Buzz and Dr. Ann
Isn't she lovely? My dear friend Ann, who graduated this week! Congratulations Ann!
Suited up for Sheep
Spring has finally arrived! As a consequence, I was able to schedule Buzz's first date with some sheep! First we have to go fly fishing, so it is a few weeks away...May 7th.
Buzz thinks he may need to borrow my muck boots.
Buzz thinks he may need to borrow my muck boots.
The upside of insomnia
is arriving at the park as the sunrises and watching the sunlight do crazy and fantastic things.
Buzz has a pretty strong internal clock and if I get him up before seven he acts bewildered for a while; but I took him to one of his favorite parks, so he perked up quickly enough.
Buzz has a pretty strong internal clock and if I get him up before seven he acts bewildered for a while; but I took him to one of his favorite parks, so he perked up quickly enough.
With Chuck-it All Things are Possible
Since Buzz has started fetching in earnest while at the park and I had to buy him a new Chuck-It since he ate the last one, I was planning a blog post about the Chuck-It. It is a wonderful invention and I wanted to honor it.
However, when I went to the park to meet my friend who was going to photograph me chucking, I forgot my camera :/
Oh well, I found this picture on flickr
chuck-it, originally uploaded by zipflydesign.
This picture is pretty awesome, huh? I have to tell you that I don't look nearly as...um...graceful when I throw the ball.
The other thing I was planning for the blog was to slip the packaging for the Chuck-It onto Buzz's nose and take some shots. He looked tired enough to tolerate this nonsense...
But, looks can be deceiving...
Buzz was not having it!
This week, instead of having "stuff on my dog," I have to make do with "stuff on my pooh bear"
and Buzz is catching up on his favorite television programs.
He loves Detective Goran.
However, when I went to the park to meet my friend who was going to photograph me chucking, I forgot my camera :/
Oh well, I found this picture on flickr
chuck-it, originally uploaded by zipflydesign.
This picture is pretty awesome, huh? I have to tell you that I don't look nearly as...um...graceful when I throw the ball.
The other thing I was planning for the blog was to slip the packaging for the Chuck-It onto Buzz's nose and take some shots. He looked tired enough to tolerate this nonsense...
But, looks can be deceiving...
Buzz was not having it!
This week, instead of having "stuff on my dog," I have to make do with "stuff on my pooh bear"
and Buzz is catching up on his favorite television programs.
He loves Detective Goran.
Spring has Sprung!
I've seen a lot of blogs with pictures of blooming flowers and precious buds. Well, those are not the main sign of spring around here; here, the biggest sign is the status of the rainbow soccer ball.
The ball in winter:
See how clean it is? And fresh and snowy!
Well, here was the ball the other day...
So dirty and dark! I posted these pictures on a message board the other day and a friend of mine asked "at some point doesn't the soccer ball stop being a soccer ball and become 'the thing formerly known as a soccer ball'?"
It is true. That thing is so very different than how it began. The Peruvian thinks that maybe it is "the droolball" since it gets so slimey when played with. Oh well, at least Buzz is happy.
With the return of sunny weather, I have resolved to be more sunny with Buzz. I think that when Buzz and I are playing in the yard or at the park, I manage Buzz's behavior too tightly. I don't know if it really has any affect on him, but I would like to hear myself be more positive and fun.
I have decided to trust Buzz more and to ensure he has outside times where I just let him be a goofy dog. So long as he's minding his manners and staying near, I've been just enjoying him and going along with his sense of fun.
Also, as part of this plan, we are adding more structure and regularity to our training. I'm hoping to switch him from sort of listening all the time, to listening when it matters and being free to be his own good self the rest of the time.
So far, the bozo seems happy with the arrangement; well, he is happy with all arrangements, it seems. However, there is one new development; today, Buzz let me walk him across a busy street (he *hates* busy streets). Perhaps his trust is growing? He got an awesome reward for crossing the street...a lovely fetch session in the park that is right there!
Yay!
Bye-bye now!
The ball in winter:
See how clean it is? And fresh and snowy!
Well, here was the ball the other day...
So dirty and dark! I posted these pictures on a message board the other day and a friend of mine asked "at some point doesn't the soccer ball stop being a soccer ball and become 'the thing formerly known as a soccer ball'?"
It is true. That thing is so very different than how it began. The Peruvian thinks that maybe it is "the droolball" since it gets so slimey when played with. Oh well, at least Buzz is happy.
With the return of sunny weather, I have resolved to be more sunny with Buzz. I think that when Buzz and I are playing in the yard or at the park, I manage Buzz's behavior too tightly. I don't know if it really has any affect on him, but I would like to hear myself be more positive and fun.
I have decided to trust Buzz more and to ensure he has outside times where I just let him be a goofy dog. So long as he's minding his manners and staying near, I've been just enjoying him and going along with his sense of fun.
Also, as part of this plan, we are adding more structure and regularity to our training. I'm hoping to switch him from sort of listening all the time, to listening when it matters and being free to be his own good self the rest of the time.
So far, the bozo seems happy with the arrangement; well, he is happy with all arrangements, it seems. However, there is one new development; today, Buzz let me walk him across a busy street (he *hates* busy streets). Perhaps his trust is growing? He got an awesome reward for crossing the street...a lovely fetch session in the park that is right there!
Yay!
Bye-bye now!
Pete
Pete is my parents’ dog.
After adopting Ned, a dog with very poor social skills, my parents were on the lookout for a nice, steady dog to add to the house in order to help Ned be a nice, steady dog.
My brother was living in northern Minnesota at the time and saw Pete at the shelter there. Pete was in the shelter for a very long time. Probably because he’s black and shaggy and has a truly awkward wide shape to him.
