The dog musing/vent thread
- Thread starter Laurelin
- Start date
I find it extremely funny that everyone and their brother asks me if they can breed their dog to my female APBT (mix). She's old, crippled, out of standard, and spayed. Yet not once has anyone asked to use my male purebred, conformation pointed, in standard male. My coworker asked me again yesterday about using Emily. I just have to laugh.
*No, I'm not going to breed Pirate to anyone's dog, even if they ask nicely.
*No, I'm not going to breed Pirate to anyone's dog, even if they ask nicely.
Our weekend of body awareness exercises continued today. We went to the park, found a table with benches and I first picked her up and set her on the bench and just treated the crap out of her for standing there, and got her used to that. Then when that was cool and she was better at balancing herself and keeping her feet up there, we moved on to having her jump up herself.
At the start of this, even jumping down from the bench was awkward for her and pretty much resulted in face-planting.
[YOUTUBE]UgEOt4adodo[/YOUTUBE]
We then moved on over to the baseball field and I had her walking along the baseball benches, which are super narrow too. They were a little too tall for her to do well at jumping up on them, but it was at least practice at walking across something narrow. Without falling. Overall I think it was a pretty beneficial outing for her. And she was tired afterward which is nice
At the start of this, even jumping down from the bench was awkward for her and pretty much resulted in face-planting.
[YOUTUBE]UgEOt4adodo[/YOUTUBE]
We then moved on over to the baseball field and I had her walking along the baseball benches, which are super narrow too. They were a little too tall for her to do well at jumping up on them, but it was at least practice at walking across something narrow. Without falling. Overall I think it was a pretty beneficial outing for her. And she was tired afterward which is nice
My mum and I took Cameron to this outside ice cream place and she so was sooooo good!
Like, it was way more busy than it usually is, and there were easily 30 people in line, but Cam stayed with my mum by the tables and away from the line. When we pulled in and let Cam out people stared and pointed because she is a cute fluffeh dog.
So yeah, she totally jumped on the picnic table, but she didn't bark or seem skittish at all. At one point I was focusing on her and she was sitting on the end of the table and then I heard some guy behind me ask if they could sit with us because all the tables were full. Cameron watched them approach but didn't do anything so I totally didn't know anyone was behind me.
I let her eat my cone and she lied down to eat it and a little boy came running (not at her but by her) and he sprayed all this gravel everywhere but she didn't do anything.
I mean honestly this is the dog that I used to take to Farmers Markets and playground/parks, so I shouldn't be surprised, but I am because we haven't done a lot of public stuff since a couple times in the past where she was a grouch to people.
She got a hotdog every time she looked at someone, she was cute. No one asked to pat her they just watched enviously. A woman asked if she was a husky mix. My mum said we thought Chow, because she's a spitz mix and has a spotted tongue and the woman said "ah, but she doesn't have the Chow temperament apparently."
I love this dog.
Like, it was way more busy than it usually is, and there were easily 30 people in line, but Cam stayed with my mum by the tables and away from the line. When we pulled in and let Cam out people stared and pointed because she is a cute fluffeh dog.
So yeah, she totally jumped on the picnic table, but she didn't bark or seem skittish at all. At one point I was focusing on her and she was sitting on the end of the table and then I heard some guy behind me ask if they could sit with us because all the tables were full. Cameron watched them approach but didn't do anything so I totally didn't know anyone was behind me.
I let her eat my cone and she lied down to eat it and a little boy came running (not at her but by her) and he sprayed all this gravel everywhere but she didn't do anything.
I mean honestly this is the dog that I used to take to Farmers Markets and playground/parks, so I shouldn't be surprised, but I am because we haven't done a lot of public stuff since a couple times in the past where she was a grouch to people.
She got a hotdog every time she looked at someone, she was cute. No one asked to pat her they just watched enviously. A woman asked if she was a husky mix. My mum said we thought Chow, because she's a spitz mix and has a spotted tongue and the woman said "ah, but she doesn't have the Chow temperament apparently."
I love this dog.
50 minute off leash stroll time with the girls. I know no big deal but it really is with Mia lately. I am really hopeful that taking her around 8 pm is the key. It was still lower 90s out but with the sun partially down she handled it well. Only one minor breathing trouble moment.
They both spent all 50 minutes RUNNING like crazy. I love that. Of all the things I've ever done with my dogs nothing beats simply walking and exploring with them and having them run and run together. And just.... be dogs. I will not ever take those simple kind of moments for granted again.
I bet Mia found 8 bunnies and chased the heck out of them.
They both spent all 50 minutes RUNNING like crazy. I love that. Of all the things I've ever done with my dogs nothing beats simply walking and exploring with them and having them run and run together. And just.... be dogs. I will not ever take those simple kind of moments for granted again.
I bet Mia found 8 bunnies and chased the heck out of them.
