Last October I posted about the Cost of Raw Feeding that I'd been documenting for 5 months. It's now been a full year since I started keeping track, from the last day in April last year through April this year.
For 2012, from April 30th through the end of December last year, here were the final numbers.
Average price per pound ($/lb): $1.21
Total pounds (lb): 562.72
Total cost ($): $517.92
Note: The $/lb does NOT include averaging in free meat or mice. I did not include the mice as they work out to be about $20/lb and would throw off the numbers. I bought about 1 lb of mice for nearly $20, just one purchase. I don't feed mice often; Everest gets one per week. It's not a major part of the diet, though it's great variety! If they were cheaper I'd give them much more often but at $1.50 per mouse (when I normally spend $1 per pound, and a mouse is nowhere near weighing a pound) they are just too expensive to feed often. In calculating total lbs, I did include the 1 lb of mice and 98.14 lbs of free meat. So, I never include the cost of mice in my calculations.
It is also important to remember that the freezer is almost never empty and at any given point I have usually enough to feed the dogs and cats for at least 2 weeks, and more if I just went shopping. Regardless, I will calculate 12 months worth of purchases as if it had all been used.
My first recorded purchase is April 30th, 2012. From then through the end of April 2013, here are the totals
Average price per pound ($/lb): $1.26
Total pounds (lb): 778.83
Total cost ($): $726.52
Average pounds per day (778.83 lb / 365): 2.13
Average cost per day ($726.52 / 365): $1.99
That is to feed two 40 lb huskies, and two cats. The dogs usually eat meals that are 12-14oz but sometimes a full lb (16oz), and the cats eat about 1/4 lb each per day.
I list each item and the $/lb, lbs, and cost. Here is an example of how much I'm spending for items I buy regularly. Price varies widely by location and source. These are all items I purchase at a military commissary, which is typically much cheaper than civilian grocery stores.
Chicken leg quarters: $0.80/lb (dogs only)
Chicken thigh filets: $1.99/lb (cats only)
Chicken drumsticks: $1.03/lb (cats only)
Turkey drumsticks: $1.31/lb (dogs only)
Beef heart: $1.00/lb (both, price varies from about $0.98-1.30/lb)
Whole sardines: $1.99/lb (cats get slices, dogs get whole + heads from ones sliced up for cats)
Beef liver: $0.92/lb (both)
Pork arm picnic roasts, shoulderblade/butt roasts: $1.29/lb (both- price varies from about $1.14-1.40/lb)
Chicken livers: $1.24/lb (both)
Chicken hearts and gizzards: $1.21/lb (cats only)
Split chicken breasts: $1.99/lb (cats get ribs and meat, dogs get some meat and bigger breast bones)
Beef kidney: $0.70/lb (both)
Whole chicken: $0.85/lb (dogs only, cats may get scraps; price varies from about $0.50-0.99/lb)
Turkey necks: $1.21/lb (dogs only; price varies from about $1.11-1.40/lb)
I also got about 150 lbs of free wild game meat such as venison, moose, elk, duck, and turkey over the last year.
Not included in the totals for the year, today I made a large order from a local co-op for the first time. I've not included this in the cost, even though it's still [barely] April because though i have placed the order I won't get the meat until May. I ordered 130 lbs of meat for $150, and also paid a $45 annual membership fee. They also charge a $5 "education fee" with each order, and have required volunteer time as a driver once or twice a year. Worth it!
Here's what I ordered:
Pork heart: 30 lbs for $29.10
Beef sweetbread: 20 lbs for $32.20
Chicken thighs (bone-in): 30 lbs for $30
Chicken hearts: 10 lbs for $5.76
Pork melts (aka spleen): 30 lbs for $32.70
Pork brain: 10 lbs for $17.30
That's 130 lbs for $147.06. The $45 annual fee will easily be made up for if I order a few times. Great prices and great variety!
April 28, 2013
April 25, 2013
Shelter Journal 4/25/13
As I walked through the swinging door into the back area to get keys and sign in and such one of the staff members pointed at me and she said "She would be a good one." I asked, "Good for what?" "For this dog," and I was shown a picture of a white and brown pitbull. The paper is one that is put on kennels when the dog has been adopted and paid for. Cricket. It was explained to me that she's shy, skittish, but once she gets out she warms up. Awesome, I'm great with the shy dogs!
