The Yellow Ribbon Project

Enzo told me I need to blog more often in order to establish a connection with our reading audience... (HA! Just kidding. He wouldn't even understand that sentence! Mom actually told me I needed to write a little bit. Hehe.)

Anyway, I've decided to take this Friday to introduce y'all to a new-ish project called The Yellow Ribbon Project. Actually, the whole thing is kind of self-explanatory...

When most people see a dog and her human out walking they want to approach the cute dog and pet her. You humans are obsessed with petting us. Most of us don't mind, but the YRP is an initiative to warn other dog-walkers, human-walkers, and children that the dog on the leash needs space. If you see a dog with a yellow ribbon on the leash, please ask before you approach. The ribbon doesn't mean that the dog is aggressive or mean- it could be that the dog is recovering from a surgery, training to be a service dog, or just old and grumpy. In my case, my future yellow ribbon will simply mean I do not get along with other dogs.

Here's a poster that explains everything I just said... except it has pictures:

Mom does a good job of setting me up for success and watching for/avoiding reactive situations, but she has no control over other dogs or people. This is an easy, quick way to let others know that I might not greet them like a typical dog would.

Please share this information with friends, family, and ESPECIALLY children. Like Enzo, I love kids and I wouldn't hurt them, but it's important for kids to understand that, like humans, not all dogs are friendly. It's very important to ask before petting a dog.

Enzo will never need this ribbon because he's too darn trusting. He's a nut... Anyway, I've done my blog-duties for the day. Time for a nap.

-Lylee the Yellow Ribbon Fashionista

Good Things

Hi hi hi HI!

Lylee is passed OUT a'cause she couldn't sleep through the storm last night... I like storms because that means I get to sleep on the big bed between Dad's legs! (Or Mom cuddles on the couch with me.) The noise doesn't bother me, but Lylee sure hates it! (Lylee: I'm not sleeping, twit.)

On to bigger, better, and GOOD things! (See what I did there?!) I know I missed last week, but that means this week will be EXTRA good. Maybe I'll throw in some extra stuff, too!

1. This cat:

If you haven't heard the story or viewed this video of a cat saving a kid from a mean dog, then you're living under a twig. (Lylee: "Rock", Enzo. Living under a ROCK.) I guess there are some kid-hating dogs out there, but that sure is weird.... Good thing this cat is so awesome! (Lylee: Bleh.)

2. A Dog's Nose
A new study now says that dogs are able to sniff out prostate cancer. I wonder what that smells like.... First we save people from drugs and bombs, and now we get to help get rid of cancer (without being tested-on in a laboratory)! Win-win, human friends!

3. And this cat:

(Lylee: Stop posting things about cats.)


4. Pictures of Animals Being Cute
Have you gotten your daily dose of animals hugging? If not, here's a link! (Ignore all the silly ads.) Animals Hugging It Out

5. #YesAllWomen
This new female-empowering hashtag showed up after a misogyny-rooted tragedy occurred in California. (I have no idea what I just said... Mom may have been behind that sentence.) This harptag (Lylee: "Hashtag", Enzo. Why does Mom even let you write these things?) allows women to share a time they've faced harassment, sexism, or anything icky like that. It's pretty cool that men have also been using the hashtag to help make the world a more equal place. This pup is on-board with equality!

6. Sevenly
This is a site where you can buy stuff and then some of that money goes to a cause! The charity changes weekly so everyone gets some love! This week $7 from each purchase goes to Africa to help provide clean water. Other charities include orphan assistance, autism research, and animal welfare!

7. Cruelty Cutter
Um, ok. Coolest. App. Ever. The Beagle Freedom Project has created an app that makes it SO SIMPLE to buy cruelty-free products (i.e. products/companies/ingredients that do not test on animals). Download the app, scan the product, and educate yourself! So awesome!
App on iTunes

8. Books that Become Movies
Mom says this is a sensitive subject for book nerds (is that the politically correct term?), but I think movies are awesome! (I also can't read, so that may play into things...) Some cool b2m to look out for are The Fault in Our Stars, The Giver, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Mom is crying with excitement right now). A List of Some b2m, Complete with Trailers


There you have it! An extended list of GOOD THINGS to make up for my slacking!

-Enzo the Over&Under-Achiever

The Dog Whisperer

Saturday morning Mom and Dad had a strange lady come over. They put Enzo in the backyard and put all their attention on me. (It was a little weird.) The lady stayed for TWO HOURS and did some really, really weird things that Mom and Dad never do. They called her a dog whisperer, but she didn't do much whispering...

In Mom's experience training Enzie and me, she says she's come across two types of obedience theories...

1) Dominance Theory:
According to Mom, this is the approach the d.w. and Cesar Millan (the d.w.'s idol) use with dogs. In this approach, the human establishes herself as "pack leader" or the alpha. This is done through strict commands, submissive holds, and leash tugging/choke collars/etc.

(Um, I don't mean to be bias, but I don't like this theory much...)

This is a very hands on, corrective approach. On Saturday, when the lady took me on a walk past the neighbor's dogs, I lunged at the Chihuahua. To correct me she tugged at my leash, used a "gentle leader", and even held me to the ground (right beside the Chihuahua's pen) to calm me down. I stopped moving, but only so she'd let me go. I was NOT having a good time, nor did I feel calm... Unfortunately, Mom and Dad were asked to watch from afar.

Inside the house the d.w. put me on a leash and forced me to walk behind her, changing directions or giving a tug on the leash if I tried to pass her. I got the hang of this pretty quickly and it was fairly painless. Another thing the lady told Mom and Dad was that they need to "own" everything in the house (i.e. the window, the front door, the couch, visitors) so that I don't think that I can bark or jump at that stuff, unless the "pack leaders" give me permission. I guess this makes sense? Now Dad makes me sit before I can go outside, and Mom makes Enzie and me wait to jump on the bed.

Mom said she agrees with the "control" part and will continue to make me sit and wait for food, but she refuses to man-handle me. I totally concur!

[Mom and I tried to find unbiased articles on sites other than Cesar's, but we had little luck... Here's a story from the New York Times about this type of training: Pack of Lies ]


2. Clicker Training or Positive Re-enforcement
Before dropping out of school, Mom and I were working with clickers (as Enzo is doing now). Just to be clear, I didn't leave school because I wasn't learning. I left because I couldn't stand how closely I had to be to other dogs in the class. (Mr. Millan probably would've flipped me on my back and made me stay, hehe.)

This type of training is done with a weird little box that makes a quick "click" and yummy treats. As soon as I perform the command, Mom clicks the box and gives me a Pup-Peroni! Enzo and I learn tricks by following Mom's hand signals or solving the problem ourselves (with guidance from Mom). Come to think of it, I don't think Mom has ever touched us while teaching us a new trick or command. Also, whenever we mess up or get distract, Mom doesn't yell. She calls us back and gives the command again, praising us when we figure it out.

I like this training because I LOVE to problem solve, plus we get treats and praise! This is the preferred method of many trainers, including Ms. Leslie- Enzo's comfort-dog-guru at PetSmart!

[Here's some information from the Humane Society on this type of training: Positive Re-Enforcement Training]

...

Be smart when it comes to picking a behavioralist for your fur-baby. Research different methods of training and keep track of how your dog is reacting and learning! It's ok to mix methods, so long as you're being consistent and NEVER EVER strike your dog as discipline!

Mom found a Wikipedia article that better explains the types of dog training!
Wikipedia Article

Alright, off to walk the neighborhood with Mom and Enz!

-Lylee the Self-training Expert

Good Things

Has it been a week already?! Geez. It's pretty tough to find happy things in the news today, but I'll give it a shot!

1. Foxes
I like to start my Wednesday off with a video. This particular video made Mom smile and makes me want to join a family of foxes! I love playing chase!



2. 4th Trimester Bodies Project (link)
(WARNING: some photos are a little revealing)
I'm not going to lie- I have no idea what any of this mean. Mom says that pictures and projects like this one help women (and men, sometimes) feel good about their natural, healthy, diverse appearances. She went on to talk about the dangers of social pressure or something, but I stopped listening. I like all the little kids in these pictures! I wonder if they'd wanna play with me...

3. The Ladies on SNL
I'm not allowed to stay up and watching SNL with Mom and Dad, but Mom says the girls on the show are pretty funny (and in abundance, which is great!). My favorite is Cecily! Who's yours? The Ladies of SNL

4.Books
Mom loves to read. Her nightstand has 9 books on it (which makes Dad roll his eyes, hehe). Right now Mom's reading a book called Serena [by Ron Rash]. She thought it'd be nice if I gave a list of books to read this summer. Here it is: Summer Read Suggestions.

5. Rosie the Dog
What makes her so special? Rosie is deaf! Instead of giving up on her, the kind humans at the Aurora Humane Society in Nebraska began to communicate with sign language! The coolest part is that a deaf lady decided to adopt Rosie because she felt a super strong connection! I love happy puppy endings!

-Enzo the fox-in-training

Anxiety Evils

Mom and Dad are really frustrated with me right now... They try not to show it, but I can tell. This week my anxiety has been out of control. Between the storms, minimal exercise, and new, temporary medication I'm taking, I have been a total psycho. (Sorry, Dad...)

  Mom is struggling to get my fears under control (she had to sleep on the couch with me last night because I kept waking Dad up in bed), but she's tried a few things and has advice for other doggy-parents that have to deal with behavior like mine.

1. ThunderShirt/Coat/Hat/Spray
Mom bought me a ThunderShirt and she puts it on before each storm. Though it doesn't strip away all my anxiety, it does swaddle me and make me feel a little safer. She takes it off after the storms so I don't get used to it. (Side note: Sometimes the tightness of these shirts makes a dog's anxiety worse, so be sure to know your dog and test it out.)

2. Distractions
Sometimes Mom fills a bone with peanut butter (and freezes it) or stuffs a toy with treats to keep my mind off of things. This works well... until the goodies are gone. Puzzle toys are a good way to keep my mind busy. Mental exhaustion is just as important as physical exhaustion when it comes to anxiety.

3. Exercise
Speaking of which, exercise is a BIG part of my anxiety. When Mom ignores my plea for a walk she usually regrets it later in the evening when I'm still energetic and hyper. Fetch, walks, swimming, runnning, etc. are the perfect ways to tire me out. I need to be totally wiped out by the time bedtime rolls around.

4. Soothing Environment
Mom covers my crate at night and sometimes leaves classical music playing for me. She's going to invest in a CD specifically for me! (Dog Ease) Lavender scents and limited vision tend to help nervous dogs, too.

5. Medication
Last and definitely least, medication can be used for dogs with separation, storm, travel, and general anxiety. Right now I'm on amitriptyline, which treats my general anxiety. (Mom checked it out- it's non-habit forming.) DO NOT MEDICATE YOUR FUR-BABY WITHOUT FIRST TALKING WITH YOUR VET! Our nice vet lady told Mom that Benadryl would work with me... Mom hasn't tried it yet, but I heard her tell Dad that she's going to try it with all these storms.

*** Storm phobia is a very real and scary in dogs. There's no way for us to "get over it" so if your plan is to just ignore us, I can tell you you're going to wake up to a broken cage, bloody dog, ripped-up couch, or worse. We need love, attention, and possibly a combination of the things listed above. It hard to be patient, especially in the middle of the night, but we're not being crazy on purpose... Just keep that in mind and let us stay close while the wind howls.

Special soothing recipes and concoctions are available online. Mom hasn't given me any yet, but some look really yummy. Be sure to research ingredients and only give us safe goodies!

- Lylee the Storm Chaser Chasee

Good Things

Lylee and I were talking and we've decided I should do a "Good Things" post every Wednesday! There are lots of bad things in the world (like thunder) so it's nice to take a mid-week break and recognize the good stuff!

Here's my official list!

1. Sara Bareilles 
Let's start off with a video! Have you seen the newest from Miss Bareilles? She sure is a sweetie!

2. The Weather
Lylee woke me up today at 5am when the thunder when off. I wasn't scared, but Mom came downstairs and took both of us to bed with her anyway. Lylee hates storms but I love that I get an excuse to sleep on Mom and Dad's bed! Then Mom came home at lunch and I got to be outside and chew sticks the WHOLE TIME. It was so sunny and warm on my coat! Mom says it's only going to get warmer. Yay!

3. Mother's Day
Mom says that on Sunday I have be extra good because it's her day. I asked if Lylee and I get a day, too. Silly me, I should've known that EVERY day is our day! Mom even confirmed it! Be sure to say "thanks" to your mom(s) on Sunday!

4. Birthdays
Mom explained that everybody is born once and when that day comes around each year, we celebrate! It's called a birthday and, even though I haven't had one yet, my Uncle Fred is going to celebrate his 21st birthday tomorrow! Birthdays sound AWESOME! I can't wait until mine!

5. Cooper the Dog
In North Dakota (Mom said she'll take me there someday) a three-year-old went missing just before dusk. His dog, Cooper, went missing, too! After hours and hours of looking, they found the little boy 1 MILE away with Cooper on top of him, keeping him warm! Way to go, Cooper! Turns out the family rescued Cooper when he was left on the side of the road as a puppy. Apparently us rescue dogs aren't all that bad! Woo hoo! (Cooper the Dog Story)

Well if that doesn't make you smile, nothing will!

- Enzo the Cheer-Meister 

Best. Weekend. Ever.

Sunday was so awesome! I got to go to school and then Mom took me to a dog party! (Dog Fest of Zoar: Akron Beacon Journal Article, Buckeye Dock Dogs Event)

As most readers know, I'm training to become a therapy/comfort dog in the area. It's a growing trend, especially in hospitals and nursing homes. I'd really like to work with children because I loooove their soft little hands and kissable faces! In order to pursue my dreams, Mom says I have to go to school and engage in social activities (like the Dog Fest!).

The Dog Fest was so cool. We meet up with Mom's friend Kayla, her mom, and their dachshund, Giget. The dock dogs were AMAZING. We sat on the hill and watched for a long time.

Giget's mom took this picture. I was trying to play it cool while Gig checked me out. See that older couple? I don't know them, but I was trying to make friends the entire time. Hehehe.

We walked around and I got to try out agility equipment. (I really liked the catwalk. Climbing is kinda' my thing.) Mom's other friend Erica was there, too. Her mother and puppy-brother Bo hung out with us for a while. Bo is a HUGE black lab, but he was friendly. His mom told us about another event and my mom thought I'd like it. Boy, was she right!

 

They had a string track that pulled a plastic bag along. Mom paid $10 (for 2 runs) and set me loose. It was so fun! I never get to run that fast at home! I did the whole thing in 16.8 seconds!  The leader was 15.3 (?). Mom said she wants me to practice this and get even faster!

I had a totally awesome day and I followed all the rules. I made sure to sit before the kids pet me and I was very submissive with other dogs. On the ride home Mom captured this gem:

 

-Enzo

Side note: Lylee exhibits anxious behavior and aggression toward other dogs, so at this time she's unable to attend these types of events. (Mom and Dad are working toward re-socializing her and re-introducing her to the dog-world.) While Mom and I were out, Lylee got a peanut butter bone AND she got run of the house all day. What the heck? I never get that.......

National Pet Month

According to the Internet, May is National Pet Month. According to me, every month is pet month. (Article About NPM)

Mom says I'm technically a "pet" so who better than to explain the benefits, responsibilities, and struggles of owning a child pet than me?

First, it's important to comprehend that a pet (dog, cat (bleh), fish, rabbit, whatever) is going to rely solely on you. Not only do we require your opposable thumbs to scoop our food, but we also need you to keep us clean, teach us manners, give us care when we're sick, and scratch our bellies. I've tried- I can't get my foot under there. We are a HUGE responsibility and we're going to be around for a while. Pets are a great teaching tool and companion for children, but only for the right kids (and adults, cough-cough). Nothing is worse than hanging out with a kid for a few weeks and then being ignored. And then being put in a shelter. Or on the side of the road. Or in a pound. Long story short, know what kind of responsibility you're taking on!

Getting the right type of pet is important, too! Dogs and cats require more care than fish. We're also going to be around longer. Huskies (like myself) are very intelligent and majestic. (Mom says we're stubborn and difficult- always needing physical and mental stimulation. Whatever.) Golden retrievers and Labradors live to please and love to learn new things. Of course, all dogs are different but understanding the temperament of a breed is really important. I demand a mile-long walk every day, but a Yorkie doesn't have my incredible stamina. Pick the right dog (or cat, I guess) with the most compatible energy, size, temperament, etc. with your lifestyle and family! Do your research!

Once a pet has decided to grace you with her love and demands, the real fun begins! Going on walks is super cool and some dogs even swim, play fetch, and dance! Training us is on you, but any dog can learn! (Train us young. Shelters are filled with dogs 6 months to 1 year old because owners were too focused on our cuteness and forgot to teach us manners.) All dogs are different: some love kids, some love car rides, some love cuddling on the couch at the end of the day. I promise we'll enhance the quality of your life. Give us some love, attention, and care, and we'll give it back double !

Owning a pet isn't always glamorous. Maybe 1.5% of the time we get a little rowdy, misbehave, or get sick. (That's my own statistic, but I'm sure it's correct.) Enzo made Mom cry a few times when he was being house broken (breaking the house.........) and I'm not ashamed to say that I take medication for my anxiety (hey man, the world is a scary place). Committing to a pet is committing to the good and the bad.

This isn't Enzo, but Mom says it looks just like him when he's done playing in the yard. She wasn't smiling...

Last, but certainly not least: where to get a dog. Mom and Dad are big advocates of adopting from shelters/rescues/sanctuaries/pounds. I came from a humane society and Enzo came from a rescue. So far we haven't bitten anyone's arm off, grown a 2nd head, or died from a rare kennel disease. Mom secretly thinks adopted dogs are better because we're even MORE grateful to our parents for rescuing us. (I let her think that so she'll keep putting peanut butter on my food.) Breeders are ok sometimes (RESEARCH) but pet stores don't always get their "stock" from a kosher source. I get some people want a pure breed. Believe it or not, shelters have PURE BREEDS sometimes! (I don't know why you'd settle for a p.b. but some people are into that, I guess.)

Moral of my story: Research. Commit. Adopt. Love.
(Get us "fixed", too! Mom wanted me to throw that in... Not sure how we're broken? Oh well.)
That's all it takes to be a perfect pet parent!

-Lylee