A most interesting thing.....My dogs.

Kilt and Trouble NEVER liked each other.  Trouble just goes about her own business, but Kilt has always been a bit scared of her.  When Trouble would walk by she would turn her head the other way or do a low growl.  I have even seen her do her nasty bitch face at Trouble.  I always kept my eye on those two.  No one else has a problem with Trouble other than when they want to play and she doesn't. She has a mean bite.  After her teeth extraction, she doesn't have any incisors, but she still has her canines and Yoko's nose proves it.  She has bite marks across the bridge of her nose.  So though they like her, they have to be sure that she would like to play.  Ask first, don't be pushy with a JRT.  JRT's can be pushy; but, you can't.

After leaving Trouble and Kilt in side by side kennel runs for some 20 months with Wayne, everything has changed between these two.  I think they were left for long hours (I know they were left for long hours) and pretty much had just each other on each side of the chain link.  Both had their own igloos in their kennel runs.  Wayne didn't want to give them up until he did.

Now, they are the BEST of friends.  When Trouble starts to wheeze a little Kilt runs to her to make sure she is okay.  Kilt and Trouble like to sleep together side by side.  Kilt watches out for her little buddy.  Funny how living side by side in kennel runs for that period of time changed their attitude towards each other.  They only had each other until Wayne came home after working long hours.

So when people ask me about how to get a dog to like another, the above is my suggestion. Never kennel them together.  Do not take that chance. But, put them in kennel runs next door to each other without company.  They will over time become company for each other.

Trouble always hated the rain.  You had to place her outside in California and she would go under the porch and then return as quickly as she could to the house.  Interesting to me is that she doesn't mind the cold and rain here?  When I stand at the side door calling for her to come in out of the rain, she takes her sweet time now.  I keep a little fluffy dog bed just inside the side door.  When she finally comes in out of the rain, she dives into the fluffy bed and rolls and rolls around it to get dry :0)

And, now that they pulled another 10 teeth and took care of the deep abscess between her molars, she is as perky as ever and her sickeningly sweet dead mouse bad breath is all gone!  Trouble will be 14 in May.

Champ, the other night early in the morning had his first accident in the house in months.  He peed by the side door, well, actually on my dishwasher next to the side door.  He came to get me up, but after the fact.  We had a bit of a talking about that episode.  I was sitting on the couch with him that evening when I told him, "Next time you have to pee, wake me up FIRST."  Now, I know you will think I'm crazy, but Champ looked up at me and said as clear as a bell, "I will."  I laughed and laughed and laughed.  I love that Champ is so vocal.  He's the happiest dog (just like his mother)

I know where Champ gets his pushiness, from his Mom.  I have that funny little Pssst can of air (Pet Corrector) that I Pssst Yoko for bumping my arm when I am on the computer.  It is an annoying habit of hers.  Now, I can be like the guy on TV and just go Pssst from my mouth and she takes off.  This morning Kilt came over and bumped my arm.  I told her to get.  She immediately bumped my arm again.  I took the Pet Corrector and gave her a Pssst.  She ran around my chair and bumped my other arm.  I gave her another Pssst from the can.  She went to the back of my chair and jumped up with her back feet.  I gave her another Pssst.  She barked in glee at me.  Oh well.  Different strokes for different folks.  Yoko is long gone into her cave in the closet.  Her Mom is now lying under my desk.

Plus, I bought that scat mat for the front door, so when deliveries are made, they wouldn't jump at the window and door.  Kilt figured that out immediately.  Hop over or go around.  That dang Kilt.  Too smart for her own good.  She loves a good game.

Yoko is in the dog house.  She is the one that likes to bolt out the door, bolt out of the truck, etc.  I am now telling her to lie down quietly.  If she doesn't, I hunt her down and drag her back to the place I told her to lie down.  Big training going on with her since she almost bit my jogging neighbor.  Mind you, he came around the corner on Elk Heights Road running with a turban wrapped on his head.  I was up in the woods with all 3 dogs.  It took Yoko by surprise and she ran to him with full commitment to bite him.  All verbal yelling of "Lie downs"went on deaf ears.  I had a shovel in my hand.  I ran at her waving the shovel.  I'm sure my neighbor (one I don't see very often because he is high on the hill behind me, thought I was nuts.)  He has always remarked how well trained my dogs are.  Anyway, you can bet Yoko has been in SCHOOL all week for that one.  Plus, I wrote my neighbor, apologized, and asked when he runs again to give me a call on his cell phone, so I could do some training with the 'bad' dog.  He agreed.  Thankfully, he and his wife love dogs, but he hasn't a clue how close he was to getting bit!

Anyway, never a dull moment with a house full of dogs.  I laugh when my friends say, "Get some sheep, rescue a horse, etc.  I think 4 dogs, two the them aged, and 5 acres is enough for me to care for at the moment. LOL  Anyway, they do keep me on my toes and amused.  It's hard to be lonely with that many critters to take care of around here.   Pet your dog(s). Life is short. :0)