Class Clown

Kozmo and I are continuing agility training. I will take him to agility classes as long as he is having fun. I have always wanted an agility dog and am highly motivated to prove the trainer who told us we couldn't do agility wrong. At the end of the day all that really matters is that Kozmo is happy and loved. His past two weeks in class seem to demonstrate that Kozmo just might be having a little too much fun in class.

Last week Kozmo worked really hard in class. He stayed focused for the first 58 minutes of the hour. Kozmo did two different courses off leash making me and his trainer proud. At the very end of class we were doing some extra work on the weave poles. Admittedly the weave poles are one of our biggest weaknesses. Making sure I was ending class on a positive note and reinforcing to Kozmo that agility is fun, I sent him through the weave poles one final time and then directed him to the pause table. I yelled "table" and Kozmo jumped right up on the table. I was so proud. Remember Kozmo is always faster than me (he has more legs). I'm walking towards Kozmo with a huge smile and a handful of chicken. I wanted to give my dog lots of praise for a great class. Just as I am holding out a handful of chicken I see this look of mischief in Kozmo's eyes and in an instant he jumps off of the table and grabs the #8 cone. Each of the obstacles have a small orange cone similar to a traffic cone. Each one is numbered so the humans understand the order of the course. Kozmo had the pointy end of the orange #8 cone in his mouth so that he sort of looked like a cheer leader with a megaphone. He was off and running, shaking his head and generally having the time of his life off leash with a cone in his mouth and an audience. Kaylee's human appreciates the silly spirit in Kozmo and cheered, "Run Kozmo Run"!! Kozmo paused to make sure he was getting the desired reaction, and of course, all of the other humans were laughing. Looking back this is where I think we might not be cut out for competition. Rather than firmly correcting Kozmo's silly antics I couldn't stop laughing. Kozmo ran around the room several times. Koz had a really fun game of chase until he bumped into the tunnel and dropped the cone.

This week a very special guest joined us for agility. It was my mom's birthday and since we spent the day together I thought it would be fun for her to end a great day watching Kozmo's progress. Kozmo didn't bother waiting for the end of class to act silly. Kozmo and I were asked to go first. On our very first attempt we made a mistake and Kozmo knocked down the horizontal bar on the second jump. I'm sure I did something wrong and gave an incorrect signal. Instead of continuing on to the next obstacle Kozmo picked up one of the poles, a 4 foot long piece of pvc, and started running around the room. It was like he had a big stick, he was running round shaking his head getting lots of laughs from the other humans. The funniest part is when he ran down the length of the room. He was like a kid taking a stick down the side of a fence. Kozmo had this big pole hanging out of his mouth and ran around smacking into the wall and against all of the obstacles.

It was quickly decided Kozmo should wear a leash until he settled down and got some more focus. This plan lasted until I sent him through the tunnel. He came out the other end of the tunnel with the leash in his mouth and ran around the room.

Finally we got to try a course that included the teeter. Our trainer puts a folded towel under each end of the teeter so that the noise of the teeter hitting the ground doesn't startle the dogs. Kozmo has no fear of loud noises but he does love to steal towels or blankets when possible. In his third stunt of the evening Kozmo went over one jump and made a bee line right for the towel. Again he ran around the room proudly shaking his new treasure.

I'm starting to wonder if Kozmo will ever be a great agility student. One thing is certain, he is the best class clown. Kozmo is entertaining and makes me smile every day. Our agility training continues......

The dog ate my homework

Ok, Kozmo didn't actually eat my homework. He did eat the couch, again.

Admittedly I am not the best dog mom. When I walked into the room one morning last week to see Kozmo destroying the couch I first walked by him to turn on a light, took a photo with my phone, then used my stern voice to ask him what exactly he thought he was doing.

I was frustrated, but I quickly realized although Kozmo was doing the chewing it was the human who let him down. Due to a very busy and hectic schedule Koz didn't get enough exercise the night before. Remember, a tired dog is a good dog. This isn't the first time Kozmo chewed "his" couch. It's an old ugly couch that someone gave me for free years ago. I have been waiting for Koz to outgrow his puppy antics before replacing the couch. I'm glad I waited.

 Notice how Kozmo made himself comfortable on the cushion before he started chewing. He really is a smart dog.

In addition to Kozmo's busy social schedule and my two jobs I am also taking a photography class. Luckily, Kozmo didn't literally eat my homework. He already left his mark on the strap of my camera bag, but I've been able to keep him away from my good camera. I realize this is a problem. Kozmo is a beautiful dog and I love to take photos. In theory, I should have thousands of amazing photos of Kozmo. In reality, most of Kozzy's photos are taken with my phone or by friends.

