Charlie Bear here with an insight into my unruly behavior. Mom Peep says I just can’t get it through my thick little skull (cute and thick, I might add) that things on the top of the wall around the perimeter of my property don’t have to be barked at.
Oh, yeah? Well, they might be intruders. They might be wanting to cause us harm. They might be IN MY TERRITORY!
Does this ever happen to you? Out on the block wall in our backyard sat a Mourning Dove. Mom called it that. I called it an interloper. I growled deep inside my furry chest, sprang to the door to be let out, then dashed across the grass and up to the wall. The Dove sat there, hunched down, fluffed out, and looked down on me. I could only spring up about two feet high so I couldn’t reach the Dove, and the Dove knew it.
She didn’t move. It didn’t matter a bit that I am king of the yard, king of the household, the keeper of the area for my Mom and Dad Peep. The Dove sat there calmly and didn’t pay me no mind.
Huh. So Mom called me inside. Told me, “Charlie Bear, you have to learn to share your yard. That Dove is fine on the wall. She won’t hurt you.”
Okay, I guess I can share just a little bit.
But that Dove better not try to come inside!
So what habits do you have? What makes you bark like crazy or chase like the wind?
Wiggles & Woofs to all,
Charlie Bear
P.S. The actual name for these birds is Mourning Dove. I wonder, are they always in mourning? Mom looked it up and it’s something about the woo woo call they make that is “mournful” in its sound. Huh. I didn’t know that. Did you?
Hey Charlie Bear,
Jake’s Mom here. After I read Shawnelle’s post about her greyhound I e-mailed a friend of mine who works with a program that has been rescuing track greyhounds for years and has several of her own. She asked if the grey had been adopted directly from the track or from an organization. If she was adopted from an organization, they may be able to help. She also mentioned that it might be helpful to have another dog brought over to show her what to do. Many dogs learn behavior from watching other dogs. She also asked how long they have had her. She said it has taken some of her rescues several weeks to get used to the stairs and it may just take a little more time. And last but not least, she said that bribery might be the answer. Most dogs need a reason to do something so the treats might work as well. Hope this helps. Jake and Kenzie are keeping their paws crossed for Sissy-Girl! Take care Charlie Bear!
Jake and Mom Peep,
Thanks for responding to Shawnelle’s Sissy-Girl’s dilemma on the stairs. Bringing another dog over to show her what to do is a GREAT idea. I should have thought of that. Big dog Rex taught me so much good stuff when he was here. I learned a lot from that big galloot.
Thank you, Jake and Kenzie, for keeping your paws crossed for Sissy-Girl. We love those Greyhounds. We’re all part of a big doggie pack.
Woofs and Wiggles to you and your Mom Peep,
Charlie Bear
FROM SHAWNELLE on her Sissy-Girl
Sissy came from an organization – but she was fresh off the track. We waited for her, she was spayed, healed, and we took her home.
I’ll check with the center, tho…great idea. Haven’t thought of having another dog come over. I’ll work on that. She isn’t very socialized yet, but maybe I can work on that, too. Treats may just work. She’ll finally take goodies from us. Had to work on that. she was very untrusting and still is afrtaid most of the time.
I love, love that she wants to be with us. A treasure, to see her grow in trust. Love it that you said she belongs in the family room!
What a kind reader you have. I’m grateful…..so worried we’ll drop her. She goes into statue mode, becomes still, looks straight at ceiling, heart pumping like mad…poor baby.
Thanks for the help. You are wonderful.
* * *
Charlie Bear here — you’re welcome, Shawnelle. We all want to see Sissy-girl become a true family member.
Wiggles & woofs to all,
Charlie Bear
We love Mourning Doves. They used to nest outside my boys’ bedroom window….
So, what habit does Sissy-Girl have? Well, this doesn’t make her bark or chase the wind, but she has developed this sweet habit. For the longest time, Sissy wouldn’t climb our stairs (Greys often do not. They’re so long. And they’re not familiar. No stairs on the track).This was sad because our family room is upstairs. At the top of a long, winding staircase. But recently she’s become such a family girl, and she’s up there nearly every time we are. Trouble is, she’s afraid to walk down. We’re working with her, but we’re also carrying her down a great deal. No biggie when the big boys are around. But when it;s just me and the little guys – she makes for full arms (mostly I worry that she’ll get hurt). So – her new habit? Lovin the fam. Climbing the stairs.
