true meaning of the word "pittie"

"Please somebody heeelp. I'm being held captive and I'm sooo much better than this!" ... Followed by loud s-h-r-i-e-k-i-n-g.

As demonstrated by Patsy the Pup, trying her best to mind-meld me into opening the kennel door.


It did not work. Heavy sigh.


What a pittie.

Autumn Evening?

Is it fall yet? We're not sure, but we definitely enjoyed the changing light and the warm air up at the Barn tonight.

Pretty Star

Enjoying some down time with her toy stash.

Jondi says, "Um, you're sort of blocking my sun."

"Better, thanks."

This is a slimming angle for Spanky Pants.

Captures his sweet nature, but not his broad shoulders.

"Anything good on the table?"

Did you hear?

Hi Everyone! It's me - your ol' barn buddy Mr. Jiggs.

I'm guessing everyone has heard by now that I graduated from the barn life and now live in a real home with my foster family. My foster family is: Missis, Mister (i think it's funny that we kinda have the same name!!), Uncle Rube, Joey and Spankey (no- not Spanky from the barn - this Spankey is a kitty!!).

I'll be sure to keep everyone updated on my life as a foster dog - but for now here are a couple of photos - just so you remember what I look like.

Today's Lesson: "Go To Place"

This is a handy behavior to teach any dog, including dogs residing in the barn. There will be times in a dog's life when he or she is needed to remain in one place for some period, whether a minute or two or even an hour or two. Having a safe place to hang out for a while with no other expectation accept to remain there can also help a dog relax and feel secure.

While living at the barn, the dogs can use "go to place" to remain in one spot while one of their barnmates is either brushing up on training or even playing. They have a beautiful vantage spot from the porch. Having a little downtime at their "place" can provide a much needed respite after working hard or playing hard.

Here's Star demonstrating her command of this command:
For such an active girl as she is, being able to remain in one location will help her recover, relax, and cool down, too.

Once the barn residents are in their own permanent homes, this handy behavior could be used for a variety of situations they will encounter in everyday canine life. Guests and friends arriving creating lots of excitement and anticipation: let's wait at my place until everyone is inside and the door has been closed. A delivery being made to my home (could be that mammoth bag of bully sticks mom ordered): a good place to wait until the delivery has been made would be my favorite mat. Noisy children coming over who might forget how to be calm when approaching a dog: helpful to wait patiently while the youngsters are reminded how to act appropriately around the family canine.

"Go to place" is also extremely useful if one of the barn residents gets involved with a canine sport. The athlete can quietly and calmly wait in his or her place while watching competitors run an agility course or complete a rally course. And certainly we've had some dogs spend time at the barn who would make excellent therapy dogs. Staying in place is exactly what's needed while a child reads to him or her, or remaining on a stool so someone lying in bed is able to reach down and pet a therapy dog providing comfort and reassurance.

Even Captain Spanky, only residing at the barn for a short time now, picked up this new behavior very quickly, as he shows here: The barn dogs are provided with lots of opportunities to learn behaviors that will help them be quickly successful in their new homes, but can also serve them well should they want to make their marks on the world in other ways. Who could resist settling down with either Spanky or Star for some restful, therapeutic dog time?

Sit

The newest barn resident demonstrated there's more than one way to follow through on this cue. Who knew?

Here's Captain Spanky trying out a sit with a slight left lean.

Here's the young man taking a more relaxed and informal placement on his posterior.

Here's the hover sit, stating "I'm ready to spring into action if you don't snap that picture already."

And lastly, the perfected position.

This young man has as many ways of sitting as he does nicknames around the barn. He'll "sit" to: Spanks, Mr Spanks, Captain Spanky, The Spankster, and Spanky Doodle Dandy. (Thanks to all the crew members who contributed to this impressive list of labels for our handsome hunk.)

Security Breach!

Sheepish much Jondi?

A certain orphan dropped by for a surprise visit yesterday to tell us about the weak links in our fences and gates at the barn. What's a little gate or two when the really GOOD stuff's going on in the big house?

Oh Jondi! We hope your real home is coming soon. You're certainly telling us that it's time you had your very own house again.

Star's Late Summer Evening

First, play hostess to visitors.

