Sort of Wordless Wednesday – Walking to Help Leash Reactive Dogs

Pierson is very leash reactive when he sees other dogs. He probably wasn’t properly socialized when he was young and I have not done a good job of consistently working with his socialization skills. But now that the weather is getting nice, I intend to do better. Recently, we joined a dog walking group that specifically gets together to work with our dogs’ behavior. I say gets together but in reality, we have to walk a distance apart.

I’m working on Pierson’s dog aggression by going on group walks with other dog owners.

Some dogs are doing really well and can now walk with other dogs without much trouble. Pierson is doing better, but as you can see from the photo he still has to stay a distance away. We can get a few feet closer than this before Pierson starts going crazy. Over time, I expect we will be able to get closer and closer. I’ll keep you posted on his progress.

Teaching the ‘look’ command to get my dog Pierson’s attention when we see other dogs.

This past Saturday, I took Maya on the group walk. We decided to walk downtown and this would be too much for Pierson. Maya has her issues too, but with excitability, so I took her instead. If I had taken Pierson, we would not have been able to visit this nice dog barktique.

Dogs welcome to the Lucky Dogs Bakery and Barktique.

Treats are being passed around at the Lucky Dogs Bakery and Barktique.

Maya and others in the Lucky Paws Bakery and Barktique in Downtown Lawrence.

Our dog walking group is still small. Thanks to lots of practice, these dogs are not as leash reactive as they used to be.

For more Wordless Wednesday pet photos, check out the blog hop link below.

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Top 10 Things My Dogs Do to Make me Smile

Every day is a joy with Maya & Pierson. And it’s the little things they do that bring it. In no particular order, here are a few of the cute things they do:

1. The breakfast dance and howl – Maya sit and stay while I fill up their food bowls. But before we get to the sit command, there is the dance. Pierson sometimes adds a cute howl, too.

2. Random spin – This is the very first thing they do when it comes to breakfast, dinner, or treats. I don’t even need to say ‘spin’ or ‘turn around’ any more. Ever since I taught them this trick, they do it automatically when they know its eating time.

Yay! Maya & Pierson have mastered synchronized spinning!

3. Play – Playing with them or Maya and Pierson playing with each other is very entertaining. There is nothing especially cute about the way they play. They play like any other dogs. But when I see them having so much fun, I can’t help but to be happy too.

At first, Pierson was afraid of the sprinkler. But after seeing Maya have so much fun in it, he decided to get in on the action.

4. Cuddle – My dogs aren’t allowed on the furniture. So cuddle time is extra special. Maya is an especially good cuddler.

Maya and I enjoy cuddle time on the porch swing.

5. Sleep on their backs – It’s so funny how Maya and Pierson can sleep in such odd positions on their back. It makes me laugh every time.

Maya really loves to sleep on her back.

Pierson loves to sleep on his back up against this wall.

6. Eagerness to learn cute dog tricks – Teaching Maya and Pierson tricks is so much fun because they are so eager. The attentive looks on their faces as I hold the treat and get ready to give a command is priceless.

Maya & Pierson love doing dog tricks for treats.

7. Maya’s heavy sigh – Actually, it’s more like a sigh and grunt combined. I can’t even describe it properly, but it’s cute.

8. Lay at my feet – Both Maya and Pierson want to lay under my desk when I work. It’s funny when they try to compete for the spot.

9. Maya when she gets excited – Maya got a compliment the other day. Someone told me, “That has got to be the happiest dog I have ever seen.” And it’s true. Maya is always up for an adventure and it shows on her face, in the way she walks, and in the way she whines with excitement.

10. Pierson’s fuzzy feet – The hair between Pierson’s toes stick up and make his feet look oddly shaped. They make me laugh every time. And it’s not just Pierson’s fuzzy feet, it’s all Maya & Pierson’s doggy parts. It’s the way Maya’s lip sometimes curls, the way she investigates everything with her brown nose, the way her ears flop around when she runs. It’s the way Pierson carries his tail when he walks (or prances), the way his eyes seem to lighten when he looks at me, the way his fluffy butt looks like big gray bloomers, and the way his body is white with black spots while his legs are black with white spots.

