Dear Twinkie | A Dog Advice Column

A dog advice column

mayziegal asked...

Gosh, you are a Most Thorough advice giver. Maybe you should gets your own radio show! I think I have maybe suggested that before. I don't remember.

Anywho...here's my question for you. I would very much like to gets that CGC certificate thingie one day but, um, I gets a little nervous-like around doggies I don't know. And from what I've heard, that's part of the test. Do you thinks it would be possible to clep out of that part of it with a doggie I DO know? If not, how would you suggests I gets over my nerves in that pawticular area?

Wiggles & Wags,
Mayzie

PeeS. Are you EVER gonna name those baby kittehs?

TVT: Maybe your issues stem from the fact that you come for Collie-rado. Maybe they can all be solved with a bit of peanut butter or cheese after each class? I'm talking about dog training tips here, Mayzie. You have to first train your humans before you pass the Canine Good Citizen test. Once you've taught them the tricks you so rightfully deserve, start attending class. In the chiweenie's case, we didn't bribe (something very tempting) nor use a furiend. We did  however "use" the same doggie for practice. Since you're not going to get too close to the doggie, hold your breath and your pee, stay away from it's bum and you'll be just fine. Good luck to our future canine good citizen Wigglebutt!

About the kitten names: So far we've only used the calico kitten name suggestions. We've got the calico twins named Puddles and Pebbles. We're waiting for them to develop a personality (as if that's ever possible with cats!).

If cheese doesn't cut it one of those will help with the nerves

Dory and the Mama asked...

Another week of wonderful advice Miss Twinkie!!

Here is our question for next week, we are sorry but it is kitteh related. Will your Mama be looking for new homes for the kitties...or do you think you will be the proud ChiSister to the whole family???

Extra Smileys & Snuggles!
We think you may need them....lots

Dory, Jacob and Bilbo

TVT: Dear Dory, that question is a bit personal and particularly hard for me to answer. However, since you're an old friend, I'll give you a piece of my mind. My life is a cat-astrophe! M has got kittens in her brain all the time and she's threatening to keep them all. I say, nine cats are nine too many, but I'm losing the battle. I'm going to need the help of my friends to find homes soon or else. So, yes, I will most likely be a ChiSister to the whole family, but I won't be either proud or happy.

Please tell Bilbo not to look so shocked. I'm shocked enough as it is.

brooke asked...

Great advice Twink!

Our questions for you:
What does it mean if I dreamt Darwin was a baby elephant?
Also, is there a way to train her to not sniff people's crotches?

TVT: What does the dream mean? It means you have got to wake up. What is wrong with you people (including my M) that you have to humiliate us like that in public. Blog dog is not synonymous with laughing dog. Okay, so I've been putting up with whatever my M comes up with because I recognize I look a bit comical, but to take a glorious magnificent beauty like my majestic friend, Darnwin, and expose her like that? Please next time dream of her incompetent doctors as elephants and feel free to share. We can't wait!

About sniffing crotches. It is vital to our mental health. It is the polite thing to do for a dog. Those of us with good manners have to do the crotch-sniff. Now, if you don't like that, I suggest you have some of that homemade cheese Darwin is so fond of. Stick it in your pants and your guests will be left alone, completely alone.  

Ask your mom if she can find a better pastime

Sam and Pippen asked...

Twinkie,

Fantastic advice this week as always!

We need some advice... you may know that a certain someone named Puddles made a comment on our blog that resulted in us having a public BATH and a haircut. We have tried knocking on her front door to discuss the situation but Puddles refuses to answer fearing that we are up to no good. Do you have any advice for us on how else we can sneak into her house, preferably in the middle of the night when she's sound asleep?

Any help is much appreciated.

