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Tag Archives: dog

1.4.12 20:37: Lulu’s Chair

04 Jan

So Louise just came rushing into the office, nosed my leg, and ran away.  She had been sleeping in the den on the couch with my daughter most of the evening.  There are only a few places that she is allowed on furniture:  the den couch, ‘her’ chair in my office (though she likes to be in mine), my daughter’s bed, or she can be on the ottoman next to my bed (which I put there for her so she could be off the ground, nearer to me, but not actually on the bed).  I used to allow my dogs to sleep on the bed but when I remarried those rules changed (I married a cat person, not a dog person).  So, I had to retrain the dog not to be on furniture.  It actually worked fine since Nikki, my Cocker Spaniel, was already old when we moved here and could not get on things anyway.  Then when Squash came, he never even tried to get up on any furniture.  When I got Louise I trained her that the floor was her domain but my daughter allowed her on her bed, unbeknownst to me at first, and then it became a habit.  Then, to keep her from stealing my office chair, I gave her a chair in my office.  Then she started to snuggle on the couch with me in MY den (only my daughter and I use it) but not in the family living room (that we all use).  Are you getting the picture?  Well the other day I came out of my office and V was fast asleep on the living room couch and Louise was asleep on the other living room couch: what V doesn’t know won’t hurt anyone, right?  So the question of the days is….  can you teach dogs that it is OK to go on some furniture pieces put not on others?  and the other question I have is…. can you have different rules for one dog then you have for another in the same house?  Like can Louise go on a certain chair but Sofie can’t?  (Not that I would do that but I am just asking the question.).  Well Louise is back and I am sensing she wants to go outside so I better listen.  Just another DogDaz evening at my house. ❤

Louise on my office chair

Louise on her office chair

Louise is too big for her chair

 
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Posted by on January 4, 2012 in Dogs

 

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1.3.12 6:05: Sofie The Anti-Command Dog

03 Jan

Happy and sad that it is the start to the new work year.  Woke the dogs up (instead of the reverse) in the still dark and really cold morning.  They say it won’t move above freezing today, which will be really hard since it has been so winter warm this year.  Got to dig out the face mask and the thermal underwear for our walk. (Some year I am going to buy one of those really long down coats that go to my ankles – maybe when all 3 kids are out of college.)  Usually gets warmest around mid afternoon, but don’t know if the monsters can wait that long.  Sofie is barking her head off at shadows this morning.  No amount of rolled up towels (‘bonkers’) thrown at her or water in the face from a squirt gun (both things the trainer told me to do) work.  There she goes again!  I think she has super sensitive hearing (better then Louise who is not barking) and hears stuff outside that we can’t.  I don’t have much other reason.   Lulu, my fearful one, barked a lot when she first came, but a few ‘bonks’ and ‘no’ really made the difference with her.  Sofie – forget it.  This is the ANTI-command dog.   I had to start using ‘Don’t’ instead of ‘No’ for Sofie’s ‘stop that’ word because I was saying it so much that Lulu was getting anxious. Other than a shock collar, which I am really opposed to, how do you get an anti-command dog to stop barking when they are under the trees at the fence line?  I figure when I yell at her she just figures that I am joining in the song.  Your thoughts and suggestions are very welcome.  Just another DogDaz morning at my house. ❤

Front door watches

Backdoor watchers

 
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Posted by on January 3, 2012 in Dogs

 

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1.2.12 19:40: Herding Cats

02 Jan

Put the dogs in day care today.  What a wonderful and lucky thing that is.  They so enjoy spending the day running with all the other doggies in a safe and structured environment and I don’t have to keep them locked up all day because I am not home.  It is so funny when they get in the car because they both have to tell me all about their day. When they are this wound up when they get home however, they drive the poor cats crazy.  They just continue the running for about an hour.  It took me awhile to realize that Sofie (part Sheltie/Corgie maybe) was actually trying to herd the cats.  Well, the cats just don’t like that idea at all.  Now everyone is zonked out, fast asleep on their dog bed on the office floor (with Noel the Christmas cat in her pink bed on my desk).  Funny how this day started with a blog about sleep and is ending with them all sleeping.  Just another DogDaz evening her at my house. ❤

Let sleeping dogs lie.

