That time of year

We wanna go for a walk mom!


It's that time of year. Ya gotta wear your Christmas bandanas.

You look so cute!


Ok, were wearing them. Can we go for our walk now?


Back from the walk. Throw the toy please!


Toys, toys every where.


Common, lets play!


I don't wanna.


YEAH! Mom is throwing the ball!


Come on. Throw it again!

Waiting for frozen raw chicken necks

Usually every day about noon the dogs get frozen chicken necks for a snack. I feed these outside for obvious reasons. Sunshine had some black on his teeth when he came to us and now he's got pearly whites. I would give the dogs more raw whole food if I could but it often comes frozen in large blocks which are too heavy to handle while defrosting. As a result we stick with the prepackaged individually frozen.

Blossom waiting on the deck for her snack.


Sunshine waiting for his.


Still waiting...


And more waiting...


Ah, there they are!


Sunshine always does the cutest little dance for his chicken snack but I haven't gotten it on camera yet. He stands on his hind legs and waves his paws in the air.

Children on the playground / DAP again???

I'm wondering whether to attribute today's progress to DAP. Sunshine does not like playground equipment, trash cans, children running amok, strollers etc. Mostly he has reacted to just about everything including the wind blowing and making noise in the trees. Over the last year he had improved dramatically with the things we see on our daily walks. However today we had an amazing bit of progress. We were walking by a local playground that had 2 parents and 2 kids. The minute the 2 kids saw the dogs they jumped off the equipment and were running right at us. I immediately called out that the dogs were not friendly and made a hard turn to the left away from the kids. The parents got the kids back and we continued by the playground. The amazing thing is that Sunshine did not try to bolt, didn't flatten himself to the ground and didn't even look worried. Once the kids were under control we continued by the playground and he had his tail up the entire time!

Happiness is a walk

Sunshine darted in and out of the bushes, followed up on every possible trail, stopped to sniff everything interesting and in general behaved just like Blossom on today's dog walk.

Sunshine's very favorite thing, besides eating, is walking. He is excellent on the leash and eagerly looks forward to his twice per day walk. However he is sometimes concerned or a little stiff. Generally his tail is up and he is having a ball. Today however he behaved just like a normal dog and darted this way and that, exploring every nook and cranny he could get to while still on leash.

I think his progress may be attributed to DAP. I started using it again about a week ago when he started to regress and not want to walk with my husband. DAP is really an amazing substance.

Laid on a dog bed!

A quick update on Sunshine. As I type this he is laying on a dog bed. This is the first time he has had the confidence to do this. Mostly he lays near my feet or on the carpet but not on the comfy cushy dog bed. About a week ago he came to the back door all on his own to come in. We have had a few repeats but not as close as that one time. However he is coming along. No progress yet on the dog door but just getting him to come in the back door on his own is progress. We still have to go out and herd him in about half the time but still that is much better than having to do it every time. Especially now that it is getting cold out. Yeah for progress! I don't want to disturb him by snapping a picture so will include these of him and Blossom asking to go for a dog walk.

The back door - 11 mth progress report

We've had Sunshine for just over 11 mths. And today we had excellent success with him coming in the back door without my having to go out and herd him in! Yeah! Sunshine doesn't come when called, it kind of freaks him out so I have to go out and get behind him to herd him in. I wonder if we should get a border collie or other herding breed and teach them to get Sunshine. I have been trying to train Blossom to do it but she isn't going for it. Good thing he is just so Gosh Darn Cute! No progress on the dog door yet. But I feel like it is going to come someday...

Wagged his tail when I came home

Today Sunshine wagged his tail when I came home. This is the first time he has done this. Normally when I come home Sunshine looks at me like I am an alien invader, narrows his eyes with suspicion and looks at me like he has never seen me before.

Unfortunately he has never come downstairs to greet me and today is no exception. He stayed up on the balcony which is his perch whenever I'm not home. If we can get a regular tail wag out of him that will be progress. I think a greeting is too much to hope for this first year.

Doggies playing

What do you suppose is eating them?

Blossom and Sunshine on a pretty fall day. I can't quite figure out their expressions other than they don't like the camera.

Some more progress

I'm pleased to report that twice in the last two weeks Sunshine came in for the evening off the deck on his own when I opened the door. Were still pretty far from him using the dog door however. He also managed to tolerate being in the house while we had some work people here. At first he didn't but after a few weeks he got used to it. Very pleased!

Can you spot Sunshine?

Sunshine likes to hide in the bushes and bark at guests when they come over.

Blossom relaxing on the bricks.

Coming through the garage

I haven't posted here for awhile mostly because Sunshine is doing so well. His adventures in our RV have been chronicled on my other blog.
http://1994brave29rqrv.blogspot.com/

However today was another milestone for Sunshine. For weeks after the dog walk he has been hanging around the garage door watching Blossom and I go in. He sort of looked like he wanted to come to. One day in the morning I went out and found he had peed on it. Maybe that was his way of testing the safety.

So today we get back and I'm fiddling to go in and he comes up closer than ever and sits down. I open the door and motion for him to go in. He sits there. I move to pat him and he runs off. Then Blossom comes up. I take off her harness. Sunshine comes up again and sits down. I go to pet him and he stays. So I gently urge him toward the door and he goes through. Then in the garage he goes through the dog door into the house all on his own! Maybe we can get him to let himself in and out before winter!!!

Sunshine's pool intro

We always put up a decent size pool so Blossom can swim. However, water that is deep enough for Blossom will be over Sunshine's head.

I picked up a small plastic pool so we could see if Sunshine is willing to get in.
But he wasn't. So far he will just drink from it. However I have high hopes as he was very interested in the water coming from the pumps in our pond when we first got him. I put some plastic balls in the water to tempt him.

Blossom passed out in the shade to dry out from her adventures.

Blossom's new tent

We got this tent for the dogs. It was about $37 from Costco. It has a small tunnel attached to it and came with 100 plastic balls for the dogs to chase and puncture. We only give them the balls while supervised as they are not doggy safe. Blossom enjoys hanging out in it. I have lured Sunshine inside but he darts in, takes his toy and runs back out.
The dogs are having a ball puncturing and chasing the plastic balls.


Sunshine wants in on the action.

Who gets this one?
Peace and harmony.
Sunshine enjoys a ball.

Blossom says Gimme.
Sunshine says "She stole it!"
Blossom say "You betcha!"
Blossom: Yum this is good. Sunshine: Harumph!
I've got one now!
This is fun.
Blossom: He can have a traditional stuffed toy. The balls are mine!
An oldie but a goodie.
Back to the tent again. Blossom wonders, "Where did my ball go?"
There it is!

The Aardvark Toy

It all started with the Aardvark toys ($2.50) from Big Lots. They are particularly attractive to the dogs as they have a squeaker in the body and the tail. Blossom showed up in the house with both toys.

This meant that poor Mr. Sunshine had none.

A quick redistribution.


But Blossom is not happy. She covets both toys.

Mr. Sunshine is happy to have one.

Harmony, one dog, one toy.

Wait, how did this happen?

Here mom, throw my toy.

Its getting hot out.

In the end, back in the house, a winded Blossom still has both toys. Mr. Sunshine is passed out, out of the picture.