Labmomma- Did I say anything about court? :-) Let me tell you the nutshell version of a story of how the dog whisper helped probably save our furry little behinds. I told this story on another forum and all the cesar-haters came out and told me how stupid i was so you're getting the short version. After watching the show, I decided I would make more of an effort to keep the dogs to my side instead of in front of me while on walks. I wouldn't say they had a pulling problem but the one would pee on everything in sight and the pup was starting to learn how that looked like fun so I felt like it was time to see if I can walk the dogs how cesar does on tv. And no I didn't contact a professional before using the technique like it says in the disclaimer! I thought I'd take a chance. Well after some time walks became a lot more enjoyable and didn't need someone to reinsert my arm into it's socket if a squirrel ran by and there's no more pee-mail. So there's something to be said for more structured walks and not letting the dogs go first. That's only half of it. Ok so we're on a sidewalk where some rednecks keep their pitbull looking dogs out in their yard and never walk them or probably do anything remotely responsible so the dogs had tunnneled under the fence. I didn't know this until a mean looking growling and barking dog ambushes us. My first instinct: soil trousers. My second instinct: must get out of here.* â note there is a "*" Normally these dogs of mine are very friendly, they think every person and dog is their friend and wants to give them cookies. They are personalities that people would kill for in a dog. The mean dog is circling us and I was trying to act like i didn't notice and wanted the boys to play along like we were all wearing iron clad armour. They stayed with the program, focusing on me and where we were going, not jerking me away to go mess with the mean dog. We managed to evade persuit, not getting bitten. I credit the dog whisper show for making me aware that perfecting the walk was possible and it paid off big. Now for that * I was talking about. On a recent episode Cesar talked about what do do in a situation where if you are face to face with a mad dog, you don't turn around and run away. He didn't give instructions on what to do, it was the post office seminar episode, but whatever we're still alive and the dogs did not engage thank god. He also says to be calm and assertive and not show fear. I would be very surprsied if I was not showing or smelling like fear but I'm sure I probably was pretty calm and assertive.

Katie Kitty is safely back home! My neighbor was so upset (she is in her 70's) and she cried when she asked me to send out a mass email to everyone asking them to help find her cat, so I'm very happy to report that Katie Kitty found her way home! Cyn, my husband is a federal type as well and won't get any snow days because he telecommutes so they don't get to take snow days. He doesn't mind though, he'd rather be able to work from home most days then to get a snow day. Are you a teacher? We know several teachers in NoVa, one in Centreville and one out in Haymarket. Our schools are canceled for the week also! LOL Newhomebuilder, I feel like that often with my posts, I wish there was an edit feature on here! The couple who showed up said they thought about calling us to see if the party was canceled but I guess they just decided to forge ahead! I sent them an email apologizing again for making them come out in the cold and ice and they said they had a wonderful time, so it all worked out in the end. I sent them back home with their fruitcake and plate and they said they had a meatloaf in the oven for their daughter and grandson who live with them, so they were fine. Cooperbailey, we have not one but two 95+ year olds on our street! They are both in great shape. The 95 year old woman lives with her daughter, SIL, and grandchildren but she still comes to every event and is just a little hard of hearing, but otherwise doing really well. The other 96 year old is a man and lives on his own, but right next door to his son and his family. He is truly amazing! He still drives, and seems to be fine, has a beautiful garden which he dutifully tends and I think he even has a computer! He also takes his Dachshund to obedience training!!! I hope I'm just like him as I continue to get older, I'm 46 now. A funny story about him when we first moved in and he was a mere 94. One day we drove past and he was laying on his side in the ditch near his mailbox. We drove past and I said to my husband "GO BACK George has fallen!!!" and my husband said that he thought George was just pulling weeds or something. I said "honey, clearly he has fallen, look at him he's on his side, you don't pull weeds like that!" so he agreed and began backing up. When we got beside him I rolled down the window and said are you ok George? He looked puzzled, he didn't really know us since we'd just moved in, and said "I'm fine, I'm trimming" and sure enough he had those old handheld trimming shears that everyone used to have that looked like giant scissors! We left and he went back to trimming. My guess is that one day George will be helping us up rather than the other way around, he's my hero! Here are some pictures of our pups playing in the snow. They look so fierce when they play, yet they love one another dearly! Quinn, he's fast, but not quite as fast as our nearly 10 yr old BC, she is still faster! Quinn giving his "mom" some love! Kat :)

I don't know if my animal shelter has that policy about potential pet having a meet & greet with dogs at home... sounds like a GOOD idea though. For ever, I always had dog... large ones. After losing last one unexpectedly, decided animal shelter was where I would go when I wanted another pet. I think animal "people" have a gene that makes them NEED to have an animal around. I went to my county animal shelter web site and started looking at their pictures. I didn't want a really young puppy... not that housebreaking stuff again!?! Didn't want a LARGE dog... last dog (90 lb Dobie) went down SO fast, I wasn't able to get her into car myself. One of the FIRST pics was a mini-Pincer... red just like last dog, only a year or 2 old. Found out quickly that young, smallish dog quickly have a line of families waiting to adopt. Went to shelter and dog section was sad/scary. Everything there was either a REALLY OLD dog (like 10-12 year old, gray faced labs) or pits/rotts. I've had rotties but no way would I feel comfortable adopting a full grown one from animal shelter. People can also LIE about WHY they are surrendering their dogs, right? I took a few steps into cat room and a little arm reached out thru the bars and pretty much picked ME. I had NEVER had a cat before... didn't even have a carrier. DID have the required paperwork, filled out as much as possible. As I waited in line, the young guy (maybe 18-20) in front of me asked about "adopting SOME kitten"!! Woman at desk very briefly made eye contact with me and proceeded to pile on the paperwork. You had to provided information about where the animal would live (house or apt), was there a yard (fenced?), name and contact information of your vet. After he left, I just had to ask if what I had just seen was what I thought it was! She said... YES, periodically young guys try to adopt... and this is disgusting... what would become BAIT animals. The shelter will not adopt out an animal that isn't spayed/neutered.

I go to the local shelters to pick up wildlife and I see it too. In fact, I offered to take some of the non adoptable cats. Those that had been there a long time. I ended up taking some ferals too. My only concern was the could be outside cats and were neutered. I live in the country...no near neighbors. It is harder to take dogs because they have to get used to wildlife, hogs, and cats, although I did take one dog, a very old one that had been there for five months. I don't know where you live, Scott, but the shelters here send a lot of dogs to shelters in the north and west coast because those people are better about neutering their animals, so not as many dogs available. I recently fostered 7 puppies for a rescue here and they were all placed within a couple of weeks. I know 3 went to North Carolina, 2 went to Long Island, and 1 went to Boston. Can't remember where the other one went. These pups went to individuals who paid an adoption fee of $232 and plane fare.