Gerry

So, Mom wanted me to learn to use a ramp for the car just in case.  I get in and out just fine on my own, but she says I have too many years ahead not to take precautions.  Also she stumbled across a ramp at the pet store that was 75% off, haha.  Mom made a video of me learning to use the ramp – of course.  It’s edited for length, cause otherwise it’d be really boring, but she tried to keep in some of our awkward moments and not let it look easier than it was! She also asked me to spell out a few tips for other tripawd pawrents who might be trying to teach/learn this.  Oh, and so you know, she didn’t come up with any of these tips on her own, they’re all stolen from training classes we took, and books she read, and the instructions that came with the ramp itself 🙂

1) Take it slow and in the beginning.  Give treats even for simply coming near the ramp.  Practice in short increments over time, so neither of you gets frustrated and you can keep the mood fun!

2) Lure your pup (with treats or toy or whatever works best) across the ramp while it’s laying flat on the ground.  That way they can get used to the weird feel of it, without the added challenge of going up and down.  You may even want to have them sit or lay down on it, again, just to get used to the feel.

3) Then do the same with the ramp raised at higher elevations, as gradually as possible until ready for the height of the ramp to the car (or whatever you’re going to be using the ramp for).

4) While you want to use something your dog LOVES (treats, toys, etc) to lure them up and down the ramp, keep in mind that if your dog gets too excited about the reward, he or she might forget to pay attention to where his or her feet are.  So, while you want them happy and having fun with it, you don’t want them too riled up either!  (So it’s not just your tripawd who needs to keep his or her balance with this activity, haha)

Alright, that’s all we got, we think.  Hope you enjoy the video!

Mom, I and our housemates (human and dog) went up north this past weekend to help a friend of a friend and his mom clean up some of the debris from bad storms that hit earlier this year – and to enjoy ourselves.

My roommate Biggie and I, being too young and cute to work, did mostly the latter.  Mom made a video, as usual.  Except for the song being a little too sad-sounding for a super fun vacation, it fits pretty well.  Some bits of the video may require some explanation.  First, Biggie is a mama’s boy, that’s why he has his face pressed up in the crack between the driver’s seat and the car door – his mom is driving – on our car ride up there.  The blue doggie preserver is actually Biggie’s, but he shared, so you’ll see both of us wear it.  I only swam briefly when we first arrived and Mom wasn’t ready to film it and then (as you’ll see in the video) briefly again on our last day there.  Biggie’s mom shadowed me way too closely as I swam.  I didn’t need help!  But I know she only did it because Mom was worried and couldn’t be with me and video me both at the same time.  Oh, there’s also a point at which I find and eat some tasty ants.  Ummm… I don’t think anything else requires explanation.  I liked the lake a lot, but I’m not sure Mom is outdoorsy enough to take me again.  The tics freaked her out and also she, I and Biggie all got some kind of rash or hives from somethin’.  Mine and Biggie’s seems to be fading, but hers is just getting started.

But the important thing is:  I swam!!! (Mom’s never seen me swim before, if you didn’t already guess).

And here’s some pictures of me enjoying the sunshine and scenery:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hoppy summer everyone!

Hey all,

Mom’s doing her best to keep me busy.  We’re still visiting my friends at the nursing home nearby.  Met some new friends there last visit too – mega-dog people!  That was cool.  Mom is always very cautious about not letting me approach people who aren’t waving us over.  I think I can convert people, if she’d just give me a chance.  Better safe than sorry, I suppose.  OH!!!  And guess what!!!  They have birds in a big glass box at the nursing home.  I didn’t notice them until a couple visits ago.  I WISH Mom would let me sit and watch them, but she says they are for the residents to enjoy, not me, and I have a job to do and… she knows I’d never want to leave.  You never know, one of those birds might find a way out.  Or I might find away in muwhahaha!

Mom wishes she had pictures of me at the nursing home, hanging with my friends, but she doesn’t want to make the residents uncomfortable.  Like I said – she’s super-cautious.  Maybe some day down the road after we’ve been visiting longer.

We do sort of have pictures though from the two events she took me to recently.  The first was a Bark for Life walk in Oregon, WI.  But she didn’t have any human pals available to come along, so she couldn’t get any good pictures at the event, but here’s one she took of us after:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mom wore her Tripawds Rocks!, Team Tripawds jersey, inspired by Trouble 🙂

And then there was the first annual Dogs on the Square, which was a fundraiser for Capitol K-9s, which is a non-profit for the Police K-9 Units.  It was really hot (windy too).  I loved all the attention from strangers, but I did kind of worry Mom with how much I wanted to lay down.  There was a lot to watch, that’s all!  Still she’s gonna make me go to the vet, whatever.  I get a lot of attention there too 🙂   Here’s a picture of me soaking in the sun an scenery.  Oh and there’s the mounted patrol in the background of one.  I didn’t even realize there were horses right there.  Huh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here’s one more picture for good measure – me sunbathing in the backyard today:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow it’s hot!

