Doggies begin to Cocoon!

It's getting very chilly in the Northeast and the puppies definitely know how to stay warm.

Bruno and Winnie have been cuddling on the couch and snuggling in bed whenever they can.

This time of year, Bruno even stays asleep long after we get ready for work, huddled under blankets.

When I finally lift them up to move him to his crate for the day, he is so hot and sleepy that his eyes barely open!

 I wish I could cocoon like them all day!

Haloween is here (almost)

What will your pooch be for Halloween?
While Bruno is terrified of the holiday- due to the amount of little children (the scariest things on earth!) and the multitude of scare-crows and lawn-ornaments, we still think he doesn't mind playing dress up once in a while....

This is our first Halloween with him (we will have him a whole year on November 9th!) and he will be a Horse with a Jockey on his back! Its a great costume I picked up at Target for only $10. Winnie will be a Lobster again!

Some recent PitterPatter Faves

....Including more of our submissions!

 

adora-bull

 

(Bruno eating Dairy Queen at night)

 

So cute- our doggies hate baths too

This little cutie was adopted this summer from RBARI

Bruno the driver

 

Bruno waits patiently for his Dad to come out of the store...

This past weekend he went to the dog park for the first time with his Grandma! Apparently, he barked at strangers, but everything went well! We will have to try this again sometime.

Doggies at Play: Body Language

Winnie is recovering so well! It is almost like she never had surgery at all- her hair is growing back over her frankenstein scar and she is romping and rolling with Bruno all over the house. I don't know how it is possible for her to feel so little irritation or pain, but I chalk it up to the amazing work of Dr. Petraro at Twin Rivers and also to Winnie's fierce pain-tolerance.

She and Bruno can play forever- they get so tuckered out chasing each other around the house and gnawing at each others faces and legs. (Do your dogs do this too, or do they just sweetly cuddle together?) We figure they are pretty well suited for each other but every once in a while someone carries it a little too far and the other comes hiding behind my legs.

Bruno taking his turn making the first move...

My favorite part of watching them play is the elaborate little dances they do- and the funny little water breaks they take. All of a sudden, play will stop- they will go take a drink- catch their breath, and then one will do a play bow and it starts all over again!

Did you know that 20 minutes of dog play is about as much excersize as an hour long walk!? So glad to know our doggies are getting the stimulation they need even when Chip and I are busy. If you are interested in learning more about dog body language to see how fairly your dogs are playing, check out this video:

Bruno's destruction...

So we have been trying to limit the amount of time Bruno spends in the crate by trying him out in different rooms in our new apartment. Winnie of course can be left anywhere because she does no harm to any of our belongings or the carpet, but as you may remember- whenever he is unsupervised (AND ONLY when he is unsupervised) he will reak havok by eating everything in sight and going to the bathroom all over the house.

We tried successfully for a while keeping him in the kitchen. It was small enough that she didn't want to be confined there with whatever mess he could make, and easily cleanable if an accident occured. However, within a few weeks he figured out how to somehow leap over the gates without toppeling them over- I'm imagining some sort of dear like elegant bound...

Next we tried leaving him in the Office- a room with a door. Here's what happened the very first day:

Bruno's destruction....

Look at that guilty face!! He must be super anxious when we leave.
So for now he is in the crate all day- which I'm sure he doesn't enjoy but we are not sure what to try next.
Any ideas?

Animal Farm Foundation Slideshow

PETsMART offered a phone/web based training on Pit Bull Adoption Basics/Training hosted by Kim Wolf of the Animal Farm Foundation.

These are some of the interesting slides shared with the participants.... These are a great resource if you are trying to explain pit bulls to your friends and family.

Kim said...Only 2-10% of a dog's DNA determines his DNA, and yet we are using that very small amount as a predictor of behavior, which is arbirtary and incorrect.

Don't imply more than you know or use terms incorrectly. Example, for a dog to be a bait dog- there has to be an aggressor dog, which is not a good image to conjure in adopters minds about pit bulls. Also, terriers tend to be "tenacious", but "pit bulls type dogs" can be lazy.

Don't imply more than you know- just because a dog barks at all brown dogs, doesn't mean it cannot be in a home with a brown dog. Fact: It is better to transfer ownership and get the dog back through legal channels if something goes wrong, rather than loaning the dog first- which opens you up to liability as a shelter or organization.

Having a separate area or policy for pit bull dogs sets the potential adopters up to think that pit bulls are different. You as the advocate should not create unnecessary fear. We should not assume anything about a dog's behavior from its arbitrary label.

There can be an unlikely match where you least expect it! Take time to get to know the potential homes.

Animal Farm Foundation does not give people a list of what may go wrong because they feel that they cannot list a comprehensive list of "what ifs".  People with children between 5-17 acquire 75% of dogs at any given time, so age-restrictions automatically restrict the adopter pool to 25%.

Advice from AFF to Shelters/Rescue Groups:

1) Place them next to a variety of dogs, don't segregate.
2) Put a friendly pit bull in your lobby as a greeter with a bandana!
3) Teach the dogs parlour tricks (pray, handshake, roll over, blow kisses)
4) Use enrichment toys to keep pits quieter and busier- they will present better to adopters
5) Think of your adopter as a customer-make the environment calm, cool and peaceful
6) Use playgroups to burn energy, learn more about the dog's personality, and engage volunteers
7) Have Rescue Brunches - invite local rescue groups and foster homes to watch play groups to pick dogs based on observation.
8) Some dogs do best with a job (agilty, disc, obedience, police, search and rescue, assistance, therapy)
9) Happiness Sells, Sadness repells. (Adoptions increase when you focus on the human/canine bond.)
10) Take pictures with other dogs or people, create a scene or tell a story, take pictures in front of landmarks or in costumes, even a hand or foot of a person in a picture increases the dog's chances of getting adopted. Take videos!
11) Use adopt me vests
12) Use business Cards
13) Don't forget the bling! (Cute tags, collars, bandanas!)
14) Don't forget the Elder dogs, they can be great additions to homes for years to come
15) Promote your staff that live with pit bulls to show you believe what you are selling
16) Promote your shelter as an "adoption option" rather than individual dogs.