Archive for June, 2008

Buddy Boy Got His Mom Back…by Auntie Lisa

June 30, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , ,

BB nibbling a baby, 25 wks. He and Mom on one side of the barrier, Kenai and I on the other. 

BB’s relations with Mom have very much improved! She’s been affectionate, patient and encouraging for several days now, and Beebs has definitely responded. Even his reactivity to Emily is much reduced, since Mom started doing the “look at me” and “look at that” games with him. The book “Control Unleashed” has been a godsend!

She had in her head that she couldn’t “fix” BB’s timid behaviors, but I finally got her to just try getting BB to look at her when she called his name. Thursday night he took to looking at her so fast and so well when his name was called she saw just how easy he is to work with.

So when my 2 year old niece came this weekend, she was religious about the look at me. Saturday afternoon, he hardly even noticed when she came into the kitchen with them. He just automatically looked at Mom for his treats and affection!

Sunday she slipped a bit in the patience department: she didn’t take him outside for exercise all day, and needless to say he was restless and hard of hearing. He was continually trying to get his brother to play over the expen, and they were both getting in trouble for fence fighting. Ooops. She didn’t take him outside to play, and it showed.

That’s one thing you can’t neglect with dogs: exercise. They have built into them the need to run, to explore, and be a part of the natural world. They live in the human world, but the need is still there for being outside. Provide for that need and they are much less frustrated, and less frustrating to us in return.

Kudos to Mom though, for the turnaround in her approach and interaction with the Beebster! He’s loving it, that’s for sure. She has to go to her own PT today, and I hope she leaves herself enough energy to get BB out to play. Hope and pray she doesn’t fall back into ‘the dishes are more important’ mode during the week.

If Mom continues with the look at me games and the look at that games during the week, then Emily’s appearance for weekend number 11 (so much for “temporary”) is likely to be much less distressing for BB.

I also have to work on his “watch this” game I’ve started. BB’s watch this game is what I use to teach him that staying on his bed and being quiet when someone approaches and touches Mom will get him a reward. It’s much harder for him!

He has a protectiveness and possessiveness of Mom, which we need to stop. It is part of an overall relaxation protocol: if he stays quietly while Mom gets attention, he then gets attention and treats. “Watch this” game = get me some love because I wait. It teaches a dog self control.

At the start, I give him the attention while Mom is playing with Emily, but slowly I take longer and longer to get over to him. And when Mom is done playing with Em, she goes over and loves on the boy.

BB’s physical therapy…his progress is stalled, for lack of effort on Mom’s part. The best I can manage for him is occasional work. I tried for about 4 days to provide all his exercise, training, and PT on top of Kenai’s. It was too much for me: I wound up nearly incapacitated all weekend.

The extra hour and a half that BB required was more than I could add to the 5 hours or so of time I spend working with Kenai: his considerable exercise times, interactive play, training, and outings. Kenai was getting short changed all week because my strength was giving out. I can’t do that to him. Or myself.

But I can encourage Mom! She’s seen the fast response BB has to her attentions, and I can help her calm down when he frustrates her. We’ll work on showing her how much fun it is to watch BB play outside, and hopefully that will become a bright spot in her day! I know it is mine, when I have the energy to do it.

The pic has BB in what looks like puppy prison—we are still separating the two boys. Our efforts on their ability to behave nicely together is a bit shoved back. Getting BB’s reactivity reduced is more important, and when he’s solid on look at me and look at that games, we’ll begin teaching him to come when called. Kenai’s pretty solid with recall, but BB hasn’t started it yet.

When both pups can be called to come, even when they’re in the midst of the toy stealing and butt biting, we won’t really need the pen to separate them as much. If you take on too many points of training focus, you wind up exhausted and ineffective. So focusing on nothing more than 2 things at a time is the way to go.

So on the PT and littermate interaction fronts, we’re paused. But BB’s relationship with Mom is stabilizing, and his reactivity is reducing! I’m happy with that. So it BB. A little at a time still gets-r-done!  

 

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BB wants to play…by Auntie Lisa

June 26, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized

BB says I’m tired, 25 wks old.

