Tasha and Others

I’ve just read over this blog so far, and it has somewhat of a consistent theme, that is, Tasha’s dependence on me and the ensuing separation anxiety. And her quirky problems–there’s that too. Am I being hard on her, or is she just so spoiled that it’s good for me to recognize and write about how these issues affect her place in my life?

Yes, the site is about Tasha, and most of the entries are about her, but the bulk of information out there is uncomfortable when I read it in full. I’ve GOT to start treating her with some distance because she’s so dependent on me. Or, is that cruel and too dramatic of a change? Even when she’s with other dogs, she still prefers me to them. Not good.

Tasha is four-years old now and is almost entirely set in her ways, including seeing me as a somewhat inconsistent pack leader. I’m not sure what to do exactly, but this blog points out the need for some dog behavior training!

The toy “Kong” is supposed to be indestructable. Not true! Tasha chewed hers into bits.

There was peanut butter in it, for one thing. I had been worried that Tasha was suffering from separation anxiety. She gets so upset when I go anywhere without her. So, following some advice, I gave Tasha the Kong, thinking that she would associate the sturdy toy with some fun while I was gone. But Tasha ate the Kong along with the peanut butter in the middle.

I wish I had taken a picture of the pieces of red rubber that were scattered all about. They were in the middle of a pile of dirt from a mud-covered bone that Tasha had dragged in. The stair landing was a doggie mess! I don’t know if there’s any toy that Tasha couldn’t get her teeth into.

I heard that you’re not supposed to leave a dog with anything that they can chew into little bits. Well, guess I messed up on that one. Next, the Galileo bone…

I can’t believe that it’s been a month since I’ve written in here. I’m home now and with Tasha again. She stays by me when I write, and she follows me around the house. Some would say that she’s a good candidate for separation anxiety.

I don’t do the right things. I tell her that I’ll “be right back” when I leave her. I don’t think she believes me. And when I come home, I’m as excited as she is. I’m not supposed to act as if I’m leaving when I’m going out or show much emotion when I walk in the door.

I just wrote an article for Dogspired on this topic. I learned quite a few tips. Since I’m doing everything wrong, it’s time to pick a plan and do some things right.

1. I need to give Tasha a special toy when I leave. She has so many bones and tennis balls, I’m going to have to buy her a “special” toy to have for the occasion.
2. Keep the television on. I do this when I’m working, so I’m sure Tasha would appreciate it if I left it on for her to hear and to drown out the noise of anything unusual. There’s almost no noise around here, but there could be dogs barking around the lake.
3. About the sleeping arrangement: Get her to sleep in her doggie bed. I always praise her for going in there, so she should see it as a good thing. I can’t afford for her to sleep all cuddled up next to me. You just never know…I read that her sleeping in bed with me fosters dependence.
4. No more jumping up when I come home. I know she’s happy to see me (or other people), but the jumping up has to stop. I know how friendly and social she is, but she can easily knock someone down. Don’t know how to solve this one.

Luckily, I work at home most of the time. This can be a good and bad thing for Tasha. She gets used to my being at home and dreads my leaving and not taking her along.

I’ll try out a plan and see if we can get it together. Stay tuned!

Tasha and Her Leash

I’m away from home and from Tasha for more than two weeks. I miss my girl! I’ve only heard stories about her not coming when called, pulling on her leash, and sleeping on the floor downstairs instead of on the bed as she usually does with me.

I’m sure that Tasha is fine, and is enjoying the people taking care of her, but I’m sure she misses the spoiling I do and our time together.

Tasha doesn’t normally get enough exercise with me, so perhaps she’s getting more playtime now that her pal Leo is with her. I’d like to think she’s a happy girl, as I’ve heard she is.

I’ll be home soon, and I’ll not worry about her anymore.

Percy, an Indoor-Outdoor Cat

If you have a cat, you will probably hear a lot of different ideas about whether he should be an indoor-only cat, an indoor-outdoor cat, or an outdoor-only cat. An “indoor cat” is one that is kept strictly inside the house at all times. An “indoor-outdoor cat” is a cat that lives inside, but that is let out depending on the whims of the cat and the owner. An “outdoor-only cat” is one that is left outside of the house all of the time. (A purely outdoor cat might be a “feral” or wild cat, but for purposes of this discussion, the cats are domesticated pets.) There are many differing opinions, so I thought I’d interview a few people who own cats. Here’s what I heard on the subject:

LLB: “If there’s distance from the street and no predators about (like raccoons or coyotes), I’d say outdoors is fine for cats–as long as they come in at night! However, there are a lot of cats that do their share of killing birds. Even if they live partly on store-bought food and partly on mole or mice entrails, once they get a taste of Tweetie, the party’s over. These days I’m much more partial to indoor-only cats. I wouldn’t turn my cat loose outside, despite the fact that there is wonderful flora and fauna; there are just too many predators lurking out there.”

EW: “My cat likes to go outside to roam the neighborhood, hunt, eat grass, and observe activity. I think he also likes to experience the weather, even when it’s wet, cold, or snowy. The downside is that he can get fleas and tapeworm, and get dirty from the streets. He has also had a few run-ins with other cats. He brings in birds, chipmunks, and mice, both dead and alive. The upside is that he gets more active play time outside, and I feel like he’s less bored than if he were totally confined to the indoors. I would like to keep him as an indoor cat, except that he’s expressed so much interest in going out that I finally gave in. Now he has me trained to let him in and out whenever he pleases. A kitty door would help, although it would allow the transport of hunted animals into the house. I think you have to consider the personality of your cat, your neighborhood, and your tolerance for dealing with the hazards of an outdoor life.”

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A Wet Tasha

It’s the rainy season in Seattle (for the next nine months or so), and Tasha loves to be outside in the cool and damp weather. Often, she comes in the house soaking wet and stinky. As a necessity and a reward, I rub her down thoroughly with a towel, and she wiggles and squirms with pleasure. All the time that I’m drying her off, I tell her that she’s a “Wet Dog!” I think it makes her feel special.

After coming in the house wet a number of times in a row, I realize that it’s in Tasha’s Golden Retriever character that she actually loves to be wet. As a Golden, her coat is designed to have an oily undercoat, with which she actually dries off in a short amount of time.

But I know that Tasha often comes in the house as a wet dog, just so she can get dried off. It’s a ritual of ours, and of course she gets a biscuit after her rub down. She expects the whole treatment.