Two years ago, we headed out to the farm with Leah to pick out a puppy, and came home with a puppy who had picked us (or at least that's what we tell ourselves). That means two years and a day ago, I was not a crazy dog lady, but what can I say, Shelby's pretty much the best. Here's the post from the day after we got her, and two years later, we love her kind of a lot.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Book Review: "The Book"
I gave Nathan a book for his birthday about dogs, but didn't expect that it would be something that he would (often) reference in relation to Shelby. So, now it is lovingly refered to in our house as "The Book," and it is interesting to know why Shelby does the things she does. Here is his review of Inside Of A Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, & Know, by Alexandra Horowitz.
I recently read a fascinating book by Alexandra Horowitz titled Inside Of A Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, & Know that takes a scientific look at why your dog does what she does and what she may be thinking when she's doing it. The author, who also happens to be a dog-person, has spent years studying the way dogs interact, and she also incorporates many studies on dogs and other animals to provide lots of evidence supporting her theories.
One of the most intriguing sections of the book to me was how dogs experience the world. First off, the author reminds us that a dog's world is close to the ground, which is common sense but not something I really considered. Imagine how different the world would seem if we were on our hands and knees all day long. Secondly, the average dog's senses are much different than a humans, because a dog's primary sense is smell. And the average dog's smelling power is 100 times better than ours. The strong smelling ability provides us with some insight as to how dogs are able to "magically" sense you from a distance. For instance, I've noticed that Shelby never barks when Whitney or I are coming to the door, even though she can't see us, but she will bark whenever it's a stranger, even when she can't yet see them.
And smelling at a distance isn't the only feat a dog can perform. A dog can tell how fresh a scent is based on the power of odor. Another seemingly magically feat is a dog's ability to detect oncoming seizures in humans (of course, they must first be trained to alert the human or someone else about the seizure for this trait to be effective) and the author theorizes that the dog can smell subtle changes in your body scent, as well as your behavior, to detect the seizure. A dog's hearing is also superior to a human's, and it's the second sense they rely on. Visual acuity is much less important to a dog. When the dog I grew up with got very old, he went blind, but never seemed too hampered by the loss of eyesight, and now I know why. As long as he could smell and hear, he could still experience the world in a meaningful way.
There are many other impactful pieces of information here for dog owners, including about whether dogs experience time in the same way we do (the answer: somewhat); doggy play and how dogs are one of the few species to self-handicap (explains how small dogs and big dogs effectively play together); and how dogs are effective communicators with humans. All interesting, assuming you're a dog lover, but it does get a bit scientific, so it could be tedious for a non-dog person. The last section I'd like to mention is how the author debunks what she calls "the pack mentality."
We often hear about how dogs believe think of its family in the terms of a pack hierarchy, because dogs are descended from wolves. The author argues that while we see some instincts that remain from a dog's wolf ancestry, the thousands of years of domestication has significantly changed how dog's think about us. The author explains that domestication has hardwired dogs to see humans as what we would consider to be more of a family. For example, a family has rules that must be followed (such as, no barking in the house), but the dog doesn't likely put itself above or below anyone (though it may not consider all newcomers to be part of the family). The difference, argues the author, is that you don't have to show dominance to control your dog. It's likely the dog would willingly do what you want, if properly motived, because it's part of your family. What a dog retains from the "pack mentality," is that it cherishes being around its "pack," and can feel lonely when left out of a group.
All in all, I think that dog owners should definitely check out this book to gain a better insight of how your dog or dogs experience life. In this way, we can better relate and communicate what we want and expect from the dog.
I recently read a fascinating book by Alexandra Horowitz titled Inside Of A Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, & Know that takes a scientific look at why your dog does what she does and what she may be thinking when she's doing it. The author, who also happens to be a dog-person, has spent years studying the way dogs interact, and she also incorporates many studies on dogs and other animals to provide lots of evidence supporting her theories.
One of the most intriguing sections of the book to me was how dogs experience the world. First off, the author reminds us that a dog's world is close to the ground, which is common sense but not something I really considered. Imagine how different the world would seem if we were on our hands and knees all day long. Secondly, the average dog's senses are much different than a humans, because a dog's primary sense is smell. And the average dog's smelling power is 100 times better than ours. The strong smelling ability provides us with some insight as to how dogs are able to "magically" sense you from a distance. For instance, I've noticed that Shelby never barks when Whitney or I are coming to the door, even though she can't see us, but she will bark whenever it's a stranger, even when she can't yet see them.
And smelling at a distance isn't the only feat a dog can perform. A dog can tell how fresh a scent is based on the power of odor. Another seemingly magically feat is a dog's ability to detect oncoming seizures in humans (of course, they must first be trained to alert the human or someone else about the seizure for this trait to be effective) and the author theorizes that the dog can smell subtle changes in your body scent, as well as your behavior, to detect the seizure. A dog's hearing is also superior to a human's, and it's the second sense they rely on. Visual acuity is much less important to a dog. When the dog I grew up with got very old, he went blind, but never seemed too hampered by the loss of eyesight, and now I know why. As long as he could smell and hear, he could still experience the world in a meaningful way.
There are many other impactful pieces of information here for dog owners, including about whether dogs experience time in the same way we do (the answer: somewhat); doggy play and how dogs are one of the few species to self-handicap (explains how small dogs and big dogs effectively play together); and how dogs are effective communicators with humans. All interesting, assuming you're a dog lover, but it does get a bit scientific, so it could be tedious for a non-dog person. The last section I'd like to mention is how the author debunks what she calls "the pack mentality."
We often hear about how dogs believe think of its family in the terms of a pack hierarchy, because dogs are descended from wolves. The author argues that while we see some instincts that remain from a dog's wolf ancestry, the thousands of years of domestication has significantly changed how dog's think about us. The author explains that domestication has hardwired dogs to see humans as what we would consider to be more of a family. For example, a family has rules that must be followed (such as, no barking in the house), but the dog doesn't likely put itself above or below anyone (though it may not consider all newcomers to be part of the family). The difference, argues the author, is that you don't have to show dominance to control your dog. It's likely the dog would willingly do what you want, if properly motived, because it's part of your family. What a dog retains from the "pack mentality," is that it cherishes being around its "pack," and can feel lonely when left out of a group.
All in all, I think that dog owners should definitely check out this book to gain a better insight of how your dog or dogs experience life. In this way, we can better relate and communicate what we want and expect from the dog.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Overdue
In the days before the library emailed me with “advanced notice my book were due,” I have to admit I wasn’t too great about turning them in on time. In high school, I actually was summoned because of an overdue fine, that thankfully was resolved after I called and informed them I had turned the book in before it was due, and once they looked they found it and said it just hadn’t been checked in right.
And a few years ago, I had a hold on my account because I had reached the limit of overdue fines (something like $20). The problem was not only did I lose track of which books were due when, but I had so many checked out at a time, that by the time I realized they were overdue, the fines really stacked up.
But now that I get email reminders, I’ve been very successful, and only had a 35-cent fine. This 35-cent fine sat unpaid on my account for probably a year, because I use the self-checkout machine and don’t think it’s necessary to put a 35-cent charge on my debit card. That fine thankfully went away this year when Nathan picked up a book for me and paid the 35 cents promptly. The difference in our personalities is clear here.
I knew that I had four books due Friday, thanks to my email, and several days ago I gathered them up to return on one of my many trips past the library near our house. But did I return them? No. By the time I was home and had realized this, I was too settled (and waiting on the furnace guy to come) to leave the house on a cold blustery day. But the books needed to be returned, so Nathan and I walked Shelby down to the library to return them.
Shelby loves the walk to the library, and last time we were there I realized she had learned the routine. We cross in the same spot, walk over to the book return thingy, she waits while I empty the bag, then she leads the way back home, prancing the whole way. The leaves covered the sidewalks and Nathan and I held hands once the book bag was empty and talked about the day.
I’m probably going to have some overdue fines, because the library closed at 6:00 and I’m not sure my books will be checked in on time. But I’ll accept paying the $1.40 because it gave us that random, tiny moment, no matter how small it seemed in the grand scheme of our life, together on a fall night.
And a few years ago, I had a hold on my account because I had reached the limit of overdue fines (something like $20). The problem was not only did I lose track of which books were due when, but I had so many checked out at a time, that by the time I realized they were overdue, the fines really stacked up.
But now that I get email reminders, I’ve been very successful, and only had a 35-cent fine. This 35-cent fine sat unpaid on my account for probably a year, because I use the self-checkout machine and don’t think it’s necessary to put a 35-cent charge on my debit card. That fine thankfully went away this year when Nathan picked up a book for me and paid the 35 cents promptly. The difference in our personalities is clear here.
I knew that I had four books due Friday, thanks to my email, and several days ago I gathered them up to return on one of my many trips past the library near our house. But did I return them? No. By the time I was home and had realized this, I was too settled (and waiting on the furnace guy to come) to leave the house on a cold blustery day. But the books needed to be returned, so Nathan and I walked Shelby down to the library to return them.
Shelby loves the walk to the library, and last time we were there I realized she had learned the routine. We cross in the same spot, walk over to the book return thingy, she waits while I empty the bag, then she leads the way back home, prancing the whole way. The leaves covered the sidewalks and Nathan and I held hands once the book bag was empty and talked about the day.
I’m probably going to have some overdue fines, because the library closed at 6:00 and I’m not sure my books will be checked in on time. But I’ll accept paying the $1.40 because it gave us that random, tiny moment, no matter how small it seemed in the grand scheme of our life, together on a fall night.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Cornfields
Yesterday we went down to Elmwood to see Nathan's parents and let Shelby explore the cornfields. After his Grandma and Uncle came by, we decided to take a family outing to search for missed ears that could be fed to the squirrels. Shelby loved it, and being the grown up puppy she is, veered off from the rest of the crowd. I started following her, and she made up her own obstacle courses, jumping and running and ending by jumping up on my back, then starting over. She eventually decided to book it up the hill, so I followed and we weaved in and out of the rows. I started thinking about how much fun I was having, and how it is a uniquely midwest thing to experience. I thought about how peaceful it was, with the wind blowing and the husks rustling, and started writing about it in my head. Of course, then there was an unexpected turn.
Shelby had grown tired of exploring on her own, so we headed back to the house, with her close by my side. Then she saw Nathan, and wanted to play again. Unfortunately, her idea of playing was jumping the barbed wire fence. Nathan and I stood there, in disbelief she had done that, and then we looked over and couldn't see her. So we split up and eventually saw her running toward the house, which happened to also be toward the highway. I hoped that, like the last time she ran out, she would just run to the front door, and luckily she did. She had a really fun time, that's for sure (we think she was chasing an animal of some kind), but it was a little more scary for us. And definitely ended my peaceful moment picking up corn and listening to the wind.
Thanks Meagan, for posting about the changes in your life. We'll have to get together so I can drop off your bag, and I even have one for Mr. K as well.
Shelby had grown tired of exploring on her own, so we headed back to the house, with her close by my side. Then she saw Nathan, and wanted to play again. Unfortunately, her idea of playing was jumping the barbed wire fence. Nathan and I stood there, in disbelief she had done that, and then we looked over and couldn't see her. So we split up and eventually saw her running toward the house, which happened to also be toward the highway. I hoped that, like the last time she ran out, she would just run to the front door, and luckily she did. She had a really fun time, that's for sure (we think she was chasing an animal of some kind), but it was a little more scary for us. And definitely ended my peaceful moment picking up corn and listening to the wind.
Thanks Meagan, for posting about the changes in your life. We'll have to get together so I can drop off your bag, and I even have one for Mr. K as well.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Two Years
Today is my little blog's second birthday. It's amazing to me how much has changed over the past two years, and I love that my blog can document it. What hasn't changed is that I truly appreciate those who still read the blog, even when it is sometimes neglected. So, I'm going to give away one of my reusable library book bags to celebrate. Tell me in the comments about what changes your life has seen over the past two years by the end of the day Sunday for a chance to win. I will announce the winner Monday.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Garden Round-Up
Because it's October and the work on our garden seems to be winding down, I thought I'd document for you how the garden did this year. While Nathan has planted three-ish gardens, this one actually seemed to be the best. It was a little late the first year he lived here, but there were some tomatoes. The second year, we planted a bunch of veggies but couldn't get into the backyard for a lot of the summer. So this year's definitely gave us more bang for our buck.
Yesterday we dug up our peanuts, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, which I was very excited about. Unfortunately, we only had three little baby potatoes. But the rest of the garden still did OK. We had tons of tomatoes, herbs, and peppers, and not only were we able to enjoy them this summer, but I was also able to freeze them so we have them for chili this winter. Some of the tomatoes were used to make tomato sauce to use during the winter, too.
The herbs have also been frozen, some using this method, found via Pinterest. I was also able to make some pesto.
It took surprisingly little time to do all of these projects, since we did them all at once a couple of times. I'm sure it will be worth it this winter, too.
Yesterday we dug up our peanuts, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, which I was very excited about. Unfortunately, we only had three little baby potatoes. But the rest of the garden still did OK. We had tons of tomatoes, herbs, and peppers, and not only were we able to enjoy them this summer, but I was also able to freeze them so we have them for chili this winter. Some of the tomatoes were used to make tomato sauce to use during the winter, too.
The herbs have also been frozen, some using this method, found via Pinterest. I was also able to make some pesto.
It took surprisingly little time to do all of these projects, since we did them all at once a couple of times. I'm sure it will be worth it this winter, too.
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