I heard my neighbourhood Robin Red Breast bird, Mr. Robinson, singing his beautiful song while I woke up and stretched. The sun was shining and as I stood in front of my glass paned door, there sat a squirrel. I’ve since named him Mr Cooper.
We all stood quietly staring at each other. Mr. Cooper impressed me as he stood his ground and I’m sure he was mildly taunting my wolves with defiance. Tootsie shifted her weight from paw to paw waiting for a command. Babbette stood ready looked up at me briefly anticipating her command. Vinny quietly started to growl, I responded with, “Leave it” and he looked up in acknowledgement.
Mr. Cooper sat on the post of my fence, standing still on his hind legs, his “hands” held across his exposed white haired belly. He’s a bit big, a sizeable grey furred body which makes me believe that he’s a pretty old dude. With my trusty indoor wolves by my side, I slowly opened said glass paned door.
Suddenly, I heard a rustle from my neighbour’s backyard. From the corner of my eye, I saw 2 small black furry tails disappear in the branches of the snow covered tree. Mr. Cooper tilted his head as if he read my mind and now knew I could be a serious threat to his family. I nodded to, Mr. Cooper dismissing him from our stalemate. I told the wolves to sit and closed the door as Mr. Cooper continued on his way to the tree.
While trotting through the internet I read articles about rescuing versus purebred dogs something that I’ve been asked many times before. To be clear, I have experience with training and raising both rescued and purebreds.
So let’s start with some common ground. If you’re a dog lover you get me. I have loved dogs since I was a child. My aunt owned this great big beautiful mixed bred dog, named Nina, she and my uncle rescued her from the shelter when she was just a pup. I couldn’t wait to visit her and play with her. She was the size of a German Shepard with hair as white as a Samoyed and a beautiful face like some kind of terrier. She also must have had Collie in her too as she loved to herd my brother and I to protect us from Geronimo, the young German Shepherd who lived in the neighbour’s house. He was her nemesis after he let us ride him like a horse and she had to watch from behind the sliding glass door. She lived to the age of 18 and passed away peacefully in her sleep.
I rescued and adopted many dogs over the years and I can’t picture my life without one. I have had successes in Shutzhund (protection & security) training 2 Boxers, 1 I bought from a breeder and the other a rescue who was found deep in the northern bush close to an oil well.
My first time at a dog show I instantly fell in love. Every breed of dog you can think of under one roof. Handlers magically making their dogs look like they are gliding through the air. I entered my first dog show with my Boxer. I took a handling class and there was so much to learn. Long story short she loved working security way more than dog shows and she let everyone know by jumping around trying to get me to play. However, even though I looked foolish it was too late, I was already hooked with training a dog how to show.
I’m sure by now you’re still asking “ok so you’ve had different dogs, why purebreds?”
It comes to this.. my children. I need dogs that are temperamentally sound in my home. Being “sound” means a better chance of predicting their personality. I’ve had show dogs in my home I have done extensive research of breeds, breeders and clubs. I have picked out dogs from breeders who have many years of experience. Their litters are deliberate and my relationship with the breeders I choose is already established way before the pups are born, in some occasions.
I left the show ring a few years ago due to medical and family issues. I’ve missed it ever since and was getting back into it right before the pandemic hit. I am still conditioning myself and my dogs in hopes to get in the ring again.
I agree with ethical breeding, training and rescuing dogs. Maybe you could call me a walking contradiction, but I consider myself a dog enthusiast. Rescue or not I don’t regret any of the dogs who have shared their lives with me. Mixed or purebred dog, I’m taking a page out of my furry babies’ life lessons and live in the present.
My current indoor wolf pack consists of a one-eared hairless Chinese Crested dog who doesn’t know he’s supposed to have 2 ears and 2 poodles who think they’re human. Ahh, it’s a beautiful life.
I will be doing a livestream on at 10am EST on Friday February 12, 2021.
This is part of a series on how to clip a poodle’s face, feet and undercarriage.