I got her out first, forgoing my normal routine of getting Sugar first. I walked up to her kennel and she was hunched over on the far end. I spoke softy, calmly, and upbeat to her. "Hey puppeeeey, hey sweet girly.. hiiii there," and then squatted down to roll some treats under her kennel door to see how brave she was. I took a few steps to the side and turned my back a little, but so I could still see her. She crept forward and ate a couple treats. Ok, not bad at all! I continued speaking softly and entered the kennel. I stood sideways and let her sniff me before putting the leash on. She walked great to the interaction yard; I gave soft verbal encouragement to her as we walked. "What a braaave girlie, yes you are, look at you," so calmly and gently but in an upbeat and cheery tone. Once in the yard I took the leash off and silently went and sat down on the bench. No need to crowd her, she needs time to explore and check things out. She was circling a lot in a pacing manner, panting hard but not too heavily. She crept, legs bent with body low to the ground, head lowered even with her body, tail kept low or tucked. I walked around the yard a little and again spoke softly, patting my leg as I knelt down. She circled around me, and stopped directly behind me. I felt her nose sniffing my back, hot breath and little nuzzles. I started petting her and she loved it. Fur was coming off in handfuls, a difficult feat for such a short-haired dog. I massaged her cheeks, ears, neck, and shoulders for several minutes. I slowly stood and got the brushes, then returned and sat crosslegged on the ground next to her. Not something I normally do because I know how much pee and poo happens in there. She was sitting but then she melted happily into the ground and I brushed with one hand while petting her with the other. She was slowly warming up and coming out of her shell. She got up to walk around and explore a couple times but would come back to me for more brushing and massaging. Treats were also offered and she took them, which is a good sign. Dogs that are too stressed, scared, or excited cannot eat. After a few more minutes- it must have been nearly half an hour by then- I finally felt she was ready to play. I got up and got a stuffed toy and tossed it. She chased it! She played with toys and had a blast for about 10 minutes before a dog entered the neighboring yard and she got nervous again. I stopped playing and sat on the bench. It was up to her if she wanted to sniff and check out the new things, or stay by me. She did a bit of both, but was braver than I anticipated. Her tail went back down and she was panting but not terrified. I thought it would be best to put her back so I got the leash but when I approached her she scooted away. I knelt down and she came up to me, and I gave her a couple treats then petted her face as I put the leash on. I took her for a short walk around the parking lot and she did very well, warming up again. Cricket did take a long time to warm up and was quick to get nervous again but she is an incredibly sweet dog and whoever her adopter is will be taking home a great dog!
When I was putting Cricket back I could see through to the next row of dogs and the one right in front was whining and yelling and yowling in an excited high-pitched barky annoying sound. I made a mental note of her kennel number since she was only a few down from Sugar, then went to get miss Sugar. I wasn't greeted by a happy Staffie smile jumping up on the kennel door and a card on her kennel said why- she was spayed today! She was flat out on the floor, hind legs stretched out. I called to her softly, "Hey there Sugar Bear," and her tail thumped the floor but her head didn't lift and her eyes could barely open. "Oh, sweetheart," thumpthumpthumpthump, "You'll feel better in a couple days!" thumpthumpthump.
Alrighty then, let's switch things up today and seek more dogs that are going nuts and haven't been out recently. Starting with the annoying yeller though regardless of when she'd last been out but I assumed she hadn't been out lately. Britney is her name! [No link.] And as I expected, she hadn't been out in over a week. She's been out twice this month, the 3rd and I think the 15th or thereabouts. Oh my, this girl was going to be tough to get out. I managed to push into her kennel and she went ballistic. Jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, banging around the kennel, tail wagging fast and whipping everything. I kept my back turned, one hand holding my leash and the other an open palm held toward her, blocking and letting her sniff me some. I slipped the leash on and off we went. Pulled hard of course but I did my best to help her take her time and keep her from strangling herself. In the yard I took the leash off and she exploded, running all around, much like Sugar did the first time I had her out. I grabbed a ball, ready to throw it when she approached to distract her from jumping. Didn't help at first, and as Sugar did she really threw her weight into her jumps. I was able to stop most jumps by lowering my hands and turning my body. I did resort to raising my knee a couple times when I could tell she was launching herself. Poor girl hit with a thud and seemed stunned a moment but was then off and running again. Not a peep out of her at least, no shrill yelling whining barking noises. I turned the hose on to spray down a poopy spot Cricket had left (didn't want to scare her with the hose) and Britney seemed to like being sprayed a little. I didn't want her soaking wet so didn't do much but mist her a couple times. She was finally able to chase and play with toys and calmed down considerably. Again as like Sugar, the slightest touch would at first be entirely overstimulating and send her into an excited frenzy. With time and play she settled enough I actually got to brush her which was great because she had almost as much loose hair as Cricket had. I'd brush her and pet her for no more than a minute or two before she'd start to get overstimulated. Tossing a few toys would get her calmed down enough for more brushing. I brushed and brushed and brushed and got a ton of fur out of her. Overall I had a good time with Britney and her ears are fabulous! I'm not sure if she's mixed with another breed but she has long ears for a pittie.
Britney walked pretty well back to her kennel then I continued my search for dogs that had been locked up too long. Only a few kennels down was Coco [Petfinder link], and she too hadn't been out in over a week. Her card said she was a sweety and a lap dog. Wouldn't know it by the crazy thing spastically trying to sneak out of the kennel. I didn't even make it in before she got out. I could tell I wasn't going to be able to get in without her slipping out so just stuck my arm and leash in to snag her. In the yard she flipped out and ran all around. Didn't jump on me much, and did settle pretty quickly. I tossed some toys, brushed her, and found that she really is a sweety lap dog! I brushed her a lot (I was into the brushing today!) and we snuggled and played.
While Coco was out, a family with a few young kids came into the middle yard and a staff member was showing them Sierra, the shepherd mix fetch master that is a volunteer favorite. Coco did alright and didn't fixate on Sierra but so as not to ruin an adoption I took her back. I decided to try Snoopy, not knowing how he'd be with Sierra next door. He pulls very, very hard on leash so we were taking it slow anyway, and we walked slowly at a distance by the yards. He noticed her and wanted to pull toward her but didn't seem entirely fixated, obsessed, or worked up about her. I kept him on leash when we went into the yard (having learned my lesson from Pickles the other day) and Sierra ignored him but he got extremely excited every time he saw her move. I had him in the yard less than 5 minutes before deciding my hands hurt too much from holding him back and that I really didn't want to stress Sierra. He would lunge and strain and pull every time she moved; he was ok when she was laying down but he was too much to handle at the time. I knew immediately which dog would be good to have out which Sierra was meeting with potential adopters- Duke!
