So, I’m in the shower this morning, and someone crashes into the bathroom door. I assume Tom is rough-housing with the pups and just laugh. But, when I open the door, I find Lilly
cowering outside. …
There’s a whole community of people who train and run rescued dogs in agility and other sports. It’s a proud accomplishment for any dog once deemed unwanted (or unloved, or whatever).
Many of these dogs, just like Lilly, have some challenges, but for so many people that’s just fine. And, yet, sometimes when you talk about it with handlers of non-rescue dogs, there’s a sense that
they think we use “rescue” as an excuse … that we allow our dogs to get away with things we shouldn’t, for example. …
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. …
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 …
Over the weekend, I learned two things about people and dogs I love
— one happy, one sad. …
Last week, Lilly went to the doctor for a major blood draw in
preparation for our experiments with anti-depressants for her. Even
though there are no indications (other than behavior challenges) of
illness, we wanted to be extra sure. So, we ran about $150 worth of
blood tests. All is well, but after Lilly went back with the
veterinary nurses, she came back with a classic case of Stink Eye.
…
Here’s a game we often play to amuse ourselves. Give it a try
sometime with your own dog. If Lilly were …
Lilly and I ventured to a high-use public park in Denver over the
weekend to visit some friends from out of town. Since I often
lament Lilly’s reactions to various stimuli, I must say that she
took the park and all its hubbub in stride. Imagine a dog who lives
in a pretty quiet rural community going to the big city. If she
were typing today, I suspect she’d have amusing thoughts on the
things she saw. What might a smart, sensitive dog like Lilly
believe when she sees a group of grown people bashing an
alligator-shaped pinata with a …
