It's Cold Outside

 Like most of the U.S., I've had enough of snow & cold.  At first I didn't mind since I got stuff done.    New Year resolutions were actually kept. Now we're in the last half of February and the weather hasn't eased up.   Dog classes with my dogs was one of my resolutions.

I registered for two classes with Aeon, our newest addition.  Aeon is a 2.5 year old black miniature poodle, weighing in at 14 pounds.   A fuzzy-wuzzy, bumble-bee ball of enthusiastic energy whose root belief is:  Everybody is wonderful, smart, lovable & beautiful.  Including herself.    Aeon appreciates being groomed & has great manners.  In addition, Aeon takes daily 4 mile hikes with Kaili, standard poodle, and Joe, human.  Aeon runs while they walk.  She loves running through weeds, mud & water.

We're taking our classes over at Boom Towne Canine Campus www.boomtowne.com   Dog Yoga and Beginner's Obedience.  

 About Dog Yoga; our practice at home is going well.  It's a different story in class which includes incense, cheese sticks, massage, and lowered lights.   Unfortunately, there's an agility practice taking place next door and while Aeon is willing to go through the break-down of asanas, her entire body vibrates with tension and energy.  She wants to go check out the room filled with lights & alive with action!  

Obedience involves clickers, which is new for me.  You click when the dog exhibits the behavior you want which means you need to be paying attention to your dog from the very beginning.  If your dog sits, you click and give a treat.  If your dog lies down, you click and give a treat.  Eventually, the transition is made to verbal and non-verbal cues.  I took the class because of Aeon's size, I didn't want to chance an injury due to a correction on my part.  I'm a big person and I've always worked one on one with mid-sized dogs or larger.  In addition, Aeon is so responsive that I knew she would work well with a simple band collar.

What I'm finding out is that clicks works on Kaile the standard poodle.  Being a poodle, Kaile had the smarts to figure out how to behave off leash.  She can be counted on to return on command or stop/wait in the event of an emergency.   She is very resistant on leash.  I figured out her preference for the wide collar used on greyhounds.  This works well when we've needed to go to the vet, groomer or other places.  Still, "sit"and "down" are not part of her working vocabulary, on or off leash.   I want to add these.  

I started Kaile on the click last night.  Kaile was charged on the clicker by the 3rd.  Her head whipped around so fast, I feared whip-lash.  Both dogs sit, I click and they get treats.  Pavlova was right.  They're becoming clicker savy and adding more behaviors in hopes of more treats.

 I'm learning something new and my dogs are enthusiastic about our new games.   Joe has cleared out our basement of of unused fitness equipment so there's quite a bit of room down there.  So, that's where you'll find me;  down in the basement, hammering the bee hives, watching the dogs from the side of my eyes, clicking at wanted behaviors and handing out treats.

Love is Commitment

There are those who believe a pet will teach a child responsibility.  Expectations and rules are outlined with the understanding that failure to follow-through will result in consequences. 

Sometimes this agreement is put in writing and considered binding, at least for the parties involved.  

  

I don't have a problem requiring the child to pay rescue fees or having to use their birthday/holiday/confirmation savings to buy the pure bred they so much desire.  

Problems arise when the child isn't able to consistently ensure the animal's well-being.  The kids spent their budgeted allowance on anything other than feed for the animal.  Maybe the carpet is soiled repeatedly because Dog wasn't walked.  Or Kitty messed on dad's shoes because her litter box was full.  Rat got loose because the cage-door wasn't latched & the arm of the couch got chewed.  Fishie found floating due to sporadic feeding or the water not being changed for weeks.  Kids aren't little grownups.  Thats why they need adults in their lives, to guide & help the child in learning the skills needed for a lifetime.  

 Toys, feed, grooming, vet bills are a biggie, licenses, registrations, training, socialization, repairs, walking, changing the litter, purchasing the necessities; pets are costly & time-consuming.  It is possible a pet's surgery used up the funds ear-marked for an upcoming vacation.  That is what love is, ensuring the health & well being of those in our lives.  We won't take our disappointment out on the kids.  We step up & do the right thing.  

Using animals for teaching responsibility without commitment to the animal's well-being is not right.  Taking a pet to the local shelter due to a child's failures does not prove anything other than that you are the quiter.  To willfully allow an animal to die of starvation or thirst is evil.  

  It is okay to admit you don't have the resources or lack an interest in being personally responsible for animals.  If you still like the idea of animals in your children's lives, provide an opportunity to volunteer or help a neighbor with their pets.  

Interactions between animals & chidren can be wonderful.  Children learn to observe, communicate & play with a totally different species.  They learn compassion and how to deal with solitude.  But most of all, a child begins to understand what commitment means because they watch adults ensure animals receives what is rightfully theirs.  

You're the Adult & Role-Model.  You're the one teaching what love means.  

 

Cold Weather & Houses

Winter came early for those of us living in the Northeast.  We've had some serious cold & snow.  As a result, some of my cat families have become snowbirds.  

I'm willing to make sure the plumbing doesn't freeze, bring in the mail, change the lights sequence each day for the upcoming night.  I water the plants, ensure the paper was stopped, shovel the walk so that I can get in.  I clean the litter boxes and take out the trash.  

The part I like best is visiting with the cats.  I bring along feathers on strings, jingly balls and treats can be found in my pockets.  Cats like playing, "Which Pocket".  

If you're considering a quick trip away & live in Monroe County, give us a call at 585-506-6270.  You don't have to have cats in order to have an insured, bonded person keep an eye on your house's working parts.