Gilbert is Three

I don’t want to sound like a crazy dog lady, but I AM crazy about my dog.  Today, is Gilbert's third birthday.  He has come a long way from the 8lb puppy we brought home in the late summer of 2009.  For one, he's about 50 pounds heavier!  Though he does have some hyper border collie in him, he’s mellowed out and knows how to just chill out with us on the deck.  Aside from the usual in home puppy training he attended some training classes and knows quite a few tricks.  Doing them when a treat isn’t offered is a challenge though.  His favorite pastime is stick eating.  Or grass eating.  Or mulch eating.  And yes, he still enjoys poop eating.  He still loves his afternoon walks and will lay on the floor and cry if I don’t change into my tennis shoes fast enough.  On the same token, he’s content to just lay in the grass out in the afternoon sun or hang with Mike on the couch.

His behavior while we are gone has improved considerably in the last few months.  I think this is due in part to the Kong filled with peanut butter that we give him before we leave for the day!  He is however still a little unpredictable with strangers.  If he doesn’t know you chances are he will bark at you with the hair on the back of his neck standing up.  This attitude has gotten him ‘flagged’ at the vet and he has to get muzzled in the back for his exams/shots.  We are still unsure of how to deal with this.  If anyone has any strangers they can send our way who won’t mind having a dog bark at them we’d be happy to use them as training material!  Otherwise, he is very well behaved with the usual family and friends that visit and he gets along with everyone at doggie day camp.

Gone are the days of visiting the vet every two months for coughs, possible parvo virus, ingestion of things he shouldn't have eaten (like rat poison!), and ear infections.  Knock on wood; we haven't seen the vet since his yearly appointment in October!

For his third birthday we celebrated  by playing with his gift of a bubble machine.  Gilbert loves to chase and pop bubbles.  A little later he'll have some Frosty Paw ice cream.  He will also be bringing homemade dog biscuits to hand out to his friends at doggie day camp this week.  I know.  I won't bake for humans yet I will bake dog biscuits for my dog and his friends?  Maybe I am a crazy dog lady.

Here is a link to the recipe for Peanut Butter Oatmeal Dog Biscuits if you're interested.  It's really easy and probably a lot cheaper than buying treats. 

 Gilbert - 8 weeks



Gilbert - 3 years