August

Below are some of my favorite, never-before-seen photos taken this past month. And speaking of photos, Kodiak won a free photo session through the first "Cutest Pup" contest held by Bella Luce Photography on Facebook. He won by a landslide, actually - he had 34 votes, and the next closest pup had 4. No surprise, really, since he is freakishly cute. Hopefully, we'll get that photo shoot scheduled soon.

Sadness

My deepest condolences to Steve and Laura, who lost their beloved Mushka to cancer this weekend. I'm sure he and SamDog are playing together again, happy and pain free.

Majority Rules

Due to a very generous gift from Mom and Ronnie, I’ve been given the option of turning on the air conditioning. My first thought was to not bother – after all, we’ve made it this long, what’s a few more weeks? However, I don’t run the house as a dictatorship (unless its necessary), so I polled the residents before making a decision. The final results were 6 to 2 for AC (although Duncan voted twice), with 2 abstaining and 1 unclear (not undecided, just unclear). Khar’pern and Per’la were against the AC – they both said they were perfectly fine as they were. Belle voted for the AC, but said it had to be done in moderation, as her bones get creaky if she gets too cold. Loki thought AC was the best idea he’d heard in months. Mikey said it was okay, as long as it didn’t interfere with his sunbeam. Duncan actually voted twice, but I decided to let that slide since he hasn’t been feeling well. Niko thought it would be fun to be cool again, although he was concerned that he’d molted too many feathers to adjust to the new temps. Parm actually voted to be allowed back in the house, but since that wasn’t on the ballot, his vote counts as an abstention. I didn’t vote since I’d have made an even number and might have caused a tie. Reyna…well, I don‘t know what Reyna wanted, because she just spun in circles and barked. By that point, though, we had an obvious majority vote for AC, so I decided it didn’t really matter what she thought. Before bed last night, I turned on the AC for the first time this year. It took all night and part of the morning to cool the house down to the programmed temperature. Now I just have to find a temperature that keeps us all cool but doesn’t leave me sitting on the couch with a blanket wrapped around me. One not-unexpected side effect of the AC is a significant spike in spinning and barking. Apparently, Reyna’s feeling really spiffy now that she doesn’t have to camp in front of the box fan…

Thanks again to Mom and Ronnie, from 5 cats, 2 dogs, 1 bird, and me!

Walkies

I’ve been taking the pups for early morning walks in the woods when I can. They love the woods. It’s a lot prettier (and smells better) than the neighborhood, and there are certainly fewer cars. I can even let the pups run off-leash for a bit (not Onyx, of course – he’s too young and foolish for that kind of freedom). The biggest problem with the woods is the bugs. I swear, it seems like there’s always some nasty buzzing thing who decides it has to follow me for the entire walk. Of course, I just love the bugs that manage to trap themselves in my hair. And the ticks. I pulled 6 off of us after the last walk. Poor Duncan seems to attract his fair share of biting, buzzing things, too. He spends most of the walk twitching his ears, trying to shake the bugs off. A smaller, yet long-term problem has manifested itself on my legs. Apparently, I brushed against some poison ivy during one of our walks. Thankfully, its not too bad – just a few streaks along both calves. Itchy, but not much worse than the mosquito bites on my legs. I don’t know why I bother spraying Off before I go outside. Speaking of itchy, the rash on my arms finally went away. Only took a little over two weeks. Still don’t know what caused it, but I won’t be using that sunscreen again, just in case.

Puppies!

A couple of weeks ago, Onyx was returned to the rescue by his potential adopters. They said it was because he was playing too rough with their cat (he was a two month old pup - of course he plays rough), but I think a lot of it was because they really didn't know what to expect from a puppy. So, the rescue contacted me and asked if I'd foster him again. Once I agreed, they also asked if I'd be willing to foster a second pup, as well. Another foster home had two, and were overwhelmed. That led to Topaz joining us.

This is Onyx, now almost 14 weeks old.


Onyx and Topaz. Topaz was definitely the more laid back of the two.


Not that you could tell that from this picture.... That was really perfect timing for the photo.


Onyx has decided that Duncan is his favorite playmate. So far, Duncan's handling it pretty well.