I decided to create this series to help dog owners trim their own dog’s hair to help maintain them during the pandemic. Grooming my dogs is a kind of therapy and physical exercise for me. As a certified groomer I knew getting a poodle would be an experience something I had to work up to. Guys, poodles have a sh*t ton of hair!
This series can also help you make a decision if a breed that requires this amount of grooming is for you. See you tomorrow!
It will be broadcast to my YouTube Channel and a link on Twitter as well.
I did a live video stream about how I groom my dogs. The pandemic has us packed away for safety so how do you get your dogs groomed? Many of us miss taking our furbabies to get groomed where they come out looking perfect… Those were the days, but for now, your dog needs your help.
I’ve had my share of grooming, showing and training dogs and I, too, had to learn a lot about them. We bring our dogs into our homes with all love but we have to remind ourselves that this is a responsibility. When people tell you to do your research before you get a dog, I get it. I’m from the old school before the internet where actual books were your only source of information. Looking for breed specific books was an errand on the list with other shopping needs. Although the internet has solved that issue, sometimes the info highway can get convoluted depending on what you read. Well, this is not that kind of post.
This post is made to help you start grooming your own dogs and develop a new bonding experience. So let’s begin with tools.
Fine and wide tooth comb
If you have a dog that requires regular grooming, you will need a few things. A metal comb made specifically for dogs and yes, there was a time when I used a plastic human comb… Short story, it broke in my Lhasa Apso’s coat and he looked at me with disdain while I spent 5 mins picking broken plastic teeth out of his hair.
Pin brush and slicker brush
Long and double coated dogs need to be brushed everyday. That cute fluffy puppy grows coat by the minute so before you bring him/her home make sure you invest in quality brushes. As puppies, my poodles were brushed, combed and daily checked for any knots that tend to form in sensitive areas.
Small, medium and large brushes
Make sure you buy size appropriate brushes for your puppy. It can be intimidating to see this great big thing with a bunch of teeth coming at you so speak softly and encourage your pup by letting him/her smell all your tools before you use them. This is telling your pup to trust you because this tool is an extension of your hand.
Dual spray bottle with water and a small spray bottle with diluted conditioner.
Misting and conditioning the coat is also an awesome maintenance tip. My breeder friend taught me this tip years ago. I was preparing my dog’s coat, I had it brushed and combed out perfectly, but he decided that rolling in the grass and playing with my other dog was fun. I called my friend exhausted and totally whining. After he laughed at me, he told me to mix my concentrated conditioner and dilute it at a 1:1 ratio and lightly mist his coat while I combed through it again. Wow did I ever breathe sigh of relief. 4 hours of grooming was saved and he went on to get his Championship! This tip can greatly change your world and shave some time off their daily groom. Now don’t get crazy and douse your dog with conditioner their skin needs to breathe and dried conditioner on their skin can be problematic.
I left a couple of links to the brushes I use and a live stream where I’m prepping my dog, Babbette’s coat for her bath. Don’t stress about getting a brush, wash and final groom done in one day. A little progress everyday is a win for you and your furbaby!
I came across an video article about dogs sniffing for coronavirus among the patrons at all home games. I had to watch it about 5 times until I could put all the words and procedures, I was seeing in my eyes, together. The video raised questions and thoughts as to if this option was a real thing. I had to slice this bit by bit and figure this out. I mean this is going way beyond what I was even thinking. Let’s start slicing..
The first layer is that the Miami Heat representatives have considered extra precautions to ensure the safety of their patrons at all their home games at the American Airlines Arena. I have to commend their efforts in being proactive during this pandemic. The video shows people formed in groups all faces are masked. The first checkpoint you are lined up 6 feet between each other and you must go through a metal detector. Layer 1 is complete.
The second step is a visual check and the scent sniffing corona virus dogs come out. If you are ok you and your group is lead to your seating area. If anyone in your group has been alerted by the dogs, you and your entire group are denied entry. As I watched the whole procedure play itself out I was in awe. Guys this is really happening. Ok so I digested that video and was, yet again, perturbed about something I still can’t put my mind at ease about.
