I've lucked out. The class is very small and my instructor, Tawnya, is amazing. In two classes, I've learned more about how to train/work with Bella, than I have from any other class or teacher. I am completely jazzed about what we're doing. Because of Tawnya's eagle eye and great ability to communicate, I feel I'm able to make myself more clearly and more quickly understood to Bella. Who could ask for more than that!
September 29, 2011
Rally!
I've lucked out. The class is very small and my instructor, Tawnya, is amazing. In two classes, I've learned more about how to train/work with Bella, than I have from any other class or teacher. I am completely jazzed about what we're doing. Because of Tawnya's eagle eye and great ability to communicate, I feel I'm able to make myself more clearly and more quickly understood to Bella. Who could ask for more than that!
September 27, 2011
It's What's Inside that Counts
I saw this on the Internet today via an online article in Bark Magazine.This is from a contest among vets for the best finds via xrays...like balls, baby bottle nipples...even a whole rubber ducky. For any of you who have snarfers (a.k.a. dogs who eat anything), you'll appreciate the link. From this, it looks like spoons have a slight edge as a favorite. I would love to see what is inside Bella because Lord knows, she has consumed a wide array of inedibles!
At one point as a young pup, Bella got into her food box and ate almost three weeks worth of food. She went from a lovely slender dog to a pork chop. I immediately bought a box in which to keep her food that had a very-hard-to-open lid. At the register, the cashier made a comment regarding how difficult it was to remove the top. When I told her why, she laughed. Her dog, it seems, had gotten into a Costco packet of light bulbs and eaten everything but the twist at the bottom of the bulb. She was frantic and rushed her dog to the vet. The dog was fine...unbelievable!
At one point as a young pup, Bella got into her food box and ate almost three weeks worth of food. She went from a lovely slender dog to a pork chop. I immediately bought a box in which to keep her food that had a very-hard-to-open lid. At the register, the cashier made a comment regarding how difficult it was to remove the top. When I told her why, she laughed. Her dog, it seems, had gotten into a Costco packet of light bulbs and eaten everything but the twist at the bottom of the bulb. She was frantic and rushed her dog to the vet. The dog was fine...unbelievable!
September 24, 2011
Bella's Sick
Bella ate something, we don't know what. She came out of a neighboring yard licking her chops and has been lethargic since—that was four days ago. Her appetite remains strong. She can still play Chuck-It with the best of them, but she's not herself. My husband is going to talk to the neighbor and see what might have been in his yard.
Bella got sick in the living room the other night and seemed a bit better since then, but this morning I felt like I was walking a 15-year old dog. She lagged way behind.
I am uneasy about this and concerned. I don't want anything to be more involved than indigestion. I've had her on a bland diet. I'll give her until Monday and then... I'd love to take her to the vet, but the only sign of problem is "she's not herself." How do you test for that?
UPDATE We found out the neighbor is composting food (and meat) scraps outside, uncovered. (Rat problem anyone?) Bella was feasting on that. The smell of food and rotting meat (according to my husband on a cool and rainy day) was pretty horrendous. Too much temptation for a Labrador. Bella is doing better today, but is still overly "frothy"at the mouth and still has stinky breath, so her tummy isn't completely settled. I believe we have an unused yard compost bin floating around the garage. Think I'll see if my neighbor might want it...
UPDATE #2 Labrador's are known for their iron-clad guts. I came across this link from a veterinary x-ray contest (who has the best find) and it makes me grateful Bella didn't get into more. However, if her stomach ever needs an x-ray, I hate to think what they will find in her little belly!
Bella got sick in the living room the other night and seemed a bit better since then, but this morning I felt like I was walking a 15-year old dog. She lagged way behind.
I am uneasy about this and concerned. I don't want anything to be more involved than indigestion. I've had her on a bland diet. I'll give her until Monday and then... I'd love to take her to the vet, but the only sign of problem is "she's not herself." How do you test for that?
