Our Dog Scooter; a "Dog Blog"

We recently adopted a dog named Scooter from the local animal shelter. She is 2 years old and is a Bassett/Dach mix. We are taking her to the "basic training" classes held at PetSmart. Scooter is a very fun and interesting person. She is funny, very playful, has a few bad habits like chewing up everything of value, jumping up and hand chewing. She is short unless she is on her hind legs getting items off a table and seems to understand whole sentences so I think I'll try spelling things like: "l-e-t'-s g-o t-o t-h-e s-t-o-r-e" so she won't be rushing and squeezing out the door when it is not a good time for her to go with us. Updates to come!

AUGGHHHHH! My glasses went missing! Need to buy more chew toys!!!!!...02/03/01

Never mind...I found them! Whew!...02/03/01

Having trouble teaching the "COME"...she's got this selective hearing problem. She also goes into a cower mode sometimes when we walk up to her. She's ok if we walk slowly and she hears us talk happy talk. I wonder if the previous owner needed a "Second Step Anger Management" class?...02/06/01
This is totally a sweet, sweet dog! Definitely part of the family!...02/06/01

Her ID tag came in the mail...that was fast...02/08/01

Working on "come" and she is getting much better at this...02/15/01

Scooter graduated from her "basic training" class! She's has been getting much easier to live with and this training really made a difference. We will need to continue with the lessons we learned in class and hopefully will be able to sign her up for more classes...03/03/01

She enjoys chasing the beam from a lazer pointer. Really gets a workout running after this...have to be careful to not let her run into a tree though. She gets so focused on the game I don't think she keeps track of her surroundings very well. If you use one of the lazer pointers for a pet toy remember to read the cautions and don't point it in the eyes!...03/19/01

We got through the fouth of July just fine. Scooter didn't freak out from the sound of fireworks blasing away in the distance!...07/01

She "ate" her expensive new bed. Harumph...08/01

She and my 9 year old were jumping on the small trampoline together. She refused to get off... 10/10/01

Time to renew her license!... 11/01

Well...Scooter chewed up the recycle bin on the porch yesterday. Time to buy more bitterapple. We've been working with her to get her to take treats gently from our hands. She so loves those liver snacks! ouch!...02/14/02

The flashlight and laser beam still seem to be Scooter's favorite things ever. She will start jumping up and down all happy if she so much as hears the key ring, which has the laser light attached, jingle in my pocket. ...12/29/02

Neighbors inform us that Scooter will shove the kid's soccer ball around the (fenced)yard for entertainment while we are at work. I guess he does this quite often. ...01/11/03

The soccer ball is now minus it's cover. At this rate she'll need a new ball before spring! ...02/16/03
We are thinking about adopting another dog as both a family companion and as a friend to Scooter. ...06/19/03

Here's Cinnamon!
Cinnamon at 4 months of age

We got this cute Lab puppy, Cinnamon, October 2004
She and Scooter get along very well and play in the fenced yard...soccer ball and keep away being their favorite games.
We will post photos of more of Scooter and Cinnamon's friends as time allows...12/25/04

A tribute to another Scooter

This looked interesting:

To find out more about Mark Schuette's
Dog Powered Scooter? click on the image above.

graphics from FuzzyFaces Doggy Graphics!

Dogs
Cats
Birds

Fish
Reptiles
Small Pets

Here is Scooter's very patient PetSmart Basic Training Instructor, Laura with her assistant Kabor:
We were surprised to find dog training classes at PetSmart
Pet Training Info: 1-800-465-7387 Ext. 5300 Scooter's teacher, Laura, does a good job of teaching the humans so they can teach their dogs. A very nearly catch 22 kind of effort..but it's all coming together now. Laura uses a great combination of humor and repetition and the humans are starting to comprehend. We humans need constant reward so Laura hands out these neat store coupons each week!

We just ordered Scooter's ID tag. Laura suggests that all dogs have an ID tag even if they already have an imbedded microchip like Scooter does. Lost dogs don't always end up in facilities that have the means to detect and get the readings from a microchip. A tag on the collar is just good added insurance towards getting your lost dog back!
As well as ID tags, I noticed that Schafer's also sells dog halters at a decent price. We are using a halter for Scooter and it seems to work very well. Takes a long time and lots of patience to get some dogs used to wearing these. We just have it on her for walks and training classes and then remove it. We keep her regular collar on her at all times though. Important because of the ID and License tags!

Back to Fauna Pages