Another pending change

The top is Liwanu as a very young puppy. The bottom is Liwanu posed to the right (viewer's right) of his father, Damien.


Well, my boss/landlord "forgot" to pay the cable/internet bill for 3 MONTHS! so we lost the internet a week or two ago. Unable to get anything done I spent my days watching the fuzzy idiocy called TV and playing with the dogs.

Liwanu- Has begun showing less aggression towards strangers. Off-leash he's great but still needs people-work while on-leash. He's matured out a bit more and I'm actually thinking about finally getting his 'big-boy' collar and name tag. It really does seem like just the other day he was a tiny fluff ball. Now he's a huge cloddhopping beast.

Aello- Is still an energetic fluff ball although she's began to fill out into a more mature size. It's amazing how far she's come. When I got her she was an 8 lb little black thing with tiny little cut ears, now she's a 31lb black thing with cute bat ears. She's muscled and tall with a bit of brindling on her legs, face and chest.

It's amazing how fast they mature and grow. Their change from fluffy puppy to sleek adult truly brings home how quickly time goes by and that we should cherish them as long as we can. On a less sentimental note, I may be moving us out of here soon. I have to find out the rules and regulations for the two trailer parks and how much they'll work with me on rent/sec. deposit and then I'll know for sure. Hopefully I can pull this off. The good thing would be that the dogs and I would be safe and happier out there because I wouldn't have to deal with my boss other than for work related things. The downside is that I can't bring them on the bus with me so during the day they'd have to be crated for their safety.

I hate the idea of not being able to play with them all day every day but I've got to put their welfare ahead of my own selfish desires. If I can pull this off they will no longer be at the mercy of my boss's husband or broiling from my boss's unwillingness to get AC units. Liwanu is very sensitive to heat because he has a thick undercoat and Aello is black so heat is not a great thing for them to be exposed to.

A Note on Cats and Dogs

Growing up I heard a lot about cats and dogs fighting. It's a common misconception in America and the reference appears as a turn of phrase. The idea is that canines and felines don't get a long (fight like cats and dogs) are completely different (opposite as cats and dogs) and in general are incompatible with each other.

I can count on one hand the number of times that I've seen a cat and dog who were both well socialized at odds with each other. I currently reside in a house as a 'live-in nanny' where there are 4 dogs ranging from 7lbs (Hermes) to 25lbs (Aello) to 62lbs (Maxine) and ending with 85lbs (Liwanu). There are also two adult cats, mother and son, the female just had 5 kittens bringing the cat total to 7. There is mutual respect between both species and only the occasional dispute when one or the other gets too rough.

The adult male, Tiger, romps with the dogs and attends our walks. I often find myself saying 'he thinks he's a dog' even though that is a completely human concept. Tiger can rough-house with the best of them and displays many characteristics that would normally fall into the 'dog-realm' of life.

Maybe it's not their nature to be at odds with each other, maybe it's a role they fill because it's not in our nature to co-exist peacefully. Human beings do not have the inclination to develop benevolence. We are high-emotion, oppositional and apathetic as a species. It was our survival tool which led to us becoming the 'Apex Predator'. Because of our urge to humanize everything we often find ways to warp an animal's behavior so that we feel more of a companionship with them.

This tendency to displace our behaviors onto an animal is a HUGE disservice. By characterizing them we limit the possibilities within which they can live. It also leads to frustration, discomfort, fear, pain or death because we, the human, cannot understand why they, the humanized-animal, does something that they 'know' they aren't supposed to.

Puberty Strikes Again!

Liwanu's newest thing is humping. He's done it on and off for the past 7 months or so but never with as much single-mindedness as he is exhibiting right now. Furniture, people, animals and even random objects fall into his desire. It's odd. He's on Tardac (sp?) which is a chemical injection that acts much the same as neutering would. He shouldn't have this urge but for some odd reason, puberty has returned with a vengeance. His overall behavior is improving drastically.

He's madly in love with the kittens who were born to my boss's cat about 3 weeks ago. Is allowing people to walk past us at about 7 feet and even manages to remain sitting and focused when strangers appear to be walking towards us. I'm very proud of him. That, of course, leads me to another small tangent. Several of my friends train and compete in the area of Shutzhund. For those who don't know; Shutzhund is a sport which can be likened to the training a police dog receives in order to trail and apprehend a suspect. The main differences are: Shutzhund teaches the dog to target an obvious target such as a bite-suit or sleeve. They are temperament tested and should not display anti-social behaviors above what an ordinary dog might under stress. Police dogs are not well socialized and are taught to target the actual body of the suspect. That makes them a loaded gun in the wrong hands. While having a discussion on another forum yesterday I do believe, she brought up a very good point which applies to me and the way I tend to treat Liwanu.

