Woofs In Training

Marius working on an arousal control exercise for @shotinthekidney. We’re way out of practice with this one, but you still see progress in the session. Essentially what I’m trying to get is more thoughtful tug with less conflict.

Marius’ victory lap choice is simultaneously endearing and I’m sure, a bit frustrating for you. I cheered when Marius offered that nice chase game sequence at the end of the video.

Shade shows a video of Ones in the second toy class working on this exercise but Martin never tried it when he was a Gold student because he couldn’t ask Bosco to lie in the snow at -40°C. I love how different Ones and Marius are in their behaviour during this exercise. 

Question 1: It’s interesting to me how fast Marius drops his toy when he is sent to place- was he always this fast or did it take work? Bosco would be like Ones and take (at least) 50 seconds to drop his toy. What do you do when the dog can self-satisfy and chomp on the toy (cough Bosco)?

Question 2: You don’t use a food marker (unless I missed it) when you feed on the mat - was this a deliberate choice? If so, can you explain your reasoning? (Shade doesn’t use a food marker in her video with Ones but I can’t ask her.)

I am using a “yes” food marker, but I’m doing so quietly to try and promote more relaxation. I think her choice to not use a marker might be because the word causes too much excitement for her dog.

Your choice of yes for Marius makes sense. Bosco loves markers so a food marker would create too much excitement.

So we haven’t gotten Evie and Astaroth to the pumpkin patch yet, SOON, but to celebrate the 1st day of October and @handsomedogs’ Barktoberfest, here’s Jolene being right at home among some pumpkins!

On Expectations and Dissappointments: Love The One You’re With, by Dr. Jen’s Dog Blog

The phrase “we do the best we can together” is tearing at my heartstrings. That’s how every day with Bear feels. We do the best we can. We keep trying to improve that best. We make that be enough.

Bonding with a Problem Dog by Kristi Benson

(via

shepherdsteps

“Liquid Gold”

My GSD-Girl Pepper loves lakes so much. Just had to wait for sunset.

Part of the “random things people say to me when they know Martin has cancer” series.

(via

shotinthekidney

)

I hope you strongly encouraged them to go fuck themselves with a cactus.

(via cynological)

Think of how utterly confident in your faith you need to be in order to say this statement to a clearly grieving person.

(via shotinthekidney)

When I was in college there was a holocaust survivor who came and visited the campus and shared her story with us.

And I shit you not, some shit stain of a fuck boy asked her that very question during the Q&A.

I also had another friend who died of a stroke when she was only thirty due to Arnold chiari, which she had been afflicted with her entire life due to her father’s exposure to agent orange. Both when she was alive and after she died, people asked her and her husband this and said they clearly didn’t pray hard enough. They were both Pastors.

(via cynological)

Just wow! Blaming a holocaust survivor or a person with brain tissue malformation?

In my example, the comment was strictly directed towards me, as in, I’m not religious so it’s my fault that Martin is sick. Martin comes from a well-known (church-attending) Mennonite family so I guess he’s exempted. :)

Happy Birthday Snitch!

My crazy handsome boy I really don’t know where the last two years have gone, but boy they have been fun and I can’t wait to see how our journey develops.

Thank you Snitch for bringing so much laughter into my life! With your crazy, silly antics like trying to sky dive off a-frames or trying to make friends with chickens.

@shotinthekidney

Martin, Bosco, and Laura’s photography.