News

Last night, Nemo was my demo dog as we started a new set of puppy and dog classes at Zoey’s Dawg Stop. The owner of Zoey’s has a cute little (big!) mastiff puppy, Bubba. Nemo and Bubba had a grand time romping through the store before class started, playing beautifully.

After Orientation was over, Nemo ventured into Bubba’s crate and found a still-stuffed Kong. Being the resourceful animal that dogs are, Nemo went ahead and picked it up and brought it out of the crate – the find of the century! Bubba came over to investigate and Nemo, tail still wagging, gave Bubba a warning growl.

Not a big deal to me, I’m used to normal "dog talk." Nemo was telling Bubba to back off, he wanted to investigate this newly found treasure by himself, thank you very much. As soon as Bubba heard the growl, he very politely backed off and gave Nemo the space he’d asked for. A very normal, very polite dog to dog interaction.

Yes, there were growls. Yes, there was food involved. But that’s not at all unusual. Dogs don’t have words. Nemo couldn’t say to Bubba "Hey, this is cool. Give me a minute to look at it, ok?" But he did convey that very sentiment to Bubba with a quick growl. His body language (relaxed wagging tail, soft ears and eyes) told me that he wasn’t being aggressive, he was just letting Bubba know that this newly found treasure wasn’t community property.

The dogs don’t growl at me (or people in general) because I’ve worked really hard since they were pups teaching them that people aren’t threats. We won’t take something away just because we can. These dogs actually look forward to people approaching them when they’ve got something yummy because it means they might actually get another yummy as we pass by.

When they were pups, we taught them that people are very likely to drop really delicious treats when walking past, particularly if the dogs already have something yummy. So when we’d walk past the food dish at dinner time, we’d drop in a piece of chicken and keep walking. It doesn’t take dogs long to figure out that people approaching a food dish might mean that a delectable goodie is also coming.

Expecting that your dog will never growl at another dog is unrealistic. That’s how dogs talk. Growls are part of doggie communication.

The dogs and I got a new car yesterday. Well, SUV, I guess, if we’re being exact. I’d had a two-door coupe for the last 11 years and 182,000 miles (!) and it was just time to get new wheels. I’d not really liked the look of the Element from the outside, but once I’d seen them on the inside, I was sold.

The back seats can either fold up onto the walls or taken right out of the vehicle. And the best part – no carpet. None. The floors are a nice thick rubber and wipe right down. The seats are waterproof and stain proof, which is a nice bonus. It’s a vehicle that’s perfect for anyone with dogs.

I bought it around noon yesterday and had the dogs in it by 2:00p! I folded the seats up on the sides and loaded Tango, Nemo, and Lily into the back and off we went! They had room to lay down (all of them!) and there was still extra room! Even tall Nemo could stand up inside without even coming close to touching the roof.

We love it! It’ll be the new family vehicle since it’s big enough to fit two people and three dogs! And have room for our "stuff."

I just spent three hours with my accountant. I love this woman, but man do I hate numbers! Ick! But accounting is a necessary evil, something I must pay attention to. So I try to be a good student and really try to absorb it all. I’ll still need to call her in a few days…for a refresher!

Nemo does his own accounting, as do most dogs. Last night, my husband grilled two pieces of steak and ate one. 2 – 1 = 1. Nemo did the math in his head and decided that one was left over. That one must be for him. So he ate it. Right off the counter.

My husband didn’t like Nemo’s math one bit. But Nemo’s belly sure did!! I heard it rumbling and gurgling last night as I drifted off to sleep. Bet he had pleasant dreams!

Nemo’s featured on another blog! Check out the handsome devil on Kingsbrook Animal Hospital’s blog!

The weather’s getting really nice. I’ve seen lots of people out on walks with their dogs – each enjoying the warm breeze. If you’re hesitating to take your dog for a walk because you get dragged down the sidewalk, I’ve got a potential solution for you that both you and your dog will like. It’s called an Easy Walk Harness and it’s both effective and dog-friendly.

Nemo’s got one and we love it because we can take him for a nice long walk and not have to worry about dislocating an arm! And unlike a prong collar or choke collar, it’s dog-friendly and doesn’t operate on pain or on making the dog uncomfortable.

Tip: Measure your dog (behind the front legs, all the way around his girth/belly) before you go to the store! You can’t necessarily rely on the package to guide you to the correct size…

I don’t have children, but I know lots of people who do! And if you’ve got a dog and also have children (or will be having them in the near future), you need to read Living With Kids and Dogs…Without Losing Your Mind.

Even if you don’t have kids, but want to make sure the neighborhood kids are safe around your dog AND your dog is safe around them, pick up this book. I refer to it quite often, and always find a useful paragraph that I somehow missed the first time I read it.

If you’re in the Washington, DC Metro area, you’re in luck! There’s a free seminar coming up featuring the author of the book.

LIVING WITH KIDS AND DOGS … CONTROLLING THE CHAOS
HELD AT PCC ON Saturday, April 26, 3:00pm 

Colleen Pelar is the award-winning author of “Living With Kids and Dogs … Without Losing Your Mind”. She is also a parent, dog trainer, and author of www.livingwithkidsanddogs.com. Colleen will show you how to find time, have fun, and be safe with your kids and dogs.

For more information and to register for the free seminar, visit Your Dog’s Friend.