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Bonnie the Collie
Join us as young collie, Bonnie, grows up.
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Tuesday, February 9th 2010
7:27 PM (5h, 6min ago)
Nine Months and Counting
This week I got two very nice emails from readers telling me they missed Bonnie's Blog. It makes me feel good to know that people are reading this blog and enjoying it. Even more, I hope that it's helping you with your dogs in some small ways. I do enjoy writing it. Bonnie keeps me very busy in the mornings and at night, my best writing times, so often I can't get to it. Anyway, thanks to the readers for your notes. Bonnie says she'll do her best to keep doing things I can write about and then give me time to do it.
Well, here we are. Bonnie turned nine months old a few days ago. Unbelievable! Look how small she was just five months ago. I know you've seen this picture before, but I always have to go back and check it out again. What a little girl she was. And she didn't know very much at all.
Now look at her. Here she is at nine months of age. When you think about it, that's a whole lot of growing in a very short time. Now wonder puppies are so wild and goofy! Just imagine if you grew six inches taller by St. Patrick's Day.
Not only is Bonnie bigger, but she's more work and less play. She has more hair, so it takes more time to brush her, as it does to bathe her. She has decided she doesn't like everything we do, like cutting her toenails. She's rather we didn't do that. She's a lot stronger so she's harder to walk on a leash. She runs faster now, too, and can knock me over if I let her get too silly. It is even more important to take time to train her to be a well-mannered house dog and a good citizen.
Puppies are cute, but the baby-face doesn't last forever, especially in big dogs. Bonnie was a small puppy for a very short time, almost too short to remember. Take lots of pictures of your puppies, because the time goes very fast.
Well, here we are. Bonnie turned nine months old a few days ago. Unbelievable! Look how small she was just five months ago. I know you've seen this picture before, but I always have to go back and check it out again. What a little girl she was. And she didn't know very much at all.
Now look at her. Here she is at nine months of age. When you think about it, that's a whole lot of growing in a very short time. Now wonder puppies are so wild and goofy! Just imagine if you grew six inches taller by St. Patrick's Day.
Not only is Bonnie bigger, but she's more work and less play. She has more hair, so it takes more time to brush her, as it does to bathe her. She has decided she doesn't like everything we do, like cutting her toenails. She's rather we didn't do that. She's a lot stronger so she's harder to walk on a leash. She runs faster now, too, and can knock me over if I let her get too silly. It is even more important to take time to train her to be a well-mannered house dog and a good citizen.
Puppies are cute, but the baby-face doesn't last forever, especially in big dogs. Bonnie was a small puppy for a very short time, almost too short to remember. Take lots of pictures of your puppies, because the time goes very fast.
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Thursday, January 28th 2010
10:04 PM (12 days, 2h, 29min ago)
A Day at the Beach (with video)
I'm working very hard to give Bonnie opportunities to socialize with other dogs. This is the first time I've had only one dog and I guess I feel a little guilty that she doesn't have a dog buddy to hang out with all day. Bonnie's fine. I don't think she's suffering at all. But it does my heart good to see her run free, off leash, with other dogs.
I can see from a distance how pretty she is. I can see that she has strong muscles and can run like the wind.
It makes me feel good that I have raised Bonnie to get along with other dogs.
Click on the video link below and see how much fun Bonnie is having at our dog beach.
I can see from a distance how pretty she is. I can see that she has strong muscles and can run like the wind.
It makes me feel good that I have raised Bonnie to get along with other dogs.
Click on the video link below and see how much fun Bonnie is having at our dog beach.
Here's the video of Bonnie
playing at Dog Beach
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and How to Love Your Dog
playing at Dog Beach
Tell a friend about this blog
and How to Love Your Dog
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Saturday, January 23rd 2010
4:39 PM (17 days, 7h, 54min ago)
Crazy Day
Awww, look at Bonnie sleeping. Doesn't she look sweet? Doesn't she look calm? Doesn't she look like the best behaved little collie ever? Not quite.
Maybe it's the five days of rain we've had or maybe Bonnie was in a weird mood. Whatever the reason, Bonnie was more energetic today than she has ever been. From the time she woke up, until she finally fell asleep, Bonnie ran and jumped and barked and played. She wouldn't settle down for a minute.
I know that when Bonnie is like this, the best thing to do is keep her busy with activities and give her exercise. I tried to take her for a walk this morning but the rain was heavy and the winds were too strong. I played fetch in the house with her. We practiced tricks and obedience. We played with her toys. I gave her a new bone filled with marrow to chew. All of these things worked for a short while and then Bonnie got wild all over again. It was like she had been wound up by someone. Nothing could calm her down. At the end of the day the rain finally stopped and we took her for a very long walk.
Bonnie is asleep right now. She's out for the night and now I can rest. I'm exhausted! I know that everyone whose ever had a young dog has had days like this. It is one of the hardest things about having a puppy. The best thing to do is have activities planned so I can channel all of that energy. If it works, great. If not, well, there will be another chance to get it right. Today is only one day. And besides, Bonnie will probably be a little calmer tomorrow. At least I hope so.