Duke was sweet as ever. Easy to get out of the kennel, walks decently on leash, and was calm and playful and sweet in the yard. The family decided to adopt Sierra (woohooo!!!!!) and I snuck out to say bye to her real quick.
With Sierra gone I could take a chance on a new dog without worrying about ruining an adoption. I found Herman [no link], another dog who hadn't been out in far too long. He pulled extremely hard on leash, but as with the other dogs after some time running and playing he managed to settle down. He too had fur coming off in handfuls so got brushed lots and he loved it. He's a really sweet dog, knew how to sit, and once some of that energy was gone he was a lovebug.
The last couple weeks I've been trying to find the words to describe how I feel after I'm back in my car after 3 hours and handling around 6 dogs. It doesn't seem like much and I'm glad I've not taken on more. Maybe in the future I'll want more. More days, more hours, but this is good for now: Twice a week for 3 hours each time. When I start my car and drive away from the shelter I feel numb. Like my eyes have glazed over. My hands, even though I wash them, still smell like grimy dogs, dirt, and hand sanitizer. My ears are puzzled by the silence. I roll the window down to let the breeze hit my face and pull through my hair. I try to avoid thinking about how sad shelters are and I still haven't let myself truly think about it, let alone dwell on it. Over 100 dogs are at this shelter, living on concrete floors (heated concrete at least!) in kennels, many with minimal human interaction. Nothing to do, nowhere to go. Some dogs do go crazy but the vast majority get by and find families. Most are not there more than a few weeks; the long stay dogs have been there a couple months and only a few oddballs have been there more than a few months. Lock a human in a kennel for even a couple hours and they'd be bored, irritated, antsy, stressed. Lock a person in there for 10 days with nothing but a plate of food pushed in at meal times. Will they start beating their heads or hands against the walls, as dogs start to lick and chew their legs and paws to the point of bleeding, and beat their tails naked and raw against the walls? Will they start banging the door, yelling and pleading to get out every time anyone approaches, as dogs jump up screaming and barking? I try to not think about the mental anguish and stress caused by being locked in a kennel with nothing to do and nobody to interact with. It's solitary confinement with fleeting glimpses of people and other dogs hurriedly passing by or pausing all too briefly to peek in at the crazed or shut down being within. Instead of focusing on all the negative, I focus on doing what I can to help. Get those dogs out as much as possible, let them explode, let them run and play. Teach them to sit and lay down, and help them learn to not jump up. Brush them so they look clean and attractive. Make them as adoptable as possible. Have fun with them, learn about them so potential adopters can know anything- likes the pool, prefers balls to stuffed toys, loves to be brushed, loves belly rubs. It does me no good to pity the dogs, nor does it help them. I do wonder when they'll be adopted, if I'll be able to do enough to help and if a note I write may be a death sentence for a dog like Pickles or Snoopy that they are reactive and lunge at other dogs and try to fence fight. Pitbull type breeds are already tough to adopt out, and Pickles is black and Snoopy is a dark blue with very little white. The darker the dog the tougher it is to get them adopted. What if nobody wants them? What if they get worse and it's simply not safe to adopt them out? It's not fair to live in solitary confinement. I have these thoughts but not while I'm at the shelter except for split seconds. I save it for the car.
I got her out first, forgoing my normal routine of getting Sugar first. I walked up to her kennel and she was hunched over on the far end. I spoke softy, calmly, and upbeat to her. "Hey puppeeeey, hey sweet girly.. hiiii there," and then squatted down to roll some treats under her kennel door to see how brave she was. I took a few steps to the side and turned my back a little, but so I could still see her. She crept forward and ate a couple treats. Ok, not bad at all! I continued speaking softly and entered the kennel. I stood sideways and let her sniff me before putting the leash on. She walked great to the interaction yard; I gave soft verbal encouragement to her as we walked. "What a braaave girlie, yes you are, look at you," so calmly and gently but in an upbeat and cheery tone. Once in the yard I took the leash off and silently went and sat down on the bench. No need to crowd her, she needs time to explore and check things out. She was circling a lot in a pacing manner, panting hard but not too heavily. She crept, legs bent with body low to the ground, head lowered even with her body, tail kept low or tucked. I walked around the yard a little and again spoke softly, patting my leg as I knelt down. She circled around me, and stopped directly behind me. I felt her nose sniffing my back, hot breath and little nuzzles. I started petting her and she loved it. Fur was coming off in handfuls, a difficult feat for such a short-haired dog. I massaged her cheeks, ears, neck, and shoulders for several minutes. I slowly stood and got the brushes, then returned and sat crosslegged on the ground next to her. Not something I normally do because I know how much pee and poo happens in there. She was sitting but then she melted happily into the ground and I brushed with one hand while petting her with the other. She was slowly warming up and coming out of her shell. She got up to walk around and explore a couple times but would come back to me for more brushing and massaging. Treats were also offered and she took them, which is a good sign. Dogs that are too stressed, scared, or excited cannot eat. After a few more minutes- it must have been nearly half an hour by then- I finally felt she was ready to play. I got up and got a stuffed toy and tossed it. She chased it! She played with toys and had a blast for about 10 minutes before a dog entered the neighboring yard and she got nervous again. I stopped playing and sat on the bench. It was up to her if she wanted to sniff and check out the new things, or stay by me. She did a bit of both, but was braver than I anticipated. Her tail went back down and she was panting but not terrified. I thought it would be best to put her back so I got the leash but when I approached her she scooted away. I knelt down and she came up to me, and I gave her a couple treats then petted her face as I put the leash on. I took her for a short walk around the parking lot and she did very well, warming up again. Cricket did take a long time to warm up and was quick to get nervous again but she is an incredibly sweet dog and whoever her adopter is will be taking home a great dog!
