I WANT IT!!!

Here is Frannie in class with her mom. They were teaching 'leave it'. You place a treat on the floor, you allow them to pull. When they relax and stop pulling and sit you treat them from your hand. You never give them the treat on the floor.

The idea is to be able to always get them to leave something alone. It may mean their health and welfare by solidifying this command.

As you can see, Frannie REALLY wanted it.

But Mommy can I, can I please?

She's a character.

Then there is Spice. You put the treat and she doesn't pull. She just waits till you treat her.

Neither is wrong. One is an enthusiastic emotional response which is normal for a pup and well Spice is like her mom going, I get this already, just give me the treats now. I think she yanked twice and went okay, I get what you want.

It's so funny how they are each unique.

The duo had a lot of fun in class. Both are learning a great deal. Next week is games and that's the last class. Now we have to figure out what we are signing up for next. Spice will start going to handling and who knows. Is tricks in the cards or?

Saying Hello

 I have to laugh. As the two litters get more exposure, the easier it gets for them to open up to all sorts of possibilities. This conditioning business works.

It doesn't stop either when they go to their forever home. This should be only the start.

Tonight Spice goes to class. Sure she learns but she also gets exposed to dogs leaving from the class before hers and the big dawgs in her class.

By doing it this way, you expose in a safe way and it becomes natural.

It's never too late or too old to take a class or two.

It's a Mom's Perogative

Remember this photo? Moms all over the world do the same thing from canine to the human kind. What is that? Correct, correct and teach and teach.

I see this in action daily from pups to adults. Each mom has their own style. Some pups and dawgs and humans like Katsura tune their moms out if it doesn't suit them.

Talk to the paw, mom!

Snake Toy BDay Present

Thanks goes to Mary, Terri & Sparky for such a grand present. Guess who is playing with MY birthday present and what better present can there be for a human than one for her dawgs, especially this human.

Everyone is having a grand time with it but especially Abigail. Maybe it's in the genes. :-)

I just love watching them play, make music and hide it from each other. Yeah, they try to hide it in the crates thinking the others can't get it. Yeah, right.

Yes, Still Snow

Can you believe we still have snow at the back of the yard? I think just like me, Abigail is sick of this white stuff.

They say this week it's supposed to warm up but we shall see. It best.

We have a very busy week. We have a puppy person coming tomorrow, Wednesday baer testing, and much more.

It's my week to wash the dawgs again. Oh mo - hahahahaha

I heard that someone - Breeze is going to get a new haircut. I can't wait to see it. Poor mom having to worry about how she looks. Just remember - it grows if you don't like it.

I may shave tummies this week here seeing warm weather is coming. What about you?

Clean Up at Aisle 6

 Well, Tak and Saki are owned by a dear friend. their owner came back later than expected so we brought the duo to her downtown this morning. Were they happy to see mom, yep! Oh they had fun with us too but there's no place like home.

Don't you feel that way too?

Late Update

Spice had her shots - remember we separate rabies from the 3rd shot and a checkup. She's 7lbs 3 ounces.

More later after I settle in, clean up some dawgs and try to stay awake.

I did a cleanup of Tak and Saki for their mom and we are delivering them downtown tomorrow. This is Treasure's son from her other litter. He's had a few haircuts but you can tell he is a Treasure son. His hair is silky and he has her eyes.

By doing this, I get to play with the duo for a bit - well till early tomorrow morning. Then their mom gets to snuggle with them for a couple of weeks till they head back to Texas with their human dad.

Thanks, Lyndall and Joe for letting me see them.

Class & Socialization

Classes are important. They teach heel, down, stay, recall etc but they also offer conditioning in a safe way to a variety of dogs. This is very important.

We had a bad drive into the class last night. There was a lot of quick stops due to people not being able to deal with snow and drive at the same time. So, Spice started shaking showing some concern when she was getting thrown around a tad. When things got smoother, she stopped shaking. That was the depth of her display of concern. Eventually she will be able to deal with that too.

But when she got upstairs at class, she looked around and went oh, this is the place I get TREATS and I have to do all those crazy things with daddy and mommy takes photos of me and then there is Frannie. Well, she came in with enthusiasm. Big dogs, littler but still bigger than her, she greeted them all. Their over enthusiasm didn't bother her a bit. It's funny what doesn't bother them and what does.

Then there were moments where Frannie ran to play with Spice and found her more interesting than anything else.

Spice never did the same as if she knew Frannie would come to her. What does that say about their personalities?

But Frannie is doing rather well learning her commands and her mom says she does so great in the store - she's calm - just gets crazy when she sees other dogs as she wants to play. Can you blame her?

We learned down, perfected a finish, staying, sit, recall and for us if Spice is going to get shown, she has to learn to look ahead vs always up to dad for the treats. I think treating during doesn't work. But we shall see.

As you can see, Spicy's hairdo didn't stay clean long. She looks like a disheveled cutie but that's a pup and that's okay!

Bath and Class

Okay, I had a bath - so what! It's a piece of cake now. I have no issue now that I have had a number of these wet things and hey I get a massage and a treat.

