Chloe is a Very Thrifty Girl

She's saving her biskees for a rainy day! That's right. She'll take a biskee from Daddy or Aunt Pat, and she'll hide it somewhere in the house to eat later. Daddy found some in behind the cushion in the chair in the living room that Chloe likes to sit or jump on the table from.

Aunt Pat found one in her bedroom, behind a couple of photo albums she has piled on the floor.
Last night she left one at the top of the stairs near the bedrooms. Daddy almost stepped on it, and he almost gave it to me, instead of Chloe. I think he thought it was mine, but I eat my biskees right away. So does Katie.

Mommy stopped by yesterday. It was nice to see her. Our friend the bunny rabbit was back too! We were out in the back yard after dinner, and Chloe and Katie came nose to nose with it. Chloe barked at it, which made the rabbit run away. It got out beneath the gate, with Chloe and Katie in hot pursuit. Chloe's been going over to the gate, sniffing, every time we go out. I stayed with Aunt Pat to make sure she wasn't scared.

The Grreat Debate!

No, I'm not talking about this debate. Everybody knows dogs aren't eligible to vote. We don't have thumbs, so how could we work the voting machine? We have our opinions, though. During the early part of the campaign, Katie growled at the T.V. screen when Sen. Clinton came on screen to talk. I'm talking about the debate of which toy to chew up, err, play with! This is much more fun than politics, at least for us. Daddy loves to collect political memorabilia. He's put a lot in shadow boxes or had some items framed and has hung them up in his bedroom and in the family room.

Actually, my debate was over which toy to chew up, err, play with first! Aunt Pat found these toys when she went to get some pee pads. I, of course, have to inspect everything that comes into the house to make sure it's safe for my sisters. My choice did not reflect my humans' political feelings, because I have no idea how they're going to vote. But, I think it's pretty cool that one of the Presidential Candidates' names sounds like "Bark". As you can see below, I chose the donkey to play with first.

But, to give each party equal time, I chewed on the elephant.

In fact, my sisters and I chewed on them so much, Aunt Pat had to throw them out. The donkey fit better into Katie's mouth, but she also chewed on the elephant. Chloe wanted to play with anything I was playing with. She's like that. Katie or I will play with a toy, and Chloe wants to play with us, or take the toy. I let her, since I'm a good role model for my sister. Sometimes Katie will growl at her or me and take the toy elsewhere if she's really playing with it.

Chloe's found a new spot to rest. She's been going beneath the dining room table at times, to eat, but now she'll often lay under the table to lay down if Daddy or Aunt Pat's in the kitchen, or in the living room. She has a nice safe spot I can't get to without some effort, if she wants to savor her biskee, or an after dinner snooze.

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

We want to wish Daddy a very "Happy Birthday" today. We want to send him lots of love and sloppy kisses his way. Yes, we gave him a card, and we also gave him a gift card for a local gas station. Katie made sure that Aunt Pat told him NOT to use it for gas to take her to the Vet. The Groomer is fine, but she'd like to avoid the Vet for a while.

We got to see Lucky the other day! He's the dog that lives a couple of houses down, on the street behind us. His Mommy heard Katie bark while we were outside, and she brought him over to the S's fence.

We had a very nice visit. He and Katie will occasionally have conversations when they're both out in the yard. Chloe will occasionally chime in, but she prefers a more up close conversation.
Aunt Pat told Lucky's mom about the pet food recall and they had a nice talk while we got to know each other.

Katie Looks So Pretty!

She went to the Groomer on Friday and, as you can see, she looks like a new girl! They really do a nice job making all of us look pretty. Aunt Pat says we smell good too, but I think we always smell good, no matter what's in the grass we roll in! Mrs. G. came over to the fence and told Katie how pretty she looked. Katie barked her "thank you" and it's nice to see Katie talk more to the neighbors. I think she's starting to feel better now that she's on the new food.

We were all excited when Daddy got the leashes out. Originally, Daddy was only going to take Katie and me, but Chloe just had to tag along. She went outside with us and jumped into the car. Aunt Pat tried to catch her and bring her back in, but Chloe wouldn't budge. So, Aunt Pat went back inside the house and got her leash. When we stopped at the Groomer's, I thought I was going too, so I jumped out of the car! Daddy took me inside and I said "hello" to the folks inside and a couple of the other customers. Chloe stayed in the car and was so curious about who was coming and going that she left a nose print on the windshield!


After we dropped Katie off, Daddy took Chloe and I to the Vet. I've been shaking my head and pawing at my right ear despite having the humans put antibiotic ointment in my ears twice a day. Well, the doctor said my left ear was good, but my right ear was infected. He gave us more ointment and now I have to take an antibiotic twice a day. Chloe was very polite. She went over to the doctor and kissed him on his hand to say "thank you" for taking care of me.
I left a little...deposit on the way out. I couldn't help it. When a girl has to go, a girl has to go. Daddy went inside and told the staff about it, an offered to clean it up. But the staff was very nice and they took care of it for him.

