The last few days I have mentioned dogs that have a job to do.  Like those who help individuals with physical or mental health challenges.  Then we also have dogs who work in the military or with the police.  Some of these dogs are detection dogs – who sniff out drugs, contraband and explosives.  I read the following article about Lulu.  She was in training with the CIA to learn to detect explosives.

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-41679118

In the article, you see that Lulu failed the program.  She isn’t going to make it as a detection dog.  Detection dogs work very hard – and are always on call.  Their work is amazing.  And it’s too bad when dogs don’t make the grade – but they no doubt end up in great homes.  But then I started thinking….maybe Lulu wasn’t REALLY bad at sniffing out bombs.   MAYBE she was really SMART and she realized that the potential for being blown into bits was quite high – so she preferred the life of a household guard dog – like us- who lounge around all day, barking at the sound of the oil truck or a delivery man or blowing leaves.  Maybe Lulu was a LOT smarter than she is being given credit for…

I’m not sure I would want the job of an explosive detection dog.  I mean I admire those dogs – but count me out. On the OTHER hand, I would make an excellent airport detection dog.  But not for drugs.  I don’t care about that. What I would LOVE to do is detect illegal meat products brought into the country.   I bet I could get that job with MINIMAL training.  I can detect dog treats in a coat pocket from 20 yards away.  Wonder what the salary is like for the job…

Well, it’s Saturday so you know what that means – EXTRA LONG WALKS!!!  Gotta go!

Have a good one!  Peace and paws up!

OK.  Maybe what I am about to post is something you have seen before.  But for some reason – I JUST saw this for the first time this week.  Or at least I think it’s the first time.  But even if you have seen it, you will no doubt enjoy seeing it again.  This is a video of Olly – a terrier -cross who competed in agility at Crufts.  And when you see the first few seconds you may say “OH no!!” because it looks like Olly might have hurt himself.  But he gets up – no worse for wear – and keeps on going!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=477F71a_A9Q

I love Olly.  I think Olly is the face of resiliance.  And joy.  Just LOOK at how he keeps on going – and clearly does so with total reckless abandon.  While some agility competitors  may cringe at the clearly faulty perfomance, I think he is the embodiment of what we dogs represent.  Fun.  Curiousity.  A willingness to fall down and get back up.   Excitement.  No worries – not a care in the world.

Humans could take a lesson from Olly.

I hope YOUR day is truly Olly-like!  Just don’t break any bones!

Have a good one. Peace and paws up!

So a good news story – instead of a rant today.   I just read about a cool study going on in Australia.  They are looking at the use of assistance dogs with individuals who have dementia!  The dogs are trained to sense the mood of the individual and help if the person wanders or gets lost.  How cool is THAT!  I’ll be watching for the results of this one.  Yet another example of how brilliant we dogs are.  

OK.  ANOTHER rant.  I must be in a cranky mood lately.  I saw a news story that made my blood boil.   It seems that 19 states in the US are cracking down a big problem – fake service dogs.  FAKE service dogs!  What kind of human would put a FAKE vest on a dog and PRETEND that it is a REAL service dog?!   I mean REAL service dogs undergo months and months of training – and they perform a variety of tasks for humans with hearing, sight, and physical challenges.  They can also alert others if their human has a specific physical problem like seizures or low blood sugar.  Hey – maybe I can get a service dog for my seizures… But I digress.

REAL service dogs perform tasks that improve the quality of life of the humans they live with.   And to THINK someone would try to simply buy a FAKE vest and pass their dog off as a REAL service dog is downright…..AWFUL!!!!!  The challenge with the REAL dogs is that there is no national certification or registry that will prove a REAL service dog IS the REAL deal.  So it’s hard to create or enforce laws around this.  In the US, apparently, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not allow places, which allow service dogs,  to ask any questions about what kind of disability the human has.  The business can ask what tasks the dog does – but cannot ask about the specific disability the human has or for any kind of documentation on the dog. Interestingly, dogs that provide “emotional support” are not covered under the ADA.  I think because the training for these dogs is quite different from service dogs.  And while service dogs are allowed in many environments, emotional support dogs may not be allowed in.  It seems that there needs to be some kind of registry for all of this – so that working dogs who help humans can continue to do their jobs.  And dogs who are NOT trained, cannot be mistaken for one.

