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Hide and Seek

Dovetailing nicely with yesterday’s post about crating, Ray and I ended up playing a little game of Hide and Seek this morning.
While Ray is very good about being in his crate, it really is more of a resting and sleeping place for him whereas I’ve noticed that his ‘safety zone’ is under the kitchen table.  A couple of things Ray really does not like are the blow dryer and the lawn mower, so when I’m getting ready in the mornings he often will hide under the kitchen table while I dry my hair.  I’ve tried treating him while having the dryer running in the background and that has helped for a short time but he goes back under the table more often than not. 
If he is outside while we mow, he typically will huddle against the back door even if we are mowing outside the fence.  That is kind of a struggle as we think being outside would be preferable to being inside on a nice afternoon huddled in the crate, but Ray may not see it that way. 
This morning Ray started out on his mat, watching me get ready but I soon realized he moved to his usual spot under the table even before I began to dry my hair, so I decided to try and make a little game to get him out.  I walked into the kitchen and deliberately did not look at him and began making a big deal of looking for him.  “Where’s Ray-Ray?  Are you hiding?” I looked under the stove, and around the furniture, in his crate, and under the end tables.  I heard him approach when I was looking in the crate and made a big deal of being surprised when I turned around.  He had the cutest expression on his face, like, “Here I am, Mommy, were you looking for me?”  I’d like to try to continue to coax him out more in that manner, making it seem like his idea, rather than making a big deal of him being under there. 
Does your dog have a safety zone apart from his crate?
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To Crate or Not to Crate

The really nice thing about reading an abundance of blogs in my feed reader is that I can “steal” topics write about the same topics in our point of view.  Juliana wrote about the crating vs. non crating issue which is a topic that our household had pretty huge differences of opinion. 
My first experience with crating was well over twenty-five years ago when we got a Rottweiler puppy.  My boyfriend at the time already had an adult male Rottie who was never crated and never needed to be but we introduced the puppy into the crate right away.  I think upon reflection this pup spent too much time in the crate and it was not done correctly but there are a lot of issues involved in the whole relationship to delve into.  That puppy ended up with parvo and didn’t survive.  This had nothing to do with crating but I reference him because we then adopted an adult female Rottie whom we also never crated.  She, however, was not confident and spent a lot of time hiding under a chair in the corner of the room.  I think she would have appreciated a crate for a feeling of security.
Fast forward to the present and Ray-Ray, who is actually very quiet in his crate.  Kevin has never crated and was firmly in the non-crating camp but I think he is starting to see the value of giving Ray a quite and safe place to be when we need to “put” him somewhere.  Ray, as far as I know, has never not been crated.  He was born in rescue and rather than a whelping box, I believe the fam resided in a fairly sizeable crate and a play yard for the most part.  When he came to live with us, we also crated and still do.  While he will occasionally go in for an afternoon nap of his own accord, he still prefers napping on a blanket or mat in a spot of sunshine.
The obligatory picture, though it has nothing to do with crating…
As for bedtime, Ray is quite willing to be bribed to do nearly anything.  For a tasty tidbit of food and the words “night-night” Ray will sprint to his crate which makes tucking him in all that much easier.  Although I would love for the crate to be used less often, I don’t see that happening in the near future.  Ray still has a penchant for the taste and texture of a nice throw rug, so he will need to be kept in his safety zone while we are at work until he grows just a little more responsible.  I am just relieved and happy that we have a willing dog-walker who can give him a midday break whenever needed.  If we didn’t have her, I would really need to formulate an alternate plan, meaning I am pro-crate, but in moderation.
What are your thoughts on crating?
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Pits in the Park

