#why am i getting a Rottweiler for my service dog.

[bitchfitch]

I'm glad we are in unanimous agreement that 2 is my problem child. True Disservice Animal.

(this is ok to reblog DW it's a haha funny thing my dad lives close enough that he was able to help me and worse case scenario, I am mobile enough to cross a room without the chair/my crutches bsnssnansnsn)

Hm. I'm experiencing a new problem. The building I live in has a ridiculous slope to it bc it's slowly falling down a hill. Like, you can feel and see the crookedness of it. ok.

I've been using my wheelchair for a bit now, and I just discovered a unique experience that can happen when you combine a wheelchair with extremely uneven floors and a cat who likes to steal seats.

It left

and also stole my cat.

[j0kers-light]

J with pets/maybe specifically a dog head canons, GO!

Hi anon 🤍✨

I read this ask and literally burst into tears thinking about my furbaby. Is it okay if I dedicate this to J? (Yes, my dog’s name was J, no correlation to Joker tho)

I am not sorry this is literally my fur baby down to the tail wag! I just copied and pasted from my memories. I miss him so much and this brought back so many happy times. Crying is good for the soul but my eyes are gonna be swollen tomorrow at this rate.

I think my J and Joker would’ve gotten along wonderfully. J was a sweet yet demonic boy always getting into trouble while giving me countless laughs and plenty of scars. This one's for you J. 🤍✨

Canon Joker/Harley own two hyenas as pets and in the Dark Knight, Joker had dogs protecting him in the final scene against Batman. So it's only natural that Joker goes out and adopts a dog(s) to protect you when he’s not around.

Does your apartment allow pets? They do now. Joker bribes/threatens management to change the policy.

I’m talking big boys too! Like German Shepherd, Great Dane, Rottweiler, Siberian Husky etc. just to name a few. Pick one, because Joker will if you don’t. If you’re short, they easily come up to your chest and if you’re tall, well past your hip.

If by some chance big dogs aren’t your thing, (I strongly believe any size dog can protect) you lean more towards common household breeds like a Beagle, any terrier, Corgi, Maltese, Dachshund, etc.

Regardless of the breed, Joker trains the dog with an eerie military-like regiment. Fully potty trained, independent, highly intelligent; it's almost like the dog is human with how well it responds to you. The fur baby can be a service dog if it really wants to be! It protec, it attac, but most importantly, it comforts you on the lonely nights when Joker isn’t at home.

You were scared of this big dog at first. It snarled at you whenever you came too close, refused to let you pet him, the whole nine yards– (why did Joker get you such a mean doggie?) until you sucked it up and made it love you.

Like full on dog whisperer transformation. Now the two of you are inseparable! He’s the best boy for his mommy. All the tummy rubs and head scratches he could ever ask for! Joker is noT jealous… 👀

Joker was indifferent towards the animal for the longest, I mean, its sole purpose is for security. Why does he need to nurture it?

But coming home and seeing you laying on the couch with this massive dog serving as your personal weighted blanket, Joker slowly starts to warm up to the furry companion.

If it makes his Bunny happy then he can accept the dog can also double as an emotional support animal but it still has a job to do. Your safety is the number one priority here.

Imagine! You leave for a trip and ask Joker to dog sit for the week. What could possibly go wrong?

Joker wasn’t worried about looking after the mutt, he trained it well so he’s gone most of the time, leaving the dog alone in the apartment. Potty breaks are done on the balcony and you splurge on an automated water and food dispenser set on a timer. What else is there to do? You mentioned walks but Joker ain’t got time for that. He’s a busy criminal.

You really didn’t think this through.

Joker spent the last day chilling on the couch watching TV, waiting for six pm to roll around so he could ‘go to work’ when he hears the soft tink tink tinks of paws on your hardwood floors.

He hadn’t heard the dog all week, he kind of forgets it’s in the apartment, they’re so quiet.

Joker hates the sound of barking. That was the first lesson they were trained on. Silence.

Joker’s green eyes roam over to the dog that jumps on the couch and proceeds to take up well over half a section due to its massive size.

“No. Get down!” Joker calls to the animal, only to get an audible huff in response.

Did this dog just huff at him?

Joker tries again in a more authoritative voice, “I said.. GeT, down. Now.”

And again, it huffs and curls up for a quick nap. Using Joker’s lap as a pillow.

Joker is two seconds away from tossing the deaf mutt across the room but checks himself with a deep breath.

You would never forgive him if he harmed your beloved baby. This was a grown dog by the way, ain’t no baby to be found. You’ve been hard at work sabotaging the meticulous training Joker drilled into this mutt. The dog has fully transitioned into a pampered lifestyle.

Your furbaby may be spoiled but make no mistake. He still protec his mama when push came to shove.

Any deliveries to the penthouse are scared away by the massive dog answering the door. LEAVE IT AT THE FRONT DESK. Save everyone the trouble, mkay?

But anyways.. All this pampering, who’s such a good boy, thousands of treats, scheduled walks, and the fact that you let it sleep in the bed with you, wasn’t helping its true purpose! What did you do to your primary line of defense? This was a guard dog, not a show puppy!

Joker tried freeing his legs out from under the dog's weight, but it hardly budged. If anything it just snored louder.

Nothing was moving the giant and Joker could only imagine if there was an active intruder what the lazy animal would do. Absolutely nothing! That’s what.

Joker growled at being trapped on the couch but let things be. Tomorrow morning he was reprogramming this slouch back to the feral, home defense animal he trained it to be.

Completely unrelated: Joker fell asleep on the couch with the dog practically smothering him. 8/10 good night’s rest. Would do it again.

Morning came around and Joker dragged himself into the kitchen for a bite to eat only to find the dog already eating out of the customized doggie bowl you purchased online. You spoiled the mutt like it was a child! There was a tray with a non-slip mat to catch any spills but the dog ate delicately (something it picked up from you no doubt) and eyed him in passing.

Another unimpressed huff.

Could dogs even have attitudes? And after it had the audacity to use Joker like a pillow all night! Joker wouldn’t admit it aloud, but he could see why you nuzzled up to the mutt often. It made for a good cuddle buddy…

But Joker had a reputation to uphold!

He really wanted to punt kick the darn thing across the room but fixed himself a bite to eat instead. Once he finished they would make their way outside onto the balcony for some offensive training.

The man and dog found themselves outside where Joker wasted no time trying to retrain the dog into attacking if placed into such situations. But much to Joker’s shock, the dog found a squeaky toy penguin from your sunroom and played with it, completely ignoring Joker altogether. The constant sharp squeaks only made Joker angrier.

“Noooo it's noT playtimeee. You don’t play. You attack. You’re supposed to protect my Light ya big, overgrown..” Just then, Joker’s phone rang with your smiling face on the display.

Speak of an angel and you shall appear.

He answered the phone call and your voice floated on the breeze in greeting. Joker didn’t notice the dog’s ears perk up hearing you as well. It abandoned its toy to investigate.

“How are my boys doing?”

Joker grumbled but collapsed into a patio chair. “I’m bored without cha here, Bunny. You bro-ke the uh guard dog.”

“The what? You mean J?” You replied.

“...... uh noT me. The mutt I boughT to keep you safe.”

“J is not a mutt. He’s a (insert selected breed). But what do you mean he’s broken? Is J okay? Oh! I forgot to tell you about his midnight snack! He gets grumpy if you don’t let him brush his teeth before bed. It's a greenie rawhide I keep on top of the fridge...”

“You named it after me?”

“Stop calling J an it. He has a name; and not everything is about you. J is short for um… that doesn’t matter right now! Is he okay?” You heard the distinctive sound of a dog collar chiming in the background.

At least he was nearby. Joker hadn’t killed your tootsie roll yet which was a miracle in itself. Joker only had compassion for you, no one else.

“Light you sound more wor-ried about the, uh, dog than meee.” Joker whined through the phone.

How could you forget about your bigger baby? Joker was known for his bouts of jealousy. It was both cute and annoying. You rolled your eyes.

“I’m worried about both of my boys. Mama will be home soon so don’t fight each other! Oh, and can you do me a huge favor? Can you give J a bath? I know you can’t take him to his grooming appointment but he’s due for a love scrub. Everything is in the storage cabinet in the bathroom labeled in the order I use it in.” It was a stretch, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

“No.”

Yeah, you knew Joker wouldn’t go for it. “Please J?”

Joker watched the dog circle around the chair that he was seated in, a clear sign of restlessness. Maybe it picked up the stress in your voice? He watched its tail wag slowly in the air, trying to pinpoint where your voice was coming from. But with each passing minute it failed to find its owner, it gave up and sat by Joker’s heels.

Joker returned his focus back on the phone call. “Are ya asking me or the dog?”

“Ugghhghghgh you’re impossible to deal with! Hey I gotta go, the event is about to resume. Please bathe my baby and you better take a bath too, J! I saw the news earlier.. see you tomorrow!”

You hung up the phone before Joker could speak up.

The nerve you had. He’d have to punish you when you returned home from your business trip. He did quite a bit of evading the GCPD while working this week and could use a good shower but as for bathing the mutt?

His green eyes locked with the piercing black already staring at him. The dog licked its mouth and wagged its tail, waiting for its promised love scrub. He heard his Mama loud and clear. He never skipped a wash day.

Guess there was no avoiding this. Joker wondered if he could call Frost and his daughter to handle this…

You returned home the next day to quite the sight. J was on the loose, wet as a mop, with a distressed Joker stalking behind him, equally drenched.

Joker was a simp that couldn’t say no to you. He had no other choice but to bathe your dog or suffer your cold shoulder.

Joker stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted you still in your GothCon ensemble, standing in the doorway. You were doing a terrible job masking your peals of laughter.

“This… this. Oh… this is noT, funny doll.” He warned.

You burst out laughing when J came to greet you and shook himself dry, spraying Joker and the room with wet dog water. This was priceless!! And Joker looked ready to kill something. Hopefully not your beloved furbaby.

“I regreT buying you a dog.”

[discountfanfics]

First off you're writing is REALLY GOOD? LIKE, IT JUST FLOWS REALLY NICELY!! And I wanted yo thank you for sharing it!❤❤

Second, if you wanted to, uhhhh what about the ISWM Crew and the Macks with a captain that likes to do little things for the crew? Like rehydrating food for them for breakfest, always making sure they're hydrated, or leaving little reminders or encouragement via sticky notes at their station? But romantic please ^w^ and thank you!

first of all, this is really, really late. i am so sorry, i have had a lot going on in my private life, so I've been very busy.

that being said, thank you so much! writing has always been my "thing", i guess, so i'm glad that you enjoy it!

secondly, answering your request!

burt;

burt's love language is acts of service, so this small gesture means the world to him

homie really does (internally) swoon when the captain brings him some water since working on the reactor all day gets really hot

of course he won't make a big deal about it, but once you two are alone, it's a bunch of "thank you, captain" and "captain, you're one of my favourite reasons to work on the ship"

just a very sweet guy

don't get me wrong, he doesn't have problems showing his emotions, he ain't about that. he knows that for any good relationship there must be communication. he's just a bit more 'stoic' than the others.

he always makes sure that you know that you're appreciated, though

celci;

there's something you need to understand about a relationship with celci in general before i explain the request

celci is big on words of affirmation, she expresses her love best via small encouragements throughout the day

whether that be anywhere from "no, mark, as much as I'd love to see the captain all happy, we are NOT throwing a PARTY on the ship!"

all the way to "wow, captain, you look very (gender-non-specifically) nice today"

so those little acts of service? they'll cause her to speak more than ever

"hey, mark! guess what! the captain is sooo cool, they made my breakfast!"

"as sweet as you are, captain, i need to get back to work"

etcetera.

gunther

gunther is like one of those "dog boyfriend" memes you see, but instead of a golden retriever, he's a fricken rottweiler

almost everybody is intimated by him, everyone except for you and the immediate crew, of course

so doing things for him as he's busy, people always ask why because, well, people are nosy and they suck

"captain are you actually preparing gunthers food? isn't he a bit, i dunno, hostile?"

"are you sure you're safe with gunther, captain? he seems a bit.. aggressive"

nonetheless, gunther always appreciates you doing these things for him

whether it's making him breakfast because it was the middle of the night and ADS started going off and it took, like, 5 hours to fix

or just bringing him a snack in ADS so he doesn't 'have to leave, because captain, let's face it, who else could we trust to run ADS?' (his words, not mine)

just overall really sweet about it, and loves you very much

mark;

oh boy.

mark is an actual golden retriever boy friend, which makes sense, because it's often times that you're similar to your pet (chika)

he doesn't know how to separate his work from his down time, his excuse being "how do i separate my work and downtime if we're literally living in my work for right now?"

yeah, you didn't take that very well.

that's when the small gestures started

that causes mark to brag to literally anyone and everyone "oh, hey, what do you got for breakfast? oh, that's cool, but was it made by THE CAPTAIN?"

he's literally a big fanboy, and he knows it

crew!mack;

mack has a slightly difficult time portraying affection

he usually does it best via doing things like that for YOU

do when you do things for him, he doesn't know how to respond

don't get me wrong, he absolutely loves and appreciates it, but he does hae a difficult time saying thank you for it

you two started seeing who could wake up first to make the others coffee/tea, and at some point that evolved to both of you waking up at 3:46 am (03:46 for those of you on the 24 hour format)

yeah, you both put an end to that real fast once you realised the other was losing that much sleep

now it's just by chance. if you wake up first, you make his coffee. if he wakes up first, he makes your morning beverage. if you wake up at the same time, you make each others. that's just how you two roll

HE!mack;

at first, he wants to hate you for it. just another thing for the captain to try to control to inevitably fu- oh shit, how did you make his coffee perfectly?

actually stunned, canton believe that you have done this.

after that, you start to make his coffee regularly. then comes rehydrating his meals. don't forget about the sticky notes to tell him that he's doing great.

him being him, not used to affection, be believes that you're trying to treat him like a child.

so he confronts you about it. when you explain that you realized he hadn't been taking care of himself as he was trying to prove himself as head engineer, so you wanted to make him feel better, he scoffs.

he 'allows' you to continue (he absolute loves it), and after a few days, he starts muttering a soft "thanks" to you.

he starts to pick up a few of your smaller jobs; you two alternate between hourly status check ups. he does the maintenance on the warp core (which is never much bc you all have no clue where it came from), etc

[hwaflms]

Fav Emoji: 🗡

Hi!!! I was wondering if I can get a ship for txt, nct, and ateez pls? I’ll really try not to make this long, but it’s hard sometimes lol.

Anyways, I’m an 18 year old 03’ liner and I’m 5’6. As for looks, I’m african american so i have dark skin, brown eyes and cinnamon colored hair. I cut my hair really short above my ears. I look rather young for my age (unfortunately). I’m rather slim and i have long legs and arms so people say I look even taller than what i am. I have large round eyes a big forehead, a button nose, and thick(ish) lips with round cheeks(ok now i understand why ppl think i’m vv young 🙄) But nowadays i’m more confident in myself and it’s no longer an insecurity of mine. I’d like to say i’m very stylish yet i can’t pick an aesthetic for the life of me.

To sum up my fav aesthetic/style, i would have to say something that’s dark but sophisticated. Like dark academia, but add a bit more of an alt/goth style to it. I like listening to visual kei and rock music, but to be honest, I love all music, even country some times.

I’m from the south of usa, so that has influenced how i am A LOT. I usually don’t have an accent, but whenever i feel a really strong emotion, I get a really strong southern accent and it’s kind of funny. I also tend to go outside without any shoes or socks. I like playing with my pets outside the most, I have two dogs (one is a rottweiler and one is a bull dog), my cat (just a black cat) and my bird. I love love love animals. I love everything to do with nature as well, i feel a deep connection with nature, and once, i even cried while watching bees pollinate flowers help lol.

My psychic said my aura was multiple shades of green, which i think it fits, seeing that green auras represented healers and earth lovers. My dad tends to call me a hippie lol. Astrology wise, I’m a leo sun, leo moon, and scorpio rising. My personality type is INFP-T. My friends say i’m quite funny, and they like to point out, “she’s really really smart, but like everyone, she has her dumb moments, but her dumb moments are the dumbest of the dumbest.”

