Laurel and her Dogs

Name that Dog Series

2012-02-19T14:46:00.001-06:00

Often I have a picture that reminds me of a picture of another dog I took in the past so I started doing posts called Name that Dog. When it went up to three I decided that the series needed a link on the sidebar!

Name That Dog! – Ari and Jake (bitework, standing and head shot on couch)
Name that Dog Again! Jake, Brita and Bob’s puppy.
Name that Dog – Volume 3! – 2 fuzzy dogs looking up (Joanne’s dog and Olivia) and the “look” (Ari and Jake)

There will be more, I’m sure. None of the pictures were taken with the intention of having them look like another picture… it just happened!!

This is from the first one and what started it all. Jake on left, Ari on right. None of the other dogs have even stood like that. Obvious difference in coloring and head shape but it’s the position I was looking at. Jake is young… maybe a year old and Ari is 8 years old.

Jake–Service Dog in Training

2012-02-11T16:50:00.001-06:00

December 9, 2010
So out we go… me in my Cabella’s long it-will-keep-you-warm-down-to-30-below burgundy coat and my Columbia long they-will-keep-you-warm-down-to-30-below pants and my it-will-keep-you-warm-down-to-30-below gloves and Jake in his quilted burgundy coat looking uncannily like Ari and me pulling a wire cart with yummy treats in my pocket.

Around the yard we go and Jake brings me 5 bowls, 3 kongs and 3 toys… and puts them in my hand because he knows THAT’s what gets him the treat!

Oh by the way…. I was sweating when I came in but the weather people DID indicate that with the wind chill it was slightly above ZERO!

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December 17. 2010
We officially started… well we actually started some time back when I started teaching him to bring things to me… dog bowls, kongs, bones… things right before eating so he was really motivated. At first he pretty much threw them at me but we have progressed from that unacceptable behavior to putting whatever he has in my hands.

We regularly go out in the yard - me with a cart and he picks up the toys, bowls, kongs and bones that are laying around and I deposit them in the cart. Just last week he picked up 14 items for me and wanted to keep doing it but there was nothing else to get. Sometimes if he doesn't see something right away he takes something out of the cart and hands it to me. I explain to him while I certainly appreciate the effort, there will be no reward for that because I want things to go IN the cart not OUT of it. In hindsight, he has always wanted to help me outside since he started pulling out the buckthorn trees when I told him to…. and the only reward for that was to be able to pull it out and drag it away. If it was too small he wasn’t interested.

He also carries things upstairs for me from the basement. I take a small purse or some type of bag and put something in it.. maybe a can of soup or 2. Last week he drug a pair of jeans up when I asked him to. This week I had him to the office and he hung out in my room while I was teaching. He wore a harness and the office people were told to ignore him when he has that on which was VERY hard for some of them. I dropped my keys in the parking lot and thought… hmm.. he’s right here… so I told him to get them and he did and handed them to me so that was what always seems to fall for the last few days so he could get used to them. I noticed he picked them up my a soft key tab rather than the actual keys!

He walks quite nicely next to me when he is alone but when Brita is along it’s a whole different story! Then he thinks he has to lead and pulls ahead. I have NO plans to put his harness on under those circumstances… would make NO sense and there would be NO purpose for it either.

January 21, 2012
So I did something to hurt my back. Yesterday my leg started going to sleep when I was teaching and someone suggested it might be a pinched nerve… duh – why didn’t I think of that! At that time my back didn’t hurt. Then last evening it started hurting – lower back.. came on pretty fast it seemed like. This morning… yup… it hurt.. It was hard, no... it was impossible, to bend over – but hey.. I have Jake. So…

First thing he collected what clothes and shoes I needed to get dressed and then throughout the day:

He picked up dog bowls, kongs, toys and bones which is a daily routine.
He drug upstairs 6 plastic containers in a laundry basket.
He picked up things I dropped… knife, piece of paper, pen, kitchen towel, plastic sheet protector.
He brought me a pen when I was in the bathroom ( I didn't really need the pen but it was much like a gift you don't want.. you smile and say thank you!!
I dropped an almond and he picked it up and I thought. oh well.. that almond is gone.. but then he took his tongue and pushed it out to my hand.

Over the last month he has

helped me unload the dryer and then drag a mesh laundry basket upstairs.
come running when he heard something drop in the kitchen sliding in to get it for me.
brought me whatever was handy while I'm at the computer... or it might be a scrap of paper or a part of a tissue..
opened the lower drawer in my kitchen and handed me a dish towel. (we're working on closing it!)

It's every day... whatever he can do! What a guy!

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February 11, 2011
Oh my gosh! A breakthrough! I'm inside and I hear him barking at who-knows-what outside. Next thing I know he presents to me (drum roll......) ...a snow covered bowl! Now THAT's what I want! Jake cleaning up the yard WITHOUT being told to do so!!! Oh... did I mention the wind chill temperature is -3.... it's a wonder the bowl didn't stick to his tongue!

Read more that I wrote about Service Dogs by clicking here.

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Oldies but goodies!

2012-02-10T20:36:00.004-06:00

So I came across some oldies but goodies. I was telling someone recently how Ari used to chase the UPS truck and school bus and run back and forth until it was gone. The girls... Olivia with the cone and Kobie the black dog typically just do as they were doing and watch and wonder "WHY" I'm sure! This video, by the way, was 2 months after Ari almost died during an Addisonian Crisis. He has lost his coloring and his shape but not his attitude...

When Brita was a puppy I said.. "Teddy, here's a puppy for you.. raise her up good!" And what he put up with! It was however, the only dog I ever saw him really play with. Brita was like that... even today... she would make him comfortable and encourage play. It was wonderful that Teddy go to have that relationship as he aged..

It’s what they do….

2012-02-07T20:48:00.000-06:00

Jake and Brita

I love the relaxed open mouth shots! ... and especially when I catch it on camera!

Fancy Stuff

2012-02-05T01:34:00.000-06:00

"Dogs at Work" stamps

2012-02-03T08:21:00.000-06:00

Service Dogs honored by US Postal Service - This is so cool I had to share it... a new stamp series from the US Post Office!

MERRIFIELD, VA — The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the enduring partnership between dogs and people with the issuance of the 65-cent Dogs at Work set of four stamps.

“We are proud to commemorate these specialized dogs on stamps,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service Homeland Security Coordinator Michael T. Butler in dedicating the stamps. “These animals are critical to serving individuals with special needs and critical to enabling successful rescues.”

Joining Butler in dedicating the stamps were Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue Team/Virginia Task Force 1 Canine Search Specialists Teresa MacPherson with Banks, a Black Lab; and Christine Harrison with Aleko, a Belgium Malinois.

“We are honored the Postal Service is paying tribute to these animals that work tirelessly to perform their missions of mercy,” said MacPherson. Task Force 1 has performed more than 60 rescues throughout Central, South and North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Artist John M. Thompson of Syracuse, NY, created original paintings for each stamp in acrylics, based on photographs that he composed. The guide dog depicted is a black Labrador retriever, the tracking dog is a yellow Labrador retriever, the therapy dog is a Welsh springer spaniel, and the search and rescue dog is a German shepherd. Art director Howard E. Paine of Delaplane, VA, designed the stamps.

For thousands of years, dogs and humans have shared a special bond. And from the beginning, dogs have been more than just companions and friends — they’ve been vital partners, working side by side with people. While the earliest dogs helped human hunters bring home prey, today’s pooches excel at a variety of jobs, from herding sheep to assisting deaf people to starring in movies.

Dogs at Work highlights four different canine careers: guiding, comforting, tracking and searching.

Guiding
Some 10,000 people in the U.S. and Canada rely on dogs to “see” the world for them. While the idea of using dogs to guide people who are blind is centuries old, it wasn’t until 1916 that the first organized school for guide dogs was established in Germany. The first canine graduates went on to aid veterans blinded in World War I, and the concept spread around the globe. Guide dogs navigate around obstacles, alert their handlers to curbs and stairs, and even learn to disobey any command that would put their handlers in danger. Along the way, they enrich and empower countless lives. Typical guide dog breeds include Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, and German shepherds.

Comforting
Sometimes the best medicine can come in the form of a furry friend. Therapy dogs, chosen for their friendly dispositions, bring comfort to disaster victims, abused children, the elderly and the ill. Frequent visitors to nursing homes and hospitals, these dogs seem to improve the health and morale of patients just by lending a paw or offering a head to be scratched. Some therapy dogs even make house calls, visiting people who are homebound. An affectionate dog of any breed can become a therapy dog, and there aren’t many requirements — just knowing simple commands and being well behaved around all kinds of people.

Tracking
Tracking is just one of the jobs that war dogs are trained for. Loyal canines have fought at the side of U.S. soldiers for more than a century as scouts and sentries. Today, military dogs excel at sniffing out explosive devices. They also protect their handlers at all times. Besides serving as war dogs, tracking dogs work with police and security personnel. They can be trained to detect drugs, guns or explosives and to track people. Several different breeds are often chosen as tracking and sniffing dogs. While airport beagles commonly detect contraband fruit arriving from overseas, German shepherds, Dutch shepherds and Belgian Malinois are preferred by police departments and the military.

Searching
When racing against the clock, a search and rescue team’s greatest asset can be a well-trained canine. A dog’s superb sense of smell can speed up a search effort, increasing the odds of survival for lost people and disaster victims. Search and rescue dogs can locate children lost in the woods, sniff out survivors of an earthquake and even dig out people buried in an avalanche. Depending on their training, dogs can track human scents in the air or on the ground. Many different breeds make excellent search and rescue dogs, including bloodhounds, border collies, German shepherds, Labrador retrievers and golden retrievers.

Brita’s Dentist

2012-01-25T07:36:00.000-06:00

When Brita needed dental work this is where she went. Her lower canines were growing inward and back instead of forward and outward. She had surgery to reconstruct the roof of her mouth so the point of the canine wouldn’t continue to put a hole in her palate like it was starting to do. Dr. Dale Kressin of Oshkosh is one of four veterinary dental specialists in Wisconsin. This is a great article about him from the local newspaper.

OSHKOSH - Elton John crooned his rendition of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" in the cozily warm second floor operating room of Dr. Dale Kressin at Animal Dentistry and Oral Surgery Specialists, LLC on Omro Road as the veterinarian laid a plush towel over the top of Taylor and patted her lovingly.

Not only was the 12-year-old Pug enclosed in a special blanket that circulated warm water, she was blanketed by that extra towel pretty enough for a spa. The extra towel would help keep the anesthetized dog warm. "Little dogs lose more heat than big dogs," Kressin said.

Kressin is a Board Certified Veterinary Specialist recognized by American Veterinary Dental College. As such he is able to perform a host of services most veterinarians do not, including endodontics, periodontics, orthodontics, restorations, dental radiology and oral surgery. Specialty certification requires from three to six years of training in the area of specialization beyond the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.

Resident Dr. Steven R. Honzelka, wearing a burgundy scrub suit identical to Kressin's, prepared Taylor for her procedure. She would have a splint removed from her jaw. He inspected equipment that provided a reading of her blood pressure and other vital signs. He checked her breathing tube. He prepared the X-ray viewing monitor for images of her jaw and the splint used to keep it in place while her fracture healed over many weeks.

Taylor suffered periodontal disease, which weakened her jaw bone and led to the fracture, Kressin said. He would use those X-ray images as he worked on Taylor. Later, she would be good as new. "No more tug of war, but she won't have any other major restrictions," Kressin said. "Usually they can eat immediately following."

Increased sophistication of veterinary medicine along with the acknowledgment by society that pets play an important role in their owners' lives have resulted in establishment and growth of such practices as Kressin's, ones that provide services similar to those offered in human medicine.

Dr. Kim Krause, a veterinarian at Animal Medical Surgical Clinic in Wisconsin Rapids, referred the Pug's owner to Kressin. "I am overjoyed he was available and has the specialized training. The average practitioner can't do these specialized procedures. It takes significant advanced training," she said. Krause has observed a growing need for veterinary specialists. As patients learn that specialists are out there and can provide advanced care it opens the door for even more specialists. Krause took her own cat to Kressin for a procedure Wednesday. "We want the same care for our pets that we want for ourselves," she said.

Kressin offers many advanced procedures such as root canals, orthodontia, crowns, fillings bridges and implants for dogs and cats. About a third of Kressin's cases involve oral tumors and another third is devoted to periodontal issues. The remainder covers a variety of treatments for other conditions.

The two doctors discussed Taylor's case as they assessed her readiness to undergo her surgical procedure. Her long pink tongue was clamped and pulled to one side to keep it out of the way.