Here are my questions: How does a dog know what corona virus smells like? How does one train a dog to detect the virus? If dogs can smell it, is there a way we can smell ourselves and know we are virus free? What if you’re sneaking treats into the stadium and the dog smells that and alerts to you but it’s too late because your group can’t get in because beef jerky was your fave snack? Will they blast you online and you try to explain about the jerky but everyone is pissy? These are the questions we should really be asking. Or maybe I just need some answers.
While the world is on pause I decided to share some tips on doing some 101 minimum puppy care for your new furbaby.
I have been grooming, training and showing dogs for over 25 years. Of course, I am a sucker for those little fluffy puppies but they are definitely a lot of work. Dog sales have sky rocketed over the last year, so fast that I have seen some frustration and confusion on basic puppy care.
Whatever the reason you have about bringing a puppy into your home; he/she is now staring right back at you while you’re trying to figure out your next move. There are some basic equipment that I’m sure you already have in place. Namely you will have: a food and water bowl; crate/kennel; bones & toys; blanket; leash & collar; brush and/or comb. Along with those listed, you will need a Veterinarian, a Groomer and contact information of your breeder. I know, it may seem like a lot but these are the secrets of owning a new puppy.
Once upon a time, there wasn’t a pandemic and we could easily book grooming and veterinarian appointments. Now, we are encouraged to independently take care of the beings within our home. For me, that includes haircuts for humans and dogs. Regardless of breed, our pups of all ages need their nails clipped. The clip clop of the nails on the hard surface floors is a sign that your dog needs a nail trim.
I use a scissor type pet nail clipper to take off extra length. I take off at least 3-5mm off of each nail. I found a clipper and nail file combination on Amazon. I especially like the guard it has that can limit the amount of nail to trim. When trimming puppy nails it can be a challenge. They squirm and sometimes cry. Stay calm and even if you get one nail done, call it a win for the day and try again the next day. I recommend tapping the clipper on each nail to desensitize your pup.
The product that most prompted me to do this post is a nail grinder I found also on Amazon. A nail grinder is an electric corded or cordless rotary tool. This grinder is cordless and rechargeable which makes it easier to get around each foot. It is very quiet and dogs of all ages in my household don’t argue with me at all. I felt it was important to share these tools because those long nails can cause hip and spine problems with your dog in the long term. I have been using this grinder for over a year without any problems. Using a combo of both the clippers and the grinder should make your nail trimming day a lot easier. I would also recommend grinding your dogs nails on a regular basis of once or more a week.
If anything doing the bare minimum of keeping your dog’s nails trimmed can lead to a stronger bond with them. A trust like that can also lead to having the courage to giving them a haircut…. but that will be another post. ☺️
I just wanna chill kind of weekend. With my recent dog napping event… Oh wait, I haven’t explain that one..
Yes.. This happened a few days ago. A very bold person tried to take my dog out of my yard. It’s incredible how the lockdown hasn’t deterred people to do horrible things. Instead of boxing myself in I decided to own my space. I have to admit to being more complacent lately.
My best friend posted this picture on Facebook to help find her
A new year means I am doing meaningful work. My energy has been improving more and more each day. Preserving my energy and using it in small doses of energy doesn’t really sit well with me and I’ve been learning how to cope. The anxiety that my home was violated makes me feel angry. Like who does this in one of the scariest time of our lives?
I guess this is my wakeup call and also a reason that I’m up late, shopping on Amazon. My hope is that I get a glimpse of this person. I want to catch them. That should be a really fun time!
It’s another Sunday and I’m recovering from my brain scramble at yesterday’s MRI appointment. I feel like I have a concussion. Other than that things are great here on Bed Island.
I have missed mixing music. I haven’t touched my wheels of steel in almost 2 years. Today was the day! I’m all hooked up into Soundcloud and Spotify ( stilettosupermom ) where I have some playlists I created years ago while messing around on Meerkat. Lol what a great time!
Stay safe out there and cheers to another brand new week!
I am always looking for new apps and products to try out so tonight I scheduled a live stream on the Happs application. I’ll be testing it throughout the night. If you feel like joining me check the link
