Cody's Life

Sunday, July 30, 2006

PetsHotel rant

I just want to take this time to complain.

Let me recap and then you can understand why I must complain:

Saturday morning: I called PetSmart to see what the requirements were to drop off Cody for the day on Sunday. I specifically mentioned that I would like to leave him on Sunday and they specified the appropriate documentation I would need (just vaccinations pretty much) . I even had the option to either fax it ahead of time or bring it in.

A few hours later, we were driving by PetSmart so we decided to drop off a copy of the appropriate documentation. Of course, this was when we were informed that Sunday was completely booked unless we had a reservation. This information WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL WHEN I CALLED EARLIER. (Hint: read the caps as why I must complain).

Luckily, a co-worker was able to check in on Cody on Sunday afternoon since we already had plans to be out all day. Needless to say, even last minute, PetSmart is unable to accommodate. Therefore, I retract the last post since I can't think of a single reason why PetSmart has any advantages over PlanetPooch now.

Friday, July 28, 2006

Review of PetsMart's PetsHotel

I am now a faithful consumer of PetsMart for three reasons:
  1. They are super close to work (within 2 miles)
  2. They match competitor's prices and coupons
  3. They have a lot of stuff
They just opened their new PetsHotel a few weeks ago, and I thought I'd get a tour on their grand opening weekend since they were giving free one-night stay coupons.

I was a bit disappointed. But here's the recap compared to PlanetPooch:

Advantage: PetsHotel:
  • Cheaper than PlanetPooch (about $20 a day - PlanetPooch is normally $35/day)
  • An Overnight Stay is $23/night, but it starts after 7pm and can extend to noon the next day (PlanetPooch requires pick-up by 8:30 or 9am)
  • There is a "Bone Booth" where you can "call" to your dog
  • Special treat options (doggie ice cream and kongs) for an additional cost
  • Flexible hours - fully operational on weekends
  • Cheaper grooming ($10 for a bath, $8 for a nail trim)
  • Really nearby (PlanetPooch is about 15 miles away if I don't use the shuttle)
  • Can be dropped off last-minute (no space restrictions)
  • If enrolled in obedience classes at PetsMart, the instructor can teach the dog without the owner's attendance
  • Can also allow cats to stay (but who would want that anyways?)
Advantage: PlanetPooch:
  • More personalized care (you specify if your dog is allowed on the furniture and the staff will maintain that rule during overnight stays for example)
  • Home Stays with staff (rather than sterile cells)
  • Ability to play outdoors (and in the pool!)
  • Much bigger play area
  • More care in figuring out appropriate socialization area (requires an initial screening to place the dog in the most appropriate play room)
  • Web Cams!
  • Medicine can be applied free of charge
  • MUCH better website (With all the information you need to make any decisions - I am still confused about the pricing and times for many of the PetsHotel options and the printed brochures nor the website help at all)

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Phoenix the Vizsla

I feel like Phoenix should have his own sole post of the day, but I was reading updates on Phoenix on his new blog, and having a Vizsla, I can really relate to the last post - "God must have sent dogs to tell us, among other things, that we are wanted."

Here's a link to Phoenix's blog: http://phoenixthevizsla.blogspot.com/
Great use for a cat

I've never been much of a cat fan (mostly because I'm highly allergic to cats), but this seems like a decent use of a cat. Maybe I should get one for Cody....

Monday, July 24, 2006

Red Sox fan

To support his favorite baseball team (which luckily happens to be my favorite baseball team as well) Cody has donned his gear before the first game of the Red Sox vs. As series.


Thursday, July 20, 2006

Doggie Gym

I was watching the Dog Whisperer when I was at the gym today. Cesar's basic philosophy is to handle dogs with exercise, discipline, and affection ... in that order. The show I was watching had a nervous shelter dog that had excess energy and tended to pace back and forth. Eventually, one of the therapy recommendations was to introduce a treadmill to the dog to help make sure the dog is focused (if he is off-pace, he'll fall off the treadmill) and get more exercise.

I never thought that a treadmill would actually work, but it looked plausible (an automatic, rather than a manual treadmill since manual treadmills might be too tricky since the dog would have to push off to get it started).

Right now, Cody is great for a running partner (especially now that he's not pulling as much). However, maybe in the future, it's definitely good to think of a treadmill as another option to help Cody's focus and get more exercise.

And if you're wondering where Cody is today, it's Thursday so he's at Planet Pooch
He *should* be found in the Purple/Intergalactic Room.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Certain Addictions

Cody has 2 issues (well, 2 main issues that he may need therapy for):

1) He's a kleptomaniac. He loves other people's toys/treats/bones more than his own. In fact, this is a common scenario when he's playing with Miya:

Cody chews on his hoof and Miya chews on another (identical) hoof.
Cody notices that Miya is chewing something.
Cody drops his own hoof and steals Miya's hoof out of her mouth.
Cody proceeds to gnaw on his new hoof.
Miya is confused for a second and then picks up Cody's original hoof and starts gnawing.
Rinse and Repeat.

