Oso is a really good therapy dog. I can't take much credit for it. He
reads people really well. He's lousy at readong dogs. He is rarely
nervous or anxious around people no matter how oddly they act. He is
nervous and anxious of any dog that is pushy, busy, rude or just obviously
not under control. When he is on therapy visits he trusts the dogs there
because he trusts me. Yet his talents with people is remarkable. He is
animated, even pushy, with dog lovers, quiet and respectful of those less
sure of dogs. People who tend to worry most dogs - those who are loud or
with jerky movements, or loud raspy breathing - they don't worry Oso at
all. He as sometimes been invited on a visit specifically because of his
tolerance and calmness.

I think he is the most complex dog I've dealt with. His behaviors tend to
the extremes with little in the middle. He either strolls or runs, he
rarely trots. I watched with a smile as he galloped around the house this
afternoon - otherwise he's snoozing. He is either very calm or very
agitated. He is very situation specific - he has one set of reactions in
the public park, another at agility events, another on therapy visits.

Its funny how things so often don't turn out the way you would expect. He
is now 12 1/2 and (knock on wood) in relatively good health. He can jump
in and out of the van and run up and down the stairs. He looks old, he
acts old, except when he decides to gallop around the house chasing Tsuki.
:-)

Diane Blackman

his talents with people is remarkable. He
is animated, even pushy, with dog
lovers, quiet and respectful of those less
sure of dogs. =A0
How wonderful. Must be a joy for you to 'escort'.
My Mac is aloofly indifferent to humans. Half the time, I regret
that. The other half, I don't.





















http://community.webtv.net/k9apple/KissMyGrits

his talents with people is remarkable. He
is animated, even pushy, with dog
lovers, quiet and respectful of those less
sure of dogs. =A0
How wonderful. Must be a joy for you to 'escort'.
My Mac is aloofly indifferent to humans. Half the time, I regret
that. The other half, I don't.





















http://community.webtv.net/k9apple/KissMyGrits

his talents with people is remarkable. He
is animated, even pushy, with dog
lovers, quiet and respectful of those less
sure of dogs. =A0
How wonderful. Must be a joy for you to 'escort'.
My Mac is aloofly indifferent to humans. Half the time, I regret
that. The other half, I don't.





















http://community.webtv.net/k9apple/KissMyGrits

his talents with people is remarkable. He
is animated, even pushy, with dog
lovers, quiet and respectful of those less
sure of dogs. =A0
How wonderful. Must be a joy for you to 'escort'.
My Mac is aloofly indifferent to humans. Half the time, I regret
that. The other half, I don't.





















http://community.webtv.net/k9apple/KissMyGrits

wrote in message
...
Oso is a really good therapy dog. I can't take much credit for it. He
reads people really well. He's lousy at readong dogs.
He is rarely
nervous or anxious around people no matter how oddly they act. He is
nervous and anxious of any dog that is pushy, busy, rude or just obviously
not under control. When he is on therapy visits he trusts the dogs there
because he trusts me.

I think he is the most complex dog I've dealt with. His behaviors tend to
the extremes with little in the middle. He either strolls or runs, he
rarely trots. I watched with a smile as he galloped around the house this
afternoon - otherwise he's snoozing. He is either very calm or very
agitated. He is very situation specific - he has one set of reactions in
the public park, another at agility events, another on therapy visits.



:-) Diane, I have been thinking about this as well, with Coda.
He is also wonderful around people. He's still a bit rambunctious
for the more frail people, however he seems to really know which
people are more interested in him and act accordingly. However,
while not awful around other dogs, he just doesn't really care
about playing or interacting with them. He too gets anxious around
pushy dogs, or dogs that are in super-drive mode (really intense
dogs freak him out), whether they are paying attention to him or
not. When we've gone on visits, it is usually with another person
and their dog. He pays no mind to the other dog (not always the
same dog, either), regardless if it is the bouncy-fun-loving standard
poodle, or if it's the lazy old Golden. But, if we were in a different
setting, a park, or agility event, I know that he would act differently.

When we go out, his main concern is paying attention to *me*
rather than other dogs. Bodhi, OTOH, is quite the opposite. He
is learning to pay attention to me, however he *loves* interacting with
all sorts of dogs. All shapes, sizes, breeds, colors, drive levels, sex,
it doesn't matter. They are such different dogs.



Its funny how things so often don't turn out the way you would expect. He
is now 12 1/2 and (knock on wood) in relatively good health. He can jump
in and out of the van and run up and down the stairs. He looks old, he
acts old, except when he decides to gallop around the house chasing
Tsuki.

Here's to Oso! May he live another 12 1/2 years, and keep bringing
smiles wherever he goes! Coda just turned 4 this past September.
I hope that he too can make it a good long life, I still have a TON of
learning
to do about him! :-)
Shelly & The Boys

wrote in message
...
Oso is a really good therapy dog. I can't take much credit for it. He
reads people really well. He's lousy at readong dogs.
He is rarely
nervous or anxious around people no matter how oddly they act. He is
nervous and anxious of any dog that is pushy, busy, rude or just obviously
not under control. When he is on therapy visits he trusts the dogs there
because he trusts me.

I think he is the most complex dog I've dealt with. His behaviors tend to
the extremes with little in the middle. He either strolls or runs, he
rarely trots. I watched with a smile as he galloped around the house this
afternoon - otherwise he's snoozing. He is either very calm or very
agitated. He is very situation specific - he has one set of reactions in
the public park, another at agility events, another on therapy visits.



:-) Diane, I have been thinking about this as well, with Coda.
He is also wonderful around people. He's still a bit rambunctious
for the more frail people, however he seems to really know which
people are more interested in him and act accordingly. However,
while not awful around other dogs, he just doesn't really care
about playing or interacting with them. He too gets anxious around
pushy dogs, or dogs that are in super-drive mode (really intense
dogs freak him out), whether they are paying attention to him or
not. When we've gone on visits, it is usually with another person
and their dog. He pays no mind to the other dog (not always the
same dog, either), regardless if it is the bouncy-fun-loving standard
poodle, or if it's the lazy old Golden. But, if we were in a different
setting, a park, or agility event, I know that he would act differently.

When we go out, his main concern is paying attention to *me*
rather than other dogs. Bodhi, OTOH, is quite the opposite. He
is learning to pay attention to me, however he *loves* interacting with
all sorts of dogs. All shapes, sizes, breeds, colors, drive levels, sex,
it doesn't matter. They are such different dogs.



Its funny how things so often don't turn out the way you would expect. He
is now 12 1/2 and (knock on wood) in relatively good health. He can jump
in and out of the van and run up and down the stairs. He looks old, he
acts old, except when he decides to gallop around the house chasing
Tsuki.

Here's to Oso! May he live another 12 1/2 years, and keep bringing
smiles wherever he goes! Coda just turned 4 this past September.
I hope that he too can make it a good long life, I still have a TON of
learning
to do about him! :-)
Shelly & The Boys

wrote in message
...
Oso is a really good therapy dog. I can't take much credit for it. He
reads people really well. He's lousy at readong dogs.
He is rarely
nervous or anxious around people no matter how oddly they act. He is
nervous and anxious of any dog that is pushy, busy, rude or just obviously
not under control. When he is on therapy visits he trusts the dogs there
because he trusts me.

I think he is the most complex dog I've dealt with. His behaviors tend to
the extremes with little in the middle. He either strolls or runs, he
rarely trots. I watched with a smile as he galloped around the house this
afternoon - otherwise he's snoozing. He is either very calm or very
agitated. He is very situation specific - he has one set of reactions in
the public park, another at agility events, another on therapy visits.



:-) Diane, I have been thinking about this as well, with Coda.
He is also wonderful around people. He's still a bit rambunctious
for the more frail people, however he seems to really know which
people are more interested in him and act accordingly. However,
while not awful around other dogs, he just doesn't really care
about playing or interacting with them. He too gets anxious around
pushy dogs, or dogs that are in super-drive mode (really intense
dogs freak him out), whether they are paying attention to him or
not. When we've gone on visits, it is usually with another person
and their dog. He pays no mind to the other dog (not always the
same dog, either), regardless if it is the bouncy-fun-loving standard
poodle, or if it's the lazy old Golden. But, if we were in a different
setting, a park, or agility event, I know that he would act differently.

When we go out, his main concern is paying attention to *me*
rather than other dogs. Bodhi, OTOH, is quite the opposite. He
is learning to pay attention to me, however he *loves* interacting with
all sorts of dogs. All shapes, sizes, breeds, colors, drive levels, sex,
it doesn't matter. They are such different dogs.



Its funny how things so often don't turn out the way you would expect. He
is now 12 1/2 and (knock on wood) in relatively good health. He can jump
in and out of the van and run up and down the stairs. He looks old, he
acts old, except when he decides to gallop around the house chasing
Tsuki.

Here's to Oso! May he live another 12 1/2 years, and keep bringing
smiles wherever he goes! Coda just turned 4 this past September.
I hope that he too can make it a good long life, I still have a TON of
learning
to do about him! :-)
Shelly & The Boys

wrote in message
...
Oso is a really good therapy dog. I can't take much credit for it. He
reads people really well. He's lousy at readong dogs.
He is rarely
nervous or anxious around people no matter how oddly they act. He is
nervous and anxious of any dog that is pushy, busy, rude or just obviously
not under control. When he is on therapy visits he trusts the dogs there
because he trusts me.

I think he is the most complex dog I've dealt with. His behaviors tend to
the extremes with little in the middle. He either strolls or runs, he
rarely trots. I watched with a smile as he galloped around the house this
afternoon - otherwise he's snoozing. He is either very calm or very
agitated. He is very situation specific - he has one set of reactions in
the public park, another at agility events, another on therapy visits.



:-) Diane, I have been thinking about this as well, with Coda.
He is also wonderful around people. He's still a bit rambunctious
for the more frail people, however he seems to really know which
people are more interested in him and act accordingly. However,
while not awful around other dogs, he just doesn't really care
about playing or interacting with them. He too gets anxious around
pushy dogs, or dogs that are in super-drive mode (really intense
dogs freak him out), whether they are paying attention to him or
not. When we've gone on visits, it is usually with another person
and their dog. He pays no mind to the other dog (not always the
same dog, either), regardless if it is the bouncy-fun-loving standard
poodle, or if it's the lazy old Golden. But, if we were in a different
setting, a park, or agility event, I know that he would act differently.

When we go out, his main concern is paying attention to *me*
rather than other dogs. Bodhi, OTOH, is quite the opposite. He
is learning to pay attention to me, however he *loves* interacting with
all sorts of dogs. All shapes, sizes, breeds, colors, drive levels, sex,
it doesn't matter. They are such different dogs.



Its funny how things so often don't turn out the way you would expect. He
is now 12 1/2 and (knock on wood) in relatively good health. He can jump
in and out of the van and run up and down the stairs. He looks old, he
acts old, except when he decides to gallop around the house chasing
Tsuki.

Here's to Oso! May he live another 12 1/2 years, and keep bringing
smiles wherever he goes! Coda just turned 4 this past September.
I hope that he too can make it a good long life, I still have a TON of
learning
to do about him! :-)
Shelly & The Boys