Today's Visit with the Dogs.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

It was an interesting day.

One of the dogs got "bit by a spider" and he to be monitored and then taken to a vet's office for treatment.

Xamine was gone, he had been adopted by a family with no cats. I am happy that he is in a forever home. He is a sweet dog and he deserves a family that will spoil him.

Emma bought Art a new toy and made the mistake of giving it to him right when she brought him out for spoiling. He was distracted and didn't want to play with her. We gave him some treats and while he was distracted, I took away the toy. He couldn't find it, so he cuddled with Emma.

Timmy, the dog with great big Bambi eyes, has had tail issues, but his tail is almost healed and then he will be adoptable. I have heard that one of the staff members wants to adopt him. I took him out to play and he was as sweet as always.

On Thursday, I took Jeff to meet Zap and Dumpling, the candidates to be our dog. Zap was crazy that day. He was trying to hump all of the dogs and when I walked him not only did he go crazy and try to attack himself when he saw a reflection in the windows, but he was wild on the leash. He also refused to walk once he reached on of the side kennel areas and I thought that it was because he was afraid of the dogs in the area. I ended up turning around and taking him back the way that we had come, rather than going through the area. He calmed down when it was time for cuddling, but by that time Jeff was worried about how he would react to the cats. (To be fair to Zap, I had clipped his leash on the license hook without realizing it, so his martingale collar wasn't working the way that it should work.)

On that same day, Dumpling was sweet, but as always, she didn't didn't seem that into us. She's got the canine equivalent of ADD and doesn't really focus on people. She also doesn't sit down for cuddling.

Jeff left thinking that Zap would make the better pet, but he was worried about his social skills, so he was hesitant to adopt him.

Today, the girls and I played with Zap in the play yard with other dogs and his behavior was mostly appropriate. The kennel worker that I usually hang out with told me that I just need to be very firm with him and he will be a good boy. The one or two times he did misbehave with other dogs, I was able to verbally correct him using my mean mommy voice. (I don't use that voice with my cats and my approach to the dogs has always been just to pet them and love them, but apparently that's not what some dogs need.)

Today I took Zap for a walk. He walked very nicely, and didn't try to take off. When he approached the area where he sees his reflection, I pulled him back and said no and he immediately stopped trying to attack himself. When I got him to the area where he usually refused to walk, I was firm with him, pulled his collar and made him walk. Later I found out that the kennel workers who originally dealt with him used to give him cookies in that area to get him to walk to the outdoor runs. When they were told to stop bribing him with cookies, he refused to walk and eventually he had to be walked through the area with a harness. He walked today for me without treats and without a harness.

When it was time to cuddle with Zap on the couch, he was as sweet as he always is. Emma fed him treats and he was very receptive to her affection. Since Emma will be alone with Zap at times, I wanted to test his behavior with her, so I left the room and watched him from a hallway. He never once attempted to run around or leave the room. He just sat there being sweet.

A little bit later, I took him to a dog run with Emma. We found that he doesn't like to play with balls, does enjoy playing fetch with a colorful stuffed animal. We tossed it back and forth and would let him catch it. He was very good about bringing the animal back to us to throw again. One time Emma grabbed the toy from his mouth and he immediately let go of it. He also will sit on command for both me and Emma. He ended up playing so hard that he was exhausted. He drank some water and tried to play with us again , but it was obvious that we had worn him out, so we put him back in his crate.

We took Dumpling for a walk and she was fun to walk. When you say her name, she hops into the air like a gazelle. She is never disobedient and is a good walker.

When it was time to cuddle, she accepted treats, but doesn't sit down to be petted. She's more interested in what is going on around her than in sitting down to be loved. I also let her alone with Emma and she let Emma pet her, but she still was looking around wanting to see what else was going on.

Later we took Dumpling to the dog run. She wouldn't play. She just wasn't interested in the ball or the toy or chasing Emma around.

We've wanted to give her a chance because I know that she is going to have a hard time being adopted, but I just don't think that she is the right dog for our house. I have heard that there are other people who are considering Dumpling and I hope that they fall in love with her and provide the right house for her.

