HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO COCO!

Coco is turns 1 yr old today!



It's hard to believe, but we will be celebrating Coco's birthday today. While she will (unfortunately) stay a puppy for at least another 6 months, she's come A LONG WAY!

Here are some cute pics from the archive.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR BABY GIRL!!

K9 Homeschooling = 30 Day Plan for Desensitization

We had our first visit with Michelle from K9 Homeschooling yesterday, we met bright and early at 8:30 a.m. at Westarbor Animal Hospital.Coco did very well. We actually were pleasantly surprised, but I needed a professional to point out just how aggressive Coco had become toward other dogs.

We spent the first 45 minutes in a consultation going over her entire history. Then we went outside where an unfamiliar dog (planted by K9 Homeschooling) was off in the distance with a dog handler. The dog was about 100 ft away when Coco had her lip curled and her defenses went up. The plan is simple. Let Coco see other dogs from a distance for the first few weeks and fill her up with treats so that she has a "GREAT experience" when she sees the other dogs. That way, she will associate new dogs with threats and love...instead of the usual jerk on her prong collar and screaming her name "NO COCO!!!" It was this consistent association that we just were not in tune with.

We had her on a prong collar and over time, her barking became more and more aggressive. Every time she saw a dog, her collar would tighten up and she would experience heightened anxiety because she would anticipate getting reprimanded. Add my weak state due to pregnancy, and you have the perfect storm. So we've dropped the prong collar and now have a "Sesnse-ation" harness that will not cause any discomfort.

We are using the "clicker" training philosophy and it's amazing how quickly we are seeing results.

Michelle has set up a comprehensive 30 Day Plan for Desensitization. It will be a lot of work and we will have to reach out to some of our neighbors who are doggy-parents to Coco's biggest nemeses. There are few dogs that completely set her off in the area, and we need to put Coco about 75+ feet from them, long before the confrontation, and reward her for not over-reacting. We will have to do this every single day, on our walks and hopefully once we can connect with our neighbors who will most likely support our request. Coco is a sweetheart and everyone knows it, but her behavior has got to be remedied.

Coco is a very sweet dog with a lot of potential. But if she hurts another dog or person she could be euthanized in Ann Arbor. With a baby on the way, we cannot take any chances. Coco is officially GROUNDED for the next 30 days.

On a side note, she's adapted well to the floor and is not sleeping with us. It was a rough few days, but it's been working well and we are MUCH happier sleeping through the night.

Second Night of Coco's NEW POSITION!

Quick turn around

Well, Coco has been fighting us on this issue, but she's been taking on her new position pretty well. After 9 months of sleeping with us, she has now been forced to sleep on the floor and is NOT allowed on the bed at all.

As I mentioned before, our trainer comes out this sunday. She said flat out that Coco needs to get out of our bed and onto the floor ASAP. Coco has been dominating over the past few weeks. Since I've been pregnant, she's been a bit more hostile toward other dogs and has just been a great big stinker, all around. Starting last night, she hit the floor and we've been consistent ever since.

Luna - a new pal

Today we took Coco for a walk right after work. After about 2 months of her FLIPPING out on certain dogs in our area, we were on the look out for dogs that Coco did not know. On our way out of Lakewood forest, a large brindle German Shepherd (who was off leash) came running at us full speed. "Luna!! Get back here!" came from a distance. Coco sat down with a HUGE smile and greeted her new friend. THANK THE MAKER Coco was totally cool with Luna. Our little Princess has flown into Cujo-mode on certain dogs, so we were not sure what to expect. It turns out that Luna and her family live around the corner from us and well, Luna's poppa is a professional brewer at the new "Wolverine Brewery" here on Stadium Blvd. I'll be hitting him up for some samples once we have the baby. Little known fact - the day I brought Coco home we watched "Moon" and I thought it was one of the best films that I've ever seen. I wanted to name Coco "Luna." Chris hated it and said NO WAY! I love that name.

Did Coco chill because she's sleeping on the floor now and NOT feeling like the Pack Leader?? Who knows. It's still too early to tell. But she is not sneaking up on the bed with us, she knows that we mean business. As long as we are consistent, we're good to go.