It was a typical morning at the clinic. In the next room, Randall, the year-old domestic long haired cat of Nicole Hoffman and Rich Clark waited for his procedure. His owners brought him to the veterinary dental specialists when they detected problems inside Randall's mouth. Nicole is a trained dental assistant for humans with a professional background in pet care at Petco. "We've noticed smelly breath," Hoffman said. She had no qualms whatsoever regarding the cost of the day's treatment, which she estimated at "upwards of $800." That covered a cleaning, X-rays and a surgical procedure to cut away gums that grew too far up the cat's teeth, creating pockets between gums and teeth where bacteria could grow and cause decay, Hoffman said. Follow-up care includes daily tooth brushing for Randall and annual cleanings. Hoffman and Clark are happy to brush Randall's teeth and bring him to the clinic for professional cleaning. "We want all our pets to live up to their potential and be happy and healthy," Hoffman said.

Kressin became interested in specializing when, in the mid 1990s, he handled a patient with a very unusual tumor that he wanted to refer to a specialist. He sought help at a veterinary school and learned there was no one specializing in the area for which he sought help. "That turned on the light bulb to that niche," Kressin said. He took the training to become a specialist. Today, there are just four veterinarian dental specialists in Wisconsin that do what Kressin does. Other veterinarians call on Kressin and the three others when they need work done that is beyond their scope of expertise. Kressin treats patients in Oshkosh, Green Bay, Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

Randall sat quietly in his carrier watching the activity in the next room where Taylor was having surgery. The fracture had made it difficult for the Pug to chew her food. Kressin had removed teeth from the fracture line earlier before bonding the splint to her jaw. The tooth removal promoted healing of the fracture, he said. "The splint creates stability. It's made of a temporary bonding material that is used in human dentistry," Kressin said. On this day his task was to remove the splint and wires holding it in place. It was precise and painstaking work that required a number of different tools.

"It's very rewarding doing this work," Kressin said. "Patients do extremely well really fast."

Procedures are oftentimes costly and Kressin is aware not all pet owner can afford it. He tries to give them a few options so people can make a good choice, he said. Dawn Wood of Wisconsin Rapids is the Pug's owner. "Dr. Kressin is the rock star of animal dentistry. I wanted the best for Taylor," Wood said. Wood did some research and was impressed with Kressin's credentials. "He's an international consultant with offices in Minnesota and Wisconsin. We are lucky to have such an expert." Like Hoffman and Clark, Wood had no qualms about dropping big bucks for her dog's care. "She is 12 but small dogs can live to be 17 or 20. She is part of our family."

Kressin's favorite advice for pet owners who want to avoid costly treatment is to brush their pets' teeth. "It gives you a chance to look in their mouth and notice problems so you can get help early," he said.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T20:26:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas - again!

2011-12-25T19:58:00.000-06:00

So people said... Don't you still have Olivia!! and Joshua??

So here is the new picture with them all!!!

Aaaahhh - the bloopers!

2011-12-22T20:06:00.000-06:00

Christmas Photo

2011-12-20T20:03:00.000-06:00

Thanks to the gals at Century 21 Acre Realty for taking

90 pictures and all us looking in different directions!

So out of the 90 - here are the best!

Entertainment for Jake

2011-12-11T23:14:00.001-06:00

Olivia and the mouse….

2011-12-02T23:14:00.001-06:00

…..yes … if you look close … it IS a mouse…

Olivia had what was probably her last grooming this year or shall I say the last time we will blow her coat out in the front yard. After we were done I wanted to take some pictures so called to her and she bounced toward me and then stopped, and sat down right next to a dead mouse! I didn't realize it was in the pictures until I looked at them later. Needless to say, I kicked the mouse away and so there was some sniffing around and then she settled in to look beautiful. I was regretting that I didn't have my good camera but pictures with my phone are better than no pictures at all!

I was struck by how the red showed up in her coat because that is usually brought out before sunset….. then I realized that it was before sunset now that it sets at 4:30!!!

Happy Birthday Miss Brita!

2011-11-20T16:00:00.001-06:00

OH ---- and to you to Mr. Jake ---- a month late!! but in all fairness we did go to McDonalds for ice cream a month ago to celebrate.. just no pictures!

Jake - 2 years old on 10/20/11 Brita – 5 years old on 11/20/11

A walk around the cold damp yard and a few pictures…

where is the sun that was supposed to come out today!

Stolen Dog…

2011-10-15T23:32:00.000-05:00

Last update: Please visit the following website for the most current information. http://hexinformation.webs.com/
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Stolen dog and not a happy ending..not even an ending… yet… (original post 10/15/11)

This is any dog owners nightmare...it started in September – read the first paragraph. And it continues… so after the first paragraph, there is an abbreviated sequence of events with the most recent on top. …read on…
Most people in the protection dog sport world know Al Govednik and may have participated in a trial that he was judging as I have many times over the years. Here is a news article from September 26th that made us all – any dog lover competitor – feel like we were punched in the gut… again.. read on..
September 26, 2011 - Alpha, IL - Hex, a 7 yr-old sable German shepherd is more than a prize winning champion, he is a beloved companion. This stunning, highly trained dog went missing on Monday, September 26. His owner, Al Govednik, believes that someone stole Hex.
The incident occurred early Monday morning while Govednik was taking out the trash. Hex was by his guardian's side, as usual. In the brief moment that Govednik stepped into his home to grab another bag of trash, his dog went missing. A van was seen driving away. Govednik believes that someone knew his routine - and waited for an opportune moment to make their move to steal the champion dog.
All Govednik wants is his dog back - no questions asked. Anyone who has seen Hex is asked to contact: algovfh@yahoo.com or call (309) 235-7450.
Hex is 7 years of age, he has a tattoo (#07098) and an Avid microchip #011855311.

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Below are events in reverse order
with the most recent immediately below the line.
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October 15, 2011: There was a new Facebook group started this week that has formed specifically to put (and I quote) “pressure on the MEDIA to do a story about this horrible ending to a wonderful dog's career and to a family's beloved pet. Just like well trained K-9 Officers. We bring their killers to Justice. This person/people that took HEX and Killed him should be brought to JUSTICE as well.. “ To join it click: Justice for Hex. Marcia Govednik wrote: I want to thank everyone Tucker, Lori and Patti and the rest of you working to bring Justice to our Hex. Al and I appreciate everyone's effort in this cause. We are so humbled from everyone's help.

October 14, 2011: posted by Kathryn Hager who has spearheaded the sale of bracelets:
Hex Memorial Bracelet Fundraising Progress Update:
We are half way up the THIRD rung of our fundraising ladder tonight, on day five of our donation efforts! ~Way cool! Keep re-posting the website and keep ordering them for your friends and family. Help us get the word out about the on-going investigation to find the person or persons who did this. -Bracelets begin mailing out early next week! ~Thank you.

October 13, 2011 – Jeff posted: Here is the contact for anyone wanting to give information on hex.. Tim Barton 309-944-7774 and here is a link to their website: www.isaqca.com ISA QCA Investigative Services Agency of the Quad City Area, Moline, Rock Island, East Moline, Geneseo, Milan, Colona, Illinois
October 12, 2011 – News Story: Champion German Shepherd found dead. From the story: "Severely beaten head to tail, 12 broken bones including a crushed skull and it all happened post-mortem, so he was already dead," said Hex's owner Al Govednik.
October 11, 2011 – Jeff Govednik posted: The preliminary results of the necropsy point toward foul play. We will be changing the statement on the reward to reward for information leading to conviction of responsible individuals.
Again please we don't need speculation. We will be working with the Henry County Sheriffs Office as well as a private investigator. Again we do not want any speculation. If you have information we will list a contact soon.

October 10, 2011 – Posted on the United Schutzhund Clubs of America website: On October 8th, 2011, Al Govednik's Champion FH and family companion Hex was finally found after having been reported stolen on September 26. Unfortunately, Hex was not alive when he was found. Thanks to everyone for the help and support given to the Govednik family in an attempt to have Hex returned to them alive.
A website has been set up by those that wish to help the Govednik's with the expenses that were and still are being incurred. The money raised will go to help defray the costs incurred by the Govedniks in their search for Hex. In addition, the money raised will be used to offset the costs of Hex's autopsy and the continued investigation into his disappearance and death.

Here is the link to the website:
Hex Aites Bohemia - Memorial Bracelets
October 9, 2011: News stories: Body of Missing German Shepherd Found in Ditch Hex the German Shepherd Found Dead
October 8, 2011 - 10:10am – posted by Marsha Asbury - The Govedniks and close friends are in deep mourning at this time.. But still they move forward and are delivering Hex to Chicago for an investigative autopsy. It is a shame as to what extreme some people will go to in order to "get even"... The body was positioned perfectly so it would be found on training day at the Govedniks. - how cruel are these person/persons ? I weep...... our hearts are broken...
October 8, 2011 – 9:20am - posted on the Facebook group by Jeff Govednik ….hex did not make it home.. we found him with no collar along side of the road.
October 2, 2011 - News story: $3000 Reward Offered for missing champion German Shepherd

September 30, 2011 No Hex yet… lots of coverage..

September 29, 2011 Search continues

September 28, 2011 Bring Hex Home – Online page for donations for a reward.
September 27, 2011 Interview and video Champion German Shepherd Stolen
September 26, 2011 Facebook group (Best source of information): STOLEN GERMAN SHEPHERD, Help bring Hex home!
September 26, 2011 Facebook page: Bring Hex Home- Champion German Shepherd-Stolen 9-26-11

Name that dog–Volume 3!

2011-10-13T22:02:00.001-05:00

The fuzzy dogs…. Joanne’s dog and Olivia catching the Frisbee!

The LOOK! Ari watching a decoy from a truck during a trial and Jake watching Brita.

Laundry and backpacks!

2011-09-07T21:21:00.000-05:00

My washer wouldn’t spin.. ok… so.. off to Winneconne we (Jake, Brita and myself) go to the laundromat. A few days before the backpacks arrived that I ordered for them so I thought while I was waiting for the laundry, it would be a good opportunity to practice walking the dogs with the backpacks on. I had decided if we were going to walk Jake and Brita were going to carry their own stuff! This was the first outside adventure with the packs on… up until now they had tried them on only once and this was in the living room. So after starting the laundry, I got them out of the van and already it’s an adventure as I hooked one dog at a time to the van and attempted to get the other “dressed”. I notice the Winneconne police car drive by and wondered why it wasn’t turning into the lot where I was because that’s what normally happens when I am doing something with the dogs. I only needed to wonder a minute because, sure enough, back it came and turned in. So. of course, I enlisted the help of the officer on duty to hold their leashes while I took pictures with my phone. Yes.. it was an adventure… The only time they stopped to look in the same direction was when people were starting to gather to watch the goings on so they had to watch them! Walk… did we ever walk? No.. by this time I needed to get my laundry and so I “undressed” them, put them in the van and we cruised around the town (village) I called home for 10 years!

Somehow it’s just cuter….

2011-08-22T16:44:00.000-05:00

…….when they are puppies…..

Jake still enjoys a good lick from the dishes!

Yes, Miss Kobie… we have flowers….

2011-08-19T21:13:00.000-05:00

.
.
.……and this one’s for you….

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He shoulda been a model…

2011-08-17T21:07:00.000-05:00

…. because he sure seems like he likes to pose…

Opps… well he does have to relax sometimes….

Jake… soon to be 2 years old….

Out for another walk..

2011-08-12T17:36:00.000-05:00

We lost walkin’ time for a month when the temperature hovered around 90 and the humidity was high. Yep.. not only did Olivia not want to go out but I didn’t either! It was brutal… and we didn’t have it bad compared to other parts of the country!

So it cooled down and we’re out again! She is such a hoot! When she could see and hear, she hated having her picture taken.. the BIG EYE you know, watching her… and she would hear the click and run the other way! Now, she has no clue I’m taking pictures and I holler really loud at her and she perks up and prances. She likes to go through the long grass… I think all of my dogs like that. When she’s had enough, up the nose goes and she turns and heads through the woods to the house. I, however, since the woods were filled with mosquitos, decided to take the scenic route past the flowers and corn! Click on the pictures for close-ups!

