Does Coco Wanna Go to the Dog Park?

I think so.

Americans Love Their Dogs

According to the U.S. Institute for Canine Studies, Americans spend about $1400 per dog, per year.  If that doesn't say I love you, I'm not sure what will.  This amount has been increasing steadily since 1994.  Most of  the spending is on food and vet bills; however, we spend a good portion on grooming and treats (American Pet Products Association ).

But this isn't a new thing, loving our pets.  Americans have been dog's best friend since the beginning of people in America, and at every point in our history, we have looked to our pets as guards, companions, a sense of pride, and entertainment.  What would America be without them?

Presidential Dogs
For as long as Americans have been electing presidents, those presidents have been bringing their dogs into office.  According to Pamela Redmond Satran, 25 presidents have owned dogs.  George Washington had an American Staghound named Sweetlips. FDR named his great dane, President. Calvin Coolidge had a staggering 12 dogs, a presidential record.  Warren G. Harding owned the first celebrity dog; his Airedale terrier named Laddie Boy, was featured in newspapers of the day and attended cabinet meetings ("Do you Have a Dog in This Election? Pets Are Presidential")

Picture from: Dog Art Today

Celebrity Dogs
Over the years, we have made our dogs celebrities.  Whether it is our favorite actor toting his/her pet around Hollywood or famous TV dogs, Americans love to make dogs famous.  From TV's beloved Lassie to Oprah's cocker spaniels, Sophie and Solomon, dogs in the public eye are a source of entertainment for Americans.  Many times the popular breed in the media becomes the popular breed for the rest of us.  The new breed trend seems to be heading toward the boxer.  Lamar Odom and Cloe Kardashian and J.Lo have recently acquired boxers.  According to the AKC, boxers have been holding steady as the 7th most registered breed.  Will this number go up in 2013?  My guess is yes.

Dogs in The Revolutionary War
Dogs during war time can be an important part of morale for those fighting.  Many who fought in the Revolutionary War brought their dogs from home to help keep them company.  According to Hugh G. Harrington, dogs could be essential for survival.  Many dogs would help find food and ward off wild animals (Unleashing the Dogs of War).

During battle, George Washington came across British General Howe's dog.  He returned the dog to his owner and won the respect of Howe.

It is no secret that Americans love their dogs, so while we are celebrating America, why not include our dogs!

Happy 4th of July from Coco!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

It has been raining here, off and on, for what seems like months!  Coco hates going to the potty in the rain, but she will.  I know a lot of dogs are scared by thunder, Coco however, is not.  She is afraid of a whole slew of things though:

insects in the road
leaves that look like insects in the road
the cat hiding behind the chair
snakes
old ladies in hats
people on bikes
sometimes her farts

While I hate to see her scared, it is pretty funny to see her jump up in the air!

Don't Waste Your Money: A Review of the Worst Toys

We've spent a lot of money on dog toys.  I mean an absurd amount.  We spend, on average, $10 a month on toys for Coco.  At first, we had trouble finding toys that could stand up to her constant chewing and gnawing.  Eventually, I got good at recognizing good materials and workership.  I researched and researched to find the best toys for her.  I did, however, have to go through so many bad toys.  And I wasted so much money!  I've mad a list of toys that didn't quite meet our standards.

1. Kong Wubba:  This fetch and tug-o-war toy made by the Kong company seems like it would be extremely durable.  That assumption could not have been more wrong!  I thought that since it was made by a company with such a good reputation, it should be fine.  However, Coco had the outer shell off in minutes flat.  There are two small balls inside that a dog could easily choke on, even if you are watching it.  One good thing is that Coco loved the outer shell!  We played with it for a while after it was destroyed.  She liked flapping it around. For the price, it is a huge disappointment.

2.  Kong Genius Leo:  This toy is supposed to keep the dog's attention and serve as a treat despensing toy.  It can be played with on its own, or attached to another product to make it more challenging.  The fatal flaw with this toy is the hole in it.  Coco was able to get her mouth in the hole and use it as the weak spot to destroy it.  This lasted a whole day, maybe.  

3. Goughnuts This toy is expensive.  On the positive side, it has a lifetime guarantee! I had very high hopes for this ring, which is made of hard rubber.  And it has lasted...however Coco doesn't like to play with it.  I think it is too hard for her.  It is too hard to throw inside and it bounces awkwardly.  Even when outside, she seems to shy away from it.  That being said, I'm sure that dogs who like to just sit and chew something probably would love this.  It was not for Coco.  And I was sorry I spent so much money on it. 

