Author: frodopon

Mount Washington

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April 12.  And according to my sources, on this day in 1934, the strongest surface wind  gust in the world (231 miles per hour) was recorded on the summit of Mount Washington.  Mount Washington is the highest peak in the northeastern US at 6288 feet above sea level.  Now for my friends who live in the alps or the Rockies, that may not seem big.  But the thing about Mount Washington is that it experiences some of the craziest weather in the world.  There are even Danger signs as you get part way up- warning that the weather can change at any moment.  

My human climbed Mount Washington in her much younger days.  She had no idea what she was doing.  She went with a friend- and they were NOT prepared. They just thought it was a simple day hike.  Clearly they didn’t read about it beforehand.  It’s a 6 mile trip – with some rock climbing as you get closer to the top.  But somehow they made it.  With a lot of huffing, puffing, moaning and groaning.  And dancing when they got to the top.  Then they realized they had to get back down.  And they had no money to take the tram. They decided there was no way they would take the same route down that they had taken on the way up.  So they took the auto road back down – which is 7.6 miles.  You will often see bumper stickers saying “ This car climbed Mountain Washington.”  My human said she wanted pants that said “ This butt climbed Mount Washington.”  Somebody should make those.
Anyway – in case you are wondering, I have not climbed Mount Washington.  BUT – dogs CAN do the trek. When I was looking into this, I found the story of Lucy.
 Lucy was a multi-breed dog who was living on the streets of Puerto Rico.  Sadly, she was in an automobile accident and was paralyzed.  But luckily for Lucy, she was rescued by a woman named Courtney.  Courtney saw to it that Lucy was outfitted with a wheelchair- because she was a high energy dog.  And then they set a goal.  To climb Mount Washington.  They trained for weeks for the journey.  And on August 18, 2010, after six hours and two minutes – Lucy became the first dog to climb Mount Washington in a wheelchair.  Here is her video:
As you see, they had lots of rest breaks.  And when Lucy got to the top, she didn’t look worse for the wear!  I think you call that heart.  
And we heart Lucy.  She set an example that disabled dogs can lead happy, exciting and adventurous lives.  And she also showed us that, just like in life, “every mountain top is within reach , if you just keep climbing!” (Barry Finlay) 
I hope your mountains today are climbable and your journey lots of fun. Now excuse me while I get my leash!
Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 9
I

Company!

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So Tuesday was an interesting day.  My human was on a super clean-a-thon, so we knew something was up.  Super cleaning generally means company. That’s different than the usual dusting and vacuuming that happens at least once a week – when the dust bunnies begin to become chase-able.  Super cleaning includes floor scrubbing, and the fastidious removal of canine olfactory art.  From windows, doors, cupboards, walls, ceilings.  OK.  Not ceilings.  Mind you there probably IS some dog slobber on some ceiling from us shaking our heads after drinking. Especially from the FG.  Because he is taller.  His DNA is EVERYWHERE.  After he eats, as well, it is critical that he rub his face on any and all vertical surfaces.  And on carpets. 