I did share this photo before, but I couldn’t resist sharing the photo of Pierson’s cute fuzzy spotted feet again.

What cute things does your best friend do to make you smile?

My Dogs and Cutie Patootie Poetry

My dog Pierson looks funny as he tries to catch a snowball! (pin me)

Anyone know what a patootie is? Where in the heck did that word come from? I say it all the time to my dog Pierson. But I have no idea on the origin of the word, or even how to spell it. I looked it up online, but both spellings and definitions differ. The most common spelling is how I have spelled it here. I’ve always thought patootie was a nice way of saying butt, but some definitions say it is a term of endearment. Perhaps it is both.

Anyway, the word patootie inspired me to write a poem about my dog Pierson, aka Mr. Fluffybutt:

My Pierson is such a cutie.
But he can be a pain in the patootie.
He barks at every little sound and sight.
And with other dogs he wants to fight.
But he is so super smart.
And his prettiness captures the heart.
Oh, how lucky I am to have my fluffy boy
Despite the yapping, he is such a wonderful joy.
(Hugging him is like hugging a big wiggly stuffed toy.)

And not to leave out my lovable Maya:

Oh my, oh my, oh Maya.
My sweet adorable papaya.
Sometimes she gets a little overexcited.
But if sweetness was a crime, she’d surely be indicted.
Oh what a happy Labrador.
My Maya is never a bore.
For everything she does, she does with zest.
Life is great when you view life as one big fun fest.
(Even though sometimes she can be quite the pest.)

My Labrador Maya really really enjoys chewing on sticks. It is her most favorite dog toy. (pin me)

Back to Pierson… I watched this great music video some time back (below) and thought it would be so much fun to teach my dog Pierson to do some of these things. What do you think? I think I can tell from the above photo that he has dancing potential, right?

Wordless Wednesday – Dogs vs Cats Part II

In Part I of Dogs vs Cats, we compared the two. But now, let’s have dogs and cats decide among themselves which is better.

In this funny pet video, it looks like the cat is in charge:

Proof again with our cat visitor Mau ruling Maya at our house:

But wait! It looks like the dog’s got this cat in hand. The dog thinks this is a fun game while the cat is not at all happy about it. Poor kitty!

And the dog in this video makes the cat do what its told whether it wants to or not:

It looks like it is still a toss-up. Perhaps if we watch this funny pet video we can decide which is the funniest, dogs or cats?

So who wins? I think we have a tie!

For more fun pet stuff on Wordless Wednesday, visit our other blog, PetAutoSafetyBlog. Here we have some funny Subaru commercials. Also, check out the blog hop below.

 

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Pierson’s Seizure

January 10th, 2013, Pierson’s Gotcha Day – Except for the tapping on my keyboard, my office is virtually silent. It’s evening, late enough to be dark out but not quite dinner time. I have the lights off so the only light is from my computer screen. All is peaceful. I’m working on fun dog stuff online while Maya lies at my feet and Pierson rests beside my chair.

Suddenly, Pierson starts thudding around on the floor. My first thought is that I had rolled the chair leg onto his long hair and he was trying to get up but couldn’t. But when I pull the chair away, he’s still doing the same thing. Is he playing with something? Is there a bug on the floor that he’s trying to catch? I don’t know. I can’t see. The lights are off.

I quickly turn on the lights to see him on his side. He’s making motions like he is trying to get up but can’t. I quickly kneel beside him to see if I can tell what is going on. His eyes are rolled back. His upper body is moving oddly but his back legs are stretched out behind him and not moving, as though paralyzed. The paw of one of his front legs is curled up close to his chest.

I rest my hand on his side to calm him and keep him from trying to move around too much. Alarm bells are going off inside my head but I remain outwardly calm and try to make my voice sound as though all is normal. He stops moving around in that peculiar way and tries to get up but his legs won’t cooperate. I massage his muscles thinking perhaps he had a muscle cramp.

