About Those Labs: Someone’s Been “Hounding” Me for a Post

Molly: waiting for a ride on my little “e-cart.”

Muddy holding a stick in his paws

Muddy was a found by me at my place of work. Excellent watch dog. A lab that does not like water. 🙂

I wish that I could just rest on my laurels but alas, I have none to rest on or is upon? I could never understand the finer points of writing so what you see is what you get. I am not feeling so daggum perky but today I did get sort of reprieve from worrying about my ill-health. The young echogram techno guy with the Justin Bieber haircut that sort of resembles a mohawk or maybe a tomahawk, told me that my heart was not in “afib.” Meaning afibrillation which in my case was a rapid and irregular heart rate. With meds I might live a few more or if I’m lucky and blessed a lot more years. 🙂

Office Diva of http://loofahsgood.wordpress.com/ has been hounding me to do a post about my dogs. Some of these are pics that have appeared in previous posts.

Muddy and Molly were rescued by me when they had been thrown away as puppies in the winter. I am so glad they are my dogs. Labs make wonderful pets but then I say that about all dogs and cats. I really do have a personality flaw in being so weak kneed where animals are concerned.

“We can judge the heart of a man
by his treatment of animals.” by Emanuel Kant

Molly now 4 years old. chocolate labrador retriever

Muddy does not retrieve and does not like water.

Post and photographs: yvonne

Happy Dogs (click photo to enlarge) original post 11/22/2011

Dancer happy she is in the dirt-

Kippy knows he is looking good.

Dancer Smiling as she waits for a cart ride

 

 

 

 

This is a repost and I just picked out an old one that I had posted on my daughter’s website of Vet to Pet Austin. Since she had to give up her practice due to severe illness I’m not sure if the site is still up or not. My part of the site was writing pet related posts and sometimes other misc. things. A web master copied my blog posts and moved all to my site about July or August, 2012.

 I did not activate my blog until sometime in September.  I had to get a credit card to get the blog up and running. I never had a credit card ever before, the blog thingy. My husband thought credit cards were a waste of time and money. We just did not believe in paying interest. If you don’t have the money you most likely don’t need what you thought you did.

At first I had no idea how to garner reader/viewers/ subscribers. Talk about one dumb cluck.  I HAD TO LEARN!!!Reach out is the name of the game so I just went idly about looking here and yon for blogs with which I felt some sort of connection. Odd this thing called blogging. I wonder how that word came to be.

 

. Do you think your dog is happy and seems to smile at times?  

Here are a few pics of some of our dogs. I think the pictures are sort of cute but then I am biased.  

Post and photographs  Yvonne  

 

 

 

Same Silly Dog, Different Day

Annie in full winter coat

Annie the rescued Australian Shepherd is a smart dog. But she has her moments and she is outrageously silly at times. She is super sensitive to her owner’s (my daughter) moods. And with the approach of summer  she is clipped or shaved, or what ever other name you care to give to a dog’s coat of hair that is removed. Annie hates to be groomed. She is so rambunctious that she requires light sedation just so the groomer or who ever undertakes the clipping process can keep the clippers on that rusty red hair to get the job done.

Annie waiting for me to throw the ball.

Annie with her favorite toy

Annie looking watching her mama through the clinic door. Summer of 2011 after getting a “summer clip. The short hair makes Annie look like a different dog.

Kippy- “A Jewel in The Rough” (rescued from local shelter) Original post-11/29/11

Kippy looking worried re: grooming is about to begin.

Kippy: Happy that grooming is “all done.”

Kippy knows he is looking good.

 

