BS: Puppy Power

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 12 May 05 - 06:15 AM

Many years back I was in N.Wales supervising D.of E. Expeditionists for gold level award and was staying at a hostel where a lovely collie lived.
In those days the hostel was only open at cetain times and as I got back early I was sitting outside in the sun. Along comes this collie and sits beside me and look at me strangely. I thought it wants me to play with it so I found a stick and threw it. Nothing, it sat and lokked at me. I got up got the stick and threw it again. Still nothing. Several more tries and the dog tilted its head as it looked at me. Then a cat appeared the dog shot away after it. Trouble I thought, but no the dog and cat sat together for a few moments as friends as if talking. Then the dog returned to sit with me. I tried once more with the stick nothing. I went to get the stick to try again and I was sure the dog looked at the cat and was saying "look what I have trained him to do".
When looking on the dogs collar I noticed that it was a SARDA, (Search And Rescue Dog Assoc) and thought that explains it. These dogs are the cleverest and best trained you can get.

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: ranger1
Date: 12 May 05 - 07:18 PM

Looks like you've got lots of great advice. The only thing I'd like to add is that you might want to consider teaching Meg hand signals. My Clancy picked them up on his own, luckily for both of us, as he is now 14 and deaf. It has made it possible for me to continue to communicate with him and still allow him to be off-leash on hikes and walks on the beach. Any future dogs I acquire will be taught hand signals on purpose, 'cause they may not be as clever as Clancy the Wonderdog!

PS Wicked cute pup.

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 20 May 05 - 04:31 AM

Meg eats scrambled Eggs and cereal as well as toast? My goodness, she does take the first meal of thay seriously.

I'm having trouble getting my Alsatian to adjust to Daylight Savings time. This happens every year. It takes him almost 2 months to get used to going to bed an hour earlier. It doesn't help that we have an insane bird that sings all night long right outside the house. >sigh<

It's almost 1:30 AM here, I'm getting ready to turn in and the dog is outside running figure-eights in the front yard. Last night he was stalking the Possum who sneaks out at night to steal all his buried dog biscuits. They've squared off a few times - once resulting in a trip to the Vet to treat the possum bite. Tell Meg it's never a good idea to fight with Possums as they have sharp teeth.

I hope Meg is a good little sleeper. She probably is because she's a tuckered out little girl at night. Does she sleep with you? I bet she does. I wish my dog was still of a mind to do that. He sleeps on his own bed at the foot of ours. One of the most comforting noises a dog ever makes is the way they breathe when they sleep. It's better than a white-noise machine - puts you right at ease.

Please post more photos of Meg The Wonder-Pup! We love her and cannot get enough of her. Please give us some more photos sson so we can post some more "pukesome, mawkish, loads of girly drivel." hehe

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sooz
Date: 20 May 05 - 12:52 PM

More pictures at meg's page

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 20 May 05 - 06:57 PM

Oh My! Look at those feet! Her forepaws have doubled in length in a week! So is blue her favortie colour or yours? All her toys are blue and so is her bed. Her nose is getting longer too. She's going to be a very lovely girl. She also likes like she's losing her 'Puppy Fuzz' and getting her real coat. She must be keeping you very busy.

My poor fellow is still struggling to adjust to his epilepsy and the medications he must take to control it. He has days when the meds just wipe him out and others where he's his old self. He's only been having seixures a few months and he is getting better. Hopefully he can someday go off the medications. It's unseasonably hot here today so I took the shedding comb to him and got a few bales of undercoat off. Now he seems to feel better.

Please continue to post Meg Pix when you can!

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sooz
Date: 25 May 05 - 04:40 AM

updated

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: GUEST,Meg's Fan Club President
Date: 25 May 05 - 06:24 AM

Oh my! What a big girl she is now! That's amazing, that progression of photos with the stuffed sheep thing/toy. Clever way to document her growth.

