Out Of the Box Sampler Review

I bought an Out of The Box Pet Sampler and I thought it would be fun to do a review and show off all the fun items we received in our box.  The pups really thought it was great to get a box delivered that was just for them :)
And they are adorable!!

)

Long Over Due Update!

I just narrowed the weaves for Dhali today, which made me want to tell someone LOL!  So here is a very overdue post!  Dhali loves his weaves and he is doing great!

Here is a video from last week of Dhali and Tibby (yes, Tibby!) weaving.  Tibby actually wanted to play with a toy and do the weaves as a reward - it's been so long since she wanted to do that :)

We have been taking walks and hiking.  Tibby has been doing pretty good with going out in public too.  She even walked past a couple men in the dark and didn't freak out.  We won't talk about the times that she barked at a fluffy dog and an old lady carrying a box.

This leash coupler is amazing!  I couldn't walk them without it!

Dhali and his cat :)

So cute! 

Speaking of cute...............

adorable!

National Dog Day! Cake and A Picnic!

August 26th was national dog day.  I wanted to take the dogs and do something fun, but it was 95F and humid, so I baked them a cake instead.

And then we had a picnic!

This was my cake recipe: 1 can of green tripe, 1/2 cup of garbanzo bean flour, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup of almond milk.  Mixed it all up and baked it for 40 mins.

Then I 'frosted' it with peanut butter and added some peanut butter chips to the top.  I tried to make it spell D-O-G.  

Then we went outside and the dogs had their cake and ate it too!

Ok there are a lot of pictures, but peanut butter + cute puppies = adorable!

Weaves and Teeter and Tunnels!

This is Dhali in his favorite spot - underneath the plum tree laying in the grass :)  

Weeeee!  A video of agility!  Yes we have been working on something.  

Dhali has been very hesitant about the big teeter.  Of course, when I brought the little teeter outside to just play an easy game of 'bang it' he was all "I'm not scared!".  Crazy little guy.  

He's getting better and better about not biting me and hopefully I am getting better at giving him the right direction.  I'll have to wait and see what the official word is from Loretta, if I'm doing good/bad.

Look at him do the weaves!  He's figuring it out.  At first I had fences on either side, but he doesn't need them any more.  I'm not sure how they figure this stuff out, like running contacts, but they seem to get it.  A little bit every day.  

My goal is to have a fast, smooth running dog.  LOL!  I think that's everyone's goal.  It might take a long time, but I think it will be worth it :) 

Tibby makes a cameo appearance at the beginning of the video.  She really does not like to do agility, but she likes hot dogs, so she will bang that *%&#* teeter until she gets some hot dogs or I take her away.  She is such a funny dog.  Crazy that she is the most willing to do the teeter, when it was THE scariest thing to her in the beginning.  It took a long time just to shape her to look at and take one step toward the teeter.  Now she won't get off it! 

Chewy Treat Review With Tibby

Tibby got to review these yummy treats from Chewy.com.  Why should Dhali get to do all the treat testing??

Question #1: "So Tibby how to you like these Natural Balance Jerky Bars from Chewy.com?

Tibby:  "They taste really good.  I will even sit up to get one and I don't do that for every treat.  I like the chicken part and the sweet potato part.  Give me another one or this interview is over."

Question #2:  "Is there anything you would change about these treats?"

Tibby:  "Yes, I hate the plastic bag.  It makes a scary noise and ruins my appetite.  Take the treats out of that dangerous bag, give me the treats and then throw that scary bag away.  Really!  That bag is freaking me out!  No,  I don't want to sit next to it.  Ok, I'm counting to 3 and then that bag had better be gone."  

"I'm not getting rid of the bag.  Question 3?"

"Fine.  I need 2 treats to steady my nerves."

Question #3:  What do you think of the size, shape and texture of these treats?"

Tibby:  "Well, they could be bigger.  You keep breaking them into tiny pieces.  I'm not dumb - hello!  I can see how big they are in the bag.  Texture?  Um, let me try a normal size one and I'll let you know if there is a texture.  Shape is good - it fits in my mouth."

Question #4: "Any finally thoughts?"

Tibby:  Yeah, I'm tired of talking to you and laying next to this scary plastic bag.  Am I getting paid in treats for this interview?  I want to renegotiate my contract!"

Dhali gets to review the next treats - he's not such a DIVA!

Two Of These Feet Are Not Like The Other

Who likes the grass?

The one with GREEN feet!!

And a Tibby tongue pictures, 'cause they are cute :) 

Tibby's Recheck

As you can see - Tibby was AMAZING at her recheck!  She did really, really well.  I was so happy.  6 months ago she was hiding underneath my chair, shaking, refusing treats, panting, pacing and wanting to sit in my lap.  Now she is working her mat, taking treats from strangers, listening to 'invisible' dogs (outside the door) and invisible people, greeting new people that come into the room and generally acting like the dog she was always meant to be.  

It makes me cry a little, because I knew she was in there and, until I took her for help, I didn't know how to get her out.  I'm so happy to see Tibby being happy.  :)

She was really just perfect.  For the last 6 months I have rarely taken her out of the house, so I wasn't sure how our visit to the UofM vet clinic would go.  I took her for a walk before we went in for our visit.  There is a little quad/park area.  

Tibby: 25mg trazadone and thundershirt - ready for a walk.  The first thing we see is a big white and black spotted dog.  Oookay - her biggest trigger, another dog.  Tibby looks at the dog and keeps walking.  Strange men working on the road?  Doesn't care.  People walking around and sitting on benches?  Doesn't care.  The only thing that worried her a little bit was a woman jiggling a big bunch of keys.  Tibby was a little worried about that.  

