2012 Goals

Another year is almost behind us, and what a year it was! We faced circumstances that we'd never faced before, but we made it through! If you couldn't tell by the major lack of posts, this year was all about the Guide Dog Puppies; Rob was such a handful, that the majority of my focus was on him and his news verses being split between the three dogs.

Having been puppy-less over the last couple of months has made me realize, just how important it is that "MY" dogs have good foundational skills, and the importance of taking the time to interact with them everyday.

One of my goals during 2012 is to work on some of the "problem" areas I have identified in my dachshund's. I have decided to limit myself to at least twelve goals, one goal a month, to give me the best possible chance of actually succeeding. Procrastination is my middle name. Yes. Most of the goals are for Texas, at 12 (or 10 I still can't figure out which) Bubbles is pretty much set in her ways, or... more so "I'm" set in her ways. We've worked recently on her "wait" command, but that's about it, she knows "Sit", Her Name, and Comes. She's not destructive, is potty trained, and sleeps all day. What more could I ask for?

Goals for 2012 

1. Work on Texas's Dog-to-Dog re-activity (the above picture shouldn't happen again). Put a barrier between Texas and other dog and "its on".  
2. Work on the Relaxation Protocol all the way to the end. 
3. Texas: Be able to be crated quietly around distractions. 
4. Be able to have people to my home more often. (This doesn't happen well now, as Texas though comfortable being kenneled, screams bloody murder if he can hear other people in the house besides me.
5. Work on basic agility with Texas. 
6. Read Control Unleashed & When Pigs Fly 
7. Find toys Texas will play with consistently 
8. Handle Texas from Head to Toe daily (You'd be surprised, but apparently handling your dog OCCASIONALLY over three years, leads to them becoming adverse to it. O_o) 
9. Be able to put a sweater on him without him shutting down. (We actually started working on that this week) 
10. Door Manners 
11. Only use dog bowls for water.

Seriously Mom? What a lotta work!

So I didn't make it to 12, which is probably a good thing, as some of those things are going to be a doozy to work through. However, I"m hoping by putting it on my public blog, I'll feel some pressure to work on them more. :)

What about you guys, do you have any goals for you and your dogs this year?

Struttin My Stuffs

Soo mom thought she would save herself sometime, and just link to the video from Facebook, but FAIL if you aren't on Facebook apparently you can't watch it, so her had to upload it too YouTube like she should have done in the firsts place! Get ready to be be-dazzled!

Crazy Cats

You see this craziness? You would NEVER catch a dachshund doing sumptin stupid like this!

High Five Tex?

Texas places his paws in my open palm, thus completing a "High Five"

Moms + Puppies = Disaster

I has to say, a big I AGREE to Frankie's posts about Mom's. Puppies need lots of watching regardless of how bigs they are. Like today for instance, I go off to patrol the yard, and leave Trump in Mom's care. OR.SO.I.THOUGHT. Next thing I know, she's whistling, and calling and NO TRUMP!

Well finally, after I ran around the yard a bunch.. we heard his tags jingling, and found that he'd trapped himself inside the shed...and was EATING ALL THE GARBAGES!! Do you KNOW how long it took me to get all.dat.GUNK out of his furs? FOREVER I TELL YOU!

And then he puked it all.over.the.floor. Mom said she didn't know one dog's stomach could hold so much junk!

In other news. Mom put Trump on an airplane on Monday and he went bye-bye. YEA for having mom all too me and Bubble's selves again!

*WOOFS!*

Random.

The thing is, I don't exactly know what to do with myself, when I don't have the responsibility of a puppy. Trump leaves me for the wild blue yonder, on Monday. While I'll be sad that he's leaving, I've been looking forward to having a break for a while; now that its actually upon me, it's not looking as fun as I was thinking it was going to be.  I think, I'm scared that having more time will increase my laziness rather than make me more productive. If any thing, the puppies definitely made me get up and move on a frequent basis. Bubbles and Texas? Not.So.Much. 

How long my break will be is anyone's guess... but until then I can torture myself with puppy pictures...would be cool to raise an "off" breed this time around.

Puppies are Cudly

Puppies are Cutee...

Their never nasty or meeeeeeeeeeeeean

I'd Give a home..too all the lost puppies...

.If EVER ONE DAY I WEREEE

QUEEEEEEEEEEN! 

- Veggie Tales 

~Erin~

*All photos via pinterest 

Life Update

So the long awaited update. Posted by yours truly.. Erin. I couldn't trust Texas to accurately describe our adventures over the last couple of months, as his version would have gone something like this: 


MOM IS NEVER HOME ANYMORE AND ALL I DO IS SLEEP IN MY CRATE OR ON THE COUCH AND AM BORED!BORED!BORED! 