Do you sing her 'Meg of my heart' to the tune of Peg of My Heart? I would if I had such a lovely little puppy dog named Meg. She's so precious. (other readers may barf/k now)

My Alsatian is snoring up a storm next to my husband, who is not davetnova, as I type. It's hard to tell them apart! Their snoring that is. My husband doesn't have a wet nose and grass-stained paws.

Yesterday my Alsatian fought round 6 of his Neverending-Match with the Possum who lives in a flowering tree in the Dog-Run. The Possum also comes out every night to comb the yard and gardens for buried dog biscuits. It's bad enough that she's claimed the Dog-Run as her exclusive territory. She has to add insult to injury by stealing carefully hidden cookies and chewies too. My Alsatian caught her red-handed, or red-pawed I suppose, trying to make off with a biscuit he'd been saving for later and the fur almost flew. I heard an odd chattering noise and found the two of them squared off and making noises at oneanother with their teeth bared. She's nipped him before and how! Luckily, no bites and scratches this time out.

Please warn Meg about Possums and their sharp teeth.

Meg of my heart... la la la..

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sooz
Date: 25 May 05 - 07:46 AM

Just back from a 4 mile-ish stroll around the lanes- Meg managed to fall into a dyke of mucky water so is absolutley filthy and she appears to be actually tired (first time for everything !)
Mr Sooze

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 25 May 05 - 08:20 AM

She piddled on my trainers - and not everybody can say that. :-)
S:0)

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sooz
Date: 02 Jun 05 - 09:00 AM

More pictures on the website today.

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 05 - 09:14 AM

Please stop posting this cutesy crap or I will puke.

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 02 Jun 05 - 03:00 PM

What a truly beautfil girl she has become! Thanks for the new pix. I like the Meg versus the Stuffed Sheep toy photos. One of these weeks she's gonna eviscerate the thing and all that will be left are plush sheep guts all over the floor.

We've been having a tough time of late with our Alsatian who has developed Epilespy. He has progressed just about to Cluster Seizures and we are having serious discussions about when it would be appropriate to put him down. Our Vet is pretty supportive and we have found an online community of people with Epileptic dogs, so we aren't as discouraged as we once were. He still has far more good days than bad and I am soothed by the knowledge that his seizures don't cause him any physical pain. He has both the 'Paddling' Seizures and the 'Chomping' Seizures. He's on both Potassium bromide and Phenobarbital.

Just before I signed on, he and I had a heated match of Canine Football (soccer) and another match of what I call 'Spin The Puppy' in which I tag his bum and he then spins around as fast as he can. When he comes to a stop, I am supposed to run away. He then chases me, nips my clothes and I then tag him on the bum again and the spinning resumes. It's a game of his own invention, I'm afraid, so the rules are not all that clear. All that matters is that it entertains him.

Does Meg yet have games of her invention beyond 'Piddle on the floor'? (which I am sure she's long since outgrown!)

My dog used to play a game we called Posssum/Chicken in which he and I would square off at opposite ends of the driveway and stare at eachother. I'd then creep towards him very slowly whilst he hunkered down on all fours with his ears flat and was invisible. If he broke his invisibility and leaped towards me, I won.. if he stayed invisible until I got right up to him, he won. Again, his rules, so they don't make a great deal of sense. Noawadyas he prefers 'Spin the Puppy' to Possum/Chicken.

I wonder if I've made the dog-diabetics gag yet?

Meg rules!

More Meg!
More Meg!
MORE MEG!

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sooz
Date: 03 Jun 05 - 01:34 PM

We still play piddle on the floor - but Meg's best trick is to find a hard blue rubber ball wherever we chose to hide it (under a rug, in the waste bin, behind furniture etc). She does this best inside the house where there are fewer distractions, but is still able to find it in the garden (with a following wind!)

Hope things go as well as possible with your epileptic baby.

Guest, please keep your opinions to yourself. No-one asked you to read this thread.

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sorcha
Date: 03 Jun 05 - 02:24 PM

Ya, bugger off Guest!

