The various voices of a miniature Australian Shepherd
Wednesday, February 27 2008
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Daily, Video
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Coco has earned several nicknames in the two months that she has been terrorizing living in our home. Among them: Gina, DAMN GINA!, Daffy, Cricket, That Awful Dog, and Coco Furrocious. That last one is actually engraved on her ID tag, and we like to think that if Coco were ever to take up a career as a rap artist that she'd get this name and a lightening bolt shaved into the hair on her butt. And she'd have a hit song about our corrupt government, and maybe one about all her hos.
Whenever we see another dog while we are out walking she goes out of her way to prove that she is vicious, either by huffing and puffing and blowing their house down, or by hopping up strategically to make it look like she's taller than she actually is. And then the mad barking... my God, if that string of consonants could be translated into English we'd have to walk around bleeping every other word.
But then it doesn't stop there, she has to get the last word in, and when these dogs walk away she looks after them and barks under her breath, like she is making sure they take her seriously. And I think she has convinced herself that it's working by the way she prances for the next few steps, but I get the feeling that these dogs are thinking less about her magnificence than they are about the fact that they wouldn't have to try very hard to get her entire body inside their mouths.
And then there is the other noise she makes, the one she uses to let us know that she is happy to see us. Except, it's the same noise she uses to indicate that she is terrified or outraged. We hear it when we've been gone for a few hours and return to get her out of her crate, see here two separate instances of such a situation:
But we also hear it when we dare to correct her. Sometimes I'll be in the other room and it will sound like Jon is swinging her over his head by her hind legs, and I'm all, are you trying to kill the dog? And he's all, no, I just won't let her lick my beer.
I heard it once last week when I was at my friend's house and her older cattle dog had just about had enough of the ferocious huffing. I think he endured it as long as he needed to, until he was all, really? You can huff? Interesting, because watch what I can do! And with one very succinct growl that dog sent Coco YEEAW! YEEAW! YEEAWING! down the hall, through the living room and into the kitchen. That noise continued the entire time she ran though the house and didn't stop until she landed face first into a sliding glass door.
And I love that dog so much that I didn't fall over laughing until after I had made sure she wasn't knocked unconscious.
1. jive turkey said:
Ha! Equal parts cute and hilarious.
2. Psyndee said:
Wow, that is quite a high-pitch whine. Cats are NEVER that excited to see you come home.
3. Tasty said:
Can't wait to get home to see/hear the video! (Stupid work computer with no Flash9!) Keep up the good work writing and not killing Coco Furrocious.
4. minxlj said:
LOL...puppies are so courageous until a bigger dog shouts at them. Coco is so damn cute I can't stand it!
5. Shala said:
Coco is so cute! I love that she gets so excited to see you guys. Chuck just walks around like what the hell is all that noise for. haha
6. Dani said:
The sound of this video sent my (dumber than dumb) dog into quite a tizzy.
I may save it to torture him on occasion. (grin)
7. Vanessa said:
My Wiener Dog started barking and going crazy when he heard me watching the video of that crazy yelping!
8. Jennifer said:
I think I have the cat equivalent to Coco.
Our cat sleeps in the basement every night, more or less because she would terrorize us all night long if she didn't. Every morning when we go down and let her up, she meows for about 10 minutes straight, making a noise not unlike Coco. It's like she thinks we forgot about her and she is so excited that we are still there she can't handle it.
Animals are nuts.
9. Fox In Detox said:
That's awesome. The dog across the street from me makes a very similar, (albeit much louder) noise when her people get home. It almost sounds like a car ran over her hind quarters and she's laying in the street writhing in pain.
Coco is much cuter.
10. Gigi said:
Bandit makes a louder version of that noise when he has bad dreams. And it's like waking a little kid up. He still thinks he's dreaming and, while continuing to make the noise, shakes so hard that he falls off things--like stairs or beds...
11. Badger said:
I think weird vocalizations are an Aussie thing. I had a dog that was part Australian Shepherd and I swear to God she practically TALKED. She had this funny little growl for when she was happy, kind of an "aROOOO" sound with her nose straight up in the air, and OH MY GOD I WANT A PUPPY NOW.
12. Rick said:
I've been amazed in the past by the tolerance older dogs will usually have for the antics of puppies (witness Chuck and the neck-pirannha.) Years ago, we had two older, more placid dogs and brought home a puppy. They let the puppy use them as a chew-toy for a couple months. It didn't last forever, though.
I don't know if it was a smell change or what, but one day they revoked Blaze's "puppy charter." They didn't physically hurt her, but their reaction that day had the puppy hiding under the bed for nearly an hour. After that, the pack dynamic changed and she was subject to the same pecking order as the other dogs.
13. BenBoudreau said:
Oh god. Your puppy is adorable and somehow manages to sum up all the "fun" puppy traits that crazy pet owners get stuck with. What do you do when your 7lb miniature dachshund starts telling off a 800lb (okay, maybe not quite) bull mastiff? Smile sheepishly and walk away? Look at the owner as say "YEAH! What he said!"? I'm not sure yet, but I'll let you know.
14. Sandi said:
Sounds to me like she has "short man's syndrome"
15. jacks said:
At least girls don't (usually) submissive pee when they're happy to see you. I am SO glad we are finally past that stage with our little guy!!
I love how Chuck is wandering around during the whole thing rolling his eyes.
16. Shelly said:
I can't help but feel like I'm cheating on Chuck by admiring Coco and her antics so. Chuck was my number one man for so long.....
I have 2 dogs, and Chuck is even cooler than THEY are.......I go home and show my DH pics of Chuck (he just looks because he has major camera/lens envy)....so please tell Chuck that he's way cool from me......
And Coco's pretty cute too.
17. Luka said:
My parent's American Eskimo makes the exact same sound when he's left alone or someone gets home
18. Joody said:
She sounds (and moves) like a pig(let) in pup's clothing!
19. Greet said:
Aww, the unconditional love you get from a puppy, and the energy that is inside those things! I want one too ...
20. Not Fainthearted said:
I just played Coco's greeting video and my Libby the Wonder Poodle shot up off the couch and ran around the living room barking and checking the doors and windows.
I don't know what Coco said, but it's powerful stuff!
21. Becky said:
I think it's funny that you mention she does it when she's being corrected. That's when the noise comes out of my pup ... you know, when we make him sit down and wait till the beer is empty enough that when he licks it he doesn't have a hangover in the morning.
22. Leah said:
I got a puppy named Zephyr the day after Thanksgiving, and I love hearing Coco stories! Zephyr and Coco seem to be psychotic in roughly equivalent ways. The first few weeks that we had him, Zephyr would howl as if he were speaking in tongues when we put him in his crate. Thank god that is over.
