German Sheps and Kids

Growing up I had a neighbor that had a big white German Shepherd named Beowulf. I never got to close to him because he was just too big for me to handle. I loved my neighbor and their kids, but just steered clear of the big white beast. Sadly, a few years later my rural little neighborhood just on the outside of the city limits had a rude awakening. Beowulf chased a woman on her bike and nipped at her heels. From that point on we all were under strict leash laws.

Now let's be honest...I still see a lot of violators around my parents neighborhood who ignore the leash laws. I remember as a kid trying to ride my bike around, some of the dogs would chase you...and it could be kind of scary. In the back of my head I remembered what happened with Beowulf. I remember my neighbor being angry and sad over the situation. The dog didn't hurt the biker, but they made a huge deal over it. Beowulf was certainly NOT the only dog in the neighborhood to chase bikers or be loose...but he was the only one who got the police called on him.

This is many people's image of a German Shep, and mine too when I was a kid.

So fast forward many years later and Andrew tells me the best dog he ever had was a German Shepherd. That the only dog he wants would be another German Shep because they are such great dogs. Here I'm thinking NO WAY! They are scary, and could be dangerous. They would scare our children and probably knock them over. My mind was made up, the Corbins would not have a German Shepherd.

Well we all know how that ended up. Archer is my baby, and I couldn't imagine our lives without him. But, I still wasn't sure how he would be with kids. My parent's dog, a cocker spaniel, can be quite aggressive toward my nieces and nephews. Something about them being on her level and getting near her bed or food. I didn't really think that would be much of a problem considering how much Archer loves people, but you never know...

This weekend I had some coworkers and their families over to our house for dinner. My good friend Kerissa brought her not quite 2 year old daughter with her. I made sure on the invite that I let people know about Archer. I wanted to make sure that people understood a big dog would be there.

As the day approached I was more nervous about Archer and his behavior than the food or cleaning. This was our first real get together at our house, and Archer wasn't used to company coming over. The few times I've had my cousin or friends stay with us...he's usually so hyper the first few days, and often in his excitement he jumps on people. (Yeah, I know that's our bad...we're working on it!) I kept imagining Archer jumping on our guests and hurting them with his long nails. (Yes, another problem, but I swore the first time I hit blood would be my last...)

My game plan was simple, Andrew would get home early and run Archer outside so that he would be tired by the time our guests arrived. Great plan, right? Not so much. Andrew got home late, and Archer was still in his crate when I got home 30 min before our guests were arriving. Talk about stress...but whenever I'm working with Archer I know that I can't let my feelings project or Archer will pick up on it, and it will be that much worse.

It turns out all of my fears were for nothing. Archer was excited yes, but he was a perfect gentleman with all of our guests. He even made a new BFF. So it turns out Archer is wonderful with kids! Kind of makes me excited to have some of our own....kind of. :)

Archer has a new BFF

President's Day Weekend

Reader, I hope you enjoyed the long weekend! President's day weekend Andrew and I usually try to take advantage of the extra day off and discover more of Utah. Last year we hit Bear Lake and enjoyed a wonderland of snow. This year we were hoping to do the same, and spend some more time snowshoeing, but alas Utah has been having some unseasonably warm weather lately. That, and I insisted that Archer just had to come along! This greatly limited our options because a lot of the colder places were shut down for the winter, and most of the other options wouldn't take dogs.

You may remember, that I'm not exactly an experienced camper. A nice compromise that Andrew and I have found are the KOA Kabins. Ok, ok I know it's not really camping....but like I said it's a nice compromise. I don't have to sleep on the ground, and Andrew can get out in nature. Best of all, most of them take dogs...even those super aggressive German Sheps! (haha - how anyone could think of my Archie as being aggressive is beyond me. Thank you KOA for not having breed restrictions!!)

Archer on the porch of our Kabin

So with limited options we decided to spend our long weekend in Cedar City, UT. It's in Southern Utah which is home to more of that gorgeous red rock, but is close enough to Bryan Head ski resort so we could enjoy some snow as well. Unfortunately this trip sort of snuck up on us, and we failed to plan for it. We arrived late Saturday night, and on Sunday no snowshoe rental places were open. We did have a nice scenic drive into the mountains...but had to settle for a nice hike in the red rock.

