An Investigation: A Dirty House and Mr. Monk's Nightmare

  I posted this on my ghost/spirit website- but the underlying theme of a clean, orderly house is so important we're posting it here. 

This was Mr. Monk's Nightmare House!

  Recently Tom and I took part in a ghost investigation and entered a private home being rented by 4 adults in their 20s. The home's inhabitants were complaining of dark shadows and bad feelings. The team that we belong to always investigates private homes who believe there is paranormal activity, and try to debunk it first. If there is something there, we remove it.  Well, it turned out that there was a lot of negative energy inside the house because of people practicing black arts - again, please NEVER use a Ouija board!

  HOW DOES A DIRTY HOME ENHANCE NEGATIVITY AND SUPPORT GHOSTLY ENERGY? -  
   Whenever anything is in disarray, dirty or disorganized, negative entities can feed off of it, and become empowered. Negative energies, like ghosts or even dark entities (non-human) can draw energy from the feelings of stress created by disorganization and filth. 

MR. MONK'S WORST NIGHTMARE:
   We entered a house with black mold in the basement (which can make people physically ill, trigger respiratory problems and in some cases lead to death), and garbage piled up throughout the home. Tom left in 30 seconds and the residents were shocked (likely because they were on drugs). Anyone that knows Tom, knows that one of the many reasons I admire him is that he likes cleanliness. I mean Mr. Monk-like cleanliness - operating room clean. So this was truly Mr. Monk's worst nightmare (and ours!). The home even smelled so bad that I had an asthma attack!
  The residents who lived there also had animals, and dogs and cats have much more sensitivity of smell - and it was extremely painful to them (I could tell). In fact, it appeared the poor dogs hadn't been bathed in over a year. The filth and neglect was disgusting and harmful to all - mentally, physically and spiritually.
WHAT WAS ALSO THERE:

nice, clean house! 

  It turned out that there were 2 dark entities in the home and they were feeding off the filth and disarray. So I recommended a thorough cleaning, repainting the walls (which were drawn on with crayon and pen), playing soft music to invite positive energy, opening shades (which were closed) and lighting white candles  - both to bring in light, and throwing out almost everything they could.
BOTTOM LINE -  
  Negative energy, ghosts and dark entities will fester and strengthen in dirty, unorganized environments!
HOW TO TURN NEGATIVE TO A POSITIVE -  
  Pick up and throw out papers, trash, things you haven't used in a year - organize it. Bathe yourself and your animals daily and weekly. Take out the trash. Bring light into your home - Make it a positive energy-filled place where no dark things would want to linger, and you'll be inviting good spirits of people who passed to watch over you, and even beings of light and love.

    This was by far the most disgusting place we have ever seen.  It was truly Mr. Monk's worst nightmare. 

Today's Adventure: Taking Responsibility

shattered glass near a neighbor's driveway

   We live in a nice neighborhood where houses were built in the early 1960s and most people keep their houses nice and lawns well-cared for. There are exceptions of course, and it's the lazy ones that stand out. Today, though I'm writing about just being responsible for little things- like whenever your trash spills out, or glass breaks on the street. 
   In short, clean it up!

Some of the shattered glass

  There are no sidewalks in our neighborhood until you get on one of the more traveled throughways, so everyone walks on the side of the street. Many people in the neighborhood walk their dogs, too. 
  THE ISSUE: At a house located about 4 houses from us, there has been shattered glass on the street for the last 2 weeks. We can't figure out if the house is inhabited (although trash is put out occasionally) and there are 2 cars in the driveway that are covered over.  No one ever answers the door either, so we think the house is abandoned and just being used to keep cars.

All cleaned up - it took 4 minutes

   Not only is this large area of shattered glass troublesome for dogs and dog walkers, but little kids play in the area and sometimes run barefoot - not to mention getting glass in car tires. 
ACTION:  
   NO ONE has picked it up. So, now that I waited the two weeks, I walked over with a bag and dustpan and brush and swept it up.   We just don't understand the lack of care, concern for anyone or why anyone would want a large area of shattered glass in front of their house. The lack of consideration for others makes us crazy!

