Last activity: 23 days ago
Status: Happy Happy Happy
status/mood updated 30 days ago
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/naturebydawn
Member since: 20 Aug 2007, Viewed: 1004 times
My Blog
Need Tips for Handling Big Hyper Puppy
Maya is almost a year old now and is absolutely a great companion. Overall, she is doing very well. She is potty trained, crate trained, and does most of the basic obedience on command. But when she is out in public, she is like Mrs. Hyde. She jumps on people and tugs on her leash. She knows how to heel but she is so excited that I have a very difficult time controlling her. I have received a few tips, including using the gentle lead, but nothing has worked so far. I would be gratful for any additional tips which may help.
I know she will eventually grow out of it, but I sure could use some advise in handling her now.
Thanks!
Maya's Mom
Another FUN Day at the Park
Maya says, "Now that the weather is getting nicer, Mom takes us on longer walks that are a lot more fun. We went for a great walk today. Today we went to Corporate Woods which is a huge business complex that also has some nice wooded trails that are miles long and has lots of little parks to play and picnic at. We walked a long way before we exited the Woods to a business complex where Mom had an iced latte from Starbucks and we had doggie biscuits and cool fresh water. Then we went back into the Woods to a fountain where I got to play in the water. It wasn't a fountain where I got to swim. But I got to play with the shoots of water coming out. It was great fun. Sephi would try to pick on me from time to time but all I had to do to get away from her was go to under the sprinkles of water. Sephi doesn't like water as much as me. I don't know why, I guess she's just wierd that way. She just doesn't know what she's missing."
Happy Birthday, Sephi!
From Sephi's Mom: "I didn't forget Sephi's birthday on April 1st, I just forgot to post it on My Dog Space!"
Sephi Says: "I just turned 7 and I am doing great! I have very few gray hairs (a little bit on my mugg) and that's it so I don't look older. I still have a lot of energy and love to play. I'm in excellent health, too. The vet even commented to my mom about what great teeth I have for an older dog. My calm demeanor and good manners are the only real things that hint to my mature age.
Mom gave me some special treats for my birthday. They were probably good but I didn't really taste them since I scoffed them down within seconds. I got a new rope toy, too, but Maya seems to play with it more than me. All-in-all, being almost 50 in dog years is not too bad."
Day at the Park
Maya's Mom says, "Maya went to the off-leash dog park for the first time this weekend. We had a lot of fun. The first thing Maya did, however, was knock over a 2 year old. Maya has not learned not to jump on strangers. She doesn't jump on me, but she jumps on anyone else every chance she gets. And Maya, not realizing how big she is getting, practically tackled the 2 year old. The 2 year old was not hurt and didn't even cry. But I kept a very close guard on Maya for the rest of the afternoon.
"Maya did not stray far from me which is not what I expected. I expected her to take off in a run. She ran, but she never went far from me and almost always came when I called. Good girl, Maya!!
"The best fun we had at the dog park was when Maya went swimming for the first time. Not realizing how deap the water was, Maya ran right in and immediately went under. For a brief second, I thought I was going to have to dive in after her. But she came back up. She was a bit more cautious the next time she went in the water, but by the end of the afternoon she had gotten a hang of the whole swimming thing. She even fetched toys and sticks from the water! Sephi is not a water dog so I am glad that I had at least one dog who did not smell like wet-dog on the ride home, but I am also glad that I have one dog who really loves to play in the water."
Maya says, "Mommy took me in the car again on a long car ride. I don't care for riding in the car like Sephi does but this time the trip was worth while. We went to this big park where Mommy let me run around without a leash. There were lots of other people and other dogs there and I made an effort to greet every single one of them! And everyone seemed as glad to meet me as I was to meet them. Mom is right, I must be one very cute puppy.
"I also went swimming for the first time while at the park. There was a scary moment when I went completely underwater, but I quickly learned to keep my head above water. It was so much fun. I can't wait until Mommy takes me to this park again. Maybe it will even help me learn to love riding in the car."
I'm 6 months old now!
Maya, the yellow lab, says, "I just turned 6 months old the end of February. Mommy says I am growing up to be a great dog. I can already sit, stay, shake, lay down, and heel. I'm still working on laying down and heeling but mom says I am doing very well for a hyper puppy. I am 100% kennel trained and 95% potty trained. Mommy is very proud of me.
