Scary Noises

Emma, can you tell me why my 16 year old basset hound is horribly afraid of vacuum cleaners?

Well, in a word, "no."

I assume all dogs and people can be afraid of the same thing for different reasons. The best I can do is to share my own experiences.

I am not real fond of the vacuum cleaner but I use to shiver every time I heard a hair dryer! It could be the noise? Sounds, pitch that we animals hear that you don't. I don't much prefer the hum of leaf blowers either. Even when I am inside the noise just gets to me. My human had a few tricks though to help me overcome my fears.

1. Whenever I am afraid or unsure of something, she turns it into a massage! When the hairdryer or the vacuum cleaner is off the nose or the nozzle can double as a great tummy scratchier! I have learned that these machines I still don't prefer on, our not half bad when they are off! She has tricked me over the years this way too. You know that thing they sell on TV that files your dog nails, heck I thought that things was muscle relaxer for the first two months.

2. Then I learned to not fear the hairdryer when she was using it but if it was my turn to get blown dry I would still be so hesitant to enter the restroom. Thinking it was the noise she put these big human ear muffs on me. (They are the kind you use when you shoot a gun.) I have taken them to a gun range, a live blasting and the race track) I am sort of fond of them now.

3. I believe you humans call all that "desensitizing". If this doesn't work understand one thing. The vacuum cleaner IS scary! Have YOU ever laid on the ground and watched that thing come at you?

4. Maybe a dog can be afraid due to insecurities? Crate him/her when he is scared. If you are not use to crating your dog you should know that the only person that thinks the crate is cruel our humans. Us dogs love the security our own tight little space can bring us.

5. If all else fails, remove me. Have someone take me on a walk while you clean. As much as you want to teach me it's okay, I just may be better off outside.

Note: Speaking of "teaching me it's okay" remember saying "good girl" or "it's okay" while I am shivering up a storm because you have the monster running. Is only teaching me that my scared behavior is correct. Don't use human words of encouragement to try and calm me down. I am a dog and we do not respond to that emotions. Give us reinforcement when we are in a calm state around the object of fear. My human made me sleep with the bicycle trailer for two weeks when we first got that stupid thing! Now, I love it!!! Just a note.

Emma Zen

Leaving without me?!.

When I was young my Humans Mother told her to leave me at home once in awhile so I knew what it was like to be alone. Neither one of us understood that then but now we do. It is a good suggestion if you take your dog EVERYWHERE with you. You don't want to create separation anxiety on purpose. You NEVER know what life brings.

I am lucky my human truly CAN take me everywhere. I am a service dog so I have special permissions. But I have to say when she leaves me on purpose I am the saddest looking dog you have ever seen. I know she does that so I don't become neurotic but truly I ask, is it necessary. Please don't leave me alone.

A year ago my human got sick. Not sick take me to the hospital and make her better. Sick, OMG I hope she doesn't die sick, no one though about taking me. I spent hours alone at home so worried, so worried. Had I already had these separate experience I probably would have just though I was in for some good nap time. So if you won't do it for yourself, do it for me, or for your dog. Just in case something happens you leave me, with a healthy state of mind.

As for me, it's too late. Today I trotted down the sidewalk as she drove away. And she stopped and opened the car door and let me in. I went to the place that does your nails, not petco the nail salon. I could have stayed home but... I want to, I have to be with her. This store may sound cute, precious and adorable but if you are creating a me at home you may want to take another look at what your doing. I am asking you to be aware. For our sake, not yours. And after all that is what you humans say that matter.

Just something to think about.

Harmony

I have discovered the secret to a happy dogs, and people. All their relationships are harmonious.

I your relationship with someone you are with everyday or someone you only see once a year has strain in it. Try asking yourself, "No matter who I feel like blaming for what, what can I do to improve this situation" You will find that if you act on a little improvement on yourself. That your relationship too well become more harmonious.

I read once that if you create harmony in yourself, minds and hearts, you will find it in your life. And the inner creates the outer, always!

So today there was someone I didn't like but I stood next to her and was peaceful inside myself. The situation was less tense and the dog went away without incident. It was better then the last time we met.

So, how do you create harmony in dogs? Redirect us! Don't let us sit there and stare. Or obese on what someone else is doing. Maybe walk me the other way, help me learn to relax. You could be prepared and take things I like to give me something else to do. You could try discipline, something like a gentle stiff tug, to shake my mind up. But your efforts help me.

What works for you people can work for us too. Harmonious Dog! That is my new goal. What is yours?

Speak My Language

Today I went to Home Depot and I was so confused by what I saw in the parking lot.

Have you ever been in the store and you hear someone yelling at their children and you have to use everything you have not to step in a teach someone else what not to do to their children? Well, I understand. I felt like that today. See there was this woman in the parking lot and she was yelling at her DOG! I was in a state of disbelief. I could not believe what I saw! She was YELLING and saying full sentences and was all out of control. And my poor kind... he was just standing there looking at her with the dumbfounded expression. (Which I understood) and all it did was make her mad.

Mom and I both wanted to jump in but you know how those things escalate. So we went inside and when we came out the people were gone but we saw the car parked over by Jack in the Box so, figuring they were inside, we left a note on the window that simple said, "Dog is Good" (We have that sticker on our truck)

I guess the moral of my story or the lesson I wanted to share with you humans is, speak my language. I mean seriously, I wasn't there 3 minutes earlier and I don't know who was wrong, the dog, the person or both. But I do know that dog did not understand a things she said.

First of all I do not understand sentences. Tell me to "sit" "stay" or "stop" but don't give me some human explanation and expect me to understand.

Second, remember it is consistency. If you didn't teach it to me before and then again last week and then again yesterday don't expect me to remember it from 6 months ago. I need consistency in my life.

Third, Don't yell at me! How would you like it if I barked in your face everyday? I can understand you better when you use a normal intensity.

Fourth, I understand pitch and tone so learn to change your tone "Good Dog" "Bad" "No" I am much more alert to tone then I am to loudness.

Five, If you are having such a bad day. Leave me at home, I don't need that kind of energy! :-)

I feel I should have said more there but maybe it will do more good here? I love you but I am dog and I will do things my way that will not fit into your world. We need to work together. I see so many people treating us like people, If you find a canine that needs help he can do better too. Just Speak His Language!

Emma Zen