Vacation Part 12: U.K. James' Gettysburg National Cemetery: Gettysburg Address

Entering the cemetery

On Saturday, July 5, we took our friend James to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to experience the history (and tragedy) of the civil war. Gettysburg National Park is managed by the National Park Service and has a great museum with countless artifacts found on the battlefields, and monuments erected to every regiment of Union and Confederate soldiers placed over miles of countryside. For the National Park Service Website (hours, info, tours, directions): http://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm

Gettysburg National Cemetery

A Confederate Soldier Walks the Grounds

The location of the Gettysburg Address

Many unidentified bodies buried here

ABOUT THE BATTLE:    The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War, the Union victory that ended General Robert E. Lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Rebellion", Gettysburg was the Civil War's bloodiest battle. The  Battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The battle involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war and is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Meade's Army of the Potomac defeated attacks by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, ending Lee's attempt to invade the North.


CASUALTIES:   Between 46,000 and 51,000 soldiers from both armies were casualties in the three-day battle.


GETTYSBURG NATIONAL CEMETERY  -  On November 19, President Lincoln used the dedication ceremony for the Gettysburg National Cemetery to honor the fallen Union soldiers and redefine the purpose of the war in his historic Gettysburg Address.  We toured the cemetery and saw the spot where President Lincoln gave the famous address.

OUR  1 MINUTE VIDEO OF GETTYSBURG NATIONAL CEMETERY : Lincoln's Gettysburg Address site
Your video will be live at: http://youtu.be/sC5HUJ9ztQs


 

NEXT: GETTYSBURG RE-ENACTMENTS, GHOSTS  AND SOME MONUMENTS ON THE BATTLEFIELD

A Way to Deal with your Pet's Last Days

celebrating Duke's life

Recently, a friend of ours received word that her beloved dog has lymphoma. Just a day before, another friend lost her beloved dog. Around that time, an article and pictorial came out of a photographer who made her dog, Duke's last day the best day ever. Being dog dads, we thought it would inspire you to look at the end of your dog's time in a more positive way. 

Duke gets hamburgers

  So, here's our advice: focus on the time that your dog or cat has with you. Look at this story - we think this will give you something to look forward to with your dog or cat, something to plan and enjoy with the whole family. Make this a time to celebrate your pet's life and have fun together. 
Here's the pictures and the story:

Photo Diary of Dog's Last Day Inspires Owners to Share Their Stories of Loving and Losing Pets

Every dog must have his day. For one black Lab, that day turned out to be his last. When the Roberts family found out they'd have to put their dog Duke down, they decided to make his final day the best one yet, complete with burgers, a trip to the park and more snuggles than any dog could ask for.  STORY AND PHOTOS:  http://www.people.com/article/dying-dog-last-day-alive-photo

Vacation Part 11: U.K. James' Washington, DC Visit: 9-11 Pentagon & Lincoln Memorials

The 9-11 memorial- look like benches

The Pentagon- rebuilt side

On Thursday, July 3, Tom took James into Washington, DC to give him a full tour. They started at the Pentagon and the new 9-11 Memorial. James said that the monument consisted of chairs that represented the people aboard the aircraft that terrorists took over and crashed into the Pentagon, and chairs for the people killed who worked in the Pentagon. Very moving.

The memorial lights up at night

THE PENTAGON MEMORIAL - 
According to the official website for the memorial, The Pentagon Memorial captures that moment in time at 9:37 a.m. when 184 lives became intertwined for eternity.  Each victim’s age and location at the time of the attack have been permanently inscribed into the Memorial by the unique placement and direction of each of the 184 Memorial Units.  Elegant and simple, the Pentagon Memorial serves as a timeline of the victims’ ages, spanning from the youngest victim, three-year-old Dana Falkenberg, who was on board American Airlines Flight 77, to the oldest, John D. Yamnicky, 71, a Navy veteran, also aboard Flight 77 that morning.

Front of the Lincoln Memorial

***WATCH THE 2 MINUTE VIDEO BELOW FOR THE STORY BEHIND THE MEMORIAL***

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THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL - This was another stop on the Washington, DC Memorial tour. For the official website go to: http://www.nps.gov/linc/index.htm.  

