Home Zookeeper2

Andrew Needs a Home

2010-03-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

I know I'm still crazy because I so want this dog! And we just got rid of one dog (he's doing great!). LOL This guy looks like such a sweet heart and from the description I have, he is one!

I love the description they have for this cutie patootie.

Part Dog + Part Clydesdale = One Good-Lookin’ Boy Needing a Home!

Well, Andrew is not really part Clydesdale, but he sure walks like one! Andrew is a proud and handsome young man who is very well behaved. He holds his head high on walks with confidence and deliberate steps! He is a gentleman who gets along with other dogs well (cats...not so much!). Andrew is easy-going and will make a wonderful companion for an active single person or family.

Rescued from the streets of Taiwan, Andrew was hairless and in need of medical care. He is very healthy now- he has had full medical exams and treatments both in Taiwan and here in Washington. His DOB is approx November 2004 and he currently weighs 68lbs. He is neutered, current on vaccines, and micro-chipped.

We are looking for a foster or adoptive home.
To meet Andrew, please complete a foster application by linking here: http://www.kindredsoulsfoundation.org/FosterProcess.htm or an adoption application by linking here: http://www.kindredsoulsfoundation.org/AdoptionProcess.htm
To submit applications:

Email to: info@kindredsoulsfoundation.orgFax to: 253-584-4332 (follow up with an email to let us know you faxed to be sure it was received)
Mail to: Kindred Souls Foundation | PO Box 88627 | Steilacoom WA 98388 (follow up with an email to let us know you mailed)

Help Needed for Taiwanese Dogs

2010-03-08T15:54:00.000-08:00

I would so love to adopt one of the cute dogs that comes from Taiwan. Every single one I've seen is just adorable.

Kindred Souls Foundation is working to find homes or foster homes for dogs from Taiwan who would otherwise die on the streets. ...

Animal Rescue Team TAIWAN has contacted us to take some dogs who will be put down by the local government-run shelter if they are unable to be sent out of country. ART has secured a chaperone for the dogs on a flight set for Late March (date TBD).

This is a cooperative rescue effort between Kindred Souls Foundation and Animal Rescue Team TAIWAN. ART covers all expenses to fly the dogs out of country and provides a full medical work up on the dogs before they leave Taiwan. KSF is only able to help dogs from Taiwan by recruiting new foster homes. Our regular foster homes are kept available to local rescue dogs. Taiwanese street dogs have no chance at life in their country. They suffer terrible acts of abuse and die horrific deaths. EVERY DOG DESERVES TO LIVE!

As a foster parent you are agreeing to love and care for your foster dog until we can find a permanent adoptive home. KSF and ART pay for all medical costs while you foster- you supply the food, transportation to vet appointments (at our vet Chambers Creek in Lakewood), exercise, socialization, play, chin scratches, belly rubs and kisses! KSF remains a support to you during the fostering process and our volunteers help you get prepared for his/her arrival.

All dogs will have a Well Pet Exam once they arrive to the US. We must secure a foster or foster-to-adopt home ASAP to ensure they can make the next flight to Seattle in late March.

SIZE and BREED: Please note that we are not able to tell you how big the puppies will get. While most of the Taiwanese rescue dogs remain small to medium sized adults, we simply do not know how big these puppies will get. We also cannot tell you the breeds- most are Formosan Mountain dog mixes, but as far as what mixes we do not know. To view some of our past Taiwanese rescue dogs (then and now), please link here: http://kindredsoulsfoundation.org/documents/blindnews/ART%20Taiwan_Rescued.htm

PROFILES: The puppies have been observed and do very well with other dogs. They are sweet, but timid and will need dedicated foster or foster-to-adopt homes who will work on their socialization (as with any puppy). Keep in mind- these puppies have not been loved and gently handled by kind hands. It usually takes a week for the dogs to acclimate to our weather, smells, sounds, time, and routines. Puppies are not fully potty trained. We are looking for fosters who can spend quality time helping these dogs adjust to their new lives and helping them prepare for their forever families.

DOGS NEEDING HOMES: To view the current referrals and to monitor updates, please follow this link: http://www.kindredsoulsfoundation.org/documents/blindnews/ART_Dogs_inTaiwan.htm
WHY WE WORK WITH ART: http://www.kindredsoulsfoundation.org/documents/blindnews/ART%20Taiwan.htm
If you are interested in fostering or fostering-to-adopt any of these dogs, then please contact us ASAP and we will email you a foster care application or download one from our website: http://www.kindredsoulsfoundation.org/FosterProcess.htm

To submit applications:

Email to: info@kindredsoulsfoundation.orgFax to: 253-584-4332 (follow up with an email to let us know you faxed to be sure it was received)
Mail to: Kindred Souls Foundation | PO Box 88627 | Steilacoom WA 98388 (follow up with an email to let us know you mailed)

I think Vivid is especially beautiful! Someday I WILL get a small dog!!! =)

Goodbye Sweet Boy

2010-02-22T14:31:00.000-08:00

Trooper is going to go live with my sister in law in Seattle.

:(

Trooper taking care of me when I was sick.

On the one hand I'm incredibly sad about this. But on the other hand, I'm relieved. I'm relieved that my home will now have three dogs, only one of which is young and rambunctious. I'm relieved that the dog fights that have become more and more frequent will cease.

Even more, I'm relieved and excited for Trooper and all the fun he is going to have. He's going to get two walks a day! My SIL is extremely fit and active and she loves hiking and taking long walks, exactly the type of thing he needs. He'll lose weight and be more calm from all the exercise.

Waiting not so patiently for his food.

She lives alone and he will be an amazing source of comfort and company for her. He was there last week and she cried when she brought him back.

Handsome boy.

And he wasn't too happy to be back either as within five minutes he'd attacked Timber again.

I'm so cute!

He had a wonderful time last week, and gave my SIL SO much joy:

"We get up at 5 AM and walk 30 minutes. As soon as I sit up, he comes bouncing over to me then runs for the door then back and forth. As soon as I get the leash, he does his happy dance! Trooper is afraid of waves, people in parkas and a certain building on Alki (haven’t figured this one out yet). I got him down the stairs to the ocean this morning but only briefly before the ears went back, tail went between the legs and he was flying back up the stairs. He’s very different in the morning; I can’t figure out if it’s because we have the whole place to ourselves or because it’s dark… he’s very funny!

We then walk 3 – 5 miles at night. We had a minor incident last night when a small unknown animal ran out of a bush and over the cement ledge into the water. Trooper is ridiculously fast but not fast enough for the little animal or my cat-like reflexes which kicked in and prevented both of us from going into the sound! But don’t think he didn’t actually try to go over the ledge!!

He sleeps on the kitchen floor for the first part of the night but then comes into the living room on the dog bed next to me on the couch. He spends most of the day sitting on the chair staring out the windows waiting for me to come home.

He is SO adorable and listens SO well… I didn’t realize how great a dog Trooper is."

I know what a great dog he is when he gets one on one attention and is "working"...

Our adventures in Agility. A very rare site - a malamute agility star!

I will miss him terribly, but my level of anxiety in our home will actually go down. With him gone last week I was much more calm and even let Timber interact a little more with Marshal. And Timber got more attention all week from both me and my hubby.

It's the best thing for all involved. Trooper is not in a good situation for him any longer. And might not have been ever since we introduced a 4th dog. Because even though he was dog number three in our house, he got most of the attention since the other two were so much older and less active. Timber brought a whole new dynamic...and then the baby really caused him to start stressing out.

The good news is that he is still in our family and we'll still be able to hear him and get news about all his fun and active days. I hope he'll remember me when he sees me in the future.

This is an Olympics I can Appreciate

2010-02-18T08:45:00.000-08:00

I'm not a big fan of the Olympics. I find them extremely boring. Plus when they're on my favorite shows aren't ... and for a TV addict that is lame.

But these are some Olympics I can appreciate...the Cat-O-lympics! Beaded Tail has some incredibly cute, and competitive, events to showcase.

Apparently it started over at Housecat Confidential, there are obviously a lot of talented cats out there.

The talent. The grace.

Way more interesting than a bunch of hoomans skating around in a circle.

Memories

2010-02-12T11:19:00.001-08:00

Next Saturday I'm taking Marshal to a puppy party to visit new Malamute pups. Looking at their pictures at 5.5 weeks old I am unable to not remember our trips to visit with Trooper when he was just a tiny guy.

Today's Puppies under a car.

Trooper and his brothers/sisters. What is it with being under the car?

One of today's puppies.

Me with my Trooper Bear. I miss that wedding ring. (It was stolen.)

More baby doggy holding.

Who could resist that face!?!

There are so many other photos that remind me of our visit with Trooper.

All of the 'today' pictures belong to Tigzy and you can see all 350+ pics on Flickr.

Trooper Going on Vacation

2010-02-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

Well, Trooper and Timber got into it again last night. I had just walked in the front door, handed hubby the car seat with our son inside, and they suddenly went at each others' throats. NO idea why. The only thing I can think of is that we were all sort of bunched up around each other and jealousies brought out the mean in Trooper (he pretty much starts everything).

So hubby is holding Marshal and I've got my hands full with diaper bag, purse, work stuff and we're both trying to break up this big "KILL" fight. Basically we're both sort of kicking at the dogs to break them apart...which does not work.

Finally hubby "dropped" (set down heavily) our boy and got between the two monsters...bad idea. He's now sporting quite the red marks on his upper leg and torso ... technically a dog bite, but thankfully no actual punctures.

These two are going at it to kill. These aren't just "leave me alone" growling or snapping. They are full fledged going for the throat fights.

And yet not one time has any blood been drawn. I suppose we can just be thankful for thick fur and tough skin.

When we finally got them apart, I pulled Timber into the kitchen but he wasn't done fighting and was still growling and barking. I think he just is reacting and not actually instigating. He enjoys his brother and they do play more than they fight (they are hilarious when they play).

So I finally convinced my hubby to let Trooper go visit his aunt Jennifer.

Aunt Jennifer with nephew Marshal and Timber Wolf.

It might only be for one week but if he does okay with her I might lobby for a more permanent status. I love my fluffy boy, please don't misunderstand. But I love my son more. If it had been just me coming in the house by myself with my arms full with my son ... I would have had to let the dogs fight it out. There's no way I'm setting down my boy to break up a dog fight. So I'm supposed to let these dogs kill each other?

Or even worse to consider, what if Marshal got in the middle of the fight by accident someday (especially when he's able to walk)? The dogs didn't bite hubby on purpose...his leg/body got in the way. But it doesn't make the bites less serious.

Who Me?

This dog loves me (as much as any animal can "love") and I know this. He's "my" dog more than my husband's and yet I'm the one who wants to send him away. Because I do love him and feel responsible...he doesn't get enough exercise or attention and his aunt Jennifer can provide this for him.

I bet he loses 10 pounds in one week from all the exercise he'll get!

Cats and Dogs, Worlds Colliding

2010-02-04T11:45:00.001-08:00

My little brother has the sweetest dog named Echo. He is a rescue dog labeled as part Rottweiler. Before we actually met him that label made my brother nervous. This would be his very first dog ever. (My mom never let us get a dog when we were kids...just cats.)

Plus my brother gets anxiety attacks, especially with anything new. So you can see how this would have been a stressful experience for him.

That's what big sisters are for, though, and I just forced him to go with my mom and I to the humane society.

This is the "Rottweiler" ... vicious looking isn't he? :)

He will apparently pick either of the cats up by the scruff of their neck and carry them around. hahahahaha My dogs would eat the cats!

Echo just likes the company.

Real or Fake?

2010-01-28T05:38:00.000-08:00

I admit...fur coats intrigue me. Especially older ones from a time gone by. I love the feel of fur pelts from hunters as well and always have to touch them when I see them at the fair.

However... I'm not into any and all fur. Nor am I in support of horrifying conditions that many Chinese farms inflict on animals ... including, apparently, dogs. (And yes, I realize there are horrible conditions in some farms here...but that's not the point of this post today...we don't have DOG farms!)

Dog fur may be sold in the United States as "faux" fur ... which truly makes me sick.

The article from Dogster has a link to another article with a video that I refuse to watch because I know it would upset me too much. Someone in the comments said that their "favorite" and most highly prized dog coat was German Shepherd.

China, as a society and government, has little regard for human life so it doesn't surprise me that they would farm dogs (and probably other animals) with such blatant cruelty. It's the same country that forces women to abort female babies (leading to their shortage of females for marriage now!).

I'm not a fan of government laws and regulations but I would not be opposed to stronger labeling regulations for faux fur. The Dogster article has another link to help explain how to recognize fake versus real fur.

R.I.P. Mischief

2010-01-27T19:26:00.000-08:00

When my Mother in Law called today and didn't immediately say anything I knew it was bad news.

Mischief had been acting strange lately and had lost a lot of weight. We took him to the emergency vet on Saturday where they did some blood work. The levels associated with his liver were super high and he was extremely jaundiced, something we hadn't noticed at home but was obvious in the office lights.

The vet told my MIL that they might be able to extend his life for a month and might be able to figure out what is wrong with him if they did a Sonogram and a needle Biopsy.

My MIL is on a fixed income and while we would have helped her pay for it she did not want to put Mischief through that. He had stopped eating all together. :( The vet was not hopeful.

So around 3:30 p.m. my sweet little Mischief crossed over the Rainbow Bridge to heaven. He was the sweetest and most cuddly kitty who still remembered me when I visited. He loved to rub up against my leg (and still ran away from hubby LOL). He kept my MIL company as she fought her Leukemia.

It's very sad ... he was only 11 years old. =(

A previous post with some sweet pictures.

Breaking My Heart

2010-01-27T08:43:00.000-08:00

How can people be so cruel? The title of this post is so true...Neglect IS abuse! I don't know how anyone could just ignore an animal to this point.

I feel bad if I don't greet my dogs. The other day I went to bed and realized that I had not petted Trooper ONCE the whole evening and I felt horrible. Granted, he'll be ignored quite a bit when papa starts working nights, but never to the point of endangering his life. And I do plan to try to take him for walks with the boy on the weekends - not to mention the attention he will get from daddy on his days off.

But even the lack of attention for my dogs makes me sad. ... And really they aren't truly ignored or neglected.

Humans always have the amazing capacity to shock and outrage me with their cruelty. We are such an imperfect species. At the same time there are such amazing people who take the cruelty head on and try to make it right. God bless those folks!

Animal Photography

2010-01-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

Browsing my Entrecards today I came across a post on Cat on My Head (love that title!) and she has a photo that just made me stop and stare. It's very powerful.

Isn't that awesome??? I wish the photos of my animals turned out so wonderfully.

Although I do like this photo of Timber I took the other day. Daddy was putting together the human puppy's Jeep walker and Timber wanted to help.

He's not much of a worker though. :)

What is YOUR Dog Doing?

2010-01-21T09:12:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite blogs is Two Nervous Dogs. She's got a great sense of humor and snark, which I love. And her dog is spoiled like a princess, which I also love.

I hadn't visited in awhile so I don't know what kind of trouble the doggy was getting into, but apparently a doggy cam was implemented to see what she was up to. It's brilliant!

If I thought a camera would survive at all on one of our dogs I'd totally do this. :)

O.M.G. Cutest Thing Ever

2010-01-14T08:22:00.000-08:00

Knowing huskies the way I do, this video just melts my heart. Of course, my huskies would never be this nice to a kitty...but it's nice to know that the species can co-exist at times.

Sixth Sense or Just Super Sensitive?

2010-01-13T12:36:00.001-08:00

You decide...is this dog displaying a sixth sense and realizing that there's an earthquake coming before it happens? Or is he just super sensitive and feels the rumbling before the humans could tell what was happening.

Whichever it is, the video is still eerie.

My dogs don't seem that sensitive. Every earthquake they've gone through, they've done nothing. No super senses or warnings to us. No extra barking. Although we didn't have Timber through an earthquake yet...so maybe he'll be more sensitive. He does bark more and seems to sense when people or dogs are "threatening" his territory.

Very Bad Dog

2010-01-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

I was ready to put Quinn down last night (I'm only joking...but I was ticked).

Hubby called and told me that he found her chewing on my COACH wallet!!!!!! The little brat. It wasn't on the floor or easily accessible. She had to pull it off my desk. And it's completely ruined. No salvaging it.

It's not like I paid full price for it but it's over $150 wallet (No, I did not pay that, or anywhere near it...thank you Outlet store!). Hubby says he'll buy me a new one. But it still ticks me off.

