Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

A Monday Kind of Friday

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I had a Monday…..last Friday.

It started off nicely enough. The jeans I wanted to wear… fit.

A Friday doesn’t start much better than that.

I got to work, made the coffee and my boss called.

Those landscape plans came in late last night and have to be delivered immediately.

No problem it was a beautiful day for a ride, so I grabbed the plans and hopped in the car.  I cruised along with the windows down, listening to Springsteen playing thru the radio.

The woman I was delivering the plans to is a dog lover and we’ve talked dog before.  It’s true what Pamela at Something Wagging says, We’re All The Same When We Love a Dog.

We already have something in common and can start a conversation.

How’s your woofies she asked.

They’re great, how are yours?

After confirming that our dogs were good, it was time to head back to work.

I walked in the door and said, I need my coffee.

Grab my cup and head to the break room and…. my co-workers had drunk most of it.  One of the gals offered to split the tiny bit that was left, but I said don’t worry about it, I’ll make more.

I reset the coffee pot and went to check my e-mails…..ah the coffee was ready.

I grabbed my cup and headed once again to the break room when in walked the water supply guy. He replaced our empties with full ones and went to use the men’s room.

Meanwhile, the phone had rung and I was once again back at my desk, minus coffee.

The water guy had just left the building and climbed into his truck when I heard water running.

Oh crap, I hope a pipe didn’t burst, we just had the office painted.

As I ran past the break room I noticed the spigot on the water cooler had broken and water was just pouring out onto the floor.  I grabbed the spigot and tried to fit it back on the cooler.

The phone rang.

HELP I shouted.  Thankfully one of my co-workers grabbed the phone for me, and then I remember the water guy might still be here.

HELP I shouted again.

I had two choices.  Stand there like the little Dutch boy with his finger in the dam while the water guy slipped away, or let the water run all over the floor while I attempted to grab the water guy.

I ripped the bottle of water off the cooler and ran for the door.

The water guy looked up in shock as I burst through the doors and ran frantically up to his truck waving my arms.

The spigot broke and water is just gushing all over the floor!

He looked at me like I’d just said, aliens invaded NYC, but thankfully he shut off the truck and followed me inside.

By the time we got back to the break room another co-worker had grabbed a pitcher and was catching the last of the water.

I’ll be back on Monday the water guy said as he exited the building with our water cooler, leaving me on floor with a roll of paper towels, and an empty coffee cup sitting on the table.

Great, see you Monday.

P.S. I tried not to let the start color the rest of my day.  I looked forward to an evening walk with my puppies, just a half-hour of mindless nothing, me and the puppies communing with nature.

Somehow even with the beauty of nature and time with the dogs couldn’t shake the funk.

How do you shake off the funk of a bad day?

Dogs Can’t Add

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On our walk this morning I was formulating a lovely post about recalls and what Delilah and I have learned and applied in the last eight weeks.

The Key Lies in Repetition

It is naive to think your dog will come back to you from an enticing situation if you only recall occasionally.  I have been working Delilah constantly.  In the course of a 30 minute walk I probably recall her at least 30 times.

I reward her each time she returns to me with a piece of liverwurst.   I even reward her when she comes to me without being called.  Sometimes it is with a piece of liverwurst, sometimes with a lesser food reward and sometimes I give her a rub on the head and tell her what a good girl she is.

Our recall word is HERE.  I say it loudly and clearly.  When she turns toward me I say, YES in an excited voice, sometimes I encourage her, come on, you’re such a good girl.

On the rare occasion she doesn’t respond immediately, I’ve found if I say YES and continue to chatter while rewarding Sampson, curiosity will compel her to come and see what Sampson is getting.

Know Your Dog And His/Her Limitations

With Delilah, I know there are areas where the lure of what else is out there, is greater than the lure of what is in my treat bag.  When I am approaching these areas, I will call her to me and either leash her, or I will hold a treat in my hand down by my side and keep her in a heel position.

Once we have passed that danger zone, I will release her again.

