Pandora is four years old and we are still working on her anxiety of walking near cars. However, it’s not always easy to see the progress so I rely on the tiniest of cues to show me the teeniest crumbs of progress. One of the newest cues is paying attention to her tail. The dog’s tail, it’s a great gauge to let us know how they feel.
For another method to gauge tiny pockets of success, check out this post and scroll to There’s Always Progress.
One Caveat
Please refer to the title of this blog, specifically the “Novice” part of the title. All I can do is give hints at what we do, I cannot confirm these are the best cues or options for everyone. So please check with your vet and or a trainer who specializes in nervous dogs.
And one other caveat, if your dog has a stumpy tail, I am not sure that this will be a helpful post. My apologies.
The Full Tail Tuck and Wrap
When Pandora is in an area where she can hear, and especially when she can see moving vehicles, her tail wraps down her bottom and tucks up against her underside.
The image above is what Pandora does with her tail when she’s unsure of the situation. In this case, we had walked a few paces beyond our last stopping point to turn around and head home. When she’s in the stroller, we’ll go to a certain point (like a telephone pole, a fence, something to gauge how far we are progressing) for about a week and then we venture a few steps beyond that point.
Pandora was ready to get out of the stroller and she hopped out. But this was new territory, so her tail is fully tucked. I also let her sniff until she’s ready to begin walking.
Partial Tail Tuck – Sign of Progress
In this picture (above) we see Pandora release the end of her tail. We’ve moved a few paces back toward home and she knows the area, but she’s still not fully comfortable yet. Again, lots of sniffing. That’s okay, once we get to the point of her being comfortable we can then work on a steady pace.
Here’s another partial tail tuck picture (below). The tail has come up just a smidge more. Again, we’ve moved into even more familiar territory.
The Dog’s Tail is Lifting
At this point, Pandora is beginning to loosen up quite a bit more (picture below). She knows we’re most definitely on the right path toward home, she’s smelled this area frequently enough that she’s feeling better, she’s feeling safer.
Again, she gets to stop and sniff whenever she wants. Sometimes she’ll sniff something that she doesn’t like, I know because her tail will get closer to her rear again.
The High and Happy Tail
Pandora is happiest at home or on a desolate trail. Someday, I hope to reach this level of happiness on one of our stroller walks.
When she’s this happy, it’s hard to capture her still. LOL. This is Pandora on a trail in all her bounding happiness.
Dog’s Tail Cue Recap
~Remember to look for these cues that the dog is getting comfortable with a situation or to see if the dog is getting more fearful of a situation.
~The Full Tail Tuck and Wrap
~The Partial Tuck
~The Slightly Looser Tail Tuck
~The Half-Happy Tail or The Half Not-so-Happy Tail (depends on how you see it)
~The High and Happy Tail.
What are the cues you look for in your dog to see tiny progress reports?
Veteran’s Day is this coming Friday and while we always honor our men and women who have served, we’d also like to honor, remember, and thank all the dogs who have served, as well.
Dogs Who Have Served
Dogs have served our country in war, even as far back as the civil war, just as all the men and women have over the years. All of whom we are grateful for and thank immensely for giving us our freedom.
These dogs serve to sniff out bombs, locate wounded or missing soldiers, pass messages on the battlefield, warn of impending attacks, join in the attacks and even capture enemy soldiers, and can even advance into special missions like Cairo, who helped the Navy SEALS, that brought down Osama Bin Laden.
Not only do dogs serve our country on the battlefield, but they are a phenomenal resource for our veteran’s back home. Support dogs assist the men and women who have been injured, mentally and/or physically. These dogs serve to help with medical alert and therapy, particularly for PTSD.
Do you have a loved one that served our country and could use a support dog? Try contacting one of these places:
An enormous thank you, to all the dogs who serve to support our men and women!
More Information About Dogs Who Serve
Dogs who have served our country go through just as much training as the men and women who serve. If you’d like to see a peek at what these dogs do, check out the intro video at Four-Legged Fighters.
A heartfelt thank you to all the dogs who have served. And to all the men and women who have served. God Bless You All!
When it came to spaying Pandora, I thought we knew it all. Obviously, I knew there were things I didn’t know, but assumed the two hardest parts of spaying were whether or not to spay and the expense.
What I thought I knew about Spaying
The spaying process was quick, it was done on puppies sometime between four months and six months of age. The dog would be a little loopy after surgery and heal quick.
That was my base knowledge.
The Curveball
When Pandora was almost four months old, I called the vet to set an appointment to get Pandora spayed. I would like to interject here; there was a large gap between the dogs in my life. We’re talking decades, okay. I feel you need to know that before I we go to the next paragraph.
The vet casually throws out that they don’t spay until after the dog has her first heat. Say what? I’m pretty certain I had a major brain malfunction. My ability to reason went kaput. The only words I could say were, “I have to process that.”
The vet gave me reasons for why spaying after the first heat was beneficial. I wrote about that early this year in “When to Spay Your Dog.” In that post you can see the reasons for waiting to spay and I link to a helpful chart on deciding when to spay your particular breed of dog.
How the Spaying Went
We were still in the throes of Pandemic restrictions so we couldn’t bring Pandora into the vet. I dropped her off early and they called after the spay to let me know she did well and that she was now in recovery. About four in the afternoon, I was given the go-ahead to go pick her up.
The drugs were still in her system, and she was tired and loopy, and looked pretty miserable, just like anyone right of surgery.
The bet sent us home with what we needed to do for Pandora. Basically, she could eat a little, and drink. Mostly, just rest. Lots and lots of rest. No running or jumping. Calmness. I want to say the no running and jumping requirement was for two weeks. It may have been only for seven to ten days.
Pandora slept on the side of my head each night with her cone pressed firmly into my head. Apparently, she figured if she had to wear it, I was going to know what it felt like, too.
And then, Pandora was fine. Less than 24 hours later, I ran myself ragged trying to keep Little Miss from racing and jumping around. For three days I tried to keep up with her. That dog has never walked upstairs or downstairs in her few years in this world. And stitches and a cone didn’t stop her either.
Three days after surgery, I gave up. I wouldn’t play frisbee with Pandora. But I didn’t know what to do. By the time she decided to run or leap, I was already twelve steps behind.
What I Wish I Had Known
There’s only one thing I wish I had known about the spaying process. I wish I had known I could ask the vet for some medication to keep Pandora calm for a few days.
I did ask the vet, when she did her follow-up phone call the next day, for tips on how to keep a dog calm. At that point, Pandora hadn’t gotten too crazy on her leaps. Since the vet didn’t mention that Pandora could take something to keep her a little sedated, I didn’t ask.
Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t want to keep Pandora sedated, but I wish I had known it was an option. Because there was a very real chance of Little Miss ripping her stitches out and having to go back to the vet. I’m sure that would have been hard on her.
Thankfully, she healed up well and didn’t rip her stitches out. But for the first day or two home, I would have preferred to have her sedated, because I was a nervous wreck each time she leaped up and sprinted up the stairs or partially ran down a few stairs only to leap over the last five steps.
What do you wish you had known about the spaying process?
Gladys Kravitz (Pandora) staring down at the neighbors. She’s embarrassingly nosy.
When I was growing up, we never gave our dog nicknames.
Then I met my husband and realized he was the king of animal nicknames. He had a cat named Ernie. I loved Ernie. Ernesto Puh-gwa-lo (that’s a long a sound, and please pardon the Hooked-on-Phonics version of the spelling). I don’t know how spell that name, but it was the coolest name ever, so I thought. It was fun to say because of the way the words rhymed and rolled off the tongue, it was awesome.
Why Do We Give Dog Nicknames?
Somewhere along the way, we deviated from cool nicknames to action-based nicknames. In other words, we called our animals names from the actions they performed. I feel this is how most animals get their nicknames.
Why do we come up with nicknames for our dogs and other pets? Let me give you the un-researched, un-verified, reasons. Otherwise known as personal opinions on why we give our dog nicknames.
We named our pet and as our pet grew the name no longer seemed to fit. An example of this would be a family that picks up a tiny cute fluffy puppy and names her Schnookums. Four years later Schnookums has grown into a lumbering, snarling beast, that is only appeased when food is plunked down in front of her. Eventually, the family gives the dog the nickname, Her Grouchiness.
We used an eleven-syllable name for our dog and then learned that’s much too long to say all day long. An example of this might be that the kids couldn’t agree on a name, so it became a mishmash of names that became, Annabellastasianatashalyn. Clearly the dog isn’t even going to remember her name. Then the family notices that the dog loves princess movies and they give her the nickname Princess.
The dog does something cute, funny, or annoying. And the next thing you know the dog has five new nicknames.
The fun of dog nicknames
The other day we gave Pandora a new nickname. That’s when I realized, some of her nicknames no longer fit her. The names were stages of her life growing up and each one is an easy way for us to remember those moments that she earned the nickname. And that’s when I got emotional, because, you know, that’s what I do when people and pets I love grow into new phases.