Sam and Pippen

TVT: I think that Puddles is in trouble with much of animal blog-land. Did you know she came over to my blog and asked that we name our firstborn kitten after her? And we did! And now we have to keep that one. Tsk tsp. And to think that she didn't mention meddling with my furiends' blogs in the "bad habits" section of her interview. I think that the only way to get to Puddles is directly, I mean via her girl. Anything that girl says is Puddles' command. You may chose to organize a coup in the middle of the night too, but again, through her girl. 

Shocking!

houndstooth asked...

Twinkie Van Twinkerson, we look forward to your advice column every week!

Now I have a most serious question to ask you! Mom and Dad have been doing all sorts of strange and mysterious things this week. They're talking about us all taking a road trip together on Saturday. What could this all be about? Why would they keep it a secret? I'm losing sleep over this!

TVT: Right about now, I'd be more concerned with the strange looking greyhound that claims to be your sister, but in any case. Humans can be mysterious at times. The problem is that they like this thing called a surprise, something we're not terribly fond of. Surprise, you're going to the dog vet. Surprise, you're getting a bath. Surprise, you're getting six new kitten siblings. Surprise, you're getting a new sister! See how it works? I realize your question has mostly been answered by now so hopefully you can get some rest, if Morgan lets you.

An interesting and rather unique looking pack of greyhounds

3 doxies asked...

Oh Twinkie you is so good ats this advice stuffs...even though you kinda lefts me hanging theres.
Okays, heres my question: what do I do when I haves somebuddies continuously knocking on my door at ALL hours? And they always seems to come as I am plotting "things" in my doxie brain.I sure hopes they know I am now officially a ground hoggie warrior.
Puddles

TVT: I know you can read, um, Puddles, but let me spell it out for you. The knocking? Sam and Pippen. You have some explaining to do. Just because your philosophy in life is to "kinda laughs with everbuddy else," does not mean everbuddy else likes it. Now Sam and Pippen deserver a public apology and the matter should be resolved asap. I hear they're about to take extreme measures, so I'd hurry if I were you. 

As for being a hoagie warrior, you only have your girl to thank for that. 

The Warriors

Lola asked...

Thank you for the valuable ear advice, Twinkie. I'm going to suggest we use that natural stuff instead of the stuff we're using now. Although I would prefer that my ears could be left alone entirely I guess that's not in the cards.

Now my new problem is that I seem to have gotten Bolo in a little trouble. I said I wished I could have my own kid and my humans say it's not gonna happen, so he tried to let me borrow his. Just for a while. Now he's getting the stinkeye from his Mom and he just loves his Mom. I feel so bad.
The kidlet seemed fine with the whole thing, I must say. You can see what I mean right here. What can I do to set things right?

thx much, Lola

TVT: The situation is sensitive alright. I mean, it was really sweet of Bolo to share, but humans are weird about their Puppies. I don't see why you can't proceed with your plan. We could always leave one of my kittens in Puppy's crib. They probably wouldn't notice. We'll get one of the fawn ones because of the hair color. As for Bolo, he's recovered just fine. He's busy thinking up a way to efficiently mark all of his cousins' beds. 

I think you've paid your dues already, be careful though because I heard that next time you're getting 6 seconds!

KB asked...

Hi Twinkie, This is K, the chocolate lab from the Rockies. You are so funny - my human is laughing and laughing. I have a question. I'm getting gray fur on my chin, and it makes my human start to worry about me getting old. How can I get rid of it? Fur dye? Magic Marker? What do you suggest?

Thanks,
K

TVT: Dearest K, no need for introductions amongst old furiends, unless of course you did it for our readers. First off, haven't you learned that it's a good thing to have a laughing human? When ours laughs it means we get extra dog treats-I have tested this over and over. So, you've got a few grey hairs and that's what has gotten you all upset. I believe that it shows when men and dogs get their fur died, therefore I would like to recommend a more cutting edge solution. Here it goes:

When in doubt, go all out!

Lorenza asked...

