Star Flash!!!

[AdoreMyDogs]

Hey everyone,

This is Graham and I need you to do me a favor and wish me luck. Today is my "test day" at the new agility schooool and I REEEEEEEELY want to do agility so I hope and hope and hope some more that this schooool is a good one! When mom called to get directions on how to get there and confirm that they don't punish doggie kids by yelling at or hitting they said, "well we do use a correction with a empty plastic pop bottle when dogs show aggression". Mom asked what they meant by that and so the teecher said she'd show mom today (using herself and not a doggie) so mom could see what they meant by using an empty plastic pop bottle. Mom told me not to get too excited about going to agility cause it's hard finding a place that does not use physical pain to correct us pooches. Mom does not like that. And I don't like that, but I do like agility alot! Well anyway, I need you to wish me luck on tonight.

By the way, has anyone heard of using an empty plastic pop bottle as a correction? Mom really does not know what they meant by that and she is think the only way you could use an empty pop bottle for correction is to hit a dog with it...could there be another way to use an empty plastic pop bottle? Mom said that I already have fears of things that she would never imagine using on a dog (quick hand movements, newspapers) and she is not about to introduce more fear (fear of pop bottles) into my doggie brain.

Thanks everyone.

Your friend, Graham.

[lhg0962]

Hi Graham. Honey here. I start my agility training too, on Monday. My mom is much more excited than I am because I get quite nervous. But, we're going to work with a trainer all by ourselves. Maybe that will help me to be less nervous.
Do you think they might use that plastic bottle to make a noise to get your attention or in case one of the other dogs starts acting like it will bite someone? Since the lady told your mom it was for "aggression", I don't think they will use it as a correction tool. I really don't know, but I can't imagine that they would hit you with it. I sure hope not. My mom will find out some more details when we go to our training class on Monday. Maybe the lady there will have some ideas. I know that when I did obedience at this school before, they never yelled or hit any dog. They did have a zapper for emergencies, in case a dog attacked another dog or a person, but they said they had never had to use it. Whew. I was sure glad to hear that.
Good luck tonight. I want to hear all about it so I can be prepared for Monday.
Bye, Graham.
Love, Honey

[This message has been edited by lhg0962 (edited February 09, 2001).]

[tatsxxx11]

Hi Graham!! Your pal Star here. Well, I sure am glad you're gonna get another chance at agility class. This one sure sounds better than the mean and nasty skool where they hurt us. *ouch* You sure have a good mom who loves you lots like mine does. I guess if one a us gets grrrrrrrish in class we do have to be told that's not good. All my teachers all say knowing a good *come* then *sit* is the best way to always keep us under control when we're rowdy. Most doggies who are too grrrrrrish in my classes usually are kindly asked to try an obedience class where the grrrrrish doggies can get to learn to get along good before we do stuff like agility since mosta us guys don't wear our neck ties and ropes in class an are runnin around loose. Most a the klasses round her make us show pruf of advanced obedience (2nd grade) before we can do agility, just to make sure the doggies are all social like and kan behave without their ropes and stuff on. If your new class does use an empty plastic bottle to make doggies behave my mom says they might be usin the ole loose change in the soda can which makes me *****cringe****** when you shake it. Mosta us doggies don't like the noise and ususally stop whatever we're doing FAST!! Kinda still learnin by fearin, not the best thing to my way a thinkin, but better than yellin or hittin, or "no" all the time. Mom says that's allshe can think of. Don't know if the bottle would do the same kinda thing as a can though. Mom asked me why the lady teacher didn't tell your mom what it was for??? Kinda made her nervis when I told her. Me and mom agree. Puttin anymore negitive thingys in are brain is not so good. 'Specially in a klass that's suppose to be fun and for learning. I hope the klass is a nice and kind place where you will have fun with lots a nice doggies and hoomins, too. If anyone thinks a hittin ya or yellin....beat paws outta there Graham! I know your mom won't let anything bad happen, so don't worry, OK? Me and Cody wish you lotsa lotsa luck and hope you have lotsa fun. Please write me back and give me the scoop, OK? Keepin my paws crossed. Love, Star

[Daisy's Mom]

