Smash is an amazing dog and everyone who knows him, including his veterinarian will agree. As a puppy he was shot in the face and hit by a car. As a puppy he almost lost his leg twice, once due to the accident and about a month later when an infection set in. In the last year he has been attacked (possibly by a coyote), attacked by a rabbit (yes a rabbit him and a neighbor dog caught), hip injury from an unknown cause and of course was diagnosed with a food allergy from a dog food.
Smash has been through a lot and so have his joints. A few months ago Smash came up with a hip injury in which he struggled immensely to get up from the ground. Mike started him on the Pet Health OPC, which has had great results with dogs who are dealing with old age, injuries and allergies.
Within a few days it was noticeable that the OPC was helping Smash. He wasn't struggling as much as he was and within a week Smash was up and running again with the neighbor dogs.
Then he was attacked by a rabbit he and a neighbor dog were chasing.
Smash came home with all kinds of scratches and gashes all over his body.
He had also begun to scratch due to allergies with a specific dog food his "dad" had decided to try and Smash had loved. After going to the vet and getting a shot for the allergies, Smash was told he had to switch dog food(which was his previous dog food).
Smash continues to get the Pet Health OPC which keeps him going which is great for a "three legged" dog with a kickstand leg. To learn more about the Pet Health OPC and read more stories and reviews click this link.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Maybe Smash can get a job too!
Here is a story about a dog who greets customers at a convenience store. He has his own uniform and name tag. Smash would not go for the T shirt at all. He might also have a bit of trouble standing on his one hind leg.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/dog-in-a-bp-shirt-greets-customers-at-clearwater-store/1054216
http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/dog-in-a-bp-shirt-greets-customers-at-clearwater-store/1054216
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Market America Pet Health
Smash and Market America Pet Health
To help Smash with his walking we have been giving him the OPC3 formula for dogs and cats. This product is truly amazing. Whenever Smash was not on this vitamin supplement he seemed sluggish and was having a difficult time walking. Since we have him on OPC3 he has gained his pep back and can now out walk us.
This vitamin supplement is available from Market America Pet Health www.free2bme.ws
I recommend that anyone who is looking for a vitamin supplement for their dog or cat to try the OPC3 formula. It comes in powder form and you just sprinkle it on their food. There is no pushing a pill to the back f their throat, and there is no messy liquid to be dispensed by way of a dropper.
It is easy to give and is a great vitamin for your pet. If you do not believe me, then try it out on your pet and I know you will be happy with the results.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
For the Love of a Dog
Many households include at least one dog. Often as you are driving along through town or even on the interstate you may come across a vehicle that includes a dog. Having a dog is part of life for so many people young and old. They are like human children whether you have them or not.
As they get older and become susceptible to ailments or if they are involved in some kind of accident it affects us just as much if not more than a human loved one.
I recently was reminiscing with Mike about how much his dog loves me and how much I love him. Earlier this year I had spent an entire night petting
Smash gently to get him to go to sleep after a nasty run in with something from the woods leaving him injured. For me, I have loved dogs my entire childhood that continued on into adulthood. I even passed that love on to all three of my kids who hope one day to have a dog of their own. In the meantime, they "dogsit" for Mr. Mike.
Smash gently to get him to go to sleep after a nasty run in with something from the woods leaving him injured. For me, I have loved dogs my entire childhood that continued on into adulthood. I even passed that love on to all three of my kids who hope one day to have a dog of their own. In the meantime, they "dogsit" for Mr. Mike.
Smash is in his third human year and has been through quite a bit as a country dog. He has all four legs but only uses three of them. The fourth one we refer to as the "kick stand." Even through everything that has affected Smash's life he has been unconditionally loved by family and friends.
Nearly two weeks ago when I was in for a weekend visit, Smash had somehow gotten injured. It became obvious when he was having a lot of difficulty getting up and when he did he was balancing on his front two legs. This immediately concerned Mike who scooped Smash up and put him inside. Thinking that staying inside would help him recover better than being outside and active as he usually is. After a few days though Smash was still having a time moving around.
So he started giving Smash Pet Health OPC-3, Beef flavored. It is just a powder you mix in with their food. Within just a few days he noticed a remarkable difference in Smash. He was not only able to get up and move around, he was also back to his old self by climbing up the stairs to the deck where he loves to lay and take naps.
