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

Get to know other Positively members here.

Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost

Post Reply
Erica
Posts: 2697
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: North Carolina

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

Post by Erica »

That's awesome Shalista! :D

I taught my first "solo" puppy class today (it was the second session puppy class, for slightly older puppies, no playtime as the floors are too slippery for the big dogs, and one of the experienced trainers was there as backup/assisting me) and, despite my throat feeling like I swallowed a cactus, and not being able to use tap water at all (which is more draining than you'd think!), it went really well! Things in general are going well, at least in the career portion of my life, lol. Delta did a little stint as a stooge dog for a private lesson as well and did fantastically.

Also, one of my dad's friends got a mini aussie and has asked me to go over and play with puppy when they're gone for longer than pup is housetrained for. A+ job, such a small fluffy friend. I love herding dogs.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
User avatar
Nettle
Posts: 10753
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:40 pm

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

Post by Nettle »

Erica you rock! :D


Great news, Shalista - happy Bax!
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

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

Post by Shalista »

took bax to get his claws trimmed and he ran into a gorgeous little puppy. she was just his size cause she was still a puppy, i think she was a lab/shepard mix maybe? anyway it was adorable because they had identical play styles and they were about the right size. it was so cute watching them play! it was really nice seeing bax connect with a dog, he usually just gets stepped on and intimidated.
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

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

Post by Shalista »

I know i should save them for days when i ABSOLUTELY need complete silence for an extended period of time... but sometimes hes just so perfect i have to splurge and give him a pork hock for no reason at all. he really is the greatest little guy <3 <3
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
MPbandmom
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:18 pm

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

Post by MPbandmom »

Great news Bax and Erica.

I am determining that I probably need to go somewhere to be trained how to train a dog. :lol:

My timing must be off or something. The dogs seem to start out offering a desired behavior, but quickly stop. Sky I know is three and out, but Sirius is usually better although lately I don't seem to be providing appropriate motivation for her to continue.

I am supposed to be teaching Sirius to accept being blindfolded with a towel for vet visits. Since I have put things over her head in the past, I thought I would play peek a boo sort of and placed the towel momentarily over her eyes and then removed it and treated. I then held the towel up and she came over and touched it with her nose. I treated. Then I held it up again and she wouldn't come anywhere close to it.

She hasn't gotten many walks lately. Weekends have been occupied by doing things for my parents, and most evenings I just don't get home in time to walk her before it gets darker than I care to have her out.

Sky has been recovering from a bad limp which developed early last week, but finally has been up to a couple of miles the past two days. We have had chemicals spread all over the place for snow/ice prevention and I think that may have been the cause of the limping. I have started using Musher's Secret on her feet now and so far so good. There is some chance of snow tonight, but it doesn't sound like much. Hopefully it will clear the chemicals and people won't feel inclined to apply more.
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
MPbandmom
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:18 pm

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

Post by MPbandmom »

A lovely day yesterday and lovely walks with both dogs.

Now to get lunch eaten and get them out today while the sun is shining and before the strong winds come through tonight.
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
Erica
Posts: 2697
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: North Carolina

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

Post by Erica »

Delta's found some kind of kritter in the woodpile out back, so it's on-leash only for him. If he gets close enough he'll dive in and get as close as he can to whatever it is, which means getting a bunch of debris in his fur. Also he won't leave the thing alone at ALL. I have to drag him away. So yep, leashes til we're far away from that interesting thing!

It's promising for a potential barnhunt career though :lol:
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

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

Post by Shalista »

My dog has now nosed his egg all the way off his towel, across the room, and under a chair. every time he noses it it leaves a wet spot behind so he licks the spot, nudges it again, licks the spot. I guess im grateful he's cleaning up after himself at least?
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
User avatar
Nettle
Posts: 10753
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:40 pm

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

Post by Nettle »

An egg toy! :D How super.

Have you tried scattering his peas for him to nose out? Mine love that.

I have a Very Happy Thing to report. I have been working with an owner and a very dog-and-man-aggressive dog. He is so extreme that I have been taking the owner dog-walking without her dog but with mine, to teach her the body-language of approaching dogs and how to manage them. Afterwards I was invited in for coffee, and we followed the protocol you have read here so many times for visitor-reactive dogs. When i was seated with my coffee, the dog was brought into the room. He ran over to me woofing, put his paws on my knees and......kissed me. Then he offered me his body to stroke. Then he stretched out on his bed and went fast asleep.

