Friday woot woot


Okay; I'm blogging late this morning, thought I'd get a walk in and see if anything inspired me to write about. Not much exciting happened; a couple of labs, a couple of little yappers but nothing to write home about. So I'll talk about Tilley and the fact that she has turned a corner; I believe. Tilley was stricten with Idiopathic Vestibular disease on the 11th of January. It has been a slow and arduous recovery and hopefully she will continue to recover.

Yesterday was the corner turning moment; she walked out the dog door on her own and made her way up the outside steps to the kitchen door where I was making dinner. Huge. Then lastnight as we were watching television she got up; went out the dog door and I followed her (out the regular door). She sniffed around a bit and went back in. It was obvious that she just wanted to do it because she could.

Today she had a tiny sprint outside and then back in again after her first trip out this morning. She had a spring in her step and I actually had to stop her before she went flying into the wall. She is still super wobbly and unstable on her feet but she is really, really happy. Could be the personal cheer person she has for any tiny success she has. I know she sure loves to hear me cheer her on and it get's that old tail wagging.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Strange behavior


Along with the golden that was being yanked on the other day; we also saw a yellow lab that was exhibiting strange behavior. It was obvious that the owner didn't trust what her dog was going to do as we approached. I don't trust Jessie either so I just keep her at my side; typically stepping off the path to add some needed space and we continue our walk. I know that my dog is securely on the end of her leash; and she was involved with a serious smelling session at the lamp post as they were walking by anyway.

I watched the dog very closely as they walked by some other dogs. The dog seemed to be holding back; not quite shutting down but almost and at the final moment when the other dog passed he lunged out and was quickly moved to shutdown. I watched this sequence again as they passed a small dog; he was holding back, his body was showing signs of fear by his slunk down body posture and his darting eyes. Of course this interesting behavior had 100% of my attention and a question mark associated with it as well. Why was this dog lunging at the last possible moment but yet holding back well in advance of the passing?

As they approached and walked by us it was all too clear; the pinch collar. You know the collars that look like they have spikes on them? Spikes that face the inside of the collar and dig into the dogs neck. This dog had a clear association to the collar; running out to the end of your leash=pain. So he was restraining himself until he could no longer; and at the final moment just had to lunge. Unfortunately this is fallout behavior from the collar; the guardian probably has no idea.

The pinch collar is a better collar than a choke or slip collar in regards to damaging a dogs trachea but because it induces pain; causing pain results in behaviors that can be worse than a dog that pulls. What the dogs gets from the pain which is inflicted when they dart to the end of the leash or when they are yanked on by their owner is pain associated to whatever happens to be happening at that time the pain is inflicted. Typically it is another dog; so when other dogs approach the dog receives pain. Think about that for a moment; not a good association is it? The dog receiving the pain is now thinking that the cause of the pain is the other dogs; hence the lunging behavior is now accompanied with a whole new slew of unwanted behaviors.

Pain is never the answer to fix a problem. Pain introduces more problems by simply being.

COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My inspiration for this blog came yesterday on my early morning walk with Jessie. As often happens; just seeing others interact with their dog sparks a thought for my blog. All I saw yesterday morning were goldens and yellow labs; this is about a juvenille golden walking with her Mom and Dad. She was at the end of her very long leash doing her business (it was not an extension leash). Once she was done Mom cleaned up the mess and Dad decided to use this time to work on the "come" exercise.

Being that she was on a regular long leash; allowed me to see more of what was going on. I was at quite a distance but watched intently as Dad yanked and pulled on is uncooperative youngster. The man was growing more angry by the minute and yanking harder and harder on the leash; reeling his dog in like a bass. Now if you are a regular reader of my blogs you already know that dogs learn through association. What do you think the association to being yanked on is? Negative.

Humans would get the whole "if you come to me I won't yank on you." But dogs associate the yanking to anger which in turn keeps them away from you. Now had this gentleman started training at home; creating a very positive association to come he could have pulled this out at the park. By lavishing gobbs of affection and really yummy treats for your dog coming to you; you up the chance of it happening again and again.

Hey; put a chocolate truffle in front of me and I'll jump through hoops for ya.

