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.  :)

Monday Memories-Just Ducky

Monday Memories-our little trip down memory lane.

Today stars are Luigi and Mojo.  Eleven years ago, we picked up our first two baby ducks at the local feed store when they were about 7 weeks old.  They were little pooping machines made of fluffy feathers and they grew like weeds.  You could literally see them change day by day.  One of these days I'll have my husband explain how he convinced me that we needed duckies in our entourage of pets. :)

Here is Luigi and Mojo two days after bringing them home.

We weren't around very much during this time period and they bonded tight with each other instead of us.

This is about 8 weeks old making a mess in the bathtub.

At about 9 weeks they hit that ugly duckling stage as there feathers started to come in.

You can see this especially on their tails.

Still best friends at almost 10 weeks.

Here they are just over a year old.  Luigi on the left, Mojo on the right.  It would be a year later that we found Mojo killed by a predator and Luigi walking in circles around her.  

If you have never seen ducks while they are courting, thank your lucky stars.  They are quite violent in their ritual, so much I felt like I was watching a domestic abuse case.

So while I was sad for Mojo's demise, there was a sense of relief as well.

Still it was difficult seeing one duck and Luigi seemed pretty lost for a while, but once he realized he was still king of the roost, he eventually came around.

Now he's the magistrate between the two packs of dogs and lives the life of King Duck.

Not bad for a little baby ducky.

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.  :)

Brut Hugs

 Back off!!

I’ve been using touch more so than any other form of communication with Brut when he gets in his testy moods.  It is by far his most sensitive receptor and one that that he responds to the quickest.  Whether it is a calming touch or one that over stimulates him. 

Today, while Brut was being protective of me the protective barrier line around him suddenly flared out to include Fiona was on the couch, which meant she became an instant threat.  Fiona became trapped as Brut’s large body was blocking any escape for her.  Brut immediately translated that she was not adhering to his warning and got low to the ground, ears back, emitting a warning growl. 

I gently got him by the scruff of the neck, pulled him towards me and held him in a large bear hug.  He continued his warning to Fiona, but did not fight me.  I held him tight and let him continue to voice himself, allowing Fiona to exit and for Brut to know he is safe with me. 

I have done this several times since the beginning of the year when I realized how overly sensitive and responsive Brut is to touch.  One time he had Zappa backed into a corner when I got a hold of him and let him bark his warnings at Zappa while I held him tight to myself.  Zappa who once again ignored and pushed past Brut’s protective line and the warnings had it coming.  But instead Brut was safe to express himself while feeling protected in my arms. 

I don’t correct him, soothe him, or try to stop him.  I just held him.  Interesting concept, don’t you think?  I also do something of the same nature when I am petting Brut and an intruder comes along; when he turns to snarl, I stop petting him, but I leave my hand on his body or head and just hold it there.  When he turns back to me I will continue to pet him.  There is something about the constant contact that gives him a security I believe he didn’t have as a young pup and dealing with his abandonment issues.  The protection and safety he was suppose to get from his mother was taken away at such an early age where he was left to defend himself.  And so I’ve become his surrogate mother. 

It has helped in his overall demeanor and his comfort level.  Brut is feeling less and less threatened and any instances with the other dogs has decreased ten fold.  He will always be a moody dog with all his character defects, but if I can show him that he is safe with me without being reprimanded, then I’ve cut the battle in half.  And that’s worth more than having the perfect dog.  Every day Brut teaches me there is more to dogs than I could have ever thought.  He has taught me to think way outside of the box for exactly what he needs to help himself.

Amazing, isn't it?

Silver and Those Darn Nails

I have never had to clip any of the dog's nails, except for Silver's.  They tend to grind them down during playtime and walks.  Silver's never been happy about getting her nails done, but she was tolerant, until she had her puppies.  For some reason after having her litter, she began to really put up a fight about it. The worse part is that she is on an digestive enzyme and probiotics formula for her allergies that make her nails grow thick and strong like weeds.  I have had to start all over with her trying to accumulate her to the nail clippers.  It has been a long haul.  So when Jena from Success Just Clicks guest posted on Rescue Insanity about how to make clipping nails fun, I had to find out how that was possible!

