August 2016 - Astro Pups, the Dog Blog

What is this Dog Saying?

My daughter, Lisa, gave us a rescue pup for Christmas a year and a half ago. Lisa told us that the pup was only four weeks old. Well, he was very small, solemn and had zero interest in meeting us or making friends. The pup didn’t have an interest in accepting food, drinks or treats from us. He stiffened when I petted him and turned away from me.

I introduced the pup to Sally, my Italian greyhound/Bichon Frise mix and Sally licked the pup. He stared at her without interest and turned away.

I set up his bed, with a soft toy, a blanket, in a large plastic pen and we went to bed. I thought about including Sally in the pen mix, but she hates being caged and throws up if I cage her to travel, so I threw out that idea. There was no crying, no whimpering, no sounds at all from the pen. I kept waking up to listen, but the room was silent. Pete, my husband, slept on, but this pup unnerved me. At four o’clock, I got up and opened the door. I sat in front of the pen and invited the pup to join me. The pup was not lying down. He was sitting up, staring out at me, but totally still.

Okay, I was a stranger, the house was strange, but this was a baby! I guess his stillness unnerved me. In all my experience with pups and dogs, I had not met a pup like this. Maybe he had been caged all his four weeks and yelled at if he whimpered. Maybe he had no human contact previously. I tried to lure him out with a treat, plain water. The pup had no interest in anything nor me.

I reached in and gently pulled him out. I didn’t want to disturb my husband, so went into the spare room and lay on the bed there, cuddling the small pup. I guess we both fell asleep, but I was awakened by a tentative lick on my face. Yay, contact!

The next morning we had the vet check the pup out, who confirmed he was four weeks old and bought some cans of puppy formula for the pup we decided to name Jake. The vet remarked upon his solemn behavior and tried to tease him to play, but Jake just stared at him, looking like a statue of a pup. Physically, Jake was healthy. Mentally, the vet wasn’t sure.

I am a believer that love is the most powerful component in owning a dog. I showered Jake with affection, ignoring his tentative responses, praising his small efforts, and always being light and gentle with him. Pit bull

It was not long before he chewed my new boots, ate a couch cushion, and decided the wood work at the top of the stairs needed a trim. Guess Jake was home.

Jake is now puzzling me yet again. He is always talking. Okay, I understand he is demanding some meat when we are eating dinner, whimpering when Sally gets to go for a walk and he is left behind, happy chatter when I throw a ball for him to retrieve, but at times, he sits before me and goes into this loud conversation. The first time, even though there was food in his bowl, I offered him a can of Sally’s Mighty Dog, which he ate. It was not long before he was making so much noise, we couldn’t hear the TV. I did everything I could think of. A walk, a rawhide bone, a game of retrieve, and would you believe he was still asking me for something, urgently. I tried a cuddle, got a big face lick, and then he started up again. Right, you may be thinking he makes out big time when he does this, but there is a note in his voice, urgent and demanding, and I just don’t know what Jake wants. He goes on doing this and I stopped trying to fix it. Whatever I did, didn’t seem to be what he was asking for.

Any ideas? I really would appreciate them!

By the way, Kings River Life Magazine asked me for a post on Westies, which I sent to them. So many people love West Highland White Terriers, so if you want to know more about this wonderful, cheeky little dog, check it out.

http://kingsriverlife.com/08/20/west-highland-white-terriers/

We suggested the Westie for Gemini in AstroPups, available on Amazon Books in paperback or Kindle.

Until next post 🙂

Weimaraner a Leo Dog

Happy Birthday to all Leos!

We have been working on the Leo chapter from the book AstroPups, available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle. Initially we discussed Leo’s personality according to the Zodiac, who Leo is as a dog owner, and then went into the breeds suggested for Leo based on Leo’s sun sign personality. So far, we have discussed three of the dogs suggested for Leo.

Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Alaskan Malamute

Great Dane

Now let’s look at a sporting breed that we think would just right for some of you.

What a beautiful dog! Color: gray. Height: 23-27″. Weight: 50-62lbs.

