Living With the Highly Communicative Dog

Ruby is the most vocal dog I've ever had, and also the clearest communicator. It isn't that she barks excessively (animals on T.V. not withstanding), but that she has a range of barks, whines, grunts and growls that I am still learning to interpret after more than two years together. As i read in bed last night, she was growling in her sleep and it sounded like her 'play initiating' growl rather than her 'something unfamiliar in my environment' growl which I also heard last night on our walk when she saw the silhouette of the new horseshoe pit enclosures in the dark. Was she dreaming about playing with her sister or one of her corgi friends? 

Earlier in the evening, she scratched at the coat closet door where her tug toys are kept and exclaimed with her medium-pitched, pleading bark "we haven't played yet tonight!" Some might call this 'demand barking.' I call it a Border Jack keeping me honest. There's no short-changing Ruby out of her nightly tug game. Even if she lets me slide before dinner, when 8 o'clock rolls around she is ready for the Tug-a-gator or the Kong Wubba to be liberated from their closet confines.

Some of my favorite sounds in the Ruby repertoire are her soft little 'oofs' - her closed-mouth grunt-barks, which put me in mind of a toddler reaching for something they want on a too-high counter-top. This is Ruby's imploring request, not only for food, but for the living room window to be opened so she can watch for rabbits, for her ball to be fished out from underneath the sofa, or for anything else she wants. I usually understand exactly what she means. I think it's fairly polite and irresistibly adorable. She was 'oofing' at me last night from the bed after I got out of the bath - curled up with Big Sister and the ancient black cat, she wanted the whole family together so that she could go to sleep. 

At the opposite end of the range are her shrill, excited barks that are used for the aforementioned animals on T.V., those unbearable few seconds between when she knows I'm about to open the tug toy door and when I toss the toy to her, when she sees one of the gazillion rabbits that exist solely to taunt her on our townhome complex grounds. These are not my favorite barks, high-pitched and frantic, and these are the barks to be countered with a reminder cue, "shh" or "quiet" before I will let her have the coveted toy or chase the insubordinate rabbit (on leash).

Along with her voice, Ruby's eyes and ears communicate a diverse array of emotions. In her most common state of hyper-vigilance, Ruby's foxy ears stand straight up, vibrating vertically with inquisition. When she is tired or uncertain, her ears slide to a more horizontal position and somehow look even bigger. When she is sleepy and affectionate, her ears lay straight back making her look like an entirely different dog. Sometimes one ear folds onto itself at a comical angle - I haven't quite figured that one out yet.

That brings me to Ruby's beautiful, intelligent, extraordinary eyes. 'The Look' endeared me to her Petfinder profile that spoke of a deep understanding, a piercing entreaty, and a spark of mischief.  Sometimes it feels like Ruby's amber-green eyes look straight into my soul. The intensity with which she stares at me is both flattering and unnerving. There are layers of meaning in her gaze, and I think we've only begun to scratch the surface of the potential of non-verbal communication with animals. As this article states - dogs keep the conversation going constantly, the ultimate optimists. I love learning Ruby's language, hearing what she has to say, meeting her needs and increasing our bond through call and response with all of our senses.

The Power of Association for a Sensitive Dog

Despite looking rather forlorn in the above picture, Ruby very much chose to curl up in here and has been doing so more and more frequently of late, after having no interest in her kennel for over a year. Boca has always liked to nap in hers in the evenings, and now I'm finding myself with no sofa snuggle buddies! I believe Ruby's new fondness for her kennel has much to do with just a few training sessions in the last month.

Since Ruby barks at animals on TV, I have started asking her to "go to your den" when I foresee an extended dog or pony show, and feeding her yummy treats quite steadily while she is there. Her kennel is situated between two sofas, so although it faces the TV her view is mostly obscured. This has led both to more peaceful evenings when The Amazing Race contestants are racing through a polo field during a match as well as developing the positive association for her kennel - a place to relax and receive a steady stream of snacks.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Ruby has formed a mysterious negative association recently. I have laminate floors throughout my house, and in my bedroom this presented a problem for the dogs, since they had no purchase for their leap up on to the bed. This was solved by a lovely framed dog bed which I placed between the head of the bed and the wall. It's essentially a launch pad for the dogs and a deluxe king-sized bed for the cat, although Boca occasionally sleeps in it as well. Sometime in the last month, Ruby became hesitant to use the dog bed to reach the human bed.

I have no idea what happened - perhaps the cat told her off or she hurt herself in the process, but the important thing to note is that one bad experience changed a habit that was established for over a year. For a sensitive dog like Ruby (I call her my delicate flower), a seemingly insignificant event can have serious repercussions. I've noticed that the time of day seems to make a difference - she is less worried about jumping up in the mornings than in the evenings. Currently I'm working on recreating the positive associations by coaxing her to the launch pad using a series of "touch" cues and treats. It does seem to be helping but sometimes I go ahead and lift her up, since I feel this will build her tolerance for being picked up and she even readies herself now when I say "want a boost?" giving her the power of choice.

Ruby was my inspiration for learning more about positive training methods, dog body language and behavior. She continues to teach me the importance of patience and flexibility when working with a sensitive dog, and proving just how damaging negative associations can be, even if they are unintentional. This solidifies my commitment to reward-based training as I can't imagine deliberately causing pain or fear in a dog whose security is so easily shaken. Between Boca's Fourth of July bed boycott, due to associating the scary booms of fireworks with being in the bedroom and Ruby's new quirk, I have never worked so hard to get my dogs to sleep in bed with me!

Enjoying the Colorado Mountains with My Dogs

The leaves are changing, the kids are going back to school...summer really is drawing to a close. These past few weekends I've been taking full advantage of the last of these long, warm days and enjoying the natural beauty of my home state. I have every other Friday off, giving me a great opportunity to take Ruby on hiking trails that would be too crowded on the weekend. I wanted to decrease the number of people we encountered as much as possible, so after perusing hiking books and trail websites I decided we would make the long drive on Highway 285 to the Lost Creek Wilderness area and hike for a ways on the Goose Creek Trail (a 24 mile backpacking loop if completed). 