I’m very sensitive, and not in the “i’m always crying way”. Yet, when i do cry, i tend to cry over the smallest of things, like the bee one. I cry over animals being cute, and I cry when i’m rlly rlly excited. Yet if i’m rlly sad, i can’t cry for some reason, and i’m just 😐. But, I try my hardest to comfort others and help others because there seriously is no other happiness in the world that makes me more happy than making others happy.

I like to talk a lot, as well (as you can see), and i’ll talk about every topic. I tend to talk most about child birth and genetics weirdly enough, it’s so interesting to me. But i also love to talk about astrology, space, and conspiracy theories. I’m highly spiritual. I’m also highly creative. I love drawing, singing, dancing, acting, all of that. Drawing has always been my strongest suit before i somehow got bored of it, but i still draw every once and a while.

I also like playing sports, as i’m naturally athletic. I did ballet, tap dance, gymnastics, track and field, cheerleading, soccer, and softball. (i think cheer is a sport and i’ll argue with anyone on that). I’ve lived in america, germany, and south korea, and i want to travel to so many more places as i grow older.

As for relationship stuff, I’ve never been in a relationship. I’m scared of boys to be honest. I was bullied in school a lot for being “ugly” and it was always by boys so i’ve never really had the best experience with them. I’m still trying to gain my confidence so that i could try dating.

My ideal type is someone smart (though i don’t hate himbos lmao), but i like someone smart and mature. I like someone who works hard, but not someone who’s too serious. With people, i like to have those love/hate relationships lol like we make fun of each other but we also have our soft moments. As for looks, i don’t rlly have an ideal type, yet there’s a couple things that i would go for. I like someone who’s taller than me, has bigger hands than me (mine are 18cm 😥), and has nice legs (i tend to like thicker legs, but i don’t discriminate). I do think smaller guys around my height are so cute too tho, like UGH I CANT CHOOSE.

My ideal date would probably be anything other than going to a restaurant. Maybe later on in the relationship that would be fine, but to be honest, i’m very awkward and shy at first, so it would just be weird. I find that doing something fun together really let’s you find out more about a person rather than just talking. So maybe an amusement park, or even doing an escape room together.

As for love languages, i’m not a very touchy person. Sometimes, i’m STARVING for a hug, but most of the time i don’t like to be touched. I think my love language is acts of service, and idk what’s it’s called, but just trying to find out abt someone. Someone would really know i like them when i ask for their whole zodiac chart, personality type, weekday of birth, everything.

Tbh, i’m very much like a tsundere. I don’t like showing affection very much, and i’d rather insult the ppl that i like than compliment them. Though, this is probably the reason ppl think i don’t like them when i first meet them. Sometimes i might get rlly mushy and cute and stuff, but most of the time, i’m just not used to showing affection, so i feel kinda uncomfy when i do.

Ok, that’s all, i really hope it wasn’t too much for you to read, i tend to get carried away ❤️ have a nice day ily

୨୧ 𓂃 : 🐇 :┊ i ship you with . . .

💌 — huening kai ♡ txt.

𖥻 the last thing a relationship with hyuka would be is boring. he gives off very "best friend who also happens to be your boyfriend" vibes, so there would be a lot off playing around and goofing off. he can be affectionate but also likes his space, like you, so you would be able to find a middle ground. he would like is your relationship was light and fun, teasing each other and making fun of each other. if you ever felt insecure, he would make you feel better in a less "let's talk about it" way and a more "ugh you're so silly, why would you think that when you're perfect??" way.

💌 — johnny ♡ nct.

𖥻 johnny is a chill and laid-back person, so conversation with him would come easy. there wouldn't be an awkward stage with him because johnny is a pretty smooth talker and he would make it easier for you to talk to him. johnny would NEVER make you feel insecure, if anything, he'd be the type of boyfriend who would be hyping you up all the time, even when you're doing absolutely nothing. johnny loves music too so, while he might make fun of you a lil for listening to country, he would love vibing to music with you. we all know johnny is mf hilarious, so he could definitely joke around with you and insult you playfully often ! plus johnny is a sexc tall boy and he has legs for days D:

💌 — hongjoong ♡ atz.

𖥻 hongjoong has the perfect balance of being mature and hardworking while also being playful. he knows how to take a joke and return the favour by teasing you, so i think in that aspect, you will have an easy-going relationship. he also will definitely be so supportive of you, and will be there for you whenever you need it. the kind of dates he would prefer would be more indoor ones, especially just in his studio !! he would show the amount of affection you're comfortable with, never pushing your boundaries or pressuring you.

♡ 𓄹 ࣪ ˖ i hope you like this !! and also, i just wanted to let you know that you are so so beautiful, okay, ilysm <3 boys suck, pls ignore them >:( thank you for sending this in, stay safe ^_^

[zach-the-fox]

Furiends Episode 2: By Your Side

The wooden door opens, swinging forward to the side. Appearing in the frame is Sally, who enters with Zach. She closes the door behind her once the fox has stepped inside, then turns and proceeds into the room next to them, which is the kitchen. Another rottweiler appears at the counter, much greyer in fur color than Sally. “Hey, Mom.”

The older rottweiler turns around to her. “Hello, Sally. How was the mall?”

“It was okay.” Sally takes a couple steps forward. “Emmy, Navy, Niji, and I walked around for a bit. We also had ice cream.”

Her mother smiles. “That’s wonderful.” Her expression disappears upon spotting the blue-bandanaed fox. “Who is this fox you brought, Sally?”

Sally shifts her body to Zach. “Oh, Mom, this is Zach. You know him as the “Flawed Fox of Heroto”, right?”

“Indeed, I do.” Sally’s mother looks at the fox. “That fox has caused trouble; a nuisance as Team Rescuers puts.” Zach’s ears droop.

“Well, he’s not with them anymore. They pushed him away and banned him from the group. In fact, he’s got no friends or family until Emmy brought him to the mall and introduced us to him. He’s actually a pretty nice guy. We were wondering if he could stay with us for a bit.”

“You know I don’t mind you bringing people in, but bringing this fox in concerns me. However, if you say he’s changed, then I’m fine with him staying. He’s your responsibility, though.”

“I understand, but he’s a really nice fox, and he needs all the help we can give him.”

“I’m sure he needs help. He can explain himself one we sit down and eat.” Sally’s mother turns to the counter, takes some prepared food from a tray, and places it onto a plate before walking over to the table. Sally and Zach do the same, joining the older dog. “So, Zach, what brings you here in search of help? Care to tell me your story?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Zach starts. He clears his throat and explains his story from the orphanage to now, while everyone digs into their food. As Zach talks about every detail within his life, Sally’s mother strokes her chin with interest. The fox closes with the ice cream social in the mall. “And so, that’s my story…”

“It’s pretty sad,” Sally utters. “I didn’t know he had a rough life before Team Rescuers.”

“So, I heard,” her mother tells her. She looks back to the fox. “Well, I am sorry about you’ve been treated, Mr. Fox. You are more than welcome to stay for as long as you’d like.”

“Thank you, Ms. Dog… You, Sally, and the others are kind. I appreciate it very much, and I will repay you in any way I can.”

“Zach, it’s fine,” says Sally. “I already told you, you don’t have to do that.”

“Well, I have been thinking of getting work now that I’m free. You know, to make some money… First, I need to go back to the orphanage to retrieve some documents.” He looks to Sally. “Is it okay if you and the others came with me?”

“Sure, I don’t mind. Maybe we all can go with you to retrieve your papers. But, I want to ask you; why do you need someone to come along?”

“I’m scared to do it on my own. I’m afraid everyone will start picking on me as soon as I walk through the door.”

“It’ll be okay, Zach. You have nothing to worry about. We’ll be right beside you.” She takes her fork, stabs a piece of meat, and puts it in her mouth.

“Thank you very much…”

 ***

 Darkness has cloaked the entire room. Zach lies back-faced against the bed, covered up to his neck with the blanket. His eyes clenching but closed. His head shifting from side-to-side along the pillow. Soon, he begins tossing and turning with his body, struggling on the mattress. Zach’s eyes flutter open at last before sitting up and placing his paw against his head. He lets out a sigh, sliding out of bed and heading straight for the bathroom, where he splashes cold water at his face. He returns to the bed and lies back down, yet is unable to close his eyes. After lying motionless for one minute, he decides to get out of bed again. He takes his bandana, blanket, and pillow with him into the other room beside his. Opening the door slowly, he approaches the sleepy dog and begins to whisper. “Sally… Sally…”

From the sound of her name, she turns and opens her eyes to the fox. “Zach? What the hell?! What are you doing in my room?!”

“Can I sleep with you here tonight? I’m too scared to sleep by myself…”

“Do you really have to?”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to disturb you… I just can’t sleep with all of the negativity in my head… Can I just sleep here? It’s only for tonight…”

“I’m not very comfortable with people other than me in my bed, especially boys.”

“I’ll sleep on the floor, if you’d like… I don’t mind.”

Sally lets out a sigh. “If you must… But I better not hear a single sound from you. If that’s so, you’re out.”

“Thank you… And don’t worry, I don’t snore.” Zach sets himself up on the floor, placing his blanket on the carpet beside the dog’s bed, curling up into a ball as his he covers himself with the blanket’s other half and snuggling against the pillow, falling fast to sleep with the comfort of company.

 ***

 Zach stands still as the wide, two-story brick building looms over him. His new friends are beside him, waiting for his further actions.

“You okay, Zach?” asks Niji.

“Y-yeah,” Zach responds. “Just a bit nervous…”

“Don’t worry,” Emmy tells him. “We’re here with you.”

“Thank you.” The fox takes a deep breath with his eyes closed. Opening them once letting out air, he proceeds inside the building with the others by his side. He approaches the counter where the receptionist is, wearing hooded robes to mask their identity. “Hello?” The animal turns to Zach’s attention. “I’m here to claim my birth certificate, high school diploma, and card. My name is Zach the Fox.”

“Oh, aren’t you that flawed fox who got evicted yesterday?” asks the receptionist. Zach nods with ears drooping. “One moment, please.” The receptionist stands and ambles to the doorway, where another hooded figure appears. They exchange words in a low tone before the figure beside the receptionist disappears. The receptionist walks back to the fox. “The headmaster will bring them out to you. Please wait while they do.”

“I’m not sure I can…” His entire body trembles. “I’m not comfortable…”

“Zach?” Sally moves in closer to him, as does Emmy. “What’s wrong?”

“This place… I-It brings back so many painful memories…” His shaky paws find their way to his temples. “I… I can still hear the kids taunting me… belittling me… I can still see them standing over… throwing food and other things… I don’t want to be here much longer…”

“Don’t worry…” Emmy rubs her hoof against his back. “We’re not going to be here much longer. As soon as you get your papers, we’ll be out, right?”

Zach looks to her, lowering his paws, and nodding. “Y-yes… Not much longer…”

“Zach the Fox.” The hooded figure reappears before the group. In their grip are two eight-by-eleven paper with writings and designs on them, as well as a card with Zach’s picture. “Here’s your papers. Now, I don’t ever want to see you after this. You’ve got it?”

Zach stares at the figure before giving them a single nod and taking the documents. “Yes, Headmaster… You don’t need to worry… I will be gone…”

“Well, if it isn’t the flawed fox?!” utters a voice. Zach and his friends turn to where the source had come from; a grey wolf with a red bandana on his left arm. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Oh… hello, Jay.”

“Jay?” Navy repeats. She looks to the wolf. “Hey wait, you’re Jay the Wolf from Team Rescuers.”

Jay turns to her and smiles. “At your service.” He shifts back to the fox. “You come to whine your way back into the orphanage? Doubt they will accept you back considering all the trouble you’ve caused!”

“He’s not here for that,” the headmaster points out. “He was just collecting his possessions before walking out the door. Isn’t that right, Flawed Fox?”

“What possessions?” Jay asks. “All he owns is that stupid bandana that your worker gave to him. He owns nothing, Mom! He is nothing!”

“I will talk to you later, Jay. I am busy! As for you, Fox, don’t stick around any longer. I expect you to be out of here by the time I’m finished with the other children.” The figure turns and leaves the room.

Jay continues to taunt Zach. “Hear that? You’re unwanted. You always were. Nothing but a flawed fox!”

Sally, agitated with clenching fists and eyes, steps in front of the fox and into Jay’s gaze. “I wouldn’t pester him if I were you. He’s suffered through a lot.”

“You’re defending him?” Jay queries. “Who would dare defend a flawed fox?”

“We would,” Navy spurts at him. “His friends.”

“Friends?!” Jay chuckles at the idea and crosses his arms. “The flawed fox has no one! He’s been alone his whole life, and always will be. He’s nothing but trouble.”

“You sound like a big jerk,” Niji utters. “Nothing but a bully and a pushover.”

Jay clenches his paw into a fist as his expression changes. “What the hell did you just say, Wolf? You want to run that by me again?”

Emmy gets beside him. “He said that we were just leaving now. Come on guys, let’s get out of here.”

“Wise choice.” Jay watches as the animals exit the building, giving a mean glare at them.

As the group distances themselves from the structure, they head for the park as a means of hanging out. Zach sits on the park bench, hunched over with drooping ears, while Emmy sits beside him, rubbing his back to comfort him.

Sally has her arms crossed as she stands about, looking at the orphanage from the entrance. “Well, I never with those animals. I thought orphanages were a place to make kids happy until they get adopted… And to think the leader of Team Rescuers was actually a caring kind of person. What a total salt bag!” She looks to the fox. “We’re so sorry about everything you struggled through, Zach. We had no idea what you’ve been through.”

“You know what, it’s actually okay…” Zach straightens his ears and his position to meet the eyes on his friends. “I’m actually a bit happy that I don’t have to suffer within that place anymore. I may not have anywhere to go or anything to do, but I’m thankful to be free. I am also grateful to have you guys as my new friends.”

“It’s no worries,” Navy says. “I can’t believe that wolf is so sour.”

Zach manages a small smile. “Thank you…” He looks at his newly-obtained items. “Well, now that I have my documents, I can start looking for a job. The question is, where do I look?”

“I bet the library has some resources on employment,” Emmy suggests. “We should go there and take a look. Besides, we have nothing else better to do, so why not?”

“Sounds boring,” Niji comments. “But sure.” Everyone else agrees with him. Zach and Emmy stand from the bench and head off on their next “adventure”. @emmy-the-absolute-goof​ @sally-the-pack-leader​ @rainbow-strike​ @pink-unicorn-boi​ @pink-unicorn-blood​

[jaimistoryteller]

Jaimi’s Update

5/6/19 Update

Hi All

Thank you all for continuing to share Shelk’s GoFundMe, I really appreciate it and it’s been helping. Now on to that update I keep planning and not seeming to get to. 

This is a long post, so I will put it below a cut. 

About Me First

So March and April were both massively long and a more then a little painful, both physically and mentally. I had a depressive spiral because of something someone said, cause even though they hadn’t meant to set one off, their word choice did not help. I got it just about under control and someone else said something that sent it right back down. I finally got it under control again, back in the slow drag of getting out of it. Not that I know for a fact it will work or not. Life is never that easy. 

I spent way too much of the two months on the go, to the point where my body shut down a couple of different times and I was completely useless. At least I accomplished my goals though, even if I paid massively for them. 

I have a new therapist, she’s lovely but it’s frustrating, because I did not want to be changing therapists in the middle of shit going wrong, but alas it was a thing that had to happen since my previous one is officially retired for a variety of reasons (and I hope he enjoys it too!). 

Despite my best efforts, I am a foster fail again, and have a new cat, he is adorable and loveable. I’ve named him Silver for his chest and markings. 

[ID: Silver the cat laying partly on the laptop keyboard]

I’m trying to figure out how to pay my electric, it’s due on the 10th, I should have made a post on it, but I’ve been more focused on making sure my sister doesn’t lose her home. Plus I was under therapist orders not to think of anything money or work related for three days during this last weekend. 

Winston

[ID: Winston the rottweiler service pup laying on my lap while I pet him]

He’s doing perfect on his training, already has two of his tasks completely down, working on getting several more down. 

