Pictures - These Dogs Sure Enjoy Snow!

This is another re-post from my old travel blog.  Since most who will read this blog have not read my travel blog, I thought you might enjoy seeing the dogs playing in the snow.  This was in February 2014, not too long after Ollie and Jewel came to live with us.  We had an unusual second snow storm that winter and the dogs just loved it.  It was so much fun watching them enjoy the snow.


I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves!



Come 'on Mom and Dad, it’s not cold at all out here!  Let’s play!

Oh, what’s that? 

I can stare it down.

This is a nice place to get out of the snow.

Well, if the people don’t want to run in the snow, we can always wrestle each other.

I just love this yard. Lots to look at.

MOM!!  help!!  It was this HUGE black bird with a big scary beak and it was going to eat me…I think it was the indomitable snowbird!



What do you mean I have to come in?  Just because you’re cold, doesn’t mean I am!



Mom, I think I have icicles hanging from my….

Ollie Begins to Reveal His “Issues”

We had only had the dogs a few days.  As is usual, Russ is up before me every morning.  He got in the habit of letting the dogs out for their morning constitutional.  On this particular morning, Ollie had managed to get a small twig caught in his “feathers” and he couldn’t dislodge it.  Russ followed him and kept trying to grab the twig.  Ollie must have thought Russ was chasing him and it scared him half to death.  He snapped at Russ and  came running into the bedroom to me and wanted nothing to do with Russ.
 
Later we took the dogs to the dog park.  No other dogs were there so we walked around a bit and then began to put the dogs back into their crate in the car.  As Russ was zipping the crate and giving the dogs their “car cookies’'”, another car pulled in and started to unload their dogs.  Ollie freaked and apparently associated his fear of dogs with Russ reaching into the crate. He snapped at Russ again.  He didn’t break the skin but he definitely made contact.
By the time we got home, Ollie was calmed down but he had decided he did not like Russ – AT ALL!!  

We spent weeks sitting on the sofa at opposite ends with the dogs between us.  Jewel loved sitting with Russ but he would not move towards or look at Ollie at first.  Eventually, Ollie began to move towards Russ and sniff him.  Russ would place his hand flat on the sofa and let Ollie sniff but not make any moves towards petting him.



It took over three weeks, but little by little, step by baby step, Ollie began to see that Russ was not a threat.  Looking back, we think that Ollie didn’t show any aggression the first few days because was so scared, and most of the pictures taken early on show Ollie with “big eyes.”  Normally, an Aussie has almond shaped eyes but Ollie’s eyes go big and round when he is afraid.  He was definitely afraid.  Our mistake was in not realizing that Ollie had fear issues and that those fears could lead to aggression.  I guess we expected him to be as happy to be with us as we were to have him.



I’m happy to report that Ollie’s issues with Russ resolved fully after about three weeks.  In fact, I sometimes accuse Russ of trying to steal my dog!  I’m so glad Ollie got over his fear of Russ.  His fear of dogs and strangers is another whole issue.



Conquering that fear shows me two things…1.  Ollie has a big, courageous heart and  2. behavior can be changed.  Just how hard we have and are still working to change that behavior is what a lot of this blog will be about.  I’m sure we are not the only ones with a “problem child” and if our experiences can help someone else then I will be happy.  Take heart – there is help available.

Guest Post by Jewel and Ollie-Bear

 NOTE: This post originally appeared in the blog I was writing at the time we got the dogs.  I wanted to include it here because it so accurately reflects the mood of our new family in the first few days of having Ollie and Jewel.  They had been here only two days when I wrote this post.
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“Well here we are Ollie-Bear, in our new forever home.  I sure like this yard – and Dad sure hits a mean ball!”


“I know what you mean, Jewel.  He whacks ‘em with that big thing in his hand and they just go flying.  I almost feel like I can fly too when I’m running after those balls.”


“Just stay out of my way, Ollie.  I’m going to stick really close to Dad and see if I can get him to hit a few more.”




“This sure is fun, isn’t it Jewel?  But I think we’re supposed to take the balls back to Dad.  Nah, let’s make him come after them.  He needs some exercise too.  And let go of my collar.  You don’t always have to boss me around, you know!”


“Mine, mine, mine…I got it.”






“See, told you it was mine.”


“Here comes another one.  My turn.”




“Pffffft!!”


“Well, I don’t know about you, Jewel, but I’m about all tuckered out.  What do you say we call it a draw and take a break?”


“Sure, Ollie, whatever you say.  I’m just happy to be here with you playing ball.”


“Jewel, just one more thing I’ve been meaning to ask you…and I want you to be honest.”

“Okay Ollie, ask away.”

“Do you think this stance makes my butt look big?”



“Ollie, do you really think I’m crazy enough to answer that question?”

In The Beginning

February 1, 2014…that’s when it all started.  If you haven’t read the page “About Ollie and Jewel”  that is the place to start.  Two little dogs, two lonely old people – and that was that!

We didn’t choose which dog was going to belong to whom, the dogs did the choosing.  I had wanted a blue merle female and thought for sure that Jewel would be mine, but Ollie had other ideas.  He chose me and there was no going back.



Jewel on the other hand, seemed to gravitate to Russ.  He loved her from the start!  The dogs had chosen their people.



These two seemed meant for us.  Little did we know at that time the trials we would face with them but more importantly, what we would learn from them.

The love we have given them has been returned to us tenfold. No matter how old we are, or where we are in life, it just seems life is better with a dog (or two).