Friday, March 30, 2007

Leo now has some competition over the tennis ball!

I was a bit worried that when Sadie arrived I would have fights over the tennis ball. Leo has been showing a bit too much aggression. He has been bullying the other dogs like he does his little sister. I found that as long as he was shagging down tennis balls he would leave the other dogs alone.

I have taken him on a couple of leased walks just to point out to him that he is no higher in the ranks than any other dog and that seemed to have helped.

But, I have Sadie coming and she might be even a bit more obsessed with tennis balls than Leo. She is also faster and better than Leo in retrieval of balls. This could get ugly, but I am relying on the shear number of tennis and racquet balls I have to throw. Leo it turns out can't let a ball go when there is another dog that can and will get it. So I had my solution, Leo gets the first ball and keeps it in his mouth. He still chases after anything thrown but he can't beat Sadie to it and with a ball in his mouth he can't get mad about it either. So we had a great game of fetch every time they were out for the past few days.

My arm is getting sore and my glove is a muddy mess.

We even had Gunda join in and she is giving Sadie a run for her money. Those two really race for the ball but they have no problem with who returns it. That is the sign of a good dog.

I have Lucky arriving on Saturday. And he is more obsessed with tennis balls than Sadie and he might even be faster. This should be a interesting weekend. I'd better patrol the outside of the kennel for all the racquet balls that have gotten away. There should be 9 not 1 of them. I am going to need more ammo.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Well it is Springtime in Utah!

Which can and will mean anything and everything. We had a week of summer, that the contractors missed as they were delayed on another project. And now we have a week of winter, which coincides with the removal of all the interior lath and plaster from my house's downstairs level. Not that is was ever that warm before (no insulation) but now with the heat off, it is an ice box.

Actually, my refrigerator is working too good. The milk comes out so cold I can't drink it. They are designed to work in a 65 to 80 degree room. Right now, I'd say my kitchen is at a balmy 45 degrees. I even broke out the emergency space heater I have for the dog kennel. That is the only reason the room is above freezing.

So, remember to HONK when you come by. You can't really get to the door bell anymore. I will coming running out, it is probably warm outside than in these days.

And once again, if you can't put your tomatoes out - DON'T SHAVE THE DOG!

I am getting these pitiful, shivering, half-naked, freshly shaven little doggies. Just stop!

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Scooter, Scooter, Scooter

Scooter is a Beagle and so cannot be blamed for his no stop barking. So no blame, but I am working on calming him down and trying to get him to be a dog and not a furry car alarm.

Scooter barks so much that he goes home hoarse, and his owners don't like that. So they send him with doggie downers, but I can't sedate a dog for 2 weeks.

So I am hoping the Dog Whisperer's techniques can help even Scooter. I have been taking him on a leased walk and that really seems to calm him down. Problem is that it doesn't stick. I have to do this pretty much every play time. He is good for most of the day, but by late afternoon, he has worked himself back into a tizzy of non stop barking.

I have two weeks maybe I can get him to relax and interact with the other dogs. Right now all he does is stay by himself and charge and bark whenever two dogs are wrestling.

I did see him 'smell a butt' yesterday so maybe there is still a little dog left in him. I know he will be happier and a lot less barky if he would just 'BE A DOG!'

Big Brothers and Little Sisters

I have two sets of big brothers and little sisters. As I mentioned yesterday, Leo does really want to play with Molly (he wants to play fetch), but there is no way he will let his sister have any fun without him.

I now have the same situation just substitute Chico for Leo and Sophie for Molly.

And of course, it is Molly and Sophie that want to play together. I have to ride herd on the boys to get the girls any kind of playtime.

I figure now that they have found a girl friend, the boys are going to have a harder time breaking them up. We will have to see how it goes today.

Monday, March 26, 2007

See Those Labels at the Bottom?

They allow you to pick a label and see all the posts that have that same label. Pick your dog's name and get all the posts on your dog.

Two problems so far:

One, I only have labeled about 50 posts and I have 200+ to go.

Two, if your dog is named something like 'Buddy', 'Sam', 'Max', 'Sadie', or 'Molly', you are going to read many posts about many different 'Buddy's, 'Sam's, 'Max's, 'Sadie's, or 'Molly's.

Well, This was a Pretty Good Weekend

We had a great group of dogs that all played well together and no photos to prove it, as I can still not find the camera.

Molly and Leo came back and Leo is still acting the big brother, which means he is annoying his little sister to no end. Whenever Molly finds a dog to play with, Leo gets put out and has to break it up. He tried this last time with Molly and Tinker, but they were just too determined to have fun and they just ignored him.

