Bike! :D

I got around our college town on my trusty Diamondback Lustre 2 for about 3 years before the fateful day it was...
*skip to the stars to read about the dog*

...well, first stolen, then found with huge scratches, THEN taken apart to be powder-coated, because of the scratches in the paint.

This.

Then the MORE fateful day that the fork's nylon was melted... well, what a mess that left me in.  Perfectly powder coated and useless.  -.-

So no bike for 2 years!  Because I was all... I'll fix what I have, but that $80 fork doesn't even fit!  Well, I can't spend half of new bike's value just for someone else to do what I can try and figure out.  Ugh, lazy... no clue how I took this apart.

Well no more!  I got a lovely... I dunno, something from our local sporting goods store that has its own bike shop.  If something happens, they will help me fix it, unlike stupid Daimondback/Sports Authority!  *deep breathing*  Or so I assume, I didn't actually ask...  I get nervous asking for help just to look at bikes.  And while it was awkward and uncomfortable, the fellow got me on the right size --they have different adult women's sizes!

So I have a bike, it's a comfortable commuter/road bike style.  I don't know how many gears, but they're there.  Ready when I need them.  And of course now that I have it home, I'm thinking it would be cool to take into a canyon with the dog, despite the fact that mountain biking, the sport, terrifies me.  (I could have gotten a hybred, but didn't.)  "I'll stick to the trails, a commuter can handle gravel road!"  Right??

Try again.

So I have a bike, and it feels like half of my soul has been restored.  It is just SO awesome to go out on that thing!  My knee likes not hurting while dog is RUNNING.

I need a bike rack pronto; it fits in my back seat, but that's where the PUPPY goes!  Anyway, not before bills are paid.

Funny enough, now the pressure is off with old bike.  I feel, more willing to try and put it back together, because if I mess up, all is not lost.

******************

Jorah is doing VERY well with the metal thing.  (I'm glad I used carts at the hardware box stores on our field trips!)  Stays beside me, & usually keeps to the side-walk side of trees and poles.  He is picking up on my "right" and "left" quickly.  (We'd used the terms a bit in the past, but I let it fall by the wayside in favor of "this way" "come on" or just "fus".)  His main issue is stopping to smell things!

He's nearly gotten himself run over by me thrice, but I am being quite clear that crossing over in front of me is NOT okay!  +I lowered my seat so I could stop right away without killing myself.  +I'm not going crazy fast, because I don't trust him to not dooooo that!  Maybe I should forbid behind-me crossing over as well, just to be extra clear.  For the second day of experience, I am quite pleased.

While it would take going up a hill or across town to wipe me out on the thing, we're keeping it slow and short for the puppy's bod. (and my bum!)  Trotting 9 blocks with micro-breaks is plenty!  Maybe too much,  bones and all...  I wasn't really thinking, and he was happy to start the last 4.  Only started lagging pretty hard on the last 2.  He's been woofed the rest of the day, but not so much that he can't get excited and play with the kitty/grandpa.  I'll have to keep it short.  Weird thing is, he refused to drink water!  Just smelled it and went off to look for the kitty.  So I tricked him, by immersing some kibble in water.  He got a cucumber slice as well.

I'd really love to take him to a fenced track so I could remove his leash and try a short, full-on race.  ^^  Not sure which local school would work for that.  (Where I wouldn't be run off by a groundskeeper.)

Anyway, I got the bike for me, but I'm now seeing the potential to keep Jorah far more fit than walks with spurts of jogging and short tugging/ball chasing sessions have provided.  I just have to be careful not to over-do it.  Maybe I can try one of those kiddie trailers for long rides.






Resources!

This one is a cool cross-country blog, and products: https://cyclinggypsies.wordpress.com/dogs-on-bikes/

Why are common products mildly specialized SO expensive??

