Dog tired or my excuse for not posting lately

OK so I was also sick last week which also didn't help. I know I am behind in blogging but sometimes I am just to "dogged out". (yup that was a pun) I have prepared my defense:

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I live with 3 dogs. Some days this is no easy feat. Potty breaks, kong stuffing, walks and training or b-mod as it comes up. (one is reactive) I also feed partially raw and that means a certain amount of preparation for some meals. When I am feeling lazy, like a lot of this past winter, I simply threw kibble into bowls and it was good. Of course it was good kibble so most of my guilt was held at bay for skipping the raw. But since I have the meat in storage and it was free, I need to get back on the wagon and use it before it goes bad. No sense in wasting money on food when I already have some just waiting to be used.

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I work at a vet hospital where I see other people's dogs everyday. Dogs of all shapes and sizes. Many are not well mannered and some even try to eat our assistants on occasion. It is a fun job but it is also a lot of work trying to keep everyone happy. And not all owners are nice or even considerate some days. But I digress. (And truth be told, no matter how frustrating some people can be, I am loving the new job.)

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My other job is as a trainer where on my "days off" I see even more dogs. Many of those are also lacking manners. Of course this is to be expected due to the nature of the job. Most of the time it is fun. Occasionally it is frustrating, usually due the owner. The best part of the job is knowing I have helped people understand their dog better and given them the tools they need to communicate clearly.

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I also spend a fair amount of time writing about dogs both here and sometimes for other media. This includes magazines, other blogs, and the local dog paper when I have the time. Because of this almost everything I do has the potential to become a blog post or article somewhere. I am always on the lookout for topics.

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Then there is reading. I read about dogs a lot too. This includes training books and even fiction. Susan Conant's mystery series are a fav due to the high dog content, I actually don't like mysteries in general. I think some reading is unavoidable since there are always new books on training and behavior to learn from. A good trainer needs to keep current after all. And there are also so many great blogs out there I have a hard time keeping up with. I have learned over time to avoid the ones that annoy me. Life is to short to argue online. (tho I admit to having the occasional slip)

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I am also addicted to watching dog shows on TV. Victoria Stilwell's show "It's me or the dog" is a training favorite as is "Barking Mad". But I admit that I also watch junk TV like "Groomer has it" and I caught every episode of "Greatest American Dog". "Dogtown" is sometimes good but sometimes not depending on the episode. I also like "Underdog to Wonderdog" (tho it sometimes makes me cry, yes I am a sap) and "Breed all about it" and "Dogs 101". I have "Bolt" on DVD but haven't gotten around to watching it yet. "Good Boy" was fun (shades of The Cat from Outer Space) as was "Hotel for dogs". I am avoiding "Marley and Me" at all costs. One Old Yeller movie a lifetime is enough, not to mention I hated the book.

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Also on my "days off" I run the local shelter's prison program. This is where they send a dog that needs training to the local minimum security facility to live 24/7 while being trained to make them more adoptable. My job is to train the handlers of the dogs that are sent. Currently we don't have any suitable handlers (there are requirements) so I am in a holding pattern while they find me some to work with. Unfortunately we always have dogs waiting to get training at the shelter. I look forward to starting the next dog but am grateful for the break too.

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Lately I have also added puppy sitter to my list of dog stuff so some days that means I live with 4 dogs. (for my sister due to her work schedule) And having a puppy means lots of trips outside for potty breaks or cleaning up the messes I was to slow to head off. (Being a trainer unfortunately doesn't make me perfect.) I am also making sure to take him out for trips so he gets to to meet lots of people and other dogs, besides mine, for socialization. Good social skills are important if you want a dog that can play with or be around other dogs and people appropriately. These social skills can also not be made up later, there is a window of opportunity that closes after a certain age with puppies. So supervised playtime with other dogs and puppies is highly recommended while your puppy is young.

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Sometimes I also watch a friends kennel while she is out of town. Multiple dogs to feed, water and scoop poop for. It keeps any urge to be a breeder in check by the sheer amount of work needed to properly care for the dogs involved. Not to mention the costs associated with showing, paying for kennel help when you are away at shows if family can't do the job, and vet bills. I won't even get into the trust issues of placing puppies into homes with new owners. I get the fun part of socializing puppies for her too when she has the occasional litter.

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So you can see that is a lot of dog stuff to add up on any given day or week. That alone can make me tired. Heck I get tired just thinking about the week ahead sometimes!

Now add to that the fact I also have two teens and a husband to meet the needs of as well. (Photo above to prove they do indeed exist. Taken on last years Disney cruise vacation. I am blessed with a fabulous family!!!) Driving them to friends houses, baseball practice, concerts, social time, checking homework, (OK I leave that to my husband) laundry, shopping for clothes, etc. You get the picture. Most days include a lot of juggling on my part. It isn't always easy. But having a family is also very helpful as a trainer in many ways too. I have the experience of the busy life like some of my clients so I can direct them more realistically in handling that with a new puppy or a dog that needs b-mod, training or management. Having been there and done that myself makes me more credible to others in similar situations. Especially since my dogs are good representatives of my training. But again, I digress.

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The point of this post is so that now you know that when I "disappear" it may be because I can't keep up. The occasional break helps me keep my sanity when I can't keep juggling everything anymore. Sometimes something needs to give. The blog is usually my tipping point. Be patient with me, I will always come back. If for no other reason than to have a place for me to "talk dog". Lord knows the family gets tired of hearing all my dog stuff.