I wouldn't be mad at her if I thought it was my fault...like if it were on the floor or something. She's just being a pill.

In her younger and thinner years (this is her adoption picture).

She probably is bored, but she doesn't have enough strength or stamina to go on walks. She gets bones every once in awhile but her teeth are pretty delicate. And she can't really "play" because she can hardly walk. So what are we supposed to do? She obviously has enough stamina to get into trouble and 'eat' things she's not supposed to. Maybe just walking her a few hundred feet is enough to tire her out enough.

All I know is she was *this* close to sleeping outside in the rain (again, not really...my bark is worse than my bite).

Voting Continues

2010-01-11T08:23:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder, that voting is still going on over at Art by Karie-Ann Cooper. I'd appreciate any vote for my Trooper Bear boy...either Entry One or Entry Two. I'm partial to the second one, but they're both pretty good.

Here's another pic of him with my little cousin. He outweighs her! LOL When she and her sister spent a few days with us before Christmas I was a little nervous about the dogs but they did GREAT with them and it gives me hope for out baby boy when he's older. =)

Back to Bed

2010-01-07T10:17:00.000-08:00

My little boy slept in his own room last night for the very first time. :( It was very sad for me. But a very happy occasion for the dogs and hubby.

Of course, I didn't sleep well because I was worried about Marshal...but Timber didn't help me any as he went right back to his old habit of sleeping on my legs. Why not daddy's legs? Why mine?!?

It was pretty cute this morning when I got up ... Timber was curled up at daddy's head and sleeping like a baby. Of all the dogs, he is the most cuddly and sensitive - and extremely attached to hubby.

I still want my baby boy in my room...but I guess I have to start letting go already. :( *sniff*

Vote for Trooper

2010-01-04T04:11:00.000-08:00

I had totally forgotten, but last summer I entered two photos of Trooper in a contest with an artist named Karie Ann-Cooper...the prize is one of her incredibly beautiful pieces of artwork - made from the winning photo.

Voting started on the 1st and Trooper has two photos (Entry One and Entry Two) you can vote for. I'd be so honored if you would vote for Trooper Bear, who has had a very rough few months. :)

All you need to do is leave a comment in the particular photo with the word "vote". I'll post reminders periodically.

New Puppies!

2009-12-30T07:59:00.001-08:00

No, our family is not getting a new puppy. Heaven forbid.

But Carmen at Gryphon Mals has a new litter of Malamutes that are too precious not to share with you. There are four new puppies - two girls and two boys.

Mommy Amore is very excited to have new puppies to take care of - she's a very good momma.

And as you may or may not know...I am a big fan of shelter dogs but that does not mean I'm 100% against breeding. Carmen is a RESPONSIBLE breeder, which is the key. She does not do this for the money and is not a "back yard" breeder. All her dogs are genetically tested if they are going to breed and of course only bred if they have the appropriate temperament and character. She's very picky about who gets one of her lovely dogs and many of her dogs are truly "working" dogs - pulling sleds and doing shows.

Trooper is one of Carmen's dogs and as a responsible breeder she's already told us that if we had any issues with him and the baby that he is welcome back at her farm anytime.

Congratulations Carmen!!!

Having a Good Time

2009-12-28T08:31:00.000-08:00

My dogs are such crazies sometimes. Although it's not always their fault.

The day after Christmas we had a birthday party to attend...we left the house around 3 p.m.

Dinner for doggies is at 4 p.m. and they rarely let us go past that time.

We did not make it home until after 8 p.m.

Can you guess what happened? :)

An entire bottle of whiskey was broken on the kitchen floor...we think they knocked it over getting to the bread and bagels on the kitchen counter. Which they ate in their entirety.

The living room was scattered with plastic and paper from the box of chocolates they had opened and eaten.

It's our fault, we know. We also know that we are lucky to have such big dogs who have fairly tough stomachs because between the alcohol and the chocolate most dogs would have been on their way to the emergency room.

Yesterday morning they also managed to get a hold of more chocolates that were on the counter. We're slow learners apparently.

The bread and bagels are now on top of the refrigerator.

$550 Later

2009-12-17T17:31:00.000-08:00

Phew...that was one expensive vetrinary appointment, though we have had worse. Three of the four dogs needed updates on their vaccines and one, Kodiak, needed to be checked out for some hair loss issues.

I love our vet, but boy it's painful when the bill comes.

We did find out though that Quinn has a bladder infection!!! No wonder she pees all over everything all the time. So we have medication for her and hopefully that will help the frequency and urgency.

Kodiak is losing hair. :( The vet didn't think it was just a reaction to a new collar we'd gotten him so he's doing blood work. He also checked for mites, and thankfully there were none. He's thinking that Kodiak either has a Thyroid problem or Propecia (spelling?) ... I think that's what he said.

I see more bills in our near future.

Great Tag Line

2009-12-16T08:34:00.000-08:00

Isn't the internet amazing? I meet so many incredible people, and so many wonderful animal lovers. On Etsy I met a really cool woman named Kathy who owns her own pet service and her website just had me cracking me up.

Her tag line is ... "I love them, if you have to leave them." Isn't that cute?!? I love the idea of a Pet Nanny who comes to your home to take care of your animals so they don't have to be somewhere strange. Our dogs didn't seem to mind being boarded when I was in labor and recovery, but I know hubby hated it the whole time and even when I was recovering and could barely stand up he was asking if he could go get them. *grin* He's a goof.

Kathy is in Michigan, a bit too far away for us. But maybe you know someone in that area who needs assistance. I bet Kathy would be glad to help!

Lower Rent for Doggy Fosters

2009-12-12T13:20:00.000-08:00

Well, this is a new one. I hadn't heard of anyone offering cheaper rent for those willing to foster dogs but an offer has come across my e-mail for exactly that.

Ginger's Pet Rescue has a home available for rent:

Two Bedroom, One Bath, huge double lot back yard 6 ft fence located in the Shoreline (Washington) area.

There will be no last month rent or damage required and lower rent in exchange for fostering 4-6 small dogs at a time or when we have any urgent dogs that need a place to stay for a few days.

There is also a garage apart from the house that we can make into a place for the dogs to play in as well.

If you are interested or know anyone who may be ~ * please email me at xxxx

How cool is that?

If you know anyone who might be interested leave a comment and I'll send you the e-mail address. Or you can visit Ginger's Pet Rescue website.

Fun Times!

2009-12-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Timber got to go to daycare yesterday. It had been over two months since the dogs were boarded and he'd only gotten to go one time since then.

It was quite an experience since I had to drop him off and I had the baby who was going to daycare as well.

I have a Rav4 and there isn't exactly a lot of room for a dog and a baby in a car seat. But we had an old 'gate' like thing that we used to use in our former car - a Jeep Grand Cherokee - which fit perfectly in the back of my car. So Timber got to ride in the very back for the first time ever. It was pretty funny trying to get him in there since he'd never entered my car from the very back before. And I had to make sure that his tail was out of the way before I closed the door. Poor guy was a little confused at first.

But he did absolutely perfect! He didn't cry or bark and he didn't try to crawl through the gate thing (something I was actually worried about since the very top has an opening that he *could* get through if he tried).

Of course, he was his typical crazy self once we actually got to daycare. He is SO flippin' strong!

I picked him up around 6 p.m. and he sure does pull a lot less hard when he's super tired. =) After he ate his dinner he laid down at my feet and promptly fell asleep.

A tired dog is a wonderful dog!

So Much for That

2009-12-08T13:59:00.001-08:00

A long time ago I bought a pack of doggy diapers for Quinn, thinking it would be easier than just letting her "leak" all over the place. I bought a Medium or Large and they were nowhere near big enough.

This weekend I decided to try again, but this time I bought an XL, which is supposedly big enough for dogs up to 80+ pounds.

Ha! Yeah right! Nowhere near big enough. Hubby got one over her tail but couldn't get the tabs even close to closed.

She's fat, but good grief...she's not 80 pounds fat. They should make diapers that will fit big dogs. What if Trooper needs them someday? He's even bigger!

So that's another $20 bucks down the toilet (so to speak). We'll keep using the puppy pads on the kitchen floor. She's a very good girl and tries very hard to only go potty on the pads. She's so smart.

She is also still quite spunky. I was feeding the dogs the other day and all of a sudden hear a fight start. It was QUINN and Trooper! I'm 99.9% positive that she started it because he was trying to lick out her bowl, which he always does, but she probably wasn't done. She was totally snarling...lips fully back and teeth barred. We haven't seen her like that in a long time.

I pulled Trooper off of her (of course he was on top and defending himself, even against his sissy) and separated them. That's only the second or third time they've gotten into it. The first was when he was a little puppy and tried to steal her food. She drew blood that time! :) This time there was no blood. (Oh, I remember the second time...a few weeks or months ago, also over food, and Quinn got a little cut above her eye.)

Trooper really is amazingly reserved in his fights. He could easily kill any of the other doggies and yet he rarely draws a drop of blood.

Just another reminder that we have to be extremely vigilent in making sure all food is kept away from the dogs or keep the dogs separated when food is present. Timber and Trooper got into a fight this weekend in the garage and hubby said it was over the bags of dog food we store there. :(

Most of the time...I'd say 95% of the time, all four dogs get along very well. It's the other 5% that stress me out and make me want to send Trooper to Seattle to his auntie.

Dogs are Weird

2009-12-04T07:58:00.001-08:00

One second Trooper and Timber are in an all out brawl that sounds like they are killing each other and the next they are playing like best friends.

There have been several additional fights since Trooper attacked Timber when we brought the baby home. We've tried to watch them carefully and not give them excuses to fight, but it doesn' seem to take much.

The other week I woke up around 4 a.m. to horrible sounds coming from the kitchen where Trooper had Timber around the throat...daddy was trying to kick them apart with the baby in his arms. *sigh*

I had no glasses on, no shoes, and didn't even think. I reached down and grabbed my 90 pound Malamute by the scruff of the neck and yanked him back and away. Pretty stupid, but it worked. (Neither dog had a scratch ... no blood whatsoever ... as bad as it looked like Trooper wanted to kill Timber, he obviously was holding back, which is a scary thought.)

And I've had to do that same move again, just yesterday. Except this time Trooper had Quinn pinned to the ground...and I honestly don't think he started it that time. Quinn has a tendency to growl and bark at the other dogs when they get too close to something she values and it was dinner time. I think that Trooper simply responded back in kind. Again, no scratches and no blood. But Quinn is too old for that kind of activity.

All the dogs seem to be doing fine this morning...playing together in the cold weather. But it's obvious that we have a situation here that is volatile and unsafe for an infant. Yet another reason why I make T&T stay in the kitchen when I have the baby by myself in the living room. I will not sacrifice his safety.

I love my dogs and I want them to be happy...we know that they need more exercise and are trying to figure out a way to get that for them. I walked Trooper the other day - just the two of us - and his aunt took him for a super long walk this last weekend. Timber mostly just needs his daddy time...he's such a love bug and just glues himself to daddy's side when he can.

Babies sure do change things dramatically. :)

Well That Didn't Work

2009-10-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

We tried to solve our Quinn pee problem by gating her in the kitchen inside one of those special adjustable gates. It's pretty large and easily fits a big bed and her water with enough room for pee pads.

She was having none of that. She howled and was so loud that I could not even hope to get to sleep. She's a pretty stubborn old gal.

So she's still sleeping in the living room where she's most comfortable and thankfully is choosing to pee in the kitchen. I say thankfully because it's much easier to clean up in there and does a lot less damage. The floor in the living room is pretty new. Plus there's a rug.

The kitchen floor is pretty much covered in those doggy potty pads. I'm thinking we should buy stock in them because this issue isn't going to go away until Quinn is no longer with us.

Bladder Control

2009-10-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

My poor princess girl. She is getting older and older before our eyes. And so is her bladder. I wish there was more I could do to help her. I think she's getting more uncomfortable too.

Her cough was getting horrendous...we had lost her pills and she went without for over a week. So she's back on her medicine now. It makes her even more incontinent than she is without them. This morning I found three big puddles in the kitchen. She missed all the pee pads. :(

And I stepped in one of them! I've stepped in Quinn pee every day this week. I swear I'm looking for it but it blends in and gets me every time. No...I don't wear shoes around the house. And I'm generally barefoot - though stepping in pee in socks is way worse.

I'm not sure what to do for her, if there's even anything I could do. We won't put her outside at night. She's the only dog who loves warmth and being outside would be bad for her arthritis. Plus, she has been an indoor dog for as long as we've had her (2002).

I know that everyone and every animal ages but it really sucks to watch. The last few years I kept thinking we were going to lose her any time but she's held on...even as she's slowed down.

How would you want your pet to die? In the middle of the night just all of a sudden after a long life? I don't want her to suffer or be in extreme pain. What if she can't walk any longer? I think that might be the point that we take her to the vet to say goodbye...which will be a miserable and sad day.

Malamute to a Good Home

2009-10-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

I'm only half kidding.

Our first born human child was born on September 26 after I was induced a week and one day early. You can read about all the gory details here. :)

We brought him home a couple of days later (he had to be in NicU for 24 hours and I lost a LOT of blood so we were in the hospital for a couple days).

The doctor gave us the first towel to ever touch the little guy...it still had blood on it and hubby took it home a few hours ahead of me and baby for the doggies. He said they sniffed it and were sort of interested but didn't seem super aware.

So in I walk with little Marshal and Trooper is completely fixated. Timber is just happy to see me. He wanted to sniff the baby but mostly just wanted to be pet. Kodiak and Quinn could have cared less.

We go into the bedroom and put the baby in his bassinet. Daddy knelt down next to Trooper who was sniffing the bassinet and Timber was trying to get me to pet him while I used the bathroom (he has no boundaries). After a little bit Timber tried to walk by Trooper and daddy, showing no interest in the baby, and Trooper attacked.

Considering my condition and emotional state it was not the ideal situation for our first 15 minutes being home.

I pulled Timber away and daddy dragged Trooper out of the bedroom and the baby gate went up to keep all the dogs out of the bedroom.

We're not sure if Trooper was being possessive because he thought Marshal was food or a toy or because he's the new human. He's generally only aggressive over food so I'm guessing he thought he was food. :(

My first words to hubby were "we're sending Trooper away"...of course, I was a mess for the first two weeks after Marshal was born. I didn't really leave the bedroom much and I hardly ate. I'm already down to my pre-pregnancy weight. The stress of being in the same room with any of the dogs was too much for me.

We're going on 4 weeks this Saturday and I'm doing a lot better. The dogs on the other hand...

Let's just say that I will never trust Trooper and Timber is a big clumsy goof who would accidentally hurt the baby just by knocking him over. Trooper gets very fixated on the baby whenever he's near. If his ears go back I get very alert and tell Trooper "NO" in a strong voice and he generally goes and lays down.

I'm sure he's jealous and he's also bored. None of the dogs have gotten walked in over a week. Although daddy does play with them and wrestle in the living room...and throw the ball when it isn't raining.

The issues with Trooper are not going to go away...they need to be managed and carefully monitored. He attacked Quinn in the kitchen and got her pretty good...she had a huge gash over her eye and we almost took her to get stitches (it's healed up now). It was almost definitely over food as it happened in the kitchen where they were all barricaded and we'd just cooked dinner.

Malamutes have a huge prey drive and little Marshal (all 8 pounds of him) sounds a lot like something yummy to snack on. When he starts to crawl and move around it will be even worse. Right now we are using two different baby gates to separate the dogs from the baby when we need to. They are getting to smell him and see him though...if one of us is holding him the dogs are allowed to be in the room (but still not the bedroom).

I want Trooper to be one of Marshal's best friends someday and hopefully when he's older and bigger that can happen. But the next few years are going to be stressful for me and are going to require constant vigilance. And I will not hesitate to send Trooper back to his breeder (or his aunt) if he ever shows true aggression toward Marshal.

I do have some hope. He's never shown ANY aggression toward small kids - toddler age and up. He's always sniffed them and that's it...but it could be different with a child in "his" home. We shall see.

I Love Animals...But...

2009-09-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

Seagulls don't rate very high on my protection meter. Not to mention that my husband is a State Trooper so I'm completely biased in regards to this story. Although my hubby has already said he'd never have been able to beat a bird to death. He's so sweet. :)

But I'm thrilled that the Troopers who were suspended for beating a couple of Seagulls to death are not going to be prosecuted. We have a shortage of Troopers as it is.

