Oakley in the Snow... - Page 2

From what we can see,is this not true UNCONDITIONAL LOVE on both parts,Crys and Oakley?Yes young lady you have been doing an amazing job with this young dog.I am gratefull that there are at least some people that put there money where there mouth is when it comes to the GSD.So many are so critical of these dogs, especially the show lines,example -not enough bone,does'nt have a big head,not red enough,not enough angulation,not perfect structure(according to who?),does'nt work good enough ,etc,etc, etc..Keep up the good work .It will definetly come back on you.All the best from one of your many admirers.

Agreed Crys is doing a great job with Oakley and long may it continue to do so, both are top notch Girls, But you can keep the snow
Steve1

Beautiful pics!  She sure is growing!

 I have had NO snow yet.  11 degrees C today!  I must say I am very happy about that!

Thanks...I will try to address all the questions and points here...

Domenic...No, she's not fazed by most new experiences.  Oakley just investigates, and gets on with things.  She's pretty gutsy...Not like my first GSD, who was rather...gutless.  No socialization with ANYONE before the age of four months led him to need a lot more work just to be social.  He was nervous around adults, loved kids, ran from other dogs if they showed even the slightest bit of aggression toward him.  Oakley is ten times the dog he was, and he was AKC registered, from Am showlines and German WL.

Bazza, yes, we are sure she is blind.  Sometimes I really do wonder, but then she'll plow into something that was moved, and I realize that she honestly can't see it.  It is incredible the way she memorizes her place...She knows exactly where she is, even when she's at a dead run.  If you lean toward her and make kissing noises, she WILL get you on the lips...No matter how fast you straighten!  All of her faculties are very sharp...Makes up for the eyes! 

Cee, yes, she's an awesome dog, at least in my opinion, and some of those here on this board.  There are those who look at me funny when I say I adopted this blind dog...They say "Why would you want this defective dog when there are so many that are not blind?"  To which I respond, "She is no less deserving than a sighted dog."  She can do just about everything that they can.

Deb, I know that everyone here feels a connection.  It's hard not to when you've all watched her grow up through pictures posted here, and updates, and as I reread her story after I bumped it, I realized just how powerful that story really was at the time, and still is.  It revolves around a dog that was thrown away because of a defect, a defect that none of us can see.  I love to post the new pics to this site, and the updates...I know how much they are enjoyed.

Stacy, I'm not sure what her weight now is.  I would guess fifty five or sixty pounds.  More on the lighter side, though.  I have kept her slender.  I'll get a measuring tape and measure her at the withers this evening and see exactly how tall she is...But in the previous update, you can see how tall she is in relation to the countertop (forgive the mess!)...It's 36 inches, and standing four square, she's at least twenty four inches.  So fifty to sixty pounds should be about right for weight...She's no lightweight when I pick her up anymore!

Jen, there'll be lots more snow pics!  The real snow should start about the middle of next month, and it'll keep doing that until early April, if recent  trends are followed.  So tons of snow pics should be forthcoming.

1doggie2:  She does really well with strangers coming to the house.  She doesn't directly approach them, hangs back, observing with ears and nose for a few minutes, then approaches.  She is not afraid, just not bananas over people she doesn't know.  Once she decides she likes them, then she's right there beside them, poking with her nose to get attention.  She has never growled at anyone coming to see us, never threatened anyone.  She does bark, though, when someone first pulls up in the driveway.  She is aware that they are strangers, but not in a threatening way.  And yes, she's had exposure to other dogs besides Misty...We meet dogs different places and out walking, she does well with meet and greets.  But if the dog goes all stiff and starts barking and growling at her, then she backpedals, barking at them in response to their uncertainty.

I'll continue this in another post...Don't want this to run too long and get cut off.

Crys

Con't:

Oakley's response to other dogs tends to be guided by their energy with her...Something I really didn't think was possible, given the fact that she cannot see the body language being displayed by other dogs.  Yet, she can read their reactions, and react accordingly.  There hasn't been much in the way of negative reaction, because I deliberately keep her away from dogs I read tension or aggression from, as that's not what I deem to be good social interaction for her.  Plus, if I let another dog hurt her, it could undo the work I have done to give her confidence.  Still, no matter what Oakley's been up against, she's always been up to the challenge.   I'm not sure whether her backing away and barking at the dog barking at her is insecurity, or if she's aware of the fact that I don't want her too close to a dog with insecurity or aggression issues...Dogs read us better than we read ourselves, so it is entirely possible that her reaction is a subtle response to one I don't realize I'm giving.  I'm not a perfect handler, owner, or person, and I was nearly attacked by two Pitt Bull dogs when I was young, sparking a fear of dogs it took more than ten years to get past.  So when a dog is acting somewhat aggressively, I tend to back off...

