30 days and 30 nights...

the post a blog every day in November (NoBloPoMo) will end at midnight tonight. I of course, in fashionable 3dog manner, started late, missed a few days (a funeral, my own deathbed, and a few other life problems getting in the way of my daily blogging). But otherwise, I was quite pleased that I actually completed 28 posts in 30 days.

The highlights of NoBloPoMo were:

Number 10: reading Pappys-blog.blogspot.com every morning ( I counted on Pf's 6:00AM posts)

Number 9: getting to meet other dogs and their bloggers on blogspot.com

Number 8: paying more attention to my 3dogs and their behavior

Number 7: more pictures of 3dogs then taken over the years they have been with me

Number 6: "Christmas comes early" a Pappy's Production

Number 5: forcing me to sit down everyday and think about my day, my dogs, and my life (this was sometimes hard and not exactly what I would want to do, but in retrospect...a really good thing)

Number 4: "Gladiator of the Park" a Pappy's Production

Number 3: Gertie's Cam with no Gertie

Number 2: Tin Tin's Chow for now

and the NUMBER ONE highlight of NoBloPoMo:

November 30th

Ellie fashion...

Ellie has been diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). She is now on a hypo-allergenic diet and anti-inflammatory medication to help her digest her food properly. But because she hasn't been digesting her food probably or absorbing nutrients she has become very thin. I noticed that she was beginning to body shiver during the night. I'd be awaken by her digging and scratching at the bed covers trying to make her way under the blankets. After seeing Pappy in his trekkie fuscia coat (though PF maintains it is red), I got the idea that Ellie could probably benefit from a bit of warm clothing. Voila, her new snazzy hand knit Peruvian sweater. Okay, so it's not as bright as the Papsters, but it certainly does bring out that nice deep chocolate coat of hers.

And we have a winner...

barely. Those skins. Walking out of the stadium one would have thought the skin's win would have put them at 11 - zip instead of 4 - 7.

3dogs stayed home and guarded the house while I joined the p's and sis. Ellie and Andy snuggled on the couch, while Maggie went solo and monopolized the bed in what I call a Maggiecurl --- 85lbs tied in a knot. And unlike yesterday, nothing was destroyed.

Occupying Maggie

Maggie is a big chewer and I'm always trying to figure out what will keep her entertained the longest. I weaned her on the BIG nylabones so she will chew on those, but the interest fades fast. Pig ears go down in a swallow, as do most rawhides. Even a long big pressed rawhide has a lasting power of only about 15 minutes. Not even long enough to run to the store and pick up a few groceries. Today I was going to Thyme Out with a friend to make meals. Quite interesting concept --- home meal assembly. Anway, I had to decide what to do with the Maggot. Usually she is in a crate, but I decided to try something new since I'd be gone for only a couple hours. After cautiously placing a couple baby gates,I contained her in the first floor hallway. 2dog and 3dog had the run of the upstairs, but then they just sleep. Obviously, Maggie hasn't quite mastered that concept. I threw her a marrow bone filled with peanut butter and a nylabone and figured she'd be good for a couple hours.

Nope. A box of dog cookies, a jar of dog cookies, two broken vases and two plastic water bottles busted open. Baby gates...what was I thinking. And to think I almost decided to swing by the Smart before I came home. It was minimal damage, and all I could do was let out a sigh and manage a weak "oh maggie."

Rain, mud and puddles...

3dogs love to play in the cemetery after a good rain, and this morning was no different. After a hearty turkey breakfast we headed over to 18th & Potomac, SE. Ellie was immediately running through every mud puddle and water hole seeking out her ball. Maggie would follow in hot pursuit not realizing she was knee deep in water until it was too late. Only Andy stayed away from the mud and the water, occasionally drawing near to lap up a few sips of water.

