Why do dogs...?

BOL!

 chew a small piece of food, but swallow a large one whole?

Is Silver Really Getting Up There?

Do you use Senior dog food or have you in the past for your older dogs?

Silver turned nine years old last year and about 4 months ago she quit diving into her food.  Now she can be a picky eater, but I'm wondering if her hesitation is trying to tell me something more.  She does eat all her food, but I've been wondering if I might supplement or dare I say change to senior dog food.  (no, no, she can't be that old!)

It's made me wonder if there is something lacking in regular food that has caused her to pause before eating, even after a food change.  She just not that thrilled about eating her kibble unless something else is in it.  I want to stay on kibble and have thought about adding a cook diet to supplement or adding veggies (which she likes), but this doesn't solve the problem of the dog food itself.

How do you know if your dog is just being fussy or is having a problem with their food?  All of the other dogs are fine with the same food.  They can't get enough of it.  How much have her nutritional needs change in the last year or so?  Have any of you notice a difference in your older dogs diet preferences or behaviors?Did you notice a difference using a senior diet for your dog or not?

Any insight would be great.  Oh, and by the way she doesn't have any problems eating anything else and is finishing her food.  So what should I do?   

Monday Memories-Food Fight?

Monday Memories-our little trip down memory lane.

Can your dogs eat out of the same bowl?

And to think Chance and Blaze's previous owners used to throw them a scrap of food and watch them fight over it.

Now look at them!!

Sharing is Caring (and it taste good too!)

Ever done a complete 180 on something you were taught or believed in?  Holy crap!  I’ve done it!  It has been a slow turn over the course of many years but I’ve finally found what I was looking for.

I come from a background of no dogs in the kitchen and never, ever feeding them human food.  I just barely loosened my grip on my husband when the Front Dogs came back and he started a tradition of sharing the last bits of his meal with them.  My rule was that he could only feed them after he was done eating.

How things have changed.

  (to watch on YouTube go HERE)

Some of you were surprised giving the dogs Jello in this post.

I just happened to be eating it and said what the hell!

Before I ended up in the hospital, I was struggling to eat.  I mean I could barely swallow baby bites of food.  Eating became a difficult but necessary chore.  While I tried to gag down my lunch with the Front Dogs at my feet, I began feeding them part of my sandwich.  One bite for me, one for them.  And suddenly eating became a fun game and took the edge of feeling forced.  Not only did I enjoy the company, but I was able to enjoy my meal as well.

Now that I’ve been home and my medication is working, I’m having no trouble eating again, but I’ve continued to share my food with the dogs.  See, I’m a nervous Nelly and tend to eat rather quickly, but splitting my meal with the dogs, helps me to eat slower and really savor the flavor.  I’ve also noticed that I’m eating more veggies, because I want the dogs to eat healthy.  I find when I get an attack of the munchies, I’m reaching for carrots and a pair of dogs to share them with.  :)  I am also eating less as I’m paying attention to the dogs instead of how much I can shove in. 

I know this would cross a line with some and that’s OK, but it helped me through a difficult couple of months and it was fun.  I was able to teach the dogs some manners, sharing between the two of them, how to eat off a spoon and how to only take a bite off my sandwich.  I don’t do it for every meal, which also teaches them patience, but I do save a bite for the end or will share a snack with one of the pairs.  And no matter what, dinner time is Daddy time.  He will actually fixed a small plate for the Front Dogs of anything that is part of his meal.  Even if he has to eat a piece of bread to give them a bite of something.  :) 

This is the kind of freedom I’m living as part of my life and enjoying ten fold by throwing away what are very rusty rules to me.  I’ve had to battle my way through what I believed I could do and what I can do and how it works for this family.  It isn’t just a saying that the dogs are our family.  With a little give and take we continue to heal and grow into what we believe our family should be and there’s nothing like experiencing this journey with all the furry love to take us there.  :)

24 Paws UP!!

I really, really can't stand trying to figure out what food to feed my dogs.  I would love to do a raw diet, except for the fact of dealing with raw meat.  So we stick with kibble.  I've been feeding the dogs Iams since we had Alex and have never had a problem with it.  I'm not sure what it was but I knew the dogs weren't completely happy with it.    (Yes, I'm aware that Iams is considered a low grade food.  Still I had no problems with it)  I didn't really go looking for a new food, it seem to come to us.  We are now feeding 4Health from our favorite feed store Tractor Supply Co. and we are all happy with the new food choice.  There is a little more bounce in the dog's steps and wags in their tails when it is meal time.  They are all a little more excited about eating, which is such a joy to see everyday, twice a day.