I encourage her to try things, even if she is unsure.  I don't let her not do something I know she can do, simply because she's nervous about it.  But I praise her and reward her for a job well done when she does it, despite her reservations.  I think that's why she does what she does...She knows she can.

VomMarischal...We've got snow...You could have it once it gets above six inches!  No, we had about four inches yesterday, melted down to about two today.  Oakley played in it, curled up and laid in it, rolled in it, all that.  Seemed to think it was pretty cool stuff.  Up here, we usually get lots of snow, so you kind of have to like it and so do the dogs...Not much to do about it unless you like it!  Sure, come on by and you can play with Oakie all you want! (can I play with yours, too?)

Maggie, thanks for the compliments.  It's fun to watch them with their first snows...Always.  Get some pics of your boy when he gets his taste...It would be fun to see his reactions, too!

Domenic...Yes, I love her unconditionally...And she loves me, too.  No matter how much she loves the kids and my hubby, she is MY dog, and will follow me, before anyone else.  She is strongly bonded to me, and is my shadow.  Not a jealous shadow...Just my best friend.  She's a furry shoulder to cry on, if I need it.  Dogs are truly our best friends.  It is easy to be critical of the GSD...I have posted some pics of dogs I found that were too angulated, too long, too short, too light in color, too heavy of build, all that...But the fact of the matter is, when you're talking about a best friend, all those show attributes, those cosmetic things, aren't all that important.  Oakley doesn't come from top bloodlines, or even have a registration.  She's got an ear that leans, and is a fault unless it straightens up, and probably a host more that I don't see, or care about.  It's about love, not perfection, and she's perfect enough for me...Those beautiful brown eyes hold a wealth of things that mean far more than show ratings to me.

Steve, thanks for the kind words...But are you sure I can't interest you in some snow?  There may be lots of it this year, if it's like last year and the one before.  I'll dig tunnels for Oakley and ourselves to walk through...ANd we won't be able to see each other from one tunnel to the next, until we reach intersections...Yes, it was that bad, last year.  Okay, seriously, I thank you for the wishes...

Red Sable...I admit that I am

Con't again:

I went too long and got cut off...

Red Sable...I admit that I am a bit rusty converting Celcius to Fahrenheit...But 32 F is 0 C if I recall correctly, so that means it's pretty warm where you are...Since I'm having to pay our local utility already for heat, can I please have some of your weather???  Even if it's raining???  It's not really that bad here, a bit of snow, cloudy, cool...A bite in the air that tells you that there are no more of those sixty (F) days left till next year...Where you wish that our GSDs weren't the only ones wearing a double coat of attractive black and red (or sable, or black) fur....

In closing of this long-winded response to all of you, I just wanted to take the time to thank you all for being "Admirers" of mine and Oakley's, though, in truth she's the only one who really deserves to be admired.  To be blind, but not handicapped, to be unable to see with her eyes, but able to see deeper, into hearts and intentions, is truly a gift of sight that few experience, human or dog.  I am grateful to share my life with her, and hope that next year, I can pursue a tracking title with her, or something along those lines, since I know that she is more than capable of doing it...Especially if someone else is handling her, I've laid the track, and she wants to find me...No bait needed:0)  But even if we don't, we'll have fun just being buddies, and best friends.  Because to me, and all of you, she's not "Just a dog."

Crys

Go for it Crys,  I know you 2 can do it!
Damn, you made me get a little tear in my eye.

The funny thing, Steph, is that she'll leave off following the kids to stay with me..That's her way.  Get along with everyone, but Velcro with me. 

Although today, hubby was walking back to the pumphouse, and Oakie was standing on the back porch with me, and I said "Oakie, go find Daddy!  Search!"

To my utter amazement, she took off up the path, but to be fair, he wasn't being quiet and so she didn't need her nose to find him!  Still, she did what I told her, so that's a step in the right direction.

How are you feeling, Steph? 

Crys