I wish they hadn't done it and I think beating the gulls to death certainly wasn't the way to get rid of them (in front of tourists and kids...poor taste...but shooting them would have scared people probably even worse).

But they are SEAGULLS. Sewer rats with wings (which is an insult to rats). If you don't have seagulls where you live...trust me. They are obnoxious, annoying, and potentially dangerous if too tame around humans with food. They're huge and could cause serious damage if not sufficiently scared of a human with food (especially a kid).

So I'm glad that the Troopers aren't going to be prosecuted. What do you think?

Can You Help? Puppies in Need

2009-09-15T15:30:00.001-07:00

Saving Shelter Pets is drowning in puppies...adorable, face licking, fluff balls who have done nothing to deserve the misery of a kill shelter except being born.

This little guy just wants to lick your face...I can tell. :)

Can you help? Every single $1 will help SSP get closer to rescuing and providing new hope for these cuties. I've donated and wish I could donate more - but if we all chip in it can be done!!!

Look at those faces! I want to bring them all home...but must stick to donating money. :) Until I get my super farm with a super barn (heated with individual kennels for rescuing doggies). A girl can dream right?

Quality Matters

2009-09-14T05:55:00.000-07:00

I'm a coupon fanatic...as my husband will attest. Recently there were printable coupons for Milk Bone dog treats for $2 off a box. They of course are advertised as nutritious and healthy...and we go through a LOT of dog treats at our house. At Walmart they're $4 a box, so that's a box of dog treats for $2. And then they were on sale at Albertsons a week or so ago for $3...making them $1 a box. So I've bought around 5-6 boxes.

We've gone through almost one full box of them so far. But I don't think we'll use the rest. Trooper and Timber seem to be reacting to them with incredible itchy-ness. Trooper has always been very sensitive, but not his skin usually. Generally its his bowels. And Timber has always been itchy in the morning but not all day like he has been lately.

Both dogs are attacking their skin. And the only thing I can think of is the dog treats. Kodiak and Quinn seem fine, but they've never been as sensitive to foods.

I'll donate the rest of the boxes to the pound as I figure any treats are good treats for the poor pups stuck there. And we'll go back to the expensive treats for our babies. I guess that is one reason to keep couponing...so I can afford the healthy food and treats for our doggies. :) We don't skimp on food (just spent $350 to stock up on food before the two legged baby come) so we shouldn't on treats either.

Staying Entertained

2009-09-09T07:02:00.000-07:00

I've been so tired lately and the poor doggies are taking notice. I walked Trooper yesterday - though all our walks are much slower than normal.

Timber has found an entertaining new hobby to keep himself occupied though. I find it hilarious. We leave the back sliding glass door open a lot ... I like to let them go in and out when they want. Unfortunately this time of year we get a lot of flies. Those dang flies drive me absolutely bonkers, but they also drive Timber crazy.

Watching him "hunt" the flies is hilarious. I was cracking up today as he would spot one land, stalk it, and pounce! He finally caught one. One down and 12 to go. :)

I also allowed him to destroy an old ratty pillow and the sheer joy he had on his face was totally worth the mess. I tried getting a photo of him among the debris but Quinn decided it looked like a good place to rest.

She looks completely guilty doesn't she? And if I hadn't watched Timber destroy it I would have blamed her. Trooper and Timber did have some tug of war contests with the stuffing. It was very entertaining and I'm just happy to watch them get out some of their excess energy (supervised and approved by momma).

Acting Strange

2009-09-03T07:19:00.001-07:00

We know our dogs' personalities, as do most owners. So when they start acting differently it makes us pay attention.

Timber is always a daddy's boy who loves to follow papa around and cuddle, but last night he was GLUED to papa. And in a really pathetic sort of way with that look "I'm not right" when he'd look up at us.

He was acting like he was in pain...he wasn't his active self (usually he and Trooper play a little bit on the bed before actually going to bed). He didn't even want to jump up on the bed at all last night...I had to coax him up. And he couldn't get cuddly enough with either me or hubby.

Around 2 a.m. hubby and I both had to take potty breaks (although I take them ever couple of hours) and he said that when Timber had moved positions on the bed he sort of cried a little bit.

We decided that if he was still acting strangely in the morning that I'd call to make an appointment for him. And that he wouldn't get a full breakfast in case there was something stuck in his digestive track. I was thinking maybe he ate something that got stuck.

This morning he's still acting fairly cuddly and clingy but he's not lethargic. I gave him just a little bit of breakfast and he scarfed it down so I gave him a little more. He's been chomping on a bone right by me for a little bit and when papa's alarm clock went off he was excited to get back into bed.

So we're going to watch him closely. If he continues to act strangely we will take him to the vet.

I Almost Hit a Bird

2009-09-02T08:01:00.001-07:00

That dang crow in the middle of the road did not move an inch as I approached...usually they fly away when you get too close. Oh no, not this crow.

And there was a car coming in the other lane so I didn't have much room to maneuver. I think the crow was suicidal but he'll have to wait for another car because I managed to just miss him by an inch or so by scooting to the right of the lane (not too far because it's a country road and no real side other than the ditch).

I cringed before looking in the rear view mirror and was shocked to see him still waddling in the middle of the road. He's one lucky crow. BOTH cars missed him.

It reminds me of that Seinfeld episode..."we had a deal!" Thankfully no tiny instruments are required at this time. :)

Doggy Sleepover

2009-08-31T08:18:00.000-07:00

What a crazy weekend. I am thoroughly wiped out.

My brother came up with his dog, Echo. This is one of the sweetest and most awesome dogs. He's very well behaved and listens quite well, even to others who aren't his papa.

My dogs look like monsters in comparison.

So the plans for Saturday included my baby shower and then some folks going to the casino for their seafood buffet - including my brother. So I volunteered to watch Echo for the afternoon and overnight. Otherwise he would have been left at my mom's house for over 11 hours. Which is not okay to me.

Timber and Trooper had a total blast playing with Echo all afternoon and evening. They weren't even ready to stop playing at bedtime, but we made them all calm down and go to bed.

But Echo could not settle himself and would not be still or sleep for longer than an hour at a time. I did not sleep the whole night. He slept right up by my head most of the time but kept waking up and licking me (which I can't stand) or waking up and just standing. Very distracting.

Then when Timber decided it was time for him to be on the bed he didn't like finding his cousin there and did some growling, which we put a stop to right away but then I was all nervous about having them both up there (Timber at my feet, Echo at my head - it was a little cramped - although hubby seemed to sleep just fine).

When we got up for potty time in the middle of the night he headed straight for the front door - he wanted his papa! I didn't get to sleep in at all on Sunday so we all got up and I took him back to his daddy and he was very happy. Just talked to my brother and last night Echo slept with his head burrowed in daddy's chest and snored all night long. :)

I'm still tired from the event. But it was worth it. The dogs had a blast Saturday and then Sunday morning they continued their play time. Timber is still caked with mud. And he's still tired this morning. A tired dog is the best kind of dog. :)

I have a few funny photos to share but need to download them from the camera. We need more puppy play times, but maybe not too many extra sleep overs.

Absolutely Heartwarming

2009-08-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

Dogs and warriors have a special place in my heart - and when they find themselves together in battle they form bonds that most of us could never understand.

Rachel Lucas writes about Sandbag (love the name), a dog from Iraq who has been rescued.

Is that not the sweetest photo ever???

Not Cruel - But A Little Creepy

2009-08-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how I feel about this. "Creative Grooming" is apparently all the rage over in the UK with some poodle owners. It seems a little creepy, although I admit some of the dogs are kind of cute in their "disguises".

I've got to admit that the Jack Sparrow poodle made me smile. As did the Panda Bear poodle.

But really I've never been a fan of spray painting animals - even though I know people use non toxic paints that are harmless and wash out ... it just seems so weird and unnatural to me.

I definitely don't put it in the "cruel" category - even though a couple of those dogs look very sad in their photo shoots. As one of the comments in the story says, cruel is chaining a dog outside with no shelter, beating a dog, and other things that truly cruel. It's not dressing your dog up (or cutting/dying their hair.

Can you imagine Trooper as a panda bear? hahahaha

h/t Carpe Diem

SSP Fundraiser Results

2009-08-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to announce that I raised $69.95 during the Etsy sale fund raiser for Saving Shelter Pets. YAY!!! I'm going to round up. *grin*

So $70 is on its way to SSP to help rescue animals from high kill shelters. I love this organization and hope you'll check out what they do and support their efforts.

Cross posting at my other two blogs.

** Edited to add ***

My contact at SSP said that the $70 I raised will help Spay/Neuter 10-14 kittens. YAY!!! Sweet kittens who can then be adopted out for a lifetime of joy. :)

Last Day!

2009-08-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

Go shopping and benefit shelter pets in high kill shelters!

Today is the last day for the Saving Shelter Pets Etsy fundraiser.

I'll report my total funds raised from sales (including non-Etsy sales - Thanks mom!) later this week.

An Idea

2009-08-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

Related to my last post about me being a busy body, but with good intentions, I had an idea.

It takes a little bit of time to write out a handwritten note to someone. That's generally what stops me from leaving notes for people (I see a lot of dogs left in cars).

What if I had little notes made up for me (or do it myself...novel idea) with a bit of info about how hot a car can get even on a cloudy day? Something small and simple with a few basic facts and maybe including a link to a website for more info.

I'm sure it would anger some folks...but if even just ONE person reconsidered leaving their dog in a car on a 'moderate' day it could make a difference.

Even on winter days I hesitate to take the dogs out if it's sunny out because the car can still get warm (and Trooper is especially sensitive to heat). But I think these little cards would be mostly for spring/summer/fall days.

Thoughts? Too busy body? Obnoxious? I don't mind being obnoxious. :)

Yes, I Am A Busybody

2009-08-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Running my errands on the weekend is getting more and more difficult the closer my due date approaches, but I struggle on. As I made my way to one grocery store (I had to make a separate trip because Wally World didn't carry what I wanted) I ended up parking next to a car with a doggy inside.

The windows were cracked, and it was cloudy at the time. But I had just heard on Friday about a woman who forgot her dog was in the car ... a black lab. The lab died in the less than hot weather when left in her car for 2 hours. She was devastated (apparently inconsolable...I would be too!) and the story breaks my heart.

So that was on my mind as I watched this dog panting. Yes the windows were cracked. But as I sat there with my door wide open my car felt increasingly warm and uncomfortable.

I don't normally leave notes for people...it seems kind of obnoxious, but this time I did. It was a simple note and just mentioned that a woman just lost her dog in her car on a very similar weather day and cars can get over 100 degrees very quickly.

I hope the note was taken in the spirit it was intended. By the time I'd come out of the store, the car was gone, but so were the clouds. My car was extremely uncomfortable and warm. Even with windows cracked a dog would not have been safe inside.

And I do, shamefully, admit to having left my dog in the car on a semi-warm day...I HATED it and rushed to get back...I also parked under a tree, left water in the car, and cracked the windows much more than I was comfortable. Even then it was too warm for my liking and I avoid doing it whenever possible. When temperatures reach into the 80s and 90s our dogs don't go anywhere in the car if we plan on leaving the car for any reason. Or, one of us stays inside with the AC on full blast.

There's no reason for a dog to die in a hot car.

Am I Just Being Paranoid?

2009-08-21T07:46:00.001-07:00

As my due date gets closer and closer I've started thinking more and more about how our dogs are going to handle all the changes that come with a new baby.

Specifically I am most worried about how Trooper will react.

He's my sweet baby boy and he's a total mama's boy. And he's shown a tendency to be jealous, but it is always toward other dogs. He doesn't go to daycare anymore because he kept starting fights - but only when the 'girls' (the workers) were out with the dogs and he wanted their attention.

When we fostered Bullet he was definitely jealous, but he had a great time playing with her and there weren't ever any fights. When we adopted Timber they definitely had some time of establishing alpha, and there were several snarling fits that resulted in some blood draws (most of it my husband's blood actually). And there were times when we would be giving attention to Timber and Trooper would growl. It lasted a few months and seems to be over, although he still tries to butt in when the other dogs get attention (something he also did as a puppy...very doggy rude and something we didn't tolerate).

When the baby gets here...he's going to be sleeping in our bedroom in a playpen / bassinet thingy for a little while. I keep having this vision of Trooper hopping up and pulling the baby out. Is that sick? He's never shown ANY aggression toward people or children. In fact he usually ignores kids and goes right for adults when he wants attention.

Maybe I'm just being irrationally paranoid as a soon to be first time mother. My mom isn't helping though. She never let us have dogs growing up and while she likes our dogs - she doesn't love them the way we do. And she's extremely worried about how Trooper will react and makes little comments that just make my paranoia come to the front of my brain.

I guess I need advice and reassurance that there's something we can do to make the whole situation easier on everyone. I'm not worried about Quinn or Kodiak...they've been through tons of change and don't ever seem phased. Plus they're too old/cripple to try to jump up on a crib or bed. Timber I'm not sure about but I'm not nearly as worried about him as I am Trooper.

What Can Be Done?

2009-08-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

I saw a brief news story this morning while getting ready for work about a couple who were found dead and are suspected of being killed by a pack of wild dogs.

This makes me so incredibly sad.

Both for the couple and their family, but also for the dogs, if it is true that they are responsible. The news mentioned that the dogs might actually have an owner, who is away ill in the hospital. If that is true it is even more sad to me. I can't imagine not having someone take care of my dogs if I'm not able...let alone just letting them roam loose.

It's very difficult for me to imagine a pack of wild dogs doing something so horrible, even though in the logical part of my mind I know that dogs are animals and when in a pack revert to that wild nature. It's perfectly logical that they could do something like this.

I do get nervous sometimes walking Trooper by myself with no protection. I know that he can be aggressive toward other dogs if the need arose, but I don't want him to have to protect me from an aggressive dog. And I know we have a couple of dogs who wander loose - one is an un-neutered Chow. Makes me think that I should start carrying pepper spray...or a gun.

Authorities are planning to trap the dogs and I'm sure they will be put down. *sigh* Does it seem like it's a hopeless cause to try to rescue unwanted animals? Sometimes it feels incredibly overwhelming.

But I can't think like that! One dog at a time. That's why I love Saving Shelter Pets - you get to actually see the dogs they are working to rescue. Don't forget about their fundraiser.

Dogs on Duty

2009-08-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

I love working dogs, regardless of the duties they do...police dogs, bomb sniffing dogs, service dogs, whatever. Dogs are amazing creatures and seeing them work at various duties is an incredible thing.

Listening to the radio I heard an interview with the handler of Kurt, an FBI chemical explosive dog. It was a really great little interview so I decided to see if they had information about these wonderful dogs online and sure enough - they do!

Each FBI bomb dog has their own web page - which is as it should be. They deserve all kinds of recognition for their work keeping people safe every day.

I think all the chemical explosive dogs are beautiful but Disco caught my eye because he's the only one who isn't a black dog. I wonder why that is. Maybe something about black dogs makes them better sniffers. *shrug* I have no idea.

Bismark also caught my eye because he's the only non-lab dog. He's a German Shepherd and sure is handsome.

I think that working dogs often get overlooked when we think about the safety of our country. We're blessed that these fabulous creatures exist and enjoy doing their jobs to help us.

Forgiving Michael Vick?

2009-08-18T06:08:00.000-07:00

I wrote about my torn feelings on the Michael Vick situation a few weeks ago. I'm still torn. But I'm leaning towards acceptance of his new role with the Philly Eagles and hopeful that he will become a spokesman against dog fighting.

On Monday, Michael Medved talked about him on his radio show and made some very valid points toward forgiveness.

One of which was that of visibility. If Vick were NOT allowed back in to play football, he would disappear from the spotlight. His return is bringing a LOT of attention to dog fighting and the horrors of such a "sport". Maybe this attention will show other lower income youth growing up the way Vick did that it's not right. I hope so.

Additionally, the Humane Society sent out a newsletter, and wrote a blog post, in semi- support of Vick's supposed turn around.

I also spoke about giving Vick the chance to fulfill his pledge to help us reach at-risk youth in America’s cities and to steer the kids away from the alleys and abandoned homes where street fighting festers.
The words carried promise. And I’m happy about that. But still, they were just words.
...
But he has a chance to add a new chapter to the biography, as long as he is committed in the months and years ahead to using his celebrity to bring awareness and to persuade boys and young men to love their animals instead of fighting them.

It's been an interesting day of Vick news.