Last summer we were given several samples of 4Health dog food and I used it for reward treats.  The dogs loved it and that was when I was sold.  Tractor Supply Co. opened a new store this spring closer to us and that's when we made the switch.  

It is the same price we were paying for Iams, except we are getting more food per bag.  Price was a big part of the decision.  We couldn't really afford to go any higher than what we were already paying.  Yes, I love my dogs, but I'm not going to starve so that they can have a top graded food.   

The biggest change I've noticed other than the dogs enjoying their food is there is less poop overall in the yard.  And with 6 dogs, you know that is a great joy for clean up and disposal.  I am so surprised every time I go out in the yard how much there really is.  To top it off, it doesn't stink as bad as the Iams did.  That's a bonus I didn't really expect, but one I can really live with.

The other change is Fiona and Brut have had anal gland issues in the past, with either excessive licking or butt wiping and now being on this new food for a couple of months, I'm beginning to notice a bit of a change.  I've also added yogurt to their diets to help aid things along, so I'm not sure how much is the food or the yogurt, but something is working.

So all in all, we are glad for the change.  A food that meets all of our needs and makes a difference in the dogs.  We give it a 24 Paws up!!

**This is neither an endorsement or a review and we are in no way being compensated for our opinion of Tractor Supply Company or 4Health Dog Food.  They don't even know we exist.  We just wanted to share in our find of a dog food that makes all our dogs happier eaters.  :)

What have we been doing??

I've been spending quite a bit of time with the Back Dogs recently.  For those of you who are new and may not know, we have two separate packs of dogs, the Front Dogs and the Back Dogs and recently the Back Dogs have been getting a bit more attention.  It isn't conscious or for any particular purpose except enjoying the gobs of peace and harmony between the four of them.

It has been almost a year since I noticed the two packs start to settle down within their arrangement and routines.  It is a place I thought I could have only dreamed of.  Now almost a year later, there seems to be even more contentment as we have continued to work with Brut and his aggression that is bringing such positive and longer lasting results and is also being felt throughout both packs.  It has simply been amazing.

My directness has been focused on the strongest formed pairs:  Brut-Silver and Zappa-Fiona.  And since Chance and Blaze only have each other, they are quite advanced in this area.  They have also had almost my full attention since they came back over three years ago and now it is time to turn the tables.   

I've been using little cups of jello or veggies with the Back Dogs, so that they can try some new foods.  Being that Chance and Blaze have the advantage of being in the kitchen, they are spoiled in taste testing and I figure the Back Dogs need a good shake at trying out some new foods.  This is also teaching them to take turns and being less grabby with food.

 Can you keep an eye on Ms. Grabby??

Would you believe of Brut and Silver with Brut have the food aggression I have a bigger problem with Silver?  She doesn't seem to care that it is Brut she is dealing with and will push her way closer to him and try to snatch anything of his that falls.  You'd think she was starving and thinks every scrap of food is hers even if it is  Brut's.  Brut on the other hand has laser focus on the food and when I feed him jello I use a spoon so he has to think a little bit about what he is doing.  A lot caution goes into when I work with them two.  Studying their body language and quick reflexes has kept everything very positive.  :)

 Zappa calculating snout to snout closeness with Fiona

Fiona can be a bit food resourceful as well and she likes to keep Zappa at bay.  I don't force Zappa to come any closer than he is comfortable.  He can be so skittish that he will opt of the whole thing if he doesn't feel safe, so I let him choose his place as long as it is within reach.  Fiona has learned a great deal in a short amount of time about taking turns.  Something she wasn't very good at.  She's so much like her Daddy Brut in that way, but what I have witness between her and Zappa has been amazing.