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| Nervous! Paw raised, weight back, tail low |
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| Creeping |
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| Warming up, but still panting and a little nervous |
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| Play!! |
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| Much more relaxed and happy! |
When I was putting Cricket back I could see through to the next row of dogs and the one right in front was whining and yelling and yowling in an excited high-pitched barky annoying sound. I made a mental note of her kennel number since she was only a few down from Sugar, then went to get miss Sugar. I wasn't greeted by a happy Staffie smile jumping up on the kennel door and a card on her kennel said why- she was spayed today! She was flat out on the floor, hind legs stretched out. I called to her softly, "Hey there Sugar Bear," and her tail thumped the floor but her head didn't lift and her eyes could barely open. "Oh, sweetheart," thumpthumpthumpthump, "You'll feel better in a couple days!" thumpthumpthump.
Alrighty then, let's switch things up today and seek more dogs that are going nuts and haven't been out recently. Starting with the annoying yeller though regardless of when she'd last been out but I assumed she hadn't been out lately. Britney is her name! [No link.] And as I expected, she hadn't been out in over a week. She's been out twice this month, the 3rd and I think the 15th or thereabouts. Oh my, this girl was going to be tough to get out. I managed to push into her kennel and she went ballistic. Jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, banging around the kennel, tail wagging fast and whipping everything. I kept my back turned, one hand holding my leash and the other an open palm held toward her, blocking and letting her sniff me some. I slipped the leash on and off we went. Pulled hard of course but I did my best to help her take her time and keep her from strangling herself. In the yard I took the leash off and she exploded, running all around, much like Sugar did the first time I had her out. I grabbed a ball, ready to throw it when she approached to distract her from jumping. Didn't help at first, and as Sugar did she really threw her weight into her jumps. I was able to stop most jumps by lowering my hands and turning my body. I did resort to raising my knee a couple times when I could tell she was launching herself. Poor girl hit with a thud and seemed stunned a moment but was then off and running again. Not a peep out of her at least, no shrill yelling whining barking noises. I turned the hose on to spray down a poopy spot Cricket had left (didn't want to scare her with the hose) and Britney seemed to like being sprayed a little. I didn't want her soaking wet so didn't do much but mist her a couple times. She was finally able to chase and play with toys and calmed down considerably. Again as like Sugar, the slightest touch would at first be entirely overstimulating and send her into an excited frenzy. With time and play she settled enough I actually got to brush her which was great because she had almost as much loose hair as Cricket had. I'd brush her and pet her for no more than a minute or two before she'd start to get overstimulated. Tossing a few toys would get her calmed down enough for more brushing. I brushed and brushed and brushed and got a ton of fur out of her. Overall I had a good time with Britney and her ears are fabulous! I'm not sure if she's mixed with another breed but she has long ears for a pittie.
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| Photo from SDDAC |
Britney walked pretty well back to her kennel then I continued my search for dogs that had been locked up too long. Only a few kennels down was Coco [Petfinder link], and she too hadn't been out in over a week. Her card said she was a sweety and a lap dog. Wouldn't know it by the crazy thing spastically trying to sneak out of the kennel. I didn't even make it in before she got out. I could tell I wasn't going to be able to get in without her slipping out so just stuck my arm and leash in to snag her. In the yard she flipped out and ran all around. Didn't jump on me much, and did settle pretty quickly. I tossed some toys, brushed her, and found that she really is a sweety lap dog! I brushed her a lot (I was into the brushing today!) and we snuggled and played.
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| Photo from SDDAC |
Duke was sweet as ever. Easy to get out of the kennel, walks decently on leash, and was calm and playful and sweet in the yard. The family decided to adopt Sierra (woohooo!!!!!) and I snuck out to say bye to her real quick.
With Sierra gone I could take a chance on a new dog without worrying about ruining an adoption. I found Herman [no link], another dog who hadn't been out in far too long. He pulled extremely hard on leash, but as with the other dogs after some time running and playing he managed to settle down. He too had fur coming off in handfuls so got brushed lots and he loved it. He's a really sweet dog, knew how to sit, and once some of that energy was gone he was a lovebug.
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| First dog I've had out that's hopped up on the toy chest bench! |
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| "Never stop brushing me!" |
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| Photo from SDDAC |
April 23, 2013
Shelter Journal 4/23/13
Before I talk about the dogs today I want to share this picture because it's one of the big reasons I decided to volunteer.
On the back of each kennel is a piece of paper with the days of the month. The days circled are the days the dog has been taken out of the kennel. Not enough volunteers means dogs are often not taken out of their kennels for over a week. I specifically look for the dogs that haven't been out recently, and that often means they are exploding with energy- which is often why they aren't taken out in the first place. It's a bad cycle. The dog is excited and jumping around in the kennel, which is offputting to volunteers. As days go by the dog gets more and more energy built up and is jumping and going more crazy every time someone walks by. Dogs that are so worked up are tough to adopt out because all they do is jump and spaz and that doesn't make a good impression on an adopter. They can't take treats, can't sit still, can't even be touched without being sent into a jumping frenzy. But me? I seek those dogs out. I want the crazy excited dogs because I love seeing dogs that have so much built up energy become more approachable and friendly and calm simply by letting them play and run regularly. Give me the crazy dogs, gimme gimme gimme!
On this particular card, I took the dog out on both the 18th and 23rd. This is Trapper, the dog that used to walk nice on leash but now tries to bite and tug on the leash, which is more than a little scary because when he does that he has complete physical control, and as he readjusts his bite on the leash he could easily end up biting my fingers. He was much better today though!
I started today with Sugar yet again. Instead of being a dog I get because I have patience for her crazy energy first thing, she's become a nice way for me to start the day and be able to play and pet a really great, sweet lil doggy. She jumped all over me in the kennel but once she was out she walked pretty nice on leash without pulling much to the yard. She played with toys, sat nicely, and I got to love on her quite a bit today as she mostly just wanted to be petted.
After Sugar I got out Trapper again. As I already said, he was much better today. He played in the pool a little, and mostly chased toys. He did try to bite at the leash on the way back to the kennel but I was prepared and had him carry a tennis ball.
I got Davy out, he cracks me up on leash. He acts like he's pulling really hard but he's not. He lowers himself down and has a pulling position but there is barely any tension on the leash. Davy was really, really playful today. I had him out for over half an hour just playing fetch and brushing him. I took his collar off and used the brush to scratch his neck and all over his body and he loved it for a minute or so then would get bored and ansty and need to fetch again. I have a real soft spot for this dog, I'm not exactly what it is that gets to me.
After the fun of Davy I wanted a calm dog and went right for Buddah. Lovely as always, and I discovered a way to make her spaz out! She's so calm and mellow and sweet, but if you "speak dog" by hopping around and imitating play bows and such she goes nuts with happiness. Even caused her to jump a couple times! But as usual, she mostly just wanted to be loved and petted. She picked a really funny position! As with Davy, I took her collar off to brush her and give good neck scratches.
I then got out Pickles, ready for energy again. Some staff and experienced volunteers started doing dog-dog introductions and I thought Pickles would be ok. There were two dogs being introduced near the yards so I made sure to take it slow and arc wide around them. There was a dog in the middle interaction yard. I kept Pickles on leash at first in the yard. She sniffed noses a couple times and was fine so I took the leash off. As soon as it came off she attacked the fence. She was barking, lunging, and trying to fight the dog through the fence. I got the leash back on her and took her back to her kennel immediately. Apparently she's known to do that, but I've never had that issue with her before. She's barked at other dogs and been a bit too focused on them but tossing toys has been enough to distract her. Not good behavior today miss Pickles!
After putting her back I didn't know what dog to get. I decided to look for a puppy or young dog, and came across a fairly new dog named Shadow. I took Shadow to the yard and he did ok. A little barky at the other dogs but was easily distracted by a body block. He didn't want to play at all. He apparently came from a hoarding situation and came in with 15 dogs in the back of a U-haul. A staff member wanted to dog test him, because she heard he was not dog-friendly. She took him and sure enough, he tried to be snippy with the other dog. I kept him out a bit longer, giving him treats for looking at the other dogs.
I then tried Callie, seeming to remember she was fairly calm. She seemed a little overwhelmed by other dogs and barked a couple times, and not wanting to provoke the dogs being introduced to each other I decided to take her for a walk around the parking lot instead. She walked really well on leash!
Then I got Sierra, the fetch master. I had her play for about 15 minutes then put her back.
By that time there were 4 dogs in an interaction yard all playing. I wanted in on that! There was Shebba, Hondo, Flip, and Duke.
Great way to end the day!!
On the back of each kennel is a piece of paper with the days of the month. The days circled are the days the dog has been taken out of the kennel. Not enough volunteers means dogs are often not taken out of their kennels for over a week. I specifically look for the dogs that haven't been out recently, and that often means they are exploding with energy- which is often why they aren't taken out in the first place. It's a bad cycle. The dog is excited and jumping around in the kennel, which is offputting to volunteers. As days go by the dog gets more and more energy built up and is jumping and going more crazy every time someone walks by. Dogs that are so worked up are tough to adopt out because all they do is jump and spaz and that doesn't make a good impression on an adopter. They can't take treats, can't sit still, can't even be touched without being sent into a jumping frenzy. But me? I seek those dogs out. I want the crazy excited dogs because I love seeing dogs that have so much built up energy become more approachable and friendly and calm simply by letting them play and run regularly. Give me the crazy dogs, gimme gimme gimme!
On this particular card, I took the dog out on both the 18th and 23rd. This is Trapper, the dog that used to walk nice on leash but now tries to bite and tug on the leash, which is more than a little scary because when he does that he has complete physical control, and as he readjusts his bite on the leash he could easily end up biting my fingers. He was much better today though!
I started today with Sugar yet again. Instead of being a dog I get because I have patience for her crazy energy first thing, she's become a nice way for me to start the day and be able to play and pet a really great, sweet lil doggy. She jumped all over me in the kennel but once she was out she walked pretty nice on leash without pulling much to the yard. She played with toys, sat nicely, and I got to love on her quite a bit today as she mostly just wanted to be petted.