The spirited, graceful Weimaraner has a nickname among sportsmen. They call it the Gray Ghost. In the fields at dusk, light reflects off its metallic coat and its pale eyes shine. There’s nothing ghostly about its performance, though. It’s a superb gun dog and bird retriever.

There are several things you will particularly like about this dog, Leo. Weimaraners train to the hunt much earlier than most hunting dogs and they excel at tracking. If you are wondering how brave they are in unknown terrain, German hunters once used this breed to track down wild boar and hold them at bay. The police recruit Weimaraners for their intelligence and they do well at show, especially at obedience trials. As companions, Weimaraners are both protective and loyal.

Your strong personality and upbeat style of training is good for this breed, but most Weimaraners are sensitive to their owner’s moods, so avoid training on one of your bad days. Lighten up when training and use your positive approach. Losing your cool with this pup will confuse him or her.

There’ll be no confusion, though, when the pup catches on and performs well. Your enthusiastic response will mean more to this pup than its reward treat.

Because Weimaraners have soft, fine coats, it is not wise to house them outside. The cold does not affect them on a hunt, though. They work hard enough to keep them warm.

Grooming is minimal. Weimaraners do not shed, and some clean themselves, just like cats.

Weimaraners need exercise, but adapt well to apartment living. You can take this pup home to wherever you live.

Nowadays, it is easy to get a purebred Weimaraner. Back in the day when President Eisenhower had his beloved Heidi by his side, indiscriminate breeding occurred due to its increased popularity.

If you know someone who is lucky enough to own a Weinaraner, I found a great gift when browsing. Check this out:

Weimaraners have the reputation of being good all-purpose dogs. this dog will strive to please you Leo, when mutual trust has been achieved. The breed has enough spirit, intelligence, speed and style to please even the most demanding among you.

If you want to rescue this wonderful dog, there are some in need of forever homes. Check out the Rescue sites in your area. If you can’t adopt at this time, perhaps you can volunteer or donate.

Thanks for coming back to my blog – appreciate your comments or you can email me (About Us, upper right).

Until next post:)

Great Dane – a Leo Dog

Hi again, Leo.

We suggested Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Alaskan Malamutes for you in your Leo Zodiac chapter. Our next suggestion for your sun sign personality is known as the Apollo of Dogs – the Great Dane. This dog is only suggested for you if you can handle a very large pup that takes two years to grow out of its puppy stages, and will not be a mature dog until three years.

Colors: Fawn, blue, black, white, brindle, harlequin. Height: 22″-38″. Weight: 140-185lbs.

Although this breed’s name implies that it comes from Denmark, and maybe it did at one time, this magnificent looking dog is now known as a German breed. The Great Dane is Germany’s national dog.

History

Authorities differ on what breeds went into the creation of the Great Dane. Some believe the Irish Wolfhound and the old English Mastiff were mated. Others claim Greyhounds and Tibetan Mastiffs went into the mix. It is also thought the Bullenbeisser may be its ancestor. The breed is reported to be about 400 years old, but some sources claim dogs similar to Great Danes were known in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. (Authorities in About Us upper right).

Famous Great Danes

We know you like a popular dog, Leo, and this one is famous in literature and in film. The Guinness Book of Records named the Great Dane the tallest dog in the world, and in 2004 it was Gibson from California who took the honors, measuring 42.2″ from the withers. Zeus took the spot later measuring 44.0″ from the withers.

Other famous characters based on the Great Dane are Scooby-Doo, the Hanna-Barbera creation; Marmaduke, Brad Anderson’s newspaper comic character; Butler the fawn Great Dane owned by Captain James T Kirk in Star Trek; Einstein in Disney’s Oliver & Company; Ace in Batman Beyond; Mars and Jupiter in The Patriot; Astro in The Jetsons; and Chester, Allan’s dog in Two and a Half Men.

Some of you will admire this dog’s size, dignified bearing, natural elegance and smooth, long stride. It’s truly a giant among canines. Its not surprising that Pennsylvania chose the breed for its state dog.

Color changes traits

Some breed’s traits differ with the dog’s coloring. The heavier set harlequin Great Danes (white with black markings) are more aloof than the bouncier fawn and brindle dogs. Harlequins are less eager to please also. Black and Blue Great Danes can be stand-offish as compared with their fawn and brindle brothers and sisters.

