Early Morning Baking

It's not so bright here dis morning! My momo said we was going to practice walking on da leash in the backyard but it's looking like the sky might cry. Momo said we'll have to practice inside if it does. I got a new bed, momo put a blanket under the chair I likes so much. She said she loves me so much I can have her old pillow and comforter for my very own bed till we find a bed I like. I don't like the beds momo bought for me, they just don't suit my fancy, I much prefer the lumpy comforter and pillow she gave me. I can smell good stuffs in the kitchen, I think she's making me hot dogs she said, I don't want to eat a sister or a brother! Oh dear that's mean, I swear this woman is crazy! I confess they do smell good, I keep going over to the stove and putting my sniffer up wondering why she wants to fry doggies up! This lady is crazy if she thinks she can fool me, those ain't no doggies! She said they are for training, I'm good at all sorts of thing, like sleeping, and well, sleeping, oh and kisses, I do those really good! Maybe I can gets some of those smellies in the over if I give her lots of kisses and sleeps lots in the sun?! Guess we'll see! Yesterday we went for a walk, whatever that is. I honestly had no clue what momo was asking of me. I just sat down and stared at her like she was nuts. We went to a Birfday party, lots of people said I was a pretty girl, some of the guys even got all mushy and wanted to keeps me, I told them no and went back to my momo the minute they put me down! There was so many little people like the one we have at home, momo calls her my sister Demi, I had lots of fun they all petted me even the wittle wittle one. She was nice and wasn't rough with me, I liked following her around, she must of got new feet cause she was clumsy and fell lots. That's all for nows, I smell good stuffs in the oven I gotta go police and taste test ;) Gi Gi Gia.

I Got A Pocket Full Of Sunshine

It's a wonderful morning in my house! De sun is shining and everyone is happy. Momo said she has to go to a Birthday Party today and that I have to stay home alone in my kennel, what she talkin about?! Mean momo you can't leave me here alone! That's animal abuse don't cha know? I fell asleeps in de bed last night with momo, I'm not suppose to be der, Daddy caught us when he came home from work, I gotta be a good girl and sleep in my kennel he says, but momo said I can snuggle her anytime as long as I sleeps in de kennel at nights. My new foods is delecious, I never knew dis new stuff dey call stinky cheese can be so goods! You should ask your momo or daddy for somes too, you'll love it! Momo said it's really called parmezan cheeze and dat it's human stuffs. If momo can eat it, so I can I right? I seen her sneaking a bite of my foods. She said de websites say she should try everything I eat so she ates my foods yesterday-just a bite, I guess I can share a wittle bit. Here diz some pictures of me over de last few days. Momo loves taking my picture she says I pose pretty for herz.

Week One & A Half

April 17th marked the addition to our family.  A small four pound, eight week old, Boston Terrier puppy had traveled from Tulsa to Denver to become part of our family.  We picked up our cuddly little girl that afternoon and have been so grateful for the amazing joy she has brought to our life.  We quickly settled on a name, Gia, and she would be quite the Diva like the supermodel she was named after.

Gia has been with us a whole week and a half nearly ten days to be exact.  In that time we have learned so much from the abundance of information the internet and the people online that we decided to compile everything going on in one place.

Gia developed some behavior issues on day three of being with us, she started to growl.  I felt like it wasn't an aggressive growl and started to search for information on young puppies growling when being in a person's lap and being adjusted with movement.  The information I found online has been plenty but nothing seemed consistent.  We we're in information overload and we we're starting to feel helpless.  So many people recommended a behaviorist but we simply couldn't afford the travel fees included on top of the price we we're given, living over an hour from any major big city with those services was such a great disadvantage for us.  We searched high and low for one in our area and decided if we wanted to get this resolved now, we would have to do it on our own.  So my research began at the vet.  Our vet ruled out medical issues and suggested that it was an alpha puppy behavior and not aggression.  We were given tips on how to curb her growling (but not prevent it!) and it's been working miracles for us.  Gia officially is minimally growling when being handled in only a few short days since trying these new methods given to us by our vet.

Over the last ten days Gia has been here we have weaned off the kibble she came on and onto a higher quality kibble and eventually onto The Honest Kitchen (THK) Preference diet.  THK is a dehydrated 100% human grade dog diet that you add water to.  THK Preference is a base diet that requires you to add your own meat as well as hydrate with water.  Gia wasn't enthusiastic about this food at all.  I was set on trying everything under the sun, more water, less water, more dry mix, less mix, soak longer, sprinkle with chicken on the top, I was exhausted at trying to get her to eat and quite frankly, I was worried.  She barely touched the stuff unless I sprinkled chicken on the top and even so, she wasn't eating enough for me to feel comfortable.  We went back to the high quality kibble and I e-mailed the company in hopes of finding something that worked for my little picky diva, Gia.  The representative, also a Boston Terrier mommy, suggested Parmesan cheese (I always called it stinky cheese!) or adding broth instead of water.  After I felt Gia had ate enough kibble (over the course of a few days) for me to be ready for her rejection of the THK again, I was ready to be as stubborn as her if she choose to reject it again.  Our first meal with Parmesan cheese was a total success!  I wasn't ready for her to eat so enthusiastically, I was quite shocked at the change in her behavior when eating the same stuff (minus the Parmesan cheese) as before, that she rejected time and time again.

This blog will be a compilation of our clicker training, positive re-enforcement training, holistic ways, and adventures.