Oh My Dog!

obsessed with dogs

All you need is love… and a dog

You’ve probably seen that saying all over the place: Etsy, Pinterest, coffee mugs, everywhere. I think it’s everywhere because, well, who doesn’t love references to The Beatles? And, also, because it’s a universal truth.

Our dogs make us happy and keep us healthy. It’s a fact; they keep us physically well.

  • The American Heart Association found that pet owners lowered their risk of heart disease. And people who have heart disease and who own a pet are more likely to survive a heart attack.
  • According to a Washington Post article, “One recent review of 69 studies found evidence that human-animal interactions could lift mood and reduce stress and anxiety, perhaps by activating the hormone oxytocin.”
  • The same article also reported survey results from the University of Utah: “Pet owners were less obese, had better self-reported health, less asthma and fewer cardiovascular problems than people without pets.”
  • Even the CDC has an entire portal on their website dedicated to Healthy Pets Healthy People.

Having a dog keeps us healthy, but having our little furballs curled up at our feet is so much more than that. It’s about heart health – not the cardiovascular kind that AHA is talking about – but our need for emotional well being. Maybe it sounds sappy, but it’s rooted in science.

I’ve been thinking about this today because dang. We are mired in tragedy. And not just the usual tragedy of war that we’ve all become numb to, sadly. Last night, as we shifted from the devastation in Nepal to the devastation in Baltimore, Lucas climbed onto the couch. He sat next to me and whined. I pulled him onto my lap. Moments later, Newt joined us. John snapped this pic because the Lucas + Newt snuggle is akin to seeing a Pegasus cropping grass in our front yard.

Me, Lucas, Newt

No, it doesn’t eliminate the heartache. Watching the coverage brought us both to tears many times over, and having these guys on my lap won’t get rid of that. But it sure does help. It sure does help to weave your fingers into the extra soft fur behind the ears. It sure does help to have someone who is genuinely happy to see you and far too good-spirited to ever conceal the joy they feel upon your return home. It sure does help to have all that love…

… and a dog.

(And, okay, a cat.)

How to take a decent picture of your dogs

I’ve posted the picture below here and on Facebook, and I got a whole bunch of comments that fell into two categories: 1. Aw, they’re so cute! (Thanks! I think so!), and 2. How did you get them to look at the camera all at once?

First, here’s the picture:

So what’s the trick? What’s the secret to this picture’s success?

Take lots and lots (and lots and lots) of pictures! I had treats that I was holding above my head to keep their attention, but it still took a dozen takes to get this one. Some of the best outtakes include:

Note Emmett's tail in the foreground, captured as he's ditching the photoshoot!
Cooper tried to ditch, too.
Emmett felt he needed a close-up.

In all, I took 12 photos. Some had bad light, one was out of focus. In one, Cooper started gnawing on the sofa. Once I got that 12th one, and I knew they were all looking the same direction, I called it a day.

My only plan for getting 1 good picture is to take lots and lots and just hope. I see so many gorgeous pup pics all over Facebook and blogs. So, tell me: What are the secrets to your photographic success?

Adopt the Internet Day: Why pet adoption means so much to me

In honor of their 15th birthday, Petfinder arranged to adopt the internet today! When I received an email about the event that included a request to blog about pet adoption, how could I resist? Obviously, I couldn’t!

Why?

(Get ready for the biggest cliche to ever appear on this blog!)

Because adopting a dog changed my life.

Seriously.

This was Emmett's pic on the shelter website. He was VERY fat! His foster mama was a little too good to him! 🙂

I adopted Emmett in July 2006. He was cute, sweet, cuddly, and happy! I had no idea what a Staffie was. To me, he was and is just my Emmett. But he opened up my world to this whole other world, a world where people have to defend their dogs not because of anything they’ve done, but because of how they look. Loving Emmett turned me into an advocate for animal welfare (albeit accidentally). I had to advocate for him, obviously, so how could I not advocate for other dogs like him?

Long and lanky! Itty, bitty baby Lucas!

