these are my confessions.

My sister sent me a link to this yesterday - the signs that you treat your dog better than you treat yourself. If you haven't seen it yet, you MUST check it out because the pictures are awesome. Here's what I have to say about the whole thing:

1. You shiver half the night because you let them steal all the blankets. Truth. I also sleep curled up in a ball because she tends to sprawl out in the middle of the bed.
2. They have their own personal tablet to watch animal shows on. Um, no, that would be weird. She uses the TV in our bedroom so she can get comfy and relax. Also, Animal Planet has some shows that are not age-appropriate for Claire, so she tends to watch The Food Network.
3. More people show up to their birthday party than to yours.  Again, truth. People and dogs. The neighborhood pups aren't willing to come to mine...
4. You take your job super seriously but you never get mad when they slack off at theirs. Yes. I mean, how can you get mad at that sweet little face?!
5. You sing them lullabies to help them get to sleep... every night. Well, I sing along with the Spotify playlist that I made for her. She finds The Civil Wars very soothing.
6. You pay top dollar for their groomer but you haven't been to a hairdresser in ten years. She has short fur so she doesn't need a trim, but she does get "manicures" - and I haven't been to get my nails done in a really long time... Pretend you aren't looking the next time you see me.
7. You took the time to teach them to surf, but you can barely swim. Not true; I'm a Cape Cod girl, so I love the water! Though I did take up running because it's Claire's favorite thing to do.
8. You take the day off work to make sure they don’t overheat on the hottest day of the year. I have done this in the past. Thankfully I won't have to do this at the job I have now because I can work from home and personally make sure that Claire is comfortable with the temperature set on the AC control.
9. You spend your life savings on emergency surgery for them and would definitely do it again. A few things about this: (a) I'm a social worker, therefore I don't make enough to have savings, and (b) I'd cash out the ol' 401K if I needed to. But praise God that she hasn't needed emergency surgery because my heart would break for her!
10. Your significant other is convinced you love them more. I don't  have a significant other. Probably because everyone knows that nobody puts Baby in the corner. No second place for my girl!
11. You take them to the dog park everyday after work instead of going out and having fun with human people. I did this every day for the first three years of her life - and I met some of my good friends because of it (humans, not dogs). Now she tends to have more low-key afternoons since she's a mature 4-year-old.
12. You sleep on the floor with them when they're not feeling well. I have done this on the few occasions that Claire was too sick to come to bed. When she had pancreatitis, she couldn't get off the couch one night, so she slept there and I slept on the floor next to her.
13. You spend more money on toys for them than your parents spent on you as a child. Hahaha! When we were home on Cape Cod, even my mother commented on the endless supply of toys!
14. You spent more time stressing out about their doggy wedding to the neighbor’s dog than your own. Not applicable, people! Besides, the neighbor's dog hates Claire. And Claire's many boyfriends would be jealous...
    
    

human obedience class [a shared post]

"Welcome to human obedience class,the class will meet every Tuesday night for four weeks,
do not bring humans who do not like other humans,
or cannot communicate in a civil way, this means
no Congressmen, people of the left or right, bankers,
tech support or customer service reps or
radio or TV talk show hosts.
We will teach basic obedience:
come when called, stay when told, feed when commanded.
The class will instruct you on  basic obedience:
how to get humans to stop
when you want to sniff something, pee on a bush, growl at a squirrel
or a cat, walk in a crooked line, throw a ball when looked in the eye
and given the command of three barks. How to make a  human take you into
bed, let you on a sofa, buy those gourmet bones.
In class two, we will learn how to maintain eye contact with humans,
triggering the "guilt response," where humans say "awww, puppy"
and offer a treat, a hug, walk or a meal.
In the third class, we shall learn to move pull humans along a path while
they curse and shout and make curious noises. We will
teach them to wait patiently while we sniff for food and sniff other dogs.
Class four is about learning to not emotionalize humans.
They are not like dogs,
they have poor instincts, are easily confused,
possess few natural hunting or survival skills,
and generally impaired senses of smell. It is impossible to train them
well if they are emotionalized, they are simple, elemental creatures,
very needy, with very short attention spans. They are not only
willing to be manipulated by dogs, they seem to love and need it.
Classes are important if you wish to live with humans.
Training is not about obedience, but communication.
We need to show them how to be safe in our world.
First, we will learn to read human body language,
how to read their posture, facial expressions, rear ends
when they move.
Humans make a wide variety of sounds, they are given to shouting,
waving their arms, making loud gutteral and whining noises,
especially when they are running after dogs, shouting commands.
They are nearly helpless when left alone, especially outside,
they have no instincts to speak of, speak too much and
need exercise several times a day.
Among the lesson topics: how to communicate with rescue humans
who have been abused – most humans seem to be – how to choose a human.
We all love humans here, and want to help them.
We believe the only way to choose a human is, in fact, to rescue one,
there are so many of them in desperate
need of a dog, it is almost immoral to choose a happy and healthy one.
Be prompt, bring leashes and some treats for training – humans call them donuts."

