Thursday, March 31, 2011

Research Project!! Can you help??

Hi everyone,
So over the last few weeks, I've been mulling some different thoughts around in my mind, and have been wanting to do a research project on it, and what better time, when I'm in school, up to my ears in  research projects anyways?!

I have my own experiences, but given that I've only had seven puppies in the last four years, I don't think my findings would be enough to base a claim on. (Oh main I've been taking statistics much too long.)

I'm not going to reveal the MAIN purpose of this survey until I get some data.. (at least 60 responses? So PLEASE tell your friends!) But I think the results should be VERY interesting.

So could you PLEASEEEEE fill it out really quickly? FOR ME!? You can submit for as many dogs as you want. I would love you guys for ever and ever and ever if you do!

Thanks a Million!!



Erin

Monday, March 28, 2011

Monday Musing: Flash Backs



That's me "back in the day" I was only I thinks 4 months old! How cute am I!?

Texas

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Do's instead of Don'ts.

Its been over a week since I last posted, and boy what it week it has been. Rob is helping me renew my commitment to my personal dogs training as well as his. I'll admit that I've been slacking with Bubbles and Texas, after all they are "just pets". Right?

Wrong. 
Texas, covered in cobwebs from an excursion who-knows-where

Over the last 4 years and 10 months I have been involved with the service dog/dog training I have un-wittingly placed my personal companions training as less important than the training of my service dog pups. While yes the SD pups will have a more "important" job, I still have to live with my pups, and their.............. quirks.

Heh.

So this weeks, as I was making my rounds through training blogs such like, I came across a webinar offered by Susan Garrett, helping you towards creating your dogs brilliant recall. Unfortunately to get the ENTIRE series it's about $300...which if I had the money to blow I would in a heart beat, but the first three videos are definitely eye opening and thought provoking. GO HERE TO SEE THEM.

One of the things that was brought up was, its harder to teach a dog not to do something, than it is to DO something. I have to lower my head in shame as I realize that I've been doing a lot of "don'ts" with Bubbles and Texas. School has played a part, as well as having a service dog that *does* need training, however I don't think that justifies my lack of communication towards my other pups.

Don't Dash out the door as soon as I open it.
Don't bark at random things outside the house.
Don't react to my roommate coming home.
Don't react to random people who show up.
Don't dive into your food bowl Until I tell you..
Don't whine at the gate when I'm just on the other side...
Don't dig in the garbage
Don't ignore me when I call you.

Ouch.I didn't realize how negative I was being with my dogs no wonder they ignore me for the most part. So this week, instead of constantly "getting onto" my dogs..I need can give them something can "do"...by verbalizing it. I think the following list was my intention all along, but sometimes you just "expect" the dog to "know" these things by know...when really they still need that CLEAR communication from me. Not an assumption.

Do sit/stay until I release you to go outside.
Do come and sit when I call you.
Do "go to your bed"
Do sit/stay when its time to eat.
Do "go to your bed"
Do "look" at mom and "come" and receive something *more* rewarding. (as if there is something more rewarding than garbage! Ha! - Texas)
Do (practice with your dogs and get them back to responding to their names) lol.

That, of course, is just off the top of my head, I'm sure I'll get more creative the more we work on this. Feel free to chime in with ideas if you have some! :) Though the barking will be challenging, as Texas figures if he barks more he'll earn a treat when I quiet him and he gets quiet. Still haven't figured out that one! :)

I am doing the same thing with Rob as well, instead of just "reacting" in frustration towards the mis-behaviors I am seeing out of my dogs, I can give them something to do that they just may be rewarded for doing.

Today was our second puppy meeting with Mr.Rob and my game plan was to 1.) focus and reward his good behavior ignoring the "bad" and 2.) keep his leash loose. That is all. And I'm happy to say we surpassed both of those. Our leash pulling was "iffy" but not a surprise as we were in the most distracting environment we have been in to date. I carried him a while as I wanted to encourage as little pulling as possible; even though he did want to play with the other dogs, the time we've spent working on him responding to his name paid off....but you can read more about that on his blog. :)

However I must sign off, At the moment my hands are full attempt to keep Texas and Bubbles from tearing the heating vent out of my floor. There is no "do's" or "don'ts" in this situation. Just a putting of them out and closing the doors.


Which they can push open. unfor.
Sigh.

Erin
Texas

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Cuddling

Hi, my name is Erin and three weeks ago I got this teeny tiny puppy. 
But sometime during that time I lost him somewhere. 

In the weeks that have passed since we brought Monkey-Moo home, and life has settled back into a ...more predictable..routine. I keep having to beat this into my head, but each puppy is different, and while some puppies I could just go out and about with from day one, Rob is not that way. 

Its not that he's not a confident dog, nooo, but let's just say he doesn't like HAVING to stay with ME. There is so much to see and do in these new places, what puppy would want to be still and quiet?  So this time around, we feel its best to solidify somethings at home, versus in the judging public eye.  However, this is not to say that Mr. Rob doesn't go anywhere, according to his FourSquare account, we've checked into at least 12 different places in the last three weeks. Not too shabby for a 10 week old puppy. 

He attends college classes with me, as I fear I would be murdered if I left him at home, and choir practices on Monday nights. This week was my spring break, and though I didn't have much of a break, we were able to squeeze in our first vet visit. The vet is really pleased with his weight (12.6lbs.) and says he looks great. He was so busy with his chew toy, provided by the vet, that he didn't even flinch when his temperature was being taken, or while the vaccinations were being administered. 
Rob sits on the examination table
Granted, we've quickly found out that he has a really high tolerance for pain, as he loves to pull things down on himself. 

If you can't tell by the photos, he's doubled his size in the last couple of weeks, leading me to believe, he may be my biggest, GDF pup yet. We'll see though. Pompei is currently holding the record weighing in at 73.0lbs with Midnight (Rob's Mom) and Rei (2nd puppy) leaving me at or around 60lbs. 

Anyway, Spring break is over for me, so its back to the "grind" of classes this week. Already I am looking forward to the weekend. :) 

Just a week and a half ago, they were the same height. 
  Erin

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Monday, March 7, 2011

Group Shot #Fail

He saw a shiny object.
Texas Rob's signature

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

On Wednesday! Lets see if It'll actually publish this week! :)
Rob and Texas Wrestling part 1
Texas and Rob wrestling
Rob relaxing on the dog bed
Texas Rob's signature

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Texas Log: FLOOD!!

So yesterday it rained and rained and rained and it rained soooo much yesterday, that my front yard turned into a big swimming pool! Way cool huh? I'll bet none of y'alls yards did that before huh? Mom stuck on her water boots and went and walked around in it, so I followed her. I had ta swim at one point cause it was so deep!  Mom gave me a bath afterwards, but it was worth it!
Neighbors yard part 2

Neighbors yard

Checkin out the water, who says don't can't smell through water!?

Whoa! It got deep!

ME swimming away! Don't worry I came back! ;)



Texas