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?

Wordless Wednesday – Strange Spring

The weather has been crazy. Last week we had snow. Yesterday and the day before were really nice (in the 80s). Tomorrow we are going to have snow again! It’s crazy I tell you.

Since I missed last Wordless Wednesday, here are some photos from the past 10 days or so.

Maya looks Pretty by the blooming Tulips.

No lie. It snowed at our house on April 23rd, 2013. This is highly unusual in NE Kansas.

I was really worried about what the snow would do to our beautiful tulips.

Despite the recent snow, our colorful Tulips are still blooming beautifully.

Maya, do you want to play fetch with this big yellow beach ball?

Maya will jump to try to catch this yellow ball, but it is too big so it bounces off her nose. She loves the game, nonetheless.

Here comes the big yellow ball, Maya. Are you going to get it?

Get that big yellow ball, Maya!

Pierson doesn’t like the beach ball. He’s scared of it for some reason. But he loves to play with his Kong Flyer.

More of my adorable dog Pierson with his Kong Flyer.

I can’t get enough of the Pierson cuteness with his Kong Flyer.

Just look at the fluffy fur fly! Pierson can’t catch the Kong Flyer in the air yet.

It looks like he might catch the flyer this time, but no. Pierson waits for the Kong Flyer to land on the ground before he gets it.

For more fun Wordless Wednesday pet photos, check out the link to the blog hop below. You can also access the blog hop on my other blog, PetAutoSafetyBlog.com where I am showing photos of an adorable GoldenDoodle named Spud.

 

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Fit Dog Friday – Getting Fit with My Dogs

I’m working on Pierson’s dog aggression by going on group walks with other dog owners. It’s dog training and exercise at the same time.

My dogs are very fit and healthy. It helps that I am careful about what I feed them and how much. And that I keep them relatively fit by taking them for regular walks and playing fetch with them. But I have not been so good at keeping myself fit and healthy. So this Fit Dog Friday is mostly about me and a little about how my dogs Maya & Pierson contribute.

Benefits of Keeping Fit
I’ve been very focused lately on losing weight in a healthy way. Since mid-December, I have lost 18 pounds. Now, thanks to a little initiative on my part and to great partners like Maya and Pierson, I am only 5 pounds away from reaching my goal weight! Besides the benefit of losing excess pounds, I also get to buy new clothes, I have fewer problems with acne, my fibromyalgia symptoms are less severe, and I feel like I have more energy.

Healthy Diet
How did I do it? I did use some Herbalife products. However, these products were merely a support. What really helped me lose weight were the lifestyle changes. I’ve always generally eaten healthy foods like whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and baked but not fried meat. But I’ve also been eating too many sweet foods. So the first thing I did when I really made up my mind to lose weight was to eliminate those sweets (for the most part).

Walk, Walk, Walk
The second thing I did was exercise more. It hasn’t been enough to just walk the dogs. Now we walk faster, more often, and further. Sometimes, instead of driving to the convenience store for a cup of coffee, I will walk the mile distance with Maya or Pierson. I’ve even taken one of them with me when I walked to the UPS store to ship a package. I also walk to the grocery store if I just need a few things, but Maya and Pierson don’t get to go because they are not allowed in the store and I don’t want to leave them tied up outside for that long.

Fun Activities with the Dogs
Maya, Pierson, and I have also been doing more fun activities together. Instead of just playing fetch with the dogs, I try to get involved with the games. Seeing who can catch the thrown ball becomes a contest to see who can get to the ball first. Although I always lose this game, Maya & Pierson love it when I chase them. Now that the weather is getting nicer, I’ve also been taking Maya to dog park more often. Our dog park is around Clinton Lake and is not fenced. So from the dog park, we are able to walk the wooded trails to an area by the lake for Maya to swim.

Dog Walking Group
I’ve recently joined a group of other dog owners who have trouble with their leash-reactive dogs. In this group, we actually walk spaced out so that our dogs can’t hurt one another. The distance apart depends on the dog. I have to be the furthest away because Pierson’s behavior is the worst amongst the group. His behavior is especially bad at the beginning of the walk. But after about 10 minutes of walking and rewarding for good behaviors, I can decrease the distance between him and the dog ahead of us. After a few of these group walks, Pierson still has to walk a few feet behind. But this group has really helped him decrease that distance.

