My Foster Dog Danny

Every once in a while, we see a dog whose description brings all the Dannyisms back. Debbie is one of them. A pocket setter. What a lovely little girl.

Who can resist a setter head tilt?! Adorable Debbie is still looking for her forever family!

https://www.wagtopia.com/search/pet?id=2213405&name=Available+for+Adoption+-+Debbie+(located+in+USA)

Danny's Gotcha Day is today. January 24 in 2011. One very scared boy came to us that day. But, I like to remember him as the confident dog he became over the years. We miss him. I still talk to him. Sometimes I can almost feel him walking along the fence in the yard when I go outside. He hated winter, and would have really hated this winter, because it's been frigid.

Beyond the clouds, beyond the stars,
remember days we called you ours.

Love always.

Came up in my memories today. Back in 2015. Danny with us 3 years at that point.

This is just too funny not to share. When I would laugh out loud at posts like these, Danny would look at me like "you are so weird Mom."

Diary of a Cattle Rat Australian Beagle
1/30/24
Dear Diary,
I know it's been awhile but I've been too cold and miserable to write. Have I mentioned how much I hate New Hampshire winters or New Hampshire in general? I mean, is there really an enjoyable season in this place? It's either too cold, too snowy and just when you think you get a little reprieve from the misery, it's tick season. And how about black fly season, or the never ending mud season.
Get the picture?
I do want to clarify something.
These pictures they post of us.
Like this one,
All of us together, sitting so pretty, here, like this.
Like we're all actually well trained.
Spoiler alert, we're not.
At all.
It's a joke.
Oh and everyone's favorite, the little blue eyed, agility queen princess who gets all the perks, privileges and the pets and blah blah blah, well, guess what I found her doing yesterday?
Eating her own p**p.
Caught her right in the act.
Yep that's right, just keep on kissing everybody with those sh*t lips of yours Spryte.
Flat out gross.
I could tell you about the others but I have to go compulsively bark at nothing because that really irritates everyone which makes me incredibly happy.
Sincerely yours not yours,
Fruity

A message to new followers. I monitor this page heavily for scam potential. If you have less than 100 friends, I will block you. If you have a locked profile, I will block you. If you send me an irrelevant message that is not cohesive to what this page is about, I will block you. I will continue to protect all legitimate followers of this page.

Some great reading here. I am sharing, as I do mention this resource in the EBook, which is almost finished. YAY!

Dogs behave the way they do for many reasons. They do NOT do things deliberately to be stubborn or ‘naughty’, nor do they aim to assert control. Outdated mythologies and training methods have detrimental effects on well-being and strain the relationship between a dog and their caregiver.

🧬A dog's breed and genetic makeup can play a significant role in determining certain behavioural traits. Dogs have genetic predispositions and breed-specific tendencies that contribute to their behaviour.
Some breeds are predisposed to specific behaviours, such as herding, hunting, or guarding.

The environment in which a dog is raised and lives can profoundly impact their behaviour. Early socialisation, which involves exposing a puppy to a wide range of people, animals, and environments during their critical developmental period, is crucial for building confidence and shaping a dog's social behaviour to reduce fear or aggression.

Overstimulation can cause all kinds of unwanted behaviours as it overwhelms their senses and can lead to hyperactivity or erratic responses. For example, if a dog is exposed to loud noises, multiple people, and various stimuli all at once, or on a daily basis, they might exhibit excessive excitable behaviour, poor impulse control, become agitated and exhibit behaviours like jumping, barking, or pulling on the leash, as their senses are overwhelmed by the excessive input.

Previous experiences and learning consequences can influence a dog's behaviour. Traumatic experiences, in particular, can lead to fear, anxiety, or aggression.

How a dog is trained and educated by their caregiver or handler can significantly affect their behaviour. Consistent, positive reinforcement-based training can lead to desired behaviours, while harsh or inconsistent methods can result in confusion or fear.

A dog's health, including their physical and mental well-being, can influence their behaviour. Illness, pain, or discomfort can lead to changes in behaviour.

A dog's emotional state, including fear, anxiety, and excitement, can affect their behaviour. For example, a fearful dog may display unpredictable defensive reactive behaviours or might avoid any encounters and run away trying to hide. While a confident dog may exhibit playfulness and a relaxed demeanour.

A dog can become frustrated and destructive if their mental and physical needs are not met. This dog, full of pent-up energy and boredom, may become frustrated and exhibit poor impulse control. In their frustration, they might resort to destructive behaviours, such as chewing furniture, digging up the garden, or incessant barking. This destructive behaviour is often an expression of their frustration and an attempt to alleviate their built-up energy and mental stress.

The type of diet a dog receives can significantly influence their behaviour, with high-quality nutrition promoting better energy levels, mood, and overall well-being, while poor diet choices can lead to issues like irritability, hyperactivity, or digestive problems.

As dogs age, they may experience canine cognitive decline, which can manifest as changes in memory, learning, and behaviour. This condition can lead to increased confusion, disorientation, and altered social interactions in older dogs.

It is really important to understand that each dog is unique, and their behaviour can vary widely, even within the same breed. Dogs use body language, vocalizations, and other forms of communication to express their needs, emotions, and intentions. Understanding a dog's communication cues is extremely important for interpreting their behaviour.

A small update on E Book status. I have been diligently working on editing the notes (turns out when I am tired, my spelling goes downhill fast), and manipulating the original photos into an E Book format which will then be transferred to Kindle format. It's a mighty task, especially when photos DO NOT want to cooperate and just play nice in the layout. I am thinking all will be ready prior to the holidays, so it might make a nice gift idea for anyone who followed Danny's story. Here's a photo of Danny doing what he liked best from 2013.

In the beginning there were Facebook Notes. Anyone remember them? Well, Danny's page used them to keep everyone "logged in" to day-to-day activities with Danny's fear issues, hoping that we could all learn from him and each other.

As Facebook change agents go, Notes are no longer a Facebook feature. I don't know what that means for many of you, but for the new people who signed onto this page in the last several years, no notes meant no access to how Danny progressed through each phase of his rehabilitation.

The good news is, we have kept ALL of the notes in a Wordpress log, including all the photos that went along with each log post.

The even better news? We are going to put together an EBook. The book will contain all of the logs and photos, as well as a prologue, epilogue and other additional notes we took along the way, AND never before shared photos.

I will keep you all posted as to when the EBook is ready for purchase. Proceeds will go to pay the rescue adoption fees of fearful shelter dogs locally, who are seeking homes. Danny would have wanted it that way.

I belong to a circle of pet photographer bloggers. In May, I opted out for the month due to taking care of Danny and other dog issues that cropped up (when it rains, it pours). This Friday's blog has been devoted to Danny. The theme was BFFs, and I firmly believe all of Danny's dog buddies helped him understand that he was safe and loved. You can access the blog below.

Remembering Danny This week's blog topic is BFFs. You know...best friends forever. I have been absent from blogging through the entire month of May, not because I didn't have anything to write about, but because the...

Danny is home.

Danny was remembered on Buffalo and Beyond's FB page today. This is the veterinary practice that does home euthanasia.