Recovery Mode

So, Samson went to the doctor's office, yesterday, and he had a good checkup. No nerve damage that could be seen (Cubby had severe nerve damage, and this part made me breathe more easily, as I couldn't go through that again!), and his appetite and need to move hadn't ceased.

His day, yesterday, was full of pain. The poor guy hobbled along, with his tail down (which is so unlike him). He wouldn't really even snarl at Simon (which is, too, so unlike him).

Once the doctor gave her diagnosis, and we went out to the waiting room, this little dynamo was ready to go. His tail was more up, but anyone could tell he was still miserable.
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We were given two drugs, Metacam, and Gabapentin. One is a sort of aspirin (liquid, so I can squirt it through his teeth - no awful trying to get it down his gullet), and the other is a nerve relaxer, which would make him quite relaxed, she said. Hmmmmm. She also was adamant that there would be no awful side effects.

I inquired about a chiropractic referral, and she told me that at this point in time, it could be more dangerous. If he had a bulging disc, we would need to relax it back into place, rather than do anything that might make it rupture or even (God forbid) create a mess of his spine. AT this point, I'm willing to listen and follow directions.

There is a sticky point to all this, though.

Samson is not to go out for at least 2 weeks for exercise. He can go for short walks, but nothing of the sort we normally do. And this can't happen for at least a week. Aie! Also, she wanted me to find a way to keep him from jumping up on furniture, and especially the bed. Well, I can pick him up off the bed, but I cannot follow him about. I can keep the door closed to prevent him from going up, and that's the best I can do.

I cannot (I've tried) get him to use steps, ramps, etc. I mean, really. I cannot even figure out a way to get him to use the doggie door! I suppose I could summon a trainer to work with him, but I doubt, seriously, Samson would take to them, or their training...It's probably a control issue of his...who knows.

Last night, after drugging him up, Samson looked really relaxed. After a nap, and laying about, watching us, he was able to go outside and sniff, but that didn't last long. When he came to bed, he slept, and slept, and slept. It was, perhaps, the best sleep he's had in quite a while.

This morning he's full of vim and vigor! He's been out, with Skally, going through the gardens and happily prancing about. He's also been sleeping a lot. This is good.

I'm hoping this 5 week recovery period goes by quickly. It's nice to see some of my old Samson back....

Samson and His Back....

Today, we have an appointment with Dr. Leddy, to . see about 1) managing pain for Samson and his back; and 2) getting a referral for a chiropractor to come and mend him.

Samson has been off and on with his troubles for the past week. Remember, I thought it was his nails. Well, the groomer called and said she couldn't finish because he was in terrible pain when she tried to shave him (and no, it wasn't a straight edge and strop). An aspirin a day isn't really cutting it at this point...the pain seems to ebb and flow - there are gobs of time when he trots around as though all is well...and then the other times where my heart is breaking for him. He has a reasonably good attitude about it all, though.

He has taken to snuggle more with me, and Skallywag. This morning, Simon was demanding attention when I was scooping Sammy off the bed...It was interesting! Samson seems to have mixed feelings about Simon; he's either beating him up, threatening him, or snuggling - depending on time and place. Wow.

Yesterday, he decided to really race and prance around at the park, but after 1/2 hour of that, I could tell he was really in agony. So, we came home, where I gave him a really good massage. I noticed he splayed out and elongated himself after that, and was in good shape for a while after.

The trouble I'm having, though, is keeping him from leaping up on to the bed. The bed is quite high, and I have to scoop him up so he doesn't leap off, thus hurting himself more. I tried stairs, a ramp, what have you, but he goes around it and jumps. Yes, I tried treats, training, etc. Still doesn't work. Same thing with the doggie door. He still doesn't use it, unless I open it for him.

No. He's not an idiot.

Not completely sure how to handle this now. He's laying comfortably near me on a chair. I will have to close the door to the bedroom to keep him out while I'm gone, and then when I'm home to keep him close by. This will surely irritate Skally, who keeps the bedroom as her own while I'm out. Simon, too, will be a little ticked - but if I keep any kind of foodstuffs off the counters and tucked away, I shouldn't be seeing any destruction and ingestion by him.

Sigh.

Merry Xmas!

From Our House To Yours! May You Have a Most Wonderful Week of Christmas to the Great New Year!

The Reindeer Dogs Invite You to Celebrate!

Those Dreaded Feelings of Dread....

It's the holidays.

Stress comes in packages, traffic jams, baking, cooking, cleaning, long lines, and short tempers.

I am guilty of all those.

Why?

Today, I took Samson in for his grooming. Yesterday at the park, he was just scampering along as though nothing was wrong with him. This made me sit back and wonder....'Hmmmm. I sure hope it's not his back!' And, as the day progressed, he was doing just fine.

Until today.

Yes, today he was his usual self, charging at Simon, growling, running about chasing after Ricky Raccoon his unbelievably destroyed pet animal (oddly, he was probably left outside - we can't seem to find Mr. Raccoon for his portrait), or Timmy Mouse (pictured below with his adoring and loving protector, Samson).

Then, after Daddy (that would be me) came home cranky and poor (from shopping and fighting traffic), he took dear little Samson to the groomers. Samson was aware something was up, so he brought in Simon as his bodyguard...HA! like that would help.

WE arrived, and Samson gave me those pleading eyes of "Save me, you wretched piece of filth!" as he was taken into the salon.

I took Simon home, where Skally and Rusty waited.

Originally, I was going to take the 3 of them out for a walk, but then the rain came pouring down so hard, I decided a bowl of soup and tea was better.

After a couple of hours, I realized it was getting close to 330, and my groomer doesn't work past 4...Samson had been there for 2.5 hours...Hmmmm....why was it taking so long? (you must note, I am the model of patience...HA!)

I phoned. My groomer told me he was screaming in pain, and it was his back. She couldn't do much except bathe him, clip his nails, and possible get his face trimmed...My heart sank.

My heart sank, because 4 years ago this January 16, I lost my little Cubby, the schipperke, to a spine related ailment. It cut to the very core. I couldn't suffer that again. So we chatted about the need for a chiropractor. She told me she would call me back when she was able to do whatever she could.

I went straight online and checked out animal chiropractors in the area. There's a mobile one, that could actually be the answer, at this point. The rates aren't bad, either. It's a question of getting in touch with Dr. Leddy, the vet, and having her refer. That shouldn't be an issue...

Apparently, Samson was screaming his fool head off from pain. This may be the result of so much activity yesterday (he was acting more himself, with the trotting around, chasing, and having a wonderful time at the park - a Samson I hadn't seen for over a week!). I hadn't given him any aspirin, yet, today, so I made sure I gave it to him with his dinner. She couldn't even get him to lift his head (well, I understand this, because he does the same to me when I brush him "every day". This brought more worry and dread into my soul.

When I did pick him up, he looked wonderful. His back stopped arching and he trotted very quickly over to me, and got up on his hind legs and licked my face. He was fine, again, for those moments...as he has been since, so far tonight.

There is the possibility of his growing tense that pushes the muscles to where there is pain. Knowing what bad back pain is (I was on complete bedrest for 2 weeks a few years back, and could barely walk) I empathize with him.

The poor lad.

Skally is still running about. Yesterday, she actually challenged a young male! She's a randy one! And Rusty was subdued - but he's going outside and putzing about so much better, now. He's got the energy and the wherewithall to do it.

So, should I talk about Simon at this point? You want to know?

The other day, I opened my door to a beach pail full of cookies (wrapped). Christmas cookies - you know, the ones with all the icing and sugar, and they are delicious. And a bottle of red wine. Yay! but no card, message, nada, rien. Hmmmm.

Well, I had to go to dinner last night, and I guess I just plain forgot that bucket was on the counter.

When I got home, the bucket was on the floor, along with the pond goldfish food, a bottle of doggie weight loss pills, and tons of plastic wrappings and ribbons. Everywhere. All through the kitchen. All through the den. All through the dining room. All through the living room. Under and over and around the furniture. I was less than underwhelmed.

I had discovered who my "Secret Santa" was, and had to tell her what had happened. She asked if he had become ill. Nope. There were no signs. No sugar high. No indigestion. Only the sounds of his gigantic nose sniffing out the last morsels not yet inhaled through his gaping yaw.

This morning, though, he went out, did his business, then came in for breakfast. After he'd eaten, you could hear him putt-putt'ing around like a little old man...he had really bad gas...but did that slow him down? Hardly.

Remembering that makes me laugh! And Samson curling up next to me does me even more good.

Tomorrow we call the chiropractor.

And, if I don't do it tomorrow or Wednesday, Merry Christmas!

Health Scare!

This past month has been CRAZY!

To make things worse, I made a big boo-boo.

You see, when I took the pups in for their nail trims, I failed to have Samson's nails done, since I figured he would be able to be groomed quite soon. Nope!

Our groomer at the local doggie spa had decided to move away with her man. Uh huh.

This means NO Saturday groomings. No Saturday nail clippings. All must be done before 3:30 pm weekdays. All must be done after 730 am weekdays.