4. Buster Food Cube Coco loves a good challenge. And food. That's why I thought the Buster Ball would be perfect for her.  Since the ball is made of very hard plastic, Coco gets scared by it rolling on our hardwood floors.  Even though she knew there was food in it, she wouldn't go near it.  I encouraged her until I was blue in the face.  Even let her have it when we weren't home, but she just let it sit there.  I've heard good things about this toy, but I'd like to warn everyone, this is not appealing to all dogs.  Coco LOVES treat dispensing toys, but not this one.  I ended up returning it. 

5.  Tug-a-Jug Normally, we love Busy Buddy toys.  The squirrel dude is one of her favorites; however this tug jug was a bit disappointing and certainly doesn't live up to the company's name.  In trying to get the treats out, she chewed off the rim of the jug, which is just hard plastic, and was able to get the entire rope out.  Granted, she got the treats, but the jug went in the trash, after just one session.  

Lazy Sunday

This is my Coco at bed time.  Notice how she has 2 beds.  Sometimes she sleeps in the little one.  Sometimes she sleeps in the big one (usually depending on the weather.)  Some days, like today, she sleeps on both at once. This pretty much sums up Coco's day.

The Best Dog Shampoo

antibacterial soap, vinegar, and dish soap=clean doggy!

After a muddy day at the dog park, Coco needed a bath like you wouldn't believe!  Here is a recipe I found on a dog forum.  If you Google it, you can find a different variations.  This shampoo is great because it cuts the wet dog smell that we all so loathe and leaves her the fur smooth.  I always get compliments on her coat, which I attribute mostly to feeding Fromm Family Foods, but this shampoo certainly adds to it.

Here is the recipe I use:

Equal parts Dawn liquid dish soap, white vinegar, antibacterial hand soap, and a little warm water.  Shake the concoction in a container and you are on your way to clean, happy, silky puppy!

Note:  I have added a few drops of essential oil to help with the vinegar smell, but most times, it doesn't bother me any.

                                                                                                             

Before

After

Summer's Here!

I love summer.  Love everything about it, even the Florida heat.  I've been wanting to take Coco to the beach, but haven't gotten to it.  I'm going to make it a priority, though, because she loves the water so much, I'm sure she'd love it.

When we go to the dark park, she is always flopping in the little kiddie pool they have (and peeing in it).  I love how much she loves life!

Can you believe how happy she looks?

Coco enjoying the luxuries of the dog park.

Look how dirty the water is!

I don't think she liked the other dogs in her space.

Not in the pool, went for the mud instead.

Even with no water, she still wants to be in the pool.

She always takes a good nap when we get home.

A Name More Fitting

According to dogtime.com, Max and Bella top the list of most popular dog names for 2013.  Coco? Number 16.  We had a hard time choosing Coco's name.  My ideas for good names didn't really match what Bill had in mind.  We should have looked at a list like this.  So simple.

When we were naming Coco, I wanted to pick something cute and unique.  Something precious.  Bill wanted a normal dog name.  (After all, this is the guy who named his childhood dog Spike. I thought for sure we were going to have a Fido.)  My first choice was Lady Godiva, followed by Brownie.  I also liked Princess Blueberry, but Bill quickly nixed that.  He said it was stupid; I thought it was charming. I wondered if that would be what it was like if we were naming our child.

But naming a dog isn't much like naming your child. You don't have to worry about the nicknames that the other dogs will call her at the dog park.  Or, about feeling guilty if she doesn't feel like the name you've chosen.  We don't have any personality traits linked with dog names like we do for our own names.  There is no societal connotation associated with Princess Blueberry.

Looking back, after knowing Coco for more than 2 years, I can think of more appropriate names that would have fit her as an individual: Flip Flop (because her little ears flip flop when we walks), Rowdy (since she is filled with nothing but energy), or even Dyson (due to her ability to suck up and eat everything in sight).

But instead we have our lovable, snuggly, mischievous, and incredible good-natured Coco. She doesn't seem to mind her name.

Coco assisting Mommy in treat baking.

Weekend Sleepover

This is cousin Madam Star.  She is a 10 year old Basset Hound with a big voice and an affinity for her Uncle Bill.  This past weekend Madam stayed with us.  Coco was overjoyed to have a visitor, and one that didn't seem to leave at that.  Madam Star, on the other hand, seemed like she couldn't be bothered with young Coco.  I'm pretty certain this is just an act; secretly she adores Coco.

It amazes me how different these two are.  Both dogs, both raised by responsible pet parents, but their personalities are opposite.  Madam Star revels in a good nap.  No, not naps, marathon sleeping events.  She stayed in this chair for 5 hours and did not move.  5 hours!  I counted!  She barely stirred, though at one point she was barking in her sleep.  This concerned Coco greatly.  Coco, however, likes her naps but they never last that long, and can be interrupted at any point.  If there is an armadillo, squirrel, or heaven forbid, a cat within a 2 miles radius, Coco's little ears perk up and she tears off into the direction of the "prey."  I know Madam has a better sense of smell than she, but Starsky has no interest in chasing varmint.  Is that the difference in the breeds?  A retriever vs. a hound?

