My Dog Can Dance

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The Benefits of Winter Running

The advantages of winter running (-30 Celsius) are as follows:

- quiet
- empty streets
- fluffy snow to fall on everywhere
- ice to crush on
- well defined shoveled path to guide your dog
- learning about appropriate winter wear
- water everywhere (you are basically drinking water as you run, lots of oxygen)
- no sweat or you don't notice you are sweating
- great way to test your memory of your running routes when paths are not yet shoveled or appears to be blocked off from shovelers work!

I sort of wear the same outer winter running gear everyday because I am cheap.  I change the inner layer only.

Okee the runner

Dogs really are one of the best running companions.  Okee, my lovely Siberian Husky, is a great runner and has wonderful temperament.  She doesn't talk much, she smiles alot and she's gentle.

It's hard not to go for at least a walk with her every morning when she looks at you with those eyes of excitment.  I also notice that her smiles grow as we run.  She loves the weather at this time of the year.

I think she's a bit tired from all of our travels this week so she negotiated with me during our walk this morning.  We did not make it to my destination. Nevertheless, we still had a good run.

Now she is resting on the chair that she is not allowed to be on, as always.  See photo.

I'll blog about the benefit of winter running in another post.

Okee and My Breakfast

The best part about being a pet owner is that you get to tease your pet with food!  Just look at the longing eyes.  My dog is on a strict diet.  I only feed her what is appropriate.  Human food may not be suitable for dogs.

Lost Dog Poster - Husky Version

I previously wrote about lost dog posters I have seen.  Today, I lost my Husky but she returned home within the day.  It's my first time making a lost dog poster.  I want to share it with everyone!

Do you have this Husky?

Her name is Okee and she is at least 12 years old.  I lost her this morning (December 10, 2017) during our daily morning dog walk.

If she is with you, please let me (Candy) know by text (XXX) XXX-XXXX or leave a voicemail.

We travel very far during our daily walks so I have no clue where she can end up by the time you see this poster.

She has went missing before but usually returns home with someone within 2 or 3 days so I am not that worry.

Thank you!

Scrambling before hibernation

Lately, I noticed the neighbourhood squirrels visiting my yards more often.  Today, one of them even ate right in front of me.  As mentioned before, my neighbours have walnut trees so the squirrels are getting their walnuts.  I think the squirrel I saw was taking a break because it was peeling the walnut right in front of me and then ate the meat surrounding the walnut.  After that, it didn't even attempt to crack the walnut open to get the seed!  It probably needed some protein before it goes back to stocking up its home for Winter.

Anyways, I failed to capture this very interesting observation on video because I was scared that the squirrel will freeze up and immediately run away as I go grab my image capturing device.  Some things, you just have to see live! Sorry!

They are still working away right now as I am typing this. 

Non-fiction storyboard sketch by me using an outdated desktop computer prone to blue screen of death with MS Paint installed.

Remembrance Day

Dog naps

Is your young puppy over energetic?  Fear not, as your puppy age, eventually said puppy will grow less energetic and sleeps more.

So, enjoy your puppy's positive and energetic energy while it lasts.  Lately, I found myself watching Okee sleeps/naps peacefully in our backyard.  It's very calming watching her in her peaceful slumber. 

She used to run away from the backyard all the time, I guess she finally found home.

8 months

It's been about 8 months since Mr. Q passed away.  I sorta feel lopsided when I walk with Okee.

The other day a fellow regular dog walker's dog tried to say Hi to Okee and I overreacted.  I wonder when I'll run into him again and apologize to him for my over-reaction.  I like him and his three dogs but one of his dog has always been a little scary.

It's like me with Q.  Q looks so aggressive on leash.  He barks loudly after I do not let him say Hi to another dog.  Anyhow, there are lots of unfriendly dog walkers who judge badly behaved dogs.

Those lucky people with well-behaved dog(s) don't know how hard and how much love is involved in walking big dogs that appear to be not well-behaved.

Your little dog can bark away for all I care.  My big dog don't want to play with your little dog anyways.

Okee would be the perfect Tough Mudder Companion

My Tough Mudder experience is forever tainted because I participated with the wrong partner.  Okee and I have been running together for a year now so we know each other well.  If she was a human being, I would take her to Tough Mudder with me in a heartbeat!

See simplycandee.blogspot.ca on Wednesday, September 27, 2017. for full post.

Doggy heaven

Q passed away this past family day.  The day before yesterday I learned that Q's friend also passed away which makes me wonder if the two of them are playing happily together in doggy heaven where they can run, jump and bark to their heart's content.

Relaxing on a Saturday

Seasonal Dog walking

I've been walking Okee almost everyday for the whole year.   I've travel to further locations from time to time.  It's nice to see the natural landscape change with each season.

I have to walk Okee early or late otherwise it's too hot for her.   She's an all season/weather walking dog (as long as you get the timing right).

