The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

A couple weeks ago, the Polar Bear somehow managed to rip his weird little claw that grows from the bone of his leg between his extra dew claw and his foot. He did not rip it completely off but rather ripped the nail so short that the entire quick was hanging out. This resulted in him licking it continuously and me, who can easily stand in a room with a body that has been decomposing for months with no adverse effects, feeling overwhelming nausea every time I looked at it. So a phone call to the vet and out came the band aids, neosporin, gauze, tape and sock. The result of my surgery:

You suck mom.

Of course he promptly went right outside and pulled it all off. But I was able to tape and bandage it long enough for the nail to grow back and cover the quick and he has since fully recovered.

PB went to see the behaviorist yesterday for his 6 month evaluation. She was amazed at how far he has come even since she last saw him. He walked in through the door of his own accord; he did not once bark, growl or mutter at her and he actually lay down in a relaxed manner and slept while we talked. We introduced him to her elderly female Shiba Inu and he did fine. Just like taking a car to the mechanic - you cannot reproduce your complaint when you're actually there! But she has several other very large dogs and we will meet at a park near my house in January so she can see what his dog reactivity looks like. Otherwise, we were both very proud and pleased with my big white bear. In fact, she asked for a photo and a little written blurb about his story and background to post on her website as a success story. His 2 year anniversary of coming to live with me passed several days ago and the change in him is extraordinary.

PB however, is not impressed with any of this and if the foot surgery wasn't enough for him to think of me as the Grinch, putting up the tree and blocking his view of the street was the final straw.



Yes, the tree is crooked. I know. A friend and I went to cut down our own trees this year and in a moment of poor planning, we decided to do so in the dark. It *looked* straight at the time. I spent far too long crawling around on the floor adjusting the screws in the stand before I realized the trunk itself is crooked. Oh well. Everything else in my house has personality, why not the tree too?


PB is also mildly disturbed by the many Santas that are standing guard around the living room. These are the left overs of my mom's army of Santas. PB casts a baleful eye on them whenever he gets close to one.

Back off old man.

Unfortunately, no snow for us this year. PB and I will go back over to Leavenworth next week to play in the snow and see the lights.

The kitties wish you all a Merry Christmas. I would post a photo of them too except that they are halfway up the Christmas tree, pulling garland and ornaments off. We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

Snow Daze

Snow gaze.

Snow sentry.

Snow doze.

Snow nose.

Snow cone.

Let It Snow

I am still here! I have not died, left the country or fled my home, tempting though it seems sometimes. I have simply been too tired and too busy to post anything. Due to the weather, I have a little reprieve in my normal schedule so here we are. To my infinite delight (and the Polar Bear's greatest fantasy) it has snowed already this year. We only have about 3 inches of snow but that is enough to turn him stupid silly.

What? This isn't normal?

You will notice his wobbler in the background. Polar Bear got a new puzzle toy because I am a sucker plus I am an idiot. I had to get rid of his buster cube which I foolishly left outside in the rain for sometime. When I tried to clean it out (you cannot take those things apart - serious design flaw) by rinsing it over and over, all that came out were moldy pieces of kibble and a whole colony of slugs. Ugh. So I tossed it out and bought the wobbler in the meantime. However, the wobbler is not nearly as challenging as the buster cube was:

Jake sized IQ points

Simply knocking it over causes the kibble to fall out in a veritable cascade and it isn't hard for a 100 pound dog to bat this all over the yard. Although Polar Bear seemed to have mastered sucking the kibble out when I checked on him:

I need a straw mom.

Then he turned into a large arctic shar pei, so intent was he on getting every last piece.

Could someone hold my skin back please? I can't see...

So I ordered a new buster cube since that lasts far longer and actually challenges PB. In the meantime, just tossing a handful of kibble into the snow keeps him happily occupied. When he's done, he races around the yard with a severe case of the zoomies, shoveling snow into his mouth like a plow and eating it off the deck. If you look closely in the photo below, you can see his bully stick hanging out of the left side of his mouth. He kept it there for sometime, like he was smoking a pipe on a cold winter's afternoon.

Where's Waldo?

Meanwhile....

Moooommmmm!!!! Where is the grass???

The orange menace, failing to notice that the world looked entirely different and therefore something must have changed, flew out the doggie door this morning and came to a *screeching* halt when his little feet stuck to the deck. He tiptoed back inside, doing his best to barely touch that awful stuff.