If you think back to some of your dog’s nicknames you get visuals clearer and brighter than any scrapbook can capture of those moments. I think that’s why we give our dogs nicknames.
Here are a few nicknames we’ve given Pandora
I’m sure a lot of these are given to many dogs, they aren’t special only to our pup. But the memories we get are special to us and your memories are equally as special to you and your dog(s).
Air Shark – This was the first nickname we gave Pandora. We had called her Land Shark a few times, but this one came after she was in the middle of zoomies and came running to me as I sat on the floor. It was great until she leaped. Thankfully, I quickly dove to the right because as Little Miss flew by my head, all I could hear was the snapping of teeth. We are beyond the Air Shark days. We’re okay with that.
Little Miss – We started using this early on and we still use it. This nickname denotes she has done something like chewing up toilet paper (in the height of the pandemic shortage, I might add), stealing shoes and hiding them in the yard, chewed up pepper plant, you know, stuff that’s not great, but not horrible.
Little Miss Athletic – A different version from above. This is for all her athletic skills. The frisbee leaps, the twists and turns. The leaps we’ve grown accustomed to and miss when others see her do something like leap onto the four-foot-high rock wall. Or her vicious cuts when she’s sprinting. By that I mean, she will have another dog chasing her (playfully) and Pandora will run full speed toward the fence and cut right before she hits it. Usually, the other dog can’t turn as quick and runs into the fence. I’m pretty sure they are playing, but there is a bit of evilness to that move.
Barky McFarty – shortly before she turned one, Pandora was a barking fool. And she went through a horribly gassy phase. Those phases mixed together for a spell; she would bark and then a deadly odor would waft by our noses. We are now past this phase, thank goodness.
Wags – This nickname will last forever, I’m sure. As she gets older, I’m sure the wag will come solely from the tail, but for now, it’s the full body wag. You know the one, it’s like the wag winds up the body and the body is going all over the place. Wag powered.
Grumbles – This one is about six months old now, but it’s definitely fitting. Pandora is very grumbling when the cats or us humans aren’t doing what she expects. And she will grumble and sigh and grumble some more. Of course, it makes us laugh which makes her grumble even more.
Gladys Kravitz – This one is a new nickname for her. And I thought it was a bit original. It’s not. Apparently, it’s a dog thing. Pandora is nosy as all get up. She’s always kept tabs on what is going on at all of our neighbors. However, we just got some new neighbors with little kids and Pandora has become embarrassingly nosy. She will walk right up to the top of the hill and stare down into their yard. Whenever the kids are outside, Pandora has got to see what they are up to. She doesn’t bark, half the time she’s holding her frisbee or her stuffed skunk. But she pays close attention.
What are some dog nicknames you’ve used and what was the moment you started using it?
Mom, I think we should rent the pool. And then, I could have a beer after I swim. K? It’s a good plan, Mom. Please?
My age is showing, I have stumbled across items and services for dogs that I never knew were needed. Obviously, they are needed since these items and services exist.
This post came about as I did research on my post Dogs and Swimming. It’s when I stumbled across the K9 Aquatic Center. But this isn’t the only service I discovered for dogs that took me by surprise.
Please note, this post is supposed to be in fun humor. I’m not picking on anyone who uses a few of these items and services for dogs. However, I will say, if you are paying for services like these along with paying to have your dog groomed and walked, you might want to reconsider if you really needed the dog.
Services for Dogs You Never knew Existed
When I took Pandora to the vet, I mentioned that Pandora is still reluctant to walk near vehicles. The vet recommended Behavioral Therapy. That seemed a bit drastic since Pandora is pretty good with everything else, but I looked into the place that was recommended.
What I really mean, is that I opened the website, saw the $445 fee for a one-hour consultation, and promptly decided it was okay if Pandora never walked near the road.
Personally, if my dog was aggressively trying to kill everyone and everything, I would consider Behavioral Therapy. Because the alternative would probably be a drastically, upsetting option. But for something that doesn’t affect our life, that much. I can deal with driving out to trails and spending more time with Pandora in training.
Dog Exercise Coach
You can actually hire someone to come up with exercise plans for your dog. I’m a bit baffled on this one, but I’m sure there are reasons for its usefulness.
Dog Tv
Another service for dogs, you can pay for a subscription to DogTV. Now, I’m not fully knocking this service. I have put on videos of people herding cows and Pandora gets intensely interested. Now, I don’t pay for the service, I just find YouTube videos and run those. I have also put garbage trucks (yes, there are videos of garbage trucks doing their thing for hours at a time) on the TV in stereo as a means to desensitize Pandora to load vehicles.