I can see us doing even more fun activities this spring. My husband and I are talking about going camping and hiking. I’d also like to teach Pierson some agility, which means less time for me sitting at the computer and more time outdoors. What other fit activities can you think of that Maya, Pierson, and I could do together? What do you and your dogs do to stay fit?

For more Fit Dog Friday posts, check out the link below:

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Almost Wordless Wednesday – Memes

I don’t think I’ve come up with any super funny memes, but here are a few that I’ve done that I think are cute. You may have seen most of them before, but some are new. If you think any of them are cute, please pin them!

Maya Wearing Daisy Diva Design Collar.

These are my aunt’s dogs Molly, Frank, and T-Bone. Read more about them by typing Dachshund in the search field.

This is my parent’s dog Killer.

Maya is all ears when it comes to cookies.

Maya & Pierson in the back seat of the car. This caption is misleading because Maya LOVES to go the vet.

Pierson is in the car hoping we are going somewhere besides the vet.

My dog Sephi loved food more than anything else in the whole world.

My dog Pierson talks about how dog training really works.

What’s your favorite? Can you think of better memes for these pictures?

For more dog fun, check out the link to the Wordless Wednesday blog hop below:

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If you’re wondering why most of the photos say PetAutoSafety.com, it is because I own this web site. Sephi was the co-founder in 2006 and Maya & Pierson are the current executive officers. I’m working on branding my photos so that when they are shared, so is our message. Not only do I want the world to know about Maya & Pierson, but I also want to create awareness about traveling safely with our dogs.

Monday Mischief – Squirrelly Squirrels

This is my first Monday Mischief. Why haven’t I posted a Monday Mischief before? It’s not because Maya and Pierson aren’t mischievous, because they are. But because it is so hard to get a photo of their naughty stuff.

So today’s mischief isn’t about Maya and Pierson, but about squirrels. Remember my post from April 3rd – Small Signs of Spring? I mentioned there is a squirrel living in my neighbor’s house. I see him all the time but can’t seem to get a photo of him.

I finally got his photo yesterday. Not only that, I found out there are two squirrels living there and probably a nest of young squirrels too.

The squirrel living in my neighbor’s house peeks his head out.

There’s not one squirrel, but two!

This squirrel must have been trying to sneak out. The other squirrel grabs his butt and hauls him back in. No going out to party tonight, mister!

How is this mischievous? Because the squirrels drive Pierson nuts (no pun intended). They intentionally tease him as they scurry about. Just look at how Pierson watches them.

Tonight’s movie, “The Squirrelly Squirrels” will be featured on the outdoor patio in HD.

So what king of mischief are other dog bloggers up to this Monday? Find out by clicking the link below:

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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 – More Signs of Spring

Although today is supposed to get cooler again, at least it’s not going to be in the 30s. I really love spring in Kansas. When all the trees blossom it is a gorgeous array of color. Not all the trees have blossomed yet. Only one of our trees has so far. But I imagine in the next week or so, I will be able to look down my street and see a line of whites, creams, pinks, reds, and purples.

Here are more Wordless Wednesday spring photos of Maya & Pierson enjoying more outdoor time:

Pierson was getting stir crazy in winter. He wrapped this blanket around his head by himself while playing.

Maya and I enjoy cuddle time on the porch swing.

The Tulips are starting to bud. Soon we will have flowers!

April showers bring Maya flowers.

April showers bring Maya more flowers.

Pierson has placed himself on rabbit patrol.

I love how the trees in Kansas blossom.

The white blossoming trees are coming out first. This one is from our back yard.

What does spring look like where you live?

For more great pet photos on Wordless Wednesday, check out the link to the blog hop below:

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Wordless Wednesday – Small Signs of Spring

We’ve had a long winter with a lot of snow this year. Although Maya & Pierson enjoyed it, I’m glad to finally see signs of spring.

Our tulips are coming up!

The blossoms are starting to bud!

The grass is turning green!

