Marley's Adventures

Squirrel Appreciation Day

2012-01-22T10:04:00.000-08:00

We would like to thank Christy Hargrove from Asheville, North Carolina for Marley's favorite Day. She initiated Squirrel Appreciation Day on January 21, 2001. Mother Nature Network has collected a variety of factoids on Squirrels in appreciation of their special day; unfortunately, it seems in 2005 a pack of squirrels were offended by the barking of a dog and killed the dog.

Marley doesn't believe squirrels have ever hurt a dog and she has her own ideas on how this day should be celebrated.

Say What? Squirrels have their own day?

I can celebrate by chasing them.

Wait, I just heard one, let me at him!

What is the Hayden Act?

2012-01-16T20:20:00.000-08:00

A friend sent me an article yesterday about the Hayden Act, after reading it and posting on Facebook I realized I needed more information. I've compiled a bit of what I found just in case you were unaware of the Hayden Act.

California State Assembly Bill SB 1785 also known as the Hayden Act was introduced by Tom Hayden. This bill extends the amount of time an animal shelter is required to keep an animal prior to having them destroyed. There have been a variety of challenges to the law such as Governor Schwarzenegger attempted to suspend the act in order to balance the budget and at this time Governor Brown is planning on suspending the Act.

While I am a supporter of streamlining finances and making processes more efficient, I believe the ramifications of suspending the Hayden Act would erase many of the strides we have made in the care of animals. At this time you can call the Govenors office(916)445.2841 or you can email him.

For more information on the Hayden Act you can click on one of the following links:

Hayden Act - Yes, wikipedia had the best information.
Copy of the Hayden Act - actual text
Shelter Law information
Governor Brown proposes to destroy Hayden Act; no one seems to care
more information

I have a great deal of respect and admiration for employees of Animal Shelters. They have a difficult job that involves rescuing lost pets;investigating animal abuse, neglect and complaints; providing care for quarantined;animals and finding homes for animals they have rescued or has been relinquished. They also have the unfortunate task of euthanize;animals that are sick or dangerous. The shelter employees I've spoken to find this a very difficult task and they will do as much as they can to prevent an animal from being euthanized.Many shelters also partner with rescue organizations who may be better equipped to help an animal become adoptable. I believe the suspension of the Hayden Act would not only make their jobs more difficult but increase the number of pets being destroyed.

Spay Day

2012-01-10T20:02:00.000-08:00

The Sacramento Area Animal Coalition sponsors Spay Day once a year and it provides low-cost spay or neuter surgery for a pet. The surgery costs $15 for a cat and $20 for a dog.

They start taking applications for Spay Day start on January 21, 2012. Approved applicants will receive a phone call to schedule their appointment starting January 28, 2012. If you live in Sacramento or Yolo counties and your income is below $35,000 (proof of income is required) you qualify.

You will receive the following:

Spay or Neuter surgery
Basic Vaccines
Microchip
Dose of flea treatment

To apply visit their website at www.sacanimal.org after January 21, 2012 and fill out their on-line application.

If you own a pit bull or a pit bull mix you may qualify for reduced or even free spay or neuter surgery anytime at the following locations:

Sacramento County Animal Control offers reduced cost ($10-$15) spay or neuter surgery for pit bull, pit bull mixes and domestic cats.
Sacramento SPCA offers FREE spay or neuter surgery for pit bull and pit bull mixes for residents of Sacramento County and the City of West Sacramento.

2012 Goals for Marley

2012-01-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

January is the start of new goals and resolutions for the new year. Our agility trainer suggested we write down our training goals for the year and then begin breaking them down to make them happen. Basically decide on a long term goal, such as entering a trial. Determine mid-term goals that will help in reaching the long term goal, such as practicing a variety of sequences. This will help determine the short term goals, such as having a solid contacts. Upon reviewing our last year I've come up with a few goals for Marley and unfortunately Marley has a few of her own goals.

This is the year Marley will weave. We are really close and I think this will be accomplished by the end of January.
Running dog walk. We have spent a lot of time running on a plank and I expect we'll do a lot more running on a plank until Marley stops jumping off the dog walk. I want Marley to have a solid running dog walk by June.
Once she we are comfortable with all the equipment, I want to enter a fun trial. I've found one in June and one in November; I'm thinking we'll be ready for June event.
I've found some lure coursing events closer to home and we'll start attending those this year.
At our agility Christmas Party, I received a lot of advice on tracking and everybody encouraged me to try Rally. I want to start working on those in July (I don't want to slow down our agility progress by adding another activity).

Marley and Riley after a two mile walk.

Marley's Goals:

Marley wants more...long hikes, cookies, play time, etc.
She wants a new kitten (ok, maybe its me that wants a new kitten)
She wants to make friends with the neighborhood skunk. I'm not happy with this at all, we have had two close calls and I do not want to experience a skunked dog. At this time I'm stocking up on skunk spray remedies (if you have one please feel free to share).

I think 2012 will be a great year for Marley as long as she doesn't try to befriend the neighborhood skunk.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-22T19:15:00.001-08:00

We would like to wish you a fabulous New Year!

This photo was taken at the Roseville Pet Express and was a fundraiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

I just wanted a tree

2011-12-18T11:10:00.000-08:00

I've been up at "OMG its EARLY" two weekends in a row and I've started to wonder what went so wrong.

A while back I took Marley to her favorite park and we saw signs on all the trees in the small dog section; the trees were all going to be removed. The trees were a big draw for us and I became concerned so I contacted the number on the flyer and did not receive a response. I eventually contacted the park district to inquire about the tree removal and replacements.

I was a bit unsettled by the response from the park district and I started to do some research about our park. I learned the park was one of the first in the region (in 1990) and it was considered quite revolutionary. At that time the park district signed an agreement with the founding members. That agreement created the dog park association; which maintains the dog park. Today, park design tends to include amenities such as a dog park in the planing stage of a new park.

Trees in the park were a major draw for me and I started to evaluate the park and amenities and compare Marley's favorite park with others in the region. I became very upset when I realized how other dog parks are managed and maintained. At this point it would have been smart had I picked out a new favorite park; instead I turned into Norma Rae.

The dog park members rallied and we attended park district meetings and we expressed our distress with the lack of basic amenities in the dog park and at times unhealthy conditions. The park listened to our concerns and after much debate agreed to work on a dog park master plan that would revitalize our park. The park offered to split the cost of renovating the park with the dog park association.

We have a lot of money that needs to be raised for the park to begin construction and in the last few months we have changed our approach. We will be holding fundraisers every month until we have enough to begin construction.

Last week we staffed a gift wrapping booth at Pet Express.

This week we held our 1st Annual Calendar Photo Shoot. It was a huge success. Good Day Sacramento did a brief story on our event. The photos were taken by Micheal Hall, who graciously donated his time. Coffee was donated by Starbucks. Donuts were donated by Richard's donuts, Raley's and BelAir and Safeway. Goodie bags were donated by Incredible Pets.

If you are in the area we welcome your attendance at an event. I would also recommend you to check how your favorite dog park is maintained and if there is a dog park society in charge of maintenance I would encourage you to make a donation.

As I was setting up yesterday in the frost covered lawn, I realized I still don't know when the removed trees will be replaced.

The Case of the Black Box

2011-12-01T18:49:00.000-08:00

I've always wondered how dogs interpret television. I know they perceive the flickering of lights and they hear the sounds. I've had cats who would chase images they saw within the black box; however, it never appeared like they were actually viewing a show.

I've asked friends and it seems a bit mixed. Some people know for sure their dog watches, while others have indicated their dog doesn't even notice the black box.

Marley has usually responded to sounds of barking or knocking, otherwise she ignored the black box.

Until recently, it was a cold night and we were having quiet time. I glanced at Marley and noticed she was relaxed in her bed and it appeared like she was watching the show. I totally dismissed it as a figment of my imagination.

After the show was over she came got up and started barking at me (not typical behavior), I offered to let her out and I offered cuddles. She continued until I started another episode of Dr Who. As soon as she noticed it was starting she jumped into her bed and started watching. Who knew she was such a big fan?

I'm totally curious as to what about this show caused her to react in that manner. Was she really watching? Did she get the concept? Oh no, is she on her way to becoming a couch potato?

California Girl Thanksgiving

2011-11-28T11:00:00.001-08:00

I hope everybody had a great holiday weekend.

We went on a short vacation where Marley learned a lot of great stuff. She learned:

"Mom's fridge" is full of yummy stuff
Moles are scary creatures
If you turn your nose up at healthy kibble, somebody will reach into "Mom's fridge" and add yummy turkey to your bowl
Fireplaces are warm
Backyards are really fun
All the cool dogs hang out at the beach

The weather was perfect, warm (around 84 degrees) and sunny. Marley had a great time. She peed on seaweed, swam in the ocean and ran around in huge circles along the coast. She strongly approves of beach vacations.

I was worried Marley would misbehave and I was very careful to be a good guest. However, everybody was impressed with her behavior and some of the compliments we received were:

She doesn't jump (on people or furniture)
She is so quiet
She doesn't harass the cats
She is so relaxed and mellow in her crate

I checked a few times to make sure I had my dog and hadn't traded her in for somebody else's well behaved dog. All of our hard work seemed to have payed off and now that I know she'll behave, I see more vacations in our future.

Calling All Super Models

2011-11-22T20:34:00.001-08:00

In December 2010 the Carmichael Recreation and Park District (CRPD) approved the Carmichael Dog Park Proposed Renovation as part of the District-Wide Master Plan after hosting three community meetings during which CRPD staff heard public input regarding renovation and improvements at the dog park. The resulting Proposed Dog Park Renovation includes upgrading the infrastructure, adding trails, seating, shade, new fencing, and enlarging the small dog park.

Due to economic times the Park District offered to share the cost of renovations with the Carmichael Canine Corral (at times also known as Carmichael Dog Park Society). This is one of the many fundraisers we will host in order to raise sufficient funds to start renovations for a healthier park.

Cover Girls Need a Whole Month!

The 1st Annual Calendar Photo Event will be held on December 17, 2011 from 10-1 p.m. at Carmichael Park. A professional photographer will ensure all dogs that attend will be in the calendar. There is no charge for participating.

My Cover Girl wants her own month. There is the option for all those fabulous Super Models who wish to donate $50 for their own month.

The calendar can be pre-ordered on December 17th for $15 or you can purchase your calendar at a later date for $17.

Vendors will be present and there will be Free Doughnuts, Coffee and Cocoa. See ya there!

