Review of Hachi: A Dog's Tale
I finally got around to watching Hachi: A Dog's Tale
this past weekend. It was full of cuteness. I loved the beginning when they used Shibas to depict the puppy stage. Yun wonders why they didn't use Akita puppies. If you've ever seen Akita puppies, then you know that they are super cute and adorable too!
There's not much of a plot to the movie. The story, which pretty much follows the original story, can be summed up in a few sentences. I wouldn't recommend this movie for the sake of watching a really good movie. But it's a good dog movie. There are so many cute moments that make your heart melt. And the movie will definitely make you cry.
I have some other random reactions to the movie, but they may reveal too much for those who haven't seen the movie yet. So you'll have to click to read more.
this past weekend. It was full of cuteness. I loved the beginning when they used Shibas to depict the puppy stage. Yun wonders why they didn't use Akita puppies. If you've ever seen Akita puppies, then you know that they are super cute and adorable too!There's not much of a plot to the movie. The story, which pretty much follows the original story, can be summed up in a few sentences. I wouldn't recommend this movie for the sake of watching a really good movie. But it's a good dog movie. There are so many cute moments that make your heart melt. And the movie will definitely make you cry.
I have some other random reactions to the movie, but they may reveal too much for those who haven't seen the movie yet. So you'll have to click to read more.
Sleeping Arrangements
With the arrival of baby, our sleeping arrangements have slightly changed, but our whole family still sleeps in the same room. The dogs now are back in their crates. The baby sleeps in the pack n' play with the bassinet attachment right next to our bed. And the two human adults sleep in the bed.
Crates are an enormously useful tool and I'm very glad that both of our dogs truly like their crates. Teach your dogs to love their crate. It's so useful. They are happy and out of the way. We started crating them about a month prior to the baby's arrival, so they didn't associate the change of being crated with the change of having a new baby. The dogs are happy and we don't have to worry about them approaching the baby when we are all sleeping. They are both accepting the baby very well, so I don't think that they would intentionally hurt the baby, but even a gentle, curious pawing could be harmful.
Inadvertent positive reinforcement
The mobile
One of the ways we tried to get Loki used the baby before he arrived was to play the mobile. When we first played the mobile, Loki was terrified of it and barked lots. So, we just kept playing it and playing it, day after day. Soon enough, he learned that it wasn't a threat to him. He no longer barks at it. I don't think he's quite at the stage of completely ignoring it, but soon enough, I'm sure he'll get there.
Jumping Up
A common problem dog owners have is that their dog jumps up on people. We trained Loki from a very early age not to jump up on anyone. There are many ways of training a dog not to jump up, but I'm going to share the method that we used.
Every time your dog jumps up on you, simply step forward into the dog. This will make the dog lose his balance and automatically put his paws back on the ground. Tell all your family members, friends, and visitors to step forward every time the dog jumps on on them. Your dog will learn that he accomplishes nothing by jumping up. You do not need to scold or verbally reprimand. Additionally, teach your dog what he is supposed to do instead. For instance, you can ask your dog to sit. After all four paws are on the ground, give the command to sit, and then offer attention and/or a treat. Consistency and patience are the key components in training. Don't expect an overnight change. Try it a couple weeks before you decide whether or not the method is working for you.
Every time your dog jumps up on you, simply step forward into the dog. This will make the dog lose his balance and automatically put his paws back on the ground. Tell all your family members, friends, and visitors to step forward every time the dog jumps on on them. Your dog will learn that he accomplishes nothing by jumping up. You do not need to scold or verbally reprimand. Additionally, teach your dog what he is supposed to do instead. For instance, you can ask your dog to sit. After all four paws are on the ground, give the command to sit, and then offer attention and/or a treat. Consistency and patience are the key components in training. Don't expect an overnight change. Try it a couple weeks before you decide whether or not the method is working for you.
Labor
Jujube is such a joy. I don't like to assume that I know what dogs think or feel, but I wouldn't be surprised if she knew when I was in labor. My labor began in the middle of the night. I didn't want to wake Yun up, because I felt that it was important for him to get a good night's rest. So I went downstairs and labored in the living room. I was all by myself and it was kind of lonely, until Jujube hopped up on the couch and joined me. She curled up right next to me and kept me company. How sweet!
Baby
My in-laws arrived last week to help out with the baby, and only a few days later, my baby arrived! Needless to say, there are a lot of changes going on in our household and it's a bit stressful on Loki. At first, he barked quite a bit at my father-in-law, who walks with a limp, but now that has completely subsided. Dogs are really quite adaptable creatures. You just have to be patient. With Loki, I've found the best thing to do is to let him adjust at his own pace.
While I was at the hospital, Yun did bring back a baby blanket with the baby's scent on it. He reports that the dogs were curious, but Loki was a bit afraid of it. I'm not sure if the smell thing helped or not, but I don't think it hurt to try. When we brought the baby back home, I came in to greet the dogs first and took five to ten minutes with just them alone. Then Yun came in with the baby. Jujube was immediately curious and sniffed all around the baby and carrier, which we had propped up high. Loki was much more afraid and stayed back. It's been a few days now, and Loki has gotten better. He did bark at the baby a few times. Not too much. Not nearly as much as he has barked at other children and people. My approach is to basically let him adjust at his own pace. We did a little bit of positive reinforcement, but not too much, because frankly, we're just too busy with other things right now. And, I also try to make sure that I give the dogs some attention everyday. It's pretty apparent that they miss it since I'm always taking care of the baby now.