It seems that Kozmo and my good camera are both things which require my full attention and don't seem to mix. It's hard because I have homework assignments for my photo class.  Many of my classmates take photos of their kids. My subjects are Sparky and Kozmo.

Neither of the photos below qualified as photos to use for my recent photography homework but they are the first photos I've taken with my good camera in a while. Given Kozmo's pose and expression while laying on the couch they day after his chewing festivities I had to laugh. Clearly he shows no remorse for chewing the sofa and seems to be challenging me do anything about his antics. I never did finish my photo homework, because my dog asked very nicely for a trip to the park!

Kozmo is not one bit sorry he chewed "his" couch

Sparky silently disapproves of Kozmo's antics

Dog Park

Over the weekend Kozmo was invited on a doggy play date with some of the new friends we made at dog socialization. As with most of Kozmo's activities, I was excited and Kozmo just hoped in his crate and was along for the ride. We met 3 other dog friends at the future site of the dog park. For now, it's just a huge open field bordered by a stream. Eventually there will be separate fenced in areas for big dogs and little dogs. In my perfect dream world I have hopes for some agility equipment at the dog park.

As soon as we pulled into the parking area two things happened, Kozmo saw his friends and got very excited, the wind also picked up and snow flurries started. I was really glad I paid full retail for those new gloves. We walked to the open fields and the dogs were so happy to see each other and run off leash that they stayed together as a group. It's amazing how dogs are pack animals. If I tried to walk with just Kozmo off leash it would be much more challenging to keep his focus and keep him close to me. When there are other dogs they stay together in a pack.

We braved the cold and blustery conditions for about two hours while the dogs had a great time. It's fun to see their personalities. Kozmo never gets tired of chasing a tennis ball. He's so fast poor sweet Marcy rarely had a chance to get the ball. We returned to our cars a little cold and muddy but all humans and canines were very happy.

Kozmo slept soundly for the rest of the day. I had to wake him up when it was time for dinner and wake him up again to go to the bathroom. It was a wonderful day and we can't wait to meet our friends again at the dog park. A tired dog is a good dog!

Marcy, Lexy & Kozmo - Photo by Sunny & Marcy's Human 

One of the few times Marcy had the ball. Lexy, the other black dog is very shy so it was very fun to see her playing with the other dogs.

 

Sunny & Kozmo - Photo by Sunny & Marcy's human

 Look at the mud on Kozmo's shoulders. He had so much fun playing with the other dogs. Isn't Sunny handsome?

Marcy, Kozmo & Sunny with Kozmo's human fetching the ball - Photo by Sunny & Marcy's human

 I love everything about this photo. It was a perfect afternoon. Look how happy Kozmo looks with a tennis ball in his mouth. He has trained me very well to go retrieve the other ball. He will not release the ball in his mouth until I am ready to throw the ball again. My new gloves were very warm and although they didn't match a thing I was wearing they seem to go well with the Chuck-It.

Kozmo trying to keep his ball away from Lexy and Marcy

Photo by Sunny and Marcy's human

 Kozmo takes a break from running to figure out how to destroy a tennis ball. It cracks me up to see how he uses his paws like hands. I also love that Sunny and Marcy's human captured a photo of Kozzy's webbed feet!

Koz, Marcy & Sunny in action

It was a perfect play date. Kozmo and I are looking forward to many more play dates with Sunny, Marcy and Lexy. Next week we start another session of agility classes. Sunny is going to be our class mate again. I'm really curious to see how the dogs act in school.

Dog Socialization

I'm so sad that we only have one more week of dog socialization classes left. I have no idea what Kozmo and I will do on Wednesday evenings. I hope I don't sound like a broken record but I can't stress enough how important dog socialization is for both humans and dogs. When I first signed up to take Kozmo to dog socialization I was thinking the benefits would mainly be to get him some exercise and bring home a tired dog.

What have we learned from this blog?

A tired dog is a good dog.

The exercise is an important part of socialization but the benefits for the dogs go far beyond running off some energy. In seven short weeks Kozmo has shown huge improvements in many life skills. He better understands how to approach and play with other dogs. Kozmo is a high energy dog. He lacked a lot of socialization and when I first put him in doggy daycare he thought it was ok to greet all new dogs by biting their necks. He no longer greets new dogs this way.

Kozmo continues to struggle with recall. If he is distracted he acts as though he can't hear you. After 7 weeks of dog socialization we have seen huge progress in getting his attention and having him come to me from across the room, a room full of distractions. This isn't perfect and we still have a lot more work to get a recall you can trust every time. The safety of the socialization group being inside was a great way to work on recall without the dogs being able to run away.