Maybe it's the five days of rain we've had or maybe Bonnie was in a weird mood. Whatever the reason, Bonnie was more energetic today than she has ever been. From the time she woke up, until she finally fell asleep, Bonnie ran and jumped and barked and played. She wouldn't settle down for a minute.
I know that when Bonnie is like this, the best thing to do is keep her busy with activities and give her exercise. I tried to take her for a walk this morning but the rain was heavy and the winds were too strong. I played fetch in the house with her. We practiced tricks and obedience. We played with her toys. I gave her a new bone filled with marrow to chew. All of these things worked for a short while and then Bonnie got wild all over again. It was like she had been wound up by someone. Nothing could calm her down. At the end of the day the rain finally stopped and we took her for a very long walk.
Bonnie is asleep right now. She's out for the night and now I can rest. I'm exhausted! I know that everyone whose ever had a young dog has had days like this. It is one of the hardest things about having a puppy. The best thing to do is have activities planned so I can channel all of that energy. If it works, great. If not, well, there will be another chance to get it right. Today is only one day. And besides, Bonnie will probably be a little calmer tomorrow. At least I hope so.
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Thursday, January 21st 2010
7:16 PM (19 days, 5h, 17min ago)
Bonnie Makes A New Friend
Bonnie loves to have dog friends over. A few months ago, the dogs that came to our house were all older than Bonnie. She was the puppy and they were the big dogs. She learned to behave by watching the bigger and older dogs.
Well, Bonnie is the older dog now. She's eight months old and she's made a new friend. Cooper is a golden retriever who is four and a half months old. Bonnie is the older, bigger pup and young puppies are now learning from Bonnie.
In this picture, Bonnie is in a play bow position. She's asking Cooper to play with her. Cooper must be deciding what he wants to do: chew a toy or play with Bonnie.
Well, Bonnie is the older dog now. She's eight months old and she's made a new friend. Cooper is a golden retriever who is four and a half months old. Bonnie is the older, bigger pup and young puppies are now learning from Bonnie.
In this picture, Bonnie is in a play bow position. She's asking Cooper to play with her. Cooper must be deciding what he wants to do: chew a toy or play with Bonnie.
Cooper decided to play with Bonnie, but first he gave her a big hug! Dogs use their mouths and teeth to play. They don't bite because the other dog wouldn't like it. They also like to play with their paws. Dogs learn to play fair by playing with each other.
Bonnie and Cooper wrestled and ran around the yard as fast as they could. Sometimes Bonnie was faster and other times, Cooper was faster.
Bonnie and Cooper are both puppies. Even though they are different ages, they get along very well. I always want Bonnie to get along with other dogs. The best way to do that is to keep introducing her to dogs of all ages.
Bonnie and Cooper are both puppies. Even though they are different ages, they get along very well. I always want Bonnie to get along with other dogs. The best way to do that is to keep introducing her to dogs of all ages.
Bonnie is meeting dogs in lots of places. We take her to parks for people and parks for dogs. She has been to puppy classes. We go for walks in our neighborhood to meet dogs. And we invite dogs over to our house. We only hang out with friendly, well-behaved dogs because we want Bonnie to be friendly and well-behaved. Dogs learn from each other. So how many friends does your dog have?
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Tuesday, January 19th 2010
6:19 PM (21 days, 6h, 14min ago)
Raining Cats and Dogs
It's not very often that we get rain in Southern California. This week we are having heavy rain every day. I knew Bonnie liked water, but I had no idea that she would love the rain, and the puddles, and the mud. Oh, boy did she have a good time. It was hard to get her back into the house!
I had a stack of towels ready to wipe Bonnie off, especially her feet and belly.
But after I dried her, she was ready to go back outside. So we decided to let her stay out and play as long as she wanted.
When she was finally finished, we put her in the tub and gave her a good cleaning. I'm sure Bonnie will be thrilled to see the cloudy skies and wet grass tomorrow, but I'm not sure I will.
I had a stack of towels ready to wipe Bonnie off, especially her feet and belly.
But after I dried her, she was ready to go back outside. So we decided to let her stay out and play as long as she wanted.
When she was finally finished, we put her in the tub and gave her a good cleaning. I'm sure Bonnie will be thrilled to see the cloudy skies and wet grass tomorrow, but I'm not sure I will.
Here's a short video of Bonnie
discovering rain (just for fun)!
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and How to Love Your Dog
discovering rain (just for fun)!
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and How to Love Your Dog
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Thursday, January 14th 2010
4:08 PM (26 days, 8h, 25min ago)
Cross Your Paws (with video)
As I've written before, I love to teach tricks because they're fun, stimulating for dogs, and tricks help them learn what learning is all about. Showing off a new trick is good entertainment for family and friends, and is a way for people to connect with your dog. Instead of greeting a guest at the door by jumping up, isn't it better to have a dog sit and give a high five?
There are the standard tricks that I have always taught, but once in a while I like to try a new one. 'Cross Your Paws' is a trick that took me a little while to teach Bonnie. Before beginning, I broke it into several steps. As Bonnie became successful with each step, I moved on to the next one.
