Dog Park

I've been very nervous about taking my dogs to any dog park. Bell is great on her own but she's had a few times when dogs have gone for her for no reason. I think this has contributed to her overall fear of other dogs (unless they are smaller than her...in which case they are toys) and her general nervous behavior in unfamiliar situations.

She was my first choice to take to the new dog park in Enfield. I knew she at least wouldn't start a fight and I was hoping she would actually enjoy meeting other dogs. The first visit wasn't really great. She stayed near me or any other human she could find. Most of the dogs were fine with her; a sniff here a sniff there and they were on their way. The one exception was a small-ish black dog (forgot his name now) who seemed to sense that Bell was timid and made it his business to bother her at every chance he got. His owner was not really on the ball about dog behavior (no surprise there) and did nothing to stop him when he snapped at Bell's face and kept grabbing at her ears and feet. I was happy to see that Bell snapped back at him and gave him a curled lip when he came too near her but this was defeating the whole purpose of bringing her to the dog park. I wasn't there to watch my dog be intimidated. I found myself taking charge of the situation...because his owner wasn't.

I gave treats for good behavior to both dogs (and others that were just moochers) and the little black dog got my loud manly voice telling him NO and NO BITE when he tried grabbing Bell. I even resorted to grabbing him by the collar and telling him no. She did nothing. He decided he had to listen to me. Wise choice little dude.

On visits since then we haven't come across that dog again. I can't say I miss him. I've also added Nicki to the mix and even brought the two of them together. Nick is a trouble maker sometimes and Bell will join in if Nicki starts something so I have to keep a close watch. Bell is very good and likes running with other dogs. Nicki likes them if they are her size and seems to want to rough up some of the ones that are a little smaller than her. I guess that make Nicki a bully! But I don't allow it even if the other owners don't mind it. I jump to correct Nick as soon as she starts something...even if it's just barking at a dog. I know barking is probably just smack talk for dogs but I also know Nick will escalate it if not stopped. Somewhere along the way she decided it's ok to irritate other dogs and I don't know where she got that but I'm not having it. Luckily for me she stops immediately when reprimanded...and I do the same thing with her that I did with the snappy little black dog. I grab her collar; shake her neck and tell her NO! But she does get treats when she's being a good girl too. I don't want it all to be a negative experience.

Nick flat out refuses to share the water bowl with other dogs. I don't push that...I let her have her way on that one. I can't say I'd like to share a glass of water with people I don't know either. She will share with Bell and only Bell. That's good enough for me because I happen to know she won't share her food even with Bell at home. Bell gets a warning growl if she tries sticking her nose in Nick's dish. I don't blame her there either. :)

New Addition

Wow! It's been a VERY long time since I posted anything here on the girls blog! But honestly...I haven't had much to say where they are concerned. Not much has changed in their lives over the past few months.

They are both still itching up a storm and losing too much hair. I have now purchased a small hand-held vacuum so I don't have to constantly haul out the big one.  Bell looks like she can do a commercial for a hair restoration place or be a poster dog for an animal shelter. And she continues to be undisturbed by her unnatural lack of hair on her elbows and under her neck, but the ears are beginning to itch now too. 

 Nick has recently gotten over her 'came out of no where for no reason' fear of eating with Bell and no longer is peeing on the floor when she sees the dinner dish (fingers crossed on this one). The search continues for a food that agrees with them (will I ever have normal dogs?). And they both continue to enjoy playing in water.

I have started rubbing them down with a concoction of water and white vinegar to remove excess oils from their skin and keep yeast overgrowth at bay. I do this in between baths. Baths continue to be a source of disgust of a nice smell and fear of soap for them, while usually resulting in a soaking for me and a great deal of exhaustion. They hate smelling good and I hate that they don't smell good for long enough. The vinegar and water rubs help keep that doggy smell down quite a bit. If you own a hound (or just an oily dog) you may want to try it too.

One new thing has happened however that the girls are not even aware of as yet. My Mom got herself a kitten. She's named her Misty (not original but it will do I suppose) and they claim she's about 8 weeks old but I think she looks younger than that. She's the last kitten from two litters that a friend of my nephew's girl friend had in her home. (Somebody needs to learn to spay their female cats!)  She is adorable! And it will be quite some time before she is introduced to my monster girls. They think anything small that runs is fair game to chase and I'm sure if they caught her it wouldn't be good. They don't mean to be rotten...it's instinct...they can't help it. Lily has long ago learned how to keep them in line by not hesitating to smack them in the  face...sometimes for no reason. But on occasion even she makes a run for it and I have to use that most important command "LEAVE IT"! Thankfully they listen.

So here are a few pictures of Misty the tiny kitten who has not met my dogs.

Cute ain't she??!!

Lily

In the past year or so Lily has gone from running away whenever one of the dogs showed up; to hiding behind furniture and growling at them; to racing from one spot to another like ninja kitty; to smacking them in the face just because it's in her way; to stalking a spider near their water dish. Both dogs just watched and waited.
You've come a long way Lily!

Oh No She Didn't

When I handed the stuffed toys to the girls I told them in no uncertain terms NOT to ruin them. They both happily agreed and I stayed a few minutes to watch their play...just to make sure there would be no fighting over one toy. Everything being fine, I retreated to kitchen to attend to other things.

When Nicki showed up at my side some minutes later I suspected Bell was hogging the toys. Nicki will not fight Bell to regain control of a toy or favorite chewy even though she's bigger than Bell. Nicki's way of handling Bell's greedy dog moments are to stand over her and stare at her while she hogs the treasured toy; bark at her while she hogs the treasured toy; stand where I can see her standing and starring at Bell while she hogs the treasured toy (no doubt with the hope that I will intervene) or come right over to me wagging her whole body and begging me with her eyes to make Bell stop being a jerk with her treasured toy. I think she picked the latter one this time.

Of course I asked Nicki what the problem is...asked her why she was standing there wagging when she should be playing with her toy...asked her if Bell was hogging the toys again. To each question she just wagged her whole body harder. That means yes.

This is what Bell was doing when I came back into the living room. Apparently just hogging the toys wasn't quite enough for Bell. Oh Bell! You promised!! (she obviously has no shame either!)

Double Leash

Two excited dogs....


Plus a leash made for two.....


Equals this!


And me trying to stop laughing as they try to 'fix it' themselves!

K9 Tennis Lesson

Bell's Day at Stratton Brook State Park

Bell was hoping for a stroll in the water but I wasn't up for a wet and muddy back seat.


But it was a very beautiful place.