Or is it something a little more human than that?  Madam Star's mommy, Jules, is one of the most laid back people I know.  She is rarely in a hurry and has no sense of competition whatsoever.  Is this where Madam has learned the art of nonchalance?  Do our pets really take on our personalities?

If so, what does that say about me?

Coco's Favorite Toys: A Mommy's Reivew

People often ask me about dog toys, seeing as how Coco can destroy one in a matter of minutes.  She makes an art out of removing a squeaker. I am always happy to give out some recommendations, after all, I'd hate for people to have to spend the money that we have in ill fated dog toys.

Coco and I are providing a list of our favorite toys.  These are toys that I know will stand up to her Herculean playing and ones that she actually enjoys playing with.

1.  West Paw Design's Hurley

Coco can play with this all day long.  And I am confident in the quality of West Paw.  I don't think I can say enough about what this company is doing.  Their Zogoflex toys are, by far, the BEST toys I have come across.  Other toys are durable, but Coco doesn't seem to like them as she does West Paw's products.

2.  West Paw Design's Jive

This bouncy durable ball can keep Coco's attention for hours!  As long as someone is willing to throw it, she is willing to fetch it.

3.  West Paw Design's Bumi

Do you see a pattern here?  This S-shape toy is good when Coco wants a little solo play.  She takes hold and shakes it silly.  Again, I love it because I know it will hold up.  If it doesn't, they'll replace it.

4.  Petstages Kooky Chicken

I recommend this with caution.  The feet and beak come off fairly easily.  Not as easily as others, but in about a month, Coco can amputate the poor bird.  That being said, Coco loves this toy. I have to watch her and take the pieces away once she's conquered it.  Luckily, she's not big on eating the detached pieces.  If she were choosing, I think this would be her favorite.  Around here we call it Turkey Lurkey.

5. Ruff Dawg's Stick 

This rubber stick has held up for a couple of years now.  And she loves it.  She will play fetch with it, toss it up in the air for herself, or just sit and have a good chew.

She's a Genius!

We have a rule in our house: only two bodies in the bed at one time.  Bill hates to share the bed with Coco when I'm there.  But if I'm gone, he lures her into the bed with his high pitched cooing.  A sound that only Coco could love.  She eagerly hops up on our king bed, whole body wagging with glee.

But this is what amazes me: she knows the rules.  She knows that if one of us isn't in the bed, the empty spot is fair game.  When we are both in the bed, she doesn't even test her luck and try to get up there. How does this happen?  It is like she can count.

This is just one of the examples I have of how smart she is.  When we go for a walk, she know exactly how many treats I have hidden in my hand.  When I say, "take your ball to Daddy"  she does. They say that mix breeds are smarter than pure breeds.  We whole-heatedly believe this, and we have a genius on our hands.

Although my co-worker thinks her 20 month old son is a cross between Michael Jackson and Picasso, obviously he's not. He seems stunningly average to me.  I'm positive this is how crazy I seem. Every time she shows me a video of him dancing to Yo Gaba Gaba, I want to disillusion her.  But I don't.  It must come with the territory of loving another.

Doggy DNA

For my 29^th birthday Bill got me the Wisdom Panel Mixed Breed DNA kit.  I had been thinking about Coco’s exact make-up for some time. Knowing that she is a chocolate lab, pit bull mix doesn’t quite satisfy my curiosity. Since I imagine her as our adopted child, we (and by “we” I mean “I”) want to know everything we can about her birth parents.  I know, in my very logical and sane brain that she is just a dog (mostly because Bill reminds me of this daily), but I can’t help but wonder about where she came from. 

I hadn’t told Bill that I wanted such a test, nor did I ever in a million years think for a second that he even knew they existed.  I was about knocked over when I found out that he ordered the kit for me.  I was touched the he knew me so well, though after being together for 9 years, I really shouldn’t be.  He’s a real sensitive kind of guy when he wants to be. His thoughtfulness was present enough, but the actual present was perfect.

After we swabbed Coco’s cheek, which was a feat, I sent away for our copy of her family tree.  It is supposed to trace back to her great-grandparents, the breed that make up her “mixed breed” DNA.  I’ve heard that these tests are far from accurate, but after doing some research online, I’m fairly confident that it was worth Bill’s money. 

It’s been 3 weeks and 2 days and I don’t think I can take another day!  Every time I look at her I think I see some other type of breed.  Yesterday, when she was looking particularly alert (her attention was fixated on what I’m pretty sure was just a squirrel), I convinced myself she is part Doberman.  I have to have some truth soon, even if it is a semi-truth!

