I am a better person because of my dogs. I have had to learn a lot over the years about caring, and sharing, and patience. The gifts that they have all brought me have been immeasurable. My first rescue, Jazmine, taught me humility. I had her for 2 days. I had just graduated college (I thought I could take on the world), when I rescued her. She ate my comforter and my hairbrush in the first 24 hours. I learned I was not as all knowing as I thought and had to rehome her. My second dog, Nikki (many years later), taught me that I could actually be a good parent. Nikki was a pure bred Cocker Spaniel who I adopted at 8 weeks old. Together we had 18 years of caring and sharing and kindness. Nikki was my first baby. I spent hours everyday training her for off leash control and when she was about 4 I had my daughter. The love and devotion Nikki gave me over the years was wonderful. When the kid’s found Squash E Bear walking along the road and he came to live with us, he became my greatest teacher. He taught me unconditional trust and love in a way I never knew. Giving him shots twice a day, he never complained or questioned my purpose, and always was by my side in return. He also brought the family together at a time we really needed it. Louise (Lulu Bell) has taught me patience and quiet control. She is fearful and needs time to handle the world. I have learned to be quiet with her. Sofie is teaching me persistence and consistency. I must stay on task and must work with her in a repetitive manner. Lessons, lessons, lessons. Thank you all. I am a better human because of all of you. Just another dogdaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tag Archives: Dog People
3.21.12 I am better because of them
3.19.12 Smilin’ Dogs!
Sunshine and happiness! There is nothing like a smiling dog on a sunny day. The dogs and I took a great walk in the woods and went exploring. We had a great muddy time.
It is so much fun to romp through the leaves and jump over branches and through trees. The dogs help me remember what is important! It is the simple things: the smiles, the smells, and the sense of adventure that keeps my heart pounding. What did you do just for you today? I went walking with my girls and smiled.
Just another dogdaz morning at the zoo ❤
3.17.12 Sleeping With The Toys
My toy
I think I am noticing a pattern with Louise. She likes to sleep on her toys,
This is mine!
She seems to always have her paw on something or it is under her, Sometimes, multiple toys are under her at the same time, Is this a ‘This is mine so leave it alone’ thing, or is it just that she feels secure touching something when she goes to sleep. I never had a dog that actually lied on the toys this way. I originally thought that it was to keep Sofie away from them (which it could be), but, as you can see in the first shot, she even likes to just stretch out and touch a toy and then fall asleep.
My Toy - Do Not Touch
This week Louise was really in love with this frog that I got at the grocery store for St. Patrick’s Day, but tonight Sofie got it from her and they ripped it in half. The usual stuffing everywhere, quick find the squeaker before they swallow it,,,, you know the drill kind of toy. Well it did last almost 3 days, which is kind of a record around here. It was funny because Lulu was squeaking the frog during business calls this week and I had to apologize to people because I did not want to stop her she was having so much fun. We did not even have him long enough for me to get him in a picture.
Mine, mine, mine
I do think that animals like to cuddle with their toys like we humans do (well some of us). Sofie always carries around Beaver (her lovey), so maybe, Lulu finds comfort in knowing that one of her many play things is near by.
3.16.12 I Love A Parade!
This is Lulu Belle and I wanted to discuss 3 special days in March with you.
Yesterday was the Ides of March. That is the name of the 15th day of March in the Roman calendar. The Ides of March was a festive day dedicated to the god Mars and a military parade was usually held. In modern times, the term Ides of March is best known as the date on which Julius Caesar was killed in 44 B.C. Caesar was stabbed (23 times) to death in the Roman Senate by a group of conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. The group included 60 other co-conspirators according to Plutarch. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ides_of_March)
In neo-modern times, it is also known as ‘the day before Mommy’s birthday’ which is today, 16 March. We think Mommy was born later than 44 B.C. (Before Cats?) but we are not sure. Mommy tends to celebrate her birthday for a month since it falls in the middle. We have noticed that humans have parades in the streets of many towns and cities on 17 March (aka St. Patrick’s Day**) to also celebrate Mommy. We wonder why the parades are not held on her actual birthday but humans can be weird? And we also wondered why people wear green and they call her Patrick, which is not her name? Mommy does not like green, she says it matches her skin color.
(** Saint Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick (c. AD 387–461), the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. Today, St. Patrick’s Day is probably the most widely celebrated saint’s day in the world. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day))
Around our house we like the celebration idea much better than the killing of Caesar, so we are going to have a pre-birthday parade and then a post-birthday parade for Mommy. I can’t wait until she sees what we made for her in the yard.
I love a parade ! – Lulu Belle
Just another dogdaz morning at the zoo…..
3.14.12 A New Way For Sofie
No! I will not do what you say ! No No No No No!
Last Saturday, I started a new type of dog training with Sofie. Two weeks ago she ran all over the neighborhood in the pouring rain (I dropped her lease while coming in from the car) and I realized that I need a better way to get her attention. Nothing I have tried for a year has worked, Treats don’t work – she is not terribly food motivated (and she actually gives her cookies to Louise). The Clicker didn’t work – maybe for the same reason, even with high value treats like real chicken. We have started the training they use for military and sporting dogs, called SportDog e-collar technique. My trainer, John, was really happy to have a ‘normal’ everyday dog like Sofie, instead of the larger Rottweiler, Pitt, Shepard, or Mastiff clients he usually has. Though Sofie was her usual stubborn, hard-headed self, she showed considerable progress her first day. I tried the collar on me and it was a vibration type feeling (actually, I do not feel it at all until level 3 and for Sofie I am mostly using level 1). I hope that you will not judge me, I really tried everything else for the last year.
