Wednesday January 14, 2015



Luke in his younger years, always a happy man.  
I'm sitting in bed listening to Luke's stomach.  He has always had a gurgley stomach but now it's re-goddamndiculous.  I am use to his stomach making noise.  Over the years about every couple of weeks his stomach would gurgle in the morning and he would not eat.  The trick was always to take him out on a walk where he likes to snack non stop and get him snacking.  Once he had a bit of food in there all was fine.  But now it is happening every couple of days.  We are not sure if it is the antibiotics that he is on or what but the cure is still the same.  I have to get food into him. 

A couple of weeks ago it got so loud in my office that I thought that he might explode.  He does not get bloated, as is a common issue with this breed, just loud.  Once I can get something into him he moves on past the gurgles and is fine.  The problem is that he obviously doesn't feel well when his stomach sounds like this so he does not want to eat.  I have only once resorted to force feeding and typically just get out on a walk where he likes to eat. 

 He has a couple of other things going on right now so I will be calling the Vet. yet again.  I had to run out early this morning and when I returned he was up and alert in his bed.  He was wagging opened mouthed and I even got the paw.  The paw comes out reaching when he is really happy and I have to admit it melts my heart to see him so happy.  

 How lucky am I to have my boy at 14.5 years now?  He has made it to this amazing age with epilepsy, now liver cancer and many other things due to very old age.  Very old age?  I never thought Luke would make it to old.  Yep, proud to say that he is very old and still loving his life.   :)

And Back Again



https://www.createspace.com/5230627

And Back Again

Life is a story
I am very excited to say that my second novel And Back Again is now available.  Over three years ago a huge life challenge was put before us.  For those of you who read 'PBJ and me' you know what my 21 year old (at the time) son Brad and I went through on our road trip from California to Connecticut with our four dogs.  And Back Again is the continuation of our story; starting from the first full day at our destination.  It was an emotional time for everyone involved and over the months of writing and re-writing and reading, reading, reading it was emotional. 

 The book covers both canine and human behavior with regards to life challenges.  I wrote the story in hopes that it might help someone. Perhaps dealing with canine behavior issues, maybe a dog who is growing old, life change or general life challenges.  I still look back and shudder at much of it, and am forever changed.  

It is a crazy story but it is mine.  I lived it and can now look back at it as quite the experience.  The story picks up where PBJ and me left off.  We had just landed in Connecticut after a grueling 6 day drive across the country from sunny California.  Much would be dealt with in the following months.  A strange environment, a new home, the loss of our most senior canine pack member and a new life all lay ahead of us. 

And Back Again - also available on Amazon. And Back Again will also be available in ebook shortly.  I will post it on my Just dogs with Sherri Facebook when it is available.  

I had a wonderful editor (Emily Smith) for my book; one that I just stumbled upon in Vegas, oddly enough.  She is amazing and really pushed me to bring more to the story.  Sometimes just one question from her would bring up a whole plethora of memories; ones that had seemed in the big picture, minor at the time. 

I hope that if you read the book, you enjoy it.  Life is a story. 

Leave a comment, I love to hear from you. 

Life with dogs



Must be nice.  

From dead asleep my eyes flew open and I was up.  Making my way to the patio door where I could see a blonde figure standing waiting.  The heaving had woke me up; I was sure that it was Luke.  There had been only a couple of heaves before she puked up the first pile on the carpet in front of the door.  It was Elsa, not Luke.  I felt like I was still asleep fumbling to open the freaking door.  Finally it opened  and out she went to continue her vomiting.  She is such a good girl, she knows to head out the patio door.  Ever since we moved to the house with the patio door it has been used for the midnight pukes.   No more trying to get down the stairs and out the kitchen to the yard before someones stomach contents emerged onto the carpet.

I stood waiting and thinking as she finished up.  "What did they eat last night?" I thought to myself.  Nothing out of the ordinary, a great turkey dinner but nothing new.  Then I remembered the brussel sprouts, "I bet that's was it is" I said out loud.  Elsa glanced over at me and moved to the door, she was done.  She ran in and straight to the bedroom door.  She was now wagging madly, happy and no doubt wanted to go out for a pee.  After all it was morning, 4:00 am is morning right?  Geesh.

Back in bed with Miss Elsa draped across my lap; I could feel her quickly slip into sleep mode.  "Ahhhh, must be nice" I thought as I lay there for over an hour and a half, unable to do what Elsa was, sleep. 

 Elsa has always had a sensitive stomach as far as items remaining in there.  When I gave her the brussel sprouts the night before, they had been whole.  It was a treat, not chopped up in her own dinner.  They were roasted and soft with a firm center which she had obviously swallowed whole.  They sat in her stomach trying to be digested until 4:00am which seems to be evacuation time.  So out they came and there they sat on my balcony.  The exterior had been digested and just the firm center remained.  Note to self, chop brussel sprouts when giving them to Elsa. 