My dad was able to come along as well, which I was grateful for because the road was more rugged than I expected and he ended up doing some of the driving. My little Impreza got a true Colorado Subaru initiation on the steep, washed out Forest Service road and we were certain we were lost no less than five times. Two and a half hours from the city on back roads and we still arrived to a fairly full parking lot, but my remote destination was successful in that we only met a few other hikers and two other dogs at the very end of our hike. They were taking a different fork of the trail so it was easy to pick Ruby up and turn her away until they were out of sight. 

Boca seemed much more comfortable than she did on her solo hike the previous weekend - she liked having her scrappy sister along. She was my dad's charge for most of the hike, although if we were in the lead she pulled to stay close, so I took both girls at times. We crossed back and forth over the creek six or seven times and Ruby was such a champ about scrambling over the log bridges or hopping from stone to stone. Everyone got their feet wet at one time or another. I had a hands-free leash system for Ruby (along with several back-up safety measures) which was really nice. It was a warm day and we didn't have a lot of shelter from the sun due to the area still recovering from the 2002 Hayman Fire - we drove through the burn scar for much of the way. 

Ruby and Boca were both wary of the other hikers we passed - most were carrying big frame-packs and/or walking sticks and they just didn't know what to think of those unusual silhouettes. One pair of hikers passed us as we were stopped for lunch and Ruby did the most barking at them, I think because they had a lot of equipment jangling which Ruby associates with dog tags. All in all it was very manageable and we were lucky that we didn't meet anyone at creek crossings or narrow places. I made the girls some doggie "trail mix," a combination of several different kinds of treats, and we also shared our string cheese and carrots with them. They had their own water bottle and I think next time I will have Boca pack out the poop bags in our Outward Hound pack. 

The Ginger Sisters seemed like they enjoyed themselves. We hiked for about two hours and even the Border Jack was slowing down slightly by the end. Ruby did some serious digging in the rich, black mountain soil and managed to coat the entire white side of her face with dirt. I thought it was well worth the long trip and would like to explore the area again sometime. Ruby rode wonderfully in her travel crate, although she was sick on the way up (the road was so bumpy and windy, I can hardly blame her!) - that was definitely one of the best dog purchases I've ever made. Boca slept the entire way home and didn't want to move the rest of the evening - little did she know there was another adventure in store for her the next day!

 

The next day Boca and I set out for Elk Meadow, an off-leash wonderland in Evergreen, about thirty minutes from Denver. I'm not a huge fan of dog parks in general - I think they can be recipes for disaster and there are too many unknowns for this control-freak; however, Elk Meadow is a true gem. I had been there once before for last year's Colorado Potcake Meetup, organized through a Facebook group that I started. We intend to get together more than once a year, but it's hard to coordinate with everyone's busy schedules. This time there was a great turnout, and Boca got to meet more of her friends and very possibly family from The Humane Society of Grand Bahama. She knew Ellie from last year, got to see Fig and her favorite person from Pints for Potcakes last month, and met several new faces: Kenna, Judah, Finn and Abby. It was amazing to see how they greeted the other potcakes as if they really did recognize one another.

The photo above is poor quality, but I had to include it because of the sheer joy in Boca's bounding leap. I let her off-leash next to the stream with the other dogs, and she took off in gleeful circles splashing in and out of the water. Then she demonstrated that her recall was not quite as good as I thought it was in such a fun environment, and considered taking off on a hike of her own. I re-attached her leash for part of our group hike, then let her off again once we were more of an established unit, and by that time she stayed close and checked in frequently, which I praised her immensely for. After our hike we returned to the fenced area to let the dogs rest and socialize more. The number of other dogs in the meadow area ebbed and flowed - at one point it was a little too chaotic for my taste, and Boca did get intimidated by a couple of large dogs. She has very good social skills overall - no doubt from living communally with so many other dogs at the shelter yard.

 

Boca looked at me like I was slightly crazy on Sunday morning when it was time to take a drive again - she was perfectly happy to sleep all day and recover from the Goose Creek Hike - but I think she had one of her best days yet. Elk Meadow has many different options, from fully fenced wooded areas to miles of off-leash hiking trails. The smallest fenced area is an open meadow on a hill, the perfect place to relax and wait for friends to arrive. Boca plopped down happily in the sun with her frog-legs splayed out behind her, much to everyone's amusement. Later she explored the perimeter in the tall grass with Ellie, engaged an adorable Bernese puppy in play, dug a giant hole, and chewed up a tiny stick that she found. I loved meeting the other potcakes - such a sweet, easygoing group of dogs - and a wonderful group of people. It's a beautiful thing that a group of formerly unwanted dogs from an island in the Atlantic can find loving homes and unite a bunch of strangers thousands of miles away.

My Dog's Summer as a Social Butterfly

Jessica, Chester and Gretel with Boca and I in downtown Denver

Boca has had a very busy summer with lots of social engagements. When I adopted Ruby, I was hoping that she would be a dog that could go everywhere with me, but due to her reactivity that did not turn out to be the case. We've found other ways to have fun together, such as trick training, and I feel so lucky to be able to take my placid potcake on doggie dates. When I learned that Jessica from You Did What With Your Wiener (my favorite blog name ever) would be traveling through Colorado, I was so excited at the opportunity to meet her, Doggie Daddy, and star adventure dachshunds Chester and Gretel.  We decided to rendezvous at Denver Beer Company, since it had high ratings on dog friendly destination sites. I'd never been there, and I think on a normal weeknight it would have been perfect, but there just so happened to be a race that evening so it was...overrun...with participants. We grabbed pizzas from a food truck and walked to a downtown park to eat and chat. Boca was great with Chester and Gretel, and I so enjoyed getting to know Jessica. All of the doggies got "pizza bones" - I couldn't resist Chester's stealth determination or Gretel's adorable face. The time passed too quickly, but the adventurers had to get back on the road toward their goal of tackling a Colorado 14er (spoiler alert: they did it!). Hopefully we will get to hang out again sometime.

