F. U. Cancer!

Too many doggie (and kitty) lives have been shortened by cancer. I'm joining Oz the Terrier and Zuke's in the #FuelTheCure Contest and Fundraiser Blog Hop. Basically, I blog, you read, and Zuke's donates $5 to the Dog & Cat Cancer Fund.

This post is dedicated to Pepper, a great dog who's life was cut short by cancer. Pepper was a "free to a good home" puppy. The boys were 6 and 10 when she joined our family and we had a busy household. We felt bad about leaving the puppy home alone so Pepper went everywhere with us: Cub Scout meetings, football practice, the beach, camping, sledding, hiking. We may have only had nine years with her, but I'd like to think they were a good nine years. Here are some pictures of Pepper loving life.

Whether is was camping in the woods . . .

walking on the beach . . .

 

 

or playing in the snow,

Pepper was always ready for an adventure!

She's been gone five years and I still miss her. She was an awesome dog.

Oh, there is one more thing. This is a contest as well as a fundraiser, and Zuke's is giving away goodies to the blog post with the most likes. Pepper was an expert beggar, so here is her saying "please vote for us."  Thanks! -- K

P.S. Pepper's story continues on Sepia Saturday with more pictures (yea!), more cancer (boo!), and another F.U. or two (lol).

This is a blog hop! Take a few minutes and see how others are saying "F. U." to cancer. And if you're a blogger, why not join? It's not everyday that your post earns $5 for charity! Contest rules are here.

Sepia Nostalgia

I was looking through old files and found some pictures of Logan when he was in his prime. He was a good lookin boy! I pulled up some pictures of Jedi too and put them side by side to compare them. I don't know how fair this is, since Jedi is less than two and we didn't get Logan until he was at least 5. Anyway, see for yourself.

Left: Logan, 2007, best guess 6ish

Below: Jedi, 2014, 18 months

My observations:

• Both boys are gorgeous with lush coats. I remember Logan's coat being incredibly soft. I think Jedi's is a bit coarser.
• Jedi's markings are a lot darker. (I wonder if he'll lighten up as he gets older.)
• Jedi's bigger. Logan topped out at 78 pounds, whereas Jedi is already 85, and I expect him to put on a few more pounds when his chest fills out.

More importantly, both boys will always have a special places in my heart. Logan was the German shepherd I wanted to since I was a 6 year old girl. He was loving and loyal and a gentle soul. I couldn't have asked for more. Jedi is the AKC show dog that I've always wanted. We're awkward in the ring and haven't earned a stinking point, but that doesn't matter. I'm a lucky woman. -- K

It's Sepia Saturday! Hop around and see what others have to share today.

P.S. Shameless Plug: click here and vote for Jedi. This IS the dog you're looking for. (For all you geeks out there, this is a Jedi mind trick.)

No Questions Please

It happened again. I was out in uniform and I got the "Can I ask you a question?" I should have said not now, should have handed him my card and said "Call my office in the morning." But no. I thought I could help. I listened to his question. And this one was a doozy. It went something like this:

Guy: "If I neuter my dog will he stop peeing in the house?"

Me: "That would depend on why he's peeing in the house in the first place."

Guy: "He's spiteful." [Note to self: I should have walked away here.]

Me: "I doubt he's doing it to just to make you mad. There's got to be a reason, and it makes perfect sense to him. What kind of dog is he? How old is he? Is it sudden or has he been doing it for a while?"

Guy: "He's a pug. He's 7. He does it all the time."

Me: "Have you taken him to the vet? Maybe he has a urinary tract infection. Maybe his bladder is just not big enough to hold it for as long as you're asking. You really should talk to your vet."

Guy: Mumbles about spending money, then says "None of my other dogs do it."

Me: "How many other dogs do you have? What sexes? Are they fixed?"

Guy: "Two females, two other males. Some are fixed, but not all."

Me: "It could be a group dynamics thing. Perhaps you should fix all the dogs. It might remove any hormone-driven issues. You might also want to consult an animal behaviorist. Your vet can help you find one."

Guy: Complains again about the cost of a vet. Asks if there are any cheaper solutions. [Note to self: SHUT UP! RUN AWAY!]

Me: "What are you using to clean up the mess?"

Guy: "Murphy's Oil Soap."

Me: "You need to use an enzyme cleaner. Your dog's superior nose can smell the urine and he will return to the same spot. Buy enzyme cleaner. Get Nature's Miracle -- it's in a white bottle with red lettering -- NOT the crap from Wal-Mart. Follow the directions exactly. It's not cheap, but it's worth the money."

Guy: "Anything else?"

Me: "Yes. You're going to have to retrain your dog. Limit his access to the house. Buy a crate. Set up a dog-safe area in your home for him when you're at work. When you're home, keep him on a short leash and keep an eye on him. Pretend he's a puppy again. Call a trainer. Or look up Dr. Ian Dunbar on the internet, he's got some great tips on this."