At some point I fell back asleep after 5:34am because I clearly remember looking at the clock at that time.  But it was to be a short nap before the real morning began.  Elsa shot up in a flash and I could hear that Luke was getting up.  She always wants to be the first out the door, down the stairs and wherever we are going.  When Luke stirs, she's up.  My head was now in a fog of grogginess.  "I should have just got up at 5:34 am" I thought to myself.  I would have been tired but not groggy. 

I grabbed a robe and asked Luke and Elsa to wait before opening the door.  Elsa always flies out like she's on a mission and I have to get a hold of Luke before he heads down.  He's pretty good at getting down the stairs but every once in a while he stumbles so I am always there to catch him if needed.  Once out they both find a spot to pee and rush back in.  Upstairs for morning snacks and blogging.  Ahhhh, life with dogs.  :) 

Getting to know that dog of yours



Do you understand dog behavior?  I mean real dog behavior?  Many people think they understand it but few actually do.  If you live with a dog you should do some reading and find out about your dog.  Over the years I have met many, many people who have no idea about dog behavior.  Even people who have lived with dogs for years, can still know nothing about dogs.  Why?  Because if we don't do some research and learn how dogs are different from us; then we typically just take what our dogs do and put a human twist on it. How many dog behavior articles have you pushed aside, thinking that you didn't need to read them?

There is a great deal of information out there; much of which can be misleading.  I recommend sticking with the material that is either scientifically based or comes from someone who is into the positive form of behavior modification.  You see the old ways of doing things, attempting to change behavior by the yank and choke method teaches little to either dog or human.  Yanking on the dog was and is for some trainers still a method to stop the dog from doing something that the human doesn't want.  It gives no option of an appropriate alternative; stated by the yank as a "just stop" order. 

In our day to day life with dogs, we need to be able to read what they are saying and get our message across to them.  If you do not understand how dogs communicate then you are not going to be able to do any communicating. When humans treat dogs as humans, everything goes awry.  We, as in humans tend to see canine behaviors and interpret them into human.  Even some dangerous behaviors are seen as cute when humans turn the situation into human.

There are so many canine videos out there being posted as cute that are simply not cute.  Many are seen as cute because the human does not understand canine communications.  Like the one of the Siberian husky objecting to going in his crate by vocalizing.  The owner continues to push so that we can all see the adorable objections from his dog.  So many people thought that this is just adorable when it is anything but. 

Don't even get me started on all of the baby and dog videos.  Sure there are cute ones out there but many people see dangerous ones as cute because they don't understand canine behavior or signals.  Unless you learn about canine behavior, signals and communications then you cannot understand what you are seeing.  Most recently I watched a dog trying to shake a baby from his dog bed as the parents sat laughing.  Nothing cute about it. 

Almost everyone has a dog; but very few take the time to really learn about dogs.  It is the one "pet" and I hate to even use the "pet" term but use it to make a point.  If you were getting a pot bellied pig, you would do a ton of research about pigs.  If you were to add a miniature horse to your family; you would probably do a great deal of research on these little guys, correct?  You would want to know all about your new addition.  But not dogs, dogs have been by our side for so long that many don't even think about them being so different than us. 

Dogs are very different from us.  They are not little furry humans.  They are highly intelligent, far more intelligent than most people give them credit.  They can adapt to living in our crazy human world; melding with ease and do for the most part, what we ask of them. We should at least learn a little bit about the dog we live with.  

Do you know what your dog is saying?  Do you know how to properly communicate with your dog? 

Leave a comment, I love to hear from you.  

Sneak peek - And Back Again


Elsa wanting to go out and play but it was pouring.  Taken in Connecticut.  
My second novel "And Back Again" will be available this weekend, stay tuned.  Here is a sneak peek.  
After prying Elsa away from her new friend, we had a wonderful walk in the snow. It was quiet, the sort of quiet that only a fresh thick layer of snow gives you as it muffles the noise all around. We walked along a creek and Luke got to be off leash for a bit. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to let Elsa off being that I didn’t know who else might have been around a corner. I always choose to be more cautious rather than have a problem. After we got deeper into the woods she got to be off for a few moments; long enough to snorfle around at the edge of the creek, returning to us covered in leaves and other stuff. She was going to need a brushing for sure. Her puppy coat was glorious, but it was long and a lot of work to keep it looking beautiful.