This is a really fun trick. I'm having a good time with it, like I do with all of the tricks. When Bonnie is bored and looking for around for something to do, all I have to do is let her go through her list of tricks. She gets a treat or two, lots of praise, and big hugs.
The link below will take you to the video of Bonnie learning to cross her paws. Do you think your dog can do it?
There are the standard tricks that I have always taught, but once in a while I like to try a new one. 'Cross Your Paws' is a trick that took me a little while to teach Bonnie. Before beginning, I broke it into several steps. As Bonnie became successful with each step, I moved on to the next one.
This is a really fun trick. I'm having a good time with it, like I do with all of the tricks. When Bonnie is bored and looking for around for something to do, all I have to do is let her go through her list of tricks. She gets a treat or two, lots of praise, and big hugs.
The link below will take you to the video of Bonnie learning to cross her paws. Do you think your dog can do it?
Here's the video of Bonnie
learning 'Cross Your Paws'
Tell a friend about this blog
and How to Love Your Dog
learning 'Cross Your Paws'
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and How to Love Your Dog
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Wednesday, January 13th 2010
8:27 PM (27 days, 4h, 6min ago)
Rough Play
Bonnie loves to play. She'll play with anyone anytime. It's a lot of fun to play with her. Lately, though, she has been playing too rough.
Bonnie is eight months old, fifty pounds, and very strong. So when she jumps up and grabs our arms and clothing, it hurts. She also runs around the yard way too fast and sometimes bumps into us. At other times, Bonnie grabs our hands when we're playing tug with her.
We have decided that it's time to change the way we play with Bonnie. If we continued to let Bonnie race around, jump up and grab us, she would think that this behavior is good. And we know it is not.
So for now, the best game to play with Bonnie is fetch. She has to drop the tennis ball in our hands before we throw it. She's doing a very good job playing fetch. If she starts to get too wild, we leave her alone and go into the house.
If Bonnie wants to play with a toy, we will throw it and have her bring it back to us, just like with the ball. We're not playing tug anymore. When Bonnie gets older, we'll be able to go back to some of the other games, but for now, this puppy needs to learn good manners at playtime.
Fetch is a fun and safe game to play. Bonnie still gets her exercise, but she learns to be polite and treat us with respect. Look how much fun she's having with the ball!
Tell a friend about this blogBonnie is eight months old, fifty pounds, and very strong. So when she jumps up and grabs our arms and clothing, it hurts. She also runs around the yard way too fast and sometimes bumps into us. At other times, Bonnie grabs our hands when we're playing tug with her.
We have decided that it's time to change the way we play with Bonnie. If we continued to let Bonnie race around, jump up and grab us, she would think that this behavior is good. And we know it is not.
So for now, the best game to play with Bonnie is fetch. She has to drop the tennis ball in our hands before we throw it. She's doing a very good job playing fetch. If she starts to get too wild, we leave her alone and go into the house.
If Bonnie wants to play with a toy, we will throw it and have her bring it back to us, just like with the ball. We're not playing tug anymore. When Bonnie gets older, we'll be able to go back to some of the other games, but for now, this puppy needs to learn good manners at playtime.
Fetch is a fun and safe game to play. Bonnie still gets her exercise, but she learns to be polite and treat us with respect. Look how much fun she's having with the ball!
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Sunday, January 10th 2010
4:31 PM (30 days, 8h, 2min ago)
Routine is Good...Usually
It's standard knowledge for the most part that dogs do well with routine. Some dogs need more structure than others and puppies especially need a good routine. It helps them feel secure. Dogs learn quickly what time their meals are and when it's time to go for a walk.
However, there are some events that are better when they don't always happen the same way. For example I had a dog who learned very quickly that if I closed the screen door, that I was still in the house. But if I closed the glass sliding door, that meant I was leaving the house, possibly for a long time. As soon as the glass door closed, he was in a panic. He even noticed whether I clicked the lock or not.
I'm glad I learned that lesson before I got Bonnie. Now I do things differently every time. Even when I'm home, I'll close the glass door and lock it. Other times I'll use the screen door. I'm always changing things so Bonnie gets used to being outside alone without getting upset. Even in the cold weather, I might use the screen door just to throw her off.
Another smart dog learned that if I filled toys with treats and put them outside, that meant I was leaving the house. I thought it was a good thing to leave her with toys to keep her busy. But instead, she wouldn't touch the food toys because she learned that I went away. With Bonnie, I change things up all the time. She gets toys with treats in the house and outside, when I'm home and when I'm not. I don't want her to learn a routine that will make her nervous and upset. There are plenty of good routines to learn.
I'm sure there are other things that Bonnie is aware of and I'm going to watch for any that may not be helping Bonnie adjust. She's very smart and I always have to be just a little bit smarter.
One routine that's good is going out to play with other dogs. Bonnie had a fun time racing around with a friendly Beagle at our dog park. By the way, Bonnie just turned eight months old and she's about fifty pounds. I have decided that puppies grow way too fast. One day they're fourteen pounds and suddenly they're fifty. Amazing!
