Kodi-Instigated Tropic Cascade

Well, there is a rumored bunny boom in our part of Arlington this season.  I've suspected as much, based on increased sightings, and a 200% reduction in known bunny homicides in my own backyard vs. 2009.

Community voices are attributing this tropic cascade to a decrease in the fox population  Fewer foxes, means more living bunnies.  These voices are basing this assumption off of an increase of fox road kill... i am sure a function of better vehicular performance that makes cars accelerate faster than a speeding fox.

I think they are wrong.

The bunny population has BRIAN AND I to thank for their growth and flourish in 2011. After a bloody--- and I do mean bloody 2009, we strategized to avoid a repeat in 2010.  In 2009 we witnessed the killing and consumption of two baby rabbits, and a severe spinal injury to the matriarch of the family- mama rabbit.  In my mind, she hopped off topsy turvy and recovered without so much as an ounce of PTSD.... but reality that is not.

The perpetrator.... our Kodi.

Nine point five pounds of critter killing instinct unleashed and uncontained.  The bunnies never stood a chance.  Or the birds... even in flight.... but that's a different post.

We took both offensive and defensive measures in 2010 to barrier the critters from Kodi, closing up holes in the fence, securing gates, and following the terrier tail around filling in any tunnels she would excavate with her teeny tiny-- yet uber-efficient paws that could dig a hole faster than I could with a shovel.

In 2011, with the observation of brazen bunnies chillaxin' on our front lawn like it was Club Med, we upped their level of protection again... this time physically restraining Kodi from getting more than a whiff of their aroma.  Using baby gates, harnesses, and a three-part pre-exit bunny warning system before exiting the front door is now standard procedure for leaving our home.

I conclude that we have been successful... but of course, on the other side of that tropic cascade is that more bunnies create the need for more aggressive Kodi restraint strategies for 2012 (joy), and, more intruders to Mr. McGregor's garden!

Article about Bunny Boom:

http://www.arlnow.com/2011/07/20/bunny-boom-in-arlington/

More on Dogs Training Teddy

Follow up to previous post...

I am now seeing that Bruschi and Kodi barking like crazy at the window signals one of three things to Teddy:

-  Friends are coming over
-  Grandpa is coming over
-  Bunny rabbit is playing in the front yard.

All probable scenarios.  I'm studying Teddy's bark interpretation more closely now, to see if he distinguishes between type of barks.  Is there a different bark for friends vs. family, vs. dinner???

Mutual interests: Bunny Rabbit!

Teddy's new favorite animal to spot:  The bunny who frolics in our front yard.  If you follow my facebook posts-- yes, that is the same bunny who drives our dogs WILD in anticipation of fresh meat for dinner.



The other night, the bunny was hanging out on our lawn... as if it were intentionally taunting my terrier, who earlier had 6 teeth removed and was in NO shape to even bark at it, let alone catch it with her jaws.  The bunny's odds of survival have greatly improved for the time being!

We pull up in the car, teddy spots the bunny, and immediately starts saying in a voice as sweet and cute as the bunny itself "Bunny Rabbit,  Bunny Rabbit"   I carefully helped him out of the car so as to not disturb the rabbit, and Teddy got a closer look.

"Bunny Rabbit, Bunny Rabbit"  he kept saying, with a smile.

(More after the jump)

How's this for a "Stay with Temptation?!"

Last night-- our deck... four dogs and Teddy eating watermelon.  How cool?!?!  And, in Bruschi's case... HOW RARE!!!

Visiting pups are Maya and Sully, friends of ours.

All dogs maintained their composure to the end... when Teddy made the slightest suggestion of offering the remains to Bruschi.... who didn't give him a second to reconsider!

Dogs training Teddy

In training dogs, we put lots of desired behaviors on cue-- sit, down, stay, come, wait, in Bruschi's case "go long" (he runs far in anticipation of a ball coming his way, like a football player).

Well-- i suspect the dogs MAY be conditioning Teddy, with one of their behaviors indicating to Teddy "my buddies are here!"  I just realized the sequence this morning and am fascinated.  

Dogs jumped to attention at something outside as they do when someone is approaching, and Teddy, next to them, gets excited and says "Max here.  Max.  Max Mama."  He seems to think his friend Max is coming over.

I say "no, Max isn't here."  He says "Ganpa (Grandpa) here?" I also say no, and he looks very confused... then moves on to take all the diapers out of the closet and play with them (he has plenty of toys, btw).  

Happening once does not mean its a cue (for dogs or for humans), and I'm wracking my brain to remember if Teddy's previous Max requests were subsequent of window barking.  

Stay tuned....

