Roxie, The Future AKC Canine Good Citizen, Strikes Again

Roxie, the brindle Boston Terrier, is going to become a great Canine Good Citizen. How do I know? A. She's extremely smart and B. Her owner, called a handler, is determined and consistent, both words of utmost importance in dog training (that would be your first dog training tip).
Last week, Roxie practiced steps 1-3 and I posted about it, including some helpful and some not so helpful tips: Our Future AKC Canine Good Citizen.

This week, Roxie practiced steps 4-8 and I will break those up for you.

Test item #4: Walking on a loose lead
The class instructor set up a pre-plotted course using orange cones and signs, and the handler had to maneuver around them with Roxie relaxed and not yanking on the leash. This step is fairly easy. Roxie only needed to exhibit a bit of self restraint.

The pre-plotted course

The cones had directional arrows as well as one that said "stop" and one that said "about turn" 

Roxie did just fine.

Test item #5: Walking through a crowd
Roxie and her handler had to show they can walk around a crowd (minimum 3 people). Because Roxie gets around, she was rather good at this one.

(Sorry, no photo available. Somebody had to be the crowd)

Test item #6: Sit and Down on command and Stay in place

The handler normally decides which position the dog should be in (standing, sitting, or down). In our case, Roxie made the decision.

Test item #7: Coming when called

Problem. Roxie likes her treats but dog treats are NOT allowed during testing, so it's a good idea to practice without them. Add to that the fact that Ms. Roxie is too smart and she knows her handler is going home with her . . . In other words: handler = mommy = I get that at home too = boo-ring. 

Bored and hesitant Roxie

Fed up but obedient Roxie

Here, I need to interrupt briefly for some precious dog training tips for my furry friends:

Look adorable and starving, trust me

I told you to trust me! I bet now you do.

(back to our post)

Roxie, for unexplainable reasons (see last two photos) mastered this step.

Good girl, Roxie

Test item #8: Reaction to another dog, aka uh-oh

Roxie must demonstrate she'll behave in the presence of other dogs. Interesting challenge, especially since all Roxie's handler is allowed to do is use her voice. This is a tricky part of the test because Roxie and the handler have to actually stop, shake hands with the evaluator and the demo dog, exchange a few pleasantries and move apart. Let's see how Roxie did!

That's why this is called the "uh-oh" test item

One more try

Uh-oh! What do I see here?

Is that Frankie, the other AKC Canine Good Citizen? The brave chiweenie? 

It is indeed. She volunteered (not)

All jokes aside, Roxie did a marvelous job and as I already said, I know she'll make an excellent canine good citizen in a few weeks. Meanwhile, she's going to be training her handler:

Good handler!

Until the next installment of Roxie and her progress with the CGC.

Twinkie

Dear Twinkie | A Dog Advice Column

Kira The BeaWootiful asked...

Wooos! Mum is giggling, ( I did not know she could still do that, being rather ancient)Oh Puddles, I want to too that apology... and Twinkie, great advice as always, Mum is wondering where all the cute kitten pictures are.....
~husky kisses~
-Kira The BeaWootiful

TVT: I would love to respond with: "Big mistake" but because it's for your mum, I'll go with, "Ask and you shall receive."

You can watch from here

Kitten pictures for my furiend, Kira who is so NOT banned from my blog ;)

 Lola asked...

Thank you, Twinkie. You are truly the little dog with the big brain. I hate to be an advice hog, but I do have a new issue. Now your next column won't be out in time to prevent my upcoming disaster, but maybe for the future... You see, I just learned that Alpha Mom is leaving us again, and this time for TWO nights over the weekend! She seems to think that just because Blog Mom and Daddy will be here she's free to run off at will. I really prefer all three of them to be in more or less constant attendance and I'm very much afraid this is becoming a pattern. I think it's the second time this year. Is there any way I can prevent future defections without resorting to being a Bad Dog, which I really think is beyond me? I was hoping for something clever and passive-aggressive, but will listen to anything you have to say.

Thanks so much,

Lola

TVT: Tsk tsp. Apparently I was wasting my ink when I came over to suggest you do to your Alpha mom what Bolo does to his cousins beds. I didn't read any stinky posts, or did you just skip posting about that? Hmm, I think you were bribed. Yup, yup, they took you to the expo for once and next day you are all: "horse shows are fun but they are for horses" etc etc. I'm afraid the passive-aggressive trick you were hoping for was played on you. One last thing. There are no advice hogs, just inquisitive minds.

