I mentioned this in another thread the other day, but I just can not express enough how much of a difference in Rosie’s behavior I’ve seen since I started crating her. I bought a new, bigger crate, which gives her room to explore the space, and we’ve gone from a nightly struggle of wills (and we all know who lost those battles) to a very easy “Alright girls, bedtime” and Rosie runs in her crate and waits for her treat and Lily and Tunch hop up in bed. She just loves her crate, sleeps all night long, and isn’t whining and barking and making noise for me to let her out in the morning.
I think it may have balanced her out a bit, because her behavior in the day is dramatically better. She ‘s just a good dog now, chewing issues aside. Plus, the house dynamic is just easier. Tunch is back in his spot on the bed, Lily in hers, I’m not being bitten in my sleep every time I roll over and kick Rosie accidentally, and we all wake up refreshed in the morning.
Time for me to get gussied up for the wedding. Got my ironing done, now I am getting the Fred Garvin girdle and truss ready to go for the ladies, and I may even use a little product in my hair. Should be fun. I like going to weddings where I know the couples really love each other.
JPL
How sweet. I’m so glad that Rosie is doing better. I’m sure she will have days where she just becomes a grump, but we all do. Have fun tonight.
Corner Stone
She’s biding her time.
Valdivia
have fun at the wedding. love when friends get married and the couple is just celebrating their own happiness and love for each other. so fun.
stuckinred
Post the cat exercise vid for John.
gogol's wife
Yay Rosie
bemused
Rosie must like having her own space and not having to compete or share thinking, “It’s mine, all mine”.
gogol's wife
Seconding what someone said in the earlier thread, if you’re not going to a wedding tonight, watch “Out of the Past” on TCM, 8:00 Eastern. Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas, Jane Greer, directed by Tourneur.
numfar
We crated our dearly departed Mastiff, Smoochie. He loved his crate and would go there on his own during the day when he wanted to nap.
Larkspur
I guess Rosie was scared a lot, just generally. Now she’s got a safe place where nothing can sneak up on her, so she doesn’t have to deal with the never-ending flood of adrenaline. So instead of a scared, insecure Jack Russell, you just have a Jack Russell, which (as you know) is challenge enough for anyone.
Amir_Khalid
I went to a wedding reception once where the groom kept eyeing the ballroom exits wistfully all night long. (How do I know this? Per Malay wedding tradition, he and the bride were seated onstage on their own wedding-day throne. Everyone could see where he was looking.) They were divorced before their second anniversary.
geg6
Individual dogs, much like their people, have individual needs. Good on you, Cole, for taking care of Rosie’s.
WereBear
So do I, but in my previous life, I saw a lot of wedding video footage (worked computer support for wedding videographers) and man oh man, there’s some wild stuff going on when these people shouldn’t have done it. Often, these were marked for a quick turnaround… ’cause it wasn’t gonna last.
As they say in Boston, “Wicked good!”
Anya
John, what are you wearing? Knowing your bedding style, you might choose a color suite, but then go with an understated tie. Also, too, I hope you’re not wearing a white suite.
Enjoy the wedding!
Timothy Trollenschlongen (formerly Tim, Interrupted)
Awesome news about Rose, Cole. That is so great.
I heartily endorse crate training too. When we first got our second rescue, Hellen the Tennessee Trash Hound, we were having a LOT of trouble house training her. I had never been through it so got online and read up; that’s how I found out about the benefits of crating.
I put Hellen on a strict schedule of two hours in the crate, followed by a potty run outside, one hour of freedom, then back in the crate for two hours. She was crated all night. She LOVED her crate. I set a kitchen timer to time all this: It got to where when the timer sounded she ran to her crate with great enthusiasm and was in there waiting for her treat and quiet time.
After she seemed thoroughly trained we gradually weaned her from the crate, mainly to save space for ourselves, but if we had it to spare I would probably still make it available to her.
I think dogs like a crate in the same way wolves like a den: Safe, warm, quiet, theirs. Also, I read in numerous places that dogs’ pulse, breathing, etc. all quiet down while they are crated, and they often enter an almost trancelike, calm state of rest even while awake. I have even witnessed Hellen levitating inside her crate…
…not really, but close.
