Barking's Of Texas

Hi Everyone!

I trust everyone is having a good week thus far, I'm jumping on here to let you know that this blog will be quieter than it already is, I Texas has been slacking lately, and I haven't been all that motivated to keep on him. However I do have a good excuse, and that is well school.

Normally I don't take a "blogging break" until the end of the semester, but since I started a week behind all of my classmates I'm having to work double time to keep up with my classes. That and loosing Pompei a week ago sent me into sort of a depression tail spin, which...does horrid things to the motivation. Soo I'm having to abandon any semblance of keeping up the ol' bloggy and focus on getting through two chapters of statistic homework, (NOT EASY!!) Prep for a quiz later on this week, on top of working part time and attempting to keep Bubbles and Texas happy.

Let me tell you this, loosing Pompei has been difficult on them too, which I knew it would be. My goodness have they become super clingy not wanting to play outside and whining at my feet constantly. Poor Texas has attempted to get Bubbles to play several times, but she's just not near the same as playing with a puppy. He'd better enjoy it is my thinking, as the puppy is coming a lot sooner than I thought!!

Which brings me to getting ready for sad puppy. I don't know about you all, but in order for me to keep my life together with a new puppy, we have to a plan that runs like clock work, I believe I do, but we are still needing some supplies such as more toys (can't have enough of those with puppies!!), more cleaning supplies, rearranging of furniture to accommodate a puppy "play area" (puppies earn their freedom in my house), not to mention all the sleep I need to get between now and his arrival!

My sister will be "co-raising" (sharing the responsibility of raising) which will relieve my burden greatly.

Anyway, I apologize if this sounds rushed, but I'm trying to write as fast as I can so I get at least a few more homework problems done before I dash off to bed.

I don't know when I'll be back to bloggin full time...(hopefully before the summer!!) but we will be back with more fun than EVER! :)

Erin & Co. 
Bubbles, Texas and Puppy #5

This is kind of an embarrassing post, but its something I know we've all had to deal with at one time or another. In the 8 years I've owned a dog, this is the second time they've gotten fleas. Still... telling someone you have fleas in your house somehow implies that you don't clean or are a dirty person. 


However that indeed is the case in my home. Back in July, Pompei came in contact with the little buggers and they have given him a run for his money, one really bad skin infection and an expensive vet trip later we were loaded up with antibiotics and medicated shampoos for the infection. We also put him on Comfortis since Frontline and Sentinel were doing no good. 

Bubbles and Texas were on Frontline as well, but I put them on Advantage Multi after spotting a flea on Texas. I take no chances. I thought we were good. All dogs were medicated Pompei's infection was clearing up, school was keeping me busy and I hadn't noticed any fleas lingering on the dogs. 


Pompei's shampoo treatment requires me to bathe him every three days, I have to leave the shampoo on him for about 10 minutes before rinsing him off. I really can't tell you who has more fun during this 20 minute ordeal. Actually I can, that would be Texas who sits whining by the tub wanting to get in too. (If I let him, he'd sit in the tub with Pompei and I while i bathe Pompei. Don't let that last picture fool you, he likes his baths...)

Anyway as I was massaging the shampoo into his skin, I noticed something run for cover. NO. PLEASE? NO! It was indeed a nasty little flea, I quickly squashed it and glanced down in time to see another floating towards the drain. Hmph. But I didn't think too much about it since, I mean he was medicated, and I'm sure these fleas were going to die anyway. Right....right?


A little later, curled up in bed with a book I thought I felt something jump on me, but chalked it up to my imagination at seeing the fleas earlier. It wasn't until the little perp landed on my book did I freak out. Seriously? Fleas in my BED!? How am I supposed to sleep now?  I grabbed my phone and googled "natural flea repellents" and got some tips for ridding my house of fleas, cause I refuse to do the "bomb" route. Too much work. Hassel. Etc.


What I found:

• Salt 
• Baking Soda
• Apple Cider Vineager + Water
• Earl Grey Tea
• Vacuum Cleaner
• Washing Machine 
• Lots of Work.

• First was watching him tear from the back of our (at the time) half acre yard, too chase some kids walking past our house. When they asked if he would bite was when some flags were raised in my mind. But I knew Bubbles had done the same thing in younger years, with no intention of harming anyone..but this...something was different. 
• Next was at work. At the time I was working at a doggie daycare and in the evening we'd let the "staff dogs" into the office while we waited for the remaining few to be picked up. Texas was quickly banned from the office during this time, for shrieking at new customers and snapping at people who were trying to pet him. (Though why anyone continues to try and pet a barking dog is beyond me.)
• Then in the car, we noticed that he would continually bark and snarl at people "approaching" my car. On the weekends, my job gave us a two hour break so Texas and I would go grab some lunch and sit in my car for a while. I soon began to leave him crated in the building as he was so stressed and overwrought with sitting in the car with me.

