The dog musing/vent thread

Thanks a bunch. We had a really good time. Definitely made my weekend. Hope we keep our streak up!

Rage won an overall field trial (means she has to win her heat plus the finals) and came second in a dash race yesterday. Winning is nice, but I am THRILLED with her level of fitness (she'll be 8 on August 18). The field trial dogs were mostly around her age, but the hundred yard dash was like 15-20 dogs all lined up at the same time, a lot were younger than her, and a lot were grade dogs - mixed hounds/curs designed for HUNTING - so some of them were little and used to navigating the woods after bear and cats. So a second place finish, after I SAW her get bumped around after the start, makes me super happy

Just returned from a 3-hour round trip to take foster puppy Xena to her new home. She's usually glued to me but decided to glue herself to her new mom right away so I'm hoping this placement works out.

There is another senior fluffy cattledog mix with an embarrassing shavedown at daycare today. Briz is in love...or something. I've never seen him chatter over a girl before.

Now you have to adopt her! They're meant to be!

Took Sam and Wilson on their first camping trip of the season (and Wilson's first camping trip ever!) this last weekend. It was so great and they both did so good! Sam was good with all the dogs at the campsite and became bffs with a GSD puppy which was so surprising because he's usually not a fan.

I was worried about how Wilson would handle all the new stuff going on but he did surprisingly well and by the end of the first night he was sleeping next to the campfire while everyone talked and played music and made noise. I think he might *knock on wood* be growing out of his fearfulness and the prozac might be finally starting to really help him. He still gets scared but he hasn't been shutting down as often and has been recovering from scary things much faster. He even hung out next to a toddler by the lake and I got him to watch me instead (he hates toddlers but like squeeze cheese more I guess!)

And they both hung out without leashes and were awesome about checking in and not wandering off to begin with. So proud of my doggies

Puppy was found!

Fortunately she's got a loving home already. It was definitely "Bad Haircut Day" at work though, our favorite pair of Aussies also came in butt naked due to a miscommunication with their groomer, according to their owner.

Yay! I always worry about shy dogs getting out.

So there another heartwarming story on the news about a dog who saved it's owners life when she collapsed. So I decided to see what the Little Men would do. I laid down my back, went limp, and held my breath.

Glitch- didn't even look at me. He was busy with a chew.

Gimmick- Came over and sniffed me, then laid down on his back next to me in the 'horny mantis' pose

Gambit- Came over and sniffed, then licked my hand a few times. When I didn't move, he picked it up in his mouth and started chewing! ******* didn't even wait until I was cold!

If I die suddenly in my apartment, I'm pretty sure what happens next is going to be less Hallmark Channel and more horror movie.

When I've tried that, mine mostly either lay down on me or lick me.

So unless I'm suffering from hypothermia at the time, I'm pretty much doomed.

My friend would like to know what do you think about dog trainers that only use positive methods but speak/write about things that are based on outdated ideas? In Finland many of them either still believe in them or do not know that they are not true anymore. She knows that many dog trainers use mostly methods where they use rewards and even clickers. So what do you think about that?

I think dogs can tell, though, when you're faking it or when you're actually in a real situation. At least, that's what Roxie has shown me. Like when I've fallen down stairs and been really hurt, hurt, and when I'm just pretending to be hurt to see if she will do anything.

With Gambit though, I hope he was just trying to get a reaction out of you? Like, maybe he thought chewing on your hand would be a good way for him to try and get you to stop acting all "weird"? lol.

Or you need to change his name to Carl.

If the dogs the trainer is training are happy & engaged, and if the trainer and his/her students are accomplishing things with their dogs, I'd probably not really give much care to whether the trainer ascribes to dominance theory or doesn't tow the R++++ line that some others appear to.

Agree. I am not R++++ by any means and my dogs are constantly pushing at me to DO THINGS. They're also titled in multiple venues so it's obviously working.

I whacked my knee really good once and while on the floor cringing with pain and trying not to pass out, I got my own glimpse of what will happen when I die.

They will find my body buried beneath sheep toys.

Payton at least seems to be doing it thinking the sheep toy will help me feel better. Auggie is just like "hey throw the thing."

Dear Smiley, please stop trying to poop in peoples' hostas. Makes for a very challenging pick-up.

When your dog starts barking, and you say "woof", and your dog responds and so you just start saying woof and groaning or whatever and your dog copies you.

I might have sent in registration for my 1st disc comp.
ASK ME IF WE'RE READY.
(The answer is probably no.)

Should be fun even if we suck and Cajun decides she doesn't like disc that day??

When your dog is friendly to someone who you do not like.

Traitor.

oh my god, yes. Breaks my angry angry heart.