Heart Like a Dog

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

Dogs Helping Dogs

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Last Saturday Delilah and I got to spend the afternoon with my friend Jo-Anne and her dog Achilles.  Achilles is (to the best of my knowledge) a White German Shepherd/Husky mix.

I’ve always found Achilles to be friendly and affectionate, in fact sometimes he freaks me out a little because he will just stare into your eyes.  I often wonder if he’s trying to tell me something.

Something like, I’m really a prince stuck in this body, kiss me and I’ll make all your dreams come true.

It’s a good thing I can’t read his mind because he’s probably really thinking, move a little closer I want to hump your leg.

Jo-Anne rescued Achilles just before we rescued Delilah, in fact Jo-Anne’s rescue of Achilles is what inspired me to rescue Delilah.

Now that I’m thinking about it,  I don’t know if I should thank her or curse her.

Anyhoo…Jo-Anne sent me an e-mail about 10 days ago asking if Delilah and I could help her with a little problem Achilles was having.  Apparently while Lily and Achilles get along just fine, Achilles is having some confusion about the proper way to react and play with other dogs.

Jo-Anne’s new trainer, Marcus asked her if she could find someone with a female dog, that was either a husky mix or a lab.

Enter Delilah.

Marcus asked us to find a neutral place that was fenced in.  I knew of a baseball field at one of the elementary schools that would be perfect.  When we got to the designated spot, there was a young man walking a German Shepherd back and forth.  I was a little anxious because Delilah can sometimes go a bit ballistic when she’s in the car and sees another dog outside.

Great first impression right?  You pull up and your dog loses her stuff.

But it didn’t happen like that.

Turns out the guy walking the dog was Marcus’ brother Thomas, walking Marcus’ dog Tye.  Marcus has been using Tye (who has some dog aggression issues) to help Achilles with his issues.

The first thing we did was take the dogs out of the car.  Marcus came over to introduce himself to Delilah and she turned her back on him and sat down.

Marcus was tickled.

He asked me if he could introduce Delilah to Achilles, I said, “Yes, as long as you don’t hurt my dog.”

Ballsy, I know.

He introduced them and after a second or so, Achilles got a little snarky and Delilah set him straight.

Listen here mister, don’t take that tone with me!

 

I told Marcus, “Don’t worry, she can handle him.”

Once all the dogs had been introduced we started some walking exercises.

Marcus wanted Achilles to get used to walking without reacting to other dogs.

Thomas and Tye, Jo-Anne and Achilles, Marcus and Delilah.

 

We realized there was a lot of glass in the parking area, so we moved the dogs onto one of the side streets.

We were probably about 5 to 6 feet apart.

 

Tye went home and Marcus had Jo-Anne have Achilles sit in the parking lot while Delilah and I walked around them.  The goal was to get Achilles to focus on Jo-Anne and not on Delilah.

Every time Achilles looked at Jo-Anne, he got a treat.

That’s right Achilles, look at your mama.

 

After this we went back to Jo-Anne’s house.  Marcus and Tye, Delilah and I sat on the patio while Jo-Anne worked Achilles in the yard.  The reasoning for this was to help Achilles learn to focus while there were distractions.

After about 15 minutes or so, Marcus said Delilah and I could leave.  He asked me if I could put Delilah in the car before I said good-bye to Jo-Anne.

When I got back to the yard he said he was going to have Jo-Anne hand me a treat for Achilles and I could give it to him when he was sitting properly.

I took the treat and then approached Jo-Anne and Achilles, with my hand out like a stop sign.  Just as I got up to him, Achilles got up, so I turned around and walked away, waited a few seconds and approached Achilles again. This time he stayed sitting.

Success!!

Marcus said Delilah was the perfect dog to work with Achilles because she is calm and exhibits the proper signals to other dogs.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that she can hold her own. 🙂

I know many of you have used or trained therapy dogs, but have you ever heard of a dog working with other dogs?  What would you call that?  Would you do it with your own pup?

WTF/Whoo Hoo Wednesday

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Please note this post is not meant to make light of the deeds described here, only to make fun of, ridicule, bully and just plain beat the shit out of the idiots who commit these stupid acts.