"Don't expect your dog to be able to run for long distances in the beginning. Just like us, dogs need some time to acclimate to an exercise routine. Start off by riding at a walking speed on an easy path for a short distance. As she gets used to this over a week or two, build up to a trotting speed after a ten minute warm-up walk. Observe your dog at all times and stop immediately if she appears tired, is panting heavily, drooling excessively, or loses coordination (this may be signs of hyperthermia). If she seems to be slowing down, stop and allow her to rest and have a drink.

Remember, this isn't a race. Pedal at a pace that will allow your dog to keep up easily."
http://www.petmd.com/dog/wellness/evr_dg_biking_with_your_dog_safely

"You cannot just start biking miles on your first time out. You need to gradually increase your dog’s stamina. According to canine expert Christine Zink, D.V.M., Ph.D, you should gradually increase the distance you travel by 5 to 10 percent every four to six exercise sessions. She recommends that once you reach a distance of 2 miles, you should limit biking to every other day providing a day of rest for rejuvenation of the muscles. Extremely fit dogs can run farther distances per day if the sessions are broken up (less if riding on pavement, which can be tough on the skeletal system). Personally I even feel like a couple of miles is plenty. At the end of your ride, pay attention to how your dog reacts. Are they panting heavily for over 10 minutes and laying down (you probably went too far) or do they seem to be ready for more.

In the hot summer months remember that your dog can become overheated quickly. Only ride during cooler parts of the day and make sure the pavement is not too hot. Also make sure the rides are for shorter distances. Your dog can become overheated quickly since they cannot cool their bodies through sweating like humans. Parker and I usually ride a mile or two every other day. Sometimes we break up the rides. Obviously, be sure to stop to rest occasionally and always monitor your dog for signs that nature is calling.

Also monitor your dog’s pads for cuts or scrapes. Consider using a good paw pad wax or even protective booties if riding on rough terrain often. As I mentioned before, please use common sense when biking your dog. Remember that he or she wants to please you and can't communicate that they are getting tired. Always err on the side of shorter distances and slower pace when in question.

Your dog should be at least a year old and a minimum of 25 lbs to start biking. They should be closer to a year and a half before biking longer distances. Please use common sense when biking your dog. Build up stamina slowly and never push your dog beyond their means."

http://www.thedogoutdoors.com/dog-biking-tips.html

Interesting site that sells trailers, and has this how-to
http://www.tonystrailers.com/buildyourown/

Aw, now I feel extra bad about those last 2 blocks.  :(  I shan't repeat the mistake.  I'm glad that the "slow" feeling pace I kept so Jorah could easily trot, and the few breaks to pee/smell was not just me babying him.  He really needs that!

Vet time

Well, training is a little detailed as Jorah's poops had gotten worse during his fast, as well as he started throwing up!

I woke up early to take the kitten in to get spayed, so called the vet before hours for an appointment.  9:45!  Nice and early!  It was a bit of a wait in the lobby, but we got the nicest doctor, and after some anal invasions his temp and bacterial situation were known.  No blockages felt in the last half of his body.  Jorah got an anti nausea shot, and a different antibiotic than the last time.  Amoxicillin, I think.  Cool name.

After talking with the vet, learning he is roughly 90% sure not blocked up, I foregoed the $85 xray, with clear instructions that should he keep throwing up despite his shot, get him back in asap.

So far so good!  I fed him his first pill, and rice with boiled & blended asparagus shoots, with a little cucumber.  It wasn't enough cucumber.  Jorah officially does NOT like asparagus mush.  So I added some peanut butter to get him to actually eat it.

Also sad, he was a few pounds lighter than last time we went in!  Noooo!  Maybe it was just the absence of food and poo, but, eh....  I feel bad.

I forgot to ask how hot dogs would go down.  Think I'll just chop up some boiled chicken breast to train with.

For now, we are taking a sick day.  Back to the crate tomorrow.

He's sleeping sincerely now.  Always a good sign.

I need some cottage cheese...

Energy

Well, I've been nervous, exhausted, and distracted this lady week.  Not much training was done.  It showed at practice.

