Just when I thought summer had arrived to stay the weather changed AGAIN! Very early this a.m.when the dogs got me up for a pee call, it was even thundering out. For a minute I wasn't sure what it was so went out on the porch to listen and yep, that's what it was. It was also raining really hard so that's it for mowing the front lawn although I did get the back done at least. In a way its okay as I have a lot of work to do in the house.
Jiggs returned for a short time on Wed. He is a very easy dog to have around and fits right in. He has a very large bladder I think and often simply does not want to go out but the other too (Keeper and Teko) dutifully go outside whenever I open the door.. Peaches has been enjoying short jaunts in the back yard, If only cats would stay in he could be out a lot. However last night I left him out a bit too long and he did a walkabout, I felt sure he had just gone into the neighbours yard and was temporarily still locked in their fence but not he had gone another way. As I searched and called and looked the neighbours saw me and came out and Laura next door spotted him more toward the front yard. I had gone that way first but her must have been too busy to come. At least he did come for me calling him and now his privileges will be ended, as I don't intend to spend a lot of time looking and worrying about where he may have gone.The coyotes have gotten several of my cats in the past and that is why Mr.Peaches has been and indoor cat. It is tempting at times to just let him go but I know better and miss them so much when they do not return. Jiggs is only here for a few more days and goes home again on Monday, then I have two labs coming ( different owners) they will probably have a good time playing together as both are only about a year old or so. However one is only here for a day and a night. The other is here for four days. It does keep life interesting anyway with all the coming and going.
Last Sunday Gramma came by to help me groom the dogs. Actually its the other way around. She does the combing out and I hold the dog down. although Keeper used to not mind being combed out at all, now in her old age she finds it uncomfortable and kicks up quite a fuss. She yodels and hollers and struggles with all her might. I think in the end she just wore herself out and then accepted it was going to be done in any case. she got "the works" with teeth scaled and nails clipped as well. Then it was Tekos turn and he certainly wasn't impressed and only ever having his teeth done under anaesthetic, would not comply so that didn't happen with him. They both looked lovely after and felt so soft. All that awful dead hair now in a bag for the garbage. And no, Gramma does not hire out! She does this once a year cause she loves us. I am supposed to do a daily comb out but how can I when it takes two people? None of my friends are as into dogs as I am so it is hard to ask anyone for help. I imagine Sandi or Judy would help me but they don't live here so it just does not get done. I hate it and Keeper hates and its easier not to. Still I get lectures alla time. So with that in mind I am going to try for Sunday grooming sessions and see hoe that goes. HMM, Sunday is already tomorrow!
The dog topic for today is "TRAINING", I have long been an advocate of good training on a dog. it not only makes your life easier it makes everyone's life easier that comes in contact with your dog. That is not to say because you have learned to live around your dogs bad habits in peace that it is actually trained. Nope, YOU are trained! Consider this, if something happened to you and your dog had to go to another home to live, do you think it would work out?? We cannot guarantee that we will be there for the dog' entire lifetime and therefore the best thing we can do is send out a well-behaved animal. Well adjusted and balanced would help also. A balanced dog does not get into fights or bark just to hear themselves and most importantly comes to its name!
Not too far in the past I took on a rescue dog I called Chance. I really liked him and he seemed pretty obedient and I loved the look of him. he didn't mind being outside and had a wondrous coat to protect him. he was an Australian Shepherd and a good looking fellow. He did not bark a lot and so he lived in the back yard, coming in at night to sleep in the porch and having occasional visits in the house. he was a bit of a buffoon and not graceful inside so outside worked well for both of us. He seemed to be a balanced dog but I knew better when I got him as he had fought with another dog where he was and torn its ear to the cost of a $100.00 vet bill. So I watched him-especially when I had other boarders. Although I worried about him fighting I still took him off leash to the dog walk place and never had an incident. i even took him into dog class with me. Then came the day when I had Teko staying here and put him outside while Chance was in the yard, I was busy vacuuming and never heard a sound but when I went to let Teko in I saw blood all over the cement walk! I let him in and poor baby had indeed been in a war. His left eye was all red looking and later I found he had wounds on either side of him as well. Double puncture wounds decorated either side of him and it was difficult to pick him up. This time the vet bill was $400.00+! I made an appointment to have the dog put down but on the day phoned and cancelled it as I thought I had found a new owner for him. That didn't work out and in the end I kept Chance with me. In the meantime. for three weeks there was Teko to doctor. He needed a muzzle and every day I went and washed his wounds and kept the drain tubes clean. There were pills to give also, and Cheese Whiz worked wonders! Eventually the little dog healed up and was his old self but I still felt badly about it all. Bea insisted on reimbursing me for the vet bill, saying that I had been doing her a favour. I didn't feel right about that either but it was easier to take it than to fight with Bea about it. Eventually last summer it became necessary for me to look after Teko once again and I remember promising Bea Chance would not have another opportunity to get Teko because I would not let it happen. Then came the day I had all three dogs in the house and a man rang the doorbell. This was cause for excitement as it seldom happens and even Chance barked. I slipped out onto the porch sans dogs to say I could not talk out there and the crap hit the fan in the house.When I got back inside Teko was heading for the kitchen hollering his head off and yes Chance had done it again. Only this time there was only one hole in his side and the vet bill was only $75.00! But the writing was now on the wall. I would not and could not change Chances outlook on life. I hadn't caused the problem and after two years I had not been able to change his behavior. I had only learned to live around it. I liked Chance a lot and he was my kind of dog in many ways, but it was probably only a matter of time before he actually killed another dog. I could not afford to keep such an animal and with a heavy heart I took him to the vet and had euthanised. I miss him still and although I can say I gave him two more happy years, I could not see passing him on to other unsuspecting owners. He was a happy dog and ecstatic to have one on one attention at any time. Whatever had happened in his past had changed him from being a balanced animal to one with problems that I couldn't solve.And so the question to ask yourself is...would someone enjoy looking after your dog on a permanent basis or are you just creating and unbalanced dog that will meet the same kind of end as Chance?
And that is his story to the beset of my knowledge. We all must be trainers from the time we take on the responsibility of a dog.
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