Time to stop being so agreeable, Lola

The Thundering Herd asked...

Excellent advice as always, but Ruby over at The Thundering Herd Annex wants to know why all of the humans have become so careful about putting food up. It is seriously cramping her style. Any advice for her?

TVT: I'm afraid Ruby should have asked me before Frankie Furter's Name Game. It's too late for Ruby now. The cat is out of the bag. We are painfully aware that(excerpt taken from the Herd's blog): "Ruby is an extraordinary counter surfer and has snarfed the most amazing food choices.  She talks back, is stubborn, harasses Tartok all of the time (who eats up the attention), and generally considers herself the life of the party.  In other words, she is a Siberian Husky." In my other words, your family answered this already. 

Have you figured out how to break into the bread box yet?

Mango asked...

Holy crap, Twinkie, that was so much advice that I am feeling dizzy.

Yuh, that Puddles is up to no good. Like I totally just met her and already I am in trouble with Tank for associating with her.

As for Bunny's new sissy. That is so not a greyhound for sure. I saw that thing trying to herd hapless Bunny around the yard.

So many mysteries.

I do have one small question... why did momma rate my nard cooling video R? It is all Mango. Suitable for puppies, right?

Slobbers,
Mango

TVT: Dear RH, there's nothing small about your question. Have you watched the VIDEO in question? I mean, come on, my furiend, your left nard is colossal and way bigger than me! The R rating in dog channels is purely used to prevent dog envy. Your momma is aware of your ginormous nards and wishes to protect you from less endowed doggies. Kk? 

Peek-A-Boo! My blog is rated PG

Frankie the brindle chiweenie asked…

Yo, sis. I've a question for you. How come Linguini didn't freak this year with the fireworks? I thought she fared pretty well compared to other years.

TVT: Good question, Frankie. It's because she's losing her hearing. Senior dogs are that way. They mellow down, get dog arthritis, and they get reduced hearing. I think it's rather fortunate for our Linguini since now she doesn't have to listen to you flapping your mouth. 

houndstooth asked...

Ms. Van Twinkerson, your advice column today was hilarious! It's like reading a soap opera, almost, what with the mysterious knocking and sneaking about.

I am really enjoying having a new sister, but she seems to have some sort of kissing compulsion. She's always kissing Blueberry, me, Mom and Dad. I'm not so crazy about her macking on my mom. Giving her my best hairy eyeball has not helped so far. How do I tell her that she's crossed the line without hurting her feelings?

Bunny

TVT: Is your dog a compulsive kisser? Let me explain the psychopathology behind this genuine manifestation of true love. Sensitive dogs, the good kind, when stressed (Morgan is fairly new to your pack) compulsively groom or kiss to relieve their anxiety. They are known to groom themselves to the point of injuring themselves, but having studied Morgan closely, from the time she moved in, I'd day that this is a case of l-o-v-e and gratitude! All you can do for now is, if she overwhelms you, just say "blah" or "gross" and walk away. She'll get it. She's a "special" greyhound after all (or did you tell her about her breed yet?)

Ms Morgan Annalise Von Owen's debut

JackDaddy asked...

Dear Twinkie,

If you could ask yourself one question, what would it be?

TVT: Unlike you, who is still tormented about how to escape the neighborhood dog area, I am an old soul and I like to occupy my mind with serious issues. After world peace, the one issue that puzzles me, and many generations before me, the most is: why do we not get dog treats all the time? It's a legit question. Dog treats keep us well fed. There are plenty of dog treats with dog glucosamine and other supplements that are good for us. Dog treats keep our figure nice and rounded. They are the best option to keep us in the yard because they make a great incentive and because we can't lug our big bellies over or under fencing. As you can see, I am rather perplexed about this issue. 

And so are you

Madi and Mom asked...

Twinkie what great answers... Mom said she can tell you are a very 'thoughtful' Chidog.

We have a question for next week?

Where did you get your degree in common sense, how long did it take and do you have to be certified yearly?

Madi and Mom

TVT: Do you have a question? I can't tell because you seem to be questioning yourself, Madi (cats can never make up their mind). I have graduated from the school of life. I may not have a Canine Good Citizen certificate or any other papers to show but I do get my state license updated annually and I am in good standing with the University of Common Sense that awarded me an honorary degree. I was also the first (and so far the last) teacup chihuahua to graduate from the University of Southern California (USC). Any more questions?