Fawn Great Danes can be “soppy” in that they do not think being a lap dog is out of the question. Even though it may settle for leaning against your legs, you could soon lose circulation this way. Encourage your dog to sleep in a bed close to you. Beds large enough for a Great Dane are hard to find in a pet store, but Amazon has one.

You can add something soft in it that has your smell on it like an old tee. If you train this pup the right way, it will absolutely adore you.

Your Great Dane needs a handler, such as yourself, to control it from the start. Direct, firm and positive handling will ensure that your pup will reach its incredible potential. Remember, though, a Great Dane takes two years to grow out of its puppy stages. Any harsh or punitive handling would be a serious mistake.

A romp with children is highly favored by the fawn or brindle variety, but unfortunately this pup may well knock its playmates down. When trained and mature, the dog watches over the children with indulgence.

Great Danes have worked at many jobs – hunters, war dogs, police dogs, but if you want your Great Dane to be tolerant of other dogs and people, use his or her special imprint time. At three or four months, take the dog for walks to meet and greet in pleasant surroundings. This will not affect its ability to guard you, but will help the dog to be more relaxed with visitors for all of its life.

If you want this dog to give you undying love and loyalty, be the one who feeds it, walks it, trains it and brushes it. It will then know you are Alpha, leader of its pack and the dog will serve you.

It’s not wise to get a Great Dane if you live in an apartment. Too small a space makes them territorial.

There are several Great Dane Rescue sites, looking for help. If you can’t adopt, consider volunteering or donating.

If you have the time to make this kind of commitment, you will have a splendid dog. We hope you have enjoyed reading about the Apollo of Dogs.

Thanks for coming back to my blog. I enjoy your comments or you can email me (About Us upper right).

Until next post 🙂

Alaskan Malamute – Leo Dog

Colors: Shades of grey, sable, black or red, always with white. Height 23-25″. Weight: 75-85lbs.

Continuing with Leo’s chapter, the second dog we suggest for Leo’s zodiac personality is the Alaskan Malamute.

The Alaskan Malamute is from the Spitz group and has been traced back to possibly 3,000 years, bred by the Mahlemuits tribe of Alaska. This dog has a long history of working with man. In the gold rush of 1896, miners used the dogs to haul away their rock debris in wooden carts. Malamutes helped Admiral Richard Byrd to get to the South Pole. Jack London and Rudyard Kipling focused upon the Malamute in their wonderful stories.

This breed has a similar disposition to you, Leo. The dog loves to be part of the action, is friendly, kind, high-spirited and definitely bold on occasion. It can also be quite dignified, observing the world through calm, proud, almond-shaped eyes.

The dog eats to meet its needs, its appetite varying according to how much exercise the dog gets. It’s a strong muscular dog that needs to run and play daily. For this reason, apartments are not the best homes for Malamutes. They are quiet and well-behaved in the home, but penning them up in small spaces really puts a strain on their robust natures.

If you live where it snows, your Malamute will be in its true environment. If cart trained, you can hitch your dog to a sled and it will thoroughly enjoy pulling you and the kids through the snow.

The Malamute is a family dog, but this does not necessarily extend to other family pets. Some authorities believe that the Malamute was once bred with wolves, but whatever the reason, some Malamutes are not good with small animals or at times with other dogs.

Your dog will rarely bark. If you hear a wolf howling in your backyard, it’s your Malamute. Your dog will also have conversations with you. When it talks, the dog sounds like Chewbacca in Star War movies. This is because Chewbacca’s sounds were based upon a Malamute named Indiana, once owned by George Lucas.

You will find Malamutes in hot climate states, but in truth hot weather is hard on them. Their outer coats are thick and coarse and under coats dense, oily and wooly. The dogs shed their heavier coats in the summer, and you will have to brush this dog often year round. Amazon has a grooming kit designed for Alaskan Malamutes.

Grooming this magnificent dog is important to keep its coat in good condition and to keep the pride in its step.

