Sometimes I just know Bella is going to go all looney-tunes on me during an agility session. I can usually tell when I start to un-clip her harness - she does this thing where she almost quivers with excitement: Oh boy, it's showtime, folks!
But I am not a fast handler and she can very easily get ahead of me on the course.
My goal is to try to keep my movements calm and deliberate so as not to amp her up sending her further into zoomie-land yet quick enough to beat her off the obstacle so I can gain control again on the other side.
I am not always successful.
Here are a couple of videos, mostly unedited (I only took out the really boring parts), of a recent agility session with the crazy dog. They're not our best work (either from an agility perspective nor a videographer one) and yet, I can't stop watching them.
There's an expression apparently among agility circles. It goes something like "Great dog. Pity about the handler." I've a feeling agility people will be saying this about us here.
It's okay, you can laugh. We did.
Now, if I can just learn how to channel all that energy and enthusiasm into following the course that I'm trying to direct her to rather than one she has designed for herself, we'll be in business. But given the laughter heard and the smiles (and tail wags!) seen in these videos, you can probably tell that's not my main goal.
Once upon a time, Bella was afraid to enter a room where a stick had been laid on the floor. Now look at her conquering all these obstacles with verve and aplomb. That's all I care about.
Living with Bella isn't always easy. It can be a lot of work.
Sometimes it's heartbreaking. Sometimes it's even terrifying.
But sometimes, it's hilarious.
Those are the times that we live for.
Showing posts with label Monday Mischief Blog Hop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monday Mischief Blog Hop. Show all posts
Monday, October 28, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
A special request: Vote for Benny!
Hi friends,
So we entered this contest to be a part of the "Dogs of Blogville" calendar this year. I think Bella's picture is cute and have been pestering all of my friends to go vote for her.
But I'm changing my stance and asking them, and now you, for a different action.
The "Dogs of Blogville" calendar is a fund-raiser hosted by Jodi Stone of "Heart Like a Dog" and Julie Melfi of "The Daily Dog Blog". It's in its second year.
Last year they raised $500 that was donated to "Champion of My Heart" to help defray some of the medical costs associated with Lilly's vaccination issues. (It should be noted that some of the money was set to also go to "Life with Desmond" but Lauren wanted her share of the funds to go to Roxanne and Lilly. You are still my hero, Lauren.)
This year, the money raised from the calendar will be going to "Two French Bulldogs" to help with some of the costs from Benny's cancer treatments.
I really want to see the calendar be a huge success for Benny.
But I saw something today that made me think there was something "rotten in Denmark". Not that there's anything wrong with the contest - it's totally on the up-and-up: you can only vote once per IP address per day so Julie and Jodi did a bang-up job securing the process.
What I noticed though is that, based on the votes as they currently stand, Benny may not even make the calendar being made in his honor. And that's just not right.
So I'd like to ask everybody who reads this to please go over to the "Heart Like a Dog" voting page and register their vote for Benny and Lily. It only takes a minute and you can vote every 24 hours. Recruit your friends.
I'd really love to see Benny on the cover of the calendar and I'm going to campaign hard for them for the next several days the contest runs. Would you help me spread the word?
So we entered this contest to be a part of the "Dogs of Blogville" calendar this year. I think Bella's picture is cute and have been pestering all of my friends to go vote for her.
But I'm changing my stance and asking them, and now you, for a different action.
The "Dogs of Blogville" calendar is a fund-raiser hosted by Jodi Stone of "Heart Like a Dog" and Julie Melfi of "The Daily Dog Blog". It's in its second year.
Last year they raised $500 that was donated to "Champion of My Heart" to help defray some of the medical costs associated with Lilly's vaccination issues. (It should be noted that some of the money was set to also go to "Life with Desmond" but Lauren wanted her share of the funds to go to Roxanne and Lilly. You are still my hero, Lauren.)
This year, the money raised from the calendar will be going to "Two French Bulldogs" to help with some of the costs from Benny's cancer treatments.
I really want to see the calendar be a huge success for Benny.
But I saw something today that made me think there was something "rotten in Denmark". Not that there's anything wrong with the contest - it's totally on the up-and-up: you can only vote once per IP address per day so Julie and Jodi did a bang-up job securing the process.
What I noticed though is that, based on the votes as they currently stand, Benny may not even make the calendar being made in his honor. And that's just not right.
So I'd like to ask everybody who reads this to please go over to the "Heart Like a Dog" voting page and register their vote for Benny and Lily. It only takes a minute and you can vote every 24 hours. Recruit your friends.
I'd really love to see Benny on the cover of the calendar and I'm going to campaign hard for them for the next several days the contest runs. Would you help me spread the word?
 |
| You're gonna go vote for Benny now, right? Okay, thanks! |
Monday, July 29, 2013
Fear of (horse) flying
It's summer and we here at Casa de Bella know what that means: bugs. Buzzing bugs. Biting bugs. And a scared-y dog afraid of buzzing, biting bugs.
Bella is justifiably afraid of buzzing bugs. She spent her formative early weeks fending for herself in Puerto Rico where, just like any tropical paradise, they grow their bugs particularly big and bad.
I mean seriously - they have a wasp called the tarantula hawk that eats. tarantulas. for breakfast.
You think I'm kidding, surely.
But no. No I'm not.
Because apparently, paradise doesn't come without a price.
Anyway, my poor little pupster was probably taught from her mum or had it already implanted in her genes that things that buzz are bad.
And then she came here and found a yellow jacket nest that taught her WHY things that buzz are bad.
But our dog is smart and if she has learned anything at all in her 5.5 years of life, it is that people, while often scary, can also be a source of great safety when things get a little out of hand.
And so Bella has learned that when horseflies attack, the safest place to be is between mommy or daddy's legs. On a leash or free-roaming in the yard, Bella comes running whenever a horsefly finds her and she buries her face between our knees.
I find this unbearably charming even though it often means the flies turn their attention to my own apparently rather savory blood supply.
Thanks for bearing with me while I go through this existential blogging crisis. I am trying to figure out where and how and what to write now that Bella's story of transgression, aggression and redemption has come to a close.
Bella is justifiably afraid of buzzing bugs. She spent her formative early weeks fending for herself in Puerto Rico where, just like any tropical paradise, they grow their bugs particularly big and bad.
I mean seriously - they have a wasp called the tarantula hawk that eats. tarantulas. for breakfast.
You think I'm kidding, surely.
But no. No I'm not.
Because apparently, paradise doesn't come without a price.
Anyway, my poor little pupster was probably taught from her mum or had it already implanted in her genes that things that buzz are bad.
And then she came here and found a yellow jacket nest that taught her WHY things that buzz are bad.
 |
| Photographic evidence of why Bella now fears things that buzz. |
But our dog is smart and if she has learned anything at all in her 5.5 years of life, it is that people, while often scary, can also be a source of great safety when things get a little out of hand.