23. thi_tx said:
>2. Psyndee said:
>Wow, that is quite a high-pitch whine. Cats are
>NEVER that excited to see you come home.
We come home from a 3-day weekend, right after the
food runs out, and you're greeted at the door by
a butler in tuxedo (actually, she's a maid?), an
orange Dom DeLouise, and a calico with street cred.
But I suspect it's less excitement than kitty-glares.
24. we_be_toys said:
So funny! the written sound effects are very good, btw!
25. Jennifer said:
I love it! thank you for reminding me why I have not adopted a puppy (or poopie as I like to call them). I have cats. They use a toilet. Its fantastic. But they are Siamese and so therefore can put Coco's variety of sounds to shame.
She's so amazingly cute, I would check for consciousness before falling on the floor laughing as well. I would snicker while I did it though.
26. Festi said:
As I am playing this video my two cats suddenly emerge from different rooms and walk towards the computer room like, "WTF is THAT?????" They are still sitting frozen in place and it stopped playing a couple of minutes ago. LOL
(I was going to post that my dog didn't react at all and is nowhere to be seen and then I remembered I forgot to bring him in from outside in the snow after I let him out about 20 minutes ago. Oops!)
27. Kara said:
Both of my crazy dogs just went totally ape shit and tried to jump their indoor room fence upon hearing the Coco video. She must already be a serious K9 rapper.
How cute is the way Jon talks to her... "Is there a puppy in here??" No wonder she freaks out, I would too with all that cuteness.
28. Marta said:
Sounds like you need the dog whisperer!
29. Hanna Em said:
The thing about her barking at other dogs... yeah, our German Shepherd always did that. To dogs AND people. But she was just trying to be protective, I dunno if that's what Coco is doing. She sure is a cutie, though.
30. kym b said:
puppies, fun aren't they?
31. Jess said:
I love that it sounds like you are torturing her and not loving her. My puppy only sounds like that after he steps on his own ears (he is a basset hound) or cant get his toy out from under the bed.
32. Jamie said:
I just brought a puppy home Sunday and she thinks she is terribly vicious, when really she is just a big ball of Corgi fluff. My little blog has been over run with puppy pictures, but every time she blinks it's the cutest thing EVAH, so it must be documented. Obviously.
How big is Coco going to get?
33. Cassie said:
Tell Jon to tell Coco to get her own dang beer: http://rarebirdfinds.typepad.com/rare_bird_finds/2008/02/bowser-beer.htm...
Have you been to Rare Bird Finds? It's awesome.
35. College Mama said:
I want a puppy. Write something else about the horrors of raising one so I can move beyond it.
36. Cassie (again) said:
PS: My brother has an almost 3 month old yellow lab and he makes that exact same noise. Except I often wonder if my brother's dog's yelp is his "redneck whoop" that he picked up from living with my redneck brother in Milledgeville, GA.
37. Val Cox said:
such a silly dog! I love the way you describe her. Val
38. chocolatechic said:
How adorable.
You and Ree are killing me with puppies....and I almost........almost got myself one, but then my 2 cats brought me back to reality, along with the fact that you actually have to take a dog ......OUTSIDE to let it do its business, instead of scooping once a day.
39. Ashley said:
wow...just watching her is making me tired. i forgot how crazy puppies can be. you can totally tell that chuck's like - really? can we please give her maybe a little xanax?
40. Anne said:
Oh my goodness that bark is incredible! I love the excitement coming out of the crate - our puppy Judy did the same thing when she was younger. Now she just stretches her way out of the crate - it is just as cute!
41. nnjagurl said:
Did anyone else watch that video with their own dog within hearing distance? Because mine was totally intrigued. She kept looking at my laptop and tilting her head this way and that...all: Hey Ma, what IS that???
Coco has a fan here in snowy NH.
42. Robin said:
Our dog it always happy to see anyone. She acts like she's completely neglected. One friend (who isn't even really a dog person) said that whenever she needs a little boost, she comes to our house because our dog is always so excited to see her (and my kid, too) ... it's like her pockets are lined with sugar-favored crack and cat crap.
43. Amber said:
I can't listen to your video because it is making my usually intelligent beagle go NUTS. seriously. she's all bent out of shape that a furrocious dog dared be so fierce in HER home.
so, I'll just have to take your word for it ;)
44. suzie said:
simply horrific. you are a saint for not removing her vocal chords - or drugging her within an inch of her life.
45. Lori Magno said:
Translation: Omigod! Omigod! Omigod! Omigod! Omigod! My people! My people! A sock! A sock! Omigod! Omigod! Omigod! Omigod! Omigod!
Joyous, happy, annoying sounds - but so lovey. Poor Chuck.
46. meg said:
welcome to the world of herding dogs...
i just watched the video and my dog started barking and ran to see if anyone was at the door. he's not right but i love him.
coco will calm down in oh, say, 7 years. good luck!
47. dawn said:
She is adorable. The entire time I was watching the video--my two precious dogs were running around the house growling and barking trying to figure out where I was hiding this other dog and the people talking to this dog.
The ran around from window to window, door to door, trying to find the hideaways. It was hilarious. Thanks as I really needed a good laugh. Of course the image of a puppy running into the sliding glass door is quite funny as well. I love it when I get two great laughs for the price of one.
48. Meghan said:
Why do I get the feeling that Coco Furrocious and Christian from this season's "Project Runway" would make a good crime fighting team? Fierce nonetheless.
49. d'Auria said:
HAHAHAHAHHA!!
I just watched that three times and guaranteed I won't be listening about avoiding wordiness in Communications Writing -- the sound of Coco's bewildered shrieking will be resonating throughout my brain. Like a pinball that can't get out.
50. Jacqui said:
I was just playing that clip of Coco and my dog, Max, FLIPPED OUT. Beyond shoving his nose onto my laptop screen (and that glue-like snot is SO easy to clean off), he kept cocking his head from one side to another like he was trying to figure out what was going on. Then started to whimper until I convinced him that Coco was just excited to see her family.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacquirepp/2295616073/
51. JChevais said:
I suppose Coco-licious was too obvious...
52. Amy J said:
That noise actually made me jump! And my very sublime Chesapeake Bay Retriever totally stood up in her cage from her nap because it startled her too. I thought Heather stepped on her foot or something in that second one. Wow, that actually made my blood pressure go up a bit. I can't imagine how you guys live with it daily. How many more months of puppyhood to go? Wow. Puppies are so much more anxiety inducing than newborns. I never EVER thought I'd say that.
53. Ren said:
Too cute, I wish I had a video of how nuts my dogs went when they heard CoCo. I had to play it twice to make sure they were completely freaked out. Where's the puppy? My girls would love to meet her and chew on her ears.