FUN FACTS:  

What type of stone is in the Lincoln Memorial?

The exterior is Colorado white marble, interior walls and columns Indiana limestone, sculpture Georgia white marble, chamber floor Tennessee pink marble, and skylights Alabama marble.

 

How many steps are there?
There are 58 steps from the chamber to the plaza level, and 87 steps from the chamber to the reflecting pool

WHERE IS IT LOCATED? - The Lincoln Memorial is located at the western end of the National Mall. The nearest metro stations are Foggy Bottom (23rd St. & I St. NW) and Smithsonian (12th St. & Independence Ave. SW).

SEE THE 2 MINUTE CBS NEWS VIDEO ABOUT THE 9-11 PENTAGON MEMORIAL-  from Sep 6, 2008 -  David Martin reports on a new memorial which is set to open at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., in honor of the 184 victims who died there on that September morning nearly seven years ago.   VIDEO: http://youtu.be/icJsGPGnsqo

Great Book: Mr. Monk on the Road!

We love the Mr. Monk TV show, and the novels are just a great. I (Rob) have read most of the novels and have enjoyed every one of them. Most of them are written by Lee Goldberg who actually wrote many TV episodes. Mr. Monk on the Road was great.
  - Hysterical antics from OCD Detective Adrian Monk as he and his assistant Natalie take his brother on a tour of the western U.S. - The catch: his brother Ambrose is afraid of being outside and hadn't left his house in 30 years.  This is another Monk classic!!!



BOOK SUMMARY: Monk's out on the open highway--but crime is a hitchhiker that won't be ignored. 
   With his job secure and his wife's murder finally solved, Adrian Monk is feeling strangely...satisfied. He'd like his agoraphobic brother Ambrose to feel the same way, so Monk puts a secret ingredient in Ambrose's birthday cake: sleeping pills. When Ambrose wakes up, he's in a motor home on the open road with Monk determined to show him the outside world.
But Ambrose isn't the only one struggling to let go. As little crimes pop up along the highway, Monk can't resist getting involved. Now it's up to Monk to stop a murderer from turning their road trip into a highway to hell.

Dark and Light of the Paranormal: My Talk at University of Maryland

On Monday afternoon, I took time off of work and went to speak to a college class at the University of Maryland. Dr. S.

Peter Resta has a class where he teaches about paranormal and unexplained phenomena, and I got to speak to the students. I spoke to his previous class this past springtime, and he asked me back for the summer course.
   I did a double presentation - the same one I gave at the FORTFEST conference this past May, that I called the "Dark and Light of the Paranormal." The first talk involved the Double Murder investigation from my book "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" where Inspired Ghost Tracking investigated a private home. The home turned out to be the location where two women were murdered, and both me and Troy, the group mediums, discovered the women and learned their identities. We later proved everything we sensed. The entire story is in Lessons Learned.
 - For the Light side of the paranormal - I talked about my latest book "Pets and the Afterlife" and taught the class how pets are able to communicate and how they do communicate to the living.
  One student was kind enough to tell his parents about it, and they were so interested they attended my talk - I was honored. Several students asked really good questions.
  Someone asked if they need to be "religious" to believe in an afterlife. The answer is "no." You can be an atheist, agnostic or any religion- I look at it from a scientific perspective: We are energy that cannot be destroyed when our physical shell wears out and we continue on as a ghost or spirit (depending on location). That's not religion, that's science. 
  One other thing I stressed is "There is NO such thing as a coincidence." Never dismiss anything as a coincidence- because it's very likely influenced by spirit!

 FOR MORE ABOUT THE BOOKS -

BOOK: PETS AND THE AFTERLIFE by Rob Gutro: 

The loss of a pet is like the loss of a child to pet owners. The love we share with our pets never dies, and in a new book called "Pets and the Afterlife" by Rob Gutro, the author provides proof that our pets do communicate with us from the other side.    Available in paperback and E-book, on Amazon.com and other outlets at: To order paperback of Kindle- http://tinyurl.com/mqgamq2%20

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BOOK: "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" by Rob Gutro

In medium Rob Gutro's second book, See photo proof of a ghost haunting a residence. Go on a treasure-hunt-style journey in Virginia as Rob and others explain random and obscure words, signs and symbols from a spirit, that prove the spirit was with his family. Learn lessons from Spirits and their suggestions on how we can live better on Earth.

