Finding Angels on Christmas Eve

Just driving home after another hospital visit and some unaffordable Christmas shopping for my wife and son.
She popped her head up over a little snow plowed hill and then disappeared. She was hidden by the sheets of snow blowing in. I stopped the truck and headed toward the house she was circling.  I could see paw prints all the way to the bare ground so it was obvious she lived there. I knocked on the door and peered in the window. No furniture, no anything but strewn bits of trash. She was either squatting or as often happens, left behind.  Trying to lure her wasn't working. So I launched to grab her. She bit and fought and screamed like I was some enormous monster trying to capture her or something.

After stopping at the QuickTrip for gas and a can of chicken and gravy dog food. I opened up the back and gave her the food and some water. We headed back to camp and all the dogs I had here :Murray, Dozer, and Pixie and Se7en greeted her warmly.  I posted an ad on craigslist but no one has responded and I assume  nobody will.  She is an older dog, quiet and sweet to cuddling and if I could keep her I would. However I still have to home Mokey and another lost angel is surely around the next corner. A small adoption fee is all I ask but I am not firm on finance....everyone knows that.

She has no tags, no microchips and no family.  Need a friend?

Here is the craigslist ad: Little Lost Soul

Santa Just Flew By and didn't even wave

CampLuckybones.com

I know he ias a busy guy but a simple nod would be mighty reassuring right now. These pups are anxious!!!

Well here are some pictures of my recent reindeer in play and practice.

These guys are just roaming around and being goofy.

                       The sound of Pixie  

                                 drinking water startles Hunter.

Now For the BIG NEWS...

 I was driving down MLK near 19th.  She appeared, with a look of frantic wonder. I quickly pulled over and tried to coax her in to truck. After about 10 minutes. I conrnerd he and she put up a nasty fight , I avoided bites and got her to calm down. It was raining and cold and she looked severly weatherd and lost.

SHe might neeed some vet care beause she feels Pregnant. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Anyone carer to help sponsor the the out com of this little angel (momma to be?)

Cll 515-867-9653

Dog Motel... NO Vacancy. (till tomorrow)

CAMP LUCKYBONES

Checking out the Dogs

After running and training, walking and feeding, pooping & peeing 5 dogs for 5 days straight I am beat, Emergency potty breaks in the wee hours, Rotational whining and woofing (on a 24 hour schedule seemingly punctual with my just falling asleep), it is no surprise that I can get almost Zer0 housework done! With a pack of wild dogs running through here even a fully stocked housecleaner might throw up their arms and surrender.  It's not all that bad though, I have still remembered the minty niblets  on their pillows.
  Receiving no complaints is no easy task from the likes of:  'Chuckles the (gotta keep it cool, then snore all night) American Bulldog'   ~and~   'Hunter the (pet me first and THEN I eat ya) Boxer'    ~or~    'Ryder (I'm gonna eat and run and eat and runandeat...)a Gordon Setter',  not to mention my two mutts: 'Pixie (princess of paw)'   ~and~   '(Sargeant) Se7en' with their high demands and carryings on.  I did however receive lot's of sloppery kisses (sp?)...(new word! call Webster).
  It is, at long last, checkout day for the two largest in weight. Chuck and Ryder are going home today. I don't want that to sound too deep a sigh of relief because as soon as they walk out that door I will miss them.  However, now, Ican get some cleaning done and then rest...oops! Almost forgot;  it's Christmas week! Oh Well.  "Turn the sign back on Pixie, good girl.

Watch Hunter Fly!!

 They are all played out and missing their families but I cannot wait to see them again real soon. I don't joke about that. I'm totally serious! Imagine the savings in heating bills by cuddling with 5 dogs, totally worth it!

P.S. I just looked out the window...it's not blizzin for a good ole' fashion snow-in, is it?

                   TO BE CONTINUED...                         