Breathe, breathe, breathe...

The Polar Bear looked on disdainfully from his post in the yard.

Retard.

Because PB was so ecstatic about the snow and so clearly in his element, I hauled myself out of bed at 0200 hrs this morning and drove him to the park. It was a toasty 23 degrees but windy which made the cold even more bitter. But it wasn't snowing and we had no problems driving. It was a gorgeous night as there was an almost full moon which was actually out and the park was ethereal with the snow, the moon and the wind. Best of all, a stunning white owl flew around us hunting mice the whole time we were there. Definitely worth the cold and the drive. Unfortunately, typically I forgot the camera but will attempt to remember when we go tonight. PB went berserk, racing around the park, eating snow, chasing rabbits and generally behaving like a puppy. He was exhausted when we got home.

I am exhausted. But not too exhausted to gnaw on my bone.

We took PB up to Canada last week but I must confess, I believe even PB's enthusiasm waned a little due to the deluge: a sideways, freezing cold rain and the mud pit that was the field. He was very happy to see all his friends but when even the dogs are pulling to get back to the car, you know the weather is atrocious. So no photos from that singular event.

Still waiting to see if I got into my EMT class this winter. If I did, it would be nothing short of a miracle given I did not study. If I didn't, I will be able to go night skiing so my regrets will be few and I will just test for spring quarter.

In the meantime, we frolic in the snow, enjoy our days off which are happily coinciding with the city exploding at work since an inch of snow in Seattle is certainly cause for devastating panic and we are looking forward to the holidays.

Polar Bear would like to leave everyone with one last thought for now: let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

The Polar Bear Goes to Bavaria

Today the Polar Bear and I went for a little drive over to Leavenworth. It takes about 2 hours from my house but it's a beautiful drive at this time of the year and once the fog burned off, we had spectacular fall weather.

Our first stop was the Tumwater Pipeline Trail. This seemed like the perfect trail for PB. Straight, flat, short and not something I would be sorely disappointed in missing if he couldn't finish or froze on the trail. It begins with this lovely old bridge which, as you can see from the photos, was an old pipe.

I was initially concerned that PB would refuse to cross the bridge as the sides are quite low and the rushing Wenatchee River is beneath. He took a moment to consider...

What the hell is THAT?

But he quickly decided he was up for it and crossed with no problem. We sauntered along the trail, enjoying gorgeous fall foliage. The colors are a little more vibrant and a little more advanced in their turning compared to the west side, probably from all the sun on the east side of the pass.











However, our enjoyment of the trail and colors came to an abrupt halt when PB, whom I thought was just behind me sniffing, suddenly wrenched my arm off when he decided he simply could not take *one more step*. I turned around and saw this:

I believe the car is THIS way.

PB sat in the sand until mom decided he was well and truly set on going back to the car after only about 10 minutes on the trail. I sighed, patted myself on the back for being ok with turning around so soon and followed PB back into less stressful territory. He did not seem to believe I was that easily convinced and continued to check up on me.

Follow me mom.

We're not out of the woods yet....

I think I hear something. Hurry it up mom.

Mom however, kept pausing to take photos of his royal highness and the beautiful scenery. PB was not impressed and was moving along at a good clip. Hence the stress yawn whenever I stopped.

My blood pressure is going up with every photo...

As we neared the bridge to go back to the car, PB suddenly took notice of what was below him.

Where are my water wings?

*I'm* wearing them PB.

Once safely back at the car, we drove the final 2 miles into Leavenworth. For those that haven't been there, Leavenworth is a re-creation of a Bavarian village in the mountains. In winter, you can almost believe you are in Germany. For now, you can almost believe it's a giant senior citizen amusement park. No offense to the older folks amongst us. Because school is back in session and the tourist season is in a lull before the holidays, I would venture to say that 96% of all the people we saw today were over the age of 90. They were ancient, tottering and low key. Which is a perfect world for the Polar Bear and partly why I went. Also, the buildings are kind of cool and one degree above being cheesy.

Leavenworth welcomes you and your dollars.

Facades and fake German music emanating from the gazebo.

The beer garden I did not get to partake in because PB was being anti-social.