;)

So much is said





















So much is said between dogs; if you really sit and watch carefully it is quite amazing. Yesterday I was playing with my new camera; of course my dogs were my subject once again. While I was shooting I was also paying very close attention to what Tilley was doing. And to my surprise she picked up a toy, brought it to the grass and started playing with it. Playing was just mouthing the toy but it was playing and she was in a great mood. This started a whole sequence of behavior from everyone. Once Tilley was done with the toy (or not) Luke grabbed it and started tearing around like a crazy dog; which in turn kicked Jessie's "I'm the boss" into gear. The pictures above are a few from the shoot.

First; is Luke proud as a peacock that he has the toy. Then Jessie is about to discipline him for being a fat head. They had a few words (too cute) and then Luke settled to destroy the toy. Once that was all done they all lay on the double lounge. This is Luke's regular spot so he was a bit put out that Tilley was on it; she is rarely on this lounge, not her thing. But once they were all on the lounge together I thought some family portraits were in order. Tilley was tired from her playing; Jessie was freezing, afterall the sun was setting here in SoCal. And Luke was filled with attitude about the whole thing.

What a pack; full of differences and fun.

Time to get back at it


Okay; the holiday season is over, Tilley is recovering albeit very slowly, the rains have stopped and I'm back in town so time to get back at it. I have alot on the go at the moment; private photo shoots, stock photo shoots, book shoots and getting all the books together and out. Today will be spent scheduling and organizing; not my favorite part of shooting dogs by a long shot but something that needs to be done.

Tilley will go out today for a walk; or sort of walk. She needs to get moving and it is hard to get her to move much at home other than from one bed to another. She is at this point happy and eating very well; infact she is sniffing around to find whatever she can scrounge up which is good to see. She is still far more unstable than I thought she would or should be at this point but factoring in that she is nearly 13 years of age may play a huge role in speed of recovery.

The sun is out this morning and the week is to hover around the mid 60s, nice. I will take advantage of the cooler weather and enjoy it as long as it hangs around. Luke has his day off today; he had lots of exercise with Dad over the weekend. So it will be a small jet around the park for Jessie and a very small stagger for Till. Today is a good day; so first to the gym and then on with the rest. Have a great week everyone.

Where are all the dogs



Wow what a difference a day makes. Yesterday morning I woke up with the sunrise and 75 degree temps in Mexico. This morning it is a chilly 37 degrees here in Southern California. I spent the last four days in Mexico; it was beautiful, simply breathtaking but there were very few dogs. As I stood one morning taking in the sunrise I did notice a woman on the beach with her two schnauzers. And while we took in the town; the very small town of San Jose we noticed a few chihuahua's around. Most were chi mixes but still were small; white, beige or light golden in color. I saw no other dogs while driving through the area. I'm sure that most of the hotels do not welcome dogs but there were a few facilities that looked more like "condo" types where the dogs were coming from.

I know that there are many dogs in Mexico; just not in the outlying areas. In fact there is a huge Mexican Kennel club; but I have never attended a mexican dog show. The two official Mexican breeds are the chihuahua and the Xoloitzcuintle. I have had the pleasure of meeting several xolo's and did a wonderful shoot with them. They have no coat except for a few hairs here and there and many sport a tuft of red hair between their ears. Although you will probably never see one here in North America they are very popular in Mexico.

So this morning as I type this surrounded by my three; I'm happy.

Tiny old dogs


We met a very old dog the other night in Mexico. We were shopping in a small town in a little shop where I had seen some shoes I liked. As I tried on shoes my husband asked the owner of the shop if the little dog in the corner was his. That's when we got the details of this little dirty old chihuahua curled up in the corner. The little girl was 18 years old; she now had no teeth and spent her days in the shop. She was adorable; and barely raised her head when my husband bent down to touch her tiny head. She gave him a brief "hi" and lowered her head down again and fell back into a deep sleep.

As I watched her crooked lumpy body in the corner laying on the hard concrete floor I couldn't think of anything but the fact that she needed a bed. As my dogs are well into their senior years we have made it very comfortable for them. Each dog gets a new bed as theirs becomes too flat and they all have blankets that keep them warm at night. He told me that each day he cooks beef or chicken for her; having no teeth he cut it into tiny pieces.

As I wandered around the store; occasionally glancing at the old lady in the corner I wondered about her life. What had her life consisted of; it looked like she had had puppies, maybe several litters. But looking at her now she was obviously comfortable and at home here. Dogs and people just belong together.

Missing dogs

Have you ever been somewhere amazing; I mean really amazing, and you just know it would even be more amazing if you had your dog by your side? It is really tough leaving our dogs at home and there are alot of places that our dogs are not welcome. Thankfully more and more place are becoming dog friendly as our dogs become more important in our life. Not all facilities are in on this but the really great ones looking for your business are.

When I am away without my dogs I'm always scanning; scanning for a hound to talk to. Pretty much anyone will do; I just need a dog fix. We have been approached by many people in California who when they see our dogs confess how much they miss their own who are back home.

There are quite a few sites that share this "dog friendly" info with you.


Dogfriendly.com is probably the biggest. But most Countries, States, Regions and Provinces have their own local sites.

If you've ever been to a facililty that boasts that they are dog friendly; be sure to give a review somewhere so that other canine guardians will get the news.

Have a great day; see ya tomorrow.

Up and at it


I'm up early; couldn't sleep. I lay in bed for a while listening to the sounds of my dogs; even when they are sleeping they make quite a bit of noise. Of course they don't make as much sound as some breeds; namely the brachycephalic breeds. This group of breeds includes the flat faced dogs; the pugs, boxers, bulldogs, bostons, frenchies etc. Although these breeds are adorable; then do suffer from respiratory problems that dogs with full length muzzles do not.

These breeds are the direct result of human maniupulation; afterall dogs were not meant to have no face. With the lack of muzzle comes protuding eyes and other structural issues of the face. Looking at how the physiological make of the head structure of these breeds leads one to think "what were they thinking?" But there are a few breeders out there now giving these breeds more face. They will still be the wonderful breeds that they are of today; just with less physical issues to deal with.

So if you love one of these flat face breeds but would like to support the idea of a dog with a bit more muzzle; you'll need to do your research. The breeders are out there; it just might be a little difficult to find them. Worth the effort though.

wet dogs


We have wet dogs for sure today. In all my years here in Southern California I have never seen it rain quite as hard as it was raining several minutes ago. It was coming down so hard with thunder and lightening; something we rarely see here. And the dogs are none to happy about it either. Although sleeping in a rain storm seems to be enjoyed by both dogs and humans; going out in the rain is not a big favorite for many, mine included.

Luke went to the door this morning; rang his bell and waited for me to let him out. The dog door was closed because it had been blowing in with the crazy wind and rain. I heard his bell; and I gave him fair warning "it's pouring out." He looked at me; looked outside and back at me again, as if to say "really?" He quickly changed his mind and decided to further his snooze. I'm lucky; my guys can hold it pretty much until they burst but if you have a puppy, you gotta get them out. And often puppies enjoy playing out in the rain much to your disapproval.

If your dog or dogs are like mine; you may need to go out with them. I simply need to be poured on as well and they are happy to go out. If I stand in the nice dry kitchen; they aren't so willing to go out and be rained on. Many need to go all the way back to kindergarten; treats included. Some dogs will even regress; opting to elimiate in the house where it is not raining. So treats are a must and while your at it; teach them what an umbrella is.

Stay dry

Canine companionship


There is nothing like the companionship of a dog; we all know the joy that they can bring by simply being at our side. But what about companionship for our dogs? Canine companionship? How important is it that our dogs have a canine buddy? Dogs are pack animals and even though we act as pseudo pack members we don't quite make the grade. Sure we can play and be our dogs constant sidekick but we aren't dogs. Just imagine living with a pack of dogs; somewhere isolated. Even the most intraverted type person would probably miss human contact at some point.

It is no secret that I am a big fan of a multiple canine household; but, and this is again a big BUT. There must be desire by the human to have more than one dog. Getting a second dog simply to keep the first one company is not the way to go. You must really want a second, third or fourth dog. I love living with three dogs; I have a wonderful pack that runs as smooth as any naturally assembled pack. I have met many canine guardians who tell me "my dog would hate to share her family with another dog." That may be true; some dogs become so consumed by their undivided attention that adding another can simply be a huge hassle for everyone involved.

Although some dogs may seem to be loner types; it is surprising what adding another dog can do for the only dog. It is extremely important to find the right dog to put with your existing dog; be it a second, third or fourth member. Putting a pack together can be tricky but with a little bit of patience you can find the right one or ones. I love the fact that when I go out; I know that my dogs have the others to chill with. They don't feel as though they have been left alone. And for me; and this is just my opinion, 3 is a great number. Some people find three to be so overwhelming and others don't find three to be enough.