Hi, Twinkie!
Pawesome!
I have a question.
How can I ask to my mom to get me another soft pool? You know. She got a new one but it scares me a lot. I prefer the softy ones but bricks and birdies attack them! Help me please!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

TVT: Tsk tsp tsp. Are we a wee bit spoiled? I mean, you do realize your mom walked in the scorching heat for 14 blocks to get you your own pool? Well, she did. And what did you do? You snubbed it. Apparently you are so spoiled that I didn't even get a chance to respond to your inquiry. You got your way again. You managed to get your mommy to pull her hairs out the day she brought you the soft pool you so craved and jumped in the hard. 

Lorenza living the life, pffftt...

Khyra And Sometimes Her Mom asked...

May
The
Phloof
Be
With
Woo
!!!!!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
PeeEssWoo: Did woo pikhk my khytty yet?

TVT: I'm waiting for them to grow their PHLOOF so I can tell which one yours.

It is furry hard to pick for woo

Gnomebody asked...

Hi Twinkie -
What excellent advice you give. I had to ask Mommy was BS was - I still don't get it.

Mommy wanted me to ask for some advice - it's really hot right now here in the Midwest, and I really like to cool off my body by lying in a pool and then running inside, hopping up on Mommy's bed, and stretching out for a nice long nap (and of course, I lay my head on her pee-woh). Now, Mommy's all for staying cool, but she loses her cool when she finds her bed is completely wet from my generosity of making her beddie bye nice and chilly. What do I tell her???
Your Friend,
Riley
BooDee BooDah Tribe

TVT: I think you and your brother are already doing what you're supposed to. Humans, if I judge from mine, are forgetful. Distraction or destruction in your case, is the way to go and I know you're on it already. Keep it up and at the same time make sure mommy's bed remains nice and wet for the rest of the summer. We'll work on her winter treats later this year, kk?

The brilliant boodee boodah pair working on their skills

the booker man asked...

miss twinkie,
i asked my mama about BS, and i got in trouble! what gives?! :(((
*woof*
the booker man

TVT: No sh*t! Your momma royalty or something? How are we supposed to learn the facts of life if our parents can't explain them to us? Would your mom prefer you go to a peer for advice? What if you run with the wrong crowd as a result of this? Since I can't elaborate on BS on my G-rated dog advice column, let me at least give you a few quick examples of BS. BS is something you say when you step on a prickly cactus. BS is a good reply when made to take a bath. BS is the perfect response when you're lying in bed dozing happily and out of the blue momma says she's lost her kitchen craftiness. I think you get me now.

Cliffhangers such as the one you posted on yesterday make me want to say BS. You can't make us wait when you post about dog treats!

Now go take on the day!

Twinkie Van Twinkerson

Horse Show And Tons of Dog Treats

I'm one lucky teacup chihuahua. I am part of a furry large active family. We went to yet another horse show this weekend. We left behind the newborn kittens and the new outdoor cat enclosure and off we went. 

We met this beautiful new rescue dog, an Akita mix

As soon as the heelers assured me she was safe, I approached to greet her

Frankie was hanging with the horses

We discovered some colossal tunnels to play in

I love to run free and explore the universe

My friend, the chiweenie, Tigger, found a hoof to chew on

Horse hoof trimmings make the yummiest dog treats

One must be careful though because a large dog may choke on those whereas a small may get an obstruction

Finally, a human dog treat bearer!

Both the chiweenie and the chihuahua started to beg

Tsk tsk

While my chiweenie sis and I waited stoically

The blue heeler, Holly, got some too

My favorite shot of the day

MarroBone dog treats are not to be confused with the marrow bone dog chews I've been talking about

And the feast went on for a while

My chiweenie sissy got pooped and had to take a break

It was really hot, so we all got plenty of fresh water to drink

Just as I was playing chihuawars with my sissy, the blue heeler decided to interrupt

"Go away, Holly, or I'll bite you too. I'm not kidding around."

I was so upset after that, so I got into the horse trailer and . . .

. . . gave her a pees of my mind

My new fried really enjoyed herself too

Before parting with my friends, we got . . . human treats

They call them Subway

Subways are the best!