Topaz went to her new home early last week. I got an update today, and she's settling in just fine. With luck, Onyx will be adopted soon.

Happy Mother's Day

Yes, I'm a bit late on this. And yes, some of this actually happened to me with cats before dogs, but the sentiment is true regardless of the species.

Before I Was A Dog Mom

Before I was a Dog Mom:
I made and ate hot meals without being watched every second.
I had unstained, unfurred clothes.
I had quiet conversations on the phone,
even if the doorbell rang.

Before I was a Dog Mom:
I slept as late as I wanted
And never worried about how late I got to bed
or if I could get into my bed.

Before I was a Dog Mom:
I never stepped on or tripped over body parts.
I didn't know what a bully stick was and never touched an esophagus.

Before I was a Dog Mom:
I had never been peed on
Pooped on
Drooled on
Chewed on
Or pinched by puppy teeth.

Before I was a Dog Mom:
I slept all night without sharing
the covers or pillow.

Before I was a Dog Mom:
I never looked into big, soulful eyes and cried.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop a hurt.
I never knew something so furry and four-legged
could affect my heart so deeply.

Before I was a Dog Mom:
I had never held a sleeping puppy
just because I couldn't put it down.
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was well.
I didn't know how warm it feels inside
to feed a hungry puppy.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Dog Mom:
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being
A Dog Mom

Author Unknown

Puppies!

Saturday, we acquired two new (temporary) family members. Best Friend Pet Adoption (BFPA) recently rescued Gemma, who happened to be pregnant with 11 puppies. Since I have some free time on my hands these days, I offered to foster two of the puppies until they’re adopted (or until I get a job and start working ridiculous hours again). These are the two that were assigned to me.

Tiger

Onyx

Sleeping puppies are good puppies.

Just to give you a frame of reference, here are Duncan and Onyx together.

The puppies will be 8 weeks old Tuesday and they each weigh about 10 pounds, which means Reyna, Duncan and I are all having to be very careful and watch where we step. They’re settling in pretty well, although Onyx seems to be tolerating the big dogs better than Tiger. Onyx and Reyna actually spent several minutes chasing each other around the yard this afternoon (and me without my video camera). Tiger has a bit of a temper, though – he pitched a fit Sunday morning when I wouldn’t let him eat out of Onyx’s bowl, and he ended up skipping his breakfast because he was too mad to eat. Oh, well. He figured out by dinner time that you eat when food is offered, because it doesn’t sit around very long.

The puppies also pitched absolute fits Saturday and Sunday afternoon/evening when I put them in the x-pen in the yard. They did NOT like being locked in and let everyone know at the top of their lungs. It was funny, in an annoying way, because they would shriek for several minutes and then fall asleep almost instantly. Wake up, shriek, fall asleep. Over and over. Loudly. They did some shrieking Saturday when I put them in their crate for the night, but Sunday night they went in with barely a whimper. Thankfully, they’re sleeping through the night – and if they aren’t, they’re not crying loudly enough to wake me up. Either way is fine with me.

Tipping The Scales

People who knew me BD (Before Dogs) always knew I was a cat person and were generally shocked when I invited a puppy to live with us. I’m sure most folks assumed I would eventually become The Crazy Cat Lady (which hasn’t been completely ruled out). People who met me AD (After Dogs) always knew I was a dog person and were generally surprised to find out I have any cats, never mind 6 of them. I’ve always considered myself more of an equal opportunity pet owner, never really preferring one species over the other. I realize that I spend the majority of my time doing stuff with the pups – which could make it seem that I prefer them – but a lot of that is due to the fact that its easier to actually DO stuff with dogs. I really don’t think the cats would be interested in musical freestyle and I know they don’t care at all if someone gets lost as long as they have their dinner. Mikey might enjoy herding ducks, but I think he’d spend more time stalking than herding. Of course, considering how often Duncan tries to take a little taste of sheep… But I digress.

I’ve always encouraged the cats to come out to the living room and socialize. When Reyna’s home, though, they generally have no interest in that. With Reyna gone to PT a lot, Belle has become much braver and will usually come out and visit. As long as Duncan doesn’t do anything so rude and inconsiderate as get up or move around, that is.


