Our Garden......

 Today, I'm going to tell you about HER garden.  First of all, SHE does NOT have a green thumb and is NOT very successful at growing anything.  However, last year SHE managed to grow quite a few tomatoes and a couple of potatoes. 

Bella                                    Daisy

 So SHE has decided to try again this year.

 Here is HER little container garden.  Tomatoes up the back, Patio squash in the middle and Patio zucchini in the front.

 Well, there was a Patio zucchini in the front.  But Somedoggy Roxy dug it up the day after it was planted!

Silly girl couldn't even blame Somedoggy because she galumphed through the house with her huge muddy paws.

Our Lazy Walk

Actually it's HER lazy walk because SHE doesn't have to walk far. 

Here we go.  We walk to the end other of our road and cross the big street.  We're aiming for that footpath between the bus and the house.

 We walk up this narrow bit.  This is one of 13 lead-free areas in town.

 Then we hit the open bit.

 The footpath makes a circuit.  SHE walks along there and we run around.

Look carefully and you'll see a little spot in the upper right-hand corner.  That's a dog that always comes out to tell us that this is her park!  We ignore her.

 There's always fresh pee-mail

 And Bella and Roxy get in some war games....

 We're nearly at the end.....we started by the end of that white fence on the right.

This walk takes about 15 minutes, but it's so close that we use it for middle of the day walks, or when SHE's in a hurry.

Though there are 4 outlets to streets, we are very good at staying in the park. Sometimes we go out one of the other outlets and make the walk longer....or we  finish one of our longer walks here for a run around.

Flashback Friday--favourite foto

Just a picture from last year that SHE likes.

Daisy (back) Bella (fore)

Our first encounter with a fish.

Morning Walk

 We thought we'd take you on one of our morning walks.  We have several.

When we come down our driveway, we turn left and walk to the end of our street......

 Then through the walkway.

 To the reserve and turn left again.  If we go straight, we go to the hockey fields.

 But we usually turn right. And walk up between backyards on the right and the high school on the left.

 Roxy and Bella manage to have some wild fights.

 We look at the chickens in the Ag Plot--agriculture is one of the subjects in most Australian Schools, especially here in the country.

 We continue walking.  Here Roxy is looking for....

 the sheep....  

Sometimes they come over to the fence, but Roxy's bouncing frightens them away.

 When we get to the end of this bit..we wait to have our leads put on again.  (And we get a treat.)

Bella            Roxy        Daisy

 Next, we head through the new housing area.

 And turn right, making sure to check all the drains for cats.

 Down the street that is parallel to ours...

back through the reserve from the other end....

 Through the walk area and back up our street.

 Until we get to our house.

Daisy and Bella

This walk takes about 45 minutes.  There are several places where we can 'add on' another section and make the walk longer.

Wordless Wednesday--9 More Days!

Daisy enjoying Taco Day 2011

Monday Chuckle

New Hooks

 Yesterday, a man came to our house and put up some hooks.

 They replace an old hat rack that was falling to bits.

Surprisingly, he did a good job though we didn't supervise. 

 We were locked inside. 

 Now SHE can hang up our leads and they won't get tangled.

Of course, SHE says we can't get new leads until some spotty dog stops grabbing the leads on walks and chomping through them.  (Notice how they've all got knots.)

Wordless Wednesday

Bella's E-mail

Hi Bella

Bertie here. I thought of you today when Gail and I went exploring in the Strathdon area (about 40 miles inland from Aberdeen) and saw this sign. I insisted on a photo. By the way, 'beg' in this part of the world doesn't mean what you might think, it is Gaelic for 'small'.

Toodle pip!
Bertie.

Now Oskar and Addi, he just thought Bella would get a kick out of seeing it.  There's nothing more to it!

And he kindly said we could use it on our blog.

Isn't it fantastic?

THANKS, BERTIE!

 Spring is in the Air.......

 Another gorgeous Saturday morning....

Daisy

We're at the Devil's Elbow part of the River

Daisy       Bella

 We always walk around 'the loop'

 There's always lot to investigate.

Daisy:  'I was LAST in the bath'.

So it wasn't all ON me!

Do you think you can read dirt leavings in a tub  the same way you can read tea leaves?

Friday Favourites

 Actually these aren't only favourites on Friday--but we liked the alliteration.

We thought we'd share some sounds that we love, like:

The fridge door opening....

Our food cupboard  opening....

Our treat basket being taken out....

HER getting up in the morning....

Poo bags being readied.....

These human phrases....

'Want some cheese?'

'Good girls'.

'Get in the car'

And last of all, the sound of HER car coming into the carport.

Do you have favourite sounds?

Back to School

Good Morning and welcome to Mathematics 121:  Treat to Dog Correspondence

Please SIT and STAY!  First of all I'll take the roll.

Frankie, Ernie, Bertie, Maggie Mae, Max, Sweet William, Puddles..........
Puddles....?  Has anyone seen Puddles?
Wally, Sam, Sasha, Ruby, Lily, Benson....oh, you prefer Benny...Dougall, Floyd, Nola, Lass-C, Ben-G, Molly, Mona, Weenie, The Cute Kitten, Razzy, Kepsey, Darwin, Charon and Echo...Oh, here you are Puddles...  I think there's a seat up the back.  And you can wipe those Cheeto crumbs off your mouth...........That's better.

