Lupin Meets Coco

When I watch dogs play, I love to laugh and give them people personalities, and words associated with their play. Watching Lupin and Coco early in the day, it was like Lupin was saying, ”He’s a boy! I don’t wanna’ play with a boy dog.” In reality, I believe she was thinking, “He’s way to big and too happy! I’d love to play when he’s calmer.” Coco on the other hand, was more like “What other dog? Oh, hi, do you love balls?" 

Lupin - "You smell like a boy. Step back"
Coco - "I am a boy, and I'm happy to meet you!"

Coco was very polite when he came in to meet Lupin. I figured I may need to hold his excitement back from Lupin so I found a 'just right' harness for him. The Emotional Support harness. Yes, he might have been in her face a bit, but he was gentle about it. Lupin gave very clear signals that she was not ready to be best friends yet. She remained her calm, collected self through the day. Her eyes stayed on Coco and her play came closer to him throughout the day.  That was fine by Coco, he had no intentions of having a zoom buddy, and if she liked to play balls, then she could. He had his own and would happily play alone. 

Lupin - "Why is he so happy? He's such a boydawg?"

I attached the long lead to Coco just in case there was a bout of "Ok Let's Go!" I may need to step in quickly and a lead gave me that sense of extra safety.  Coco did a great job of keeping his excitement in check and focused entirely on his own play. The ground was soggy and his lovely, clean, curly coat was soon coated in clumps of wet grassy bits. I'm so glad he's compliant about getting cleaned up.

Coco and Lupin choose the back yard for their first play.

It's nice to see how well these two have learned my routines/procedures here. When I opened the door and gave the signal to head out, they headed straight around the side for the back yard. A great signal to me they were ready to play and would feel comfortable together in the backyard. 

Nonchalant sauntering, checking things out.

There was no zooming, only a bit of easy running to the adjacent yard for the toys.  Lupin picked up a toy but Coco continued to check out the smells of the day before. As he passed by Lupin, he only stopped to get a quick sniff and show his lovely wagging tail.  Lupin's calm demeanour certainly seemed to have a positive effect on Coco. She's very good at communicating and he was awesome at listening.

Coco - "Hey, look! Here's a ball!"
Lupin- "Ya, so?"

There simply was no need to keep Coco on a long safety lead and off it came. Lupin began to saunter closer and check out several more toys. Her comfort level with Coco was increasing and she initiated play with him. What a good girl Lupin. I'm sure you're soon going to be great playmates.

Lupin- "Okay. I guess he's not that bad, for a boy."
Coco- "Look! A ball!"

 

The rest of the day both dogs enjoyed being company for each other. I removed the harness from Coco long before lunch. It was so obvious he had no intention of pouncing or being out of control. Lupin felt comfortable being close to him very early on, I had no need to be concerned. We came in and went out with no incidence. They had lunch, napped together and continued to play ball together.

 

I always maintain, dogs do not have to ZOOM around the yard to have a fun-filled day and be tired by days end. The metal stimulation of just 'being' can sometimes be enough. It certainly was for these two. 

Lupin dreaming, "Coco the boy dog is not so bad after all."
Coco dreaming- "Throw the ball"

I'm looking forward to the next time these two have coinciding playdays. Maybe another day of Coco and Lupin just dogs being dogs.  Maybe the grass will be dry and the zoomies will hit.
Either way, congratulations to you both, on the new play buddy.
You are both very good dogs!

Welcome 1 Year Old Freddy

Red brindle mastiff mix, Freddy came for his private four hours just the other day. This youngster is big and strong and very inquisitive. He hasn't met many other doggy friends and he really wanted Lady May to play. Sorry buddy, she's not really a good playmate.
He tried to initiate play several times. Even though he was polite about it, his size and big movements were just too much for the delicate Lady May. It was turning out to be a big bore for young Freddy. I bundled up Lady May and brought her up on the porch. She could watch in the sunshine from a safe distance and Freddy could have the entire yard to romp in. 

Freddy - " I only wanna play"
Lady May - "Ya, well, go find someone else to play with."

Mom would like to see Freddy come a couple times a week for a playday. I'm hopeful I can set up days with others for him very soon. If your buddy would be suitable, give me a call. Let's book a day!
During his visit I went through my usual activities to get to know Freddy. To gain his confidence and reassure him things are fun and safe here.  He doesn't seem to mind the noisy gates, the vacuum, or knocks at the door. We didn't try the doorbell yet.
Freddy showed little to no interest in the toys this day.  He followed me around and stayed close. His big head is above counter level and he made sure to check it out. I allow that early on. I walk with the dog and correct with a touch of my finger, in this case, Freddy's neck.  The dogs learn early on, there is NOTHING on the counter for them. It gets disinfected regularly and doesn't smell like food. The added bonus is my kitchen fence/gate. It is usually up when new comers are present. A clear signal to them, this is MY area only.
Freddy allowed me to check his body from ears to toes with only a big lick on my hand.  The importance of this routine is knowing his comfort level in advance of any medical reasons. 
He passed with flying colours.