Even if it was just a cramp, I have to make sure. I have to call the vet. My phone is in my pocket but I don’t have the vet’s number saved on it. The number, where is it? I have to call them as quickly as possible before they close for the day. The computer is right there. I could look it up. But I remember that the number is also on a refrigerator magnet in the other room. I go to get it and Pierson tries to get up to follow me. His legs still won’t work properly and he falls.

I make him stay and quickly retrieve the number. The receptionist answers. Thank goodness, they’re not closed yet. Help is close at hand. She asks a few quick questions then puts me on hold to get the vet on the line. When I get back to Pierson he seems a little shaken but fine. He gets up and is now walking normally. I sigh heavily with relief.

I kneel beside Pierson and he is shaking, but otherwise okay. The vet gets on the line and asks me what happened. As I explain it, I realize that what I am describing was probably a seizure. My vet agrees. After further discussion and helpful information from the vet, I decide it probably isn’t necessary to bring Pierson in immediately unless he has another one.

If we suspected Pierson had been hit in the head, exposed to something potentially harmful, if the seizure had lasted for several minutes, or if he kept having them over and over again, the vet would have strongly urged to bring him in right away. But none of these was a factor. It was probably an isolated incident. It’s okay if I wait to bring him in the next day for a check-up. Pierson went the next day and we are still awaiting test results.

Upon further research regarding seizures in dogs and canine epilepsy, this is what I have found:

• Although I didn’t notice this in Pierson, there is sometimes an event called an ‘aura’ that occurs before the seizure. This can include restlessness, panting, demand for attention, or desire for seclusion.
• Move stuff out of the dog’s way so they don’t hurt themselves.
• Do not put anything in the dog’s mouth. Dogs can’t swallow their tongues so don’t worry about that.
• Don’t touch the dog as this may prolong or trigger another seizure.
• Be calm.
• After-effects of the seizure include disorientation, stumbling, drooling, etc.
• After-effects can last a few moments or even a few hours.
• Seizures can occur for many reasons including brain trauma, poisoning, and heat stroke.
• The most common reason for a seizure is a disorder called idiopathic epilepsy. It occurs in as many as 5% of all dogs.
• Dogs can live long normal lives even though they may suffer from idiopathic epilepsy.

If you think your dog has had a seizure, call your vet. It could be an emergency situation or everything could be fine. Pierson is doing well, back to his normal silly self. He hasn’t had another episode. The vet did not notice anything of great concern when we went in the next day so we can now just sit back and relax… thank goodness.

Wordless Wednesday – Practicing Pet Safety

I remember working in the corporate world and noticing that I had more pictures of my dogs on my desk than other people had of their children or grandchildren. So I wouldn’t be surprised if some people thought of me as the crazy dog lady. I don’t have kids so my dogs are my family (for years, it was just Sephi and I). And as such, I take care of them as well as, and sometimes better than, I take care of myself. Here are some photos to prove it:

We all eat healthy. Maya & Pierson get a good quality dog food in measured portions.

I feed my dogs twice a day so that they don’t eat a large amount at one time. Eating too much at once can cause bloat, which can be deadly for dogs, especially big dogs. One thing I would like to try is a slow pet feeder dog bowl.

I decided to stop using retractable leads since it made Maya’s walking habits worse and because I heard a horrible story about a dog getting struck by a car because he tried to run across the street after another dog. The owner did not lock the retractable lead quickly enough.

Pierson has a rabies tag, the Home Again tag with his microchip number, and his id tag with my phone number.

Maya is wearing her Kurgo Tru-Fit dog car harness.

I make sure the fenced yard is kept repaired and any dug holes are filled up.

Dougie wears a dog life jacket when he is out on the water. Dougie is not my dog. Maya has one, but I don’t have a picture of her wearing it. Pierson has yet to go swimming so he doesn’t have one yet.

I keep these in my car along with pet identification cards with vet info, a blanket, water, and extra leashes.

This sign goes on my car window whenever my dogs ride with me in the car. It has their photo and emergency contact information.

Dog toys that I know my dogs will chew to pieces are kept picked up and can only be played with under supervision.

After I heard about a dog running with a stick in his mouth and the stick getting jammed into the back of his throat, I try really hard not to let Maya play with sticks.

