Dogs
by Carrie Boyko, CEB
Thank you all for your patience while I have been away from my duties here. With a son getting married and the Barkworld Expo trip immediately following, I've been incredibly pressed for time. Now that I'm home, I'm about to give up my daughter to the road. She's been doing a bit of her own bonding this week with her pups, and that's what inspired this post:
While watching Tanner today I realized that he definitely has his own Bucket List. His girl had just returned from a hike with him. When she walked away from our property to visit with a friend, she left him behind, sitting at the corner of our lot with an incredibly imploring look. You would have thought his BFF just left him for good.
I offered him a few of his favorite forms of affection and he responded happily, but with one eye steadily watching his girl drift out of sight. He began to crane his neck in hopes of catching a glimpse of her. Oh my. In just a few days she'll be leaving us for a long trip. Tanner will need a good bit of distraction to get past that. I'm thinking more walks, more dog park outings and more social engagement with other dogs and people. I've definitely got my work cut out for me, but all of this time spent with him will be bonding time. I need to savor it.
We started last night, before she even left. We took an outing to Grandma's house to visit her and Jacque, this time without Oliver along. Tanner perked up and immediately found joy in the new toys, new smells and new fun at Grandma's house. It was such fun to watch the difference in how he plays when he doesn't have his sidekick, Oliver, that I had a flashback of his puppy days.
Before Oliver joined our family, Tanner had been the focus of my training attention. Xena was already a 10 year old with good manners to spare. Now it was time to help Tanner absorb her behavioral experience. With 2 rescues doing well, our next one, Oliver, arrived when Tanner was about 18 months old. Thankfully, he was doing quite well, having completed his CGC training classes and begun agility. Although I was able to take on Oliver without shorting Tanner's training time, I never really realized until today that I may have shorted him in the bonding time that every kid needs with mom before another kid comes along. I believe this same strategy should apply to our dogs if we want them to fully bond to us.
Today I've vowed to assure Tanner does not ever feel he was shorted. I have been blessed with such wonderful rescues in recent years. I need to make sure they know how special they are to me. I'll just bet that feeling, the ultimate bonding between a dog and his or her owner, is the epitome of their Bucket List.
What do you think? What would your dog's number one item be on his bucket list if he could put it into words? I would love to hear your thoughts. Can you give me more ideas for my special time with each dog? Let 'em rip; the comment link is open:
Join us each week for the Weekly Wag bonding series, held during the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. The hop is hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume. You are welcome to link up here, or check any of their sites for their rules of participation. Happy hopping!
- Bonding With A New Dog: You & Fido
by Carrie Boyko, CEB Jacque's Typical Inquisitive LookYou may have noted that our family has taken on a new member. While my mom recovers from an injury, Jacque has moved in here, acclimating well. He walks with us, plays with Tanner and Oliver,...
- What's Your Dog's Favorite Rub?
by Carrie Boyko, CEB © AllThingsDogBlog.com Ear Massage, AhhhhEvery dog has one. Maybe it's that special spot right behind his ears, or possibly the belly rub is her ultimate joy. What about that spot that makes 1 foot do a kickety-kick? Some dogs...
- All Things Dog Blog Goes To Global
by Carrie Boyko, CEB © AllThingsDogBlog.com Ready for a Fetch Game, Tanner? As I write this, I'm preparing to head out for Global Pet Expo, the largest pet product expo in the country. It's an exciting time for pet product makers with new product...
- Dog Behavior: Perception And Protectiveness
by Carrie Boyko, CEB © AllThingsDogBlog.com Tanner Socializes at the Dog Park Think your dog is too much of a sweat heart to protect you in a pinch? I used to also, but think again. Fido lives with you, is fed by you in your home, and knows your property....
- Dog Owners And The Behavior Equation
by Carrie Boyko, CEB (c) AllThingsDogBlog.com Keeping Tabs on Mom--Teamwork I'm diving in here today. Please don't drown me before I resurface. I'm a dog owner too, and I speak for myself just as I refer to all dog owners. Our behavior affects...