Malamutes are intuitive. If the pup senses its owner is the indulgent type, it will take advantage. As a pup, it is absolutely adorable and some find it hard to discipline the furry charmer, but discipline is just what it needs. Firmness with kindness is the way to go. You’ll expect the pup to learn and to obey and lucky for your Malamute, you usually give second chances. The dog will accept your leadership, but it is not naturally obedient. You, Leo, have leadership qualities and your Malamute can learn. Certainly, Malamutes have done well in Obedience and star in the show ring.

When you walk your Malamute, be prepared for the fuss people make when they see your dog. Few can walk pass without stopping to admire and appreciate how handsome this dog is. Encourage them. The more friendly people and dogs your dog encounters in its puppy stages and later on, the better.

Thanks for coming back and reading about the second dog suggested for Leo, as in the Leo chapter of AstroPups, available in paperback and kindle on Amazon Books.

Love to read your comments or you can email me (About Us, upper right).

In the next post I will discuss another dog suggested for Leo’s sun sign personality. See you soon 🙂

Rhodesian Ridgeback – Leo Dog

We are giving our readers a chapter from AstroPups (available on Amazon Books) to enable you to see how the book works. There are twelve chapters, each chapter is a separate sun sign. All those who have birthdays from July 24th to August 23rd. are Leos. Happy Birthday to all you Leos out there!

In our last two posts, we discussed Leo as a person via the zodiac, then who Leo is as a dog parent, and now it’s time to discuss dogs suggested for Leo’s sun sign personality. The first breed is:

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Colors: Deep red wheaten, lighter wheaten. Height: 24″ – 26″. Weight: 65-85lbs

Since this dog is also known as the African Lion Dog, used for hunting down lions, and keeping them at bay, we’d like to turn the tables here. You, Leo, will be in control of this magnificent dog.

The Ridgeback’s distinguishing feature is the ridge of hair along its back running in the opposite direction to the rest of its coat. A native to South Africa, the breed was developed by Boer farmers. The Hottentots had a hunting dog with a ridge on his/her back. This dog was mated with the settlers’ dogs which formed the breed we know today.

With its own family, the Ridgeback is a calm dog with clean habits and good manners. You wont have to groom this dog a lot, but brushing the dog will help the bonding between you. Bonding with your Ridgeback is vital from day one. When treated with respect, this dog is capable of great loyalty. It will protect you, your home and your family from all intruders. Your strong, direct but kind handling is the right way to go with this one, Leo, but avoid training the dog when you are in a bad mood. It will not understand harsh treatment. The Ridgeback is highly intelligent and will seek your approval. Be sure to have treats on hand when the pup does well. Praise and treats work wonders.

Some breeders suggest that you do not get a Ridgeback if you have young children. It does not tolerate careless and rough handling by youngsters.

The dog is definitely an aristocrat and has a natural tendency to be aloof with strangers. Socialize your pup at its special imprint time of three months. Don’t let this important time slip by and plan to do it later. It won’t work later, and it’s especially important for this particular pup. Socialization will help the dog to tolerate visitors to your home and be more relaxed when they are there. This will not change its ability to guard you and yours.

Although Ridgebacks can be housed (kennel)outside, able to withstand all sorts of weather, they would prefer to live indoors with you. Their prime need is to be your companion and protector. Left alone in the backyard for too long, they will get into mischief. If you do not have a high fence, they will take off for an adventure by jumping over it. If you take them off the leash, make sure they are trained! Wow, this dog is an amazing runner.

Ridgebacks come with black noses or liver-colored noses. The Ridgeback with the liver-colored nose is often more playful than the more dignified black nose variety.

Recognition by the AKC took place in l955. Ridgebacks that have been socialized show well and have taken top honors. If trained well, the Ridgeback is always a winner, though, and a dog to be truly proud of.

Ridgeback Rescue of the U.S is a non profit organization looking for donations, foster parents and have dogs available for adoption. I am totally in favor of rescue as you all know, but for you, Leo, I am recommending you get the dog as a pup, train it, allow it to bond with you, and you’ll have a forever dog with intelligence and tremendous loyalty – something you particularly favor.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is one of several dogs we suggest for you, Leo. Come back soon and read about the next breed, which we think would be a compatible with your sun sign.

Thanks for coming back to blog. Comments are welcome, or you can email me (About Us, upper right) 🙂

Leo the Lion as a Dog Parent

In my last post, I talked about Leo’s zodiac personality as a person. Today I want to address who we think Leo would be as a dog parent and what breeds would be likely to please a Leo personality.

Okay, Leo, you’ll train the dog you choose with a firm, positive hand. At first its puppy antics will amuse you and you’ll play with the pup, but as it grows, your dog must show signs of meeting your expectations. Those expectations will vary with your lifestyle. If you hunt, you will want a dog that retrieves superbly. If you need a protective breed, the dog must do its job well protecting you and your family. If its a show dog you are looking for, it must be able to win that ribbon. You like the best in all things and this will include your dog.

To own a champion is a plus in itself, but lets take a look at the plus and minus traits and temperaments of certain breeds to help you to choose a dog that is a winner in more ways than one.

Your way of doing things is to use a direct and quick approach. Many of you will respond well to a dog that can think fast on its feet. A dog that needs time to process your commands would soon irritate you. Even though the dog could be a champion show dog, its peculiarities would rub you the wrong way. An alert, intelligent breed, quick to follow your commands would be of much more interest to most of you.

Now, although a bright, alert pup would please you, it should not be from a breed with a highly excitable temperament. Some of you entertain quite a bit. If your dog jumps in uninvited, and bothers your guests, you should be able to dispatch it without ceremony. However, if you’ve chosen a dog that becomes very excited when there are people about, it’ll want to join in, invited or not. When you lunge for this dog and knock over a tray of snacks or glasses in the process, some of your guests will love it, and grin at the dog now trying to hide under the couch. It’s not likely that you will be amused, Leo. This dog has not only made a fool of you,unintentionally, of course, but will probably do so again. A quieter, calmer temperament would be more compatible with your personality.

So far, Leo, the right breed for you should be bright, alert and reasonably well behaved in your home, but what if you chose a dog with these characteristics, but attached itself to you like glue? Most of you will reign in your home. Your family belongs to you and rarely is it the other way around. Over-possessive friends and relatives stifle you so you would probably not want to own a possessive dog. Every time you turned around, this dog would be underfoot. Most of you dash about, always in a hurry. Yelling at this one wouldn’t change its need to be by you. All you would accomplish would be to make the dog slink about, hoping to get closer to you before you noticed. A less possessive or non-intrusive dog would be better for most of you.

Of course, even though a dog that resembles clinging ivy is out, this doesn’t mean you wouldn’t want a pup to be affectionate with. When you have time, you will give your dog lots of affection and hugs.

We are now getting closer to your perfect pup. However, a pup with all of the preferred traits and temperaments discussed above would probably not be a Leo dog if it looks ordinary. You love to own and be connected with beautiful things – the unusual or extraordinary appeals to you. A spectacular dog or one that is unusual in an attractive way would be the frosting on your cake.

To sum up, Leo, the right dog for you is a dog that’s a source of pride – a winner in all ways. It should be intelligent, alert, well-mannered, affectionate and attractive. It should not be highly strung, intrusive, anxious, over-possessive or too ordinary looking.

The breeds suggested for your Leo sun sign personality suit various life-styles. Some would be right for you, but not for where or how you live. Your lifestyle is an important consideration when making your choice.

We hope you enjoyed reading about yourself as a pet owner, Leo. In subsequent posts, we will discuss the breeds we have suggested for your zodiac personality.

If you are a Leo or know a Leo who likes unusual jewelry, check out this interesting pendant.
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The last two posts are from the Leo chapter of AstroPups, available on Amazon Books in paperback or Kindle.

Thanks for returning to my blog. Comments are welcome or you can email me (About Us, upper right) 🙂

Leo the Lion

Gold is your metal
Your stone is a Ruby
Sunflower is your flower
And your color is yellow, sunny and bright
Now let’s find a pup that’ll be just right.
Ancient Persian symbol (Google Images)

Since we are now in the zodiac sign of Leo the Lion, I thought it might be fun to give you a peek inside the Leo chapter of AstroPups so you can see how the chapters unfold. The first thing we do in your chapter, Leo is to talk about you.