We wandered around the whole tiny little town. PB wore his Do Not Pet vest which continues to work wonders. However, it also continues to prompt the question, "What's he training for?" I have to stifle the urge to make up absurd answers like "A triathlon" etc. Now, instead of explaining that people aren't allowed to pet him, I have to explain that he is in training to exit the car, not growl at people, not hide behind me and not freeze in the middle of the street. One woman told me about her service dog and I had to explain that while I think service dogs are great and I would love for PB to operate at that level, we are working on the basics...still.

Despite freezing on the trail and refusing to walk down to the river once we were in town, I was enormously proud of my boy as he walked everywhere I took him, he was calm in the face of many people, noises, men and dogs and he performed all his obedience commands perfectly when asked. He didn't even wear his Gentle Leader during our time in town.

He did garner a HUGE amount of attention. I kind of felt like we were part of the town tourist attraction and I think we may possibly have been stopped by everyone there at one point, including the mailman. Everyone exclaimed over what a gorgeous dog he is and then cooed and sighed and when I told them why he is so wary of people. But these kind of outings never cease to amaze me because my boy has come so far and he is so much more capable of actually enjoying his time outside around the rest of the world than he used to be. He took treats, sniffed all the trees, sat and relaxed with me on a bench etc. While he was still watchful, he was not completely overwhelmed or stressed and that is a big victory for us.

The only downside was not being able to tie him up outside like I used to be able to do with Hudson so I could go grab a coffee. Even the Starbucks had a Germanic look to it.

You can look but you can't touch.

So I had to get my coffee as we drove out of town later. But that was a small price to pay for spending the day with the Polar Bear.

Since he wouldn't walk to the river, I drove him there so he could cool off. He was quite happy once he got there; apparently driving Miss Daisy is required for his highness. There was a perfect beach for dogs - nice and sandy and no rocks and he thoroughly enjoyed his dip in the river.

Don't I look angelic?

That is not the word that comes to mind PB. Mostly I just couldn't get the sun angle right so it looks a little like he has a halo. But trust me, he is not an angel.

The requisite flying ears photo.

And of course the "Where is the car, mom?" look.

As a final note to this post, you will all notice (you WILL) that PB is looking a little sleeker and svelter than in posts past. That is because I put him on a limited treats diet. He was truly getting porky so I grudgingly had to discipline myself and restrict the daily bully sticks, bones, kongs etc.

We hope you are all outside enjoying the gorgeous weather and the fall colors and that you too, will post your fall adventures on your blogs for our enjoyment!

Furmination

It's been a busy few weeks for us. Last Saturday, I volunteered with King County's K9 Search and Rescue team. They put together a huge regional training out in North Bend with K9 teams from as far away as Montana. I haven't seen so many dogs in one setting in my life! I was in heaven - finally, people who are willing to talk dogs for hours and not roll their eyes at me and groan like they do at work. There were bloodhounds, beagles, labs, German Shepherds, Malinois, two Newfoundlands and a variety of mixes. The majority of dogs were German Shepherds and Labs but to my never ending delight, there was a Pyr/Anatolian mix on my team. There IS hope for an LGD SAR dog!

I was put on an air scent team with 5 golden labs, one German Shepherd, one chocolate lab and the Pyr/Anatolian who began his SAR career as an avalanche dog up at the Alpental Ski area and where he still primarily works. We began the day working on runaways where the dogs are allowed to watch the runner run down a path and duck into the woods and hide. (The hardest part of this was me, pretending there were no spiders in there. lalalalalala) They are then released with the command "Go Find!" The dogs rush off down the trail where they find the hider and they are then required to return to their handler to alert them to the fact the they have located the "lost" person. For some dogs the alert is a tug on a toy hanging from the handler's belt, for some it's a bark, for some it's literally leaping off the ground and jumping kamikaze fashion on the owner and for Glacier, the Pyr/Anatolian, it was to run between his handler Scott's legs. Poor Suzanne - she was covered in bruises from her lab Keb's over enthusiastic launching of herself at full speed at Suzanne to let her know she had found the hider.

