Last week my sweet, sweet brother the Chicken gave me the most glorious I-Am-Saved-A-Versary surprise — he gave promises of my very own regular block party blog party! I was like, Whoa Chick, you should not have have! (Even though in the realities, he really should have. Did you know that for a hundred bazillion years he has already had his own weekly block blog party? And if you knew, why didn’t anybody tell me??)
Probably it’s because I have so many clevers, but my sweet sweet brother decided to gift me my very own advices column! (For a minute I was most flummoxed — but only for a minute because after a minute it became so very clear). He thought that his ‘Bug (that’s me, by the ways) would be a good advices-giver since I am a Canine Good Citizen, I have much much dogtor-experiencement, I have played many many sports, I have passed his mandatory one-year trial of adoptedness, I enjoy a fine scotch, and I love to read. Boy am I well rounded (and I don’t mean fat!).
So starting next week, my interwebs family, I will be offering you my very best advices. As you can see, I am very well-read. So I can give you my best advices about all kinds of things — from dog things, to what to buy your dad for Texas Independence Day, to what is the most efficientest way to tie a butterfly knot, to which charity you should donate your green papers to. And here’s the best part: my advices will be absolutely FREE!
So please send your questions to my mama. You can leave them in comments on this block blog party, or you can she-mail them to my mama at info [at] loveandaleash [dot] com. Just make sure you put “Dear Doodlebug” in the subject lines so that we know that your mails are for me, ok?
See you and your burning questions next week!
XO, the ‘Bug
Love and a Six-Foot Leash 
This is going to be a great party, ‘Bug. You are so smart and cute, we can hardly wait for next week.
I LOVE IT BUG!!! So cute! You are one adorabull bug!
Can’t wait to read your advice!
Yay – I was wondering when you’d have your own blog. I can’t wait to hear (see) what you have to say, Doodlebug!! XO
Dear Doodlebug 🙂 I am so happy for you and your new advice blog -and I can’t wait to read it! I do have a question :)…
Do you or Chix have any suggestions or porters for teaching “leave it”. I have a very smart (and stubborn) pup who is great with sit, down, paw, wait and roll over – but drop it… no chance, especially when it’s a tennis ball. She doesn’t understand we will throw it for her a lot more and quicker if she will let go of it. I try not to tug and pull, I don’t want to encourage her that it is game, and i haven’t found anything more enticing then that ball for her to drop it in exchange.
You and Chix are such good pups – what would you suggest we try? Thanks Doodlebug!!
Erin & Evie (the tennis ball hog)
opps…I meant “drop it” 🙂
I think I hear GD (Gentlemen’s Dog) Quarterly calling now for that cover photo!
Congrats Doodle!!! Can’t wait to read your block, I mean blog party experience.
Awesome. I can’t wait to read the Bug’s advice!
What a great idea Doodlebug! Can’t wait to read your new advice blog. 🙂 Love the pics too!
Many are waiting for the release please update us all.
Dear Doodlebug, you are such a handsome fellow! I look forward to reading your advices. I do have a question. My daughter, Aeryn, loves to eat pigs ears. Is it okay to give her a pigs ear every day?
I’ll be all ears for your weekly blog party, Bug! errr… I mean all eyes? Awesome idea!
Oh my gosh that is the best thing ever! I will have lots of questions for you because my mama needs LOTS of trainings.
Brilliant! WOOF WOOF 🙂 🙂
Dude, your dream came true and so did mine!!!! I have so many questions I don’t know where to start! Dear Doodlelicious, what suggestions do you have for teaching a new dog to avoid distractions on walks (people, other dogs, flying tissue paper) so that he (or even she) does not see said thing, freeze like a statue in that direction and then pull the bejeezus toward it. Started using gentle leader harness but he (or she) still locks in on the ‘the target’. Thanks sir-awesomeness!
Oh Doodlebug, you are ever so handsome in your tie and glasses! I cannot wait for your new column! I wish I could hug you and chix in person!
I can’t wait for your first column, Doodlebug! (By the way, you look amazingly handsome in that last picture.) 🙂
This is SOOOOO awesome! I bet you are going to get slammed with questions, Doodlebug! I can’t wait to check back next week to read all of the advice you’ve given. I might even have to think of a question to she-mail to your mama =)
Love, love, love this idea!! Can’t wait for your first piece of advice! 🙂
How very exciting, your own advice column… I can’t wait to read all about it!
How can one deny those eyes????
Move over, Dr. Laura and Dear Abby, there’s a new top dog in town!!
I can’t think of a better dog for the job! I can’t wait to read your new column!
I can’t wait to read your new advice section! Love the photos
Congratulations on your own ‘Bug Blog! I can’t wait to read all of your wisdom each week. P.S. You look great in glasses! xo
Omg, that last picture cracked me up! Can’t wait for the Dude’s insites!
-Corbin’s momma Jenn
Dear Dude,
Rainy, icky winter weather means our girls don’t want to go outside and romp or play fetch. How do you and Chick entertain yourselves when you’re coped up inside? Any ideas on how we can help our girls blow of steam that don’t involve crazy zoomies all over the house?
Thanks!