BB has had himself a tough few days, with his Mom being sick. She was so laid out, she couldn’t even get off the couch, really. So for three days, Auntie Lisa fed, played, trained, and exercised both boys. Oy, they were killing me! Chronic fatigue is a vengeful illness. On day four Mom was feeling better, so Beebs food and potty requirements went back to her, like it or not.

He doesn’t like it when Mom’s sick–he’s started peeing on his bed again, even after being out. Aw, poor guy. She’s extra cranky with him, and I can’t be there all day to play with him. So he’ll be glad when Mom is better. Better be soon, because God help me, the weekend insanity begins tomorrow night. Emily’s coming.

That means I need to find strength for the extra vigilance and re-training of BB, with a 2 year old around. As well as manage my own pup’s behavior and training. Weekends require lots of outdoor time to burn it all off, for both of them. Week number 10 of this…let’s hope I don’t catch the bug Em brought with her last weekend, or whatever she’ll bring this weekend. If I go down, the whole place goes to chaos.

BB’s physical therapy hasn’t been done, which is something I have to start doing myself. He’s stiff from the lack of normal moving around, and we’re losing a bit of ground with him using the four legs independently. Can’t let that go on. Gotta get him going more. I wonder if I could combine his outdoor play and PT, waiting for him to lay down, then moving the legs around?

Bless his furry heart, it is so difficult for him to run around and play. But off he goes to do it. It keeps him happy, and relaxed. His favorite thing is to grab a stick and carry it around while we wander. I should do some “puppy school” stuff with him outside too–extend the amount of time he gets to be in the sunshine and soft grass. How I wish Kenai’s exercise didn’t take so much of my energy!

Beebs is so much fun to watch play, awkward or not. His gait is something out of a monster movie, but his huge charisma overshadows that! He’s a hoot, carrying around his stick, tossing it up in the air, chasing it down when I toss it. It doesn’t take much to keep him happy.

He loves getting attention, playing a little tuggie game, and earning his treats too. He wants so badly to horse around with his brother. I’m starting to let them interact more, but those darned teeth are the first response. Nippy bitey games from way too much excitement about being around each other. I’ve got to figure out a way for them to be less rambunctious. Can’t keep them seperated by an expen their whole lives.

But one or two things at a time! With the weekend coming up, it’s BB’s look at that game to learn not to react to Em and somehow keeping the two boys exercised enough to be calm. If I try working on too many things, I get overloaded, and the boys do too. What’s that saying, “Keep it simple, stupid”?

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Puppy Therapy…by Auntie Lisa

June 23, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , ,

Oh how I love my playtime in the field!! BB, 24 wks old

BB is such an easy puppy to satisfy. Two or three 10 minute exploring sessions in the field is all it takes. He gets tired fast, having to work so hard at running about. But he enjoys it immeasurably, getting all bright eyed and content. Puppy play is just as satisfying to the human, too, if you let it be.

Puppies can make you want to crawl out of your hide with frustration, but if you let it go and play with them, you wind up with a lingering sense of joy and fun. Dogs “live in the moment”. They don’t think about having just gotten in trouble, or whether or not you’ll give them a new bone in the morning. It’s all about will you play with me right now. 

Dogs live for right now, for what’s right in front of their nose. And they will find a way to have fun everytime. That lack of rational thought is why they are so much more trainable than we are! Oh they problem solve, no doubt, but they don’t think about later or go over memories that might have been good or not good. I have yet to meet a dog who mulls over how much they don’t like what someone just did to them, and plan to bite them next time!

They don’t decide ahead of time how they will respond, as we do. Dogs simply react, according to habits set by past experience. Give them different experiences, and the reactions change. We have a tendency to hold onto the bad stuff, no matter how much good stuff we add into the equation.

Lord, how I wish I could do that! One of the best things about our little people whispering BB is he has a magic way of getting people into his fun. I always come back with a relaxed, joyful energy after playing with BB! I don’t even see his withered back end, caught up in his huge personality and bright eyes. I mean, look at that pic above and tell me it didn’t make you smile! 

