The vet called - no parasites to be seen. Hmmm, so I guess we have to chalk the diarrhea up to:
1. Drinking out of the mud puddles.
2. Eating the bird seed the birds drop.
3. Eating chicken poop.
4. Whatever else he's sticking in his little mouth. And right now that is a considerable amount!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Walkies!
I decided that this week I'm really going to focus on leash walking and walking in new places. We're out in the country, so don't get all the sights and sounds from town.
I thought today we'd start easy - just a walk down our own dirt road. Uh, not. I forgot that as soon as we walk out our front gate, there would be 5 large Mastiffs and Pit Bull barking hysterically at us. Zane was terrified. We finally got past them, but he kept looking back to see if they were going to come get him. He wouldn't take food, wouldn't respond to the clicker.
Change of plans. After I got the youngest girls on the bus, we headed out to a neighborhood closer to town. I figured even a little 5 minute walk would do him good. It ended up better than expected. He met two walkers. Then a large water truck drove by. He had to stare at that. Then it stopped and hooked up to a fire hydrant and started pumping. We walked to it and watched it for a bit and talked to the workmen handling it all. Zane got some loving from them too. Then a bicycle went by, so he watched that.
On the very short walk (since we spent a lot of time watching the pumping truck), Zane found a pine cone that he picked up and brought home.
So my new goal is every day after the girls get on the bus, we drive to a new neighborhood and walk around and see what we can find.
I'm also going to start Look at That and BAT training with him. Today we also started reorienting when going through doors and gates. So much to do!
I thought today we'd start easy - just a walk down our own dirt road. Uh, not. I forgot that as soon as we walk out our front gate, there would be 5 large Mastiffs and Pit Bull barking hysterically at us. Zane was terrified. We finally got past them, but he kept looking back to see if they were going to come get him. He wouldn't take food, wouldn't respond to the clicker.
Change of plans. After I got the youngest girls on the bus, we headed out to a neighborhood closer to town. I figured even a little 5 minute walk would do him good. It ended up better than expected. He met two walkers. Then a large water truck drove by. He had to stare at that. Then it stopped and hooked up to a fire hydrant and started pumping. We walked to it and watched it for a bit and talked to the workmen handling it all. Zane got some loving from them too. Then a bicycle went by, so he watched that.
On the very short walk (since we spent a lot of time watching the pumping truck), Zane found a pine cone that he picked up and brought home.
So my new goal is every day after the girls get on the bus, we drive to a new neighborhood and walk around and see what we can find.
I'm also going to start Look at That and BAT training with him. Today we also started reorienting when going through doors and gates. So much to do!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Vinegaroon
Look, Zane carries metal articles!
Last night's funny. . . Zane met a vinegaroon.
He tried to touch it.
It sprayed him with vinegar. He wouldn't go near it again.
For those who haven't seen one up close:
On a sad note, Zane has diarrhea again. It seems to come and go, so I took a fecal sample in today. We'll have the results tomorrow. I'm thinking he must have picked up a parasite somewhere.
Last night's funny. . . Zane met a vinegaroon.
He tried to touch it.
It sprayed him with vinegar. He wouldn't go near it again.
For those who haven't seen one up close:
On a sad note, Zane has diarrhea again. It seems to come and go, so I took a fecal sample in today. We'll have the results tomorrow. I'm thinking he must have picked up a parasite somewhere.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Saturday's Fun
Early this morning Bella had an agility lesson. The instructor has some nice kennels out for the dogs to rest in, so Zane went and sat in the kennel. I wanted to work on good behavior in the kennel, so every time Bella came out to work, Zane got a bit of his breakfast. So Bella and me leaving were a good thing to him. He met a new Valhund, and he interacted with the Aussie he snapped at last time. I put him in the end kennel this time so he'd only have dogs on one side. Next time he'll go in a middle kennel so he will have to deal with dogs on two sides. He's not showing near as much stress about other dogs now.
This afternoon we went swimming again. After a couple of short swims (like 1-2 feet to the ramp), we tried to get him to go down the ramp into the water. I think that was a mistake. He ended up going off the side and went underwater. He was not happy with that. Next time I think we'll continue to hold him in the water and slowly lower him in. That seems to work better for him.
After swimming, he took a long nap, drank a lot of water, and ended up having his first real accident in the house. Oh well. . . it had to happen.
He had a late lunch, so for his regular dinner time he wasn't very hungry. He doesn't like doing downs for kibble much, and tonight was horrible. It just wasn't worth it to him to do a down for kibble. I got three out of him, but he resisted mightily. We'll try again later with some chicken. He was able to hold a down while I lightly tossed a kibble or rolled it toward him. He could resist a kibble on one paw, but not on the other while he held his down.
He did do paw touches for kibble, and several hand touches before getting distracted by people in the next pasture and by the doves in the yard. Since he wasn't very hungry, I just put his dinner away and will try again later. I was going to do Aim For It to a large fleece toy, so hopefully we can still get that in.
We're also starting to reach the "ear" stage. Right now one ear seems to be carried higher than the other. He looks a little lopsided. Ears do such weird things through teething. I'm sure we'll get a lot of hysterical ear pictures the next few months! And there's definitely stuff happening in the mouth. He's chewing everything now. Those jaws need to work!
This afternoon we went swimming again. After a couple of short swims (like 1-2 feet to the ramp), we tried to get him to go down the ramp into the water. I think that was a mistake. He ended up going off the side and went underwater. He was not happy with that. Next time I think we'll continue to hold him in the water and slowly lower him in. That seems to work better for him.
After swimming, he took a long nap, drank a lot of water, and ended up having his first real accident in the house. Oh well. . . it had to happen.
He had a late lunch, so for his regular dinner time he wasn't very hungry. He doesn't like doing downs for kibble much, and tonight was horrible. It just wasn't worth it to him to do a down for kibble. I got three out of him, but he resisted mightily. We'll try again later with some chicken. He was able to hold a down while I lightly tossed a kibble or rolled it toward him. He could resist a kibble on one paw, but not on the other while he held his down.
He did do paw touches for kibble, and several hand touches before getting distracted by people in the next pasture and by the doves in the yard. Since he wasn't very hungry, I just put his dinner away and will try again later. I was going to do Aim For It to a large fleece toy, so hopefully we can still get that in.
We're also starting to reach the "ear" stage. Right now one ear seems to be carried higher than the other. He looks a little lopsided. Ears do such weird things through teething. I'm sure we'll get a lot of hysterical ear pictures the next few months! And there's definitely stuff happening in the mouth. He's chewing everything now. Those jaws need to work!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Easy Day
Yesterday's Aim For It was over plastic bags - a trash bag and a heavy mil plastic. He was hesitant on the heavy one at first, then did it. He also did cavalettis.
Not a lot of training today. I'm tired and it's not fair to the dogs to train when I'm tired. But we did use part of breakfast to work on Choose to Heel.
He also got a bath today - just in time for the rain and mud.
Zane is also getting huge. I'm calling him "Toad Belly" because when he lays flat on his belly with all his legs out, his tummy rounds out like a toad's.
Rainy days
Zane - 11 weeks
Zane thinks he's hiding behind the bush.
He's actually being stalked by Pico the Cat.
Playing with Waffles. He ended up just running circles around her.
Not a bad job self-stacking. Ignore the head stuck through the wire. . .
Not a lot of training today. I'm tired and it's not fair to the dogs to train when I'm tired. But we did use part of breakfast to work on Choose to Heel.
He also got a bath today - just in time for the rain and mud.
Zane is also getting huge. I'm calling him "Toad Belly" because when he lays flat on his belly with all his legs out, his tummy rounds out like a toad's.
Rainy days
Zane - 11 weeks
Zane thinks he's hiding behind the bush.
He's actually being stalked by Pico the Cat.
Playing with Waffles. He ended up just running circles around her.
Not a bad job self-stacking. Ignore the head stuck through the wire. . .
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Down/Maintain
Zane is learning that when he is cued for a position, he holds that position until released. Here he is working on Down/Maintain.
Eye Contact, Come & Go, Movement
Yesterday we did Aim For It with a wooden board (that will eventually be used for his contact training). He is really starting to aim on his own! He's moving forward towards things.
This is Zane working on Eye Contact.
Come and Go Game
Movement
This is Zane working on Eye Contact.
Come and Go Game
Movement
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