Even the Obama Dog Blog wrote about the issue. I think the writer did a fabulous job outlining the issue and expressed many of my own feelings.

I realize that Vick grew up exposed to dog fighting. It was exciting, it was part of the culture. Even cool. So maybe it’s too much to expect that at some point the light would go on and he’d realize these choices are not only wrong, they’re horrifically cruel. But with each new fight, each additional act of abuse or torture or killing, he chose to proceed.

We all have the ability to make choices in our lives, regardless of the culture we are born into. Take the so called "sport" portion of dog fighting out of this for a moment...I believe it's cruel in and of itself but an argument *could* be made for a cultural aspect (i.e. bull fighting, cock fighting, and other things I find fairly mean).

The TORTURE inflicted upon the dogs has nothing to do with culture or "sport". The torture is just that - unnecessary cruelty (is that redundant?) for the sake of inflicting pain and suffering. That should be an obvious no no in any culture. Regardless of how someone is raised - anyone should know that it is wrong to electrocute a dog's privates or hang them.

I don't buy the excuse that something is okay because it's a cultural difference and those of us who disagree are being ethnocentric (i.e. female genital mutilation). Some things are just WRONG no matter why or where they are done.

I hope that Vick's re-entrance to football will lead to a greater awareness of the animal cruelty that exists out there.

Let the Fundraising Begin!

2009-08-17T07:46:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited for this fund raiser for Saving Shelter Pets. It started Sunday and I've got my eye on a few items from the participating vendors.

Do you think this picture would be cute in a baby boy's room? We've finished painting the walls blue. And the crib is ready to be assembled. I just don't have a lot of stuff for the walls, and I don't want too much "baby" stuff...I want the things we get to grow with him.

It's funky and artsy but still kid related. And 20% of the purchase price will go to SSP.

I've already gotten an order through my own shop and I'm so excited to be able to contribute to the fundraiser.

Think ahead about what gifts you may need for the holidays or upcoming birthdays and please consider supporting this wonderful organization.

A Pacific Northwest Weiner Dog Rally

2009-08-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

Too fun!

Weiner dogs aren't my favorite...I've gotten bit more by that breed than any other, but it was long before I was comfy with dogs so it might have been my fault. :)

An Amazing Story of Survival

2009-08-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

Coming to us via The Cat Dog Log, a story of an amazing horse. I've read it before but it is such an incredible tale that it warms my heart all over again.

You Gotta Meet Molly

I love horses and wish I lived closer to my grandfather's farm so I could ride more (when I'm not pregnant of course). They intimidate me, but I try to ignore that and just enjoy their beauty. There are several places around my house with horses and I always smile when I see them.

Raising Funds for Shelter Pets

2009-08-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a great gift for a birthday? Or maybe you're a little like me and look for Christmas gifts year round.

Here is an opportunity to find some great handcrafted goodies and raise funds for Saving Shelter Pets.

Starting Sunday, August 16 and running through August 26, all purchases made from participating Etsy shops will have 20% of the price go to Saving Shelter Pets. This is a WONDERFUL organization where they work super hard to save animals stuck in shelters. I personally love their Puppy Program.

Tune in Sunday when this fund raiser starts...I'll post the link to all the shops (including mine!) who are participating. There are some great ones!

Starting Fresh

2009-08-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

The old Home Zookeeper blog is sort of being held hostage by 451 Press. No one really knows what is going on and I have no idea who to ask questions to about buying the domain name.

So I decided to start over here on Blogger, which I like better than Word Press anyway. I'm more familiar with it. Not only that I have total control over links and ads (or lack thereof). Hopefully the blog loads better for people (including me!) without the gazillion ads that I wasn't so fond of on the old blog site.

While I enjoyed getting a few dollars a month for blogging about animals and my doggies, I'm glad to be free of the restrictions. I don't have to worry about not having enough words in my posts anymore! Not that lack of wordiness has ever been an issue for me. :)

I'm considering adding Project Wonderful ads to this blog...if I can earn just a couple of dollars a month I want to put it toward a new blog design. I have no idea how much it would cost to have someone design me something nice, but these templates from Blogger are boring.

I did go and grab many of my old posts from the old site, because I wrote them and I liked them. Anything prior to yesterday was on the old site and I copied it over here. It was quite a trip down memory lane. And the agility posts made me very sad. But we're moving on.

So here is to a new beginning!

Well, Let's Try This

2009-08-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

So I just ranted on my other blog about how 451 Press shut down operations, leaving all of us who blogged for them out of luck...unable to even log in to our blogs to write a last post or say goodbye. It is very lame.

I love writing about my dogs and animal stuff and I would have kept writing at that address even without payment. But I can't.

I have no idea how long the other address will work (www.homezookeeper.com) but I'm going to try to copy/paste all the posts I've written into this new blog. I hope it works.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Forgive and Forget?

2009-07-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

Michael Vick has been reinstated into the NFL. There’s a debate running over on Facebook about whether the Seattle Seahawks should sign Michael Vick to the team.

It seems to me (and my unscientific observation) that many of the guys responding are all for it but many of the women are not. My little cousin is all for it, as is my former boss. Both love dogs. But they also love football.

Should Michael Vick, after having served his time, be forgiven? My gut reaction is no.

Yes, he served his time but he showed an complete and utter lack of respect for the law and for the basic suffering of life in his actions. I’m not sure two years in jail has ‘fixed’ his views. Has he truly shown remorse? What is he doing to become a better citizen and show others the error of his ways?

“As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I have made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward…”

Has he spoken out against dog fighting? Has he started any sort of organization to rehabilitate or rescue dogs? Kids look up to football players and sports people. I would never want my son to wear a Vick jersey…ever.

…Vick finally pleaded guilty after his three co-defendants had already done so. They told of how Vick participated in the killing of dogs that didn’t perform well in test fights by shooting, hanging, drowning or slamming them to the ground….He plans to work with HSUS in a program designed to steer inner city youth away from dogfighting.

Well, until he takes some drastic steps - speaking out STRONGLY against dog fighting and the brutality he put upon those poor dogs I can’t stomach his return to the NFL. I’m not opposed to forgiveness. And I do think people can change. But I’m really unsure in this situation. Is he really such a great football player that his past should be completely overlooked and forgotten (or forgiven)? Apparently some fans think so.

Seriously though…is he the ONLY player who is good enough to save the Seahawks? I kind of doubt it. The PR issues alone seem to trump his skills on the field.

What do you think? Would you support a football team that signed Vick? (Not that I watch a lot of football…it’s not exactly my favorite sport.)

What Would You Sacrifice?

2009-07-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

How about a couple of fingers? If your pet was in the jaws of a gator?

Without a thought for his own safety, Grounds ran through the brush to the water’s edge, where the gator had what it thought was breakfast clamped between its crushing jaws. “I just grabbed the lower jaw with this hand and the upper jaw with this hand,” he said, indicating his bandaged right hand and his left.

That is just so scary. I can’t imagine seeing one of my babies snatched by a predator. It wouldn’t be a gator in our area…but if we move to a more isolated area I can definitely see me worrying about bears, cougars, and coyotes. I think Trooper and Timber could handle a coyote but you never know.

Keep your babies safe!

I'm Such a Bad Mom

2009-07-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

Two days in a row…TWO DAYS in a row…I’ve locked my sweet baby girl outside.

I’ve been sick and came home from work early yesterday. I let the doggies out and thought they’d all come back inside so I shut the door. I laid down on the couch and took a brief nap for less than an hour when hubby got home. I looked out the back door and Quinn was outside!

It’s not exactly cool in our part of the world right now. I felt so bad - she was very thirsty. Of course, she loves the heat but an hour for a girl her age in 80+ temps isn’t the healthiest.

Today I take a break from work and let the doggies outside and I would have sworn on a bible that she’d come back inside. About 30 minutes later I’m at the computer and look outside and there she is! What the heck is wrong with me!?!?

She’s inside now, in the bedroom with the air conditioner on. My poor little girl. Mommy is losing her mind.

It’s supposed to get up to over 100 degrees this weekend…Even her heat loving self shouldn’t be out too long in that weather.

I’m not sure what we’re going to do on Sunday because hubby and I have a ‘baby’ class at the hospital that lasts all day. Even though their kennel is in the shade, it will still be too hot to leave them outside from 9 to 5. That’s just cruel. But leaving them inside the house alone, all four of them, for that long. *gulp* Makes me VERY nervous. I’m going to see if my sister in law can come by and give them a break for an hour or so.

We are not a heat friendly family. We prefer snow!

Our Very First

2009-07-09T14:44:00.000-07:00

Award that is. How neat!

Rebel and Suzy decided that we at Home Zookeeper were worthy of the slightly scary Zombie Chicken award. I’m honored! And so are the pups.

Timber is doing really well by the way…up to his usual antics digging holes and counter surfing in the kitchen. Oh and trying to avoid the dive bombing hummingbirds. They are mean suckers!

Here’s the award graphic…scary right?

The rules of the zombie chicken say…

“The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all…”

Oh my…five? I’m getting kind of tired tonight…I hope I can last long enough to choose only 5.

For sure Pamibe - I love the photos she takes of her Daisy and Bree. Plus her politics are my kind of style.

And definitely Comedy Plus, though I know she’s on vacation right now. Whenever I need to laugh I know I can count on Sandy.

That Mutt always has wonderfully thoughtful posts with helpful advice for raising dogs and even fostering. Her dog Ace rocks.

What would we do without Daisy the Curly Cat and her brother Harley? Two amazing smart and sophisticated felines.

Last, but certainly not least, Nearly Dr Ferrox is a must read for any animal lover. I could never work as a vet - reading his stories are inspiring.

I hope everyone enjoys the award. Zombie chickens don’t scare me too much…Zombie people do though! =)

Update

2009-07-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

It’s been an insane couple of weeks. In addition to my mother in law being diagnosed with Leukemia, I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. Then a week later I was told that I have a tumor on my placenta.

Good times.

So I had to head to the big docs in Seattle and we got good news. And not great news … the baby is too big - most likely due to the diabetes - so I’ll probably have to go on insulin.

All this stress has had a negative effect on hubby and I…as well as the doggies.

While all this was going on Hubby went back to work and this last weekend was hardly home at all. When he was home he was sleeping. So Timber was a wreck. It was almost cute…whenever papa was home Timber was glued to his side. The minute papa started getting ready for work Timber would slink to the front door and mope. I felt so bad for him…he so missed his papa.

I tried to take him on a walk, but the pain in my back and abdomen makes it very difficult for me to control him. It still takes some strength to correct him when he tries to pull too hard. He was okay until the neighbor dogs started barking at him and then he started hopping and pulling. We made it for about 20 minutes but that’s all I could handle.

Thankfully Trooper is a bit easier for me, though I still get pain even just walking with no dog.

Timber gets to go to daycare this Friday and I know it will be super good for him. I’m going to continue to try to walk Trooper twice a week if I can. I’m also going to talk to the daycare staff to see if any of them would be willing to stop by our house three times a week to walk at least Timber while I’m huge.

Sorry for not updating more often. I keep thinking of great things to write about but just haven’t been able to log in and update as much as I want. It’ll probably continue that way for a bit longer. I’m swamped at work and have four days of jewelry classes coming up starting Thursday.

Darn life…It certainly likes to throw kinks into my plans.

There are No Adequate Words to Express My Rage

2009-06-23T16:04:00.000-07:00

As I waited for my 3D ultrasound appointment yesterday I listened to a local talk show … something I haven’t done in months. The host was talking about a horrendous attack on two women in SeaTac, WA (an hour or so from where I live).

This wasn’t an ordinary attack or mugging. This attack involved children ages 11, 12, 13, and 15. And a pit bull.

No, the kids weren’t attacked. The children DID the attacking. Calling them children is misleading I think…they should be called monsters.

This story makes me so angry I can’t even describe it. These monsters should be in juvie. The dog is obviously going to be put down and I think the kids and the parents should be charged with animal cruelty. THEY allowed this dog to get a taste for violence. They ABUSED this dog.

The King County sheriff’s office said four kids used a pit bull to attack two women in SeaTac.

Deputies arrested the 15-year-old girl and three boys — 11, 12 and 13 years old.

The first woman saw the kids kicking the dog, Snaps, Sunday evening and stopped her car because she thought they needed help. The sheriff’s office said the 15-year-old girl punched the woman with her fists while a boy brought the dog.

So first, the kids were kicking and abusing the dog. THEN they decided to use the dog as a weapon against two women.

“One of the boys brought the pit bull over on a leash and the dog was encouraged to join in the fight, which the dog did, and bit this 63-year-old woman on the hand and on the thigh,” said Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Office.

Of course the dog joined in … pit bulls want to please their masters and will do as they’re told with gusto. If they are trained in violence they will do so without abandon. The dog wasn’t “defending” the girl as the owner claims (the owner is the 15 year old’s brother)…he was ENCOURAGED to attack.

SICK! Just sick and completely twisted. Where were their parents? Who taught them it was okay to disrespect human, and animal, life in this way.

People like this are the problem. Pit bulls are NOT the problem.

I’m sickened. I hope that all four kids are put in some sort of detention, but I am guessing the dog is the one who will pay the ultimate price.

God bless the woman who stopped because the little monsters were kicking their dog. And pray that both women heal quickly.

Priorities People

2009-06-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

I think the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals are the biggest bunch of hypocritical jerks ever. I’m sure I’ve written about my dislike of them in the past. They claim to want to work for the fair treatment of animals but they do more to undercut their cause than they do to benefit animals.

Their latest gag involves a fly and the President. Of course, you probably know he’s not my favorite person, but for pity’s sake it takes skill to swat and kill a fly with just your hand so I give him props. But of course, PETA has to throw a fit and make a stink about killing a FLY.

He didn’t shoot a dog or run over a kitten. He didn’t even eat frog legs. He killed a FLY. I’m sure that they would grumble if he swatted and killed a mosquito too.

Their priorities are sorely misplaced and their goals seem more oriented around controversy and raising money for themselves than actual protection of animals.

Did you know that PETA run shelters have an astronomical kill rate? Only 0.32% adoption rate in 2008!

PETA rakes in nearly $30 million each year in income, much of it raised from pet owners who think their donations actually help animals.

Imagine how much good that money could actually do for animals in need? Say, working to show the horrors of puppy mills. Imagine how much in the way of advertising and marketing that money could buy.

(Not that I love the sad commercials put on by the Humane Society…they make me cry!)

PETA equates the eating of cows to the Holocaust and thinks that humans owning animals as pets is cruel. Yet killing adoptable animals is just fine. They are nuts and it’s horrifying to me that they are able to raise so much money…money that could go to actual animal causes.

Life Goes On

2009-06-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

It’s been a busy and somewhat rough couple of weeks. My mother in law was diagnosed with Leukemia. The most aggressive kind (AML) and is in the hospital having in patient chemo. She’s too week to take outpatient. So that’s been quite a stress.

Hubby has taken some time off and so the dogs haven’t had to be in the kennel nearly as much as in the previous few weeks. I even managed to take Trooper on a walk the other day. Hubby walked Timber and we managed to all stay together (a lot of times I end up going one way and hubby the other because both dogs want to be leader). And it didn’t kill my back.

I started taking Aqua Arobics and am hoping it gives me more stamina and more energy to walk the pups. I had my second class this morning and I was wiped out. Amazingly, from the first class on Tuesday to today’s class I think I felt a difference in my flexibility. I couldn’t touch my heels in one of the exercises on Tuesday but could today. So here’s to more flexibility!

So life goes on despite the myriad of difficulties and obstacles. We’re hoping my MIL pulls through … her kitties need her. And so does her unborn grandchild.

I’m making some special jewelry to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and I’ll be posting it here as well as my other blogs. I hope no one will take offense, since this is not my jewelry blog. It’s all I know to do at the moment.

Great Blog

2009-06-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

The reason I still belong to Entrecard is because there are still tons of great blogs out there to discover. One such blog recently “dropped” their card here on Home Zookeeper and I was tickled to discover her blog…Marges Pets.

It’s a new blog but so far she’s doing great. I was very interested in the first few entries that I read…they caught my attention and were well written. Her goal is to raise funds to help her take care of animals. Which sounds like something I will do when I get older too. I’ve always told hubby that I want to have a barn renovated for rescuing dogs.

So head on over and take a look when you have a moment. I love her BB story.

Guilt Trip

2009-06-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

Phew…it’s been awhile. It’s not that I don’t have anything to say…I just don’t have enough time in my days. Work has finally gotten busier, which is nice … and not. At least I’m no longer bored.