Elsa waited patiently as I got Luke safely into the car. He was already starting to have problems with this task. He needed help so that he did not fall while trying to jump. I’d trained him to place his front feet up in the back of the SUV and then I would lift him the rest of the way. Having an older or handicapped dog jump up and miss the mark can have catastrophic results, so he’d already gotten used to being hoisted. They both had a small drink of water, as is customary after each walk, and we were on our way home.

Leave a comment, love to hear from you.  


Yay, Yogi is coming over

Yogi is Elsa's very good friend who is also her other very good friend Lucy's little brother.  We've been getting these two together for fun.  Yogi is almost 6 months old now and man do they have fun.  I love it and Elsa LOVES brawling with him. 
 
It is really good for him to get out on his own and experience life all by himself.  It did not take Elsa long to learn a new name; when I told her that Yogi was coming over she lit up and ran to the door to welcome him. 
 

Elsa loves Yogi, he is almost the same size as her now.  


Funny how their tails are often held the same way.


Thinking about a zoom.


Elsa's on her way.


Elsa is more than happy to take it down to the ground.


Elsa is clearly supervising Yogi's approach to Luke.  She is Luke's protector.  Yogi is completely changing his posture on approach.


More fun.


Preparing for the hit.


This is the first day that they have done the boxing thing.  They both seemed to enjoy it.


Ground chomping.


Awaiting an attack.


From Elsa.



Elsa supervising again.



Keeping Yogi away from Luke.



Just having a blast.  I could watch these two or three all day.  
 
 
Leave a comment, love to hear from you. 

Complications

 
A little nervous panting but pretty relaxed for the ex-Cujo Vet dog. 


I had Luke back at the Vets yesterday.  Recently I noticed that his eyes looked like they had sunken.  With his loss of weight I assumed that this was the cause, and I was correct.  Luke's face was getting quite furry and I couldn't see well enough to be sure what was going on.  He'd also been having goopy eyes so I shaved his face nice and close making sure to get the hair right around his eyes.  Luke has amazing eye lashes, although those gorgeous lashes grow so long that they go over his eye, so off they came.  Once I could see his eyes better I was sure that they had sunken.  In the next few days the shaved hair did not seem to help with his goopy eyes so we head to the vet.

I met a new vet which I really, really liked.  He was very kind, caring and gentle with Luke.  As are the vet techs out front; never have I met a nicer bunch of techs.  So the vet took one look at Luke's eyes, checked his chart and agreed that his eyes had sunken.  Luke is suffering from Cachexia which is the loss of muscle and fat due to his cancer.  This has caused the muscle and fat behind his eyes to deteriorate causing his eyes to pull back. 

After talking to the vet he said that Acquired Entropion is common in old dogs.  Entropion can be genetic and is common in many breeds and can seen in dogs from birth.  Acquired Entropion is different. Luke has never been a big and buff guy so his loss is bad.  He has always been light on the muscle scale which has nothing to do with his exercise but how he was built, light.  His loss of muscle and fat behind the eye has caused the skin around his eye to pull inward which is very irritating.  His bottom eyelashes are pushing directly onto his eye. 

Canine cancer link

So what do we do about it?  First we are trying lubricating drops.  It seems to have already helped; Luke looked much better by bedtime last night.  At this point I can try to keep weight on Luke by feeding him the great diet that he already eats but the loss will continue.  The only other option for his eyes are staples which are placed about 1/2 inch below the eye itself and pull the skin down to keep it off of his eyeball.  We'll see if we need that.  The Vet joked that it would be just like a piercing that humans get.  Luke already has a tattoo so it might be a good look.  :)  Just kidding.

Luke in general

So we now have an eye issue.  Luke is having more tired days but he is still very happy.  I'd have to say that this eye thing has been bothering him so once we get that fixed up we should be good again.  He has good days and bad, I hope today is a good one. His spirits are great and he loved the fresh batch of cookies I made for him yesterday, he chowed down. 

You can do it! Yes, you can.



"He just will not get in the car," she told me as we head out to the car.  "Oh yes he will" I declared, and yes he did.  "They don't like to wait," the woman told me when we were starting our door bolting work.  "Too bad!"

When we don't like a behavior that our dog exhibits, we can change it.  It may just need a little tweaking or the behavior may need an overhaul.  Can you do it?  Yep.  Many guardians feel powerless with regards to canine behavior.  They don't feel like they can change anything; especially the behaviors that are rooted with a high drive. 

Changing a behavior takes time, determination, commitment and desire from us. We must have the desire to change.  If we just shrug our shoulders and say we can't; well then most definitely we cannot.  You need to have a can do mind set to change something.  Do you hate that your dog dives all over your guests?  Do something about it.  Do you hate that you have to hoist your dog into the back of your car?  Do something about it.  Do you hate that your dog tries to attack every moving thing that passes you on a walk?  Do something about it. 

