Heart Like a Dog

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

The Neighborhood Poop Patrol

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The Neighborhood Poop Patrol:

Our neighbor next door has a dog, Gunner.  Gunner is a black akita mix and probably about 11 years old now.  Our neighbor’s yard is not fenced, so when Gunner is outside he is on a chain.  I want to be clear, Gunner is not a ‘chained dog’ as he does not live his life on a chain, in fact he is part of the family and gets along very well with the two little boys who live with him.  When they are outside playing whether it be in the front or back yards, Gunner is with them.

The dogs and I have run into our neighbor with the children and Gunner in our park.  Gunner is usually off-leash there.  He’s an aloof sort of dog, greeting my dogs and then going about his business.  I figure he thinks I’m off leash, I want to make the most of it.

Sometimes, I’m not sure how, but sometimes he roams the neighborhood.  When this happens I say, “Hey Gunner” and he looks at me and keeps going about his business.

One day as Delilah and I were coming home from our walk, we passed the neighbor’s house where the children were outside playing.  For some reason known only to his 6-year old mind, the neighbor child felt compelled to stop me and let me know that they had found dog poop in their yard and it wasn’t from their dog.  I stood there in the hot sun with a stinking bag of shit hanging from my hand and debated whether I should mention that many people in the neighborhood probably had the same problem from his dog.

In the end I said something along the lines of, “Gee that’s not cool,” and continued on our way.

Then two days ago the kids stopped me to ask why I was walking my dog on a leash…

Um…because there are leash laws in this town, they are supposed to be on leash.

“But not back there,” he said pointing to my yard.

“No, not back there.  Back there they can run without a leash.”

“But I saw you walking him on a leash out there yesterday, why were you doing that?”

Ah…yes, try explaining an ACL injury and surgery to a four and six year old.

Bath Zoomies

Guess who I caught doing zoomies after his bath?

Zoomies are the best part of a bath Mama.

Zoomies are the best part of a bath Mama.

What time do you post your blog?

Ever since I participated in the Advent Calendar for Dog Lovers promotion over at Kol’s Notes, I’ve been scheduling my blog to publish 1 minute past midnight, EST.  I belong to a pet blogger support group on Facebook and this question came up about what time people post.  Someone mentioned they like their posts to go up around 6:05 am because they get better traffic then.  So yesterday I scheduled my post for 6:01 am, but I’m not sure I like doing it that way.  What do you think? what time do you schedule your posts for?

For those of you who do reviews

There was a great article last week on AKA Design + Life about earned media.  (Pssst, earned media is the link) 😉 I’m not going to share too much here, but she articulated my thoughts on this topic so well, I thought I’d share it with you.  If you read it, please let me know what you think about it. 

Heart Like a Dog

Welcome to Thursday’s Barks and Bytes Blog hop hosted by 2 Brown Dogs and Heart Like a Dog.

The Barks and Bytes hop is for anything at all and all bloggers are welcome.  You don’t have to be a dog blog to join. 

For new blog hoppers, a blog hop is list of links that is shared on multiple blogs.  In order to be fair to all participants we ask you to please use the linky list.  If your blog does not support a linky list, please link back to your hosts.

My Gated Community

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Hey everyone, Sampson here taking over for the Mama this morning.

 I’ve heard Mama talk about gated communities.  In fact she was all excited about one she heard about in North Carolina that had lots of hiking trails, a river and lake.  I’ve been to North Carolina on vacation a couple of times and it’s a pretty neat place so I was all on board with it.  Besides anywhere I’m with my Mama is a fine place to me.

But then the Mama made OUR house into a gated community and I think I’ve changed my mind.

Check it out.

Not a gate but effective at keeping me away.

Not a gate but effective at keeping me away.

These chairs used to be in our dining room around our table. Now they sit in front of my favorite window, and I can’t see out it.

A makeshift gate across our stairs to the outside.

A makeshift gate across our stairs to the outside.

Daddy made this to fit across the top of our stairs.  Now I can’t run down them to greet people when they come to visit me.

Someday stairs, someday I will run down you again.

Someday stairs, someday I will run down you again.

Instead I have to lie at the top of the stairs and wait for folks to make their way to me.

This is my couch. MY COUCH.

This is my couch. MY COUCH.

Up until a few weeks ago it was completely off limits.  The Mama removed one of the gates and placed the weird stairs there instead, because she knows that side of the couch is MINE and she thinks I’ll use the stairs to get on MY COUCH.  Except I hate those stairs and I won’t use them.

Last week there was an added twist….

Then, in a mean spirited moment, my Mama removed the blocks so I could climb up on the couch. Except my favorite spot is where those dreadful stairs are. I hear my couch calling, but I can't answer the call.

 In a mean spirited moment, My Mama removed the gates  so I could climb up on the couch, but she left the stairs right in front of my spot.  Not using them!  I hear my couch calling, but I can’t answer the call.

 

As if there gates weren't cruel enough, blocking me from everything I love, LOOK. This is where I should be going into my bedroom. Except I'm not allowed and now Delilah sleeps in there with my Daddy.

The door to my bedroom.  Off limits.

This is where we all used to sleep together. Now the Mama and I sleep in another room and Daddy and Delilah sleep in our room.

fdkfdsfdlk

The room the Mama and I sleep in. 

For a while I had to stay in there all the time, sometimes she even locked me in!  

While I know the Mama has my best interests at heart, sometimes it feels like she’s going a little overboard.  Sirisuly, you wouldn’t want to live in a gated community like this would you?

Follow-Up Friday – June 20, 2014

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Welcome to this week’s edition of Follow-Up Friday, the post where I highlight reader’s comments, answer questions and generally just wrap up my week.

