Meet Max

Max is my current dog and thus is often my muse when it comes to writing and thinking about dog related things. Max is a Chihuahua mix who came up to Oregon from LA on one of the rescue transports, which is where most small dogs in my area come from. 

Max on one of his beds

Max is a very nervous dog, but after a lot of positive reinforcement and classical conditioning, he is getting better and better able to handle the world. Much to his benefit, he is very resilient and if something startles him, he often literally shakes off the startle and then goes back to inspect it. Many people have told me something along the lines of "He's a Chihuahua, they are just like that," I believe all dogs deserve to be happy and comfortable and that we shouldn't let a stereotype get in the way of that. It is my job to protect Max and teach him to feel safe. In the meantime, he gives lots of fodder to think about with regard to dog body language and dog behaviour.

Max finds the camera scary

, so we are working on that. So almost every picture you will see of Max shows signs of stress or him sleeping. Any photos taken are part of his training or taken to document his well being for some reason.