Breakfast Time

Cookin with Daddy!

Accessories!

I bought this collar for Roxy when we first got her. It doesn't fit yet! I can't wait until she can wear it!

Resource Guarding

Oh, boy! We were shocked and concerned when Roxy starting displaying some guarding tendencies. She is a very sweet dog... who somewhere along the line, learned that she needed to guard the things she considers important.

Most people don't even realize they are contributing to their dog's resource guarding. They can start learning this as soon as they are small puppies. Puppy owners are constantly coming up to their dogs and taking away things we don't want them to chew on or swallow. Although we are well intended, with some dogs, this can lead to resource guarding. When you are constantly taking things from your dog, or grabbing it out of their mouth, some of them learn that they need to guard what they view important. This doesn't happen with all dogs, but it's not to say that resource guarding is "abnormal". 

Resource guarding is a reaction to a primal instinct. Before domestication, dogs had to protect resources in order to survive. This can be seen today with toys, food, water,beds, or anything else your pup thinks is important. We didn't realize that by taking things away from Roxy, we may have been teaching her to resource guard.

After reading up on the topic, I learned quite a few things. I found this to be the most important.

When you take a resource guarding dog's important thing away, you are confirming their suspicions about you being a rotten, toy-stealing scoundrel! When approaching your dog, you should ask her to "drop it" [we use "let go"]. When she lets go, you trade her the toy for something yummy! This treat should be something they don't normally get to eat. Make sure it outweighs the importance of the toy.

This did two important things for us... it gave Roxy a positive association with humans approaching her when she had a toy [she's still not perfect], and it helped enforce the "let go" command.

This is just what worked for us and is only the foundation for how we are handling it. If your dog displays this kind of behavior, it is important for you to seek a trainer who specializes in aggressive behavior. This isn't to say that your dog is aggressive, either. Resource guarding is a completely normal behavior that is displayed in all breeds, both male and female.

We saw a dog trainer like this and we have incorporated what she told us with our method of treating the resource guarding.

Be careful of what you read on the internet! -- Just as no two humans are exactly alike, no two dogs are alike. You're not going to find a "cure-all" solution to resource guarding. You're going to find a TON of information, a lot of it conflicting, that probably won't help you. You have to get to know your dog, her tendencies, behaviors, triggers and reactions. The only way to find if something works is to try it... you have to start somewhere.

We have considered desensitization, positive association, negative consequence, avoidance, denial ;) and are currently using avoidance. We are choosing to avoid situations where Roxy thinks she needs to guard. The idea is that fewer repetitions and less practice of RG will get it out of her reportoir!

After deciding on a route with your dog behaviorist, consistency will be your best friend. Good Luck!

Roxy's Beauty Regimen

I like to pamper Roxy. She's an indoor dog so I like her to stay clean and smelling good. This is what I use to keep her smelling and looking beautiful:


This stops bad gas and eliminates bad breath. It's all natural!


This helps keep her pink little paws soft!




This is a gentle dog toothbrush you can just slip on your finger!



This is yummy peanutbutter flavored toothpaste!




This helps clean out ears, fights infections, and eliminates ear odor!

Pretty Girl!

Christmas!

We had a blast on Christmas. I had so much fun shopping for Roxy and Guinness... and they loved opening their presents!

Tummy Issues

Roxy and Guinness' breed is prone to sensitive tummies. There have been a handful of instances in Roxy's 8 month life so far, where we've had to deal with diarreah and/or vomitting.

This has either been the result of a dietary issue or a virus. When they are vomittin or have diarreah, this is their body trying to rid itself of something that doesn't belong.

I learned through research and experience....

If your dog is having tummy problems, get a sample of her poop or vomit. This is just in case it doesn't go away after a couple days and you need to go to the vet. You can eliminate a vet visit if you initially come with a sample. In the first twenty four hours of her expulsions, stop feeding her. And don't give them water! Water can intensify the vomit and diarreah. Instead, give her ice chips or cubes.

I don't know why, but that's what I read every where! She will be dehydrated so make sure that the ice chips stay in her water bowl. Replace as needed when ice melts. You should fast her for 24 hours (12 for a puppy- this can be done over-night). While she is fasting, you can give her pepto bismol or pepcid AC. This coats your dogs tummy and makes it less irritated. After the fast, give her something very bland, like boiled chicken and rice. Feed this to her as you would with dog-food. During her fast you can also give her gatorade or plain pedialyte this will help with dehydration.

Plain yogurt with live, active cultures can help restore the balance of good bacteria in your dog's tummy. I like this Greek yogurt because it has a few different types of cultures in it. I mix in a table spoon of this in Roxy's food regularly to maintain a healthy puppy belly. I double up when she is feeling sick.

She will need attention to her condition and lots of rest!

    This is not professional advice... talk to a vet if your dog is experiencing tummyissues.

