Bark bark bark! Bark bark bark! Bark bark bark! Woof woof woof. Woof woof woof.
Woof bark bark! Woof woof woof.
Translated from Dog:
Oh boy, there’s another Terrier at the dog park! And he loves to dig as much as I do! And running too! It’s sure fun playing with him. I wish all dogs liked to play with me like this.
Well, Melvin & Cabbie do! I have such great friends.
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Mocha has been a bit of a difficult dog ever since we left him in a kennel. We’re not entirely sure if it’s the kennel’s fault – they have a good reputation amongst other dog owners in the area and I doubt they mistreated Mocha in any way – though the act of leaving Mocha alone for a while may have triggered his anxieties. Since we rescued him from an animal shelter, it’s possible he was abandoned by his previous owners and started to worry when he felt we were abandoning him too.
However, Mia and I are both busy working professionals with busy schedules. At least once a month, we have to travel or leave Mocha alone for most of the day. We hate doing it, but it’s not always possible to bring Mocha along with us, especially when we’re staying with friends who are not comfortable with dogs either.
So for long trips, we leave him with Melvin & Cabbie’s parents, who take great care of him. Every time I watch them wrestle, I see a great big smile on Mocha. It’s so obvious that he loves being with other dogs.
Which leads us to conclude that his recent behavioral problems may be solvable by getting a second dog. Another solution would be more exercise and activity, which we’ve been trying. A second dog, however, could play with Mocha and give him the social interaction that he craves. Also, we’re not always able to give Mocha the exercise and activity he needs because of our aforementioned schedule. Perhaps a second dog could.
Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. A second dog presents its own challenges, such as increased costs, time to find the right companion, additional training needs, etc. We also know of a few more long trips we’ll need to take. We can’t expect Melvin & Cabbie’s parents to take care of four dogs. Placing two dogs in a kennel for weeks would be damn expensive too. And we couldn’t bring our dogs along on a trip to another country either.
So what do we do? Sigh. We don’t know yet. We’re hoping more exercise, training, patience, and love can help the little guy. Hopefully that will be enough.
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Bark bark bark! Woof woof woof. Bark bark bark!
Translated from Dog:
My buddies have a website! It’s called The Adventures of Melvin and Cabbie and it’s got all sorts of great photos. You should totally check it out for more doggie goodness!
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We took Mocha to Big Sur this past weekend. His friends Melvin & Cabbie came along too.
During the trip, Mocha was… difficult. Since leaving him at a kennel, he’s been insecure & nervous, which has manifested as barking at strangers – mostly men, but sometimes women & children too.
At home, this means 2AM barks that wake us and neighbors up. At Big Sur, it meant snarls & growls at our friends. Sigh…
We’ve been trying the exercise, discipline & affection technique that Cesar Milan recommends. We’re also still trying to get him comfortable with a clicker, though he still cowers from it. But perhaps we need the help of a professional dog trainer.
So dog trainer hunting I go. Hopefully I can find a good one nearby. Poor little fellah seems to be pretty insecure these days. I hope some good training will help.
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Bark bark bark! Bark bark bark! Woof woof bark woof woof woof. Woof woof woof. Yip yip! Woof woof woof.
Translated from Dog:
Oh boy, I made a new buddy today! And with a pit bull! I haven’t had much luck with pit bulls, but this guy was really friendly and playful, just like me. He loved running around as much as I did. What fun! I love making new friends.
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This shrewd little puppy outsmarted Mocha a few times. First, he snatched a ball from Mocha. Then the lil guy beat him at tug-of-war.
Damn boy, you letting a two-month year old puppy beat you? Man up! I mean, dog up!
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I don’t think Mocha is ready to go home yet. He’s happy to see us and everything, but the little fellah had so much fun that he just can’t bare to leave his bestest buddies now.
C’mon boy, don’t you miss us? Maybe one day we’ll get you a buddy of your own too… Wink wink. Maaaybe…
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Cabbie’s just dying to play with Mocha again. Fortunately, Mocha is ready to oblige.
Ready, boys? Set. Go!
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After a fun romp with Melvin & Cabbie, Mocha tuckered out onto the beanbag chair – dreaming happy dreams of fun romps with Melvin & Cabbie, no doubt.
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This just in: Mocha & Cabbie slumber after an epic battle of gigantic proportions, the likes of which haven’t been witnessed since Tyson and Holyfield, sans the ear chomp.
In doggie terms, that means they played, wrestled, and got dog tired.
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Mocha is a playful 1-year old 25 lb mutt we rescued from a local animal shelter. He loves to run, play, and eat. Don't you?
Mike is was the proud owner of this adorable little guy. We miss him terribly every day.