The real issue with having multiple dogs is time and energy. It is very important to give dogs individual time; building a bond with each member of your pack. If you do not take this time then each dog will not thrive to be all the dog that they could otherwise be. Taking each dog out separately and letting them experience life on their own; with you is imperative. It does not need to be done everyday; that would be too much to deal with but at least every couple of weeks. And individual attention within the home is important as well. Taking time to educate each dog; training new behaviors and spending "quality" time builds strong ties.

Multiple dogs can be wonderful; but if you are going to add a second dog simply to keep the first one entertained then think again. Two dogs are more work; which is fine if you really want two or more dogs. You may consider instead; take the time that you will spend feeding, picking up after, grooming and training the second dog and put it on your present dog. Spending more time with the dog you have now may be a better choice. But; if you really want a second or third dog, I say go for it.

Dealing with NON dog people


Of course all of you reading this are dog people; but unfortunately there are people in this world who are not. Understandably some people just don't get dogs; others may be afraid of them because of an incident or simple lack of experience with the canine species. Then there are the people who really dislike dogs but dislike us dog people even more. Often they feel like their rights in life are being shoved aside for dogs and their dog loving guardians. My husband ran into one of these people last weekend.

He was running with Luke down a fairly isolated path; and when they ran past one couple the woman jumped into her "ahhhhhhh a dog;" screaming routine. She continued to scream as they ran by and my husband could still hear her far behind. So; for the sake of people like this it is of the utmost importance to keep your dog to yourself. If someone does not have a dog; there is probably a reason I think. So when I walk by those who are dogless I make sure to give them a large dogfree zone.

It can take but a few people to ruin it for others. You may run into lots of dogless people who love dogs and don't mind your Fido jumping all over them and slobbering down their legs but inevitably you will run into one who is NOT okay with it and they may report you. This is when you start to see the "leash police" out in full force. The bottom line is; if you do not have impeccible control over your unleashed dog; then they should be leashed in a public area. I do not appreciate it when doga run at us when my dogs are onleash. I have Jessie onleash all the time because she is not dog friendly; so if an off leash dog approaches her it makes matters difficult for me.

Also watch body language; you know I discuss this all the time, watching your dogs body language is so important. But; just as important is the body language of other people who are frequenting the same area as you. I've also discussed before how I will take Jessie off a path and make it look like we are not interested in meeting other dogs; I mean really clear. But there are always the people who continue coming my way with a big smile on their face when they finally ask "can they play?" NO; MY DOG IS NOT FRIENDLY. Had they been paying attention they would have already known this.

So as much as you love your dog; and all your friends love your dog, there are people who don't. Being mindful of those few will make our dog world a whole lot better for all of us and our dogs.

End of day 5


It's 10:15 pm Friday; this is the end of Tilley's fifth day with Vestibular disease. Tilley's eyes stopped flashing back and forth on Wednesday night which was a huge relief. She ate food with assistance on Wednesday morning and on her own Wednesday night. Until then I had been syringing diluted baby food into her. Yesterday; day four, I tried not giving her meclizine and she vomited in the morning and didn't eat her breakfast. Several hours after receiving her meclizine she ate and was more steady again. She also drank on her own for the first time yesterday; a sight for sore eyes.

Today she began moving around a bit on her own; she went from one bed to another in the kitchen and seemed to be attempting to get up when I picked her up. When I returned home after a walk with Luke today she wagged; another first in five days. So far Tilley is exhibiting instability, weakness, a head tilt and a left turning navigation that just won't quit. She had two very bad falls yesterday which were very frightening; both for her and I. She is still very apprehensive to take a step and it takes alot of coaxing to get her going.

Tilley had her meclizine this morning but I have not given it to her tonight. She has kept her dinner down and slept the entire evening with her head resting on her Dad. She is on her bed asleep now and her restlessness seems to be subsiding as well. Although her eyes have stopped flashing they are different now. For now we take it day to day and hope for a full recovery in the near future.

The glance


Just one look; a glance was all that was needed to get you out of your chair and waiting on your dog. Do dogs reason? This has been a serious question for years and many have and are researching this very idea. I believe that dogs do reason; to a degree that is. I do not think that dogs consider individual ideas; thinking about the process and the end results. But I do think that they reason in some degree. For instance; Jessie has a bone, Luke wants the bone and knows all too well that he cannot simply take it unless he wishes to risk having his face taken off. So he reasons that running to the front door and barking will result in his acquisition of the prize; he is correct.