Anyway, we watched my human as she cleaned.  She would pick up our assorted toys and bones, put them in the big copper boiler to store them, turn around to get the vacuum, only to turn and see that we were already removing the toys and bones she had just put away. 
Then we would want to go out, after she finished vacuuming,  and we would bring in an assortment of leaves.  And snow.  Yes – we would bring both.  Vacuuming with dogs is futile.  Kind of like trying to drain the ocean with a paper cup.
The cleaning day wore on.  She fed us our supper and then in a cheery voice, told us to come in the bedroom.  Fellow dogs- always beware the cheery voice. We went in, and before we could turn around, she was putting a rickety gate across the doorway.  She said we had to stay there and behave – not everyone appreciates jumpy canines.  Who the heck is this “everyone?”
Well it turns out it was a date.  A big, tall dark- haired  man.  
Just kidding.  No point in fabricating that story – everybody knows April Fools Day is over.  No – it was her “Book Club.”  She just joined this group a few months ago – and it was her turn to host.  Wonder if all the other women spent as much time cleaning when they hosted.
When the first group of ladies arrived, one asked if she could say hello to us.  “Sure” my human said – while her mind was racing about who was going to knock down the gate and race into the DFZ to steal the cheese log.  My human held the gate, but that’s when I realized the mesh was loose. I immediately tried to burrow my way through.  So my human is holding my head and the gate, Einstein is barking and the FG is leaping up and down.  The first woman walked away after the raucous introduction – and now another one came to say hello.  Over the blasting of Einstein’s barking my human answered the usual “what are they” question.  Again I tired to squirm through the mesh- while my human pushed me back. The second woman went to the living room. My human gave us the stink eye and said “sit.”  She ran to the kitchen, grabbed some treats and flung them on the floor.  While we were gobbling them up she turned the gate so the loosened mesh would no longer be at floor level.  Secure again.
She joined the ladies for the discussion that was just about to begin.  That’s when the usually quiet Picard began squeaking.  Loudly.  Constantly.  She excused herself- went to the bedroom, said “settle down” and went back to the group.  Five minutes later, Einstein starts barking.  She excuses herself again and again (with the stink eye) says “settle down.”  The discussion continues.
Ten minutes later, she can hear the gate being rattled.  She knows all it will take is one good punch – and it will be PONdemonium.  She sneaks out AGAIN.  She “pretends” to throw treats – (which was pretty sneaky) and as we all turn around, she CLOSES THE BEDROOM DOOR. 
Initially we were all in shock.  We lay down and were stunned.  My human listened and breathed a sigh of relief.  Peace.  At last.
About a half hour went by, and that’s when Einstein decided he had had enough. Remember- this is the dog who does not like to be “contained.” He basically slammed against the door- so loudly that it literally caused the book discussion to stop – and everyone looked at my human.  “Is everything OK?” someone asked. My human nervously smiled and said “oh he’s just trying to get out.  He’ll be fine.”  She was secretly saying a prayer of thanks that he couldn’t open the door.  Unlike another PON she knows.  Zan can open doors that have a lever handle. Luckily we don’t have those.  
Einstein resorted to throwing himself at the door again – like a cop breaking into a felon’s hideout.  He stopped when he realized it wouldn’t work.
As the evening wore on, we eventually did settle down.  Although every twenty minutes or so, Einstein would let out a bark or two – just to remind my human that we were in there.  And alive.
When everyone left, my human cleaned up the dishes and put away leftover food.  And then she FINALLY released us from our bondage.
Now despite the unwanted sequestering- there WAS an upside to the evening.  Which actually extended into the next day.  One word that made it all worthwhile:  leftovers.  Veggies.  Cheese.  Fruit.  While the FG proceeded to toss his carrot sticks around the dining room, Einstein and I gobbled down our fill.  And the FG’s if his toss went the wrong way.
For some reason, my human doesn’t remember much about the discussion from that night.  Her  next turn to host won’t be for months.   Einstein is already planning his escape.  
Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 8

The good breeder

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Yesterday, after my human shoveled snow, and we had had our snowy walks and breakfast, she had a good chat with an old friend.  Her friend is a dog breeder.  I won’t say what breed – because it could be ANY breed – and we’ll keep this a “generic” story.  

