Aerie

It is hard, and I'm missing Combat like crazy. Recon still doesn't appear to have noticed all that much that he's gone. I even made his bowl of food tonight and then realised I didn't need to I did talk to Mike tonight, though, to check on Combat and he told me that Combat is settling in well. He's got free run of his apartment during the day which I think is crazy (Combat is NOT trusthworthy in the house alone, he gets way too bored and tries to amuse himself way too much.) but apparently things are going well enough for now. Mike's always been good to the dogs, so I know Combat will be taken care of. I'm still wary, though, and I keep reminding Mike that if he -ever- decides that he doesn't want combat anymore, that he needs to bring him right back to me. Hopefully he listens. Mike isn't exactly the most committed person in the world (as he has proven), but I'm hoping that he doesn't ever turn his back on the dog. So, 'nuff rambling from me. Thanks so much for the kind words. You've no idea how much this place and you guys help.

Well, Saturday morning I met the soon-to-be-ex husband and gave Combat over to him. Combat greeted him as he greets any stranger, though, not in the excited way I expected. Recon went to him when he called her, but retreated almost immediately and hid behind my legs. That's -completely- out of character for her. She's never been a shy dog and has never yet met a stranger. For her to react that way to Mike was really upsetting for me. I don't know, maybe I'm just reading too deeply into things, but I didn't feel at all good about the situation. Of course, I was seriously tense - so the dogs might have been picking up on that. I'm sure he'll be fine, and Mike said that he was settling in well up there, but I'm missing him terribly. Recon doesn't seem to notice that he's gone, which I find odd, as well. Anyway. I don't know why I'm rambling, other than to whine about how much I'm missing my baby. Combat is so very dear to me. I didn't realise I'd miss him this much. And now, before I start sobbing again, I'm going to wander off and hug Recon.

You're all great. This is just the kind of pep talk I needed to forge ahead. And yeah...Recon probably will do better, actually, when I can focus more on just her. Combat is the more dominant dog so she gets pushed around a bit by him. I've passed the bump of being overwhelmed and now that the decision is made and final and stuff, I'm -so- excited. Now I'm just waiting on the final acceptance letter from the University and I'm all set. Whooo! Time to take Reeree to PetsMart and celebrate with new doggie stuff.

Thanks, everyeone, for the replies. I'm feeling slightly less frazzled now. As I said, I can't bear to part with my Recon (it's hard enough to let Combat go with Mike), so...I'll be taking her with me. I guess that was my decision all along, I just felt so awful about having her stuck in an apartment. I'll miss my Sage dog, but I'll be visiting nearly every weekend so I'll see her a lot. And as for Chips (my horse), so far so good on her. Though it came down to "I won't ask for this from you if you don't ask for that from me." I had the good luck of discovering that my dear sweet soon to be ex husband is buying an airplane. As soon as he found out I knew about the plane, he said to me "I won't do anything about the horse if you don't touch the plane." Sounds fair to me. And as long as he never knows that the horse is worth much more than what the plane is, we're all good. Chips is also staying at Mom's. My parents have been great through all of this. I couldn't have done it alone. And I expect it'll be up to another 6 months before I'm actually divorced - I refuse to sign until the divorce papers say what I want them to say. It's all a big mess and some days I just really feel like I'm going insane. It gets easier every day, though. And I thank God I have my pups and horse to focus on, otherwise I just don't know if I could stay even remotely level-headed.

Yeah, I'm thinking the best bet is to take Recon with me. I can't bear the thought of having to find her a new home and I just don't think Mom can handle the strain. Mom and Sage get along rather well, and Sage requires -much- less physical activity. Mom is willing to care for her for however long is necessary, thank goodness. And...Mom only lives 45 mins away from the college. The problem with the apartments in Hattiesburg is that it's a college town...and a rather small one at that. All of the affordable student housing (which is what I need) have a one pet limit IF they even allow one pet. The more expensive places will allow 2-3. The manager at this apartment complex has said that once I've been there 6 months and they do an inspection, if Recon hasn't torn anything to bits, I can then add Sage. So...I guess it's just a matter of waiting. The stress of it all is just getting to me. Too many decisions to make. I'm willing to do what needs to be done for Recon to keep her active and happy, but GOSH I hate the thought of having to keep her kenneled during the day.