Explore the science behind how they communicate. Learn how to receive their messages, where they appear, and important messages in how to live your life. Go into cemeteries, battlefields, and historic places in various parts of the U.S and beyond. Learn about spirits of suicide and murder victims, and how infants and animals pass messages to the living.  FOR THE BOOK ON AMAZON.COM IN PAPERBACK or EBOOK: http://tinyurl.com/keax3v4

Comics News: ‘Life with Archie’: Archie will die saving his gay best friend

    I (Rob) love comic books, and have been reading  them since the early 1970s. I never collected Archie comics but I've

Cover of the comic book, Life with Archie #36

Archie Comics/AP

read quite a few and enjoyed them. Over the last several years I've really grown to respect and enjoy them because they tackle current social issues with teenagers and young adults. The Archie line of comics created a gay character named "Kevin Keller" a couple of years ago, and he's become a big hit. So many readers are able to better understand what its like growing up and knowing someone you know is gay -and the struggles they go through. I think it's been helpful to younger comics readers. This past week, Archie Comics announced that in an Archie comic depicting the future, Archie will meet an untimely end to save the life of his gay friend, Kevin, who becomes a politician. It's another danger for gay politicians - that some right wing nut will attempt such a thing, but it's also a sad reality, which I assume is why they're writing this comic book. Either way, I'll be reading it.

Here's the article from the Examiner:
Comics News: ‘Life with Archie’: Archie will die saving his gay best friend

Archie Andrews, the famous freckle-faced comic book icon, will die in a heroic way. According to the Associated Press Monday, Archie will be shot saving his gay best friend in Wednesday’s installment of “Life with Archie.” The death of the comic book hero was first announced back in April.
Archie’s heroism will be displayed when he takes the bullet meant for Kevin Keller, Archie Comics’ first openly gay character. Keller was first introduced in 2010 in the Archie Comics spin-off “Veronica”. He joined the cast of characters that include Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper, Jughead Jones and Reggie Mantle. Not only is Keller’s character openly gay, but he is also a military veteran and newly elected Politician who is pushing for more gun control in the fictional town of Riverdale after the shooting of his husband. The assassination attempt on his life is connected to his push for gun control.

Kevin Keller's own comic

The death of Archie will be symbolic because he will die doing something the character has been known for. Jon Goldwater, Archie Comics publisher and co-CEO told the AP, “The way in which Archie dies is everything that you would expect of Archie. He dies heroically. He dies selflessly. He dies in the manner that epitomizes not only the best of Riverdale but the best of all of us. It’s what Archie has come to represent over the past almost 75 years.”
Archie’s demise will be a sad moment for fans of the comic series, as it will mark the conclusion of the series focused on the grown-up version of the Riverdale gang. It will also mark the beginning of a new Riverdale. Goldwater said Archie dying saving Keller will have more of an impact because it “would really resonate with the world and bring home just how important Archie is to everyone.”
The introduction of Keller in the Archie Comics was monumental because sexuality was explored and a connection was made to real world social conflicts. Keller has overcome and still deals with social challenges that have made him a complex and relatable character. He has dealt with being gay in the military and he also deals with being a gay politician. His character alone raises the issues of same-sex marriage and gun control; two issues that are dominate today’s political and social atmospheres.
SOURCE: http://www.examiner.com/article/life-with-archie-archie-will-die-saving-his-gay-best-friend?CID=examiner_alerts_article

Book (novel) Review: Bel-Air Dead by Stuart Woods

I enjoy mystery novels and decided to try a different author this time so I read Stuart Woods' book "Bel-Air Dead." Its more of a novel than a mystery (although there are a couple of murders in it and some questionable characters). The main character, Stone Barrington, was likeable, and I really got a good feel for the characters. I really enjoyed this book and the storyline and look forward to reading more from this author. I can see why he's been on the New York Times best sellers list.  I won't re-hash the plot, so I'll just let the author's book summary cover that. It's a good summer read. -Rob