Linda Featheringill
And John, if Rosie was insecure/scared and therefore hyper,
NO MORE RUNNING AND SCREAMING AND SCARING THE ANIMAL.
Be nice.
That is all.
[and invest in chewy things]
[heart John and friends]
Amir_Khalid
About Rosie: I was kind of wondering why the mutterings about giving Rosie up had dried up lately, John Cole. It’s good news that you’ve found a solution for the problems you and she were having. Things are only getting better from here on out, right.
redheadedfemme
This is good to hear. I wondered why you hadn’t gotten rid of her, since you seemed so dead-set against keeping her any longer.
Hopefully now things will work out, and she’ll have her forever home.
South of I-10
Thanks John, now I’m going to be watching old SNL videos for the rest of the afternoon. Go easy on the aftershave!
stuckinred
When we got married we met with the minister the day before. He kept saying “are you sure, are you absolutely sure”. Finally I said, “what is with this man?” A couple of months earlier he had a dude freeze up during the vows and walk out!
Captain Goto
stuck, Amir–
I am apparently about to be unconnected again, after less than two years back in harness myself. I expect to be formally entering the two-time loser club in about three weeks.
Obviously, I’m not very good at this…
Elisabeth
I’ve added it to my netflix queue. I trust it is waaaay better than Against All Odds (the remake of Out of the Past apparently) because the best part of that movie was the title track.
Corner Stone
@Captain Goto
Aww dog, it’s just not for everyone*. Don’t wear it too heavy.
*that includes women
amorphous
Regarding the gay marriage legislation in New York, am I too cynical if I believe that the Republican elites are more than happy to slowly allow social liberalization as it gives them a constant supply of red meat to throw their base (Culture Warrior!) about how they have to fight the oncoming librul onslaught on FWEEDUMS! but also because it’s enough of a “victory” for the left that we sit back and bask in it and don’t pay attention to what our Galtian overlords ACTUALLY want: the crumbling safety net, hydrofracking in New York now, the death of unions and the middle class, etc.?
Tell me I’m too cynical.
Please?
Corner Stone
@Elisabeth
I’m sorry…were you dissing Against All Odds ??
Corner Stone
@amorphous
Sit outside any college campus, or any equivalent.
And ask them what they think about gay marriage.
The 40% that respond thoughtfully will be overwhelmingly ok with it. The rest will be, “Huh? Who cares?”
That is to say, this will be a settled matter in 10 years or less. IMO.
Elisabeth
@Corner Stone ~ yep, hated that movie. (What I remember of it.) Is that going to get me banned from here?
stuckinred
Captain Goto
don’t look back, they might be gainin on ya!
MonkeyBoy
Why is FY WP preventing me from posting the link to the SNL skit staring Dan Aykroyd?
Corner Stone
@Elisabeth
One can hope so.
But somehow I doubt it.
Dave Trowbridge
Crates also make dogs a lot safer in cars.
Amir_Khalid
@MonkeyBoy:
Don’t take it personally. FYWP hates all of us. It strikes at random out of pure malice.
Captain Goto
Well, my daughter and my shrink both said I look happier now…prolly for the best.
stuckinred
Timothy Trollenschlongen (formerly Tim, Interrupted)
The Monks of New Skete!
Martin
Went to a wedding some 10 year back. Lots of friends flying in really meeting the fiance for the first time, aside from seeing the occasional email photo (pre Facebook, Flickr). So a bunch of us are hanging out with the groom as guests arrive for the ceremony, and one of his friends that took a late flight in finally arrives. There are the usual greetings of an old friend you haven’t seen in a long time. The groom asks the guest if he’d met the bride yet, with a response of:
“Yeah, I was taken in the side and introduced to her just after I pulled up. She’s really hot man! Looks just like your sister.”
There was really no hiding the reaction from the rest of us – apparently we forgot to fill everyone in that his fiance did, indeed, look (and oftentimes act) like a twin of his sister – something we all noted the first time we met her and was discussed in hushed terms whenever we got together and he was in the bathroom taking a leak. Needless to say, the groom was absolutely horrified at the revelation. He honestly never considered that. Well, it was about 20 minutes before the ceremony was to start and we calmed him down as best we could, while trying to not laugh hysterically while watching the whole spectrum of questions running through his head “Do I subconsciously want to have sex with my sister?” appeared unrestrained in his facial expressions.