None of the dogs in this house would be able to be service dogs.  Imagine me walking with a visually impaired person – and seeing a rabbit….  Clearly those dogs have LOTS and LOTS of training.

Anyway, paws up for REAL service dogs.  And may the humans who try to pass off their untrained dogs as service dogs…well…may you….ummmm…. let’s see…..ummmmmm…..step in poop!  Or just don’t do it again.

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.

Well we are officially into one of the two most dangerous times of the year for humans owned by dogs.  At least in our neck of the woods.  The first most dangerous time, of course, is during the winter months – when icy sidewalks can be definite threat to humans walking dogs.  As you may recall my human slipped and broke her wrist one winter while walking me and Einstein. And thankfully it wasn’t OUR fault.  We were not even pulling.  It was just a bad step onto a slightly snow covered icy patch. It was not a joyful time.

But the other dangerous time is now.  During leaf season…

And here is the scenario….When taking us out on the lawn – one or two or three of us poops.  And my human realizes she has no bag in her pocket.  Having no bag IS a rare occurrence.  My human has even found poop bags in formal wear.  But, it seems that when you NEED a bag, you don’t HAVE a bag.  Besides – it is only on our property –  so she just goes back in the house to GET a bag.  And then the “older adult” memory test begins.  WHERE in all the leaves is the poop?  It’s like that kids’ game – Where’s Waldo – except the poop is less appealing to find.  So where’s the danger?  Yup you guessed it.  While searching among the leaves, one human inevitably steps in the poop.  We  dogs just say, leave the poop on the lawn.  Don’t panic- it’s organic.  But every year it’s the same routine.  We just roll our eyes and look for another pile of leaves in which to poop.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up!

Today is October 16 and according to the crazy calendar, it’s Learn a Word Day. I COULD give you some real canine vocabulary words – but I prefer my own Viktionary terms.  And I have a few new terms for your ever-growing Vikabulary.

Canidascendaholic.  n.  A dog who likes to constantly climb onto something to assume a greater vantage point.  It can be outdoors, like on a rock or hill or indoors – on furniture- particularly the back of a sofa. 
  

Well, life as we know it is over.  Actually, Einstein is affected most by this change.  As we know, Einstein likes to get into the DFZ.  It’s his mission in life.  And the old wooden gates with the plastic inserts that were attached to the pillars were no match for him.  He just chewed his way in.    But now… we have new, custom-made METAL gates.   That have been made and installed specifically to keep us canines OUT of the DFZ.  My human had thought about getting doors with glass.  But she reconsidered when she looked at our other glass doors – with the olfactory art.  So she changed her mind, and found poor Don.  Remember the guy who was making our sign?  Now THAT I like!  Check it out!!!!!

But Don also made the gate.  Which may look attractive to humans, but not so much to us dogs.  And it is STRONG.  It can’t be moved.  There is no room to get under it.  And the thing is like 5 feet tall.  So jumping would be tough.  VERY tough. 

Aunt Glenda and her husband, Richard, delivered the gate for us – as Don  lives near them.  And they helped to install it.  We just watched – particularly Einstein – who was checking to see what kind of screws they used.  After they were done, my human, Glenda and Richard went in the DFZ and closed the gate.  Einstein walked over and inspected the handiwork.  Then he lay down and rested his chin on the bottom rail.  A more pitiful sight you have never seen. 

Richard also hung up our sign.  And while he was doing so, the FG casually walked over and promptly stole his power drill.  The FG picked it up and RAN – with my human shouting “hey-put that down!!!!!” I wonder if Einstein actually told the FG to do it – he will need tools to get that gate down…

So Einstein has his work cut out for him.  Guess he’ll be asking Santa Paws for some seriuos power saws for Christmas. 

Have a good one!  Peace and paws up!

October 14.  And on this day in 1926, A. A. Milne’s book, “Winnie the Pooh” was released.  Although Pooh isn’t a dog, he could have been because he is so smart.

I have taken some of my favorite Pooh quotes – and combined them with some of my favorite photos.  Hope you enjoy them – and have a marvelous Saturday!

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!