Boca with our silent auction winnings

In mid-July, we attended Pints for Potcakes, a fundraiser set up by some local potcake fans to raise money for The Humane Society of Grand Bahama, the shelter who saved Boca from the streets. On the day of the event we had severe thunderstorms shortly before it was time to leave. I debated taking Boca after all, but I had been looking forward to it for months and knew some of Boca's fans were excited to meet her. I checked the radar and it seemed like we were headed for clear skies, so I put Boca's Thundershirt on for the trip and away we went. I felt like I was with a celebrity when we walked into the Ugly Dog Sports Cafe and I heard "It's Boca!" from several directions. That's the way it goes when your dog is cooler than you. We joined some lovely people at a table and met some of Boca's fellow HSGB alumni. The dogs were all friendly and mellow - it almost seemed like they recognized each other (and it's possible some of them did). Boca picked a favorite person and settled practically in her lap at a booth for the majority of the time. I placed some silent auction bids and ended up winning an awesome gift basket. The bar staff were all incredibly accommodating and they had a nice set-up with a fenced dog play area on the patio. It was delightful to connect with more Colorado potcake people!

Wendy and Boca at Meyer Ranch

One of the best parts of this summer has been reconnecting with my childhood friend, Wendy. We both grew up exploring nature and riding horses in southwestern Colorado, but had lost touch for over twenty years. Thanks to the wonders of technology (i.e. Facebook) we found each other again and we have been getting together several times a month. Our first hiking attempt was rained out, but we were determined to make it work this past weekend. We settled on Meyer Ranch Open Space, a short drive from the city. I knew it would be difficult to manage Ruby since our local trails can be extremely busy on the weekends, so she had to stay home again. Boca was still lounging on my bed when it was time to leave - not the picture of a dog ready to go hiking! She was quite nervous as we started out, which surprised me, but I realized she hasn't really been to the mountains without Ruby and I think some of her street dog survival skills were kicking in. She was very alert and somewhat hesitant - she definitely wanted someone else to be the trail blazer. I was happy to see her relax mid-way through the hike. Her tail came up from between her legs and she regained her merry amble that I love so much. We passed quite a few dogs and her greetings were polite and appropriate each time. I realized just out just how out of shape I am as I huffed and puffed up the hills, but so enjoyed being out among the aspens with my old friend and my good dog.

In the woods with my island girl

I feel bad leaving Ruby behind on these excursions, but my dad keeps her company and I always make sure she gets some extra attention such as a solo walk or play session when I get home. She is ever so glad to have us back and likes to jump on Boca and sniff her all over for the olfactory details of where we've been. Now that I'm familiar with a few more trails nearby, I plan to take her up on one of my upcoming Fridays off when it's less crowded and my dad can join us. This weekend we have another hike planned with the Colorado Potcake Meetup Group, where Boca will get to see some of her friends from the fundraiser again. It seems like the summer always goes by too quickly, but we've managed to fit in a lot of fun, and I'm especially proud of my Bahama girl for being game for almost anything and becoming a social butterfly.

Summertime with the Ginger Sisters

Summertime is in full swing here in Denver, and I spent much of the weekend beautifying my patio in anticipation of spending a lot of time out there with The Ginger Sisters. Boca likes to lounge on the dog bed and Ruby loves chasing her pink tennis ball. This required the obligatory trip to Home Depot. I had already planted some tomatoes and a few flowers in pots - including marigolds with seeds I harvested from last year's marigolds, which I think is really cool - but I needed to improve the tomato situation and wanted more useful plants. I was also hoping to get a lounge chair - my mosaic bistro set is cute but not one bit comfortable to sit at for long. I had plenty of pots but I couldn't resist a darling fox one - it looked too much like The Ginger Sisters. I repotted the three tomato plants and made sure they were out of reach of the dogs since the leaves/stems are toxic. I also had to put two other things I bought (a lobelia and something unidentified that had been pre-treated with pesticide) out front instead of my patio for the same reason. Note to self: look up pet-safe plants before you shop. Then, after all my fretting over the plants, Ruby and Boca decided the potting soil was delicious - thankfully I bought organic. I am thrilled with how it turned out and that I have basil, rosemary, mint, sage and thyme fresh for the picking outside my door, and will hopefully harvest my first patio cucumbers and tomatoes before the year is through! I also planted a cat garden for Nina - catnip and cat grass. It's wonderful to sit in my lounge chair and have a view full of sky. I know that I will be spending a lot of time out there in the coming months.

On Saturday, Boca had her annual wellness exam. We are still seeing the ophthalmologist regularly and she is completing a three-month course of doxycycline in case her eye issue is bacterial in origin. So far, the left eye is holding steady and her grafted right eye is healed completely and doing great. Aside from her eyes, she is a very healthy girl and she met her prescribed weight loss goal, coming in at 32.9 lbs. We saw a new vet who is helping temporarily while another partner is on maternity leave, and she was very nice. She remarked on how easy and sweet Boca is. After our appointment we stopped at a pet store to get some more goat's milk for the girls. I've been using The Honest Kitchen powder but decided to get them a carton of fresh, raw goat's milk and also a small bag of Wild Calling kibble since we were down to one bag in the pantry. I like to stay stocked up! Everyone wanted to say hello to Boca and know what kind of dog she is. She is such a wonderful potcake ambassador!

After a really lovely rainy spell, our temperatures have been climbing, with Sunday being our hottest day yet hovering around 95 degrees. This is my first summer without A/C (long story) and so far it's not too bad. The dogs are definitely lower energy but seem to handle it well. Boca has taken to crawling under my bed at night - I think this is a holdover from her street dog days when she would find a dark burrow to keep cool. I moved some things around so she has space under there but she really barely fits and it is quite a production, silly girl. The downside to leaving the windows open to cool my room off overnight is that the dogs can hear all the neighborhood sounds: other dogs barking, people talking in the alley, and the odd pre-holiday firecracker. Both Ruby and Boca are noise-phobic, and we are not looking forward to the Fourth of July. A nearby municipality also has a separate fireworks celebration on July 25th, so we will be hunkering down with music, fans and thundershirts several times next month.

