I brought Steeler to the day care center where I work for an open house event last night. The purpose of this event was to invite the community to view our establishment first hand and answer any questions from potential new people that were thinking of enrolling their child (or children) in our center. Each room had activities open for parents and children to partake in. Steeler had sprawled himself on the floor in his normal lazy fashion just off to the right of the door in the class I normally work in.
A little girl on the cusp of turning four, burst through the door all excited to check out the room when she encountered Steeler. Steeler got up slowly to greet her and she replied with a gasp, “ My mom is allergic to horses!”
Everything Dog
Friday, April 24, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Dog picture plaques
Last year, or the year before, (time flies) Peter started doing some paintings of dogs on nice wooden plaques. They can be hung on a wall or placed in a decorative plate holder placed on a side table. They are approximately 8x11 , depending on which type of plaque he uses.(square, round, etc) He has a variety of breeds already done, but if you want your dog on a plaque he will try to do that as well. A clear picture of your dog would be necessary. You can email me a pic at grott57@gmail.com
The plaques sell for $25.00. Along with painting there is also a little wood burining involved.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
clicker training
While there are many ways to train a dog I have found clicker training to be less frustrating as it really gets and holds a dog's attention fairly quickly. This is a good method for puppies because they usually love to eat! It's good for the owner because it takes the frustration out of their voice tones. No words needed! Here are a couple of sites to take you step by step.
I like this site because you can easily print off the directions as you need them so you are not going back and forth to the computer wondering if you are doing it right and it is cheaper than buying a book!
http://www.clickerlessons.com/
This is another favorite site because it shows videos on how to do clicker training, and quite some years ago I contacted this person when the site was just beginning
and suggested he show how to clicker train for therapy dog work which he obviously took me up on! Great job Gal! At one time Gal had a place to share photo albums which showed Chance when he was just starting his therapy work.
http://www.clickertrainusa.com/clicker-training-videos.htm
I like this site because you can easily print off the directions as you need them so you are not going back and forth to the computer wondering if you are doing it right and it is cheaper than buying a book!
http://www.clickerlessons.com/
This is another favorite site because it shows videos on how to do clicker training, and quite some years ago I contacted this person when the site was just beginning
and suggested he show how to clicker train for therapy dog work which he obviously took me up on! Great job Gal! At one time Gal had a place to share photo albums which showed Chance when he was just starting his therapy work.
http://www.clickertrainusa.com/clicker-training-videos.htm
Testing for Therapyy dog work.
There are a few therapy dog organizations out there and each have their own way of testing dogs for therapy work. Below you will find some web sites for these organizations. Keep in mind that the job of a therapy dog is very different than that of a working service dog or working companion animal. A therapy dog is used for emotional support only whereas a working service dog is a vital part or extension of the owner’s physical or mental well being.
Since I am associated with Therapy Dogs International I will go over the testing that they require. Their information can easily be found on their website at tdi-dog.org . TDI basically takes a portion of their test from AKC’s Canine Good Citizen and adds a few extra steps because the dog is going to come in contact with medical equipment and be working in a medical type setting.
All dogs must be evaluated on a buckle collar (or harness). No training tools are to be used during testing.
Dogs must be a year old to be tested.
1) Accepting a friendly stranger: This demonstrates how your dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach you in an everyday situation. The evaluator will greet you while your dog is at your side and carry on a conversation with you sometimes grabbing your hand for a hand shake. The evaluator does not interact with your dog at this point. The dog should show no sign of resentment, aggressiveness or bashfulness. The dog also cannot rush at or lunge at the evaluator. The dog should remain calm and at ease while the evaluator is talking to you.
2) Sitting while being petted: The dog must sit at the owner’s side while the evaluator pets it on its head and body. The dog must sit or stand politely and not struggle to get away or avoid being petted or show shyness. (Greyhounds are not required to sit during testing)
3) Grooming: The dog must accept being brushed with a soft dog brush or comb and have his body touched,( ears and feet). This demonstrates that the dog is used to being groomed, examined by a vet, and shows the owners concern for the dog’s well being. While some signs of wiggling are acceptable any dog that shows signs of resisting and needs to be restrained by the owner will fail the test.
4) Walking on a loose lead: This shows that the owner has control over the dog. The dog must heal at the owner’s side and the owner is given directions by the evaluator. There must be a right turn, a left turn and an about turn with one stop in between and at the end. The dog must not be continuously straining so that the lead is pulled tight, it should not continuously sniff at the ground and must give direct attention to the owner’s commands. If the dog displays total inattentiveness it may fail.
5) Walking among a crowd: The dog is placed in the heel position on the side of the handlers choosing and the owner must heel the dog at close proximity to a least three people. The tester may also have at least one dog on a leash within the crowd. Your dog should continue to heel at your side and although he can show mild interest in the crowd he should not show signs of over exuberance, fear, shyness, or resentment.
6) Sit Stay and Down Stay command. This test shows that the dog understands the owner’s commands and will remain in the place the owner commanded. During the stay portion of this test the dog’s lead will be replaced with a twenty foot lead. The owner will put his dog in a sit and then a down. The evaluator will instruct the owner to put the dog in a stay and have the owner walk to the end of the twenty foot lead. The owner will return to the dog at a normal pace. During this portion of the test the dog must stay in place but can change positions.