Her friend was commiserating about a bunch of recent calls that she has had from people who own her breed.  But they did not get their dogs from my human’s friend. These people are having problems with health, and behavior issues in their dogs.  My human’s friend is a very nice person.  AND a good breeder.  So she asks the people why they don’t talk to their breeder.  Which brings me to my discussion today.   What makes a good breeder?
When people are getting a puppy, they are often familiar with the typical questions to ask the breeder:  “Ask to see the parents of the puppies.  Ask about health clearances.  Ask if the breeder’s dogs have had health issues.”   Those are the standard questions that a good breeder will easily answer. 
But that’s just scratching the surface of what makes a good breeder.  And trust me – you WANT a good breeder.  My human remembers when she got her first purebred Bernese….
Before the Bernese,  my human had two purebred dogs (“with papers”) growing up.  In retrospect, these dogs who became amazing family members, were bred by well-intentioned people who were not regular dog breeders.  They had a litter.  They sold the puppies.  And that was that.  I’m not even certain they had any health clearances, and frankly, back then, my human wouldn’t have even thought to ASK. Back then, you saw an add in the paper, you called, and you went to get your puppy.  Simple. 
So when my human went to get her first Bernese, imagine her surprise when the breeder wanted her to complete a questionnaire!  A questionnaire?   Seriously?  My human’s immediate thought was – I’m the one who is paying for this puppy – shouldn’t I be the one asking the questions?!  It was at that point that she found out what a really GOOD breeder is all about.
The breeder, who asks what might seem like rather intrusive questions about your training methods, your home environment and where the dog will sleep (!) – is asking those questions because he or she CARES about those puppies that they have just produced.  That is a GOOD breeder. That breeder has made THE best effort to breed healthy puppies who will have good longevity and good temperaments.  That breeder loves those puppies – and after all the work involved in breeding and raising a litter – he or she is truly sad to see those puppies leave for their new homes.  That breeder also wants to be sure that he or she has matched you to the best puppy for your lifestyle.  Some puppies may be more of a handful (can you imagine?!) so the breeder will want to be sure that’s the right puppy for you.   And IF you have a good breeder, that is NOT the end of your relationship.  It’s just the beginning! IF you have a good breeder, that should be the person you are able to contact with ANY issues related to your canine companion.  For the LIFE of your dog.  Now I’m not suggesting that you have to talk to the breeder every week – and as dogs get older, contact may not be as frequent.  But any GOOD breeder WANTS to know about their puppies – because that breeder learns about his or her breeding program from YOU!   That GOOD breeder wants to know it all – even when that dog’s job on this earth is done.
  
If you go to get a dog – and there are no questions asked of you – it’s a red flag that the person isn’t really “in this” for the betterment of the breed.  Let’s face it, if you make the decision to share your life with a purebred dog, you want to start off at the right place. Just as you want the right puppy – you want the right breeder!  The breeder should be someone you TRUST – and someone you can call on at any time.  
My human has been lucky.  After she realized WHY all the questions were being asked with that first Bernese, she happily answered them.  She admits she has had very good breeders breeders over the years.  And ALL of them were more than willing to answer ANY questions or concerns – no matter how old her dog was. 
In this day and age when purebreds get a bad rap (I’ve ranted on about this before), and when we are seeing the possible extinction of some breeds, it is critical that people understand what constitutes a good breeder.  Frankly, registration papers are not proof that you have purchased a healthy, happy, dog with a good temperament.  Papers are just papers.  What really counts is who produced those papers. And even though, good breeders can not guarantee a perfect puppy because they don’t control nature – they will have done everything possible to make sure that you have a healthy companion for a long time.  And they want to know about your dog – for that long time.  THAT is the definition of a GOOD breeder.  In my opinion.  Just sayin.  
So those are my random thoughts for today.  Now excuse me while I get my human moving – I think she has more shoveling to do….
 Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 7

Churchill

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April 9.  Yesterday, according to the crazy calendar, was Dog Farting Awareness Day.  And I missed it.   Not that you REALLY need to be AWARE of dog farts.  Let’s face it- some of us can clear a room.  No one needs a promotional day.  Anyone in the room is WELL aware.  It just reminds me of Bucket Head – who could have won a prize.  If there was such a thing as a fart meter.  I miss Bucket Head and his farts….

Anyway we missed that auspicious holiday talking about rat enthusiasm instead.  Oh well. 

