Fix That Toilet!

There are few things in life as irritating as a toilet that leaks, won't flush, or won't shut off when full.  Fortunately, a toilet really isn't rocket science - if you're even slightly handy, you can make your toilet work like new. 

If you find water around the base of the toilet, you probably have a leaking wax seal.  This ring seals the connection between your toilet and the pipe in the floor.  Before you pull the toilet from the floor, feel the water inlet tube, and see if it's wet.  If it is, you have a leak in your inlet, or in the toilet tank.  If that's the case, you may not need to pull the toilet from the floor.  For the purposes of this discussion, let's assume you've got a bad wax ring.

Before you start, make a trip to the hardware store and buy some parts.  You'll need:

• a wax ring - I like the one with the flange on it to help prevent leaks.
• Toilet bolts to hold the toilet to the floor.
• A new water supply line (get the flexible, braided stainless steel type - they're much easier to work with, and less likely to burst).
• A new flush valve assembly.
• A replacement flapper.
• A piece of plastic large enough to sit the toilet on while you're getting it ready to reinstall.

Some or all of these parts may be included in a "toilet repair kit".  If not, the guys at the hardware store can guide you to the correct parts.  With this list of parts, you'll be replacing pretty much the whole insides of your toilet.

 If you have a cleaner in your tank, remove it and run clean water through it until you get rid of all the residue, then shut off the water to the toilet, and hold the flush lever down until all (or most) of the water drains out of the tank. You'll still have a little water in the tank and the toilet bowl.  If you want to avoid a mess, pump the water out of the tank and the bowl (a wet/dry shop vac works good for this, or you can use a small hand pump).  Loosen the connection on both ends of the water supply line, and remove it.

The toilet is attached to the floor by two bolts through the base.  They're usually hidden by a plastic cap the matches the toilet.  Pull the caps off (save them), and turn the nuts counter-clockwise to loosen them.  At this point, you can gently tip the toilet slightly, lift it off the bolts, and set it on the plastic.  Assuming the water is drained from it, you can carefully lay it on its back to gain access to the bottom.

Take a putty knife, and clean off any residue from the old wax ring from the pipe flange in the floor.  The bolts slide into slots in the floor ring, remove and discard them.  When the flange is cleaned up, seal it temporarily with a piece of plastic until you're ready to put the toilet back on (this will keep sewer gas from filling your house).

Go back to the toilet, and clean off the bottom where the wax ring goes.  As long as you've got it removed, go ahead and replace the flush valve and flapper.  The flush valve is the part that controls the water coming into the tank.  Remove the nut on the bottom of the tank where the water supply line comes in, and lift the valve out of the tank.  The new one will install with the gaskets/washer included (some of these are different than others, follow directions in the package).  In any case, snug the nut up firmly, but not so tight that you strip the plastic threads.  The flapper valve either slips over the overflow tube, or attaches to little tabs on the tube, depending on your design.  There are many universal replacement flappers that work with either style.  Clean the seat for the flapper with a bit of steel wool or a clean rag, so it makes a good seal.  Hook the chain from the flapper to the flush handle.

Lay the toilet on its back, and take your wax ring from the box.  Important:  if your bathroom has been tiled, the floor flange may be below the surface of the floor.  If this is the case, you'll need an oversize wax ring, to make a proper seal.  If this is the case, run to the hardware store and get one.  Don't use an oversize ring if you don't need it.

Remove the plastic from the floor pipe, and insert the bolts in the slots with the threads facing up.    Take the wax ring, and place it on the pipe, with the rubber flange inserted into the pipe.  Get a helper, if needed, and pick the toilet up.  Gently set the toilet onto the ring, being careful to go directly down onto the ring,   You may find it easier to put the ring on the toilet, instead of on the floor - either way will work - the important thing is to make sure you get everything lined up properly before you set the toilet down.

With the toilet in place, put your weight on it, and rock it slightly to push the toilet down so it sits flat on the floor.  If it won't get close to the floor, you either have too high a wax ring (only if you've gotten the thicker one from the hardware store), or you're not lined up properly.  Wiggle it a little, and see if it drops down - if it is really solid, you have something not right, and you'll need to try again.

Most of the time, the toilet will be close to flush with the floor, and will go down with a little pressure.  Once you've got it seated, put the washers and nuts on the bolts, and tighten them hand tight.  Important:  you must tighten the bolts evenly, and you can't put too much pressure on them.  If the toilet won't seat completely on the floor, don't try to force it with the bolts (you'll break the toilet).  If necessary, let it sit for a day or so - it will probably seat itself eventually.  If you do this, tighten the bolts a little bit a couple of times a day - you'll probably find that they will be loose when you come back to check them.  Eventually, you want the bolts to be snug (more than hand tight, but not super tight), and the toilet to be sitting completely on the floor.  Install the little plastic caps over the bolts.

When you have this done, connect the new water supply line, and tighten securely.  You're ready to test and adjust the system!

Turn the water on slowly, and watch for leaks.  In particular, check the gasket where the flush control valve is mounted. Adjust the water level so that it is below the overflow tube, and even with the "Fill" line.  Flush the toilet, check for leaks, and adjust the flapper or flush valve as needed. 

If you have a leak at the water supply line or flush control valve, you can usually fix that by tightening the appropriate nut a little.  Don't overdue it!

If the toilet leaks around the base, you've got the wax ring installed incorrectly, and you'll need to pull it apart and start over (with a new ring).  If you're careful when you install it, this is highly unlikely.  When using the ring with the flange, I've NEVER had one leak when I installed it.

All this may seem like a lot of trouble, but it's really a basic do-it-yourself job.  All the parts you buy will have instructions with them, and you'll follow the exact same process if you decide to install a new toilet.  Just relax, take your time, and everything will work just fine.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Review

We liked the previous Sherlock Holmes movie with Robert Downey, Jr, so we thought we'd check out the latest installment in the series, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.  If you haven't seen the first movie, Downey's version of the great detective is different than any you've likely seen - or imagined - before.  If you grew up, as I did, watching Basil Rathbone in old black & white movies on late-night TV, you'll have to make an adjustment in your expectations.  This version of Holmes is an action hero - which actually works better than you might expect.

Dr. Watson (Jude Law), is getting married, meaning his crime-solving partnership with Sherlock Holmes is coming to an end.  Never fear, circumstances manage to force his cooperation for at least one final adventure.  This caper features a plot by the nefarious Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris) to ignite a world war.  What follows is an entertaining romp through late 19th century Europe - featuring a bunch of bad guys, a few good ones, and almost non-stop action.  Holmes has the ability to deduce the likely outcome of nearly every situation, so he's pretty tough - but not invincible - in a fight.  Of course, most of the action is cartoonish, so leave your skeptical reasoning at home.  Don't try to make too much sense of the plot or the action, and you'll be fine.

The interaction between Holmes and Watson is great - Law is well-cast as the loyal, not always willing, accomplice to the mayhem.  The rest of the cast is complementary.   Kelly Reilly is fine - but under-utilized - as Mary Watson, new bride.  Stephen Fry is very good as Sherlock's brother, Mycroft - there's a really funny bit with him and Mary Watson.  There is a brief (much too brief) glimpse of Rachael McAdams as Holmes love interest / foil Irene Adler - hard to figure why they'd cast her and get rid of her so early in the action.  Her chemistry with Downey was one of the best things about the first movie.  Instead, we're left with Noomi Rapace as "Sim", the gypsy woman who figures large in the plot.  Rapace is an appealing character, but there's nothing going on between her and Holmes. 

Ultimately, this is a lightweight movie - plenty entertaining if you like this sort of thing (which I do), with clever dialog, humor, and virtually non-stop action.  Definitely worth seeing in the theater with a big tub of popcorn.

What About Home Inspections?

If you've bought or sold a home within the last few years, chances are you've given at least some thought to home inspections.  In my job as a Realtor with HOME Real Estate, I've seen buyers and sellers use the inspection process to their advantage.  I've also seen and heard about many who have not taken advantage of this powerful tool in the home buying process.

Before we go any further, let's define exactly what we're talking about - what kinds of inspections are appropriate for most buyers and sellers?  In almost all instances, the starting point should be a Whole House Inspection.  This inspection will give an overall indication of a home's condition, and will specifically look for issues relating to major systems, as well as health and safety issues.  A thorough whole house inspection will look at the roof, plumbing, electrical system, furnace, air conditioner, foundation, attic, and even appliances. A whole house inspector is a "generalist" - it may be necessary to contact a specialist for specific issues.

In addition to the whole house inspection, you may also want a few more specific inspections:

• Termite inspection (most likely required, if you are financing your home).  
• Mold test (typically performed after some evidence of possible mold is noted on the whole house inspection report)
• Radon test
• Other specific inspections based on concerns raised in the whole house inspection - includes a roof, foundation, furnace and air, etc.