We’ve been having some major challenges to getting the dogs walked and exercised. The first is that it’s been super hot (okay, my definition of super hot is mid 70s… but I’m pregnant and our dogs have long hair) and the dogs pant inside with the air conditioner on.

And second, my body is rebelling. I did the dishes today and my back was killing me. I go get groceries and my back kills me. We had a garage sale the other weekend and I was in pain for several days afterward. Pregnancy is not so much fun.

So my poor babies are suffering because of the heat and from lack of exercise.

Then on Tuesday there was a major bad accident on the freeway and it took me over two hours to get home (normally takes 40 minutes). On top of that hubby had a DUI rollover accident near the end of his shift and he was an hour late getting home. Poor babies were stuck in their kennel for 11 hours!!! Talk about hyper. They were nuts that night.

Last night hubby and I dragged our butts outside with Timber and Trooper and forced ourselves to go for a walk. It was quite a challenge. I think they both have forgotten all their training for walking on the leash. Trooper was a maniac. He was worse than Timber! But by the end of the walk they’d both settled down.

Exercise is SO important and I feel so absolutely horrible about not being able to provide it. But last night I could hardly move after the walk.

I’m not sure what the answer is. If I had someone near us who I trusted I’d pay them to walk the dogs. But I don’t know or trust anyone locally. My Sister in law lives too far away … I trust her.

Hubby keeps saying that he’ll walk the boys, but he always ends up saying how tired he is. Which is true. He works 10 hour shifts, but does get three days off a week (although last week he also had an overtime shift last week). It’s when he’s working days during the week that the dogs have the hardest time. Right now his schedule is Tuesday through Friday, at the same time I’m at work during the day. So it’s the kennel for them.

If we weren’t having a baby I’d be taking (at least) Timber to daycare more often. As it is, he gets to go once or twice a month. He LOVES it. Maybe if I get a few more jewelry sales I’ll use the money to buy a few more days for him.

I know Quinn and Kodiak are fine. Quinn can barely make it around the block even one time. And Kodiak starts limping if we go around twice. So it’s really just Timber and Trooper that make me feel horrible.

If I feel this guilty about neglecting my K-9 babies, imagine how horrible I’m going to feel when I have to go back to work after maternity leave!

To Grandfather's House We Go

2009-06-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful Saturday we had this weekend. And I am a very bad mama for not having pictures to share!

After great debate, hubby and I took Timber and Kodiak with us down to my grandfather’s house. We left Quinn and Trooper home, which made me sad but realistically I can’t handle four dogs right now. It would have been an utter zoo. Quinn doesn’t really enjoying being out, except for small walks around the neighborhood. Trooper would have loved it, but it really was achingly hot out and he would not have been comfortable.

So off we went, Kodiak and Timber in the truck cab with us. Timber continues to amaze and entertain me. None of the other dogs like to have their head out the window when we’re on the freeway - it’s just too much for them. So typically once we get on the freeway on ramp the windows go up. But Timber kept poking the window with his nose (which cracks me up to no end) like he wanted them open. So daddy obliged.

And talk about a cutie. He was just in such heaven, and our day had only begun.

When we arrived down at the farm, Timber was a tornado of energy. My grandpa hates misbehaving dogs. Seriously. Hates them. So I told him he was free to discipline Timber if he tried to jump up. His discipline is really just a knee up, but that’s kind of hard for an 82 year old to do so I told him he was free to use his foot. I’d rather he kick our dog than fall down and break sometime.

But hubby managed to keep hold of Timber, for the most part…my uncle did have to lift his knee to keep Timber off him. He was just SO excited.

Before getting ready for the rest of the visit we decided to go for a quick walk to get some of his energy out. It didn’t really help a ton, but as the day went on he got more and more calm. By the time we were ready to leave grandpa was telling him what a good boy he was. =)

And Timber got to SWIM, really swim, for the first time EVER! He’s a natural!!! I was so excited to see him frolicking and playing in the river. It was wonderful!!! Daddy threw sticks in and Timber would dive in and chase them as they floated down.

Of course, he was on leash the whole time. I don’t trust him further than I could throw him. But it was a nice long leash that allowed him to go all the way in the river to where his feet no longer touched. At one point he got stuck on a big rock out in the center of the river. It was so cute.

Kodiak on the other hand got to go off leash for the very first time ever. Being a husky he doesn’t always have the best hearing or sense of direction but he did really great. A couple of times I had to walk after him and call him back rather sternly…but even reluctantly he came back every time. And we put him back on leash when we walked past the horses…we didn’t trust him *that* much. But he went in the water higher than he’s ever done before.

Of course, he didn’t ever swim … he never has. I think it’s a Husky thing. Quinn has never swam with us either. And Trooper hates getting too high in the water. Timber is our swimmer.

So it was a wonderful day. Except for my sunburn.

Practice Makes Perfect

2009-05-18T15:22:00.000-07:00

I read on another blog, I think it was That Mutt but I could be wrong, that you shouldn’t try to avoid situations that your dog has issues with but should try to confront those situations and work through them. I’m paraphrasing obviously.

I sometimes don’t like walking Trooper because when we encounter other dogs he gets rowdy. Timber is the same way. But I realize that the more I walk Trooper and encounter dogs in various states of excitement the better he gets in his reactions.

If a dog is lunging (excited or aggressive) Trooper still wants to react toward that dog but with the choke chain and the sharp command “leave it” or “No” he isn’t trying to pull me off my feet anymore. Of course, an aggressive dog makes him get protective but he’s getting better at that too.

Timber, meanwhile, is also making gains in walking properly with his mama. I took him to daycare on Friday and for about 20 minutes went back and forth from my car to the door trying to get him to not pull on me. Finally the owner took pity on me and in 2 minutes had that dog healing and looking up at her in total submission.

I was very jealous. What was I doing wrong? I was being too nice!!! =) Which is funny since I’m the “mean” one of the family (mean as in strict). But I wasn’t being mean enough.

So more practice is necessary. My goal is to be able to someday walk both boys together. Without being pulled over. In the meantime I’ll be happy walking them separately without having a shoulder dislocated.

Don't Bring Me Down

2009-05-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

So I’m browsing around and come across this article, via Instapundit, about some yahoo who wrote another article dissing dogs and dog owners for believing that their dogs love them.

Eric Zorn, a writer for the Chicago Tribune, recently mocked a local woman, Jess Craigie, who dove into near-freezing waters to save her dog from drowning. Zorn wrote, “Note to Jess Craigie: Your dog still doesn’t love you.”

Uh huh.

I wrote a post a while ago about dogs and souls. It’s a more complicated and mysterious than any of us can truly understand or explain in our lifetime. Perhaps after we die we will find out the true answer.

For now I refuse to believe that my dogs don’t recognize and love me in their own doggy way.

It may not be love the way I understand love and express it as a person. But it is their own way of showing us their affection for us. When I come home from work and hubby has the door cracked open just enough so that their happy doggy noses are sticking out, tongues out, and tails wagging. You can just sense their excitement.

When I walk in the door I’m sniffed and rubbed up against…of course this is partially conditioning. I give them luvins when I come home and they expect it.

But you can’t tell me that Trooper isn’t fond of me. Perhaps he only sees me as alpha and his “affection” and attention is merely his way of relating to alpha. Maybe.

If that’s all it is, I’ll still take it and accept it as his way of loving his mommy.

Can anyone truly quantify the love or affection of a dog (or cat for that matter)?

Happy Pups

2009-05-08T15:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I decided to bite the bullet and take Timber and Trooper for a walk. Separately. I keep telling hubby that he needs to work with Timber more often but the laziness factor seems to keep that from happening.

Don’t get me wrong, hubby LOVES his dogs and plays with them a lot (wrestling, ball, tug of war) but walks seem to elude his vocabulary.

And I’m tired of Timber practically pulling me down when I take him to daycare. He needs to NOT pull.

So around the neighborhood I went with Timber not sure exactly why mommy was with him instead of papa. But he did very good. Several times I had to use the choke chain and jerk in the opposite direction to make him stop pulling hard but that should decrease the more we work.

One of my neighbors was walking out to get his mail and I asked him if we could train a bit with him. I made Timber sit and stay and the neighbor walked towards us. Timber freaked out and got all excited and started jumping up and waging his tail and barking. So the neighbor stopped (he knew what he was doing) while I calmed pup down and made him sit again.

It took a little over 5 minutes for the guy to actually be able to get close enough to us with Timber being calm before I’d let Timber approach the man. He tried jumping up once but I was ready for it and the guy was too. It’s good to have neighbors who know how to handle dogs. Plus he’s a total dog lover.

We only went around the neighborhood once but that was enough for Timber, who seemed wiped out…with all the switching directions we probably actually walked the equivalent of two times around.

Trooper is a breeze after wild man. But I was a little more strict with him last night because I want to take him with me in public to an outdoor craft show on Saturday. So for the most part I kept him right by my side, something I don’t always do on regular walks. And I only let him leave my side if I said “OK” and gave him extra leash so he could sniff and mark. He did really well. When I stopped to chat to someone he just sat down nicely. He’s such a good boy.

Daddy doesn’t want me to take Trooper out in public. He’s worried about liability, which I can totally understand after the incident. But he’ll be on leash, on a choke chain actually, and with me the whole time. At no point will he be off leash or out of my sight. If I see a small dog (and my eyes will be peeled) I will tighten up my hold and be extremely careful.

If I don’t ever take him out he’ll never learn how to behave. One of these days I’d like hubby and I to be able to take Trooper and Timber with us for long walks in public places but right now that isn’t realistic.

Anyway…both Trooper and Timber were very happy and tired last night.

What about Quinn and Kodiak? Well, their walk times have diminished drastically since Kodiak’s last surgery. Quinn can only make it once around the neighborhood and that’s pushing it. Kodiak loves to walk but ends up very sore afterward so we don’t walk him that often…maybe once a week. They’re both old enough that they like to sleep most of the day.

It’s the two young boys who keep us on our toes.

Do You Order Online?

2009-05-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

I’ve seen the commercials - order your pet’s medicine online and save money. I’ve never actually done it though. I generally buy all of our doggies’ medications directly from the vet. Mostly because none of them are on anything that is too expensive or that is ongoing.

But if one of them were on a regular medicine it would make more sense to order those online - as much for saving money as for saving time driving to and from the vet.

I wonder though if my vet would start to get snippy if we requested a prescription to purchase somewhere else, the way Two Nervous Dog’s vet did. I’d like to think that mine wouldn’t as they have sent us to the regular pharmacy in the past for medicine that could be bought cheaper there. I will admit that it was weird to get a prescription filled for my dog at a people pharmacy.

It seems like quite a few vets have issues (scroll down for the article parts) with allowing their customers to purchase medicines online, which is too bad. I realize that vets are also trying to make a profit, but it seems like they’d also be able to support their customers’ needs for lower cost meds. It creates good will and trust when a business looks after the best interests of their customers. And that in turn creates more loyalty and profitability.

My vet must make money on things other than medications…they sure charge enough. They are worthy it though.

Do you order medications online? How have you found the experience? Any problems? Concerns? Cautions for others?

We're Back - Lots of Pics

2009-05-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness…it is hard to be back, even though I do love being home in my own bed. We had such a great time on vacation, even though it was only 4 days long. It’s actually pretty stressful for me to go on vacation with my dogs, as much as I adore them. My next vacation might have to be without them.

It’s just a lot of work when your dogs absolutely can NOT be off leash and there’s no fenced in area for them. It means leads and tying the leads to things that can’t be ripped up or tipped over. And those leads then get tangled if all four dogs are out at the same time. It’s exhausting.

But it was worth it. We discovered that Timber is definitely part fish…or some sort of dog that loves the water. While the other three wimps freak out if the water gets over their knees, Timber was diving in head first with no fear whatsoever. It was incredible and I was almost in tears with happiness. I took a short video of his aunt Jennifer playing with him in the surf…please forgive my goofy commentary…and shaky hands.

Watching that makes me smile. He had SO much fun. He barked a lot from the house where we had a perfect view of the beach - every time he saw a dog on the beach he’d start barking, so he barked a lot. He was also enthralled by the birds…so was Trooper.

The house we stayed in was right on top of the beach and had a perfect view of Haystack rock. Unfortunately there were really steep stairs leading down to the beach, which made it impossible for my mother in law to go down and very difficult for Quinn and Kodiak. Quinn went on one walk with me on Sunday morning and while she had a great time she was done and exhausted for the next two days.

On our way back up the steps, I literally had to lift her back legs for her. The poor thing. Getting old sucks. But our walk was nice and relaxing…just the two of us.

I also got to take Trooper on a solo walk…it was after his main walk with his aunt and papa so he was nice and mellow. I wasn’t able to handle him so well when he was fresh with lots of energy. It was too exciting for him.

Thank goodness for their aunt Jennifer…she loves to walk and took the boys on real long walks that tired them out nice and good. A tired dog is a great dog!

I have so many more fun photos to share but I should probably stop. LOL If you want to see the rest of the photos I have (except for some of the family ones…hubby doesn’t like his face on the net) please check out my Vacation 2009 folder in Flickr.

It’s good to be home. I think the doggies were still tired for a day after we got back. We’re going to have to find a beach close to us to take them to…at least to take Timber and Trooper.

Some People Shouldn't Breed

2009-04-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

And by breed, I mean have human children. Because they’re obviously too stupid.

This story makes me so angry I feel it in my gut. (Read both links…the first is mostly the dad calling the breeder stupid and the second gives the breeder’s side.)

A dad brings his 8 year old daughter into a kennel run with Rottweilers to help FEED them…F E E D them! I don’t care if they’re a bunch of chihuahuas…young kids and feeding dogs do not mix. Dogs are ANIMALS and act on instinct. This includes protecting their food even when there is no “real” threat. Dogs don’t always operate on logic so a threat to them might seem like nothing to us.

I am saddened that the dog was put down and angered that the father is blaming the owner when it is HIS fault his daughter got hurt. He is damn lucky she wasn’t killed. I feel horrible for the breeder of these dogs. She had set rules and this guy broke those rules. NO kids with the adult dogs. HE broke the rule. The breeder did her job.

The dad has the temerity to call the breeder stupid!?! I’m hearing the pot calling the kettle black. ARG!

I would never let a strange child help me feed MY dogs, who are fairly tame at mealtime…at least with people. With each other they can get snappy. Things happen.

People need to use common sense, if they have any, when it comes to animals. Letting a small child around large dogs (I don’t care what breed they are) when those dogs are feeding is completely asinine.

I was glad to see that in a poll the Herald Sun was running, over 60% of respondents did not think that Rottweilers should be banned in Australia.

DON’T BLAME THE BREED!!! People are in the wrong 99% of the time in these cases and this one is no exception.

h/t Dr Ferox

Heading to the Beach

2009-04-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

I am REALLY excited. Saturday morning we are leaving for the ocean. Cannon Beach to be specific. We found a nice big house and paid an extra security deposit for all four dogs. We’ll have a view from the house of that big rock…can’t remember what it’s called.

Neither Timber or Trooper have ever seen the ocean…the only sand Trooper has seen is at a local river park. Not even close to the same.

We’re going to get really long leads so they can sort of run free, but not actually be off leash. I think Quinn could probably handle being off leash but I’m still too paranoid to let any of them off.

I bought new toys and tennis balls today to take with us. Just in case it rains and we need distraction inside the house. We’ll also have to bring potty pads for Quinn…the last thing I want to do is lose my deposit for ‘leaks’.

I cannot WAIT to see Timber react to the ocean. We bought a new kiddie pool last weekend and he’s been having a blast every day … digging in the water and playing. His face has been wet for four days straight. It’s so refreshing to watch him enjoy himself so thoroughly.

Hubby thinks that he’ll drink the salt water and then throw up. That’s what Kodiak did the last time we were at the ocean. Either that or he’ll hate the taste and won’t want to drink any of it.

I wonder how they’ll react to seagulls. And all the new smells. It’s going to be a wonderful trip and I’ll share photos as soon as I can.

I won’t be dropping entrecards or posting between now and next Wednesday…and maybe a few days after while I recover. *grin*

Taking to the Skies

2009-04-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

As I was getting ready to leave for work this morning I saw on the news a preview for after the commercial for a new Pet Airlines. I was intrigued so I made a point to look up the story when I got to work.