Toddler encounters of the dog kind-- meeting and greeting on the street

By way of previous blog posts, you know that teaching Teddy how to appropriately approach and greet dogs is super important to me.  This is a life skill on par with crossing the street.   It's in both Teddy and the unknowing dog's best interest that the two-foot does not run up and startle the quadruped....ever.    

What's the proper approach?

I intend for my son to come to a complete stop before he is within petting range of the dog... And further back if possible.  Advancing forward is possible only with permission and in a calm and relaxed approach.  

My first step in conditioning Teddy to this... getting the kid to stop.  When asking isn't enough... I tackle (kidding... kind of).  

What's next?  Well, we had the perfect illustration of that on Friday night... en route to a dinner with dog trainers no less!    

Teddy is naturally very curious about the dogs that he sees (he is my son, after all), and getting him to stop is one thing, but diverting his attention and with it the forward lunging is another all together.  It is imperative for me to satisfy his curiosity, and, unhinge his desire to reach out and touch...therefore conditioning him to do what my mom always told us to do in my grandmother's house... "look with no hands!"

That's a challenge-- especially when the dog shows interest.

More after the jump

Dear Granny...

Dear Granny,

"Only 3 cookies escaped..."

Earlier this evening, when we were home alone, we used our super-powers to get our cookies that you made us off the counter all by ourselves.  No help needed!  They were pretty far back on the counter, so it took a lot of effort.  It was kind of like our mom and dad DIDN'T WANT us to have them.

We kinda ate them all-- well, all except for 3.  And now we are kinda in trouble.  And we need your help to get out of trouble.

(More)

Nine pounds of critter-hunting instinct is hard to handle!

Setting:  Learch house, 11:30ish PM.  Brian has just come home from a night out with friends.  Baby is asleep.  Dogs are slumbering on the couch.  Only noise in the house is the East Dillon Lions cheering on their football team on TV (DVRed from earlier that evening).

Terrier button ears snap to attention:  brraaahhh-arf--arf--arf!
Puggle snout emerges from under blanket:  ruuuufff.  Ruuufff RUFFFFF

Both charge to window, ears pointed, bodies erect, barking at decibels that hearing impaired individuals could easily notice... and, with that, sound levels that could easily awake sleeping baby.

There's no calling them off.  No treat competes with mystery beast outside.  And they are relentless.

Colleen:  Brian, something is outside.
Brian:  Nothing is outside.

Kodi issues unmistakable battle cry (not a bark-- a battle cry.  If only I had gotten it on video).

Colleen:  Really, Bruschi isn't even interested in food he is so focused on the front yard... really?
Brian:  Col, look- there is nothing out there.
Colleen:  I think you should go out and see.
Brian:  What?
Colleen:  (now holding 9 pounds of flailing Rat Terrier who just wants blood and is all but clawing out of arms).  Take the flashlight and go outside.


(More)

Proposed New Park (or life) Rules

Teddy and Bruschi at dog park

This week, my facebook friends have been talkative on various rules and regulations for children and dogs sharing the same space-- including my non-dog enthusiast friends (who I love all the same).  There was conversation of where household dogs should be during kids parties, a super cute video of a dog and child sharing a water fountain, and, the hottest topic...a potential ban on children under 8 being in a neighborhood dog park.  Yowza on that last one, right??

A dog park in our area is considering prohibiting young children from one specific park as a proactive measure, based upon observations of some tense moments, that could have ended badly.  For an area as dog and baby friendly as Arlington, VA-- you have to imagine just what a tough decision this is from all angles.  

After I got over my selfish first reaction "well THATS going to change our Sunday morning dog park outings" (some go to church, we go to the dog park), I started to think just how complicated, and sad this is-- when it shouldn't have to be.  

The fact is, that someone does need to be the the dogs' lawyer.  Children can stress a dog out- easy- and children in motion-- like at a park... all the more so.  And dogs deserve a place to run free of tiny fingers trying to poke their eyes or pull their tails.  Worse, though-- is that all too often children and their parents do not respect the needs and sensitivities of a dog.  Look- we would all fear a child running up to us head on at full speed wielding a stick in his or her hand trying to pet us.  So why can't a dog fear the same thing?  

What makes me really sad- is that no ban on children in a dog park is going to help the larger problem of promoting proper interaction with dogs in public places. I'm glad that dogs will have less sources of stress in a park... and that no dog will take the fall for a menacing child, but what I really want to see is the County's Department of Common Sense and Community Responsibility* adopt the following three simple rules for parks... or, life... whichever you choose:

1.  All children will first obtain permission before petting a stranger's dog.  Simple.  If child can ask to go to park, they can ask permission to pet my pup.  

