Tag: love

Tomorrow on King 5’s Evening Magazine! / Feature

A couple weeks ago, we were privileged to have Kim Holcomb from King 5 visit us here at the Puppy Manners’ ranch to film a special feature on dog therapy testing. Our friend, Diana, and her mushy-faced Beagle, “Frodo”, volunteered to be our “testers” and did a fantastic job showing the world what a therapy test looks like. Tomorrow night, the feature will air on Evening Magazine at 7PM PST. If you can’t watch it tomorrow, no worries! You can check it out on their Website after this Wednesday. We can’t wait to see how it turned out! Be sure to leave your comments if you watch it tomorrow! We’d love to know your thoughts!

Here are some photos* taken during filming. We’ll start with our “star” of the day.

*Photos taken by Carly Chaney.

King 5 Article / Feature

I feel so honored and thankful to be part of an amazing organization like Reading with Rover and to see it featured on King 5’s website is so exciting! It’s always a little nerve wrecking to see myself on camera but knowing that the RWR program is getting exposure and gaining attention is totally worth it! Check out the feature and then visit Reading with Rover to find out more about how you and your best doggie pal can get involved.

Meet my new puppy!

I realize this isn’t actually a photo of me and a puppy, but this is my “human puppy” and granddaughter, Reagan, age three. The comparisons between my little human puppy and a real puppy are amazing. For your convenience, I’ve put together my Top 10 list of similarities:

  1. She’s almost house broken. If I withhold liquid after 7PM, she can make it through the entire night without an “accident.” However, if she has a bit of Root Beer (or “Beet Brr”, as she likes to call it), I can guarantee she will need a “wee wee pad”, aka “Pull Ups”.
  2. She doesn’t eat the furniture, but I have caught her chewing on inappropriate objects. For example, pencil erasers, paper clips, and pennies.
  3. She’s a bit of a “resource guarder,” as she doesn’t like to share her HPGs (Hard Plastic Guys) and/or her “Chickens”, aka “chicken nuggets.” She actually growled at me the other day. I thought about squirting her with a water bottle but we thought a timeout would be more effective. It was.
  4. She doesn’t drink out of the toilet, but I did catch her splashing in it the other day. When I found her, she exclaimed rather bluntly, “I’m playing in your toilet!” Thank heavens for liquid sanitizer, although I have caught her drinking that too.
  5. Right now, her recall (“come here” command) needs some serious work. When she’s in the yard and I call her to come, she runs the other way. Eventually, I resort to shaking a bucket full of HPGs (again, Hard Plastic Guys) and she cannot resist and comes running. Like a cookie to a puppy, positive reinforcement is often the best solution.
  6. Something she’s getting better at on every outing is resisting the need to greet strangers because, as I have explained to her, not everyone loves being greeted with sticky hands or being licked on the face. On the other hand, I don’t want to squash her friendly spirit and sociability. There’s a fine line between keeping them social and not letting her end up someone else’s little puppy.
  7. A tired three-year-old is a well-behaved three-year-old. Sure, she gets a little cranky. But that doesn’t last long and then she falls asleep, usually in the middle of chewing on something, like a “binky” (pacifier) or, as I’ve mentioned, an HPG.
  8. She loves to jump on the bed and when you say “off”, she won’t do it.
  9. She loves to play with other puppies but she’s often guilty of having “third dog syndrome,” otherwise known as the peace keeper. She doesn’t like conflict, although that doesn’t apply within the context of her toys (see #3, regarding resource guarding).
  10. Above all else, the biggest similarity I’ve found between her and a puppy is her undying love, devotion, and loyalty. She truly lives in the moment, doesn’t care about the future, and doesn’t look back. I wish that would last forever.

Wow!

Time flies with the holidays quickly approaching! Not to mention, I’m still getting the hang of this blogging stuff—I never knew it was such hard work! You missed all of October (my fault, obviously!), so I don’t want you to miss out on November. So let’s recap!