Pet Health OPC-3 has done some amazing things for so many pets across the country, especially pets who have been injured and are getting up in age when they usually require assistance from their owners. With Pet Health OPC-3 they have been given that second chance at enjoying a fulfilling dog life enriching the lives of their owners. To find out more about Pet Health OPC-3 and read testimonials from other pet owners click on this link. Just type in Pet Health OPC-3 and you will have all the information you need to help get your dog right back on track just like Smash!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Common Potty Training Problems
Common house training problems
House training is one of the areas of dog ownership that’s most subject to misunderstanding, confusion, and just plain dread!
Today’s newsletter is going to deal with two of the most common problems surrounding the issue of house training:
- Submissive/excited urination
- Scent marking
Common house training problem #1: Submissive / excited urination
What is it?
A ‘submissive urinator’ is a dog that urinates on the floor and himself (and sometimes on you and any guests you may have!) in situations of extreme excitement or stress - like when you return home at the end of the day, or when he’s being told off.
Why does it happen?
Puppies are the usual candidates for submissive/excited urination, but it’s not uncommon to see adult dogs with the problem as well: usually, these are highly sensitive and timid dogs, and/or ones from a shelter/with a history of abuse (often these last two go hand-in-hand.)
When does it happen?
Situations when an excited/fearful dog is likely to urinate:
- Greeting time after a prolonged absence
- Play time
- The arrival of guests
- Stressful situations at home, eg arguments
- During a correction (you’re telling him off)
- Sudden loud noises (thunder, fireworks)
What can I do about it?
Fortunately, it’s not difficult to “cure” your dog of his submissive/excited urination.
First of all, you should take him to the vet to make sure there’s no medical reason for the issue (like diabetes or a bladder infection.)
Next, it’s time to take control of the problem:
- Limit his intake of water to help him control his bladder more effectively. Don’t restrict his water intake over a prolonged period of time, but if you know there’s a situation coming which would normally result in urination – for example, you have guests coming over, or are planning on a play session soon – take his water bowl away for a period of time (maybe half an hour to an hour) before the event.
- When greeting your dog, keep it calm and mellow. The more excited he is, the harder it is for him to control his bladder, so don’t encourage him to get worked up: ignore him for the first few moments, or give him a neutral “hello”, a quick pat, and then go about making yourself at home.
- It’s important that you DO NOT punish or harshly correct your dog for this behavior. It’s not something that he can easily control, and he’s certainly not doing it on purpose. When you catch him in the act, you can interrupt him (a firm “No!” followed by praise when he stops should suffice) but don’t punish him. Keep your cool, and try to be sympathetic: he doesn’t mean to do it, after all!
- If he urinates out of fear (submissiveness) when scolding him for another offense, try to take the stress levels down a notch by keeping a firm, authoritative, but not angry tone. Remember, you’re dealing with a sensitive, highly-strung dog: if you get angry or worry him further, the problem will worsen.
Comon house training problem #2: Scent marking
Scent marking - where a dog “marks” his or her territory with urine – is technically not actually a house training problem, since it’s based on issues of dominance and territoriality rather than insufficient house training (a dog can be perfectly house trained but still mark inside the house.)
However, because – since the problem centers around the unwanted presence of urine in the house – it seems logical, in a way, to link this problem with house training: and since this is one of the most widespread problems among dog owners, we thought it worthwhile to include some practical advice.
Scent marking and lack of house training: how to differentiate between the two
Your dog’s probably scent marking, rather than genuinely relieving himself, if:
- The amount of urine produced is relatively small, and tends to be directed against vertical surfaces (walls, doors, etc)
- He’s male, unneutered, and at least five or six months old. Unneutered dogs are much more territorial than neutered ones –if you have an unneutered dog in the house, you can pretty much expect a certain amount of scent marking. (Unspayed females also mark, but it’s less common; spayed and neutered dogs can also exhibit marking behavior, but it’s relatively infrequent)
- It makes little difference how often he’s taken outside for a toilet break
- He frequently targets items that are new to the house: new possessions, guest clothing/footwear, etc
- You live in a multi-dog household and there is conflict between two or more of the dogs
- There are other, unneutered or unspayed pets in the house
What to do about the problem?
First things first: spay or neuter your dog(s) as soon as you possibly can. If you can do this early enough – ideally, at six months of age - this often halts marking altogether; but if your dog’s been marking for a prolonged period of time, he or she may continue to do so after being spayed or neutered, since a pattern of behavior will have been established.