I'm going to take Glen's advice and try keeping Jorah cozy in the crate when we aren't training/eating, etc.  I'll be a tuning fork resonating with happy happy fun time joy joy energy at those points...

putting in a lot of energy... I feel like it isn't all translating to the dog, and is exhausting.  The former is mostly because of my lack of consistency. 

Still, this crating is what the pro would do anyway, so I'm going to try that too.  Show some commitment.  It is supposed to teach him not only that energy is very good, but that he is not the one calling the shots.

+It will help the cat become more confident in other parts of the house.  Mwahaha

Food allergy?

Jorah has had an interesting week.  New kitty, aggravated foot, raw femure bone, runs no-runs runs no-runs, and not quite finishing all of his dry food.  Oh, also stinky poop, followed in a couple days by lip licking, more panting, and much more drinking.

After a walk Jorah has started licking at one foot.  I assumed that it was some kind of sliver.  Eventually I put some lotion on it and covered it with one of his booties, so he'd stop worrying at it like a chapped lip.

I bought kitty blue buffalo food, and mentioned it on a facebook page.  Someone said no bueno to that brand!  At least for dogs.  I looked up pancreatitis and the unhappy pretty owners had stories that mentioned not touching food, lethargy, skin issues from other brands, smell... He has started to smell rather strong!  And I've notice lately how his ears aren't as clean.

So when I got the cat food I bought another taste of the wild bag, different flavor.  But now some people online mentioned top ingredients aside, the totw food had like 50% carbs.  What's a girl to do?  Pulsar is still a two hour drive.  I miiight be able to find my receipt.  Maybe the new flavor is better?  He seemed fine on the prarie stuff, this latest has been duck.  I just bought Pacific stream.

I'm all paranoid, like maybe I should get some blood work done!  But them I think-just switch foods!  But if it is unrelated, that's good to know.  If it is the good, a simple flavor change may not help.  I need proof of I need to be buying something else far away or online.

Well, the one kind was fine.  And I know that I share too many scraps with him.  (Not bread, and I go for plain, but still "sneak" some shreds of "good stuff".)

I'm my paranoia (created after regular business hours) I made Jorah a protein shake!  ...I don't have a food processor and the blender wasn't working without some more liquid. 

He loved it!!  :D. Honestly, that was awfully easy. 

1.5 chicken breast fillets, several baby carrots, half of a large cucumber, half of a small potato, my chick peas smelled odd so I tossed them, frozen peas, a bit of pain yogurt, then a bit more milk. 

Yeah, potato is a filler!  But I held that "filler" in my hand, rinsed it off, and looked it in the eye... well, made sure there was no green skin.

"His dinner's got chicken in it."
"Like in ads?"
"Yeah, like in ads."

Halo

The name of Jorah's mom, but that's all I know about her.  Seemed like a good title.

I've been struggling with Jorah's drive being low.  Hadn't realized it, but I'd gotten pretty darn serious.

The verdict is that guard-work is something that he can learn, but I was beginning to doubt if I had the will to try, because every time I went to play with his horsewhip, an accessory that I posted under the wrong blog!  It felt like pulling teeth, exhausting to get even a little sustained interest.

I started taking balls and plushies with on our walks, to reward him for a sit or a short heel.  They were dismissed!

Augh!

Said after a walk with some *grim progress:

"If this moped dog has 12 cylinders, and there is ANY way to get him to access them, please let me find it."

*Jorah would watch a toy's trajectory, mouth it just a tiny bit if I ran with him up to it.  Still ignoring 3/4 of my reward attempts, and moving to something else within an instant.  --At the very end I realized that he's more willing to chase a toy tossed just over his head than one thrown straight in front of him!

Well, Jorah's had this bout of diarrhea that was on for two days, replaced with 2 days of moderate constipation, and now back again.  And I had a big project to work on!  (Didn't give myself enough time... -.-  but that's another theme.)  So I checked with our femur supplier, they had whole ones again!  Got half of one, and left it in the car with him while I saw a tutor on campus.  (It is still cool out here.)

