Marley and Me - Review

Hey guys, the B-Stud was busy over the holidays, with me entertaining the family. friends and my girl Hannah. Mom and Dad for x'mas bought me a new bed. It's an orthopedic one and oh, it's so good. Good thing Mom didn't buy me a COACH collar or leash. I would seriously rip that up because no stud wears COACH. How's life been for the B-Stud you ask? It's been great! I sleep, eat, poop and people love me for it. Next week I have to see the vet. Hope I get a clean bill of health. I hear from Dad I need 3 shots. Like they're really going to be able to stick a needle into this Boxer body.

Anyway, what I really wanted to talk about was a movie I saw yesterday called Marley and Me. To be honest, I thought it would be a dumb movie about a dog, so dumb that it brought tears to my eyes, to Mom and Dad's too. I know you cried Dad, don't you lie now, I saw moisture coming down. I see everything...in gray scale. Mom was balling and sniffing so much she ran out of tissues.

I won't be a spoiler of the movie but basically it's about Marley, the yellow lab, and his bond with his family. Marley is a cute dog, but I'm cuter. He's also a really badly behaved one, destroying everything in sight. People actually laugh when they see a dog destroying stuff. Mom and Dad would kill me if I acted that way. Although Marley acts so bad, his family accepts him the way he is, and love him. Throughout the movie, the canine to human bond grows and develops. His parents learn that puppy hood is actually hard work. New children are introduced into Marley's life and the less time is spent with the dog. At one point, Marley's parents want to get rid of him. I hope you don't do that to me Mom and Dad. They realize getting rid of the dog is not a solution and so life continues for Marley.

If you break it down, you see a lot of Marley running, destroying things, and his parents chasing after him. The turning point of the movie is when Marley begins to get old and here's where the bond with a dog really hits home. It can't be explained. People cry when their pets die. We never speak a word to our human parents, we never even give them gifts. Despite this, by being there all the step of the way with our master and supporting our two legged parents, we show unconditional love. When people see Marley in his last days, with his master by his side, your throat chokes up. It gets hard to breathe and water builds up in the eyes becoming tears. That's what I noticed with Mom and Dad. That bond cannot be explained. When it's time for me to say bye, I know Mom and Dad would do the same as Marley's parents did, bury me close to the home.

So from a dog's point of view, I give it two paws. Go see it, it's a powerful movie.

B-Stud

Accident

I know, I'm 15 months old, and I still have accidents. I'm so ashamed, I'm crying right now as I write this. Hannah's going to dump me now. What kind of a stud am I when I can't hold my own bladder? I can't explain it, I didn't have too much water today, not too much food either, Dad always takes me out in the morning, in the afternoon and in the night....but somehow I still managed to pee under the dinner table before my evening pit stop.

Dad was upstairs working on his computer. I was with Grandpa and Grandma just watching TV in the kitchen. It just happened so fast, I felt the urge to release....c'mon Brix, hold it in, this is where we eat, just hold it in. Too late, I felt a warm stream of liquid travel it's pleasure path and pool around my paws. Ahhh, feels good....oh no, we're not outside!

"BRIX! BAD! Jason! He PEED!"
"WTF! I took him to pee in the afternoon and it's not even late in the evening."

I could see the stress in Grandpa's eyes and voice. I'm suppose to ease him of his pain and sickness but I failed. I just added more stress to him.

Dad was really really mad, not like I have seen him before. He gave me an earful even though I can hear 10x better than he can. He was always proud to tell his friends I never had an accident in the house. But Dad, you have to understand it from my point of view. We keep moving back and forth, my schedule changes all the time, and I was out eating snow when we played together remember? So really it's your fault for not realising I had to go. Don't put the blame on me you two legged freak with four eyes.

Anyway, I got grounded and whined and cried 'cause I still wanted to please Dad. Mom was away at work but she's going to be disappointed to when she hears the news. Just don't tell Hannah I peed in the house, she'd dump me for that bastard golden doodle Mody. She's mine Mody, I won the fight, Hannah chose me, give it up.

I'm pretty sure I don't have an infection and I'll bounce back from this, I promise.

B-STUD.

Life and Death

I'm still a young pup but Dad says one day, we all will die sooner or later. Hopefully later he says. In a way, each day we are getting closer to death. Dad tells me it's (life and death) just the cycle of life.

"Why are you depressing me Dad?"
"Cause one day Mom and Dad won't be around, you won't be around, Grandpa won't be around. "
"So?"
"So remember the good times, and don't sweat the small stuff."
"Okay whatever."

I think he's telling me all this because of Grandpa. Mom told me it doesn't look good and if it is good, it'll be bad first before good comes. Things are getting confusing. I learned a new word today, cancer. Dad tried to explain it but I'm no scientist. I'm a socialite. Dad says even I could get cancer. What? C'mon, that's impossible. I'm a dog but he says I can. Sometimes I think Dad is pulling my paws.

I saw Grandpa yesterday. He was happy to see me. I always sit beside him at the dinner table, that's where I get the good stuff. I accidently wrecked the drapes beside the door this week. Sorry Grandpa. I was so excited to see this hot bitch outside. I had to flex some muscle and make some noise. Ya I made noise all right.

"Hey girl, wanna have a good time?" (shred shred shred)
"BRIX!!!!! HEY!!!!!!!! OFFFF!!!!!!"
"Holy dog crap. I'm in trouble!"
"You, in the corner and stay there. WRONG!"
"Sorry Dad. I'll never do it again" (whine whimper)

I got it good from Mom and Dad. I was grounded in the corner for an hour Now there's a big hole in the drapes. At least I can outside better now.

Well onto better news, I got a new girlfriend. Her name is Hannah the black lab. I think I got to first base with her yesterday. I tried for second but when I got on top of her, she pushed me off. Don't worry, I'm the B-Stud. I'm going to hit a homerun, don't you worry. Post some pics next time I see her. Once you go black, you don't ever come back. Arrfff arrf arrff!

B-Stud

2010 Nikon Photo Contest

Happy Holidays! The weather is getting colder and Dad doesn't take me out much now. I hope I don't get fat over the holidays and winter. We still do indoor activities though. Today he made me jump over some boxes in the house and I passed with flying colours. It was fun. We should have taken pics Dad. Oh well.

Grandpa is getting better now, but Dad says he will be suffering for the next half year. I don't understand Dad. Why would Grandpa be suffering? He 's a good guy right? Dad and Mom say I'm too young right now to understand but to be strong for him. Again I don't know what that means but I'll try.

Today Dad was looking on the website Dogs in Canada.

"Brix, there's a 2010 Nikon photo contest. Wanna be in it?"

I just turned my head and ignored Dad. What a minute, if I win, I would be the most popular dog in the city! The bitches would love me and my cellie would be ringing off the hook, unlike right now.

"What do we win Dad?"
"We win an SLR camera from Nikon."
"You mean, YOU, would win a nikon camera."
"What do I win?"
"You'd win the hearts of millions and your photo would be published in the magazine Dogs in Canada."

Hell no, I'm not going to look all pretty and strutt my pretty arce for Dad to win a camera. Why don't I get to win anything? I'm going to purposely make your photos look bad Dad. Yes, that's what I'll do.

This is my first Christmas with my new pack. I wonder what they will get me? I hear Mom might get me a COACH collar or leash. Mom, I'm a stud. Studs don't wear COACH! I'm not going to be one of those dogs who become gender challenged. If I get COACH this year I'm going to tear it up so I won't have to wear it ever!

Not much else is going on, hope to see some of my fans soon and maybe you will see me in Dogs in Canada. Probably not 'cause I don't want Dad to win a camera.

B-Stud.

Good News, Bad News

To my fans, life has been confusing the last couple of weeks. Sometimes I stay with the Parcon pack, sometimes it's the Leung pack, and sometimes we drive a really long time to see Mom in a place called Sudbury. Everything is constantly changing but I'm doing all right. Sometimes I whine a bit but it's just a little one.