Mama's Girl

I’m sure it is not surprising to you, but Coco has turned into a bit of a Mama’s Girl.  Or so says Bill.  I think he’s a little jealous of this considering I didn’t even want to get her in the first place.  He’s right though, she is a Mama’s Girl.  She follows me around the house and snuggles in my lap when I sit on the couch.  She lies next to my side of the bed in the evening when we are watching TV (unless Bill is eating a snack, then she is waiting with baited breath for a fallen crumb).  Technically, we think of her as Bill’s dog, but it is becoming obvious to everyone that she favors me.

This is not to say that she doesn’t like him, not at all.  In fact, if she wants to play, she will always hit him up first.  It seems she gets much more pleasure out of her few hours of playing with Daddy than she does being Mommy’s snuggle bunny.  So why is it that she is so close to me? 

I read somewhere that sleeping with your puppy fosters a deep connection.  I was worried after the first time we took Coco to the vet and she happily left me behind to wonder off to the back with a complete stranger, that she would never feel “at home” with us.  I listened to the advice of the expert and took naps with Coco (since we both agreed we did not want her in the bed with us).  I sat on the floor and rubbed her belly.  When she seemed agitated, I let her lay on my chest and hugged her.  I tried to get her as close physically as I could so that she would feel as connected as possible. 

I guess it worked.

Communication Bark-Down

Over the last few months Coco has developed a knack for communicating with us.  It started with her telling us that she has to go potty.  This involves sitting directly in front of us and barking softly at first, and then getting gradually louder until we take her out.  We encouraged this behavior because of our difficulties with housetraining.  We were so happy that she was telling us when she needed to go out. 

Then she started to display the same behavior when she wanted to play.  She would get the desired toy out of her toy box (we sometimes would watch this beginning step with amusement…marveling at how she would comb through her toys one by one until she found the one she wanted) and then she’d place the toy at our feet.  If we were in bed, she would place the toy in the bed.  After that, she would sit and start barking until one of us, usually Bill, would throw the toy and play fetch with her. 

When she wants something that is not an immediate need, like she wants to snuggle on the couch, or she has discovered a missing toy under the bed that she can’t quite reach, she won’t bark, just whine.  She seems to know when barking is inappropriate.

This behavior makes she seem like a demanding brat, and maybe she is.  Bill blames me for spoiling her.  I blame him for playing tug-of-war and fetch with her whenever she wants, giving in to her when she barks at him.  But we don’t really know if this behavior is bad, we just know it can be annoying to us.  She is usually pretty good about not being a brat when company is over.  Maybe it just means she has learned to adapt our behavior instead of us shaping hers. 

Doggy Daycare?

I’ve been trying to decide whether or not to put Coco in doggy daycare.  This has been a tough decision.  There are days when we are not home for long periods of time.  While we make it a point to come home long enough to let her out to go potty and for a short walk, some days she is by herself (with the cat, of course) for many hours.  I picture my poor Coco all alone on her bed with no one to play with and it makes me wish I could do something. 

I do have a fantastic friend, Jules, who will come over when she can and take Coco for walks.  On these days I find that I can concentrate at work better and I feel more relaxed knowing that Coco is happy and satisfied at home.  Sometimes I’ll have Jules leave her a freezer treat and I know that will keep her mentally stimulated until I can get home to keep her company.  But Jules can’t always come over, and while I am extremely grateful to her for the times that she can, I want something more permanent.  So I started to look into doggy daycare. 

Luckily, I didn’t have to look very far, our vet provides that service. The cost, to me, is minimal at just under $17 a day.  I would be happy to have her attend daycare just a couple times a week to get her out of the house on those long days when we are away.  It would put my mind at ease to know that she is getting the attention she wants.  To Bill, of course, this is a ridiculous idea. 

Bill’s opinion is that she’s a dog, and as such she is perfectly happy to loaf around the house and play with her toys.  Perhaps she will occasionally play with the cat, or get some energy out by running laps up and down the stairs.  He sees no reason for a dog to go to daycare.  And he certainly sees no reason for us to pay for it. 

To a degree, I see his point, which is why I haven’t signed her up.  We let her out when she needs to go to the potty and we are always there on time to feed her.  But I can’t help but feel guilty for not being there with her more.  After all, we wanted her; she is our responsibility. I wonder if this is how mothers feel about going to work with newborns. 

I’m not sure how I will decide what to do.  For me, it isn’t really about the money, although I don’t like to spend money I don’t have to.  It is more about respecting Bill’s opinion and finding a balance between what I think is the right thing to do and regarding his wishes.  This is sometimes a hard thing to do.