This is going to sound somewhat self-righteous and boastful but what can I say … to quote my dad, “I call it like I see it.” I have identified an issue with my dog sitting skills. Dogs love me. This is all well and good but they don’t just love me they become protective of me. This “imprinting” (think the wolves of Twilight — and yes I’m horrified I know this) happens fast and it causes problems.
Riggins and I are hosting an adorable schnauzer named Dragon. Dragon and I just came back from dinner and when Riggins came in to say hi to me Dragon growled at him (and immediately got in trouble). At the dog friendly restaurant Dragon didn’t want me to pet a fellow dinners dog and when I tried growled, ran to me and under my hand. The other diner exclaimed, “wow someone is jealous.” My answer, “he has only known me a few hours … how is that possible?”
Bud and Clover got in fights so badly that I had to find Bud another home for the weekend and I can no longer watch him when I have other dogs here. Based on the outbursts they were both trying to protect me.
Lousy, who was nothing but a snuggle bug almost killed my good friend, Giovanna, when she came into my house and wanted to eat the roller skater who was hitting on me at the rose bowl (thank you Lousy … that guy was weird).
In fact I dare anyone to F*ck with me! The dogs have seriously got my back. Do not come close unless invited otherwise you could end up dog food! (Not really but you will most likely get the snot scared out of you.)
I gotta figure this out so it doesn’t cause any more problems. Not that I don’t like being adored and loved by my furry friends but enough is enough! I don’t think it is an alpha thing as all other “alpha” type behavior has me as the pack leader … I think it might be the fact that I just love them. Adore them. Treat them as sweetums vs. dogs (against all of Cesar Milan’s advice). How can you not though? Look at those cute faces!!!! Perhaps it is the kind of dog that has an owner who will pay for personal dog sitting. Dare I say spoiled? Perhaps these dogs are just used to being the love of their humans life.
Either way I do love them. They are all adorable and make me happy. Even Riggins tends to pout when one of them leaves. (And don’t worry about Riggins and Dragon … they have been friends all day. Minor set back that was quickly resolved.)
P.S. – Due to Dragon’s name and love for me I demand everyone call me Kahleesi, Mother of Dragons, for the rest of the weekend.
Riggins and I have hiked up to Inspiration point above Echo Mountain in the Los Angeles forest only twice. It’s about a 10 1/2 mile loop that leads you up to the best views of LA you can ever imagine! The second time I went with a friend and I wasn’t thinking. We started off too late in the morning. It was late March but a hot day and Riggins did not do well. It was one of the worse experiences I’ve ever had. Coming down he was overheating (which is very easy for dogs to do and can be lethal fast) and showing obvious signs that the ground was too hot for his paws. I had run out of water and was a mess. An attempt at carrying him failed and I was ready to spend the entire day camped out in a small patch of shade to wait until sundown to finish the trail. We eventually got down and Riggins was okay but I swore I’d never ever put him (or me) in that position again.
If I’m headed out on a trail I am familiar with and will be gone less than an 1 1/2 hours I stick with my small pack. It’s a fanny pack I purchased at a sporting goods store years ago. It’s light, easy to get in and out of, and doesn’t bug me when hiking. It’s just big enough to hold two regular size SIGG water bottles, a collapsible dog bowl, nitroglycerin (I haven’t need this in years but I’m not getting stuck on a mountain without it.), cell phone, and keys. It’s a great small hiking pack.
If I don’t know the trial I will be on, I know I will be out longer than 1 1/2 hours, and/or I have more than one dog and it is a warm day I will take my hiking backpack. After the Inspiration Pt episode I invested in a GoLite woman’s pack (the one I have is no longer made but I like it a lot and would purchase equipment from this company again). Inside I have everything but the kitchen sink! My fully stocked pack includes:
matches
knife
tick puller outer (ticks are gross and scare me to death)
bear bell
insect repellent
nitroglycerin tablets (in waterproof container)
bright orange cap (if hiking in the cold)
2 large SIGG water bottles
LUNA bars
collapsible dog bowl
Medical Kit (it says “adventure medical kit” on it but really it just has medical stuff inside)
Adventure Kit (fishing kit, whistle, survival blanket, signal mirror, etc.)
cell phone
keys
When hiking I don’t listen to music instead I keep my eyes and ears open for critters I want to avoid, like rattlesnakes. If I know I’m going to be gone through a meal (like lunch) I pack a pb&j sandwich for me, some bones for Riggins, trail mix or nut mix of some sort, and an apple to share. Someone told me it’s good to pack non-meat food (like a turkey sandwich) so you don’t smell like a snack to animals. Seemed smart so I stick with that.