Well, if you're anything like me, you may work. I leave for work around 645 (on a good day) and leave work after 330 (on a bad day). This means I need to put everything I have into getting these guys in to the new groomer at the spa. Arrrg!

So, I made an appointment with the groomer for Xmas week, when I didn't have to go in to work.

As time progressed, Samson seemed to be getting a little less athletic at the park.

As time progressed, Samson seemed to be growing lethargic on our walks.

I began to suspect Glandularloma, which may be affecting him. But that seemed to be going away.

I shuddered to think there was something spinal, as my Cubby, the schipperke, died 4 years ago this coming January 16 from paralysis, due to a spinal injury. Please God! Don't let this be.

So, the past few days, on our walks, I've been watching him. I've been apologizing to him for the nails which seem to have grown too long for any dog, and I watch him closely for tell-tale signs of spinal injury.

Two days ago, as we walked home on our walk, he stopped completely, and I had to carry him several blocks, until we were near home. He was fine with this. I also noted he kept going to his boojoo (I'm sure you can figure that one out), and there was some discomfort there. I realized I hadn't seen him take a poo in a while...Hmmmmmm.

This morning, on our walk, on our very abbreviated walk, we were in the forested greenspace two blocks from home. Sammy suddenly seemed slumped over. His back end was sloped down, and I began to fear the worst. I tried to encourage him to join the rest of the pack, but he was quite reluctant. When he finally managed to get to us, I knelt down and tried to scoop him up. Ooooo! The screaming from him woke the dead!

He began screaming in agony and it wasn't until I had him sitting in my arms against my chest he stopped. I then proceeded home, dragging the other 3 (about 220 pounds that went in all directions) with me. We made it home, and on the front stoop, I placed him down. Rusty brushed against him, and he yelped again. I was heartsick. I couldn't lose another pup like that (spinal injury) again!

Once inside, he sat watching me. I could tell he was in pain. But he wasn't telling me anything was all that wrong. So I tried the one major test that would tell me if he was going to be okay - breakfast.

He went to his bowl, once it was ready, and he ate (Of course I had put a doggie aspirin in it, as well). Once finished, he sat next to me, as I ate, and then he slowly trotted off to the bedroom with me.
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Now that I could see he would eat, I knew he was going to be okay for the day. He then leapt up to the bed, which told me it wasn't anything spinal - at least not for now.

When I left for work, he was surrounded by pillows and blankets, and had his Timmy Mouse with him. He actually looked content.

I was trembling when I returned, hoping all was well at home. I opened the door to.....Samson on his hind legs welcoming me home, along with Skally, Simon and a very energetic and barking Rusty. I was sooooo relieved and happy.

I also noted that he had pooped in the dining room (very easy to clean up), and was going about his business as usual.

Could he have become constipated from all the treats I've been lavishing upon my brood? Probably. As he weighs less than 1/2 that of any of the others, I need to be sure he gets less than 1/2 the amount of anything they get. But he also needs more roughage than they, as well.

He is sitting and watching me as I write this, waiting for dessert. Ach!

Still, though, he will have his nails done on Monday with the rest of the grooming, and from there we'll begin to see signs of a happier dog.

I swear, I can't recall a time I've been this embarrassingly remiss about my pups' nails, either.

I know he forgives me - the hard part is to forgive myself, and to keep the vet's number near me at all times.

a holiday/winter posting...

I remember many, many years ago, when I had only Obsydian, my schipperke.

I recall how, during the holidays, we would walk the neighborhood (at my old house) and he would bark at the twinkling and flashing lights people had put on their homes.

Now, my pups all seem jaded about the entire happening, and look only at the decorations as possible pit stops (which I don't allow).

I love the lights. I may grouse and grumble about how tacky some are, and ask why people need to even think of trying with their piddly strands; inside, though, I'm full of happiness and joy.

My dogpark friends are wondering what has happened with the pups, as we haven't been very good about going this week. Well, the park is quite sloggy (even with all the bark chips we put down), and muddy, and the dogs are a little tired of it. So, we walk. We walk at night, after the sun has set, Judge Judy is over, and people have come home. Why? They turn on their lights!

There is nothing more delightful than taking the pups out and instead of watching them sniff in wonderment, I can gaze with the same sense of marvel. I see the trees in the windows from houses above us on the hills, as we trot downward to return upward. I see the imagination of some families come to life.

The other night, we went down the street a few blocks over (the pups were beginning to tire from Daddy's Light Tour) to see the decor of a colleague's house. Well, disappointingly, they had their outside lights on, but their holiday lights were dark. This was truly discouraging. Yet, across the street and catty-corner, there was a house that would almost rival the Griswold's. If I hadn't been pulled back up the hills with determination, I would have stared at it for hours. It was hypnotic.

I know this is supposed to be about dogs, but I had to ask these questions...

Why don't people put up lights? I have Jewish friends who put them up simply because they, too, find them delightful and uplifting during the cold, wet, winter months. Could it be the electric bill?

Why DO people put up lights? I know people who do it for the kids...however, I know they do it more for themselves. One friend stopped only because he was having marital problems, and the kids had moved out years earlier...Is it the festiveness of the occasion? To brighten up anyone who might pass by's evening? I like this one.

Why do the lights come down January 1? I hate this tradition. I believe they should not come down until January 31. Honestly. Rusty is agreeing with me.

Yes. He speaks. He has the same voice as the dog in the Youtube video dealing with Bacon, and the one who wants the kitten. Seriously.

Simon has the voice of Antonio Banderas. He's not suave or debonair, but it sure makes Skally swelter!

Samson has been trading growls with Simon. What voice does he have? Cartman or Eric from Southpark. Seriously.

Skally has the disposition of Bette Davis, so I'd have to say that would be her voice, as well.

The weather has really brought out the energy in all of them. And with the full moon...well, enough said.

Ice is on the ground, and I'm a little worried about the deck stairs, which are quite slick. The worries are really toward Skally, who, while carrying on with the energy of a younger dog, has some joint problems. Luckily, we are able to give her Spunky II, which has really increased her mobility and energy levels. I consider each and every day a blessing she is alert, able and spry!

Here's a video of the dogs from earlier in the year...it gives you an idea of how wonderful they are!

And here they are with each other later on in the day...of course, Rusty is the one who's butt is in the lower right hand corner - he is quite sensitive to the camera (much like Skally), and wouldn't wait for me to figure out how to get them all in! He kept moving!

And of course, here's a more current pic of Rusty!

And, of course, one of Simon....

Here's to a wonderful holiday for you all!

Personality #5 - The Helicopter

Well, we ran out of the house this morning, hoping to beat the rain. The weatherman said there was less than an hour until we would be deluged - HA! it never came! We saw the clouds and the rain falling over Hillsboro, but it never came up here - even the park looked dry. Oh well. We still knocked out over 2 miles, in goodly time.

Well, Park Personality #5, The Helicopter, is pretty much self-explanatory. This is the person who brings their dog into the park, and all you hear is that dog's name. Why? Because Helicopter wants everyone to know that that is their dog. They tell them to run, fetch, to stop doing whatever. Honestly, these are the people you pray are hit by laryngitis while at the park.

One Helicopter I knew well was a man who loved his dog. He would start a conversation with someone, and every few words he would erupt yelling out the dog's name. He couldn't listen to what others were saying in the conversation, not only because he talked non-stop, but because he was more focused on his dog than anything else.

This isn't a terrible thing, no, to be focused on your precious, but that much was too much. Other park people used to giggle when they saw him coming, and began to imitate him; many people would leave for a walk just to escape him.

Did his dog listen? Not really. It got old for the poor pup, as well. Dogs are like children. If a parent consistently calls the child's name, it becomes muted in their hearing. People tend to block out noises that are constant. So, some parents ask their children, "Didn't you hear me?" the kid's response of, "Nope. I guess I was busy." is actually accurate. Dogs are pretty much the same. If you keep calling their name, they stop responding. That's why I try to not use my dogs' names too much - and yes, there are times when I've been a helicopter, but I realized what I was doing and stopped. These people don't.

Personality #5 - The Novice

To begin, today went well. The dogs are well-rested, walked, fed, and just plain relaxed (well, as relaxed as they could be).

Tonight we talk about the Novice. This is not a negative stage to find oneself in, just rather uncomfortable. Any Novice, worth their salt wants to be a good dog parent - but there are some who just can't get it (or, it takes years!!! Believe me!).

The Novice, is the dog parent who brings their dog to the park, with fear and trepidation. They are the ones who keep their dogs on a leash (very unsafe and traumatic for most dogs), because they fear their pet will refuse to come back to them, and they'll lose them (really? It's fenced, for goodness sake!). Seriously. It happens all too frequently.

The Novice is also part Banana Brain, Drama Queen and Helicopter (What, pray tell is a Helicopter? you ask. Don't fret. It's coming soon in another post!). They fret, they fume, they tremble, they freak out, they worry, they grimace at the thought of picking up after their dog, and many times say very little, as they smear it all about themselves unwittingly. The latter doesn't happen too often, but it's still disgustingly funny.

