Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Pet Food Recall Category: Pets and Animals
Most of the people in the US have heard of the pet food recall by now that is associated with kidney/renal failure and affects many brands. Please refer to these sites for more information:
http://www.petconnection.com http://www.menufoods.com/recall/product_dog.htmlhttp://www.menufoods.com/recall
In addition, please review the following information and contribute anything you think might be of value for their research:
Crossposting requested.I'm a contributing editor at Universal Press Syndicate's Pet Connection, and we have created a central information area about the pet food recall. While we're still investigating this, it's apparent to all of us that many more pets have died and been made ill than are currently being reported - particularly cats. We have set up a database to receive reports from owners of affected pets, and are also interested in talking to vets who have treated them. We'll have more information on Monday.Please visit http://www.petconnection.com for up to date information or if you have a pet who became ill from eating recalled foods.Christie KeithContributing Editor, Universal Press Syndicate's Pet Connectionhttp://www.petconnection.com
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Congrats Patrick & Gator!`
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Congrats Patrick & Gator! Current mood: excited Category: Pets and Animals
We're really proud of our little guy and the work that the Ikes have done with him. They have tried several different foods and based on the recommendation of the handler of the #1 pug, we have added the freeze-dried BARF to his diet and it is really helping him fill out where he needs to. He did pretty good down in Nashville, taking second place all 3 days. This weekend in KY started out kind of rough, though. He wasn't feeling quite himself, got all worked up and threw up several times. So he got pulled from showing to let his system get back to normal and take the stress off. This morning he was feeling better, though, so Patrick took him in the ring. Even though he had lost his weight and was looking pretty rough, he still took 3rd place out of 8 dogs in open class! We're looking forward to what the summer has to bring for all the dogs the Ikes are handling!
Congrats Patrick & Gator! Current mood: excited Category: Pets and Animals
We're really proud of our little guy and the work that the Ikes have done with him. They have tried several different foods and based on the recommendation of the handler of the #1 pug, we have added the freeze-dried BARF to his diet and it is really helping him fill out where he needs to. He did pretty good down in Nashville, taking second place all 3 days. This weekend in KY started out kind of rough, though. He wasn't feeling quite himself, got all worked up and threw up several times. So he got pulled from showing to let his system get back to normal and take the stress off. This morning he was feeling better, though, so Patrick took him in the ring. Even though he had lost his weight and was looking pretty rough, he still took 3rd place out of 8 dogs in open class! We're looking forward to what the summer has to bring for all the dogs the Ikes are handling!
Dog Allergies
Dog Allergies? Category: Pets and Animals
Wondering what has your dog itching? There are so many factors that could be affecting your dog. Gator had a mysterious itch and it turned out that if he goes into grass where birds have been and runs into the mites that had been on the birds, then he gets an itch. It took an animal communicator to figure that one out! But for the average dog, it will be something much more simple. Here is a superb article for helping a person figure out what might be causing that itch in their pet:
http://archives.zinester.com/15495/99245.html
The body is so full of incredible intricacies, with bodily functions being interdependent. Many people are unaware of the relationship between the gut and allergies. The intestines need good bacteria, also called probiotics, to counteract the bad bacteria that is ingested. And unless you eat yogurt or kefir or take probiotics intentionally, chances are you're not getting enough good bacteria in your system. This can lead to imbalances that can be seen in poor digestion, cramping, diarrhea, and many other intestinal issues. Damage can be done to the intestinal walls, parasites thrive in the poor conditions, and these nasty hosts can enter into other areas of your body through the damaged walls. There are theorists who link degenerative diseases to problems that initiated in the intestines. I strongly reccomend reading into nutrition and probiotics to get a better understanding as to how it might affect both people and pets.
In my research, I ran across a site talking about how there was a study that took children from families who had several generations of problems with allergies and they put those children on probiotics for the first portion of their lives. They grew into relatively allergy-free adults. Based on this study, they gave puppies probiotics the first 6 months of their lives, and even those coming from lines plagued with allergies, they remained allergy-free. (Unfortunatelly I found the article while web browsing and have been unable to find it again.)
We give our puppies colustrum and probiotics mixed in with their puppy food as they are being weaned. You can be assured that the puppies that come from us in late 2006 and after have been provided their initial doses of probiotics and we highly recommend that any new owners follow through with this routine. Just take a couple spoonfuls of moist dog food, mix it with some lukewarm bottled water, and sprinkle a bit of probiotics and any other supplements you wish to give to the pup and let them have their special treat for the day. They love it! And it gives them a great start in life. The same treat can be given to adults showing signs of allergies or itching and over a period of a couple of months you should notice a difference. It might sound like a long time, but repairing the damage that was done over a long time is not an easy fix.
Wondering what has your dog itching? There are so many factors that could be affecting your dog. Gator had a mysterious itch and it turned out that if he goes into grass where birds have been and runs into the mites that had been on the birds, then he gets an itch. It took an animal communicator to figure that one out! But for the average dog, it will be something much more simple. Here is a superb article for helping a person figure out what might be causing that itch in their pet:
http://archives.zinester.com/15495/99245.html
The body is so full of incredible intricacies, with bodily functions being interdependent. Many people are unaware of the relationship between the gut and allergies. The intestines need good bacteria, also called probiotics, to counteract the bad bacteria that is ingested. And unless you eat yogurt or kefir or take probiotics intentionally, chances are you're not getting enough good bacteria in your system. This can lead to imbalances that can be seen in poor digestion, cramping, diarrhea, and many other intestinal issues. Damage can be done to the intestinal walls, parasites thrive in the poor conditions, and these nasty hosts can enter into other areas of your body through the damaged walls. There are theorists who link degenerative diseases to problems that initiated in the intestines. I strongly reccomend reading into nutrition and probiotics to get a better understanding as to how it might affect both people and pets.
In my research, I ran across a site talking about how there was a study that took children from families who had several generations of problems with allergies and they put those children on probiotics for the first portion of their lives. They grew into relatively allergy-free adults. Based on this study, they gave puppies probiotics the first 6 months of their lives, and even those coming from lines plagued with allergies, they remained allergy-free. (Unfortunatelly I found the article while web browsing and have been unable to find it again.)
We give our puppies colustrum and probiotics mixed in with their puppy food as they are being weaned. You can be assured that the puppies that come from us in late 2006 and after have been provided their initial doses of probiotics and we highly recommend that any new owners follow through with this routine. Just take a couple spoonfuls of moist dog food, mix it with some lukewarm bottled water, and sprinkle a bit of probiotics and any other supplements you wish to give to the pup and let them have their special treat for the day. They love it! And it gives them a great start in life. The same treat can be given to adults showing signs of allergies or itching and over a period of a couple of months you should notice a difference. It might sound like a long time, but repairing the damage that was done over a long time is not an easy fix.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Naming Jolene
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Naming Jolene Category: Pets and Animals
We have been playing around with a lot of names for Jolene. You know, sometimes dogs just seem to name themselves. For instance, her call name, Jolene, just appeared in my mind and I couldn't shake it. It's not that I'm attracted to the name, or that I thought that one day I'd use it to name a pup. No, it just popped in and wouldn't leave. With her mother being named Josephine and being called JoJo, it is kind of nice to have her daughter named after her with somewhat of a derivative of her name. And as to her official name, we've been round about with all sorts of possibilities.
What's neat about Jolene is that (when she's not in a flurry of activity and is actually sitting still) she has this really cool thumprint on her forehead. It's a perfect diamond shape. You can kind of see it right in the middle of her forehead in this picture taken today while the pups were outside playing:
What's neat is that she has an ancestor named CH Candyland's Precocious Jewel who went by the callname Jewels. And I found a picture of her above.
Check it out! She has the same diamond on the forehead! So now I'm thinking that Jewel should be somewhere in her official name. Just waiting to hear what the breeders think about it :) Then I'll need to buy her a tiara for special occasions!!
Naming Jolene Category: Pets and Animals
We have been playing around with a lot of names for Jolene. You know, sometimes dogs just seem to name themselves. For instance, her call name, Jolene, just appeared in my mind and I couldn't shake it. It's not that I'm attracted to the name, or that I thought that one day I'd use it to name a pup. No, it just popped in and wouldn't leave. With her mother being named Josephine and being called JoJo, it is kind of nice to have her daughter named after her with somewhat of a derivative of her name. And as to her official name, we've been round about with all sorts of possibilities.
What's neat about Jolene is that (when she's not in a flurry of activity and is actually sitting still) she has this really cool thumprint on her forehead. It's a perfect diamond shape. You can kind of see it right in the middle of her forehead in this picture taken today while the pups were outside playing:
What's neat is that she has an ancestor named CH Candyland's Precocious Jewel who went by the callname Jewels. And I found a picture of her above.
Check it out! She has the same diamond on the forehead! So now I'm thinking that Jewel should be somewhere in her official name. Just waiting to hear what the breeders think about it :) Then I'll need to buy her a tiara for special occasions!!
First Day Outside
First Day Outside! Current mood: giddy Category: Pets and Animals
Thank goodness spring is here! Today was beautiful and warm and the first day out for all the puppies. The ex-pen was set up in the yard and they were out to enjoy the sunshine and the earth. They played, dug up their first dirt, foraged for pieces of moss, and ran with twigs. It was a great day! One or two weren't happy about being out at first in the big, scary world, with the sounds of the cars driving by. But pretty soon they loosened up and had fun.
Some neighborhood kids came by and gave the pups some great socializing. Ellie's pups weren't too sure about the new people, but once they warmed up, they had a blast. It's not every day you get such a smorgasbord of fingers to nibble and shoelaces to pull, after all!
After all that activity, I had enough energy to get two of Ellie's up to the "studio" and took a couple of pictures. This framed picture above is my favorite. They were so sweet together!
Thank goodness spring is here! Today was beautiful and warm and the first day out for all the puppies. The ex-pen was set up in the yard and they were out to enjoy the sunshine and the earth. They played, dug up their first dirt, foraged for pieces of moss, and ran with twigs. It was a great day! One or two weren't happy about being out at first in the big, scary world, with the sounds of the cars driving by. But pretty soon they loosened up and had fun.
Some neighborhood kids came by and gave the pups some great socializing. Ellie's pups weren't too sure about the new people, but once they warmed up, they had a blast. It's not every day you get such a smorgasbord of fingers to nibble and shoelaces to pull, after all!
After all that activity, I had enough energy to get two of Ellie's up to the "studio" and took a couple of pictures. This framed picture above is my favorite. They were so sweet together!