The other day, Reyna was gone and Belle came out for some lovin’. I was surprised to realize just how annoying it is to have a cat insert herself in everything I was trying to do. I don’t know if it just never bothered me BD, or if I just accepted that That’s How Life Is. Either way, its really aggravating now. The pups certainly don’t get on the counter and walk on the scanner or step on the keyboard. And when I sat down for lunch, it just got worse. If the pups beg at all, they do it very politely (Reyna gently places her paw on my knee, while Duncan simply looks the other way). Belle didn’t beg so much as she demanded. Mostly by sticking a claw in the wrist of the hand holding the fork, or trying to put her face in my plate. And then she had the nerve to be offended when I shoved her off the couch. I realize that the pups do things that are annoying, too. But hey, That’s How Life Is – again. If the cats came out more often, I’d probably find myself becoming more tolerant of the things they do.

Except for this.

Recently, certain cats began engaging in Unacceptable Behaviors. I’m not 100% positive as to who is doing it, but I’m fairly sure. One cat is engaging in a Disliked Yet Tolerable Behavior, and that doesn’t bother me too much. But at least two of them (although, thank goodness not all six) are doing those obnoxious Unacceptable Behaviors. And no, these cats are not in ill health. I’ll admit that my love for them is becoming somewhat conditional and I’m the closest I’ve ever been to de-homing an animal. I remember when, many moons ago, Reyna engaged in a similar Unacceptable Behavior. Installing a dog door helped with that, as did a bit of behavior correction. I am currently in the process of installing (with much help from John) a similar cat door. A regular cat door, of course, would not lead to a cat-safe area, which is a concern despite Mikey’s blatant disregard of this particular problem. So, we’re going to make a cat-safe zone (more on this as things progress). I don’t really believe it will solve the problem, but it will give me a confined area in which to lock those certain cats. They may not be happy about that, but they’ll be happier with that than with being dumped in a shelter or taking up residence under the tree in the back yard.

Shiny. Sorta. For Now.

I finally got the muddy truck to Auto Bell today. They did an okay job, considering what they were dealing with. Once I got home, I did some more cleaning – they missed some of the mud in the front of the truck and on the seats. But that’s okay. For now, the truck is shiny on the outside, and fairly clean on the inside. I expect that to change rather dramatically this Sunday. But that’s okay, too. Nothing like a little dog spit to give a vehicle some character.

Good Blood, Long Hours

I’ve been too busy and tired to post anything lately, but I thought I’d take a few minutes for a quick blog (before I curl up on the couch and zonk out).

Reyna’s blood work results came back sometime in the recent past. Its been a very long week, so I don’t remember exactly when… It was as perfect as we expected – her kidney and liver values are all in the normal range. And not just Reyna Normal, but actual Medically Accepted Normal. Impressive, isn’t it? This means she’s allowed to stay on the NSAID that improves her joint pain and arthritis, which is a good thing. Something I find really interesting about Rimadyl is that there seem to be a lot of people out there dead set against having it in the house, much less letting it pass their dog’s lips. Some people will tell you that Rimadyl is a horrible medication, that it kills some dogs and sickens all the rest. But on the flip side of that is Reyna, She Who Reacts Badly To Every Medication, having absolutely no problem at all with this dog-killing drug. On our side is also my vet (and I’m sure many, many others) who treat a lot of dogs with Rimadyl and see a problem with maybe 0.5%. Granted, there’s a reason why Reyna gets her kidney and liver values checked every six months, and if they ever look bad, she’ll come off the Rimadyl. But its very hard to see it as the hideous thing some people make it out to be. Oh, well. We’ll use what works for us, and they can use what works for them.

