Coco has a great month!

I bought Coco that pirate outfit because her daycare was having a contest for cutest dog. And WHO WON? COCO WON! I was a proud mom and even happier that other people see inside Coco at what an amazing dog she is. Here's yet another picture of the Halloween queen.


We started an obedience program at Coco's daycare. It's half way between totally super nice dog training and mean dog training. The premise is that when your dog is naughty, you growl at them so they look at you and you can tell them to sit or whatever. You do practice with a martingale and giving some checks. This is a little uncomfortable, but really, the growling works best. The training includes alot of praise, and when I work with her at home, I use treats. It's amazing, but it's working. I can walk Coco on her leash outside now with out loosing my arms out of their sockets. I ask her to sit whenever she wants to go out side or come inside. And it makes her more calm before the walk so she's not all wound up. The daycare trains her in the same way while she is there for the day. So, the training and the exposure to other dogs is having a big effect. Coco is learning to play with the other dogs as she is learning to stop guarding me and other humans from dogs. Friday I picked her up from daycare and took her home. And for the first time, (Miguel has seen this a few times) she did what other Frenchie parents call, "zoomies" around the house. She ran around so fast, her little legs were blurs, she was totally psyched. At class on Saturday, the instructor announced that Coco used to sit in the corner and growl at the other dogs, but that on Friday, she played with every dog at the daycare. Coco was so excited from playing with all her friends that when I got her home, she had to let it all out. It's amazing! Two years later, and we're still seeing progress from Ms. Coco!

Another adorable moment was at class on Saturday. We were practicing recall. So they put Coco on a 25 foot lead and put her in the circle with all the dogs around her. And she ran around the circle, excited, till she came running back over to me, panting and delighted. Then they gave her a treat and I had to call Coco to save her from the stranger who was luring her away. That didn't work, soooo well, but once she finished her treat she came back. :)

Obviously we have a long way to go. Every once in a while she does still lunge at other dogs when I'm around, and we haven't cured her from getting nervous around babies and toddlers, but daycare and obediance class are steps to a happy and relaxed Coco!

Shiver me timbers!

Happy Halloween!

Hi all,

Mom's busy napping and I finally sneaked onto the computer. So much has happened in the past two months that I thought I would let you know what I've been through. I'm exhausted!

Every Thursday, I jump into the back of mom's car onto my special blanket and we head off to Ruff house. I am learning how to meet other dogs, although I still think that I am the most important member of the pack! My human friends at rough house say that I'm a character, and my dog friends like to wrestle with me. Some Saturdays I go for rides with mom while dad stays at home and shows our house. I'm not sure what that means, but if someone likes our house, we'll move to a new house with a yard, I can't wait to roll around without my leash and pile all my nylabones and tennis balls everywhere!

A few weeks ago, mom and dad started getting super busy and packed up their suitcase. I watched the whole thing, and they didn't even offer to ask what I wanted in the suitcase! Mom had bought me a new double action nylabone, and I really wanted to make sure I didn't forget it at home. Turns out, they went on vacation without me! I hung out at the house and entertained my human friend Heather from Dogs at Play and waited for them to come back. When they came back, they gave me a big hug and explained they were married, but that we would all take a trip together. We packed up the car and my special blanket and headed up to Kennebunkport, Maine. We spent the night in a little room that opened up to the harbor. I really got mad when those ducks and seagulls came too close to our patio! Who did they think they are, anyways? I made sure to keep an eye on them while mom and dad relaxed.

Last weekend, mom took me to barktoberfest and I made a new friend, Tommy the Boston Terrier. He sure was bossy, but eventually we decided to guard our humans together. I got a cool red bandana and saw lots of dogs. I got really upset that not everyone was paying attention to me, but mom kept petting me and telling me to relax. Barktoberfest was the first time I was around so many dogs all at once! Everyone was barking and the humans were all talking and laughing. I was happy to get home to my new bed and take a snooze.

Speaking of taking a snooze, all this typing has me worn out. Smell you next time!

COCO

Greatest. Picture. Ever.

Coco, how cute are you?!?

Oh, that's right. :)
(p.s. the author did not bribe the dog in any way in the taking of this picture)

Doggie Daycare

Coco's been a tough nut to crack. When we first got her, we didn't know the extent of what had happened to her before she wound up in rescue. Her dog aggression seemed impossible to deal with, and as this blog tells, we visited trainers and dog classes, tried tricks and treats and puzzles and games, and simply felt we would never get through to her issues. I think we figured out finally it was simply fear and not aggression, and after talking to some friends who are in the veterinary field, we decided to try doggie daycare.

You know, the sink or swim method.

