(158) Getting Along Alright

We had a fantastic time with all of our people and dog relatives last night and this morning. Last night when we arrived at Brad’s sister’s home there were five people and four dogs waiting for us. And they had dinner waiting as well. What’s not to love about that? After a dinner of steak and chicken we allowed Max and Beeker inside to get reacquainted with their cosogs. A friend of the family’s was also in attendance with her Boxer named Gracie. Gracie was a confident well balanced dog who upon meeting all of the other dogs was a power girl. If (and they all did) the male dogs were a little too aggressive towards her or invasive to her space she didn’t back down or away. She stood her ground and in fact took them on with vengeance. It only took Beeker two, check that, three times to learn his lesson. Gracie was a three year old who was rescued and her owner didn’t know her background but that she had rescued her from another family who had rescued her a year before. Hopefully Gracie has found her forever home. It was too dark at night to take a picture of Gracie but she was a beautiful spotted Boxer that we all fell in love with.

The fact that Gracie had to stand up to and mix it up with the other dogs got me thinking about how people expect all dogs to get along with all other dogs when they meet for the first time. Over the course of one day, all six dogs scrapped with one another over one thing or another for one reason or another except for the old Sheppard Chole. At nearly thirteen Chole is slow moving but seemed much more active and energetic this visit than the last time we saw her. She still knows how to get the hugs and pets that make her life wonderful for her and for the person petting her. The other dogs, Max, Beeker, Buddy, Coco, and even Gracie roamed around the acre yard and yet all wanted to hang with the peeps. We had such a great time talking and watching the dogs play and tough it out and move out, then come back to be a part of the group/pack again. I find dogs' ability to move from unnatural pack to unnatural pack amazing. For instance, Beeks and Max get together with Juli’s dog JesseJames often. Usually when we get together with them other owners and dogs are also in attendance, like her friend John’s dog Bullet and his son and dogs Callie and Marley. They all run around, have a great time and for the most part get along with few out right aggressive, snarling, biting and fighting. At other times, Beeks and Max get together with Brad’s sister’s family and dogs, Buddy, Chole, Coco, and last night, Gracie. My point is that each of these dogs got along remarkably well for all of the new dogs and smells and expectations that we place on them when they get together. Just because we are friends with their people owners we expect that they will like and get along as well. Think about it this way. What if you were taken often to new places that were kind of strange to you, smelled different than you were use to and had many people that you didn’t know, some even larger than you or liked different things than you did, behaved different that you did AND you were expected to not only get along, but were expected to like them and play with them as well. I think this could get really scary and yet our dogs are expected to do it all of the time with happy attitudes. At one point last night we looked down to the end of the deck and there at the end one of the dogs Buddy, was looking out the end of the deck with his head through the spindles with his head lowered. From our viewpoint, he looked so forlorn and depressed while the other dogs continued romping and roaming. Once noticed, his owner went to him and gave him the attention and acceptance he needed. I think that if owners are aware enough to know each dog has an individual personality with individual needs, likes and dislikes they will allow each dog to have the individual space they need and each dog will be able to flow in and out of the “pack” as they need. Beeks and Max love playing with other dogs and are learning the nuances of the laws of the dog world as they change within other packs.

(157) Indiana Wants Us

We’re headed out on another weekend car trip with the dogs. We are trying to keep it low keyed so that the dogs don’t freak out with excitement like they usually do. Brad is at work all day so we will not be leaving before evening and this helps with the daily routine. I was able to take Beeker with me when I ran errands today since the temps were not so devastating and the humidity was much lower. He was so excited to get to go out and to go on a road trip that when he figured out that I was getting my keys and shoes he started twisting around in little circle jumps. Almost like those dogs you see in the circus that have little tutus on and dance. Maybe I should teach him to dance and then I could dress him up in a tutu (are you cringing yet Brad?).

We are headed to Indianapolis, Indiana to visit Brad’s sister and her family. They just moved into a new home and invited us to come check it out. They have three dogs, Chloe (an old Sheppard mix dog), Buddy (a Lab/chow mix) and a little tiny Bichon Frise named Coco that barks and tries to take on Maxie. This is the same sister that visited us in the spring and brought all of her dogs to our house. We love getting together with them because they are so relaxed and accepting that we travel with our dogs. Most of the dogs get along after a while, except Buddy who(uneven temperament due to chow part) sometimes snaps out without warning. Buddy is the same dog that got into it with Beeker and as Beeker was fighting back, Max sat on Buddy’s head. We’ll see what happens this visit. It’s always interesting.

On Saturday afternoon we plan on heading down to Bloomington, Indiana to visit with Brad’s parents. They live with the Peacon (part Pekinese and part Bichon making it a Pecon), Bridget that has often visited us. They live on a large lake and our hope is to take Max and Beeker swimming. We have done this once before and both dogs had a great time. Beeker was quite small the last time (9 months old) and a little apprehensive when I got him into the water(the picture above is from that trip). He showed great courage as I moved away from him and called him to swim to me. I was overjoyed to see him swim, paddling like a dog. It is suppose to be hot in the next few days so a dip in the water will feel good to both of them. Hopefully we can get the younger people (nieces and nephews) to swim with them. I’ll be in charge of the pictures. If not I’ll be in the water. We have harnesses that make swimming with the dogs a lot easier. We can grab hold of them if we need to and we can tether a leash to them so that they can only swim out s far. The harness is less restrictive to them than just a leash connected to their collar. I’m excited to get this little travel vacation with Brad and the dogs. We sure need some time together before the big school rush. Soon we will be so busy we will have to leave pictures of ourselves on the kitchen table to remind each other of what we look like, the dogs will not know who we are when we return home late at night. Okay, a little exaggerated but the fall is a busy time for all of us.

(156) Copy Dog

I’ve written before how young dogs learn the rules of the dog world from other, older dogs. For example Beeker learned the rule of “if its on the floor its up for grabs” from playing with JesseJames, my sister’s Springer Spaniel. He also learned that he could not take another dog’s toy or food if it was in their mouth by trying to take an older Labrador’s rawhide out of his mouth. Beeks almost got his ear chewed off for trying that one. He didn’t try it again.

Dogs learn lots of rules and lesson’s from observation of other dogs. Sometimes they even learn things from watching people. An example of a dog copying a person is when my sister taught her dog to go through the dog door by climbing through it herself. Okay, I wish I could have seen that one! Beeker often observes Maxie to see if a behavior is going to be justifiable or acceptable. For instance, Max is fairly confident about most things he does and Beeker is a little hesitant. Beeks will watch how Maxie approaches something unfamiliar such as the first time Beeker came into contact with little kids. Max is not afraid of little children and Beeker was not so sure of all of the quick activity that surrounds little ones. He also wasn’t sure if they were animal, vegetable or mineral, so when we first walked him, he observed Maxie going into a down-stay when some little one wanted to pet him, Beeker took the queue and hunkered down. He still wasn’t so sure about them but he watched Maxie and was much more accepting than if Max hadn’t set the example. Max has shown Beeker the way in some not so good lessons as well. Take barking for example. When Max first goes outside, he barks. Now Beeker has learned to Bark when he first goes outside as well. Infact Beekr now is the first to bark, trying to “out bark” Maxie. Maxie has always barked at the front door, when he hears others arriving. Beeker has learned to bark whenever he hears someone arriving as well. Now Beeker has become the alert dog, and announces the arrival of incoming arrivals, and Maxie jumps right in. So maybe Beeker is really go at this copying stuff. We have a “rule” that dogs are not allowed in our dressing room/bathroom. Max has learned to creep into the room just a little and we often have to tell him “out” even to the point of physically moving him. Beeker now has learned to creep into the dressing room just a little, looking at us to see if we will let him stay or if we will make him move.

So I’m wondering, if Beeker’s ability to be a copy dog makes him a smarter dog because he learns by example of others or is it just the way dogs and other animals learn? I know that in the wild, a mother often teaches her young to hunt by example so maybe being a copy dog is not so unusual. I just know that Beeker is extremely good at being one.

(155) Such a Smart Cat

As I blogged in yesterday’s post, I have just returned from a long weekend visit with my sister. I was exhausted last night and fell asleep quickly. While I slept soundly, Beeker settled in at the foot of the bed between my legs. If Beeks is on the bed he is quiet, we don’t allow chew toys on the bed. Anyway, Chez also wanted up on the bed and jumped up looking for his usual sleeping post, between Brad and me. Unfortunately for Chez there wasn’t room because I had snuggled up with the pillows and was sleeping on more than my share of the bed. This didn’t sway him in the least. Chez cozied up to Beeker, cuddled right up to his back and laid down. Beeker was quite cautious of Chez’s attention and although he didn’t get up, Beeker turned his head around to look at Chez. After Chez had Beeker’s attention he stood up and shot off the bed in a rush of excitement, followed by Beeker. Mind you, this was all happening while I’m sleeping. Brad relayed this story to me today.