Here at Puppy Manners, we’ve been pretty busy. While we just started the second week of our newest Group Training classes, our sweet girl, “Zoom”, just started her 13th week of rehabilitation from hip surgery. Only three more weeks to go! No one would ever know that she has an artificial hip. We’ve nicknamed her “Bionic Girl” and we believe it makes her the coolest dog ever. She’s feeling so good these days, we have to be especially careful to not let her run or jump, which she is very eager to do. At the end of this month, “Zoom” will get her final X-rays and we’ll finally receive the “all clear” for her to run, jump, play, and do what she loves—zoooooooooming around!

We received a huge response from our post about “Dusty”, who is still here and making progress. Of course, it is all on her time, not ours. But we are pleased to inform you that she is warming up to all of us. When she’s with our other boarding dogs, she now approaches the fence and offers a lick. She no longer runs for the hills when we approach and our youngest employee, Jamie, took her home for the weekend, where she did very well. She needs more in-house time with people, so we plan on bringing her in the house to hang with us as well. We also received her DNA blood test results which revealed that she is 52% Doberman, 12% Malamute, and 12%… Pekenese! Yeah, that last one seems crazy, but we won’t argue with science! No wonder she’s our odd little duck!

The “Howlidays” are quickly approaching and we are busy getting ready! It’s like a bed and breakfast for dogs, as we are “a buzz” with prepping the barn for our furry guests. This is the busiest time of year for us but it’s also the most fun. We love seeing our guests running through the “Dream Field” and then coming into to warm their toes by the heaters. If we could serve them hot chocolate, we would! It really is a magical season.

We recently had a foster dog named “Dodger” come to us but he lucked out and already found a new home! He’s an older dog so we were so excited when a really nice family with five acres came along to adopt him. They have horses, cows, pigs, and a St. Bernard buddy to romp along the fields. We are always SO happy when the perfect family comes along for a sweet and well-deserved dog.

Meanwhile, we have another foster dog, “Shadow”, who is looking for a home! She is a field-bred black Labrador. She went to drug sniffing school but she dropped out. Seems that “Shadow” likes to look for things rather than sniff them out! She will make a great companion to someone active and on-the-go. She is going through rigorous puppy training here and will be a wonderful family dog, especially if that family enjoys activities like going to the park, camping, or bike rides together.

Well that’s all I have time to update you with today. I promise to do better in the coming weeks. There are some things I’ve been wanting to blog about, like Therapy Testing, some more basic obedience tips, as well as a special feature on our youngest and most animated dog, “Harry Plotter.” Stay tuned for those posts, coming up fast!

And because blog posts are always better with a photo—Here’s a great one of former foster dog “Dodger”, which was taken by our new pet photography friend, Cyndi T., who came to visit us all the way from Tennessee! And be sure to check out the blog post she wrote about our “kids”! Isn’t “Dodger” a sweetheart??

Feature / Our Foster Pup, “Dusty”

Not everyone is aware that occasionally, Dave and I will be foster parents to a dog. So today, I wanted to recognize the time and energy the entire Puppy Manners staff puts into these puppies in need, because it’s definitely not all me and Dave. When we take on a foster dog, we are fully committed to creating balance and of course, good manners. But I have to remind myself that not every pup is the same and in our current foster pup’s case, I am reminded constantly…

“Dusty” came to us from Homeward Pets in Woodinville, WA, a wonderful shelter that does amazing things for homeless dogs and cats. We love networking with their organization and I always feel it’s a privilege when they trust us to foster one of their dogs. But I have to say, puppies that come here to Crystal Creek Ranch have it pretty good! There are lots of fields to run and play and tons of interaction, both with loving handlers and other friendly pups! But “Dusty” is very different… Allow me to explain:

First, I want to tell you about her name. In my years as a dog trainer, I’ve come to recognize how often the names we give our dogs are like tiny self-fulling prophecies. We meet “Barker,” and he… barks. Later, we’re introduced to “Chewy” and he… chews. And eventually, we find ourselves encountering a cuddly “Cujo” and he… terrorizes the village. I’m kidding! But you see my point! So when “Dusty” came to us, I wanted to give her a name she could grow into… That’s when I found the name “Dustin,” which can be for a male or female. It means “brave, warrior, confident,” which is everything “Dusty” isn’t!

