024 | Marijke (and Scott) & SupDog, a 1600-mile decompression walk on the Pacific Crest Trail

024 | Marijke (and Scott) & SupDog, a 1600-mile decompression walk on the Pacific Crest Trail

You’ve heard of decompression walks, letting your dog enjoy nature and sniff away from the hustle and bustle of urban life.

How about a 1600-mile decompression walk?

Luna (Marijke) and Werewolf (Scott) hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (2650 miles)  for their honeymoon and after clearing the desert section in Southern California, their dog SupDog (“real” name Balu) joined them for the remainder of the trail.

Marijke tells us about the mindset they needed to be in (Hike Your Dogs Hike), the accommodations they made for him and so much more.

What food did they bring?

What’s it like bringing a black dog in warm weather?

How did they deal with judgment from others?

What are town visits like? (“scamming” a sausage off the local butcher anyone?)

 

She also doesn’t gloss over the hard stuff. SupDog was sound sensitive and on day 1 of him joining there’s dynamite blasting on trail. Now what?

Or that time where he would mysteriously refuse to walk every late afternoon and it took a while to figure out what was going on.

As Marijke explains it was just a stringing together of a series of decisions, constantly evaluating where you are at and what is the best way forward based on the situation as it is.

One of my favorite parts is where Marijke explains that SupDog was sound sensitive and the choice was simply between him being sound sensitive at home or sound sensitive on the trail with the family who loves him. It doesn’t sound like too hard of a choice to make, when you put it that way.

After coming back home Marijke and Scott decided to pay it forward and they started the Thru-Hiker Dog Facebook Group to exchange information with those considering thru-hiking with their dog that is judgment free.

I am a member of that group and if you’re considering hiking longer distances with your dog I highly encourage you to join. You will be able to ask all the questions you need to figure out what works for you and your dog. Marijke also mentions that her present dog probably is not a long-distance trail dog. This is one conclusion you might come to as well based on the information shared freely within the group.

It’s all about what you believe is right for you and your dog.

 

Links:

The Thru-hiker Dogs Facebook Group, that was started by Marijke and Scott to provide dog guardians with information, tips, and tricks, given by people who’ve actually been there and done that:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/907294749289972

The dehydrated dog food SupDog was eating on trail:

https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/

The Pacific Crest Trail Association:

https://www.pcta.org/

The other two major long distance trails:

The Appalachian Trail: https://appalachiantrail.org/

The Continental Divide Trail: https://continentaldividetrail.org/

MSR Gear: https://www.msrgear.com/

Think you could never do something like this, even though you would like to?

It’s all in your mind(set). Why not figure out how you can make your brain work for you instead of against you?

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019 | Ruff Around the Edges with Lauren Sisak and Stella, an anxious dog in the city that never sleeps

019 | Ruff Around the Edges with Lauren Sisak and Stella, an anxious dog in the city that never sleeps

Imagine living in New York City with an anxious dog. I was pretty curious as to that experience and so when I found Lauren and Stella on Instagram,  asked them to come on the podcast, and were there stories to tell.

 

First of all we talk about how Lauren ended up choosing Stella, who is a she when she had set out to adopt a male dog. This had everything to do with Sammy her previous dog, who was also a little Ruff Around the Edges.

Then there is so much more, from the practicalities of living in the city, to how Lauren makes sure she meets her personal needs (making them a mandatory requirement).

We discuss the impact living with Stella has had on her relationships and friendships and what her mindset has been around that. There’s a hilarious (in my book) instagram post she made about it that I am linking to here:

And we talk about how medication has helped Stella, and how it’s not the end of the world when there are breaks in training.

There may be some talk about West Elm rugs and candy crush too, but you will just. have to listen to the episode for that.

Also, West Elm, if you’re reading this and you want to sponsor Lauren and Stella, then by all means reach out!

Links

Lauren and Stella on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sitstaystella_/

https://sammysstraysrescue.org/

 

018 | Jay Gurden & Finn, how an anxious dog turned their guardian into a canine author who rallies to create awareness around imposter syndrome

018 | Jay Gurden & Finn, how an anxious dog turned their guardian into a canine author who rallies to create awareness around imposter syndrome

Very fittingly. I learned about Jay, whose a canine author, blogger and freelance Writer, and her dog Finn through a piece of her writing.

It was an article that Jay wrote for Dogs Today a while ago, but that still makes the rounds among guardians of challenging dogs. What she wrote resonates deeply with most of us.