Noel sleeping in the window

 
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Posted by on January 2, 2012 in Cats, Dogs

 

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1.2.12 6.05

02 Jan

Ok, so let’s talk about sleep.  I read somewhere that cats sleep about 18 hours a day and I can absolutely attest to that.  But dogs?  Is there an average amount of sleep that they need?  I know that I have trained my dogs to sleep based on my work and life cycle.  They go to bed at 9:15 PM (21:15) (arbitrary choice but it is the same thing I used to do with the kids when they were little) and get up with me at 5:50 AM (no choice, I have to get going).  My dogs are in closed kennels at night (please don’t tell Louise that her door is closed but not locked. she likes the safety of it all) so that they don’t eat some cat during the night, or more so, something that they shouldn’t that could hurt them, Sofie actually goes to her kennel and falls asleep outside the door quite often.  I have to keep the kennel doors closed at all times because some stupid cat (probably Miss Constance Kitty) likes to pee on dog beds, so the dogs can’t just go in them at will.  Sofie does not like going into her kennel but she likes to be next to it.  She actually does not like to go into anything (but that is another story) but will go ‘nite, nite,’ with reluctance.  Louise on the other hand LOVES her kennel and goes right in, lies down, closes her eyes, and goes right to sleep.  I am sure that different animals, just like people, need different amounts of sleep.  I don’t sleep much: I haven’t slept more then 4 hours at a time in about 30 years (OK, don’t go there, I know it is probably not a good things but I am used to it).  I am worried sometimes that my schedule is not the best for the animals.  I do cover the cages so that they dogs can not see me get up, however, I think they are tied to my breathing (I know the cats are) and they can sense when I am awake.  For years, I had older dogs or puppies who would wake me in the middle of the night to pee.  Oh yes, there were children who did that too for many years.  Well, the dogs have finished their breakfast and are now sleeping in my office while I type (nice that they get a nap).  So, how much sleep does an average dog need?  I see an internet search coming on.  Maybe after my second cup of coffee.  Just another DogDaz morning,

Napping on the office bed

Napping with a smile

Puppy Louise napping on deck
Napping in the car
 
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Posted by on January 2, 2012 in Dogs

 

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12.30.11 6:16

30 Dec

As the year comes to a close, I, like many other people, try to take stock of what I am thankful for from the past year.  Of course, I am thankful for the health of my family and friends and that those who suffered pain or grief are on the mend. But this is DogDaz, so let me put that into my zoo context.  I am very thankful that I have found DogDaz, so that I can blog about the wonderful creatures that share my life. And, that I have found you, the reader, to help me honor them day by day.

This was a very hard year at the zoo; we started the year with 8 animals, lost 4 animals, and gained 1.

In February, our very loved Squash E Bear, could no longer walk.  After years of being an insulin diabetic and going blind, his big old body could not take the strain anymore.  There is not a day that goes by that I do not miss him.  I know that everyone says their dog is special, but he was just something else.  People used to stop their cars in the street while I was walking him to ask about him (I am not kidding, ask V). He just had this amazing dog presence.

At the same time in February, we lost Zackary Cat, our beautiful Russian Blue, who was about 15. He was the kitchen cat.  He never ventured far from the kitchen, mostly because he was always hungry, so that was his domain.  A docile gentleman, he was fearful in his younger years and would hide a lot, but as he aged, became more comfortable with himself and would lie with people on the couch in the living room.  He could no longer deal with being old and cried and cried and cried all the time, so we knew he was no longer OK.  He and Sqaush went to the big meadow together.

Then in March, Georgia, the last of the Guinea Pigs, and actually the Mom of our 5, past away at about 7 years of age, which is really really really old for a Guinea.  She was the sweetest little thing and gave us years of joy.  After losing her daughter, Checkers. and hubby, Mr. Motto, last year, she was kind of lonely.

And then in September, Cuddles, Zackary’s twin sister, our meanest cat who owned the bedroom and never let any other animals near the bed (and a lot of times she tried to box me away too) appeared to have developed a brain tumor or something and had a series of strokes.  She joined the rest.

So after all that we were left with The Muffin Man (18) and the kittens, Noel and Constance Kitty (now 4) and Louise.  Soooooo, in March, we adopted the wonderful Sofie.  The ‘S’ is for Squash.  Sofie was suppose to be a Collie/Shepard mix, and I thought she would be about Squash’s size, but she turned out to be this very portable 40 lbs maybe Sheltie/Corgy.  Sofie Bear has been tons of fun.  So now we are 5.

3 cats on the bed now that Cuddles is gone

Lulu & Sofie 4ever friends

May 2012 bring everyone health, happiness and incredible DogDaz!!!

 
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Posted by on December 30, 2011 in Dogs

 

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11.29.11 17:27 Rainy days are hard on dog & people too!

29 Nov

Rainy days are hard on the dogs.  They run out of things to keep them occupied, just like kids do.  Sometimes I realize they have a million toys, but their favorite one is… me.  They are busy chewing on each other and chasing cats at the moment.  I really need one of those tennis ball throwing machines with a zillion yellow balls (and some where in this little house to launch it).  That would keep them occupied for a few minutes maybe.  Oh well, can’t complain, they slept a good amount after our 1 mile walk in the midday downpour.  And now my hair is so nice and curly.  Oh well just another regular afternoon at the zoo. ❤

Lulu in the leaves

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2011 in Dogs

 

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