Sunday, February 28, 2010
Our Little Graduate!
Lyra has successfully graduated from her puppy class! She passsed her final exam with flying colours! We've learned so much from her class and will for sure continue practicing everything she learned. After their spay, I'm going to regsiter both Kiko and Lyra for the intermediate class! I've also included pictures of Lyra's friend and classmate Nikkita.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
At Work
We pretty much cart the doggies to work on most days. They get a break on the days that Ansaar is at home, usually Mondays and Tuesdays. They also stay at home when Azam starts work late in the day and Aaron only has to watch them for a brief window of time - he is after all in school and needs to do his work! They also get every Sunday and most Saturdays off.
At first they were thrilled to come to work - just like us when we got our first job and it was new and exciting! Lots to discover - product on the shelves to be sniffed at, aisles to be run through, parts to be investigated, cardboard to be chewed. This usually left the little one (Lyra) smelling as though she had been disassembling parts to be rebuilt. Prak came up with method after method to block their access to the warehouse. We discovered just how much of a Houdini Lyra was! She beat the barricades each time and escaped to the wonderful, adventure that is the warehouse. Kiko would not attempt escape, but once Lyra came up with a path, she was certainly not going to be excluded from the adventure! Finally we came up with a sure-fire way to prevent the escapades - we used plywood shelving to block any open areas. Of course this means that we now have to cross over them, but at least we get a good stretch out of it! They haven't yet figured out that they can quite easily jump our barricade - here's hoping that they don't discover that anytime soon! Now that they are restricted to the office, the girls are not in the least bit interested in going to work. I must admit that I share their sentiments. The ever vocal Lyra protests every day. They come in and sulk until about noon, which is when I give them breakfast. This usually involves hand-feeding Kiko. Lyra is pretty good and will eat by herself. Today I left Kiko until about 3 o'clock, determined not to hand feed her. I finally felt sorry and tried to give her some beef kabob - the dog literally spat it out several times (this is not the first time that she spat out food when she's sulking). She was so hungry that she was actually drooling, but did not start to eat until I shoved a piece of the kabob deeper into her mouth! Of course she finally ate all of it.
Lyra began chewing on the blinds due to sheer boredom. Kiko refuses to play at work. She spends most of her days sleeping, so Lyra has to find ways to occupy herself. There is lots of room for them to play. There are also lots of toys for them to amuse themselves. However, I believe that they want to have me participate in their play - something that I just don't have the time to do.
As a result they have a tremendous amount of energy when they get home. Even though we let them out to play in the backyard once we get home, they are full of energy until pretty late at night. After their bath (can't have them smelling like shop), they will play.... and play..... and play. Then in the morning they have to be made to get up in order to go to work...hmmmm...sounds just like us...we have all the energy to go out on the weekends or at night, but come time to go to work, we are soooo tired! Like us, they will have to learn that we sometimes do what is necessary, rather than what we truly want to do.
At first they were thrilled to come to work - just like us when we got our first job and it was new and exciting! Lots to discover - product on the shelves to be sniffed at, aisles to be run through, parts to be investigated, cardboard to be chewed. This usually left the little one (Lyra) smelling as though she had been disassembling parts to be rebuilt. Prak came up with method after method to block their access to the warehouse. We discovered just how much of a Houdini Lyra was! She beat the barricades each time and escaped to the wonderful, adventure that is the warehouse. Kiko would not attempt escape, but once Lyra came up with a path, she was certainly not going to be excluded from the adventure! Finally we came up with a sure-fire way to prevent the escapades - we used plywood shelving to block any open areas. Of course this means that we now have to cross over them, but at least we get a good stretch out of it! They haven't yet figured out that they can quite easily jump our barricade - here's hoping that they don't discover that anytime soon! Now that they are restricted to the office, the girls are not in the least bit interested in going to work. I must admit that I share their sentiments. The ever vocal Lyra protests every day. They come in and sulk until about noon, which is when I give them breakfast. This usually involves hand-feeding Kiko. Lyra is pretty good and will eat by herself. Today I left Kiko until about 3 o'clock, determined not to hand feed her. I finally felt sorry and tried to give her some beef kabob - the dog literally spat it out several times (this is not the first time that she spat out food when she's sulking). She was so hungry that she was actually drooling, but did not start to eat until I shoved a piece of the kabob deeper into her mouth! Of course she finally ate all of it.
