Lazy Dogs on Christmas Morning...

Roman giving me that German shepherd, "I just looove you!" adoring look.
Roman, squeezing himself into Tikka's bed...

You can really see Tikka's broken nose in this shot. Sometime in her past, someone broke her nose. The vet couldn't think of any other reason why it was broken...The cruelty of people is beyond me at this point in my life. I'm just glad Tikka is here and enjoying life to the fullest.

One of my dearest students made this blanket for Roman and Tikka. She is only 7 years old and did this all by herself. If you click the photo, you can see the pink bone she sewed in the middle. She'll be happy to know that the dogs and cats love this blanket!

The Cat is in the Bag

Winter Tree Juxtaposition

Unfortunately, you can't see the flock of cherry head conures in the palm...
Never mind that neither tree is native to San Francisco, but what is that tree in the foreground? I walk by it every day, watching the leaves change...what is it?

Remember this (yet another non-native) tree?

Santa Sorting Hat

Hmmmm...what could they be thinking?

"WTF is up with her putting clothes on me? Last Christmas I had to wear Uggs...this year, it's this stupid hat..."

"Hmmmm...I bet I look kinda hot..."

Vinny: "Huh? I heard sometin'..."

"Gryffindor!!!"

Dogs vs. Cats

Many people are either dog people or cat people and view the other side with contempt and bewilderment. I like to think of myself as simply an animal person who has the strongest bond with dogs. The list is long, but in summary, dogs simply want to be with us no matter what. They have a strong allegiance to family and we humans eat that up. For me, my dogs provide a window into nature, heighten my dulled senses and enhance my communication skills (with canines and humans). They also sooth my body and soul.

Then there are the cats, the antithesis of dogs. My cats give me a different view into nature's soul. The very essence of being a cat makes sharing a home with one (or three) a joy. Their sleek stealthiness and honed predatory skills, the honor I feel when they deem me worthy of their affection, their independent yet dependent nature...My cats have very distinct personalities and all are very friendly and outgoing. No hiding from people here. Plus, they are so clean and easy to care for. I love taking the dogs on walks and I love not having to take the cats.

Living in a multi species household has given me a unique perspective on these two, supposedly, arch enemies. It is clear the cats rule the house, but it is also clear the dogs don't really care as long as they have me.

A Purrfect Christmas

The kitten is now named...Ramathorn...a.k.a. Rammy...Strange, but it suits him. Rammy is settling in nicely. He and the older cats are now best buds. Tikka is tolerating him as long as he doesn't invade her space on the couch or bed. But, poor Roman! Roman, who was so gentle in greeting the new kitten. Roman, who gave up his food when Rammy rammed his face into his food dish. Roman, who gives the kitten a wide birth. Rammy is insistent on challenging Roman with hisses, swats and false charges. Roman just turns his head. A 70 pound German shepherd who was so dog reactive, he would pull me off my feet while lunging. While Tikka 'attacked' the kitten when he jumped on her face, all Roman does is turn away quietly. I am hopeful Rammy and Roman will become good friends, especially since Roman is displaying such patience. Who would have thought; this big, tough shepherd who illicits awe wherever he goes, is such a mushy soul when faced with a four pound kitten? Just one more reason why I love this dog!

He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named

It's been less than 24 hours since HWCBN arrived, and he's already gotten into trouble. I've spent all morning playing and snuggling him, while helping the other animals get used to him (Kovu has gone from utter and complete hatred to simple dislike). HWCBN discovered the fireplace and is now covered in soot. He went in a flame point siamese mix and came out a charcoal point! He has also tried to pull down our dinner plates and steal our food in addition to employing sneak attacks on Kovu and Vinny's tails. He has no fear of the larger cats and is constantly trying to rub against them, despite the hissing.

The problem is, we cannot find a proper name for him that we all agree on. I think we are leaning towards Seamus (Shamey) but some other shot down suggestions have been Koa, Thai, Taz, Zazhou, Chang-Fu, Mr. Bigglesworth, Singha, Beer, Donut, Sparta, Titan...

I never would have guessed naming a 4 pound kitten would be this difficult!

Christmas Kitten

It is just too hard to get a decent picture of this kitten! He's so busy...



It is never a good idea to give a pet as a gift. Even if you know the recipient wants a dog or cat, finding that forever friend is such a personal experience. Instead of giving the actual animal, a great gift would be items for the dog or cat (leash, toys, bowls, gift certificate to a pet supply store).