Walks with a reactive dog are more challenging this time of year, when everyone else is out enjoying the sunshine, too. We have scooters, skateboards, bikes and strollers to contend with, as well as the occasional off-leash or escaped dog. Last week a Westie on a Flexi-lead got away from its elderly owner and came charging over to us. The loose dog and Ruby had a snarky terrier-off but I was able to keep myself positioned in between them until its owner got hold of its leash again. Boca paid them no mind at all. The owner was very apologetic but can I just say again how much I hate Flexi-leads? I saw so many when I was at the park this weekend and they are useless at best, dangerous at worst. Ruby has been getting better about cars and people, as long as the people aren't moving quickly directly toward her. Sometimes we can even see a dog all the way across the clubhouse lawn and not have a total meltdown. I will call that improvement!

How is your summer going so far? 

Loving My Little Life With Two Wonderful Dogs

A room full of dogs and books is my idea of happiness.

Happy Ruby Tuesday! While I don't do it on a weekly basis, my aim with the Ruby Tuesday updates is a more "old fashioned" blog post of the journaling type. Back before blogging became so popular, I had a LiveJournal account where I shared thoughts, poetry, pictures and travelogues. My account is still active, in fact, and while I don't write there regularly, I love having more than ten years of my life chronicled there. Some of my very favorite blogs lean toward the wordy, honest and personal, and so I like to have an element of that here, where I can look back on the daily details of life with Ruby and Boca, these two precious dogs that have been with me through some of the most difficult times and also at a time when I am doing some serious introspection.

Recently I said to a friend, when asked what my big life dream was, that I thought I would like to move to Spain and rescue dogs. She looked momentarily surprised, and I realized that wasn't what most people expect, especially now that I am single. No babies, no weddings, nothing very ambitious or extraordinary, but something very definitely including dogs. I'm incredibly grateful that I live in a time when that is becoming increasingly acceptable, and increasingly normal. Lately I've been simplifying, reevaluating. I'm finding that some things that used to be important to me (like fancy shoes and late nights out dancing) have fallen by the wayside, and some things I thought I'd never want (like living somewhere rural) have become suddenly intriguing. While  I occasionally hear things like I'm too wrapped up in my dogs, the great majority of my friends and family are supportive of my somewhat solitary, but personally satisfying lifestyle, and they get it when I just want to stay home with my dogs. (Either that, or I make a point of surrounding myself with only people who do).

During the week, life is largely routine, especially when incorporating the care and feeding of The Ginger Sisters into the few hours between waking and work, work and sleep. I find comfort in this routine, and waking up as I did this morning to find Ruby laying on her back, nestled into the crook of my arm and gazing up at me, is often the best part of my day. Right now my dad is living with me, and I'm blessed with knowing my dogs have company while I'm at work and can spend these warm afternoons sunbathing outside. The weekends are when the real fun happens: sitting on the patio playing ball with Ruby, making them special treats like the frozen goodies pictured above (Freezy Pups mix and Merrick PowerBites treats), walking through our little slice of wild marshland between the light rail station and the town house complex, photo shoots and silly trick training sessions, trips to visit family, outings to new places, or blissful reading breaks on the guest room daybed in the best light.

The girls are doing splendidly overall. Ruby has had some great moments (passing people fairly close on walks and not barking) and some not-so-great moments (going berzerk over horses on TV despite my efforts to DS/CC with peanut butter). I took her out for a training walk this weekend and she did very well with checking in and maintaining focus on me (which is a huge deal for her). My secret was using some of Boca's "pill cheese" - more on that in a moment - good old processed American cheese product. Her reactivity means a lifetime of management, but when I look at the big picture, I can see some remarkable changes. She is never relaxed outside, but I am seeing little moments when we are close to home where her body becomes looser and even get a tail wag once in a while. She solicits pets every evening (with very particular requests: inner thigh and back scratches).  Her relationship with Boca is beautiful to watch, and while they can get carried away sometimes with their play, I see a lot of really sweet, gentle interaction, too.

Boca remains her delightfully easygoing and goofy self - she is the first dog I've had who can happily take a nap at the vet's office. Unfortunately, we've still been spending quite a bit of time there. We had only a short reprieve from the Ocular Ordeal before she started developing an opacity in the other (left) eye. At this time it is not causing her any problems or discomfort, but the ophthalmologist is still unable to determine a cause. We are trying a long course of doxycycline in hopes that it will slow down any progression if there is a bacterial component. I'm not as stressed out about it as the first time, because at least we know the treatment/surgery route to go if it does get worse. After our appointment on Saturday, Boca and my dad and I discovered a pretty park full of little lakes and streams. It was refreshingly serene even though it was in the middle of town, and a place I could safely bring Ruby, especially on one of my Fridays off. We even spotted a huge turtle in one of the ponds!

Time seems to go by faster and faster - just like people are always telling you it will - and I want to make the most of this summer. Everything is gorgeous and green right now following our more than twenty consecutive days of rain. This weekend I hope to get a lounge chair for my patio, so I can read out there while the girls sleep in the sun. I have planted marigolds and tomatoes in containers and I am going to plant some herbs and lettuces as well. I want to scout out more places to take Ruby - taking Boca first is a perfect way to do so, and also gives me the opportunity to have some one-on-one time with her. I am hoping to attend BlogPaws in Phoenix with Boca next year, and need to be sure she is comfortable in more busy and crowded situations. We have some fun events coming up - a potcake fundraiser at a sports bar and a graduation party at a local park - which will be perfect practice! It's my favorite time of year (from now until October), and I'll be spending it with my two favorite girls.

What little things about life with dogs make you the happiest?

New Tug Toys for Ruby Mean New Training Tools

 Tug toy haul from the dog show.

Ruby lives to tug. She knows the word tug and she knows how to spell it, too. I've started chanting "OMG it's time for T-U-G" after supper. She knows where all her tug toys are kept, in the downstairs coat closet. Although it took some time to ensure that our tugging games did not result in finger loss due to over-enthusiasm, I have never subscribed to the myth that playing tug creates aggression. We use games of tug for indoor exercise, trick training, impulse control training and bonding. Tugging is a valuable reinforcer for Ruby since it is one of her most favorite things.

Last year at the big cluster dog show, I got her a tug toy at a vendor booth that was located next to the flyball demonstration area. That tug lasted almost a full year with use several times a week (rotated with other toys) and so my annual dog show visit this year included a mission to stock up on more. 

I ended up buying three tugs from that same vendor: a tennis ball on a stretchy pull, a colorful braided fleece and a squeaky blue fur. I debated getting her one of the tugs made with real rabbit fur but settled on the synthetic instead. As I was standing in line to pay, I heard a din of barking and thought at first that some dogs were in a fight - then I realized it was just the flyball dogs' pure, unadulterated joy. Satisfied with my purchase, I went over to watch flyball for as long as my ears could stand.

I couldn't resist one more toy at a booth in the agility arena: the one that looks most like something out of Fifty Shades of Grey, which is actually made of recycled rubber liners from milking machines! There was a time when my shopping sprees meant new shoes or trendy fashion accessories - now it's a bag full of dog toys that makes me happiest, knowing how much fun Ruby gets out of them.

So far we've tested out all four - Ruby took a while to show interest in the rubber one, but Boca likes it a lot. I think the fleece one is Ruby's favorite by far, and it would be so easy to make my own using a tutorial like this. Ruby is getting better at her release ("drop it") and I am incorporating more complex asks into our games, such as a string of cues or longer wait times. As we reserve tug toys for supervised play, I am fairly certain these new ones will keep us tugging and training through 2015. 

Do you play tug with your dog?

Snowy Days

The Ginger Sisters had a nice holiday visiting their dog cousins and eating lots of left-over turkey. Boca particularly loved my human cousin, and they did wonderfully meeting everyone. They were excited on the morning drive, but by the time we headed home that afternoon, they were curled up asleep in the back seat. I must confess that I did not get them any gifts - they get so many things on a regular basis and had just gotten a box of goodies that we won from His Muddy Paw Prints. I also wanted some more time to budget and think of what they really need, and in the next week or so Ruby will get a new tug and Boca some booties. 

We did have a white Christmas, which is actually fairly uncommon, with snow moving in during the late afternoon. Before having a reactive dog, I have never been so excited about snow storms and cold temperatures, but I knew it meant we could romp in the nearby open space! Normally it is busy with cyclists, soccer games and other dogs, but we were able to walk on the mountain bike paths and run through the fields without a care. Boca thought we were a little crazy, and Ruby couldn't get enough running and digging. Both dogs wore the rubber Pawz booties, but they got pretty torn up on our expeditions so I want to get something more heavy-duty for Boca. Does anyone have recommendations? Ruby has adapted well to the winter and her feet aren't nearly as sensitive.

On Sunday, Ruby tried the 16 foot long-line in the field and had such fun! I got her to run in a circle around me - much like lunging a horse, and I was glad for my experience doing just that. I'm thrilled to have this in the toolbox for her to enjoy a little more freedom. Boca also had a turn on the long-line and wouldn't even go to the end of it! I tried to get her to run around and she looked at me like I was loony. I think she had her fill of freedom as a street dog in The Bahamas. 

Now some extreme cold has set in - yesterday only reached the teens and today's high is all of three degrees with record lows expected tonight. We ventured out very briefly in the afternoon and will do the same today. Yesterday was my birthday and I had a lovely relaxing day cuddling with my girls, watching movies and baking cupcakes. We are ready for 2015!

A Bounty of Food and Friendship for Thanksgiving

The Ginger Sisters had a wonderful Thanksgiving visiting family. It was Boca's first Thanksgiving and both girls' first taste of roasted turkey - I think it may be their favorite holiday yet! On Thursday morning I drove with my dad and the dogs to my aunt's house in Old Colorado City. The dogs were so excited that they whined most of the way, and the crawling traffic didn't help matters - if we slow down, surely we must be almost there! 

We arrived in time to see parts of The National Dog Show while we prepared our feast in the kitchen, with the dogs hovering hopefully underfoot. My favorite of the finalists was the Smooth Fox Terrier. Ruby and Boca wrestled with their cousins Hachi and Stevey and played in the backyard. We had the most beautiful weather - almost 70 degrees! A young couple, friends of my cousins, joined us and I was impressed with how well both girls did with meeting new people. 

My favorites from the meal were my roasted Brussels sprouts, the cabbage and carrot salad (a family tradition), the blackberry cobbler and brownies. All of the food was excellent, and the girls got leftover turkey in the rest of their meals during our visit, plus some to freeze and take home. My grandma exclaimed again what a good dog Boca is - she's loved her from the first meeting when she was still a "foster dog." We all relaxed on the sofa in true post-indulgence form and had a slumber party with four dogs on the bed. 

The next morning we took the dogs to a school yard to run around, but Ruby's freedom was short-lived as we discovered a gap in the fencing. Boca proved once again that her recall is reliable by bounding happily toward me each time I called. Later, my dad helped my aunt with a home-improvement project while I visited a friend and talked horses and dogs and writing over tea - all of my favorite things! It was a lovely holiday with lots of laughter, good conversation, and much-needed relaxation.

How My Reactive Dog Helps Me Appreciate Winter

When most people think of Colorado, they think of skiing and other winter sports. I'm a Colorado native and not only am I not a skier, snowboarder (save for one season in college), snowshoer or snowmobiler, but I really don't care for winter at all. I dread the short days, dark nights and cold temperatures, the donning of bulky gear and the scraping of frozen windshields. If I had my way, I'd just eat a bunch of pasta and hibernate until spring; however, I have dogs...dogs that need walks.