This comment goes way back, but I felt it needed answering.

Protecting Your Dog From Fleas and Ticks

Retro Rover asked, “I have been looking for a natural flea and tick spray an you give me some advice about how often to apply it?”

I apply it once a day, typically for our evening walk because we are usually not so rushed.  BUT if we for some reason were going out early say into the woods, I would probably apply again, for added protection.

Donna asked, “Does it work on deer and dog ticks?”

I don’t find the little deer ticks on my dogs. I’ve found them on me, but not them, so I’m sorry I do not have an answer to that.

You Make Me Smile – June 15, 2014

Look mom, I can balance on three legs!

Look mom, I can balance on three legs!

Frankie and Ernie said, “The hair is growing back from the Bottom to the Top????”

It is!  It’s the strangest thing I’ve ever seen.

Jackie Bouchard said, “I love that he’s also peeing in the vicinity of the fire hydrant.”

Some days he gets closer than others.  There are days where he actually pees ON IT!  Those are days for celebrations.

I’m Biased Towards Certain People

Some dogs aren't treated as well as I am.

Some dogs aren’t treated as well as I am.

Sophie said, “I am the same way. Except, I worry when I am out and see other dogs, that they are not treated as well as I would treat them.”

Oh man, I do too.  Especially when I see someone yanking on their dog. 🙁

Frankie and Ernie said, ““those folks must have had a MISERABLE childhood/life”. Otherwise they would not be so UNLOVING towards another living being.”

That is a very kind and generous way to look at it.

Jan K said, ” Since Luke came up from the south where there are way too many puppies, I tend to think the same way you do. ”

Delilah did as well.  There are so many that come up heart worm positive it’s hard not to judge people.

2 Brown Dawgs said, “Maybe the woman with the puppy pit was waiting until he was older to neuter him for health reasons and wished he was at that point now?”

It’s possible I suppose…..I just got a different impression.

Pamela said, “We all have our prejudices. And media will reinforce them because it makes us feel good to get outraged about all the other jerks out there.”

Don’t get me started on the media in this country.  In my mind they are pot stirrers.  They find a touchy subject and just keep adding fuel to the fire.

Mary said, “One day I overheard someone say they had got a small puppy so their kids would have something to do. Yep, hackles raised on that one!”.

You know they can’t sew that back on. 😉  Sometimes I just can’t keep my mouth shut.  Remind me to tell you about the child in the pool at the same party.

Mariodacat said, ” I guess those of us who have been part of the Twitter and Blogging Community – Anipal area have seen and heard it all.”

You got that right!  We are exposed to it on a different level than most people.

Carol Bondy asked, “did you take your dogs…and if not where did you leave them?”

I did not take Sampson and Delilah, I left them home with Hubby.  It was a short Weds/Sun trip and I flew and I won’t take my dogs on a plane.

Doggie Doo

Ann Cluck said, “This is disgusting. The pop the pig is cruel. No wonder we have kids killing pets!”

I agree with you 110%!

Cupcake asked, “What ever happened to Chutes and Ladders and CandyLand?”

It’s still there, (we were told our niece cheats at Candy Land…come to find out she cheats at Hungry, Hungry Hippos too.)

2 Brown Dawgs said, “As I understand it, the object of the game is to first stuff the dog with pretend food and then magically it will take a crap and you win! I am not sure teaching kids that stuffing a dog with food is a good thing. The pig game is really bad.”

Now see, there you go proving me wrong.  I put that little disclaimer, “I know they’re teaching responsible dog ownership” in there for you, because I thought you would see it differently than me. 🙂

Mary asked, “Do parents really buy this shit?”

I think someone must, or why else would they stock it?

Pamela said, “This reminds me of some candy dispensing toys that were popular in my office for a while. Little plastic cows would “poop” out jelly beans. Who finds that appetizing?”

I admit to laughing at the jelly bean pooping cow.  I never ate the beans, but I laughed.  But I had a different mindset then.  Do you see what you guys have done to me? 🙂

Jackie Bouchard said, “Yeah – I’m with Pamela – I didn’t watch the video either…. WTF are people thinking??”

There was actually a longer video, one from the company explaining the game, but I went for the quick 15 second one.  I couldn’t stomach more than that.

When My Fellow Ain’t So Mellow

I like that Peaceful Easy feeling.

I like that Peaceful Easy feeling.

Emma said, “Mom, being a realtor, has been in many foreclosed homes with the beeping smoke detectors. She feels for Sampson as it is like a Chinese Water Torture, it makes humans nuts and you know what it it.”

Exactly Emma, all he knows is a terribly loud noise has invaded his home.  My poor punkin.

Pamela said, “Your post and all the comments make me think there might be a market for pet-friendly smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors. What pitch serves the purpose of waking humans without freaking out dogs? Or could the detectors add a chip that makes a less invasive sound when they’re reminding you to change the batteries instead of warning you to get out of the house before you die?”

That’s a very good idea Pamela.  It was weird because it was NOT the 30 second chirp which typically indicates low battery.  I read the back of the alarm and it said that sometimes dust particles could get on the sensor and set it off.  I was running the house fan that day and I’m thinking perhaps it disturbed something.  I cleaned it off/out with canned air and replaced the batteries for good measure.  I think he would have been alright had I been home to take care of it immediately (I mean I have burned dinner and set the smoke alarm off before) but since Mom was out, we really have no way of knowing just how long it was going off.

The good news is, he doesn’t seem to be afraid of staying home alone, mom’s cuts are healing and her foot is NOT broken!

That’s it for me, have a great weekend!

 

 

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