Old Habits Die HARD!

ALL FOUR PAWS ON THE FLOOR!

So, we hired a private dog instructor. There have been a few red flags and with the baby coming, we knew that it was time to break Coco of some pretty bad habits.

I had a very nice, long conversation with our new trainer today. She mentioned that one of the first things that we need to do is GET COCO OFF THE BED! ASAP.

Tonight I have kicked her off numerous times, but it's been rough. She's just not ready to go. Unfortunately, this is where her dominance issues stem from. We have allowed her on the bed since day one - against ALL advisement. Everyone was right. Coco has been a great dog, but my issues with the typical first trimester gave her an edge to take advantage of me. She certainly thinks that she is the Pack Leader...and as she sits here at the foot of my bed, I'm reinforcing this belief. UGH! This is awful. I know that I need to kick her off once and for all. I know. Training begins on Sunday October 24th, after that she's off the bed for good. The instructor will meet with us for a few hours and provide us with a strict plan. One of the main points will be to kick Coco off the bed for good.

Tonight...well, it's just not happening.

Coco Enjoys the Fall Season

Coco get's a new baby brother or sister - SPRING 2011

Yep - here we go. About 1 year after we brought Coco home, we will be bringing yet another family member home. This time, The world welcomes either Asheton or Nova Talyor.

Coco has been adjusting okay to the new routine. My hubby is stuck walking her ALL THE TIME, now. I feel kinda bad about it, but the first trimester was unbearable for me. I was incredibly ill. Coco noticed how fragile I was, and unfortunately became over protective of me. Walking her went from my favorite activity to my most feared. She started lunging at other dogs that came near us and well, it was both alarming and down right EMBARRASSING! Now Chris walks her so that we can avoid that whole aggressive scene with Coco. I am playing phone tag with a trainer that will hopefully be giving us a hand asap. One of the big issues will be resolving Coco's need to protect me at every turn. Sheeesh - it's JUST a dog, Coco!

Other than that, she's growing out of control and is very much our little sweetheart. Chris's Grandparents came to visit last night and she was (luckily) the perfect Princess.

On a side note - the kitty drama has completely gone away. THANK THE MAKER! The Revolution has ended. Everyone is starting to adjust much better. Just in time.














Coco pretty much sleeps at my side every night and unfortunately awakes to ANY noise that she hears.

Coco celebrates her 1 year Birthday on November 11th!

Dog Rescue Goes Haywire

A Life of Luxury AND Prestige!

My little Coco is spoiled. She’s also VERY well socialized and knows everyone in our subdivision. She carries on every single day with a huge smile. She wakes up every single morning absolutely THRILLED to be alive because she knows that she will be fed, she’ll be walked numerous times during the day and she is certain that she will have clean water in her dish throughout the day. Coco knows that she will dig through her box of toys, many times through the day, and that her biggest decison of the day will be between her squeaky yellow duck or her chewy purple ball. Coco knows that she’ll end every day fast asleep in our bed…dreaming of terrorizing our cat JuJu and of her BFF Argos who has recently moved right around the corner.

I saw him on Jackson Rd

Today I left the office around 5:30. When I traveled down Jackson Rd (one of the busiest in Ann Arbor) I saw swerving cars ahead of me and a whole lot of break- lights. I could barely make it out, but it looked like a poor dog darting in and out of traffic. I immediately thought of Coco and pulled over to grab that poor pooch. Once I had his collar, I pulled him into my car. I grabbed my phone and called my most trusted animal experts, my pals at The Westarbor Animal Clinic. Sher answered the phone and encouraged me to bring the dog by the clinic, as hopefully he was chipped.

With the Best Intentions

I flew down Jackson Rd with this unknown animal in my back seat. He seemed relieved and was very well behaved. He was panting heavily, as he had just survived a horrifying ordeal in the middle of Jackson Rd. He was super handsome – he was a long haired brindle pit mix with a very loving soul. He had a collar on, but there were no tags identifying who he was. I just knew one thing – IF IT WERE MY COCO, I’D WANT SOMEONE TO PULL HER OUT OF THE ROAD AND TAKE CARE OF HER!