Boca's feelings on this snow and ice business mirror my own. She came from a tropical island and doesn't understand this cold, white sand. Ruby spent her first winter outings last year shivering, but seems to have acclimated quite well and got a serious case of the zoomies on my patio when it was covered with fresh snow this weekend. Both girls have very short hair and I feel that coats are a necessity for them when it's 30 degrees or less, which it has been more often than not for over a week now. Boca also wears booties because her paws seem especially sensitive.

As much as I drag my feet into my snow boots, I have to admit that winter-time walking does have its perks when you have a reactive dog. Here are some of the things I've grown to appreciate:

• Snow is a wonderful sound-proofer. With the exception of some new noises like the scrape of snow shovels and the rumble of the snow plow, things are generally quieter when snow blankets the ground. We've been enjoying some top-notch snuggling with less distracting noise from outside.


• The rabbits are less active! There is one that has made its den right outside my front door, but Ruby doesn't know that, and we have been seeing far fewer on our walks. 


• Taking back the pavement! Aside from the most die-hard of runners, our streets and sidewalks are emptier and blessedly free of cyclists and skateboarders. We can even venture into the open space near my house without fear of many encounters.  


• More playtime! With scarcer and shorter walks, I have to get creative with other ways for Ruby to burn energy. Much to her delight, we've been playing her most favorite thing - tug - more often, as well as working on increasing her confidence with fetch and brushing up on her tricks. My couch potato Boca is content to spend her extra time napping.


• It's actually kind of pretty out there. Let's be honest...if not for the dogs, I would be spending a lot more time in my pajama pants and a lot less time trying to figure out how I can manage the poop bags without taking my gloves off (spoiler alert: I can't). Seeing my breath is not high on my list of priorities, but sometimes, when the snow is crunching under my feet in that inexplicably satisfying way and Boca is doing her funny pony-bucks out of sheer joy and Ruby's cute snout is dusted with frost, I think for just a moment that winter is not so bad.

Ruby Twosday

It's Ruby's Maybe Birthday today, a combination of a best-guess estimate and maximization of my favorite number, eleven. 

I'm not home to celebrate with her and make her scrambled eggs for breakfast and give her extra kisses (or let her give me extra kisses more correctly). 

Instead I'm staying on the eleventh floor of a hotel in Florida for a business trip, and Ruby is getting snow back home! Temperatures in Denver dropped 20-30 degrees within an hour yesterday and they will not get out of the teens until Friday. 

It's strange to sleep alone when you are used to two warm souls curled up close. I miss Ruby's pouty lip she gets when she is sleepy and Boca's paw draped over me. 

When I get home tomorrow, The Ginger Sisters are getting some special winter treats, and snuggles and scritchins galore. 

Happy second birthday, Little Rubes. I love you so darn much. 

Walking Adventures and Reactive Encounters

October was a great month for The Ginger Sisters. My dad is living with me for the time being, and so the dogs have company all day when I'm at work. Although we haven't kept up with all of our fall training goals, we've had some interesting experiences of note.

On Halloween morning, my dad and I took the girls for a lovely hike in Evergreen, at an open space area with miles and miles of trails called Elk Meadow. I parked at the end of the parking lot to give us the best chance of getting in and out of the car without encountering anyone, but even though there were several other cars parked, we actually didn't see another soul until the return hike. It was a beautiful fall day and the trail we chose was very open, winding through a meadow flanked with pine trees. The girls had such a good time sniffing and exploring. At one point I took them into a mowed area and ran around with them, letting Boca drag her leash. She stayed close, paid attention to where I was and came running every time I called. That dog is not going anywhere.

On the way back we saw a few other people, but because of the tall grass I was able to take Ruby off the trail without incident. She didn't even notice the other dogs because she was too busy digging for voles. I was so happy to find this trail system that seems perfectly suited for walking reactive dogs. We will be returning for sure on some of my Fridays off. I was thrilled that we all got to enjoy some time in the beautiful Colorado mountains. Going places with a reactive dog is always a gamble and a risk I often don't want to take, but days like Friday made it all worthwhile. Unfortunately, I left my phone in the car so missed out on some great photo opportunities. 

We had several loose dogs run up to us last week. Boca is absolutely fine with this, so I mainly have to worry about managing Ruby. Ruby initially greeted the bigger hound-dog type that ran over to us in our townhome parking lot politely, but snapped at him as he turned away. That was disappointing for me as I've always thought Ruby was more frustrated greeter than dog-aggressive. I still couldn't blame her - my dogs were the ones on-leash. A few days later a tiny fawn-colored chihuahua came running toward us - Ruby was excited but I wasn't terribly concerned and the owner scooped the dog up before it reached us. Another loose chihuahua charged toward us on Sunday evening, and while I thought the owner was going to call it back, she inexplicably went back inside her house leaving us to deal with the dog alone. Ruby was amped up by its barking but I was able to get my dogs away without the chihuahua following us. It's so weird that we had this happen three times in the course of a few days. 

I've also started walking the girls in the neighborhood across the busy street, something I stopped doing for a while because the street crossing could be so stressful.  I've found that if we go early on weekend mornings, there isn't much traffic, and now that the weather is cooling off there aren't as many cyclists and joggers out. I carry Ruby across even if no one is coming - it just makes me feel safer. Once we are safely across the street, aside from a few dogs in yards, things are fairly quiet and the wide streets give me an opportunity to change direction, zig-zag, and practice Ruby's heel in small circles (which she is very good at). We also don't have the cursed rabbits to contend with! 

The end of daylight savings time means dog walks in the dark every day after work and I don't like it one bit. I have an LED collar and leash but find that they don't offer much help when trying to pick up after the dogs on the dark, leaf-strewn ground. I am not sure I can juggle a flashlight, two leashes and poop bags, especially when I'll soon be wearing gloves. I'm considering a head lamp - just the thing to complete my dorky dog lady winter ensemble! What ways have you found to make nighttime dog walking easier?

