it takes no special equipment, no physical force, and the whole family can be equally involved in Fido’s education because all of the training is brain-based, not pain-based. Dad can appreciate reward-based training too, because though it is positive, it is not permissive, and solving problem behaviors using reward-based training is extremely effective.
Trainer Suezanne M. Law, owner of Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC in Lenexa, KS agrees: “The emphasis of my curriculum is teaching families and their dogs the art and science of living well together. If I were asking people to use force and pain to train their dogs that simply wouldn’t be possible because some members of the family just would not be capable of the techniques associated with that kind of training.” Instead, modern training focuses on a combination of good management and handling skills, and training techniques based on behavior modification practices proven over decades of use in zoos and marine mammal facilities. “Reward-based trainers also tend to focus on small class-size as a predictor of training success for those families wishing to train their dogs in a group setting,” Law continues. “For instance, I have found over the years that enrolling a maximum of four dogs per class seems to provide the optimum balance between socialization, individual attention, and cost-effectiveness for the families in my classes. That balance, plus the effectiveness of reward-based techniques equals success!”
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Dogs&Storks Comes to KC!
NATIONAL DOG AND BABY SAFETY PROGRAM NOW AVAILABLE IN GREATER KANSAS CITY METRO AREA
Program increases safety while decreasing stress for new parents
Baby’s homecoming should be a joyous event for everyone in the family. But unfortunately, the pitter-patter of little feet – not to mention the crying, chaotic schedules, and cranky parents that follow close on their heels – strikes fear in the heart of many a brave dog. Too many dogs lose their homes when, in a sleep-deprived haze their families decide that something has to give. Now, however, dogs and their families in the Greater Kansas City Metro Area can breathe a sigh of relief: Dogs&Storks is here to help!
Created in 2002, the national Dogs&Storks program has helped hundreds of expectant parents integrate their two-legged and four-legged family members using gentle, effective techniques that are also fun and safe. Jennifer Shryock, a certified dog behavior consultant, designed the program, drawing on her degree in Special Education, plus her experiences raising three children and over 70 foster-dogs. Since the program’s inception in Shryock’s native North Carolina, Dogs&Storks has recruited a select number of highly qualified canine behavior specialists to take this vital service to the public nationwide. Lenexa’s Suezanne M. Law, owner of Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC, is Dogs&Storks’ latest addition.
“I’m thrilled that Jennifer asked me to join Dogs&Storks,” Law states. “I have been reaching out to families in the Kansas City area for a number of years now, specializing in training and behavior modification for the family dog. But unfortunately I usually see families after trouble has already begun. The Dogs&Storks program allows me to reach expectant couples before baby comes home so that everyone in the family is prepared for a safe and smooth transition into the busy new life that babies bring. That makes for happy homecomings, and happily ever after, too!” Shryock agrees, “We want to make education available even before families know they need it.”
By teaching expectant families to understand their dogs’ sensitivities, body language, and attention seeking behaviors, the Dogs&Storks program provides practical education during pregnancy and continued support after baby arrives. Licensed Dogs&Storks presenters help to address the concerns of expectant parents, decrease the stress associated with baby’s arrival, and ensure the safety of all family members. Dogs&Storks offers private consultations as well as 2-hour semi-private workshops. And because presenters are not only educators, but also qualified professional dog trainers and behavior modification experts, they can design and implement management and training plans tailored to each family should the need for more in-depth intervention arise.
“What a gift it is for families to know that when their two-legged babies come home, they can keep their four-legged ones, too,” says Law. Her clients agree. “Our eight-year-old dog, Oliver, is an important part of our family,” writes new mom Angela. “We wanted to do all we could to keep him in the family after the baby came. Our vet and a friend of mine, who also had a new baby, both highly recommended Suezanne, so we called. Now he’s like a new dog. The best part is that he has adjusted better than we could have imagined when we brought our baby home from the hospital. And he is very gentle around her.”
Suezanne M. Law, owner of Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC, is the only Dogs&Storks presenter in the Midwest.
