Saturday, in the Park

...I think it was the 4th of July. Okay, it was actually Sunday, and definitely not the 4th of July, but I love that song by Chicago so I just went with it.

Anyway, while we were in Dallas this past weekend to see Dad and my brother, Lucy and Ricky got to have a fun field trip with their cousin Villy to the park.  It's a very secluded park/field and there was no one but us.  They had fun running around footloose and fancy free...

The best picture of all tho is the car ride back to my brothers house.  Now THAT is some kids that just had a great time together! ;)

Deville, Lucy and Ricky ❤️

Walking Dogs

I'm still trying to recap our super fun month in Asheville, but it's taking some time.  Mainly because there's so much to say that I keep losing my focus.  But I'm working on it- because I want to preserve those precious memories for myself, here.

But today, I wanted to give a quick updated report on how Lucy and Ricky are doing now that they're back in boot camp.  I had written a post here about that monkey-like behaviors they expressed while on our trip, and how that was going to change.  We were going back to basics with dog training and we were going to fix this problem we had fallen into.

We've been doing fun, positive focus games- one puppy step at a time.  They're certainly not puppies anymore (although they still seem like it to me!).  They're actually so much easier to work with while we're "training" now that they're more mature.  This probably wouldn't be the case though if they hadn't had a lot of training as young dogs- so my hard work from back then paid off, even if we've lately gotten a little off track. But they focus easily, and they seem very eager to please.

Today, the four of us (Lucy, Ricky, Fermin and me) went for a walk.  First, Fermin and I took just Ricky.  Ricky is the most hyper when we take him out together somewhere.  I figured he needed the practice the most.  It was very low key.  So low key that after we walked about a mile and a half, Fermin asked if I wanted to swing back by the house and get Lucy.  So we did. This would be our first walk with the two of them together since our trip.

Fermin and Ricky continued walking past the house while I ran up and got Lucy.  They walked one direction and Lucy and I walked the other, and then we met up on the next block.  There was no crying, no howling, no pulling.  Just treats, treats and more treats dispensed by the dog walkers!  Our dogs are very food motivated, so they stayed very focused on that.  And once we all got together, everybody was calm.

hypnotized into good behavior by FOOD

After we all walked together for about a mile, Fermin and Ricky went home, and Lucy and I walked another mile or so.  And there was no drama.

I'm not saying they're perfect.  We still haven't had the distraction of seeing other dogs when all four of us are together.  But this is huge progress that the four of us could all walk together this morning, and even go opposite ways and walk on opposite sides of the street, without major drama.

Back to Basics

Anyone who knows me at all, knows how much I love my dogs, Lucy and Ricky.

Ricky Ricardo

Lucy McGilicuddy

When I first got them, I worked really hard to train them good manners and funny little tricks.  For about the first year of their lives raising them to be sweet, well behaved dogs was my job. 

During our extended trip in Asheville this month, every day is a new and big adventure- Lucy and Ricky have gone on walks and hikes in wonderful new places, with all kinds of new scents, they've been staying in a different house, they even got to stay one night in a hotel, they've been to a farm, they've been to a lake, they've been to a few restaurants, and they've met lots of new people and dogs.  And that all sounds exciting and stimulating, right?

And it IS. But too much of a good thing, as we've heard before, is NOT a good thing. All this excitement hasn't brought Lucy and Ricky joy, but instead, anxiety.  Slightly bad habits they've slid into little by little over the past few years have become very apparent this month.

They do okay when it's just a one-on-one situation (as in ME, with ONE of them), but when Fermin and I take one of them, or even worse, when Fermin and I take both of them somewhere, all hell breaks loose and our world becomes an unrehearsed and very chaotic circus act.  Ricky has started doing this yodeling/howling thing when we take him to a spot where he sees other people or animals.  Lucy barks, and also starts nipping at Ricky, I think trying to discipline him.  Oh, it may sound cute, but it is NOT cute.

Last night was the final straw.  We tried taking them on a nice little stroll around the lake nearby our house after dinner.  They were barking, howling and pulling on their leashes so much that we had to skip the lake and instead just walk the streets, away from where other people were.  It was embarrassing because I know enough to realize that NONE of this is their fault.  It's all on me.  I've dropped the ball and something has gone very, very wrong in the dog behavior department around here.

I felt so ashamed, and also so desperate.  When we move here, I want to be able to take them out hiking with the whole family, not just one at a time.  I want them to get to go with us to dog friendly patios.  I want them to get to meet new people and make friends.  But for that to ever happen, I know I need some help.