Guy: Complains about the time and money this "damn dog" is going to cost.

Me: In the most pleasant tone I can muster, "Yes. Dogs are expensive. And time consuming. If that's too much for you, I can help you find him a more suitable home."

Guy: "Oh no! I won't do that. He's full-blooded!" [Note to self: Don't say it!]
 

My new motto! Seriously, I need to stay out of other
people's craziness. I have enough of my own.

Me: "They're all full of blood. Anything less and they die." Snicker. Anyone?

Guy: Looks at me like I have two heads. [Told you! See my feelings about "full-blooded" and more here.]

Me: "I really have to go now. You have a good day." I DID NOT say "idiot" aloud. I hope.

I'm sure nothing is going to change with Askhole. The only thing that changed was my mood. I went from PFK to pissed off. And I'm never getting those 15 minutes of my life back. -- K

Talking Sh*t

It's Thoughtless Thursday and really, what's more thoughtless than not picking up dog poop?! I'm joining the Scoop that Poop Campaign to help get the word out. Last time I wrote a bad poop-themed poem; this time I've got pictures.

As an animal control officer, my duties include patrolling the beach front of my tiny beach town. My town allows dogs on the beach, whereas the neighboring beach towns prohibits dogs during peak hours. This means that all the dog-loving residents of north Florida flock to the 2 1/2 miles of beach I'm responsible for. Not everybody is happy with this arrangement, as many dog haters enjoy the beach too. My job is to make everybody happy. (I fail.) I'm on the beach 2-3 hours a day. My work hours shift with the seasons, so during the summer I can be on the beach as early as 6 AM or as late as 9 PM. And at least once a month I'm on the beach in plain clothes counting dogs and looking to see how many owners break the rules when they think Animal Control isn't watching. Did I mention that dogs on the beach is a big deal to my tiny town?

And that brings us to poop. Poop left on the beach is disgusting! People walk barefoot on the beach, sun worshipers lay on the beach, and children dig in the sand. No one wants to see, smell or step on a steaming pile of poop. You would think that this is a given . . . but no. I have seen people with a bag in hand look down the beach for my truck and walk away, leaving the pile behind. I have watched people kick sand over a fresh pile (like that makes a difference). And I have found bags of poop left on the beach to bake in the sun, often less than 20 yards from a trash can. Owners who let their dogs run off leash on the beach (a big no-no) never notice their dogs stopping to poop. People who play with their dogs in the surf never bring bags to the waterline. Their dogs poop in the water, leaving floating turds for swimmers and body surfers to dodge. Funny thing, people who get caught not picking up after their dogs always have the same excuse -- "I just ran out of bags" -- despite the fact that the city has bag stations at every entrance. And people wonder why the other beaches banned dogs!

I'm going to assume that these dog owners are ignorant (instead of just inconsiderate) and spell it out in pictures. See if you can guess which of these activities are ok and which are not.

 

 

YES!

Building silly things out of sand is ok.

(This sandman amused me so I took a picture of it.)

 

YES!

Walking a leashed dog on the beach while enjoying the scenery is ok.

(This amazed me so I took a picture of it too.)

NO!

Letting an unleashed dog poop on the beach is not ok. Let's hope that's picked up.

(Picture courtesy of The Limericist, who writes much better poop-themed poems than I do.)

 

YES!

Surfing during a storm is stupid, but it is ok.

 

YES!

Playing with a leashed dog on the beach is ok. 

(Look, it's baby Jedi!)

 

NO! NO! NO!

Leash or no leash, letting a dog poop in the water is not ok. 

(Photo courtesy holisticmonkey via flickr.)

 

 

Do you think people will get it now? Me neither. I guess that's job security! -- K

 

 

P.S. I'm going to try to attach this post to two -- yes two! -- separate hops. Cross your fingers! If I get it right, you will have all kinds of fun stuff to click on below.

 

Hop 1: Scoop that Poop hosted by Sugar the Golden Retriever, Oz the Terrier and Pawsitively Pets.

 

 

Hop 2: Thoughtless Thursday hosted by Ruckus the Eskie and Love is Being Owned by a Husky.

 

Wordless Wednesday

This should be called Speechless Wednesday. Roxy (the dog) and Gucci (the cat) have had a love/hate relationship for 7 years. I guess in their old age -- they're 9 and 17 respectively -- they've decided to call a truce and take old lady naps together. I should join them!

 

It's Wordless Wednesday! Hop around and see what others are doing today. -- K

 

 

 

 

Dog Training -- Works for People Too!

I wish my boss would talk to my dog trainer.