However, there are some events that are better when they don't always happen the same way. For example I had a dog who learned very quickly that if I closed the screen door, that I was still in the house. But if I closed the glass sliding door, that meant I was leaving the house, possibly for a long time. As soon as the glass door closed, he was in a panic. He even noticed whether I clicked the lock or not.
I'm glad I learned that lesson before I got Bonnie. Now I do things differently every time. Even when I'm home, I'll close the glass door and lock it. Other times I'll use the screen door. I'm always changing things so Bonnie gets used to being outside alone without getting upset. Even in the cold weather, I might use the screen door just to throw her off.
Another smart dog learned that if I filled toys with treats and put them outside, that meant I was leaving the house. I thought it was a good thing to leave her with toys to keep her busy. But instead, she wouldn't touch the food toys because she learned that I went away. With Bonnie, I change things up all the time. She gets toys with treats in the house and outside, when I'm home and when I'm not. I don't want her to learn a routine that will make her nervous and upset. There are plenty of good routines to learn.
I'm sure there are other things that Bonnie is aware of and I'm going to watch for any that may not be helping Bonnie adjust. She's very smart and I always have to be just a little bit smarter.
One routine that's good is going out to play with other dogs. Bonnie had a fun time racing around with a friendly Beagle at our dog park. By the way, Bonnie just turned eight months old and she's about fifty pounds. I have decided that puppies grow way too fast. One day they're fourteen pounds and suddenly they're fifty. Amazing!
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Saturday, January 2nd 2010
8:23 PM (38 days, 4h, 10min ago)
Ringing in the New Year (with video)
Bonnie and our family would like to wish everyone a happy new year! We hope that the coming year brings lots of fun times with your dogs.
I have to admit that Bonnie was a breeze to housebreak. From the day we got her at fourteen weeks of age, she knew where the back door was and gave a gentle scratch on the screen when she needed to go out. Collies are usually very easy to housebreak and this was certainly the best experience ever!
However, as she grew, her feet became bigger and stronger and she began to tear a hole in our screen door. If we closed the glass door so she couldn't reach the screen, she would slap the glass with her paw. If that didn't work for her, she would scrape her teeth on the glass. Really! The sound was too horrible to bear. I had to come up with a good way for Bonnie to let us know when she needed to go outside without hurting our ears.
I decided to teach Bonnie to ring a bell when she wanted to relieve herself or go outside. First, I taught her the Touch trick. Second, I hung a bell in front of my hand and had her touch it.
Last I moved the bell to the door and had her touch the bell without my hand behind it.
Check out the video below to see the steps for yourself. And don't forget to teach your dog the Touch trick first. It should make the trick a lot easier. Have fun!
I have to admit that Bonnie was a breeze to housebreak. From the day we got her at fourteen weeks of age, she knew where the back door was and gave a gentle scratch on the screen when she needed to go out. Collies are usually very easy to housebreak and this was certainly the best experience ever!
However, as she grew, her feet became bigger and stronger and she began to tear a hole in our screen door. If we closed the glass door so she couldn't reach the screen, she would slap the glass with her paw. If that didn't work for her, she would scrape her teeth on the glass. Really! The sound was too horrible to bear. I had to come up with a good way for Bonnie to let us know when she needed to go outside without hurting our ears.
I decided to teach Bonnie to ring a bell when she wanted to relieve herself or go outside. First, I taught her the Touch trick. Second, I hung a bell in front of my hand and had her touch it.
Last I moved the bell to the door and had her touch the bell without my hand behind it.
Check out the video below to see the steps for yourself. And don't forget to teach your dog the Touch trick first. It should make the trick a lot easier. Have fun!
Here's the video of
Bonnie learning to Ring a Bell!
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Bonnie learning to Ring a Bell!
Tell a friend about this blog
and How to Love Your Dog
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Sunday, December 27th 2009
8:00 PM (44 days, 4h, 33min ago)
The Magic Touch (with video)
Here's a trick that might seem a little weird, but I taught it to Bonnie anyway. The trick is called Touch. This means that Bonnie will touch her nose to something when I ask her to touch it. Bonnie was four and a half months old when she learned this, so she'll probably look a little smaller to you.
First, I rubbed a dog treat on the palm of my hand so that Bonnie could smell it. I started out by holding my hand in front of Bonnie. As soon as she touched her nose to my hand, I clicked and gave her a treat. If you don't use a clicker, it's just as good to say, "Yes" and then reward her, too.
That's all there is to it. Just touch my hand and reward. Easy, isn't it? But why would we teach a dog to Touch? The reason I taught it to Bonnie is because I want her to ring a bell using her nose. If she can touch my hand with her nose, then later she can touch a bell with her nose. I've made a short video of Bonnie learning the trick Touch. I think it will be easy to understand when you see it. Then come back soon and we'll have the video of Bonnie ringing the bell, ready for you to see.
First, I rubbed a dog treat on the palm of my hand so that Bonnie could smell it. I started out by holding my hand in front of Bonnie. As soon as she touched her nose to my hand, I clicked and gave her a treat. If you don't use a clicker, it's just as good to say, "Yes" and then reward her, too.
