Raw Food Diet, Day 458- Will Do Tricks for Treats

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Big Pupi takes us on an outing:
Hey guys! The big beastly brother is reporting. Everything here has been pretty awesome. We've been feasting and playing and fast-hunting and I've been therapy-ing. Sweetness! We have some footage from my last trip to the hospital. No... we're not allowed to take pictures while inside, but I thought I'd share something that's 1/2 of the fun of therapy days: The trip there!

It's a wonderful walk to where the AwesomeMobile lives. I totally dig taking a stroll and getting coo-ed over by tourists and folks about town. It is just about the BEST way to start the day. Here's a little video of me on my merry way. (Yes I walk at the end of my leash but no, I don't pull. I'm just SO PUMPED I can't stand to hang back! There was a time when I pulled and trudged ahead like a savage... not too unlike my stinky brother. But I'm all about Good Boyness now!)

Music: "Free and Easy" by Dierks Bentley

On this particular morning I was feeling an extra bit of snarzle in my bum so I thrashed the heck out of mom's (not-so) dog-proof car seat cover and then sat tall to enjoy the ride. ...That is until she began to stick that flashy box in my face at every red light. I let her know that it was NOT appreciated by making Jowly Stink Face every time she took a photo.I have a great time sniffing sniffs and barking at this dude that's always selling newspapers at this one intersection. He never knocks on our window because I'm such a wild beast!

Therapy was great on this day, especially since this one little girl I had gotten to know over the past few months got to go home. I missed her and her crazy great belly rubs, but I was so happy that she no longer needed to be attached to tubes and a tall beeping machine. There was a fresh set of kids this time and although they were really tired and feeling a little icky, they were still able to gather up all their energy and play with me for a bit. Kids can't resist the mohawk!

On the ride home, I looked a bit more like this:
Actually, that was one of the only photos mom could get with my eyes open. I usually snore like a tractor the whole way home. Then it's another long walk home from the AwesomeMobile. I LOVE IT!

I've got a little bit of news for you folks...
I've been asked to be one of 2 therapy dogs giving a BIG presentation on the work that we do! Tomorrow I get to go to a school and show off my tricks, during 2 sessions, to almost 200 people! I am crazy excited. Mom and I have been working on my Good Boy behavior (heel on a loose leash, and STAY! while she tosses treats all around me - that one's hard!). We've also been tightening up my new tricks, and I've been learning lots!

It's been hard work, but so far I can read Sit, Down and Spin off flash cards, and we're adding Stay and Come. The last 2 are a bit iffy for me still since this is one SERIOUSLY difficult trick for me to pick up, but I'm getting really good at the first group. This trick drives people at therapy wild, especially the kids' parents. We need to entertain them too!

Another trick that's in the works is jumping rope. We haven't worked the rope in just yet, but I've learned to leap into the air whenever I see mom jump. I'm really good at it and stay tucked in pretty close to her. This one's not quite ready yet for the show, but we'll try to get a video of it once I have it down!

Finally, I've mastered my Take and Give (a stuffed toy) and I will Down Stay while balancing my stuffy pencil on my schnozzle. This isn't my favorite trick to do, but what they heck... I'll do just about anything for treats and praise!

Wish me luck tomorrow! I'll try to take photos and let you know how it all goes.

Practice makes perfect,
Big Pupi.

Raw Food Diet, Day 374- Sir Stanislaw Esq, PhD

Holy feasting fellow bloggerinis! It was almost 60 degrees yesterday in The Land of 1,000 Winters. I was SO PUMPED I didn't have to go outside dressed like a total nerd in my sweatshirt, jacket and boots. It felt SO GOOD to feel the wind blow through my beastly fur and past my manly parts. I felt like such a DOG!

Well... kind of. You should know by now that things are never that easy when my food mommy is around. That crazy human is always cooking up something. When we were getting ready to head off to the puke mobile and to my first day of school, she pulled out a harness unlike any other harness I have ever seen. It had buckles and ropes and pads that reached into and around places I didn't even know I had! Mom said that I needed this because regular harnesses don't fit me properly thanks to my super long body, crazy narrow rib cage, skinny middle and shocking flexibility. I'm not called Stanislaw Gumby for nothing! Her biggest fear is that I squiggle out of my harness and run away... and we all know how much I like to run like a free man. My dweebus bro got one too for when we go hiking. I guess all those straps and the handle is good for something. I tuned mom out pretty quickly so I can't tell you why.