This week, for the first time, Mom came back in the same car as us. I normally see her from the back window waving bye but this time she sat in the front seat. Dad said she will be home with us for the next month. Yay! I get to spend x'mas with Mom! I had a good weekend with her 'cause she took me to Bell Park and I met lots of new doggie friends. I didn't like all of them but I find most don't like how I play. I bounce up and down a lot. Even my sister Shy gave me a bite on my nose to tell me I was being stupid. I'm a boxer, that's what I do.

So that's the good news. The bad news, I think Grandpa isn't feeling well. He use to take me out to walk all the time, and give me scraps (good scraps) from the table. The last time I saw him, he took me for a walk and then we moved to the Parcon pack. The next time I saw him, he was different. He moved a lot slower, and looked a lot thinner. Maybe he's on a diet I thought but he wasn't as excited to see me like before. I still wiggled my kidney bean body for him, but he couldn't bend down and hug me.

I saw him a couple times after and he finally played with me a bit but this week, he look depressed again. I think something serious is going on but Dad or Mom didn't tell me. Too bad my English isn't good, all I heard was specialist and I don't know what that means. Dad just tells me to be happy and cheer grandpa up. I hope I can help him be happy. I'm no therapy dog but I'll try.

That's it for now. Oh, I found a new girl in town, her name is Hannah and she's black. Yeah, I'm trying to hook up with this lab but we'll see. I hope I see her at the daycare again. She wasn't there last time. Anyway, B-Stud out.

My Dog Eats Snow

Woof woof! I don't know why Dad doesn't like snow. I look at him and he puts on 4 jackets, and covers his head with a hood. He also puts these things on his hands that make his hands look bigger than they realy are. He says they're gloves. Look at me, I only have one jacket and I'm loving it. I don't even have boots Mom, and I'm running wild in the snow. Wheeee! C'mon Shy let's play. I'll chase you and then you can chase me. "Get away from me Brix, you're disgusting."

Not much happened this week except for the white stuff called snow. It kind of tastes like water, but it's in a white form. I love sniffing it, licking it, and eating it. It's great....it's like there's a supply of water that I can just lick up anytime. I love eating snow. does anyone else love it?

Dad called the vet this week. He says I'm going to see the doc in January. He also said my weight should be 55 lbs. That's what I was in July. I'm 52-54 lbs now thanks to Dad , who didn't know how much to feed me. Why did you think I begged so much? Maybe 'cause I was soooo hungry. Duh. I have to get shots too. I'm going to freak out.

I'll keep this one short. I'm going to sleep now, life is hard as a dog you know.

B-Stud

How the recall saved my dog

Another weekend gone and Christmas is soon approaching. It will be my first xmas with my new pack. It will also be my first "real" winter. I can't remember what winter was like last year. I was just a young pup.

This weekend was uneventful. It rained all Saturday and Dad still made be pee and poo outside. Shy gets to poo inside why can't I? I swear she gets treated like a Princess sometimes. She gets her ass wiped every time she does her business. Me....I have to lick my own privates for them to be clean. I didn't even get to walk but I got to see auntie Edilyn and uncle Ron. They got me a new portable water bowl! I can use it on our walks in the summer. Thanks guys.

Today what I really wanted to talk about was how bad I was on Friday night. I know Dad always tells his friend how the recall could save your dog and he always tells the story of how Shy ran off. The first thing I ever learned from Dad was the recall and on Friday I understood how important it was.

At about 10 o'clock in the night Dad always takes me out to make brownies. In other words, go take a crap. We always go to the same spot, in between the houses where I am out of sight. Dad was cleaning up after my business when I smelt a person near by. I started walking back towards the driveway. I wonder if it's my friend. Or is it someone trying to attack me and Dad. I better find out. So I got to the driveway when Dad tried getting my attention.

"Brix that's far enough."

I think that's what he said but out of the corner of my eye there was a person. Oh, who's that, she could be a two legged hottie! Oh I'm going to so sniff her up. She was about 5 houses down from where I was. I started to walk towards this strange person. I got to the road and started trotting down the middle, my leash dragging behind. With each stride, I got closer and closer to her. I trotted like a stallion making sure each stride was perfect, showing off my muscular body. I got to about 15 feet from her when...

*clap, clap*
"Brix! Come!"

Holy crap! I forgot about Dad. Shoot he must have caught me trying to sniff hot girls again. Almost like when two legged parents catch their two legged kid with porno mags under their bed. I saw it in a movie one time. Anyway I darted back towards Dad and I ran fast so I wouldn't get into as much trouble from Dad. Surprisingly Dad did not get mad when I got to him. That's what I like about Dad, he never gets mad at me for coming to him. He just took my leash and we walked back into the house.

Later on Dad told me how dangerous it was to leave him.

"You could have been hit by a car. Your sister almost died because she walked through an intersection. "
"I know Dad."
"You're lucky we trained your recall well. The recall can save your life."
"The recall can save your life. I know Dad, you tell all your friends, dog owners, and dog clients about the importance of the recall."
"Remember the time, when I opened the door to the car and you leaped out. You chased a black cat across the street onto the neighbours lawn. That is the reason why I wanted you to learn the importance of the recall."
"Okay Dad, are we done here. I need to get back to my dawgs."

Sheesh, he's such a lecturer. Hey everyone in their teens did something stupid. Me included. It's a part of growing up. When I look back at the incident, yeah I was dumb but what's worse is, I didn't get the number to the hot girl! Damn. I've been on a single streak forever now. I'm going to be a bachelor for the rest of my doggie days! Grooowwwwl.

B-Stud.

Min-pin gets sexually harassed

I could not take it anymore yesterday. I had to post how I was sexually harassed. My brother Brix didn't even help or protect me. And they say Boxers are protective...whatever! I wonder if the daycare has a sexual harassment policy.

Brix and I went to the doggie daycare. Dad felt it was too cold to walk us. I don't care for the daycare that much. Most of the dogs are a bunch of ol' smelly, macho, loud mouths anyway. None of which are good enough to talk to me. I usually hang around in the corner under the table, minding my own business.

Dad let us onto the daycare floor. Brix said hi to all his friends. He thinks he's so cool but he's not. He plays like an idiot. I walked in and was swamped by several dogs. After a second they all left me alone like they usually do 'cause they know I'm not in the mood to play with them. Only one hung around. Mack, the yellow lab. He was 4 times as big as me, and was obsessed with me. He stalked me all around the daycare.

"Leave me alone or I'm going to bite!"

"Hey girl, I ain't trouble. It's just a sniff I promise. You looking good though. Mmm mmm."

"Pervert! Stay away!"

I hide under the small table. He couldn't come close since the table was only 2 feet tall but he managed to stick his head and body in. God, he kept sniffing and sniffing my ass. He put his dirty paws on my back too. I didn't cry. I gave him a growl and showed my pearly whites. He kept coming. He dug his nose right in my butt and was forceful. The daycare worker put Mack in time out.

"Brix! Brix! Come and get this disgusting yellow lab off me. Brix!?!?"

He was busy playing. Idiot. Mack then came back onto the floor. "Sexual harrassment!" I screamed as Mack laid his nose in my rear again. He shoved it right in there. Then Dad came to help as he kept Mack away and put me in a separate room. Through the window I could see Mack was still trying to look for me as he circled around the room.

"Where'd you go Shy. You know I love you! Come back please. I need you."

Thank goodness his parents came to pick him up and I breathed a sigh of relief. No more harassing. Dad put me back into the daycare floor and I gave Brix a slap on the head.

"You fool, you didn't even protect me from Mack."

"Hey, he likes you, and you need friends sis."

"He was harassing me and sticking his nose up my ass!"

"Ass is good. He wants to find out more about you. Get use to it."

"He was stalking me and I kept giving him the warning signals but he kept forcing his nose up there."

"Sis, relax. that's what use socialites do. We sniff to find out where you stand in the pack."

"You're no help, I don't even know why Dad wanted you. He's not you're real father, you're adopted!"

We finally got home and I slept on Brix's bed the whole night while Brix had to sleep in my small one. Serves him right for not protecting his sister!

Shy.

Boxer Dog Escapes

So this weekend I had lots of time to think about life, and how hard it is being the B-Stud. No dates this weekend. Sucks. I couldn't even get a number. Am I losing my touch? Hell no, I'm the B-Stud, I was just trapped at home for most of the time.