And so Bella has learned that when horseflies attack, the safest place to be is between mommy or daddy's legs. On a leash or free-roaming in the yard, Bella comes running whenever a horsefly finds her and she buries her face between our knees.
 |
| I'm ready to go in now! |
I find this unbearably charming even though it often means the flies turn their attention to my own apparently rather savory blood supply.
Thanks for bearing with me while I go through this existential blogging crisis. I am trying to figure out where and how and what to write now that Bella's story of transgression, aggression and redemption has come to a close.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Communication Breakdown
Jan and I were married in St. Kitts September 23, 2004. It was a beautiful, private ceremony held in the gardens of Romney Manor.
The photographer of our wedding bestowed a few words of wisdom on us regarding how to have and keep a healthy marriage. His words have stayed with me ever since. He told us to "talk to each other."
Both Jan and I nodded having, we thought, heard this advice time and again - yes, we need to communicate. But the photographer pressed that, in fact, we hadn't. He clarified:
They don't have the benefit of our wordy explanations regarding why we need them to do something, why something they're doing is wrong and why, as much as we'd like to stay, we have to go to work in the morning. But just like us, they do communicate. And they read our signals to them probably far better than we can imagine.
Bella is extraordinarily communicative. She is often very clear in relaying her needs and desires to us. We apparently lack her skills because we haven't yet been able to make her understand where she fits in our lives.
When we met with Dr. Dodman to help resolve her issues with Jan, we learned a few things about how to communicate with Bella:
Point 1 was to both of us.
We know that dogs need consistency to understand what we want from them. If one day they're allowed on the couch and the next day they're not, they're going to get confused. What we didn't know is that some dogs can be so sensitive to our movements, motions and emotions, that even slight variations in our signals can leave them wondering what we want.
This was a lesson both Jan and I had to learn. The lesson was mostly that our dog is better at reading us, if she can see us, than we are at reading her. Dogs understand consisitency and some dogs, especially particularly smart dogs, can get confused if the sign you are using to communicate with them changes even a fraction from what it was previously. We had to learn to be very consistent and definite with our requests to her. Otherwise this could lead to insecurity based in confusion - What did we want from her?
As for her ability to read us, I've mentioned before that Jan has long hair, a beard and wears glasses. He also has a very soft, very deep voice. Even when he's over-the-moon happy, it can be hard to tell. In fact, if he gets excited, his deep voice gets louder but not really any lighter so it could be miscontrued as yelling if you don't understand the actual words he's saying.
In our conversation with Dr. Dodman, we were reminded how much dogs rely on our facial features and tone of voice to interpret our words. Yet when Bella looks at Jan, she can't usually see his eyes (she sees the reflection of his glasses), she can't easily assess his mouth (hidden to a degree behind his beard) and he's so quiet when he speaks to her most of the time that she may not be able to infer any tone at all because she can barely hear him. So the onus falls to him to read her a little better.
Dr. Dodman suggested Jan pay attention to the time of day (serotinin levels drop at night and she may be less tolerant, crankier), be aware of potentially painful situations (Bella may have some arthritis in her shoulders) and watch her ears, eyes and body posture for signs of stress and discomfort. It's also worth nothing that Jan does not hear quite as well as Bella and I do so visual clues to her current state of mind become even more important than usual.
Note to Jan: You need to up your drama queen quotient.
Correction: While discussing this history with Jan, I was reminded that it wasn't Dr. Dodman who talked to us originally about Bella's inability to read Jan due to his glasses and beard but rather our vet, Dr. Coldwell. It just reinforces what we already know - it takes a village to raise a scared-y dog. ;)
Point 2 was specifically to Jan.
Jan's biggest lesson was the second point: say what you mean and mean what you say. If you ask your dog to do something, expect her to do it. Don't let her get away with half-ways or not-at-alls.
Jan didn't grow up with dogs. The two dogs he shared his life with prior to bringing Bella into our home were adult dogs who had already been trained. They were also pretty 'normal', well-adjusted dogs who, even if they hadn't been trained, weren't going to have the types of issues Bella has. So he wasn't well-versed in all things dog. He wasn't familiar with "Nothing in Life is Free" and he certainly didn't know he should only ask for a behavior once so he had some learning to do there.
But believe me, this is hardly Jan's fault. Bella is a master manipulator. You cannot believe the lengths she will go to in her 'but I'm adorable' box to get what she wants. She can be hard to resist but Jan is learning to set expectations with her and not give in just because she bats her eyelashes at him.
Point 3 was one for me to learn.
When Bella first lunged at Jan, I stepped in between them. I've been stepping into the middle of dog fights my whole life and I didn't really think she would do anything. (I know, I'm not too bright. It's been said.) However, the research I turned up on the web largely suggested that the person being aggressed needed to control the situation. "Stop." "Turn away." "Ignore the dog."
This approach however, actually kind of pissed Bella off (pardon my language). I felt like I was watching "Fatal Attraction" and Bella was doing her best "I'm not going to be ignored", Jan! routine when he turned away from her only without the humor we can look back on it with now. It was scary. She wasn't dialing it back when he turned away, she just ran around and got back in front of him again.
And then Dr. Dodman said something that really struck home. For whatever reason, Bella has crowned me queen of the castle and deemed herself the queen's guard. It was not up to Jan to place himself above Bella - it was up to me. Anytime Bella made an aggressive advance towards Jan, I had to intervene. (See, maybe I'm not so stupid after all?) I had to be the one to break up the altercation.
This totally goes against all the behavioral advice I found online but maybe they're talking about situations that hadn't yet escalated to this degree? At any rate, it was up to me to control the situation and I have done as good a job as I know how. If Bella got on the bed in the evening, I had to usher her off. If she and I were cuddling and she grumbled at Jan's approach, I had to end the snuggle-fest.
It's been hard, I'll admit. This is the hardest of all the things I've had to do. A good part of me feels like I have let Bella down. That I've weakened the bond she and I shared. But I also know that I would never risk Jan's safety in lieu of a little snuggle time with the dog. Interestingly enough, my bond with her, while changed, has not really suffered. And her bond with Jan has increased exponentially.
The two most influential components of our work with Bella are coming up in the next few weeks: the meds and her 'Agility for Reactive Dogs' classes. I'm hoping to give a quick overview of both but they are long and on-going spokes in our wheel. I hope you'll stick with us for the continuing saga.
Post title credit: Led Zeppelin "Communication Breakdown" (Sorry for the intro advertisement. It's the best rendition of the song I could find on YouTube.)
The photographer of our wedding bestowed a few words of wisdom on us regarding how to have and keep a healthy marriage. His words have stayed with me ever since. He told us to "talk to each other."