I LOVE this idea!!! If we ever went somewhere that required flight, but we wanted to take the dogs, our only option was sticking them in crates and loading them like baggage. I can only imagine the stress this would put them through…and I don’t think Quinn could handle it at all in her old age.

Check out this video - it is just under 4 minutes. The whole idea behind the new service was to create less stress for both animals and their humans. Pets ride in the main cabin and there are even Pet Attendants. I think it’s too bad that pets can’t travel with their owners in the cabins…but that might be logistically difficult. Maybe they’ll add that service someday.

Billed as First Class Pet Travel, the current cost is $149 one way, with no size restriction (so Trooper would cost the same as a chihuahua). Pets are called “Pawsengers”…is that not adorable? And dogs get potty breaks! They can’t get that on a regular flight.

I think this idea will definitely take off (so to speak) and become more popular nationwide and maybe someday even globally. I know Rachel Lucas made the heart wrenching decision to leave her doggies home due to the stress and hassle of transporting them. (I know…there’s still the whole quarantine issue but at least the doggies would be more comfy on the trip over.)

So now you have an alternative to sticking your pet below.

An Incredible Soul

2009-04-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

I think people can debate about whether animals have souls…but I do believe that some do. Yes, some. I find it hard to believe that a fish or a spider have a soul. But dogs and cats and other domesticated pets…it’s hard not to look into their eyes and see a soul. Whether one like ours or something different…it’s not a perfect believe I realize.

When I read stories like this it reaffirms this belief (and yes, I know there are plenty of horrible animal stories but let’s focus on the positive shall we?):

From one of my favorite Blogs, Rachel Lucas brings us the story of Jasmine.

Please go visit and read this incredibly heartwarming story…and check out the adorable photos. It is the kind of story that will make your day.

* Warning…don’t browse other posts by Rachel if you are sensitive to cursing or strong views. I LOVE her but she definitely has her own opinions and is not afraid to share them. But she is a fabulous dog lover and has lots of great doggy posts. *

Amazing Artistic Cat

2009-04-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

I was in the lunchroom waiting for my macaroni and cheese to heat up (yes, I said Mac and Cheese…don’t judge) and was reading through the Tacoma Art magazine.

Just browsing and flipping through pages I came across a little snippet about a photographer cat named Cooper. Have you ever wondered what your cat saw when he (or she) traveled about?

This cat lets us see what he sees…and I am SO impressed.

Cooper lives in Seattle (just up north of me) and every week he dons a lightweight strap on camera around his neck and heads out to explore. The camera snaps a photo every two minutes and just from the few I’ve seen does an amazing job.

You can even purchase his incredible work from Urban Light Studios - or if you’re in the area go check out an exhibit.

I love the picture he captured of his girlfriend. *grin* SO freaking cute.

Do you think Cooper knows how famous he has become? Is it sort of like the Elephants who paint? Everyone knows it’s not really “art” by definition but it really is amazing and very cool. (I believe art has to be consciously created for that purpose and I don’t really believe animals have that capability…as cool as it would be if they could.)

I wouldn’t mind having his “artwork” on my walls…maybe someone will get me one for my birthday. It’s today!

Problem Found

2009-04-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

As I wrote last night, Timber continued to act weird after I got home from work and when we started getting ready for bed.

Every night I’ve been taking one Vitamin B-6 and a Unisom in order to combat the horrible nausea that my pregnancy is causing. So last night I went to take my pills…but the bottle of Unisom was missing. Just gone. Nowhere to be found. We started searching and finally found the EMPTY bottle under the bed with tooth marks.

That’s right. Timber had eaten more than 15 liquid gel Unisom pills. The little *&$#. Add Unisom to the list of things he’ll eat…which now includes soap and foil.

So we called the emergency vet who had us call poison control who told us to take him in. As we described his symptoms…first acting kind of slow in the morning and then ramping up with jitteriness and general weirdness…the guy on the phone said that they were classic symptoms of the active ingredient (something I can’t even really pronounce) and if we just tried to wait it out Timber could have a seizure or slip into a coma.

Lovely.

So I’m sobbing and begging hubby to take Timber in to the emergency vet…he didn’t want to go without me but I had to try to get some sleep. Hubby is already on a night schedule and on his work days doesn’t get home until 2 a.m. so heading out at 8:30 p.m. isn’t as hard for him. Off they went and I did doze with the phone clutched in my hand waiting for a call. Finally a little after 10 p.m. they came home and I was SO relieved.

They gave hubby the option to leave Timber at the clinic for observation or take him home and treat him there. Hubby brought him home. He fed Timber liquid charcoal, which I thought we’d have to force feed him but he ate right up with food. The doctor said that within 4 hours he should have to go outside and do #2, but nope. In 4 hours I got up and Timber was snoozing away…still breathing and wanting his belly rubbed when we got down on the floor with him.

When I got up and out of the shower at 6 a.m. he wanted his breakfast and howled as usual. Finally starting to act like his normal puppy self. I followed him outside afterward and he FINALLY had a small bowel movement…he hadn’t had one all day yesterday or all night. Hopefully he’ll have a few more today.

I cannot even say how stressful this was. I kept imagining that we’d wake up to a dead dog.

The only thing he did that wasn’t normal for him this morning is when I was getting my lunch ready…he normally sits right next to me and begs for scraps but this morning after going potty he went right back into the bedroom and JUMPED ON THE BED!!! WOOHOO!!! We were so happy that he did it on his own. We even gave him his ball back. LOL

Trooper must have been worried about him too because he also normally sits with me as I prepare my lunch and he went right back into the bedroom after potty time too. Silly boy.

All of our medications are now capped and put back from the counter edge. It never occurred to either of us that any of our dogs would eat our medications. Never in a million years. I’m so grateful that he ONLY ate the Unisom as I had five other medications that would have caused much more serious consequences.

It’s a good thing that he’s over 70 pounds and seems to have a stomach made of steel. I love that damn dog. =)

Weird Dog Acting Weirder

2009-04-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

Is weirder a word? It must be because spell check didn’t give me a red wavy line when I typed it.

I came home from work and only three of my doggy babies greeted me at the door. Timber was outside in the yard … just sitting. Looking at me and wagging his tail. But he would not move no matter what we said.

He was also really protective of some toys he’d accumulated around himself. He was growling (kind of) at papa when we approached but didn’t do his scary growling attack mode. We took one of the toys away and he was fine. But when I went to the grocery store he and Trooper apparently got into it pretty bad over the toys. Hubby wasn’t sure which one but there was lots of snarling and barking…no blood though.

Hubby finally got him inside and put away all his toys since he seemed to be obsessing with them. Now we’re cooking dinner and he is acting like he’s never eaten before. Absolutely chomping down on anything we give him (which is normal when we cook…he’s getting cauliflower and stuff) and practically shaking with excitement. And panting.

He’s also taking Rhimadil which I don’t like. My SIL had a bad experience with her dog Koyuk and she thinks the drug caused his liver problems which eventually led to his death (though he was much older).

I’m still very worried about my puppy boy. He is not acting like himself. Though he’s letting me touch his back end he sort of tries to scoot away or sit down. We’ll see if he tries to jump up on the bed (it’s really high) tonight or if he sleeps on the floor.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. I cannot handle this stress!

UPDATE - Pray for Timber

2009-04-06T14:16:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Hubby called and the vet doesn’t think it’s anything too serious or internal. THANK GOD!!! I seriously went in the bathroom and cried. I hate that. They are still doing some exam stuff and I’ll know more later this afternoon. Sounds like they’re going to send hubby home with some anti-inflammatory meds.

It’s so scary when your normally crazy hyper and active dog stops being active all of a sudden!!!

——————————————-

Please pray for my baby boy. I don’t know what is wrong with him. He seemed fine this morning - he ate well, just like he always does. He didn’t seem lethargic to me.

Hubby called and said that he’s been acting funny all morning. He isn’t acting like his normal puppy self…when hubby threw the ball Timber didn’t chase it. Hubby tried throwing it just a few feet and he said that Timber wanted to get it but couldn’t.

Hubby thinks he’s having a hard time with something blocking him up. I hope it is something simple and easy to fix. He’s on his way to the vet right now and he said that Timber didn’t even act like his normal self going out the door…he normally tries to jet out in front of us (yes, we’re working to stop that but still) and instead just walked out slowly. And that when he tried to jump into the truck he didn’t make it all the way up. However he was excited to get his collar and leash put on him so that is good.

So please just keep my baby boy in your prayers. I don’t think I could handle it right now if something were seriously wrong. I’m having a hard time keeping it together at work. Sheesh. We’ve had doggy issues before and I haven’t gotten this upset.

Why does he have to eat everything in his sight? I’m worried that he got something bad in him. I hope to hear from hubby within an hour or so…I’m sure this is going to cost us. Great timing too. I should hear final word about my job next Wednesday.

A New Leg and a New Chance

2009-04-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

I love stories like this!

This morning had me up super early…hubby should have been home at 2 a.m. but when I woke up at 4:15 a.m. he wasn’t there yet. So I was up and awake and not going back to sleep (the nagging cough and cold don’t help) and on went the television. I love watching Fox and Friends in the morning while I get ready for work and since they’re three hours ahead they were on.

They had the sweetest story about a dog rescued by a wonderful couple in Florida. This sweet boy had lost his back leg in some sort of trauma, and while we know that dogs can live and thrive on three legs this couple decided to look for an alternative.

This German Shepherd mix lucked out when he found his forever home with retired dentist Steve Posovsky. He and his wife tried a strap on leg designed just for Cassidy but the poor guy just couldn’t adjust. So they went to veterinarian Denis Marcellin-Little who agreed to attach a truly prosthetic leg to Cassidy’s right thigh.

This dog was so cute on TV…cuddling against papa. I don’t know that he was really enjoying the attention, but at one point he used his prosthetic leg to scratch himself! It was so sweet and funny.

They said on the news that this procedure will be used on several other dogs and then they want to try this technology on humans. This is the best of both worlds in my opinion. Yes, they are “experimenting” on dogs but the benefit to the dog is so worth it. It isn’t cruel and the leg will even detach automatically if it senses any stress…

“At the beach last week, the foot got caught on a step. Cassidy just walked away and the leg lay there on the sand.”

Talk about amazing. I am so grateful to live in this amazing time.

Random Updates

2009-03-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

I’ve really been slacking here. Let’s just say that I’ve had a horrible cold the last few days and with that on top of the pregnancy nausea I have not been in a good mood. Nor have I felt very creative or like writing anything.

And there’s plenty to write about.

Time has added a new item to his list of “what he’ll eat” … you know those Laughing Cow swiss cheese triangles? They come 8 to a circle and each wedge is covered in foil. I take one every morning to work for my bagel.

So I’m putting stuff on the counter this morning and went out to the garage for a minute and come back to Timber licking his lips in a weird way. I look at the counter and the only thing missing was the cheese wedge. The little turd ATE it, foil and all. I hope the foil doesn’t hurt him!

The funniest part is there were two huge sausage patties in a ziplock bag right next to the cheese and he didn’t eat those. Weirdo dog.

I had a thought today…what if my kid is allergic to dogs??? Can I send the kid back? *grin* Just kidding…but seriously…hubby is allergic and we just deal with it. No way would hubby live without dogs. But could I put a child through that? Isn’t that kind of child abuse? I know there are pills and sprays and things, but it doesn’t seem fair.

The only thing I can think of is that if he (or she) is that the dogs won’t be allowed in their bedroom ever. And we’ll teach them to do what daddy does - after rough housing or petting the dogs he goes and washes his hands…and doesn’t touch his face first.

Oh…and PETA’s 2008 killing report is out. I hate that organization with a passion of a thousand white hot suns burning in the heavens forever. Please do NOT donate to them. They are radical, people haters, who care more about publicity than about actually saving animals from harm. Give money to Saving Shelter Pets or your local rescue group instead…where the adoption rate is more than 0.32% and the kill rate is definitely less than 95%!!!

I’ll try to be more talkative the rest of the week. =) I’m sure the doggy monsters will do something fun or obnoxious!

Potty Training Doesn't Have to be Hard - Part Two

2009-03-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

Writing about crate training Trooper was very timely. As you might remember, Trooper’s breeder just recently had a new litter and one of the new Malamute mom’s had a question about her new one and the tantrums of being in a crate. I laughed with sympathy and forwarded my post to her.

So now part two.

The number one thing I can recommend while potty training - PAY ATTENTION. Puppies are really pretty obvious (usually) when they have to go. And the second thing…use treats.

If your puppy is loose and walking around the house watch them like a hawk. Puppies usually give some very clear clues that they need to go potty…though every puppy is different.

If you are worried about your puppy not being within your line of sight at all times, use a leash. Attach it to your belt or waist and that puppy will stay with you no matter where you go (obviously don’t drag them around *grin*). If you’re sitting on the couch, make him stay within your line of site. If you’re in the kitchen (and you’re going to allow them in the kitchen) have her by your side.

This helps with two different things. First it gives you the opportunity to watch them like a hawk. The second is that it gives the dog the message that they do not have free roam. They can’t go anywhere they want and need to have your permission. Plus it’s a great bonding tool.

Trooper hated it at first but he got used to it (I think it helped us establish our Alpha role as well). We didn’t do this with Kodiak and we had a LOT more puppy potty accidents in the house. We just didn’t watch him closely enough.

Kodiak gave us plenty of signals, but since he was our first puppy we didn’t always recognize them right away.

Sniffing around or moving in a circle was one of his key alert behaviors. Of course, sniffing is common for puppies because there is a lot of new stuff to smell. But there should be a certain kind of sniffing and moving that your dog does before they go potty.

If we didn’t grab Kodiak and head outside fast enough, sure enough after a few circles he’d be squatting on the floor and doing his business.

If you see your puppy start to squat - grab them quick and run outside. Don’t yell. Don’t punish. They don’t know any better and haven’t learned where they should do their business yet. It is NOT their fault!

We had many interesting trips running from the apartment with our dog upside down in our arms…usually with a stream of pee shooting up! I’m sure our neighbors loved us.

Trooper wasn’t nearly so obvious. He liked to stare. That’s about the only hint he gave. No whining. No barking. He would stare at us for a few minutes or go stand at the back door (once he realized that is where he needed to go) and sit there. If we didn’t realize he was there he’d go right on the rug. It was not fun.

Finally we tied a bell to the back door. Every time we took him out to potty we lifted his paw for him and rang the bell. Pretty soon he got the idea and would ring the bell himself to go outside. Such a smart boy!

He still doesn’t bark or whine (he’ll be 3 in July). He will stare at you deeply (it’s a little unnerving) or just sit by the door. But thankfully he has more control now and doesn’t have accidents in the house. We usually get the message if he stares long enough.

I think most puppies go through a couple of training stages. The first one is when they can’t really control themselves. They’re too young to hold it for very long and if not given the appropriate opportunity to relieve themselves will go wherever they are.

The second stage is when they are a little older, 3-4 months, and do have more control but still don’t “get it” 100%. When they have to go potty they kind of know they’re supposed to go outside but just aren’t sure how to go from A to B.

Encourage your puppy when they go potty outside. My mom thought I was a complete nutter. When Trooper went potty, I’d say over and over again “Good boy go potty” … as he was going. And then he’d immediately get a treat. Going potty outside is FUN!

This encouragement really does help get you to stage three. A little bit older and wiser and able to hold their bladder longer, your puppy KNOWS that it is supposed to go outside and should know how to tell you. But if you ignore the signs too long or if he is left home alone he may have no choice but to go inside.

I think that stage three might be the hardest phase to get over - especially if your dog has to be by themselves for long periods of time. By around six months old Trooper could hold his bladder for at least 6 hours but if we slept in or left him in his crate for longer than that he had accidents.

Again, NOT his fault. Don’t punish or yell because they won’t know why. Just clean up the mess and start over again.

I know that some people use potty training pads but we found those just encouraged the dogs to go in the house (we use them now for Quinn but she is a different situation).

Do you have some good potty training tips? Was it hard to potty train your puppy?

Now We Keep the Bathroom Door Shut

2009-03-19T13:51:00.000-07:00

Timber is still a puppy. I wish we could have had him when he was puppy sized. *grin* But for now we’re just trying to work through his big puppy stage.

Hubby woke me up last night when he got home from work to inform me that Timber is now eating soap.

Yes, soap.

I knew he liked licking up bath water after hubby’s showers. I knew he liked drinking bubble bath water (don’t ask). I knew he didn’t mind soapy water in the sink. But I didn’t think he’d actually EAT soap!