Clean soiled areas thoroughly. Use a non-ammonia based cleaner (because it smells just like pee) and stay away from vinegar too (it smells similar to pee.) Oxi-Clean mixed with warm water is particularly effective; there are also plenty of commercial cleaners designed specifically to lift pet stains and odors, which you can buy from pet stores and some supermarkets.
Because dogs tend to re-mark the same places, you’ll need to redefine the places that you know he’s marked to prevent repeat offending.
You can do this in a number of ways:
- Feed him next to or on top of the spot
- Play with him there
- Groom him there
- Put his bed over or next to it
- Spend time there yourself: hang out with a book or sit down and work
If there is rivalry between dogs in the household, you’ll need to take steps to resolve it. Any conflict is likely to be hierarchical in nature (a “power struggle”), which means that all you have to do to stop the tension is pay attention to which dog seems to be more dominant than the other one (which one eats first, gets the toys he/she wants, “stares down” another dog), and reinforce this position.
How to do this: feed the dominant dog first. Pet him/her first. Give him/her a toy before anyone else gets one. This makes it clear to all dogs in the house which one really is the dominant dog – and when this hierarchy’s been recognizably established, territorial/dominant behaviors like scent marking often vanish overnight.
For more information on how to successfully house train your dog (as well as a whole bunch of in-depth information on house training troubleshooting and related issues) you’ll probably want to check out The Ultimate House Training Guide.
It’s the complete dog-house-training guide. The Ultimate House Training Guide and comes highly recommended.
You can visit the The Ultimate House Training Guide site by clicking this link: http://tinyurl.com/mqjf47
House training is one of the areas of dog ownership that’s most subject to misunderstanding, confusion, and just plain dread!
Today’s newsletter is going to deal with two of the most common problems surrounding the issue of house training:
- Submissive/excited urination
- Scent marking
Common house training problem #1: Submissive / excited urination
What is it?
A ‘submissive urinator’ is a dog that urinates on the floor and himself (and sometimes on you and any guests you may have!) in situations of extreme excitement or stress - like when you return home at the end of the day, or when he’s being told off.
Why does it happen?
Puppies are the usual candidates for submissive/excited urination, but it’s not uncommon to see adult dogs with the problem as well: usually, these are highly sensitive and timid dogs, and/or ones from a shelter/with a history of abuse (often these last two go hand-in-hand.)
When does it happen?
Situations when an excited/fearful dog is likely to urinate:
- Greeting time after a prolonged absence
- Play time
- The arrival of guests
- Stressful situations at home, eg arguments
- During a correction (you’re telling him off)
- Sudden loud noises (thunder, fireworks)
What can I do about it?
Fortunately, it’s not difficult to “cure” your dog of his submissive/excited urination.
First of all, you should take him to the vet to make sure there’s no medical reason for the issue (like diabetes or a bladder infection.)
Next, it’s time to take control of the problem:
- Limit his intake of water to help him control his bladder more effectively. Don’t restrict his water intake over a prolonged period of time, but if you know there’s a situation coming which would normally result in urination – for example, you have guests coming over, or are planning on a play session soon – take his water bowl away for a period of time (maybe half an hour to an hour) before the event.
- When greeting your dog, keep it calm and mellow. The more excited he is, the harder it is for him to control his bladder, so don’t encourage him to get worked up: ignore him for the first few moments, or give him a neutral “hello”, a quick pat, and then go about making yourself at home.
- It’s important that you DO NOT punish or harshly correct your dog for this behavior. It’s not something that he can easily control, and he’s certainly not doing it on purpose. When you catch him in the act, you can interrupt him (a firm “No!” followed by praise when he stops should suffice) but don’t punish him. Keep your cool, and try to be sympathetic: he doesn’t mean to do it, after all!
- If he urinates out of fear (submissiveness) when scolding him for another offense, try to take the stress levels down a notch by keeping a firm, authoritative, but not angry tone. Remember, you’re dealing with a sensitive, highly-strung dog: if you get angry or worry him further, the problem will worsen.
Comon house training problem #2: Scent marking
Scent marking - where a dog “marks” his or her territory with urine – is technically not actually a house training problem, since it’s based on issues of dominance and territoriality rather than insufficient house training (a dog can be perfectly house trained but still mark inside the house.)
