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.

Homecoming Miracle

Sometimes what does not happen is as miraculous and wonderful as what does. I actually remembered to close the snake room door when I left and that probably saved Pasht's life. Bette, my biggest python, got out while I was gone. I don't think Bette could swallow Pasht, but she could easily kill her.

Now, honestly, Pasht might deserve it, because she teases Bette. However, I love them both and don't want bad things for either of them. So, apparently Bette roamed the snake room and knocked some stuff over and then settled down on blanket by the window and watched the workmen build the screen room outside. (I'm sure I'll hear something about that later on.)

The other kids are enjoying the cooler air and their new treats out in the backyard. Bitty was amazing, she was fine at the kennel, glad to see me and glad to see "her backyard". For her, it was just another homecoming. What an amazing, resiliant little soul.

On the Road

Be back on Saturday with more puppy tales.

PLEASE FENCE ME IN

Dogs need security and a sense of boundary. I gave out treats this morning and Greta took hers into one of the playpens I have set on the back lawn. Bitty was curled up in the garage and I invited her in the house. She sat on the couch for a bit, then wondered off into her crate for a nap. Examples like this reaffirm my faith in crate training.

Prissy is the chosen one

I decided not to adopt yet another dog-so Prissy is going to the obedience class I signed up for thinking I was going to train another dog. Why not? She's a perfectly good dog and has as much potential as anything else. She likes attention from everyone and she's smart.

Sometimes I think we get all caught up in labels with our animals. Now ironically, the goal I had for this class and the successive ones is to "train a dog to CGC" status. Think about it-Prissy? Canine Good Citizen? No one who knows her believes it's possible, and that's why I want to do it.