Then we walked to the green space by my parking lot, and tried out the horsewhip again.  He was so bored from me studying yesterday, that we got 2 or 3 good minutes of "WEEE!"  then he flat-lined.  Well, not quite.  He was twitching his ears and looking around.  But no amount of bobbing the toy about worked.  Just when I was going to try the "keep it just out of reach" maneuver, too!

Well, I sat down, pretty miffed, but doing my best to stay chill.  And this sitting was just outside the radius of his 50' leash attached to a random subterranean stairwell in the field.  I wasn't in the mood to give him free affection, and just stared, thinking.  He was pretty content staring himself, though there were a few squeeks.

It occurred to me that he'd probably have fun running around with me, so I just had to get physical with the giraffe-dangly.  Bam, that worked.  But ugh, such tired.  And I'd let him carry it off, smug as a cat.  Huzzah!

He still wanted to explore the length of the field, so in reward I detatched him and off we went.  More unhappy poo, but, eh.  A little more chase-tug as well.  It seems fool-proof!  (Let's not bring any other dogs into the equation.)

Back to the schoolwork!  On my way home I got a call from Glen-I was missing training??  I thought it had been cancelled!

Ugh.  I dropped off this epic hunk of smoked ham I got on clearance (it was already sitting in the trunk for an hour.) and off we went again!  It was "show obedience" time.  Jorah was SOOO slow and uninterested!  I don't blame him, I was poorly prepared.  "treats" were VERY low value!  Energy was the name of the game, and for our second try I grabbed his half-femur, still in the back seat.  It put a jig to his step, but how can one reward with a massive bone?  a toss would break his teeth!  didn't work out so well.  We put it away before a dog fight ensued.  I might have a sub-nickname of "cave woman" now, but whatever.

I'm fairly sure that my grim horror about the project due at 5 was showing, but I didn't want to elaborate.  My mood was pretty similar to how I felt after toy-only reward attempts, so it seemed fine to show sans explanation.  I told him how I was trying to reward with toys instead of food "because why would he care about them if he gets food instead?" and for once Glen nodded, instead of castigating me for thinking first.  (Might have been my mood, see?  Plus he already got it out of his system for my thinking that he was in Cali.  Repetitive isn't funny.)

Well, at this point it gets hazy.  (Didn't get my solid 8 hours with poo-poo boy.)  I think that Glen took Jorah, and with his magical praise voice, got the puppy leaping and wagging his tail, and was focusing his energy into "fus" (our weakest, I think,)  He even would start to bound back towards me and get caught on the leash.  "I know you wanna go to your momma, look here.  Yes!  Yeaaaaah!" etc.  Surprisingly forgiving, so unexpected of the little guy.

"How come I can get him that excited, and I didn't have a treat or nothin'?  And I wasn't running around like you were earlier."  No clue.  Personal thoughts: you're more novel and generally impassive than I am?  You know just what you're doing and don't get worried about a mis-placed "yes" or doing something else wrong?  in short: this is what you do, and I'm a mass of inadequate noobery?  I'm not sure what I actually said.  "You're better at it than me!" sounded too whiny to chance.
Glen had me try again.  My high voice wasn't as magical, he was there, but also this cat on the other side of the street-then a puddle?  I dunno, I was loosing him half the time.  By the end I was exhausted.  Supper peppy run-time for a sit out of motion/stay, recall, more "heeling" (gosh, we suck) and a plotz out of motion.  I think I forgot like two steps.  (horror.)  Boy, was I tired.  How am I supposed to keep this up for 15 minutes?

He had the most pro guy there say how he got his dog energized.  "He was so boring, I was surprised that he had a wife!  haha!  And Tina here was mellooow, like your dog."  whaaat?  He got more exciting, made it a game.  Not the most descriptive man, but I think that I get it.