That's all there is to it. Just touch my hand and reward. Easy, isn't it? But why would we teach a dog to Touch? The reason I taught it to Bonnie is because I want her to ring a bell using her nose. If she can touch my hand with her nose, then later she can touch a bell with her nose. I've made a short video of Bonnie learning the trick Touch. I think it will be easy to understand when you see it. Then come back soon and we'll have the video of Bonnie ringing the bell, ready for you to see.
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Sunday, December 27th 2009
3:35 AM (44 days, 20h, 58min ago)
When it's All Over
Now that the Christmas activity is slowing down, it's time to get your puppy or dog back to your regular routine: good, healthy meals at the usual time, regular grooming, playtime, exercise, and a little bit of training each day. Our daily training exercise will help your puppy remember his manners and keep him alert and his brain occupied.
Bonnie and I train a little bit every day. I start with some tricks she knows, and then we try to learn something new. When we're out for a walk, we practice better walking by changing the walking pace from normal to fast, and then slow, and back to normal. I have Bonnie turn and walk the other way. We do right turns and left turns. Bonnie thinks it's all a game, but she's learning lots of good walking habits. Check out our page for walking on a leash. Bonnie likes her training so much, that she comes to me each day at 3:00 to do her tricks. It's one of her favorite times!
Bonnie and I train a little bit every day. I start with some tricks she knows, and then we try to learn something new. When we're out for a walk, we practice better walking by changing the walking pace from normal to fast, and then slow, and back to normal. I have Bonnie turn and walk the other way. We do right turns and left turns. Bonnie thinks it's all a game, but she's learning lots of good walking habits. Check out our page for walking on a leash. Bonnie likes her training so much, that she comes to me each day at 3:00 to do her tricks. It's one of her favorite times!
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Thursday, December 24th 2009
2:56 PM (47 days, 9h, 37min ago)
Merry Christmas!
Bonnie and our family would like to wish all of our readers a Merry Christmas and happy holiday season. Enjoy your time with family and friends, and be sure to give your pup all the extra attention he or she deserves. Click on the link below the photo for Christmas ideas and safety tips for your dogs.
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Monday, December 21st 2009
8:50 PM (50 days, 3h, 43min ago)
The Thing About Dogs
So you take your dog to an off-leash park or beach and everything is wonderful. Your dog is running and playing with the other dogs having a good old time. That's what I described in the previous blog when Bonnie was having fun at the park playing with all the other collies. But I didn't mention the problem we had. Bonnie would not come when I called her. And that's the problem with a lot of dogs. They don't always come when they are called.
When I would call Bonnie's name, she would turn her head and look at me, letting me know that she heard me. When she did that, I was sure she was about to run to me.
But many times, she would just turn and run the other way. This can a big problem, not necessarily at the dog park, but it means that I can't rely on Bonnie to come when I need her to come. There she goes!
I have worked with Bonnie, teaching her to come when called many times. You can even see a video in one of these blogs. But the fact that she didn't come at the park tells me that we need a lot more work. I might need Bonnie to come to me in an emergency and she has to be able to do it. Don't underestimate how important this is.
The first thing we did when we got home was to find a treat that was so good that Bonnie just couldn't resist it. Nothing would be more important to Bonnie than eating this treat. If I had had it at the park, she surely would have come to me when I called her name. I'm giving her pieces of fresh sliced turkey. She loves that. We've been practicing every day since we were there. When she's out in the yard or in the back of the house, I call her name and say, "Come!" If she runs right to me, she is rewarded with the turkey. Hopefully, every time she hears "Come" she'll remember the tasty meat.
We are also continuing Bonnie's regular training, learning new tricks, and I'm being firm (but gentle) with the household rules. Establishing myself as her constant leader will remind her that she is to follow my rules. Does your dog come when you call him or her?
Here she comes now!
When I would call Bonnie's name, she would turn her head and look at me, letting me know that she heard me. When she did that, I was sure she was about to run to me.
But many times, she would just turn and run the other way. This can a big problem, not necessarily at the dog park, but it means that I can't rely on Bonnie to come when I need her to come. There she goes!
I have worked with Bonnie, teaching her to come when called many times. You can even see a video in one of these blogs. But the fact that she didn't come at the park tells me that we need a lot more work. I might need Bonnie to come to me in an emergency and she has to be able to do it. Don't underestimate how important this is.
The first thing we did when we got home was to find a treat that was so good that Bonnie just couldn't resist it. Nothing would be more important to Bonnie than eating this treat. If I had had it at the park, she surely would have come to me when I called her name. I'm giving her pieces of fresh sliced turkey. She loves that. We've been practicing every day since we were there. When she's out in the yard or in the back of the house, I call her name and say, "Come!" If she runs right to me, she is rewarded with the turkey. Hopefully, every time she hears "Come" she'll remember the tasty meat.
We are also continuing Bonnie's regular training, learning new tricks, and I'm being firm (but gentle) with the household rules. Establishing myself as her constant leader will remind her that she is to follow my rules. Does your dog come when you call him or her?