Unfortunately, there have been several problems with store peeps despite the fact I make sure he has his harness on and his leash on that says he is a service dog. They keep making a fit over the fact he’s a rottweiler, I even had one say it directly to my face. 

So I’ve ordered a bunch of business cards with the ADA online address on them, a copy of the two questions they can legally ask on the front:

Is that a service dog?

What tasks does your service dog perform for you?

On the back I put the four points people keep missing the most, copied directly from the ADA FAQ:

Staff are not allowed to request any documentation for the dog, require the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person’s disability.

The ADA does not require service animals to wear a vest, ID tag, or specific harness. 

Covered entities may not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal, as a condition for entry.

Michigan has a voluntary registration program but it is not required.

The last point is from the state ADA, rather then the Federal one. If I had more room, I would have included the fact it’s illegal to try and force a registration, but alas business cards aren’t that big. 

I knew when I got him there was going to be questions because he’s so big, I hadn’t realized how foolish peeps were going to be over his breed. 

Both his leash and harness say Service Dog on them, but because I didn’t go out and buy the specialized one, but a training harness which was a lot cheaper and works for our needs just as well, people like to question it often. To the point where I even had one person tell me to get out of the store because someone else’s dog acted up, so mine couldn’t really be a service dog. Seriously, then she tried to back it with the ADA, while breaking the first three points from the back, and then insisting that the Michigan registry is required. 

Seriously, she’s one of the reasons I made the cards, right after I reported her and her boss, since she was insisting she checked with her boss, and her boss agreed. I even stressed to both the ADA and her company I didn’t want either fired, I wanted them properly trained, it should not be the customer’s job to print off the law and bring it in to make a point, just to keep shopping. 

I refuse to go back to having days I can’t go to the store because others want to have a problem with my awesome boy. If they have a problem with another dog, that’s the other dog’s handlers problem, not mine. To take it out on me is unprofessional. 

Shelk & Lot Rent

All of you peeps who have shared it (particularly you awesome one @noregretsnotearsnoanxieties) are wonderful! I appreciate all of the help. Shelk is flabbergasted and thankful beyond words for all the help. 

Last month we were able to get $555 within the $3,600. The lot owner accepted that, which set the eviction notice back to the 15th of this month. 

Right now we are at $150 this month, which is great as we are trying to get to at least $300, as that would pay at least one month. Currently she owes $3,345 between past and current due. 

A wonderful peep has said they are going to try and do something mid-month after getting paid, so I am rather hopeful, and I will be continuing to share, with updates every time there is a donation. 

Unexpected Meeting Kickstarter

I know I have two digital rewards to finish, I have been working on them, they will be posted by the end of this month. 

I am also going to start ordering the stuff to send out to people, getting the bookmarks, magnets, posters, and other goodies ready while the book is being edited. I can happily report the first few chapters have been looked at, though I have not yet had a chance to check the edits, which is why I haven’t shared snippets yet. 

It didn’t help that one of the rewards got corrupted when my computer updated in the middle of a save. Anyways, I’m excited! So bloody excited! 

Converging Lives

I will hopefully be returning to updating my @converginglives blog this week, I miss being able to post stuff there plus I still have the Spring 2019 A to Z Event to finish. 

I am also working on an actual website for it, which will have pretty much everything from the tumblr blog but in an organized method as I am tired of arguing with tumblr about it when making sure it’s in website format. 

Fanfic

Seeking is DONE - again. This time I emailed myself the file as well as typing it in google docs. Then of course docs didn’t have the problems it had last time. After 18 months of not being able to work on it, my muse finally got on the game. I’m so bloody pleased with that. I posted one chapter tonight, next Monday I will post the last chapter. 

I plan on posting the last chapter of Challenge Accepted on Wednesday as it’s done and I just need post it. 

I’m planning on working on Advent, Playful Stress Relief, Blessed, and Learning to Live. Why those ones? 

Advent is rough drafted out, might as well finish it. Besides, I don’t like the fact my lovely and fluff filled thing is still stuck in limbo. 

Playful Stress Relief is nearly done, I think editing was all I had left on that particular last chapter to finish it, though don’t quote me. It’s been awhile since I checked it. 

Blessed is calling me, though only lightly, and I’m not even sure there are peeps waiting for it, but hey whatevers. 

Learning to Live got a lovely comment which made me smile, in the height of a massive episode. I am updating it for that person, hopefully it will let me get on a roll and finish my oldest fanfic. 

You wanna see one of the other ones updated? Leave a comment on it, not just a “update please” but something you like, or a question, or even a smile face. Update please doesn’t encourage me, but pretty much everything else does. 

Cosmos Market

This is still being worked on, for those who don’t know what the market is, here is a link to the last post made on it. I’ll probably be updating it sometime in the near future, but at this moment that is a pretty good definition of it. 

I want -- need -- to get the market off the ground so I can stop needing to ask for help as I will have at least a small and stable income going. 

I’m not planning on making a lot off of it, just enough to pay my base bills, which will not put me out of the poverty line. I do expect it to be a success, however I plan on putting money into my employees and building instead. My sister being one of those employees in order to help her stop needing to ask for help as well since she’s been struggling to find a job. 

The market isn’t the only thing on the planner for business, it’s just the one I am focused on right this moment, though I have been eyeing my second rather heavily lately too, as it would be a much more passive situation for me to deal with. 

Disability

A lot of you know that I’ve applied for it in the past and was turned down as “disabled but not disabled enough”. I have reapplied for it. Why? Because I am still disabled, and a lot of times, things are worse then they were the last time I applied. 

This time I have been sent to deal with so many new doctors it’s making me want to scream. I don’t deal well with new people. Yet I have to. A lot. It’s frustrating beyond words. Still, if it helps over all, I will do whatever I must. 

It’s seriously my hope to get to the point where I can put it on hold, and only use it when I have a really bad flare up. Yes, things have been closer to stable since I got Winston, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t problems going on. I had a depressive spiral that lasted five bloody weeks. Sometimes I was able to force myself to get stuff done, other times I couldn’t even get out of bed because of my mind. It’s hard to be stable with that situation going on. 

Knowing my bills will be dealt with even if I can’t get out of bed would help a great deal. Far more than I really want to admit. At last, that’s the way it goes. 

Links

Rather then put the links in this mess, I will make a post just for them and then add the link to it here for those who want to share it. Any sharing would be appreciated as it helps more than you would imagine. 

I know a lot of people don’t have money, and while money is needed, that is not what I am asking for, all I am asking for is you take the time to share. Just a few seconds, a couple of clicks, can make a world of difference. 

While a lot of the links are about me, not all of them are as I also put up links to others who have helped me and friends who are in different tight situations. I’m a firm believer in paying it forward in any way possible. 

Link to Links

Previous Updates

5/1/19 & 5/3/19 

4/24/19

3/9/19 & Links

3/1/19

2/14/19

1/24/19

1/16/19

1/5/19

12/27/17 & 12/28/18

12/22/18

12/19/18

12/6/18 & 12/8/18

[nunaya-business]

There Have Been a Few Times When My Dad Has Left Throughout My Life...

Some for normal reasons, others for mental illness reasons. All of them have left their mark on me and my brother especially.

To begin, my father has not had a good life. He was brutally physically, and I believe sexually, abused throughout his entire childhood. His mother is a munchausen bitch, his brother a psychopath, and his father an asshole. Mental illness runs in the family on both sides, though it's hard to tell which side it effects the most. My father started out with ADHD, or that's what the doctors have said. He got heavy into drugs when he and my mother first got together, and of course the mental problems plummeted from there.

Both parents quit drugs before I was born, and my father went overseas to Iraq. He was there when I was born to give me my name, and left a few months later. I didn't meet him in person again until I was nearly 2 years old. I didn't walk until then either, but that's from a birth defect.

I don't remember much of my childhood with my father, because he either stayed inside at home or he was overseas. Having a parent or both parents in the military is shit, and in my opinion, abuse. Psychologists are always saying that both parental figures in a child's life is extremely important and, when both aren't present, whether from abandonment, death, or lack of interaction, it effects a child greatly. What they refuse to consider in my opinion, is parents who go into the military. That's abandonment. Period. I don't care if that parent is doing a deed for their country, you're risking your life, and deliberately not there for your children in the way you need to be. That's the tea sis.

My father broke his back twice in Iraq. Once when I was a toddler, and once when I was around 8 years old. The things he's seen and done mixed with his childhood traumas turned this man from mentally ill, to mentally unstable, to mentally insane is the span of nearly 10 years. The last time my dad came home from Iraq, he had gone up the scale of insanity to the brink. In case y'all didn't know, the brink before complete legally recognized insanity is Paranoid Schizophrenia.

Every. Single. Year since I was 8 years old, my father had mental meltdowns. It started with yelling, to throwing things, to leaving for days (and one time a whole month and my mom had to pick him up at a bar and send me and my brother to my grandmother's house for a week), to an incident in 2016 when my father officially snapped.

In 2016 only a few days after New Years when he came home from a doctor's appointment, he went into our kitchen, downed half a bottle of straight vodka, and started screaming at my mother. She told me to take my little 2 year old brother into my room, shut the door, and put on a movie. I did. I was 12 years old, and it was about 16 days from my 13th birthday that j was really excited for. I remember because one of my friend's birthday's is only 12 days before mine, and I asked mom to go to her birthday party that Tuesday.

I put on Disney Pixar's Cars, because that was his favorite movie, and turned the volume up all the way so he couldn't hear anything. I stood by my door, and quietly opened it enough to see because I heard my dad shouting and things crashing. I don't remember what exactly he was flipping out about, but I remember him throwing a wrench at my mother's head. He missed, and it hit the wall above the kitchen window, making a hole that we had to patch up later. My dad got the vodka bottle, and some guns from our gun cabinet, and tried to get my dog Krypto, a Rottweiler, to go with him. I though he was going to kill him, and the other dog we had, which was the last thing I had inherited from my grandfather.

He kept telling Krypto to come and help him kill the neighbors, but Krypto was hiding behind mom. Dad was scaring him. Since he didn't go with my dad, he tried to beat him, but my mom was on top of Krypto trying to protect him. I don't really remember much after that moment, I think because I either changed or replayed the movie for Little Brother, but I do remember dad stomping back the hallway towards my room, and mom yelling something like, "Don't you fucking dare!" And Krypto running after him, so I got my pocket knife from my desk and stood by the door ready to kill my dad to protect my brother. He stopped though, and I remember listening to his fading, pounding footsteps as he slammed our door shut to go outside.

At the time, my room was at the back right of the house, straight back through the hallway. I only had one window against the wall opposite from my door, facing the back of the house and the woods, but I still saw the brightness of the fire my dad had set on the neighbor's weekend cottage at the front of the house, across the driveway. I remember my mom going into what was the spare room (now my parent's room) with Krypto, crying, and talking to the police. When she knew for sure they were coming and my dad was outside emptying the guns into the surrounding trees and the cabin, mom came back, told me to open the door and gave me a hug. We were both crying, and my brother was asking what was wrong with us. She told me to stay in my room with Little Brother, and that she would come get us when it was ok to come out, then went back into the spare room.

My dad came back inside drunk and crashed onto the couch. It was quiet, and my mom had snuck outside to meet with the police to describe that she wanted him taken in as a mental patient, not a criminal. I had to pee really bad, so I knocked on the door five times because I didn't know where mom was. Dad thought someone was at our door, and told whoever he thought it was to go the fuck away. I snuck put of my room as fast as I could, went to the bathroom, and when I came back, the movie was halfway over for about the 3rd time, and I sat on my bed to finish it with my brother.

I don't remember what time it was, and I don't remember how close the movie was to being over, but I do remember men yelling to "get down", and, "come out with your hands up" outside the window. Someone looked in the window with a flashlight, so I took my brother, and hid under the top bunk of my bunkbed. I covered his ears and hid him under my blanket so no one would find him. The entire state police department came from around the state hours away, to my home in bum-fucked Egypt (aka a small hick town). My mom came in after a couple of minutes with a shaky voice and said "Todd, get up, and go outside now."

He replied with something like, "Christ woman", or "here we fucking go", and I peeked out my door one last time, to see my dad put his hands up, go outside and yell, "HERE I AM MOTHER FUCKERS AND IM GOIN DOWN IN A BLAZE OF GLORY". They gazed him, got information from my mom, and left.

The whole ordeal that Thursday, or maybe it was Monday, night lasted 7 hours, and I think it was 2 in the morning by the time the police left, and we were allowed out of my room. My first question when I hugged mom was, "where did Dad go?" To which she replied, "the police took him."

I didn't go to school that week, dad went to prison for 2 years instead of a mental institution like he was supposed to, my mother was put on antidepressants, I was put in counseling in three places, (the pediatrician's office, a professional office, and school counseling) for severe depression and anxiety, my brother developed an antisocial disorder in addition to pre-diagnosed autism, and I was now in charge of taking care of the house along with my 2 year old brother like an adult. I didn't really have time to be rebellious, having only a short few months when I turned 13 where I "hated" my mother. But how the hell was I going to rebel? Not do the dishes?

... yes actually. I didn't do my chores around the house for a few months as a sort of rebellion. What else was there to do? There was nowhere to go, no one to run to, and Mom wasn't home long enough to fight with so... yeah, refusing to do chores was my way to rebel against my parents.

My dad's mom, the bitch in forced to call a grandmother, called child services more than 5 times while Dad was in jail for no reason. They blocked her number. She got ahold of dad's disability checks and used them for herself, and we nearly starved because of that, and from that fateful night on, I was labeled a psychopath by my peers. Good. I don't like those retards anyways.

That's the story of why I'm not very close to my father, why I believe going to the military is the appraised way of abandoning your kids, and how the military also fucked up my Dad. Because, if they would've done their job of an actual mental evaluation on their soldiers when coming home from war, my father would have gotten the help he needed, and lastly the reason why I believe in gun control. And with that, I bid you guten nacht.

[joomma]

Let’s Face It I Was Crazy Before The Cats Ugly Christmas Sweater

Let’s Face It I Was Crazy Before The Cats Ugly Christmas Sweater

As someone who usually doesn’t get gifts and has a hard time getting and Let’s Face It I Was Crazy Before The Cats Ugly Christmas Sweater receiving them and finding what I want, it helps when there’s is secret santa stuff. So I helped out by participating and got picked to give a gift to this nice girl I knew. On the day of gift giving, as it was a surprise, I tapped her on the shoulder as she turned around, putting the gift in her hand in a smooth motion. It was one of the things on her wish list. Stunned in a good way, she said “thank you!” After saying my name. A minute later, a person I didn’t know as well, gave me a gift. I’ve never really celebrated it outside my family, and didn’t think I would get one. It was neat, and a very nice surprise, as we didn’t associate much with each other. I thanked her, and then again more than twenty minutes later as class ended. But the kicker: it was lunch time, and I was going to the bathroom, as per usual. Then this other person I know, a lot better, and am better pals with but don’t always get to hang out, but find much in common, called me over. I waited patiently to see what it was all about. We never really hung out at lunch, and last time she had asked me a question, so I had answered her. Our relationship wasn’t bad.

buy it now:Let’s Face It I Was Crazy Before The Cats Ugly Christmas Sweater

Dog Santa Ugly Christmas Sweater Unisex

Rottweiler Dog Family Ugly Christmas Sweater

Cow Xmas With Santa Hat Cute Gift Ugly Christmas Sweater

Green Christmas Pattern Gift Sweater

Yoda And Grinch Christmas Ugly Sweater Grinch Christmas Sweater

Sloth Tropical Island Palm Tree For Button Down Aloha Hawaii Shirt

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[airbnbfestivals]

I'm a Host & Service Dog owner/trainer of 9 years & just had Guest with fake Service Dog check in...

