ZUCCHINI: 3 1/2 year Progress Report

I found an old list I had when Zook was only a few weeks old of things I wanted him to learn. I wanted to see how we'd come along with his training, and decided to update his progress on the list.

• Learn name
• Learn command "sit"
• Learn command "down" (for laying down)
• Learn command "show me your belly"
• Learn command "sit pretty" (to get him to sit up and "beg")
• Learn command "roll over"
• Learn command "come here"
• Learn command "stay"
• Learn command "get in your bed"
• Learn what "Wanna go outside" means
• Learn what "Wanna go for a ride" means (What dog doesn't know this one?)
• Learn what "eat" means (He knows this in addition to "food" and "hungry", and will bring me his bowl on command.)
• Learn to walk properly on a lead (And does very well obeying commands like "wait" and "stay with me" when he's off-leash as well.)
• Learn to ask to go outside
• Learn to fetch (He'll "fetch" almost anything I ask for.)
• Become "crate trained" (He enters his cage at work on command, but I rarely need to command him to go in. Usually he lays wherever he wants in my office.)
• Learn the meaning of "toy" or "baby"
• Try different foods. Get him to eat rice and veggies and such.(He eats almost everything but turnips.)
• Become good friends with Katy (Mom's dog) so that maybe the two of them can even play together. (They became best friends before she died, and now he's best friends with our new dog Tiki.) 

Additionally he has learned:

• "Drop it"
• "Leave it"
• "Off" (for getting down off of things or people)
• "Wait" (he'll wait at the road for me to tell him it's okay to cross, or slow down to wait for me)
• "Treat"
• "Go see" (to "go see" a certain person, or what a noise was, or something. It's basically a release command that gives him permission.)
• "Bath" (he's learned to walk into the shower and "submit" to a bath. He isn't happy about it, but he'll do it without being forced)
• "Go to work" (he knows these words mean going to work with me, where he gets to see the other people he loves)
• "Go home" (he knows this means we are going home)
• "Stop" (When off-leash, he's been taught to "stop" at the road and wait for me to say it's okay to cross)
• "Load Up" (for "loading" into the car)
• "Clean up" (to clean up any food that fell on the floor)
• "Inside" (to go inside)
• "Watch" (To get him to focus on me rather than the treat, but I hope to expand on this eventually and get him to watch something else I indicate)
• "Bring your bowl" 
• "Bring it here" (he'll bring anything I indicate)
• "Come see me" (usually means for him to climb into my lap)
• "Let me see" (for him to bring me whatever he has, so I can see what it is or take it away from him) 
• Bedroom/Office (tells him what room he needs to go to)
• "Get out of my kitchen"
• "Take it nice" (to get him to take food nicely from my fingers) 
• "Move over" 
• "Settle" (when he's excited and needs to settle down)
• "Back" (it can mean for him to back up, but when we're in the car and he's in my lap, it means for him to get in the backseat)
• "Treat" (what dog doesn't know this one?)

There's probably more that I'm not thinking of. He's so smart and learns so fast! He is such a sweet dog with adults, although he can mistrust some kids and can be aggressive toward some dogs (never hurting them, but threatening). The day I chose to adopt him has proven to be one of the best decisions I've ever made. He's the best dog I could have ever hoped for.

And now Zook has a friend. Tiki (now 10 yrs old) joined our family last year. I had intended on just fostering her while I found her another home, but Zook took to her and loved having her around. So I kept her on permanently for him.

It's all worked out very well. We have a happy little family.

A Day on the Estero River

Yesterday we decided to do a little kayaking, and see how Zook would do in a kayak. Before we headed out, I bought Zook a lifejacket-- just to be on the safe side. I liked that it had a handle on top to make it easy to retrieve him from the water.

We decided to head down to Estero River Outfitters and rent us a couple of kayaks. The Estero River is a beautiful place to kayak...

I let Woodrow get quite a bit ahead, because I was dealing with a crying and wiggling puppy trying to stay as high in my lap and as close to my chest as possible.

Dealing with a wriggling pup meant I sometimes missed some shots, like the one above. Sitting on a branch/root coming out from the shore in that shot is a turtle (a "cooter" would be my guess), but you can't see it here, as I was too far away by the time I got the dog settled and got my camera out.

