Viktorsviews. The Next Chapter.

Another day of prayers….please…

March 24, 2016Leave a Comment

Today is the day that Paxton goes to the Vet again. This time they will take a look around and see if they can figure out why he isn’t feeling well. He wasn’t allowed to have anything to eat or drink after midnight last night. Talk about torture. No breakfast. A PON’s worst nightmare. Actually ANY skipped meal is a PON’s worst nightmare.

My human is dropping him off on her way to work. Not that she will get much work done – waiting by the phone. And Frodo and I will be anxiously awaiting news at home. Chances are good he will be wearing the cone of shame when he gets home.

It’s a good thing my human is off for the next four days. She can baby him – and of course play multiple games with Frodo and I while Pax sleeps. Yesterday morning we all played the “let’s get up at 4AM game” – just because. My human woke up because Pax was standing and breathing in her face – so she thought he needed to go out. She quickly got dressed, and yet by the time she did, he was fast asleep. She took him out anyway. He didn’t REALLY need to go. But then Frodo and I wanted to go. First Frodo and then me. UNFORTUNATELY, I had a rather awkward accident – the horrible cling-ons. I didn’t even want to walk home. I was walking like a cowboy who just got off a LONG trail ride. So at 4:25 yesterday morning, I was getting a rather unwelcome half-bath. With the back half of me being scrubbed. After THAT was done, my human realized she had forgotten to put out the garbage the night before – so she loaded cans into the vehicle and drove them up to the road. All before 4:50AM. Of course Frodo and I then wanted breakfast – but she said “NO WAY” – and she went back to bed for a half hour. The woman has no stamina.

So today we await news on our big brother. Please say a prayer to Saint Roch – the patron saint of dogs – or Saint Francis – patron saint of animals. I think those guys have an “in” with the BIG guy. Paws crossed we have some good news tomorrow….

© Linda Wozniak

National Puppy Day

March 23, 2016Leave a Comment

March 23.

Today is National Puppy Day. A day to celebrate the cutest things on the planet. At least I think so.

So let’s do some puppy trivia. Good luck!

1. Puppies can’t see, hear or smell when they are born. True or False

2. When a puppy is born, 60% of his time is spent sleeping and 40% is spent eating. True or False

3. Puppies are delivered about how many days after conception?

A) 22
B) 36
C) 63
D) 94

4. A puppy’s first sense of smell begins at:

A) 1 week

B) 3 weeks

C) 6 weeks

D) 9 weeks

5. Puppies can begin learning commands:

A) at 8 weeks

B) at 12 weeks

C) at 6 months

D) whenever they feel like learning

6. Most Dalmation puppies are born solid white, and their spots develop at around 10 days old. True or False

7. Puppies have 28 puppy teeth and adult dogs have 42 teeth. True or False

8. What does socializing your puppy mean?

A) Teaching your puppy to greet people nicely

B) Making sure your puppy can tolerate large groups of people

C) Letting your puppy play with other dogs

D) Exposing your puppy to as many new people, animals and

experiences as possible

9. What is the primary reason why socializing is very important?

A) Preventing fears in adult dogs

B) Teaching a puppy how to greet people nicely

C) Preventing a puppy from nipping and mouthing

D) Making the adult dog more intelligent

10. When do responsible breeders start socializing their puppies?

A) As soon as the puppies’ eyes open

B) At birth

C) As soon as the puppies start to walk

D) As soon as the puppies are weaned

11. At what age do many dog experts believe is the optimal age for a socialization program?

A) 2-8 weeks

B) 24-32 weeks

C) 16-24 weeks

D) 7-16 weeks

12. According to dog behaviorist Dr. Ian Dunbar, how many different people should a puppy meet between the ages of 8 and 12 weeks?

A) At least 100

B) At least 50

C) At least 1000

D) At least 25

Aren’t we puppies amazing? Let’s see what you know about us:

1. True

2. False – we actually sleep 90% of the time and eat 10% of the time. But I doubt that is true for PONs…we ALWAYS like to eat…

3. C

4. B

5. A

6. True

7. True

8. D

9. A

10. B

11. D

12. A

So celebrate us puppies today – because even when we are old enough to be called “dogs” we are all still puppies at heart!

Oh – and as a post-script – Paxton is still doing the same. Keep those prayers and good thoughts coming. We appreciate them more than you can ever know. In fact, even more than we appreciate tripe. Whatever it is.

Frodo

Paxton

Moi!!!!!!

What’s tripe?

