Chuckanut RTE II

Today we ate at the outdoor table at Chuckanut Manor and then headed up to Bellingham. That's me under the table. Then we got in the van and drove North.

Kelia

Today I took Stephen to Kealia. It was a two hour walk, up on the bike path, back down on the sidewalk. We got to the Coral Reef Juice bar about 15 minutes too late to get a juice.

Wasn't that a party?

Yogi from SnoutBook, don’t know why, but I felt like playing “Wasn’t that a party” by the Irish Rovers. The official rendition on DogTube offended me though, too many cats.

Kapaa Shores

Today we went South towards the Waipoli resort. We passed the Kapaa Shares resort. I can't explain it but I do not feel entirely comfortable there.

A walk, met Uncle Kevin Cabreira

Today the pack took a walk along the sea shore. It was a lovely day. I mostly did WALK CLOSE. I did get RELEASED to sniff once in a while. We saw Uncle Kevin, I SAT to meet him.

Seashore North, In city, South

Hey everybody, this is Yogi. Stephen took a nap and forgot to sign out so I’m cross posting from SnoutBook. We took a walk today to help Stephen start exercising his paw. We walked along Ke Ala Hele Makalae.

If you ever plan to get in the ocean look for the yellow rescue poles. I took a selfie at one using my iBone. They are really handy, if someone gets in trouble, you dog paddle out, push the floating part to them, grab the webbing with your teeth and paddle back.

We turned South on Inia St. Whew, slow down people, can’t you read the sign?

Then we went to Scorpacciata Neapolitan Pizza Kauai to share a pie. I don’t like the insides, (gives me the Marmadukes), so Stephen eats that and I chowhound the crust. Then we walked back through town.

Walk to Verde, rest, Kapaa First Saturday

Today I took Stephen and Kathy to Verde, a trendy local Mexican farm to table theme restaurant. I had to be careful crossing the street. They know to stand still while I sit. It was Cinco de Mayo, we sat at the outside table, so no alcohol, that's OK, I'm too young to drink.

Then Stephen and I took naps and we went out again to First Kapaa night. It is very crowded. This is what it looks like from my perspective. 

Uncle Gary appears from the sea

Our neighbor “Uncle Gary” and Yogi have a unique relationship. On paper, Yogi is highly trained, numerous classes, certs, service dog ++. Uncle Gary taught him to bark for treats, (that’s actually a pretty easy trick, yup).

So we are sitting on Fuji beach at the end of the day and Uncle Gary, (80 yrs old), pops up out of the water and starts walking towards us. Wetsuit, fins, spear, stringer of fish.

I have always wondered what was going on in Yogi’s brain at that moment, but true to form, he started barking hoping for a bit of sashimi.

Taking Stephen on a Walk

Stephen had to have paw surgery and has been confined for months. He seems to be healing and he has no idea how lucky he is, when I had surgery they gave me the cone of shame to wear on my head.

Now that he can walk short distances, I am starting to take him out.

Buster, if two dogs do it

Yogi, Buster here, I think I have something going! According to Patch and edited for clarity, "The Knox County Humane Society in Galesburg has been accepting donated chairs for its dogs thanks to a "suggestion" of sorts from Buster Brown, When the dog returned to the shelter, Buster became attached to sitting in a chair at the front of the shelter.

That's when the shelter provided Buster, who has become a mascot for the facility, with his own cushy accommodations donated by a local plumbing and heating company."

So Yogi, Jagger, see if you get the word out. If you're in a situation like that there's only one thing you can do and that's walk into the human wherever you are, just walk in say "Human, You can get anything you want, with Buster's easy chair" And walk out. You know, if one dog, just one dog does it they may think he's really sick and they won't take him. And if two dogs, two dogs do it, in harmony, they may think they're both scroungy mutts and they won't take either of them. And three dogs do it, three, can you imagine, we'd have to call them three dog night.
Apologies to: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Arlo_Guthrie

Pee Mail to Jagger

Hey Jagger,

I want to tell you about my "biscuit" routine. I was catching up on howls and growls on SnoutBook and I saw an advertisement for a HUGE box of dog biscuits. They were from some warehouse store called Crateco.

