What are you and your dogs up to today? Part 2

[Suzette]

I took Piper to the vets for a checkup and they found she has a slab fracture that goes all the way to the root on the big molar on her right side. Now she is facing an extraction of that tooth.

I take her in next Tuesday and they tell me because it is a multi-rooted tooth it won't be a simple extraction, but more of a surgery. Ugh. Poor thing! The vet thought it must be quite painful for her, but honestly, she shows no signs of that. She eats, plays, gnaws on her bully sticks, etc. with no sign that she even feels discomfort. But I have started grinding her raw food (bones and all) instead of giving her whole pieces just to be on the safe side.

Now I need to dig out my homeopathics to get her started on those a few days before the surgery. I'm just having trouble remembering exactly which and how much to give her. The last time she needed them was for her spay surgery three years ago.

[Nettle]

So sorry to hear this - what bad luck. I hope all goes well.

[Suzette]

Thanks Nettle. She's a tough little cookie, but I always feel anxious when a pet of mine goes under anesthesia for any reason.

[Shalista]

im considering one of the reasons bax has been so out of it lately that he might be burning his paws on the asphalt. it's been in the low 90s lately and that's pretty toasty to be walking 1.5 miles bare-pawed. So I've been letting him rest and today i took him out for a grassy walk through the woods in the evening. we didn't go very far but he loved it!.... especially the part where i had to untangle him 3 times from the same bush. oh well, lots of exploring and sniffing!

[JudyN]

Dogs can burn their paws badly on hot pavements. If you can't hold the back of your hand on the pavement for five seconds, it's too hot for the dog - though I'd be inclined to stay well on the safe side of even that guideline.

[Shalista]

Yeah he's been back to his usual self lately *knocks on wood* so I'm hoping that was it. He hasn't gone on a long walk in awhile.

[JudyN]

Poor Jasper is worn out! Most days he's had a good walk in the morning, but then dragged around 'sightseeing', and then taken to pubs for lunch. The 'sightseeing' and pub lunches shouldn't be tiring, but as he's not the most relaxed of dogs, he probably doesn't rest properly in the pubs or when we have other breaks. And he's a dog designed for a good walk and then several solid hours sleeping

We had to stop the ball-chucking yesterday - he clearly wasn't giving it his all, and then he tweaked a back leg. I don't know if he hurt his foot, but he really doesn't like walking across the large gravel from the parking area to our garden... all 6' of it.

He's been so good though - he's only snarked twice, once when he met an unneutered black lab, and once when OH stood on his foot this morning - and he did apologise straight away, by going all soppy and wagging his tail.

The lab's owner, an older lady, was a character - she told me not to be silly when I apologised for Jasper telling her dog off. I explained that he doesn't like unneutered dogs, and she replied 'Yes, but have you ever seen a finer pair of testicles?' Then we bumped into her again a couple of days later. 'Oh,' I said, 'You're the lady with the dog with the fine pair of testicles.' 'The very best in Norfolk!' she replied, proudly

[Fundog]

Oh Judy, you do have some of the most interesting stories!

Well I just woke up from a dream about Victoria. She was in the area for a what do you call it-- lecture? And she happened to be taking a stroll through my neighborhood, and stopped by my house for a neighborly chat. Then she gave me tickets to her lecture. Lol, keep dreaming, Fundog!

[ScarletSci]

Poor Jasper is worn out! Most days he's had a good walk in the morning, but then dragged around 'sightseeing', and then taken to pubs for lunch. The 'sightseeing' and pub lunches shouldn't be tiring, but as he's not the most relaxed of dogs, he probably doesn't rest properly in the pubs or when we have other breaks. And he's a dog designed for a good walk and then several solid hours sleeping

We had to stop the ball-chucking yesterday - he clearly wasn't giving it his all, and then he tweaked a back leg. I don't know if he hurt his foot, but he really doesn't like walking across the large gravel from the parking area to our garden... all 6' of it.

He's been so good though - he's only snarked twice, once when he met an unneutered black lab, and once when OH stood on his foot this morning - and he did apologise straight away, by going all soppy and wagging his tail.

The lab's owner, an older lady, was a character - she told me not to be silly when I apologised for Jasper telling her dog off. I explained that he doesn't like unneutered dogs, and she replied 'Yes, but have you ever seen a finer pair of testicles?' Then we bumped into her again a couple of days later. 'Oh,' I said, 'You're the lady with the dog with the fine pair of testicles.' 'The very best in Norfolk!' she replied, proudly

You really should be writing that book! You have a gift for observation and writing up dialogue! Reminds me of reading books by Derek Longden. I'd read anything you wrote!

[Nettle]

I second that! And many a dog owner would love to hear Jasper's story.

[JudyN]

Thank you all, I'm blushing I did make a start on the book, but really wasn't enjoying the process and wasn't happy with what I produced. You never know, one day it might happen, but don't save up your book tokens just yet.

Jasper seemed OK walking down to the beach this afternoon and as it's our last day here we thought one more ball chasing session wouldn't hurt... Very first ball, he fell and rolled over when he got to it, and cried like an England footballer I suspect it was his tweaky leg that caused him to fall in the first place. Soon after, though, he was fine and we had a lovely walk along the sea and back across the dunes & marshes. He's sleeping like a puppy now but I've a feeling he'll stiffen up and hobble when he gets up to go to bed later.

[Erica]

I hope Jasper feels better!

I'm pretty worried about one of the dogs who is in our class. He was really frantic during class (wouldn't stay in the room and would push the door open to get outside) and they ended up leaving after about 15 minutes, which was really out of character for him. His owner felt it was because she changed the routine they had for preparing for class, but it seemed way out of proportion for that...I hope it wasn't bloat or anything serious. I encouraged her to take him to the vet if he didn't settle down at home.

The other dogs are doing really well and I'm really enjoying this whole thing!

Today is Delta's birthday! Two years old



Birthday dinner was a 10 oz steak, lightly seared in butter and garlic; a couple chicken drumsticks drizzled in that butter; and boiled sweet potato.

Guess what he ate first...

[JudyN]

The sweet potato? I have a theory that dogs eat the easy to swallow, sloppy bit of their meal first as it's easier to bolt down and prevent other dogs from nicking it.

Happy birthday Delta!

[Nettle]

Happy birthday Delta! What a lovely birthday dinner. Seems only yesterday you brought him home.

[Suzette]

Happy birthday to Delta! I can hardly believe he can be two already!