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BLACKJACK

My Mom and I have been answering lots of qwestions for people of late, so we thought
 maybe we would share those here.   If you would like to ask
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Hey Blackjack
Any thoughts on how to get Spenser to simply IGNORE the cats??? They don't go after him, but if he'd just ignore them and not chase them, life would be, oh so much simpler.

Thanks
Spenser's Mom

Hey Spenser's Mom. 

Yeah, this is weally hard.  First, you have to teach him a command that he can do quickly, and wesponds immediately, like "sit", or "heel" or whatever.  The minute you see the kitties, give the command.  When he does it, have him "hold" that command until the kittie is either gone, or he feels a widdle less distwacted, then let him "bweak", and pwaise BIG TIME, with a toy, or something ELSE he wuvs to do!

Another way to do it is to have a special play toy.  Have someone else helping you, who has a kittie (maybe on leash, or whatever).  Have the kittie enter the "viewing area".  The SECOND the kittie does (and the kittie should be way far away), start playing with Spenser, with his FAVOWITE TOY.  Wemember, the kittie is still WAY FAR AWAY!  When Spenser is able to play while the kittie is way far away, a few days later, move the kittie closer!  Continue to play with Spenser, until he forgets the kittie is there.  With enough pwactice, he will think seeing a kittie means you are gonna play with him, and he doesn't chase the kitties! Looking for cottages to rent online?

Good luck!  ~ Blackjack

Dear Blackjack,
My mom is getting really frustrated with me tonight. My name is Rumer and I will be 3 tomorrow so I am a big girl now. The problem is, is has been so pretty outside that me and my adopted sister, Scooby have been playing outside most of the day. We love to roll in the grass and tonight my tummy is itching me. I am whining and my mom rubs my tummy for me and it seems to feel better when she does that. When she stops, I start to whine again. Mom got upset will all my whining, but I can't help it, and she raised her voice at me. Now I feel really bad because my mom said to stop all that whining. So I moved to the other end of the couch. Do you think the grass is itching my tummy? Mom looked at it and said it is a dark pink color in some places, but not red. Mom and Dad didn't put nothing on the ground to make the grass grow, I forgot what that stuff is called. Do I need to go to the doctor? I really don't like going there, but this itching is really driving me nuts. It's more in my lower tummy, like where there isn't alot of hair. Please Blackjack, do you have any advice for my mom? Oh, Mom said you weren't feeling too good. You got new turd or sumthing like that. I don't know what that is, but I hope you are feeling ok now. Thank eww very much for listening.
Rumer
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Rumer,

It IS possible that it's a grass allergy.  It's also possible that it's pollen.  The grasses are weally sending out pollen wight now where I live.  This is called HAY FEVER for doggies.  Do you wub your face too?  My big sister's fwiend Beauty used to wub her face, mommie says.  That is s'posed to be a sign of HAY FEVER too.  You can sometimes change the DIET to somethin' like "Best In Show", or BARF, or other weally good doggie foods, and it can help your body have LESS allergy pwoblems.  Most allergies are "aggwavated" by poor quality foods.  They say to stay away from foods high in gwains and corn.   In the mean time you can go to the vet and talk to them. So sowwy this is happening to you Wumer.  The itchies are no fun.  And yes, I'm feeling lots better!  They took out my STITCHES just yesterday.  Now I can go SWIMMING again!  Halleluya!  Thanks for asking!  Horneymatche.info Cam Video Chat Rooms.

~ Blackjack

Blackjack, what should we expect with our 100 pound lab and our August baby arrival? 

Coach.

Dear Coach.

A Baby!  How Kewl! Congwatulations!  Such a BIG question in so few words!  There are some VEWY important things you should do before the baby gets here.  First, you should make sure your vewy big boy is alweady obedience twained.  If not alweady, get into a class IMMEDIATELY!  This will help you and he learn all the really gweat exercises like sit, and stay and down and stay, and such kewl things you will need when the baby first comes!  This is VEWY VEWY important! 

Next, you need to make any changes with the dog NOW that you plan to make after the baby is born.  For instance, if you allow the dog on the couch, but later, he won't be able to get up there, because of the baby, start enforcing that NOW!  This will keep the dog from thinking the baby took over! 

One thing my mom once wead that works is to set up the baby's woom early.... including the changing table.  Get a baby doll, and pwetend to change the diaper.  When you do, have a set place in the woom where the doggie can lay on a down stay.  By pwacticing with the doll, it's easier to STOP what you are doing, and enforce the down stay command.  By the time the baby comes, he knows that when you are at the changing table, he must do a down stay.  You can do the same thing with OTHER stuff awound the house.  Like feeding the baby.  Pwetend to feed the baby doll.  Pwetend to give the baby doll a bath.  All these things make it so it's less "stwessful" on your dog when the baby DOES come.  Different smells and sounds will be confusing to the dog, so it might also be beneficial to record a baby cwying, and let him hear it, and see what he does!  If you have fwiends with a baby, then maybe they can come visit, and let him see what  a weal baby looks like.  Wemember, you must ALWAYS supervise the dog with the baby, no matter HOW good the dog seems to be with him or her.

When the baby does come, you can make it easier on your baby DOG by giving him a chance to sniff the baby blanket first.  Something with the baby's scent on it.  Then, when you bwing the baby in the house the first time, have Daddy hold the baby, and let Mommy greet her doggie.  This lets the dog welcome home Mom after her time away, and doesn't make him feel "put out". 

Always wemember to give the dog plenty of time.  Make it count.  If you only have an hour a day to play with him, play ONLY with him.  Maybe taking turns with the baby so both mom and dad can play with the dog undisturbed.  This is good for Mom and Dad too, because it allows stwess welief.  Just wemember, if it's your turn with the dog, and the baby cries, the other person must get the baby, and vice versa.

Labby's twaditionally are good with kids, but most of them wequire twaining to know what is expected of them.  So how good he is with the baby depends entirely on YOU!  If you TEACH him to be good, he will. :)  Teach the word "EASY", and "Gentle" and other words to wemind him to be careful.

Congwatulations again!  ~ Blackjack