7) Come: With the dog still on the twenty foot lead the owner will put him in a sit stay or down stay, walk ten feet away then call the dog to come under instruction from the evaluator. The evaluator may cause some distractions such as petting the dog, but the dog must stay in place. This test ends when the dog follows the come command and the owner reattaches his own lead to the dogs collar.
8) Reactions to other dogs: The evaluator will have another owner and their dog stand opposite of you and your dog. You will approach each other from a distance of approximately ten to fifteen feet, stop, shake hands and engage in short conversation then separate. Your dog should show no more than a casual interest in the other dog. If your dog attempts to jump on the distracting dog or, if after the distracting dog leaves, your dog lunges or begins pulling you toward the other handler or continues to bark in an aggressive manner he will fail.
9) Reactions to other distractions: this part of the test will show how your dog reacts when around everyday distractions encountered in a medical facility. Your evaluator will approach with a walker, wheelchair, cane, and crutches. Your dog should show only casual interest and curiosity. A noise distraction will also be used. This could be a horn, a clanging of pans or the dropping of a large book. The dog can appear slightly startled but it should not panic, try to run, show aggressiveness or bark excessively.
10) Leave It! The leave it command is extremely important to teach a Therapy Dog. Should a patient drop a pill, have chocolates or other foods on a tray and the dog got a hold of it, it could be detrimental to his health not to mention it shows poor manners. The evaluator will drop a piece of food within the dog’s sight. The owner must walk the dog closely around the food, a distance of three feet, while giving the command leave it. The dog should show no interest in the food and should not pull on the leash to try to reach it. A casual look at the food is accepted. While food is used for this part of the test, TDI does not permit food to be used on a Therapy Visit.
11) Acclimation to infirmities: This shows the dog’s confidence when subjected to infirmities you will often see at a hospital or nursing home, such as a limp, shuffling feet, wheezing, and coughing. The evaluator may approach your dog with a heavy uneven limp, coughing loudly, or with a loud voice. The dog should not show fear or anxiety, only slight curiosity is acceptable.
12) Supervised Separation: This demonstrates that the dog will stay well mannered when left with a friendly stranger. The evaluator will take the dog’s lead and ask that you walk out of the dog’s sight for three minutes. The dog does not have to stay in position but should not continuously bark, whine, or pace unnecessarily. The evaluator can pet and talk calmly to your dog if it seems nervous.
13) Say Hello: The evaluator will test each dog on its willingness to greet a person and to see how the dog can be made accessible to people. For example, a small dog may be placed on someone’s lap or held; a medium and larger dog can sit on a chair or be placed close enough to a patient so the patient can pet the dog. Your dog should not wriggle to get away, lift his paw scratching the evaluator, or jump on the evaluator. He should display a calm and comfortable manner.
Testing with Children in the area must be included so the evaluator can gage the dogs reaction around children doing everyday things such as playing, running, bouncing a ball, etc. Children do not come in direct contact with the dog. If the dog shows negative reactions to children the dog will fail the test.
Therapy dog organizations
Therapy Dogs international http://tdi-dog.org/
Delta society https://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=265
Courses and evaluations https://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=282
Bright and beautiful http://www.golden-dogs.org/WHO.cfm
Test http://www.golden-dogs.org/test.cfm
Since I am associated with Therapy Dogs International I will go over the testing that they require. Their information can easily be found on their website at tdi-dog.org . TDI basically takes a portion of their test from AKC’s Canine Good Citizen and adds a few extra steps because the dog is going to come in contact with medical equipment and be working in a medical type setting.
All dogs must be evaluated on a buckle collar (or harness). No training tools are to be used during testing.
Dogs must be a year old to be tested.
1) Accepting a friendly stranger: This demonstrates how your dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach you in an everyday situation. The evaluator will greet you while your dog is at your side and carry on a conversation with you sometimes grabbing your hand for a hand shake. The evaluator does not interact with your dog at this point. The dog should show no sign of resentment, aggressiveness or bashfulness. The dog also cannot rush at or lunge at the evaluator. The dog should remain calm and at ease while the evaluator is talking to you.
2) Sitting while being petted: The dog must sit at the owner’s side while the evaluator pets it on its head and body. The dog must sit or stand politely and not struggle to get away or avoid being petted or show shyness. (Greyhounds are not required to sit during testing)
3) Grooming: The dog must accept being brushed with a soft dog brush or comb and have his body touched,( ears and feet). This demonstrates that the dog is used to being groomed, examined by a vet, and shows the owners concern for the dog’s well being. While some signs of wiggling are acceptable any dog that shows signs of resisting and needs to be restrained by the owner will fail the test.
4) Walking on a loose lead: This shows that the owner has control over the dog. The dog must heal at the owner’s side and the owner is given directions by the evaluator. There must be a right turn, a left turn and an about turn with one stop in between and at the end. The dog must not be continuously straining so that the lead is pulled tight, it should not continuously sniff at the ground and must give direct attention to the owner’s commands. If the dog displays total inattentiveness it may fail.
