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

Facebook | Emma Zen Chiapuzio Did you know? That what a human calls "personal space" a dog calls a "fear circle". A lesson in understanding dogs.

Facebook | Emma Zen Chiapuzio Did you know? That what a human calls "personal space" a dog calls a "fear circle". A lesson in understanding dogs.

Use your own "I" sentences (appropriately)

I think I am special.

I have no trouble saying that line. I think I am special. All my canine friends can say the same line too! Yet, I have never seen a dog with it nose in the air. I have seen a dog point is sniffer upwards but it's not the same thing.

So why is it? That I, the common dog think I am so extraordinary, yet remain so humble? What's the trick to that one? Answer that question and your human race would be so much happier and healthier.

I think it is because when we use the world, "I" we mean "I". We stand only on our own merit and do not judge ourselves against others.

Let me give you an example. I have a friend who can bark so much better than I. I hope one day she makes a CD. I have a friend who can run so much faster than I. I Love to watch him burn up the dog park. I have a friend who rides a motorcycle just the same as I. I love his ears in the wind they are so much more Basset then my own. I have a friend who has been a therapy dog longer than I. I admire the lessons he teaches.

See, dogs we just are who we are in comparison to no other dog. The only ones trying to make us out do each other are you humans. Please, learn to be proud of yourself!

I am a dog who is good at being in the wind and making others smile.

Emma Zen

Being me

What's my thing? How many of you have asked yourselves that one?

At first I saw others who stood tall in paw prints and I wanted to follow a particular path of dogs. Then I started standing in my own. It took time, it took: effort, it took: being myself, before I looked back and realize I had my own story to tale.

I was: A Biker Dog!

And with that came notoriety and fame, a gift which can be used to help others. My human said that is what fame is for. Self surviving fame is, well, it's not dog.

To give is to know love. Maybe that is why a dog has such a great being, we do give more naturally then our human counterparts.

So what's my thing? Being myself. Being Biker. Being leader: showing those where to help and how to help all the canines in the world and in turn becoming a better human.

It's a big task and I am up for it.

Emma Zen

Lesson Learned

This morning I was watching the cat. It was acting weird. She was all freaking out over a feather on a stick, leaping into the air, hunching her back and landing on it firm and solid as if to say, "Got you or Take this". Just weird. You see no humans were around, no one was interacting with her, she wasn't being coerced into this behavior. Their it was, all alone acting as if she was the whole party.

From my perspective I thought, "weirdo!" and then I stop to watch her. My head titled sideways as us dog sometimes do, trying to figure out what was going on. I realized: She wasn't losing her mind, cats are not suffering from insanity. They just purr and simple (pure and simple) don't rely on others for their happiness.....

There's a lesson there.

The Observer, Emma Zen

The Day After

Ever have a day so exciting? Or a day you had just been looking forward to for a long time? And then the next day comes.... How do you feel?

If you feel down, is it because you thought the excitement was over? Is it because you lack anticipation? Why is it that looking forward is more exhilarating then looking at today?

I think it is that basic desire to want, to crave, to yearn. That keeps you humans looking ahead. I too have the ability to foresee. Teach me how to do a trick and reward me at the end and soon I will be doing tricks on my own without any commands given. I too anticipate.

The difference? Canines are looking at what's going to happen in 10 minutes, not in 10 days. So start writing the "big" stuff on the calendar and mark 4 days before it happens as the day you can start to say "hooray". Next time make it 3 days before, then two and finally one. I think a day or two before, if all humans could do that they would multiple their happiness by a thousand.. For when your not off in the future you find happiness in today!

Today, I went to dog park, had a bath, tested new agility equipment, took a funny picture, took a nap, meet a little dog named Chico that was black with a small white mark on his chest (not to friendly thought) and play with my GrandMEM, all before dinner. I am so glad I wasn't in next week!

Emma Zen

Responsiblity

If I were a human, today I would be stressed. I have an exciting engagement the type you need to prepare for and I have a new venture the type that takes planning and outlook. If I were human, my fur would be falling out.

But, I am dog! I act as if nothing is different. No pressure, no expectation of others or self. I am just, dog. I know the difference for I am the one actively participating in today's event. On the other paw, it is just what I do and no different from any other day I do the same thing. My piece of mind? Well, it's a peace!

Seams to me to be a lesson in that, something humans could take or learn from. How do I do it? By not doing whatever it is you people do. So just stop. It is always the little stuff that is the hardest or the last thing you remember to see. Just stop. Stop stressing, stop putting pressure on yourselves and stop expectations. How do you do that? Redirection, a training technique that works on canines. Every time you get distracted I suggest you sing yourself a little song, "I am dog, I am dog, I am dog." Bet you can't sing and smile and stress at the same time.

Then as yourself you can do your thing. If you are stressed your going to show up as someone different and they may not like that person as well. (Did I just say that?) Anyhow, just sing, just stop and just be at peace!

Not that I am barking out orders or anything, just a thought.

Emma Zen