Last week my Dad told Mama that I should contribute more often to our blog.  He actually said I should do all the writing, but I don’t think that is going to happen.  I did have a really great weekend to tell you about.
Mama kept telling me we were going to do something special on Sunday and even though I don’t really know what “Sunday” is, I found out she was so right!  Not only did we do special things but we did so many special things that the day just kept getting better and better.  
In the morning, Asia, Mom and I went for a walk on a different part of the River Greenway trail that I’ve never been on before.  It was hot and I got pretty tired, but I had a really good time, even when an off-leash beagle started woofing at me.  Mommy and Asia said I was a good boy.  Mommy was right…that was a special surprise.  But then when we got home, there was an even better surprise.  We laid down on one of my special comforters and we got one of the pillows that I’m always trying to eat and we snuggled up together for a nap.  I laid my big Pittie snout on Mama’s face and started snoring like a piggy right away.  Mama was surprised that I was such a good cuddler, since I sleep solo in my crate, but I reminded her that I sleep with my squeaky monkey.  We slept for a really long time and when we got up there was another surprise!
Mommy and I went bye-bye in the truck and she told me this was my big surprise.  After all of the fun things we already did, I couldn’t believe that the day could get better but it sure did.  We went up to Fort Wayne where they were having the First Annual Ray-Ray Adoration Festival Pits in the Park Event. 



Thanks for letting us take this pic of “typical” Pit bull behavior, Steuben Co Humane Society



There were tables with treats and toys and all kinds of things to sniff, which Mom called vendors as well as booths for the Fort Wayne Pitbull Coalition and so many other well behaved, handsome Pit Bulls and their families.  Lots of people came to pet me and I gave out lots of kisses and then we sat on the grass in the shade and listened to music while more people came to pet and talk to me. 
Daddy thought having a lot of doggies in a park might be a recipe for disaster, but Mom said everyone there was a loving and responsible dog owner who were interested in busting negative stereotypes. She said it was a very Peace-a-bull Assembly.
Alls I know is that I was one tired little boy and even though I have to help write the blog, I’m glad Mama didn’t ask me to drive home, too.
P.S.  Mama said she didn’t see a single ball there, but she must not have been looking very hard.  I saw a bunch of them on a table that she could buy…
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Vacation, Staycation

Hi folks.  My mama has been so busy being on vacation and getting ready for Asia’s baby shower that she hasn’t had time to tell you what I’ve been up to.  I love when she and Daddy are on vacation because that means I get to play and be with them all day long.  I was a really good boy all week, too, except for a little incident in the corner flower bed.  Oops.  Well, the mulch in there is so pretty and tasty, I can’t help myself.  Actually, I did help myself, but I think we can put that behind us and move on.  I did get to spend more time in the yard playing with my tug monkey, which I liked a lot. 

I’m not really sure what a “baby shower” is since mama calls me baby but I don’t take showers, I take baths (and hop into the tub all by myself, thank you.)  I think it means that a lot of people come to pet me and they drop a lot of food on the floor and let me help clean it up.  My Auntie Doe was cooking and she kept saying, “Oops, I dropped some chicken on the floor,” so I kept helping her.  She brought people with her and they ate a lot of fruit which I also like, so I got to have bites of banana and apple too.  
We had a lot going on over the weekend of the party. Mom says it was all done by Pinterest, but it looked like it was mommy, dad, Asia and lots of others doing the  work.  We had tooool pom poms that Asia tried to put on my head, balloons which I don’t like because they chase me and say BOOM, and something called a chocolate fountain and a belly cake.  I think that is probably something yucky, because I didn’t get to see it.  Mom says chocolate is yucky for dogs. Mommy also made tasty pink cookies with some girl’s name on them and Asia got to sit on a throne that Mommy painted and “re-polstered”  just for the shower. 
After the weekend was over, Mom and I went shopping on Monday and I got a new monkey for being such a good boy all week.  I love my new monkey because all of the sounds he makes,  even though we don’t get to play tug with it. 
Today Mommy went back to work, which is ok, because I need a break from all of this vacation stuff.
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Weekend Round up

Over the weekend, Asia and I spent some quality time working on decorations for her upcoming baby shower.  We were working on making tulle pom-poms with some instructions I garnered off the internet and with the eager assistance of Jae and Ray.  Actually, Ray was a very good boy and lay on his mat keeping a careful eye on the pom making while Jae, in his usual kitty cat fashion grabbed all of the ribbons and tulle and anything else pretty that moved. 
When we got a few poms done, Asia thought that maybe Ray would like to wear one.  Here was his reaction.

On a not so good note, I found a tick on Ray’s ear.  I think I got it pretty quickly as it came off easily with no blood but I’m still worried that this is going to be a bad summer for ticks.  The other concerning occurance is the huge Diamond dog food recalls.  I don’t feed any of the affected products, but if you do please be very careful.