October Walks

We've been having the most beautiful weather here in Colorado - I wish it would stay like this forever! The mornings are chilly and we had our first frost recently, but by the afternoon the sky is brilliantly blue and the leaves crunch deliciously under our feet on the warm ground. The ginger sisters and I have been enjoying the most wonderful walks on these perfect autumn days. 

 

I am lucky to live next to a large vacant field and while yes, technically we are trespassing, the footpaths along the marsh and over the hill are a testament to the many rebel dog walkers and until the land is developed, I am going to continue taking advantage of this little semblance of wilderness nestled between my town house complex and a public transit station. 

Ruby especially seems to love bounding through the tall grass and getting her terrier on by scrabbling at the ground where it is soft. One day I spotted a little mousy creature scurrying through the field, so I know that's what she smells. Sometimes she gets so overcome by digging that she will bark and whine as she's showering Boca and I with flying dirt before sticking her whole snout in the hole and snuffling the earth. It's a joy to watch her being such a dog.

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It's All Fun and Games Until Somebody Ends Up In a Cone

Waiting to see the vet

What began as a simple afternoon walk resulted in a three hour visit to the emergency vet with Ruby on Saturday. As with many of our mishaps, I blame the rabbits! You see, Ruby darted headfirst into a juniper bush after one and came out yipping and squinting. I could see a tiny speck of blood in the corner of her left eye and knew immediately that I should take her to the emergency clinic. Eye injuries are not something to wait or take chances with.

I've spent far more time at the local emergency clinic than I'd like. My Norwegian elkhound, Freya, spent three days in neurology ICU there last summer, and Ruby had x-rays last winter for a suspected obstruction after eating a piece of a plush toy. It was busier than I had ever seen it on Saturday, and our long wait was quite a challenge as I tried to keep Ruby from seeing other dogs. Even once we were in a room we waited for at least another hour. A tech told me that three critical cases came in at the same time. I knew that we were not a major emergency and was not annoyed by the delay (although I was wishing I'd brought a book!). I was just thankful we weren't there under worse circumstances.

Finally the vet took Ruby back to stain her eye, and showed me where the dye had picked up near the middle of her lens. He prescribed some antibiotic eye drops and we had another long wait back in the entrance area for the prescription and discharge instructions. Ruby had done really well, all things considered, so I was disappointed when one of the employees wheeled a vacuum cleaner straight toward us and sent Ruby into a reactive frenzy. It was especially disruptive because there were several people being obviously faced with difficult news and tearful decisions, so I took Ruby around a partition to try and calm her down.  

In order to keep Ruby from rubbing or scratching her eye, I put Pawz rubber dog boots on her feet that first night. These are a great thing to have around - I used one for Boca when she had her paw pad injury. The next morning I picked up a Comfy Cone from Kriser's - much better than the plastic ones the vet carries, and another smart item to keep on hand. Ruby spent Sunday being quite depressed and followed me around like a little velcro dog, but has since adjusted well to her new accessory. The prescribed eye drops were another story...

Even with my dad's help, it was nearly impossible to get the drops in Ruby's eye. She developed an instant fear of the bottle, and struggled mightily. I thought I was making progress with using the peanut butter bottle and a lot of patience, but after getting one lucky drop in, she became suspicious of that method, too. I knew there was no way I was going to get them in her eye three times a day for ten days, and called my regular vet for an alternative. They prescribed an ointment, which is going much better, although I notice that the redness increases after the ointment is applied so I'll be placing another call this morning to see if that is a concern. Ruby isn't squinting and doesn't seem overly bothered. She will have to have her eye re-stained on Saturday and I hope that it will heal up just fine. I plan to take up the vet bills with the rabbit colony...

When Crate Training Comes In Handy

 

 Even if they aren't used regularly, crates are a good tool if your dog is unpredictable, anxious or fearful around strangers and you suddenly need to let those strangers into your house. 

Both of my dogs spent a fair amount of time crated when I first adopted them (or in Boca's case, when I took her on as a foster dog). I don't believe dogs should be crated more than five hours at a time on a regular basis, but when introducing a puppy or new dog into a household, it is a temporary way to slowly introduce them to more freedom. Ruby quickly proved that she could be trusted home alone (I keep her in the gated kitchen/dining room so my senior cat can have the run of the rest of the house), and we pretty much abandoned the crate after the first few months. Ruby doesn't love her crate and never goes in it on her own if the door is left open.

Boca, on the other hand, seems to like her crate enough to sleep in it voluntarily sometimes, take comfort there during thunderstorms, and it's where I prefer her to go when I feed high-value, long-lasting chew treats like bully sticks, so that there are no quarrels between sisters. While she can also be trusted free in the house, I have continued to crate Boca in the mornings during the week, and she spends afternoons in the kitchen with Ruby. This arrangement works well and I think it gives them some quiet time apart from each other.

Recently I was reminded of a good reason to keep up with their crate training when I had to have some HVAC service people in the house. Despite her reactivity, Ruby has thus far been good about strangers coming to the house, but they have always been people I know and maybe that made a difference for her. She did not like the first repairman and I quickly realized she would need to be crated while he was there. Boca is fearful of strange men, particularly if they are wearing hats, sunglasses, or carrying things. I got them both safely secured, and although Ruby did a lot of whining, she did eventually settle down and chew a bully stick. We had to repeat the whole routine the following day to get another estimate.

The bad news is: I need a new furnace. Two installers will be at my house all day on Friday. I don't plan on crating the ginger sisters the entire time; in fact, it will be a perfect opportunity for me to work upstairs in my spare room and they can hang out there with me. Still, the whole experience prompted me to brush up on Ruby's crate skills, since I had to catch her and physically put her in the crate last week. She had obviously forgotten what 'go to your den' meant, and I saw it as a training opportunity.

Last night with the aid of the clicker and handfuls of smelly Only Natural Pet treats, I worked with both girls on their crate cue as well as waiting for release and staying with the crate door open. By the end of our session, Ruby and Boca were running excitedly to their dens. Ruby was laying down inside and waiting for the 'okay' before coming out. Hopefully this will make things easier the next time we need to unexpectedly utilize their crates.

