Argo & Stella-10 Originally uploaded by AlliesAnswers … [Read more...]
No Dogs Were Harmed in the Making of This Photo
Well, I've finally got my author photos. It was a month long fiasco that ended with J taking my pictures (and doing a wonderful job). We wanted a few with Argo in the shot. Argo, however, wanted to chew on sticks, run around the park, and herd other dogs. After trying (and failing) for an hour to get him to sit nicely next to me and look at the camera, he flopped over and let out a huge sigh, like we were frustrating him and not the other way around. So I flopped over on him, joking around, and J snapped a picture. This will not be my author photo, since it kind of looks like I'm … [Read more...]
Ever have the urge to call someone a buttface in public?
Even though I've been busy, I've been working to socialize Stella. And slowly, but surely, she is warming up and getting more comfortable with new situations. Anyone who knows dogs has commented on how sweet she is, despite her fear issues. I talk to neighbors when we go on walks, so she can get used to being around people she doesn't know. We take both dogs to a German Shepherd playgroup once a month. Stella and I go for walks with my friend M and her dog on an almost weekly basis (which is, admittedly, more about socializing me). And any time I have an excuse to go to the pet store, … [Read more...]
Good Fences . . .
Well, we got three quotes on a fence, the highest being twice the lowest. We had the same thing happen when we needed a new roof. This is why at least three quotes are a necessity when it comes to hiring someone to do home repairs. I am shocked that the cost can vary so much, especially in this case, when we are talking about the exact same type of fencing. Fortunately, the lowest price was from the person I like the best. He didn't try to talk me into fudging our property lines to put the fence on the drainage easement that's on one side of our property like the other two did. Several … [Read more...]
Why Can’t You Pee Like A Normal Dog?
The Stella Urinary Saga continues. She's gotten a little better, but still, it's a struggle to get her to pee. It's like she needs the right combination of mood lighting and shrubs, and the earth has to be rotating exactly right before she can squat. But I learned last night that all of this can be ignored if Stella has a pee buddy. After dinner, I took her out. She immediately ran over to a stick, started chewing on it and plopped down in the grass. I crouched down to call her over to me to distract her from the stick and hopefully get her back to business. She came over, squatted right … [Read more...]
I AM THE PACK LEADER!
This morning, I walked 158 (Stella is 10lbs lighter than we thought she was) pounds of dog. By myself. How, you may ask, can 140 pounds of me, walk 158 pounds of them, especially when dogs are twice as strong per pound? Answer: I. AM. THE. PACK. LEADER. That is all. … [Read more...]
Jump to the Jam, Boogie Woogie Jam Slam
In other words, funky, funky, which best describes the mood I was in for the past couple of weeks. (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you may be too young to read my blog, and you should probably watch this). God, I miss the 90's sometimes - that little teeny tiny moment in time when it was cool to be an Xer. Because honestly, sometimes, I feel like we're just gasping for air, smooshed between the Boomers and the Y's. But that's probably another rant for another day. Anyway, I was stuck in a really big funk and that's why I wasn't blogging. Noelle wrote about having a new year … [Read more...]
And out come the wolves. . .
Howling Hill recommended that I read Cesar Milan's books on dog training to help with Stella, and it was a fantastic suggestion. All the Dog Whisperer stuff has been so hyped, and I tend to be skeptical of anyone who is selling posters of themselves, but I actually really like where he's coming from, and just making some subtle changes in my mindset has made a huge difference with Stella. I am the pack leader. I. Am. The. Pack. Leader. And as crazy as it sounds, when I think that and look at Stella, she pays attention. We've also been taking long walks, and I simply expect her to walk … [Read more...]
The Goal for Next Weekend
I am keeping things simple. My goal for next weekend is that no one from this household will go to any emergency room of any kind. And yes, I am knocking on wood about it. Last weekend I ended up in the ER for my turkey burned hand. This weekend, I went to run errands on Saturday and came home to find J out in the yard with the dogs. He said he'd been worried about Argo because he was acting funny. Argo was sluggish and crabby and kept making a hacking noise, but then when J brought him outside, he acted fairly normal. I decided that Argo just missed me and missed getting individual … [Read more...]
Stella!
Argo the Wonderdog has a a trusty sidekick. Two Sundays ago, the woman who trains Argo at the kennel called saying, "Please tell me you didn't get another dog." One of the kennel's clients had to work too much and needed a new home for her 13 month old German Shepherd. We hadn't gotten another dog, so Argo and I went out to the kennel that afternoon to meet Luna. They seemed to get along well, although it was hard to tell because Argo insisted on making sure that some part of his body was touching my leg at all given times (I have mentioned that Argo and I are sickeningly codependent, … [Read more...]