We're getting there.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Erica
Posts: 2697
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: North Carolina

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

Post by Erica »

Oh Nettle that's great :D
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
mansbestfriend
Posts: 301
Joined: Mon May 20, 2013 7:35 am
Location: Queensland, Australia

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

Post by mansbestfriend »

8)
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single Sit.
Erica
Posts: 2697
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: North Carolina

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

Post by Erica »

Found out that Opal has injured her CCL :( In the kind of luck that you feel bad for having, I just got a bag of felt to make snuffle mats out of. Gonna queue some Star Wars up as it takes almost exactly one movie to make a single mat :lol: Probably wouldn't take as long if I had a proper pair of scissors.

Delta took it for a test drive for dinner and he has since conked out and not bugged me once! :) Opal had already had dinner by the time I finished it, so she'll get her chance tomorrow. Also ordered some (sun dried, non chemically treated) rawhides and other good special chew treats for her. Bully sticks make her sick, sadly! We'll have to figure out some things she can have.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
User avatar
Nettle
Posts: 10753
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:40 pm

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

Post by Nettle »

Unhappy news, Erica, but she is so lucky that you will be making her convalescence as fulfilling as you can. I hope she heals well.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
MPbandmom
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:18 pm

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

Post by MPbandmom »

Happy news Nettle with your client! :D

I have been wanting to make a snuffle mat but have yet to find a suitable base as described in a video which I saw.

Sirius had a pretty amazing walk tonight. She has been on what is intended to be her regular dosage of medication for about a week now. It is about three weeks since starting with a lower dose for the first two weeks. We are having some challenges with getting the medicine into her and she has stopped eating breakfast. We were giving the med in the morning but have switched to evening as she needs to take it with food. The loss of appetite is not unexpected and should resolve on it's own in about two weeks.

But back to our walk. Fairly early on our walk, we spotted a black, mid-sized dog on the other side of the street travelling in the opposite direction to what we were. He was walking along sniffing and minding his own business with his owners one of whom was in a wheelchair. Sirius was obviously aware of the presence of the dog as she glanced in his direction a few times, but that was the extent of her reaction to his presence. She would glance, go back to sniffing, then a little while later glance again and so on until he was a few car lengths behind her.

We entered the park and there was a smallish medium sized dog standing up on the hill by a ball field barking at her. Not what I would consider an aggressive junk yard dog bark, but more the kind of bark that Sky will sometimes do towards dogs on the other side of the street. More of a calling out to. I translate it into Hey.....Hey there.....Hello.....Hey. Sirius looked at the dog, but did not respond at all.

She did whine a bit as we passed the house with the multiple small yappers. There were a few rather noisy vehicles that passed us while we were on the sidewalk and she looked at them, but made no move to charge at them.

In fact, the only blip we had was encountering a husky that lives a little ways up our street now. We encountered her a few days ago and I dodged into the church parking lot and went to the far end. This time, the husky was the one who took to the parking lot when we approached as they reached it first. They dodged and vanished behind a church van parked in the lot beside the sidewalk. As long as the van was blocking them from our sight all was fine. Unfortunately, when I was able to see them again, I saw that they had stopped and were standing in front of the van. So did Sirius and things were not so fine. There was grumbling and lunging. I had Sirius's leash held short, so she didn't have much room to lunge and as soon as we got far enough away from the van for the husky to get past, they scooted on by. Three lunges and grumbles and that was the end of it, but the husky had been way too close for comfort.
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
JudyN
Posts: 7018
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Dorset, UK
Contact:

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

Post by JudyN »

Talk about contrary...

Generally, Jasper is fine with people coming to the house: postman, parcel delivery, grocery delivery - he doesn't bat an eyelid. So why is it, when his raw food is delivered, he bark and growls the minute the man walks up the drive? This should be one of his favourite people in the world!

I'm assuming it's connected to the fact that he refuses to go in their shop, though it ought to be an Aladdin's Cave of wonderous things. He's a strange hound :wink:
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Post Reply