New Visitors Dax and Andrea aka The Littles

 We had a really fun time yesterday. Two lively wonderful little ones came for a trial visit without their mom. 2 year old Daxtin is a miniature Dash hound and his sibling is 7 yr old Yorkie poodle Andre. What a delightful pair they were to have ( says I )

Welcome 2 yr old Daxtin and 7 yr old Andre

We walked, (read, ran) around the yard and played outside for a little while in hopes of releasing a bit of energy before we came indoors to greet the others. Ummm well maybe not lol They are so full of energy it actually took them 4 hours to say," Ok we're feeling a little calmer now!"
They hit the toybox immediately and asked me to tip it over so they could get more out.  Well I've never seen it emptied so fast lol (except for Yeti of course)

Wow Dax! look at them all!

Lady May was not impressed with how they handled ALL her toys. Even though she should know by now, those toys belong to MOMMY!  We share everything, like it or not.  So we did a bit of separation while the little ones played right before her very eyes.

Hey lady? Can I play with this ball?

Dax made certain he checked out every room in the house. Good boy Dax! Under chairs, over tables and in every corner of the house. He even discovered the secret box I keep in my sewing room, full of toys needing repairs.  He never touched anything that was not dog related. What a good boy!  Yes I said over tables. That little squirt knows how to climb up the chair and onto the kitchen table. I followed him into the kitchen and there he sat on the table, wiggling and giggling and saying,"Look at me lady! Im on your table!" I laughed so hard. I learned that the kitchen chairs must be pushed in when Dax visits.
Once he'd discovered everything he headed back into the living room where the main relaxing area is and the toy box.  He and his brother Andre tested each and every toy there was.  We played who's the boss of the toys and tried some recall skills. These little guys have great abilities!


We strolled around outside again where they could check out some more interesting stuff. I'm certain it wont be long before they'll be off their safety leads.



We did alot of inside, outside, back n forth. Each time these two became a little more confident. Soon it was time to allow some deeper investigation into areas they may need to use as safety. I uncovered the crate and let them have a look.  Sweet little Dax wasted no time checking it out and Andre followed soon after. I threw a few toys inside and that was all it took for them to go in to play.
After a short time I encouraged them to use it for relaxing time. It didn't take long for them to allow me to close the door.  Im certain they would have stayed for as long as I wanted. Mommy tells me they sleep in individual crates at home, so there's no wonder they felt confident in this nice big one.  However they had already shown me they had no fear so the door was left open and they resumed playing in and outside the crate. Good boys !

Wow! This one is BIG!

Holy! It's bigger than me!

Is it bed time already??

...But we can come out soon right, lady?

Yes, that's Lady May you see being separated from the little.  She finally decided she wouldn't mind them sharing her toys BUT not if they were going to throw them at her and roll the ball into her. My oh my, Lady May, you're getting to be an old woman!!

Can that other dog come and play soon lady?

Im sure it will only take a few more visits and they will all be playing together. I cant wait to video that day. Stay tuned.
Thanks for visiting.

River Visits All By Herself!

Today 11 mon. old River came to visit for a couple of hours while her mom and dad did a few things downtown.  We wanted to see how comfortable she was here with out them.

As we expected, she eagerly followed mom to the gate as though she was going to go with her.  Naturally she did not want to be left behind. Mom gave a quick, "Bye bye, River. Be a good girl." and she left.  I had on a long light lead on River and called her excitedly to come play with me and ran.  That's all it took. She ran after me super excitedly and we played outside alone for a short while.

It wasn't long before she was allowing River to follow her all around.

Since she had already met Princess MollyDawg and Lady May at her meet n greet. This meeting  went much easier.
 Lady May is still very reluctant to accept new dogs. She still tends to go into a defense/protection mode. Having one paw elevated can be a sign of a submissive dog. I wonder if she gets insecure at what her body may be saying and overcompensates by being initially stand offish? I dunno. At any rate we stayed apart for awhile and allowed everyone the space they needed to feel confident.

Molly on the other hand was over joyed to have River back again. She's knows when new dogs arrive, there's always learning happening and learning... well ... it means COOKIES!

Get the cookies mom! She's Sitting!

Yes there was some yummy treats.  River's mom makes her own treats and sent some to share. Cookies always help to bring Lady May around.

What did you find Lady May?

River strolled around the yard checking out all the toys and where the birds are. She even stood a while at the gate with Molly.

Are my mom and dad going to come back soon?

Hey Molly? Where we goin'?

There's birds up there River. Don't touch them!
Wow Molly! You know everything!

Then she convinced The Princess to play ball with her! WOW how did that happen?

She certainly kept us on our toes but we like her and she's welcome to come back and visit again!

We heard once she went back home she had a job to do. She had to get back to work protecting her hunting area from possible intruders. Good girl River!  Then she had a nap.

Thank you so much to her mom and dad for the lovely surprise.
That was so thoughtful!

Thank you Tree Treasures Margaret M - You Are Amazing!

Check out this beautiful wooden hand painted ornament.  Anyone who knows me, knows my old faithful boy, King.
If you don't then you're living under a rock.  Climb out and feel free to visit an old post or read his 2009 update. HERE.

This ornament is one the newest in my collection of Tree Treasure ornaments. I currently have over 25  A few are personalized with a special memory/date inscribed on them. One of course is of our beloved Duchess Sammy.   I also have around a dozen hand carved Tree Treasure birds.  I'll have to look around and count them one day.  If you're thinking about having one painted I highly recommend them.  To view  Tree Treasure ornaments.Click HERE

Personalized : King Leader Of The Pack 2016

I didn't get a personalized ornament made when King first passed. I must have been to grief stricken. When I realized it this Christmas, I contacted Margaret and asked if she would personalize one for King. Well! She did one better than that! She hand-painted his image right onto one for me! Can you believe the beauty and intricate details!!
For many years King and our family supported and promoted non profit animal rescue organizations. Mostly dog rescue. Through some of the fundraising campaigns we were fortunate to become familiar with many very skilled 'crafters' and artists.

Margaret M is one of those very talented artists. This gorgeous hand painted personalized ornament is only one of the lovely ornaments Margaret and her hubby create and sell through their website on Etsy.- Tree Treasures Canada  They also create the most beautiful intricate hand carved wooden desk ornaments, driftwood ornaments, personalized Christmas tree ornaments and beautiful hand carved and painted clip on birds.  I promise, they are the most beautiful you have ever seen. 
The lacquered finish on them alone is enough to make you say WOW! The detail that each ornament is painted with is breathtaking! The carvings are spectacular.

Margaret has decided to broaden her painting to include immortalizing pets on these wonderful wooden ornaments!  I am over the moon proud of hanging these in my home.
I have several of their birds perched in various places around mine. 
 Can you spot two in this picture?

If you look closely you will see that my new Treasure Treasure is hanging connected to the beautiful sun catcher that our dear friend Jean Ballard sent us when our King passed on.  I will be replacing both together in my window.  They make a wonderful pair.

Thank you so much for such special mementos of our beloved King
You are AMAZING! 
Please visit  Tree Treasure ornaments  and Aunty Jeans Blog

Welcome Little River

River at her home. 

We have a new comer to add to our ever growing pack.  Please help us welcome 11 month old River. She is a delightful ball of energy and very inquisitive.  Well of course she is. She's a puppy!  O my Dawg! A puppy. YIPES! I just know she's going to keep us all on our toes.
River visited with her mom and dad for a meet n greet yesterday. Of course like all new comers, we kept her on lead for her safety. We look forward to the day she can run at will in our yard. She is going to be a speedster we just know it! We didnt take any pictures but we will soon.  She'll be coming back for a day visit this week and an over night visit very soon.

Lady May was not the least bit impressed with her and spent most of her time putting on an "I'm a higher rank that you are" display. Oh good grief Lady May.  Princess MollyDawg was all about, "Hey can I meet your dad I like him."  She paid no attention to little River. Good girl sweet MollyDawg, that's the best way to show your rank within the pack. (You're such a suck up!)
 
I can't wait for more visits. What a great way to liven up Royal K9 Korner. With a PUPPY! Oh dear. (((sigh))

What does Meniere's Disease have to do with Dog Day Care?

How appropriate this came up in my Facebook memories today. I wrote this post on January 22, 2018
Here it is again as a great reminder to me. I can over come!

I sat down at my computer this morning and was about to create a new post. I scanned through the last few entries and noticed a draft post I'd started back in May 2017.
Oh I forgot all about that one!  So much has been happening at Royal K9Korner. We haven't taken time to sit down and write like we used to.
This is a good time to get that draft edited and posted.
Here's a bit of what's been happening in my own personal health and how it relates to dog day care.

I've had an opportunity to explain to most of my friends already. For those who are unfamiliar with Meniere's Disease, I would strongly suggest taking a few moments to go to this site and have a read. It's very informative and will make this blog a more meaningful read.   https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/menieres-disease

So you say, "Oh this is a health related blog post. That's a bit different."   Well, yes. . . those who know me well, know that we've had a bit of a set back. Continuing on with Dog Care and having a health issue were a very real concern for me.  I wanted to continue to provide a safe, stable place for people to leave their pets while they had to be away.  Having two darlings of my own I know what it takes to provide that. I wondered if I could still take in extra dogs and do my normal daily routines.  So, I minimized my intakes and even closed my doors for a while and figured things out. Now I know, these days I'm okay. I can do this. Meniere's can bite me, but I have a strong backbone and bigger teeth and will show them if provoked!
Dont push me into a corner Meniere's. You dont want to see the response!

King, Princess MollyDawg and Squire Seven at play 2009

In 2010 I lost partial hearing in one ear and was diagnosed with Meniere's.  Then in April 2017 this disease decided to raise its ugly head once more and sent me into a tail spin.  Most noticeably was the 100% loss of hearing in my "good" ear.  It took me some time but I realized that millions of people cope everyday of their lives just fine with out hearing.  Technology provides well enough in that area. I have a wonderful hearing technician who is on top of and up to date with technology. I am looking forward to being accepted for a cochlear implant.  More about that in future posts.

 The biggest hurdle has been getting through a day while being unbalanced. We're not sure if/when being steady on my feet will become normal again.
I'm doing several balance activities, ( I love Tai Chi) and loads of practice exercises to  stay as balanced as I can for now.  The dogs think it's a great game and we laugh alot.  They have had to learn that we do things slower.  We walk slowly and more surefooted. Gone are the days of running out the door and zipping round the corner. I believe it's having benefits for all the dogs that visit.

Squire Seven, Lady May, Princess MollyDawg and King (Rest In Peace)
One of several benches placed in our yard. 

The fences are higher and the divided yard now provides safe areas for energetic dogs to get that run and expel their zoomies. My yard now has several park benches in it where I can sit and safely throw a ball for the dogs. What a great way to teach and reinforce retrieving skills.

 I know the constant roaring in my head will always be apart of my life. Tinnitus is something I've dealt with all my life. There are days when it's difficult to determine if the noises are internal or external. Take it from me, they're all in my head.  I didn't know everyone else didn't have the same noises until I was in my teen years. They've just increased since the Meniere's decided to flareup. Some days are better than others, the noises are always there, just more tolerable some days. The dogs don't notice that part. They still talk just as loud as they ever did when they play or want attention.

I will continue to do my best to keep my body and mind healthy.  I eat different, try to sleep well at night and rest when I need to during the day.
Some may be concerned about the care their dog will receive at Royal K9 Korner. I would invite you to do your research. Ask about me, come and visit. Contact me, I will happily walk the premises with you and your dog and answer any questions you have. I will gladly send you the names and contact information for the moms and dads of those who trust and believe that their dog is safe, and in caring hands when they stay with us. I look forward to meeting you.