One of the things the handlers have to train early is the alert and this is a critical decision. The alert has to be unmistakable and rock solid. It can't be something that might occur naturally and if it is, it has to be so definitive so as to differentiate between for instance, barking because I'm having fun and excited vs. one single purposeful bark while I stand in front of you and look at you intently. It also has to be something the dog is willing to do and comes to naturally. So for instance Glacier is trained to dig for avalanche survivors but it would not be useful for him to dig once he's found a missing hiker so Scott has trained him to run between his legs as his alert because Glacier is used to skiing down slope between his legs. It was easy to teach him that and it came naturally. Keb, the jumping lab, is a jumper in general and Suzanne found it easiest to channel that into something useful so for now, she is a human punching bag! However, the handler has to take into account the fallout from a certain alert. Keb jumping on Suzanne isn't such a great idea if Suzanne is on a ridge trail looking for a lost hiker. Keb will knock her right off the ledge so Suzanne is trying to figure out how to modify Keb's current alert. Cross trained dogs who are also HRD dogs (human remains detection) must be trained NOT to dig if that is their usual alert because digging might destroy a crime scene. There are many considerations that aren't immediately obvious. One of our team member's dog is HRD cross trained and his command to his dog to let the dog know he wants him to find a dead person and not a live person in a certain area, is "Bones". Evidently this is a common command but of course if a loved one of the person who is possibly deceased hears that, it will have the wrong connotation, even if they know their loved one is dead.

After we worked on runaways for awhile, we changed to pop ups where the dog is not allowed to see where the runner went but once released, the person pops up and yells very briefly and then hides again. The dog then has to track the person down and run back and forth between handler and lost person, giving the alert until the dog leads the handler to the hider. These are called "refinds".

Because I was working on an air scent team, the dogs all work off leash as opposed to tracking teams who look for a specific person on leash. Tracking teams are given a scent article that contains the scent of the person they are looking for and are given a command to find a specific person, usually "Find that!". These dogs will run through a crowd of people and ignore everyone except the person they are looking for by following scent "rafts" which are the tiny particles of skin etc. that we all shed and are unique to us. This is kind of like a specific form of air scenting. The other version of tracking is to actually ground track a person by means of the changes in chemicals that are released when brush and the environment is disturbed using the foot prints of the person etc. Even our air scent dogs resorted to ground tracking at times but the prevailing belief is "Who cares? If that's the easiest and fastest way for the dog to find the person, so be it". Of course this does not hold true for tracking dogs as it would be useless for them to find every random person.

Our team was trained specifically to range off leash through a large area and look for any person in that area. One of our team members was from Yakima where it's far less densely wooded and his dog can work for hours and cover a huge amount of territory since the landscape is pretty open. We were working in fairly dense woods with brush, obstacles, streams and a lot of elevation gain and loss. It was all bushwhacking as there were no trails except game trails and I learned a lot about what scent does depending on the topography, the weather, water etc. It was absolutely fascinating to watch the dogs work once we graduated to having someone hide in 10 acres of forest and unleashed the dog to find that person.

I also learned a lot about the dogs, the motivation levels, the focus and the breeds - all of great importance in making a decision about the type of dog I would want to work. The labs were typical labs - bouncy, happy, motivated but prone to distraction. For instance, one super ADHD highly motivated field lab found me while I was hiding for her but true to lab form, she wanted to hang out with me for a bit, snuffle around, lick my face and..."Oh crap! I'm supposed to tell my handler I found the lost person!!!" You could almost see the sudden remembrance on her face and off she went. In real life, this is a flaw that needs to be corrected because time may be of the absolute essence if someone has been lost for a long time, is injured etc. The dog needs to immediately alert the handler they have found the person and bring the handler to them ASAP. The German Shepherd on the other hand was phenomenal. He was a guided missile with the utmost laser focus. He went straight to the hider at mach 4, returned straight to the handler at mach 5, tugged on his bumper toy to alert and ran directly back and forth for the refinds until his handler found the person.

Alas, Glacier the LGD, was well....an LGD. He watched the person runaway. He yawned. He sat. He ignored the treats. He loped when he went to find the person, he loped back. Etc. There is no question the mellow nature of the LGD pales in comparison to the drive of the GS's and the labs. But in his defense, he is very new to air scent and I would guess he is far more excited about people buried under snow.

The day was gorgeous, it was long but a ton of fun and I learned so much. Everyone is a volunteer so you have to be passionate about SAR and dogs and they all were. Everyone was fantastic about answering my bajillion questions, teaching me things, giving me suggestions etc. This is definitely something I will pursue and I was far more impressed with the level of training as well as the non-aversive methods used than I am with the police K9's we use. It's one thing to not be able to find the bad guy or have the dog fail at tracking the suspect. It's a whole other thing to have your SAR dog not find a missing child, a missing elderly person or an injured hiker. There is far less room for error and these dogs were absolutely amazing in their ability to hone in on a person in the middle of nowhere.