Um... I'd like to think I'd be a good um, person to ask this question to, but am choking because it's my place.10 mos. old puppy (by comparison the 1st of my 3 Service Dogs, got him as a puppy, was a VERY high achiever and officially got the upgrade to Service Dog at 16 months and after EXTENSIVE testing and training).1st interaction was dog (puppy) running in the house, off-leash, and peeing on my dining room floor, then tracking pee prints on my yoga mat (I cleaned up and kinda got a picture to document. Why do people with ANY dog enter a stranger's home with it off-leash?)has the dog "registered" aka paid a company to make something official/document looking (you need a doctor's note, that's the "magical piece of paper," all of the registries are bogus and ALSO hurt real SD owners because it confuses the general public)she doesn't know the 2 questions a business is legally allowed to ask about a potential SD... and cannot answer them (the "what tasks is the dog trained to perform" part, anyone can bs that believably... except her, apparently?)the dog lacks basic obedience to the extent that, as a trainer, I would recommend a basic puppy obedience class to get the pup around similar aged doggos and learn basicsshe told me the dog sleeps on the bed with her. I do not have a specific rule against this because my idiot self thought common courtesy would dictate one wouldn't do that in a rental, but what do I know, I try to set good examples with my Service Dog.So... legally a Service Dog has to be house-broken. Legally it has to perform a disability mitigating task. And um... paraphrase... "act like a fucking working dog, not a pet."I know the laws, I teach the laws, and I know Airbnb does NOT know the nitty gritty of them like me. This girl literally missed her checkin by 9 hours and ignored Airbnb calling her.I have her for 2 nights and have asked her twice to keep the dog on a leash (it doesn't stay with her, it's a 10 month old puppy that wants to eat my yoga blocks). She is the epitome of the "Service Dog" owner/handler that makes life difficult for legit folks like me.She's literally already asking about a month-to-month lease because she "gets along with me so well" and "I can totally train her dog for her!"I don't know if I can handle this situation for 2 days.Note: her 10lb "Service Dog" "posing a threat" to my 110lb Rottweiler real Service Dog should work, too, despite how stupidly ironic that sounds. Mine shouldn't have to be subjected to all that comes with a fake working dog that's really a puppy with a guest trying to dodge a pet fee.Please advise.Edit: details Get $20 off your first AirBnB stay.

[bloojayoolie]

Cats, Children, and Confused: DO end PAW PRINTS n my HPART te DOG my DO eud DAW PRISTS my DOG HEART DO 661.98-11 ysars 10months dd 112s PIW PRINTS LIVE LVE WOOF my HEART DOG Butch DO eudl PRINTS on my HEART my DOG My DOG HAS LEFT Paw Prints manhattan Gorgeous Elderbull In Need - Striking eyes, smart, knows lots of commands, cat friendly, housetrained- Neutered & Ready To Go ON MY HEART acC waiting eud DO PAW RISTS for Love! my DOG HEART TO BE KILLED - 6/22/2019 The eyes and smile are sometimes all that is needed to know about the heart.Butch is without question a heart-breaker. His jolly smile, and honest eyes encourage and invite reciprocation. What is a rotund, seasoned senior doing on a kill list, when his years of service should be rewarded with a loving retirement? Naturally super handsome Butch is timid, despite being a whopping 112 lbs. He is confused at why the home he devoted himself to no longer feels the sentiment of loyalty. Still he braves along in hopes of meeting friends. He wears a spotted vanilla cow suit, huge amber eyes which still sparkle, ears that stand proud when summoned, and a super sized smile. He reportedly does well with dogs and lived in harmony with a cat. He's an easy going fella who needs a gentle approach, and a place to call home. He is a giant in size, with a heart to match.He does not deserve a horrible ending after loving a family forever. Please message this page if you can foster or adopt this special guy. BUTCH@MANHATTAN ACC Hello, my name is Butch My animal id is #66198 I am a desexed male white dog at the Manhattan Animal Care Center The shelter thinks I am about 11 years 10 months old, 112 lbs Came into shelter as owner surrender 6/16/2019 Reason Stated: Not good with kids Butch is rescue only Butch is at risk for behavioral reasons. Butch has a bite history and has remained fearful at the care center and has exhibited anxious behaviors and a low threshold for arousal. Butch would be best suited for placement with a new hope partner that can provide the necessary behavior modification. Medically, Butch is overweight which has resulted in arthritic changes. My medical notes are... Weight: 112 lbs Vet Notes 6/16/2019 DVM Intake Exam Estimated age:10 years Microchip noted on Intake?Yes History : owner surrender Subjective: fearful Observed Behavior - fearful Evidence of Cruelty seen - no Evidence of Trauma seen - no Objective P = 120hr R = 40rr BCS 9/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears- aural d/c, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: muzzled PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: MC MSI: Ambulatory x 4- slow to get up (hl issues), skin free of parasites, small growths on head and left face, healthy hair coat; overwght CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment intake procedures CBC Chem overwght hl weakness - arthritic changes dental disease Prognosis: fair Plan: rec'd weight reduction plan behavior assessment BLOOD WORK RESULTS: CBC CHEM T4- NSF Details on my behavior are... Behavior Condition: 4. Orange Behavior History Behavior Assessment During intake, Butch was panting heavily and seemed to be whale eyeing. He jerked his head quickly back when I attempted to scan for microchip. I collared him while he was wearing a muzzle. He did try to dodge, but I was able to secure it. No other handling was attempted. Spay/Neuter Status: Neutered Basic Information:: Butch is a nearly 12 yo neutered male large mixed breed dog who was brought to MACC as an owner surrender. Previously lived with:: 2 adults, 1 baby, 1 cat How is this dog around strangers?: Butch approaches new people and smells them. Then he hangs around them. He sometimes barks. How is this dog around children?: Owner does not think Butch is good with children. He nipped at the baby in the home. He barks at children he sees, they are usually running around screaming, as per owner. How is this dog around other dogs?: Owner once almost got attacked by a rottweiler and has become protective around them with owner. He barks at them when he sees them. Butch is playful with other dogs. He has been to dog parks in the past, but mostly kept to himself and owner. How is this dog around cats?: Butch has lived with a cat in the past and got along well with it. He allows them to scratch at him. He enjoys being around them. Resource guarding:: No resource guarding noted. Bite history:: Butch has bitten owner's brother when Butch was trying to go after a raccoon and the brother restrained him. He also tried to bite the newborn baby in the home on the leg but only got her pants. Housetrained:: Yes Energy level/descriptors:: medium Other Notes:: Owner describes that if Butch is agitated, the family knows not to be anywhere near his mouth as he's more likely to bite, so they will restrain him with a leash, keeping themselves distanced. Has this dog ever had any medical issues?: No For a New Family to Know: Owner describes Butch as protective and super friendly. He loves to cuddle and hug owner. He seems to be very in tune when people are not feeling well. One time owner was sleeping and not feeling well and Butch woke her up and she vomited immediately. Owner states Butch can detect low or high blood pressure. He will stay next to person and bark to alert others. Owner says Butch likes doctors. He knows commands, sit, paw, play, stop. If owner tells him "don't worry, I'm coming back" he seems to calm down. Owner gives Butch ice cream, steak, salmon, lamb, chicken. He likes moist meaty burger from purina as far as dog food goes. He is walked 3 times a day. No accidents in home. He pulls on leash if he has waited a long time to go. He can wait for about 12 hours to be taken out. Butch does not play with toys other than balls. Butch is relaxed during baths. Butch sleeps in owner's bed. She has started getting him to sleep in a dog bed and he is getting used to it and sleeps on it in living room. He follows owner around the home when they are together. He is not reactive to loud noises like storms or fireworks =========================== Date of intake:: 6/16/2019 Spay/Neuter status:: Yes Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender (In home for 12 years) Previously lived with:: Adults, a baby, and a cat Behavior toward strangers:: Barks at them Behavior toward children:: Barks at them, nipped the baby in the home Behavior toward dogs:: Barks when he sees them Behavior toward cats:: Got along well with a cat he lived with Resource guarding:: None reported Bite history:: Yes, Butch bit the owner's brother when he tried to restrain him from going after a raccoon. Severity of this bite was not reported. Butch nipped at the leg of the baby in the home when the baby was in the stroller. He bit the leg of her pants. Housetrained:: Yes Energy level/descriptors:: If Butch is agitated, his owner reports that she will not to be anywhere near his mouth as he's more likely to bite, so she will restrain him with a leash, keeping distance. Date of assessment:: 6/18/2019 Summary:: Butch has been extremely anxious at the care center, whining, panting, pacing, and seeking exit. Due to the concerning notes from the previous home that he is more likely to bite when he is aroused and agitated, paired with his bite history, Butch is not a safe candidate for a handling assessment at this time. Date of intake:: 6/16/2019 Summary:: Whale-eyed, panting heavily Date of initial:: 6/16/2019 Summary:: Fearful ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no specific history on Butch's energy level so we cannot be certain of his energy in a home environment. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only Behavior Asilomar: TM - Treatable-Manageable Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Place with a New Hope partner Recommendations comments:: No children: Due to the noted concerns from the previous owners that Butch barks at children and has attempted to bite the young child in the home, we recommend an adult-only home for Butch. Place with a New Hope partner: Due to all of the noted concerns from the previous owners, including Butch's bite history, his reactivity towards children and strangers, and his tendency to bite when he's agitated, we recommend placement with a New Hope partner who can provide any necessary behavior modification (force-free, positive reinforcement-based) and re-evaluate behavior in a stable home environment before placement into a permanent home. Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,Anxiety,Bite history (human),Low threshold for arousal Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: The previous owners report that Butch barks at strangers and at children and also escalated to attempting to bite the young child in the home. He was also fearful during his medical exam. Please see handout on Fearful/potential for defensive aggression. Bite history (human): Butch bit the owner's brother when he was being restrained from chasing a raccoon. The severity of this bite is unknown. Please see handout on Bite history. Anxiety: Butch has been extremely anxious at the care center, whining, pacing, panting, and seeking exit. This behavior was not reported by the previous owners though so we don't know if this is specific to the shelter environment. If this behavior is seen in the home please see handout on Anxiety. Low threshold for arousal: The previous owners report that when Butch becomes aroused and agitated he is more likely to bite. Also, Butch's bite incident with the owner's brother suggests that Butch may redirect when he is restrained and in an aroused state. Please see handout on Low threshold for arousal. BUTCH IS RESCUE ONLY…..TO SAVE THIS PUP YOU MUST FILL OUT APPLICATIONS WITH AT LEAST 3 NEW HOPE RESCUES. PLEASE HURRY!!! IF YOU CAN FOSTER OR ADOPT THIS PUP, PLEASE PM OUR PAGE FOR ASSISTANCE. WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH LINKS TO APPLICATIONS WITH NEW HOPE RESCUES WHO ARE CURRENTLY PULLING FROM THE NYC ACC. PLEASE SHARE THIS DOG FOR A HOME TO SAVE HIS LIFE.

[kathydsalters31]

Dog Social Distancing and Utilizing a Crate to Help with Separation Anxiety

As I sit here and ponder where I am going to go with this article, my mind wanders. I’ve already sat down a couple of times to write it.

I’d literally just sat down on Monday, computer open, and then the governor of Maryland called a press conference and essentially announced more lock down. So, you’ll understand why I flew out of the house to get more food and supplies.

It is now a law in our state, punishable by up to a year in jail and/or up to a five thousand dollar fine, to go out for any non-essential reason (other than medical, getting food, or emergencies).

I don’t even know how to conceive of, or talk about, all that is going on in the world, but I find it is affecting everything, even our relationships with our canine companions.

Interestingly, I have always seen myself as well spoken and have always had the ability to describe, through the written word, how to understand certain concepts, especially when it comes to dog training.

But I have, admittedly, been a little overwhelmed this week, and have struggled with all the ways to make this modern day article more pertinent to you as you sit at home looking for information to help get through this crisis.

Gratitude…

First off, to those I know, who know me, and those who have been following Chet and I for the past 10 years, THANK YOU!

We take your loyalty very seriously and it is important to us to provide you with accurate and relevant information.

With things being the way they are in the world, I want to make sure that you and your pets are safe. Safety is far and above the most important thing we have to deal with each day.

To those of you on the front lines, driving trucks, growing food, working in warehouses and to those in both human and veterinary medicine; THANK YOU!

Having a pandemic afoot and being socially locked down has certainly never been seen by the world on this scale. We are still waiting on more affirmative information as I sit here.

My immune system has never been the strongest, and I worry about the implications this holds for me, my friends, and, of course, my pets.

So, since I have your attention for at least a short time, let’s talk about how all of this is going to affect those of us on lock down.

I am worried about some pets dogs especially, concerned that we are creating separation anxiety for them to struggle with when life goes back to ‘semi normal’.

Having been in the dog training industry for the past twenty five years, I will admit that true and severe separation anxiety in dogs is not nearly as rampant as many people think.

Severe separation anxiety is marked by a dog that:

**  often urinates and defecates

**  howls or barks almost constantly

**  will literally become self-injurious while attempting to break out of a weak crate, or even break through windows

In my career alone, I have had 2 dogs that have jumped out or through windows. Thankfully they did not die or eviscerate themselves.

My first experience was when I was just 18 with the first dog (a Rottweiler) I had ever owned. He jumped out of the front window, fell probably 20 feet down and was loose for an hour or two until we returned.

Twenty five years ago in Wyoming it was impossible to find a dog crate. We purchased dog food from feed stores! I ordered my very first dog crate from a JCPenney catalog. I couldn’t afford new windows every time we left the house and I certainly didn’t want my dog to hurt himself.

Shoving a 100 pound, anxious, Rottweiler into a giant metal dog crate was my first foray into crate training. I honestly think it saved his life. And, although he struggled to get out in the beginning, the crate was strong enough that he wasn’t able to hurt himself.

That is really an important key to this article.

Don’t Panic

I recently got back from a trip to visit clients who swore that their dog was having severe separation anxiety. He’s young, and he is not really getting enough exercise, and they monitor video of the dogs constantly.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that in no way was it severe! He sings a little bit when he is crated, and he lightly puts his mouth on the crate, but by no means was he in danger of hurting himself.

He would bark but he was also laying down in his crate. That may be slight anxiety but really is no need for concern.

In the beginning, I suppose most dogs are not huge fans of the crate, but don’t panic if he is barking a bit or trying to assess if he can make an old school break out.

If you panic every time you leave him, he is going to panic (remember how intuitive dogs are; they pick up on our anxieties!) This dog is quite literally never left alone. Either the husband or wife has been home with him for a year.

Not only is this creating his problem, their shear terror and overreacting has made the dog worse.

I remember being scared to sleep in my “big girl bed” and room when I was a kid.

But in order for me to be a functional adult, I had to do some things I didn’t want to do, and I had to learn to be confident and independent as I aged.

Just as we can’t coddle our children forever, we can’t coddle our dogs; it is not healthy.

If you are truly, truly worried that your dog has severe separation anxiety, talk to your veterinarian or find a boarded veterinary behaviorist in your area.

I kind of hate to admit this, outwardly anyway, but we are talking about some personal subjects here.

In the last year, I have suffered from some anxiety. Ironically, when I am awake I am a fairly rational person and I pride myself on that.

But I was waking up in the middle of the night with a heart rate over 200, covered in sweat, and feeling like I was going to die.

If you’ve ever had the displeasure of feeling like that (and I hope you don’t) you will realize that drug therapy, along with behavior modification, is essential.

I made some changes in my life and hadn’t really had that problem until, ironically, last night.

But, with times the way they are right now, I feel that it was acceptable to spill over a little from the unknown.

If your dog would do better on some meds while you work on crate training, do him the service of getting him some.

Trust me, you would want the help, he will thank you, and your training will be more successful.

Needing something that helps balance serotonin, or other necessary chemicals, is nothing to be ashamed of!

Just don’t cover a problem with drugs and expect them to do wonders without behavior modification.

Some drooling, panting, shaking, barking or whining can be fairly normal for this process.

Avoid Weak & Dangerous Crates

The flimsy metal crates with plastic bottoms that look cozy to most people are the WORST. The metal is easily bent and the plastic bottom can be shredded with little effort. Many dogs have broken teeth and gotten stuck in the bent sharp metal doors and sides as they are trying to escape, which can cause deep lacerations. Some of the videos you find online of dogs escaping these kinds of crates are funny, but the implications of injury are not worth it.

The other problem, that as humans we don’t really understand… is that dogs are den animals. They like closed, dark places, not a big open cage where they can still see everything going on in the environment. This stimulation often makes them even more reactive. Most dog owners park those big crates next to a large window and the dog can’t escape if he is having anxiety with his crate training.