As always here are my highlights:

1. The Road Trip

Cedar City is about 4 hours from where we live, and Southern Utah is a really beautiful place to do a road trip. The speed limit is often 80 mph and the view is breath taking. You'll see red rock, and snow capped mountains all in the space of an hour. I of course really enjoyed just having a chance to chat with Andrew, snack, and read!

2. Spending time with the pup

Hiking with Archer

A typical day in the life of Archer is to wake up, eat, use the restroom, then go back to his crate until Andrew comes home around 5pm. Then he gets to play outside until the sun goes down, then lounge around the house with us...until it's time to go back to his crate. I hate that. I hate that he doesn't get to run and play more. Of course he doesn't seem to mind...he's a lazy thing. But oh to see that German Shepherd run! Any way, I really loved being able to include him in our adventures last weekend. And hiking with him was by far the most enjoyable for all of us!

Resting after a hike!

The problem is...that Archer is not really a good traveler. I can't tell you how many different methods we have tried. This dog just doesn't understand that standing up does not help you on turns, or when stopping, and he can't come sit in the driver's lap...even if that is the best view in the car. So I tried something new. A plastic barrier to keep him in the back end of the SUV. And guess what?! It worked. Never have I enjoyed a 4 hour car ride with my dog more.

Doggie Barrier

That was of course, until he realized that his head could push through on the sides. Then if he uses his paws he can shift the plastic. Are you seeing my mistake here? PLASTIC. I went for the cheap option, and he figured it out. The ride home wasn't nearly so pleasant. It involved a lot of frustration, and frantic yells trying to get him to stop tearing apart the barrier. Oh, and then he decided that moving cars must be enemies and began barking at them nonstop. Yup, there went my pleasant car ride.

Despite the frustration of the drive home, I do love having my pup along. He's my BFF and it's just not a family vacation without him. 

4. The Scenery

Cactus

The red rock is always stunning, and I always tell people that I moved here for the mountains. I have a lot of trouble enjoying the scenery while I'm hiking....something about all the exertion I'm using just to keep up. But truly, the scenery was breath taking. I'm not a fan of the Texas desert, but I do love the Utah desert. 

At the time I hated what the sun was doing to my photos...now I kind of like it.

5. Family Time

Best of all, was the family time. This trip was for Andrew. He has been working so hard this semester! Between Grad school applications, Organic Chemistry II, and work he's a pretty busy dude. I don't get as much time with him as I would like...but with the 8 hours in the car, and no tv or phone service, I got to spend some wonderful quality time with him. That was the best part. 

He's a pretty fun guy.

Family photo

The De-Vamping of Fang

When we got Fang, one of the first things we did was take her to vet. We wanted to make sure that we understood what was involved with having an older cat. That was when we learned first that she was much older than what the adoption place told us. And second that her cute Fangs would probably have to come out.

We made sure to take lots of pictures the night before her surgery.

It turns out that the reason Fang's teeth hang so low are because they are abscessed. Her mouth was full of black teeth, and the vet was surprised to find out that she could even eat hard food. He warned us that those teeth might be affecting her sinuses, and were probably giving her a lot of pain. Oh yeah, and that the price to get all of this done would be around $400.

Well at the time, that just wasn't an option. We had just gone through a month of living in a new state without having any jobs. And while I had just landed a pretty great gig, we were trying to pay down all of the credit card debt that had accompanied our move. I knew that Fang certainly didn't seem in pain. She was happy as could be, and had no problems eating hard food. I resolved that we would wait until we had a little more money to spare, and would just keep an eye on her eating.

Well three years later, we figured it was about time to get it done. February is pet dental health month, in case you didn't know...and our vet had a 10% off dental work promotion. Not to mention the tax return had just come in. So this Tuesday, Fang went in to get her teeth cleaned/pulled.