As a good many of you know, I'm going through a divorce. It's gotten pretty intense and we've not finalized anything, but I have agreed to let the soon to be ex-husband have Combat. Combat loves Mike and Mike loves the dog, and he's promised me to take good care of him. I'm still hesitant, but...I've got his word that if he should ever decide he can't handle the dog, he'll send Combat back to me. Now for my real problem. With the help of my father, i'm going to be returning to school in the Spring. For the next 3 years I'll be living in a small apartment with no real yard (there's a park close by). I can only have one pet in the apartment, so either Sage or Recon has to stay here with my mother. My mother is disabled and unable to really do anything physical. She can throw the ball for Recon a few times but that's about her limit. However, Recon would have plenty of room to run and a bigger house to live in and lots of attention throughout the day. If I take Recon with me, she won't have as much attention during the day (she'd be alone while I'm in class and at work) and she won't have as much space to run (except for when I am able to take her to the park and on daily walks). However, when I am home I'd be able to spend a lot of one on one time with her. She does best with a lot of mental stimulation. So, my question is...do I leave Recon with Mom? Or do I leave Sage with Mom and take Recon? Is it cruel to even think of cooping her up in a tiny apartment? I'm trying to do what is best for the dog. Neither solution is the best option. Should I think of re-homing her? I do -not- want to give her up. What I want is to bring her with me. I know she won't have as much time outside as I'd like her to have, and I won't be at home as much as I'd like to be with her, but she'd be there with me and I know I will be able to make the time for her. Daily walks aren't a problem. Play time isn't a problem. I'm only really concerned about the amount of time she'd be alone and the lack of free-roaming space that she loves so much. I hate this whole situation. I'd like to choke my husband even more for doing this. And I don't even want to think about how crushed the dogs are going to be when we separate them. Do you even think that is wise? I'm so confused!!

I guess I can do that - I know they won't refuse to eat the raw unless they're actually and I really don't think they're ill, just...something's not quite right. Now to figure out what to do with an entire 35 pound bag of chicken soup for the dog lovers soul kibble. Whee.

So...here's the deal. I've had Combat, Recon, and Sage on a raw diet for almost two full years now (after several false starts and switching back and forth to kibble). Finances are getting tight because of the divorce and I got this -BRILLIANT- (rolling my eyes) idea that kibble would be cheaper than raw. Of course, I must have been asleep when I came to that conclusion because Chicken Soup dog food around here is $34 for 35 pounds which is very close to $1 a pound and the raw is WAY less than $1 a pound. But that's beside the point. Since switching - four days ago - the dogs have not eaten. Well, Sage is eating, but Combat and Recon refuse to eat more than about a handful. I've mixed in pumpkin, their fish oil, yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs..i've tried giving it plain..nothing is working. Combat managed to get about half a cup of it down tonight, and I got Recon to eat MAYBE a handful by feeding it to her piece by piece... When should I start really worrying? They're drinking normally, don't appear to be sick, and are active as usual. I've promised them if they'll just finish this bag of food that i'll put them back on raw but they aren't listening. Meanies. Seriously, though, should I be concerned? Should I just put them back on raw? Or should I just trust that they won't starve themselves? They used to -love- this kibble. I'm really getting worried.

I have both - hose lover, hose hater. Recon will get in the pond to retrieve things or will sneak into the kiddie pool to get her belly wet if no one is looking, but a hose? Oh no. Not that girl. Worst punishment in the world is spraying even within a few feet of her with a water hose. Now...Combat? He will bring the hose to me - whether it is off or on, whether i'm dressed nicely or not. He bites the water, barks at the water, absolutely -must- have the water sprayed at his face (lightly, of course). When I'm filling up their pool, he'll stick his head UNDER the water to bite at the stream as it goes into the pool. He is a nut.

Nicki - He won't talk to me. He's in Iraq so it's VERY easy for his cheating, dirty, no good, son of a gun self to avoid me. We spoke for about 10 minutes while he was on R&R this last week, which is the only way I know he wants to sell the dogs. Nancy - I was thinking that, possibly, the judge will see that Michael is being a child about all this and wouldn't make the animals a big issue. I too, could understand it if he were asking to take the dogs himself. In fact, I expected him to ask for Combat. I would have gladly let him take him - the dog adores Mike. The horse was appraised as a yearling and again at the beginning of her 2 year old year (this Jan) and...unfortunately...she's worth a bit of money. However. I have never sent in the transfer papers on her, and her breeders are aware of the situation. So. Hopefully she's safe. I dunno, I'm just feeling crazy. Thanks for the welcome back, though, folks. It's nice to know there's people out there who understand how much it sucks to be facing this.

I'll pay whatever I need to pay to keep them - if it comes to that. I'm hoping it won't, but I have money set aside to do it if need be. How do I go about finding "fair market value" in this area? I thought about comparing it to breeders close by, but there are none except for the farmers and most of them around here give their dogs to other farmers and won't sell the public, so that was a flop. I've been watching the classifieds ads for Border Collie puppy ads, but there are none. So...what would fair market value be? Combat is over 2 years old, neutered, has phobias of thunderstorms, and digs holes the size of texas the instant you turn your back on him. He has other little quirks that would drive a typical person insane. Not for the average dog owner. Recon is over one year old, spayed, and is what i'd call on the low end of medium drive. She's very easy to be around, very low key, very sweet, loves cuddles and would be a good "family" dog (loooves the kiddies!), but is still "typical border collie" in that she thrives on lots of interaction. What a lot of people see as negatives about this: 1) Both are adults. No cute puppy factor to win over folks unless they are looking for an adult to begin with. 2) Both are registered with the ABCA, but both are fixed - no puppies for anyone looking to produce, which is what most people around here are looking for adults for. 3) They are very high maintenance and I can see Combat being destructive if not tended to properly and given the attention he needs - which I would tell to anyone coming to see him. Keeping in mind, that I listed these as "negatives" only because that's the way a lot of people looking to buy dogs think. To me, my babies are priceless, whether or not Combat barks insanely at the ripples in the pond until you call him away. So...what price would -you- put on these two? Because I have no idea.

Hi Nicki Divorce sucks - but I'll be better off in the end. He's not a nice person. The sad thing is, Combat really really really loves Michael (husband) and would very likely choose him over me any day - and Mike's the one wanting to "get rid of" him. Ugh. Michael doesn't understand loyalty. I'm still in Mississippi. I won't be going back to Oklahoma. I'm living with my mom (oh dear), and we've been working pretty steadily so this place is almost "normal" again. My dad lives right on Hwy 90 and his place was swept off, so...he's still living in a FEMA trailer. I believe, though, that construction is beginning soon on his place and will be completed by November. I think. So it's looking good on this side. How'd you guys do?

Both dogs were purchased from breeders, so there's no adoption contract to fall back on. I don't know what I'd do without them. Sage is safe - she was mine before the marriage. I'm seriously stressing about Combat and Recon, though. I don't care about the car, the furniture, all that crap - it can be replaced. But the dogs aren't THINGS. I can't even believe he would lump them in that category. I suppose that goes to show you what sort of person he is. INU - I'm not sure yet, really, but if it comes down to it...maybe so. I just don't understand why he's being this way. It just makes me crazy. Allie - I won't sell them to anyone I don't know. If it gets crazy enough, I'll "give them away" to a friend, who will make certain they are safe, fed, and loved until I can get them back. Natalie - He's just trying to make me miserable, and he knows exactly how to get me where it hurts. My dogs are my children. He's just plain mean. The dogs are "worthless" in a monetary sense: Both are altered, so cannot produce puppies for any buyers. Both are over a year old, far from the puppy cuteness that lures people into paying oodles of dollars. And there is -no- market for Border Collies around here to begin with - if it isn't working on a dairy farm already, it isn't wanted/needed, and the farmers can just use another one of their pups instead of buying an outside dog. I feel relatively safe in thinking I can just "rehome" them until all this is over. The friend lives close by, has secure fences, and they could live inside with her. I just hate to be separated from them. The horse is going to be another matter. She's worth a rather decent amount of money just based on bloodlines - her sire is getting a lot of notice right now. The judge will see her in dollar signs, and not as a loved member of the family. It just stresses me out thinking about possibly losing Combat, Recon, and Chips. I really, seriously, don't know what I'd do without them. They are literally as dear to me as a child would be, and it'd break my heart to have to see them go.

Long time no see...again. My computer stays broken, so internet access is shakey at best. I think it might be fixed this time, though! I hope everyone here is doing well. Combat's hips are giving him trouble, but nothing that will require surgery - just supplements, at least for now. He's become terribly afraid of storms and I'm really not sure what triggered it. He used to be fine, then just before we moved here he started getting anxious. He settles nicely, though, and will sleep comfortably through the storm as long as I let him chill -on- my feet. Recon is fine and fluffy and no longer quite so petite - the spay (yes, they're BOTH fixed now, yay!!) happened and she got wide. Not sure if that's because she's not -quite- as active as she was, or what, but there you have it. Sage is a nerd, as always. We're having some issues, though. Husband and I are going through a divorce. (let me just say here that some men are scum and not worth the effort it takes to wipe them off your boots) We're doing the typical "i want this, you get that" thing with the assets. He's being a complete jerk about it, though, and wants to count the DOGS and the horse as assets. Animals are not -things-. Ugh. He wants the judge to force me to sell the dogs and the horse and "split the profit". Makes me just want to slap him. Anyhow, that's the update on me. I'm going to try to be around more - I've missed being able to keep in touch.

I can't resist... Let's talk about Kip. Her hips and eyes were tested. She worked for several years on a dairy farm where her parents, and their parents before her worked. She aided her elderly owner in ways that only a good working dog could do. I'm not a breeder, will never be a breeder, but I do believe that down the line she would have been considered very breed-worthy. She was bred by some careless people who didn't have a concern in the world for her general health. They bred her with a stud dog that can supposedly work cattle. She was in horrible shape when she was bred. After 60+ days of trying to nurse this dog back to health, of spending oodles of money getting her through rocky points...that spunky little dog delivered 5 perfectly healthy beautiful puppies. She was, actually, in decent physical condition when she gave birth. She died less than 16 hours later. And I almost lost the puppies because...it's darned hard to bottle feed puppies for weeks. So, ask yourself that before you even consider breeding - before even you look at the working ability or whatnot. Are you willing to lose your dog, the one you claim to care so much about? Are you willing to get up every hour to check puppy temperatures and feed them and rub their bellies? Are you willing to watch the one that almost died at birth continue to gasp for breath days later? And honestly, I had an easy time of it. I had help from friends, neighbors, and my sweet Recon who stepped in to play the role of mom. Do you have the resources to pull from to ensure you give possible motherless pups every opportunity? By the grace of God (or whomever/whatever you believe in...) these puppies survived and if I watch carefully, will go to homes that will love them and care for them until the day they die. And if the puppy's new owners cannot, at some point, take care of them any longer...are you willing to take that dog back weeks, months, even years later? I don't give a flip if my dog could single-pawedly move 800 sheep from Scotland to Minnesota with grace and style - I wouldn't breed her. So. Everyone knows my opinion. Don't breed your girl. Leave it to the experts. If you want a dog "Just like her" it won't happen anyway. There's not a puppy in this group "just like" Kip. Kip's gone, and no puppy of hers could replace her, no matter how cute and cuddly they are. Contact a rescue organization, go to your local human society, foster a few dogs...find another dog that meshes well with your family.

Rebecca - I sure wish I was that dog. Eating's fun and I darn sure don't burn cals that fast! Anywho. I have the hardest time keeping weight on my dogs. It's like they look at food and lose weight. To keep weight on Combat and Recon, when I was feeding them kibble, I had to give them half to 3/4 portions of dry adult kibble combined with half to 1/4 portions of puppy kibble. PLUS salmon oil. It didn't matter what brand of food it was - though they did best on Chicken Soup. Recon will forever and always look skeletal to me - but my vet tells me that she's at her ideal weight. Get to a vet, have him checked out, and then it's trial and error, really. You have to find what works for your particular dog. I know the amount of food I feed Recon would make most 'normal' dogs truly obese in a very short time - and she has no worm issues, no health problems, etc - she's just a very atheletic, very active girl with a high metabolism. Oh..to be her!

Again, I have to say thanks to everyone...your prayers and kind words are helping more than you know. Bottle feeding is DEFINITELY not fun, and i'm exhausted, but it seems like it's working - each of the puppies has gained back at least the ounce they lost the day after they were born and some have gained two or three ounces each. So far, so good. The little ones are active and as healthy as can be, thank goodness. My neighbor is an angel and is helping me with feeding. She kept them for about 6 hours this afternoon so I could get a bit of sleep. Now if I can just convince Recon that the puppies aren't hers and no matter how hard she tries she can't nurse them, and convince Combat that they are not in fact evil doers out to get him...I'll be in good shape.

First of all, I have to say thank you all for your kind words. You've no idea how much your support means. Laurie - the vet and I discussed tube feeding today. For now, I'm doing the bottle thing just because it's easier to do while i'm answering the phones at work. If they gain weight steadily, I'll stick with that, but if they aren't thriving i'll switch immediately. Also - I've got every vet in the city on the lookout for a surrogate mommy. I was amazed - 8 vets and none new of any lactating lovelies? Geez. So far, the puppies are doing fine. They each gained at least an ounce, and THANKFULLY they got the first milk from Kip. Sweetheart that she is, she stuck around till she gave them the best of what she could. I'll keep you all updated as the days go by - and I'm sure i'll be popping on here to beg for help at some point. And now, I'm off again to feed puppies. I am SO glad my boss is understanding. Think she'll let me take a nap tomorrow?

Sorry to keep everyone is suspense, but a lot has happened since yesterday. The vet came over right after my last post. Kip was much weaker than she should be - the puppies, though, were fine. He told me to keep an eye on her. She drank, she ate, she walked around - nursed the babies and seemed to be getting a bit more pep. About 10p.m. last night she started shivering and bleeding a little. I called the vet immediately and he told me to bring her and the puppies in. By the time we got to the vet (only 10 mins later, if that long) she was very lethargic and didn't want to even lift her head. She stopped bleeding, we got her on an IV, and she seemed to be stabilizing. She continued to mother the puppies as best she could...we kept them with her the whole time to keep her stress levels down. I left at 1. About 5 a.m. I got a call saying to come back. I held her for a while and she finally just closed her eyes and stopped breathing. She didn't die from blood loss, she didn't have a seizure...I honestly think she was just tired, deep into her soul TIRED and simply gave up after giving everything she had. Kip was the type of dog that anyone and everyone could fall in love with, she was sweet, determined to please, and willing to give every bit of herself without a second thought - she didn't deserve the treatment she had to endure. Now, because someone was irresponsible enough to breed a sick, abused, starving dog, she has had to pay with her life. Five puppies are now orphaned. This is prime example of what ignorance, stupidity, and plain meanness can do. I pity the people who didn't understand what a truly great dog Kip was and treated her like so much trash. My sweet girl was with us for only a short while. But long enough to, I hope, know and understand that not everyone is horrible and that she was for the time she was here loved unconditionally. And now, I have to go bottle feed these angels that Kippy entrusted to me. Pics of the pups will be in the gallery. Rest in peace, sweet Kip.

We're still at 5... Of course, it was nearly an hour between puppy 4 and puppy 5, so...we could still have a 6th. Kip's very tired, seems a bit weaker than I'd like. Of course, I don't do this every day (and neither does she) so I don't know what to expect. The puppies are nursing, she's sleeping. I got her to get up and walk with me outside for a few minutes but she didn't really seem enthused at all. She wouldn't take any water. Going to keep watching, of course. I have to go pick up my husband at the airport in a few hours, so I'll have to leave her again. My neighbor will be peeking in on her every half hour till I return, though, so I feel better. I suppose it's time to start cleaning up...I'm sure she'll appreciate a fresh blanket. Puppy #5 has been officially dubbed Shrieker. He just hit an hour old and he already has more attitude than the other four combined. Vet is here to check things out so off I go. Thanks for the well wishes!

#5 Boy has Purple polka dots and green stripes.... Really, though, he's a lil black boy with a heart shape looking marking on his head. He's...fat. Not wanting to nurse, which is disturbing, so i've told the vet and I'm watching him. Everyone seems to be doing fine...though Kip is VERY very tired. I doubt there's any more little suckers hiding in there, so I think we're done at 5. Did I mention #5 is VERY vocal? Goodness. Laura - she did not, thank the heavens, have them on my bed. Due in part to the fact that she was locked very securely in what we have dubbed the "puppy room". RDM - Whichever one you pick out when you get here! Gosh ... how am I going to be able to send these precious little lumps away?? They're so adorable. I swear, though, the Border Collie gods have it in for me. When I got back in to BCs...I wanted a "traditionally marked" little girl. I came home with Combat, then Recon, and not even Kip is traditionally marked, she and Recon could be twins except for their ears and Kip has more black on her back... EVERY SINGLE ONE of these puppies has a marked head and a solid white body. Totally unfair, considering the sire of these pups is a rough coated mostly black sucker. Well, I think anyway? I don't remember what he looks like. And where the heck did the red come from??

#5 Just made his presence known. He didn't want to breathe there for a while, the little stinker - scared me to death. Then he screamed bloody murder and now we're all content once again. Kip's doing SO well. She's tired, but after having puppies the size of these, geez, i'm surprised she isn't napping. She isn't exactly sure what to do with the puppies once they're actually out of the sac and such, but so far so good. Did I mention these puppies are huge? And that Kip is small? Almost smaller than Recon. I don't know where in the world she kept them. No WONDER it was so easy to see them move. Wow. Dunno if any more are on the way. I'd say a max of one more, if that. I'm camping out in here for a while regardless - but now i'd better go, she's eyeing the laptop like it's going to eat a baby.

I just love that title. Kip's Having Puppies...as opposed to Kittens? Anyway! I left for work as usual this morning...Kip was in her room with all her pretty stuff and bed and things. I got to work at 7. At 9 I came home to check on her and she was fine. At 11 I came home to check on her again and she was fine...and so were the 4 puppies she'd already had. One had JUST been born, so we took care of that lil one and since Kip decided to take a break, we went outside to take a walk. She did her thing, took a sip of water, we came back in and now we play the waiting game. She's just started contracting again so there's at least one more little one in there. We have two girls and two boys so far. One girl is red, one is black, and then of the two boys one is red and one is black. Crazy. Can't wait to see the next one, but GOSH am I going crazy. I'll keep you guys updated...and pics will be up soon!