The ceremony went quite well, but the rest of us could barely contain our laughter as every twitch in his face as his soon to be bride appeared in the doorway for the first time spoke volumes to the complete unrestrained panic going on in his head.
The years have widened the visual and behavioral gulf between the two women – and they’re quite happily married still. One of the life lessons we’ve added to the list to clue the kids in on is to never casually note that your friends girl/boyfriend looks strikingly like their sibling.
WereBear
Awesome news re: Rosie. She needs to rule. If it means shrinking the kingdom, sobeit.
Anya
@stuckinred ~~ I think like that groom, I might freeze when the moment comes. Every-time I think about my upcoming wedding, I get little scared. It’s not because I am not looking forward to it, but it’s the whole preparation that’s turning into a huge thing. I think people around the potential bride and groom turn the wedding into a nightmarish spectacle, specially if one set of the parents are as pretentious, as my future in-laws.
Martin
Hmm, I hope not. One should not wear color to an evening wedding. I’m sure Sarah, Proud and Tall could better fill in the backstory on that, but for an evening wedding a dark grey suit, white or light grey shirt, monochrome or nearly so tie would be most appropriate. It’s difficult for the bride to maintain eyes on her in evening lighting, so guests should do their utmost to not stand out. Assuming it’s a traditional wedding, of course. If it’s nude minister and Hostess fruit pies for the reception, a colorful tie or suit should be acceptable.
Yutsano
Screw that. Go full Betazoid. EVERYBODY GET NAKED!!
(which is actually neat symbolism if you think about it. Coming together just as you are, no pretenses, no disguises.)
srv
They may not be socialcons, but that doesn’t mean they’re good people who give a rats’ ass about equality.
Anya
Precisely. But this is John we’re talking about.
Martin
Your wedding is one of the few occasions in life when you can do whatever the fuck you want and anyone of any worth having in your life won’t say a goddamn bad word about it. Enjoy it – the day is for you, not for your guests (somehow this got lost in the vast Wedding-Industrial Complex). I suggest doing something fun and lighthearted with your fiance earlier in the day if you can afford the time, just to take some of the weight off. It doesn’t need to be big or take much time, but it should be absolutely fun and frivolous.
tofubo
it’s not what they say, it’s what they do
Martin
It is, and takes care of the problem of whether to invite coworkers.
Martin
True. I hope he doesn’t bring the machete.
Anya
This video should go viral: The End of the American Dream
Amir_Khalid
@Anya: Wedding nerves are perfectly normal. Another friend of mine — not the bride of the groom who scoped out the ballroom exits — told me that she was starting to have second thoughts about the whole wedding deal. Nothing had changed between her and her fiance: she still loved him, she still wanted to marry him, she was just freaking out with nervousness.
It’s a big freaking deal, to paraphrase a well-known American politician, and it does get overwhelming. Just remember that you’ve really thought through this decision to be with the one you love, find someone you can vent to (maybe him), and it should work out all right. You don’t want a perfectly good wedding to turn out like the last one from Four Weddings And A Funeral.
TuiMel
I’m glad to hear about Rosie.
My JRT, whom I love dearly, is mostly undone by changes in his routine. His routine includes traveling by crate and having his crate available for “time outs” when he is at day care (time outs that he “requests,” as a rule). I hope that now that Rosie is in the crate routine, she will start to feel secure about her place in the pack (even if it is at the bottom), and her neurosis will continue to be more manageable. In the meantime, I heartily endorse what Linda F said:
WereBear
@Anya: In my first wedding, which was 18 happy years together until I was widowed, we had everything settled for about 80 people; little wine bar a couple of neighborhoods over, newly decorated, doing the wedding & reception, had a little patio where the justice would do his thing; low key.
When we came by to put our final deposit down, two days before, we had a bit of a shock; our intimate wine bar had become a sports bar. Where we were eating was the same, but the bar area was now dominated with huge TVs and this crowd was rowdy… and now part of our wedding. We had been offered, for a set fee, the option of taking the place private; and we now wanted to exercise it.