Speaking of low drive dogs: I furminated the Polar Bear today as he has been undergoing a massive coat blowout for winter and I am tired of it snowing polar bear hair in my house. This is him sitting proudly next to the snow drifts on the deck (and this was AFTER I cleaned up most of it!):

Whew. That was exhausting.

Polar Bear finds the whole brushing/furmination business blissful and will fall asleep on all fours while I brush him. He loves it. If only I had a loom, I could weave the insane amount of hair that came off of him into something useful.

PB has had some stressful days for reasons unknown and he is back to freezing on his walks again. We have worked through that and I have come to realize that he is far more advanced than I give him credit for when it comes to dogs, men and other trigger happy events. So instead of just having him sit and clicking and treating, we have been utilizing our touch, find it and watch me commands so he is actively engaged in doing something and focusing on me. He has done very well.

In fact, because he has now associated treats and looking at me with scary events, I have inadvertently trained him to tell me when something is scary even when I didn't know it scared him. Today, I took him for a walk along the river trail and two rollerbladers rolled by. Because bikers don't bother him, I assumed rollerbladers didn't either. However, he nudged my leg and looked up at me with his "This is scary mom. Treat please" look and I realized that rollerbladers probably bother him because they are upright, look much more like normal people that hunched over bikers but they come at him a lot faster than a walker or runner. So he is now able to "tell" me when something is making him nervous by asking for a treat to calm himself. Very handy for me.

Not the sharpest knife in the drawer, are you?

Someday I will figure out how to get rid of the devil eyes but for now, he is practicing for Halloween. This pose does however, remind me of my surprise to see Glacier, the LGD mix, lie in exactly this pose, with legs crossed just like PB does. I have never seen any other dog except an LGD cross their legs in this manner and it was absolutely uncanny how alike Glacier and PB were in their mannerisms. Alas, I didn't get any photos from our SAR training.

PB has also been very excited by the increase in fall squirrel hoarding in our backyard. They run along the fence line driving all three of my monsters berserk.

Did you see it mom? Did you? Squirrel alert!!!

The weather has been rainy lately so I put one of our mutt mats that I use for Control Unleashed training out on the deck under the eave so PB will have somewhere comfy to lie out of the rain. Do you think he uses it? Absolutely not. He would like me to point out that he is a REAL MAN. Thus Stabitha, ignoring the clear dog symbol on the mat, has made it her new home.

Why does he get all the good stuff?

He does indeed, consume most of the pet budget. One of the things I have struggled with is whether or not to get him one of the working dog vests that say something to the effect of working dog/dog in training, do not pet. I used to think these vests attract even more attention to the dog, make people want to approach and ask what the dog is training for etc. and the vest, combined with the Gentle Leader, may make people think PB is vicious and I don't want their unconscious fear or concern about him to be something he picks up on.

However, since we have begun going to local coffee shops etc. and sitting outside, clicking and treating as people come and go for socialization, I have come to realize that nothing I put on the PB will attract more attention than he already gets. The big white fluffy polar bear is a crowd pleaser and a show stopper. Every person wants to pet him, every kid wants to hug him and people even ask me if I will let him play with their dogs. It's gotten to the point where I can't even get a sip of coffee in (this is the real problem) because I am so busy saying please don't approach him, please don't pet him and explaining why. SO - I finally bought him a vest. He modelled it for the first time today after we worked up to an introduction to it with the clicker and some cheese.

You don't have to say it. I know I'm stunningly handsome.

So off we went to the new soccer fields nearby where, every Sunday, approximately half the kid population of Washington and all their parents go to play and watch a gazillion soccer games. Wearing his new vest, PB sat in a relatively unpopulated area with me and got tasty liver treats while people screamed, men walked by, dogs barked etc. He did fabulously well and seemed very calm. I actually think the vest works a little like his T Touch tee shirt and gives him a sense of security. People looked at him curiously and smiled but no one approached. Amen. Problem solved and PB seems to think the vest is like a tux or something. He positively struts when I put it on him as you can see from the above photo!

Finally, the last two recently read and recommended dog books. I have to read these books in small batches so I have time to absorb everything otherwise it's just checking books off a list without really understanding and thinking about what was said.