I have seen Beeks and Chez play chase together before. They have developed a cooperatively created game of chase and wrestle that allows both animals to be victors. Sometimes Beeks will wrestle Chez to the ground, with Chez on the bottom and sometimes Beeks will be wrestled to the bottom and Chez will be the victorious one on the top. It is hilarious to see the cat chasing the dog and staring him down. He backs up slowly as the cat moves forward. Oh, the power of intimidation!

But this tale is not about Chez and Beeker’s creative gaming. Rather it is about how Chez got Beeker (and Max as well) to follow him out into the living room. As a result of the chase, with Beeker off the bed, Chez returned to jump back up and get positioned right where Beeker had been laying down. That’s a smart cat. Have you heard the saying, "Cat’s rule, Dogs Drool”? When Brad again called both dogs back up on the bed, Chez repeated the scenario once again with less chaotic brouhaha and just long enough for Beeks to jump off the bed and Chez to get back up on the bed to reposition himself. Beeks slept on the floor and Chez slept at my feet. And I slept right through the entire dramatic episode.

Have you heard the story of the differences of how cats and dogs perceive their relationships with people? A dog looks at its owner and thinks, “She feeds me, waters me, takes care of me, picks up my poop, She must be a god!” A Cat thinks, “She feeds me, waters me, takes care of me, cleans up my poop, I must be a god!”
I have to say, ya gotta love them both!

(153) The Grand Return!

I’ve returned from my road trip with my sister and when I got home, expecting the grand welcome, I got … not much. Beeks and Max greeted me like they always do when I come home from work. Beeks sniffed me and then was ready to go outside. When he came back inside, he just wanted to play with Max. Big deal! But that is what I said I wanted yesterday so I guess I got my wish.

My sister sent home a huge box of vinca minor plants with me. This is the vine that grows as a ground cover and has little blue/purple flowers. I have seen this also called Periwinkle. I have a few small spots of it in my side yard but it is expensive and slow growing. She happily dug some up from her yard and highly encouraged me to take some home. When I got home, tired and hot (91 degrees here, 86 degrees there) I knew I needed to get the plants in the ground this afternoon. Partly because I am going to be busy working the next couple of days and they would not survive, and partly because if I didn't do it now it wouldn't get done. EVER. I quickly got the car unloaded and then set to work to untangle and plant the vinca. In about three minutes I realize this was a hot messy difficult job and I was already sweating so profusely that I couldn’t see out of my glasses. I was struggling so much with the vines that I was reminded of the movie Little Shop of Horrors, where the overgrown plant wants to be fed and struggles all over the place to get fed. If it gets cut off it grows more and needs to be fed with blood and flesh. Yep, I felt like I was feeding this overgrown, out of control plant that would not be controlled. I had enough plants to fill three flower bed areas and then some. I quit planting after an hour (add small cursing words here). The mosquitoes that were not evident at my sister’s house; had moved to my neighborhood and were now eating me alive. Even after I quit planting and came inside, I was itching like crazy. Nothing less than a shower helped.

I got a wonderful surprise when I got home. Brad had experimented with the food dehydrator and had used it to make dried sweet potato bits for the dogs. His experiment worked! He peeled the potatoes, then cut them into French fry shapes. He dried the pieces for 11 hours and then turned off the machine. By the time I got home they were hard and brittle. They tasted great (I could taste the sweetness of the potato) and the dogs loved them as well. I like that they are brittle and hard so that they have to chew it and it takes them some time to chew it. What a healthy snack for all of us.
Sometimes it just feels great to return from a road trip. Makes me appreciate the trip and home a little more.

(153) Separation Anxiety

I’m without my precious today. I miss him. In fact although I’m traveling with my sister who also always travels with her dog JesseJames (he’s also not with us). It seems foreign to be without our dogs. Just lke traveling with children, I’m usually on “dog mode”. When I travel, I think about stopping for exercise and for watering the dogs. Beeks travels quite well and so when he’s not here with me, I find myself thinking about these little things even more. How long until I need to stop for them or how quiet it is in the back seat. We’ve been noticing all of the dogs around and without wanting to, compare them to Beeks and JesseJames. This channels us into talking about our own dogs’ greatness, and individual personalities.

I’ve called home to talk to Brad and he shared with me that Beeks has hunkered down in the laundry room and hasn’t really come out. Is he pouting without me? I know he’s attached to me but he usually is fine with Max around. Now with Brad home and me away they have reversed their roles. Max is happily by Brad’s side, following his every move, and Beeker is staying in the backroom, sleeping if not pouting.
I think my being away from Beeker may be a good thing for him. I want him to be attached to me but I also want him to be a pet that is sufficient where ever he finds himself. I don’t want him to become despondent when he is separated from me. Some dogs get very anxious when they are separated from their owners, and become despondent, or worse destructive in their environment. Separation anxiety is based upon the full attachment and belief from the dog (or human) that they need to be with their counterpart in order to protect or be protected by them. I want Beeker to know that he will be taken care of where ever he is, with whomever he is with. This is a confidence factor. Max does fairly well with this although he does pine for Brad by laying by the back door for most of the day when he isn’t home. Max does feel confident enough to come to me if he needs something like going outside or to let me know it is dinner time.
I’ve heard stories about dogs that have chewed through doors trying to get out of the room or house they are in, because they are separated from their owners. I wouldn’t think that would endear them to anyone. I feel sorry for both the animal and the owner. Some dog breeds are probably more prone to this behavior than others (small lap dogs for instance) and all dogs can become overly anxious if they learn to be overly dependent. Socialization can be a big step in creating a more confident pet. If dogs (and children for that matter) are able to play with other dogs (or children) and learn that they can move away from their owners and come back safely they are more likely to be less anxious when separated. If the owner makes a great commotion over the return or leaving of the pet when it experiments with exploration independently, the pet/dog will get the message that it is more important to stay with the owner (for safety) and will be less likely to experiment with exploration in the future.

Dog play groups are a valuable lesson in independence as well. Having more than one member of the dog’s family in charge of caring for the dog allows the dog to learn that multiple people will be there for them and this will also communicate to the dog that others will be there for the dog when needed.

So for as much as I miss Beeker and love his attention when I am with him, I want a confident dog that is happily socialized to Brad, friends, neighbors and new acquaintances alike. The best way to have this work for all of us is to expose him to as many different people and experiences as possible. He’s on his way to being a great traveling companion and I hope he will continue to learn confidence where ever he finds himself. Now if only I can feel better about being away from my precious as well (just kidding Brad!).

(152) Dogsitter Delight

The dogs had their first dogsitter last night. We were meeting friends for dinner and so since we were staying with Juli we left Max and Beeker with her and Jesse. We often leave the dogs alone when we are gone to work or out for the evening. I was surprised to hear of their adventures without us and even more intrigued by Maxie’s transition from a Brad attachment to Juli’s.

When we left to go out to dinner, all of the dogs were laying low after a run in yet another new dog park. This new park is one that was developed and donated by a dog lover in Davenport who got the financial support from Purina Food Corporation who is located in Davenport. This park not only has a large area of grass and trees with berms for exploring, it has a number of agility stations for dogs and handlers to work on. This gave us an opportunity to explore with Beeks and Max for a good long time. JesseJames is a veteran of this park so Beeker took a lesson from him in how to utilize this park. Juli and Jess showed us how to work the agility apparatuses and then Max and Brad took a turn. Max caught on right away and went up and down without batting an eye. When it was Beeker’s turn it didn’t go so well. Beeker, aka Sneeker Beeker followed directions up until the point that he was suppose to run up the ramp where he quickly ran to the right and dodged the whole kit and caboodle. I was not persuaded and made Beeks follow thru the routine two or three more times. He eventually got the hang of it and I praised him after each successful completion.

