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BigD

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  1. Aloha all - Got a few PM's and emails from some folks wondering if we weathered the EQ all right. It was quite an interesting way to start our Sunday morning, that's for sure. We had Marzipan up in bed with us (it's our dog walk day off and thus, the pups get to cuddle in bed for a few hours and "help" us take off the sheets to do laundry) being a goof-ball when the room started to shake and we heard this rumble. We've both been in pretty big quakes (moved to LA right after Northridge so we got to ride all the after shocks for free!) and this one started like any other. Then it got louder and worse and we both jumped up and stood in the doorway. DH grabbed Marzipan on his way and then get MUCH worse and we bolted for the back yard. We stood in the yard and watched the house sway and our fence wiggle and listened to things fall off shelves and break. DH still held Marzpian in his arms with her paw dangling. She just had this look on her little face that said "Will you PLEASE put me down?" It was cute. Buddy and Marzipan were not bothered by the EQ at all. Even the 6.0 after-shock didn't bug them. We've felt little ones here before and they send Marzipan into the bath tub for safety. But with these, she just looked at us funny. No damage to the house. Some things fell down, but that's all. We are on Oahu and our only emergency is that the shaking shut down all power to the entire island for 18+ hours. Why? Who the heck knows, but I hope some heads roll because of it. Our IL's Border Collie Annie was fine too. Their was an obedience trail going on that morning and a Border Collie Club meeting at noon which I did not attend. And according to what I've heard, the President of the club grabbed her kids and 2 dogs and drove up the mountain as fast as she could in case of a tidal wave! So we are well, no one was killed and we have minor injuries. We got very lucky here in Hawaii. Denise
  2. Ha! You can tell how much I know - I had to Google the "furminator"! 6' coat? Oh yeah, Buddy had that easy. Marzipan is a little better, but she can still toss out some hair. Buddy wins - paws down - he stands up and moves and inch and there is hair in the air everywhere. We sit on the floor too - can't remember the last time I used the couch - so we get hair in everything...drink, food, eyes, mouth. There is a certain time of the year when I just give up. (from March - October acutally!) Denise
  3. CM uses harsh techniques. In the proper hands, they can be used correctly. But he is showing Joe Public how to roll a snarling GSD. You and I know not to do this, but Joe Public thinks "Hey, that worked!" and then they got out to their Pitt Bull and get their face ripped off. I have NEVER, EVER seen a dog happy or relaxed around CM after he's "re-hab'd" the dog. It might look ok to Joe Public, but if you have any experience with dogs and how they communicate (yawns, licking, sniffing, crouched, ears back, tail tucked, etc) you can easily see that they are not happy around him. Is that how you want Joe Public to raise their dogs? I've had to un-do damage that 2 people have done to their dogs by watching CM on TV. It's pathetic. I guess it keeps the real trainers in business.
  4. SA - If you are still reading... The flight is only 45 min? Then put Rune in cargo. I'm sure she's crate trained, right? And 45 min - 1 hour of flight time/waiting time isn't a big deal. Ask the flight attendants to notify you when your dog is on board. Ask them to board your dog last and keep Rune in A/C some place. Check in as late as you can safely make it through security. 45 min flight is no big deal. Travel in the early mornings to make sure it's cool out on the tarmac. If we want to go anywhere here, we have to fly. There is no ferry system between the main Hawaiian Islands. If I could drive, I would. I would be such a fun chance to let Rune see/smell new things and spend some quality time with her. Do not have your doctor write a note. Do not take advantage of the system. If you must fly - put her in cargo and follow what I wrote up above. Good luck. Denise
  5. I train a puppy class and have been involved with that for many years now. Crate training is always reviewed and shown to the students. My dogs are a great example - Buddy is not crate trained and will rip his paws and nose open trying to get out of a wire crate. If I stake him, he will run in a circle for hours. Many dogs develop OCD when staked - chasing shadows, bugs, their tails. Marzipan we got as a pup and crate trained her from day one. We both work from home and she was kept in an x-pen anyway. She never got the run of the house unless we were playing with her. She slept in a crate in the "shop" with Buddy at night. She is crated in a soft crate during training class and has no problems just hanging out. My students are always impressed with how calm she is and willing to work with me when she gets let out. Marzipan is now just about 3 years old and she is kept in her x-pen in the shop at night. She prefers it - asks to go into the shop and waits by her x-pen door to be let in so she can sleep. DH was against crate training from day one, but he still thanks me for crate training her! She asks to go potty, is very well behaved in the car or any place where we have a crate. He says he will always crate train in the future. Marzipan is noise sensitive, if we let her have the run of the house with a dog door to the fenced back yard and our neighbor decided to bust out a nail gun, we would come home to: A: A frantic dog that has torn apart the house or B: A ripped up yard, a big whole under the fence and one less dog. She would bolt. But in her x-pen, she feels safe. I know this because we live next to a contractor and when he gets to work, she goes to her x-pen and stays there. House fires? Each neighbor has a key to my house and knows the dogs and loves them. Contractor is always home and he would rush in to get out the dogs. I have their keys and if I had to rush in to grab their frantic cats - oh boy! I bet I wouldn't be able to find them in time. At least my two are in the shop - in their crates and easily found in a pinch. I grew up with dogs that never saw a crate, but now I know that for ME in my house and my dogs - crates work the best. And really, dogs can't tell time. 10 minutes vs. 6 hours? Do they know? I doubt it. My dogs are just as happy to see me 2 hours later or 8 hours later. And in the end, a sick dog or crazy dog can do MUCH more harm to your house running loose than it can in a crate! Denise
  6. Aguh! What I would GIVE for some cool air down here. Maybe the weather guys got it all messed up - it's WE that are having the hotter than usual summer. Ack! Even the ocean is bathtub warm. Yuck. Didn't realize that AK stayed that cold even during the summer! Shudder to think of your winters. brrrrr.... Denise - just let me know when you want to house swap!!!
  7. It's not ALL bad stuff. DH used to teach a class around 11am. He'd always call me at 11:50 to tell me he was on his way and to put the dogs away so we could go to lunch. I'd always end the call with "see ya in a bit." At which point Marzipan would run into the shop and hop into her crate and sit - waiting for her treat. She'd forget that she has to go out and potty first! Then go into the crate for her treat. Had an ESP moment yesterday. Working on the computer and I thought - I need to go to the hardware store to get some brass screws. As SOON AS I THOUGHT THAT, Marzipan was up and at the door. (we take 1 dog to the hardware store every time we go.) I didn't do ANYTHING else other than THINK that I might go. Jeez. That was very freaky. Denise
  8. What sad news. I was wondering how he was doing just a week or so ago. I'm sorry for your loss and hope you and your family can be strong through this time. It's wonderful that you have his dogs and we hope you know that we will all be here for you if you ever have any need of us. Denise
  9. T-R-U-C-K. Do not even THINK the word in my house. Why do I spell it? Because if I don't, Marzipan will take down lamps, kids, walls, drinks, chairs and doors at the slightest mention of the word on her way to the front door. She has left scars on our feet using us for traction on the wood floors. It's not fun. Folks usually don't wear shoes in the house in Hawaii. So when the socks go on, it's the same thing (lamps fall, walls scratched, etc). We keep things very low key (that's another word we have to spell - K E Y S) when we need to G-O somewhere. If we are both leaving, we just tell them to go in their room and they wait for us to close their crate doors. But if one of us has to go without the other (or one of the dogs!), that's when all hell breaks loose! Unfortunately, Marzipan is learning what T-R-U-C-K spells so we might change the word to Ford!!! Denise
  10. I see horse racing as just another form of abuse. Just because they seem to like to run doesn't mean they have to run them into the ground at only 3 years old. It's not the only industry, but it has one of the highest profiles. Until the money goes away (I'm secretly hoping the triple crown dry spell will help the money to go away faster) they will always run and strive to be that next winner. Why can't they start them at 3 years and retire at 6? So the general times are slower? So what! Does it make that much of a difference? Oh yeah, I guess the owners would loose more money when they have to hold on to a horse for 3/4 years before they can even start it see if it needs to go to the glue factory or not....right...
  11. Oh no...I'm sure to see in increase in the all the Border Collie puppies in my puppy class. I bet they are trying to make $$ off the success of "Marley and Me." That book has been in the top best sellers list for a long time and a movie about another 'guy and his dog' will probably try to ride the coat-tails of that books success. sigh....time to go recruit more folks to help with BC rescue. Denise
  12. I'm so sorry for your loss! How horrible for you and your family. As for the grass eating - my dogs do eat grass pretty much all the time. But they are selective and will eat only certain types. If there is something wrong, my two will eat ANY grass and that usually tells me they have upset tummy's. I've been told to watch for attempts at a bowel movement, or restlessness. My girl shows both signs of this when she had a greenie stuck. She passed this on her own, but we watched her carefully. Dogs can pick things up from grass eating too - fertilizer, week killer, animal droppings, etc. He may have picked up something there? I hope you find your answers. Denise
  13. Poor thing! That's horrible! We've got a "watch goose" in the neighborhood. Down along a road my DH jogs on there is a house with a goose that is better than any pit-bull or rottie! And the goose trims the yard! But boy oh boy, you don't want to go walking by that house if the goose is out. Sometimes I wish it will stray too far into the road, but alas, the damn goose would probably win that fight too.
  14. Couldn't post this earlier, sorry! Ok, if you put the DVD into your computer, is there anyway that you can get to the DVD in it's drive and open it up? If you are on a PC I can only suggest that you throw it out the window and go buy a Mac. Sorry! If you are on a mac, just quit AppleDVD and double click the DVD icon on your desktop. Once you throw away your PC and get a Mac (or figure out a way to navigate to your DVD drive and open the disk) you should see some files. Find the VideoTS folder and there is where the video files should be. You may need a editing software if the clips are too long. Do you have anything like that? I see a post that has some info on how to get the files up once you get them off the DVD! Have at it! Good luck! Denise
  15. Looks like you could put any sort of material on the frame if you are handy with velcro! I can't see where you see the push in silver thingies. It looks like it sets on the side of the truck bed, but I'm not sure how it stays there. Grrr...bad web site! Denise
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