1 vs 100 Pug Style
Pugs in the toy basketFriday, March 02, 2007
1 vs 100 pug style Category: Pets and Animals
This morning we had the pug version of 1 vs. 100. Jolene was feeling even more spunky than usual, if that's possible. And she took on all the big dogs. She is the only one that easily fits under the green chair in the living room, so she would dart out, bite at their feet, then run back under the chair. They were all just waiting to get themselves a piece of Jolene, but she is lickety-split quick! Maybe we should include "greased lightning" somewhere in her name. I had to put her back with the puppies before she had the adults ticked off.
Ellie's puppies are cracking me up. They're at that stage where they're trying to take on the world. They stand on the floor, take all 4 paws and stomp them, while stomping around in a circle looking for a challenge. Then they'll bark randomly to see what trouble they can stir up. When they're in the pen, they'll search for my voice and my face. But when on the floor, they prefer chasing feet. Time to pull out the super fuzzy socks and really make their day!
Daisy is doing much, much better. Although she makes some of the world's best puppies, this pregnancy has just been too much on her. So she'll be retired and will enjoy the leisurely life of being pampered and just being a nanny to other puppies (which she loves to do!).
Isabelle is sporting a lovely new pink Puppia harness. Will have to get pictures up. Our resident model is more than willing to pose as soon as we get on the ball! I can't tell you how many puppy pictures Isabelle has walked in front of. She is a camera hound and will sit perfectly for any shot.
1 vs 100 pug style Category: Pets and Animals
This morning we had the pug version of 1 vs. 100. Jolene was feeling even more spunky than usual, if that's possible. And she took on all the big dogs. She is the only one that easily fits under the green chair in the living room, so she would dart out, bite at their feet, then run back under the chair. They were all just waiting to get themselves a piece of Jolene, but she is lickety-split quick! Maybe we should include "greased lightning" somewhere in her name. I had to put her back with the puppies before she had the adults ticked off.
Ellie's puppies are cracking me up. They're at that stage where they're trying to take on the world. They stand on the floor, take all 4 paws and stomp them, while stomping around in a circle looking for a challenge. Then they'll bark randomly to see what trouble they can stir up. When they're in the pen, they'll search for my voice and my face. But when on the floor, they prefer chasing feet. Time to pull out the super fuzzy socks and really make their day!
Daisy is doing much, much better. Although she makes some of the world's best puppies, this pregnancy has just been too much on her. So she'll be retired and will enjoy the leisurely life of being pampered and just being a nanny to other puppies (which she loves to do!).
Isabelle is sporting a lovely new pink Puppia harness. Will have to get pictures up. Our resident model is more than willing to pose as soon as we get on the ball! I can't tell you how many puppy pictures Isabelle has walked in front of. She is a camera hound and will sit perfectly for any shot.
Jolene the Hoarder
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Jolene the Hoarder Category: Pets and Animals
Jolene seems wonderfully happy and at ease whenever she's put in with Daisy's pups. And I think we finally figured out why. She plays gently with them, so it's not like she beats them up being smaller than her. However, she can STEAL their toys very easily. She will grab a toy and march off to her place of choice. The first treasure chest was the bolster bed. She had so many in there that no one could sleep there anymore! When I picked up the bolster bed for it's occasional wash, and I put all the toys back in the basket, she took them all to the crate, instead.
The pups don't seem to mind. When I fill up the toy basket, they climb in and sleep on the plush toys. Then they eventually knock it over, start to play with the toys until Jolene hides them all, then they get back into the basket and roll it around to another part of the room. Then they pack as many as they can into the tipped basket until they get top-heavy and tilt it right-side-up again. Then they all climb out until it's the last man standing, then he tips it over and they're off and running again. I had no idea how much fun a $3 wicker basket could be!!
Mulan has gone to her new home where she is raising cain, climbing into bags of cat food, holding her leash in her mouth and streaking through the house, and talking smack to all the other animals in the house. Ahhh, finally fullfilling life's purpose ;)
Ellie's pups are getting out and about more. The more time they spend out of the whelping pen, the more adventurous they are becoming. They have made it into the other rooms and are actively playing with mom and getting downright feisty! They go in for their first set of shots Monday and then they can start getting some more exposure.
Thank goodness it finally warmed up! I took Shang over to the municipal building the other day where he followed the chief of police around the office. Maybe he'll be a K9 cop one day??
Jolene the Hoarder Category: Pets and Animals
Jolene seems wonderfully happy and at ease whenever she's put in with Daisy's pups. And I think we finally figured out why. She plays gently with them, so it's not like she beats them up being smaller than her. However, she can STEAL their toys very easily. She will grab a toy and march off to her place of choice. The first treasure chest was the bolster bed. She had so many in there that no one could sleep there anymore! When I picked up the bolster bed for it's occasional wash, and I put all the toys back in the basket, she took them all to the crate, instead.
The pups don't seem to mind. When I fill up the toy basket, they climb in and sleep on the plush toys. Then they eventually knock it over, start to play with the toys until Jolene hides them all, then they get back into the basket and roll it around to another part of the room. Then they pack as many as they can into the tipped basket until they get top-heavy and tilt it right-side-up again. Then they all climb out until it's the last man standing, then he tips it over and they're off and running again. I had no idea how much fun a $3 wicker basket could be!!
Mulan has gone to her new home where she is raising cain, climbing into bags of cat food, holding her leash in her mouth and streaking through the house, and talking smack to all the other animals in the house. Ahhh, finally fullfilling life's purpose ;)
Ellie's pups are getting out and about more. The more time they spend out of the whelping pen, the more adventurous they are becoming. They have made it into the other rooms and are actively playing with mom and getting downright feisty! They go in for their first set of shots Monday and then they can start getting some more exposure.
Thank goodness it finally warmed up! I took Shang over to the municipal building the other day where he followed the chief of police around the office. Maybe he'll be a K9 cop one day??
Updates
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Updates Category: Pets and Animals
Lots and lots going on around here. Ellie's pups are starting to prefer food over mom's milk and are eating like little piggy pigs. They are letting me know when they're hungry and helping me wake up in the morning so that I can run and get their breakfast. They have been spending more time out and about and are getting curious about more of their surroundings. They're interacting great with the adults and they've been begging for new pictures, so I need to get on the ball and oblige them!!
Daisy's have taken over the office. There is a wicker basket full of toys and lately more and more of them have been found sleeping in the basket on the plush toys. I was at home eating supper last night and Mulan told me that the pups were out of water. So we took care of that right away and she was the #1 star of the pups for a while! They will be 8 weeks old on Friday - where did the time go??
Tony was playing with the dogs the other day and told Petunia she looked like Olive Oil. I about fell out of my chair because she DOES look like Olive Oil. You just have to see her in person. Too funny.
Gator is back out on the road. Patrick is getting him all ready and fattened up to go take on the challenges of the ring again. Letting him show his manly studliness. His head gets bigger with each show he goes to and he is really letting this "I'm da bomb" thing get out of control. So we're going to definitely have to revisit some obedience when he gets back to see if we can cut down on his wanting to throw his weight around. But between you and me, he really is da bomb. Oh so handsome!
And the most exciting news of all - we have a new member of the family! As you know, we've been selectively breeding trying to get closer and closer to a show pug, and we just added our first high falutin' real deal show pug to the family. Although her lines say that she is a distinguished and cultured lady, she isn't above eating the smaller puppies' kibble, stealing toys when she can, taking over the sofa and trying to kick Tony off, and demanding that we cater to her every wish. She's a true blue pug and is working hard on getting everyone here wrapped around her paw. And if we don't immediately cave to her wishes, she does a very convincing imitation of the frenchie death yodel.
Updates Category: Pets and Animals
Lots and lots going on around here. Ellie's pups are starting to prefer food over mom's milk and are eating like little piggy pigs. They are letting me know when they're hungry and helping me wake up in the morning so that I can run and get their breakfast. They have been spending more time out and about and are getting curious about more of their surroundings. They're interacting great with the adults and they've been begging for new pictures, so I need to get on the ball and oblige them!!
Daisy's have taken over the office. There is a wicker basket full of toys and lately more and more of them have been found sleeping in the basket on the plush toys. I was at home eating supper last night and Mulan told me that the pups were out of water. So we took care of that right away and she was the #1 star of the pups for a while! They will be 8 weeks old on Friday - where did the time go??
Tony was playing with the dogs the other day and told Petunia she looked like Olive Oil. I about fell out of my chair because she DOES look like Olive Oil. You just have to see her in person. Too funny.
Gator is back out on the road. Patrick is getting him all ready and fattened up to go take on the challenges of the ring again. Letting him show his manly studliness. His head gets bigger with each show he goes to and he is really letting this "I'm da bomb" thing get out of control. So we're going to definitely have to revisit some obedience when he gets back to see if we can cut down on his wanting to throw his weight around. But between you and me, he really is da bomb. Oh so handsome!
And the most exciting news of all - we have a new member of the family! As you know, we've been selectively breeding trying to get closer and closer to a show pug, and we just added our first high falutin' real deal show pug to the family. Although her lines say that she is a distinguished and cultured lady, she isn't above eating the smaller puppies' kibble, stealing toys when she can, taking over the sofa and trying to kick Tony off, and demanding that we cater to her every wish. She's a true blue pug and is working hard on getting everyone here wrapped around her paw. And if we don't immediately cave to her wishes, she does a very convincing imitation of the frenchie death yodel.
Heat Therapy?
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Heat Therapy? Category: Pets and Animals
Along with the snow came use of the might shovel and triggering of an old back injury. I've been immobile and useless the past few days. Yesterday was so bad that my mom came over to help me convalesce and she brought with her, among other things, those really cool thera-cure heating pads for the back that you can activate and wear under your clothes at work. I've been wanting to try them, so I was pretty excited about that!
This morning I had too many appointments to cancel, so I sucked it up and went into work. When I got home, all the dogs were willing to go outside, even Isabelle! I chalked it up to slightly warmer temperatures and cabin fever. However, when we came back in, I noticed several of them ran straight for the bedroom.
As I entered the room behind them, I saw the carnage. Cardboard was torn, chewed and spread all over the room. So much for the theracure box that had been safely on my desk in the office, or so I thought. When I moved the huddled group of 3 dogs in the middle of the bed, I was stunned. Under them was one of the back packs, opened and heating them up like a toasty heating pad. Isabelle didn't mind going outside because she had a toasty warm place waiting for her return!
