The Dog Company: Newsletter

Volume 65 - April 9th, 2004

Materials in this newsletter are the sole possession of the authors and Dog Company. Please do not copy or use in any fashion without written permission

This is a very cute trick and also handy if you're in a hurry. If your dog eats out of a ten pound ceramic bowl, please get another dish for this trick. You can use a travel dish or even a plastic take out container. You cannot use a heavy or weighted dish. Before you begin, make sure your dog can pick up the dish you want him to bring to you!

Take the dish and toss it. Get your dog to retrieve it by telling him/her "take it". When your dog fetches the dish, put a cookie in it, praise her and tell her okay so that she knows she can eat the reward. Try this a few times till the dog has it down pat. Then begin to say, "TAKE IT...BRING YOUR DISH." Wow, do you see what a genius your dog is! Now start to ask her to bring the dish without you tossing it. Have your cookies ready. Rattle the plastic bag in your pocket ..... if she wants a treat, she will have to bring the dish. Make sure you always put her cookie in the dish and give lots of praise.

Woof... "ring that bell!" Sweep.^..^~~!

(To our advertisers: we'd love to hear if your ad in the Woof was successful. Please drop us a line and let us know.)

Wanted: A forever home. Are you looking for a sweetie on four paws? I'm a 12 year old Boston, and looking for a very special home, because I'm deaf and have been so since I was born. I'm spayed and as you can see by my picture, I'm really very cute. If you can help me, please mailto:btccrescue@dccnet.com, the Boston Terrier Rescue organization.

Wanted: A new home. My name is Woofie. I'm 9 years old, healthy and my breed is Schnauzer/Corgi cross. Sadly, my Mom has passed away and I am now living with my foster parents. I like walks but not too far. I don't know much about toys but maybe I could learn. When you first meet me, I get nervous and I quiver like Jell-o but once I know you like me, I relax and settle down. I have never met many people but I will have to learn that, too. I hope you like my pictures....I think I'm a pretty photogenic little boy!

Yours truly,

Woofie You can call 1 - 250 - 248 - 1057 or mailto:koha17@shaw.ca

Wanted: Your 'articles', your 'For Sales', your 'Want Ads', your birthday wishes, your letters to Mam'selle, your ... ???

For the next Woof, please...... mailto:peni@dogcompany.com

(Disclaimer: Advertisements posted by the Woof are done as a service, not as an endorsement. Please communicate directly with the ad contact for further information on any items.)

At the Pet Expo, held in Victoria on March 20 and 21, the Dog Company and Island Dog Sports booth hosted a free draw with three great prizes. The winners of those draws are as follows:

Accent Inns (free accomodation package) was won by Anne Kinshella
Obedience training/introduction to dog sports was won by Steve McDowell
Pet Directory (listing of everything pet related!) was won by Brenda Wenstob

Congratulations to all the winners.

Good Day, Mam'selle Poutine,

I was wondering if you could tell me how to get the dog that I am babysitting to stop licking me? He is a Maltese.

Regards,
Carrie Clements, Australia

Hi Carrie!

This is a sweet gesture from a friendly dog, but it can become an unwanted annoyance if you don't want dog saliva on you or if your dog is one of those "won't take no for an answer dogs". For a few of the pushy dogs, it becomes a "friendly" kind of dominance. What starts off as affection ends up as assertion. So let's say if some one you like kisses you ... well, that's nice, but if they continue to kiss you and you protested and they kept kissing you, you would not say it was nice any longer. The reason I am telling you this is so you do not misread the dog's intentions. Pulling your hands away and verbally protesting, backing up and attempting to avoid the licks will be interpreted as submissive behaviour by the dog.

You need to put his lead (leash) on him. Anytime he goes to lick, you need to tell him "no lick" .. If he stops, verbally praise him ---- no patting. If he persists in licking, give the lead a "snap" and say "no lick" and then praise him if he withdraws. Remember not to pat him. Licking is normally a gesture of affection. But taken too far, it should be stopped.

Does he have other behaviour problems?

Wagging & licking poutine ^..^~~!

