Dog Life

  • Lilly vs. Rattlesnake (part 1)

    Saturday afternoon (8/30) around 4:30 – 5:00 pm, it seems Lilly got a rattlesnake bite right in the face. Tom and I were both outside most of the day. We did not see anything. We did not hear anything – no rattling, no barking, no cries of pain, no urgent need for comfort. Just all of a sudden she seemed to have a fat lip. We assumed it was a bee sting, until an hour later when the swelling had spread to nearly the whole side of her head. Here are more details and some photos. …

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    Taking Dog-Dog Issues Seriously: Another cautionary tale

    Last Friday, one of my canine nieces underwent surgery to repair a compound fracture in one of her rear legs. Daisy, a poodle-yorkie mix (apparently known as Yoodles in some circles), had a run-in with a bigger dog with whom she shares a fence line. The other dog is already “red flagged” by animal control for some aggressive act, but since it’s unclear which direction the fence breach originated, the encounter, which broke Daisy’s leg, doesn’t count as another strike against him. From my perspective, there are many lessons here.
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    Man on the Street

    Since our regular exercise walks are about the only outings we have, Lilly and I really look forward to them. Each day I adjust my schedule to avoid as much other traffic (people, dogs, horses, cars) as I can. Still, some days we cannot help but cross paths with someone or something. Most times, I just work her classical conditioning and feed our way past whatever it is, but last week, an older man who walks for his heart stopped to chat with us. …

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    A sad (probably not true) realization

    Last Thursday was a long day. I worked all day, drove 2+ hours in the head up to CSU, met with our behaviorist for 2 hours, then drove home (another 2 hours). My head was reeling from her insights about Lilly’s behavior, especially about all the kissing being an anxiety outburst (just like snarking or hiding). And, here I thought she just LOVED ME a lot. One question, among the countless asked, echoed in my head as I drove home. My iPod battery pooped out, so I had regular radio and my own thoughts to keep me company during the …

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    Oh, I’m ranting

    It’s not like clomipramine comes from Mars or is some new-fangled drug. It isn’t. It’s a pretty common medication for dogs with anxiety. Why, then, is it so @#$@# hard to get it where I live? And, why is the dog version SO MUCH MORE expensive than the human version? Talk about screwing the pooch, or at least  the girl who loves her!!! …

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    Some Hiking News and Photos

    Behind the scenes at Champion of My Heart, I get private advice from some readers. They simply feel more comfortable emailing me directly with ideas, input, support. And, that’s totally fine. One such idea from a friend was to take Lilly on different hikes this summer to keep her out and working, even though we’re taking a break from classes until we figure out the anxiety medicine stuff. So, here are a few updates on recent outings: …

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    She’s a Helper

    Summer 2008 is full of home projects aimed at bolstering the energy efficiency of our house, which was built in 1978. I mostly fill the role of snack provider, beverage purveyor, and clean-up crew. Lilly? Well, she has decided dropping sticks at Tom’s feet (no matter how high off the ground they are) is a HUGE help. …