Who was that masked dog…

2011-08-11T21:43:00.000-05:00

Recently I was walking with the dogs in the training area and Brita was being very cautious because she has come out with the short end of the stick at times with Jake. So Brita is in the first 2 photos and then Jake comes crashing out of the trees and around the large pine tree. In the next 2 shots, Brita is oblivious to what is going to happen but at the last minute sees Jake charging right to her so she ducks and he jumps right over her, swings around the tree, grabs a toy and puts on an innocent look! In the next few shots Jake is being goofy while Brita is staying clear of the action still not sure of what happened! (Click on the picture for a closer up shot… everything seemed to blend together in the action shot)

ok.. I KNOW there are no dogs in this post…

2011-08-10T19:19:00.000-05:00

…but I thought just once I would do a post that was not about dogs… And the good news… not much to read… just pictures to look at! My daylilies were especially pretty this year – or maybe I just noticed them this year because I brought them inside. A friend of mine planted them years ago and choose the varieties.. Heck… I thought they were all orange like the “ditch” daylilies!

What’s not to love…

2011-08-09T23:00:00.000-05:00

Jake and Brita needed a VOM treatment so I met Bob at Nancy’s with his new puppy! How cute, huh!!?!

The flowers are from Nancy’s front yard… I thought they added a bit of color!

Name that dog… again!

2011-08-08T16:04:00.000-05:00

Figured it out yet?? Here are the answers!

Bob’s puppy – Jake

Brita – Bob’s puppy

Bob’s puppy – Brita

Brita – Bob’s puppy

Summer at the farm…

2011-08-02T23:31:00.000-05:00

So…what DO I feed my dogs?

2011-07-30T20:55:00.000-05:00

An assortment of food, that’s what!

Flint River Ranch (oven baked) Trout and Sweet Potato formula or Duck Meal and Oatmeal Formula
Kefir drizzled (ok …poured) over their food regularly
Animal Natural Products
Brewers Yeast and Garlic (fleas and ticks)
Apple Cider Vinegar (not Apple Cider Flavored Vinegar)
Raw chicken backs and feet (raw bones ok), raw meat, raw liver, raw eggs (with shell), etc.
Sardines/tuna, hard boiled eggs (with shell), cooked meat (cooked bones NOT ok), pizza, whatever I eat except for the things they shouldn’t have like raisins and chocolate.
Fruits and vegetables, pumpkin or sweet potatoes from the can and other good healthy stuff. Much if it is fed on a spoon or fork to teach them patience.
Hot dogs and any other meat cut up for training treats
And finally an occasional trip to McDonalds for a double cheeseburger, fries and and ice cream cone is a great treat for them!

The Animal Naturals and Brewers yeast and Garlic is in powder form so I soak their food with the vitamins on it. At their evening meal I make enough for morning and then stuff some in a Kong, put it in a stainless steel bowl, put some more liquid around it if needed and freeze it! Do they love that!

What don’t I feed my dogs… kibble other than Flint River Ranch and especially kibble that has “byproducts” in the ingredients, regular dog biscuits (I say “no thank you” at the bank), grapes, raisins, chocolate, cooked bones and rawhide, greenies and that kind of pet store treat…

So here are some pictures. Brita would gulp her food all the time and Jake was starting to do it also. I saw the picture of the dog bowl to slow down eating for I can’t remember how many $$ and thought it looked remarkably like a ring pan so off to the thrift shop I go. It kinda worked but do you know how quickly a German Shepherd can destroy one of those aluminum pans?? Then I can across a bundt pan – solid, won’t scratch and has little crevices that make it hard to get the food out and WOW.. this is my favorite!! Under $1 at St. Vinnies! My second favorite is below but it’s lots easier for the dogs to eat fast so… again… to slow them down… Kongs to the rescue! Now they each get a kong in their dish filled with food in addition to one in the morning!

That’s about it! If I forgot something I’m sure I’ll remember it after I’ve gone to bed!

As a post script. Brita used to be really stressed at mealtime – pretty much drove me nuts. Kobie would sit at the kitchen counter (in a beautiful sit I might add) staring at her food bowl as the enzymes for her pancreatic insufficiency soaked into her food. The dynamics in my house have now changed without Kobie and Brita will “settle” quietly in the kitchen along with Jake while I prepare the food… interesting, huh?

It was an interesting evening…

2011-07-26T23:56:00.001-05:00

….the weather was beautiful… no 100 degree heat index and minimal mosquitoes a rarity these last few weeks. And it was EAA week – that’s Experimental Aircraft Association to you non-Wisconsin folk. What that means is that little Oshkosh Wisconsin’s airport becomes the busiest airport in the world for a week as half a million people descend on the town to look at… well.. experimental airplanes. Not bad for a town of 66,000 people! Years ago, I volunteered for the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau and greeted people arriving at the Appleton airport for the week and a 2 hour stint gave me free transportation to the EAA plus free admission to the event AND to the flight line… which means nothing to most people but I got to walk around all the planes along with the people who knew something about them. My favorite part was the air show and the my favorite of all the performances was in 1986 when the Italian aerobatic display team Frecce Tricolori performed. (ok…. no I didn’t remember who they were but the internet is a wonderful thing isn’t it for research!)

Meanwhile… back on the ranch.. …well not a ranch but you know what I mean… I thought maybe with my long lens I could get some pictures of planes since they fly over my house on occasion. What I learned tonight:

I really need to learn more about my camera. It wouldn’t auto focus on planes in the air and I have no idea what the other settings mean! So… switch to dogs…
When you have the long lens on the camera and decide to then take pictures of dogs, they have to be AWAY from you – not hanging out at your feet. OK then… flowers….
Again… distance for flowers… now I could have come into the house and switched to another lens but that thought didn’t occur to me until much later!

Regardless, the flowers were coming up nicely and the dogs were just happy that it was a nice evening to be outside. Olivia seemed a bit stressed but then not being able to hear and see well would stress me out a bit! The photo of the evening I believe was the head shot of Jake below. He is such a handsome dude, don’t you think?

Wrap up your dog…

2011-07-24T10:30:00.001-05:00

….hhhmmm….. for what you ask?? for noise phobia such as thunderstorms or fireworks or for stress or anxiety. I hear these days about the new “Thundershirt”… hhmm… catchy name so people think the concept is new.

In…ohh.. lets say sometime around 2002 I read about the Anxiety Wrap and purchased one for Josephine who was and has been the only dog of the 8 that I’ve had recently that had a thunderstorm or fireworks phobia. Please read about it here: The Anxiety Wrap and how it works.

Prior to that I had read about Linda Tellington’s TTouch Bodywork and how to “wrap” a dog and even bought a videotape of how to do it. Here is more information including pictures or “wrapped” dogs. Other links I found interesting were Linda’s extensive background with horses and Linda’s more recent information including her BLOG. She has been working on dogs since the 1980s. Anyway, like I said.. I bought an Anxiety Wrap which I guess is comparable to buying potato salad in the deli instead of making my own!! That was 2002.

I found various used for it other than the noise or anxiety (which, by the way, I think it really did help in those situations). When Teddy had hip surgery he refused to move (seriously would sit for hours in the same place) when I put the Elizabethan (cone) collar on him so I had to figure out something else to do… enter the Anxiety Wrap that had been packed away for a few years. Because it didn’t cover totally where he had the surgery I had to improvise to cover that area… well, let’s just say – a picture is worth a thousand words…. (please don’t laugh.. I don’t take my dogs in public looking like this! .. ok.. snicker then..)

And then there was Ari who was a very long dog and he had a lump removed from his rump, the collar wasn’t good enough because he could still reach it so again I pulled out the Anxiety Wrap. Yet again a picture is worth a thousand words. Nothing really phased him. Little did I know that perhaps a Band-Aid would have been sufficient.

So now, there is the Thundershirt. Same concept – different name. There is also the Storm Defender.

What would I do now? First I would go to a thrift shop and get a t-shirt that is in good shape and would fit rather snug but not too tight on my dog. Then I would get some wide wrap (self adhering) and would read the directions online to do it myself. (Hmm… guess I’m making that potato salad now..)

Here, by the way, is one person’s opinion on the Thundershirt vs. the Anxiety Wrap. I can’t make the comparison because I haven’t used both but this person has. However, Thundershirt’s ties to the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) would make me NOT want to buy anything from them… but THAT is WHOLE other post!

Ari again..
don’t know why this time but it must have been during hunting season
because his reflective coat is over it!

It's never easy....

2011-07-16T23:17:00.005-05:00

....saying goodbye... When one person grieves the loss of a dog we all grieve. We remember past losses and what we went through during those times. Grief is like an injury that heals over time but forever changes us. This weekend Marilyn Tokach, who has helped so many people through the hard times when they were saying goodbye, lost her special friend, Portia. Please click here to read her tribute to Portia and about their life together. Marilyn's tribute to Portia.

Portia RIP Miss Portia

May 8, 2000 - July 15, 2011

Somewhere a journey begins at the end of the worldly existence we know,

Somewhere a path stretches over the stars and rivers of memories flow…

Somewhere a silence is heard far away and the brightness of day fills the night,

Where the trials of life are resolved into peace when a soul finds its way to the light.

So I said to myself….

2011-07-10T20:54:00.001-05:00

…as I walked in the kitchen from my deck dripping wet, unable to see because the Skin-so-Soft oil I had put on my arms to ward off mosquitoes for only a short time was mixed with water and smudged on my glasses…

…self… sometimes you have good common sense and other times…. well… what happened… who knows…

To start… Jake has a chiropractor appointment tomorrow so I thought I would give him a bath since I couldn’t remember the last time he had one… or maybe he hasn’t since he was a puppy and I dropped him off at my friend’s grooming shop for his first experience with a groomer. He’s a dog that just doesn’t seem dirty… brushing.. yes.. bath… no…

So I brought the grooming table, the ramp and the brushes out on the deck, hooked up 2 arms to restrain him around the neck and under the body – one at either end of the table, pulled the hose through the sunroom from the outside faucet and got Jake who was eyeing up the hose, up on the table. Brushing went ok – usually does…. tonight however he is a tad fixated on the hose nozzle. Told him to wait while I turned the water on as I backed up to the faucet so he is not out of my vision. He hears the water and starts getting REALLY excited. Here’s where common sense was nowhere around. I should have stopped right there but NOOOO….. I start to hose him down and am VERY quickly reminded of how much he likes to EAT the water coming out of the nozzle… which, by the way, iis in my hand.

So…. did I forget that picture above from a year ago and this post… A fun weekend for Jake and Brita …. or this one.. Jake got his first hosing … apparently I did forget!

I discovered that if I hold him tight and put the nozzle right on his body I can soak him. ok.. now the shampoo… not so bad since the hose is off. Shampooing went as well as can be expected. Turned the hose on again and ….oh my…. was he excited. Push the nozzle to his body while holding him in a headlock…. one side done. Release him from the death grip.. ok… he pulled away… go to the other side of the table and he turns with me so I’m looking at the side of him that was already rinsed…. then his head comes our of the noose and he swings around…. struggled and got him hooked back up and pushed the nozzle against his body to try to finish rinsing… got that side… well that didn’t sound so bad… well it took about 10 minutes so not as quick as I would have liked. …thought I was done…

Ohhhh …NOOOO… why did I shampoo his TAIL!!! Remember I’ve been successful because I have been able to push the nozzle against his body…. it’s not happening with his tail… 5 minutes later we’re done… I unhook him.. (blind now remember because of the oil and water mix on my glasses) … let him off and drag myself into the house dripping wet….

….and on the way to the computer to write this up I grab a Mike’s Hard Limeade… Now where is Lisa’s number?? (Lisa’s Pet Grooming)

And as a ps…… insult to injury… in he comes… right up to me and… you guessed it… shakes more water off!!

Kefir… what the heck is Kefir???

2011-07-10T00:20:00.000-05:00

Friends ask… “what do you feed your dogs??” Along with many other things I mention Kefir. Kefir?? What the heck is kefir? Yogurt on steroids, I say. huh? Keeee-fer is the way I’ve always said it.. then I had a Russian gal in my class not long ago and I ask her if she was familiar with Keeee-fer and she looked at me puzzled and then said OOHH.. Ke-FEAR… who knew? …no one ever spoke the word to me…

If all you want is “The Rest of the Story” scroll down and you’ll skip
“The Journey” and simply read about “The Destination”

Anyway, it all started for a dog (Kobie) who was diagnosed with Pancreatic Insufficiency. As I started researching enzymes, probiotics, etc. I came across Kefir. This was, if I recall correctly, in 2007. So I bought some at the grocery store… hmm thick.. very expensive and not what I would give to dogs. So I went to the health food store and got some “starter”… little did I know what a poor substitute this was for the real thing…..no wonder I never liked it. So I made it and gave it to the dogs for a a few months and then stopped for a few years. Recently for other dog reasons (bloat) I looked into it again but this time bought some grains from The Kefir Lady who shipped them to me. (by the way… don’t by grains.. they multiply and I have lots!! …when I get too many, the dogs get them in their food (lucky dogs, huh?) but I’d be willing to share.) Anyway, when they arrived, I looked at them and thought hhhmm…. this is going to be interesting!

