Nancy Freedman-Smith, dog trainer and owner of Gooddogz Training, provides a place for dog owners to find positive training tips, canine-activities and places to visit along with the latest information on keeping your dog healthy and active. Nancy lives with her three young kids, Charlee and Finney the dogs, Yellow the parakeet and Tater-Tot the Hamster. Staying current, keeping fresh, and always learning new things is a must for Nancy and her profession because one thing that animals surely teach you is "the more you know, the more you know you don't know."
It's Mommy Blogging Time
No time to blog since Charlee's Birthday.
Haven't posted for some time, largely due to the unavoidable pesky fact that there are only 24 hours in a day and at some point even I need sleep. Last week found me with 2 out of my 3 kids in summer camp, and one would think that things would be easier, but nnnnooooooo-ooo. Seems I have been taking the older two kids for granted in so far as to how much they entertain the young one. Add a new puppy and an older dog who for the first time all summer is feeling her oats and a job where I wear all the hats, plus your every day run of the mill house stuff, and I am one tired Momma.
The upside is that I had a truly special week with little H. This is especially sweet because in no time she will be off and running in Kindergarten. All last week I took time to enjoy her and did lots of Mommy things to include daily doggie hikes, the sprinkler park at Deering Oaks , swimming at Dundee Park in Windham , and we stopped by A Company of Girls to celebrate their renovation and even met Bill Ranic from the Apprentice.
The girls all said when they get rich they want teeth as white as Bills! Friday last week we met up with my oldest's son last day of summer camp with Eric Begonia of Begonia's Summer Science Camp at Scarborough Beach for one of the most perfect beach days at one of these most perfect beaches...ever. All week long the kids visited and learned about the sea and it's inhabitants. The week prior he attended Pond Ecology with Eric, and we just released two Monarch Butterflies that hatched in our fish tank, only to replace them with a baby snapping turtle that my son caught at Evergreen. No letters please you can study natural wildlife if done under the guidance of an educator and we will let Whippa (as in Whippa Snappa) free real soon. Best part of about having a baby snapping turtle is watching my kids pick beetles out of my garden. A turtle gotta eat ya know.
So enough about me and what I have been up to-you all came for the dogs.
Spending so much time with all three kids as of late, I get to converse with them much more than during the hectic school year and all three have come up with some pretty choice things to say in the last few weeks, most of it revolving around having a six month old MALE puppy. Perhaps you see where I am going with this.
First and foremost on my kids minds and tongues lately is the descent and growth of our new addition's new additions.
For those of you who came for the dog stuff, I give you some choice snippets of my last few weeks with kids and dogs.
My oldest son caught a snake in the back yard and he was showing it to our new puppy. Finn sniffed and licked it. I advised my son that he shouldn't teach the pup that snakes are friends in case we meet up with a dangerous snake some day. Just as the words escaped my mouth, the snake bit my son on the finger and the puppy killed the snake before I even blinked. My middle daughter didn't miss a beat and said:
"Our Collie is finding his inner Lassie".
Poor middle school boy is putting up a valiant fight in hopes that Finn can keep all his man hood in tact. I have told him at least 500 times that will not happen. On a recent lengthy car trip, he was unrelenting in his quest to save Finney's boy parts.
Those of you with boys can relate I am sure.
It went something like this.
You are not cutting off his balls.
Yes we are.
No!
Yes!
Can't he just keep one?
No
Isn't there a pill he can take?
No
They don't have birth control pills for male dogs?
No
I bet there is and your just not telling me because you don't want to pay for it.
No
Can't he get a vasectomy?
No
Can't we get him a custom fitted doggie condom. (honest, who can make this up)
Ummm no!
What about if we never let him off leash?
No
I will watch him, I promise!
No
But he needs them.
No
Can't we invent a new pill or something?
No!
I will walk him for the rest of his life.
nope
Come on Mom, there has to be some other way that you are not telling me.
No
There is to, you just don't want to pay for it.
No
Can't we have one litter of pups so we can get another Finney?
No
Isn't there any other way?
No
But Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
No
What if I gave up my allowance for the rest of my life?
No
But he needs them!
No
That's not fair!
Sorry!
I made the appointment the very next day.
Little H asked what those wiggly things near Finney's butt were.
I tried to skirt this issue for some time but in the end I said "balls" (because she has heard middle school son begging and pleading the case for Finney's).
Little H said "Like eye balls? Can he see out of them"?
Comments
GOOD FOR YOU MOM!! Stand firm on the spay and neuter your pets platform...in spite of your son's impassioned campaign to save Finn's cojones! Perhaps you can supplement your argument with the fact that neutering Finn may extend his life and minimize his risk for prostate and testicular cancer. Or that his urge to "baptize" everything vertical inside AND out with his very own personal Wee-WeeGrams will be greatly reduced. Or that his urge to strut his boy stuff and be the baddest Collie gangsta in his neighborhood will also be dumbed down. And if none of these arguements are convincing...well then, I guess you could always look into investing in a pair of Neuticals!
Posted by DonnaAugust 21, 2006 06:20 PM
Hi Donna,
Thanks for taking the time to write. During that lllooonnng car ride all those things were discussed, and I forgot to mention that my kid actually asked to buy Finn Nueticals with his own money. The answer was the same.
No! lol
August 21, 2006 09:22 PM
Oh, I was laughing so hard tears came down my face. Sounds like you've had a very special two weeks with your kids. Your son is lucky that he goes to Eric's camp- he was my biology teacher at SMCC and they way he talked about his camp made me wish I was a little kid again and could play and learn and have fun. Oh well I can do that now, I guess. Thanks for the laughs!
Posted by JessicaAugust 22, 2006 08:30 AM
You know this one is really easy! Mom why can't he keep them? Because we have a signed contract with his breeder that says he has to lose them! Hey I don't mind being the bad guy! Besides Finn comes from a fine family and if he wants a future one like Finn there are family members who after show careers and an increasingly long list of genetic testing MAy reproduce :-) Finn can just concentrate on being a great pet and companion without any hormanal urges!
Posted by AmyAugust 22, 2006 10:17 AM
Hi Amy-The car ride was well after I had explained everything to him. The how's and why's and the mechanics and practicalities etc.
But your comment reminds me- there were a few more.
What if we don't do it, what can Amy do?
She can take him back.
She wouldn't do that...
Yes she would.
What if we bred him to Lassie's daughter, wouldn't she like that?
No
I will use my allowance money to pay her off and she will forget all about it
no
You know she will
no- you now she won't
and I can't believe I forgot this one (it is true seriously!-are you ready for it???)
What if we got Finn Lassie porn for him to watch on TV, wouldn't that help him to forget about girls during other times?
I was laughing too hard to say no by that point
August 23, 2006 06:41 AM
Hi Nancy, I would like permission to paste and copy the dialogue you had with your kids. I think all my dog friends will relate, and will laugh as much as I did, especially on the, "like eyeballs, can he see out them?" I think you will find this item worthy of publication in most dog club newsletters!
Thanks, Patricia, Anaheim, Ca.
August 24, 2006 11:48 AM
Thanks Patricia!
Feel free to pass along anything from my blog, just keep my name along with it please.
Cheers!
Nancy
August 24, 2006 01:08 PM
Thanks Nancy, I certainly will include your name! I hope some of my friends here in California see how welcome dogs are in so many places in Maine, by linking to your blog. There are so few here in Southern California, Northern parts, especially the Bay area (San Francisco) are much better. Anyway, as a Native Mainer I really enjoy logging onto the Morning Sentinal and reading your blog! Patricia
Posted by PatriciaAugust 24, 2006 03:21 PM
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