Yeah - I got balls!

The other day I got ready to hang up two comforters I had washed. The housedogs had been out, Polly was taken care of and it was time to let the three frontyard dogs help me.
So, carrying two large comforters in my arms, I marched out of the backdoor, over to the sidegate and opened the two gates for the girls to come into the backyard. In case you haven't read about the girls, they are lab mixes. Each at least 50 lbs. The have lived in my frontyard since I found them by the side of the road. Because there are three of them and only one of me, they have never been introduced to the housedogs - there is a point where even I chicken out.
So, out they come, happy to see me. Scooter smiling and singing, Mickey racing around and Squirt trying to get as close to me as possible.
Suddenly I heard this unmistakable bark - yap, yap, yap from between my feet. Here is 8 lb Sparky telling the girls where to go! He had scooted out between my feet without me noticing and now was checking out the girls. My girls are very friendly, so they tried to return the favor. You smell my butt, I smell yours - "Oh no!" Sparky was standing on his tippytoes trying to smell Squirt's tail and when Mickey tried to return the favor - he growled at her! And then at the other two as well! Mind you, he only has 3 teeth left, he is at least 15 years old - but that doesn't mean he isn't a man anymore!
The girls seemed to giggle a bit and kept advancing. That's when I scooped him up and put him in Grover's run. The rest of the "getting to know you" session was conducted through a fence. He never backed away from the fence and growled at them the whole time.
Yeah, maybe he was neutered along time ago, but he still got balls!

Whispy day

Today is beautiful, even if it is a bit windy. My Whispy's want to be outside, so do Dibbs and Molly. Sparky and Junior would rather play ball in the house. The wind still makes them shiver.

I am cheap - I don't use my dryer unless I absolutely have to. With the sun and the wind, today is a perfect clothes on the line day. So, I have done two and a half tons of laundry and taken them out to dry. This sounds easy enough, but the reality is a bit different. The washer beeps, I take the clothes out and load it anew. Climb over the divider, take Molly to her run. Now Tippy, Tylor and Lissa are at the divider and barking and jumping. From inside the house answering barks can be heard. Open the divider, open the door - out they go. Now go back in the house and round up those who should go but don't want to. Sheria needs her leash to be convinced. Daisy and Sparky get carried. Junior has to be lifted off the bed or couch and then chased. Joy has to be woke up and carried out. When I put her down, I keep my hands on her for a minute, making sure she'll not fall over. She has gotten so frail over the last year.

One more trip in the house for the clothesbasket and we are ready - off to the clothesline we go.

The Whispy's in the lead - excitement up ahead! There is a loose plastic roof that is waving in the breeze - "Boy, I haven't seen that before - there is something moving!" Tylor is barking and growling and stomping her frontfeet on the ground. Like a little blond groundhog - how cute can you be? Tippy, in typical bossbitch manner, charges right up to the piece of plastic, ready to defend her daughter if need be. She hasn't made a sound yet. Once there, she decides that Tylor is a whimp and turns around to go look for better fun. "That mean woman fixed all the holes in the fence yesterday, I can't get in there now. Let's see, should I go dig under the birdfeeder or under the tarp?" She decides on the birdfeeder and soon is mighty busy. Dirt is flying and I get concerned that she will get under the fence. But so far, we are safe.

In the meantime, a car passes by the fence on the driveway. Everybody but Tippy is racing along the fence to make the most of this barking opportunity. Tylor is in the lead - she is faster then most of mine. Sheria kind of hangs back, she is too snooty to actually compete with anybody. The car passes and the dogs are looking for something else to bark at. And wouldn't you know it, obligingly a turkey vulture appears in the sky. Rather close to our house. The barking starts. Even Tippy stops digging for a minute, she doesn't get to see too many of these big birds. They run around the yard, in whatever direction the bird decides to fly. He finally has enough and leaves. Sometimes I think the birds do that on purpose. They fly just low enough to get the dogs attention and then circle around the yard a while to see what the dogs will do. Well, the dogs go nuts, that's what they do.

By now, the clothes are on the line and we can go back in the house. That means everybody gets a treat. My Whispy's are greedy little piglets, they push themselves in front of the other dogs and jump and just can't wait. Sparky only has three teeth left, so I have to break his treats in lots of little pieces. He races to the stack of clean underpads I keep in the bedroom - one has to be prepared, you know. There, on his throne, he patiently waits for me. I stumble over dogbodies on my way to give him his treat and on the way back. Next is Daisy. Her treats don't need to be as small, but she only has molars left and so I do break her treats up and throw them into her crate. Next - everybody else. Tylor is like Daisy - a stomach on four legs. She will take her treat, swallow it hole and try for another. "Oh no no no, no you don't!" Sheria is in the living room, she does not push and shove, she knows I will get to her.

By the time I have concocted something that Joy will drink, the blaming washer beeps again.......

