Life with Pets and Pizza

[rahkbox-blog]

What did I do to deserve this dog?

I had a cat called Jazzy. He was my closest and most loyal friend. He was always there, didn’t matter the situation, didn’t matter why, he was there. He always knew if I was upset, or angry, and he knew how to make everything ok again. When I would get sick, he wouldn’t leave my side. After 17 years, losing him was the wasn’t like losing apart of myself, or a heart break. When he died, it felt like I had died right there with him. It has been over 2 years since his death and I still can’t help but think about him. And never did the thought cross my mind that I would ever have a bond with another animal or person again like I had with Jazzy.

Then I met Teddy. Teddy was in a shelter on death’s row. He was rescued and sent to the dog rehabilitation and training center I work at. Although a very kind dog, he was fearful. He never wanted to play with other dogs, he’d much rather hide in a corner. His ears always back, just a pitiful sight. I wasn’t looking to get another animal. But somehow, I ended up with him anyway. And he has just been the light of my life. I made him my service dog because he is amazing and attentive, just as Jazzy was. He is my loyal companion, and for the first time in 2 years, I have been able to function normally without being saddened by the loss of Jazzy.

And Teddy is a completely different dog since I first met him. He now runs and plays with other dogs, rather then hide. Rarely are his ears folded back and he greets people with eagerness.

What did I do to deserve him?

[petsandpizza-blog]

repost from my other blog

[petsandpizza-blog]

If no one noticed when I smuggled a hyper, wiggling baby ferret, by the name of Lady Athena, into an Ihop, then no one will notice that little blemish your fretting about.

[petsandpizza-blog]

Dog aggression

A few days ago, my dog chased my cat. He did nothing to the cat, he just chased him. My brother then stated that the dog is acting aggressively. This got me thinking how we humans tend to over use and misunderstand the term “aggression” when it comes to dogs.

There are 5 levels of reactivity in dogs (reactivity being communication). If a person or animal enters a dog’s space and the dog is not comfortable with that person or animals, the dog will tell them. There will be: 1) closed mouth, 2) long, hard gaze, 3) a growl or bark, 4) the lunge, and 5) the bite. A bite is the highest form of communication for any animal. It can be likened to a heated argument between people. If levels 1-4 are continuously ignored, eventually the dog will got straight to level 5.

If a dog goes from 0 to level 5 without warning,  does it without fail, and does it in the face of correction and training, then that is a truly aggressive dog. Some dogs can be rehabilitated, and the owners of such dogs should not rely on obedience trainers or pure positive trainers as “hugs, kisses, and cookies” cannot fix a dog in this state.

However, true aggression is rare to see. Most dogs are simply very reactive and just need to be taught the correct thing to do.

We humans seriously need to stop defining dogs as aggressive. It’s causing a lot of unneeded harm. 

[petsandpizza-blog]

Is that a service dog?

There are 2 questions that anyone is legally allowed to ask when it comes to a service dog. 2 questions that the owner must answer by law.

1: Is your dog a service dog?

2: What is you service dog task trained to do?

By the way, if the answer to the second question is along the lines of, “S/he makes me feel better” and that’s it, then that dog is more then likely not truly a service dog.

[petsandpizza-blog]

Ok, I think I need to clarify some things. In some areas, it is only those of a business who are allowed to ask. But there are other areas where anyone of the general public can ask these 2 questions the the handler must answer.

Secondly, if someone says that their "service dog" makes them feel better and that's it, then it's more then likely an emotional support animal, which are not service animals and are not allowed most places.

[petsandpizza-blog]

Cosequences of zero impulse control

So I've learned that I have fairly good impulse control. Except when it comes to animals. Within the past 2 years, my impulses have gifted me with with 2 ferrets, 2 cats, and soon, a dog. But my brother doesn't know about the dog. I told him it's a foster dog (I foster dogs regularly). I'm gonna wait a few weeks before telling him that I adopted the dog.

[petsandpizza-blog]

Looking for a puppy?

If you're looking for a puppy to add to your family, please, make sure to NEVER take it away from its mother until it is at least 12 weeks of age. Waiting until 12 weeks will help greatly reduce behavioral issues, insure it is social, and basically you'll have far less problems in the future.

[petsandpizza-blog]

Occupational Hazard

I’ve been volunteering for months at a dog training facility with not a single problem. The first day working there after being hired as a trainer, I’m bitten twice. The first time, I didn’t even see it coming. I was minding my own business, helping clean along with a couple of other people and suddenly there’s dog teeth attached to my leg. Second time, I knew he was going to bite me. I could see it. I was cleaning out kennels and when I was done with the very last kennel, the dog didn’t wan’t to go back in. I was holding his collar and decided to let go and grab a leash instead; as I was letting go, I could just see it in his eyes that no matter what I did, he was going to bite me. And he did. Yup... I love my job.

[petsandpizza-blog]

Is that a service dog?

There are 2 questions that anyone is legally allowed to ask when it comes to a service dog. 2 questions that the owner must answer by law.

1: Is your dog a service dog?

2: What is you service dog task trained to do?

By the way, if the answer to the second question is along the lines of, “S/he makes me feel better” and that’s it, then that dog is more then likely not truly a service dog.

[petsandpizza-blog]

After volunteering for months at a dog training place, I finally was hired. Can’t wait for no sleeping... yay...

[petsandpizza-blog]

Working on these lovely ladies tonight. The black hooded on the left is currently being egged tanned, my first attempt. I show she comes out ok. The one on the right is being salted.

Sorry for the disturbing content!

These rats where frozen reptile food. I did not kill them. Now they will be preserved and cherished forever.

[petsandpizza-blog]

Alto and his one true love, Blue String

[petsandpizza-blog]

This is a baby Parrot.

[petsandpizza-blog]

One day, while at work, the phones began to ring. I answered and quickly realized that we had a really bad phone connection. I could understand enough that I could take the customer's order, but every so often I'd ask him to repeat something. At the end of the call, I was ready to hang up, but the customer had one last question. I thought that he was asking to make sure the driver brought Parmesan cheese, but I wasn't quite sure. So instead of doing what I had been and asking him to repeat his question, I just simply said "Parmesan?" The customer burst out laughing and couldn't stop for a good few minutes. Finally, though he was still laughing, he managed to say, "I asked for your name, you said it was Parmesan!"

[petsandpizza-blog]

She just got feed, she looks so happy

[petsandpizza-blog]

Pizza ordering tip #2

If you order pizza and you pay with a card, there's a chance you'll be asked to show some form of ID. If you are asked, PLEASE, don't get pissed at the employee, s/he is just doing his/her job. It's just to make sure the card isn't stolen or anything.

[petsandpizza-blog]

Pizza ordering tip #1

If you order pizza online, PLEASE, double check your order BEFORE placing it. Why? Well, one time, a customer placed an online order for delivery. There was a diet soda on the receipt, so the driver grabbed a diet soda and took it, along with the pizzas, to the customer. The customer apparently clicked the wrong button because he wanted a regular soda and he blamed us for his mistake. He became very aggressive to the point that we have banned him from ordering again.

So please, if you order online, check your order.

[petsandpizza-blog]

This is probably one of the most, um... unusual t-shirt designs I’ve done. Mostly because my stepdad asked me to design it. He is not a sperm donor. He asked because he wanted to wear it to his daughter’s high school graduation party.