Daisy here. Good luck in your agility, Graham. I hope your new place is better than Kibbles and Bits, if that's possible. Star, you mentioned the BAD thing! The penny bottle! It makes me cringe too. Mommy used it on me when I was a baby 'cause I was a little... what's that saying Mommy uses? Strong willed? Well let me tell you, the bottle works JUST as well as a can. That noise got me to stop ANYTHIN' I was doin'. Hopefully that's all yer class uses them bottles for, Graham. But the lady said empty? Empty bottles... hmm... only use I can see for empty bottles is playin', I used to spend hours gnawin' on plastic bottles till I started shreddin' 'em and leavin' 'em all over the house. Well good luck again. Now, have any of you Eastern doggies got lots of new snow? We did on Tuesday! Mommy even got to stay home and play with me (she explained to me that a snow day is a day that school gets cancelled 'cause of lots of snow! I like snow days!) Snow os so much fun. But I have been reading what Mommy wrote in other posts about havin' to save me from the deep snow... well she kinda exaggerated that! I was not STUCK... I was... I was pretendin' to be stuck. Yah, that's it! Ha, Mommy fell for that one! She had to come running and grab me out of that deep snow, and then she carried me inside and wrapped me in lots of blankets and gave me kisses, and then she sent her sisters out to shovel me a path. But I was fakin' it the whole time, see. Super Daisy Dog, get stuck in the snow? Ha! I think not. Yah I'm short but there's a lot of power packed into these teeny legs! Well I'm gonna go bark at nothing and wake up the family. Seeya all later!
Woofs,
Daisy

[lhg0962]

Hey everybody. It's Honey, again.
Did you guys hear what I did yesterday??? I protected my mom and caught a snake in the backyard. I brought it to her, dead, and dangling out of both sides of my mouth. Can you believe she didn't want to kiss me?? She even called me "Snake Lips". I thought I did something great. She let me know real quick that she hates any snake and was very disturbed that one was in our yard. Well, I tried to tell her that I caught it just for her.
Oh well, I'd better get back to sleep, so I can watch out for more wildlife in our yard tomorrow.
Love,
Honey

[RachelJ]

Hey, it's me, Hannah, and like our friend Cinder would say, you are some NawteeDawgs. Mom loves it when Cinder says that. She always says, Look Hannah, Cinder really knows you...NawteeDawg! All right, already.

Daisy, you are a stitch, really got your mom under your paw. I never knew any Bassett Hounds before I met you. I always thought they just laid around and didn't do much. Guess I was wrong. You are a fun girl if there ever was one and I like your attitude.
Plus I think there is one other way we are alike! Mom was pulling her hair out trying to find a winter sweater or coat that would fit me. I am definitely not an "off the rack" girl either. I've had to try on so many outfits and none of them worked, so I was stuck with my hand-me-down sweater which is so ratty looking, it's not fitting for a beauty like me to been seen in it. Mom wants to find someone who knits so she can show them that sweater and see if they can make a new one like it.

And Snake Lips, I mean Honey, you are one brave girl capturing a snake. I'd just be barking and barking and barking and barking and barking at it until it went deaf. I think that it is really a awesome thing that you did. Don't know about your mom, sounds like she might not be as preciative as she should be of such a great and brave deed you did for her.

Well, I got to run, there is more snow on the ground today, Yay! I can't wait to get outside to play. Yesterday all there was was soggy grass.

[AdoreMyDogs]

G'morning everyone!

Graham here again. First of all, I would like to say WOW to honey! I see snakes all the time when mom and grandma take me on vacation (girls week out, no boys except for me of course) and I never know what to do with them! They look like a moving leash to me and they kinda skare me a little. Mom and grandma named 2 resident snakes that hung out by the outhouse "Skinny and Slick" and those dudes skared me when they moved! Mom likes snakes, and she picked them up sometimes and showed them to me and I just backed up.I thought she was pickin up my leash at first but then the leashed moved on it's own........I don't know about those snake things. I think you are much more brave then me to clobber one!

As for schooool. Well last nite was my test day and I liked it ok and they were alot nicer. It was slower and quieter and I got to go drivin for a LONG time cause it's far away but that's fine by me, I LOVE to be drivin! When mother nature makes nice weather they take all the obsticles outside so that's nice. Mom's gonna start me there in March when the next class starts she thinks. They asked her to take me back there next week just to make sure she likes it.

As for the empty plastic pop bottle. Well, the teechers told mom that they hardly ever have to use it on dogs, only when doggies are being REEL mean to their moms or dads (dominance problems) or to other people or dogs. They boinked mom on the head with the little empty plastic pop bottle and said, "boink" when they did it. Mom said it did not even hurt one bit. Teecher said they only use it in extreme cases and it works. Dogs stop the bad, mean stuff and then the teeechers let the doggie play with the pop bottle at the end of the class so they don't get afraid of pop bottles. If doggies keep being mean then they are asked to leave the class for good til they have had somemore training. For sure the pop bottle did not hurt, it made a noise that might skare doggies but it did not hurt. They said the last time they used it on a doggie was about 6 months ago cause that doggie kept biting its mamma. they had that dogs mamma "boink" her doggie and that doggie never did any more grrrrrrs in class. then they let the doggie play with the pop bottle after class. That sounds ok I guess.

Well I think I babbled on enuf for today.

Bye.