"Many American breeding programs have bred out the natural tendencies of many breeds. Take a look at the German Dobies vs. there American counterparts. Two very different dogs....same thing with the GSD and soooo many other breeds. Americans think all dogs should be like labs so we breed for that temperament even if it's wrong. This is not all American programs but it is the majority. That is why on GSD's (and Dobies) we see a split between the working line and show line dogs. It is becoming harder and harder to find a dog that can do the work and place in the conformation ring."
----NATASHA Z CERNA KNEZA

While I don't compete in any field of dog sports nor do I have purebred dogs, I can see how that mindset is causing me to stress about and over-react to Liwanu's behavior. I had false expectations when I first got him. I had the typical 'lab' in mind. He was NOTHING like a lab! (Still isn't). His temperament is unique. Part of it is genetic and the other was learned in the environment he has grown up in. This combination has left me with a GREAT dog! He may never be dumb and overly-friendly (like a lab) but that is ok. He is great at being what and who he is.

He drives me nuts quite frequently however, I have learned more from him than any other dog I've ever met. Through him I've learned to control my temper, keep a tight rein on my emotions (he's what I say is a dog who runs high on emotion) and thoroughly research into things before implementing them. I've learned about training, diet and exercise as well as getting the wonderful opportunity to see my own reflection through him. He is my mirror, when I'm stressed he is cranky and when I'm excited he's hyperactive. This has become a valuable tool in self-realization as well as aiding me in my quest of self-improvement.

Long Time:

Apparently my muse has been spending some sick leave lately. Every-time I sit down to write anything, I find myself drawing a complete blank. Liwanu has been doing awesome. His aggression has tapered off and I can walk him without the muzzle. Aello is still a royal pain in my rump so I guess it's all going to even out.

The issue of Liwanu's aggression leads me to a very serious matter. Guys (and Girls) it is NOT an intelligent idea to get a dog for 'protection' purposes. If you want to protect your house, storage or yard it is a much better idea to get an alarm system. Dogs who are not trained correctly are a huge liability risk and the intruder they are supposed to protect you against CAN and WILL sue you and many times they will win if your dog bites them (yes, even if they are in your bedroom with a gun to your head) and you lack the necessary notices. Many dogs who are gotten to serve as 'watch' dogs or 'protection' dogs end up dead, abandoned and tortured because they do not have the necessary drives to fill the role they are supposed to (according to the owner).

People, if you really need a dog for Personal or Home Protection, seek a trained dog from a professional. Make sure that you have the proper insurance, notices and be forewarned, there are insurance companies that discriminate not only by breed but by the dog's role in your life. NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ATTEMPT TO TRAIN YOUR OWN DOG WITHOUT THE HELP OF AN EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL!!!! (in this area at least.)

Another Rainy Day

Well, it's a gray boring day. Luckily I'm not prone to melancholy or else I'd be sniffling on the couch watching the daily soaps. I figure I'll take the camera and the dogs out to our normal spot and see if I can't get some action photos of them playing and chasing rabbits. I always worry that Liwanu is going to catch one and then I'm going to have to take it away. Maybe I'll sit out in the back yard and watch the storm roll through. I don't know but you won't find me sitting on the couch watching 'Gays of Our Lives' that's for sure.

I'm working on teaching Aello to 'Dance' which is pretty funny considering that it's more about catching a behavior she already performs and getting it on cue. If I had my clicker that would be easy, alas I've lost the clicker so now I've got to do it the old fashioned way.

Apparently a friend's next door neighbor broke into the house across the street and when the cops got there the place was ransacked and the owner was dead. Now, I wouldn't mention it except for the fact that this happened shortly before the dogs and I were in the area which means that all hell broke loose. The cops opened that door and there were five dogs that came charging out. Liwanu is not usually dog aggressive but the sight of these animals charging down on him as a group made him a tad bit nervous. Aello had no idea what was going on and buried herself behind my leg. Thanks to the help of my friend, three cops and a store owner we managed to get my dogs to safety and then round up the other five for collection by the Humane Society.

Now, the cops haven't charged anyone yet so I cannot say that the dude is responsible but apparently he's been running his mouth around town claiming to have been involved. Can we say Dumb-ass???