When The Novice enters the park, their dog senses something is wrong. There's nothing wrong, necessarily with the park, but with the owner. They tend to be quite apprehensive, and they really don't appreciate anyone offering helpful advice. They keep the dog on the lead, and begin walking around, if possible. More often than not, other dogs have come to sniff and check out the newcomer, and the owner and pet are usually overwhelmed with the onslaught. The leashed pet becomes timid, and then begins to bark, snarl, and snap at the strange dogs that have come to investigate. This, to The Novice, means it's unsafe for the pet to be in the park, so much so, they very often leave, dragging their dog behind them (the pet wants to stay, but The Novice is too blind to understand it's the lead that makes it unsafe for them).

Sometimes, though, The Novice will walk the dog into the park, and around the park. At times, they will finally allow the dog off the leash, but grow fearful when the happy one traipses off to another corner to pee, poo, investigate or sniff the ground, trees, shrubs, or other dogs.
This leads to a Helicopter-like mentality, where the owner (they really can't be called a parent, yet, can they!) begins monitoring the every move of the dog. They call to it, they try to throw a ball to no avail, they try running, and are hurt because here they are no longer the center of the pup's world.

I recall one Novice, who brought his beautiful German Shepard into a very popular city dog park, and had the pup on a lead. Several other dogs walked up to welcome it - none being aggressive or hyped up. The man stood there and screamed, "Will you people please come and get your dogs? I refuse to have my dog's butt sniffed! It's unnatural!" This actually did occur. He left in outrage when he realized there were few dry eyes from laughter around him. Of course, this being Portland, there were some nitwits who felt terrible for the man, presuming he had a mental condition, and they came over and took their dogs away to another corner (or it may be they were frightened he may do something violent to their pets...I think it's more interesting my way).

The Novice cannot understand why their pet won't fetch, won't pay more attention to them, and why everyone else shuns them when all they do is walk around chasing their dog screaming its name. It's basic psychology; look at children, for Pete's sake. Children with parents who do this become inured to the calling, and are trying to run away from them, lest someone think they are spawn from such a creature.

The Novice also doesn't understand about picking up poop. They may ask questions, but many times they don't want to seem stupid, so they like to quote books or trainers they've heard or read. There was one guy, who actually went to my gym, until we bumped into each other one day - after our rather brief and uncomfortable encounter - whose pit puppy used to chase Cubby around. Cubby didn't appreciate this, and the guy told me it was natural for both dogs to act that way. I responded by warning him that Cubby didn't like his dog, and would, most likely, bite his dog on the nose. He laughed, and told me I was overreacting. He told me that he had been reading how this was normal play for dogs, and I needed to calm down.

I was calm. I was warning him. Cubby bit his dog on the nose. He was upset. He didn't come back to the park, either.

Novices also like to come in pairs to the park. When they bring their dogs in, many times, and they let them off leash, they just stand there. Guess what the dogs do? They don't venture very far from where their humans are. These people cannot understand why their dogs don't go further. After some prodding from other people, one of them will walk to another corner of the park to see if this is true. Once they realize this works, they return to their original station, by the other, and then marvel at how their pet comes back and won't keep exploring. Then they leave, believing their dog just doesn't understand how the park works. Hmmmmmmm. I wonder.

I recall when I brought my first dog to the park. He took off. You can't hold a schipperke back from an open field, in most cases. He loved to play there. And there was no fence at that time. It was a group of dogs and their parents who came regularly to this one section of a city park. Later, the city built a fence and put the dogpark in place. My dogs loved to roam the perimeter and check for holes so they could get out. The grass is always greener, I suppose.

The only dog who didn't get the dogpark was Samson. When I first took him he tried his best to convince anyone to take him out of the pit of Hell. It didn't work. Then, one night, he met two Italian Greyhounds. They played. He had a blast. After that, he couldn't get enough. The next evening, he ignored them, and began bullying the bigger dogs, and discovered he could be the BMOC, even though he weighs about one-quarter of the majority of them, and could be a scrumptious meal.

This brings me to The Novice fearing the actions of their dog. Many times, people bring their pets in on leash, and are timid about letting them off, fearing their dog may be too aggressive. Um, okay. Why, in all that is normal, would you bring your dog to the dogpark? Well, honestly, it's about the owners and not the dog. Once they're convinced that within 5-10 minutes their dog will understand and have established their place in the current hierarchy of the dogs in the park, they wait. They tremble. They watch. They finally relax when they understand dogs have a nature all to themselves.

When dogs growl at play, it's not always a growl of anger. Many times the growl is one of having a good time. They have a language all their own. Watch their tails. Watch their ears. If the ears are pinned back, there's fear. If their tail is twitching to just one side, there is a territorial issue. If the dander on their back is up, it means the pup is very alert, feeling unsafe, and is rather high strung at the moment. Many pet parents aren't understanding of these signs, even after years, so it's best to help The Novice understand so they can begin to calm down, look, listen and enjoy.

They finally realize that bringing their dog to the park is where dogs learn about being themselves, play like children in their parks, and the Novice also learns to let go for a while.
Most overcome this stage. Some drag it into the other personalities....

Rusty's Boot Camp: Dog Park Personality #3

Rusty's Boot Camp: Dog Park Personality #3: Ah yes. The sun is still out, and we had a refreshing afternoon at the park this afternoon. Simon chasing his ball, Skally darting about in...

Dog Park Personality #3

Ah yes. The sun is still out, and we had a refreshing afternoon at the park this afternoon. Simon chasing his ball, Skally darting about in the driveway, trying to have me chase her before we hie down to the park...Rusty barking demanding attention, then chasing me through the fields, and Samson running up and investigation people and other dogs. Of course, they all adore Pepper, a pit-bull mix, who adores them back, along with her papa, Viktor.

Today was fine, without anyone in the negative personality pool...

But they do come.

Especially the Banana Brains!

What is a Banana Brain? you ask. A Banana Brain is someone who is just ridiculously not with it. They can be a Drama Queen, a Helicopter, or many other assortments of personalities - in fact, many people find themselves in any one of the described pools from time to time, and they do bleed into one another; therefore, noting attributes and designating someone as being only one of these may be difficult - but when they show their colours, they are definitely these personalities!

One form of Banana Brain, is the owner who comes into the dogpark leashing area, and leaves the gate to the outside open. Then, they bring their dog into the park to unleash it, leaving the second gate open. And when another dog sees the wonderful world from which they are fenced from and squeezes out to frolic, they say nothing. They simply remain quite vague, and close the gate behind them and wander in - not even noticing someone else's bundle of joy has gone off into the hinterlands.

It's true. I've seen it too many times to count.

Other Banana Brains are those who bring their children into the park to play. Really? Are they unable to read the postings? Oh yeah. They have Banana Brains!

These are the ones who bring their children in with bikes and scooters, and have their children riding around the park. OR they have them run about. Now, we aren't talking teenagers, or tweens. We're talking 5, 6, 7, 8 year olds, or even younger. When other pet parents speak up, the Banana Brain tells them it's their park, and they're simply using it to exercise their dog and children. Huh. Funny how quickly they become Drama Queens when their kid is knocked down by a dog who wants to investigate the little bugger on the bike, or the kid who's running around. Funny how they demand compensation for the damage to the bike, or child.

My favourite is when they have their kids leave their bikes lying down in the leashing area. Seriously?! I have four dogs, and we can't fit without some sort of mangling the bikes that are just lying about. So, I pick them up and toss them out. They don't like this. Of course, though, my dogs also tend to have weak bladders around the handlebars and seats...Nothing makes these people get up and fly across the park than this! Luckily, I take a deep breath and tell them to learn to read signs, and to follow directions - also, that this particular section of the park is funded by private donations, and this could be grounds for their being blocked from the park. They rarely come back at that time...

I remember one father, a very nice man, who used to bring his 4 year old daughter and 6 year old son to the park. He would trot off to sit at one of the picnic tables to watch his dog. That was fine. His children, although very sweet in nature and intent, would chase the dogs, trying to pick them up. Now, anyone who teaches their kids that the park is a petting zoo probably has high insurance premiums, or has very good life insurance policies on his/her child(ren).

At this time, I had Syd, Cubby, and Skally. Syd, if caught, would allow them to try to pick him up, but he was rather bulky and heavy for the two little heathens. Skally was out of the question. However, Cubby was jjuusstt the right size! So, they would corner him, and then attempt to lift him. I was surprsed when I saw him being nice and allowing this, but then struggling enough so they dropped him on his feet and he scurried away.

I walked up to the little vipers, and said, "You can't just chase any dog around and try to pick them up!"
"Why?" asked the little toe-headed girl in the pink dress.
"Because they don't know you, and they don't like that," I responded.
"But they're so cute and cuddly! I just want to hold them!" was her retort.
"But if they don't know you, and they don't know that about you they may not be as nice as you'd like."
My friends, Anne and Claire were next to me, with smiles on their faces. They like kids. They don't feel safe with them in the parks, though...
"But I want to hold them!"
"If you chase them, and they don't want it, they could bite you. Then you'd bleed, and then you'll die," I finally snapped.