But its class night and I don't get my dinner. What is THAT about? Well, in reality I do get it just a little at a time during class. heh

I have had 2 weeks to practice. Did I? How did Frannie do? I can't wait to see her!

Hey, it's snowing amd it's my human mom's b-day tomorrow. Will she groom me on her day?

Dirty Spice

Well we have mud in the yard and Spice found it. Her nice white paws was black. She's just like her mom. See wet dirt under the deck will crawl. That's okay. I will give her a bath tomorrow and pray for snow as her feet will then stay white. hahahaha

I have to wash another dog so it will be a 2 dog washing day.

Then we are heading to class to see what we remember.

Do you think I will be a star? Stay tuned. We will let you know Thursday.

Teaka Heads to a New Home Soon

Teaka is heading to a new home the 1st week in April. She's going to have a brother named 'Dash' and boy are these 2 in for some serious fun.

They are half siblings (Kat's the dad) and are approx the same age.

We are going to miss her delicious fun. She has an enthusiasm for life that I want to capture and bottle.

The weather is wet and damp outside. It makes grooming interesting but still we do it. Why? This way we are knot free.

Off to feed the crew... and you?

It Happens

 It happens way too fast. This is a photo of Frannie and Spicey, 2 peas in a pod and now they are growing up and taking classes together.

These are moments to treasure when they are young, mischevious and silly balls of hair.

I rather like them around 6 months cause you have them trained to a degree but they still do the craziest things till...what age?

Okay, it's a personality thing. I know an 8 year old that does the funniest things. So, what is this about?

Treasure all the moments. They go too fat for me!

Where Does It Start?

Development starts from the day they are born but a critical part of it is with mom and her pups. The kind of mother she is will help them to find their coping skills, gain trust and be receptive to the world presented to them.

If a mom is not a positive influence on their pups no matter how nicely structured or beautiful they are, they shouldn't be bred. Just like humans, not everyone has the patience to be a 'good' mom.

I am blessed to have amazing moms and it's photos like this one that shows the attentiveness and gentleness that the moms have but at the same time they are protective, teachers, and mentors with much love. It does my heart good to be a part of this.

Big Dog Socialization

This is an old photo but I am using it as a reminder that no matter what the age of your dawg, it is important to expose them to new dogs in a safe way and new envoronments.

Sometimes a big dog doesn't have to do as thing but lay there. This gives them exposure and if you do it a number of times, well eventually that huge thing is not so scary after all.

Leadwork

This is Nathan with Treasure when she was a young thing. He was being highly motivated in getting her ready for the show ring going out in the snow and all.

Sometimes life gets in the way and your motivation is low so you have to find it again.

Has that happened to you with your dawg?

Do you have tips on how to find it again?

To Clean or Not?

Okay, they chew with them, bite and chew on toys and chew items that are supposed to clean and take tartar off so do we have to clean them?

You should but life gets in the way of many of us so bones, things like a spray of Leba II etc will help and in some cases do the job.

Otherwise, when they have a good case of tartar, you ought to get them cleaned so they don't lose their teeth.

We use the Leba and a finger thing that we get from K9groomingsupplies and every now and then we have to get a teeth cleaning but it has reduced the times necessary.

I should be brushing each time I groom. But not all dawgs enjoy your fingers all over their teeth.

What do you do for YOUR dogs?

Why Do we Expose?

We fear what we do not know. By exposing ourselves or our dogs a bit each day, we condition them to getting used to new things. We help them to gain 'good' coping skills when we are consistent and we do it in a positive way.

It's so easy to be too busy and not be able to. We all live very busy lives but it actually only takes 10 minutes to 20 minutes each day. A drive to the park, a walk, a drive to your pet store to get others to treat your dog and say hello. It's all an opportunity to meet and greet humans and canines alike. The more they see in a positive way, the more relaxed they will become and the better they will be.

There are days I don't feel like it especially when I am sick but I do it and at the end of the day. I am glad that I spent that quality time knowing I was helping my dawgs to become balanced. What can be better than that?

Conditioning

 Mommy is still grooming but she has a dinner date tonight with friends so she has to cut this short. She also has to get back to playing retrieve and grooming and I am sure you 'get' that.

Spice will be taken out in the car tonight for her conditioning after Nathan gets home.

No one minds being groomed - just give me the treat. It's magic how slow conditioning works.

No class for Spice or Frannie this week due to March Break.

Spice Finding Pup Play Fun

There was so much puppy fun today. Spice just had a grand time playing with the pups as you can see here. It's good for her and for them.

But she didn't get to go out in the car today. It's another missed day - sigh but tomorrow - we must!!

Life sometimes gets rather crazy. So, we play catch-up!

Wet Dawgs

Well it's been raining and I have much grooming to do tomorrow but I decided tonight it is not going to happen. You can take a break every now and then or cut your dog in a short 'do and forget about it part of the time. It depends on what you want.

We still have training to do with the Spice and Teaka. Teaka is looking for a forever home and she is an amazing dog from Kat and Teaser. You would just love, love, love this dawg as we do. But she needs a forever home vs. just a hang out session with us cause she deserves that.

Off to do cuddling...