Freddy - "Look Lady! I match your kitchen runner!
I'm in camo :) "

It was time to head back outdoors. I knew for a fact mommy was hoping for a bit of exercise while Freddy was here. Getting outdoors means yet another practice session.  I have allocated an area by the door where dogs can sit and wait while I do various things. Like put on my gloves, hat, boots etc. I also use it as a practice to getting close to others. Going outdoors in a crowd takes practice and bumping into others is normal. It must be tolerated. Step one is where can I sit.  Freddy is big so he needed to learn the size of his body in this area. When others are present Freddy will get first choice due to his size. With in a few trials he was turning around and sitting in a comfortable spot perfectly. Good boy Freddy.
Step one complete!

Freddy waits for Lady May to go out first.

We practised going in and out of the house several times.  Freddy headed out doors calmly on this day, When other dogs are present the excitement of outside can trigger a more excited state of mind. I try to create a routine of where to sit so I can safely take Lady May outdoors first. Depending on the number of dogs, sometimes Lady May goes out well in advance of the others.  It only took a few times for Freddy to understand I needed him waiting in place until he's given the 'come on out' signal.
Good boy Freddy!

I brought out the toys that I thought might be fun and ran around offering play. I put on my "Look at me, I'm having fun" face and encouraged Freddy to join in. I know that his home buddy, Ruby is a soccer lover so I tried that routine. It definitely brought a smile to his face and I'm pretty sure he was certainly entertained. However,  "Uh, no thank you." said Fred. "I'll just sit here and chew this tug toy okay?"  He's a happy boy and with the right playmate I know he'll be over the moon to run and play.

For the first few hours we were outdoors and I think it was me who got the exercise that day.  Freddy did do a bit of romping and he seemed altogether happy enough.  We practised his recall routine and he made me laugh big time.  His mommy gives him a whistle and a signal and Freddy comes quickly to her side. He circles her legs and goes under them to sit in front of her.  This position gives mom an opportunity for better control, in order to attach his lead or adjust his collar or just simply hold him.
I need to note here - Mom is quite a bit taller than I am. Yes, my leggies are shorter.  I was well aware of that before I began this routine and braced myself sufficiently. On cue the big boy came to me slowly. He was nonchalant about it but did his routine perfectly. I on the other hand did a tippy toe balance to keep upright and stay on my own feet and not on his back. I giggled and rewarded Freddy and did a fake collar adjustment and quickly side stepped off him. Man I was giggling so much I'm sure the  neighbours thought I'd gone mad! lol Thank you for your calm demeanour Freddy.

Time for a nap before mom returns.

Freddy has impeccable indoor manners. He seems to know his size and walks slow and careful. He hasn't learned that being in the kitchen with me, can sometimes result in cookie time. Where others head straight to the gate and line up to watch for treats, Freddy just wandered in and rested. Such a good boy.  I discovered he loves, carrots and cantaloupe, watermelon and even a small strip of green pepper. I wonder if he'll be quicker to the gate on his next visit? 

Oblivious to me cutting up carrots. Freddy just lays quietly.

I also discovered Freddy is a bit nervous of my ceiling fans. They were on slow, the day of his M&G. they were not on this day.  As soon as he came into the house he immediately cowered and looked up at the fan in both rooms. He did a bit of a slink out, and came back in cautiously when asked. I was able to redirect his attention but will keep this in mind for future summer visits.

Freddy loves attention and can get a bit demanding if he's ignored. Yes, that's right. He's a PUPPY!
He's big but his brain is still learning.  His size makes redirecting and correcting inappropriate behaviours very important.  Freddy can be a bit 'mouthy', though not overly so. He's not what I call gentle and he still needs to learn people are precious and fragile. Mom is aware of that and has plans to continue working on it. After all, he's only 11 months old!
We had a great first four hours.  He is an all round good boy and he's certainly welcome back.

Welcome to our extended pack Freddy!

Welcome 8 Year old Coco

Welcome 8 yr old Labradoodle Coco

As with all new comers, Labradoodle, Coco started off our first four hour private playday, wearing a harness and long safety lead. We headed into the smaller back play-area and I began some basic recall games.  This boy ran to my side 100% of the times I called him. What a good boy!
He continued to 'watch' me intently the entire time we played together. Needless to say, he was harness free with in a very short time.
Now, that's certainly not to say he can be harness free when new buddy introductions happen. As usual, we'll gauge the safety of each individual meeting as we go along.
I was going to leave the long lead on for a while longer and then made the decision to just let him run free. He was happy to be in the yard with me and made no attempt to seek a way out.
We played ball most of the morning and into the afternoon. That seems to be his toy of choice. 

He also loved being on the porch and sat quietly while I pulled out several different toys.  We tried all the different types. Stuffies, squeakies, tuff chew toys, soft chewies, tug toys and balls. Coco came back to the ball every single time. 

