Trick or Treat Giveaway: Roll Out the Red Carpet with Ruby!

We're so excited to once again be a part of the Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop, hosted by Kol's Notes, and Beagles & Bargains and generously sponsored by Caru, Nature's Logic and The Honest Kitchen. From today until October 30th, hop around the participating blogs for fun trick tutorials and enter the giveaway for a chance to win incredible prizes, including a $300.00 PetSmart gift card and some huge treat assortments!

Fall Trick Training Progress

With winter close on the heels of this beautiful fall weather, I'm breaking out the props and the clicker in preparation for trick training to keep The Ginger Sisters occupied when the nights get cold and dark. Ruby has been working hard on several new tricks and Boca will try anything if it means she gets more food! I'm so proud of how far Ruby's 'hold' trick has come. The last time we shared our progress, she was ever-so-patiently persevering through my klutziness and through trial and error I found the toys that are easiest for her to hold. The fact that one of them happens to be a bouquet of flowers is just too adorable for words.

Trick Training Helped Lessen the Stress of a Vet Visit for My Reactive Dog

I wasn't expecting to write about a trip to the vet for this week's Positive Pet Training Blog Hop, but Ruby had a rather sudden onset of digestive distress following a strong thunderstorm this week and although I suspected it was stress related, I wasn't taking any chances when blood showed up in her stool. I made an appointment with our wonderful veterinarian the following afternoon and loaded Ruby up in her travel den, which has made drives far less taxing for both of us.

Practical and Playful Trick Training

My post for Positive Pet Training Week is only very loosely based on the theme of training for first aid and emergencies. Ruby has never worn a muzzle, nor do I have one, but with a fearful/reactive dog I thought that integrating a cue that could lay the groundwork for muzzle training would be a good idea. You just never know when a situation might arise that might be too overwhelming for the anxious dog's taxed inhibition. With an unpredictable reactive dog, a muzzle helps make dog introductions safer. Sara over at Two Blockheads has a wonderful post about muzzle training that I recommend. I introduced the "muzzle" behavior with a plastic cup that we use for the shell game. It was fairly easy to capture since it was just another form of touch, although I was surprised how comfortable Ruby was with shoving her whole face in. The video we took earlier today is probably only the third time at most that we've worked on this. I did some free-shaping to break things up, and I really liked the nose pushing behavior with the cup. Our next step would be adding duration, and later on build acceptance/comfort with a basket-type muzzle being fastened and worn.

Klutzy Trick Training

Ruby's paw target - her precision is far better than mine!

I have always been a klutz. I knock my elbows and knees into things, I drop stuff constantly. Once I managed to drop a quart of paint in the middle of a Home Depot aisle and it came open and splattered all over another customer's shoes and pants. I believe the color was Mortification Taupe. I am frequently apologizing to my poor timid Ruby for my incoordination and bad timing. She cowers whenever I drop something noisily on to the floor, and as the last person picked for team sports in school, I've dealt some pretty terrible throws when playing fetch with a ball or her Frisbee. She's stuck with me, though, and we muddle through clicker training together, something that requires good timing and on-the-fly finesse.

Trick Training Week 2: Paws Up and Paw Target

Paws Up! #ruby #dogs #jrt #borderjack #tricktraining #clickertraining #positivereinforcement #smartypants

A video posted by Lara Elizabeth (@2gingerdogs) on Jan 18, 2016 at 7:43pm PST

Ruby and I are taking part in an online trick training class in order to earn her Novice Trick Title. I'm a little bit behind - Week 1 was pretty easy because she already knew most of the tricks. Week 2 has been a little more challenging. The tricks for Week 2 are:

Accountability and Inspiration with Online Dog Training

I mentioned in my Year in Review post that after talking about it for far too long I was finally going to apply for Ruby's first trick title through Do More With Your Dog. I learned about a free online class that walks you through the weekly tricks necessary to apply for each level of title, and thought it was the perfect way to achieve my goal with Ruby. January just happens to be National Train Your Dog Month, so the timing couldn't be better!

Taking a Bow for Weruva Treats in the #TrickOrTreatDogs Giveaway Hop

The Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop is sponsored by Lionel Trains, the Art of AJ, pawTree, Dr. Harvey’s, Jones Natural Chews, Puppy Style Treats, Clear Conscience Pet, Whimzees, Loving Pets and Weruva. All content and opinions expressed are my 100% my own.