I guess Big Pupi got the same size harness as me so we had to have our names written on the insides of them. I was all like WHAT?! This itty bitty nerd bomb wears the same size as ME, The King of All Beasts?! But he's just a peanut of a dog! Please see my illustration below. You may need a magnifying glass or at the very least a strong pair of glasses in order to see my brother:
Whatever. He can have his harness. I had school to attend and he was not invited!

I whined and drooled the whole way in the puke-mobile despite my anti-car vomit meds but managed to make it to my destination without seeing breakfast for the second time. Class took place at a doggy adoption center and most of the folks in my class had just found their new homes in the past week or so. Awesome! There were some seriously cool canines but I wasn't allowed to play. That totally blew my mind. My folks are ALWAYS telling me to make nice introductions and be a social butterfly. And now mom is saying NO? What gives? Ugh... people... isn't consistency important when training a manly beast such as myself?

I spent the first 1/4 of class making eyes at my fellow pups with my bum in the air and my tail wagging like a flag in a hurricane. I was met with many a happy play bow but our people kept making us stop and do Watch Me and Sit Like Good Boy. Man! It was SOOO LAME! Class finally got started we worked on our Watch Me, Lie Down and Sit. It was easy peasy. I totally know all that stuff! Once I got the gist of class I performed really well and was very focused and enthusiastic. Mom said that Mr. Golden Retriever was better than me, but I was most definitely #2 in the class. Woohoo! I am the smartest guy alive!

I was fed treats like crazy and I had such a good time. While this class is mostly going to be a review for me, my folks are hoping that the new situation and distractions will help build my confidence and little by little my anxiety will release its hold on me. I've already made huge strides. Only twice and very very slightly did I go into my OCD behaviors during class! Last time I was in basic obedience I spent much of it fixated, staring and whining. This is a major improvement. There may be hope for me yet.

When I got back from class all these yawns were escaping from my face and all I could do was snoozel on the back of the sofa.
I didn't even care when Big Pupi got to go for the longest walk ever and came home smelling like all sorts of different pups. All I wanted was a mutton meat dinner and my spot on the couch. I guess class isn't so bad! Actually... to tell you the truth I really liked it. Heck, I'll even put up with that ridiculous harness for it. Looks like I might be a Good Boy yet.

Food for thought: If you be Have, you get treats.
Is it worth it?

Stanislaw

Raw Food Diet, Day 363- Repeating a Grade

So, on Monday night my mom got in my face and was all like, "Stanislaw, you are one Naughty Boy. We need to fix this." And all I could think was, "Haven't I already been fixed? What else is this crazy woman planning to remove?!" I was busy snoozeling in her bed which she always says is a "dog-free zone" - more crazy talk from the food mommy - when I overheard her yack yack yacking on the phone to my grandparents. Turns out, mom didn't much appreciate it when I pulled away from her again during Monday's walk. I gave myself another tour of the Michigan Avenue gardens and tempted Fate with some traffic, before stopping to say a big Hello to this guy's 2 tiny dogs. That dude saw mom screaming with Big Pupi in tow and he jumped me. Whatever dude! I don't even KNOW you! You are NOT the boss of me!

Fortunately this freewheeling tour of my territory was a short one thanks to that very nice guy. (And NO THANKS to all those nasty people who pretended NOT TO NOTICE what was going on when Stan brushed right past your ankles and I was begging you to catch him and screaming that he's friendly!!!) Woah. Chill out mom. I told you she was nutz. Anyway, that dude was so nice he even sat with mom while she dealt with one heck of an asthma attack after sprinting through knee-high snow in the icy air. I don't know what her deal is sometimes.