I started to tell you about some of the walking I'm doing. One of the car ride type ones we do is a long ride again, and when Kaleb is with us, sharing that back seat is the pits.I started to tell you about some of the walking I'm doing. One of the car ride type ones we do is a long ride again, and when Kaleb is with us, sharing that back seat is the pits.

That's Kaleb's haunch I'm using as a pillow)
See, Dad has started joining us on these Saturday walks - he says he wanted the exercise. So, anyway, after that ride, we get to a mountain! Well, it's more of a mountain than anywhere else we go - it sure has a lot of ups and downs in the trails so it must be a mountain.

There are lots of different trails at this walk so we don't always go the same way which makes it interesting. In fact, one time, it really got interesting - the human people almost didn't know where we were!!! Now if they'd just asked any of the canine people, we could have set them straight really quickly. Another time, the leader of the pack headed off happily on the wooden trail, and we were back at the beginning in just a few minutes! Think I saw the humans looking at the map thing after that day.

Some parts of the trails here can be pretty rugged. One of the last times we were there, we had to climb up and down over some rocks. We pups, of course, all have four-pawed drive so no problem at all, but you should have seen some of the humans. They were slipping and sliding, holding branches and putting their front paws down on the ground - we furfaces just had to snicker when we saw them. For me, it kind of makes up for when I'm slipping on floors and people make fun of me. I heard, but didn't actually get to see it, that one of them actually slipped and sat down without being told to sit!

Another neat thing about the trails here is that they're often kinda wet - we get to play and splash in mud part of the time. One time, we came to a part where there was a great big puddle. Most of the furfaces just went crashing through - they thought it was great. The humans, on the other paw, had to use a log that was sort of at the side. You know me - I'm the athlete with attitude - when I saw Mom walking on that log, I thought it looked like fun, so I followed her instead of going through the water. It was just like doing the dog walk at Agility.

Yep, the trails at this place make the ride worthwhile. We've checked out a couple more walks that are sort of the same but closer to where I live - that'll be good. They'll keep the people working, but nothing for us four footed types. And remember I told you we might be going to go on that flower walk thing again? It's official - we're gonna do it - 19 dogs and 21 humans. It's going to be fun I'm sure.

The evolution of the mixed breed dog: Part 3

It all started one year ago when I was running after that BIG GREY BIRD (Mom called it a Heron) on the beach and I did an ouchy. When Mom saw me limping, she wouldn't let me chase any more critters that day. When my limp didn't get any better, we visited my Doctor. He is B I G (75 in compared to my 20 in), is oh so gentle and he gives me cookies. He twisted my hip and knee then took me in the back to the big black machine that takes pictures. When we were finished, I got another cookie and he told Mom that I had probably "slightly" torn my knee ligament which he called a cruciate and told me I had to spend more time in my crate and I was to walk very "sedately" beside Mom on leash for a couple of months. Now; being an Australian Terrorist, I, of course, took great exception to this diagnosis, and promptly determined that there was no way this was about to happen. Me slow down --- forget it. Mom tried really hard, but I think that only Auntie Peni could manage that.

About seven months later, Mom started limping and would you believe, it was on her right hind leg just like me. Everyone suspected she was just doing this in sympathy for poor little me, but her Doctor (he isn't as big as mine and she doesn't get any cookies) said that her hip bone was wearing out but I suspect she just wants to get out of all the walks I demand.

On February 29th, I was chasing my imaginary rat in the back yard and my leg gave out; I started hopping around on three legs. Mom said the rat would have to wait, and she took me to my Doctor the next day. He wiggled my leg and said it was time for a repair job and that he would see me next Thursday, which came all too soon. Mom dropped me off really early (for her) in the morning and said she would see me the next day. When she came to pick me up the next afternoon, there was no sympathy; she just started laughing at my big yellow bandage. My Doctor told her that the operation went well; I had damaged the cruciate 90% and it had to be removed, but I now have an artificial ligament which they normally don't do for small dogs - they did replace it for me because I am an Agility Dog and would need all the help I could get.

