Girth just tells someone that you know good food and know how to cook good food! I got a bit of girh myself. And I like to think my girth comes in handy when I have to throw it full force into a punch!

🙂

Love the pup! If you come to Oregon while Rose Fest is still on see me in the food trailer in front of the Inverter! See if I can’t ninja you and the kids some free cotton candy!

Here’s what I got from my friend, and it surprised me somewhat.

My friend said that since Maeve is a dog, she treats babies like baby dogs or animals. She is not genetically predisposed to being a human babysitter. She can be taught, just as we can probably teach an alien from mars to be a babysitter. (Not one of LRH’s aliens). It’s up to you to set the boundaries.

They suggested to start with, tie her leash around your waist so Maeve goes wherever you do, and don’t leave her alone with children. When you can’t actually supervise Maeve, put her in a crate or put he leash to something substantial, so she can still interact with sights and sounds.

They said you need to start thinking about how you want Maeve to help you, then start encouraging her with incentives she likes. She dictates which incentives you give her. [You, of course, only give them when you want to positively reinforce behavior. My observation is that often owners accidentally reinforce bad behavior by doing things like hugging a dog to get them to stop barking].

They said agility training is great. A physically and mentally exhausted dog is much calmer.

They suggested Kong toys, especially if Maeve is food motivated at all, and to Google Kong recipes and to find the best stuffing combo.

The whole idea is to redirect behavior to something appropriate that Maeve likes. They thought the beef broth Popsicle is an awesome idea. [I’m assuming inside a Kong toy].

I thought aquaclara’s suggestions on what to do on walks was great. Teaching Maeve to get the leash or what home means was good.

I would also suggest that when Maeve is doing something you don’t like, to give her a signal, like a “tssst.” I’ve noticed that even with dogs who don’t know me, that it at least gets their attention. Then, you can redirect their attention and behavior.

Well, the preclear may find that by being reasonable and excusable he has found a way to impinge on his livingness, vitalability, beingness, doingnessness. Now can we get some hot dogs? All this talkingness is making me foodable.

[Blush] I love ya, too.

The problems, as I expressed it to my friend were that Maeve is a female blue heeler (?) who is starting to herd a bit too much. She gets to run at the dog park about 2 hours a day, but you’re worried about her nipping & herding escalating, especially with Ash getting older and the twins on their way in about 4 months.

I haven’t heard back from my friend yet, but I did some reading on Australian cattle dogs in Wikipedia, and the suggestion is for agility training. Giving them something they have to figure out challenges them, which is what they need.

I’ll let you know what they suggest.

how very British monarchy

But what you can’t see from the pic, PM, that I have a prosthetic forehead on my real forehead. Not AS cute. 🙂

PS I hope that reference wasn’t too out there

You are pretty funny, friend. “Clamidia” deserves more exposure . . . please post it every day.

I laughed so hard at your post that I think I burst something. I won’t say what. 🙂

Damn I wish I could shoop like you, Obs. You got serious funny. 🙂

HAHAHAHA.