Bee Sting

Many dogs will experience bee stings. And so did Roxy! It was actually a hornet sting which means that they do not leave a stinger in the flesh. This is what I learned from the whole scenario: If your dog is stung by a bee, you need to immediately remove the stinger to avoid more of the venom getting into the bloodstream.

You also need to watch for signs of an allergic reaction, especially if a sting is on the mouth and neck area. This can lead to suffocation due to the swelling of tissue. If your dog appears to have an allergic reaction, you need to see a vet immediately. Roxy was not allergic, thank goodness.

I made a paste of baking soda and water and put it on the sting. This helped to draw the venom out.

"The majority of veterinarians allow the use of Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) in dogs as well as cats; this medicine is used quite frequently in canines."

http://www.benadrylfordogs.org/


Here's how we handled it:

Baking Soda
Benadryl
Ice
Rest
Love

Three Generations

This is Guinness, Castor and Roxy! Three generations of beautiful dogs.♥

Camping

This is Roxy's first camping trip! She had a ton of fun and got extremely DIRTY!

Socialization

We like to expose Roxy to new and different people and situations. Although she is a bit fearful and timid, we continue to socialize her whenever possible.

One of my favorite (and Roxy's) things to do together is go to the bank. Roxy is allowed into our bank when I go to deposit checks and pay bills. She has a positive association with going there and with the people inside because she gets treats! when I'm talking to the teller, if she sits quietly next to me without pulling, she gets a biscuit. I like bringing her because she gets a ton of attention and I get a lot of compliments on how beautiful and well behaved she is. This is great PR for a very misunderstood breed.

I like these treats for adventures. They are for small dogs but Roxy has a sensitive tummy, so less is better. They are healthy/natural and good incentive for positive behavior!

Crate Training

[This is the crate that we use for Roxy and Guinness when he was a pup]


Crate Training is a good way to train your dog, and protect your home. You shouldn't crate train your dog if she will be in the crate for more than 8 hours a day...afterall, what would be the point in having a dog?

Check out this video below. It explains the benefits and proper ways to crate your doggy.

Crate Training : The Humane Society of the United States





♥

Potty Training

Oh how glad I am now that Roxy is house-broken.


It wasn't easy! We took her out every 20 minutes while we were at home. When we were at work, we came home expecting an accident. She would get taken out twice before we left for work, three times on my break, and every 20 minutes when we got home.

We learned to understand Roxy's body language. When she would start sniffing around and ducking her head, we knew she needed to go potty. We knew she needed to get outside, and FAST.

One of the most important parts of potty training, I've learned, is supervision. You can't ignore a puppy and expect them to not have an accident while you are doing other things. [This will also help protect your furniture!]

Whenever Roxy seemed to need to use the restroom, or already used it inside, we would rush her outside. It's important to do this quickly so the puppy makes the association between "potty" and "outside". We would verbalize to Roxy when she needed to go potty "Let's go outside!". When we got outside, I would tell her "go potty". Once she went potty, I would tell her "Good potty!" in an excited voice.

We are and have been crate training Roxy since we took her home. I have probably cleaned poop and pee [epic porportions]out of the kennel 500 times. Some dogs won't use the restroom in their kennel because they see it as their "den". And you don't sh*t where you sleep! ;) Roxy had never heard this expression before.

But she eventually understood that it wasn't ok, and would expect me to come home and take her out as soon as I walked in. Now, when she needs to go potty and is outside the kennel, she sits next to the door.



Housetraining Puppies : The Humane Society of the United States
[Humane Society offers great advice and support to pet owners! Check it out!]

Lazy Puppy and Dog Energy

We have come to the conclusion that Roxy is LAZY! She is definitely going to be a low energy adult dog. That's okay with me! Cesar always says you should pick a dog that matches your energy level...


"When selecting a new dog, it is vitally important to take into account how that dog’s energy will harmonize with your own. The most important step is to take some time for self-reflection and to identify what your own energy levels are. Do you wake up early every morning, pound a power bar and a health shake, and go for a run in the mountains? Or do you take life at a more leisurely pace? When energy levels conflict, resulting frustrations on the part of both human and dog can create tensions and issues with dramatic repercussions, so take into account how your energy will affect your decision."


-Cesar Millan http://www.cesarsway.com/tips/yournewdog/finding-a-dog-with-the-right-energy


[I hate this picture of me... no makeup and I look chubby. But Roxy looks so cute!]

Exercise!

This is Roxy's first hike.
It's important to introduce puppies to all kinds of experiences early in their lives. Roxy went on her first hike and she LOVED it! She stuck by my side closely and looked up to check on me every 10 seconds. I didn't have her on a lead because she was doing so well!

This was the middle of summer, so it was HOT! I was a bit paranoid about Roxy over heating... so we didn't exhert a lot of energy and I stopped every 8 minutes to give her water and let her chew on ice cubes in the shade. Puppies can dehydrate very easily. Even at that age she was a tough cookie!

Roxy continues to love going on hikes. Make it fun, not uncomfortable...Positive association is key!