Success Just Clicks went through all the procedures for getting dogs used to having nails clipped, but it was the skateboard idea that I absolutely loved!  She taught how you could get your dog to file their nails down by scratching a skateboard by using clicker training.  So we bought a skateboard for $10 and while I was working with Silver and the nail clippers, she started trying to scratch me, so I got out the skateboard.  In seconds she was filing her own nails and was having a total blast doing it!!  Silver had me laughing so hard as she was getting so into it and the relief it brought me of having another resource for those daggers she's got growing out of her paws.  I couldn't believe how simple and easy it was and how Silver picked up on it right away.  It blew me out of the water.  It seems to be some kind of reward for Silver after we work with the clippers for a few minutes, say like every couple of days or so.  The whole thing is hilarious.  I have been horrible about teaching Silver anything new, so she gets really excited with that look of "Finally, you remembered me!"  We've been doing this for a while now and I finally remembered to video tape it.

Look at the fun she is having!!

(Having trouble watching?  See here on YouTube)

The thing I like most about it is being able to have a back up plan.  While Silver still needs to relearn the whole clipper thing, the skateboard is an excellent alternative.  

You can check out the Jena's post and video for yourself HERE if you'd like.

Monday Memories-Learning from Wolves and Pitty Day Post

Sometime in those beginning years when we just had Silver and Alex, my husband and I went on vacation and on the way stopped to meet a woman who had three Grey Wolves. Since Alex was part wolf we wanted to see some of his cousins and what a real wolf was like.

 Alex and Silver

 The first thing I noticed was their size.  Alex was a rather tall and long dog, but I couldn't get over how long the wolves legs were.  These wolves were more the size of an Irish Wolfhound.  In fact, they almost looked like Irish Wolfhound with their shaggy fur and square muzzles.  The woman explained that this was their summer coat and when their winter coat came in they would have the traditional wolf look with their thick mane and bushy fur.    The second thing I noticed was that all three wolves began to furiously marked their territory when we walked up.  And the third thing that stood out was, what was in my opinion a much too small pen for three wolves.  In fact it rather bothered me, knowing how wolves roam and wander.  I don't remember if these wolves were born in captivity or not, though I would suspect so, judging by the way they interacted with the woman.

 A picture of no relevance, except for being a cute pic of Brut about 9 weeks old.

One bit of knowledge that I walked away with from that experience was how to "trade."  The woman told us that one thing you never do with a wolf is take anything away from them, you trade for it.  No matter what it was, food, bone, toy, etc.   And while I didn't have a need for this info with Silver or Alex, when Brut came along several years later, I found it to be a life saver.  Trading with Brut for anything his little heart deemed absolutely his, changed one of the ways I handled his possession nature with respect and care.  I have traded with Brut anything from food, toys, bones or even his fresh caught squirrel.  Which I still find to be a miracle to this day!  I've found that while it works best to trade with a high value treat, once it is practiced enough, even a lower value will work.  Brut learns he is rewarded for giving up his prize and I am able to get whatever he deems of utter importance out of his mouth.  It has been a valuable tool when working with a possessive and protective dog.  At least it worked for us.  Learning from the wolves.

Simple, yet amazing how a tidbit of info can make such a difference in the world of Brut.

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 And for all of our Pitty friends we are dedicating this past post to you and for changing our minds and many like us.  

Has blogging changed your viewpoint? 

thank you for breaking the chains

 Our heartfelt thanks

Thank you, thank you, thank you for such a warm welcome home and the gifts that are of this blogging community.  I am continuing to improve and being surrounded by so much furry and human love is speeding the process up ten fold.  It is so wonderful to be home and I can't thank you enough for all of you just being there.  Whether it is in a time of need or just a regular day in the 24 Paws household.  To be around dog people of like and open mindedness is not something I ever choose to take for granted.  It still amazes me to this day since we started blogging almost two years ago the wonderful support and encouragement that we have received from dog bloggers and the freedom to do so.  It took me a while to understand the whole "community" aspect of blogging, when we've been hit with so much negativity about our dogs.  I have enjoyed being able to tear down those walls and embrace this wonderful love for animals with others who know what it is like to be dog crazy.  It has been all of you who have helped in that crumbling of my defenses and be able to share so open and true about what our dogs mean to us.  Just knowing there was one doggie/animal lover who understood was enough to blow me away, but a whole community?  That's enough to bring me to a play bow!!  An open invitation that says come on in, we get it!!

