SCREEN DOOR

I'm working out on the patio this morning and every dog has walked into the screen door at least once. The weather's nice and the A/C is off, but we didn't have screens at the other house-the door was either opened or closed. The screen is something altogether different.

It looks like nothing at all, but you can't walk through it. But you can smell through it. It doesn't hurt like a glass door.

The only dog that didn't walk into the screen door was Bitty, so she must be wise in the ways of household blockades.

Greta has taken up a station on the top step by the screen door, the better to solve this mystery. Dotty and Prissy can't be bothered It's prime sunning time, weather cool and the sun high and Daphne the dauschund is out next door.

Cody runs back and forth between the two groups, wanting to play but wanting to be sure the screen door is in fact still there and still a mystery.

Share the Health

I had a lap band surgery a few months ago, and I am being very conscious of what I buy to eat. Organic, low fat, extra vitamins. My guilty pleasure is baby food oatmeal in a jar, ready made.

Often I can't finish the food I prepare, and I've started evaluating it for dog fodder. If you stop and think about it, we've been told not to give dogs people food because table food used to be generally junk, high in fat and loads of bread. MY table food (I use the term loosely)is as a good as what I feed my dogs anyway.

Sadly, my dogs have always eaten good quality food, while me, not so much. Maybe our new motto should be "I want to eat as well as my dog!"

Don't Let your Dogs Overwhelm You

I love my dogs, but there are days.....What can I say? I'm just not up for barking and merrymaking and all that doggy stuff. That's when discipline-not punishment comes in. HINT: It works better if you've practice this a lot before hand.

My godsend is the crate. Crate means immediate quiet, a treat, settle in, relax. Because of that, there is never any reason for my dogs to "get on my nerves".

The point of this observation is that if you have a dog that is "too much for you" maybe the problem isn't with the dog. Animals, being animals, will exploit any weakness. What are you dogs telling you about yourself?

Trash Talking at the Fence

I'm on the fence with this one. I've seen my dogs charge the fence, barking, and I don't like that. But they appear to love the neighbor's dogs behind us. They all charge up, bark, shake their tales and after some trash talk they will all settle down.

Now, Ceasar calls that fence fighting, but this does appear to me to be entirely agression. I'm going to watch it and form my own opinon of what is going on.

Initially, I think there was agression, but now it appears to be just re-establishing boundaries.

Dog Days Of Autumn

This week is the true week of dog days. My kids are in love with their backyard, and the sun. Cool enough to stay outside most of the day, dozing in the sunshine. The pack is getting in touch with their inner wolf, at least until nap time....

Beam Me Up Scotty: What IS it?

Beam Me Up Scotty: What IS it?

The reality is, it MAY really be a winter dog potty, at least for the winter. The two old dogs are not going to be able to tolerate cold and wet. So I will either have to designate the new screen room as potty, or build a potty station in the old screen room.

Each What He/She Needs

I'm still working on pulling Prissy aside and giving her something to do that I can praise her for. She sucks up the attention like crack cocaine. Actually I think crack is smoked but you get my point. Where was I? Oh yes, Priss likes to show off.

Bitty and Dottie seem to hold back, wanting only snuggles. Their performing days are over.

Greta's great joy (other than feeding time) is to ride shotgun in the truck. She's happy when the entire pack goes for a ride (really the only one who is) but when it's just she and I, she melts into a blob of gooey doggy contentment.

Cody is another snuggle bunny, but he is happiest when the pack is together. One on one is a little unnerving for him. (He was a kennel dog, so this makes sense).

Even Priss, after making sure she's gotten all the food Mom is going to give her, will start to look outside, back towards the gang. A little showing off is nice, but nothing beats the security of the pack.