BOOK SUMMARY (from the Author's Website: www.stuartwoods.com):
In the Bel-Air district of Los Angeles, one of America’s wealthiest and most star-infested communities, Stone Barrington comes face-to-face with his past...
    A beautiful Bel-Air widow, already one of the wealthiest women in America, needs Stone’s help to become even more cash-rich. At stake is the sale of her investment in—and the resulting dissolution of—Hollywood’s world-famous Centurion Studios. Stone is no stranger to the stylish and lucrative world of Centurion... and he has more than a passing acquaintance with the lady herself.
   But when he arrives in Bel-Air to finalize the sale, the tranquility of that famous neighborhood turns out to be no more than a façade. One of L.A.’s most rapacious power brokers has Centurion and its unique real estate in his sights, and he will not be denied. Stone finds himself dragged into a surprisingly complex and high-stakes game, the kind only the truly rich and dangerously ambitious can play... and survive.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Stuart Woods is the author of more than thirty novels including the New York Times-bestselling Stone Barrington and Holly Barker series. An avid sailor and pilot, he lives in New York City, Florida, and Maine.

A Tremendous Dog Rescue Transport: 8 Dogs in One Day!

Woody and Danny get the front seat

One of the things that we do to help dog rescues is transport dogs to their forever homes. Although we primarily volunteer for 2, we do transports for many others. On  Sunday July 13, I (Rob) partook in the largest dog transport we've done at one time. 

TOM TOOK CARE OF OUR KIDS

 Tom stayed home with our three kids because there was no room in the pickup truck and Tyler sprained his right front leg- so he had to be watched.

precious little Danny - just a tiny 8 pounds

TRANSPORTING FOR SEVERAL RESCUES AT ONCE  The transport brought several rescues together that included 7 Dachshunds and 1 Westie. Katie Wehner of central Virginia organized the entire trip that took dogs from southern Virginia to Baltimore, New York City and eastern Pennsylvania.

Murphy the Westie took the front seat when Danny left

 TRANSPORT VOLUNTEERS 

It takes a lot of people to transport dogs up the northeastern corridor of the U.S.  The people that participated in the transport included: Katie Wehner, Celeste Magee,  Rachael Vaghn, Cindie Kura, Anne Lendzinski, Kathy Hamilton, Doxie Yolanda, Brenda Mills, Janet Tobin, Sue Nunnamaker, Barbara Orazi, Steve Shank and Tina Marie Mulvey,  Deb and John Winters, Sue Nunnamaker, James & Patricia Filippazzo

ROB'S TRANSPORT ADVENTURE - 8 DOGS!!

Brandy wanted to see everything

  At 11 a.m. Sunday morning, Katie drove up from central VA with 8 dogs. I took 6 of them - 4 in the cab of our pick up truck and 2 in the front seat. There was JUST enough room. Woody the smooth, red Dachshund and little Danny the8 pound Black and Tan dachshund rode in their crates in the front seat of the truck.
The other 4 rode in the cab- Murphy (the Westie - who was well-behaved, Twix, Lisa, Brandy.

Deb swapped dogs- and gave me Molly and Merlin at Baltimore

Traffic on I-95 was Miserable!!!

BALTIMORE STOP 1:  I met Deb near BWI airport and gave her Brandy and little Danny. She, in turn, gave me two long-haired, red Dachshunds, Merlin and Molly - destination: Delaware.

Deb and John with Twix and Lisa at the Delware hand off!

DELAWARE STOP 2:  Newark, Delaware was the meeting place where I would bring the 6 dogs to 3 different sets of volunteers for further transport. Traffic on I-95 on an early Sunday afternoon was BRUTAL. A disabled bus between Baltimore and Delaware ground traffic to a halt for miles. Volume was so heavy going north (and south) that it took over 2  1/4 hours to get to Delaware.

Merlin and Molly

FINAL DESTINATION REACHED!! 
Three of the dogs were headed for a destination in New Jersey to their forever home: Twix, Lisa, and Woody.

Molly and  Merlin (red long-haired Dachshunds went to New York for their final stop! 
Everyone made it to where they needed to be.... ALL 8 DOGS!!
            

Merlin and Molly with new Celeste

Twix, the piebald dachshund with 1 blue and 1 brown eye!

Big Thanks to Baron's K9 Country Store!!

A HUGE thanks to Stacy Martin-Duffy and John Duffy, owners of  Baron's K9 Country Store for allowing me to talk with so many pet owners at their store Friday night. What an amazing time. The room was packed, and there were great questions, personal stories of spirit encounters and hugs. 

Rob (middle) with owners John and Stacy and dog friends!  Cr:Baron's k9

  So many people brought their dogs, too, it they were all well-behaved! It's like the dogs were saying "listen to how we're going to communicate with you when we get to the other side, Mom and Dad!"

Rob giving his talk

    Baron's K9 is moving into a new and larger store (and are open) next door, and have everything you could ask for for your pets! That's where I gave my talk, and Stacy, John and many others put out food, arranged chairs and made it a wonderful eventing. 
   They also have guest speakers on a regular basis, which is how I got to give a talk about my book "Pets and the Afterlife."    Click here to see all of the great events and speakers they have! 

A full house for my talk!  Credit: Baron's K9 Store

   What an Amazing event!  Thank you SO, SO much for all who came out, and especially to Stacy and John for allowing me to spread hope, knowledge and peace of mind for grieving pet parents! 
 
ANIMAL SPIRITS AROUND -    There were some spirit dogs and a cat in the audience, too- what looked like a chow dog, a Yorkie (Yorkshire Terrier) and a grey cat with just one white paw on his right, rear side. I didn't get to ask many people whom they may belong to, though.

A Yorkie's spirit was vocal on a couch there

LOCATION:  525 Pritt Lane, Bel Air, MD  21014,  410-838-MEOW (6369)

**If you can't get there, they also have an On-Line Store!: http://www.baronsk9store.net/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?display=home

ABOUT BARON'S K9 COUNTRY STORE: Baron's K9 Country store is located in Bel Air, Maryland (about 15 miles northeast of Baltimore, off Interstate 95.

spirit of a Chow Dog or something like him was there

Named for their beloved Golden Retriever, Baron, they offer a wide variety of all natural pet foods, treats and gifts for both dogs and cats. With their 20 years of experience, they decided to open a country store style retail store and renovated a Cape Cod house in the Bel Air area located near the intersection of Conowingo Road and Route 1. Stacy established Red Baron Pet Sitting Service back in 1995 and came to the conclusion that in order to utilize their combined passion for animals and their care, they needed to open a health related pet supply store. We wanted to cater to the pet owners that truly believe their pets are family members. We offer creatively distinctive items for all pet lover families. Harford County needed a place for pet lover connoisseurs.

A grey cat with one white paw was around

As residents, these two have watched Harford County grow and prosper for many years. They know they can add to the appeal of the County's small town feel with their nostalgic country store where the hardwood floors echo the footsteps of each patron. Honoring Baron's memory was their main priority, Baron is here in spirit and we know he is pleased with his store.

When a person feels that shopping for their pet is as enjoyable as shopping for their children, then Baron's K-9 Country Store is a must. We love the atmosphere of our store because it was once a warm home and we've taken this special place and created a convenient stop to find everything for dogs and cats and their owners. Our vast array of specialty foods and treats , as well as our fun toys and gifts, makes shopping and browsing an essential and exciting venture.

For more information on this lovely must-see shop, please call 410-838-MEOW (6369). Baron's K-9 Country Store is conveniently located at 525 Pritt Lane in Bel Air, near the 7-11 and Dairy Queen and across from the Kids 2000 Daycare Center.

Another Amazing Sign from Spirits of Rob's Mom and Dad

Norma and Ed are bell-ringing again!

On June 29, my (Rob) mom and dad's house was sold. Mom and Dad wanted to give us one last sign that they knew the house was being sold and they did.

