Sock or teddy bear?

Ruby loves socks.  She doesn't eat them.  She doesn't chew them into little shreds (anymore).  She just loves to have socks near her when she lounges or sleeps.

When we first got Ruby, one of the requirements of our adoption agreement with the shelter was that since she was under 1 year old, we had to take her for basic obedience classes.  Mind you, this was before I myself became a certified instructor, so we diligently took her to puppy class.  

One of the lessons we learned was the importance of helping your dog be successful.  If your dog chews your favorite shoes, it’s because you left them within reach and the dog assumed since it was on the floor it was fair game.  So, help the dog succeed and keep your shoes in the closet out of reach. Give them appropriate chew toys instead and praise them whenever they are playing with the chew toy instead of the shoes.  Problem solved – unless you’re Ruby.

In our bedroom, we had a small open laundry basket in the corner.  Once she was housebroken and allowed access to the entire house, Ruby would regularly rummage through the basket and find a suitable sock to play with for the day.  At first she chewed the ends, or the toes, or the heels…  

Whenever we would catch her in the act, we’d remove the sock and give her an appropriate chew toy (at that time it was a Kong...but she soon learned to tear those up so now it’s a tennis ball).  Thinking back to our lesson, I promptly purchased a clothes hamper with a cover to prevent Ruby from getting into the basket and helping herself to forbidden chew toys.  

Now, my husband comments constantly that one of the reasons he loves the dog so much is that she’s not the brightest but she’s the happiest dog he’s ever known.  Ignorance is bliss perhaps?  Well, I love to take every opportunity I can to prove to him that she is indeed a clever dog.

Ruby is a medium-sized dog, weighing around 50 pounds.  We thought the tall hamper would surely thwart her sock fetish.  However, the hamper I chose has a swinging lid that can either be lifted up, or pushed down to put the clothes in.  Apparently, if the clothes are close enough to the top, Ruby has figured out how to shove her head in and find her prize.  When we’re home, she doesn’t get the opportunity to chew socks anymore since her tell-tale prance through the house once she has found her sock is a dead giveaway that she’s up to something.  

What we are consistently entertained by though is how her fetish has evolved.  As I mentioned, she no longer chews socks to shreds.  Instead, if we have left her alone while we’re out to dinner or shopping, we will often come home to find her curled up comfortably in her chair, with one of our socks tucked snugly next to her like a teddy bear.  I could easily prevent this by simply making sure the bedroom door is closed before we leave.  But how can I deny her a teddy bear to nap with?  Since she would rip to shreds an actual stuffed animal of any kind, her only toys are tennis balls and bones – not very snuggly.  She makes us smile every day, and since she doesn’t destroy the socks, I figure there’s no harm in letting her snuggle up with something cozy that has our scents on it once in a while.

On that note, if your dog does have a problem with chewing your clothes, your shoes, or anything else in the house he shouldn’t be chewing, you should definitely take steps to direct the chewing to more appropriate things.

Help your dog succeed by puppy-proofing the house, much as you would baby-proof a house.  Get down on the floor and crawl around at the dog’s level.  Look for wires, shoes, remote controls, anything that would be within chewing reach, and move or block them from access.  An ounce of prevention here can actually save your dog’s life, and save you a lot of frustration and money in replacing chewed items.  

Dogs, especially puppies, love to chew.  It’s a natural behavior and if properly directed, will not be an issue.  If you catch your dog chewing, for example, the leg of your expensive dining room table, tell him “no” and immediately provide a suitable chew toy and praise for chewing the right thing.  To discourage chewing for items that you can’t put out of the dog’s reach, there are many products available that can be applied to furniture, such as Grannick’s Bitter Apple.  Most dogs will be put off by the bitter taste and will look for something else to chew on.  This again is where you help them succeed – give them a Kong, or Nylabone to chew and praise them for chewing the right thing. 

Now if you’ll excuse me, I think Ruby just pranced through the house – was that my blue sock?!

Opt to Adopt

“It is a sad fact that five to seven million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 50 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats are needlessly euthanized for one reason: They have no one to adopt them”. ~ASPCA 2009 Annual Report

I thank my lucky stars every day that we found the sweetest, goofiest, most wonderful dog at our local shelter. (Check out the link above to the Humane Society for Greater Nashua where we found our girl).

