I’m trying not to worry too much, but as Lilly heads into her second full week on medication, I may be seeing some unexpected shifts in her behavior. It’s just now hitting me — what
if solving Lilly’s anxiety in public, in agility, means giving up some of what I love about her at home? …
Because I live in the boonies, my copy hasn’t come in the mail yet, but for those of you who get Clean Run, check out my article in the Sept 07 issue on help for the spatially inept.
It’s my first (of I hope many) pieces for the magazine. If you’re checking out the blog for the first time after reading that article, welcome. …
Just now, Lilly came and pressed her narrow chin into my thigh. I’m madly typing away on a note for an editor, but Lilly persisted. Then, almost like she sent me a message, my head went
BING, and I realized that I didn’t give her medicine when we got back from our walk. I guess that shows I’m not yet fully in the habit. …
It started last winter, when I regularly enjoyed a cup of hot cocoa with whipped cream at night. In front of the fire, I’d hunker down with Tom and the pups to relax. Lilly began
showing interest in the whipped cream in my cup. So, I gave her some. Now, just like the sound of stainless steel bowls means dinner, Lilly learned that the sound of the spray can meant whipped
cream. It’s the accidental dairy version of click/treat. …
Our big dog, Ginko, loves Tom’s mom. L-O-V-E-S her. If we tell him she’s coming to visit, he’ll sit by the front door and wait. When she arrives, he mills around with excitement. As soon
as she sits down, he tries to kiss her. Not in a crazy way, but a sweet, deliberate smooch. At bedtime, we let her get settled, when we ask Ginko if he wants to “snuggle with Grandma,” and he blasts
upstairs to join her in bed. He’s very careful and very gentle. So, when Grandma comes, Lilly sleeps with us. …
Last Thursday, I drove to my local big-name pharmacy to pick up Lilly’s anti-depressants. I had a long list of errands, so I swung through the drive-through. One of the 3 pharmacy people I could see through the huge window approached. She picked up the phone on her side so that she could speak to and hear me. I gave her Lilly’s name and the name of the veterinary hospital that called in the prescription. She disappeared to pull the bag from the shelves, then approached the two other women, said something, and all three laughed.
The research that first ranked dog breeds by intelligence
essentially measured how many exposures it took for various dogs to
learn something new. Border collies, as you’ve likely heard, were
(and often are) touted as the “smartest” dogs. Now, I don’t know
about smartest … as in smarter than every other dog in the world,
but Lilly is very smart, and she is certainly smarter than any dog
I’ve had. …
The popular dog training books and DVDs in the “In Focus” series
talk all about teaching your dog focus, but what about the handler?
What’s a dog to do when mommy’s concentration isn’t up to
snuff?
…
Last week, we got back the results of Lilly’s blood work in
preparation for trying antidepressants to help her cope. The good
news is that …
I know that my non-agility friends don’t get it. I’m quite convinced they are quite convinced that I’m a total stage mom. Those of you with performance dogs (not pets) understand the distinction. We know and love our dogs in ways others likely do not understand. That said, don’t you ever look at your furry star and think, “Man! She ought to be in pictures …”?