The shriek of terror that emitted from her tiny head-hole was wonderful. I had endured these kids for 3 weeks, and was just tired of them.

She ran to her father, crying. Her brother was on the other side of them, throwing the ball, meant for the dog - but the boy believed it should have been for him- barely over his father's head, hitting his sister in the noggin. The father scooped her up, and she sobbed into his shoulder.

The father then looked at me, winked, and apologized. "I'm sorry. I know they're active, but I've got to figure out how to wear them out and the dog - I've been working 14 hour days, and their mom is away on business."

My friends were crying from laughter, and they assured him it was fine. I told him it would be fine, but he needed to put limits on his kids, just to keep them on the safe side. He agreed.

See? Banana Brains can be reformed!

Then, there was the day when a mother brought her dog into the park, along with her 5 sons. Yes. One dog, 6 people. When I arrived at the paddock, the front gate was wide open, I was unleashing my dogs, and one kid opened the gate behind me, shoved me to the side, and opened the next gate. He shut neither gate. I called to him to get back there and shut the gate. He kept walking. The mother yelled to me about what was the problem. I told her. She told me to close them myself. Well, this went under the wrong piece of skin on my bod.

I closed the gates, and got into the park, only to have another kid do the same thing, coming into the dogpark. 3 dogs escaped. I yelled at the kid. The mother yelled at me. I yelled back at her that her idiot children needed to learn dog park etiquette. She got all up and puffy-like, and strutted like a Tom Turkey in a nest of chicks.
"What did you say?"
I repeated myself.
"How dare you!"
"Your kids need to realize that you're liable if anything happens to those dogs that escaped, it falls on your shoulders."
"Well, I can't keep track of them. They're boys."
"You're a Banana Brain, lady!"
With this, she packed up and left, leaving 2 other owners fuming after her to find their dogs. I heard angry words exchanged later, and it was from one of the owners and the woman. The other owner was busy writing down her license number.

See? They can be Drama Queens, too!

They're all over the place. These people with mush for brains!

Unfortunately, I think I've been one of them as well...at some point...but dementia has set in and I cannot recall any such incident....

Dog Park Personality #2

Dogs are all doing well. Simon is a pig. He's a counter surfer, and it's a wonder I can afford any more treats.

Full moon - beginning to wane, but still....


Okay. Which personality to pick next? Let's go with the one that really got to me this morning. Personality #2, the Drama Queen.

The Drama Queen is the one who sets everything up to not work right, and then reprimands the dog(s) for being dogs.

Example (from this morning): A woman was bringing her disabled child into the park, while also trying to walk her dog. The dog was a puppy: full of life, curiosity, and vigor. The child was trying to navigate the grass to the paddock, and as we walked by, the puppy was straining to make contact. Ooops! Drama Queen decided that this was just too much! How dare the puppy be a puppy! How dare he not just sit idly by and allow her to help her child? So, she began smacking the dog, believing this would stop the behavior. WRONG! Explain to me, please, how the puppy would, first of all, pass up the opportunity to rub fur with my four lovelies? Secondly, the puppy was probably tired of this "woman" controlling everything he did. He's a puppy, for goodness sake!

Now I'm sure they made it into the park, and the puppy was probably let off the lead, at some point, but the mother probably kept close to the disabled child, and constantly kept calling the name of the puppy - ensuring he would stop listening (yes, this is the same for children, as well), over and over. Her blood pressure was probably high, her nerves wrecked, and she was, most likely, being a total (no pun intended, or maybe it is) a b-i. But it was all her doing! And she will never understand it.

The poor pup is with a neurotic wreck! I hope he is able to survive, in some way, and manage to realize that the problem isn't really him, but her.

The Drama Queen creates chaos for her/himself. There are options. I know. I survived a Drama Queen. The entire scenario is a set-up for failure on someone's part- but NEVER the Drama Queen's. In this case, it's the dog.

Other examples seen of this, are the people who come to the dog park with a full picnic (I kid you not). They sit at the table and keep their dog on a leash. When other dogs come over, drawn by the scent, they raise a ruckus that would loosen Old Nick from his bench across the way (that would be me). "How dare those dogs come over and disrupt our dinner!" they would say. And my response (taken by proxy, as it really belongs to the man sitting across from me) is, "Read the F'ing signs you idiots! No People Food In the Park! And Let the Dog Off His Leash! It's a Dog Park, You F'ing Moron!"

This is met with a hootenany of scorn, followed by: "Well, I thought I lived in America, and it was a free country, you A-hole!"

Then they get up and leave. Their dog has not had any exercise, and the only marvelous surprise was they walked into a few piles of poo that others had not picked up earlier.

Later, these same people complained to the Park Bureau, and the parks department had a good chuckle.

We also have those who bring their dogs into the park, and then they play football or soccer. They ire easily when some of us throw our balls for the dogs into that same area.

"Hey! Can't you see we're trying to play ball here?"

"Hey! Can't you see you're walking in dog poo? This is a dog park! You have 5 acres of park to play out there, you git!"

People just don't seem to get it. They set themselves up in a variety of ways, then blame others because of their idiotic tendencies.

A most spectacular example to finish this off was the woman who came in with her dog. A beautiful dog, and the woman, at first, appeared rather normal.

Well, the dog had a bad habit of carrying two balls in his mouth. Not a good thing, but the woman yukked it up. That is until her dog swallowed one of the balls, and then began to choke.

One man ran over and began to attempt to dislodge the ball from the dog's throat. I decided I would try the Heimlich Maneuver. We began our tasks, but the woman wouldn't let go of the dog. She was tugging and pulling on him, as he choked, his life in the hands of two strangers, and his death in hers.

Eventually, we succeeded in rescuing him, and the woman was grateful. She stated that she would never allow this to happen again. However, not ten minutes later, the dog had 2 balls in his mouth and was running around the park. Her comment? "It's okay. I believe he learned his lesson! and he seems so happy!"

Drama Queen!

Dog Parks and the People who Frequent Them. Personality #1

First of all, Rusty's eye has improved. It was that bush he was allergic to. Whew!

Secondly, today I have been asked to write about Dog Parks. What about them? How about the people who go there.....???!!!!

As most of you know, we are at some park nearly every day. Of course, the Hazeldale Dog Park is near and dear to us, because it's in our vicinity, and we know a goodly number of the people who go there.

"Won't some of them be offended?" you ask.

"I doubt it. They know..." I respond. "I'm only describing people who go there - not bashing anyone."

There is also Hondo Dog Park, which is a little ways away, but we still go during the Spring and Summer months - the winter park is all gravel, and the pups don't much like the texture, and it hurts their little feet.

There is also Winkleman Park, which is new this year. It is nearly the same distance as Hazeldale, but it's on a slope, and it's exhausting to keep going up and down the hills. It's most likely going to be closed for the winter, but that remains to be seen. The slopey part has sod that will give way when it grows damp, as it does in these here parts; The upper section has 2 other mini parks off to the side of the greeting paddock - a barked chip side, and then a wee dog side that's grassed.

Next, is Summer Lake. It's a nice, small, community park, with a lake nearby to go walking around. The dogs love the ducks, geese, squirrels, and the occasional nutria that come out from their lairs. They are huge, sometimes, like the ones seen at Commonwealth Park (which doesn't have a dogpark, but it's still a nice stroll).

There's also Gabriel Park, in Portland, which has both a Summer and Winter Park. We enjoy it here, as it was the park where I first brought Syd, and it was also one of the first parks in Portland. Here we established relationships with other dogs and their parents, and learned more about dogs and their behavior than anywhere/anyhow else.

There is the one bonus park, in the Portland area, that we love to go to, about once a month - Thousand Acre Park. This is in Troutdale, and it's on the Sandy River Delta. Here we don't meet many people, because it's about the hike, and the running about, as well as enjoying nature. There is very little standing about and gabbing, which is what we are about to embark on in today's blog.

Let's talk, today, about the model dog parent who brings their dog into the park.

The model dog parent has the model dog (remember, this combination is a rarity, so it's better to attempt to be this, rather than to demand it - few people have model children, and even fewer have model dogs (in other peoples' eyes)). These come to the park, the dog is unleashed, either in the unleashing area, or, if there isn't one, as soon as the dog is inside the park. This dog sniffs the ones near it, finds the dogs that it enjoys, and plays by running around, wrestling, and having a great time. The parent watches, picks up the poop, occasionally (if necessary) throws the ball, and keeps an eye on the pups, but stays calm, and moves in calmly and quickly if anything comes up. These are actually much rarer than you would think.

Most dog owners watch The Dog Whisperer, and they can recite tips by heart. They even talk about attempting the methods, but to no avail. The #1 Dog Owner has intuitively figured these out, or has worked hard on them, and takes it for granted. Other pet owners are a little jealous of them.