Yard Cleaners
You can hire someone to pick up your dog’s doo from your yard. Personally, I’m too cheap to pay someone for five-minutes of work, but if you can’t handle the doggy doo, then you do you.
I can see how this service would benefit people who may have had surgery or may have mobility issues.
Rent Yard Time
This is something I saw crop up on a local FB group. You can rent a person’s yard for your dog to run in. This isn’t a terrible idea. However, it could be an expensive one. Read up on what the people request. Some require the dog to stay on leash, which kind of defeats the purpose of letting your dog run. If you live in an urban area and it’s hard to find a calm place to let your dog run wild and burn off energy, this could be for you.
Items for Dogs You Never Knew Existed
I see so many items for dogs that we never saw thirty years ago. Maybe it’s because we didn’t have such a robust internet then. I don’t know, but now there are dog goggles, dog rear-end covers for those who don’t want to pick up the poop the bag hangs from the dog’s butt. And then the dog does his business right into the bag.
A few items for dogs that you can buy:
Beer
I bet you didn’t see that coming. There are places that brew a beer specifically for dogs. One such place is Bowser Beer. And no, there is no alcohol in the beer.
Grass
As in an artificial grass mat. There are many options. I guess if your dog won’t potty unless there’s a patch of grass, this could solve the problem.
The item for dogs that I have no words for:
There is a gadget called Puppy Tweets. You connect a USB into your computer and put a doodad on the dog’s collar. Each time your dog barks, moves, or even naps, the fob sends a tweet to Twitter. Apparently, it has a few hundred phrases to tweet. Which is good, because if you have an active dog, it will never stop tweeting. Ever. Ever.
What items or services for dogs have you come across that left you speechless?
School is in, work is back to full schedules and possibly back in office or on location and your pup is home alone.
We all know a pup home alone is a scary thing. Will the room she is in be fine when you get home? Or will something be destroyed? If the dog is put in his crate, we worry that he’ll bark all day or injure himself trying to break free.
So, what are we to do?
#1 – Doggie Daycare
I’m not too familiar with this option. But I have a few friends who utilized doggie daycares to keep their pups entertained throughout the day. Particularly, through the first four years. Just enough to get through the wild, youthful years.
I’ve watched some videos on TikTok of dogs arriving to daycare. The majority of the dogs seem incredibly excited.
#2 – When the Pup is Home Alone, Have a Trusted Neighbor Check on Her.
If you the pup is going to be home alone for more than six hours, it would be a good idea to have someone go check on her and let her out to go potty. If you don’t live close enough to run home during lunch maybe a good neighbor would be willing to pop in during the day. Or a college kid that doesn’t have to leave for classes until or who might arrive home a few hours before you do.
Or search your local neighborhood Facebook page for homeschooled kids. Homeschooling Parents use a lot of real-world activities in their teaching plans, and this could be a great learning opportunity for the kids.
#3 – Split Dog Sitting Duties with a Friend
I usually work from home, but one of my friends has his own business. His wife works outside the home and the kids attend school. Since their dog is just a few months younger than Pandora, I asked if he could drop the pup off one or two days a week.
This arrangement has been fabulous. His dog is not left home alone all day and Pandora has a friend to burn some energy off with. The bonus of this arrangement is that I can get more done because the pups play together which frees up a bit of Pandora’s exercise time. That is extra time I can put into writing.
#4 – When the Pup Is Home Alone – And Will Be All Day – Then Exercise Before You Leave
Sometimes we just can’t find a place we can afford to leave our dog. And we either don’t have someone to peek in on our pets that we trust or can share pet watching duties with.
If that is the case, then the best thing you can do for your dog is to get up early enough that you can get in a hearty round of exercise before the pup is left home alone.
I get it, it may not be ideal, the weather may be rainy and cold, but your dog needs the exercise. When I have to go out for work and everyone else is away, I make sure I get up early enough to get Pandora out to her favorite trails. It’s not always fun, but I care enough to do that for her. Plus, honestly, I need the exercise, too. It helps me get through my day with plenty of energy and benefits my health.
When we get home from the trails, I get ready for work. Right before I leave, I play frisbee with her for at least ten minutes.
What this does for Pandora, and will do for your pup as well, is give her the chance to chill out and rest. That exercise buys you a happier and calmer, pup.
Clearly, I make no guarantees on things getting randomly chewed up, but it lessens the chance of it happening.
Do you have any tips for when you need to leave a pup home alone for four or more hours? Please share, we all want to learn.
Pandora is finally at an age where she can lie next to the cat without the urge to herd him somewhere.
Pandora is two and a half years old now and I thought it was time for a puppy update.