However, two days before the wedding meant the affable proprietor felt he had us in a trap we could not escape, and tripled the fee he had quoted prior. We had three choices; pay the huge fee, have our wedding somewhat compromised, or fire his big greedy a$$.
I exercised option #3, cashed our refund check which we got out of him in a matter of minutes because he didn’t want us around anymore, and started calling restaurants.
We wound up lucking into a huge brunch cancellation, saved money, and had it in a more beautiful place. They felt so sorry for us they added extras like flower arrangements for all the tables.
My point is that… most likely, you won’t have that kind of trouble. So just relax and have a good time. Let your pretentious in-laws do all the fretting and let them make it their form of happiness.
It will not be the first time. Get the practice in.
Corner Stone
@srv
Agree completely. Sure they are assholes.
Point being they are far less likely to organize, collect and fundraise to stop teh gheys.
IMO
Just Some Fuckhead
I recommend Dapper Dan hair pomade.
Dexwood
When I brought my wild Dingo home three years ago next week, I bought a crate suitable for his size. Very little was known about him, a fully grown Golden Retriever/Red Heeler mix, in poor health and totally scared. When it came time to get him in the box, he panicked – did that whole stiff-legged, no fuckin’ way dead weight thing. Following an epic struggle, he was crated and I was heading out the door to the sounds of furious barking. About broke my heart, but I had to leave for an hour and I knew so little about him. Housebroken? A chewer? A pillow humper? I simply did not know. When I got home, from the driveway, I could hear him barking still. Inside, the crate was five feet away from where it had been placed and he was throwing himself against its walls. With other dogs, I had seen the power of the crate, but I never crated him again. As it turned out, it wasn’t necessary. He was, and is, fantastic.
Martin
True. I have two sets of friends that we so worried about the ‘we want to get married’ crashing violently headlong into the ‘let’s plan the biggest party we can’ that they ran off and hit the justice of the peace after the engagement. That stress was now out of the way, and all that was left was planning a reception which was just all fun. They still had a ceremony. Nobody knew except for the wedding party who was there when they eloped and the minister.
Felanius Kootea (formerly Salt and freshly ground black people)
Figured out why my posts are disappearing into a WordPress black hole. They’ve been classified as spam. Sniff sniff.
Anya
Martin @41 ~ ~ to tell you the truth, I think I’ve surendered the initial control to my soon to be mother-in-law because I was between Toronto and New York. It was hard for me to oversee things from Toronto, so I said yes when she offered to help. I am trying to wrestle control away from her now, without starting a feud. But I think that ship has sailed. The wedding is this autumn, but part of me is not looking forward to the monstrosity that’s planned. I wanted my dad’s family to be part of it, but they will be sufficated by the WASPness. My dad’s family side’s weddings are joyous and crazy and disorganized and fun, so they will get uncomfortable with all the pomp and ceremony. But then again, it might be a nice cultural experience.
Poopyman
Hey, remember that Wisconsin judge who won election when 11,000 votes magically got pulled out of the ass of the Secretary of State?
Yeah, this guy:
Discuss.
Martin
That stuff has been around for ages. Saw it once in Mississippi in the 30s and then again in Arizona in the 80s.
Yutsano
My first thought reading this was, “How in the hell did you get one of THOSE??” Then I realized that was the name of the dog. :) I needs a nap.
WaterGirl
@53
Bad wordpress. you are not spam! I bet it’s because of your screen name.
Felanius Kootea (formerly Salt and freshly ground black people)
@Poopyman
Isn’t that the same guy who called another supreme court justice a bitch and said he would crush her? Wisconsin voters sure know how to pick ’em.
Poopyman
@JSF:
Jeebus, I can’t believe you remembered that stuff! I used to wear it, but I was in first grade and it was like 1961. Don’t tell me it’s still around.
Jeez, one whiff of that stuff and I’ll have flashbacks to elementary school.
Dexwood
@Yutsano
Dingo is just a term of affection I use for him, given the genetic make up of Heelers who are supposed to have Dingo in their lines. Enjoy your nap. I’m just getting started again after mine.
JPL
Poopyman ..This was mentioned at 11 this morning by another poster and I have been harping on it. Since there are no pictures, I fear it won’t gain traction. The judge appears to have done the right thing by calling security and reporting the incident, but…….. It was obviously leaked today because nothing had been done. Huffington doesn’t have it in a prominent position but at least the Wisconsin papers are taking notice. Who would have thought that a judge who previous debased a female judge would have taken such action. DUH..
Poopyman
@ me:
Waaaait a minute….. What the hell was the name of the crap my mother put in my hair?
Commenting at Ballon Juice since 1937
Many animals appreciate security. I inherited a bird that preferred its cage even though we let it out quite often. Our horse would bolt to his stall if the smallest thing startled him.
cbear
Why go to all that expense? I’m sure there’s a perfectly serviceable ’64 Rambler up on blocks with exposed axles somewhere in the neighborhood.
Felanius Kootea (formerly Salt and freshly ground black people)
@WaterGirl It’s not the screen name – I’ve been using that for over a year now. I didn’t get John’s girdle reference so I had to use google. WP did not like my attempt to post an SNL link.
JGabriel
Poopyman: Here’s the original story (probably a little more thorough than Crooks & Liars) on Prosser’s alleged assault of fellow justice Ann Bradley, at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
.
BO_Bill
Weddings are very nice.
Grover Gardner
So, a question for the dog experts: Ruby, the big black Lab/Newfie mix we adopted last fall, is doing a lot better, Still lies on my bed all day and barks for room service, but she’s a lot calmer and friendlier since we got her. But she still slinks through the house and patio like demons were hiding in every corner. Once she’s outside she’s okay, but everything about furniture and stuff throws her for a loop. If my daughter leaves her little bike in the middle of the patio, it’s panic city. If you move something, like a box or a chair, it’s like you lit a blazing fire in that spot.
The other morning both she and the golden lab were so bonkers with energy that I took them for an unscheduled trip to the dog park. I let them out the front door and Ruby did her usual bolt for the street, but she’s learning that if the other dog heads for the back of the station wagon, it means the park and she comes back and waits for me to open the tailgate. On this morning, however, she was being a little spunky and threatening to head for Vegas, but I patted the tailgate and she got the idea. But instead of waiting for me to open it, she charged it from about twenty feet away, took a flying leap and went SPLAT against the tailgate like a bird against a window pane. Then she slithered down the back of the car like a Wiley Coyote cartoon.
So here’s the question–is she just incredibly stupid, or is it possible for dogs to have bad eyesight? Her behavior around the house has led to me think that the world is a blur to her. What think the experts?
harlana
weddings, get offa my lawn, git!
jayjaybear
Never mind…img tag doesn’t work here.
she's crafty
I’ve been having a great deal of success with my anxious dog on Dr. Sophia Yin’s Learn to Earn program (fifth link on <a href="http://drsophiayin.com/resources/articles/"this page). I’ve had some problems with my neighbors complaining to the landlord about my dog’s barking after I leave in the morning, and even though I taped her and it turns out she barks a cumulative total of 10 minutes over 9-12 hours, I still have to do something, or at least look like I’m doing something, for the few months I have left on the lease.
After only two days of feeding her by hand and making her sit for each piece of kibble, I have gotten her barking down to no more than 3 minutes a day, and sometimes less (the low has been 12 seconds). Now we’re working on keeping her from losing her shit at the door.
snarkyspice
I am so glad to hear about Rosie. I must have got something in my eye though when I was reading the post.
<3 Rosie
<3 John Cole
JPL
Grover @ 69… My little mutt’s eyesight is going and she now gets confused when entering the back door. She seems to say where’s the door, did someone move?
Paddy
One of my favorite memories of my relatively low key wedding a bazillion trazillion years ago was my maid of honor whispering to me 5 minutes before the service, “Say the word and we can be in Canada with the wedding money in two hours.” It made my nerves so much better (other than the laugh) since I knew the way she drove we’d probably make it under an hour if need be. And everything was okay.
Ghanima Atreides
A tired dog is a good dog.
How is the fence coming?
Dennis SGMM
I’m a DIY type so I built my dog’s crate; good solid wood and nearly sound proof. It really changed his behavior – at least I think it did; I figured that as long as I’d taken the trouble to crate him up I might as well send him someplace so I made up an address in Hong Kong and sent him there.