In most cases, I'd suggest a buyer have a whole house, termite, and radon inspection.  Other tests or inspections may be appropriate based on the apparent condition of the home or on the results of other inspections.

It's a no-brainer:  If you're buying a home, get an inspection.  In my opinion, there are very few instances where it makes sense to skip this important step:

• If you are in the building trades, you may be able to spot most potential problems yourself.  Keep in mind,  you may forfeit your right to cancel the contract if you don't have an inspection.
• If you are buying a home that has been pre-inspected by a reputable company, you may be able to rely on that inspection.  You should only do so if the inspection has been performed fairly recently (certainly no more than 6 months), of course.
• If you are buying a distressed home (short sale, foreclosure, etc.).  The sale will be as-is, and you should know enough to be comfortable with the home's condition.  Be prepared to do some repairs.
• If you're buying a home you've lived in for a significant period of time, you may already know about all its faults.

For the rest of us, get an inspection.  Even an inexpensive home is worth a lot of money - don't cost yourself big bucks by trying to save a few hundred dollars.

OK, so you're convinced, right?  So, how do we go about picking an inspector?  First of all, ask your realtor for recomendations.  Hopefully, you've done a good job picking a realtor, and you've found one who is looking out for your interests.  He'll probably be involved in more transactions in a single year than you will be in your entire life, so his opinion should count for something.  The realtor's recomendation is a starting point, but you should still perform your due dillagence - it's time to ask some questions:

• What is the cost of the inspection?
• What exactly is covered?  Is there a separate charge for the furnace and air inspection, termite inspection, or other tests?
• Does the inspection company also perform repairs, or do the specialize in inspections?  It may be OK for an inspection company to offer repair or mediation services, but it could cause a conflict of interest. 
• What training or certification is required of this company's inspectors?
• What additional tests or inspections does the company offer and/or recommend?
• What happens if the inspector makes an error - will the company stand behind it? 

Don't be afraid to ask questions - you're paying for it.  Ask your questions before you meet for the walk through - it's too late to change your mind after the work is done.  Oh, and while we're on the subject - if I had a realtor who objected to my asking questions of the inspection company, I'd start asking myself if I had picked the right realtor!

Most inspectors will check the house out, then go over the report with you.  Don't miss this walk through!  Sometimes the report will have a number of issues identified, but they're minor things that shouldn't be alarming - it can be hard to tell what's a big deal and what isn't without talking to the inspector.  Again, you should feel free to ask any questions during the walk through, and most inspectors will invite you to call them if you have any other questions after reading the whole report.

One caution:  don't get freaked out if you have a long report - every house will have some issues.  Try to identify which are serious, and focus on getting those taken care of.  Don't lose a lot of sleep over minor issues.  Remember, the seller wants to keep the deal together at least as bad as you do, so he should be willing to work with you to get the necessary repairs completed.  If you're reasonable, you'll be fine.

Inspections are nothing to be afraid of.  They are an important tool that will help the buyer and seller successfully complete their transaction.

The Tower Heist Review

We went to see The Tower Heist this past weekend, and I was pleasantly surprised.  I wasn't expecting much (I'm not a Ben Stiller fan), but we wanted to see a movie, and my wife isn't terribly interested in cartoon movies.  We decided to give this a shot.

As I'm sure you're aware, if you've seen the previews, the plot revolves around a group of ordinary guys who attempt to commit robbery to right a wrong.  I won't spoil the plot, but everyone in the theater knows how this one is going to turn out.

The Tower Heist is an "action comedy" - with the emphasis on comedy.  Most of the action is cartoon-style - you're never too worried about someone getting hurt.  I was pleasantly surprised to see they avoided the temptation to go over the top with outlandish characters - Ben Stiller is OK as the wronged loyal employee, and Eddie Murphy is a surprisingly good as "Slide", the local hood who helps the good guys set up the heist.  Tea Leone plays against type as a tough FBI agent (and Stiller's love interest), and Matthew Broderick is well cast as "Mr. Fitzhugh".  Gabourey Sidibe absolutely shines as "Odessa", she's hilarious, mixing a saucy, sexy personality with a little psyco scary girl.  Alan Alda is the ultimate "One Percenter" - you can almost see the slime drip off him as he slithers around looking down on everyone.  The ensemble cast melds together - there's plenty of chemistry here, and that's what makes the movie work.  It's a modest movie, filled with almost-normal characters who get caught up in crazy situations, but it works for me.  It's funny, fast moving, and has enough action to keep you awake, with a couple of scenes that had me in hysterics.

This is not a realistic movie in any sense - you have to suspend your disbelief at the door.  Once you do that, it's easy to get caught up in the caper, and you'll cheer when the bad guy gets what he's got coming.  All-in-all, not a bad flick, and worth the price of admission.

Simple Electrical Repairs

As a long-time do-it-yourselfer, I'm used to working with electricity.  I've been zapped a few times (that's pretty much always a consequence of taking shortcuts, or doing something that you KNOW is unsafe), but nothing too serious, and, if you're reasonably handy, there's no reason you can't do many electrical repairs yourself.

First, a caveat:  In most cases, you are allowed to do your own electrical work, but you still must follow the applicable codes, and you may need a permit.  Contact your local building and safety department for clarification.  If you're not comfortable doing the work, don't do it - saving a few bucks is not worth taking foolish chances.

If you're sufficiently scared, let's look at a few common problems, and how to fix them.  Before you start, you'll need a few tools - Wire Cutters, Wire Stripper, Screwdrivers (Flat Blade and Phillips), long nose pliers, and a voltage tester (for more complex issues, you may need a multi-meter, instead of a voltage tester).

Replacing a light switch (or installing a dimmer), is simple.  Let's assume you're replacing a standard wall switch with an identical one.  Here's what you do:

• Shut off the power at the circuit breaker.  Don't assume the labels on the box are correct - test it first.  Experienced electricians will sometimes work on a "hot" circuit, but you shouldn't.  When you turn off the breaker, lock it out so no one can turn it on (or at least put a note on it, to warn anyone that you're working on it).
• Remove the plate cover, and take out the two screws holding the switch in the box.  There should be enough slack in the wires to allow you to pull the switch away from the wall.
• There will most likely be two black wires hooked up to terminals on the switch - these are the power leads.  One will supply power to the switch, and the other will send power to the light or appliance to be energized.   Depending on your home's wiring, there may or may not be a green or bare ground wire attached to the switch.
• Remove the wires from the old switch.  There are two methods that are typically used to hook the wires up to the switch - they'll either be hooked up with screws, or inserted through holes in the back of the switch and retained with spring clips.  If the latter method us used, it's easiest to just cut the wires flush with the switch body.
• Strip the insulation off the wires, and connect them to the switch.  In most cases, it's best to use the screw terminals - bend the wire in a half circle around the screw in a clockwise direction, and tighten securely.  
• Carefully push the switch back in the box, being careful to avoid loosening the wires.  Tighten the screws to hold it in place, and reinstall the plate cover.  Turn on the power, and test it - you're done!

If you have three wires (not counting the ground wire) hooked up to your switch, it probably means you have a three-way switch.  You'll need to replace it with a new three-way switch, and you should hook it up the same as the old one.  If you replace one three-way, I think it's best to replace the other one at the same time.

Replacing an outlet is almost exactly the same, except you'll need to connect an extra wire.  After shutting off the power and removing the old outlet, look at your wires.  In most cases, there will be three wires hooked up to the outlet - Black, White, and Green (or Bare).  It's Very important to hook these wires up to the right terminals on your new outlet.

• Look at your new outlet - the screws on one side will be silver, and the other side are brass.  The black wire is the "hot" wire, and it should be attached to the brass side.  The white wire is the "neutral" wire, and is hooked up to the silver side.  If you mix up the hot and neutral wires, the outlet will still work, but the polarity will be reversed, and could be dangerous.  If you're not sure which is which, get help to determine which is which.  If you have a third wire (green or bare), it will be attached to the green wire on the outlet.

The other thing that's important is to make sure your wire size is adequate for the outlet.  Wire size is determined by gauge - the smaller the number, the larger the wire.  For a standard, 15 amp circuit (a standard outlet and a 15 amp fuse or circuit breaker), 14 gauge wire is adequate. If you have 12 gauge wire, you can use  20 amp breakers and outlets.  Please note - if you use a 20 amp breaker, you MUST use at least 12 gauge wire and 20 amp outlets.  It's OK to use a smaller breaker and outlets with the larger wire, but not the other way around.

 Replacing a light fixture is not difficult, and it can be a great way to dress up a room.

