Dog Training Update: Hyped-Up Hiding
My absence and recent spike in stress wreaks havoc on Lilly. It’s a terrible feeling to know my actions and emotions impact her well-being. Lilly is hiding … a lot.
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Fearful Dog Vignette #4: Pond Ho!
No time for walks. Little time for play. Tom’s worries about high temps and rattlesnakes. All that means the pups get less time outside right now than usual. So, when we do have time, Ginko (in particular) makes a mad dash for the pond. Our goal is to give him freedom and keep him from getting soaking wet.
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Fearful Dog Vignette #3: Dogs at Play
With eldercare duties pulling me and Tom hither and yon, especially in the last couple of weeks with life at boil, rather than simmer, we’ve had to leave the dogs to their own devices much more than normal. Apparently, when their number-one playmate (me) is gone, Lilly and Ginko remembered that they enjoy playing, just playing together.
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Fearful Dog Vignette #2: Back to Back
People cope with stress in different ways. I like to think my various coping strategies remain healthier than some of the alternatives. Yes, I turn to comfort food. If I can fit it in before the day’s stuckage (a term we coined yesterday) takes hold, then exercise is good. BUT, 12 or more hours of…
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Fearful Dog Vignette 1: Run Away
Even as we cross the threshold into year three of non-stop, multi-front, family medical dramas, we face the longest stretch of my real absence from Lilly’s daily life. That leaves me little blog content, except to whine. So, this week, I’ll share just a few reports of Lilly’s response to her life without me as #1 form of entertainment and comfort.
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Dog Life: Far and Away
Wednesday, Lilly’s grandma ended up in the emergency room and then the cardiac intensive care unit. This isn’t our first time at this kind of medical scare. These hospital stays mean lots of time away from the house, and I miss my Lilly girl. She misses me too.
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Dog Training Update: Teaching Lilly to Look “Guilty”
Remember my rant about the viral “guilty dog” video? Well, I promised then to try and teach Lilly to look “guilty” without feeling bad about it, including a wiggly-wag, dropping her ears, squinting, and curling her lips.
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Dog Book Review: Angelo’s Journey
Angelo is a border collie, living in a remote area of Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Angelo’s Journey tells the story of when he went missing for more than five weeks in 2010. Here is our review.
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Dog Training Update: Hiding
After nearly 7 years, it still makes me sad to see Lilly slink off to “hide” when she is upset or afraid or nervous. The other day, I found her wedged behind the toilet in the master bathroom. I joined her, and this is what I found.
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On Trying and Maybe Failing
Today is the last day to vote for Champion of My Heart for Best Dog Blog. This month-long campaign for votes has been a real beast. So, all you here and who follow Champion of My Heart on Twitter and Facebook have my gratitude for putting up with all the begging and reminders.
