tie a yellow ribbon

A few months after Sam came to live with us, a pilot off-leash dog park program started in our town.  We took Sam to the park for exercise and socialization.  He was still technically a puppy, about 10 months old.  The first time we went, he and I both were cornered by a large, poorly controlled German Shepherd.  The German Shepherd was beautiful but it's owners were drunk and thought this was funny.  Since that time, Sam is very cautious around big dogs when we are visiting a dog park.  Also, he really hates it when he is on his leash and an unleashed dog approaches him.


Recently, I heard about The Yellow Dog Project and I've been helping to spread the news about them when I can.  TYDP is trying to get the message out about anxious dogs, dogs who are in training, possibly recovering from an illness or surgery and who may need a little space while they are out in public.  To help others recognize one of these dogs, TYPD is encouraging folks to tie a yellow ribbon or piece of fabric/wool to a dog's leash to indicate that they may need a bit of space.  I think it's a terrific idea.  I get tired of having to put myself between Sam and a dog owner who is letting their pup run around, unleashed, in a public space.  I get all kinds of dirty looks if Sam snarls at their dog (he's fine if they keep their distance from him) when really, they should have control of their animal if they aren't in the off-leash area.  Sam requires slow introductions, on neutral territory, and he's fine.

I love simple solutions to problems.  Hopefully it'll catch on and will encourage folks to respect a nervous dog's personal space.  As Sam's guardian, it's my responsibility to keep him safe and that means limiting the changes of him getting into a tussle with another puppy.  If you have a nervous dog, or know someone who does, feel free to share this link and infographic with them. 

doggy day trip

doggy day trip
Originally uploaded by Julep67

Today we had a great day.

For a whole bunch of reasons, both Mark and I booked off today and in amongst looking after the stuff we needed to look after, we took a road trip to Trenton. Gracie had never been to the Quinte West Dog Park and Sam had a blast when we took him so we thought we'd go again.

It was awesome (although the wind was pretty cold). They had a great time, running around, meeting some new dog buddies and hanging out in the van. They are good road trip dogs. We even took the Glenora Ferry to Adolphustown (and were at the front of the ferry) and they were really good. It's a much smaller ferry than the Wolfe Islander so they could see the water and didn't freak.

Good doggies huh? Of course now, all four of us are tired. Too much fun and fresh air I guess. It was a great way to end the weekend.

don't make me tap the sign

don't make me tap the sign
Originally uploaded by Julep67

As you all know (if you're regular readers), we love the off-leash dog parks here in Kingston. Actually, we love one particular park which is very close to our house. The property it is on is being redeveloped and we're not sure how big the dog park will be.

The dog parks in Kingston were part of a pilot project so last fall, the city asked for feedback from folks who use the parks. I participated in the survey and last night was invited to a focus group meeting later this month. I'm really happy to have been asked because, having two dogs, we've got a lot to say about the parks and have a vested interest in keeping them.

My hope is that the city will allocate more resource toward them and they will become like the park in Trenton. We took Sam there last summer and it was awesome. The Quinte West park was divided into two areas so that smaller dogs could have a safe area to play in without the big dogs. Sam loves dogs his size and smaller but the really big dogs seem to intimidate him.

Since the weather turned really cold, we've not been going to the dog park but (despite the minus 20 something windchill this morning) I can feel that spring is just around the corner and I've been thinking a lot about road trips and dog parks. It'll be a little different this year with Gracie. Sam is the king of the road. He loves to go in the van because he knows that the van = something really fun. Gracie is still pretty nervous in the van. Even when we're going to the park, she shakes like a leaf and I have to cuddle her in my arms the whole way.

I'm confident though that by the time the beginning of April rolls around, she'll be fine. Gracie is probably one of the smartest dogs I've ever met. She understands most commands on the first try, Sammy definitely takes longer than that... although, there is a possibility that Sam understands and ignores it to see if he can avoid doing it. Gracie is a high energy dog but we've learned that with time and patience, she is capable of doing amazing things.

cart in the rain

cart in the rain
Originally uploaded by Julep67

The upside of having a really rainy summer is that everything is lovely and lush and green in our town.

The downside is that it seems to rain when we're home and it's clear when we're working. This means that our lawn goes uncut and the weeds are literally (I'm so not joking) taking over the lawn. Mostly they have taken over the front (flowerless) flower bed and have filled that tiny crack which exists between the house and the driveway. It's quite white trash looking actually. It sort of gives our house the illusion of being run down (it's not) and I'm sure detracts any ne'er do wells from breaking in and stealing our stuff (tv).

Last night, as soon as we got home, the heavens opened up and it poured like nobody's business. This sort of washed out our plans to go back to the dog park. Fortunately, about 45 minutes before the park closed (yeah, it closes at 6 pm - handy huh?) the rain stopped and we practically ran to the park. It was awesome. The ball diamonds were flooded so the muddy water squished up through the gravel when you stepped on it. Giant puddles were everywhere. Sam loved it. Water, mud, a giant hole in the ground, puddles. Doggie heaven!

Mark and I tossed a Frisbee back and forth in an effort to engage Sam in some sort of game. He's a funny dude, if you throw a ball, he'll chase it and find it and grab it with his mouth. Once he has the ball, one of two things will happen: 1. He’ll drop it back where it landed and run back to you or 2. He'll sit down and play with the ball. In either case, returning the ball to us is not yet in his bag of tricks.

A very cool dog, Cooper, arrived at the park at the same time we did. Cooper's owner threw a ball and Cooper would fetch it. Sam started running back and forth with Cooper but wouldn't try to get the ball (which was probably good). It's just so strange, he loves running around but we can't get him to fetch.

No matter what though, he loves the park. It's good for him to get out there and run around and it's good for us too. Inevitably we end running around with him so it’s like family fun cardio time. The rain has now finally stopped here. Hopefully this means we’ll be able to go to the park tonight and not have to deal with lotsa mud!