Plastic crates are usually chewed less and more escape-proof. There are also less sharp edges with dark plastic crates. Yes, I have seen dogs pop the front doors, but all-in-all they are safer. I even have a picture of my very own dog (Belgian Malinois) who chewed straight through a crate when he was just a puppy and heard me training his sister.

So being the dog owner that I am, I stuffed him in the crate to snap a picture and then I immediately purchased another crate that I had to have shipped (apparently I have had some naughty dogs in my career). There are heavy duty, thick metal crates that are used in the world of police dog training that are self locking and very nearly impossible to chew through. Also, their edges are not sharp (like the metal crates in the first example), and most have doors and openings that keep things dark but are also less likely to be chewed or have a tooth broken.

They can be pricey, but one or two crates that are impossible to ruin or escape from is cheaper in the long run and safer for your dog. I use and recommend Impact Dog Crates.

And remember: a broken window or a loose, anxious dog is not nearly as safe as an anxious dog in a heavy duty crate.

Why is Crate Training Better and Why Will it Help Your Dog Feel Better?

I understand that I am conversing with humans and it is hard to convince people that crate training actually helps with separation anxiety.

As a human you aren’t likely to hurl yourself through a window. You aren’t likely to chew electrical cords, the carpet, or chew through a door when you have anxiety. You have different coping mechanisms.

And, truthfully if you have anxiety to that degree; you are likely to look into some drug therapy.

Your dog doesn’t have those options.

So, by leaving him out loose in the home, it often causes more anxiety and reactivity as he runs from window to window, or door to door, in a panic.

I was trying to explain this to a client at the beginning of the month. Both their dogs were chasing around the house (you could watch with their in-home camera) and acting panicked. Putting them in a smaller and darker place where they couldn’t see every action in the neighborhood was actually better for their mental health. It helped them to relax and not worry about every sight and sound (feeding the anxiety).

I used to have billionaire clients in Colorado. They had a Golden Retriever and a Labrador Retriever and I used to pet sit for them. It was an amazing experience, but living in a huge house like that 20 years ago was kind of intimidating for me. I remember bringing a knife to bed with me in the early days! Every noise had me paranoid. There were too many doors and windows and levels. If someone broke in would I even hear it?

Currently I live in a small house (less than 1,000 square feet) and I have never really been afraid here. I basically have one door and a couple windows. If someone comes into my house, I am going to hear it. My dogs are going to hear it. A smaller space is easier to contain.

If I had 3 million dollars cash in a mansion and I knew someone was coming to take it; it would be much more intimidating. It would be a lot safer to keep here in a small space.

Smaller spaces often are less intimidating and more easily defended.

Not all dogs are guard dogs. Some dogs have general anxiety, but being in a large space isn’t always better. Dogs with anxiety (not even severe separation anxiety) feel better in a small dark place, with familiar sounds like the radio or television left on so that they don’t hear all the goings on. You are taking options and worry away from them.

Even the dogs that I have successfully treated with thunderstorm or other phobias have often been treated more successfully by utilizing a crate or a safe spot. My current Malinois is not a fan of thunderstorms but by giving him his own safe place, he is able to deal with his anxiety.

Create Your Dog’s Safe Haven

First off, it is critical to know your dog, and what is and what is not safe.

Some dogs will eat dog beds and blankets.

A former puppy client of mine underwent surgery last week to have parts of a blanket removed from his intestines.

If in doubt, your dog doesn’t need a bed or blanket. Chances are he likes laying on the cold floor anyway.

The bane of my existence, my current Malinois, will never be able to be unattended with a bed or a blanket. I have ordered ballistic style dog beds that were guaranteed chew proof that he can still shred. Thankfully he has never swallowed anything, but he has killed quite a few of my friends’ sweatshirts at dock diving events! I know this about him, and I keep those items away from his crate.

But that doesn’t mean he can’t have some other things.

Play crate games with your dog or your puppy! Puppies, especially, need crate games to understand that the crate is a safe place where happy things occur.

If you only stuff him inside when you leave, he will learn to hate the crate because it equals your leaving.

If my dogs willingly go into their crates, they get a treat or a reward.

Feed your dog in his crate so that he learns it is not always a space where he will be closed in for long periods of time. Be sure and close the door occasionally, but not all of the time. It can and should be his choice to go inside during the day when you are with him.

A dog crate doesn’t have to be sterile or not fun – quite the opposite! Zippy’s crate has elk antlers and other indestructible types of chews for him to enjoy.

Occasionally, I will slather a bone, a Kong toy, or an antler with peanut butter or Kong paste when he goes in his crate. But he only gets that special item when he is inside with the door closed behind him. Think of it as a break, with a great treat that he only gets when he is inside.

I may only leave him in there for 5 or 10 minutes, but the reward for going in is high enough for him to just enjoy the act of going in his crate.

After I let my dogs outside, I always bring them in and have them go into their crates for an early morning treat. I do the same at night.

Have you ever heard of the dog that the owners can’t catch in the morning to put in the crate because the dog recognizes his owner is going to work?

If your dog is used to going in the crate every morning and every evening no matter what, this alleviates this problem.

The other important piece to remember is to continue to crate your dog throughout his life, not just when he is a puppy.

As humans we get lazy. We crate our puppies so they won’t eat our stuff, or so that early in the relationship we can take a shower or make food while the pup is learning to show better behavior, and have less destructive behavior more of the time.

As his behavior gets better, we stop putting him in his crate. OR, we only crate him for long periods, like going to work or overnight.

This teaches the puppy or the older dog that time in his crate is going to be extended. We need to remind them that crate time can be long or short, but can also be fun.

If he gets a treat and some peanut butter he is much less likely to become an anxious dog during the time he is left in his crate. It just becomes another place where he can go to relax.

I always laugh because my Fury (my Dutch Shepherd) crate trained very easily and was given access to the house early on in her life. And, when I moved into a smaller house I figured I wouldn’t have to bring her crate inside. WRONG! She was horrified. She would dramatically throw herself into my Belgian Malinois’ crate when he wasn’t in there. Having her crate is essentially having her bed in the house.

Exercise and Mental Stimulation

Exercise and mental stimulation are crucial to help a dog with even mild separation anxiety.

Most dogs don’t want to be crated overnight for sleeping, just to be let out and then immediately crated while their owners attend to work and business.

I know that we live in busy times, but waking up an hour earlier or staying up an hour later so that you can tend to your dog’s exercise and mental stimulation needs can be critical in helping him to adjust.

Think about it. If you slept all night you wouldn’t want to be crated again first thing in the morning.

But if you had a healthy run of 5 miles, you might not mind taking a nap.

Our bodies need physical exercise and there are all kinds of ways you can provide that for your dog.

You can walk him, you can run him next to a bicycle, or you can get him to pull weights. Even small dogs like Jack Russell terriers and the like can benefit from pulling weights!

He also needs mental stimulation.

Teach your dog a new trick in the morning or work on his obedience before you leave.

You can also get treat-stuffed and interactive toys for when you are gone. Again, be sure they are safe for your dog or puppy before leaving them. But interactive toys can be a great way to burn a little energy.

Consider getting a dog walker that takes your dog for a walk, or take him to training, or doggy day care a couple of times a week. He gets to play and make friends, and you get to bring a tired dog home after a long day.

Remember he has needs! I was talking to an owner earlier today who was furious because her 7 month old puppy’s behavior is seeming to get worse. I always want to ask (and sometimes I do ask) if these people are parents to human children.

We expect that our toddlers need to go to the park. We know that they need to go to school, or have learning opportunities in the house. We better understand their physical, mental and emotional needs. But young puppies need all of these things too and if we are not providing them….. puppies often provide their own stimulation.

Puppies and young dogs also go through learning phases and stubborn phases just like you and your children did when you were young and exploring the world. Heck, I still sometimes have these stages in my “old age”!

If he is driving you crazy or if he is showing anxiety, chances are you are not giving him what he needs and you must reassess your training and exercise plans.

My very first Belgian Malinois I got when I was in my early 20’s. He was probably one of the most brilliant dogs I had then or have since ever trained.

I vowed to him that when I wanted to throttle him, or when he was being naughty I would assess if I had provided him with the kind of physical exercise and mental stimulation he needed.

Most of the time the honest answer was no, I had not.

So eventually, he learned about all of the 101 dog tricks in the book and could perform a gamut of service dog skills.

His mind and his body needed that kind of interaction.

He was also one of the few dogs I could trust at a dog park, or to play politely with other dogs.

So I would use that option if time was limited or I’d had a bad day

Prevention of Separation Anxiety

I started this article talking about what’s been going on in the world today. At the time of this writing, I have been locked down for a little over a week.

My pets are likely getting tired of me shuffling the house and watching TV at 1 am. I am tired of it. I am excited for life to get back to some normalcy, whatever that looks like.

But the last thing I want is to create dependency while I am at home.

As I am typing I hear my Dutch Shepherd snoring on my bed in the other room. My Malinois is asleep by the front door.

In times of anxiety for me (like not knowing about my ability to pay my bills), I don’t want to create a NEED for my company with my dogs. Would I love Fury to be asleep in my lap right now? YES, but it isn’t going to be healthy for them when I go back to full time work. That doesn’t mean they don’t all get lap time, I am just trying to avoid creating over-bonding.

I still occasionally crate my dogs and go outside alone so they continue to be used to the crate. I still crate them at night. Sometimes it is for short periods of time and sometimes it is for longer periods of time.

I put them outside for 30 minutes or more so that they can lay in the sun.

I let one dog out and keep one inside. I even walk them separately and train them separately occasionally.

I can imagine with significant others spending too much time together, and mothers and fathers needing breaks during this time, that my dogs need a break from each other too.

Relying on each other constantly isn’t good for their mental or emotional growth either.

I feel sorry for any pet that is overly bonded to another pet or to their human. I want a confident and independent pet.

And, I try and walk them and play with them safely each day.

Foster Independence

I giggle a little bit seeing the memes on Facebook with the dog hiding on top of the counter because his owner has walked him over 20 times that day.

And, whereas I want you all to get your physical and mental exercise, it is crucial that you still foster some independence with your dogs.

The worst cases of true and severe separation anxiety I have seen were in working dogs and the working dog world.

Police dogs, guide dogs, or service dogs that develop a sense of never having their own space or being left alone are sometimes incapable of doing it in later years. This is why I think retirement can be so difficult for these working dogs. Thankfully, at least most police officers leave their dogs occasionally.

But one of the saddest cases of over bonding and severe separation anxiety I have ever seen came early in my career. It breaks my heart to say it was a dog I helped to train and place as a service dog. His owner never left home without him. They had an amazing bond and friendship; but then his elderly owner needed a surgery. Not knowing what to do and not being able to really leave him in the house because he would be destructive, they left him outside. He strangled himself trying to figure out how to find his owner.

Separation, even for working dogs, is critical to good mental health. I do feel sorry for those who literally are having a hard time finding any alone time right now (I also worry about those of us who are alone and secluded for days on end).  Neither is really mentally healthy.

So, I will say it: make some time for a little social distancing for your dogs and pets too, so you are not creating unhealthy habits that will make him suffer when his life changes again in a few weeks.

It’s not a bad thing, it is a healthy and important thing!

Be safe mentally, emotionally and physically during these times because we all need it.

Sending my love to all of my readers!

Sincerely,

Minette

source http://www.luckydogsolutions.com/dog-social-distancing-and-utilizing-a-crate-to-help-with-separation-anxiety/ from Lucky Dog Solutions https://luckydogsolutions.blogspot.com/2020/07/dog-social-distancing-and-utilizing.html

[barryswamsleyaz]

Dog Social Distancing and Utilizing a Crate to Help with Separation Anxiety

As I sit here and ponder where I am going to go with this article, my mind wanders. I’ve already sat down a couple of times to write it.

I’d literally just sat down on Monday, computer open, and then the governor of Maryland called a press conference and essentially announced more lock down. So, you’ll understand why I flew out of the house to get more food and supplies.

It is now a law in our state, punishable by up to a year in jail and/or up to a five thousand dollar fine, to go out for any non-essential reason (other than medical, getting food, or emergencies).

I don’t even know how to conceive of, or talk about, all that is going on in the world, but I find it is affecting everything, even our relationships with our canine companions.

Interestingly, I have always seen myself as well spoken and have always had the ability to describe, through the written word, how to understand certain concepts, especially when it comes to dog training.

But I have, admittedly, been a little overwhelmed this week, and have struggled with all the ways to make this modern day article more pertinent to you as you sit at home looking for information to help get through this crisis.

Gratitude…

First off, to those I know, who know me, and those who have been following Chet and I for the past 10 years, THANK YOU!

We take your loyalty very seriously and it is important to us to provide you with accurate and relevant information.

With things being the way they are in the world, I want to make sure that you and your pets are safe. Safety is far and above the most important thing we have to deal with each day.

To those of you on the front lines, driving trucks, growing food, working in warehouses and to those in both human and veterinary medicine; THANK YOU!

Having a pandemic afoot and being socially locked down has certainly never been seen by the world on this scale. We are still waiting on more affirmative information as I sit here.

My immune system has never been the strongest, and I worry about the implications this holds for me, my friends, and, of course, my pets.

So, since I have your attention for at least a short time, let’s talk about how all of this is going to affect those of us on lock down.

I am worried about some pets dogs especially, concerned that we are creating separation anxiety for them to struggle with when life goes back to ‘semi normal’.

Having been in the dog training industry for the past twenty five years, I will admit that true and severe separation anxiety in dogs is not nearly as rampant as many people think.

Severe separation anxiety is marked by a dog that:

**  often urinates and defecates

**  howls or barks almost constantly

**  will literally become self-injurious while attempting to break out of a weak crate, or even break through windows

In my career alone, I have had 2 dogs that have jumped out or through windows. Thankfully they did not die or eviscerate themselves.

My first experience was when I was just 18 with the first dog (a Rottweiler) I had ever owned. He jumped out of the front window, fell probably 20 feet down and was loose for an hour or two until we returned.

Twenty five years ago in Wyoming it was impossible to find a dog crate. We purchased dog food from feed stores! I ordered my very first dog crate from a JCPenney catalog. I couldn’t afford new windows every time we left the house and I certainly didn’t want my dog to hurt himself.

Shoving a 100 pound, anxious, Rottweiler into a giant metal dog crate was my first foray into crate training. I honestly think it saved his life. And, although he struggled to get out in the beginning, the crate was strong enough that he wasn’t able to hurt himself.

That is really an important key to this article.

Don’t Panic

I recently got back from a trip to visit clients who swore that their dog was having severe separation anxiety. He’s young, and he is not really getting enough exercise, and they monitor video of the dogs constantly.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that in no way was it severe! He sings a little bit when he is crated, and he lightly puts his mouth on the crate, but by no means was he in danger of hurting himself.

He would bark but he was also laying down in his crate. That may be slight anxiety but really is no need for concern.

In the beginning, I suppose most dogs are not huge fans of the crate, but don’t panic if he is barking a bit or trying to assess if he can make an old school break out.

If you panic every time you leave him, he is going to panic (remember how intuitive dogs are; they pick up on our anxieties!) This dog is quite literally never left alone. Either the husband or wife has been home with him for a year.

Not only is this creating his problem, their shear terror and overreacting has made the dog worse.

I remember being scared to sleep in my “big girl bed” and room when I was a kid.

But in order for me to be a functional adult, I had to do some things I didn’t want to do, and I had to learn to be confident and independent as I aged.

Just as we can’t coddle our children forever, we can’t coddle our dogs; it is not healthy.

If you are truly, truly worried that your dog has severe separation anxiety, talk to your veterinarian or find a boarded veterinary behaviorist in your area.

I kind of hate to admit this, outwardly anyway, but we are talking about some personal subjects here.

In the last year, I have suffered from some anxiety. Ironically, when I am awake I am a fairly rational person and I pride myself on that.

But I was waking up in the middle of the night with a heart rate over 200, covered in sweat, and feeling like I was going to die.

If you’ve ever had the displeasure of feeling like that (and I hope you don’t) you will realize that drug therapy, along with behavior modification, is essential.

I made some changes in my life and hadn’t really had that problem until, ironically, last night.