The only other wildlife seen was a beautiful heron, and a water moccasin that came swimming towards my kayak. I spotted the moccasin and came to a stop. Zook spotted the moccasin and jumped up like he might go after it. So I yelled at Zook and slapped my paddle in the water to make noise. This frightened the moccasin and made him zip back to shore. Being a lover of snakes, at first I was happy to see a snake. Then I realized that this was a water moccasin- a venomous water moccasin known for being a bit grumpy of temperament- and being a water snake it was probably a good climber and would have no trouble getting into my kayak! That's when I decided that I had frighten it away somehow, or evade it by some means.

It was a quiet and calm day on the water after that...

  

...well, aside from the whining puppy in my lap. We finally figured out that Zook would travel pretty well if Woodrow had him and got ahead of me so Zook couldn't see me. So we did that for awhile and enjoyed the day.  

Unfortunately at one point Woodrow was passing under log, and he tried to slow himself down by grabbing the log as he passed under it. And just then the kayak began to turn, and it resulted in him and Zook flipping into the water. Poor Zook hit, and before I could even tell Woodrow to watch out for Zook and grab him, Zook made a beeline for my kayak in a full out doggy paddle! He came right up to my kayak, and I used that nifty handle on his lifejacket to lift him out of the river and into the boat without any trouble. It was great! We wound up having a good laugh out of it. So we continued on the rest of the way with Zook back in my kayak again.

At a point not far from the highway 41 overpass, there is this cool foot bridge that crosses over the river...

I have to find out where this foot bridge is on land. Is it a public hiking trail? Or is it private? I want to walk that bridge!

So we had a good day, got some exercise and fresh air, and Zook got to experience the water and kayaking for the first time.

Now that's a good puppy!

Benny and Zook

Another day at the dog park, and it was exhausting for both of us! Zook arrived to find a little dog (looking a bit like a pekingese) barking and snarling ferociously at any dog that got near her. We learned she was a rescue that had belonged to an elderly woman, and it was presumed that the dog never got out and was never socialized. So Roxie (the pekingese) feared all of these dogs may harm her, and therefore acted aggressively offensive.

A gentleman arrived with his English Staffordshire Terrier (I think I have that right) by the name of Benny. Roxie went nuts over this larger dog, and the owner of Benny told Roxie's owner to let Roxie go: "Don't worry. She can't hurt my dog!" So she let Roxie go, and Roxie tore after poor Benny, and Benny ran around with Roxie nipping at his rear. And almost as quickly as it began, it was over. Once Roxie realized that these dogs were no threat to her, she settled down with just the occasional snarl or nip, and the other dogs all realized Roxie was no threat to them. So it was time for the dogs to get down to some serious playing...

For some reason, most dogs are really taken with Zook, just as people are. And this big, muscle-bound terrier Benny became especially enamored with Zook. He wouldn't leave Zook's side.

 

Eventually Benny was simply pinning Zook to the ground, the two of them running around and around my feet, between my legs, Zook pinned down again, on and on and on...

The two of them were so funny together! At one point, I tried to give Zook a break by putting him in the chair next to me, but right after I did Benny jumped up in the chair with him, laid down, and Zook climbed on top of him! You couldn't keep these two apart!

So everyone had a good time, and after an hour of play we made a trip to the pet store (Zook's third favorite place, the dog park being #1 and Mom's being #2) before heading home.

Who's the best puppy in the whole wide world?

You are!

Dog Park

Zook loves to play! He cries if he knows he's going to the dog park (now referred to as "D.P.", because we've reached the point where we must spell things out in front of him to keep him from getting too excited), or if he is going to visit Mom's dog Katy.

I generally try to get Zook to the dog park once or twice a week, and also over to Mom's to play. This was Zook playing the other day with an adorable dog by the name of Garcon (French for "boy" or "fellow"), and the Min Pin Fraulein made an appearance or two, but mostly she kept to herself...

And today Zook got ganged up on by Elvis and dachshund Tex.

There were times when they seemed to be getting something of a "train" going on, as they each tried to "hump dominate" one another.

Zook has also been attending obedience class for a few weeks. We are working on sit, down, stay, come here, leave it/take it, drop it, as well as walking on a leash properly. He is doing quite well with all commands, but hasn't mastered them yet. He's really a fast learner, but he is so excitable that he has trouble controlling himself sometimes. But he is the "star pupil" in our small class of 3 dogs, as he is the only one that can be used to demonstrate the commands. One of the other dogs is a "scaredy cat", and the other is a bully that wants to go after the other dogs.

And even as I write this post, this is what I have in my lap...

...all twisted up and sleeping in this position. Cute as can be! And one of these days I'll get video of Zook playing with his girlfriend Shotsie (my youngest cat). They are becoming best buds, and when Zook comes home after work each day, Shotsie is there to greet him. The two of them put one another in headlocks and wrestle and chase one another. They love each other! Zook is an absolute joy to have around!

