Pooches: On Socializing with Dog Friends

When I first adopted Miss M, I thought that as a dog she needed to run, wrestle, and tumble with other dogs in order to be happy. Miss M became a regular at a local dog park where she would romp and roll. Though after Miss M was attacked by another dog, and I had this fluke accident, I soon realized there were better options for us.
As we learned how to fully exercise our pups without a yard, and as our dogs have gotten older, we also realized that not all dogs need to physically interact with other dogs in order to socialize.
And not all dogs feel the need to closely socialize with other dogs.
Here are some ways our dogs have been socializing without physically playing:

Tandem Walking:

Sweet Bessie-Belle always fit in so well!

At first I used to think it was a good thing to allow Miss M to randomly greet other dogs when out on our walks. Besides the injuries dogs can get from playing on leash, many dogs aren't comfortable with head-on greetings; it's more natural for dogs to "meet" by showing their sides. We have found that our pups can have as much of a social experience by merely walking with another dog. We use this type of introduction, and after they begin walking together, they don't feel the need to jump or play with one another and they are happy just strolling. Miss M even has a best walking friend.

Fostering

Our very first foster dog, Wilma!

Fostering has been a positive way for our pups to socialize with other dogs, and we like that we are the ones managing their interactions. With foster dogs they all get to walk together, and often lay together. We work to choose dogs who are compatible for our pups, our home, and everyone's energy levels. We wrote more about it, here.

Group Walking

We love how our SociaBulls walking group allows dogs of all tolerance levels to socialize without interaction. Pack walking is natural for dogs, and once they fall into the continuous rhythm of the walk it becomes a positive socialization experience.
We know not everyone has a group walk in their area, and neither did we. We decided to start our own walk, and we wrote more about it here. Several other groups have shared their experiences about how they started walks in their areas, and they wrote about it here (more links on the bottom).

What are some other ways that your pups socialize with other dogs?

Also:
How we prepare to invite dog friends over
The other kind of exercise

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SociaBulls: The Value of a Free Walking Group

We all know how expensive it can be to own a dog, and that is why it was especially important for us to have something that dogs and their owners could do together with fellow responsible owners.
Something that is free.

While we aren't a training group, we know many people who wanted a way to put what they learned in training into practice, but all of the training classes were becoming too expensive. Especially with multiple dogs.
We even had someone tell us a trainer in their area led a pack-walking group and charged $25 per walk. It was $50 to bring both of their dogs for a single walk.

While we do have a lot of people working behind-the-scenes, and often spending their own money, we just ask that members use a 4-foot leash, carabiners, a colored bandana and follow the set procedures.

It's nice that we were able to build this resource in our community, though I'm also curious about other resources people use.
What are some free or low-cost options that other people use to continue their training?

To learn more about our group, join our Chicago SociaBulls Facebook page for more photos and updates. And check out the Hikabulls page where we first learned about the benefits of group walking.

Also:
The after-training group.
By the numbers
Our members.

Pooches: Mr. B's Whole New World

Many people who meet Mr. B on the street cannot believe that he is over 10 years old, but it is easy to see why so many people are in disbelief.
He doesn't understand the meaning of walk.

He is so excited to be on the walk, that he must sprint across every street to get to the other side where the world is full of new and exciting smells.
He sees every ledge as a whole new world that is shining, shimmering and splendid

and every obstacle an opportunity to gain a new fantastic point of view.

Mr. B enjoys soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through the endless grime filled city streets.

Perhaps Mr. B realizes that he is in his golden years and he must spread his joy as much as he can as long as he can.

Also:

He also does this.

On growing old. and Shrinking.

Superpooches!

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DoggyStyle: Making Sports Team Hoodies

When researching ways to make the pooches' Thing 1 and Thing 2 couples costume, we made a wonderful discovery: iron ons. We had been looking for some sports gear to fit the pups, and I realized this was one way to help the pups show their team pride in their size.

With her long, lanky arms and tight grip, Miss M is our home's diehard Chicago Bulls fan. If she wasn't the princess of our home, she would be  the starting power forward for her hometown team.

Mr. B, with his bulldozer moves, is our home's biggest Chicago Blackhawks fan. He cannot wait to become a defenseman for the his beloved Hawks.

Both hoodies are the basic dog hoodie from Zack and Zoey in x-large. We printed our images using an ink jet printer on iron-on transfer paper for dark fabric. We made images for both the back and the sleeves, so their loyalty can be seen from all sides. 

We edited all pictures on Adobe Photoshop and we kept a small white trim around the image, so the black on the image can be seen as being separate from the black of the hoodie. We recommend washing and drying the hoodies before applying the iron ons, because the iron ons wrinkle when the hoodie shrinks in the dryer.
Has anyone else been trying any dog hoodie hacks?

Also:
Making these retro gym-wear hoodies for the pups
When they want to be ironic
Or as a costume
Can this couples costume also double as casual-wear?