[tatsxxx11]

Hi guys (and girls!) Star here. Boy, you kids sure been busy!! Me and Cody been sick since last nite with the runnies ALL nite long from eatin sumthin??! We're feeling kinda poopy and mom's got us on rice and boiled bird. Hi Graham!! Gotta say I'm soooo relieved that the class was kinda nice and you have somewhere to play agiility! I guess a boink in drastic times isn't so bad. And Honey!! Boy, what a neat thing you did! I'm always clearing the grounds a varmints for my mom though sometimes she acts like ICK! when I do. Well someone's gotta do it and keep our moms and dads safe! You were soooo brave Honey. I think you're a reeeeel hero! Did you all hear what Daisy's been up to?? Her eyeballs in snow!! What a pup! Sometimes I think our hoomins underestimate us! I always knew you bassetts had it in ya! Mush you husky! All our snow melted away to squishy grass. Today my mom says it's reeel warm for snow season and I'm tryin to play a little between poops and pukes. Hannah, hold out for the good stuff. I always thought you were a fashion diva. And a girl as pretty as yourself (and me) shouldn't be seen in anything but our finest. Well, I think I better go visit the batroom...natures calling, again. Hope to be back in shape for fun and games tomorrow. Let's keep in touch pals. Love, Star

OnYa, Honey! That's 'Strailun for Good Job! I gots sum snakies that live unner the Dumpster Bucket outside the shop, but they skare me like they do Daisey. Wunst a lil' biddy shortee snakey crawled inna our Shop one nite and I knowed sumthin' was wrong as soon as Dad lemmie inta the Shop next morning. I wus Grrrrrin' and Growlin' and Pawin' for hours that day unner the 'puter and behint the file cabnets; made Dad so mad he made me sit inna car to "kool off" for a while. I started rite up again when he lemmie back in, so's he got down on his hand-paws an kneebones and did sum lookin' hisself. Guess what he found unner my 'puter rug? Yep - that darn lil' snakey wus hidin unner there! I told Dad ta *flush* the critter, but Dad put him back unner the Dumper so's the Momma snakey wunt worry.

Graham ~ Great news that you're goin' back to 'gility classes. Dad wus thinkin' about me doing that, but I'd haveta get my rowdy butt thru the Second Grade of 'bedeeance skool 'fore I could try out. That might be tuff for me .

Glad I wear a heavy natural coat 'cause Dad's always lookin at sweaters an' coats like your Mom does, Hannah. I'd do a meltdown iffin he putted one on me, but the SmokeMutt better stop shiverin' when it gets nippy outside or he's gonna wind up with a sissy-coat. What a hoot - my liddel brudder, the Whimp!

Let's all wish the The *Star* and the Cody Kid a fast recovery from their case of the *yucks*. The only good thing about bein' sick is they get to munch on roasted bird - that's good grub.

Keep yer Tails a-waggin!

------------------
/s/ Cinder & Smokey
the Rescued & Adopted
FurKids of *Phred*

[RachelJ]

Hannah here, Cin you breaking me up I'm rolling on the floor. I have an actual picture of my squirt (don't ask why I call him that) brudder in a sissy coat....

Hey, Tucker Guy ~ SmudgePot here ('ats whudda Kat calls me, heeheeehe ); OK, it's reelee me, Smokey the Kid ~

I don't care what Cinders an Dad sez - I think yer kote looks *Kool* - I think I wunna get wun too! An' maybe I can have wunna Dad's neck choker thingies that he's got hangin' inna klozet and never puts around his neckbone. There's sum reely *Dorky* lookin' wunz that would be the Katz Butt on me wiffa Kool Kote. I wunner iffin I could finda hat ta go tween my liddel earbones, too? Wisht Idda nowed about this when we wuz inna Pets Plus store this nafternoon - they otta be on sail soon.

Hay Star 'n Cody ~ Howz youse Kids feelin? Cinder and Me's worried since you haven't writed nuffin taday... Tummies any better since you're eetin BigBurd steda Dog Krunch? Hope ya dint *gurk-an-yurk* or have runnies inna house any more. I only did a big *poopie* inna house wunst; but that was when I wuz plugged up fromma rear end modifakations, so's they said I hadda 'skuse. 'fore Cinners an Dad said I hadda go onna outie ta do that stuff.

Gotta go; Dad wuntz ta nest inna boobtube kliner an' look atta inside of his eyeballs.
Cinder sez Hi, Everbudie /s/ Smokey

Nutz! I yapped too much and made it page 2 ~

Hey Tucker!! Get yer Mom ta post yor Kool Kote Piksure again so's it on this page.

Hey *Star*Burst* you Guys are on Page Too now!