I was pretty nervous about it all day. She got dropped off early in the morning, and of course they make you sign paperwork that warns you it is possible for death to occur. (gulp!) But our vet is wonderful and he kept assuring me that this was necessary and should greatly improve her quality of life.

All in all the old girl had four teeth removed. 2 of course, were her signature fangs. I suppose now her name is more of an ironic name. Like when people name Great Danes Tiny. But she truly does seem to be happy. The vet gave us pain killers, but said she might not need them at all. Just having the teeth removed should be making her feel better. He also said that clearly her teeth and mouth disorders were genetic and somewhere along the line may be linked to being a carrier of feline herpes. To be honest I wasn't really paying attention, I was just so happy to have my kitty safe and sound.

Her eyes are still pretty dilated in this picture, and she kept poking that tongue out.

So that was the De-Vamping of Fang. I feel pretty guilty for waiting so long to get it done. There were definitely some selfish elements to my waiting....I never did get that picture of her in a vampire cape. But I have to say, even without the fangs...she's just as cute. 

Pet Profile - Juliet

Well I hope you enjoyed Fang's Story, but long before she joined the Corbin clan there was my long haired calico Juliet.

I should probably back up a bit, Andrew and I were married in 2008. I'm sure many of you can relate, but one of the first things we wanted to do was get a pet. So...we did! 2 sugar gliders. And guess what, they lasted about 8 months and it was a HUGE mistake! Gross creepy crawly rodents were not such a great idea. So I consulted my favorite life guru, my mom, about what I should do. I knew Andrew really wanted a pet -- and he has a strong fondness for cats. Well life guru surprised me and told me that she knew someone who had free kittens in our hometown...and she thought that calico one might be a good candidate. 

Mom was sold on Juliet, but I honestly was leaning toward the gray one in the back.

Andrew was of course thrilled by the proposition, and it just so happened that we would be back in our hometown for my best friend's wedding the coming weekend. I will always remember that we got Juliet on my friend's wedding day. Andrew's parents pulled out all the stops for our new addition haha.

My in laws found the sign from when Andrew's sister was born.

Juliet was our first real pet, and she is very special to us. That being said she is very different from Fang and Archer. Where those two only ever want to be with us or be given attention, Julie loves her independence. She will not be cuddled if she doesn't want to be. And don't even think about picking her up. She is afraid of everything, doesn't adapt well to change (poor girl has been through 3 moves and 2 new additions to the family), she can't purr, doesn't know how to cover her litter (she just scrapes at the plastic on the box) and she is quick to retaliate.  She's my ornery old girl, but that only makes it all the more special when she jumps up into your lap and seeks out your attention.

I know a lot of people are not fans of cats. Juliet is that stereotypical grumpy and independent cat, but I couldn't imagine our family without her.

Enjoy some of the quirks that make our Juliet who she is. 

If you want to slow Juliet down, just add water. She start moving in slow motion.

You will frequently find Juliet in this position to block the light when trying to sleep. 

She hates getting her nails trimmed, but tolerates it pretty well.

When she gets excited she does this cute prairie dog move.

If you are a fan of Jaxon Galaxy you will understand that she is tree dweller.

Pet Profile - Fang

Fang's Story:

A few months after moving from Texas to Utah, Andrew and I were browsing Petco. We were both excited to get a dog eventually, but for now we were renting a basement apartment and it really just wasn't an option. It didn't seem to stop us from checking out the adoption events though. And wouldn't you know it, there was an adoption event on that fateful Friday...but only for cats.

I of course, walked around and petted the kittens...but there was quite a little crowd around one black cat in particular. She was crying to get out of the crate she was in, and there was a non-stop supply of people willing to hold her. I watched as one older lady in particular kept fawning all over this black kitty. Then I noticed the teeth.

This picture was taken at Petco the day I met Fang.

She looked like a little vampire with her shiny green eyes and her white fangs protruding from her mouth. To be honest it was a little frightening, but fascinating. After the old lady finally put her down, and the crowd dispersed a little bit, I made my move. Fang was crying again, so I asked one of the volunteers if I could hold her. He of course said yes, and it was a love connection! 