The first thing I do after a snow is shovel and de-ice the steps. These steps are the only way my dogs can get to the fenced yard and I don’t want them to slip. Warm water is used when they get inside to remove the salt.

How do you practice pet safety? Am I missing anything important?

For more Wordless Wednesday pet photos, check out our Pet Auto Safety Blog for the blog hop.

Wordless Wednesday – Random Cuteness

Just some random photos I took of Maya & Pierson this week:

When I get done with my other drawing projects, I think I will draw Maya from this photo.

And perhaps I will draw Pierson from this photo.

 

Or how about drawing from this photo of Maya sleeping. She looks deceptively angelic when she sleeps.

Or I can draw a full body pose of Pierson so as to capture his cute spotted feet.

 

Maya’s a bed-hog but at least Pierson has a nice comfy pillow to rest his head.

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday – Maya & Pierson Have a Ball this Fall

Fall will be here officially on the 22nd. Maybe it feels like fall where you are, but it sure is hot here! In fact, the brown leaves in this photo are the leaves that died from the heat this summer. Even though it is still hot, there are some signs of fall. Check out my dogs Maya & Pierson as they celebrate the upcoming season by having a ball.

Maya & Pierson sitting in front of the Sunflowers in our back yard. Kansas is known for its Sunflowers.

Pierson & Maya on a bed of fallen leaves.

Maya & Pierson having a ball!

Pierson’s got the ball… and he actually brought it back this time!

Here comes Maya with the ball!

For more great Wordless Wednesday photos, click to visit our Pet Auto Safety Blog for the blog hop.

Review of the Adaptil Dog Collar for Pierson

Adaptil makes a collar which helps to reduce stress in dogs. This stress can be related to travel, loud noises like thunder, and new surroundings. It works by releasing a laboratory created pheromone which is based on the pheromone released by nursing mother dogs. So a puppy with his mother is less likely to experience anxiety due to not only the mother’s presence but also the pheromones she releases. Can a synthetic pheromone work when mom is no longer around?

I’ve heard the Adaptil collar helps many dogs be more relaxed and comfortable but may not help all. Well, I think my dog is one of the ones it did not help. Pierson is an Australian Shepherd / Border Collie mix. He is a fantastic dog – smart, lovable, and mostly well-behaved. I’ve had him for about 8 months now. He came with several issues. But over that 8 month period, most of those issues have been worked out. The one that hasn’t is his aggression towards other dogs. He walks well on a leash until he sees another dog where he gets all worked up and goes crazy.

I had hoped Pierson’s situation was similar enough to the other stressful situations Adaptil says it helps. The synthetic pheromone helps reduce anxiety in dogs with loud thunder and noises, so why not the anxiety produced by being around other dogs?

The package did not specifically state it would help with this type of situation, so obviously there is more involved with Pierson’s behavior than just simple stress. Perhaps it is the natural suspicion of his breed mix. Or he probably wasn’t socialized when he was a pup (before I got him). Or maybe he had a bad experience with other dogs as a stray.

Despite my lack of success with the Adaptil, I’ve heard too many positive stories to dismiss it. Perhaps it works better in the specific situations it describes – loud noises, traveling, new surroundings. The product is not that expensive so if you have an anxious dog, it is worth a try.

Wordless Wednesday – Do I Have to Wear This?

Do Your Dogs Wear Clothes?

Sephi always wore a scarf but Maya and Pierson are not too fond of clothes. The clothes my dogs are wearing in these pictures were only put on long enough to take a photo (maybe a little bit longer for Maya in the dress but she was distracted with a playmate).

Sephi loved wearing a scarf.

Maya was having so much fun playing that she hardly noticed she was wearing a dress.

Pierson wearing an adorable tux made by Bow Wow Wow Gifts.

My parent’s dog Killer wearing a sweater and boots.

My aunt’s dog Madison wearing a cute pink sweater.

I saw this adorable Sheltie at the Mutt n Strutt 2012.

For other great Wordless Wednesday pet photos, visit the PetAutoSafetyBlog.com.