"I am also getting very big. I weigh 45 pounds and I am as tall as Sephi. Just 10 more pounds and I will weigh as much as Sephi too. Sephi and I are getting along great, although I think Sephi sees me as the pesky little sister. But she still loves me."
Mommy says, "Happy half-birthday, Maya!!!"
Follow-up Vet Visit
Maya's mom says, "Maya went for her follow-up visit to the vet yesterday. A few weeks ago she had been diagnosed with giardia. After about two weeks of medication, all traces of the giardia are gone! Maya has been cured!! Now I feel safe letting her sleep on the bed again."
Maya says, "I don't know why mom takes me to this place she calls a vet. It seems really fun there at first because all these strange people tell me how cute I am and give me lots of cookies. I also get to meet other dogs and sometimes even get to play with them. But then these people that mom calls doctors put me on a cold metal table and start poking and proding me. Mom tells me everything is okay and I believe her, but I still don't like it. Anyway, I do feel better now than I did a few weeks ago. I think those pills that mommy had to force me to eat helped. Hopefully, I won't have to go back to the vet anytime soon!"
Sephi is a GOOD DOG!
I have been meaning to tell you all about the great and wonderful thing that Sephi did last month. Sorry this is late in coming but time got away from me.
I was not feeling well one afternoon and was in the bedroom taking a nap. Suddenly, Sephi started growling. I live in an apartment and Sephi growls from time to time when strangers are near our door. Generally, the starnger is visiting one of my neighbors so I ignored her. But then I heard my door open and I heard a man's voice!!! I must have left my door unlocked!! Thank goodness for Sephi. She went nuts and started barking like crazy. The man left fairy quickly because by the time I got up to investigate, there was no one in site.
Thank you so much Sephi!!!!
I have been People Tagged!
I am Sephi and Maya's mom. Here are seven interesting or funny things about me.
1. I am a nature and wildlife artist. I also draw pets! I have a website with the same name as my dogspace name.
2. I am a writer. I have written a fantasy trilogy. But it is not yet published. Should be published this year.
3. I love the Renaissance Festival and plan on being a participant this year.
4. I work for an insurance company.
5. I used to live in Oregon, then Texas, and now I live in Kansas.
6. My best vacation was when me and my dog, Smokey, went to the Grand Canyon.
7. My best pet was a sheltie named Cassie. I got her when I was 10 years old and lost her to doggie heaven when I was 23 years old. She was the smartest and best dog!
I have people tagged the following:
Ponyboy and Ampersand's people
Ebony's people
Parker's people
Bella Luna's people
Gracie Mae and Princess's people
Another Vet Visit
Maya went to the vet last week because she had diarrhea. She had no other symptoms other than the softer stool. She was just as playful, she wasn't dehydrated, and her appetite was the same. So the vet recommended i/d prescription diet for three days for all meals. It helped and Maya's condition improved. However, the diarrhea was back on the fifth day. So, I took her to the vet again. They tested her for Giardia. Sure enough, Maya tested positive. What's funny, is Maya just had her shots for this a month or so ago. The vet said that the shots for Giardia are not 100% effective but the shots certainly helped keep Maya's symptoms from being worse. And since Maya had her shots for this, the test, the prescription medicine, and the vet visit was 100% free!
Giardia is an intestinal parasite that can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, depression, weight loss, and decreased appetite. Both people and pets can get this parasite. They can get it from contaminated water or food. Dogs should not be allowed to drink water from a puddle and Maya tries to drink from puddles all the time. Pets can even get Giardia by licking their paws after walking in contaminated areas. I think Maya may have gotten it while she was still in th animal shelter because Sephi did not get it.
But all is well. Maya's symptoms are not that bad and I think it will just be a few days and she will be 100% better.
Vet Visit
Maya had been to the vet before to get her first set of shots but mid-December was the first time I had to take her to the vet. Don't worry, it was just a routine visit for her second set of puppy shots. I had Maya weighed when I first got her when we went to visit PetsMart. That was at the end of November and she weighed 17 pounds. However, on her vet visit, she was weighed again and had already gained 8 pounds! It has been over a week since that visit and I have no doubt that she has probably gained a couple more pounds. My baby girl is growing so fast! :)
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