This behavior had me completely mystified, as he was only a 4-5 month old puppy! Why is this dog reacting like this at this age?! I tried to talk to my boss, who was a "trainer" but she had absolutely no advice for me. So I kind of let it drop as me just overacting, but for the life of me I could never remember Bubbles acting this badly.

Life went on, we moved to TN, I got a job working service dogs, and began to enter deeper the wide world of dog training.  I began to learn more about the positive methods of dog training and realizing what I was doing was not working (dominating etc..), and we started to see a little bit of progress, in Texas...as he had other issues as well.  I started clicker training with Texas and soon realized how smart he really was. Alas it wasn't until he actually did bite someone before we started realizing how serious his behavior was. 

But when I mentioned it, a lot people had many anecdotal stories about their dachshunds doing the same etc..that Did NOT help me, but just sunk me into a funk, of trying to figure out if Texas was really a dog I should keep, could keep or even could work with. 


Thankfully I follow a ton of trainers on Twitter, and when I posted my panicked "OMG MY DOG JUST BIT SOMEONE" message, they responded with lots of helpful advice. I began studying up on aggressive dogs, causes of aggression, and  soon realized that's not what he was, but "reactive". 

A reactive dog, is a dog that reacts in a fearfully defensive or "aggressive" manner, when faced with certain triggers.  
Looks like: Barking, Growling, Lunging, Snapping, Snarling, wants trigger to go away generally. 
Triggers: Other dogs, strangers, situations and prey

I quickly realized that Texas reacts fearfully in any situation where he feels he can't escape. Examples include: Behind a door, or fence, on leash on in my car.When he'd get in the "zone" there was not stopping him, unless he was removed from the situation completely. The bite occurred, at the door...when he slipped out behind me, and nipped the first foot he saw.

Once I realized this all of his outings stopped. He did not leave my property. He spent a lot of time inside, unless I was positive there was no one outside. Our yard maintenance guys  were also HUGE triggers, and I had to wait until they'd been gone for at least 30 minutes before going outside with him. Let's not even bring in strange loose dogs. Dogs that we intro'd in a controlled situations were fine, but random dogs? No so much.It was tough, he had to be crated when I had strangers in my home, and my stress levels were extremely heighten if we decided to venture out to a park or somewhere.


Between YouTube and Twitter I found some great resources and began working with Texas to help change his emotional reaction to these "fearful" things. We learned how to introduce Texas to new people; He doesn't feel threatened if he's allowed to approach the situation, rather than someone approaching him. I also learned to teach people a "new" way of approaching dogs. "No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact." This was quite difficult since people have it ingrained in their heads, that you must "make friends" with the dog, by sticking your hand in their face.


But Like this, Texas was able to make many new friends, and realize the world was not such a "scary" place after all.

Now you can understand a little bit more, why we had such a hard time, during the 4th of July Holiday. Basically Texas we were in the worst situation possible, for a reactive dog, but we all made it out alive, and un scarred. But I think my family will now believe me when I tell them why I don't take Texas out of town.

So anyway I said all of that to intro you into today's situation. Today was our annual church clean up, and we had people all over the place for about 7-8 hours. The dogs were of course in the house as they would have just been in the way, and I wouldn't have gotten anything done.

Last year, I really couldn't have let Texas outside period, until EVERYONE was gone. He wouldn't have been able to focus on doing anything but letting the "intruders" know they needed to be gone. 

Today this is what we get:  

Video Description: Texas, Bubbles, Pompei and Lacy are in the "left side" of my yard, across the parking lot are people, cars, kids on bikes roaming around. Texas is wandering around the yard sniffing, his body language is very relaxed. He does bark as one child whizzes by on a bike, but is quickly redirected by me.






To all of you, this is normal dog behavior, for me this is hUGe...as I keep saying in the video. We've made a lot of progress, but still have a very. long.way to go still. But at this point any progress is awesome. Will he ever be "completely" normal? I don't know, I have my doubts but we're working hard to make his day to day life as pleasant and stress free as possible.

So I have a lot too post about, and have no clue where to start..so we'll just dive in with the first thing on my mind.. :)

If you couldn't tell by the last photos..Zipper's Back! We have found a family who fell in love with her, and is looking to adopt her, but are getting the money together to do so. So she'll be with me for a couple of weeks. In someways I'm glad I don't have Pompeii here as well, because my poor nerves..just wouldn't be here at all. 


Pompei is away at "Puppy Camp", it originally was just a baby-sitting job, while I was out of town, but turned into a more long term thing, when my area coordinator heard, that he hadn't been away from me since I got him. (Which was fine with me). So he'll be back in a week or two. :(( *I've heard he's contracted fleas since being there...! *gasp*


Zipper is her normal crazy, neurotic self, and is keeping us all (Me, Bubbles and Texas) on our toes. Texas is way over her, and is trying to give her as many calming signals as possible before snapping at her. While Bubbles just hides in a corner, out of sight out of mind. 


This week, I have decided that I will probably never have a Jack Russell Terrier..mix or otherwise as a pet. They just are not the dog for me. Mainly because..at this point in my life, I don't have the space, or time for a high maintenance/high energy dog. 


Granted Zipper doesn't help her case, much by not thinking. I swear this dog has no concepts of pain at all. The first thing she does, when I put her on her long line, is run to the end of it, at FULL SPEED, and the flip herself over onto her back. Get up and run in the opposite direction. 


Then there are things such as, when we first introduced her too her, new families home...the first thing she did was, jump off the side of their porch. Great way to freak your new family out Zips! 


I guess this could also be interpreted as a "Zest for Life" but I"m a little concerned her life won't be long at this rate! I've bought her several harnesses, to kind of spare her her neck from the trauma of being yanked around. But she's chewed through all three. 


Read: Not Happy Foster Mom. So its back to the Ol' Collar until I figure something else out! As far as Training goes, she really picks up new things quickly we've moved from "Sit" to "Leave it" and "Down" and "Spin". Fast, and she's picking up on a lot of things, such as staying by my side = good things, while others still need work on. (Shying away from human hands, leashing walking, counter surfing...) I'd really like to not allow her on the furniture, but that's something that her adoptive parents like so.......But I've got to do something about her, constant counter jumping, or I'm going to go crazy!! 


But I can finally check my main goal with her off. WOOOO!!! Our Potty training has gone really well, she's got the idea, and goes quickly once outside. A huge relief off of me, as accidents are big stinking point with my landlord. :)D


But....from this point forward, I'm going to be extremely careful what I wish for! 


Signed


Non-JR lover,

Happy Post-Memorial Day! I took the day to collect my wits from our crazy week last week, my poor pups are feeling extremely neglected between my work schedule and a weeklong church event. So in an attempt to appease my guilty conscious, I spent all day with them and on impulse decided to purchase one of those kiddie pools from Wal-Mart. To say my dogs were spoiled could very well be an understatement.

Since school let out, Pompei’s exposures outings have gone down significantly due to my lack of restraint. I’m the world’s worst impulse buyer, and right now I have to save every penny possible so I can afford to get one of these babies…. So I limit MY shopping exposure to purchasable items, to only several times a week.
He did get to visit with some of the other raisers in my group, when they took him to a baseball game with them. Our monthly puppy meeting and my friends graduation were scheduled on the same day, so my leader offered to take him with them. So he went and had a great time. He did have one little accident but that was well.. things happen! :-) Charlottes raiser handled him while he was there, and said both dogs did really well with each other and didn't even try to play too much! (insert surprised face)
I was glad for him to get out with someone else, as its very important that he learn how to take commands from someone else.

Upcoming Events in Pompeii's Life: 

• Shopping with Mom - Today :)
• He's headed in for the big "Snip-SNip" this Thursday so paws and tails...? cross for him!
• Next week, we're meeting with our regional advisor, I haven't seen her in over a at a year and half, so I'm looking forward to see them again!  
• Pompei will also being spending sometime with another raiser while we go out of town later on this month! 

We're going to keep him hopping!

As I've said before, moving is stressful for the dogs as well as us humans; and I was interested to see what behaviors the dogs would display, as they adjusted to their new surroundings.
For Texas its been an increase of his already annoying barking. All these different house sounds, outside noises, cars pulling in and out...etc.. are usual things that have GOT to be barked at!

And because we don't think moving was stressful enough, a dear friend of mine, will be rooming with us for the near future. Over the weekend they  have been dropping in randomly over the weekend, getting things squared away.

