It's been awhile since I posted. Prissy was charming in her debut in obedience class and has decided going to places and being the center of attention is a very good thing. Today she'll go geocaching with me-socialization is important, and one more time she's the only dog mentally/physically up to the challenge.
The kids have taken up their sunning stations, trying to pull a little warmth out of th autumn sun. Cody of course suns in the shade-his dark fur makes direct sunlight not so fun for him. It's a very windy day and I notice Cody likes to turn his head into the wind-I think he likes having his ear hairs blow. Cody is a little vain.
Dottie, having established that the back fence is hers, huskies and mastiffs beware, is having a slow motion roll in the grass. Bitty is lounging under her pear tree. The angle of the sun makes UNDER the tree sunny and around the treeh shady-odd. The cellar door has heated up and Greta is warming her hips on it.
Even the dogs are different on Sunday mornings. They seem to know it's a day to catch your breath.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Hot Breakfast
Poor Bitty looked so forlon I decided to fix everyone a hot breakfast. I had some tripe, so I steamed it and while it was going I added some free range chicken broth with some low cal kibbles and chunked up a pet aspirin. Cold is hard on the little old/young crippled dogs. I added some flax meal for that crunchy nutty omega three boost.
The tripe, when cooked, was too rubbery so I tossed it into the food processor to chunk it up for the kiddos. At some point the lid flew off and the kitchen was plastered in creamy, warm cow intestine.
The kiddos thought this was an amazing sight, flying food, warm and yummy. And you know what, it was. It was tripe, not an atomic bomb. Not a forerunner of doom, and not a perfectly awful start to a Monday. Dogs are so smart.
The tripe, when cooked, was too rubbery so I tossed it into the food processor to chunk it up for the kiddos. At some point the lid flew off and the kitchen was plastered in creamy, warm cow intestine.
The kiddos thought this was an amazing sight, flying food, warm and yummy. And you know what, it was. It was tripe, not an atomic bomb. Not a forerunner of doom, and not a perfectly awful start to a Monday. Dogs are so smart.
The Numbers Matter
Bitty's extra years and fewer pounds (one) are really taking a toll now that the weather has turned cool and wet. She's currently nestled between my undershirt and t-shirt trying to dry her feet and warm up. I'm going to get some piddle pads today because there is no sense in making her go outside when it makes her so miserable. The other dogs, even Dottie, don't seem phased by it, running in and out and having a good time.
I don't think Bitty is having a bad time, but the temp and wet just isn't good for those old bones. But I do think she likes playing joey kangaroo, and that's fine cause I like playing mamma kangaroo. There are worse ways to start a week.
I don't think Bitty is having a bad time, but the temp and wet just isn't good for those old bones. But I do think she likes playing joey kangaroo, and that's fine cause I like playing mamma kangaroo. There are worse ways to start a week.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
SCREEN DOOR
I'm working out on the patio this morning and every dog has walked into the screen door at least once. The weather's nice and the A/C is off, but we didn't have screens at the other house-the door was either opened or closed. The screen is something altogether different.
It looks like nothing at all, but you can't walk through it. But you can smell through it. It doesn't hurt like a glass door.
The only dog that didn't walk into the screen door was Bitty, so she must be wise in the ways of household blockades.
Greta has taken up a station on the top step by the screen door, the better to solve this mystery. Dotty and Prissy can't be bothered It's prime sunning time, weather cool and the sun high and Daphne the dauschund is out next door.
Cody runs back and forth between the two groups, wanting to play but wanting to be sure the screen door is in fact still there and still a mystery.
It looks like nothing at all, but you can't walk through it. But you can smell through it. It doesn't hurt like a glass door.
The only dog that didn't walk into the screen door was Bitty, so she must be wise in the ways of household blockades.
Greta has taken up a station on the top step by the screen door, the better to solve this mystery. Dotty and Prissy can't be bothered It's prime sunning time, weather cool and the sun high and Daphne the dauschund is out next door.
Cody runs back and forth between the two groups, wanting to play but wanting to be sure the screen door is in fact still there and still a mystery.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Share the Health
I had a lap band surgery a few months ago, and I am being very conscious of what I buy to eat. Organic, low fat, extra vitamins. My guilty pleasure is baby food oatmeal in a jar, ready made.
Often I can't finish the food I prepare, and I've started evaluating it for dog fodder. If you stop and think about it, we've been told not to give dogs people food because table food used to be generally junk, high in fat and loads of bread. MY table food (I use the term loosely)is as a good as what I feed my dogs anyway.
Sadly, my dogs have always eaten good quality food, while me, not so much. Maybe our new motto should be "I want to eat as well as my dog!"
Often I can't finish the food I prepare, and I've started evaluating it for dog fodder. If you stop and think about it, we've been told not to give dogs people food because table food used to be generally junk, high in fat and loads of bread. MY table food (I use the term loosely)is as a good as what I feed my dogs anyway.
Sadly, my dogs have always eaten good quality food, while me, not so much. Maybe our new motto should be "I want to eat as well as my dog!"
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Don't Let your Dogs Overwhelm You
I love my dogs, but there are days.....What can I say? I'm just not up for barking and merrymaking and all that doggy stuff. That's when discipline-not punishment comes in. HINT: It works better if you've practice this a lot before hand.
My godsend is the crate. Crate means immediate quiet, a treat, settle in, relax. Because of that, there is never any reason for my dogs to "get on my nerves".
The point of this observation is that if you have a dog that is "too much for you" maybe the problem isn't with the dog. Animals, being animals, will exploit any weakness. What are you dogs telling you about yourself?
My godsend is the crate. Crate means immediate quiet, a treat, settle in, relax. Because of that, there is never any reason for my dogs to "get on my nerves".
The point of this observation is that if you have a dog that is "too much for you" maybe the problem isn't with the dog. Animals, being animals, will exploit any weakness. What are you dogs telling you about yourself?
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Trash Talking at the Fence
I'm on the fence with this one. I've seen my dogs charge the fence, barking, and I don't like that. But they appear to love the neighbor's dogs behind us. They all charge up, bark, shake their tales and after some trash talk they will all settle down.
Now, Ceasar calls that fence fighting, but this does appear to me to be entirely agression. I'm going to watch it and form my own opinon of what is going on.
Initially, I think there was agression, but now it appears to be just re-establishing boundaries.
Now, Ceasar calls that fence fighting, but this does appear to me to be entirely agression. I'm going to watch it and form my own opinon of what is going on.
Initially, I think there was agression, but now it appears to be just re-establishing boundaries.
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