The dog musing/vent thread

Mia is being really bizarre this afternoon. I got home early which is awesome. My boss snuck around to tell us to leave.

But... I've been home since around 3:30 and she's CONTINUOUSLY asking to be let out. It's hot outside- upper 80s. So I'm hesitant because of her heat tolerance issues. But she's asking constantly, whining and barking and standing by the door. When I let her outside for a while she will not come indoors at all.

WTF is this? This is weird for her. Usually if I'm not outside with them, she's begging to go back inside.

I guess she's bored?

Another interesting fact about my dogs: recalls are better at the dog park than they are at... regular, no distraction parks.
Because they like to be backwards, I guess.

And I'm kind of concerned that Cajun decided to go to bed for the night at 6pm. I feel like this means she's going to be awake way too early in the morning.

I'm snuggling in bed with a GSD mix and a Lab mix. While they're stress-shedding all over my freshly washed bedding. Oh, and drooling. There's drooling. On the sheets. And me.

THIS IS TRUE LOVE, YA'LL.

I'm looking back on posts I posted two years ago on a dog forum I used to frequent. Ahhh, how ignorant was I.

Sooo, power was out on almost the whole block when I got home last night from hanging out and poor Nina :S It'd been too hot to exercise her before I left the house, so she was all strung once took her out for a night walk.

Ran into a friend from across the street with her dog and we ended up going on a nightwalk together. A few of her friends started trying to freak us out hiding under a bush overhang on the next block over but then the dogs could kind of see them and starting growling and barking (Nina didn't bark until they actually were standing with us talking, late to the party much?), but she got excited knowing someone was in the dark across the street being weird At least they were friendly.

Last night was...interesting, and fun. The whole day was.

This is going to be Abrams first fourth of July as not a wee baby puppy. Last night, at two in the morning, someone was shooting off fireworks and every time there would be a pop/boom he'd growl under his breath and woof. :rofl1: Stupid dog.

Fireworks are popping off every five minutes (despite being against the neighborhood's rules) and Crystal's hiding in a corner. Great.

Good gosh I lucked out - this dog is bombproof.

She gives no barks about the fireworks. I was wondering if it'd be the same as when she hears thunder - unless it's a crack that makes the house shake, she literally just doesn't care (of course if the house shakes, she assumes it's an intruder and does lame things like chew her tether >.>). And these fireworks are maybe just a block away. She blinks at me and goes back to sleep.

I'm pleasantly surprised, my fearful foster boy isn't bothered by the fireworks going off in the neighborhood. They set off mortars earlier tonight, still hearing some random pops right now and he's doing fine. Thunderstorms are scary but fireworks, no big deal.

I thought I was going to be lucky this year, Pig got a little spooked when neighbors were setting off little fireworks but she recovered quickly and then didn't really react at all to the rest of them. Annnnd then the big firework show started. She was squishing herself between my legs and the counter or the oven the whole time I was cooking. If there wasn't anything to squeeze between she would just press against me as hard as she could or go between my legs.

Luckily the boys couldn't care less about it. Although Badger was wondering what the hell Pig was so concerned about a few times.

After four hours, Abrams has finally decided that fireworks are not being shot off by murderous people intent on breaching our fence and killing us. Good boy.

Neither Bubba nor Zobby care at all about fireworks. Cool.

My dog is awesome. Our guests brought their bratty, under socialized Doxie to our house... without telling us at all. And even though we did a long intro walk, this little dog kept coming after Roxie (and then getting sent to the deck or inside the house). EVERY time, Roxie would react but would go straight back to 0 in a split second.

Good girl, Roxie. Obviously Roxie was kept on leash, but several times Sammy's people would bring her around off leash. They did finally keep her on leash, but still Sammy would come flying and screaming at Roxie... no matter how far away Sammy was. So Sammy spent a lot of time on the deck.

I'm really happy with Roxie's progress on her dislike of other dogs. A month ago, it would have taken much longer for Roxie to back off and calm down (if she would even back off at all). So while I'm pissed that they brought a dog that obviously doesn't get along with other dogs to the house, at least it was a good training/reinforcing opportunity. And now I know that it is possible for Roxie to do well around other dogs.

Also, Roxie was awesome with the fireworks We had some at the house this year, and Roxie did really great. Oh, and I got her to climb a ladder. :yikes: Didn't get to tape it, but she frickin climbed a ladder. Can I just have this dog for all eternity please?

So here's the dilemma: I found a place that sells Primal premade raw. Mia has ALWAYS done best on raw. I just don't have the resources to balance it or store much of it. She does not like Stella an Chewy's. Instinct we haven't tried. Those are about all I can get close by. The primal store is 45 mins away approx.

Worth it? I mean... there's good kibbles available 5 mins away.

I was down there for a nosework thing a few weeks ago and picked up a primal starter pack and she loves it. Eats it right up. She needs to stay trim because of health and she trimmed up nicely last time she was on 100% raw.

I think... I'm going to have to. Maybe we can make a trip of it every other week or something.

Expensive dog.

Have you tried ordering online? There are lots of places that sell frozen commercial raw and ship. I've never done it personally, so I don't know how the shipping works with the coolers and everything, but I think I remember someone on here that said they ordered Primal online? Fran, maybe?

Otherwise Primal's freeze-dried formulas are pretty much the same thing, minus the water...you could always do half raw/half freeze-dried so you can stock up less often if freezer-space is an issue.

I agree, 45mins is a bit of a drive.

Ugh, Feedback Loop got feedback looped by a squirrel that ran down the fence and over the garage, and started trotting laps around and around and around the yard pausing every so often where it disappeared. He just wouldn't stop, and I was sitting in the shade reading so I didn't completely realize how humid it was or how long he'd been doing it and I really let it go on too long. Nothing dangerous, he's fine, but definitely got a little bit overheated.

Worst feeling.

Poop bag dispensers are the most annoying thing ever. Cajun is the first dog I've had that poops on walks. Seriously. So I thought well, I should probably enter this part of dog ownership and attach some stupid bags to the leash. But it's so bulky and awkward and like constantly swings into her as we walk lol.

She had better poop on ALL the walks now that I am subjecting myself to this!

Summer is acting really off today and its gotten me worrying. Just very ho hum. First I thought it was that she finds rally boring or it was the heat but at the pet store she didn't even look at people or try to jump on the counter to get the cookies...

I always worry with her since she's older.

I feel so sketchy at parks with Elsie lately. She's so cheerful and well behaved, and people like watching her work, which is fine, but I don't want to interact with people!

Last night, we were working on heeling, and this family sat on a bench watching, and their toddler was enthralled, which was so cute. Then we finished, and we started to leave, and the dad stood up and said, "Okay hon, NOW we can go see," and started walking towards me with the kid, so Elsie and I basically bolted to the car, pretending I didn't see the guy.

I know that's antisocial and rude, but Elsie doesn't really like saying hi to strangers, and I really don't like saying hi to strangers, so...

It makes me feel like a monster though.

No, Mr. Nutro Rep, Greenies are not going to fix my dog's plaque build up. He needs a dental, not treats. I also don't appreciate your comment about him moving into "assisted living" when I tell you he's 8, especially when you just guessed 4-5 and can see what good shape he's in.

Sigh. I love our Pro Plan rep. Guess you can't win them all.