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Dog 101 Workshops for In-Home Workers
DOG BITES ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY 75,000 OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES IN FIVE YEARS
New Dog Safety Program Helps KC Metro Workers Stay Safe on the Job
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, during a five-year time span 75,000 American workers were injured on the job after coming into contact with animals. 375 of those workers died due to their injuries. Letter carriers, utility providers, realtors, in-home nursing staff, maids, and nannies are just a few of the employees who visit or work in American homes in the course of their daily routines. And since nearly one in three of those households is home to a dog, dog safety is a priority for these workers. In fact, U.S. Postal Service Consumer Advocate Delores Killette reports that more than 3,000 letter carriers were attacked by dogs in 2006 alone. To protect postal workers from dog bites, she makes this simple request of homeowners: "Keep your dog inside away from the door when a letter carrier comes to your home.”
Many families will not heed Ms. Killette’s request, however, and many workers will be unable to avoid contact with dogs if their jobs take them inside the homes or yards they visit. “My sister is a visiting nurse,” Certified Pet Dog Trainer Sharon Woodrum says, “and she comes into contact with dogs nearly every day in the course of her work. Sometimes they are well-behaved, but often they are not. She calls me for advice on how to handle the situation so she can stay safe and do her job. She was the inspiration behind Dog 101 Workshops.”
Woodrum, owner of Personable Pets Inc., Dog Training of Louisburg, KS partnered with Suezanne M. Law, Accredited Dog Trainer and owner of Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC in Lenexa to create Dog 101 Productions, the company behind the Dog 101 Workshops. “Often in classes, my clients would ask me not just how to deal with their own dog, but how to deal with their neighbor’s dog, or the dog in a home they had to visit while giving a job estimate or providing a service. Sharon and I would discuss these questions, and it became clear to us that most people don’t understand the very real language barrier that exists between humans and dogs,” Law states. Woodrum agrees, “So we developed a workshop designed to address that communication gap. Dog 101 Workshops give workers the information they need to make good choices and, by making those good choices, to hopefully stay safe while interacting with other people’s dogs.”
Each 90-minute Dog 101 Workshop teaches participants a five-point canine body-language assessment, human-canine communication skills to make workers’ interactions with family pets safer and more productive, plus management techniques to keep dogs occupied and entertained so the workers can do their jobs. The workshops also help workers to recognize when it is important for them to communicate with dog owners regarding the need for outside help. “Workers win because they stay safe on the job, and dogs win because they don’t lose their homes due to behavior problems that are really just simple miscommunications,” Law says. “It’s a vast improvement for everyone involved.”
Dog 101 Workshops were created by Sharon Woodrum, Certified Pet Dog Trainer and Suezanne Law, Accredited Dog Trainer. In their practices, Sharon and Suezanne concentrate exclusively on human-canine interaction and communication. Focusing on the family dog, they guide their clients – both two-legged and four – on the road to living well together.
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Mastiff Hope Invites You to Help a Big Dog with a Big Need
MASTIFF HOPE INVITES YOU TO HELP A BIG DOG WITH A BIG NEED
Large-Breed Dog Agility Workshops Scheduled to Raise Funds for Dog’s Surgery
Theodore the Mastiff is a big dog with a big heart; and he has a big need, too. Theo has hip dysplasia, a condition which in its severe form causes crippling lameness and painful arthritis. In fact, hip dysplasia is the most common cause of arthritis of the hips in dogs. Theo’s condition is bad, and he needs sponsors to help pay for his surgery before he can find his forever-home.
“He looks great in his pictures on the website,” says Certified Pet Dog Trainer Sharon Woodrum, owner of Personable Pets Inc. Dog Training of Louisburg. “But once people read his story, they lose interest in adopting him because of what it will cost to make him well.” Theo’s surgery and aftercare are estimated to cost approximately $5000. Woodrum, who fosters dogs for Mastiff Hope, a mastiff rescue group serving Kansas and Missouri, continues, “Theo is as sweet as can be, but he just can't walk a straight line to save his life. I have been trying to help Mastiff Hope raise money, but with such a high price-tag it is slow going. So, I asked the folks at Tails R’ Waggin if we could host a fund raiser in this big boy’s honor, and they agreed. We decided that holding a Big Dog Agility workshop would be a great way to include Theo’s big dog friends, and also to draw awareness to the dogs who can’t have this much fun because of hip dysplasia.”
