Getting Ready

Today is a busy day. It's Thursday, so tonight is obedience class. We've been practicing our homework and Fudge is doing an amazing job. When I put the leash on and fill my pockets with treats, suddenly he becomes very cooperative and does whatever I tell him to. When we're in the yard and there are no treats in sight and I give him a command, he looks at me like I must be crazy. Why would he possibly want to do that?


I found these two stepping stones in a shop near here one day and thought we'd put them in the back yard. When Rob saw them, he thought we should put them on the wall under the outside lamp. So now, where most people have a house number, we have the word WOOF.


Lola is doing a short 'sit-stay', emphasis on short. I can step about three feet away from her and walk back to her . Her down stay is even shorter. I have to stand over her, but that's ok. We'll get there. Yesterday on her rather jerky 'heel' she figured out that if she sat when we stopped, she'd get a cookie. So now even though the heel isn't great, she sits when she's supposed to without being told. So, that's progress.


Sky is a real ham. When none of the others want to stop to have their pictures taken, Sky will always pose. He's such a good boy. Yesterday he had a stuffie in his crate and tore it all apart. The stuffing was confined to his crate. Last night, while I was on the computer, he carried all the cotton stuffing out of the crate and spread it around the office. It's all over the place. I guess I can't avoid vacuuming much longer.


This is Bailey. She and Lola look so much alike that you have to be very close to tell them apart. Bailey is a little smaller and her eyes are set farther apart. Bailey has less white on her chest and her feet are black while Lola's toes are silver. If they are wet, which they are a great deal of the time, they look identical. I keep them in different haircuts to make identification easier. Bailey has been in a lion cut, but it's grown out, so tomorrow she's going to the spa to get her butt shaved.

Fudge and Morgan are also going to the spa for summer haircuts. They both have heavy coats and will be much cooler with a trim. I'll post before and after pictures when they get home. It's a dramatic difference.


Sky, again, asking to have his picture taken.

Lucy is having a rough day. Yesterday morning she fell down four steps. He weak rear legs just gave way. Last night she was holding her right rear leg up off the ground and limping painfully around. This morning I increased her pain meds slightly and had to help her up the steps when she went outside. She ate well and I'm trying to keep her quiet in the kitchen. She has her big bed there and food and water close by. A little while ago I took her out and she managed the steps on her own. She always wants to do everything herself. I know she won't be around much longer, but I don't want her last days to be filled with pain and fear.



The birds or squirrels must have been eating sunflower seeds on the back fence and dropped one. This morning this solitary sunflower greeted us. I managed to keep Tess from picking it, but who knows how long she can resist.