5) Walking among a crowd: The dog is placed in the heel position on the side of the handlers choosing and the owner must heel the dog at close proximity to a least three people. The tester may also have at least one dog on a leash within the crowd. Your dog should continue to heel at your side and although he can show mild interest in the crowd he should not show signs of over exuberance, fear, shyness, or resentment.
6) Sit Stay and Down Stay command. This test shows that the dog understands the owner’s commands and will remain in the place the owner commanded. During the stay portion of this test the dog’s lead will be replaced with a twenty foot lead. The owner will put his dog in a sit and then a down. The evaluator will instruct the owner to put the dog in a stay and have the owner walk to the end of the twenty foot lead. The owner will return to the dog at a normal pace. During this portion of the test the dog must stay in place but can change positions.
7) Come: With the dog still on the twenty foot lead the owner will put him in a sit stay or down stay, walk ten feet away then call the dog to come under instruction from the evaluator. The evaluator may cause some distractions such as petting the dog, but the dog must stay in place. This test ends when the dog follows the come command and the owner reattaches his own lead to the dogs collar.
8) Reactions to other dogs: The evaluator will have another owner and their dog stand opposite of you and your dog. You will approach each other from a distance of approximately ten to fifteen feet, stop, shake hands and engage in short conversation then separate. Your dog should show no more than a casual interest in the other dog. If your dog attempts to jump on the distracting dog or, if after the distracting dog leaves, your dog lunges or begins pulling you toward the other handler or continues to bark in an aggressive manner he will fail.
9) Reactions to other distractions: this part of the test will show how your dog reacts when around everyday distractions encountered in a medical facility. Your evaluator will approach with a walker, wheelchair, cane, and crutches. Your dog should show only casual interest and curiosity. A noise distraction will also be used. This could be a horn, a clanging of pans or the dropping of a large book. The dog can appear slightly startled but it should not panic, try to run, show aggressiveness or bark excessively.
10) Leave It! The leave it command is extremely important to teach a Therapy Dog. Should a patient drop a pill, have chocolates or other foods on a tray and the dog got a hold of it, it could be detrimental to his health not to mention it shows poor manners. The evaluator will drop a piece of food within the dog’s sight. The owner must walk the dog closely around the food, a distance of three feet, while giving the command leave it. The dog should show no interest in the food and should not pull on the leash to try to reach it. A casual look at the food is accepted. While food is used for this part of the test, TDI does not permit food to be used on a Therapy Visit.
11) Acclimation to infirmities: This shows the dog’s confidence when subjected to infirmities you will often see at a hospital or nursing home, such as a limp, shuffling feet, wheezing, and coughing. The evaluator may approach your dog with a heavy uneven limp, coughing loudly, or with a loud voice. The dog should not show fear or anxiety, only slight curiosity is acceptable.
12) Supervised Separation: This demonstrates that the dog will stay well mannered when left with a friendly stranger. The evaluator will take the dog’s lead and ask that you walk out of the dog’s sight for three minutes. The dog does not have to stay in position but should not continuously bark, whine, or pace unnecessarily. The evaluator can pet and talk calmly to your dog if it seems nervous.
13) Say Hello: The evaluator will test each dog on its willingness to greet a person and to see how the dog can be made accessible to people. For example, a small dog may be placed on someone’s lap or held; a medium and larger dog can sit on a chair or be placed close enough to a patient so the patient can pet the dog. Your dog should not wriggle to get away, lift his paw scratching the evaluator, or jump on the evaluator. He should display a calm and comfortable manner.
Testing with Children in the area must be included so the evaluator can gage the dogs reaction around children doing everyday things such as playing, running, bouncing a ball, etc. Children do not come in direct contact with the dog. If the dog shows negative reactions to children the dog will fail the test.
Therapy dog organizations
Therapy Dogs international http://tdi-dog.org/
Delta society https://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=265
Courses and evaluations https://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=282
Bright and beautiful http://www.golden-dogs.org/WHO.cfm
Test http://www.golden-dogs.org/test.cfm
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The work of a Therapy Dog
As I walk down the long softly lit hallway, nurses, doctors and family members pass me by. A bright smile lights up their face and I hear whispers of, “Oh my God, do you see how big he is?’ and “He’s so well behaved for being so young.”
“I’d like to do that with my little one.” says Dr. Jones. “But he’s too jittery.”
“I love his long shiny black hair.” says Nurse Johnson.
“It’s so nice to have you here.” says a family member.
“But who am I?” You ask. “I am a Therapy Dog.”
A visit from a Therapy Dog means something different to each person or place we visit.
When Hospitals are visited, the Therapy Dog may help stretch out an arm that has not been moved in a long time. They may bring out a tiny sound from someone’s voice that hasn’t been heard in years or they may bring a little laughter to someone who hasn’t felt like laughing due to illness.
When we visit Nursing homes, the Therapy Dog brings a smile to the resident who hasn’t seen a dog in a long time. Therapy Dogs are always willing to listen to a person’s aches and troubles when others have failed to. They’re willing to snuggle up on a lap to make the resident feel as if they were home again. And the simple act of throwing the dog a bone, giving him a little pat on the head, or outstretching their arms to give a big hug generates an uplifting and warm feeling to the resident who receives few visitors.
During a prison visit the Therapy Dog never judges ones past and never shuns them for their crime, but sees them only as people who are in need of a little company and indulgence.
