Makes mouths happy ...

Chester and Sadie share a Twizzler ...

Progressing!

I'm sure you're dying to know how the training has been going ...

Well, when I got home from school Tuesday I saw from the driveway that something had gone wrong - there were no blinds in my windows. Uh oh.

Sadie had managed to get out of her crate! I have no idea how she did, Kevin thinks Chester helped.

Well, she tore up the room pretty well - nothing was broken (except the blinds), but nothing was where it should be either.

Wednesday I was running late so I just shut Chester and Sadie up in my room, leaving her food in her crate for her. This still made her go in there if she wanted food and helps it keep from being a "bad" place.

We crated her last night, however, when we went out for drinks with friends.

This morning she went into the crate pretty quickly (only had to ask her a few times!). And she was still in it when I got home. I took her straight outside and she went right to the bathroom - yay! She didn't go in the crate!

Now she is sprawled out on the guest bed in the office with me. She's got a great idea ... a nap sounds awesome!

My family

Do you ever wish you were followed around by a film crew or professional photojournalist? You know those times you say something HILARIOUS or do something AMAZING and wish you had it on camera? Well, I had one of those moments yesterday. It wasn't amazing or hilarious exactly, but it was ADORABLE.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, we took Sadie for a walk last night. We put on her lead collar and muzzle, leashed Chester up and headed out. We made it about half a block when Kevin pointed out that Buddy, my indoor/outdoor cat was following us.

I turned around, and there he was, bawling at me for leaving him behind.

Buddy followed us THE WHOLE WAY.

I am sure John Williams would be able to write the greatest score for our neighborhood jaunt. Just picture it: An adorable couple (if I do say so myself) walking his-and-hers Labs while a little ragamuffin kitty follows behind.

All together now: AWWWWWW!

If Buddy thought we were getting too far from him (he often ventured into yards and inspected bushes and flowers) he would holler for us to wait up. Or, if he got bored with our pace, he would take the lead. When we got back to our part of the block, he darted ahead, stopped, looked back and I swear he said "Come on! I want to show you something!" Then, he darted into a very cool (if you are a cat) yard with crazy plants and gnomes.

I'm sure we were quite the sight. I just wish I could have seen it.

In training ...

The training has begun.

While I was stuck in school on Memorial Day, Kevin started Sadie on her crate training ... again.

He sent me videos throughout the day and I am so proud of her!

First, he just put the bottom part of the crate in my room, next to my bed. Then, he put some of my clothes in there (she likes to sleep on my clothes, probably because they smell like me).

Video coming soon :-)

Then, he put the top on and convinced her to go inside using treats. From there, he turned it into a game. She would go in the crate and he would shut the door. She had to stay in there quietly for a little while then he let her out and took her outside.

Another video here :-)

He kept her in there for a bit while he moved around the house. Then, he let her out, took her outside and readied himself to leave for the day.

When he told Sadie to go to her room, she did!

Five hours later, when he returned, she had pottied (Numbers 1 and 2) in her crate (all over my clothes). He cleaned it out (do I have the greatest bf or what?) and set it all back up. Then, he put her food in there as he fed the animals. She promptly picked her bowl up and took it to my bed.

When I got home, I got involved. Had I not seen the video from Kevin, I would have thought he'd lied - she was not a fan of "her room."



So, we took a few mental steps back and bribed her with treats and food until she would go in to the crate - never forcing her. When she would go all the way inside, we left her in there for periods of time while we were in the house. We took her for a walk around the block (another, shorter, story) and then we crated her while we went for ice cream (Baskin Robbins Lemon Custard = YUM!).

Overall, I'm pleased with her progress in just 12 hours.

This morning I felt weird about crating her. Chester is visiting (apparently, when Kevin told him to get in the car to go home, he wouldn't - he loves it at my house). So, I shut Chester and Eddie in the room with Sadie. I debated about leaving her out of the crate but shut in my room and decided it would derail the training. Thoughts?

Some Web sites say not to force it, and don't leave them in the crate before they are ready. Sadly, I'm not sure of my options, considering my roommate's attitude change.

I appreciate any advice on this one!

Waving goodbye

As I drove away from the house this morning, I looked up to see Kevin on the front porch with Sadie. He had her standing on her hind legs and made her wave goodbye to me.

So. Freaking. Cute.

I wish I had a photo.

Also, in the background, three of the four others were standing in the doorway looking through the glass door.

Sadie's Ad - the heart break begins

I fostered Sadie from a kill shelter in December. She is a Lab (mix?) that had been found, starving, by animal control. Now, you can hardly tell she was once so skinny all of her ribs were visible. She is full of energy and LOVES to eat! She is a "people person" who probably won't get along with your other animals. Having been starved, she has some "issues."

When I had to move to Kansas City, I decided to bring her with me bc the potential for finding her a good home is better here than the military town she comes from. Her favorite movie is Marley and Me (she seriously watches the screen whenever it is on) and her favorite past time is running.