Concern #1 – Aggression beyond the puppy stage
In high school, one of my friends had a blue heeler, Bess was the dog’s name. Bess hated everyone but her family. A family friend also had a blue heeler. I don’t recall the dog’s name, but Tex used to walk up to visit us and that pooch was always by his side. The dog would even say “I love you.” I mean it came out more of “I wuuuvvv oooo.”
When we got Pandora, I had no clue what kind of puppy we were going to be getting. All I knew is that my husband had a weak spot and I was going to take this pup if he didn’t say anything. And of course, once I held her, it was all over, she was ours.
While we waited a week for her to turn 8-weeks old, I did research on the blue heeler breed. And the number one thing I kept coming across was how they are friendly and then one day it’s a like a light switch is flipped and they are no longer a friendly puppy. I should be more specific, they still love their family, but others not so much.
Most people said it was somewhere around one year of age when this flip happened. So, I was terrified that we’d hit that dreaded mark and Pandora would no longer like people.
As of this point, I am happy to report that Pandora is still good with other people and other dogs.
Concern #2 – Biting
Blue heelers tend to bite, nip, chew. When Pandora was a puppy, she gave a whole new meaning to Land Shark. She wasn’t just a Land Shark, she would catch air and fly by with those teeth snapping away. At first, it was funny. But one day, as I sat on the floor tossing toys for her, she came running back and launched herself into the air. As she flew toward my face with teeth snapping, I leaned hard to the right. She flew by my head and I could hear those teeth snapping.
It was no longer funny. This needed to be curbed before I lost my nose.
And we spent a lot of time working on it.
And I’m happy to report, I and all the other members of my family still have our noses. As for my husband’s ankles, he still has them. But she will still nip him. However, this is due to him not setting boundaries with her. Pandora does not bite at my or the kids ankles because she knows I mean business. My husband, on the other hand, does not set the boundary. He likes to play with her and that’s where we struggle sometimes.
Concern #3 – I would never be able to train Pandora
After reading about the breed, I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to get her trained or be able to exercise her enough to keep her well-behaved.
Australian Cattle Dogs are incredibly intelligent. If they don’t get the exercise they need, they can be terrors.
Thankfully, I can report that if you invest the time, you can train and exercise your dog’s mind and body to the point that they will behave. This is what I’ve done, lots of time. We don’t have the money to spend on trainers, so I put in extra time searching out resources and weighing the advice with what I already know before adapting and applying the tip on Pandora.
Don’t get me wrong, I still can’t get her to walk near cars, but we are making progress. The steps are tiny, tiny, tiny. But we’re getting there.
And our home hasn’t suffered too much.
The Take-Away from Puppyhood
Hang in there. Pandora is now at a point where she listens more frequently, is calmer, and doesn’t feel the need to chomp my shoes anymore. She will still swipe a pair of shoes and take them to the yard, but she doesn’t chew them up anymore.
Once you make it through the puppy years, things start falling into place.
Yes, this is one of a half dozen or so bare patches in our yard.
If you have a dog, you know the difficulty of having a nice lawn. We’re there, too. Although, we can’t blame it all on Pandora, there was a two-year span where our lawn received the bare minimum attention. That two-year span coincided with Pandora’s first two years at home with us.
A new puppy and bare minimum maintenance did not fare well for our nice lawn. Bare spots and mini holes dot the yard.
Rest assured there are tips to have a healthier looking lawn, even when you have dogs. The professionals have assured me this is possible. They also assured me, that I will need to take steps to fix it.
In other words, if you’re hoping for a magic potion that will fix all your lawn’s woes with the snap of your fingers, you’ll have to go read a fantasy novel. It doesn’t exist.
If you’re willing to put in some effort, you have hope.
Tips to Avoid Yellow or Brown Spots from your Nice Lawn
The yellow and/or brown spots in lawns are caused by the dog’s urine as it contains high salts and nitrogen.
The NUMBER ONE response from nearly every professional is:
Train your dog to potty in a one area.
To help train your dog to pee in a particular area Daniel Caughill at The Dog Tale, recommends to “Cover the spot with a pee attractant spray before letting your dog out, and repeat this process for several days. Over time the dog should learn to pee in that corner instead of on the rest of your lawn.“
Another highly recommended tip was to take your dog on more frequent walks, so they’ll do their business elsewhere. Bonus, it’s great for wearing out your dog. Please make sure that you’re not walking your dog to save your lawn and then allowing your dog to do their business on other people’s lawns.