And, by the way, we’re hoping for a midwest tripawd pawty (or two) this year.  Mom put up a post about it in the forums: http://tripawds.com/forums/tripawd-parties/midwest-2011-pawty-possibilities/#p58411

Stay cool!

Gerry

Well, it doesn’t look like we’ll be done marching at the Capitol here in Madison any time soon.  Mom says a lot of people are busy marching to meetings and to places all over Wisconsin to spread the word, so the Capitol Square wasn’t as crowded the last time she took me, which I like better.  Fewer people means more squirrels on the Capitol lawn!  Mom made sure that this time my sign said something that would encourage other protestors to come say hi to me, cause last time she noticed I was kinda bummed that people weren’t paying attention to me.  But I actually didn’t get many more people to stop and pet me – and that was definitely partly because I was monitoring squirrel activity!  (They’re spies for the DOA after all).

After probably four or five laps around that last time, we went to a local pet store right off the square that has expressed solidarity with public workers – rhoohoo!  So Mom picked me up some more fish treats to use for my CGC class that just started.  Lucky for me Mom signed us up for that before all heck broke loose here, or who knows when we would have gotten around to it!

Here’s a little bit of me protesting and then heading off to the pet store!  It was a little too tricky for Mom to videotape me and march at the same time:

 

Me and Biggie helped our fellow Wisconsinites show our government what democracy looks like.  Our people have gone pretty much every day, but as good as me and Biggie are in crowds, neither of our persons wanted to push it, so I’ve only been once and I think Biggie went twice.  Just as well.  Not nearly enough people stopped to pet me.  

The picture above is us getting ready.  My Ruffwear harness came in handy big time for carrying my sign.  A little tape around the handle and ta-da!  And there’s more room for it on the missing leg side.  Just a couple tips for any other tripawd protesters out there.

Ok, Mom says now that I’ve shared my tripawd-relevant tips, that’s all we have to say here on the Tripawds blog about the protests in our hometown.  (BUT Mom will be more than happy to chat with anyone about it who wants to.  Feel free to PM her – GerrysMom.  Frankly, I’d be grateful.  I love that she talks to me and all, and this stuff is really important, but come on, less justified outrage and more petting!)

My mom’s co-worker kept asking her – as we were gearing up for our blizzard here – wouldn’t I have a hard time with all this snow?  Mom was like, uh, she shovels and I walk in the path.  And when we go on walks, I also favor the tracks made by cars, if we can’t find clear sidewalks.  But really it’s not that different from helping one’s four-legged dog get the snow.  At least my mom always shovelved for her four-legged dogs too.  And, frankly, I can get the drifts when I want to.  Here’s some pics and video from this morning to prove it!

FYI, Mom’s not sure if you’ll be able to see much of anything in the video, but she has noticed before that what looks way too dark on her computer when she plays it is often much lighter on another computer.  (Feel free to offer feedback when you leave comments about whether you can see anything in this video).  But soon, Mom hopes to update with more video from today, when it’ll be light enough to see.  Won’t be as impressive though as this morning before all the real shoveling and plowing.

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, Mom has to finish shoveling, which means I have to get off the computer.  I’m not allowed on the Internet without pawrental supervision.  Stay safe everybody who is getting the big weather!!!

Hey all,

I had my Couch Day (1/18) and my one year Adoption Day(1/16), which got me two new stuffed toys to mangle!  You can kinda see them with me hanging out on – what else? – the couch in these pictures below.  There’s the gray boiled rat toy (who looks more like hamster now without his tail) and an orange moose.

Now my adoption anniversary is pretty clear (even if it comes so late after the anniversary of Mom bringing me home – she actually thought she’d only be fostering me for a while there), but some of you may be asking, “What the heck is Couch Day?”  Well, when my big brother Yoda had his front leg amputation (I don’t know if that makes a difference) the orthopedic surgeon said he could not be allowed on any furniture until his incision had fully healed.  Mom decided for her peace of mind, even though my vet(s) didn’t tell her that, that I was banned from the couch until my incision healed!  She turned it to face the wall and put a chair on it and everything!