Woodrum has teamed up with Lenexa-based trainer Suezanne M. Law, owner of Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC, and Tails R’ Waggin owners Dawn Johnson and Elise Bruce-Bush to host the Big Dog Agility event. The fund raiser will be held on Sunday, July 27 from 1-5 p.m. at the new Tails R’ Waggin daycare and boarding facility located at 6976 W. 152nd Terrace in Overland Park. There will be two workshops, each lasting for one hour and open to dogs who weigh over 100 pounds. Workshops start at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., and there will be time for socializing, question and answer sessions with the trainers, and tours of the Tails R’ Waggin facility in between. Each workshop is limited to ten dogs and their handlers, and tuition is $25 per dog, with all proceeds going towards Theo’s care. “These workshops are just for fun. No previous agility experience is required. This is just a great opportunity for people with larger dogs to give agility a try!” Woodrum says. Members of the public are welcome to attend, and donations are welcome.
In addition to donating at the Big Dog Agility event in July, people wishing to sponsor Theo are encouraged to make a pledge towards his care by visiting PayPal and selecting MasitffHope@embarq.com as the payee. Donations can also be made through Theo’s website. Mastiff Hope is a 501(c)3 corporation, so all pledges and donations are tax deductible.
Mastiff Hope is a rescue organization serving the Midwestern United States - primarily the states of Kansas and Missouri, and more specifically, the Kansas City metropolitan area. The group exists to place stray or abandoned Mastiffs into adoptive homes that will provide a high level of care, and where the dogs are loved and respected.
Tails R' Waggin is a full service pet center unlike any other in Johnson County. They offer a large selection of products and services, including daycare, grooming, training, and a boutique offering holistic, natural, and grain-free foods. Tails R’ Waggin is the only pet center in the Kansas City area to feature a large outside play yard with K-9 grass.
In their practices, Sharon Woodrum, Certified Pet Dog Trainer and owner of Personable Pets Inc. Dog Training, and Suezanne M. Law, Accredited Dog Trainer and owner of Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC, concentrate exclusively on human-canine interaction and communication. Focusing on the family dog, they guide their clients – both two-legged and four – on the road to living well together.
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Dogs Days of Summer a Great Time to Celebrate Responsible Dog Ownership
Local trainer provides tips and information on living well together with your dog in a tough economy
Contrary to what the thermometer may be telling us this week, summer is winding down. And during these dog days of summer, many people come out of their air-conditioned havens to enjoy a few months of sun before the winter sets in. This is a great time of year for dogs.
“Dogs are a huge part of the American lifestyle, and what better way to celebrate their companionship than by being a responsible owner?” says trainer Suezanne Law, owner of Lenexa’s Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC. Every September, The American Kennel Club and their affiliates promote this celebration of four-legged and two-legged congruity by sponsoring Responsible Dog Ownership Day events across the country.
“But responsible dog ownership is about so much more than one month-long observance. Life with your dog should be a life-long celebration!” Law says. And being a responsible owner doesn’t have to mean spending big bucks in these tough times. Here are Law’s tips to start living well together with your dog today:
“Dogs are social creatures,” Law states, “and they need to be a part of a family. When we address dogs’ social and emotional needs, like companionship and leadership, first, then living well together becomes easy.”
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First, remember that dogs need love and leadership in equal amounts. Love is a renewable resource and it’s free, making it easy to share, even in this tough economy. But don’t forget to help your dog understand and follow the rules of the home. Always use gentle, effective techniques, though, says Law, because, “A dog won’t follow a leader he doesn’t trust.”
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Training is a great way to show your love, establish leadership, and socialize with your dog, too. “Private instruction is great, especially when people need to address very specific issues, such as aggression or separation anxiety,” Law says. “But group classes are the way to go if you really want to maximize your training time and money – and it’s a terrific way for both you and your dog to socialize!” Classes can range from instruction in basic manners to tricks, agility, and more, so don’t feel like you are stuck with traditional “obedience” curricula. “If you can dream of something you want to do with your dog, there will be someone out here who can teach it,” says Law.