Lyra began chewing on the blinds due to sheer boredom. Kiko refuses to play at work. She spends most of her days sleeping, so Lyra has to find ways to occupy herself. There is lots of room for them to play. There are also lots of toys for them to amuse themselves. However, I believe that they want to have me participate in their play - something that I just don't have the time to do.
As a result they have a tremendous amount of energy when they get home. Even though we let them out to play in the backyard once we get home, they are full of energy until pretty late at night. After their bath (can't have them smelling like shop), they will play.... and play..... and play. Then in the morning they have to be made to get up in order to go to work...hmmmm...sounds just like us...we have all the energy to go out on the weekends or at night, but come time to go to work, we are soooo tired! Like us, they will have to learn that we sometimes do what is necessary, rather than what we truly want to do.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Booties!!!!
Ever since we were blessed with Lyra, Big Z has insisted that she always wear boots to go outside. She bought Lyra her first set of booties however they proved not to be durable. We then found a website that sold sled dog boots and those lasted for a bit however the velcro started fraying and they started to get holes in them. I don't think that they were designed for longer use.
Just recently we decided to just make our own. My mom went out and bought the fabric and my grandma made them! Creative genius at its finest!
The first set is made out of blue flexible boat vinyl. They're completely waterproof, definitely a good thing in rainy and snowy weather! They're very chic as well, giving the look of leather. They're also easy to clean and helps to prevent digging as well as keep their paws dry and clean!
We've also made a set out of fabric for indoors when they go to work with the parentals.
My grandma will be making more, we have a plethora of fabrics to use to create some fabulous designs! I'll post more pics once the other one's are done.
The plan is to have them wear the booties when they go out even in the summer (the backyard will be most thankful for that!).
Just recently we decided to just make our own. My mom went out and bought the fabric and my grandma made them! Creative genius at its finest!
The first set is made out of blue flexible boat vinyl. They're completely waterproof, definitely a good thing in rainy and snowy weather! They're very chic as well, giving the look of leather. They're also easy to clean and helps to prevent digging as well as keep their paws dry and clean!
We've also made a set out of fabric for indoors when they go to work with the parentals.
My grandma will be making more, we have a plethora of fabrics to use to create some fabulous designs! I'll post more pics once the other one's are done.
The plan is to have them wear the booties when they go out even in the summer (the backyard will be most thankful for that!).
Monday, February 8, 2010
Lyra - The Quick Pee Artist
So, we've been trying to house train Lyra for the past few months. Just when I thought that success was within reach, she reverts to peeing in the house. I never thought that such a little dog could pee so much!!
When we just got her, she would pee on the mat at the front door or on the mat at the back door. This was ok since at least she was at the door...I even bought the training pads from the pet store which was supposed to encourage her to pee on them...guess what....that's just not true...the dog used it a total of twice.
Then she started peeing in Aaron's bed. Of course his room does have a door to a balcony. I guess she associates a door with outside, so she thinks that it's ok to pee there. Why she feels the need to pee on some sort of fabric eludes me. Aaron's sheets got washed 6 times in one week!! So now we close the doors to all the bedrooms.
Yesterday Lyra peed four times on the mat at the back door. And twice on the tile..the amazing thing is that we rarely can catch the little culprit in the act to discipline her. Last night there were 7 of us in the same area as Lyra...none of us noticed until Azam stepped in it! Of course we all got a huge laugh because his PJs got wet and he crawled on hands and knees to avoid dragging pee all over the house with his pants...no one thought that he should fold his pant legs up!! The little one followed up with two more incidents. She peed on Ansaar's bed. Of course she was romping with the Monster(Kiko) who has a tendency to treat her like a rag doll! The last time Lyra peed on Aaron's bed...granted, this one was certainly not her fault. She was sleeping in Aaron and Azam's room. The little one tried to wake Azam, who tried to wake Aaron and none of them thought to wake Ansaar who will unfailingly get up to put her out...They went back to sleep...so what's a girl to do, especially since the bedroom door was closed?
Last night I ended up doing one load of Laundry at 11.30 (Ansaar's sheets). I left the comforter and the heavy blanket for the morning. This morning, I had to do those two as well as Aaron's bed sheets and comforter which had already been washed during the day...that's an additional 5 loads of laundry...all thanks to Lyra! So in addition to doing about 20 loads of laundry per week including sheets, comforters and towels(we're a large family and everyone showers twice a day), there's now additonal doggie towels and blankets, as well as extra because of "Quick Pee" Lyra...sometimes to the tune of 30 loads of laundry a week.
No wonder I seem to be buying laundry detergent and fabric softener all the time! Of course the dryer is also getting more of a workout as well! On the bright side, we're always sleeping on freshly laundered sheets which is extremely pleasant and the house is always being mopped, so it's extremely clean.
I wonder how long before she is fully house trained...more importantly, I wonder if my Mom and I can survive that long!
When we just got her, she would pee on the mat at the front door or on the mat at the back door. This was ok since at least she was at the door...I even bought the training pads from the pet store which was supposed to encourage her to pee on them...guess what....that's just not true...the dog used it a total of twice.
Then she started peeing in Aaron's bed. Of course his room does have a door to a balcony. I guess she associates a door with outside, so she thinks that it's ok to pee there. Why she feels the need to pee on some sort of fabric eludes me. Aaron's sheets got washed 6 times in one week!! So now we close the doors to all the bedrooms.
Yesterday Lyra peed four times on the mat at the back door. And twice on the tile..the amazing thing is that we rarely can catch the little culprit in the act to discipline her. Last night there were 7 of us in the same area as Lyra...none of us noticed until Azam stepped in it! Of course we all got a huge laugh because his PJs got wet and he crawled on hands and knees to avoid dragging pee all over the house with his pants...no one thought that he should fold his pant legs up!! The little one followed up with two more incidents. She peed on Ansaar's bed. Of course she was romping with the Monster(Kiko) who has a tendency to treat her like a rag doll! The last time Lyra peed on Aaron's bed...granted, this one was certainly not her fault. She was sleeping in Aaron and Azam's room. The little one tried to wake Azam, who tried to wake Aaron and none of them thought to wake Ansaar who will unfailingly get up to put her out...They went back to sleep...so what's a girl to do, especially since the bedroom door was closed?
Last night I ended up doing one load of Laundry at 11.30 (Ansaar's sheets). I left the comforter and the heavy blanket for the morning. This morning, I had to do those two as well as Aaron's bed sheets and comforter which had already been washed during the day...that's an additional 5 loads of laundry...all thanks to Lyra! So in addition to doing about 20 loads of laundry per week including sheets, comforters and towels(we're a large family and everyone showers twice a day), there's now additonal doggie towels and blankets, as well as extra because of "Quick Pee" Lyra...sometimes to the tune of 30 loads of laundry a week.
No wonder I seem to be buying laundry detergent and fabric softener all the time! Of course the dryer is also getting more of a workout as well! On the bright side, we're always sleeping on freshly laundered sheets which is extremely pleasant and the house is always being mopped, so it's extremely clean.
I wonder how long before she is fully house trained...more importantly, I wonder if my Mom and I can survive that long!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Walks!
Today Lyra and I went out for a nice long walk. This morning she was full of energy and bouncing off the walls! The walk definitely drained most of her excess energy. As I write this, she is next to me, sleeping peacefully. As is Kiko who went for her walk with dad.
Lyra is starting to get better at not pulling on the leash, but she has her momentary slip ups! She gets very excited! One thing that we have noticed though is the amount of dog poo outside! It's very annoying that other dog owners don't pick up their dog's poo. That's definitely not being very neighbourly! I always make sure that when we take them for their walks, we always have a bag. If we ever find ourselves without one, then we finish the walk, leave the dog home, and drive and pick up the poo.
It's simple: if you're not willing to scoop, then don't get a dog! Do the responsible thing and keep our neighbourhoods beautiful and clean people!
Photo Credit: http://living.peta.org/2009/what-to-do-with-all-that-doo
Lyra is starting to get better at not pulling on the leash, but she has her momentary slip ups! She gets very excited! One thing that we have noticed though is the amount of dog poo outside! It's very annoying that other dog owners don't pick up their dog's poo. That's definitely not being very neighbourly! I always make sure that when we take them for their walks, we always have a bag. If we ever find ourselves without one, then we finish the walk, leave the dog home, and drive and pick up the poo.
It's simple: if you're not willing to scoop, then don't get a dog! Do the responsible thing and keep our neighbourhoods beautiful and clean people!
Photo Credit: http://living.peta.org/2009/what-to-do-with-all-that-doo
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Our Top Models with their Latest Accessories
Some pics of the dogs wearing their new collars and tags!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Lola the Brave!
Here's a video of Lola investigating Lyra when we first got her. Lola exerted her dominance almost immediately and the 2 dogs know that she is the pack leader! She knows no fear. Not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing. However the dogs know to behave around her!
They're Here!!!!
The collars and military tags arrived this week! I only ordered them on Sunday and they arrived yesterday! Canada post's efficiency does not cease to amaze me! Here are some pics...I'll be posting some of Kiko and Lyra modeling their newest accessories! PS the black spotting on the tags, I put there for privacy reasons! haha...I lack photoshop skills so I used good ol' paint!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Kiko's Obsession
Maybe it's just our dog, but Kiko seems to be obsessed with destroying her toys. That's why according to Azam, she cannot ever have anything nice! The dog will worry away at knots with an intensity that reminds one of people who are so high that they become totally unaware of everything around them. She fixates on the knot on the rope toys until they are totally gone. Then she heaves a sigh of relief as if she's just completed the most burdensome of tasks. The same thing happens with squeaky toys. Kiko will rip them apart until she gets to the plastic squeaky. She then proceeds to destroy the squeaky. Maybe she doesn't like the sound...perhaps it is irritating to her sensitive ears...maybe she's just curious....or maybe it's her pet peeve...or suffering from OCD....sometimes I wish that I could really speak dog!
Poor Lyra, she literally hides in order to play with her toys. It is amazing in itself that she knows that her "Mr Fox Fox" ( a little stuffed fox), her keys, and her little rubber tire must only be played with in the bedroom. She will come to the room, and play very quietly, not a whisper out of her in case the Monster (Neda and Azam's pet name for Kiko) comes searching. The odd time that Kiko discovers her in her guilty pleasure, we run to grab the toys and hide them.
Lyra tries with all her little heart to save the toys. Last night Kiko got it into her head to investigate the "Kong Wubba". You would think that she would take the purple defective one that Ansaar got on sale....No, of course not! Kiko took the perfectly good red one and proceeded to tear it apart while a helpless Lyra sat there, literally begging her to stop. Lyra can be very vocal and her howls really sounded like "no, no, no" - I kid you not! Of course, Kiko just looked at her and totally ignored her. By the end of the night, there was not too much left of that Kong Wubba!
So far the only thing that has proven indestructible is a rubber bone that we got at Old Navy of all places! That's the best $7.99 that we've ever spent on toys!
Poor Lyra, she literally hides in order to play with her toys. It is amazing in itself that she knows that her "Mr Fox Fox" ( a little stuffed fox), her keys, and her little rubber tire must only be played with in the bedroom. She will come to the room, and play very quietly, not a whisper out of her in case the Monster (Neda and Azam's pet name for Kiko) comes searching. The odd time that Kiko discovers her in her guilty pleasure, we run to grab the toys and hide them.
Lyra tries with all her little heart to save the toys. Last night Kiko got it into her head to investigate the "Kong Wubba". You would think that she would take the purple defective one that Ansaar got on sale....No, of course not! Kiko took the perfectly good red one and proceeded to tear it apart while a helpless Lyra sat there, literally begging her to stop. Lyra can be very vocal and her howls really sounded like "no, no, no" - I kid you not! Of course, Kiko just looked at her and totally ignored her. By the end of the night, there was not too much left of that Kong Wubba!
So far the only thing that has proven indestructible is a rubber bone that we got at Old Navy of all places! That's the best $7.99 that we've ever spent on toys!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Lost, Stolen or Missing Pets
I'm pretty sure that most pet owners have a constant fear of losing their pet. As the owner of 2 dogs and a parrot, our family definitely has concerns about our pets being stolen or getting lost.
I remember when we first got Lola, she flew outside the house and ended up in a tree. Luckily we were able to get her back (her wings were clipped) albeit Aaron was traumatized, and I'm sure he doesn't want to relive that moment.
Kiko has nearly gone missing twice already. The first time we were out for a walk and her harness came loose. The second time, she managed to open the gate to the backyard (she's smart like that). Luckily both times she didn't venture far and came back almost immediately.
It would be a travesty if we were to ever lose one of our pets. That's why we take so much precautions now. The backyard gate is double locked now and will be under lock and key. We always make sure that their harnesses are on just right.
Both our dogs will be getting microchipped, they always have their ID tags and collars on. They're also always being watched by one of the family members. Whenever the door is to be opened, Lola (if she is out of her cage) is taken into a room and closed in and only allowed out once the door to outside is closed.
I looked into some GPS systems out there for the dogs, however there's nothing on the market that appeals to me yet. Give it a couple more years and the technology will definitely improve. As soon as it does, I'll be one of the first in line to buy it!
What inspired this post was a news story about a woman whose dog was stolen. Her golden retriever Mobi, was stolen from her while she was shopping. She went into a store and tied the dog up outside. Moments later, a man allegedly untied the dog and walked off with him. This is absolutely horrrible! Mobi's owner takes full responsibility in that she shouldn't have left him outside unsupervised. I do agree with that, you wouldn't leave your children unsupervised at all! It's the same thing with a dog. They shouldn't be left alone while your shopping. Even if you're busy, leave them at home and take them for a supervised walk later!
Dognapping is a horrible thing. Having a black lab and a siberian husky does not make it better for us. They are on the list of most stolen dog breeds! We keep a vigilant eye on them.
Here's are 2 websites with some very useful information, I highly recommend that you check it out:
http://dogs.about.com/od/caringfordogsandpuppies/tp/lostandstolendogs.htm
http://www.doggiemanners.com/art_finding_stolen_dogs.html
Let's help find Mobi:
http://www.torontobarks.com/dogblog/view/missing-golden-retriever-mobi-needs-his-
daily-medications/
.jpg)
I remember when we first got Lola, she flew outside the house and ended up in a tree. Luckily we were able to get her back (her wings were clipped) albeit Aaron was traumatized, and I'm sure he doesn't want to relive that moment.
Kiko has nearly gone missing twice already. The first time we were out for a walk and her harness came loose. The second time, she managed to open the gate to the backyard (she's smart like that). Luckily both times she didn't venture far and came back almost immediately.
It would be a travesty if we were to ever lose one of our pets. That's why we take so much precautions now. The backyard gate is double locked now and will be under lock and key. We always make sure that their harnesses are on just right.