Isn’t that pack heavy? — you ask. Kinda. Not really. It gets lighter as you drink the water and I’d much rather have it and not use it then need it and not have it! After all I’m hiking to work-out whats an extra pound or two strapped to my back????
If you go hiking stay safe. Remember the rules you learned as a scout. Carry out what you bring in, don’t screw up nature by trashing it or taking things (like flower) from her, and be prepared. Happy hiking!
I’ve lived in LA my entire life. I grew up in Whittier (45 minutes-ish from the city) and went to Whittier College. After college I moved closer to the “city” into West Hollywood. I hopped around that area for a while with a short stint on the West Side (aka doucheville. Did I say that out loud? I’m sorry people who live out there. You are not a douche. I’m sorry I suggested you were. For non-LA-ians the “West Side” is the side of the city that hits the ocean.). 7 (or was it 8) years ago Riggins and I ditched what I consider the “fun” side of LA to act more grown up and come to the “valley.” Now we live about 5 minutes from Griffith Park. Although I’ve never lived further than an hour from the giant chunk of wilderness (or as wilderness-y as we get here) I have never, until this weekend, been on the park’s hiking trails.
It’s a little ridiculous of me but my excuse is, I hike to go out with Riggins and if I’m going to do that I want to go somewhere that he can be off leash without me being yelled at by other hikers. That means Runyon. This past weekend Bud was back with us. Bud has become a fickle fellow and has decided not to like any other canines. That really cuts down on where I can take him to poop him out and he NEEDS to get pooped out or he will spend his time beating up poor Riggins. So minutes after he was dropped off I leashed him up and set off for Griffith Park. I knew there was a trail head behind the Observatory so decided to give it a shot!
Quick lesson on Griffith Park history (as told by Wikipedia). Mining investor, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith (seriously) purchased Rancho Los Feliz in 1882 to start an ostrich farm. He donated 3,015 acres to the city of LA in 1896. In 1903 the Colonel was tried and convicted for shooting and severely wounding his wife … oops. After that his plans for the land went to hell in a handbag since his reputation was kinda shot (No pun intended. I’m paraphrasing Wikipedia at this point). Obviously it eventually all got built giving you the Griffith Park you know and love. Today’s park covers 4,310 acres of land and is the second largest city park in CA and one of the largest in the US. (Now quoting Wikipedia so none of my NY friends get angry with me …) “It [Griffith Park] has also been referred to as the Central Park of Los Angeles but is much larger and more untamed and rugged than its New York City counterpart.”
The park is very large so let me give you the Wendy tips on what is where. The entrance off of Forest Lawn using Zoo Drive is the north most way into the park. This road (when not under construction) will take you to Travel Town (train museum – a hit with young boys everywhere), the steam train (which is rarely open so look it up open day/hours first if you wanna go), the golf course, the Los Angeles Zoo, and the Gene Autry Museum. There is also a camp tucked away up there. It’s a good place to see horses as there is a horse ring thing and the equestrian center is just a tunnel away on the other side of the LA River and 134 freeway.
There are 3 main entrances on the south side of the park off of Los Feliz Blvd. Starting from the 5 and heading west, the first is Crystal Springs. This will take you immediately to the Wendy Train (named by my nephew Logan since it is a train and he gets to go there when he visits me) and pony rides. Keep driving and you will hit thecarousel and the best (in my opinion) playgrounds in the park. This is the “kids” entrance and Crystal Springs will eventually link up with Zoo Drive (honestly all the roads link up so when they are open you can keep driving in loops if you want). The next entrance is on Hillhurst. It will take you to the Greek Theatre and to the Observatory. The final entrance (well official entrance) is further down Los Feliz on Fern Dell. This road will take you to the Ferndell trail (known to Californians because of Huell Howser) and the Trails Cafe.