Have a great Monday, everyone!

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Training Pays Off

Well, I’ll be darned.  All that training is starting to pay off in the best possible way. 
Ray learns very, very quickly but sometime because he learns a certain behavior will get him a treat, he might not completely understand what I am asking him to do.  It kind of reminds me of that video of Mr. B where he gets his commands mixed up. (I can’t find the specific link but the blog itself is full of greatness.)
When we first started practicing “down” Ray was by-golly-not going to do this on the hard floor.  Actually he still doesn’t- he will only do it on a soft surface, so I started taking him to his mat or to the carpeted living room to practice this maneuver.  Since there is a coffee cart type of table in there that we keep treats on, he parks himself in front of that cart and he will now hurl himself to the family room floor whether he’s asked to or not, just to get a treat.  Often when asked to sit, he will proceed to ‘down’ from there as well.
When we started practicing “leave it” he “got it” after two tries so if I make some type of motion as if I am keeping the treat, he snaps his head up and makes immediate eye contact with me.  It is a little unsettling and completely endearing to see his choco-velvety eyes so attentive on me.  The downside is he seems to be missing the treat on his paw which I want him to “leave.”
The other day we were practicing “come” in the back yard.  Ray would wander over to the fence and I would say, “Ray-Ray, come!” in my happy voice and after the first try he got it but I soon realized he began manipulating me.  He would walk over to the fence and then turn and look at me with his smiling eyes as if to say, “I’m at the fence, Mama, are you going to call me for a treat?”  Ray doesn’t really do the Pittie smile a lot and his tail wagging is fairly laid back, but he gets a sparkle in his eye and I know when he is enjoying himself and I also know when he is doing something in hopes of scoring a treat. 
So the other evening, Kevin said that Ray never comes to him when called.  I asked if he was using his happy voice and saying “Ray-Ray, come!” while using the hand motion to which he grumbled something unrecognizable.  Today, however, I got a text from him saying, “what do you know…I did the Ray-ray come thingy and he came! Looks like all the hard work has paid off.”
It only took 12 years of marriage.
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Full Circle

Dear Sparkles,
We met on December 1, 2011 when you were a cold, bony little gal scared and having babies in a bush for shelter.  My family warned me that trying to help a pit bull in labor might not turn out well for me.  You, however, were so soft and sweet.  You were worn out, tired and yet somehow seemed very grateful for the help.  You came into rescue that night and we promised you that you would never have another puppy after that night and it was true.  Your foster mama made sure that you’ll never be a mama again but that you’ll live out your life as someone’s baby girl. That night you weren’t “Sparkly” and we thought the name you brought with you might not fit, but as you healed and grew you became the Sparkly girl you were meant to be.

You needed a place to land to rest and recover and learn and dream of a life that you never dared expect but one that you always deserved.  You found your safe landing place with Smiling K9’s and your foster mama screened so many families before deciding on the one who would be your One. You gave me a beautiful little puppy who will grow to look just like you and already has so many of  your mannerisms. 

My darling little girl, your new family was so thrilled to come collect you.  They’ve been busy shopping and preparing for you.  Your new bed is waiting and your mama said that although there is a “no dog on the furniture” rule, she is sure your daddy will break it soon.  He will say that laying  on  his lap does not count as being on the funiture.  You are already loved and in no time at all will be firmly ensconced as daddy’s little girl.

I was there the night you came into rescue and I was honored to be there as you proudly left.  My life has changed since you touched it and I have my little living reminder of your sweetness and gentle soul.  Live well, little girl. 

Love,
Your “mama bear.”

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School’s Out

Well, we wound down our last two Puppy II classes and now are on Spring Break, or Summer Vacation.  The next class offered in our series is called Real World and at this point, I don’t think Ray is really ready for that and our instructor agreed.  We’ve learned a lot in the past couple of months and honestly have not practiced all of it and much of that which we did practice needs more work.  We’ve had some great outings lately but have also had some “blips” which I want to work on.  Being that Ray is celebrating 21 weeks of life this week, he is young enough that we would benefit from more at home and at-large practice before enrolling in the next level class.
In Puppy II, there were only Ray and Caymus in two of the classes and actually last week Ray was the sole attendee.  Since we knew it would be a Ray-focused class, Asia came with me and we learned and worked on some great training tips for her to use in her interactions with Ray.  I think it was exactly what the two of them needed as he gets to be too much “puppy” for her sometimes and then her frustration mounts.  With Asia expecting, we want to make sure she is comfortable being with Ray and handling him even when he gets rowdy and giving her the tools for success.
Happy to greet you from right here.