Simple Joys of Life

There's no time to kill between the cradle and the grave
Father Time still takes a toll on every minute that you save
Legal tender's never gonna change the number on your days
The highest cost of livin's dyin', that's one everybody pays
So have it spent before you get the bill, there's no time to kill
If we'd known ten years ago today would be ten years from now
Would we spend tomorrow's yesterdays and make it last somehow
Or lead the cheers in someone else's game and never learn to play
And see the rules of thumb are all the same that measure every day
The grass is green on both sides of the hill, there's no time to kill
No time to kill, even I've said it and probably always will
But I can look ahead and see that time ain't standin' still
No time to kill but time to change the kind of hurry I've been in
And quit this work and worry lookin' back at where I've been
If you don't look ahead nobody will, there's no time to kill
If we had an hour glass to watch each one go by
Or a bell to mark each one to pass, we'd see just how they fly
Would we escalate the value to be worth its weight in gold
Or would we never know the fortunes that we had 'til we grow old
And do we just keep killin' time until there's no time to kill
---Clint Black

I figure I'll take this post to mention some of the beautiful things in life that most people seem to miss. Every day we all go on about our lives never thinking of the wonderful things unfolding around us. We get so caught up in getting things done for tomorrow and the future, which results in death any way, that we forget about the things that surround us.

I took these pictures about two weeks ago when the dogs and I were caught out in a sudden storm. It's 4:30pm and within five minutes the clouds had rolled in to engulf the area. I couldn't help but sit and watch the storm begin it's deluge staying out well beyond the bounds of healthy dryness. Of the ten pictures those two are the only ones which turned out right.

I understand that it is hard to stop thinking about the future constantly however, which makes a better story in the end? "I was born, went to school, worked my butt off, retired and now I'm on my death bed" or "When I was born, such and such was going on. The year I become a high-school freshmen I saw this and this happen and I spent a year traveling the continent on foot before deciding on a career path". I would prefer my life story to be filled with adventures and suspense instead of being bland and uneventful.

When I take the dogs out, an hour long walk can turn into half a day of traveling because of the fact that I get caught up watching them run and play or staring at the cloud-shapes traveling along through the sky. My digi-camera is filled with pictures of cardinals, finches, rabbits and the dogs. Occasionally there is some landscapes or scenic views of the area but mostly it's some strange thing that people would never think to look at. One of my favorites is a picture of a grub the size of my big toe with a wasp climbing out of it's back. When I find it, I'll post it for all to see.

In short, it's not enough to stop and smell the roses. Since our lives are nothing but the passage of time between birth and rebirth, we need to absorb as much of the beauty and wonder as possible. There really is no way of telling when it's time to cash our chips so why spend our final moments thinking of what may have been if we'd 'only found the time'. Try waking up one morning and basking in the sunrise skyclad or attending a Beltane festival to dance the fire in nothing but skivvies and combat boots. You'll be amazed by what you learn when you make the space in your schedule for the un-ordinary.

HUZZAH!!! It's a GIRL!!!

Sorry folks, couldn't help it:D First let me start by saying: I apologize for my absence. Life caught up with me in a big way. There is quite a bit to catch up on but the most important shall come first.

There is an addition to my little family. She's 4 months old (give or take a week) and her name is Aello. As far as I can tell she's purebred APBT however due to her age I'm not going to argue on that point. I'll figure it out when she gets older.

The other big change is that I finally caved and threw the so-called-boyfriend out. I left him last year because he had gotten too deep into the booze and crack. He called me 6 months later claiming to be clean and in control of his alcohol. The amazing part was that I went and saw him and found that he was indeed doing much much better than when I'd left. I agreed to give him a second chance. He moved in with me and my boss's family sometime last September. I bet you know what's coming next....If you guessed that the honeymoon ended and he went back to the dope and hard drinking you are right *awards the 64$ dollars*

About two months ago he started blowing his entire unemployment check within days of getting it. At first there was quite a few doubts but most of the money could be accounted for on receipts. That changed. Soon he was going out and blowing off his responsibilities for crack. I threw him out of the house. I agreed to continuing to see him if he could get his butt back in line. Well, he couldn't so it's over and I'm in the market again:D.

The third big change is that I've got two prospects for getting the hell out of Maryland! *Crosses fingers and prays* I will finish out the school year watching these children and then hopefully the dogs and I are outta here. I can't stand this cesspool state so the faintest hope of rescue makes me giddy. I would hike it but since I'm on the peninsula I'd either have to cut through Delaware (adding a little over two hundred miles) or risk being stranded at the bay bridges. Pedestrians aren't allowed on the bridge off the Eastern Shore so it's a wait for a ride and hope you don't get picked up for hitching.