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Cooper
Our featured dog is Cooper, a German Shorthaired Pointer. Cooper is 4 years old and loves playing with his stuffed squirrel, playing with friends and eating yummy treats! Cooper’s favorite activity with his human is running, walking, fetching, running some more and sleeping on the bed when dad is not looking. Cooper’s daily routine is to wake up, go for a run, eat breakfast, then go for a run followed by having friends over to run with. Cooper helps his neighbor do yard work (picking up pinecones.) Then it is time for a nap. More running before his human comes home. Cooper plays fetch about five times before night night. Cooper says that he is so” very, very handsome. Lots of people think I have spots like a dalmatian, but it is called ticking, thank you very much.”
Hi Jasmine,
I have a new puppy and my mommy wants me to feed him, but mommy gets this dog food stuff that smells gross. I want to feed my puppy my food, especially stuff I don’t really want to finish. What do you think about me doing that?
Drew
Hey Drew -
from, JasmineYour mom is probably getting some food that is especially for growing pups. This is a good thing, and helps pups grow healthy and strong. You gotta remember two things, first we’re dogs, so smell and looks really don’t matter in food. Secondly, we grow up very fast. In one of your years, your pup will grow 7 years, so the food has to be super nutritious and all that. So, I don’t think it is good for you to give your pup any of your food, especially when you really don’t want it. And what’s up with that, you are growing too, so you should eat the food your mom gives you as well. It’s probably some veggies that you don’t like. Now give me some good ole’ salmon skin, fresh off the grill, that’s “Good Eats”.
Jasmine,
What makes you the most nervous? I am a cat and people staring at me makes me crazy. What about you?
Tina
Hey Tina –
from, JasmineWell, when people stare at me, I wag my tail! Of course, I always think I am the center of the human’s universe. Actually what makes me nervous is thunderstorms. Grrrrr, I hate them and they really make me jumpy. When one is coming, of course I know about it a long time before the humans, I start to get nervous, and I pace back and forth, and can’t eat or drink. The humans don’t get it, until THEY hear thunder. I don’t think I am alone, I’ve got a few of my buddies that all are the same way with storms, so I am not alone there.
But that’s the the thing that makes me most nervous. By the way, why don’t you ever wag your tail?
Hey Jasmine – how can you eat the same food every day? Doesn’t that get old? There is no way I could eat the same thing every day! — Jack T.
Jack – Thanks for the question. You know it may sound funny to you humans, but I don’t even know what I ate yesterday. You see, as a dog, I go more by training, instinct, and schedule than anything else. Now I do have things I won’t eat, like veggies (Yuk!!). But that is not because I had them yesterday, or don’t like the taste. I am naturally a carnivour, and veggies just don’t do much for me. But for my food, hey, my humans have got me on a schedule of when I eat, and when that time hits, and something is in my dish, don’t get in my way!! If it is the same as yesterday, it might be meaningful to you humans, but to me, it’s food, and I want it!!
from, Jasmine– Jasmine –
I love it! Jazz is so smart! Clever too!
from, GrampsBARK JASMINE!!!
i hate veggies.i like to play with them and toss them in the air.my mommy human forgets about them and will find them rottin under couches weeks later. FUNNY!!!!
Rascall
Dear Rascall,
from, JasmineI hate veggies too! Some of my doggie friends will eat ANYTHING! Not me. Some of my pals even will say that carrots or something GREEN of all things are favorites. No thanks! I love it when mommy is cooking and she drops things like cheese or chicken; now that is what I call yummo!!!! BUT I agree with you Rascall; there is no better toy to toss around than some green or orange thing. I am sure I have many hidden around the house. Mommy thinks I eat them and she is so excited; they are really in the couch cushions! But don’t tell my humans, ok?
Happy Waggin’ Rascall!
Jas,
Every night after dinner, I like to take a sniff in the garbage can. I scratch the pantry door until my human opens it for me just so I can have a little sniff. I’m just curious. Is this a bad thing?
Your pal,
Cooper
Hi Cooper! I LOVE to sniff around everything but there is something pawsitively special about the garbage can. My humans never seem to enjoy it like I do; they will say “the garbage can stinks, take it outside” and I wonder what they mean by that. I think it smells wonderful; I am glad you share my interests! It isn’t bad to smell it, but I do know that dumping it over and eating out of it can make you sick so don’t do that Coop! Have a waggin’ good day!
from, JasmineJasmine,
The holidays are here, again! Unfortunately, it’s a time of the year when more dogs fall ill. This can be due to ingesting poisons whether scraps from holiday meals or toxins found in holiday plants or decorations. Are there any must avoid foods? In particular, I am curious about whether dogs can eat garlic.
from, Carolyn
Hi Carolyn,
from, JasmineI would eat practically EVERYTHING if mommy did not keep certain things away from me (and sometimes I just hate that!) Her food smells so yummy sometimes, but she says there are things I cannot have. When mommy eats garlic she gets really bad breath, so maybe that is why I cannot eat it. BUT since I have been told that I have bad breath sometimes without eating garlic, I don’t think that is a reason. I did some looking around and here is a list of things that we doggies should not have. Garlic is in there along with onions. What a bummer; mommy thinks she is Italian and I think I would like to be too!
Happy Waggin’ Carolyn!
Jasmine,
Why do some dog get upset and growl at their next door neighbors?
from, Susan
Susan,
Hey, why do you humans ignore or not talk with your human neighbors? You know, sometimes they just get under your skin, and you just don’t click with them. My next door neighbors are a couple of little shit-zoos. Since we have a bit fence between us, we never get together, but we talk to each other a lot. Then after a few minutes, one of our human owners will tell us to quit barking. I feel like telling the humans to just get a grip, but I don’t.
I have a couple neighbors, one is a little white dog, don’t know what breed he is, but about a third my size. Every time we meet on a walk, it is the same thing, he jumps up on me, yaps constantly, and tries to bite my ears. Well, someone has to be the adult, so I just stand there and let him. We get along pretty well actually. When I can, we play around a bit.
Then there is this other dog on my walk that sometimes I see. He walks with his nose up in the air and thinks his stuff just doesn’t stink. Grrrrr he drives me nuts. I mean, give me a break, we could be friends, but no, he has to try to show his human he is “Superdog” or some dumb thing. Every time I see him, I get upset, and the fir stands up on the back of my neck.
from, JasmineJasmine,
Why do you get so upset when a thunderstorm is coming?
from, Jason
Jason,
There are a lot of reasons, but first, you gotta understand I am not a human. You all seem to forget that a lot of times. My hearing, sense of smell, and size are a lot different than you humans. I don’t want to get too technical for you, but you know a storm always involves a difference in atmospheric pressure. My sensitive ears really pick that up, and it hurts. So a lot of my reaction is because of the pressure hurting my ears. Also, my skin and fur is ultra sensitive to electricity, and what is lightning but electricity.
Besides all of that, I just like things all nice and calm. I don’t like a lot of commotion, or things changing. When lights flicker, I get very nervous. A lot of my buddies could care less, give them a bone to chew or a big pillow, and you could shake the house down, they wouldn’t move, but not me. Guess to some degree, I am just special that way.
from, JasmineJasmine,
A lot of people keep their dogs in crates for training or at night, what’s your opinion?
Kristen
Kristen,
Well, when my humans first got me and took me to my new home, they put me in a crate. I was a lot smaller than I am now, and frankly the crate looked enormous to me. They put a nice soft pad in it and a couple of my favorite toys, and it really wasn’t bad. They said it for training, but as time passed, I really got into it and really made it my own room.
Now that I am fully grown up, I still sleep in it at night time, and you know, I really like having it all to myself. Humans say I like it because dogs are “den animals”, but I don’t get that scientific. To me, it is just my space with my toys, and my very best smells, and the best part is – no humans allowed. At night, while the humans are watching TV or doing some crazy human thing, I’ll get tired and go to my crate and just curl up and go to sleep. It’s my own room, and I like it.
from, Jasmine