Last night, just after midnight, Zuzu started barking like a MANIAC down by our front door. She was barking as if a chainsaw murderer was breaking into the house. I have never heard that angry of a bark come out of her ever!
I turned on the downstairs light and went down to get her, calming her down and bringing her upstairs. I didn't see anything wrong, so we went back to bed and she guarded me from the bedroom.
Today, however, the girls noticed that a pumpkin had been stolen right off our front porch.
I credit Zuzu to the remaining two left behind. I have no doubt that the thief heard the barking, saw the light flip on, and headed out quickly before grabbing the rest of them.
Good dog!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Training Opportunity
I tend to see everything as a training opportunity. Some, training for the dog. Some, training for me.
When it was time for the bus to come home today, Zuzu wanted out, so I put on her collar and leash and we went out into the front yard so that she could do her business. When she finished, the bus pulled up, so we sat in the driveway and we waited for the girls. She was very good! She did a good, but wiggly, sit-stay, and didn't move until the girls were standing over her greeting her. We all went into the house and played some more.
Later in the day, just before dark, there was a break in the rain so we went out again. I didn't put her choke chain back on because we were just going to head out for a second to pee. After Zu had again done her business, I looked up the street and noticed a teenage boy riding down the street on a skate board with his lab on a leash running behind. I started bringing Zuzu back towards the house, but I wasn't worried. This would be another great training opportunity.
I was mistaken.
As soon as the boy got near us, Zuzu took off running. Without her choke chain on, I had no leverage other than my body weight to hold her in place. I was ready for the pull and I had a great hold on the leash. So great, that when she bolted, I hung on like a champ as she ran across the yard and down the hill with me on my belly dragging behind her!
The yard slopes down towards the street, and the grass was wet, so it was a nice quick ride down to the sidewalk, where I slowed down. I think that was the first time that Zuzu realized I wasn't sprinting behind her. She stopped when I slowed down and looked back at me like, "What are you doing, mom?" She actually looked concerned. (Or maybe that's just me being hopeful.) She turned around and licked me until I was back on my feet, then tried to bolt again.
This time I managed to pull her back and grab her collar and drag her by her collar and ear back to the front door.
When we got inside, she ran for a second, then realized that I wasn't playing and laid down in her hypnotize pose as I scolded her. Then she followed me around giving me little kisses for the rest of the night. She even slept in my room last night.
When I called Jim to tell him the story (he's doing the business trip thing), he truly laughed out loud and said we need to start keeping the video camera out and pointed at Zuzu all the time!
Her walk this morning went fine, and she only pulled a little when she saw a dog that she wanted to meet. Of course I had her choke chain on today, so a small pull from her and a quick snap from me prevented any other antics.
The morale of the story....it appears that both the dog AND the human need a little more training!
When it was time for the bus to come home today, Zuzu wanted out, so I put on her collar and leash and we went out into the front yard so that she could do her business. When she finished, the bus pulled up, so we sat in the driveway and we waited for the girls. She was very good! She did a good, but wiggly, sit-stay, and didn't move until the girls were standing over her greeting her. We all went into the house and played some more.
Later in the day, just before dark, there was a break in the rain so we went out again. I didn't put her choke chain back on because we were just going to head out for a second to pee. After Zu had again done her business, I looked up the street and noticed a teenage boy riding down the street on a skate board with his lab on a leash running behind. I started bringing Zuzu back towards the house, but I wasn't worried. This would be another great training opportunity.
I was mistaken.
As soon as the boy got near us, Zuzu took off running. Without her choke chain on, I had no leverage other than my body weight to hold her in place. I was ready for the pull and I had a great hold on the leash. So great, that when she bolted, I hung on like a champ as she ran across the yard and down the hill with me on my belly dragging behind her!
The yard slopes down towards the street, and the grass was wet, so it was a nice quick ride down to the sidewalk, where I slowed down. I think that was the first time that Zuzu realized I wasn't sprinting behind her. She stopped when I slowed down and looked back at me like, "What are you doing, mom?" She actually looked concerned. (Or maybe that's just me being hopeful.) She turned around and licked me until I was back on my feet, then tried to bolt again.
This time I managed to pull her back and grab her collar and drag her by her collar and ear back to the front door.
When we got inside, she ran for a second, then realized that I wasn't playing and laid down in her hypnotize pose as I scolded her. Then she followed me around giving me little kisses for the rest of the night. She even slept in my room last night.
When I called Jim to tell him the story (he's doing the business trip thing), he truly laughed out loud and said we need to start keeping the video camera out and pointed at Zuzu all the time!
Her walk this morning went fine, and she only pulled a little when she saw a dog that she wanted to meet. Of course I had her choke chain on today, so a small pull from her and a quick snap from me prevented any other antics.
The morale of the story....it appears that both the dog AND the human need a little more training!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Good Dog
I tend to write about antics. And, let's face it, she has way more of those moments than any others, so it's pretty easy.
Today, however, we are going to focus on a brief moment in time where she truly impressed me.
One of her biggest challenges is meeting people at the door. She becomes so exuberant that some people are actually afraid of her. I think the UPS delivery man is either an Olympic athlete or he can teleport. He can knock on the door, and be sitting back in his truck before Zuzu and I reach the entryway.
The Terminix men have serious Zuzu-fear as well. They will not step in the house if she is present. The first one wouldn't even step onto the front porch until I had put her out back.