For a week, every time I saw Stephen or Kathy, I would emote, dog biscuits, you are thinking dog biscuits, you can't live without dog biscuits, now, now, now. It finally worked, those two aren't deaf, just hard of hearing.

Now they have them, I have to teach them to use them. You and I both know I am going in my crate at bedtime, but why not give the hummies a thrill? So, I pretended I didn't want to go in my condo, no, anything but that.

Kathy was the first one to get the idea, now, she grabs a biscuit, I pretend I am so excited, we go outside to use the facilities. After potty, I run up the stairs and wait, when they open the door, I run to my crate, they shut the door and I get THE BISCUIT.

Now see how easy that was, I have been sleeping in my crate ever since the first night I came to my forever home, well actually, summer forever home, but now I get a biscuit too. BTW, they say those biscuits help keep the canines pearly white.

Sniffs and licks,

Yogi

Pee Mail from Jagger in Bonney Lake

Hey Yogi,

I am now in my forever home, I like Becca, I know you have met her.

I am currently in my 'I won't potty outside corral.'  It's a little scary going on grass, does it bother you? And the smells and sounds, I get so excited, I forget why I'm there.

Attached is a pic of me in a similar predicament last night over pooping....don't I look prophetic and forlorn? I learned that in Whelpingarten, humans fall for it most of time, at least that is what the other puppies told me.

In reality, I'm more tired than sad. I actually fell asleep while sitting, woke up when I fell over! Does that ever happen to you?
I'm growing fast!!! I've already grown out of the chocler necklace Becca got for me.  I think we're now (4 days later) ready for the adult neck accessory!

Hope you are having fun in Hawaii, be sure to visit when you get back to Washington.

Aarf, Jagger

I graduated from 30' lead class today

Well it took a lot of time, (330 hours), to move from 6', then 8', to 30', but Stephen and Kathy are starting to get the hang of it.

Karen, (the lady in the yellow T-shirt), is Caesar Milan trained, so she is easier to work with than a lot of human trainers. Her facility is called Bark Bark Backyard.

The goal is so that I can with them off lead, assuming there is anyplace left in the USA that allows that.

I can see TV (and there are dogs in there )

God told Stephen that he needed to get one of these new 4K TVs.

How did Stephen know it was God?

Stephen was in Costco while I waited in the truck, saw one, thought it was awesome. Just then, a gentleman stopped, in Costco, said I just bought one, really researched it and spouted specs, why you should get this one, avoid that one.

Stephen came back to the truck all excited and told me about it. 

I listened, dogs are good listeners. OK OK Stephen, but how do you know God wanted you to buy one?

Ah, good question Yogi. When, I got home, wanted to watch a movie, put it in and my TV went snap, crackle, pop, spark, spark. I let it rest and it worked again, but this close to the beach, it will go up in smoke soon.

Alllllright, maybe I will spot you that God wants you to have a 4k TV, but what does that have to do with me?

Sure enough, Stephen came home with a TV and they unpacked it. Other than playing with the wrapping material I have never understood why humans sit in front of those glass boxes, I know they make noise, but ........

I could never see the TV.  I know other puppies would watch TV, not me. It looks like abstract art in the Neo-Plasticism style.

But we got the 4K TV, Stephen put in 5 Below Zero, because, who cares, Yogi doesn’t watch TV… well I do now. There are sled dogs inside of Stephen's new TV and they run right into the edge and disappear.

Every time the dogs show up, which is often in that movie, I would jump paws up to the table holding the TV and bark at the strange dogs. They are like ghosts, have no smell, but they are definitely dogs.

Stephen felt this was not good. For a number of reasons: claw scratches on his teak table, afraid I would knock over his screen, and he felt it was bad form . . .

The movie turned out to be the most intense dog/person training session ever,  For the entire movie Stephen and Kathy used treats, just commands, even physically controlling me by my collar, what's up with that?  They took turns, not good cop bad cop exactly, but I recognized the handoff training style.

Other dogs ask me are you “trained”? 