I just laughed and went back to sleep. So now we have to keep the bathroom door shut because he actually crawls into the bath tub to get the soap.

I’m sure he’ll grow out of all these weird behaviors. Trooper did. Kodiak did. Quinnie came to us without these weird things. Hubby was laughing and asking Timber when he will grow out of these things.

He IS a good dog though and I’m happy to let him be his puppy self. He doesn’t get in trouble when he does naughty things, unless of course we catch him in the act.

Punishing a dog long after they’ve gotten into mischief is completely counter productive and does nothing but make the dog fear you. If a dog has an accident in the house, rubbing their nose in it does NOTHING to explain to the dog why they did wrong. If a dog chews up your favorite shoes and you start yelling at him after you find them…he doesn’t know why you’re mad.

The only time that “punishment” works is when you catch the dog immediately in the act. When Timber counter surfs and I catch him I can tell him “off” and pull him down off the counter. He’s starting to get that “off” means to get down. Dogs will learn if we humans are patient and do our jobs properly.

A Sale for Jethro

2009-03-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

Andy Mathis is a really talented artist who also cracks me up with his wit and sarcastic humor. His dog Jethro has started having some doggy health issues so Andy is having an art sale to help pay for the special procedures.

Check out his blog post here.

He has a shop on Etsy as well as 1000 Markets and his own website where he links to his art. He’s a big animal lover as you can see through his work and his website focus. I hope you will find something you love.

Never Leave a Child Unattended

2009-03-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

You must read this. Seriously. It’s very important.

Never Leave Your Child Unattended…especially with so called dangerous breeds.

You just never know what can happen.

Potty Training Doesn't Have to be Hard

2009-03-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

One of the bloggers I started reading just got a new puppy and expressed a little trepidation about potty training. I left a long comment on her blog but then thought I should formulate my experience here.

Trooper was our last potty training experience. Quinn was an adult when we got her and only peed once in the house - on her first night - so we chalk that up to nerves. Timber has never had an accident in the house since we brought him in (thank goodness!). All I remember from Kodiak is running with him in my arms (up side down like a baby) and having pee flying up in the air!

We brought Trooper home when he was 8 weeks old. Just a pile of fur. But already full of personality and spunk. He knew what he wanted and what he did not want. And he did NOT want to be in a crate.

That was just too bad for him because we were crate training and that’s all there was to it. I was the strong one. Trooper screamed…not just howled or barked…but screamed at night for at least 30-45 minutes every night for two weeks. I am not exaggerating. He would work himself up into such a dither that he’d try to bite his way through the plastic crate holes with his tiny little jaws…and end up getting his little jaws stuck. Imagine a squealing little pig with lots of fur. And yes, we did get up at that point to ‘unstick’ him (it was really obvious when it happened). We are talking full out tantrum.

Hubby constantly said, “can’t we just take him out for a few minutes” but I would immediately veto that idea. He has to learn. We have to win this battle of wills because he would learn how to get his way if we weren’t stronger willed.

Every night we had the same routine. All the dogs would go outside to “potty”. Then we would go into the bedroom. Trooper learned very quickly that if he went into his kennel he got a treat…so getting him in was no problem. A good thing too, since he’s now 85 pounds of muscle and I’d never be able to force him into a kennel.

But for two weeks he complained every night. He also did not go potty in his crate. He was young so we took him out to potty every few hours the first few weeks we had him. As he got older he started sleeping longer and longer. And he stopped complaining. His kennel became his home and his bed. He loved it!

As we would start getting ready for bed he would run to his kennel and stare at you “where’s my treat?” and sometimes we’d find him in there just for no reason (not just at bedtime).

Crating him was the very best thing we did for him and for us. When we went somewhere, he went into his crate and didn’t wake the neighbors up. It was his home. And he didn’t have accidents in his crate (well, he did but it was a stomach issue not his fault…and we worked through that). The few times we had to leave him for multiple hours he did good.

We would have had way more major issues with Trooper if we hadn’t crate trained him. Ignoring the tantrums was hard but temporary. It also established our “alpha” position with him as much as anything else.

Next post will be about how we potty trained when we were home and awake.

Do You Wash Your Own Dog?

2009-03-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

As most readers know, we have four large dogs. Three of them have the double coats typical of the Northern breeds. It’s a wonderful thing…super soft and fluffy. But a pain in the rear to brush or bathe.

Ever since we got our first Husky, and our second, and our first Malamute, we’ve taken the dogs to a professional groomer. Kodiak and Quinn take awhile but Trooper wins the prize for taking the longest. I think his last grooming the lady tracked the full time she was hands on with him … six hours! From bathing, to drying, to brushing, to clipping his nails.

It’s worth $60 to let a professional make my dogs all fluffy and clean again.

Except that we’re not sure if I’ll still have a job in another month or so. We won’t be able to afford to spend $200 plus on grooming four dogs, four or five times a year.

On the other hand, I have no desire to try to trim their nails or shave the extra fur that grows on their paws. Do your dogs have that? Northern breeds grow that fur out and it can get really long and intrusive.

The Passive Dad wrote an article about whether or not it’s worth $15 to take your dog to a self cleaning place. We have a couple in our area and they are nice. They have big tubs with hoses and even special dryers. Some of them provide shampoo even.

But is it worth $15 to groom your dog yourself?

Not for me. In our coming future, if I do lose my job, I still plan to take the dogs to the professional groomers. They won’t go as often though, maybe once or twice a year. And I may ask her to just trim their toes and brush them out instead of the full wash and dry service. When they dig in the mud and get icky we’ll hook up the special nozel with a spray that attaches to the shower.

Thankfully Malamutes and Huskies like to keep themselves clean … I love it when they groom themselves like cats.

Growing Puppies

2009-03-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

Remember the teenie tiny Malamute puppies I wrote about?

Well these cuties are getting all grow’ed up! Why can’t they stay puppies? *grin*

All photos were taken by Carmen’s friend Twila. You can see the rest on her Flickr page.

Can you imagine if we had decided to get one of these cuties? OMG! I’d be a mess. I don’t even have the energy to walk Trooper. The poor guy.

I love watching these cuties grow up though. Maybe someday when my two legged pup is older we’ll have room for a new Malamute puppy.

And THANK YOU Carmen for sharing the pups with us!

Luckiest Dog in the World

2009-03-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

I want one of these!!!

hahahahaha

That dog is so flippin’ lucky. My dogs would be in heaven. And I totally think we could train them to use it.

Escape Proof

2009-03-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

When Kodiak and Quinn were younger, and a little more agile, they were quite the escape artists. And destructive escape artists at that.

We had only had Quinn for a couple of months when hubby fell asleep while she was outside. She ate through part of our fence and dug out. She was gone for 12+ hours before someone called us. She had managed to find her way, miles away, to a house near the train tracks. Not okay.

Kodiak, when we had a rental and a short 4 foot (or 3?) fence, managed to get out. I looked out the window and all of a sudden there’s a white fluff ball walking by in the front yard. Sheesh. I think he climbed out.

Huskies are especially notorious escape artists. Quinn was taken to the kill shelter FOUR times before the Husky rescue finally had a space for her (and her previous owners abandoned her). They did testing to see how dogs escaped or not…she managed to climb under less than a 12 inch space under a fence. She’s that good.

Hubby and I decided that we had to be very proactive in keeping our dogs in our sphere of control. I hate it when people let their dogs wander, or don’t secure their dogs enough to keep them fenced in.

Our recipe for success?

Horse Mats.

On top of concrete blocks (those flat kind…ours are 12 x 12 but they have bigger ones) that we laid out over ground that we cleared ourselves. It wasn’t *that* expensive.

Then we bought a kennel - 6 foot high chain link fencing - I think it’s 6 x 12 feet but it might be larger.

We didn’t buy the top of the kennel … we put tarps over it and that seems to work best. But we also don’t have any sort of dog house within the kennel. I KNOW that Timber would climb on top and try to climb the fencing. Seriously…they are amazing dogs.

Even this set up wasn’t 100%. One day hubby came home and all the dogs were in the back yard and not in their kennel where they belonged. Somehow one of them figured out how to flip up the little latch on the kennel door. Damn smart dogs.

So now we have bungie cords that we use on the door and so far (5 ish years) that has worked out well for us.

I believe people need to be more responsible with their pets. They are not just objects…they are special beings who deserve our attention and safety.

Please don’t let your dog wander. Because as I commented in this post here, I will shoot a stray dog who threatens me or mine.

Is It My Imagination?

2009-02-25T13:36:00.000-08:00

Or is Trooper depressed?

Or am I transferring my own emotions onto him? It’s been a couple of weeks and you’d think I’d be over the emotional devastation of losing an activity like agility.

Lately when I look at him he just seems sad. He hasn’t gotten as much activity because we’re no longer doing agility, and my nausea is so bad that I haven’t even walked him for a week. He does get to go to daycare once a week and went last Friday.

Maybe it is just me. I look at pictures I have of him around my desk at work … they’re of him working agility equipment from when we had just started. Every time I look at them I start to tear up. I think I need to take them down. He looks so happy with a big goofy doggy grin on his face.

I want him to be a happy and healthy dog. I want to keep that bond with him that we built up over the last year. I’ve asked his trainer how we could start training to mush. Can’t you just see him pulling me on roller skates? hahahaha But really, I think he’d be good at it and enjoy it. He loves to pull and I of course force him to constrain that natural instinct. So maybe training him to pull things would be a really healthy way to exercise him and bond at the same time.

Malamutes were built to pull loads, not to race. I think it would be really fun to train him to pull a wagon (carefully and on a leash) with our two legged baby (when the kid is older…don’t worry I’m not completely insane) or to pull stuff around the yard when papa is working. Or to carry “heavy” (not bad heavy) loads when we eventually go camping.

He’s still my baby boy.

A Better Day

2009-02-19T13:24:00.000-08:00

Time heals all wounds, or so they say. I’m feeling a bit better today. Working at home sometimes makes me feel more isolated and sad, but today I’m enjoying the quiet with my dogs. Timber went to daycare yesterday so today he is super mellow and I love it.

He’s been walking around everywhere with his tennis ball in his mouth. It’s so cute. We’re not used to having a dog who likes to play fetch, but Timber has really caught on and seems to enjoy it. We’re still working on him bringing the ball back directly to us and dropping it. But the command “drop it” does seem to get him to loosen his jaws and allow us to take the ball. And when he really wants to play he’ll come drop the ball at our feet.

The last few nights he’s started sleeping with his ball. Which I find hilarious. He’s not supremely obsessed with it or anything. He doesn’t have to have it at all moments and he doesn’t attack the other dogs if they pick it up and play with it. But he sure does love that ball.

Having a dog that will fetch is really nice because there’s a built in way to exercise. Hubby doesn’t always feel like going for a walk, but Timber always needs to get his excess energy out. So they can go in the back yard and play for 30 minutes before Timber says enough.

Trooper on the other hand needs a walk for his exercise. Playing is just never enough for him.

I’ve decided that I want him to be able to walk by a house with a dog in someone’s yard and ignore that dog. There is a dog on the corner who attacks his fence, barking and growling. Trooper tends to want to “attack” back (not literally, but he will bark, growl, and pull on his leash to try to get to the fence”. So for two days now we’ve walked by and I’ve used his choke collar and said “leave it” … I’m not sure if this is the right way to do this though.

Yesterday I took some treats with me and made him sit in front of the fence (it’s a solid fence so you can’t actually see the other dog) while the dog was going bonkers. He sat very nicely facing me and I gave him a treat and told him he was a good boy.

I’m not sure if this is the right thing to do either.

All I know is that I need to be able to walk him without worrying about him going nuts when another dog is aggressive towards us. It’s going to be my new project with him. I’m open to suggestions too.

Depressed

2009-02-18T13:21:00.000-08:00

It’s been a very rough couple of weeks and last night was just one more nail in my coffin.

Trooper did a very bad thing, something that I am well aware of. I did everything I could to make the situation right with the owner of Kilo, short of bringing him back to life. The entire experience was very expensive for us but that was okay. It truly was the least we could do. Diane now has a new Pom, named Panda, who is 14 months old. I hear they are bonding well.

I was looking forward to going back to agility this week, and sent the trainer an e-mail to make sure it was okay.

The phone rang last night and shattered my dreams. Trooper is no longer allowed in class. Nor am I advised to enter him in shows.

Expressing my devastation here is not possible. I could not stop crying last night. Hubby finally got annoyed with my tears and started getting all logical, which was not what I needed.

I know in my logical head that it is perfectly acceptable and makes sense. Trooper is now a liability and as a business they can’t afford to have a dog who has killed another dog. I know that. What if he did something bad again? As hubby pointed out, they could take him away from us and even put him down. Even though I know that he didn’t do anything out of aggression or to TRY to kill something. It was an accident fueled by natural drive.

But in my heart I am just so depressed and sad. I’m grieving. I’ve now lost an activity, a bonding experience with my dog, that made my world brighter. There are very few activities out there that get me out of the house and interacting with others. Agility allowed me to socialize and work with my boy. I got exercise, he got exercise. We learned new things together. It was extremely good for me mentally.

I feel like crying even now, though I’m at work and that wouldn’t be the best idea. I have pictures up all around me of Trooper performing various agility exercises. He enjoyed it so much.

This whole thing has been a tragedy on so many levels. My heart aches. I’m severely depressed right now and that’s not healthy for me or my baby. I know that Trooper will be fine. He doesn’t realize any of the things going on and won’t “miss” agility in the way I will.

I don’t know what I will do now but I want to continue working with Trooper - even if it is just going for walks and learning to walk properly in new places. My ultimate goal will be getting Timber and Trooper to walk calmly together with me.

Everything happens for a reason. Perhaps I was not meant to do agility in the long term, especially with a baby on the way. It doesn’t make me less depressed right now and I hope that something will help pull me out of this horrible funk. I do trust that God has a plan, even though this seems like a particularly cruel step in my journey.

New Experience

2009-02-17T13:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we took all four dogs to a local park for a short walk. Of course, we had to walk in shifts because I can’t handle two dogs at once right now and Timber isn’t quite ready to walk together with another dog. But overall it was wonderful!

This was Timber’s very first walk outside of our neighborhood development.

We’ve come a LONG way with this boy. The first time I took him outside with a leash on he threw himself to the ground. He had NO idea how to act or what to do with a leash on.

We moved from tantrums on the ground to pulling so hard that my hand hurt. We tried to do everything that we knew, but none of our tools seemed to work. And by tools, I mean things we’d done with Trooper. Which, when I look at it never really worked either. He’s gotten better due to his older age and our agility bonding.

So we asked for help from our wonderful daycare staff person, Crystal, who had him walking on a loose leash in five minutes. I was astounded. But of course WE were not that successful when we tried it. She had the immediate alpha touch. And as she says, she’s been using a choke chain for a lot longer and knows exactly how to use it properly.

But we were determined. So we got the choke collar and started working. It’s been very hard work. I’ve never met such a stubborn and willful dog. He still throws tantrums but they are getting fewer and further between. His new tantrum though consists of standing on his back legs and wrapping his front legs around the leash. It’s funny but we try not to laugh. We let him wrestle with the leash and move his front legs back down to the ground and keep going.

Anyway…back to yesterday. I think hubby was nervous. He really hates correcting Timber and gets frustrated very quickly. But things went so well that I was almost in tears.

We did encounter a dog almost immediately and he did his barking, growling, hair raising dance. But hubby corrected him and made him sit quietly before we continued. Trooper actually did worse than Timber. He was pulling me quite hard … but it could be I’m just more sensitive to it lately with my nausea and weakness.

We walked for a good 30 minute and went all the way down to the river. I think we have a water dog!!! It was his first experience with a river. And he dove right in. It was such a blessing to watch. Have you seen the expression of a really happy dog? He had that on his face and I was so happy.

This successful trip means that we can start training more outside of our neighborhood and I’m very grateful for that. I get bored just walking around in circles and I’m sure the dogs do too.

I’m hoping that Timber will really get good at walking gently on a leash. I want to move up to walking him and Trooper together (*gulp!*) and eventually get them to both walk gently together with a stroller. I may need to employ Crystal’s help again. When I have a baby in the stroller I do not want to deal with pulling dogs. They have to recognize the stroller as alpha dog and let it lead.

So much work to do! =) But yesterday was a great, wonderful step forward.

