Where do we go from here?

 

So, Mommy and I have been home from the SANE seminar for a week and a half now.   (See these posts for a reminder –”I’m doing the best I can”, “Why do I “Fool Around”?”, “I Now Have A…”, and “My Thundershirt”).

Some of the things in my life have gotten a lot better.  I am walking really well with my 2-point leash.  I still wear the head collar, ‘cause Mommy says I like to keep my head down too much.  But our walks are a lot of fun.  In fact, we have even started walking a bit further when the weather allows.

I wear my Thundershirt every evening.  But… when I put my shirt on, Mommy and I get to stay up for another hour.  Mommy seems really happy to get to watch TV and spend a bit more time with Daddy.

And Mommy is now putting some really yummy stuff on my food.  This is the package that it come from:

I really like the taste of it.  Mommy puts some water on my food and it makes a sort of sauce.  I lick my bowl clean every time I am fed.  Mommy says this stuff is to help me calm down just a little bit till she can help me learn to be calmer.  She thinks it is working.

And one more thing…. My porta crate is not set up in the living room.

It is sitting right next to my living room crate!  What gives?  And, yes, that is me in my crate.  I was taking a stress break when Mommy took the shot.  Mommy seems to want me to get comfortable being left in my porta crate.  Guess I will have to see why as time goes on.

Mommy is still reviewing the special surprise that we promised.  We hope to share it with you early next week.  We will be doing a give away too, as soon as we figure out how to do it.  We want to make if fun for everyone.

Have a great weekend everyone,

Puppy Kisses,

Tanner

Water Dish Update

Do you remember when I got my new water dish?  You know, the one that is like a mini waterfall in our kitchen? 

You can check out the post here:  Kitchen Water Feature

Well, even though I was really interested in it in the beginning, Mommy noticed the other day that I have not been drinking from it for about a week now.  I have been asking to go down stairs to the studio when we get home from a walk to get my drink.

So, Mommy decided to put a bowl of water on the floor beside my water fall to see which I would choose.

I chose the bowl of water.

So, Mommy kept that filled for the past two days and I seemed pretty happy.

Last night, Mommy decided to take the water fall apart.  She intended to just put it away.  This is what she found when she was cleaning it out.

Even though we used filtered water and had a filter in the waterfall, the bowl started to get a nasty ring around it.

This is the other side of the bowl, by the intake for the filter.  Pretty nasty dark line!

And this is what Mommy found inside the place where the filter sits.  It was like a gooey slim.  Mommy said it was like the stuff she used to find when she cleaned out a goldfish bowl.

Even the tank under the “refill” tank had the slimy stuff in it.  No wonder I would not drink from it.

Mommy said she is going to leave it sit over night to dry out.  Then she is going to wash it again and try it one more time.  If it happens again, we go back to the old fashioned water dish for good. 

We’ll keep you updated on our test.

Puppy kisses,

Tanner

P.S. Keep your eyes open for a give away from Mommy and me.  We are testing something new and hope to post a review around the first of next week.  And we will be announcing a special give-away.  Can’t wait to share it with all my friends.

One Word Wednesday–Waiting!

 

…for Mommy to throw my toy!

Puppy Kisses,

Tanner

I am joining the Wednesday Blog Hop!  Check out what some of my friends are doing!

My fall collar is on!

Mommy likes me to be fashionable.  So, after I got my bath last week (so humiliating), Mommy changed my collar. 

Now, I am sporting a “Pumpkin” collar with my name on it. 

And Mommy has a matching bracelet!!!

I am really busy playing and chewing on my antler. 

Mommy is having a hard time getting a picture of me wearing the collar.

Hopefully I’ll stand still soon, NOT!

Puppy Kisses,

Tanner

My Thundershirt!

Remember this photo from yesterday’s post?  Do you know what I am wearing?

Yes!  I am wearing a Thundershirt!

And Mommy and I love it!!

My Thundershirt is really helping to calm me when I start my “fool around” behavior.

Thundershirts are not just for doggies that are afraid of storms or loud noises.  They are also a great tool for doggies that just get a bit “silly” when they don’t know what to do. 

Kathy (from the SANE Seminar) first tried a Body Wrap with me

This is my friend Charlotte and her Mommy.  Charlotte is wearing a body wrap.

I, however, took the Body Wrap off, all by myself.  So Kathy suggested that Mommy try the Thundershirt!  She said that this might stay on better and it does!

I can really relax when I am wearing it.  Mommy and I stayed overnight in a hotel while we were at the seminar.  This is me, relaxing on the bed with Mommy!  I really enjoyed cuddling with her.

I wore my shirt off and on through the rest of the weekend.  And now I wear it for an hour or so every evening.  Mommy says I am a lot more fun to play with.  Our fetch games don’t get so rough and I take breaks.  It also lets Mommy and me stay up later and spend more time with Daddy. 

Mommy likes my Thundershirt so much that she bought a second one to have as a spare while mine is getting washed.

All in all, I recommend Thundershirts! 

Puppy Kisses,

Tanner

(BTW! I am not associated with the company, or paid for this review. Mommy purchased my Thundershirt with her own money. Thundershirt does offer a moneyback guarantee)

I now have a ….

….lot of new stuff in my life.  At the SANE Seminar, Mommy learned a lot of new things about Balance.  We learned that my emotional state effects my physical state.  When I am afraid or “stressed,” I just can’t think and work through the situation.  That is just not how I am made.  I need to learn how to cope.

The first  way Mommy is working at brining me into physical balance is on our walks.  Mommy has never walked me on a collar.  I have always used a head collar.  But Kathy helped Mommy to understand that I was still pulling on the head collar.

