In my blog I plan to chat about nature, crafts, baking, gardening, beekeeping, family, and whatever else seems appropriate at the time. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Taking care of me....and my dog

Thank you sweet blogger friends for your kind thoughts and words. I was told one time by a Doctor that there is depression, and situational depression. I have a situation that is depressing, but I've decided I'm not going to let it get to me I've done what I can do. Now she has to do what she can do. And I have too many blessings to be grateful for. I'm also not going to talk about it today :) My Shug and I have to talk about it. It's part of our lives. But it doesn't have to be a part of everything in my life.

And I did answer all of your comments on my last blog post in the comment section, so if you really want to hear more about it, you can go there and read my replies. One thing my cousin Gloria sent me that really made me feel good. She said


People cry, not because they're weak.

It's because they've been strong for too long.

Now for one of my blessings this last week. My Shug came home from work on Tuesday, instead of going out to our house that we are building, because he knew I didn't feel well. And he made me home made chicken and noodle soup! YUM YUM YUM. When My Shug was laid off for several months a couple of years ago, he made it his mission to learn how to make chicken and noodles. Comfort food. Tis yummy.


So, after last week, I decided I was going to have a great weekend. I declared Friday night from 6:30 pm on, sit on the couch, watch a movie and crochet night. I told My Shug to plan on it. He was home by 6:30, we were on the couch, turned on the movie Contagious and we both fell asleep at 8:00!






Saturday morning I got up and was cleaning house a bit. I went to put away a stack of plastic cups that were opened at the wrong end, and they all fell on my dog-haired floor.


I picked them up, rinsed them off and stuck them in the drainer. I'm going to have a good day, dammittohell! I stayed home and cleaned house until 1:00ish...then I took Dixie for his free training lesson at the pet supply store. Remember a few posts back.......


I asked if they cared if I snapped some pictures. See these dogs....


They had them heeling, turning about, leaving it, sitting, and staying, all in a matter of minutes.


Not my little guy.


The first thing she did was put this 'training collar' on him. She let me feel it first and it didn't hurt. It had these prong looking things that "imitate the Mother's teeth."


There he is....doing better......but


he would NOT look at her when she talked to him. I laugh every time I think of it. Look at this picture. LOL! He is just like a very strong-willed child. She would talk to him and tug his collar and he would turn his face away from her!

Last week, before she met him, she said she could probably get him trained in a session or two. This week she suggested I sign up for obedience training classes. Six weeks, $100, guaranteed results. She even said she'd give me two for one! Both dogs. I just don't have the time right now. I refuse to add one more thing to my schedule. Some weeks I have lots of time, but weeks like last one....So on weeks that I have time, I am going to work with them. I see how it's done now. And when the weather gets nice I'm going to start walking them more. I used to take Dixie bye-bye with me, before we got Winston. Winston is more of mans dog. He likes my Shug better than me. He insists on going with him. I'm going to start taking Dixie more often. I think they have been ignored lately. Go figure.


Anyway, I did tell my Shug about the lessons and he said, "I don't care if they heel, sit, speak or whatever...I want them to stop peeing on stuff." Oh yeah....that. Well, she said Dixie should get neutered. But I had a miniature dachshund that was neutered. He peed on stuff his whole life. 15 years. Winston is neutered, he pees on stuff. I think it's a male thing. I do. I've never had a female dog pee on stuff. And I explained to her, they are potty trained. They go outside to potty, this is different. They are marking their territory.


Here is what she suggested...


  • Do not yell at them. It does no good. Use a calm, stern voice and say, "NO. BAD DOG."

  • Be persistent.

  • If you don't catch them at it, and don't know which one did it, take them both over to the spot and say, "NO. BAD DOG." They know which one did it.

  • Be persistent.

  • Praise them when they listen to you and do what you say.

  • Be persistent.

  • They just want praise. They want to please us and make us happy.