Fingers Gently Crossed

So I pulled into the drive way at Westarbor. I didn’t have a leash, so Sher got me one immediately. They scanned the dog and found that he was registered with the Humane Society. After a number of phone calls, they found the name, address and phone number of the owner. I watched the Vet Tech call several times. After leaving a message, she looked up and said “Well, the owner hung up on me twice, so I had to leave a message. Not good.” I waited as they went to talk to the owner of the Vet Office. While I awaited their return, another dog came in for an appointment.

Scary Shit

When the owner and his adorable little Collie walked in, I immediately felt this stranger by my side begin to stir. I knew right away that I could not control him, he was a tank. I told the owner that this dog was not mine and that I pulled him off Jackson Rd. I held him as tight as I could, but he began to get aggressive and I just could not control him. Before I knew it, the dog slipped out of my hands and attacked that little Collie. I was screeching and asking for help. It happened SO FAST! The tech came in and pulled that pit mix off the collie and advised the owner to get his Collie out of the room. I give that tech A LOT of kudos. She had her shit under control and she took down my companion very quickly and threw him in the back…he had a large pin all to himself, so he was just fine.

Cool Down

Luckily, no one was hurt. I was shaking and BAWLING, when I ran outside to apologize to the owner of that collie. I felt very much responsible for this dog that I had NO control over. The owner of the collie was actually quite fine with all of it, he said that his dog was okay, there were no signs of ripped skin. What was amazing – the reaction of the staff at Westarbor. No one blamed the dog that I rescued; they reassured me that he was obviously not well socialized and that he had a neglectful owner. I thought that was so insightful and absolutely right on. Although I’m still totally freaked out, I know that poor little pooch was out on Jackson Rd for one reason – a SHITTY OWNER who has abandoned his dog. This poor pooch is aggressive and untrained. It’s not the dogs fault, it’s a direct reflection on the owner. I’m glad that they have the owner’s information via the chip. He’s going to have a lot of answering to do tomorrow, once they contact him.

Any dog can be aggressive!

I hate to even bring up this dogs breed, because any dog can be aggressive. When I picked him up I knew that he had a sweet soul and that he was, in his heart of hearts – A GOOD DOG. But because he had a neglectful owner, this experience turned out very differently. He was frightened and aggressive. I blame that owner and I hope that he (the owner) is held responsible! I have no idea how long this dog was running around without food and water and shelter. I don't know what on earth he could have been going through. I don't know what experiences he had that led to this awful aggressive behavior. This level of fear comes from a very sad place. He must have been abused, neglected and possibly starved. My Coco is a very loving and predictable dog because she comes from a loving and secure home. This poor dog that I found on Jackson Rd obviously has had a far different experience and I will pray for him, because the road that he takes now will be even more unstable. I hope that he finds some level of rehabilitation. I hope that he finds a warm bed to crawl into. A routine of feedings and walks...uuuugh. I am thinking of that stranger right now, I hope for all of the best.

First Day with Coco - reaching into the Archive

Coco and the Kitty Revolution

COCO!!!

Yes, she's 8 months old and over 70 lbs. She's growing up fast and thankfully, starting to chill out a bit.

A few weeks ago she mysteriously broke her toe. 3 weeks of house arrest resulted in one of WORST periods of dog ownership EVER. I'll spare you the 1000 word essay here, but let's just say this - we lost a cozy feather comforter and Chris and I nearly strangled one another because we were so frustrated. She was TERRIBLE.

The Kitty Cat Revolution

Yeeeeeeeeeeeah -- so, the cats are still NOT okay with this whole doggy thing. Coco loves kitties, and unfortunately wants to play with them. So recently she's been on a leash, tied to me belt loop when she's around the kitties. This works pretty well and she's rewarded when she remains passive with them.

Unfortunately, the kitty revolution began a few months ago and has resulted in an issue that
I am almost too embarrassed to talk about. They urinated on the furniture. It's awful and after spending $1500 on our new living room set, I'm seriously ready to lose my mind. Luckily, I'm going back to the old reliable method that has worked in the past.