Next, enjoy a moment of zen with Jondi

Teach the new guy about the Barn Speed Way...

...and the rules of the couch.

Finally, smile at the lady with the treats.

oh that smell!

pup-peh breath has invaded the barn. there's just no way this stuff can be described as a good smell ... adult teeth breaking through, and all. yucky. but those ears make up for any offensive odors.

labor intensive fun

Play, play, play, play, romp, chase, snarf, romp, play, chase.


Jondi: 'Whew! I need a little break from you, Kid."



Captain Spanky: "No problem, Red. There's a lot more of me when you're ready for more."



Wishing a safe, fun-filled and memory making Labor Day weekend to all our friends out there. Have a good one!

nom.nom.nom

Barn buddies - Jiggs and Star

A silly video of Jiggs and his buddy Star before he left the barn for foster care with Nancy and Erich. Who knew that a starvation survivor (Jiggs) would form such a warm friendship with a fighting operation survivor (Star) and a formerly anti-social redhead (Jondi)? As barn crew handler Anita Joe said, "They really were an odd yet strangely functional crew" and each seemed to lean on the other for comfort and companionship during their transition to normal life. Star and Jondi still have each other, but we couldn't help but think they were looking for Jiggs this morning during their ritual zoomie blast around the yard. What a team.

comings and goings in the barn

Today was a great day for the barn dogs. Nita left for her new home with a young San Francisco couple. They were all eyes for her baby browns and pouty perfection. Bye-bye Nita! Elliot will miss your morning wrestle sessions and the way you loved using him as an arm chair.


Jiggity Jiggs finally left for a real live foster home, where he gets to practice life with cats and a male mentor named Rube while he waits for someone to fall in love with him. This will be Nancy and Erich's fourth foster dog for BR. Their recent project was Molly the senior-in-crisis, who is no longer in crisis and enjoying a brand new home. You usually know their project dogs because they end up riding to work every day in Erich's sidecar. The real question is: Will Jiggs take to the road like his predecessors Camelia (below) and calendar girl Atomic Betty? Time will tell.


Finally, this not-named-yet bubba head moved into Jigg's empty kennel today. He's a ridiculous boy with a body that seems more mutant than dog ... We'll 'splain why later. Right now, Jondi and Star are enjoying the sights and smells of a freshly neutered boy in their space. Mmmm. Boy stuff!

Training Video: Dog Introductions

Jondi and Atomic Betty helped us demonstrate dog intros recently. Intros are always a little different depending on the dogs that are involved, but a few key points are 1) take your time 2) praise any appropriate behavior 3) keep yourself happy and the dogs will read your confidence 5) keep it short and stay determined to set both dogs up for success and 6) end on a positive so the dogs walk away feeling good about their interaction.

I should spill that just before this intro, Jondi was busted for spitting obscenities at Betty through the fence. She avoids her a lot in this video, in part, because she got a scolding for that. The intro helped us end that bad day on a good note. We sure love us some Jondi.

Morning Time

I have always worked a dinner shift with the barn residents, but this morning I got a glimpse of what goes on when the sun is still rising.




Jondi rushed over to see me wondering what I was doing there so early. "Hey, we haven't even had our breakfast yet."












Jiggs came over to figure out what was going on with this change in the routine. Even little Jiggs casts a pretty long shadow with the sun still sitting pretty low to the east. It was going to be a hot one today.













After Jiggs inspected the barn activity, he went to see if anything was happening up at the house. Practicing his sentry stance here.













And Star, supervising the preparation of breakfast.

Below, Jondi finding a little time away from her friends, just a girl with her jolly ball.

Thanks all for being so obliging by showing the newbie what goes on before the rooster crows. (The rooster in the neighborhood is a rather late riser.)

Star's Squirrel

We all think Star's pretty special, but her coolness factor jumped a few notches when she helped save a baby squirrel last week. I don't think she meant to save it, but that's how it sorted out.

No one knew at the time, but a still-nursing squirrel had been saved from one sketchy fate, then released near the trees of our barn yard by a well intentioned but misinformed neighbor on a good samaritan mission. There it was - scrambling around the grass, dehydrated, lost, very much needing her mama, and now dangerously close to a playground for DOGS. Yikes.

