Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

What Are The Odds?

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Are you a gambler? 

I’m not a very good one, although I do admit I love to play the slot machines whenever I get the opportunity. 

I’m a fairly predictable gambler though.  I put $20 in the machine and when the money is gone, I’m done.  If I happen to win, I cash out, put the original $20 back in the machine and play again.  

I don’t understand sports statistics, handicaps and how bookies figure out odds. 

I do know however, that if the Vegas bookies were hosting an event in my neck of the woods and they actually went as far as to bet on certain events happening on one of Sampson, Delilah and my walks, somebody, somewhere would be making money.

We’re a sure bet.

 

These results are based on a three-month period.  if you were a gambling person and had bet on one of these events, the payoff would have been something like this:

The odds that your dog squats to poop and you try to maneuver the leash so as not to get poop on it and during your manipulation, the leash swings across your dog’s butt just as that little brown friend pops its head out? 1 chance out of 90.

The odds that a spider having the option of building a web at any height between two forty (plus) foot trees, will build at face height, so it brushes across your mouth or face as you walk through it? 75 chances out of 90.

A dog who cannot cover her poop with dirt from twenty feet away, can manage to get dirt in your face, as you bend down to pick up that poop? 2 chances out of 90.

That the same dog, (still covering poop) can manage to get dirt anywhere on you or the other dog you are walking with? 6 chances out of 90.

Get your face out of there woman, I’m on a mission!

 

You bend down to wipe a leaf off your dog’s face and it’s really part of a spider web that sticks to your fingers and freaks you out? 1 chance out of 90.

Yes dear friends, all of the above have happened to me (some more frequently than others) on one of our recent walks.

If you were a betting soul and had bet on one of our walks, you’d be sitting pretty right now. 🙂

What types of things could you bet on during one of your walks?

My Dog is NOT a Cutter

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When Sampson first presented with what we thought was a lick granuloma, I couldn’t contain myself.

I googled lick granuloma.  Among all the other information provided by Wikipedia the line that jumped out at me was Lick granuloma is a form of self-trauma.

The hair on my body stood on end, my heart dropped into my stomach and my mind screamed, my dog’s a cutter.

Then I thought, oh my God, my neurosis has worn off on the dog.  I’ve made my dog nuts.

A small, sane portion of my head said, wait a minute.  There have been no major changes in your life, no changes to their schedules, why would he lose his milk bones now?

I took a deep breath and decided that Wikipedia is not my friend and I did more research. I found out there can be underlying causes to make a dog lick, one of which is pain. 

I had to face the reality that Sampson is eight years old and it is not out of the realm of possibility that he could have the beginnings of arthritis in his joints.

As you know, I did try treating him at home but that did not stop the licking so off he went to the vet where he was diagnosed with a soft tissue injury.

He has been on medication for the injury and he is definitely feeling better, but I learned a valuable lesson about diagnosing my dog and trying to treat him at home.

Note to self, my dog is smart, when he calls attention to an area of his body, it is my responsibility to make sure he gets the help he needs.

A dog this cool, is NOT a cutter.

What choo lookin’ at?

What types of things does your dog tell you?  And do you read the signs or are you like me and kind of slow on the uptake? 

P.S. I’ve been trying to listen to the gentle signs provided to me by the universe.  Last night God screamed at me, Get off the computer and clean your house. 
My laptop is on the fritz.  So please bear with me if I’m slow in responding to your comments or not as active on your blogs.  I’ll be doing my best to keep up, but I have to share Hubby’s computer with him. 🙂

Follow-Up Friday (9-28-12)

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For those new to the blog, my follow-up Friday provides me with an opportunity to update or revise a post from the previous week.

You know sometimes you post about something and you need an update but it doesn’t warrant a whole blog.  Or sometimes someone made a comment that really resonated with you.  Yup, Follow-Up Friday baby!

Since the dogs took over the blog last Friday for Human Shaming, I promised a double update.

Dogcula – Update

You guys had such great suggestions.  As I learned on working the recall, the key to teaching any new behavior is consistency.  I must remember to remind her gentle and I must remember to present the treat to her differently than I do Sampson.

Here’s a picture of the way I’ve been working this command.

I’m holding the treat between my thumb and all four fingers.

I turn my hand so the treat is facing down and as I move towards her mouth I tell her, Gentle.

If she snaps at me, I tell her no and try again. When she licks at my hand, I release the treat.

 

It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.

WTF/Whoo Hoo Wednesday

Many of you commented about the sadness of the posts and really that is the hardest part for me.  Like Jan, I used to avoid reading all the sad stories, until I started WTF Wednesday.

The point of WTF is to make fun of stupid people but let’s face it, sometimes it’s very hard to find humor in these stories and the best I can do is to call them a name.

The reason I added the Whoo Hoo portion to that feature is to try to show that not all newsworthy posts are bad and to keep me from crying over my keyboard.

My All-Star is on the D.L. – Update

As I noted in a recent post, the medication is really helping Sampson feel better, almost like he’s feeling too good.

When he was neutered the vet didn’t want to give him pain medication. She said she wanted him to feel some discomfort because she didn’t want him to be over-doing.  I looked at her like she had three heads and let her know that I would be monitoring the situation and I wanted him on pain meds.

I see where she was coming from now.

Gone to the Dogs – Author’s Note

The Human Shaming was a fun post.  I hope you weren’t too offended by the content. I was surprised at how easily it came together for me because in the past, I’ve had trouble finding the dog’s voices.

I enjoyed it so much I’m actually considering starting Sampson’s blog up again.  Of course it will not be daily (nor will this one) but I am seriously thinking about it.

My All-Star is on the D.L. Part Two – Author’s Note

Last week a woman was assaulted on a rail trail not too far from our house.  When the story first broke, I said well I’m not worried 1) we aren’t walking on the rail trail and 2) I have my dogs with me.

Then they reported she was walking her dogs.

Well, I’m down one dog, but I pulled on my big girl panties, loaded my pepper spray in my back pocket and hit the trail, with Delilah.  I kept to the upper trails and did my best impression of Linda Blair in The Exorcist, head spinning this way and that.

Monday Hubby said, Sampson and I will join you on your walks. This made me feel much better.  Even though I have no doubt that Delilah would protect me with her life, I’d much prefer she didn’t have to.

I was working a new command for her and I’ve continued it, but we haven’t had enough experience for me to write about it here, so you’ll have to stay tuned. 🙂

You’re Going the Wrong Way – Author’s Note

You all are very kind, but I know that Delilah and I don’t look good out on that course.  I’m really fine with that, as I look at it as just another way exercise her mind and body.

Batter Up – Update

Yes, Delilah has certainly stepped up to the plate.  Her mischief continues on almost a daily basis.  2 BrownDawgs pointed out that she got destructive this time last year.  I’m trying to figure out the common denominator.

Do you think dogs can suffer from SAD? (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Follow-Up Friday Blog Hop – Author’s Note

I know I have at least four blogs willing to participate in co-hosting a Follow-Up Friday Blog Hop, they are Brown Dog CBR, Rescued Insanity, 2 Brown Dawgs and Hey It’s Jet Here.

I may need a week or two to make sure I have the link tool working correctly, so if all goes well the first co-hosted FUF blog hop will be next week and my co-host will be Hawk from Brown Dog CBR

I’d like to throw the offer out there again.  Are YOU interested in co-hosting one week’s Follow-Up Friday Blog hop?  If so, leave me a message in the comments.

HELP!

Here is the link, but for some reason it doesn’t allow me to put my little icon in it.: [inlinkz id = 1]

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