Several other websites I found helpful are The Happy Herbalist and Dom’s Kefir site but there are lots out there including two yahoo discussion groups, http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Good_Kefir_Grains/ and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kefir_making/.

The health benefits of this amazing drink are all over the web but click here for a good link to check them out.

So I’ll try now to show you what I do and will add some things that I discovered. First… you have grains, they look like cauliflower and they keep you in business, so to speak! The amount in the first photo is what I put into one jar of milk is shown. I generally do two batches at a time. Let it sit for 12-24 hours (more about that in “Things I’ve Learned”) and then pour through a strainer and put in containers for storage.. or drinking whichever comes first.. although I do like it cold! I’m writing this, by the way, in December 2010.

So now… things I’ve learned:

If at first you don’t like it… give it to the dogs.. they like anything and that’s how it got started anyway. It gets better I promise. Just don’t QUIT!
Keep it out of reach of the dogs. (need I say more?? …see photo where it’s on refrigerator. Now I put it in the oven….no the oven is NOT on!)
Listen to and read what others have to say:
- Grains need to grow and if there are too many grains for the amount of milk you are using, it will separate and taste terrible (my words). What should you do… use fewer grains or more milk… duh…
- The longer you let it sit, the more it will separate so don’t forget about it.
I don’t really like it without doctoring it up.. lately it’s kind of good when I taste it and I can tell the difference between batches but I still don’t drink it straight.
Do NOT (I repeat NOT) heat it. I thought “what could happen”.. it’s hard to explain.. stringy, yucky.. even tried on oatmeal – won’t do that again. Maybe you should try it just once, however, to see what I mean. :)
I don’t know anyone who has a cow, nor do I have a cow, nor do I really want a cow for fresh raw milk. Ditto that for goats. I find that regular store bought milk works fine. Actually I use powdered milk and add more powder than they call for and it gets creamier. Apparently, I’m not a purist.
All is not lost if it really separates… the dogs don’t care, that’s what makes the best cheese and it’s just fine in smoothies! (see photo of refrigerator door with 3 bottles – one batch separated and the other didn’t separate)
If it separates and you shake it be aware that it’s like shaking a soda and it will fizz and maybe even pop the top off.
Summer and winter are different – right? Remember: the warmer it is, the faster it processes. During the winter I put a refrigerator bulb in my oven and put the kefir there to help it along. I’m told kefir likes the temperature to be in the 70s.. don’t we all??
Ways I’ve consumed it:
- Added baking cocoa and stevia to a bottle to taste… yum …chocolate milk. (update on that… it’s only Nestle’s Quik now… my favorite chocolate flavor!)
- Froze some of the chocolate milk and then blended it and voilà …. a icy drink! (can’t wait till summer!)
- Eggnog – half and half with the real stuff..low fat of course! Added some blackberry brandy.. yum.. (at least I think so..)
- Added some eggnog to the chocolate slush…blend..a smoothie.. (Eggnog - can you tell it’s Christmas, huh?)
- Smoothies.. pictured is a chocolate one and another blended with frozen berries.
- You know all those coffee flavorings out there today.. if you’re into them I’ll bet they would make it taste REAL good! French Vanilla, Chocolate Mint, Hazelnut…
- Cereal… poured over cereal with stevia sweetener. (no hot cereal please)
- And then there is cream cheese and parmesan cheese. The cream cheese could be flavored any way you choose. (chocolate… ooohhh) I’m addicted to it on my peanut butter and jelly rice cake (organic of course) for breakfast. And what is left over when you strain the kefir is the whey which I bottle and pour over the dogs food. (see photo with red funnel and then bottles of clearer liquid.
- AND sour cream! I mixed 3 parts kefir to 1 part sour cream and just used it for a dip or with an avocado dip or bean dip and tostados.

So there you have it! Lots of trial and error for me! The good thing is that nothing is wasted when you have dogs AND when it separates, make CHEESE! There are lots more technical terms that others use but from me… this is it!! You want technical terms….look elsewhere! (I did provide links, remember?) It really can be good stuff but you have to take time to experiment with it! Overall, has it taken much of my time.. nope! I have to wait 15 minutes when I soak Kobie’s food with those darn pancreatic enzymes and this is a perfect thing to keep me busy while dogs are hovering wondering why they can’t have the food which is so obviously ready for them! Have fun!

Please note: Clicking a photo will enlarge it if you want to see the stuff closer up!!

UPDATES:
12/29/10 - I made it WITH low fat chocolate milk – oohh – good stuff! I’m sure it wouldn’t pass in the purest sense but I’m fine with that and am not posting this on any list. OH.. and I made cream cheese with it also – yum! Won’t mix those grains with the others!
1/8/11 - Check out Coconut Milk Kefir! Looks yummy – I think I’ll try it! Got this tip from a friend!
7/4/11 – Kefir and cancer – the results of a study… very complicated so if someone understands it and wants to report to me that would be great! In the meantime.. the big picture – It’s all good!

SO – What’s the latest?
7/10/11 – So this is what it has come down to…. smoothies and cream cheese…. both of which can be flavored various ways. I do one batch at a time (less dogs) and if I get too much just put the current batch in the refrigerator for a day or so until I’m ready for it. If it separates, I make cream cheese, if it doesn’t I have a drink. I use what I have left over from the cream cheese (the whey – people pay good money for whey) for smoothies or on the dog’s food. I even use different bowls now to make it.. check it out! A salad spinner! … an old one I got in a thrift store! I see a plastic pitcher with a built in strainer and a loose fitting lid… oops.. the lid didn’t get into the pictures… take my word for you! So I put the milk in the pitcher and the grains in the strainer. The lid has spinner so you don’t have to stir it. (I so stir it but most often just spin the thingy on the lid which spins the basket…. THEN… to drain it, just lift out after jiggling the strainer around a bit and pour with the spout into whatever you like. I found one online that is more likely the updated version of mine… might just have to purchase that so I’ll have 2!

Well that’s it.. Everyday I try to have the following:

A protein drink made with kefir and protein powder. Actually I like to make these thick enough to eat with a spoon. Some flavors:
- Chocolate powder with frozen berries or any variety of frozen fruit.
- Vanilla powder with peanut butter, Stevia, ice cubes
- Vanilla powder with frozen pineapple, juice.
- Vanilla or chocolate powder with instant coffee, latte powder, Stevia, ice cubes
A glass of Kefir with Nestles Quik and a little Stevia.
Peanut, butter and jelly on an organic rice cake.

Yep… not a purist… but lovin’ it! ….and so are the dogs!

November 9, 2011 – YET another update! Saw on a list that Marilyn, the “kefir lady” needed to buy back some grains because she can’t produce enough herself to fill all her orders. Why not I thought.. Here were her parameters:

I need your extra milk kefir grains if you can spare any. I will take any amount you have.They need to be making kefir continuously at room temperature for at least two weeks. I don't want any kefir grains that have been frozen recently or refrigerated. They have to be actively growing. I promise to find good homes for them.

So I contacted her and said I will send you some and if you like them I’ll send you more and if not, I won’t. Mine were growing SO fast and I was giving them to the dogs so I thought why not make $15/cup that she was willing to pay. But, hey, mine were made from powdered fat free milk, not goats milk so I was totally prepared to have them rejected. Well, she loved them and called them “monster” grains and what did I do… uh oh.. I had to fess up and admit that I wasn’t a purist.. didn’t seem to matter because apparently they were so good! So if you didn’t click the link at the beginning of this post and read about the Kefirlady, you should do so now!! oh… and I promised not to refrigerate them ever again!!

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It was her birthday after all….

2011-07-05T17:38:00.001-05:00

…. so why not get everyone involved!

Happy Birthday to Candace!!

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… a little walkin’…

2011-07-04T21:53:00.001-05:00

6/11 – session 1 – tossed food on it without turning it one… Jake will do anything or go anywhere for food. Brita just stood back and sent me a mental message to toss it back to her. Turned it on and twice got Jake to run over it for food!
6/11 – Session 2 – no Brita this time and used a calmer approach. I pushed it against the wall and put a fence piece on the other open side so if he went on it there would only be one way to go…. from back to front. Started with it off and tossed food and then turned it on. At one point I stood on it with my feet on the edges and used food to entice him through… all in all.. good session…

What ARE you talking about, you ask??? A treadmill, what else?!? Jake’s surgery resulted in his leg being a tad shorter because he has no femoral head so his back seems to turn. He has been getting VOM treatments from Nancy and I feel that developing his back end muscles will really help… so… the treadmill it is! More to come!

6/12 – Did the run thru pretty good – turned up the speed one notch and he didn’t seem to notice.brought a crate downstairs and put at the front of it. Read that dogs get freaked sometimes if they are facing a wall and thing that they may hit it. I opened the side door of the crate and he would run over the treadmill and into the crate. I plan to eventually bring it closer when he is comfortable on it.
6/13 – Put rugs around the treadmill because he was so excited to get off and then go around and back on that he was slipping on the floor. Speed is 1 m/h and he is staying on it and walking as long as there is food. I have to say walk or he stops and starts to slide off the back.
6/14 – Doing well… is actually getting it! speed 1.2 mph sometimes he forgets to move his legs when fixated on food… then he hurries up so he doesn’t slide off the back!
6/15 – Same as yesterday but a little more sure of himself… 1.3 mph
6/16 – I stood in front of the treadmill and he stayed on it for about 2 minutes two times. OF COURSE there was kibble in front of his nose but he’s not afraid at all.. if he forgets to walk and starts to slide off he hurries up and repositions himself! This is going to work!
6/17 – I stood in front now the whole time and he kept walking while I reached for more kibble. Up to 2 mph and need to find out what is the best speed. I noticed he was pacing…
Fast forward… 6/28… walking once maybe 2x/day most days and incrementally increasing speed and distance/time. Now up to 3mph and 3 min…. oh and LESS treats!

When we go to the basement and I’m doing something else, he hangs out on the treadmill. Once I even caught him snoozing on it! I guess that means he likes it!

This video was taken 7/4 – slightly less than a month after we started. I wanted to really take it slow and believe that it worked. As you’ll see, when it’s faster he trots much better. If I had it to do over, I would have increased the speed faster than I did. You have to know your dog.. Brita doesn’t want anything to do with it and I wonder if I could ever get her used to it. For sure, it wouldn’t be as easy as with Jake who is pretty fearless when it comes to new stuff and he thought nothing of it when he slid off the back a few times but rather just popped right up to get back on. What a great dog!

August update - we're up to 4.5 miles per hour and 5 minutes. People ask if I tie him to it.. no way! It's all voluntary. At one point I took the side down and he is fine but I have noticed that he stays as far from that edge as he can so I think I'm going to put it back and see if that makes a difference and he walks in the middle.
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Happy 12th Birthday Olivia!

2011-06-20T19:07:00.002-05:00

You’re beautiful as ever!!

These shots were taken this morning (with my phone) as we took our morning walk. Olivia has very little vision and can barely hear but you would never know it! She knows her way around the yard, on the trails and through the woods!

A day at the Inn….

2011-06-18T22:07:00.000-05:00

Rin Tin Inn that is! The Jakester and Miss Brita! …..and Forrest!

Thanks to Mellissa Berri for sharing the photos!

White Dog Black Dog

2011-06-10T18:40:00.001-05:00

White Dog Jake - 1976–1990

Black Dog Kobie – 2001-2011

Love the look so I had to share…. Thanks Candace for remembering….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Boys and their toys….

2011-06-08T11:18:00.000-05:00

What do eggs, tomatoes and a trash can have in common?

2011-06-07T14:07:00.000-05:00

Let me first say that the tomatoes and eggs are at the edge of my kitchen counter and the trash can is in full view in the kitchen. It’s the first time in TWENTY years that I haven’t worried about a dog “counter-surfing” or digging through the trash!