So the dogs were sufficiently exhausted by the time we left and we thought it would be a quiet time for the dogsitter and the dogs. When we returned three hours later we got the dog report as follows:
Immediately following our departure, Max proceeded to look longingly out each of the first floor windows. He was looking for Brad. After about 20 minutes he stopped looking out the windows when Juli started passing out dog treats. Is she a good sitter or what? She knows the way to a dogs’ heart. From that moment on, Max settled down on the front entry rug so that he had an advantage point for any action inside or out. This is routinely Max’s position at home. The other dogs, JesseJames and Beeker were happily playing tug a war and running up and down the stairs so Max wanted to be in the position to monitor their behavior. When Juli went down stairs Max followed her. When she went upstairs, Max followed. He decided that he needed to follow the new pack leader, especially the one with the food.

Meanwhile, Beeker tried his hardest to get Jess and Max to play, he worked to entice each of them with any toy he picked up out of the toy basket. He bowed; he dragged toys over their heads, much to their dismay. Soon he gave up and created his own game. Beeks started playing “Flycatcher”. This game consisted of locating any possible flying bug (usually a fly) and waiting patiently for it to land or fly by in close proximity. At the precise moment when the fly came within inches of his head, Beeks would snap at it in hopes of catching it. Turns out it doesn’t matter if it’s caught or not. As with most things, it’s the chase that matters. When we returned home we were able to observe Beeker in this new game and it was a riot to see him snapping at the wind. Sometimes he would venture to the window to look for something moving, hopeful it was a fly. His nose could get through the window blinds but he was unable to reach any flies. This was not as disappointing to him as I thought it would be. Back he went to the middle of the room to again wait patiently for the next fly by.

By the time we arrived home, Max was busy chewing a squeaky monkey whose tongue would protrude each time he clamped down on it. Out from the side of his mouth we would see the little monkey tongue flapping out and back in again. Again, this got us all laughing. I would say the whole sitter experience was great and I know the “kids” had a great time, didn’t even miss us. Easy come, Easy go.

(151) Midnight Madness

Yesterday, we traveled to the QC’s where we went to visit my sister. The Bix 7 marathon is run this weekend so traffic and people are everywhere. My sister lives in an older neighborhood near the race start/finish so we were right in the mix of things. When we got to the QC’s we met Juli and JesseJames at the community dog park. This is the dog park that we love to go to whenever we are in town. The dogs love to play with the other dogs and it’s a great way to get rid of pent up energy. When Juli met us, she came with JesseJames and two other dogs, of a friend. So although when we got to the park Max and Beeker were the only two dogs when we got to the park we were soon among friends. Soon, we were greeted by a Giant Schnauzer poodle mix. This dog was adorable. It was big and it had more of the lab temperament than the poodle temperament so it was a big apricot ball of fluff. It was only 9 months old and it had lots of play attitude. He quickly decided he wanted to be Max’s play partner and worked to get Max as a friend. The big dogs played and the medium sized dogs ran and chased each other all over the park. Beeks was so happy running all over with friends. After the big run and when the dogs were all exhausted we headed home to Juli’s to let the dogs cool down and to feed them. Once we had everyone settled we headed down to the village to get some good German food and beer. When we got home, we were all exhausted and headed to bed with our respective dogs. This is when the “fun” began. I say “fun” as in the dentist pulling your teeth is fun!
It has been so hot here that there are heat warnings. The 90 degree weather is mixed with 80 percent humidity making the heat index 107 degrees. It’s damn hot here so Juli has the air conditioner and fan’s on to make her house less humid. It works and all of us were grateful for being able to sleep in comfort. Brad and MAxie opted tosleep in the basement where it was cooler yet. Beeker, however was freaked out by the rotation of the fan in the bedroom where we were sleeping. Both the rotation and the sound of the vibrations caused Beeker to pant like a cheetah. I could not get him to calm down. Part anxiety and part strange environment caused Beeker great discomfort which by association caused me great discomfort. He moved around and around and around the bed trying to find the perfect spot to bed down. Soon he was back up licking my hand trying to get me to entertain him while he found the perfect spot. At that very moment the thunder and lightning started with vengeance. This caused Beeks to again get up and move around the bed the room, the house and back to me. At this point it was about 3:00 in the morning and I had been up three times with Beeks. I took him downstairs to get to the water, thinking he was probably thirsty. Then I took him outside (in the rain) to do his duty. Thinking all bases were not covered I went back to bed. Beeks followed and tried once again to settle, unsuccessfully. As the thunder and the lightning and the rain increased Beeker was once again panting like a wild animal. That was it! I got up and took him down to the basement where Max and Brad were sleeping in cooler comfort. I happily shut the door and went back to bed. It was 5:45AM and I had gotten exactly 3 hours of sleep!

(150) It's A Conspiracy!

There is a conspiracy going on in my home. It's happening right under my nose, right before my eyes and yet I am helpless to stop it. It is not as if I am not paying attention. It isn’t as if I don’t try to stay on top of it. It continues silently without much effort. I’m living among creatures who give more than their share. They are conspiring to make me a crazy lady. A lunatic, raving mad, trying to control what is not controllable. I look around and all I see is dog and cat hair. I’m being covered by animal hair!

All of our animals are shedders. Some are more subtle than others. Others are more generous than the rest. I’m talking about the profuse expulsion of excess hair that is evident all year but twice a year is exceedingly excessive. During summer and spring the dogs and the cat all shed a coat of hair that does not quit. I can (and do) vacuum daily or every other day trying to keep up on the hair flying around the house only to find it once again lying in clumps on the carpet, the bed cover, every corner in the house. We have found animal hair in the bathroom and in closets. We find hair in the shower and in rooms that are closed off to the animals. We joke that that the Newfoundland’s hair is so fine that we can crack an egg and find a hair in it. I can’t walk down the hall without finding dog or cat hair in clumps, waiting for me to pick it up.

I get obsessive with the cleaning which only makes matters worse. As much as I love my pets, I hate all of the hair they leave behind. When we lived in a previous house I refused to let the dogs enter our upper floors. The dogs had to stay in a lower level of the house where we had a walk out basement door. I didn’t feel like the dogs were a part of our family like I do with Max and Beeker. This is the trade off. I know they are a part of us, I know their personalities better, and enjoy them a heck of a lot more now that they are living with us in our space, but…

So what else can I do? Excluding getting rid of my pets, which is out of the question I have to think of something to do to get the hair under control.

I suppose I could do what my sister has done. She regularly shaves JesseJames. She believes he is cooler with a summer cut (I know he must be). Brad doesn’t believe he could bring himself to shave a Newfoundland, and there isn’t much to shave on Beeker. Besides, in winter the dogs still shed a coat and year around there is dog hair on my carpets and floors. We live in continual dog hair! I remember my mother saying she found dog hair ten years after our family dog died. I will be finding dog hair until my dying day!

Or I could do what I read others are doing with their hair. They are sending it to the people in the Gulf region who are using human and animal hair to absorb the oil that has leaked into the Gulf from the BP spill. Turns out that hair from animals and humans make an excellent oil soaking mat. Just my three animals may be all that is needed to clean up the entire Gulf Coast.

Did you know there are specific vacuums just for sucking up dog hair? Turns out that there are quite a number of vacuums from multiple manufactures, which highlight dog features or call themselves dog vacuums. I personally like the attachments that act like the old Flowbee. On one pet site it is recommended that the upright vacuums are better than the canister vacuums for getting up dog hair. You decide.

Remember when a student worker of Brad’s used Max’s hair for her weaving? I have looked on line to find an out source for selling dog hair but haven’t been successful. Previous to using Max’s hair, this student and her classmates were getting hair on line somewhere so maybe I can find a use for the hair that way. This however, still doesn’t take the place of the hair conspiracy.

Chez the cat has the finest hair. His floats everywhere and is extremely soft. If I even stroke him, he leaves a fist of hair for me. Beeker has more coarse hair but his is slick and if I pet him it just keeps coming. Max on the other hand has hair that comes in the giant form. His hair comes in two layers and all textures. The under coat is soft and light and fluffy. His is the hair that floats up and ends up in our food. The outer coat is the thick heavy and long hair that gathers like a storm. It is the hair that could clean the entire gulf coast of the oil spill.

Well, I have to quit blogging for now; I have a house of animal hair I have to clean up. It’s about to attack and take…

(149) The Willies, Eagle Fritzes, and The Crazies

This morning was nice enough that Beeker and I could go outside for a walkabout before I went to work. It was so humid that I could hardly breathe but Beeker didn’t mind. I could tell from the start, even before we got outside that Beeks was amped up. As I was getting my shoes on he started twirling around in circles, running to the front door and back to me. He was READY! We have had such poor weather for outside walks and I have been working so much lately that he hasn’t gotten the amount of running that he needed or wanted.