March 22, 2016Leave a Comment

The Paxton story continues…

So my human was up before dawn because we had a bad weather forecast for yesterday- and there was NO WAY she would miss Paxton’s appointment. He wasn’t hungry in the morning at all, and as usual, Frodo and I screamed at him for not eating. We have become accustomed to being sequestered while he eats – or he doesn’t eat. If one could literally translate what we are saying it would be something like ” FOR THE LOVE OF HEAVEN, WHY are you not eating? PLEASE, PLEASE let us show you how it’s done!!!!!!!!!”

They left the house about an hour early – at which point snow had turned to freezing rain. Old Pax bounded into the vehicle – he was just relieved to get away from us screaming PONs. He had his ultrasound. And the good news? The Vets saw no big tumors. The bad news? They still don’t know why he is sick. So he will be having something called exploratory surgery on Thursday. I hope when they go exploring that they find something he might have eaten. Probably not likely – but let’s face it, Pax HAS been known to ingest things that most dogs wouldn’t even consider eating.

And speaking of eating, on the way home from the Vet, my human stopped at the Pet Food place to see if she could find SOMETHING he would like. The girls there know us, and they filled a bag with a bunch of samples for Pax to try. And my human bought something called “canned tripe.” I have no idea WHAT that stuff is – but ooooooo-eeeee, it smells like it would be good to roll in. And from Paxton’s reaction, the stuff tastes yummy too!! He QUICKLY ate a half of a can. Without stopping. It’s the best his appetite has been in a few days. What IS that tripe stuff? Frodo said I probably don’t want to know.

So we are back to the waiting game with Paxton. And as we know, waiting is not something I like to do – and neither does my human. But for now, Paxton will get WHATEVER he wants to eat, and Frodo and I will continue our mournful serenade. And we will enjoy every minute we have with our big bro, and keep praying that the doctors can make him better.

Now I just need to figure out how to use a can opener to get into that tripe stuff …

Bunnies and other stuff

March 21, 2016Leave a Comment

Sunday was another yo-yo day. Paxton was not at all hungry and Frodo and I basically screamed when he wouldn’t eat. We wanted his leftovers. He eventually did eat some steak. And lots and lots of biscuits. My human thinks he just has an appetite for junk food. Today he will go to the Vet to see how they can make him better…..

Despite Paxton’s illness, he was quite happy to join Frodo and I on rabbi-lert. I sounded the alarm. I was the first one to spot Mr. Bunny in the back yard.

He’s still white from the winter – so he is hard to see. See if you can spot him.

No matter what colour he was, I could see him. And my human was afraid to even let me out on the deck – for fear I would leap off in hot pursuit. She’s starting to wonder if our Find the Bunny game with the stuffed rabbit is such a brilliant idea. Maybe not – but too late now.

We also got to play fetch with some of our guilt gifts. I was having a grand old time retrieving with my human – since I got to go first. In the meantime, Frodo was yelling at the top of his lungs in the house. So my human went to let him out. Well. I didn’t WANT Frodo playing too. So in protest, I took the toy and went to chew it. And THAT was the end of the fetch game.

On a final note today, I want you to know that my human is so grateful for all the people who have sent good wishes and prayers for Paxton. This internet world is an incredible place. And it kind of amazes my human that in this world of crazy political candidates, global warming, poverty, refugees, war and strife, a Polish Lowland Sheepdog in Nova Scotia, Canada can share his crazy antics, and people whom we have never met, are sharing in this difficult journey and sincerely hoping for a good outcome. We dogs know that humans ARE crazy – but underneath it all – they are very good. Very, very good. And that’s why we dogs keep them. Thank you for supporting my big brother. I hope I have good news about him tomorrow….

Until then- watch out for bunnies…..they are obviously getting ready for Easter!

Tag team

March 20, 2016Leave a Comment

Another yo-yo day. One minute Paxton seems perfectly normal, and the next, my human is whisking him off to the emergency clinic. They have now learned at the clinic that she is a truly neurotic human when it comes to us dogs. The bottom line – Paxton was having a good day – he went for a good walk, quickly ate ALL of his breakfast, and was in a good mood. My human went out for breakfast with an old friend and when they came back to the house, she thought Paxton’s colour was not good. So off they went to the clinic – only to find out he was NOT in distress. He came home and after some coaxing, ate most of his dinner. Frodo and I beg him to NOT finish so we can get the leftovers. Not much luck in the food department yesterday.

But we DID have some luck when Frodo and I went out for our morning walk. We ran into my old buddy, Jackson, and ended up going for a run with him and his human. Well, Frodo got to run. I was on a leash. Honestly, you THINK my human would just get over my previous escape acts. She actually DID let me off leash for about 6.4 minutes during which time, Frodo and I tried to tag team wrestle and herd poor Jackson. It’s funny – if either of us is alone with Jackson, we behave. But put us together and we try to annihilate the poor guy. I think he jumped in a couple of ponds just to get away from us. At one point, during my short reign of freedom, I ALMOST headed for the woods. At which point, Jackson’s human called me and I came back. For a treat of course. And then my human again incarcerated me. She was not in the mood to have a sick dog AND a runaway dog. So that was that.