But, with times the way they are right now, I feel that it was acceptable to spill over a little from the unknown.

If your dog would do better on some meds while you work on crate training, do him the service of getting him some.

Trust me, you would want the help, he will thank you, and your training will be more successful.

Needing something that helps balance serotonin, or other necessary chemicals, is nothing to be ashamed of!

Just don’t cover a problem with drugs and expect them to do wonders without behavior modification.

Some drooling, panting, shaking, barking or whining can be fairly normal for this process.

Avoid Weak & Dangerous Crates

The flimsy metal crates with plastic bottoms that look cozy to most people are the WORST. The metal is easily bent and the plastic bottom can be shredded with little effort. Many dogs have broken teeth and gotten stuck in the bent sharp metal doors and sides as they are trying to escape, which can cause deep lacerations. Some of the videos you find online of dogs escaping these kinds of crates are funny, but the implications of injury are not worth it.

The other problem, that as humans we don’t really understand… is that dogs are den animals. They like closed, dark places, not a big open cage where they can still see everything going on in the environment. This stimulation often makes them even more reactive. Most dog owners park those big crates next to a large window and the dog can’t escape if he is having anxiety with his crate training.

Plastic crates are usually chewed less and more escape-proof. There are also less sharp edges with dark plastic crates. Yes, I have seen dogs pop the front doors, but all-in-all they are safer. I even have a picture of my very own dog (Belgian Malinois) who chewed straight through a crate when he was just a puppy and heard me training his sister.

So being the dog owner that I am, I stuffed him in the crate to snap a picture and then I immediately purchased another crate that I had to have shipped (apparently I have had some naughty dogs in my career). There are heavy duty, thick metal crates that are used in the world of police dog training that are self locking and very nearly impossible to chew through. Also, their edges are not sharp (like the metal crates in the first example), and most have doors and openings that keep things dark but are also less likely to be chewed or have a tooth broken.

They can be pricey, but one or two crates that are impossible to ruin or escape from is cheaper in the long run and safer for your dog. I use and recommend Impact Dog Crates.

And remember: a broken window or a loose, anxious dog is not nearly as safe as an anxious dog in a heavy duty crate.

Why is Crate Training Better and Why Will it Help Your Dog Feel Better?

I understand that I am conversing with humans and it is hard to convince people that crate training actually helps with separation anxiety.

As a human you aren’t likely to hurl yourself through a window. You aren’t likely to chew electrical cords, the carpet, or chew through a door when you have anxiety. You have different coping mechanisms.

And, truthfully if you have anxiety to that degree; you are likely to look into some drug therapy.

Your dog doesn’t have those options.

So, by leaving him out loose in the home, it often causes more anxiety and reactivity as he runs from window to window, or door to door, in a panic.

I was trying to explain this to a client at the beginning of the month. Both their dogs were chasing around the house (you could watch with their in-home camera) and acting panicked. Putting them in a smaller and darker place where they couldn’t see every action in the neighborhood was actually better for their mental health. It helped them to relax and not worry about every sight and sound (feeding the anxiety).

I used to have billionaire clients in Colorado. They had a Golden Retriever and a Labrador Retriever and I used to pet sit for them. It was an amazing experience, but living in a huge house like that 20 years ago was kind of intimidating for me. I remember bringing a knife to bed with me in the early days! Every noise had me paranoid. There were too many doors and windows and levels. If someone broke in would I even hear it?

Currently I live in a small house (less than 1,000 square feet) and I have never really been afraid here. I basically have one door and a couple windows. If someone comes into my house, I am going to hear it. My dogs are going to hear it. A smaller space is easier to contain.

If I had 3 million dollars cash in a mansion and I knew someone was coming to take it; it would be much more intimidating. It would be a lot safer to keep here in a small space.

Smaller spaces often are less intimidating and more easily defended.

Not all dogs are guard dogs. Some dogs have general anxiety, but being in a large space isn’t always better. Dogs with anxiety (not even severe separation anxiety) feel better in a small dark place, with familiar sounds like the radio or television left on so that they don’t hear all the goings on. You are taking options and worry away from them.

Even the dogs that I have successfully treated with thunderstorm or other phobias have often been treated more successfully by utilizing a crate or a safe spot. My current Malinois is not a fan of thunderstorms but by giving him his own safe place, he is able to deal with his anxiety.

Create Your Dog’s Safe Haven

First off, it is critical to know your dog, and what is and what is not safe.

Some dogs will eat dog beds and blankets.

A former puppy client of mine underwent surgery last week to have parts of a blanket removed from his intestines.

If in doubt, your dog doesn’t need a bed or blanket. Chances are he likes laying on the cold floor anyway.

The bane of my existence, my current Malinois, will never be able to be unattended with a bed or a blanket. I have ordered ballistic style dog beds that were guaranteed chew proof that he can still shred. Thankfully he has never swallowed anything, but he has killed quite a few of my friends’ sweatshirts at dock diving events! I know this about him, and I keep those items away from his crate.

But that doesn’t mean he can’t have some other things.

Play crate games with your dog or your puppy! Puppies, especially, need crate games to understand that the crate is a safe place where happy things occur.

If you only stuff him inside when you leave, he will learn to hate the crate because it equals your leaving.

If my dogs willingly go into their crates, they get a treat or a reward.

Feed your dog in his crate so that he learns it is not always a space where he will be closed in for long periods of time. Be sure and close the door occasionally, but not all of the time. It can and should be his choice to go inside during the day when you are with him.

A dog crate doesn’t have to be sterile or not fun – quite the opposite! Zippy’s crate has elk antlers and other indestructible types of chews for him to enjoy.

Occasionally, I will slather a bone, a Kong toy, or an antler with peanut butter or Kong paste when he goes in his crate. But he only gets that special item when he is inside with the door closed behind him. Think of it as a break, with a great treat that he only gets when he is inside.

I may only leave him in there for 5 or 10 minutes, but the reward for going in is high enough for him to just enjoy the act of going in his crate.

After I let my dogs outside, I always bring them in and have them go into their crates for an early morning treat. I do the same at night.

Have you ever heard of the dog that the owners can’t catch in the morning to put in the crate because the dog recognizes his owner is going to work?

If your dog is used to going in the crate every morning and every evening no matter what, this alleviates this problem.

The other important piece to remember is to continue to crate your dog throughout his life, not just when he is a puppy.

As humans we get lazy. We crate our puppies so they won’t eat our stuff, or so that early in the relationship we can take a shower or make food while the pup is learning to show better behavior, and have less destructive behavior more of the time.

As his behavior gets better, we stop putting him in his crate. OR, we only crate him for long periods, like going to work or overnight.

This teaches the puppy or the older dog that time in his crate is going to be extended. We need to remind them that crate time can be long or short, but can also be fun.

If he gets a treat and some peanut butter he is much less likely to become an anxious dog during the time he is left in his crate. It just becomes another place where he can go to relax.

I always laugh because my Fury (my Dutch Shepherd) crate trained very easily and was given access to the house early on in her life. And, when I moved into a smaller house I figured I wouldn’t have to bring her crate inside. WRONG! She was horrified. She would dramatically throw herself into my Belgian Malinois’ crate when he wasn’t in there. Having her crate is essentially having her bed in the house.

Exercise and Mental Stimulation

Exercise and mental stimulation are crucial to help a dog with even mild separation anxiety.

Most dogs don’t want to be crated overnight for sleeping, just to be let out and then immediately crated while their owners attend to work and business.

I know that we live in busy times, but waking up an hour earlier or staying up an hour later so that you can tend to your dog’s exercise and mental stimulation needs can be critical in helping him to adjust.

Think about it. If you slept all night you wouldn’t want to be crated again first thing in the morning.

But if you had a healthy run of 5 miles, you might not mind taking a nap.

Our bodies need physical exercise and there are all kinds of ways you can provide that for your dog.

You can walk him, you can run him next to a bicycle, or you can get him to pull weights. Even small dogs like Jack Russell terriers and the like can benefit from pulling weights!

He also needs mental stimulation.

Teach your dog a new trick in the morning or work on his obedience before you leave.

You can also get treat-stuffed and interactive toys for when you are gone. Again, be sure they are safe for your dog or puppy before leaving them. But interactive toys can be a great way to burn a little energy.

Consider getting a dog walker that takes your dog for a walk, or take him to training, or doggy day care a couple of times a week. He gets to play and make friends, and you get to bring a tired dog home after a long day.

Remember he has needs! I was talking to an owner earlier today who was furious because her 7 month old puppy’s behavior is seeming to get worse. I always want to ask (and sometimes I do ask) if these people are parents to human children.

We expect that our toddlers need to go to the park. We know that they need to go to school, or have learning opportunities in the house. We better understand their physical, mental and emotional needs. But young puppies need all of these things too and if we are not providing them….. puppies often provide their own stimulation.

Puppies and young dogs also go through learning phases and stubborn phases just like you and your children did when you were young and exploring the world. Heck, I still sometimes have these stages in my “old age”!

If he is driving you crazy or if he is showing anxiety, chances are you are not giving him what he needs and you must reassess your training and exercise plans.

My very first Belgian Malinois I got when I was in my early 20’s. He was probably one of the most brilliant dogs I had then or have since ever trained.

I vowed to him that when I wanted to throttle him, or when he was being naughty I would assess if I had provided him with the kind of physical exercise and mental stimulation he needed.

Most of the time the honest answer was no, I had not.

So eventually, he learned about all of the 101 dog tricks in the book and could perform a gamut of service dog skills.

His mind and his body needed that kind of interaction.

He was also one of the few dogs I could trust at a dog park, or to play politely with other dogs.

So I would use that option if time was limited or I’d had a bad day

Prevention of Separation Anxiety

I started this article talking about what’s been going on in the world today. At the time of this writing, I have been locked down for a little over a week.

My pets are likely getting tired of me shuffling the house and watching TV at 1 am. I am tired of it. I am excited for life to get back to some normalcy, whatever that looks like.

But the last thing I want is to create dependency while I am at home.

As I am typing I hear my Dutch Shepherd snoring on my bed in the other room. My Malinois is asleep by the front door.

In times of anxiety for me (like not knowing about my ability to pay my bills), I don’t want to create a NEED for my company with my dogs. Would I love Fury to be asleep in my lap right now? YES, but it isn’t going to be healthy for them when I go back to full time work. That doesn’t mean they don’t all get lap time, I am just trying to avoid creating over-bonding.

I still occasionally crate my dogs and go outside alone so they continue to be used to the crate. I still crate them at night. Sometimes it is for short periods of time and sometimes it is for longer periods of time.

I put them outside for 30 minutes or more so that they can lay in the sun.

I let one dog out and keep one inside. I even walk them separately and train them separately occasionally.

I can imagine with significant others spending too much time together, and mothers and fathers needing breaks during this time, that my dogs need a break from each other too.

Relying on each other constantly isn’t good for their mental or emotional growth either.

I feel sorry for any pet that is overly bonded to another pet or to their human. I want a confident and independent pet.

And, I try and walk them and play with them safely each day.

Foster Independence

I giggle a little bit seeing the memes on Facebook with the dog hiding on top of the counter because his owner has walked him over 20 times that day.

And, whereas I want you all to get your physical and mental exercise, it is crucial that you still foster some independence with your dogs.

The worst cases of true and severe separation anxiety I have seen were in working dogs and the working dog world.

Police dogs, guide dogs, or service dogs that develop a sense of never having their own space or being left alone are sometimes incapable of doing it in later years. This is why I think retirement can be so difficult for these working dogs. Thankfully, at least most police officers leave their dogs occasionally.

But one of the saddest cases of over bonding and severe separation anxiety I have ever seen came early in my career. It breaks my heart to say it was a dog I helped to train and place as a service dog. His owner never left home without him. They had an amazing bond and friendship; but then his elderly owner needed a surgery. Not knowing what to do and not being able to really leave him in the house because he would be destructive, they left him outside. He strangled himself trying to figure out how to find his owner.

Separation, even for working dogs, is critical to good mental health. I do feel sorry for those who literally are having a hard time finding any alone time right now (I also worry about those of us who are alone and secluded for days on end).  Neither is really mentally healthy.

So, I will say it: make some time for a little social distancing for your dogs and pets too, so you are not creating unhealthy habits that will make him suffer when his life changes again in a few weeks.

It’s not a bad thing, it is a healthy and important thing!

Be safe mentally, emotionally and physically during these times because we all need it.

Sending my love to all of my readers!

Sincerely,

Minette

from Lucky Dog Solutions http://www.luckydogsolutions.com/dog-social-distancing-and-utilizing-a-crate-to-help-with-separation-anxiety/ from Lucky Dog Solutions https://luckydogsolutions.tumblr.com/post/622589135913418753

[azworkingdogs]

Dog Social Distancing and Utilizing a Crate to Help with Separation Anxiety

As I sit here and ponder where I am going to go with this article, my mind wanders. I’ve already sat down a couple of times to write it.

I’d literally just sat down on Monday, computer open, and then the governor of Maryland called a press conference and essentially announced more lock down. So, you’ll understand why I flew out of the house to get more food and supplies.

It is now a law in our state, punishable by up to a year in jail and/or up to a five thousand dollar fine, to go out for any non-essential reason (other than medical, getting food, or emergencies).

I don’t even know how to conceive of, or talk about, all that is going on in the world, but I find it is affecting everything, even our relationships with our canine companions.

Interestingly, I have always seen myself as well spoken and have always had the ability to describe, through the written word, how to understand certain concepts, especially when it comes to dog training.

But I have, admittedly, been a little overwhelmed this week, and have struggled with all the ways to make this modern day article more pertinent to you as you sit at home looking for information to help get through this crisis.

Gratitude…

  First off, to those I know, who know me, and those who have been following Chet and I for the past 10 years, THANK YOU!

We take your loyalty very seriously and it is important to us to provide you with accurate and relevant information.

With things being the way they are in the world, I want to make sure that you and your pets are safe. Safety is far and above the most important thing we have to deal with each day.

To those of you on the front lines, driving trucks, growing food, working in warehouses and to those in both human and veterinary medicine; THANK YOU!

Having a pandemic afoot and being socially locked down has certainly never been seen by the world on this scale. We are still waiting on more affirmative information as I sit here.

My immune system has never been the strongest, and I worry about the implications this holds for me, my friends, and, of course, my pets.

So, since I have your attention for at least a short time, let’s talk about how all of this is going to affect those of us on lock down.

I am worried about some pets dogs especially, concerned that we are creating separation anxiety for them to struggle with when life goes back to ‘semi normal’.

Having been in the dog training industry for the past twenty five years, I will admit that true and severe separation anxiety in dogs is not nearly as rampant as many people think.

Severe separation anxiety is marked by a dog that:

**  often urinates and defecates

  **  howls or barks almost constantly

**  will literally become self-injurious while attempting to break out of a weak crate, or even break through windows

In my career alone, I have had 2 dogs that have jumped out or through windows. Thankfully they did not die or eviscerate themselves.

My first experience was when I was just 18 with the first dog (a Rottweiler) I had ever owned. He jumped out of the front window, fell probably 20 feet down and was loose for an hour or two until we returned.

Twenty five years ago in Wyoming it was impossible to find a dog crate. We purchased dog food from feed stores! I ordered my very first dog crate from a JCPenney catalog. I couldn’t afford new windows every time we left the house and I certainly didn’t want my dog to hurt himself.

Shoving a 100 pound, anxious, Rottweiler into a giant metal dog crate was my first foray into crate training. I honestly think it saved his life. And, although he struggled to get out in the beginning, the crate was strong enough that he wasn’t able to hurt himself.

That is really an important key to this article.

Don’t Panic

  I recently got back from a trip to visit clients who swore that their dog was having severe separation anxiety. He’s young, and he is not really getting enough exercise, and they monitor video of the dogs constantly.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that in no way was it severe! He sings a little bit when he is crated, and he lightly puts his mouth on the crate, but by no means was he in danger of hurting himself.

  He would bark but he was also laying down in his crate. That may be slight anxiety but really is no need for concern.

In the beginning, I suppose most dogs are not huge fans of the crate, but don’t panic if he is barking a bit or trying to assess if he can make an old school break out.