A good friend of mine had Ceasar Milan help him with his dog, who would pee poo on his clothes, and rip things apart, despite her being well past the puppy stage. He had begun work, was going to online school, and was terribly busy, but tried to make time for his dogs. Ceasar tried to help him, but to no avail. When we talked, he was upset, not liking to put her in the crate all day when he was out (she wouldn't use the doggie door until he came home). Apparently, she didn't like the new schedule, and being put on the back burner, so to speak. Her counterpart, another female, had no problems with this at all. But their personalities were very different - the one with the issues was high strung, and the other was quite mellow. You can't always chose who you love.

Personality #1 takes things in stride, and constructively reprimands the pup, only when something naughty has been done. And it must be done immediately and effectively. Waiting until you are able to finish the conversation and then getting around to disciplining does nothing but make the dog believe you've some neurotic tendencies - they've no idea, by then, what you're talking about! They've moved on! Personality #1 gets this.

This owner also exercises their pups on a regular basis, is consistent, feeds them the best food (that doesn't mean expensive - it means quality - from raw food diets to even Costco Nature's Domain - which is high quality, no gluten, no grains, raw food kibble), and keeps them groomed and healthy. This takes time. They also ensure the dog is well socialized. This is very important, as is being sure they see you as the Alpha in the pack.

This personality is also quite congenial with others. They keep one eye on the dog, and they are full of knowledge and ideas, but don't browbeat others. You just know.

I would have to say, most people (not all, believe you me!) who bring their dogs to the park have many of these attributes.

Most dog parents are a mixture of all the personalities, especially on different days when moods are wonky; many times they reflect those of their pup(s)...which can be quite interesting.

Later, I'll introduce more personalities, and I hope you enjoy reading about them, and thinking about whether or not they are you, or someone you know....or pray they aren't!

Walking

I remember Syd. I recall his puppyhood. When he and I would walk, he'd dash all over, sniffing as he walked briskly, smelling and eyeing nearly everything in sight. I couldn't let him off the leash, since he would dash off and not come back. Over the years, he grew to come, but there was still that twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

When Cubby would be walked, he was dart about, much like Samson, but always know where I was. He wouldn't try to escape, but, like Samson, he would flit around me, and tie up my legs, go under Skally, and pull and pull. He was strong-minded, like Syd, but in a different way.

Skally? As a pup, she would pull, as she does still, but it was to sniff something to its fullest. That hasn't changed. She would also, off leash, go dashing about, following strong scents. I still recall the morning, after we'd been in this house for about a year, when she up and disappeared, only to return, happy, and slightly mellower - once I was downwind, I understood; she had gone into the sheep farm, down the way, and rolled and rolled in the dookey the sheep left just for her.

She would also go after cats in other peoples' yards, coyotes, and anything else. I used to walk her off leash, because it was 3:30 in the morning, and there weren't many cars. It also allowed me to not be pulled by 3 avid walkers, down the hills upon which we reside.

Simon walks along with Samson, but also favors Skally when sniffing things out. He pulls, but not a great deal. He's still learning how to pack, and be with other dogs. I can tell he loves loves loves being walked, and he really enjoys the consistency of the routine - we get up (he stays in bed), I begin breakfast, and eat my grapefruit (he stays in bed), and I feed them chicken strips (he stays in bed, whilst the others are moving about me - sometimes Skally, but she's moving about thinking about going out the back door). Even when I take Samson and Rusty out the front door to make water, Simon stays in bed. It isn't until I go in and change into my walking clothes that he gets up and out, pacing until we actually leave.

Simon's pace is good. He stays with the pack. He's a joy. When we pass by the "fighting fence", which is near the end of the walk, going up the hill, just before the greenspace path (that cuts across the block, and lands us one block away from home), he walks on the other side of me, watching the other three romp and bark, and "play" with the dogs on the other side of the fence - he's just not that sure of himself, yet.

Samson, according to my mother, friends, Mom's friends, and people around the dogpark, is a wonderfully confident 25 pound pup. He cuts through the other dogs' legs, forcing me to stop and grab the lead so the others can proceed. Samson doesn't really think anything of it - it's about being in the moment. He has no fear, typically, which is a point of concern, at times. He's so friendly, but will let bigger dogs know not to mess with him! He skips about on our walks, and is so active, but still in line with the others.

Now, Rusty. When he first came to me, as you recall, he could barely walk, and couldn't go a very long distance without the need to stop, sit or lie down, and rest to catch his breath. At the park, he would spend a goodly amount of time just lying there, barking, wanting something to happen to him - it got everyone's attention, and they loved him.

Today, if I don't grab him, once we're out of the car, he will go dashing off toward the park, with a huge grin on his face.

ON our walks, he knows which way HE wants to go - and rebels and pulls back (of course in the middle of the street), and moves at the same rate as the rest of us. Unless we're going up the steep hills home. Then he lags, and I encourage him to move, which he does for a little bit, and then we're back to lagging - but we're still much, much, much quicker in our pace. No more stops for resting!


I thought about how to post about walks, and realized all dogs are different, but yet, the same.

It is interesting to note that walking four of these is not really all that bad. The worst of all that can happen is being tied up when they wind themselves round and round my little legs. This is quite difficult to contend with, especially when I'm trying to scoop poop, or even tie the bag so we can move forward and find the nearest dumpster. This morning, this happened, and I thought I was going to fall over, flat on my face! Worse, the poop bag (loaded, of course) was in the main leash hand, and I was trying to move leashes and tie it up, but the dogs kept going round and round! I could spin, I suppose, but at 445 am, I'm not really into merry-go-round simulation.

The worst thing that happened to me on a walk, was about 11 years ago, when we were walking past a yard that had Rotweillers who loved to snarl and bark as we passed. Cubby used to get them going, snarling and snapping, after running up to the fence. Syd would wind another way (he hated conflict), and Skally would lunge forth at them. Well, this one morning, we're 1.5 miles from home, and on our way back. Of course, we had to pass this yard. However, Cubby ran around me a different way, Skally went the opposite way around me, and Syd decided he was going to join in, as well!

It didn't work! I went falling like the Chrysler building in Armeggedon. My ankle was sprained. I limped them home, and this ended the daily walks for a short while...alas and alack...After that, I stopped near that area, and we were better able to manage.

Since that time, though, the dogs have passed, and that yard remains empty - perhaps with the ghosts of those who had previously reigned.

Today, he and the others walked jauntily down the street, he on my left, next to the curb - he demands to spend time next to me every morning; it's almost as if he might find himself lost, and he likes the security of being with me. Earlier I had wiped a pile of goop from his right eye, noting he might have an allergy. However, his eyes were bright and clear.

They stopped and sniffed several bushes, the four of them, and one in particular, Rusty found himself immersed in, along with Skally and Simon. Finally, after what seemed hours, they pulled back and decided they would join me and walk along.

AFter coming back home, all seemed well. Then, after breakfast, and after taking my shower, I looked at him, and noted his right eye was quite red and looked as though it had been scratched, and was watering. Knowing how dogs tend to have a propensity for "curing" their own ills, I left it until this evening. At the park, it was noticeable to other people, who asked about it. We discussed it, and then I took the dogs running; his eyes seemed to brighten, and come back to life. This evening, they are back to nearly normal, so it's something we need to monitor. I will do some investigating and figure out what's up. I'm concerned, but he seems okay, and hungry. His eyes, though, are swollen and red. It looks painful. Arrrg!

Spring has Sprung in Rusty & Skally!

Lately, I believe I've been a somewhat good dad.

We brushed Teeth.

I furminated the dogs at the park.

They've been exercised well. With Skally, excercise really came into play when trying to catch her to brush teeth and to brush. She hates all grooming!

Rusty loves to be groomed.

Samson loves to be groomed.

Simon likes it, but would rather be chasing the ball.

Activity levels have risen dramatically.

Getting into the car has become a challenge. Since I have furniture and boxes in the garage that need to be donated, or sorted, I cannot park in there. So, we go outside, and typically, the pups are really good about nosing around the garden, and then hopping in (Rusty still needs a boost to get in, but he really tries to help!).

Skally, though, has decided that she would rather run from me, and have me chase her around the car, around the house next door, around the front yard, and then back to the car to run circles around it until she finally decides to jump in. Simon, though, has decided that if he gets into the backseat, and watches, something exciting will happen. And it will! I'll have a heart attack, one of these days, because he's now blocking her access into the car, which, in turn, means she's going to keep running about. Whew!

To top it off, the water district has begun working on the sewer lines on our little street, so we have steel plates, heavy machinery, and loud noises going on. Last night, I couldn't get into the driveway until nearly 530, and we made it to the park around 6. So, they had a good workout when we got there.

An aspirin a day for Rusty and Skally, along with the hygiene, has helped, but lately I've begun adding SPUNKY to their food. It's loaded with vitamins, minerals, glucosamine, condroitin, and omega threes. This, along with the cod liver oil, I suspect, has helped with both their arthritic joints.

They also have bright white teeth.

They smile a lot.

We're happy!

Rusty is trotting along, and even demanding I run, so he can chase me. He's such a happy lad.

Another Post, and So Much Energy!

Wow! Such a week!

WE brushed teeth. AS I stated in the earlier blog, it doesn't sound like much, but when you see the difference in the activity level of the dogs, especially a 15 year old, it helps create a mythos about it.