Today, according to the crazy calendar, it’s National Winston Churchill Day.  I can’t believe I haven’t talked about the “Bulldog” before.   He is the famed British Prime Minister who led Britain to victory in the Second World War.  Not only was he a wartime leader, but he was also an artist and an author, winning the Nobel Prize in Literature.  And do you know what ELSE he was?  An animal lover.
Lots of people think he was a Bulldog guy- because of his tenacity and hmmmmm…. his physical appearance which kind of matched the breed.  He actually is reported to have owned a Bulldog when he was young, trading his bicycle for one.  But do you know what breed he owned as an adult?   Poodles.  Miniature chocolate poodles.   When his first one died, who was named Rufus, he quickly got a second one – Rufus II.  Churchill was quoted as saying “the II is silent.”
The Rufuses reportedly had a pretty sweet lifestyle.  One source said that the dog would have his meal served on a cloth on the carpet in the dining room – next to the head of the table.  No one could eat until the Butler first served the dog. JUST like in our house. Minus the fancy cloth. And the Butler.
Besides dogs, Churchill had cats, pigs, butterflies, horses and swans.  A real menagerie.  And although he was quoted as saying he was “fond of pigs” I doubt the pigs ate in the dining room.  Just sayin’.
So that’s the day.  Cheers to Churchill.
Today We have no snow in the forecast  – although we DID have snow late yesterday and overnight.  We woke up to sounds of the plow guy.  Today the forecast is good.  Tomorrow we are ignoring the forecast other than to say there is a contract out on the Groundhog. Given the FG’s new interest in rodents, maybe we will send him to visit the springtime prognosticator…
Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 6

Find a rat. Maybe.

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As predicted, it was an entertaining afternoon….

My human, Marg and the FG arrived early for the Barn Hunt lesson. My human figured she would have time for the FG’s calming drugs to start working.  JUST KIDDING!!! But she did know that even though he had pooped twice before they left home, he would need to go when they got there.  He’s so poop-dictable.  He did.  Not 10 minutes after they arrived. 
The goal for the session was to introduce dogs to the sport of Barn Hunts and Brush Hunts.  My human learned that in Barn Hunts, there are three tubes.  One holds a rat.  One is  empty.  And one contains dirt and rat droppings.  The dog has to indicate which tube holds the rat.  In a brush hunt, the tube with the rat  is hidden in bales of hay and the dog needs to find it.
To start the session, dogs were introduced to rats in cages.  The instructor sat by the cage and showed the dog the rat.
 First try.  The FG had NO interest whatsoever in the rat in the cage.  None.   Nada.  My human pointed to the rat.  She tapped on the cage.  She told him “find it.”  The instructor pointed to the rat.  He was 1000% more interested in giving kisses to the instructor.  He would have stepped on the rat cage to get to her. My human walked out of the enclosure with flashbacks to me sitting like a stuffed dog in a pen with sheep during a herding instinct test.  Deja vu.
Other dogs had their turns with the rat.  Everyone was interested.  One terrier would have crawled in the cage with the rat.  A Karelian Bear dog went CRAZY.  
Second try.  They put the cage behind a hay bale.  My human walked hin up to the cage and AGAIN- he totally ignored the rat in the cage.  The other dogs would have jumped over the hay bale to see the rat in the cage.  At this point, my human started thinking about the hike that she and Marg had planned after the workshop.  Maybe they should just leave – and give the other dogs more time.
Third try.  Well.  Isn’t there a saying “three times a charm?”  This time, the rat was introduced in the tube- so it couldn’t be seen.   The tube had holes in it, but was opaque. NOW the FG took an interest.  It was like he now had to THINK because he couldn’t SEE the rat.  So he started intently sniffing at the tube.  BINGO.  The targeted behavior.  
After that, he got the idea.  He would actually stick his head in between the hay bales where the tube was located.
In this video, there are two tubes.  One with the rat and the other is empty.  You see him as the video opens and he has stopped and is smelling at the first tube, where the rat is, but he then is not interested in the second tube.  When he goes back to the first tube, he is again interested.
The instructor was VERY kind and encouraging.  You see her happiness that he found it.  And my human’s!
I’m not sure he’s quite ready for a test. Who are we kidding – he’s far from ready.  At one point my human managed to circumvent a possible hay bale pee.  She learned that peeing on hay bales is not a “fail” on a test- but it results in a time fault.  Which is not good.  She figured her distraction during training was probably a good thing.  No point in starting a behavior that would be hard to break! Like peeing on tires….or the deck….
He may not have been the best ratter there, but he certainly made lots of friends.  He thought he was supposed to do his “Meet the breeed” gig.  Kisses all around.
So by the end, my human figured it was worth it.  As I mentioned, the instructors were very helpful and supportive- and never made my human feel like they were the remedial students.   The FG did provide comic relief.
Given his “success” with this endeavor, she has signed him up for ANOTHER sport at the end of the month.  In this one, his wicked fast running ability will be tested.  If he doesn’t actually run away…. Stay tuned…
Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 5