I have been working on wrapping up my newest book 'And Back Again.'  There are many issues that arise with my dogs and other dogs that I discuss in the book.  Many of the behavior issues with other dogs are shoulder shrug things.  Behaviors that owners claim are "yep, that what he does."  Creating a helplessness about the owner and a huge lack of control.  Control does not have to mean a collar, leash and tight rein.  Control can mean that you acknowledge a behavior that you want to change and changed it.  You are in control of the behavior. 

Whether you want to stop a behavior, start a behavior or just intervene a little, DO IT.  Need help?  Ask for it.  Call in a positive trainer, read a book or get some online help.  A good trainer will sit and listen or watch then come up with a plan for you to implement.  A good trainer will give you the tools to get the job done. 

You can do it! Yes, you can. 



Food vs. nutrition

 
Luke and Elsa had Mackerel last night, a first. 
 
 
You've gone to the store and bought a big bag of dog food.  You went for the really big bag because it just made economical sense.  20 lbs of dog food for only 13.00, pretty good deal right?  Or is it?  Do you know what you are feeding your dog?  Do you care?  Many people don't really care what they feed their dogs.  Let's be honest.  Canine nutrition is not something that man people concern themselves with.  To them food is food and dogs are meant to eat dog food, end of story.

But that is not the end of the story.  What you eat makes a huge difference in how you feel.  The more nutrient dense a food is the more your body and our dog's bodies can pull from it.  Sure a dog can survive on poor quality dog food just like we can survive on a diet of donuts, hot dogs and mac'n cheese.  Will we feel great?  Probably not, nor will our dogs.

A dog's diet should be based around high quality animal protein.  That said, many dog foods have very little if any high quality animal protein in them.  Instead they are based on fillers; unusable stuff that simply fills the need of eating not utilizing nutrition. 

I have often seen people who have one or two tiny dogs that feed very poor quality food.  This always shocks me because they eat such small amounts that feeding really high quality food will not cost a lot.  Now if you have 5 Great Dane sized dogs; I can see the desire to go cheap, cut corners and stick to a budget.  But no matter what size your dog is; nutrition should always be considered.  Why should we not feed the best that we can afford?  Why do some people shake their head about good nutrition for our dogs?  They deserve good nutrition as much as we do.

There are so many dog food manufacturers out there now.   Many great new ones are popping up with different ways to feed our dogs.  There are also lots of websites where you can read about the quality ratings of each food and go from there.  I say "stay out of the big box stores when buying dog food."  The lower the quality the more chance they will be sold in the big box stores.  Hit the Mom and Pop shops, somewhere they are concerned with quality and your dog.  Online is a great place to buy dog food now.  Especially because many people cannot find a place close by them to purchase the good stuff. 

Don't stop your search at dry bagged dog food.  Canned food is a great option.  There too of course you need to weed through the bad to get to the good.  Great canned food is easy and often something more palatable for our dogs.  Forget the idea that dry dog food is good for their teeth when steering away from canned food; that is another myth put out their by the dry dog food manufacturers. 

The better the food, the less the quantity needed to fuel our dogs.  I am always surprised what a small amount of food is needed to keep a dog in peak shape.  If you feed real quality food, it is very little.  Nutrition is very important and it all started way before someone came up with the idea of dry food kibbles to feed our dogs.  Think about that. 

Perception


Enjoying his walk before it's buggy time.  
Yesterday we had a wonderful walk in our unseasonably cool temperatures.  We took both Luke and Elsa and the buggy.  Luke did really great, he probably walked 3/4 around the park before I decided that he'd had enough and got him into his buggy.  The sign I watch for is when his back legs start giving out or he slows to almost a stop.  That is when it's time for him to get into his buggy and ride.  As we rounded the parking area several people were watching us.  I could see the questions on their face as we got closer.  "Is your dog okay, or does he just like to ride?" One guy asked. 

I'm use to the questioning looks and being asked so I gave my customary response.  "He's old and can only walk a little way, then he rides" I told them while still walking.  It is so funny how people's perception changes in an instant.  It goes from "what the heck?" to "awwwwwwww."  We do have a tendency to jump pretty quick to an opinion of things, don't we?

 About a week ago a nice couple passed by and stated "well, that's the lazy man's way to go."  I jumped on this one right away; although I don't care what people think, I'm always up to educate the uneducated.  :)  Anyhoo I said "NO... he's old and can't walk far."  Immediately their perception changed from one of a spoiled rotten, very lazy dog to an old man being cared for.  

 I'm very used to people having the wrong perception of my dogs; heck I have poodles, you know those fluffy dogs that are just all beauty?  Hahhahahahahaha, got ya didn't I?  Well, many people think of poodles that way and again, I really don't care.  It keeps poodles down in numbers and that is just fine with me. 