And there’s something you should know about me.  I was not very tolerant of the shelter atmosphere.  They were a small organization with maybe 8 or so dogs crated.  Crates cannot contain ME!  I broke out of several.  Mom saw some of the bent metal bars (not sure what kind of metal, but I am AWESOME).  And at the shelter, there was a lobby area for potential adopters with a couch.  Shortly before they convinced Mom to foster me, they gave up on trying to crate me and I slept like the sweet dog I am on their couch.

When Mom brought me home though, there was some concern my crate-wrecking equaled separation anxiety.  So, Mom did the recommended stuff and tried to leave for very short periods that gradually increased longer and longer.  She also tried to gate me into the kitchen (so the whole couch thing wouldn’t be an issue).  But no, I would not be confined.  I threw one tantrum, chewing on blinds in the kitchen and then figured out how the gate opens (still had my fourth leg then, so I could get up to nose the lever up and push.  I threw some cushions on the ground to make my displeasure clear too, but I didn’t chew anything up.  I had my couch, I was cool again.

But then, after going through major surgery no less, as I noted before, she took my couch away!  (Or turned it around, same diff).  You can imagine how I felt.

Couch cushions on the floor are not the same.

So what did I do?  Well, unbeknownst to Mom, I channeled my frustration into licking around my cone collar to my incision.  Joke was on me though, because it turned out that made my incision take longer to heal, which not only meant waiting longer for the couch, but I had to keep the cone on longer  too(well, a longer one I couldn’t lick around that is).

I had one more trick up my sleeve though and, in retrospect, Mom wishes she had taken a picture of my triumph.  Yes, she put a chair on the couch as it faced the wall, just in case, but it didn’t cover the whole couch.  Nearly a full cushion wasn’t covered.  And on that side of the couch stood an end table.  Granted though that that end table was covered with a stereo, telephone, rolodex, etc.  Still, I found my footholds somehow and climbed over the end table and curled myself next to the chair on the couch.  So it had no cushions on it – big deal.  I was where I belonged.  Then Mom came home from her errand and neither of us were quite sure how I was going to get out of where I belonged.  But somehow I did.

And eventually….. well, after a dumb histiocytoma on my shoulder had to be removed, meaning another incision needed to heal… still EVENTUALLY Mom turned the couch back around and put the cushions back on and THAT, my friends, was COUCH DAY!

And I have been appreciating my couch ever since…

Ahhh, love your couches all-pawds.  Couch Day can be celebrated every day.

Aw man, I’m incorrigible.  Some of you might remember Mom almost rescinded my dog park privileges last year.  I got more training… and then more training, but I get so excited around other male dogs (especially the big ones), and I’m just a rough-and-tumble kinda guy.  It’s a guy thing.  But I had one scuffle too many (nobody’s ever been hurt – promise!) and so Mom doesn’t think it’s safe for me to go to dog parks anymore.  Such a bummer.  Finances permitting, more training classes or meeting with a behaviorist might one day teach me to be better behaved and maybe I can go back then… but that’ll probably be a reeeeally long time.  Mom’s bummed too, especially since we had such great times at tripawd pawties in 2010.  Maybe if there are any other midwest pawties, Mom and I can meet up with people and pups on leash before or after, outside of the park or something.  Sigh.

And all this means Mom has a really BIG resolution to follow through on this year.  She says I’m probably the only motivation strong enough for her to do it – getting into shape to go running with me!  Going to the parks has been my chance to RUN.  Now Mom is going to have to be able to keep up with me.  Paws crossed that she’s up for it.

Anyway, Hoppy New Year everybody!  I got all spiffed up for the occasion. 

Against my will, but I must admit, I looked good after I dried out.  Especially with my new collar and Quiet Spot (it’s a red Velcro thingy that covers my tags and keeps ’em from jingling).  My grandpawrents let Mom bathe me at their place, which was great cause I got to dry out in front of their fire.

And here is a shot of a couple of our tree ornaments at home.  On the right is Mom’s first dog, who she grew up with.  And on the left, most of you will recognize, is Yoda.  Mom often says that if the two of them had had a pup, he would be a lot like me. 

Hoppy Holidays to all!!!

Hey everypawdy!  I had my ampuversary on the 16th!!!  Had so much fun there wasn’t time to blog.

I got so many new toys and things to chew on – and we haven’t even had Christmas yet.  I made a little video of me enjoying all of them.  Unfortunately even with all the lights on, our living room lighting is too dark for my mom’s camera.  But you get the general idea.