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And don’t forget to spend a little quality time with your dog, too! “We live in such a fast-paced society,” Law says. “It’s good for all of us to slow down and just spend time together with little or no expectation of what might happen. Stop and smell the roses – and let your dog get a good sniff of something stinky, too!”
Taking care of your dog’s physical needs helps to ensure a wonderful life together, too. “Just like us, dogs are living, thinking creatures; and just like us they move and breathe as well,” Law states. “It’s really important that we do everything we can to understand what our dogs were bred to do and how they need to eat and move to be healthy.”
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Provide your dog with high-quality food and treats and ample fresh water, even if you are having trouble with potty training. “When it comes to dog food, what goes in should, by and large, stay in,” Law chuckles. “When you choose better foods, you feed less, but your dog actually extracts more nutrition from what you feed. So cost-wise, you’re about the same as with lower-quality foods.” But the real benefit for many people comes later: because your dog’s body uses higher-quality foods more completely, you should see a huge reduction of waste in your back yard. “And that’s nothing to turn your nose up at,” quips Law.
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Find a great veterinarian and develop a good relationship with him or her. “Your veterinarian should be one of your dog’s best friends,” Law says. “Good preventive care will help your dog live a long, healthy life with you, and will also enable to him spend all of his ample energy learning and growing and not fighting off parasites and disease.” That will save you time, money, and frustration, too.
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And do get out there and exercise with your dog! “I think the number one problem affecting American dogs today is boredom,” Law says. “People have the mistaken impression that dogs exercise themselves, in the back yard or even inside, but they generally don’t.” And even those dogs who do a lot of running around (and often getting into trouble, too) in their own home or yard are missing out on the mental stimulation that comes with getting out of familiar surroundings and expanding one’s horizons. Plus, statistics show that dogs who receive adequate exercise are better-behaved, too. “Exercise is free mind-body nutrition,” Law says, “and we should all treat ourselves to its benefits.”
When it comes to living well together with your dog, “Balance is the key,” Law says. “There are so many free and nearly-free ways to take care of his needs while making sure your own get met, too. There’s no reason to economize on your relationship.”
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Responsible Dog Ownership Not Just for Dog Owners
Local Company Celebrates By Collecting Used Items for Area Shelters
As the song says, we get by with a little help from our friends. And local business woman Linda Toombs is certainly a good friend for dogs and their families to have. Toombs owns Go, Dog…! Pet Care Services in Johnson County. Go, Dog…! specializes in helping busy families care for their pets by providing dog walking, pet sitting, and pet shuttle services. This month, Go, Dog…! will also help homeless dogs by collecting used dog-related items for donation to area shelters.
“I want people to understand the plight of the less fortunate dogs in this country,” says Toombs. “Part of my job is helping to educate the families I work with, but also the general public on what it takes to be a responsible dog owner. And since the American Kennel Club is celebrating Responsible Dog Ownership in September, I thought I would, too.”
According to Toombs, environmental enrichment is important for dogs, whether they live in a home or stay in a shelter. In other words, dogs need both mental and physical stimulation to be happy and healthy. “When I work with a family, I provide that: walks, play sessions, transportation to vet appointments and doggy daycare. In fact, many of my clients say I take better care of their pets than they do!”
But so many dogs get too little stimulation, and according to trainer Suezanne Law, owner of Lenexa’s Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC, that is a major cause of problem behavior. She says, “Shelter dogs and dogs who spend the majority of their lives outside, away from their families are especially susceptible to developing problem behaviors due to lack of environmental enrichment.”
For instance, many people don’t realize how detrimental it is to tether or pen a dog outside alone for long periods of time. “People think the dog is enjoying his time outside, and that he’s exercising, but he’s not,” says Toombs. Instead, Toombs and Law agree, a tethered dog is vulnerable to teasing by other animals or by neighborhood children. He can become very frustrated if he gets tangled in his tether, can’t get away, or can’t engage in activities he sees going on around him. And this frustration can sometimes lead to aggression.
“These are the dogs who end up homeless,” says Toombs, “and it isn’t their fault. We have failed them. And we fail them again when we let them languish in shelters.” Toombs doesn’t fault the shelters, however. “Our shelters do the best they can. They struggle just to have enough money to provide food and a warm, dry bed, let alone toys and activities to help dogs live as normal lives as possible as they wait for a new family to find them. That’s why I want to help.”
Area residents who wish to donate items can contact Toombs, and she will arrange to pick up their good condition, used dog items, clean or repair them if necessary, and then take them to shelters in need. “I love dogs – not just my own, but all dogs,” says Toombs. “They have given me so much through the years that I just want to give back to them.”
Linda Toombs is a member of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters and is certified by the American Red Cross in Pet First Aid and CPR. She is insured, and as the owner and sole employee of Go, Dog…! Pet Care Services she personally cares for each pet enrolled in her program. Go, dog…! offers vacationing families e-mail communication, photographs, and video of their pets to ensure the happiness and well-being of the entire family. To arrange pick-up of your used dog-related items, or for more information about the services provided by Go, Dog…! Pet Care Services, please visit www.godogjoco.com or call Linda Toombs at (913) 378-8857.
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New Classes Help Families Prepare Fido for Baby’s Arrival
SMMC Sponsors Dogs&Storks Classes for Expecting Couples
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 800,000 Americans seek medical help each year because of dog-bite injuries, and half of those injured are children. Worse, 66% of dog bites in children aged four and younger are to the head and neck. “Many expectant couples worry about how they can safely bring their new baby into a family that already includes four-legged ‘kids’,” says dog trainer and Dogs&Storks educator Suezanne M. Law. “But with a little preparation, mixed-species families can become stronger rather than becoming statistics. That’s what Dogs&Storks is all about.”
By teaching expectant families to understand canine body language and to cope with their dogs’ sensitivities and attention-seeking behaviors, the national Dogs&Storks program provides practical education during pregnancy and continued support after baby arrives. Now Law, currently the only licensed Dogs&Storks educator in the Midwest, is teaming up with Shawnee Mission Medical Center to offer 2-hour Dogs&Storks workshops as part of the Center’s 2009 Family Education series.
“We are so excited to have Suezanne teaching Dogs&Storks for us at Shawnee Mission,” says Meggin Finkeldei, a certified childbirth educator employed by SMMC. “So many parents who take our parenting classes are concerned about how their animals might adjust. I used to have to send them to websites to find information. Now I can send them to a class right here at the Medical Center where they can ask questions that pertain to their individual situations!”
Doula Dawn Morgan agrees, “We need to give couples all the tools they can possibly use in order to have harmony in their new families. As a labor doula and childbirth educator I strive to meet the needs of the family as a whole, not just during the time surrounding the birth of a child. Birth is an event; day-to-day life is ongoing.”
But then Morgan has a unique perspective on the issue. When not wearing her doula hat, she also works as a volunteer coordinator for Kansas City’s Animal Haven. “As an animal shelter employee I love the Dogs&Storks program because when people learn to understand dog behavior there is a much greater chance of them maintaining a peaceful family unit. Companion animals have less of a probability of being displaced because mom and dad are afraid of new – but often totally normal – doggie behaviors which they had never seen before the baby arrived.”
Dogs&Storks classes at Shawnee Mission Medical Center begin in January and will run throughout 2009. For more information or to register call the ASK-A-NURSE Resource Center at 913.676.7777. Online registration is also available by visiting www.shawneemission.org.
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Kansas City’s Pets for Life Holds Open House March 8
Animal-Assisted Therapy Program Seeks Volunteers
Sadie the Wonder Dog!
If you are interested in working with your pet to become a Pets for Life volunteer team, please plan to attend a Sunday, March 8 open house event sponsored by Personable Pets Inc. Dog Training and Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC and hosted by Tails ‘R Waggin, 6976 W. 152nd Terr., in Overland Park. The open house begins at 1:00 p.m. and will end at 3:00. This event is for human volunteers only – please leave your pet at home. For more information visit the Pets for Life web site at http://www.kcpetsforlife.com/. Or, call (816)-363-3665 for more information about the organization’s upcoming orientation sessions.