  Did she say we get the summer off?

And since the Front Dogs, Chance and Blaze are levels above the rest of the family, for now I am just enjoying what they have achieved so far.  I really haven't thought much about where to go next with them and I'm really doing great with that.  They have had me to themselves for so long, it is time they let their parents and siblings do some catching up!  I'm sure there is something we all need to be working on and when it comes it will be the right time and place for it.  Just as everything we've done has been.  It is so nice to sink a little further in my chair and relax as each day goes by.  Yes, the 24 Paws of Love have already leaped mountains, now it's time to climb a foothill for a while.  :)      

Brut's Food Aggression

Yep!  I'm all attitude!

 Brut’s food protectiveness started before he came home with us.  The breeder told me that when he was weaning the puppies, they would all start growling and snarling when the food would get low. 

I didn’t know this in the beginning.

Brut's food aggression was the first sign we had of any aggression.  Never experiencing an aggressive dog before, I had no idea what it was, especially coming from a puppy.  I just thought he was being dominant.  The first thing we did was stop the free food buffet and began feeding on a schedule.  Then I separated Brut from the other dogs when he ate and I would pick up his food after 10 minutes finished or not.  (dominance theory)  This is what I had read to do.  .

Now since this aggressiveness was quite new to me, I had to swallow my fear,  walk in the room calm and collective while Brut hung his head low to his bowl and take his food away.  The instant I grabbed it, his entire demeanor would change back to that of a happy puppy.

I continued this scenario for some time, though, I quit timing him.  He still guarded his food if he hadn't finsihed and I still took it, but some of the edge was taken off.

Happy Feeding Frenzy

 When our litter of puppies were four weeks old, we slowly began the weaning process and something inside of me began to click.  I began to understand something I still can’t put into words.  I began to understand why Brut was the way he was.  TEN puppies all eating from one baking tray without a growl, snarl, snap, or bite.  There was no pushing, shoving, or fighting.  TEN puppies all happily eating off of one tray, getting their fill, and walking away in peace and contentment.  I had witnessing the exact opposite of what Brut experienced and the wheels in my head and heart were clicking as things began to make sense.  It was the nature of his survival. 

My rigid dominant approach is gone.  Brut is still separated, but when I walk in, if he isn’t finished, I ask him if he is done.  He will let me know if he is still hungry.  Sometimes he just wants company and I will sit and while he finishes his food.  One of the viable undercurrents of our relationship is respect.  I don’t like anyone touching my food and Brut has already proven to me that it is the same for him.  Why would I become his biggest threat to what he values most when I already know this is his nature.  So I began to work with it.  It took some time and rebuilding of trust but food time is much more relaxed now.  Brut doesn’t guard his food anymore when I walk in and he will signal when he is done, even if there is food left in the bowl he will walk away without any reservations..  And it works for us.

Somewhere while watching our litter of puppies all joyously eating without a squabble, I grieved for Brut with a new understanding.  It was more than just an explanation, it was an insight into the essence of his being. One I have learned not to control or change, but harness and work with.  I relate so much of myself to my dogs, and since I wouldn’t tolerate someone walking in on me and snatching up my food, how could I expect my dog to?  I prefer to practice the harmony of a resolution that involves both parties working for the same goal.  Does it cure Brut of protecting his food?  No, but I can create an atmosphere where it isn’t necessary and to me that means a whole lot more.        

When the universe seems out of sync,

full of heartache and pain, what is the one thing you do with your dog that helps everything fall into place?

Now what did you call this again?

My tears had finally caught up with me upon learning the news of Toby's passing at The (mis)Adventures of Sage while I tried to eat a bagel.  I felt a the presence of a muzzle next to me and turned to a drooling Chance at my side.  My tears fell harder as I shared my bagel with him until I was half smiling through them.  If there is anything that could tell me that the universe was OK, it was sharing food with Chance.