However, because – since the problem centers around the unwanted presence of urine in the house – it seems logical, in a way, to link this problem with house training: and since this is one of the most widespread problems among dog owners, we thought it worthwhile to include some practical advice.
Scent marking and lack of house training: how to differentiate between the two
Your dog’s probably scent marking, rather than genuinely relieving himself, if:
- The amount of urine produced is relatively small, and tends to be directed against vertical surfaces (walls, doors, etc)
- He’s male, unneutered, and at least five or six months old. Unneutered dogs are much more territorial than neutered ones –if you have an unneutered dog in the house, you can pretty much expect a certain amount of scent marking. (Unspayed females also mark, but it’s less common; spayed and neutered dogs can also exhibit marking behavior, but it’s relatively infrequent)
- It makes little difference how often he’s taken outside for a toilet break
- He frequently targets items that are new to the house: new possessions, guest clothing/footwear, etc
- You live in a multi-dog household and there is conflict between two or more of the dogs
- There are other, unneutered or unspayed pets in the house
What to do about the problem?
First things first: spay or neuter your dog(s) as soon as you possibly can. If you can do this early enough – ideally, at six months of age - this often halts marking altogether; but if your dog’s been marking for a prolonged period of time, he or she may continue to do so after being spayed or neutered, since a pattern of behavior will have been established.
Clean soiled areas thoroughly. Use a non-ammonia based cleaner (because it smells just like pee) and stay away from vinegar too (it smells similar to pee.) Oxi-Clean mixed with warm water is particularly effective; there are also plenty of commercial cleaners designed specifically to lift pet stains and odors, which you can buy from pet stores and some supermarkets.
Because dogs tend to re-mark the same places, you’ll need to redefine the places that you know he’s marked to prevent repeat offending.
You can do this in a number of ways:
- Feed him next to or on top of the spot
- Play with him there
- Groom him there
- Put his bed over or next to it
- Spend time there yourself: hang out with a book or sit down and work
If there is rivalry between dogs in the household, you’ll need to take steps to resolve it. Any conflict is likely to be hierarchical in nature (a “power struggle”), which means that all you have to do to stop the tension is pay attention to which dog seems to be more dominant than the other one (which one eats first, gets the toys he/she wants, “stares down” another dog), and reinforce this position.
How to do this: feed the dominant dog first. Pet him/her first. Give him/her a toy before anyone else gets one. This makes it clear to all dogs in the house which one really is the dominant dog – and when this hierarchy’s been recognizably established, territorial/dominant behaviors like scent marking often vanish overnight.
For more information on how to successfully house train your dog (as well as a whole bunch of in-depth information on house training troubleshooting and related issues) you’ll probably want to check out The Ultimate House Training Guide.
It’s the complete dog-house-training guide. The Ultimate House Training Guide and comes highly recommended.
You can visit the The Ultimate House Training Guide site by clicking this link: http://tinyurl.com/mqjf47
dog potty training
Smash has always been an outdoor dog so he never really had to learn potty training. He has always been the dog who never wanted to mess up his yard or the trail. He would always find a place off the trail or out of his play space to poop.
It has been annoying that some of the neighbor dogs that he likes to play with don't have such nice manners. They will poop right in the drive way or on the trail right in the path! I guess as long as they are not in their yard they think it is OK.
Dogs do have a natural instinct to keep their living areas clean. You can use this instinct when potty training your dog. Make sure the area you want them to use for a potty is away from their food and sleeping areas.
Smash is really funny when he is hiking on a leash because he acts shy about finding a place to potty. I think he is really just showing his instinct to keep the trail clean because he likes to get off the trail and behind a tree or better yet under a bush or log. This behavior gets a little awkward when on the leash as he can really get me tangled up.
To learn more about potty training a dog see this resource on Housetraining: http://tinyurl.com/mqjf47
If you happen to have a baby human that you are potty training, then you can learn all you need to know at this site: www.pottytrainingsite.com
It has been annoying that some of the neighbor dogs that he likes to play with don't have such nice manners. They will poop right in the drive way or on the trail right in the path! I guess as long as they are not in their yard they think it is OK.
Dogs do have a natural instinct to keep their living areas clean. You can use this instinct when potty training your dog. Make sure the area you want them to use for a potty is away from their food and sleeping areas.