While I was at the hospital, Yun did bring back a baby blanket with the baby's scent on it. He reports that the dogs were curious, but Loki was a bit afraid of it. I'm not sure if the smell thing helped or not, but I don't think it hurt to try. When we brought the baby back home, I came in to greet the dogs first and took five to ten minutes with just them alone. Then Yun came in with the baby. Jujube was immediately curious and sniffed all around the baby and carrier, which we had propped up high. Loki was much more afraid and stayed back. It's been a few days now, and Loki has gotten better. He did bark at the baby a few times. Not too much. Not nearly as much as he has barked at other children and people. My approach is to basically let him adjust at his own pace. We did a little bit of positive reinforcement, but not too much, because frankly, we're just too busy with other things right now. And, I also try to make sure that I give the dogs some attention everyday. It's pretty apparent that they miss it since I'm always taking care of the baby now.
Tips on cleaning potty accidents
One of the downsides to owning a dog is cleaning up after occasional potty accidents. Here are some tips based on my own personal experience.
Cleaning up accidents on hard surfaces (hardwood, laminate, or tile) is the easiest. I usually soak up the pee or pick up poop with a paper towel, wipe the surface with plain water, and lastly spray with Nature’s Miracle.
Cleaning up accidents on carpet is more difficult. Soak up the pee with paper towels by pressing down. Do not rub, scrub, or move side to side, as this will set the pee in more. Simply press down and get the paper towel to absorb the moisture. This process usually takes many paper towels and a bit of time. Generously dribble more water on the area and repeat. Finally, after all the moisture is out, spray down the area with Nature’s Miracle.
I usually do not do anything else, unless it’s a bad stain or there is poop. In this case, you can steam clean your carpets, which we have done before with a rented Rug Doctor. Or you can try the following method:
I learned of this method from Suki & Maximus who recommended it as a way to remove dog stains from carpet. I used this method to clean dried dog pee stains that were on my mattress (I know… eww… gross!). Start with some carpet cleaner (I used some from Rug Doctor, although others say Resolve works great too). Generously apply the cleaning solution to the stain. Then put a clean washcloth over the stain and weigh it down with something heavy. (I used a large laundry basket full of clothes. You might want something heavier for carpet.) Leave it there for a few hours (I waited 4-5 hours). Lastly, remove the cloth and weight, and let the mattress or carpet completely air dry with nothing on it. I found that this method of cleaner, cloth, and weight worked very well for my mattress.
Do not scrub. I attempted to scrub my mattress. This ruined part of the top of my mattress (I wasn’t smart enough to not scrub at all, but was smart enough to stop after I saw some damage).
Do not use ammonia based cleaners. They will attract your dog to have more accidents at the same spot.
Use a solution like Nature’s Miracle that will eliminate all pet odors. This part is critical. The pet specialty solutions will break down the odor causing enzymes that other regular cleaners won’t.
Use cold water. Warm or hot water will set protein stains (urine is a protein stain) into fibers.
Happy Cleaning!
Cleaning up accidents on hard surfaces (hardwood, laminate, or tile) is the easiest. I usually soak up the pee or pick up poop with a paper towel, wipe the surface with plain water, and lastly spray with Nature’s Miracle.
Cleaning up accidents on carpet is more difficult. Soak up the pee with paper towels by pressing down. Do not rub, scrub, or move side to side, as this will set the pee in more. Simply press down and get the paper towel to absorb the moisture. This process usually takes many paper towels and a bit of time. Generously dribble more water on the area and repeat. Finally, after all the moisture is out, spray down the area with Nature’s Miracle.
I usually do not do anything else, unless it’s a bad stain or there is poop. In this case, you can steam clean your carpets, which we have done before with a rented Rug Doctor. Or you can try the following method:
I learned of this method from Suki & Maximus who recommended it as a way to remove dog stains from carpet. I used this method to clean dried dog pee stains that were on my mattress (I know… eww… gross!). Start with some carpet cleaner (I used some from Rug Doctor, although others say Resolve works great too). Generously apply the cleaning solution to the stain. Then put a clean washcloth over the stain and weigh it down with something heavy. (I used a large laundry basket full of clothes. You might want something heavier for carpet.) Leave it there for a few hours (I waited 4-5 hours). Lastly, remove the cloth and weight, and let the mattress or carpet completely air dry with nothing on it. I found that this method of cleaner, cloth, and weight worked very well for my mattress.
Do not scrub. I attempted to scrub my mattress. This ruined part of the top of my mattress (I wasn’t smart enough to not scrub at all, but was smart enough to stop after I saw some damage).
Do not use ammonia based cleaners. They will attract your dog to have more accidents at the same spot.
Use a solution like Nature’s Miracle that will eliminate all pet odors. This part is critical. The pet specialty solutions will break down the odor causing enzymes that other regular cleaners won’t.
Use cold water. Warm or hot water will set protein stains (urine is a protein stain) into fibers.
Happy Cleaning!
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