Then I got Dhali from the car and took them for a walk together around the park.  My plan was to take them separately, but I ran out of time and Dhali didn't get to have a separate walk without Tibby.

We went inside and saw lots more people and dogs.  Tibby was a little overexcited, but so was Dhali.....  But she calmed right down and took treats nicely.  We went into the exam room and waited for a while.  Dhali threw up....

We practiced with the mat.

Then the Dr's assistant came in with 2 med students.  She went over some history and how things were going.  Dhali pooped on the floor..... 

Then we sat for a long time with the med students and waited for the Dr.  It probably wasn't that long, but I didn't know what to say to the students.  They couldn't believe that Tibby had been different before.  It is hard to imagine if you haven't seen it.  While we were waiting Dhali entertained us with his tugging and fetching skills.  He was not shy at all.  He kept trying to get a toy out of my bag, so I finally gave him one and he was so happy.  He ran around shaking it and laid down on the mat to play with it.  Then he wanted to play tug and fetch.  He was very cute.  Dhali is definitely a stress up kind of dog vs. Tibby's stress down.  

Then the Dr. came in and we went over some more things.  She said Tibby is doing so well that we can turn over care to our normal vet.  I'm not sure how that will work exactly, but I guess I will find that out.  

Then we tried to fit Tibby for a different muzzle, but she didn't really fit into any of them.  Tibby was such a good girl trying on all the muzzles.  She put her head right into each of them - she made me look like a good trainer!  LOL!  When I really haven't been doing that much work with her.  I have just been letting Tibby be Tibby.  She's pretty smart :)

She was even offering to do her sit up trick to Dr. Duxbury for treats!

Dhali thought Tibby was getting way too many treats and way too much attention :P 

It was a very long day and both dogs are very tired.  Both sleeping since we got home.

Except for Dhali pooping on the floor, it was a perfect day!

Love The Game

Dhali had some fun this last week - chewing up a hose!  That will teach me to put my things away.  Thank you for the lesson Dhali.

This post is all about Dhali, because tomorrow is all about Tibby.  It's her 6 month check up with the vet. behaviorist.  

Dhali has been doing great with his agility training.  He really loves playing with me.  He is just the dog I dreamed of.  Sure he has his own mind and does some silly things, but they are so cute!  

For example in this video he decides that he knows how to do the agility all by himself!  Very cute.  We are still working on the biting.  Right now my arms look like I get in regular fights with strangers.  When people ask about the cuts, scratches, bruises of all colors and teeth marks I just say it's from too much cage fighting.  LOL!  I'm like the last person in the world that would be cage fighting.  

The lesson with Loretta helped a lot - I have been trying to use the ideas she gave me.  Also adding a bed to our practice helps too.  Dhali LOVES driving and laying down on his bed.  The bed gives me a place to send him to and he always know what he's supposed to do there, so that eliminated a lot of his frustration.  One final thing:  working with food first and toys second.  Toys get him CrAzY and then he bites me.....so work for food and then as a reward we will play!  

So far this is working much better.  We are actually making some progress - Dhali isn't ignoring jumps and trying to mug me for the toy.  Also, I don't get injured as much.  It isn't diminishing his toy play - he still loves to play.  I'm still using toys in his agility training, but I'm also using food now too.  

Dhali is my little shadow outside.  He likes to make sure all the yard work is done with his helping paw.  He just has such an attitude about him!  Such a cute little guy :)

Dhali Driving

LOL!  Dhali 'driving' - driving to and away  from the jumps :)



Silvia thought he was doing much better having better obstacle focus and sending away from me.

I think he has gotten even better this last week.  Tomorrow if it isn't raining again we will video .




Dhali running on the carpet.  He is very good at this, but not so great at running on a flat board.  I'm not sure (still) what I want to do with his contacts.  I want running, but it will take a lot of work, because he is fast and I am slow :)

We have been playing around with 2 jumps and tunnel in between them.  I think it made the lightbulb go on in Dhali's brain - he was sending beautifully to the jump the last time we played.

Tibby is doing very good.  She is very relaxed and loves the warmer weather, but not when it's too hot ;)  Sometimes after I have played with Dhali, I bring her out to see what she wants to do.  She likes heeling for hotdogs outside - which is a major improvement for her.  Before she was too afraid/distracted by everything to do anything and would just run back inside.  I have to be careful not to get too close to the agility equipment when we are heeling or she will offer going through the tunnel or wrapping the jumps - she has a strong foundation!  :)

Summer Is Here!

Who needs Spring?  We've got Summer!

The Last Snow Pictures!

I forgot I had these pictures from last week.

It was 70F today!  So no more snow - yay!

Look at Dhali's rabbit run LOL!!

I gave Dhali a bath tonight and now he is in his crate telling the world how unfair life is.  And I say.....someone needs to remember how to be quiet in his crate!

Tibby didn't get a bath, because she doesn't roll in the grass, dig holes, explore underneath the deck and crawl into every nook and dusty cranny! 

Tibby is laying in my lap, dead asleep and making my legs fall asleep.  She likes to have special snuggle time while Dhali is drying off.  

Here is some soap I made this week:

Just wanted to show it off!  I made it for my Dad.  It's the only soap he has ever requested me to make.  It has 20% pine tar in it.  It's supposed to be good for dry skin/psoriasis.  He tried a bar that his brother sent him and he thought it helped his psoriasis, so he asked me to make some for him.  I hope he likes it!