Weave Trama

2011-11-15T18:56:00.001-08:00

We have the best Agility Trainer!

A couple of weeks ago she said, "Next week we'll weave."

I became a bit apprehensiveness because we are not actually weaving yet. We are at the 2 sets of poles about 3 meters apart section. I thought about it a bit and decided if Susan Garrett believes weaving can be taught in 21 days, we can totally weave in a week.

It seems I may have forgotten to inform Marley we were going to weave like the big dogs. I started by moving the two sets about a meter apart and I figured within a couple of days we should be weaving. The closer I set the poles the more Marley missed the second set.

I ended up sending our instructor an email confessing that not only were we not weaving but now Marley was skipping poles. At this point I figured I was going to start at the beginning again and try to retrain the poles. By the time we got to class I was on the verge of tears.

Our instructor asked me to show her what I was doing and I sniffled the entire time as I showed her what we had worked on and the distance between poles. Of course Marley didn't miss any poles and we actually impressed her with Marley's entrances. She basically reassured me that we were fine and we should continue at our pace until we can weave.

I have to keep reminding myself this is a team sport and Marley is not capable of cramming for a test.

For our non-agility friends here is a brief synopsis: weave training using the 2x2 method requires two sets of poles. You begin with one set and build value for the dog for going through the poles. Then you add the second set about 3-4 meters away and build value for the dog for going through both sets of poles. Once the dog sees value in running through both sets you begin to shorten the distance between the two sets of poles until they are close enough. I highly recommend the video.

Today brought to you by the letter T

2011-10-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased the Alphabet Drills book by Nancy Gyes and it has totally changed my life. Well, not quite; it has revolutionized our training sessions.

The book is simply beautiful and the drawings are pretty easy to understand. I do spend a lot of time thinking, "No way can we do that!" Turns out we can, the the exercises are pretty much broken down from easy to complex.

We started working on the letter T which was covered in our class a couple of months ago. It was nice to be challenged by a few complex additions to the easy exercise.

All the students in our Agility class purchased this book, which our instructor totally appreciates. She just emails us the letter of the week and we all come prepared and know what to expect in class. This week we are working on the letter M.

I totally love this book and I see myself using it for quite a long time.

It also comes with a CD that includes a trial of Clean Run Course Designer.

Sunday Morning Rituals

2011-10-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

As a child Sunday mornings were filled with family rituals, Church in the morning followed by a special family breakfast. Marley's Sunday mornings are also filled with special rituals.

We begin our day the usual way with a walk and breakfast. A nap is a huge priority after breakfast and normally Marley curls up on my pillow for a rejuvenating nap. Sundays are not very rejuvenating because while I know she sleeps on my pillow she is not allowed on the furniture. So, I pretend I don't know and she jumps off as soon as she hears me walking in that direction.

After our "pretend the dog isn't on the furniture" game we jump into the car for a fun trip at the Farmers Market. We are very fortunate our local Farmers Market allows dogs.

Today we spotted the largest turnips I have ever seen, They are larger than Marley's head. The carrots next to the turnips are mini carrots (about 5") in length.

We always check out the pomegranate products, which are simply divine. Marley is not very impressed because I haven't given her a sample.

We check out the pumpkins, which Marley loves and I'm sure she wants me to buy her one to smash into her dinner.

Our favorite stop was at the Sheep Farm booth. They sell wool, spring lambs and eggs, unfortunately I do not recall the name of the Farm. Marley is always hopeful some juicy lamb will be delivered into her dinner bowl.

After shopping for veggies and fruits we usually do something fun; Today there was a Celtic Festival and we attended for a bit. The band was great and they played some of my favorites.

A fun feathered friend enjoyed the music.

I have fond memories of my childhood Sundays and I love the way Marley has simply enhanced my current Sunday rituals. I may just have to buy her the pumpkin next week.

Animal Rescue Challenge 2011!

2011-10-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

In Support of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. I found a contest that will provide the following prizes to a Shelter or Rescue operation.

The Animal Rescue Challenge!

The Grand Prize: One $5,000 grant!
Heartwarming Story Contest: Three $2,000 grants!
State Winners*: Fifty-one $1,000 state grants (50 U.S. states and Washington D.C.)
Canadian Winners*: One $1,000 grant will be awarded.
International Winner*: One $1,000 grant will be awarded.
Weekly Winners* Eleven $1,000 grants will be awarded, one for each week of this voting round of the Shelter Challenge.

How Cool is that! Voting started on October 3, 2011 and runs until December 18, 2011.

Many Shelters are currently under funded and they desperately need funds to continue the vital work they do for their communities. Voting every day is such an easy way to win our shelter some much needed funds.

Voting is really easy, go to the Animal Rescue Site (this link will take you directly to the voting page).

Enter the name of your favorite Shelter or Rescue Organization.
Enter the County, State and or City.
Hit Search
Verify your shelter

That is it!

Tiger Hosts a Great Party

2011-10-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

We went to the most fabulous party, the food was simply amazing. Marley and I are both recovering from eating tri-tip, stuffed cabbage, chicken, salads and too many deserts. Yes, you may have noticed I said "Marley and I" are recovering, "Little Miss My Mommy Never Feeds Me" managed to mooch food from everybody.

Tiger was not sure how he felt about all the dogs invading his backyard. I believe he thinks dog park hooligans are nothing but trouble, except for the puppy.

Baby Rose was spoiled rotten by everybody. She is the sweetest puppy I have ever met. At 10 weeks she weighs 4lbs more than Marley and her paws are simply ginormous.

Marley and Axle spent some time scoping out the yard for their super secret special event.

Black Dog Convention, I'm not quite sure what they discussed but it was pretty intense.

Cleo didn't attend the Black Dog Convention; she is above any Black Dog Shenanigans. Actually, I think she is trying to convince everybody she's a superior human.

The party was so much fun the goats next door wanted to attend.

After an afternoon of playing and plotting everybody was ready for a nap.

Thank you Leah and Mike for hosting such a Marvelous event. I loved the food, the company was phenomenal and the conversations were lively.

Five Reasons I Celebrate Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

2011-10-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

"Now is a good time for a walk"

My shelter dog has brought a great deal of joy into my life and has altered my life in ways I couldn't have imagined.

Top 5 reasons I celebrate my shelter dog:

Parks are no longer the domain of families and kids, I've developed a greater appreciation for the use of parks and green spaces.
My neighbors all know us and stop to chat, which provides us a greater sense of community.
Nothing beats playing soccer in the rain with my dog, while normal people are warm and dry indoors.
Squirrel hunting is an activity I never thought I would enjoy.
Nobody thinks I'm totally crazy when a talk about "dogs."

Jo Sermon Seminar

2011-10-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I attended a seminar on Extension and Collection. I learned a lot about jumping. Actually, I'm a bit overwhelmed by how much I don't know and didn't know I needed to know. Jo Sermon is a fabulous instructor, both funny and informative.

Some of the things I found amazing:

Dogs are taught Left and Right. Good Grief, I forget which way is left and which way is right, how do people teach this fabulous skill? I suspect, I'll be the dorky person with the letters L and R on my shoes.
A lot of dogs in the seminar know Turn as a cue. Amazing, I didn't even know I needed a cue for turning.
Jumping can be a dangerous activity. Allowing your dog to jump incorrectly can cause long term damage to their bodies. After learning this I started to panic, I've only focused on getting my dog to jump on cue never thinking about how she is jumping.

After the seminar I must have looked a bit shell-shocked because our instructor came up to me and reassured me Marley was doing fine.

Odd things I've noticed:

Is there an unspoken rule that all dog trainers are blond? Our obedience instructor, our current agility instructor, Jo Sermon, Jen Pinder, Nancy Gyes, Susan Garrett...
Whenever I'm around somebody from England for more than a couple of hours, it rains.

2012 US IFCS Team Fundraising

2011-09-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

I just discovered they have an incredible raffle that will be held at the 2011 Cynosport World Games in Louisville, KY in October. The prizes are simply amazing. I'm hoping to win the Clean Run Magazine Cover for my very own cover girl!

The Prize Packages are separated out by Region, just pick your region and check out the options. You do not have to be present to win most of the events.

If you are going to attend the 2011 Cynosport World Games you can participate in the following:

Buy a Cool T-Shirt
Bid on the Cynosports Package
Dunk your favorite Judges or USDAA staff in the "Dunk Tank"

Eek...to participate in the Raffle your raffle form needs to be there before October 5, 2011.

For more information on the 2012 US IFCS Team go to ifcsTeamUSA.com

Beneful Dog Park Makeover Winner

2011-09-29T18:15:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jennifer and Honey Belle for winning the 2011 Beneful $500,000 Dog Park Makeover for her park in Birmingham, Alabama.

Jennifer and Honey Belle's vision is simply marvelous and Marley wants to go to their new park.

Some of the features I really like are:

The club house that can be rented for parties which would raise money for park maintenance
The self-serve dog wash as a fund raiser for park maintenance
Plenty of shade
Bone shaped water feature
Built in agility course
Separate training area

I love that Jennifer thought about how the park was going to remain awesome and incorporated that in her plan. I'm very excited about the dog park and I can't wait to see it complete. I believe a cross country road trip is in our future.

I think its time for me to dust off my graph paper and start planning for the 2012 contest.

Vet locks dog in hot car

2011-09-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

I heard about this at the park this morning and I just found it unbelievable. Especially this part: The director of the UC Davis Veterinary School offered his support for Freeman. Yes, Davis Wilson the Director of the UC Davis Veterinary School offered his support for the veterinarian who endangered the life of her dog.

This is the article: UC Davis vet apologizes for locking her dog in hot car from the Sacramento Bee

Basically the Veterinarian went to the mall, left her young great dane in the car with the windows cracked open. Mall security tested the temperature inside the car at 108 degrees and called authorities. Not only did the Veterinarian leave her dog in the car but she was also argued with animal control about this situation.

I'm simply blown away that not only did she behave in a manner that is inconsistent with somebody who cares for animals but that UC Davis Veterinary School condones her behavior.

My Biggest Dog Training Mistake

2011-09-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

I've spent most of my life reading dog training books and I know how to approach a training session. I've always made it a point to use a clear and positive tone in my voice when talking to Marley. While training I've worked very hard at not reprimanding her and keeping everything pleasant and fun.

