Original Inquisitive Canine Discovers Blogging as Perfect Way to Harness Dog Behavior

Hello inquisitive canine's and inquisitive readers! My mom Joan Mayer is a certified professional dog trainer and dog behavior counselor. I'm Poncho, her ten pound mutt that knows a lot about canine and human behavior. Together she and I own and run the Inquisitive Canine - a dog training and behavior counseling business in Ventura.

My girlfriend Lorrie Thomas of Lorrie Thomas Web Marketing highly recommends blogging as a way to let others know about us. Well, mom and I agree. We've decided blogging is a great way for us to share dog training tips with the dog cyber world. Mom will have her dog training tips blog post while I have my own here on Poncho's Prose - sharing my canine observations while living in a human world.

To find out more about mom, you can read all about her on her dog training tips blog, or our Inquisitive Canine homepage. Until we learn how to add a separate "About me" section that's actually about me, I will tell you a little about myself in this post. Of course if you ever have any questions, please email us or post a comment here.

Here's the lowdown: My full name is Poncho Gonzales Hunter Mayer. It was originally Peanut, then Paco, but since I like tennis balls (as does my dad) my folks decided it would be fun to name me after a tennis player. And since I am part chihuahua, they agreed a hispanic player would be best. Hence the famous tennis player Pancho Gonzales was chosen. I know, the spelling is different. Mom wasn't sure of the exact spelling and I didn't want to say anything. But it's okay - makes me unique in that way.

Where did I come from? Mom and dad adopted me from Animal Kind Rescue June 15, 2003. This is a really nice private rescue facility owned by Miss. June Roberts. I remember mom saying how sweet (and ironic) it was that they became "parents" on this day, because it happened to be Fathers Day.

Mom and dad had been searching for a dog for quite awhile. They had gone to different rescues and met other dogs but still hadn't found that perfect match. Turns out just because I have this affinity for tennis balls (dad is a tennis player) they thought I fit the bill for being their perfect dog. I guess it was true because we all fell in love (no pun intended) upon meeting each other.

I came bounding out of the house holding my tennis ball in my mouth, threw it over towards where they were sitting, did a huge play bow, wagged my tail enthusiastically, and gave them my famous Poncho grin. It worked. They took me home immediately and we've been one happy family ever since.

How did I get to the shelter? The story my folks got was that Miss. June got me from an animal hospital. I was in the hospital because I was beat up by a bunch of other dogs while at another shelter. I guess I had been dumped at that shelter first. Anyway, the animal hospital called Miss. June at Animal Kind Rescue asking if she would help. She said "Of course!" took me in, cared for me and all of my wounds and injuries, and loved me until my mom and dad found me on the internet. See? Internet dating ain't so bad!

My veterinarian Miss. Shelly (Wilson) said I was somewhere between two and four years when mom and dad brought me home. Mom and dad decided to call me two. It's been over four and a half years now and life is grand - for all of us. I may have come from a rescue, but mom and dad have always said that I rescued them.

As of today I continue to be an inquisitive canine (mom compares this to being a critical thinker, which is what she is) - observing, asking and wondering, as only inquisitive canines do. Because of these traits I think blogging is the ideal outlet for me. Mom teaches her clients that providing "legal outlets" for dogs (or any animal) so he or she can fulfill his or her innate behaviors will help everyone have a richer, fuller life, while displaying desired behaviors - and not getting into mischief. That's why blogging is a great outlet for me. I can channel my inquisitiveness towards my blogging, instead of barking in the yard. Mom likes this idea too!

I wonder how many other dogs are currently blogging? I wonder if there are cats that blog? I wonder if Miss. Lorrie's cat blogs? Hmm, something for this inquisitive canine to ponder.