The next oft recommended tip was to water down the potty area after the dog does her business. This dilutes the urine and minimizes damage. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you may not need to worry about this step. The PNW gets a lot of rain. So far, our yard doesn’t have yellow and brown patches.
And, make sure your pooch drinks lots of water, that will help, as well.
Tips for When Your Yard Resembles a Missile Test Site
If you have no idea of what I speak, your dog is not a digger, count yourself lucky and skip to the next section.
Pandora dug during puppyhood. Walking through our yard was precarious, we knew we were one wrong move away from an ankle break. Thankfully, she has outgrown the digging. Mostly. Every once in a great while she doesn’t get enough exercise and she’ll leave a few paw scrapes. She doesn’t dig, but she’ll uproot some lawn.
The experts (landscapers, lawn tenders, horticulturists, dog trainers) all agree: Get your dog exercised. Dogs do much less damage when exercised. Digging is usually, a dog’s way of saying, “I’m bored.”
If your dog still digs, Daniel Caughill, recommends putting some of their dog poop in the hole before filling it back in. “Dogs will detect their own scent when returning to the scene and instinctively not dig there anymore.”
If your dog is digging to escape, a little or big Houdini wanna-be, I’ll share a tip from a Belgian Malinois owner. I would love to give him credit, but I only met him out on the trails, and I don’t recall his name. His pup was trying to escape the yard on a regular basis, by digging under the fence. He bought some slate (not positive on the stone type – it was a flat stone though) and laid the stone (approx. 12″ x 12″) around the interior perimeter of the fence. Basically, a really nice stone path to walk along. That solved the problem for him. Granted, he did it in a professional manner; he ripped out the lawn, leveled the area, set the tiles (butt up against the fence) in some finely crushed stone.
Tips for the Dreaded Bare Spots
This area is the is the bane of my husband.
Pandora is athletic. We have four steps that lead from out deck to our lawn. There is a bare spot in our lawn about two feet from the steps (see the above picture). That is Pandora’s launch spot. Whenever she is coming inside, as soon as she hits that spot, she leaps clean onto the deck, avoids the steps completely. When she’s heading outside, she leaps over the steps and lands in the same spot.
We also have some mini bare spots that dot her frisbee path. Mostly where she launches and/or lands while going for the frisbee.
My husband is along the same idea of most professionals: Put in paver stones. I don’t really want Pandora leaping and landing on stone, her joints take enough beating.
But Lindsey Hyland of Urban Organic Yield gave a different idea: “One easy way to avoid the bare spots where dogs tread is to install artificial turf. Not only does it look nicer than a dirt yard, but it also prevents your dog from turning your yard into a mud pit.” Lindsey also recommended using mulch.
The biggest Con for the artificial turf is the debate with my husband. Apparently, his lawn pride will take a hit if he uses artificial turf. For now, we are dead-locked. If you’re curious about artificial turf and dogs, let me know. I’ll ask some deeper questions and pass along the insight: (will it hold up to dog urine? Can you use a small patch of artificial grass in a bare section of regular grass? Or any other question you have.)
If your dog isn’t leaping and/or landing on that particular spot, the stones might be the best option. If your dog lands and launches from that spot, the mulch may be the best idea (if you and your spouse are of differing opinions on artificial turf).
But wait! There’s one more trick we can try. Eric de Boer a Turfgrass & Horticulture Specialist from Simple Lawn Solutionssaid:
“If your dogs consistently wear out certain areas from repeatedly trouncing over the same spots, consider adding amendments to your soil like crumb rubber, that can protect your grass from the continual beating.”
A Few More Nice Lawn Tips from the Professionals
– “Raise the height that you mow the lawn. This will make your grass hardier, and less sensitive.” Jacquelyn Kennedy at PetDT.com
– Most professionals recommend using a more resistant grass type: Oberon Copeland of VeryInformed says “Fescue and Bluegrass are both good options.”
-Most professionals recommend aerating your lawn.
– When it comes to mulch Toby Schulz of Lawn says, “Finely shredded cedar mulch is preferred since it’s pet-safe and can be digested, with the added benefit of being a bug repellant.”
Nice Lawns on the Horizon
I’ve already started training Pandora to use the back corner, she tends to like that area anyway. My husband is planning on aerating the lawn at the beginning of Fall. What tips are you planning to implement?
This week, we’re delving into the needs of high energy dogs like the Australian Cattle Dog. Particularly what novice owners can expect from this breed. And how to wear them out if you don’t have lot of space.
Yes, Cattle Dogs Have High Energy Needs
This is not to be confused with an ADHD-type dog. Cattle dogs need a tremendous amount of exercise. They have a ton of energy to burn. However, it is not unfocused, Tasmanian Devil, whirlish behavior. These dogs can focus. When they are interested or working, they are laser focused.