RoninJin
The filming of John Cole’s new workout tape is interrupted by Tunch.
Anne Laurie
It’s very possible your dog is developing eye problems (macular degeneration, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy) that are making her established insecurity worse. Vision problems are extremely common in dogs, and just as with humans, aging dogs’ eyes are prone to gradual failure. Since dogs are not as visually oriented as humans, a lot of people don’t notice as their ‘old friends’ lose their sight — some dogs compensate so well, especially in a familiar environment, that it’s hard to tell even when they’re completely blind if you’re not looking for clues!
It’s harder on a rescue dog, whose expectation is that the world is a dangerous place where things are liable to ‘disappear’ at any moment, and very seldom for the better. (Also, I’ve heard Newfies can be prone to anxiety — one side effect of breeding for their proverbially loving & willing temperament is that they can get caught up in the doggie version of ‘Is it something I said? Did I do something wrong? Am I a bad doggie?’)
First thing to do is have your vet check Ruby’s eyesight. Don’t forget to mention the tailgate incident — the first symptom of retinal damage, for a lot of dogs, is that they bang into glass doors or fall down stairwells because their eyes aren’t compensating between bright/dark as well as they expect them to. (Happens to people too; that’s why Transitions(tm) lenses are so popular.)
Meanwhile, you can start thinking about helping Ruby compensate for her possible ‘visual deficit’. Use more verbal/noise cues — talk to her, get in the habit of greeting her when you walk into the room (especially if she’s sleeping or engrossed in something else), “explain” possibly stressful new situations to her in your best calming-the-toddler voice (“Look, Ruby, it’s a new chair. No problem! Chairs are ooookay!” “Here comes that bouncy terrier from down the block. You don’t mind dopey little Skipper, he’s a friend!”) Make a note of her ‘worm trails’, the paths she tends to take around the house & in the yard / park, and make an effort to keep those paths clear. One acquaintance put bells on her cats’ collars, so that her gradually-going-blind terrier wouldn’t be surprised & accidentally ‘lash out’ when a cat ran past (or over) her. If (as) your daughter is old enough to understand, explain that Ruby is going to need some extra thoughtfulness when it comes to not leaving stuff on the floor where she’ll trip over it, stuff like that. As some others here can attest, dogs can compensate extremely well — it may take your poor girl a little longer, but she’ll get there!
Anne Laurie
Good work! And this is where I mention (if you’re not already doing so) that crating is a great cure for a lot of dogs who are “separation anxiety” barkers — not coincidentally, these are also the dogs that tend to go nutso when anybody comes in / knocks / passes by “their” door. From their perspective, it’s their job to protect The Territory from ‘intruders’… which is a helluva job for a dog with a strong work ethic & a realistic idea of how small they are compared to the bigness of the Whole Darned World. To a dog like that, being crated says “Okay, all you have to protect is your little den here; so now you can relax, and shut up. You don’t have to keep threatening, talking big, calling for reinforcements; and besides, even if the monsters get in, they won’t be able to find you here in your safe hiding place.”
We have three rescue dogs, and they all use their crates for different reasons. Zevon likes his as a quiet place to nap without being pestered by the younger dogs — and as a safe place to hide during thunderstorms. Sydney demands to be locked in his crate when people come over, so that he’s “off the clock” and doesn’t have to rev up his hall-monitor anxiety. And Gloria, the smartest & most damaged, actually taught herself to use her crate for “self-regulation”… when she’s getting too hyped up (because one of the other dogs has a toy she wants, or Sydney is being a whiny little pest, or she really really wants to do something forbidden like harrass the cats or get into the trash), she runs and slams herself into the crate, so the door will swing shut behind her, and then proceeds to “display” so violently that it bounces across the floor as she barks & snaps.
As far as my guys are concerned, crates are MOST EXCELLENT!
amk
@ Anne Laurie 79 – Wow, it’s the first case I’ve heard of someone who actually belled the cat. All great tips by the way. Our nine year old german shepherd, Jack (bless his soul), became blind as a coot towards his end and our kids learnt to act responsibly (finally) around him.