I have been keeping a blog about her since I fostered her. We have been through a lot in the past five months and I am still wavering about giving her away. This will only happen if you are PERFECT for her.

Please read her story here. To understand everything, you need to read the entire blog.

If you have other animals, she might not be the dog for you. She is a picky lady, my Sadie, but she is loyal, loving and the life of the party.

Her ad: http://kansascity.craigslist.org/pet/1186543756.html

Last Resort

A friend was in a bind this weekend and needed someone to watch her 9-week-old boxer puppy. After stressing that Sadie might not like the puppy and Puppy might have to spend some time alone in a room, I told her to use me as a last resort.

As you may guess, I ended up watching Puppy. Sadie flipped. Luckily, my roommate offered to watch Sadie for the weekend at our house while Kevin and I watched Puppy at his. It seemed like everything was going to work out.

Until this morning. When I received an email from my roommate saying that either Sadie goes or I get her crate-trained immediately because my roommate can't afford a new rug, blinds, furniture or dishes.

What on earth happened yesterday???

So, I have been looking for a new place to live - sans roommate. But, let's be honest, who will rent their house to a woman with two dogs and three cats? I wouldn't.

So, what do I do? I'm posting an ad on Craigslist (which might be why you are reading this). I am going to be picky. I love this dog very much, and you will too once you get to know her. If there is anyway I can keep her, I will. I want her to be in a happy home where she feels comfortable and welcome.

But giving her away is my last resort.

So sweet

Sadie was super snuggly this morning! I'm pretty sure she senses that things in the house are about to change. My orientation is tomorrow and then school starts Monday.

I feel like a new mommy who is heartbroken to go back to work. I will miss Sadie and she will miss me! I hope I can spend a lot of time with her this weekend.

I haven't been able to start the crate training yet because her old crate is in my boyfriend's car and he hasn't been over since this weekend. I am also working on getting her a new crate. More on that when I write about the crate training experience.

I am going to miss Sadie while I'm at school! It's so funny how we imprint on them and vice versa.

Lately, I have wondered if it wouldn't be better to find a Sadie another home. One with a back yard and a family that will be able to give her more attention. That was the initial plan, after all. But I'm not sure another family can give her nearly the attention I have. I have been home with her everyday for the past four months (she should be perfectly trained then, shouldn't she?).

I will keep my mind open as I start law school. I want her happy. Ideally, I can bring her that, but if not, it would be selfish of me to keep her. My head knows this.

Moment of Zen ...

Sadie is just so funny when she eats! It cracks me up.

What is Sadie?

We keep asking ourselves the same questions: Is Sadie a full-blooded Lab? Is she a mix? And if so, a mix of what?

Clearly the Lab in Miss Sadie Mae is strong. But she is little ... very muscular ... and, dare I say it? Aggressive. An aggressive Lab tends to be an oxymoron like Hell's Angels, freezer burn and unbiased opinions.

Sometimes I think there is Pointer in her. Remember the cartoons from our childhood? A Pointer would be on the hunt, spot the prey, stop dead still, with one paw raised, tail pointing straight back and nose pointing right at the target? Yeah, Sadie does this! A lot.

Kevin thinks she might have the dreaded Pit Bull genes in her. It would explain the aggression. It would also explain her amazing strength and sinewy physique. If you catch her in the right light, looking from above, and she rolls her ears back to hear something (so that they aren't flopped over) I can see a resemblance to the Pit family. I've checked out some online forums about this and they say the Pitador is a great dog. None mentioned aggression, but they did talk about mischief. I looked at a lot of their pictures and just don't think she resembles them much.

No, I think, and definitely hope I'm right, that Sadie is just a sad Labrador Retriever - no mix involved. Her aggression is probably a side effect of the starvation. In humans, an anorexic's body will eventually begin eating away at muscle mass, including the brain, to find nourishment. I think this is what happened to Sadie. Her behavior issues are a result of her starvation.

So, how do I solve the issue? No idea. But tonight I am starting her on intensive crate training. I start law school Friday and won't be home all day ... it's time to bite the bullet.

Stupid dog whisperer

I'm going to say it: I can't stand the dog whisperer.

This is a man who has made an empire training dogs, right? Then he gets a tv show and suddenly EVERYONE thinks they are a dog whisperer.

I"m sorry people. Sadie is a special dog. She was starved - almost to the point of death. She has issues.

No, she doesn't need more attention.

No, she doesn't need more patience.

Trust me, pack leadership has been established.

Yes, I know she needs to release energy. We're working on safe ways for her to do that.

Stop acting like you know my dog because you watched an edited television show!

Spring!

The weather is just amazing up here! The dogs and I decided to hang out outside for awhile this afternoon. I spread myself out on the patio and was just settling in for a good tan session when Sadie started barking. At me.

Guess she and my mother are on the same page when it comes to skin cancer. Hmph.