Yes, I’ll admit… it was a training issue with Josephine…. but then 20 years ago, I knew nothing about actually training dogs so over the years she trained me. Everything that smells like, looks like or tastes like food – out of reach! I was very much in the habit of putting things in or on top of the refrigerator. But I’m not perfect, you see, and I remember her eating a box of raisin bran (eeewww – stinky), a bag of bagels (bloated), half a container of Nestles Quik (hyper), uncooked rice (bloated again…. I could go on… And trash cans… under the sink with a lock…

Josephine and Kobie overlapped by about 6 months and I was now in a rhythm of putting things away. Sometime after I lost Josephine I realized she had a protégée – Kobie - who took great satisfaction in scoffing up what she could and running out the dog door into the yard or woods to dine on her catch. White “to-go” boxes were her favorite I think because she never knew what was going to be in them…. and, actually, it was quite beautiful to see a black dog running across the yard with a full mouth bite around a white “to-go” box! I tried to explain to her that they were for me “to-go” home not for her “to-go” out! Kobie’s pancreatic insufficiency didn’t help the matter any and I reasoned that her drive to eat would override any training so I chose to continue to do what I had done for so many years. Things I do recall:

coming in the house to find the pot of brats that I was boiling for treats all gone and 2 girls (Brita and Kobie) licking the floor.
making spaghetti for a friend who was stopping by, going to greet him and then realizing that Kobie was alone in the house with the spaghetti (in a covered dish on the counter)…. yup… no spaghetti!
remembering I got eggs out to hard boil hours later because the entire 12-18 eggs and the container were gone and for me it was a case of out-of-sight … out-of-mind. (no she didn’t eat the container but it was somewhere in the yard.

So… now I have a trash can… it’s open sometimes and not a problem… I am amazed! I leave things on the counter… and they don’t disappear… oh my gosh… I hardly remember those days! …but for sure…. I miss you Josephine and Kobie….

Did I see a goat???

2011-06-05T11:30:00.000-05:00

If you haven’t seen this video, it’s a must watch one!!

…so did you see it… the GOAT, that is??

Closing the barn door….

2011-06-02T13:18:00.000-05:00

Well, yes. Maybe it is like closing the barn door after the horse is out. But, in my defense, there are more horses….so to speak.

Could I have used it in 2007 when I had to take Ari to the vet when he was in a coma when he had an Addisonian Crisis? yes.
Could I have used it in 2009 when I brought Teddy home to bury him on the hill in the yard? yes.
Could I have used it in 2009 again for Ari for the same reason – to bury him on the hill in the yard? yes.
Could I have used it recently when Kobie had to be taken to the vet on her last day? yes.

Well, those are the horses (so to speak again) that are out of the barn. There are 3 left – Olivia, Jake and Brita. And at 70 pounds or so, I just can’t lift them AND if an accident happens, maybe they shouldn’t be lifted but gently put on a stretcher.

So, after looking online and seeing various versions from what appeared to be a simple blanket with a handle in each corner (which would require more than one person anyway) to a more elaborate one with wheels, I went for the more elaborate one that a single person could handle …and surprisingly enough, it wasn’t all that much more expensive.

Check it out for yourself. You can purchase it here for $105 or here for $80… same stretcher!

The next pictures you see will me of my dogs “practicing” lying on it and being wheeled around! We’re working on that!

Last year it started….

2011-05-27T07:14:00.001-05:00

This year it continues… Jake – my buckthorn digger-upper-puller-outer… …and does he think it’s fun. For those of you who aren’t aware, Buckthorn is an invasive plant and needs to be eradicated and wow.. has it taken hold in our woods… but now.. Jake to the rescue! There are thorns (BuckTHORN) so Jake knows to pull from the root where there are none. Click here to read more about it. European Buckthorn

Last fall I first discovered he liked to dig at the roots when I loosened it up with a shovel so I attempted to videotape it. “Jake really likes to help” I really need to get someone else to do it as I start the digging and then he pulls it out… doing it all really doesn’t work well! It seems like there must be a distinct smell in the roots of the buckthorn tree because he does a lot of sniffing before he digs. Then… the bigger, the better! The one foot trees….boring… The 4-6 foot ones…. a prize to be coveted! Here he is with the collection of some of the bigger trees.

Kobie-Girl 2001-2011

2011-05-25T16:17:00.000-05:00

Click here to visit Kobie’s memorial and while you’re there sign the guest book.
Click here to visit Kobie’s website
Click here to see Kobie’s photo albums

Below are the posts that Kobie was a part of on this blog.

Who’s on Top?

2011-05-25T07:52:00.000-05:00

Well, it depends on who flops over first. Brita usually initiates play by flopping on her back in front of Jake but here Jake has rolled over also.

This series was taken from inside my house through a window.

Had I been outside they would have been hovering around me and this interaction wouldn’t have happened.

I’m always humbled…

2011-05-18T15:51:00.000-05:00

When so many respond to the loss of a dog… The support from friends and sometimes people you don’t even know is truly humbling… emails, text messages, phone calls, facebook and on the memorial….. message after message… I’ve shared so many below…. (names were removed from private emails) ….and cry when I read them… When someone loses a dog.. the rest of us can relate because most likely, we have been though it… Thank you all…

It's always so hard to lose a good friend; but at least she went out the way she wanted to go; Still active, still vital! Enjoy the afterlife Kobie !!!!!!! : )

I was shocked to find that Kobie had crossed over, and so suddenly since we last communicated. What a beautiful, lovely girl she was! You gave her a wonderful life, a new life from her past and a very happy one! I know how much you must miss her and my heart goes out to you for this very huge loss. We both know she is in a good place and her spirit will always be around you. She will be hanging out with your mom I'm sure! Her favorite! Keep in touch and know that I am thinking of you and I sure know the pain of losing a best friend. If you ever want to talk, I am here for you.....Hugs, JM

Words cannot describe the sadness I feel for you losing Kobie. I am so very sorry!! It never gets any easier losing our best friends when their time comes. Kobie was a very speical girl and your mom's favorite by the sounds of it! Now she is with your mom and running free in heaven. The void here on earth is huge though and for that my heart goes out to you Laurel. If you ever want to talk, I am here. We never know when the time will come so cherish each day with those around you. I know you already do that : ) I'm just so sad about Kobie, I was shocked to read this. You did the right thing by letting her go when you did, but I know it was very hard for you. Likely when you least expect it, she'll visit you in a dream to let you know she is happy and okay. Hang in there Laurel, stay in touch. I will say a prayer for Kobie for lots of love and support around her. Love, JM

Thinking about you and wondering how you are coping . The shock will take some time to get over but I hope you don't have flashbacks of how it happened with Kobie . She would have hated to have surgery and to be a burden to you . She'll be happy with Ari now and would want you to be happy too CT

I'm so sorry about Kobie. I just read about what happened to her. Very traumatic, for all you (other dogs included). You have my sincerest condolences on your loss. LS

I'm sorry you lost Kobie today. :'( Let me know if you need anything... JG

Wow, Laurel. So sorry to hear your news. That must have been very traumatic for Kobie and for you. My sympathy. KP

.so…so sorry again about Kobi... DZ

I'm really very sorry to hear about Kobie. I've seen her picture galeries a couple of times and I thought she was a beautiful girl. I know you'll miss her, but it was an act of God and there was nothing you could do. HW

I've been away for a few days and have just read your very sad news about Kobie . What a dreadful shock , to have a happy running dog one minute and a fatally injured one the next . Poor Kobie must have suffered but I'm sure you did the right thing -------the only thing to help her and she would know and love you for it . It will take you some time to get over the suddenness of it all . My heart is sore for you . Love from C.

OMG, laurel, I'm so sorry!!!!! What an awful thing to deal with. Kobie was a goo' girl. LD

Hope you’re doing okay….. CS

My dear.....I AM SO SORRY!!! I know it breaks your heart. Lord, this is hard stuff!!! I will pray for your grief...I really will...and please write when you can. MA

HI MY DEAR FRIEND LAUREL, I AM SO SADDENED TO HEAR OF WHAT HAPPENED TO KOBIE AND I AM SO VERY SORRY. YOU HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH ALOT OF LOSS BUT WE ALL HAVE SO LITTLE TIME ON THIS EARTH AND SO OUR BEST FREINDS HAVE SO MUCH LITTLE TIME. WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT THEM THE JOY AND LOVE IS EVERYTHING AND THE MEMORIES ARE WORTH A MILLION DOLLARS. OUR B IS STARTING TO SLOW DOWN AND REQUIRES A LITTLE EXTRA CARE NOW TO. HOPEFULLY JAKE WILL TAKE UP THE EXTRA VOID AS I KNOW HE CAME ALONG FOR A VERY GOOD REASON. I KNEW THAT FROM THE FIRST PICTURES I SAW OF HIM. THAT HE IS YOUR SOUL MATE AS WERE THE OTHERS AND WILL REMAIN YOUR BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD. MY TEARS AND FRIENDSHIPO ARE WITH YOU. LOVE AND HUGS ON THE SCREEN FOR YOU. I WILL SEE YOU SOON. AND MISS YOU. LM

I'm sorry Laurel. How sad. :( LS

*sniff* CM

Awww Laurel, I'm so sorry... Much love to you hun!!! CM

Oh Laurel!!! I'm SO sorry! You're right, I would have hugged and cried with you....lots of hugs your way. On a side note, Ari will be so pleased to have kobie back, they're up there playing now I'm sure! BV

Although I don't own a dog I do" babysit" a puppy that has crept into my heart...unexpectedly. (I mention this because i now understand the addicting companionship and fun love a dog gives)
Im sorry you had to see Kobie hurt and eventually go through the heartache of making such a difficult decision. My thoughts are with you. KK

Wow..I am just heartbroken after reading your blogs and seeing individual sites it feels like you get a glimpse of a life and on some level you know them…I am sorry you had to go through that, it must be hard, I cant even imagine…I am glad you have a friend who can help and who can tell you that everything is okay and one day we will see them again..ever seen a movie with Robin Williams “What Dreams May Come” my favorite movie…very artistic, very good story…you may like it..there is also a dog dalmation who passed on…and “dog heaven”. It is drama..nothing cheesy… I am so sorry for your loss...I am so, so sorry…. EM

Thank you for sharing the email with the link to your pictures. It would be nice if all dogs had the opportunity to live with Laurel Stone and her other dogs. Thinking of you and Kobie and wishing you the best! JD

I am so sorry. Kobie was one of my favorites. I went to your blogspot and read about Kobie. BC

Oh my gosh Laurel! Did you just lose her? I'm so sorry!

You are in my thoughts and prayers! PS

Laurel, my heart aches for you! I wish there were something I could do for you! This is the bad part about having animals. It's so devastating to lose them! I hope your other dogs and Joshua, of course, will help fill the void that's been left! You did the right thing for her! I'm really thinking of you, my friend! Love, P~

Laurel, I am so sorry for your loss. What a horrible freak accident. My
thoughts and prayers are with you ... DM

Hi Laurel....I just saw your email. I don't check it every day anymore. I am so sorry that you lost Kobie. Beautiful Kobie. What an unusual way for her to have to go. I cant imagine. Remember, it's ok to grieve. You can't hurry sadness away. When it wants to go, it will. It wont last forever. Wait it out. You have the memories! Someday, you will meet her again. Take care. Love you! HUGS!!! LH

I am so very sorry to hear about Kobie. There are no words to take away the heartbreak of losing one of our four footed companions. Just know that I share in your grief. LH

Laurel, I'm sad to hear about Kobie's passing, and for the suffering her loss has brought to you. Don't beat yourself up for not working; you need time to heal. JL

OMG I am sooooo sorry for the lost. I'm glad I did not find out in class because I am crying as I type this. I too had to put our lab down last September; however, I knew his time was coming. I could not imagine not expecting it and finding him like you did your Kobie. I don't know what to say... I'm so sorry. At least you know Kobie is with Ari and that Kobie had the BEST life a dog could have while in this life. God bless. I know you have the support of a lot of friends, but please let me know if there is anything I can do. IH

Laurel Stone I didn't think she'd be the next one. RIP Miss Kobie...

May 15 at 7:05pm · Like

Amy Spear Laurel I am so sorry for your loss, her spirit is right there with you at all times.

May 15 at 7:10pm · Like

Cindy Davidson I am sorry for your loss.

May 15 at 7:16pm · Like

Katrina Kardiasmenos Oh, Laurel, I'm so so sorry for your loss! I can't imagine how it must feel to have lost Kobie :(

May 15 at 7:19pm · Like

Tim Krause so sorry Laurel...the love our family provides is like nothing else

May 15 at 7:22pm · Like

Laurie Schuttey so sorry

May 15 at 7:31pm · Like

Susan Peters I'm so sorry Laurel....

May 15 at 7:37pm · Like

Amy Jo Huss Christianson Sorry to hear about Kobie....

May 15 at 7:38pm · Like

Joe Parks sending hugs from ohio.....

May 15 at 7:41pm · Like

Lisa Brandow Haese I'm sorry for your loss Laurel...these photos are beautiful!

May 15 at 7:58pm · Like

Angie Stark Laurel, so sorry :-(...

May 15 at 8:22pm · Like

Rachel Brickham Bachand My thoughts are with you Laurel. So sorry for your loss.

