round and round, Pasha is usually the chasER not the chasEE. Thats love!
Eating a stick on a bench. A stick that was regurgitated in the wee hours of the morning so maybe no more sticks...
Laser pointers, not just for kitties!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Just playin'
Nothing new to report, just thought I would post some videos and pics of the cuteness! also exciting is that we have had 2 accident free days, fingers crossed :)))
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The dog with 2 butts.
Little Ernie has been here nearly a week and it's time for a little progress report!
First the noise issue...
This little Beagle is doing soooo well in the crate! Since he is being housebroken he is spending the majority of his day in the crate and he is really starting to like it in there, he has lots to do with bones and toys and when he does start the baying and howling I totally ignore it and it stops pretty quickly! I think his longest (although intense) howling session lasted about 3 minutes in the last day or two which is really impressive considering how nuts it was when he first got here, and that was pretty unusual since he has really been quieting down after a few protest whines or barks (there is a pretty crazy variety in the vocalizations, sometimes it's hard to not to laugh). TOTALLY IGNORING (not even looking at him) his baying/howling really works, and of course if he is in the crate you have to be fair and give him plenty to do in there!
House breaking....
This has been a little tough! but today he did 2 full sets of pee/poo outside so I'm starting to have hope again:) Yesterday there were 3 accidents, including on my blanket/brand new couch (which I later napped on until I noticed a mysterious wet spot on my pants), pretty frustrating since there were many trips outside, he would literally be outside for a 1/2 hour and come inside and pee... So now I'm stepping up his time in the crate and he doesn't have free time inside unless he's gone potty outside, happily today he seems to be getting the hang of it and I'm looking forward to having a housebroken puppy sooner than later;)
Being outside.
I'm not sure Ernie has spent much time outside?! his toenails were insanely long and POINTY like a cat, not the nails of a dog who walks on sidewalks... also he seems a little timid, he's interested in dogs and people but hangs back a little, now that his kennel cough has cleared up I've been letting him greet dogs on leash and he's doing really nicely. He also walks really nicely and doesn't pull as much as some little beagles I know (i'm talking about you little Buster!).
He has been a tasmanian devil since he been here, launching himself onto all the furniture and standing on my desk and counter surfing etc and generally not having the greatest house manners... Did I mention peeing on the couch:/ When he and Pasha play together they can get crazy so I have been letting them have playtime together and have alone time with me. I am proud to announce that I now have a little Ernie sitting next to my feet under my desk enjoying a toy:) He can be still, I had my doubts! I am going to work on teaching him "off" and to "chill out" (aka, sit/lay down next to me and relax, this involves cookies whenever he sits next to me on his own accord), also he should probably learn "sit" soon right? this poor dog, 8 months old and never been trained at all... I'm hoping to at least improve his manners and have him housebroken and crate trained by next week!
First the noise issue...
This little Beagle is doing soooo well in the crate! Since he is being housebroken he is spending the majority of his day in the crate and he is really starting to like it in there, he has lots to do with bones and toys and when he does start the baying and howling I totally ignore it and it stops pretty quickly! I think his longest (although intense) howling session lasted about 3 minutes in the last day or two which is really impressive considering how nuts it was when he first got here, and that was pretty unusual since he has really been quieting down after a few protest whines or barks (there is a pretty crazy variety in the vocalizations, sometimes it's hard to not to laugh). TOTALLY IGNORING (not even looking at him) his baying/howling really works, and of course if he is in the crate you have to be fair and give him plenty to do in there!
House breaking....
This has been a little tough! but today he did 2 full sets of pee/poo outside so I'm starting to have hope again:) Yesterday there were 3 accidents, including on my blanket/brand new couch (which I later napped on until I noticed a mysterious wet spot on my pants), pretty frustrating since there were many trips outside, he would literally be outside for a 1/2 hour and come inside and pee... So now I'm stepping up his time in the crate and he doesn't have free time inside unless he's gone potty outside, happily today he seems to be getting the hang of it and I'm looking forward to having a housebroken puppy sooner than later;)
Being outside.
I'm not sure Ernie has spent much time outside?! his toenails were insanely long and POINTY like a cat, not the nails of a dog who walks on sidewalks... also he seems a little timid, he's interested in dogs and people but hangs back a little, now that his kennel cough has cleared up I've been letting him greet dogs on leash and he's doing really nicely. He also walks really nicely and doesn't pull as much as some little beagles I know (i'm talking about you little Buster!).
Inside manners.
He has been a tasmanian devil since he been here, launching himself onto all the furniture and standing on my desk and counter surfing etc and generally not having the greatest house manners... Did I mention peeing on the couch:/ When he and Pasha play together they can get crazy so I have been letting them have playtime together and have alone time with me. I am proud to announce that I now have a little Ernie sitting next to my feet under my desk enjoying a toy:) He can be still, I had my doubts! I am going to work on teaching him "off" and to "chill out" (aka, sit/lay down next to me and relax, this involves cookies whenever he sits next to me on his own accord), also he should probably learn "sit" soon right? this poor dog, 8 months old and never been trained at all... I'm hoping to at least improve his manners and have him housebroken and crate trained by next week!
both dogs being quiet.
the beginnings of "the chill out"!
what's this under the butt move??!! hilarious!
these two pups luuuuv each other! they sit there and kiss each others face all the time, I'm so glad that they are good buddies, my last foster dog Dunkin wanted nothing to do with her so there wasn't much in the foster experience for Pasha!
