Opposites

Flaps up.

Flaps down.

Sad dog.

Happy dog.

Snow Dog ?

Sebastian came to live with us in July of last year so there's still a lot we don't know about him. We know he loves sunshine. Even on a ninety degree day he'll find a sunny spot and stretch out for a nap. His coat gets too hot to touch but he loves it.

We know he doesn't like rain. It takes both Rob and me pushing and pulling to get him outside if it's raining. We wondered how he would react to snow and we got a surprise.

He loves the snow and his favorite activity is to roll in it. Each time he goes outside in the snow he rolls and then he'll move to a different spot and roll again.

From his behavior the last two days I'd say this is definitely a snow dog.

Syd and Mac Have Two Dads

We got our first real snow of the winter and wouldn't you know it arrived when we had an important early morning appointment. We refinanced our mortgage and this morning was the closing. No problem, we were up earlier than usual to let everyone see the falling snow, then breakfast for everyone, then we set off to the closing.

By the time we returned it had stopped snowing but everyone was ready to play. We decided to let Fudge and Sebastian introduce the puppies to the fun of playing in snow. I took Sebastian and Fudge to the back yard while Rob went to get the pups.

Then the girls arrived. They saw Fudge first.

 They started to follow him.

Then they caught sight of Sebastian.

The boys both played nicely with the little girls.

Then the puppies started to feel the cold and Syd cuddled up to Sebastian. We knew it was time to take them in to get warm.

I'm really proud of how nicely the big boys play with and care for the puppies.

SNOW !!!!

It happened everybody! It snowed and it's still snowing.

This is my house in the snow.

Mom says she'll post more later after she has some coffee and warms up. Excuse me now but I have to go play in the wonderful fluffy snow!

Your pal,
Fudge

Bird Dog or Mud Puppy?

Sydney and Mackenzie are 1/2 Brittany and 1/4 Springer Spaniel so they should be good bird dogs.

Syd likes to sit in the yard and watch birds in the bushes, but Mac seems to be more Beagle and usually has her nose to the ground.

Yesterday Sydney got her first bird. OK, it was already dead from flying into a window and breaking it's neck, but Syd found it on the ground, grabbed it and wasn't about to give it up. Rob had to lure her to him with treats and toys. She was going to keep her prize and take it apart to see how it was made. She also had no intention of sharing her prize with her sister.

When Rob had relieved her of the bird and brought her inside, she was all excited and jumped all around the place. We began to think she might actually be a bird dog afterall. Since we don't hunt and we discourage killing of the birds we lure to our feeders, she will not be getting much opportunity to practice her skills. Still it's nice to know that her genes are working.

This morning when we took them outside, most of the ice had been replaced with mud. They didn't seem to mind as they chased each other  around the yard. But when it was time to come back inside, we noticed that Mac was pretty muddy.

The problem with being a mostly white dog is that the mud shows much more than it does on the black long haired dogs. Syd  is showing off her new brown spots.

They both visited the garage doggy bathtub before rejoining us upstairs.

Fudge will get another chance for snow tomorrow night. He's still hoping.

Updates and Clarifications

One of my main peeves over the years has been when the news media is full of a story for days or weeks to the exclusion of everything else happening in the world, then suddenly they drop the story and go on to the next mega event without ever telling us how the first story ended. Sometimes the people involved are never heard of again and we sit here scratching our heads trying to figure out what the resolution of the oh so important story was.

I try not to copy the crazed news media, so when I post about something going on, I try to go back later and let you know how it worked out. I don't want to leave you hanging. In this post there are several loose ends to tie up.

First health issues. I'm so happy to report that finally, after weeks of worry, Noah and Fudge are over the Corona virus. They are both eating normally, maintaining their weight and having normal stools.

Sebastian's injury is healing. We hope that's the end of it but we still have the option of surgery to remove the foreign matter if necessary. Should it start to bother him again or to drain, we'll follow up, but for now he's not paying any attention to it so that's that.

Sebastian began vomiting a couple weeks ago and it was determined that he was developing an ulcer. We've been treating him with an antibiotic and Pepto twice a day and keeping him on a bland diet. He seems to be fine again and is now eating normally except that he's getting smaller rations. He needs to drop about five pounds.

Morgan is doing great. She's a little more spacy than she used to be and she sleeps harder than before, but when she's awake, she's active and part of the group.

 We've just learned that February, which is almost over, is Canine Dental Health Month. Dentistry is one of Dr B's specialties, so we get checked every time we visit him. After much stalling, I started brushing last year and I've actually seen some good results. After a rocky start Fudge and Noah both love getting their teeth brushed. They actually race each other to be first and Noah would like to brush his after every meal and every snack. Sebastian is not so keen on the idea of brushing but he has doggy breath, so I'm getting him an Orapup. Have you seen them or better yet have you tried them?

Orapup is a flat brush with soft bristles on one side. I apply the gel to the brush and Sebastian should lick it off, cleaning his tongue and removing the doggy breath. Anyway, that's how it's supposed to work. I'll let you know.

Fudge has come out of his depression. We were trying to bring him around, but the biggest factor in his recovery is the arrival of the puppies. Fudge now has an important job, playing with and training Syd and Mac. He acts like the old Fudge now, spinning and jumping and talking to us. It's good to have him back acting like a doofus. Some of you have expressed concern about Fudge being overly protective of the puppies with the other dogs. I'm actually not worried about it. As the girls get bigger and can defend themselves I don't think Fudge will feel the need to protect them.

Syd and Mac are doing well. They have moved from their nursery in the library to a pen in the laundry room where they can see us and join in the chaos. They love their playtime in the living room and attack Morgan's pile of toys with gusto. Morgan escapes before they are turned loose. Their favorite time of the day is backyard play time. Usually Fudge goes with them, though we sometimes take only the pups. Noah, Sebastian, Norma Jean and Tess have all joined them in the yard for play. We still have to make the introductions to Lola and Bailey. We chose to introduce everyone slowly over a long period to avoid overwhelming the girls. They're getting much bigger and are more able to  defend themselves from rough play with the bigger dogs.

House training is coming along better than I expected. There have been no poops in the house in over three weeks and they use pee pads in their pen overnight and when we can't get them outside in time. The hardest part is grabbing them and rushing outside when we first release them from the pen. The excitement from seeing the other dogs can cause an accident. They'll be three months old tomorrow so I'm pleased at their progress.

Rob and I are considering entering the puppies in a class and I need to sit down this weekend and look at the available options.

I've noticed a lot of Blogiversaries  being celebrated lately. The Five Sibes are celebrating theirs this weekend. Pop in and say Hi.

We have one coming up in March. I think it'll be five years, but in 29 more posts we'll be hitting out 1000th post. I'm thinking about a giveaway for that. I haven't thought up all the details yet, but I'll have more about it in the future.

Because it's almost Spring, we're getting ready for annual vet visits. This year we're going to try something new. Instead of monthly heartworm tablets, we're going to get a six month vaccination. It'll save me having to remember each month and it's less expensive. Win-win.

So that's where we are as of today. Things can change quickly around here, so stay tuned.