UPDATE We found out the neighbor is composting food (and meat) scraps outside, uncovered. (Rat problem anyone?) Bella was feasting on that. The smell of food and rotting meat (according to my husband on a cool and rainy day) was pretty horrendous. Too much temptation for a Labrador. Bella is doing better today, but is still overly "frothy"at the mouth and still has stinky breath, so her tummy isn't completely settled. I believe we have an unused yard compost bin floating around the garage. Think I'll see if my neighbor might want it...
UPDATE #2 Labrador's are known for their iron-clad guts. I came across this link from a veterinary x-ray contest (who has the best find) and it makes me grateful Bella didn't get into more. However, if her stomach ever needs an x-ray, I hate to think what they will find in her little belly!
September 22, 2011
Feral Dogs in Japan's Disaster Zone
Disasters evoke mental images thanks to the plethora of pictures with which media bombards us. Hurricane Katrina or Fukushima both bring up immediate mental images of devastation. Usually it's of buildings and people, though sometimes there are shots of animals, bedraggled and confused. An acquaintance was involved in the rescue of displaced family pets for Katrina. This particular Coloradoan traveled many miles to help care for the lost, injured, and orphaned animals. She said it was absolutely heart-wrenching work—and rewarding. In a natural disaster our primary concern is foremost for the people, but we've learned it is also necessary to care for traumatized pets.
It hadn't occurred to me that there still might be loose dogs fending for themselves in Japan's no-entry zone around the Fukushima nuclear plant—that was, until I read an article in the local paper. Though not frequently touched upon by the media, pets also suffered terribly during Japan's disaster—not only from the earthquake and tsunami, but also from the separation from their owners and the new life these pets faced. None were familiar with finding their daily meal or a comfortable, dry, safe place to rest, not to mention the stressful competition from other animals trying to do the same.
What surprised me, however, is that in six months time, some of those pets preferred their isolation to the return of human company to which they had been accustomed. What would cause that behavior? Fear, certainly, but why? The only thing I could think of is perhaps there are people in the area, out of sync with society at large, who were also competing with the dogs for food...or maybe eating the pets themselves. (Ugly thought, I know.) Why else would a pet familiar with people shy away? I can't imagine a dog who has lived a comfortable "indoor" life not trusting a helping hand. Of course there are some dogs who are truly "lost" without their people. (A friend's dog is absolutely beside herself if left with someone else—even someone she knows well—while her owner walks off.)
The article states that puppies born after the tsunami are indeed feral. I understand that. If the parents are scrounging for a living and give birth, the pups know no other life. Yet aren't some of them curious about people? (I just finished reading Steve Duno's book "Last Dog on the Hill." It is a wonderful story about his dog, Lou, who begins life as a feral pup. When a litter of puppies is scrounging on a hill, they see Steve and all high-tail it into the woods, except for Lou who is drawn to Steve...and thus begins his story.)
The article states some pets have been found and taken to a shelter while their owners, still in emergency shelters themselves, await a new residence or return to their own. However, most of these pets had been left leashed in the house when owners were evacuated—and this number is a mere fraction of registered dogs in that area. Baited traps have been a bust. How quickly the dogs have become wary! Heaven forbid we should ever experience such a disaster, but my guess is Bella would be a sucker for a human hand with a handout!
In this same vein, a local training facility in our area is offering a free disaster preparedness class for pet owners. I'm looking forward to seeing what they have to offer. Not only will potential disasters be discussed for our locale (earthquakes), but also how to prepare one's home (with regard to your pet), what to have in a pet disaster kit and where to take your best buddy if you have to leave your home. Incredibly important information for any pet owner to have.
It hadn't occurred to me that there still might be loose dogs fending for themselves in Japan's no-entry zone around the Fukushima nuclear plant—that was, until I read an article in the local paper. Though not frequently touched upon by the media, pets also suffered terribly during Japan's disaster—not only from the earthquake and tsunami, but also from the separation from their owners and the new life these pets faced. None were familiar with finding their daily meal or a comfortable, dry, safe place to rest, not to mention the stressful competition from other animals trying to do the same.
