Raw Food Diet, Day 141- Back and Better Than Ever

What's goin' on fellow doggers?  This is Stanislaw, comin' at ya!  I'm back and I'm feasting better than ever.  Whatever was making me sick has passed, and I FINALLY got a normal breakfast of chicken necks and yogurt.  Plus, since I've lost a little bit of weight from my tummy virus from last week and then this yucky bug from this weekend, my humans have been sneaking me treats like crazy!!  For the first time ever I tasted PEANUT BUTTER!!!  It was melt in my beastly mouth deliciousness and I continued to lick my bowl for 20 minutes after I had eaten all of the peanutty tastiness.  My mom took a page out of Mack and Paris's book and mixed up some plain yogurt with some peanut butter and froze it in cups yesterday for my feasting delight this afternoon.  I also got a bully stick late yesterday and have my dewclaws crossed that there's another one with my name on it today.  

Yesterday was a marvelous day.  Aside from getting my tummy back in order and meeting peanut butter for the first time, my folks placed a great big meaty order at Hare-Today that is supposed to arrive tomorrow.  We usually don't have to order meat so often, but about 20 pounds of feastingness was out of stock from our last order and that puts us almost a month short.  So now I have a fresh batch of tripe, duck, pork, beef, mutton, turkey and chicken necks coming my way!  Awww man.  Life is good.

Did I mention that my new collar came?  It's sweet and I'm totally handsome now... but in a really mature cocker way.  There's something about leather that makes me feel like James Bond.  I'm really good at stealth cheese-stealing moves now.  I'll post a picture as soon as my humans get their act in gear and renew my modeling contract.  I won't pose unless the pay is worth my precious time.

I've got a hectic day of feasting and feasting and annoying Big Pupi and feasting.  See ya!

-Stanislaw

***

Big Pupi on obedience:

Stanislaw's therapist paid us a visit on Saturday.  (Or was it that my humans paid her to visit?)  She spent about 2 hours discussing Stan's and my habits, back stories, relationship and lifestyle.  Then we got to go for a few trips around the block where I heeled like the perfect son and Stanislaw screamed like a beast.  I was totally confused that he was being naughty and getting treats for it!  I was doing Good Boy and getting nothing!!  Humans are just so inconsistent sometimes.

The therapist lady put something on Stanley called a Calming Cap, which was meant to reduce the amount of visual stimulus he was taking in from his surroundings.  However, it didn't fit quite right and with our round cocker spaniel-shaped eyes he wound up being almost blinded by the seam in the cap.  It did reduce his screaming and nervousness a little but I don't think my humans are sold on it.  They're gonna try to go through with the training while letting Stanley see all that he wants!

In Chicago there are lots of above-ground trains that run on tracks high above our heads.  They are very loud and can make really scary noises.  These sounds really trigger Stan's screaming big-time, and whenever a train would come by Stan would get lots and lots of his high-value treat which in this case was banana.  (It will NEVER be banana again!)  When he got agitated in less stressful situations he was given lower-valued treats, like dehydrated liver or venison jerky.  This is all done in hopes that his negative perception of things in the city will eventually become positive associations as he thinks of treats of deliciousness.

The goal in breaking Stan's bad habits is to prevent them from starting.  In other words, before he starts screaming outside or whining inside, he should be asked to perform a good trick like "sit," and then praised for it.  However, if he does get into a barking mode like he does when I'm getting attention and he's jealous, Trainer Lady recommended the use of untrasonic Pet Agree.  This will interrupt Stan and allow my humans to ask him to perform a positive action.  Otherwise Stan can get so focused on what he's doing it's almost impossible to get through to him.  The down side is that I can hear it too and I'm a good boy!

Just as my buddy Niamh recommended, the therapist said that Stanislaw could possibly benefit from a calming massage or Tellington Touch.  An anxiety wrap could also be handy as he really becomes very anxiety-ridden when we're out and about.  Dog Appeasing Pheromone is also something to think about, but...

...this all just sounds like a lot of stuff to buy.  I'm sure some of it works wonders but we're going to try it out with a nice big baggy of non-banana treats at first, and take it slowly.  As much as I hate to admit this, (I prefer to be the brains in the family), but he's a fast learner and I think he will eventually get the hang of things.  While we haven't yet received the full write-up of Stan's treatment plan - it takes about 4 days for Trainer Lady to get it all on paper - we are ready and rarin' to get started!  His first big training walk is tomorrow, so wish him luck!

As for me... well, I'll be here polishing my halo.

-Big Pupi

**An Important Note**

The dog flu has been spreading rapidly and cases have been reported all over the U.S.  It is extremely resistant to antibiotics and is also extremely contagious.  The initial symptoms are generally coughing or sounds of congestion/throat clearing, a runny nose and watery eyes.  If you have these or similar symptoms make your people take you to the vet immediately.  Onset of full illness is usually within 24 hours of first symptoms.  This strain of flu has already claimed many lives.  Treatment is incredibly expensive and must continue for a minimum of 30 days.  Stay away from strange dogs, dog parks, day care and kennels until this has run its course.