The other day I loaded up the car with agility equipment and drove to the park. Soccer players were using our favorite field, baseball players were using the remaining fields and after driving around I finally found a spot that met our training criteria (flat, shady, close to parking and not close to a major road). I unloaded and set up all of our equipment and then I noticed a huge dog lunging on his leash staring at Marley. The woman at the end of the leash wasn't paying attention to her dog. At this point, I decided it would behoove us to find a new training spot.

I drove around for a little longer and found a reasonable spot. By now I'm hot and frustrated and a totally envious of everybody with a back yard. I set out our jumps and took a deep breath and called Marley.

Marley looked at me and jumped into the front seat. I called her and she peered over the seat and refused to move. I took another deep breath and made sure my tone was totally pleasant and upbeat and called her again. She peered at me and curled up in the front seat and refused to look in my direction.

At this point I begin to wonder how we were ever going to progress if my dog refused to leave the car. I packed up all my stuff into the car and cried while driving home. I started to think Agility was a big waste of time if Marley didn't want to play.

Once I cooled down and reviewed our "training session" I realized my error. While my voice and words were pleasant and positive my body language was tense and upset.

What Marley saw at the park.

I've made a the following changes to our training routine to ensure this never happens again.

I started by scoping out multiple places where I can train that meet my criteria.
I plan our activity and I also plan a back-up activity that doesn't require equipment.
After I set-up I spend five minutes breathing (its too short to call it meditation).
If the session is not going according to plan, I've decided it is perfectly acceptable to stop.
Finally, I end my training journal with a note on Marley's emotional state.

Since this episode our training sessions have been great and we have actually progressed faster than I expected.

Agility Update - sequencing

2011-09-16T12:10:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I tend to fret and watching Marley jump off the top of the A-frame totally made wonder if she was retaining anything from class. I started to worry our jumps were horrible and we would never learn to weave properly.

Our instructor gave us the following sequence in class: Tunnel - Jump - Jump - Jump - A-frame - Jump

Well, my silly dog ran into the Tunnel and rolled in the middle. Yes she plopped down and rolled around like it was grass and refused to come out. Ugh

Once I finally convinced her to leave the tunnel rest of the sequence went smoothly, so smoothly the entire class stood up and clapped for Marley.

Marley ate it up...I'm thinking there is hope for us!

Funny thing happened during our walk

2011-09-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

It was a warm and sunny afternoon in the park and we were walking with a friend and her pit bull. We were chatting and stopped to observe some other dogs being walked on the other side of the park.

My friend says, "Oh no we have to be careful, there's a Chow and you know they are aggressive."

I have to say, my jaw dropped and I looked at her pit bull and managed to sputter, "WHAT?"

She proceeded to tell me the danger of being around a Chow. It seems she was totally serious. I finally pointed out people used those same words to describe her dog.

Unfortunately, breedism shows up at the oddest times.

The scary part was the only dogs I saw on the other side of the park were labs and golden retrievers.

Woofstock 2011

2011-08-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

We started the day by supporting Tina and Nanook who are finalists in the Beneful® WagWorld® Dream Dog Park Contest! They had two booths supporting their future dog park.

We picked up a yummy cupcake and a cool bandanna to show our support. We voted before heading to Woofstock.

In addition to promoting the contest they were recruiting volunteers and gathering support for a neighborhood dog park. The booth was packed most of the morning and I suspect the dog park has a lot of support.

Once Marley was properly attired and I checked out adoption row. They had a huge variety of dog rescue groups present. There were also two brave cat rescue groups there trying to find homes for kittens.

Marley scoping out the event!

Marley met a kindred spirit!

Winner of the 60's costume contest!

Winner of the best licker contest!

I'm always greatly amused that pit bulls tend to win this contest.

I always have a great time at this event and I learn a lot about dogs. The educational booths are fantastic. I also feel great knowing the funds raised at this event are going to four great rescue groups.

We missed some of the events due to the heat. However, I'm glad we managed to run into quite a few friends at this event.

This is our friend Shiloh.

Dream Dog Park Contest

2011-08-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the 15 finalists in the Beneful® WagWorld® Dream Dog Park Contest!

To celebrate the relationships people have with their four-legged best friends, the Beneful® brand has created the WagWorldTM Dream Dog Park Contest – in which they will award a $500,000 makeover to one lucky dog park!

Contestants entered 2 minute videos about their dog park, in which they show their local park, and describe their Dream Dog Park.

Limit one (1) vote per person, per day. WagWorld.com registration required. Voting ends on September 8, 2011.

To Vote:

Review the Finalists’ entries
Choose your favorite
Go to your favorite Finalist’s page and click “Vote for this Entry!” You can only vote once per day

Marley and I are very excited to see two finalists from California with fabulous ideas. The most difficult part is picking a favorite.

Last year Pat McNeely and Koda won the First Beneful® WagWorld® Dream Dog Park Contest and their new park looks awesome!

Pool Plunge at Cameron Park Lake

2011-08-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

I think the best way to spend a warm summer day is by taking my non-swimming dog to a swimming event. This event is hosted by the El Dorado Dog Owners Guild; they are raising money for two new dog parks in the county. We attended this this event last year and we had a great time, even if Marley didn't want to go swimming.

This year we met this tiny little dog that was not a happy camper. His mom would wade out and set him down in the water and he had to swim back to shore. He totally had a Marley attitude!

As we entered the play area, Marley bolted. I started to panic because this is not normal behavior for her and I couldn't find her anywhere. After searching in all the shady spots and casting suspicious looks at the people watching their dogs. I finally found her in the last place I expected to see my dog...in the water, I couldn't believe it! I know you won't believe it either, due to the curse of the black dog...

I got a close-up! Yes, this is my crazy dog in the water.

I'm not quite sure if she was chasing something or just playing in the water. After playing in the water for a bit and resting in the shade. We decided to visit some of the vendors and we discovered a little bit of HEAVEN!

Pups-n-Cups coffee is a wonderful mobile Coffee and Gourmet Dog Treats business. I had a great beverage and Marley enjoyed a Doggie Donut. The owner was totally fabulous and she also provides individual cups of shampoo for an emergency bath after swimming.

This is one of my favorite events and we plan on attending next year.

Agility Update

2011-08-12T16:15:00.001-07:00

Before our agility break Marley was doing very well on contacts. She didn't hesitate and ran right through the yellow each and every time. I was very pleased with her behavior.

Since our break she has started to jump off the equipment. Not like jump off the yellow section, but jumping off the top of the A-Frame. I'm a bit flabergasted and terrified. I'm not sure why she is jumping off; she doesn't look scared or upset. Actually she looks rather pleased with herself. I'm terrified she'll hurt herself; I don't even allow her to jump out of the car.

This means we need to spend some time retraining all the contact equipment. It seems everytime we make strides in one direction we slip in another.

Kaleo's Run

2011-08-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Marley and I are very excited and can hardly wait for Kaleo's 5k Run & 1 Mile walk. The weather is expected to be wonderful.

Kaleo was a working for the Sheriffs department when the vet found a cancerous growth in his paw. His medical expenses were over $12,000 and this race was started as a fundraiser. This event continues to raise funds to cover medical expenses for retired dogs.

The Sacramento Sheriff K9 Association also organizes other events and fundraisers to purchase protective gear for working dogs, specialized training schools and burial expenses.

I've participated in some of their other fundraisers (we have the calendar and t-shirt) and I'm excited to attend our first walk. Marley doesn't know this but I'll be checking out the German Shepherds.

Curse of the Black Dog

2011-08-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

Can you locate my dog in this photo?

One of the best things of having a black dog.

Fun at the Beach...

2011-08-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing about Point Isabel Regional Shoreline for a long time and while not quite what I expected, it was still a lot of fun. The weather was typical of the coast, cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon. There were a lot of dogs running free; however, while we were there everybody behaved. Marley became a totally different dog at the coast, it was a bit weird.

Marley ready to party!

She raced Zeus to the water.

My non-swimming, non-fetching dog jumped into the water after a tennis ball. My heart nearly stopped, I was sure she was chasing something gross and dead. I was totally blown away she just jumped into the water after a BALL.

Marley and the boys after a quick swim.

Zeus and Riley - "Sandwiches, did we hear that right?"

Marley - "Take the damn picture already"

We all enjoyed a pleasant snack behind the Sit and Stay Cafe. Marley is ready to return to the coast.

I heard the beach is supposed to have sand!

Agility Our 2x2 experience

2011-07-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

I am a totally dorky student. I'm the student who sits in the front row with my clip board, pen, pencil and highlighter. I also have no qualms about asking questions for clarification. Even if the topic doesn't pertain to my dog, if I don't understand I'll still ask. I always expect a pop quiz and I fear I won't be prepared.

This means prior to any training class I have my dog walker walk her during the day and I make sure Marley has a brief walk before class. This means when class starts Marley is ready to learn, in essence she has her highlighter ready to note anything important.

Our trainer has only seen us when we are both calm and ready to learn. She has recently discovered our hidden slacker. Yes, we totally dropped the ball.

I took a private lesson to figure out why we were not getting the 2x2 weave method. Our trainer watched us for 2 tries and then told me I had to "get Marley excited" about the activity. So she offers to show me and I hand her our toy. She is getting Marley excited and then she says, "GO."

Marley takes off missing the poles and runs circles around us for about 4 laps, while my trainer's face becomes more and more horror stricken. She finally asks in a small voice, "Does Marley do this often?"

My face is trying to look horrified and smirk at the same time, I'm sure this isn't a good look for anybody. I indicate yes, Marley does have a tendency to run circles around me when she is excited. Around Marley's fifth lap I call her back and we work at a more sedate pace.

It seems our cover is blown and she'll probably never call Marley a great little dog with a ton of agility potential. On the positive note I did learn we can't work the 2x2 method until I learn how to throw a toy.

Party Time

2011-07-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

Wow, I didn't realize I knew so many people with July Birthdays. At least we got smart and had one party for everybody. Happy Birthday to Barbara, Bret, Kellie, Lynn and Roger. Wow, can that many Leos really be friends?

The party was started with a Pomeranian convention.

It seems they had a disagreement about something only a Pomeranian finds important and Gizmo expressed his opinion.

Marley thinks her mom is lame for making her wear a life vest by the pool. It seems none of the other dogs had to wear a life vest and she was mad.

After the swimming "experience" she decided to go hang with the Muppet (her real name is dolly, but doesn't she just look like a Muppet?).

After the a busy day of swimming, running, playing and scrounging for food, Marley was tired and ready to nap.

The party was fabulous and we all had a great time. Thank you to Marilyn and Margie for organizing such a fun event.