 Perception is a funny thing; we humans tend to jump to our preconceived ideas very quickly.  We like to forgo the benefit of the doubt and assume, we are all guilty of assumption.  If I can share and change one persons mind about caring for an old dog; I am more than happy to share Luke's buggy with them.  So far people have loved seeing Luke in his buggy; when they know that he is old and can't walk far, they seem to melt and soften.  

 I am always up for questions as most of you know.  Ask and I will usually answer.  As far as Luke goes in his buggy, ask away.  ;)  

It's been a great one

 
We'll be bringing in the New Year nice and quiet. 


It's been a great year; I surely can't complain after a few not so great ones.  Looking back there have been many canine moments shared here on my blog; both good and bad.   There have also been events over the year that have not been shared on my blog, good and bad.  All in all it has been a very good year and one that I will look back at with fond memories. 

We started the year at the beach.  

We discovered smelt, one of Luke's favorites.

I began my online consult service.

Our oldest daughter got married  :)  Their dog Snoop was the ring bearer.

Elsa was attacked and we are still dealing with the fallout of that.  

We had lots of great new humans to meet.  

Lots of play dates

Had many health tests done on Luke

Took lots and lots of photos

Luke got his wheels

Elsa turned 3 and Luke turned 14  :)

We talked about weight, exercise, mud slinging, stupid people, extension leashes, leash aggression, training, behavior and a whole whack more.

Enjoyed some meals out

We talked dogs, dogs, dogs and more dogs.

I finally published my training book.

My second novel, a continuation of the story PBJ and me will be coming out in January.  The book took most of my time this year.  I look forward to the release. 

Most recently our younger daughter (Penny's Mom) just got engaged which we are thrilled about and look forward to a wedding next year. 

It's been a good year and I want to wish you and your families a wonderful and healthy New Year.  See you then.  ;)

LEAVE ME A COMMENT, LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. 


Force feeding



Force feeding brings to mind a not so great act.  I have had to resort to force feeding several times over the years of living with dogs; it was done because it had to be done.  Force feeding is feeding when a dog is not willingly eating themselves.  But when should we or should we not force the issue of eating?  Illness or injury can cause a dog to not eat; they can actually go for sometime without eating but at some point they must eat.

Several times throughout Tilley's life I had to force the issue of eating.  When she was struck with Vestibular disease she would not eat for days.  I watered down and strained baby food; then syringed it into her.  Without this nutrition she may have become weak; perhaps so weak that she would not have been able to recover.  She had a bad time when she was spayed; I had to force feed her for two days until she felt well enough to eat on her own.  Another time when she became paralyzed in her front end and could not eat, out came the syringe and I got nutrition into her. 

Sometimes a little food can be all that is needed.  Over the holidays Luke was not eating well.  On the 23rd I had to go out for the day and we had a sitter coming over to stay.  Typically if Luke does not eat breakfast I will snack him all day long.  But with the sitter coming I couldn't rely on that.  Much like administering a pill I simply opened his mouth and placed a very small piece at the back of his throat.  Closing his mouth, I wrapped my hand around his muzzle so he couldn't spit it out.   I did this several times and it was enough to spark his appetite.  It is the first time that I have done this; but I knew that if I just got a bit into him that he would eat and it worked like a charm.  But you have to know your dog.

You have to know your dog and you have to know why they are not eating.  Not eating is a huge sign; sometimes not eating is the best decision.  If a dog just doesn't want to eat one meal; it could be because they have an upset stomach and not eating is a good decision as it will typically come back out again.  I listen to my dogs, if a good eater just doesn't want to eat, I don't force the issue.  Knowing when and when not to force the issue is important.  

Many dogs stop eating at the end of their life.  This is a very tough spot to be in; knowing if you should force feed or not is tough.  Are you helping them to get over a hump of illness?  When Jessie stopped eating it was huge; I did not force.  I coaxed but did not force; there was no eating or drinking and sadly it was the end for her.  Eating was her life, the only other time she had stopped eating was when she was struck with autoimmune disease.  I did force feed her then and I know if I hadn't we surely would have lost her. 

Force feeding can mean syringe feeding or simply a little piece in the mouth like a pill.  But it must be done very carefully and slowly so that no food goes into their lungs.  Not eating is a huge sign and should never go unnoticed or taken lightly.  Knowing when to force the issue is all about what the not eating means.  Dogs can stop eating when stressed, feel sick or are unable to eat physically. 

Force feeding simply means feeding when your dog is not eating on their own.  It can be the help they need to get over a hump. 

