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Snap Peas

I was sitting on the couch eating sugar snap peas and since they're dog-safe I decided to give some to the pup. Boy's not interested in anything but chicken but I reckoned I’d try anyway.

Well, he was very interested in unwrapping the pea from the pod, and then squishing the pea, and rolling the pea, and dissecting it into many smaller pieces of peas, but ultimately, he didn’t go for swallowing it. Guess my boy’s still strictly a poultry-fed pooch.

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Training Mac

Mac had his first training session since I’ve owned him today and it went so well. Carol Upton (http://www.carolthedogtrainer.ca/) was our trainer and she was FANTASTIC. So, so good. She helped us so much and I feel so much more confident now that I have things to practice.

Mac is a VERY fast learner. Training gives him more than just skills – it gives him activity, and engagement. He likes to learn and to figure out puzzles and training really got him using his brain. It also eased my anxiety – now we have a goal to work on together, we have focus and we have positive-based training to help both of us be our best selves.

We’re going to work on his recall, on having him sit beside me and learn to walk at my side instead of running all over the road when we walk. We’re starting small. We’re also going to get him used to things that surprise him or upset him like loud noises. We’re beginning with ‘baby steps’ and going to work forwards and already I can see a change – he is HUNGRY for structure and puzzles to learn. He’s eager to learn how to get rewards.

I was expecting training to be useful, but I wasn’t expecting it would be so fun or rewarding. But my mood is very elevated given my mental health (anxiety/depression.) I feel like the goals are accomplishable because everything makes sense, I know how to act and Mac knows how to be a good boy. We had an absolute blast learning today. I feel so glad.

This is just so great.

Mac’s getting his vomiting (he threw up again) looked at on Friday at the vet’s plus we’re gonna book his dental cleaning, and he had his training session, and just wow.

People come up to me all the time and say what a good dog he is – my neighbour a few doors down said he’s super quiet and a joy to live near – no excessive barking, no freak-outs. Other locals have been telling me he’s cute, he’s gentle, he’s good-natured. Now he’ll be well-behaved too.

I know the learning process is gonna be long and have ups and downs but it’s started at last, and started well.

I’m just so dang happy.

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A Getaway Weekend

We spent a weekend at my parents’ place.

Pup and I attended a charity event and there, the boy was microchipped. All the proceeds of the chipping went to local dog rescues. I also bought a t-shirt to support the rescues. There were loads of dogs there, and it was a neighbourhood he’d never been in. At first, the boy as nervous, but he calmed way down and stayed in my arms, acclimatizing. I didn’t push it – I didn’t put him down around the other dogs, or stay too long, and he coped amazingly well, calmed quickly. It was great.

Moreover, we took the pup to a local pet store and FINALLY FOUND HIM SOMETHING THAT FIT. A winter jacket that he isn’t swimming in or stuffed in like a sausage. It’s a perfect fit, and was on sale.

We also tried out a new ice cream shop, and they said small dogs are allowed inside if they’re in-arms. We sat outside because the weather was good but honestly, it’d be great to take him there later in the year – especially since they also serve coffee. I had a mint-chocolate ice cream sundae and it was amazing.

So all in all, a great week. I’m very proud of my boy – he did very well indeed. He’s also REALLY taken to my dad, and sat in his lap, even, which is great too. So all in all, awesome.

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Mac threw up today

I’d be calmer about it if his fecal results had come back yet. I want to rule out a GI parasite. But that being said, he seems to feel better, and the other day on our walk he found half a sausage on the ground and bit it before i could stop him, so i’m sure it’s probably that. but i’m keeping an eye on him. Of course, we have company coming in like 10 minutes. I’ll say one thin, it’s good for my anxiety disorder to have random wrenches thrown in the works. He keeps me on my toes, that’s for sure.

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Good Boy!

Pup was home alone when I was in class. He didn’t break anything. He was good. God love him, I know how anxious he is, but he’s TRYING SO HARD. Every success he has fills me with joy. I love him. I love him in spite of his bad teeth that’ll wind up costing mean arm and a leg to fix. I love him in spite of his overgrown dewclaws. I love him in spite of the separation anxiety moments, and the poor recall, and the begging for attention because he’s never been challenged to be anything more than cute. He’s growing into a gorgeous boy, every day has successes.

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A Cute Story: Why Being Neighbourly is Nice

There’s a large immigrant population in my neighborhood, and my apartment building specifically, a number of whom are Muslim, many of whom have a cultural/religious aversion to dogs. I’m used to getting dirty looks at worst or fearful ones at best when I’m out with my dog. However, the other day, a middle-aged Muslim woman got on the elevator and looked at my dog, visibly wary of him, and said:

“What is his name?”

I told her Mac A. Roni. She then said:

“You have… bought? Soon?”

“I got him recently, yeah.”

“He is too young? Very small.”

“No, he’s actually five years old – just small.”

She was astounded that he was so small but 5 years old. She smiled at him, still visibly wary of him, but very kind because she saw what he meant to me. It was a really beautiful gesture on her part, to be so nice to him because she saw I loved him, in spite of being kind of scared of him.

This is why I get fed up when people say they hate a whole group of people arbitrarily. You never know who someone is on the basis of just one trait. She’s a Muslim, sure. She wouldn’t probably own a chihuahua as a pet. Maybe she would – I don’t know. I hear it varies from place to place and degree of orthodoxy. But regardless, that doesn’t mean she can’t empathize and see that I love him – she can.  I mean, heck, people find it crazy that I’m a Roman Catholic but I also have friends in the queer community and like slasher movies and stuff like that. People are more than just one trait.

This woman, God love her, went out of her comfort zone to be neighbourly when she had nothing to gain from it personally. It was just good will, and it was great. She’s actually the second woman to do so since I moved here – earlier, a woman with a kid who spoke barely any English managed to communicate to me that she had a fear of dogs, asking that I not let him down on the floor where he could sniff her in the elevator (which I didn’t because it was courteous to respect that, and plus I don’t want him on the floor when there’s a chance another dog could get on and freak him out,) but that she could still see that mine was a nice dog and not a bad dog. I told her that her son was adorable, because he was. We were friendly to each other even though she knew nothing about dogs and I knew nothing about kids.

It’s great to see people being kind like that when they have no reason to be, no ulterior motivation. Just decency. It really made my day. Especially in this negative world we live in where people always seem so unkind.

So, my hat’s off to those women, and to everyone who goes out of their way to try to understand something that is unfamiliar to them. More power to you. And to people who say ‘I hate all Muslims’ or ‘I hate all immigrants’ or ‘I hate all __’ – you don’t sound clever. You sound mighty short-sighted. You can find folks to get along with in almost every community if you dig deep enough. Maybe not be best friends with, but be civil with? Sure thing. Honestly, everyone wants to be at each other’s throats these days. Just be good to each other – you don’t have to agree on everything. This woman clearly didn’t want to own a dog like mine, but she was okay with me owning one. I know it’s a cliché, but don’t judge a book by its cover. You never know what a person will do – it might surprise you in a good way. Certainly it did for me and Mac.

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Mac the Mess-Maker

I will spare everyone a photo of what awaited me when I got home from shopping/running errands today. Suffices to say, Mac had torn apart the bathroom garbage. Tissues all over the place. No pee or poop – he is still good on that front – but this is the worst he has been when alone.

I told the trainer, so she’s up to date, and have intensified making routine for Mac. I’ve moved his pillow and blanket to the floor from the bed. I want him to get comfortable sleeping alone/hanging out alone. I know it’s my own anxiety he’s probably mirroring – I’m an anxious person – but I need to project confidence and independence too.

I’m not mad at him. I’m sad – I don’t want him to suffer when I’m not at home. But one step back on an otherwise pretty positive trajectory is okay – we’re gonna make it through. He tore up some garbage, but he’s not a bad dog – he’s also (hopefully) not going to do it again, or not for long, anyway, as I’m teaching him it’s okay to be alone.

He’s never been alone until me – not in his first home, not in his foster home. I imagine it’s terrifying – a new house, an apartment with lots of outside noises, and he’s all alone for the first time in his life. But he’s smart – he’ll learn with time. I’m gonna calm down and be patient. I’m terrified I’ll ‘ruin’ him, make him anxious, but I know the opposite is true. We’re both going to make each other calmer in the long run. To make him calm, I must learn to be calm too.

So far so good. He’s SO keen to learn, and so smart. I need to give him room to shine, and he needs to learn it’s okay to fly solo for a while. I think, in the long run, he will, and we will be fine.

We’ll both be okay in the end. A small setback, but at least it illuminates what I need to focus on.

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Muddy Mac, and NO Dog Attack

Pictured: Mac wondering why I had to wash him and clean his teeth. :)

Mac had to be washed again - it’s raining here and he got very muddy on his walk. He got a bath and a doggy fragrance spritz (strawberry kiwi - my favourite of every scent we used when I learned dog grooming and a staple in my life with Mac now) and his teeth brushed - first time with the brush and not my finger. He doesn’t like it, but he doesn’t fuss beyond a reasonable amount.

We met the big black dog again. This time it was being walked by a man, and hile it started to get excited when it saw us, it calmed immediately under his guidance. No fight. No attack. it was unmistakably the same dog. Just goes to show a good owner makes all the difference.

Mac improves and grows behaviorally in leaps and bounds. Every day he makes me proud. I love him more every time I look at him, or wake up to see his little face.

He’s a blessing, he really is. Life before him seems unbelievable now. I can’t imagine not having him in my universe.

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Mac (and his human) are now on Instagram! (Well, it’s his human’s old account, but we’re making it for both of us from now on.) Mac promises more cute photo shoots like this one, and his human promises more photos of home cooking and nature, as well as of the pup. So whatever you’re into, you’ll probably find something you like!

Check us out! https://www.instagram.com/mac_pup_and_his_human/

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Mac is spending the morning catching up on his correspondences. It’s a hard life, being such a popular pup.

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Mac has been gif-ed!

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Wonder if Mac wold care for these? Probably not, as he’s apathetic unless chicken’s involved, but you never know.

Dog Food recipes, yum!

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Two dogs this time!

Growling greeted us as we left the elevator and we were set upon by two huge dogs. Mac barked in response - a problem I’m hoping to train out of him, train him to be more submissive. It’s his only chance. It’s the wild west out here - these two big dogs came tearing at the elevator growling and advancing on Mac until he was terrified.

This neighbourhood, I swear. Nobody picks up after their dogs - there’s poop EVERYWHERE. And nobody trains their dogs. It’s insane. I have no idea why it’s like this here. To compare, I was in my old neighbourhood with the dog yesterday. He met big and little dogs and there was no growling, no attacks, nothing. Everyone ignored each other, except the one puppy who sniffed him and was friendly and they socialized. But even big dogs just let him go, no issues at all.

So why’s my current neighbourhood like the wild west of dog ownership??

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Mr. Mac Fast Fact #1

Mac’s favourite food is chicken. His favourite animal is chicken. His favourite word is chicken.

Chicken.

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Dog Attack and Vet Visit - oh my!

Morning:

A dog attacked me and Mac at the park. Mac wasn’t hurt, as I had to be human shield – the dog jumped at my head and pawed and barked. It was a very large dog, very strong, and the type I’d normally love, but it was off leash and the owner had no control. It broke through the fence and attacked 3 separate times no matter the distance I put between us (it would break away and follow and the owner couldn’t call it back) before it drove us back into the house. She said he just wants to play rough, but with a dog my size, rough play could be fatal, plus Mac’s kind of dog reactive, so that’s not an acceptable answer. On an earlier occasion, it really scared Mac. And then later today, it threw itself against the window of its house barking at Mac through the window. Poor puppy was terrified.

Afternoon:

I got Mac a new carrier and he rode in it to the vet – a hard one with a door on top and front. He prefers to come in the front door on his own than be lowered in. All in all he really likes it and seems cozy and happy in it already.

Mac did AMAZING at the vet. The vet himself is a very nice man with a fun sense of humor. He got a kick out of Mac’s chicken obsession. Mac got a booster shot to prevent kidney infection, got weighed, got examined. He needs dental work (lots of preventative care + cleaning,) possible deworming (fecal test pending), and his ‘weird leg thing’ is probably luxating patella. As the vet said ‘his knees aren’t the most stable thing in the world.’ But we have a dental plan working, and are going to do his fecal and all in all his health is good, and then the vet said his behaviour is FANTASTIC, especially for a small dog and having faced so much change. ALSO his itchy feet are almost certainly a ragweed allergy and will pass with the seasons. He also got a free sample of tartar fighting food, and some chews to clean his back teeth. I have to brush his front teeth. Lastly, the doc said he liked the job I did on his nails! So that’s great.

Evening:

I took Mac to my parents house and we had a long walk – the whole family – to the coffee shop, and sat outside for coffee and cookies. Mac met a TINY 2-month-old puppy – half pug, half shih tzu and just about the cutest thing ever. He’s so gentle with puppies and toddlers – he seems to really understand what babies are and that they need extra gentleness. It was really sweet. Then a long walk back to the car, and then now home again to my apartment. He’s asleep on his pillow, utterly tuckered out.

All and all it was a crazy day and I spent a lot of it with my heart pounding with stress. But now we’re okay.

We’re healthy, sleepy, and happy.

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Mac was a sweetie for nails, never trying to bite me and only freaking out briefly when I nicked one vein.

I put styptic powder on him quick and he settled in about a minute and was wagging in under two. As a trained groomer - holy crap did I luck out! What a wonder dog!

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Pup was good while I was out - no destruction. Cried less than usual. Came home and was still frantic but overall much calmer. He’s making me so proud.

Though he did lick my eye, and the inside of my nostril, which was kinda gross lol. I don’t mind it though. I know he spends all his time licking himself but still.

Oh, that reminds me: the obsessive licking - some new dog contacts in the local dog owners group think it could be, get this, ALLERGIES. All their dogs have itchy paws from ragweed. So I’m gonna keep monitoring it, but it could just pass on its own. I see the vet on the 30th, so I’ll ask him about it then.