My name is Daddy and I have a problem...

Daddy is a dog treat junkie.  If there were such thing as the dog training police he would be busted and thrown in dog treat rehab over and over.  Only to hit the nearest pet store once he was released to bring home a bag of goodies for his "starving" over cute dogs.

 Here is a typical scenario:

   Daddy:  Sit, Stay, Lay Down, Sit (all in one sentence.)

Dog: "what for?"  giving those cute puppy eyes while standing and staring at hand

Daddy:  Laaay Down, Laaaay Down, Laaaay Down

Dog:  Stands, staring at food. "how about I just give you that super cute, I love you look you can't resist?.   

Daddy:  Good Boy! (Gives dog treat)

Dog:  "Works every time!" 

Rinse, lather and re-treat!!

We are pretty sure that Daddy is a lost cause and suffers what is known as Doggie Treat Addiction.  Can anyone else relate to this?  

 

Just don't tell Mommy!   

When Did Forever End?

When you held me tight as I wiggle in your arms
You told me forever
When I whined and cried my first night home
You told me forever
When I licked your face and bit your toes
You told me forever
Even when I made a mistake
You told me forever
When you walked out the door
and never looked back
You told me forever

Monday Memories-Daddy's Lullaby

Welcome to Monday Memories- our little trip down memory lane. 

This week's adventure is all about Daddy.  That crazy loving guy who has never really owned a dog before and didn't know how much of a dog lover he was until we got our first puppy together, Silver.  Like a kid in a candy store Daddy could never get enough of that sweet puppy love and I being an avid dog lover and owner for many years was continuously surprised how his fresh eyes had a way of expressing love for our dogs.

Silver had adopted underneath our bed as her personal den and Daddy wanted to do something special for her at bedtime.  So he started singing "Rock-A-Bye-Baby" to her.  To our surprise as if on cue Silver crawled underneath the bed when Daddy hit the second or third line of the song.  We weren't sure if it was because it was bedtime or the strange pitches coming forth, but every night after she always crawled into her den while Daddy sang.  It was one of those special moments that I kept wanting to get on film, but I never did.   It was the cutest thing ever.

From Silver to Brut, to our litter of pups and each dog we have today Daddy sings that famous bedtime lullaby every night before bed.  And he hasn't missed a night yet.

Here's Daddy and Brut's nighttime rendition of 

"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Brut and Rock-A-Bye-Bruter"

 

Yes, Brut is so special he gets two songs.  Daddy was so worried about Silver being hurt if he sang her song to Brut that he started singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" instead.  It wasn't long before Daddy ended up singing both songs.    

Has blogging changed your viewpoint on dogs?

I'd like to take a minute to thank everyone for being part of our Question Week.  The big dogs ruled on Friday's post:  What size dog fits you?  And according to our readers, we were right there in the majority of answers with you.   

We have one last question for the week:  Has blogging changed your mind or view of dogs in a way you never thought would?  

I think one of the biggest changes that has come out of blogging for me, is my point of view on Pitbulls.  When I started blogging I had a very strong and real fear for a dog that was portrayed to me as a fighting attack dog.  Having witnessed a vicious dog fight as a child, my fear for dogs that were bred to fight and the status they gained for it was frightening.  Yes, I have always been terrified of Pitbulls.

When I was growing up, Dobermans and Sheperd's were all the rage.  They were alleged killing machines that would turn on their owners in a heartbeat.  I was quite young at the time these accusations were being made and believed it to the truth.  I have never met either of these breeds in person in order to know any different.

It wasn't long after high school that Rottweilers became the savage dog of era.  There was a stigma with these type of guard dog breeds that were not only getting a bad rap, but shaping my very thinking that these kinds of dogs were not to be trusted under any circumstances.

While I developed a dislike for the behaviors that I had been taught these dogs could display, I bore no animosity for the breeds themselves.   

And then the Pitbull came along.  And suddenly there was a dog that was feared among the feared.  The vicious malice these dogs created only added fuel to a fire that I never started but that burned within.  For a very long time I could never see past the dog on TV attacking the child, and there in me grew a strong hatred for these dogs that I hadn't felt before with the previous ousted dogs.  Pitbulls had evolved into something far beyond what a Doberman, Sheperd or Rottweiler could ever be and I blamed the breed. Without a doubt.  This was also about the time I began to remember the dog fight I witnessed as a child and the memories surrounding it began to surface.  ANY dog that was aggressive or attacked was pure evil to me.  There was no getting around that belief.  You could not tell me any different.

