One Last Reminder

One last reminder, this weekend I put the redirect up again on the new website, at that time I will no longer post here.

 

Please make sure you’ve subscribed to the new blog so you don’t miss anything. 🙂

 

See you at http://www.heartlikeadog.com

The Map in My Heart

The Map in My Heart.

Just A Reminder

Just a reminder to you, the blog has moved and I am no longer posting on this site.

Please head on over to the new blog, Heart Like A Dog and sign up for your subscriptions.  I will be putting the redirect back on this blog and when that happens you will no longer receive notifications when I post.

Thank you and I look forward to seeing you on the new blog.
Jodi

The Blog Has Moved

Hi there, as you may know I’ve been working on moving this blog to a self-hosted account.  Just about two weeks ago I did move it and I put this blog to an automatic redirect, which means if you typed in this blog address, it would automatically take you to the new blog.

What I didn’t anticipate was those of you who subscribe by e-mail and for that I want to apologize.  I’ve taken the redirect down and will leave this blog open for a week, before I once again redirect it.

I’m truly sorry for not foreseeing this problem and I apologize for not rectifying it sooner.

Please check out the new blog here and be sure to use the subscribe button on the side.

Thank you for following!

Jodi

Heart Like A Dog

Please visit the new website here.

Follow-Up Friday

For those new to the blog, my follow-up Friday provides me with an opportunity to update or revise a post from the previous week.

You know sometimes you post about something and you need an update but it doesn’t warrant a whole blog.  Or sometimes someone made a comment that really resonated with you.  Yup, Follow-Up Friday baby!

Clueless – Author’s Note:

Most of you commented that you wouldn’t have a problem walking with me, that made me feel better.  The reason you’d walk with me is because you all understand the importance of having a well-behaved dog.

I like my dogs to be ambassador’s of the dog world and not a reason for people to ban them.  I believe you all feel the same way about your dogs.  Unfortunately most of the dog people I’ve encountered in my little corner of the world apparently think they are entitled to let their dogs run willy-nilly.

Besides you are my friends, at least until you meet me in person. 🙂

Would You Pay? – Author’s Note

Oh my dog ya’ll, did you think I was trying to raise funds for a dog park?

I don’t have the time or energy for that!

I was thinking of what my idea of a perfect dog park would be, and I thought I’d pay to have something that I wanted.  I just thought I’d throw it out to you.

Although I did take Julie’s advice and submitted the idea to the Beneful Dream park.  What the heck, I didn’t have anything to lose. 🙂

WTF/Whoo Hoo Wednesday – Author’s Note

In my WTF/Whoo Hoo Wednesday post, Al commented on the picture of Sampson and Delilah.

“They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If ever a picture depicted the two different personalities of Delilah and Sampson, that one does.”

I’ve said it before, these dogs are polar opposites, they are literally like night and day in every way, except for two.

They are both very loving and both very, very easy to love.

That about wraps up my week, how was yours?  Anything exciting planned for the weekend?

Hot Car = Dead Dog

With the onset of summer comes the stupid people who leave their dogs in cars.

You know it’s true.

A number of my fellow bloggers have been posting about this topic in the past couple of weeks.

Have you seen, Once Again: Dog + Hot Car = Dead…Get It? by Mel at No Dog About It Blog or Dogs And Hot Cars : The Real Tragedy by Kristine at Rescued Insanity?

I’ve been known to hear a dog bark in a parking lot and troll the area looking for the dog, and then I will call the cops.

I work for an engineering firm.  Last week my boss sent me to a local town hall to drop something off.  I pulled into a parking spot and a pick up truck pulled in next to me.  Seeing as 1) I’m a woman and have had it drilled into my head to be aware of my surroundings and 2) I’m a writer with a very active imagination I looked over.  I saw the tell-tale ears indicating there was a dog in the truck. 😦

As I approached the door to the building the man (probably in his late 50’s/early 60’s) was right behind me.  I paused and asked him if he intended on being in the building long.  He said no.  Then almost as an afterthought asked, “Why?”

I explained that I worried about the dog being left in the vehicle as most people aren’t aware how quickly the vehicle heats up.  He responded that he was aware of vehicles heating up, which was why he needed someone to help him.  (I took that to mean, he was going to use that to get a quick response.)

My business took 5 minutes or less.  When I came back out to my car I noted that his truck was still parked there and the windows weren’t cracked very much at all.  It was a nice day, probably in the 70’s and not humid, but still my car was warm after me being only gone 5 minutes!  I debated on what to do.