2) He has an oral fixation, especially when he needs to eliminate (see definition 4)

I have already described his greeting ritual. He continues to need an item in his mouth before he can properly greet a new guest.

I have not yet told you about this habit: Cody will find a bone or hoof or piece of rawhide and take it with him when I let him outside in the backyard. He will carry the item in his mouth when he urinates, but he needs to put down this item before he will go #2. However, after the completion of going #2, he has forgotten that he brought anything out to begin with. Instead of having all his toys and chew items outside in the backyard (especially with the risk of being eliminated on), I have now taught him to go back and get whatever he needs to get. Luckily, he just needs a gentle reminder of "Go get it" and a vague directional pointer to jog his memory (This way I can stay in my PJs and the safety of my warm home without going outside and directing him towards his item). Of course, the first time we performed this trick, I had to say "Go get it" a few times until he picked up everything in the backyard. :)

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Cody at the Gates of Hell



Cody has been aspiring to become a scupture model when he grows up. For that reason, yesterday, he tried to imitate the images of those in agony at the Gates of Hell (Rodin).

Monday, July 17, 2006

Cody and the baby

Yesterday, I left Cody outside in the shade while I went into Starbucks to get an iced coffee. I was watching through the window as a mom brought her 1 year old to visit Cody (I guessed 1 year old because he was barely walking).

Even as a dog-lover, I don't think I would ever introduce a baby to a strange dog with no owner around. Even if he looked friendly (Cody was not his normal, super-hyper, jumping self since it was too hot for him), you never know what can set a dog off. Especially a youngster who doesn't necessarily know the difference between a dog and say a stuffed animal. Maybe the baby would accidentally poke the dog's eye and the dog would respond poorly. I don't know. Just random scenarios.

I have met too many dogs while walking Cody that had issues. In fact, I'm surprised how few dogs are socially trained and can act appropriately (or not hostile) to other dogs or humans. For that observation alone, I would never trust a young child with a random dog without checking with the owner first.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Saddest dog show ever.

If you are a fan of Futurama (i.e. a decent human being), you have likely seen the Jurassic Bark episode where Fry has a chance to clone his long dead pet dog.

I don't want to give away any spoilers, but DO NOT WATCH THIS EPISODE. I am not kidding. This is like when your mom tells you not to touch the hot stove but you do it anyway and get a spiral shaped filament burn on your hand. Except with more crying.

Seriously. This episode is so sad you it will cause you to write livejounal poetry and enjoy the music of Dashboard Confessional and Saves the Day.

If you care for dogs at all and have a human heart (i.e. not a robot), do not watch this video clip.

http://cartoons.peekvid.com/s2224/e16909/

-Christian
Found at Last!

Finding Cody on the PlanetPooch web cams is like spotting a UFO. When you see one, you don't think it really exists, but you hope that it might be. The analogy stops when you decide to take a picture and send it to the National Enquirer since I doubt they would be interested in Cody sightings.

Anyways, when the shuttle picked Cody up this morning, I asked where he was every week. Dan (the shuttle driver and part founder of PlanetPooch) had said that there has been an influx of smaller dogs so they've moved Cody to the larger dog area (Central Bark) which is outside or the new area (Intergalactic/Purple Room). When I tried to check Cody out today, he was front and center on the web cam! He exists! It is not a myth. Cody is in fact REAL!

You can see for yourself at http://www.planetpooch.com/webcams/rwc.php?cam=purple.

By the way, there is another Vizsla that is bigger and paler than Cody. He also has a longer tail. (Dan's dog is a Vizsla). If you see a hyper, smaller Vizsla, that's Cody.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Calling a Bluff

Since I am a poker enthusiast, I will supply another poker analogy.

I read a few more chapters on Cesar's Way. In the book, Cesar argues that a dog always knows if you're bluffing or not. If you threaten or give a command, if you won't actually make the dog obey, he'll sense it and just disobey. I don't agree. Many times I have told Cody to let go of some pig ear or bone or to stop growling. I have always rolled him if he doesn't stop. However, I thought about it a little bit longer and this is Phoebe's interpretation of Cesar's idea:

I think the key is the risk of calling your bluff. If you are a tight poker player (you are consistently dominant over your dog), it's rare when your dog will call when you make a big raise. However, if you are a risky player (and your dominance over the dog is unpredictable at best), then the dog will likely call or re-raise - after all, the odds of winning are much higher and the "pot" (or pig ear) is worth the risk.