Oh, and Pete only has one eye.
Apparently, Pete’s missing eye is the reason that he was in the shelter. It is believed that he injured his eye and his owners didn’t (for whatever reason, perhaps the cost) seek veterinary treatment for him. Pete’s eye became worse and worse and by the time he was surrendered to the shelter, there was nothing to do but remove the eye.
Pete is a lovely dog, though. Always smiling. A rich, course bark. A light bounce in his run despite his wide load. Pete is full of smiles and will fetch for hours.
I find Pete rather interesting. He has the reputation of being the “good” one, but Pete is very stubborn and often disobedient. He barks at people and makes demands. He won’t go to his room when told unless you take his collar in hand or show him a treat. To be blunt: Pete isn’t all that interested in pleasing people.
But then, it seems that he was "loved" by some people that let Pete live with the pain of an eyeball rotting out of his head, so perhaps he’s well within his rights to just do what he wants and have his fun. He’s certainly not hurting anyone; he’s a lot of fun to watch; a very happy boy. And, Pete’s “whatever, Ned” attitude is probably the right response to some of Ned’s nervousness. They make a funny pair.
Pete has made some interesting adaptations based on his missing eye. He is often against walls, with his sighted eye facing outwards, and he loves to be under tables and chairs.
He teaches dogs to approach him on his sighted side. It was fascinating to see him teach Buzz this. Pete just growled when Buzz came at him from the wrong angle and gave Buzz happy greeting if he came at him from a good angle. Buzz caught on quickly. Buzz and Pete are great friends, always near each other, on each other, looking at each other and smiling.
After adopting Ned, a dog with very poor social skills, my parents were on the lookout for a nice, steady dog to add to the house in order to help Ned be a nice, steady dog.
My brother was living in northern Minnesota at the time and saw Pete at the shelter there. Pete was in the shelter for a very long time. Probably because he’s black and shaggy and has a truly awkward wide shape to him.
Oh, and Pete only has one eye.
Apparently, Pete’s missing eye is the reason that he was in the shelter. It is believed that he injured his eye and his owners didn’t (for whatever reason, perhaps the cost) seek veterinary treatment for him. Pete’s eye became worse and worse and by the time he was surrendered to the shelter, there was nothing to do but remove the eye.
Pete is a lovely dog, though. Always smiling. A rich, course bark. A light bounce in his run despite his wide load. Pete is full of smiles and will fetch for hours.
I find Pete rather interesting. He has the reputation of being the “good” one, but Pete is very stubborn and often disobedient. He barks at people and makes demands. He won’t go to his room when told unless you take his collar in hand or show him a treat. To be blunt: Pete isn’t all that interested in pleasing people.
But then, it seems that he was "loved" by some people that let Pete live with the pain of an eyeball rotting out of his head, so perhaps he’s well within his rights to just do what he wants and have his fun. He’s certainly not hurting anyone; he’s a lot of fun to watch; a very happy boy. And, Pete’s “whatever, Ned” attitude is probably the right response to some of Ned’s nervousness. They make a funny pair.
Pete has made some interesting adaptations based on his missing eye. He is often against walls, with his sighted eye facing outwards, and he loves to be under tables and chairs.
He teaches dogs to approach him on his sighted side. It was fascinating to see him teach Buzz this. Pete just growled when Buzz came at him from the wrong angle and gave Buzz happy greeting if he came at him from a good angle. Buzz caught on quickly. Buzz and Pete are great friends, always near each other, on each other, looking at each other and smiling.
Buzz at the Kennel
I can't always take Buzz with me when I travel, so sometimes he goes to the kennel. He goes to a really nice place out in the country and the people there always remember him and smile and give him cuddles.
Last week was the first time that I had to kennel Buzz since switching him to raw food. Getting all of his meals ready was quite a task! The kennel owners weren't going to be able to supervise him in the same way that I do, so I didn't feel comfortable giving them any bones to feed him. Buzz has yet to have a choking problem of any kind, but why tempt fate?
Anyway, I bought some premade raw that contained ground bones and organ meat. Buzz ate the premade patties as his dinner. His breakfasts consisted of muscle meat as usual, but I diced them up into very small pieces rather than leaving them whole.
I had to bag everything and label it with instructions and feeding times. It was quite the process!
Buzz volunteered to help. He even somehow draped this tea towel over his back. It made me think of the Big Bad Wolf putting on Red Riding Hood's Grandmother's clothes...Buzz trying to pass himself off as the sous-chef when really he just wants to eat all the food!
Buzz did really well at the kennel--as usual, the little champ--and the owner said "Buzz you eat better than I do!" I will post the dog portions of my trip soon!
Last week was the first time that I had to kennel Buzz since switching him to raw food. Getting all of his meals ready was quite a task! The kennel owners weren't going to be able to supervise him in the same way that I do, so I didn't feel comfortable giving them any bones to feed him. Buzz has yet to have a choking problem of any kind, but why tempt fate?
Anyway, I bought some premade raw that contained ground bones and organ meat. Buzz ate the premade patties as his dinner. His breakfasts consisted of muscle meat as usual, but I diced them up into very small pieces rather than leaving them whole.
I had to bag everything and label it with instructions and feeding times. It was quite the process!
Buzz volunteered to help. He even somehow draped this tea towel over his back. It made me think of the Big Bad Wolf putting on Red Riding Hood's Grandmother's clothes...Buzz trying to pass himself off as the sous-chef when really he just wants to eat all the food!
Buzz did really well at the kennel--as usual, the little champ--and the owner said "Buzz you eat better than I do!" I will post the dog portions of my trip soon!
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