I was not intending to get another dog when I entered the  local Pets Mart to buy dog and cat food. When I first saw the little dog, he was crouched in a cage in the far corner of a row of  dimly lit cages that the store provides for humane societies to show their cats and dogs that are left over during adoption day. He had been left the day before. I could see him shaking and as I approached I saw fright and bewilderment in his eyes. Nothing had been done to make him look more appealing. His coat was  wiry and shaggy-he had a long nose ,under bite, long skinny body, and huge stand-up ears. Truthfully, he was an ugly dog. I could visualize no one wanting to adopt him so I told the young lady that I would take him. After I arrived home with  Kippy, (I chose a  name for him on the way home) I looked through an assortment of old puppy collars that my now adult dogs had out grown. I placed a small collar around his neck, attached a lease, and took a step toward the back door. Kippy immediately crouched on the floor and urinated. At that moment I realized that he had never worn a collar and he did not know how to walk on a leash. And, he had probably suffered abuse. It took approximately a month of many trials before he got the hang of walking on leash. I had to pick him up to get him outdoors. Immediately after putting him down, he would lower his entire body to the ground where he remained until I picked up AGAIN, put him down, then take a few steps, and pick up AGAIN. I repeated the same process over and over again.  Each time he took a few steps he was rewarded with a bit of milk bone biscuit. This process went on for 2-3 weeks.  Finally one day he decided the leash wasn’t so bad after all. Since that time many years ago he has continued to walk on leash without any problem.

Submissive urination was a whole different story. He urinated on the floor any time I attached the leash and attempted to walk him to the door. Without saying anything to him, I cleaned it up and acted as if there was no problem. It took about a year for him to realize that he would not be punished before he stopped urinating on the floor.

 

 Physically, he appears  to be part dachshund,  maybe a little beagle, and with the long, stand-up ears, I’ve decided he’s part chihuahua. Possibly he’s a little bit Jack Russell terrier. 

 

Kippy has keen hearing and is a good little watch dog. He runs around the property with his tail held high. The tip of his tail is white and it looks like a little flag waving as he runs and plays. In the summer I shave his hair really short.  In the winter I let his coat grow out some but try to keep him trimmed so that he doesn’t look scruffy. In the photo he is due for some trimming. He actually loves a bath which he gets about every two weeks beginning in late spring and throughout the summer. 

 

Now people say, “he sure is a cute little mutt. Where did not get him?”  Kippy was simply a stone in the rough that needed a little polish to turn him into a jewel. 

 

 

Post and photographs – Yvonne     

  

 

   

  

  

  

 

Just Dog Photos

Puppy:  Border Collie x Australian shepherd  (my favorite dog.) A rescue also.

Rocket 10/2011

                                                                                     

Dancer Smiling as she waits for a cart ride

Dancer is “smiling” in this photo. She is one one smart cookie and is an excellent watchdog. She is a rescue from a Ft. Worth, Texas kill shelter. Dancer was rescued day prior to being euthanized. I will never be able to fathom how people can be so callous, selfish, and cruel toward an animal that will love you as no other being can.

                                                                                                                                             

Mixed breed (mutt)

                                      Gweenie was my dog for about 2 years. When my sister’s dog died, Gwenie went to live with my sister. 

Australian cattle dog

                                        Zoey was put over the fence into my yard as a puppy. She is an  EXCELLENT guard dog. Loves to play.        

Muddy holding a stick in his paws

                                           I found Muddy as a puppy  at 12mn on a cold night.  Please excuse the poor crop. (But I’ll leave it here.)

Annie, the Aussie Clown- Learned How To smile (Monday, October 22,2012 @1016am)

 You can find Annie’s  rescue story in the category The Vets Pets

Annie has the stocky build of an Australian shepherd but to me her ears are not quite right.  But everyone that meets Annie thinks she is a pretty dog. And for the most part she looks like an aussie. Her coat is a beautiful russet red and that color is sort of rare among aussies. 

Since she is my grandpet, I’ve been around Annie a fair amount of time. During one of my visits in early  summer I noticed that when she wanted my attention she would show her teeth as if in a ” smile.” I under estimated Annie’s intelligence.  A few times a day when ever Annie wanted to be petted, “I would say smile for grandma,” and Annie would dutifully obey.

Well it seems that after I returned home she began performing her new trick for my daughter. Not long ago I was visiting again and my daughter said,” Mama you turned Annie into a pest. She shows her teeth where ever I go and wiggles and gets in my way until I give her some pats on the head. I finally sort of broke her of that because it became down right annoying.

The problem with Annie is that once she learns something she contiunues to ” act out” what ever she learned as a means of gettting more attention.  Sort of like a kid that learns something new and keeps it up all day.   

