Pets Galore

Here are a few of my favorites!

Meet Evie our neighbor!


Meet Macie, my neice!
This is Behr's foot. I keep taking photos of their feet, no clue why...but this is the best one!

Behr and Jade's Challenge

**If you are just catching up, please scroll down and watch Buddy on the next post, his video is more entertaining.

Buddy did so well with The Dog Fighter toy I was a little hesitant to try it with the other two dogs. However, I have the day off so Behr got his turn next. He is not food driven at all. He prefers a ball. So I put cheese inside as a treat. This is on the easy level. I think I can teach Behr to take each piece out and bring it to me in my hand.



Jade's turn came last. Keep in mind Jade gets excited very easily and when I get excited it's even worse. She barks often during training and when she doesn't understand what I want from her that escalates the barking as well.

This video is painfully slow and I ended up turning it off, no one wants to watch an 8 minute clip!

Dog Fighter by Nina Ottosen

The dogs got "The Dog Fighter" toy by Nina Ottosen from Mama. This is the coolest toy ever. I did start with my most food driven, street smartest dog--so it was really fun.

This is level one: Easy



This is level two: Medium




Level three to come! There are stoppers that I can insert, and then he has to move them before he can slide the cylinders.

Missing Sheena

Oh Sheena I sure do you miss you! This week I've looked around for you, thought I heard your raspy meow, or heard you digging in the litter box. There are so many things you did for me, and I will always love you dearly! You were the best cat I've ever had.

Here are some things I miss:
Looking up from the couch and you sitting on top step just thinking "come to bed"
Sliding my feet as I walk around so I don't step on you
Worried about grabbing my scarf under the bed you could be lurking and think that I wanna play
Late night cat zoomies with random socks left in odd places
Lifting the toilet seat and you'd come running for a good brushing
Putting on jewelry at my dresser you jump from foot board over to greet me
Walking past the bed where you sleep, I swear 20 hours a day, and you swat me on the butt
Hiding my hands under the covers, so I didn't have to pet you (sorry about that)
But most of all...
Being my snuggle bug and sleeping with me almost nightly. In the crook of my arm, or near my belly under or over the covers, or by my feet. I love and miss you very very much.

Rant

Awake at 4am so sick, but only one day of work left...

There are two posts that are incredibly significant, but I have been sick and so busy I haven't had time.
Dec 8th Sheena had her teeth cleaned and had some removed.
Dec 15th We had a horrible horrible accident and forgot to lock Buddy in his crate. He tore up some presents, magazines, treat bag, and laid on the couch downstairs. Then hw went upstairs and killed Sheena. There is a just a huge post I want to write about that awful event and how much I terribly miss her and I keep looking for her.

However, what is really bothering me are a few comments from about three people.
Things like he will keep on killing--like who? a dog, a human? that's all we have left inside...
At least it was the cat and not your baby--prey drive doesn't mean attack on human, or visa versa.
You'll just have to get rid of him, have you thought of sending him in to be a police dog, to do that attacking on some bad guys?
He should know better, Sheena was in the house first.

Really. You can't just send an adult away to go sniff bombs. You can't stop prey drive, at least completely. You also can't start it- see Jade posts, fail things like agility, retrieve, motivation, overweight. This was a HUGE accident.
Any mother would never leave work with a baby in the house left upstairs. It's simple, dogs aren't trusted. You gotta pee? baby pees with you, or the baby is left in the crib with the door shut, or all dogs are kenneled with the baby elsewhere.

Listen we aren't pregnant, and we aren't getting pregnant anytime soon. I know this sounds absurd but pets are my life, and yes changing my plans to not have kids for dogs is what I'm doing. It sounds nuts to most--but it's what's important to me. I've never been passionate about something, well this is it. When we do get pregnant, I have plenty of dog savvy friends that aren't the above mentioned people that will give feedback on the current dog situation. I also THINK I have a good head on my shoulders but just to be sure, I am calling a behaviorist to come out. I'm also calling our trainer, but that's more for support. If these folks say one ditch him that's different, but those can folks shut up. It's so hard not to tell them that.

To my friends who didn't say anything and just said, I'm sorry about Sheena. Thank you so much, I didn't realize how thankful I should have been for you until now. Even if you called each other and made the above comments, you at least didn't say them to me. In a few days you can come back and say now I'm worried about your crazy ass German Shepherd, you know I realize they aren't easy.

Children's Book

My co-teacher Becky found this book a few weeks ago. She showed it to me today. She knew she couldn't read it aloud to the class, and I can't read it aloud to the class but I'd like to add it to my Christmas List.

The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness by Colin Thompson

My spoiler:

A little boy visits the shelter every Friday, always walks all the way to the end of the cages where it's dark and near the green door. He sees a scruffy 3 legged dog and asks the worker about him. She says why do you want that one, we have 85 others that look so much better and have 4 legs. Today is also his last day before he goes to heaven. He runs home as fast as he can.

His grandmother says remember dogs are for life, not just Christmas. We need to think about it. He says we can't he won't have a life tomorrow. She agrees and sends him on ahead of her before they closed. The dog was shocked not to being led to the green door. They gave him a collar, leash, and tag. That was a first. He can't walk so well, so the boy carries him home.

The dog wonders whether he did go through the green door and is dreaming. He never knew the words cuddle, dinner, walks...Once home they make him a leg. And it ends happy. LOVE IT!