Daisy's pups are fitting right into daily life and routine. They spend most of their time between the living room and the office (formerly the dining room). The food and water bowls are placed where the two rooms join, and they also have a supply in their crate when they are tucked safely away. They have been on dry food now, free-feeding, for a little over a week with their supplements once a day. Their preferred method of eating is to pile as many pups into a single bowl as possible like teenagers cramming into a volkswagon.
Food is very important to them all and they hate to be left out. One day Rizzo was at the far side of the living room and heard munching. Her ears perked up, she tossed her head, let out a yarf, and went running for the food bowl, jumping on top of the pile and knocking another puppy out of the bowl. The next day, she was foraging under the office desk for treasures and I called her from the living room. She cocked her head, focused on the sound, and came runnning at me full throttle with those feet a flying. However, as she passed the food bowl, she came to a screeching halt and jumped in. So much for wanting to spend time with people.
Ellie's are doing great. They are full-fledged pugs now. They want to be in on the action, they are all about the food, and they do their cute little feed me dance when I bring on the chow. They are much more interested in the outside world and are ready to do some investigating.
Hoping to get some new pictures up soon!
Heat Therapy? Category: Pets and Animals
Along with the snow came use of the might shovel and triggering of an old back injury. I've been immobile and useless the past few days. Yesterday was so bad that my mom came over to help me convalesce and she brought with her, among other things, those really cool thera-cure heating pads for the back that you can activate and wear under your clothes at work. I've been wanting to try them, so I was pretty excited about that!
This morning I had too many appointments to cancel, so I sucked it up and went into work. When I got home, all the dogs were willing to go outside, even Isabelle! I chalked it up to slightly warmer temperatures and cabin fever. However, when we came back in, I noticed several of them ran straight for the bedroom.
As I entered the room behind them, I saw the carnage. Cardboard was torn, chewed and spread all over the room. So much for the theracure box that had been safely on my desk in the office, or so I thought. When I moved the huddled group of 3 dogs in the middle of the bed, I was stunned. Under them was one of the back packs, opened and heating them up like a toasty heating pad. Isabelle didn't mind going outside because she had a toasty warm place waiting for her return!
Daisy's pups are fitting right into daily life and routine. They spend most of their time between the living room and the office (formerly the dining room). The food and water bowls are placed where the two rooms join, and they also have a supply in their crate when they are tucked safely away. They have been on dry food now, free-feeding, for a little over a week with their supplements once a day. Their preferred method of eating is to pile as many pups into a single bowl as possible like teenagers cramming into a volkswagon.
Food is very important to them all and they hate to be left out. One day Rizzo was at the far side of the living room and heard munching. Her ears perked up, she tossed her head, let out a yarf, and went running for the food bowl, jumping on top of the pile and knocking another puppy out of the bowl. The next day, she was foraging under the office desk for treasures and I called her from the living room. She cocked her head, focused on the sound, and came runnning at me full throttle with those feet a flying. However, as she passed the food bowl, she came to a screeching halt and jumped in. So much for wanting to spend time with people.
Ellie's are doing great. They are full-fledged pugs now. They want to be in on the action, they are all about the food, and they do their cute little feed me dance when I bring on the chow. They are much more interested in the outside world and are ready to do some investigating.
Hoping to get some new pictures up soon!
Sooooooo Cold Outside
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Sooooo cold outside Current mood: cold Category: Pets and Animals
Here we are in mid-winter with some serious snow and well below-freezing temperatures. At first the dogs loved it. Fresh snow, they'd run and play and speed around the yard, chasing each other and kicking up the snowflakes. But after the novelty wore off, they realized it was kind of cold out there. They'd pick up feet, limping on the way back in, making every attempt possible to touch the cold ground with the least amount of paws.
They would still humor me and at least run outside to use the bathroom if I go out with them. After all, they can't just let me go out by myself. But now the snow is deeper, the drifts are unfriendly, and the depth is taller than their legs. Some of the more adventurous ones still bounded through the snow and Petunia is so light she can almost walk on top of it, but most of them are meandering outside, looking off the deck, deeming it too deep and using the bathroom on the deck. I keep trying to clear them a place in the yard, but the wind blows it over about as soon as I get some headway made.
Yesterday they really caught on. I only got 3 of them to even go outside to look, and the rest opted for the puppy pads. I can't blame Daisy - her nursing area hangs down and drags on the snow and I can't say I'd like that much, either. Ellie Mae starts shivering when she stands at the door and looks outside, then gives me the big brown eye look (I call it her Ren & Stimpy look).
But the biggest wussie of all is Isabella, hands down even though she has the healthiest layer of insulative fat out of all of them. She hasn't gone outside for a week, unless I have physically tossed her out the door. When I wake up for the morning ask if they want to go outside, instead of at least going to the door and looking, she jumps off the bed and makes a beeline for the register vent in the living room and sits on it, looking all sorts of pitiful. Letting me know she's far too frail to allow her body temperature to drop. In fact, it's sheer torture for her to go into the kitchen where the temperature is only 68 instead of 73. But for all her blustering and airs, I did catch her playing outside of her own accord several times at the beginning of the week. Busted!
Sooooo cold outside Current mood: cold Category: Pets and Animals
Here we are in mid-winter with some serious snow and well below-freezing temperatures. At first the dogs loved it. Fresh snow, they'd run and play and speed around the yard, chasing each other and kicking up the snowflakes. But after the novelty wore off, they realized it was kind of cold out there. They'd pick up feet, limping on the way back in, making every attempt possible to touch the cold ground with the least amount of paws.
They would still humor me and at least run outside to use the bathroom if I go out with them. After all, they can't just let me go out by myself. But now the snow is deeper, the drifts are unfriendly, and the depth is taller than their legs. Some of the more adventurous ones still bounded through the snow and Petunia is so light she can almost walk on top of it, but most of them are meandering outside, looking off the deck, deeming it too deep and using the bathroom on the deck. I keep trying to clear them a place in the yard, but the wind blows it over about as soon as I get some headway made.
Yesterday they really caught on. I only got 3 of them to even go outside to look, and the rest opted for the puppy pads. I can't blame Daisy - her nursing area hangs down and drags on the snow and I can't say I'd like that much, either. Ellie Mae starts shivering when she stands at the door and looks outside, then gives me the big brown eye look (I call it her Ren & Stimpy look).
But the biggest wussie of all is Isabella, hands down even though she has the healthiest layer of insulative fat out of all of them. She hasn't gone outside for a week, unless I have physically tossed her out the door. When I wake up for the morning ask if they want to go outside, instead of at least going to the door and looking, she jumps off the bed and makes a beeline for the register vent in the living room and sits on it, looking all sorts of pitiful. Letting me know she's far too frail to allow her body temperature to drop. In fact, it's sheer torture for her to go into the kitchen where the temperature is only 68 instead of 73. But for all her blustering and airs, I did catch her playing outside of her own accord several times at the beginning of the week. Busted!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Heat Therapy?
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Heat Therapy?
Category: Pets and Animals
Along with the snow came use of the might shovel and triggering of an old back injury. I've been immobile and useless the past few days. Yesterday was so bad that my mom came over to help me convalesce and she brought with her, among other things, those really cool thera-cure heating pads for the back that you can activate and wear under your clothes at work. I've been wanting to try them, so I was pretty excited about that!
This morning I had too many appointments to cancel, so I sucked it up and went into work. When I got home, all the dogs were willing to go outside, even Isabelle! I chalked it up to slightly warmer temperatures and cabin fever. However, when we came back in, I noticed several of them ran straight for the bedroom.
As I entered the room behind them, I saw the carnage. Cardboard was torn, chewed and spread all over the room. So much for the theracure box that had been safely on my desk in the office, or so I thought. When I moved the huddled group of 3 dogs in the middle of the bed, I was stunned. Under them was one of the back packs, opened and heating them up like a toasty heating pad. Isabelle didn't mind going outside because she had a toasty warm place waiting for her return!
Daisy's pups are fitting right into daily life and routine. They spend most of their time between the living room and the office (formerly the dining room). The food and water bowls are placed where the two rooms join, and they also have a supply in their crate when they are tucked safely away. They have been on dry food now, free-feeding, for a little over a week with their supplements once a day. Their preferred method of eating is to pile as many pups into a single bowl as possible like teenagers cramming into a volkswagon.
Food is very important to them all and they hate to be left out. One day Rizzo was at the far side of the living room and heard munching. Her ears perked up, she tossed her head, let out a yarf, and went running for the food bowl, jumping on top of the pile and knocking another puppy out of the bowl. The next day, she was foraging under the office desk for treasures and I called her from the living room. She cocked her head, focused on the sound, and came runnning at me full throttle with those feet a flying. However, as she passed the food bowl, she came to a screeching halt and jumped in. So much for wanting to spend time with people.
Ellie's are doing great. They are full-fledged pugs now. They want to be in on the action, they are all about the food, and they do their cute little feed me dance when I bring on the chow. They are much more interested in the outside world and are ready to do some investigating.
Hoping to get some new pictures up soon!
Heat Therapy?
Category: Pets and Animals
Along with the snow came use of the might shovel and triggering of an old back injury. I've been immobile and useless the past few days. Yesterday was so bad that my mom came over to help me convalesce and she brought with her, among other things, those really cool thera-cure heating pads for the back that you can activate and wear under your clothes at work. I've been wanting to try them, so I was pretty excited about that!
This morning I had too many appointments to cancel, so I sucked it up and went into work. When I got home, all the dogs were willing to go outside, even Isabelle! I chalked it up to slightly warmer temperatures and cabin fever. However, when we came back in, I noticed several of them ran straight for the bedroom.
As I entered the room behind them, I saw the carnage. Cardboard was torn, chewed and spread all over the room. So much for the theracure box that had been safely on my desk in the office, or so I thought. When I moved the huddled group of 3 dogs in the middle of the bed, I was stunned. Under them was one of the back packs, opened and heating them up like a toasty heating pad. Isabelle didn't mind going outside because she had a toasty warm place waiting for her return!
Daisy's pups are fitting right into daily life and routine. They spend most of their time between the living room and the office (formerly the dining room). The food and water bowls are placed where the two rooms join, and they also have a supply in their crate when they are tucked safely away. They have been on dry food now, free-feeding, for a little over a week with their supplements once a day. Their preferred method of eating is to pile as many pups into a single bowl as possible like teenagers cramming into a volkswagon.