Almost at the same moment I got the front door open, he shot out like a bullet. He ran right to his favorite ornamental grass and started eating it. When I AH AH’d him, he looked at me and immediately got the willies. You know, the eagle fritzes, the crazies. He ran around the house so fast he looked like a greyhound in a three mile race. Then when I started up the driveway, he ran into our front yard and made a dead stop, cocked his head. At this point I started calling him back to me which he ignored. I knew I was in trouble; he was not looking to me just ignoring my call. I walked closer to him, and he RAN out to meet a walker coming up the lane. I was so mad, and then I realized that the walker was my neighbor from across the street. She stopped and didn’t look at Beeker so that I could get him to come back to me. He did but only momentarily, as he still wanted to run, run, run. Luckily, I got him to get back in our yard, and luckily he usually stays in our yard when we are outside. While I chatted with my neighbor, Beeks was gaining miles in our yard, still running like a banshee. That is until he heard the little girls from next door. They were outside waiting for their mother to get them into the car and off to daycare. They have this awesome tree swing that they love to swing on and figure out new ways to swing. Well, as soon as Beeker heard the squeals from tiny voices he was again off running around the circle and would not come when I called him. He was like a kid in a candy store, he was so happy running. When he got just into their yard, he stopped and waited until they called his name. They love Beeker and talk to him just like he was a playmate. I love it and so does Beeker. Off he went to frolic with the girls. When Beeks is outside he often will go right to their yard and look to see if they are outside and then come back if they aren’t outside. I followed him over to the girls and called him once again. When he flew past me I corrected my voice and talked to him with an even tone and he circled around and came to me. Whew! Then I had Beeker go into a down stay until he was a bit calmer. This was difficult for him as the girls were showing me their tricks, calling both of our names. But he did it and we were able to talk to the girls and their mother for a few minutes. When I decide it was time to return to the house, to get ready to go to work, I released Beeker and told him it was time to go home. He shot out like the greyhound again and by the time I got back down the driveway and to the front door, Beeker had rounded the house twice and met me on the front step in his usual sitting position. I just had to laugh at him. He really needed to get outside and run. The exercise is something that I can see he really needs, but will tolerate forgoing (if necessary) for only so long.

Brad says that Beeks is a weenie of a Cattle dog. Most Cattle dogs are out on the trail for days at a time, in rain, snow, heat. Beeks hates to be out in the rain, he will sit on the back step if it is raining and won’t venture out into the dog run. He will do his duty if it is hot, but wants right back inside ASAP. Okay so maybe he isn’t so great of a Cattle dog but he is a great dog and he is cute too. He’s one funny dog, that’s for sure.

(148) Barking Dogs Watching TV?

We watched a movie a few nights ago, a fairly poor excuse for a movie; in fact we didn’t finish watching it. However there were a number of dogs in this movie, and besides the dogs,owners called to their dogs in a variety of ways. Whistles and calls mostly. Can you guess what the reaction of my dogs was? It was hilarious! I tried to get a picture of them but they were so riveted,and we(Brad and I) were laughing so much that we didn’t get a good picture of Max and Beeker leaping into the air trying to get to the dogs in the TV.(click on the picture of Max looking up at the TV, you can see him better) Luckily our TV is mounted high up on a wall and so the dogs couldn’t get to it. At first we were intrigued at them hopping up and trying to get to it but then we were surprised at their need to bark at the whistling of the owner to the dog. Of course Beeker started the barking, backed up, when I called him, but Max was beside himself trying to get to the TV dogs. Finally we did get both dogs to quiet down. We called them up on the bed and petted them to calm them. Both dogs could not keep their eyes off the TV. It was a hoot.
I’ve heard that dogs looking at the TV are not really “watching” it, but watching the movement and flashes of the screen. I’m pretty certain these dogs were watching these dogs and listening to the whistles and barks coming from it. They were looking up until we couldn’t take how horrible this movie was any longer and turned it off.
Dogs view the world with an amazing quick eye. Previously to the Digital TV age, we viewed TV by watching streams of film as a scene. Dogs are able to view individual frames so they lose the “flow of a TV show. However with the new digital presentations on TV, dogs are much more adapted to its presentation. The sounds from the TV may be what enticed them in the beginning.
So, first we have the sounds they reacted to, then the movement on the TV, which is at first exciting then the flashes of film, dogs can perceive but humans can’t. But… there is no smell, a key component to the dog world. It may be that dogs are at first excited by movement and sound but lose interest because it does not hold their attention,since it has no relevance to their world.

Still it was pretty darn funny to watch the dogs react so strongly to an inanimate object. I read in an online article that 60 percent of dog owners believe their dogs watch TV. Interesting statistic. I wonder if my dogs are the only ones that bark back at the TV? I’m sure not, I wonder if it has to do with frequency of the whistle that got their attention or TV dogs barking? Usually when we watch TV they just lie on the floor or bed and sleep or chew their toys. Not this time. I Googled “Do dogs watch TV” and on one entry it is suggested that the best movie to keep a dogs attention was Finding Nemo. Okay, great movie but it doesn’t even have a dog in it. I bet it's the movement of the fish, and all of the vibrant color. I’m going to have to try it out to see if it works for Beeker and Max. It’s a great animation film so it will be fun to see what happens.

(147) The Right Dog for the Right Family

I had a conversation with a coworker today about dogs (big surprise). She has four dogs in her family. Three are dachshunds (German for badger dog) and a German Sheppard. We were talking about how our dogs know when we are about to leave home without them, and how they react to our leaving. Her dogs react similar to our dogs; they retreat to their comfort places and hunker down. She mentioned that three of her dogs are inside house dogs and the German Sheppard is an outside dog, sleeping outside. That got me thinking. I use to have a dog, Berek. He was my boys' first dog. He was the dog that had a Dogloo. Berek also lived outside or in the garage. At the time we lived in California and the temperature was temperate. I rationalized at the time that since we lived in a warm area, it was Okay that Berek lived outside. He did fine outside, he could go inside the garage whenever it rained hard, or was too cold. Berek got a number of ear infections and ultimately got heart worms (no monthly medicine in those days). Now we have Max and Beeker and they both live inside with us (much to my chagrin, with all of the dog hair floating around). They live a happy life and I can’t imagine keeping them outside. They enrich my life and that of my partner Brad’s as well. So was it wrong to keep Berek outside? Is it wrong for my coworker to keep some of her dogs inside and one outside? I like this question because it gets me thinking about more than just yes or just no. When my coworker was telling me about her outside dog, she was not talking angry about it. She obviously was not keeping her dog outside because he was bad, too hard to have inside, in fact she described him in loving terms and she said that he got too hot inside and would rather dig a hole in the dirt to get cooler. She also said that her German Sheppard has access to all of the things he needs like water, shade (in the garage), and food. He gets exercise like the rest of the dogs. It sounds to me like he is not disappointed that he is not inside the house and because he is outside he has a view inside through a window. Beeker would love to be outside more often, how ever since he HATES rain, he would want to be inside when it got real wet. Max on the other had would LOVE to be outside when it rains.
We decided that it is awesomely interesting to listen and learn about different families with different ways to incorporate dogs in their families. Just like different kinds of families, all families with dogs have different needs and form their families accordingly. In other words, they make it work. Isn’t it great that with thoughtful motives, we each can get our dogs where we need them and they will be accepting, and may even want the kind of life we offer them. In some ways this leads me to the next question, who chooses whom? Do we choose our dog or do our dogs choose us? Whichever it is, Max still wants one of the Dog Mansions I blogged about yesterday (with ice rink floor), and Beeks wants one with a view of the squirrels thank you very much.