May 15 at 8:28pm · Like

Mark Veith-West My heart is still broken from losing ours, can't imagine what you're going through. They are all so precious. All of our families thoughts are with you. Hugs.

May 15 at 8:35pm · Like

Marilyn Parker Volunteered at Spay/neuter clinic today. Some lovely dogs. I do it every month.

May 15 at 8:42pm · Like

Trudy Donais I am so sorry for your loss and unfortunately understand the pain oh so well as we just laid to rest our 12 year old GSD Friday :`(

May 15 at 8:44pm · Like

Laurel Stone oh trudy.. I'm so sorry - it IS hard but the joy we get from them when they are alive must override the pain or we wouldn't get another... I guess we just have to remember the good times...

May 15 at 8:49pm · Like

Sandi Moore I am sorry Laurel. They just do not live long enough. I have been through it several times as well, but the love we get from them helps to ease the sorrow when they are gone.

May 15 at 8:51pm · Like

Mary Ellis she's romping in the field with my Sadie, and all the rest of our fir kids...so sorry for your loss, Laurel.

May 15 at 8:56pm · Like

Vicki Heinrich So sorry for your loss - so admire your commitment and love of your dogs!!

May 15 at 8:59pm · Like

Frank Potter I don't know you Laurel but My heart goes out to you for the loss of this wonderful friend.

May 15 at 10:09pm · Like

Brenda Ort-Beauchamp Laurel I am so sorry for your loss . We lost both of our babies within 28 each other last year so I can appreciate what you are going through. It is so hard when your whole life revolves around your pet and then they are gone.

May 15 at 10:42pm · Like

Jill Fryling So sorry.

May 15 at 11:10pm · Like

Aida Flick may her spirit live forever in your heart. our thoughts are with you.

May 15 at 11:13pm · Like

Jeannie Tews ‎(((((HUGS)))))

May 16 at 5:59am · Like

Vicki L Olson Take care Laurel...sorry for your loss

May 16 at 8:13am · Like

Judy Boguski Always so difficult to make that decision but I'm sure Kobie agreed. A big hug to you, Laurel

May 16 at 9:35am · Like

Tthomas D. Hendra Laurel: Sorry about your loss of this wondeful Pup.

May 16 at 10:40am · Like

Laurel Stone thank you all.. as I posted on the other thread.. the number of responses humbles me. give your dogs a kiss on the head because they could be gone tomorrow. www.laurelsdogs.com

May 16 at 6:58pm · Like

Allison Fahrenkrug Laurel, I am so sorry my heart goes out to you. She was a beautiful girl. It never gets any easier...

May 16 at 8:53pm · Like

Christie Meyer

I am so sorry - I didn't realize that the pics were put up to say goodbye to Kobie. I am so very sorry for your loss Laurel. She was absolutely magnificent looking! I am sure her personality matched.

May 15 at 7:24pm · Like · · See Friendship

Laurel Stone thanks Christie.. It was such a freak accident. She was running through the house and slammed into a wall breaking her humerus bone in half and ripping her shoulder out of the socket..

May 15 at 8:24pm · Like

Barb Hoffman Laurel...my sympathies. So sorry!!!

May 15 at 8:45pm · Like

Michael Eugene West Hugs and tears

May 15 at 8:51pm · Like

Niki Mohns So sad. Sending my condolences.

May 15 at 9:01pm · Like

Phil Langohr Abbie and my heart goes out to you Laurel :(

May 15 at 9:25pm · Like

Shannon White It's brutal, losing one of these miraculous creatures called Dog. It's almost unbearable. Though it may provide little comfort, know that we all share your sorrow. We understand a glimmer of your loss.

May 15 at 10:03pm · Like

Cheryl Eddy Pawlosky So sorry to hear about your loss!! I loved reading your blog...

May 15 at 10:23pm · Like

Renée Lamoureux so sorry Laurel

May 15 at 10:41pm · Like

Laurel Frawley sssooo sorry Laurel.

May 16 at 12:38am · Like

Nancy Nestler So sorry for you Laurel. your special babies are playing together in Heaven. You loved them well and they gave you everything. Sending hugs and peaceful thoughts your way. :(

May 16 at 1:34am · Like

Denise Wittman So sorry

May 16 at 3:49am · Like

Vickie Strommen I am sorry to hear of your loss Laurel.. take care

May 16 at 6:52am · Like

Sandy Smrz Oh Laurel, I am so sorry. My thoughts go out to you.

May 16 at 7:38am · Like

Amy Marks Bucklin Sorry for your loss Laurel

May 16 at 8:30am · Like

Nancy Hundin So sorry.

May 16 at 9:22am · Like

Lisa Gruetzmacher So sorry for your loss Laurel.

May 16 at 12:37pm · Like

Cee Kranz I am so sorry, they are great dogs

May 16 at 5:23pm · Like

Laurel Stone Thank you all.. the amount of responses on this thread and the comments on the photo album humble me.. do something special for your pets tonight because they can be taken away in a heartbeat....

May 16 at 6:53pm · Like

Vickie Strommen My girl, Faith, a Golden Retriever turned 11 today.. so I know what you mean! She got lots of good for dogs treats today!!

May 16 at 7:00pm · Like

Laurie Schuttey So sorry...it is never easy...

May 16 at 7:08pm · Like

Shari Blohm OMG Laurel - there are no words.... My heart aches for the hole that is in yours..... I am so very sorry. Hugs

May 16 at 10:47pm · Like

06-29-2011 5:58 PM -- By: donna spencer , From: new jersey

What a beautiful Belgian......And a precious one as well.. Hoping you seek comfort in knowing Kobie, is always watching over you as she did when with you... God sends us special 4 legged children to help us through our most difficult times.. Sad to say so many never realize what a great gift they are... Find peace my friend..

06-15-2011 5:12 PM -- By: Lauvern, From:

I am so sorry for the loss of precious Kobie-Girl. My thoughts are with you at this very sad time.

Kobie

06-11-2011 8:40 AM -- By: Jessica, From: Pa

Laurel, Kobie-Girl is absolutly beautiful! I'm am very sorry to read of her passing. My deepest sympathy. thoughts and prayers are with you.

05-20-2011 1:58 PM -- By: Joe and Efren , From: EL Paso TX

We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. We know what it is to loss a best friend. We send you our deepest sympathy. Play hard at Rainbow's Bridge.

05-17-2011 10:10 AM -- By: Charles -- Sammy's, Gabby's and Bob M's Dad, From: Santa Fe, New Mexico

I am so very sorry for your loss of precious Kobie-Girl. May the memories of Kobie-Girl always bring you peace and comfort .. and .. cherish those memories as they can never be taken away.

My thoughts and prayers are with you at this very sad time. Know that Kobie-Girl was welcomed to Rainbow Bridge by my kids Sammy, Gabby and Bob M and all the beautiful babies of Rainbow Bridge.

05-16-2011 9:44 PM -- By: Janet, From: Indiana

What a beautiful girl! I love your song on the first page. I can envision her running across the field in heaven. I share your sadness as I lost my baby boy a few weeks ago. I know he is playing nicely with Kobie. You will always have her memories as she will have hers with you. Take care...

And then there was one…..

2011-05-13T07:14:00.000-05:00

The Three Amigos… all long coat shepherds… all came into my life in a years time. There was Teddy who came to me in March of 2001 and was just over a year old. Olivia showed up 6 months later and six months after that I was blessed yet again when Kobie came into my life. Their stories are documented here:

I remember fondly a trip to PA not long after Kobie joined us to see my mother in a nursing home. They would get so excited and feed off of each other and when we traveled home the long way through upstate New York to do some sheep herding, I would back the van up to a motel room, open the door and let them run in! It was there that they were tested for herding and Teddy became know as the sheep chaser (it’s hard to look innocent with wool in your mouth). Kobie was beautiful to watch… very smooth but oh, so easily distracted (“this is lots of fun but hey wait… there is a butterfly over there”). And the first time Olivia saw the sheep she couldn’t stop trembling. Since we weren’t sure what would happen I was told to hold on to the line (sheep cost $100 and that’s what you pay if your dog decides to have one for lunch). A minute or so after getting in the pen we realized that she was truly a natural at it but did everything way too fast – must have been all that nervous energy!

So… here a a post that was originally written in 2005 that I posted a few years ago. The Three Amigos What awesome dogs and SO beautiful! Oops… Teddy was HANDSOME, the girls were BEAUTIFUL!

Below are photos taken when we we planting flowers. Olivia chose to help, Kobie was happy watching and Teddy.. well he liked the pool… wait it’s a sandbox… no… it’s both!

So now… May 2011… there is one… Olivia.. almost 12 years old… and , my guess is that it won’t be long and they will be together again…

Goodbye Kobie-Girl

2011-05-08T21:27:00.003-05:00

You were my sunshine ….My cheery sunshine.
You made me happy …..when skies were grey.
You never knew girl how much you meant to me
And now that sunshine has quickly gone away….

Kobie, you were the peacemaker around the house always trying to make things right and to please. I called you my guardian angel always looking out for me. You were the “black dog” that my mother referred to right before she crossed. Little did I realize how much she liked black dogs and when we travelled east with you, Olivia and Teddy, it was you who brought her the most joy – so much so that during the service for her, the minister mentioned how “Lil” talked about the “black dog” who came to visit.

I loved watching you trot across the yard. You were so light on your feet and so graceful and made it look effortless. You had the same gait when you were herding sheep and you looked so beautiful… and then… what.. you were chasing a butterfly… heck with the sheep! I know that you will continue to bring joy to all those who crossed before and you’ll show them the right way to run across those fields of green and flowers.

RIP Miss Kobie….

Kobie CGC, Therapy Dog, BH, CD, UCD, HIC, RN
2001-2011

Kobie’s Memorial with Guestbook

Kobie’s Website
Kobie's Photo Albums
List of posts that mentioned or were about Kobie

Kobie was a Shiloh Shepherd with a lifespan of 9-11 years. She had Pancreatic Insufficiency also know as EPI. Because her pancreas did not produce enzymes to digest her food, Kobie had to have her food soaked in pancreatic enzymes for it to be digested. She was always hungry so it was not beneath her to catch critters in the yard for lunch or eat the pears and apples from the trees…. neither the critters or the fruit had enzymes, of course. The vet speculated that there most likely was an underlying reason such as bone cancer or osteoporosis for the humerus bone to break as it did and that recovery from surgery could be long and painful. Because of Kobie’s age and condition I made the decision to say goodbye. It was heartbreaking as you would expect. Today, May 8, 2011, she was laid to rest next to her buddy, Ari. I miss her already.

Monday May 9th. Conversation with Marilyn

Kobie came running and was very light and floaty – a good feel and a good spirit. She flopped over on her back, rolled over and popped back up. She has a sense of freedom and she’s good where she is. Looks likes she is with Ari or another dog who looks like Ari and they are running, playing chasing games and rolling over.

She knows it would have been rehab her whole life. Olivia is coming soon but she had to stay behind to keep the energy smooth and relax it because her exit was so dramatic and traumatic. Olivia's crossing will be much calmer.

Plant flowers she’s saying. (Are there special flowers you plant Marilyn asks) Yes.. well she’s telling you to plant flowers…

Here is Kobie at the beginning of a roll over and then back up again!

Running, playing and rolling was definitely she liked to do!

So what really happened? We’ll never know exactly but when I came in from outside where I had been mowing, Kobie came dragging herself out of the bathroom covered with blood and her right front leg was hanging lifeless. There was a hole in the wall right where she would have turned to go into the hallway and it was right at her shoulder level. That’s where the blood started and it continued into the bathroom when she was. Even though it looked like a lot of blood, she didn’t continue bleeding. We suspect that she came running around the corner at top speed (playing chase with another dog??) and her shoulder went into the wall. The hole is 3 inches round and pushed in over an inch. The large bone was broken in half and pulled away from the shoulder. It would have required surgery with pins and major rehabilitation. Kobie was almost 10 and her lifespan is estimated to be 9-11 years. It was with all of this in mind that the decision was made. We drugged her with doggy pain meds I keep on hand and took her in very early to help her cross over where no doubt Ari was waiting for her.

Memorials of Kobie’s former housemates.

Ari-Man
Teddy Edward
Josephine

Jake’s FHO Journey

2011-05-01T22:16:00.000-05:00

A year later…..