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Daily Walk in 10 Pictures for 11.13.13

Now that our days are getting colder and shorter and we are much busier, we do not get to spend as much time out and about with the pooches. I have decided to revive the Daily Walk in 10 Pictures, because we took the daily walks for granted during the summer, and now they are a cherished family event.

Though foliage is quite sparse in Chicago, we are lucky to live in a neighborhood full of trees, where we can enjoy the beautiful colors of fall without traveling out to the suburbs.

Too bad fall is such a short season in Illinois, a few days after these pictures were taken, it snowed and now the pooches wear their coats and snoods for our daily walks. Poor Miss M, she is not a big fan of wearing a coat, but then she is not a bigger fan of walking in the cold.

According to the forecast, the weather will be back up in the high 50s by this weekend and hopefully we can enjoy our walks unencumbered with coats and snoods.

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City Dog: Walking like a City Dog

There is so much that we love about living in the city, but at the same time, sometimes it can be frustrating to be surrounded by so, so many people.
The good thing is that there are some understood rules to help us all get where we need to go.
The bad thing is that not everyone understands these rules.
Which can get frustrating after missing train stops because people don't move away from the doors in time, not being able to get onto buses because people think moving to the back of the bus means only moving to the back exit, and literally walking into people who stop suddenly in the middle of the sidewalk to point up at a building.
Having experienced so many of these obstacles, I've become more aware of how my actions can impact so many other people.
And we've become more aware of not becoming an extra obstacle with our pups.
We aren't perfect, but these are some things we've learned about not becoming an obstacle in the city with our pups:

The Fast Lane

One unspoken rule about the sidewalks is that slower walkers walk to one side to allow room for faster walkers to pass. And to never take over the whole sidewalk.
We are conscious of keeping our pups by our side, and not drifting to the side, allowing people to easily pass. We also never walk 2 across on our family walks, which is also why you'll see so many of these back photos of Mr. B and E.

Respecting Space

We know that people have different tolerance levels around dogs. Some people don't like dogs. Some people are afraid of dogs. Some people might like dogs but they might not want to get close to dogs when they're wearing their nice work clothes.
We work to keep our pups close to our side when walking, and we have our dogs walking on the outside so people don't need to get close to the pups if they are uncomfortable. When we're stopped to pick up their poo we keep our pups in a sit position near us not blocking the sidewalk.

On Sidewalk Dog Parking

The pups peek inside the restaurant window

We've written before about problems with dog 'sidewalk parking' and why this isn't a good choice for us. While we know people will continue to tether their pups, we just hope they are respectful of other people's space when they do this and they tie them securely away from the sidewalk. Many tethered dogs become frustrated, scared, or territorial and it's not fair to frustrate them further by encountering so many people and other dogs walking so closely. And it's not fair to people and other dogs to be forced to walk so close to an unattended dog, especially when so many people are afraid of dogs.

We know how important it is to promote responsible ownership as we work to keep and grow more pet-friendly opportunities in the city.
What are some other ways you model responsible dog ownership when in crowded spaces with your pups?

Also:
How we taught our pups to navigate crowded sidewalks
These leashes.
More!

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Warm Fuzzy Pooches

Though the weather has gotten a lot colder and days a lot shorter, I am not dreading the winter as much as I did in the past. In these past several years, fall and winter has become a time where we spend our days and nights together as a family.

In the summer, A and I spend so much time out and about. Though we do spend a lot of time with the pooches during the day, the pooches cannot attend many of the places we visit in the evening. Now that the weather is colder and our outdoor open concerts have ended, we spend a lot of time in the warmth of our home.

I enjoy pulling out the large dog bed from the office and laying out with Mr. B in the living room. This always results in some sort of hijinks with Miss M. A enjoys watching Miss M wedge herself in between Mr. B and me. Though I act as if I am annoyed, I actually enjoy getting squished by the two pooches as all three of us try to fit on the dog bed. 

While the walks in the dark and cold are unpleasant, the warmth of laying in the bottom of a Miss M and Mr. B pile makes it all worth it.

What are some things you enjoy about the winter that makes dark, cold nights enjoyable?

DoggyStyle: The Other Benefits of Wiping Paws

We know so many people think that owning dogs means you are constantly cleaning, but we have realized just the opposite: it has just made us more aware of keeping a clean home. Our home is definitely cleaner now that we own dogs.
While I wouldn't say we are actually spending that much more time cleaning, we do take preventative measures so things don't really get that dirty.

The one thing that has seemed to make the biggest impact, is that we wipe our pooches feet each time they come back from being outside. While it may seem a bit excessive, it is kind of like a person who takes their shoes off when coming inside.
And while we were wondering if we were being a bit intense, lately people have told us some other benefits of consistently wiping paws:

Preventing Health Issues: 

Some of our dog friends who are prone to having itchy feet have mentioned how important it is to consistently wipe feet to prevent dogs chewing on their paws. Our friend Melvin, also dubbed "World's Most Allergic Dog", uses sensitive baby wipes after each walk to remove any allergens before they can come inside.
Maybe a little less common, but wiping their feet before they come inside helps remove any toxins they might have walked through. With all of the outdoor rat poison, fertilizers, construction, and general debris it just made more sense to wipe their paws so there isn't a chance they might lick their feet and ingest something toxic.

