Ready or not here we come!

Our first show is Saturday and after months of training, we hope to do well. Of course, it is my first show and Sienna's first show so just about anything can happen. We’ve been working hard and practicing everyday. I’m pretty sure I’m more excited than she is!



Look for my next blog in which I will be letting everyone know just how well she did.

There's something about "Busy Bee"

If you’ve seen the movie “Best in Show” you are familiar with “busy bee”. If you haven’t, then here is a brief synopsis. “Busy Bee” is the toy used to entertain and calm one of the dogs entered into the show, a beautiful wiemaraner named Beatrice. Well the parents of Beatrice are a conflicted couple who cast their neuroticisms on their poor dog. So when “busy bee” goes missing, the couple get into a huge argument and the wife storms off to find “busy bee” by terrorizing the hotel manager and then a pet store clerk. Meanwhile, Beatrice calmly remains at the show. Busy bee obviously means more to her mom and dad then it does to her.



So when we first brought Sienna home, every toy she had we referred to as “busy bee”. Then at a show, we found a 3pack of busy bees and of course had to buy them. The first busy bee, met with a deflating death quickly as all 3 dogs were fascinated with the busy bee and played tug-o-war with it. I then learned that “busy bee” truly has magical powers.



If you have watched dog shows or been to one, you will see the owners/handlers using treats to keep their dogs calm and obedient. Well during the process of getting the dogs properly stacked, often times the owner/handler will put the treat in their own mouth until they are ready to give it to the dog. Sorry but gross! I love my dog but I don’t want her treats near my mouth. So as incentive for her to be calm and focus, we will be using “busy bee” The magical powers of such a stuffed creature are beyond me but if it works, then hey, why not!

Poops, peeps, and Kool and the gang

When you were (or perhaps still are) a parent of a young person, did you ever find yourself saying some pretty weird things? I know I did and it usually had something to do with potty time. Well I find that now, as a puppy parent, I have resorted to using terms like “poops and peeps” as part of my everyday language. For example, I will come in from the dog run, praising her for going poops AND peeps, yea! Or I will say something like, “come on Sienna, let’s go outside and poop-poop-sha-poop!” Or singing to the tune of “Ladies night” by Kool and the Gang – “Oh yes, it potty time and the feelings right oh yes, it’s potty time oh potty time.” And then there is the squeal of delight that I exclaim whenever she does her business. For an observer this must be a strange thing but as anyone who has every potty trained a human or animal, success is worth the embarrassment and bizarre behavior!

(Sorry no pictures this time due to the content of the blog)

Ready, set, win!

I'm so excited, I just entered Sienna for her first dog show. It's all coming together and I know that she is going to do great! We've been going to classes and learning great things now it’s time to show her stuff. I have great confidence in her, I’m sure she will do a fantastic job, I’m more worried about me – I hope I don’t mess it all up!

Simple Pleasures

The problem with simple pleasures is that because they are simple and take very little work, they tend to be looked over. As humans we tend to over think things. We think that in order to have fun we must spend tons of money and plan for years. We're always saying we're too busy or we have too much to do in order to relax or have fun. I think we could learn a thing or two from our pets.



Pets find pleasure in the simple things, a nap, a game of tug of war, or keep away, getting fed, running on a wheel, chasing a ball, meeting new people, taking a walk, going for a swim, etc. They don’t need to think or plan, they don’t need to spend a lot of money, they just do what interests them.



I know that as humans our lives are more complicated than those of our pets but we need down time too! When was the last time you just took off and went to the park or snuggled up with a good book and a cup of tea, when was the last time you took a nap? Better yet, when was the last time you threw a ball for your dog or took a string and played with your cat?





Next time you are feeling overwhelmed, stress-out or anxious, don’t take a Xanex, look to your pet – they seem to have perfected the art of simple pleasures.