The look of guilt...

So Busted...

This is the look of a dog that KNOWS she's doing something she shouldn't be doing. Anyone that knows me and Sparkle for that matter, knows that my dog is spoiled; perhaps rotten. But she minds, as much as a Dalmatian puppy can (or wants to). When she naps, she finds an empty chair or couch to sleep on. I've tried a bed, she thinks the couch, or my husbands chair if he's not home, is hers. She is coming along nicely on her obedience, coming when called, sit, stay, leave it, and some of the other more specific things related to showing and going into the Rally and/or Obedience ring. But in our house there are areas that we call AFZ, animal free zone. The most important of these areas is the formal living room and kitchen; I really hate dogs under foot while I'm cooking. And there is the upstairs, which the cat even honors that rule. But I'm sure this rule will change for Sparkle when she is older and no longer has to sleep in her crate. I know she would love to sleep with my little one, but #1, she's still to little to have a dog that weighs 15 pounds more then her sharing a bed and #2 my little one has to many stuffed animals that Sparkle, being a puppy, would love to chew on. Anyway, back to being busted. When the weather is nice and sunny, like today, I open the front door (with the glass storm door closed) to let the sun in. It bakes the entry way, but it's free heat, thank you sun, and the dog loves to lay in the sun. We have a nice rug in the entry way which always seems just fine for little Miss Spotty to sleep on. But I guess today she was feeling particularly more like a princess then usual because she was laying on my love seat in the formal living room. I guess it was my fault, I didn't put the gate up all the way and she just walked around it... But still, look at that face and try to tell me she didn't know she was wrong... That is the look of guilt people... So I took a rolled up newspaper and smacked my hand and said, "Bad Human" for not putting up the gate all the way. (Shame on you if you thought I hit my dog. If you leave opportunity for your dog to misbehave, you have no one to blame but yourself.) Then, after taking the picture, I told The Spot, "No! Off!" And shoo'd her out of the living room. The gate is now in its proper place. 

What are you...

There are some breeds that are know for their tracking, their are some that are known for their drooling, some that are known for their barking and/or howling and their are some that are known for using their feet when they play. Just so we are are clear a Dalmatian is NOT known for any of these things! When I was getting my Rally Titles on my Rotties there was a man that had two Malamutes. They were beautiful and well behaved, a perfect ambassador for their breed. But once he got them in the ring, they "talked" the whole time. Don't misunderstand me, they were great and did what they were suppose to do; in fact it was always my dogs and his dogs vying for the top spots. It was a riot to see these dogs doing perfect obedience while "talking back" the whole time. I only saw them doing Rally, never in the Obedience ring, I don't know how those judges would react or take that. In Rally, however, there was always a laugh, and sometimes even from the judge. You think I have gotten off topic, but really I haven't. I told you that story, because Malamutes are known talkers. And boxers are known to play with their feet, or "box" then they play. So I'm really hoping the video above loads properly, or this is all for not. Sparkle does a lot of funny, odd, interesting, naughty.... things, the reason behind the blog, but one of the things that she does that is not typical of her breed is "talk". I've mentioned it in pervious posts, but in the video above (I hope) is Miss Sparkle telling me its dinner time. The only thing I'm doing to get her to do this is not look at her. She knows its dinner time because she gets fed once the kids are in bed for the night. I knew she would do this if I did take her right out to get fed. Please enjoy the video, and don't judge my 
mess; I have small children, a dog and a husband (I love you honey). She will also do this 
same thing if my husband is eating jerky and not sharing.