Oh, D., your mail made me cry! Your gal sounds so special and wonderful! I'm sure you miss her terribly ...
My darling Guerillera Alexandria (Allie) died at 13 last fall. She was in kidney failure and on a home-cooked diet and subq fluids for 2.5 years. I got her from TAMR when she was ca. 6, so I was owned by her for a horribly short time! But I would not have survived her puppyhood (although she must have been irresistibly cute).
Allie was a true alpha and a true Mal bitch. Not only was she a mighty huntress, but she was also WAY more intelligent than me and all the other critters put together. She and my Ridgeback started out as best buds, but after I took in Ghost (a rescue with serious emotional issues), the girls started trying to kill each other. Allie adopted Ghost and helped him get over a lot of his panics -- lots of tough love ... She got along with my big red Rowan, who also came from a horrible situation and is chondrodysplastic. She did make friends with the cats -- let them swat her tail, and if she could corner one, she would give it a thorough sliming with the long Mallie tongue.
We did lots of obedience together (essential! she was unquestionably the Queen of the Universe ...), an agility course, where she was quite creative ;-), and performed on a drill team. She was always perfect in rehearsal, but in performance, would get that gleam in her eye and pull off some outrageous stunt ... Given half a chance, she could clear a countertop or empty the fridge in seconds flat. Her judgment of humans was always spot-on, and she wasn't subtle about it ;-).
Ms Allie basically got me to cater to her every whim and very much enjoyed being a "stealth" hellraiser for the short time that she had me. I miss her every day. I now have another wonderful Mallie lady, Miss Congeniality, and love her to pieces, but she doesn't have that mischievous sparkle, that "go ahead, get into bed, see what I've left between the sheets" look (disgusting bones, usually). I could very easily imagine why her owners gave Allie up for adoption -- she was quite the handful, but I adored and miss that about her.
Thank you for letting me vent! ;-)
We must find you another wonderful Mal bitch. I'll keep my ears to the ground and see if I hear about one.
Best
Connie
Re: "I actually prefer a female – I have had both males and females and I really prefer the females – especially the ones that are alpha. The last one we had was so remarkable – she was a shelter dog from Fort Worth that a friend found for us – it later turned out that she was an escaped show dog but the lady no longer was interested in getting her back since she had been spayed. From the beginning we knew she was special because she loved being brushed – even her tail. She was 16 when she passed away – the oldest one I have ever had. ..."
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Monday, May 05, 2008
Austin: Perception Modification Workshop
Post to TxMals:
Hi, C.
Re: "aversives" -- is that like spraying bitter apple on a table leg to indicate Don't Chew Here? or is that like a collar pop correction? or more like me bellowing "No! Go Home!" to the pesky off-leash chih-rat-min-terrier that's making a beeline for Missy's belly? Hmm, I bet pepper spray would be an "aversive" ;-) ...
I get confused by the terminology, because normally you hear "negative feedback" and that means pop the collar or raise your eyebrow at him. But in operant conditioning, if I remember correctly, negative feedback means do absolutely nothing. So "aversive" would mean do something actively unpleasant, like punishment?
The Classicist in me notes: Latin aversus (adj) from avertere, to turn away ;-)
Cheers
connie
Hi, C.
Re: "aversives" -- is that like spraying bitter apple on a table leg to indicate Don't Chew Here? or is that like a collar pop correction? or more like me bellowing "No! Go Home!" to the pesky off-leash chih-rat-min-terrier that's making a beeline for Missy's belly? Hmm, I bet pepper spray would be an "aversive" ;-) ...
I get confused by the terminology, because normally you hear "negative feedback" and that means pop the collar or raise your eyebrow at him. But in operant conditioning, if I remember correctly, negative feedback means do absolutely nothing. So "aversive" would mean do something actively unpleasant, like punishment?
The Classicist in me notes: Latin aversus (adj) from avertere, to turn away ;-)
Cheers
connie
Re: Fw: For those of you who feed Nutro...
Hey, W.
Smooches to Sam!
I feed Natural Balance Fish and Sweet Potato, and the Malefactors seem to be doing well on it. But I noticed that my local Sun Harvest (aka Wild Oats aka Whole Foods) carries a pet food brand that specifically advertises being by-product-free. I bought some for my cats and they just inhale it. It's damn pricey, tho.
A colleague whose dog has every malady & allergy on earth has resorted to feeding Honest Kitchen, kind of dehydrated BARF, everything non-GMO & human-grade, etc., and you can add anything you want. Again, freakin' expensive. http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/
My former and most trusted vet had nothing good to say about Science Diet (Hills), but if Sam's happy, everybody's happy ;-)
Cheers
connie
VOTE FOR SAM!
http://www.consumer affairs.com/ news04/2008/ 04/pet_food_recalls93. html
Smooches to Sam!
I feed Natural Balance Fish and Sweet Potato, and the Malefactors seem to be doing well on it. But I noticed that my local Sun Harvest (aka Wild Oats aka Whole Foods) carries a pet food brand that specifically advertises being by-product-free. I bought some for my cats and they just inhale it. It's damn pricey, tho.
A colleague whose dog has every malady & allergy on earth has resorted to feeding Honest Kitchen, kind of dehydrated BARF, everything non-GMO & human-grade, etc., and you can add anything you want. Again, freakin' expensive. http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/
My former and most trusted vet had nothing good to say about Science Diet (Hills), but if Sam's happy, everybody's happy ;-)
Cheers
connie
VOTE FOR SAM!
http://www.consumer affairs.com/ news04/2008/ 04/pet_food_recalls93. html
speaking of training ...
TxMals:
... and peeing -- here's a conundrum for those who own male Mals with the quick-to-lift leg:
Mr Rowan "solid-concrete-between-the-ears" the Red was neutered at an advanced age; in his previous life, he had been penned up for days on end and had apparently become used to soiling his space. Anyway, he's quite passionate about overmarking ANY traces of another dog, esp. any other male ...
Well, we go to McKinney Falls every weekend, and ever since we gave our friend's dog a lift a few weeks ago, Mr R has been systematically trying to fill the back of the RAV 4 to the brim with pee. I'm zooming after him with the various anti-pet-odor enzymatic cleaners, but he doesn't give a rat's behind -- he's on a mission!! And once he's peed in one place, of course, that's his designated pee-spot from then on.
Note: this dog gets by on his spectacular looks, not his brains ...
So what does one do in this situation? Sell the car to someone with a cold?? ;-) buy him Depends??
Thanks for any advice!
Cheers
connie
... and peeing -- here's a conundrum for those who own male Mals with the quick-to-lift leg:
Mr Rowan "solid-concrete-between-the-ears" the Red was neutered at an advanced age; in his previous life, he had been penned up for days on end and had apparently become used to soiling his space. Anyway, he's quite passionate about overmarking ANY traces of another dog, esp. any other male ...
Well, we go to McKinney Falls every weekend, and ever since we gave our friend's dog a lift a few weeks ago, Mr R has been systematically trying to fill the back of the RAV 4 to the brim with pee. I'm zooming after him with the various anti-pet-odor enzymatic cleaners, but he doesn't give a rat's behind -- he's on a mission!! And once he's peed in one place, of course, that's his designated pee-spot from then on.
Note: this dog gets by on his spectacular looks, not his brains ...
So what does one do in this situation? Sell the car to someone with a cold?? ;-) buy him Depends??
Thanks for any advice!
Cheers
connie
Aversives and Peeing
Re: "The terms can be confusing! An aversive is something that causes something unpleasant to happen that the dog does not like. Some aversives are worse than others. I have NO problem with spraying Bitter Apple on things to make them taste bad. It's the only reason I have any shoes left, since Akiak came to my house two years ago. I am such a bad housekeeper and seem to have a learning block about putting my shoes up...and getting them chewed up hasn't been sufficiently aversive to me that I learned from my mistakes!"
Dear C.
Hah! You should see my house! I moved in July and the vast majority of my stuff is still in boxes! (except the vast array of dog toys, of course -- most of those have been in & out of the washer, &/or eaten by Rowan ...) But I did finally buy and assemble an awesome shoe cabinet for the hallway from IKEA ... My aversive is The Magnificent "Stinker" Ghost, who has a penchant for peeing in shoes ... very effective! He's quite the little people-trainer!!
And I used to think it was only cats who peed in shoes ;-) ...
I highly recommend, esp for those who walk barefoot in the house, Sandnes shoe cabinet, http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90111895
The same thing in plastic, Trones, is only $39 http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30110832
4 compartments - says it holds 12 pair, but I have a lot of sandals & flats, and have over 20 pair in it ;-)
It's high enough for the roomba to sweep under it -- a must in the messy Mallie household ;-)
Dear C.
Hah! You should see my house! I moved in July and the vast majority of my stuff is still in boxes! (except the vast array of dog toys, of course -- most of those have been in & out of the washer, &/or eaten by Rowan ...) But I did finally buy and assemble an awesome shoe cabinet for the hallway from IKEA ... My aversive is The Magnificent "Stinker" Ghost, who has a penchant for peeing in shoes ... very effective! He's quite the little people-trainer!!
And I used to think it was only cats who peed in shoes ;-) ...
I highly recommend, esp for those who walk barefoot in the house, Sandnes shoe cabinet, http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90111895
The same thing in plastic, Trones, is only $39 http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30110832
4 compartments - says it holds 12 pair, but I have a lot of sandals & flats, and have over 20 pair in it ;-)
It's high enough for the roomba to sweep under it -- a must in the messy Mallie household ;-)
More re: Fw: For those of you who feed Nutro...
Re: Well Connie, your vet is only the 2nd vet I have known who
didn't try to push Science Diet down your throat. I currently
feed my rescues that are in bad shape on Science diet puppy,
and they do well on it, but I will not feed Science diet adult.
It stinks, the poop stinks, the dogs bodies stink, the storage
area stinks, and the dogs never get good poops. I am using
the Science Diet puppy because my rescue group gets it at
a special price. My dogs that are in good shape eat Pedigree
and they are doing very well on it.
Hi, F.,
Well, she was pushing Wellness and did get me to sign up for mail-order Omega-3s ;-), so it wasn't entirely altruistic. But she had a good understanding of northern breeds, and gave me the tip with zinc for Ghost's skin.
B. used to feed Pedigree's Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach salmon formula, I think? I've fed it too and find it perfectly fine, although it goes rancid pretty quickly - has to be stored cold, which the Petco doesn't. And my garbage-disposal Rowan will occasionally get Costco's Kirkland store brand if I'm totally broke ;-). That's what the cats normally get; Consumer Reports liked it a lot, and my vet says it's better than most. Rowan prefers to eat plastic and rubber anyway ;-). His latest favorite on our walks in McKinney Falls: poison ivy! Yummy!
What a guy ...
Please kiss my darling Waco for me
Cheers
connie
didn't try to push Science Diet down your throat. I currently
feed my rescues that are in bad shape on Science diet puppy,
and they do well on it, but I will not feed Science diet adult.
It stinks, the poop stinks, the dogs bodies stink, the storage
area stinks, and the dogs never get good poops. I am using
the Science Diet puppy because my rescue group gets it at
a special price. My dogs that are in good shape eat Pedigree
and they are doing very well on it.
Hi, F.,
Well, she was pushing Wellness and did get me to sign up for mail-order Omega-3s ;-), so it wasn't entirely altruistic. But she had a good understanding of northern breeds, and gave me the tip with zinc for Ghost's skin.
B. used to feed Pedigree's Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach salmon formula, I think? I've fed it too and find it perfectly fine, although it goes rancid pretty quickly - has to be stored cold, which the Petco doesn't. And my garbage-disposal Rowan will occasionally get Costco's Kirkland store brand if I'm totally broke ;-). That's what the cats normally get; Consumer Reports liked it a lot, and my vet says it's better than most. Rowan prefers to eat plastic and rubber anyway ;-). His latest favorite on our walks in McKinney Falls: poison ivy! Yummy!
What a guy ...
Please kiss my darling Waco for me
Cheers
connie
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