A school or preschool visit combines many different aspects. The children learn what a Therapy Dog’s job is; they learn how to treat and respect their own pets, as well as how to properly care for a pet. They are taught bite prevention by being able to recognize a dog’s body language, as well as when it is safe to approach a strange dog and what to do should they find themselves faced by a discontented dog. They can also get information on how to become a Therapy Dog handler.
A Therapy Dog has no prejudged expectations of the people they meet, there is nothing to prove of ones role in life, and there are no discriminations of differences. They have only love to give and that act in itself is reward enough.
“I’d like to do that with my little one.” says Dr. Jones. “But he’s too jittery.”
“I love his long shiny black hair.” says Nurse Johnson.
“It’s so nice to have you here.” says a family member.
“But who am I?” You ask. “I am a Therapy Dog.”
A visit from a Therapy Dog means something different to each person or place we visit.
When Hospitals are visited, the Therapy Dog may help stretch out an arm that has not been moved in a long time. They may bring out a tiny sound from someone’s voice that hasn’t been heard in years or they may bring a little laughter to someone who hasn’t felt like laughing due to illness.
When we visit Nursing homes, the Therapy Dog brings a smile to the resident who hasn’t seen a dog in a long time. Therapy Dogs are always willing to listen to a person’s aches and troubles when others have failed to. They’re willing to snuggle up on a lap to make the resident feel as if they were home again. And the simple act of throwing the dog a bone, giving him a little pat on the head, or outstretching their arms to give a big hug generates an uplifting and warm feeling to the resident who receives few visitors.
During a prison visit the Therapy Dog never judges ones past and never shuns them for their crime, but sees them only as people who are in need of a little company and indulgence.
A school or preschool visit combines many different aspects. The children learn what a Therapy Dog’s job is; they learn how to treat and respect their own pets, as well as how to properly care for a pet. They are taught bite prevention by being able to recognize a dog’s body language, as well as when it is safe to approach a strange dog and what to do should they find themselves faced by a discontented dog. They can also get information on how to become a Therapy Dog handler.
A Therapy Dog has no prejudged expectations of the people they meet, there is nothing to prove of ones role in life, and there are no discriminations of differences. They have only love to give and that act in itself is reward enough.
Monday, April 13, 2009
doggie time outs
Sometmimes a dog wants to take your attention away from another person in the home or another animal. This can be known as possessive aggression. You may notice the dog pushing his way in between you and another person or another dog. If you find that your dog gets in between you and another person or animal because of jealousy, meaning he wants to take your attention away from this rival and bring it back to him, you’ll definitely want to stop that behavior. It may be cute at first but it can quickly turn into a severe aggressive behavior. You can recondition him with “negative punishment.” By negative punishment I do not mean yelling, pulling on his collar or worse hitting him. For this type of dog negative punishment is simply taking him away from you, or the object he desires. Think of it as a time out for canines. When you see the dog acting this way give him a key word or phrase like, “Oops, you want out?” or “Oops, time out” in a non threatening tone then remove him to another room for two minutes. Keep the time length of removal short, if you extend it too long he will most likely forget why he was removed. Once he has served his time out bring him back into the room with you to try again and reward any good behavior. Repeat this process each time he shows his jealous side.
This process can even work for barkers when you have company, when the dog barks use the phrase above but put the dog outside, after two minutes bring the dog back in to try again. Eventually the dog will want to remain in the company of others and the repeated phrase will be all you need to quiet the dog.
This process can even work for barkers when you have company, when the dog barks use the phrase above but put the dog outside, after two minutes bring the dog back in to try again. Eventually the dog will want to remain in the company of others and the repeated phrase will be all you need to quiet the dog.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Birth, continued
I was determined not to give up, still praying with every breath I blew into the pup and on minute number seven the pup finally cried! Thank you God!
Jason and I cleaned the pup, tied and cut the cord, then placed a piece of red yarn around his neck for the sign of the Red Cross. This pup is a keeper!
Since his birth, Chance has always worn red bandanas as a reminder of his strength and determination.
Abby went on to deliver pups number five and six without incident and when all was said and done, or so I thought, I finally hit the sack around one a.m. The plastic table cloths and old comforter had done the job of keeping the new mattress clean for me to sleep on and I drifted off to the sound of six very hungry pups nursing off of mom. The nusring sounds reminded me of Maggie, the youngest child in the Simpsons cartoon, sucking away on her pacifier only with little moans and groans in between.
The next morning before getting out of bed, I peeked at the pups that were nestled up close to Abby. All looked peaceful and quiet so I headed off to the kitchen to get my first cup of coffee. I returned to the whelping room armed with cleaning supplies and proceeded to remove each pup and place them in Abby’s crate. One, two, three, four, five, six ,seven, I counted. 'Wait, seven?' Knowing my mind is not always clear until I've had several cups of coffee, I counted them again. Sure enough there were seven. Abby had delivered another one while I was sleeping. Bravo, Abby, for a job well done!
Jason and I cleaned the pup, tied and cut the cord, then placed a piece of red yarn around his neck for the sign of the Red Cross. This pup is a keeper!
Since his birth, Chance has always worn red bandanas as a reminder of his strength and determination.