I’m light again on WTF Wednesday this week and the reason is facebook.  I haven’t been on facebook a lot lately, quite truthfully I’m getting frustrated with the way it keeps changing, I can’t keep up with it.  I need a social media class. 🙁

So first, a big WTF to facebook.  Why do you keep changing?  Can’t you just leave things be?  I really, really liked the old facebook.

WTF?

Dog viciously attacked by group of canines at Nanaimo park, Vancouver, BC

I can’t imagine what was going through this woman’s mind as she saw her dog attacked by a pack of dogs.

What kind of idiot(s) stand by and watches while their dog(s) attacks another dog and never checks on the other dog to see if it’s alright.

Irresponsible ones, that’s who.

It is people like this, that take no responsibility for training or managing their dog, that give dog owners a bad rap.  If I was this woman, I’d be going back to that park EVERY day with my camera, and I’d be watching people arriving and leaving with their dogs.   Then I’d make sure animal control stepped in and removed that dog from its owner.

You and I both know, some people are just too ignorant to own dogs.

Whoo Hoo

Connecticut shelter dog saves baby’s life, Portland, CT

I first saw this story on my local news station.  I meant to share it last week and I totally forgot.

Duke the dog was rescued about six years ago. Always a respectful and well-trained dog one night he went into his owner’s bedroom and jumped up on the bed, which was something he never did.

He was shaking so bad, his owners got up to check things out and discovered their nine week-old baby, Harper was not breathing. Thankfully paramedics were able to revive Harper and the story had a happy ending.

Throughout the news story, the mom kept talking about what a special dog he was, my favorite part was when her voice breaking she said, “I tell him all the time you were born in mommy’s heart.”

It gives new meaning to the phrase, “Who rescued who?”  Doesn’t it?

A quick note.

Don’t forget the calendar photo contest coming your way very soon!

A couple of you asked in the comments if you can submit photos of pets that have already gone to the bridge.  I would say, yes.  The photo (if chosen for the calendar) will name the pet, the blog and their favorite rescue organization.

I think this picture is too dark for calendar contest. Besides, no humans allowed. 🙂

 

Did I miss any WTF or Whoo Hoo posts this week?  Please share in the comments.

Blogville Dogs and Their Rescue Cause

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There was quite a positive response to a Blogville calendar.

If we’re going to pull this off, it will have to be fairly quick.

Since the idea came so late in the year the rules will be simple, the submittal and voting process will be streamlined.

Hopefully this can become an annual fund-raiser and the next year won’t be as rushed.

As you know I love to run everything by you and have you help me in the decision process.  Partly because I’m indecisive but mostly because I want this website to feel like it’s something you’re a part of.

That being said, I threw some general rules down and welcome your input.

  • The 12 photos with the most votes will go in the 2013 Blogville Dogs and Their Rescue Cause Calendar.
  • You can submit more than one photo of your dog, however only one photo per blog, per calendar. (Example, I submit a photo of Sampson, a photo of Delilah and a photo of the two of them together.  Two of the photos are in the top twelve vote getters.  The top vote getter will go in the calendar and the other photo will not be used.)  In this manner we ensure that at least 12 different dogs (blogs) are in the calendar.
  • Good quality photos only!
  • The photo with the most votes also goes on the cover.
  • The dogs in the photo do not have to be rescued dogs.
  • The charity of the dogs in the photo however DOES have to be a rescue/shelter or animal charity.
  • Photos will be submitted over the course of one week.
  • Voting will be for one week.
  • Photos for each month will be determined randomly by draw.
  • You can use your social media tools to get people to vote for you, in other words…promote, promote, promote!

One of my favorite photos of Sampson. (This is NOT a quality photo.) 🙂

 

These are not ‘hard and fast, set in stone rules.’  They are a simple guideline to try to get this process going.

I know voting isn’t always the easiest way to choose, but I don’t know of any other way.  If anyone has an idea for a different process, please either send me an e-mail at stone.jodi@ymail.com or leave it in the comments.

I’ve been googling around for a customizable calendar, right now it looks like the price will go for about $15 per calendar, which should include ALL costs.  But in order to get an accurate cost I need to know approximately how many calendars are needed.  If you’re interested in purchasing a Blogville Calendar can you please let me know in the comment section and tell me how many you’d be interested in.

Oh and by the way, those of you who offered to help, let me know what you are willing to do. “-)

Did I leave anything out?  If I did, please make a note in the comment.

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