Golden Mountain Dog Solutions

Yesterday we hosted our nearly 5 month old niece Alyssa as a guest member of our Pack, something that is a fair bit beyond simply “baby sitting”, and that is the inspiration for this article.

The picture at left captures a moment in which Milo and Minnie are sniffing Alyssa while she calmly watches them. Alyssa has been exposed to dogs almost from birth and in our house never reacts in any other way to their presence. We’ve never even witnessed anything more than a look of concern on her face after she’s just been startled by a dog suddenly barking nearby. Babies function on a more primal level than older humans who tend to overthink experiences and formulate responses based on what they think is going on rather than what is. Like dogs, babies respond to the world through smell, sound, sight, touch, and taste; and like dogs they can learn to react in unbalanced ways when unstable energy, either from an unbalanced human or dog, is permitted to enter the experience. Read the rest of this entry »

Let it be known throughout these lands that Minnie is no longer being fostered with us here. She’s STAYING!

Minnie borrowing Gunner's bed.

Now well on the way to shedding the excess weight she carried when she first arrived, it has been an absolute joy to watch her blossom as she experiences healthily fulfilling nutrition, the joy of “running with the wolves” in daily activities and on Pack outings, and the engaging challenges of the world at large. In short, Minnie has become the type of balanced dog that is, quite frankly, too good to lose.

The therapeutic power a balanced dog pack brings to the process of returning dogs and people to a naturally healthy way of being cannot be overstated. Minnie embraced this to perfection, and to the point where she has become an active participant in our work with other dogs. In truth, she’s not only staying, she’s hired! Read the rest of this entry »

Ailsa on her first hike in our woods with Diana and Gunner.

Ailsa (pronounced “ILL-SA”) is a one and a half year old long haired German Shepherd who officially joined the Golden Mountain Dog Pack last week. She had initially belonged to a family who acquired her as a puppy, but who found that they no longer had the time required to train and develop this magnificent dog to her fullest potential. With her best interests in mind, they set about seeking a new permanent home for her and, thanks to our network of clients, we got connected.

As is not surprising with dogs from a single dog home, Ailsa came to us in serious need of training in dog pack etiquette. In addition to the normal routine that goes with the leader/follower programme here, she is gradually being immersed in what is normal for a dog that is part of a stable and balanced pack. Read the rest of this entry »

Minnie, still chubby, looks justifiably pleased with her progress in all areas, and she's still death on flies.

Minnie had her second veterinary appointment last Thursday evening, 23 days after joining our pack. This time it was for her Lyme booster and weight check. Just as last time, she accepted being handled by our vet, Dr. Barry Falkenham of Seaside Animal Hospital in Lunenburg, and took the injection in stride. Minnie has been on a carefully regimented programme of diet and exercise, and we were pleased to find that she has shed 2.5 pounds! Overweight dogs, like overweight people, will tend to lose weight fastest at the start of a weight loss programme, and the only healthy way to lose the fat is in steady small increments. Read the rest of this entry »

Tonight will mark the end of the first week Minnie has been a member of our pack. A stable pack of dogs is an incredibly powerful force in dog rehabilitation and she has fit in seamlessly. Of no surprise to us was the fact that Gunner, our German Shepherd, was the one she gravitated to, following him around and mimicking his actions as she absorbs the pack rules. Even though he’s the youngest, Gunner is our version of a Wal-Mart door greeter, but without the blue vest.

What Minnie presently lacks in obedience training she more than makes up for in social skills. She is extremely quick to learn, intelligent, and curious in all the best ways. In the presence of clear leadership, she has proven to be courageous beyond her size. Her new regimen of healthy diet and exercise has been a good fit for her, but that much excess weight can’t be burned away overnight - something else humans need to learn from dogs. Read the rest of this entry »

This is Minnie, a five year old Miniature Pinscher who joined our pack from the Halifax area night before last.

Minnie had belonged to a couple who also owned another dog of a different breed. That dog wasn’t so lucky. The couple had problems of the kind that often end up with perfectly healthy dogs being euthanized. Minnie was rescued but her pack mate was not.

A few days ago, Minnie’s plight became known to one of our clients who brought the situation to Diana. Diana in turn got in contact with the foster home Minnie was temporarily in. Arrangements were made and Diana and I picked her up Tuesday evening. Read the rest of this entry »

Dog behaviourist Cesar Millan sums up his training goals as rehabilitating dogs and training people; in that order. It is often said that the only thing two dog trainers will completely agree on is that a third trainer is doing something wrong, but whether or not you personally embrace the Dog Whisperer’s philosophy or methods, it’s hard to argue with his priorities.

In our work, clients tend to fall into a few basic categories: there’s a new puppy in the house and its owners want to start out right; a new baby is on the way and the boisterous behaviour of the one year old boxer is suddenly worrisome in the face of a new reality, a dog has a “bad habit” or two that its owners would rather it didn’t have such as pulling on the leash, ignoring the recall, jumping on people, counter surfing, etc.; and last but not least, the “problem dog“. In this latter case, the people the dog is living with are convinced that they have tried everything and are now at their wit’s end. Read the rest of this entry »

As our profile information states, Golden Mountain Dog Solutions is named in memory of Cinders, valiant and trusty comrade, lost to us on 1 December 2006. In the truest sense, she was the catalyst for what would come to be a passion for Diana and me. Read the rest of this entry »

The following article first appeared in the 27 January 1999 edition of the Lunenburg “Progress Enterprise” At the time this occurred, our Whynacht Security & Survival alarm monitoring station was the central dispatch centre for both the Lunenburg and District Fire Department and the Lunenburg - Mahone Bay Police Service. Randy personally processed this call and hastens to add that the reason he “… dispatched the fire department after receiving two calls about the dogs ….” as the article states is that the calls came in back to back and had to be answered before he could initiate any response.

We are happy to report that both dogs named in the article weren’t at SHAID long before they were adopted. As of today’s date, their litter mate Dusty (picture at left) is 11 years old and still going strong as the grand old man of our pack. How he got to be here is a story for another post.

Theresa Hawkesworth
Lighthouse staff

LUNENBURG - Man was dog’s best friend last week as Lunenburg firefighters rescued two puppies from the Back Harbour.

Now those dogs need another friend.

When “Pete” and “Martha” fell through the ice near Sawpit Wharf January 21, Lunenburg firefighters responded. Read the rest of this entry »