 Marco and 3/4 of the Back Dogs

I would like to share a little about my husband, who's nickname is Marco.  For I would have never had the guts to blog about our dogs if it wasn't for him.  He walked into this marriage never really owning an animal and it is his childlike wonder without the restrictions of rules or "laws" that has helped me to open my eyes with a fresh perspective.  For many years I grew up with what your "suppose" to do and not do with dogs, theories I've been conflicted with for many years.  Dogs were my best all my life, but all I could ever find was that master/slave relationship with them and I struggled.  Marco's innocence and freedom has also been chiseling at that wall of mine of right and wrong.  I always felt so chained by my beliefs and what could be and it has been Marco that has redefined that cold hard belief system that breaks me down.  It is because of him I am renewed every day with the loving friendship I have every day with my dogs and power that lies within that love.  While I still have a knee jerk reaction to Marco's ideas they are becoming less and less while I learn to accept this new way of living with my six best friends and treating them as such.  I always knew dogs were more than just there, I've survived hell and back because of them, what I didn't know was how full and honest that relationship could be or that it was a two way street.  Marco helped to open my eyes and heart to all of these ideas.  It has brought a wholeness and balance to our family, even when it looks to be divided, which couldn't be further from the truth.  I've watched this what seemed to be extreme chaos come together like a powerful tornado of love, ready to blow apart all the old stigmas on dog training, behavior and beliefs, because the dogs have shown me it can be done.  There is more than one way.  There are other options if you search your heart and bind to their spirits.  It is possible to do the impossible.  When it is all done with love.

This is what you have taught me.  This is what my husband has taught me.  This is what the dogs have taught me.  There is more than one way to love a dog, let's never give up on that truth.  There are so many more that need to learn.   Let's keep blogging our way to change the dog world for a better place for the them and for us.    If I can change, so can others.  Are you with me?      

Hello again!

I have no idea how to thank you all for your generous support and understanding about taking a blogging break.  I've read your comments several times and have felt so lifted when I was in such a dire straits.  As it turned out I ended up in the hospital for 5 days because of a medication adjustment.  I've been home a few days now and doing much better.  I didn't realize how badly I needed your support in order to make the decision to admit myself to get the help I was in desperate need of.  It didn't matter if you knew the circumstances or my whole life story, you were there in that moment for the assurance I needed in order to let go and take care of myself.

The worse part of the whole stay was not having the dogs and my husband by my side.  It was extremely haunting at bedtime when I am used to having at least one dog or two smooched up up against me or laying on top of my legs.  But that was nothing compare to not having that added security of protection that all the dogs provide.  The staff made daily rounds all night long to check if you are asleep or awake adding to my already fragile fears of being ALONE.  And while I needed the respite it was like being on a completely different planet with no dogs, no cats, no duck and no husband.  Not a world I ever want to enter into again.  Thank goodness the staff and doctor were so wonderful or I don't think I would have pulled through so quickly.  It's been over ten years since I've been hospitalized and not something I care to do again if I can at help it.

It is so great to be home and back where I belong with all my kids and the love of my life.  Not to mention being part of this wonderful community that you have all shown to be in so many ways.  I wish I could take the time to thank all of you personally for your kindness, but I will just let the dogs show you...

(if video doesn't play you can watch HERE)

p.s.  Not the best footage, but you'll have to forgive Daddy when he's got the camcorder in his hand, he gets a bit crazy with it!!  Need to teach him how to use a tripod!!  :)

p.s.s. I've been reading and catching up with everyone while on the mend.  Please forgive my "silent" comments as I continue to recover.