• Kill the power, and remove the old fixture.  Again, you should have a black (hot) wire and a white (neutral) wire.  You may or may not have a green or bare ground wire.
• Check to make sure the junction box is firmly attached, and able to support the weight of the fixture.  If you're installing a ceiling fan, you must have a metal box that's firmly attached to a ceiling structural beam.
• Strip the wires, and connect the black wire from the new fixture to the black power wire using the proper size wire nut.  The fixture will probably have wire nuts included, or you can pick them up in any hardware store.  They're color coded, and the package will list what size/quantity of wires for which each is designed.  To use the wire nut, just lay the two wires together, and screw it on securely - test it by pulling on the wire.  Repeat for the white wire.  The ground wire, if available, will usually be connected directly to the fixture with a screw terminal.
• The new fixture will have a strap that attaches to the junction box.  Make sure it's securely attached, then attach the fixture to it per the included directions.  Ceiling fans will have specific mounting directions, so you'll need to follow them carefully.
• When you're done, check to make sure you're putting the proper wattage bulb in the fixture, then test it.  Do not exceed the recommended wattage, or you could cause a fire.

Correcting a circuit breaker or fuse that repeatedly trips is a little more complicated.   Unless you're experienced, you may need some help.  You'll want to add a circuit if you find you're blowing fuses or tripping breakers, or if you are adding a room or appliance that needs it's own dedicated electrical supply.

If you blow fuses, you need to check to see how many amps you're using.  For this, you'll need a digital multimeter that has a clamp-on inductive amp meter.  With that, you can measure the amount of current being used (measured in amps).  A standard circuit has a 15 amp breaker.  If you put the meter around the wire leading from the breaker, it will tell you how many amps you're pulling.  Put it on there and check, then go turn everything on that is on that circuit - if you're close to 15 amps, you've got too much, and you should change things up.

If you've just started to blow your breaker, it's possible you have a short,a bad breaker, or a bad appliance that is causing the problem.  To test for this, turn everything off that works on the suspect breaker. Check one thing at a time, and see if something is using more power than it should (everything should have a label showing it's wattage rating).  Volts * Amps = Watts, so something that is rated for 800 watts should use a maximum of around 7 amps (7*115 =805).  Most of the time it will use a shade less that it's rated wattage.  Most likely,  you'll find something that either blows the circuit right away or uses more power than it should.  If you find it, repair or replace it - adding a circuit won't solve the problem.  If you can't find a problem, you probably just have too much on one circuit.

If you're lucky, you'll have an empty spot in your breaker box.  If you do, you can just buy a new breaker (in this example, a 15 amp single pole), and install it in the box.  Breakers are made to fit specific boxes, so you'll have to get exactly the same thing that's in yours.  Most of them just snap into place - if you can't see how it works, ask at the hardware store and they'll tell you.  You can snap in a new breaker without killing the power to the whole box, but it's safest to turn off the main breaker at the top of the box while you're messing around in there.  Even with the main breaker off, there will be power at the terminals where the power line comes into the house.  Use your meter and carefully check for voltage, so you know where it is.

After you put your new breaker in, you'll need to run your wires to it. You'll want to run romex cable all the way from the main panel to your new circuit.  Remember, use at least 14 gauge wire for a 15 amp breaker, 12 gauge for a 20 amp.  In any case, run cable that has a separate ground wire, even if your existing wire doesn't have the ground.  If the area you're running power to is unfinished, or if you have access to an unfinished area below or above it to run the wire, it's pretty easy.  If you have to pull cable across a finished area, you may need professional help.

In any case, run your cable, and hook up your outlets or lighting fixtures as described above.  Every junction should be in a junction box, and any cable run should go inside the wall or ceiling.  Anything run along the surface of a finished wall should be in conduit.  The black wire should always be hot (hooked up to the breaker), and the white wire is neutral.  If you look in your panel, you'll see a buss bar with all the white wires connected.  In most cases (but not all), the ground wire will be hooked to the same bar. 

As I said before, if you're not comfortable working with electricity, get a professional.  If you're not intimidated, however, there are many simple repairs you can safely tackle yourself.  Start off small, shut off the power before you start, and you'll be able to repair most of the issues commonly found in the home.

"He Bites!"

There he was, huddled in the corner of his kennel, tail between his legs, shaking uncontrollably.  He was, I thought, the most thoroughly unatractive dog I had ever seen.  Theresa had seen his picture in the paper before we headed down to Missouri, and asked me to go take a look at him.

Kodak was in a "No Kill" shelter in Osage Beach, Mo.  According to the folks at Dogwood Animal Shelter, he had been there about 6 months.  He had received some kind of abuse in his previous home (one of the shelter workers said they had "bad kids" there).  They told me he wasn't housebroken, and "they told us he bites".  Wonderful!  He was, according to the vet records, a "Husky Mix" - most likely mixed with some labrador.

After seeing him from a distance - and hearing about his issues - I was pretty sure I wasn't interested.  We already had two dogs, and a third would be a major headache, even if the dog was extremely well-behaved.  Bringing home a dog with issues would be impossible.  Since I had gone to look at him at Theresa's request, I figured I might as well take him in  a room and see what he was like.

They brought us in a large, empty room, and left me alone with Kodak.  He immediately went to the extreme opposite corner and sat there, shaking.  I was smart enough not to chase him, so I just sat on the floor with my hand held out.  Every time I looked up, he was a little closer, but would jump away when he saw me move my head.  I turned my head and sat very still with my hand held out.  After about 15 minutes, I felt a cold nose touch my finger.

At that point, Kodak would let me pet him, very gently, under his neck.  Any fast movement on my part sent him packing.  After a few minutes of that, I sat in a chair, sending him back to his corner.  He came back soon, and from that point on, he'd run over to me every time I called him.  He still wouldn't get close to me if I was standing.

I petted him for a while, and we became reasonably friendly (as long as our idea of friendship is to stand at extreme arm's length from one another, with just your fingertips touching his fur).  The kennel worker came back in and I let them take Kodak back to his cage.  I visited for a few minutes with the staff, and decided to leave.  As I was going, one woman said to a middle aged man, "He's thinking of taking Kodak!"  The man looked to be near tears, and said, "Are you really going to take him?"

By that point, I knew I had absolutely no interest in that ugly, terrified dog, but I didn't want to hurt the guy's feelings.  I said something like, "I have to talk to my wife", and got out of there.

When I got back to our place, Theresa asked what I thought.  I told her, very definitely, that he was too much of a project for us to tackle.  We already had two dogs - Charlie was old and lame, and Cassie was still a handful at times.  The only way a third dog would make any sense at all is if he was already trained and had no bad habits.  We didn't need to take a dog that might bite, wasn't housebroken, and had who-knows how many other bad habits.  She agreed.

Unfortunately, I have a soft spot in my heart (head?) for strays.  I kept telling myself we were better off without that dog, but I couldn't get him out of my mind.  I also couldn't forget the reaction by a couple of the staff members at the shelter - why were they so excited for Kodak to find a home?  I went all day, getting more and more bugged about it.  My wife - who is usually smarter than me - really did not want to go look at him.  Finally, I told her it was going to drive me crazy until I took her over to see the dog.  I was really hoping she'd just put her foot down and say no, but she didn't.

We drove over to check out Kodak.  When you walk in the front door at this place, you're up to your elbows in dogs - 30 or so dogs are just running around in the lobby.  They're jumping on you, playing with each other, and generally looking very adorable.  There were several in the lobby that were much more appealing than Kodak (he didn't ever get to come up there, since he was so afraid).

Theresa and I went to the meeting room, and they brought Kodak in.  I was surprised that he "kind of" remembered me - it only took him a minute or so to come to me when I sat on the floor.  Even more of a surprise, he went to Theresa much quicker than he had to me - it only took him a few minutes to go over to her.  He was very sweet - he really liked her to pet him.  When she'd stop, he'd nudge her hand with his nose to get her to pay attention to him again.  Of course we decided, regardless of what made sense, that we'd adopt him.

After we filled out the paperwork and paid the fee, we took him to the car.  Here came my first concern - he wouldn't jump up, so I had to lift this strange, biting dog up into the car.  I was a little surprised when he let me lift him up - as afraid as he was, there was no sign of biting or growling.

We were a half mile down the road when we discovered the next problem - he smelled bad!  Every dog I've adopted from a shelter has been really stinky, and he was no exception.  We decided to stop at Petco to see if they could bath home before we took him home.  They were able to get him in, so we left him there and went to get a bite to eat.

When we came back, we were pleased to find out that Kodak had been good for grooming - no biting or acting up.  He was pretty scared, but that was it.  We bought him a leash and a collar, and headed home.  He seemed to enjoy the ride, and let Theresa pet him as we drove.

Kodak, on the ride home the day we adopted him.

My next concern was introducing him to the other dogs.  Charlie wasn't a problem - she knew how to act around other dogs - my only concern was protecting her from a potentially aggressive dog.  Cassie, on the other hand, can be touchy with strange dogs.  I've found the best way to introduce her to a dog is to let her see Theresa or I interact with the dog, then to walk the two dogs, letting them get progressively closer.  Once she's used the a strange dog, she's fine.