Here she comes now!
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Thursday, December 17th 2009
7:57 PM (54 days, 4h, 36min ago)
Fun with Friends
Today Bonnie and I met three friends who also have collies. We like to get the dogs together so they can run and play without leashes. It's good, healthy exercise for all of us. We went to a park that's very large and runs along the beach.
Here are the nine collies who went to the park. There were short-haired collies and long-haired collies. There were black,
blue merle (gray), and brown collies. Can you find Bonnie?
Bonnie's the one in the front. Good job!
Bonnie had a fantastic time being chased by her collie friend, Tess. Bonnie loves to be chased.
Bonnie saw a Golden Retriever swimming in the water. She was very interested. Unfortunately, she wasn't interested enough to go all the way into the water just yet. But she did run back and forth in the water and got her feet wet. She liked that a lot!
Now Bonnie is chasing a blue merle collie. She is running really fast.
Bonnie enjoyed climbing the very tall hill all by herself and being the tallest dog in the park. That way she could see every dog there.
When you go to a dog park, make sure that it's fenced and be sure to read the rules. Bring bags to pick up your dog's poop. Keep an eye on your dog at all times and don't let your dog get too pushy with other dogs. Be good citizens in the park and you both will have a fantastic time - just like Bonnie and I had.
Here are the nine collies who went to the park. There were short-haired collies and long-haired collies. There were black,
blue merle (gray), and brown collies. Can you find Bonnie?
Bonnie's the one in the front. Good job!
Bonnie had a fantastic time being chased by her collie friend, Tess. Bonnie loves to be chased.
Bonnie saw a Golden Retriever swimming in the water. She was very interested. Unfortunately, she wasn't interested enough to go all the way into the water just yet. But she did run back and forth in the water and got her feet wet. She liked that a lot!
Now Bonnie is chasing a blue merle collie. She is running really fast.
Bonnie enjoyed climbing the very tall hill all by herself and being the tallest dog in the park. That way she could see every dog there.
When you go to a dog park, make sure that it's fenced and be sure to read the rules. Bring bags to pick up your dog's poop. Keep an eye on your dog at all times and don't let your dog get too pushy with other dogs. Be good citizens in the park and you both will have a fantastic time - just like Bonnie and I had.
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Saturday, December 12th 2009
3:37 PM (59 days, 8h, 56min ago)
Dealing with the Chewing
No matter where Bonnie is, she usually wants to chew. At seven months of age, chewing is still one of her three favorite activities: biting, barking, and chewing (the BBC's). So I need to watch her very carefully. If I leave her alone, I usually find something that has been chewed, and it might be something that I didn't want to be damaged.
In this picture, she appears to be cute and even smiling, but if you look carefully, you'll see that she has something else on her mind.
To keep Bonnie from chewing everything I have come up with some solutions. First, I have lots of acceptable things for her to chew. I give her bones and chew toys. If I'm home and she starts to chew something, I direct her attention to something else so she forgets what she was doing. I put a bone right into her mouth.
I can also find other activities for her that take her mind of chewing. We go for a walk, play in the yard, or go to the park. We work on the obstacle course, play fetch or hide and seek. I like to make a list of activities that I can do to keep Bonnie busy when all she wants to do is chew. Once in a while I put Bonnie in her pen for a short time out.
It can be very frustrating to find the corners of things chewed off. The two most important things for me are to first, be patient and second, to have alternate activities. If I do these things, I find the day goes better.
Since the holidays, are here, I've been taking photos of Bonnie. I like to teach my puppies to sit still for the camera and they learn that if they do, there are cookies that magically pop out right after the camera clicks. Here's a photo we got this week.
In this picture, she appears to be cute and even smiling, but if you look carefully, you'll see that she has something else on her mind.
To keep Bonnie from chewing everything I have come up with some solutions. First, I have lots of acceptable things for her to chew. I give her bones and chew toys. If I'm home and she starts to chew something, I direct her attention to something else so she forgets what she was doing. I put a bone right into her mouth.
I can also find other activities for her that take her mind of chewing. We go for a walk, play in the yard, or go to the park. We work on the obstacle course, play fetch or hide and seek. I like to make a list of activities that I can do to keep Bonnie busy when all she wants to do is chew. Once in a while I put Bonnie in her pen for a short time out.
It can be very frustrating to find the corners of things chewed off. The two most important things for me are to first, be patient and second, to have alternate activities. If I do these things, I find the day goes better.
Since the holidays, are here, I've been taking photos of Bonnie. I like to teach my puppies to sit still for the camera and they learn that if they do, there are cookies that magically pop out right after the camera clicks. Here's a photo we got this week.
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Monday, December 7th 2009
6:17 PM (64 days, 6h, 16min ago)
Fooey!
Although Bonnie is seven months old, she still has a need to chew. If she is near a table or other piece of furniture, she might chew on it if I'm not nearby. When we're not home, Bonnie stays in the yard. There's no one to make sure she doesn't gnaw on the arm of the picnic table and chairs.