Staycation?

2011-07-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

I just read the funniest article which provides Tips for the Perfect Staycation with Your Dog. It indicates travel may be stressful when accompanied by a dog and it offers some options:

Take a hike
Picnic in the Park
Become a Beach Bum
House Parties

This sounds like a typical week for Marley. We walk everyday and a couple of times a week we do a new urban hike. We picnic in the park every Sunday when our local park hosts free music. We attend a couple of parties during the summer. She is becoming a pool bum, does that count?

We attend a wide variety of dog friendly events in the area. I would also include group walks and fun training. Such as learning a new activity or brushing up on an old favorite. We play a lot of bubble games and soccer.

Dogs do need jobs!

2011-07-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

Marley's BF Henry has always had a fascination with the hose. This fascination translates to a fascination of sprinkler heads. His parent's have had to replace multiple sprinkler heads due to Henry's need to play with water. Who knew Henry was auditioning for a job as Water Manger?

I recently discovered how easy it is to stop your dog from destroying your expensive irrigation system. The ladies at the Blue Thumb Blog posted a brilliant solution. Irrigation should occur at night while dogs are sleeping. Unfortunately for Henry, they also indicated he is just not qualified to be a Water Manger; he'll have to continue his current career as vicious skunk hunter.

They also discuss the dangers of allowing a dog to ingest too much water during play.

Party Time

2011-07-17T12:44:00.000-07:00

Marley is going to fire her photojournalist. We attended the first party of the summer and most of my photos were horrible, either I'm a bit out of practice or I should lay off the margaritas.

I think Marley should teach a networking seminar, upon arrival she works the room. Afterwards she may rest a bit in she shade, while planning her next move.

Working the room involves determining who are the people most likely to provide handouts or drop bits of food. Marley believes children and men are more likely to share than women.

Bruiser waiting for food to drop.

Cleo the ultimate Diva.

Some of Marley's friends believe they are divas and spend time lounging and looking cool while surveying the party.

Cool Bo.

Dogs working the party.

Marley discovered 8 year old girls love to share zucchini and they won't snitch about the extra food Marley is receiving.

Smallest Big Dog

2011-07-14T21:26:00.000-07:00

Marley's fabulous dog walker is simply amazed at Marley's ability to keep up with larger dogs. He keeps calling her Little Miss Big Stuff. He has not realized Marley does not know she is a little dog. As far as she is concerned if something is going on she must be involved and nothing will slow her down.

Is that a dog or a shadow?

Sandwich?

Sandwich, where?

I'll beat these ginormous dogs to the food!

All photos in this post taken by James McKellips.

Agility Update

2011-07-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

We took a brief agility break and we both feel refreshed and excited to be back in class. Um, let me rephrase that, I'm excited to be in class while Marley wants to be inside where it is cool.

Our first activity was jumping in a circular pattern leading to a tunnel. No problem, I thought we like jumps. I failed to take into account these specific jumps all had wings. Yes, I crashed into each and every wing.

I regrouped and settled Marley at the first jump and I lead out a bit. Upon releasing her I noticed she looked at me and took off to her crate. It seems she was totally embarrassed by my klutzy behavior. I suspect she wants a new handler.

I've discovered if I spend some time thinking about what our results should be and I notify my feet and shoulders we do great.

We've started training the weave poles using the 2x2 method. So far we are progressing nicely.

Cool Day Today

2011-07-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

Today was a refreshing 99 degrees...yep it is still sweltering outside.

To combat the heat we do a variety of activities such as practicing our 2x2s. Playing chase or find the Bob. My favorite is "Find the Frisbee!"
Marley is warming up to this game. She seems to feel it is mean of me to make her retrieve something that is almost her size.

Stay cool and hydrated!

Why is it I seem to have pvc in every indoor picture?

Desperately Seeking Cool

2011-07-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

It was a sweltering 80 degrees during our morning walk. We did some agility practice in the park and by the time we were done it was hoovering around 91 degrees. Marley and I do not enjoy the heat. We rushed home around 11 a.m. and started drinking cold water while contemplating the long day ahead.

We've decided to spend the day indoors with some trick training in the afternoon and an evening trip to the park. I've tried taking Marley to the park in the late afternoon and she will walk from shade to shade where she proceeds to stretch out and give me the "crazy human" look.

During the hot weather we follow some of the advice provided by the ASPCA.

The majority of our outdoor activities occur in the early morning or late afternoon.
Marley no longer accompanies me on errands around town.
I make sure our walks are on natural surfaces, such as grass, gravel or dirt. I believe asphalt and concrete retain heat for a long time and is therefore not safe for Marley's paws.
I'm also spending some time preparing her for any Fourth of July noise we may encounter.

Finally, I'm compiling a list of any friends and acuqintances with a dog friendly pool. I'll bring chocolate cake if we can go swimming.

Marley's BFF

2011-06-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

While I've been dealing with work, school and a lack of internet service, Marley has had a lot of fun. I managed to organize some play dates and extra walks while I was busy. We started our agility class last week and we pick up our new weave poles in a few days.

During our break Marley was able to spend some time with her friend Sadie. They usually chase each other, play bitey face and nap together. All around they have a good time.

Sadie is totally convinced that a camera is trying to steal her soul and this is one of the very few photos of this lovely dog.

To Marley's dismay, Sadie acquired a sibling about a year ago. Reagan is a beautiful lab/shepard mix. She behaves like a typical little sister, she wants everything everybody else has and believes rules are for other dogs.

She is utterly convinced that Marley is her best friend. Marley for the most part, ignores Reagan.

"Do you want to wrestle? How about a game of chase?"

Marley has unfortunately taught Reagan some bad habits, such as guarding the front door by barking at the neighbors and chasing cats. Actually, the only time Marley doesn't ignore Reagan is when there is a cat around that needs to be chased. I find their relationship quite fascinating.

All photos in this post were taken by Laura Calonder.

Jen Pinder Seminar

2011-05-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

I just audited a Jen Pinder Seminar for Novice dogs. It was fabulous, I learned a lot and I have a couple of pages of notes and tips.

The oddest thing ever was many of my fellow classmates received the same advice from Jen Pinder as from our instructor. If our instructor mentions you need to work on your recall, why does it take so much more importance when Jen brings it up as a necessary skill?

It was great and Jen Pinder was hilarious, I highly recommend attending one of her seminars.

Just when I'm totally proud of Marley

2011-05-08T13:09:00.000-07:00

I know I'm really lucky to have such a great dog and there are times when my heart overflows with love for my dog.

Marley's recall stopped traffic. Not many of our neighbors are up and about when we take our morning walk and it is quiet and peaceful. Marley was walking ahead of me on the stretchy leash and I noticed a car driving in our direction. I call Marley and we wait for the car to turn and drive away before proceeding on our walk. My neighbor pulls her car over, gets out and said, "you called your dog and she came back." I'm a bit startled. My neighbor continues, "Was that hard to teach?" Now, I'm a bit perplexed and I tell her it was relatively easy to teach and Marley will recall to both sides.

When I'm fully awake a couple of hours later and thinking about this event, my heart just fills with pride in Marley. I'm so very happy she is my dog. Just when I think my heart can't contain this much love for my dog...

Marley behaves like a total bitch. Yep, I said it! I took her to a nice dog park and she proceeded to claim a section of the park as "hers" and she barked at everybody who entered her space; people, dogs, birds and kites. Ugh!

Bored Dog

2011-04-28T21:23:00.000-07:00

Marley is very disappointed with my behavior.

There are times when life becomes incredibly busy and complicated. These last couple of months have been extremely busy for me and Marley is not a happy dog.

When I decided to become a dog owner I knew I would spend a lot of time with my dog. I expected to spend time at the park and in classes in addition to providing fun and mentally stimulating activities.

Due to my busy schedule we have had to postpone our Agility classes and our long evenings at the park are now brisk walks. We have missed a few fun events. Blogging has been reduced to once a week instead of multiple posts during the week (I still have a lot to share). We are grateful our fabulous dog walker is still providing Marley with mid-day activities.

Fortunately, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I expect my schedule to clear up in a couple of weeks. There are a few activities in May we don't want to miss.

I have made some changes to our blog, if you read this in reader or via email, you may want to check it out. I've added a section of regional dog events. If you know of a fun dog friendly event feel free to let me know and I'll add it to our calendar.

Waiting for the Easter Bunny

2011-04-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

Marley spent the entire morning waiting for the Easter Bunny; unfortunately he skipped our house this year. I've warned Marley he wouldn't show up if she tried to chase rabbits during our walks. She was looking forward to a tasty rabbity snack.

Is that him? Is he here yet?

Eventually I started to feel a bit guilty and I drove her to an upscale dog park. She made some new friends and afterwards we went on a long walk.

If she avoids chasing rabbits this year, he might show up next year.

Marley the Inventor

2011-04-18T18:19:00.000-07:00

Marley is quite smug!

Marley has created two new games and I'm not sure how I feel about my dog being so smart.

The first game is played outside while walking off leash. She'll begin to dawdle behind me and I usually notice when I'm about 10 meters away. As I start to panic, I'll notice she is behind me waiting for me to notice she is waiting. As soon as I see her back there I'll call her and she runs to me, where she repeats the entire process. Today, for extra fun she found some bushes to hide behind (she had a huge grin while "hiding" from me) and she always looks so pleased with herself when she is running my way.

The second game is played indoors in the morning. While I gather my things for our morning walk she'll bring me a toy and wait for me to throw it and she'll bring it back. While it may sound like a game of fetch, it is a bit more complex. When she returns the toy she sets it down about 1 foot in front of me, causing me to move forward to throw the toy. I've recently realized this is her method of making me move towards the front door faster.

I love her innovative play; however I suspect she thinks she is training me.

Celebrating the Sun

2011-04-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

According to Marley there is only one way to celebrate warm sunny days.

Walking

2011-04-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

Marley and I enjoy long walks; however, we seem to be in a walking rut. To rectify this we have joined a dog walking group. I was a bit concerned about Marley encountering a lot of dogs while on leash. I expected to walk behind the group while Marley became acclimated to walking with the other dogs.

I warned everybody prior to the walk that I did not allow Marley to meet other dogs on leash. I issued a quick reminder when we arrived and everybody was very respectful about allowing Marley some space.

Marley of course behaved perfectly. While we waited she ignored the other dogs and laid down next to my feet. While walking she sniffed the other dogs and continued without any barking or threatening behavior.