Looking Ahead: Training Update and Goals

I've admittedly gotten quite lax with Ruby's training, and have been hesitant to post any sort of progress report because the truth is...we really haven't made a lot of progress, and I am seeing regression in some areas. The blame is entirely on me - I see results when I am consistent and dedicated, and I just haven't been. The summer seemed a bit hectic with an unexpected car purchase and hunting for a new barn for my horse, not to mention that there is more activity in my neighborhood with everyone enjoying the outdoors. Even my usual management methods have a higher rate of failure when there is a dog, a bike or a stroller around every corner. 

I feel like Ruby has gotten worse about dogs, although in the last few days we've had a couple of successes where she has for certain seen the dog, but I was able to make an exit without a spinning/lunging/barking meltdown. One of these instances was on our way to the vacant field and Ruby's "digging hill." There was someone with a medium-sized dog walking perpendicular to us about half a block away, and Ruby was so excited to go on a dirt-flinging binge that she couldn't have cared less. 

Trigger stacking is a very real issue for us, and I notice it particularly with cars. If we're having a quiet walk, cars can pass unnoticed. If Ruby has just seen another dog or several rabbits, the next car we see warrants a reaction. Luckily, although I live near a very busy street, my townhome complex is in a sheltered area where we can navigate a decent 30-40 minute walk on fairly quiet side-streets and alleys. 

The good news is that things are quieting down as the seasons change. School has resumed and I've already noticed a difference in the evenings - kids are inside doing homework instead of rolling down the sidewalk on razor scooters and skateboards.  Soon enough our evening walks will be in the dark again - not something I love, but distractions are definitely diminished. Now that Boca has a good foundation I can get back to splitting training time between both dogs.

New Goals 

• Continue Boca's training with focus on gradual exposure to more crowded/complex situations. I plan to take her to the farmers' market this weekend. 
• Look into Canine Good Citizen preparation classes for Boca
• Continue recall training with both dogs. Currently I'm able to call them away from barking downstairs with nearly 100% success. Consider long lines.
• Resume solo training walks with Ruby and counter-conditioning with people/cars. (dogs are still very difficult to CC in uncontrolled situations). I believe 2-3 times a week is realistic.
• Brush up on Ruby's tricks and apply for her Intermediate Trick Dog Title before the end of the year.
• Continue working on DRI with Ruby and rabbits. Currently I am asking for a "sit" and this works fairly well.
• Try the Calming Cap in the car with Ruby again.

There is never any shortage of stuff to work on with two smart dogs. Ruby is a complicated puzzle and Boca is a food-motivated goofball. They provide such a nice balance for me and I love seeing the ways their personalities contrast as their individual strengths shine. September and October are my favorite months in Colorado - they always feel so full of promise. I think it is the perfect time to re-dedicate myself to the ginger sisters' training. 

Gingers Just Want to Have Fun

Ruby, Preacher (preachin') and Walter

 

During the work-week, the routine is largely the same for Ruby and Boca. It's the weekends that we all look forward to, when longer walks, car trips and play-dates take place. This past weekend was no exception, and although it was a busy one, I made sure that the girls got to take advantage of some fun in the sun. 

I am so lucky that the place my horse Coro is boarded currently, Infinity Farm, is also home to our corgi friends and my dogs are welcome there - a rarity at many equine establishments. The dogs and I both enjoyed our first long trip in my new car, and they seemed to be comfortable on the new seat cover. Ruby even laid down on the edge of the seat so that she was utilizing the "hammock" feature. The fabric is a little slippery, but I think this encourages the dogs to settle down for the trip, something that aids in keeping Ruby's reactive outbursts towards passing motorcycles on the freeway to a minimum.

Ruby made several laps of the yard before I could even get her harness off, and they all had a great time digging, barking at goats and llamas and playing "catch me if you can" while I rode Coro for the first time in far too long. I have had Coro for over twenty years, and even if so much time goes by between rides, we soon pick up right where we left off. I loved being able to amble around on his back while watching a lesson going on, and afterward all of us horse crazy ladies picnicked in the shade of a tree. It was a perfect afternoon for all.

Ruby levitating, Preacher, Boca and Walter in frame

Even Ruby slept all the way home - which is something that seldom happens - and both dogs crashed for the rest of the day. They were almost too tired to eat dinner (but only almost). The next day the dogs had to stay home while I looked at barns - as much as I love where Coro is living it is a long haul and I'd like to find something closer so that I can ride more often. One place had a yak, turkeys and an ancient Australian shepherd. I think it is so fun to see all the different animals people keep on farms. Although I have lived in Denver for fourteen years now, I will always be a country girl at heart. 

Last night, the ginger sisters decided that they wanted to participate in Monday Mischief: Boca stole a sandwich and Ruby made a plaything out of an unfortunate moth. My dad and I were eating grilled cheese sandwiches and watching Parts Unknown and he left his plate on the coffee table for a moment to get a glass of water. Boca sniffed her way over to the plate, and despite my scolding "Boca...no no...leave that," I could not stand up fast enough to stop her and watched as she snatched the toasted cheese morsel. She did drop it halfway across the floor, and I had to laugh at her bold street dog thievery.

I let the girls out on the patio one last time before bed, and Ruby took the opportunity to grab a medium-sized moth that was hovering near the ground and ran gleefully back inside with it. She is the consummate keep-away artist, so I knew there was no chance of getting it away from her, and instead watched in a combination of intrigue and pity as she toyed with the insect. She must have caught and released it about twenty times, holding it gently enough in her mouth before letting it flap away so she could bat it with her paws and snap it up again. She was delighted with her game and was wagging her tail happily the entire time as well as trying to share her fluttering toy with Boca. She lost interest once the poor moth succumbed, and I was glad at least that she didn't eat it. 

Do your dogs chase or play with bugs? My Norwegian elkhound Freya was afraid of flies, bless her heart.