Smash is really funny when he is hiking on a leash because he acts shy about finding a place to potty. I think he is really just showing his instinct to keep the trail clean because he likes to get off the trail and behind a tree or better yet under a bush or log. This behavior gets a little awkward when on the leash as he can really get me tangled up.
To learn more about potty training a dog see this resource on Housetraining: http://tinyurl.com/mqjf47
If you happen to have a baby human that you are potty training, then you can learn all you need to know at this site: www.pottytrainingsite.com
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Walkin g a a leash in the park
While Smash spends most of his time running free on our farm; occasionally, I like to take him for walks on trails and take him hiking with me. These trips require him to walk on a leash. Walking on a leash does not come natural to dogs who normally run free. However, by using the tricks in the course I got from Kingdom of Pets, Smash has learned to enjoy his time on the leash. When I bring out the leash now, he does not run away, rather he runs to the Jeep.
Teach your dog to walk on a leash and enjoy spending more time with him. Click here to learn more.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Help find a home for this dog!
Cancer patient needs to find a new home for her beloved dog. Help if you can.
http://dogblog.dogster.com/2009/06/11/beloved-pet-of-cancer-patient-needs-home/
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
First dog Bo attacks windscreen
Smash is pretty sure he would make a much better first dog than Bo. Just as long as he got to take his walk by the creek each morning.
Check out this video of Bo going after the wind sceen on a reporters camera.
http://www.yahoo.com/s/1080757
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Comfort Dogs
Smash would love to have a job like this. Maybe I should bring him up here to the Cleveland State Community College campus and see if he can offer some comfort.
The University of Wisconsin campus is providing dogs for for students to pet to help them reduce the stress of taking final exams.
Sounds like a great idea.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Tick removal
Smash has been collecting ticks like crazy this spring. He normally scratches them of himself, but on his right side he has trouble controlling his hind leg so it makes it difficult to get the ones around his collar and ears.
I have been plucking them off by hand. However, I can't always get the head out. This leaves and itchy bump under his skin for a while.
I have just ordered this device. The Trix Tick remover. It has a lasso that goes around the neck of the tick and is supposed to allow the tick to be removed including the head. I hope Smash likes it. I will post again when I try it out.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Smash and the trip to North Carolina
Last weekend I decided to take Smash for a ride and find a park to walk him. Unfortunately the weather became rainy so he and I just took a long ride. Being that we live in Southeast Tennessee we're not too far from Alabama, Georgia or North Carolina. I wanted to go up in the mountains so Smash and I headed towards North Carolina.
It was a very peaceful drive with the sun peeping out of the clouds every so often. Smash was hanging out in the front passenger seat for the longest time. It was obvious though that he was missing my kids. Smash would turn and look at the back seat wondering where my two boys Caleb and Hunter were. Soon after, Smash decided to lay his head down on the center console on top of my jacket. He looked quite sad his buddies as well as snack givers were not with us.
Smash and I stopped in Murphy, North Carolina to have lunch. Of course, I had to share my sandwich with him. With his excessive drooling I just had to give him a few morsels. He got a drink and so did I. In fact, I was hoping with his drink I wouldn't have to hold it for him this time. After a little coaxing I managed to get Smash to drink from his cup which he ended up splashing water all over the place including on my cell phone.
On our way back home Smash decided it was time to take a nap. He headed to the back seat to lay down. Every once in a while he would sit up to look around. I noticed when he was sitting up though he was sitting on my college textbooks and my laptop. Guess he was keeping them warm or perhaps protecting them.
It was a very peaceful drive with the sun peeping out of the clouds every so often. Smash was hanging out in the front passenger seat for the longest time. It was obvious though that he was missing my kids. Smash would turn and look at the back seat wondering where my two boys Caleb and Hunter were. Soon after, Smash decided to lay his head down on the center console on top of my jacket. He looked quite sad his buddies as well as snack givers were not with us.
Smash and I stopped in Murphy, North Carolina to have lunch. Of course, I had to share my sandwich with him. With his excessive drooling I just had to give him a few morsels. He got a drink and so did I. In fact, I was hoping with his drink I wouldn't have to hold it for him this time. After a little coaxing I managed to get Smash to drink from his cup which he ended up splashing water all over the place including on my cell phone.
On our way back home Smash decided it was time to take a nap. He headed to the back seat to lay down. Every once in a while he would sit up to look around. I noticed when he was sitting up though he was sitting on my college textbooks and my laptop. Guess he was keeping them warm or perhaps protecting them.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Goodbye to Zelda
Goodbye to Zelda
I have never really been a cat person. In fact when I was younger I was allergic to cat and would break out in red whelps whenever I was exposed to cat hair.