What has not worked

I heard a lot of good things about Nature's Miracle. I tried it numerous times, but it never worked. EVER. So my local pet supply folks told me to try Urine Off. It's #1 Vet recommended and they say it's The World's Best Urine Stain and Odor Remover, so I fell for the marketing hype and decided to give it a whirl. It made my furniture smell 10 times worse and my entire house smelled like fresh cat urine. Chris was ready to lose his mind and I was ready to make a fur hat out of Miss Bast, as I know for a fact that she's the Che Guevara of this Revolution.

Super Size Bast

Large AND in charge!

What has worked

My kitty cat guru, Dave Rhabari, highly recommended water and vinegar. I had used it before when we first brought JuJu home. It worked like a charm. But for some reason I wanted to try the expensive crap that I heard so many good things about. Natures Miracle + Urine Off came to about $30+ and didn't do a damn thing. The White Vinegar was $1.29 and I mixed it with an equal part of water. 1 cup of White Vinegar + 1 cup of water. It killed the scent and didn't destroy my furniture.

Between kitty drama and the MONEY PIT that is now my dog, I can say that this is all totally worth it. Coco is an amazing creature. She's so darn smart and and about as sweet as it gets. She's been chilling out on the puppy craziness a bit more every single week. I know that she and the kitties will come full circle...once she decides that they are NOT going to play with her.

7 Months Old! Happy Birthday Coco!!

A little retrospect!


Can you believe that our little 'Boo Boos' is already 7 months old??

I was recently talking to my neighbor Stephanie, who is 3 1/2 yrs old. She reminded me that I brought Coco home when it was snowing and that Coco was the size of her little wiener dog, Bronson. Wow, things have changed.

She has grown into quite the little stink bomb. Coco is now 65 lbs and very strong. She still gets 3 walks a day and it still seems like it's never enough exercise. We're hoping to complete our fenced-in yard this weekend so that Coco can run wild and will not be limited to the house and leash time, during walks. *fingers gently crossed*

What we did right

Well, that schedule kept Coco potty trained. She only had two accidents inside the house. We were pretty fortunate! Another success - we have been committed to making sure that Coco gets more than enough exercise. It's been good for us, too! We reinforced all 'commands' during our walks and when we fail - try, try again! She continues to test us every single day, and we continue to reinforce all rules so that she does not take advantage of us. Crate training is key, folks. It keeps your dog out of trouble and you get to correct your dog under constant supervision when it is not in the crate. I cannot believe that people don't crate train their dogs. Those are some of the same people who FLIP out when their dog chews up their couch while unsupervised.

What we could have done better

Well...to this day I still feel bad about that Pigs Ear that made her so tremendously ill. Yeah - I'm a sap and it was like MONTHS ago...but I still remember her anguish and discomfort. We also refused to crate her at night. I wish that I had just stuck with it, as we had MONTHS of sleepless nights. Wow. For those who are consistent, it can really pay off. Actually, last night we had a quiet night with Coco in her crate. She didn't make a peep! We'll see how tonight goes...so far so good.

I wish that I had saved my $$ on absurd dog treats/toys and spent more on obedience training. But overall - I am so grateful that I brought Coco home, very much against my husbands will. Don't get me wrong, he loves her to pieces. But he was NOT a fan of taking on this responsibility. Now we cannot imagine our lives without Miss Coco. SHE ROCKS!

ADVENTURE DOG!

COCO VISITS THE OUTER BANKS!

For the most part, Coco has been great. She was a perfect Princess on the 2 day drive. But the waves have proven to be a little much for her. She's okay with walking the beach with us, but the breaking waves seem to cause her a little anxiety and she gets a little nippy and weird when she's on the beach too long. In the meantime, she's been making friends with my brothers dog Winston and we even made pals with some other German Shepherd on the beach. We met Elsa (10 months old) and Trooper - a retired Polics Dog from Commerce Twp, MI. It's been fun, but Coco is definitly NOT a beach bum. I don't know how I was attracted to a breed that is NOT water friendly, as I am quite the Mermaid. Hopefully Coco will come around a bit.

Well -we knew it was going to a great adventure when we spotted the Batmobile. :)

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

101 DOG TRICKS

101 DOG TRICKS: I am already picking thru this book and growing more and more excited about teaching the ever active Coco some new tricks. I have located a Hula-Hoop and we shall see how long it takes for Coco to learn to jump thru it. There's a whole chapter just on Hoop tricks, so that should be fun.

JAIL BREAK - COCO ESCAPES HER CRATE

Of course, this should come as no surprise.

When Coco was 10 weeks old, I sat in disbelief as I watched her jiggle the handle on her teeny little crate and let herself right out. We had a bungie chord around the crate for months. When she grew a bit bigger, we moved her to a medium size crate that my mother let us borrow. It was far more secure, so we didn't have any problems.

Recently, we bought her a SUPER SIZE crate. One like this:


























And now I am wishing that I had splurged on something more secure like this one:

The wire crate seems a bit flimsy, but we bought it 50% off. So I thought we'd be able to use it for the rest of Coco's life. It's totally huge! But Coco is a smart cookie and has already managed to get out of it. Chris (my hubby) secured it with a bungie chord this morning, so we'll see what happens.

Honestly, we were expecting a "Keith Moon" type reception when we got home. Thankfully, she was sound asleep by the door - which shocks me. Coco has been on house arrest for one week due to her spay and she has been a BAD BAD little girl. Exercise is the key to obedience, and she's not getting any of that! I can't blame her. But the house was oddly in order. I thought at the very least there would be broken pens and ink all over the furniture, but she didn't do a single thing. Altho - I bet her puppy tummy is FULL of kitty poo, via the litter box. *barf*

Anyhoo...we'll see how this goes. If you have a smart German Shepherd or any large breed, I don't recommend these wire crates. Splurge for the more secure ones, as these crates are going to last the dogs entire life.

More Senseless Violence Against Animals

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” - Gandhi



"Shadow"





















Holy smokes - ANOTHER dog was horribly beaten by their owner? It seems like every few months AnnArbor.com posts a horrific story about a dog owner losing their temper and damn near beating their dog to death! This time, it was a little Jack Russell/Terrier Mix named "Shadow." I just cannot believe that someone would beat a tiny dog with a hammer over an indoor "potty" accident. I mean really - WHAT does one think that a dog does in a new environment?? Especially little dogs that are notorious for their little bladders? This is so sad. CLICK HERE FOR THE WHOLE STORY.

I'm obviously preaching to the choir, here. You are reading this blog because you are a fellow dog lover and you are just as floored by these senseless tales of impatience and unforgivable abuse.



"Annie" finds a loving home

















Last February, a local man was finally convicted of brutally beating his dog "Brownie" nearly to death, this time with a tire iron. Her abuse was so extensive that she had to have one of her hind legs amputated. After lying under oath and swearing that he accidentally ran the dog over with his car, the judge slapped him with a 2-4 year prison term. According to AnnArbor.com; "Washtenaw County Circuit Judge David Swartz slapped Rutley with a two- to four-year prison sentence and said he would have issued more time if state guidelines allowed." CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY. "Brownie" was renamed "Annie" by her adoptive family and is thankfully living a new life of luxury and prestige!

At least the laws are somewhat in-place to handle these types of cases. Many other states merely give a slap on the wrist, and offer probation. I'm thankful that Judge David Swartz took this case seriously and handed this criminal a tough sentence, especially after he refused to take accountability for his actions.

As much as it shocks me to see these stories come out of the woodwork, I am glad to see that AnnArbor.com treats them as "Headline News." Are there a sudden rash of violent cases against animals? Probably not, animal abuse is as old as mankind - but it seems that the media is jumping on the stories as more and more people are responding to them. People are fed up with these disparaging stories and are taking steps to mitigate this senseless violence against our precious little fur babies.

SPRING GARDEN TOXINS

So I just received a friendly reminder from the folks at AKC about Spring Garden Toxins. I'm just starting to garden little by little, but I was surprised to learn that even in my limited space that I have some VERY toxic plants/bulbs in my yard.

From the AKC:

Watch for Toxins in Your Spring Garden

Due to their natural curiosity, their love of digging, and their tendency to consume anything they come across, dogs are at a high risk for accidental poisoning. This can be particularly true in spring, as front gardens and backyards come to life with new growth, and as dogs and their owners spend more time outdoors.

