The heat is on!

Yogurt, peanut butter and strawberry filled Kongs.

      The heat is on. The dog pool is full at all times. Frozen Kongs with peanut butter and/or plain yogurt are at the ready. And finally, after it was 92 degrees in my house well after the sun went down, I gave in and turned on the air conditioning. Today I took Captain with me while I drove out of town to meet and assess a few dogs for possible transfer from one rescue to another. Both dogs were well behaved and, though it took some time for them to warm up to this stranger, they really enjoyed the time eating treats on the grass and getting some sun. While handling one of the dogs I was about to re-enter the building when I realized a man had a 6 month old black lab bounding around the lobby off leash. I backed away from the entrance with the leashed dog, not knowing how he would do with other dogs. Then, the door opened and the young dog bounded out of the doors ahead of its person and jumped all over the leashed border collie in my hand.
"I do not know how this dog is with other dogs, he does not belong to me. Could you move your dog away?" I said
The border collie began to growl annoyed at the young dog and his rudeness.
"It's fine. He is fearless." The man said as he put some things in his truck. First ignoring his dog and then walking over grabbing it around the belly and hitting the border collie with his other hand. "Quit it!" He said to the dog on my leash.
Oh boy! Is that guy lucky that wasn't my own dog. If it had been I would have gone wacko on him! Sheesh! And boy is he lucky that this particular dog turned out to be very tolerant indeed. A shelter dog, stressed and confused, not knowing where he is exactly, or who his person is anymore, then rudely licked, jumped on and generally clobbered by a stranger dog and finally smacked on the head by a person! Biting could have been his next move! But it wasn't. Good boy!

     So often people let their dogs, young or old, clobber other dogs. The dog whose space is being invaded may respond with a growl to warn the invader that his behavior is indeed very rude and unwelcome. This behavior, on the part of the growling dog, is appropriate! Learn more about how and why by reading this article called "He just wants to say, HI!"

     After leaving the clinic Captain and I went for a stroll in down town Cedar Rapids. I had thought the farmers market would be on-but I was wrong :(  so we just strolled around a block or two until Captain began to look tired. Then we stopped at the farm. Off leash, Captain took off out of site and had me looking all over for him! My mom found him and attached a bell to his harness so if he went out of site we could easily find the little investigator! He was only out of sight for a few minutes, but in that time had worn himself out again and was ready for a nap in the shade.

Comet enjoys sitting in the bay window.

     Earlier this month(June has flown by!) Captain was my special helper in the strawberry patch in the backyard! The first time I went out with him, I set the first strawberry into a little container as I searched for more. That first time, there was only one strawberry and when I looked back at my container Captain was eating my one and only berry! Next time, he came along  I kept my berry container very near, beneath my chest as I bent over the berries. Then, when I found a berry that had been pecked my birds I captured Captains attention and threw it into the grass encouraging him to "Find it!". He loves this game.



     By now you all know that I save my peanut butter jars, then when I get 3 (one for each dog) I let the dogs lick them clean before I toss them out. Captain loves this, but the peanut butter jars (actually they are plastic not glass jars) are small and Captain can't get his smoosh face into them. Bugsy and Comet-the pointy faces dogs as they have now been dubbed- have no trouble.
Commence the saving of yogurt containers!
Perfect size for smoosh face dogs to stuff there whole smoosh faced heads into!

     Another 'pointy face' breed I love is the Jack Russel Terrier or the JRT (or Parson Russel Terrier). I was lucky enough to hang out with one of my favorite JRTs at Camp Bow Wow while I was working there this week, his name is Rebel. He is a typical JRT with his high jumping and white and tan coat markings. In honor of the adorable JRT I thought I would share the Dogs 101 Jack Russel Terrier episode.
Here it is!