Well, I posted (some of this) in the general forum, but that really was just an update - I figure the actual "issue" will get more attention in here. I've recently begun fostering (we aren't sure yet if we'll be her forever home) a little girl BC that has been through a bit of an ordeal. She was born and raised on a working farm in Mississippi. From what I understand she'll work all day and give her best and is really just a great/useful working dog. Without her, her 80 year old farmer/owner wouldn't have been able to keep his farm as long as he did. He finally sold off his last cattle and died a year later. Kip and three others were left "homeless" in a sense. (Long story, there..the man left them to his daughter, but she's since become physically unable to care for even herself.) The son ended up with the dogs, then another couple, and finally she was "stolen" by another person. Lots of legalities and nonsense later, she's been released free and clear. House1(son) and House2(first couple) basically starved the poor girl. House1 just didn't bother feeding her, and House2 fed her nothing but the grain they give their cattle. House2 said she wouldn't leave their cows alone, chained her, etc etc etc...usual stupid abuse story. House3(second couple) stole the dog off the chain. They took her to the vet and were honestly giving it a shot but...eh. Apparently at some point during the last week, their working dog (BC) introduced himself to Kip in a rather friendly way. I wasn't informed of this part till today, but...I'll just not say mean things about people. Anyway, the issue is - she's starved (only weighs 20 pounds) and lethargic and just generally "down". She's still obviously in heat so that isn't helping either. The vet said she needed a pretty bland diet, so I've been giving her nothing but chicken (raw). Salmon oil to help boost her a bit, and Ruth has suggested using some slippery elm (I went to the health food store and got some, thanks Ruth!!) to help with her upset tummy. Is there anything else I should be feeding her? Egg? Rice? Or should I just stick with the plain chicken until she's eating easier? As for the being bred issue - her body can't take the strain of an emergency spay and I've heard mixed things about the mis-mate shot. Plus - that seems like a heavy strain itself. (Not to mention I'd feel horrible putting her through that.) However - I want what's best for this poor dog, to heck with my silly 'feelings'. My question is...should I ask another vet about the shot, or should I leave things as is? The vet said it's possible she won't even take because of her condition. If I leave things alone and she does turn out to be preg, what would be best for her? The shot, an eventual emer-spay, or just letting her have the litter? I'm so confused and mixed up about this all right now I don't know what to think or do. On a brighter note...she ate a WHOLE chicken leg about 10 minutes ago, licked the bowl, looked for more, and kept it all down. She just keeps looking at me like..."Whacha doin? Can I help? I'll love you forever if you just say one nice word to me..." I feel so SO bad for her. How can people be so freaking stupid?

Oooh, fun! Let's see.. Combat knows... sit, stay, down, roll (roll right), over (roll left), nice (as in "Nice to meet you...which is shake, with the right paw), five (high five), moon (walk backwards, moon-walkish), get it, bring it, leave it, find it, wait You can point to any object, then to a container and he will put the object in the container. He picks up all his toys and puts them in the box when I say "Dang it, this house is a mess!" I have to say the whole thing. I'm not sure what he cues on. He's been taught to bring things to us from the refrigerator (Go get..) and will happily bring anything off the bottom shelf (We are NOT going to talk about the pies.) Our newest is "bang" which is quite hilarious, because he's at the point now where you can point your finger at him and say bang and even if he's running full out across the yard he'll drop and slide on his side, roll onto his back, and play dead. He whines as he does this, quite convincing. And he'll twitch. He knows more. Names of places, knows what 'car/truck/vehicle/and the spelling of each' means. We are currently using the term bus. He'll catch on soon. Recon knows... sit, stay (kind of), down (very good at), get it, bring it, leave it, focus (eyes on me until I say otherwise), wait (for going through doors, dinner, etc), nice (shaking hands), five, ladida (twirls in a circle on her hind legs), faucet (turns on the hose), all the words for car that combat knows, sleep (will lie down and cover her face with a paw, one eye closed, one open), and then there's "be cujo" which has to be the most hilarious...she'll bark and growl and whine and just basically act like the most viscious thing you've ever seen and right after she does it, she sneezes with this little dainty lady-like sneeze, paws her nose, sits down while wagging her tail like a nut, and grins at you while waiting for her treat. we didn't actually teach her this. She and Combat were playing one day and she was being all growly in a playful kind of way and I just made the offhand comment "great, Recon, be cujo, scare everyone off" (we had uninvited guests and I wasn't happy with them) I repeated be cujo a few more times and ever since then, well, yeah. The both of them know a few more, but we use them day to day and in a casual manner so I don't really know a full list of all the words they pick up on. I'd probably be scared if I did. Oh, yes, for the folks who know about the pie incident...we have conquered the mental block of Combat, and he now knows that he isn't to go into the refrigerator at all unless specifically told to do so. He will, though, still randomly bring us cans of coke or such if they've been stored on the shelf. We're making progress. I'd much rather wake up to coke cans in my bed than pumpkin and chocolate pies.