Having the luxury of the kitchen as his domain, he follows me every where I go in the kitchen, sits at the table when eating, hangs out by the stove when cooking, accompanies me to the fridge and is my side man when prepping at the counter.  Mealtimes are our favorite times.  There isn't nothing he won't try and I've come to love spending my meals with him.

Is it almost ready, Mom??  Can't wait!!

If there is one thing that gives me comfort, to know that everything is alright, it is sharing a meal with Chance.

What is that special time for you and your dog?

This post is dedicated and inspired by another soul who was lost from this Earth but is watching over his family with love.  Toby's passing reminded me of the little things that we do with our dogs each day that aren't so little and mean the most to us and to treasure every moment of our time here.  Our hearts and paws are with Sage and her family during their time of loss. 

Daddy ideas

If there were such a thing as "The Dog Training Police," my husband would be busted over and over.   He would probably end up on a lifetime parole and have weekly visits where the dog training police would decide if he needed to be hauled into "Spoiling the Dogs Rotten Rehab." 

"Another 30 days Mr. Daddy and then maybe you'll get it right." 

"But officer look at those sad, hungry faces, can't you see they need another treat!"

And the beat goes on...(SIGH)

But for all that Daddy lacks in dog training, he makes up for in love and occasionally, a brilliant idea or two, like these:

 Look Blaze, how's this for a snack?

Daddy left it on the counter for us!!

Snack Time:  Daddy likes chips and dip while watching evening shows, so wouldn't it stand to reason that the dogs would like a nighttime snack as well?  So instead of staring at drooling dogs, every night is treat night.  Sometimes it is something as simple as a biscuit while other times it can be as elaborate as soup bones or six saved up used peanut butter jars.  Another tradition that started with Silver and Alex and that has carried on with the new generation.

Score 1 point for Daddy

Treats Before Leaving House:  This one is a favorite of mine that Daddy started when we got Silver as a puppy.  He always felt so bad about leaving her and wanted to make our time away on as happy as possible.  Now mind you, Daddy has never read any dog training books, it was just out of pure love and compassion (and lots of guilt) that he wanted to make the dogs feel better.  He would try to use the treat as a good distraction to run out the door and hope they hadn't noticed we had left.  A feat he still tries to accomplish to this day.  Regardless it was rather ingenious, considering we didn't hear about this until a few years after we had already been doing it. 

2 points for Daddy

 Did they say there were refills after the first bowl?

Filling Food Bowls after Meals:  6 dogs in a frenzy while filling bowls before mealtime began to turn into quite a raucous when Daddy came up with fantastic idea of filling their food bowls as soon as they were done eating and before they came out of their rooms.  This not only saves time but cuts down on the frantic commotion that was causing all kinds of crazy when getting their meals ready before eating.  This along with keeping Brut in his room before and after meals, also eliminated added friction of his food possessiveness.  Keeping everyone a little bit calmer when it is time to eat.

This one has been huge in changing the dynamics of mealtime and scores big in my book.  So were going to give Daddy 5 points for this one!

So while Daddy will probably always have a lifetime membership at Doggie Training Rehab, he's been racking up enough points for a "Get Out of Jail Free" card when they come to take him away again and again and again.... 

 Thanks for all the love Daddy and letting us get away with everything!!

We love you Daddy!!

The Brut Puzzle

Brut actually goes into a panic when food falls on the floor or under the furniture.  Like he has found the last morsel and he's been starving for days.  If you try to help him get the food, he almost screams like he's in physical pain and makes attempts for your hand.  I do my best not to spill kibble or treats, and pick up every morsel I can find before Brut is in the room.

 Brut and I were playing with what I call the puzzle cube today, just him and I, and while he pawed and rolled this little cube spilling treats all over the floor, I was following behind him making sure none were missed.  A light bulb went off, why not work on his food issues with this game?  So I got on the ground, close to him and began picking up the remnants of chewed plastic while keeping a lookout for any wayward treats while still playing with him.  I began inching closer to him on all fours, until I was eventually in his space.  I'd even brushed up against him to get the cube when it was stuck against the wall.  He was doing great and having fun.