So. Yes. Updates. Where to start. 


July 
Pompei gradates as a Guide Dog!!!

Pompei up at GDF's Kennels 

August 
School started and Rob and I headed off for another semester of college. I knew going in this semester would be difficult, I was going for four hour work days + weekends off; to Work 3 days a week + weekends, and 6+ hours of school 2 days a week. 

Prior to this Rob and I had been having some problems. As a puppy walker, I get to find out first hand, that sometimes every puppy does.not fit with every lifestyle/household. Pretty early on I knew this was the case with Rob, but was determined to find a way to fit.him.into.our lives. He was a Midnight baby after all, and I didn't want to loose him. 

Rob in the Cone of Shame after his nueter 

Two weeks into class, I knew it wasn't going to work. I had NO time, exercise him (which needed to be at least two hours a day), I needed to be able to focus on school, and having a dog that was acting up wasn't helping. So I requested that the Guide Dog Foundation transfer him to another family.
It was THE hardest thing I have EVER done. 
Harder even, than giving them up at the end of our year. 

Rob + Xander (on left) 

But it needed to be done. I was determined, after he went to take a break. No more puppies, just me and the dachshunds until the end of the semester. 

Rob waits for the cue to get his water

September
The DAY I was planning to drive Rob to his last puppy meeting in North Carolina, and hand him off to my Area Coordinator... said person gave me a call. I was a little stunned to find out they were asking me to take ANOTHER puppy. I'll admit I was a little panicky as well.. another puppy?Now? But I don't want another dog! No! 


10 hours later, Trump entered our lives. 

Trump, was also a Midnight baby, but the complete opposite of Rob. Rob was a GO GO GO! Dog. 

Go Dog Go - Book Cover - by Dr. Suess

If there wasn't action he created some. Definitely the life of the party. 

Trump and Rob @ Pool Part Puppy Meeting

Trump, on the other hand is the dog in the corner with a book. Happy to entertain himself until its time to go. In the coming days, we found out quickly that Trump really, really, REALLY did not like to work. 


Trump let us know this, by refusing to walk. Oh he'd walk into a place just fine, but getting him back out again? ...Let's just say you needed to have time on your side. I can't tell you how many classes we arrived to late, simply because Trump would not walk with me. 


We tried all sorts of things, in fact as soon as we entered buildings, I'd have him "heel" beside me, with the leash looped around his neck. He would walk continuously like that, but would still refuse to move when he saw us heading towards a class room.  

Trump refusing to walk through the hallways at school.

Once inside the class room, he didn't want to just lay down and chill out.. no on several occasions he would offer his opinion of the class, to the teacher. Thankfully all my teachers are "cool" with the dogs, and just talked back to him. He would eventually sleep though... 

Trump sleep on the floor, legs in the air.

October 
GDF made the decision to career change Trump, and offered him too me as a pet. I and his previous raisers declined, so he's now hanging out with me, waiting for a flight back to New York. I got the email yesterday, that they have sent out a request for volunteers to fly him back. While he needs to go (Lifestyle wise.. I can't have a big dog as a pet), I get a pang every-time I think of actually giving him up. For real, for real. 

So now we're waiting, I don't know when we'll get another puppy, maybe the end of this year, maybe next year, maybe next summer (yeah right). But We'll be sure to update that. 


In the mean time, Bubbles & Texas have been trucking right along, hanging out, keeping the house free of rodents, enjoying the occasional car ride or walk in the park. I am looking forward to spending a little more 2-1 time with them, over the Holidays. :)) 

Whew! So that's where we are now! Hopefully we're back for a while. No Promises..cause sometimes "Life Comes at You Fast. :-)

Happy Birthday Bubbles!

Bubbles, on my bed looking out of the window

Happy 12th (?) Birth and Gotcha Day! 

Ok so we really don't know that its her birthday, but we do know that 9 years ago, today Missy-Moo became our families' first pet. Never did she/we imagine how many dogs she would mentor in the coming years.  At 11, Bubbles in content to sleep the day away in her crate, or the couch.   Her tolerance of the dogs is becoming smaller and smaller, which I figure may be due to fact that they will run over her if she's in the way. So I'm working hard on make sure she doesn't have to deal with them if possible. :) 

She still gets around pretty well, and enjoys chasing the occasional squirrel. 

Here's to hoping to many more years! 

Didya Miss Me?

Please excuse the dust as mom tries to get this blog thingy set back up here Mmk!?

Texas - Sitting on a black and white bed

Helllooooo???