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Annie, a smart Australian Shepherd

Annie loves playing with this orange toy

Annie looking dreamy-eyed in this pic. (Required sedation for grooming)

The Squirrel Patrol Dog (Click for slide show) No. 1

 

 

Watching the squirrels

Molly now 4 years old. chocolate labrador retriever

Watching the squirrels

 

 

 

 Photographs by Yvonne   

 

  

   

The Squirrel Patrol Dog (No. 2) (Click for slide show)

I should call the labrador, in the photo, a squirrel dog instead of a retriever.  While eyeballing the squirrels, Molly makes a great subject since she remains virtually in one spot as she displays an array of expressions.  

 Molly has MANY squirrels to watch. To say that these critters or varmints,  err, I mean rodents, are abundant, is an understatement. Just how many squirrels are in one section of our neighborhood? Well, my neighbor Mr. P. has trapped a mere 20 or so squirrels in about two days. He traps and then takes them to the other side of the lake or down to the river where there are plenty of tress. Last year he trapped about 200 squirrels.

The problem with so many squirrels is that they will rob a pecan tree of every last pecan within a very short time. The hungry little rodents don’t even wait for the pecans to ripen on the tree in our yard. I don’t bother spraying the tree in late winter or early spring for sticky shuck disease for there is simply no point to spend money in a futile attempt to reap a tiny bounty of pecans besides putting  more harmful chemicals in the environment. 

So I trust Mr P. to control the squirrel population. But lest you think he is depleting the neighborhood of these adorable little varmints, I mean rodents, he doesn’t make much of a dent. Come spring and summer, every tree in our yard has at least two to three squirrel nests situated high in the big live oaks and elms. I can readily tell you that the squirrels in our yard and those in Mr. P’s yard have an abundant food supply. Beginning in the summer there are about 8 fig trees that provide supplemental food. In addition there are plenty of oaks that supply acorns each fall.

I  stopped putting bird seed out mostly to deter the squirrels from coming and nesting in our yard. Actually, I know better than to think that I could control the squirrels by merely ceasing to feed the birds. But hey, I gave it a try anyway. And then, one day I saw a Red Shouldered hawk and to my dismay, learned the hawk had a mate and the happy couple had set up shop and were nesting in our area. They weren’t just catching the squirrels but also were picking off the white wing doves and other song birds. I saw no logical reason to make it easier for the hawks to have a virtual feeding station just outside our windows. I saw the hawks lurking in the trees off and on during August and September. I did my best to scare then away by blowing up paper sacks that I popped. That was enough to scare then away for the rest of the day and then they were back the next day.  Trying to keep the hawks at bay lasted about a week.  So, I let my hawk vigil fall by the wayside. Simply put it was stupid and required too much time and energy.

“Molly” chocolate Labrador Retriever found at apartmentr complex near my home

Moly in dep thought

 

 

 

Post and photographs by Yvonne Daniel  

 

  

   

Dr. D’s Dogs Getting A Summer Trim

These photos were taken late spring of this year.

Dr. D. had decided to have her two dogs wear a “lion” clip for the summer.  And she wanted to leave more mane” than what a “lion’s clip” should like. This “dog do” is a bit odd-looking. I guess this is a hair cut that has to “grow on you.” At least there is not so much hair to sweep up each day. Dr’s dogs really shed a lot but that is the price you pay when you own a dog with long hair.

Annie the Australian Shepherd is a hyper dog and her mama helps makes things easier for the groomer as well as her dog. Dr. D. uses a  short acting sedative and Annie is cool as a cucumber while being groomed. Annie appears dreamy-eyed with her eyes sort of half closed in these photos. The medication wears off in a little more than an hour. This grooming session went smoothly and did not turn into a “hair raising” event.

Annie: “I’m so sleepy.”

Annie looking very sleepy

Marley: “There went most of my hair.”.

Marley is always cooperative when being groomed

Post and photographs Yvonne

 

Kippy (mutt) A serious Grooming Encounter Reposted) click to enlarge or view in via slides)

 Here are some pics of Kippy (Heinz 57 variety mutt) and his last grooming experience back in the spring of this year. It is always an ordeal when Kippy is groomed. He carries on as if he is being  beaten but when the grooming is complete he could not look more proud as he runs about the yard with his little tail held proudly in the air.  

Post and  photographs Yvonne

 

Kippy: Is she going to cut myu nails that I use for digging?

Kippy: somebody help. I do not like this at all

Kippy: Is this not getting a bit too personal?

Kippy looking worried re: grooming is about to begin.

Kippy: Happy that grooming is “all done.”

 

Rocket, The Border Collie -15 years Old is Now in Renal Failure

 

 

Rocket in his favorite place- the electric cart

Rocket in late afternoon sun. 2011

Rocket. Pic taken after diagnosis of kidney failure.

That dreaded condition has now hit my truly special Border Collie, Rocket. There is not a whole lot one can do about the kidneys slowly failing. There are a few things that one can do that will extend a pets life. Dr Daniel prescribed Phoslo which inhibits the absorption of phosphorus.  Too much phosphorus in the system “fries” the kidneys that much faster. There is one other med to inhibit the absorption and I will ask Dr. D. about it. I called quite a few pharmacies in the town where I live and only one pharmacy, a privately owned pharmacy (not a chain pharmacy) said that “they” could/would obtain the drug for me.

I disguised the huge capsule in a pill pocket and gave it to Rocket as he ate a low protein diet that Dr. Daniel prescribed.  The food is called NF  made by the  Nestle Purina company. Dr. D. had it “dropped shipped” to me by UPS. I got the food within 2 days time. Rocket prefers the canned but at times I give him the nuggets that I have softened in hot water. I add just a tad of canned cat food so that he will eat which ever one I decide to feed him. I switch it around for the dry food lasts longer and there is more food for the money.

Unfortunately the Phoslo did not agree with Rocket. I even opened the cap to try to guess-timate emptying half of the med drain the drain. The cut in half dose did not work either. He completely lost his appetite and energy as well. I tried 2 different times and each time it was the same reaction.

The other medications consists of B12 and B complex injections  every 3 days to keep his appetite and energy going. The vitamins are also supposed to help the kidneys out some- I read that some place- actually it was an add in Veterinary Practice magazine/journal. I need to look at that ad again and ask Dr. D about it. The med, I think contained several things to help out the kidneys.

And last but not least, I give Rocket 250ml of Ringer’s Lactate subcutaneously every day. He has more energy than he did a month or so ago. Probably the B vitamins are helping with energy and appetite.  And the fluids are helping as well.

Rocket was a rescue of sorts. His humans were giving him away because they were moving to a golf course. He had been given to three different individuals when I stepped in to give him a permanent home 8 years ago. He was a scared dog by the time I got him and he came with a few issues. We have worked on his problems but a few still remain. I don’t mind his problems at all. For the most part, I can control his actions so that his issues are actually pretty minor. I did not expect a perfect dog- I just wanted to give him a home, love, and help him adjust to a new way of life.  

As I type this post he is at my feet under the kitchen table. He generally goes where I go and sleeps in his bed beside my bed. He readily comes when called.  I consider him a very good boy and I love him dearly.

I don’t know how long I can keep him going but I am hoping for at least a year.  That might be an unreasonable time but I can only hope and pray.

I’m posting some of pictures of Rocket. I think they are pretty good. Wish they were better. I am aiming to take some”formal” pictures of him in a few days. I’ll use a solid back drop or a wall of one of the small sheds on our property for the “formal”  and more posed photos of him.

Post and photography Yvonne

 

“The Feel Good Roll” December 21, 2011 2:15am

 

 

Dancer, I'm in heaven now."

  

Dancer, “Nothing beats a good scratch.”

 

Dancer,”If only I could do this all day.”

Dancer, “These little rocks help me scratch better.”

Rolling toward the finish.

Dancer, “I think I’ll feel better now.”

Dancer looks like she had one drink too many   

My Australian Shepherd, Dancer that was saved from euthanasia in Ft. Worth, Texas, a city run kill shelter, loooves to roll in the dirt or on the asphalt driveway of our property. She has a chronic fungus condition and really needs a bath at least every 2 weeks (every week would be better.) At times her back feels itchy and she then rolls in the dirt or on the rough asphalt. In between bath times she rolls each time I let the dogs out to play and run around the one acre property. I took a series of pics one day as she was rolling and here they are, from beginning to the finish. My camera numbers my photographs so these are in sequence.