I had to go to the post office which was about 30 seconds down the street, so I made an agreement with myself that I would do my business and then check back on the truck.  If it was still there I would go inside and raise the roof or at the very least call the police.

When I came back from the post office (possibly 10 minutes later) I breathed a great sigh of relief to see the truck gone.  I can tell you my heart was pounding in my chest as I approached the town hall.

This morning I saw another post Is That Outfit Really Worth Your Dog Dying? by Jen from My Brown Newfies.  Jen works for a vet’s office and her post explained a lot about the physical reaction a dog has when it’s in a hot car.

In the comments Jodi Chick mentioned how she carries thermometers from the Dollar Store and bumper stickers and slips them inside the windows.  (She’s brilliant if you ask me, besides with a name like Jodi…)

Ever since I’ve read that I’ve been on the internet hunt for bumper stickers but I keep coming up busted.  I did however use the website that was posted on Jen’s blog picture and found MyDogIsCool.com where you can download and order fliers.

I still would like a bumper sticker though, preferably a magnet so if anyone knows where I might find one……I’d be really grateful. 🙂

W.T.F./Whoo Hoo Wednesday

Here is your W.T.F./ Whoo Hoo for this past week.

Please note this post is not meant to make light of the deeds described here, only to make fun of, ridicule, bully and just plain beat the shit out of the idiots who commit these stupid acts.

Manchester, Connecticut – This post kind of falls into both categories Police dogs finally receiving vests.

A while back I posted about some dog organizations that interested me, one of them was the vests for police dogs.  As you may know we had a police dog injured in our rental property due to the craziness of the (now ex) neighbor.  Thankfully the police dog wasn’t severely injured and Bobby the lunatic did not shoot at them, but at the time the police went into the house they had no idea what they were dealing with.

The police officer in charge of the case informed me that when they cut the cord Bobby had used to board himself in the attic, they heard a pop and initially thought he was shooting at them.  It turned out to be an electrical cord, thankfully for them.  Because I’m pretty sure Manchester police dogs do not have vests.

A lovely woman named Kathy Prudden paid CT-Vest-A-Dog $800.00 and never received the vests.  The owner Mark Moron Moran, has apparently done a bunk and is nowhere to be found.

How can you take money for something and not provide the product?  Especially for a dog that in all likelihood would take a bullet for you if he had to.  What kind of moronic piece of filth are you?

After reading the article though it seems like you’re in a bit more trouble than just not providing vests.  I hope when the Feds catch up with you (which I’m hopeful they will) they are using a police dog with a vest.  And when you resist arrest, which you will probably do because your too stupid to take responsibility for what you’ve done, I hope that dog wearing a bullet proof vest knocks you on your  dumb ass.

Really Mark, have you not heard of my friend Karma, she’s a fickle bitch that likes to bite people on the ass.

Think about it.

Fort Worth, Texas – Friendly Family Pet Killed By Officer Responding To Wrong Address. (Compliments of Life With Dogs)

Ok so first the cop responds to the wrong address.   The owners two dogs come running out to greet their new friend.  The owners tell the police officer “the dogs are friendly, just let us grab them and we will put them in the backyard.”  The husband catches one of the dogs but the other dog approaches the officer.

The officer thinks this dog is a Pit Bull

Looks nothing at all like a Pit Bull to me.

So he shoots and kills her.

The unnamed ball-less officer still has not offered an apology. As if that would even begin to make up for what he did.

I’m thinking someone needs to get this officer some education and quick.   One so he can learn his numbers correctly, two so he knows the difference between a dog running and wagging it’s tail in greeting from a charging, snarling I will f*ck you up dog and three at least get some idea of what Pit Bull type dog looks like.

Word of advice officer, when you deal with the public it’s a good idea to know the difference from an asshole and a hole in the ground.   I’d say everyone in Fort Worth knows who the asshole is in the story.

Chicago, Illinois – Puppy Thrown From Balcony Adopted By The Officer Who Saved Her (Compliments of Life With Dogs)

Another crappy story with a happy ending. Jamille Marshall was arrested and charged with one felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals after throwing a four-month-old puppy named Cowgirl out a third story window.  Thankfully she survived the fall with only a broken elbow.

Cowgirl  is recovering at the No Kill animal shelter and will be adopted by the officer who found her.  She will go to a loving home where she will join a two-year old sibling.

Ummmm Jamille did your mother ever mention that you shouldn’t throw anything out a window?  Specifically if it’s alive!

WTF is wrong with you?  Housebreaking a puppy does not mean you really break it.

With any luck the Chicago cops have your number and you’ll be pulled over anytime there’s a foul smell in the air.  Which I imagine in Chicago happens pretty frequently.

Pocono, Pennsylvania – Pet birds killed inside vacant home in Kunkletown.  (Thanks to Donna and the Dogs for this one.)

WTF is up in Kunkletown?  Bryana Renner and her fiance were in the process of moving into a new home, because of an increase in vandalism and theft in their neighborhood.   They left their pet birds at the old house and when they went to check on them on Saturday night they found that all but two had been brutally murdered.  The details are too gruesome for me, but I just can’t understand the cruelty of people.  I sure hope the police find these ass clowns and put an end to their bird killing days.

Now finally on to some really nice dog related news!

Whoo Hooo Wednesday!!!

Here’s the nice part about the Police dogs finally receiving vests.

That same wonderful woman, Kathy Prudden who coincidentally buys and raises these puppies before donating them to the police department, found and donated five vests, so finally the dogs are protected almost as well as our police officers.

Coco’s Forever Home

There’s a link to this story on my facebook page if you’re interested it’s a wonderful story about a young girl who fell in love at first sight and rescued a dog named Coco (who is now being called Sutton.) I could copy the whole post and put it here except this post is already quite long, so if you’re interested pop on over and check it out.

So what had you shaking your head saying WTF, or had you jumping for joy screaming, Whooo Hooo?

Dogs Think Like…..

I have a theory and it goes like this.  Dogs have lived with humans for so long, they’ve begun to think like us.

Hear me out.

Men

In general I think most women will agree that men think with a certain part of their anatomy.  Come on you’ve heard the saying, “Think with your big head and not with your little one.”

You’ve probably all known a man in your life who deals with a woman just not right for him.  When you question him or encourage him to move along you find out that he’s really hanging around for the little somethin, somethin that he’s been getting.

When they are not thinking with their little heads, they are logical thinkers, linear even.  Let me think this through, if I do this then this will happen and so on and so forth.

Women

Women think with their hearts.  When they fall in love, they’re in for the long haul, it takes a lot to break the love of a woman.  After all, the heart wants what the heart wants and there is no denying the heart.  When you question your woman friend who’s in a bad relationship, undoubtedly you will get “But I love him.”

The different thought process of men and women holds true during an argument.  The man is thinking, I should just give in and then we can have make-up sex, while the woman is thinking, we have to talk this thru so my heart stops hurting.

Children

Children think with their souls, they are so pure and innocent and most don’t know about being bad until we teach them.  No Johnny, that was a bad thing to hit the cat.   “Ahh, what is this bad that you speak of?  Tell me more…”

But what does that have to do with dogs?

Ah, I’m glad you asked.

Dogs

They are like men in the fact that they think logically.  Hmm if I plop my butt on the ground when she tells me to sit, I get a treat.

Most of them aren’t opposed to a little humping either. 🙂

Dogs are like women because they love with their whole heart.  They love so unconditionally and want so desperately to please us, which is one of the reasons they have been our companions for so many years.

They are like children because their souls are pure and really haven’t known evil until we introduced it to them.  Seriously, until man got involved there was no such thing as a bad dog.

Delilah

Delilah thinks with her stomach.

I. Kid. You. Not.

This dog is so obsessed with food that I’m afraid I am going to have to find a different way to train her.  Her “Gotcha Day” is coming up at the end of next month.  On that day we will celebrate five years.

Five years and I still haven’t been able to teach her to wait while I prepare her meals.

I walk into the kitchen and pull out their food bowls and she goes wild.  She is jumping, running and barking.

Oh the barking.

It. Drives. Me. To. Drink.  Yes, many nights I pour myself a shot of Tequila while I am waiting for her to settle down.

(I kid.)  But now that I think of it….

I digress.

I’ve tried ignoring her with no results.

I’ve tried looking at her and this works for a few seconds.  Then she is up on her feet again.  If she does sit, she is usually very vocal, barking or whining as if that could actually make me hurry up. (Ok, it might, if I thought it would shut her up, but I refuse to give in.)

Meanwhile, the Golden Boy is sitting where he has been told to sit and patiently waiting while Delilah and I (or Hubby) do this crazy, mosh-pit dance.