Jen Bidner's Dog Heroes book is a great book - basic but very useful info' and lots of fantastic pictures. Bidner traces the history of working dogs all the way back to their first uses in the 18th century and there are all sorts of interesting anecdotes and facts in here.




The Dog Who Loved Too Much I really enjoyed because of the research aspect and Dodman's addressing both common behavioral issues as well as other dog behaviors that get far less attention. For instance, the work he and his colleagues have done at Tufts in attempting to find out exactly why thunderstorms cause such distress in dogs and why so many jump in the bathtub, hide in the bathroom etc. is really thought provoking. He also has a fascinating chapter on OCD issues in dogs and the genetic background to these disorders. Definitely worth reading.




PB and I are off to get some things done so we can head over to Leavenworth on Tuesday for a day in the fall sunshine and the outdoors. Photos will be forthcoming.

Searching and Rescuing

Before I get onto this post's topics, I would like to add a brief footnote from the last post. When I logged on to my news website today, this is the headline that greeted me "Spider Invasion Creeps out Western Washington". I rest my case. At least I am not the only squeamish fool with a tactical can of Raid I carry everywhere...

The title of this week's post refers to my happy anticipation of a full day of volunteering with King County Search and Rescue tomorrow. My liaison with KCSO has assured me I will both hide and track and I can't wait. I have been avidly pursuing all the various classes I will need, should I get to the top of the waiting list. To wit: First Aid (for me AND the dog!), HAM radio operation, GPS and compass navigation, avalanche rescue, river rescue (ha! do you have to be able to swim?) and knots and rappelling which I am kind of rusty on these days. I have already submitted my request to the City of Bellevue to pay for my tuition to become a certified EMT. In the meantime, my next priority is to attend the King County SAR Academy which is coming up. Alas, my dreams of rescuing another LGD for SAR work are fizzling as I gaze at my completely mellow, low drive, ball apathetic, low energy Maremma!

The other part of the title refers to the recent resumption of the rescue of the two remaining Akbash which I was working on earlier this summer. As we all knew would eventually happen, the dogs were confiscated last Friday by Animal Control. The neighbors reported that they were running loose and are extremely aggressive. They ended up down in the Kent Animal Shelter and I went down yesterday to bring them treats and visit them while their fate is decided.

I am not sure who was more traumatized - me or them. While the people at the shelter were very nice and clearly care about all the animals, the shelter is old, dank and full. The din in there was deafening and of course, due to the areas the shelter serves, a large majority of the dogs were pit bulls.

Our two Akbash were in poor condition - they were visibly shaking out of sheer terror. No more barking, growling and aggression...they were absolutely beaten down by the noise, the run, the foreign environment and all the people. Because they have never been socialized, they are extremely fearful of people and other dogs. Achilles in particular was a mess. He brought a tear to my eye while I fed him treats and more tears on the way home thinking about him cowering in the back of the cage. I was able to walk Aris but he was nothing like the dog I once knew. Myself, the woman who runs Akbash rescue and the woman who runs Anatolian rescue are all frantically coming up with options for foster, boarding etc.

It was decided today that animal control will not give the dogs back due to their extensive history with the owner. However, there is still an appeals process to get through if the owner chooses to use that option instead of signing them over to us. That means the dogs could be there for 45 days which breaks my heart. A very sad and complex situation all the way around but I am still holding onto hope that we will eventually get the dogs and rehome them. Achilles' brother now has a wonderful life in Sequim with people who love him and he has adjusted beautifully. I can only hope the same will be true for Achilles. So we continue to search and rescue...

Speaking of rescue, now that 2 years have passed and I am not so overwhelmed by all the behavior and training theories I initially read in order to help the Polar Bear, I decided it's high time to continue reading the myriad other books I never got to on my list. Thus the following:




This is the most scientific of the books. I haven't finished it yet as it is a little dense but I really like Coren's writing and there's all sorts of cool factoids in it.





At first I thought this was a kid's book but Dr. Ian Dunbar is famous for his writings on dog behavior and he is amusing to read. This one isn't too in depth but is a quick read with a lot of great info', especially for the uninitiated dog owner.






This is my favorite and I wish I had read it way back when as I was struggling with the beginning days of the Polar Bear. Nicole Wilde writes really succinctly, uses great examples and anticipates all the problems you may have and gives solutions which I could have used on many an occasion. I would highly recommend this book for anyone with a dog, not just a fearful dog as her suggestions will aid any dog with just about any issue.