Then I got Brut, my dog aggressive dog whom brought many things to light about aggression.  I struggle with this powerful dog who was shaped this way by someone before me and I began to understand something I didn't before.

THEN WE BEGAN TO BLOG  
Corbin was the first Pitbull who found our blog way back when we started and I instantly fell in love with the big guy.  I always thought Pitbulls were beautiful looking dogs, I just didn't like what I THOUGHT was underneath.  As I found more and more Pittie blogs and the fight to save the breed, I began to realize the false info I'd been fed all my life.  .

I watched a documentary on the history of Pitties on a Pit blog that unfortunately I can’t remember, that changed everything I thought I knew and understood about these awesome dogs.  I was simply in awe that Pitbulls WERE the dog to have because they were the most loyal, dependable family dog to own.  Until someone saw a potential and used it to exploit them for their own gain.  And this is where we find ourselves now, trying to turn back a clock that keeps on ticking.  Well, you can add one more to that fight.

I can not thank all the many bloggers who have taken the time and effort for people like me who have been subjected to such a narrow minded view with no honest hopes of taking the time to change that.  It was all of you Pit lovers who took each post and did it anyways.  That is some powerful stuff.  And for all of you out there, I can not begin to tell you what that means to me.  All I can say is...Thank you.

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What size dog fits you best?

 Our BIG dog Fiona at 84 lbs. (38kg)

Well the mutt lovers have spoken for Wednesday's question:  Do you prefer Purebreds or Mutts?  Although many have/had owned both and some just love dogs no matter what they are.  :)

So today we want to know what size dog do you like?  Small, Medium, Large or X-Large.      

No question about, we are a big dog family.  While there are many reasons, if I had to narrow it to one, I think it would be the security and comfort I feel from their size, especially as a small child in a troubled home.  There was nothing more tangible than being able to hold on to our large Golden mix to feel safe and protected.   Even today,  I still hold this belief as I draw on the dogs strength with the knowledge they can handle anything that comes our way.

 Our 'little' dog Blaze coming in at 67lbs (30.4kg)

I have nothing against smaller breeds, I just don't have a desire to own one.  My husband came up with a theory when the our litter of pups were still young, that he could understand the desire to own a smaller dog, thinking along the lines of  it would be like having an adult puppy.  And I'm curious how many small dog owners find that true for themselves

And I know many of you have a mix of different sized dogs, what do you find that you like or dislike when it comes to size issues in your home?

So what size dog fits you best?  

Purebred or Mutt??

You say you're part what??

We are starting our second day of the 24 Paws Participation Week, by asking a dog-related question to get to know you better.  Sorry we missed everyone yesterday as we had a minor plumbing mishap that kept us away.

Before we start, I'd like to comment on Monday's question:  Puppies or Adult Dogs?  I was quite surprise by the number of people who were like me and aren't as enthusiastic about the puppy stage as I would have thought.  I was certain I would be a lone pup out there when I shared that bit of myself.  So nice that I wasn't the only one who feels that way.  

OK, on with our second question:  we want to know which do you prefer, purebred dogs or mutts? 

Part Kangaroo?

Personally I’m a mutt girl.  There are different reasons, but I think it really comes down to the artist in me who loves the unique creations that come from mixed breeds.  I know there are some that don’t agree with that and feel dogs should stay true to form, but I have always found myself being drawn to those special blends.  There’s just something about them I think that adds to their mystery and personality by not following the traditions of what a dog should be.

I remember as a kid studying about different breeds of dogs and there wasn't really one that stuck out for me, I liked a little bit of everything about each breed.       

Yet, I have a three exceptions:  Great Danes, Bloodhounds and my husband‘s dream of a St. Bernard..  If we ever came to the decision to get one of these dogs, I would without a doubt get a purebred.

Overall though I like that mixed basket and being part of several dogs at once.  Our dogs never cease to amaze me the way they draw on a conglomerate of temperaments, behaviors and instincts of the different breeds within them and I guess I find myself relating to the different parts in myself with them.  I find that pretty cool.  Which I guess based on that theory when I do get my Great Dane, I should have myself all together by that time, right?  BOL!!