I’ve gotten a lot of hours at the kennel this week. In fact, today was day 5 of a 7 day stretch. Its been exhausting but generally fun. Or at least less not-fun than office work. I don’t enjoy scooping poop, but I like working and playing with the dogs. Most of the staff is pretty good to work with, although I occasionally think the owner’s forgotten just how long some things take. After all, when you have 230 dogs to get outside, clean their kennels, get them back inside, feed and water them, and then pick up leftover food, its just going to take a while. Regardless of how many people are working, that’s not something that can be done in an hour. Or even two hours. Today, I think 7 of us got it done in 3.5 hours (of course, two of the girls – one who normally works daycare and one who is just there for the week - moved a bit slower than the rest of us like, but the fastest its been done with that many dogs is 3 hours). There’s even been some excitement to liven things up a bit. Yesterday morning, one of the dogs I took outside for her morning potty break had a grand mal seizure as soon as she entered the run. She seemed fine a couple of hours later, but then she had another one this morning, again as soon as she entered the outside run. One of the managers said we shouldn’t take her out anymore, but my response to that was that she’d been taken out at least two other mornings and every evening and hadn’t had seizures. At least, no seizures that anyone saw or reported. She was scheduled to go home this afternoon, so hopefully she’ll do better. The really big excitement this morning was the little Shiba Inu that climbed the exterior fence during her morning run and escaped out into the big, bad world. I was taking out another dog and happened to see a dog wandering in the woods beyond the kennel fence and decided to check it out (since there aren’t any houses around the kennel that might have wandering pets). I was able to tell through the fence that the dog had a yellow kennel collar and got one of the other girls to alert the manager. By the time she got her slow self moving, the dog had left the woods and crossed the four lane road in front of the kennel. The dog crossed it by herself again, and managed to avoid being hit by any of the passing traffic. The drama ended well, with the dog locked securely back in her kennel and a note on the door saying she was to be taken out only on a leash. The owner was extremely happy that she wouldn’t be sued by any irate owners. And all of that happened before 9:00 this morning.

Oh, and I finally broke down and turned the heat on this afternoon. 54 degrees in the living room is a bit cold, even for me and all my layers of clothes.

Expensive Garbage

Wednesday afternoon, I wrote a long post in my head about a woman who really irritated me by basically saying that the kibble I feed my dogs is equivalent to a person eating straight from a dumpster. That conversation started when I commented that I just couldn’t see paying $42 (plus tax) for a 16.5lb bag of kibble, even if it was made from elk and salmon. Keep in mind, I pay about $40 for a 30lb bag of kibble that Reyna cleans out in just over a month. I meant to type up the post yesterday, but never had the time to sit down and do it. And now, thinking about that conversation and the resulting post just makes me tired. So I’m not going to bother. Instead, I thought I’d share a couple of things about some new canned food that I just recently tried on the dogs. Its green venison tripe. Reyna loves it. Duncan loves it so much, he doesn’t even care that it touches his kibble (that’s a lot of love). I can’t stand the stuff. It’s so foul smelling that I have to hold my breath while I’m scooping it out of the can. I’m pretty sure I’ve smelled similar odors working crime scenes. Which makes sense, if you think about what tripe actually is – partially digested stomach contents. Blech. But, the dogs love it, and it’s a good source of nutrients. So I’ll keep giving it to them, and it’ll make their kibble smell like really expensive garbage.

German Shepherd Show

This past Friday and Saturday I was the Head Steward (not to mention the only Steward) for the German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater Raleigh’s annual Tarheel Circuit German Shepherd Specialty Show (there’s a mouthful for you). This was my third year as Steward, and may be my last if the club decides to move the show outside (or if the club president ticks me off enough). It was fun, as it has been the last two years, but I’m glad I only do it once a year. The cement floor kills my knee and back, and doesn’t exactly make my feet happy, either.

There were some absolutely gorgeous shepherds there, but working the show always makes me happy that neither Reyna nor Duncan is show quality. Showing a dog is a lot more work than most people realize, and when you toss in the personalities of the handlers and owners, it becomes something...well, scary isn’t the right word, but let’s just say that you would have to really want to be part of the show world to stand a chance of enjoying it as a participant. This is not for the faint of heart or the slightly interested. I’ve done Rally, freestyle and herding trials, and while there are the occasional obnoxious people involved in those activities, you don’t see the personality conflicts that you do at the show ring. And the sheer number of prima donnas at a show is downright exhausting. One woman threw a fit Friday night because her dog didn’t win, demanding that the judge tell her what was wrong with her dog. There was nothing wrong with her dog; the other dogs were just more impressive. Even I could see that.

The club president made the comment Friday night that, if I do this for a few more years, I’ll eventually get good at it. My first response was “kiss my ass.” My second response was that I just might be busy this particular weekend next March. I got one night of steward training two years ago, I do it one weekend a year, for FREE, and no one else in the club is willing to do it. I think I do a darn good job. The judges have all told me I do an excellent job, and they’re the people I have to keep happy. Which brings me back to my first response...

A Different Sort Of Thing

I thought I’d post a few more pictures from Tuesday’s snow. Instead of more dog pictures (although I have plenty of them, so don’t tempt me), here are a few of the cats and the local birds.

If you look closely, you can see the bright red cardinal.

Per'la, Khar'pern and Parm were fixated on the birds.


Here are several of the birds just waiting for the dogs to be distracted.


Watching anxiously....


I had to refill the feeder twice Tuesday because so many birds came to visit.


Mikey, checking to see if its safe to come out.


Okay, so just one dog picture....

A Six Cat Night

This past weekend was definitely a chilly one. Based on the animals, I’d say Friday night was the coldest. Mind you, I was perfectly comfortable with my heated mattress pad, flannel sheets, quilt and afghan. The cats, not so much. I think they decided they were too far away from the heated mattress pad, because when I woke up at 3:00 am, I discovered that my afghan was on the floor. And I was trapped. Belle was tucked up on my left side, Loki was curled up beside my head, Parm was wedged in my lower back, and the other were all at my feet (one on each side, and the third between my feet). Its probably a good thing they’d pulled the afghan off the bed. If that had still been on top of me, I probably would have been roasting.

My poor little heat pump had a rough time with the temps, too. Saturday morning, the temperature was still 55 in the house when I got up - it should have been 64 by then. When I realized we weren’t making any progress, I turned on the fireplace and put a big pot of water on the stove (its better than a humidifier, since it also adds heat). By 11:00, the temperature was back to normal.

Mary came over for a day of cropping Saturday. I think she made some progress with her stuff, and I finally finished my Germany/France book from 1993. Now I can go back to focusing on Hawaii. I admit, I took too many pictures there. I’ve been very good at thinning the stack, though. For some reason, Reyna has decided that she won’t stay in the house with us when we crop. She kept to that Saturday, even though it was so cold outside. She had a very hard time with her hips over the weekend, poor girl, and I doubt lying around in the yard helped much. I convinced her to stay in for most of Sunday, though. We spent the day being lazy (not hard to do). She was still having trouble walking this morning, but hopefully she’ll be better when I get home.

Now, everyone cross your fingers and paws, and hope we get some decent snow tonight. I’ve already been told I can work from home (which I’d planned to do, anyway). I’d love to get some pictures of the pups playing in the snow this year.

These are my all-time favorite pictures of the pups in snow (notice Duncan in the background of the first picture):

PediPaws

Mom and Ronnie bought a PediPaws nail trimmer before Christmas to use on Sugar. It is essentially a low-power dremel tool with a cap to catch nail dust. It didn’t work like they’d hoped, so when I visited at Christmas, they gave it to me to use on the dogs. I’ve spent some time since then getting the dogs used to the noise and the general feel of the PediPaws, with moderate success. Duncan doesn’t like having it actually touch him while its on, but he’s interested in it and not scared of it. Reyna doesn’t want it anywhere near her and generally just shoots it dirty looks. Last night, I finally used it on Duncan’s nails. It works, in the sense that the nails I used it on are now shorter than they were when we started. The problem is that it is extremely slow to actually file the nails down, and anything more than just the slightest pressure from the nail causes it to stop spinning. I’m sure I could have eventually filed all of his nails down, but it would have taken a very long time. And the way the cap is shaped, its hard to get the edges of the nail or to see how far they’ve been filed down. This might work for a small or medium dog, but its just not powerful enough to really handle the thick nails of a big dog. On the upside, it does work as a light back massager.

Ode to Dogs

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

I love thee agreeably - enough to let your stinky doghide on the bed after a run through damp leaves, mud and slug infested gardens.