On Monday, I called them back to help get rid of some seriously creepy spiders that were visiting just in time for Halloween. I hadn't actually seen any of them, but the webs they were stringing and flinging around my porch and deck were not how I prefer to decorate.
As usual, Zu was out back when he was inside and inside when he was out, but I had released her to roam when he reached the front door for the final signature. She was so excited when he came to the door! She would finally get to meet the bug man!
I looked at the excitement in her eyes and the fear in his, and realized that opening the door at that very second could be tragic if I didn't control the situation. I looked over at her wagging and barking body (yes, body, not tail and head; her entire body was shaking, wagging, and contorting in excitement) and said, "Sit!"
Guess what? She sat! I said, "Stay!" and opened my front door while holding my breath. She let me step outside to sign the paperwork, and didn't even bark! She was such a good girl! I even heard the Terminix man say, "wow", softly. It was very cool!
When I finished, I thanked him and stepped back inside, with no puppy antics whatsoever. I gave her lots and lots of love. She is such a good girl!
Now if we could only get her to calm down around the Senior in high school that Darby has started dating, who also is afraid of dogs.
Never mind, nix that. A healthy fear of dogs is probably good for him. ;)
Today, however, we are going to focus on a brief moment in time where she truly impressed me.
One of her biggest challenges is meeting people at the door. She becomes so exuberant that some people are actually afraid of her. I think the UPS delivery man is either an Olympic athlete or he can teleport. He can knock on the door, and be sitting back in his truck before Zuzu and I reach the entryway.
The Terminix men have serious Zuzu-fear as well. They will not step in the house if she is present. The first one wouldn't even step onto the front porch until I had put her out back.
On Monday, I called them back to help get rid of some seriously creepy spiders that were visiting just in time for Halloween. I hadn't actually seen any of them, but the webs they were stringing and flinging around my porch and deck were not how I prefer to decorate.
As usual, Zu was out back when he was inside and inside when he was out, but I had released her to roam when he reached the front door for the final signature. She was so excited when he came to the door! She would finally get to meet the bug man!
I looked at the excitement in her eyes and the fear in his, and realized that opening the door at that very second could be tragic if I didn't control the situation. I looked over at her wagging and barking body (yes, body, not tail and head; her entire body was shaking, wagging, and contorting in excitement) and said, "Sit!"
Guess what? She sat! I said, "Stay!" and opened my front door while holding my breath. She let me step outside to sign the paperwork, and didn't even bark! She was such a good girl! I even heard the Terminix man say, "wow", softly. It was very cool!
When I finished, I thanked him and stepped back inside, with no puppy antics whatsoever. I gave her lots and lots of love. She is such a good girl!
Now if we could only get her to calm down around the Senior in high school that Darby has started dating, who also is afraid of dogs.
Never mind, nix that. A healthy fear of dogs is probably good for him. ;)
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Oh yeah....it's Monday.
You know it's Monday when....
- She's so upset about the kids leaving for school that she won't even sit still to have her collar put on. Today she sat, looked up at me, then ran back to the door to cry, then came back and sat, looked up at me (I almost got the collar on that time), then ran back to the door to cry.....
- We stop at the basketball court for refresher training and she decides the slow jog around the court means forget to heel and bite my butt, then my arm, then my shirt, then my butt, in glee!
- I say 'down' and she face plants with her front paws behind her like she was shot, wags her tail, then happily rolls over onto her back, wagging so hard that she moves around the basketball court.
- She's suuuuper pully on her walk, then LEAPS into the air to bite a fly.
- She barks nonstop during my entire shower, because she knocked her favorite rawhide under the bookshelf. Never mind the 10 others surrounding her on the floor - she wants THAT one!
- She tries to beg for the chicken soup cooking all day in the pot, but accidentally squeaks when she barks, then jumps at the noise, looks around like 'who did that?', then gives me a normal bark.
- She doesn't sit still for more than ten minutes in a row, all day! (Though that could have been caused by the chicken soup smell, not just the Monday thing.)
- She does not want me typing on the computer, so she keeps bringing me every toy and rawhide that she can find, and keeps knocking my hands off the keyboard with her nose.
Is it Tuesday yet?!!
- She's so upset about the kids leaving for school that she won't even sit still to have her collar put on. Today she sat, looked up at me, then ran back to the door to cry, then came back and sat, looked up at me (I almost got the collar on that time), then ran back to the door to cry.....
- We stop at the basketball court for refresher training and she decides the slow jog around the court means forget to heel and bite my butt, then my arm, then my shirt, then my butt, in glee!
- I say 'down' and she face plants with her front paws behind her like she was shot, wags her tail, then happily rolls over onto her back, wagging so hard that she moves around the basketball court.
- She's suuuuper pully on her walk, then LEAPS into the air to bite a fly.
- She barks nonstop during my entire shower, because she knocked her favorite rawhide under the bookshelf. Never mind the 10 others surrounding her on the floor - she wants THAT one!
- She tries to beg for the chicken soup cooking all day in the pot, but accidentally squeaks when she barks, then jumps at the noise, looks around like 'who did that?', then gives me a normal bark.
- She doesn't sit still for more than ten minutes in a row, all day! (Though that could have been caused by the chicken soup smell, not just the Monday thing.)
- She does not want me typing on the computer, so she keeps bringing me every toy and rawhide that she can find, and keeps knocking my hands off the keyboard with her nose.
Is it Tuesday yet?!!
Friday, October 14, 2011
The Nose Butt
Then....BAM! She jumps up and butts my nose with her nose. Every time. Ouch!
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