How do 7 years fly by so quickly? Didn’t I just bring this scrappy little puppy home in a rubber tub (because I didn’t have a crate for the car)? Sofie is a smiler. Despite everything that goes on in her anxious little head, she always wants to roll and smile at me. If there is one dog that has taught me a ton of lessons it is you, Sofie Bear. Patience is the biggest lesson and listening to what a dog needs. Thank you for teaching me to be a better dog parent. Happy 7th Birthday, Soda Pop!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, lorian lipton, pet blog, postaday, sheltie mix, Sofie
We are thankful for you – our followers and blog friends. We greatly appreciate you coming by to see us regularly. And thank you to our Commenters who year after year keep making us smile.
Happy Thanksgiving from DogDaz Zoo.
Louise, Sofie Bear, Charles (the Mugwump),
Noel (the Christmas Cat), Nine, Stella, Mini Cooper
and Mom
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Dog People, DogBlog, DogDaz, lorian lipton, pet blog, postaday
A 180 view of 4 out of 7.
From left to right: Sofie, Noel on the couch, Charles on my foot pillow, and Louise on her bed. Such is a nice quiet afternoon at the zoo.
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: Best Friends, Blog, blog hop, Cat, dog, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Pet, pets, postaday, Wordless Wednesday
Charles here. I want to tell you about my day. Once a week, Louise and Sofie go for a play date with Sonya and her pack for a few hours. That leaves me home with Mom and the silly cats. I get sad when my sisters leave but Mom always gives me something special to chew on while they are gone. I am a really good chewer and make quick work of every chew treat she gives me. Then I pine until the girls return. What is your favorite chew treat?
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: Animal, animals, blog hop, dog, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, funny dogs, lorian lipton, Mischief Monday, Pet, pets, postaday
Charles: Hey, this is fun. I like hanging with you guys. Can you carry me now?
Louise: Oh My Dog, she’s taking another picture.
Sofie: Did you bring treats, Mom? I’m bored. {yawn}
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Best Friends, Blog, blog hop, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Pet, pets, postaday, Wordless Wednesday
Don’t be lulled into believing that Sofie likes Charles, even just a little, she doesn’t. I know she can really hurt him (55 pounds vs 15 pounds) and I am very watchful. Charles will be with us a year next month and it has been a learning for all of us. Even though all 7 of my animals have all learned to live together, it does not mean they are bonded to each other or are a pack. Sofie would probably throw Charles down the stairs if I wasn’t watching. The challenge I have with the two of them is mostly due to resource guarding.
When a dog is resource guarding there are 3 levels of escalation :
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Low level guarding: Dog growls and bares her teeth
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Medium level guarding: Dog snaps and lunges
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High level guarding: Dog bites
After years of trying counter conditioning and all the lovely things that behaviorists and trainers have taught me to do, I have settled on the following methods to keep everyone safe.
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Avoidance – I care less about what causes the behavior and more about keeping everyone safe. Charles eats in a pen (he’s aggressive towards animals and humans). Cats eat up off the floor. Sofie eats with a leash on. (Sofie is not aggressive toward Louise or humans).
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Exercise – I try to walk everyone before dinner (never after because of bloat). “A tired dog is a happy dog.” More importantly, I believe that dogs like to work for things and this way they work for food.
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Training – I make them all sit/stay when I put the bowls down until I give them the release word (Let’s Eat!). I like to think I have taught them a little control and this keeps them focused on the meal and less on each other. I also have trained them to ‘Leave it!” when I don’t want them mouthing something, whether food or not. This doesn’t change the anxiety or fear-based aggression tendencies but training should always be part of any program.
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Don’t feed while humans are eating and don’t feed from your plate. Alpha’s in the wild do eat first and also scraps are just bad for dogs. I lose this battle at home often, so don’t feel bad if you do too. I am better at training animals than people.
In my multi-animal household, I don’t try for bonding or love or anything like that between the animals. The number one rule is to keep everyone safe. I respect that each animal has its own temperaments and quirks. I accept that animals will be animals and I don’t expect them to reason or to change certain anxiety or fear-based behaviors. Never trust that a growl won’t turn into a snap which then turns into a bite.
How do you keep your furballs safe when they are eating?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: blog hop, dog, dog training, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, food aggression, lorian lipton, Pet, pets, postaday, resource guarding
Thank you to my Dad, my uncles, and all the men and women I personally know, and all those I will never know, who fought and fight, to keep me safe and free. THANK YOU – Lorian of DogDaz Zoo
Tags: america, dog, dog toys, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, pet blog, postaday, soldiers, United States, veterans, veterans day
A question popped up on my Facebook feed this morning that said, “If you could have one minute to say anything to your dog that they could understand, what would it be?” Truthfully, I don’t need one minute. I talk to the dogs, and cats, all the time and I really think they understand what I mean because it isn’t the words but the energy behind them. What do you think? Do you need a translator to speak dog? Sofie says she understands me purrfectly.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, Blog, blog hop, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Pet, pets, postaday, talking to your dog
Keeping 3 dogs quiet when people keep coming up to the front door of the house is a major feat. (Keeping Sofie quite, ever, is a big job.) I put the ‘baby’ gate at the top of the stairs to keep them away from the door, but they still can look over the ledge and watch the action. Charles actually came through the bars (like the cats do) on the side. I guess I will have to block that section too next year. You can see Sofie hiding behind the fountain watching me. I am sure it doesn’t help that the skeleton dog and cat are outside the front windows. Looking out the side windows which have prism glass, I would bark too.
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, barking dogs, blog hop, dog, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, funny dogs, Halloween, lorian lipton, Mischief Monday, Pet, pets, postaday, scared dogs
Peanut is an expert at capturing Mr. Nine in pictures. Nine loves his scratching post (especially because that is where he gets his ‘nip). He was extra special cute today.
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animal awareness, animals, Cat, Cat People, cats, caturday, DogDaz, lorian lipton, pets, postaday
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