Bud and I parked near the observatory and headed off. It was hot and being a short snout breed I was a little worried about Bud overheating. He’s a ball of energy, so it was no problem (I was suited up and prepared for a long hike. Later this week I’ll post what I bring with me in my backpack while going out with the dogs.). The path is wide with an easy grade. We found a magical little spot called, Dante’s View. Named for the gentleman who started the garden, it is a sweet oasis on a mountain with wonderful views. It has a number of steps making it tri-level with benches to sit down and chill at. In addition there is water available for both dogs and humans. We went a little further until I figured Bud had chilled out and then we headed home.
Since Bud isn’t great off leash and isn’t great around other dogs the Griffith Park hike was PERFECT for him. Although a popular path (which I like … I won’t go on paths that aren’t well-traveled unless I’m hiking with another human) it thins out the higher you go and there aren’t a ton of other dogs around. When we drove home I took the other road looping around and coming down Fern Dell. I noticed that this was a very popular place to park so I assumed it was a good place to hike! I decided Bud and I should try it the next day.
After waking and suiting up with stocked backpack and leash, Bud and I said goodbye to Riggins and headed off. This trail was adorable. The first part is a man-made trail that includes a fun garden and stream (sadly the cute path was closed when we were heading back to the car … a tree had fallen down across the path and Fern Dell … it was a bit of a traffic mess). After you pass through the cute little fairy land you can keep hiking. The two roads available will circle around, merging together and eventually take you up to the Griffith Observatory. Bud and I took our time heading up and hanging out at the top forcing us to have to run down to get home in time for his folks to pick him up.
I had a feeling Riggins would love the Fern Dell trail so I decided to take him the next day. It won’t be something he can do when it gets hotter. None of the Griffith Park trails (and there are miles and miles of them … I’ve just scratched the surface) have much shade and the dirt can get hot on paws very quickly with the direct So. Cal. sun. Much to Riggin’s dismay I slapped on his cooling vest (it always takes him a few minutes to get use to the fact that it isn’t coming off) and took him up the mountain. He was in HEAVEN. I did unleash him so he could go at his own pace (which was usually faster than me). I was waiting to get yelled at by fellow hikers … which would be allowed as they would be in the right and I was in the wrong … but you know my theory on hiking on leash. Riggins thought he was the king of the mountain strutting up to humans to get love and attention, head held high as he passed dogs on leash, and policing the folks that thought they could go off the path. When we got close to the top I put his leash back on. The Observatory is always busy but being a holiday weekend it was packed. Unlike Bud, Riggins was willing to “sit and stay” so I could take more pictures of him. In fact people gathered around and stared to watch the dog sit and not move as I would say, “Look at me … stay …. ” walk away from him and snap some photos. He was a pure gentleman and oddly well-behaved doing exactly what I asked. Honestly I think he liked putting on a show and was happy people were watching him.
I’m so excited to have discovered the fun paths just minutes from my house and I’m kicking myself for not being open to checking them out earlier!
Please enjoy the video below of Riggins on the Ferndell trail ….
Riggins has always worn a doggie seat belt. When he was a puppy I had a truck and a seat belt was necessary to keep him off my lap and in his seat (vs out the window) while I was driving. Since he doesn’t know any better, he has no problems wearing his seat belt and the few times I allow him in the car without it he doesn’t quit know what to do. Normally he will sit back as if his seat belt is on. He will stay there until we go through a drive thru and then he will balance his front paws on the middle armrest thing. You can see him pondering how he can get from that position, over me, out the car window, and into the food window without anyone noticing. All those enticing smells so close and yet so far away. I am actually surprised he has never tried it. If he doesn’t have his seat belt on (which happens now and then when we drive somewhere to go for a walk and he has his walking harness on instead of his seat belt) he will refuse to get out of the car until I “unbuckle him” (see video below). I can stand there all day and tell him that he is free to move around but he won’t go out that door until I lean down and free him from his nonexistent restraints. Silly dog.
I’m often shocked at how many dogs don’t wear seat belts. It seems like common sense right? You buckle in. You strap you kid down. Why not your dog? I don’t understand how people can safely drive with a tiny dog hanging out in their lap and if you have a big dog, one collision and that dog is flying over the seat and taking off the head of anyone in his/her way. Ouch for the dog and ouch for any person in the dog’s flight path!