Attendees will have the opportunity to meet some of the therapy dogs, talk with volunteers, and watch as these teams demonstrate some of the skills necessary to pass the Pets for Life Temperament Test. Volunteers will also supply information about the types of facilities they visits, and will share stories of some of their therapy experiences.
The purpose of Pets for Life, Inc. is to enhance the care and treatment of people in local hospitals, nursing homes, shelters for domestic violence, mental health programs, treatment centers for youth, and corrections facilities through the use of certified therapy teams of pets and volunteers. The organization’s pet and volunteer teams serve 75 facilities in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, including facilities in Harrisonville, Cameron, Raymore, and Smithville. They serve Clay, Cass, and Jackson counties in Missouri, and Johnson, Miami, and Wyandotte counties in Kansas.
The Pets for Life organization is unique in the many different types of facilities they serve, the wide age-range of their clients, and the variety of conditions they seek to alleviate. Volunteers work with facility staff to determine the individual needs of that facility and those in their care. Their work has included comforting and encouraging depressed patients who have not responded to other stimuli, but who may smile happily and speak – often for the first time in months – to their four-legged visitor. The mere presence of an animal has given patients with physical impairments the incentive to move their bodies therapeutically just so that they can stroke that soft fur. And volunteers have witnessed hundreds of instances of demonstrable improvement in clients’ mental, emotional, and physical states due to their pet assisted therapy visits. What’s more, staff at the facilities they serve report that many patients continue to do well – often for days afterward.
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Kansas City Dog Trainer Continues City’s Long History of Humane Education
Kansas City has a rich history of involvement in humane education, and now an area dog trainer is continuing that tradition. Sympawtico Dog Training LLC’s Suezanne M. Law recently earned certification as a Humane Education Specialist through Humane Society University, an affiliate of the Humane Society of the United States. Stephanie Clark, Manager of Outreach and Training with Humane Society Youth says that since the Certified Humane Education Specialist Program began, only 100 people have earned certification. “The courses are rigorous and I have high expectations of my students,” Clark says. “The program requires higher order thinking, community-related research, writing, and often assignment revisions. Only five students have earned all 700 points on the final exam in the last two years.” Law is one of those five.
Humane education in the United States began as the passion of Bostonian George T. Angell. Born in 1823, Angell helped to change the way Americans in the 19th and early 20th Centuries saw the animals with whom they shared their lives. After witnessing an 1868 race in which two horses were ridden past exhaustion to their deaths, Angell formed the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Within 3 short months, he had garnered the support necessary to achieve the passage of the state’s first anti-cruelty laws. John Quincy Adams and Ralph Waldo Emerson counted themselves among Angell’s supporters, and by 1871 animal-protection societies blossomed in 24 cities across America.
The son of a schoolteacher and a Baptist minister, Angell passionately believed that education was the key to ensuring humane treatment of both domestic and wild animals. In 1881, he launched the “Bands of Mercy”, a nationwide network of humane education clubs; and when Angell’s successor, the Reverend Frances Rowley, organized a 1912 Bands of Mercy convention in Kansas City, 25,000 children plus 15,000 parents and teachers attended. That same year, sisters Sarah and Henrietta Jacobs founded The Humane Society of Wyandotte County – now renamed The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City – because, as Henrietta wrote in the Kansas City, Kansas Gazette Globe, “We are particularly responsible for the welfare of domestic animals because we brought them from their natural conditions for our own benefit. They have learned much from companionship with us, but we have also learned much from them.”
As for Law, humane education provides one more outlet for teaching humans and dogs about living well together. “Dog training is not just dog training for Suezanne,” says Sharon Woodrum, a Certified Pet Dog Trainer and owner of Personable Pets Inc. Dog Training in Louisburg. “She takes a holistic approach to education, not only for the animals, but for the families and the public as well. The CHES program falls right in line with her philosophies.”
