Manners - doggie style

When Gracie was about 6 months old, we began our regular outings to the dog park. On our first few visits, I would point out things I thought she should know. For example, I explained to her that Border Collies were there to play ball or Frisbee. They would not think she was cute and play tag with her. I also explained that some German Shepherds can be very friendly, while others might be standoffish. She should proceed to introductions carefully. And of course, I told her that some boys just couldn't control themselves - neutered or not - and so if all else failed, she should just sit down and tell them to go away.
Of course, the best lessons were taught to her by other dogs. Her first lesson in manners came from three Cattle dogs who did not appreciate her Lab enthusiasm in their midst. Thereafter, Gracie would approach a group of dogs with a bit more deference, showing her submissive side until the unspoken "all clear" sign was given.
Gracie is not a submissive dog by nature, so learning this form of etiquette was a challenge for her. Now almost 3 years old, she will show a modicum of submission when first meeting new dogs, but it is clear that she wants to be in charge.
The only exception is with a dog name Hunter. Hunter is a beautiful Rhodesian Ridgeback. We see him mostly on the weekends when we arrive early enough at the park. Hunter has never made any aggressive moves toward Gracie, but when she sees him on the path, she sinks into full submissive mode. Her tails scoops under her belly, she bows her head and looks away. All 85 pounds of her seem to magically melt into a very small dog. She will even step off the trail. Hunter trots by her with barely a glance in her direction. Once he is several yards down the trail, Gracie is herself again.
I marvel at the complex social structures created by the dogs at the dog park. I'm sure there are lessons there for us humans as well.

Learning a Second Language

My friend Steve is thinking about retiring to Mexico. His retirement date is a aways off, but he's making an attempt to learn Spanish in the meantime. This got me thinking about learning to speak dog.

I'm frequently amazed at how well Gracie communicates with me. Between her facial expressions, body language and bark, I almost always interpret her message correctly. I suspect this comes from us spending so much time together - much as it would with a human companion.

Gracie didn't bark until she was about 7 months old. It surprised both of us when she finally let out her first "woof." As any proud parent would, I went to great lengths to share this experience with my friends. As friends of indulgent parents do, they listened thoughtfully and did not roll their eyes (at least not in my presence).

Gracie mostly barks to alert me to some important occurrence in the neighborhood:

• The warning bark: this sounds like a muffled "woof." Her checks puff out air to make the sound. It almost sounds like a human "huh?" or "what?" Her ears prick up and her upper body tightens. I can provoke the warning bark by asking her if she has seen Romeo, the hapless neighbor cat who likes to sit in the street and dodge cars. The mere mention of his name engages the warning bark and requires the household to increase it's threat level to Yellow.
• The alarm bark: this is the "woof" without the f at the end. It sounds like "Woowoowoowooowooo!" with a staccato beat. By now her legs have stiffen and with each "woo" her front legs bounce off the floor. The hair on back stands on point signifying the threat level has been raised to Orange.
• The "make my day" bark: This bark is a series of repeated "woowoowoo" with some "grrrrrrrrs" thrown in and sometimes a gnashing of teeth. The bark usually only surfaces when a neighborhood dog dares to walk past our front window. This is the bark where Gracie ceases to be the stereotypical Labrador clown and becomes the intimidating guard dog. The threat level has moved to Red.

Gracie also has a playful bark that she uses to wheedle more food out of me. This bark consists of her standing in the kitchen staring longingly at the cupboard where her food is stored. She then checks to see if I'm watching. If I am, she perks her ears forward and smiles at me. Then bowing forward, she gives me a "wwuuuuuvvv" type sound followed by a front paw to the cupboard. If I'm too obtuse to understand, the behavior continues until I give in.

How does your dog communicate with you? How have you learned to listen to and understand his or her language?

Book Review: From Baghdad, With Love

From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War and a Dog Named Lava

by Lt. Col. Jay Kopelman with Melinda Roth

I admit it - I tend to judge a book by its cover. That's probably why I picked up this book in the first place. It was difficult to resist the sweet innocent puppy face that graced the cover. I'm sure my eyes next traveled to the title. Baghdad, huh. I didn't think they liked dogs much over there. As it turns out an Iraqi will save Lava's life, all the while denying he gives two hoots about dogs.

Lava becomes a symbol for Lt. Col. Kopelman. Lava is the last innocent in Kopelman's crazy existence. War thunders around him. Burned out cars along the road are blowing up as the marines drive by. The Iraqi soldiers he was sent to train may or may not show up to battle on any given day. Lava brings normality to Kopelman's daily activities. He is the reminder of home - what's more free than tossing the Frisbee with your dog at the park?

While Kopelman makes a few comments about the our involvement in Iraqi, the story is really about a rescue. An attempt to save one dog and in turn, the soul of one man. Spoiler alert: Lava makes it home. The writing is clear and crisp adding to the tension and drama. Happily there are photos of a well-fed Lava romping in a California dog park. The sure sign of a happy ending.

I wanted to share two passages:

"One morning I wake up and find Lava sitting near my sleeping bag staring at me with his left ear flapped forward and the remains of a toothpaste tube stuffed in his mouth. "Morning," I say. He replies with a minty belch and then barfs up standard-issue Colgate all over my sleeping bag."

And this one, the most poignant of all. Kopelman makes it back to the States before Lava does. He is waiting word:

"And then the email arrives. But instead of opening it, you sit there and stare at the computer... Then you open it.

Iraq closes its borders with Jordan. Four Romanian journalists are kidnapped in Baghdad. A major US newspaper reports that "mental disorders" among Afghanistan and Iraq veterans are on the rise.

Then you read it.

Car bombs kill eleven more in Baghdad.

As of 1600 hours Iraq time, Lava is out of the country.

Twenty US troops are wounded at the Abu Ghraib prison attack.

And for the second time in your adult life, you break down and cry."

So if you are looking for a good read, I highly recommend this book. If you've read it, let me know your thoughts.

The bulletin board

I tacked a note on the Minto bulletin board this afternoon with the web address for this blog. I'm hoping some folks from the park will feel compelled to check out the writings and leave some of there own.

Strange thing about the dog park - I ran into a woman today that I worked with about 10 or 12 years ago. She recognized me and struck up a conversation. Sometimes this happens. Talking about our dogs seems to be a safe way to make introductions, renew acquaintances and build community. This is a big help for someone like me who tends to be more introverted and shy. Fortunately, I have a chocolate lab whose picture is next to the dictionary definition of extrovert and who's not the least bit shy to give a sniff hello and a big kiss on the lips.

Rain, rain and more rain

Only in Oregon can the sun be shining while it is raining. Each day during the winter months I scan the western horizon and try to gauge the direction of the rain clouds. This morning, the sun broke through the gray clouds. I loaded Gracie in the Escape and made my way to Minto. Half way there the rain drops fell on the windshield. I craned my neck to check the clouds - a few high clouds, but a lot of blue sky. Nuts. My grandma use to say there would be three more days of rain if it rained while the sun was out.

Thirty-one years in Oregon has taught me two things: be prepared to enjoy outdoor activities in the rain and always have your rain gear handy. As I parked at the Minto parking lot, I donned my sunglasses, slipped on my rain pants and pulled on my rain parka. I stuffed my gloves in my pocket just in case the wind picked up.

Gracie doesn't need rain gear. Her lab coat provides her with all the protection she needs. So she gets impatient waiting for me to get organized. I hesitate a minute trying to decide if I need to wear my hat - a lovely fashion statement of waterproof material and ear flaps. I leave it behind trusting my growing experience in predicting the weather - the blue sky on the western horizon is overtaking the clouds. This must be the break the weatherman called for.

Gracie danced frantically begging me to throw the ball. She leaped at me several times trying to snatch it from the Chuck It. On her third leap she took me down. I landed unceremoniously in a soup of mud (and I'm afraid to think of what else). I congratulated myself for having the foresight to suit up in my rain gear. I chucked the ball for Grace so she would not feel inclined to "help" me up. As she dashed after her prized tennis ball, I mustered what remaining dignity I had and hobbled back to the car to towel off.

Once upon a time

My favorite dog park story happened long before I had Gracie. Many years ago I would borrow my friend's Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix - a neurotic handful named Fergie, and head to the park for a game of ball. One day while I was there, an older couple were desparately trying to corral their dog and get him in the car. My memory conjures up some type of springer spaniel for this story, but I can't be sure. As the man chased the dog around the park trying to snap the leash on him, the woman stood dejectedly by the car. To anyone who would listen she said: "We wanted grandchildren, but our daughter gave this dog instead." I laughed out loud. Probably not the response she wanted.

The off leash park at Minto Brown is a the McDonald's playland of the dog world. While I don't necessarily believe dogs are small children in fur coats, it is my intention to provide Gracie with a meaningful dog life. So I appreciate this wonderland of open space. Dogs are, after all, pack animals and I think they appreciate the opportunity to be dogs.

Remind me to tell you about Gracie and a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Hunter.

Let the adventure begin

For two years, my dog Gracie and I have been frequent visitors to the off-leash dog park at Minto-Brown. Rain or shine you can usually find us there. Sometimes we're there in the early mornings when the fog is beginning to lift and you can only hear the geese overhead. Other times we're there at mid-day when parking is at a premium and have to take a number to get a spot in the parking lot. And in the summer months we show up as the sun dips behind the giant cottonwood trees.

The park has been a life-saver for me. Gracie is a rambunctious chocolate lab who needs weekly interactions with other people and, especially, other dogs.

I think we are very lucky to have such a large off-leash area in the heart of Salem. I have been "googling" other dog parks in the Willamette Valley to compare features and attributes. I have noticed that some dog parks have volunteer organizations responsible for the maintenance, sustainability and improvement of the park area. Seattle, for example, has a group called COLA (Citizens for Off-Leash Areas) that has been able to bring about significant improvements to their dog parks. Check them out at: http://www.coladog.org/

What kind of things could we do for Minto?

Many of you have spent your weekends spreading barkdust on the trails in an attempt to keep the mud at bay.

Some of you have influence at City Hall and the Parks Department and have been able to secure new gravel for the parking lot and a port-a-potty for the humans to use.

All of us have the capability to keep this off-leash area safe, clean and a fun place to play.

From time to time I'll be posting my observations and dog park stories on this site. If the opportunity comes up, I would also be glad to provide this blog as a forum for brainstorming and organizing ideas for keeping our dog park the happiest place in Salem (with apologies to Disneyland).

Let me hear from you.