The most common reason I hear from folks not using dog car restraints, is that the dog doesn’t like it. My suggestion … keep trying. Like anything it is training. Your dog will eventually calm down and it will be a safer ride for everyone. There are many types of seat belts and restraints so look around and see what is going to be the best for you. Here are the ones I know about:
Dog harness – This is the type of seat belt Riggins uses. There are different brands but they are all similar. It is essentially a harness with a double loop in the back for you to stick the seat belt through. In addition to that, this version (that I linked to) has an extra attachment that is a longer loop which gives the dog more freedom. I don’t use the longer loop on Riggins. It isn’t necessary and frankly it is just more work for me to take that on and off. This is the harness you see on Riggins in almost every Runyon picture of him. When we go hiking I just take off his leash, wrap it around my waist, and leave the harness on. It also gives you an easy to grab “handle” if you need to grab your dog while you are out and about.
Seat belt connector – This is the same idea as the harness Riggins uses it just allows you to make any dog harness a seat belt. Pretty nifty.
Zip line – Some car seats aren’t very dog friendly. This is true of my folks car. The bench seat is way in the back and Riggins prefers to be up near the action. The middle seats are bucket seats which Riggins can’t really sit in well. I bought them the zip line. It goes across the length of the car overhead (attaching to the handles on each side) then you hook the dog to that (they usually come with a short loop leash to make this easy). I don’t like this restraint as much simply because it isn’t much of an actual restraint. The dog has the freedom to pace back and forth if he/she wants. The plus is because of the increased freedom, it is a good solution for dogs who aren’t “comfortable” in the harness seat belts.
Booster seat – For smaller dogs they make booster seats (hilarious right?). These not only allow you to seat belt your dog into the chair it brings the chair up so your tiny dog can have the luxury of looking out the window (not all are up in the air like the one I linked. Some sit on the chair and have pillows to help boost up the pet). Obviously Riggins has never required a booster so I don’t have any experience with any of the booster models. My friends who use them love them.
Pet partition – I’ve never used these. I have too many things in the back of my car. Dogs don’t fit. BUT … if you dog does ride back there the partition keeps him/her safely in that area.
Cage/carrier – Finally, if you are a monster, you can put your dog in a cage while you drive.
If you take your dog in the car give a restraint a try. It’s safer for your dog (and your human passengers) and makes you a very responsible dog person!
I sometimes lie. Now before you gasp in horror, grab your handkerchief and demand smelling salts let me suggest that we all lie … just a little bit. I dare to suggest that nearly every time the following statements are uttered from someone’s lips there is some untruth involved:
“No I don’t want any dessert.”
“Those yoga pants make your butt look great.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
“Honestly she said nothing bad about you.”
“Growling means he likes you.”
“Get whatever you want. I don’t mind picking off toppings I don’t like.”
“Your children are always so well-behaved.”
“I never drink alone.”
The place I do the most lying? Where I get my eyebrows waxed. There are few things in life that make you feel better for so little then getting your eyebrows done. You can walk into the salon feeling like an ugly hairy chupacabra and 15 minutes later walk out feeling like Snow White. It’s a special kind of magic and I will lie so I can experience it. I’ve been getting my eyebrows done at the same place for years. I’m not going to tell you were for fear that they read this and red flag me in their system. In the past few years their casual questions prior to the treatment have become more detailed and now include a questionnaire and signature. Forcing me to actually document my lies.
Years ago one of the few questions was, “do you use Retin-a.” I’d casually mummer back, “nope.” The entire time mentally picturing the tube of wonderful goop that was hidden behind my bathroom mirror. I never had a problem. Not once. But every single time I was worried that 1/2 my face was going to be ripped off by the hot wax and the woman would scream pointing at me, “LIAR!”
That day in Bar Method class when I almost passed out and I watched the color drain from my face in the full length ballerina mirror, I noticed that my eyebrows had gotten OUT OF CONTROL! Yesterday I took the time to fix that and in doing so had to go through my list of “please just fix my eyebrows” lies.
Do you drink alcohol – Yes.
Did you drink alcohol today – No. (Define “today.” Is that the last 24 hours or just the last couple hours. Are we talking since I’ve gotten up or since Riggins woke up from his last nap.)
