We've had "Baby" for over a year. We new when we got her, she definitely had some trust issues. It took several months to house brake her, and even longer to teach her even basic commands (sit, stay, heel, etc). In the spring we enrolled her in a basic dog obedience class. But she freaked around the other dogs, the leader of the class, and cowered terribly and wet and pooed herself. YUCK!
Understanding she was probably a victim of abuse, we've tolerated her barking, her shyness, and inability to be around other dogs and people. However, recently, when she got out of the house and wouldn't come when called or get in our van, I realized giving in to her fears was the worst thing we could do.
After an hour and a half of not getting anywhere with her, our entire family gave up. I was angry and said so many things that I wish I could take back now. One of them was, "Well, she's been with us a year. She should trust us." Another was, "Fine, get hit by a car, you deserve it." I acted like it wouldn't bother me.
But as she wandered toward the highway running circles around us, I cringed. We tried to catch her again, but to no avail. So we ran along the highway hoping she'd follow us because she loved to chase us. That's when it happened.
As fast as lightening, she shot out into that 4 lane highway. My heart sank and I let out a hellish scream that could wake the dead. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Too late!
My scream was deafened by honking horns and squealing tires as cars tried to stop. My worst nightmare flashed before my eyes as I envisioned her being thrown under the the wheels of the car. A precious 15 pounds of sweetness--gone forever!
That's when something bigger hit me. Just like Baby, I was abused most of my life too. I thought about how long it took me to really trust my third husband after being abused by the other two for so long. It was definitely more than a year. We've been together 17 years and sometimes I still have trust issues.
"God forgive me."
In a split second the greatest miracle happened right before my eyes. Baby didn't get squished by the car that hit her. Instead it ran over her left paw, the tire burned against her left jaw, and she went running across the highway, completely missing the other two cars headed straight for her.
"Thank you God," I cried as I ran after her.
She whimpered as she hobbled at a fast pace for 3 blocks and then stopped. We picked her up into our arms, carried her home, and called the vet. I thought for sure she had at least broken her leg. So we prayed, "God please heal her and don't let her have any broken bones."
By the time we got to the vet, she wasn't even limping anymore. He checked her over and said, "It's definitely a miracle that she's even alive. But what's even more amazing is that she doesn't have any broken bones."
Tears filled my eyes. I was so thankful to God, not just for healing our precious BABY, but for showing me that I should never give up on anyone or anything--because FAITH and believing heals all wounds in time!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
She's A Bully
Baby, our new min-pin, rat terrier, chiahuahua mix is definitely a handful. We call her "our bully". She's the exact opposite of our other dog, Snickers. He never has to be caged if we go away or leave the room, she always has to be caged, sometimes while we're in the room. She's chewed 3 holes in my carpet, dug up and chew at my throw rug in front of the door, gnawed through various headphones and cell phone charger cords, mp3's, you name it, if there's a cord, you might say she's plugged in!
And walking her has been a real treat, or at least trying to train her to heel on a leash. She thinks she's a Rottweiler and wants full control, until she sees a dog ready to attack her. Then she lets out this whimpy squeal and acts like a psycho dog. But I totally understand, because that's what true bullies do--they bark at other dogs unless a bigger dog comes at them.
We use her in presentations to teach kids that bullies need love too. We definitely love her, but we don't take her crap, instead we train her up and discipline her so she's not a bully and abusive to others anymore. We're not going to throw her away just because she's a little hard to handle, no, we're going to love her more and work harder at training her to be the best dog she can be.
Because really, there's nothing more precious than when this little bully cuddles up in my arms at the end of the day and gives me kisses. It makes everything I invest in her more than worth it.
So don't give up on your bullies, love them, discipline them, and help them to be the best they can be!
And walking her has been a real treat, or at least trying to train her to heel on a leash. She thinks she's a Rottweiler and wants full control, until she sees a dog ready to attack her. Then she lets out this whimpy squeal and acts like a psycho dog. But I totally understand, because that's what true bullies do--they bark at other dogs unless a bigger dog comes at them.
We use her in presentations to teach kids that bullies need love too. We definitely love her, but we don't take her crap, instead we train her up and discipline her so she's not a bully and abusive to others anymore. We're not going to throw her away just because she's a little hard to handle, no, we're going to love her more and work harder at training her to be the best dog she can be.
Because really, there's nothing more precious than when this little bully cuddles up in my arms at the end of the day and gives me kisses. It makes everything I invest in her more than worth it.