Both our dogs will be getting microchipped, they always have their ID tags and collars on. They're also always being watched by one of the family members. Whenever the door is to be opened, Lola (if she is out of her cage) is taken into a room and closed in and only allowed out once the door to outside is closed.
I looked into some GPS systems out there for the dogs, however there's nothing on the market that appeals to me yet. Give it a couple more years and the technology will definitely improve. As soon as it does, I'll be one of the first in line to buy it!
What inspired this post was a news story about a woman whose dog was stolen. Her golden retriever Mobi, was stolen from her while she was shopping. She went into a store and tied the dog up outside. Moments later, a man allegedly untied the dog and walked off with him. This is absolutely horrrible! Mobi's owner takes full responsibility in that she shouldn't have left him outside unsupervised. I do agree with that, you wouldn't leave your children unsupervised at all! It's the same thing with a dog. They shouldn't be left alone while your shopping. Even if you're busy, leave them at home and take them for a supervised walk later!
Dognapping is a horrible thing. Having a black lab and a siberian husky does not make it better for us. They are on the list of most stolen dog breeds! We keep a vigilant eye on them.
Here's are 2 websites with some very useful information, I highly recommend that you check it out:
http://dogs.about.com/od/caringfordogsandpuppies/tp/lostandstolendogs.htm
http://www.doggiemanners.com/art_finding_stolen_dogs.html
Let's help find Mobi:
http://www.torontobarks.com/dogblog/view/missing-golden-retriever-mobi-needs-his-
daily-medications/
.jpg)
The Decline of the Written Word!
I just heard that apparently texting, twittering, facebooking, instant messaging and the use of social networking sites are being blamed for the skyrocketing number of postsecondary students that can't write properly. The University of Waterloo says that 1/3 of students can't pass an english proficiency test.
To some degree I do agree that they are to be blamed. I personally have never used certain internet slang associated with these tools ("u", "da" etc)....I've always fully typed my words out (except for the occasional "lol" or emoticon)...it doesn't take that much more effort to type out "you" vs "u". Since we're constantly attached to our technology, eventually our bad habits become commonplace.
I've editted and marked submitted assignments that incorporated "u", "txt", lol, :0, :), ;) etc. I would never use internet slang in an essay or assignment.
You can use the symbols in your convos etc however not in assignments of professional work! Don't be lazy, use proper words and grammar! It's not that hard. I feel sorry for the children that have only grown up with using internet slang. It's as if though they're learning internet slang before they actually learn to write properly!
We've been lucky in that our parents and grandparents took the time to teach us to read and write properly (not leaving us to depend on the declining level of education). We were always encouraged to use proper grammar and words when typing and writing and not internet slang.
Some of the kids today only know to use internet slang. I feel sorry for them because ultimately it will make things difficult for them in school (well maybe not, because as with each passing year the level of education decreases that is until you hit university or college!).
Use real words people! Don't be lazy, type "you" and not "u". It isn't that much more effort!
Idling Buses!
In Toronto we have an anti-idling law that is meant to deter drivers from unecessarily idling. If caught idling for more than a few minutes then you can get a ticket for $125.00.
Apparently the TTC is exempt for this law. Dozens upon dozens of buses idle at a time for hours on end(sometimes for hours) in the bus stations because apparently the TTC antifreeze sytem that is supposed to prevent this does not work properly when the temperature drops to -8. Seriously?
This is hugely contributing to the air pollution problem and I'm sure it's not pleasant for the people that live around those areas!
The TTC should be held accountable for this and all they can do is apologize for the inconvenience it is causing. We non-TTC folk get taxed to the max on things and don't receive special treatment and here the buses are receiving an exemption from this law? It's ridiculous. Essentially because I have a car I am penalized for this privledge. I would think that the "environmentally" responsible way of travelling would be more effective.
Even buses that are speeding don't get ticketed as often as the regular driver. I guess being owned by the city has its special priviledges, being that you're exempt from any responsibility. I think it's time that they are treated like everyone else. Especially since it is our taxes that pay for these services!
Apparently the TTC is exempt for this law. Dozens upon dozens of buses idle at a time for hours on end(sometimes for hours) in the bus stations because apparently the TTC antifreeze sytem that is supposed to prevent this does not work properly when the temperature drops to -8. Seriously?
This is hugely contributing to the air pollution problem and I'm sure it's not pleasant for the people that live around those areas!
The TTC should be held accountable for this and all they can do is apologize for the inconvenience it is causing. We non-TTC folk get taxed to the max on things and don't receive special treatment and here the buses are receiving an exemption from this law? It's ridiculous. Essentially because I have a car I am penalized for this privledge. I would think that the "environmentally" responsible way of travelling would be more effective.
Even buses that are speeding don't get ticketed as often as the regular driver. I guess being owned by the city has its special priviledges, being that you're exempt from any responsibility. I think it's time that they are treated like everyone else. Especially since it is our taxes that pay for these services!
Hands Free Law in Full Effect!
As of yesterday, the hands free law in Ontario is in full effect! The law has been in effect for a while now, however the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has just been issuing warnings for the past couple of months. Now they are no longer warning they are ticketing people. If you're caught using an electronic device behind the wheel (talking, texting or using a handheld device) you'll be fined $150.00. Talking or texting at a stop light is also against the law!
If you don't have a handsfree device, get one! Most cars come with bluetooth capabilities now and most of the handsfree devices are priced fairly!
Police can tell when drivers are distracted, so don't try and hide the fact that you're texting while driving!
If you absolutely have to use your device and do not have a handsfree device then pull over and stop somewhere safe!
If talking, texting or not paying attention while on your phone you increase your chances of getting involved in an accident.
My best advice don't do it! Even in other places where there is no law preventing the use of handheld devices while driving, I recommend not using it! It's a hazard to yourself and those around you.
Be safe and smart!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Peace and Quiet??? You've got to be kidding!!!
Aaron was on the phone yesterday and made a comment to Nikki (his girlfriend) in response to her "what's all that noise?" that it's never quiet in our house. That got me thinking....and he's right. If peace and quiet is what you need to live a fulfilling life, then our house is not the place to be!
There is always a conversation happening...a bird screeching....a dog barking...another dog howling....a person with Alzheimers singing loudly at 2.00 am...people calling out to each other ( heaven forbid we use the intercom!)...
We are a family of strong opinions who do not believe in sugar-coating anything. We can be very diplomatic with those outside our home, but brutal honesty has always been our way. This can sometimes lead to what I call "discussions". These discussions can be a bit loud, but never ever malicious. Simple things like whether to move a computer into the basement to make way for the new tv that Azam bought can lead to heated discourse. I think that we surprised Nikki that day, because everyone has an opinion and everyone voices it. Or Ansaar harassing Azam when he came home from work with Azam getting to the point where I thought that he would either explode or cry or both! Or me, yelling to get the dogs out of the way when I was cleaning, and being told that yelling never accomplished anything, unless it made me feel better...which I have to admit..it did make me feel better! Or my husband being a total .......(fill in with whatever you want) all because he was not feeling well- allergies acting up. The joys of living in a houseful of Alpha beings! Regardless, we all love each other and will do anything for each other (eg sharing our home with dogs when some of us really would have preferred not to). Issues are resolved, not left to simmer and worsen, or left in the hope that by ignoring it, it will resolve itself or disappear. There is a lot of love in the house, just not the blindly obedient kind of love that I grew up with. Respect and love is earned. We see each others' flaws, but can make allowances and still accept each other for who we are.
Of course this has seemed to dictate the type of pets that have ended up co-existing with us. Except for the fish, Lola (the parrot) and Kiko and Lyra (the dogs) are also all alpha personalities. Luckily Lyra is still a puppy, so she still wants to please everyone, but I can already see her expressing her individuality. It seems strange, but Lola is the more dominant one of the three - perhaps because she was there first? Maybe because she is more of a being that dispenses her affections very selectively (mostly to Azam and Ansaar)?
Come to think of it no wonder my Mom likes when we are all at work(the doggies go to work with us) or at school....she ends up with a bit of peace and quiet....now if only she could figure out how to get the bird and my Dad to both be quiet!!!
There is always a conversation happening...a bird screeching....a dog barking...another dog howling....a person with Alzheimers singing loudly at 2.00 am...people calling out to each other ( heaven forbid we use the intercom!)...
We are a family of strong opinions who do not believe in sugar-coating anything. We can be very diplomatic with those outside our home, but brutal honesty has always been our way. This can sometimes lead to what I call "discussions". These discussions can be a bit loud, but never ever malicious. Simple things like whether to move a computer into the basement to make way for the new tv that Azam bought can lead to heated discourse. I think that we surprised Nikki that day, because everyone has an opinion and everyone voices it. Or Ansaar harassing Azam when he came home from work with Azam getting to the point where I thought that he would either explode or cry or both! Or me, yelling to get the dogs out of the way when I was cleaning, and being told that yelling never accomplished anything, unless it made me feel better...which I have to admit..it did make me feel better! Or my husband being a total .......(fill in with whatever you want) all because he was not feeling well- allergies acting up. The joys of living in a houseful of Alpha beings! Regardless, we all love each other and will do anything for each other (eg sharing our home with dogs when some of us really would have preferred not to). Issues are resolved, not left to simmer and worsen, or left in the hope that by ignoring it, it will resolve itself or disappear. There is a lot of love in the house, just not the blindly obedient kind of love that I grew up with. Respect and love is earned. We see each others' flaws, but can make allowances and still accept each other for who we are.
Of course this has seemed to dictate the type of pets that have ended up co-existing with us. Except for the fish, Lola (the parrot) and Kiko and Lyra (the dogs) are also all alpha personalities. Luckily Lyra is still a puppy, so she still wants to please everyone, but I can already see her expressing her individuality. It seems strange, but Lola is the more dominant one of the three - perhaps because she was there first? Maybe because she is more of a being that dispenses her affections very selectively (mostly to Azam and Ansaar)?
Come to think of it no wonder my Mom likes when we are all at work(the doggies go to work with us) or at school....she ends up with a bit of peace and quiet....now if only she could figure out how to get the bird and my Dad to both be quiet!!!
FURminator
Lyra and Kiko had another appointment with the FURminator yesterday! For those of you who don't know, it's the best deshedding tool out there and greatly helps with the hair problem!
When we first did Kiko, it was a shock as to how much hair came off of her. I never knew that one dog could have so much! I was a bit skeptical initially, I mean how can the videos on their website be real. Newsflash, they are very real! One single FURminator treatment, removes so much hair. She looked like an entirely new dog afterwards!
The FURminator works by removing the undercoat and loose hair. There is no harm done to the dog at all.
We had a deshedder tool previously, but it pales in comparison to the FURminator.
Even though Lyra is small, everytime I use it, it's like I remove and entire dog's worth of fur from her!
Luckily after a couple of treatments, the hair being removed lessens and the dog doesn't need to be FURminated as often! Also in combination with the tool, we use the deShedding shampoo, deShedding solution and the FURminator deShedding dog food supplement. It's a miracle indeed.
I highly recommend grooming your pet yourself instead of taking them to the groomers. It allows you to spend lots of one on one time with them! If you don't have the time then a groomer would work, but I find the dog is more relaxed in a home environment.
The FURminator can be found at your local Petsmart location or check out their website for other vendors as well as some videos and more information on the product:
http://www.furminator.com/
PS the collars were shipped today, and will be arriving on Thursday! :)
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