A squirrel lives here. But just my luck, every time I try to take a picture of him he disappears!

I told Maya no sticks, but she loves them so much! Now that the snow is melted, she found a new one to chew on.

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

Pierson is looking for those pesky rabbits that live under our shed. He saw them in the yard earlier so he knows they are there.

Oh, look! A Dandelion! Maya sniffs the first spring flower.

For more cute pet photos from the Wordless Wednesday, visit the blog hop below.

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Wordless Wednesday – Snowball Joy

Are you sick of winter yet? Maya & Pierson aren’t. Check out these really adorable (and funny) photos of my dogs playing in the snow on Sunday, March 24th.

Pierson sitting in the snow, wondering which snow drift might be the deepest.

Pierson misses the snowball I threw and it smashes apart.

My dog Pierson looks funny as he tries to catch a snowball!

My dog Maya prepares to catch a snowball.

Maya is looking for the snowball I threw (and she didn’t catch).

Maya’s almost got that snowball!

LOL! My dog Maya looks funny as she is about to catch a snowball.

For more great photos of dogs, check out the Wordless Wednesday blog hop link below.

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Following My Own Dog Training Tips?

My dogs are great, but not perfect. At home, they are the best most well behaved dogs. I don’t have to worry about them getting on the furniture, getting into the trash, chewing up my things, or stealing food from the table or counters. Even when I am not home I know I can trust them. But out in public, it’s like they are suddenly possessed. And I know it is mostly my own fault. Why is it that I can train dogs so perfectly at home, but still fall so short? I think I know the answers, but it is just a matter of implementing the following dog training tips:

Frequent and Consistent Dog Training
I have gotten really lazy this winter. I’d rather play with my dogs indoors or put on a jacket to play with them a few minutes outdoors than take them for a walk in the cold weather. This means any gains I have made by the end of fall with leash training are forgotten and I have to practically start all over again in the spring.

Socialization as an Ongoing Process
This same logic about frequency and consistency applies to how my dogs behave around other dogs. Since they haven’t been around other dogs much this winter, their behavior has gotten out of control again. In the fall, I took Pierson downtown once a week so I could help Dogtoberfest sell calendars to raise money for the Lawrence Humane Society. This was outdoors so we saw a lot of people and quite a few dogs. Pierson was naughty at times, but by the final week he was doing great. When winter came, I didn’t keep it up. Now, on those rare times in the winter when we do go for a walk, he goes absolutely nuts when he sees another dog. Maya does it too, although her reason is because she is so excited, not because she is being aggressive. If I had been exposing Maya and Pierson to other dogs more often over winter, would they be acting this way? Probably not.

My dog Pierson talks about how dog training really works. (Pin me!)

Don’t Let the Dogs Train Me
I just realized that Pierson has me trained. I don’t like my dogs to disturb my neighbors so if they start barking when they are outside, I make them come back inside. Yesterday, Pierson decided to start barking. It sounded like he was barking at something, generally at the squirrel that lives next door or at a person walking by the house. But when I went to go get him, he was sitting by the back door. Booger. He was barking at me to let him in!

This is an at home example, but does it apply to public situations too? Did I somehow train the dogs to pull on the leash when we go for a walk? If the dogs pull me on a walk, I stop and wait for them to stop pulling before moving on. That is how I am supposed to do it, anyway. But half the time, I don’t want to have to stop. After all, the walking is an exercise for me too. I want to get my heart rate up for cardio and so I can warm up in the cold weather, but I can’t do that if I have to stop every time Maya or Pierson pulls on the leash. I am just going to have to decide which is more important – leash training or cardio exercise. (If I stick with the dog training, eventually I can have it both ways.)

So there you have it. I am great at giving advice on how to train dogs, but not very good at taking my own advice. I know what to do, but have gotten lazy about doing it. And now I am paying the price. Winter is almost over so no more excuses. It’s time to get off my behind and put my words into practice!

What about you? Do your dogs have behavior problems that you know certain dog training tips can fix, but you just haven’t done them yet? I’m sure I’m not the only one so fess up!

I should change this to read, Angel at Home; Devil in Public. (Pin me!)

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