When she came to us, she was called “Izzy,” an extremely shy and fearful puppy. Even now, after five weeks of living with us and constant socializing, if you met this uniquely beautiful dog, you’d assume we’ve made no progress at all! Believe me, we’ve made huge strides, but she’s still a bowl of quivering jelly! When people approach, she leans away and if someone reaches out to pet her, she freezes in place and waits for the petting to be over. Funny enough, she doesn’t have a mean or aggressive bone in her body, with the most amazing blue eyes we’ve ever seen! But those beautiful eyes are a blessing and a curse. Mezmerizing to look at, but staring into them is the one thing that makes “Dusty” most uncomfortable. If we humanize the situation and imagine ourselves as extremely shy, we realize how going out in public to be met with constant stares simply because we have “cool looking eyes” can be extremely intimidating!

What we know about “Dusty’s” history is that she is sadly under-socialized. I don’t believe she was abused but I think neglect is within the spectrum, as her social interactions never involved people, resulting in fear of anything or anyone to which she was never exposed. She is what my friend Sarah Wilson calls a “deficit dog.” While she may be genetically shy, most of her issues derive from never being subjected to certain environmental influences like people, cars, or even different types of floors! Slowly, she is learning to trust and we are learning patience. When it comes to “Dusty,” we are currently running on “dog time.” Even after a month of hand-feeding her every meal, she still resists social contact. But we’re pressing on, believing we will become more relavant to her and she will warm up to our touch. And she is improving, no matter how long it seems to take. We strive for better, not perfect. If you’re wondering where we have seen improvement, I’ll tell you.

In the beginning, “Dusty” would never want to leave her crate. She loved going in, like it was her own personal condo. But the “outside world” where two-legged weirdos roam and gave her unwanted attention was too much to bare. So she would remain inside as long as she could… With a bladder of steal, it seemed! On that first day, we waited for hours for her to come out, convinced she would HAVE to pee at some point! But she held her ground… Finally, I reached into her safe haven, scooped her into my arms and carried her out to the grass. Even there, she refused to move. Days went on and we knew that “Dusty” had a decision to make. Then we noticed something… “Dusty” behaved socially and interacted most when grouped with some of our doggie guests. It wasn’t long before my Barn Manager, Karen, came running into my office like she won the lottery, “‘Dusty’ came out of her crate! All on her own! And she let me put her leash on and take her to the play yard!” It was HUGE news. And in that small act, we realized what “Dusty” wanted—to be and play with other dogs.

Most recently, “Dusty” has been coming to some of our Group Training Classes. Typically accompanied by our newest Puppy Wrangler, Jamie, or my daughter, Carly. When she comes to class, I prep the rest of the students by telling them to not stare or coddle her. The worst thing you can say to a shy or scared puppy is “Aww… Poor puppy…” because this only reinforces that behavior. It’s difficult for people to understand but if you want to win over a dog like this, it is going to be on his or her terms. Like saying “If you set something free and it comes back to you, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.” We are trying to set “Dusty” free to be who she is and not the dog she became due to her previous circumstances.

“Dusty” finds strength in the company of other dogs, so we’ve capitalized on this by surrounding her with our own balanced pack. When “Dusty” couldn’t walk on a leash, we hitched her to “Zoom” and suddenly, there was no “drag” in that pup’s step. Now, she walks perfectly on a leash with or without the company of another dog. And she might just be the only dog at Puppy Manners encouraged to pull ahead, as we want this dog to gain as much confidence as possible! Additionally, we’ve started keeping “Dusty” in our home, surrounded with our three furry kids, “Moose,” “Zoom,” and “Harry.” When she took her first steps into our living room, we noticed something right away. Each one of our dogs ignored her… It seemed “Dusty’s” energy spoke volumes to them and they returned with a resounding wave of silence. None of our dogs tried to greet her or say “hello” in their usually dog-way. It was interesting for us to observe, as our mature, balanced dogs seemed to know what an unbalanced dog needs. And for “Dusty”, that meant distance.

We’re continuing with this process of learning “Dusty” and allowing her to teach us what rare dogs can. In her case, it can be summarized as “two steps forward, one step back,” but I’m happy to report we’re always moving forward. Recently, someone asked me “What kind of home should ‘Dusty’ have? Who could deal with this type of dog?” And to be honest, I’m not sure what kind of home will work for her but I believe her home with us, even if only temporary, has been a win-win for all. There is a family for “Dusty”, I just know it. For now, it’s about what “Dusty” needs and that means me, Dave, our wonderful dogs, and our fantastically patient staff. Of course, we’ll keep you posted on “Dusty’s” progress while we continue to encourage her to live up to her name: brave, warrior, confident. Of course, we might settle for “normal” at this point but we’re optimistic regardless…

:)

*Photos provided by Carly Chaney.

