She SPEAKS!!!

 Well, this isn't the first time Maizy True spoke... but it IS the first time on camera!!! Yes, I was bribing her with brisket!!! 

She has made a 2 word request on Saturday...not on camera, but I just about died! I'm so proud of her! Many dogs take months to begin interacting and I know she is applying meaning to the buttons. 

My house is NOT camera ready ya'll!! But that's another issue! I'm loving this journey with her! 

But there is so much to do to PREPARE for this little talking dog experiment! Things I never thought of!  You really need to do some data tracking. Many people write things down but Maizy currently has 16 responses that I've bothered to record. It's a good idea to keep track this way...it's searchable. It's easier to look for patterns such as time of day or frequent words when they have a larger vocabulary. One of the dogs from the many boards I follow actually kept talking about "pee" and a day later said "pee ouch".... had a UTI!!  So seeing the pattern is important. 

On a side note, the Fluent Pet bulletin board page TheyCanTalk.org has many of the getting started resources if you are interested. It was there I learned how to create the form that fills in her data tracking. I had used forms to assess students when I was teaching online early in the pandemic so it was a pretty easy jump for me. Maizy's form looks like this:

I can pull it up on my phone and I can also edit that spreadsheet if I think of something later...or make meaning of what she was trying to say with her limited 5 word vocabulary!  

Then there is button placement planning. The "old timers" have really scared the heck out of me. All of the ones I follow have had to move the buttons for some reason or another... realizing one button is used most often with a word that's waaaayyy over there is a frequent complaint. And when the buttons get moved... the dogs regress and stop using them for a while! Think about it: HOW would you feel if you got up and someone decided the S on your keyboard needs to be by the T? And the A would work better by the F? It would befuddle you! And dogs have a shutting down reaction to this. 

While I've found many of the circular layouts on TheyCanTalk.org helpful... I'm a spreadsheet girl. So I made a simply Excel sheet with blocks of six .... six words fit on a soundboard... and grouped by theme.
This is my most current board plan and...it changes daily.

And then, if you want to share this... and I've never wanted to share anything MORE... there's all the social media BS to deal with. UGH!

Macy Blue, American Idol!

Macy Blue sings at least once every day. Often, it's in the middle of the night! Sometimes a siren will set her off. Most of her songs sound happy to me. But some are so sad... I've even flown out of bed and curled up beside her because she seems so distraught. As I've never had a wannabe American Idol, I'm most amused by her songs! I admit, I sing along (so please turn your volume down!) to egg her on!

Haunted Tree? Special Auction

I have been having major computer issues this week. My monitor on my big beastie has been hit an miss and I can't access Mabel's photos to continue with my celebration of her life. New computer monitor + the other huge expenses I've had this month + 3 months of unemployment = Holly in dire straights. If it's not one thing, it's my mother...

Anyway, I thought I would share the last video I shot of the girl, just a few days before she passed. This is a scene I saw frequently in the creek...some shrub moving violently. I would cautiously round a bend to find Mabel enthralled in some chase, oblivious to her own tail!





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And just as I was getting this post ready, I noticed that Mollie and Alfie are hosting a special auction to help me out. I'm speechless at their kind gesture! What little money I've made teaching won't begin to cover the cost of Mabel's surgery. I'll be adding some jewelry to the auction too. But if you have anything to donate, get in touch with Mollie and Alfie's mom via their blog.

Fame Hits the Twinkie Household... AGAIN!

Mabel Lou here.

How lucky can one family be??? I mean what must it be like to have the world's most famous three legged chi chi? Twinkie von Twinkerson is a superstar in her own right. But then this week, her human sister had to go and get famous!

Twinkie (making herself at home on my sofa), Lingui and me

You may have heard the name Daphne Avalon a lot the last few days. Well that Daphne is Twinkie's very own older sister!  She made some video for some guy named Jimmy Kimmel and did some dance move called twerking and then set herself on fire! Daphne is one tough girl... she's a stunt woman which means she jumps off buildings for fun. Heck, I remember when she fell out of a tree...way up high! Daphne's parents and brother and my mom all went racing over to her, just having a fit as humans are prone to do. They were a mess! But Daphne was FINE!



Mom, who has adored Daphne and her older brother since they were born,  and my hiking auntie were just beside themselves to hear and see Daphne everywhere. We had to watch tv alot. Mom kept watching Daphne's twitter feed... she got over 1200 followers in 24 hours. I guess that's famous in the human world.



Here's the funny part... my mom had shared Daphne's video on her Facebook a few days before...but she NEVER looked at the girl's face. She never knew it was our Daphne until she saw the beginning of that first video above on tv. Mom FELL OUT OF BED when she realized it was Daphne.  And unlike Daphne, these falls hurt! Can you  say "Worst Auntie Fail"??? ??

Mom wants me to show you her favorite pic of Daphne. I think Mom just like this cause D is in her very own Ruby tunnel!

While I think Twinkie is the more famous sister and she is a pawsome hiking buddy, Daphne is the nicer sister... she gives good scritches!!! And... she never yells at me like Twinkie does. (Well some sisters let the fame go to their heads!) But seriously, I'm honored to know both of them!!! Mom and I think both sisters are already superstars!! We love them so much and are so proud!!

Daphne's new Facebook Fan Page  and.... Twinkie's

Mabel Fusses Otto

The Last Duck Lunch

I'm not sure why I've put off sharing this duck video for so long. Maybe it was my fear of becoming a "duck blogger" or just my reluctance to admit I'm a serious duck lover. Or maybe it was withdrawals. I don't miss their mess and feeling like I need to supervise Mabel but... I do miss them! This was our last lunch... 7/03/12.

 

On a funny side note... over on YouTube they have an automatic transcription service. Click that button and read along... it's hilarious what it gets wrong and even more amazing what it get's right! Cad = Quack; I'm I'm seat a = Mamasita...You'll enjoy!

I'm certain Mallory still does flyovers and checks in. At first, I thought I must be hallucinating upon hearing an odd quack in the middle of the afternoon. But one day, I was working in the shop and Mabel was snoopervising. I know she heard it too!

It would appear, this relationship is only just getting started...

Talking with Mallards

Just in case you don't believe me when I say that I call my duck and she answers... I have video proof. Watching it again just now... I realized I missed a few of her quacks on the subtitles!



That duck is really something!

Creekhikers - A Video

My bestie has lots of fun with her Mac! The humans were discussing a not so pleasant topic, so she sped up the video and now... it sounds like we are listening to the high pitched inner thoughts of dogs! Check out Mabel Lou's sneeze!! Too funny!

Mabel Argues with a Squirrel

A bit after I took the pictures for yesterday's post, that sneaky squirrel jumped from the date palm to the fence edge and climbed the giant bird of paradise outside my office window...which drove Mabel nuts!

Mabel started crying and the squirrel started fussing.



So I did egg her on a bit and I found it so funny to hear the squirrel carrying on. You would think he would be a bit quieter around such a big dog.

It's an ongoing argument that I'm certain won't end any time soon!

Mabel + Boys = FUN!

I know I've mentioned before that the one thing Mabel most covets would be a boy of her very own. Preferrably in the 8 - 12 range. She has an unreal fascination with boys this age.

I blame this on my Godson. When Mabel was a pup, my Godson was about that age and he would stop by every day after school. He usually brought a few friends with him. I'm certain this was the seed of my girl's obsession.

It grew even more when my childhood best friend came to visit for a month with her husband and three kids. The two boys were 8 and 12. The younger one was Mabel's constant pal. And she made a big impression on him...he named his dog Mabel Lou (or Mabel Too or Mabel Lite as the grownups call her)!

It was a couple of boys that taught Mabel how to enjoy the ocean.

But I've mostly marveled at her boy behavior alone...I've never had a witness...until this week. Two boys were swimming in the creek and Mabel was instantly in love! And the BFF was there to catch it all on video.