I love trick training, I love dog treats (or rather, I love giving them to my dogs) and I am so excited to be participating in the Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop brilliantly conceptualized and perfectly executed by Jessica at Beagles and Bargains and Jodi at Kol's Notes. Just look at all these amazing sponsors! 

THE TRICK: Ruby offers a play-bow all the time so it was one of the first things I put on cue (I use 'bravo' because 'bow' sounds too much like 'down'). Watch the video below to see the steps I used to teach it:

THE TREATS: Ruby and Boca are giving away an awesome prize package from Weruva - I didn't even know they made treats but The Ginger Sisters love their gourmet canned food, especially their Paw Lickin' Chicken. U.S. residents are welcome to enter to win a prize package including Paw Lickin' Chicken or Blue Water Whitefish Treats and Pumpkin Patch Up! Be sure to stop by all the other participating blogs before tomorrow - learning new tricks and entering each treat giveaway. You can go trick or treating from home in your pajamas! Every treat entry will also go toward a chance to win one of three grand prize packages, including a Peanuts Halloween Train from Lionel Trains, a custom Halloween pet portrait from The Art of AJ and a $300 treat package from all of the other sponsors!

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Ruby Reviews: The Bear & The Rat Yogurt Treats + Giveaway

The Ginger Sisters are happy to try out any kind of new treats, and because we do so much training I prefer the treats to be healthy and beneficial. I was delighted to sample the latest product from local Denver, Colorado company The Bear & The Rat (you may have seen them on Shark Tank!). 

Fro-Yo To Go are freeze dried yogurt treats loaded with helpful probiotics. They come in two flavors: Bacon and Sweet Potato & Carrot, with over 150 yogurt bites in a bag. The girls were very excited to try the Bacon flavor. 

The treats are made in the USA and are corn, soy, wheat, gluten and grain free. The treats smell really good, with a creamy tang that smells like a frozen yogurt shop. They are about the size of a dime and I think they must melt in the dogs' mouths, the way they licked their lips and were ready for more. 

I have only two minor complaints about the freeze-dried yogurt treats: they are very delicate and got pretty broken up in the bag. This isn't a big deal since I like smaller training treats, anyway. They also make your hands a little sticky. I told you - minor complaints. The Ginger Sisters loved them, I love the ingredients, and I am happy to support a local company. 

The Ginger Sisters Ruby did some tricks to earn some more frozen yogurt treats. She waved "bye bye" while Boca laughed because "down" is one of the only tricks she knows.

We are giving away two packages of Fro-Yo To Go to one lucky winner - must be a U.S. resident and respond to the notification email within 72 hours.

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Disclaimer: The Bear & The Rat provided the giveaway treats and a sample for review in exchange for my honest feedback. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets.

Ruby Reaching For the Stars

 "Sit Pretty" is one of Ruby's favorite tricks, and we've been working on increasing distance and duration, all the better for picture taking!

This might be her highest reach ever!

 

 

 

Trick training is not a quiet affair with Ruby.

 

 We call this one "Jazz Paws." 

I think she finds it all hilarious. 

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Back to School Trick Training with Sojos Simply Wild Treats

It's hard to believe it's already September. This summer flew by, but I'm delighted that I went on several wonderful hikes and took Boca to some fun events. Now the kids are returning to school and the sun sets earlier and earlier. It's time to start thinking about how to meet The Ginger Sisters' physical and mental stimulation needs as our walks will soon be shorter and darker. One dog has significantly higher needs than the other. I'm not naming any names but she's part Border collie and part Jack Russell terrier.

Trick training is my favorite way to burn off some energy and bond with Ruby - we started very early on and she keeps building her repertoire. Our main limitation is my imagination, but lately we've returned to some things that were hanging us up in the past and building duration and distance with familiar tricks. Most recently we've solidified "are you shy" (face cover) which was especially challenging. As with everything, Ruby put her own adorable flair on it and it became more of a coy game than a bashful pose. Since the point of trick training for us is to have fun, I let her shape things the way she wants.