------------------
/s/ Cinder & Smokey
the Rescued & Adopted
FurKids of *Phred*

[tatsxxx11]

Hey Cind, Smokeeeeeeeeeeeey my most bestest pals!! It's Star, "I'm not bursting anymore" the lab! Geeez guys, can't tell yuz how touched me and the Codster is for yer kinds words and concerns. Thinks yuz guys bout the only ones willing ta listen to me!! I keep a postin, but sometimes I think ain't too many interested. But yuz two always got a kind word! Well, seems me and the Codster's well on the road to recovery! We made it thru the nite ok-eeee-dok-eeee!! Mom slept with us down stairs on the pull out thingy just in case we hadda go out fasssssssssst! She put on the big smokey hole in the wall with fire (yikes!!) cause let me tell ya fans, it was cold! Went from way up on the threm-o-meter to "I could free my little paws off" fast. And Mr. Wind musta been p-o'd cuz he was a blowin hard. But we wuz all warm an toasty and we let Mom sleep till daybreak!! Yeah Mom! Then today, we played all day long, cause wez all back to full speed! Poor Mom froze her little fingers off throwin stuff for us. "Good Mom" "Come Mom" (tee-hee) She watched us reeeel close as we both assumed the C-curve position out inna woods today to make sure wez makin good poopies and wern't no more sick. Kinda embarassin but ya gotta love her! And then we had more boiled buzzard and rice (yum) for din-din and now weez all gettin ready to watch animal planet and take a snooooze! Ain't life great? Well, nuf bout me. (Can't believe I said that) How's yuz guy doin? Did ya get ta the lake yet? Can't wait till the "Kid" takes his first plunge! Gotta take a pic a that one, Cind! Boy, yer story bout the wriggly, hisssssssin thingy neath the 'puter was so cool! What a brave girl! Just like the brave and fearless Honey! And ain't Tucker's coat cool? What a pup. Tho I must say he don't look toooo happy in the chosen attire! Maybe dad should get the Smokster a simple yet elegant wrap for those cold, cold days! Don't want him catchin his death! Am when I get a chance Cind, do I have a word or two for you bout my hellish existence here with the "Aren't I just so perfect and divine, I never do anything wrong" Mr. B the KAT!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! Well, I do love him, but grrrrrrrrrrrrr!! Such a wusss!! But I'll fill ya in on all a grizzly details tomorrow! Pleasure talkin to ya guys. Hey Hannah, Daisy, Tucker, Honey all my friends out there. Hope yer all warm and cozy and lappin up lots a love from yer Moms!! Be good Cind and Smoke. No escapeees, no frettin. Just a good night's snooze. Love ya guys. Thanks for yer kind words again! Love Star and the Codster. (Hey Cind, Cody here...did I tell ya I'm a husky/shep(x)???

[This message has been edited by tatsxxx11 (edited February 11, 2001).]

[RachelJ]

Hi all, it's me, Hannah!

Mom's got to use the puter for work so I only got one hot second to write, but Tucker and me just had to tell Star and the Code Meister how much we enjoy your adventures, be them puking or uderwize. Now all you two leggers, don't read on if you are eating breakfast or something. Half the fun of puking is gobbling it back up again. (I did warn them, Mom!!!) Gee, I just got yelled at for saying that! Anyways the C curve at our house is referred to as the Question Mark! But it seems like the both of youzz
is feeling better now so maybe I need to get off this subject. What I started to tell you is that your adventures really are great. It helps me keep up to date on what fun things a dog can do when a dog has a Mom that loves her so much as to make sure that she actually gets to have some interesting activities!!!! PLEASE don't ever stop writing your "Flashes" because I would have no life at all if I didn't get to read about what udder dogs can do. Tucker an me are going to gang up on these two leggers in our house to have a nice long decussion about how things have to change around here and we are going to use all your postings as examples of how things should be, 'cept some parts may be scratched out. (Alright, Mom, I getting off the puter right now.)

[tatsxxx11]

Hi Tucker and Hannah, Star here. Boy yuz two are some nice doggies. Tho I act kinda bratty sometimes and try to be a big girl, I'm really kinda mushy at heart, and just a little tooooo sensitive! (Ouch!) My says I was actin silly and stop my whinin!! But, my mom was kinda reeeel sad and watery yesterday and I thinks she kinda rubbed off on me! And a course; nuttin can keep me from openin my big yapper! Plenty a "Flashes" to follow!! Oh, and yes Tucker!! Regurgeeetated yaks are quite tasty! Definitely we need to set down sum new rules in this here household, for sure. We guys gotta put our heads together and have a storm in our brains and try and get these two-leggers in line!!! Mine are just gettin just a tad too pushy for my likin!! So glad to hear from you guys! And don't foreget; you too Cinder and Smokey buds. Westminster tonite! I'll be watchin wif my pad taking plenty a notes and formalatin my very special Star reporter "point of view" for a post show wrap up. Let's hear what you guys think! Catch you soon. Hi to all you guys out there. Your pals, Star and Cody.

[This message has been edited by tatsxxx11 (edited February 12, 2001).]