Toxic bulbs, plants and flowers include tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, certain lilies, crocus, and lily of the valley.

See a detailed chart here.


Harmful fertilizers and ground cover include cocoa mulch, blood meal, bone meal, and any fertilizer containing disulfoton or organophosphates.

Store all poisonous substances in your home, garage, and yard out of reach of your curious canine, and block access to potentially harmful bulbs and flowers. If you suspect your dog has ingested a poison, call your veterinarian at once; or dial the Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680.

Tracking Class + Coco gets her Spay

Westarbor Animal Hospital is my local Vet and I cannot say enough about them - THEY ROCK! The entire staff rules my world!

They hosted a great Tracking class last Saturday and I thought we'd give it a whirl. Well - Coco was a total Brat for the first hour. She walked in thinking that they had thrown her a SURPRISE PARTY, so she was all over the damn place socializing and distracting everyone. UGH. Well, after an hour she settled down and totally got into it. We set a trail for her to follow and once she got it - she was a ROCK STAR!


Coco is feeling poopy
















Poor baby, she is feeling super sore and is having a hard time getting around. I wish that I could tell her that she was spayed and that this pain will wash away, but right now she's sick and dizzy and she's giving me her most dramatic pout EVER. Even still, I'm a BIG supporter of "population control" and I know that in the long run this will be best for her health. But I have to admit, when I was on my way to pick her up, I did have a strange wave of guilt. Coco is just such a sweet pup, and what if she did ever have pups? They would be little GEMS! But, they would result in more dogs being euthanized through shelters and they would contribute to the horrible over population that is resulting in over 1 million euthanizations per year.

PedMeds.com Vs my Vet

Soooo, I spent a small fortune on Frontline and Interceptor on top of her spay. It was a big expense that I was saving for, so I was ready. Luckily, my VPI Pet Insurance will be reimbursing me about 30-35% of my entire bill - stay tuned for that one. But like $240 of that bill was for Coco's Heartworm/Flea medication. Some of my friends use PetMeds.com, so I jumped online and compared costs.

12 Months of Interceptor

My Vet: $119.34
PetMeds.com: $96.99

6 Months of Frontline

My Vet: $115.98
PetMeds.com: $93.99

Hmmm...those prices certainly do not include shipping. Nor do the prices contribute to keeping the doors open and the lights on at my favorite Vets office. Yeah - I'd save some money. But I understand the need for "overhead" and I want to see my Vet stay open and functioning, so I'll probably stick to supporting my local vet over PetMeds.com.

"In the middle of the night I call your name..."

OH COCO!

Happy Mother's Day to Coco's Mother!

Mother's Day is coming up and I can't help but look at the beautiful pictures of Coco's mother. She was a playful, sweet-natured dog. When I met her and Coco's father I just knew that their pups were going to be reflections of their kind, gentle spirits. Coco's mother has an incredible smile and was very nurturing to her little pups. Her father was a HUGE bear, he was quite intimidating to look at. But once I came through the gate he ran right up to me and welcomed me immediately. Coco has become such a big part of our lives. I'm glad that I got to meet her biological parents.

Coco's Mama

Coco's Papa!

This is a song that we sing to her quite often. She loves it.

OH COCO!

In the middle of the night
In the middle of the night
I call your name
Oh Coco!

Decisions...decisions...decisions

PET INSURANCE, PRONG COLLAR, MICROCHIP ~ OH MY!

A new dog bed for Coco. She lives a life of Luxury & Prestige!

MICROCHIP ~ NO FREAKIN' WAY!

Coco is scheduled to have her spay on May 11th. The spay will include taking care of a hernia issue that Coco has, but it was also scheduled to include a Microchip. After some research via Google, I found that some cases of Micro-chipping have led to cancerous tumors. Adding a Microchip to Coco was not something that we were all that interested in, but our Vet suggested it because so many pet owners are doing it and it has been successful in reuniting lost pets with their family members. We were strongly considering it, and those ads with emotional testimonies from enthusiastic pet owners were persuasive. But Coco is not going to be running the woods unattended, nor will she EVER be unsupervised. So we're gonna pass.