Wordsworth

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I am a creature of habit. But I do adapt quickly – especially if a change means that I will be fed earlier.  So when my human changed her schedule last week because she was working, and we were getting up at 4:30, that was fine with me.  Early up means early breakfast.   So, when yesterday arrived, I promptly woke my human up at 4:30.   Even though it was Saturday.  And despite the fact that she said “Viktor – it is Saturday,” I still felt it was my duty to lie down on top of her – because I thought she might be faking.   FINALLY, when she could no longer stand my breathing in her face, and licking her pillow, she got up at 5:30.  You know my motto – Carpe Diem – and breakfast.

Today is the birthday of William Wordsworth – the famous English poet.  He wrote that well known poem – “ I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” – which is all about daffodils.  And signs of daffodils here were covered in snow yesterday.  Yup.  It snowed.   Springtime in Nova Scotia.   We were not impressed on our morning walk.  Anyway, it seems that Wordsworth liked dogs.  He wrote a couple of poems that talk about dogs.  Here is one, but it’s kinda sad.   So read with tissues.
Here’s a painting of Wordsworths’s dog. He reportedly got his dog from the novelist, Sir Walter Scott.   Scott bred “Pepper and Mustard” Terriers – or what became known as the Dandie Dinmont terrier (which is the name of a fictional character in a Scott novel.)  It doesn’t LOOK like a Dandie Dinmont to me – but maybe that’s what they looked like back then. 
So happy birthday to Willlie.   Hopefully those daffodils will soon be blooming here.
It’s the big day here.  All the media outlets have been alerted.   The FG is going to learn about BARN HUNTING .   Stay tuned tomorrow for the review.    My human has coerced her friend Marg, to come to watch the entertainment.  Remember Marg?  The one who slipped on the ice and could have been trampled by the FG in his attempt to “help” her?  Hope she brings her barn boots.  And a helmet.
Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 4

Raphael. And tartans.

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April 6.  And it’s the birthday of the famous Italian Renaissance painter, Raphael.  Raphie to his friends. OK.  I made that up.  But not the birthday part.

Anyway, I couldn’t find any Raphael dog paintings.  He was more into religious art.  I DID find a painting he did of Saint Francis of Assisi- and we know he is the patron Saint of Animals.  Of course we know that – who could forget the scene we created during the blessing of the pets on Saint Francis’ Feast Day?  Bet they don’t schedule that again this year. Anyway, that’s the closest connection between dog painting and Raphie that I could find. 
Since I wasn’t having a lot of luck finding paintings OF dogs, I decided to look for some paintings BY dogs.  Check out these Pupcassos.

https://www.womansworld.com/posts/dogs-who-can-paint-111444

I watched the video links for Jumpy. There was a video of him doing 20 stunts in a minute.  That dog is crazy.  Serious crazy.  And then I watched him painting a sunset.  He gets lots of instruction on how to do the painting.  So it’s not REALLY his own impression. OK – who am I kidding.  It’s not like I would ever want to hold a brush that long.  The guy is amazing.  He can even sign his name.  Good thing they didn’t call him Bartholomew.  He would need a REALLY big canvas.

Most of the other dogs listed in this article are into abstract art.  I did like the painting that Chloe did.  Well – she participated in painting.  Her human did a stencil, and then Chloe added the paint.  That finished work is very cool.

I think my human really has to let us try painting. We already leave lovely olfactory art on windows and doors.  This is just the next step.