New or challenging tricks require high value rewards, so this new trick debut was the perfect opportunity to try out some new treats from Sojos. Ruby and Boca were both very excited about tasting the Simply Wild treats - nothing but 100% freeze dried venison, wild boar or salmon. For our training session we used the Simply Wild Venison and they were more than happy to work for the meaty morsels. As you can see in the video, Ruby performs "are you shy" flawlessly, while the clumsy human delivers a pathetically late click. One of us needs more work...

Ruby's newest trick - "are you shy" (and way to go on the late click, human) #smart #dog #smartypants #tricktraining #clickertraining #positivereinforcement #jackrussellterrier #jrtlove

A video posted by Lara Elizabeth (@2gingerdogs) on Sep 7, 2015 at 1:56pm PDT

Ruby isn't the only one polishing a new trick...Boca is working on "sit pretty" (which is super cute because it's difficult for her to balance and she still tries so hard) and "roll over." With Boca I use more luring than I'd like, but it's what works for her. Ruby seems to visibly enjoy puzzling things out and trying to determine what I want, while Boca is all about those treats. Rolling over comes quite naturally to Boca and she has demonstrated that she can go either direction! I learn so much from working with these girls and I am looking forward to brushing up on some old tricks and adding some new ones to our roster this fall and winter.

This post is part of the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop, hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier and Rubicon Days. The hop happens on the first Monday of every month and stays open for a full week. Please join us in spreading the word about the rewards of positive training!




Disclaimer: I was provided Sojos Simply Wild treats in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets.

Why I'm a Good Dog Trainer

This is the face of a happy, engaged dog. It's my favorite face.

Last month, for the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop, I talked about why I'm a bad dog trainer so this month I wanted to explore the flip side of that. Today also happens to be Ruby's 2nd Gotcha Day, and of the myriad ways she's changed my life, one of the most important is all she has taught me about dog body language, behavior and training. While we're nowhere near perfect, we've come a long way in our communication and understanding of one another. I've gotten her through some fears, improved her reactivity to most pedestrians and cars, and implemented management strategies when and where I've needed to. Ruby is a much happier dog than she was two years ago. She wags her tail more often and has the confidence to investigate things she's afraid of. She trusts me to keep her safe and I know our limits. I thought I would share a few examples of things we've improved on lately and what skills I incorporated to do so.

I Give It Time
When I started trick-training beyond the basics, I really wanted to teach Ruby to cover her face with a paw. I would call the trick "are you shy."  The step-by-step instructions in my trick training book suggested sticking a piece of tape or a Post-It note to the dog's muzzle, then marking and rewarding when they pawed it away. Ruby quickly caught on to this and just as swiftly let me know that wasn't going to work for her. She found the sticky note mildly aversive and started avoiding me when she saw I had it in my hand. I tabled the trick for a while, but this spring I introduced it again, breaking it down into smaller steps. I decided I would use DS/CC to change her association to the sticky note, marking and rewarding each time she allowed me to touch her with it, beginning with her neck. As I started touching the sticky note to her muzzle briefly, she started pawing at it, allowing me to mark and reward and thereby capture the very behavior I was looking for. I realized I didn't even have to use the sticky note, and could illicit the pawing action by gently touching her neck or nose. Soon I could fade the physical cue and started using a hand signal (covering my own nose with my hand). This trick still isn't completely solid, but we've made significant progress on it simply by stepping away from it and approaching it in a slightly different way.

I Give My Dogs Options 
Ruby is a very sensitive dog. She is uncomfortable with restraint and does not like the sound of metal (keys, silverware). This makes putting collars and harnesses on with their accompanying tags, snaps and buckles clinking a bit of a challenge. Ruby adores going for walks and knows that her gear is a requirement for venturing out, but if something gets dropped on the floor by some klutzy Ginger Sister guardian or a boisterous Boca bowls her over, we have a setback. What I've learned works best is letting Ruby come to the harness, rather than the other way around. It's less threatening for her, and by giving her the option to "put her stuff on" when she's ready, I've involved her in the process rather than forced it on her. She understands that the sooner the harness is buckled, the sooner the fun begins, and she will nearly always put her own harness on by poking her head through if I just give her a moment.