Dog and Slides

Dogs don't like slides.  They like to see the ground.

I know this because as a child I wanted BB and Girl to enjoy the slide.   They don't exactly slide down,  they jump down.   BB would not go down a rotating one after trying it once.   He actually got off at the middle by himself.   Girl went down the whole way.   Okee would not go at all.  Q would not even go up the stairs.

That's why I think dogs don't like slides.   They don't understand man-made slides in playground.

Hydration and Rest

Okee and I run early in the morning before the sun starts blazing and she spends the remainder of the day resting.  See picture above.  She also has a whole bucket of water, all for her!

I know I know, she's a lucky goose.

Dog Games

Previously I blogged briefly about hide and go seek with my late collie, Girl, and late collie-mix, Big Boy.  Reminder their names are my humble translation.

I used to also play catch me if you can.  I just made up this game name but basically you run around in a circle between two door openings.   There's reverse involved or hiding in a corner.  It's a lot of fun.  Okee play this game too.

A game that I do not get involved with is dog fight!  Big Boy and Girl played that game a lot.   Same with Okee and Q, hence all the scratches on our wood flooring.   If Q was a boxer I think he would get booed because he hides underneath coffee tables and complains loudly.

Door consideration

Most of my screen doors are broken because when Okee was younger she would sneak through screen doors to join me with yard work.

She also ran into screen doors thinking there's no door from time to time.  I guess it's better than a bird flying into windows and breaking it's neck.

I bought some easy to fix it yourself kit a few summers ago and it's been sitting beside the broken screen door ever since.

Remember to close your doors properly to protect your screen doors.

Teaching your dog the doggy swimming style

To teach your dog how to swim, the easiest way is to throw your beloved dog into the water and let him/her swim back to you.

If you try to drag your dog into deeper water,  you might end up with scratches on your chest.

Dog will swim when required to do so.   Some dogs will learn to swim relaxingly and soothingly while others may never learn to enjoy this experience.

Anyways, you can always purchase your dog a life vest.   I saw a mermaid one not too long ago on sale but I went with a backpack instead.  I figured Okee rather run in water and Q rather run away from the water so why buy a life vest?

Dog farts

Read title.  That's right,  dogs do fart.  So far, I've only experienced silent smelly farts.  I've never heard a smelly fart from any of my dogs.   I cannot confirm if they fart in silence if the fart doesn't smell.

If you fart silently and it stinks,  feel free to blame it on your dog because they fart too.  Not often though.   Stinky farts from my dogs are extremely rare.   Have not experienced one this year or last year or the year before that.

Teaching dog tricks

Dog breeds make a huge difference when teaching dog tricks or skills.  There are obvious physical differences so don't expect a Siberian Husky to do a 360 degree spin in the air like a small terrier-type or mini schnauzer-type dog.

I can compare Okee to Girl (please excuse my humble translation of her name).  Girl is a small Lassie, she's a blondie.  In this photo she was probably two or three (human years).

Girl is a lot more obedient than Okee.  Both are extremely intelligent though.  It's a lot easier to train Girl than Okee because it just is.  

When you walk Girl without leash,  she would walk around the whole group like she's herding sheeps.  It's her natural instinct.

After shower or bath,  Girl would actually use a towel to dry herself.  I just have to lay the towel on the floor and she would rub against out.   Okee would rub against stinky shirts left at sport fields, randomly.

If I kick my leg and shout "HIYA",  Girl would bark loudly.  Okee whines to wake me up or to obtain attention for snack.

Girl would tilt her hair in a very cute way when she hears some weird noise I make.  It is rare for Okee to tilt head,  it's as if she has heard it all.

Girl could volley balls back at me with her mouth and act as a goalie sometimes.   Okee doesn't volley but she likes to stop a moving ball.

Girl can be the seeker at hide and go seek.  She can't say ready or not here I come or count but she would stay at a given spot until I say come find me.   Okee will leave from the assigned spot if I don't continually say stay.   How can you hide with a moving dog?

Another day maybe I'll compare Girl with Boy.   Boy (another humble translation) is the other dog in this photo.   Not a pure small lassie, clearly!

Just an FYI, the head behind the copper head in this photo is young me.

I love running with Okee

Okee makes me run even when I don't want to and she can always direct me home!   She's a smart cookie.

I love running with Candy

"I always look forward to my morning outings with Candy.  We get to run and I love running! When she's willing to run, it's fun to pull her.  I check out the area first to make sure she won't tumble and fall or even if she does that it's a safe area for her to fall."

Huskies are hard to spot

Okee is sleeping soundly underneath a cave I have made for her.

Crossing Streets with Dogs

Crossing the streets with your dog can be very tricky; therefore, it is important that you know how to cross the street and that you can control your dog.  You should avoid bigger streets and heavy traffic hours if you are not comfortable with either one of the two points I just mentioned because you can become a hazard to yourself, your dog and others.  Keep in mind that your dog does not know traffic rules, your dog walks the way you trained it to or from his/her born instinct.