Though Law and Woodrum own separate dog training companies, the two banded together last year to create Dog 101 Productions, a company dedicated to the creation of dog behavior related educational products for a variety of industries and individuals. Law also offers monthly Dogs&Storks classes at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, as well as classes and private instruction for pet dogs and their families, dog-bite prevention workshops for children, and, together with the trainers of KCDogTrainers.com, behavior and handling seminars for area veterinarians.
“People tend to think of animal welfare and humane education as new ideas,” Law says. “But since Kansas City’s beginnings, protection of animals has been our priority. Early on we recognized the link between an individual’s relationship with animals and his character. Now many states mandate character education in public schools. What better way to engage children than by relating these lessons to the animals they love? The children benefit, but of course the animals benefit, too. So this is my way of giving back to the community and to the creatures who have given me so much my whole life long.”
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Protesters Ask Olathe Petland Store to Stop Selling Puppy Mill Puppies
Olathe, KS (March 14, 2009) Nineteen supporters of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) demonstrated today in front of Olathe’s Petland store on Santa Fe Rd. and Mur-Len. Their goal: to convince Petland, America’s largest chain of puppy-selling stores, to stop selling puppies and encourage customers to adopt their pets from shelters instead.
“The recent HSUS report on Petland’s puppy-buying practices clearly shows that Petland stores all over the nation purchase puppies from puppy mills and even online auction sites and sells them to unsuspecting customers,” says protester and Johnson County Community College freshman Emily Kenney.
The report Ms. Kenney cites is the culmination of an eight-month long HSUS investigation, in which investigators visited breeders and brokers (puppy re-sellers), and reviewed the state and federal records of 322 facilities and nearly 17,000 puppies – all linked to Petland stores. While a statement on Petland’s corporate website assures customers that the company only deals with breeders who have “the highest standards of pet care”, in fact 60% of USDA inspection reports from more than 100 of Petland’s breeders listed serious violations of basic animal care regulations. These violations included such things as dogs housed in too-small cages, often with wire flooring that allowed the dogs’ feet to slip through or become injured; enclosures that were broken-down and filled with an accumulation of feces and grime; dogs who were inadequately sheltered from the elements; sick and injured dogs who received insufficient veterinary care; and puppies who were shipped out before the required minimum shipping age of eight-weeks.
One such dog is Freda. Freda’s family brought her out to support the protesters. As the day wore on, they recounted how her original owner purchased her at an area Petland store approximately 2 years ago. He soon had to relinquish her to their care, though, as her veterinary bills began to add up.
“She had cherry-eye in both eyes,” says Freda’s owner Aaron, “and she’s had almost constant upper respiratory and ear infections, hot spots and skin problems. Right now she has a hernia.”
All told, Freda’s medical bills have added up to over $6000. That on top of her nearly $3000 purchase price was just too much for her original owner. But, says Aaron, “She’s a good dog. We love her.” And Freda seemed to enjoy the love and support she received from fellow protesters, too.
“Freda’s very social behavior is not typical of pups purchased from a pet store,” says Suezanne Law, CHES, of Lenexa’s Sympawtico Dog Training, LLC. “Her family has done an excellent job working with her, and they are lucky, too, that she has somehow managed to inherit a good temperament.”
Law reports that many puppy mill survivors inherit behavior problems as well as the poor health of their parents. “Trouble with potty training, under-socialization, anxiety disorders, and even aggression are often the legacies of these puppy mill pups,” she says. “But the unsuspecting public buys the sales pitch that store-bought pure-bred pups are somehow superior to pups adopted from shelters and rescues. It’s just not true. Poorly-bred dogs are poorly-bred dogs, no matter how high their price-tag. Many, many healthy, trainable dogs are right now waiting to be adopted in shelters here in Kansas City and all over the nation. We just want to encourage people to adopt rather than shop.”
Linda Toombs of Shawnee’s Go Dog…! Pet Care Services reports that the nineteen protesters at Olathe’s Petland store joined together with hundreds of their peers rallying at 30 such events across the nation today. “If we can raise awareness and educate the public, we’ve done a good day’s work,” she says. “It’s all about helping the dogs.”
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