Do you take antibiotics – No. (Crap. I think I forgot to take my antibiotic this morning. So really this isn’t a lie. I mean I’m on day 7 of 10 so I should be in the clear.)
How many glasses of water did you drink today – 8. (When measured in shot glasses.)
Do you take aspirin – Yes.
Did you take aspirin today – No. (Crap I forgot to take that too. Did I take any of my pills this morning? Crap.)
Did you take aspirin this week – No. (Yes.)
Do you stay out of the sun. – Yes. (Except every day when I hike or walk Riggins or go to the dog park or …)
Sign here proving everything you said is truthful – WENDY LYN NEWELL
I mean enough with the inquisition. Slap some wax on my face and let’s get this party started! My theory is that this list of questions (that goes on for much longer) is obviously for my own good and therefore if I wish to ignore them that’s on me. Should something go wrong then “my bad.” I’m happy to say nothing went wrong and I happily skipped out of the place looking and feeling like a million bucks. My bum was a little warm from the flames in my pants but one has to suffer for beauty!
My front porch get’s direct sunlight most of the day and during the summer months can reach a temperature similar to the surface of the sun. Add to that my lack of gardening skills (it’s not so much lack of skill as lack of patience) and the result is a beautiful pot garden of succulents. I actually love succulents. Not only are they pretty and hearty they seem … well … succulent.
I have a bird feeder stuck in the biggest flower-pot. It’s been there for years and I fill it up with food for the birds to come snack on. The thing about bird feeders is it takes awhile for our feathered friends to find them but once they do BACK OFF! They won’t stop eating until every last seed is gobbled up. My front porch is a 24 hour smorgasbord for a gaggle of beautiful red-headed/breasted birdies.
These birds will feast through wind, rain, and sun. They don’t flinch when Riggins sits just a couple of feet from them behind the screen door barking up a storm (not at them … they’ve made peace with each other). They use to scatter when I drove up or down the driveway until one brave chick (I assume based on her gumption and grit she is female) decided to take a stand and continued to peck away only glancing up for a second, looking at me from the corner of her eye as if to say, “keep on driving lady … there is nothing to see here.” Now most stay put when I go by. I’m not seen as a big enough threat to stop their non-stop meal.
Years ago I discovered if I purchased the right kind of food and placed the bird feeder just so, many of the seeds that don’t quite make it into a birds stomach will fall into the big planter. It now has a constant mulch of seed shells. If all the stars align then one or two sunflower seeds will drop down and then bloom into gorgeous sunflowers. Sunflowers are the biggest and best of all the flowers and I love that they are planted by the birds so I don’t have to even work at it!
I remember the first year this happened. The sunflower was HUGE. It was later in the summer, I remember because my cleaning lady (moment of silence for the fact that I am forced to clean my own house right now during my unemployment phase) would bring her son with her on cleaning day. He would plop himself in front of my TV and let me know which of the many children TV channels he would like to spend his morning watching. Once we met outside and he admired the big yellow flower. I explained how the birds had planted it, which he didn’t believe. We spent some time picking through the uneaten bird food to find a handful of sunflower seeds that we put in a bag then into his pocket so he could plant them when he got home. Sunflowers make everyone happy!
Right now I have one tiny sunflower and one bigger one on its way. The touch of beauty is the birds “thank you” for my feeding them!
As you know, or surmised by the lack of posts last week, I was sick. Sicky sick sick. I really dislike when I don’t feel well. It throws me off my routine and there is nothing worse than getting back into a routine after spending two weeks switching between lying in bed and lying on the sofa. My goal was to get back to Runyon come hell or high water this past weekend. I didn’t care if I was still coughing or not. I was going to get off my tush and start moving!
Sat I got everything together and Riggins and I headed out to the hill. Once out of the car and on the road Riggins made it clear that he was not on board with my plan. He lagged behind and even came to a stop, looking at me as if to say, “you are crazy if you think I’m going a step further.” People who passed looked at him with sad eyes and then angrily at me as if I was forcing this poor sickly dog to take another step. Frankly, that may have been his plan. There is nothing he likes more than human attention. After a few steps I gave up and did some shorter and flatter paths around Runyon. Riggins couldn’t have been happier to do those. He galloped along as if nothing was wrong.
Sunday was a new day. TODAY we were going to make it up and down the hill on our normal path … or not. Again Riggins refused to move faster than a turtle taking the time to look up with pathetic eyes to each human who passed him. Again I gave up and did the secret loop. The secret loop isn’t really secret. Although the few times I’ve done it I’ve seen no more than 2 other humans on it. Runyon can be packed with people and the secret loop is still deserted. It’s possible that the reason for this is the big “no trespassing” signs you go by to get to the path. The signs I ignore. Frankly the signs confuse me. It’s obviously a path. There are park trash cans dotting it and someone even took the time to put plant markers up. Not to mention there isn’t just one but two park benches tucked away so you can sit and meditate in the silence (or if you are me force Riggins to come close so you can take your picture together). So really someone besides me is walking past those trespassing signs. It’s possible that it is public property kept up by the folks who own houses around there. My theory has always been to act like you belong and no one will question you. So that’s what Riggins and I did. At one point (although not in the no trespassing zone although obviously headed that way) a ranger cruised by and waved at me. I considered that the “all clear” signal and carried on. (Please note I in no way suggest that you should do something unlawful like pass no trespassing signs and/or ignore “dog on leash” signs. In fact if this is an officer of any kind then I deny that any of this story is anything but fiction.)
Today, Monday, I didn’t even try the hill. Instead Riggins and I walked around Silverlake and then went to that dog park. His favorite dog park. He grumbled a bit at first when he realized he wasn’t going to be able to play until we made the loop around the “lake” but that is normal behavior. By the time we turned the corner on the 1/2 point he was a full speed trying to get to the park part as soon as he possibly could. Once at the park he seemed to be happy as a little lark, canoodling with people and dopily following other dogs running in circles.
So the question becomes what was Riggins problem? Why did he refuse to go up the hill this weekend? I have lots of theories but since he doesn’t speak English he isn’t much help in clueing me in to which one is right. Here are my thoughts:
* He doesn’t feel well. He has shown some signs of having a tummy ache. Then he doesn’t. So this is a coin flip.
* He didn’t think I feel good enough. Possible. I went to Bar Method yesterday and, for the first time ever, had to leave class part way through. I knew I wasn’t doing well when I looked in the mirror during butt exercises and watched the color drain from my face right before things started going blotchy. Since the next step was to pass out I choose, instead, to lay my head on the bar and then exit to the sofa in the waiting room until I felt good enough to drive home. I’m going back today. I REFUSE TO GIVE UP. NEVER SAY DIE!
* He was being a brat.
* He wasn’t happy with the heat. I’m leaning toward this one. Riggins does not do well with the heat and although it wasn’t horribly hot this weekend we have had a few days of super heat and that puts him in “time out” mode. I always forget how much he gears down over the summer until the winter comes and he peps up again. His unhappiness with the heat seems to get more pronounced the older he gets. This may just be signs that he wants to stay far away from the hot.
* He misses his buddies. We haven’t had a dog on vacation with us this past week and Riggins seems a little mopey. In his heart Riggins is a pack dog and would be happiest if everyone he loved (human and dog) lived with us and all slept in a pile on my bed. He stepped it up on our walk when a group of dogs came by and took off to be part of the bunch. He is also super happy at the dog park where he can spend his time following dog after dog until he is distracted by a human he thinks needs to pet him.
Those are my theories. What do you think? Either way we are getting back on that hill this weekend (as long as it’s not too hot) and I am going to Bar Method all this week …. all without passing out and/or dragging a dog on a leash behind me.
Riggins and I are hosting an adorable schnauzer named Dragon. Dragon and I just came back from dinner and when Riggins came in to say hi to me Dragon growled at him (and immediately got in trouble). At the dog friendly restaurant Dragon didn’t want me to pet a fellow dinners dog and when I tried growled, ran to me and under my hand. The other diner exclaimed, “wow someone is jealous.” My answer, “he has only known me a few hours … how is that possible?”
fact that I just love them. Adore them. Treat them as sweetums vs. dogs (against all of Cesar Milan’s advice). How can you not though? Look at those cute faces!!!! Perhaps it is the kind of dog that has an owner who will pay for personal dog sitting. Dare I say spoiled? Perhaps these dogs are just used to being the love of their humans life.
Me Myself & Riggins 