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 03 Jun 05 - 02:28 PM

Guest should click on Meg's photo - he/she will surely fall under her influence and join her fan club straight away!

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: pixieofdoom
Date: 03 Jun 05 - 03:02 PM

What a beautiful dog!

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 03 Jun 05 - 03:43 PM

Keep the updated pictures coming. I'm not home enough to have a dog, but I enjoy stories about other folks'.

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 03 Jun 05 - 09:20 PM

Pixieofdoom, Welcome to Meg's cult..er.. Fanclu!

I appointed myself President of the US branch until regional chapters can form. Perhaps you can open a Chapter where you live. All you have to do is forward the URL of the page with her photos to people with messages such as 'Look at the cute puppy!' or 'Have you ever seen a more beautifl dog?' That's it, no heavy lifting - just spreading the news about the pretty puppy that she is. I'm hoping we can have a fan Club Convention and make a Pilgrimage to Meg's house on her 1st and 5th birthdays. Something to shoot for.



The striking thing about Meg is how she has this slightly puzzled and wistful look on her widdle face all the time - almost anxious I'd say.

When my White Alsatian has that look on his face, my husband (who is not Davetnova) will say.. 'Oh, Puppers is feeling a little insecure right now.' In reality, I feel that expression is just your typical doggie-looking-for-Pack Leader-Approval face. His face will instantly brighten if he hears 'What a GOOD boy you are!' ..and then he's all waggies again.

When he was widdle as Meg is now, he was so very anxious to please us! The one or two times my husband ever say 'BAD Dog' to him, it just about broke the dog's heart!(and ours!) We now never use the Bee-ay-dee word in our house for any reason lest Puppers become crestfallen at the sound.

Gosh its so nice to have a dog, isn't it? They do require as much care as a child in many ways, but it's well worth it.

Enjoy widdle Meg whilst she's still widdle and continue to take lots of Pi to share with her Fans worldwide. We took hundreds of our boy when he was young and we're so glad to have them now.

The funniest one are when he was about 7 months old and he had this huge head, big, big Alsatian ears and such a tiny little body! Of course now he's the handsomest boy at the dogpark and we know this because everyone tells us so! I wish I had some photos posted online. I'll have to get on that. The Kodak program we use for digital pix doesn't translate well to online programs.

All Hail Meg!
We Love Meg!

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: robomatic
Date: 03 Jun 05 - 10:17 PM

I suggest you watch the Simpsons episode where Bart takes "Santa's Little Helper" to an English dog trainer. "I have two words for you", she said:














"Choke Chain!"

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sooz
Date: 04 Jun 05 - 02:09 PM

Meg had her first experience of the sea-side today. She kept clear of the sea (very wise) and had a great time chasing the frisby along the beach. She is now flaked out and too tired to eat her dinner!

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 04 Jun 05 - 02:23 PM

I do hope photos of Meg's Seaside adventure will soon materialize on the Meg page. She's far more interesting than paris Hilton and has better sense too. I bet Paris Hilton would have jumped in the drink and gotten eaten by a sea monster.

Poor widdle tired doggie.

My Alsatian just came back from a huge walkies with his daddy and has gone and jumped on the bed for a nap. He's quite the bed-hog these days. He's gotten back into the habit of lounging on the bed - probably to escape the heat. We have camouflage netting over the windows to the bedroom which eliminates 40% of Infrared rays and as a result, that room is a bout 15 Degrees cooler than every other room in the house even without any fans or airconditioning. We have to keep an old blanket on top of the bed now that Puppers has decided to make it his day-retreat. I don't blame him, it's much nicer there during the heat of the day.

BTW - I highly recommend the camouflage netting (it's black, you can see out but not in) as a cost-effective heat-beating technique. It can be purchases at most Garden Supply stores. You just trim it to fit the window and nail or staple it to the frame. You can roll it up and tie it when you want more light or heat.