The walk was a lot of fun, Marley enjoyed walking in a new park and I enjoyed the brisk pace the group maintained.

Marley doing her favorite thing.

Fat Dog

2011-03-28T18:07:00.000-07:00

Oh, my, god. Becky, look at her butt.

It is so big.

Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-A-Lot

What!? I'm just really Fluffy!

I'm ready to start building an ark, it has rained non-stop for about 2 months. Marley is so over walks in the rain. I took her to the park and she hid under the bench until I was ready to leave. Our walks have turned into sprints as she tries to rush though and get back inside where it is warm and dry.

To be perfectly honest I've indulged her because I'm not to keen on having rain blown into my coat. We have spent time inside working on foundation work and jumps. I've started shaping a new trick. While indoor training is great for stimulating her brain and making her tired, the increase in treats has caused Marley to gain two pounds.

Two pounds does not sound like a lot when talking about a large dog; however Marley is small and two pounds is a significant gain in weight. I'm totally horrified that my small athletic dog has failed the rib test. She still has a waist and her tummy is still tucked up. My vet is not concerned at this time, however she did mention I should keep Marley at about 12 pounds for optimum health.

I've started to incorporate the following changes to help Marley lose her winter weight and prevent problems in the future.

I've cut all treats until she loses weight. I normally give her a tiny taste as opposed to an actual treat while shaping tricks; however, these last few months I actually gave her an entire treat. I measure her food and I'll take a few bits of kibble from that amount and use that as a treat.
I've increased our walks. The ground is incredibly saturated and mucky right now, which has rendered our favorite areas un-walkable. I'm looking for find fun places to walk in the the city.

I'm glad I noticed her weight gain before it started to restrict her activity level and affect her health.

Front doors

2011-03-21T18:24:00.001-07:00

Recently, I had lunch with a friend who is a pet sitter. She casually mentioned she knows how much her clients actually walk their dogs by the dog's behavior. She mentioned the obvious behaviors like level of excitement and ability to walk on a leash. She also stated, dogs who are regularly walked know where they live. She mentioned her dogs begin to walk on the lawn in an attempt to take a shortcut to her front door.

I became intrigued and I decided to see if Marley knows where we live. Unfortunately, my front door under the stairs at the end of a private entry way. Marley always walks past the entry way, either she doesn't know where we live or is attempting to extend her walk.

I just couldn't verify she knew where we lived. It was driving me totally nuts.

Until this weekend when it was rainy and windy. Marley did not want to go outside. She walked behind me and as soon as she pottied she turned around and ran back, tearing the leash from my hands in her effort to go back inside.

Now I have to know if she recognizes our patio from the outside.

Habits

2011-03-17T20:09:00.000-07:00

I've noticed if I allow Marley to find her own entertainment, I'll deeply regret her choices. She has recently developed this delightful new habit.

Digging

Every evening after dinner she wants to go outside. Within a minute she is ready to come back inside and I've wondered why she wanted to go outside in the first place. Today, I finally caught her digging.

She is now looking for a new and fun habit.

My dog is totally weird

2011-03-10T18:32:00.000-08:00

I spent all day trying to give Marley her flea treatment.
As soon as she spots the little box she vanishes.

If I call her, I will not receive any response. I've offered her treats and she will not budge from her hiding spot. Eventually she'll get bored and slink out to see what I'm doing, if I acknowledge her in any way she splits.

Basically, I have to take the treatment out of the package and ignore her until she relaxes. I'll spend time trying to play with her while she scouts for the mediation. If I reach for her in any way she splits.

After spending most of the day hiding under my bed she will eventually slink out and hide under other pieces of furniture. Eventually I'll be able to grab her and medicate. She will glare at me and run away to hide.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I'm sure it is not normal to have a dog vanish completely on flea mediation day.

I found it!

2011-03-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

I found the perfect secret park!

It is tucked away behind a school and Marley loves it. There are little trails, a bubbling creek and tons of trees. It is so relaxing and peaceful.

The first time we walked in our secret park, Marley ran circles around me for half an hour. The bliss on her face was priceless.

I'm very pleased with her behavior. We have encountered a couple of other people walking dogs in our secret park and I've recalled Marley...and she came back an sat on my left side. Amazing! She likes to scatter birds in the grass and I've called her...and she came came back. Totally Amazing!

So far we are totally crazy about our secret park and in a few days I'll post a video of her chasing birds.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-02T09:43:00.000-08:00

Bob in the Box

2011-02-28T20:35:00.000-08:00

Does puppy want a cookie?

What? I wasn't planning on smacking the dog, really!

Happy Gotcha Day Marley

2011-02-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I've shared my life with Marley for three years, unbelievable. Marley is now about 4ish and as feisty as the day I picked her up at the shelter.

Marley doing what she does best.

My live is so much fuller with Marley as a companion.

Blue Steel

2011-02-10T13:05:00.000-08:00

Marley thinks she has a future in modeling, after all if Derek Zoolander can do it with Blue Steel it can't be that difficult.

First we found a nice spot where Marley used a rock to appear taller, after all she wants to be a Super Model not a petite model.

She then tried a few looks...

Super Star

Squirrel

Sunny Sunday

2011-02-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

Best way to spend a Sunny Sunday in February.

Black and White Day

2011-02-06T09:31:00.000-08:00

Marley has been sick and we have spent a lot of time at home, driving each other crazy. Yesterday was simply gorgeous and we couldn't resist a trip to the park. Unfortunately nobody told us it was black and white day at the park.

Marley meeting a black and white Pomeranian.

Marley meeting another black and white Pomeranian mix.

We had a great time, until Marley noticed the UFOs on the horizon. She does not like kites, she insists on barking at them until they go away.

Why is it so hard?

2011-02-03T19:15:00.000-08:00

I just realized there are three things at are extremely difficult when owning a dog.

After a dog plays run-away, not yelling is difficult. When Marley decided to play this game I thought my head would explode from the effort of not yelling at her when she finally stopped and allowed herself to be caught.

Not laughing at a naughty dog. I love it when my instructors dog is naughty in class. I know laughing will encourage the behavior and I know I shouldn't encourage naughty behavior. I end up smirking instead of laughing, however it is really hard not to laugh.

Feeling guilty about leaving my dog home. I'm taking a couple of classes and Marley spends two days of the week home with Bob. I don't like that it disrupts our park schedule and fun time. On those days I have our fabulous dog walker visit Marley and I make extra trips home to provide mini-walks; however, I still feel guilty.

Agility Update

2011-01-31T18:44:00.001-08:00

Marley and I are progressing nicely. I may have resolved my front/rear cross issue; It turns out I know how do do them but I get the terms mixed up. The dog walk and tunnel are looking good.

We are adding the front cross to the jump and it makes so much sense. We have also started working on the serpentine. Everything seems to be going well, except I just discovered a new distraction.

MY SHADOW

I discovered this quite by accident, I rented the training yard to work on some equipment and we were out there around 11 a.m. It was a glorious January day, cool yet sunny. The tunnel was in a U shape and I sent Marley to the tunnel. She was doing great and I started to add more distance. We were about 5 meters away from the entrance and I started to move towards the other end after sending Marley. As she was running to the tunnel she noticed my shadow moving towards the other end and she turned to enter at our exit.

This means I will have to spend some time in the sun going through all the equipment to ensure my shadow stops being a distraction. Unfortunately, both Marley and I dislike working in the sun. What are the odds all of our trials will be held on overcast days?

I forgot Marley was a dog

2011-01-24T20:13:00.000-08:00

Yep, I totally forgot she was a dog and now she is sick. After a trip to the park, I thought it would be nice to pick up some chewies for Marley. I purchased some treats and some rawhide wrapped in chicken. Since I was parked in a nice shady spot, I thought it would be a good idea to pick up dinner at the grocery store.

Marley curled up in the back to take a nap.

When I came back I found the bag of treats in the back seat and Marley had consumed all the chicken from the chicken wrapped rawhide and she was trying to hide the rest of the treats. I cleaned everything up and threw away the rawhide.

Marley usually just naps in the car and waits for me to come back. She has never eaten any treats I've provided in the car. I so did not expect her to feel comfortable eating in the car when I had a bag full of treats. I have to be more careful and not leave enticing items in the front seat. I don't think I'll forget she is a dog for a long time.

K9 Cancer Walk

2011-01-18T20:13:00.000-08:00

Time to mark your calendar for the 2011 K9 Cancer Walk. Marley and I really enjoyed this event last year.

On Saturday, May 7, 2011
Registration/Check-in: 8:30 a.m. Walk starts at 9:30
At Rotary Grove in Elk Grove Regional Park
9950 Elk Grove-Florin Rd.
Elk Grove, CA 95624

If you register by April 24, 2011 you receive a discounted registration fee.

I think it would be great if we raise more than $75,000 for canine cancer research this year.

Stuck in a rut

2011-01-17T18:25:00.000-08:00

I want to go somewhere fun and different!

I was driving Marley to the park and I realized we were stuck in a rut.

I decided it was time to shake things up and start doing something fun or at least different. Instead of going to the park we drove to the river and went for a long walk. It was a lot of fun and we were both reinvigorated by our change in routine.

Frisbee Training

2011-01-10T18:40:00.001-08:00

I have not given up on having a dog that fetches. Since Marley refuses to retrieve tennis balls, I've decided to try something different. I got her a Chewber and we started the following training regimen.

I stored the Chewber in a container of kibble for about a month.
I started to use it as a food bowl.
After dinner I would hold it and ask her to "take it" and when she gently took it out of my hand I would praise her and give her a treat.
I started to gently roll it about a foot and I would ask her to "get it."
Once she figured out if she returned the Chewber she would be rewarded with a treat I started to gently throw it a couple of feet.
As she became better at bringing it back I started to feel excited about my future disc dog.

Today, I decided to see if we could translate our Chewber success to our Hurl a Squirrel. I was pleasantly surprised to discover Marley was just as excited about bringing back the Hurl a Squirrel.

At this point I still need to try this in a different location and I need to start withholding some treats. I'm still not sure how to encourage her to focus on the toy and not on the treats.

I welcome any advice or suggestions.

Bad Bob

2011-01-03T18:54:00.000-08:00

Marley is not allowed to chase cats. I do not allow her to chase cats while we are on walks or visiting a cat friendly home. If I catch her harassing or chasing Bob, I'll send her to her crate for a time-out.

I have to change my strategy for 2011. I've been home sick and I've managed to observe Bob and Marley during the day. I've discovered a horrible fact, while I've worked on Marley's behavior, I've totally neglected to curtail Bob's behavior.