When you are busy, doing some work at home that requires your total concentration, you would probably be behind a closed door. If you owned a dog that pawed at that door until the paint peeled off, you would blow several fuses. The dog’s anxiety is not a breed temperament that most of you would admire. But before we get into traits and temperaments that would be compatible with your Leo sun sign personality, it’s important to us that you understand where we’re coming from.

Initially, as a professional astrologer and a canine behaviorist, our first question was, “What kind of dog owner would a Leo be?” We found the answer by thoroughly studying your zodiac personality. Once we knew what you would probably look for in a dog, we considered all of the dogs registered with the American Kennel Club to find some perfect pups for you. Now we are not saying that you can only successfully own the dogs we have suggested for you. What we are saying is that the pups we suggest would be good choices for your sun sign personality.

We’ll first review the characteristics of your sun sign, and then discuss dog traits and temperaments that would be a plus or minus for you. Your compatible pups are then discussed in full so that you can make your own decision based upon your lifestyle and personal preference.

Your sign shows you to be a person who is strong willed and full of optimism. Most of you are ambitious. You undertake challenges with whole-hearted enthusiasm, overcome setbacks, and often win on long shots. In fact, Leo, you are a born leader.

Most of you have a radiant personality. There’s not much that is lukewarm about you. People are drawn to you because of your positive energy, your charm, and your generous nature. In business, some of you will lead your team to success.

On social occasions, you’ll be in the center of the group that’s having the most fun. Any exciting happening is sure to attract you, and you’ll be most likely a contributing force. In fact, you contribute your positive energy to most ventures. If there’s a flicker of light, you’ll fan it into a bright flame, Leo.

It’s because you have a strong belief in yourself and in your ideas, you do not hesitate to lead others. You rarely dilly-dally about and you reject any negative input from co-workers, friends or relatives on your plans. Some of you have an incredible knack of getting to the crux of complicated issues quickly. You zoom in, spot the problem and set about solving it. Most of you do not take the time to explain your actions, though, as you would consider it a waste of your time. People, less enlightened, experience your wrath if they try to interfere. Some may call you arrogant, and this would bother you, but it wouldn’t stop you.

You are intent on success and sincere in your efforts. Most of you take a direct route in a straightforward manner. It’s rare you would stoop to be devious and tend to judge others by your own behavior. This is where some of you get burned, Leo. People may go behind your back to sabotage you in the workplace. In your personal life, those you love and trust may also betray you. If such happenings occur, you are not only confused, but deeply hurt. Temporarily, your lion’s roar is reduced to a whimper.

Many of you enjoy teaching. It’s rewarding to share concepts with eager students and you make your classes exciting and interesting. Some of you have that intangible quality of charisma and can hold your class’s attention long after the dismissal bell. You can be impatient with those who will not use their talents and seem intent on making a career out of failing, but you’ll try to turn them around. However, most of you will rarely tolerate rudeness or bad manners of any kind.

Rudeness is negative behavior and infuriates most of you. Before you lose your quick temper in public, though, you’ll make a quick exit. When crossed at home, sparks will fly. And that is just what your temper is, Leo. Angry sparks. Once inflamed, they die out quickly. Brooding about things is just not your style, nor is going into the whys and wherefores. You often forgive and forget as quickly as you flared up.

Pride is important to you. Pride in yourself and in those for whom you are responsible. Because you have a kind and compassionate nature, you’ll give second chances or even third to youngsters who may be having problems finding their way. However, you will expect results to be proud of eventually.

You’ll consider your dog to be a part of your family, Leo so it’s more likely to win your affection if it’s special in some way. You may feel compassi0n for sad sack dogs, but it’s not likely you would want to own one.

In the next post, I will go further into your chapter and discuss what kind of dog owner you would be, based on our study of your sun sign.

We hope you enjoyed reading about yourself, or reading about the Leos you know. As you can see, AstroPups (available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle), goes into the zodiac sign step by step to lead us into suggesting the right pups.

A shout out to Jacqueline Chapple, the astrologer for AstroPups. Her insights were invaluable.

If you are proud to be a Leo, and why wouldn’t you be? Amazon has a cool shirt in your sun sign color.

Comments welcome or emails (About Us upper right)

Until next post 🙂