Food is very important to them all and they hate to be left out. One day Rizzo was at the far side of the living room and heard munching. Her ears perked up, she tossed her head, let out a yarf, and went running for the food bowl, jumping on top of the pile and knocking another puppy out of the bowl. The next day, she was foraging under the office desk for treasures and I called her from the living room. She cocked her head, focused on the sound, and came runnning at me full throttle with those feet a flying. However, as she passed the food bowl, she came to a screeching halt and jumped in. So much for wanting to spend time with people.
Ellie's are doing great. They are full-fledged pugs now. They want to be in on the action, they are all about the food, and they do their cute little feed me dance when I bring on the chow. They are much more interested in the outside world and are ready to do some investigating.
Hoping to get some new pictures up soon!
Soooooo Cold Outside
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Sooooo cold outside
Current mood: cold
Category: Pets and Animals
Here we are in mid-winter with some serious snow and well below-freezing temperatures. At first the dogs loved it. Fresh snow, they'd run and play and speed around the yard, chasing each other and kicking up the snowflakes. But after the novelty wore off, they realized it was kind of cold out there. They'd pick up feet, limping on the way back in, making every attempt possible to touch the cold ground with the least amount of paws.
They would still humor me and at least run outside to use the bathroom if I go out with them. After all, they can't just let me go out by myself. But now the snow is deeper, the drifts are unfriendly, and the depth is taller than their legs. Some of the more adventurous ones still bounded through the snow and Petunia is so light she can almost walk on top of it, but most of them are meandering outside, looking off the deck, deeming it too deep and using the bathroom on the deck. I keep trying to clear them a place in the yard, but the wind blows it over about as soon as I get some headway made.
Yesterday they really caught on. I only got 3 of them to even go outside to look, and the rest opted for the puppy pads. I can't blame Daisy - her nursing area hangs down and drags on the snow and I can't say I'd like that much, either. Ellie Mae starts shivering when she stands at the door and looks outside, then gives me the big brown eye look (I call it her Ren & Stimpy look).
But the biggest wussie of all is Isabella, hands down even though she has the healthiest layer of insulative fat out of all of them. She hasn't gone outside for a week, unless I have physically tossed her out the door. When I wake up for the morning ask if they want to go outside, instead of at least going to the door and looking, she jumps off the bed and makes a beeline for the register vent in the living room and sits on it, looking all sorts of pitiful. Letting me know she's far too frail to allow her body temperature to drop. In fact, it's sheer torture for her to go into the kitchen where the temperature is only 68 instead of 73. But for all her blustering and airs, I did catch her playing outside of her own accord several times at the beginning of the week. Busted!
Sooooo cold outside
Current mood: cold
Category: Pets and Animals
Here we are in mid-winter with some serious snow and well below-freezing temperatures. At first the dogs loved it. Fresh snow, they'd run and play and speed around the yard, chasing each other and kicking up the snowflakes. But after the novelty wore off, they realized it was kind of cold out there. They'd pick up feet, limping on the way back in, making every attempt possible to touch the cold ground with the least amount of paws.
They would still humor me and at least run outside to use the bathroom if I go out with them. After all, they can't just let me go out by myself. But now the snow is deeper, the drifts are unfriendly, and the depth is taller than their legs. Some of the more adventurous ones still bounded through the snow and Petunia is so light she can almost walk on top of it, but most of them are meandering outside, looking off the deck, deeming it too deep and using the bathroom on the deck. I keep trying to clear them a place in the yard, but the wind blows it over about as soon as I get some headway made.
Yesterday they really caught on. I only got 3 of them to even go outside to look, and the rest opted for the puppy pads. I can't blame Daisy - her nursing area hangs down and drags on the snow and I can't say I'd like that much, either. Ellie Mae starts shivering when she stands at the door and looks outside, then gives me the big brown eye look (I call it her Ren & Stimpy look).
But the biggest wussie of all is Isabella, hands down even though she has the healthiest layer of insulative fat out of all of them. She hasn't gone outside for a week, unless I have physically tossed her out the door. When I wake up for the morning ask if they want to go outside, instead of at least going to the door and looking, she jumps off the bed and makes a beeline for the register vent in the living room and sits on it, looking all sorts of pitiful. Letting me know she's far too frail to allow her body temperature to drop. In fact, it's sheer torture for her to go into the kitchen where the temperature is only 68 instead of 73. But for all her blustering and airs, I did catch her playing outside of her own accord several times at the beginning of the week. Busted!
Fabio & His Toys Part II
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Fabio & his toys part II
Category: Pets and Animals
I noticed the other day that many of the toys are starting to look bedraggled around here. I found some toys on sale and got even more through a catalog order and now the puppies have a wide variety of fun things to entertain them. Fabio found the stash and got all excited. While his head was stuck deep in the basket of toys sniffing, his back legs were excitedly kicking around and moving his whole back end back and forth.
Ah-hah! The first toy of choice was a yellow duckie. It fit the mouth perfectly, squeeked ever so wonderfully, and was promptly stolen by Mariah within 3 seconds.
Never fear, there are many toys in the basket. Next up - a green elf. Interesting texture on the legs, fun to toss in the air and push around on the floor with the nose. Yep, this will do. Promptly stolen by Mariah within 15 seconds.
Five toys later, it was time for all the dogs to go outside to use the bathroom. I found Mariah's stash tucked away in the corner of the couch for safe keeping. Poor Fabio. So when it came time to crate him, I put the yellow duckie in with him and he contentedly squeeked it as we fell asleep that night. Mariah had no further interest in the toys and instead sucked up to Tony for a frequent belly rub.
7:50 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Monday, February 12, 2007
Turning into real pugs
Category: Pets and Animals
This morning at around 4am-ish, Ellie told me she was tired. The pups were starting to get to her and she'd appreciate a break from feeding. I asked her if she could wait till the alarm went off and I'd feed them for her. So this morning the pups got their first taste of something other than mother's milk. They dove in, wallowed around, and played with their food. Mom cleaned up their leftovers and their fur and made the nest all tidy again. At lunch they got more and even peeked up over the side of the pen to find more food. I should have known it would take food to make them really act like pugs - lol.
3:08 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Overprotective Mothers
Category: Pets and Animals
A few years back, I took in a pregnant kitten. Only a kitten herself, she was already pregnant and due to deliver at only 6 months of age. She did a fine job, and had 3 lovely kittens. She was the type to prefer to find her own living quarters and if I got too close, she would move them. She settled in the guest room and so I let them be and tried my best not to peek under the bed and check on them. They were growing and I could hear their playtime sessions. The mom would come out and get her food, her attention, and then go back to tending her babies.
It grew to her laying by the door to the room so that she could keep an eye on what I was doing as well as her babies, and prevent them from wondering past her barrier. I would watch their direction too, and every once in a while I'd see a bit of fluff bounce out, then right back into place. Fascinated by their cuteness, I laid on my belly in the hallway one day, just watching. The mother studied me closely. It was business as normal for about 10 min. Then all of a sudden, she looked to her left, issued a meow, and the babies came flying around the corner and out to investigate me. I had been deemed worthy and harmless!
Ellie Mae has been just as protective. This is her first litter, and she wasn't altogether fond of us doing the initial developmental exercises on them. She hasn't issued the ok meow yet, but the pups are starting to cave to their curiosity. There's just such a big world out there to investigate! They've been interacting more with each other, with us and with the dogs, and it's so much fun to watch them grow. Ellie is starting to calm a little, but she keeps very close tabs on exactly where each one is at any given time and anyone holding a pup gets an intense stare and usually a chin on the knee till the pups are safely back in their pen.
9:31 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Mutinous Take-Over
Category: Pets and Animals
The bed. The little $10 bed I picked up at Walgreen's just before Christmas because it looked like the whole thing would fit in the washing machine. Who would think it would become such an object of dispute? Even as I write this, the tiny bed is holding Ellie, Petunia and Mariah, none of whom are willing to give up a tiny bit of their real estate.
Some dogs suckle even as they're older. There is speculation that the pups who do this might have been weaned too early, miss their mothers, weren't socialized, etc. We got Petunia when she was a pup and she never suckled on anything, she had the older pugs here who helped her adjust and socialize, and she did very well. However, when we got this bed, something came out in her. She would get into the bed, grab the bolster with her mouth, and her eyes would glaze over, like a cat with catnip. Beyond her control, her paws would start kneading the bolster on either side of her mouth and she would contentedly do this for hours and even fall asleep in this position if allowed. My mom came to visit the puppies and saw Petunia on the bed doing this ritual and was amazed. Have you ever seen her so sublimely happy?? Of course, the bed was in essence, Petunia's. It became one of her most valued possessions in just a short time.
When Daisy's pups got moved to the crate in the office, it was the easiest thing to grab and put by the crate for Daisy to sleep in while overseeing her pups. Petunia seemed ok with that, since she would use it in the office, too.
The problem is now. The pups are older. They need more playtime outside of the crate, and more interaction with their pack. At first, they thought it was cool to play with aunt Petunia from beyond the bolster. Then they thought it was fun to jump in with her and crawl over her. She has a pretty high tolerance, but every once in a while you'd hear a low growl while she was trying to calm them down so they could sleep. This evolved into puppies cuddling with her, but now they're so big they've chased her out and overtaken the bed.
Poooooooooor Petunia......
7:55 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Sunday, February 04, 2007
The doggie door
Category: Pets and Animals
Right before Christmas we installed a dog door. It took us how long to get smart?? I guess part of the reason it took so long is because I've never had one and hearing stories of those who do and how hard it was to train their dog had me worried. I have to say that installation was a breeze (maybe that's because I just watched while he did it) and that training them just as easy. It just took once or twice through and they had the idea.
Now every dog seems to have their own doggie door persona. The majority of them will run through easily. Especially the boys - no problem and they will even use it on their own without me having to go outside with them. The rest prefer to wait for our 4x daily ritual of going outside together.
Ellie will go through, but it has taken her a while to figure out she has to use the top of her head to push it open. For the longest time she would close her eyes and use her face - no wonder she didn't like it that much!!
Daisy, who has me wrapped around her paw in a number of ways, prefers to go in and out the regular door with me. Since she's least likely to mess in the house, I continue to spoil her and cater to her wishes.
Tiki stands back and watches from the porch, afraid that the snow will bite her. I have to walk away from the door, down the stairs, then she will peek out the door and follow me. Then I have to run up the stairs, close the door and walk out with them while they go potty.
Petunia and Isabelle will run in, out, in, out, depending on where the action is so they don't miss anything.
And perhaps most strange of all is Mariah. She will wait till all the other dogs have gone out, and I have closed the regular door, then she will make her dash through the doggie door. If I stand there and watch her and don't close the door, she jumps high in the air, trying to make me hurry. As soon as the regular door is closed, she runs excitedly through the doggie door. I guess we all have little routines in life that make us happy!
9:37 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Friday, February 02, 2007
AKC tips for cold weather pet care
Category: Pets and Animals
Winter Care for Canines
*Briarwood's note: remember that all pugs and brachycephalics are temperature sensitive and do not adjust well to either extremes. They are most comfortable in moderate temperatures closer to 70 degrees. Their noses cannot regulate the temperature on cold or hot air entering the body. They should not be left outside unattended and should only be outside to use the bathroom when it is cold.
General Concerns
Winter's cold air brings many concerns for responsible dog owners. Keep the following precautions in mind:
Don't leave your dog outside in the cold for long periods of time. Wind chill makes days colder than actual temperature readings. Be attentive to your dog's body temperature, and limit its time outdoors.
Adequate shelter is a necessity. Keep your dog warm, dry and away from drafts. Tiles and uncarpeted areas may become extremely cold, so make sure to place blankets and pads on floors in these areas.
Be extra careful when walking or playing with your dog near frozen lakes, rivers or ponds. Your dog could slip or jump in and get seriously injured.
Groom your dog regularly. Your dog needs a well-groomed coat to keep properly insulated. Short- or coarse-haired dogs may get extra cold, so consider a sweater or coat. Long-haired dogs should have excess hair around the toes and foot pads trimmed to ease snow removal and cleaning. If you do the trimming, take care not to cut the pads or other delicate area of the foot.
Feed your dog additional calories if it spends a lot of time outdoors or is a working animal. It takes more energy in the winter to keep body temperature regulated, so additional calories are necessary.
Towel or blow-dry your dog if it gets wet from rain or snow. It is important to dry and clean its paws, too. This helps avoid tiny cuts and cracked pads. A little petroleum jelly may soften the pads and prevent further cracking.
Don't leave your dog alone in a car. If the car engine is left on, the carbon monoxide will endanger your dog's life. If the engine is off, the temperature in the car will get too cold.
Health Tips
Dogs cannot talk to us when they are sick. As a responsible dog owner, it is important to pay special attention to your dog's well-being during the winter season. Remember the following health concerns:
Antifreeze, which often collects on driveways and roadways, is highly poisonous. Although it smells and tastes good to your dog, it can be lethal.
Rock salt, used to melt ice on sidewalks, may irritate footpads. Be sure to rinse and dry your dog's feet after a walk.
Provide plenty of fresh water. Your dog is just as likely to get dehydrated in the winter as in the summer. Snow is not a satisfactory substitute for water.
Frostbite is your dog's winter hazard. To prevent frostbite on its ears, tail and feet, don't leave your dog outdoors for too long.
Be very careful of supplemental heat sources. Fireplaces and portable heaters can severely burn your dog. Make sure all fireplaces have screens, and keep portable heaters out of reach.
Like people, dogs seem to be more susceptible to illness in the winter. Take your dog to a veterinarian if you see any suspicious symptoms.
Don't use over-the-counter medications on your dog without consulting a veterinarian.
8:49 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Eclampsia woes
Current mood: worried
Category: Pets and Animals
At lunch today, Ellie's pups were all sprawled out, showing off those big tummies, so I was taking some pictures and getting ready to take a little movie of them waking up because they're walking so much better now. But then I noticed that Daisy was shaking.
We made an emergency run to the vet where she was treated and then went to work with me for the rest of the afternoon. Thank goodness the pups were already fed and that they are already accustomed to the supplemental feedings we've been giving them. I wonder if Isabelle knew that something was wrong with Daisy because as I let them out to use the bathroom, she stayed behind to try to nurse the pups. We have the best dogs with the biggest hearts!
Eclampsia is a condition where the mother has been producing so much milk that her system runs low on calcium and it is difficult for her body to absorb the calcium she takes in to use it where it is needed. It is very dangerous, is commonly found in toy dogs, and is life-threatening if not treated immediately. Anyone actively breeding should be familiar with the symptoms so that it does not go untreated. Knowing that it was a possibility is why we introduce the pups to alternative food sources early in life. It removes the resistance to changing food, it supplements the intake making it easier on the mother even when things are fine, and it helps to prevent the onset of eclampsia.
The vet said that even though Daisy is still shaking a bit, that her heartbeat is good and strong and she should be fine.
2:44 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Puppy Update
Category: Pets and Animals
Daisy's: Here they are with a new pen, toys, food being brought to them, their every wish catered to, but the grass is greener on the other side. What's outside the crate? Hmm, that looks interesting. So they've been trying to climb out and this morning they just looked like they needed some good exercise and they're getting big enough to handle it. So I let the big dogs outside and let the pups have run of the office floor. They've been out a little, but never without someone keeping them rounded up into a certain area. This time they were free to run and investigate and they all went to different corners and checked things out.
I went to get my shower and when I came back 15 min later, all but one had climbed up into the dog bed I have there for Daisy's comfort. I found the straggler underneath a chair and behind a food bowl, softly whimpering a little. She came out running to me and we cuddled until the others woke up and got their second wind. After some more playtime, it was back into the pen for breakfast and they gulped it down - must have worked up an appetite!
So far they've been exposed to the surfaces of fleece, sherpa, puppy pads, hospital absorbent pads, the plastic bottom of their former whelping pen, the hardwood laminate of the office floor, and the bottom of a wicker basket. We'll be setting them up with some new challenges soon since they seem to be ready for them including new surfaces, different types of bowls, and I ordered the cutest puppy mobiles for their crate. The plush toys hang and they can bat at them!!
Ellie's: The pups have been trying to open their ears for a couple of days now. As of last night, it seems like they're all hearing! I go into their room when they're asleep and make little sounds to see which head pops up in search of the noise. This will be a week where will will not stress them, where they will spend as much time with Ellie as possible so that they can learn how to handle all these new sounds in a stabile environment. Next week we'll start introducing them to new sounds!
They are all wobbling, and spending more time trying to be on their feet. The little black female stood in one place for quite a while last night - I was so impressed! Tony picked up one and was looking it over, seeing how it was developing, looking at its face trying to predict what it would look like as an adult, and the pup opened her eyes real big, looked at Tony and squealed! LOL... Ellie had to come and make sure everything was ok and I got to tease Tony that he can't hold them this week because he scares them ;)
10:14 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Fabio & his toys part II
Category: Pets and Animals
I noticed the other day that many of the toys are starting to look bedraggled around here. I found some toys on sale and got even more through a catalog order and now the puppies have a wide variety of fun things to entertain them. Fabio found the stash and got all excited. While his head was stuck deep in the basket of toys sniffing, his back legs were excitedly kicking around and moving his whole back end back and forth.
Ah-hah! The first toy of choice was a yellow duckie. It fit the mouth perfectly, squeeked ever so wonderfully, and was promptly stolen by Mariah within 3 seconds.
Never fear, there are many toys in the basket. Next up - a green elf. Interesting texture on the legs, fun to toss in the air and push around on the floor with the nose. Yep, this will do. Promptly stolen by Mariah within 15 seconds.
Five toys later, it was time for all the dogs to go outside to use the bathroom. I found Mariah's stash tucked away in the corner of the couch for safe keeping. Poor Fabio. So when it came time to crate him, I put the yellow duckie in with him and he contentedly squeeked it as we fell asleep that night. Mariah had no further interest in the toys and instead sucked up to Tony for a frequent belly rub.
7:50 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Monday, February 12, 2007
Turning into real pugs
Category: Pets and Animals
This morning at around 4am-ish, Ellie told me she was tired. The pups were starting to get to her and she'd appreciate a break from feeding. I asked her if she could wait till the alarm went off and I'd feed them for her. So this morning the pups got their first taste of something other than mother's milk. They dove in, wallowed around, and played with their food. Mom cleaned up their leftovers and their fur and made the nest all tidy again. At lunch they got more and even peeked up over the side of the pen to find more food. I should have known it would take food to make them really act like pugs - lol.
3:08 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Overprotective Mothers
Category: Pets and Animals
A few years back, I took in a pregnant kitten. Only a kitten herself, she was already pregnant and due to deliver at only 6 months of age. She did a fine job, and had 3 lovely kittens. She was the type to prefer to find her own living quarters and if I got too close, she would move them. She settled in the guest room and so I let them be and tried my best not to peek under the bed and check on them. They were growing and I could hear their playtime sessions. The mom would come out and get her food, her attention, and then go back to tending her babies.
It grew to her laying by the door to the room so that she could keep an eye on what I was doing as well as her babies, and prevent them from wondering past her barrier. I would watch their direction too, and every once in a while I'd see a bit of fluff bounce out, then right back into place. Fascinated by their cuteness, I laid on my belly in the hallway one day, just watching. The mother studied me closely. It was business as normal for about 10 min. Then all of a sudden, she looked to her left, issued a meow, and the babies came flying around the corner and out to investigate me. I had been deemed worthy and harmless!
Ellie Mae has been just as protective. This is her first litter, and she wasn't altogether fond of us doing the initial developmental exercises on them. She hasn't issued the ok meow yet, but the pups are starting to cave to their curiosity. There's just such a big world out there to investigate! They've been interacting more with each other, with us and with the dogs, and it's so much fun to watch them grow. Ellie is starting to calm a little, but she keeps very close tabs on exactly where each one is at any given time and anyone holding a pup gets an intense stare and usually a chin on the knee till the pups are safely back in their pen.
9:31 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Mutinous Take-Over
Category: Pets and Animals
The bed. The little $10 bed I picked up at Walgreen's just before Christmas because it looked like the whole thing would fit in the washing machine. Who would think it would become such an object of dispute? Even as I write this, the tiny bed is holding Ellie, Petunia and Mariah, none of whom are willing to give up a tiny bit of their real estate.
Some dogs suckle even as they're older. There is speculation that the pups who do this might have been weaned too early, miss their mothers, weren't socialized, etc. We got Petunia when she was a pup and she never suckled on anything, she had the older pugs here who helped her adjust and socialize, and she did very well. However, when we got this bed, something came out in her. She would get into the bed, grab the bolster with her mouth, and her eyes would glaze over, like a cat with catnip. Beyond her control, her paws would start kneading the bolster on either side of her mouth and she would contentedly do this for hours and even fall asleep in this position if allowed. My mom came to visit the puppies and saw Petunia on the bed doing this ritual and was amazed. Have you ever seen her so sublimely happy?? Of course, the bed was in essence, Petunia's. It became one of her most valued possessions in just a short time.
