If you’re handsome and you know it, clap your paws.
If you’re handsome and you know it, clap your paws.
If you’re handsome and you know it and you really want to show it…
If you’re handsome and you know it, clap your paws.
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Animal, Blog, blog hop, Chihuahua, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Pet, pets, pomeranian, postaday, Wordless Wednesday
Puppy Louise
Rescuing animals, especially when they are several months old or older, means that you will never know how they were treated in their early formative weeks. Because of her fearful behavior, I thought that Louise might have been abused as a puppy. She came into our lives when she was 4 or 5 months old. Louise was fearful and shy from the moment we met her. Her foster said that she had a collar embedded in her neck and she was covered with Demodex (red mange). The rescue had liberated Louise and her sister, Thelma, from some guys in a pickup truck in the parking lot of a kill shelter down in South Carolina. Based on this story, I assumed she was neglected, if not worse, in her early months. Recently, I am rethinking that idea. I have been reading about the critical socialization time for puppies that occurs between 6 and 10 weeks. This is called the ‘sensitive period.” Before 6 weeks, puppies see everything in their world as good. This is the time that they associate smells and other things potentially as good stuff for the rest of their lives. Then around 5 or 6 weeks FEAR sets in.
In an article on early socialization, Dr. Sophia Yin, DMV, said that puppy’s need to be socialized as early as possible but definitely “before five weeks of age because by five weeks the puppy is showing fear responses to people, objects and other unfamiliarity around them.” She stresses that if socialization doesn’t start before 14 weeks of age “many puppies will be doomed to a life of fear” unless they go through a regimen of intense socialization. I wish I know this when I first rescued Louise because Dr. Yin’s message is clear, that socialization in the sensitive period “can be the difference between having a happy, well-adjusted dog to one who is fearful of people, objects, other animals, and various environments that we humans perceive as safe.”
You can read more regarding one of the most important studies done around early socialization in different breeds detailed in the book ‘Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog’ by John Paul Scott and John Fuller, published in 1965 (Scott and Fuller, 1965).
Louise 1st Photo
Instead of early abuse, maybe Louise was not socialized during her most sensitive development stage and that is why she developed her life-long fears. Louise is leash aggressive and afraid of strangers, both human an canine. Though I have worked with her to manage her behavior in stressful situations, it would really help if I understood the root causes.
When you rescue, it is rare to know what happened during that critical puppy time. Maybe when she was still little there were additional things I could have done to change that fear imprint. Over the years, I have done much to quiet her fears and provide a safe and supportive environment in which she has flourished. She is a very happy dog at home but fearful, especially on a leash, and needs special attention. Are there ways to undo the emotional damage in dogs?
To be continued…..
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: animal awareness, Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, fearful dog, lorian lipton, pet blog, postaday, Puppies, sensitive period, social behavior, socialization
Some days, walking Little, Middle, and Big feels like a parade. We are all marching down the street wagging and strutting. Maybe the cats will follow us in a float. You just never know.
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Best Friends, Blog, blog hop, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Pet, pets, postaday, Wordless Wednesday
I am used to a cat or 2 helping me fold the laundry. They like to lie on the warm piles when they first come out of the dryer. And then, of course, they will make a nest in anything black (of which 99% of my clothes are). Since I never had a small dog before it didn’t dawn on me that he would want to assist in the process just like a cat. Charles’ favorite laundry activity seems to be batting the socks around as they got paired. Every chore is a new adventure with this little guy. I definitely am learning that little is different then middle and big. Though Louise does like to play peek a boo, when I toss the sheets out in a whirl to fold them, and Sofie will suck on anything that is soft and nearby.
What chores do you get help with?
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Blog, blog hop, Cat, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, multi animal household, Pet, pets, postaday, warm laundry, Wordless Wednesday
When the rain stopped the other day, I finally was able to take the canine trio for a dry walk. I left the front door open in case the cats wanted to catch some of the fleeting sun rays. As we came walking back down the street, I saw Nine and Mini Cooper watching our return. Were they happy to see their dogs returning? Maybe they were happy because they know that in the afternoon after I walk the dogs, everyone eats? But maybe they weren’t happy at all. Maybe they were saying to each other, “Drat! Here come those slobbering idiots again!” Personally, I like to believe the former – they miss their friends when they are gone.
I am glad that my 4 cats are indoors only. I am not sure that I could keep up with 28 wet paws coming in the front door on a rainy day, 12 are quite enough. Happy Wednesday.
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Best Friends, Blog, blog hop, Cat, cats, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, multi animal household, Pet, pets, postaday, Wordless Wednesday
A rare capture of the 3 dogs and Mini Cooper in the living room.
Starting bottom left, counter clockwise – Sofie is gnawing on her bed. She doesn’t tend to lie on it, but, as you know, she aways has to be gnawing on something to feel secure.
Charles is hoarding all the toys that were on the floor. He really has been liking the big dog’s flat unstuffed animals. Here he has a ‘cat’ cat toy and Louise’s big blue flat dog. He actually enjoys nibbling on the stuffies for a good while.
Louise is supervising. She doesn’t play much unless I am on the other end of a toy or there is food in it.
Mini Cooper is getting ready to do her usual high jump in front of the big fish tank. You can find her flying high in the air quite often. I think she is trying to give the fish a heart attack (lucky they can’t have them). She likes to sleep on that particular dog bed too. I think mostly because that is Louise’s preferred spot.
The cats all like the big dog beds (even Noel sometimes). Interestingly, I have not seen Charles try any of them. Maybe he knows that Sofie gets possessive of anything that ‘might’ be hers, or maybe it is because his ex-pen is right there with his bed from the shelter, or because there is another one on the couch (spoiled new comer that he is).
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Best Friends, Blog, blog hop, Cat, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, multi animal household, Pet, pets, postaday, Wordless Wednesday
Today we are celebrating Imbolc or Imbolg (pronounced i-MOLG), also called (Saint) Brigid’s Day. It is a Gaelic traditional festival marking the beginning of spring. Most commonly it is held on 1 February, or about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Here at DogDaz Zoo we take any and every reason to have a party!
Saint Brigid please bring the flowers and the birds soon.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animal awareness, animals, Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, imbolc, imbolg, lorian lipton, nature, pet blog, postaday, Saint Brigid's Day, Spring
Charles has now joined the dogs in taking over my bed. At least there are some nice warm spots when I decide to crawl in. I can’t seem to snap a shot when all three are present. And yes, I keep covers over everything during the day, but Louise has figured out how to pull my pillows out and lie on them anyway. Hence 2 covers now. I leave Lulu’s personal throw pillow on top, but alas, that is not enough for her (since it doesn’t smell like Mom, I guess). BOL.
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Best Friends, Blog, blog hop, dog, dog beds, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Pet, pets, postaday, Wordless Wednesday
What does it mean when an animal mirrors the body language of another? This picture was taken shortly after Charles joined the pack last month.
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Best Friends, Blog, blog hop, body language, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, mirror, Pet, pets, postaday, Wordless Wednesday
Sofie was marking Charles. His expression is priceless.
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Blog, blog hop, Chihuahua, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Pet, pets, postaday, Sheltie, Wordless Wednesday
Some days, walking Little, Middle, and Big feels like a parade. We are all marching down the street wagging and strutting. Maybe the cats will follow us in a float. You just never know.
Sofie was marking Charles. His expression is priceless.
DogDaz Zoo 