Well, she swam! We took Coco to a local doggie day care, The Ruff House. It is a really great place, run by super nice people. On our first visit, I met the owner and explained Coco's history, what we'd tried, what my fears were. There are three huge pens and a large back door area. In the main pen is a pack of dogs, a middle pen held two or three, and the other pen had one naughty dog. The owner just took Coco's leash, let her into the middle pen, and growled at her a few times and that was it. In a few hours when I went to pick up Coco, she was in the large pen with the pack! She litterally ran up to meet me, like an episode of the "dog whisperer". There was my little Coco, perfectly fine, her eye completely white, and happy as a clam. I've taken her three times since that first meeting. Each time she is a little scared when we get there, but her eye never goes red, she never sheds or frenchie yowels, and she's made...

friends

honest to god, here is a picture of her hanging out with three dogs. She's the one on the bottom. And the best news is that she is better behaved. We went to the vet on Monday, and it was a different dog. Ususally she has the red eye and there's fur everywhere. She did cry and carry on a little, but she stayed next to me and yoweled but I kept a tight leash and eventually she just gave up and dealt with it. After daycare, she curls up with us on the couch, or relaxes in her bed, happy and tuckered. We are now on a real hunt to find a second Frenchie so that she can have a friend. All this time, I think she's been lonely!

Oh happy days. :)

Coco Turned Six!

Happy birthday miss Coco! Coco turned six last week and we had a small celebration with a party dress and some birthday treats.



In other Coco news, she's learned how to play fetch more efficiently then when I tried to teach her. Now she'll play fetch if you have two tennis balls, she'll drop the one she has for the one you have, which is close enough. I used to have to give her treats to do that! She learned how from her dog sitter, Bruce.

Coco has been sleepy (like the rest of us!) from all that rain. Right now she's passed out on her side by the computer. Ah Coco, that is the life.

I'm going to try and find her another couch bed, tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Away and Back Again

Miguel and I went to Utah for a few days and had to leave Coco guarding the castle! Here is what our living room looked like after her celebration when we got home.


Didn't we say no parties??

The dog-sitters we hired were great. They came in three times a day to walk and visit with Coco and left us little notes. The first note was very basic, i.e. walked, fed, good girl. By the end of the time we were gone, the notes were very involved because the sitter fell in love with Coco! Not that I'm surprised, because we love her, but it was pretty cute. "saw and charged some birds, I went running behind her, what a fun walk!" "brought her a peanut butter frosty paw" "walked her for 20 minutes, she had a ball!"

I love how you can have pet sitters. When I was a kid, you had to board your dog or pawn them off on a family member. I feel better with her at home, and she feels better alone away from other dogs. We liked this dog sitter, too, so now she'll have a friend watch her when we are away getting married. I wish we could take her with us! I can't tell you the number of requests I've had to have her as the ring bearer...

Hedge Hog III, RIP

I was shopping at my favorite grocery store (Donnelans, love it!) and what did I spy with my little eye? A stuffed hedge hog! This was the store where I bought Coco's 1st hedgie (not counting the one in her foster home). Coco prized her stuffed hedgie for over a year, when suddenly one day she destroyed it. There should be a post on that in here somewhere. We ordered her two more from an internet website, thinking she would cherish them as she had hedgie number 1, but to no avail, they were quickly destroyed.

Hedgie number III was purchased, given to the queen, and was instantly loved. She groomed him, fell asleep with him in her mouth, and generally carried him everywhere. We would hear muffled barks from the living room and smile knowing she had her friend back. Till last night when the friendship abruptly ended.

Hedgie III, you lasted one week, and you had a good run. Rest in pieces little buddy!

Coco, how I miss thee!

I haven't updated this blog in months because we've all been so busy! Miguel and I are planning for our wedding and selling our condo. Coco's been doing super good. Because we are selling the house, she has to go over my dad's and hang out with my previous dog (I've been replaced for my dad) Noelle when there is a showing. Noelle is Coco's second dog friend, a term I use loosely, and she loves going over to Papou's house to chew up all of Noelle's toys. We're also getting a handle on what sets Coco off... big surprise, it's us. We had an epic journey to the vets office that I shalt not speak of here. When I passed Coco's leash to the vet and they went out back, I didn't hear a peep. Apparently the rowdy rover dog trainer I took Coco to was right, she IS guarding us. Lately, she's taken to barking at the door and coming over to where we are and she sits at our feet and stares at the door. Silly Coco. No one has come through that door yet without her permission. ;)

I've come to a sort of conclusion about dog training. After all this time watching the dog whisperer, I've decided that we have the wrong idea about dogs as pets. Yes, they want to be in a stable pack and shouldn't get affection and all that. But, we have dogs because we WANT to interact with them in an affectionate manner, or else we'd all have gold fish (not that I knock fancy gold fish, they're beautiful), a pet you can only look at. Okay, so maybe if you had a border collie or a Saint Bernard, it's different, they need to work. But Frenchies were bred to be companions and to want my attention, it's in her friggin' genes. If my dog is spoiled, she's spoiled, and that's that. More tennis balls for my beautiful bulldog!