The day before the sale, my brother Doug (the executor)  went to the house to meet with a technician from the house alarm company. He was going to disable the alarm before the new owners took over, so they could decide what to do with it. When Doug met the tech, he was told that the alarm went off by itself early that morning - and rang so long and so loudly, that the neighbors called the police who in turn sent a tech over to turn it off. The police found nothing out of order - no forced entry, nothing broken. 

A house alarm ringing

It was just Mom and Dad setting off the alarm one last time to let their three boys know that they're still around us and watching over us. It was also an acknowledgement that they know the house was being sold.
 
What's interesting is that in the SIX MONTHS that the house was empty, the only other time the alarm went off by itself was on June 19th, my parents' wedding anniversary and my mother's birthday- so that was their first sign. This is their second sign. 

So, keep an eye or ear out during anniversaries of any kind because you may get a message from someone you know - although it might not wake up an entire neighborhood!

 

Tyler the "Muzzleator" Goes Back to School

Our 4 year old black and tan dachshund Tyler is the cutest thing ever-  but he can be a terror when it comes to dealing with and meeting with strange dogs. We know that it came with him when we fostered and adopted him from the rescue.

TYLER'S HISTORY 
 Tyler was an abused puppy that was turned into a shelter in North Carolina and when Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue heard about him, Tom made arrangements to have a friend get Tyler from the kill shelter and transport him to us. Tyler didn't have an issue with our dogs (Dolly the Weimaraner, Franklin and Sprite (who was still alive at the time)  our Dachshunds), but walking him in the neighborhood was not good. He would bark and lunge like crazy.

Sharon of Barkbusters taking Tyler around Petsmart

TRAINING PART 1: LAST SUMMER

Tyler working with Sharon

    We hired Barkbusters, and they helped with tips that stopped his fence running (all of our surrounding neighbors have dogs that Tyler used to love to chase on this side of the fence. That taught him aggression and it finally stopped with a lot of reinforcement. Now if he gets an urge I call his name and say "Stop" and he stops.The dog-walking aggression, however, hasn't stopped so we called Barkbusters again for lesson #2.

TRAINING PART 2: TYLER THE MUZZLEATOR MAKES HIS DEBUT

   I took Tyler to Petsmart and we met Sharon from Barkbusters. She worked with him in the parking lot before going inside for hands on doggy encounters at Petsmart.

Tyler barking at a puppy who didn't care

    Sharon from Barkbusters was patient and walked Tyler around Petsmart looking for puppies that Tyler could meet. Tyler did not like meeting any of them, and each time he showed aggression, Sharon tugged his leash and pulled him away, and came back.
   TYLER THE MUZZLEATOR - I decided to get a 'mesh' muzzle and once we put that on Tyler, he could get close enough to the puppies to smell them. When he realized they weren't a threat, he seemed okay.
  With a large black dog that I think was a Mastiff puppy, Tyler the Muzzealtor approached and sniffed and it was fine for about 5 minutes. The puppy didn't care, but Tyler started getting stiff in his stance so just as he barked at the pup, Sharon pulled him away. 

Tyler glares at another puppy

MUZZLE GREETINGS HAVE WORKED OVER THE LAST YEAR AT HOME-   Last year,  I started using a muzzle on Tyler when new dogs came into our home. I wound up taking it off after 2 hours and Tyler  was fine with them. Tyler will always use a muzzle when meeting other dogs until he gets familiar with them or until he's toothless and 15 years old! :)

A Look at Tom's Work in the Garden

Day Lily

Tom practically lives for gardening and is a very meticulous landscaper. He loveseverything in order, trimmed, neat and clean (it's the Mr. Monk-like quality that keeps the house looking great inside and out). He spends every weekend planting, trimming, fixing, and making sure that all the plants around the house are looking their best. Since he puts so much hard work into it, I thought I'd highlight some of the great flowers we have sprinkled around the yard.  
- I (Rob) have the touch of death with plants, so I try to keep away from them... although whenever something appears to be dying, I'll take it under my wing and have been pretty successful at nursing a plant or two back to health. Enjoy these pics!

Hibiscus

Rose of Sharon

Line of Rose of Sharon plants

Daises!

"Non-stop" Coreopsis

Echinacea