I'd also like to welcome those students who are taking this course through Distance Education, 'The School of the Air.'

This morning we are going to investigate the basic Principles of Treats.

If you'll open your booklets to page 1, we'll find the definition of a treat'.  (You won't need to take notes--and besides Roxy chewed up all the pencils.)       Mona, will you read, please?

"A treat is anything edible other than what is considered as  normal breakfast, lunch, or dinner in your environment."  (Phydeau, Caynighn and Barkley (2001) Dogs' Digest.  Vol. 3 p. 87)

Well read.  I will add here, that we are talking about human proffered edibles called  a legitimate treat.  Can anyone tell us what kinds of treats we are talking about here?

Bones...thank you Sweet William.  Carrots, beans, yes, Wally and Sam.  Puddles....Cheetos...yes.  Pigs' ears...well done, Floyd......Roo Chews....thanks, Bella.  Yes, Benny....ice cream, Max...yes, cookies.  Chicken, tube steaks...fish skins....all good ones well done The Cute Kitten, Razzy, Kepsey, Darwin, Charon, and Echo...Now, all of these make wonderful.....Yes, Sasha..peanut butter is also one....All of these....no Ruby, we're not listing them all, just getting the idea.  Okay, I will add cheese!

Look at the picture on the next page.

Frankie and Ernie are showing us an unusual treat....green peppers, or capsicum as it's called here.  They are also demonstrating the Advanced Skill of CLOSE PROXIMITY.  Well done, boys.

Here we have Wally

And..Sammy

showing us their treats of carrots and beans.  They are demonstrating the more usual SAFE DISTANCE technique to ensure they get their treats.

Boomer, however, is demonstrating the hover-and-eat-quickly- before-someone-takes-it skill in these pictures.

Now class, can anyone explain ways in which you can score a treat? 

Maggie Mae...good one...sad eyes is very effective.  And Mona, guilt is excellent.  Yes, Bertie....when you annoy someone enough.  Certainly Weenie...when you're sick.  Very good Lily....when you obey a silly command of some human,.....Doing tricks....good point, Nola.  And definitely Molly....just being cute.

Bertie is demonstrating the correct manner in which to accept a treat from a stranger after just being so darned handsome. If you take it gently enough, you may get another.

 *   *   *   *

Teamwork is also effective.  If one of you is more talented in certain areas he or she can get the treats coming.  For instance, in our pack, Bella goes outside and torments a frog.  SHE hates the screaming sound and bribes Bella indoors with a treat....and we all get one!

This is the main PRINCIPLE of HUMAN PROFFERED TREATS.  Frankie, will you please read?

'If one dogs gets a treat, all dogs get a treat.....or Each One Eats One.'
This can be expressed as:  na = nt; where n=number, a=animals, t=treats.(Thierrier & Colley (1999) Theory of Treats, p 87)

Think about that for a minute.  If one animal is on medication, learning a new skill, has sad eyes and is receiving a treat....the others are entitled to a treat, as well.

I know some of you only dogs are probably thinking this doesn't apply to you; but this can include cat siblings, visitors, play dates....turtles, birds, guinea pigs or.....Yes, Sweet William, Sarge does have crab siblings, but he does not have CRABS.  So you don't have to giggle.

Settle down everyone. 
 Being entitled to treats equally is a RIGHT; as with all rights there are RESPONSIBILITIES.

For Instance, it is your responsibiltiy to be where the treats are given out.  And it is your responsibility to hold on to the treat or guard it.  A dropped or unguarded treat falls into the Free Zone and can be claimed by anyone.  You have the right to the treat, but the responsibility to eat it.  However by using one of the ploys techniques mentioned earlier, such as sad eyes, you may get a replacement. (Weedug and Sheppard (1987) Politics of Treats p 187)

Here we have Susie...

 And Sidebites....

illustrating their rights and responsibilities.

Any questions so far?  Yes, Puddles?  You're absolutely right, a caught squirrel is a treat...good point.

Sometimes you can catch or find a treat (called illicit treats).  In these cases, the treats are not provided by a human and, therefore, belong to the finder.  It is recommended illicit treats be consumed quickly as in most cases there WILL be human INTERVENTION.  This also applies to food that falls off a table, is dropped or unguarded.  Again, the FINDER is the WINNER.  But as stated before, sad eyes or another technique can be employed to invoke the 'Each One Eats One' principle.

Our next picture shows Lass-C and Ben-G demonstrating the 'sit and wait' game some humans favour--especially when they have the camera.  

But it should be noted that Ben-G snaffled up the original 'I' while the treats were unguarded.  And deservedly ate his reward.  Lass-C, this would have been the perfect time to use the sad-eye or cute face technique to get an extra treat.

Dougall and Floyd are also illustrating the 'sit and wait' game, but unfortunately there is no chance of stealing purloining a treat.  

They have to wait for 'thumbs'.

Before we go out for Morning Tea (this is the Australian Campus.), I'd like to recap the basic principles of treats.

When one animal receives a treat, all animals are entitled to a treat.  This is the basic 1-2-1 treat to dog correspondence.

It is your responsibility to keep the treat.

'Found' treats belong to the one who found it.

Please take your booklets home to show your peeps so they fully understand the Principles of Treats.

You may go......and judging by the way Puddles was dragging her bag.  She must have a keg!

 And don't forget Sasha's Pizza Truck!