Now go away so I can catch a cat…I mean cat nap.

We will definitely miss seeing everyone from the teachers to the other student(s) to the folks who were in Puppy I with us and we occasionally got to see after class.  Last week after his great solo class, Ray was about to settle into the back seat when we saw Juno’s moms.  It turned out that they stopped by to say Juno (who Ray adores) wouldn’t be in class that evening, so we were bummed that we didn’t get to see her.  They hadn’t seen Ray for several weeks either and M always swears that he is on steroids because one week he looked like a puppy and the next he was ripped.  Ray was happy to see them both as well, but the little prince preferred to greet his subjects friends from the comfort and dare I write, relative safety of his back seat. 

I think the self imposed assignment going forward will be to select specific things to work on each week and continue to incorporate them into our every day lives as well as more frequent and varied walks.  We also have the safety net of knowing Marjorie or Jodi could come do individual sessions if needed so we feel pretty confident going forward with the continued support.
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Daddy’s Boy

“Are you looking for something?”  I was on the phone with Kevin and all I could hear was a banging like drawers being opened, rummaged through and closed.
“No, Ray is playing with his shoulder bone, throwing it up in the air and chasing it,” he said.  “I brought my laptop down here to the kitchen so I could work while he plays.”
This, people, is a huge breakthrough.  Usually I hear about how much attention Ray demanded while Kevin couldn’t get his work done, but after the fab weekend we just had, I think Kevin and Ray have really bonded.  They spent Friday together and had some quality dad and lad playtime, spent some nice time together Saturday while I volunteered with SmilingK9’s at the Pet Expo and on Sunday we had a little family retail therapy trip.
The Pet Expo was wildly busy and SK9s had some monster traffic.  Our gal Sparkles had several suitors vying for her affections and I’m told we had five-count ‘em- five applications on her this weekend.  Let’s keep everything possible crossed that one of these applicants turns out to be her One.  The talented Laura also made tutus and donated profits to the rescue and they were such a hit the people were flocking to the booth not only to smooch pooches but to purchase these beauties.
Sparkles in her adopt me vest.

Tutus were a huge hit!
Sunday we had an Open House since we are still pretending that the house is for sale still hoping to move.  Asia went to the mall which left me, Kevin and Ray to make plans.  I don’t worry about the cats because they hide during the entire time and even though Ray is not a barker and is great in his crate, I don’t want him home when strangers are traipsing through.  When I suggested to Kevin that we take Ray to PetSmart, I knew he was reluctant in his agreement.  This trip was actually the first time Ray and Kevin have been in a vehicle together and I could tell that Kevin was pleasantly surprised at what a good rider Ray is and when we got to PetSmart we spent a little time in the grass for bodily functions before shopping, 
We had chosen a newer and smaller PetSmart to visit and were rewarded with a wonderfully positive trip.  I’ve written before about his mad social skills and also that he is maturing, and getting better at interactions, which helps tremendously.  The other thing that I sometimes find hard to see is the self confidence issue, or lack thereof. Because he is such a happy little boy at home, I sometimes lose sight of what some of his other behaviors signify.  He is a “greeting wizzer” sometimes and it is not uncommon for him to tinkle a little whenever meeting someone new or seeing someone he hasn’t seen recently, like a few days ago.  He also tends to roll over for belly rubs immediately which of course is adorable, but we are trying to get him to not be so immediately submissive and stand like a big boy for greetings.  
So Sunday at PetSmart, we didn’t actually encounter any pooches face to face, but he was met and greeted by and loved on by at least four employees who were able to pet him and come away with nothing more than a hearty tail wag!  At only one point did Ray try the old belly roll but before getting on the ground we reminded him to stand like a big boy and the employee helped keep him standing so we had some major success.   I know Kevin was not only surprised but pleased with the ease and fun of the trip because little Ray-Ray scored a big bag of toys from his daddy. 

We hope everyone had a super weekend as well.