R & R - response....

Here is Sophie's response to my letter and request to be nice to Scary Man. Kudos to one of my readers, Barbara, for channeling for Sophie....

"Dear Mom,
Thanks for your note. But do I haf to do all those things, Mom, do I? It'd just be easier if you'd just stay home...will ya, mom, will ya? Oh, no, huh? Well, I'll try real hard. I know I can do the sofa thing, would that be enough? But liking the Scary Man, well, I don't know about that...you say he likes me? Really? Honest? Cross your paws? If I just look at him a few times and not turn away, would that work? Or, how about if I let the corners of my mouth turn up a bit, does that count?

Well, I hope you get enough R and R to last a long while, so you don't have to leave again, or maybe....I know...next time just take me with ya, okay?"

Luv,
Sophie


Dear Sophie - I would have loved to take you with me. However, you would have had kittens on the airplane. Do you best with Scary Man. He does his best with you. Remember all the times he gives you popcorn and other treats?? Notice that Hank and Mick just have to lay there and watch as you get those extra goodies.

Luv, Gentle Lady

R & R

Dear Sophie - I'm going out of town for a few days. Just for once act like you like Scary Man. He's really a good guy. He used to carry Kobe upstairs when he needed help. He'd do the same for you. I know you'd rather die a thousand deaths that admit he's not bad, but trust me on this one. He takes it to heart that you don't like him.

While I'm gone, remember the yard is a safe and happy place. I haven't left you just because I went away. I'm visiting dear relatives and enjoying a little R&R.

Perhaps you don't know what R&R is. That's short for rest and relaxation. Truth be told I do about as much of that as you do. I'm working on it though. People may leave your side, but the loving ones never leave your heart. All the nasty ones can be tossed out like old garbage. This does not include Scary Man!!

Try not to kick Hank out of his crate and drag all his blankets around. When you initiate play and Mick starts barking at you - that's a good thing. That is not time to run to the couch thinking it's home base. Play for heavens sakes - you know you want too!!

Just cause I'm not there doesn't mean you can't enjoy the sofa. Get to it early for the best seating. If you wait too long you know who will take up all spots.

Oh,and one more thing.....take care of Scary Man for me....he's used to having a little bitch (or two) around. He might need some extra lovins. Or someone to boss him around just a wee bit.

Love you..... Your Foster Mom

Dragging the Line

We are at that stage in the Invisible Fence training that I have to let go. You know how hard letting go is. Letting go involves trust, it requires faith. Plus I know that I can never out run a pointer. Never in a zillion years.

But it's time for Ms. Sophie to drag the leash. We've trained on just the tone, then we trained on the tone and the correction. My thanks to the rabbits and squirrels of the neighborhood for their help with her training. Without them she never would have tested the boundary.

Mind you, she has her best training sessions after dark. Which worries me because I can't see the flags very well after dark. There is a bunny hop in the back yard every night after dark. Sophie loves that time of night, she must have been a nocturnal animal in another life.

Today she dragged the leash and out she went. She keep looking back to find me as if to say "hey, lady, can't you keep up"?" She went out back, stopped, sniffed the leash and then bolted back to the house. Second trip out she went out pottied and bolted back to the house. Third time she got out to the back yard saw Scary Man, and then bolted back. I should enjoy this time, because it won't be long before she adjusts and won't want to come back in.

She's learning and I'm learning. She's got a yard to explore and I've got to let her. Dragging the line is another baby step to her finding a wonderful forever home. Plus, it the God's of adoption want her to stay with us a little longer at least she'll enjoy the yard without her constant chaperon.

Self Talk

Ever wonder if dogs have self talk like humans do? You, know self talk - the voices you hear in your head. C'mon. I know we all do it. Those little nagging voices that tell you not so positive things. I hope, and pray, even the healthiest of us have them. Otherwise I've gone out on a limb and pretty much declared myself certifiable here.

Does Sophie say "the world is a scary place and I'm a scared little girl". Oh wait, maybe she does. Does Mick say "uh huh, I'm such a dufus, uh huh". Does Hank say "I'm an idiot"?

It's that shameful I blew it feeling. Guess it depends on the lessons you got growing up. One lesson plan would be of the "I made a mistake, I'm human" variety. Other times the lesson gets skewed into "I made a mistake I must be bad variety". Maybe some of you can relate to this, maybe the rest are looking up facility phone numbers for me.

