BS: Our pets favorite things

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Nov 08 - 11:04 PM

So, I was out in the garage this evening and had pulled a few items from the pickup to take in the house. I had a dishtowel in my hand and gave Cinnamon, the pit bull, a pat with it.

You know how they get that cute look when they wrinkle their noses and get just the right grip on a towel and lean back and want to tug and shake on it while you tug and shake right back at them? That is one of my pet's favorite things. We managed to have a little tug-o-war without destroying my good dishtowel, but it is now in the laundry awaiting de-slobbering.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 12:11 AM

We had a nice trip to the feed store. I didn't take them in together, but one at a time so they could each do their tricks for their friend, the guy behind the counter.

A woman there saw how well-behaved my pit bull is and asked if I do pit bull rescue (she does). Nope, just with this one. I could tell she was hoping I'd say yes--my pooch and I do the classic trick for a dog like this--I'm in charge of food, so until I tell her, she can't eat the treat I put on the floor in front of her. The thing about this breed is that they love the anticipation, that's as exiting as actually getting the food, and they really do want to please you. It's a breed that you have to understand to work in rescue situations, but I don't want to turn my yard into chaos by introducing a new dog every so often who needs to be socialized or nursed back to health. I'll stick with my two.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: LilyFestre
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 10:34 PM

I just finished giving Wiggy (one of our dogs) a haircut. He loves having his hair cut but HATES being in the car so we compromise and he get's a top of the line, LilyFestre Chop Job. It's not pretty but he lays right out on the floor, head in my lap and lets me snip away. He's happy that he's not riding in the car and that he is getting lots of gentle attention and I'm happy that his hair is cut and I've saved money on both gas and the groomer.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 04:38 PM

My dogs adore being towelled dry. Even if they aren't wet.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 03:55 PM

Anybody else have a cat that loves to be wrapped up in blankets with just their faces sticking out? Tommy loves this - being wrapped up and held on my lap having his little chin chucked is his idea of perfect happiness. Both of them demand to be towelled dry if they get wet in the rain. I started this to keep the furniture dry and prevent Snowball comsuming too much fur while grooming the water off, but now a little dew on their little toesies and they are meowing for a towel when they come in.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 10:45 AM

My girls have made such progress from their skunking 10 days ago that I'm going to take them to the feed store with me today and show off how pretty they are after so many baths.

They smell pretty much like dogs again. Last week was rough, but I don't think they're going to smell like skunks for the next months or years.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 10:22 AM

Here's you new kitteh's name:

fluffy + little + kitty + husband

Flitteh-hubbeh

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: GUEST,Neovo
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 08:14 AM

My cat's three favourite things are sleeping, snoozing, and eating in preparation for sleeping or snoozing.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 11:13 PM

Susan... Nooooooooo!!!!!!

Lesseee....


fluffy little kitty                                 

                                        husband

Nope - husband still tips the balance.

But... FLUFFY little kitty....

<<sigh...>>

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 09:49 PM

Might as well name it, Bee. :~)

Sadie went in the CAR to WALMART, and also got to visit a FRIED'S house for the first time since I've had her-- a house with lots of critter smells-- and she was a VERY good girl. Next time, off leash.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 03:47 PM

An old TV antenna made of fibreglass, with a long bit of twine tied to it, both cats love this toy. Husband calls it 'fishing for cats'.

Have I noted that I am only one husband away from crazy cat lady? Yet another kitten is hanging around my house, playing with my cats. It's very young, light brown mottled, long haired. It doesn't look really thin, though. Looks healthy. Maybe it's a neighbour's.

Must not feed stray kitty.
Must not make friends with stray kitty.
Must take this one to SPCA if it starts looking too skinny.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 09:25 AM

That is a great idea for bored dogs-- I can do one in their run out of PVC.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Sooz
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 02:49 PM

A 10 foot long cardboard tube which used to have carpet rolled around it with one end on a stool. Meg, our border collie, plays for ages dropping a ball in the top and running round to catch it as it rolls out of the end. Favourite ball at the moment is one with a bell in it.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Wolfhound person
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 01:44 PM

Dead seal on the beach to roll in and toss about. The deader the better. Not quite skunk, I admit, but pretty honky nonetheless.
And the lead lady can smell them from half a mile off, up the wind.
At least it gives her (and us) a good run.


Paws

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 11:38 AM

Our pets favorite things appear to be pregnant mice coming in from the cold, but they seem to prefer them dead. :~) I'll have to increase the territory they're guarding while we sleep. :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 01:32 PM

I can state that one of my dogs' least favorite things is a skunk. The got skunked on Monday night and I washed them then, then several times the next day. Damage control involved getting rid of all collars and I spray them with the Nature's Miracle Skunk Odor Remover several times a day. I'm going to bring them in for a through all-dog shampoo bath later today, and see if I can't drop it down another degree of stink.

These were two very unhappy dogs when I found them, and the next morning the pit bull, who killed the skunk, was still very stressed by the experience. I had them out there without collars for a day, but wasn't bringing the stinky ones in the house so left them on a table. A couple of times I went out and found her curled up on the lawn with one or both of the collars next to her. She seems to feel like she's missing something without the collar. I picked up new ones and drilled holes for the Invisible Fence device and they're back to normal that way. She's looking much more like her old happy self now.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 09:53 AM

Sadie may also be a good offleash dog, but I doubt it. Her background includes hundred of acres to roam, loose. She did get out once when we were not home and we were thrilled to find her waiting for us in the driveway. "I been waiting, I wanna go IN now!" (Raining.) I am sure she had roamed, first, though, and there is That Road.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Anne Lister
Date: 16 Oct 08 - 08:33 AM

Persia (our recently acquired cat) has two favourite toys ... one is a plum stone (replacing a frozen pea which has been squashed underfoot) which is then batted around the kitchen floor and pounced on. The other is the cardboard cylinder from inside a toilet roll. This gives hours of entertainment, especially as we've started putting items inside the tube and she has to find ways to fish them out.
Not an expensive cat to maintain, as you see. The only problems come when she loses the plum stone and comes to tell us ..and we have to look for it for her.

Anne

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 06:52 PM

It turns out my dog Gromet is a great off leash dog. Since I blew out my Achilles tendon I take her to a huge field where she can run a couple hundred yards in any direction but she always stays in an eliptical orbit around me and immediatly comes with a mere whisper of 'c'mere'.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 06:17 PM

I'm not sure it's the Ride itsself...more likely just being the Chosen One to go with the Hooman. I'm pretty sure that is it for ours. The Ride is boring, and Molly often spends it quietly whining. She's just waiting for the End of the Ride...so she can get OUT and be where we are going.


Even if that is the Vets.....they always think it will be The Lake. They LOVE the Lake!

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: LilyFestre
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 05:46 PM

Our cocker spaniel LOVES to bring in apples that have fallen from the tree, green tomatoes that have fallen from the plant and he even likes to (try to) steal potatoes as RidgePlucker is digging them up. Yep, our little Wiggy is a produce theif!!! He seems to understand that he can't have the red tomatoes, even if they are on the ground...GOOD BOY!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Oct 08 - 04:04 PM

I know this cannot be unique, and I am sure many dogs share it, but for Sadie, it's car rides.

What IS unusual about it for her is that this poorly-raised, normally hard-to-leash-lead, very tall, strong and headstrong dog suddenly becomes totally calm and submissive (exercised first or not), as soon as the car door closes. And she stays that way as long as we're riding, and getting out of the car.... until we're about halfway to the house door and then she wants to drag me into the house to greet jealously-barking Faulkner. This has been true since the day I picked er up. It took 20 minutes to "Sit!"-walk her to the car door, but as soon as she was in, it was all calm snuggles, and respectful of my car food, and everything you could ask for in a dog.

???

Must Ride More Often.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Apr 08 - 11:22 AM

Atticus (cat) FINALLY tried to reverse roles with Isis (cat) last night: "YOU be the pillow. In fact, you are big enough to be the mattress!" She was sound asleep when he slithered out from under her, and tried to lay out on her side. She woke puzzled and less than appreciative, but we went up to bed before they finished sorting it out.

I can only imagine how must fun this must feel like, to a momcat, when they are slithering around inside her in the last weeks of gestation!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 14 Apr 08 - 10:09 AM

Must be time for a Snowball update.

Should have definitely named him Ragbag or Dirt Devil! He has a genius for finding sooty places to cover his fur in dirt. He is lousy at climbing trees, but does it anyway and comes down ungracefully with spruce twigs and balsam impossibly entwined in his long fur. There are numerous other cats in the area, and both Tommy and Snowball manage a hostile encounter now and then. The difference is: Tommy usually prevails, and has never been scratched. Snowball leads with his face, judging by the number of dings he gets. I discourage this behaviour by keeping both of them in as soon as it gets dark, but it's hard to avoid completely. Tommy finally quit beating him up - no fun in it anymore.

Snowball has gotten large. I'm five foot six. When Snowball stretches out in my lap and along my legs, he can reach me mid-shin with his paws, not including tail. He's the loudest cat I've ever owned. Tommy hardly emits a meow unless in dire need of outdoors. Snowball has a penetrating, hoarse, nasal meow which he uses to demand food, out, and most frequently, my attention. Sometimes when I'm busy, I encourage the two of them to get out and play. Snowball doesn't always want to go, and he takes the methodology of the sixties protester: flop on your back and go limp.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Apr 08 - 09:48 AM

Glad to hear things are going well!