When Daisy's pups got moved to the crate in the office, it was the easiest thing to grab and put by the crate for Daisy to sleep in while overseeing her pups. Petunia seemed ok with that, since she would use it in the office, too.
The problem is now. The pups are older. They need more playtime outside of the crate, and more interaction with their pack. At first, they thought it was cool to play with aunt Petunia from beyond the bolster. Then they thought it was fun to jump in with her and crawl over her. She has a pretty high tolerance, but every once in a while you'd hear a low growl while she was trying to calm them down so they could sleep. This evolved into puppies cuddling with her, but now they're so big they've chased her out and overtaken the bed.
Poooooooooor Petunia......
7:55 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Sunday, February 04, 2007
The doggie door
Category: Pets and Animals
Right before Christmas we installed a dog door. It took us how long to get smart?? I guess part of the reason it took so long is because I've never had one and hearing stories of those who do and how hard it was to train their dog had me worried. I have to say that installation was a breeze (maybe that's because I just watched while he did it) and that training them just as easy. It just took once or twice through and they had the idea.
Now every dog seems to have their own doggie door persona. The majority of them will run through easily. Especially the boys - no problem and they will even use it on their own without me having to go outside with them. The rest prefer to wait for our 4x daily ritual of going outside together.
Ellie will go through, but it has taken her a while to figure out she has to use the top of her head to push it open. For the longest time she would close her eyes and use her face - no wonder she didn't like it that much!!
Daisy, who has me wrapped around her paw in a number of ways, prefers to go in and out the regular door with me. Since she's least likely to mess in the house, I continue to spoil her and cater to her wishes.
Tiki stands back and watches from the porch, afraid that the snow will bite her. I have to walk away from the door, down the stairs, then she will peek out the door and follow me. Then I have to run up the stairs, close the door and walk out with them while they go potty.
Petunia and Isabelle will run in, out, in, out, depending on where the action is so they don't miss anything.
And perhaps most strange of all is Mariah. She will wait till all the other dogs have gone out, and I have closed the regular door, then she will make her dash through the doggie door. If I stand there and watch her and don't close the door, she jumps high in the air, trying to make me hurry. As soon as the regular door is closed, she runs excitedly through the doggie door. I guess we all have little routines in life that make us happy!
9:37 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Friday, February 02, 2007
AKC tips for cold weather pet care
Category: Pets and Animals
Winter Care for Canines
*Briarwood's note: remember that all pugs and brachycephalics are temperature sensitive and do not adjust well to either extremes. They are most comfortable in moderate temperatures closer to 70 degrees. Their noses cannot regulate the temperature on cold or hot air entering the body. They should not be left outside unattended and should only be outside to use the bathroom when it is cold.
General Concerns
Winter's cold air brings many concerns for responsible dog owners. Keep the following precautions in mind:
Don't leave your dog outside in the cold for long periods of time. Wind chill makes days colder than actual temperature readings. Be attentive to your dog's body temperature, and limit its time outdoors.
Adequate shelter is a necessity. Keep your dog warm, dry and away from drafts. Tiles and uncarpeted areas may become extremely cold, so make sure to place blankets and pads on floors in these areas.
Be extra careful when walking or playing with your dog near frozen lakes, rivers or ponds. Your dog could slip or jump in and get seriously injured.
Groom your dog regularly. Your dog needs a well-groomed coat to keep properly insulated. Short- or coarse-haired dogs may get extra cold, so consider a sweater or coat. Long-haired dogs should have excess hair around the toes and foot pads trimmed to ease snow removal and cleaning. If you do the trimming, take care not to cut the pads or other delicate area of the foot.
Feed your dog additional calories if it spends a lot of time outdoors or is a working animal. It takes more energy in the winter to keep body temperature regulated, so additional calories are necessary.
Towel or blow-dry your dog if it gets wet from rain or snow. It is important to dry and clean its paws, too. This helps avoid tiny cuts and cracked pads. A little petroleum jelly may soften the pads and prevent further cracking.
Don't leave your dog alone in a car. If the car engine is left on, the carbon monoxide will endanger your dog's life. If the engine is off, the temperature in the car will get too cold.
Health Tips
Dogs cannot talk to us when they are sick. As a responsible dog owner, it is important to pay special attention to your dog's well-being during the winter season. Remember the following health concerns:
Antifreeze, which often collects on driveways and roadways, is highly poisonous. Although it smells and tastes good to your dog, it can be lethal.
Rock salt, used to melt ice on sidewalks, may irritate footpads. Be sure to rinse and dry your dog's feet after a walk.
Provide plenty of fresh water. Your dog is just as likely to get dehydrated in the winter as in the summer. Snow is not a satisfactory substitute for water.
Frostbite is your dog's winter hazard. To prevent frostbite on its ears, tail and feet, don't leave your dog outdoors for too long.
Be very careful of supplemental heat sources. Fireplaces and portable heaters can severely burn your dog. Make sure all fireplaces have screens, and keep portable heaters out of reach.
Like people, dogs seem to be more susceptible to illness in the winter. Take your dog to a veterinarian if you see any suspicious symptoms.
Don't use over-the-counter medications on your dog without consulting a veterinarian.
8:49 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Eclampsia woes
Current mood: worried
Category: Pets and Animals
At lunch today, Ellie's pups were all sprawled out, showing off those big tummies, so I was taking some pictures and getting ready to take a little movie of them waking up because they're walking so much better now. But then I noticed that Daisy was shaking.
We made an emergency run to the vet where she was treated and then went to work with me for the rest of the afternoon. Thank goodness the pups were already fed and that they are already accustomed to the supplemental feedings we've been giving them. I wonder if Isabelle knew that something was wrong with Daisy because as I let them out to use the bathroom, she stayed behind to try to nurse the pups. We have the best dogs with the biggest hearts!
Eclampsia is a condition where the mother has been producing so much milk that her system runs low on calcium and it is difficult for her body to absorb the calcium she takes in to use it where it is needed. It is very dangerous, is commonly found in toy dogs, and is life-threatening if not treated immediately. Anyone actively breeding should be familiar with the symptoms so that it does not go untreated. Knowing that it was a possibility is why we introduce the pups to alternative food sources early in life. It removes the resistance to changing food, it supplements the intake making it easier on the mother even when things are fine, and it helps to prevent the onset of eclampsia.
The vet said that even though Daisy is still shaking a bit, that her heartbeat is good and strong and she should be fine.
2:44 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Puppy Update
Category: Pets and Animals
Daisy's: Here they are with a new pen, toys, food being brought to them, their every wish catered to, but the grass is greener on the other side. What's outside the crate? Hmm, that looks interesting. So they've been trying to climb out and this morning they just looked like they needed some good exercise and they're getting big enough to handle it. So I let the big dogs outside and let the pups have run of the office floor. They've been out a little, but never without someone keeping them rounded up into a certain area. This time they were free to run and investigate and they all went to different corners and checked things out.
I went to get my shower and when I came back 15 min later, all but one had climbed up into the dog bed I have there for Daisy's comfort. I found the straggler underneath a chair and behind a food bowl, softly whimpering a little. She came out running to me and we cuddled until the others woke up and got their second wind. After some more playtime, it was back into the pen for breakfast and they gulped it down - must have worked up an appetite!
So far they've been exposed to the surfaces of fleece, sherpa, puppy pads, hospital absorbent pads, the plastic bottom of their former whelping pen, the hardwood laminate of the office floor, and the bottom of a wicker basket. We'll be setting them up with some new challenges soon since they seem to be ready for them including new surfaces, different types of bowls, and I ordered the cutest puppy mobiles for their crate. The plush toys hang and they can bat at them!!
Ellie's: The pups have been trying to open their ears for a couple of days now. As of last night, it seems like they're all hearing! I go into their room when they're asleep and make little sounds to see which head pops up in search of the noise. This will be a week where will will not stress them, where they will spend as much time with Ellie as possible so that they can learn how to handle all these new sounds in a stabile environment. Next week we'll start introducing them to new sounds!
They are all wobbling, and spending more time trying to be on their feet. The little black female stood in one place for quite a while last night - I was so impressed! Tony picked up one and was looking it over, seeing how it was developing, looking at its face trying to predict what it would look like as an adult, and the pup opened her eyes real big, looked at Tony and squealed! LOL... Ellie had to come and make sure everything was ok and I got to tease Tony that he can't hold them this week because he scares them ;)
10:14 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
Turning into real pugs
Monday, February 12, 2007
Turning into real pugs
Category: Pets and Animals
This morning at around 4am-ish, Ellie told me she was tired. The pups were starting to get to her and she'd appreciate a break from feeding. I asked her if she could wait till the alarm went off and I'd feed them for her. So this morning the pups got their first taste of something other than mother's milk. They dove in, wallowed around, and played with their food. Mom cleaned up their leftovers and their fur and made the nest all tidy again. At lunch they got more and even peeked up over the side of the pen to find more food. I should have known it would take food to make them really act like pugs - lol.
Turning into real pugs
Category: Pets and Animals
This morning at around 4am-ish, Ellie told me she was tired. The pups were starting to get to her and she'd appreciate a break from feeding. I asked her if she could wait till the alarm went off and I'd feed them for her. So this morning the pups got their first taste of something other than mother's milk. They dove in, wallowed around, and played with their food. Mom cleaned up their leftovers and their fur and made the nest all tidy again. At lunch they got more and even peeked up over the side of the pen to find more food. I should have known it would take food to make them really act like pugs - lol.
Overprotective Mothers
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Overprotective Mothers
Category: Pets and Animals
A few years back, I took in a pregnant kitten. Only a kitten herself, she was already pregnant and due to deliver at only 6 months of age. She did a fine job, and had 3 lovely kittens. She was the type to prefer to find her own living quarters and if I got too close, she would move them. She settled in the guest room and so I let them be and tried my best not to peek under the bed and check on them. They were growing and I could hear their playtime sessions. The mom would come out and get her food, her attention, and then go back to tending her babies.
It grew to her laying by the door to the room so that she could keep an eye on what I was doing as well as her babies, and prevent them from wondering past her barrier. I would watch their direction too, and every once in a while I'd see a bit of fluff bounce out, then right back into place. Fascinated by their cuteness, I laid on my belly in the hallway one day, just watching. The mother studied me closely. It was business as normal for about 10 min. Then all of a sudden, she looked to her left, issued a meow, and the babies came flying around the corner and out to investigate me. I had been deemed worthy and harmless!