After Sugar I got out Trapper again. As I already said, he was much better today. He played in the pool a little, and mostly chased toys. He did try to bite at the leash on the way back to the kennel but I was prepared and had him carry a tennis ball.
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| I really love his chest markings! |
I got Davy out, he cracks me up on leash. He acts like he's pulling really hard but he's not. He lowers himself down and has a pulling position but there is barely any tension on the leash. Davy was really, really playful today. I had him out for over half an hour just playing fetch and brushing him. I took his collar off and used the brush to scratch his neck and all over his body and he loved it for a minute or so then would get bored and ansty and need to fetch again. I have a real soft spot for this dog, I'm not exactly what it is that gets to me.
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| Spots! |
After the fun of Davy I wanted a calm dog and went right for Buddah. Lovely as always, and I discovered a way to make her spaz out! She's so calm and mellow and sweet, but if you "speak dog" by hopping around and imitating play bows and such she goes nuts with happiness. Even caused her to jump a couple times! But as usual, she mostly just wanted to be loved and petted. She picked a really funny position! As with Davy, I took her collar off to brush her and give good neck scratches.
I then got out Pickles, ready for energy again. Some staff and experienced volunteers started doing dog-dog introductions and I thought Pickles would be ok. There were two dogs being introduced near the yards so I made sure to take it slow and arc wide around them. There was a dog in the middle interaction yard. I kept Pickles on leash at first in the yard. She sniffed noses a couple times and was fine so I took the leash off. As soon as it came off she attacked the fence. She was barking, lunging, and trying to fight the dog through the fence. I got the leash back on her and took her back to her kennel immediately. Apparently she's known to do that, but I've never had that issue with her before. She's barked at other dogs and been a bit too focused on them but tossing toys has been enough to distract her. Not good behavior today miss Pickles!
After putting her back I didn't know what dog to get. I decided to look for a puppy or young dog, and came across a fairly new dog named Shadow. I took Shadow to the yard and he did ok. A little barky at the other dogs but was easily distracted by a body block. He didn't want to play at all. He apparently came from a hoarding situation and came in with 15 dogs in the back of a U-haul. A staff member wanted to dog test him, because she heard he was not dog-friendly. She took him and sure enough, he tried to be snippy with the other dog. I kept him out a bit longer, giving him treats for looking at the other dogs.
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| Photo from SDDAC |
I then tried Callie, seeming to remember she was fairly calm. She seemed a little overwhelmed by other dogs and barked a couple times, and not wanting to provoke the dogs being introduced to each other I decided to take her for a walk around the parking lot instead. She walked really well on leash!
Then I got Sierra, the fetch master. I had her play for about 15 minutes then put her back.
By that time there were 4 dogs in an interaction yard all playing. I wanted in on that! There was Shebba, Hondo, Flip, and Duke.
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| Shebba Photo from SDDAC |
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| Hondo Photo from SDDAC |
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| Flip Photo from SDDAC |
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| Duke Photo from SDDAC |
April 22, 2013
Dirt Dog Derby 2013
This last weekend my husband and I packed up for a camping trip with the dogs for mushing races. I heard about the "Dirt Dog Derby" on the SoCal Working Snow Dogs group and immediately asked the husband if we could do it. It was held near Big Bear at Holcomb Valley Campground; we set up camp at the slightly more civilized Serrano Campground. It had running water at each site and flush toilets in a well maintained bathroom so it was pretty fancy camping. We drove up Friday evening, set up our campsite, then went to Vons [Safeway] which was about 3 miles away. It temporarily really ruined the camping feeling to have the city right there! We got some pre-cooked sausages to roast for dinner and also got supplies for s'mores. Can't have a camping trip without s'mores!
We woke up early as having missed the evening registration (thank you Army for the wonderfully slow convoy down the interstate causing 50 miles of stop and go traffic) I needed to be there at 7:00am to get my racing bib and info. I knew I'd have plenty of time to come back down from the race site after signing in so left husband and Denali at the site. I drove down the road, turned down Holcomb Valley Rd, and the road ended after a few hundred feet. I panicked. This is not where the campground is. There is nothing here. Where is Holcomb campground? What do I do?! I don't want to miss the race because I can't figure out where it is! Then I remembered the constant howling and barking all night from the RV loop of the campground. I knew people there would be up and getting ready. I drove back into the campground and the first person I saw with scooters and a dog crate in their truck I stopped. I rolled down my window and asked if they knew where the Holcomb campground was. Yep, they did, so I followed them up. Whew! We were about 15 minutes late and I was worried I would have missed something important. The organizer was still out setting flags along the trail and didn't get back until after 7:30. I signed in, got my bib, then went back down to pick up husband and Denali. The cart races were going first and they hadn't started by the time we got back up there.
There were several categories as "urban mushing" encompasses a variety of non-sled vehicles. There are carts, including stripped ATVs. There are scooters, and you can also use a bicycle. Mountain bikes are best, not a road bike or cruiser. Races were run both Saturday and Sunday, the same distance on the same course both days. Distances varied depending on event. The times were added from both races to give the participant their total time. Second and third place got medals, and last place in each event got a red lantern award. First place in each event was awarded the Golden Staff. The cart races went first, then 3-dog scooters, then 2-dog scooters, followed by bikes, then 1-dog scooters. On Sunday only there was a canicross race, which is like cross-country running but with a dog. Some dogs do pull their human during canicross but some don't.