Today was Bark the Park at Hazeldale Park. I had a load of chips delivered from Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation, and it sat outside the large dog paddock.

We were to begin at 10 am.

The dogs were raring to go this morning at 8. They seemed to sense something was up. I was still in my jimjams, trying to figure out whether or not it was possible to bring them along, as the gates would be open the parks, and they may try to escape, if only to be with me (believe it or not, they seem to really like me, and hate being separated from me!).

Well, JoAnn T., one of the other board members, and her husband, Ray, with dog, Tanner (a beagle puppy - yes, Marion, we consort with such people!), came in their truck to help bring my wheelbarrow to the park, as it wouldn't fit in my car. They arrived a little after 10. Simon, Sammy, and Rusty all raced out to the car. Simon decided Tanner would be his pal, I guess, for the day.

Skallywag, refused to leave the house. I had to chase her around the house and then take her out. Next, the little darling (remember, she's 15) ran down the street into everyone's yard. We were able to load the wheelbarrow in to the truck, and then the 3 dogs into the car.

Next, I had to chase Skally around the hammerhead, into other peoples' yards, until I was finally able to snag her when she raced back home to the front door, which, luckily, was closed and locked. Then, I had to get her into the car!

Normally, a 15 year old dog, from my understanding, is not going to race about with seemingly unbridled energy. Hmmmmm. Maybe it's the diet? I think it has more to do with her teeth being cleaned! Her diet is good, but the plaque can really be a problem for health and heart, if left unchecked!

We arrived at the park, and I put them in the large dog paddock (don't scream at me. I know Samson doesn't belong there, but he is a bully, and does pretty well for himself- plus the others seem to protect him if they deem it necessary). WE dealt with the pile of chips, putting them into the small dog paddock, as no one was there, so it seemed easiest.

During this time, Skally ran the fence, after me, and up and down the length of the park. He didn't just trot, she bounded, she raced. Finally, after about an hour, she and the others lay down in the grass on the other side of the fence from where I was shoveling and jetting off with the loads of chips for the other paddock.

We finally decided to ask people to move to the other two sections, so we could begin to bark the large dog park. There, she and even Rusty, ran behind me, showing off their ability to keep up, and outrun me. This delights me! And they all seemed so happy! Rusty got such a good workout, he's sleeping so soundly next to me... yahoo!

Simon spent all his time tagging after Tanner, the beagle. Now, Tanner weighs, maybe, 30 pounds. Simon weighs 90. Simon tried humping Tanner. Yes. Obviously impossible, and yet he tried. Tanner wasn't thrilled, but kept Simon around him. They played so well, and even Samson got in on the action with Tanner, running about and chasing each other!

There are days such as these, where I am feeling completely blessed with their presence, especially when they are so passed out near my side as I write. I see this, usually, only when we've been to the beach all day, and they have had no time to rest...

I miss the times at the coast, staying at the cabin for 1-2 weeks, watching the activity level of the dogs wane as the days go by...then having a day of rest, and once again they're back at it! But, alas and alack, the cabin is rented, and my brother has banned all pets from the house. So, we go down for the day while the cabin is inhabited, and spend our time at Crescent Beach, and around Tolovana and Arcadia Beach. WE may run down there next week, when I am unencumbered by commitments.

Oh. Today is bright and chipper.

We've been brushing teeth, much to the chagrin of Skallywag, who hates it - but it's because of her that I'm doing it.

You see, when she refuses to chew on anything close to rawhide, that tells me her teeth have too much plaque. So, when I do brush them (and believe me, I'm no saint about doing it - I should be punished, as it's sooooo inconsistent!) I see her perk up, and she tends to really gnaw on those chews!
,
So, the other night, I grabbed the brush, and then her (she typically bolts when she sees the brush), and I brushed her teeth. It was as though I had told her some deep dark secret that would change all our lives for the worse - she refused to come near me, or have anything to do with me after that!

Then I brushed the teeth of the other 3. Sammy and Rusty were quite easy. Simon fought me off more than Skally! I finally got in there, though.

Then, I went for it the next day. Skally wasn't happy. She had been chewing on the dental chews I get them, so I knew there was nothing really wrong with her teeth - but I could feel the scraping of the plaque against the brush...ugh!

It's so odd how that simple act can affect the animal. She is much perkier, and her balance is much better! Her appetite has increased!

So note to self - brush at LEAST once a week. This week we're brushing daily, and then to 2x a week....just to be sure (I'm sure this will be done - much like my vow to vacuum daily, brush them out daily, etc. but this is only a week, and then it tapers...so I may be able to accomplish this...)

So, WHAT DID WE DO RECENTLY???? you ask....

Okay. So, you know these guys are getting along, fairly well. Samson keeps Simon in line, as does Skally (he's a pig, you know...he counter surfs, steals my lunches, steals the treats, etc). But he's a good lad. He's so cuddly. But he keeps trying to steal Skally's treats, and last night, I swear I was going to have a heart attack, I saw those pearly whites (much brighter now, thanks to the brushing) come out in attack from both dogs. Simon crawled on his belly, little by little (imagine a 92 pound dog, sliding his body forward, trying to be inconspicuous) toward Skally, as she lay there contemplating her treat...Then he growled. Skally is not into being challenged! So, she leapt up, and went for it. I don't know how Pat Sajak and Vanna White didn't recoil in terror! But then, it was over, and Skally strutted away, knowing she'd won. Simon just lay there staring at her, then me.

Well, Simon is so different from my others. He doesn't always listen, either.

The other day, at 430 am, as we strolled down the lane between houses to go into the elementary school down the street, Samson pulled on the leash, to go up the rock wall for one of the homes. I figured it was a cat, or something. But I pulled him back and her merrily trotted out in front. Now, when I get to the gate of the school, I take them off leash. Because I can, and becuase it's good for them to run about (of course I get excercise picking up after them, which I do religiously!). Well, Simon turned back and bolted to that house, jumped up the wall (more of a short wall that braces all the dirt - you know what I'm talking about...my mind is drawing a blank, and I haven't the time to figure it out...) and ran into the yard. I called him, but was afraid I would wake people...a very delicate balance.

Then came the barks, the snarls the sounds of a fracas from Hell! Then the shrieks of pain, and the angry hisses. I ran back, along with the other dogs (who had been fine in the schoolyard, until they heard there was entertainment outside), and down ran a racoon, glaring viciously at Simon. Skally saw it and went after it (she is wise enough to corner them, but not get close enough to be hurt) in another yard. Simon came down looking defeated. Poor lad. But then we resuemed our walk, after Skally realized the racoon wasn't wanting to be found and killed.

WE need to work on Simon's self-esteem, I think. He's young, 6, as of yesterday, and he's a loner - but Samson loves him. Rusty loves him. Skally thinks he's hot, but needs discipline. He's finding his way, which means the esteem will issue forth when he has learnt that which he should....

We are a happy family....

I'm so doomed!

Okay.
I have 4 dogs.
I really have 4 dogs.
I live with 4 dogs.
I feed 4 dogs.
I play with 4 dogs.
I sleep with 4 dogs.
I'm either an idiot, or a nut, or ready to move in next door to my mother in the care facility!
Egads.

The transition has been rather easy. Simon escaped a few times, which means he has pretty much destroyed the gate to the back yard. It was going, anyhow, but he ramped up the decay. Another expense I was putting off for another year.

Of course, with 4 dogs, there are expenses which affect them directly, as well....For instance, Kennel Cough. Yes. WE had an outbreak of Kennel Cough.

It began on a Monday morning, with Rusty eating one of his chicken strips, and then coughing as though something had lodged in his throat...It wasn't severe - more of an irritation. So, I treated him with Rosemary tea infusions and Dimetapp. This kind of worked, so I used raw warm honey with the Rosemary. This seemed to appease the irritating affliction.

I took the 4 to the park, and all seemed swell - No cough, just play and relaxation. After an hour or so, there was dust, and Rusty would hack a little - Vasclav (aka Viktor) commented on how dry it was, and Rusty should get some water. That was it!

Well, then I discovered that one of the smaller dogs in the adjoining little dog park had come down with Bordetella (that's Kennel Cough in Vetrinarianese). Oh dear. Jo Ann, Tanner's mum, said they were out for 2 weeks. Aie Yi Yi. I was so grateful none of my dogs had it! It was just this stupid cough that Rusty had from eating something.

One evening, in the park, Rusty began a small hack. A guy with a pitbull screamed at me and pointed (yes, sort of like they did in the original "Invasion of the Body Snatchers!") at Rusty and bleated out that Rusty had (ahem) Kennel Cough!!!!! I assured him he was mistaken, as none of the others had it, and it was a mere irritation. He accused me of infecting the dog park, and took his dogs out and beat a path for home. By now, others were staring at me, and I decided, that as the Chairman of the Dog Park Committee, it would be poor form for me to remain; I took my children and we went home (I hate to say it, but it does sound like something from a cheap novel, or Hallmark Channel movie!).

