Today's Cloud

Mom flew back home today. I know I've been bitching about having her here, but it's still sad when she leaves. She complains about everything, all the time. Especially Monster. But with her it's not about how he's a horrible dog and why would I keep such an aggressive animal - it's about how he's a dog, and why would anyone have any animal. It may sound weird, but it's kind of refreshing to listen to someone who just sees "dog" when she looks at Monster as opposed to seeing "monster".

Mom doesn't hate dogs, she'll bond with the individuals (even including Monster) but she just cannot for the life of her understand why anyone would want the responsibility of having a dog. Dad's the one bringing dogs home (he hunts), and Mom's the one who spends twelve years caring for them. I suppose it' makes her feel like they're a chore and she thinks the rest of us, who aren't living with Dad, should use our freedom to not have dogs. So she'll sit there scratching Monster's neck, while having a serious talk with me about how once Monster's dead (insert every superstitious ritual to ward off evil, jinx, bad luck, etc, here), I'll be free to never have another dog again...

Don't worry! I'm gonna live forever.

Hmmm... I may have talked myself out of missing her.

Today's Sunshine

There's some construction going on on the big road outside the village. I took Monster over there today and asked the guys working if it was OK if Monster and I spent some time hanging out nearby to work on him being comfortable and relaxed in a difficult environment. They were very friendly, and even wanted to pet Monster.

We spent a little less than an hour there today, standing by the side of the road, walking back and forth, and practicing eye contact. There were a lot of sounds and sights, big machines, big guys in weird clothes, noisy radios and the like. And Monster handled it like a champ! It was great! He was a bit excited at first, but after a few minutes he didn't even mind when I was talking with one of the guys, shouting to be heard over the noise. He'd sit, lie down, roll over, dig a little, sniff the wind, watch the cars and chew on sticks when not specifically asked to do something. Sure it might be better if he'd just lie down and go to sleep, but that's a bit much to ask right now. I thought it was great.

That's cause I am great. Bow down to my awesomeness!

Today's Cloud

Mom keeps cleaning the house. I can't find anything. She's moved Monster's food bowls, and I don't know where she's put his leashes. I'm pretty sure she's thrown the pick up bags away... The clickers are God knows where. My patience may be there with them.

Monster's very happy though.

GrandMom's fun! She puts everything where I can reach it, plus her clothes are made of fur! She's the best!

Today's Sunshine

Monster and I just came back home from a nice walk with a neighbor's dog. Sure, it was a bit stressful, with quite a bit of leash pulling and jumping at sticks, but it was manageable. And for once, it really seemed like Monster became calmer with time, as opposed to building more and more stress. Once home, he had a bite to eat and went to bed. After a stressful experience, he'll rush around the house picking up toys, checking all the windows, and trying desperately to engage me in something (preferably play, but he'll happily take anything he can get including a telling off). But no sign of this behavior tonight.

I just want you to take my mind off it, is that so wrong???

We even BATted against another dog we happened to meet in the dark (maybe 100 feet away). Our guest dog of course has no BAT experience, but Monster still handled it wonderfully. Great walk!

Neapolitan Goes The Same Way

The miracle of dogs failing the vet check at Crufts continues, and (to no one's surprise?) the Neapolitan Mastiff didn't pass. Neither did the Mastiff.

Poor dogs (not for failing in a competition, but for being unhealthy). And none of this will help the individuals. But I really do hope that it will help future generations. In a while. When the outrage, ear stopping and pitchfork wielding among (some of) the breeders dies down...

We'll see, I suppose.

Today's Cloud

Monster hasn't been very willing to work today. Pretty much whatever I try to work on, old or new, he stresses out and starts to lick everything manically, or he shuts down. Not sure what's going on, but I'm thinking I'll just let him rest for today. I think I'll even go so far as to postpone our evening walk to The Hour Of Skulk, that magical time late at night when only the owners of reactive dogs are out and about. Quietly sneaking around corners, desperate to avoid any and all triggers...

I have been an absent member of this club for quite some time now, but judging by Monster today I'll dust off the membership card. Poor Monster. Dobie was incredibly calm today - by Dobie standards - and I may have misjudged how difficult it still was for Monster to have him here.

Today's Sunshine

So. This has nothing to do with Monster, or even with me. But I think it's wonderful, and I make (and break) the blog rules, so there.

Crufts shows some sanity!
And then does it again!

While it's tragic these dogs are so unhealthy, it's an amazing development that they won't be rewarded for it anymore. There is sure to be wailing and complaining from a whole host of outraged breeders (in fact it's already started), but I personally have never understood how breeders who deliberately breed for exaggerations that cause dogs physical (and mental) discomfort - not to mention outright suffering - aren't guilty of animal abuse. It's a mystery to me. If a vet can look at a dog and say it's actually suffering, and this is a situation the dog's breeder has deliberately put the dog in, how is this not covered by the laws that protect animals?

But apparently that's not how it works, so we have to fix the situation some other way. Namely, stop rewarding bad behavior and start rewarding the good instead! So, this is the first step in the extinction of an unwanted behavior. And now, let's sit back and watch the extinction burst...

Those poor dogs, though. Not so many decades ago the Neapolitan Mastiff

There is a dog in there. Somewhere...

looked a lot more like the Cane Corso

Duuuuude... What happened to you!?

It's a fucking tragedy, and I won't apologize for my language in this case.

Let's all just hope The Kennel Club doesn't back down again once they realize how many dogs will have to be excluded (but surely they already knew). And that it's not a temporary PR stunt and the madness will return to "normal" once they feel people aren't looking anymore.