Cattle Dogs Are Not Recommended for Apartments
If you read about Blue Heelers, Red Heelers (the colors refer to their coat colors), Queensland Heelers, Australian Cattle Dogs (we still don’t know why they have so many names) you’ll find a lot of people say they are not meant for small, confined spaces. And that’s true.
However, we don’t have an enormous yard. We have nothing close to farmland. Our lot is a third of an acre. Which is pretty much nothing when it comes to Pandora’s needs. And yet, we make it work and Pandora thrives. Except for walking near cars, we are still stuck. It’s not easy, but we’ve found ways to cope.
High Energy Dogs + Small Yards = A Lot of Time Exercising the Pooch
I’m not going to lie and say you can have a cattle dog in a small space and not worry about it. These dogs have high energy needs and you have to put in the effort to release that energy. That effort is every single day, multiple times a day.
Here’s an example of what a good exercise day looks like for Pandora:
After I wake up and shower, Pandora goes outside. She does her business and trots back in waiting while I empty the dishwasher and reload. (5 minutes)
Load Pandora in car and head out to the trails. We do anywhere from 3 to 5 miles. (1+ hours)
After lunch, it’s playtime for Pandora (30 min. Frisbee)
On sunny days, I leave the slider open so Pandora can go in and out. She’ll mill around the yard, try to herd my husband while he works in the yard. Get a little more frisbee time when he’s trying to break her of herding him. (10 to 45 minutes)
Early evening, I take Pandora back outside and play more frisbee. We mix up the throws, mostly low to the ground with a few higher ones mixed in. (30 to 40 minutes).
By 8:00pm, we’re pooped. Pandora is not. So, we pull out the tennis ball and take turns tossing it around the house (semi-open concept). We’ve learned to utilize doors and walls to launch the ball further around corners. (30 min)
Total time on a good day of exercise is anywhere from 2 hours and 45 minutes to 4 hours.
When Pandora gets that much exercise, she is a happy pup.
What a “Just Enough” Exercise Day Looks Like
Obviously, we don’t always have a good exercise day for Pandora. Some days we do just enough. Just enough, means we do the bare minimum to give her the energy burners she needs. Sometimes these days are due to a heavy workload that prevents us from giving her the time she needs. And sometimes these days are due to non-stop torrential rains and/or high winds. Here’s what that kind of day looks like:
Wake, shower, shove Pandora out the door to do her business.
After unloading and loading dishwasher I bundle up in boots and raincoat and toss the frisbee a few times with Pandora. If it’s windy, the throws suck. Pandora doesn’t care, so long as she’s chasing the disc, she’s happy.
If I’m working from home, I’ll take a lot of five-minute breaks. During which time, I toss toys up the stairs. Pandora brings them back and we repeat. This does wear her out. The stairs will have her panting hard after five minutes. I do little training things while I go between rooms, like make her walk “with me,” or if I’m on the phone, I’ll practice using hand commands. I’ll get her to sit, look at me, drop down and reward.
For lunch if the weather is really crappy, we’ll do a good 15 minutes on the stairs. And some brain work. I’ll either do a puzzle toy with her or I’ll hide high scent dog treats around the house. That keeps her busy. Plus, the nose work or brain work utilizes energy.
In the early evening, I train her. We’ll take a few breaks as I throw toys up the stairs, and then back to training. I make sure this is at least 30 minutes.
Then, come 8:00 we play ball or tug. Pandora is not usually satisfied. So, she’ll go have unhealthy relations with her dog bed. She’ll grumble. She’ll let us know that we sucked at getting her energy used up for the day.
These days we get approximately, 1 hour and 45 minutes of exercise.
Won’t the Dog Get Used to Not Getting as Much Exercise?
To be fair, I’ve only heard one person express this comment. I know you’ll find this hard to believe, but she’s not a dog owner. Sarcasm aside, no. High energy dogs will not get used to not having as much exercise.
A dog that doesn’t get her exercise needs met will be miserable. And dogs rank high in the Misery Loves Company, game of life. They own that area. If they’re miserable, you will be just as miserable or even more so. This is when furniture gets chewed into an unrecognizable state. When shoes get shredded into tiny bits that resemble yard mulch. When dogs consume plastic toys that mean a trip to the, very expensive, emergency vet. And, when then the police show up due to complaints of non-stop barking.
Don’t be that dog owner.
Summation
Yes, Australian Cattle Dogs are high energy dogs. You don’t have to have massive acreage or livestock to give your dog a good home. If you are willing to attend to their needs, every day, multiple times a day, you’ll have a pal for life.