Today my human will be home with us all day. I think it’s time to try out those guilt gifts! And it seems only fair that the youngest goes first. Doesn’t it?

Thanks again for those prayers for my big bro. Please keep them coming!

Have a happy Sunday!

Say a prayer…

March 18, 20161 Comment

Things in our house are difficult right now. Paxton is not well…It began when the dog sitter was here. Remember how he didn’t want to eat, unless she held the bowl for him? Well, I’m afraid it has continued…and my human is very concerned. He doesn’t want to eat at all. So my human took him to the Vet yesterday. And Paxton had blood work done. He is anemic. So when you have a Bernese Mountain Dog and you have anemia, in a dog who is refusing to eat…well the probable diagnosis is not good. My human keeps searching for some treatable causes for the anemia – but most sites lead to inevitable bad news. She has decided to stop searching the net. For now.

Paxton will be going for something called an ultrasound on Monday. Until then, Frodo and I are quite happy to eat anything Pax doesn’t want. But honestly? We have been very nice to him. We know he doesn’t feel well. And neither does our human…

I’ll try to write some other news between now and Monday, just to get my mind off my big brother. But he sure needs lots of good thoughts and prayers right now…

© Linda Wozniak

St. Paddy’s Day

March 17, 2016Leave a Comment

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. The day they say everyone is Irish. Unless you are a Polish Lowland Sheepdog. I’m always Polish.

So today will be a holiday for some, and in some places people will be drinking green beer. Humans are just so strange.

So in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, it seems we should take a minute to recognize the Irish Dog breeds. So here are a few trivia questions about the dogs of the Emerald Isle:

1. This is the tallest dog breed in the world. Although known as a gentle giant, this breed was once used as a war dog who dragged men off horseback or from chariots.

2. One of the oldest spaniels – this dog has a curly coat. They are fairly rare.

3. This member of the Sporting Group has a rich mahogany colored coat.

4. Thought to be among the oldest terriers, it is loyal, adaptable and spunky.

5. This medium sized terrier has a golden wheat colored coat. They are athletic dogs, and can be great family dogs.

6. This working terrier is a hardy tough dog, whose original job was to dig into burrows and hunt badgers. Unlike many other terriers, it is not considered to be a “barker.”

7. This athletic cobalt colored terrier was originally bred as a farm dog. They are energetic and athletic and make great pets.

8. This sporting dog is very old, even older than their mahogany cousin, yet nearly became extinct. It wasn’t until the 1970s that a strong effort was made to revive this breed.

And here are your answers:

1. Irish Wolfhound

2. Irish Water Spaniel

3. Irish Setter

4. Irish Terrier

5. Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier

6. Glen of Imaal Terrier

7. Kerry Blue Terrier

8. Irish Red and White Setter

How did you do? At one point, years ago, pre-PON, my human actually thought about getting a Glen of Imaal Terrier. When the breeder asked her what she wanted to do with the dog, my human mentioned obedience. The breeder said “get a different breed.” So THAT was that. I guess those Irish guys can be even more stubborn than us Polish guys!

Anyway, I hope you have a lucky, rainbow-filled, pot-of-gold kind of day! Sláinte!

Freedom of Information.

March 16, 2016Leave a Comment

March 16. So according to the crazy calendar, today is Freedom of Information Day. It’s a day that falls on the birthday of James Madison, the fourth President of the US, and father of the US constitution. He believed and supported openness in government – Freedom of Information. Clearly that was a LONG time ago.

According to my research, Jimmy himself had no dogs , just a parrot and a sheep. Interesting combo.

I won’t get into my thoughts about governments and openness. It’s a pretty technical subject, and really, I’m a dog – so what do I know about that stuff. But the idea of Freedom of Information does have its place in the dog world too. And it’s a sticky, touchy subject.

To ensure happy, healthy dogs, breeders need to be open when it comes to health issues. Some breeds have health registries – but those only work if people SUBMIT the information. And just knowing about a dog’s parents and grandparents and great-grandparents doesn’t really give us the picture of a dog’s health. One should look at everyone in the line – horizontally and vertically. My human has never been a breeder – and I need to emphasize that. It’s easy to give an opinion when you haven’t been doing something – and you’re just watching from the sidelines. But she has always wondered why breeders don’t charge a bit more for a puppy – which would be rebated when the humans do the health testing at a certain age. That way, the breeder can see how all the puppies are doing. I understand that some people may not be interested in this that kind of a commitment – and it’s easier said than done….but if you humans want to see us dogs stay healthy and live LONGER lives – then it’s up to YOU to make it happen. That’s just one idea….