“A closed fist cannot take hold of an offered gift…”

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BB learns a new game…by Auntie Lisa

June 21, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , ,

BB gets a romp in the field with Auntie Lisa, 24 wks old

After last weekend, I’ve decided to work on BB’s problem with Emily, myself. My 2 year old neice thoroughly freaks him out, and he’s bitten/snapped at her 3 times in 2 weekends. Waiting for Mom to get on it could get bloody. I guess I’ve given in, taking over when Mom does nothing, but considering how dangerous the situation could become, somebody needs to work on it.

I’ve sworn up and down I wasn’t going to be responsible for BB too, having all I can handle with my own puppy’s training and exercise. Mom promised when we got them she would do whatever BB needed. Hasn’t worked out that way. I just knew I’d wind up doing it, darn it. But a fearful, snapping puppy and a 2 year old who won’t leave him alone is not a good mix…

BB is most reactive when Emily runs, which children are liable to do. That and anyone going near Mom. But even the sound of her voice, or her running in another room will cause him to become visibly tense. And he’s not getting enough exercise to help him burn off his anxious energy. Taking care of that is very hard for me: my healthy guy runs me ragged. But a romp keeps BB quieter and more calm. So I took him out. It hurt too.

Along with exercise, BB is getting himself some fancy puppy training: the word “shush”, and a game called “look at that” from the book “Control Unleashed”. He can look at Emily, but then he is supposed to look back at me. With ample treats, and his natural inclination to look at a person’s face, BB is a whiz at this game! I wish he’d teach Kenai to look at me…

“Look at that”, or LAT, reconditions a dog to glance at what disturbs him, but to return their focus to the handler. It is originally intended for competition dogs, like those in agility or obedience trials. But it is working wonders with BB’s reactivity at home.

Last night, as soon as Emily came through that door for her weekend with my brother, she headed straight for BB’s expen, her Dad no where in sight. I got there about the same time she started tossing his toys from the toy box into his pen, and if I had to tell her a 3rd time not to, I was going to scold her. But she stopped. Ready for a fit, but she stopped.

I’ve caught her deliberately hitting him with toys and balls when she’s throwing them, and he’s tried both hiding on the other side of the pen and snapping at her too. Once he yanked her hair for it –way too close to the face for comfort. I wonder if my brother doesn’t realize that eventually a fearful dog being tormented won’t snap, but attack. He doesn’t seem to get it…

I redirected Em (works for puppies, why not small children?), sending her to Mom for some Grammy hugs, and stood by BB’s pen with a whole handful of treats. He could look, but then look back for a “good BB” and a treat. Any noise he made got a “shush”, and after a moment or two of quiet, another “good BB” and a treat.

At the same time, I’m getting my puppy Kenai to hold his stay on the couch. Considering his brother was getting treats, he had no problem holding focus on me! “Mom! Those are my treats!” kinda thing. Kenai does very well with Em, and she is allowed to gently play with him since he’s so careful with her.

I needed eyes in the back of my head! But it worked, that time anyway. The problem with kids is they move fast. When Em was ready for bed, she came charging in the living room to say good night to us, and BB was out on the couch next to Mom. Whoa, he lunged, barking with wild eyes.

It’s not outright aggressiveness, it’s a fear reaction: her running directly at him and Mom is threatening to a timid dog. His intention is to scare her off, but she doesn’t know not to do that. She’s only 2 so she is far too young to understand what she is supposed to do and not do. It’s up to us (me) to re-train the Beebs.

Mom grabbed his collar, while I grabbed Kenai, who was looking around for the sabre tooth tigers that had BB in an uproar. He is protective of his bro, but doesn’t always know what’s got his brother in a tizzy…he runs to the sliding glass door and looks around. Unfortunately, BB has my Kenai barking and running about now too, sort of confused. That’s the drawback to multiple dogs: bad habits rub off.

Anyway, Kenai in a stay, I got busy with the “Look at that” and treats. BB settled right down. But I still have to insist that Mike control his daughter, or she could get hurt before anyone has a chance to stop it, ya know? If Mom had been sleeping, there’s no way I could have crossed the room in time to stop a bite.

Every time she sets BB off, it reinforces his reaction. I need some warning when she’s coming so I can use it as an opportunity to re-train instead of settling him down after the reaction. He responds extraordinarily well to training, but ending his reactivity won’t be a one weekend shot.