If you panic every time you leave him, he is going to panic (remember how intuitive dogs are; they pick up on our anxieties!) This dog is quite literally never left alone. Either the husband or wife has been home with him for a year.

Not only is this creating his problem, their shear terror and overreacting has made the dog worse.

I remember being scared to sleep in my “big girl bed” and room when I was a kid.

But in order for me to be a functional adult, I had to do some things I didn’t want to do, and I had to learn to be confident and independent as I aged.

Just as we can’t coddle our children forever, we can’t coddle our dogs; it is not healthy.

If you are truly, truly worried that your dog has severe separation anxiety, talk to your veterinarian or find a boarded veterinary behaviorist in your area.

I kind of hate to admit this, outwardly anyway, but we are talking about some personal subjects here.

In the last year, I have suffered from some anxiety. Ironically, when I am awake I am a fairly rational person and I pride myself on that.

But I was waking up in the middle of the night with a heart rate over 200, covered in sweat, and feeling like I was going to die.

If you’ve ever had the displeasure of feeling like that (and I hope you don’t) you will realize that drug therapy, along with behavior modification, is essential.

I made some changes in my life and hadn’t really had that problem until, ironically, last night.

But, with times the way they are right now, I feel that it was acceptable to spill over a little from the unknown.

If your dog would do better on some meds while you work on crate training, do him the service of getting him some.

Trust me, you would want the help, he will thank you, and your training will be more successful.

Needing something that helps balance serotonin, or other necessary chemicals, is nothing to be ashamed of!

  Just don’t cover a problem with drugs and expect them to do wonders without behavior modification.

Some drooling, panting, shaking, barking or whining can be fairly normal for this process.

Avoid Weak & Dangerous Crates

  The flimsy metal crates with plastic bottoms that look cozy to most people are the WORST. The metal is easily bent and the plastic bottom can be shredded with little effort. Many dogs have broken teeth and gotten stuck in the bent sharp metal doors and sides as they are trying to escape, which can cause deep lacerations. Some of the videos you find online of dogs escaping these kinds of crates are funny, but the implications of injury are not worth it.

The other problem, that as humans we don’t really understand… is that dogs are den animals. They like closed, dark places, not a big open cage where they can still see everything going on in the environment. This stimulation often makes them even more reactive. Most dog owners park those big crates next to a large window and the dog can’t escape if he is having anxiety with his crate training.

Plastic crates are usually chewed less and more escape-proof. There are also less sharp edges with dark plastic crates. Yes, I have seen dogs pop the front doors, but all-in-all they are safer. I even have a picture of my very own dog (Belgian Malinois) who chewed straight through a crate when he was just a puppy and heard me training his sister.

So being the dog owner that I am, I stuffed him in the crate to snap a picture and then I immediately purchased another crate that I had to have shipped (apparently I have had some naughty dogs in my career). There are heavy duty, thick metal crates that are used in the world of police dog training that are self locking and very nearly impossible to chew through. Also, their edges are not sharp (like the metal crates in the first example), and most have doors and openings that keep things dark but are also less likely to be chewed or have a tooth broken.

They can be pricey, but one or two crates that are impossible to ruin or escape from is cheaper in the long run and safer for your dog. I use and recommend Impact Dog Crates.

And remember: a broken window or a loose, anxious dog is not nearly as safe as an anxious dog in a heavy duty crate.

  Why is Crate Training Better and Why Will it Help Your Dog Feel Better?

  I understand that I am conversing with humans and it is hard to convince people that crate training actually helps with separation anxiety.

As a human you aren’t likely to hurl yourself through a window. You aren’t likely to chew electrical cords, the carpet, or chew through a door when you have anxiety. You have different coping mechanisms.

And, truthfully if you have anxiety to that degree; you are likely to look into some drug therapy.

Your dog doesn’t have those options.

So, by leaving him out loose in the home, it often causes more anxiety and reactivity as he runs from window to window, or door to door, in a panic.

I was trying to explain this to a client at the beginning of the month. Both their dogs were chasing around the house (you could watch with their in-home camera) and acting panicked. Putting them in a smaller and darker place where they couldn’t see every action in the neighborhood was actually better for their mental health. It helped them to relax and not worry about every sight and sound (feeding the anxiety).

I used to have billionaire clients in Colorado. They had a Golden Retriever and a Labrador Retriever and I used to pet sit for them. It was an amazing experience, but living in a huge house like that 20 years ago was kind of intimidating for me. I remember bringing a knife to bed with me in the early days! Every noise had me paranoid. There were too many doors and windows and levels. If someone broke in would I even hear it?

Currently I live in a small house (less than 1,000 square feet) and I have never really been afraid here. I basically have one door and a couple windows. If someone comes into my house, I am going to hear it. My dogs are going to hear it. A smaller space is easier to contain.

If I had 3 million dollars cash in a mansion and I knew someone was coming to take it; it would be much more intimidating. It would be a lot safer to keep here in a small space.

Smaller spaces often are less intimidating and more easily defended.

Not all dogs are guard dogs. Some dogs have general anxiety, but being in a large space isn’t always better. Dogs with anxiety (not even severe separation anxiety) feel better in a small dark place, with familiar sounds like the radio or television left on so that they don’t hear all the goings on. You are taking options and worry away from them.

Even the dogs that I have successfully treated with thunderstorm or other phobias have often been treated more successfully by utilizing a crate or a safe spot. My current Malinois is not a fan of thunderstorms but by giving him his own safe place, he is able to deal with his anxiety.

Create Your Dog’s Safe Haven

  First off, it is critical to know your dog, and what is and what is not safe.

Some dogs will eat dog beds and blankets.

A former puppy client of mine underwent surgery last week to have parts of a blanket removed from his intestines.

If in doubt, your dog doesn’t need a bed or blanket. Chances are he likes laying on the cold floor anyway.

The bane of my existence, my current Malinois, will never be able to be unattended with a bed or a blanket. I have ordered ballistic style dog beds that were guaranteed chew proof that he can still shred. Thankfully he has never swallowed anything, but he has killed quite a few of my friends’ sweatshirts at dock diving events! I know this about him, and I keep those items away from his crate.

But that doesn’t mean he can’t have some other things.

Play crate games with your dog or your puppy! Puppies, especially, need crate games to understand that the crate is a safe place where happy things occur.

If you only stuff him inside when you leave, he will learn to hate the crate because it equals your leaving.

If my dogs willingly go into their crates, they get a treat or a reward.

Feed your dog in his crate so that he learns it is not always a space where he will be closed in for long periods of time. Be sure and close the door occasionally, but not all of the time. It can and should be his choice to go inside during the day when you are with him.

A dog crate doesn’t have to be sterile or not fun – quite the opposite! Zippy’s crate has elk antlers and other indestructible types of chews for him to enjoy.

Occasionally, I will slather a bone, a Kong toy, or an antler with peanut butter or Kong paste when he goes in his crate. But he only gets that special item when he is inside with the door closed behind him. Think of it as a break, with a great treat that he only gets when he is inside.

I may only leave him in there for 5 or 10 minutes, but the reward for going in is high enough for him to just enjoy the act of going in his crate.

After I let my dogs outside, I always bring them in and have them go into their crates for an early morning treat. I do the same at night.

Have you ever heard of the dog that the owners can’t catch in the morning to put in the crate because the dog recognizes his owner is going to work?

If your dog is used to going in the crate every morning and every evening no matter what, this alleviates this problem.

The other important piece to remember is to continue to crate your dog throughout his life, not just when he is a puppy.

As humans we get lazy. We crate our puppies so they won’t eat our stuff, or so that early in the relationship we can take a shower or make food while the pup is learning to show better behavior, and have less destructive behavior more of the time.

As his behavior gets better, we stop putting him in his crate. OR, we only crate him for long periods, like going to work or overnight.

This teaches the puppy or the older dog that time in his crate is going to be extended. We need to remind them that crate time can be long or short, but can also be fun.

If he gets a treat and some peanut butter he is much less likely to become an anxious dog during the time he is left in his crate. It just becomes another place where he can go to relax.

I always laugh because my Fury (my Dutch Shepherd) crate trained very easily and was given access to the house early on in her life. And, when I moved into a smaller house I figured I wouldn’t have to bring her crate inside. WRONG! She was horrified. She would dramatically throw herself into my Belgian Malinois’ crate when he wasn’t in there. Having her crate is essentially having her bed in the house.

Exercise and Mental Stimulation

Exercise and mental stimulation are crucial to help a dog with even mild separation anxiety.

Most dogs don’t want to be crated overnight for sleeping, just to be let out and then immediately crated while their owners attend to work and business.

I know that we live in busy times, but waking up an hour earlier or staying up an hour later so that you can tend to your dog’s exercise and mental stimulation needs can be critical in helping him to adjust.

Think about it. If you slept all night you wouldn’t want to be crated again first thing in the morning.

But if you had a healthy run of 5 miles, you might not mind taking a nap.

Our bodies need physical exercise and there are all kinds of ways you can provide that for your dog.

You can walk him, you can run him next to a bicycle, or you can get him to pull weights. Even small dogs like Jack Russell terriers and the like can benefit from pulling weights!

He also needs mental stimulation.

Teach your dog a new trick in the morning or work on his obedience before you leave.

You can also get treat-stuffed and interactive toys for when you are gone. Again, be sure they are safe for your dog or puppy before leaving them. But interactive toys can be a great way to burn a little energy.

Consider getting a dog walker that takes your dog for a walk, or take him to training, or doggy day care a couple of times a week. He gets to play and make friends, and you get to bring a tired dog home after a long day.

Remember he has needs! I was talking to an owner earlier today who was furious because her 7 month old puppy’s behavior is seeming to get worse. I always want to ask (and sometimes I do ask) if these people are parents to human children.

We expect that our toddlers need to go to the park. We know that they need to go to school, or have learning opportunities in the house. We better understand their physical, mental and emotional needs. But young puppies need all of these things too and if we are not providing them….. puppies often provide their own stimulation.

Puppies and young dogs also go through learning phases and stubborn phases just like you and your children did when you were young and exploring the world. Heck, I still sometimes have these stages in my “old age”!

If he is driving you crazy or if he is showing anxiety, chances are you are not giving him what he needs and you must reassess your training and exercise plans.

My very first Belgian Malinois I got when I was in my early 20’s. He was probably one of the most brilliant dogs I had then or have since ever trained.

I vowed to him that when I wanted to throttle him, or when he was being naughty I would assess if I had provided him with the kind of physical exercise and mental stimulation he needed.

Most of the time the honest answer was no, I had not.

So eventually, he learned about all of the 101 dog tricks in the book and could perform a gamut of service dog skills.

His mind and his body needed that kind of interaction.

He was also one of the few dogs I could trust at a dog park, or to play politely with other dogs.

So I would use that option if time was limited or I’d had a bad day

Prevention of Separation Anxiety

  I started this article talking about what’s been going on in the world today. At the time of this writing, I have been locked down for a little over a week.

My pets are likely getting tired of me shuffling the house and watching TV at 1 am. I am tired of it. I am excited for life to get back to some normalcy, whatever that looks like.

But the last thing I want is to create dependency while I am at home.

As I am typing I hear my Dutch Shepherd snoring on my bed in the other room. My Malinois is asleep by the front door.

In times of anxiety for me (like not knowing about my ability to pay my bills), I don’t want to create a NEED for my company with my dogs. Would I love Fury to be asleep in my lap right now? YES, but it isn’t going to be healthy for them when I go back to full time work. That doesn’t mean they don’t all get lap time, I am just trying to avoid creating over-bonding.

I still occasionally crate my dogs and go outside alone so they continue to be used to the crate. I still crate them at night. Sometimes it is for short periods of time and sometimes it is for longer periods of time.

I put them outside for 30 minutes or more so that they can lay in the sun.

I let one dog out and keep one inside. I even walk them separately and train them separately occasionally.

I can imagine with significant others spending too much time together, and mothers and fathers needing breaks during this time, that my dogs need a break from each other too.

Relying on each other constantly isn’t good for their mental or emotional growth either.

I feel sorry for any pet that is overly bonded to another pet or to their human. I want a confident and independent pet.

And, I try and walk them and play with them safely each day.

  Foster Independence

  I giggle a little bit seeing the memes on Facebook with the dog hiding on top of the counter because his owner has walked him over 20 times that day.

And, whereas I want you all to get your physical and mental exercise, it is crucial that you still foster some independence with your dogs.

The worst cases of true and severe separation anxiety I have seen were in working dogs and the working dog world.

Police dogs, guide dogs, or service dogs that develop a sense of never having their own space or being left alone are sometimes incapable of doing it in later years. This is why I think retirement can be so difficult for these working dogs. Thankfully, at least most police officers leave their dogs occasionally.

But one of the saddest cases of over bonding and severe separation anxiety I have ever seen came early in my career. It breaks my heart to say it was a dog I helped to train and place as a service dog. His owner never left home without him. They had an amazing bond and friendship; but then his elderly owner needed a surgery. Not knowing what to do and not being able to really leave him in the house because he would be destructive, they left him outside. He strangled himself trying to figure out how to find his owner.

Separation, even for working dogs, is critical to good mental health. I do feel sorry for those who literally are having a hard time finding any alone time right now (I also worry about those of us who are alone and secluded for days on end).  Neither is really mentally healthy.

So, I will say it: make some time for a little social distancing for your dogs and pets too, so you are not creating unhealthy habits that will make him suffer when his life changes again in a few weeks.

It’s not a bad thing, it is a healthy and important thing!

Be safe mentally, emotionally and physically during these times because we all need it.

Sending my love to all of my readers!

Sincerely,

Minette

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As East Dallas woman clung to tree, dogs mauled her husband; I’m sick of negligent pet owners

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Friendly and verdant Ferguson Park, east of White Rock Lake, would have been a great place to hang out Monday — if not for the reason I was there.

All the other folks at the park, tucked into one of Far East Dallas’ tidy 1950s subdivisions, visited for the fun of it. Young giggly girls free from school routines shared secrets in the shade of the playground apparatus. A pair of teens hit balls on the tennis courts. A retiree walked a dog so plump that it waddled like a duck.

But as I followed the wide new trail that winds around the playgrounds, ball fields and spray park, I had but one thought: Which tree did that poor injured woman claw her way up Saturday morning to escape a dog attack so vicious that it left her in need of blood transfusions?

With so many people shooting each other to death in this city in recent weeks, you might have missed the news about Saturday’s dog attack. Dallas police hardly have time to chase down irresponsible pet owners as they battle the spike in violent crime. And Dallas Animal Services is already fighting the good fight against the city’s loose dog problem.

But this story comes down to personal responsibility. We all owe it to each other to make sure people can walk through our neighborhood parks without fearing we’ll be tormented by aggressive dogs.

A man walked a dog past tennis courts at Ferguson Park on Monday near the site where two people were mauled by three Rottweiler-mix dogs on Saturday morning.

The woman and her husband, who live near the park but whose names city officials have not yet released, were taking their regular walk about 8:30 a.m. Saturday when three dogs from a house just across the street charged at them.

The scene unfolded in a split second amid the tall trees that shade the tennis courts. The dogs attacked the screaming woman, and, as her husband fought to pull them away, they turned on him. By the time the first officers arrived, the Rottweiler-mix animals had the man pinned down as his wife looked on helplessly.

The police officers, unable to free the man, shot at the dogs, killing one and injuring another. The third fled toward the owner’s home, but Dallas Animal Services field officers contained it along with the injured animal. Both were euthanized over the weekend.

At last report, the couple remained hospitalized with serious injuries as Dallas police continue to investigate what charges, if any, to bring against the dogs’ owner.

I started writing about Dallas’ loose dog problem, which most often bedevils the city’s working-class and impoverished neighborhoods, five years ago. Much has changed for the better for both people and their pets, thanks to City Hall’s demand for accountability, a new-and-improved Dallas Animal Services and a bigger spay-neuter effort.

"

But still, too many folks just don’t get it — or just don’t care: You can’t be lackadaisical about ensuring that your dogs stay behind your fence. An apology from a negligent owner is a pitiful response for the physical harm and emotional terror wrought on victims such as the couple at Ferguson Park.