Anyway, we trudged our way home with mom saying evil words under her wheezing breath and calling me Naughty Boy and stuff. I did NOT get my green bean baby food snack she promised. In fact, she ignored me for the rest of the day and click clicked on her computer and yack yacked to her parents. I was all like WHATEVER! and proceeding to pop and skin Big Pupi's tennis ball.It wasn't until I heard mom call my doctor and ask them for recommendations for places to get me fixed that my fur stood on end and I knew she was serious about this. I took quick stock of body parts and realized that my ears are unusually long and perhaps they're next to go - I've already sacrificed half my tail and my danglies. What more could this nut-job human want from a handsome beast like me?

Big Pupi knocked me upside the head and said, "Duh, dude! You're in for an attitude adjustment! Mom likes us to be Good Boy and you're a royal pain in the bahonkus! You totally cramp my Good Boy style." I was all like WOAH! What? AWESOME! Except that I found out that I'm repeating Basic Obedience. I already passed that one, man! Don't I get to study about being an astronaut or something now? I don't want to revisit that Sit Heel Stay Come stuff again! Totally lame-o. After 6 weeks of that torture scheme, mom will put me into the summer "Front Class" at another school, which is all about recall and major distractions. Just you wait, mom! I've got your major distraction right here.

When does this lunatic give up and let me revel in my beastliness? She keeps saying that Big Pupi was the WORST in his first class (and second) and he'd fight other dogs and go bonkers all over the place... and now look at him. Yeah! I SEE him! He's a total dork! Big Pupi, I see you wouldn't wanna be you!

I'll leave Big Pupi to his halo polishing while I catch a sweet snoozel on the human crate, er, Palace Du Stanislaw. I know where it's at folks, and it ain't gonna be at my Good Boy school a week from Saturday. Oh heck no. Food mommy better be packing up some sweet treats if she wants to see Stanislaw get his Good Boy on. Some seriously sweet treats. Like a whole goat or something.
Peace out my beastly friends,
Stan the Naughty Man

Raw Food Diet, Day 252- Tricks are for Treats

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Big Pupi's update:

I've got another video update for you! After a grand total of 45 minutes of training I've made some really great progress in my hula trick. "Go in" and "hula" have been smooshed together, and now I have to spin THREE TIMES before mom will give me feasts! I've mastered the double spin but sometimes I forget to go 'round that last time and need reminding. I'm catching on. You'll also notice that mom is standing farther away and her hand signals have gotten smaller so I've got to pay extra close attention to see what's going on. Thanks to Niamh's person, my mom no longer "baits" me with treats in her command hand, so I'm not as focused on getting that tasty and instead I'm working through my trick much more smoothly. My hula leap is still there but I'm phasing it out as I realize that efficiency is key to earning treats!

You'll also see Stanislaw going through his paces. He now must hula 2 times before he gets treats and he's learning that the hula hoop isn't so scary after all. He'll be jumping through it in no time! Stan is also practicing his "go in" but he's still too nervous to spin inside the hoop. He's not very aware of his footing as of yet and when he kicks the hoop it spooks him. Our people think this is a great opportunity to boost Stan's confidence so they'll be working extra hard on him!

Well, my class is today. I'll let you know how it all goes! And next up on the trick circuit is "shake." That one is 3 years in the making but with all the great advice we've received we're hoping to have it down in a week.

Wish me luck!

Big Pupi

Raw Food Diet, Day 248- Tricks are for Kids

Hi guys!

Big Pupi's fancy shmancy folding hula hoop arrived 3 days ago and we've been learning all sorts of new tricks. It scares me a little bit with its bright colors and evil circular shape, so I keep my distance. Big Pupi, on the other hand, isn't afraid of much and he took to it right away. To both of us the hoop means treats and training and we get so excited whenever it appears!

Pupi learned to jump through the hoop in all of 2 seconds because it's so similar to the tire jump in agility. I'm still learning that approaching that spooky thing is okay. The next trick he's working on is a bit more complicated, and he's still in the beginning stages. Mom got the idea for this trick from Niamh, who is learning how to do it herself! It's the doggie hula hoop: first we run out to a hoop lying flat on the floor, get in the middle and SPIN! Neither Pupi nor I are natural spinners. In fact, I don't think we've ever spun in our lives, so mom had to introduce it to us anew. We call it "hula," and we're catching on!

Mom always says that Pupi makes her look good, because it generally takes him 5 minutes or less to pick something up. She doesn't have to do much! Well, it wasn't 2 minutes before he mastered the "go in," which is the command to get into the middle of the hoop. The spinning however, took a whole 10 minutes (gasp!) before he started to understand what mom was asking for, and he's still a bit shaky on it. To mom's surprise, I picked up the "hula" command before Pupi did just by watching his lessons! I am brilliant!! (But it's a selective genius... mainly used for feasting, hunting and breaking into garbage cans...)

Anyway, as time goes on mom will add distance to her commands so Pupi will eventually head way out to the hoop and spin a few times. Hopefully by next week we'll have another video of Pupi being the hooping master and me jumping through that rainbow monster. We'll see. It's still too scary for me now and we have lots of work to do.

Here's a little video of the trick after 15 minutes of training. We do quick 5-minute training sessions whenever mom finds a few minutes to string together. The trick is still in its parts and Pupi is yet to squish them all into one solid command. Pupi also added his own style to the spinning routine, by incorporating a nice little leap in the middle of his rotations. And for your viewing pleasure, you'll also see me - Master of the Meat - working on my hooples hula routine!

**Just a note, mom says "sorry" for the shaky camera. She was training and video taping herself. Also, you'll see mom's hand quite a bit because we train with hand signals. It's SO MUCH easier for us to learn that way!

Music by Bob Schneider

We LOVE learning our tricks and we're determined to have this down before Pupi's next therapy class in a few days. The class theme is Personal Tricks, and he plans to show them all what he's made of. Considering you are what you eat, I'd say that I'm made of feasting deliciousness. It doesn't take a classroom full of dogs to figure that one out.

Putting tasty information in my brain,

Stanislaw

PS- Big Pupi is a super crazy fast learner for almost anything... except "shake." He can weave through poles, knows the difference between Left and Right, but mom has NEVER been able to teach him how to give his paw! This is a great and simple trick for a therapy dog to know and she wants him to learn it. Any advice?

Raw Food Diet, Day 227- Mental Marathon

Hi folks!

Sorry I've been MIA (Meat In Action) for the past few days.  I haven't been able to update you on my super exciting feasting times as much as I'd like to!   Things around here have been busy, with my folks working to earn the cheese money and such.  All the hustle and bustle has made me need my snoozels.

This morning followed suit and it was action-packed.  We tried to beat the rain and ran as quickly as our little legs could take us during our AM fast hunt.  Pupi and I ran side-by-side like we were racing in the Iditarod and zoomed our way through downtown.  On our way we met Miss Pit Bull who had a black spot over her eye just like Big Pupi!  I stood on my very tip toes to give her ears a good sniff and she was super nice.  Then we bumped into 2 beagles who were also super cool.  One was this sweet red-roan type of color and I've never sniffed a beagle like that before!  

Continuing on our way, mom was afraid that we'd wind up too far away from home when the skies opened up so we only went a mile down the road to the bark park.  As suspected, we had it all to ourselves and the kiddie pool was mine... ALL mine!  Well, okay.  I did let Big Pupi in it sometimes.  We practiced some obedience and worked on our recalls at the park, then headed home with empty bellies just growling and demanding meaty feasts.  I chucked down a few chicken necks and some yogurt and thrashed my birthday goose stuffy.  Mom hopped into the Place of Cleanliness and afterwards, when she was using the hot-air-blowing-thing on her fur, she used it on mine!  I LOVE it when that blowing thing breathes its hot breath on my belly!  Big Pupi and I pushed and shoved each other to get at the toasty air.  That was just icing on the cake.  It was a good morning.

I'm super duper hoping that this stinky poo-face rain goes away for the weekend.  I heard dad mention something about not having a ton of homework this time and so we may be able to get out and about the city for an afternoon.  My toes are crossed!  In the mean time, I'm going to go stare at mom while she works and whine softly.  Maybe that'll get me a bully stick.

Feast hard,

Stanislaw

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Big Pupi on being a therapist:

I've been thinking so hard lately that it's been fertilizing my mohawk.  It's been growing like a weed on my head and my humans are curious to find out how crazy my cranium fur will actually get.  All they have to go on is my shelter photo, but I was so matted it's tough to tell.  If I keep using my brain power like I have been lately, I should be able to braid my 'hawk in no time! 