For more incredible writing, visit Jon Katz at Bedlam Farm. His books are wonderful, as well!

you'll thank me for telling you about this stuff.

I was doing a little browsing last night before bed, and I have to say that I found some pretty share-worthy things - just in time for today's post! I've also read a ton of great books lately that I wanted to let you all know about, too! Grab a pen and paper, and get ready for information-overload...

• Life+Dog posted this article about how to recognize anxiety in dogs and how to help them.
• Tails Inc. featured a video that our dear friends Lauren and Dexter made - and Paige made an appearance too!
• Tatiana Garrett wrote a fantastic article for Tails Inc. entitled "Animal Lovers Must Love People Too", which I completely resonated with, as both a social worker and animal lover.
• Ashley and Winnie from Hot Diggity [one of our favorite pet boutiques back home on Cape Cod - you know, aside from The Black Dog] have started a new weekly blog featuring cool new products at their store that you should definitely check out. And yes, shipping is available!
• HuffPo recently posted an article about why dogs sleep curled up, and they linked to VetStreet's article about why dogs sleep belly up. Both are questions that I've wondered myself...
• Thanks to our friends at Dog Milk, I came across this dog tag, which is perfectly fitting for Claire. It's been added to our wish list, of course, since Christmas is just a few months away!
• I found two new sites that I quickly became obsessed with: Hugs and Inubar, which are definitely worth checking out for an assortment of toys and other designer products for your pet.

Lastly, some books that you absolutely must pick up, simply because they are amazing:

Wallace by Jim Gorant

Unsaid by Neil Abramson

The Dog Who Danced by Susan Wilson

A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin

A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron [the sequel to A Dog's Purpose]

    

our bucket list.

So, by now, most of you have probably heard about this sweet story of a boy who created a bucket "lick it" list for his terminally ill service dog. When I read it, of course it got me thinking about all of the things I'd like to do with Claire in her lifetime. I have my own bucket list that consists of 90+ things that I'd like to do in my life [getting a puppy was one of them], but I decided to put together a separate list for me and Claire. Here are some of the items, in no particular order of importance.

1. Fence in the backyard so that Claire has more room to run when we're not at the dog park.
2. Go on a vacation to the beach, just the two of us - spend our nights staying at a dog-friendly hotel and spend our days playing by the ocean.
3. Share a cone of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.
4. Walk a 5k together [I'd say that we'd run, but that would be a nightmare because she would think we were playing a game of chase, and I would die of either exhaustion or of embarrassment].
5. Have my friend and fellow photographer Erin do a photo shoot of me and Claire.
6. Let Claire lead a walk.
7. Have a birthday party in my backyard with a cake from See Spot Eat, and invite all of her friends. Send out real invitations, hand out party favors, and have decorations fit for a queen!
8. Go for a ride in a convertible. [I'll have to hold on to her so she doesn't jump out].
9. Take a picture of Claire in a field of sunflowers. Print it on a canvas to hang up in the house.
10. Get a tattoo of Claire's paw print.
11. Get 100 followers on Google Friend Connect, and reach 200 followers on our Facebook page. [This is obviously a personal goal, but I still felt that I needed to add it!]
12. Create another masterpiece and sell copies to raise money for the Nashville Humane Society.

What should I add to this list? What's on the bucket list for you and your dog?

  

maushart vs mommies.

I am on a posting rampage this week, huh? Well, for those of you who are thinking, "Doesn't she have a life?" The answer is: yes, yes I do. Which is why this post won't be long. I'm just absolutely furious about Susan Maushart's article in the Huffington Post entitled Pet Parents are NOT Moms. Like, I'm so mad that I don't even know how to put my thoughts into words. Thankfully, my pal Dr. V over at Pawcurious was able to articulate it, so go read her response. And then give her a hearty round of applause.