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Apr 08 - 09:44 AM

Sadie's breeding mix finally solved-- Yellow Lab + Great Dane + Golden Retriever. Resulting in a short yellow Dane with a little feathering, and with a Dane's little pig-eye and jowls.

She has settled in nicely though, and is the most treat-motivated trainee I have ever worked with. It takes her time to scope out the program, but she does scope it out and has chosen a LR spot that works for us all. A quiet shake of her rattle (pill bottle filled with her small kibbles) calms her as needed for hanging out, supplemented by much ear stroking and the occasional kibble morsel from out of the rattle.

Faulkner continues to shore up his Best Dog/Top Dog position graciously, is learning to catch Sadie-kibbles in mid-air, and continues to be able to learn and model new behaviors while Sadie still lopes around unfocused in her more primitive compliances.

We have a nice balance going, even if it is Mud Season in Pennsyltucky and their paws are bringing in an awful lot of goo.


Sadie surprised us out in the driveway late one night as we came home-- she'd gotten out of their pen and was just SO GLAD to see us drive in to let her into the warm, dry house. She left us a mangled groundhog as a present. When F escapes it takes forever to corral him-- he'd happily roam for days-- but she trotted right in with us.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Mar 08 - 04:07 PM

... when Anneke died and Sissie Mae became alpha....

What complicated it was that as my MudTrainer advised, a single male will often yield to a single female and let her be the alpha dog. Sadie had no desire to be alpha; F would defend his food but nothing else, and was miserably confused. Long story short, neither of them would take alpha. S didn't care but F did, deeply-- he's very much a pack-oriented dog and she's more obedience/rote in her thinking. He needed to KNOW. But he just was stuck trying to figure out what refused to add up.

So we juggled just a few things to make it clearer that to us, he may not be Alpha (Hardi is Alpha Male and I'm Alpha Female), but he is Top Dog, THE Dog, Best Dog, and-- among dogs-- immediately beneath Alpha Female. And he loves that, because if it's dog/dog, he's IT. And if it's human/dog, he's the dog-- except that he does see that Sadie is My Dog and he is Hardi's Dog. He doesn't LIKE it that she's my dog, but he accepts it pretty philosophically. He couldda been my dog but no, he picked Hardi, so I went and got me a dog that is my dog. He IS the better dog, but Sadie is, in many ways, more my speed. (F is so much like my BJ that I can't quite relax and just let him be my dog.) But he gets special time with just me-- laptime with momdog-- whenever he feels he needs to burrow in for reassurance.

And he is a gracious, non-alpha, midpack dog. When we foster a dog he is very welcoming, and helps them learn the ropes. In a wolfpack I suspect he'd have been the pup-sitter uncle.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 30 Mar 08 - 08:42 AM

In talking to my father the other day he reminded me of my sister's bassett hound, Virgil. This was a disgusting dog. I refer to him as "scratch and sniff" because he stunk to high heaven.

We had post holes in the back yard where dad had removed a fence. Virgil used to love to go out back and bark down into those holes...no idea what he was barking at..

When my sister married she took Virgil with her and they moved just a mile or so away. There is a very well known local ice cream place around the corner from her...one of those "take away only" places. They used to take Virgil for walks around the block and would stop at Red's on the way home and get him a small vanilla cone. Well one day he got out of the yard somehow and my sister and B-I-L didn't know it until a lady who lived down the street called and told them the dog was standing in line at Red's, waiting for an ice cream. Poor bastard..he had no money AND the place was closed for the winter!

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: GUEST,Chicken Charlie
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 04:28 PM

When we moved into our current house a few years back, the neighborhood wasn't built up yet and there were still a lot of open spaces for terrier mix Anneke and golden mix Sissie Mae to run loose in. They discovered that the terrain was full of rabbits and squirrels, and since they never actually succeeded in catching any, I didn't feel at all bad about letting them happily follow the scent trails. I remember once, not too long after a good rain had softened the ground that Sissie Mae found a fresh rodent hole and decided to dig it out. She was going like a mad fiend and actually had a hole so deep only her tail was showing above ground. Meanwhile, Anneke was standing right behind her, waiting for results and getting all the dirt right in her face. She was too spatially challenged to realize that if she moved two feet in practically any direction, she could solve the problem. Anyway, Sis finally decided that nobody was home and stopped excavating.

Before that, our whatever-she-was Benji-type mix Pepper decided that rides were the thing. A couple of times I was cleaning out a vehicle or working on it and she got in. She would absolutely not get out until it had gone somewhere. I'd open the door nearest her and she would jump to the corner farthest away. I finally gave up and drove around the block so she would get her "ride." Then she got out, satisfied.

