A Very Lovable Cocker Spaniel Pup Named Oliver

Vacationing in FL and I'm definitely missing the BOYZ. They're home and well cared for by dog sitters extraordinaire BJ and Anita and their boy Benjy. Latest text says they ALL went on a long walk. Got a pic showing the boyz lounging after the walk.

Across the street from where we're staying, Oliver lives with his BFF Cindy. When I met the dog, I was a little stunned by how much he and Simon look alike. And act alike.

Cindy asked me over this am to assemble her vacuum cleaner. I was met at the door by Oliver wriggling his butt for attention. He got a toy to give me as a gift. He got upset when I directed my attention to the vacuum for assembly and started the woofing that means "Here I am - play with me." All these doggie actions remind me of Sir Simon.

I always wonder what would happen to Simon if he managed to get lost. He greets everyone as a long lost friend, just like Oliver. What if the person he greeted would do him harm. What a terrible thought!

Cockers (and Simon is half spaniel) seem to be the most lovable creatures! Not a nasty bone in their sturdy bodies. Some people I know need to take likeability lessons from these dogs!

Happy Birthday Sir Simon The Sad

Today is Simon's second birthday.

We gave him a new toy he guards from his brother Alvin. Since Alvin has been stealing toys from his younger brother since he was a pup who could walk under his legs, we decided Simon deserved his own toys.

Does Your Pup Have A Trick Knee? Limping Or Walking Stiff-Legged? Read Simon's Story To Find Out About Canine Luxating Patella!

If your dog walks like Simon does in the first few seconds of this video,



Then your precious pup may have a condition called trick knee in dogs (canine luxating patella). Simon did. And he was only a year old when the video was taken.

Before you get panicy, your dog may NOT need surgery to correct the condition. Simon did or he was eventually going to be permanently lame or blow out his ACL (anterior cruxiate ligament).

Regardless of whether your dog requires surgery or not, you're gonna want to read Simon's Story.

Why?

So you know what questions to ask your vet.

So you understand if you can postpone or forget about surgery.

If your dog does require surgery, you'll know what to expect pre- and post-surgery.

Recovery is a critical time period. Find out what problems can arise.

Read Simon's Story - you'll be glad you did!

Always Remember (And Never Forget): Stop Puppy Biting Before It Turns Into DOG Biting

Some time ago, when Alvin and Simon were wee pups, I wrote a squidoo lens about correcting puppy biting:
http://www.squidoo.com/puppy-training-problems


The bottom line in this lens - stop and correct puppy biting so that the biting pup does not turn into a biting DOG causing tons of damage to human skin. Then, it's a BIG problem. Little dog teeth hurt; big dog teeth hurt a lot more.

Recently, I read a Kingdom of Pets article about the OUCH command:

Whenever your puppy inflicts any amount of pain, whether you are playing or not, cry out sharply with "Ouch" or something similar. The important thing is NOT to say "No" or anything that makes the puppy think it has done something wrong. They simply need to figure out some boundaries. An "Ouch" command lets them know where to draw the line while not punishing them for bad behavior. After all, you are your puppy’s favorite thing in the world. The last thing they want to do is poke multiple holes in your hand.

Follow the correction by placing one of the dog’s toys in its mouth to redirect the behavior.

Good advice!