After much, much help and advice from Niamh's mom, I've decided to postpone my November 8th test date and sign up for classes to help me with my therapy dog certification.  I've been doing really well on my own, but I could use the extra stimulation and excitement that are part of classroom learning to really kick my manners into high gear.  We've been focusing on my response to verbal commands, as most of what I know now is based on hand signals.  I know "sit," but "down" and most other tricks run off of motions my mom makes.  I'm fluent in body language because that's dog-speak!  Why do I need to know this blabbering human tongue?  People need to master the art of The Silent Conversation.  Seriously.  The only real verbal commands I understand are for agility, since I can't be watching my mom while I'm flying over jumps and through tunnels!

My first class is a week from Monday and I'm crazy excited!  The only set back is my appointment this afternoon at the Place of Tile and Steel to fill out my health certificate.  Turns out that since I had Bordatella the last time I was at the vet they won't complete the form without a quick check just to make sure I'm a-okay.  I'm all for being careful, but I'm pretty sure this isn't necessary.  Please mom?  Can it not be necessary?  

So, someday in the sort-of near future I'm hoping to be either a Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy dog or Delta Society pup.  Mom isn't sure which yet but is leaning towards Rainbow.  If anyone has any experience with either group please let us know what you thought of them!

Filling my brain, growing my mohawk,

Big Pupi

Raw Food Diet, Day 224- The Therapist Is In

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Big Pupi is in his office:

I've got big news!  While Stanislaw is training for the 2012 Olympic marathon, (which I do too, by the way.  He's not the only one up running his wee bum off early in the morning!), I've found a far bigger calling for myself.  Me... Big Pupi... I'm going to make a difference in this world.  You see, my humans decided that I'm going to be a therapy dog.

We've started training so that I can pass my big certification test, and if all goes according to plan I'll be taking the preliminary exam on November 8th.  I passed my CGC exam with 100%, and since this test is quite similar to that one my folks think that I may have a shot at this.  That being said, it's been almost 2 years since I was in CGC class and there are a few skills I need to brush up on.  Like doing my Sit Like Good Boy while on a leash and letting mom greet another human who has another dog.  Yikes!  Sometimes I just get too excited.  

There are many many parts to the exam, and in order to get certified you must pass ALL of them.  There are 3 sections that give my mom pause:

1.  Exhibiting patience with a squeaky toy distraction;

2. Dog left alone; and

3. Gently taking treat from hand.

I'm a super quick learner and #3 is already in the works.  I've made some MAJOR improvements there, since I used to get way too pumped for mini-feasts.  As for numbers 1 and 2... I totally dig squeaky toys so much that I can't control myself (jumping up is an automatic fail) and I typically freak out when mommy leaves me and I'm in an unfamiliar place.  This is the one part of the CGC exam I almost didn't pass, but in the end I was able to keep my wits about me.   But in that situation I had been training at the same place for 8 weeks.  This time around the testing place will be totally unfamiliar.  Yipes!

I totally LOVE to be the center of attention and my most favorite thing to do in the world is work - any kind of work.  Whether it's a morning run or agility or performing for treats... I just can't get enough of it.  I think that I'd totally be into doing tricks to help sick or injured folks out, as long as there's a belly rub or two in it for me.  And maybe my sweet mohawk would brighten their day!  I'm also really good at learning that certain places are for behaving certain ways, so once I've got the hang of the whole hospital situation I'll be an old pro.  For example, The Place of Tile and Steel is for shivering and acting like you're being tortured even when no one is near you, and the bark park is for acting like beast and weebling wherever you please.  

I think right now all systems are Go for my training, but there is one other concern my mom has that she's not sure how to handle... I tend to poop when I'm super excited.  And opportunities to perform make me super excited.  I told mom to stuff her pockets with bags but that didn't seem to appease her.  I told her not to fret too much about it.

You can't fight nature, you know?

Raw Food Diet, Day 178- First Flight

Hello bloggerinis.  Don't Big Pupi and I look handsome?