As luck would have it, the dogs' peaceful grass grazing ritual turned into mayhem that morning when Star sprang up with the squealing baby in her mouth. We all jumped, but not as high as Star, who started running happy laps around the yard with an unwilling passenger in her mouth, tiny tail streaming, and three very excited dogs at her heels. Flip flops are a great idea until you have to chase down a dog to tell it to let go of something it really wants. But miraculously, she did ... She dropped it!

Well, it took three very loud and dramatic "DROP IT!" shouts, but she finally did spit the babe out like a hot potato back into the grass, then gazed back at me ... "Did I do good?" Hooray Star! And hooray flirt pole practice. Above Right. Nita nibbles on the ever-patient Star.

The squirrel didn't have a mark on her, but she was shock-y and nearly paralyzed with fear. Did I tell you this all happened one hour before our out of town Pit Ed campers were scheduled to arrive for their four day training program? Luckily we have good friends in furry places, and after retrieving the babe and securing her to a warm, dark place away from dogs, a volunteer with a local wildlife rehab center came by and swifted her to triage and rehab care.



At first she refused all food, so her rehabber grouped her with other orphaned squirrels. The family vibe sprang her to life and she started gulping down milk and chattering loudly to anyone who wanted to hear about her misadventures.

Her name? Estrella of course. Named after her surprised savior. We wondered if Star's soft mouth on the babe may have come natural after birthing so many pups of her own in the past. Who knows? Or maybe she's been taking her flirt pole practice more seriously than she let on.

Thank you Star! and thank you Denis Morella and Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Center for TLC'ing the little adventuress back to life.

a poem for a diva

Barn alum Emma Dilemma went full adoption yesterday with her fabulous humans, Dan and Mary Sue Thomas. She was quite the Drama Diva when we first met and not the easiest placement, but she was downsliding fast at the shelter so she won the spot in the open kennel we had at the barn.

I read Emma this poem, in honor of all the gray hairs she gave us along the way. Her reply: "Yawn. Can I go home now?" Yes Emma, you sure can!



Emma Dilemma, pouty and proud.
Hated the shelter - It was just way too loud.

Didn't like dogs - they all made her cross.
Went to live in the barn where she could be boss.

Didn't like Bouncer, he was big, bold and rude.
She said "Nail trims? Forget it!" with big attitude

The Thomases signed on take her away.
Her first week home, she said "I DO NOT like crates."

They gave her a sofa, but that wasn't right.
So she got the whole bed and finally slept through the night.

When she came back to class she was pouty and sad.
"I DON'T want to be here, foster mother and dad!"

But they all stuck it out and she came really far.
... Now she's heeling and smiling like a CGC star.

Emma Dilemma is home now for keeps.
She gets what she wants, her bed and her peeps.

She rolls on her back and prances and plays.
A sweet pampered Diva, for the rest of her days.

Emma found her happiness with two people who understand and respect her princess ways. ... I guess some dogs just need a little tiara to finally feel grounded. Here's a quick video grabbed a few days after we pulled her from Berkeley Animal Care Services. Oh Emma! We're so glad you found your place in the world.

dinner down stay

Jondi sez: "If I bat my eyelashes and wag ferociously, can I get my dinner faster? -- huh? please. huh?"

Me: "No. 'Cuz now I gotta stare at you some more."

Crazy Eyes

Last night at the barn, a failed photo session inadvertently captured a funny "crazy eyes" moment that's rivals former foster-dog Robin's (the poor quality of the photo shows that this is not touched-up).


From the look on Jigg's face (he's on the left, sitting in Charity's lap) he seems to be saying, "Oh no you didn't.!! Star, on the other hand looks like she's saying, "I kissed a boy and I liked it".
Silly dogs!

What do YOU think Jiggs and Star are saying?

ROAD TRIP ??!

Sorry guys ... Just had to unload some stuff into the barn. We're sure your new people will give you plenty of road trips when they finally show up to take you home.

naugahyde haiku

Naugahyde comfort
Righteous flea market score for
my fine pit bull friend.

You look groovie and
swell. Grandma's favorite chair now
repurposed for Star.

What's a little pee
between friends? I wipe your smooth
surface - Good as new!