Most of their interactions begin by Bob walking to Marley's bed. He'll sniff her bed, freeze and then flick his tail. Marley waits until Bob flicks his tail and then the chase is on! They run around the apartment until Bob decides to stop. Marley politely stops about a foot away from Bob and walks away.

At times, Bob will stop about a foot away from Marley and do a modified play bow. As soon as Marley looks at him, he flicks his tail and they are off for a quick game of chase.

At this point, I'm at a loss as to how to teach Marley not to chase all cats.

Smarty paws

2010-12-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

I wanted to take some photos of Marley figuring out her new puzzle; except she figured it out right away. I tried to make if difficult and she grinned while she ate her quickly found treat. I am a bit amazed at how quick she figured it out.

I am a bit disappointed with the puzzle. I liked the sliders. I did not like the pegs, they are just too easy to knock over and that makes the puzzle kind of too easy. While the box indicates it is made of wood, it has a plastic feel, which I don't like.

I think I'm going to stick to Nina Ottosson puzzles. I really like the wood and I feel the puzzles are really challenging.

A friend recently told me it is my fault Marley solved the puzzle so quickly. He told me agility was making my dog too smart and I should cut it out!

Really, this is it?

2010-12-26T09:50:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed an old fashioned Christmas. The focus was not on the gifts but on enjoying time with friends and family. I tried not to overdo gifts for Marley, after all how many tennis balls does a non-fetching dog really need.

Marley received a new puzzle and a bully stick.

I was good, what else do I get?

I received the best gift ever! Marley and Bob sharing my lap.

Happy Holidays

2010-12-14T20:06:00.000-08:00

We would like to wish everybody a safe and happy Holidays!

We attended a fundraiser for Mercer Veterinary Clinic for the Homeless. It is a student run organization that provides veterinary care for pets of the homeless. We had a great time and we totally love our photo.

Playdate with King

2010-12-12T20:05:00.000-08:00

Marley had a play date today with King and his little brother Ace, she had a great time. I'm glad she didn't chase their feline siblings.

King showed her around his huge yard and pointed out all the best spots.

Quick come here, I'll show you my favorite digging spot.

Ace just wanted to play fetch.

Quick throw the toy and I'll kind of bring it back. Hurry!

Marley helped them patrol the yard. This involved a lot of running around and barking.

Stay out of the yard, we are sure you don't belong! We are large, fierce and will tear you apart!

They all took a grass snack break.

They all had a great time. I enjoyed throwing toys for dogs that appreciate a great game of fetch and Marley enjoyed running around and rolling in grass. Everybody had so much fun that Ace wanted to go home with us, we resisted the urge to bring him home.

Thanks to King and Ace's mom for inviting us over, we had a great time.

Holiday Magic

2010-12-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

Bob is the weirdest cat I have ever lived with, probably because he is the only cat who actually behaves like a cat. He is extremely aloof and very picky about who he considers a friend. He does not like many of my friends and he refuses to allow his first human to invade his space. He has insisted Marley maintain a 3" separation between them at all times.

Dogs are totally smelly!

I totally wanted them to become friends and cuddle together, like Marley and Mahone used to cuddle. Bob totally refused...until this week!

This dog is such a pain but kind of warm!

It took freezing temperatures to coax Bob into sharing my lap.

It is freezing cold!

2010-12-03T19:35:00.000-08:00

It has rained every weekend and the temperatures are hoovering around freezing. I'm always worried about Marley being cold and I'm not sure how to tell if she is freezing. While her fur is fairly long she does not have a double coat or any extra body fat to keep her insulated. In public she never shivers or tries to cuddle or provide any indication she may be cold. I've arbitrarily decided if I'm wearing multiple layers, Marley will wear a sweater.

Marley does not like it one bit, however she is being a good sport about wearing the sweater.

Does this color make my coat look shiny?

Oh no, is that a neighbor?

I better make a run for it before they see me!

Photos in this post taken by Peaceful Pets.

Jump...what jump?

2010-11-17T21:19:00.000-08:00

Marley has been doing great with jumps. At every class session she takes the jumps with out any problems, send aways are fine, multiple jumps are fine and recalls over jumps are fine. Distractions around jumps have not been a problem and broad jumps have been easy.

Until this week!

We get to class and our instructor gave us a pop quiz on pinwheels. (Yes, we have exams in agility class...doesn't everybody?) I'm not concerned because Marley has been doing so well on jumps. When it is our turn she looks around and sits instead of going towards the jump. I walk her towards the jump and she runs around the jump. I restart the exercise and she jumps over one jump and runs around the next.

Our instructor totally gave me the "you haven't been doing your homework" look and nicely suggested we increase homework time on jumps.

The only good thing about class is I may have finally mastered the rear cross.

Lure Coursing

2010-11-14T20:15:00.000-08:00

I think I owe Marley a huge apology, in the past I've called her unruly and out of control. This weekend I realized I had never really seen Marley out of control. We tried lure coursing and the minute she saw the lure she lost all sense of control.

Yep, she started yipping, barking, pulling on the leash and trembling with excitement. I ended up finding a spot behind a huge truck, which managed to block her view of the course, which seemed to help a bit.

We took 5 turns on the course and she loved every moment. Well, until her turn ended and then I had to be fast and leash her quickly. I ended up having to pick her up to remove her from the course, she squirmed a lot and I almost dropped her a few times.

Check out her stride, she is amazing.

She looks so intense and happy.

I am so grateful this was mentioned at Just Another Dog Blog, Marley had such a great time. I have to keep my eyes open for more opportunities to do this more often.

What a difference

2010-11-08T20:07:00.000-08:00

I feel like a real agility trainer!

I finally broke down and rented a training yard for an hour of training. This allows us to practice on equipment I do not own and this small change has really helped me focus on agility. I also think Marley is having fun.

I still have a few concerns and we will probably wing it a bit until I've found a good course of action. We only have the space for an hour and I'm worried about pushing Marley too far before she is ready. I'm also worried about making the activity boring by doing too many drills in too short of a time.

So far I've done the following:

I've planned out our activities. For this session we were working on the teeter and the tunnel.
I alternated between both activities. For example we worked on driving to the tunnel about 5 times and then we went to the teeter and worked on that for about 5 times. We repeated each set about three times.
We took a break and I threw her favorite toy for a few times. I tried her special agility tuggy, except she wasn't interested.
I made sure we took water breaks, while the temperature was mild the sun was pretty hot.
We also worked on a self control exercise. We walked around the equipment and we worked on keeping her from taking off and running to the equipment.

I'm pleased with our first session in the training yard. I'm not sure if I'm working enough or if I should increase the number of drills on the equipment. I'm hope it falls together now that I feel like a real agility trainer.

The most difficult part of owning a dog

2010-11-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

When I was a child Frosted Flakes were considered a healthy part of a good breakfast and dogs were fed dog chow. As a teen I learned about Science Diet and I was totally sold on it being the healthiest food around for pets. My cats have always received the healthiest food I could find at the pet store.

While I was looking for Marley I discovered a friend's dog was allergic to corn and they were experimenting with premium food. Also, the "Massive Pet Food Recall" occurred and I realized I had to be more cautious about the food I purchased.

Currently, I feed Marley a variation on the rotation diet. I'm rotating between dry, canned and raw. I try to rotate brands and protein source. I also add a variety of toppers to dry and canned food, such as yogurt, fruit and veggies.

I would like to feel confident feeding raw; however I'm not sure I totally understand dog nutrition. I am currently learning as much as possible by reading a few books, Whole Dog Journal and asking as many questions as possible. A great friend is sharing her dog nutrition knowledge in her new blog, Around the Dog Bowl.

I appreciate any advise or suggestions for reading material.

Wanted...New Agility Mom

2010-11-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

Marley is doing great in Agility and until today we were great partners. Today, I totally embarrassed my dog. I strongly suspect she wanted to leave with some of the real trainers in our class.

It seems the following behavior is embarrassing for Marley:

It seems to embarrass my dog that I can't figure out a rear cross. I keep tripping over my feet and falling or tripping over my dog. After a couple of months I should have figured this out, unfortunately I had to ask for a refresher.
Marley enjoys being sent away to do something and she thinks I'm really slow. She totally showed attitude while waiting for me on the pause table.
While doing send aways she was totally squirmy, probably because I was slow and I picked her up to restart the exercise. Picking her up seems to calm her down, probably because she doesn't like it very much. This part not only embarrassed Marley but our trainer chastised me, I need to allow Marley the dignity of walking.
Instead of treats I brought our agility tuggy to a few activities. Marley doesn't believe in toys during agility and she was totally unhappy by my insistence on playing with toys when she could have treats instead.

Hopefully our class will be better next week and Marley will not stow away with a different trainer.

Introducing...

2010-10-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

Marley - Trainer of People

Or Master Manipulator?

Last winter Marley convinced me she couldn't wear any clothing. She has recently decided she doesn't like her harness. The same harness she has worn every morning for the last 3 years without complaint.

Every morning I'll stumble out to the living room and she sulks while I put on her harness. After the harness is on she is perky and ready to go for her walk. I've checked the harness and it fits loosely and I make sure it does not pull on her coat. I'm not sure why she is sulking.

She has started training her dog walker; according to reports she is sulking and adding some vocalization. Yep, she is trying to train her dog walker to ditch the harness.

I wonder how fast he'll succumb to her tricky human training.

Raining Cats & Dogs

2010-10-24T21:07:00.000-07:00

It has been pouring all weekend and Marley and I have spent most of it outside. We went to the park and we had it all to ourselves so we did the funnest thing ever. We hunted squirrels, well to be honest I pointed them out and Marley chased them. We also enjoyed a fun game of chase, I ran and Marley chased me and when she got close I ran the other way after a while I let her catch me and then we started over until we were tired. We were both happy and relaxed when we returned home and I had hot cocoa while Marley enjoyed a chewy.

While walking to my car completely soaked I started to wonder, where are all the other dogs? Where is everybody? Are they all lucky and live in houses with yards? Are they all calm and relaxed while sitting at home staring out the window?

Multiple dogs, how?

2010-10-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

How do people deal with multiple dogs?

I've been trying to wrap my mind around what my life would be like if I adopted another dog. I'm having such a difficult time imagining having enough time to care for multiple dogs.

At this time after dinner I spend about an hour grooming Marley. This includes combing out her ears, brushing her coat, checking her nails and brushing her teeth.