It’ll take time and practice. This level of reaction has taken 9 weeks to develop. But at least I know the LAT game works for BB! Hopefully my brother will get his own place so we don’t have to work on it as much. But I doubt he will until Mom kicks him out. In the meantime, I have an effective strategy for the Beebs. 

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BB goes splat…by Auntie Lisa

June 19, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized

The “Brothers Grin” (Kenai with taped ears, BB with natural ears), 24 weeks old. “How come this end of the couch shrunk? We used to both fit here…”

You moved my furniture!! That’s the outcry in BB land, perturbed by the change in his living room. You can just see the edge of the crate on the left: that’s for big bro Kenai once a bed gets made for it (I’m working on it). I’m tired of the two fussing about who sleeps in the curve of the sectional, so I seperated the ends and put the crate between them. No curve to fuss over.

BB is so bent out of shape about the re-arrangement that he won’t get on his side of the couch!! He’d rather lay on his mattress, even with the expen open. Not until Kenai got up there by Mom did BB decide he wanted up too. Tough luck, toots, the crate stays…

We took both pups out yesterday, and it’s getting to be a tight fit for Beebs in the hatch area. We’re just about to the point of having to go in seperate cars, with the boys getting so big now. But together we went, first to the puppy store for the necessary stuff and the not so necessary stuff too.

BB loves that puppy store. I mean he LOVES that puppy store. He gets to pick out a toy for himself, just one, that goes in his expen, and he doesn’t have to let Kenai play with it. He gets to play all he wants there, and he gets to choose between this training treat and that training treat. Does it get better than that for a pup?

He also loves the attention he gets at the puppy store. While we were there, though, a young girl came in who was instantly afraid of the two guys. Anything bigger than a toy dog scares her, despite her Mom’s best efforts. Kenai did an immediate down, and tried to ooch a little closer. He even waved a paw at her, to no avail.

BB reacted the way I would expect a timid pup to react to a fearful child: he barked. Only once, because our funny bananna butt is learning how to “shush”. All the same, even happy, well mannered Kenai couldn’t convice the little girl not to be scared. They left shortly. 

With the food and toys in the car (getting even tighter to fit), we headed off to a grill that has an outdoor eating area. BB was in such a hurry to get out that he didn’t wait for help. I heard him hit ground… he dropped some 3 feet to the pavement, landing squarely on his good side hip. He didn’t cry, and got right up, but you know that had to hurt. I almost decided to put him back and head home, but he didn’t show any pain.

For some reason the owner almost gave us a hard time, since they weren’t tiny anymore. We dutifully sat in the corner, but the attitude sort of left a bad taste in my mouth. The boys were so very good. BB didn’t even bark at anyone, all chilled on his bed, with big brother beside him. They didn’t do anything but grow a little, what’s the big deal?

Four ladies came and asked to pet them, and they soaked up the love. BB’s soft, natural ears and gimpy hindquarters always gets him some love! Those big eyes just steal your heart, every time. I was glad somebody wasn’t freaked out about their size… I’m sure Danes don’t understand why people are afraid of them. It’s not like they’re serial killers or something, just a little bigger than most dogs.

I can understand being a uncertain of a large dog that is loose and unsupervised. I would hesitate to go near a dog without it’s owner, or that was showing the wrong kind of energy. But two puppies, leashed, obedient, and one with a service dog vest? Heck, they behave better than most people’s kids!

Anyway, we finished up and headed home for a nap. BB was sore, shifting around on his bed, and not too comfortable, so I gave him a pain pill. He slept like a log, and woke up feeling a little better. Poor kiddo went splat awfully hard on that concrete. We didn’t bother him with his PT, and let him sleep off his pill. Gotta rest up from the thud.  

Today he’ll be in his pen until Mom comes home, so that’s 5 or 6 hours to relax. Unfortunately that’s also 5 or 6 hours to stiffen up. But if the two knuckleheads don’t give me much trouble, I’ll take Beebs out for a small wander through the field and a bit of play time. He’ll enjoy that a bunch.