Exploring ArtFest 2011

It's that time of year once again, and yesterday we headed to the annual ArtFest Fort Myers. This year I took Zook with me, interested to see how he would handle the large crowd. He normally turns all "wiggly butt" with every person he sees, and I wondered what he would do when he sees thousands of people! So this artfest was a little different for me. I didn't get to lose myself in the art as I usually do, as I was constantly managing Zook and keeping him from getting under feet.

The show I would guess was probably at least as big as it usually is, maybe even bigger. I think there were about 200 artists present. And thousands of patrons walking the sidewalks!

Some of my usual favorites were there, like Albin Arts and others. But I discovered some new favorites as well.

One of my favorites yesterday was Jennifer Fraser of Endless Places Photography. She has a special technique whereby she layers photos in a way that it gives a "painted" quality.

These don't even give you a real feel for the finished work, as she then takes these photos and mounts them on a painted frame that really ties into the photo and the color scheme. Take a look at her flash site to see some mounted works. I was really taken with her work.

I also liked Todd Shaak Photography. There was something honest and refreshing and...brash and abrasive about his work. Sort of like the "Southern Rock" of the photographic world.

And then there was Paul Marcellini Fine Art Photography.

I almost bought this one. I liked the colors and simplicity of it...

And we loved the acrylic works of the Michael George Gallery.

And I absolutely loved, loved, loved the work of Nathalie Torres!

I love the way that the hammock extends out from the painting...

...and the 3D aspect. It feels as if those are real feet sticking out from that hammock!

Look at the pregnant lady, and the little babe nestled in the hammock. That's the artist to the left...

Love it! So clever and so beautiful! I only wish I had the money and the wall space for a piece of her work.

At the end of the show, they had some high school students and the like creating sidewalk chalk drawings.

I gather the above one would be kids representing the Cape Coral Seahawks.

So every year I try to buy a little "sumpin sumpin" at the art show. What to do this year? I wound up going with one of last year's favorites, Scanlan, and I chose to go with this one...

Isn't it gorgeous? The simplicity. I told Woodrow that I love the "flatness" of it. It almost appears that the trees are painted on the building. I love the colors, soft and muted, and almost drab appearance. You wonder if someone is about to walk out that door. And what does that door enter into? Is it a house? A convent or monastery? A winery? Absolutely stunning! Now I just need to get it framed and pick a place to hang it.

So it was a good day at the art show, and afterward I headed to Mom's to see Tommy's new toy...

Isn't she pretty? And, of course, Zook and Katy had some fun time together, and we just couldn't get them to stop. Even after going inside, they kept at it.

So it was a good day, but an exhausting one. Next weekend is the Matlacha art show, where I bought my St. Bernard pastel last year.

Zook did very well. He loved seeing all of the people, but was very good on the leash. And people are soooo drawn to him. There is just something about him and his face that grabs you. They really ought to try to duplicate him and make it a new breed! However I do now understand the merits of having one of those little doggie strollers. It would have been so much easier to just push around a stroller with my bags and water and everything secured on it, than to manage a wiggling and excited puppy amid a crowd of thousands, and a camera and a purse and flyers and maps, etc. Oh, and ice cream. Don't forget the ice cream! Yum!

So we have another year to wait until the next ArtFest. *sigh* I'll be okay. Really I will...

Zucchini: 7 week Progress Report

So Zook has been with me for over 7 weeks now, and he's still the greatest puppy ever! He needs a little training, as he becomes deaf when he's excited and totally tunes you out. But he's sweet and good-natured and the happiest dang puppy I've ever seen! He loves EVERYONE and EVERYTHING, excitedly greeting all people, dogs and cats.

We still head to the dog park once or twice a week. He usually goes in the "Large Dogs" park to play with the Jack Russells and such, but sometimes when there is a good turnout at the "Small Dogs" park, we'll head over there. There are a pair of funny beagles that come there (one of them is named Lily, I forget the name of the other).

This is what happens when someone walks/runs by the pen when the beagles are there...

Crazy, huh?

And here is him playing with Izzy the Jack Russell in the Large Dog park...

There was a bit of squabble at the dog park the other day between a pit bull and a black mouth cur. I'm thinking that maybe Bella (the black mouth cur) just got a little too rambunctious with the smaller pit, and the next thing we knew the two had eachother by the throat and were snarling horribly, their owners unsuccessfully struggling to pull them apart. Finally a third-party ran over with a stick and hit at them and used the stick to get between them. When they were pulled apart, they seemed no worse for the wear. It sounded like a horrible dog fight, and I was really worried about those pit bull jaws, but the two came away unbloodied and even interacted a little later on.