Both Tilley and Luke can often be found gazing at a box of cookies on my dresser. They could simply knock the box down and eat the cookies but that is against the rules. This action could simply be considered an association; often I will offer them a cookie when I see that they would like one. So the association has been created authentically. But what if they go a step further and come to find me; communicate to me that they are in need of something? This is the cognitive thought process.

When a dog has the realization that a simple glance can put them into the drivers seat; things can quickly go downhill for you. It is important not to become a servant to your dog as wanting eyes can quickly turn into very demanding and unwanted behaviors. I probably offer up cookies now more often because of Tilley's age and the fact that Luke is as skinny as a rake.

Several nights ago while we were watching T.V. Luke got up and ran upstairs. He quickly returned and stood smack dab in the middle of the room. He stared hard at each person in the room and ran upstairs again. I immediately jumped up to see what the issue was upstairs and upon entering my room found Luke staring under the bed. I thought for a moment that it might be a spider but his ears were held differently; and his face was more in an excited expression rather than his intense spider face. I told him to show me what he wanted; he quickly proceeded to stick his head under the bed. He stayed in that position a few seconds then got up and stared at me again. Ah; something under the bed that you need? It was a ball and it was this particular ball that he wanted to play with. Once he got his ball he ran downstairs and was as happy as a clam.

Yep; he's a thinker. Not all dogs are thinkers; there are many different degrees and types of intelligence in dogs. Your dog is probably alot smarter than you think they are. And not all glances are simple in composition.

Retrieving


Retrieve; to bring back. Over the years I have temperament tested many puppies; testing involves multiple tests, one of which is retrieving. I am offered several different responses when I throw out a small toy or ball and every so often I get a natural retrieve. I cannot help but smile; the sight of a seven week old puppy bringing me back the toy I have tossed out is impressive. But not all puppies have the desire nor natural ability to retrieve.

Over thousands of years humans have been manipulating the dog. It began from the start; dogs bringing prey to their human companions, a natural behavior passed down from the wolf. Then as man evolved so did their reason for keeping dogs; different aspects of the canine were concentrated on by different people. Some desired a cute dog sitting on their lap; with no desire to chase other animals. While others wanted a dog to help in their daily hunting; these were the people who sharpened the natural retrieve instinct.

Most dogs today have some sort of chase drive; although I have seen many of the companion "lapdog" breeds who do not exhibit even the tiniest of drive that was once innate to the canine species. Various dogs will follow an object; contact is made and the item may or may not be taken by mouth. At this point a variety of dogs will end the behavior sequence; while others continue with the retrieve and drop. Even the best of retrievers will often refuse to drop the item. As much as they would like us to toss it again they really don't want to give up their possession.

Much to the dismay of a few canine guardians; the naturally retrieving breed that they selected may not retrieve at all. Why does this happen? A golden retriever that doesn't retrieve? For the same reason a major dog loving person can come from a non dog loving family; individualism. Certain breeds tend to have the same hardwired traits but it is not a surefire guarantee. I have met several Labradors who wanted nothing to do with swimming; odd but these dogs had other things that they loved to do.

So while a breed may be predisposed to natural retrieving; within a litter you may have a vast difference between each puppy. Retrieving can be a wonderful thing; it makes exercising your dog very easy, it can be used to teach a dog to focus and of course be used for many of the performance activities. But retrieving can also go very wrong. Some dogs have such a strong desire to retrieve that it becomes an obsessive one. Tilley is an obsessive retriever; her retrieve took a turn for the worst when she learned about the virtue of a shadow. Shadows are always around; for a dog who wants nothing more than to chase then the shadow is a great thing. But Tilley's problem is her drive to chase more than the retrieve; although given an object to chase she will retrieve until she drops.

Many golden retrievers have driven their guardians to the brink with retrieving. Even the wonderful retrieve can become a problem behavior. Like any behavior; left unchecked and driven by an obsession can unravel, becoming an issue.

So there you have it; if having a retriever carries some importance when choosing a dog, toss something to see if there is any natural retriever in that little puppy. Of course not all amazing retrievers are born; many are created.

Sleeping on beds


Good Wednesday morning; all of my three dogs are sleeping on the bed with me, I like it this way. They don't actually sleep on the bed; they typically join us in the morning when we have our coffee and then when I blog. It is a special time for them and for us. But some dogs should never be on the bed. Beds and sofas hold much controversy; should they or shouldn't they be allowed up? For me there are strict rules about the subject and regulations that need to be set in place.

First; all dogs should ask to come onto the your bed or the couch. And by asking I mean looking and you and waiting the "okay" before coming up.