Reading about Faulkner, I remember when Anneke died and Sissie Mae became alpha. She didn't have any trouble at all stepping into the roll. She had always kow-towed to Anneke, but also relied on her for protection when some unexpected "threat" came up. Now she shows no hesitation in asserting her priority re. food, water and scratch over her younger pack-sister Murphy Brown, but if Murphy gets anxious about a strange person or strange dog, Sissie now takes the point and lets the stranger know that little sister is not to be messed with. The pack dynamic always amuses and amazes me.

CC

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 03:19 PM

For awhile, Faulkner had a reaction to Sadie joining the household that I got GREAT advice about, from a Catter. She confirmed that it was a loss-of-status aspect of sibling rivalry as I suspected, and helped brainstorm a number of strategies that are actually possible within our complicated household, and they are working GREAT.

<> Both dogs happy, both humans happy
<> Faulkner's time with Lord and master increased
<> Special treatment for F that he understands as rights of TopDog status
<> F volunteers now to lick my chin, which was never a particular behavior of his toward me, confirming that he understands the permutations of the human/canine pack order well now (and likes it).

Thanks, Mudcat!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 20 Feb 08 - 12:30 PM

I couldn't help but laugh at him, too...He's still young yet (just turned 2 a week ago) so he's still in that goofy stage which helps with the embarrassment. He was just greatful to be out of the stupid thing, I think. So now I have to hide it in the closet when I'm out for fear that he'll get stuck again and I won't be home for hours.

Of course, the look on 10 year old Madmardigan's face spoke volumes..you could almost hear him say, "Dumbass".

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 08:01 PM

OH Beccak! I'm sorry, I'm laffing! Poor insulted Sheldon. Did he tell you he did in on purpose and NO, he does NOT need help to get out? BANZAI!

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 06:35 PM

I caught Sheldon playing with his favorite toy the other night...it's a doughnut-shaped plastic thing with a ball in the middle that spins around. The sides are open and there are 3 slits on the top so that the cat can spin the ball but they're not supposed to be able to get it out. Well, enter my gifted and talented Sheldon. I caught him sitting on one side with his hindleg through the center hole...he pried open the other side with his front paws and got the damned ball out. Of course, 3 hours later he got his head stuck in the center hole...apparently his genius comes in spurts.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Feb 08 - 04:11 PM

Thanks, Bee.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 02 Feb 08 - 01:12 PM

I'm glad it went well, Susan. And sorry for your loss, even if it was the right time.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: GUEST,sinky
Date: 02 Feb 08 - 10:36 AM

shitting,eating,barking,biting and shagging

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 07:11 PM

After a real sweet visit and ear-rubbing, Ruby kept her appointment this evening. I feel really OK about it, and glad that she stayed calm for that last sweet-time, instead of running off to her corner. The vet, as always, was great. Getting Faulkner's shots at the same time was a big help, too-- not coming home with the empty car.

Anyway, thanks to Little Ruby Hoobie-Doobie for being so much fun and such a bundle of energy. You will be missed.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 05:21 PM

You do have to sign in to view the entire slideshow...as I said above, I already had an account so it worked for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 05:20 PM

Not blaming you, just giving you feedback. I look forward to seeing the pix eventually. :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 05:05 PM

Eek! I promise 'I' did no such thing, Susan. I may have to find a different place to put up my pics - Snapfish ads were included with the new 'puter; was the easiest place for me to try out.

Obviously high speed internet is dangerous in the hands of innocent amateurs!

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 04:52 PM

I see Snowball laughing in a laid-back (reclined!) position, about how cleverly he got you to take him in, plus this:

Debbie has created an account
on Snapfish for you.

Please enter your name, email address
and password to access your account.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 04:49 PM

Cool! Thanks, Becca.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 04:44 PM

It worked that time, Bee

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 03:59 PM

Okay, if anyone tries this, tell me whether you can see more than one photo, kthxbai.

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=215921689/a=119287236_119287236/t_=119287236

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 03:40 PM

I already had a snapfish account and it just showed the 1 pic...

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 03:05 PM

Hmm. May be something I did - I think you should be able to see all the pics without signing up - maybe I linked to just one pic and not the whole album.

Yes, Snowball is growing really fast lately. He isn't as fat as the pic makes him look, but he's pleasantly padded.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 02:55 PM

Good pic, but since I didn't sign up, I didn't get a slideshow-- just the one photo.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 01:49 PM

He's huge! Indoor living has definitely agreed with Snowball. Very handsome boys ya got there, Bee.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 01 Feb 08 - 12:48 PM

http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=215921689/PictureID=4588619222/a=119287236_119287236/t_=119287236

New kitty pics, if I did it right.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 02:54 PM

LOL...teach husband how to make the smoochy-faced kissy-noise that no cat can resist instead of the cougar meow....