How Fair is Fair?

Before the arrival of Miss Precious, I attended a dog training workshop called Barks and Babies. One of the many important lessons I learned from the workshop was to teach my dogs that life isn't fair. Especially after a baby arrives.

After a baby arrives, the daily schedule that your dogs have grown to learn and expect, goes haywire. Meals don't arrive on time. Bathroom breaks are irregular. Walks are less predictable. And nothing is fair. This new little being gets to sit by the dining table and stare at the food. This new little being gets to lay on our laps and bellies. This new little being always gets to go in the car and go wherever we go. Now, all of our coos and smiles aren't just for the dogs and it's hard for them to understand.

So the presenter at this workshop told us to go home and teach our dogs that sometimes life just isn't fair. Sometimes give one dog a treat and not the other. Sometime call one dog over for snuggles but not the other. At the time, I thought this made sense. Then the dogs won't think that they were entitled to something and anticipating their fair share when the baby came home.

But the more I think about it, do dogs really understand the concept of fairness? Do they remember that- Hey, last time Sabrina got the extra treat. How come she always gets the extra treat? Do they really understand - One for me, one for her...ah, ah, ah...you gave her an extra one! I mean, come on. I think it's really one more way we humanize our dog's behaviors into emotions. Wouldn't dogs have to have the ability to understand the concept of "one" or perhaps even be able to count to really know that fair is fair? Now, my dogs are pretty bright, but I can't say they can count.

Hey Hounds, Mama's Back!

I kept wanting to write a post of my recent magnificent accomplishment but it wasn't really Bernerbuddy related. It was more about Miss Precious and I really wanted to keep this blog focused on my furkids. And then this morning it hit me. This absolutely has to do with the furkids!!

My recent magnificent accomplishment is.....(Thunder Drum roll please.......) Miss Precious is sleeping in her crib!

YA-Hoo.

Double YA-Hoo. I had to do it. The alternative was just killing me (and ruining my back). Just for background information on why this is such a monumental event...Miss Precious is going to be 4 months next week and since her birth, Mommy has been her food, her pacifier, and her bed. That means out of a 24 hours day, I had about one hour to myself. URGH.

So we have "Ferberized" her. Something I never thought I would ever do to my child. It was a simple behavior modification technique similar to what I might have used on my furkids. And it took two days. I'm sure we will continue to have new challenges ahead, but for now, my hands are free to hug, wrestle, and scratch my dear furchildren. I indulged each of them yesterday just to try and make up for lost time-if that were possible. They're the best. No hard feelings, no resentment. Just glad Mama's back!

Our Home is Their Home

This past weekend found the Dogfather and I busy with home (decor) improvement projects. I have always envisioned my home to reflect the type of person I am: colorful, refreshing, relaxed, and warm. I want people to feel like they can come over and enjoy our home with us.
We have lived here 5 years now and we are still decorating. It's expensive! Considering it took the Dogfather two years before he agreed to put some paint on the walls, I can only accept that this will be an ongoing process. Over the weekend we put delicate periwrinkle print drapes up in Miss Precious' room, printed out photos to replace our photo collage frames, and the Dogfather put in non-skid mats on the two hardwood floor staircases.
Mats, you say? Yes. Nice, sturdy, rubber-backing, mats. Up the back stairs and up the main staircase. They are not the most decorative pieces we have ever put in our home but one of the most necessary. These mats are for our Riley-Roo. He has fur that grows out from between the toes of his paws. It gets long and is very slippery on the hardwood floors. Especially when there is a race to get down the stairs while the black fury (aka Sabrina) is tumbling behind you.
We have considered time and time again how we should dress the stairs but every option just didn't seem right. Long runners up and down the stairs seemed too formal. Separate carpet squares only came in ugly colors and seemed too permanent as they required nailing. The mats we got are just charcoal. Simple, thin, and CHEAP! The Dogfather simply took each mat (they are sold as doormats) and took an Exacto knife down the middle of each one. Whoala. It took a little coaxing and special treats to teach Riley to actually walk on them (he actually tried to walk around them) but now he gets it. Ah! They did this for me!

Yes, my dear Bernerboy, this is your home too.

yummy yum yums

Need I say anything?

I Confess

Two weeks ago we ran out of raw food. The entire chest freezer down in the basement was....EMPTY!! The last bulk order I purchased came in early December right after Miss Precious came home. I bought a 50 pound box of lamb necks, a 40 pound box of pork necks, 2 large lamb shoulders, 20 or 30 pounds of goat bones, and another 40 or 50 pound box of turkey necks. They lasted us til 2 weeks ago. I calculated it out and it cost us a dollar per dog per day. Not bad huh? I must have been lucky and made some really good choices. However, chisling out appropriate portions from a a solid frozen 50 pound mass was no easy feat, nor do I have the time available to do that. So I didn't order again and kinda forgot about it.

Dogs still gotta eat and we're now on a tighter budget. So, yes, I confess, we went to kibble. AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH. I know I know. I never thought it would come to this. Not only are the dogs eating kibble, so are the cats! The horror the horror.

Our almost 2 year old Sabrina has never eaten kibble in our house. Our almost 5 year old Riley hasn't eaten kibble since he was 4 months old. Mei Mei hasn't eaten kibble since Riley made the switch. And our almost 9 year old Little Li was just starting to warm up to raw meat as well. But for a 20 pound bag, it cost us $26 to feed the dogs until we could afford it on my next pay period and I could get another bulk order in with my coop.

The verdict on kibble? It still sucks.

Everyone is guzzling water like there's no tomorrow. The Dogfather commented the other day that he's never even seen the cats actually drink from the water bowl before.