I only signed up for one event with Kaytu, the bikejoring. There were 5 other people in bikejor. The course was 2 and 1/2 miles. Our race on Saturday was really great! Kaytu did very well passing by the 2-dog scooters and she was fast. She ran most of the way and slowed to a trot a few times. She stopped about a mile from the end and wanted a drink, then just 1/4 mile from the finish line had to poop. We came in 3rd place with a time of 15 minutes and 13 seconds, just 23 seconds behind 2nd place and about 40 seconds behind 1st place. Very close race!
I was extremely happy with her performance!
After the race we hung around for a bit until everyone was done with their races. There were events and games planned like human-powered cart races but I really wanted a break from the crazy energy and excitement and needed to just relax. We went back down to our camp and had lunch which was a buffet of random things. Bagels with cream cheese, bananas, grapes, chips, a packet of Teriyaki noodles we added pineapple to, Gatorade, and Dove chocolate squares. After eating we laid down for a nap. I hadn't slept well at all Friday night. Dogs had been barking and howling all night and I was cold and uncomfortable, and was really excited about the races. I didn't nap for long but husband was still sleeping so I read some and then noticed Denali was digging a hole. More like a trench.
Husband woke up, I filled in the hole, and gave each dog a bully stick to keep them busy.
We went back up to Holcomb at about 4pm for the potluck dinner. We also found out the games and events had all been canceled as people felt the same way I did and just wanted to relax and nap. The potluck was great though: Burgers, potato salad, macaroni salad, chili, cookies, cake, bread and hummus. I had some of everything. We stayed for a couple hours then headed back down as it was starting to get chilly, and we didn't want to drive down the winding dirt road at night and also wanted to get a fire going at our site before sunset. We pulled off the road just after leaving to gather some dry wood. At the end of the road were two police cars, questioning another driver. They waved us down and stopped us as well. My first thought was that despite not seeing any signs or rules against collecting wood that we were going to get in trouble. Apparently husband was thinking the same but of course we weren't going to say anything to each other and I didn't find that out until later. I rolled the window down and turned the car off while an officer was finishing questioning the other driver. We heard the word "fire" mumbled a couple times but couldn't make anything out. The officer sent the other car on its way, approached me, asked for my license, and then asked if we'd seen anything suspicious. We said no, we'd been up at Holcomb with the dog mushing group at a potluck, and asked the officer if someone had started a fire. He said yes at pointed over his shoulder. Sure enough, a plume of orange-ish smoke was rising high into the sky. How did we not see that?! He said it was about 1/4 acre burned. I said, "I don't know if you can answer this, but do you know if Holcomb is being evacuated?" He said that no, it wasn't, not at this time. I was worried about the people camping up there, and it could also cancel the race in the morning.
After we got settled at our site again and started our own fire, we began to hear and see airplanes and helicopters flying over the area. A while later a ranger came by and said that due to the "situation" campfires should be kept small, not above 12" over the rim. I asked again if she knew if Holcomb would be evacuated and she said no, they weren't being evacuated as of that time. The fire had grown to a couple acres. We could tell the smoke was less, and the planes had stopped, so we assumed it was under control.
Husband and I packed up as much of our camp as we could Saturday night. Checkout from the campground is at noon and I didn't figure we'd be done with the races and ceremony and then be able to get back down and pack up all by noon so I knew we'd have to completely pack up and check out in the morning.
I slept much better Saturday night. I kept my long underwear on and adjusted my pillow and was much more comfortable. In the morning there was no smoke in the sky. They did a great job getting that under control and extinguished!
We loaded up, checked out, and went up to Holcomb for the race. Saturday I had raced wearing a tank top, long sleeve shirt, t-shirt, and a lightweight jacket. It warmed up a lot faster Sunday and a didn't have on the tank or my jacket. Kaytu still ran great despite the heat and her time was even faster than it had been Saturday. She flew! At the end I figured we'd at least get 3rd and possibly move into 2nd.
After our races both days I took her to the car to lay down with a bowl of water.
The results are in: The final order was the same as the first day for the bikejor, Kaytu and I got 3rd place! In first place was a German Shorthair Pointer- mushing isn't just for Northern breeds! Pointers have long legs so have a long stride, and their deep chests are also an advantage for breathing. The winner had to hurry back to the Serrano campground to pack up and left before the photo op.
I am so, so proud of Kaytu! She did fantastic and followed my commands extremely well. She also avoided getting in any scuffles even when other dogs would lunge and snap at her on the trail. Both days there were small incidents but Sunday seemed to have more- a
person getting bit by their own dogs that had started fighting on the
line, someone's line snapped and their dog charged at another dog and
attacked it, a dog passed out during its run, a couple people hit their
brakes too hard at the finish and flipped over.
There was nothing too horrible or tragic; all injuries were minor and
even the dog that passed out in the Sunday heat bounced back quickly
after being rushed back to the campground, put in the shade, and he had
cool water and ice put in his inner thighs. The fights were all noise as
far as I know and no dogs hurt each other- a couple people did get bit
trying to break up fights but not very badly. These are not mean or aggressive dogs, but
the excitement and frustration caused by that excitement combined with the high tension on their
lines can make them quick to react.
We said our goodbyes and gave many thanks to all who organized and help make this event possible then hit the road. We stopped in town to get gas, lunch, and husband wanted coffee, then we headed home. I hosed off the dogs in the yard then washed them and myself, washing away all the dirt and dust. I tied the dogs in the front yard to dry in the sun while I unloaded the car and washed my bike. Now it's time to relax!