So, I texted my friend Ashley late last night.  She's a talented dog trainer and I knew she'd have some good tips for me.

Not only did she have good tips, she had a lot of great articles and videos she shared with me.  And she suggested I work with a dog trainer she thought would be great for our specific problems.  I started looking at some of the stuff she sent me today and I feel so excited.  And hopeful.  I know how smart Lucy and Ricky are.  And I know they aim to please.

I've thrown so many knew things at them all at once during this month in Asheville.  I was expecting way too much from them. It wasn't fair.

So here we go.  Back to square one.  Puppy steps for them, baby steps for me.  We'll figure this out.

More moments like THIS, coming soon.

Ricky Ricardo's New Gig

Ricky just returned home after his first gig as a male escort!  How awesome.

A lady down the street from me had had her fence removed earlier in the day- and her husband was out of town.  She mentioned that she knew she'd be a little nervous over night without a man in the house, so I volunteered Ricky for the job.

I knew he'd love to sleep in her bed and snuggle, and if any bad guys even considered trying to sneak around in her fence-less backyard, he'd have something to say about it.

Ricky on the job... in another woman's bed. 

I was told he did a great job.  I'm so proud of him.

The funny thing was, Lucy seemed completely unfazed this morning (and for that matter, last night!) when Ricky was still at his lady friend's house.  I figured she'd be looking for her constant companion wondering why he wasn't there.  But nope!  She seemed very happy to be the only 4 legged friend around!

 It's possible Ricky might get another job tonight... We'll see how far along her fence gets today.  Ricky's a lady's man- He'll be up for the task if called I am sure. My little gigolo...

Field Tripping and Being Social

When Lucy and Ricky were a little younger, I took them on lots of field trips.  Besides going to nearby parks, and White Rock Lake, I'd alternately take one of them to dog friendly places like Home Depot, Half Priced Books, or Pet Supplies Plus.

Little Lucy and Ricky at Starbucks

But because there's only so much time in each day, I've gotten a little lazy, and these days they mainly just get a couple of walks in the neighborhood each day.

But sometimes walks are a little boring.  :(

After taking Ricky with us to Rusty Taco over the weekend, I realized this is absolutely not enough. Ricky seems to have turned into a little monster.  Onlookers that saw (or heard) him as he got out of the car in the Rusty Taco parking lot can attest to this.  He was screaming like a banshee.  I think his pupils may have even dilated he was so overly excited.  I think it was the combination of the smell of tacos along with all the friendly faces.

But it was not cute.

At all.

So we're back to field tripping.

It may not be fun at first.  And it may not be pretty.  But Ricky's got to get over this.

It's funny.  Lucy use to be the one that seemed a little nervous in public.  But I've taken her out a few times the past couple of weeks on errands with me, and she has been a perfect angel.  Unlike Ricky, Lucy seems to be mostly focused on me, and just being a good girl.

Ricky on the other hand, doesn't seem to even know I'm there.  The over-powering scents of food and new people just send him into a frenzy for the first few minutes of being in a new place.

But he'll get over it.  It's my fault, and I know it.  He just needs more experiences of being immersed in crowds of people and taco smells.  Soon enough, he'll remember these other smells are no more enticing than ME!

"Excuse me, do you have a taco?"

Lucy is 3 Today!

Our little girl is 3 today! 

Yay!  Today is Lucy's birthday!

In case it's confusing, Ricky and Lucy are HALF brother and sister.  Same daddy, different mommies.  Ricky was born 4 days before Lucy, so he's the big brother.  So I told him today that it's his job to show her the ropes on what being 3 is all about!

Lucy's willing to share her birthday "DIVA" cookie with Ricky!

I took her to pick out a cookie, a couple of bones, and a new toy for her special day.  She's of course, sharing it all with her BFF, just like he did for her 4 days ago!  Fair is fair.  And love is love.

The 3 years olds... Patiently waiting for the birthday goods!

Lucy's birthday treats...all to be shared with Ricky.

Lucy is the sweetest and prettiest girl in all the land, as I tell her all the time.  I was so proud of her today when we went to the pet store.  She accepted all the attention that was loaded upon her after I told everyone (and I mean everyone!) in the store it was her birthday.  Lucy's a little shy, so sometimes that's hard for her.  But all those people got to see the sweet little Lu that sometimes people miss when she's barking!  I think today she realized more cookies get put into her mouth when it's not too occupied with barking.

After she shared her Diva cookie with Ricky, they went out into the backyard on this beautiful, sunny day to chew on their new bones.  What a perfect birthday!

"I love my birthday"

"I love Lucy's birthday, too!"