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: GUEST,Sooz (through the back door)
Date: 05 Jun 05 - 08:16 AM

Ooops didn't take the camera

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sooz
Date: 19 Jun 05 - 05:49 AM

Website update.

Meg begins to howl whenever I play my melodeon. She throws her head back and really sings! She stops as the last note dies away. (Relief probably)

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: GUEST,Dave'sWife w/out her cookie
Date: 09 Jul 05 - 07:23 AM

Sooz - here's my doggie:


One handsome Alsatian!

take a peek! Click on the photos for a larger image

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: LadyJean
Date: 09 Jul 05 - 11:01 PM

All puppies are chew-nitarians. They believe that you must know the tooth for the tooth shall make you free.
With this in mind keep your pup well supplied with chew toys. Keep your good shoes out of reach. And make sure all the bathroom wastebaskets have lids. Or your dog will chew the most REVOLTING things in the front hall.
By the way, OH WHAT CUTE DOGS!

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: GUEST,Dave'sWife at work
Date: 19 Jul 05 - 11:19 PM

Hey Sooz! How's our favorite UK doggie doing?

What song is she singing in that pic of your duet?

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sooz
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 02:55 AM

Pictures of Meg at the seaside are now on her web page! She is growing up by the day but still treats us to a manic five minutes now and again.
A big hug for Puppers!

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 10:42 AM

Can we have the link fresh each time there's an update?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: GUEST,Sooz sans cookie
Date: 28 Aug 05 - 06:01 AM

Its Meg's "half birthday" today although that must be about three and a half in doggy years. There are some new pictures here

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 22 Nov 05 - 12:35 PM

And how is Meg these days?

What has she asked Santa to bring her for Christmas?

Perhaps her American Fan Club president can put in a good word at the North Pole and make sure she gets marked off as a Good Girl deserving of toys.

Of course, if she asked for some live sheep to herd, we can't help her out there.

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Mr Sooz
Date: 23 Nov 05 - 02:43 AM

She prefers to collect brushes - any kind, the more the merrier! She holds a sweeping brush by the bristles and swings it round her head which is OK until she tries to do it indoors!
Thinks - ia a Christmas tree too much like a brush?

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sooz
Date: 15 Jan 06 - 02:31 PM

Well, it seems ages since we added any pictures to Meg's web page but here are some
new ones
They show her playing her favourite game of the moment which involves dropping a ball down the end of an inclined cardboard tube and running round to catch it at the other end.
At nearly 11 months old, when do we stop calling her a puppy?

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Jan 06 - 03:17 PM

Oh, when her muzzle gets gray and she can't play anymore. :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: JudyB
Date: 15 Jan 06 - 04:57 PM

That is a clever pup!

Thanks for the update - and I love the set with the sheep - they really do show how fast she was growing!

JudyB

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: leftydee
Date: 15 Jan 06 - 07:07 PM

Buy the Book "Family Dog" by Richard Wolters. Follow it precisely, and you'll have a great pet.

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 01:02 PM

They're generally considered to be pups for two years, but certainly after about 6 months they're called "big pups" because it is their behavior and not so much their size that gives them away. My two are in that category. Poppy is about 10 months (was about 6 when we got her in September), Cinnamon is in the 18 month to 2 year range. She has grown since she first arrived 9 months ago, so I think she must have been under a year when she turned up as a stray.

I am in the process of training them to respond to an Invisible Fence system. It will keep them off of the fences and in our yard. Cinnamon was having way too much fun finding ways to break through the cyclone fencing around the back. Since she's a pitbull (and since they do get such a bad rap) she might scare people if they don't know her, so I must keep her in the yard for her own safety.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 06:45 PM

Sooz, when I go there, I can't get out. I hope she has real sheep. If you haven't, you need to read Eminent Dogs, Dangerous Men by Donald McCaig. About Border Collies. GOOD book.

Subject: RE: BS: Puppy Power
From: Sooz
Date: 17 Jan 06 - 02:39 AM

I'm afraid she doesn't have real sheep so I'll look out for the book!