Dallas Animal Services Director Ed Jamison is even more frustrated than I am by yet another mauling. He and his staff have worked day and night to solve this problem. He says the Saturday attack is particularly sad, “given the history we have here.”

Jamison is referring to the May 2016 death of South Dallas resident Antoinette Brown, all but eaten alive by a pack of loose — but, again, owned — dogs. This gruesome tragedy highlighted the need to get control of the large number of dogs roaming the streets, particularly in southern Dallas. The incident also led to Jamison’s eventual hiring.

Since Jamison arrived in Dallas about 18 months ago, his department has picked up a record number of dogs and issued more citations than ever before while posting live-release rates unimaginable just five years ago.

Some days, the Dallas Animal Services boss and his team feel that the city’s beefed-up enforcement efforts are paying off. For example, so far in 2019, bite reports are down a little over 8%.

A couple walks their dogs Monday night at Ferguson Park, where police were forced to shoot at three dogs that attacked a couple from the Far East Dallas neighborhood.

But none of that matters much to Jamison this week as he deals with the aftermath of Saturday’s attack by owned dogs. “The message is not getting through," he said. "It all starts with them containing their animal.”

Police have not yet publicly identified the owner of the dogs that ran amok in Ferguson Park, but many in the neighborhood know him. I won’t identify him either because he has not yet been charged. When I got a hold of him Wednesday, he declined to answer my questions and told me he’d have to call me later. In off-camera interviews with two local TV stations over the weekend, he sounded contrite about the incident and maintained that the animals escaped through a hole under his fence.

However, Jamison said the DAS field officer who chased down the third dog found the gate to the man’s backyard wide open before he finally was able to roust the sleeping owner.

This also is apparently not the first time the man has been involved in animal-bite incidents. The animal shelter’s record-keeping was haphazard before Dallas police commanders took it over in 2016, but Jamison’s team has been able to piece together this history: The same man whose dogs attacked the Ferguson Park couple surrendered another dog for euthanization after a 2012 bite incident and turned over two more after the same thing happened in 2014.

“How many times do you have to allow your dogs to get out of your yard and bite somebody before you do something to guarantee it won’t happen again?” Jamison said. “Irresponsible owners are to blame, but it’s the pets that end up paying the price.”

That goes double for the unsuspecting victims of loose dogs that can become dangerously aggressive.

Just a year ago in southwest Dallas, 56-year-old Ronnie Bell lost his arm and nearly died after he was attacked by dogs that were able to get out of their owner’s yard through an open gate. In April 2018, home surveillance video captured the terrifying southern Dallas scene of two loose dogs — seemingly coming out of nowhere — attacking a mail carrier and causing serious injuries.

The City Council responded to those and other attacks by voting last summer to reinforce the ordinance regarding dangerous dogs. The amendment to an existing ordinance establishes a criminal penalty for dog bites, clearly defines an “aggressive dog” and outlines requirements owners must follow.

This new tool ensures that Dallas Animal Services can hold owners accountable in cases that police don’t press charges.

Saturday’s horror occurred in a neighborhood that has worked hard to rid itself of loose dogs. Ellen Childress, a former crime-watch leader and one of the residents whose homes back up to Ferguson Park, is especially concerned about the safety of the children who play there.

Just days before the Saturday attack, two dogs that Childress described as pit bulls parked for a while on her front porch and later behaved so aggressively that a neighbor was scared to get out of her car. Once Dallas Animal Services was called, a field officer arrived quickly and captured the animals.

Nonetheless, Childress said the violent mauling “caught everyone by surprise. We haven’t had a loose dog problem in a long time, so people felt comfortable out walking and so many children are here for the splash park.”

Once again, those using Ferguson Park are on high alert. One walker Monday evening held his dog’s leash in one hand and a thick piece of wood in the other. In some Dallas neighborhoods, that’s the norm.

As Jamison said, the fix has to start with dog owners themselves. “Why does another tragedy have to happen instead of people just doing the right thing?”

A youngster rides his bike Monday along the trail in Ferguson Park where three dogs attacked a couple out for their Saturday morning walk.

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Dog Walking Training | Best Tips & Methods

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Dog Walking Training | Best Tips & Methods

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We specialise in construction training from schools to trades to contracting and builders licences. 11 November 2016 · The term “observational learning” encompasses several closely related concepts: allelomimetic behavior or mimicking where, for example, puppies follow or copy others of their kind; social facilitation where the presence of another dog causes an increase in the intensity of a behavior; and local enhancement which includes pieces of social facilitation, mimicking, and trial-and-error learning, but is different from true observational learning in that the dog actively participates in the behavior in the presence of the other dog and/or other environmental cues.[53] Four necessary conditions for observational learning are: attention, retention, motivation, and production. That is, the dog must pay attention to the dog or person performing the modelled behavior; retain the information gathered about the behavior during the observation; be motivated to reproduce the behavior in a time and place removed from the original; and finally, produce the behavior, or some reasonable facsimile thereof.[53] Topics George was great – pointed us all in the right direction, showed us very clearly how to get our dogs to do what we needed them too – even if he made it look too easy (was really impressed with how muc…h authority he held over my dogs in just a few minutes!!). We had booked him for 2 hours, but he had done what he needed after an hour. I really appreciated that he didn’t drag our session out to the 2 hours just to get the $$. See more To check the availability of Urban Ultimate Recall course in Carindale (available in Carindale only) please click here. To enrol… read more han : Costs RSPCA South Australia promotes the use of Force-Free dog training methods. Below you will find a PDF list of South Australian Force Free Trainers and their details. Classroom 17 : 5. Did you use the webcam option in the course for ID verification? Toy Browse the directory using the A-Z index of services – select the service that you want, then the organisations that provide the service will be displayed Shipping & Delivery Working At Heights 99.6% of our clients think that their dog responded to the training. You will be shown how to fulfil your dog’s true needs and create a more rewarding relationship with them. Jump up ^ Woodhouse 1982, p. 13. Corporate Support Your Place About Sit Drop Stay Dog Grooming Services Oran park, New South Wales Contact Heat Stress By the time you reach Level 4, your dog should be pretty well trained. But there’s always room for improvement! This class works on off leash skills – staying close, recall away from dogs, being settled while other dogs are playing very close and more.  Your dog will be able to learn more advanced tricks and solve tougher brain games. You might be aiming to compete or just love spending time with your dog – the end result is a great team built on mutual respect and great times together. Our dedicated team is here to help Interactive Toys & Puzzles Events facebook Jump up ^ Lindsay 2000, p. 253. Web: www.positiveresponse.net.au

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fbq('track', 'ViewContent', content_ids: 'dogtraining.dknol', ); Corporate Support First, ask your dog to “Sit.” An Insight Into the Industry- Part Two Corporate Support Your Place View our answer to this and previous questions Price match promise Please arrive at 6.45pm with your dog. An instructor will assess your dog and provide details of the program and an enrolment form. Payment of the appropriate fee is required before you return the following week to commence training. Your industry experts Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network. Please try your request again later. Why did this happen? Port Adelaide Obedience Dog Club McGreevy, P., and R. Boakes (2011). Carrots and Sticks: Principles of Animal Training, Sydney: Darlington Press (02) 9770 7555 Special Member Offers Owning a Pet We had a session with Brett at the end of January to address a couple of behavioural issues with our 11month old standard poodle, Leroy. We can not rave enough about how thankful we are, we now have a… dog that listens, does not jump all over our guests including very excited little children. We have been able to have kids running through the house and Leroy stays on his bed until invited to come join us instead of being banished outside. It is fantastic, we now can have him enjoy being part of the family on all occasions! Thank you Brett and Sitdropstay � See more We currently offer dog training classes at Carina State School on Creek Road, Carindale. We have access to multiple undercover areas, three ovals, media rooms for seminars and a fully fenced basketball court for the FREE Urban Play Groups. No un-vaccinated dogs are on the premises ensuring the safest environment possible. Site Design by Comfusion This venue is undercover, fully lit and fully fenced. The floors are cleaned and disinfected to make them safe for unvaccinated puppies. Dog Training Tools | Step by Step Available Here Dog Training Tools | Take A Look At This Now Dog Training Tools | Take A Look Now Legal | Sitemap

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17 True Scary Stories That Will Ruin Your Night

Favi Santos

“I’m not your dad

“A girl I used to know told me a story that her ex husband used to wake up in the middle of the night because someone was tickling his feet. She told him her dad used to tickle her and her sisters feet to wake them up for school in the morning. So when weird things started happening around the house they would just say “knock it off dad” and it would stop. Well one day something happened in the kitchen (I don’t remember what) and she said “knock it off dad” and as she was walking out the door something growled in her ear “I’m not your dad”. They moved out a few weeks later.”

The man with the mustache

“When my son was about 3 he had a tent canopy attached to his bed frame. It covered about 3/4 of the length of his bed. He would always scoot towards the head of the bed and insisted covering up head to toe with his blanket, no matter how warm it was. I couldn’t turn off the lights until he was finished. I figured it was normal kid stuff. One night, just out of curiosity, I asked why he covered up so thoroughly. His response, “Because the man with the mustache won’t stop touching me. He’s always trying to tickle me. If I’m covered and way up here, he can’t reach me”. No one else had access to our house so needless to say, that scared the crap out of me. Till this day he still covers with his blanket, no matter how warm it is, although not as thoroughly as he used to. He doesn’t remember the man but still will not go to bed uncovered. He’s a teen now.”

Imaginary friend

“Ex-girlfriend moved into an apartment across the street from me, and told me her little brother had a new “imaginary friend” named Alex. Well I had been living in that neighborhood for about 5 years and 3 years prior to her moving in my neighbor Alex hung himself in that house.”

This is all very nope

“When I was a teenager in Colorado Springs we all used to crawl though this small tunnel that was directly under the interstate to get back and fourth from our neighborhood to the shitty trailer park with out obviously having to jump fences and run across the highway.

One drunken night alone I was on my way home about 2-3 am I came out of the tunnel only to find myself face to face with this huge rottweiler staring at me. I was in shock for a second, my stomach dropped. Instinctively I started yelling at the damn dog to go home. He just stood there glaring at me and every step I slowly took trying to get away he would bark and growl showing his teeth. So I started stomping towards him in a dominant way yelling at him to go on.

He turned and took steps back but still proceeded in torturing me barking and growling. I stupidity drunkenly started to power walk away. I then heard his feet running towards me as I had my back turned away from him. I turned back around only to see him lunging at me. I fell, when I turned and looked up the damn dog was completely out of sight as if I imagined the entire thing. To this day I don’t know if the dog was somebody’s pet or what. I didn’t hear him running away after I fell so I’ll never know I guess. Maybe he was a dark spirit.”

The thing

“When I was about 8 years old I was up in Maine at my uncle’s house with my cousin and little brother, all in the same age range. The part of Maine, Stratton, is pretty secluded about 30 minutes from Canada.

We were sleeping on sleeping bags in his living room, well all of the sudden through the window of my uncle’s door, probably about 9 feet tall, but had human like anatomy, this thing was standing hunched over looking into the house.

We all screamed and it did a non-human maneuver with it’s neck and ran behind the house. The footsteps of this thing practically shook the house. My mom and uncle come running into the living room. It’s been practically 20 years and we all still talk about it like it was yesterday.”

Spiders

“My friends father was a missionary in Africa. He was 16 and learning how to shave his face. 3 weeks went by and he woke up one morning with his throat extremely swollen. Flew him to the nearest hospital where the trauma surgeon took a scalpel…nicked my friends throat… and out spewed 100’s of tiny spiders….”

This is why I don’t work the late shift

“Was working midnights at a gas station. A couple came in trying to get behind the register. They went outside and left. I went in the bathroom and called the police. Who came as they were coming back in. They had bags, knives, a gun, rope, and various other weapons in the trunk. I don’t think they planned on me living. I was hiding in the bathroom when they were trying to come back in.”

Killer doll

“My pappy(grandfather) found a life size doll hanging by a rope around its neck, in a tree/wooded area on the way home one day. He said it looked like somebody hung it up there and was using it for shooting practice or something.

My mom was still a child so the jokester he is, brought it home for her and my Aunt. Well they actually liked the thing and cleaned it up and played with it. My grandmother says till this day the scariest things started to happen around their house.

ONE example: It was nighttime and her and my pappy were in bed sleeping. Well she said she woke up to the blanket making her feel strangled. And it was almost like someone crawled into their bed and laid in between them. She sat up, startled and that’s when their bed started to shake and dressers shaking also. But nothing on the dressers moved or fell. It got to the point she was so freaked out and fed up with all the spooky things going on in their house, she made my pappy get rid of it.

So he was good friends with the owner of a bar who was more than happy to take it off his hands. As he thought it would be a good conversational piece. Exactly one week later the man who the doll was given to died. Mind you he had perfect health.”

Final wishes

“On and episode of Beyond Belief like 7 years ago, I saw a true story about a step daughter who died She hated her step mother. And in death, they were both put in the same mausoleum. Every morning, the stone carcophagus’ were cracked and there was writing on the walls in blood begging for her to be away from the step mother even though the mausoleum was sealed every night… Still gives me chills to think about it.”

Dream boy

“This happened to me… I saw the ghost of a little boy run in front of my car and I almost crashed. That’s not the scary part tho. When I told my mom about it and where it happened, she told me of a dream she had when she was pregnant with me where she hit a little boy with her car on the same road at the same spot and when she got out to check on the boy, she said it was me.”

No curtains

“My husband and I had just moved into a new house in a new state with our then 3 year old. Naturally I needed to go food shopping for pretty much everything. It was dark by the time I arrived home and I could see, upstairs, in what is now our bedroom, (no curtains/blinds yet), what I was sure was my husband standing in the window. The light was on so it was pretty easy to see that he was standing there. I clearly needed help unloading so I went straight inside and upstairs only to find no one was up there. Came back down to find him on the other side of the house completely immersed in a video game, clearly had been there the whole time but I asked anyways and yup, hasn’t been upstairs since I left. Gave me the chills at the time, but more so after meeting our new neighbor who informed us the previous owner committed suicide inside our house. It was her (our neighbor’s) own late husband that discovered the body. Lots more stories, creepy but harmless, we still live in the house and have learned to coexist.”

Facebooking from beyond

“My friend’s friend died and a few days later the deceased was commenting on people’s fb post. People were spooked, angry, and confused. What it came down to was that it might have been something with his phone. He might have commented, loss service, passed away, phone was moved to a location with service, and then it posted. Still shocking.”

Grandma

“One night I hear my 6 yr old daughter talking to someone in her room. She was by herself. I asked her who she was talking to and she said “grandma ermmie”. Grandma Erma (only 2 people called her ermmie) died when she was 1. She never met her in person.”

Santa

“One Christmas, me and my son were at my parents house celebrating. It was getting late, i told my son, who was about five at the time, let’s get home and get you to bed before Santa goes to our house and has to leave because you’re not asleep. We get home, I’m getting our bags out of the car and my son says, mama!! Shhhh…Santa is in our house! My blood froze, our front curtains were open to show off our tree, so i asked what did you see? He said, Santa peeking at us in the window. I’m crapping my pants, i took him to my neighbors, and told them to call the cops if I’m not back in five minutes. The doors and windows were all locked and no sign of anybody in the house. I was scared all night.”

The dream

“One night I had a dream/nightmare? I was in a war. I went around the corner cause I was running from something. Came around the corner to see a gun pointed at my chest. It shot. With my left hand (this is important) I touched the wound and pulled my fingers away. There was blood on my 3 middle fingers to about the first knuckle line. I woke up in a dead sweat, calmed myself down it was only a dream, and went back to sleep. When I woke up however. I noticed there was something on my hand. My left hand. There was dried blood on my 3 middle fingers only down to the first knuckle. Of course I freaked out and immediately went to the full body mirror in the house. There wasn’t any other place that had dried blood.”

Trapped

“When I stayed at my grandparents house I was laying in bed and something came running down the hall. Everyone was asleep and the dogs were in the garage but whatever it was jumped on my bed, and since I had my head covered I never saw it, but it trapped me under my covers and I screamed and cried until I fell asleep.

I still have nightmares about it and that was close to 10+years ago.”

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