I'm afraid the chiweenie got too full in the end

What a great day at the horse barn. I got to play with horses, watch my human sissy compete in the horse show, eat a bunch of yummy treats, and played off leash with my friends. I can't wait until the next time.

Twinkie

Horse Barn Prisoners

At our horse barn, we take in rescue dogs and then we . . . imprison them! Okay, maybe not exactly like that. We do on occasion place an unruly pack behind bars though. An unruly pack is a group of dogs that is not horse savvy and may endanger themselves, the horseback rider's safety, and even the horse's soundness. The doxie-pack would like to demonstrate using, for the most part, dachshund pictures.

Funny, but if you think about it, these guys are all doxies except for the gremlin look-alike on the far left. We don't know what creature that is.

"Ugh, not the horse stall again!"

"Can we at least have some dog treats?"

"As soon as our mommy is done with her horseback riding lessons, we'll be free again, and then we'll show all of you who teased us!"

"I'm a teacup chihuahua and I'm not being taken as a prisoner. Not now, not ever."

A few short days later, the prisoners were released and got their dog treats and some carrots.

Twinkie

Extra Extra, Read All About It

Starting June 26th, 2010, all horse shows will require the presence of a canine companion at the gate. There will be no announcers without a dog. The new prerequisite for the announcers will be strictly enforced, and any booths found without dog treats will be yellow taped on the spot. For those overwrought by the new legislation, tough!

In addition, owners of teacup chihuahua dogs are urged to consider bringing a minimum of three at each horse show.

Thank you for your understanding.

Twinkie

Newborn Kitten Fever

It was to be expected. Nobody can sustain such cuteness overload without being affected. It hit M big time. She's building an outdoor enclosure for the cats. My worry is that she'll have us live in the outdoor cat enclosure and give the house to the cats. I will share with you photos of the cat enclosure once the project is completed.

The cute newborn kittens are now two weeks old. Their eyes are open and they play with each other. Their mom takes excellent care of them. A funny thing happened last night. Out of the two calico kittens, one started turned muted calico. It barely shows in the pictures but it will become more obvious in a couple of days. M even shot a special calico kitten video, for the cat lovers:

Calico Kitten Video:

We did take into consideration all the cute kitten names you suggested, but so far it's impossible to name them with the exception of the calicos. Calico kitten names: Puddles and Pebbles.

Kitten pictures:

We call him Trouble for now

He's the most active, curious, animated and interactive of the kittens

Hug?

Playtime!

More playing

Playing all day long

The calicos are playful too

The muted one is on top

When they're not playing, they're eating or sleeping

Off to pester M to see if we're going to get dinner today. If it comes down to it, I'm going to start eating cat food soon. How bad can it be?

Twinkie

Dog Arthritis | How To Care For Your Dog

There are two types of dog arthritis, degenerative and inflammatory. Inflammatory joint disease can be either caused by an infection or can appear due to immune related diseases. It's a systemic illness that is usually accompanied by fever, lack of appetite, and rigid extremities. In situations such as the one I just described, head over to your dog vet for immediate treatment.

Degenerative joint disease, arthritis caused by the wear and tear of the cartilage that protects the joints, is subdivided into primary and secondary disease. In the case of primary joint disease there is no specific cause evident. It is usually a natural result of aging and you'll see plenty of evidence of that in your senior dog. Secondary degenerative joint disease can be pinpointed and it can sometimes be treated through surgical repair. The causes for this type of arthritis are hip dysplasia, trauma, ruptured ligaments, patella luxation, etc.