Got a very active pug now in the family. For such a small dog, Jenny is high maintenance since she needs to be around people 24×7. Hates to be caged at nights. So now sleeps in our bed. Bitch.
cs
@69
I have a black lab / newfie mix too and all I can say is that combination is just kinda unhinged. Mine has calmed down tremendously since I got her, but, when she was new, there was lots of tearing around and occasional running into walls. And when I’d become convinced she couldn’t see anything, she’d spot and start barking at a tiny kitten waddling through someone’s front yard a block away and 50 feet down the hill.
Really bizarre, waterproof canine, and with her love of patrolling, I’m convinced she’s a reincarnated beat cop doing penance for extreme corruption in her previous life.
Larkspur
Grover@69: Anne Laurie is very wise. You should totally consider her observation. However, if it turns out that your dog is simply not a genius, you can get some consolation by reading about Allie’s Dog at Hyperbole and a Half.
KRK
I can’t believe Tunch lets you call him a girl.
Grover Gardner
Annie Laurie–
Thanks. She also went through the patio screen door the other day in one of her panics to get inside. So I’ll have the vet check it out. She’s a real doll, otherwise, except for the running-away-to-Vegas thing. She’s supposedly only four or five but who really knows.
cs–
I’ve heard Newfies can be neurotic. And yes, she seems to be able to spot cats and birds pretty well. But again, who knows. She sure loves the water and will wade, sploosh or swim in any puddle or creek.
Larkspur–
Yes, we know the Simple Dog very well. My wife thinks this is Ruby’s problem. :-) Allie is definitely an internet phenomenon.
Yutsano
This is probably one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever done. But I just put honey on a pizza. AND IT WORKS!!
4jkb4ia
Bernard Tomic, folks!! Cannot help myself. That kid, barring a miracle, is going to get the right to lose to Djokovic in the quarters. It is good to see the phenoms realize their potential. Hope John is having a good time at the wedding. Soon, he may have a baseball team to root for.
Halteclere
I once went to a wedding where, supposedly, the bride would not come out of her room until the groom was standing by the preacher. She wanted to make sure she would not be left at the alter!
I need to check to see if they are still married…
shortstop
Haven’t read the thread, but just wanted to say great news that Rosie’s crate training is going so well. That’s gotta be a relief.
she's crafty
You know, I haven’t tried to crate her since the first day I brought her home, when I crated her and left for a bit to get some supplies, and when I came back, she had torn the hard plastic liner of the crate up. She does not do well with confinement, but since I’ve never had a neighbor issue until now, I’ve really never bothered to overcome her crating issues. But at this point, I’m willing to try anything, so if I can teach her that a crate is a grand place to be, I’ll try it.
Mnemosyne
@ Anya
I still think that one of the smartest things we did was essentially have two weddings — we had a small one out here in California where we live that I planned, and then my mom planned a big reception for us back home in Illinois. We had very few conflicts because my mom and I each had our own wedding that we could do the way we wanted. I did freak out a little at the small ceremony because people were looking at me, but at least it gave me a little more confidence for the big reception. So, worst case scenario, if you really feel like your family got left out, they can always have a “Welcome Back From the Honeymoon” or first anniversary party to do their thing.
I can honestly say that my only regret about our wedding(s) was that I chickened out and didn’t let G have “You Shook Me All Night Long” as our first dance song at the big reception. In retrospect, I totally should have done it.
Anne Laurie
AMK:
Toy dogs need to be around people like retrievers need to fetch stuff and border collies / german shepherds need to
bossherd something, whether it’s sheep or ducks or small children. They’ve literally been bred for it (as I’m sure you know). Although I’ve never seen any expert since Kurt Unkelbach insist that one reason toy breeds have always been popular is that fleas will desert an unwashed human for a companion dog… :)amk
@ Anne Laurie 92 – yeah, tell me about it. Now wifey insists both of us wet our feet before we enter her boudoir…
Bitches…
Anya
WereBear, Amir_Khalid, Martin and Mnemosyne ~~ I hope I am not leaving out anyone else. Thanks for the advice. I had a long discussion, last night with the groom-to-be and we came up with a plan that will allow us to enjoy our wedding with minimum hurt feelings and disruption of the plans already in place. I plan to have an enjoyable autumn wedding (my favorite season).