Thursday, December 9, 2010

Controlling Bella..

This sweet girl.
We have sent her to obedience school.
We have tried to train her with a gentle leader.
We have tried a prong collar.
We try to love her, spanke her, shock her (I am not a supporter of this), and coddle her into behaving.
We ask her nicely and we yell.
We do everything in our right minds to not allow her to jump on people.


Let me tell you a quick story.
Way back when, I just had BUOY, the BEAGLE. My friend Summer had a sweet, beautiful chocolate lab named Tahoe. Tahoe loved to climb in my lap and jump on me when I came in the door. I would sometimes feel like, "Oh man, why can't Tahoe just behave?"...


Then I got Bella. I should have known when someone gave her to us at PetSmart. I should have known.
She is a whole different breed.
She is my baby girl. :)
And I think I have found a solution for her jumping.


Put a very large jingle wreath on her!!
I was going to give this wreath to our Bachelor friend John, who desperately needs decorations in his very barren Christmas home. So I had it sitting out, ready to go. And I just put it on Bella for fun.
She FROZE.
I showed Brandon.
She stayed still.
Buoy ran and played fetch with us.
She didn't move.
WHAT?!?!
That is unheard of!!!
She saw Buoy eating food, she didn't move. She was paralyzed. With fear? I'm not sure...
But I am happy!
I found a solution!
Sorry, John...you're not getting this wreath...

John and our friend Adam came over to study last night and I put the wreath on her. And it worked. She didn't jump on them (as much)....she just came close to them...which is appropriate. She didn't lick them and climb in their laps, as is normal.  It was AMAZING.  So, if you have a naughty child...maybe try the jingle wreath on them?!?! ;)


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name
gray ric rac copy

12 comments:

  1. That is amazing! Haha! Bless her heart the jingling probably scared her to death when she moved! Haha...so funny. Got your Christmas card by the way! SO cute! :)

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  2. "Sorry, John...you're not getting this wreath..."

    Laughed out loud...it's times like these I'm glad I have the office to myself.

    Kathryn

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  3. LOLLLLL!!!! I love it Brooke!! Obedience & style all in one! She looks adorable!

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  4. I have read your blog for quite awhile, and I have never posted, some out of fear of what to say, how to say it, so I just prayed for you instead, but for some reason this post, I LOVE, not that I don't love the others, I guess because I can totally relate with a bad doggie, oh and 2 very wild boys, so I need 3 of these wreaths, have you started making them yet?
    I am also from Ky!

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  5. HA HA HA!!!! We still have issues with Tahoe sometimes ... maybe we need a jingle wreath! When my parents bring her at Christmastime, we will try it! I miss you so much! You don't even know! You are in our thoughts and prayers! I loved your Christmas card and love reading your blog! I am sorry you guys are having trouble with your rental ... bad timing! I hope you are able to get away for a fun vacation:):) Love you!

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  6. Haha hillarious! Toby gets the same way (paralyzed!) if you put a dog sweater on him. We used to do it if we were going to our inlaws or somewhere we needed him to be calm.

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  7. Genius. Bella and our Great Dane, Cora Blue, should be friends. She's crazy. She's big. We've tried just about everything, too. I'm adding "Jingle Wreath" to my shopping list.

    PS~I thought you, Bella, and Buoy were at the dog park on base yesterday and I got SO excited. Turns out it was another cute, sweet blonde with two dogs who could probably see the disappointment on my face when she got close enough for me to see who she was. :) Love you, Friend!

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  8. Hey Brooke,
    I am looking for your email? Do you have one that you put on your blog?

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  9. This is so funny and sweet! What a sweet "looking" dog. Love your Christmas decorations!

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  10. Too funny! Now you'll just need to get a jingle wreath for all seasons. :)

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  11. I think I need to try this with our dog, Willis! He is out of control when it people come in to our home. Such a loving a sweet pup but so rotten at the same time.

    Have you tried it again? Is it still working?

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  12. She is so precious! My dog brody freezes up like that when I put a sweater on him. ;) first I have to catch him, and then the sweater does it's magic. If I ever want to get good pics of him all I have to do is get out the sweater, because he will for sure sit still. :)

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