I'm Here for the Relationship
This is the big one. As much as I love trick training, and as much as I appreciate the importance of obedience (most especially with recall, something we will probably always struggle with, given Ruby's high prey drive and our lack of outdoor space to practice), what I'm most interested in is my relationship with my dogs. I want one based on trust and understanding, with both parties getting a say and striving to communicate more effectively. Last weekend one of our resident rabbits spent some time sitting under the hedge next to my front window, much to Ruby's delight. She normally can't see out of the windows since they are covered with window film, but we've been opening them for the cross-breeze on these cool mornings and evenings. She spent several hours perched on the back of the loveseat, watching out the screen, quivering with excitement, wagging her tail from side to side and fantasizing about how it would taste, no doubt. One evening she jumped onto the back of the sofa, glanced at the curtain, then looked pointedly at my dad and quietly grunt-barked at him. We both knew exactly what she meant - she wanted the curtain and the window open so she could see her rabbit! Would some consider that demanding? I considered it incredibly smart and kind of amazing - another species communicating her desires to another. These moments are outside the definition of training in a traditional sense, but they solidify my determination to keep learning and keep listening, which is what training means to me.

This post is part of the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop, hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier and Rubicon Days. The hop happens on the first Monday of every month and stays open for a full week. Please join us in spreading the word about the rewards of positive training!

Simple Tips for Training Multiple Dogs

I have to admit that I did a lot more training when I only had Ruby. She excelled at trick training and quickly developed an impressive repertoire. Boca was able to attend a basic obedience class and did wonderfully, but we haven't gotten very far beyond that. Training more than one dog can be tricky and it can be hard to find the time to work with each dog individually. Here are some things I have learned that can make it easier and keep it fun. 

Keep It Simple 

When working with multiple animals it's important to remember that they can be a distraction to one another, and you may not be able to work on complex behaviors. A dog may find it more difficult to do some things in the company of another; for instance, Boca is overexcited when there is food involved and can tend to leap around and make Ruby nervous, so Ruby won't necessarily do some of her behaviors that put her in a vulnerable position, such as rolling over or "relax." I know I have to ask for simpler things such as "sit," "down" and "paw." I increase the challenge by asking for these behaviors from both dogs in unison, and the results can be pretty amusing. 

Get Creative

Training two dogs can open up some delightful possibilities if you draw on each dog's strengths. Ruby loves to jump over things. Boca loves to sprawl out on the floor. Naturally, I've taught Ruby to jump over Boca! Our friend Lauren taught her adorable lookalike girls to "kiss" and it's just about the cutest thing ever.  Dai Aoki of Positive Dog Care Sydney does some incredible stunts with his two border collies, Holly and Ace.

Utilize Mat or Crate Training

When you want to focus on one dog, it can be tough if the other is vying for attention, barking or whining. I'm so glad that Ruby has a great mat work foundation as it is the perfect solution for short training sessions when I have both dogs in the same room. I can place Ruby on her mat and work with Boca, or ask Boca to go to her kennel while I work with Ruby. I haven't done any mat training or the Relaxation Protocol with Boca, but sometimes we play our own variation on "crate games" where I will take turns sending them to their kennels and release them separately.  This is a great way to practice impulse control. 

Consider the Individual

What works for one dog may not work for another, and even if you are working with more than one dog at a time, you may have to fine-tune your training for each. They may require different kinds or rates of reinforcement, different lengths or intensities of sessions. Ruby is easily frustrated and Boca can be too food motivated so I have to take these things into account and adjust for them.

Remember that every interaction we have with our animals is teaching them something, and even if one dog is waiting its turn for formal training, it is learning! Ruby and Boca have taught me so much about positive reinforcement, often picking up on things so much faster than I expect. Training multiple pets comes with its own challenges, but I think the rewards far outweigh them. 

This post is part of the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier and Rubicon Days - join us on the first Monday of every month to promote positive pet training and share advice and experiences. The hop is open all week long! The next hop begins July 6th.

A Positive Reinforcement Reading List

I am a reader. My mother was first a librarian and later an English teacher, and from an early age I recognized and appreciated the power of books. I turn to them for information and inspiration, for pure escapism or for learning about my latest obsession. After adopting Ruby and realizing that she was going to be a challenging dog, I knew that the training philosophy I connected with had a name. I also knew that I needed to learn a lot more about it - the majority of my formal training experience was with horses. The following are some of the books that I turned to as I got to know my brilliant, intense little terrier:

The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller -  This book is a wonderful resource for force-free training, providing an overview as well as practical advice for basic through advanced behaviors and trouble-shooting. It includes information on clicker training, treat suggestions and a glossary of training terms.