Now it always interests me when dog owners scream and yell at their dogs to stay away from the water. Especially labs. Why get a Labrador if you don't want them to enjoy the water. Even if it is a bit muddy. And why take them to a place that has many water logged sink holes? So you can yell at them the entire time you are walking? Inevitably, while my dogs are pouncing around in water, laying in it, drinking it, rolling in it, other dog owners will look at me as if I am nuts. As if to say "how the hell can you let your dogs get so dirty and wet?" Some owners will even ask me why I let them play in it. And it amazes me. Key word dude: PLAY. Now dictionary.com's third definition for play is "exercise or activity for amusement or recreation." That is exactly what they are doing. We could learn a thing or two from our dogs. Water is fun. Mud is even more fun. And getting dirty just feels good. We would all be better off (and probably get along much better) if we played more, especially in mud puddles.

What we're thankful for...

walks in the morning, breakfast, lincoln park,
cocoa bear in New Hampshire, kibbles, balls,
water to romp in, sleeping in the bed,
Kong Liver stuffing,
walking in the rain,
puddles at the cemetery,
Pappy,Dewey Beach, geocaching,
more kibbles, the lean green kiwi machine,
walks in the evening, dinner,
garfield park
did i mention food, congressional cemetery,
playing with my sister,
more food, yummy treats,
the Smart, Marian Park, naps,
pappy's blog, Madison,
sqeaky toys, romping with Pappy,
more balls, chewing my brother,
gnarly nylabones, McDonald's hamburgers,

Obsession

Ellie, or Dog2 as PF likes to call her, has a serious obsession with balls. Looking back three years ago when I picked her up, I remember how the couple went on and on about how the sire was field certified. A beautiful muscular chocolate lab, the husband made the effort to show me how well he retrieved. It should have been my first clue to what one of his offsprings was capable of doing.

Her father would have been proud. Ellie's focus is so intense and directed towards "the ball" that every muscle in her body is tensed and ready to retrieve. She has a five foot vertical and to quote PF "...has this freaky trick where she launches herself five feet in the air, does a full body twist, and catches a tennis ball in her mouth."

Maggie and Maddie

It's true, 3dogs live with a cat. Madison. A sweet little orange tabby. He sort of comes and goes as he pleases, and despite this picture, usually eats from a bowl.

Now all 3dogs, Andy-Ellie-Maggie, love cats. Andy has known a string of cats as has Ellie. And Maggie grew up knowing Madison, the two of them kissing and rubbing up against each other. And I wonder, is it because my cats are very friendly and not afraid of dogs, that any dog I bring into my house gets along with my cats? Even the ferocious German Shepherd mix, Cal, who lives down the street loves my cats. And that dog doesn't like anybody...dog or person.

Tonight we were all hanging out downstairs and Madison's food container was sitting on the kitchen bar. Now we all know that the Maggot is a food hound and will try to kill anything or anybody that gets in the way of her and her persuit to eating.

So there was Maddy up on the counter chowing down on kittie kibbles, and Maggie is sniffing around and I'm thinking "she's gonna jump up on the counter, startle Madison. He'll fly off knocking over the container, food will spew everywhere, and then Ellie, Maggie and Andy will have a free-for-all with cat food. A rumble." How surprised I was when I turned around and saw Maggie and Maddie rubbing heads. No problem here.

Anger Management...

Well, it has finally happen. 3dogcache is suffering from a bit of an internal struggle, a civil war so to speak. The players include Maggie, the 9 1/2 month old Boerboel, weighing in at 83lbs. And the AndDog, a 5 year old border collie / rat terrier, weighing in at 25 lbs. The "land in question" includes the bed, the lean green kiwi machine (the car), and anything that might smell, taste or otherwise be seen as food. Ellie, a 55lb chocolate lab, and I (weight not to be disclosed) are passive bystanders. Hmm, well not exactly. While Ellie beelines away from the flying fur and gnashing teeth, I get sucked into the mix.

There have only been two such incidences, but the AndDog and I have ended up bruised and/or bloody. The first occurred a week ago over some uneaten dropped kibbles. We had come back from a long walk and were hanging in the bedroom. I had taken their collars and leashes off and everyone was drinking water in a civilized manner. Maggie started sniffing around the dresser and Andy came over to investigate when the war broke out. Ellie immediately backs into the corner to watch, probably hoping she can stake out some kibbles for herself while those two go at it. I, on the hand, can not grab hold of either Maggie or Andy since they are grappling on a slick wood floor and neither have a collar on (a mistake I will never make again --- see house rule #1). So I pounce on top of Maggie (yes, a full body slam). This temporarily prohibits her from gnawing on Andy. But it is Andy who is in full scrapper mode and continues to just go at it on Maggie's head. This, of course, irritates the heck out of Maggie who begins to struggle to get on her feet so she can rip his little neck. After about three rounds of body slam, flying squirrel, neck shreds, I finally get a grip on Andy and manage to get him out the bedroom door.