By the way if you like this blog join my AKA "Wolfe Pa" blog at: http://wolfepa.blogspot.com/

^!!^

Chuck-a-Roni

     FOR THE LUCK OF CHUCK

Well it's another beautifully cold day here at Camp Luckybones and with the addition of Chuck we couldn't be happier.  Chuck's family sought me out because they noticed some bad behaviors that he had developed after rescuing him back from some people they "thought" would be good for him as an adoptive family. Turns out there is reason to believe that there was some tail-pulling and abuse goin on.
So Chuck is back with his original family but a little out of hand. He likes to chase the family cat and we don't think it's friendly. Then there was some challenging of the humans as Chuck decided to rule over and protect the families youngest son.
   Anyhow, Chuck has had two nights here and both were spent in a crate for the protection of my trainers, Pixie & Se7en. He showed some serious signs of aggression towards 'Hunter' (the boxer rehab) but only mild interest in Pixie & Se7en. Bathroom breaks and feeding time have been isolated with utmost precaution until today. 
As a safety measure I introduced chuck to a Vibration Collar the same kind I use to get a Deaf dog's attention at first.  This can distract a dog in an aggressive state just long enough to intercept real damage.  Chuck didn't seem to mind the collar but looked around when it vibed like "what was that" which is what I wanted, so we proceeded.

  All three dogs Pixie, Se7en and Hunter were let out first and the I went back in to get Chuck. He was hesitant and suspicious (I think he knew it was test time).  We went out to the back and I kept Chuck on a leash for about 3 minutes, having to shoo Hunter from time to time and then I realized Chuck was ready to run. He played for a second with Pixie and Se7en but when Hunter got close he came back to me for "protection". This part is funny because Chuck could take all three of the dogs and myuself top the butcher. He is a big, powerful loveable sweetheart who might just get to sleep in the bed tonight.
   We are all five going on a two -hour pack run. This should be fun!!!!

                                                      Wolves on the run!





                    ARE YOUR DOGS GOING CRAZY INDOORS?

Well this weather is too cold for a lot of people to want to get out for very long. Most of the dogs in the city are going batty with cabin fever. Here are some tips to get them worn out indoors.

Tug O' War:  SOme of you know the rules and some of you don't but:

rule 1 of Tug O' War is: never let the dog win.
rule 2 of Tug O' War is: NEVER let the dog win.

This is a fun game invented by dogs to gain status through playful domination and the exhibition of not only power, but quick with and agility too. If you have ever played a real game of tug you know that brute strength alone doesn't necessarily win the game. There are many subtleties contained in the game of tug that I teach in the training #2 of i2i Dog Training. So if you remember, use the techniques and if you don't, call me up for a refresher session. If you haven't taken the i2i Dog Training course then keep an eye out for my book: " i2i Dog Training 'Training That Lasts A Lifetime' ".

BONE CHEWIN'.

Dogs release a tremendous amount of energy when chewing. A stuffed Kong or smart toy can add cognitive exercise to the physical act of chewin and even satiate a dogs innate drive to hunt and forrage.
A few of my dogs favorite chewin toys are shown below. They go wild on these for hours.

Stuffed bones and toys are the best peanut butter and meat are the real favorites. As always call me with questions or if you need more ideas.
                                                

                                                        Pressed Rawhide Bone

                                                              Is Better Than

                                                             Regular Rawhide

PACK RUNS:

Why do it yourself when you can pay someone? We are available for pack runs and day-camp any time. So if you know your pooch needs exercise just give Skylar a Call at 515-867-9653.

Winter Wonderland

Careful Steps

The snow sure is here isn't it! I was all geared up to walk three dogs the other day and before I got out of the driveway...SPLAT. Unable to walk too well again. Aargh. It looks like I may have to opt for surgery and an appointment is set for Jan. 12th to decide.

News About Some of my Clients Dogs

Hunter:

Hunter is a Boxer who wanted to eat me the day we met. Traditional training methods and i2i Dog Training methods were impossible to even try. After much deliberation I decided to In-house board him. Upon his arrival on the 12th of Dec,2009 nothing had changed. At first glance he was at it again.
This aggressive behavior was the reason my client sought me out. They cannot have guests at their house, they cannot leave him unattended. Today is the 14th and all that has changed. Last night Hunter slept in the bed with Pixie, Se7en and myself. Another client visiited my home for a short while and Hunter showed no sign of the old behavior. So, we are moving on to the i2i Dog Training that some of you are familiar with. This will help to maintain his self confidence and issue standard controls over his behavior. "Good Boy, Hunter"

Maggie:

Maggie is a rescue from a puppy mill that has such a terrible fear of humans I almost became enraged after meeting her. The tests I use to feel out fear in a dog showed a level of terror I had not yet seen in any one dog. Her neurotic behaviors include hiding, fleeing, cowering and urinating when touched. What she endured as a breeder bitch is unknown but I can assure you that were any of us in the same circumstance we would be completely mad.  She is making steady but slow progress in approaching her new family 'The Smiths' but has a ways to go to feel normal. My friend Alex Ohnemus is running her regularly just to get her out and this is helping immensely in my opinion. Thanks Alex! Maggie, you can trust us.

MOKEY!!:

Then there is Mokey who I have had awhile. Surrendered by a client who had undergone the loss of a loved one that created a hardship in the household and Mokey decided to control the situation. Biting, barking and drawing her own boundaries, it was too much for the family. My sister Shayni and I have taken turns enriching her life and introducing her to cats, dogs and more people so that she is well balanced. My not even 2yr. old son, Wolfe, even told her to sit...and she did.  She now has the opportunity to be re-homed with one of my clients friends who recently lost her beloved dog.  Fingers crossed for Mokey.

Thanks for listening. Skylar out...woof.

Three Dog Nights

Scheduling Problems Come to an End

After a severe knee injury just before my flight to Brazil life has been a struggle.
I have not been able to work at all until the last few days thanks to being hospitalized upon my return. Thanksgiving was great with 10 dogs boarding and Christmas is coming up!!

If you are a current client and have training schedules left or just want some help or advice... call me up.

I will be implementing training tips and advice as well as commentary about the work I do on this blog. Sign up and follow this blog as we grow towards helping more dogs and the families who love them.

News Update

Hey Folks,

TOP STORY
Good news and bad news but in the end it's all good. We recently announced that we would be opening up in a new location in E. Village of Des Moines. That is not going to happen. We mistakenly took the word of the buildings owner that it was a sure thing as long as we 'got it together' by December. Mid-November he rented to another tenent. We apologize for the let-down and take it as another learning lesson to ALWAYS get it down on paper. We spent alot of time working with the city, getting permissions and talking with investors as well as adverstising both publicly and privately that this was happening and it is (at the very least) going to be a long delay.

So, we are NOT opening at the location 621 Des Moines st., Des Moines, Ia.

Our original services remain in-tact and we are here for your in-home training ( i2i Dog Training), boarding, rehabilitation, pet-sitting needs whenever you need us...just call.


Media and Critics
Lately, I have received some very good media and it has been alot of great fun, however, it has also brought out some negative nellies who seem to want to discredit me as a person or as a trainer. If you have any questions about rumors, gossip or truths you hear about I am more than happy to set you straight on the matter. Those of you who know me know I wouldn't steer you wrong.
Regardless, I am an open book and love to talk (as some of you may know). So, if you have any questions about what those "anonymous" voices are saying just ask me, my family or any number of my clients and you'll get to the truth of the matter.


Related Topics
Camp Luckybones and i2i Dog Training were in discussions of partnering with AHeinz57.com.
After mentioning this possibility to Juice magazine and the Des Moines Register as well as advertising the partnership in a local coupon book we have decided to cancel all negotiations with this company.
We are not affiliated with them nor do we use them for our rescue efforts or for any other reason.
At Camp Luckybone we have certain standards that we wish to uphold when considering the care and training, or rescue and rehabilitation of dogs. When it becomes difficult to regulate those standards or there is a lack of strong communication based on these standards we find it better to stand alone. We will, however, continue to seek out alliances and partnerships that will benefit the dogs we rescue or the clients we work with.

Not For Profit Status.
There has been questions raised about our status as a "Non-Profit". To answer the question as to our approach here is the brief:

We are not a 501 c 3 Non Profit Organization nor have we ever claimed to be. In accordance to the laws we are not allowed to accept any donations without the legal status aforementioned. We never have accepted donations publicly or privately and when offered, we must continue to refuse.
We have never accepted donations on anothers behalf or for any other reason and will not under any circumstances.
However, we consider ourselves a Not-For-Profit Company which simply means that we are not doing this for personal gain and that we put all profits back into the company for the sake of our efforts which are: affordable education about dogs, rescue and rehabilitation of dogs and the expansion of our services, research and accessibility to the community in order to help more families and dogs who are in need. We have structured our company so that all of our profits go the the advancement of growth toward acheiving the goals of our well-known philosophy "to help dogs and educate people on how to communicate better with dogs".

If you or someone you know have any questions about Camp Luckybones or i2i Dog Training we will be happy to answer them in an open format. Just call us up at 515-867-9653.