Well, the next day, the unthinkable occured...Simon began to cough. and by afternoon, Skally joined in. Sammy thought they were a bunch of old fuddy-duddies, and trotted around with me. I then phoned the vet's office. We were welcomed to go in asap!

We went, and they kept us in the waiting room for 30 minutes, then finally, they got to us, and I told them who we were...We were quickly ushered into a room, away from all other animals...they didn't like that I asked, rather loudly, "If it's such a big deal, and you saw us coming in, why didn't you quarantine us earlier? It's not our fault we have Kennel Cough! After all, how many patients do you have with Kennel Cough and 4 dogs?"

I didn't win the popularity contest that day.

But the attending vet (ours was out of town on vacation) simply weighed them, took temps, and gave me meds for all 4, even though Samson was asymptomatic. We had a week to use them up, and then should take a little time more before engaging publicly...The cost? For all 4? I asked them to keep it low cost, so they charged me for 1 dog visit, and the meds- $198. Whew!

That was not an entirely pleasant week. These dogs like to get out. I like to get out, and not feel guilty that I'm not suffering from a chest cold as were they. I even had to cancel Samson's grooming appointment for a week (but he went in and was just peachy keen!).

Other dogs began to come down with the ailment, as well, but I doubt it was mine what gave it...at least no one has accused us. Yet.

So, now the back gate is blocked,still, and Simon is resting more comfortably on the bed (it seems he believes it's his, not mine, and I get a small corner). Simon enjoys chasing and returning the ball for me. He gets quite a workout!

The others have adapted. Skally beats up on him, albeit, she's now 15, and I worry about her health - she's randy and rocking, but there's a fragility about her that concerns me, something I haven't seen in her before, or failed to recognize earlier. Her energy is becoming more positive, and we are enjoying her more and more. She's even getting back up on the bed, something she hasn't done since the arrival of Rusty, or was it Sammy...I forget, it's been quite a while!

I even get to scratch her belly! This is a treat!

I'm in love with all 4 - of course the ones I've had longer I love more, but the others have become endeared to me, as well, and soon they will have entered the deepest chasms of my soul, as have Skally and Rusty.

Samson loves beating up on Simon. Rusty and Simon lay next to each other, at times, and there was even a time when I caught Rusty lying down in the living room, his nose to Simon's tail, which lead to Simon's nose to Skally's tail, and her nose to the red puffy chair, where Samson lay looking down on the three. I tried to capture a photo of this, but Rusty is too aware for me to sneak anything past him. He rousted up the others.

Now, if I can figure out a way to embed a video, I will do this, to I can show all 4, and even Simon playing in the park...

For now,they're all abed, and I'm fading quickly. I just needed to get a blog done before I fall asleep....

Just Go Ahead and Shoot Me NOW!

News Flash!

I have 4 dogs.

This does not mean I am keeping all 4. I have a new dog, Simon - 1/2 Lab, 1/4 Husky, 1/4 German Shepard. He's a sweet dog. His entry into my home was nearly seamless - this means the others seem to enjoy his presence. Even Skally! In fact, when his Mom brought him over, Skally was going nuts - running all around, barking, smiling, joking, and showing off! Wow! And considering her birthday is in less than a month...I believe it's 2 weeks from this coming Sunday! And she'll be 15. She's begun to spike in her energy. More about that later.

Simon came to me as needing a good home, from a friend. She had been divorced for a few months, and left both Simon and his companion, Kayla, with her husband, as she had moved into an apartment, and couldn't have pets. Also, Simon and Kayla had been together for quite some time, and it seemed wrong to break them up.

Well, after a bit, the husband snagged a new honey, and began taking Kayla with him to her house for days at a time, leaving Simon to his own devices - no food, no water, no grooming, no attention. So, when Friend saw this, and noticed, too, that his nails had curled around and were beginning to dig into his paws, she'd had enough. So, she took him, covertly, into her apartment. Then she phoned me.

I was reluctant at first. a 6.5 year old, 100 pound dog? That needed medication? That's a lot, especially when I already have 3! So, we decided to give it a shot.

At first, he was upset she'd left him. He kept walking over to the chair where she'd sat, sniffing and moping about. Then it was bed time. He lay by the front door - for 2 minutes- then he came into the bed with me, and crushed me. Not much sleep that night, especially with Rusty expressing his jealousy, and Samson trying to reclaim the bed as his territory - this went on for nearly a week! but by then, Simon wasn't crushing me any more...he was beginning to realize he was in a good spot.

Day two, Simon would crawl into my lap while I was either on the phone or reading. This was not only awkward, but very uncomfortable. He ate well, and he seemed to enjoy going for the walk, and the to the park.

By Friday, (Simon came to me on Wednesday), all seemed pretty good. I did leave for a short time, and came home to find all 4 dogs happy, and healthy, but the backgate to the yard was on the ground...Hmmmmm.

Saturday, I had the Hazeldale Dog Park fundraiser event, so we were up early, walked, watered, fed, etc. Then I left. All was well. Around 10:45, I drove home to bring the dogs down for the Blessing of the Animals. I walked in, and 3 dogs greeted me, a little sheepishly....I asked where Simon was, and they just looked at each other, as though they knew something, but weren't sure if they should say...So, I looked in the backyard, and sure enough, the gate was down! Simon had gone rogue!

We drove around asking people if they'd seen him, going everywhere we could. Finally, I drove to the park, had the dogs blessed (Simon in abstentia), and returned the 3 home. I then went on a mission, the other direction, to find him. And that I did. He was lost, and had been pacing, in the heat, up and down the street, about 8 blocks down, and was lying on someone's front porch. I brought him to the car, went home, and fixed the fence, and then took him to the park for the rest of the day...just to keep a eye on him. Whew! We went to the park, after the event, and he was exhausted. Yeah!

Sunday, I needed to spend time with my mom, and I happened to see my neighbor, Chessa, and talked to her about his escaping. She said she'd keep an eye on him, and would call...(it helps if people have each other's numbers, huh!?) Later, she told me he tried to escape several times, but went back quickly when she saw him and yelled at him. Phew!

I had put a large fence panel in front of the gate, which covered most of that portion of fence. But I did it wrong, and he had knocked it over...Oh, geez!

So, I fixed the panel, and had an idea. A most wonderful idea. The 'T' had a most wonderful, genius idea!

On Monday, I pulled out of the drive, and stopped the motor. I heard him working at the fence. I went over and told him to knock it off, and to go inside. I then went back to the car, and listened. Nothing. I returned home, several hours, later, and discovered ---- nothing out of place! Imagine.

So, now, if I pull out of the drive, stop the car, and go to the gate, peer over, I can tell him to get back inside, and to stop, he will. And this is what's working - so far. I'm dreading it won't last...

Now, Sammy and Simon have paired up. Samson is a little intimidated by Simon, as he's about 75 pounds heavier, and much larger than the other two. However, they're the same age, they have the same level of spunk and vitality, but Simon is really more of a puppy! So, when we go to the park, I use the chuck-it, and this goes on until he's absolutely exhausted. It's nice. He's so much calmer.

He's losing a lot of weight from the exercise - which is one of the reasons he's on thyroid medication. He's running much better, moving much better, and becoming one of the pack.

On Sunday, my friend, Tina, and I took them to 1,000 acre park for the morning. We hiked for about 2 hours, and they just ran and ran, and then played in the water, and ran and ran. all four were dragging by the time we got back to the car. They fell asleep once we got home, but were up and wanting to get going within 2 hours! Then they dropped. Yeah!

Skally now sees Simon as her inferior. I bought a pack of large rawhide bones for him (as he seems to like to gnaw on such things), and both he and Rusty take them, as does Skally. However, as Simon is contentedly gnawing, Skally walks over, crouches her head into his face, barks, and then grabs his bone. With Rusty, she just walks over, and takes it (I'm rather shocked, as Rusty doesn't give things up that easily). This is how she dealt with Syd, when he was alive. He couldn't have any rawhide treats - she'd take them from him and stockpile them.

Her stockpile surrounds her, and if any of them gets near it (Sammy is the exception, as he has no interest), she attacks! It's quite humorous, actually. I believe she has 1/2 a bag of them under her watchful eyes as I write this. Simon won't take another one, and Rusty leaves the room, immediately, after taking one...Simon may learn.

So, Skally will be 15 in a couple of weeks, Sammy turns 6 today, Simon turns 7 on October 10, (Skally is September 2), and Rusty is on Friday, the 16th of August, and he turns 11.

They walk well, together, and Simon has been trying to get Rusty to play with him. It's actually quite, most of the time.

I do have to tell you, though, the other night, Skally and the dogs next door, Frenchie & Elvis, really got into a gigantic fence fightind match. He tail was going nuts in the roses. Later, I walked out on the deck, and found blood smeard all over the doorway, and on the smoker, the table, splatter all over the chairs - I thought there'd been a murder I'd missed! it was all her tail. And she was in such a good mood. Never did find any of the scratches on her, either...Hmmmm.

Anyhow, that's the scoop to this point. All seem healthy and hale and happy.

TTFN

What Are Hot Spots? What Causes Them?