General signs of dog arthritis:
Difficulty and reluctance to walk, run, jump, sometimes accompanied by whining
Overall slowing down and lagging behind
Difficulty getting up
Flinching or resisting touch from your afflicted dog
Random yelping during movement
Refusal to climb in a car

There are many drugs available for the containment and or treatment of arthritis, that's why your dog should be under veterinary care. The number one drug of choice in such instances, provided it's not long term and your dog does not have other health issues, is Rimadyl. You need a prescription for this one. I always prefer the more natural route, so I use dog supplements. The one that seems to be working so far is K-9 Liquid Health. It was recommended by a friend with a senior dog and it helped our senior dog tremendously. From limping she got to jumping the fence again. And from what we know so far, there's no harm giving your dog glucosamine.

Other measures you can take to help relieve dog arthritis include:
1. The maintenance of the proper body weight. This is the easiest thing you can do for your dog. An overweight dog will put undue stress on her joints and will suffer more. You can switch to a lower calorie kibble, or cut back on the regular portions adding some veggies or canned pumpkin to help your dog feel more full.
2. Along with the regular dog supplements of your choice, consider offering quality senior dog food and dog treats enhanced with glucosamine.
3. Make sure your dog gets just the right amount of exercise. Enough to stay fit and not too much as to strain the already inflamed joints.
4. There is a variety of products available to make every day life easier on an arthritic dog. For small dogs you can find dog steps and for larger you can find a huge variety of dog ramps to help with getting in and out of the car. For our 60lbs dog we've purchased the Solvit Telescoping Pet Ramp, that sells for about $90.00 which we've had for a couple of years now. It's sturdier than the folding type, making it easy for the dog to adjust, and it is really durable. A cheaper alternative would be the Pet Gear Bi-Fold Ramp which can hold dogs up to 250lbs. This one costs close to $60.

If you have a senior dog, chances are that she is afflicted by arthritis to a certain degree. I would recommend taking all of the above measures.

Twinkie

Our Next Future AKC Canine Good Citizen

Roxie, the Boston Terrier, aka Boston Bull, from puppy training class, decided to become a canine good citizen, and I'm going to be auditing her class while bringing you new ideas and canine good citizen and general dog obedience training tips. Roxie is still a puppy and she's part brindle. Her markings are extraordinary in the sense that she looks like she's dark chocolate with white, but a slightly closer look proves she has a lot of brindle in her. A brindle boston terrier! So unique!

This is Roxie, our next AKC Canine Good Citizen

This is her second class and she's still getting used to the "no dog treats" concept

***AKC Canine Good Citizen Dog Training Tips: No dog treats are allowed during the actual CGC test. If you're training your dog using dog treats, it's a good idea to start to wean him/her before your first AKC CGC class. You can start alternating dog treats and praise or favorite toys or a low grade" treat, such as kibble. This way your dog will not be shocked like Roxie or our chiweenie. 

Step 1: 

Accepting a Friendly Stranger

Roxie did great with that one in the beginning of class, but then, a little girl showed up at the end and wanted to pet her. Roxie's owner, she's truly on top of her training, made Roxie go through the proper steps.

She let Roxie say a gentle hello from the standing position

Step 2:

Sitting Politely for Petting

The owner asked Roxie to go "down" to demonstrate her self restraint

Roxie was perfect, considering this she is so new at this, and only once did she try to jump on the girl's arms. Roxie's mom corrected her instantly, as one does for proper training, but the girl's mom had a panic attack and yanked her child away ... (no comment)

***AKC Canine Good Citizen Dog Training Tips: Instant corrections and rewards are the key to all animal training. Dogs do not remember what they were doing a few minutes ago. They live in the NOW and should be handled accordingly.

Step 3:

Appearance and Grooming

During this part of the test, your dog must demonstrate that he can be easily examined and groomed. The evaluator will brush him and perform a quick exam of the ears, teeth, paws, tail... and your dog must remain calm, but is allowed to move around. 

Roxie is being perfect again.

She lets the trainer (on the right) check her out and brush her.

She's looking at her mom for "help" but she's being good for the trainer

This is what the evaluator wants to see

More AKC canine good citizen test items and tips, dog obedience training, and puppy training tips in the weeks to follow. Stay tuned.

Twinkie