As your dog age, his/her ability to walk might change, he might not listen to you as well because he/she may no longer walk as fast or as far as he/she used to be able to.  The last thing you want is for your dog to stop in the middle when you are trying to cross in heavy traffic.  This has never happened to me but Q has once stopped in the middle of a non-busy street with only one car approaching.

Make sure that your leash is tight/short when you are crossing the street and allow it the leash to extend only when you are done crossing so your dog can run ahead.

Remember, the bigger the street, the longer the wait because there's more distractions such as lights, non-working lights, stuff to smell, etc, etc.

Flooring consideration

Okee and Q and two dogs before them have damaged our floors significantly.  Every type of flooring has it benefits and flaws.

If you intend to have a dog, expect the unexpected.   You'll just have to make it work.  You can always declaw them like cats.  Tsk tsk tsk.

Our travel during easter long weekend!

Okee and I traveled longer distance over the long weekend.

Can you spot Okee?

Preparing a gourmet meal for your domestic dog

Dogs don't like lemon, cherry or orange.   They will sniff it and not eat it.  They will eat cherry if you chew it first.

Dogs love garbage,  they will scavage.  If you are not tidy, your dog will easily prepare a gourmet meal for self.

Dog poops.

You have to understand that dog poops.  Once a dog has chosen areas for self,  the dog will not want to pee or poop at those areas.  Preferably, dogs like to peep and poop away from home.

Mr. Q for example liked to empty his bowel completely during his walks.  He poops 3 to 4 times even during short walks.  His poop will go from solid easy to pick up poop to liquid.  On nice grassy areas,  he would even wipe his own ass.  With a dog like Q, it is hard to  determine how many dog poop bags you have to carry.

What to do when you are out of poop pick up equipment?  Here are some suggestions:

1. Ask someone for a plastic bag
2. Pick up that paper cup lying on the ground
3. Step on the dog poop

I hope the above was helpful.

Move, I said, Move!

Each dog is different.  Some would move for you other would not.   It doesn't matter how many commands or phrases you scream or tell your dog.   If dog doesn't want to move,  dog doesn't move.

Make sure you and your dog are in sync when crossing the street.

Newspaper and dog!

If you are a skillful poop picker upper, you will know that you don't need dog poop bags!  All you need is newspaper!  Just slide it beneath your dog before the poop comes out and hold it the rest of the way like a torch!

In addition,  the newspaper also functions as a bat.  Dog not behaving well? Wham!

Winter-oriented dog vs. Summer oriented dog

Okee is a Siberian Husky. Mr. Q was a mutt.   Okee is definitely a winter oriented dog while Q was more of a summer oriented dog.

Comparing the two,  I realized maybe I should've gotten the same season oriented dogs because walks and shredding become complicated when you have two different season oriented dog!  I'm not going to elaborate too much.  Point forms for my readers to think about (food for thoughts and all):

1. Paw
2. Mane
3. Warmth
4. Endurance
5. Claw

Feeder Fish

I have fish too.  Feeder fish are lucky at my household because we grow them to the size of baby goldfish.

Feeder fish are suppose to be pet food for bigger fish but when you are cheap,  you grow feeder fishes and the feeder fishes become pet fish.

Now we have upgraded to small gold fishes.

Puppies may be cute but elderly dogs can be cute and hot

I'm pretty sure Okee was an adorable puppy.  Sorta wish I knew who her first owners were so that I can see photos or videos of her as a puppy.

As she was adopted at 1.5 years old (and this is only an estimate), I never got to see her when she looked the cutest but she has always been hot!

Cute personality,  natural born cutie pie.  Lol. 

This is a recent photo of her enjoying the snow.  Sorry, she's neutered.  No babies are coming out of her.

Old dog can learn new tricks

Now that Okee and I have been running consistently together,  we've learned many new running techniques together.   Such as:

1.  Checking with your partner
2.  Slow down before a complete stop
3.  Helping each other with stretching
4.  Our signals to each other
5.  Who's doing what and when

We are able to run faster and longer now.   It's still a work in progress.   We are running in all sorts of terraine w encounter.

Lost Dog Posters

Since last spring or last summer, I've been seeing the same Lost Dog Poster on my dog walking routes.  I have never seen the "lost dog" but I keep seeing the Lost Dog Poster.  As I walk alone and do not listen to music while I am walking, every time I see this Lost Dog Poster I would think about it.

The first time I saw it, I was like, oh someone lost their dog and that's how it looks like.
The second time I saw it, I was like, wow, it's posted here too.
The third time I saw it... and here too and WHOA another version of the lost dog poster featuring the same dog. (this thought repeated a few times)
...those people must really love this lost dog or some child must have been really upset and they had to do something.

fast forward from last spring or last summer to now

The posters are still everywhere and now I'm wondering if the lost dog has been found or if someone will be removing the poster.

Okee and I walk really long distance sometimes.  So, I know it's really posted everywhere where I can walk to with my dog.  Maybe, they forgot to remove some of the posters after they found their dog or the dog is still missing.

My lost dog experience is a lot better, she usually returns the day of and I don't have to go through the posting a lost dog poster experience.  Although every time she disappears I get really frightened, even though the lost time is very short compared to the "Lost Dog Poster Family".

Drinks for Bulldogs

Mug Friday!   Cheers!

Okee and the Sun

Okee usually watches the sunrise or sunset with me.  She also likes to sunbathe in the family room and in the backyard.

Vitamin C ftw~

Things you can see on daily dog walks

This is a photo I've taken today during my daily dog walk with Okee.  I hope it captures the first day of spring.

My explanation: Half the ice is melted,  goose have returned for a while now.

Candy vs. Okee - March 20, 2009 (featuring friendly-fox san)

This was a note I wrote back in March 20, 2009 on my Facebook account.  The reason I signed up for Facebook was because a university classmate refused to communicate on other platforms for a school assignment since then I have an on and off OR love/hate relationship with Facebook.  Anyhow, I made slight edits to my original note.

------beginning of old note with edits-------

Title:  Candy vs. Okee

<insert two photos I cropped and merged as one image before Instagram>

So recently, friendly-fox san ("FFS") wrote to me a random email.  In this email, FFS compared Okee (my Siberian Husky) and I in terms of appearance and personality.  As of the drafting of this note, I think FFS is quite accurate.  lol, and, i just thought the email was pretty funnyLOL!!! so i thought I'll share it with you guys.

This is what FFS wrote and I quote:

"I just saw the teapot video and saw Okee in the background, which made me realize that you and Okee are very much alike.  As in, she could be you in animal form or you could be her in human form.

Why?

1)  Like, you two LOOK like each other.. see how her face is framed with black fur -- it looks like Okee has your haircut, do you see it?  Then, she is slender and fit.  And has perfectly smooth fur -- like your perfectly straight no-need-to-do-anything hair =P

2)  On the outside, Okee seems intimidating or hard to approach - like, she's a HUSKY and almost wolf-like, so people may be scared to approach her.  BUT, her soul is just sooooooo sooo kind and loving; she won't hurt you at all.  And, in fact, she is pretty open to new people

3)  She's got a lot of SPIRIT and likes to run free and wild and jump over fences.  I think it signifies how much energy she has inside her.

4)  She doesn't like to be lonely and keeps her loved ones close to her and she is very affectionate with her mommy :)

5)  She is headstrong and stubborn - eventually she will get her way, whether you like it or not.  That's the bossy you =P

6)  She has this warrior/survivor posture and yet it's not bulky but feminine, like Mulan, I guess.  You can tell that she can fight for herself and defend her territory.

7)  She is beautiful =D"

------end of note-------

January 2, 2017, first Monday of the new year, I still love what FFS wrote.  Okee still acts and feels like a baby to me.  We've aged beautifully together, we still have a lot of SPIRIT and with spirit comes energy.

I hope you like the half day "computer paint job" I did on January 2, 2017 for this 3 months in advance blog post.

Play fight and thumb wars - dog edition

Okee and Q spent a lot of time together.   I'm pretty sure Okee got on Q's nerve a lot.  After all, it must feel bad to constantly lose to Okee during play time or being unable to tell her to stop playing.

Okee is a little bigger than Q.  Naturally,  she has an advantage.   There's also not enough room for Q to sprint off in the backyard or in the house.   Therefore, he has to resort to butt techniques and crawling under things for cover techniques.   Q also couldn't fight dirty because Okee has short fur so Q cannot pull her hair.

It's really enjoyable to watch them playing with each other.   They know each other well. 

I like playing with Q too.  We would do our version of thumb war.  He is using his mouth and I'm using my hand.  We always tie, I can't close his mouth for 10 seconds and he can't close my hand for 10 seconds.

Q's most terrifying move was always his bark.   That's about it...

Crate vs. Washroom

I have never crate trained any of my dogs; however,  I would like to argue that the washroom can function as a crate and more.

It's not nice to lock your beloved domestic dog in confined spaces.   This is telling from Okee's reaction to being locked in the washroom.   She would scratch the door,  whine and let out an extremely bad body odour.  Obviously,  she is never locked anywhere,  period.  She hates narrow spaces, etc.  For example,  on walks,  she always speed through narrow paths.

I tried to make her stay in the washroom before because I wanted to play hide and go seek with her.   You see with my late collies,  they would stay in the washroom and wait till my command before they open to loosely closed door and come search for me.   Couldn't do this same game with Okee and Q because they won't stay.  They would go into the washroom and run back out.

With that said,  unlike my collies,  I cannot ask them to dry themselves with the towel in the washroom.

So yeah washroom > crate

Ruff Mudder, Ready or Not, Here we come!

Yesterday, I wrote about wanting to complete an obstacle race with Okee.  After a quick browse on the internet, turns out there is one scheduled for Sunday,  June 25, 2017.  Reasonable pricing,  almost same price as my first Spartan Race.

Ruff Mudder seems like a fun,  family oriented event with your doggy companion.   I guess ruff for rapport not ruff for rough.

Okee and I will be training with our 4 to 6 feet leash soon.  The training is mostly for me.  I wonder how many obstacles she will actually do...

According to the limited videos I watched lots of drink stations were available for dogs so I guess I just need to bring snacks for myself.

Obstacle Race with your Domestic Dog

I participate in "race"s with obstacles almost every year.  The two that are most popular seems to be Spartan Race and Tough Mudder.

I think running obstacles with your dog events, similar to spartan or tough mudder, might exist somewhere.  Obviously not well known enough to reach this writer.

Anyhow,  when they are well known,  Okee and I will be ready because we've been running around pretending we are competing in a 5 mile+ with obstacles since last year!   She should do well since she doesn't get distracted too much or too easily.

If Spartan Race or Tough Mudder do a featured race where participants must run with a dog buddy,  I suggest the following tag lines: Spartan with your Alpha - Be Prepared to Burpee for Your Aplha. Tough Mudder with your Doggie Companion - Retry, Re-line, Move Forward or Move On.

Shopping with Okee

Nowadays you can shop with your dog online but the experience is not the same as shopping at a brick and motar store.

Everytime I visit a store,  which does not happen often,  I tend to go on a shopping spree.  I like to think that I'm a great shopper for deals!

Our visit to PetsMart was awesome.   I got Okee a back pack, two polar pooch beds and a can of dog food selected by her as reward!

The back pack function as a harness.  I have yet to adjust the strap.   It will take a while for both of us to adjust to walking with a harness.  It looks great on her though.   I almost bought her a mermaid life vest but I did not go through with this impulsive purchase.

She seems to like the polar pooch beds.   She now have four beds to choose from plus our human furniture.

Anyhow,  polar pooch is easy to clean, convinient to travel with and provides cooling effect.  I bought them on sale after Christmas so I'll have to report back in the summer.  Polar pooch vs. Air duct vs. Washroom, where will Okee sleep this summer? That is the question!

Okee Logging

Every Friday is garbage pick up day meaning every drive way in our neighbourhood will have disposable items neatly lined up in prescribed or acceptable forms.  The waste management staffs will diligently come collect our disposable items.

That's why every Friday,  Okee and I go walk in forests with trails instead!  I don't want her to smell people's garbage or rip garbage bags apart or discover a raccoon or skunk crawling out of garbage bins!

Walking around the neighborhood with your dog on garbage day can present a challenge if your dog is not well behaved.

Anyhow on our weekly forest visits,  she has more energy to run.  The log she is pulling is moi.  The trails are still a bit icy at this time so the log slides and rolls sometimes!

Anyhow, as Okee is the logger, she does most of the navigating.  She always knows her way back to my parking spot :D!

Sharing a bed with Okee

Okee was never suppose to venture into the highest level of our single-dwelling house.  Being the cutie pie that she is, she can worm her way to close to anything (with me).

We slept together the first 2 years and then a gate was installed and we sadly separated.  No more sleeping together.

If I was a guy and Okee was human then our body size and weight would be perfect for cuddling in bed!

Many years ago,  when she first laid her head on my shoulder and had her back facing me, I was like "Wow, that's how it feels when a guy hugs a girl".  Obviously she was extra cuddly because she had nice fur.  Her head was not heavy and she did not put all of her weight on my body.   Hugging her was very comforting.

As the night progress, she would move to the end of the bed and go back to her natural doggy position because I'm too hot for her.

So don't buy a inflatable size doll.  It's different from a warm body.

Life Drawing - Dog Edition

I tried life drawing with my pets from time to time.  I really love this one of Q.  Unfortunately,  he always has his back to me.  If I move,  he moves so I can only practice drawing his back.

With Okee I get a side view most of the time.   Okee is a lot harder to draw because she is hairy.

I find drawing with a live model is a lot easier than drawing from a photo.

Rollarblading with Okee, the Siberian Husky

So,  you want to rollarblade with your Siberian Husky too? Or you are considering getting a Siberian Husky and are looking for pros for getting one,  eh?

You came to the right place ;)

Minimum Requirement to Rollarblade with a Siberian Husky:

- You already know how to rollarblade
- You know your Siberian Husky's habits

How to know you know how to rollarblade or that you know your Husky?

You know when you know.   If you don't know,  be prepared to fall as soon as you leave the house.

All jokes aside,  it's important that you know how to rollarblade so that you don't end up hurting yourself,  someone else or your precious Siberian Husky.

Your rollarblade should be well fitted and not broken.  You should be able to look at where you and your Husky are going.

Okee surprised me in our first Rollarblade trip together.   I was scared because she was going so fast.  You pull her closer and you end up going faster.  I was scared on a slight uphill so you can imagine why I skipped the downhills.  I think Okee was happy that the dead weight (me) was so light.   She was finally able to run to her true potential!

It's nice to rollarblade with her once in a while because when we get home she smiles more and breaths louder.  Okee enjoys a good run.   The trip is faster too. Less smelling of the trees and other obstacles.

If you are just starting out,  I would suggest rollarblading with one rollarblade first,  it might be easier.  A sturdy umbrella would also be helpful.  You can use it as a stick or open it to slow you and your Husky(s) down.   The sturdy umbrella will also help you with balance. You can even have the umbrella open the whole time.

Those are all the helpful tips I can provide.

Continue reading only if you want to read about how I trained as a rollarbladder

Step 1: Buy a used oversize rollarbladde (maybe 3 sizes bigger than your shoe size) that does not fit you at all and the wheels hardly rolls

Step 2: Rollarblade with them whenever you want

Step 3: Rollarblade with a friend and receive at least one helpful advice about tightening your Rollarblade

Step 4: Attend how to skate class (not how to rollarblade) and learn extra techniques

Step 5: Stop rollarblading and donate that used used pair

Step 6: Do a lot of other random trainings that you find interesting

Step 7:  Many years later, examines are pair of brand new state of the art rollarblade that have been sitting on the shelve for the longest time.   Put them on for the first time ever and they fit almost perfectly.

Step 8:  Delighted by this new discovery,  rollarblade with them to the train station each day.  That's close to 30 minutes of practice each day.

Anyways the terrain of my route to the train station was tough but fun,  I never managed to conquer one segment of it.  When I fall, I have to continue on because I can't miss the train ride to work.   No time to practice.

I am scared of falling but I love rollatbladding so I wear layers.   Be prepared to fall!

Okee was adopted

A lot of people always say that Huskies are expensive but they are actually available for adoption from time to time.   Not all of them are as beautiful or adorable as Okee though which is why I felt extremely lucky that we got her.   If we arrived at the shelter 40 minutes later,  another family would've gotten her.   Just as we were leaving,  a car with a Siberian Husky just parked and the lady inside the car asked if we just bought Okee and I proudly and happily responded with "we just adopted her".  That was the end of our conversation.  Part of me always wondered if Okee would've been luckier to be adopted by them. Thinking back I wish I took down her contact information then Okee can have a Siberian Husky playmate.

I also wondered if they could've been the original owner because the shelter staff told us they had Okee for half a year or 3 months (can't remember) before they posted her up for adoption.  You see, Okee was very well groomed when they found her so they concluded that someone lost her.   Alas no one came for her so we got her!

After adopting her,  I continued to check the adoption website from time to time and it always had a variety of dogs although usually the number of dogs available is not more than six.   If buying is too expensive for you then consider adopting.  Usually, the dog up for adoption already knows how to sit (less training required by you).  You can also adopt cats, hamsters, guinea pigs,  bunnies and birds.  They actually have more of these little critters than dogs.

I'm not going to bother posting the adoption website. Just search adoption and your city.

Okee and Fireworks

Okee is a female Siberian Husky.   Her instinct is to run from danger.  The first time she has demonstrated this to me was on a leisurely stroll around the block during the evening of July 1st.  I wanted her to enjoy fireworks instead she ran straight home at the first sound of fireworks,  I tumbled and fell on some green green grass during her very forceful run to home.  As the fireworks continued to go off, she kept pacing around the house in a panic.   That is why,  she will never attend a big celebration with fireworks.

As she was adopted, I've always wondered if she has been trained to run from those types of sounds or if she saw her siblings being shot.  I also wondered if she was abandoned because she naturally runs from these types of sounds.

Anyways,  I always found this side of her extremely cute.   If I'm home, we cuddle and hug every July 1st and Victoria Day.

Almost four seasons dog walk gear for you, the human

I'm cheap so I wear the same outer gear almost everyday.   The only thing that gets changed are stuff that are not shown in the photo (t-shirt, shorts , granny panties, socks and shoes/boots).  I forgot to include my winter gloves and winter beanie but those are not important or essentials because most people end up losing them anyways.

My non-changing outer gear are very versatile.  Let's start with the pants.  Don't let them fool you.   It's actually two pants in one.  Literally!  Look closely at the photo.  They keep me warm and cushiony and my sweat won't stick to them!  When summer comes,  I remove the cushiony layer and done OR I might have to substitute the cushiony layer with something else!  The added bonus to this two pants in one are the pockets!  I use it to hold poop bags.

Next,  the upper body,  depending on temperature sometimes is one in one,  sometimes is two in one and sometimes is three in one.   Oversize hoodies with no zipper are better because it's like running around with a blankie! You can even tug it in but that's just weird.   You could've just tug in your other inner layers.   Another added bonus of the oversize hoodie with long sleeves is that it can serve the functions of a beanie, light scarf and mittons with holes.  Sometimes, when I have my hood up,  I think my neighbours think I'm a little boy running around.  The colour of this hoodie is very common,  the interior of the hoodie is soft and warm and the art at the centre of the hoodie is always covered up by my vest so it is also not shown here.  Anyways the vest and the zipper-able outerwear are both a little broken but the material are very good also.   Only I know where they are broken.   So yeah,  I'm going to keep walking and running with them until they no longer work. 

Good socks are also very important.  Shoes get better the more you run with them and the more places you go with them.   Mud makes them more durable but break them at the same time.   My shoes/boots gear are the funnest! Washing them by hand after a trip feels really nice too.

Anyways gear like this will allow you to tumble and fall. You can go all terrain/all seasons with your four legged paws friend.

What I learnt from walking/jogging/running with Okee and Q

This morning, I re-read some of my recent postings.  I noticed that I have promised my non-existence readers in two (2) separate occasions that I will blog about my experience walking or running with Okee and Q.

When we first got them, I was still a student, so I had time to walk with them three (3) times a day.  That means, sometimes (when other family members did not want to go for walks), I had to go on the same walk six (6) times a day because I could not and did not want to walk both of them at the same time.  Every weekend, my family and I will walk them both at the same time.  During this walk, they will both try to pull ahead of each other.

I cheated on my walks with Q.  Q always got a shorter one-on-one walk because it took forever to walk him.  You see, he walks like a snail and took his time smelling everything he came across but whenever a big vehicle passes (ie. mini-van, truck, bus, etc) he would suddenly storm off and chase after the vehicle.  Q was friendly but he appeared aggressive on-leash sometimes.  He also barked in the most violent manners at other dogs sometimes.  Whenever he does a play bow, I really don't know what to do but to scream he is aggressive on-leash because I don't know if he is going to appear playful or aggressive.  That is why I always appear anxious and tense whenever I am walking with Q.  He is great off-leash though, he says hi to all unleash dogs and then go do his own things and run after buses behind fences (while barking at them at the same time).  I think he would've done very well as a farm dog.

My one-on-one walks with Okee has always been soothing, I did not have to worry about her behaviours at all.

Once I got my full-time job, I stopped walking them.  It was too dark to walk them before work and it was also too dark to walk them after work (damn commute, scheduled train times, 9 hour work days).  It's sad really.  Once I lost my job, I had to make up for lost time.  It's funny, my regret with Jai Jai and Lui Lui (my sheltie-mix and sheltie) was that I didn't walk them enough.  My regret with Q was also I didn't walk him enough.

Q, Okee and I went on many walks together in the last six (6) months of Q's life.  I was sort of out of shape, physically and mentally.  Prior to losing my job, I messed up my schedule by trying to exercise during lunch hour instead of after work.  You see, going to the gym after work was a way for me to release stress while going to the gym at lunch time added to my stress.  I thought since I was stronger now and they were weaker, I should be able to walk both of them at the same time.  Boy, was I wrong.  Even though it was hard walking both of them at the same time, I continued doing that every single day.  Naturally, the three of us improved together and I think our neighbours learned to avoid the three of us.  The three of us walking together was funny, Okee would want to pull ahead, Q would want to slow down.  I was in the middle being pulled in two opposite directions.  Sometimes, they would pull together, it was really dangerous for someone like me who didn't weigh more than 120lbs.  They listened to me, though, Q would even voice his disagreements sometimes.

One thing I learned from my walks with Okee and Q is that they can spot danger from far away.  Sometimes, they might be stopping for a reason unbeknownst to me.  So yeah, although it was difficult and challenging walking with them, I enjoyed all of our walks together.

The right dog for you

Finding the right dog for you is like finding Mr. or Ms. Right.  It's different for everyone.

I often feels guilty that I always tend to favour the female dog more than the male dog.  So far,  everytime we have dogs,  we first adopt a male dog and then subsequently we adopt a female dog.  We always felt that one dog by itself is sorta lonely.  I don't know why we get the male first, it just happened that way.

As I'm used to having two dogs at a time,  it's easy to tell between the two which one is right for me.   The choice is even easier when you can clearly see that your dog likes another family member more than you.

With that said though, I'm sure if I only had one dog at a time,  he/she would feel right because they would not be competing for my attention or comparing my treatments of them.

With Okee and Q, one of them had behavioural issues while on leash and the other had behavioural issues during car rides but they always wanted to go on walks together.  Both would whine the entire time at home,  if you take only one out at a time.  Just think about the dilemma I have to go through every time I want to take them out for a walk.  More on the dilemmas of walking two dogs later.  Maybe tomorrow if I don't know what to write about.

I guess it's a lot easier if it's only you and one dog.  The dog would be like this is my person and the person would be like this is my dog.  So shame on you for abandoning your dog because you obviously didn't think it through.  Don't take it personally if your dog runs away, it happens.  Remember to thank your neighbours profusely when they return your dog.   Who knows how far your dog could've traveled.  Don't be too embarrased to drive around the neighbourhood in pajamas screaming your dog's name (especially if you just got he/she recently, he/she should have a tag too. The tag helps a lot).

Anyways,  if you really, really have to choose the "right" dog for you,  here are a few things to consider:

1. Dog size relative to your size
2. Your place of residence.
3. Your schedule
4. Your monthly budget
5. What you intend to do with your dog.   Don't be too ambitious now!

Remember,  you don't know your dog until you lived with it for a while.   Some breeds are easier to train than others though.  I can say this because I had the privilege of having dogs for almost all of my life.  I've spend time with at least three mongrels, a sheep dog (think lassie but a size smaller or the the dogs in babe but not black and white) and a Siberian Husky.  They are all very different from each other but all of them are very loving.

Keeping Okee Young at Heart

A lot of dog owners may disagree with me but when I first got Okee and Q I wanted them to remain as dogs.

A decade later,  the two of them hasn't changed much.  They've gotten wiser though.   When I look at them they are still like babies yet they know how to take care of themselves and others.

They are playful.  While on walks in a park area,  one of them crawled through a fence once and the other stayed put at the other side.  I couldn't crawl under or climb over,  they are both leashed.  Don't ask me how I problem solved this one.   But leashes and fences remained in tact.

You see those dog owners with well-trained dogs that would bring the Frisbee or ball back.   Well mine would run over to it, stop it and move on to something else until I pick it up and throw it again. See, I'm very creative with play time.

At offleash parks,  I've been to a gigantic one before,  I had to be fearful the whole time because I don't know when they would run back to me.   Plus there were lots of trees and play areas for them so it's hard to have my eyes on them the whole time.   Good thing I had their poop with me so they can smell their way back to me.  If I start screaming or shouting their names in a panic I'm sure they would storm back.  Anyhow,  I can only say this now because we've been together for so long.

Keeping your dog young at heart is not difficult as long as you have heart.   See, love is lame.

Cooking with Okee

I watch cooking with dog sometimes.  Okee definitely doesn't cook with me but she and her doggie buddies are great help around the kitchen!

You are chopping away vegetable and a piece of it tumble away,  say a carrot!  It is gone!

A word of my humble advice, make sure you don't accidentally drop raw meat.  Extremely bad idea.

Our search for a jogging partner

I don't like running or jogging.   That's why I run/jog with Okee; however,  this prevents me from meeting other dog owners because people tends to get out of our way.

I'm also getting bored of all the routes I frequents.   That is why I am going to make a poster in search of a weekly jogging partner entitled "Not a LOST DOG" poster.

Anyhow selfie of Okee and I in 2009 and last night in preparation for our poster.

I'll write about what I've learnt from running with Okee and Q another day.

Benefits of leash designed for bigger dogs

I previously blogged about how Q broken a number of dog leashes.  Here are some common ways of how your beloved dog may break your leash:

1. Biting
2. Pulling
3. Wear and tear

The earlier your leash is broken,  the worse your training or purchase was.

if you start out with a big dog,  you can probably use all of your old dog leashes with the little dog because it's made for more wear and tear.

While baby sitting my brother's dog, I decided to use my own dog leashes instead of the ones his wife has purchased.   I felt like they were easily breakable (especially the extendable dog leash). 

Here are some demonstrations of my usage of the leashes.   Keep in mind that aside from the harnesses,  all leashes were originally used by a Siberian Husky (Okee) and a mutt (possibly a lab-beagle mix ?)(Q).

In terms of harnesses, again they made the error of buying too small. Tight is great but it's a struggle to button them up everyone especially for the little one.  I'm sorry I have big clumsy fingers and they have long fur.  The harness rope is of the right length but change the freaking buckle.  I'm scared that it would break.

Purchasing puppies vs. Adopting non-puppies

I've been baby sitting my bro and sister in law's puppies for a while now.  Prior to this engagement,  I have never owned puppies before.   Every dog I've ever had were always at least 1.5 years old.

Puppies are a handful.   The are way too  energetic.   They are also very attention seeking.  These two have been trained but it's training in progress so they don't sit 75% of the time.

Don't let that cuteness fool you because that cuteness is what they use to get away with everything.   I might be able to understand why people in apartments or condos might end up abandoning their beloved pets.  Neighbours could complain about the continuous barks of puppies.

If you are going to bring a dog into your life please think about it first.   They are with you for at least a decade.

Caption This!

It's family day today so I don't feel like writing instead caption my picture :)

If you want to read my caption continue reading.

Read from left to right.

Title: So you wanna be Alpha!

Note: all dialogue told in perspective of the teenie tiny yorkie.

1. Why did you tie me to Ms. Okee

2. What's happening

3. Come back

4. ...

(To be not continued aka end)