Sometimes Even With All We’ve Learned, We Fail Our Dogs

In the last week I have been giving her a lot more freedom, in fact about 98% of her walks have been off-leash.  She’s done spectacularly…..until today.

Let me be clear, it is I who failed, not Delilah.

I gave her too much freedom in an area that is far too tempting for her.  Today as we approached a danger zone I recalled her, but I failed to secure her on leash or use a heel treat.  She ran out into a neighborhood and investigated Tia’s yard.

I tried to recall her, but the lure of the yard was far more interesting than what I had in my pouch.  Sampson and I had to go out and get her.

Yes, she spent the rest of the walk (about 40 minutes) on leash.

2 Plus 2 Do Not Equal Four To Delilah

At first I was angry with Delilah, she did not respond to my call and I’m ashamed to say when I finally got her back I called her a dumb dog.

I stewed about it for a while on the walk, but then I realized that Delilah does not know how to add, she does not understand, I ran off so I got put back on leash.

Back To Square One

I know she’s capable of learning.  Whenever she is on leash and we approach a steep downhill area, I say easy Delilah, easy.  She’s gotten to the point that even when she is off leash, she walks slowly down these hills.

If I continue to request a heel from her in the danger zones, before long she will automatically heel and stay close even if she is off leash.

Right?

It was lovely while it lasted.

More Thoughts From A Walk

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A while back I wrote a post about thoughts Sampson, Delilah and myself might have on one of our walks. Since that time we’ve had many more walks, and many more thoughts. 🙂

We pull up to the park, I sling Samson’s leash over my shoulder, exit the car and open the door.  The dogs burst out and make a bee-line for the trees.

I shut the door, lock the car and pocket the key.  I reach into my treat bag and pull out some liverwurst.

Here, I say loudly and clearly. Sampson and Delilah run up to me and I give them each a tiny piece of liverwurst.  I grab Delilah’s 15 foot leash and we start hiking in.

We get into the field and all stop to check out a pile of dog poop.

Sampson, Dang, this guy gets different food than I do.

Delilah, I’ve never smelled this brand before.

Me, WTF do they feed that dog, it looks like sunflower seeds in there.

We make our turn into the woods.

Here, I say loudly and clearly.  Sampson stops, turns and looks at me.  Delilah spins on a dime and comes right back to me: where’s my liverwurst? 

I un-clip Delilah from her leash and tell her, free dog.

Sampson looks at me, where’s mine?

Me: Dude, you didn’t hustle back here, you get nothin.

We head towards the back of the woods, you know the place where all the spider parties are.

Sampson and Delilah run ahead.

Me:  Ugh, get it off me, get it off me!  (No, wait I said that out loud.)

Sampson: What’s the racket all about, why can’t we just have a peaceful walk?

Delilah turning on a dime and running back to me: What’s the matter mom, are you okay?  Where’s my liverwurst?

We all hear voices.  The dogs stop, ears up and then start to run ahead.

Here, I say loudly and clearly.

Sampson stops and looks back at me.

Delilah whips around and runs back to me.  Is this important?  Where’s my liverwurst?

I clip Delilah on leash and approach Sampson, he starts to move forward.

Wait, I say loudly and clearly. I grab his collar and clip on his leash.  Together we approach the field.

We see our neighbors with their dogs, it’s safe to let them off-leash.

I un-clip Sampson and drop Delilah’s leash, they take off at a full run.

Here, I say loudly and clearly.

Sampson ignores me, looking up at the neighbor, pet me please.

Delilah turns on a dime and rushes to my side, Again?  Aren’t you tired of this yet?  Where’s my liverwurst?

After a few minutes of playing we head off into the woods to finish our walk.

Me: Didn’t the bugs get the memo about leaving me alone?  There’s a bug on my glasses, go away bug, you’re bugging me.

Sampson: Why does she keep swatting, does she realize how stupid she looks?

Delilah:  Hey Sampson watch this, if I run up to her, I bet she gives me some liverwurst.

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