Bark Bark Bark

There is a joke at our house about how Joe picked out Nestle at the city shelter. He says he picked Nestle because all the other dogs were barking and she wasn't. It was true. She was just sitting there acting like a good dog. Well, we went out front to do the paperwork and for some reason I went back to see her again and she was barking up a storm with all the other dogs. I should have known then what we were in for. Nestle didn't stop barking that first weekend at our house. I can still remember I was sitting at the dining room table writing a paper and she stood there barking away. I ignored her for as long as I could, after all, I'd been told you should ignore them and eventually they "get it." Not Nestle. Chaco used to go to another room to get away from her. We went through multiple bark collars with her. She just kept barking through them, even the one the dog sitter/trainer used on her. Zapping Nestle only meant she'd bark more. Seven years later it hasn't changed. But with impressionable Gidget around (Daisy and Hattie were never into barking- they always had a look like, "We'll just let her bark it out and waste her energy"), I had to do something. I remember how at our previous house we had a barking dog next door. He was bored, his guardians didn't spend much time with him. But he was annoying! I read once where you could put pebbles in a soda can and shake it when they dog barked. So I did. And either it worked or we moved. I don't remember which now (probably both though). The spray bottle works well with Gidget, but spraying Nestle made her bark more. Last week I had a spray bottle in one hand and the Squirt can filled with pebbles in the other when someone walked by the house and Gidget began to bark, followed up by Nestle. Coordinating that was a little difficult but I hope we're on the right track. I've asked several people for help but everyone just says, "Sounds like you need Cesar Millan. And since I don't think he'll be at my house any time soon, well, we'll just keep shaking the can and squirting the water.

Barks and Bubbles

Yesterday, I was invited to take part in Barks and Bubbles at our vet clinic here in Albuquerque, TLC Pet Hospital. They have been really good to me and unless I'm going there for an emergency (especially one with an uncertain ending), I enjoy stopping by the clinic. Barks and Bubbles was a dog wash event to benefit the Luvin' Labs Rescue. I had Joe go home and get Nestle so that she could get a bath. We didn't think she was dirty since she wasn't smelly or oily but she definitely looked fluffier when she was done drying! What was amazing was the number of people who showed up. A local country station was there along with a local BBQ caterer and several other vendors. There were lines of people at several times to get their dogs washed and it was just a great event for people who truly consider them members of their families plus a good fundraiser for Luvin' Labs. They had several labs there looking for homes. It was hard not to take one with us but I just needed to think of Gidget who is as much work as four dogs to remind me that there's a reason the city limits how many we can have. Hopefully, they all will find loving homes.

Nestle visits Bow Wow Blues

Nestle and I went down to Bow Wow Blues today to deliver flyers for the book signing. Nestle thought she'd scope the place out for the signing while we were there...please join us on November 22!