Then I began playing with the cube, by crawling back and forth after it and hitting it around.  As the tempo increased, so did Brut's excitement.  His eyes, widened, his heart was pacing and all his fur began stand.  There was no doubt his adrenaline was rising.  As we took turns with the food toy, I was conscious of his body language, he was excited, but he also had a look that said, he didn't know what to think.  This was fun, but these were his treats and he didn't know what to make of me messing with them.  He was caught between wanting to play and wanting to guard.  I began to slow my actions, while I wasn't scared, in his semi-heightened state any quick movements would be interrupted as hostile.  My goal was not to aggravate him, but to keep this level of play safe for both of us.   I let him guide me.

When the cube rolled just out of easy reach, he came up to me and nibbled on one side of my lips, licked my face like crazy and then repeated this several times.  I couldn't have been more thrilled!!  I have seen Fiona do this very same action with Silver, a boundary line that says, "Stop.  I don't want to hurt you.  Please don't go any further."  I stayed in this same position, I didn't move forward or backwards and I didn't freeze.  He continued to circle and walk back and forth in front me, every so often licking my face, while I sat in place.  Eventually he laid down next to me, I touched his paw with my finger, and he gave me the signal again, only this time the nibble on the lips was even lighter than the first time.  I continued to let him calm, until he was certain that I wasn't making a move after the cube and continued to acknowledge his boundary line.  After a few minutes I got up and he got up with me.  I thanked him profusely, while having him sit and gave him a treat.  The game was over, I picked up the cube to put in it's safe place and then he went outside because that was his safe place.

As I sat down to absorb what had just happened, I was overwhelmed by what Brut had shown me:  Himself.  Not just "dog behaviors," but his actual true being.  There is no way to explain the amount of trust he had given me and I was humbled beyond words.  The mysteries of this dog went far beyond labels or insights into them.  It was Brut sharing with me how and why he is Brut.  There are no words that will ever justify the moments of being that passed between us, only to know they are forever imprinted on my heart.  A being who took a chance to open to me.  Our communication was beautiful.  It was like walking through Brut's world and experiencing it first hand.

Trust

FOOD FANTASY

Na, na, na, na!  I beat you!  I beat you!

Every time I feed the dogs I have this crazy notion that they are actually "sitting down" to a meal and I suddenly have a half hour to myself while the dogs have "dinner."  You'd think after setting each bowl down and practically turning around to pick them back up, this fantasy would die a slow death.

   **SIGH**

Nobody said being a dog lover meant having all my marbles and well, after living with six dogs I'm entitled to have lost a few along the way!!

p.s.  special Paw Prayers for all of friends in the wake of Hurricane Irene.  Our paws are all crossed for you!!

Join the rest of us crazy animal lovers on the Saturday Blog Hop!!

Hosted by Life with Dogs, The Two Cavaliers, and Confession of the Plume.

BOW WOW Trivia for Free Kibble

 Did someone say free kibble?

Mike K. from Best Pet Blog has a wonderful new blog with updated pet stories of the day.  Mike wanted to let all our readers know of a site called Free Kibble.  Mimi Ausland was 11 years old when she felt a need to help feed hungry dogs and cats at her local shelters.  You can read about her story here and the awesome work she is doing.  

At the site of Free Kibble there is BOW WOW and MEOW trivia and whether your answer is right or wrong, Mimi's sponsors donate for every hit she gets.

So take a minute and check out Free Kibble, click and help out a good cause.  And please stop over and visit Mike K. at Best Pet Blog, for his great links to pet related articles and thank him for making us aware of this wonderful free opportunity to help out shelter dog and cats. Let him know 24 Paws of Love sent you.

Thank you Mike K for passing on this great info.

Paw Prayers that all doggies and kitties are fed tonight.

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 p.s. for those of you that are having problems commenting, I am working on problem.  If you are still having problems let me know by emailing me:  24pawsoflove@gmail.com  Thanks.

