Tuesday Topics 18 - Summertime Tips

Today, my daughters and I went swimming at the pool where I work. Unfortunately, Cabana still wasn't too keen on swimming. She likes being around the pool, but not so much IN the pool. Mostly, Cabana ended up laying on the hot cement. I tried to get her to lay on a towel in the shade--but she opted for the heat instead. Must be the yellow Lab thing that Emily referred to!

Later this week, we'll be attending a 4th of July party at a friend's house, but we don't plan to stay out to see fireworks. It might be too much for Cabana if we tried to take her. And because certain fireworks are legal in our county, there will definitely be a lot of loud ones set off in our neighborhood. Even though Cabana doesn't have fear issues, I wouldn't want to leave Cabana home by herself, in case the sounds are frightening to her. So we'll forego the oohs and aahhs for this year.

Then later this month, we'll be going camping. I will endure Cabana's snores close at hand, since we'll have her sleep in the tent with us. I'm going to bring my ear plugs for sure. Cabana will have to be on tie down throughout most of the day--so she'll get a lot of practice on that.

With July upon us, there's so much about dogs and summertime that will be new to me--things like tender foot pads walking on hot cement, keeping Cabana cool and comfortable, and other safety concerns. Any tips on any/all these issues would be appreciated!!

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Kibble-Sicles

It's been hot around here for the past couple days, so I made Cabana some fun kibble ice cube treats. I saw these on someone else's puppy blog, although I can't remember whose--sorry, I'd like to be able to give the person credit!



Our refrigerator has an automatic ice maker, so I bought this cute Ikea ice cube tray especially for the purpose of making Kibble-Sicles (like popsicles) for Cabana. There are 2 pieces of kibble in each "fishy".


Yum, the perfect snack for a hot afternoon. Oops, is it bad that she's eating them off the ground? I guess I should be serving them in her food bowl....

It was also too hot to cook, so we went out for dinner tonight. We don't eat out very often (we're more into carry-out, I guess), and my husband has been somewhat reluctant to take Cabana to restaurants. So Cabana is sorely lacking in restaurant etiquette. Overall, I thought Cabana conducted herself pretty well tonight, although our waitress did rather snidely remark, "She's DEFINITELY still in training" to another waitress. It was difficult to get Cabana to sit under the table, and in the beginning, she would bolt up whenever anyone passed by. By the end of the meal, though, Cabana stayed consistently in a down position, although she still wasn't quite under the table.



Yep, we've still got work to do in this department. Well, I suppose it's a good excuse to eat out more often!

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Meeting 40 Kids

Yesterday, I went to speak to about 40+ kids at our local elementary school's summer day care. This was my first time to talk about Guide Dogs for the Blind, and I wasn't sure how either Cabana or I would do.

I brought a mat with me, so if Cabana got too restless while I was speaking, I could give her the "go to bed" command, which she's very good about following. But Cabana was very well-behaved during my presentation.

At the end, I answered questions--question after question after question! The kids were extremely interested. And they asked me some doozies that I did NOT know the answers to. I'm going to need to do a bit of homework before I give another talk!

Then, it was time for the kids to line up and pet Cabana. I wasn't sure how Cabana was going to handle being petted by so many kids. I knew she'd love the kids, but sometimes, she just can't contain her enthusiasm! I started by giving some instructions, explaining that this was all very new to Cabana, and that they could help me train her by keeping their energy level down, their voices low, and if Cabana mouthed or nibbled their hands even slightly, that they should tell her "that's enough". Of course, I'd be right there, too, watching carefully and holding onto her leash.


Cabana did start out trying to mouth some little hands (I'm sure there were all kinds of yummy flavors on them, especially since it was right after lunch)--but after the first few kids, Cabana caught on. She sat very patiently while all 40 kids took turns petting her.

When we got home, Cabana was exhausted! Amazing how much energy it takes to try to contain your energy.

Way to go, Cabana!

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Dog Bloggers of Bygone Eras

As a kid, I never read Lassie or Rin Tin Tin books, although as a big fan of Beverly Cleary, I did read Ribsy. Now, thanks to Cabana and my growing interest in dogs, I have started to search out books on canine subjects.

I am currently reading (listening to) Shaggy Muses, by Maureen Adams. It's about the role of dogs in the lives of 5 famous women authors: Emily Bronte, Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Edith Wharton, and Virginia Woolf. These women had rather bleak and tumultuous lives--but they all derived great comfort and companionship from their dogs. Many put their dogs into the stories, poems and letters they wrote. And their diaries contain many references to their dogs, which struck me as being the pre-internet way of blogging their dogs!

It's gratifying to think that we are following in the footsteps of some very talented and renowned women. And I'm so grateful to not be living in the Victorian era--what a horribly limiting and misguided period that was!

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Little Bridges Toward Success

When I picked Cabana up from the GDB kennels yesterday, I was told they had treated Cabana for ear infections in both ears. I was so surprised because I check her ears fairly regularly--and just a day or two before I brought Cabana into the kennels, I had marvelled to myself how clean her ears looked. Shows how much I know. Of course, she might have contracted the ear infections after she arrived there, who's to say.

They also upped her food to 2 cups, twice a day--hooray! I'm so pleased that Cabana can eat a little more. Like most Labs, nothing makes her happier than eating.

Cabana also came home with a bad case of diarrhea, which made itself plain just before our puppy meeting last night. Then, at puppy group, Cabana kept whining and whining. I thought she had picked up a bad habit while in the kennels (the dogs can be pretty loud there), so I corrected her (repeatedly) during the meeting to try to get her to stop. Then, she gave me "the stare"--and all of the sudden, I realized her whining was to let me know she needed to go out! And sure enough, I took her outside, and she had another bout of diarrhea. I felt AWFUL for correcting her when she had been doing the right thing all along! Poor thing!

This morning, though, the diarrhea seems to have cleared up. And we went for our usual morning walk. For the first 10 minutes of our walk, Cabana PULLED like the dickens. I felt like we were starting at ground zero. She has never been a perfect walker, and we still struggle with distractions--but today it seemed extra bad. Then, after a few well-timed (albeit non-protocol) pieces of kibble, Cabana walked better than she ever has before. A beautiful loose leash, no shenanigans--it was heavenly!



Toward the end of our route, I stopped to take these photos on a little bridge we cross. I removed her head collar for the photos--but then, I was able to leave it off for the remainder of our walk. I figured if Cabana got too pull-y, I would put it back on--but I didn't need to! Don't know how things will be tomorrow--but I'll take that little step toward success today!

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Tuesday Topics 17 - Dog of a Lifetime

I took this photo of Cabana in the gardens at the San Rafael campus when I picked her up this morning. It was so good to see her!

Today's Tuesday Topic is a subject that I keep skirting and coming back to, both in my blog and in my own mind. I might be beating it to death, but the sociology major in me can't seem to let it go without further exploration (although this is the ONLY thing I'm doing with my sociology degree).

Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer, says, "You don't always get the dog you want, but you DO always get the dog you NEED." I've been thinking about that statement this past week, while my family has been away and Cabana has been at the GDB kennels.

In looking back over my alone week, if my blog is any indication (and it definitely is), I can see what a whack-job I am! I'm SO overly task-oriented and industrious. I like to feel that I accomplished a lot in a day. If I don't get much done, then I tend to feel a bit frustrated and stunted.

Sure, it's good to be ambitious and active, but there needs to be a balance. And that's where Cabana comes in. Like Cesar Millan said, I DID get the dog I need because I need Cabana to slow me down, to make me go for long hikes in pretty places, to stop working and play a game of tug-of-war, to sit outside in my nicely drip-irrigated garden. She forces me to be a better, more balanced person.

So this made me wonder if that's what makes a dog become a "lifetime dog". That extra special bond that I've heard other puppy raisers and dog owners talk about, when your dog brings out the best in you. Is that the ineffable quality that makes the canine/human relationship even stronger? If not, then what is it that makes you feel more strongly about one dog than another?

I don't know if Cabana is my "lifetime dog", since I haven't had other dogs to compare her to (and also since she doesn't really even belong to us). But I do so appreciate the fact that Guide Dogs for the Blind takes special care in trying to match the right person with the right dog--so that hopefully, Cabana will not just be a guide dog but will become someone's "lifetime dog."

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Ready for Return

So, during my week of alone time, I reupholstered a second chair.


And installed drip irrigation in our backyard.


Planted vegetables in the huge puppy-proof RAISED planter boxes my husband made for me out of the lumber from our old deck. Includes 4 kinds of tomatoes, lettuce, eggplant, zucchini, okra, cucumbers, strawberries, basil and cilantro.


And did some sewing for my 'lil biz.

Now I'm more than ready for Cabana and the rest of my family to come home. I'll be picking Cabana up tomorrow morning. I liked the productivity that being on my own afforded me, but I do miss everybody. Looking forward to tomorrow!

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Shirt Design for Fun Day

The information in the post below is outdated! We are not taking email orders for shirts at this time. Please CLICK HERE for current information.


I asked my talented 16-year-old daughter to design a t-shirt for our puppy group to sell at Guide Dogs' Fun Day. I wanted something that could be worn by men, women, or kids of any age. And she came up with this beautiful Labrador design. It is based on the style of artwork by Shepard Fairey, who designed the famous Obama "Hope" poster. Isn't it fabulous?!

We will have these shirts available at GDB Fun Day on August 16, 2009. However, we are taking pre-orders now. For pre-orders, we are offering t-shirts in men's, women's, and youth sizes ($15), as well as unisex crewneck sweatshirts ($20) and unisex hoody sweatshirts ($25), plus $5 for shipping. All garments will be navy blue. At Fun Day, we will ONLY have t-shirts in men's/unisex sizes.

If you pre-order, you can also get the shirts without Guide Dogs for the Blind at the bottom, for those who are raising for other organizations.

All proceeds will go to our puppy group in order to buy harnesses for graduating dogs.

**Please respect my daughter's hard work. Please do not copy, reproduce, display or use her design without permission. Thank you very much!!

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One Project Completed

Chair BEFORE.


Chair AFTER.

I used cork fabric (real cork adhered to a cotton backing), so it has a very "green" and natural look, almost like wood. But it's very smooth, feels a bit like leather. The pillow is also cork, but a different kind. I'm not entirely satisfied with the result--the cork fabric doesn't has as much "give" as regular fabric, so I had some trouble with it. But what the heck, I'm too lazy to take it apart and do it over.

I went for a run this morning and crossed paths with several people who I normally see. They asked me where my dog was, and I felt a bit guilty about saying Cabana was at the GDB kennels.

While working on the chair, I had the TV on and watched (or actually just listened to) "Indecent Proposal". I had never seen it before, and now I know that I wasn't missing much. What was all the hype about back then when that movie came out?! Brother. BUT Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore had the sweetest and cutest yellow Lab in the movie. The dog was almost white and reminded me so much of Ardella. Seeing the dog made me miss Cabana--but it feels good to have the opportunity to miss. Makes you more grateful for what you have.

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On My Own

For the first time in 18.5 years, I am home alone for an entire week. My older daughter is in Europe, and my husband and younger daughter are in Tennessee. After all these years of taking care of others, which I certainly enjoy and am happy to do, I'll have a week of taking care of only just me. Eat what I want to eat, watch what I want to watch, take as long as I want when I'm shopping, and go for runs instead of walking, since Cabana's not supposed to run.

So, in order to enjoy this once-in-two-decades novelty to the fullest, I took Cabana to Guide Dogs' kennels. People in my puppy group encouraged me to, saying that the puppies love being at the kennels because it's like a perpetual play date. Cabana loves playing with other dogs so much, so that seemed appealing. Also, they said that Guide Dogs will give Cabana a bath and trim her nails to the perfect length--so it's like a spa getaway. At least one of us will get pampered this week! (Actually, I'm not into getting pampered myself. I'd ruin a manicure in about 2 minutes.)



Here are the first dogs we saw when Cabana and I walked into the kennels. One of the dogs behind the fence looks SO much like Cabana. I wonder if they are related. They had told me on the phone when I called GDB not to bring anything, so I didn't even bring Cabana's head collar. Which meant that Cabana was pulling me along like CRAZY! In the reception office, there were a few dogs sitting by the workers. Cabana just wanted to go check them out so badly, and I could barely keep her controlled. Finally, the woman that was checking us in got a head collar out of her desk drawer and put it on Cabana. Yikes, are any other dogs as rambunctious as Cabana?! Lordy lordy.



Here's my last peek at Cabana, as the GDB employee was taking Cabana in to her "room." She said she would pair Cabana up with a roommate of similar temperament (i.e. extremely high energy), so they could rock and roll all night, and party every day.

So my first goal for my week alone is to reupholster this old chair. I got this chair for $10 (was it even worth that?) a couple years ago, and it has been sitting in the garage, awaiting a makeover. I'm so happy to finally get to work on it! Boy, I really know how to cut loose, don't I!

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Tuesday Topics 16 - Release Command

When it's time for Cabana to eat, she sits and waits very nicely. We release her to eat by saying "okay". But lately, probably in the past month, Cabana doesn't respond the first time we say okay. She just sits there and won't start eating. Sometimes, we have to say it several times or say it just the right way. Other times, I have to give her a little pat on the back of her neck before she'll dig in.



In the above clip, the first time I said "okay", I said it too softly--but mostly because I was being camera shy and didn't want my voice to be heard (not really too smart, considering the purpose of this video clip!). But even if we say it loudly and authoritatively, usually, Cabana doesn't respond the first time. Here, Cabana responds the second time, maybe because I said her name first. But there are days when we do this and she still doesn't respond.

We've never, ever punished Cabana for not waiting. She learned it very easily months ago and has done it consistently ever since. So I don't understand her recent hesitation. It's like she's nervous about doing it wrong.

And I don't want to teach bad habits by giving the command more than once. So I need to figure it out before it gets worse. Has anyone else had this happen? If we stick to our guns and only say "okay" once, then Cabana just sits and sits, drooling hungrily. Should we just wait it out, no matter how long it takes, and not give the command again?

Here's a clip of Cabana licking her bowl clean. She likes to get every last nuance of flavor. This clip is from the same meal as the above clip--the bowl has moved quite a bit on the rug!

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And the Winner Is...

...Carrie and Waffle's gnarlybone entry!

I asked everyone in my family, and they unanimously picked Carrie's little nubbin of a bone. Those black hairs add a lot of ick-factor. Also, the fact that it has no bone-like shape left to it gave it the edge over a few others. So Carrie, please email me so you can let me know what color treat pouch you'd like, along with how you'd like it personalized.

And because I'm such a softie, I'd like to give a blank (un-embellished) treat pouch to everyone who participated! Please email me and let me know what color, along with your mailing address.

Thanks to all who participated and cheered from the stands. I would have felt super foolish if no one had entered the contest, so thank you all for humoring me! :)


Here are the color choices. These don't have the clip, but I will add the clip before I send it to you. ALSO, our puppy group will be selling these treat pouches at Fun Day in San Rafael on August 18. So if you didn't participate in the Gnarlybone Contest, you can still get one there!! We will also be selling some super awesome t-shirts, designed by my daughter. I'll post a picture of the shirts next week.

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Last Day to Enter

Today is the last day to enter the Gnarlybone Contest! (Click on photo to see 'em up close and gross.) I will announce the winner tomorrow. Next time, I think I'll have a more visually pleasant contest. What was I thinking?!!

Here are the entries so far. Thanks to everyone for participating. If you entered but don't see your name here, please let me know.
Madison & Butler
Becky & Cricket
Elizabeth & Peyton
L^2
Hobbes Dog
Raiserally
Taelor & Pilaf
Brittany, Hobbs & Patriot
Katlynn & Focus
Carrie & Waffle
Hannah & Journey
Kelsey, Burgess & Tahoe

Who do YOU think should win??

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Tuesday Topics 15 - How Do You Scoop Poop?

Anyone who knows me well, knows I like a good deal. That's why I'm a bit of an eBay junkie. I don't buy or sell often anymore, but when I do, I'm thrilled with my bargains.


I recently purchased these poop bags from this eBay seller. These 600+ biodegradable bags in blue came with the little pawprint dispenser and cost less than $23 with free shipping. We now have enough poop bags to last us until Cabana goes in for formal training. I keep a roll of these bags in my purse, in the car, in my dog-walking pack, by the front door, and by the back door.

When Cabana poops in our backyard, we immediately pick up her poop with one of these blue bags and throw it into our garbage bin. So, we go through 3-4 of these bags everyday.

But I've wondered if that's what everyone does? Maybe we're "wasting" too many bags and there's a much easier way to deal with poop. How do you eliminate your dog's eliminations? Please let me know if there's a simpler method.

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Treat Pouch for Contest Winner

For the winner of the Gnarlybone Contest, I will custom make a treat pouch for you and your doggy. Here's a photo of mine, but I will make whatever color and design you specify. Or you can keep it plain and unembellished, too.


A nice alternative to carrying a large treat pouch, and much neater than keeping kibble in your pocket.

It holds about 20-30 pieces of kibble. Just squeeze to open.

Clips easily to your belt loop.

Or clip it to your purse or backpack for outings.

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8 Things at 8 Months

Cabana is 8 months old today. Here are 8 things Cabana loves right now.


1. She loves to lay on the bathmat in front of the tub while my husband or I take a shower.


2. She loves playing tug of war, especially with her Jollyball.


3. She loves to sit at the top of the stairs so she can take in everything that's happening in the house.


4. She loves to go on outings. Here we are at Tuesday Morning. She's a bargain hunter. ;)


5. She loves reading good books. Okay, not really, but wouldn't that be so awesome?


6. She loves going for her morning walks. Today, my husband walked her. He's tall, so she's gotta keep up with his long legs.


7. She loves hanging out in her crate after we open the door to let her out. Sometimes, she'll stay in there for hours and nap, even though she's free to come out and sleep on her bed. Silly pup.


8. And of course, she loves to chew chew chew her toys. Don't forget the Gnarlybone contest!!

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Gnarlybone Contest - You Know You Want to Win!

Those Nylabones start out so smooth and pretty...but they get ugly in a matter of minutes! So let's have a Gnarlybone Contest. On your blog, post a photo of your rattiest, grossest, dirtiest Nylabone, then leave me a comment on this post so I know you are participating. I will send a prize to the winner. Entries must be posted by June 13, 2009 (that's next Saturday).

The PRIZE will be a 100% upcycled wool pocket treat pouch with belt clip, handmade by me. It's a great way to carry around a small handful of kibble. I have them in a rainbow of colors, so you can choose. I'll try to post a photo of one this week.

If you don't have an ugly Nylabone, here's a coupon to go out and buy one. Like I said, it only takes a short while for it to become a dangerously rough and disgusting thing, so everyone can participate!

P.S. I've never run a contest before, so please forgive me if I'm forgetting to do or say something. But please only use photos you have taken yourself, i.e. don't steal them from someone else off the internet (that's not nice). And of course, it's best if the photo is as clear and in focus as possible, so I can tell it's a Nylabone and not your mother-in-law or something like that. For simplicity, the toy must be a Nylabone, not some other brand of toy--but it can be any kind of non-edible Nylabone toy product.

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Wordless Wednesday - Gnarlybones

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Tuesday Topics 14 - (Not) Sittin' Pretty

These photos show Cabana's growth progression--but they also show that Cabana sits funny. Her knees turn inward, like she's knock-kneed. I thought it was just a silly puppy thing. But at almost 8 months, Cabana continues to sit this way. In looking through old photos, I can see that she doesn't ALWAYS sit like this, but she does probably half the time or more.



In stores, I've had a fair share of people laugh at her for the way she sits. Poor little thing! Does she realize she's being ridiculed?! But I thought it was because the floors are usually slippery, and her paws were sliding out to the sides. But now I realize it's not just when the floors are slippery.





I've started to get concerned...should I be? Is it normal? Do your puppies/dogs sit like this? Or is it something I need to have checked out by a vet??

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