Life With Sammy | the look

Seriously… this dog has brought a whole new level of pain in the a$$ to my world… moreso than my children, because at last with my kids, I can explain to them what they’ve done and why it’s bad.

Sammy?

Nope. No such conversation to be had. Just me saying “why on the high-pile carpet??????!!!!!” and him doing this:

sorry I doodied on the carpet - wanna pet me?

Yeah – it’s pathetic that my kids can do it – why oh why did I find a dog that can do it too!!!???

Hooking up this week (for the first time) with the photo challenge!!

Sunday Smilemaker

Week #2 of having Mr Sammy. He’s a completely different dog than he was when he came to live with us. While he’s still timid and cautious, but I’m learning things about him and his personality that are making it a bit easier to bring him out of his shell.

For instance, I learned yesterday that if you have a dog with you, he will let you pet him. I figure that in his eyes, if you have a dog, you’re ok… it means you’re trustworthy or something.

I’ve learned that using a clicker to reinforce the good things in his new world helps to keep his mind off all the “bad” things that were scaring him. (Thanks Anna!)

I walk the same area every day, just so that he had a bit of consistency, and today was the first day that we did our entire walk without him tucking his tail once.

Not once.

This is huge considering that I very rarely saw his tail during our walks.

I’m truly enjoying the challenge that is figuring out this newest boy in my life. I think he’s going to be great.

You’re doing ok.

I remember when Peanut was born.

I had no idea what I was doing. Even though I had friends with children, it felt totally foreign to me. This little person that I couldn’t hand back when they wouldn’t stop crying. This tiny life that depended on me for everything.
I would question myself constantly :

Is the water too hot?
Is he wearing enough?
Should I be worried about that cough?

Am I doing anything right?

I wish this had been around 7 years ago:

The little smile from the crib at the end?
It melts my heart… just like Peanut’s little smiles used to (and still do)

For all you moms out there… You’re doing ok.

Life With Sammy | Meeting Sammy

Sammy came to be with us on Sunday, February 26, 2012.
He is a two and a half year old registered Vizsla that decided he wanted nothing to do with being a bird dog… he just wanted to love someone.

And he found me.

I went 2 Sundays ago to meet him. I had this delusion in my head that they were going to let him out of his crate, the music would start and he would run straight to me, knocking me over and licking my face, all while wagging his tail ferociously.

Not so.

He wanted nothing to do with me. He ran everywhere but towards me, pulled away whenever I attempted to pet him, and generally had his tail tucked between his legs.

But he was beautiful. Sleek and agile, he was obviously in good health. He showed tremendous affection for the handler that had been working with him for the past while – and I had a feeling that if given the correct circumstances, I could develop that same bond with him… after all, they’re not called “Velcro Dogs” for no reason right?

Hubby and I had been back and forth between adult “started” dog, or puppy.
I wanted a puppy because I wanted to know it’s history, be responsible for it’s socialization, plus puppies, by nature, are much more instantly accepting of children than adult dogs.
I wanted a started dog because, if you find the right dog, you can skip housetraining, crate training, and socialization altogether! What more could you ask for!?

I have to be honest; I was nervous when I first thought about bringing Sammy – “Soul Man” was his name at the time – into our home. I didn’t want to have a dog around that was nervous of children, given that there will be a minimum of 3 around at any given time. I’ve heard nightmare stories of people adopting pets that they absolutely fall in love with, but they never warm up to their children, and as a result, they have to return them to the shelter/breeder/wherever they got them from. I didn’t want that sort of heartbreak.

I spent 2 hours with him that day. Monster came with me (so I could see his reaction to a little person) and by the end of our visit, he was letting Monster pet him, and was allowing me to walk with him. Given the fact that he is not leash trained formally, this was a huge step. They showed me how wonderfully crate trained he was – every time we walked by it, he would go in and sit down.

I decided that while he would definitely be more work than I was looking for, he would be happy with us. Plus, puppies always sell… an adult dog isn’t usually something that people go looking for.

I’m going to try to chronicle my journey as I attempt to train this newest boy in my house.
What was I thinking? I should have gotten a female. I’m completely outnumbered here.

We’ve already had some major breakthroughs. It’s only been 7 days and already Sam is walking calmly on a leash – not choking himself at the end of it anymore – and sitting on command, which he didn’t know at all when he came to us.

Look Mom! I can sit!

He’s an absolute treasure, and he’s warming up to everyone very well… but he’s still a Mama’s boy… which is just fine with me

getting primal – with the family

I truly believe that we are brainwashed into thinking that our bodies “need” starchy, processed carbohydrates. Seriously.
How many sports teams do you know that have the big pasta dinner the night before the big game?

My chiropractor, Dr G, piqued my interest when she mentioned a “primal” diet.
Hubby had been reading about this diet for a little while – the science of it – and he was really interested, so when Dr G mentioned it and the fact that she and her family eat this way, I thought what the heck… nothing to lose, right?

Honestly, what harm can possibly come from removing starchy, insulin-stimulating carbs and encouraging the intake of more natural whole foods?

I promise I’m not going all whole milk, granola, Birkenstock, earth Mother on you… (although I DO love my Birks )

The best part about this diet? I can include my boys. No more making 3 meals. (I was following one diet, Hubby another, and the kids ate whatever they liked)

A healthy diet is important to a growing body, and brain development, so why would I allow my children to eat “junky” food? Granted, at our house, our “junk” night consists of a homemade pizza, not a drive-thru, but what they eat elsewhere is outside of our control. We are planning on making our house as healthy and wholesome as possible. The boys never ask for take-out, garbage restaurants, so why would I feed it to them?

So why is it, then, that it’s hard to make a meal and not feel like it’s “missing something” when there’s no starchy side dish? Why do I feel that a steak dinner just isn’t complete without a baked potato, and honestly, what would bacon and eggs be without toast?

It’s taken some getting used to, and I’m still learning as I go, but I’ve discovered a few recipes along the way for some treats, and some staples and am working hard to re-program myself to remember that breakfast doesn’t have to consist of what we deem to be “breakfast” foods. If all I can find is soup, then have soup. If I want to wrap a chunk of old cheddar in a slice of ham and dip it in dijon mustard, so be it. It’s been rather liberating, really. I’ve almost been trying to find odd things to eat for breakfast. If I can get my co-workers to look at me funny as I’m eating breakfast, I have succeeded.

The best part of this lifestyle change? I’ve lost some weight. But I’m not going by the numbers on the scale, I’m seeing how my clothes fit, and how I’m feeling. My mental clarity is at an all-time high – surprisingly, this has caused a bit of a problem, as it has made my mind work overtime, but I’m working on getting myself organized “up there”.

The point? I’m feeling really good about this decision. And even though I have fallen off the wagon a couple of times, I always feel good about climbing right back on it, where normally I would have to talk myself back into a diet for a good 2 weeks before I would resume it.

If only primal eating would make this head cold disappear…. life would be perfect.