But you have to be honest with yourself and whether or not you can put in the time needed.
For more information about cattle dogs, check out these posts:
This week we explore Cattle Dogs and sticking near their owner, otherwise known as a Velcro dog.
What is a Velcro Dog?
First let me make clear, I’m by no means an expert on animal behavior. Read the title of this site, Stubborn Dog, NOVICE Owner. But I have been trying to figure out how to train my little girl on my own. I would love to sign up for dog obedience classes, but dang they are expensive! Yeah, I know there are people that run the line of “you bought a dog, you pay the expense.” I also know there are people that run the line of “let dogs be dogs.”
I’m in the middle. I want a dog that listens, but I also want Pandora to be a dog. Which means I’m settling for something less than perfect, but higher than untamed. In an effort to help Pandora be somewhere in the middle ground area, I have read countless articles and watched many hours of training videos. I have no idea of how many hours I’ve invested in dog training videos.
Simply put, I think I’ve learned a thing or two. But I wouldn’t call myself a professional behaviorist for animals and I wouldn’t consider myself, blind to animal behaviors. So, take what you will of what I’m going to speak.
I believe a Velcro dog is a dog that sticks nearby her main person. A dog that checks on where her human is and what her human is doing. A dog that tends to hang out near their human.
I think most dog breeds, including mixed breed, fall into this category. The person who sets boundaries and rules and has expectations, but also gives genuine love seems to be the main human. The dog knows what this person is up to and responds quicker to this person’s commands than another member of the household’s commands.
Velcro Dogs are Not Clingy
There is a difference between a dog that is confident and knows his human, than a dog that is needy and clingy.
It’s like kids (yes, I really did go here). Some kids are confident and ready to explore and break away from mom and dad. Some kids need more assurance that they are okay. They look to mom and dad to see if they can do something, if they can try run further ahead, if they can have the cupcake from the table. Some kids are so molly-coddled, they need constant attention and praise. Functioning at a normal level without any “you’re so awesome,” comments makes them feel less than awesome.
Dogs are the same way. They easily fit into those same categories. Sometimes (just as with kids) there is a fourth category, a trauma category. Something happened that brought about this display.
A clingy dog is nervous and by your side because they need attention. Their tails may tuck, they may shake, their ears may not go up in happiness.
A Velcro dog is confident and happy, but not clingy.
Pandora is a Velcro Dog and She Has Some Clingy Issues
Around the house, Pandora knows what I’m up to at all times. No matter how pooped that girl is, she will get up and follow me to another room of the house even though I will be coming right back to the starting room.
Out on trails, she runs ahead of me. She’ll go about 50 yards in front of me and then she turns and checks on me. If I’m going too slow, she’ll come back, like she’s encouraging me or rather trying to convince me to pick up the pace. If she thinks I’m fine, she bounds in and out of bushes and brush. If I call, she will come back to me. She’s not as responsive as a dog that has had premium training, but she does come back. And she’s happy to be near me.
Her clingy issues come into play when she’s scared. Fireworks and buzzy cars are her biggest problems. She will come up to me and try to become one with me. If I’m sitting, she tries to sit on my chest. I’m thankful she’s not a Great Dane, I might suffocate.
Australian Cattle Dogs are Independent, How Can they Be Velcro?
Yes, Cattle Dogs, are bred to be independent thinkers. Able to problem-solve a situation fairly quickly. But again, it’s part of their breed to know where their humans are. Where are the cattle? Where are the cats? Where is that tiny human? I think that’s where the Velcro Dogs title stems from with Cattle Dogs. I don’t think they are necessarily any different than other herding breeds: Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, German Shepherd, etc…. I think it stems from the need to work. Do I need to herd my human to the backyard for some frisbee?
An Interesting Thought
Most police dogs are male. Yes, some are female. Usually, the females are the drug sniffers. Most (not all, I don’t think) of the dogs that chase down the bad guys are male. I once heard, but I haven’t confirmed it, that male dogs are chosen because they won’t mother their handler. They will stick to the bad guy and they expect their handler to get there eventually. Whereas, females will circle back to check on their handler.
An interesting thought if it’s true. That could mean that most female dogs are more prone to the mothering instinct. Which makes me wonder if female dogs are more apt to be Velcro Dogs versus male dogs. And that makes me wonder if male dogs are always, “My human is so needy, always calling me back to her.”
Conclusion
I think Australian Cattle Dogs can be Velcro dogs, but I don’t think they are more or less prone to it than other breeds.