Kozmo has always been a happy and friendly dog. He hasn't always understood how to greet humans. I've been working hard from day one to teach him not to jump up on people. Although he's friendly and wants to be a part of what is going on he has had problems letting strangers approach and pet him. Through dog socialization Kozmo is learning to trust and let strangers greet and pet him.

I am more excited than every for the dog park to open. Regular socialization is so good for the dogs. It's also been a very positive experience for me. I've made so many wonderful new human friends.

Below are some photos from week 7 socialization. Enjoy.

Photo by: Kaylee & Rosco P's Human

 This big orange ball actually belongs to Marcy. Kozmo went up to Marcy and dropped his tennis ball. Poor sweet Marcy then dropped her big orange ball to check out the tennis ball Kozmo was offering. Kozmo instantly ran off with Marcy's toy. Poor Marcy.

Photo by: Sunny & Marcy's human

 I love how the dogs are checking out the newest member to the group.

Photo by Kaylee & Rosco P's human

 Look how happy Kozmo is after stealing this ball from Marcy.

Photo by Kaylee & Rosco P's human

Another great action shot. Here Marcy is trying to catch Kozmo. Koz only showed an interest in his frisbee when another dog wanted the frisbee. 

Photo by Lexy's human

Look closely, Sunny has two toys in his mouth! Sunny loves his lady bug toy. Another dog had the same toy. Sunny decided they were both his. I love the expression on his face.

Photo by Lexy's Human

 The above photo is an excellent example of many things happening at once during dog socialization. Some dogs take a break and watch the activity and other dogs and humans are playing in the background.

Photo by Lexy's Human

I am so grateful that other human's take and share photos each week. I love to see the photos they take. Here Lexy's human got a great full body shot of Kozmo. He was actually standing still for a change. 

Huge Progress

I love everything about the above photo. Kozmo made friends with this human because he has a great arm and throws tennis balls much further than me. Each week Kozmo has gained a little more trust with the new human and finally at the end of week 7 Kozmo allowed his new friend to get close and pet him. You can see Kozzy's blurry tail wagging. He was very happy and relaxed and I am one proud human.

We will miss our weekly dog socialization classes but will see many of our new friends at the dog park and are forever thankful for the lessons and friends made.

Valentine Yappy Hour

The doggy socialization this past week was so much fun for humans and dogs. In the spirit of Valentine's day, humans brought food to share, each dog got a special Valentine treat, and Valentine portraits were taken of the dogs. In my last post I shared a behind the scenes look of the making of the pup-cakes.

I was really looking forward to class this week. When you live in the North East and make plans in February you never know if the weather will cooperate. As I was driving home from work it began to snow. I love snow. Kozmo loves snow. However, I am irrationally terrified to drive in the snow and it was really coming down. By the time I got home I there was 2-3 inches on the ground. I was so upset, how could the weather cancel my plans to take Kozmo to Yappy Hour!?!?!?

I didn't stay up late making pup-cakes to stay home. So I loaded up the pup-cakes, my pup, and Kozzy and I made our way to Yappy Hour. The snow was much heavier in our little village and as we got closer to our destination the snow decreased. We arrived a few minutes late and the dogs were already playing.

Kozmo bound into the room with his usual enthusiasm and was soon greeted by his friend Sunny and the other dogs. Our first order of business was the formal Valentine portrait. When it was Kozmo's turn I tried to get him to sit and stay for a photo. He was distracted and ran after tennis balls intended for other dogs, twice. We managed to get a photo of a mostly still Kozmo and he went back to running and chasing tennis balls.

My funny, furry Valentine

When I dropped off the pup-cakes I couldn't believe how many yummy treats the other humans brought to share. Kozmo's new routine during socialization is to run and run and run and then lay down with his tennis ball. Something new and wonderful happened. Kozmo let a total stranger approach him and start petting his belly. My heart melted. My sweet shelter pup has come such a long way. I was a proud human.

It's not a great photo. Heck, it's not even an ok photo. But what I was able to capture with my phone is a very special moment. Before I started coming to dog socialization a few short weeks ago Kozmo would have never, NEVER, allowed this to happen. I really enjoyed talking to this very nice couple and Kozmo really wanted to play with their dog. The two dogs played well for a few minutes, then they got a bit rough, and then as soon as someone threw a tennis ball Kozmo was distracted and onto the next thing.

As Yappy Hour was winding down I tried to make my way to the food area and try some of the many delicious looking treats available. I picked up a pretzel and stuck it in some dip, as I was putting the pretzel to my mouth I looked up to see my dog pooping on the floor! So much for dinner. By the time I was done cleaning up after Kozmo, collected his Valentine portrait, and gathered up his tennis balls, it was time to go home.