I probably will visit with Zap again just to make sure that he is the right dog for us. I just want to make sure that I trust him with my kids and my cats. Now that I know the right approach to dealing with him, I feel more confident in his ability to fit in with the rest of the Suchards.

[MarleysGh0st]

Happy Forever Family Day to Xamine!

If you were trying to treat Zap like a cat, it's no wonder he wasn't reacting properly. He'll fit in fine, now that you're willing to be the boss.

[Ritterskoop]

Happy Forever Family Day to Xamine!

If you were trying to treat Zap like a cat, it's no wonder he wasn't reacting properly. He'll fit in fine, now that you're willing to be the boss.

The few minutes of the dog whisperer I saw reinforces this approach. Dogs look to people for instructions.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

Happy Forever Family Day to Xamine!

If you were trying to treat Zap like a cat, it's no wonder he wasn't reacting properly. He'll fit in fine, now that you're willing to be the boss.

The few minutes of the dog whisperer I saw reinforces this approach. Dogs look to people for instructions.

I've always been a cat owner, so I didn't realize how I was supposed to deal with dogs. When the girls and I go in, the dogs that we play with really need to be petted, played with and loved. That's how I deal with my cats. If, however we are going to own a dog, I need to be firmer with him, because it will build up his confidence and he will be a happier dog.

It's sort of like the difference between being a parent and a grandparent.
I am strict with my girls, and they have turned out to be really good kids. When I have grandchildren, I probably won't be the same way, because it isn't my job.

The funny thing is that Emma instinctively has known this, she plays with the dogs, but she is always trying to train the dogs that she deal with and for the most part they respond to her because even thought she is tiny, she demands respect from the dogs.

[minimetoo26]

I think I'll never have a dog. I like that cats prefer to be ignored or cuddled, not trained.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

I think I'll never have a dog. I like that cats prefer to be ignored or cuddled, not trained.

That's how Maddie feels. She enjoys pettying the dogs and helping to take care of them, but from volunteering she realizes that she is a cat person and not a dog person.

[Evil Squirrel]

I think I'll never have a dog. I like that cats prefer to be ignored or cuddled, not trained.

I am cuddly and don't want to be trained, but when I'm ignored, I start throwing stuff to get attention.....

But I agree with your opinion on dogs.... they are evil!

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

Squirrels are evil. They are tree rats.

[minimetoo26]

I think I'll never have a dog. I like that cats prefer to be ignored or cuddled, not trained.

I am cuddly and don't want to be trained, but when I'm ignored, I start throwing stuff to get attention.....

But I agree with your opinion on dogs.... they are evil!

I think I'll let you raise my kids. You can throw things at them to get their attention all you want...

[Evil Squirrel]

Squirrels are evil. They are tree rats.

Flattery will get you nowhere, my fine Placentian friend!

Go ahead and get yourself a greyhound! I will make their life miserable.....

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

We don't have a lot of squirrels around here. At night the coyotes come down from the hills to eat them.

[MinisKidToBeNamedLater]

I think I'll never have a dog. I like that cats prefer to be ignored or cuddled, not trained.

I am cuddly and don't want to be trained, but when I'm ignored, I start throwing stuff to get attention.....

But I agree with your opinion on dogs.... they are evil!

I think I'll let you raise my kids. You can throw things at them to get their attention all you want...

I wonder how far I can fling you if I get ahold of that bushy tail.......?

[minimetoo26]

I am cuddly and don't want to be trained, but when I'm ignored, I start throwing stuff to get attention.....

But I agree with your opinion on dogs.... they are evil!

I think I'll let you raise my kids. You can throw things at them to get their attention all you want...

I wonder how far I can fling you if I get ahold of that bushy tail.......?

You've got quite the arm, and a temper to match. I pity that squirrel!

[Evil Squirrel]

We don't have a lot of squirrels around here. At night the coyotes come down from the hills to eat them.

Coyotes don't scare me. I got some tips from a road runner once on how to handle them.....

Less squirrels equals more food! I am so there!