 HAPPY EARLY MOTHER'S DAY
to all of the pet moms that I know!!

     

guest blogger: colleen paige from *dogtime!*

There are some people out there who think that I treat Claire as my child, while others think that I treat her as a dog and just do so in a way that allows her to have a pretty sweet life. I think that I do a good mix of both, and I don't have a problem with that (neither does Claire!). But treating dogs as children is a pretty big topic out there in the dog-lover world, so naturally, the following article caught my eye. I originally read this article on Pet News and Views and had a few laughs while reading it. I just had to get in touch with the wonderful and amazing Colleen Paige from Dogtime and ask for her permission to repost it! Permission was granted, so here you have it! Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

When asked if I “own” a dog, I frequently find myself replying, “Yes, I have a dog.” But even then the word “have” implies that your dog is an object or possession. “I have a dog” makes it sound like he’s lodged in your side like a third arm or something. I could say that I “live with” a dog or that I “coexist” with a dog, but people might need more of an explanation. Often, I delight in saying that I gave spiritual birth to a second child who just happens to be a dog.

Parenting a Dog

As with all children, no matter how good a parent you are, your little ones are bound to act up at the most inopportune times and places. Part of being a good dog mom is not to sweat it if your pooch doesn’t behave as Miss Manners at the dog park. The only people who will go home gossiping about your little lady in all likelihood have nothing better to do. Just let go of it. Kids are kids, even if they are dogs.

Any parent who has more than one child will tell you that he or she is much more relaxed now, having learned from the first child that it’s not necessary to hide in the baby aisle the entire time Junior is having a tantrum. Children teach us patience—perhaps that’s the miracle of tantrums, shedding, and destroyed furniture.

Levity Goes a Long Way

When it comes to excuses for my dog’s behavior (she’s not perfect, nor am I), I try to use humor to diffuse any stress she may cause me or others. Very casually I’ll tell people she is my second child, who, due to some bad genes somewhere in my family, was born with excessive hair growth and bad teeth. Then I’ll finish with an appropriate apology for the drool on their cherished accessory. 

As a behaviorist, I am supposed to clarify that “dogs are not people.” But they do seem to know how to push our buttons to get attention. They also seem to know just what kind of facial expression to throw at us when hoping for the rest of our ice cream or French fries. (Fortunately for me and my dog, I have cut out most fat from my diet.) And, like the husband you forget needs some mothering too, dogs have no idea that something as natural as shedding can make you speak in tongues from time to time.

There are so many similarities between dogs and children. My child has been known to beg for food on more than one occasion, and so has my dog. My child whines at me to take him to the park; throws up in the car; breaks toys, glasses, and collectibles—and so does his sister, my dog.

It really is OK to treat your dog like your child, as long as you don’t get the two and their unique needs mixed up. Express your animal love freely, but remember: Robby’s toothbrush is the blue one with the rocket, Spot’s is the red one with the bone, and your husband’s is the one that you’re often tempted to clean the tile with when he’s in the doghouse.

our first magazine feature!

Claire's adoption story is featured in Tails Magazine! It's one of our favorite magazines, so I was extremely excited to hear that her story was chosen! Check it out here!

The wonderful people at Tails gave me an idea, but it is something that I need your help with. I would love to do some freelance for pet lifestyle magazines, but I'm new at this whole lil thang (that's my newly-acquired "southern" coming out - seriously, the twang is completely random - I'm your typical New Englander the rest of the time). My call for assistance: does anyone have any ideas of who to contact to find out if magazines are looking for freelance writers?

Rachel, you have to have some advice for me, at least... And maybe Michelle too... Oh, and definitely Leigh... For the rest of my blog readers, I'll take any tips that you have for me!

delta training, session #3

I have found that it is very difficult to write a blog post when you don’t have a computer. My friend let me borrow hers today so that I could say hello to you all real quick (thank you Sarah!) My homeowners insurance says that I can expect to have a new laptop by next week, however, so the posts will pick up again soon! That being said, tomorrow is our last training session with the Delta Society, and as I realized that, I remembered that I still have to update you on session #3 – with everything that happened last week, I completely forgot! So sorry!