Next time there is a Yappy Hour I am going to follow the wise example set by Sunny and Marcy's human. I am going to go early, leave Koz in the car, and enjoy some food and human socialization during the little dog play group and then be able to focus all of my attention on Kozzy during the big dog hour. Kozmo and I are looking forward to the remaining two dog socialization classes. This has been a wonderful experience for dogs and humans.

Pup-cakes

Kozmo and I have been lucky enough to meet some wonderful people through dog socialization. We were really looking forward to the Valentine themed “Yappy Hour” this week. In addition to the regular hour of dog socialization, the plan was for the humans to bring food to share, special Valentine treats for the dogs, AND a special Valentine photo opportunity for the dogs!!

Seriously, how could anyone not be excited about this?

One of my first thoughts was, what should I bring? Normal people probably think of something easy or their regular specialty for covered dish occasions.  Especially when this event is on a weeknight, after work. I started thinking, what could I make that is edible for the humans but looks like a dog?

I decided the only possible solution would be to make cupcakes and decorate them to look not just like a dog, but look like Kozmo.

If you know me then you know that once I get an idea in my head I am on a mission and rationale and logic do not apply. I entered into the research phase.  I spent an embarrassing amount of time online looking at how other people decorated cupcakes to look like dogs.  It’s also worth noting that I am not a baker. I firmly believe that there are highly trained professionals who make amazing desserts and it’s much better to buy a quality dessert than for me to attempt it.

Once I attempted to bake a cake for my mom’s birthday. It was the driest cake ever and the lemon flavor was very strong. My poor mom ate a piece to be polite and started asking me how I made the cake. It was from a box. I missed the step where you add water. I screwed up a box cake.

Another time I made brownies from scratch and took them to a family party where my uncle Bob asked me just how I could make brownies that dry.  It turns out the brownies were made to perfection. I screwed up and left the pan on the over burner on an electric stove that acted as the vent for the oven while I baked something else. So the brownies actually got baked twice.

I have not attempted to bake anything in years. I'm a pretty good cook, but I do not bake. I can not explain why I decided I had to make Kozzy Kakes, but once the idea got stuck in my head there was no getting it back out again. In my research I found some of the best-looking pup-cakes used fondant icing. For some reason, fondant really intimated me. I felt like it was something professionals used.  As I got further into my research I learned fondant is not vegetarian, it contains gelatin.

I ended up with several online photos of pup-cakes that used various types of candy and icing for decoration. I wasn’t sure exactly how this was going to work but I wanted to combine a few ideas for Kozzy Kakes. I gathered my supplies.

I knew exactly what type of cupcake I wanted to bake. A very dear friend of mine is known to some as “the cupcake lady” because she makes these amazing chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese and chocolate chips in the center.  I decided this was the perfect recipe. Not only is it yummy, it’s also black and white like Koz. Making the cupcakes was easy.

Decorating the cupcakes to look like Koz or any type of dog was when my plan got a little tricky. I knew in my head what I wanted but didn’t know how to make this happen with the supplies I had on hand. I decided to use Tootsie Rolls for the ears. When melted and shaped they seemed to look like floppy ears. It took hours and I produced 3 prototypes. I was hung up on the spotted ear. Making a cupcake look like your dog is not easy.

Finally I came up with the brilliant idea that we should use part of a marshmallow to make the snouts. This simple solution changed everything.

Since it was getting close to midnight on a weeknight the I had to let go of the idea that each cupcake had to look like Kozmo and just make pup-cakes. I tried not to be a perfectionist and just created an assembly line.

What I think are pretty darn adorable (and yummy) pup-cakes for the Valentine “Yappy Hour” were successfully completed.  I think it is safe to say I was more excited than Kozmo for this week’s socialization.

If you have any crazy ideas about how you might like to replicate these pup-cakes. I used melted Tootsie Rolls for the ears, melted Starburst for the tongues, marshmallow and Raisnettes for the nose, store bought candy eyes, and alternated between large chocolate chips and Tootsie Rolls for the spot behind the one eye. I apologize for the photo quality, all photos were taken with my phone.

Happy Valentine's Day

 

Happy Valentines Day!!

Kozmo attended a "Valentine Yappy Hour" last night. The wonderful folks from the dog park association who have been hosting the weekly doggy socialization classes decided to do something a little special for Valentine's day. An area was set up for the humans to eat and everyone brought lots of yummy food to share. Each of the dogs got a special Valentine treat. One of the highlights was a photographer was set up to capture Valentine portraits of the dogs. Stayed tuned for more photos and a special post about the pup-cakes I made for yappy hour.