We woke up early as having missed the evening registration (thank you Army for the wonderfully slow convoy down the interstate causing 50 miles of stop and go traffic) I needed to be there at 7:00am to get my racing bib and info. I knew I'd have plenty of time to come back down from the race site after signing in so left husband and Denali at the site. I drove down the road, turned down Holcomb Valley Rd, and the road ended after a few hundred feet. I panicked. This is not where the campground is. There is nothing here. Where is Holcomb campground? What do I do?! I don't want to miss the race because I can't figure out where it is! Then I remembered the constant howling and barking all night from the RV loop of the campground. I knew people there would be up and getting ready. I drove back into the campground and the first person I saw with scooters and a dog crate in their truck I stopped. I rolled down my window and asked if they knew where the Holcomb campground was. Yep, they did, so I followed them up. Whew! We were about 15 minutes late and I was worried I would have missed something important. The organizer was still out setting flags along the trail and didn't get back until after 7:30. I signed in, got my bib, then went back down to pick up husband and Denali. The cart races were going first and they hadn't started by the time we got back up there.
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| A stripped ATV makes a great "cart." |
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| Red Lantern Photo by Rancy [link] |
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| Medals Photo by Rancy [link] |
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| Golden Staff Photo by Rancy [link] |
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| Golden Staff Photo by Rancy [link] |
I only signed up for one event with Kaytu, the bikejoring. There were 5 other people in bikejor. The course was 2 and 1/2 miles. Our race on Saturday was really great! Kaytu did very well passing by the 2-dog scooters and she was fast. She ran most of the way and slowed to a trot a few times. She stopped about a mile from the end and wanted a drink, then just 1/4 mile from the finish line had to poop. We came in 3rd place with a time of 15 minutes and 13 seconds, just 23 seconds behind 2nd place and about 40 seconds behind 1st place. Very close race!
I was extremely happy with her performance!
After the race we hung around for a bit until everyone was done with their races. There were events and games planned like human-powered cart races but I really wanted a break from the crazy energy and excitement and needed to just relax. We went back down to our camp and had lunch which was a buffet of random things. Bagels with cream cheese, bananas, grapes, chips, a packet of Teriyaki noodles we added pineapple to, Gatorade, and Dove chocolate squares. After eating we laid down for a nap. I hadn't slept well at all Friday night. Dogs had been barking and howling all night and I was cold and uncomfortable, and was really excited about the races. I didn't nap for long but husband was still sleeping so I read some and then noticed Denali was digging a hole. More like a trench.
Husband woke up, I filled in the hole, and gave each dog a bully stick to keep them busy.
We went back up to Holcomb at about 4pm for the potluck dinner. We also found out the games and events had all been canceled as people felt the same way I did and just wanted to relax and nap. The potluck was great though: Burgers, potato salad, macaroni salad, chili, cookies, cake, bread and hummus. I had some of everything. We stayed for a couple hours then headed back down as it was starting to get chilly, and we didn't want to drive down the winding dirt road at night and also wanted to get a fire going at our site before sunset. We pulled off the road just after leaving to gather some dry wood. At the end of the road were two police cars, questioning another driver. They waved us down and stopped us as well. My first thought was that despite not seeing any signs or rules against collecting wood that we were going to get in trouble. Apparently husband was thinking the same but of course we weren't going to say anything to each other and I didn't find that out until later. I rolled the window down and turned the car off while an officer was finishing questioning the other driver. We heard the word "fire" mumbled a couple times but couldn't make anything out. The officer sent the other car on its way, approached me, asked for my license, and then asked if we'd seen anything suspicious. We said no, we'd been up at Holcomb with the dog mushing group at a potluck, and asked the officer if someone had started a fire. He said yes at pointed over his shoulder. Sure enough, a plume of orange-ish smoke was rising high into the sky. How did we not see that?! He said it was about 1/4 acre burned. I said, "I don't know if you can answer this, but do you know if Holcomb is being evacuated?" He said that no, it wasn't, not at this time. I was worried about the people camping up there, and it could also cancel the race in the morning.
Husband and I packed up as much of our camp as we could Saturday night. Checkout from the campground is at noon and I didn't figure we'd be done with the races and ceremony and then be able to get back down and pack up all by noon so I knew we'd have to completely pack up and check out in the morning.
I slept much better Saturday night. I kept my long underwear on and adjusted my pillow and was much more comfortable. In the morning there was no smoke in the sky. They did a great job getting that under control and extinguished!
We loaded up, checked out, and went up to Holcomb for the race. Saturday I had raced wearing a tank top, long sleeve shirt, t-shirt, and a lightweight jacket. It warmed up a lot faster Sunday and a didn't have on the tank or my jacket. Kaytu still ran great despite the heat and her time was even faster than it had been Saturday. She flew! At the end I figured we'd at least get 3rd and possibly move into 2nd.
After our races both days I took her to the car to lay down with a bowl of water.
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| Waiting for race results! |
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| Kaytu and I in 3rd Red Lantern winners 2nd place winner |
We said our goodbyes and gave many thanks to all who organized and help make this event possible then hit the road. We stopped in town to get gas, lunch, and husband wanted coffee, then we headed home. I hosed off the dogs in the yard then washed them and myself, washing away all the dirt and dust. I tied the dogs in the front yard to dry in the sun while I unloaded the car and washed my bike. Now it's time to relax!
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