*tap-tap* 


Is this thing on? 
Hello everyone!
Its been a long while, and I wish I had this big long update full of things that we have done over the summer...*pants* Butta I don't. Cause we hadn't done nuthin. 
And when I say nuthin I mean nuttin.
Just laze around the house and dig in the trash when mom's not looking...
So I thought I'd share witcha's these funny videos I saw, while mom was at work without her computer. Mom says maybe one day she'll stop being lazy and teach me some of these tricks. 


Um..prolly not.



Ok everyone clap for Bailey.
*Yay Bailey*
Alright next video...um.. sorry mom but this one def ain't happen. Trust me on this..




Man! Looks like I'm outta time fur today, cause mom is wanting to get on the 'puter.. (probably trying to see what else she can do to make my life miseralbes!)


TTFN!
\

Wordless Wednesday

Bubbles hanging out in the driveway, Muffin and Bubbles on the couch..

Muffin curled up on my lap and Huck one of the dogs I walk on a regular basis. 

Texas Security Log

July 21, 2011

• Mom brought home ANOTHER dog today! But just for the weekend. SHe's real quiet and don't even do nothin! #
• Chased a bird up onto a telephone wire today! 
• Did you know my other brother Pompei is going to be a guide dog? Yep! He is all matched up with his new partner and they will graduate on July 24th according to mom. 
• Mom can't even go see him cause, she already committed to watching Muffin.  :(( Plus it was like $345 whole dollars for a plane ticket! #poormom
• Oh look! Someone left the garbage out! I wonder what yummies are in here?! 

Wordless Wednesday

Man. Is it hot in here or is that just me?

Texas - Four months old - Perched in the back seat of my car

BOL! 
So Rob is away on a "Puppy Camp" which means that he's with another puppy raiser while mom takes a break. Hehe. So now me and Bubbles have mom all to ourselves, and we really don't know what to do about that. But he did get a new "coat" afore he left, cause the other one mom had to squish his sides in to get it on him. 

Mom is still real busy with her new job. She already has four dogs she cares for on a weekly basis and is getting more as the summer gets busier! Whew! Right now she is getting me an Bubbles up at SIX IN THE MORNING!?!? Really? I mean I was having a great dream this morning and then all the sudden mom jumps outta bed, starts throwing clothes and stuff around the room, then starts poking me! Seriously. A dog can't sleep in peace around here no more! 


Oh yeah and she got a bunch of pics of Pompei on Facebook and she posted them on Rob's blog so you can go see them....-->Here<---

Well that's all I gots for now Paw Pals...gotta go give Mom a work out since Rob isn't here. 

BAYL!

P.S. (Did you know my birthday is in like a week or two!?! OMD!OMD!OMD!OMD!)

We're still here

I'm thinkin mom needs to fired from runnin this blog.

As soon as I learn how to type better anyways.

Um...we said good bye to Lacy last Saturday.

She was fun.

Mom has been real busy STILL!

There is NO excuse for NOT takin PHOTOS of ME i say!

The War Between the States

Meet Georgia. 

This photo is a representation of Georgia. 

A rough and tough Yorkie-poo, who came to live with our neighbors several months ago. At almost eight months old, she has quickly made her presence around the neighborhood well known. Like most little dogs, Georgia is one rough and tough little girl, and is not about to let Texas upsurp her claim on being the loudest, meanest dog around. 

Well except that she hasn't bitten anyone.. yet... 

Prior to Georgia's arrival, Rusty the big dopey golden retriever, was the one who got picked up by Texas. 

A representation of the dog known as Rusty.

Texas + Big Dogs = PUBLIC ENEMY #1 

***Please no one tell him he's been living with a big dog for.....his entire life, it might just crush his already shattered ego..

Rusty would slip under his fence into our yard, and happily lope around, with Texas and Bubbles hot on his heels, ready to vanquish the foe. Once Texas got a mouthful of Fur and Rusty didn't do anything, Texas would wander off and do whatever, while Rusty pounced on poor unsuspecting Pompei. (at the time.) 

However, since Georgia has entered the picture, for one, they both stay in the yard more, and two, Texas is not so eager to go and tell them what's up. Why?

Because Georgia has no qualms about chasing him right back and nipping him if need be.  

Texas has tried only a couple of times, to venture in their yard, before deciding the punishment risk was too great, and that he can bark just as easily from the other side of the fence. Its kind of amusing to see him get a taste of his own medicine..

The squalling that emits from this dog is nothing short of girly. 

The big wimp. 

Rusty and Georgia escaped their confines and were terrorizing my dogs with their presences
:)