I'm sure the analogy doesn't go very far, but I think the psychology in playing games with risk and potential winnings is the same in all scenarios for humans, dogs, and other animals. It's just something to think about. Or maybe all it's telling me is that I have an itch to play poker.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Second Phase of Training

I was getting Cody's expensive food at PetsMart and they had a special for obedience classes. If I signed up that day (I know, it's the typical sucker promotion, but I planned on signing Cody up for intermediate classes anyways), they would give me 2 free doggy day care days.

I signed Cody up to start intermediate classes in August. I also bought Cesar's Way. Cesar Millan is the famous Dog Whiperer (he has his own TV show on the National Geographic Channel). He is a "dog psychologist" and has rehabilitated many dogs and trained many dog owners. Anyways, I hope that in reading the book, I will learn a little more on how dogs work and what they need. Of course, the first chapter talked about how he spends 4 hours a day exercising his dogs. Which clearly I'm not going to do. But I'm sure the other chapters will give more doable tricks.

I still think that part of my problem is taking him to work where he has too many distractions. He is much more behaved on weekends where he sleeps/relaxes a ton (and exercises more). I brought his crate to work in hopes that he will be less distracted and can be more easily forced into naptimes. We'll see if it makes a difference...

Saturday, July 08, 2006







Cody at the Beach

A couple of months ago I had mentioned that I took Cody to the beach for the first time. Since I used a disposable 35 mm camera (I know, very "old school"), I had to wait until I used up all the film in the camera and then had to take it to get developed.

Anyways, since I haven't uploaded any pictures in the last week, I thought I would upload these since I just picked them up today. Cody was a lot smarter than we were and pretty much avoided the freezing cold water (after he tested it out in the last picture).

Personally, I love the little doggy paw prints in the sand that you can see in a couple of the pictures.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Cody Is Found!

I may have found him in the new room. It has better lighting and resolution. Here's the link:
http://www.planetpooch.com/webcams/rwc.php?cam=purple (You can't view it between 1 and 2:30 because it's dog napping time).

We almost missed his shuttle this morning. He was jumping off the walls until 2am last night and was very reluctant to wake up this morning. However, we just made it (Dan, the driver and part-founder of Planet Pooch) was waiting patiently. Thank goodness (otherwise I would have had to wait around for the next pickup at 8:30 which would have been in the middle of my personal trainer appt).

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Gourmet Diner

Cody is 47 lbs today. And almost 7 months old. I have started him on this Nutro Ultra Puppy Dog Food. Which basically means that it's $45 for 35 lbs of food. He loves it. I've never had to hide food from him since he never likes to eat it. However, he tried to get into this bag of food. I bought this type because it guaranteed a shinier coat. Since we run outside quite a bit and he has dry skin, I thought this would help.

Since I would rather not pay that much, I have hit a compromise. I'm mixing his current food with this new food so it's only slightly expensive - His regular food (Nutro Natural Choice) is $31 for 44 lbs of food when it's on sale.

Monday, July 03, 2006

What Cody Does At Home While Mom's Away

I left Cody in the backyard for 9 hours yesterday and thus is what he did:

Gnawed through two stalks of some huge plant.
Ate a pig ear
Ate a Greenie
Ate some of his dog food
Attempted to escape by digging a hole by the fence. (Little did he know that an escape attempt would be futile as there are high bushes on the other side of the fence that would prevent him from escaping so easily)
Barked (his bark collar shifted during the day so he was free to bark without a Citronella spray. I know this only because he did a quick bark when I got home)

What he didn't do:
Did not touch any of his other toys
Did not go poopie
Did not drink water (which is bizarre since we ran 8.5 miles earlier that day)

As Cody has only really been sleeping about 20 hours a day, I'm hoping to get out all his sleep deprivation and cranky moods. We'll see....

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Future Star for There's Something About Mary II

Anyone remember There's Something About Mary and how the dog gets drugged up on speed and became a little psycho. Well, Cody was like that today. I was pretty tired so I slept well into the afternoon. Cody himself was bit growly probably because he had an upset stomach (he got into his bin when I left him attended last night and he ate a packet of Kleenex, some plastic poopy bags, and a half a bag of dog biscuits).

Anyways, we both slept until we felt better.

I took Cody on a late afternoon walk because he was still a bit growly in the afternoon and I let him eliminate as much of the stuff he ate last night as possible. During our one hour walk, he was running around like a mad dog. Luckily, I brought his extendi-leash so he was able to run around me a bit. Whenever we ran anywhere near a bush (or a series of bushes), he would run in and romp around. And romp around.

Of course, now, he's taking a nice little nap on the ground right now.

Tomorrow, I'm leaving him in the backyard for the day, so I plan on taking him for a 3 hour run/walk before I leave him by himself. I'll need him saving up as much energy as he can tonight so I can tire him out again tomorrow.