Any advice on this?
Hugs to Charlie Bear. And you, BJ:)
Shawnelle,
Charlie Bear here with wiggles & woofs to your whole family for adopting a Greyhound. They sure do have long legs! Wayyyy different from my short little stubby ones.
I can see why Sissy-Girl is afraid of the stairs — those long legs and she’s so tall — and that might be just the ticket to helping her (the seeing part). My suggestion: put little pieces of her favorite treat on each stair with her above you coming down and you walking down backwards. Keep placing a treat on each step as she follows you down. She’ll be “seeing” the steps, and the treats, instead of possibly looking out and down the entire staircase and being a bit afraid. She’ll stay focused. Worth a try!
My Mom Peep says best wishes and she’ll pray for Sissy-Girl to master those stairs on the down-side as she has mastered them on the up-side.
Wiggles & Woofs,
Charlie Bear
Thanks Mom Peep and Charlie Bear. Great idea. We’ll give it a try! And thanks for the prayers! (Will keep you posted)
Charlie Bear; B eaugie here; so i still say we are kin, I bark at everything, that makes a noise or moves; unless i’m sleeping, my peeps gets tired of it too but I ignore them and bark right on. My favorite place to exercise my lungs is on the back of an easy chair in the family room, there I can see everything that goes by on the road, I spend a lot of my time there so I can see if an interloper comes around and I can see most all that do so I spend a lot of my time barking and get my exercise that way. I only wish we had a fence in the yard so I could get out more, mom peeps says maybe one day we can get one; I surely wish that “one day” would hurry up and get here. Tell your ‘Peep MoM’ to take care of you and let you guard them real good now. More barks to you; Charlie Bear.
Wiggles and woofs to you to,
Beaugie..
Beaugie,
I like the back of Dad Peep’s easy chair, too! It’s high, it’s just our size, and it gives me full range of view. Good for you too, huh?
I told Mom Peep you said I should bark all I want and she’s having none of it. Drat. Oh, well, we try.
Wiggles and woofs to you,
Charlie Bear
My lot guard the territory too! Especially Pogo the Poodle, he can often be seen ‘securing the perimeter’! 🙂
Pogo,
So you and your lot guard the territory, too? Good doggie! Secure that perimeter!
Wiggles and woofs,
Charlie Bear
Huh..me? i don’t have any bad habits, unless you count me stopping in front of any my peeps and sitting on their feet begging for tummy rubs or protecting the farm from robbers by lying in the middle of the driveway and not letting them (anyone) get off the yard easily. i just won’t move, you know, unless they tell me over and over to, till i know they really mean it! Now Shadow…that’s the one with bad habits i tell you. Always looking for attention, one way or another. Jumping through screens into the house at the first hint of thunder, barking her head off if she can’t see me (especially at night when i want to be alone, and sleeping), Actually she barks at anything moving at night, and i try to shut her up, but she purposely misunderstands me! When Shadow tries to get into the house at night when it’s thundering, the peeps let both of us in. i’m not scared or anything, but why should Shadow be in and not me? Take care, Charlie Bear.
Right now i’m really missing Grandma Peep. She’s been gone like forever. Well, not as long as when she and missy peep go to Arizona, but longer than she’s ever been otherwise. My peeps tell me we almost lost her – sure am glad they did find her – and she’s in the hospital. She was far away in one and then all the peeps were gone like for 3 weeks, but guess she’s closer now, cause some of my peeps come home for every night, but missy peep just comes once in a while to see us and love on us. Lots of love, Sadie and of course, Shadow.
Sadie and Shadow,
I have to try that sitting on the feet thing so I get more belly rubs. The driveway sounds a bit scary…we’re so little, do you think they’d see us? I’d hate to get run over.
I had another dog that wrote in that she barked at thunder. Must be a call to the wild in us, huh?
I’m sorry you miss your Grandma Peep. I’m sad for you, and hope you get to have all of them around with you much, much more real soon.
Lots of love and wiggles and woofs,
Charlie Bear
Charlie Bear, your mom peep so understands you! I love that about her. SHe knows people pretty well too. Anyway, there’s a lotta truth in what you’re saying. Clyde thinks he’s the boss of our yard too. He still tries to run at Kitty Thelma and scare her, but she knows better. And she doesn’t run from him. What a lesson in fear, huh!