So don't give up on your bullies, love them, discipline them, and help them to be the best they can be!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Dogs Stole The Show--Press Release in Newspaper
The Dogs Stole The Show
On Christmas Eve, the Pet Therapy Team of Owosso, put on two trick presentations for local patients. Lisa Freeman and her two dogs, Snickers and Baby Ruth put a short program they called, Twas The Day Before Christmas. The first skit was held at Memorial Healthcare for patients in the extended care unit. And the second presentation took place at Pleasant View Medical Care Facility for the elderly.
Lisa talked about various forms of abuse and violence through poetry, stories, and real life encounters. Baby Ruth even came out dressed in her black and white prisoner costume. “I use her to demonstrate a bully or abuser,” Lisa says. “She’s truly the bully of our house.” A few minutes later, Lisa holds up a picture of Baby in a pretty pink princess costume. “But I explain that even though she’s bad sometimes and acts mean, that in my eyes she’s a princess, and I still love her and will work even harder to train her.”
Later, Baby and Snickers came out in their Santa suits. “As I explain how to get safe in a violent or abusive situation, the dogs put on a variety of tricks.” All the patients cheered and clapped as the pooches performed. On command Snickers gave “five”, sat, crawled, spoke, laid down, sat pretty, rolled over, and even jumped through a hoop. While Baby is still learning, she ended off with a cute little dance routine. “The dogs definitely stole the show,” Lisa says. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The team ended off by doing what they do best—Pet Therapy. While Lisa passed out Christmas cards, candy canes, and a warm hug to patients, Snickers and Baby gave kisses and let everyone pet them.
“So many people came up and thanked us,” Lisa said. “But I explained that we’re the ones who are truly blessed, because we get to give a smile to so many people who may be lonely, sick, or sad.” See actual article with pictures @ www.abusebites.com.
Lisa and Snickers feel sad sometimes too, because there aren’t enough people in the community doing Pet Therapy. “Sometimes we’re so busy doing workshops,” Lisa says, “I can’t always get to the hospital or nursing home.” That’s why in January they are offering a Pet Therapy Class to anyone over the age of 12 who’s interested. Students will learn the tricks to getting their dog certified. “There are definitely some tricks you must know,” Lisa says. “Snickers passed the test after working with him for only 10 days. But there were other dogs there that were being professionally trained for months that didn’t even pass.”
Email Classes will begin in February 2008. For more information, please contact Lisa Freeman @ lisafreeman1@charter.net.
On Christmas Eve, the Pet Therapy Team of Owosso, put on two trick presentations for local patients. Lisa Freeman and her two dogs, Snickers and Baby Ruth put a short program they called, Twas The Day Before Christmas. The first skit was held at Memorial Healthcare for patients in the extended care unit. And the second presentation took place at Pleasant View Medical Care Facility for the elderly.
Lisa talked about various forms of abuse and violence through poetry, stories, and real life encounters. Baby Ruth even came out dressed in her black and white prisoner costume. “I use her to demonstrate a bully or abuser,” Lisa says. “She’s truly the bully of our house.” A few minutes later, Lisa holds up a picture of Baby in a pretty pink princess costume. “But I explain that even though she’s bad sometimes and acts mean, that in my eyes she’s a princess, and I still love her and will work even harder to train her.”
Later, Baby and Snickers came out in their Santa suits. “As I explain how to get safe in a violent or abusive situation, the dogs put on a variety of tricks.” All the patients cheered and clapped as the pooches performed. On command Snickers gave “five”, sat, crawled, spoke, laid down, sat pretty, rolled over, and even jumped through a hoop. While Baby is still learning, she ended off with a cute little dance routine. “The dogs definitely stole the show,” Lisa says. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The team ended off by doing what they do best—Pet Therapy. While Lisa passed out Christmas cards, candy canes, and a warm hug to patients, Snickers and Baby gave kisses and let everyone pet them.
“So many people came up and thanked us,” Lisa said. “But I explained that we’re the ones who are truly blessed, because we get to give a smile to so many people who may be lonely, sick, or sad.” See actual article with pictures @ www.abusebites.com.