Now, when I first come home, or we go out after a LONG time (and, I realized today, after he's got all the pee and poo out of his system-that guy will take off after a good dump!) I need to have a puppy party (to borrow a non-Glen phrase) and have him do some obedience.  "He thinks that when you do obedience that you want him to be calm and boring.  You need to teach him that that's wrong.  You want him to be crazy!  So now when you train, I want you to make it a game."  And use high-value treats.  Super-guy has steaks.  "I'm not saying that you need to go out and buy him steaks!!!  But get something that he really likes."  And, thank heavens, if I can only keep the energy up for 3 minutes, and need to recover for 15, that's cool.  Better 3 golden minutes than 15 bad ones.

So that's the answer!  Go fast, hard, and fun.  Sloppy is gonna happen.  Gosh, I'm slow at catching the moment to cry "YES."  Frankly, I felt more over-whelmed than relieved.  I comforted myself through the Numerical lingo-I might suck at the "yes" timing half the time, but will get better, and as long as its around the right behavior, Jorah will figure it out.  In short--convergence.  Which sounds like an awesome philosophical  action-adventure movie title.

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http://image.tutorvista.com/cms/images/39/newton%13raphson-method.JPG

Well, we went ourselves on a walk.  Big one, got his demons out.  On the final stretch of green he runs into some neighbor dog's toy (they always leave something out-like its their private yard.  No problem, I just let him enjoy it for a few minutes.)

So we play!  and I have him do a little fus, a few sits, a plotz, and a couple Aus-es so that I could get it to throw!  Went great, I think.  Besides me pulling on it too hard and breaking the thing.  (Whoops...  I left the pieces by their house when we were done.  It was obviously worn, but I feel like I should probably compensate them, or something.)

"Let's go get some water!"  then we were on the playground outside our door, and he took off with the zooms!  So I encouraged that instead of "lets go, lets go..."  Had him sit to take off his leash so he could tear around safer.  Cuz oh my.  The sand was flying and he even slid when his front feet were too slow.   So a little keep away, a little digging.  And finally, the door---!

I dropped my keys on our walk!  AUGH!

He was thoroughly exhausted, and walked very nicely with me as we back-tracked.  Luckily, I found them at the corner of our little condo community, and we got inside and clean water to drink.

I also think that when I'm playing with him, my voice goes down into "HA-HAA"s (like in Leo's Fortune.  Do I like the character so much cuz I laugh that way, or do I laugh that way because it amused me so hard?  We may never know.)

This thing~ 1)very loud, 2) skip to 2:12 for a sample laugh.

So instead of forcing some falsetto "yeaaaah"s, I'll be trying the deeper puppy talk.  Which is a huge relief in itself!

We certainly had much more fun today.  I think that I used to be at least half fun, and didn't notice when it went away.

..................

Now sleepy dog is chilling on some tiles.  He feel sad for him, having the grumbly tumbly.  He's getting pumpkin and plain yogurt today.  Maybe a fast is in order?  I'm really confident its just another bacterial imbalance like last time, since it almost got better, and the rest of him seems a'ight.  I'm being very strict with myself about sharing table treats.

Hydration

Lately Jorah has seemed to be peeing yellow Gatorade.  He doesn't like his water bucket, (I'm thinking it needs surface agitation to really be appealing.)  So what to do?

I put water in his kibble.  Didn't even let it soak up, he licks it up same as the rest.  (And the crunch is still good for his teeth!)

A great success!  His urine was far more diluted this morning, and there was a lot more of it! 

The only downside is that he didn't get a chance to void his extra full bladder before the long evening.  That was rough.  He's a trooper.  (We had a post dinner walk around 9, I didn't want to go out at midnight, I think I went to bed at 10:30.)

So I'm thinking that I will feed him dinner sooner than 6.  Maybe around 4.

Also added water to his little "breakfast snack" this morning.  Spread the love.