2. All dog owners reserve the right to ask a child to step away from their dog, at any time, for any reason, or for no reason at all.  Its that person's dog, that person's responsibility.  We know when they are about to get stressed.  

3.  No object, other than a hand (and that hand only with permission, see rule 1) shall ever touch a dog.  That means we do not whack a dog with a toy shovel, or hit a dog with a ball.  Seriously, latter happened earlier this evening to Kodi.


*Currently, there is no actual Department of Common Sense and Community Responsibility, but as i understand, Leslie Knope is rumored to be on the exploratory committee for its creation.

** In the interest of full disclosure, my child stresses out one of my dogs periodically- kid's not perfect.  We're workin' on it.

  

True Story

Its 7:00 AM at my Parent's house where we are spending a few days.  The Toddler gets Kodi's leash off the doorknob, brings it to Kodi and attempts to hook her up.  Almost succeeds, except that his dexterity does not allow him to work the latch on the leash hook.  I assist.  Toddler gets the other leash, and does the same to Bruschi.

Toddler then proceeds to walk the dogs around the house (a circular-design, which has provided ENDLESS amounts of chasing of all 3).   Bruschi, completely in-character, jumps up on the table to rescue any scraps of breakfast left.  Toddler shouts "DOWN."  Keeps on walking.

(I captured a very blurry cell phone photo- blurry b/c the threesome moved so darned fast!)

Things heard... lets face it... regularly at my house

1.   (To Baby) That's the doggie's toothbrush, use your own.
2.   (To Puggle and Baby)  OUT of the dishwasher.  Now.  Both of you.  Out Out Out!!!!
3.   (To Baby about Terrier)  Leave Kodi alone when she is doing her "special dance" with the pillow.  And, yes, that means leave the pillow alone, too.  (will leave that to your own imagination)
4.   (To Puggle)  WAIT till he drops the food.  DO NOT take it out of his hands.
5.   (To Baby)  That is not a pool.  That is their water bowl.  Take your toy out of it.
6.   (To Puggle) IF you wake the baby up, YOU are going to have to watch him.
7.   (To Baby)   Bruschi can't read.  He doesn't know what to do with your Elmo book.
8.   (To All)   Off. Off. Off the couch.  All of you.  Mama wants to sit down.
9.   (To Baby)   Those are the doggie treats.  You don't eat their treats, they don't eat your.... what the hell, go ahead...
10. (To Terrier)  Not your stroller.  You have to walk.

FUN Stuff!

Ya just gotta watch this!!

Teddy punks Bruschi out of a treat (its cheerios, so save for humans and dogs) caught on camera.

www.youtube.com/colleenlearch

Two-Way Street: Teaching Teddy Appropriate Behavior Around Dogs

Now that Teddy is a skilled mobilist (mobilist: (n) one possessing ability to get anywhere, get into anything, and obtain everything within 3 feet of the floor, with speed), with a zeal for four footed friends, it is essential for us to teach him proper interaction with dogs.

My previous post pertained to me teaching Teddy to pet the dogs, but proper interaction involves so much more than that-- and, quite importantly, it involves teaching Teddy that it is NOT OK to run up to any dog, unfamiliar or familiar, and pet, grab, lick, poke, or pull its tail.  

More after the jump...

(photo: with the dogs at the park)

Training Teddy to Pet Bruschi and Kodi

There is always so much attention focused on preparing dogs for baby-- and I agree-- so totally important, but also important is grooming (no pun intended) baby for proper interaction with dogs, setting boundaries and letting the two-footed munchkin know how to and not to interact with dog.

I'm no physical therapist, but its common knowledge (and sense) that Toddlers lack the refined motor skills and dexterity required to pet a dog properly.  Tiny humans are not born with that functionality.  Their gross motor skills dictate that they interact with dogs... and other things... in a mannerism that looks like hitting.  And, lets face it... it is.  Dogs do not come pre-programmed to accept that kind of interaction willingly.  In fact, it scares the bejezus out of them!  A baby's motions are to a dog what King Kong's were to the people of sci-fi New York.  In a word-- FRIGHTENING!    

Therefore, while de-sensitizing my dogs to a baby's hitting motions, I also work on Teddy's own motor coordination, teaching him how to gently pet the dogs by stroking their fur, front to back, slowly and softly.  We've been quite successful at it, and we see Teddy go up to Bruschi, on his own, and appropriately pet the dog.  We still continue the exercise, even though Teddy has shown the behavior, because I feel it is important to continually affirm as he grows and develops his muscles.

More after the jump...