April 6 is ALSO Tartan Day.  I’ve written about this holiday before, but if you’re new to my blog, you may want to go back and take the Scottish dog quiz:

Even though I decided not to write about it again – you KNOW my human HAD to get a photo of all three of us wearing our tartan scarves that she bought us last summer.  When she went away.  Sure – we appreciate the handiwork.  But frankly, biscuits would have been a BIT more exciting.  Mind you we did get lots while taking the photo… Happy Tartan Day!!!

Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 3 

Tires

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Some days when we dogs behave, or nothing wild has happened at our home, which I realize is not all that often, I rely on the crazy calendar or historical facts that somehow tie into dogs to write in my blog.  Well, today was a bit of a stretch- but I did it!

According to the crazy calendar, on this day in 1923, Firestone Tire and Rubber Company started producing inflatable tires.  So what do tires and dogs have in common?  

A lot!  First off- we like to pee on them.  Yes, there are actual websites that discuss why we canines like to pee on car tires.  I’m surprised no one has obtained grant funding to do the research on it.  Some theorize that once one dog pees on a tire, the scent stays a long time on the rubber.  And you know us boys – if someone has been there,we need to overmark him!  
Some theorize that because tires travel through all kinds of great scents – like roadkill, they are particularly interesting and pee-able.
Well here’s the real reason.  They are there. They are a vertical surface.  Tree, fire hydrant, wall, fence, tire, newly planted shrub – it’s all the same to us boys.  Heck, we’ll pee on a human leg.  It’s kind of like asking why the chicken crossed the road…
But back to tires.  I found several websites that show how to make dog beds from old tires!!! You basically take an old tire, clean it well, paint it with a paint that will adhere to rubber, stuff the center with a pillow and voila – a dog bed.  It would obviously work well for smaller dogs.  To make one for the FG, my human would need one of those tires off a huge truck.  Then, knowing this household, after she went through all the work, including 14 cans of spray paint, none of us would want to use it.  It would make such a nice addition to our home which has a Kuranda Dog bed (best money ever spent according to my human) in the dining room and the FG pony-sized crate in the bedroom.  Perfect. A truck tire bed….
The dog toy maker Kong, does make some rubber chew tires for dogs.  I must confess, we are not really into Kong stuff. And don’t worry- it’s not because we don’t have probably every Kong toy ever produced.  We even had a Kong bed.  Remember that one?  It lasted less than an hour.  And the toys?  Not interested.  But the tire is nice to look at. 
A crazy story came out of Australia several years ago about a stray dog that attacked the tire on a police car.  The dog punctured the tire.  The officer left to fix the tire, returned, and Fido again punctured a tire.  This time the officer called for another police vehicle.  Fido also punctured a tire on that vehicle.  They called for more back up.  They called animal control.  Guess what Fido did to a tire on the van of the animal control officer – before Fido ran away? Yup.  Tire number four!  The story went on to say that they finally found and captured the dog, at his home, and he couldn’t be returned until his owners constructed a safe enclosure for him.  I want to see that dog’s teeth!!
So that’s the story on tires and dogs.  Hope you didn’t get tired reading it. Sorry.  It’s Friday.  I couldn’t resist.
Have a good one. Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 2

Rats

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It is April 4th and according to the crazy calendar, it is something called World Rat Day. A day to celebrate rats.  