First half enjoyed





 I hope that you all had a wonderful first half of the Holiday Season.  We had a very nice few days off.  For a couple of days over the holidays we had 5 dogs in the house.  Penny was and still is here; Luna and Elsa #2 were here as well.  Luna is my daughters dog and she was taking care of another Elsa for a friend so she was here as well; yep were a full house. With a little juggling all went pretty smooth.  But I have to say that the whole 2 Elsa's was a challenge.  Two dogs with the same name is just confusing for everyone.




Elsa and Elsa

 I feel extremely lucky to have had Luke with us this Christmas although the actual day was not a good one for Luke.  He was very tired and slept through most of it.  He did get a bit of energy by late afternoon and opened his gift and enjoyed squeaking it for a good long while before feasting on a turkey dinner with the rest of us.   The few days after Christmas were the same with Luke sleeping most of the day and him being very tired.  But Saturday and Sunday he had more energy and was more like himself.






We took Luke and Elsa out for a glorious walk on Saturday with the temperatures in the mid 60s and a crispness in the air, it was wonderful.  Penny and Elsa played for hours in the afternoon and then it was dinner time.  They all had a wonderful but final turkey supper which finished up the leftovers that they have enjoyed.  Then it was movie time; we watched the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.  Penny entertained us for a longtime watching the movie herself.  It only took her a few moments to notice the apes and action; she sat mesmerized until she got scared and started barking ferociously.  She watched on and off for most of the movie depending on what was happening.  She is a very funny girl; she sits directly in front of the television following all the characters as they move around. 
 













Yesterday Luke spent much of the day following me everywhere which was very nice to see again.  He had much more energy than the previous few days.  We spent time outside on his favorite lounge while Elsa retrieved and Penny chased Elsa chasing her ball.  After dinner it was movie time again; with Penny curled up on my right side, Luke on my left and Elsa snuggled up beside Penny we enjoyed the movie; that is up until about 15 minutes till the end when Mr. Luke decided it was bedtime.  He got off the couch, went outside and then came back in.  Positioning himself on the opposite side of the coffee table from us; he stared at me, shifting in place.  I told him several times that it was not time but he was determined and let out a huge and very deep bark.  It startled all of us and he continued to bark at me until the end of the movie and I finally got up and we head to bed.  What a crazy guy he is; when he saw me get up he ran to the dog door with excitement.  When it's bedtime, it's bedtime. 

Leave a comment I'd love to hear what you did over the holidays.  

A dog's wish list



                            Give your dog you for Christmas. 

What do our dogs want for Christmas?  Do you put out a stocking for your dog?  Is there wrapped gifts sitting under the tree until the big day for your dog?   There are at my house, both Luke and Elsa will unwrap gifts along with Penny and Luna.  But what if there was a way to ask our dogs what they'd like for Christmas?  What would they want?  Being that each dog is an individual; I'm sure that you would get a plethora of replies.  But I think the most wanted thing for Christmas would be our time. 

My husband and I spent the day cooking and baking yesterday; Luke and Elsa moved around different locations to be with us.  They went from the lounge just outside of the kitchen door; to standing staring at us, lying on the carpet runners, then lying on the bed in the kitchen so they could be with us.  No matter where you go, your dog would love to go as well.  Do you give your dog enough of your time?  I think time is one of the greatest gifts you can give to both dogs and humans. 

Time is an amazing gift because it can come in so many forms.  It does not have to be a monumental show or action; it can be a quiet moment spent together enjoying time itself.  One of my favorite things to do with my dogs is sit; the time spent together just enjoying a moment.  Of course I also love going for walks, training, playing and everything else having to do with spending time with them. 

Time is a wonderful gift when given with just our dog in mind.  Planning a play date, hitting the park for some much loved running and/or retrieving, going to the beach strictly so that they can get their toes in the sand or simply doing what they want to do.  Dogs don't need much; their wants are much smaller in proportion than our own.  If we could ask them what they'd like for Christmas, I am sure that many would say time.  In these days of little time; time itself can be the most wonderful thing to give our dogs. 

A sad reality for many seniors




Old dogs have so much to give.


Senior after senior comes across my Facebook page every morning.  Old dogs dumped simply because they are old.  How many stories have I heard about old dogs being dropped off at shelters, rescues or being rehomed.  "Too much work," "I don't have time," are some of the reasons people claim.  Having an old dog is a gift.  Do you know how many people lose their dog at a young age and never get the gift of sharing an old dogs life?  A canines golden years are truly golden. 

Each dog is different but almost all deal with something as they get into their most senior years.  We've dealt with spine issues, vestibular, dementia, tumors, poor eye sight, loss of hearing and more.  I remember when both Tilley 14 and Jessie 15 were both incontinent.  Every bed in my house was covered with an absorbent pad and then a fleece blanket.  There was more laundry to do than years before but then I had little kids then which meant more laundry as well. 