Breathless and a little bit shaken I tether Maggie to the bed and begin to investigate the damage. (Ellie is now in full blown scavenger mode eating up the last of the spilled breakfast kibbles). Maggie seems not to have any damage from what I can assess visually on the surface. I have a tooth gash above my left knee (see house rule #2). And Andy, well the AndDog has a gash in one of his right front foot pads and wet spots from where Mags has tried to swallow him. I clean and bandage us both and think about how I should proceed.

That evening, I kept Maggie in her crate while Andy maintained his bed sleeping ritual. Next morning, one would never have known a fight ensued. Andy was prancing around, tail wagging licking Maggie's face and Maggie was playing with him. Hmm, I thought to myself, perhaps this is a single incident never to happen again. Yeah, right.

One week later, I'm sick in bed. It's around 9:00pm. Everyone is sleeping on the bed --- Ellie in the right hand bottom, Mags in the middle and Andy on the right hand top. I'm there too, managing to stake out and claim as my own the left side of the bed. I'm watching tv and start to feel the beginnings of sleep. As I hunker down into the blankets, I mistakenly disturb the princess. As she is looking around, I can see in her eyes the onset of an attack --- as if to say "grrr, I don't want you there" --- okay, perhaps a side of anthropomorphism, but that is what I saw. Before I could leap, Andrew leaped head first on to her (okay, yes, she growled and went near him...but Mr. scrapper just doesn't get it...doesn't take the cues, he will fight till the end). I grabbed her by the collar and pulled her off the bed --- Andy still going at her. But this time I was able to lift his little body off of her and separate them within moments. But not until the damage had been done.

A puncture wound in his leg and and a few scrapes around the shoulder blade. After I finished my coughing fit, Mags got tethered. Andy got bandaged. And I. Well I downed another cup of TheraFlu.

There hasn't been another civil uprising since then. I have contained the environment so that neither Andy nor Maggie have the opportunity to fight. Food and dishes are always put away immediately after eating --- Maggie eats alone. Sometimes Andy sleeps in the bed, other times Maggie does. In the car, Andy gets the front seat, while the Maggot gets tethered. This seems to have worked wonders, and is what I promote and teach "...dogs don't define behavior as good or bad, acceptable or unacceptable. It is up to the owner to create and environment that promotes acceptable behavior."

But I wonder, am I doing everything I can? I wrote down how I saw the situation:

1. Maggie is possessive of the bed, the car, and food.
2. Maggie will growl if Ellie or Andy gets in her way of these three things
3. If Ellie is the intruder, Maggie growls and draws near her and Ellie retreats. No fighting occurs.
4. If Andy is the intruder, Maggie growls and draws near him and Andy attacks. Major fighting occurs.

And then I asked my friends and fellow dog owners what they thought. Bad mistake. Most think Maggie should be reprimanded and punished. That poor little Andy is being abused. I reminded them that it is Andy who is likely to get in a fight at a dog park, usually with some monstrous beast. Whereas Maggie plays, like most puppies her age, with all types of dogs. Even at 80 some odd pounds, her playfulness and clumsiness reveal her youth.

I did a little research on dog aggression. Many sites maintain my philosophy of controlling the environment. But I need to do more. I know it's a mix of alpha(dominance) vs possessiveness vs food aggression vs fear. For now, I will continue to do as I am to maintain the peace.
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House rule #1: Every 4 legged mammal must at all times be seen with a collar around his/her neck.

House rule #2: Never try to dismantle two angry dogs with physical being --- high power water gun should be at the fingertips at all times.

Sad, sad news...

I only new him a short time, actually only one visit...but an impressionable visit, but Crusher, the opening star of "Gladiators of the Park," died this past week. It was a, hmm, no pun intended...crusher. He will be missed.