The main thing that we focused on last week was what the trainers like to call "Leadership 101" - or, how to train and talk to your dog so that she listens and obeys. The trainer reminded us that there is a difference between cues and commands - at this point, we are giving our dogs cues. Karen Pryor describes this best:

It is important to understand the difference between a cue and a command. A command implies a threat: "Do it or I will make you." A command is given before the behavior is learned, and it can be enforced if the dog does not comply. A cue is completely different from a command because there is no threat implied with a cue. A cue is like a green light that tells the dog that now is the time to execute a behavior for the chance of reinforcement – the trainer does not assume that the dog is intentionally misbehaving. The clearer the association is between the cue and the action, the better the dog will learn the cue. Training cues rather than commands produces a dog that can be counted on even in very difficult situations.

We were also reminded to watch for signs of stress in our dogs while working in a therapeutic setting (or really just any ol’ time). Common signs of stress include: panting and salivating, pacing, licking the lips, dilated pupils, trembling, shaking, yawning, whining, growling when approached to be handled, sweaty paw pads, turning away or avoiding eye contact, loss of appetite, hiding behind the handler, etc. Though these are common signs of stress, different dogs may exhibit different behaviors. For instance, I’ve found that Claire avoids eye contact, turns away, and pants when she is stressed. If I give her a cue and she does not respond, but I notice that she is showing me those signs/symptoms, I need to stop what we’re doing and give her a break. It isn’t that she is disobeying me; she is just communicating her needs.

Training with the Delta Society has less of a focus on behavior modification and more of a focus on promoting good communication between the dog and the handler. When you can communicate effectively with your dog, your dog will begin to change her behavior because she understands what you are asking and what you want her to do. Not only is the cue important –your tone of voice you and body language is also important. Over the last few weeks of training with the Delta Society, I have seen a big change in Claire, in me, and in the way we communicate. We understand each other better. So, if May 22^nd comes and Claire and I don’t pass the test, it will be alright. We have gotten so much more out of this training.

good advice and our first feature!

I really think Claire would be a phenomenal therapy dog. She is wonderful with people, great with other dogs, loves to be active, and has the sweetest demeanor. The first part of therapy dog training is passing the Canine Good Citizen test, which shows that your dog can do basic commands. You can't move on to training with The Delta Society until you pass the CGC. During the CGC test, if you and your dog demonstrate that you can do everything without getting a single thing wrong, you pass. Otherwise... you fail. When Claire finished all of her training classes, she had the opportunity to take this test. She was able to do everything except walk on a leash without dragging me behind her. We have continued to work on this before we attempt to take the CGC test again, but to this day, she still struggles. Every time I think we are making progress, she'll suddenly see a squirrel and make a beeline for it. Or she'll see a nice patch of grass and feel the need to go sample some of it. Or the wind will blow the wrong way. Or... well, you name it. It is so frustrating, because I know that she can do this!

I follow a number of dog blogs, but my absolute favorite is is about Maggie who has just become a registered therapy dog through The Delta Society. I asked Maggie's owner Jason for some advice on how to work on loose-leash walking with Claire. Not only did he give fantastic advice (which is already proving to be successful), but he featured Claire in his blog! How exciting! I need to say a HUGE thank you to Jason and Maggie for their help! And I'll be sure to let you all know how the continued training goes!

relationship between dogs and their owners.

Thanks to Facebook, I have found out some pretty great info about the relationship between dogs and their owners! One of my friends, who is a pharmacist at the hospital where I work, just posted some great facts about dogs and their owners as a status update. I thought the following was just fascinating!

Studies have found that when people interact with their dogs, oxytocin levels increase in both the person and the dog. Oxytocin is a "feel good" hormone and is related to the bonding between mothers and their babies. In other words, it is totally natural that a lot of people consider their dogs to be their "fur kids." Studies have also shown that dogs can in fact read human facial expressions; therefore, they do have the wherewithal to choose how they respond to these expressions. When Claire is being naughty, she gets The Look. And when she gets The Look, she pouts. Well, she does the equivalent to a pout: she lowers her head or rests her head on her paws and looks up at me while sighing or giving me a quick whine in protest.

My friend said, "Not only do I feel a dork for considering Bentley my child, but I can now add science to my rationalization!" Hey, all I know is that I now feel completely validated :)

for all you skeptics out there...

I just read this article in Modern Dog, and it's a pretty incredible story! Read it and then let me know your thoughts - especially all you dog owners!