I for one am so saddened by all the old dogs who lose their home in their golden years.  Old dogs have a tough time being adopted; everyone wants a puppy or young dog.  Thinking that old dogs are too much work and dumping them off for someone else to deal with, boggles the mind.  After a life of love given to us by our dog, we dump them?  Our day to day is full of changes, growing old is one of them.  We are all going the same way; our dogs just get there sooner than we do. 

Many things can happen to an old dog; but often their needs are simple.  Good food, a soft and warm place to lay and a gentle loving hand.  How hard is that?  Life slows down for an old dog; it is a time for us to learn to stop and smell the roses.  I remember trying to adjust to Tilley's slower than slow snail pace when walking after she recovered from Vestibular disease.  It was a conscious effort but when I got it, it was wonderful.  We would snail around the park, just enjoying being there.  I remember thinking how lucky I was to be able to snail pace around with her. 

Taking care of our old dogs is what should be done.  Doing what is right sure teaches us about what is important.  Being given up when you most need your family is horrific and I cannot believe that humans can be so cold and uncaring. 

Having an old dog is a time to cherish.  Take time to enjoy the quiet times, see through old cloudy eyes, lend a helping hand when needed and just be, together.  There should be no expectations; it is a time to just be in the moment.  If you are one of the lucky ones; you will be gifted several years of life with a senior.  There may be more cleaning, lifting, balancing and general care needed but what a gift.  Caring for an old dog is work yes, but we took that on when we let that little wriggling puppy into our heart. 

Leave a comment, I love to hear from you.  

Teaching the ropes



I finished what I wanted of my morning oatmeal/quinoa and almond butter and placed the bowl with the remainder on the floor for Elsa.  This is different than the typical in bed bowl cleaning that she does so she looked up at me first.  "Can I eat this?" her eyes asked.  "What a good girl she is" I thought to myself and gave her the "okay, you can eat it."   This is how it should be.  Yes, Elsa is very polite; she has had a great deal of training and education in the manner department.  No she is not perfect, but she is very good, usually. 

"Leave it," is one way to start the manner education.  That said the manner rule must go beyond "leave it."  Dogs should learn that not everything that is dropped on the floor is fair game; even when they aren't told to "leave it."  This is done by consistent education and a solid rule that is clearly understood by your dog; that all the food belongs to you.  This of course does not mean that Elsa or any other dog will not sit and drool by your side as you eat.  They will eyeball the food and long for it; but longing and taking are two very different behaviors.  

 Some dogs will steal food when you turn your back; leave the room, or are not paying attention.  This does not mean that they do not understand that the food belongs to you.  They have simply learned when it is safe to take it without consequence.  This is why you must teach your dog that even when you are not watching, you are watching and the food is still not to be touched.  Dogs are all different so what may be easy for one may seem almost impossible for another.  

 There will always be a moment when food or something has been left for so long that any dog will figure that it has been left and forgotten.  Dogs can teach each other not to touch their stuff; why should we not have the same if not more power?  We should, and if you are not the ruler of the food, who is?  I love when dogs have manners and I love being able to sit on the floor with a bowl full of food without being accosted.  I expect my dogs to sit politely and wait their turn without taking any food from the main food source.   Each dog that spends time in my house must learn this.  

 Manner training is something that is constant; different from behavior training that you ask for and is given by your dog.  Manners are learning what is and is not acceptable.  No it is not acceptable to jump up and snatch the food from my hand.  It is acceptable to go sit and your bed and hope that I will toss you a piece.  That decision is entirely up to me of course, the boss; the owner of the food.  It is not mean or cruel to be the ruler of the food; we surely do not want our dogs to be the ruler of the food.  Guess how that would turn out?  Not so good for us.  

Travel - three years ago today.


I have been doing a great deal of remembering lately.  As I finish up my second novel And Back Again I have been going over many incidents from my life three years ago.  That time is often on my mind but because I have been writing about it; of course it is in the forefront these days.  This morning I wondered what my blog was three years ago today; this is it.  I decided to repost it as my book will be coming out very soon. 

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As you all know my son and I just finished a road trip across America.  We left sunny Southern California and drove to South Connecticut.  We stayed at 5 hotels that allowed us with our dogs so I have a good feel for where to stay and what to ask for now.  When we began our trip we had four dogs, not an easy number to tell the reservation people.  We didn't want to pay an exorbitant fee for having our dogs but understand that there would more than likely be some fee.

We discovered that almost all La Quintas allow dogs of any size and any number with no extra fee.  We stayed in 3 La Quintas.  One was nice, one a bit run down and dirty but with great outdoor grounds and the last very nice.  We actually stopped at a fourth; brought our bags and "dog stuff" up to the room only to turn around and leave.  The girl was nice at the desk and understood.  The whole hotel stunk of cigarettes and cheese (says my son).  It was run down and divey, not somewhere I wanted to stay.