Feature / Our Dog: Moose

Since the blog is still NEW for us, we’ve decided it would be wise to give introductions to everyone on the Puppy Manners team! Of course, we really feel like we should begin by introducing the VIDs first!

Who else would we be referring to but…

OUR VERY IMPORTANT DOGS!

By telling their stories, we bare our hearts and share our passion with all of you. Through them, you’ll get to know who we are and what we’re all about! So let’s begin!

We’ll start with our eldest… Moose.

Also known as “Sugarball.”

Also known as “Pie.”

You might have guessed by now, but hopefully with a face like that, you’ve gathered that this guy is “Sweet… as… pie…”

Moose was completely serendipitous. It was nine years ago when we went to Sunny Daze to look at a litter of Labrador puppies with our pastor’s wife, Stacey, and her two kids. They were looking for their first dog and had their heart set on a Golden Retriever puppy. However, we knew about the existing litter and encouraged the family to check them out, in case they found one they could fall in love with. Alas, ’twas our then, 15-year-old daughter, who fell in love…

Yes. It’s true. Our daughter, Carly, went with me (Becky) on our trip to see these puppies. I don’t know why I didn’t think ahead of time, Wait. What if she wants to take one home? We already had two adult dogs and adding a puppy to the mix didn’t exactly sound easier!

Dave gave me one last warning before we left the house, “Don’t come home with a puppy, Beck!”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. We won’t, Dave.”

But it was too late. Destiny was calling… Fate beckoned… The story already written. It was over the moment we heard little squeaks and grunts coming from inside the tiny barn where we found a herd of sweet chocolate lumps rolling around, their pink potbellies full and their stubby noses drawn curious at our presence. Even I was a goner after that!

I continued urging Stacey, “Do you like them? Do you think you could love having one of these guys?”

Deep down, I thought if I could convince her to go home with one of these adorable puppies, then I wouldn’t have to do the deed! Save me, Stacey! I begged secretly. Please save me from the cuteness!

I looked down and found Carly, sitting in the sawdust with what looked like a brown butterball sitting quietly in her lap. He was so sweet… So quiet… So…

fat.

Puppy = 1. Me = 0.

On the drive home, Carly tried thinking of names while I tried inventing positive reasons for getting a third dog.

“‘Magic won’t be around forever to keep ‘Boomer’ company… And we should always have at least two dogs…”

“Yeah! Plus! He’s kinda the cutest dog ever,” Carly chimed in.

“Yeah, that’s definitely up there with the top good reasons…”

When we got home, Carly and I weren’t sure what we would tell Dave. At that point, all we could say was, “But he’s so cuuuuuuuuuuuute!!!” It was, quite literally, our best defense. So we ran with it.

It was late when we walked through the front door and Dave had already gone to bed for the night. Carly clutched our newest addition in her arms while I softly approached the bedroom door…

“Don’t be mad…” I said.

“Uh oh,” Dave said.

Carly walked into the room and plopped our sweet “sugarball” onto the bed. His tail wagged furiously as he waddled up to Dave and immediately gave millions of sweet puppy kisses.

“Oh my goodness, look at this guy…” Dave smiled.

YES!!!

He was in! And thus, our new puppy was in! And ultimately, he would end up being so much more than just “our dog.” Moose is so much “bigger” and so much more than a dog. He’s the heart and soul of Puppy Manners and my weak spot! One look from that sweet, mushy face, and I melt every time. It’s hard to believe he’ll be 10 in just a few short months because of that soft, puppy expression he never lost…

Moose will always be our “baby boy” and you’ll learn quickly that I can’t talk long about him without tearing up. When you come to visit us at Crystal Creek Farms, just ask to meet him and you’ll be a goner too! But don’t think you’ll get to take him home with you, though…

That story was already written. ;)

Pictures provided by Carly Chaney.