Dear Doodlebug,
I need your advises on separation anxiety! If I recall you had a bit of anxiety when you first came home from the slammer ? Can you please help as we have a foster dog that is really suffering from this and she just wants to be with people all the time. She loves people so much but does not like to be left alone at all :o(
Thanks so much for any wisdom you can offer X
Dear Mr. Bug,
What are your advices to get me to behave while in the car? I do so enjoy a car ride, but I get so excited sometimes that I misbehave. My mama sometimes uses a doggie harness, but sometimes we just need to go somewhere quick, and she is too lazy to put me in the harness. Are there any good ways to get me to be more calm so my momma doesn’t yell at me and threaten to pull the car over?
Thanks,
Hazel the Monkey-Puppy
He is so stinkin’ cute; I can’t stand it. What a great idea! So glad to see that there were will be features for both of them. You’ve created such a great voice for Chick and I can’t wait to get to know your Doodlebug!
Dear Doodlebug,
I’m so excited about your new column – Can’t wait to read it!!
I walk my dog, Enzo, three or four times a day and are constantly running into neighbors and their dogs. Enzo *loves* people and will usually be more interested/excited about the owner than about the dog. The problem starts when children are involved – He’ll start barking as soon as he sees them and won’t stop until they’re out of his sight. We thought at first he was being aggressive but now we’re thinking it looks as if he’s afraid of children and he’s barking out of anxiety.. He’ll lower his tail between his legs and will try to get as far as possible (as fast as possible) while barking.
What can we do to make his realize children are scary?
Thanks Mr. Bug!
Marie
Dear Lady,
Thanks for your she-mails. I hear your Enzo on thinking children are scary. I think motorcycles are scary and I still haven’t quite gotten over it, even though we are trying. Unfortunately, I am only a dog and not a dog trainer, and even though mama is a dog trainer, it is against the “Code” for us to give behavior advice about a dog we haven’t ever partied with in real life. All I can tell you is that you should find a nice lady or nice man in your community experienced in being friends with scaredy-dogs to meet Enzo, figure out what the underlying issue is, and help you come up with a plan (that hopefully involves lots of fun, praise, cheese, snuggles, and freeze-dried duck treats — if the lady or man’s plan does not involve fun, praise, and yummers, go find somebody else). In the meantimes, do Enzo a favor and don’t make him meet any of those weird short people who move strangely and make a lot of noise. If his instink is to run away, you should praise him — it’s the safer and more appropriate choice of the “fight or flight” instink!
Many loves, Doodlebug
Dear Doodle
How do you handle being famous yet able to keep your cool all the time?
PS. Can I get your paw print?
sounds pretty cool. We are waiting
Benny & Lily
Dear Doodlebug,
I’m otherwise an absolutely perfect dog (just ask my mama!), but lately I’ve developed a habit of “running the fence” and “fence fighting” along my giant front yard, to bark and paw at other dogs who are innocently walking by with their humans. There’s also a boy who walks past my yard every morning to go to school, and for some reason I love to run and bark at him the whole way, even though I see him every day! Mama says my recall is usually reliable, except lately when dogs and certain humans walk past my house.
My mama called our trainer (“the chicken lady”) and she taught us some exercises involving lots of treats and desensitization that helped somewhat, but haven’t completely solved the problem. She also gave us a long string that attaches to my collar called a “tie down” that I don’t really like much even though I get lots of treats whenever I’m attached to it. Recently mama moved the string inside our front door so whenever I can’t help myself and bolt for the front fence whenever I see a dog or person (but not all people!) to bark at, she takes me indoors for a “time out.”
Is there anything else mama should be doing to help deal with my fears? What’s your advices? I’m just about to turn two so maybe all my hormones aren’t helping?
Love,
Polo the Little Prince
Dear Mr. Dude,
I need your advices on how to be an expert walker when walking with my new baby brother. My mama broke my goofy brother Wiley Coyote out of the slammer about a month ago, but my mama gets all flustered and embarrassed when she walks us out in public. You see, before my baby brother came I was practically a doggie angel on the leash (minus that first year when I got all flustered when I couldn’t go up and meet all of my doggie friends). Now that I have a buddy to explore and get into trouble with, mama says that I’m not so good. We both bark at our doggie friends and sometimes humans that walk by. I want my mama to be proud of me and my brother, so how can we learn to walk better when we’re together? Since you have a brother, I am hoping that doggie wisdom can help!
Love,
Max the Wonder Dog
Dear doodlebug,
As part of our hike in 2014 charlie is gonna have to carry some weight, possibly 20 pounds or even a lil more! This is not a small amount of weight and we are working up to it. Our problem is that the backpack we are training with doesn’t have enough room! So our question is, where can we find a bag that carries a large amount of gear for a medium sized dog?
Deer Doodlebug,
What is you thinks ’bout dogs wearin’ stuff like glasses and ties and swetters and stuff? I don’t likes it, but it looks like you do. Da hoomins likes it, so can you helps me tell dem dat I would preffers to be nekkid?
Kisses and butt sniffs,
Mushroom
I am so looking forward to reading your insight on the many diverse topics that will be submitted! PS. Love the tie 🙂