Dogs
Weekly Wag: Fulfilling Your Dog's Bucket List
by Carrie Boyko, CEB
 |
| © AllThingsDogBlog.com Tanner Thrives on Outdoor Activities |
Thank you all for your patience while I have been away from my duties here. With a son getting married and the Barkworld Expo trip immediately following, I've been incredibly pressed for time. Now that I'm home, I'm about to give up my daughter to the road. She's been doing a bit of her own bonding this week with her pups, and that's what inspired this post:
While watching Tanner today I realized that he definitely has his own Bucket List. His girl had just returned from a hike with him. When she walked away from our property to visit with a friend, she left him behind, sitting at the corner of our lot with an incredibly imploring look. You would have thought his BFF just left him for good.
I offered him a few of his favorite forms of affection and he responded happily, but with one eye steadily watching his girl drift out of sight. He began to crane his neck in hopes of catching a glimpse of her. Oh my. In just a few days she'll be leaving us for a long trip. Tanner will need a good bit of distraction to get past that. I'm thinking more walks, more dog park outings and more social engagement with other dogs and people. I've definitely got my work cut out for me, but all of this time spent with him will be bonding time. I need to savor it.
We started last night, before she even left. We took an outing to Grandma's house to visit her and Jacque, this time without Oliver along. Tanner perked up and immediately found joy in the new toys, new smells and new fun at Grandma's house. It was such fun to watch the difference in how he plays when he doesn't have his sidekick, Oliver, that I had a flashback of his puppy days.
Before Oliver joined our family, Tanner had been the focus of my training attention. Xena was already a 10 year old with good manners to spare. Now it was time to help Tanner absorb her behavioral experience. With 2 rescues doing well, our next one, Oliver, arrived when Tanner was about 18 months old. Thankfully, he was doing quite well, having completed his CGC training classes and begun agility. Although I was able to take on Oliver without shorting Tanner's training time, I never really realized until today that I may have shorted him in the bonding time that every kid needs with mom before another kid comes along. I believe this same strategy should apply to our dogs if we want them to fully bond to us.
Today I've vowed to assure Tanner does not ever feel he was shorted. I have been blessed with such wonderful rescues in recent years. I need to make sure they know how special they are to me. I'll just bet that feeling, the ultimate bonding between a dog and his or her owner, is the epitome of their Bucket List.
What do you think? What would your dog's number one item be on his bucket list if he could put it into words? I would love to hear your thoughts. Can you give me more ideas for my special time with each dog? Let 'em rip; the comment link is open:
- Bonding With A New Dog: You & Fido
by Carrie Boyko, CEB Jacque's Typical Inquisitive LookYou may have noted that our family has taken on a new member. While my mom recovers from an injury, Jacque has moved in here, acclimating well. He walks with us, plays with Tanner and Oliver,...
- What's Your Dog's Favorite Rub?
by Carrie Boyko, CEB © AllThingsDogBlog.com Ear Massage, AhhhhEvery dog has one. Maybe it's that special spot right behind his ears, or possibly the belly rub is her ultimate joy. What about that spot that makes 1 foot do a kickety-kick? Some dogs...
- All Things Dog Blog Goes To Global
by Carrie Boyko, CEB © AllThingsDogBlog.com Ready for a Fetch Game, Tanner? As I write this, I'm preparing to head out for Global Pet Expo, the largest pet product expo in the country. It's an exciting time for pet product makers with new product...
- Dog Behavior: Perception And Protectiveness
by Carrie Boyko, CEB © AllThingsDogBlog.com Tanner Socializes at the Dog Park Think your dog is too much of a sweat heart to protect you in a pinch? I used to also, but think again. Fido lives with you, is fed by you in your home, and knows your property....
- Dog Owners And The Behavior Equation
by Carrie Boyko, CEB (c) AllThingsDogBlog.com Keeping Tabs on Mom--Teamwork I'm diving in here today. Please don't drown me before I resurface. I'm a dog owner too, and I speak for myself just as I refer to all dog owners. Our behavior affects...