Agility Trialing with Spencer Mom and I went home and I discovered I had a really big crate. Mom had borrowed Empress's crate (my neighbor the Golden Retriever) and I could get up and walk around in it. It was certainly better than my crate, but IT WAS STILL A CRATE. For the first ten days, I got carried in and out of the back yard all the time and you should have heard the moaning and groaning from Mother until the stitches were out and I could start putting weight on my leg and walk outside by myself. The second week we started physio and I got my leg rubbed and stretched and lots of short little walks in the backyard just like Mom did when she went to physio for her leg in January. The third week was wonderful, I was allowed to walk to the end of the block and back but still had to stay on the "@%%*#" little short leash. The fourth week we went back to the Doctor for an "evaluation" and he told me I was articulating very well (Mom explained that to me) and that I could now start longer walks and that by the end of the week, I should be going up and down hills, at which Mom promptly groaned. Her hind leg had deteriorated to the point that she could only go downhill, and even with her cane could not get back up the hill. When we got home, she told Dwight (another neighbor, but he doesn't have a dog) our problem and he came up with the perfect solution.

Dwight went out to his garage and drove a little vehicle down to our house and told us we could borrow it for as long as we need it. He called it a scooter. Mom and I are practicing with this little red machine and I am supposed to walk along beside it while she gets to ride. That worked out quite well (I am still a bit skittish), until she had to drive through a gate and by overgrown hedges and there wasn't enough room for me beside it so now some of the time I get to ride too.

With a bit more practice, we are planning on going around the entire DND walk behind the Colwood Firehall. I can hardly wait to get out and really push my new cruciate to the limit. Cheer us on, everyone!!!!!

Mindy T for Terriorist

Monty

Count of Monte Cristo

Staring Starring James Caviezel, Guy Pearce
Rated PG-13
Genre: Drama and Action/Adventure
Approx. 2 hrs. 11 min

The Count of Monte Cristo story line is an Alexandre Dumas' classic story of an innocent man imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. Edmond Dantes (James Caviezel) is a young sailor who was deceived and sent to prison by his best friend over a lady they both love. Dantes spends thirteen years in prison where he plots his revenge on his best friend. While in prison, Dantes meets a fellow inmate and they plan and carry out an escape from the island where they are imprisoned. The acting in this movie is well done - it's a great movie to see.

Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.
- Alexander Pope (1688 - 1744)

Arrrrffffs and woofs to Jacques, who turned a whole one year old on April 2. She celebrated the day by sharing treats with the Trail Blazers who were at the Tod Inlet walk that day. Thank you, Jacques!

And... a belated wish for a human birthday ... one of dogdom's best friends, George (of 1 - 800 - George fame) has had a birthday this month... Aaarrrooooo and rufffff and wooooofffffs from all the gangs, George.

An estimated one million dogs have been named the primary beneficiary in their owner's will.

The evolution of the mixed breed dog: Part 4

No Bad Dogs - Barbara Woodhouse
Well, that is music to any puppy's ears! My mom can't hear those words enough ... she loves this book and says it will leave every dog owner with both the skills and the indispensable attitude of love, firmness and enthusiasm that gets results...that's the way we do it, the Woodhouse way!

"Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as Gods. Cats have never forgotten this."
... Anonymous

We ran part of this last year, but it never hurts to rub things in... after all, we felines do need to keep reminding everyone of just how important we are and how predictable canines are. Thanks to Linda P for sending it in.

How Many Dogs Does It Take to Change A Light Bulb?

Australian Shepherd: First, I'll put all the light bulbs in a little circle ...
Border Collie: Just one. And then I'll replace any wiring that's not up to code.
Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.
Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.
German Shepherd: I'll change it as soon as I've led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven't missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.
Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?
Jack Russell Terrier: I'll just pop it in while I'm bouncing off the walls and furniture.
Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeze, please, please, please!
Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? I'm sorry, but I don't see a light bulb?
Poodle: I'll just blow in the Border Collie's ear and he'll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.
Rottweiler: Make me

The Cat's Answer: "Dogs do not change light bulbs. People change light bulbs. So, the real question is: How long will it be before I can expect some light, some dinner, and a massage?"

ALL OF WHICH PROVES, ONCE AGAIN, THAT WHILE DOGS HAVE MASTERS, CATS HAVE STAFF.

Cleocatra
(Cats rule .... dogs drool!)

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