Abby went on to deliver pups number five and six without incident and when all was said and done, or so I thought, I finally hit the sack around one a.m. The plastic table cloths and old comforter had done the job of keeping the new mattress clean for me to sleep on and I drifted off to the sound of six very hungry pups nursing off of mom. The nusring sounds reminded me of Maggie, the youngest child in the Simpsons cartoon, sucking away on her pacifier only with little moans and groans in between.
The next morning before getting out of bed, I peeked at the pups that were nestled up close to Abby. All looked peaceful and quiet so I headed off to the kitchen to get my first cup of coffee. I returned to the whelping room armed with cleaning supplies and proceeded to remove each pup and place them in Abby’s crate. One, two, three, four, five, six ,seven, I counted. 'Wait, seven?' Knowing my mind is not always clear until I've had several cups of coffee, I counted them again. Sure enough there were seven. Abby had delivered another one while I was sleeping. Bravo, Abby, for a job well done!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Abby giving birth
Here's my girl on youtube delivering her second child, the third came quickly after!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7ep70Jq0Ts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7ep70Jq0Ts
Thursday, April 9, 2009
summer plants , are they toxic?
The weather is getting nicer and many are out gardening or at least thinking of the flowers and shrubs they will be planitng soon, so I thought I would share this site on toxic plants for dogs. http://www.sniksnak.com/plants-toxic.html
Also be mindful of the mulch you use as Cocoa mulch is like giving your dog chocolate , a known toxin to dogs. Happy planting!
Also be mindful of the mulch you use as Cocoa mulch is like giving your dog chocolate , a known toxin to dogs. Happy planting!
What would you do?
A dog hurts his leg pretty badly while on a walk. Now the dog does not want to go for a walk anymore and has gotton to the point where going outside to potty has also stopped so that he is going inside on the floor. How would you get the dog to become more self assured to go outside again and do what it once loved to do?
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Chance's birth continued
Abby settled on the bed as being her whelping spot. The room was set up with a large crate, a card table with towels, lots and lots of towels that hubby brought home from his hotel stays, iodine, scissors, dental floss, thermometer, rubber gloves, and garbage bags. Next to the bed lay the whelping box and above the whelping box hung a heat lamp and a room thermometer. I thought I was ready, and looking at the video after all was done, I did seem calm enough, however my nerves inside were fraying at the ends. I can't do this alone! I thought. I reached for the phone.
"Hello?” I heard Jason answer.
"Ja, it's mom, and it's time, can you come over?" I asked. "Kyle is home, but I don't know how much help he will be."
Kyle takes after hubby when it comes to anything medical and disgusting!
"I'll be right over." Jason said. "Can I bring anything?"
"Yeah, some vodka!" I said.
Jason laughed. "Okay, I can handle that."
Shortly after Jason arrived Kyle came downstairs.
"Hey Kyle, it's time." I said. "Do you think you can video tape while Jason and I tend to Abby?"
"Yeah." He said. "No problem."
Abby started crying as she lay on the bed, then got up and turned around a couple of times and plop! Out came the first pup, sac and all, and shortly after the pup came out Kyle disappeared and we could hear him getting sick two doors down in the bathroom.
"I think we lost our camera man!" Jason said.
"It doesn't sound very good." I replied.
I was surprised to see a dog giving birth while standing. I would think lying down would be a more comfortable position as I thought of my own delivery experience. After ten hours of labor a nurse said to me, "If you get up and walk a bit, it may happen sooner." This was not something I wanted to hear so I kept silent until she left the room. My darling husband sat in the chair next to my bed as I struggled with pain, and then he said, "Maybe you should try walking, just a little, around the room."
Try to be nice! I thought. I gave him the death stare, gritted my teeth while trying to smile, my lip turning up like I was Elvis, and said, "I'm not getting up, you get up and walk around, then shove a watermelon out of your privates and tell me how it feels." Grin.
Abby tended to her first pup very well, she licked him all over breaking the sac, and continued to clean him until he cried. Then she lay back down on the bed while Jason and I tied and cut the cord to make a nice little belly button and laid the pup with Abby so he could nurse.
A half hour passed and Abby was not showing any signs of hard labor.
"I think I'll get some coffee, do you want some?" I asked Jason.
"Nah, not right now." He said.
" I went to the kitchen grabbed some coffee and sat down on the couch trying to calm my nerves. Of course with coffee and nerves comes smoking! I rang Hubby's cell phone to tell him the news.
"Hello?" Peter said.
"Hey, we're having babies!" I said.
"You're kidding?"
"Nope and I bet you wish you were here!" I said snidely.
"Uh, of course I do." he replied. And with that we both laughed.
"Don't worry, I said, apparently it runs in the family. Kyle left us shortly after the first pup came out."
"A man after my own heart." he said.
"Call me back later if you have the time." I said. "I'm gonna' finish my coffee and head back to the room now."
"Okay, will do." he replied.
An hour passed, then an hour and a half, still no second pup. Wow, this will be easier than I thought! One pup every hour or so, piece of cake!
On the second hour Abby had her second pup and took care of it much like the first. The third pup came a half hour later, this time Abby was laying down when she pushed him out. When the fourth pup came about three hours into delivery, Abby did not pay any attention to it. From what I could see this pup was not fully out of her body, so I waited for her to push a little more, but she did not. Fifteen minutes later the pup that was once moving inside the sac was no longer moving. Feeling frantic I tried to remember everything I had read about delivery and possible problems, but my mind went blank. I grabbed for the phone.