She didn't say Be Persistent that many times. I just need to hear it that many times!


So there you go. We're keeping the dogs for now. We'll see how it goes.


Cindy Bee

10 comments:

  1. Shugs is the best...making chicken noodle soup. that's so nice.
    sounds like you needed to get to sleep @ 8pm. You know your sick when that happens!

    Your MIL will decide what to do. You do the 'maintenance stuff' and move along. She'll figure it out.

    Shugs is funny too! LOL! But I do think time with them, and walking and 'being persistent' will help. Actually now that we know the whole story, they may be peeing because of all the stress. i don't say that to make you feel bad, i say that because dogs feel whats going on.

    I laughed when I read your remark comment on my comment. YES it's hard to breath when you can't haha.

    enjoy your Sunday.
    Julie

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  2. I think your dog trainer is right - we struggled with the whole knowing which one the culprit was when we had 2 dogs, but we did manage to get them out of the habit of peeing indoors and Kit was a very headstrong male. It's about them accepting that you are dominant in the pack structure and that covers even aspect of their behaviour, not just the peeing.

    Now, you've gotta love a man who earns how to make your favourite soup!!

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  3. Here is another one for you. My daughter was told by a trainer if you let you dogs sit on the couch that you sit on that they think they are dominant to you also. Ok, Ladybug is so our boss, that is where she sits. But my daughter will not let her great dane who wants to sit on the furniture up and she does really well with knowing who the boss is. So I think that makes since since But does not have a clue she is not our boss. The chicken soup looks wonderful. Better than the apple I am eating while catching up.

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  4. Hi Cindy Bee,
    Chicken noodle soup and a movie on the lounge, ahhhh, I think that was a very good move.

    My grandmother had a similar philosophy to the dog trainer - she had 11 kids and when she didnt know which one did something - they copped it.
    You don't have time to muck about when you got 11 kids...

    Looking forward to seeing your crochet, when you managed to get to it.
    How did you go with your granny squares?

    cheers
    Fi

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  5. I am a HORRIBLE dog trainer and that's why if I have my choice I prefer used dogs to puppies. Our bad baby Buddy is just now learning to be a good boy and he's almost two. I'm pretty sure it's because he's smarter than we are ;)

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  6. I agree with Fiona, I think they are trying to dominate. If they think you are their "alpha male" it should stop.

    My dog knows I'm alpha and even though she is a stubborn little dog, she wants to please me so badly that she when she does break the rules, she tucks her tail in shame and goes to the back of the couch and won't even look at me until I go to her and let her know we're still ok.

    Good luck!! :)

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  7. Hi everyone - Thanks for all of the dog advise. I started working with them yesterday. Dixie is a pain to train, I will say that right now. Even for food. He just runs around me in circles and jumps on me. I sternly and firmly and nicely say No.....till I get mad and say GET DOWN!

    I am taking in all of your advice. They do sit on our furniture. I will stop that when we move to the new house. It'll just be easier then. I'll have room for dog beds. I think I shall make some for each room. Lord knows I have enough material and I will have a craft room then. Maybe I won't have to clear a path to the sewing machine and clean it off to use it!

    Cindy Bee

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  8. we never let dexterdog on any furniture - but he does have his own lazy boy LOL its his, no one elses. So he stays off of beds, couches etc. even when we are traveling. Id suggest letting the dogs have one "place" to sleep that is okay - every other place of furniture where they try to sleep tell them "get down" (not "no" - "get down" will then have a specific meaning to them) and be PERSISTENT :) when they go on to their special "place" then reward them like a happy idiot with "good dog!!!!"..I did the happy idiot a lot when we first got Dexter lol

    And yea, dixie is jerking your chain so to speak lol you dont have a toddler there, you have a TEENAGER lol

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  9. greats pictures, Love the dog haha so cute and tiny

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Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to leave a comment on my blog. I enjoy reading them. I hope you have a wonderful day.

Cindy