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Soggy Bottom Boys…by BB’s Auntie Lisa

June 16, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , ,

BB and his built in sun visor, 23 wks old

Well it’s finally happened: the boys had their first all out, lathered up, water pouring bath! It’s almost a good thing that BB is less mobile, since he’s more reactive! Big brother Kenai didn’t like the sound of the sopping washcloth coming to get him wet, but he mostly stood still. I figured that’d be more pleasant than dumping the bucket over him. Less likely to cause a sprint towards the woods, too. Kenai done, it was BB’s turn.

BB was tolerating none of it gracefully, happy voice and treats notwithstanding. He wobbled around while I soaped him up, and wobbled farther and faster when I tried rinsing with the washcloth. Finally in mercy, I just poured the water straight out of the bucket to get it done for him in two seconds. It was over faster, and we could move on the actually fun stuff: drying off games called “shiney up the puppy”.

“Shiney up the puppy” involves large towels they can play with while I dry them off. I let them nip and pull the corners of it, and generally enjoy themselves while I rub and buff our little buff beauties. They can do the goofy dance, the flamingo step, the slide, the mashed potato, and any other funny little wiggle they want, so long as they stay in the general area. No running off allowed, but the moonwalk is fine.

I didn’t wet their faces, though a baby wipe for the smelly ears did the job once they came inside. That was more indignity than BB could endure apparently. Holy smokes, you’d think I was the warden of a concentration camp, the way he complained at me. He got my guy started too. It was so bad, (hilarious), I had to take them each for a romp in the field! Grumbles, swats, and mouthy mutts finally gave way to happy trails and tails. Then a nap.

BB’s after-bath hide out, 23 wks

Their afternoon outing to the ice cream store with Mom and I ended with them splitting a cup of puppy frozen yogurt. It’s made for dogs, and they prefer the peanut butter flavor to even the tiny taste I gave them of my chocolate shake. Just as well, it’s better for them. You could coat hideous tasting Chinese herbs with peanut butter and they’d eat them…

Licking the spoon was taking forever, so I dropped one spoonful at a time in each food bowl. It took long enough for them to think they were getting tons of goodies, and fast enough for my tired feet to endure. I love it when a plan works out for the best!

It was a mostly good day, having only a little trouble between the boys in the evening on the couch. I call it the daily couch crap. It’s up and down, after your toys, bite your butt, pick a fight sort of nonsense.

I should have quarantined the two when the restless stuff started or taken BB for a run, but I foolishly didn’t. Exercising Kenai is all I can handle, really. BB’s play is up to Mom: unfortunately, she hates walking him and he has more energy than my toodles. He was the instigator of the final tooth tussle of the evening. A hard scolding for both and BB in his expen settled it.

The two toothy warriors got back together later in the evening while I waited to feed Kenai for the last time. No foolishness tolerated, either. You go to sleep over there, you go to sleep over here. By 9:30 pm that works, because they’re really sleepy and just want to go nite-nite. They’re still little babies…

In case you’re wondering about the title of the post, Soggy Bottom Boys—aside from the obvious bath times, there’s a music group called “The Foggy River Boys”. I liked the play on words. I liked the crinkled ears and cheeky complaints too. They were downright impolite about it all… that’s my boys, the Brother’s Grin, making “music” of their own!

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BB the International Celebrity…by Auntie Lisa

June 12, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , ,

 BB, 23 wks

Young master BB had his check up at the University of Missouri yesterday and it’s all good news for him. X-rays show the bones are fully healed, and there is no more deformity from the 1 ½ inches he’s grown in the past month! That is a miracle… Structurally, BB’s leg is sound, so it’s out of the pen and back to running about like a goofy puppy.

Come to find out, our little Beebster is an international celebrity: Dr. Fox presented his case at a Veterinary conference for angular limb deformities last week in Italy. No one thought his leg could be fixed, and were astounded that BB is now walking and bearing weight on his repaired leg. The little boy made a splash, that’s for sure. I’m just glad we didn’t have to take him for show and tell! That’s a really long flight…

Dr. Fox is over the moon about his progress and the lack of more bone changes as he’s grown. We told him, of course, about not following his directions for BB’s physical therapy, and he just didn’t care at all, since we’ve found what works. Treating BB like a stroke patient has really paid off: 1) moving the hind legs separately while he’s laying down, 2) making him push with the repaired leg to get up, 3) the “touch footie” game, 4) the frequent walks, and the 5) Tellington Touch are rebuilding the neural connections in his brain.