(146) A New Home for My Dog

Have I mentioned that Beeker loves to eat grass? Whenever I let Beeker outside, he goes directly to the ornamental grass growing around the light pole. Max also loves to eat grass and does anytime he gets a chance. Eating grass is common for dogs and cats. There are multiple beliefs as to why dogs and cats eat grass. Some people believe that animals eat grass when they are not feeling good and need to throw up. I’ve seen both dogs throw up after eating grass. Others believe that dogs (and cats) eat grass because they are deficient in some nutrient or vitamin and is trying to replace it by eating grass. Another suggestion is that if dogs eat grass they are may need the fiber that grass gives them. I have also read that grass may just taste sweet to dogs and some just like the taste of it. I think Beeker falls into this last category. Besides the fact that he eats anything even food, he does like sweet tall grass. All kinds of it. Dogs can also eat grass because they have an empty stomach or because their stomach isn’t feeling right and they are trying to calm it. Grass seems a lot like lettuce. Its green, leafy and to dogs it probably just like a salad. The thing that’s interesting, is that with all of the research I did on the web, there was still controversy as to why dogs eat grass. Veterinarian’s aren’t sure why. Seems simple really. Dogs eat almost everything, or anything.
I don’t have a dog house for Beeker. When I was younger I had a Dogloo for one of my former dogs. However, I found a website that showed some dog Mansions for sale. If you want a real dog house/mansion your dog can be the talk of the hood. Dog mansions range from $5,500 on upward and can be custom made. The website http://www.dog-spoiling-made-easy.com/custom-dog-houses.html,will show you just the perfect home for your dog. You will be absolutely amazed what is available for your dog. I’m sure you can also use these dog mansions for a child’s playhouse. When I was a kid, I would have loved one. Beeks would love one too, even if he wouldn’t want to stay outside in it too long. Beeks isn’t really a foofoo kind of dog anyway. I can see him in a ranch style mansion or an A frame, or maybe even barn style with real open space to rough house with Maxie. Maxie would want a house with an ice rink as a floor or one that is completely open, he needs lots of space to spread out. See what you think about these really extravagant mansions for your dog.

(145) A Dog Movie for You and Your Dog

My eyes are red and my head is as stuffy as can be. No, I have not just come in contact with something I am allergic to. I have just finished watching Hatchi: A dog’s tale. I knew it was going to be a tearjerker going in, but it really had me crying before the half way mark. This is an American remake of the 1987 Japanese movie, Hachiko-Monogatari. It is a movie about loyalty, undying loyality. We have been waiting to get this movie from NetFlix for about two months, and just this weekend received it after I called and asked how to get on the shortlist. I guess from talking to the Netflix people that it was not even given a National Release but afterward, it became such a big hit with much publicity and few DVD’s made, that it is now hard to get. Do I believe that? Anyway we were excited to see it after a recommendation from a coworker and today was the day. Hatchi is a movie based upon the true Akita dog that lived in Japan during the late 1930’s. (See Above Picture of Hatchiko) In the American version, Richard Gere play’s a professor that adopts a homeless dog and then after years of loyal love and attention to his dog, dies. When the professor does not return, having suffered a brain hemorrhage, at his University, the dog faithfully returns daily to wait for him. The story is a simple one that has great depth due to the community of people who come to know Hatchi as he waits for his master’s return. This movie gives much attention to the world view from the dog’s point of view. Many scenes are viewed through Hatchi’s eyes. After seeing this movie, I wanted to know more about the “real” Hatchiko, so I looked him up on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachik%C5%8D). After reading that entry, I wanted to see the Japanese movie 1987 version. Unfortunately, it is not available from NetFlix so I’m out.

I recommend viewing this movie as it is a good movie based upon real events.
However you need to be aware of certain things before you watch his movie. First, It is an American remake of another movie so not all of the events in the film are real and it is quite Americanized (original movies are always better than remakes). Secondly, The Japanese love the Akita dog and especially Hatchiko because he was an all white Akita and all white Akitas are rare. Also, Hatchiko had one up ear and one drooped ear, which is also revered and not depicted in the film. Third, you need to have a box of Kleenex handy, you will love your own dog more than ever when you are finished watching this movie. Most dogs are loyal by nature, and give unconditional love in return, but Hatchiko was an amazing dog, and continues to be loved by the Japanese (and now Americans) to this day.

After we finished this movie, I realized that I was twirling Beeker’s ear extremely hard but he was not fazed by this. I routinely twirl his ear and both enjoy this as part of our closeness. However, I know that today as I watched this movie and was absorbed in its plot and emotion, I relayed that to Beeker through my hands to him through his ears. He just slept through it at my side. What a great movie to watch with your dog. It made it even better.

(144) Dog Pile!

Have you considered all of the meanings of the words Dog pile? So… What’s a dog pile? Is it the game we use to play when we were young children in the late summer evenings? When we would designate one person to hide and then the rest of us would look for them and then yell, “dog pile”, which would bring everyone else running to pile on top of the hiding person? Or how about the super search engine that uses Google, Yahoo, Bing and Ask.com all at once to find the most information possible in the shortest possible time? Is a dog pile what your dog leaves for you in the back yard or on a walk? Then again, if numerous people respond unfavorably to an internet posting they are said to dog pile the person they are responding to.So there a a number of definitions now for dog pile. Originially dog pile did mean dogs in a pile.

When Beeker and Max get rough housing and playing full body contact they get to the point that they collapse together and just lay there out of breath and energy. Sometimes when they are at the dog park, playing with other dogs, they will be focusing so hard on their play they collide together. I call this a dog pile.

Sometimes puppies and kittens will dog pile to keep warm and safe. This is the definition that we encounter most at our house. Usually where ever Brad or I am we find the dogs and the cat with us. Chez enjoys getting as close to me as possible and I mean up close touching my side or neck even in this incredible heat. Sometimes with all of us on the bed or couch it is just too much. Chez can shed hair at breaklight speed. He always seems to be blowing a coat.

I like our own family dog pile. We feel like a family with Max, Beeker and Chez up on the bed or all on the floor together. At times we cuddle with them and let them know we are thinking of them and pay a little attention to them after a long day. Sometimes we just hang out. Just being in close proximity, is important. It just seems natural and that’s the way it should be when there are pets in the family. We pile on the love in our own personal dog pile.

(143) Final Barker Report Thanks J &J

Happy Birthday Juli. Since yesterday was my sister’s birthday and she with her dog JesseJames are finishing their cross country car trek today, I thought I would share some of her pictures and experiences that she sent to me along the way. I’ve already shown you the Dog Motel but there are other stories and tails to tell.



JesseJames loved swimming in Cascade Lake. Juli took him down to the water every evening. He loved running up and down the walking trails so much that he got blisters on his paws on the first day.


When Juli and my parents went to Boise to do some shopping they had to leave Jesse in the car a few times while they went into various stores that were not open to dogs. While Jesse was in the car he conspired to look for available food. At one stop he got into a bag of pretzels and proceeded to eat what he could before he was apprehended (guess why he is called JesseJames?).


When Juli and my parents returned he had pretzels in his hair but looked at them innocently. Beeks knows what this is like, he’s been there before caught in the midst of the action. Juli took the pictue of JesseJames at the Boise Rose Garden that makes Jesse look like an Angel.


Then there was the innocent Jesse who ate an entire Jimmy John’s bread loaf because it was there. Jesse had a great time in Seattle with his cousog Squiggles. They traveled all over Seattle with Juli, Eric and Chelsey.

Now Juli has traveled back to the Midwest and will stay with her friend and his dog Bullet. Bullet is the only dog I have ever known that really smiles at you when he greets you in the morning. No lie! Anyway, Happy Birthday Juli and thanks for taking us on the trip with you and JesseJames.

(142) My garden or hot summer days

I love watching my garden grow. I walk about with Beeker and look for each new growth, each present from nature. I feel weighted down. Slowed by the early morning thickness of humidity, mobbed by mosquitoes attacking like the United Nations forces. I’m excited by the red raspberries and the flowering Cannas. But I know the tipping point is here. The Bleeding hearts have turned yellow as they dry and wither. The Delphinium and Hollyhocks have flowered and now their leaves are eaten through making lacy green statues. The Coneflowers still hold their color but are droopy in the heat. The fern, once yellow green with tendrils spiraling upward, now curl inward, looking eerily like a brown crispy octopus. When the wind blows, it’s hot. There is no cooling with this breeze. It brings dry leaves from the walnut and locust trees, landing on our back deck. The oaks and maples will turn later in the fall, but for now bring the much needed shade to our yard.
The hawks, GeorgeNGracie and family have flown from their nest. The last time we saw them was the day the kids landed on our deck to say good bye. I miss their calls, the cat like mews, communicating their arrivals and departures. I hope they return next year. I’ll keep the tree open.