Occasionally, I have people ask about Jake’s surgery and how he is doing so recently I wrote a post about that hoping to help someone through what I’ve experienced. What would you do… (FHO)

Jake is my second dog that had a FHO but he was a puppy which concerned me. In hindsight I think it was not a problem and may have been an advantage. Teddy was 3, I believe, and bad hips so he favored that leg and and after the surgery it was harder to train him to put weight on it than it was to train Jake. My dogs are marker trained and normally I use the word “yes” but they also understand the clicker. When I walked Teddy I would click when he put weight on that leg and it took him very little time to consciously walk with all four feet when we walked through the yard. Jake was way easier but he had his own set of challenges… While Teddy was a sweet, wonderful, “I’ll try to make it happen” dog, Jake was a headstrong pup who thought nothing of testing me at every turn. We definitely had some “discussions” (aka “come to Jesus meetings”) regarding who paid the bills, put food in the bowl and general was in charge of the household. Jake is VERY smart so it didn’t take him very long to understand that concept but I cringe to think of what would have happened had he been in a home where he got away with all that he thought he should get away with because he was so darn CUTE!

Below are links to the posts that document some of Jake’s progress during his recovery from FHO surgery. It is not the log that I kept or the list of stretches that I did, etc. but rather photos, thoughts and information about his progress and his recovery. I did keep a journal of his progress to gauge how we were doing which I believe is most important to a successful recovery.

Happy 12th Birthday Ari!

2011-04-21T09:41:00.006-05:00

I miss your goofy ways....

Oh NO! Say it ain’t SNOW!!

2011-04-20T01:06:00.004-05:00

9.5 inches of WET heavy snow!!

Kobie (who normally LOVES the snow) didn’t even want to stay outside!!

Anxiety Wrap…

2011-04-15T20:19:00.000-05:00

…passed down from generation to generation…. huh? what’s that?? Let me first say… I don’t sell Anxiety Wraps – although maybe I should. Here’s the website: https://anxietywrap.com/default.aspx and here’s what it says….

A Therapeutic Hug …..The Anxiety Wrap uses Maintained Pressure and Acupressure to relieve stress and end/lessen fears and anxieties in dogs. Created in 2001, it was the first of its kind on the market and invented the category of Pressure Wraps. The Anxiety Wrap mainly alleviates/lessens five major conditions:

Fear
Anxiety
Hyperactivity
Insecurity
Shyness

These conditions are the root of many unwanted behaviors in dogs. And because The Anxiety Wrap can alleviate/lessen the basic, core condition, there are many unwanted behaviors that can end or lessen such as:

Thunderstorm fear …. Leash pulling …. Separation anxiety …. Fear of other dogs …. Constant barking …. Fear of people …. Unwanted jumping …. Travel anxiety …. Other noise phobias …. Fireworks fear …. Whining …. Hyperactivity …. Nervousness …. Car sickness …. Destructive chewing

So anyway.. you can read about it… First I bought it for Josephine for thunderstorm phobia.. sort of helped… I have no photos online because that was BD (before digital).

Next was Teddy. He had hip surgery and wouldn’t wear a cone. Well actually he would but then wouldn’t move a muscle. If he was sitting with I put it on him… 2 hours later he was sitting in the same place. Hmm … the anxiety wrap… would cover most of his hip but not all so we had to add some scarves… pretty snazzy, huh?

And then there was Ari… I really can’t remember why he has both the Anxiety Wrap and a cone on in this picture but it sure was a photo opportunity. He did not care what he had on… it was all about fun!

So now… Jake has been scratching himself… is it a habit, anxiety, who knows… Last night I hunted down the tried and true Anxiety Wrap and it just immediately had an affect on him and there was no more scratching… He slept in it and I don’t think he moved off of the bed at all and when he did I pulled it off of him and he seemed oh… so glad. So far, the scratching has not returned but the second it does… on comes the wrap… and then I’ll get a photo of him also!!

Yep! GSDs get it all!

2011-04-12T23:16:00.000-05:00

Josephine (1991-2003) Hip dysplasia – surgery (TPO) – Pannus - Thunderstorm phobia – Melatonin – Anxiety Wrap - Arthritis - Adequan series of shots - Lumps removed - Broken tooth – root canal - Kidneys failed

Ari (1999 – 2009) Addison's Disease - Anaplasmosis (tick disease) - Spondylosis - VOM treatment - Seizures – Brain tumor - Lumps removed

Teddy (1999 – 2009) Hip dysplasia – surgery (FHO) Adequan series of shots - VOM treatment - Separation Anxiety -Tumor (most likely cancer) causing non-use of front leg

Olivia (1999 – present) Arthritis – Adequan series of shots - VOM treatment - Pannus – almost blind - Hearing impaired 90% - Nervous biting creating hotspots - Lumps removed

Kobie (2001 – 2011) Pancreatic Insufficiency - Probable dementia - Probable bone loss like osteoporosis - Freak accident hitting wall (fatal)

Tori (2003 – 2009) Degenerative Myelopathy - VOM treatment -Infections – uterus

Brita (2006 – present) Dental surgery at 9 months to reconstruct her palate because her lower canine created a hole in the roof of her mouth -

Jake (2009 – present) Broken pelvic bone as a very young puppy that caused his hip to be pushed out of the socket – surgery (FHO) – VOM treatment - Small Hernia -Lyme's Disease

What would you do? (meds)

2011-04-10T18:17:00.002-05:00

A question was asked of me recently and what initially seemed like a pretty straightforward question make me think. This was the question:

“I was wondering if you could recommend nonprescription medicine for our dog. He is 13 and has a bone tumor on his front leg and arthritis in his back legs. An anti-inflammatory or anything for pain relief besides dog aspirin?”

I can only speak from my experience and I am certainly not a vet, vet tech or anyone related to the veterinary profession. I just have dogs…. enough dogs that I’ve sometimes feel like I’ve experienced everything - which is, of course, not true and as I think of it, a topic for another post. And I’m not a breeder so I have experienced nothing related to birthin’ ‘n babies!
So as I thought of what I would give to a 13 year old dog with a bone tumor, these thoughts ran through my head:

13 years old, if a German Shepherd, is pretty old and I would be making that dog as comfortable as possible. What I keep on hand for pain from my vet is Tramadol and that has gotten me through the pain both Teddy and Ari experienced before they crossed.
If the dog was a smaller dog with a longer life expectancy, I possibly would look into removal of the tumor – depending, of course, what it is.
Another thing that crossed my mind was that I do NOT use Rimadyl and the only time I gave my dogs Deramaxx was post surgery.
Glucosamine is what I give to young active dogs and is not a quick pain cure for older dogs. It is pretty much a stable in my house for everyone!!
Glucosamine brought to mind the Adequan shots my dogs had a few years ago for stiffness but again that is not instant relief.
I would, for sure, take my dog to a VOM practitioner.

So… do I have an answer? My response is that it depends on the dog and its age and history. Non-prescription – no suggestions.. it’s a “Vet thing”…..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Older dogs…. I usually take post photos of the dogs “smiling” with their tongue hanging out. These are more serious pictures. Teddy (1999 - 2009) on the left was on a walk through the woods and he was limping so he was resting. Ari (1999 – 2009) in the middle was hanging out in his sandbox after the school bus went by. Olivia (1999 – present) was visiting Teddy’s resting place a month after we lost him. These 3, who were 6 months apart in age, were all about 9 when these pictures were taken.

What would you do…. (FHO)

2011-04-04T22:49:00.001-05:00

….I was asked if you had to do it over… Well.. …let’s see..

Let me tell you what I’m talking about – Jake’s FHO…. Femoral Head Osteotomy …that was his surgery to cut off the ball of his hip. This is a procedure used for dogs with hip dysplasia but Jake had an accident at a young age… what kind of accident, we don’t know. When I got him at 12 weeks his pelvic bone had been broken and as it had healed it pushed his hip out of joint. If you haven’t read about it… go back to the posts starting February 2010 and you’ll be able to read it from the beginning.

Teddy had that surgery also at about 2 years old and it went very well for him so after being reassured that the fact that Jake was a puppy wasn’t a bad thing… in fact it probably gave him an advantage … we scheduled the surgery. I won’t go into that whole story because it is well documented in other posts. This one will simply list some things that if I had to do over I would start before the surgery, if possible, to prepare for after the surgery. So…here goes…

If I were doing it over I would get him used to physical therapy - not do it but get him used to what might happen. Look at Jake on the grooming table - he will lie down anywhere and I can tell him to "put your head down" and he does.. all it took was treats... that you could start. Instead of physical therapy before the surgery, I would get him used to this position and maybe some massage.

One of the the changes I made in my home was to position a large crate right where I spend most of my time so while he is recovering (resting) he will not feel isolated. I used rubber matting (the kind that is used in playschools) and had that all around it and a path to the door to go out. I dug out my stash of throw rugs with rubber backing that I used when Ari was having rear end issues after his seizures to put down other places. and need I say… if you haven’t crate trained your dog, do it NOW!

I would take a horse lunge line (30 foot line from a horse supple store) and teach him how to "walk" away from me so I could stand still and have him go around me in a circle in a trot. Jake had a tendency to want to run or hop and needed to learn to walk - sort of like a show dog but not so fast. This may not be possible before surgery because of the pain but thinking about how to do it, putting it on the post-surgery list and getting a lunge line will then be one less thing to do after the surgery.

Make sure you have ice packs on hand…. read my post about what Jake thought of frozen vegetables being used in place of ice packs…. See the picture above also.

I hand made the coolest sling to help him walk… just took a tote, cut it down the sides and sewed it up. He never needed it. I picked him up the same day of surgery and he walked out – he was a little goofy however!

Everything I've read indicated that the most successful recoveries are if the owner follows through with the right exercises, stretches, etc. With Teddy I took him to physical therapy and he would walk in water. That ,of course, does add an additional cost but checking in to it beforehand would be good. With Jake, I choose not to do it and formulated a plan of what to do at home on my own. If it was summer I would find a place to walk him in water – a pool, lake, etc.

I am a believer in supplements. My dogs get Animal Naturals products. Check them out.

Another thing - VOM treatments... if you haven't read about it, here is my VOM lady’s site: www.theVOMlady.com This should be #1 or right up there in my opinion… check with your vet for sure on this. Included with her treatments is Cold Laser Therapy and AlphaSonic Sound Wave Therapy both of which are described on her site.

Teach “sit straight” if your dog doesn’t. Jake would puppy sit (lean to one side) and his back legs were uneven so I taught him that was not correct and that he needed to “sit straight”.

Teach spins and circles (I say circle for right and spin for left)… fun for the dog and when his body was starting to curve to the right I would have him spin to the left and them have him do it slowly for a stretch.

Prepare to keep a journal of the recovery…

I am now teaching Jake to walk on a treadmill. Will post more later….

…….continued …. as ideas come to mind…

(PLEASE NOTE: if any of these things are hard for your dog to do, STOP! Obviously, lying on a table would be ok but walking on a line, spins, circles or walking in water could be VERY painful.) Always remember…. SLOW is FAST!

Here are some links to information that will be invaluable before, during and after the surgery!
Click here for Top Dog Animal Health & Rehabilitation’s website
Click here for Top Dog’s step by step guide to post-surgical home therapy for FHO recovery.
Click here for Top Dog’s Health and Rehabilitation’s YouTube channel.

The photo of Jake catching the ball was taken 9 months after
surgery. Click on it to enlarge and you’ll see the muscle he has on
his hind leg. What a guy, huh!

What's next, Jake?

2011-03-23T11:55:00.001-05:00

First it was the squirrel... well documented in this post call "There's a squirrel in my basement!.
Then one day as I'm walking though my bedroom I noticed something on the rug... humm.. dead mouse. Could have been worse - it could have been buried in the bed so I guess all things considered, it was OK.
Yesterday, I was heading downstairs to do laundry again and saw something at the bottom of the stairs... my first thought ... a brush Jake had chewed up. As I got closer I realized that no... it was not a brush but rather a bird - a blackbird. - very dead. SO... I put the dogs in another room and looked for a pooper scooper and scooped it up. I realized then, it hadn't been dead for very long!!

Squirrel - mouse - blackbird - what next? All this in the last year when - YOU KNOW WHO - arrived on the scene!! The only other thing I've seen caught in the yard was a bunny (stupid bunny for coming in the yard) and it didn't last long!! Those dogs are gone now and I haven't seen a bunny since.

June 10, 2011 – walked out on my deck…. woodpecker… dead as a door nail.
June 28, 2011 – 6:30 am… a bit drowsy – in kitchen – commotion in living room – turn to watch Jake crash through stools and catch a chipmunk, drop it, look at it, look at me as if to say “there.. it’s yours”. (unlike Kobie who would have run with it to the woods and enjoyed it for breakfast.) I encouraged him to take it outside which he did as I surveyed the mess in my living room!!