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The Surfers

 Do you see what I see, Blaze?

Have you ever had a dog that counter surfed?  OMD!!  I not only have one, but two, the Dynamic Duo of Blaze and Chance.  I have never dealt with this issue before in my life and now I have Double Trouble.  Both Blaze and Chance were returned to us as a couple of experts surfers.  The second I left the room, they were on the move.  They had master the moves so well, I could never catch them and that meant I had to use prevention.

Since the kitchen is Chance and Blaze's half of the house it meant that it was going to take a little more than just blocking them out.  First, I had to get this overly forgetful mind to remember not to leave things out that they could get.  Since they both liked to grab ANYTHING off the counters, not just food, I couldn't just throw whatever I felt like on the counter and table and walking away from it.

As I worked on mastering that painful technique, I began to teach them 'Leave It,' while I when I was fixing any food.  Since I was practically tripping over them while preparing my meal, I would tell them "Leave It," walk to the frig, come back click and give them a treat and praise them.  When we had mastered walking to the frig, I began to walk to the dining room and bathroom, (all part of their area) moving further and further away for longer periods, until I walked into the Back Dogs area and would come back.  The separation door between the two packs was always a trigger and here Chance and Blaze were sitting pretty, without moving a muscle.  I have even made trips to the basement with great success.

  We dare you to step away from the plate, Daddy!!

Cheese is probably Chance and Blaze's all time favorite food.  Whenever I am having it, I  would grate some on the floor for them.  Recently I've been putting treats on their paws and the floor and asking them to 'leave it.'  They quickly responded to that.  Well, to really put them to the test, I had them both sit, told them 'leave it' and began to grate the cheese on the floor.  This can be rather tricky as it takes both my hands to grate the cheese and I have to act quickly if they start to move and need to block them.  I have done this maybe three times and they are doing fantastic!  This is like the ultimate test for them since before they could sit and start eating the cheese as it falls, now they have to wait until I give them the OK signal to eat.  It is so cool!!  Today I tried it again and they both did great and when I spilled my chips on the floor, I immediately told them to 'leave it' and while they both a little confused, they didn't make a move for the food, until I gave them the OK.  It is so cool that they are listening and learning and so am I.

  It's raining cheese!!

The counter surfacing has greatly decreased over the the last couple of years.  The motto is if I don't give the 'leave it' command, it is fair game, but the funny thing is I don't know how many times I have forgotten to use it and they still don't grab the food.  That's a miracle.  Funny how a little bit of training can have such a great impact.  What's also amazing is that really I didn't put a great deal of effort into it.  I've been using mealtimes for all different sorts of training time, so working on 'leave it' was mixed in with everything else.  Combine that with the leash training, sled pulling, playtime, and the consistency of love and I've got myself two fantastic dogs that keep on learning with me how to heal and grow.  Considering I thought I was doomed to have dogs surfing my counters, I'd say we're doing pretty good!!  :)     

You Are All Invited!!

We Front Dogs rule the kitchen.  Anything we want to eat Mommy leaves on the counter for us to get.  Isn't that nice of her?  We have her so well trained.  BOL!!

We've collected more food than we can eat alone, so when Mommy and Daddy leave we are throwing a dinner party and all of our doggie friends are invited!!  (Except for you, Back Dogs!)

To start with, a cucumber salad.

Then the main course of mac-n-cheese.

Unless you prefer mashed potatoes!

Yes, yes, for you more civilized dogs we have spoons!

Then for desert...

Milk...

and cookies, of course!

Don't worry about a thing,

Blaze will handle all the dishes!

We really hope you can all come!

Just don't tell Mommy.  This dinner is our little secret!

Les Chiens

Dogs amaze me.  Every facet of their beings puts me in a state of awe and wonder. It can be seen as simply as the need to survive.  If a fight breaks out in a wolf pack, there is always a reason.  It isn't a random act of violence, it for the protection of the pack that everyone knows their place and if there is a challenge it is dealt with head one.  Once there is submission, the submissive one doesn't start plotting out revenge out on the hunt.  He isn't thinking how he will get that wolf back.  He moves on.  For his role in the hunt is just as important as being submissive to the fight.

