Happy New Year

Looking for you Mr. 2020

Bring it on!

Happy New Year Everyone.

The 24 Paws of Love

Happy New Year!

 We awoke to a wonderful wintery world for the first day of the New Year.

I couldn't get over how blue the sky was against the snow-covered trees.

Just having the sun shining in a otherwise cloudy state offered a fresh perspective for the future.

 Yeah, like can we go back in the house now??  It's 11°F out here!

Toasting to Healthy Dogs

Blaze:  Did she say healthy?

Chance:  Mmmm...more carrots...

We are giving a toast to our dogs and yours, for healthy dogs.

Don't worry, Chance, Blaze, Zappa and Fiona are all very healthy and we would like to keep it that way for this New Year (and many more to come!)

We would love the share this toast with you and your dogs as well.

May we all have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Carrots?  Where?

Stretching into the New Year...

From our Paws to Yours

we wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Thank you for reading 24 Paws of Love.

See ya on the other side!

Time

This past year has been about time for me.  Having it, making the most of it and learning how to let it work for me.  It is the last one that can be the most difficult but is the most rewarding.

 Daddy and Brut

My husband made a New Year's Resolution to walk the dogs every other day as part of his exercise routine and he succeeded with that goal.  Time with Daddy is hard to come by and this special one-on-one time has been precious.  So precious that Brut's protectiveness and dog aggression would be triggered off when Daddy is home.  It is taking a ton of trial and error, tools and techniques to finally find a gentle solution that is making a world of difference.  I spoke of it recently HERE.  It has been a long road getting to this point but with Brut's attitude flaring up in direct contrast to when Daddy is home, it has helped in narrowing down his behavior in order to respond better.  All it took was some time.

Zappa with his favorite guy

The first year and a half that the Front Dogs became part of our lives, Chance, Blaze and Brut have taken most of my attention.  Now since the two dog packs have begun to settle this past year, I have been able to give the remaining Back Dogs, Zappa, Fiona and Silver what they have needed:  TIME.

Fiona on the move

 If you have never raised two puppies together at the same time, (Zappa and Fiona) you would not believe the bond that exist.  It is tight.  It has just been this past year that I have been able to really get to know each of these dogs on a more personal level, like learning how to play with them, working with training and behavioral issues.  Little things that have made huge impacts on their lives and mine.  Most prevalent has been my relationship with Zappa and his dog pulling abilities that I wrote about in THIS POST.

Silver's ready!

I have done the same with Silver.  It has been forever it seems since I taught her a new trick or really worked with her.  She tends to end up at the bottom of the heap of five other demanding dogs.  And just being able to carve out that little bit of time with her, is already showing leaps of progress.  She has been craving her own equality and finally I have been able to give it to her.  The difference is night and day.

Chance:  You've got to smell this!

Blaze:  Wrong Way DAD!

 And then there are the Front Dogs who summed up everything I started working with them this past year from leash training to simple behavior issues to advancing their training by taking a trip to the vet today and passing with flying colors.  Both Chance and Blaze's handled the entire experience like champs.  Neither of them snapped or growled and they both took to the vet quite well.  Chance didn't scream when the vet came near him nor when she gave him his shot.  And here was the real kicker, they BOTH took treats from the vet.  That was the biggest break through we have made so far.  I still can't believe it!  It was exciting and all it took was time.

If I really look back, time has been the biggest lessons I have begun to learn.  For myself and for the dogs.  It is so hard sometimes not to push harder and go further than they are ready for, but when I really listen to the dogs, they let me know when they are ready to take that next step and time will take care of the rest.

May we all be blessed with more time than we ever thought possible with our favorite furry friends while we revel in the magic that happens within it.  

Have a wonderful and Happy New Year

Love,

24 Paws of Love

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Daddy's New Year Resolution

What's the greatest way to get in shape?  Including dogs in your routine.  My idea didn't start out that way.  I was going do push-ups, back arms and crunches one day and then ride the stationary bike the next.  After following this routine for a week, while doing my push-ups, the thought occurred to me that instead of doing the bike tomorrow, why not walk the Back Dogs instead.  One dog at a time on a mile and half loop.

So that's what I did.  I walked Brut, Zappa, Fiona and Silver and it was the coolest exercise routine I've ever done.  They were really happy at this opportunity and were waiting in line for their turn.

Since my work schedule has been so hectic I've never really gotten the chance to walk any of the dogs on a regular basis.  Now I am finally getting that chance.  I'd always laughed at my wife about needing to work on training the dogs.  I tend to let the dogs walk any way they want.  Halfway through walking Brut, the first dog, I knew I was going to have to get with my wife's training program.

The best part of the walks is spending that quality one-on-one time with each dog.  We've been doing it for just over a week now and they have already picked up on which day is walk day.  So even if I don't feel like doing it, I can't let them down.  They have become great motivators and they are making sure I don't break any of my New Year's resolution.

I'll be keeping everyone up to date with our progress.

And a special thanks to everyone who is as dog crazy as us.  Dog bloggers are the best!

P.S.  Chance and Blaze are in special leash training with my wife and she won't let me near them at the moment, but don't worry they are getting their walks too.

Happy 2011-New Year Goals

Well Hello everyone out there in Blog World.  This our 185th day since we started our 24 Paws of Love blogging journey.  Which just happens to be the first day of the year.  We would like to wish you all a Happy New Year and let you know our New Years Goals for 2011.

Brut:  To be able to have more time with Silver without the kids around.  (wink,wink)

Silver:  I would like to spend more time with the kids without Brut always trying to love on me. 

Zappa:  I will try harder not to be like my Daddy Brut by not growling so much at him.  

Fiona:  I hope I can be more like myself so everyone will want to be like me.

Chance:  To be the world's greatest test taster, to out-howl anyone in the Back Pack, and to get this silly hat off my head.

Blaze:  To beat my record of only getting caught 3 times by Mommy when I was counter surfing. 

We'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.  Thank you for sharing in our blog and we look forward to blogging with you in the upcoming year.

24 Paws of Love