Wednesday, October 20, 2010

vewy vewy quiet

Things are not quiet at my house actually – there is more noise and cursing than usual at my house. We are in the process of moving. The septic was completed and approved by the Board of Health yesterday. The closing will be scheduled for Friday or Monday. Yahoo! The move will follow immediately.

Packing and planning has been fairly all-consuming. Ike has continued to recover from the latest bout of Lyme. It has been a fun experience in watching homeopathy cause symptoms to rewind. We had some GI upset followed by some pimple like bumps (curative eruptions as Dr. F likes to call them) that wept, scabbed over, and healed. Once we move I will re-enroll him in agility classes. He is ready to go back to work given he has jumped the 32” baby gate three times in the past week and a half.

We have been doing more off-leash hiking which gives me an opportunity to work on recalls and build Bug up. I have discovered that his recall is pretty good unless there is a liver flat coated retriever involved. If there is a FCR involved Bug’s brain disappears and all that matters is chasing the flat-coat.

I found that Bug can do a half-hour hike chasing critters and running like a maniac but not an hour hike chasing critters and running like a maniac after a FCR. He was sore after the hour hike which made me very sad and caused me to question everything. I will say even though he LITERALLY got stuck in the mud (how funny is that although I think it contributed significantly to the soreness) he did NOT lose his pelvis…which….is pretty damn amazing for a short, long-backed dog.

I spoke with Bug’s physical therapist and she suggested a once a month visit – especially during the winter months. She said she finds between ice and snow long-backed dogs often hurt or strain themselves during the winter.

Once the move is complete I am looking forward to starting Bug back herding. We will see how he does physically with that and then we’ll think about agility classes!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

EPI Research

EPI, Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, is the inability of the pancreas to manufacture and secrete the necessary enzymes required by the body to digest food. Dogs literally starve even though they are eating. Although it is a treat-able condition it is often misdiagnosed initially.

My friend Ann's service dog Partner (LR) was diagnosed with EPI. Someone I know via agility has a young EPI Border Collie. Both dogs are leading full and happy lives – since their diagnosis.

Please vote (daily) to help fund research to identify the genes that cause EPI: http://www.refresheverything.com/epiawarenessandresearch.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Puppy Video



I suggest turning down the volume. I tried to use a FlipShare song and don't particularly care for it! :)

Puppies!

Yesterday Katrin and I travelled to NY to visit with Holly, Leonard, and the Visions corgis and PUPPIES!! The litter was 8 weeks old on Thursday and will be going to the forever homes soon.

Etta investigating the squirrel

 Etta investigating the FitPaws

 Brees on the FitPaws

 Chief on the FitPaws

Ann and Etta 

Ann (I think) and the squirrel 

Ben and Ann 

 Grub

 Ben

 Chief and Ben after a long day

 Brees, Ann, Etta - crashed

Me and Ben - I wanted to dognap him.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Rascally Ike

Last night I was getting ready for bed and couldn't find Ike in any of his typical haunts.

We searched the entire house including the attic and the mud room (even though Ike doesn't have opposable thumbs and couldn't get in either of those locations alone). We offered cookies. No Ike.

Hmmmmm...finally John suggested checking under our bed which has a clearance of maybe 6". Ike has NEVER-EVER gone there - why would he? He would have to commando crawl under it.

Well, there he was! One of his new favorite places to sleep is under the daybed, but due to packing for the move access is blocked. He must have thought under our bed would be similar; I think he likes being behind the dust ruffle. :) I think he crawled under there to have some alone time and got stuck; he was captured in a corner between a sweater box, the ex-pen bed barricade and the wall!

Thank doG he was okay. Perhaps it was birthday prank. I had a real moment of panic because I couldn't find him anywhere and he turned down the offer of cookies! Very un-Ike-like!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Eight!

Yesterday Ike turned 8. I forgot it was his birthday until today. Not to worry - he will get the birthday boy treatment tonight. :) It is hard to believe 8 years have passed since he came home with us. As the first dog that is purely my own - he has taught me so much.

Here are some young Ike photos, including my favorite and only puppy picture.

January 2003

 January 2004

 May 2005

 2006

Agility "for Fun" at the Shelter - 2006