To my surprise, Cassie's response to Kodak was muted.  After a couple of minutes, I was able to take both of them for a walk without incident.  Five minutes after that, Kodak was in the house, sitting between my two black dogs, waiting for a treat!

Cassie (L), Kodak (C), and Charlie - Minutes after coming in the house for the first time.

My two most serious questions about Kodak - did he bite, and would he get along with my other dogs - had been answered more positively than I could have hoped!  Charlie was, as expected, fine.  Cassie and Kodak took a great shine to each other - there was no issue whatsoever between them.

I still had the housebreaking concern, but I was confident that I could get that done with minimal effort.  Towards that end, I kept Kodak on the leash in the house at all times.  If I couldn't watch him, he'd go to his kennel.  Of course, being at our lake home was a bonus, since I had time to work with him.  Much to my astonishment, he never had a single accident in the home.  It probably helped that he has a bladder the size of a basketball - he can hold it forever!  It took him a little time to understand he had to go as soon as you took him outside, but he understood immediately that he wasn't allowed to go in the house.  It looked like our "problem" dog was going to be OK.

Kodak adjusted quickly to living in our home.  It took him a couple of days before he'd eat (but then he quickly made up for it), and he soon quit running from Theresa and I.  Initially, he followed me around wherever I went - probably because I fed him - but eventually became extremely attached to Theresa.  Now, after almost 2 years, he follows her around and sits in her lap or beside her most of the time.

He's still really afraid of strangers, although he's much better now than when we first got him.  He'll bark at guests when they first arrive, then sneak up and try to get petted once they sit down.  When we have overnight guests, he'll make friends with people, only to forget them by morning (we joke that he has short-term memory loss, like Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates).  Sometimes he'll bark at Theresa or I, if he's not expecting us.

Kodak has very few bad habits.  He likes to play with toys or balls, but throws up when he does, so those are definitely outside activities.  He likes to chase squirrels, and he'll chase our cat if she comes out of her room in front of him.  He howls when you're fixing his dinner, and eats his food very fast.  We've had to work with him to get him to take treats nicely.  Kodak took basic obedience, and did OK, but he's a little nervous about being in the strange place with strange people and dogs.  He's pretty good with strange dogs, but gets wound up if Cassie does.

Kodak has a curly tail - the happier and more excited he is, the more it curls.  A few months after we got him, we took him to a farmer's market down in Missouri.  He was afraid, but did OK.  When we stopped at one booth, a woman said, "Oh my God, is that Kodak?"  It turns out she worked at the shelter, and remembered him from when he was there.  We decided to take him over to the shelter to show him off.  At the shelter, they were amazed - they said they'd never seen Kodak with his tail up!  He was afraid of most of the staff, until they called the woman from the back who had taken care of him - he was very excited to see her, and went right over to her.


As I've said before, Cassie can be touchy around other dogs, but she and Kodak are great buddies - they never snap or even growl at each other (Kodak is the only dog that can get away with stepping on Cassie while she's sleeping).  If you take only one dog, the other is very upset while you're gone. 

Kodak is very easy to take care of.  He's kennel trained, but we almost never lock him up anymore.  We used to leave the dogs in the office downstairs when we left, but lately we've just left them out.  Kodak doesn't mess up the house, chew, or cause any problems when left alone (or with Cassie).  He's quite a watchdog - especially when the doorbell rings on TV!  Far from being a biter, it's almost impossible to imagine him biting someone.  He keeps himself very clean, and loves to be petted and fussed over.  When you get tired of petting him, just say, "Go lay down" and he'll go to his spot and lie down.

Cassie and Kodak Today

The Top 10 Christmas Shows of All Time

As I was sitting there watching another made-for-TV Christmas movie, I thought, "Instead of wasting my time with this trash, I should watch one of the Christmas movies I really like".  Of course, that would have taken a little bit of effort on my part, so I sat there and watched the bad one anyway.  After it was over, I thought about all the great Christmas movies I've seen, and decided to try to put them in order.  For the purposes of this list, I'll lump movies, TV Specials, and TV movies together.  Keep in mind, this is my list - subject to my goofy opinion.  I like sappy, sentimental shows, but I also like goofball comedies.  Sometimes I even like action or suspense, but I usually don't like sadistic violence (fortunately, that's not a staple of Christmas movies).

For the purposes of this list, a "Christmas Show" will be defined as any movie in which the Christmas holiday plays a central part of the plot.  Shows like "Die Hard", although set during the holidays, are not Christmas movies, so they don't make my list.  I love Die Hard, but it's not what we're talking about here.  Likewise for "While You Were Sleeping", which would certainly make my list as one of the top romantic comedies. 

I've had to actually watch a show for it to be on my list, so a movie like "Bad Santa", which I'm sure I'd love, won't be on it.  I plan to watch that at some point, so it may be on a future list.  Some of the movies I've not seen for years - a few of them I watched DECADES ago - so my rating is based on my opinion from whenever I last watched it.  This means that "A Christmas Story", which I thought was cute when I first saw it, loses out due to overexposure.  I also resist having it on my list because everyone talks about how much they love it.  I don't get it - it's OK, but certainly can't compete with my favorites.

With no further ado, here is my list:

10.  The Family Stone.  A sentimental favorite, this movie reminds me of my own family - nothing is as perfect as you'd like it to be, but it ends up working.  The plot revolves around the family gathering at Christmas, with one son bringing his new, uptight fiance along.  No magic, nothing miraculous, but it's funny and touching.

9.   Home Alone.  OK, I warned you.  I like goofball comedies!  This is pretty goofy, and silly.  It's also really funny.  Just don't think about what happened to Macaulay Culkin, and you'll enjoy it more.


8.   The Muppet Christmas Carol.  Instead of going to the new Muppet Movie, save a few bucks and pick up a copy of this instead.  It's a fun version of the Dickens' story, with Kermit and all the gang.  There are two movies based on this story on my list - see if you can guess the other one!


7.   Holiday Inn.  The first of two movies on my list that feature the song "White Christmas".  I always get this and "White Christmas" mixed up, but this is the one with Fred Astaire joining Bing.


6.   White Christmas.  The second of the two Bing Crosby movies featuring the song "White Christmas".  This one has Danny Kaye, which makes it just a little better than Holiday Inn.

 OK, we're halfway there.  The top 5 are really much better, in my opinion.  I had a lot of trouble separating numbers 6-10 from the also-runs.  No such trouble here - these 5 are clearly my favorites (at least as of this moment).


My 5 favorite Christmas shows:


5.  How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  I'm NOT talking about the horrible Jim Carey movie here - I'm talking about the 1966 TV special.  This show is the reason this post isn't titled "The Top 10 Christmas Movies of all Time".  The only TV special in my top ten, it's worth a look.  I've watched this show multiple times since I was a child, and I still enjoy it.  The look on the dog's face during the Grinch's trip down the hill is priceless.  The bad Carey movie just stretched a 30 minute TV show into a 90 minute movie by adding 60 minutes of Carey's obnoxious strutting for the cameras.


4.  Scrooged.  The second of the "Christmas Carol" adaptations, this one is my favorite.  Goofy, funny - it's a lot of fun.


3.  National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  This is my favorite of the National Lampoon Vacation movies, and it's great fun.  Chevy Chase has made a bunch of bad movies, but this one's a classic.  Lots of crazy characters.


2.  It's a Wonderful Life.  No list of favorite Christmas Movies would be complete without Jimmy Stewart and Mr. Potter.  Sappy, yes, but I defy you to watch this to the end without fighting to hold back the tears.  "To my brother George, the richest man in town!"  I just got goosebumps writing it out.


And, last - but certainly not least - my all-time favorite Christmas show:


1.  Miracle on 34th Street.  Natalie Wood is Adorable.  Edmund Gwenn is lovable.  Maureen O'Hara is magnificent.  I watch this several times over the holiday season - often catching parts of it on TV.  It always catches my attention and entertains.  Some of the remakes are OK, but do yourself a favor and watch the original - it's a treat.


There you have it - my list.  For the cost of  taking your family to a single movie, plus snacks, you can buy all of the top 5 and be entertained for years to come.  I'm sure as soon as I post this, I'll remember another favorite.  Feel free to chime in and let me know where you disagree.

The Muppet Movie

This past weekend, I quit eating long enough to take in the new Muppet Movie.  It's appropriate that I saw this over Thanksgiving Weekend - it's a real turkey.

I have been a fan of the Muppets since the 70's.  The old Muppet Show was lively, clever, and had lots of great cameo appearances by all kinds of stars.  Unfortunately, this movie has only one of the three.

