The Labraventures of Carbón, Spanish (ex-) foster dog extraordinaire

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Oh dear! I am curious what you took instead?

No worries there - he got his regular meds but I must have opened the little door to my section of today's box by mistake. So when I went to take my own meds it was just empty. Though I doubt Carbon's doxycline, allopurinol and assorted vitamins and probiotics would have hurt me...may have done me some good.

Take care though, this is a sign that you are very tired, and probably in some pain

Yeah, tired probably. The pain really isn't bad from the break. My stupid left foot with the bum tendons hurts a lot more than the right one that's broken. Dumb feet anyway.

Though compared to your foot/ankle/leg trials and tribulations, mine are EASY PEASY. Plus you had puppy Benson while being in a wheel chair. Superwoman!

 

[Stacia]

How is Carbon this morning after the wrong medication, I bet there is no change except probably peeing a lot more!

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

How is Carbon this morning after the wrong medication, I bet there is no change except probably peeing a lot more!

He's totally fine, thank you - though his wee this morning was even more epic than usual. I made sure to take him out earlier as I knew he'd be desperate. He seemed grateful.

It's cooler today so we had a nice stroll through town. There is a lot of construction going on so Carbon got up close and personal with some large and loud machinery. He was a little rattled - that doesn't happen often - but it was a good chance to step further away from the offending vehicle, then have him look at it while being fed delicious sausages. Regensburg old town really is a perfect SD training ground.

He's now curled up having a snooze while I'm going to tackle my SD training curriculum. Then he has lots of training and video filming waiting for him this afternoon. @snowbunny very kindly sent me her older GoPro and I'm itching to use it but need to figure out how to mount it on my person. I can't wait to capture some of our daily gauntlet out on the mean streets of Bavaria.

 

[Stacia]

I will so look forward to seeing your videos in the mean streets of Bavaria and of Carbon doing his stuff I wonder if anyone SD would know of a place or someone who could look after Carbon for the night when you have your op?

I guess there would be an epic pee as when taking diuretics, when you've got to go, you have got to go!!

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

I wonder if anyone SD would know of a place or someone who could look after Carbon for the night when you have your op?

Probably not as my trainer/school is in Canada. The marvellous world of cyberspace! However, I think we've got it sorted. My friend Nadine is on holiday next week, so I've asked for an early op time at the beginning of the week so that she can take Carbon out once during the day while I'm gone, then pick me up and take me home from the op. If for any reason things go south and I have to stay overnight, she can (begrudgingly) bring him home with her. I prefer to come home, but it would be pretty funny if he stayed with her - she'd finally realise that big dogs aren't actually any more work than little ones. Usually.

when you've got to go, you have got to go!!

So true!

 

[Stacia]

Good news that Carbon will be OK and I am sure you will be as well. You may not be able to come home on the day if you have G/A but Nadine is there

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

We're working on chin rests for SD training - Carbon thinks it's more of a 'chin whack'. We'll keep at it.

In our online training session just now I also discovered that if I put Carbon in a sit stay and then sit down myself, he pops up and comes right over to me. I realised right away that this was the result of him always trying to sit on my lap while I am...well, 'engaged' in the bathroom.

You can imagine that I didn't want to admit THAT to the trainer!

Sorry about the wonky angle and seeing more of the 'Mama Lady' than the cute dog.

 

[Selina27]

Oh I do love him!

 

[Aitch]

The way he looks at you! He is such a clever boy.

 

[Stacia]

Carbon is looking in superb condition.

 

[FayRose]

Wonderful video, well done both

 

[SwampDonkey]

He's such a cutie. XXX

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

I should probably have explained what this is. Our goal is for him to learn a chin rest, which (as it sounds) is just getting him to rest his head in my hand. This is the basis of many further SD tasks such as retrieving/delivery and anxiety/PTSD relief.

Carbon gets SO excited about anything to do with hands (soooosiiiiges!) that I've had to flip it a bit and instead of him approaching me and starting with a modified nose touch, I rest my palm under his chin while he remains calm and makes eye contact. If he gets too excited, I remove my hand, rest it in my lap and then try again.

Then next step, which I'm doing towards the middle of the clip, is that I place my hand just and inch or so away from his chin. I want him to then place his chin in my palm of his own will. That's what's going on when it looks like we're having a staring contest.

Today our trainer worked with us on the next step, which is getting him to move towards me and voluntarily place his chin in my hand. That's a little tougher, because anything that involves movement with Carbon is tricky because he gets so excited.

Our trainer keeps saying how excited he is to work and that's the truth and then some. He'd happily train six hours a day. Could be something to do with the sooooosiiiges, though!

 

[Granca]

He’s looking great and really enjoying it too.

 

[kateincornwall]

He is a darling for sure , love this boy so much x By the way Emily , I took Reubs to the dog field the other day , he flew round ( as he does ) did the whole perimeter , looking for Carbon I`m sure x

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

I took Reubs to the dog field the other day , he flew round ( as he does ) did the whole perimeter , looking for Carbon I`m sure x

Awww...

I sure wish we could just pop over to yours and make that happen. Hopefully Reubs won't have forgotten his buddy before our next stay in Padstow!

 

[M.F.]

What is the purpose of the chin rest? Snowie does it to us when he wants something, usually what we’re eating! Puts his chin on my leg and looks up with those hungry eyes. If I ignore him, he makes his chin heavier and heavier. It’s irresistible. We call it “doing cute”.

 

[M.F.]

Oops now I see you’ve explained it! Didn’t see all those replies!! Going to read it now.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

What is the purpose of the chin rest? Snowie does it to us when he wants something, usually what we’re eating! Puts his chin on my leg and looks up with those hungry eyes. If I ignore him, he makes his chin heavier and heavier. It’s irresistible. We call it “doing cute”.

Carbon does it when he wants to jump up on the bed or sofa....rests his chin on said item of furniture and stares at me! He'll also do it in my lap when he thinks I've been on the computer for too long.

Like a lot of SD stuff (for example retrieving), chin rest is a natural dog behaviour that then gets a cue and used in steps to more complex SD tasks. "Doing cute" comes in handy too.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Hola todos! Hello everyone! It is your favourite Spanish Gentleman Dog, except now I am a Spanish Gentleman Nurse Dog! I am working my paws to the bone, de verdad, it is true! Still I wanted to tell everyone I am doing muy bien and so is Mama Lady. When my work as nurse is done, we will have more adventures for certain. For now, I think ML should show you more photos of my past adventures. She is SO SLOW with the photos. "Carbon, if you weren't black I wouldn't have to edit every photo so much so you don't look like a black blob."

A BLOB? Yo, el perro lo mas guapo del mundo? I think she is making excuses for being so slow. What do you think?

In any case, I will keep asking for photos. Or maybe I will ask for sausages instead. I will take it day by day.

For now, here is a photo of me in a place called Lyme Regis. I am wearing my muy guapo scarf from Kipper's ML, @HAH . Such a nice lady!

Here I am next to a row of leeetle teeny houses. What kind of leeetle teeny people live there?


Here I am thinking very deep thoughts. About sausages.


Mmmmm...es posible, it is possible that ML is not ENTIRELY wrong about me looking like a black blob.


That is all for now as I must go back to nursing duties. A SD-in-training's work is never done! Buenas noches a todos!