Juno was not as awesome at lure coursing as I thought she'd be! I think there were too many anxieties at play (new place, new people/dogs, she's wary of the trainer even though she knows him, she can't get past the fact that he's a guy), so her first time out she was completely lost. Spooked by the movement, spooked by the noise. When she did finally get going, she completely ignored the course and just went to a corner to sniff some things.
Her next time out was like 100% better but she looks like such a doofus lol she's just... such a boxer. She just wants to play with the bags and anytime she got close to them she'd do her CPR chest compressions to them lol. Whereas the other dogs were in total hunt mode
She had fun though, I hope it made up for the fact that she had to spend 11 hours at work with me first lol.
I think there were too many anxieties at play (new place, new people/dogs, she's wary of the trainer even though she knows him, she can't get past the fact that he's a guy), so her first time out she was completely lost. Spooked by the movement, spooked by the noise. When she did finally get going, she completely ignored the course and just went to a corner to sniff some things. Her next time out was like 100% better but she looks like such a doofus lol she's just... such a boxer. She just wants to play with the bags and anytime she got close to them she'd do her CPR chest compressions to them lol. Whereas the other dogs were in total hunt mode
She had fun though, I hope it made up for the fact that she had to spend 11 hours at work with me first lol.
Why is it every time I so much as mention my interest in getting a puppy people have to make snide/passive aggressive comments about how there are so many dogs being PTS in shelters and basically implied that I was part of the problem because I wish to get a dog from a breeder.
Look, I tell them, I have rescued, and even fostered my share of dogs in my day and I believe that if I wish to get a dog from a known place from parents that I can meet/see than that should be my business
Look, I tell them, I have rescued, and even fostered my share of dogs in my day and I believe that if I wish to get a dog from a known place from parents that I can meet/see than that should be my business
Why is it every time I so much as mention my interest in getting a puppy people have to make snide/passive aggressive comments about how there are so many dogs being PTS in shelters and basically implied that I was part of the problem because I wish to get a dog from a breeder.
Look, I tell them, I have rescued, and even fostered my share of dogs in my day and I believe that if I wish to get a dog from a known place from parents that I can meet/see than that should be my business
Look, I tell them, I have rescued, and even fostered my share of dogs in my day and I believe that if I wish to get a dog from a known place from parents that I can meet/see than that should be my business
Never mind that I wanted known lineage.
Never mind that I wanted genetic health screening.
Never mind that I wanted known temperament/characteristics.
Because, you know. Those don't matter. And if they do, you are a horrible person for putting those values above a home for a random dog.
/endrant
I was teasing Leo today during a training session and discovered something interesting.
If I give a verbal command while simultaneously giving the hand signal for a different command, Leo will do both one after the other, always starting with the hand signal and then transitioning into the verbal command.
I am thinking he immediately reacts to the hand signal, but the processes the verbal while doing it and follows up with that.
Obviously not good training practice, but I thought it was really interesting to see how his brain works
If I give a verbal command while simultaneously giving the hand signal for a different command, Leo will do both one after the other, always starting with the hand signal and then transitioning into the verbal command.
I am thinking he immediately reacts to the hand signal, but the processes the verbal while doing it and follows up with that.
Obviously not good training practice, but I thought it was really interesting to see how his brain works
I'm starting to get puppy fever. Which is super weird for me. Not that I want ANOTHER dog - not AT ALL - but just thinking to the future. The more classes I take the more I realize my dogs are just weird lol and it would kind of be nice to just start with a blank slate. Juno and Cajun have been described as "nervy." Happy is the most normal lol but let's be real there's not much I can do with my geriatric, deaf, mostly blind, gimpy dog.
It sucks because Juno is SUCH a good dog. She's incredible. And I wish I could do more with her but she's too anxious. Obviously somewhere along the way, I screwed something up with her, but I had no goals or plans with her and was new to the puppy thing so what did I know. Her trainer had said multiple times that she would be a great therapy dog (she never saw "anxious Juno"), and all I can do is laugh, because she totally would be... if she had a few days to warm up to everyone and everything first.
So yeah. I just want to start from square one and get a normal, well-adjusted dog. And then I freak out and think maybe I'll screw that one up too (maybe it'll end up WORSE).
It sucks because Juno is SUCH a good dog. She's incredible. And I wish I could do more with her but she's too anxious. Obviously somewhere along the way, I screwed something up with her, but I had no goals or plans with her and was new to the puppy thing so what did I know. Her trainer had said multiple times that she would be a great therapy dog (she never saw "anxious Juno"), and all I can do is laugh, because she totally would be... if she had a few days to warm up to everyone and everything first.
So yeah. I just want to start from square one and get a normal, well-adjusted dog. And then I freak out and think maybe I'll screw that one up too (maybe it'll end up WORSE).