The movie starts slowly - the early song and dance numbers are slow and have little life.  Of course, that comment pretty much sums up my thoughts about the whole movie - there's just no energy to the production.  Much of that is the fault of the human cast.  Jason Segal (Marshall from "How I Married Your Mother") is such a bland, vanilla character that I pretty much just fell asleep every time he opened is mouth.  Amy Adams is very cute, and provides what little spark there is in this movie.  She  can sing and dance, and is always an appealing character.  Unfortunately, there's only so much she can do, and for much of the movie she just stands around on the edge of the crowd, looking kind of embarrassed.  The villain, played by Chris Cooper, is fine - he's just not very funny.

The human characters, of course, are never the stars in a Muppet Movie.  As much as it pains me to say it, the Muppets are a big part of the problem here.  In previous movies - not to mention in the TV show - they were real characters, with vivid personalities, including their own special quirks.  This bunch were just animated puppets.  Where was the interaction between Kermit and Miss Piggy?  For crying out loud, Miss Piggy only hit one person!  Gonzo didn't have enough death-defying stunts, and even Animal didn't go nuts.  It was like the whole bunch were on tranquilizers.

The plot was OK, as far as it went.  Gary (Segal) and Walter are brothers, except of course Walter is a Muppet.  Walter's a huge fan of the Muppets, and becomes involved in the quest to save their theater from destruction.  The rich, evil villain gets his in the end, and Gary, Mary (Adams), and Walter live happily ever after.  All this is fine - it's what's NOT in here that matters.

Where is the conflict between Kermit and Piggy?  How about a little something between Mary and Kermit - wouldn't that work to make Piggy jealous?  Piggy is a wonderful charachter - maybe my favorite Muppet - who doesn't do anything in this movie.  If nothing else, it would give us a little more of Amy Adams (never a bad thing), and give Kermit a chance to connect with her as well as the audience.  There's a big block of the movie spent of rounding up the old gang, but nothing much happens, and what does happen just isn't funny.

Finally, after what seems like forever (it's actually only 98 minutes), comes the "show within the show".  This is the best part of the movie.  It's ALMOST as good as the old TV show - plenty of gags, tons of celebrity cameos, some decent music.  It's not great, but it is pretty good, especially compared to the rest of the movie.  Unfortunately, it's not good enough to make up for the last hour of pain.

If you, like me, are a great Muppet fan, do yourself a favor - instead of seeing this movie, go find a copy of the original Muppet movie, or the old TV show.

Take a Hike (or at least a walk)!

My dogs get a walk or a run 6 days a week, almost regardless of the weather conditions - snow and cold aren't a problem, but I do draw the line at hard rain and/or thunderstorms.  When I'm getting ready to go each morning, I'm always amazed at what a big deal it is to the dogs.  You'd think, since they go so often, that it would be just their normal routine, eliciting no great response.  Not so!  If I put on my shoes and sweatshirt, and head for the door, the tails are wagging uncontrollably, and both dogs are prancing around the room like I just offered them a pound of hamburger.

Every dog I've ever had has loved going for a walk.  If you don't do anything else with your dog, teach him to sit, and take him for a walk every day.  If you do those two things, you'll likely have a happy dog that is a pleasure to be around.  Most of the common complaints about dogs can be solved - or at least minimized - by regular walks:

• Hyper-activity.  Many dogs end up in the shelter because they "just won't settle down".  They're always "in your face", begging for attention, licking or mouthing you, pacing, etc.  I have big dogs that could tend to be very active (a lab and a lab/husky mix).  Even a short walk (1/2 to 3/4 mile) in the morning is enough to settle them down.  A long 2 to 3 mile walk will have them napping most of the day.
• Chewing.  No, a walk won't completely stop a puppy from chewing.  Many dogs, however, are destructive because they're bored.  A walk, unlike time in the back yard, exposes your dog to many stimuli.  This mental activity works for the brain just like the physical activity of the walk to keep your dog satisfied most of the day.
• Barking.  All dogs will bark from time to time.  For me, I can handle a dog who barks at the mailman, or when someone comes to the door.  My dogs will sometimes bark at me if I come in the wrong door.  The thing that's hard to take is when a dog just stands in the yard and barks non-stop, at nothing in particular.  Like chewing, many dogs bark from boredom.  
• Fear or aggression.  These are often the same thing, and while a daily walk won't cure a dog of fearful or aggressive behavior, it will very likely help.  Exposure over time will tend to desensitize your dog to the triggers.  Our lab, Cassie, still reacts poorly at times to seeing strange dogs on a leash, but her behavior is much less extreme than in the past, and at times she will not react at all.  Even more important, a pup that is taken for a daily walk from a young age will not tend to have an adverse reaction to new or strange situations.
• Health issues.  If you feed your dog enough, he'll be fat (kind of like people).  Daily exercise will, however, make him - and you - more fit.  Not only will your dog live longer, he'll likelier have a happier, healthier life if you give him a walk every day.

Before you ask, playing fetch or hanging out in the back yard is not a substitute for a walk. To get all the benefits, you need to actually get off the couch, put your walking shoes on, and hit the bricks.

OK, so now you're convinced your dog should get a walk every day, right?  Now you just need to know how to do it.  Keep in mind that walking nicely on a leash is a different skill than walking at Heel.  Heel is an obedience command, and requires the dog to be in precisely the correct spot throughout the exercise.  When you're out walking with your dog, you don't need precision - you need your dog to be under control, not pulling, and not underfoot.

Small dogs need very little training to walk on a leash.  They should walk to your side, and not be underfoot.  Since they're not strong, pulling isn't a big problem, but pulling may lead them to trip you up.  Many people don't bother to train a small dog, and few even take them for a walk.  Both of those are mistakes, in my opinion.  An ill-mannered small dog is obnoxious.

It is vitally important to train large dogs, of course.  When walking, it is physically painful to be pulled constantly by a big, strong dog.  I don't feel it's necessary for a dog to walk at heel at all times, but he should recognize that you are in charge of the walk, and walk at your pace. 

Teaching your dog to walk nicely isn't hard, but you have to be more stubborn than your dog.  You also need to use an appropriate collar and leash.  I don't believe in "Flexi" leads (a long, retractable leash) for training large dogs to walk.  You may be able to safely use one after he's trained, but they're dangerous with an untrained dog.  I prefer a simple 6' lead, with a good, heavy duty snap.

For a collar, you should choose something appropriate for your dog's strength and temperment.  For many dogs, a pinch collar (also called a prong collar) is a great tool.  The pinch collar looks like some kind of midieval torture device, but it does not cause pain for the dog when used correctly.  With many dogs, the pinch collar is not needed.  You can use a snug-fitting leather or nylon collar, a choke collar, or a Martingale Collar (kind of a hybrid between a standard buckle collar and a choke collar.  The Martingale is a limited-slip collar, so it's a little safer for your dog.  Of course, the biggest safety factor for your dog is between your ears.  You've got a brain - it is your job to make sure you don't choke your dog or damage his neck using excessive force.

I'm not a fan of the "Gentle Leader" harnesses.  They are uncomfortable, and I'm concerned about the torque that can be applied to the dog's neck.  I'd rather use a pinch collar, and make sure I'm not going to injure my dog.  If you've used these and like them, that's fine.

Regardless of the type of collar you use, when you're teaching your dog to walk nicely, you need to show him that he needs to pay attention to you.  To accomplish this, just walk along and, if your dog is ignoring you, pulling, or dragging back, switch directions.  Don't tell him, just do it.  If he's pulling really hard, just stop.  You don't need to jerk the leash - the dog will provide all the force.  When he realizes you're not moving, he'll stop and look back at you.  He'll probably take a couple of steps back toward you.  As soon as he learns to pay attention to you, he won't jerk the leash.  Sometimes, when my dog is distracted, I'll walk in circles.  She has learned that when I do that, she has to keep an eye on me to avoid reaching the end of the leash.  My attitude is, "Oh, too bad you got jerked!  Too bad you weren't paying attention!"

It's easy to get lazy after you've got your dog trained.  I frequently find myself putting up with Cassie pulling a little more than she should.  Sometimes, you just need to go back and give them a little refresher course.  Once they've learned, it's easy to reinforce it again.  You'll know you've succeeded when you can't change directions and catch your dog. 

Years ago, when Charlie was new to us, I stopped home at noon to take her for a walk.  We had worked really hard at walking nice, and Charlie was doing well.  I had on my work clothes, so we were strolling slowly around the block when we passed a woman working in her yard.  As we went by, she looked at my dog walking sedately by my side and said, "Wow, that's an old dog!"  Charlie was young and healthy at the time - we had gone for a 4 or 5 mile run that morning, and she had handled that fine.  I explained to the woman that she wasn't old, just well-behaved.  I'm sure she didn't believe me.

One more thing - keep your dog on a leash!  If your dog will ALWAYS come when you call, and you're in an area away from traffic, people, and other dogs, I don't see a problem with taking your dog off the leash.  In any other circumstances, it's extremely irresponsible, not to mention illegal, to walk without a leash.  I always look at it this way:  If your dog won't stay constantly by your side during your walk, he needs to be on a leash.  If he does stay right by you the whole time, he might as well be on the leash.  It's not fair to put your dog's life in peril just so you can show off how well-trained your dog is.

I can't stress it enough.  Your dog will do almost anything for you - don't you think you can do this for him?  Put on his leash, and take a walk.  If you're not in shape, just go around the block.  He won't care, and you'll find that both of you will look forward to the next walk tomorrow.

Child Abuse at Penn State and Syracuse

I didn't plan to post on the Penn State Child Sexual Abuse scandal - it's not really the kind of thing I want to deal with here - but it has been so much in the news that I decided to chime in.

It seems clear to me that this is not a case of a rogue individual abusing kids.  At the very least, a number of adults looked the other way, allowing him to continue in his pattern of serial abuse.  That's the BEST thing you can think about all those people - it's much more likely that there was a deliberate attemp at a cover-up, involving not only football staff members, but school administrators, Second Mile administrators,  and even county law enforcement.  It's entirely possible that EVERY football coach and official knew what was going on - we may never know for sure the extent of the cover-up.

Recently,  another scandal at a major university's athletic department has been revealed.  Syracuse University assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine has been accused of molesting two boys over a period of about 15 years.  Unlike at Penn State, no witness to an acutal attack has surfaced.

I don't need to know anything more about Jerry Sandusky to form an opinion of his behavior - his interview with Bob Costas was extremely creepy.  Clearly, regardless of the results of any legal proceedings, this guy is guilty in the opinion of any reasonable person.  The case against Bernie Fine is less clear, but there are certainly some red flags about that situation.  I'm certainly not shocked by the allegations in either case - child sexual abuse is, unfortunately, all too common. 

As I could have guessed, coaches, players, and fans of both institutions have been eager to show support.  Of course, they're not supporting the VICTIMS - they're supporting the accused abusers!  Here's a quote from Syracuse Head Basketball Coach Jim Boeheim, "I know this kid (Davis), but I never saw him in any rooms or anything. It is a bunch of a thousand lies that he has told. You don't think it is a little funny that his (relative) is coming forward? He supplied four names to the university that would corroborate his story. None of them did…there is only one side to this story. He is lying"  Kind of makes you wonder how Boeheim could know, with such certainty, that all the allegations are completely false, doesn't it?

At Penn State, Sandusky has been - rightly, in my opinion - demonized, but, during the Nebraska game last week, the stadium showed plenty of "This one's for JoPa" type signs, supporting the man who Could have stopped the abuse a decade ago, but chose to do nothing.  Assistant coaches and players were quick to support Paterno, regardless of the role he played in this crime.  By Paterno's own admission, he was told there was some contact of a sexual nature between Sandusky and a young boy.  That, to me, means he doesn't get the benefit of the doubt. 

National commentators have expressed shock and outrage regarding the Penn State mess.  How many times have you heard someone say, "I would have stopped it, if I knew"?  No, you wouldn't.  The sad truth is, this is exactly what so-called responsible adults do when faced with the knowledge or suspicion that a friend, relative, or co-worker is guilty of sexually assaulting a child.  They wimp out.  They look the other way.  They pretend it didn't happen.  They help to cover it up.  God forbid they stand up to protect a child - it could be embarrassing.  Their friend (or relative, or co-worker) might get mad.  Maybe they'll stop.  Maybe it will just go away.  In all the coverage regarding this scandal, I've yet to see someone make this point.  Think about it - all too often a parent won't stand up to protect their child from being assaulted by another household member, so what makes us think they'll stand up to protect someone else's child?

In the Syracuse University case, you have a long-time, successful basketball coach saying flatly that the accuser is lying.  There's no wiggle room in that - no possibility that something happened over that period of time.  Nothing.  "He's lying."  Well, I guess there's no reason to investigate, is there Coach?  Do you suppose Joe Paterno said the same thing?  Since you're so positive, are you willing to be held accountable if the allegations turn out to be true?

The truth is, if you're not directly involved in the situation, you don't know what happened at Syracuse.  I certainly don't know whether Bernie Fine is a pedophile or not.  I'm not sure we'll ever know for sure.  One thing I do know for sure, though - Jim Boeheim also doesn't know with absolute certainty.  Since that's true, he should keep his mouth shut.  When you're talking about child sexual abuse, there's a time to talk.  That time is when you can speak up and make it stop.  If all you have to offer is support for those who enable abusers, just shut up.

Why Choose a Shelter Dog?

When I was young, I couldn't understand why anyone would adopt an older, mixed breed dog.  I empathized with all the dogs put down every year, but I was positive that if you wanted a great dog, you should buy a purebred puppy from a breeder.  I was wrong.  More about that later - first, let's take a look at some facts about pet shelters (statistics from ASPCA):

• 5 to 7 million pets enter animal shelters every year.  
• 60% of dogs and 70% of cats  (a total of 3 to 4 million) that are brought to shelters are euthanized. 
• About half the animals in shelters are surrendered by owners.
• About 25% of dogs in shelters are purebred.
• Few pets that enter shelters are returned to their owners - 15-20% of dogs, and less than 2% of cats.
• Most pets are euthanized because there's no room in shelters.  Even "No-Kill" shelters are unable to take all the pets that are brought to them, so they do little to reduce the total number of animals put down.

Clearly, the problem here is there are too many dogs and cats. Although even responsible breeders contribute to the pet overpopulation problem, "Backyard Breeders" and "Puppy Mills" are the real concern.  Puppy mills produce hundreds of thousands of dogs per year, most of them sold through pet stores (if you buy a dog at a pet store, just go ahead and assume you're paying top dollar for a puppy mill dog).  Since they're producing dogs for profit, their focus is on maximizing sales and reducing costs.  Dogs are often kept in unsafe and inhumane conditions, and no attempt is made to assure the health and fitness of puppies.  Puppies are separated from their litters at too young an age, often leading to behavior problems.  Although the dogs are frequently sold as purebred, they may not be - and even if they are, they're likely to be a poor example of the breed.

A Backyard Breeder is exactly what it sounds like - it's an amateur who decides to have their dog produce a litter of puppies.  Often, they think it's good for the dog to have pups.  Many of these are people who bought a purebred dog from a pet store or another backyard breeder, and think they're doing a good thing by breeding their dog to a friend or neighbor's purebred dog.  These dogs, while not raised in the horrific conditions typical of puppy mills, will not tend to be great examples of the breed (although they may very well turn out to be wonderful pets). 

A special catagory of breeder is the seller of "Designer Dogs".  Chances are you know someone who has a "Labradoodle", "Goldendoodle", or some other type of doodle.  These dogs are a mixed breed, of Poodle mixed with a Labrador, Golden Retriever, or some similar breed.  There are other designer dogs, mixing virtually any two breeds - each purporting to have all the best traits of each breed.  These dogs - especially the puppies - are very cute.  Many of them are great dogs - of course, many purebred or mutts are great dogs, too.  The thing to keep in mind is, these are not a breed, but a hybrid (nothing wrong with that - I'm a hybrid myself).   Most of the time, these designer dogs sell for more than a purebred dog, so there's a big financial incentive for the breeders to produce more of them.  Here are some pictures of Labradoodles - note that they don't look like a breed - each of the four has a distinctive appearance.  Again, that doesn't mean they're not great dogs- it just means they're a mixed breed.

Looks like a Poodle!

Looks like a Sheepdog?

Looks like a Lab!

Looks like "Who Knows"!

A real breeder will tend to specialize in a particular breed.  They'll show their dogs, and should have some titles in both conformance and obedience.  Don't expect to buy one of their dogs without answering some questions - they will tend to be pretty selective about who gets their pups, and they'll keep the litters together longer than the backyard breeders.  If you ever decide you don't want the pup, they'll want you to contact them first.  Pups that don't meet their standards will most likely be neutered and sold as pets, although dogs with serious problems may be destroyed.

At the beginning of this post, I said I had once been convinced the only way to get a great dog was to buy a purebred pup.  I now understand that is not true - there are tons of great adult dogs in shelters (there are plenty of nice pups in there, too).  Far from being somebody's problem, many of these dogs are well-adjusted, trained, and ready to join the family.  When you adopt an older dog, you miss the puppy stage - chewing, potty training, etc.

Although I'll probably never buy another puppy, there are certainly times when it's a good choice:

• If you want to compete in conformance, obedience, or field trials.
• If you are in law enforcement, ranching, or some other business that uses specific breeds of dogs for the purpose for which they are bred.
• If you have specific needs or desires for a dog - size, usage, etc. that may not be met by a mixed breed dog.

If you feel like you'd like a purebred dog, by all means get one, but first consider an older dog from a shelter.  There are plenty of purebred dogs in shelters - take a look at PetFinder, and you'll see a tremendous variety.  If an older dog is not for you, and you can't find a rescue pup, contact a breeder and get your puppy.  Don't support puppy mills by buying a pet store puppy.