Since Texas has met them in the past, I don't worry too much about them coming into the house, yes he'll come at them in "killer mode" but turns to wiggling, silly puppy once he realizes who they are. And because they know to just ignore him, which takes the "fun" out of sounding mean.

Well yesterday C (future roommate) and her sister R (future neighbor as she's moving into my old house) came over to "hash out" our living arrangement. R was in the back room, doing something on my computer.

All the dogs went silly of course with new people, but calmed down when they were receiving any attention. Everything was quiet until R yelled out something from the back room.

What? Intruder!

Texas lets out a bark and tears to the back room, ready to defend his.....hide...  a few seconds later he comes back out, realizing who it was.

R called for some assistance a little bit later, and again Tex tore into the back room, sounding the alarm. Again he realized it was a false alarm, and comes trotting back out after getting some attention.

You'd think we'd be done by now...but no. Once again, R (eaves dropping on our convo) made a comment, in her normal voice, which sent Texas back into defense mode.

It will defiantly be interesting to see how he adjust to having another person living with us.

>> I really wanted to start some "serious" Texas work this weekend, but forgot we'll be heading over the mountain for Pompei's puppy meeting. So. Phooey.

Also to my small dog owner bloggy friends... has anyone used a car seat for their dogs....is it worth it?

Please join us in raising awareness about puppy raising or  by celebrating International Wear Your Puppy Raising Shirt Day, this Friday, February 19.

What is a puppy raiser? Puppy raisers are volunteers who raise puppies for different service dog organizations.With the Guide Dog Foundation Puppy Raiser ( or Walker) families provide the loving homes that care for our Foundation puppies until the dogs are old enough to enter our training program. Puppy Walkers take home a 7-week-old puppy and care for it until it is between 12 and 14 months old. They housebreak the puppy, socialize it in different environments, teach it good house manners, and provide it with the loving attention it needs. When the dog is about a year old, the family returns the dog to the Foundation so it can move ahead with its new career.

Find more information about raising for the Guide Dog Foundation here.

Hi Guys!
I am so tired furum my day that mom is gonna write dis posts fur me. BAYL!


Ah weekends, the best time to get some fun socialization with the puppies in. My friends and I had made plans earlier in the week to go see "Aladdin" put on by a local theatre troupe, along with doing some shopping together afterwards.

I woke up this morning to a mess. Poop was everywhere, on the his pen, blankets, on the floor....but somehow he managed to stay completely clean. I wiped him down with a damp cloth and brushed some "doggie perfume" into his fur just in case.

After getting that cleaned up, I ran all the dogs outside, to get in what little exercise we could, before Pompei and I left.

Tired puppies are Good Puppies.

That plan backfired on me when Pompei slept the entire 30 minute trip to the Playhouse. Halfway there I woke him up and played with him a little, in an attempt to give him more 'sleep time' during the play.

We arrived, pottied and walked to get in line for tickets. (Just over the last couple of days his leash walking is coming along nicely.) He was doing really well sitting and watching the people behind us, until a little boy ran up and flopped down in front of us. I gently reminded him about asking before petting strange dogs, and he backed up, and than asked.

I didn't have the heart to tell him no, so I had Pompei sit, and let the boy pet him.

Once inside, I laid down my coat and let him check out his new surrounds, before asking him to "down" which he did.

For about 30 seconds anyway.

By the time the play started, he'd settled himself halfway under the seat in front of us, so I just let him be.

He periodically moved further and further under the seat, until I had no choice but to fish him out, before he started nibbling the person shoes in front of us.

He gave up and slept for the remainder of the play.

After that we headed back towards town and stopped for some lunch, and than went through a local used bookstore. Since my friends and I all are bookworms, we were in there for a while.

Pomp was still pretty sleeping from our last excursion and was plodded along for a while, until he just curled up into a ball and went to sleep. So I carried him and my books for a while.

Who knew a 10wo puppy could be sooo heavy!! I finally collapsed on the nearest stool, and waited for my friends to finish their perusal of the store. Pompei was laying at my feet, charming all that passed him; he got up and I called his name, and asked him to sit.

He did, but looking for some kind of edible reward; but unfortunately for him, all I had to offer was praise.

That was not good enough for his Highness. So he let out a bark to fill me in.

A couple of aisle over I heard a little voice pipe up:

"Mom?? What did the dog say?"

