It’s Friday, so time for some dog trivia that you can share with all your friends on the weekend.  First question – how many US states have official state dogs?  You know what I mean – states have official flowers, trees, etc.  But how many have an official state dog?   The answer: 12.  That surprised me.  I thought there would be more.  Now let’s see if you can figure out some of the the breeds that go with the states.  Let’s start with some easy examples…

Picture this idyllic scene…

It is a Spring morning.  The air is still crisp as the sun begins to rise.  There is a fine mist which the sunlight beams through.   The world is quiet, except for the birds who are chirping and calling their joyful “Good Morning” song.  There is dew on branches,  and all the trees have buds beginning to burst open.  The stream along the trail rushes along.  Two PONs silently walk along the trail, smelling the ground for traces of wildlife who had been there before them.  Their human breathes in the fresh air and is ready to begin a new day.  They walk and walk.

They decide to traverse the golf course on the way home.  They actually see a rabbit on the fairway, but for some reason, the PONs just watch as he runs away.  (Mind you, they ARE on a leash.)  They continue along and pass two ducks silently swimming across a pond.   There is no wind and it is a PERFECT morning.  PERFECT.

They reach the road, and continue on toward home.  And then, in the blink of an eye, the idyllic, mystical world changes.  A neighbor comes up his driveway, with garbage to leave at roadside.  And THAT is when heaven on earth becomes the quick road to hell.  Because the peace and solitude of the morning is broken – actually make that SMASHED – by a PON who explodes at the sight of the neighbor.   Everyone within a five mile radius is now, no doubt, awakened (at 5:35AM) by the sound of the PON turned Cujo.  And of course, this is one of two neighbors who is not EXACTLY enamoured by dogs.

As my human tries to put on her happy face greeting and explains the typical “he is just saying hello” the neighbor sidesteps the whirling dervish on the end of the leash.  Luckily yours truly doesn’t make a sound.   My human tries to say a few words over the sound of the PONerator, while she is dragging him down the street.  She weakly waves good-bye.   No point- the neighbor isn’t looking.  She, of course, tells Einstein that his behavior is unacceptable.  Blah-blah-blah.  He rolls his eyes.  I just want to get home for breakfast.

And then she gets to take the FG out…Luckily, THAT walk was uneventful.  For a change.  Thank goodness for small miracles…

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
 Seizure-free days: 8

May 9. And today is the birthday of Barbara Woodhouse – who  died in 1988 at the age of 78.  Don’t know who Barbara Woodhouse is?   Well you should – because she was a famous dog trainer.  She was born in Ireland but spent much of her life in the UK.  She had her own television series and even appeared on the TV show 60 Minutes. She was famous for her “walkies” command, with a high pitched tone.  I watched a couple of videos with her demonstrating her training techniques.  Let’s just say the some of the positive reinforcement trainers of today would not agree with some of her “jerk and pull” techniques.  You can see her in action in this clip…sorry it ends rather abruptly- but it gives you an idea of her methods.

The things you learn when writing a blog.  So today is the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby – that famous American horse race where humans drink mint juleps and wear funny hats. So of course I had to see if there was ANY connection to dogs and the Run for the Roses. And here is what I found…

Well it seems the FG is able to discriminate wildfowl- and he has decided which type he would like to herd – or at least chase- and what type is just fun to watch.  Luckily for my human – they encountered some that he just likes to watch- otherwise they could have both been having an early morning swim…

So Einstein has this newish behavior that is driving my human bonkers.  It happens at one of two times -either at night when my human is standing outside in the cold wearing her pajamas just before bedtime OR when she takes us out before she is rushing off somewhere- like before heading to work.  It is during those times that Einstein cannot make a pee-cision.  He cannot figure out WHERE he wants to pee.  My human has figured out that HE has figured out that she wants him to pee quickly – so he does just the opposite.  He sniffs.  He walks back and forth.  He even starts to lift his leg.  And then he changes his mind. He can’t (or won’t) pee-cide where to go – leaving her to repeatedly beg “Go pee. Go pee. GO PEE.”  He looks at her.  Walks back and forth like he is going to produce results.  And then he looks around and attempts to drag her elsewhere.  Einstein KNOWS she can’t do anything about his inability to make a pee-cision.  Well, not an inability- it’s more like a refusal. Because take him for a walk and he has no problem sniffing and peeing where every dog on our road had peed.  He just doesn’t like to be rushed.  This IS an important decision after all.