So what about you? Do you like a standard breed or do you like that crazy mixed up mutt that makes your company play guessing games every time they are over? 

Part Gopher??  Oh, brother! 

Monday Memories-Which do you prefer: Puppies or Adult Dogs?

One of our own whom we called

 "T-bone," now known as "Jack"

Hello Monday Memories Readers!  Today's Monday Memories kicks off the 24 Paws Participation Week.  For this special week we are throwing out a dog questions and looking for your answers to get to know our readers a little better.  

So our first question for the week is:  Which do you prefer:  Puppies or Adult Dogs?

Now if you'd asked me this at any other point in my life, my answer would be, hands down, adult dogs.  Now don't get me wrong I love puppies and everything that is puppy, but they could never grow up fast enough for me.  I couldn't wait to get through the whole puppy phase so that I could do all of those 'big dog' things that I've always loved when they became adults.   In fact when we got Alex, he was 9 years old and it was a great relief to not have to go through all the training and housebreaking.

 OK, you can stop growing, NOW!!

(4 week old pups)

Ask me the same question now and you'd be amazed how quickly a litter of 10 puppies can make you rethink all of that puppy stuff.  No matter how much I read or videos I saw, I was never fully prepared when the puppies were born that they would practically grow and develop right in front of my eyes. Ever minute was like watching the impossible happen.  One day they are dragging themselves across the whelping box and the next they crawling and stumbling on wobbly legs and I witnessed these incredible beings never stop to risr to their next challenge.  They never gave up, they just kept going.  They didn't sit and pout or cry if they fell, they had a goal: to reach that teat before their brother or sister.  Ten of them all striving for the same thing.   Talk about absolutely beautiful inspiration.   

When they were four weeks old, past the newborn stages and really began to look like miniature puppies, I would have done anything to be able to find a magic formula and keep them that way forever.  That age made the biggest impact on me in ways I couldn't even imagine.  If I could have stopped time, I would.

The entire experience gave me a deeper respect and appreciation to all of the puppy stages that I was always trying to rush through and an understanding of the importance of letting them grow and mature at their own pace.  I can not tell you how many celebrations we had for the many accomplishments each puppy made trying out their new legs or getting the courage to think about jumping on the chair, it was the stuff of champions!!.

 Another one of our boys

Formerly "Red," now called "Stone"

So while I will still always love being able to do all those 'big dog' things, I will cherish the puppy stages with a deeper sense of gratitude.  Those ten little puppies whom I was so blessed with taught me to never give up and to celebrate everything.  :)

So tell us, what is your favorite stage of a dog's life?

There's Just Something About That Boy

Whether I call him my heart dog or just say his name, I still can not get over the deep connection that exist between Brut and I.  I find myself just flabbergasted that Brut is mine to be mine.  I mentioned in yesterday's post that Brut was getting a bit testy because we've been missing out on our alone time.  Well, it goes both ways.  While I can spend every minute with all the rest of the dogs, being with Brut gets me at the deepest core of my being.  And as much as I can understand, I can never really understand it.

One of my hesitation for trying to leash train Brut better (heel and loose leash) is that I don't want to give up those times when he needs to lead me.  I also have wavered because there are times that Brut and I need to just walk, regardless of how.  It hit me while we were doing our first training session, that I could give him a command that lets him walk like we always have.  I use this as a reward after training and it has worked out great.  It takes the pressure off my conscious of trying to change everything at once and also allows me the wiggle room that I need.  It is so great to have such a freedom.

Today we had a rather short training time, because I was tired and it was about all I could handle.  My goal was to walk a set length in the "heel" position so we could take off on a "free" walk.  Well, I have no doubt Brut knew just as much that I wasn't so much into the training aspect of our time together and did what he could to push my buttons.  He was like a little kid trying to get out his chores, hoping I would give in.  This boy knows me so well.  But I stuck with it, my goal was accomplished and we had a great "free" walk afterwards.  It was worth it.

One of the mental blocks I've had about leash training Brut is the constraint of never being able to go for a regular walk until we are through training.  The thought of walking up and down the road over and over until he learns was almost mind numbing.  If I can't do it, Brut can't do it.  This "free" walk has opened countless doors of possibilities because it isn't just a reward for Brut, but for me as well.  

And that my friends is a blessing for both of us!!

          Ready whenever you are Mom!!