Dad and mom had a wedding to go to and left me and my sister in our rooms.

"What are we going to do sis?"
"Shut up, I'm sleeping."
"C'mon, we're going to be here for like 10 hours."
"Don't bother me. If you say another word, I'm going to go all min-pin on you."
"Fine, be a loner for the rest of your life."

So I thought of ways to break out of my room. The top is open, but I can't jumped out. I'm athletic, but not to the point I'm going to break my legs. Plus, I would be making too much noise. My room is shared with Shy, but she's sleeping in her bed. Our door was being blocked by a chair and wasn't locked. I could push it open along with the chair but how would I close it back? Think B-stud, think.

All night I thought about this puzzle. In the middle of the night my sister sometimes walks and talks in her sleep. She walked and slipped in my bed.

"...this bed is nicer....Mr. Poodle....you're such a stud....I like your nice white curly coat....*sigh*...zzzz"

My ears perked up. Hey! What the? This is incest I thought, so I moved into her bed, which is way smaller! Her bed was being blocked by a foldable picture frame room divider. Perfect!
At the end I pushed on one of the folds. It started to move. I pushed a little more making sure not to make it fall. I could see the sofa now. I had done it. I sneaked out. Free at last! Whoo hoo. Now what?

I saw Auntie B. Hey Auntie B, I'm out and you ain't going to stop me, just like last time when I stole chicken from you. She went to get Dad. Dad came down, but he wasn't mad, he was more puzzled. He looked at the front door to my room.

"How did you get out? Ohhh, you think you're smart huh."

Damn right I'm smart. I didn't beat out everyone in the rally course just by chance you know. Dad was amazed, and genuinely impressed but he still but me back in my bed and this time made sure the foldable picture frame room divider wouldn't open at the end again.

Mission accomplished. It just shows how smart us dogs really are. Or does it show how dumb humans really think we are. You be the judge.

B-Stud.

Stealing Chicken

Hey pups,

It's been a while since I have written to my fans. Grandad has been at the hospital and I have been moving from pack to pack. We are staying with the Parcon pack for now while Grandad recovers. I haven't seen Grandad for a week. When can we go for a walk again?

Life in the Parcon pack is different. I get to see my sister all the time now! She tried sniffing my ear yesterday. I think she has a fetish for ears. I've learned from her that when someone opens the storm door, we need to bark as loud and as crazy as we can. Her hearing is better than mine, but I got the bigger bark. She also steals my big bed all the time. I have to snuggle into her small bed and I can't get any sleep. It's ok, sis, I steal your water so you will be dehydrated for the day. Revenge is a bitch isn't it? I have also learned, as long as my sister goes up the stairs first, I can follow her but then we both got punished by Dad. I made too much noise going up the stairs. I wasn't as stealth as my sister. Hey, I'm a big guy!

Shy and I were so bored yesterday. Sis, slept the whole day but I needed to do something mischievious. Only auntie B was there to look after us. As soon as she went up the stairs, I put my plan into action. I had 5 mins. In the kitchen there was chikcen. I smelt it from my bed. It was on the center table. WIth my Boxer skill, I climbed up on two legs, paws on the table. With one paw I grabed a chicken breast, and munched it down. With the other paw, I grabbed a second breast. This is G-rated by the way. Mission accomplished. No one would ever suspect a thing. Auntie B came down and panicked.

"Where'd the chicken go? Oh my gosh, Brix must have ate it! I better call Jason"
"Hello Jason? I think Brix ate the chicken. Ya, it was on the table."
"What? Were there any bones?"
"No, it was chicken breast."
"Oh auntie, he'll live. As long as there were no bones. But he's in big trouble when I get back!"

Dad came back mad. I had already forgotten what I did. "You stole chicken huh. Don't you worry, you're going to feel it tomorrow," Dad scolded me. I didn't really know what he meant but I understood this morning. I had diarrhea to kill! Oh my stomach didn't feel good. "I told you." Ok, Dad, you know best, I was wrong.

So today I get to see my friends at the daycare. I think Savannah officially dumped me so for all the lovely bitches out there, B-Stud is on the market and is shopping around. Call me.

B-Stud.

Boxer graduates with honours

Sometimes, "I told you so", just doesn't seem to cut it. I might want to say, "In your dog faces, arrrrrf arrrf!" but that would be mean and the B-Stud is confident, but not cocky. It's a fine line.

Today was graduation day at Canine Campus and also examination day. Again, I partied too much over the weekend in Sudbury so I didn't study. Dad was nervous for me. I could see it in his eyes. I think some of our classmates dropped out, only 3 of us showed up. My buddy Tungsten was there looking smart as usual.

"Woof Tungsten! Did you study?"

"A little, it should be easy stuff. Ms. Glenny isn't a mean teacher."

"I hope she doesn't give us the sit down sit command. Dad never taught me that."

"I'm sure it will be fine. You the B-Stud, you're smart the ladies love you."

"Yeah, I know. Later Tungsten."

The class loosened up by taking jumps over the wooden apparatus. I did it no problem. Then the warm up exam, rally O style. We were to approach pylons placed on the ground. Each pylon had signs where we had to perform a specific task. Tungsten and his mom was up first. He breezed through with ease. "Damn Tungsten, you got skills." I thought to myself. Then it was my turn. I was a little nervous. I couldn't sit still and broke out of the first task which was to wait. I calmed down and continued. "Not too bad", I thought until we got to SIT-DOWN-SIT. I think Dad was more stunned than I. "Oh crap," I heard Dad mumble. I have good hearing. I struggled but managed and whizzed through the rest. Warm up was over, time for the real thing.

The exam was timed. Best time gets top honours. I just wanted to pass. Again, Tungsten and his mom went first. Then it was my turn. I gave all my focus to Dad as he guided me through the course. This time I waited until I was called. Along the way, I amazed some of the audience. My sit down sit was perfect. No hesitation. My stand, was done to the tee. Before I knew it, it was over. I had completed the course in 1min 35 sec. Ms. Glenny was proud of me! She was really impressed at my time and my performance. At the end, Dad and I made the best time.

"He's a good dog," Ms. Glenny told my Dad.

"He's all right. We've worked really hard."

"Well, it definitely shows."

Just ALL RIGHT? C'mon Dad, give me more credit! I was amzaing today! I was awarded my cerficate for Manners II and received a little toy from Ms. Glenny. Grandma and Grandpa were also impressed when I got home. They gave me hugs and kisses. It's just another day in the life of the B-Stud. I'll be smart when I have to be, do what I want, when I want to. You never know, I might even be smarter than you!

B-Stud.

Boxers Love Hiking Trails

To the B-Stud fans out there, I apologize for not updating as often, but you know me, it's a busy life. No one ever complains about my sister not writing. Shy, you should write more often, maybe you can find a new friend along the way.

Anyway, the B-Stud had an exciting weekend. Dad drove me to see Mom in Sudbury. I can't exactly remember why they remain separated but I think it has to do with school. Ok, who cares about my parents it's all about me. I had a couple of business appointments with some clients this weekend. First, I met up with a guy named Dennis. I called him in to help Mom move her things into the new aparment. He loved me. He said his favorites were Boxers and how I was a pretty boy. Then I had to wake up my Mom's roomate, Chrissy, by barking and snooping into her room. She was responsible to babysit me when my parents were out moving stuff so I had to get her up. She tried to entertain me but you know it's hard to please the B-Stud. I think she has a crush on me. I also met up with another guy in the parking lot who had questions about my kind. He was so impressed at my brindle skin and it was the first time he had seen a brindle male. I gave him my kidney bean wiggle and put up my paws for him. He loved me too. He actually purchased a brindle male the day before. I'm glad my breed is touching the lives of other families.

After work I hit the hiking trails with my parents. Did I tell you Boxers love hiking trails? We went to Laurentian University to check out one of the trails there. It was really nice and there were so many smells. I hung out with at least 4 other doggies there. A shepard mix and his Shiz Tzu sister came to greet me.

"Hey you two, wanna play?" I asked.
"Who are you? Yo sis, you know who this Boxer is?"
"Naw never seen him. I don't talk to Boxers."