Now rats do have their redeeming qualities.  Some people keep them as pets.  I read that they can be therapy animals.  And they can even be trained to sniff out explosives.  But wild rats often have a bad reputation- especially in urban areas.  Tell someone you have a mouse in your house, and it’s no big deal.  But a rat- and it IS a big deal.  Not only because of the size difference – but also because of the amount of damage they can cause and because they are known to carry a number of diseases.  Here in the city of Halifax,Nova Scotia, we had an outbreak of leptospirosis a few years ago- and there was said to be a direct link to the rat population.   My human knows someone whose dog died because of the outbreak.  So rats can be a BIG problem.  
I read that in New York City, multi family dwellings and commercial businesses must use specially licensed rat catchers. I also found this video- where dogs come into the story. Most terriers were initially bred for catching rats. And in New York, there is a “vigilante “ group of citizens who goes out with their dogs to catch rats.  WARNING:  If you do not want to see rats being caught, and/or you are offended by strong language, skip the video.  But if you want to see dogs with a job, check it out.  
I’m not so sure about picking up those rats without gloves.  Einstein said he would want gloves too.
And given that we are talking rats… I must tell you about something that the FG will be doing on Sunday.  He is going to a Barn Hunt Workshop.  No – he is not hunting FOR barns.  Barn Hunts are an opportunity to see if your dog has the instinct to hunt out rats.  And ANY breed can participate- not just terriers.
Now before you picture a scene like you saw if you watched the video, rest assured that Barn Hunts are NOT for actually catching rats.  NO RATS ARE INJURED IN BARN HUNTS.  The rats used are raised in homes and are essentially pets.  The rats are placed in secure plastic tubes.  And the tubes are hidden in bales of hay.  Dogs never physically come in contact with the rats.  But they DO indicate where the tubes with the rats are located.  
Dogs can actually compete and get a Barn Hunt title.  There are even different levels of titles.  But in none of the levels are the rats ever injured.  There are strict regulations and rules to ensure the safety of the rats.
My human does know of Picards who have Barn Hunt titles.  And given the FG’s attention to sounds and smells, maybe he will find his passion.  Nah.  My bet is that he pees on the first hay bale and is dismissed.  I hope someone can video him.  He is in the “beginner” class, of course.  
So Sunday is sure to be an entertaining day.  Good thing my human doesn’t work next week – she’ll need the time to recuperate.  This is going to be SO interesting…..
Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 1

Rarities. And good and bad news….

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My human was having  some useless moments scrolling through the internet the other night.  She had already studied lumps in dogs, had looked at what happened on the day in history, had skimmed the on-line clothing sales, had searched for her favorite dog walking shoes (which look to be discontinued), had checked our Instagram account, had looked at a particular dog food contents – when she suddenly saw an article about the “rarest and most stunning dogs in the world.”  Possible blog material?   She clicked on the link and all of us awoke from our naps when we heard her loud groan.
She expected to see pictures of PONs, Picards, Finnish Lapphunds, Otterhounds, Mudis….but the first dog listed was an Aussie Pom.  You have it – a cross between an Australian Shepherd and a Pomeranian.  And the list got worse…the Corgle/Beagi (I guess it has two names),  the Pomsky which they called the most popular “developer canines” today – half Husky and half Pomeranian, the Golden Dox – a Daschund/ Golden Retriever cross ; and the Whoodle – a Wheaten/poodle cross.  There were more – but that’s enough to give you an idea.  And indigestion.
My human stopped looking at the site, but just like rubbernecking at an accident, she couldn’t resist going back and seeing if every dog listed was a multi-breed.  And low and behold – there WERE some real breeds – including Salukis, Newfoundlands, and Komondors.  Listing real breeds with the multi-breeds is probably worse than just listing all multi-breeds as there may actually be some TRUTH to the article.

You will all be thrilled to know that yesterday…..drum roll…..ALL of us pooped!  Honestly, if someone was listening from the bushes at the side of the road, they would be calling someone to “have a talk” with my human.   The joy when I did my thing yesterday was embarrassing…..

So that was the good news.  The bad news?  Seizure counter reset.  The day started off so great and although my human again left early, she was also home early.  Only to see the telltale seizure clue.  Someone had peed.  She went through the tape- and sure enough.  

My human wracked her brain with all kinds of reasons.   Is it because she has gone back to work?  Is it because of the change in schedule?   Who knows.  She was feeling pretty bummed out so she called my vet and they had a great long chat.  The vet reminded my human that I had a very long seizure free streak last year- when my human was working long hours. (And my human isn’t even working long hours right now!)  She said that it is hard to know an exact cause- that’s the challenge of epilepsy.  They decided to tweak my meds for a few weeks to see what happens.  My human felt much better after the call.
Last night we got out for some awesome games of fetch.  Well- Einstein and I fetch.  The FG runs out and stares at the fetch toy.  He went for a long walk instead.
Spring is definitely in the air!!!
Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 0