The only visiting dog present means the toys are all up for grabs.

What about these toys Coco? Other dogs love these ones. Let's try them for a little while. I'll play with them with you. Okay?

Coco - "Look Lady, thiz is the one I wanna' play wiv. Okay? You kin put the rest away."

Are you sure Coco? Look there's lots to choose from.  

Where's the ball?

Okay, he's a ball dog! Out we went and found the 'just right' sized one for Coco. When we started ball play Coco still had a long lead on. I took it off very soon after. There was just no need to have it on him. Gotta' love it when dog's are immediately comfortable being left at daycare. Paws crossed his comfort level remains when we start doing introductions.  We'll go slow to allow for greater success, for sure. This big boy is going to make a wonderful playmate for some lucky dogs. I'm sure.

Can I take this long line off me now lady?

We spent the rest of the day playing and learning about the yard, play areas and each other. There is always so much to smell and investigate Coco made sure he checked out every inch!

Coco is very compliant and allowed all the necessary husbandry duties from teeth checking, to checking ears, eyes, nose and paws and tummy cleaning. When it was time to clean his muddy paws before he came upstairs Coco literally passed me his big muddy paws and turned so I could get at his back paws. What an adorable character!

A break from ball play to check out the smells.

"Come on Lady throw the ball!

Coco enjoyed the teeth cleaning treat mommy left for him and then settled down for cozy time. He slept very soundly for an entire hour. I walked around him and puttered with house work while he slept.

Thanks for the treat mommy. I loved it!

4 hours goes very fast and before we knew it, it was home time. We had a wonderful afternoon and I can't wait for Coco to return. He was very respectful of Lady May even though she ignored his polite gestures to play. He choose to lay beside her when it was quiet time. What a gentle man!

Im hopeful we can schedule a few playdays with one of our 'regulars'.  I'll be going through 'the list' to see who's booked and who might be a great buddy for Coco.

Lady May - "You know you have your own mat, right?"
Coco - " I know. But, I like being close to you."

Welcome to Royal K9 Korner Coco!

Was I S'posed To Write a 2022 Year In Review?

 Oh... Well, I didn't. Oops.
There was absolutely too much going on for me to take a few minutes to sit at my computer and type.
Yes, we really did have a fabulous year full of friends, family, dogs and fun! It's over now and we're already a month into the New Year!
🎇✨2023 ✨🎇 It's here and boy did it come in with a BANG!

We had a great NY eve visit with little Sage, Miss Maya and her lovely sister Lou. There were some anxiety moments throughout the fireworks, so we had comfy, cozy time snuggled in our bed. The fireworks didn't last too long and my bed warmers were soon back to their own plush sleeping spots for the rest of the night. 

Happy New Year (Left to right) Lou, Sage, Lady May and Maya in the crate

The first week of 2023 brought some serious, family health issues with it. We cancelled all dog-care for 2 weeks and headed to the coast. I'm so happy to report, all is well again and we're ready to begin our New Year with good health and a smile on our faces.
Another one of our very own extended pack members, Countess River, has undergone a surgery to remove a large growth on her chest. She too, is healing well and we can't wait for her to visit us again soon. We'll be choosing days when there are no others visiting to allow her some playtime with out concern for her healing. 

Countess River resting and recovering  at home by the window to watch the birds.
Photo courtesy of mom.

We will be welcoming in a few new comers to Royal K9 Korner's extended pack this month. We have a few who've been sitting on the sidelines waiting for their spay/neuters to be completed. Next weekend we'll have the 'not so little' any more, Bailey coming for his first real ever daycare experience with us. Yep, he's already 7 months old and has been visiting another day care in town until he could be neutered. Welcome to Royal K9 Korner young Master Bailey.

7 mon old Bailey - "My dad said, I'm gonna cum bizit you in a week! I can't wait!"

Please help us welcome 8 year old Labradoodle Coco into our daycare.
Coco came for his M&G a few days ago and will be looking for a safe place to stay while mom has errands to do.  Coco has recently had a hip injury and will be looking for restful days with very few visitors until he's ready to zoom again.

Coco sporting his Winter attire. Such a mellow boy!

Another youngster joins us this year.  He's a best buddy of young Ruby and will be looking for a playmate to help release his energy. He's a big boy but still a puppy. Welcome 10 month old Red Brindle, Mastiff mix, Freddy.  We can't wait for these new buddies to spend some days with us.
They are so handsome!

Freddy was a very good boy during his Meet 'n Greet
and has wonderful house manners.

Daycare for the next few months is filling up and we're looking forward to some great outdoor activities. The snow is melting, the yard is thawing, and the winds are helping to keep the moisture down.
I've been spending some of my extra time creating some fun things with my newest craft idea. Resin!
I wonder how many cool projects I can turn out that are dog related? Hmmm.
If I'm pleased with any, I'll share!

Stay safe, until the next time I get to sit at my computer and type.
Oh and Happy Belated New Year!