Ruby won us over with one look – her smiling face and goofy expression was all it took.  

Ruby at 6 months the day we brought her home.

Those toys lasted less than a week - she only gets Nylabones and tennis balls these days.

 She was friendly, excited, adorable – and she knew she was going home with us that day.  She was 6 months old on that very day, and she will be 4 years old this December.   

I think she's comfy here... she has a thing for shoes and socks.  She doesn't chew them (anymore), she just likes to sleep near them.

She has brought such joy to us, I can’t imagine our lives without her.  Our vet guesses she’s a hound mix – part Beagle, possibly some Rhodesian Ridgeback (though without the ridge) and a little Lab thrown in somewhere.  To us, she is 50 pounds of pure love and we couldn’t be happier.

Christmas 2007 - she wouldn't hold still long enough to get the hat strapped on.  This picture captured her goofiness and we used it as our Christmas card that year.  I keep one at my desk at work - makes me smile every time I see it.

Christmas 2009 - Couldn't get a good shot in focus (time for a new camera). I'll try again this year...

If you are in search of a dog or puppy to share your life with, please consider making adoption your first option.  With millions of dogs in shelters all over the country, I guarantee there is one out there for you.  Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with seeking out a specific breed and finding a responsible, knowledgeable breeder to match you with the dog of your dreams.  But if you don’t mind that your dog is actually not a direct descendant of the Queen’s Corgis – why not find a shelter dog that fits your lifestyle?  There are even breed-specific rescues if you have your heart set on a purebred. Whatever your decision, do your homework and find out about the breed.  Think about your current lifestyle and find a dog who will fit right in.  I promise you won't regret it!

Navigating Halloween with your dog.

It's that time of the year again.  Are you scared by creepy costumes?  Enticed by all those treats?
Think about how your dog feels.  Crazy sights and sounds.  So many interesting smells with all those kids stopping by the house.
Help your dog to make it safely through this season by doing the following:

*  If your dog is normally shy around strangers - don't put him in an uncomfortable situation when answering the door for those costumed trick-or-treaters.  Instead, find a comfortable place in your home - perhaps your bedroom or a family room away from the front door.  Close your dog in the room with his favorite chew toy and cozy bed or crate and he won't have to face all that mayhem every time the doorbell rings.  Along the same lines, if your dog is famous for bolting out the front door the minute it opens, don't risk the dog escaping.  Keep the dog in a safe room or gate off access to the front door so you can safely open the door.

*  If you don't know it yet - chocolate can be a killer for dogs.  Really any of the candy, and even the wrappers, can be dangerous if consumed.  At the least, a few pieces of candy may cause digestive upset and the unpleasantness that this implies.  At the most, chocolate in large quantities can become toxic to your dog and a rush trip to the vet will be in order.  Additionally, those candy wrappers that the kids accidentally drop under the table still have a wonderfully tasty smell on them to the dog.  Consuming the foil or plastic wrappers can wreak havoc on a dog's intestines if it gets twisted up inside.  This can cause trouble days or weeks later and could require surgery to remedy the situation.

*  If you have a well socialized dog that you'd like to bring trick-or-treating with you and the kids, remember that even the most well-adapted dog can be startled and confused by flashy decorations and costumed kids - even the neighbors that they've known for years.  Be cautious about allowing kids to approach your dog and help them to understand how to do so correctly.  Let your dog approach on its own terms and instruct the child to reach out to the dog's chest, not the top of its head, to give it a gentle pat.  (I'll go into more detail on kids and dogs in a future post).

*  Finally, if you've always dreamed of dressing your dachshund as an actual hot dog, think again.  Believe it or not, dogs do not naturally require clothing, and some may be extremely uncomfortable and vulnerable wearing it.  Dogs rely so much on body language to communicate their moods to people as well as to other animals - you could miss the raised hackles and tense muscles warning you the dog is afraid and may be ready to bite. If you want to make your pet appear a little more festive, try a bandanna and themed collar and leash.  They'll look great and still be comfortable and safe.


For more Halloween tips, watch this clip with Victoria Stilwell.


Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!