Madi, just graduated from beauty school

My credentials

Now go take on the day! (Note for Ruby: You go surfing)

Twinkie

Why I Will Never Fully Enjoy YouTube Again

I've been posting a lot about kittens lately, and for a good reason. We got five newborn kittens in our home and they are too much fun to blog about, photograph, film, and share. Things changed today. I spent some time in the morning viewing and subscribing to cute animal channels hoping to increase my subscribers. I opened a video of a kitten that looked just like our calico kitten, Puddles. And then I thought, I should send them a video response from Puddles! Their cute calico video was playing on half my screen while I was trying to find the most appropriate video to respond with when... it happened! The music changed to a scary digitized voice and the cute kitten was replaced by Linda Blair in her best Exorcist impersonation (I believe it was an actual clip).
I screamed, trying to turn it off, but the thing was screaming right back at me, so I continued to scream to drown its nasty voice. The keyboard and mouse went flying. I ran outside and called a friend feeling emotional and silly. I was sure I had overreacted. I looked at my nails and I had broken several of them, not sure how. My upper back was out and I had pulled a muscle in my groin. Luckily, the neighbors minded their own business and did not summon the police.
Some of you may know the technical term for videos such as the one I'm describing. They're called "scary pop up" videos. I started calling around to hear friendly voices and to make sense of what I had just experienced.
A friend of mine said he'd been watching a cute kitten video of two kittens, identical, sitting on a split screen to be examined. The video asked if you could spot the differences and prompted you to lean in to be able to see better. As soon as you got closer: scary pop up video time. He admitted he screamed like a baby--and this is a manly man I'm talking about.
Another friend said that a coworker had the brilliant idea to send a scary pop up video to his colleagues. Within minutes, random terrified screams could be heard down the office hallway.
I'm young and healthy, yet, I was trembling and shaking (apparently "shaking kneecaps" are not just an expression), my hair was raised for a good 15 minutes, and my heart was pounding. What if I was a young child, watching sweet kitten videos? What if I was an older lady, watching kitten videos as I sipped on my scalding tea? What if I was a pregnant woman? I realize some may not empathize with me and think that I'm exaggerating. To you I have one thing to say: different strokes for different folks. I've faced sharks and been way calmer. Others are set off by something as ordinary as a spider. We all have different triggers, therefore we should respect them appropriately.
I know my character and I act accordingly. I never watch scary videos or movies because I know that I'll be replaying them in my head for days or weeks or even months as was the case when I saw my first horror movie at the age of seven.
How can one prevent this from happening to others? First of all, be aware of both the website you are surfing and the particular channel you are visiting. Youtube has a FLAG that you can use to flag inappropriate material. You can leave a comment urging others to skip a particular pop up video. Beware of videos that ask you to turn up the volume and/or concentrate hard on an image. It might help to turn off the sound to videos you're not sure about, this way at least you get a visual shock instead of the double whammy of visual and audio. If there are comments available, read them first and hope someone had the decency to mention the pop-up. Check out the tags to the video and hope some words will give it away. You can also let the video load completely and then use the slider to view the images and hopefully catch a scary pop-up.
I realize that there are Scary Pop Up Video fans and I do not want to take away their "joy" therefore I get that they can't explicitly state what is in the video or the surprise would be ruined, but there must be a way to live and let live in this instance as well. There should at least be a warning. It's not my job to figure it out though. The burden falls on the scary pop up video creators and their distributors. What seems like harmless fun to some can be devastating to others.
As for me, the joy of youtube has left me for now, but on the other hand, my recent experience made me feel proud of my little kid-friendly channel.

Happy Fourth Of July!

My pack and I are afraid of fireworks, and it's for a good reason. Fireworks were involved in an estimated 8,800 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments last year. An estimated 5,900 of those fireworks-related injuries (67%) occurred between June 19 and July 19 of 2009. Injuries to children under 15 years of age accounted for 39% of the estimated injuries. Children and young adults under the age of 20 had ... 54% of the estimated injuries. We all know that fireworks are dangerous, but sometimes we need numbers to help us really get it.

My pack and I are going to be just fine. We set up camp on our back patio and we're watching carefully to make sure nobody with fireworks comes near us. We mean business!!!

Stay safe!

Stay away from fireworks and drunk drivers!

And have a terrific FOURTH OF JULY!