It's interesting how people interpret Hot Spots on their pets. Generally, when they occur with mine, it has something to do with allergies - lately, food related allergies. Yes, Daddy was naughty in June, when he couldn't make it to Costco to get the natural food my dogs eat. So, I went to the supermarket down the street, and bought what I thought was the best quality food (after reading many labels!). It wasn't exactly cheap, and I believed I had bought something that was relatively healthy for my pups. WRONG!

Within 3 days, my dogs had digestive problems, I hadn't seen in a while. And then, Sammy began to really scratch and chew his side! I hadn't seen this in a while. They had all been treated for fleas, and had been bathed recently. They also had been brushed on a regular basis...so Why?

Well, earlier that day, I had made it to Costco, and bought a big bag of their Nature's Domain, which is half the price of the regular kibble at the other stores, and it's all natural, with no gluten. I had begun to feed them this, but the damage was already done...Sammy had a hot spot.

Now, when I first adopted Sammy, his mother told me he was prone to hot spots. Oddly, this was the first time in about a year for him to get one...The culprit had to be the food, in this case. She had given me medications galore that she had used to help treat them. I hate using medications when home remedies can work just as well, and they aren't liable to do any damage to the dog's system...like the vinegar rinse I wrote about yesterday.

So, I bathed him, and finished with a vinegar rinse. This seemed to appease him for a short time. But then it was time to take him to the groomers, as his appointment drew nigh. Of course, I was embarrassed to let them know he had this issue. But, she was a pro, and she understood. So, as I left him off at Pup-A-Razzi , I was a tad nervous.

When I picked him up, she had been quite delicate around his wound, which was nasty looking, and he was back at it. Obviously, she had washed him again, but wasn't using a vinegar rinse. So, I hied him home and rinsed him off again - poor guy - he hates being bathed, and today he'd been subjected to at least 3 rinses/baths...

By the next day, though, the gnawing had stopped. I still put vinegar on the wound, and although I could tell he was a little irritated, the scratching and chewing abated.

Long story short - Sammy's problem came from the food. There are other reasons for Hot Spots, which are caused by allergies to several elements. Thus was the case with Skallywag many moons ago.

For more information on these, visit eHow, WebMD, VetInfo, and, of course, Cesar Milan.

Before using any form of medication, though, be sure to use the Vinegar rinse, and ride it out for a couple of days. Also, look at your pet's diet (this includes treats - many are just vile, and even though my dogs love them, they're like nasty junk food - how many of you want to have that as often as you give it to your pet?), flea protection, grooming, excercise regimen, and any chemicals in your yard/garden with which your pet may come into contact...

I hope this helps!

I hope that my next blog will also be informative.

Please let me know what you think, and send me feedback! I'd truly appreciate it!

Thanks!

Hot Spots - ??? What Do I Do???

Wow. Today I'm just full of things.

Hot Spots.

Well. These are a dilemma! That's for sure.

Years ago, probably about 8, we had ventured to Gabriel Park, and the Winter Dog Park, which had dirt and sand. When we came back home, Skally began chewing and licking and chewing and licking her inner thighs. I wasn't sure what it was about, but I was concerned. I watched for a short while, then took her in and gave her a bath with a natural shampoo. I rinsed her well, dried her off, and within 5 minutes, she was back at it.

I tried salves, lotions, balms, sprays, medications, everything you can imagine. This went on for several weeks, to no avail. She was the cleanest dog I'd ever owned, though. But she was miserable, and the inside of her thighs was raw, scabby, red, tender and a real problem. I had no idea what to do.

We were already on an all-natural diet, and I knew I wasn't feeding them anything that may have caused this...and it seemed to only when we visited that particular park (I'm not bad-mouthing Gabriel, but there just seemed to be a link between it and her issues). Finally, I went in to Black Dog (no link provided, as they have gone out of business), and John knew of Skally's travails. He asked me if I'd tried Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. I stared at him blankly. "No." He then told me to wash her well, rinse, then give her a finishing rinse all over her furry body with the organic apple cider vinegar, and massage it in. Leave it on for a couple of minutes, and then rinse that off. It does wonders for the hair, and leaves her smelling fresh, not pickley.

So, I figured I'd tried everything else, why not stop at the market and grab a bottle.

So, I did.

So, I washed her, again, and rinsed her off, then gave her a finishing rinse with the organic apple cider vinegar. I massaged it into her body as he had said, and rinsed her off.

Guess what.

She didn't go after her inner thighs. She didn't go after anything except the rugs to rub her damp torso. It was immediate. There was such a change! After all I'd tried, who knew it would be so simple.

Apparently, it helps align the acidity of the skin, and balances the PH levels. That's my assumption, as I am no chemist or scientist!

So, if your pet is suffering, try this.

Hopefully, tomorrow, I can have more on the causes of Hot Spots - things that make sense to us, so we don't go out spending money because our vet tells us what we're doing wrong (even though sometimes they're correct...doggone it!).

Here is a pic of a dog with hotspots (I downloaded from the web - it's not as gnarly as some of the pics I saw).

Lost Dogs - What to do????

Yesterday, a mother and her daughters came to my door with a leash and a beautiful Pomeranian attached. He and Sammy liked each other. However, they were looking for his home. He had squeezed under their fence, and became their issue.

Now, in the past, I would have done the same sort of thing; taken a dog around to the neighborhood and seen where he might have come from. However, as we have so many dogs in our area, and a couple of extremely busy streets, it would only serve to exercise the dog, and myself, to do so.

There is also the element of sense, that the dog will delightedly lead you to his door...but with the traffic, that could prove deadly.

So, in the searing 92 degree heat, I told them they should stop the walking, unless they needed the workout (the dog was looking slightly dehydrated), and take him to a vet clinic, where they could read the chip, which was, most likely, implanted in him. She grinned, broadly, and said, "That's such a good idea! I hadn't thought of that!"

Now, I never really considered it either, until we had a stream of wandering pets visit the dog park, and its environs. It's one of those thoughts that absolutely THWACK!s you upside the head. All my dogs are chipped. For this reason. But I'll be doggoned if I never consider that this could be why. DUHR!!!!!!!

So, if you find a wandering dog, who seems as though he's well-fed, groomed, and well-mannered, chances are he's chipped (and this goes for the females, as well - sorry...). It would greatly benefit the shelters, as well, if they didn't keep getting calls about wandering dogs with no tags, and sometimes with no collars, if people would just take a quick drive down the block to the local vet (it doesn't have to be your particular favorite vet - just a clinic) and they have the means to scan, and help locate the owners. It's only when they aren't chipped, that the local animal shelters need to be contacted...

So, there's today's happy and helpful tip.

The year to date - Kind of....

What a year!
Well, the dogs have really packed. I mean packed. They have become very comfortable with each other, and Sammy has glued the other two into a coherent family. Both he and Rusty are never too far from me, and Skally wiles her way over to get a goodly amount of affection, as well.

In March, we went to see their grandmother, who was not doing well, and we spent five days exploring the Olympic Penninsula with her, as it would most likely be her last visits. She was admitted to a hospital in Seattle for observation and diagnosed with Lewy Body Syndrome.
So, it was off to find an appropriate spot for her in Portland, which I was able to do. She now resides at St. Anthony Village in SE Portland. Her bedroom looks out onto the gardens, and it's an open and cheery place. But, she misses Samson, she says, and always asks about the other two. she has an affinity for Skally, but refuses to admit it (I used to catch her having conversations with Skally late at night when she thought I was off to bed, and they were alone in the living room).

So, they were quite active up there that week, and then they were caught in the maelstrom of my having to go back and forth to Port Angeles on many Saturdays, early to leave and back again in the early evenings, to collect Mom's things. There was also the issue of my needing to come home later due to traffic from my driving over to see Mom after work, and arriving home very tired. Yet, we still managed to hit Hazeldale Dog Park.

There were some moments when I was really scared about Skally - she was really dragging and not eating much, for some time. It must have been a cold; the norm, now, is she's eating well, and bouncing off the walls! She's doing pretty well for coming up on her 15th birthday, September 2! She's also becoming more affectionate, but still won't lick my face (I've received a total of 9 licks to the face from her, in her entire life - the last one was around 2002).

Rusty had gained a little weight this year, when I took them in for their exams...whoops! This was due to my being stressed, and not having much energy to walk them every morning. Now, however, he's moving very well, eating less, drinking less water (he used to suck it up every chance he got, which worried me to no end), and his shape is becoming quite svelte! He's such a good boy. He loves to chase me in the park. Ergo, I must run so the three of them can try to catch me.

Samson has taken over the parks, and won't take any guff from anyone. He is adored by most of the people there, and his best friend is Pepper, a pit-bull mix, and they run off together and explore. They wait for each other if the other isn't there.

Samson and Rusty will both be a year older this next month - Samson will be 6 on August 6, and Rusty 11 on August 16.

We are all enjoying the wonderful weather, here. Good Health, good spirits, good friends, and a life of leisure. I only wish they wouldn't be curled up around me so closely, so I can get off the couch, out of a chair, or just move without nearly breaking my neck. But, knowing it's love, makes the ire soften to smiles.