54. Jill S. said:
The vocalization is definitely an Aussie thing, and yes I have an Aussie. I'm thinking it will get cute, oh about when I go deaf.
55. Anonymous said:
My aussie used to make that noise when she was little, but then grew out of it. And then one day, when I returned from college after being home for a particularly long stay away, she burst out of the house and jumped all over me, making the noise again for the first time in a long time. It was heartbreakingly cute ... such a desperate happiness.
However, get thee to agility and obedience! Don't let her develop dominance issues with other dogs and kids. If Chuck is any indication, you guys will turn out another prizewinning dog, no doubt. Make that little furball work!
56. Almost Vegetarian said:
Despite the fact that she is trying to find her adult bark now (and no one is more thoroughly startled than her on the odd occasion when she actually does), our puppy Sophie isn't as noisy as your Coco. But she is equally excited to see us. All we have to do is go on a lengthy journey to, say, take the garbage out to have her entire body wag with unbridled delight at our safe and sound return.
It makes me want to send the husband out with the garbage more often.
Cheers!
57. MontanaJen said:
Her pack is home!
Your Coco stories make me feel better about my nutty hound dogs, though, because each time you talk about how you get to take Chuck for walks, to the dog park, etc, and there are no accompanying anecdotes about how he barks and barks at other dogs, I hang my head and think, "my dogs are just weird - the freaky things just don't know how to be normal."
And to think that all this time they were normal!
The video is an example of why people love their dogs so much, don't you think? When else is anyone greeted like that?
58. Tracy said:
Oh, my. I feel for you guys. I hope the puppy kisses are making it all worthwhile!
59. Anonymous said:
Jacks - our female aussie "submissed" like hell. Just another SUPER ENDEARING trait of the breed.
60. MP said:
My mighty chihuahua was looking intently at the door the whole time I played that video, like, "I know that noise has to be coming from outside! There are other dogs in the hallway, and I have to save them!"
Coco videos always get the best reactions.
61. Laura said:
So I am so glad that Coco does the same thing! My dog Cash sounds like a squealing pig every time we open his crate. Scares the hell of me, I can't imagine what the neighbors are thinking. :)
62. Charity said:
Coco is totally psycho cute! My gram's Lab makes the exact same noise but only when happy.
Hey Heather, if you want to read a good book about a Marine getting another dog out of Iraq check out "A Dog Called Lava." I finished the book in 2 hours and it was a really good emotional ride and details how the Marine did it with the help of NPR reporters, US dog trainers, and an Iraqi Interpreter. I'm totally like you...a complete sucker for pets.
Love your blog!
63. Ashleigh River said:
I know exactly what you mean about getting the last word. Our mutt Sammy does it with people when she gets yelled at. Whenever you tell her "no!" or reprimand her, she huffs at you, and will keep doing it until you finally get tired of saying, "Don't eat my flash drives...ANYMORE!"
64. Sara said:
Ha ha ha! I am so glad I watched the video before I finished reading the entry. It made reading "YEEAW! YEEAW! YEEAWING!" so much better because I could hear the exact sound in my head. Love this post!
65. Jen said:
So cute! But when I played it, my cat streaked upstairs, hid under the bed, and hasn't been out since...
66. CRockstar Wannabe said:
We have a Chihuahua that does the same thing. She loves to pee on carpet (previous owner issue) and if we pick her up and start to go near where she peed she starts screaching. She screaches the whole time we tell her NO! and while we shove her out the doggy door yelling over her "Go outside!"
The neighbors probably think we are killing her.
When we come home from work she gets so excited she hyperventilates and we almost have to do doggy CPR...that is why we keep her. No one else passes out from seeing us walk in the door. It's an ego thing.
67. Kimberley said:
Too adorable. Our five yr old, seven pound poodle makes the EXACT same noise every time we go and then are nice enough to reappear!
If the whole act gets a bit old, I found that being quiet and relaxed (even almost ignoring her) for a few minutes right at the beginning helps her to get ahold of herself and just CHILL, and bring the excitement level down off the moon.
Good luck, and have fun :>)
68. Brittany said:
Wow, when I first heard it (I was looking at something else so I didn't see Coco, I was sure you had a video of y'all hurting her. But then I knew you wouldn't do that. Wow. I'm sure that's a nice sound to be welcomed too. At least my cat (who thinks he's a dog) is much quieter.
69. Melissa said:
I love to hear stories of Coco. We have a new kitty and while I don't have to let her outside to pee at 5am in my drawers she does wake us up at 4am to play fetch for an hour.
Why is it that even thought they drive us CRAZY we love them just the same...I guess it's the unconditional thing, huh?
70. Rebecca said:
Uhh...can I have your husband? Please?
I love him...
71. Elizabeth said:
So many comments from people whose dogs went nuts when the video played-my collie/spaniel/mutt just laid there on the couch like he always does. Unless the FedEx guy knocks on the door or a car pulls into the neighbors' driveway, then he barks like the world is ending. Coco is adorable, and seems to have had a haircut!
72. Brad said:
That's pretty awesome... for YOU. :) She really is quite cute. Puppy energy is a ton of fun. But I think this might be a good wake-up call to the people who were thinking of running out and getting a Coco for themselves.
73. Kim said:
I can totally relate to the gangsta posturing - my 33 lb beagle has recently developed a wonderful case of onleash aggression. He's fine when he sees dogs that are of equal size or smaller, and is an absolute love with puppies (in fact, he will lie on his back and let them jump all over him), but he puffs himself up and turns into a howling, lunging lunatic when he sees larger dogs he doesn't know. I am beside myself looking up information on how to stop this on the internet, as he likes to pull this on Boxers, German Shepherds and the like. ARGH. And I have trouble being the "calm, assertive leader" when I'm panicking about my dog being eaten by another dog.
74. Anonymous said:
That definitely sounds like a "Help me!" yelp my dogs do when say, we accidentally step on their tales? It's a sort of anguished cry. But Coco is still very adorable and I totally want a Coco of my own.
75. natalia said:
Why do you keep her in a crate? How long was she there for?
Doesn't seem so weird she goes so crazy after being confined to a crate :-/
76. Mindy said:
Funny. Those videos got my lazy dog off of her chair and running and barking through the house. That's the most exercise she's had all week. Thanks.
77. Stephanie said:
While I was watching the coco video Gucci looked over at me and rolled her eyes. I swear I saw her mouth the words “good lord, do you want me to get the truck and a shovel?†I don’t think Gucci would be a good mother.
78. Andi said:
Awww, cute little Coco!