They were both off leash and professional mannered. I think they were like upper class but anyway, I got celebrity star power so I wasn't intimidated. I tried playing, but they were too stuck up to play, they went along their merry way.

Next I met a furry white canine. I couldn't tell her breed but she was older than me. Again I desperately tried to play, jumping, bouncing back and forth...but again, she didn't want to play.
"What, you don't want to play with the B-Stud? Your loss." And we walked on seperate ways.

Then in the night, while I was taking a dump outside, a big samoyed mix came walking towards me.

"Hey, watcha doing?"
"Yo man, turn around, can't you see I'm taking a dump."
"Oh sorry, it's dark out her and you know, my eyes aren't what they use to be. I'm eight now."
"Use your nose then, sheesh"

He stopped staring at me eventually, and we started to play a bit, but he was in his mid-life crisis and was looking for a girlfriend so he wasn't exactly in the mood to run around with a male. Besides, B-Stud don't swing that way. Which reminds me, where are you Savannah?

The rest of the time was spent with my parents who love me to death even when I woke them up a couple of times in the middle of the night. What? I thought I heard someone breaking in. It's my job to serve and protect. Today Dad started to pack up his stuff and I knew it was time to go home. As I got in the car to head back to Toronto, I saw my mom waving. I put my head on top of the backseats, arching to look back, and saw Mom get smaller and smaller.

"Guess Mom isn't coming with us again huh Dad?"
"Yeah, 2 more weeks and we will see her again."
"Ok."

I'll be waiting for you Mom.

B-Stud.

Dog gets cold feet

B-stud here again and yes, dogs get cold feet. Physically, our paws get cold. Today was the coldest day so far and you know what Dad made me do today? He made me go jogging! It was snowing today. I gave him the look, "You must be kidding me Dad." but he wasn't joking. Luckily Mom, the fashion guru she is, got me this nice jacket to keep me warm. There it is in the picture. Everyone was looking at me as I strutted and posed for my fans at school. Damn, where's Savannah, I miss her. She hasn't returned my calls lately. What up with that?

At school I saw my pack members. "Wow Brix, nice jacket!", Tungsten's mom commented. "Tungsten has a double coat so he doesn't need a jacket." Molly's mom also liked my jacket, "Looking handsome Brix with your new jacket." Even Ms. Glenny said I had style. The B-Stud gotta dress to impress you know? Now if only I could get some boots because my paws were getting cold.

Class today was different. First of all there was this new bulldog in class. He took me by surprise and I didn't like him. I don't think I like bulldogs, not to be racist or anything. I was growling and charging towards him but Dad held me back. Ms. Glenny had enough of my bad behaviour and had to tell me to settle down. I struggled with her but finally gave up. I calmed down after. Dad didn't say a word to me, 'cause he knew I deserved it.

The rest of the class went fine. This time I conquered the teeter. I went up it, and down with little problem. Ben, again showed us how it's done. Next class will be our last class and our graduation. I hope I pass. I'vebeen improving, I think. Tomorrow will be a stressful day. I will be going back into class with my Dad. This time we are going to meet new dogs and shepherd mixes. You know me, the B-stud has to protect Dad from them. I would give my life for him....and mom too.

Anyway, Savannah, if you're reading, call me. I miss you. I thought we had something going.
In case you missed it. Here's a video of me and Ben just having a good time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_bo4H9cmOc

B-Stud.

Dunce of the Dog Class

Today is probably the first time my confidence got crushed. Dunce of the the dog class may be harsh, since I wasn't misbehaving. I just got smoked by my friends in class today. Like I said yesterday, I didn't study 'cause I partied over the Thanksgiving holiday.

I thought I was doing well until we got a surprise test today. Ms. Glenny separated Tungsten (Canaan dog) and Ben (Poodle mix) away from me. "Damn, now I can't cheat off Tungsten," I thought to myself.

The first test, the on leash walk, with distractions in the middle. We were to walk in a circle with our parents, and in the middle of us, was a pool of toys. "Oh boy toys! I never get toys from Dad." I really tried fighting my urge but the milk bone smelled so good, it was to die for. Like chocolate is to my uncle Ron, and chips to my Dad, I couldn't resist the milk bone. As we walked by it, I sneaked behind Dad and did a right hook. My right hook sent the bone sliding right into my mouth. Mmm mmm. Ms. Glenny thought it was funny. I don't think Dad felt the same even though he was laughing. I was the only one to be tempted by the apple so to speak.

Test two, was the recall. Again with distractions. Oh, the milk bone was there again. We were to wait and run back to our parents across the room when called. The toys were in the middle again. Tungsten had trouble but within 2 seconds he corrected his minor error. Ben ran to his mom with such speed and focus that I don't think he even saw the toys. ""Damn Ben. Why you want to make me look bad. You know I didn't study." Then it was my turn. The bar was set high. There was Dad at the other end. "Brix come!" I took off like Usane Bolt but headed for the milk bone like I had A.D.D. No one was impressed. No one cheered and clapped. I failed. We did it again and this time I got it right but I hung my head, 'cause I knew Dad and I worked hard at the recall and I failed him.

Test three, I was going to make it up to Dad and myself. I couldn't be outdone by Tungsten and Ben. I don't want to be the weakest from our pack. You know what they do to the weakest or the omega? I don't want to know. Test three was going to different stations with flash cards. Each card had points and a task to do. I was so proud of my 10 points! I was sure nobody was even close. "Tungsten wins with 32!". Ms. Glenny praised. "Ben comes close with 28!" Ben got 28? Like c'mon guys. Give me a chance. You're making the B-stud look bad, cramping my style.

Test four, I was ready to give up. I saw the teeter come out. I had never done this before but I'm sure none of the others had done it either. I'm a confident dog, athletic, well built, I should be able to show these guys on this one. Tungsen and Ben, I know you guys have brains, but I got the braun, watch and learn. Tungsten went up the teeter first. He did all right. Stalled in the middle. I had him on this one. My turn now. I get up on the teeter. All right let's go. Focus now Brix. I can do this. I take my first steps. Okay this feels weird, how come I feel like I'm going to fall? I'm getting higher as I walk? Whoa, ok look straight ahead. Oh man, where am I? I feel dizzy. Just a couple more steps. Oh, feeling dizzy, gotta...gotta jump off! Ok, I made it to the top and jumped off. It's all good. Took me about 2 minutes but I did it. Ben was next and before I returned to my spot, he had gone up to the top and the cheers began. Growl, how did he do it so fast and without fear? Willy the 100 lb English Bulldog was next. Ok this guy is going to have trouble 'cause he weighs a ton. "Way to go Willy! I think you're the only English bulldog to make it up to the top without any problems!" Ms. Glenny cheered. We all had second tries and I just shutdown because I didn't want to go up the teeter anymore.

Dad tried cheering me up in the car. I was sad and tired. I couldn't believe everyone was so awesome except me. I must be the dunce of my pack. I can hear them mocking me, "look it's the dunce of the dog class. You're nothing but a clown." Tungsten and Ben ddin't even talk to me after class. Dad says he's still proud of me. He says we have come a long way. He says I'm still young and not mature yet. It's good to hear you haven't given up on me. Tomorrow is another test when I meet all new dogs and they are all bullies.

B-stud, the clown.

Thanksgiving from a Stud

Woof! B-Stud again and happy Thanksgiving to all. This week was exciting. Did you book with B-Stud? 'Cause if you didn't it's ok, there's enough of me to go around. I'm so damn funny!

On Friday I got to see my Mom again. I swear Mom and Dad are separated and Dad took custody over me. But Dad tells me Mom is out studying somewhere so I don't get to see her. Little does Dad know, I'm a spy for Mom. Mom has given me strict instructions to see if Dad is being on his best behaviour. So far he's been a goodie goodie. Nothing to report there.

So I had this date on Saturday with another boxer! She's white too! How many white boxers am I gonna get to be with in my lifetime? She was older too and she could have taught me a couple of new tricks if you know what I mean. Arrrf, arrff, arffff! But I got shutdown by my parents. How embarrassing. They said I would cause too much drama and how I don't play nice. I play nice, if you want me to. I was going to show her a good time too. Instead I spent the night with my sister. All she did was sleep. I wanted to talk her about my other girl Savannah but she crawled under her blanket. Thanks sis.