“Hello, Watsontown Emergency Hospital, how may I help you?”
“Yes I have a pup that was left in the sac and is not moving.”
“You’ll have to break the sac with your finger, and then rub the pup vigorously.” The lady said.
“I’m doing that but nothing is happening!” I cried.
“You’ll have to try mouth to nose resuscitation, do you know how to do that?” She asked.
“NO!” I said.
“Okay, cover the pup’s mouth and nose with your mouth and breathe lightly into the pup. Continue to rub in between. If nothing happens in ten minutes consider him gone and put him aside. Call us back and let us know how you are doing.”
“Okay.” I said.
Jason stood at the doorway watching, clutching a towel between his hands ready to clean and warm the pup. Kyle also returned and stood just watching quietly.
Please God, don’t let this pup die! I prayed over and over between each breath.
I watched the clock closely. Three minutes, nothing, four minutes, nothing, five minutes nothing. Oh God please help me, I promise I will keep him and he will do good things. He will not be just an ordinary family dog, just let him live! Six minutes, nothing. The somber look on the faces of Jason and Kyle told me it was over, he was gone.
To be continued…
"Hello?” I heard Jason answer.
"Ja, it's mom, and it's time, can you come over?" I asked. "Kyle is home, but I don't know how much help he will be."
Kyle takes after hubby when it comes to anything medical and disgusting!
"I'll be right over." Jason said. "Can I bring anything?"
"Yeah, some vodka!" I said.
Jason laughed. "Okay, I can handle that."
Shortly after Jason arrived Kyle came downstairs.
"Hey Kyle, it's time." I said. "Do you think you can video tape while Jason and I tend to Abby?"
"Yeah." He said. "No problem."
Abby started crying as she lay on the bed, then got up and turned around a couple of times and plop! Out came the first pup, sac and all, and shortly after the pup came out Kyle disappeared and we could hear him getting sick two doors down in the bathroom.
"I think we lost our camera man!" Jason said.
"It doesn't sound very good." I replied.
I was surprised to see a dog giving birth while standing. I would think lying down would be a more comfortable position as I thought of my own delivery experience. After ten hours of labor a nurse said to me, "If you get up and walk a bit, it may happen sooner." This was not something I wanted to hear so I kept silent until she left the room. My darling husband sat in the chair next to my bed as I struggled with pain, and then he said, "Maybe you should try walking, just a little, around the room."
Try to be nice! I thought. I gave him the death stare, gritted my teeth while trying to smile, my lip turning up like I was Elvis, and said, "I'm not getting up, you get up and walk around, then shove a watermelon out of your privates and tell me how it feels." Grin.
Abby tended to her first pup very well, she licked him all over breaking the sac, and continued to clean him until he cried. Then she lay back down on the bed while Jason and I tied and cut the cord to make a nice little belly button and laid the pup with Abby so he could nurse.
A half hour passed and Abby was not showing any signs of hard labor.
"I think I'll get some coffee, do you want some?" I asked Jason.
"Nah, not right now." He said.
" I went to the kitchen grabbed some coffee and sat down on the couch trying to calm my nerves. Of course with coffee and nerves comes smoking! I rang Hubby's cell phone to tell him the news.
"Hello?" Peter said.
"Hey, we're having babies!" I said.
"You're kidding?"
"Nope and I bet you wish you were here!" I said snidely.
"Uh, of course I do." he replied. And with that we both laughed.
"Don't worry, I said, apparently it runs in the family. Kyle left us shortly after the first pup came out."
"A man after my own heart." he said.
"Call me back later if you have the time." I said. "I'm gonna' finish my coffee and head back to the room now."
"Okay, will do." he replied.
An hour passed, then an hour and a half, still no second pup. Wow, this will be easier than I thought! One pup every hour or so, piece of cake!
On the second hour Abby had her second pup and took care of it much like the first. The third pup came a half hour later, this time Abby was laying down when she pushed him out. When the fourth pup came about three hours into delivery, Abby did not pay any attention to it. From what I could see this pup was not fully out of her body, so I waited for her to push a little more, but she did not. Fifteen minutes later the pup that was once moving inside the sac was no longer moving. Feeling frantic I tried to remember everything I had read about delivery and possible problems, but my mind went blank. I grabbed for the phone.
“Hello, Watsontown Emergency Hospital, how may I help you?”
“Yes I have a pup that was left in the sac and is not moving.”
“You’ll have to break the sac with your finger, and then rub the pup vigorously.” The lady said.
“I’m doing that but nothing is happening!” I cried.
“You’ll have to try mouth to nose resuscitation, do you know how to do that?” She asked.
“NO!” I said.
“Okay, cover the pup’s mouth and nose with your mouth and breathe lightly into the pup. Continue to rub in between. If nothing happens in ten minutes consider him gone and put him aside. Call us back and let us know how you are doing.”
“Okay.” I said.
Jason stood at the doorway watching, clutching a towel between his hands ready to clean and warm the pup. Kyle also returned and stood just watching quietly.