Here’s a play-by-play of what you’re about to see (but feel free to skip down to the dimly-lit video!).  First up is an ampuversary surprise give from a super duper nice lady who works with my mom.  It’s pink and girly – just how me and my roommate Biggie like it.  Hence why Biggie is the one chewing on it in the beginning.  But I keep asking him if he’s done yet until he finally gives it up – then I go to town on it!

Then I got a piece of rawhide!!! No way!!! I haven’t had any of those since my tummy troubles last Spring.  But then I had teeth troubles (mine are very run down and some had factured, so the specialist recommended being extra dilligent with keeping them clean) so Mom let me try a C.E.T. (they make the toothpaste too) rawhide.  So far, no stomach upset!!!  So I might get another!!!  I was so excited, I didn’t dare lay down to chew.  I thought I might have to run with it, if Mom changed her mind.

The next toy I actually got in honor the anniversary of my being fostered by mom.  I think it’s called a treat stick.  Mom fills it with my kibble (since my stomach is mysteriously sensitive).  It’s this blue plastic stick with a hole in it.  I have to roll it to get treats to fall out.  Mom says it’s the easiest of those kinds of toys she could find, but I still get fed up with how much work it is and try to chew it up when Mom gets distracted.  I am noticing that she’s right though – rolling it does get better results than chewing on it (and less scolding from Mom too)

And then I got the toy Mom got me fo my ampuversary – a gingerbread man (not a headless gingerbread man, heehee).  It was a boiled toy too.  I really like the new boiled toys.  Mom isn’t sure why.  She’ll have to remember to ask the pet store lady why they taste better and feel better to chew than most other toys.  They’re not too hard to dismember either – muwhahahahaha!

Once again, gotta say, it’s been a great first year.  Thanks Tripawds for helping my mom and me make it through it!!!

No, it’s not quite a year since my ampuversary (next month!) but Mom brought me home one year ago this weekend.  

We remember my homecoming all too well : )  I was afraid of car rides in those days.  Mom already knew I was afraid of crates.  I was breaking out of those in the shelter and the shelter people told her that I would ALWAYS have accidents in the car when they transported me (in a crate) for my vet appointments.  She hoped maybe I’d do better in the car without a crate.  Nope!  I just didn’t like cars, period.  So as she was driving on the highway, through freshly falling snow, I freaked, climbed over the console, into the front seat (with a bum knee at the time, mind you) fogged up the windows with my panting, slipped all around – but somehow we made it home.  HOME!!!  FUREVER AND EVER : )  (Even though she claimed she was just fostering me).  Oh, and we have a barrier in the car now to keep me from backseat driving.  I’m over my car fear now though – which opened up a whole new world of dog parks and pawties : D

This is the beginning of so many holidays for us – home anniversary, Thanksgiving, then ampuversary, then Christmas, then New Year’s, then Couch Day (when my incision finally healed and I was allowed to go on the couch again),  and my official adoption anniversary… I think that’s it.  Yeah, Mom has a lot of presents to buy me, heeheeheeheehee…  I’ll be sure to blog about those as they come in.

In honor of 1 year in my furever home, Mom made a compilation video of my highlights.  If you’ve followed my blog all along, it might not be so exciting – you’ve seen most of the clips.  Here it is:

Speaking of celebrations, I posted a video just the other day about going to Nova’s 2 Year Ampuversary Pawty!  Check it out if you missed it.   

It was great to meet Rocky the Black Lab, Boo the Greyhound, Emmy (Nova’s sister) the Great Dane, and (drum roll…) Nova the Great Dane!!!  And all their people.

It was good to have another guy there and Rocky was quite the ladie’s dog.  Here he is playing it cool with the Queen.

Boo taught me that barking at squirrels can sometimes make them fall out.  She said I’d need to keep practicing though.  Didn’t work for me at the park.  Is it just Mom, or does she look a little guilty in this picture to you all too?

Here’s another of Boo – innocent this time:

Oh shoot, we don’t have any good stills of Emmy, but you can definitely see her in the video from my last blog.  Here’s another one of the Queen though!

Oh and then there was the part of the party when I spotted prey across the street from the park and took off towards one of the openings in the fence.  Whoops.  Mom kind of freaked out, and our human housemate, who came along with my buddy and dog housemate, did her Xena Warrior Princess impression, which confused me long enough to lose sight of my prey, so I came back before leaving the park… but Mom is trying to forget that particular moment of the party, so no pics or video of that : )

So those are the highlights of both my 1st year and Nova’s pawty!  (As I recall at least).  Oh yeah, and then there was the ride home.  Didn’t seem as long as the ride there.

My bud, Biggie, agrees:

Til next time…