The last couple of days I’ve taken to ignoring her completely and just feeding Sampson, and then Bob, and then Sampson’s second course.  All the while Delilah is standing there looking at me, tail wagging in anticipation.

Hubby likes to use the intimidation method (which I hate) and stand in front of her with his hands on his hips.  I recently said, “I don’t want you intimidating her like that” and he said, “I”m not intimidating her, I’m blocking her.”

Ooops, I guess Hubby’s thinking with his big head because if he was thinking with the little one he’d know he’s not scoring any points with me on this one.

Sometimes I will ask, “Do you want to go in your crate?” She understands this enough to settle down and truthfully I could just put her in the crate when it was time to prepare her meals and just let her out when I was ready for her.

Training

She is equally as difficult when I try to use the clicker and food.  She is so focused on the food in my hand, that she absolutely cannot comprehend what I want her to do.

I’m. Not. Kidding.

I left a comment on a blog once where I asked, what do you do if the dog is too focused on the food.  The author suggested using food with lesser value.

I didn’t have the heart to tell her I was using a green bean.

This is the part where I throw it out to you.  Would you simply accept the fact that Delilah will never be able to sit quietly while her meals are being prepared and just put her in her crate, or would you try a different method of training?

I’m all ears.

And just for the record, tonight when we tried to get her antics on video, she sat like a perfect dog.

Follow-Up Friday

For those new to the blog, my follow-up Friday provides me with an opportunity to update or revise a post from the previous week.

You know sometimes you post about something and you need an update but it doesn’t warrant a whole blog.  Or sometimes someone made a comment that really resonated with you.  Yup, Follow-Up Friday baby! 🙂

Be The Change – Author’s Note

You all had some amazing blog posts yourselves.  It makes it so difficult to focus on one cause as there are so many changes that need to take place.

As for my post, I think we have to start with education and who better to start with than children.  They are so malleable and have such sweet, untarnished souls, they could really be the change.

As for the adults who commit these heinous crimes, larger fines, the possibility of jail time and community service, preferably in a shelter or dog pound.

As usual my awesome readers rose to the occasion leaving some incredible comments.

Kristine suggested “prohibiting pet ownership for a lifetime or a period of years,” as well as community service.

I also loved Jan’s idea, “I’d like to see a national registry of animal abusers like they have for sex abusers. Make the animal abusers pay all the expenses of maintaining it.”

Cue the music.

Ahhh ahhhh ahhhh…..can you hear the angels singing to that?  I know I can. 🙂

The Dogs Got Out….I’m So Done – Update

Dog lovers are a passionate bunch of people.  This was very evident in the comments.

I just want to say that as voices for the voiceless we need to be ambassadors for positive training.   In that respect we need to sometimes temper our passion with kindness and remember that not everyone is aware of the resources available to them.  And when someone reaches out to us, kindness will go so much further than anger and harsh words.

My friend ended up re-homing the newest dog to her neighbor.  Her words were, “I”ve never seen her so happy and relaxed.”  Furthermore her other dog has settled down and there has been no more fence jumping.  Everyone is much happier.

Contact Me – Author’s Note

Most of you wrote in to say you had some way for readers to contact you.  There were some blogs where I couldn’t find contact information, but I could follow them on Twitter, so I tweeted to them.

But there are still some blogs I’m having trouble commenting on.  I would ask you for a favor.  As you are perusing your favorite blogs this week, look about their site and see if they have contact information.  If they do not, would you mind leaving a comment and asking them to check their spam?

What Keeps You Awake At Night – Author’s Note

I want you to know I didn’t mean for the post to sound like I was whining.  I can’t sleep, it’s a fact of my life.

I didn’t mean to sound like I was complaining about Sampson and his need for rubbies.   It does NOT bother me that Sampson is in the bed and sleeping on me, in fact it brings me great joy.  I am truly surprised when I wake up and find myself twisted like a pretzel with Sampson hogging the bed and I actually smile.

There are some nights when it is too warm and he gets off the bed and lies on the floor.  I don’t sleep any better for it.  In fact, sometimes I try to coax Delilah to take his spot.

When I was away in Florida last week I didn’t sleep any better without the dogs.

Being the worrier that I am, I much prefer them in the room with me, if there are any issues I know about it immediately…..unless I pop a Xanax, then they’re on their own. 🙂

Thanks for reading, enjoy your weekend!