Being Dogs

2009-02-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for your support and kind words. I’ve not quite recovered but am starting to pay more attention to Trooper. We aren’t going to agility class this week. The idea of going right now turns my stomach. I am fearful … afraid to see the look in people’s eyes. Afraid to see them look at Trooper. *sigh*

I know it will get better someday. But right now I’m still unsure and haven’t talked to Diane (Kilo’s mama). We sent money for the vet bill…that is what emergency funds are for. And we will pull more money out to help her get a new puppy or dog and to help with other costs like new leashes, toys, food, etc. Not to mention if she still wants to do agility.

Trooper’s daycare called and offered to serve as a character reference for him. Is that not the sweetest?

Anyone who knows him knows that he is not a mean dog. He would never bite a person on purpose (my bite was completely accidental), nor would he hurt another animal just to HURT it. He can get testy when it comes to food but he’s never put a scratch on any of his brothers or his sister. He’s so big and can look really mean and scary, but that works in my favor when taking him for a walk by myself. I consider him stealth security from bad people. Although a gun would be more effective I suppose.

In general, Trooper is the sweetest, most affection and loving dog we’ve ever had. He loves people especially.

I caught him and Timber playing today in the back yard. They chased each other like wild boys and finally settled down in the snow for some tandem chewing.

My grief for what happened will never go away. I pray that someday I will be able to look at Trooper and not think about what happened last Sunday.

Very Bad Thing

2009-02-10T13:16:00.000-08:00

Trooper did a very bad thing. And I’ve had a very bad couple of days.

Sunday was our regularly scheduled agility class. He was doing fairly well, running some moderately difficult courses.

There was a new dog in class, who moved up from the beginner’s class … it was their first advanced class. The dog was a teenie tiny little Pomeranian named Kilo…no bigger than a teacup Chihuahua, but with two inch long fur. Almost a mini-Trooper.

I was standing watching Kilo run and jump over his 4 inch jump heights…he was just so adorable and looked like a little toy.

Which is what Trooper must have thought he was as well because all of a sudden Trooper was following Kilo on his jumps. Trooper has never left my side during agility … I have the food and he’s usually begging. But his prey drive kicked into full gear when he saw Kilo running.

In less than 10 seconds, Trooper had snatched Kilo up and was shaking him. I don’t remember much - I remember hearing Kilo’s mom screaming “Oh My God” and someone else telling the other students to keep their dogs back.

I don’t even remember seeing anything … truly … it’s like I had blacked out and could only hear and feel. I stuck my hand into the back of Trooper’s jaw to try to pry Kilo out but he just bit down harder. I think we freaked him out because we just swarmed him and surrounded him. He didn’t know he was doing something wrong. He wasn’t being aggressive. He never once growled. He never lunged at anyone or tried to bite anyone.

My mind completely blanked … I didn’t say No, Leave it, or Drop it. I don’t know if any of those would have stopped him, but he is a very good boy and usually obeys well. I am horrible in emergency situations.

Kilo had not one single puncture wound.

But Trooper’s jaws are extremely strong and Kilo died several hours later, after much effort by the emergency vets.

I cannot tell you how devastated I was, and still am. When we got back from urgent care for my punctured finger (down to the joints on both sides of my finger) I fell asleep from exhaustion. When I woke up, hubby told me that Kilo didn’t make it. In a daze I went into the bathroom…I started feeling cold but sweaty and then I threw up violently for several horrible minutes. And for the rest of the night I cried.

I couldn’t look at Trooper for the rest of Sunday and even most of Monday. I stayed home from work because the doctor wanted me to keep my hand elevated to bring down the swelling and avoid infection. Trooper kept coming up to me and sniffing, or putting his head in my lap, but I just couldn’t deal with him. He’d never done anything like this - had never gone after another dog ever. We had always been careful because we know he is a Malamute and has a very strong prey drive.

We are paying for Kilo’s vet bills and have offered to buy his owner, Diane, a new doggy. I believe she was looking at two potential dogs yesterday, for which I am so thankful. I told hubby that there is nothing more soothing and healing than a puppy.

Unbelievably, Diane doesn’t hate me. I would. I hated me! She is obviously a better person than me.

I’m beyond traumatized. I want to keep doing agility but I don’t want to face anyone. I’m horrified, humiliated, embarrassed, disgusted. How can I give my boy love? How can I hug him and tell him that I love him? My brain tells me that what he did was NOT his fault … it was strictly an instinct that he’s had built into him over thousands of years. He doesn’t know right from wrong. He is an animal and all too often, as humans, we attribute human characteristics to our dogs that they never have. He’s back to being his happy self (he never stopped actually) but I am not. I don’t think I can ever forgive myself for what happened.

I know that time heals all wounds and I hope to be able to get back to normal. I can’t fathom Diane’s forgiveness yet. There isn’t enough money in the world that can make up for her loss and I feel completely unworthy of her goodness.

Have You Heard of This?

2009-02-06T13:15:00.000-08:00

I came across a cool blog and as I was reading some of her posts I came across one that mentioned something called NAIS. She is anti - NAIS which aroused my curiosity so I decided to dig a little deeper to find out what it was.

NAIS apparently stands for National Animal Identification System.

Sounds harmless enough. Unless you’re like me and never like the sound of a “national” identification system of any kind. Aside from drivers licenses we don’t need to be identified and tracked like cattle. Which is what this program wants for animals - a way to track them from birth to death and everywhere in between.

I am not a fan of the government tracking us or our animals for our “own good.” The premise behind this law appears to be the government’s way of preventing disease or at least discovering where they start. At least that is the excuse they are using.

Just like the issues with the Consumer Protection Act passed last year, the unintended consequences are rarely thought about by the politicians, who aren’t even affected by such laws. Thankfully, that law got a stay for another year so children’s clothing and items are okay for now, but who knows what will happen in this year.

The unintended consequences of the NAIS, to me, appear to be a massive overreach of government into personal lives. This country used to be much more free. People had the freedom to do as they wished with their land, their livestock, their businesses.

While some regulations are good and I have no problems with, this kind of system reeks of big brother. It does not just track the animals, but the people and their movement. It affects not just huge farms, but hobbyists and small businesses (just like with the CSPIA).

Even though USDA is advocating this program, the government has not done a cost analysis of the program. Costs for similar programs in other countries are estimated to range from $37/head to $69/head on average. With over a hundred million cattle and millions of other livestock animals in the United States, the NAIS will likely cost producers, businesses, and taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.

Unintended consequences.

All in the name to “protect” us … usually from ourselves.

I cannot tell from reading whether this law will someday apply to companion animals like cats and dogs. My dogs are microchipped, but it was a voluntary decision, not mandated by law. I do not want the government coming in telling me that I *must* do something like the NAIS proposes.

How Much is Too Much?

2009-02-05T13:15:00.000-08:00

Can you give your dogs too much praise? Do you think they wind up tuning you out?

I give a lot of praise. So much that my mom makes fun of me. She says the dogs think their other name is “good boy” or “good girl”. LOL She especially found it funny when I would praise Trooper for going poo-poo.

I find myself sitting and petting my boy and just cooing and saying “good boy” or “what a good boy” over and over again. I don’t know why. I could probably just pet him and he’d be happy but I can’t seem stay quiet.

My dogs are my babies and I praise them for nearly everything. When they lay quietly. When they eat their food nicely. When they go potty and come back inside. They get praise.

Is that weird?

For Timber, I feel like I need to give him extra praise on top of everything we normally do. Last night, he was curled up in bed with us - laying on his back with all four paws in the air. Something I’m sure he didn’t get to do six months ago. So I was just petting and petting and rubbing his belly and telling him what a wonderful boy he was and how much we loved him.

Does that make me weird? That’s okay. I’ve been called worse.

So do you think that excess praise hurts training with dogs? Or do you think it helps? Or does it matter at all? Do you praise your dogs or pets excessively.

I admit I used to do the same thing with my cats. *grin*

Puppy Cuteness Overload

2009-02-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

Are you ready to ooooo and aaaaaahhhhhhh?

On Sunday hubby and I went to Trooper’s Breeders where she has a new litter of malamutes. And OH MY GAWD I want to bring one home so badly. Do you think I could handle a new puppy and training with four other dogs while being pregnant … and then have an adolescent malamute on my hands with an infant?

I am superwoman after all. =)

The one we wanted was the biggest little cuddler. Even when her brothers and sisters were eating she just snuggled deeper into my arms.

They are JUST two weeks old today. Their eyes were open on Sunday and they made the cutest noises…grunting and whining for their mommy. Watching ten puppies feed made my boobs hurt. *grin*

Check out their tails!!! Cracked me up!

That poor mama! Her name is Amore and she was very good with all of us in her space and handling her puppies. She actually just wanted her ears scratched. LOL

You can hear me talking baby talk…I know. I have issues. I can’t help myself!!!

It’s impossible to not want to take one home. Nick wanted to put one in the hood of his sweatshirt. *snort* What a goof.

Oh man. That’s my little girl. I want her SO badly!!! Quinn is not going to be with us all *that* much longer (though we’ve been saying that for years now and she just hangs in there) and we’ll need another female in our pack.

How can I resist?!?!?!

*sigh* I know. I know. Logic tells me to just BACK AWAY FROM THE PUPPY. But logic is not my strong point right now.

Big Changes Are a Comin'

2009-01-30T13:10:00.000-08:00

I’m a little overwhelmed right now. Hubby and I have been trying to have a non-furry baby for about two years … and it finally happened.

Now what?!?!

I’m around 5 weeks right now and definitely feeling the signs. I’ve been nauseous for two weeks and my back has been hurting among other things.

This has cut into my dog time in a big way. I don’t think we’ve taken Timber on a good walk in over a week. Although I have still taken Trooper to agility, but it was a very difficult thing yesterday. I felt like I was going to throw up and my back hurt but I had to run with him.

Someone also mentioned that dogs can start getting protective when their ‘mom’ is pregnant. I’ve of course never experienced this…does anyone have any thoughts?

If Trooper becomes protective of me it will be an issue since we are around lots of other dogs at agility and I plan to do more agility trials soon. He’s pretty strong and while he listens to me, if I’m clumsy in pregnancy he could definitely get away. Plus he’s already got some aggression issues when it comes to food. He only growled at one dog at the agility trial last weekend (of course it was the only dog bigger than him!) and I was pretty happy about that.

There will be a lot of adjustments that we’ll need to make. I’m going to have to somehow teach the two young boys how to walk with a stroller without pulling me (and baby to be) off the road. We’ll probably start that when I’m a little (a lot) further along. They’ll need to get used to the new contraption and how to walk appropriately.

Four dogs and a baby on the way - I’m a little freaked out!

Is It Over Already?

2009-01-26T13:08:00.000-08:00

I cannot tell you how much fun I had this weekend. Of course, I also had a completely exhausting weekend.

Trooper and I left in the truck early Saturday morning … I wasn’t sure where the event was and I get nervous driving new places. It’s a very good thing I left so early because we did end up lost! I copied the instructions down wrong - I missed a line of direction and missed a turn.

Thankfully I had my trainer’s and another participant’s phone number and was able to turn around and make it to the Ranch.

Unfortunately I’d forgotten my registration information, but it was okay because they had our details at check in. Thank goodness!

Things got started off a little later than normal - the judges had to be woken up! hahaha Silly judges. It wasn’t until after 9 a.m. when the runs started and our first run wasn’t until around 10:30 or 11 a.m. I wasn’t all that nervous for our first run. It was a Standard run and I had plenty of time to walk it and memorize the course.

I didn’t explain to my helper how to use my camera so he only got about half of the run but at least you can see Trooper pretty well. We ended up Qualifying and getting SECOND place in our very first trial run!!! I was ecstatic!!!

Trooper did SO good … he did growl at one dog when we first got there - the ONLY dog bigger than him. hee hee hee

But otherwise the entire weekend was wonderful. Our second run was Gamblers - I had to send him on to a tunnel and then he was supposed to take a jump that was a ways away from me. It didn’t work out so well but except for that and a tire issue he did wonderful. We didn’t qualify because you have to complete the gamble successfully in order to Q. I think the tunnel angle was a little unfair for us noobies but who am I to complain?

I run like a girl.

The last run of our first day was called Snookers. *grin* It was fun and we ended up qualifying.

That was probably our best run in terms of clean and put together, except I did notice my baby shaking his head a bit. That usually means he has an ear issue. But he did awesome.

I think we tied for third in Snookers, with another student from the same class which is neat. There were a ton of Fido Farm’s students and instructors there. It was incredible to have such support and camaraderie.

The first day lasted FOREVER! They were so far behind and there were so many dogs to run on Saturday that my level didn’t go until after 9 p.m. and we didn’t get home until after 10 p.m. I barely got six hours of sleep before I had to get up and go back up to the Trial.

Trooper was so tired! On our way back he slept the whole way and did not move a muscle. He will normally sit up and get interested when we turn into our development, but he did not wake up until I put the truck in park. He had this look on his face like “are we there yet?” with a dopey expression and his fur all matted on one side. Doggy bed head. LOL

Day two started and I didn’t get lost this time. Trooper was excited to get going even though we hardly had any sleep. Our first run of the day was another Standard one and he did alright. I never realized how slow he goes … although I swear in class he moves faster than he did at the Trial.

He has an amazing sit and stay. We had to wait for almost 30 seconds before we got the green light to go.

Doesn’t he look handsome from behind? *grin* You can hear one of my trainers saying to reward him but I couldn’t hear her. Not only that, if I had moved back toward him he would have broken his sit stay since I couldn’t give him a cookie. He got LOTS of cookies this weekend.

When he went over the A-Frame he actually went quicker than normal. It was quite a coordinated descent too. lol I was quite proud. Normally he slides down kind of sloppily but always cute. I got in his way for the next two jumps and then he didn’t really want to go into the weave poles but he did.

We qualified in this run too so now we have two standard qualifications. We need one more before we can move up. ALREADY!!! It’s a little too frightening to think about.

The next event was Pairs. I paired up with the wonderful Gracie and her ‘momma’ who are in the same class as me and Trooper. I was SO excited for how good they did. Trooper and I didn’t do nearly so well in this one. He did not want to work the weave poles, but he just gets tired of them after only doing them two or three times. He’d already done them once that day.

We took too long and did not qualify but it was hella fun!

Our last run of the tournament was Jumpers. I think we could have done better. I asked my instructor what I did wrong or could have done better but she said I did okay. Trooper was tired. He just didn’t get all the jumps in fast enough so we didn’t qualify. But I also think I could have run it a little differently to help him.

All in all it was an entirely amazing weekend and I can’t wait to do it again!!! We got three Qs, two 2nd places, 1 third place, and 1 fourth place. I’m already looking forward to class on Thursday.

Nerves of Jello

2009-01-23T13:07:00.000-08:00

It’s almost time. Tomorrow morning I won’t be sleeping in as usual. I’ll be up bright eyed and bushy tailed at oh five hundred. Get three dogs in their kennel with blankets and towels and water and get Trooper and I in the truck and on the road.

We had our last Agility practice before the trial last night. He did amazing. I was a little concerned because we took all four dogs into the field beforehand to play and he played hard. But he was focused and ran really well. And it was hellishly difficult course. The instructor assured me that none of the set ups at the trial will be nearly so difficult.

My goal is to have fun and not let Trooper run off the course. If it goes really amazingly well we will get something called a “Q” … which I really don’t yet understand. Some of the terminology of this agility stuff is still new to me. Apparently if you do things the “right” way you get a Qualifying score. Get enough “Q”s and I think you move up … to what I don’t know. lol

Something that I do worry about is my nerves. I’m not super nervous yet but I will be tomorrow morning. And when I’m nervous or worried, Trooper does not respond as well to me as normal. When I am confident and alert, he is too. Isn’t that weird? He’s very in tune with me.

I’m hoping to have videos and photos to share next week, if I remember to charge my camera and can find someone to take them while we run. Even if we do horribly I’ll still like watching them … watching Trooper run is such a joy.

New Relatives

2009-01-21T13:01:00.000-08:00

Trooper’s breeder sent me new photos … her bitch had TEN new Malamute puppies. TEN!!!!

~~Seven boys and three girls.~~ OOps…my bad. Seven girls and three boys. Still…a lot of dogs. =) Trooper’s litter only had FOUR dogs!

Phew…she is going to be one busy mama. I’ve asked when I can come visit and I will take lots of photos to share. =) I can’t remember how the mama is related to Trooper but he’ll just be their Uncle until I figure it out. LOL