You can read the full article here:

https://dogstodaymagazine.co.uk/2019/02/19/the-emotional-toll-of-reactive-dog/

But here are two quotes:

There are any number of articles that you can find about how to reassure and help your reactive dog. There are far, far fewer that in any way prepare you for the emotional rollercoaster that is being the owner or handler of a reactive dog.

and

I have cried more tears over this one dog than over any other animal I’ve ever had, even the ones that I’ve had to say that permanent goodbye to. Because of Finn, I have been patronised, pitied, sworn at and despised.

If you have ever wondered whether you messed your dog up because he was your first dog, then you will want to listen to Jay. She was used to living and working with border collies actually working sheep, and “still” she ended up with a very anxious dog.

Jay talks about the moment when someone told her she should just have her dog killed. We discuss what were pivot points in her life with Finn, like hearing the term reactive dog for the first time, and taking Canine Principles courses.

She explains how she ended up writing books, which, spoiler alert, was basically by embracing Nike’s slogan: just do it! and combining it with the belief that there is no one better to write about a topic than someone who has just had to deal it.

Jay also talks about how Finn’s stunning looks don’t always work in his favor. Imagine attracting every human within visual range to your blue merle coat, but being afraid of humans…

And of course, we talk about mindset and the relation with imposter syndrome, which is another topic that Jay is passionate about, and about how that ties into life with Finn.

All of the ways you can find Jay and learn more about her:

https://www.instagram.com/bluemerleminion/

https://www.instagram.com/jaygurden/

https://twitter.com/bluemerleminion

https://www.facebook.com/bluemerleminion/

https://www.facebook.com/jaygurdenwriter

https://www.facebook.com/Dogguardianshub

 

Imposter Syndrome FB group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/124746796350145

 

Imposter Syndrome Blog:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/2563786379369033227

 

Blog:

https://splodgycollies.blogspot.com/

 

Websites:

https://jaygurden.com/

https://www.goodguardianship.com/

 

Book list on Books2Read: https://books2read.com/ap/RQr7oX/Jay-Gurden

 

Other Links:

Kim Brophy’s ethology courses:

https://kimbropheylegscourses.thinkific.com/

Canine Principles:

https://www.canineprinciples.com/

Sally Gutteridge:

https://www.sallygutteridge.com/

Dogs Today Magazine:

https://dogstodaymagazine.co.uk/

 

007 | Ruff Around the Edges with Forrest & Tucker, Tsu, and Penelope the cat

007 | Ruff Around the Edges with Forrest & Tucker, Tsu, and Penelope the cat

Who can resist you when you’re staring like this Tucker?

Forrest’s story is an absolutely lovely one and different from most of the stories so far.

Forrest and his wife did not hire any trainer to help them with Tucker, but relied a lot on their own observations of him, figuring out what worked and what didn’t along the way.

Tsu, the yang to Tucker’s yin.

Absolutely not an easy feat when you consider having to rely on dog parks
(gasp!) for exercising an anxious dog together with a dog sister (Tsu), that is the polar opposite of him. No, she’s not a golden retriever people :-), but she sure sounds like one.

Penelope, whom Tucker luckily gets along with
Sniffing it out!

I loved hearing how Forrest managed to find a way to balance the needs of both his very different dogs.

005 | Ruff Around the Edges with Trillian Ross & Fenrir

005 | Ruff Around the Edges with Trillian Ross & Fenrir

Trillian shares her and Fenrir’s story, both the training techniques she tried as well as all the management involved. Fenrir is a stunning Czechoslovakian Vlcak (or Wolfdog) who’s no small boy, measuring 29 inches at the withers (if you’ve listened to the podcast you’ll know why that tidbit of information is in here).

Trillian & Fenrir

He suffers from pretty bad anxiety of which Trillian gives some examples. The management involved in giving him his best life is quite extensive. From providing Fenrir with 40 minute chews to buy the humans an hour outside the house (but then waiting in front of the door during the buildup phase to hear what’s going on), to having one person stay upstairs while the other was downstairs because having two people in the same room was stressing Fenrir out too much.

Every day is tongue out Tuesday for Fenrir

We talk anxiety in combination with crate training, BAT training and howling (yes howling and not barking), and how medication seems to be helping Fenrir to find a little more calm, but also brings about an unexpected “disadvantage”.

Also, I learn what combisport is (and that it’s probably not for me).

Fenrir singing a tune!

Links:

Fenrir is on Instagram and you can follow him there: @fenrir_and_friends

The Czechoslovakian Vlcak Club of America

BAT training: https://grishastewart.com/bat-overview/

The book on BAT training at Amazon.de: Behavior Adjustment Training 2.0: New Practical Techniques for Fear, Frustration, and Aggression in Dogs (affiliate link, if you use it you’ll help support the podcast ?)

Karen Overall’s book on behavior modification: Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats (affiliate link)

Julie Naismith Sub Threshold Training

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