In a future post, I'll describe how I pick out the right dog in a shelter.  I'll also continue talking about some of the dogs I've owned.

Mandating the Pledge of Allegiance

Lincoln state senator Tony Fulton plans to introduce a bill to require that all classrooms be led in the Pledge of Allegiance every day.  What a dreadful idea!

It may be true that patriotism is not what it once was.  If so, one of the biggest signs may be this attempt to indoctrinate our children - isn't this a tactic of totalitarian regimes?  Is there so little to love about our country that we need to FORCE children to declare their devotion to it?  This is a bad idea for a bunch of reasons:

• It doesn't work.  Just about everyone in my generation grew up saying the pledge every day.  It didn't make you stop to think about this country, our form of government, or anything else - it was just something you did at the beginning of the day.  After learning it, I don't remember spending one single second thinking about it afterward.
• It's unnecessary.  Most grade schools already say the pledge every day.   There's plenty of overt patriotic symbols available, both in and out of school - the pledge of allegiance, the flag flying at schools, businesses, and public buildings, and the Star Spangled Banner played  before every sporting event.  If that's not enough to show our love of country, I don't know what is.
• It is against our traditional values to force someone to say a pledge.  We have a long and proud tradition of being able to control what we do and don't say - do we need to lean on students to get them to go along with this? (and, yes, I know the proposed law doesn't FORCE students to say the pledge - it just forces it to be led in every class.  If you don't think that will force students to participate, you haven't been in school for a while)
• It's a poor solution to a nonexistent problem.  I don't see any signs that our youth are less patriotic than past generations.  If they are, saying the pledge won't fix it.
• Passing this law will take up time and effort that would be better spent working on real solutions to real problems.  We've got serious problems - budget issues, a struggling economy, a failing education system - and the most important thing we can think to do is pass a law requiring students to say the Pledge of Allegiance every day?  It makes no sense!

I say the pledge occasionally as an adult (my Kiwanis club starts every meeting with it).  It doesn't bother me to say it, and I sometimes actually think about this country as I recite it.  I love my country, but what I love about it most isn't the land, and it certainly isn't the flag.  The great thing about this country is the personal freedoms we enjoy.  Let's not intrude on our freedom in a pointless effort to promote love of country.

Sit!

I'm always amazed when I see people with dogs who have absolutely no training.  Even when we were testing dogs for the Angel Dogs Program at Madonna, I'd see otherwise well-behaved, pleasant dogs, who didn't know to sit and stay on command, wouldn't walk nicely on a leash, or obey other basic commands.

First, let me say that many dogs will behave perfectly, until faced with distractions.  In a previous post, I talked about Cassie's issues with strange dogs on a leash, so I'm the last person who should look down on someone regarding their dog's behavior.  Often, however, the lack of manners is just simply the result of not providing proper training.  One of the first, and most important things to teach your dog is to sit.

I prefer to teach a dog to sit before I work too much on a recall ("Come").  One reason for this is simply because it's much easier to teach - most dogs will sit easily, and they're already close to you and paying at least some attention to you.  Plus, you can teach "Sit" with the dog on a lead, and you'll be able to correct poor behavior much easier.  If your dog will sit and pay attention to you on command, you'll be able to teach him a bunch of other things.

In most cases, you can train a dog without use of punishment.  You may, however, have to use a mild leash correction from time to time.  That means a sharp tug on the leash.  It's important when you do this to realize this tug is to get the dog's attention - it's not to cause pain, or to pull them into position.  Done correctly, there's no pain to the dog.  The leash, in this case, is simply the instrument of connection between you and the dog - it's use, purpose, and intention is entirely different than when you're on the street going for a walk, when you may have to physically drag your dog away from danger or some other distraction.  During training, our goal is to teach the dog that it's a great idea to do what my trainer is telling me to do.

To get the proper attitude of both dog and owner, it's important to begin training in an environment conducive to learning - few distractions, and you and Fido are relaxed and having fun.  Your dog should thing practicing his training is the most fun thing ever!  If you find yourself getting frustrated, or if your dog is bored, frustrated, or confused, it's time to quit.

So, how do you make a dog think learning is great fun?  With my dogs, it's FOOD!  All of my dogs, as well as most dogs I've been around, have been motivated by food - if your dog isn't , you'll still be able to teach them.  They may do what you want for a toy, or even just some attention - It just takes a little modification to your methods.

The easiest way to get a dog to sit is to let him see a treat in your hand - he'll probably stare at it (and drool).  Hold it over his nose, and move it towards his tail, so he has to tilt his head back.  If you do it properly, he'll probably sit as his head goes up.  Say "Sit" as his butt goes down.  If your dog wants to jump up and get the treat, hold his collar so he can't jump up.  I don't recommend pushing the dogs back end down - in my experience it often just makes them brace it more.  If your dog already knows "Sit", it will sometimes help to just put you hand on his tail end to remind him it's there (dogs sometimes seem to forget they have a back side).  If your dog isn't crazy over food, you can do the same thing with a toy.  If neither of these are the ticket, try kneeling in front of him, and taking his head in your hands and petting him.  Gently guide his nose up, and he'll most likely sit - then you can love him up like crazy.  Don't be afraid to use lots of praise when he sits - do it almost to the point of feeling silly.  Your dog will love it.

Once your dog knows the command, start making him sit for everything -  before you open the door to get him to go outside, before you put his leash on, before you put his food down, etc.  He'll soon learn how great it is to do as you ask.  If he doesn't obey immediately, just wait a few seconds and stare at him - he'll most likely look sheepish and sit down.  It's usually counter-productive to keep repeating the command over and over - once or twice (assuming he heard the command) should be enough.  If it's not, you've likely not succeeded in convincing him it's important for him to obey.

If you take formal obedience classes - and especially if you plan on entering him in obedience trials - you'll want to start him off sitting straight, and in the exact proper position.  Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about his posture - many dogs sit on one hip.  In any case, have fun, and make it fun for your dog - both you and Rover will have fun!

My Phone

I can't say I didn't have plenty of warning.  My phone had been acting up for over a year - locking up, shutting down, and, most puzzling, rebooting every time I tried to bring up the "Memo" app.  I can't say I wasn't warned.

I got it about 4 years ago - my first smart phone.  I decided to get it because I needed a method of opening the electronic lock boxes used by realtors in town.  The lock boxes had an infared port, and to open them, you needed a special "EKey", a Palm Pilot, or the appropriate smart phone.  I had been using a Palm Pilot to open the boxes, but found it unhandy to have to carry that, as well as my phone.  In addition, I had to manually sync the Palm every day in order to open the lock boxes - a process that required me to go to the office and fire up my computer.  The smart phone not only gave me lock box capability, it also allowed me to have mobile access to email, property listing information, the internet, my calendar, and contacts.  I looked around, and chose the "Centro", a handy little phone running the Palm operating system.

My Centro worked great for several years.  I quickly became dependent on the functionality, and I could even watch YouTube or browse the internet on the tiny screen.  Of course, it was no substitute for a laptop, but you could actually get something done in a pinch.  I can't tell you how many times I was able to Google something to get a phone number or directions.

When my phone started to act up, I decided I'd be proactive and go ahead and get a replacement.  Unfortunately, I discovered that the new models didn't have the infared port, requiring the use of a separate small device to open the lock boxes.  That seemed to me to be a step backward, so I decided to hold out as long as I could.  My strategy seemed genius when I found out that the next generation of lock boxes would not require infared, using Bluetooth technology to communicate with the phone.  Of course, the introduction of the new boxes was delayed, so I just kept on limping along with my old Centro.

I continued to delay, even once the new boxes were introduced - reasoning that it would be smart to wait until I was sure all the old ones were gone.  After a couple of months, it was clear it was time - except by then, there was a special demo day scheduled at work, where Sprint would have a bunch of products and people around to explain them.  It seemed like the perfect time to make the move.

Unfortunately, the day before the demo, my phone died completely.  Since I don't have a land line - at home or at the office - I was in a bind.  I also didn't have a PIN number to access my voice mail, so I needed to do something, and quickly.  Since I'd been happy with Sprint, I decided to just stop in and pick one out.

Unfortunately, the first Sprint store I stopped in wasn't helpful.  The young woman I talked to didn't even know as much as I did about which phones were capable of operating the EKey program, and she didn't seem to be too interested in helping me decide on a phone.  In frustration, I left and headed to a different Sprint store.

The second store was a bit better.  The salesperson I had was helpful, although it frustrated me that neither store knew anything about the planned demo at work, and couldn't give me any info about what kinds of discounts I could expect there.  Since I was in a hurry, and desperate, I decided to swallow my frustration and just pick out a phone.

It seems my available options boiled down to three major operating systems - the Android, Blackberry, and the iPhone.  I didn't know too much about any of them, but the phones running the Blackberry system didn't appeal to me - plus, my wife has a Blackberry phone, and I wasn't too impressed with it.