While difficult to believe that our loving pets, that cuddle on our beds are descendants of these wild creatures, there is still a structure and order that I really don't think we can begin to understand.  Speaking from my mere experience of having two packs for just over two years, it is still a mystery to me.  After witnessing and observing the data of how these two different packs operate, it is still difficult to tell what really sparks a challenge or a defiance of order.  For example:  Food may be the object, but what really sets the gears in motion to protect it?  Survival?  Territory?  Dominance?  Do we really know what makes that particular dog feel threatened?  Blaze and Chance can literally share a plate together very nicely, but there will be moment when that gear sparks off and ensues a riff between the two.  Is it the actual food itself or the communication between them?  Someone stepping a boundary that was set just at that moment and was suddenly challenged.  Is it because of their history?  Their previous owners used to throw a piece of food at them when they were still young and watch them fight over it.  If so, what makes that flip back to the past of the need to fight over that morsel?  Do they have triggers like we do that sets us on an automatic course of reaction?  Or is it because Blaze is more dominant than Chance and feels she has first rights to him?  Could he have done something earlier in the day that challenged her authority that she felt the need to clarify once he started to cross that line again?  Or is in the bloodlines?  Daddy Dog Brut is known for his possessiveness of food, which can be attributed back to his grandfather and when he was being weaned from his mother.  Can it really be that complex?  Or is the simple the survival of the fittest?

What I have found it it may be all of these reasons combined.  I have watched as a particular motion will cause a reaction from Chance and Blaze in accordance with being abused.  I have seen Blaze put Chance in his place when he crosses a line and vice versa.  I have put down one plate of food for them to finish and  most days they lick it clean together, but there are other days Chance backs away while Blaze gets the goodies.  Then there are those rare moments when a fight breaks out over food.  What makes one moment to the next different from the other?  What pushes that limit?  Can we really say we know?  When you are tired, don't you give out different signals that may be interpret as something else?  You can explain it by saying your tired and we all understand that.  But what if you said it in a foreign language and no one understood you?  How would you get your message across?  How could we comprehend exactly what you meant?  How many times have you misinterpreted what someone said when they were speaking to you, even when you witnessed their body language and demeanor?  How many times does this happen with the communication between us and dogs?

I think we are sometimes too certain that we understand a language that we really can not understand.  I think we have to take all things into consideration just as you would with any human you know in order to really get to know them.  I think it is the beauty of really getting to know your dog.  Their likes and dislikes, their quirks and their own language.  For they have a language that is all their own and as unique as their individuality.

How would you know that "le chien" means "dog" unless you knew French?"

    

Taking a Chance

Now for those of you that don't know, a few of the dogs have an insatiable appetite.  Since I'm notorious for leaving "treats" in the car, the dogs are great sleuths for finding them.  Chance is one of them and he was escorting me today on our adventure.  So when I LOCKED my fresh bought pizza in the cooler for later, I presumed it was safe.  Never underestimate a dog that has the nose of a bloodhound, the conniving mind of a husky and the ravishing appetite. 

I made a stop at Brut's dad's house to talk with the breeder, I had no idea the hungry detective was at work.  I was only inside for a few minutes and I'll be damned...he was devouring the last of my just bought pizza.  I was a little perturbed and when I saw him and he hung his head a bit and got back in the front seat.  I shook my head in puzzlement and frustration as to how he got the cooler open.  The handle swings one way to lock and the other to open the lid.  No, it's not the most complex contraption, but just goes to show never estimate a Chance that was starved before he came back to us.   

As Chance lay his head in my lap, licking the pizza sauce from his lips, I swear he was smiling.  He was proud of himself and enjoying his full belly.  As I patted his head, I couldn't get too mad at him because I believe he thought we were playing a game of "find it" and he was quite pleased he had mastered a new skill for the game.  While my belly grumbled for the rest of the ride, I had to smile and was reminded  how smart a dog can really be.  

Chance and a game of "Find It"