And then I adopted Lucas. Lucas, my fearful pup, who would get so scared that he would lunge and snap and snarl, quivering the whole time. He would hide under the table when the TV was turned on, and he could not be patted. But I could see the fear in his eyes, and I knew that beyond the fear there was a wonderful boy in there. He was just trapped by his fear. So I read every book I could on dog training, then on dog behavior. We took lots and lots of classes and worked with many trainers. Lucas reminds me every single day that I still have tons to learn, but I wouldn’t be nearly so aware of animal behavior and training and all the joys that come from that if I hadn’t adopted Lucas.

Cooper, early November.

And then there’s Cooper, my foster failure. He’s a sweet, silly, playful, brilliant pit bull mix. He’s been here nearly six months, and it’s hard to believe he ever wasn’t here! But then I remember that there was a time when I could get my work done in one sitting. And I could get the laundry done without someone running off with socks or underpants. Cooper’s job is to teach me patience, and he’s working really, really hard at getting through to me. Check out other dogs from Cooper’s rescue on Petfinder.

I know that it’s super important to focus on the dogs who are suffering, the puppy mills that run a thriving, cruel business, and the dogs who are languishing away in shelter. Every single one of those dogs deserves a chance at a happy, loving home. Sadly, many people have a bad idea about shelter dogs. That they’re somehow less than or worse than a purchased pup. The reality is that they can be the absolute best friends, the sweetest companions, and the best teachers anyone could ever hope for.

My guys have literally changed my life.

Take a chance. Adopt a dog, and let him (or her!) change yours.

Is there an adopted dog in your life? Tell me about him or her in the comments! How has your dog changed your life?

Two dogs, two personalities

That face gets me every time.

Each day that the dog walkers come, they leave a little note describing their visit and what the boys were up to while I was at work. Those notes are the highlight of my day; as I’m driving home, I often wonder what the note will say. I know my guys inside and out. I can describe my dogs’ personalities in intricate, intimate detail, and I worry that someone else may not pick up on all the little details that make them them. Although, turns out, their personalities must be strong enough to shine through because the notes really capture facets of their individuality! I’m often so surprised when people – people who likely have never loved a dog – don’t seem to realize the depths that their personalities have.

He's thinking, "Give me that treat NOW, lady!"

All this is a roundabout way of saying that training a new behavior can be a gigantic pain with two dogs who are so completely different in every possible way. Emmett is food motivated and desperate for approval. So, in theory, he should be really easy to teach. But he gets himself all worked up, offering every behavior he can think of – sit, down, wave, roll over, sit, bow, down – in a rapid succession that the first hurdle in teaching him anything is to get him to STOP offering behaviors so that he can focus. Lucas, on the other hand, is only sort of into food (unless it’s American cheese – then he’ll do algebra for me), and he sort of wants approval, but if the mood strikes him, he’d rather run in circles. Or chase a fly. Or pounce on a toy. Or bark out the window. Or clobber Emmett.

It occurred to me over the weekend that I face the same challenge with both boys – attention – but for wildly different reasons. For Emmett, it’s getting his attention; for Lucas, it’s keeping his attention. We only work for 5 to 10 minutes at a time, so I feel pretty confident that they’re not being over-worked… but I don’t know?

So all you dog-savvy readers: How do you get (or keep) your dog’s attention when you’re training a new behavior? Any tips or tricks?

Friday Community Question

Happy Friday! I don’t know about you, but I’m very happy that the weekend is (finally) here! After two weeks away, John got home last night, and Emmett and Lucas were so excited… they didn’t know what to do with themselves. They were spinning and hopping and jumping, and I think John was pretty happy with his big welcome-home!

So this weekend, we’re planning on relaxing, getting caught up around the house, and – if it’s not in the triple-digits outside – going for nice long walks. I’m going to make the boys some homemade doggy ice cream as a fun treat, and we’re going to try to get up early on Sunday to take them for a hike around a nearby lake. The last time we went on this particular trail, it was March, and there was still ice on the lake!

Instead of a big debate for today’s community question, I’d love to know:

What special activities (if any) do you plan with your dogs on the weekend? Do you mix up your routine? Do you plan activities around your what your dogs would enjoy? How do you spend your two days off?