Impersonating a Person with Disabilities… really???

2011-03-15T23:46:00.000-05:00

Almost seems impossible to believe… doesn’t it?? Why someone would impersonate a disabled person to do something only a person with disabilities has the right to do. What the heck?? You’re probably thinking I’m making no sense. Here’s the short version:

Examples:

A dog trainer states that he has a service dog when making reservations for a flight. When arriving at the airport, he puts a service dog cape on his dog so he can take the dog into the cabin of the airplane.
A person keeps a “Service Dog in Training” vest for her dog and if the weather is hot, just puts the vest on the dog and takes it into a store with her so she won’t have to leave it in the car. The dog is not in training to be a service dog.

In both situations, the handler is representing that the dog is or will be a service dog. Now, if that’s true and the dog really will be a service dog performing tasks for a specific disability, then it’s ok. If it’s not true, then the handler is:

breaking the law and
doing a disservice to anyone who is disabled and really does need a dog. (not protecting your karma there…. )

So, if you're reading this and are thinking “oh my gosh, I didn’t know it was against the law” …my suggestion would be to not ever do it again. Why… because if you’re caught, it's a FELONY offense to impersonate a disabled person, AND/OR have your dog impersonate a service dog and punishable by fines and prison time. There are 2 questions that can be asked of a person with a service dog:

Is that a Service Dog?
What does your Service Dog do for you?

Here is a quote from one of the websites below:

“Being a curious person, I ask the person what the dog does for them, and they tell me nothing, they just answer the questions so they can bring their pet in as a "service dog". I usually alert store management, who alerts store security so the person can't leave, and the police are called, as well as animal control. This person who thought they could get past the law, finds themselves separated from a beloved pet, and themselves in jail, maybe facing a prison term.”

And here are some interesting links:

Several States with penalties:

Missouri: 209.204. Impersonation of person with disability for purpose of receiving service dog accommodations Any person who knowingly impersonates a person with a disability for the purpose of receiving the accommodations regarding service dogs under the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 12101, et seq., is guilty of a class C misdemeanor and shall also be civilly liable for the amount of any actual damages resulting from such impersonation. Any second or subsequent violation of this section is a class B misdemeanor. For purposes of this section, "impersonates a person with a disability" means a representation by word or action as a person with a disability or a representation of a dog by word or action as a service dog. CREDIT(S) (L.2005, H.B. No. 116, § A, eff. July 12, 2005.)

California: "Section 365.7 of the Penal Code prohibits any person to knowingly and fraudulently representing himself or herself, through verbal or written notice, to be the owner or trainer of any canine licensed as, to be qualified as, or identified as, a guide dog, signal dog, or service dog, as defined in subdivisions (d), (e) and (f) respectively, of Section 365.5 of the Penal Code and paragraph (6) of subdivision (b) of Section 54.1 of the Civil Code, and that a violation of Section 365.7 of the Penal Code is a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine."

Wisconsin Laws state that their laws:

“apply to a service animal trainer only if the animal accompanying the service animal trainer is wearing a harness or a leash and special cape” and also the law “does not prohibit a service animal trainer from being required to produce a certification or other credential issued by a school for training service animals that the animal is being trained to be a service animal.”

However, regardless of state laws, the ADA prevails as the law of the land and does not limit the activities for which a service animal may be employed and specifically limit what can be asked of the handler.

Food for thought…. huh?

2010-11 Amendments to the ADA

2011-03-14T23:57:00.000-05:00

Section 504 means section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Pub. L. 93-112, 87 Stat. 394 (29 U.S.C. 794), as amended.

Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual's disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.

§ 35.136 Service animals

(a) General. Generally, a public entity shall modify its policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an individual with a disability.
(b) Exceptions. A public entity may ask an individual with a disability to remove a service animal from the premises if—
- (1) The animal is out of control and the animal's handler does not take effective action to control it; or
- (2) The animal is not housebroken.
(c) If an animal is properly excluded. If a public entity properly excludes a service animal under § 35.136(b), it shall give the individual with a disability the opportunity to participate in the service, program, or activity without having the service animal on the premises.
(d) Animal under handler's control. A service animal shall be under the control of its handler. A service animal shall have a harness, leash, or other tether, unless either the handler is unable because of a disability to use a harness, leash, or other tether, or the use of a harness, leash, or other tether would interfere with the service animal's safe, effective performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be otherwise under the handler's control (e.g., voice control, signals, or other effective means).
(e) Care or supervision. A public entity is not responsible for the care or supervision of a service animal.
(f) Inquiries. A public entity shall not ask about the nature or extent of a person's disability, but may make two inquiries to determine whether an animal qualifies as a service animal. A public entity may ask if the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform. A public entity shall not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal. Generally, a public entity may not make these inquiries about a service animal when it is readily apparent that an animal is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability (e.g., the dog is observed guiding an individual who is blind or has low vision, pulling a person's wheelchair, or providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with an observable mobility disability).
(g) Access to areas of a public entity. Individuals with disabilities shall be permitted to be accompanied by their service animals in all areas of a public entity's facilities where members of the public, participants in services, programs or activities, or invitees, as relevant, are allowed to go.
(h) Surcharges. A public entity shall not ask or require an individual with a disability to pay a surcharge, even if people accompanied by pets are required to pay fees, or to comply with other requirements generally not applicable to people without pets. If a public entity normally charges individuals for the damage they cause, an individual with a disability may be charged for damage caused by his or her service animal.
(i) Miniature horses.
- (1) Reasonable modifications. A public entity shall make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a miniature horse by an individual with a disability if the miniature horse has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with a disability.
- (2) Assessment factors. In determining whether reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures can be made to allow a miniature horse into a specific facility, a public entity shall consider—
  - (i) The type, size, and weight of the miniature horse and whether the facility can accommodate these features;
  - (ii) Whether the handler has sufficient control of the miniature horse;
  - (iii) Whether the miniature horse is housebroken; and
  - (iv) Whether the miniature horse's presence in a specific facility compromises legitimate safety requirements that are necessary for safe operation.
- (3) Other requirements. Paragraphs 35.136 (c) through (h) of this section, which apply to service animals, shall also apply to miniature horses.

Click here for the complete text.

Spring is a week away… really?!?

2011-03-13T20:48:00.001-05:00

All the pictures were taken with my phone because I wasn’t going to TAKE pictures so I left my real camera in the house. The snow was HARD and I think it eventually bothered Brita’s pads. The first 6 pictures are of Brita, then there is Jake and the last picture is of Kobie and Olivia. Olivia happily pranced out, went 10 feet and looked as me as if to say “this is NOT fun”!

Just Jesse–The JRT that does it ALL!

2011-03-10T09:40:00.000-06:00

If you haven’t seen this and other Just Jesse videos it’s worth a look! An amazing dog! ….and handler who trained him!

Click here for Jesse’s blog!

…the old ladies….

2011-03-06T20:50:00.001-06:00

…..are living a life of luxury… note the lowered agility table that provides a step to the rug covered (so it’s not cold) cushy leather couch! Olivia will be 12 and Kobie will be 10… and don’t miss her in the third photo… black dogs on black couches don’t show up well!

Had a terrible time getting them to settle down they were so excited and the pictures of them bouncing up and down were a blur… they were pretty excited when they realized how easy it would be to walk on the couch. Kobie was fine before but Olivia could hardly pull herself up because it was too high to jump!! …and so this solved the problem for her!! And she DOES love her fuzzy duck Christmas present!!

The kids are at it again!

2011-02-22T15:55:00.003-06:00

Let's listen in on Jake and Brita.....

It's been 2 years Teddy Edward...

2011-02-21T18:40:00.001-06:00

....and it's snowing today just like 2 years ago... I miss you big guy...

People still stop by your memorial to pay respects...

Teddy's Memorial

Animal Naturals

2011-02-05T22:33:00.006-06:00

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Two Dogs Dining...

2011-02-01T21:17:00.001-06:00

This was so funny I had to share....

Why is she always on the bottom?!?!

2011-01-29T19:33:00.001-06:00

Brita and Teddy

Brita and Kobie

Brita and Ari

Brita and Jake

It got up to 30 degrees today…

2011-01-28T18:50:00.008-06:00

…..and the sun was out!! So armed with a camera and a snow shovel (which conveniently served as a tripod) Jake, Brita and I walked around the yard. We didn’t go far because I was trying to stay between them and the sun since it was picture day!! Young Jake really likes to play and poor Brita really had her paws full.

Jake on the left…..Brita on the right…. and the encounter below!

Click on the slideshow and you’ll go to the smugmug album.

So much for leftovers…

2011-01-18T23:25:00.000-06:00

Leave it to Kobie…

or I should say DON’T leave it FOR Kobie!

Olivia trying to rest..

2011-01-17T23:42:00.000-06:00

So first it was Brita who has always kept her face clean and now is no exception. So there is Olivia sleeping, Brita sniffing, Brita licking, Olivia sits up, Brita licks some more and Olivia back down for a snooze with her duckie.

Next is Jake… an hour later… Olivia snoozing, Jake gently sniffing, Olivia waking up, Jake backing off and Olivia snoozing again!

By default she is the head of the pack… a reluctant leader but they all give her respect!

From inside…

2011-01-16T23:28:00.000-06:00

A way to NOT have to go outside to feed the birds is to hang feeders from your window AND then they come right up to it to eat!

I think this little woodpecker is the one that would follow me around outside last summer.

Laurel and her Dogs

Name that Dog Series

Jake–Service Dog in Training

Oldies but goodies!

It’s what they do….

Fancy Stuff

"Dogs at Work" stamps

Brita’s Dentist

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas - again!

Aaaahhh - the bloopers!

Christmas Photo

Entertainment for Jake

Olivia and the mouse….

Happy Birthday Miss Brita!

OH ---- and to you to Mr. Jake ---- a month late!! but in all fairness we did go to McDonalds for ice cream a month ago to celebrate.. just no pictures!

A walk around the cold damp yard and a few pictures…

where is the sun that was supposed to come out today!

Stolen Dog…

Last update: Please visit the following website for the most current information. http://hexinformation.webs.com/_______________________________________________

Stolen dog and not a happy ending..not even an ending… yet… (original post 10/15/11)

Name that dog–Volume 3!

Laundry and backpacks!

Somehow it’s just cuter….

…….when they are puppies…..

Jake still enjoys a good lick from the dishes!

Yes, Miss Kobie… we have flowers….

He shoulda been a model…

…. because he sure seems like he likes to pose…

Opps… well he does have to relax sometimes….

Out for another walk..

Who was that masked dog…

ok.. I KNOW there are no dogs in this post…

What’s not to love…

Name that dog… again!

Figured it out yet?? Here are the answers!

Bob’s puppy – Jake

Brita – Bob’s puppy

Bob’s puppy – Brita

Brita – Bob’s puppy

Summer at the farm…

So…what DO I feed my dogs?

It was an interesting evening…

Wrap up your dog…

It's never easy....

So I said to myself….

Kefir… what the heck is Kefir???

It was her birthday after all….

…. so why not get everyone involved!

Happy Birthday to Candace!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

… a little walkin’…

Happy 12th Birthday Olivia!

You’re beautiful as ever!!

These shots were taken this morning (with my phone) as we took our morning walk. Olivia has very little vision and can barely hear but you would never know it! She knows her way around the yard, on the trails and through the woods!

A day at the Inn….

Rin Tin Inn that is! The Jakester and Miss Brita! …..and Forrest!

White Dog Black Dog

White Dog Jake - 1976–1990

Black Dog Kobie – 2001-2011

Love the look so I had to share…. Thanks Candace for remembering….

Boys and their toys….

What do eggs, tomatoes and a trash can have in common?

Did I see a goat???

If you haven’t seen this video, it’s a must watch one!!

…so did you see it… the GOAT, that is??

Closing the barn door….

Last year it started….

Kobie-Girl 2001-2011

Below are the posts that Kobie was a part of on this blog.

Who’s on Top?

Well, it depends on who flops over first. Brita usually initiates play by flopping on her back in front of Jake but here Jake has rolled over also.

This series was taken from inside my house through a window.

Had I been outside they would have been hovering around me and this interaction wouldn’t have happened.

I’m always humbled…

Christie Meyer

I am so sorry - I didn't realize that the pics were put up to say goodbye to Kobie. I am so very sorry for your loss Laurel. She was absolutely magnificent looking! I am sure her personality matched.

And then there was one…..

Goodbye Kobie-Girl

Jake’s FHO Journey

Last update: Please visit the following website for the most current information. http://hexinformation.webs.com/
_______________________________________________