I've had Zook on a special diet since a pet nutritionist suggested his itching was caused by his diet. The main contributors are corn, wheat, beef or chicken. So he is currently on a special Lamb and Rice diet that has no corn or wheat in it. It seems to have helped, and he doesn't scratch as much as he used to, and he doesn't chew his feet as badly as he used to...

And here's my ghost cat Momma. I don't see her too often, but she has begun to visit me when I'm on the sofa. Of course, if I were to go to get up, she'd be gone in a flash!

The other day I had Zook at work for me, and for some reason he was in a very clingy mood. He wanted to be right in my lap all of the time, which makes it difficult to type. So I moved his bed onto my desk next to me...

I also bought him a smaller crate for work.

He took right to it.

We also make regular trips over to Mom's, so that Zook and Katy may play together.

That's Mom's new stray Rusty at the end of the video. He's great with dogs. Very sweet cat. Wish we could get a nice indoor home for him.

And if you ever wondered what the inside of an acorn looked like, here is one that Zook cracked open...

At one point during our last visit Mom wanted to see Zook in the old tree stump hole that her cat Blackie used to lay in. Well, that was a mistake! The second I put him in it, he began to dig...and dig...and dig. He wouldn't have stopped if I didn't finally make him stop. He dug about a foot down, and would have kept on going!

Here's Zook just being cute...

And this is how Zook sits all of the time...

I bought him this new bone, and it absolutely LOVES it! He plays with it all of the time when he's on the bed.

He still loves his carrots!

Zook had his first vet appointment around mid-December. At that time Zook was about 11 pounds, I think, and the vet said he might get around 14 pounds.

Right now Zook is about 12.2 pounds and about 6 1/2 months old. He doesn't have very big feet, so I don't expect him to get too much bigger, but maybe another pound or two.

Zook's personality seems to be rat terrier through and through.

Rat Terrier

Traits of a rat terrier:

• While they have a definite terrier personality, they also have an "off switch" and love lounging on the sofa in a lap as much as tearing about the yard.
• They are normally cheerful dogs, and tend to be calm and sensitive to their environment, owner's moods, or unexpected noises, people and activities. This sensitivity makes them very trainable and easier to live with for the average pet owner, but also means they need extensive socialization from an early age. (It is recommended they meet 40-100 people by the time of 4-5 months old.)
• Many love agility and obedience training and excel at it, as they are eager to please their owners and are very quick.
• Infusions of both sight-hound (Italian Greyhound/Whippet) and scent-hound/Beagle has provided them with an even and outgoing temperament that sets them apart from many of the other traditional terrier breeds. (I've often thought that Zook looks like an Italian Greyhound in the face, and especially reminds me of them as he tears around the yard as if it were a racetrack! And he has amazing sight and scent and hearing senses, becoming fascinated by vultures flying in the sky, following the scent of something that visited my yard- probably my resident opossum- and constantly zoning in on sounds coming from the TV. So it makes sense that a rat terrier has Italian Greyhound and Beagle in it!)
• Perfectly content to be near their owners and make great housedogs. 
• Generally not yappers or barkers, but can be very demanding, using their paws and are somewhat vocal. They're naturally "real talkers", with plenty of grumbling and mumbling. (Zook rarely barks, aside from letting out a single yap or two when playing or when spotting the opossum in the backyard. But he uses his paws on me all of the time to get my attention or plead with me, and he is becoming more and more vocal all of the time, yodeling, whining and grumbling to voice his concerns and desires!)
• Very good with other dogs. However any small, quick moving animal is fair game and the chase is on. I can attest to this, after Zook took after one of the resident stray cats at work the other day.
• They don't like wet grass, and will avoid it at all costs. They will even go to the bathroom on the sidewalk in order to avoid putting their paws on wet grass. (Yep. Been there, done that. Luckily I have a spot under the awning in the front bed that can stay pretty dry even when it is raining, so he'll slip in there and go real quick.)
• I read somewhere that they like to stay warm and to burrow under the covers. He loves warmth, and would live in the hot sun or in front of a heater if I let him, and loves to get under the covers and then push up against me to stay warm at night.

He may have some chihuahua in him, or even something else like dachshund- I don't know. But I have little doubt that he's got rat terrier in him. He's a great little dog!