Just kidding.  That's our aunt and uncle (cousins?) Jake and Paisley.  I know... the four of us would make quite a troop marching our way through downtown!  But I've actually never met them since they live a few days of riding in the puke-mobile away.  I've only heard stories.  One of these stories, as fate may have it, is about raw feasting.

My grandhumans put Jake and Paisley on the raw diet shortly after Pupi and I started to notice all of the health benefits from fresh feasting.  They eat mostly a pre-made ground raw diet, but this past weekend they got to chow down on their first bone-crunching chicken wing!  Jake, who is normally the speed-feaster, oh-so carefully chewed his wing into tiny portions and broke it to bits before sending them down to his tummy.  Paisley, on the other hand, stood there frozen with her eyes moving wildly, with a nice juicy wing waving goodbye from her jaws.  She wouldn't eat it!  She also didn't want anyone to take it.  She watched Jake make his way slowly through his meaty deliciousness, but she remained statuesque with only the occasional glance in her brother's direction.  Thinking that she would eventually feel the beast inside and go to town on the wing, her humans let her be.  They thought wrong.  She remained unmoved and drooling, with an in-tact wing still dangling from her lips.  It wasn't until her mom came and grabbed hold of the protruding wing that Paisley began to fight for it.  She began to tug at the meat and chew on the bone and before she knew it she was feasting!  There was no turning back once those tasty juices hit her tongue!  Paisley pulverized the bone within the wing, and then swallowed the gelatin-like bit of bird whole.  It was gone in a belch!  

Jake and Paisley were totally fine after the their first bone-in meal.  They wrestled with joy for the remainder of the morning and then ended the day with some tasty ground beef.  Yum!  This bone crunching will help to clean years of kibble yuckiness that has built up on their teeth.  It sure worked for Pupi who was about 4 months away from scheduling a teeth cleaning at the Place of Tile and Steel.  Now he has sparkling white choppers!  In other news, Jake's stinkhead has magically disappeared, just like mine did!  He even had it way worse than me, and after being fed raw he no longer has that "doggy smell" that would get on the humans' hands and clothes.  It's been a few months since Jake and Paisley made the switch from kibble to raw, and they've both kept a healthy, lean weight, have not had one single ear infection, suffer from no allergies, and are full of energy and a love of the feast.  Now that's tasty news!

Talking about tasty news, I have discovered a new talent.  I can catch birds!  I got myself a juicy little house sparrow while out for a walk with dad last week.  I am a master hunter!

Mom is not too thrilled, however, and I just can't imagine why.  I can provide for our family!  In the true spirit of all things Stanislaw, this new-found ability has become an overwhelming obsession (add it to the list!) and now I only want to hunt birds whenever I'm outside.  And they're everywhere!  It's so great.  I'm so focused on bird hunting that I forget to do my Good Boy in the Good Boy Spot, and since I've been getting pretty good at avoiding Good Boy in the apartment, I wind up not going at all.  In fact, I held it for over 12 hours yesterday because I couldn't get myself to focus and was forced to mom before dawn with one serious potty emergency.  She was so happy to see my smiling face!  But man, I barely made it outside before I exploded with weebles.  It was some excellent territory marking.  Sometimes not even I can believe my own beastliness.  

Catch birds & mark territory,

Stanislaw

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Big Pupi has a request:

If you've been reading our blog for a while now, you probably know that Stanislaw has some.... um.... mental issues.  He is indeed a special boy.  He's prone to developing obsessive behaviors that control him to the point that he can't even focus long enough to lift a leg.  While he's improved dramatically and has lost most of the compulsions and ticks that he had when first adopted, he will still develop new obsessions and still suffers from generalized anxiety when away from his home and familiar territory.  We've been working with his "therapist" to help him get over his anxiety problems, but it's been slow going - especially when it comes to his screaming about town!  Well, mom has emailed his therapist about his new bird hunting obsession, but I was hoping to get some advice from my fellow dog bloggers!  Anyone have any ideas how to get Stanislaw out of these habits?  My humans try to treat and distract but absolutely nothing breaks though.  And if feasts don't get through to Stanley, you know that you've got one major obsession issue on your paws.  He loves the thrill of the hunt!

Thanks guys!

The obedient son,

Big Pupi

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.