79. Lizzie said:
Oh my, how I can relate! That video is awesome -- Coco's squeals are ADORABLE.
80. Jen said:
My god, this was freaky reading this. . .
My miniature dachshund, Tillo, does the exact same thing.
He does the under-the-breath barks, I think he sounds like a grumpy old man. Damn kids.
And he FLIPS like that when he sees us.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they're minis? Or spazzes?
81. YogaGrl said:
Aaaaawwwwwww! She is so stinking cute.
82. Caitorade said:
she's INSANE. good god. but damn adorable.
83. Tek said:
Crating is an excellent way of training a family pet and is one way to establish a dog's place in the pack with the owner on top. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I lived with three dogs, only one of which was trained by me using a crate among other things. as a result I lived with two dogs that peed, pooped and lounged where they wanted when they wanted and one nicely trained well mannered dog. I loved them all but being well mannered was a bonus worth working for.
84. allie said:
i think coco must be saying something powerful, my dog started barking and making noises along with the video.
all 17 times i played it.
cause i'm mean, i'd let him get calm from playing it - then play it again to watch him get all barky.
is barky a word? doesn't matter, i'm mean. might as well make up words too.
85. Anonymous said:
My parents' Jack russell does that noise; I swear it sounds like he's been run over. Some lady accused my mom of abusing him when he was freaking out at some other dogs. Too funny!
86. CJ said:
Be careful about her barking and carrying on at other dogs on walks. That's really bad behavior and could lead to her acting out aggressively. And that's not fun. It's especially concerning since you have a child in the house. Don't you watch the Dog Whisperer???
87. Catherine said:
OH my God she sounds like she's being tortured. My dog has never made that sound, though she does under the breath bark, mostly after we've shushed her for barking in the apartment after midnight. Darn teenagers.
88. Candy said:
I find it hilarious that you are not trying to disengage her from Chuck's neck on a constant basis, nor protecting her from bigger badder dogs.
Coco is growing up through the trial by fire method.
And despite the things you and Jon say about her, I find it hard to believe because She.Is.So.Frigging.Cute!
89. mama V said:
Our Mini Aussie, Charlie, made that same noise as a pup, and it has followed his into his adulthood. He's 6 now, and it's just LOUDER. Mind you, he only does it if he's hurt, scared, or SOEXCITEDIJUSTCANTWAITTOLOVEYOU! yeah... gotta love that Aussie range of emotion - but I wouldn't tradei t for the world, or hesitate to recommend the breed!
And yes... i want a puppy too... maybe if I make that noise my husband will concede....
90. kim said:
I LOVE Coco!!! My dog Mylie does the EXACT same thing, not as often when we greet her, but usually if she hasn't seen someone in a whole 8 hours....she lets out a yelp of pain (the same yelp if you were to accidentally step on her toe, or hurt her in some way) it frightens strangers!! When she goes to the dog park, she also lets out the same cry when a big dog (she is a small dog) gets a little too close, she screams in pain and agony, as if it bit her, and in fact it has never touched her. Needless to say the big dog owners usually get frightened that their dog hurt her. She is SLIGHTLY embarassing to take out in public. But so cute, JUST like Coco!!! I want her!
Here is mylie's dogster page: http://www.dogster.com/dogs/228784
91. torrie said:
Aw. This video made me want to come over to your house and have Indian food.
92. andrea said:
Wow that is quite a noise and I can't believe I want to adopt a rescue one that is blind and deaf (to go with my blind cat and three legged Irish Woflhound).
Despite her crazy noises, she is adorable and I am hoping she makes the March Masthead!
93. Kelly said:
wow. she's cute but...damn. You make the puppy-raising sound even worse than kid-raising.
94. Kelly said:
Natalia, studies prove that dogs do much better if they're crate trained. Dogs are den animals and require a place to call their own. Crate training is the absolute best thing you could do for your dog. We kept our one dog in a crate when we were away from the house until he was over 2 years old. It took a few months but he eventually grew to love his crate and knew that no one would bother him if he was in it. If he was tired, he would go into it and have a nap. Being crated also helps with potty training, manners training, prevents problem chewing and destructive behaviour etc. If more people crated their puppies, there would be less dogs being euthanized in shelters, that's for sure.
Heather, Coco is beautiful and I was giggling like crazy listening to her. She sounds exactly like our dog did as a puppy. He's seven now so I'd forgotten about that high pitched whining and carrying on that puppies are inclined to do.
95. delia said:
I don't think the crate is making her bark like that. Our neighbors have the same dog. It lives outside in a muddy yard (as I typed that I came to the realization that it might be a yard of poo, not mud)with little to no interaction with anyone. He does that insane barking when they pull into their driveway each night. It breaks my heart every time because I know he's running circles in excitement, like Coco, but unlike Coco he never gets attention.
96. Melissa said:
My 1.5 yr old border collie mix is so similar to coco it cracks me up. He makes that same noise when greeting my family when they visit. Me, he sees every day and doesn't react much to when I come or go.
Herding dogs, so much fun! I hope she doesn't get the car chasing bug like mine has!
97. Jen said:
My doggie does this same yelping noise. He hasn't outgrown it in 2 years. God help us. No, God help our neighbors.
98. Kathy said:
Sounds like Coco is trying to be dominant; she needs the Dog Whisperer! ;-)
99. Shelli said:
heh - I seriously haven't laughed out loud at work in EONS.
Thanks, Coco.
100. Natasha said:
Oh my god. I'm exhausted just watching that. She's adorable, but man it makes it seem like a puppy is harder work than my 5 month old baby!
101. Stephanie said:
We have a rescued 11 year-old (ish) Red heeler/ German Shepherd Mix.
I hit play on your little clip there, and as soon as the sound began, my dog started running around making the exact same noise, doing the exact same dance. It is in fact the exact same noise and dance she does every time we dare to leave our house, or even go outside to get the mail for that matter.
Dogs (and this particular brand of dog in particular) are both a joy and a total pain in the ass. I hate to tell you that it does not improve with age. Our dogs has one foot in the ground and remains as neurotic as ever.
102. Anonymous said:
The sound of CoCo made my dog bark insanly.
Something aobut a puppy that sets off all other dogs!
103. Stephanie said:
Oh and by the way, you are totally right about crating your dog, for all the reasons you probably already know and are listed by the American Kennel Club, (it makes them feel safe and comfortable, it keeps your stuff out of their mouth etc., etc,) But I'm sure I don't need to tell you that.
104. Stacy said:
That is the exact noise our austrailian shepherd made when he was a pup. It hasn't gone away... just morphed into a combination of that and a grunt. He also picked up a nifty little trick of smiling with the grunt. He scrunches his nose up and shows his teeth when we get home after being gone for awhile...or if we walked into the other room and came back.