I have many more on the list, most specific to SAR work. Unfortunately, the King County library is currently doing some fancy upgrades and merging to their on line system which means I can no longer place holds via the internet. Which means I have to get my butt off the computer chair and actually go to the library, look up the card catalog number and find it myself instead of finding it already selected for me under my last name. How dare they make me work?! So it could be awhile...

Finally, Stabitha and Dexter would like me to solicit some sympathy on their behalf. They went to the vet today for their yearly shots and check ups. We learned two things. They are both FAT because they went to stay with grandma while I was in Spo-Compton and she free fed them and secondly, the needle required to put their microchips in was what we call *large gauge*. They were not happy. The vet told me that as a result of the shots etc. they may have a decreased appetite and be pretty lethargic. Hallelujah said I. That solves two problems in one go. Can we just give them a shot a day? I am perfectly ok with giving shots on my own. But she said that would be unhealthy or unethical or some such blather. Oh well. We tried.

I'm sorry. Were you speaking?

Post vet appointment. While Stabbers did indeed crash on the sofa as seen above, no such luck with Dex. Somehow I knew he would not succumb to the shots...

Foot Dragging Tired

PB and I are both exhausted. I am tired because of a bed bug infestation in my house. I don't know where they came from - my guess is the Spo-Compton hotel - but when they come, they don't want to leave. We had the pest control guy out this morning and you wouldn't believe what one must go through to get rid of these little bastards. I have washed and dried everything I own on hot cycles, paid a ridiculous amount of money to have my local dry cleaner dry all my duvets and bed linens in their huge dryer on high, obsessively showered, compulsively picked through PB and the cat's fur like some kind of demented baboon to be sure this really isn't fleas and mostly made offerings to the gods that this pest control poison I will now be sleeping in is going to work.

I can heartily suggest bed bugs as an effective psychological torture device. Although they don't carry diseases and mine I cannot even see - in fact the pest control guy is dubious as to whether I really have them as we found no signs - but I can assure you that when I go to bed, I can feel the buggers crawling on me and I wake up with bites all over me. For someone who is mildly OCD about things being neat and clean, this is intolerable. Hence I have not really slept for days. This really sucks in every sense of the word, especially when you work nights and you're tired all the time anyway. But enough of the woe is me...

PB is also very tired but for a much better reason.

Screw you.

Last Friday, I had to go into work for a meeting and I decided to bring the Polar Bear with me since it was a short meeting. I took him running with me beforehand as it was a nice day and I thought he would enjoy seeing some new scenery and running through the nature park we haven't visited in awhile. I now know he would have preferred to see that scenery from the car. Once PB realized we were actually going to run THE WHOLE WAY, he put on the brakes and would not move. It took me forever to get him going again and I had to stop every mile or so and let him walk and rest because his porky self is out of running shape. Granted it was almost 6 miles and I didn't want to injure PB but nevertheless, walking every mile for a a few hundred meters is rather pathetic for my noble boy. But walk we did as he put on his face of misery and acted like I was killing him. Kind of like this face when Dexie woke him up later that night:

I'm sure she has a leash for you, orange menace. Next time YOU run 6 miles.

After the run, I gave him a raw bone to gnaw on in the car, a big bowl of water and his huge squishy bed to lie in while I went to my meeting. When I returned, for the first time ever, I stood at the open window looking in on him and he was sound asleep despite all the foot traffic past the car. Finally! A solution to the barking! Poor PB was dead to the world and I promised him I would not make him run again.

Did you amputate your own feet Polar Bear?

We got home and he went out into the yard and immediately posed for the first picture on this post and that's where he remained for the rest of the day.

PB graduates tonight and we are excited. Or at least I am. PB was so stressed by the pest control/bed bug killer man that I had to break out his bandana and DAP spray for the first time in ages. PB was not impressed.

Go ahead. Invite him back.

I even had to put on his doggy suicide music because he was so wound up. Hopefully he will be calmer by this evening. As you can see, Stabitha has become accustomed to strangers in the house due to people looking at the house to buy so she is completely unfazed. Poor PB. It's been a tough week for him but he will no doubt recover when the treats come out tonight. Assuming I don't put on my running shoes before we go...