What is even worse is getting a puppy or kitten for your children. Shelters across the nation show a rise of surrendered 8 - 10 month old puppies and kittens (when they grow out of the cute stage and into the teenage stage) at the end of spring. Animals can be a wonderful experience for children, but it is the parents who really need to think about the lifetime commitment involved. Do they really want that dog or cat? What happens when the kids grow tired of the animal (and, they will lose interest)? You can't expect a young child or, even a teenager, to consistently care for the pet. You will need to be the primary caretaker and teach your child how to be responsible for the dog or cat. If you are a parent of young children, do you have the extra energy to provide all the training and socialization a young dog needs? What happens if the cat gets sick and needs surgery?

Recently, my sister mentioned that maybe she'll get a dog for her 6 and 8 year old sons because they love dogs so much. They own a perfect 'dog' house, too. Spacious, close to parks with a huge yard. A dog would have a grand time tearing around on the lawn and then curling up to watch TV in the family room. But what about those Persian carpets and expensive, new hardwoods? I could not imagine my sister cleaning up after the inevitable housebreaking error or bought of diarrhea. When I gave her the list of all she would have to consider and do on a daily basis, she quickly reconsidered. "But, your dogs don't mess the house and are always so calm." She stated. Well, yes...but it took a lot of work on my part to get them to this point. They didn't come that way. So, my nephews will continue to enjoy visiting my dogs.

Now, you may think I am a hypocrite because I have gotten pets for my son. While I grew up with a dog (which later became plural), I never had a cat because my sister was allergic. As a young adult, my three large dogs kept me busy and, given the high prey drive of my husky, a cat didn't seem possible. Of course, what does my son (who was born when I had these three dogs) want as soon as he could speak? A kitten. So, in 1998, I brought home Kovu. I was working as a veterinary technician at Park Animal Hospital and someone found Kovu, a 4 month old black kitten, on the side of 580. He was bold and confident and I fell in love. Three years later we adopted Vinny, a grey tabby who was found in a Buddhist temple in Chico. So, yes, I did get the cats technically for my son...But, I was prepared to care for them while teaching Erik how to be responsible for them. Even now, as a 15 year old, I have to remind him to feed them at night and clean the litter box.

So, now our family has increased by one more kitten. We adopted HeWhoCannotBeNamed , a 4 month old flame point Siamese mix .  HeWhoCannotBeNamed is also a surprise Christmas present for Erik...

I can't tell you why I wanted a third cat. I have just been looking for the past couple of weeks. None of the kittens I met were 'mine'. As soon as I met HeWhoCannotBeNamed at SF Animal Care and Control, I knew he was 'mine'. He is friendly, outgoing, and, best of all...fearless. He has to be to live in this household. He hopped out of the carrier and strutted around the living room (most new cats slink around the perimeter), finally curling up on the couch, purring to sleep. I will anthropomorphize here that he was thinking, "Ah, I'm finally home."

Socialization

As most of you know, it's vital to socialize your dog. A new puppy has a 'socialization window' from about7 to 16 weeks. This is the prime time to expose your pup to as many different kinds of people, dogs, and experiences (walking over grates, bikes, loud noises) in a positive way...every day. A trainer friend told me a pup should meet 7 new people a day of different size, sex, color and age. Socialization does not stop at 16 weeks, of course, but that window does close and it becomes more difficult. Ian Dunbar says a pup should have met 100 new people by the 12th week. This crucial time is when the puppy's basic character is set. Because this human socialization period occurs at the same time as the first 'fear imprint stage' (from about 8 - 11 weeks) it's imperative that all these experiences with new people are positive. If a pup shies away from a new person, don't coddle him "aww, it's ok"...that's how you make him afraid of people! Anything that frightens a puppy at this time will have a more lasting effect than any other time in his life! A second fear period happens between 6 and 14/18 months. You may notice the pup has become suddenly timid. They may also show reactivity/aggression and/or territorial behavior. In addition, this is also the beginning of the 'teenage' stage where all previous trained commands may fly out the window!

I have not raised a puppy for over 20 years.  My current dogs had aggression/reactivity issues with other dogs when I adopted them...but, with consistent training and management, they have learned to be canine good citizens. They have no fear or aggression towards people. I got them as adults, so someone did something right when they were puppies. I am also grateful I live in a city that is so dog friendly. They get socialized 3 -4 times a day just by taking our walks. If we lived in the country or suburbs, I doubt this would ever happen. I still continue to socialize them and let people pet them whenever possible. Roman and Tikka love attention from all people but they are also polite and don't go soliciting it.

Tikka got to hang out with my second graders again and just stood there, wagging her tail. She had 16 pairs of hands petting her and she was happy to give a few kids a kiss. 

Well, Tikka and Roman are unofficial therapy dogs. I think this summer we will make it official.