Erin & Pompeii

Much sooner than I'd expected, I received an email with the subject line: Victoria. I knew what it was before I clicked on it, and my heart skipped a beat. I knew she was up for adoption, but since I hadn't seen any active "advertising" of her, I subconsciously was hoping that she'd been forgotten.
Several emails and a phone call later, I set up an appointment with the potential adopter, tomorrow morning. Tonight we'll bathe and brush her down, clean her ears, clip her toe nails, brush her teeth, spray some doggie perfume on her, and try to keep her out of the mud.

I will have to resist the temptation to try and scare this person away,as I DO want Victoria to go to a good home. Just...not yet.

If this lady decides to adopt her I know that Victoria will still be with me for at least another five days.

But still its too soon.

btw...if you can't tell, no these good-byes NEVER get easier. 

{Photo: Victoria and I four months ago}

The weather was beautiful today, so abou an hour after I got up, the dogs and I headed outside to play. Well they did at least, I was busy moving boxes...into our NEW place!

There are three houses on the property I'm staying at, and one of them was vacated several months ago. I asked my "landlord" (my father) about switching places, as that one was bigger,"normal", and under 50yo... at the time it was a no because of ...you guessed it, the dogs.

The dog smell, fur, and of course the OCCASIONAL accident. Some how in the last week something changed...and I was given the "OK" to move over!

I'm excited as the dogs finally get a place for their stuff, and I can ditch my ideas to find some way to disguise the lab sized crates! I'm planning on get some kind of foam/rubber mats for their room in an attempt to cut down on the dog smell/fur/clean up time etc.

And I can finally have friends over, without having the dogs launching themselves all over them! My current house there is no where for the dogs to be separate....and the dachs..ok Texas is just annoyingly in your face constantly.

Yeaaah my fault I know....

After I was finished for the morning, the dogs crashed for the next 3-4 hours. I was begining to go stir crazy so Pompei and I hopped in the car and headed off towards town.

We hit up the mall and Wal-Mart...at his age we do a LoT of carrying as these guys walk slower than Methuselah, and I want to get where I was going sometime that day.

And this dude at (I'm guessing) 10lbs+ is HEAVY to carry around for an hour+. Needless to say we crept home, and well...they ate dinner and I left for choir practice. I would have brought him but I completely forgot.

For real!

This week i'm really hoping to start bringing him to classes, still waiting on my job to tell me he can or can't come...than we'll have to decided on how we are going to proceded from there.

Fingers Crossed its a "Yes!"

2009 is coming to a close, and wow have I had a busy year!!! Never would I have dreamed of all the different things to come my way this year!!

Dog's Trained: 8 - Timothy, Veda, Ben, Gideon, Daniel, Ira, Hope, Dublin
Dogs Fostered: 1 - Victoria
Dog Puppy Sitting: 6 - Jordan, Eden, Lydia, Mensa, Bishop, Ben (before he became a SD)
Total Dogs this Year: 15 not counting Bubbles & Texas


Foster Pups in My Group: Yiska, Gideon, Hope Ira, Noah, Ophel, Phillip,Yoda, Zach, Bishop, Abby, Casey, Felix, Reuben, Willow.

A hard month with so many changes, I couldn't see straight. Signed up for two classes with our community college in WNC. Bubbles, Texas and I moved to TN on our own, and I started working with Wilderwood Service Dogs. My first trainee was a bouncy 1yo Retriever mix, named Timothy. He was defiantly a challenge, but I didn't feel overly intimidated by working with him.

I was home all day with this job, and bored out of my mind. No internet in my home, so I was stuck going outside, trying to find my way around an unknown city, and going to restaurants for internet. My friends really baled me out during this month, so I frequently visited their home, or went out with them. Bubbles and Texas acclimated really well to our new place (well except for Bubbles throwing up every day for the first week we were here) and we learned more about working with Mr.Tim.


Wilderwood changed our flow system, so I was traveling to our kennel facility three times a week and training pups out there. Victoria came home with me, and Gideon arrived back and left again. We baby sat Mensa for a week...then brought Hope in around the middle of the month. I'm so glad she looks so much better now!! Its hard to believe she was once so gaunt!!
November
Moved back into my position as Foster Program Manager, and working from home. Celebrated the Anniversary of the arrival of Bubbles & Texas. Went out of town for Thanksgiving, and boarded Bubbles & Texas for the first time. They got great reviews bit sigh of relief from me! Hope moved onto the last stage of her training, and we enjoyed our time with Victoria. 

A mass of dogs,work, graduation, and trips. Well and you've all read about it here. Wow is it just me or are the years getting shorter??

Looking forward to next year, I've got a lot cooking just starting in January...STAY TUNED!!!