Lisa and Snickers feel sad sometimes too, because there aren’t enough people in the community doing Pet Therapy. “Sometimes we’re so busy doing workshops,” Lisa says, “I can’t always get to the hospital or nursing home.” That’s why in January they are offering a Pet Therapy Class to anyone over the age of 12 who’s interested. Students will learn the tricks to getting their dog certified. “There are definitely some tricks you must know,” Lisa says. “Snickers passed the test after working with him for only 10 days. But there were other dogs there that were being professionally trained for months that didn’t even pass.”
Email Classes will begin in February 2008. For more information, please contact Lisa Freeman @ lisafreeman1@charter.net.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Crappy Performance Cleans Up Nice!
Taking 2 dogs anywhere can be a catastrophe, but adding a 3 1/2 month old puppy, an hours drive, getting caught in rush hour traffic, and ending up in the wrong part of Saginaw can be down right scary!
We made it, just in the knick of time. I breathed a sigh of relief as we carried all the dogs, books, and set up equipment into the gymnasium. I thought nothing of it as the puppy, Little Miss BABY, sniffed her way around. I thought she was just checking the place out. YEAH RIGHT! What was I thinking??? Maybe that she had just went TINKLE on the lawn before we brought her in. Well, we should have waited just a little longer...
Because, before I could say a firm "NO!" she let it GO--that's right, all over the gym floor. And we had nearly 100 students that would be stampeding through the doors any minute.
THINK FAST! My brain raced and my head spun. I couldn't remember where I put the wipes.
Thankfully, one of the school volunteers, a really sweet lady, handed me some paper towel. I dove to the floor and thankfully was able to SCOOP THE POOP before the kids came trapsing in. Because as I always say, "the show must go on!"
Although the back to back presentations started out a little on the CRAPPY side, everything turned out great in the end! Baby and Snickers put on another fabulous trick performance, and the kids/teens learned how to stop bullying and abuse. To check out the full article online log onto http://www.mlive.com/news/saginawnews/index.ssf?/base/news-24/119340674782800.xml&coll=9
Just another day in the life of a Pet Lover :)
1# Take the puppy outside every 1-2 hours during the day-- And PRAISE them when they do their duty! "Good Girl" or whatever... but remember they're just puppies and accidents will happen--at least for the first couple of months. We also used a puppy pen and used puppy pads on the floor which she used most of the time. But really if you want the puppy to go outside, this just slows the process down. Once we took the pen and the pads away, she learned in just a week!
2# When Your Puppy Potties on the floor try saying "Ah Ah!" to distract them and take them outside promptly. If you don't find the mess or puddle until later, there's not much you can do but clean it up.
3# Make note of her "crappy" times (pups usually have some sort of schedule--they tend to dump at the same times every day)--however, as we learned through my little ordeal in the gym, all schedules are subject to change
4# Crate Train your puppy at night and when you go away to avoid accidents--puppies/dogs generally will hold it, as they don't want to lay in it. (We put Baby in a larger crate once and she did tinkle, so now we put her in a smaller crate--and no accidents since!)
We made it, just in the knick of time. I breathed a sigh of relief as we carried all the dogs, books, and set up equipment into the gymnasium. I thought nothing of it as the puppy, Little Miss BABY, sniffed her way around. I thought she was just checking the place out. YEAH RIGHT! What was I thinking??? Maybe that she had just went TINKLE on the lawn before we brought her in. Well, we should have waited just a little longer...
Because, before I could say a firm "NO!" she let it GO--that's right, all over the gym floor. And we had nearly 100 students that would be stampeding through the doors any minute.
THINK FAST! My brain raced and my head spun. I couldn't remember where I put the wipes.
Thankfully, one of the school volunteers, a really sweet lady, handed me some paper towel. I dove to the floor and thankfully was able to SCOOP THE POOP before the kids came trapsing in. Because as I always say, "the show must go on!"
Although the back to back presentations started out a little on the CRAPPY side, everything turned out great in the end! Baby and Snickers put on another fabulous trick performance, and the kids/teens learned how to stop bullying and abuse. To check out the full article online log onto http://www.mlive.com/news/saginawnews/index.ssf?/base/news-24/119340674782800.xml&coll=9
Just another day in the life of a Pet Lover :)
Potty Training Tips:
1# Take the puppy outside every 1-2 hours during the day-- And PRAISE them when they do their duty! "Good Girl" or whatever... but remember they're just puppies and accidents will happen--at least for the first couple of months. We also used a puppy pen and used puppy pads on the floor which she used most of the time. But really if you want the puppy to go outside, this just slows the process down. Once we took the pen and the pads away, she learned in just a week!