Please God, don’t let this pup die! I prayed over and over between each breath.
I watched the clock closely. Three minutes, nothing, four minutes, nothing, five minutes nothing. Oh God please help me, I promise I will keep him and he will do good things. He will not be just an ordinary family dog, just let him live! Six minutes, nothing. The somber look on the faces of Jason and Kyle told me it was over, he was gone.
To be continued…
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
loose dog
Okay, so before I continue the story below here's what happened today. I'm at work and I hear my name being paged over the loud speaker. I pick up and the secretary says," Sally, there's a lady on the phone, a Noreen Stahm, that says one of your dogs got loose and she thinks it's Chance. No way, I 'm thinking, all the dogs were in the house when I left just an hour and a half ago, and Chance would not leave the property, the furthest he would go would be down the driveway and into my mothers house.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Hi Sally, this is Noreen ."
" Hi Noreen." I said. "What's going on?" I know Noreen from the therapy dog club, her dog Mattie and Chance were pals during therapy outings. Mattie , sadly passed away about a year or so ago.
"Well, Noreen said, I have some people here that I think has your Chance in the back seat of their car. Here I'll let you talk to the lady."
"Hello?" a voice came over the line.
"Hi, I said , Noreen says you have Chance?"
"Yes." she replied. "We found him up on old Sunbury road."
Oh man, I'm thinking , that's not Chance, must be Steeler or Bentley. "I'll come right home." I said. "Can you meet me at my house?" Yikes, Not too much of an imposition!
"Sure." she said.
"Just pull in to the end of the driveway near the garage and I"ll meet you there in five minutes."
Thankfully my job knows how important my dogs are and that they come first before anything else. I quickly headed out to my car and headed home. Don't you know that just as I got over the bridge the Canada Train line comes through stopping traffic! I hoped it was not going to be a 15 minute stop and wait as it normally is. Sometimes this line has a hundred cars on it. What the heck are they transporting here any way!
The wait was short and I was soon pulling into my driveway. There at the end stood a very nice, dark, shiny new car. I could see what I thought was two people in the front, but my Newf's heads are so big and their hair long and wavy that I thought it could be a dog in the passenger side. I did not see anything in the back of the car.
As soon as I stopped my car to get out a gentleman and his wife stepped out from this lovely new car, but still no sight of a Newfoundland inside.
"Hello, I'm Sally" I said as I approached the car. Wanting to keep a smile on my face for all the trouble one of my dogs may have put them through, and wondering if I could head off any possible anger. Some people just don't take kindly to dogs believe it or not!
The man was very cordial , as was the lady.
"Hello, the lady said, we found this dog running on old Sunbury Road and was afraid he would be hit by a car."
"I really appreciate that you took him in." I said. Still, I saw no sign of a dog as I quickly glanced from a distance through the rear window. "How did you know to contact Noreen, do you know her?"
"Oh, no, the lady said, we remembered the article in the paper when her therapy dog died and we were hoping she could help us identify this dog."
Ah, finally putting two and two together , Steeler and Chance both wear their therapy dog tags on their collar.
"He's kinda muddy." the gentleman said. "Looks like he went through a swamp."
The women went to open the back car door and as I got closer, I saw a very large, very tired, and very muddy Newfoundland sprawled out on the back seat of what was once nice clean shiny leather! Oh what a mess!
"So is this Chance?" the man asked .
"Nope, I said, it's his brother Steeler. Did he come to you right away or did you have to try and catch him?"
"Oh, the lady said, well at first we thought it was a bear from the mountains so we just watched him a bit, then we looked a little closer and he came right to us tail wagging. Once we saw the yellow therapy tag I thought about Noreen. "
"I sure do appreciate this." I replied. "I've got five of 'em , but usually it' Steeler or his dad that gets loose and runs the neighborhood ."
"Five?" the man asked in surprise. "Of these?"
After a pleasant chat I showed them where the dogs were kept in the backyard should this unfortunate but rare occurrence ever happen again.
"Just put him right through this gate back here and he'll be safe." I said.
"Well how do you suppose he got out today?" the lady asked.
"It looks like my son went to work through the front door and did not close it." I said. "If the main inside door is not closed the dogs can open the screen door and get out. The front yard fencing is not a secure as the back."
Once they left, I quickly went inside to take a head count to make sure the others were where they were supposed to be. Thankfully they were and I headed back to work.
Just another day in what I like to call "Wally's World!" Taken from the movie National Lampoons Vacation.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Hi Sally, this is Noreen ."
" Hi Noreen." I said. "What's going on?" I know Noreen from the therapy dog club, her dog Mattie and Chance were pals during therapy outings. Mattie , sadly passed away about a year or so ago.
"Well, Noreen said, I have some people here that I think has your Chance in the back seat of their car. Here I'll let you talk to the lady."
"Hello?" a voice came over the line.
"Hi, I said , Noreen says you have Chance?"
"Yes." she replied. "We found him up on old Sunbury road."
Oh man, I'm thinking , that's not Chance, must be Steeler or Bentley. "I'll come right home." I said. "Can you meet me at my house?" Yikes, Not too much of an imposition!
"Sure." she said.
"Just pull in to the end of the driveway near the garage and I"ll meet you there in five minutes."