Kathy had Mommy put a “step-in” harness on me and attach my leash at two points to help me stop pulling and walk on all four feet.  Mommy has some learning to do here too.  She needs to learn where to hold the leash (which by the way, is very long for her).  And she needs to learn to alternate giving me signals on the front and back of the leash.  But, as you know, Mommy and I love to walk.  I know we will have a lot of practice.

I also got a new head collar.  Mommy decided that the Halti brand had a nicer band and would be more comfortable for me.  I am really starting to like it.

Oh, and I got one more thing!!!  Can you guess what it is?

I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow.  But this is how I feel every time Mommy puts it on me.  She says it is a miracle that she would have never thought of trying.

Wordless Wednesday!

I turned 10 months old yesterday!  Mommy will use any excuse to buy me a present!  This is what I got!

And this is what I thought of it! 

I could not wait for Mommy to give it to me!  She said I can only have it when she can watch me!  We’ll see how it goes!

Puppy Kisses,

Tanner

P.S.  Tomorrow, more about the SANE Seminar!

Why do I “Fool Around"”?

Yesterday, I started telling you about the SANE seminar that Mommy took me to this past weekend.  SANE is all about Solutions for Extreme Dog Behaviors.  And Mommy says my “fooling around” gets pretty extreme.

This is what I can do with a leash if I am allowed.

You can imagine what I would do to Mommy’s hand.

But, please notice, I am a happy boy while I am doing it.  I just don’t know how to cope.  I don’t want to hurt Mommy.  I just don’t know what else to do.  I have probably been asked to do something I don’t understand, or I have just had too much training time.  Mommy now knows I need to take a break.

Kathy told us that some doggies get like this when they are scared or confused.  There are 4 ways a doggie can act and mine is one of them.  But most people don’t think I am scared or confused.  They think I am just playing and it is cute. 

Mommy says it’s not so cute and she wants to help me get through these times better.

One of the things we learned about was “Balance”.  This is a photo of Kathy trying to help me have more balance.  I now walk with a different leash.  But I’ll tell you about that later this week.

Puppy Kisses,

Tanner

I’m Doing the Best I Can!

 

That is what Kathy told Mommy at the S.A.N.E. seminar this past weekend! 

She said that I am having a normal reaction when I get “silly” and grab at my leash and at Mommy’s hand.  I just don’t know how to cope, so this is what I am doing.

To Mommy and me, this was great news.

But let me back up a bit and tell you where we went and why.

Mommy has been trying to help me with my crazy behavior.  She has tried all sorts of things, but now she wanted to learn about T-touch.  So, Marta (my local trainer) suggested that Mommy take me to the SANE seminar this past weekend.

The seminar was at 4 Paws Spa and Training Center.  Mommy and I had to get up early on Saturday and drive for quite a while.

I got to relax on the back seat of the car while Mommy did all the driving.

We took a lot of stuff with us.  This is just the pile that Mommy put on the front seat.  You should have seen what was in the hatch.

The training center was a big, open room with a nice rubber floor.   Mommy had brought my porta-crate and she had it all set up with my mat before she took me into the center.

I felt a bit uncomfortable in this new space. Then all the other people and the other dogs got there.

This is a picture of Kathy that Mommy borrowed from her website (Cascade Animal Connection).

Kathy said the first thing we needed to do was observe our dogs.  So she asked Mommy to walk me around the room for everyone to see.  Of course, being the puppy that I am, I started to “fool around” pretty quickly.  And that is where our journey started.

I’ll tell you more tomorrow.  Believe me, we have a lot to share.

Puppy Kisses,

Tanner

The Rock

Mommy and Daddy were not the only ones who went on a trip lately.  Uncle Larry and Aunt Cindy also went on a trip.  They went “out west” (whatever that means).  They got back around the time Mommy and Daddy were leaving to go see Jaxon.

Saturday was the first time we had seen them in a long time.  They came to our house for a visit.  They brought lots of pictures of the things they saw, and some really pretty souvenirs for Mommy, Daddy, Meg, MJ and Kels. 

One of the things that Uncle Larry brought for Daddy was a Rock from the Crazy Horse Monument.

It is a big piece of rock.  Daddy made the mistake of leaving it on the floor and then leaving the room after everyone left. 

Here is what I thought of the rock:

Mommy took the rock after that.  She put it on the TV set.  I just sat and stared.  I really wanted my Toy back.

Since then, Daddy has made the rock disappear.  I have not seen it again.  I guess he wanted it all to himself.

Puppy Kisses,

Tanner

I have so many things to share!

 

I don’t know where to start.  First, I guess I should explain why I have not posted for a while.  I know I told you all about my new cousin.  Well, Mommy and Daddy were asked to go and help take care of him for a bit.

They left home the day after hurricane Irene left.  They spent a week in Florida with baby Jaxon and his parents.

Mommy said there were also two doggies there.  This is Coral and Ochi watching people walk by the house they live in.

Ochi does not like to have his picture taken.  This was the best shot Mommy could get of him.

But Coral is a lot like me.  She poses for the camera.  Mommy got some nice shots of her.

And of course, there are a lot of pictures of Baby Jaxon.  I am sure I will be able to share more with you as time goes by.

And me?  Well, I got to stay home with Meg.  I got my walks, but not a lot of play time.   Meg is pretty busy with school and work, but she did her best to take care of me.

Meg and I were very happy to see Mommy and Daddy come home.  I barked and barked and jumped and cuddled!!!  It was awsome.

Now we are trying to get caught up on everything (including my training!)  I should be posting more regularly now.  And hopefully I will be able to visit my friends and comment on their blogs again soon too.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

Puppy Kisses,

Tanner