Archive for September, 2009
Sugar looks 90% Labrador
A wonderful update on Sugar (from Willow‘s litter)…90% lab isn’t bad for a rescue puppy!!
Hello,
Just a little update on Sugar, she is doing great, she just started puppy classes and did very well. All her other classmates were tiny breed dogs and I told my husband Sugar looked like Clifford the Big Red Dog.She is super dog and people friendly and doesn’t understand why everyone does not want to play with her. She is into everything, we cannot turn our backs for one minute. She too like Koda found her way on top of tables, we keep referring to her as Marley. I am curious to know how her litter mates are doing, size of them and how they look. Sugar keeps growing and growing, she is about 35 lbs. at almost 16 weeks and her color has gotten a little more golden yellow. My vet says she looks 90% Lab but her ears are much longer than a labs. I will try to send some pictures when I learn how to attach to my e-mails– I am not very computer savy. I would like to attend some puppy playtimes, but it is just a little too far.
-Donna
Koda’s personality shines through
Here is a fun note from the family Koda (of Chloe‘s litter):
Hi Everyone,
I just came across some comical pics that I just had to share, I hope it brings a smile. Koda recently seems to think he’s supposed to be on top of the tables. He is now learning the word OFF! We think agility training is in his future. 🙂 The pics of him in the hostas are just a true glimpse of his personality. He always gives you the “what? what did I do?” look. He also, like the other pups enjoys hunting moths, crickets, birds and an occasional toad. He will spend an entire evening digging at the landscape rocks trying to catch the crickets. He did discover that pulling up the fabric underneath works really well also. He then tears off pieces and has fun watching me put it all back together. He thinks I’m helping him find those facinating bugs.
He also likes to hide his treats, but not outside. Ever since he was 2 months he would put them in a corner or by the couch. He still does this but now he likes to put them in the couch cushions or under a throw pillow. It is fun to watch how intense this process is. I heard about dogs doing this but never had one that actually did “bury a bone”.
He knows when my son is due home from school. He gets sooo excited when the school bus pulls up and knows that ‘his boy” is home. It is so heartwarming. My son and Koda have formed a great relationship. They are true buddies. It is the bond that all children should experience…. that unconditional love. It is all that I hoped for!
He is doing much better with his “excitement / submissive urination” . He still does it occasionally when meeting other dogs, but not all the time. Thank goodness! So, we are getting along and enjoying him more and more each day.
Hope to see all of you soon,
Pam
New book for Dog Whisperer Cesar Milan
TV’s “dog whisperer”, Cesar Milan has a new book coming out. How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond will be released on October 6, 2009. You can pre-order yours at a savings of $8.84 through Amazon.
Nail Trims and Grooming
How many of you out there regularly brush and bathe your dogs? How many out there trim your own dogs’ nails? How many of you out there brush your dogs’ teeth? My guess is that the numbers decreased with each question. Most of us understand that bathing and brushing come with owning a dog. And for many of us, these tasks are an enjoyable part of interacting with our dogs. Some of us, for many reasons, choose to have our dogs professionally groomed. But all of us expect that there is some “maintenance” required in owning a dog.
However, many of us forget about the rest of the animal. I have seen many dogs with extremely long toe nails, some so long that the foot is being deformed and the dog is clearly uncomfortable walking as a result! These dogs are usually loved and cared for but their owners, for whatever reason, have neglected this part of their anatomy. Nail trimming IS often difficult. Most dogs dislike having their feet handled and if a dog hasn’t been given regular nail trims from puppyhood, they can resist nail trims with a nearly violent reaction.
Lollie after a nail trim
My own dog, Lollie, hated nail trims. I tried to give them to her as a puppy but she struggled so much she often got out of our hold. Once she learned that she could escape by fierce struggling, she struggled all the harder with each attempt. Add to this my fear of her reaction and we had a horrible situation on our hands. It got to the point that at one attempt I was certain she was going to bite me. I stopped trimming her nails and took her to the vet. There she was muzzled and put on her side and struggled so much that the vet assistant, who was restraining her, ended up with multiple scratches and the vet’s glasses were flung across the room (her flailing foot caught the stem of them and off they went, into the air). I realized that we were in for a lifetime of panic and unnecessary drama unless something radically changed.
Photos of Indy
Here are new photos of Indy (formerly Sweet William of Chloe‘s litter):
Indy
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Training classes offered
I have been working with the new owner of a doggy day care facility in Geneva, IL – The Water Bowl, on getting together a list of classes I will be teaching there. If any of you are interested, check out my training page.
And if you don’t find the class you need, let me know! We can see what we can do.