2# When Your Puppy Potties on the floor try saying "Ah Ah!" to distract them and take them outside promptly. If you don't find the mess or puddle until later, there's not much you can do but clean it up.
3# Make note of her "crappy" times (pups usually have some sort of schedule--they tend to dump at the same times every day)--however, as we learned through my little ordeal in the gym, all schedules are subject to change
4# Crate Train your puppy at night and when you go away to avoid accidents--puppies/dogs generally will hold it, as they don't want to lay in it. (We put Baby in a larger crate once and she did tinkle, so now we put her in a smaller crate--and no accidents since!)
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The Wagging Winner!
I entered my two pups, Snickers & Baby, in a Pet Costume Contest. There were 3 judging's, small pooches (15-20 all together), large pooches (5), and then groups (10). In the small pooches category, Snickers, dressed in his Harley Jacket & cap won 1st, & Baby in her Little Princess outfit won 2nd!
Finally we're making some TRACKS in the right direction. We're proud parents today :) Let us PAWS for a nap.
Forgot to mention we were running around like frenzied parents all week trying to get all the stuff for their costumes. And the TIARA for Baby's head, well that was a 2-day ordeal. I have to thank my sister for all the hard work on that. I bought everything and watched real close. I guess I'm learning from my dog's--the watching real close that is. They are so good at just sitting there while we do all the work.
It's definitely a Dog's World.
Finally we're making some TRACKS in the right direction. We're proud parents today :) Let us PAWS for a nap.
Forgot to mention we were running around like frenzied parents all week trying to get all the stuff for their costumes. And the TIARA for Baby's head, well that was a 2-day ordeal. I have to thank my sister for all the hard work on that. I bought everything and watched real close. I guess I'm learning from my dog's--the watching real close that is. They are so good at just sitting there while we do all the work.
It's definitely a Dog's World.
She's Just A Baby
She's Just a Baby--all 6 pounds of her. But she has teeth like Jaws, an attitude like Chucky, and a mentality of a Rottweiler!
She looked so cute when we first saw her. Sad little puppy dog eyes. Weighing only 4 pounds she fit perfectly in one of my hands. And the way she kissed my face was enough for me to give my husband the answer he'd been waiting to hear for weeks, "Yes, we'll take her!"
What was not to like. For a Rat Terrier, Chihuahua, Min-Pin Mix, she was adorable. However, I'd never owned any of those breeds, and had no idea what I was getting into. DUH!
Her first night home she turned into psycho dog, started running around like the Tasmanian Devil and flipped out on my kids. I wasn't sure if I needed to call the Dog Whisperer, a priest, or an exorcist. I mean they have Pit Bulls put down for less.
In just two months, we've been able to get her biting under control, for the most part. But she is a puppy, a teething one at that, who is born to bite. So we just had to retrain her brain...
She looked so cute when we first saw her. Sad little puppy dog eyes. Weighing only 4 pounds she fit perfectly in one of my hands. And the way she kissed my face was enough for me to give my husband the answer he'd been waiting to hear for weeks, "Yes, we'll take her!"
What was not to like. For a Rat Terrier, Chihuahua, Min-Pin Mix, she was adorable. However, I'd never owned any of those breeds, and had no idea what I was getting into. DUH!
Her first night home she turned into psycho dog, started running around like the Tasmanian Devil and flipped out on my kids. I wasn't sure if I needed to call the Dog Whisperer, a priest, or an exorcist. I mean they have Pit Bulls put down for less.
But instead, being the PET LOVER that I am, I decided to work with her myself.
In just two months, we've been able to get her biting under control, for the most part. But she is a puppy, a teething one at that, who is born to bite. So we just had to retrain her brain...
- Instead of biting fingers--we tell her "kisses" and give her a bone to chew on
- Instead of biting our cell phone cords (she's now chewed through 2) we bought her, her own set of orange extension cords (NO JUST KIDDING--although the thought did cross our minds!)--but no seriously we give her a toy :)
- Instead of biting on my son's BRAND NEW SHAQ shoes--(you guessed it--we give her a toy!)
- Instead of chewing through my daughters new MP3 Player--(yes, we give the Little Princess a TOY!)
- Instead of chewing on the Coffee table (yep, we give her a toy!)
This dog has more toys than all 4 of my kids put together!
I'm starting to take up chewing on things myself, so I can get a NEW TOY!
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