At least today I made my 12:00 o'clock appearance and mingled with some folks. I was kind of embarrassed when I farted at the party once. I laughed it off but then I saw people covering their noses. Damn it, Dad, you said you'd take me to the vet to check this out. This is ruining my reputation. I'm the B-Stud. I can't be having gas problems with my social status. I hear plain yogurt does the trick so you better get me some Dad.

The last eventful thing we did was drop off Mom at the bus station. I'm gonna miss you Mom. I have a special kidney bean wiggle saved for you next time. Only you get to see my special wiggle. What's on the agenda for tomorrow. Let me check my iphone. Oh ya, I have class and I didn't study this weekend. I was too busy partying. Oh well. Life goes on. Dad will look bad, not me. Life is good as a dog. I sure wouldn't want to be human, would you?

B-Stud, call me.

Thanksgiving from bed.

Thanksgiving was great! I was alone in my cozy bed. There was no one being annoying, no one yelling at me, no one sniffing my head or putting their paw on my head. Just peace and quiet. Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Grandma, and my brother all went out and left me alone in my room. I loved it! I came out once though to go for a pee but then went back to bed. I'm like a ninja, get in there and get out with max stealth.

On the Friday before thanksgiving there was a baby shower at our house and so we had many visitors. I didn't mind the people that came over. I had seen most of them before. I said hi to them, greeted them with my wagging tail, and then went back to my bed. I heard them call me "Shy come. Come out and play. C'mon Shy....", but I couldn't be bothered. I wasn't tired, I just didn't feel like entertaining. One girl kept playing with me and patting my head. She was cool but I wanted to be left alone really.

Apparently there was another function the next night but I didn't go. Guess what I did..that's right, I slept. My brother Brix didn't go either. Something about an older boxer having the hots for Brix, and that there would be too much drama. I don't know. Older bitches scare me. My brother hangs out with weird canines.

Shy the independent.

It's not the dog, it's the owner.

That's what I'm talking about. It's not the dog that is wrong, it's the owner. I try to keep telling my Dad I'm doing what he wants but he gives me this weird look like I'm stupid or something. Now we have it on film.

This week Dad had me working on some basic stuff like waits, swings, arounds, and formal front sits. Just look at the video and look how Dad gets it wrong. Shall we break it down Dad? Oh and by the way Mom and Dad, I know you think you're smarter than me, the B-Man, but you're oh so wrong.

Let's break down the video. Let the B-stud school you.

Error 1:
Dad tries to get me to do a formal front sit. In Rally Obedience this the "Call Front". He does it correct until the part where he gives me my treat, and that treat isn't even tasty Dad. Get me better treats! You see how my so called dog trainer Dad inched up to my nose and gave me the pathetic treat. He basically rewarded me for being a foot away from where I needed to be. Shame on you Dad.

Error 2:
Oh it gets better. Next Dad tries getting me to do a left finish. I swing to his left, following Dad's hand. I follow his hand until I sit. Guess what Dad, my butt is way out there! It should be in parallel with your butt. My body should also be inline with yours. Ms. Glenny should give you a slap on the hand or head.

Error 3:
I'm not waiting for nobody. Dad goes way too far so I follow him. Good thing he didn't punish me for coming to him, or else next time I'm not coming near you Dad.

So if y'all dogs get down and depressed 'cause you're being punished for not doing the right thing...I would blame it on your parents. It's not us the dog, it's gotta be the owner. It has to be 'cause we're just too damn cute to make mistakes, right Mom and Dad?

The B-Stud.

Clipping your Dog's Nails

Guess who that is on the left. Can you recognize her? That's my "real" mom! Yup, she's my mom and her name is Sheba. Do I look like her?

Lately life has been good. My schedule was packed so I couldn't log on and write to my fans. Tuesday was class and I aced it. Ms. Glenny took out some agility equipment to try out. I jumped thru the tire and went thru the tunnel no problem. Told you this class was easy dad. Too bad my buddy Tungsten wasn't in class. His mom has a cold, that's what he told me when I called him up.

Today Dad tried clipping my nails. My sister Shy hates it. She cries like a puppy. Grandpa and Grandma have to hold her down. Me? A walk in the park until today. "Hold still Brix, you don't want me to cut the nerve now do you?", Dad said. "I trust you Dad, so I won't move." Everything was fine on the front paws, although Dad seemed like he didn't know what he was doing. He was taking long and I was losing patience. I use to get clipped by the professionals but Dad got cheap. Then Dad started the back paws and YELP! "You m#$f@^er!!!" Excuse my canine language but ouuuuch! "Dad, don't you know the back paws don't grow as fast as the front paws! You don't have to cut as much you know...owwww!" I have white nails too but Dad is blind like a bat. Luckily I wasn't bleeding. He just grazed the quick or nerve as they call it. I wasn't going to let him cut the rest of the nails. I jumped off the chair I was sitting on and everytime after he tried putting me back. What will the bitches think of me now? My nails are uneven...uh!!!

I wasn't too mad because Dad bought me new food. He says I should try a new brand of food so we're going from Orijen to Royal Canin 26, just made for boxers. Dad says I need to transistion into the new food so he's only giving me a little of the new stuff mixed in with the regular stuff. Wait until my sister sees the new food. She's going to freak, the pieces are so big they probably won't even fit into her mouth. Wait, she's not getting any of my food 'cause I'm not sharing.

Tomorrow I think my schedule is booked too. Sorry ladies, gotta call me up earlier if you wanna hang out with the B-stud. Oh, that's right, I gotta call up miss mini poodle Savahnna. I think she has a crush on me. Dad thinks I like her because of her fancy coach collar and leash. Whatever, she's hot.

Catch y'all later.

The Brix man.

Anti-social dog speaks

I can't believe I'm even writing on this but this week I was a little upset. My brother Brix was over again. He scares me. He invades my territory and took my favorite toy. He's all up in my face and acting stupid, jumping up and down like a deer. He's like 3 times bigger than I am. I'm trying to relax in my own house He also stayed overnight and I had to share the same area where he slept.

I was having a great dream. I was warm under my blue blanket, in my comfy bed, when all of a sudden I hear sniffing noises. Then the noise got closer to my bed until I could feel something moving around the sides of my bed. I stiffened up. This didn't seem like dad or any of the family members. My heart began to beat faster. The next thing I felt was something on my back. It was my idiot brother Brix putting his fat ass paw on me. I growled under my covers because he wanted my bed. "There is in no way you are getting my bed little brother". I gave him another growl and he got the idea and left. I can be brave, and no one is going to take my bed. The whole night I slept in my bed, in the corner of the room. I feel safe in my bed. It's my special resting place.

The next morning, while Brix was not looking, I claimed his bed area by sleeping on it. Now I had two areas to sleep in. I don't want to be mean but I have nothing to say to the guy. I tried stealing his food too but Dad and Mom saw me and stopped it from happening. "Brix takes my water mom!" Sometimes I think he gets away with everything. He goes upstairs and they let him off easy. They always yell at me even when I'm sleeping on the first step.

Anyway, I just want to be comfortable in my own home again. As long as he's not around I'm happy and I can be me. If he comes near me again, or puts a paw on me, I will show him teeth!

Impressive Boxer

Maybe school isn't that bad. After all I am an impressive boxer. People just love me. Me and my buddy Tungsten (Canaan dog) met up at the school. We chatted a bit about how we were the top students and how we own this class. Then we entered the classroom single file.

I didn't see my bud Ben. He probably skipped class. Dad doesn't let me skip, he was the nerdy type back in school. I saw Willy the 106 pound bull dog mix. I don't like him, I gave him the side approach with my head above his. Then I put a paw on his back and that ticked him right off. The teacher put me in the corner. Ms. Glenny wasn't impressed. Dad wasn't either. Then this German Shepherd came to visit. Ms. Glenny game me another chance to behave but I was so mad the first time, I just got in the grill of the German Shepherd. I think she was scared. Then I really got put in the corner. What can I say? I need to protect the others and the class. I'm not a bully, I just stick up for the weaker ones.