The key is learning to be gentle with our self. In the moment and over it. Much like dogs do. When they are bad they don't pack up the guilt and carry it forever. Dog chews sofa, end of story. Dog eats shoe, game over. Dogs don't beat themselves up like people do. Plus they are way more forgiving than we are. Which of course is one of the reasons why I have dogs.

Dogs are cheaper than psychiatrists. Dogs are almost as forgiving as God. Dogs are completely sympathetic. Dogs don't stress over things like we do.

A dogs self talk, if they have self talk, is probably all about positive things - treats, sniffing butts and napping. So I give myself permission to embrace their method of self talk, although I will draw the line at sniffing butts.

Things That Make Your Day

I think I could name about 100 things easy that make my day. But, I won't do that to you.

I'll just name a few. Hearing from my kids, laughing with Reno, God moments, fostering-talking about fostering-hearing from someone who adopted one of our fosters-helping a dog find a foster home. Winnie The Pooh. Diamonds. Obviously this list is in no particular order. Cooking....followed immediately by eating. Drinking, take that however you want. I could be referring to water with lemon (a favorite of mine) for all you know.

Oh yes, and hugs. Lots of them. Puppies, particularly ones I'm not responsible for. Ditto that for babies. Flowers - all of them. Friends, facebook friends, old friends and friends I've yet to meet.

So let's not count all of those, except in the form of blessings. It's always okay to count those. Our life is full. Full to overflowing with things. Good things, psycho things, easy, hard, sad things, laughable things, big, little and silly things.

But mostly, if we look with our hearts, it's full of things that make our day.

Dog Days

They may call these the dogs days of summer, but I don't know. The dogs aren't spending much time outside to enjoy them. The lucky dogs have owners who worry about their exposure to the heat and limit their time in those conditions.

The dogs in residence here are truly living the good life. And that is not just because they live in Nebraska. "The Good Life" is our state motto, but it could just as easily read "The Tax Me State", but I digress.

There are dogs, too many to count, who would form lines miles long for the chance to live the good life. I can visualize them in line at my front door. Big dogs, little dogs, cute dogs, ugly dogs, dogs who've been lost, neglected, abused, dumped. There would be dogs needing grooming, dogs needing training, dogs who simply need a gentle hand to love them. Dog who lost homes because of death, divorce, the state of the economy. Dogs afraid of men, terrified of thunder. Dogs that laugh with their tails, and wiggle with mirth. Dogs that lean on you, dogs who fart like adolescent boys with nothing better to do. Dogs by the name of Marly, or who've studied under him. Dogs, dogs and more dogs.

No, no, I haven't gone over the canine edge. I was just thinking how good my dogs have it. I was thinking of all the dogs out there that need homes like mine. And, I'm thinking/dreaming/praying for more people to help.

Let me temper all this by saying yes, I did step in fresh poop this morning while out with the dogs. I know the effort, the expense, the responsibility of being a pet owner. I know the "oh crap, I've stepped in it again" feeling.

Yet, my life would be empty (and my shoes clean) without the dogs. Maybe, just maybe you could visualize the line of dogs at your door and invite one in (or two!) to enjoy the good life with you.

Fence Training

I have finally started fence training for Ms. Sophie. Had I been motivated this could have been done months ago. Could have, should have, might have.....wasn't. I think I was waiting for the hottest week of the summer. All the while thinking of the coldest week of the winter and knowing I didn't want to still be taking her out on lead then.

The challenge, of course, is getting her to even go close to the flags that present a visual boundary. If only the audible on the invisible fence collar was the sound of a gentle clap of the hands. That's really all it takes for her.

Of late I've gotten her to work on the flexi leash like a horse on a lunge line. She goes in nice wide circles loping (literally) around the yard. I can't wait to see her race the yard completely off leash. Although, getting her used to being "alone" in the yard will be a learning experience for her too. She is showing more interest in sniffing the areas Mick and Hank work over with a fine tooth comb. So she is making progress.

Slowly, slowly with little Sophie baby steps we are learning. Learning to trust, learning to be a dog, learning the fence, learning to play. The goal being to fence out the fear and fence in a happy confident pup. What a happy dog day that will be.