On his first outing in 2017, he thought it best to explore the scents of the arena and walk around the weave poles instead of racing through them — to the delight of onlookers, who roared with laughter.
“Kratu clearly made an informed decision, and that was to have fun,” Swan, 58, told TODAY. “He loves people and to have fun. And the pull of the audience in the moment and in the arena was far greater than doing what he was told.”Crufts released a video of “Krazy Kratu” that went viral — as did his subsequent appearances. They seemed to get funnier with each passing year, from Kratu turning around halfway through agility tunnels to stealing poles he was supposed to jump over.But there’s much more to Kratu, now 8, than his hilarious antics in the agility ring, as chronicled in the new book “Incredible Kratu: The happy-go-lucky rescue dog who changed his owner’s life.”Most animals are creatures of habit. It will be important to develop a consistent schedule to follow with your new pet. Potty breaks at regular intervals, feeding at the same time(s) every day, playtime, walks – everything needs to be scheduled. At first, this can seem overwhelming but soon enough, you and your new pet will be on the same schedule.
Swan writes in her book about an extremely challenging childhood and young adulthood. She survived abuse, kidnapping and rape, and used drugs, including heroin. She’s had to contend with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, bulimia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, self-hatred and ultimately, undiagnosed autism. After being diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2011, with help from doctors and a spiritual quest that led her to Peru, she started turning her life around. When she adopted Kratu, she spent so much time giving him the exercise, positive training and care he needed that it didn’t leave much time for introspection and anxiety.Learn everything you can about your dog’s habits and behaviors. If you and I were having a conversation over coffee and I asked you to tell me about your significant other, or your kids, or any other special person in your life, chances are good that you could say quite a bit about them. In fact, you may know more about them than you think.
If your dog’s acting funny, get out the umbrella! According to a Petside.com/Associated Press poll, 72% of dog owners believe their dog can detect when stormy weather is on the way.
She also wasn’t used to smiling much before Kratu entered her life.
“I’ve always liked rebels, rascals,” she said with a laugh. “I’ve been one myself.”
When trainer Wendy Kruger from Woodgreen Pets Charity invited Kratu to participate as part of a rescue dog agility team at Crufts, Swan felt motivated to seek help for her mental health because she wanted to be able to attend — and enjoy it.As a result, she was finally diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Sure enough, when the time came, her faithful companion helped her navigate through the Crufts crowds — and the sensory overload they bring — before and after his agility run.
Why are dogs’ noses so wet? Dogs’ noses secrete a thin layer of mucous that helps them absorb scent. They then lick their noses to sample the scent through their mouth.
“His goal is love and happiness, and I walk behind him. He leads the way,” she said. “He’s just this force of nature.”
Seeing spots? Or not… Dalmatian puppies are pure white when they are born and develop their spots as they grow older.
“Your dog doesn’t come and kick you out of bed and go, ‘Get up and go wash yourself.’ You decide to throw back the covers, go into the bathroom, brush your teeth. You make that decision,” she said. “If you are going to be empowered, healthy and whole, you have to say, ‘I do this for me, because I’m worth it and I want to do it.’ And to be present for your dog.”
“So many people around the world have got mental health problems. They’ve got sadness,” Swan said. “And they go to Kratu’s page and they talk to him.”Kratu and Swan have also visited numerous universities in Romania to help change perceptions of rescue dogs as pets , attend a variety of charitable events to lend their support and appeared in Autism’s Got Talent.Stop Dog Hair From Clogging the Drain With a Baby Wipe. When you bathe your dog does their hair end up clogging up your drain? Use a baby wipe to help stop the dog hair from clogging it up.
Have an extra kitchen drawer? Use it as a dog food holder.
Wherever they go, Swan feels pride seeing Kratu show what rescue dogs can be with early socialization, positive training and respect. She loves the way he opens hearts just by being himself.
“I’ve always found it hard to be accepted. And to see this roughneck, Romanian, cheeky, charming clown just welcomed into this world, and I’m with him … I really struggle with self-worth and self-esteem, and I have to take a step back and think, ‘That’s my dog. We’ve done this together,’” she said.Make him part of the family. Pets, especially dogs, need companionship. They are traditionally pack creatures and need the warmth and love that comes with living indoors with their family.