Subtitle — what can happen when a border collie gets bored. As a youngster, Lilly did not get into typical puppy trouble. She did not chew anything up. She did not have potty accidents in the house. She did not fuss much at all. Instead, she went looking for adventure. …
Over the weekend, we babysat a parrot. Despite early success at befriending him, it turns out the bird hates me. It sounds silly, I know, but it really hurt my feelings. After all, I’m pretty good with smart, sensitive animals, right?
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My friend Linda jokes that when you have dogs, you never pee alone. That’s pretty much true around here, so I’ve taken to asking for a variety of behaviors. If Lilly is going to follow me into the bathroom, she might as well entertain me. …
A few weeks ago, Lilly rolled in some foul smelling something or other. Her neck and shoulders were completely encrusted. A bath was beyond necessary. Lilly has never been a big fan of baths, but this one … for some reason … caused a total panic attack. Unfortunately, for me, the experience has ruined her recall at home. …
Last week, we made a mad dash to the veterinarian. Lilly suffered from both tapeworms (as a result of catching and eating things in the pasture) and a fly larva under the skin. Eeew … on both accounts. …
I read a lot, and I mean A LOT. I am bookworm and pretty proud of it. For many years, thanks to my undergraduate thesis, my specialty was 20th century African American women’s literature. There’s no “chick” in this “lit” … that’s for sure. Lately, I’ve been reading more good novels, good stories, than good…
Lilly now has her own business cards to help promote the blog. The plan is to hand them out to people we meet on the street to help build readership. My husband says people will (and do) think I’m nuts, but I think it’s kind of cute. And, I think it will help people remember our blog. Here’s what they look like:
Last Sunday, Lilly had her best training day in months. She was spot on PERFECT. She worked hard at her advanced obedience class (not agility). She interacted nicely with a couple of strange dogs (through the fence at the dog park, but still!). She did not snark at one single dog.
I’m finally ready to try medications for Lilly’s anxiety. So, my big-picture trainer recommended a veterinary-behaviorist nearby. Scheduling put our appointment 3 weeks out, which was a bummer, but it’s a good thing I couldn’t get in right away because it turns out the cost is too high.
After writing about needing to break my dog-hugging habit last week, I took Ginko for his annual exam, which included doing bloodwork since he’s now 7 years old. Muzzled for safety, Ginko still required a fair amount of restraint, including a veterinary technician wrapping her arms around him … to secure the front leg for the blood draw — her chest on his shoulders, her arms around his chest.