105. balancing girl said:
it sounds like she's hyperventilating.
106. Anna said:
She's cute, but holy crap, that makes me thankful that I have one of the quietest dogs in the world. He will bark/growl at what he perceives to be an intruder, but other than that he almost never says a word!
107. Jennine said:
That is the EXACT sound I make after placing an online order at Yankee Candles. I know just how she feels.
108. Kathy said:
Wow. That's one excited puppy. My neighbor's dog makes some of the most heartbreaking moans when his owner's gone.
109. Lorrian said:
That brings back memories! We had an Aussie, Playdoh, when I was a kid. Same energy, same whining, and just a total love.
Oh, and so annoying...but I sure miss being annoyed by her.
110. BettyCrockerAss said:
I think my milk just came in.
111. Kim said:
What a peach! But I have to agree with other posters - I'm glad our puppy days are over.
I have a greyhound and we can make him roo by making the roo noise (sounds like a lonely ohwoohwooh howl) at him until he starts doing it himself. He will arch his neck and his long narrow face will look like Snoopy in the Charlie Brown Christmas special - it's hysterical. I'm sure we annoy the neighbors and the other dogs in the area but it's so damn fun to do.
112. Eve said:
Awwww.... what about the other puppy? He got no attention ):
113. Lichen said:
This is the sound I make when my husband gets home from touring....only HE'S the Aussie. Strange...?
114. Megan said:
My dog just flipped the fuck out when she heard that Coco noise. She alternated staring at my laptop and at me, pleading with her eyes to make it stop. And when it did, she gave one low growl under her breath and stood next to me until I played it again. And again.
So, thanks for the porn my apartment-bound dog. I guess.
115. Coyote said:
Wow, she sounds just like my semi-boyfriend's full-grown border collie when he gets back from a week-long business trip, or when I visit his house after not having done so in a long time. Amazing.
116. Robin G. said:
Sometimes I think I really, really want a dog... then I see videos like this and remember why I'm a cat person. Thanks for the public service warning.
117. Lisa said:
Perhaps you should consider consulting The Dog Whisperer. He would whip Coco right into shape!
118. Tootsie Farklepants said:
My dog huffed at your dog when she heard the video. Perhaps Coco's own beer is in order? It might mellow her out. Australian Sheppards have a pitch to their bark that makes your ears bleed.
119. Ely said:
this is whats getting me through my midterms this week.
120. christina said:
That shite is hilarious. We are currently dealing with the same issue with our new rescue dog, but Coco takes the cake on tortured noises. I can only imagine walking her. Our trainer told us to distract our dog when he freaks on walks around other dogs. Easier said than done. So as he is jumping up and down and growling, there I am crouched down trying to tickle his ear. Works real well...
Thanks for the post. I'm sitting at work sick and this was the only thing that has made me smile. Now it's time to get back to frowning and coughing.
121. T said:
I think someone's a candidate for the Dog Whisperer.
Damn, that's a cute dog. Reminds me of my own crazy dog who spent many, many years driving us completely mental. Now that he's passed on I remember those days as hilarious frivolity, but at the time I was pretty sure it was an orchestrated attempt to destroy my sanity. I do miss that big lug.
122. email2postal said:
Man, that is one gross cellulite advertisement to the right :)
123. Liz said:
OMG...I cannot imagine having a dog make that sound when its happy!! I thought I had it bad- my Pit Bull, Spencer, whines in this very immediate way when he wants to be included in something. Like for instance when he wants jump on the bed and cuddle with us, he just stares at us and whines...like please please PLEASE can I join you, because if I cant I am pretty sure the world will end RIGHT THIS SECOND!!!
124. FishyGirl said:
OMG, I had forgotten that noise. My beagle used to make that noise when he was little, and it was the most awesome thing, he was SOEXCITEDTOSEEYOU!ANDYOUANDYOU!!
Thanks for the reminiscing, that's quite the doggie you got there.
125. Anonymous said:
Look at how much has changed in your life since you began this site exactly 8 years ago!
126. Anonymous said:
Look at how much has changed in your life since you began this site exactly 7 years ago!
127. Elizabeth said:
We engrave our dogs' (nick)names on their tags too...right now, we have our two beagles, "Polly Doodle" and "Rufus the Fantastic." But my favorite ever was the white German Shepard we had for a while, Stan, whose tag read: "Stan the Man (the Dog)."
128. Kiala said:
We named our dog ZZ and now we just call her "The Beast" or actually "Teh Beast" because we are ridiculous people.
ANNNNNYYYWAYYY....she's 2 and she still does all those things. I'm just saying it never stops. EVER.
Did I...I just..I'm not helping, am I?
129. Janet said:
You think it might be time to apply to that Dog Whisperer show?
130. Michelle said:
Our 3-year-old dog does that, only louder and more piercing, when she sees a squirrel. In the park, people run over to us thinking some dog got hit by a car.
131. Kristin said:
Our puppy, Lulu, must be cut from the same cloth! She has quite the vocabulary and practices it OFTEN. Lately she doesn't like to go to sleep for the night until she's had a few barks/whines/wimpers and then she just tuckers out mid-wimper into a quiet sleep. Only last night she added the most hilarious ruff to the mix. she was actually ruffing - like you would imagine a cartoon dog to do. with the rrrs and the oofffs. we were dying laughing -on the inside - because if we make any noise then god forbid, she'll have to start the whole tirade over again, and no one wants that when all you're trying to do is sleep.
Thanks for helping me realize that we aren't the only ones with a Demon Dog - aka Cybill, aka Lucifer - on our hands!
132. HMFT said:
Yah. That last sentence? Replace "that dog" with "my son" and "she" with "he."
Only he ran down a hill, turned the corner, and went head first into the side of the car. The door bowed in, then popped Seth back onto the curb.
We, too, waited a brief, fleeting second to make sure he was ok before laughing.
133. Kristin (delic8genius) said:
I love the desperation in that voice - at least when she's done you can be pretty sure her heart hasn't ACTUALLY broken. When my corgi was a puppy, I could never be sure he wasn't a pissed-off malcontent. It took me a LONG time to realize what his noises meant - i would pet and rub and stroke him, and he'd grunt and groan like an old man (and when he growled, it sounded pretty much the same). So for a long time I was never sure if he was all, "cut it out!" or "ooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Turns out it was the latter.
134. Anonymous said:
Coco is adorable but please, take her to obediance classes asap! When she gets bigger all these things won't be so cute. Puppies must be taught social and behavior skills. You'll want to like her when she's older too.
135. Cheri said:
The videos were too funny - I was just playing it and my two Aussies just came flying out of the bedroom, off of my bed - mid morning nap you know - to render assistance to whatever poor thing that was making all that pitiful noise - which is pretty funny considering one of my Aussies is deaf. My Brother in Law has an Aussie that sounds like that whenever he is oh so happy to see you - he screams and screams - like he's been run through with something - wigga-butt going all the while!
136. vanessa said:
she sort of sounds like a parrot being castrated with that bark
137. Pete Dunn said:
Fucking brilliant. Our dog does the same thing and it makes it so hard to be upset about the fact that she likes to shit under the bunk beds in the girls' room.
138. Elizabeth said:
unless you want her to always do that, which is cool, what you are supposed to do when they bark, etc. is to ignore it - do not hug her, pet her, etc. because you are encouraging the behavior. if you ignore her, it does not elicit the reaction she is trying to get by doing it, i.e. attention and your recognition, then she will stop eventually. our dogs did that kind of stuff when they were younger puppies (they're 8 months now) and it works like a charm
139. Kelly said:
Since your Daily Style comments are closed, I will have to post here to say Damn you woman and your daily style. Because of you, I now own:
1) a ring by Amy Burhoe
2) 2 pictures by pushmepullyou
3) 2 books about Charley Harper
I am going to have to ban myself. Also, if I lived in SLC I'm sure you and I would be throwing down at the Green Ant on a weekly basis.
140. Kristy said:
I would not ignore that noise. It is way too funny and cute! More Coco video!
141. Pamela said:
I'm shrugging my shoulders and grinning ear to ear. She's so cute!
That noise though, WOWZERS!
142. Jeff said:
Cute!
BUT...it will eventually drive you out of your skull. :-(
SOLUTION: First, don't take him out when you get home. Make sure he knows you're there but don't get him for several minutes. Second, when you do open the door, IGNORE HIM for at least 5 minutes. NO petting and NO eye contact.
He'll stop. He'll still be insanely happy to see you, but he'll stop the squealing and jumping, which will only be funny for about the first 6 months or so!
143. jess said:
i'm sorry but i have to sue you and jon for copyright infringement...you're both (allegedly) guilty of using THE EXACT SAME voice i use with my dogs.
my lawyer will be in touch. :D
144. Elisha said:
My parents had a Australian Shepard/Golden Retriever mix that made that Yeeaw noise when she was excited to see people too. She would also do it in a lower pitch when people were leaving.
Coco is too cute! My boston terrier loves to watch the videos of Coco just as much as I do :)
Love your blog!
145. Brittany said:
I bet she would make that sound whether you were gone four days or just to the mailbox :) thats what i love about dogs. But that sound could drive you to an early grave!
146. Justanadorablegirl said:
I love Coco and the noises. I guess that's because I don't have that background noise called, Leta. (Love ya, Leta!)
147. angela said:
We share beer with the dog. But he is at the point where he'll only drink Guinness. WTF
149. Emily said:
I love Coco and the insanity she adds to your life. It makes me long for a dog. I currently have two cats (one is an urban panther...20 lb black cat that thinks he's bad ass but in reality is a scaredy-cat and the other is an eye-less wonder), one hamster and two fish.
A dog is next on the list.
148. Emily said:
I love Coco and the insanity she adds to your life. It makes me long for a dog. I currently have two cats (one is an urban panther...20 lb black cat that thinks he's bad ass but in reality is a scaredy-cat and the other is an eye-less wonder), one hamster and two fish.
A dog is next on the list.
150. Tiggerlane said:
Poor Chuck - no basement to slink into, and then having to listen to THAT?? Sheesh.
Then again, we just moved into a new house, with a new yard - and our dog ran around the house like a banshee, whining and huffing until he drove me NUTS. Of course, I was following him around, trying like hell to stop him from marking all our new furniture.
Dogs - gotta love 'em! (And I love that my captcha phrase is "clergymen, please!" LOL!)
151. kate said:
Oh, yeah. That's a total Australian shepherd thing. When my brother and I are both back home for holidays or whatever, my parents' Aussie goes apeshit, and he sounds just like that. I think it's 'cos the "herd" is back together or something. As far as I know, they don't ever really grow out of it. It can be irritating, but I just try think of it as Aussies having total unbridled enthusiasm.
152. Lisa said:
Call Cesar! Tsch!
153. Azar said:
I about died laughing imagining Coco's yelps and subsequent faceplant. And those yelps are crazy, no wonder you've wondered if Jon is trying to kill the dog.
154. Funkfugiyama said:
150 comments?! Jeez. I'm practically beside myself when I get FIVE on my blog. *jealousy blush*
155. gitz said:
I just played the video and my poor puppy woke out of a dead sleep, put his tail between his legs and ran to the kennel. He actually growled at me when I tried to coax him out.
Dude, Coco's crazy sounds certainly have an effect on my animal!
156. Karen said:
I've crate-trained 3 dogs now and the best suggestion I can offer is: do NOT make a fuss when you let the dog out of the crate. When you greet the dog and get excited, she is learning to emulate your excitement. When you come home, you shouldn't immediately rush to the crate to the let the dog out - settle in quietly first, then let the dog out. When you do let her out, do so wordlessly, quietly, with no Drama!. Quietly take the dog outside to do her business and then quietly sit with her and give her love and affection - but no high-pitched vocals of your own. You can break this habit now, while it's mildly cute, or endure another 10-15 years of louder, not-so-cuteness!!!
She is a beautiful dog!!!
157. Anonymous said:
While Jon's adorable, high-pitched 'hi, hi, hi' shows how much he loves Miss Coco, it only encourages her behavior. Dogs continue that type of undesirable activity because they get that type of response. If you like it, no problem.--But if you think you might not like it for the next 15+ years, you may want to nip it in the bud. Let her out of the crate without the uber excited welcome and once she settles down give her a calm pat on the head and a 'good dog'. It may take a while, but eventually she'll realize that once she settles down she'll get the attention she craves.
158. Leesavee said:
My dogs make those sounds, too! And they do it EVERY TIME they see us again. I can go outside to get something out of the car, but when I come back in 20 seconds later, it's like I've been gone for YEARS. Nothing quite like the love of a dog to make you feel like you matter! It's precious and annoying as hell all at the same time.
159. Ken said:
Aren't you guys Dog Whisperer fans? Be the Pack Leader! I'd be curious to hear if you've been employing any of his techniques, and if so, how's it working?