I had oral surgery that day and wanted a short and easy walk. That was not to be! Mabel played and ran and nipped at her boys and so I did what I always do when I want her to come on. I left her. Now this will make her stop chasing a deer or a coyote but leave boys??? NO. FREAKING. WAY!

I walked all the way to the car with Bart and Barb before I realized I was going back in for Mabel! So much for easy! Only I got to the end of the levee where I left her and there were no boys and NO MABEL! I heard them down river and took off downstream.

I finally caught up to them about a quarter mile down where I found them and Mabel, their mom and TWO MORE BOYS! No wonder she wouldn't come!

I caught her and started to the car. We made it three steps before she froze and looked longingly at her boys. It was the LONGEST hike to the car EVER! Every three steps, Mabel stopped. She would hear them and stop. Finally I got her to take 10 steps before stopping. The whole way back, I know she was trying to figure out how to get back to them!

I plead my case to her:

• I bet they have a dog tied up in the yard.
• I bet they don't give their dogs marrow bones. 
• They don't come to the creek every day.
• They don't have a queen sized bed. 
• They don't know the recipe to Mabel Lou stew.
• They certainly don't drive a Jeep (perfect vehicle for Mabel's weird greyhound legs!).

No matter what I said...she just kept crying for them. It's hard to know the dog you love and adore would ditch you in a second for a 12 year old boy!

Here's the video the BFF made... I just adore how Mabel's tail will catch the water and create water lassos all around her (2:41).

The BFF likes to set her videos to music. The song "She" is one of my favorites. (Elvis Costello Knotting Hill Soundtrack)

Post Birthday Pawty at the Creek!!!

Mabel Lou here. Yeah, my actual birthday sucked! My mom got home later than EVER! It was 9 at night before I saw her and she still had to eat! So my neighborhood walkie was even later! But when we got back, my mom was down the hall and I heard her yell, "What is THIS?" That used to mean something bad when I was a pup but these days, it usually means she's discovered a cookie I forgot to eat!

I ran to her and there was one of my favorite treats on my bed in the guest room! We went in the bedroom and there was another! It seems my mom hid cookies on all my favorite beds for my birthday! But, I've been so down about not seeing her much, I stayed in the living room all day. I didn't even get up to greet my auntie when she came to see me on my birthday!

The next day, Mom didn't get up before daylight and rush off. She turned off her alarm (that went off in the day light...much later than usual) and we went back to sleep. She sat up and hour later, all freaked out and started rushing around. I ate my breakie expecting her to be gone when I was done... but she was telling me to hurry up and get in the car! The car!!! I get to go! Yay!

Only, we went to the vet! I got to go to the VET for my birthday! I actually like my vet...really nice people there. But I can hear the other dogs in the kennel there and I can smell the adrenaline and I started shaking. I kept pawing my mom's knee to keep her petting me.

They weighed me and I've gained 10 lbs in a year! Oh dear! They said the "D" word which my mom hates. Then the vet pinched me and gave me my shots! I hate that part except Mom scritches my ear and the tech lady give me lots of noms.

I had to get THREE shots: rattlesnake - yeah, I started to play with one last week before I knew it wasn't a lizard. Scared my mom to bits! #2 is lypto...something. It means I can drink the creek water without getting sick. And #3 was rabies. The funny part about that one is my doc went to give it to me in my booty and...there was no fat to pinch. So which is it lady? Am I overweight or am I so svelte you can't find an inch to pinch????

Everyone complimented me on how good I look! My mom just about cried she was so proud.

Mom and I spent the day working in the shop. She was so happy that she didn't get any orders while she was working on that commercial but had a bunch the minute it ended! And that afternoon, we met up with my Auntie B and Bart at the creek and had a hike about. And at the very end of the hike, we ran into Chloe the Dobie and our buddy Atilla (the Aussie) and a new pup on her very first off leash venture to the creek! Her name is Sandy and you'll be able to spot her.



So in the end, I had a GREAT birthday pawty - just a day late! Did you see me giving that pup Sandy a run for her money??? Mom couldn't believe this old gal was keeping up with the pupsters!

The best pressie of all was getting my mom back. She's telling me we will have four days together before she has to do another commercial! I'm loving every minute of it!

Christmas Week Storms

Am I the only one who takes a ton of pics and then completely forgets to blog about it?

Our Christmas week storms flooded the creek. We won't be rock hopping any time soon! This is the Haines Canyon Channel just above Dirty Creek. Check out the waves.

This is Dirty Creek... the water nearest me is where we usually stroll.

And this is the Big Tujunga River:

Bad Vicious Rottenweiler

Just listen to that growl!!!  I'm sure Mabel Lou will chime in about the way I end our stick sessions - by pressing her on the nose until she cough / sneezes! LOL!

The Children Just Don't Understand...

...when the grownups aren't friends anymore....


[Edited 10/14 - Youtube deleted my video... thanks Youtube. But I'm kinda glad. It pained me to see Mabel so sad, longing for friends who no longer wanted to hike with us. ]

Johnny - Before He Got Lost

For those of you that don't read along... he was found at the car. He's fine! This is the BFF's neighbor who comes over to her house and won't leave so...we took him to the creek for the first and last time!

Bart's Walk

Did you see??? He takes himself for a walk.

It warms my heart to know that this dog that others had given up on has a second chance at life... a good life with people who love him and train him and get him lots of exercise.

Cream of the Crop

Twinky licking the cream.

One day while reading Alison's blog, I read that she got her dog, the glorious Cheyenne, a cup of whipped cream when they went to a coffee shop together.

I've been doing that for Mabel ever since(Mabel sends her eternal thanks, Alison!) and it's especially funny when I do this with one of our hiking packs. But I never had a camera with me...until yesterday.

I've written about the gorgeous trail my friend Kat introduced us too around Christmas. Yesterday, I was having a very stressful Monday when Kat called and asked us to join them on the trail. Being Monday, we didn't get there until 1:30 and it was scorching hot.

The creek is way down with our sudden temperature spike.

Kat also has yet another addition to her menagerie. With four dogs, the heat and me just feeling cranky, we only hiked around two hours before meeting up again at Starbucks. Here's a video of the girls and their cream:


Dialog:

00:01 - OK girls, here we are with Lily our newest pack member... .

00:05 - And Twinky

00:08 - ...and Linguini is the white and black Dalmatian and Mabel... Mabel is the rottie mix.

00:17 - So we're gonna have some whipped cream.

00:22 - So this is Twinky's

00:23 - Kat: These are my pants!

00:25 - This is Twinky's ...yes it is. O.K.

NOTE: I found that if I call out which dog is getting the cream, there is no issue with the others in the pack!


00:30 - Kat: These are my jeans! {She was worried I would spill!}

00:31 - This is going to be 'guini's...yes it is!

00:40 - Next, we're gonna get Mabel. Mabel? We have whipped cream!

00:50 - And would Lily like to try some whipped cream?

00:54 - Kat: I don't know man.

00:55 - Maybe just a little??

00:57 - Kat: No.

00:58 - No, we're not going to do this? THIS IS TWINKY'S!

01:00 - Kat: After (unintelligible)...she got diarrhea... There goes your video!

01:07 - This is 'guini's

01:13 - This is Mabel's... And that's our pack eating whipped cream!

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I realized that I really need a wider shot of the girls. As I call out one pup's name, the other's will look at the one. It's so cute that they know each other's names and share so well!

Twinky had cream on her chin for the longest time. She could smell it but would lick UP instead of down!

Mabel was quite the center of attention...It's weird but people often focus on ONE dog! Some boys sat down next to us with Jello pudding cups and a can of whipped cream and Mabel went nuts! They ended up sharing their cream with her to the chagrin of the rest of the girls!

After a hot walk and a snack, Twinky fell asleep in my lap!

Why Mabel Loves Her Granny

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