Twinkie the teacup chihuahua

Fourth Of July Fireworks

Here is my Fourth of July dog advice:

Sleep like a chiweenie tonight because tomorrow...

You won't know where to hide!

Stay safe!

Twinkie, the teacup chihuahua

Cat-astophic Kittens

WARNING: Another post about the newborn kittens

The newborn kittens are 3 weeks old today. No, they can't get into anything yet. They still paddle on their bellies making valiant attempts to stand on their four legs. Then why-oh-why did I call them cat-astrophic? Because they've taken over my dog life and my blog. And since today our friends Amy, Barney, Stella, Gus, Lola, Virgil, and Kirzon from the world famous House of Cats, posted about us, I felt that I should at least talk about the kittens. But first, a public and heartfelt thank you to Amy for helping my mom along the way.

We took Farrah in, a feral kitty wandering the streets of downtown L.A., (where I was found too) when she was already pregnant. Farrah was being assaulted by the three male cats in her hood who were definitely going to harm the kittens as soon as they were born. We had to take her in to keep her safe and well fed plus we are spaying and neutering advocates, so this was our one shot at witnessing the miracle of a cat giving birth and caring for newborn kittens.
Farrah came home 4 weeks ago. She was tiny and while obviously pregnant, she never got too big.

She gave birth to FIVE healthy kittens a week after we brought her home

This picture of the nursing cat was taken a few short minutes after she delivered her last kitten. She's been a great mom from day one.

I had asked for help finding cute kitten names. Well, all the names you suggested were either perfect or funny, but kittens have a way of naming themselves. This one, opened it's one eye on day 6. Four days before it's litter mates did. It started to get into trouble right away so, we call it for now: Trouble

Trouble is the only boy out of the five newborn kittens

This is calico kitten A, or Puddles

Her calico sister is a dilute calico kitten which means her colors are muted

Life is a basket full of kitten cuteness

with their mom standing guard

As far as kitten development goes, this guy, the only guy, has got the lead.

Trouble was the first one to attempt to walk. In this picture he is paddling.

But the calico kitten is close second in development and she loves giving herself a bath

Picture of fawn (dilute red) kitten sucking, and chomping on finger

Today, the fawn and white girl got strong enough to sit fully up

The calico girl, Puddles can also walk a bit, although she prefers to spend the day on her back messing with her litter mates

And Trouble . . . always a step ahead of the girls

This has been our newborn kitten saga so far. It's been scary at times, terribly disruptive, and tons of fun. Our mom even built an outdoor cat enclosure which I'm afraid is the first step in keeping all the kittens. Help! Until Farrah came over the numbers were equal, three dogs and three cats. Today, since the kitten birth, we're outnumbered. I live in a house with NINE cats. 

For kitten video, please visit MY CHANNEL and have at it. My favorite is Kitten Cuteness - Day 6 because, while it's rather long, it shows you the steps the nursing cat takes to care for her newborn kittens. And as Amy already mentioned, you can view more photos on our other blog pregnantcatinfo.

Twinkie

Hiking By Our Favorite Creek

We love our hikes. Hiking with dogs is my favorite pastime, even more so than running crazy with my rescue dog friends at the horse barn. So, we left the newborn kittens and their outdoor cat enclosure behind and off we went. My sissies, Frankie the brindle chiweenie, Linguini the spotted dalmatian pointer mix, and I, Twinkie, the teacup chihuahua, met up with the rhodesian ridgeback pair, Hank and Sue.

Our senior dog, that is definitely suffering from dog arthritis, took the lead

Everyone enjoyed drinking the fresh creek water

I enjoyed walking on it

We pressed on and had a blast exploring, smelling, and marking, but we were cautious because one must always be aware when hiking with a senior dog

And did I mention . . .

We love hiking with dogs. It puts a smile on our faces!

For now, we're pretending our senior dog's fatty tumors aren't there. Unless they interfere with her quality of life, we're going to leave them alone. Unfortunately, her aging seems to progress rapidly. She can not get in the car unassisted any longer and her front legs often "give" which leads to some not so pleasant face plants and a look of pure shock on our girl's face. No matter, we're all going to enjoy our dog hikes and life at it's fullest until we can't any longer. As for me, I have apologized profusely for leaving my pack and getting lost the other day. For a while, my apologies were not heard as I found myself hanging for a green retractable leash, but I took care of the problem. I hid the offensive leash (and that's one of my best dog training tips so far). 

Take your dogs for a hike, you'll all benefit.

Twinkie