Both Jan and I nodded having, we thought, heard this advice time and again - yes, we need to communicate. But the photographer pressed that, in fact, we hadn't. He clarified:"I don't mean communicate, I mean talk to each other. We communicate with everyone all the time - our eyes, our faces, our bodies communicate. You need to talk to each other. Talking is different. It removes the potential confusion and misunderstanding we communicate to each other when we don't talk."Obviously, dogs can't talk.
They don't have the benefit of our wordy explanations regarding why we need them to do something, why something they're doing is wrong and why, as much as we'd like to stay, we have to go to work in the morning. But just like us, they do communicate. And they read our signals to them probably far better than we can imagine.
Bella is extraordinarily communicative. She is often very clear in relaying her needs and desires to us. We apparently lack her skills because we haven't yet been able to make her understand where she fits in our lives.
When we met with Dr. Dodman to help resolve her issues with Jan, we learned a few things about how to communicate with Bella:
- Be consistent - in ways you never thought necessary.
- Say what you mean and mean what you say.
- You can't crown yourself king.
Point 1 was to both of us.
We know that dogs need consistency to understand what we want from them. If one day they're allowed on the couch and the next day they're not, they're going to get confused. What we didn't know is that some dogs can be so sensitive to our movements, motions and emotions, that even slight variations in our signals can leave them wondering what we want.
This was a lesson both Jan and I had to learn. The lesson was mostly that our dog is better at reading us, if she can see us, than we are at reading her. Dogs understand consisitency and some dogs, especially particularly smart dogs, can get confused if the sign you are using to communicate with them changes even a fraction from what it was previously. We had to learn to be very consistent and definite with our requests to her. Otherwise this could lead to insecurity based in confusion - What did we want from her?
 |
| It wasn't always thus. |
In our conversation with Dr. Dodman, we were reminded how much dogs rely on our facial features and tone of voice to interpret our words. Yet when Bella looks at Jan, she can't usually see his eyes (she sees the reflection of his glasses), she can't easily assess his mouth (hidden to a degree behind his beard) and he's so quiet when he speaks to her most of the time that she may not be able to infer any tone at all because she can barely hear him. So the onus falls to him to read her a little better.
Dr. Dodman suggested Jan pay attention to the time of day (serotinin levels drop at night and she may be less tolerant, crankier), be aware of potentially painful situations (Bella may have some arthritis in her shoulders) and watch her ears, eyes and body posture for signs of stress and discomfort. It's also worth nothing that Jan does not hear quite as well as Bella and I do so visual clues to her current state of mind become even more important than usual.
Note to Jan: You need to up your drama queen quotient.
Correction: While discussing this history with Jan, I was reminded that it wasn't Dr. Dodman who talked to us originally about Bella's inability to read Jan due to his glasses and beard but rather our vet, Dr. Coldwell. It just reinforces what we already know - it takes a village to raise a scared-y dog. ;)
Point 2 was specifically to Jan.
Jan's biggest lesson was the second point: say what you mean and mean what you say. If you ask your dog to do something, expect her to do it. Don't let her get away with half-ways or not-at-alls.
Jan didn't grow up with dogs. The two dogs he shared his life with prior to bringing Bella into our home were adult dogs who had already been trained. They were also pretty 'normal', well-adjusted dogs who, even if they hadn't been trained, weren't going to have the types of issues Bella has. So he wasn't well-versed in all things dog. He wasn't familiar with "Nothing in Life is Free" and he certainly didn't know he should only ask for a behavior once so he had some learning to do there.
But believe me, this is hardly Jan's fault. Bella is a master manipulator. You cannot believe the lengths she will go to in her 'but I'm adorable' box to get what she wants. She can be hard to resist but Jan is learning to set expectations with her and not give in just because she bats her eyelashes at him.
Point 3 was one for me to learn.
When Bella first lunged at Jan, I stepped in between them. I've been stepping into the middle of dog fights my whole life and I didn't really think she would do anything. (I know, I'm not too bright. It's been said.) However, the research I turned up on the web largely suggested that the person being aggressed needed to control the situation. "Stop." "Turn away." "Ignore the dog."
 |
| Bella snuggling up with Jan back when she was just a babe. |
And then Dr. Dodman said something that really struck home. For whatever reason, Bella has crowned me queen of the castle and deemed herself the queen's guard. It was not up to Jan to place himself above Bella - it was up to me. Anytime Bella made an aggressive advance towards Jan, I had to intervene. (See, maybe I'm not so stupid after all?) I had to be the one to break up the altercation.
This totally goes against all the behavioral advice I found online but maybe they're talking about situations that hadn't yet escalated to this degree? At any rate, it was up to me to control the situation and I have done as good a job as I know how. If Bella got on the bed in the evening, I had to usher her off. If she and I were cuddling and she grumbled at Jan's approach, I had to end the snuggle-fest.
It's been hard, I'll admit. This is the hardest of all the things I've had to do. A good part of me feels like I have let Bella down. That I've weakened the bond she and I shared. But I also know that I would never risk Jan's safety in lieu of a little snuggle time with the dog. Interestingly enough, my bond with her, while changed, has not really suffered. And her bond with Jan has increased exponentially.
The two most influential components of our work with Bella are coming up in the next few weeks: the meds and her 'Agility for Reactive Dogs' classes. I'm hoping to give a quick overview of both but they are long and on-going spokes in our wheel. I hope you'll stick with us for the continuing saga.
Post title credit: Led Zeppelin "Communication Breakdown" (Sorry for the intro advertisement. It's the best rendition of the song I could find on YouTube.)
Monday, August 27, 2012
Hypothyroidism - Like mother, like dog-ter
Bella has "sub-clinical hypothyroidism". When Dr. Dodman told us that this condition could be contributing to her aggression towards Jan, I nodded in understanding. Not that I also feel aggressive towards Jan, but you see, hu-mom has hypothyroidism, too, and can clearly empathize with how it can lead to making one feel pretty cranky a good bit of the time.
Among the human symptoms are fatigue, sleepiness, cold sensitivity, constipation, dry skin, memory loss, weight gain, muscle aches and pain, stiffness of the joints and depression. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?
Now, imagine if you were a dog and couldn't tell anyone you felt this way?
But first, let's rewind a few weeks.
When Bella first attacked Jan, we immediately set up an appointment with our vet to rule out any physical causes for her bad behavior. Of course, she was a perfect, if shut-down, angel during the physical examination and according to our vets, her blood-work came back "perfectly normal". According to our vets.
Don't get me wrong, I like our vets. But vets have a lot of information they need to keep track of and may not always be the most up-to-date on every condition out there. However, having dealt with the condition myself, and experienced first-hand how shifts in diagnostic ranges can impact and influence treatment, I was curious to see Bella's actual results.
When I saw that her "T4" (the main thyroid hormone) came in at 1.1 on a "normal" range of 1.0 - 4.0, I actually turned to Jan and said, "I think she's hypothyroid".
Actually, she's sub-clinically hypothyroid.
Her levels are low but not below the diagnostic range. According to Dr. Dodman, this condition is a behavioral affliction in and of itself. Dogs with this condition "may become anxious or fearful, become more aggressive... may also appear hyperactive". Hmmm. Sound like anyone you know and love?
Dr. Dodman believes that dogs who are sub-clinically hypothyroid can benefit from a low-dose of synthetic hormone. Their T4 levels and behavior are monitored over time to check for improvements. The first re-check was 6 weeks after we put Bella on the medication and her levels jumped up right into the middle of the healthy range and have remained there ever since.
She's been on a very low dose of the medication for a year now and many of her other 'symptoms' have faded in that time including her itchy, flaky skin and dry brittle coat. I don't think Bella's ever going to have a normal constitution but overall, that has improved as well.
Score one for the humans.
While I consider everything we've done a contributing factor to Bella's overall well-being, this was an easy win and we'll take it. The moral of the story to me is: never stop questioning. If someone tells you your dog is okay but you think they're not, seek a second opinion. You are your dog's best advocate.
I know there's at least one other Bella out there in Blog-land who suffers from hypothyroidism. Is anyone else dealing with it, too? Do you have any advice you'd like to share? We are always interested in hearing your stories and tips.
For more information about hypothyroidism and behavior problems in dogs, see Dr. Dodman's Assessment of Hypothyroidism as a Factor in Behavior Problems.
Among the human symptoms are fatigue, sleepiness, cold sensitivity, constipation, dry skin, memory loss, weight gain, muscle aches and pain, stiffness of the joints and depression. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?
Now, imagine if you were a dog and couldn't tell anyone you felt this way?
 |
| I know I look sad and pathetic but it's not really about hypothryroidism. You just can't see the bone I'm being so good about "leaving". |
But first, let's rewind a few weeks.
When Bella first attacked Jan, we immediately set up an appointment with our vet to rule out any physical causes for her bad behavior. Of course, she was a perfect, if shut-down, angel during the physical examination and according to our vets, her blood-work came back "perfectly normal". According to our vets.
Don't get me wrong, I like our vets. But vets have a lot of information they need to keep track of and may not always be the most up-to-date on every condition out there. However, having dealt with the condition myself, and experienced first-hand how shifts in diagnostic ranges can impact and influence treatment, I was curious to see Bella's actual results.
When I saw that her "T4" (the main thyroid hormone) came in at 1.1 on a "normal" range of 1.0 - 4.0, I actually turned to Jan and said, "I think she's hypothyroid".
 |
| Seriously, can I eat this now? |
Her levels are low but not below the diagnostic range. According to Dr. Dodman, this condition is a behavioral affliction in and of itself. Dogs with this condition "may become anxious or fearful, become more aggressive... may also appear hyperactive". Hmmm. Sound like anyone you know and love?
Dr. Dodman believes that dogs who are sub-clinically hypothyroid can benefit from a low-dose of synthetic hormone. Their T4 levels and behavior are monitored over time to check for improvements. The first re-check was 6 weeks after we put Bella on the medication and her levels jumped up right into the middle of the healthy range and have remained there ever since.
She's been on a very low dose of the medication for a year now and many of her other 'symptoms' have faded in that time including her itchy, flaky skin and dry brittle coat. I don't think Bella's ever going to have a normal constitution but overall, that has improved as well.
 |
| Oooooh my gawd, shut up and let me eat already! |
While I consider everything we've done a contributing factor to Bella's overall well-being, this was an easy win and we'll take it. The moral of the story to me is: never stop questioning. If someone tells you your dog is okay but you think they're not, seek a second opinion. You are your dog's best advocate.
I know there's at least one other Bella out there in Blog-land who suffers from hypothyroidism. Is anyone else dealing with it, too? Do you have any advice you'd like to share? We are always interested in hearing your stories and tips.
For more information about hypothyroidism and behavior problems in dogs, see Dr. Dodman's Assessment of Hypothyroidism as a Factor in Behavior Problems.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Exercise - the second spoke in our wheel
The only problem with having a mixed-breed dog is you really can't tell up front what their exercise needs are going to be. Not that a particular breed's exercise requirements are ever 100% accurate but having that knowledge can give you an idea of what to expect. The shelter we got Bella at told us she was a "Lab mix." Hahahaha.
Bwhahahahaha.
Bwhahahahahahahahahahahahhahhaha!
Hahahahahahahaha. Hahahaha. Hahaha.
Haha...
Oh, sorry. Whew.
Where was I?
While Labs are the most popular breed in the world and odds are in their favor that the errant stray will carry some of their genetic inheritance, shelters really do have to do a better job at actually trying (or perhaps not trying at all?) to identify the breed that makes up their mixed-breed dogs.
Because, really, there is not even the remotest possibility that Bella is a Lab-mix. She does not retrieve. She doesn't even fetch. She can't catch anything, not even food, without an enormous set-up. She does not much care for water (we don't even know if she can swim). She is not impervious to pain. And, let's be honest, she's hardly of a mellow and tolerant temperament.
The second spoke in the wheel
In addressing Bella's aggression towards Jan, Dr. Dodman told us we needed to get her more exercise. I know it's trite but the saying "A tired dog is a good dog" has quite a bit of merit to it. It's tough to be on-guard and anxious about everything if you're just too pooped to putt.
And while I say that we were aware she had issues, I will admit we were totally unprepared for her exercise requirements. Heck, we went from having a 14-year-old, mellow, clingy, gentle, deaf arthritic couch-potato to a young, curious, ceaselessly energetic juvenile delinquent that the Energizer Bunny would be ill-prepared to keep up with. What we really didn't understand was just how much her energy needs would play into her behavior.
Despite her altercations with Jan, Bella is actually a very good dog. She doesn't get into the trash. She doesn't counter surf. She doesn't chew everything in sight. She doesn't get into mischief just because she doesn't have anything to do at any given time. (Well, unless she's deliberately trying to get Mom's attention and even then she just steals paper, socks or hair ties - she doesn't chew them.) The problem is she doesn't necessarily find any positive ways to release her energy either.
Of course, that's supposed to be our job.
But then, finding ways to exercise a dog that's reactive to other dogs, afraid of people and faster than lightening can be a bit of a challenge. I've shown pictures of our garden here on the blog before so it might be obvious, but we don't really have a yard that can be easily fenced in and dog parks are pretty much out of the question. We all miss the days of going to the Tufts Farm Field but the new dog park they put in is just too small for us to feel comfortable bringing Bella. (I really have to write about how/why that whole thing changed for us but that is for another day.)
Jan often takes Bella for long walks around the neighborhood but Dr. Dodman said that wasn't enough. We have several of the Nina Ottonson puzzles, any number of treat dispenser toys, numerous Kongs, puzzle balls and the squirrel house. She figures them out so fast, she gets bored with them. Like I said earlier, she doesn't fetch, she doesn't even catch so frisbees, balls and sticks aren't on our list of available options. She doesn't tug either. She likes to run, jump and wrestle. And in none of those activities is mom a worthy competitor.
So how, exactly, were we supposed to get the "one hour a day of unbridled play" Dr. Dodman said Bella would need to help her become a healthy and happy dog? The fact is, we weren't. It's just not a reality for us.
BUT....
We were able to improve the situation. First, as you probably already know, we enrolled Bella in an agility class for reactive dogs. The class spends time addressing both reactivity and agility obstacles. Bella gets a huge physical workout and a tremendous mental one as well in the class. But the big reveal is: Jan built her several agility obstacles, including jumps and weave poles, so she can run around and burn energy on these at home as well. Score one for hu-dad.
The other thing I did (and in this case, I use the word "I" specifically because it took some convincing to get Jan on board with the idea) is I figured out a way to create a fenced in area in the yard without spending $25,000. (Seriously, that's a quote we got from a local fencing company of what it would cost to fence part of our yard with the type of fencing we wanted to use. Can you say "cost-prohibitive"? I think you can.)
Instead, I bought a bunch of X-pens I found on sale and, for about $250, a little ingenuity and some garden stakes, Bella now has her own little playground. It's not quite a dog park but she has enough room to run around (which she LOVES), play with agility obstacles and just generally explore.
Bella used to hide under the bushes when we would taker her outside with us (see first picture in this post for evidence). Now, she's getting more confident to explore further without us. She's even started lying out in the grass and not just under the bushes. She knows to come to us or go to the door to be let in whenever Bailey is out and about or the bugs start to frighten her. She is tuckered out right proper after a day of being outside with us even if she hasn't gone running full tilt for all of it.
If you're wondering how we as gardeners are coping, yes, she digs, her pee turns the grass yellow and her toenails tear up the turf better than any football player's cleats could hope to. But she loves it. And we can live with that.
 |
| There is a dog in this picture. (But you may have to click through to find her.) |
Bwhahahahahahahahahahahahhahhaha!
Hahahahahahahaha. Hahahaha. Hahaha.
Haha...
Oh, sorry. Whew.
Where was I?
While Labs are the most popular breed in the world and odds are in their favor that the errant stray will carry some of their genetic inheritance, shelters really do have to do a better job at actually trying (or perhaps not trying at all?) to identify the breed that makes up their mixed-breed dogs.
Because, really, there is not even the remotest possibility that Bella is a Lab-mix. She does not retrieve. She doesn't even fetch. She can't catch anything, not even food, without an enormous set-up. She does not much care for water (we don't even know if she can swim). She is not impervious to pain. And, let's be honest, she's hardly of a mellow and tolerant temperament.
The second spoke in the wheel
In addressing Bella's aggression towards Jan, Dr. Dodman told us we needed to get her more exercise. I know it's trite but the saying "A tired dog is a good dog" has quite a bit of merit to it. It's tough to be on-guard and anxious about everything if you're just too pooped to putt.
And while I say that we were aware she had issues, I will admit we were totally unprepared for her exercise requirements. Heck, we went from having a 14-year-old, mellow, clingy, gentle, deaf arthritic couch-potato to a young, curious, ceaselessly energetic juvenile delinquent that the Energizer Bunny would be ill-prepared to keep up with. What we really didn't understand was just how much her energy needs would play into her behavior.
Despite her altercations with Jan, Bella is actually a very good dog. She doesn't get into the trash. She doesn't counter surf. She doesn't chew everything in sight. She doesn't get into mischief just because she doesn't have anything to do at any given time. (Well, unless she's deliberately trying to get Mom's attention and even then she just steals paper, socks or hair ties - she doesn't chew them.) The problem is she doesn't necessarily find any positive ways to release her energy either. Of course, that's supposed to be our job.
But then, finding ways to exercise a dog that's reactive to other dogs, afraid of people and faster than lightening can be a bit of a challenge. I've shown pictures of our garden here on the blog before so it might be obvious, but we don't really have a yard that can be easily fenced in and dog parks are pretty much out of the question. We all miss the days of going to the Tufts Farm Field but the new dog park they put in is just too small for us to feel comfortable bringing Bella. (I really have to write about how/why that whole thing changed for us but that is for another day.)Jan often takes Bella for long walks around the neighborhood but Dr. Dodman said that wasn't enough. We have several of the Nina Ottonson puzzles, any number of treat dispenser toys, numerous Kongs, puzzle balls and the squirrel house. She figures them out so fast, she gets bored with them. Like I said earlier, she doesn't fetch, she doesn't even catch so frisbees, balls and sticks aren't on our list of available options. She doesn't tug either. She likes to run, jump and wrestle. And in none of those activities is mom a worthy competitor.
So how, exactly, were we supposed to get the "one hour a day of unbridled play" Dr. Dodman said Bella would need to help her become a healthy and happy dog? The fact is, we weren't. It's just not a reality for us.
BUT....
We were able to improve the situation. First, as you probably already know, we enrolled Bella in an agility class for reactive dogs. The class spends time addressing both reactivity and agility obstacles. Bella gets a huge physical workout and a tremendous mental one as well in the class. But the big reveal is: Jan built her several agility obstacles, including jumps and weave poles, so she can run around and burn energy on these at home as well. Score one for hu-dad.
The other thing I did (and in this case, I use the word "I" specifically because it took some convincing to get Jan on board with the idea) is I figured out a way to create a fenced in area in the yard without spending $25,000. (Seriously, that's a quote we got from a local fencing company of what it would cost to fence part of our yard with the type of fencing we wanted to use. Can you say "cost-prohibitive"? I think you can.)
Instead, I bought a bunch of X-pens I found on sale and, for about $250, a little ingenuity and some garden stakes, Bella now has her own little playground. It's not quite a dog park but she has enough room to run around (which she LOVES), play with agility obstacles and just generally explore.
Note: Pictures taken from inside her playground to show the fence. | |
 |  |
 |  |
Bella used to hide under the bushes when we would taker her outside with us (see first picture in this post for evidence). Now, she's getting more confident to explore further without us. She's even started lying out in the grass and not just under the bushes. She knows to come to us or go to the door to be let in whenever Bailey is out and about or the bugs start to frighten her. She is tuckered out right proper after a day of being outside with us even if she hasn't gone running full tilt for all of it.
If you're wondering how we as gardeners are coping, yes, she digs, her pee turns the grass yellow and her toenails tear up the turf better than any football player's cleats could hope to. But she loves it. And we can live with that.
 |
| Queen of all she surveys. |
Monday, June 25, 2012
Save a Sato Reunion 2009
In my last post, I mentioned the Sato Reunion we attended back in 2009. What a fabulous idea and I wish everyone whoever adopted a dog or cat had the opportunity to meet their pet's rescuer. It just made it so real to me and it was shortly after meeting Nilsa that I made the decision to get more involved with rescue as a sort of "pay it forward" gesture in her honor.
But the day wasn't all mush and sentiment - it was also a boatload of fun. There was a musician playing Puerto Rico- and dog-themed music (Pup Fan of I Still Want More Puppies would have loved his musical modifications to tilt every song dog-wards). There were a variety of contests from best cuddler to waggiest-tail, fund-raising raffles and a grill station serving up everything from plain old hot dogs to Puerto Rican sausages. And of course, there were plenty of vendors on hand to demo their pupper-wares (tons of treats were tossed to tempted tummies!)
Wicked Local covered the event. Check out their great photo gallery.
In the meantime, here are a few of pictures from the event:
Be sure to come back Wednesday for pictures of Bella's rather unique approach to dealing with the heat and festivities of the day.
But the day wasn't all mush and sentiment - it was also a boatload of fun. There was a musician playing Puerto Rico- and dog-themed music (Pup Fan of I Still Want More Puppies would have loved his musical modifications to tilt every song dog-wards). There were a variety of contests from best cuddler to waggiest-tail, fund-raising raffles and a grill station serving up everything from plain old hot dogs to Puerto Rican sausages. And of course, there were plenty of vendors on hand to demo their pupper-wares (tons of treats were tossed to tempted tummies!)
Wicked Local covered the event. Check out their great photo gallery.
In the meantime, here are a few of pictures from the event:
 |
| There's nothing cuter than a girl and her (very patient) dog. |
 |
| They say everyone has a doppelganger. |
 |
| Check out the pup in the back. I want to know what he sees that I don't. |
 |
| Just another lovely little Sato. |
 |
| Being this cute is hard work. |
 |
| Winner of the "Best Kissy-face" contest. |
 |
| Bella played with this darling dog for a good while. |
 |
| That's one sleepy puppy. |
Be sure to come back Wednesday for pictures of Bella's rather unique approach to dealing with the heat and festivities of the day.
Monday, April 30, 2012
You've come a long way, baby!
I've joked in the past that Bella is afraid of everything. Today we're going to get a little more specific about what that means. She's not afraid of much, really, just people, places and things. Oh, and sounds. But you know, other than that...
Over the years, as I've been talking to folks about fearful dogs though, I've discovered something a little different about Bella. Yes, Bella is fearful and she's reactive as a result of that fear, but Bella's not really a shy or timid dog. In fact, she's a very curious and sometimes even bold little critter. While her modus operandi is "run first and ask questions later", that's not necessarily a bad life skill for a street dog to have. And it's probably that response which was responsible for keeping her alive on the streets.
The trick for us has been to help her understand that she's not on the streets any more and she doesn't have to live in constant fear. So even though she's still working on some of her issues, she has really overcome a great many fears since she joined our little family. I thought maybe it was time to celebrate just how far she's come.
So you see, she's actually done very well for herself. Her few lingering fears we are working to help her overcome and some we're just managing for her.
There are a few I think she'll never get over and I can't blame her. She was attacked by an entire nest of yellow jackets so I suspect her fear of things that buzz will never quite go away. That was a lesson she needed to learn. And to be honest, with such an inquisitive nature, it's probably in her best interest to harbor a little fear, it might spare her some pain in life even now that she's in a much safer place.
What we really want to help her with is her general anxiety. I want her to someday be able to hear a noise while she's stretched out on the couch and not run for cover. I want her to finally understand that while she's in our house, she is safe. All the rest is gravy.
So how about you? I know we've got lots of scared-y dogs out there but what is it your dogs are afraid of? Is it one specific item or event or is your dog in Bella's camp - afraid of everything new? Are you trying to overcome those fears or just managing them? Have you had any success? (Bragging is always encouraged.)
Over the years, as I've been talking to folks about fearful dogs though, I've discovered something a little different about Bella. Yes, Bella is fearful and she's reactive as a result of that fear, but Bella's not really a shy or timid dog. In fact, she's a very curious and sometimes even bold little critter. While her modus operandi is "run first and ask questions later", that's not necessarily a bad life skill for a street dog to have. And it's probably that response which was responsible for keeping her alive on the streets.
The trick for us has been to help her understand that she's not on the streets any more and she doesn't have to live in constant fear. So even though she's still working on some of her issues, she has really overcome a great many fears since she joined our little family. I thought maybe it was time to celebrate just how far she's come.
Things she was afraid of:
| Things she's still afraid of:
|
So you see, she's actually done very well for herself. Her few lingering fears we are working to help her overcome and some we're just managing for her.
There are a few I think she'll never get over and I can't blame her. She was attacked by an entire nest of yellow jackets so I suspect her fear of things that buzz will never quite go away. That was a lesson she needed to learn. And to be honest, with such an inquisitive nature, it's probably in her best interest to harbor a little fear, it might spare her some pain in life even now that she's in a much safer place.
What we really want to help her with is her general anxiety. I want her to someday be able to hear a noise while she's stretched out on the couch and not run for cover. I want her to finally understand that while she's in our house, she is safe. All the rest is gravy.
So how about you? I know we've got lots of scared-y dogs out there but what is it your dogs are afraid of? Is it one specific item or event or is your dog in Bella's camp - afraid of everything new? Are you trying to overcome those fears or just managing them? Have you had any success? (Bragging is always encouraged.)
Monday, March 19, 2012
Opposites distract
When we got Bella, we knew we wanted a dog that wouldn't be a constant reminder of Beau. It wouldn't be fair to any dog we brought into the house for us to have expectations of behavior based on appearance and breed stereotypes. So to help in that endeavor, instead of an extra-large, yellow male Lab, we chose a (supposed to be) medium-sized, black mixed-breed female.
We were perhaps a bit naive to think our assumptions for her character wouldn't still be colored by our life with Beau or that we wouldn't make comparisons between the two dogs regardless of how different we wanted them to be. And oh, they are different. Allow me to offer some highlights:
We were perhaps a bit naive to think our assumptions for her character wouldn't still be colored by our life with Beau or that we wouldn't make comparisons between the two dogs regardless of how different we wanted them to be. And oh, they are different. Allow me to offer some highlights:
|
| ||||
| Mellow couch potato, not your typical Lab. Enough energy to keep up with you but not so much as to wear you down. | Boundless energy. If Bella's energy had a breed, I'd suggest Border Collie and Basenji with a side of Jack Russell. | ||||
| Protects wildlife. (See baby bunny story.) Gentle and trustworthy with cats and children. | Would eat wildlife if she could catch it and someday will manage to climb a tree in her efforts to catch marauding squirrels. (Let's not talk about cats or children...) | ||||
| Obedient but not much of a 'thinker'. Upon finding himself tangled with his leash among the trees, Beau would sit down and wait patiently for us to come get him out. | Obedience is not her forte but Bella could rival Decartes in the 'I think' arena. She can untangle herself from the most complicated web of long-leads and shrubbery while solving the mysteries of the cosmos and be home in time for dinner. | ||||
| The strong, silent type. When Beau growled, you knew something was very, very wrong. | Bella never. shuts. up. She whines, she whimpers, she mumbles, she moans. And oh yes, she barks. She has an opinion about everything and isn't afraid to express it. | ||||
| The UPS guys used to leave dog biscuits for Beau on our package deliveries during the Christmas season. | The UPS guys throw our packages up on the porch from about 15 feet away if at all possible. (While she acts and sounds like Cujo, little do they know a well-placed "boo" would send her running for cover.) | ||||
| Stoic: I once watched Beau run full speed and headlong into a boulder, bounce off, shake his head and continue chasing his tennis ball with nary a pause. | Drama queen: Bella bumped her shoulder on the bedpost once when she wasn't paying attention. From the blood-curdling scream and the limping, I thought she had broken a leg. (She hadn't.) | ||||
| Physical health issues. | Mental health issues. | ||||
| Regularly checked-in when walking off-leash. | Check-in? What's a check-in? Wait, what's this "off-leash" business, sparky? | ||||
| Constant companion. | Eternally independent. | ||||
| Loved to lie in the sun while I worked in the garden. | Loves to get into endless mischief while I try to work in the garden. | ||||
| Loved going to the vet's office. | Loves leaving the vet's office. | ||||
| Would sit for hours getting brushed. | Hasn't sat still for hours - ever. | ||||
| Loved everybody, got along with everyone. | Afraid of everybody, gets along with few. | ||||
| Sweet, goofy and the love of my life. | Sweet, goofy and the love of our lives. | ||||
Monday, February 27, 2012
Notes from Home - 1.29.2010
It's been a while since I've made an entry in the "Notes from Home" collection. These are the little emails I've received from Jan over the years as he works from home with Bella as his companion.
In light of the high winds advisory we had blasting through Massachusetts over the weekend, this seemed an appropriate time to bring this one out of the closet.
You've probably all seen this video that was making the rounds last year of a catfoolishly, er, bravely protecting his food, er, family from a trespassing bear.
This was Jan's (rather unique) perspective on it:
Perspective: it's all in how you see it.
* No animals were harmed in the making of this video. And, while personally I'd be screaming bl**dy murder if that were my cat, it's not like they deliberately put the cat in danger. The darn cat did that all by himself.
In light of the high winds advisory we had blasting through Massachusetts over the weekend, this seemed an appropriate time to bring this one out of the closet.
You've probably all seen this video that was making the rounds last year of a cat
This was Jan's (rather unique) perspective on it:
January 29, 2010 |
Perspective: it's all in how you see it.
* No animals were harmed in the making of this video. And, while personally I'd be screaming bl**dy murder if that were my cat, it's not like they deliberately put the cat in danger. The darn cat did that all by himself.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Be careful what you ask for...
Note to self: Never ask Bella to think. You might not like what she brainstorms.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
"One Day @ Save a Sato" (video)
Last night I announced in my post about the "Social Media for Social Change" event that I would be participating on behalf of Save a Sato in Puerto Rico. Shortly afterwards, I happened upon this video by lolavibemusic on Youtube. It is the most extensive view I've found of Save a Sato, the shelter and organization that rescued my Bella.
These are not the conditions we're used to seeing in the States. But please remember, this is the rescue. The conditions of the non-rescued on the streets and beaches is far worse and very dangerous.
This video was taken during June 2011. I am pleased to tell you the shelter is under-going a much needed update and you can see the progress made as of November 2011 at the Save a Sato web site. Much still needs to be done.
It's very difficult for me to imagine the silly, spoiled scared-y dog currently lying behind me on the couch as being rescued TO these conditions. However, I also know that Gloria and all the volunteers at Save a Sato are there every day caring for and loving these dogs. They are saving lives. Every day.
One day, a little over 3 years ago, they saved Bella's. I will never forget that.
And now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go hug my beautiful little girl.
PS - For all my dog blogger friends who love to "Guess the Breed", new sato blogger Enzo is running a fund-raiser to benefit Save a Sato. $5.00 gets you a guess and all proceeds go directly to Save a Sato. How fun is that?
UPDATE: Enzo's Guess My Breed contest has ended but I'm keeping the link to his post up so you can all check out his blog. He's a very handsome and silly guy.
These are not the conditions we're used to seeing in the States. But please remember, this is the rescue. The conditions of the non-rescued on the streets and beaches is far worse and very dangerous.
This video was taken during June 2011. I am pleased to tell you the shelter is under-going a much needed update and you can see the progress made as of November 2011 at the Save a Sato web site. Much still needs to be done.
It's very difficult for me to imagine the silly, spoiled scared-y dog currently lying behind me on the couch as being rescued TO these conditions. However, I also know that Gloria and all the volunteers at Save a Sato are there every day caring for and loving these dogs. They are saving lives. Every day.
One day, a little over 3 years ago, they saved Bella's. I will never forget that.
And now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go hug my beautiful little girl.
PS - For all my dog blogger friends who love to "Guess the Breed", new sato blogger Enzo is running a fund-raiser to benefit Save a Sato. $5.00 gets you a guess and all proceeds go directly to Save a Sato. How fun is that?
UPDATE: Enzo's Guess My Breed contest has ended but I'm keeping the link to his post up so you can all check out his blog. He's a very handsome and silly guy.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Notes from Home - 12.04.2008
It's been a while since we've had an installment in our "Notes from Home" collection. With winter approaching, we were learning some new things about our 'hot-blooded' pup.
December 4, 2008 |
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Gus and Bella, a love story
Finally, the post you've all been waiting for since I introduced him in a Wordless Wednesday a while back. Today I get to tell you the story of Romeo er, Gus.
Once Upon a Time...
I've mentioned before how lucky we were to find Sheila, our brilliant trainer who is just as good at reading people as she is at reading dogs. We have her to thank for introducing us to our now good friends, Cindy and Rick, and their beautiful dogs, Gus the Borzoi and Molly the Greyhound. We'll meet Molly in another post as she is a new addition to their family and focus first on Gus, Bella's best boyfriend. And really, I kid you not, this is love. (At least on his part, sorry Gus.)
Gus and his hu-folks were taking the same class with Sheila that we had taken previously and she saw something in the dogs that she thought would make them good companions for each other. She asked us if we were interested in bringing Bella by after class sometime for a meet and greet. "Sure!", we thought, "we're always looking for ways to socialize our little girl. This would be fun!"
We were on our way into the classroom when the door opened and this ENORMOUS beast came through it on his way out. Bella spooked, feeling trapped in the little hallway and did her usual less-than-polite "I'm big and scary so stay away from me" routine (read: she barked and growled and lunged then ran away and hid behind my legs.) When the big scary dog lunged and growled back at Bella, we promptly shuffled her into a nearby restroom to regroup.
Of course, the big scary dog was Gus, the dog we were there to meet. So, you know, that went well.
If at first and all that...
Sheila was not disuaded from her original opinion that these dogs were perfect for each other and recommended taking them outside to walk around the parking lot to settle down. That went a little better but on the drive home half an hour later, I have to admit Jan and I were dubious. I'm sure Cindy and Rick were right there with us. However, when Sheila suggested we do it all over again the next week, the crazy canines and their human accomplices showed up on demand.
Subsequent meetings went better and we made plans to meet one night after work at the farm field across from Tufts Small Animal Hospital. A 37-acre agricultural field with a mile+ walking trail around it, we were finally going to let the dogs walk "near" each other. This turned out to be a revelation.
The walk started tentatively, the dogs recognizing each other but able to be in their own space as they acclimated to getting closer and closer. Finally, once we were deep enough into the field to be away from too much other dog interference, Gus was let off leash. (Bella was on a very long lead as she didn't have the recall skills yet to be off-leash in a not fenced area...)
Cue the romantic music
I'll let the pictures speak to what happened next.*
Ok, so it wasn't love at first sight
The most remarkable thing, one that I don't think Bella had comfortably experienced before with another dog, was that when she "yelled" at Gus because she was getting scared, he backed off. He actually listened to the scrawny dog! In fact, he seemed to like having a dog tell him what to do because from that day forward, he followed her around like a lovesick, well, pup.
She seemed to give him a sense of direction. And he seemed to give her a sense of security. (It never hurts to have the biggest, baddest boy in the dog park watching your back!)
A few snarks and grumbles later and, well, again, pictures speak louder than words....
Unfortunately, those halcyon days are behind us after some "bad apples" changed the face of the field (although there are other reasons). And while we were unable to get Bella and Gus together there for over a year, their "love affair" picked up without missing a beat when we were finally able to re-unite the lost lovers this past summer. Bella was immediately more at ease with Gus even after such a separation than she is with any other dog.
And Gus still follows her around ignoring almost all other dogs at the park. He sees her coming the moment we step into the park (well, he IS a sighthound, I suppose) and all else fades from view. He can be in mid-play with another dog but when he sees Bella, the music swells and gorgeous Gus comes running in slow motion, hair blowing in the breeze, to the gate awaiting her arrival. It's like a Fabio commercial. (Ok, the slo-mo might be an exaggeration.)
Gus gave Bella something I am not sure we would have ever been able to offer her: security in the freedom of being off-leash. He is so big and so well-loved at the field, and as a member of his pack, no dog dared push Bella beyond her limits (not without facing the wrath of Gus!)
This love story continues. As for this blog post, alas, I'm afraid it is:
The End.
* (I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures - it was cold, I was freezing, lighting was low and the dogs were fast. Don't fret, though, Gus and Bella will ultimately litter my Wordless Wednesday pages so there will be better pictures to make up for these...)
Once Upon a Time...
I've mentioned before how lucky we were to find Sheila, our brilliant trainer who is just as good at reading people as she is at reading dogs. We have her to thank for introducing us to our now good friends, Cindy and Rick, and their beautiful dogs, Gus the Borzoi and Molly the Greyhound. We'll meet Molly in another post as she is a new addition to their family and focus first on Gus, Bella's best boyfriend. And really, I kid you not, this is love. (At least on his part, sorry Gus.)
Gus and his hu-folks were taking the same class with Sheila that we had taken previously and she saw something in the dogs that she thought would make them good companions for each other. She asked us if we were interested in bringing Bella by after class sometime for a meet and greet. "Sure!", we thought, "we're always looking for ways to socialize our little girl. This would be fun!"
We were on our way into the classroom when the door opened and this ENORMOUS beast came through it on his way out. Bella spooked, feeling trapped in the little hallway and did her usual less-than-polite "I'm big and scary so stay away from me" routine (read: she barked and growled and lunged then ran away and hid behind my legs.) When the big scary dog lunged and growled back at Bella, we promptly shuffled her into a nearby restroom to regroup.
Of course, the big scary dog was Gus, the dog we were there to meet. So, you know, that went well.
If at first and all that...
Sheila was not disuaded from her original opinion that these dogs were perfect for each other and recommended taking them outside to walk around the parking lot to settle down. That went a little better but on the drive home half an hour later, I have to admit Jan and I were dubious. I'm sure Cindy and Rick were right there with us. However, when Sheila suggested we do it all over again the next week, the crazy canines and their human accomplices showed up on demand.
Subsequent meetings went better and we made plans to meet one night after work at the farm field across from Tufts Small Animal Hospital. A 37-acre agricultural field with a mile+ walking trail around it, we were finally going to let the dogs walk "near" each other. This turned out to be a revelation.
The walk started tentatively, the dogs recognizing each other but able to be in their own space as they acclimated to getting closer and closer. Finally, once we were deep enough into the field to be away from too much other dog interference, Gus was let off leash. (Bella was on a very long lead as she didn't have the recall skills yet to be off-leash in a not fenced area...)
Cue the romantic music
I'll let the pictures speak to what happened next.*
Ok, so it wasn't love at first sight
The most remarkable thing, one that I don't think Bella had comfortably experienced before with another dog, was that when she "yelled" at Gus because she was getting scared, he backed off. He actually listened to the scrawny dog! In fact, he seemed to like having a dog tell him what to do because from that day forward, he followed her around like a lovesick, well, pup.
She seemed to give him a sense of direction. And he seemed to give her a sense of security. (It never hurts to have the biggest, baddest boy in the dog park watching your back!)
A few snarks and grumbles later and, well, again, pictures speak louder than words....
Unfortunately, those halcyon days are behind us after some "bad apples" changed the face of the field (although there are other reasons). And while we were unable to get Bella and Gus together there for over a year, their "love affair" picked up without missing a beat when we were finally able to re-unite the lost lovers this past summer. Bella was immediately more at ease with Gus even after such a separation than she is with any other dog.
And Gus still follows her around ignoring almost all other dogs at the park. He sees her coming the moment we step into the park (well, he IS a sighthound, I suppose) and all else fades from view. He can be in mid-play with another dog but when he sees Bella, the music swells and gorgeous Gus comes running in slow motion, hair blowing in the breeze, to the gate awaiting her arrival. It's like a Fabio commercial. (Ok, the slo-mo might be an exaggeration.)
Gus gave Bella something I am not sure we would have ever been able to offer her: security in the freedom of being off-leash. He is so big and so well-loved at the field, and as a member of his pack, no dog dared push Bella beyond her limits (not without facing the wrath of Gus!)
This love story continues. As for this blog post, alas, I'm afraid it is:
The End.
* (I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures - it was cold, I was freezing, lighting was low and the dogs were fast. Don't fret, though, Gus and Bella will ultimately litter my Wordless Wednesday pages so there will be better pictures to make up for these...)
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