We watched To Kill a Mockingbird last night. It’s the 50 anniversary of Harper Lee’s book and since Brad just finished rereading it (having read it the first time like most of us during high school), we decided to rent the movie to see it again. I have probably watched this Gregory Peck movie four times in my life and I love it every time, always seeing something new and thoughtful about it. When I suggested watching the movie, I was surprised to learn that Brad had never seen it. Who can go through life without seeing this fantastic mirror of our society in the 30’s. It was written in the 60’s but reflects society in the 30’s. It seems to have all of the good and bad attributes of living in that time. I love all of the quiet symbolism and cross generational tensions of the time. I am always struck of how well Harper Lee was able to describe growing up in a small town. I lived in a very small town in the 60’s and I always feel so close to the character Scout. Set in summer, this movie seemed the perfect movie for us at this time. The heat, the slow movement of the time and the movie brings us to reflect on our own actions toward those we live with. If it has been a while since you have seen this movie or read the book, it is the perfect time to see it. I think I saw a tear in Brad’s eyes. Oh, listen closely, there are numerous dogs in this movie, one specific scene comes to mind. Beeks was riveted.

(141) How Hot is Too Hot?

It is HOT today. By 9 AM the temp registered 80 degrees in my car and by the time I left work, it was 90. Now it is 92 degrees out and heading higher. It’s so hot and with the humidity up the combination is deadly hot. The back road I travel to work is a mixture of tar and pea gravel or “chip and tar” as they say. When I drive these roads home in the afternoon I can hear the tar sticking to my tires. The corn smells so sweet right now and it’s the kind of hot that we say we can hear the corn growing. At night you almost can hear it. That’s hot! There’s been a 50% chance of rain every day this week and yesterday we did get some rain early in the day but it didn’t lower the temperature any. When I get into my car, it’s stifling hot. What did we do before air conditioners? We were hot inside and out! I can remember doing anything to keep any air moving in the house when I was younger and living in a non air conditioned house. There were never enough box fans. Even now, when I live in luxury within an air conditioned house, it doesn’t seem to be cool enough when it gets this hot.

I’ve been thinking, how hot is too hot to take the dogs on a walk? When is it too hot to let the dogs outside longer that it takes to do their business? Too hot to take them with me on a car errand? Last night when Brad got home from work, it was still light out and later in the day, about 7:00PM. We decided to take the dogs for a walk, like we normally do when we get a chance. Even at 7 at night the temperature was still in the low 80’s. We took a 45 minute walk with both sun and shady stretches. When we got home, Max and Beeker both panted hard. Beeks cooled down fairly quickly, within 15 minutes. It took Max a lot longer. Max pants by nature (I believe his vocal cords were injured at an early age by lunging with a chain around his neck…before he came to us). Still he has a difficult time cooling down with all of his long black hair and extra large body. Whenever we take him on a walk it takes him a long time to cool down. However, given the temperature and the length of the walk we may have over done it. Brad questioned me about this after we returned. I’ve been thinking about this since. How hot is too hot?

Some things seem simple enough. If its too hot to walk on the sidewalk, or road barefooted then its too hot to have your dog walk on the sidewalk or road as well. The pads on a dog’s paw are thick but can melt just the same. My sister found this out the hard way when she let JesseJames go on a long walk with her in Idaho. Jesse was so happy to be outside that he ran about. back and fourth while Juli and my mom walked a straight line. After one day Jesse had blisters on his pads and could barely walk at all. Juli had to restrict Jesse’s activity for nearly three days before the pads started to heal.

Taking a dog with you when you are running errands is not such a good idea if you need to leave him while the car and airconditioning are turned off. One website I looked at showed research that cars sitting in high temperatures even with the windows cracked still heated to the equivalent of heated ovens. (check out http://www.mydogiscool.com/x_reports.php) I know that when I open my car door on a hot day I can feel the heat escaping the moment I open the door.

Dogs can get sunburn and heat exhaustion as well. Heat exhaustion is somewhat common in dogs. Dogs cool themselves by panting but if they can not cool themselves enough they can get heat exhaustion and even develop heat stroke. Early signs of heat exhaustion are heavy panting, salivation, and rapid breathing (this sounds like a normal day for Maxie). But also fatigue, muscle tremors and staggering (not a normal day for Maxie). If heat exhaustion occurs, it is important to get the dog cooled down (with wet towels, in the shade, and small sips of cool water). Then call the Vet.

So, How hot is too hot? I’ve decided that it’s too hot for my dogs to be outside when it is too hot for me to be outside. If I want to walk around for a few minutes to check out the garden and yard, then it is okay for Beeks to run too, if he get water and shade occasionally. Then he needs to be able to cool down inside. Maxie is another story. Because he is larger, less active, has lots of long hair, he needs to be outside less, get more water, and generally lay low during the hot summer days. Oh, and lots of ice cubes. They love ice cubes. Isn’t that what they call the Dog Days of Summer?

(140) Practice Makes Perfect

I’ve been practicing with beeker to get him up on the bed when I call him. I’ve blogged before about how he has a learning disability when it comes to my verbal command or with a verbal command and hand gestures together. I can get him to come up on the bed if I stand next to him and gesture and command him to “bed up”, a few times. This is frustrating. I have to get up out of bed and almost cojore him to get up with us. I know he wants to be on the bed because he comes over and puts his head on the bed next to me, and looks up at me with his cute pleading eyes. Then he just looks at me when I call him!
So, I’ve been using treats and the rule of 10,000. I decided that I needed to work with Beeks like I would when I taught him to jump through the hula hoop. Or when we taught him to roll over. He is so food motivated that he will do what ever he needs to do to get the food. That makes him a fast learner. (Well, the fact that Max jumped up on the bed when I kept calling Beeker tell me that Beeker may not be that quick of a learner.) I also decided that I would have to break down the whole process into smaller increments. I got some sweet potato treats and cut them up into tiny bits. Then when Beeks wanted to get up on the bed (by looking forlorn at me) or when I wanted him to get up with the rest of the family (Chez, Max, Brad and Me), I used the same working and the same hand gesture every time I gave him the command. Every single time.

This is where the rule of 10,000 comes into play. Malcom Gladwell, suggests in his latest book, Outliers, that in order to be successful at any given action, the most successful person (or in this case dog) will be the one who repeats that action ad nausea. That is, in order to perfect something like playing concert piano or being successful like the Beetles or Bill Gates, the person will by the time they are successful, practiced their chosen art 10,000. Almost to the point that they will perform it over and over and will have become so familiar with it that it is more like a reflex. Some call it Flow, where the behavior or action just happens and is done without thinking about process. Really good tennis players will get into the flow mode and if they start thinking about their method they get all messed up and their timing gets out of sync.

Now Beeks and I have been practicing for a few days with this new method. I use the same words, in the same tone (Beeks Up), with the same hand gesture (hand coming down with open hand slapping the bed). At first he just looked at me, I then showed him the food treat, but didn’t say anything else. Then I said it again, in the same tone, with the same hand gesture, and he jumped up on the bed. I gave him the treat and praised him. Then I spent about 10 minutes getting him off the bed and back on the bed using this same method. The next day I did the same process but sometimes I didn’t give him a treat when he got up on the bed. I just praised him. I also stop working with him after he gets the jumping up on command correct a dozen or so times. The break helps cement the behavior in his mind because the next time he has to recall the whole sequence on his own. Now we only have 9,500 more times to practice before he has it perfect! It’s like my mother always told me and I told my kids… Practice Makes Perfect.

(139) Enjoying Life

I received a lovely box from my oldest son today. He recently returned from China and didn’t get to call me on my birthday, so he sent me a box which arrived here today. In the box were a number of wonderful surprises including some jasmine tea flowers, some biscuits an ornate comb and a cartoon. The cartoon is the one that I included for you to read. Funny Huh? On the flip side of the cartoon, was a quote by Samuel Butler- “All animals except man know that the ultimate of life is to enjoy it.” I think this is true. Certainly Max and Beeker know it. JesseJames is swimming daily in an Idaho lake, so he knows it. Chez has been putting a tennis ball on my bed lately so he knows it. My animal hero, Temple Grandin says that animals live in the present moment, so that means they are not lamenting because of something that happened yesterday or longing because of something tomorrow. They are thinking about what they can do right this minute and how they can have enjoyment out of it. Beeker is constantly (if I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times) looking for someone or something to play with. He really enjoys everything he does. Even sleeping.
We can take a lesson from our animal compatriots. You’ve heard “Be happy don’t worry”. Or “Don’t sweat the small stuff”. “See the glass half full instead of half empty”. Yeah, we have adult responsibilities and we have timelines and everybody wants a piece of us. But… What about the in between times? What about the moment we wake up? What about all of the celebrating we don’t remember to do? Have you seen the commercial where a group is celebrating being left handed? What would happen if I started celebrating the small stuff? Like that professor I had said, “Everything in life is an opportunity”. It’s an opportunity to enjoy this life and not get dragged down by it. I sometimes get to feeling so worn out by all of the “Don’t Haves”. I don’t have enough time, money, health, patience, etc…you know. It was a secret gift to get this quote (he probably didn’t even know it was on the flip side of the cartoon), and a gift to know that I have the opportunity to look at life in a different way. In the present and enjoy each thing I do, really ENJOY it. It’s just want I’m going to do right now, today, I’m celebrating with Brad. We are celebrating our anniversary and we will really enjoy our time together, now and in the future. With our furry animal friends showing us the way.