The poops from everybody are 3 times bigger and they all poop 3 extra times a day! AND the poop really stinks.

More water and more poop means more trips outside. Thank goodness I'm home all day.

I watch the dogs like a hawk in fear they are going to bloat at any minute. They have both started to wheeze after literally inhaling all the dry kibble. So now I soak it in water before I give it to them.

And of course my poor sensitive guy, Riley, is itchy itchy itchy.

RAW FOOD ARRIVES TONIGHT!!! And I'm absolutely thrilled that I will be able to pick up fresh, naturally raised chicken and duck eggs tonight as well. We are all heading to one person's house where all the orders are being sent. And she raises her own chickens and ducks. All naturally raised, free to roam, no antibiotics to worry about, no growth hormones, no pesticide, no preservative. And they are supposedly deeeeelicious. I have never had a duck egg so I am going to try 6 of them. They are supposedly great for baking and making scrambled eggs. They are not for the dogs!!

Bobby's New Sibs

Bobby is Johann's new name with his new family. Apparently there is a story behind his renaming but we will have to wait for the full rescue story to be published in our Bernerblatt newsletter to know why.
Here is Bobby with his new sibs: Brewster is the Westie and Ivy is the Bernergirl. My guess is that Ivy is the lovely girl on the right and Bobby is hanging out in the back. Can't wait to read about the full story!

Homeward Bound!

Our prayers were answered! The rescue mission was a success. After days of patience and perseverance, Johann (the lost Berner) came to trust our devoted club member and her Bernergirl.
The amazing twist to this story is that due to Johann's flight-risk, it was advised for him not to be returned to his adoption home. Instead, it was advised for him to be rehomed with a family that has other dogs (hopefully Berners!) that are social and well adjusted as well as with people that he trusts so that he may begin his healing process. And whom better than the wonderful woman who spent days out on a farm gaining his trust? And without even batting an eyelash, she agreed to be his new loving mum.
What an amazing rescue and adoption story. Good luck Bernerboy. We hope to meet you someday soon.

Hear Our Prayers Tonight

It's 31 degrees outside and the forecast predicts snow and rain.

One devoted person and her beloved Berner girl will be out all night on a rescue mission. This amazing person is a member of our Nashoba Valley Club. The mission is to coax an extremely frightened and scared male Berner whom has been lost since Monday! The poor guy was just adopted a mere 10 days ago by a family here so he doesn't even know the area. Our club members have been out everyday in the rain and snow looking for any sign of the boy. A few days ago, fresh tracks were found and finally, several sightings of him.

So tonight, a Berner girl and her owner will be camping out in a barn in hopes that this scared boy will go in to find comfort and end his ordeal. Please keep you fingers/paws crossed and send a prayer that this ordeal ends tonight.

I Miss My Dogs!

I have been on maternity leave for 43 days now. 43 days at home. This may be the longest time I've even stayed home and not had to go to school or work. Oh, I forgot, parenting IS work...day after day after day of work. Alas, I digress from the topic of this post.
I have been home 43 days now and for the first time there is someone home all the time with the dogs. My Bernerboy, Riley, whom used to follow my every step around the house has resigned to nap all day in the bedroom only to be replaced by my sweet little Sabrina. She is sleeping at my feet in the nursery right now. I try to take the dogs out everyday for a walk at the park. It is good for me to get out and Miss Precious seems to nap well in the fresh air. Despite spending more time with my dogs than I ever have before, I miss them! My hands are always busy. Busy holding nursing baby, busy holding sleeping baby, busy bouncing baby, busy changing baby. And if my hands aren't full, then they are busy shoving food into my mouth because I'm starving!!!

Little by little however, Miss Precious has allowed me to set her down in a bouncy seat so that I may straighten my back, crack my shoulders, and flex my wrists to release them from their constant baby-holding positions. And during those few moments, I have realized how much my hands have missed rubbing, patting, and scratching my furry babies. I bury my face into their soft fur and give them a big bear hug. I feel every little atom in their body sizzling with excitement that they are finally getting some attention from their Mommy! So unconditional. So unjudgmental. So willing to love me back despite 43 days of neglect. There is no resentment. Just pure joy to enjoy just a few seconds of love. How I miss my dogs!

Meeting Mr. Coyote on the Hill

Having actually gotten a decent night of sleep (added total of 6 hours), I felt ambitious enough today to take the dogs to explore a new place. Miss Precious' cooperative disposition in the car made the decision to go and not head home so much easier too. (I am hoping that she is finally loving her car rides and willing to leave the long opera performances that shake my nerves to the past.)

Following a suggestion from one of the moms in my new mother's group, I drove up to Prospect Hill. I have heard of this park and the Dogfather and I had actually hiked through it once when we had first moved here. Although there are a lot of trails there and it is closer to our house, it's really more of a picnic park so it hasn't been an ideal place to let my hounds off leash. It is also situated within a shady neighborhood so that's another reason it's less desirable to visit. Today was only 30-something degrees. No one was gonna be out there. Or so I thought. We stayed on the main road up past the picnic areas and walked out to the ledge where you can get a nice view of the city. On our way back down, I saw him. A lone gray coyote right on the path. I was the first to spot him and I saw him before he saw me. I immediately recalled the dogs and they happily returned to my side before they caught a whiff of him. He turned around and quietly disappeared into the woods. Then Sabrina caught wind of him, followed by Riley. But he was long gone by then. Seeing him brought a smile to my face. It was like an added bonus treat for making it out of the house today. It made me feel so good I even prepared a yummy dinner in time for the Dogfather's arrival home. A good day indeed!