160. Cashmere Addict said:
Puppies are hard, and I'm glad to see I'm not alone in the 'various names for my dog' department. Puppies are nothing like the toilet paper commercials you see... absolutely nothing. But, we love them anyway. Our pups had a bit of the yelping thing when we first started doing the crate training, and we were told to just ignore them (which was hard) and it seems to have helped. I also had to be trained to not get really excited when I saw them after being gone at work or dinner or something. Once I stopped the excitement dance, they stopped their excitement dance (i.e. leaping in the air and jumping on me).
I love your blog... I hadn't been here in awhile, and have sufficiently caught up. Rock on!
161. Lea at Quick Serve Kids said:
Re: Comment #157:
I haven't owned a dog, but I do own a three-year-old. Sound like they're a lot alike.
- Lea at Quick Serve Kids
162. Deva said:
Oh my god that's adorable!
163. Visty said:
She sounds like a group of howler monkeys all bhy herself!
164. John said:
Awww! What a little cutie. : )
165. Wine Dog said:
I used to have a cat that answered to Broderickyousonofabitch.
It has been my experience that all puppies are in the running for Oscars. The nominees for Best Performance of an I'mBeingKilledandAbused Scene by a puppy goes to....
166. Anonymous said:
Aww, I wish I had a puppy that cute!!
167. BoSox said:
I have a 1yo Aussie and he was very similar as a pup. Wild, crazy, and tried to rule the house! Thank god he was cute as a button or he might have had a short life with us! To nip his excited behavior, we don't associate with him for at least 10-20min after we get home to allow for him to calm down. He's getting it and is a much better dog now than when he was a pup. We also started doggy daycare and that is sucking the extra energy right out of him!
168. Kelly said:
I honestly don't understand why Heather ever opens comments on her blog posts. The amount of people who believe they have the right to give her unsolicited advice on how to train her puppy is mind boggling. Even if it's well-intentioned, do you even get that it's still sort of, well, rude? Hell, I don't know maybe it's not that rude, maybe it's because I'm a Canadian and we're well known for our "politeness" and so I would never think of offering advice to someone who didn't ask for it.
Besides, it seems to me that she showed this video so we could have a good laugh and enjoy seeing a much loved puppy bouncing with excitement that her family is home and yet she has to put up with people trying to tell her how to train HER dog.
You guys have read about Chuck right? I took my dogs to obedience class, I work at a vet and gained lots of experience with dogs, did all the proper dog training and still, I would literally kill someone for my dogs to be as well behaved as Chuck. Obviously, they know what they're doing, give them a break and enjoy the video for what it is. A really happy puppy loving her "folks".
Jesus.
169. Meg said:
Our nine and a half year old mix-of-everything acts the same way whenever we come home, except with less barking. She saves the really loud barking for sitting on the deck at night and dredging up a Beagle ancestor with that baying. Even the high-pitched shrieking she had as a puppy can't compare to that BEAGLE BAY.
170. kim said:
Did you also hear about another soldier and a stray dog who became friends in Iraq? The soldier fed the dog parts of his rations and, I think, the dog lived with him in his tent. (Must have been in violation of rules). The soldier had told his family about the dog, and when the soldier was killed (bomb, I think), the family jumped through all sorts of hoops to get the stray dog sent back to the U.S. It was the last part of their son they had left, they said, and they wanted this dog who had been a companion and comfort to their son to live the rest of its life with them, in safety, in the U.S.
171. Ciara said:
Our french bulldogs do the "frenchie death yodel". I have never had dogs that make such.......undoglike sounds before. Now, if only John would greet you like that when you let him out of his crate.
172. lionemom said:
heather and jon, You should totally listen to me tell you what you should do, because I have owned like a hundred dogs. And that Dog Whisperer guy? He learned his techniques from me. So here is what you have to do - and you should listen to me and heed my words because, clearly, you have no idea how to deal with an excited dog, but I do, so I am going to tell you what you need to go do right now, after reading this comment, this very minute.
You should be totally silent when you walk in the door and tiptoe around, not making any noise at all for at least an hour. When that time has gone by, you can go into the room where Coco is and lift up that sheet you have on the crate, but don't do anything else yet, because she will still do that yodel thing and I haven't told you how to do the next thing you need to do.
The next thing you need to do is make a device to let the dog out of the crate automatically, so that you don't even have to be there at the crate. This way there is no one there that Coco can make a fuss over. Except Chuck, but he is a whole other story and I will be sending you a lengthy e-mail on what you have done wrong with him and how you need to fix that situation.........
:-)
173. Joanna said:
Somebody may have already said this, so please forgive if I repeat. And god knows you ain't asking for advice, but . . .
I found this out regarding my wiener dog. If your dog has separation anxiety, you're not supposed to make a big deal of coming or going. So when you let your darling maniac out of the crate, you should be like, "hey man, 'sup." And then go about your regular business. It's hard as hell! 'Cause all you wanna do is say, "Hi puppy, hi puppy, hi puppy, I love you, too, I love you, too!" But it's all about keeping the dog happy and healthy and that's what you're supposed to do. My Wiener (her actual name) is way more casual now about my going out.
By the way, adore you and everything you do.
Jo
174. Chirky said:
It sounds like someone just stabbed her in the foot, and she can't decide which of you should comfort her, so she just yelps while running back and forth between you. Poor Chuck.
175. Jennifer said:
Our Aussie does the very same thing and she's six. Be warned: it gets worse/cuter!
176. sara said:
Adorable! I didn't realize Coco was so small in real life. I love your blog, and lately I've been checking daily for Coco stories. She sounds just like my puppy. He is a complete maniac. It is so nice to know I am not the only one going through the wonderful hell that it is to have a puppy.
177. whitney said:
The "happy to see you sound?" You know Jon started it, don't you? I await your Dog Whisperer appearance.
I talk that way to my dog, too. It's too hard not to. There's "motherese" which is the baby-talk we produce for our babies, and then there's "puppyese," I guess. My hypothesis is that too much "puppyese" causes trouble during the dog's teenage years. The scientologists must have all ready figured this out because I've read that Tom Cruise allows no baby talk around Suri, per L. Ron Hubbard's instructions.
I wonder if he has ever had a puppy...
178. Anonymous said:
She's so teeny tiny! I didn't realize she was so small.
179. mrsroop said:
Mr. Darcy (our beagle family member) starting howling uncontrollably once she starting making that - well, noise.
180. Wine Dog said:
regarding comment 170:
There is an organization that helps soldiers bring their dogs and cats back.
http://www.militarymascots.org/index2.html
I worked with them a few years ago bringing in Private Hammer. Awesome organization. I do recall the story of the soldier who was killed and they brought his dog home, I believe it was a working dog in that situation. It was heartbreaking.
181. Talon said:
AHHHH! PUPPY!!
That huffing under her breath...omg!! I had an Airedale/Aussie blue healer cross when I was growing up...he was supposed to be my brother's dog, but Hobbes had other plans.
Anyway he was VERY dog aggressive, so much so that when I took him to the vet (because no one else dared subject him to such things...) they knew to give us our own waiting room and a muzzle. Any dog that even LOOKED at me was subject to his barking growl. And I'd finally HAD it when the latest outlet for his rage turned out to be a stumbly, eight week old lab puppy. So I turned to Hobbes, and said to him, (because we always talk to our animals like this) Do you feel special now? Do you feel like a BIG MAN barking and growling like that at a BABY?? HUH??? He kind of shrugged his shoulders and huffed under his breath and gave the puppy his EVIL eye glare (the blue one, not the brown one)
Then getting him examined...I never harbored any ANY fantasies about Hobbes not biting anyone. Just because he never HAD didn't mean he wouldn't, and even though I was there it didn't mean jack...so I muzzled him for the vet who was feeling him over and taking his...er...tempature...and Hobbes did not like that ONE bit and was growling LOUDLY.
ME: KNOCK IT OFF HOBBES!! You stop growling right NOW!!
Hobbes: *silent for a moment*
Vet: *waiting for the butt stick to beep*
Hobbes: *way way way under his breath growl*
Me: I HEAR THAT!!!!
Vet: *trying not to convulse on the floor from laughter*
*remembers fondly* Every one of my boyfriends was scared to death of Hobbes...little medium sized dog...even up to the one I married. My good gator puppy...damn I miss him.
182. Heather said:
I showed this and your daily chuck picture to my three year old daughter (very close in age to your Leta) and she loved Coco. When she saw the picture she asked if the doggies were doggie brothers. Cute picture!
183. Talon said:
*eyes all the comments about Coco's "behavior"*
Good lord people, do you not read the blog? Do you not know what a DEMON Chuck was when he was a puppy? Do you not think that maybe...MAYBE these people who raised up an emo cat-deer might have some clue about puppyhood?
Honestly people...save your words of wisdom unless you have raised a Chuck.
And even then...geeze...it's morons like you who make the whole comment thing NO FUN. I don't care how many dogs you've trained, and I have yes, trained a few myself. But my seperation anxiety dog still went nuts the second my car turned the corner down the street whether or not we talked to him in "Puppyeese" or whether we took any notice of him at all.
Seriously, the next time one of you MORONS go all whiny and "PLEASE TAKE COCO TO OBIDIENCE TRAINING FOR THE LOVE OF US WE KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT YOUR LIFE THAN YOU DO!!!" Don't. Look at Chuck. Look at Coco. Hell, look at Leta. I highly doubt they are going to let Coco raise herself up on Bratz dolls, Hannah Montana and Fruit Loops.
All this self important "We know better than you do what we say NOW" in comments REALLY gets on my nerves. And it's not even MY blog!!!
184. kristin said:
Gracie doesn't talk very much, but when she does it's a very low, "Hmph," as in, "I can't believe you are still here and why do you torture me so?"
Her tag says, "I will ruin you." Imagine it as when Jimmy Fallon says it on SNL as Andy Gibb.
185. christina said:
following coco's progress convinced us that we wanted to adopt an adult dog. ;)
186. supermanda said:
my dog makes that same exact sound when she sees another dog! hence, she doesn't get to leave the house much. in the summer when the windows are open and a dog walks by, i'm pretty sure the neighbors think we're beating her.
i need cesar milan.
187. Jennine said:
Since people so freely share their opinions here in the Dooce comment section, I have a question:
My dog loves his crate and enters it freely throughout the day. He apparently enjoys the solitude and isolation. Since I've successfully raised several well-adjusted dogs, I'm worried that he, too, will become well-adjusted.
What on earth am I to do?
188. bablinn said:
I agree - she could use a visit with Cesar.
But then, so could my dogs.
Have you tried no talk, no touch, no eye contact until she calms down? Since I have two furrocious puppies jumping on my from opposite directions making odd noises, this is more complicated than it seems on tv...but you might can pull it off since Chuck isn't behaving equally enthusiastically.
189. workroom said:
bwahaha whitney 177. comment ftw
that's what i thought too (and i know you guys have watched ceasar)
"The "happy to see you sound?" You know Jon started it, don't you? I await your Dog Whisperer appearance."
i hope you get on the show
it would be a mix of 2 fandoms for many of us!
hehe
*urf*
190. jen said:
My 4-year old rescue (german shepherd mix) has terrible separation anxiety despite all the dog whisperer antics that I have tried over the years. I have finally resigned myself to it and threw out Caeser Mllan's book.
But, thank god, she is not a barker except when she hears a doorbell or an approaching stranger. Her manic wagging/jumping/hyperventilating is all I can handle! I feel guilty when I am gone for too long, but then realize that in her mind, a trip to the trashcans is just as long as 6 hours at the office. I get so frustrated when people try and give me tips on how to handle it, as she is exceptionally well-behaved and well-exercised, etc. otherwise. Some dogs are just not mean to be a Lab.
191. Leah said:
Wow! That is an intense bark! I'll admit, it would drive me crazy. So kudos to Heather and Jon for not accidentally forgetting her at the park.
On a more sentimental note, I miss how my puppy would get so excited anytime a family member came home! Now my puppy is 17 years old and usually gives us a half-hearted tail wag, as if to say, "I'd love to get up and lick you, but I just spent all my energy on rolling over just now."
192. skillswordfish@yahoo.com said:
My dogs went nuts when I played that video.
193. Lydia said:
It's not all *that* annoying......Let me go find my three dogs. They ran off when I played the video.
194. Kayla said:
I love dogs with rap names!
Now I am inspired to call my Cooper "Cooper Fresh" cuz he's fresh and fly. He would rap about how not being able to pee in my bed is proof of how he is being kept down "by the man."
195. Mel said:
That is HILARIOUS. :)
And when I played the clip, my dog went NUTS.
196. marina said:
so i tried to listen to the video. i turned the volume down so low that i couldn't really hear it so it wouldn't wake up my 2 napping munchkins. My DOG started to totally wig out. Whining and barking and just going crazy looking for where the sound was coming from. Mind you my dog is a 100 pound, 5 year old lab, who never barks, and just sleeps all day. Dog are SO WEIRD!
Anyway, love your site....
197. Rachel said:
OK - So I am trying to watch this video and both of my dogs would like to climb into the computer and eat her themselves just with the sound of Coco. Talk about furrocious - a small rat terrier and a Cocker Spaniel. Dogs are silly.
198. Sandy said:
She is so cute. I love that little puppy stage, minus the potty training...lol
199. Linda said:
So cute. I had to turn my volume way up to hear it, because as soon as