Cost per night for the La Quintas was 70.00-90.00 with no extra dog fee.

We took a quick trip up the road and stayed at a Drury; my favorite hotel on our stay, easily.  When we got to the Drury Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee I was pleasantly surprised.  They also gave us the most convenient room and had lots of "grassy" area for the pooches.  We had complimentary snacks and wine on our arrival which was more than welcome after 4 solid days of driving.  Their breakfast was great and they were very friendly.  The hotel was clean and very accommodating.  Even though when we were originally looking for a hotel to stay in at all of our stops we were told that the Drury had a 2 dog limit they allowed us in with our 3.  Sadly we didn't stay at other Drury Hotels because we thought they had a 2 dog limit.

Cost per night was 119.00 with no extra fee for dogs.

Our last night away we stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn; there was nothing else that would accept dogs in the area that night.  It was a really nice hotel but although they allowed our dogs they did not seem "dog friendly."  We were told not to bring the dogs through the lobby and were given an end room on the third floor.  I asked for something close to the elevator because of Tilley and hauling all of our stuff but we were told that they were completely booked and that this was the last room.  Neither I nor my son bought the "full" line as the parking lot was nearly empty all the way around the hotel.

Cost per night 169.00 plus 100.00 dog fee.

The girls at the front desk were very friendly and the hotel was beautiful.  It was a king suite with a full kitchen, a great place if you are staying a while.  We were also told that they had a very strict barking rule as there were so many "business" people staying at the hotel.  They charge a flat 100.00 dollar fee to stay with your dogs which is non refundable.  Nice hotel but didn't receive a warm and fuzzy about the dogs which were down to three at that point.

When you stay at a hotel with your dog think about location, both in regards to the room and the hotel.  If your dog is not accustom to staying in hotels then you will not want to leave them unattended in the room for more than a very short time period.  Luckily there were two of us so when we arrived and got settled Brad went and got our dinner for the night.

Location of room was very important for us, we had a 5 month old puppy and Tilley who has a tough time going a long distance.  Plus she is so slow that it can literally seem to take forever getting anywhere.

All in all it was a great experience.  Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat for my dogs.

 Leave me a comment, I love to hear from you!!!

A needle? Yikes



A week ago Sunday I gave my very first needle.  Never in all of my years of raising dogs and children have I ever had to administer a needle myself.  I know that many people do it daily; both for other humans and dogs, but not me.  When the Veterinarian recently said to me "you will give it to him," about Luke's weekly B12 shot, I wondered how difficult it was going to be for me.  As a caregiver, the idea of sticking a needle into skin made me shudder.  I care for, tend to, fix, mend, medicate, lift, support and anything else that requires care for my dogs.  Being a VERY hands on caregiver, I knew it was my job to do it but my head had other ideas. 

I've just never been required to do it.  I am the type of dog guardian who prefers to do anything that can be done by me myself. But needles?  This needle only needed to go under the skin so I didn't have to be worried about the air bubble in the needle; which I was worried about before hearing that I did not have to worry about it.  It was mostly that moment when you push the needle through the skin that was bothering me.  My husband said "I'll do it, I don't care at all."  That would definitely have been the easiest route to take but it was not in my plan to take the easy way out.  I was doing it.

 I had a knot in my stomach, strange I know.  Many, many people do it all the time; both in humans and dogs. I prepared the needle like the vet tech had shown me.  I didn't want a huge air bubble but a speck of air in there was okay because it was just going under the skin.  I was of course all thumbs the first time; trying my hardest not to stick myself in the process.  Fill the syringe, take off the first needle and then replace it with a new one.  I liked that idea when the vet tech had told me.  She said that once a needle had gone through anything that she considered it dull and would not stick it into a dog.  Sounded like good advice to me.  

 Old needle off, new one on and air pushed out.  Time to stick it into Luke.  I was nervous for sure; but I had to do it knowing full well I may have to do it again at some point in my life, right?  I grabbed Luke's scruff and prepared it for a stick.  He flinched a bit but was far less bothered by the process than I was.  He did look at me with those "why did you hurt" eyes.  But he was over it within seconds and back to sleep.  

 I just now finished giving him his second shot and it was much easier for me.  It has to be done so I will do it.  He didn't even flinch this time and nerves did not cause me to feel rushed to get it done.  He will be getting a shot for six weeks and we'll see if it makes a difference in his general energy level.  We will discuss further shots then.  I for one am very happy that I had to do it and now feel like I could actually stick someone with a needle if I was required to do so.