So, what does Meniere's Disease have to do with dog day care?
 Not much really.
   At least not to me.

Please feel free to email rk9korner@gmx.com for more information

Birds vs. Cats vs. dogs oh my!

Not pointing fingers, not naming names.

I love my dogs. I love my wild birds. I even love my neighbours’ housecats. All of them! In their own yard.  They surround my property.  I don’t have a choice. I love my yard and have no intention on selling. Nor do I think moving away will guarantee no cats in future premises.  It's my yard why should I be forced to make changes in it that I dont want? Putting chicken wire down or sprinkling unsavory substances. That’s ludicrous.  Why can't I allow my dogs to run outdoors without checking for a cat first?  Oh and by the way, Domestic= house.   Look it up.

I own a dog sitting business. Yep LOTS OF DOGS frequent my home.  I have lots of bird feeders to encourage my beautiful song birds. Yep. That encourages the cats to come prowling. EVERY DAY with out fail there is at least one who stalks the feeders.  Usually more.

Yes, I chase him/her away before I let the dogs out. It’s a constant cat vigil on my part. I always check the windows before making the decision to take the dogs out.  I have bells on my door to allow the cats to hear when we’re coming out. He/she has ample time to run away and scamper through the hedges and up the chain-link fencing.  I do not want to have to carry a poor limp little kitty home to his/her mommy in my arms. I would be  crying the whole way. 

I’ve had conversations with  the neighbourhood kitty moms and dads.  Some are wonderful and say things like, “Oh dear, I sure hope my sweetie stays away. I’ll watch carefully and try very hard to discourage him/her from coming over.  Please shoo it back home. Maybe if he/she gets a really good scare they won’t be back.  Please if anything happens do not feel at fault. Sometimes this silly kitty just wont listen.  I love him/her but….”
Others say things like, “It’s not my cat. My cat never leaves the house. My cat is smarter than that. My cat is so fast he/she can out run your dogs any day. If my cat goes missing I know who to sue ….”

Well, on several occasions one or more of the dogs in my care have indeed trapped and caught the cats.  

Fortunately for the cats I have always been only a few steps behind my dogs in my yard. Sometimes those are long steps but I’m close at hand. Close enough to run and assist the cat to escape the dogs’ jaws. I have come away with several scratches and bites as he/she is attempting to flee.

 I usually end up crying because the poor kitty doesn’t mean to hurt me but he’s so frantic to get away. I feel so bad for the kitty.  He/she screams and hisses and scrambles and flails through the air or frantically claws at the nearest tree or hedge to dash over the fence and down the road. With my heart racing madly and hands shaking furiously, I do my best to contact the owner and explain about their poor kitty and to please watch for him/her to come back home safely.

How many more times? When will they learn do not come back in this yard. It is not kitty safe!

 I know what you say.  Get rid of the feeders minimize the birds eliminate the cats.

Baloney. That wont work.  My gardens make lovely litter boxes and they are not going away just because there are limited birds.
Ok so where am I going with this topic?  It’s really just, a vent, I s’pose. 

A short while ago, the daily feline visit went unnoticed by me but not by one of the dogs. Yes, he did get the cat. I was not as close as normal. The ground is icy and snow covered. 

My traction is not as good as the dogs. The cat was caught by his back end. I hoped, just his tail. This particular dog has a high prey drive. He was not letting go. Fortunately, he is also a very obedient and lovely family dog.  As I ran, I hollered, “DROP IT!” He opened his jaw, the cat dropped and in a split second, ran like a shot, up the hedge and over the fence. GONE! There were no blood drops in the snow.  There was a bit of kitty fluff on doggie’s mouth.  Oh dear. He did get him for sure.  The cat has not returned.
Where is the cat?  Has he been home? Why do I feel sick to my stomach? The weather was bitter cold.  I can only hope he has learned this yard is NOT SAFE for kitties.  

To the family who may have an injured cat at home. Give him lots of love and please keep him indoors.  Get well soon white kitty.

It is my humble opinion; House Cats are domestic pets. 
Domestic= house.   
Please take some time to read and feel free to pass this onto any cat owners you think might need this inofrmation

Good Reading Material - Why All Cats Should Be Kept Indoors. 
https://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/caring-animal-companions/caring-cats/indoor-cats/

Should Cats Be Kept Indoors

indoor Cats vs Outdoor Cats

January 2018? RarrOOooo Where is the time going?

I can't believe it's been so long since I sat down to write a blog. There have been a few changes around Royal K9 Korner. We've had a very good winter so far but really are looking forward to some warmer temps and DRYER yard conditions.
Right now our yard is a MESS! There are a lot of icy patches and we have to be very very careful going outside. Mom and dad bought some doggy friendly ice remover stuff. It works okay, but really there is so much that its still very slippery. Really too slippery to allow for free play time, so many of our visitors have been attached to a long, lightweight dog lead to drag around for safety. Mom just steps on one when they start to get too energetic. It's a helpful reminder that hinders excited play right now. Im really happy about that, cuz really... the youngsters that come to visit these days... well... you know how playful they are.  Mom wants everyone to stay safe in this icy weather.

Lady May stepping carefully on the ice

Oh ya if you look in that last photo, you'll see a new buddy of ours. Her name is Tika! Ya. I know, she looks just like our other buddy, Finley, right? Well, she's not lol
She's an older girl and mom says she's going to check with her mom to see if she's related to Finley. We'll let you know what she says. Anyway Tika has only visited a few times but we heard she's going to spend all of Spring break with us. That will be fun cuz Miss Lil Molly's coming then too. Oh man, we cant wait for Spring.

Other new things at RK9Korner are our fences. Im pretty sure mom has already told most people about them. Yesterday we had an interested person ask us about the security of our yard. That's when we thought, well, ya know what? We better get crackin' and post some pictures of things here.

Now of course, you know, its going to look a whole lot different come the Spring. Dad put in the 6 ft cedar fence this summer and it has to have caps put on it yet. The grass was all dug up so he could cement in the posts. We had a big machine here and everything. Take a look at the before and after! No jumpers will get over that. There's no way to dig under it either cuz the old chainlink fence is still cemented there as well.

Yahoo! Gates go on in the Spring 2018 Old Chain-link gate remains in place for now

Mom was also busy last year dividing up our entire yard into fenced off and gated areas. We now have plenty of separate play stations depending on who wants to be alone or with a playmate. She never forgets to close a gate and we always have to ask politely to play together. Usually we all get alone just fine so its okay.

Lil Molly enjoys a shady spot in the heat of the day

Here's a few random photos to take a peek at.

Oh Ya! Mom decided to open up a bath station for people who want their sweetie to be purdy smelling.  That's Lil Molly getting all cleaned up. She's a good girl.

We added a small ramp to the upper yard for those who can no longer make the jump. Lady May just couldn't resist trying it out before mom even got the carpeting nailed in place.

Lil Molly and Tika stop to pose in between getting to know each other

Lil Molly tries to tell mom to put the camera away now!

An additional large crate for those who need to get away from all the action.

Tika deciding if she's small enuf to fit the small crate
OR if the couch is more to her liking

Of course you know she chose the couch. When mom picked up the camera... she jumped off quickly. She has learned that mom wont freak out over that, but she will be encouraged to use a floor mat instead.

Warm weather front porch foamy becomes a Winter floor mat

Rookie chooses to be separate even though the mat is small. 

Tika and Princess MollyDawg sharing space

Beds are allowed only if they have been invited to share

Mom's been busy adding new photos and video to our Facebook page and to our youtube channel so watch for those new postings soon

Thanks for visiting. Hope you come back really soon