I love thee steadfastly - enough to devote a year to raising you from a wobbly speck into a strong healthy adult (who promptly attempts to seize control).

I love thee passionately - despite your repeated efforts to probe my ears, eyes and mouth with the same tongue you use for various other atrocities.

I love thee well - despite the amazing odors you produce.

I love thee deeply - though you use me as a napkin at every opportunity.

I love thee madly - despite the various bodily functions you have performed at inappropriate moments - in inappropriate places.

I love thee constantly - despite the dog "bladder curfew" I have lived by for many years.

I love thee truly - despite the "doggie landmines" hidden in the grass.

I love thee absolutely - because you never (well, hardly ever) hog the remote control.

I love thee gratefully - because you stay by my side (or on my side).

I love thee devotedly - more than clean carpeting, clothing, furniture, floors or walls.

I love thee bravely - enough to battle the indomitable flea on your behalf.

I love thee monetarily - enough to put the vet's children through college.

I love thee openly - I will bear any embarrassment for your furry sake.

I love thee totally - more than free time, excess cash or a predictable life.

- Author Unknown

Just A Dog

From time to time, people tell me, 'lighten up, it's just a dog,' or, 'that's a lot of money for just a dog.'

They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for 'just a dog.'

Some of my proudest moments have come about with 'just a dog.'

Many hours have passed and my only company was 'just a dog,' but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by 'just a dog,' and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of 'just a dog' gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's 'just a dog,' then you will probably understand phrases like 'just a friend,' 'just a sunrise,' or 'just a promise.'

'Just a dog' brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.

'Just a dog' brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person.

Because of 'just a dog', I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it's not 'just a dog' but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

'Just a dog' brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it's not 'just a dog', but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being 'just a man or woman.'

So the next time you hear the phrase 'just a dog' just smile...because they 'just don't understand.'

- Anonymous

This Is Horrible

If you have a dog, are going to get a dog, or just buy toys for someone else's dog, please read Chai's story.

I Love My Pet Sitter

After a frustrating search last summer for pet sitters, I’d given up and was boarding the dogs when I had to travel. One of my friends referred me to a new person a few weeks ago, so I gave her a call. It turns out she’s perfect for us. She only works part time at a “real” job, so she can spend extra time with the dogs if they need it. She’s also willing to spend the night at my house, which was a large part of what I needed in a pet sitter. She doesn’t have a problem with short notice, which is good. She charges less than the PetsHotel, and she doesn’t charge extra to refill the cats’ water bowl. And the absolute best part is that both dogs really like her. On her first visit to the house, Duncan ended up curled up against her on the chair. And surprise of all surprises, Mikey actually came out on her first visit and let her pet him. On her most recent visit (just to remind the dogs who she is before I went out of town), Reyna was very excited to see her. I spoke to her last night (did I mention I’m in Canada this week), and she said the dogs were doing fine. They met her at the door and let her in with no problems. She said they were acting a bit mopey, which is pretty normal for my first evening gone. Especially since Reyna always tries to guilt me when she sees the suitcase. I’m so glad I have a new, reliable pet sitter. That’s really a huge load off my mind.

And People Say German Shepherds Are Vicious

So, I’ve had GSDs for 4 years, I interact with other GSDs on a regular basis, and I’ve never been bit by one (except when I got between Reyna and the foster GSD that attacked her). On Friday, though, I was attacked by a vicious monster. My neighbor invited me into her house to see her cat, and before I could get past the door jamb, one of the dogs she watches for her daughter jumped on my leg and bit me. Mind you, this wasn’t a GSD, or even a chow, rottie, or pit bull. It was a Dachshund. A Dachshund! The little monster tried to bite me three more times, and then growled at me the entire time I was in the house. He actually managed to get through my jeans and break the skin. My neighbor and her daughter both offered a wide variety of reasons why this “incredibly sweet and mild” dog would act “so completely out of character” and attack me. If it had been one of my dogs, my neighbor and her daughter would have gone nuts, but since it was their little bitty baby, I’m supposed to write this off as a freak incident that was actually my fault...