(138) Volunteer Anyone?

I got an email with an attachment that I want to include with this post. Chelsea (aka Squiggles mom) sent it to me. It announces the Iggy fundraiser for the Seattle area and it’s a cute poster for a worthwhile cause. Please take a look at it. Now, I understand that unless you live in the Seattle area you are unlikely to attend this fundraiser but still there is something of value to it. Chelsea and Eric are two of the most avid dog volunteers I know. This being said, I believe volunteering is an important way to give back and also to enrich a project beyond its boundaries. When people volunteer they do it because they have a passon for the project or because they want to meet others with the same passion or because they want to learn more about something. I really believe that a volunteer makes a given project better than if it were done by paid employees. Volunteers give the extra beyond the hours. I know a lot of people who volunteer. They volunteer many hours and really assist agencies and projects get things done that probably would not get done otherwise. My mother volunteers for an agency that works with developmentally disabled citizens and has volunteered so many hours that they gave her an award for it. My father has volunteered for many boards like the Blood center for many years. Chelsea volunteers for the Iggy group in her area. My oldest son volunteers at the emergency room at the hospital in Montana. I’m sure that there are many other people I know that I have left out of this list (sorry!?!) But here’s the thing. I’ve never volunteered for any agency. I’ve thought about it. I’ve fantisized about it, what it would be like, who I’d meet. So, what’s holding me back? I’m scared. This seems funny at first. If I were talking to my kids I’d laugh if they told me they were scared to volunteer. I’d buck them up.
I want to make a difference, to do a needed job that really will help an agency. I’ve got the time. I have transportation. I’m not a dummy. I know that I could do any job put before me. My list of places to volunteer is long. I’ve thought about volunteering at the local Youth Center, the Food bank, the Library, and especially the County Humane Society. But… What if they really don’t need me? What if, like my inquiry of The Humane Society, the process is so cumbersome; it’s to weed out people because everyone wants to volunteer there. I would love to give time each week but I want to do it somewhere that my three hours a week will make a difference, even if it is cleaning pet cages or shelving books, or taking out the garbage.
Having admitted to all this, there’s no excuse to not volunteer. I understand that those who volunteer get enriched more than they feel they give. So… I’ve looked up my local Humane Society and found out the process to volunteer. I will go to the volunteer orientation (in August), then to the interview with the tour (by appointment), then see what they need me to do. If it turns out that volunteers are a dime a dozen, I will look somewhere else. Its time I put my toe out there, do something worthwhile and get over myself. Okay, now that this is public knowledge, I can move on it rather than just think about it.

If anyone knows a place that needs a willing Volunteer, call me!

(137) He's a Patient Pup

Beeker is such a patient dog. Here’s why. When I get up in the morning, he is happy to see me, greets me and allows me to wake up slowly without having to rush to do something, like Maxie sometimes does (“Let me outside!”). I like to read in the mornings if I am not going to work and Beeks lets me read without interruption. Sometimes I read for hours and Beeks will just lay by the side of the bed without moving. If I get up or move to the kitchen for more coffee, he is up in a flash, ready for whatever I’m going to do, like if I need help pouring more coffee or something. Then he settles down until I move to the next activity. I realized this again this morning when I spent time reading and drinking my Saturday coffee. If Beeks were another dog or one of my children, I wouldn’t be able to finish one chapter until I was needed. The thing with dogs is that they really are able to wait. I think Beeks has trust that I will give him what he needs, including water, food, outings and adventure. I’m sure he would like more adventure in his life, what dog wouldn’t. When I finally finished reading an hour later, and got up to get dressed, he jumped up, stood by the dressing room and waited until I was done. He just waited to see if I was going to take him outside (I did) but I didn’t take him on our usual walkabout since we were going to go into Champaign to check out the garage sales. When I let him out into the garage, then outside , he ran like a greyhound, around the house, then stopped back at the garage when he figured out we were just walking around the yard. He actually looked surprised. Again, he was patient when I stopped at multiple sales. He was sitting in a heated car, windows down and I know he would have rather been home running around the yard. He didn’t complain that I didn’t stop to let him run at the dog park, and he didn’t whine to get water or a bathroom break (he got neither) but he was appreciative that he got an ice cream from Mikey D’s. He sat patiently waiting while I went inside and while it took too long to get a single item. He was patient when I stopped at the garage sale that sold only pet costumes, and he was appreciative that I didn’t but him one too. When I know its time to feed Beeker dinner (to Maxie if its 5:00 its dinner time) and I’m busy, he is patient. He waits for me to finish crafting the card I’m always working on. I know I try his patience sometimes, know that he really does need to go outside and it’s been 7 hours since I paid any attention to him. And yet, when it comes to nighttime, when I’m snuggled up in bed, I call to him to get up with me, he’s right there, happy to be with me, patient when I constantly have hot flashes and move alnight like a crazy woman. He never complains. I’d swear I’ve not heard him whine, plead, or beg for me to hurry up and get with the program.

Beeker has always been good at keeping himself occupied. His favorite occupation is playing with Max and Chez, either wrestling, or hiding from each other. Or he will bring out one of his many chew toys and spend time choosing one, chewing it, choosing another one, chewing, etc until they are all out and scattered all over the floor. I still haven’t taught him to put them away, a trick my sister assures me is possible. Beeks also enjoys looking outside one of our many windows to see if there is something to bark at. He waits patiently listening to see or hear of any possible change in the environment then….Whoof, Woof, Whoof. He delights in this because it always gets Maxie up and barking as well, and it fine tunes his stalking skills. It’s the barking that usually gets my attention and gets me moving to address the dogs. So maybe Beeker is especially good at being patient and getting my attention when he really needs it. Maybe he’s better at passing the blame on others like Maxie.

(136) There Once Was a Frog...

There Once was a Frog
That Sat on a Log
Along came a Dog
And ate it….

When I was a little kid, I made up this poem. Later when ever someone asked me to write a poem, or when I was put on the spot to recite a poem I would call up this little whit and recite it with self depreciation. Well, today I can say with pride… “It happens you know!”. You’ve seen pictures of the dogs run area, filled with pea gravel. It’s been working great for the dogs and for letting them out when it has just rained. The ground does not wash away like it use to and it’s easily “picked up”. You can see by the pictures that we’ve covered the cable/telephone wires coming into the house with a culvert type window covering. I don’t believe the dogs would chew the wires but more likely bump up against them or dig around the area so its best to keep them away from the area. That said there are still problems with the area.

Brad had not been out of the house for more than 20 minutes when Max came a calling, breathing his heavy breath in my face. This is his signal that he wants to go outside. I put down my book and put both dogs outside in their run. I left them outside maybe only 10 minutes tops. I got more coffee, I went to the bathroom, figured out breakfast, you know all the early morning essentials. Then I heard it. Beeks barking. Okay, that probably isn’t anything unusual but Max wasn’t barking and usually when one starts the other one is sure to follow. So….I went to the back door, opened it and Beeks came right in. This is also not unusual. I shut the door, and give Max time to realize he’s been left behind. He doesn’t come. So….I go back to the door and go out on the little back step and see Max scratching at the pea gravel like it’s dirt. I call to him and he doesn’t even look at me , he’s so intent on scratching at the rocks. I call again to him then I see it. The window covering has been ripped off and there’s dirt all over. Damn! I go and get my shoes and get to Max realizing that he has gotten another TOAD! The toad isn’t moving. I pull Max inside by his ear because he is not fazed by my calling and is trying to get back to the toad. He’s foaming at the mouth. He’s spitting and flailing foam all over the place like a rabid dog. UGH! When I have him secured in the house, I go back to see if there is any part of the toad left. The now traumatized toad is bleeding but only its right paw (flipper? flange?) has been injured, probably when Max was pulling it through the rocks. I pick it up and move it to where I have placed three other toads in recent weeks. This is the first one that Max has caught in the dog run. I can’t figure out how the stupid toads get to the culvert covered area. Yes, its moist near the cable box, there are no rocks. But the area is in the middle of the wall, far from the woods or any other vegetation. What’s with that? This must be a band of masochistic toads. Is it the same toad? Continually trying to get back to its home under the dirt? And God forbid, are there more yet to come?