101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog by Kyra Sundance - This book sparked my love of trick training with Ruby, something that has proven to be incredibly rewarding for both of us. It has so many cute ideas and step by step instructions, organized by difficulty and providing ways to build on simpler tricks. Note: Some of the instructions do involve physical manipulation, such as holding a dog's foot up or placing a piece of tape on their nose, which could be aversive for some dogs. Please remember to observe your dog for signs of stress whenever you are training.

For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend by Patricia B. McConnell - While not specifically a training book, I think anything that deepens the knowledge of our dogs' inner lives will help us to communicate with them. I recommend any of McConnell's books, but found this one especially beautiful.

Control Unleashed: Creating a Focused and Confident Dog by Leslie McDevitt -  This book is meant as a companion to a specific training program for agility dogs, and can be difficult to apply if you don't have other dogs/handlers available to work with; however, there are some great exercises and most of all, a way to shift your thinking to help the sensitive/reactive/fearful dog. The story of McDevitt's dog Snap at the end is worth the entire book. 

Plenty In Life is Free by Kathy Sdao - This book is so important to me, and although it is more esoteric than instructional, it is a beautiful exploration of our ethical duties to our dogs and the limitless potential of joy that exists in those relationships. It spoke to my heart and expressed things I've had difficulty articulating in my own rejection of aversive methods. I recommend this to everyone who has ever asked if there is a better way to communicate. 

This post is part of the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop - join us on the first Monday of every month to promote positive pet training and share advice and experiences. The hop is open all week long! The next hop begins June 1st with the theme of training multiple pets.

Ten Minute Trick Training and Spring Training Giveaway

I'm very excited to be co-hosting this month's Positive Pet Training Week Blog Hop along with Cascadian Nomads and Tenacious Little Terrier. Not only are we talking about how training can be "fun sized" in easy, ten minute increments, but we are giving away an awesome prize package worth $75!

Ruby knows over thirty tricks and I am always trying to come up with new things to teach her and polish existing cues. I would like to apply for a trick title, but aside from that we trick train just for fun. It's a great way to provide mental stimulation during the long winter months, creates a strong bond and improves communication with your dog.

I use clicker training for shaping and capturing new tricks and also for refining known cues. Yesterday I decided we would work on a few of the tricks that have been in progress for a while, and see if we could have any breakthroughs. I set the timer for ten minutes and used Ruby's kibble dinner as treats. Ruby gets so excited when she sees I have the clicker - she really loves trick training and for this reason kibble is high value enough for her.

I actually think ten minutes is too long to work on one single behavior for Ruby. She is a very sensitive dog and if she is not getting something "right," she can get frustrated. I know it's time to move on to something different if she lays down during a session. She also tends to be an overachiever who will offer a lot of her tricks before I even ask. Commonly when I ask for 'down,' she will go ahead and roll over, or when I ask for 'sit' she will go ahead and sit pretty. I have to be fast with the clicking and treating to mark what I've asked for.

Yesterday when working on one of her more challenging tricks, 'march,' in which I want her walk forward while raising her front legs up high, like chorus-line kicks, I realized the importance of breaking things down into smaller steps. I also learned that I needed to increase the rate of reinforcement (delivery of treats). Eventually I want Ruby to take multiple steps on one cue, but my goal yesterday was just to get one step from each foot. If she took more than two steps I would "jackpot" reward her and give her a small handful of kibble.

I think we made a lot of progress in just ten minutes - a wonderful reminder that everyone has time to train! Whether you want to teach a fun trick or work on something practical like loose-leash walking or recall, dedicating ten minutes a day to training is an easy way to positively affect your relationship with your dog.

Enter our giveaway for a chance to win a prize package containing a nosework DVD, puzzle toy and more!

