Just The Right Spot

Today is 'Why Does My Dog Do That? Wednesday' and we are answering the question of why do dogs pump their leg when you rub their tummy.

First, one needs to understand reflex reaction. We all have it. If something tickles us, we reach up and scratch at it (think of the videos of someone putting whip cream in a sleeping person's hand and then tickling their nose. Admit it. You have laughed hysterically at that one).

If nerve endings detect something tickling the skin, the dog's leg will automatically come up to scratch the pest off, even if the pest is their loving, kind human doing the fiendish tickling.

Dogs kick their legs because it feels good when you scratch them in certain parts. It's like you are massaging the area that you scratch them on. These areas are most often the stomach, on the rump near the base of the tail, and with some dogs, their ears.

Think of it as going to get a massage. You may moan with delight as all those spots you can't reach get worked on. Your dog has the same feeling, they just automatically start pumping their leg. They usually seem rather oblivious to the fact that they are doing this, which is why we humans think it's so funny.

This leg-pumping 'scratch reflex' is so predictable that many veterinarians will use it to help with their neurological exam when a spinal damage injury is suspected.

So, really your dog is enjoying the sensation, and you get the added bonus of a little wicked enjoyment from watching them do it.

Keeps some people entertained for hours.

Battle of the Redheads

To protect myself, I am going to preface this blog today by saying that I am the granddaughter, sister, and good friend to some wonderful redheaded women and I am in no way prejudiced against them!

My dog has different opinions.

We have a battle that is waged at our house. We call it the Battle of the Redheads.

Our 'grand-dogger' Bonnie lives with us (along with our son and daughter-in-law). We love Bonnie. She is 15 months old, still got some of that lumbering puppiness that a Golden Retriever seems to keep for many years. She is very well-behaved, other than the corner of the deck that she likes to chew on, and the occasional hole in the flower beds. We love and adore her.

Breezy, not so much. Breezy cannot stand Bonnie. She is fine with Carson, the Collie. Pretty much ignores him. But, when it comes to Bonnie, she turns into this tiny, pint-sized prize fighter.

Breezy will chase Bonnie all over the house. If I hold Breezy in my arms while Bonnie is passing through the room, you would not believe the noises that come from that little 4.5 pound body. She wants to get down and take her on! When I finally let her down on the floor after Bonnie has left the room, she storms the door, barking ferociously.

Bonnie loves the little dogs, probably too much. She wants to play with them something fierce and will stand on the other side of my sewing room door, which is a french door with glass panes, so she can see in, whining for them to come play with her. Stormie and Shimmer just ignore her, but Breezy will growl and tell her to get away from the door.

I can think of only one reason for this animosity and it has to do with Bonnie stepping on Breezy's head once in her exuberance to meet her in the very beginning. It was minor, no harm done, but it seems to have set the groundwork with Breezy. Now, according to Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer, dogs live in the moment and do not hold grudges.

I'm thinking Cesar might not understand the Chihuahua mind quite as well as he thinks he does.

The Battle of the Redheads continues to add spice to our household. Breezy continues to think she wins each round, as she truly believes that Bonnie leaves the room because SHE made her leave. And Bonnie just continues to look at this little redheaded fireball with a quizzical expression, and then looks at me like "what IS her problem..??"

When it will end? I don't know. But, at this point, my money is on Breezy.

The Story Behind the Name

There are dogs that come into our lives that are much more than a dog. They become a soul mate. One cannot create this bond, it is naturally there and something to be treasured if you have the good fortune to experience it.

One such dog in my life was Cody, officially known as Cherokee Star Memory Maker. Cody entered my life in June of 2005 as a 3 month old puppy. I have had a collie in my life ever since I was 12 years old and adored the breed. I still do. Cody was my first Tri-color Collie, all the previous ones had been the Lassie sable and white.

Cody and I bonded immediately. He was always such a stately dog, even as a puppy. An old soul, as some would say. I swear that dog could read my mind and finish my sentences.

When Shawn and I decided to start our business in the pet industry, we named it Cody and Company, after this great companion. We started out dealing in pet toys, supplies, etc. and got into designing small dog clothing later (I will save that for another day). We were doing well and business was progressing nicely.

Then came the chain of events that one hopes never to go through, certainly not after only having your dog for three short years.

On the morning of Thursday, August 28, 2008, Cody woke up violently vomiting. It was very apparant that this was no ordinary case of an upset stomach. We quickly had him at the vet's office. There was no question that he was in distress and they immediately went to work trying to determine what was wrong.

It is so frustrating when your pet is seriously ill. They cannot tell you what hurts or how they feel. I could look into his eyes and see that my Cody was not there and I was in a panic.

After x-rays, ultrasounds, IV's and I can't even remember what else, by Saturday morning we had the answer. Cody's abdomen was filled with cancer that was attached to so many vital organs that there were no options for treatment. Nothing had ever shown up in his yearly physicals and he had never before this time shown any signs of pain or discomfort. After consulting with other specialists who agreed with the diagnosis, we had no options but to say good-bye to our beloved Cody and end his suffering.

I have never been more shell shocked in my life. In two short days, one of my best friends was gone. This is just not suppose to happen to a three year old dog. Even the veterinary staff was in shock. In a daze I made the necessary phone calls to inform family and friends. Some people asked if I was going to change the name of the company. I was determined to keep it going in his honor, to make it a success.

While we have taken the business in a different direction than we started, it will always carry his name. I get asked often how we came up with this name, so today I decided to share with my readers how it came to be.

I love my three little dogs, and we still have Cody's half-brother Carson. Dogs are wonderful, true friends. Why they live such short lives, some even shorter than others, is a mystery to me, but they pack so much love and devotion into those few short years and teach us so much.

I miss Cody alot. He hasn't been replaced by the girls, but the great thing about the human heart is it's capacity to still love, even after it has been broken. I feel privileged to have had Cody in my life, even for such a short time. And I am equally privileged to have Carson, Stormie, Shimmer and Breezy to love now.

That's the way life works.