I go inside, and find Max, foaming like a rabid…well dog. I see he is flipping his mouth, trying to rid himself of the toad poison. He had foam all over the kitchen floor and on the window seat. I put him in the laundry room to keep the foam in one area. He’s drunk a lot of water to get the toad poison out of his mouth. I’m hoping that he didn’t lick too much of it.

I looked on line to see what other people do about toad/frog and dog interactions. What I find isn’t too encouraging. Most responses say that toads are more poisonous to dogs than frogs. It’s the froth that toads secrete from their skin when they are traumatized (like being eaten). Great! Some responses say that toad froth can kill dogs in as little as 15 minutes. I’m thinking it has something to do with size of dog and type of toad. Let’s hope. Max has a hankerin for toads. He has done this before. I would think that he would learn. He likes to watch them hop and to chase them, but he first tries to catch them in his mouth. I could tell the minute I was Max foaming at the mouth that he was the culprit. Beeks was the sentry not the military force in this instance. No foaming coming from him. We will watch Max, to be sure he is Okay, does not get lethargic, although how do I tell with a Newfoundland? Isn’t that the definition of a Newfoundland?

I placed the injured toad under a bush outside the fence. (where I put the others). Its fairly far from the fenced in area (for a toad). I’m hoping it survives, but then again, Gracie has three babies to feed. I wonder if toads are poisonous to hawks.

Speaking of the hawks... Yesterday morning, Beeks was playing with Chez. Really wrestling and having a great time. Chez was attacking Beeks, and rolling around with him, when Beeks abruptly stopped and focused on the deck outside our bedroom sliding doors. His tail went straight out, and he started a slow low growl, then barked three times. All low and fairly quiet barks. I got up to see what the racquet was and there on out deck were the three juvenile hawks. One on the bench and two down on the deck. They were not three feet away from me. Of course we scared them away, but they didn’t fly far, just to the edge of the woods and yard. I loved seeing them this close. Kind of like Gracie brought the little ones for a visit.

(135) Daydream Believer...

Cheer up, sleepy Jean, oh what can it mean
To a daydream believer and a homecoming queen?

Beeker is sleeping and as he gets into a deeper sleep he starts moving his paws back and forth. His eyes move quickly in the rapid eye movement that is reflective of his deep REMs sleep. He’s dreaming and I stop writing to watch his movements. What does he dream about? He’s like most dogs who dream. He sometimes gets moving his legs so quickly I know he is dreaming of chasing little animals. Other times he whimpers like he is crying, calling out for long forgotten family members. All of our pets dream in this way. One of our past Newfoundland dogs, Belle,use to get so deep into sleep she would begin to moan so low then crescendo loudly like the Tuesday Tornado warning. When we would hear her begin to moan and getting louder, we would all listen then break out laughing. She would wake disoriented, looking at us like we were aliens. Sometimes when I notice Beeker sleeping I also hear him suckling. The whole dream behavior, like sleep itself, is a strange phenomenon. We close our eyes, then fall into a deep hibernation, while our brain shows us movies of its own creation, then we wake up to act like nothing happened. Its like a computer that runs an antivirus check nightly. But I digress…

Beeks dreams most every time he sleeps. He likes to rough up his sleeping rug so that his nest is not under him but folded and bunched up on his side. Sometimes he even kicks it around the area and sleeps away from it. The rug thing I can’t figure out. I guess if he were out in the wild he would scruff up his sleeping area to make it softer but moving it completely out of the way is strange.
So what does Beeks dream about? The internet gives lots of suggestions and possible scenarios but it seems they are all just hypotheses. One site: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Dogs-701/2008/10/Dog-41.htm gives reasonable scientific indicators that dogs dream but since I figure they dream like humans and other animals I’m on beyond that. The site however also gives additional sites to view so they may be more helpful. http://www.pet-tails.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=234 gives some interesting info about how a dog sleeps. If (like Beeks) a dog is curled up it probably isn’t fully relaxed and so isn’t in deep REMs sleep but in SWS (slow wave sleep). When it is very relaxed and sprawled, with legs running he is in REMS. Then again, have you ever seen a dog sleeping with its legs in the air and its back to the ground? We had a dog, Beau (the other Newfoundland Male) that use to sleep like that. Turns out dogs are smart (we knew didn’t we?). They sleep like this to cool their underbelly off. The article also says that older dogs dream more than younger dogs, so they need more time in REMs sleep to dream, AND when they get awakened in the middle of their sleep, they are more likely to be grouchy. Hence the adage, “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie”. What about dogs that sleep back to back or touching each other when they sleep? They are bonding, so when your dog sleeps next to you (or our cat, Brad) it is bonding to you, likes you and wants to be near you when it sleeps.

I like to think that Beeker is plotting to create an animal haven where all of the wild animals get along and live happily ever after. He will have lots of animal friends of different species like rabbits and mice, and squirrels and fox, and hawks. What a grand world it would be. They are just outside our door and he knows them all. They are just waiting for an invitation to party! Sweet Daydream Believer and a Homecoming Beeks.

(134) What's in a Dog Name?

My sister is driving back today from Seattle to Cascade, Idaho. We talked most of her drive, whenever she had a signal for her cell phone. I love these conversations, they are not hurried and this gives us both time to reflect (if she is keeping her eyes on the road, that is). Sometimes she even pulls over to chat without driving. She sent the pictures of some café dogs and owners, while she was having coffee with JesseJames yesterday. Seattle is truly a dog friendly city. Most urban stores have bowls of water set out for the dogs that shop in the neighborhood. How cool is that?

Today we talked about our kids, how well they are doing, how we love having grown kids. She shared with me that when she was with C & E last night, she called JesseJames by his middle name, Louise, which got C & E both questioning her on the validity of it. That got me thinking about what’s in a name and how we go about naming our dogs. For instance, I chose Beeker’s name because among other things his nose is long like Beeker’s from the Muppet Show. Maxie got his name because he was a wild thing when we first met him, so we named him Maximum Velocity, for his fast movements. Other people name their dogs for favorite past pets, or may name them for personality traits that are desired or reflect who the owner wishes to be. Part of the pleasure of ownership is naming your pet. Just like naming a child only with a pet you get to be as creative or as strange as you want. I’ve known people to name each dog the same name. Such as Blackie. Some people want others to know something about themselves through the name of the dog. Like calling your dog Einstein. Makes me wonder if the dog is smart or the owner wants to be smart. How about naming your dog "Dog"? Or "God" (dog backwards)? I’ve heard them both. I love learning dog names. When I hear a dog’s name it tells me something about the owner. I learn if the owner is an artsy type (Leonardo, or Leo for short), dramatic (Cujo) or even wants to attach their profession (Amber for a geologist). Sometimes the dog will define the name, such as Bandit for a masked dog. Or Boots for a white dog with black feet.
Did you know there is a website for finding the right name for your dog? Just like naming a baby, you can get on line and go to: http://www.dog-names.us/. Good luck, its fun and it gives you a name definition as well. But remember, if you use this database you are not being creative, you are using someone else’s idea of a good dog name. On the other hand, you'll get a lot of useful names to think about.

Now the really interesting part of naming your pet is what you do with your dogs’ middle name. (I can hear you now… What? That is the silliest thing I have ever heard of right?) Well, Okay, if you are highly conventional and maybe a little rigid you will not consider giving your dog a middle name. However, I think the middle name of a dog maybe the most spectacular part of naming your pet yet. In our family we connect all of the pets, present or past, feline or canine, through my grandparents. All of the dogs have the middle name of Louise, after my grandmother Louise. Even some of the male pets, like Chez Louise. Brad had some issue with the gender aspect of this so we modified the tradition for his issues and call Maximum Velocity Leon after my Grandfather Leon. Beeker however is Beeker Louise. What do dogs know of gender anyway? They only associate sounds that sing together so Louise goes along well enough. Beeker Louise! Come, come Beeker Louise! See how it just flows off your tongue? JesseJames is JesseJames Louise. We have had, Gretel (my birth family dog) Louise, and Beau Leon and Belle Louise. There was Austin Louise, Berek Louise, and Sunshine Louise. You can call them anything, just don't call them late for dinner!
What’s in a dog’s name? You and your world outlook. Its what’s important to you and who you are.