I am much more of a dog guy. I love my big lovable mutt Smash. We love to romp in the woods together and enjoy the outdoors.
This cat however, won me over with her unconditional love. She would always rub against me every time I was in range. She would walk a figure eight between my legs. I was always tripping over her in the mornings as she refused to get out from under my feet.
At night her favorite place to sleep was on top of me. If I lay on my side she would be on my hip. If I had an itch under the covers, she would pounce on my hand. She had a very loud and soothing purr that would always boost my mood as she lay beside or on top of me in the bed.
She was a little gray cat that my son rescued from the animal shelter. She had been with us less than a year. I did not realize how much I had grown attached to her until this weekend when my son found her dead in the yard. Apparently she had been killed by a dog bite.
I try to think of the happy times when I would pick her up and cuddle her and tell her that she does not even notice that I don’t like cats. She never did notice. She just cuddled and purred to me.
I had never known a cat to purr so loudly or so often. Her purr would vibrate the whole bed when she lay beside me. She was such a sweet and loving animal.
I am trying to make sense of her death by looking at things metaphysically. I do remember one day recently thinking that if she never purred like that to me again I would feel really sad. That was an accurate prediction. I am very sad that I will never feel her purr for me again.
I know that her death means there is some part of me that has died or that I think needs to die. I am looking for that part.
For now I am going to try to think about what she taught me about love. She loved me and showed me affection even thought I did not like cats. She won me over with her love and purring. I never even minded that she would nip at my legs in the morning after I got out of the shower. She was a very loving little spirit. I guess her job here was done. But I miss her.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Marley and Me
If you haven't watched the movie Marley and Me yet, I only recommend it if you have a strong enough heart. It is a good movie though if you love dogs, you will probably go and hug them after the movie. Perhaps even letting them lick your tears away.
A few nights ago, I was invited to my best friends house to watch Marley and Me. I didn't realize at the time that the movie was actually based on a true story. It had many comical scenes like the dog swallowing the necklance the character Owen Wilson gives to Jennifer Annistons character. Or the dog sitter who flipped out once they got home from their vacation (honeymoon gift) to Ireland.
Over half way through the movie, Smash's human dad, Mike, was very teary eyed. It started at about the scene where Marely was sitting by the road waiting for the kids to come home dropped off by the school bus. From then on his eyes were never dry. Soon afterwards mine stayed teary as well.
Of course the end is a sad one though deep inside I knew the dog had a great life.
After the movie ended, Mike got up went outside and spent some time with his dog Smash. Then again Smash didn't have a clue why his dad was crying and hugging him at all.
If you decide to watch it, make sure you have a full box of kleenex right beside you. It's a good movie to watch and it is also a sad one.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Smash takes a ride to McDonald's and town
Smash is a really great dog even if he is mixed. My kids love him almost as much as I do. We sometimes "borrow" him for awhile. The kids enjoy taking him for a ride. In fact, just about everytime I go out to his house he automatically walks to the passenger side door as if he is saying I am ready to go for a ride!
This past weekend my two boys and I had the opportunity to take Smash for a ride after some errands. Since the boys were hungry we decided to drive back into town and go to McDonald's. While waiting in line Smash looked as if he was about to go to sleep. It had been a very rainy day so it was understandable.
As we approached the drive thru Smash apparently caught whiff of the aroma from the restaurant completely waking up. Of course the boys soon could not resist giving Smash a snack or two consisting of one chicken nugget and a few french fries. I also soon gave in giving the remaining bread from my double cheeseburger to him. At one time Smash had turned around towards the boys with drool dripping from his chops. My oldest son Caleb proceeded to ask me why Smash was doing that? I explained it is because he is hungry and loves the smell of our food. It is his way of asking for some.
The funniest part had to be when I stopped to get gas. Smash did not like it at all when I got out so when I attempted to get back in he was sitting in my seat. Needless to say it was a task to get him out of my seat and into the passenger side. Instead of sitting as he usually does, he chose to turn around facing the boys in the back seat. Of course with them finishing up their fries, Smash had the chance to sniff the both of them. They pleaded with me to make Smash turn around. As he was attempting to, he sat on my sweet tea nearly squishing the cup in the cup holder in half. I quickly rescued my drink!