No purchase necessary. Giveaway is open to US residents, 18 and over. Void where prohibited. Giveaway will run from Monday, April 6th, 2015 through Sunday, April 12th, 2015 at 11:59pm PT. One (1) winner will be randomly selected by PromoSimple.com and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize; failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize. Participants must read and agree to PromoSimple's Privacy Policy before entering and participating in this promotion. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, KONG, Outward Hound, Zuke's, i-Click, Dogwise Publishing and Howln Moon Press do not sponsor, administer, or endorse this promotion. Prize pack will be shipped separately by participating bloggers who donated prize items. Prize pack may not be as pictured. 

This post is part of the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop - join us on the first Monday of every month to promote positive pet training and share advice and experiences. The hop is open all week long! The next hop begins May 4th with a review theme - please join us if you have a book, DVD or other positive training aid review to contribute.

Ruby Reviews: The Honest Kitchen Nuzzles

We are big fans of The Honest Kitchen at my house, so The Ginger Sisters were happy to taste-test another wonderful treat: Nuzzles, a crunchy combination of duck & cherry.  

Nuzzles are made with just eight natural, human grade ingredients, not one unidentifiable or impossible to pronounce: 

Barley flour, duck, molasses, water, eggs, coconut oil, cherries and Parmesan cheese

They are a cute heart shape that can easily be broken into smaller pieces - perfect for sharing!

I love to have a variety of treats on hand to keep training interesting for my girls, and I want their treats to be as healthy as the rest of their diet. I am always confident that The Honest Kitchen has the best interest of my pets in mind.

Product reviews are a perfect opportunity to practice their modeling skills (sit-stays, down-stays, and "watch me"). Boca is becoming a real pro at posing, and Ruby is always happy to show off with some tricks.

We took advantage of one of our last days of sunny weather before temperatures plummet next week. I even recruited my dad to help with some pictures! 

Ruby will jump through hoops for The Honest Kitchen! 

We have also been practicing "in" and "out" with her hula hoop - she caught on to it in a heartbeat and is happy to demonstrate for a heart-shaped cookie! 

Disclaimer: I was provided a sample of The Honest Kitchen Nuzzles in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and I only publish reviews for products I feel comfortable using in the day to day life of my pets. 

Ruby Reviews: The Honest Kitchen Halcyon

We are big fans of The Honest Kitchen at my house. I feed the Love recipe as part of the ginger sisters' rotation diet, I keep cans of Quickies stashed around the house for impromptu training moments, and they get Beams as regular treats.

Not only was this review a chance to possibly add another The Honest Kitchen product into the mix, but it was also a great occasion to work with the girls on their sit-stays, down-stays, and other cues. They seemed to have a lot of fun, Ruby hamming it up as usual and Boca surprising me with her improvisation. 

 

I was therefore very excited to be given the opportunity to test out their new dehydrated duck formula, Halcyon. We were sent several sample packets for the girls to try. As always, The Honest Kitchen boasts high-quality, human-grade ingredients:

Dehydrated duck, organic oats, organic buckwheat, dehydrated peas, organic flaxseed, dehydrated potatoes, dried organic coconut, dehydrated carrots, dried parsley, dehydrated spinach, dried bananas, dried basil, chia seeds, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate

I feed grain-free kibble at dinnertime, so I don't mind the girls having some "cereal" for breakfast in the form of the oats and buckwheat. I am also happy to see coconut in the ingredients as it has some wonderful health properties.

The ginger sisters are accustomed to our morning routine of re-hydrating their food with warm water and setting the timer for five minutes while I make my coffee. They know that when the timer chimes, breakfast is served!

Boca is easy to please and gobbles up anything that is in her bowl (the gratitude of a street dog!), but Ruby tends to be my picky eater. She unfortunately turns her nose up at some of The Honest Kitchen varieties, so I was delighted that she danced around excitedly while I prepared the Halcyon and licked her bowl clean. Another winner from The Honest Kitchen and a variety we can add to our rotation!

The Honest Kitchen has generously provided a 4lb box of Halcyon for one of my readers to win. U.S. residents may enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below. The winner will have 72 hours to respond to notification by email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
Disclaimer: I was provided a sample of The Honest Kitchen Halcyon Duck Recipe in exchange for my honest review. Based on the ginger sisters' clean bowls I purchased a 4lb box on my own, just like the one you can win!