Today we worked on downs, focus, stays and walking on leash. I did them no sweat. Dad was the one who actually got his technique wrong. Teacher had to set him straight...and he thought he knew it all. The last thing we worked on was walking and focusing. Ms. Glenny was proud of me and said I had been working hard. Tungsten stole the show. He's the smart one of the crew, I just watch his back to make sure no one messes with him.

I guess school isn't that bad. I know this time Dad was proud of me. I could hear it in his voice. This weekend Mom will be visiting me. Dad says she's away studying and we shouldn't bother her. I miss my mom though. I have more fun with Mom than Dad. Dad is a bit of a training Nazi. I will see you soon Mom, my tail will be wagging, and my butt will wiggling like how all boxer butts wiggle!

In my next life I want to be a dog

It's the Brix man again logging on to tell the folks how exciting my life has been. See me on the left there, ya that's me lying down on the cool grass in the shade. I'm a celebrity wherever I go.

Today dad took me to Mississauga to do some work. What da hell is he doing work for on Saturday? I want to play. His office is so boring. There's nothing for me to do. He tried putting a cardboard down so I could like down on instead of the carpet, like I was going to lie on that thing. His boss Frank was interesting, at least he played with me. Did you hear me dad? At least he played with me. I just slept in the office most of the time.

Then surprisingly I ended up in this big park. I think it was called Milne park and there were lots of people for me to sniff and lick. I think dad knew these people 'cause I saw him hugging them. There was food everywhere, on the grass, under the tables, and near the garbage cans. I just had to chew and eat 'em. I particularly like the white tissues but dad always caught me eating them. If there was a human celebrity that could describe me, it would be Brad Pitt, I'm just that damn good looking. Do you know how many girls came up to me kissing me, hugging me, petting me, and taking pictures of me? Dad should be happy 'cause the girls also talked to him....but mom if you're reading, dad was a good boy. Those girls were looking at me. Everyone said I was a good dog, they love my brindle skin.

Dad took me to see my sister (Shy) after. I'm not sure why we live in different houses but that's the way it is. I was so happy to see her! I was bouncing up and down but she ignored me like she usually does. She's so antisocial and so opposite from me. I don't understand her sometimes. She was acting all weird today. Must be that time of season. She hide under the tables most of the time I was around. I think it's because her bed was in the wash and she had nowhere to sleep. She's so spoiled! I sleep anywhere on the floor but she needs her "special" blanket and bed. I still love her tho.

Now I need to sleep because it's hard being a celebrity. I wonder what I'll be doing tomorrow. I hope it's not training!

First day of school for a boxer

Yo, my name is Brix, I'm a brindle Boxer and frig, today was the first day of school. First day of school for a boxer? Boxers don't go to school, only losers go to school. Owners making us dogs sit, lie down and wait. Please, I'm going to go when I need to go, where I want to go.

My master, what's his face, Jason?, ya, he thinks he's so alpha. I ain't scared of him one bit. He tried putting me in the car today...ha... I just put my two front paws up and let him do the rest. What a sucka.

At school I met up with my bud, Tungsten. He's a Canaan dog, about the same age as me. He's cool, he's a real smart one. I'm smart too but I don't need to show it to anyone. There were so many new dogs to meet! No girls though, that sucked. Damn there was this big guy Willy. I think he was a Staffordshire Mix. I tried talking to him but he came off as a tough guy. I tried showing him who was boss but dad always got in the way or was pulling my leash. C'mon dad, I can't be bullied by this guy. Then there was Ben, oh man, he's gotta join our crew. He was a shipoo mix I think. I don't know but he would be a good pack member. I have to check in with Tungsten on that one.

Class was stressful. Dad made me do downs and sits by his side. I did the downs for him. He made me nervous with the sits, I just couldn't do it 'cause he was really hovering over me. Then we did waits, and I showed everyone in class I wasn't as dumb as they thought. By the end of class I was getting real bored so I blew a fart to wake everyone up. Even the teacher said someone is dying to go home now. Yup, hey I didn't care, I'd do anything to get back to my comfy bed.

Man, school just ain't for me. I'm too smart for school and I'll show you when I want to. I don't want to disappoint dad and mom but I know dad is kind of disappointed in me. He knows I have the potential but I don't show it. I look at my sister, Shy, and she does everything she's told. My dad expects me to be like that? I don't think so.

Boxer Leash Pulling

Right now I'm not sure what is worse, a dog that barks at every strange person and animal, or a dog that pulls you towards them with such force, your hand could go numb. Actually they are probably equal. In both cases, other people view you and your dog as out of control and possibly aggressive. In my case, Brix is a boxer leash pulling maniac!

Since Brix is an 11 month old boxer, his focus and attention span is very short. This is important to keep in mind. The younger the dog, the less ability for the dog to focus so your training sessions should be kept short. There are three basic stages to get your dog to walk nicely.

1. You need to teach your dog to walk nicely off-leash.

2. Basic commands like sits and stays need to be polished for control and attention.

3. Your dog then needs to heel off-leash and on-leash.

This is the ground work required to have more enjoyable walks and curb the boxer leash pulling syndrome. More detail to come on the above topics.

Boxer Dog Adopted

So my goal of becoming a licensed dog trainer is moving forward. It was kind of strange assisting in classes when I didn't even own a dog or have much experience wih them. Now we have Brix, an American Boxer and he's a lot of dog.

The Chinese people walking on my street seem to be afraid of Brix as I see them check their shoulder and cross the road to the other side of the sidewalk. I have also managed to scare a couple kids by just walking with Brix. The Chinese people get scared, the white people absolutely love him.

Adopting a boxer dog is overwhelming if you're not prepared. Actually having a dog can be overwhelming, even for myself. Things you need to think about for first time owners:

1. Vaccinations: Does your dog have all the necessary vaccines? What vet are you going to take him to?

2. Hygene: Does your dog have dental toothpaste, toys to clean his breathe and reduce plaque? How about grooming items like nails clippers and brushes?

3. Food: How much food to give your dog and what kind. We are feeding Brix ORIJEN and I would recommend it. There is no grain which dogs cannot digest. What's the feeding schedule going to be like?

4. Potty time: Are you going to wake up and take Fido out to pee and poop in the same area all the time?

I guess I could go on but those are a few I came across this week.

My biggest task, having adopted a boxer, is getting him to re-learn or undo bad habits or building trust with his new owner. There's only one area that needs major work, and it's leash pulling. He is a 55lb boxer pulling to see the skateboarder, another dog, another person, or a cyclist. We will continue to work on nice leash walking and will update you folks soon. My muscles got a lot bigger after today.

Boxer dog, coming home.

So we got some news and Specs Dogs will soon be getting hectic.  A boxer dog will be entering our lives soon!  For a long time now we have been looking for a boxer dog.  We just love the boxer personality, it's short coat, it's medium size and it's energy.  We were in talks with some boxer breeders but the timing of the litters conflicted with our schedules.  

With a stroke of luck, we were asked to adopt or rehome a boxer dog.  We have had many chances to adopt dogs but there was always something that never matched.  Usually, it was a breed we were not interested in.  The boxer we adopted is not just any boxer.  It is the boxer dog we had all fallen in love with when he first started doggie daycare.   I had seen this puppy grow from 12 weeks into a 1 year old.  Credit his owner, she has done an excellent job in raising this boxer. His lovable, goofy, and handsome nature draws attention to everyone in the room. For personal reasons, his owner has decided rehoming is the best situation for him.  We respect her decision and wish her the best of luck.

More updates to come.  

Pimple Ball Recall

A colleague of mine forwarded me an email regarding a toy recall. The toy is a pimple ball from Four Paws Inc. Four Paws has admitted a manufacturing flaw in the plastic of the ball. The pimple ball has one big hole on one end while the other end has a smaller hole to create air flow. Four Paws concluded that the second hole was not completely open therefore causing a suction.

The story of Chai begins with Chai chewing on his toy. After chewing the toy a suction is created causing his tongue to swell inside the ball. The swelling becomes so great, veterinarians decide Chai's tongue must be amputated. A recall is now in place for this pimple ball toy from Four Paws. Chai's complete story can be viewed here:

www.thechaistory.blogspot.com

It is not the first time this type of injury has occurred. Apparently a shephard mix has also suffered the same type of swelling. Folks, be aware of this type of toy.