Loved this post, CB. Keep ’em coming.
Julie and Ant-Nosing Clyde,
Rex the big dog used to play-chase at Red the cat, and Red would stand his ground like he owned the place (which I’ve come to believe he did!). Clyde and Thelma probably just posture for rights to see who can make the other one flinch.
Thanks for loving my post! Love you guys, too.
Wiggles & Woofs,
Charlie Bear
My name is Kimi. My mom is typing this because I don’t have thumbs.
I like to go out at night and bark at and chase the deer that come in the yard to eat our bird seed from the feeder. I can smell them before I see them…so I throw my head in the air and bark to warn them.
Mom gets mad and calls me in. Gosh, I can never have fun. Guess I will just eat their poop in the morning. Hey!!! Don’t knock it until your try it!!!
Love, Kimi
Hi No-Thumbs Kimi!
Me, too. Mom types for me. Gotta love ’em for that.
Okay, barking at the deer, smelling them before you see them, I get all that. Here, we don’t have deer. We live kind of in the city. I bet I’d like chasing those wild things around! But eating their poop? Dude, what are you thinking? Well, maybe I’d like that, too! I won’t knock it ’til I’ve tried it. Thanks for the advice.
Now you stay healthy and offset that deer dung with some real food, like chicken and steak! Or at least kibbles and bits! lol
Wiggles and woofs,
Charlie Bear
Hey, Charlie.
My name is Duke and I”m a BIG yellow Lab! My mom rescued me when we lived in San Diego, so my sister, Tara would have someone to play with. I’m a good watch dog, like you! I bark and keep all those pesky cats away from my house! Sometimes my buddy, Spud walks by when I’m guarding the deck and I give him a little woof hello.
My mom got tired of letting me in and out, in and out, so she put in a doggie door! I like it a lot but Mom says I shouldn’t bark at anything when it’s three o’clock in the morning! Sometimes I don’t understand my peeps.
Duke,
If you’re a big yellow lab, I’d call you DUDE! My buddy Rex (who went over the Rainbow Bridge last year), was a golden lab. He was a big dude, like you. Just before that, they got me (and I’m a “Spud” in size and stature). Go rescues!
I’m wondering about the time thing myself. Seems these peeps of ours go into hibernation from like 9 or 10 p.m. until morning. The best parts of the day are gone…the black night skies, the twinkling stars, the wildlife that roams…they miss it all!
Woofs and wiggles to you!
Charlie Bear
Wow, Charlie Bear! It’s been a while since I’ve written to you, but I have a good reason! I have a baby sister! My mom adopted Kenzie, a German Shorthaired Pointer mix to keep me company, in April. She was only 8 weeks then, but now she’s almost 7 months old and is already as big as I am!! She’s a lot of fun though. We play together great and she’s a quick learner. I’ve been teaching her the ropes about how to be a good house dog and Mom is really proud of us both. She was a little wild with the three cats at first but now she loves on them and plays with them just like I do. I’m so happy to have someone around here that speaks my language!
Anyway, I bark at thunder. I can’t help it. I’m not scared of it. I don’t go and hide under the bed or anything, I want to go out right in the middle of the storm when it thunders. Mom will leave the front door open for me whenever she can so that I can look out the storm door when it starts. I don’t want that loud old thunder sneaking up on me! Kenzie doesn’t find it quite as much of a challenge as I do, but if I start barking at it, she will join in for a few woofs, too. If I bark too long, then Mom tells me it’s time to settle down and I’m a good boy so I do, but boy do I love to bark at that thunder.
Your pal,
Jake
Jake,
We’ve missed you. Glad to see you back. So you have a baby sister, Kenzie! Cool! More fun in your household. I hear you about speaking our language. Peeps just don’t get the nuances.
Barking at thunder…sounds like a GREAT idea. If we had thunder here in So Cal, I’d bark at it too. But it never rains in California (there’s that song, you know?)…well, hardly ever, and we sure don’t get the booming thunder crackling through the sky like my Mom Peep remembers from her days in the Midwest. She misses it.
So go for it. Bark at it for all of us! And Kenzie too!
Wiggles and woofs,
Charlie Bear