I know that it is really up to me to train my dogs. I never blame the animals for not obeying commands. If they do not follow commands that really has more to do with my lack of leadership than their lack of anything. They are dogs, I am the human. I have been told you have to repeat a command as many as 1,000 times before the dog reliably gets it. I am the one that tires out before completing the training. Dogs do not have gray areas; they are black or white. They respond or they don’t. I am gray. I am not consistent. I let both the dogs push me around and because of that, I think that I have allowed them to become unsafe. Having a dog that runs into the street and does not respond is a safety hazard for them and a fear factor for me. Allowing Sofie to bark at everything or totally destroy my yard is also not acceptable. I was able to get Louise to stop barking using a lot of positive reinforcement but that method has failed with Sofie.
My wonderful little Sofie is with me 1 year this week (Yah!). I know she can be a well behaved and respectful member of the pack, but right now she is the most strong willed 40 lbs of dog that I have ever encountered. I will keep you updated on how the progress goes. Wish us luck. Now I am on my way outside to work on Come, Sit, and Break. Just another dogdaz morning at the zoo. ❤
3.13.12 The Cat Dance
Sofie on the floor & Kitty in the dog bed
Sofie & Kitty
I do not know who decided that dogs and cats could not be friends. Miss Constance Kitty has always loved the dogs. She was wild about Squash and now she sticks to Sofie like glue. Sofie and Nine, the kitten, have become really good friends too since he joined us (Little Stella kitten is somewhat shy and gives the dogs a good scratch and hiss still on occasion). Louise tolerates the cats but doesn’t really want to play with them. They tolerate her too.
The only dogs that my cats know are the residents. None of my cats go outside, so they do not know ‘outside’ dogs, and it is rare we have a guest dog inside because of…. well… having 5 cats. We have a strict, “dogs not chasing cats” rule around here, which works 90% of the time, but it doesn’t work at all with strange dogs.
I find it interesting that Louise & Sofie meet many a neighborhood cat when we are walking but that they clearly do not relate the fact that their friends at home are the same species as these furry things behind the trees. I think they think they are just another kind of squirrel.
Sofie & Nine playing
(Just an aside: As I am sitting her blogging this with Sofie and Louise under the desk, Muffin just came in the office and Sofie started to charge him. Noel was already on my desk so there was a little fur flying for a moment… so we still do get a little tet-a-tet here at the zoo from time to time.) Anyway…. they all (sort of) know their place and they all seem to work it out. I know that many a dog would kill a cat if it had the chance and we have had some trouble fostering dogs because of that . You just can’t allow the dogs to chase or get aggressive from the start with the cats or it won’t work. Around here it does work and I really enjoy seeing the dance that the cats do with the dogs. I remember years ago my Alice cat doing that with Nikki dog, Kitty did the dance with Squash E Bear, and now both Kitty and Nine do the dance with Sofie. A long tradition of Cats loving dogs and doing that rub in the dog’s face dance thing that cats do. Just another dogdaz morning at the zoo. ❤
3.12.12 I will return! I promise.
Waiting
Dear Louise & Sofie,
I am sorry but I can not always take the two of you with me every place that I go. I can not take you to the grocery store – they do not allow dogs in places where there is food. I can not take you to the cafe – no dogs are allowed in those types of places. I have tried to take you over to the college, but I got yelled at for having you in the building. I do not like leaving you home but sometimes I do not have a choice. The world outside our house is not always dog friendly, and they will not let me bring you in with me. I don’t like to leave you in the car because I worry that you will get to hot and die. I have a strict rule that it must be under 70 degrees (F) for you to wait in the car for me. I am sorry puppies, but sometimes you just have to be home without me. I know it is not easy to wait, but you are getting to be big girls now and you can handle it. I love you very much and will always return. – Mom
Just another dogdaz morning at our house ❤
3.10.12 I Miss You Big Guy
Squash E Bear
Today is a day that I tend to reflect on things that I have lost. When I was 10 years old, my house burnt down on March 10. When I was 40 years old, my Dad went to the Great Meadow in the Sky on March 10. So, today, I am thinking about one of the great loves of my life who is gone, Squash E. Bear. It was a year last month that he left us. He was one of the most incredible dogs in the universe. I miss you big guy!
3.9.12 Princess and the Pea
I don’t sleep well. I have not slept well since, I don’t know, maybe ever. Come to think of it, my life began with a dog on the bed. And then, it moved to cats and dogs and cats and more cats. Now the dogs are not allowed on the bed, because there is just no room for the humans with all the cats (and the pillows of course). Dogs have to sleep in their kennels at night, and the kittens sleep in the safe room, so that we minimize night time stalking and cat fights. The other night we fell asleep while everyone was still out and when I awoke around midnight I found Sofie fast asleep with her head under the bed next to me. Stella was under the bed (hence why Sofie probably was in that strange position). Louise was asleep in her kennel with the door open (remember this is Lulu, the angel dog), What woke me was Nine scratching my feet (because I am a constant foot mover, even when sleeping, and the cats absolutely love to attack them). Muffin always sleeps next to me between the pillows (so close that when he stretches I wake up with little scratches on my face). Noel sleeps in the hall because she is now the Alpha and has become the night watchman. Kitty is usually under the covers around the foot of the bed (how do they breath down there?) Did I mention that I don’t sleep much?
Just another dogdaz morning at our house. ❤