Right now I am in San Francisco on a work trip, and I miss Miguel and Coco so much! Here is a picture of my little family. I can't wait to see them again. I bought Coco a biscuit that looks like an Alcatraz prisoner and some tennis balls. It was so sad when I left because she tried to chase me out the door. Being in California without Miguel isn't much fun, either. The last time we were here we tore up LA for a few days. Good times!

Coco Throne

Coco says, "You peasants will never know the glory of my throne and fuzzy pungent blanket. I pity you."

All hail the queen!

Coco Model

Coco says, "I love Ogdog Training! They are the best and they gave me this awesome shirt!"
Thank you to Ogdog Training for Coco's new shirt. Ogdog has helped us so much with training and rehabilitating Coco. Please visit their site!

Safety First

Normally I wait a week or more between posts, but things have been a little busier than normal lately and I wanted to log this one for the records.

Coco took another trip to Brookline to visit with her dog friend Tui, this afternoon. When we came through the door, the dogs met face to face with no growling or charging. All this works of course because Tui realizes that Coco needs to be in charge; after a walk Coco systematically tried out all of Tui's toys before settling down to follow me around my friends' home. Tui curled up on the couch and took a nap. Coco got lots of praise and plenty of table scraps from lunch. She and I both had a great day!

On the way home, we acquired a seatbelt for Coco. Yes yes, it's been a year and we've let Coco roam the car! I have never used a seatbelt on a dog, as I was afraid 1) it would be too complicated and 2) they would get twisted up and hurt them. I don't know the brand of the seatbelt, but it worked GREAT. Normally, Coco wanders the car and paws at me to pet her. She seems to be thinking, "hey, I'm sitting right here, what gives with the no petting?" So, I end up driving with one hand on the wheel and one hand on her back.

Here's a picture of Coco looking none-too-pleased with her new car manners. It's okay, Coco, we all have to wear seat belts!

In other news, due to Coco's flying colors in pet manners, we have applied for a younger brother for Coco! I will keep you all posted on our progress!

The hedge hog is dead. Long live the hedge hog!

So for those of you who follow this blog religiously, which might be 2 people, you would know of Coco's love affair with her hedgehog.

Alas, all things must come to an end.

It's been very cold out, so we haven't been able to walk Coco as much as we like to. On some days, she gets a little bored, and hedgie finally made it to her hit list. She gnawed a hole in him! I almost cried when I had to throw the stuffie away, it was like her baby toy to us, something that she treasured above all other things.

Luckily, we have the internet and we found a website that has a whole hedgehog section!

Here is a video of Coco being presented with not one, but two hedgehogs. We didn't know which size she would prefer. The larger one was gutted within a few hours. The smaller one is resting by her nose as we speak. We have a new winner.

Stay warm!

Dog toy review 2009

I'd like to review two dog toys/companies today. Kong Squeakers and Fat Cat, Inc. stuffed kitties.

First off, let me say a few words about Coco and tennis balls. We first noticed her penchant for them in the old apartment building when we walked her past a tennis court and she pitched a fit. Unknowingly, I went to the store and bought Kong Squeakers tennis ballls. They come in two sizes, and make me feel better that she isn't ingesting whatever they put on regular tennis balls. Being slightly specialty dog products, I couldn't find them every where. So, when we would loose one, I would replace them with whatever other dog tennis ball I could find. WELL BAD IDEA. Coco cherishes some toys, and all otheres she destorys. And it's the same with tennis balls. She litterally chews at them till the cloth comes up, then she swallows bits of cloth, then she goes at the rubber rips off pieces and chews it like gum. I got her a ball from petco the other day, and within a few days it was ripped in half. Ahem. So, back to the Kong company. I love their signiture product, and I love their tennis balls and tennis ball covered shapes. Here is Coco with her latest favorite toy, the doggie doughnut. We have one Kong squeakers tennis ball left, and my local dog store hasn't carried them in months! It's half way shaved, but Coco still loves it. In fact, she buried it in a secret hiding place in the closet so we hadn't seen it for weeks. Come to think of it, I think she's hid it again.

Fat Cat, inc. toys are amazing. Originally, I stayed away from them because their bright colors aren't really my style. One weekend, I had gone through three stuffies trying to find a new one for Coco, when at CVS I made an impulse buy. And as usual, the 5 dollar toy wins the day. I couldn't have been more surprised. Not only did Coco not destroy it, she loves her "kitty" and sleeps with one of two that she now owns. In fact, like hedge hog, she knows the word "kitty" if one is close buy enough. The stuffies are durable and a little crinkley, so they keep her attention and can sustain enough damage. All in all, I am very pleased, and will buy more of their products.