What surprised me, however, is that in six months time, some of those pets preferred their isolation to the return of human company to which they had been accustomed. What would cause that behavior? Fear, certainly, but why? The only thing I could think of is perhaps there are people in the area, out of sync with society at large, who were also competing with the dogs for food...or maybe eating the pets themselves. (Ugly thought, I know.) Why else would a pet familiar with people shy away? I can't imagine a dog who has lived a comfortable "indoor" life not trusting a helping hand. Of course there are some dogs who are truly "lost" without their people. (A friend's dog is absolutely beside herself if left with someone else—even someone she knows well—while her owner walks off.)
The article states that puppies born after the tsunami are indeed feral. I understand that. If the parents are scrounging for a living and give birth, the pups know no other life. Yet aren't some of them curious about people? (I just finished reading Steve Duno's book "Last Dog on the Hill." It is a wonderful story about his dog, Lou, who begins life as a feral pup. When a litter of puppies is scrounging on a hill, they see Steve and all high-tail it into the woods, except for Lou who is drawn to Steve...and thus begins his story.)
The article states some pets have been found and taken to a shelter while their owners, still in emergency shelters themselves, await a new residence or return to their own. However, most of these pets had been left leashed in the house when owners were evacuated—and this number is a mere fraction of registered dogs in that area. Baited traps have been a bust. How quickly the dogs have become wary! Heaven forbid we should ever experience such a disaster, but my guess is Bella would be a sucker for a human hand with a handout!
In this same vein, a local training facility in our area is offering a free disaster preparedness class for pet owners. I'm looking forward to seeing what they have to offer. Not only will potential disasters be discussed for our locale (earthquakes), but also how to prepare one's home (with regard to your pet), what to have in a pet disaster kit and where to take your best buddy if you have to leave your home. Incredibly important information for any pet owner to have.
September 20, 2011
Someone has MY toy!
Boone stole Bella's toy and she is none to happy with the situation. He's studiously ignoring her.
Oh the unfairness of it all!
September 18, 2011
Buddies
We've been gone for a while on a cycling trip with friends. It's an annual camping, active affair and always fun—road and mountain biking, hiking and sometimes, even kite boarding thrown in! This year, however, we cut it short as temperatures soared into the high 90s/low 100s. Can't do much in that kind of weather!
Bella blistered both front pads early in the trip, so she was out of the mountain biking loop early—much to her disappointment! Luckily we were usually near water, so there were many fetch-it games involving sticks and swimming.
Her new buddy, Boone, was along for the trip. Our friends have had him just over six months. He's around five and obviously was well-loved and cared for by his previous owner. He's gentle and trusting, but didn't know much about playing. He's a fast learner!
Bella taught him all about play, fetch, and swimming. At the start of the trip, he did none of those things. He'd step in the water, but that was it. Play? Wasn't sure what that was about. Fetch? Why bother? Retrieve isn't his forte, but he loved chasing Bella (on land or water) as she went after the stick or ball.
Boone's owners are gone this weekend (celebrating their 30th anniversary), so Boone is here. We were a little concerned how he'd handle being left at our house being that he is fairly new to the group. But he'd been to our house several times already and lived with us in close proximity on the trip. What a gem! Bella's nose is a bit out of joint, but they've had a wonderful weekend together.
Bella blistered both front pads early in the trip, so she was out of the mountain biking loop early—much to her disappointment! Luckily we were usually near water, so there were many fetch-it games involving sticks and swimming.
 |
| Bella and Boone resting. |
Bella taught him all about play, fetch, and swimming. At the start of the trip, he did none of those things. He'd step in the water, but that was it. Play? Wasn't sure what that was about. Fetch? Why bother? Retrieve isn't his forte, but he loved chasing Bella (on land or water) as she went after the stick or ball.
Boone's owners are gone this weekend (celebrating their 30th anniversary), so Boone is here. We were a little concerned how he'd handle being left at our house being that he is fairly new to the group. But he'd been to our house several times already and lived with us in close proximity on the trip. What a gem! Bella's nose is a bit out of joint, but they've had a wonderful weekend together.
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