Friday, March 2, 2012
Beagle-Mania!!!
Tuesday I pulled an 8 month old Beagle puppy from the Euthanasia list at ACC to foster for http://poshpetsrescue.org/, sadly little Ernie (formerly Tony) was about to meet his maker but was spared last minute and is the newest "Fosteroni" up in Washington Heights, abusing and being abused by resident doggie Pasha;) When Linda told me there was a dog we could save from the "euth list" I was super excited, until she said it was a Beagle... SO LOUD! SO NAUGHTY! SO STUBBORN! TOO SMART! also too cute, but so so LOUD. I took comfort in the knowledge that there are legions of Beagle fans out there and Ernie is cute as heck so I figured this would be an in-and-out foster and after meeting him I'm willing to put up with anything for a few weeks to spare his tiny butt!
So far so good! he seems to be developing some good hobbies (bones, food toys) that will keep him quiet and more importantly busy and stimulated, and I bet one day he will be an expert at "Find it!" use his crazy hound nose to find cookies around the house and hidden objects etc... perfect Beagle fun:)
Note on Ernie (so far, stay tuned for updates!):
1. Maybe not quite housebroken but working towards it, I am hopeful;)
2. Walks nicely on the leash, curious about dogs and people we pass. Sometimes he sees a person or a dog he's interested in and just stares wistfully at them as they walk away.... sigh.
3. No food aggression.
4. He seemed to have a little "separation anxiety" when he first got here, of course it's hard to say since he had just come out of the shelter and was in a new place with new people. Everyday he seems better and calmer and quieter and I have a feeling with enough exercise and busy toys/bones this won't be a problem, having doggie company probably helps a lot too.
5. Doggy company? YES PLEASE! he loves my dog and I'd love to see him go to a home with another playful dog so they can wear each other out and snuggle afterwards;)
6. Other animals? curious about the cat, he has been batted on the nose a few times and is learning polite kitty boundaries. Ignores my birds which is a surprise considering he is a Beagle after all.
7. Destructive? Hard to say? he is still pretty young and in full puppyhood and I do see a little mouthing here and there, I'm pretty sure at this stage he would definitely get his little self into trouble if left alone as far as jumping on counters and sticking his face in the trash so I have never left him in another room unsupervised or uncrated and have no plans too;)
8. Likes the car and was well behaved in the backseat with Pasha!
9. Due to a little Kennel cough he has not yet been neutered but is scheduled for this Wednesday.
10. I'm not usually a Beagle fan but I am an Ernie fan! The little guy needs a home with folks who understand a Beagles hardwired needs/drives and can give him an outlet for that to keep him happy and balanced! he also needs an education and lots of firm, gentle, consistent, leadership and I'm pretty sure you'll have a happy little buddy in Ernie;) he couldn't be more lovable!
General Beagle info from http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com a site I check when I get a foster dog who is a recognizable breed, has some helpful info and can help you choose an appropriate dog for your lifestyle and training abilities. Here are some things you should know if you are one of the uninitiated, and some things you will chuckle about if you are in the know;)
Beagle Temperament
Saying goodbye to the folks who were nice to him at ACC!
we stopped at the dog run for a little freedom on the way home from the pound, lots of pent up energy!
The first day Ernie acted like a loon, but who wouldn't be after being sprung from the clink! Zoomies around the dog run, zoomies around the apartment, jumping baby gates and counter surfing and the omg the HOWLING!!! holy crap, holy crap, angry neighbors and eviction any minute! and the potty situation... 5 walks that day and he only wanted to go potty inside, sometimes immediately after coming inside from a long walk, didn't seem to a user of wee pads either.
munching on bones in his crate.
we've added some comfy towels since then to cozy up the crate and hide some kibble in;)
the whole crew.
this is pretty much what they would do constantly if they were not physically separated.