Thankfully my job knows how important my dogs are and that they come first before anything else. I quickly headed out to my car and headed home. Don't you know that just as I got over the bridge the Canada Train line comes through stopping traffic! I hoped it was not going to be a 15 minute stop and wait as it normally is. Sometimes this line has a hundred cars on it. What the heck are they transporting here any way!
The wait was short and I was soon pulling into my driveway. There at the end stood a very nice, dark, shiny new car. I could see what I thought was two people in the front, but my Newf's heads are so big and their hair long and wavy that I thought it could be a dog in the passenger side. I did not see anything in the back of the car.
As soon as I stopped my car to get out a gentleman and his wife stepped out from this lovely new car, but still no sight of a Newfoundland inside.
"Hello, I'm Sally" I said as I approached the car. Wanting to keep a smile on my face for all the trouble one of my dogs may have put them through, and wondering if I could head off any possible anger. Some people just don't take kindly to dogs believe it or not!
The man was very cordial , as was the lady.
"Hello, the lady said, we found this dog running on old Sunbury Road and was afraid he would be hit by a car."
"I really appreciate that you took him in." I said. Still, I saw no sign of a dog as I quickly glanced from a distance through the rear window. "How did you know to contact Noreen, do you know her?"
"Oh, no, the lady said, we remembered the article in the paper when her therapy dog died and we were hoping she could help us identify this dog."
Ah, finally putting two and two together , Steeler and Chance both wear their therapy dog tags on their collar.
"He's kinda muddy." the gentleman said. "Looks like he went through a swamp."
The women went to open the back car door and as I got closer, I saw a very large, very tired, and very muddy Newfoundland sprawled out on the back seat of what was once nice clean shiny leather! Oh what a mess!
"So is this Chance?" the man asked .
"Nope, I said, it's his brother Steeler. Did he come to you right away or did you have to try and catch him?"
"Oh, the lady said, well at first we thought it was a bear from the mountains so we just watched him a bit, then we looked a little closer and he came right to us tail wagging. Once we saw the yellow therapy tag I thought about Noreen. "
"I sure do appreciate this." I replied. "I've got five of 'em , but usually it' Steeler or his dad that gets loose and runs the neighborhood ."
"Five?" the man asked in surprise. "Of these?"
After a pleasant chat I showed them where the dogs were kept in the backyard should this unfortunate but rare occurrence ever happen again.
"Just put him right through this gate back here and he'll be safe." I said.
"Well how do you suppose he got out today?" the lady asked.
"It looks like my son went to work through the front door and did not close it." I said. "If the main inside door is not closed the dogs can open the screen door and get out. The front yard fencing is not a secure as the back."
Once they left, I quickly went inside to take a head count to make sure the others were where they were supposed to be. Thankfully they were and I headed back to work.
Just another day in what I like to call "Wally's World!" Taken from the movie National Lampoons Vacation.
Monday, April 6, 2009
2ndchance
My name is Sally and I invite you to share your stories, ideas, training tips, and questions about anything dog. I have owned and trained dogs in obedience for twenty plus years of all different breeds. Please adhere to the rules of google, no explicit content or foul language. Keep it light and enjoyable! send me your email so I can invite you to post a comment.
Chance's birth
It's six pm and Abby is frantically running from room to room nervously. Oh god, she's ready! She scampers to the door to go outside. I quickly put a leash on her to keep her safe. It is February and the snow and icy ground offers no protection for her. She runs to her pen and scours the dog house, a place she has never used before, but there is straw inside. I see her turning and turning in the straw so I give her a tug on the leash, knowing that clearly she does not have to pee. Come on Abby. I called. Let's go back inside. Inside the house, she again ran from room to room and settles on the bed in the spare bedroom where her whelping box is set up. Oh God, she's going to give birth on the bed! This sent me scrambling for a back up plan.
Ah Jeez, I can't do this alone! I am a trainer in obedience, "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies!" I said to no one as I thought of the famous line in an old movie.
I ran to the basement to gather up all the old plastic table clothes and comforters I could find as Abby was going to give birth on the bed, that was certain. I hadn't the heart to force her to go to the whelping box.
I could hear Dad, Bentley, barking in the TV room and I wondered if he realized what was going on or was he just being his usual 'one track' mind Bentley who had his eye on a rabbit outside and wanted to get after it. I ignored his boisterous voice and tended to Abby.
I had covered the new guest mattress with the table clothes and the old comforter I found in the basement , after all, I would be sleeping on that bed for the first couple of weeks with Abby and the pups after they were born.
Ah Jeez, I can't do this alone! I am a trainer in obedience, "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies!" I said to no one as I thought of the famous line in an old movie.
I ran to the basement to gather up all the old plastic table clothes and comforters I could find as Abby was going to give birth on the bed, that was certain. I hadn't the heart to force her to go to the whelping box.
I could hear Dad, Bentley, barking in the TV room and I wondered if he realized what was going on or was he just being his usual 'one track' mind Bentley who had his eye on a rabbit outside and wanted to get after it. I ignored his boisterous voice and tended to Abby.
I had covered the new guest mattress with the table clothes and the old comforter I found in the basement , after all, I would be sleeping on that bed for the first couple of weeks with Abby and the pups after they were born.
To be continued...
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