Ginko is still having pretty consistent trouble with his right knee (we assume). Right leg, at the very least. We keep swearing that we’ll keep him quiet, that we won’t let him run, and so on, but it is very hard with so much else going on. Since Feb 1 was conveniently on a Monday…
So, one of the weird parts of being on Facebook is “friending” family members. (Yes, I was about the last person on the planet to join.) BUT, it kind of amuses me to be connected online with a couple of my cousin contemporaries. You see, there are four of us in my large Italian family that are essentially the same age. It’s kind of cool, I think. Anyway, I’m now connected with a cousin who moved from Colorado to Florida. I just laughed and laughed when I saw profile pictures of his dogs. Talk about extremes.
Lilly and I haven’t done any agility training for months now. In fact, I should go save our at-home equipment from the winter winds that have bowled everything over. I’m sure both of us miss it, and
I’ll try to find time for a bit of weaving and jumping, wraps and pivots, bounce jumps and tires. Lilly surely needs the exercise and mental stimulation, but I’ve discovered another reason for a
good, all-out agility run now and then. It prevents tripping around the house. …
In an attempt to make the pre-holiday cleaning bonanza last as long as possible, I began using a squeegee on our glass doors after each shower. To me, that daily minute trumps the eons it takes to
battle well-water residue later. While I try really hard not to squeak the darn thing, Lilly hates the sliding noise just as much. She barks. Ginko barks, and suddenly everyone in the house knows
Mommy is out of the shower. …
A revelation sprouted from the non-stop stress here at Chez Champion of My Heart. An insight into panic and frustration and fearful dogs poked me square in the noggin when I unexpectedly flipped out
recently and saw the parallels to what life is often like for dear, sensitive Lilly. You know how I sometimes gripe about how Lilly’s behavior flashes and catches me off guard? Well, these days, I
feel something similar come over me, and I never see it coming. Maybe that’s how it is for Lilly, too.
…
Since we have virtually no time for “real” dog training these days, I’ve taken to making even everyday things … like Lilly following me around as I attempt to keep the house somewhat in order …
into a working thing. OK, maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel better, but Lilly seems to enjoy doing what I ask, even if she would do those things anyway. …
On one of many nights I attempted to sleep somewhere other than where Tom was, I had the luxury of Lilly joining me. When either of us is sick, we use various bedrooms to avoid as much as possible
passing the germs along. I had a doozy of a cold last week (clearly the stress wore me down), so I coughed, sneezed, and snorted my way through several nights. So, we let our poor neglected pups
sleep loose (rather than in their crates), and Lilly picked me as her cuddling companion. …
Lilly has figured out that certain getting-dressed routines mean various things that may or may not involve her having any fun. The other day in my mad dash to get out of the house and deal with
eldercare issues, I found her glued to one spot, just looking out the window. At first, I couldn’t figure out what she saw. When I realized a bunny had caught her attention, I figured a little border
collie obsession wasn’t a bad thing for her with me being so busy. …
I’m not sure this counts as a real training update since the ONLY thing Lilly and Ginko are learning these days is to handle us being busy, gone, worried all the time. I really wish I could write
about the terrible things going on right now, but there are many reasons I cannot. So, please just know that we continue to need a constant flood of good wishes and mojo for pretty much everyone in
our family. Those of us, under this roof, are mostly fine, if you don’t count bouts of crying, winter cold germs, unending/unimaginable stress …
Back in the mid-1990s, when I was on staff at the American Animal Hospital Association, I helped with logistics for the big annual veterinary
conference. Think of it like throwing some 50 special events every day for thousands of your closest colleagues in a strange city for four straight days. It is exhausting. The exhibit hall was
always one of big draws, with oodles of free schwag and other tantalizing things to get people into the various booths, where the oh-so-charming sales folks could work their magic. …