The rolling over of the foot as he walks is nerve damage from the surgery, but according to Dr. Fox, since BB is young and still growing, the nerves in the foot will repair or even replace themselves and be good as new soon. We’ve also been concerned about the state of his other hind leg, since he splays it out very badly to hold all that weight in the back. Doc says the sooner he uses his repaired leg normally, the sooner the old leg will be used normally as well.

With his bones fully healed, BB gets a clean bill to run and play. So it’s lots of exercise time for our stinker boy, now up to 60 pounds. If you walk BB fast, and he gets in a hurry, he will use his hind legs independently for a short time. And if you really aggravate him while he’s laying down, he forgets himself and tries shoving you away with all FOUR feet. I think we will try supporting him under the belly and lifting up his good leg to make the repaired leg hold his weight while standing. Talk about the unroyal treatment!

And next is lighting a fire under the pool guy’s shorts!! Can you faithful prayer folks pray we get a break from the rain and storms? Not a drought, please, but enough dry weather to get that darn pool done. At this rate, it’ll be July sometime before it’s ready to use. Swimming is the absolute best exercise for BB’s physical therapy: puppy paddles will be a new experience, and he never learned how to three leg paddle. So he’ll naturally use all four legs.

I’m thinking if Mom gets the little sweet brat enough exercise, and builds his stamina up, he could go to puppy obedience class soon. He really could use the socialization to mitigate his timidity, and Mom could use the instruction on how to work with him too. BB’s a lot higher energy and excitement than she’s ever had in a pup before, a lot more reactive, and it’s good for her! Hard, but good for forcing her out of the helpless old lady persona she’s trying to live in. Maybe the excellent veterinary report will inspire Mom to get him moving, and herself in the process.

What a boy… he’s sweet, he’s fun, he’s spoiled rotten enough to try bossing around his much bigger littermate…All in all, BB is a brat! But we love him by the bucketful, and with a little training he’ll settle down behaviorally. I still see that image of him running through the field with all the power and grace that Great Danes possess! He’ll get there.

 

 

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Attitudes for Dog Owners…by Auntie Lisa

June 8, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , ,

 A peaceful moment with the Brother’s Grin, 5 months old

Reading another blog that had a list of dog owner habits inspired me to write one myself. It is so easy to forget that dogs are a totally different creature from humans. There are things besides food and water that they need from us, and we need from them.

Patience: It’s alot more than a virtue, it’s a necessity. We get in such a hurry, don’t we? Hurry up and potty, I’ve got things to do…You know better than that, how many times to I have to tell you to leave the trash alone…I can’t play, I’m making dinner…I said stay! 

When it comes to dogs and puppies, it takes as long as it takes. They learn as fast as they learn. And they don’t understand the concept of living by a dayplanner. Clocks are just things that click and ding.

Getting irritable with a dog makes them anxious. Ever had a boss that rode your back every day, about every little thing? It’s no fun, and you wish you didn’t have to go to work. 

Awareness: Your feelings go straight into your puppy’s observant eyes, and they react to it. If you are upset, they get upset. If you are happy, they are happy. If you don’t want to be bothered with them, they know it and are sad. Anyone who’s ever tried to walk a dog just to get it over with knows that neither one of you enjoyed it.

Often behavior we don’t understand comes from not being aware of what the dog is feeling. We scold a puppy who chews up their crate instead of teaching them it’s okay to be alone for awhile. We get even madder when the dog plays runaway instead of coming when we’re ticked off at him.

Awareness is sorely missing today because we don’t allow ourselves the time to feel our feelings, or just watch and interact with our dogs. We’re too busy, if our to-do list has replaced knowing ourselves and the creatures that have chosen to befriend us.

Acceptance: We all want to be accepted for who we are, overlooking our flaws and enjoying our good points. Sometimes that gets lost when we look at our dogs. We wanted a quiet puppy, but the one we have is energetic and nosey. We bought a dog for agility trials, but the dog isn’t interested. We feel like having a good nap, but the dog wants to play. Without even knowing it, our best friend means less to us for not fitting the image of what we want them to be.

