1. What five things can’t you live without?
Beer, my running shoes, books, dogs, and my towel …
2. How do you transport your dogs? This question suggested by several peeps, including Mara.
Crates in a car or truck, or in my friend’s dog trailer depending on what’s convenient. Sometimes in my head I transport them around the obstacles at a trial and past the gripping off/thank you point. Crates seem more reliable.
3. What role does obedience play in your training or running of your dog(s)?
Dianne says that my ears must be painted on or that I need to be crated more. Just kidding! I think that some level of obedience is important, but it is important, too, to trust your dog and what he brings to the partnership. I want my dogs to know when I mean something absolutely, and I want them to have the confidence to make their own decisions when its in our best interest.
4. At what point do you start putting commands on your dogs?
When I can remember them. ‘Lie Down’ seems to be a good one. ‘Shit’ is NOT A COMMAND, but it’s taken me awhile to undo that learning. It was once my favorite command.
5. Do you talk to strangers in elevators? Question posted by Laura #1
Depends what they are wearing and how many cups of coffee I’ve had... Oh. Wait…Elevator? No. Only on a plane. I take the stairs every where that requires a change in elevation that can be measured in floors.
EyeHerdEwe 
So does that mean that “Lie the FUCK down” isn’t a command either? Cuz I’ve been thinking that it might be. My dogs think it is. What about “You bitch?”. I use that one a lot too.
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crap. I just remembered I’m not using the F word anymore. Sigh. SO sorry. I guess I can’t use that pseudo command then. Well, then there’s the “thank you” factor to consider.
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Laura, I highly recommend the F word. Leaving it out is too stressful. My chiropractor told me that. Well, not really. . .but I think she would if she saw what I do to my back as I’m trying not to say it!
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I actually read an article written about a study that was done on the stress relief properties of four letter words. They had people put their hands in bowls of ice-water. Some were allowed to curse, and others said random words. The cursing group kept their hands in the water and average of something like 20 seconds longer.
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1. What five things can’t you live without?
No mention of your CHILDREN???? (Bitch.)
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C-Sol-B – You and Carlos don’t count; you are PART of ME. I can’t live without my liver either, but I likewise left it off the list.
Laura – We need whistles…or maybe even a separate whistling device for our foul language (I think we are in agreement that it’s necessary part of the communication process)…I’m just not sure what I’d blow to successfully communicate the word ‘fuck!!’
Maybe a bagpipe.
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