What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

[Erica]

I have an extension for Chrome called Lazarus - it saves form entries automaticall, super useful. But it would be nice if those checks didn't erase posts at all.

Delta and Sofi had a little scrap this morning. No blood, just lots of snarling and snapping. I separated them for a minute and then they were okay again. I believe they were playing and just got too razzed up (I was brushing my teeth when it started), so I'll make sure to interrupt even earlier than I already do, even with a mouthful of toothpaste. But like I said, they seem to be past it now, if a bit more respectful of each others' space.

[Fundog]

My, what adventures everyone's been having! I've been away all week, visiting my birth town and family. I stayed with my grandmother (I'd like to have a good long rant about that on another thread later), and Grandma doesn't have internet, which meant I could only use my phone to see what all my friends are up to.

I sure missed my fluffy puppies! I have to make one more 100 mile round trip to return my rental car, then hopefully I can take my girls out for a lovely walk today.

[Shalista]

we're having a party today and small children are coming over. time for stress levels to go over 9000. though to be fair bax is actually really good with kids now... im just projecting based on how he was a year ago.

[Shalista]

forward progress.... and a little bit of backwards progress.....

Despite my best efforts bax is still a bit shy when meeting people. loves running up to them, loves sniffs, but takes a bit to accept pets. So today i started a new regimen of being intentional about accepting bax's 'nos' in the hopes of him saying 'yes' more when we're out and about.

Either he's having a really bad day or i've been shockingly remiss in paying attention to HIS wants. today i sat on the floor for twenty min while he wandered around the house. sometimes he'd come up for a sniff but when i offered my hand for a pet he turned away. I've been checking in, offering, and getting turned away all day but WHOOO boy did i feel like the specialist momma in the world when he booped my hand with his nose and i got to pet him. PROGRESS!

EDIT: two new things i've noticed about doing this.

firstly i am ashamed to realize that i had given my dog no real way to communicate when he WANTED to be pet. so we're working on him booping my hand with his nose as counting for a "give me pets". which i think will translate pretty well in the public.

Secondly, did anyone else notice how much more mellow their dog became when they were doing this? bax can still be a bit of spaz (he's famous for being so excited to be pet by my bro he vomited all down the front of his shirt) yet just now when i was putting him he actually lay down. i had to LURE bax to train him for down because i saw it so rarely i couldn't capture it... and now 2/2 of the times he's said yes to pets he just quietly dropped into a down while i gave him neck scratchies.

[Erica]

Sounds like great progress for Bax! Learning to listen to dogs is so important to having a really great relationship with them. The more you listen, the more you learn, too.

Second night of assisting in the training class, and I feel like I did really well! Last week, the instructor told me I could talk more and give advice more, because that's what I was there for. This week, I prepared mentally and was able to communicate clearly, apparently, as the advice I gave was followed and helped the owners. Very happy with how it went I actually enjoyed it quite a bit!

Things are looking up this week. Good things are happening, destructive storms are moving away, and sunny days are on the horizon.

[MPbandmom]

Good learning of new skills Shalista. Great that Bax was able to relax and, get some pets that he was comfortable with. That learning to read body language is kind of a two sided thing. It is good to know when the dog is feeling uncomfortable and to be able to respond appropriately for the dog's comfort level, but at the same time one realizes what they were missing for so long that their dog was tying to tell them.

It has taken me about 8 or 9 years to be able to see Sky's signals of discomfort when greeting other dogs. After about 2 years with her, I could read the other dog's body language enough to know when he/she had done something likely to offend. I was reacting to the other dog's signals though and not my own dog's sgnals.

Good job with your class Erica. I'm sure you will improve some with every class that you assist with.

[JudyN]

Poor old Jasper. I was out in the garden doing some gardening earlier, and he was sunning himself on his new outdoor bed (did I tell you about that? It's actually a carp dehooking mat - specifically designed to cope with wet contitions ), but then a persistent bee came and pestered him. He went running indoors, but the bee went with him, sending him running frantically around trying to escape. Finally it left him alone and landed on a houseplant which I was able to carry it out on. I got on with some gardening, but the bee then came for me It seemed to want to make a nest in my hair and gentle swipes wouldn't shift it - every time it flew away and I moved it came straight back at me. I ended up doing what Jasper did, running inside thinking I'd given it the slip, realising it was still buzzing round my head, and flapping around (I'm normally perfectly calm round bees, but this was not a normal bee ). Then it stung my hand, resulting in flapping and shrieking.

The poor lad is traumatised now, having seen his revered protector also running around and screeching like a wuss I'm assuming he didn't get stung as it left its sting in me, but I'll be keeping an eye on him as he has previously reacted to what was probably an insect sting.

I've never known a bee be so proactive before - we've had swarms from the neighbour's hives before now but you can pretty well walk straight through them and if you ignore them, they'll ignore you. The neighbour did say he'd managed to get a new queen who turned out to be not so nice, and would pass on her behaviour to the offspring. I hope this was just a one-off...

[Shalista]

i actually had a similar experience.... unbeknownst to me though my dad had knocked down a hive and the bees were trying to save all the little maggots. they were mostly just carrying off the babies but there were a few that were just crazy about driving me off. I didn't know why until a covered my head and braved a closer look.

[Fundog]

Then there was the time six years ago-- I posted about it, my has this thread really been going that long? -- Dottie was stalking a bee in the garden. At the pivotal moment she pounced, and caught it....in her mouth, where of course it stung her. The poor little ninny was grumpy, irritable, and snarky until Mr. Fundog gave her some benadryl. She slept and was right as rain by morning.

[Erica]

Our old German Shepherd, the dog I grew up with, used to chase and eat bees. We had a colony of carpenter bees in our swingset, but thankfully those don't sting or he probably would have had some problems eventually Our neighbors now have a hive of honey bees of some sort (and our carpenters seem to have moved on) but thankfully Opal and Delta aren't obsessive about chasing and eating buzzy bees

I was asked to help with a second class for training. It's making me rethink whether my verbal communication difficulties are really blocking that route off for me, since the trainer specifically complimented me on how well I was helping the owners. I'm going to take her up on the second class and do some hard thinking. I'd still have tons to learn if that is the career I followed, but it's something I enjoy learning about greatly, and enjoy doing even more.

[Shalista]

that sounds fantastic erica! follow your passions!

[Shalista]

i went to a greyhound rescues yearly picnic and just about died. I think i found my heartbreed. everything everyone said there was exactly, perfectly, what i was looking for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i think i'm going to explode waiting!!!!!!!!

[JudyN]

They're lovely dogs, aren't they, Shalista? And so different to Bax, though of course he's lovely too in his own way!

We met a pair of whippets this afternoon. OH reckons we should have a whippet when we're too old and doddery for a Jasper-sized dog. Then he said maybe we should have two... Suits me, as I feel so sad when I see bonded pairs of dogs in rescues who need to be separated because no one wants to take on both.

[Lara575]

That must have been lovely. Iv been thinking about volunteering for my local racing greyhound rescue.

I think it would be really nice to give them company while they wait for a new home. Plus i will get hands on experience.

[Shalista]

i tried to volunteer for this rescue but they dont have a kennel is all fosters. they did say i should come to the picnic though which is how i ended up there.
i loved how theyd come up to say hi but werent all over me. very calm, very quite. seeing a pack of them together saying hi was hysterical because it was all gentle dignified sniffs.

i think greyhounds need bonnets and tophats to doff at eachother.