Ellie Mae has been just as protective. This is her first litter, and she wasn't altogether fond of us doing the initial developmental exercises on them. She hasn't issued the ok meow yet, but the pups are starting to cave to their curiosity. There's just such a big world out there to investigate! They've been interacting more with each other, with us and with the dogs, and it's so much fun to watch them grow. Ellie is starting to calm a little, but she keeps very close tabs on exactly where each one is at any given time and anyone holding a pup gets an intense stare and usually a chin on the knee till the pups are safely back in their pen.
Overprotective Mothers
Category: Pets and Animals
A few years back, I took in a pregnant kitten. Only a kitten herself, she was already pregnant and due to deliver at only 6 months of age. She did a fine job, and had 3 lovely kittens. She was the type to prefer to find her own living quarters and if I got too close, she would move them. She settled in the guest room and so I let them be and tried my best not to peek under the bed and check on them. They were growing and I could hear their playtime sessions. The mom would come out and get her food, her attention, and then go back to tending her babies.
It grew to her laying by the door to the room so that she could keep an eye on what I was doing as well as her babies, and prevent them from wondering past her barrier. I would watch their direction too, and every once in a while I'd see a bit of fluff bounce out, then right back into place. Fascinated by their cuteness, I laid on my belly in the hallway one day, just watching. The mother studied me closely. It was business as normal for about 10 min. Then all of a sudden, she looked to her left, issued a meow, and the babies came flying around the corner and out to investigate me. I had been deemed worthy and harmless!
Ellie Mae has been just as protective. This is her first litter, and she wasn't altogether fond of us doing the initial developmental exercises on them. She hasn't issued the ok meow yet, but the pups are starting to cave to their curiosity. There's just such a big world out there to investigate! They've been interacting more with each other, with us and with the dogs, and it's so much fun to watch them grow. Ellie is starting to calm a little, but she keeps very close tabs on exactly where each one is at any given time and anyone holding a pup gets an intense stare and usually a chin on the knee till the pups are safely back in their pen.
The mutinous takeover
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Mutinous Take-Over
Category: Pets and Animals
The bed. The little $10 bed I picked up at Walgreen's just before Christmas because it looked like the whole thing would fit in the washing machine. Who would think it would become such an object of dispute? Even as I write this, the tiny bed is holding Ellie, Petunia and Mariah, none of whom are willing to give up a tiny bit of their real estate.
Some dogs suckle even as they're older. There is speculation that the pups who do this might have been weaned too early, miss their mothers, weren't socialized, etc. We got Petunia when she was a pup and she never suckled on anything, she had the older pugs here who helped her adjust and socialize, and she did very well. However, when we got this bed, something came out in her. She would get into the bed, grab the bolster with her mouth, and her eyes would glaze over, like a cat with catnip. Beyond her control, her paws would start kneading the bolster on either side of her mouth and she would contentedly do this for hours and even fall asleep in this position if allowed. My mom came to visit the puppies and saw Petunia on the bed doing this ritual and was amazed. Have you ever seen her so sublimely happy?? Of course, the bed was in essence, Petunia's. It became one of her most valued possessions in just a short time.
When Daisy's pups got moved to the crate in the office, it was the easiest thing to grab and put by the crate for Daisy to sleep in while overseeing her pups. Petunia seemed ok with that, since she would use it in the office, too.
The problem is now. The pups are older. They need more playtime outside of the crate, and more interaction with their pack. At first, they thought it was cool to play with aunt Petunia from beyond the bolster. Then they thought it was fun to jump in with her and crawl over her. She has a pretty high tolerance, but every once in a while you'd hear a low growl while she was trying to calm them down so they could sleep. This evolved into puppies cuddling with her, but now they're so big they've chased her out and overtaken the bed.
Poooooooooor Petunia......
Mutinous Take-Over
Category: Pets and Animals
The bed. The little $10 bed I picked up at Walgreen's just before Christmas because it looked like the whole thing would fit in the washing machine. Who would think it would become such an object of dispute? Even as I write this, the tiny bed is holding Ellie, Petunia and Mariah, none of whom are willing to give up a tiny bit of their real estate.
Some dogs suckle even as they're older. There is speculation that the pups who do this might have been weaned too early, miss their mothers, weren't socialized, etc. We got Petunia when she was a pup and she never suckled on anything, she had the older pugs here who helped her adjust and socialize, and she did very well. However, when we got this bed, something came out in her. She would get into the bed, grab the bolster with her mouth, and her eyes would glaze over, like a cat with catnip. Beyond her control, her paws would start kneading the bolster on either side of her mouth and she would contentedly do this for hours and even fall asleep in this position if allowed. My mom came to visit the puppies and saw Petunia on the bed doing this ritual and was amazed. Have you ever seen her so sublimely happy?? Of course, the bed was in essence, Petunia's. It became one of her most valued possessions in just a short time.
When Daisy's pups got moved to the crate in the office, it was the easiest thing to grab and put by the crate for Daisy to sleep in while overseeing her pups. Petunia seemed ok with that, since she would use it in the office, too.
The problem is now. The pups are older. They need more playtime outside of the crate, and more interaction with their pack. At first, they thought it was cool to play with aunt Petunia from beyond the bolster. Then they thought it was fun to jump in with her and crawl over her. She has a pretty high tolerance, but every once in a while you'd hear a low growl while she was trying to calm them down so they could sleep. This evolved into puppies cuddling with her, but now they're so big they've chased her out and overtaken the bed.
Poooooooooor Petunia......
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Overprotective Mothers
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Overprotective Mothers
Category: Pets and Animals
A few years back, I took in a pregnant kitten. Only a kitten herself, she was already pregnant and due to deliver at only 6 months of age. She did a fine job, and had 3 lovely kittens. She was the type to prefer to find her own living quarters and if I got too close, she would move them. She settled in the guest room and so I let them be and tried my best not to peek under the bed and check on them. They were growing and I could hear their playtime sessions. The mom would come out and get her food, her attention, and then go back to tending her babies.
It grew to her laying by the door to the room so that she could keep an eye on what I was doing as well as her babies, and prevent them from wondering past her barrier. I would watch their direction too, and every once in a while I'd see a bit of fluff bounce out, then right back into place. Fascinated by their cuteness, I laid on my belly in the hallway one day, just watching. The mother studied me closely. It was business as normal for about 10 min. Then all of a sudden, she looked to her left, issued a meow, and the babies came flying around the corner and out to investigate me. I had been deemed worthy and harmless!
Ellie Mae has been just as protective. This is her first litter, and she wasn't altogether fond of us doing the initial developmental exercises on them. She hasn't issued the ok meow yet, but the pups are starting to cave to their curiosity. There's just such a big world out there to investigate! They've been interacting more with each other, with us and with the dogs, and it's so much fun to watch them grow. Ellie is starting to calm a little, but she keeps very close tabs on exactly where each one is at any given time and anyone holding a pup gets an intense stare and usually a chin on the knee till the pups are safely back in their pen.
Overprotective Mothers
Category: Pets and Animals
A few years back, I took in a pregnant kitten. Only a kitten herself, she was already pregnant and due to deliver at only 6 months of age. She did a fine job, and had 3 lovely kittens. She was the type to prefer to find her own living quarters and if I got too close, she would move them. She settled in the guest room and so I let them be and tried my best not to peek under the bed and check on them. They were growing and I could hear their playtime sessions. The mom would come out and get her food, her attention, and then go back to tending her babies.
It grew to her laying by the door to the room so that she could keep an eye on what I was doing as well as her babies, and prevent them from wondering past her barrier. I would watch their direction too, and every once in a while I'd see a bit of fluff bounce out, then right back into place. Fascinated by their cuteness, I laid on my belly in the hallway one day, just watching. The mother studied me closely. It was business as normal for about 10 min. Then all of a sudden, she looked to her left, issued a meow, and the babies came flying around the corner and out to investigate me. I had been deemed worthy and harmless!
Ellie Mae has been just as protective. This is her first litter, and she wasn't altogether fond of us doing the initial developmental exercises on them. She hasn't issued the ok meow yet, but the pups are starting to cave to their curiosity. There's just such a big world out there to investigate! They've been interacting more with each other, with us and with the dogs, and it's so much fun to watch them grow. Ellie is starting to calm a little, but she keeps very close tabs on exactly where each one is at any given time and anyone holding a pup gets an intense stare and usually a chin on the knee till the pups are safely back in their pen.
Mutinous Take-over
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Mutinous Take-Over
Category: Pets and Animals
The bed. The little $10 bed I picked up at Walgreen's just before Christmas because it looked like the whole thing would fit in the washing machine. Who would think it would become such an object of dispute? Even as I write this, the tiny bed is holding Ellie, Petunia and Mariah, none of whom are willing to give up a tiny bit of their real estate.
Some dogs suckle even as they're older. There is speculation that the pups who do this might have been weaned too early, miss their mothers, weren't socialized, etc. We got Petunia when she was a pup and she never suckled on anything, she had the older pugs here who helped her adjust and socialize, and she did very well. However, when we got this bed, something came out in her. She would get into the bed, grab the bolster with her mouth, and her eyes would glaze over, like a cat with catnip. Beyond her control, her paws would start kneading the bolster on either side of her mouth and she would contentedly do this for hours and even fall asleep in this position if allowed. My mom came to visit the puppies and saw Petunia on the bed doing this ritual and was amazed. Have you ever seen her so sublimely happy?? Of course, the bed was in essence, Petunia's. It became one of her most valued possessions in just a short time.
When Daisy's pups got moved to the crate in the office, it was the easiest thing to grab and put by the crate for Daisy to sleep in while overseeing her pups. Petunia seemed ok with that, since she would use it in the office, too.
The problem is now. The pups are older. They need more playtime outside of the crate, and more interaction with their pack. At first, they thought it was cool to play with aunt Petunia from beyond the bolster. Then they thought it was fun to jump in with her and crawl over her. She has a pretty high tolerance, but every once in a while you'd hear a low growl while she was trying to calm them down so they could sleep. This evolved into puppies cuddling with her, but now they're so big they've chased her out and overtaken the bed.
Poooooooooor Petunia......
Mutinous Take-Over
Category: Pets and Animals
The bed. The little $10 bed I picked up at Walgreen's just before Christmas because it looked like the whole thing would fit in the washing machine. Who would think it would become such an object of dispute? Even as I write this, the tiny bed is holding Ellie, Petunia and Mariah, none of whom are willing to give up a tiny bit of their real estate.
Some dogs suckle even as they're older. There is speculation that the pups who do this might have been weaned too early, miss their mothers, weren't socialized, etc. We got Petunia when she was a pup and she never suckled on anything, she had the older pugs here who helped her adjust and socialize, and she did very well. However, when we got this bed, something came out in her. She would get into the bed, grab the bolster with her mouth, and her eyes would glaze over, like a cat with catnip. Beyond her control, her paws would start kneading the bolster on either side of her mouth and she would contentedly do this for hours and even fall asleep in this position if allowed. My mom came to visit the puppies and saw Petunia on the bed doing this ritual and was amazed. Have you ever seen her so sublimely happy?? Of course, the bed was in essence, Petunia's. It became one of her most valued possessions in just a short time.
When Daisy's pups got moved to the crate in the office, it was the easiest thing to grab and put by the crate for Daisy to sleep in while overseeing her pups. Petunia seemed ok with that, since she would use it in the office, too.
The problem is now. The pups are older. They need more playtime outside of the crate, and more interaction with their pack. At first, they thought it was cool to play with aunt Petunia from beyond the bolster. Then they thought it was fun to jump in with her and crawl over her. She has a pretty high tolerance, but every once in a while you'd hear a low growl while she was trying to calm them down so they could sleep. This evolved into puppies cuddling with her, but now they're so big they've chased her out and overtaken the bed.
Poooooooooor Petunia......
The Doggie Door
Sunday, February 04, 2007
The doggie door
Category: Pets and Animals
Right before Christmas we installed a dog door. It took us how long to get smart?? I guess part of the reason it took so long is because I've never had one and hearing stories of those who do and how hard it was to train their dog had me worried. I have to say that installation was a breeze (maybe that's because I just watched while he did it) and that training them just as easy. It just took once or twice through and they had the idea.
Now every dog seems to have their own doggie door persona. The majority of them will run through easily. Especially the boys - no problem and they will even use it on their own without me having to go outside with them. The rest prefer to wait for our 4x daily ritual of going outside together.
Ellie will go through, but it has taken her a while to figure out she has to use the top of her head to push it open. For the longest time she would close her eyes and use her face - no wonder she didn't like it that much!!
Daisy, who has me wrapped around her paw in a number of ways, prefers to go in and out the regular door with me. Since she's least likely to mess in the house, I continue to spoil her and cater to her wishes.
Tiki stands back and watches from the porch, afraid that the snow will bite her. I have to walk away from the door, down the stairs, then she will peek out the door and follow me. Then I have to run up the stairs, close the door and walk out with them while they go potty.
Petunia and Isabelle will run in, out, in, out, depending on where the action is so they don't miss anything.
And perhaps most strange of all is Mariah. She will wait till all the other dogs have gone out, and I have closed the regular door, then she will make her dash through the doggie door. If I stand there and watch her and don't close the door, she jumps high in the air, trying to make me hurry. As soon as the regular door is closed, she runs excitedly through the doggie door. I guess we all have little routines in life that make us happy!
The doggie door
Category: Pets and Animals
Right before Christmas we installed a dog door. It took us how long to get smart?? I guess part of the reason it took so long is because I've never had one and hearing stories of those who do and how hard it was to train their dog had me worried. I have to say that installation was a breeze (maybe that's because I just watched while he did it) and that training them just as easy. It just took once or twice through and they had the idea.
Now every dog seems to have their own doggie door persona. The majority of them will run through easily. Especially the boys - no problem and they will even use it on their own without me having to go outside with them. The rest prefer to wait for our 4x daily ritual of going outside together.
Ellie will go through, but it has taken her a while to figure out she has to use the top of her head to push it open. For the longest time she would close her eyes and use her face - no wonder she didn't like it that much!!
Daisy, who has me wrapped around her paw in a number of ways, prefers to go in and out the regular door with me. Since she's least likely to mess in the house, I continue to spoil her and cater to her wishes.
Tiki stands back and watches from the porch, afraid that the snow will bite her. I have to walk away from the door, down the stairs, then she will peek out the door and follow me. Then I have to run up the stairs, close the door and walk out with them while they go potty.
Petunia and Isabelle will run in, out, in, out, depending on where the action is so they don't miss anything.
And perhaps most strange of all is Mariah. She will wait till all the other dogs have gone out, and I have closed the regular door, then she will make her dash through the doggie door. If I stand there and watch her and don't close the door, she jumps high in the air, trying to make me hurry. As soon as the regular door is closed, she runs excitedly through the doggie door. I guess we all have little routines in life that make us happy!
AKC Tips for Cold Weather Pet Care
Friday, February 02, 2007
AKC tips for cold weather pet care
Category: Pets and Animals
Winter Care for Canines
*Briarwood's note: remember that all pugs and brachycephalics are temperature sensitive and do not adjust well to either extremes. They are most comfortable in moderate temperatures closer to 70 degrees. Their noses cannot regulate the temperature on cold or hot air entering the body. They should not be left outside unattended and should only be outside to use the bathroom when it is cold.
General Concerns
Winter's cold air brings many concerns for responsible dog owners. Keep the following precautions in mind:
Don't leave your dog outside in the cold for long periods of time. Wind chill makes days colder than actual temperature readings. Be attentive to your dog's body temperature, and limit its time outdoors.
Adequate shelter is a necessity. Keep your dog warm, dry and away from drafts. Tiles and uncarpeted areas may become extremely cold, so make sure to place blankets and pads on floors in these areas.
Be extra careful when walking or playing with your dog near frozen lakes, rivers or ponds. Your dog could slip or jump in and get seriously injured.
Groom your dog regularly. Your dog needs a well-groomed coat to keep properly insulated. Short- or coarse-haired dogs may get extra cold, so consider a sweater or coat. Long-haired dogs should have excess hair around the toes and foot pads trimmed to ease snow removal and cleaning. If you do the trimming, take care not to cut the pads or other delicate area of the foot.
Feed your dog additional calories if it spends a lot of time outdoors or is a working animal. It takes more energy in the winter to keep body temperature regulated, so additional calories are necessary.
Towel or blow-dry your dog if it gets wet from rain or snow. It is important to dry and clean its paws, too. This helps avoid tiny cuts and cracked pads. A little petroleum jelly may soften the pads and prevent further cracking.
Don't leave your dog alone in a car. If the car engine is left on, the carbon monoxide will endanger your dog's life. If the engine is off, the temperature in the car will get too cold.
Health Tips
Dogs cannot talk to us when they are sick. As a responsible dog owner, it is important to pay special attention to your dog's well-being during the winter season. Remember the following health concerns:
Antifreeze, which often collects on driveways and roadways, is highly poisonous. Although it smells and tastes good to your dog, it can be lethal.
Rock salt, used to melt ice on sidewalks, may irritate footpads. Be sure to rinse and dry your dog's feet after a walk.
Provide plenty of fresh water. Your dog is just as likely to get dehydrated in the winter as in the summer. Snow is not a satisfactory substitute for water.
Frostbite is your dog's winter hazard. To prevent frostbite on its ears, tail and feet, don't leave your dog outdoors for too long.
Be very careful of supplemental heat sources. Fireplaces and portable heaters can severely burn your dog. Make sure all fireplaces have screens, and keep portable heaters out of reach.
Like people, dogs seem to be more susceptible to illness in the winter. Take your dog to a veterinarian if you see any suspicious symptoms.
Don't use over-the-counter medications on your dog without consulting a veterinarian.
AKC tips for cold weather pet care
Category: Pets and Animals
Winter Care for Canines
*Briarwood's note: remember that all pugs and brachycephalics are temperature sensitive and do not adjust well to either extremes. They are most comfortable in moderate temperatures closer to 70 degrees. Their noses cannot regulate the temperature on cold or hot air entering the body. They should not be left outside unattended and should only be outside to use the bathroom when it is cold.
General Concerns
Winter's cold air brings many concerns for responsible dog owners. Keep the following precautions in mind:
Don't leave your dog outside in the cold for long periods of time. Wind chill makes days colder than actual temperature readings. Be attentive to your dog's body temperature, and limit its time outdoors.
Adequate shelter is a necessity. Keep your dog warm, dry and away from drafts. Tiles and uncarpeted areas may become extremely cold, so make sure to place blankets and pads on floors in these areas.
Be extra careful when walking or playing with your dog near frozen lakes, rivers or ponds. Your dog could slip or jump in and get seriously injured.
Groom your dog regularly. Your dog needs a well-groomed coat to keep properly insulated. Short- or coarse-haired dogs may get extra cold, so consider a sweater or coat. Long-haired dogs should have excess hair around the toes and foot pads trimmed to ease snow removal and cleaning. If you do the trimming, take care not to cut the pads or other delicate area of the foot.
Feed your dog additional calories if it spends a lot of time outdoors or is a working animal. It takes more energy in the winter to keep body temperature regulated, so additional calories are necessary.
Towel or blow-dry your dog if it gets wet from rain or snow. It is important to dry and clean its paws, too. This helps avoid tiny cuts and cracked pads. A little petroleum jelly may soften the pads and prevent further cracking.
Don't leave your dog alone in a car. If the car engine is left on, the carbon monoxide will endanger your dog's life. If the engine is off, the temperature in the car will get too cold.
Health Tips
Dogs cannot talk to us when they are sick. As a responsible dog owner, it is important to pay special attention to your dog's well-being during the winter season. Remember the following health concerns:
Antifreeze, which often collects on driveways and roadways, is highly poisonous. Although it smells and tastes good to your dog, it can be lethal.
Rock salt, used to melt ice on sidewalks, may irritate footpads. Be sure to rinse and dry your dog's feet after a walk.
Provide plenty of fresh water. Your dog is just as likely to get dehydrated in the winter as in the summer. Snow is not a satisfactory substitute for water.
Frostbite is your dog's winter hazard. To prevent frostbite on its ears, tail and feet, don't leave your dog outdoors for too long.
Be very careful of supplemental heat sources. Fireplaces and portable heaters can severely burn your dog. Make sure all fireplaces have screens, and keep portable heaters out of reach.
Like people, dogs seem to be more susceptible to illness in the winter. Take your dog to a veterinarian if you see any suspicious symptoms.
Don't use over-the-counter medications on your dog without consulting a veterinarian.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
