monmeehan

We use the command "gentle" too. I found that Cheyenne just got less grabby over time. It was like she settled in and figured out that she would get the treat and didn't have to lunge for it. I realize now we did a variation of the over/under thing. Instead of a closed fist, I would present the treat on my open palm (like kids are told to do with horses). I was tired of getting nipped, and figured there was less to "grab" on my palm. Looking back, that did make me present treats to her under her nose. Cool! [edited for speeling]

hello from New Mexico!

I have to agree with OwnedBySummer about putting something on the screens the dogs can see easily (assuming no vision loss). We put tape on the glass of our sliding doors, but Cheyenne plowed right through our (old, loose) screen, and bounced off the (new, stiffer) replacement screen a couple times before I wised up. The screens seem especially hard for her to discern at night (dark outside, lights on inside). One mini-sized string of Tibetan prayer flags tied to the screen = problem mostly solved! Sometimes she still does act spooked and I have to either coax her back in, or walk out and then back in, so she can tell that the screen's open. Edited 'cause eye cain't speel.

dog haiku: the cat is not all bad, she fills up the litter box with tootsie rolls!

Someone told me once that the overbites helped them "win by a nose!" I think they were kidding.

monmeehan (Monica) Santa Fe, NM

I got peed on once, but it was my own fault. On a walk, Cheyenne stopped short to pee, I wasn't paying attention, and stepped right under her rear end. eeeeeeew! : eta: in SANDALS, no less!

I know I'm late coming in on this. Lots of people told you that there were cat-safe dogs out there, but I wanted to add that there are people like me who (for whatever reason -- I'm allergic) will never have cats. And we're the people who adopt and love those high-prey-drive dogs. Our Cheyenne WANTS. TO. EAT. TEH. KITTEHS. (neighbor cats that we see outdoors) All the time. But there are no kittehs in our house, and she's not constantly on edge trying to leave something she really wants. I'm sure your adoption group will find Caroline a home like ours. You absolutely did the right thing. Photos of Stella, please?

Words are never enough, but I'm so sorry.

This was our experience with Cheyenne. Dog-proofing was a process: we'd come home to things moved to odd places, or chewed, or shredded. I really think she was just trying things out. We were lucky -- she messed with most things only once. I've also heard it described as a sort of "abbreviated puppyhood" as retired dogs explore the new things about home life.

In our house we refer to it as "That Other Dog." as in: - "Oh no! That Other Dog is in the oven!" - "Now, how did That Other Dog get outside?" - "How come That Other Dog gets to go into the grocery store?"

I just got a Dremel this week! I second the article by DoberDawn, especially the part about introducing the dogs to the Dremel. Cheyenne is very curious, so I got a pocket full of little treats, and we opened the box together. As she sniffed everything, I gave her treats and praise. The next day, I took the Dremel out, plugged it in (turned off), set it on the floor (carpeted - less noise), and put a treat on it. Of course she came right over and snurfed it up. Lots of praise, repeated a couple of times. Then I turned the Dremel on (no tool attachment, just empty), left it sitting on the floor, and put another treat on it. She came and ate it off! More praise, more treats on the whirring Dremel. Then today DH and I trimmed her nails! We got out the Dremel, DH had a bowl full of those dried liver treat bits (aka: "crack" ). We did a warm up with eating treats off the whirring Dremel again. Next, I touched the (still empty) Dremel to a couple nails - just a little touch, like not even a second - so she could feel the vibration on her nail. More treats. Then I put the sanding drum on and did her nails! Lots of praise, lots of treats. I was a little nervous it would get too hot, so I only did a couple of seconds on each nail and kept checking to make sure they were ok. She did greyt! I didn't make a whole lot of progress in the trimming, but I just wanted it to be a positive, not scary experience for her. Just so you know though, I was pretty nervous. Yesterday, DH and I were at our adoption group's meet+greet, and I asked the other owners if they clipped or Dremeled, and pretty much everyone said "Oh NO, I could NEVER Dremel! My dog would be too scared! He/She HATES that noise!" I was pretty discouraged. But I also knew that so far Cheyenne has been ok with the vacuum, drills, other weird noises (except thunder), so I hoped she would be ok with the Dremel. So if you think your dog will be ok with it, give it a try. You can do it! Just go slow. Liver snacks helped us!

Quite right! Thanks, everyone!

I call it Untitled 4: Rhapsody in Ferti-Lome Firepit Hmmmm... Santa Fe is the third biggest art market in the US... think I can convince some rich Texas tourist to buy it?

Sure! Notice how I'm KNOT showing any of the rest of my yard in that photo?