Here's a product that has worked very well for me. It's called Fooey. Fooey is a spray that is used on places that your puppy might want to chew.
So before I leave Bonnie alone in the yard, I spray the corners of the outdoor chairs and anyplace else Bonnie might chew. The spray is very bitter and once Bonnie tastes it, she doesn't want to chew.
There are several products like Fooey. I've tried Bitter Apple and Bitter End, but they didn't work for me.They could work just fine for you and your family. Fooey must taste really bad because Bonnie doesn't chew things that have been sprayed. So if your dog has a chewing problem, try one of these products. Remember though, that the item may need to be sprayed several times before your dog figures it out that she shouldn't be chewing.
On another note:
Where I live, we don't get snow. I would love to see Bonnie playing in the snow. But since I can't, I gave Bonnie a toy snowman. She likes to play with it. I think they look kind of cute together, don't you?
Here's a product that has worked very well for me. It's called Fooey. Fooey is a spray that is used on places that your puppy might want to chew.
So before I leave Bonnie alone in the yard, I spray the corners of the outdoor chairs and anyplace else Bonnie might chew. The spray is very bitter and once Bonnie tastes it, she doesn't want to chew.
There are several products like Fooey. I've tried Bitter Apple and Bitter End, but they didn't work for me.They could work just fine for you and your family. Fooey must taste really bad because Bonnie doesn't chew things that have been sprayed. So if your dog has a chewing problem, try one of these products. Remember though, that the item may need to be sprayed several times before your dog figures it out that she shouldn't be chewing.
On another note:
Where I live, we don't get snow. I would love to see Bonnie playing in the snow. But since I can't, I gave Bonnie a toy snowman. She likes to play with it. I think they look kind of cute together, don't you?
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Saturday, December 5th 2009
11:21 AM (66 days, 13h, 12min ago)
Bonnie's Award
You might remember that in an earlier blog, I wrote about the AKC Star Puppy Program and how Bonnie had passed all of the requirements to be a Star Puppy. We received a handsome certificate and other goodies from the American Kennel Club.
Yesterday, Bonnie got this beautiful medal in the mail! The medallion says, AKC STAR PUPPY on it. I'm sure I'm more excited about it than she is. She was happy to get the medal because I gave her a dog treat. That's a dog for you.
Anyway, I'm mostly proud of Bonnie because she is learning lots of things and gradually becoming a good member of society. We have lots of things to learn still, but I'm confident that together we can do it.
Congratulations, Bonnie!
Yesterday, Bonnie got this beautiful medal in the mail! The medallion says, AKC STAR PUPPY on it. I'm sure I'm more excited about it than she is. She was happy to get the medal because I gave her a dog treat. That's a dog for you.
Anyway, I'm mostly proud of Bonnie because she is learning lots of things and gradually becoming a good member of society. We have lots of things to learn still, but I'm confident that together we can do it.
Congratulations, Bonnie!
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Friday, December 4th 2009
8:00 PM (67 days, 4h, 33min ago)
About Barking (with video)
Did I tell you that Bonnie has the BBCs? Don't worry, it's nothing serious. BBC stands for barking, biting, and chewing. These are Bonnie's biggest problems right now, very normal for a puppy her age. The first B stands for barking. The second B stands for biting (grabbing my feet and ankles when we play). And the C stands for chewing. I'm working on all of these problems, but right now I'll tell you one thing I'm doing to solve the barking problem.
Bonnie is very good most of the time. She doesn't bark at strangers, sirens, or trucks. She used to bark for attention until we walked away and ignored her. She used to bark when she wanted to come back into the house, but after we taught her to sit, she stopped barking and sat. Those problems are solved.
Bonnie does bark when she hears noises outside that she doesn't recognize. She also barks when the neighbor's dogs are outside and they are barking. There is something I can do to help Bonnie if I'm with her when she barks at these times.
Bark, bark, bark!
The first thing I did was take control of Bonnie's barking by teaching her the word Speak. When I say speak, she barks. It sounds weird to teach a dog who barks too much to speak, but this is where we start. I have to get her to bark before I can teach her to be quiet.
Bark, bark, bark!
The second part is to teach Bonnie the word, Quiet or Shhh. First, I ask Bonnie to speak, and then I can tell her to be quiet. To Bonnie, this is a fun trick. But to me, this is a way that I can get Bonnie's to understand what I want when she's outside and barking.
Bonnie even barks in the bathtub!
I've put together a video of Bonnie learning to Speak and Be Quiet. See if this is something you could teach your dog. Remember to keep it fun!
Bonnie is very good most of the time. She doesn't bark at strangers, sirens, or trucks. She used to bark for attention until we walked away and ignored her. She used to bark when she wanted to come back into the house, but after we taught her to sit, she stopped barking and sat. Those problems are solved.
Bonnie does bark when she hears noises outside that she doesn't recognize. She also barks when the neighbor's dogs are outside and they are barking. There is something I can do to help Bonnie if I'm with her when she barks at these times.
Bark, bark, bark!
The first thing I did was take control of Bonnie's barking by teaching her the word Speak. When I say speak, she barks. It sounds weird to teach a dog who barks too much to speak, but this is where we start. I have to get her to bark before I can teach her to be quiet.
Bark, bark, bark!
The second part is to teach Bonnie the word, Quiet or Shhh. First, I ask Bonnie to speak, and then I can tell her to be quiet. To Bonnie, this is a fun trick. But to me, this is a way that I can get Bonnie's to understand what I want when she's outside and barking.
Bonnie even barks in the bathtub!
I've put together a video of Bonnie learning to Speak and Be Quiet. See if this is something you could teach your dog. Remember to keep it fun!
Here's the video of Bonnie
learning 'Speak and Quiet'
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and How to Love Your Dog
learning 'Speak and Quiet'
Tell a friend about this blog
and How to Love Your Dog
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Wednesday, December 2nd 2009
8:03 PM (69 days, 4h, 30min ago)
Seven Months Old
It's amazing how fast puppies grow. Here Bonnie is at three months old, the week I got her. She was cute and didn't know very much. She was kind of like a blank sheet of paper.
Look at her now, at seven months! Only four short months later, little puppy Bonnie has grown into an adorable young lady. Her looks have changed a lot. She is taller, heavier, and longer. She has a lot more fur. Her puppy teeth are gone and her permanent teeth have come in.
Bonnie has learned lots of things. She is housetrained and she can be alone without getting nervous and upset. She is comfortable in a crate. Bonnie has learned to walk on a leash and sit. She can lie down and wait. She comes when I call her and is happy about it. She lies down on the floor while we eat our meals.
Bonnie has a few problems that we're working on. She barks too much. She also bites our feet and grabs our shoes while they're on our feet. She chews things she shouldn't. We are helping Bonnie with all of these problems. They are all normal issues that puppies can have, but they are difficult to fix. I'll be talking about them in future blogs.
Bonnie loves to play with toys. She is good at fetching and likes to play tug-o-war.
Bonnie likes to chew on bones, play in water, and learn tricks. She can crawl, turn around, high five, and shake hands.
Now that Bonnie is seven months old, it's even more important that I continue to teach her the things she needs to know. We have taken a training class, and we'll be taking another in the Spring. I'm looking forward to all of the fun things Bonnie will learn, but I have to keep working to solve the problems she has. Having a puppy is a lot of fun, but it's also hard work. I'm ready for it!
Look at her now, at seven months! Only four short months later, little puppy Bonnie has grown into an adorable young lady. Her looks have changed a lot. She is taller, heavier, and longer. She has a lot more fur. Her puppy teeth are gone and her permanent teeth have come in.
Bonnie has learned lots of things. She is housetrained and she can be alone without getting nervous and upset. She is comfortable in a crate. Bonnie has learned to walk on a leash and sit. She can lie down and wait. She comes when I call her and is happy about it. She lies down on the floor while we eat our meals.
Bonnie has a few problems that we're working on. She barks too much. She also bites our feet and grabs our shoes while they're on our feet. She chews things she shouldn't. We are helping Bonnie with all of these problems. They are all normal issues that puppies can have, but they are difficult to fix. I'll be talking about them in future blogs.
Bonnie loves to play with toys. She is good at fetching and likes to play tug-o-war.
Bonnie likes to chew on bones, play in water, and learn tricks. She can crawl, turn around, high five, and shake hands.
Now that Bonnie is seven months old, it's even more important that I continue to teach her the things she needs to know. We have taken a training class, and we'll be taking another in the Spring. I'm looking forward to all of the fun things Bonnie will learn, but I have to keep working to solve the problems she has. Having a puppy is a lot of fun, but it's also hard work. I'm ready for it!
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Sunday, November 29th 2009
11:54 AM (72 days, 12h, 39min ago)
High Five! (with video)
I have always enjoyed teaching my dogs to do tricks. It's something I can do for short time whenever I have a few minutes with nothing to do. Since Bonnie is a new dog for me, I am inspired to learn and teach her tricks that I've never taught before.
'High Five' is a trick I've never taught, but I've seen dogs do it and I've read instructions on how to do it. It always seemed like it would be fairly easy to do, but I had never tried it. So now it was time to try it with Bonnie.
She learned the trick quickly. I had taught her to shake hands when she was three months old, so she is used to giving us her paw. I decided to have her use the other paw for the 'High Five'.
I've made a short video of Bonnie learning this trick. Can your dog do a 'High Five'?
'High Five' is a trick I've never taught, but I've seen dogs do it and I've read instructions on how to do it. It always seemed like it would be fairly easy to do, but I had never tried it. So now it was time to try it with Bonnie.
She learned the trick quickly. I had taught her to shake hands when she was three months old, so she is used to giving us her paw. I decided to have her use the other paw for the 'High Five'.
I've made a short video of Bonnie learning this trick. Can your dog do a 'High Five'?
Here's the video of
Bonnie learning 'High Five'!
Tell a friend about this blog
and How to Love Your Dog
Bonnie learning 'High Five'!
Tell a friend about this blog
and How to Love Your Dog