Hello to all my friends and fans,
I would like to apologize for not updating
my blog lately. I know that many of you
check in often and have not seen much news.
Now I have something to report. Those people
close to me know that, for some time now,
I have considered making a major change of
pace and scenery. After careful consideration,
I decided that the time was right for me and the
boys to make that move.
Where to go – that was the million dollar
question. Throughout my career, my travels
across the U.S. often brought me to the coastal
areas of South Carolina, particularly the
Myrtle Beach area. I had always considered
a possible move there later in life. While it is
indeed a beautiful spot, I determined at this
point that it just didn’t fit my needs. However,
I did find the place I was looking for only a few
hours away in the mountains of western
North Carolina. I knew this was the place for the
big guy (Laddie) to spend his latter years, and
that the little guy (Throttle) would love.
About a month ago, we made the big move.
I should also say that neither I nor
Weatherwax Trained Dogs will be disappearing.
We’ve just moved southward, not taken that long
last walk into the sunset. I’ve noted some
interesting differences between life in California
and living in the Carolina mountains. The weather
here is somewhat milder than my California
weather, and it does rain more often. I was used
to living in the more desert-like regions of
Southern California. We had heat but no fleas,
no ticks, and no heartworm. We also didn’t get
much rain or any real change of seasons. In many
respects, the Carolina mountains will give us
a dose of reality or at least something radically
different from the high desert where Laddie and
Throttle have spent most or all of their lives.
The boys really seem to love it here, and they
are adjusting as naturally as a dog to a
bush – pun intended! The big guy is enjoying
seeing tall trees, and the little guy is astounded
by them as well. One of the things that they both
look forward to is our daily nature walks and
hiking through the woods where our little
house is located. They also love sitting along
the river that flows by not far from my front
porch. We have settled close to friends who
have a collie kennel, so Laddie has some other
collie pals to hang with. Throttle doesn’t mind
that; he’s happy to be anywhere with his big guy.
I have my own adjustments to make too.
I love it here, but there will always be a place in
my heart for California. More updates on life in
Carolina in later blogs….
As I start getting back in the swing of writing
regular blogs, one thing I would like to do is to
include a tip or some advice to help you and
your pets. This little story and tip come from
our first trip to our new veterinary office.
When we arrived, we needed to make an
appointment to start heartworm protection.
In the vet’s lobby area, a woman was trying to
coax her two dogs into entering the office,
much to their displeasure. One of the dogs
decided not to go along with the program.
He was going to be out of there. Sure enough,
he slipped off his collar and was out the door.
Frantic, the woman tied down her other dog
and proceeded to chase after the runaway.
She made two basic mistakes, one after the
other. First, I always encourage the use of
a chain collar or a halter when taking a dog
some place he is unfamiliar or where he may
be scared or unhappy. Dogs can spook, and you
may not be prepared to deal with the change
in behavior. So you’ve got to have the right tools
at hand. Flat collars can be good and they do have
a purpose, but not in this kind of a situation, not
when you need to have better control.
Second, the woman made a bad situation
worse by giving into her panic. Yelling and
screaming, she chased after her dog. All this
will do is to frighten the dog even more.
The dog is likely to run even faster and
farther away. Some dogs may think they’re
now in trouble while other will look upon it as
a game. Here’s the right thing to do if you ever
find yourself in this situation. Act quickly,
but calmly. Kneel down and call the dog.
Praise him for coming to you. Some people
suggest turning, walking or running in the
opposite direction to reclaim the dog’s
interest, particularly if he thinks he’s now
playing a game with you. He’ll come get you
faster than you can go after him!
Imagine if this situation at the vet’s office had
occurred near a busy street – or worse – near
a highway. Using the tips listed above could
save your dog from harm’s way.
The other alternative – if you know that your
dog shows fear at the vet’s office – is to keep him
cool and comfortable in your vehicle until
he can be taken directly in to the exam room.
You will also prevent the stress of being around
sick animals, people and noises in the waiting
area.
What happened to the woman and the dog who
slipped out of his collar and ran off? Fortunately,
this story had a happy ending. The office was well
away from a busy road. The woman retrieved
her dog, replaced the collar, and got him to walk
calmly into the office. By the way, our appointment
went great. Laddie and Throttle liked the new vet.
That’s it for now! You’ll be hearing a lot more
often from me. I’ll be chatting about life in the
Carolinas and our plans for the future.
Coming up later this month is a special
interview Laddie and I will be doing for a BBC
documentary. And don’t forget to send me an
e-mail if you’ve got some questions about
training. For a reasonable fee, we can
schedule a phone appointment for a
one-on-one consultation. Check the website
for details.
Until next time,
Bob