Eventually Smash was tired and turned around plopping his head down on the console on top of my arm. And soon we were back to his house where he quickly ran over to his bed.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Recall Training Needed!
Run Away Dog!
This weekend we took Smash for a hike at the Walls Of Jericho State Park in Alabama. This is a seven mile round trip hike with over 1,000 feet elevation change.
Smash did great on his leash the whole trip. He loved meeting the other people along the way and got lots of attention. Many people did not even notice his leg until they looked closer. Some people thought he had hurt it along the trail because they did not notice it the first time they saw him.
He behaved very well with the other dogs along the trail as well. There was even one unfriendly dog and Smash walked calmly by with just a little snub.
When we got back to the Jeep, we were all very tired. I helped Smash up into the back of the Jeep while I changed shoes. He curled up behind me so Janice took his leash off.
While I was massaging my feet, I felt him move and jump down. I expected him to wander around the Jeep while we got ready to go. Instead he went slinking across the parking lot.
I was a bit concerned because there was a very busy highway across the parking lot. I whistled for him to return, but he ignored me. I assumed he need to go potty.
I quickly put on my shoes and called for him more. He just kept going. He headed for the woods by the road. We all ran across the parking lot to try to herd him in.
He then turned and headed back down the mountain toward the river. Janice ran after him.
Jennifer and I circled around to try to find them as they went out of sight.
Jennifer and I met up of the trail about a quarter mile from the parking area and started asking other hikers if they had seen our dog or Janice. Most said they had seen both, but not together.
I kept visualizing having Smash sitting by my side and me petting him. Suddenly Jennifer spotted him in the woods. I quickly sat down and whistled for him. Jennifer sat down as well. As soon as he saw us he ran to Jennifer who quickly leashed him up. We sat and petted him for a while and told him he was a good dog for coming to us.
Then we started looking for Janice. We got concerned when the string of returning hikers stopped reporting seeing her. One of the hikers offered to help us look for her.
He eventually found her coming back up the trail and let her know we had the dog.
My next training with Smash will be the instant recall. This story has a happy ending but it could have been bad if he had gone on toward the road.
I am reminded how important dog training is to the safety of the dog and the trainer. Being in the woods looking for him after dark would not have been safe in those surroundings.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Smash's Facebook page
Smash has a new Facebook Fan page. If you are on Facebook, sign up to be a fan of Smash. There are lots of cute puppy pictures there.
Be a fan of Smash on Facebook
Be a fan of Smash on Facebook
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Eating Out
We have been eating out a lot lately with several business meeting and other outings. I always try to bring something home for Smash.
He loves the French fries from Five Guys Burgers. His favorite is the rib bones from Sticky Fingers. He is also a fan of the little burgers and chicken fingers from O Charley's.
He always starts wagging his tail when he sees a Styrofoam box come out of the Jeep when we get home.
He loves the French fries from Five Guys Burgers. His favorite is the rib bones from Sticky Fingers. He is also a fan of the little burgers and chicken fingers from O Charley's.
He always starts wagging his tail when he sees a Styrofoam box come out of the Jeep when we get home.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Cold
Smash seems to like the cold. He started coming in the house at night last week when it was raining. I thought surely he would enjoy sleeping inside last night as it got down to 10 degrees outside.
I brought him in early but about the time we were going to bed he wanted out. He barked an hour or so later so I coaxed him back in. He only stayed a few minutes before he wanted out again.
We repeated the cycle a few times before I finally just let him stay outside. He seemed to enjoy running around in the yard.
This morning I found he had moved his bed out away from the wall and out onto the sidewalk. He looked quite comfortable curled up there.
He was eager to go for a walk this morning so I bundled up and followed him to the creek. He tested the ice and sniffed a round a bit before we headed back to the house.
He seems quite happy with the cold weather.
I brought him in early but about the time we were going to bed he wanted out. He barked an hour or so later so I coaxed him back in. He only stayed a few minutes before he wanted out again.
We repeated the cycle a few times before I finally just let him stay outside. He seemed to enjoy running around in the yard.
This morning I found he had moved his bed out away from the wall and out onto the sidewalk. He looked quite comfortable curled up there.
He was eager to go for a walk this morning so I bundled up and followed him to the creek. He tested the ice and sniffed a round a bit before we headed back to the house.
He seems quite happy with the cold weather.
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