Common Redpoll (by Ed Gaillard)
11.13.12 A Lesson In How Not To Train Your Dog
So the girls and I were out at the school yard running around. I wanted you could see the joy that Louise has when in an open field with no scary other humans or animals to distract her. I tried to capture a moment on video. Then as I was looking at the video, I realized the probably everything I did was reinforcing the wrong things. For example. I call the dogs to me. They start to come but they don’t get all the way there. So I call them again, repeatedly. This is wrong, right? I should be able to call them once, and if they
(Note to Mommy trainer: Stop talking so much because you confuse them. Only treat when they really do what you asked.)
We were having the best run when a boy on an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) came loudly and speedily into the school yard and scared us. Thereby stopping our freedom and also causing Louise to go back into the fearful place. What is an ATV doing in the neighborhood anyway? Are they even allowed in such a populated area? After we regained our composure (Louise on leash), the noisy monster left, we walked home happy and tired. I do hope you like the little Non-Training Video, especially listen to the smacking sound when Sofie takes the cookie.
(Another Note to Mommy trainer: Tired dogs are happy dogs (or something like that). They had fun and that is important.)
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
11.12.12 Discovery
The dogs have discovered something interesting under the leaves but I just don’t see it or smell it. They, however, are absolutely, positively, sure that it is the most interesting thing in the yard today and they are just not coming in the house until they have sniffed it, dug it, fought over it (and possibly relieved themselves on it). Maybe it is an invisible stick that only they can see that fell during the Super Storm? Or maybe a fox or other critter made it’s way into the yard and left them a secret scent? Whatever it is, it has them riveted to that spot. “Mine!,” Sofie says, as she tries to position herself so that Louise can’t get to it. “Oh, no you don’t!,” states Louise, by proceeding to grab Sofie by the collar and pull her across the yard (sorry I am not that fast on the camera). I never did find out what was so interesting in that spot to cause such a commotion, but oh well…. they are off hunting other treasure now under the pine trees.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
I could not have said it better. Remember the fallen today and always. – DogDaz
In a tribute to our Veterans on Veterans Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day in Canada, here is Eva Cassidy with her beautiful and moving rendition of Danny Boy.
↓ click for audio (Eva Cassidy – “Danny Boy”)
…But when ye come and all the roses falling,
And I am dead, as dead I well may be,
Go out and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.
And I will hear tho’ soft your tread above me,
And then my grave will warm and sweeter be.
For you shall bend and tell me that you love me,
And I will sleep in peace until you come to me.
Image Source: Lemonzers
Sunday’s Cat vs Human Cartoon
Hi! This comic is 21 pages long, but Tumblr only lets me upload up to 10. You can view the full comic at catversushuman.com!
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Catvshuman says: “Oh, if it takes me forever to make a comic, sometimes I post news updates in my FB Page or Twitter. If you’d like to share photos of your cats, or talk about cat issues and whatnot, you can join our FB Group 🙂 Thanks!”
11.11.12 What’s Your Digital Start?
So when I got up this morning, at my usual way-to-early still dark-out time, I let the dogs out, picked up my SmartPhone, checked my digital calendar, looked at work email (Lotus Notes) to see if there was anything urgent, checked Gmail for the personal urgent stuff, made sure my kid’s statuses were upbeat on Facebook, made sure this WordPress blog kicked off a little after midnight as scheduled, noted a new business contact in LinkedIn that wants to chat, brushed my teeth, and then let the dogs back in. I don’t know about you but social media became an essential part of my everyday life over 2 decades ago. Social media tools are definitely improving but it is how you apply them to your life that makes all the difference. In a few weeks (28 November to be exact), the blog will be 1-year-old and I will have blogged every day, no matter where in the world I was, for 365 days. Oh my, that kind of blows me away. Since I work through the internet and I also get a great deal of my entertainment and socialization this way, I find that social media has transformed my day and my life in incredible ways. Now that DogDazCats2 has a Facebook page, I get to do 2 statuses a day, not just 1 (Whoopee!!). Ok, well maybe I am a little obsessed with the whole connection thing. But I really do like it and it feeds me in some really interesting ways. Hey, I got to meet all of you, at least virtually, didn’t I?
What’s you digital start to the day and what do you think about social media in your life?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
11.10.12 Goodnight, Beaver
Sofie may be going on 2 years old later this month, but she is still the biggest baby in the house. When she gets sleepy so goes down stairs to her kennel and finds her lovey, Beaver, and then carries him around until she goes to bed. Notice the circles under her eyes? That is another sign of a sleepy Sofie. However, just like a little kid, she refuses to go into her bed until she is told to. She and Beaver will sit a few feet away and roll and roll saying “but Mom, I am so cute, don’t you just want to rub my tummy all night.”
Goodnight, Sofie Bear
Goodnight, Lulu Belle
Goodnight, Beaver
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
11.9.12 Nine the SuperCat
SuperCat, Nine here. I can leap from tall cabinets in a single bound. I can jump higher than any cat ever did before. I like to tight-robe-walk along the shower curtain rod and then fly through the air to land on the sink. I am amazing. I do not understand why the humans and all the other animals in the zoo are always yelling at me. Someone even scratched me on the nose while I wasn’t looking. I will show them. I will be king of this house even if they keep spraying me with that water thing and throwing shoes at me. Mommy keeps telling me to stop beating up on poor old Muffin and anxious Miss Kitty, but I won’t. I will back them into every corner I can to show them who is boss. But I don’t understand why Sofie Bear has to come and nip at me to try and protect them, she isn’t even a cat. I thought she would be on my side. Yesterday even the big black non-cat, Louise, took a nip at me after a big fight in the living room, she usually never gets involved. I have noticed that the boss cat, Noel, now stays real close to Muffin so that I can not get to him. I will find a way. I will use my magic powers of cuteness and make them all understand that I can not help being an adolescent boy cat with a lot to prove in a zoo of animals. The humans put this silly smelly purple color on me that is suppose to calm me down, but I’ll show them. Nothing is going to slow me down from my march to be SuperCat of the zoo. Mommy said something about sending me to a ‘farm’ soon if I don’t clean up my act. What does that mean?
Just another CatDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo 