The dog musing/vent thread
- Thread starter Laurelin
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This is how Gavroche is. The smoke detector makes it "low battery" beep every couple months, and ALWAYS in the middle of the night - and he ends up sitting on my face shaking and panting 
He's also terrified of ANY flames, even a lighter or matches. It makes me wonder if he was in a fire before I got him. I'm glad he doesn't hide, but still, it makes me feel so bad that he's so terrified
He's also terrified of ANY flames, even a lighter or matches. It makes me wonder if he was in a fire before I got him. I'm glad he doesn't hide, but still, it makes me feel so bad that he's so terrified 
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This dog never fails to make me laugh
by Jazzy The siberian, on Flickr
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Boy dogs are disgusting. lol Talon is like that with Art, it's disgusting! I keep redirecting when he starts going near, but it's only barely declining the behavior. How old is Jari again? Talon's around 19months so I don't think it's going to end *cries*
Class went great! We did a "gauntlet" thing were basically Talon had to stay with me as we walked through a "hallway" and back full of dogs on either side all playing with toys or moving from side to side fast and one dog that moved across his path. Both of which are big triggers for him, but he did great, barely looked at the dogs! ^_^ The gauntlet changed for each dog, so that was kind of fun as well.
Also, Talon's instructor approached us after class to see if we wanted to participate in her private class afterwards. It was a BAT training session with a dog that was in Talon's previous class and the instructor thought Talon would be a great dog to work with and she's noted I had great control/communication with him and knew when he was going over threshold. She had a stuffed dog and another dog she could use, but the dog she was working with didn't care about the stuffed dog. The other dog she had got a bit unnerved at other dogs barking at it so she didn't want to stress it out. She also needed a dog that would stare at the other dog a bit, which Talon can do lol
I was worried about Talon reacting, but she said watch him and if we feel uncomfortable in any way move away, hide behind the tree to calm Talon down and let her know. So I decided to do it, and it was great.
Talon was perfect. I'd have him LAT just long enough for the other dog to see the eye contact and than he'd look back at me like we worked with. The other dog was really making a lot of progress, which was cool to see. The other dog only had a reaction (barking/growling) once and that was the very beginning when she was trying to show the owners how to do it and where not to go. Talon handled that great.
We got a huge bag of really cool grain free treats out of it too ^_^ She also said we did great, if we'd ever like to help her out and learn more about BAT we might be able to come up with an arrangement for payment of some kind (like a free class) so that's awesome.
How old is Jari again? Talon's around 19months so I don't think it's going to end *cries*Class went great!
We did a "gauntlet" thing were basically Talon had to stay with me as we walked through a "hallway" and back full of dogs on either side all playing with toys or moving from side to side fast and one dog that moved across his path. Both of which are big triggers for him, but he did great, barely looked at the dogs! ^_^ The gauntlet changed for each dog, so that was kind of fun as well.Also, Talon's instructor approached us after class to see if we wanted to participate in her private class afterwards. It was a BAT training session with a dog that was in Talon's previous class and the instructor thought Talon would be a great dog to work with and she's noted I had great control/communication with him and knew when he was going over threshold. She had a stuffed dog and another dog she could use, but the dog she was working with didn't care about the stuffed dog. The other dog she had got a bit unnerved at other dogs barking at it so she didn't want to stress it out. She also needed a dog that would stare at the other dog a bit, which Talon can do lol
I was worried about Talon reacting, but she said watch him and if we feel uncomfortable in any way move away, hide behind the tree to calm Talon down and let her know. So I decided to do it, and it was great.
Talon was perfect. I'd have him LAT just long enough for the other dog to see the eye contact and than he'd look back at me like we worked with. The other dog was really making a lot of progress, which was cool to see. The other dog only had a reaction (barking/growling) once and that was the very beginning when she was trying to show the owners how to do it and where not to go. Talon handled that great.
We got a huge bag of really cool grain free treats out of it too ^_^ She also said we did great, if we'd ever like to help her out and learn more about BAT we might be able to come up with an arrangement for payment of some kind (like a free class) so that's awesome.
Awww I'm so glad Talon is doing well!!!
Jari had an great agility class tonight. It was our first time having our private while other stuff was going on in the building (our day used to be Thursday mornings so it was just us and our instructor LOL), and while he was definitely distracted, he would come back to me when I called no issue, and once he was focused he did some awesome work.
And the best part was that going in and out of the building and during class, he never barked at another dog! He whined at my friend's little Sheltie puppy because she play bowed at him, but I can hardly blame him for that.
Afterwards we went in to PetSmart because dogs need all the treats ever, and he was such a good guy. Walked VERY nicely on a flat collar, didn't bark at the other dogs we saw there, and got loved on by random people.
He CAN be a good dog sometimes
Logan has barely worked for the past week because of dog shows and crazy schedules at work. I simply haven't had to go anywhere besides work, so I haven't had a chance to take him. I had to go to Walmart today to pick up a few things, and figured he'd be a brat because he usually is after several days off (nothing most people would notice, but stuff *I* notice).
He totally surprised me. He was FANTASTIC and way more motivated than normal. I haven't worked on picking up dropped items with him in weeks, but he was picking up stuff left and right (some I dropped on purpose, most by accident). He even picked up stuff off the floor that I didn't drop, but was just already there. And he picked up something someone else dropped and handed it to them :rofl1: He did get a bit tooooo gung ho about it and started picking stuff up off the bottom shelves to give to me, though, so I had to put an end to that I'm pretty happy, though, since this is one task I need the most, but have worked with the least because it took a while to figure out what, exactly, I wanted/needed (I can pick stuff up just fine on my own, but I just don't notice when I drop stuff, and I finally decided the easiest way to train him to tell me I dropped something is to teach him to automatically pick it up).
I also decided to work him in a heel instead of pulling in harness for most of the night, and he was great. He's gotten REALLY into this heeling thing over the last few weeks, and it's so much fun! I never thought either of us would find obedience to be fun but...it is!
He totally surprised me. He was FANTASTIC and way more motivated than normal. I haven't worked on picking up dropped items with him in weeks, but he was picking up stuff left and right (some I dropped on purpose, most by accident). He even picked up stuff off the floor that I didn't drop, but was just already there. And he picked up something someone else dropped and handed it to them :rofl1: He did get a bit tooooo gung ho about it and started picking stuff up off the bottom shelves to give to me, though, so I had to put an end to that
I'm pretty happy, though, since this is one task I need the most, but have worked with the least because it took a while to figure out what, exactly, I wanted/needed (I can pick stuff up just fine on my own, but I just don't notice when I drop stuff, and I finally decided the easiest way to train him to tell me I dropped something is to teach him to automatically pick it up).I also decided to work him in a heel instead of pulling in harness for most of the night, and he was great. He's gotten REALLY into this heeling thing over the last few weeks, and it's so much fun! I never thought either of us would find obedience to be fun but...it is!
Vent alert.
Sometimes I feel like I have failed Zoe because she loves shaping games so much and training so much, but I haven't done enough with her. I could probably get her less reactive, too, but have spent years managing it instead.
Then I remind myself that most people wouldn't give her half of what I have, and try to feel better. Most people would probably have a dog that couldn't be near other dogs pts, or they would never get out to do anything, much less take part in sports (granted, Nose Work is a fairly recent thing for us.)
I need to not let myself stress over her getting old, and what could have been, and just focus on the positive. She can still learn things and love it. She is getting better at NW every day, and we are doing Barn Hunt next weekend.
Also, my dog friends keep telling me a need a puppy. I think I manage Zoe so well that they just don't understand the impossibility of this. It's not fair, because I want a puppy that I can do all the things I haven't/can't with Zoe - especially agility. Then I feel guilty for wanting a different dog, because getting a puppy would mean her having passed away. I just don't have the time or the heart to crate and rotate, or the money to care for her medically as she ages and do her training and trials plus what a puppy would need.
It makes future puppy planning such a bittersweet thing, knowing it will be after her, because I want it so bad, but I want her to stay well so bad.
Sometimes I feel like I have failed Zoe because she loves shaping games so much and training so much, but I haven't done enough with her. I could probably get her less reactive, too, but have spent years managing it instead.
Then I remind myself that most people wouldn't give her half of what I have, and try to feel better. Most people would probably have a dog that couldn't be near other dogs pts, or they would never get out to do anything, much less take part in sports (granted, Nose Work is a fairly recent thing for us.)
I need to not let myself stress over her getting old, and what could have been, and just focus on the positive. She can still learn things and love it. She is getting better at NW every day, and we are doing Barn Hunt next weekend.
Also, my dog friends keep telling me a need a puppy. I think I manage Zoe so well that they just don't understand the impossibility of this. It's not fair, because I want a puppy that I can do all the things I haven't/can't with Zoe - especially agility. Then I feel guilty for wanting a different dog, because getting a puppy would mean her having passed away. I just don't have the time or the heart to crate and rotate, or the money to care for her medically as she ages and do her training and trials plus what a puppy would need.
It makes future puppy planning such a bittersweet thing, knowing it will be after her, because I want it so bad, but I want her to stay well so bad.
So I got my ORT confirmation today. Last night Mia and I had some mock ORT practice.... and only got 1 out of 4.
Ensuing PANIC! that we were going to fail. So I bought boxes today and set them up. Out of about 12 rounds (6 with each), we only had 1 false alert (Summer). And boy it was a bad false alert. But I figure 11/12 is pretty good.... No idea what Mia's deal was last night.
We are mock ORT'ing every day till May though.
Ensuing PANIC! that we were going to fail. So I bought boxes today and set them up. Out of about 12 rounds (6 with each), we only had 1 false alert (Summer). And boy it was a bad false alert. But I figure 11/12 is pretty good.... No idea what Mia's deal was last night.
We are mock ORT'ing every day till May though.
Just tried a birch hide outside with Jari for the first time - on the porch in my yard. He didn't get the game at first so I did a "check" sweep with my hand until he got it (which he did pretty quickly). Then I did another hide giving him only his initial "find it," and he did great! I'm so excited to try more outdoor stuff with him. These hides were easy and at nose level.
The honeymoon stage is over. Cajun is bringing the adolescent dog TO THE MAX. Bully all the things. Flail around like a crazy lady. Bite your boobs. When you tell me to stop doing something, I'm going to listen, but then I'm going to DO IT AGAIN.
omg. I don't recall this with Juno. She had a "lalala I can't hear you" phase but I don't think there was a general pain in the ass naughtiness phase.
omg. I don't recall this with Juno. She had a "lalala I can't hear you" phase but I don't think there was a general pain in the ass naughtiness phase.
I have a very tired dog, and am very happy about it.
Yesterday, I felt sooooo guilty. I had a surprise attack meeting, which resulted in me being out of the house for 7am to 7:30pm and then gone again from 8-9pm. Thank goodness for my housemate who fed and took Leo out for me. But he still basically got two 5 minute walks all day and was crated for almost the entire day. I felt so bad. He was super super wired.
So today I made it up to him. I took him to the dog park for an hour, took him along to my track workout, and then also played frisbee with him in several sessions. He has been napping all evening. Guilty conscience relieved
Yesterday, I felt sooooo guilty. I had a surprise attack meeting, which resulted in me being out of the house for 7am to 7:30pm and then gone again from 8-9pm. Thank goodness for my housemate who fed and took Leo out for me. But he still basically got two 5 minute walks all day and was crated for almost the entire day. I felt so bad. He was super super wired.
So today I made it up to him. I took him to the dog park for an hour, took him along to my track workout, and then also played frisbee with him in several sessions. He has been napping all evening. Guilty conscience relieved