Make Handling Easier:

While it may not be true for every dog, we noticed consistently touching their feet has made them more accustomed to handling by other people, and especially to having their nails cut.
Miss M especially anticipates each paw that needs wiping and she will actually hand us her feet. Even shifting her weight for her back legs. (You can see it here in this 'vintage' video)

Chicago Grime:

Thinking about all of the mud, dog feces, uneaten food, spit, and worms found on Chicago sidewalks, it makes me a bit queazy to think of it all getting tracked into our home, rugs, and possibly furniture. When we were having our sofas cleaned, the upholstery cleaners even told us that it's also common for dogs to encounter squirrel, and other animal, feces and bring it into the home, and this can cause flus and illnesses in humans.
Has anyone else been doing this too?

Also:
Have you met our secret cleaning weapon?
Making cleaning fun.
Our Dog-Entry Rug

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Things to do in Chicago with Dogs: Dining Outdoors with Dogs who Are Uncomfortable with Outdoor Patios

While the city does allow pooches to join their owners on outdoor patios,  we know with all of the excitement, dropped food, and pups passing by this does take practice and it can be difficult. We know pups all have different tolerance and comfort levels and lately we've been trying different types of family meals out that include pooches.
Here we took our pooches on a Chicago-style family meal that would be perfect for dog-in-training.

Calumet Fisheries

We had first heard about Calumet Fisheries on Check Please! and we were excited to try this highly recommended, longstanding, family-run smokehouse. All of the fish is fresh and naturally smoked onsite in the smokehouses on-site. It is a bit far, but it was completely worth it and unlike anything we've ever had in the city. Everyone inside was so, so nice. The people working there, and even the other customers, were excited about the dogs waiting so patiently with E outside and several people came to meet them.
There are no seats or bathrooms and it is all carry-out. They have a single picnic table, and some people eat in their car, but we joined the crew out on the bridge and ate along the railing. It really did feel like we were on vacation:

except for Miss M who had her bridge-phobia kick in. It wasn't crowded, and there were no chances of running into other pups, so this would be a good exercise for pups-in training.

Rainbow Cone
Our second stop was Chicago staple the Orignial Rainbow Cone. I had only tried the Rainbow Cone during Taste of Chicago, so I was excited to see where it all began.

Dating back to the 1920's this stacked cone is perfect for the indecisive, layered with: Orange Sherbet, Pistachio, Palmer House, Strawberry, and Chocolate. I've heard there tend to be longer lines, but when we went mid-week there were only a few other people there; I went inside while E stayed with the pups. They have picnic tables outside, or you can just enjoy it in your car. It closes for the winter season, but it's something we can tell the pups will be looking forward to in spring.
With all of their patience, they even got a little lick.

What are some ways you have family dinners with your pups?

Also:
We find this long-standing favorite an easy transition
This is an easy walking meal
When we're feeling European
How we help our dogs to be successful dining at outdoor patios

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Pooches: On Creating the Social-SuperDogs

Ever since I heard about SuperDogs (after reading this Rescued Insanity post based on this post from Paws Abilities ) I began wondering whether we could be creating our own SuperDogs.
The idea is that the more we exclusively use exercise to tire out their pups, the more athletic our dogs become.
They become SuperDogs, requiring massive amounts of physical exercise daily, and we actually need to exercise them more.
Luckily, even with all of our Daily Walks, I don't think we have created a SuperDog:

At the same time, I'm wondering if we have created our own Frankensteins: Social-SuperDogs.
We know how important it is to expose our pups to all types of sounds experiences and people, especially living in the city where we are constantly walking under the El tracks, we have gotten stuck in a Zombie flash mob, and we have met drunk people who want to put sombreros on our pups' heads (twice!).
So we get out there.
Through the years our pups have become accustomed to a wide range of experiences and they keep a fully-stocked social calendar complete with cheerleading, street parties, and parade appearances.

While we are lucky that our pups are so tolerant and really do enjoy meeting so many types of people, it seems Miss M has begun to thrive on it.
She expects every person she sees to come and pet her. And we live in a big city. There are a lot of people.
Lately, even after going to SociaBulls plus another long walk, she will spend the weekend stalking us around the house, staring wide-eyed, impatient to see what is next on her itinerary.

Is it possible to put your dog in too many social situations where they need to have this level of excitement all the time? 
Can they really become a Social-Superdog?

Also:
Maybe we just need to get back to this?
You can see how much they thrive here (especially the Vimeo!)
Fomo!
Our real SuperDog

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