The volunteer told me that this was his favorite cat. She was rescued from an animal hoarder...and they weren't really sure how old she was. Their best guess was that she was around 7 years old. (After getting her to a vet, we found out that she was actually about 10+) The volunteer also told me that black cats statistically have a harder time being adopted. Well there you have it, we would be saving her life! (At least that's what I told Andrew when I begged him to consider adopting her.)

Andrew wasn't really sold...we were more excited about getting a dog, and we already have a cat! Juliet is not the best at adjusting to change. The volunteer offered to let us take her home for a week as a trial to see if the two cats could get along...but Andrew put him off explaining that we would need to check with our landlord. It was so hard to put her back in that crate. The volunteer told us to think about it, and that they would be back at Petco tomorrow morning continuing their adoption event. 

The whole way home I was feeling pretty low. I pulled out all the stops, we're talking guilt trips, desperate pleas, you name it. Finally Andrew told me if I could get permission from the landlord we would give her a trial with Juliet. A text message later I was a happy girl! The next morning I was at Petco with my cat carrier ready to take home my new baby! 

Love at first sight! 

The trial week went by, and towards the end of it Juliet was finally starting to be OK with the idea of sharing her space with this senior citizen. So I returned to Petco to let them know that we would be keeping her. Guess who was there? The old lady asking after Fang. I overhear her saying that she wanted to adopt that cute vampire kitty and bring her home. Of course the volunteer saw me standing nearby and explained that we had already adopted her. The look of disappointment on the old lady's face I will never forget. 

So while I did adopt a black cat, I have no disillusions that I saved Fang. There were a number of people ready to bring her home. To me that just means that I need to be worthy of having her. I need to provide the best home possible, because I was lucky enough to adopt the vampire kitty. 

Now her teeth don't look scary to me, but more goofy.

In the end Juliet and Fang have become best friends. Every night we can hear them chasing each other through the house and playing together. Occasionally during the day you can catch sweet moments between them. Fang is a total opposite of Juliet, she is a lap kitty who adores attention. She is agile and loves to play, despite her old age. She has truly been a great addition to our family. 

Typical cat, obsessed with boxes.

She has an obsession with pens and pencils. She tries to bat at them while you are writing.

She's a part of the family! 

My dad hates cats, but even he couldn't resist her charms. 

Lessons with Archer: Being Selfless

Archer is my best friend. I tell him that everyday, but it really didn't start out that way. I'll be honest I was not happy to get Archer as soon as we did, and I only consented because Andrew wanted him so badly and wouldn't give up! 

I told Andrew no way was I ever getting a German Shepherd, they are big and scary, and they shed! No way would we get one so soon after moving into our new apartment, why add the extra pet rent right away?

Well about 2 weeks later Andrew was off to the breeder to pick up this little guy. The last male of his litter from a barnyard breeder.

Even though he was incredibly adorable, he was also a puppy. Our experience with Archer led us to swear that we were never going to get a puppy ever again. It is a frustrating process of teaching, nibbling, scolding, praising, and cleaning. (I'm guessing this is a lot like human babies.)

 We welcomed sweet puppy Archer into our 725 sq. foot, one bedroom, 3rd floor apartment back in December of 2012. Just picture it, two Texans toughing it out in the freezing snowy conditions, with a brand new puppy that needs to go outside every 30 minutes. I had to really get over myself in order to take care of this sweet pup.

Archer wasn't really a cuddly puppy like I wanted, he was more of a crazy hyper puppy who's probably going to smack your face with his head as he tries to look around at the world. I didn't really get close to him at first. Andrew took charge, and while I was still expected to take him outside on my turn, it seemed like he was really more of Andrew's dog and not mine.

    

This all changed when Andrew went on a school trip for 4 days. I became the sole care giver, and what I realized was that this dog didn't want to be lonely any more than I did. We started to really bond because all we had was each other.

Life hasn't been exactly peaches and roses here in Utah. I miss my friends and family. Then to make matters more complicated, I worked an hour away from where I lived, with people who were on average 20 years older than me, and I did my school online. I had no friends that I could actually hang out with.  Archer literally became my best friend.