WW 6.18.14: Pretty Happy

Ruby sitting pretty on the patio

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Two's Company

I couldn't miss another Ruby Tuesday, and hope to be posting regularly again. I've had a hard few weeks, and I can't help but think that Boca came to us from the islands just in time. She's been with me for just a little over a month and has fit into life so seamlessly that I can't believe I considered adopting her out for even one moment. She is the perfect big sister, the most mellow companion, and doubles the joy that is added to daily routines. Walks are more fun, playtime is a riot, and I spend serene evenings on the loveseat book-ended by warm ginger and white bodies. We've had several weekend trips to my aunt's and friend's house in the Colorado Springs area, and Boca integrates into both groups of dogs with a calm and playful confidence. At home she is happiest napping in the sun, even as our temperatures climb into the upper 80s she chooses to sprawl out on the patio concrete in the direct radiance, a true tropical girl. 

I have been working on a few commands with Boca - she has picked up "sit," "paw" and "down," and it's adorable to have the dogs running through them in tandem. Like the big sister she is, if she wants the toy that Ruby has, she bounds up to her and takes it, and Ruby always defers. They sometimes sleep with their heads nestled together and their paws intertwined, or both crushed together in one bolster bed. Boca is pure sweetness: every morning she belly-crawls over the bed with her mouth open blissfully as if she can hardly believe she woke up in this wonderful place called home again. It reminds me to be grateful for the little things. We should all be filled with such regular delight!

 

Boca arrived with severe infections in both ears, but with the careful attention of the fantastic vet associated with the rescue group (who I am switching over to because she is just that great) and two rounds of medication, they have cleared up miraculously. It is recommended that I proactively clean her ears thoroughly at least once a week in case it is a chronic condition. She also has a tooth that will probably need to be pulled and I have an appointment for vaccinations for both girls later in the month. Boca will have her pre-dental bloodwork at that time and the cleaning/extraction scheduled soon after. I've also noticed a tiny opacity in her right eye - I'm somewhat concerned but will see what the vet has to say and take each thing in stride. Her skin and coat have improved tenfold, which I owe at least in part to a quality diet and supplementation with coconut oil and Organic Pet Superfood. 

Mealtimes are easy: I know from past experience that some picky eaters are cured by the presence of another dog and Ruby is no exception. For the most part they are getting Honest Kitchen Love with added green beef tripe for breakfast, and Fromm kibble with an Addiction canned topper for dinner. Boca is not so far a fan of fruits and vegetables like Ruby is, but loves any sort of biscuit or training treat. Elder kitty has not suffered with this addition: although Ruby can still be obnoxious with her, Boca treats her very politely. This week I've been transitioning to leaving the girls in the kitchen area for the afternoons while I'm at work. I was able to do some shorter trials while on vacation last week, and it went well. Boca will spend the mornings in her crate and the second half of the day in the kitchen with Ruby. All in all I simply adore having two dogs again. The house feels more full, Ruby is happier and more enriched, and Boca is so clearly exactly where she belongs.  

Trick Training Update

Ruby's aptitude for learning tricks is remarkable, and seemingly only limited by my imagination and sometimes her cautiousness (she doesn't like going into small spaces or standing on anything that wobbles, for instance). The latest thing we are working on I have cued "march," and it's like chorus-line kicks or Spanish Walk if you're of an equestrian mind, where she alternately raises her front legs up high. Ruby already shakes with both paws (I use "paw" for left and "other" for right) so it was easy to translate from a standing position (she also knows "stand'). I am combining the hand cue with lifting up my foot on the side I want her to raise (mirroring her) and hope to eventually phase out the hand cue. She seems to do better if I am moving slightly backward, so she is walking as she flings her feet out. It's pretty cute.

I have decided to apply for her Trick Dog Title through Do More With Your Dog - going through the list she already knows enough to be eligible for the Intermediate level! It will be a nice way for us to accomplish something without having to stress us both out in public, since you can perform all the tricks at home and have a witness sign off on the application.

Funnily enough, one of Ruby's natural behaviors that I've put on cue, the leg-hike, is considered an advanced trick! Ruby has always lifted her hind leg to solicit thigh scratches, and I previously called it "scratchies," but the potential for humor was too great to ignore and I have been working on changing the cue. Here is the result: