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Saturday, March 12, 2011

Better Safe Than Sorry

Since Zoe has been going to obedience class twice a week for the last month or so, I've spent some time thinking about her safety riding in the car so often.  I always drive carefully when she's along for the ride, but I certainly don't have control over other motorists, or Zoe if she's launched by a collision.  

Soon after we adopted Roxie in 2001, I had similar concerns.  With good intentions, I purchased a safety belt harness for Roxie right before she was to travel with us to the beach on vacation.  We buckled Roxie up and took off down the interstate as one happy, beach-bound family.  About an hour into the trip, we were jolted by the sounds of a SCREAMING greyhound in the back seat!  I immediately pulled over, and found that Roxie had somehow managed to turn around in the seat and tangled herself in the safety harness like a pretzel.  It was a challenge to free her, and after the trauma we all experienced, the harness was never used again.

On the way home from class on Tuesday, Zoe and I stopped at Petco to check out the safety belt harnesses.  While I don't wish to relive the dog-pretzel incident ever again, I know that Zoe's safety makes the harness worth a try.  Today will be our first time trying the safety belt harness with Zoe.  I'm hoping for a positive experience, and welcome your comments regarding traveling safety tips or harness trials with your own dogs.  Please wish us luck!

Petco photo, for example purposes.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we'll leave you with a cute JibJab video of Xander Leprechaun, and a couple of photos of the Dogs Rock hounds relaxing.  Hope you have a great weekend!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Roxie and Zoe

Xander and Zoe

Welcome to this week's Saturday Pet Blogger Hop!  Thanks, as always, to the Hop hosts, Life With DogsTwo Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume.  Happy hopping, and happy weekend too!




Saturday, March 5, 2011

A Few New Tricks

Today is Zoe's 1-month anniversary of attending obedience training at Field of Dreams.  As I've mentioned, my primary reason for enrolling Zoe at FOD is to help her overcome fear in social situation involving new people and dogs.  The untimate goal is for Zoe to be confident enough to join me on a weekend trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to see lots of friends at the end of April.  I've been very pleased with Zoe's progress over the last month.  I knew she had the capability to learn new things, and after three weeks of attending classes, she was promoted from level 1 to level 2!!  I'm especially happy to see Zoe's comfort level has greatly increased, from having to be coerced through the door and trembling throughout class, to actively participating and curiously checking out her furry classmates.  Every dog has a different set of challenges and I enjoy watching the interactions between various pups and their humans.  Zoe and I are still working on "the basics," but we're taking it slowly and moving through the process at a pace that's comfortable to her.  Here's a quick sample of some of the things we've been practicing.



In addition to Zoe's school activities, our dogs have been enjoying a few sunny spring-like days that have come our way.  I'm getting outside more with them and the camera, which certainly makes me happy.  Here's a quick little movie I made of a game of "take away" that Zoe and Xander had going the other day.  I love the expressions on their faces, especially toward the end.  Enjoy!!


We're excited to participate in this week's Saturday Pet Blogger Hop!  Thanks, as always, to the Hop hosts, Life With DogsTwo Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume.  Happy hopping, and happy weekend too!



Wednesday, March 2, 2011