After our grooming session I spend some time playing with Marley. I usually attempt to play fetch; however she prefers hide and seek. We also do some training during this time.

After this I will give her a chewy and I'll spend some time with Bob. This involves grooming him and cuddling.

I have such a hard time visualizing how I could add another hour to my day to spend grooming an additional dog. How in the world do people with multiple dogs do this?

Road Trip

2010-10-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

I'm planning Marley's second road trip. I love road trips and I'm so happy Marley does so well in the car. I've started by mapping our route and checking our destination for pet friendly sites.

I want to know how can the stuff of a 12 lb dog can take up so much room? Marley's stuff includes:

Crate - to keep her safe in an unfamiliar location
Blankets - got to be comfy
Towel - in case she gets muddy, heaven forbid she actually swims
Vaccine certificate - My vet provides me one at our annual visit and I scan it into my computer for safe keeping (paper vanishes and multiplies at my house).
Food and water - always safe to use what is familiar
Bowls - for food and water
Toys - a variety to keep it fun, must not forget our soccer ball or bubbles
Pet friendly snacks - Carrots and apples
Extra Leash - just to be safe
Regular gear - such as poop bags and long leash

Umm...12 lb dog requires 30 lbs of equipment how is this possible?

After visiting multiple sites looking for pet friendly destinations and mapping my route I discovered the best site ever! Go Pet Friendly is simply so wonderful, in addition to having great tips, they have a brand new Road Trip Planner! They are currently working on it and I encountered a slight snag. I emailed them with the problem and they responded within minutes. I am amazed with their friendly, professional customer service and I look forward to using them for my next road trip.

We are on a Mission

2010-10-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

Marley and I are on a very important mission. We are trying to find the best, secret dog play spot. So far we have found a wonderful green field at a local high school and a fabulous enclosed green field in a quiet neighborhood. I was so surprised to find the secret enclosed green field; it is tucked away between a couple of houses and it appears the neighbors have taken it over for their dogs. I'm going to use it to practice some jumps with Marley. If you happen to have a secret dog safe play area we would love to hear more about it.

"More secret running spots, please"

I've noticed Marley does the weirdest thing after a walk. She will lay down and begin sniffing her paws and she will spend quite a while smelling herself until she has inspected her whole body. I wonder why she does this?

Fair Oaks Dog Walk

2010-10-04T22:31:00.000-07:00

Fair Oaks is best known for its feral chickens...Yep, feral chickens! Marley loses her mind every time we go to fair oaks. She sees these large birds wandering around the ground and she knows she can catch one for dinner.

We met up with some friends for the easy 2 mile walk (from left to right: Casey, Penny, Bruiser-hiding behind Marley).

Don't they know we have to look at the black box and smile?

Marley really enjoyed the walk, we took a small break at the river. This picture is an example of my view every time we go for a walk and it always makes me smile. Marley is alert and her tail is slowly waging as she trots along.

We found more friends relaxing after the walk. All three are Siberian Husky mixes (from left to right: Apollo, Radar, Bialto and of course Marley).

We participated in some of the games and we were 5th in Musical Sit (everybody walks in a circle and when the music stops the last dog to sit is out). We really need to work on heel, Marley tends to lallygag when ever we heel.

We also attempted to participate in the small dog race. This is so embarrassing, we were ready to go and Marley and I had great eye contact. We were so going to win this race, they said go and Marley ran after a chicken. Yep my fabulous dog was totally distracted by the feral chickens.

Overall, everybody had a great time and we plan on attending this again next year. Of course we will practice heeling and we will try some controlled recalls around birds before the next event.

Dogscaping Creating the Perfect Backyard & Garden for You and Your Dog

2010-09-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

I like to pretend I can garden, in reality I tend to murder my plants. Especially the "hard to kill" plants like mint or rosemary. I can win awards for the scrawniest tomato plants. I've actually grown the only zucchini plant that produces 3 vegetables.

Well, I've recently moved to a new place with a large patio and I thought it would make a great space for plants and veggies. Once I started to think about what I wanted to plant, I started to worry about Marley eating something toxic.

I was delighted to find Dogscaping! It begins by explaining how to design for the type of dog you have. It walks you though plant selection and organic fertilizers, compost and mulch. There are a few dog recipies and lots of great ideas.

As I flipped through the beautiful pages, I saw two dogs that looked familiar. It was Johanna and Gracie from Raise a Green Dog, I felt like I knew celebrities. Their article about organic lawns was fabulous.

Overall, I loved this book, it was simply beautiful. The ideas were fabulous and there were projects within different sections such as a diy dog pond, doggy sandbox and a fetching strip. I especially loved the section on acceptable plants for the type of dog you have, for example plants that will survive canine excavators. I see a dog friendly water feature in Marley's future.

Maddie and Marley

2010-09-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

We had a play date with the cutest border collie foster dog ever. Maddie is a small (about 35 lbs) smooth coat border collie. She was a fetching fiend and enjoyed running after Marley. They played nicely, however she spent most of her time focused on her foster mom.

Just throw it, I'll bring it back!

Isn't she beautiful? She loved chasing her toys and most of the time brought it back.

Marley is doing her best border collie imitation.

Throw it, I'll bring it back!

I'm sure she really wanted to bring it back, unfortunately she was distracted by grass.

I think they look awesome together, if I was an impulsive person I would totally adopt Maddie.

If you are interested in adopting a Border Collie you may be interested in Border Collie Rescue of Northern California. They have quite a few dogs available in additon to Maddie.

Agility Update - Marley's New Thing

2010-09-22T21:39:00.000-07:00

At the last trial I attended I noticed all the border collies barked during their run. I'm not sure if this is typical border collie behavior or if it was just a big coincidence that all the border collies I saw barked. I remember so clearly thinking how lucky I am to have found Marley. While she gets excited she doesn't bark unless she wants to scare somebody.

This week at agility class Marley showed her true colors...she barked at me whenever she thought I was slow. Yep my little dog barked when I didn't run fast enough or when I wasn't clear about what I wanted from her or when the treat wasn't delivered in a timely manner. I was a bit disturbed and I figured it was just the excitement of class.

Nope, she did it again when we were practicing jumps at home. I'm glad she is excited and I'm very happy she enjoys agility. I'm not very happy about her new demanding behavior.

Is it October yet?

2010-09-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

There are so many fun events to attend in October, we are so excited and can't wait.

Fair Oaks Dog Walk - On October 2, 2010, this is a 2-mile walk to the river and back to Fair Oaks Village. We've attended this and have had a great time. We are looking forward to the little dog races and musical sit. Marley's favorite part of the walk are the feral chickens...yes you read that correctly, feral chickens.

PAWED at the Park - On October 3, 2010, this is a fundraiser for the Mobile Spay/Neuter and Disaster Response Clinic. This event includes a 3K and 5K walk/run; themed costume contests and two behavior contests. Marley is very excited about the dog demos; she knows I'll be distracted and she can steal cookies from my purse.

Pooch Pursuit - On October 24, 2010, this is a fundraiser for the Morris Animal Foundation Canine Cancer Campaign. This event is a 1 mile walk or a 5K walk/run. There will be a K9 officers exhibition, agility demo, costume contest and lots of games.

We enjoy attending fundraising events, they are great causes and we enjoy attending dog friendly events.

On Higher Ground

2010-09-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

Someone doesn't like resting on the ground.

We'll meet you at the car!
Turtles are slow but this one hasn't moved!

Pooch Plunge at Cameron Park Lake

2010-09-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

El Dorado Dog Owners Group (EDDOG) is raising money for the construction of two dog parks in El Dorado County. The Pooch Plunge is a great event where dogs can run and play in the water. It is really special because normally pets are not allowed at Cameron Park Lake.

I was a bit concerned because Marley normally does not like any water activities; however, when we arrived she immediately ran into the water.

She played along the shore and stopped when the water began to deepen.

She took breaks in the sand watched the crazy, ball fetching labs.

She made friends.

After an hour when it was getting hot, Marley chose to break in the shade.

We saw a Riley twin (Labradoodle mix).

Overall, we had a great time at this event. I think Marley likes the gentle slope of the lake and the small waves. She is very adamant at stopping when it becomes warm. I look forward to more of these events.

Congratulations to...

2010-09-08T20:56:00.000-07:00

The winner of the Beneful WagWorld Dog Park Contest is Pat McNeely & Koda!

See the winning entry here: Newton Dog Park in Johns Creek, GA.

The park will contain a rubberized mulch trail around the perimeter of the one-acre park and a water spray area with a dog pool.

It sounds so exciting, Marley and I may have to take a trip to Johns Creek in order to check this out when it is complete.

Hartz Recalls Dog Treats

2010-09-06T09:45:00.001-07:00

I have not purchased any Hartz products after a friend had a horrible experience with their flea products, and I was not really surprised to see this article.

Hartz is recalling nearly 75,000 bags of dog treats.

Salmonella was found in 8-ounce bags of Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats for Dogs stamped with the lot code BZ0969101E, according to the FDA.

If you have any questions you should contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414.

Agility Update

2010-09-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

Marley continues to do very well with our foundation training. I am a bit curious as to why she always seems to do much better in class than at home. We've been working on contacts and while she is doing fine, I'm not sure she understands the concept. Jumps are still going smoothly.

The best thing about Agility Training is the focus and control Marley is learning. I've found she pays more attention to me and my actions. For example a couple of weeks ago we were visiting a friend and I was telling a story (I tend to talk with my hands a lot) and half way into my story I found Marley had leaped up into my arms. I was a bit startled and realized I had made a motion similar to our Up hand signal.

On our morning walks whenever we encounter a neighbor or hear a loud sound, instead of barking as soon as she notices this she will look at me and wait for my response. If I'm on the ball and acknowledge the sound or neighbor she will calmly continue our walk. If I'm not paying attention she will start barking. I really appreciate that she has the self-control to wait for a response from me before choosing to act.

Overall, I'm very pleased with our progress.

Woofstock 2010

2010-08-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous time at this event, we saw so much cool stuff. We participated in the Best Trick contest and lost to a dog that did magic tricks. Yep, Cain did magic tricks, I am in awe that a dog can be taught to do magic tricks. We also saw some interesting dogs that were celebrating in style.

This dog was advertising Mastiff Rescue.

We caught some flyball and I was simply amazed at how totally cool and fun it looks. Marley took the opportunity to poke around my bag and steal two gingerbread man cookies. I managed to catch her before she pilfered all the treats I had purchased.