Wow. How about THAT for a rant?! That’s what happens when your human is IMMERSED in dogs for four days.

On a different note, I ADORE the new bunny. This photo is of me with the old bunny and the new bunny. It was a bit of a challenge to get this photo! We played with him last night – and he is awesome. He even has a little squeaker – so my human can tell when I found him and I am in another room. I REALLY, REALLY like him. So much so that I don’t want to give him up. He is THE best toy ever. Although….I understand that there is ONE other guilt gift that has not yet been revealed! Speaking of Freedom of Information!!!! There is SOMETHING in a bag that my human put in the closet. She’s saving it for a special occasion. I think Wednesdays are special. Don’t you? I can’t IMAGINE what is it that bag….

She’s back

March 15, 2016Leave a Comment

Well my human has returned. She got in late last night. There was much leaping for joy when she arrived. When she came in, Frodo barked incessantly, telling her she should not have gone away without us. Paxton nearly knocked her over, trying to get as close to her as possible. And I went to look in the bags for the guilt gifts. And boy did we score. Some cool retrieving toys – which you know are for me since I’m the best retriever in this house. Then there were some dumb bells – which would obviously be for Frodo.

We got some new collars and leashes – but those are kind of like giving kids clothes for Christmas. I mean they are nice, but we don’t really care.

There are some new instruments of torture. Those we could do without.

Of course there were some special treats. Which won’t last long.

But the best gift – the little bunny. He even squeaks. I went out of my MIND when my human showed it to me. Now Paxton can slobber the big bunny all by himself, and Frodo avnd I can use the little bunny. I can’t WAIT to play with him.

The sitter said we were good overall. Except for Paxton. He insisted that she hold his food dish while he was eating. He wouldn’t eat if she didn’t hold the dish. Kind of like having a butler. But other than that, nobody destroyed anything, ate anything or disappeared.

Today my poor human has to go to work- and on top of that she has a bad cold. But she survived Crufts so we know she’ll survive this too!

Have a great day. I know we will!

Crufts 2016 comes to a close

March 14, 2016Leave a Comment

So my human survived the last day of Crufts. She thinks they could have a reality TV show – Survivor Crufts. You have to make it through 5 exhibition halls WITHOUT buying anything at the one million vendors, have to sit through at LEAST one breed judging that has more than 50 dogs – with extra points if you sit through ALL the Labradors, you must attend obedience trials for at least 20 dogs and you must stay until the whole program is done at the end of the night. Oh and you have to talk to people at 5 different Discover Dogs booths. And that’s just the first day.

Yesterday was the beauty pageant judging for Terriors ( also known in some households as Terriorists), and also the Hounds. My human didn’t watch any of the individual breed judging- but she stumbled through benching areas – and wormed her way through two halls. She was STILL looking for another grooming tool ( which she unfortunately found) and she bought a new dumbbell. That would be for Frodo – certainly not me or Pax!

Here are a few other photos she sent me:

A vacuum cleaner vendor. Seriously. He must have known my human was coming. He should have been set up across from the Bernese booth. My human liked the demo. Because we know she loves vacuums. The only problem would be carrying it on the plane…

She came across this booth with coats that absorb water after a bath. Which seems like. Good idea. If you HAVE to have a bath.

But this dog bag in which a wet or muddy dog is zipped up like a lunch in your knapsack – seems totally crazy. How long do you think it would take Frodo to rip his way out?! Seriously. Thankfully my human wasn’t swayed by the sales pitch.

She saw this very cool sheep toy. But she envisioned 5.8 seconds before the sheep would be an earless amputee.

She saw lots of dogs trying out dog beds and after four days, she tried them out herself.

She also saw a scent demonstration by some police dogs and they also did “attack work.” That’s what I call it. I think she should get one of those sleeves they use for bite work. I would love that.

She watched flyball. That would not be good for me. Dropping the ball and letting another dog get it? Never could happen. When it comes to retrieving , I don’t share.

She saw a demo by military working dogs. Those guys can climb an 8 foot wall. But so can Frodo. I’m enlisting him.

The heel work to music was cool. Too bad I try to bite my human when music comes on and she tries this with me. I get soooo excited. I wonder if there are dogs who do this without a partner?

Best in Show had all the pomp and celebratory feel as the Olympics. And the big winner was the Westie. I watched it on-line. I liked the choice!

So four days of beauty pageants, obedience, agility, fly ball competitions, demonstrations of all kinds and hundreds of ribbons awarded. But at the end of the day- this picture REALLY sums up the relationship we dogs have with humans. And we can’t wait for OURS to get home tonight: