Round Versus Pointy Head
An alert Lilly is very pointy. A sleepy Lilly is quite round. But, reading her body language — in this case, her noggin — isn’t always this simple. …
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Dog Names to Avoid
According to the American Kennel Club, here are the top 20 male and female dog names in the U.S. right now. So for most of us … it’s a list of names to AVOID. While I’m dancing in victory over choosing Ginko for my big boy, I’m consoling myself that Lilly is at least NOT in the top 10. I did not mean to be SUCH a cliche.
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Lilly vs. Rattlesnake (The Insurance Update)
It took more than a month, but indeed Lilly’s pet insurance covers and assisted in paying a piece of her sizable veterinary bill stemming from her rattlesnake bite to the face Labor Day weekend (as chronicled here, here, and here). The mathematics behind the processed claim intrigue me. …
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Weekly Training Update (Oct 3)
I tried to stick with Part 2, the advanced SIT-STAY section of our behavior modification plan, but boredom won out. So, this week, I began Part 3, which includes people doing 13 tasks. Essentially, they approach me and Lilly in a variety of ways. Three vignettes from this week’s work. Only one follows the rules. …
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Agility Tunnel Cleaning in 1,000 Steps or Less
Lilly’s competition-grade agility tunnel spent most of the summer stacked up in the shade near our chimney. But, with winter coming, I figured I’d better clean it, condition it, and get it stored inside — away from the brutal, high-altitude snow, wind, and sun. Except, it turns out that cleaning a full-sized, ribbed tunnel isn’t a simple thing. …
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What’s 30 pounds between friends?
Other than a little tip-tap of toenails on our solid-surface floors, Lilly often slides through life as my silent, attentive, loyal shadow. Our total connectivity has lessened since July through our “deference” work in her new behavior modification plan and thanks to her major anxiety meds. So, she spends large parts of most days no longer at my side, no longer needing my attention or constant contact, which is good, but also kind of sad. I think perhaps I’ve lost the ease of that much togetherness. Either that, or Ginko is a much more intrusive sidekick. …
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Weekly Training Update (Sept 26)
Sorry to say I don’t have much to report this week. My motivation lagged seriously as other worries loomed large. So, we did not get any Lilly work done this week, except to take morning walks and enjoy snuggling at night. It’s hard to say since I’m not challenging Lilly with the usual stimuli, but while we’ve been taking time off, I can say that she seems really, really happy. So, perhaps the drugs work well, when it comes to regular day-to-day stress. There is one thing, however, that I don’t think made any difference. …
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Rebuilding Lilly’s Strength
As part of building back Lilly’s strength, I developed a little routine. I thought you might find it useful. …
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Summer is Over, Problem Solved?
Part of being Mommy McSlacker during Lilly’s recovery included letting her be outside after dinner, if she wanted to be. I also wasn’t very good about making sure the dogs had food toys to play with inside at night … mostly because I was so exhausted from worry and constant at-home medical care. Here’s the thing, though, we’re not having any trouble getting her to come in, and we’re not having any trouble with her hiding in the house at night. …
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Mystery of Nature
While putting away my lunch dishes one day last week, I saw this HUGE caterpillar inching its way up the dog pen netting. So, I took this close-up shot. I have no idea what it is, but
it’s a total freak of nature. Any ideas? …