Category Archives: Dog related
Training the pup to use the ‘go out’ bells
As I’ve said before, we were fortunate that the older dogs taught the younger ones about the ‘go out’ bells. I’ve only truly taught one dog how to use the bells.
Malcolm was ten months old when he entered our lives. He was also almost housebroken. In other words, he didn’t want to go in the house, but if you didn’t catch the signs that he needed to go out, he’d have accidents. We quickly became aware of his ‘need to go’ signs, and would walk him to the door. We’d say, “Want to go out?” ring the bells, and open the door. We did this EVERY time we took him out.
Within a few weeks, I heard the bells ring, ran to the kitchen to find him standing in front of the door. I praised the heck out of him as I took him out. Several more times that day, we’d hear a tentative jingle of the bells. With each ring, he got praise and an immediate trip outside. He never again had an accident and his bell ringing became more confident.
When Sadie arrived in household as a rescue, Malcolm taught her the secret of the bells. Each dog has taught the next since then. Gavin is the most accomplished of the bell ringers. He rings them loud, often, and long. There I times that I wish he hadn’t learned that trick.
As for Linda over at Crone and Bear it teaching her Devoted Spouse the trick…well, um…gee, do you think he might get the idea?
Frozen ground and lots of rain equals a lake
We now live lakeside and didn’t have to move or spend a fortune. It rained all day and with the ground frozen, the rain had no place to go. The yard is now a lake, and by this time of night, a frozen lake. It’s a good thing that the rain stopped earlier tonight or the Koi might have had a chance to explore the grounds. Knowing them, they would’ve camped out at the back door and waited for food.
Patty doesn’t like wet weather so she only asked to go outside today when she absolutely HAD to go. Gavin doesn’t mind rain, doesn’t like snow much, but the rain he tolerates. He always wants to go out and gives the ‘go out’ bells a good workout every day. Yes, there are days that I want to choke him with the bells.
Bells ring.
“You were out five minutes ago. You peed on everything that is upright. You don’t NEED to go out.”
Bells ring.
“You can’t possibly have to go.”
Bells ring.
“ARGH! All right I’ll take you out.” I put on boots, coat, hat, and we go out. Gavin tinkles on the Tulip Poplar, barks at nothing but the wind, and heads for the door. We go in.
I take off my coat, boots, hat, and settle in front of the computer to work again. I type one sentence.
Bells ring.
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
That ain’t a bear!
That ain't a bear!
A neighbor near the cabin where Dear Hubby and his friend are hunting had a wildlife camera set up behind his place. You know, one of those out-door cameras with a motion sensor. Two weeks before they left to go hunting, the neighbor sent the above picture to DH’s friend.
Wow, we had no idea they had mountain lions in the area. DH’s friend takes his two dogs along with them, both are large, but I somehow picture them back pedaling when confronted by a kitty big enough to drag an eight-point buck out of the woods.
We know they have black bears up there. They had one on the back deck last year and the dogs barked at it through the door. The bear “Frankly, didn’t give a damn” and moseyed off after staring at them for a while. The two dogs would probably have to discuss the large kitty situation.
Male: “You go ahead. You’re bigger than I am.”
Female: “I dunno I’ve never seen a kitty that big. Hell, it’s bigger than you.”
Male: “You know, I think it might even be bigger than you.”
Female: “Did I hear the food dish rattle? I swear I heard Dad put some food in there.”
Male: “I think you’re right. Let’s go back inside. We can bark at it from there like we did that bear.”
Gavin met Madison
Madison, who always looks for me when they walk past the yard
The nose knows
Gavin finally met Madison today. I was so proud of him he was a perfect gentleman. He didn’t bark or show any of the hostility he has shown to many of the dogs people walk past our yard. Could it because she’s also a BT? I’m betting on it.
Madison wasn’t too sure of him at first since she’d only moments before met with a hostile Pit bull who had snapped and growled at her. Gavin was all tail wags and happy little whines of greeting. What a flirt he was, trying to get her to come closer for a smooch. He was thrilled when she eventually came to the fence to become acquainted. That boy certainly loves the girls.
Patty wouldn’t have been nice with Madison since she doesn’t like any other dogs. Gavin is her one and only dog pal. This all stems from the time a Pit bull attacked her through our back fence a few years ago. It’s a shame because Madison has the energy to keep up with her (not that Gavin doesn’t) but another playmate for her would be nice. However, she’d rather stick to her Gavin.
Jingle bells out
Yesterday Mari asked, “They ring bells?” Yes, Mari my dogs ring the above bells to go out. The bells are attached to the door that leads from the kitchen to the back porch.
We taught our old male, Malcolm to ring the bells when he wanted out. When we added our rescue girl Sadie to the household, he taught her how to ring them. After he died, Sadie was our only dog for a while. Then we got Gavin.
Sadie was old by then, but she passed on the lesson of the bells to Gavin before she died. Gavin became an expert bell ringer. He can ring those bells so well and loud that it will drive a person (usually me) up a wall—he likes to go out, often.
Gavin taught Patty how to ring the bells after she arrived on our doorstep as a rescue. She will ring them only when she really has to go out and she does it delicately. With Gavin it sounds like Santa’s entire sleigh is battering down the door, with Patty you will only hear a little jingle of the bells.
Doggonedmysteries 