Submissive Urination

I took some time this week and headed  down to visit the doggie daycare.  It has been a couple of weeks since I saw the dog crew and  they were really excited to see me.  I saw a few new faces I hadn't seen in a while.  One caught my eye.  His name is Stanley, a retriever hound husky mix, and he started to growl a little when I approached.  "Why are you growling Stanley?  Don't you remember me.  We're buds!  Come here and walk with me."  So I slowly and carefully caught a hold of Stanley's collar from underneath.   If he tried jumping or attacking, I had him under control.

As soon a I had a hold of his collar, Stanley peed a small amount of urine.  This is known as submissive urination and it is not the first time I have experienced this.  My dominant action of approaching Stanley and taking his collar had caused him to be submissive and urinate.  Stanley then lied down to his side.  This is another sign as to say, "Hey I'm no harm and I don't mean any harm."  

Submissive urination is relatively common in dogs.  Other signs of submissive behaviour include rolling on their back to expose their belly, aversion of the eyes to avoid direct contact and lowering of the head.   Some people mistake submissive urination as a spiteful gesture.  "Oh,  he peed on the carpet again because he's getting back at me."  In fact, it is the opposite.  Fido is peeing because he wants to show us that he's trying to please us and he acknowledges that we are dominant.  He may not know where to pee because every time he has peed in the wrong spot, he was scolded.  What we have to remember is that submissive peeing should only be a small amount.  If peeing occurs frequently and not in small amounts, a veterinarian exam should be taken for your dog. 

After Stanley acknowledged my position in the pack, he followed me around and stood by me most of the evening.  He became a loyal friend.  He stopped his growling and later that evening gave me a couple of barks.  Reading his body language and listening to the type of bark, it was Stanley signaling to me, "hey, take me out.  This time I really need to pee."  And so I took him out for his pit stop and he peed a long one for me.  "Good boy!  And next time,  you don't have to do the submissive pee thing anymore, we're pals remember?"  

Negril does have dogs

So guys, we went on an ATV tour today and I did spot some dogs here! Yes, Negril does have dogs but they are not nearly as pampered as the dogs we know and love in North America. These dogs most likely eat table scraps, or find their food from the streets. Survival is key. So far the dogs I have seen are very small dogs as they walk with their family. They look very thin and from what I can tell, they are mixed breeds. Despite this, they are loyal to their pack as they walk unleashed and go wherever the pack goes. Unfortunately I could not catch an image of the dogs I saw as my wife and I were traveling on the bus and going to fast. My quest for getting a photo continues.

Jamming in Negril Jamaica

Hey guys,

We're in Negril Jamaica! So far no dogs. I don't know how popular dogs are in Jamaica but as of right now, I don't think Jamaicans find dogs very popular. If I spot a dog here in Jamaica, trust me, I'd have it posted up already. Anyway, I'm relaxing and getting away from the dogs for a while. Will be back assisting and training the dogs in Sept.

Jason

Finding the right dog

Happiness is dog but it starts with finding the right dog. Just like any relationship, a good one is all about finding the right partner. Whether it be your 4 legged friend or 2 legged friend, finding the right one is key to a happy relationship. Finding the right dog can be a stressful task. Many of us choose our dog based on a perception. It could be from a dog we had seen from tv shows, or a friend's dog or we just choose them because they are so damn cute. Sometimes it works out but finding the right dog also means researching their personalities.

For me, I knew I wanted a dog but what kind? There are so many breeds out there? Working at a doggie daycare sure helped me out but people are busy and don't have the time to invest in finding out the right dog. There is a really good book out there by dog expert Stanley Coren called "Why we love the Dogs we do." In the book there is a "personality" test and it will match your human personality with a dog breed based on it's personality and traits. The goal is for you to choose a breed that you will have a strong bond with. You will have a stronger bond to certain breeds versus others.

I also found this website which explains Coren's test. This is an excellent test to help find yourself the right dog. It will at least point you to breeds that you will have a strong bond to. In the end many people just choose their dog because of looks or on impulse. All I am saying is keep an open mind and check it out. Enjoy.

http://www.therightdog.org/takethetest.htm

Time for Wedding Stress

Lately it has been tough finding time to write. The wedding stress has been mounting and lack of sleep isn't helping either. Still, in this time of stress, I needed to drop in at the doggie daycare. It's my place to relax and be happy. It's my time to just be happy with dogs, and not to have anyone tell me to do anything!

So I went to the doggie daycare after full time work. Usually we have the same dogs come in but yesterday, to my surprise, we had two new dogs arrive. Both dog breeds I had never had the chance to interact with. One was a Samoyed and the other a Rottie. I instantly fell in love with the Rottie. His personality was amazing and loved playing with the others. We walked a bit and his focus was right on me, checking in to see where we were going to walk next. It was a pleasure to be with him.

The Samoyed on the other hand was scared of the new place. Whining and pacing around most of the time. The Samoyed was left in a separate area away from the other dogs since the owners did not want their dog to interact with the others. "Why the heck would you not want your dog to interact with the others?" They must have been scared the others would bully her around. Either that or they were afraid her nice brilliant white coat would get dirty. Anyway, she was great despite being a bit stressed. The Samoyed actually did all right sniffing at the other dogs as they were being picked up.

So with 4 more days to go, and 4 more days of wedding stress, the two new dogs helped me get through the night. The wedding stress has brought out the best in Neilynne and I, since it really gives us insight on how we will handle future problems. So far, the wedding stress has been containable. Of course, with every new stress I won't be relying on doggie daycare to save me....but hey ...it sure helps.

Recall command for your dog

When I first started assisting in dog training classes, the first thing we taught our clients is the recall command. It really can't be emphasized enough. The recall command for your dog like I have said before you can save the life of your dog.

We let our dog loose in the school yard as me and Neilynne played a recall game with Shy. She was great for the first couple times and then she started to wander off towards the soccer field. Me and Neilynne were both inexperienced at the time and Shy's recall was weak especially with distractions. Our dog started to walk towards the sidewalk, oblivious to our calls. Perhaps it was a game now as we started to slowly pick up pace. With tension in our voices, our recalls became stressful yelling. "Shy! Get back her now! Stop!!!" Before we knew it Shy was on the street! Recall, what recall? We sure weren't doing a good job of that one. Shy ended up in the intersection, our hearts racing as the thought of a car hitting her was evident. Luckily the cars could see what was going on and they slowed down and Shy crossed the road and stopped. We were so angry with Shy. Really we should have been angry with ourselves.

Looking back now, I can say a strong recall is necessary for any dog. We were really naive to let her off leash at that young age too in such an open area. It was a really bad mistake that could have cost us. Here's a video of Neilynne training the recall command with some distractions. Shy's finish around to the side of the body needs a lot of work but if we just look at the recall, she has improved a lot. Bottom line, the recall command for your dog is one of great importance in the house or outdoors.
Publish Post

Dog freestyling for the first time

Dog freestyling is a popular sport. It's a great way to build the human to canine bond. It's basically choreographed dance with your dog and it's a lot of fun. This video isn't anything special and not even close to what dog freestyling is all about. Getting our dog to do that is just a miracle in itself. Before she wouldn't even go through my legs with a treat and now it's more natural. Way to go Shy.

If you really want to see freestyling at it's best look up Carolyn Scott, freestyling champion, and her dog Rookie. Unfortunately on a sad note, Rookie passed away last week. I cannot imagine what that would be like. One day I will have to experience it too. Carolyn has been on several shows dancing away with Rookie. It's really amazing how Rookie and Carolyn move in sync. Rookie can go backwards, forwards, spin away, shuffle, high step with his front paws...it's amazing. I don't know how popular dog freestyling is in Canada but it sure looks like fun!

Enjoy the video as there will be more to come!

Better Food for Dogs

Neilynne picked up an interesting book for me over the weekend about dog nutrition. As you can see from the picture on the left it's called, "Better Food for Dogs." The authors are David Bastin, Jennifer Ashton and Dr. GRant Nixon, DVM.