I found the solution to getting Molly out from under Leo's watchful eye. Leo likes to play fetch and he even brings the ball back to me, so the game was on. Leo is a bit too serious about fetch. Once when BB swooped in and stole the ball, I thought Leo was going to take a chunk out of her. BB seems to have realized the same thing, because I have never seen her NOT swoop in a steal a ball like she did all weekend. Not single other time to Leo or anyone else for that matter.

Tessie who has never shown an interest in balls other than to steal them to get chased suddenly joined the game and gave Leo a run for his money. She even brought the ball back to me. This is a huge transformation in Tessie. I did try my 'dog whisperer' technique of taking Tessie for a leased walk around the kennel. It really seemed to calm her down, but how in the world did it give her an interest in fetch and teach her the rules at the same time. Another 'Doggie Miracle'

Saturday, March 24, 2007

I am completely freaking out...

I can't find my digital camera anywhere! I had it at the St. Patrick's Day Parade, but it is nowhere to be found and the doggies are doing cute things!

Where did I put that thing!

I did notice that I have pictures of Tinker and Molly from a couple of weekends ago, so I will put them together and be saved by cute puppies.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

No Fighting On Mom

I established this very important rule when my dogs were just puppies. They can sit and play in my lap, but 'No Fighting On Mom' or you both get unceremoniously dumped onto the floor.

My dogs got this rule pretty quickly and I no longer had to invoke it. They also grew into a 60 and an 80 pound Labrador, so playing in my lap went away pretty quickly anyway.

I resurrected this rule after my second child was born. I was happy to have them pile on me for a book or two, but 'No Fighting On Mom' or you both get unceremoniously dumped onto the floor.

My kids also got this rule pretty quickly and like my puppies, they, too have out ground my lap and the chair as well.

This weekend, I had to pull out that dusty, unused rule again for Smokey Bill and Jack.



Yup, those are my knees and feet.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

And the Puppy Teamed Up with Smokey Bill!

For chasing...
And Wrestling!



I taught biting Shane on his tail, but I couldn't get a photo of that.

Monday, March 19, 2007

But it All Worked Out for Scotty






When he teamed up with Shane for a nonstop wrestling match.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

We really had a Big and Boucey Weekend

Even with a couple of dogs that were kinda small.

I had Shane, a large and very boucey yellow lab. I had Jack, a small and boucey and nippy yellow lab puppy, that will some day grow up to be Shane.

Then there is Smokey Bill, a small and fast terrier. he turned out to be a prefect match for Jack.

And on Saturday, I got Scotty. Scotty lives in St. George, but his grandma lives here in Helper. Whenever Grandma get to go gambling, I get to watch Scotty. Scotty might have aged out of the puppy title, he certainly hasn't altered his behavior. Once again, a perfect match for Shane.

Now, I still have Max, but he is finally getting a break from Shane. So Max is having a good weekend, too.

And this is the match-up I thought would actually happen, Scotty and Jack. These two only got together for a 'meet & greet' and haven't played together at all.

It is Tough being the Newest of the New






Scotty was causing a dog pile-up wherever he went.

And this is Pepper Ann's Bigger and Bouncier Brother


Shane, Shane Thayn to be exact. His mother always wanted to name a kid, Shane. (My dad would be thrilled that is his favorite movie.) But after marrying a Thayn, she decided that she couldn't really stick a kid with that particular name. Using it for the dog seems like a good decision to me, they so rarely go by both their first and last names.

Unless they are getting into trouble around here, then I tend to break out the sternest 'mom' voice I can pull off and call them by their first and last names. If they are really in trouble, I make up a middle name for them.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Not the Day to be Unable to Find the Camera Charger

I got another puppy! And I got Smokey Bill who is just plain fun to watch. But I also have a house in chaos. We start the remodel of the downstairs on Monday and everything that was downstairs is now stuffed in the sunroom. I thought the charger was in the kitchen, my husband says it was on the computer desk. That means that it is most likely in one of the computer desks filing cabinet and I might be able to get it back.

Wish me luck on this expedition into the wilds of my house in storage.

I'd better bring a machete.

This is How I Normally get to see Pepper Ann


But when she first arrived on Thursday, she was a whole different dog. POD-Pepper! (on please, tell me that you have seen 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers')

She was out of her box, and even let me pet her. She came out to play with the other dogs. In the four years that she has been coming here I don't think she even was out in the play yard before.