The iPhone is, by all accounts, great, but it needed an extra piece of hardware to communicate with the lock boxes.  In addition, although there are a lot of apps out there for that phone, the Android has more free apps.  I had played around a little with a couple of other Android phones, and was impressed, so I decided to go with that system.

I ended up buying a Samsung Epic phone.  It has a ton of features, and a big, bright screen that's easy to see in all light conditions.  Of course, everything works differently than on my old phone, so I was facing a steep learning curve.  I soon discovered that it was going to take a little time to teach this old dog some new tricks.

I very quickly learned how to turn the phone on (yeah!), but my first problem came when I tried to answer the first call.  The Epic is a touch screen, with virtually no buttons.  All input is accomplished by touching or wiping the screen with a fingertip.  I knew this, but no amount of touching the phone icon would answer when it rang!  Since I knew how to dial, I just waited until the caller hung up, then called them back.  Eventually I learned that, to answer the phone, you had to "wipe" the button across the screen.  Problem solved!

Next, I spent an hour or so on the phone with our tech support guy Brian, installing software and getting the phone synced with my email system, so I could open lock boxes and have access to my email and calendar.  That went well, except of course for my giving Brian a nervous breakdown.  How he can spend all day beating his head against the brick walls that make up Realtors brains is beyond me, but I'm glad he does.

Now that I am up and running, my challenge is to learn to put the phone to work.  I've spent the past couple of days learning the basics - how to move around menus, open and close apps, etc.  Yesterday, I discovered that not all my calendar events were syncing to my desktop - this phone has the capability of syncing with a number of calendars, and I'd been putting appointments in my GMail Calendar, instead of the Outlook Calendar.  Never mind the fact that I've never so much as opened up a calendar in GMail! 

The biggest thing this phone fiasco has taught me is that I am remarkably less flexible and adaptable than I was when I was younger.  I used to love getting new gadgets - playing with them and figuring them out was part (most) of the fun.  Now, I just want everything to work!  My old phone, ancient and cranky as it was, was familiar, and I knew just about every thing there was to know about operating it. 

The moral of this story, if there is one, is that the transition to new technology is far easier if you upgrade before you're forced to.  Trying to learn something new - at any age - is much more difficult when you're under pressure.  Of course, I doubt very much if I actually learned anything from all this.  I'm quite certain that, a few years from now, I'll once again be scrambling as I try to learn the latest, greatest, phone.

Cassie

I posted earlier about Charlie, our older lab that we lost last winter.  As I said in that post, Charlie was almost too good to be true - very well behaved - and everybody loved her.  Probably because of that, we decided to get another lab.

 Cassie (L) and Charlie, about 3 Months after we got her

Cassie,Theresa, Gregg, and Charlie about 3 years ago

Cassie, jumping in to rescue my daughter, Kari

 Here she's towing Kari back to the dock

We talked about getting a yellow lab, and I found a good candidate at a shelter in Iowa.  Karma was a pretty lab, a little over a year old, who was destined to be put down.  She had a bad knee joint in a hind leg, but was very active (a little wild, I suspect).  I went back and forth over it, then called and told them I'd take her if no one else did, so she wouldn't be euthanized.  The day we were going to pick her up, I got a call from the shelter saying someone wanted her, so I told them to go ahead.

A couple of months later, I made the mistake of going to the Capitol Humane Society, "just to look".  Of course, I fell in love.  Cassie was very calm and quiet - unlike most of the dogs, she didn't jump on the fence and bark like crazy.  Since that was very similar to Charlie's reaction when I first saw her, I assumed she'd be the same.  Not exactly!

I didn't pay too much attention in the shelter, but Cassie was skinny - in fact, although she was taller than Charlie, she weighed over 40 pounds less.  Her hips looked deformed, because they stuck out so much, and you could count all her ribs from across the street!  We weren't even sure she was a lab, because her head looked gigantic.  Also, her coat was very thin - unlike the typical heavy, slightly oily, lab coat.  Her demeanor in the shelter was almost certainly due to her being so thin and weak.  In addition, we discovered she had kennel cough, ear mites, an ear infection, worms, and some other kind of intestinal bug.

Cassie weighed 46 pounds when we got her, and I soon learned she was unable to keep food down.  After eating, she'd either throw it all up, or have explosive diarrhea.  As soon as she was done, she'd just happily go about her business.  I kenneled her when we were gone, but there were a number of times she had an accident in her kennel and I had to give her - and her kennel - a bath.  Of course, she was also completely clueless about housetraining, but that only took a week or so to teach her.

After multiple trips to the vet over the next 2 months - and about $2,000 in fees - she had lost 7 pounds!  One night she was so weak she couldn't even lift her head while she was vomiting.  When our vet didn't have an idea what to do (I've since changed veterinarians), I decided to try a different food.  Of course, we had tried a number of prescription foods from our vet, but nothing had worked.  I went to the pet store, and, after spending about an hour looking at labels, bought some "Nutro Natural Choice for Sensitive Stomachs", and tried it.  The result was amazing - she quit throwing up, and the diarrhea stopped after a few days.  She started putting on weight, and got dramatically stronger.  I was certain our troubles were over!

Of course, not all the problems were over - Cassie had some interesting behavioral quirks.  I quickly discovered that, although she walked nicely on a leash, she went nuts when she'd see a strange dog.  She'd bark, growl, snarl, and act up horribly when that would happen.  This was totally unexpected (and completely different than Charlie), as well as being embarrassing.  She would also act up at times in the car - consistently barking at people in cars next to us, and going off on anything strange (fork lifts, roller coasters, cows, animated signs, etc.) that we would drive by.

I put Cassie in obedience class at The Greater Lincoln Obedience Club, thinking that would help her behavioral issues.  It the first class, she went nuts, tried to attack other dogs, ripped my shirt, and generally was about as bad as you can imagine.  I pulled her away from the other dogs, and worked with her alone.  By the end of the first class, she could heel withing 10 feet of the other dogs.  By the time we were done with that class, she could do all the basic things better than any other dog in the class!  She didn't have any issue with dogs at the club, but that didn't help her behavior in other places.

I ended up taking her through intermediate and advanced obedience classes.  Cassie had a real knack for this - she picked things up very quickly, and seemed to enjoy the classes.  Unlike most dogs, she paid complete attention to me when we do the exercises - her eyes were just riveted to my face while heeling.  I never spent enough time working with her - never more than about 15 minutes per day - but she was still able to do everything well. 

When we got Charlie, I had put her through the Canine Good Citizen test.  This test verifies that the dog will follow basic obedience commands, socialize appropriately with people and other dogs, and is able to be left (on lead) with a stranger.  Charlie, of course, passed with flying colors.  I decided - even though I knew she couldn't possibly pass - to let Cassie take the test.  To my shock, Cassie passed easily!  Of course, she still had the same issues out on the street, but she could easily tolerate the dogs at the club, since she was used to it.  Later, Cassie even passed the test to be a therapy dog, but she really isn't suited for that task.

Cassie is very smart - she learns things quickly, and seems to retain it forever.  She's very obedient, except for her quirks with strange dogs (she gets along fine with our other dog, as well as our kids' dogs).  We tried professional trainers with only fair success, but we did make some progress using a bark collar.  This gives her a small shock when she barks at the dogs, and it didn't take much for Cassie to learn she couldn't go off on strange dogs while wearing it.  She doesn't normally wear the collar - we just put it on her if she acts up.  She's gotten much better even when she doesn't wear it - she can control herself pretty well in most cases.  Although she continues to improve, she'll never be a dog you can just ignore when other dogs are around.

Overall, Cassie's a great dog.  She's very affectionate, and likes most people.  She's learned - for the most part - that she can't jump up on people.  She's working on learning not to kiss everyone all the time, and she's very well behaved in the house.  She doesn't get sick, and never has an accident in the house.  She is allowed on the downstairs couch, my downstairs recliner, and our bed (but only when it's unmade).  She doesn't get on the other furniture, even when left alone.  I'm always amazed that she understands the rule for getting on our bed.  In the fall and winter, Cassie will get on my lap in my recliner (she never does this in the summer) - she's much warmer than a blanket!  She plays fetch and tug very nicely - she has kind of a quirky, pleasant personality, and is very affectionate.

Cassie weighs about 95 pounds now - she's still pretty lean, so I think she's about right.  She's very strong, and we don't have any real health issues with her at all (she can, and does, eat pretty much anything).  She has some allergies, but those are controlled pretty well with Benadryl.  She's pretty laid back around the house - she gets a walk or run in the morning, and will just hang out the rest of the day.  On Sunday, we usually don't walk - Cassie will stare at me and bark until I play tug for a few minutes - then she's OK.

We almost decided not to keep her in the first week we had her, but I'm glad we gave Cassie a chance.  Although she was a little -actually a lot - more work than Charlie, she's definitely been worth it.