American Staffordshire Terrier ♥

AKC MEET THE BREEDS®: American Staffordshire Terrier

Courageous and strong, the American Staffordshire Terrier (Am Staff)’s athletic build and intelligence make him ideally suited to many dog sports such as obedience, agility, tracking and conformation. He is often identified by his stocky body and strong, powerful head. The breed’s short coat can be any color, and either solid colored, parti-colored or patched.

A Look Back...

Until the early 19th century, the Bulldog used for bullbaiting in England was more active and longer-legged than the breed as we know it today. It is thought that the cross of this older Bulldog and a game terrier breed created the Staffordshire Terrier. Originally called the Bull-and-Terrier Dog, Half and Half or Pit Dog, it became known as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier in England. When accepted for AKC registration in 1936, the name changed to American Staffordshire Terrier to reflect the heavier American type and to distinguish them as separate breeds

General Impression...

The American Staffordshire Terrier should give the impression of great strength for his size, a well put-together dog, muscular, but agile and graceful, keenly alive to his surroundings. He should be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outline. His courage is proverbial.Head:
Medium length, deep through, broad skull, very pronounced cheek muscles, distinct stop; and ears are set high. Ears - Cropped or uncropped, the latter preferred. Uncropped ears should be short and held rose or half prick. Full drop to be penalized. Eyes - Dark and round, low down in skull and set far apart. No pink eyelids. Muzzle - Medium length, rounded on upper side to fall away abruptly below eyes. Jaws well defined. Underjaw to be strong and have biting power. Lips close and even, no looseness. Upper teeth to meet tightly outside lower teeth in front. Nose definitely black.

Neck:
Heavy, slightly arched, tapering from shoulders to back of skull. No looseness of skin. Medium length.

Shoulders:
Strong and muscular with blades wide and sloping.

Back:
Fairly short. Slight sloping from withers to rump with gentle short slope at rump to base of tail. Loins slightly tucked.

Body:
Well-sprung ribs, deep in rear. All ribs close together. Forelegs set rather wide apart to permit chest development. Chest deep and broad.

Tail:
Short in comparison to size, low set, tapering to a fine point; not curled or held over back. Not docked.

Legs:
The front legs should be straight, large or round bones, pastern upright. No semblance of bend in front. Hindquarters well-muscled, let down at hocks, turning neither in nor out. Feet of moderate size, well-arched and compact. Gait must be springy but without roll or pace.

Coat:
Short, close, stiff to the touch, and glossy.

Color:
Any color, solid, parti, or patched is permissible, but all white, more than 80 per cent white, black and tan, and liver not to be encouraged.

Size:
Height and weight should be in proportion. A height of about 18 to 19 inches at shoulders for the male and 17 to 18 inches for the female is to be considered preferable.

Faults:
Faults to be penalized are: Dudley nose, light or pink eyes, tail too long or badly carried, undershot or overshot mouths.

http://www.akc.org/

Coming Home

Guinness was an only dog living the bachelor life with Thomas for a while before Roxy and I came along. He was NOT stoked about having a puppy.

Roxy is a puppy with absolutely no concept of boundaries. In the video below, you can see Guinness telling her to leave him alone, and Roxy paying absolutley no attention to his body language and "doggy social cues". Maybe she has "doggy Asbergers" ;)

They didn't really hit it off right away... and haven't made huge improvments in their relationship, but they know that they are part of the same pack. They do love each other, and occastionally they tolerate each other.

From the beginning...

Roxy didn't happen by chance...

Her existance is dependant on our dog, Guinness. Guinness was adopted by Thomas in North Carolina five years ago. He is a GREAT dog. He is well trained, enthusiastic, athletic, and very affectionate.





Guinnes can do really cool tricks, one of them including jumping really high and doing a flip!





Guinness met our friend's dog, Izzy, and had a litter. This litter was only a few months old when I met Thomas. Of this litter, our friend Will kept one dog, Castor. Castor at 2 years old caused an accidental litter with Polly. Are you keeping up?

Along came Roxy!

We started visiting her as soon as she was a day old!

Roxy

This is Roxy, my American Staffordshire Terrier pup.

I have always been a dog lover. I grew up with dogs that came in and out of the house as they pleased. They were cared for by my mother who seemed to do so effortlessly. In a newly responsible point in my life, I thought I would enjoy the challenge of raising a puppy for myself. How hard could it be?

Thomas, my boyfriend with whom I own a home, told me "imagine having another dog, and a puppy none-the-less. It will be twice the work we do right now and then some. Raising a puppy is not always fun and it's really hard. I need another dog like I need a hole in my head. Our nice new home will be torn apart!"

What can I say? I'm impulsive, stubborn, and incredibly persuasive! Ha! I was victorious! It seemed as if Thomas had given in to the idea of a puppy. BUT, I was forewarned-- "This puppy is going to be your responsibility, entirely, and it's going to be really difficult".
"I KNOW, THOMAS". I didn't actually know.

On April 13th, 2011, my life dramatically changed.