Better Food for Dogs talks about commercial dog foods vs home made meals for dogs. It also includes recipes for our canine friends and they will love you for it. I found it very interesting since I always watch Shy, eat the same premium dry food day in day out. Doesn't she get bored of it? It's like me eating pizza everyday, and I love pizza, but I'd get bored of it no doubt. No wonder she sits with those puppy dog eyes looking for scraps from us. I would definitely recommend this book since it really opens your eyes to the nutritional needs of our dogs, how commercial dog foods may lack essential nutrients for the sake of lowered production costs, and how home made meals for dogs may improve the health of your dog.


Dog nutrition is still a very new subject. How many of us actually make home cooked meals for your dogs? I know I don't. I always thought the traditional dry kibble is good enough. It should have everything the dog needs. One important topic Better Food for Dog discusses is what dogs should not eat. Although dogs can eat many of the foods we do, there are several that will be toxic for our dogs. Here is a list of toxic foods your dog should never ingest taken from the book.

1. Anythings onions including onion powder.
2. Chocolate. Dogs cannot metabolize the chemical theobromine very well.
3. Tea
4. Alcohol. They are not to be your drinking buddy.
5. Macadamia nuts. Mmmmm...so good for us but no good for dogs.
6. Grapes and raisins which includes juices and wines with them.
7. Leaves and stems from tomatoes.
8. Rhubarb leaves.
9. Avocados.
10. Pits and seeds from fruits. Includes: apricot, apple, plum, peach and some cherries.
11. Bitter almonds.
12. Moldy or spoiled food. This is common sense.

Of course there are other harmful ingredients that may be toxic for your dogs. I would visit the National Animal Poison Control Center www.aspca.org/apcc to be sure.

So Better Food for Dogs was an interesting book and at the back there are recipes included to try out. If you are really thinking of changing your dog's diet to a home prepared one, have a look at the book and see what it says. Consult your veterinarian or a professional dog nutritionist as well use common sense and do your research.

Dog reality show?

I haven't been updating as often 'cause my darn computer crapped out on me.  It could have crapped out maybe after the wedding but Murphy's law says  "Jay isn't feeling enough stress.  Let's take out his computer along with his wedding files."  

Anyway this week I caught a glimpse of what looked to be a dog reality show.  It wasn't "groomer has it."  I need your help to find out what this dog reality show is.  One of the challenges I saw involve the host of the show asking the dog owners to put their dog in a sit.  The owners put their dogs in a sit within a certain amount of time.   Owners who do not complete this within the allotted time are out.  The host also asked the owners to put their dogs in a down stay, walk around them, asked for a recall and so forth.  Basic stuff I thought in my head.  I guess the entertainment value of this show is to see the frustrations of the owners and owners losing control of their dog.

What's the name of this dog reality show?  Not that I want to watch it again but I do want to find out what's the point of this show.  Is it to see who has the most obedient dog?  The dogs on the show from what I saw included a bulldog, yorkie, border collie, shih tzu  possibly a lab and more.  I would say the border collie would have more of an advantage based on the trainability of the breed.  More importantly, how are people getting entertainment value from a dog reality show like this?  If people are going to watch this I could probably make my own dog reality show.  "Canada's next top dog trainer".   

Anyway if someone knows the name of the dog reality show, let me know so I can find out more on it.  Thanks.  

My Ring Bearer Dog

18 days left. I counted this morning. The stress mounts as D-day arrives or should I say M-day, marriage. The day itself won't be that stressful, it's the days leading up to M-day where panic can start. What's more stressful is if our dog was part of our wedding. I thought, maybe we can make our dog the ring beaer. "My ring bearer dog, prancing up the aisle with the rings on her collar, " I thought what a great idea! Then I pictured the ring bearer dog sniffing the ground, then heading towards the flowers, maybe seeing a squirrel and next thing you know, bye bye ring bearer dog.

As much as the dog is part of the family, it's probably not a good idea to include them in a wedding. They won't feel hurt if they're not invited. They'll still love you. Our venue encourages pets to be included and the manager even said to us, "It's getting real popular to have pets at weddings." That got me thinking. The dog can be our ring bearer. What if the dog doesn't recall in such a stressful environment espcially when we're outside. There goes our rings and our dog. What a mess that would be. Who's going to look after the dog? Certainly not me or Neilynne on our big day. Our parents can look after the dog. Yeah right! They don't want the burden of looking after fluffy. They want to enjoy. How bout a friend? They'd have to know how to handle a dog and would be willing to commit. Okay fine, we'll crate her when dinner starts. Can we say guilt trip?

Many people do involve their pets on such an important family event. For us it's just an added stress we'd rather stay away from. You guys know me, I would kill to have dogs in our ceremony but common sense says having a ring bearer dog isn't the way to go. So the only dogs people will be seeing on our day is in our slideshow where I can show as many dogs as I want! Don't be surprised if each slide of the show is a picture of a dog and me in it.

Dogs in Mount Tremblant

The bachelor weekend was a fun one as 5 guys took a road trip to Mount Tremblant, Quebec. I have never been there before and wondered what dogs I would see in Mount Tremblant. You know me, it's all about the dogs. "Look at this guy, every picture there's a dog in it!," my friends would say. "...probably more dog pics than human pics..." They know me too well.

So I was on a mini mission to see how many dogs I could find in Mount Tremblant. Seeing that many of the hotel resorts did not allow pets I figured I would be disappointed in my quest for dogs in Mount Tremblant. To my surprise there were a handful of dogs! Actually I saw many people come up to the owners and have a good chat about their dogs and their stories.

At one time during our trip, an owner and what looked to be like a white poodle mix rode the elevator with us 5 guys. Of course I stood beside the dog and looked at it. Stuck my hand out and the dog instantly started licking at my hand. "What a friendly dog", I thought. "Shy would probably go nuts if she saw you." She would got nuts even if it was the cutest puppy in the world.

During the trip the boys decided to play "Spot that Asian" and accumulated points for every asian they saw in Mount Tremblant. The boys were real good at picking out the Asians as they called out, "Two there, and I see one there. I got 45 now." I was fed up 'cause I was more focused on getting good pictures the whole trip. So I said, "If I see a Boxer, then I win guys." Sure enough during our bike hike I spotted one and called "I WIN! I WIN!" I cried out like I had just won the lottery. Then I said, "All right, I get 10 points then 'cause the face looked like a Boxer but it did not have the typical markings of a boxer." We laughed and just played on.

The trip ended with a dip in the pool, many jokes and a fun card game over some drinks. Mount Tremblant was a good relaxing weekend and a well deserved one. I'm sure the dogs in Mount Tremblant enjoyed it as much as we did, maybe even more

"I'm a Stupid Owner"

"I have a smart dog...but I'm a stupid owner," said one of our clients today. I guess she was upset at the fact she couldn't get her dog to sit and focus in front of her. "Whoa whoa whoa....hold on...you are not a stupid owner. Any owner who brings their dog to a puppy class and is willing to take time to train their dog is a smart owner," I replied. Then I said, "I never want to hear that again!," and I corrected her on her technique. After that, she got her miniature schnauzer to sit right in front of her and focusing right at her. Yes!

I tell a lot of our clients, "It's not only about training your dog, it's about training yourself too." When I got into teaching dog obedience, I was naive. I thought it was about training our four legged friends. In fact, it was about training our two legged friends. There are no stupid owners when they take their dog to our classes. I can think of a couple of reasons why taking your dog to a class is a smart choice.

1. It promotes the human to canine bond.

2. Puppies get the chance to socialize and learn how to play with other puppies. (i.e bite inhibition especially for bigger dogs)

3. An obvious one, you will have a better behaved dog.

4. Reinforces your puppy recalls in a distracted environment for the safety of your dog.

5. You will be educated about your dog and provide a foundation for advanced manners.

There are a lot more but those come to mind. We never provided our puppy with the chance to learn or see the outside world often enough. When the terrible twos hit, I decided I needed to learn about our dog and it's bad behaviours. When reflecting back, it has been the driving force in my work with dogs. Truth be told, I was the "real" stupid owner back then, not my client today.