This is one of the jumps the dogs are going to go over while retrieving the ball. They run in a straight line and once they reach the end they jump a panel and catch the tennis ball and race back over the jumps.

We also caught the Busy Bee's Dogs show and it was fabulous. Here the dog is making the tunnel roll forward, which means he has to walk backwards.

One dog pushed the other around in a vehicle. Marley wasn't too impressed and she mostly napped and digested the stolen cookies.

There was even a train ride around the event, it looked like so much fun. Rescue row was fabulous there were so many mellow dogs waiting to be adopted.

I want a train ride before we go home!

I has such a good time, I'm already looking forward to the event next year. Marley and I are going to practice some new tricks and hopefully next time we might win.

Doors and Doorways

2010-08-25T17:51:00.000-07:00

I have always insisted Marley wait for permission before crossing a doorway. Living in a city it is extremely dangerous for a pet or child to run outside. I'm especially strict about her waiting for permission before exiting the car.

This was fairly easy to teach, this is what I did:

First we learned stay and wait in obedience class.
Each time we encountered a door leading outside I asked her to sit/wait. I then open the door and invite her outside.
Once outside I asked her to sit while I locked my door.
If we were returning from our walk we repeat the process.

This ensures she will sit and wait nicely while I juggle all my stuff while closing the door. I don't know about most people but leaving the house involves a lot of juggling of purse, leash, beverage, book and snack. Having my dog wait just ensures I don't drop anything.

I am extremely concerned about Marley jumping out of the car to chase squirrels. For this activity I enlisted the help of Marley's favorite people.

I waited until I knew she could wait and understood sit/wait at doors in my home.
I started to ask her to wait while I stood in front of the door (basically using my body as an obstacle).
Once she didn't try to jump out, I started moving slightly to one side (basically creating a situation where there was a slight opening).
I waited until there was enough opening for Marley to jump out if she chose, pretty much the entire door width.
I then enlisted Marley's friends and asked them to call her name and basically entice her to leave the car. We started with me blocking the door and reminding her to wait.
She was pretty good about it until I moved to the side of the door and she jumped out, thankfully she was wearing her leash.
I picked her up and put her back in the car and repeated the command wait.
I kept the sessions really short and we repeated this each and every time we were at the car.

This took a long time for her to learn this to my satisfaction. At this point I trust her to stay in the car while I walk around the car. She is very good about waiting for permission to leave the car; however, I will never try this anywhere near a road.

Edits:

This was posted at the request of Bruiser's mom; I would strongly suggest completing an obedience class before trying this.
This is what I do every time we leave the house or leave the car. If for any reason Marley doesn't wait, we start over at the beginning.
We had to start at the beginning when we moved. Marley stayed on a leash until I had time to begin teaching her the rules applied to our new home.
I do not put her in situations where she can fail; therefore, I will never do this anywhere near a busy road.

We received an Award!

2010-08-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

I am the lucky recipient of the the:

I received this from Boomer. Thank you for the award.

The rules are simple.

1. Thank the blogger who gave it to you.

Thank you Boomer!

2. Share 7 things about yourself:

We love to make new friends at the park.
Water is for ducks not dogs. Marley might wade in it but never swim.
Marley loves to trick me into thinking she'll fetch. She'll run to the toy and sit there and wait for me to retrieve it and throw it again.
The treat bin at the pet store is the best thing ever...sometimes there are bits on the ground for snacking.
Bell peppers are yummy.
If you want a snack sit buy a guy and look sad, they will always share their snacks.
Cats shouldn't run if they don't want to be chased! They probably run to get dogs in trouble for chasing them.

3. Pass it on to 15 other blogger.

I don't think I know 15 bloggers who have not received this award. If you haven't received it please consider yourself awarded. Thanks.

Woofstock 2010

2010-08-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

Woofstock 2010 in Rocklin sounds like a fabulous event. It will be held on Sunday, August 29, 2010 and runs from 9-2 p.m. at Johnson-Springview Park in Rocklin. There will be live music, contests, 3k and 5k walk/run, demos and a fenced play area.

You need to preregister for the following events:

3k/5k Walk/Run
Weiner dog races
60's costume contest (human dog duos)

There will be demos by the following organizations:

Starfleet Flyball
Busy Bee Dog & Pony Show
"Thats My Dog" Skills Challenges & Canine obstacle course

This event is raising funds for the following agencies:

I think Marley will love this event, especially all the vendor booths. Check out the vendor list before you go, it sounds like it might be wise to be ready to purchase some cool stuff.

Jump

2010-08-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

Might as well jump. Jump!
Might as well jump.
Go ahead, jump. Jump!
Go ahead, jump.
(Words by Van Halen)

A while ago Marley started running around jumps in class. She thought it was fun to just run around the jumps and start something new. Well, thanks to some new tips from our new trainer and I think Marley is starting to reconsider her jumping philosophy.

I started by taking my weave poles apart and creating a makeshift jump that is small enough to fit in my living room. I also started using treats that are large enough for Marley to see on the ground and will not stick to carpet. Finally, I've incorporated our clicker into our jump training.

Having the jump in the living room means we play at jumping often (you know during commercials). Marley loves playing jump in the living room. We have played at her running from one side to the other, she thinks the game is run and catch the treat before it hits the floor. We have also played at her going through the jump and coming back to start position.

When we showed up to class I was a bit concerned because I had not practiced jumping anywhere else and was worried about Marley trying on grass. Our instructor was teaching us the pinwheel and Marley surprised the heck out of me! She went from jump to jump with no shenanigans. She didn't try to run away! She didn't act like this was a new activity!

I am so impressed with her behavior. I've also realized we do really well at any activity that can be practiced indoors (you know during commercials).

Rescuing Sprite

2010-08-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

A couple of days after Mahone died, a friend gave me a copy of Rescuing Sprite. I was a bit flabbergasted she would give me such a book and promised to read it soon.

It is a lovely story about a man who talks his family into acquiring a dog and his family loved having a pet so much they look for and adopt Sprite. They were informed Sprite was about 3-6 years old. Sprite adapts quickly to their household and everybody loves him. After some time they realize Sprite is much older than they believed and he has some undiagnosed health problems.

The author discovers that no matter who we are or what we do we all seem to feel the same way about our pets. Our pets seem to occupy a part of our soul that defies explanation. I loved this book and I'm glad I took the time to read it.

Emergency Pet Care

2010-08-16T20:13:00.000-07:00

A local paper had a fascinating article about providing emergency veterinary assistance to low income pet owners.

The United Animal Nations provides small grants to people in emergency situations. These grants run between $100 - $300.

If you know someone who is homeless and their pet needs veterinary care they can go to the Mercer Veterinary Clinic.

Our local shelters and SPCA are not equipped to provide emergency care and they will refer you to an emergency pet hospital. Please do not surrender your pet to those agencies in the hope they will receive emergency care, if they have an abundance of needy pets they will euthanize pets in need of medical attention.

If you are looking for a place to donate funds or time please contact some of these agencies. Marley and I participate in the Mercer Vet clinic Santa Paws fundraiser every year and we have a great time.

Road Trip

2010-08-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

I've always enjoyed a spontaneous road trip. You know waking up and just tossing things in your car and driving to Vegas. After living with Marley for two years, I decided it was time for Marley to experience a road trip.

Road trip to where?

Since Marley is not welcome at most establishments and leaving her in a car is not an option, I found myself spending some time planning. I invited some friends and we scoured the internet looking for a dog friendly, scenic location. We settled on North Lake Tahoe. I contacted the Visitors Bureau and requested information on dog friendly areas. We gathered our supplies; water, food, toys and towels and took off on our adventure.

Riley (laboradoodle), Bruiser (Bishon) and Marley waiting for treats.

Riley was in doggy nirvana. He got to run around and fetch in water!

Marley got to run around and smell stuff that didn't involve any water.

Are we going somewhere else?

Marley was not too impressed with our second location.

Marley enjoying the breeze and shade (possibly plotting Riley's early demise for making her look bad for not fetching or playing in water).

Riley oblivious to anything except fetching in water.

Everybody had a great time and ALL the dogs slept on the way home. I'm glad we planned our trip because many of the beaches did not allow dogs at all. Marley seemed to enjoy the entire concept and I'm starting to think about other areas to visit.

Marley got me in TROUBLE

2010-08-11T20:22:00.000-07:00

We were successfully working on a jump exercise and it was time to take a break. I called Marley over and heaped praise. My instructor asked, "Where is her toy? Why are you not playing with her?" I stammered out a response about Marley's lack of interest.

During our break I dragged out the variety of toys I keep in our agility bag trying to interest Marley in playing with me. She sat there and looked embarrassed. Yep, Marley gave me the "13 year old girl OMG you are so embarrassing" look. I tried a latex squeaky, Frisbee, stuffed duck, ball and a rope. Nothing, she refuses to play with toys when we are in class.

She is under the impression that playing with toys is something we do before a walk in the morning. So far I've tried playing with her and giving her treats as a reward for playing in the evening and sometimes that works, however it is not consistent.

At this point I'm not sure what else to do to entice her to play with me at other times. I welcome any advice.

Marley's Secret

2010-08-08T21:11:00.000-07:00

On most days after a morning nap, Marley will sniff some cat butt and take a nap in the sun. As she begins contemplating a quick game of harass Bob her secret friend shows up.

Marley loves having a secret friend. Her secret friend takes her on a long walk and gives her treats and a cuddle before leaving.

Sometimes her secret friend will bring Marley's boyfriend, Cash, for a shared walk. Marley loves those days best.

Sometimes she has to share her walk, but she doesn't mind because her boyfriend usually joins the brisk walk.

Can you find the little dog?

After her secret friend leaves Marley enjoys a nice nap under a chair and dreams about chasing birds.

When I return home Marley is relaxed and happy to see me. What she does not know is I'm onto her secret. My secret is I receive an email letting me know what happened on her walk, did she poop, chase birds or try to entice her boyfriend to play instead of walk.

While I grew up in a big city, dog walkers were not very common and I always thought it was a service only offered in New York. I was very surprised and pleased to discover dog walkers are fairly common in my current city. I highly recommend a dog walker to anybody who has a dog, even if you have a back yard. It adds a nice variety to Marley's day and keeps her out of trouble. In addition, whenever she is having a health issue, it is nice to receive an email notifying me of any changes in her stool or behavior.

I really appreciate Marley's calmness and I always attempt to have her walked on days when we have a class. This is the difference between her being wild in class and her being calm and ready to learn.

All photos taken by peaceful pets.