Update: We decided on the Microchip

PET INSURANCE ~ A RELUCTANT YES

This was the most difficult of all of my most recent decisions, in regard to Coco. I honestly still feel a little indecisive about this. I signed Coco up for a Premium pet insurance plan through VPI. They were referred to me by my Vet and after I shopped around, they ended up being my best bet. They cover quite a bit, including 2 office visits per year, a dental cleaning per year and I'll be reimbursed for a decent sized portion of Coco's spay - so it will pay for itself over the next 12 months. A lot of my friends say that they just never used the insurance and advised against it. However, I work with quite a few people who SWEAR BY IT and have been reimbursed thousands of dollars after unexpected injuries/illnesses. Well, I'm gonna give it a try. There's no contract and I can cancel at anytime. Coco officially has better Health Care than millions of Americans. Any suggestions out there??

PRONG COLLAR - OH HELL YES!

Both Chris and I were skeptical of Prong Collars. We see Cesar Milan use them on The Dog Whisperer and have heard nothing but positive things from our friends about them. But to be honest - Prong Collars look like something out of a Torture Chamber. I mean come on -- they are down right intimidating looking and it's going to take some time before I walk Coco and not feel like a BAD DOG MOM. Well - this reluctance to even consider a Prong Collar completely disappeared after being dragged half way across the road this morning. I took Coco out around 7 AM, as usual. Things were going well, she was following commands but there were a lot of distractions between the HUGE Watership Down type bunnies, birds, the morbidly obese squirrels...the Canadian geese...it was a lot for Coco, but she was doing great.

Until we saw the jogger.

She wasn't being aggressive, but she wanted to run with that guy. I had her by the leash and could feel her pulling a bit, but once he flew by us things changed instantly. I was suddenly on the ground and being pulled by my baby 5 month old shepherd! It was unbelievable. Then the pain set in. I had twisted my left ankle and my lower back was throbbing. I hobbled home and I have to say - I've never been soooo PISSED OFF with another creature in my entire life.

I went to work and Googled Prong Collars and sought the advice from some pals, then we hit Huron Pet Supply on Jackson Rd right after work. The sales guy gave us the whole Dog and Pony Show and there was even a nice lady that said "Your dog will straighten right up!" Well, you all were right! She's turned right around and doesn't even seem that uncomfortable wearing it.

Coco LOVES Swift Run Dog Park!!

Oh hell YES! Coco is finally going to the Swift Run Dog Park! We wanted to wait until she was old enough and MATURE enough to handle all of the different personalities. I think that 5 months old is the perfect age to introduce her. She's got her commands down and she's not impressionable enough to disregard her commands while being distracted by the other dogs. She still needs to learn to deal with the rough-housing. There were some tough players out there, but she held her own.

We've never seen her so happy!!

COCO LOVES THE SWIFT RUN DOG PARK!

Auntie Amanda Zee and 'lil Brody

Stud Muffin Thor - a regular at Swift Run

Berg - she is a GREAT Dane and about as Sweet as it gets!

Coco ran around like a crazy pants for about an hour and a half. Luckily, we had Miss Amanda Zee, Brody, Argos and Poppa Box...so it was one big PARTAAAAY!!!

On the way home, Argos and Coco played in the back seat. Exhausted and ready to pass out. Coco loves her man, Argos!

Coco + Argos = True Love Always

DOG BATH = FAIL.

Don't let this cute face fool you. THIS is a bad puppy.

So Chris and I have been having problems bathing Coco and clipping her nails. Luckily, we walk her so much that her nails stay trim on their own - so we only have to trim them about once a month. But even still...Coco is beyond traumatized by the basics of bathing and nail trimming. She is downright INSANE.

Yes, my sweet little Boo Boos went over the edge today.

I took Coco to our neighborhood Dog o Mat and thought that working with a professional may be a better route for her to take. Get her out of her element...some new faces...new smells. Um, NO. She was way worse than I could even imagine. After a pretty drama free nail trimming, I was optimistic about getting her into the tub. Once she felt that water spray on her back, you would have imagined that she was being sprayed by sulfuric acid.