It should be easy to ask them to get off; no complaining. Any growling, laser beam glares, lip curls or posturing is an automatic ticket to the floor. Many people tell me that their dog growls if they move them around in bed. This is a clear sign as to who your dog thinks is the boss; they are.

If they are not allowed on for some reason on a particular day they should be comfortable laying on their bed on the floor.

Dogs can become very stuck in their ways; like us they are all different. Some do great with routine; others become obsessive about routine. The ability to be flexible is a good trait; both for us and our dogs. If your comes unglued by the simple fact that they cannot lay right beside you; then time to switch it up.

It is fairly simple to link a positive association to "getting off" the bed or couch by rewarding your dog with high value treats for doing so. If you just tell them to get off and shove them off you may end up causing a physical display or challenge. So even though getting off the couch or bed is not the optimum behavior in your dogs eyes; it can be made into an okay thing with a "thank you" tidbit.

So beds and couches are fine; but there must be rules and the rules should essential be your rules, not your dogs. ;)

What a difference a day makes





When something suddenly happens to one of our dogs we go through many different emotions. Yesterday I was still in a state of "what the hell?" How could this happen? Why would this happen? And after reading and researching for hours I came up with my answer; why not? I watched many other dogs staggering around on Youtube; stricten with the same thing that Tilley is suffering from. So as life goes; it just happens but it has left me with such a sense of "what a difference a day makes." The first image from above was taken in October at the Montage. It shows Tilley sowing her oats; having a blast, simply enjoying the day.

The second was taken on Sunday having fun in the surf with her Dad; meer hours before this. This disease that has her bedridden and afraid to take a step in any direction. Today I'm mad; mad for the simple fact that my healthy girl had nearly made it to 13 looking and feeling pretty darn great. I was thinking today that no matter how hard we try; we take healthy for granted. It's true; I try very hard not to take anything for granted but my dogs all being healthy was a given for me. Sure we've had our little bumps along the way and perhaps this will be another bump.

But I can't help but think as I watch Tilley stumble around that this is just not fair. But then again life is not always fair is it?

Tuesday morning update


No improvement as of this morning at 7:00 am. My husband did the honors of carrying Tilley out this morning; my back is feeling the effects of carrying her around yesterday. It is amazing how heavy a 45 lb dog is at a dead weight. When I reach down to pick her up there is no assistance from her; I have to get my hands underneath her body and hoist her to a more upright position first. Then with my legs bent I cradle her into my arms and rise to a standing position. From there I adjust her positioning so that I can see and she is comfortable; thank goodness I've been working out.

Tilley is confused; I can see it in her body language and this is one of the saddest parts of this horrible disease. Most of the time she is on her feet I am cheering her on; the dreaded thing that I don't want is her to think that I'm doing this in some way to her. Dogs are such emotional creatures; I wish I could explain what has happened to her as she looks over her shoulder in attempts to solve this mysterious body snatching puzzle.

She is still on Meclizine which has helped with her nauseas. I syringed water into her again this morning as she will not drink. She is not a big drinker to start with so I must constantly get water into her so that she does not become dehydrated. I offered her a piece of cheese this morning that she shakily ate; but only if I broke it into very small pieces. She was not interested in her dinner lastnight so again I watered down organic baby food and got it syringed into her; she actually likes that and was licking the syringe.

She had a full sleep last night as did we; much needed for all. So today will be a better one and we we'll get after it. For now Tilley is being contained in an expen if I am not sitting watching her every move. She can move about and could seriously injure herself by a simple fall; picture a newborn deer trying to get to their feet. That is what Tilley looks like now; but hopefully not for long.

Update

We are back from the vet and sure enough Tilley has Peripheral Vestibular disease. She had her ears checked which looked good so it is most likely not an ear issue which is one of the possibilities. She most likely just fell victim to this; which is most common in old dogs but can happen to young dogs as well. She will hopefully have a complete recovery which can take a week to much longer depending on the disease and the dog. If there is no visible recovery then you must look at other things that can cause this and one is a brain tumor. But we aren't going there; not unless we have to.

So we take it day by day; she got an anti nauseas shot to help her with her appetite. I have a call into my son to pick up some organic baby food as she is not interested in food yet. I'll water it down and syringe a bit into her just to keep her energy level from plummeting.

I missed out on the upper body workout this morning at the gym; but hauling around Miss Tilley at 45 lbs has been a workout I'll tell ya.