Mickey in the sun, Haiti

This is Mickey, the poop-retriever. One of the sweetest dogs that has ever lived. The girls are 11 years old, soon 12. The grey beard is starting to seriously show and that sometimes saddens me. They grow old so quick! I am giving them Glucosamine for prevention of joint trouble. As the larger dogs get older, they often develop arthritis and hiptrouble. Glucosamine can help prevent that or at least keep it at bay for a while longer. The girls are not showing any signs of arthritis yet and for that, I am thankful and glad.
A word about Haiti.
Watching the news, surfing the net, the pic's are inescapable. The devastation is tremendous and I can't begin to think what people are feeling. I watched a newscast where people were desperately looking for family members - it was so sad.
Thanks to toady's technology help is already there and more on the way. Canine search teams have arrived and are doing their job. My thoughts are with all those people and critters, the ones looking and the ones waiting to be found. What a position to be in! On either side. Hope they all get back safe after finding everyone who needs to be found.
There isn't a place or organization that isn't collecting goods and money for the relief effort. The military has already sent soldiers in to help. More are to come.
What a great country we live in! What a great and compassionate people we are! Yes, we have problems, people don't have a lot of money to spend, Christmas was a little less "presentfull" than we were used to - and still - something like this happens and we rally. We dig deep and find the last pennies in our pockets and in the sofa cushions and put them to good use. We send money, food, water, medical help and never think twice about it. How great is that? I am proud to be here and thankful for all of you who keep their hearts open and allow themselves to feel.
Keep safe and warm.

My Daisy, meeting new chamber members

I got up at 5 am this morning because I wanted to attend a chamber of commerce meeting. When I woke Polly up at 6:45, she asked me if I had a screw loose. "It is still dark outside, are you crazy?" I could barely make her move over on her perch - birds are not "live in the dark" creatures!
The meeting was very interesting and I met a few nice people. There is a new acupuncture place in the Briarwood Business Center. It's a husband and wife team named Harbour. Check them out at www.bluecraneacupuncture.com. They are very nice and animal friendly and are perfectly willing to discuss your pooches problem with you.
The dog in the picture is Daisy. She is a Chihuahua-Terrier and about 12 years old. Sometimes I swear she was born old. This is the dog who refused to go home because she liked my food better then her original owners....what guts in 14 lbs of dog!
Daisy is one of the most easy-going dogs I have ever met. She is willing to get along with anybody, so long as that anybody is not sniffing her tail or trying for her food. Her bark is her funniest feature. She sounds almost hoarse and doesn't sing like the other dogs, you know - bark, bark, bark. Hers is bark.....bark....bark. As if she has to think about it before saying it.
When Daisy licks my face it is with the very tip of her tongue, barely touching me. She likes to be snuggled but is not pushy (unlike the other Chi) and wouldn't dream of jumping in my lap. If I pick her up and put her there - that's a different story.
Daisy has attended several Humane Society events, has been to PetsMart and the PetCraze and always behaves like a little lady. I am glad to have her in my life.
Stay well and warm!

Chihuahua's

My Sparky (that's him in the pic, cleaning up his bowl) came to me through Hospice. His owner had passed and there was nowhere to go with the little fellow. I have NEVER regretted taking him in. He is now about 15 years old and still my "main man". I can take him anywhere, he loves everybody and everything.
If you happen to be looking for a Chihuahua and want a quality bred AKC dog, I would like to recommend this breeder:
www.diademchihuahuas.50megs.com
http://complete.younglivingworld.com/
www.secretsofmothernature.com/complete
Liz is all about bettering the breed and she loves her dogs very much. They are all house dogs, she starts their training when they are little and they get only good food.
Liz is a very responsible breeder and I am sure you will be impressed with her website and her dogs.

Winter

It is cold and getting colder. The little dogs don't want to go outside for any reason at all, even with their little coats on.
I am not the only person with this problem, I know most every small dog owner had to shovel paths in the snow so their dogs could do their business.
I am feeding my outside dogs almost twice as much as I normally do, the last time I heard anything about that, it was recommended to increase food by 20%. Well, I don't see my girls gaining any weight, so 20% must not take the cold into account. In the mornings I have taken to putting a little bacon grease on left-over bread and giving that to the girls. They think they are in heaven and I am assured that they have calories to burn.
At least the last week or so, it hasn't rained or snowed. I have a time trying to keep their bedding dry when the yard is a muddy mess. My poor wash machine is going non-stop, washing all their blankets.
A long time ago, an MD friend of the family advised us to hang up wet sheets and towels around the house to help keep humidity up and colds and sore noses and throats down. No problem there - blankies over every door!
Can't wait until it gets a little warmer, I know the little dogs can't either!
Stay warm and safe.

Peoplefood for Dogs

One night, as I was up to my elbows in chicken grease, I had the idea that If I was cooking for my dogs, and I always had somebody in need of chicken and rice, so must many other people. Thinking about how much work it is to cook this, and then all that clean-up, I thought I might be on to something. What if I cooked and froze and then sold it to people?
The next day I found out about how to make everything legal and than started getting my licenses etc., and Peoplefood for Dogs was born.
Here is what I do:
The very friendly and helpful butcher at Vista Foods agreed to tag my order for bone-less, skin-less chickenthighs on to his own. This way I make sure the meat I use is meant for human consumption and not second grade. When I get the thighs home, I cook them. I drain the broth into seperate pots and put it in the freezer overnight. The meat is run through a grinder and stored in the fridge. Next morning all the fat that now is on top of the broth is thrown away. Then I cook either rice or oatmeal in the broth. Ready to make food!
I have a restaurant mixer and that is how I mix all the ingredients together. I refuse to sell you water, so there are only the ingredients - I do not add water for processing.
The mix is put in plastic cups, weighed and then frozen. Ready for you to buy and for your dog to enjoy!