I saw more of her in that first half hour than I did in all of her stays throughout the years added together. She really was a whole new dog. It didn't last, though. She is back to hiding whenever I am around and there is no chance of her coming out to play again.

Disappointing, but at least I know she hasn't been 'replaced'.

Friday, March 16, 2007

Max is a Love Bug


Meaning that he loves to be loved and is willing to bug you to get love and more love.

Max is capable of being scratched until my arm falls off at the shoulder and then will bug for more until the other one falls off. It hasn't gotten that far, so far, as I am pretty worn out after about 15 minutes of vigorous scratching.

Max will even roll over for a tummy scratch in the presence of other dogs. That shows a high level of confidence or a higher level of need for tummy love than worry about acting submissive in a group setting.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

These Dog Names are Going to Drive Me to Drink

I had a dog named 'Midori' stay with me this weekend. I had to laugh when the owners told be they have another dog at home named 'Whiskey'. Looks like they stuck with the theme, only needing something a little sweet for their new black lab puppy.

I told them I know a dog named 'Boozer'. Now we just need to get 'Bourbon' and the ranch will be well stocked. maybe we should get a Bud in for the beer lovers.


That reminds me, I used to threaten to get a set of three Labradors - black, chocolate and yellow - and named them 'Guinness', 'Harper' and 'Bud'.

Friday, March 09, 2007

The Big and Little of the Pinscher Family





What luck to have Bourbon and Tinker here at that same time. They really are the same dog in radically different sizes. They both run and play the same way. It has been fun to watch them, and once again I took so many pictures - it just is hard to stop.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

This One is for Eunice's Mom


I think I have won Eunice back over. She has been giving me the cold shoulder for the past few stays, but today I got to get some love in.

Tinker and Eunice



When Eunice first approached Tinker to 'meet' her, Eunice practically lifted her off the ground stuffing her nose under Tinker's leg. Tinker was very well mannered and put up with Eunice's pushy style.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Buddy, Buddy, Buddy....

I think I may have won over Buddy. Finally. For his first stay, he refused to come out of the kennel at all. This time he came out for the first play time, but then refused to come out for the rest of the day. Today he has joined the group each time. I am very proud of him, though I think that Tinker is terrorizing him.

PUPPY ALERT!


We got another one! Tinker is about 4 months old and is beyond words. She is just zipping around the play yard and trying to jump at all the dogs. This one has no fear.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Courtnee, I love the name but they should have named you Garbo

Courtnee 'vants to be alone'.

She doesn't want dogs to come near her, run near her, play near her and she certainly doesn't want them close enough to smell her or for her to smell them.

I have a solution for this, give Courtnee her own section of the play yard.

My idea was greeted with some very strenuous complaining, whimpering, whining and endless barking from Courtnee.

Oh, I see, you 'vant to be alone' in a crowd.

She actually pulled it off. She growled and glared and snapped at all the other dogs until even Shiloh (all enthusiasm and no steering) got the message and left her alone.

My 'Be a Dog, You Will Be Happier as a DOG, Smell the Butt' speech was lost on Courtnee.

Monday, March 05, 2007

More Tennis Ball Obsession


Sadie also suffers from Tennis Ball Obsession. She was playing with the other dogs until she found a tennis ball. She brings the ball to me and then drops it. Unfortunately, she also re-catches her ball more often than she lets me kick it. This makes for a very slow and frustrating game of fetch for me. I have to be extra careful because often I have to hold off kicking the ball because she have swooped in an grab it again.

I kick the ball for her, one, because it is disgusting and two, because I can never bend over fast enough to get a ball.

Well, I managed to kick her in the nose yesterday. She seems completely fine and was right back at drop and re-catch, drop and re-catch, drop and finally let me kick it. I however have a bruise on top of my right foot.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

And This is How You Put a Kennel Back Together

This is one of the two walls that Nike beat a hasty retreat through.

It has to be the coldest afternoon we have had, but there is my husband diligently putting my kennels back together.

When Nike broke out, she didn't damage the fencing she broke these clips. She really did a number on them.

Well, we are back together and ready for the full house of dogs that will be arriving today.

Friday, March 02, 2007

Terry and Toby are Having a Great Time Together





I just wish it didn't look like they were eating each other.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Dog and Kids are not the Only Wild Life Around Here

Yesterday, I spotted 18 deer as they jumped my fence and headed up the canyon. I have never seen more than 14 together and most of the time it is a group of about 8.

I only wish I had looked up a few minutes earlier, I would have gotten a much better view of them when they were having breakfast on my back bench. I will definitely have my eyes open this morning.