If we want a companion, we must be a companion in return. A companion dog is one that has your time, your attention, your play. A companion isn’t just somebody hanging around waiting for you to fill his food bowl. He is loved and accepted as irreplacable for what he gives us, not what we want from him. He will be a part of your activities, your family, and will have had room made for his personality in our hearts.

Approach: If we are aware of ourselves and our dogs, if we have accepted them, then they teach us how best to approach their training and living with us. Some dogs need alot of gentleness, and others need more firmness to coexist with us. Yelling at a sensitive dog will injure their trust in you, where a stubborn dog might let it roll off his back.

Approaching our dogs should be done with respect for them as living creatures, and with an understanding of how we affect them. As a rule, dogs will respond best to an emotionally stable and confident person. Patience, enouragement, and training build a bond of trust and respect.

Joy: Joy is the currency of life in the dog world. It is why they play with a rock as happily as a $20 toy. It isn’t about the toy, it’s about the joy of being alive and being loved. If your dog’s eyes are sad or dull, pick up your own mood and let the dishes sit in the sink. Have yourselves a good long playtime. The joy will carry over…

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Spoiled Baby Need Uncomfortable…by Auntie Lisa

June 3, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized

BB going for a morning walk under the trees, 22 wks old

The physical therapist gave us some great ideas for BB’s rehab. We are using a theraputic touch called Tellington Touch to stimulate his brains neurons to remember that there is a fourth let there, and it is there to be used. Right now his brain thinks it’s an appendage he has to drag around. So we’re messing with his parts!

Also, we are putting his body in uncomfortable positions where he has to use the leg. He gets rolled on his back, and has to use the repaired leg to right himself. He gets squished against the couch and his bed so he has to use it to push back or stand up. We make him uncomfortable so he has to figure out what to do.

He’s gotten so much bigger that his old habit of 3-legged stair climbing doesn’t work anymore, so he has to put the foot down to get up the porch stairs to the door. And when he’s laying down, I walk over and move his back legs: this one goes forward, that one goes backward.

Poor kid, he’s getting the unroyal treatment! He is terribly spoiled, and it’s starting to turn nasty. He claws and bites at his brother every chance he gets, and he’s been getting put in his place when he does it to me. Mom settles his hash on a regular basis too.

He’s got so much “inner puppy” energy that a cautious quiet walk can’t take care of. Mom walks him on gravel and concrete, and where the grass is short because she’s so scared of snakes and ticks. She takes him once a day or maybe twice. She’s going to have to up the duration and frequency. He’s a higher energy pup than mine, with less abilty to burn it off.

Me not scared of ticks! I wander his puppy butt through that field and it not only burns off the physical energy, but the emotional energy too. So I pick some ticks, whoopie. Fact of life. Frontline isn’t enough this year to repel them, but it does kill them. I have a natural repellant spray I can use too.

BB gets to be explorer puppy in the tall grass, he gets to pounce on blowing leaves, he carries around his sticks…just generally being a goofy boy outside is my recipe for less snotty boy inside. Auntie Lisa don’t just tire him, I wear him out and satisfy the curious puppy in him. He’s such a happy little pup, and all he needs is some fun.

He is slllloooowwwwwllllyyyy starting to use his leg more and more for weight bearing. Just today he used his back legs seperately a couple times. God I hope the pool guys get it in gear. With a life vest, if BB gets tired he can just hang. Heck that might be good for him too, letting the other legs stretch and relax. POOL GUYS–GET BUSY!

Mom gets so discouraged sometimes, and I’m often reminding her how far he’s come. We’ve had him home 10 days, and he’s gone from hiking his leg 6″ off the ground to the beginnings of using them seperately. He’s coming along really well, even if it is slower than we’d want. Right away doesn’t always happen with dogs: it takes as long as it takes.

So the spoilage is over for our Bananna Butt (it curves from the fractured pelvis). He gets the rumpus and botheration, poor kiddo. But it’s good for him, and gives us a laugh or two as well. He’s so expressive, the eyes and ears can talk. So can the near toothless mouth, our teething puppy. He got some diva going on at times. He can complain with the best of them!

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