Heck no, they still have treats left. One movie was not enough, I will let you know when I talk Stephen into sharing his bowl of popcorn.

PeeMail from Becca, I'm getting a puppy

Becca wrote Stephen, but I answered the email. She is getting a puppy, lucky stiff. I want a puppy. I have had to teach Stephen and Kathy a lot, but here is what you have to teach the human to teach the puppy. I will pretend Stephen is writing, don't tell Becca .. ....

1) Crate training is critical. The first night Yogi was in his crate, (the first night he was home with us thanks to this nice lady that drove us), he howled and screamed, ONLY wolf howl he has ever made.  Now, when he is done with us, he checks into his crate. Funniest little routine in Washington is he wants to go to bed about 10 PM, we go to bed about 11:30, I have to tell him no, you have to go potty first and that is after the movie. Can’t stress this enough, crate is #1. Your dog will come to love the crate as their space. After an intense training session, after their first time at the dog park, let the animal go to the crate to process.

2) The leash. FORGET all the nonsense. Slip knot and nose noose is the bomb. Puppy will fight it a bit at first, then “OH all right” but it makes all the difference. With the lead done correctly HEEL or WALK CLOSE, (I prefer the latter)

3) Calm, Control, Consistent master this, life will be good.

4) There are only three commands that *really* matter: LOOK, COME and STAY. The dog should always look up at your face, near or far. Dogs will happily stare at their mistress, both of you need to be comfortable with that communication. Start these commands early, keep them going. NEVER ever punish you dog, no matter what evil he/she did, if he COMEs, if you lose that, you lose one of your safety commands.

5) SIT will probably be the easiest command, it is Yogi’s strongest. Use it to your advantage. EVERY time you go through a door, dog SITs when you open the door, stays till you are through it, moves only with COME or GO*.

6) EVERYTHING to a dog is a resource, food, water, sniffing while walking. You command all the resources, you are the source of all resources, you give permission to use a resource. The easiest is food. They will learn to SIT, LOOK, and not hoover their food until you give the OK. The hardest is sniffing while walking and that brings you back to your choice of leash, nose noose keeps the head high.

7) Distance and Distraction. COME, STAY, SIT should work even if you are 50 feet away, should also work if the phone rings, trashcan goes bang etc. 

8) I use GO for the times I command the dog to go first. Example, down stairs, or into the house first. Many trainers will disagree, but I figure why own a spirited breed if you can’t send them in first. Obviously if you don’t have a COME or STAY you must not use GO.

9) Puppy classes. The primary benefits are: a few commands and some socialization, (and it's fun). The local PetSmart or whatever by Marshals is good enough for that. BEWARE of individual trainers. I could not find a Caesar Milan certified person in our area, I tried. Interesting that if you do a Google search, individual trainers come up that are not certified. But the best, by far, the must fun ever, is the Sumner Parks and Recs with Jim Grasley if he is still doing it. He has a zen that is a wonder to behold. 

Shakedown before a service dog gig

Kathy and Stephen took me out today to find a very elusive trail. Tomorrow will be my first time for a multi day service dog operation.

Poulsbo service dog

Stephen and Kathy and I went to Poulsbo just to see it. I know when I am working because of the nose noose.

Morning meeting at Lydgate Park

Today I took Stephen and Kathy for a Seven AM meeting at Lydgate park. The weather was great and there were two different terriers there for me to smile at while they barked at me. How something that weighs 8 pounds soaking wet thinks it is dangerous is beyond me.

Running with the pack, er uh Trike

Today, Stephen and Kathy got their two person trike out and we went for a run on the bike path. I like the pace of the bike and the chance to see and smell the ocean. I did get a bit winded though so when we got home, I rested for a bit.

Later, we went up to a scenic overlook to enjoy a coconut. Kathy drinks the milk with a straw and I eat the coconut, (shell and all if I can get away with it).

Finally, we went on a structured walk at Kelia and posed by the sign dedicated to Andy Irons.

PeeMail from Heriots

Ok. So I know I'm a puppy. But I wasn't born yesterday. There is something strange about this white dog.