The groomer was shocked and we even had to muzzle Coco after a while, I have the red marks up and down my arms to prove it -- that pup went BONKERS! Ugh. After flailing around like a goddamn fish and biting and scratching and wailing...that groomer rinsed her off, smiled pretty and charged me EXTRA for dealing with a complete lunatic.

So right now, I'm settling for those super size Doggie Wipes and I tell you what -- we will ease back into the bathing thing. I'm not saying that I completely give up. But I am going to be realistic here...I've been to Crazy Town and I am NOT going back anytime soon.

Coco Taylor!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Coco hits Downtown Ann Arbor!

DOWNTOWN GIRL!

Coco received first class treatment at Grizzly Peak!

Coco was actually very well behaved, considering that we were packed in like sardines at the FestiFools Parade in Downtown Ann Arbor! Every year, FestiFools draws packs of Ann Arbor townies to Main Street - larger than life 14ft+ puppets hit the streets and bring an abundance of creativity and energy to our lovely city. This is one of my favorite events and we were not going to miss it! However - I doubt that we'll subject poor Coco to FestiFools again. It was way WAY too intense and there were a lot over stressed dogs that were just not socializing well. We were lucky to have such a sweet puppy!

So if you're wondering what in the heck FestiFools is, please watch this fun video. It's a fantastic celebration of Grand Proportions! A stunning array of colorful puppets dance thru the streets. My favorite part of FestiFools is that it was created and maintained by Ann Arbor Townies of all ages and educational backgrounds. We adore this Festival! It may not be appropriate for pups, but it is a fabulous event for YOU!

Once FestiFools was over, my hubby and I grabbed some pals and headed for Grizzly Peak. I hear that it's against "code" to have a dog on a restaurant patio - but don't tell that to Grizzly Peak. They not only allowed Coco to join us, but gave her the Rock and Roll treatment. She lay at our feet quietly, while we enjoyed locally brewed IPA's and scrumptuous food! After a fabulous luncheon at Grizzly Peak, Coco hung her head out of the window and enjoyed a scenic ride home. Lotsa families outside enjoying a marvelous day and an exhausted pooch ready to pass out in 3...2...1...

A TRIBUTE TO TECA AND DUKE

PUPPIES ARE A LOT OF WORK!!

Ugh. So Coco has been driving me a little nuts lately. She's been up at 5 AM and ready to PARTY! She's been nipping and jumping on the furniture...she's been pulling on her leash...she's been testing me and I've been standing up to her and letting her know WHO THE BOSS IS! And yes, I've had some mornings where I wonder what in the heck I've gotten myslef into. But this was a particularly rough morning and I came to work exhausted and on the verge of tears. Then I thought of my two doggy mentors; Deanna Robbins and Renee Badall. Both of them recently lost their doggy soul mates and watching them go through this has been very sad for me. I turn to Deanna and Renee almost daily for doggy advice and they have both been incredible resources for information and I honestly don't know what I'd do without them...and my other "Dog Whisperers" at work Marion and Amy.

But today, I'm thinking of Deanna and Renee and of their dogs.

Renee and Teca

Ameriken-Magic Teca ~ December 17, 2005 - February 13, 2010

Renee is one of my best friends. When she suddenly lost Teca last month, I was just in pieces. Teca was a gorgeous Viszla that lived a full and exciting life with Renee and Joe Badall.

Deanna and Duke

pic of Duke and Greta

"He is everywhere, but I can't get to him. In fondest memory of my sweet boy, Duke Martin 1999- Mar2010"

I work with Deanna and I've been in and out of her office for WEEKS, asking for advice and showing her pictures. She lost Duke recently and it was absolutely devastating for her and her family.

On mornings like this when I feel like I'm at my wits end and I wonder why in the heck I ever got a dog, I think of Duke and Teca. I need to hug my Coco a little tighter and not take her for granted...even when she's being a little STINKER!!!!

Big love to you, Renee and Deanna!!!

Adventures with Coco Taylor!

Miss Lily The Luv Bug and Coco

Lily has become Coco's new best GAL PAL!

Adventures in The Arb!

The Gorgeous Huron River


SO MUCH to see and hear and smell!





Coco The SNOW BUNNY!

This is certainly The Disney World for doggies!! TOO MUCH FUN!