Opal!
pitbulls
Dog!
For some reason, after a year of being left alone while we are at work and school, Opal has resorted to naughty behavior. The latest: Going to the pantry and tearing apart three individual packages of dried seaweed!
Opal the Dog Wonder
She makes everything better.
Opal of my Eye
Lessons from my dog:
Find a quiet, sunny place to sit and just enjoy!
Jump and run even if you’re so sore afterward that you can hardly walk.
Eat with gusto and no regrets.
Forgive quickly and stay faithful.
Always go for walks and smell flowers along the way.
Naps = good; stress = what’s stress?
Tamed
A month ago, they were fighting so much we had to muzzle them when they were in the same room.
What changed?
A slow transition to unmuzzled company.
Daily exercise.
Firm but loving handling: sitting before going out a door, sitting before feeding, etc.
Immediately redirecting any aggressive behavior.
Lots of positive reinforcement of good behavior.
Dogs are a lot like humans!
Flavor of the Month
“My kids are around pit bulls every day. In the ’70s they blamed Dobermans, in the ’80s they blamed German Shepherds, in the ’90s they blamed the Rottweiler. Now they blame the Pit Bull.”
―
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Rescue
My daughter and I went to the animal shelter today to inquire about volunteer opportunities. The minimum age is 16, so Ava will have to wait another year…but she fell in love in the meantime. The dog’s name is Maya.
While we were there, a young lady was returning a dog she adopted a few days ago. The dog was too “feisty” and energetic. It’s too bad she was not willing to put in the time and energy necessary to train the dog.
Our Opal was a bit hyper when we first got her. We had to get a crate for her when we realized that she has separation anxiety. She nearly clawed her way through a wall to find us our first time we went out to dinner and left her home. She still prefers to be in her crate when we’re away.
Love means giving your time and attention.
Fortune
When I interact with my dog, I am always 100% present.
(While typing, I accidentally typed “god” instead of “dog.” Is that a mistake, or kismet?)
For Opal
I love our dog. But she’s an anxious case…she can’t relax:
So I’m baking her favorite peanut butter cookies – the ones with all natural ingredients, like molasses and crunchy peanut butter.
But shhhhh! It’s a secret.