To get Ernie even more adoptable I'm concentrating on the 2 most troublesome issues first, the howling (he does this when left alone in another room) and the housebreaking. Pasha has a ton of food dispensing toys and Ernie really took to them and has a really great attention span, and now like Pasha is crazy excited to see them come out! He gets both meals in a food toys in his crate and that keeps him busy and quiet for awhile and then I guess he takes a nap cuz I don't hear the toys being moved around and I also don't hear little Ernie;)
can you believe this was his first exposure to his Busy Buddy toy, Ernie's a dog genius;)
We kinda have a rhythm now, wake up, walk and dog run (did I mention he has been accident free for 2 days? yes, he goes potty outside now and gets lots of cookies for doing so) Ernie and Pasha get their breakfast in a food toy, Ernie is fed in his crate and chills out for and hour or two, then insane play session, then back to crate with a bone or cookie toy, more play, more crate, more walk, more play, dinner in crate and on and on! I think it's working pretty well, he's not complaining about being in his crate at all today and it's only day 4:) I think crate training is a valuable tool but of course the goal is to prepare him to be left alone at times in a larger space or the whole apartment/house and to have some things he likes to do (that he's allowed to do!) so he doesn't get in trouble by playing in trash cans etc when his folks aren't home;) This way he's working his big brain on the food toys and then burning up the puppy energy with the wrestling and learning to be alone and gnaw on a bone while thinking about chasing bunnies, hopefully this sort of foundation combined with actual obedience training (I don't think he's even been trained to sit yet much less anything else) will keep him a happy (and reasonably quiet) Beagle.
Note on Ernie (so far, stay tuned for updates!):
1. Maybe not quite housebroken but working towards it, I am hopeful;)
2. Walks nicely on the leash, curious about dogs and people we pass. Sometimes he sees a person or a dog he's interested in and just stares wistfully at them as they walk away.... sigh.
3. No food aggression.
4. He seemed to have a little "separation anxiety" when he first got here, of course it's hard to say since he had just come out of the shelter and was in a new place with new people. Everyday he seems better and calmer and quieter and I have a feeling with enough exercise and busy toys/bones this won't be a problem, having doggie company probably helps a lot too.
5. Doggy company? YES PLEASE! he loves my dog and I'd love to see him go to a home with another playful dog so they can wear each other out and snuggle afterwards;)
6. Other animals? curious about the cat, he has been batted on the nose a few times and is learning polite kitty boundaries. Ignores my birds which is a surprise considering he is a Beagle after all.
7. Destructive? Hard to say? he is still pretty young and in full puppyhood and I do see a little mouthing here and there, I'm pretty sure at this stage he would definitely get his little self into trouble if left alone as far as jumping on counters and sticking his face in the trash so I have never left him in another room unsupervised or uncrated and have no plans too;)
8. Likes the car and was well behaved in the backseat with Pasha!
9. Due to a little Kennel cough he has not yet been neutered but is scheduled for this Wednesday.
10. I'm not usually a Beagle fan but I am an Ernie fan! The little guy needs a home with folks who understand a Beagles hardwired needs/drives and can give him an outlet for that to keep him happy and balanced! he also needs an education and lots of firm, gentle, consistent, leadership and I'm pretty sure you'll have a happy little buddy in Ernie;) he couldn't be more lovable!
The fox and the hound;) gotta love his smile!
to fill out an application for Ernie go to http://poshpetsrescue.org/adoptadog/ernie/
General Beagle info from http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com a site I check when I get a foster dog who is a recognizable breed, has some helpful info and can help you choose an appropriate dog for your lifestyle and training abilities. Here are some things you should know if you are one of the uninitiated, and some things you will chuckle about if you are in the know;)
Beagle Temperament
What's Good About 'Em,
What's Bad About 'Em
Beagles are conveniently-sized, handsome and easy-to-groom, friendly with people, peaceful with other pets, and with their appealing soulful expression, it's perfectly natural that many people consider them as potentially wonderful pets.
However, Beagles were developed as hunting dogs and they have many hunting dog behaviors "hardwired" into their genes.
Beagles need much more exercise than most people give them, which is why you see so many fat Beagles with health problems. Though they're often kept in city apartments or condos, they should not be. Beagles require long frequent walks and a fenced yard where they can stretch their legs off-leash -- FENCED because Beagles are explorers and chasers who will follow their nose wherever that fascinating sight or smell takes them, and since Beagles are endowed with selective deafness, they seldom come back when you call them.
In addition, you can't leave them outside unmonitored, for Beagles are prone to wanderlust and can be adept climbers and diggers. Also, Beagles left outside become bored and then they bay and howl and dig holes.
The Beagle's vast stubbornness and distractability call for early, consistent obedience training. Use food rewards to motivate him, but don't indulge too much or you'll end up with that portly Beagle I mentioned earlier. A Beagle is often found with his head buried in the garbage and he will cheerfully filch whatever morsels you leave within reach!
f you want a dog who...
- Is conveniently-sized, sturdy, and athletic
- Is completely natural in appearance
- Has a short easy-care coat
- Loves exercise, play, and outdoor activities
- Is good-natured and peaceful with everyone
A Beagle may be right for you.
If you don't want to deal with...
- An extremely careful search to find good-tempered lines
- Providing a goodly amount of exercise, not just a couple of walks around the block
- Destructiveness when bored or not exercised enough
- An independent "what's in it for me?" attitude -- can be obstinate
- Keeping him on-leash or securely fenced
- Controlling baying and howling
- Slowness to housebreak
- Moderate to heavy shedding
- A distinctive doggy odor
- Concerns about a lot of potential health problems in the breed
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