There are so many things that Trainer has taught me do with Jedi that I think would be suitable at my job as well. Here are the top five things from Trainer I wish my boss would incorporate at work:

Be Clear. I ensure my commands to Jedi are not ambiguous. I make sure I have eye contact, use short words that can't be confused with something else, and try not to mumble. For example, if it's time to go inside I'll say "Jedi, House" instead of "Well I think it's kind of late, maybe we should think about retiring for the evening." When Jedi runs to the door, I know he's got it.

Supervisors should give employees the same courtesy. It's frustrating to be told half way through a project that you're doing it wrong, or that's not what he was looking for. Tracking down your boss so he can explain a cryptic email is time-consuming. Deadlines and instructions should be clear and concise. And contrary to popular belief, everything can't be TOL (top of the list).

Be Consistent. In my house we have rules. Jedi must sit outside the kitchen while I'm preparing his dinner, he's never allowed out the front door without permission and the trash is off limits. I'm not being mean, that's just the way things are. Surprisingly, Jedi's okay with this. He seems to find comfort in being able to predict my behavior. In fact he gets concerned when the routine is "off."

On that same note, an inconsistent boss is a nightmare. Something that's condoned today should not be condemned tomorrow. It's easier to work for a consistent hardass than someone who's wishy-washy. Employees work better when they're not constantly looking over their shoulder to see to what's going on this time.

Praise Often (and don't be stingy with the treats). Jedi likes being told he's a good boy. You can see it on his face. He know he's done the right thing. A small reward -- be it a belly rub or a Beggin' Strip -- reinforces the behavior. In fact, if I praise and reward in a timely manner, he's more likely to do the behavior again!

Surprisingly, this works the same way with people. It's called operant conditioning. It's not a secret. Books have been written about it. Classes are taught on it. Say "thank you" and "Good job," leave donuts in the break room once in a while, and people will voluntarily work harder. Even better, happy people are more productive.

Have Reasonable Expectations (and set things up for success). When training a new behavior we always start out slow. At dog class Jedi will give me a down/stay for 10 minutes while Trainer is talking. But it wasn't always this way. In Puppy Kindergarten we were happy for a 3 second down, then a 5 second down, slowly working ourselves up to longer times. If Jedi became frustrated we'd back down to an easier level for a while before increasing the difficulty again.

This should be a no-brainer for management. No one wants to fail. It sucks. A good supervisor knows their employees' limitations. Train employees, then supervise until you know they've "got it." If projects are broken down into small, manageable bits, employees are more likely to succeed. Success breeds confidence.

And the final lesson, Don't Rub Their Noses In It. When potty training Jedi we knew mistakes were going to happen. And they did. Messes were cleaned up and we would try to figure out where we wrong in the training. Were we clear? Were we expecting too much too soon? Then we would try to come up with a strategy to prevent it from happening again. Belittling Jedi and constantly bringing up his shortcomings would have just been a waste of time. In fact, it could have ruined the trust between us, making things more difficult in the long run.

It's no different with people. Despite our best efforts sometimes "Shit Happens." When mistakes are harped on people are less likely to try, morale plummets and productively slows down. Let's just deal with it and move on.

There are other dog training techniques that would work for people as well. Things like:

• Avoid distractions when teaching a new task
• Find the best motivators for each individual/situation -- and use them!
• Difficult tasks require a higher value reward
• Watch your tone and body language
• New tasks must be repeated multiple times before they become rote, so be patient

What do you think? Makes sense, hunh? I say forget all these management seminars. Instead, send supervisors to dog training classes. Not only will it make them better leaders, it'll make them happier people. Seriously, spending time with my dog is more fun than any leadership training class I've ever taken. -- K

P.S. I am thrilled to see the return of the Training Tips Tuesday hop. A big thanks to our hosts Dogthusiast and Tiffany's Diamond Dogs. This is probably my favorite blog hop. I always learn so much! Click below and see what gems others are sharing today.

 

Chuck It!

Chuck It!

We finally broke down and bought a Chuck It. I think we were the last family in Florida without one. The packaging was right, it really does fling the ball a long way! Thankfully the ball is neon orange, else we would have lost it several times. The dogs loved it for about 15 minutes -- and then they were worn out. (They're both passed out on the floor as I write this.) I tried to snap a few pictures while Hubby was launching the balls. Wanna see?

 

Jedi has the ball, Roxy wants it.

 

 

 

Now Roxy has the ball and Jedi wants it.

 

 

 

Jedi has the ball again and gives Roxy a raspberry.

 

 

Hubby's favorite part was that he could use the Chuck It to pick up the spitty ball, keeping his hands drool free. (Hubby gets more freaked out about drool and hair than I do.) Do you have a Chuck It? Do you like it? Got any tips? Inquiring pups want to know! -- K

 

P.S. We're participating in the Monday Mischief blog hop this week. Why not jump around and see what other pets are doing today?