Pet Food Recall

Just wanted to pass on to all of our friends that Mars Petcare is recalling pet food for possible salmonella contamination. Many different brands are affected and you can see a list here.
Although the Wegmans Bruiser Medium Dog Biscuits are not on there-those are the ones I love, the Vet said to stop eating them and throw them away. I have vomited the past couple of days. Daddy and Aunt Pat thought it was from me eating grass, but now they're not so sure. Aunt Pat found an article here, and one here, as well as a blog post here about dogs eating the Nutro food-the same brand we ate. Katie's symptoms sure are similar to the other pets affected. Some of the Nutro foods were recalled last year, but ours weren't included. Daddy went to the pet store and the nice man there recommended this brand. We love it! Aunt Pat got some dry food as well, but we don't like that as much. The new biskees are pretty tasty, but they're a little hard for Katie and Chloe to chew, so they stick more with the soft treats and the occasional cheese cracker.

Katie's feeling much better! She finished with eating the human food -except for a little of the deli turkey on top, and eating the new canned food. She's also got more energy and is sleeping better. It doesn't hurt that we all love the new dog bed Daddy bought us at BJ's. He put it in the front bed room that Aunt Pat uses as her office. Now we have a comfy place to rest while Aunt Pat is on her computer, and another place to sleep.

It's Been a Ruff Day!

Ruff, instead of rough, get it? Yesterday after we got home from the Vet, Katie had some...tummy troubles. You know Aunt Pat heard Katie's tummy rumbling a lot yesterday, and she didn't want to eat. Well, when Aunt Pat got home from her appointment, she found a surprise on the dining room carpet...actually several surprises in the dining room, then later on the family room rug and on one of the rugs in the laundry room, as Katie headed for the door to go out. Needless to say, Katie was pooped out in more ways than one. Aunt Pat called the Vet to let them know what was going on, and she picked up more of the same antibiotic that she had when she went to the Emergency Vet on Labor Day weekend.

Aunt Pat didn't think Katie would eat, let alone take the pill, but Katie surprised all of us. Me, especially. Katie took a biskee from Aunt Pat's hand and ate it! It was supposed to be mine, but Aunt Pat bent down for something and Katie snatched it out of her hand. I wasn't upset, though. Aunt Pat got another one from the cupboard and gave it to me. She gave Katie some of her bland diet prescribed by the Emergency Vet, and a little of the deli turkey we all like. Katie scarfed that down quickly and looked like she wanted more! She's been fine today, even doing the scrounging for leftovers on the kitchen floor after Aunt Pat made herself dinner. I had to get in on the excitement today. I threw up this morning, but I felt fine afterwards and even asked for more biskees. I probably ate too much grass again. A girl needs her fiber, but I guess you can get too much of a good thing.

Chloe has been a little lost dog today...well, we all have. See, Daddy and Aunt Pat already had scheduled someone to come out to clean the furniture in the living room and family room sofa...where I like to lay down. Since Katie and I got the rug in several spots, he had them clean the rugs also. Well, the furniture has been damp all day! Too damp for us to get on. Chloe was able to cuddle with Aunt Pat in her recliner, but she hasn't had her fill of tummy rubs like she's used to. Since it's getting late in the day, and the sofa and loveseat in the living room are still damp, Daddy suggested moving the dog bed out of the family room up to Aunt Pat's den, so we'd all be together, and have somewhere else to sleep besides the sofas. Aunt Pat found a biskee Chloe stashed up here and gave it to her. Lucky girl. I should've stepped forward first, but I wasn't fast enough. Here I'm trying out the dog bed to make sure it's going to be comfortable.

It's My Turn

to go to the Vet. Daddy and Aunt Pat noticed that I've been shaking my head more, and scratching at my ears. I've been sneezing too, and Aunt Pat doesn't like it when I wipe my nose on her leg. What else am I supposed to do? It's not like I can use a facial tissue. I could rub my nose on the furniture, but I'm sure she would like that even less than using her leg. Anyway, the doctor said I have an ear infection, and he gave me some medicine for the humans to put in my ears. Daddy had to help Aunt Pat do it before he went to work, but I wasn't fighting her. I was very excited after coming home and really, really wanted a few biskees. The nice people at the Vet's office gave me a couple of soft treats before we left. And, well, you know me. I can never eat just one!

Katie went with us, too. Daddy wanted to be sure that her anal glands weren't full. Plus, she hasn't eaten anything yet today. She's drinking water, and Aunt Pat can hear her tummy rumbling. The Vet wasn't too concerned, and said to call him if she doesn't eat anything the rest of the day.

Chloe held down the fort while we were gone. She was very good and kept watch in the window. She was very happy to see us come home.

Good News!

We got a call from Animal Emergency Service hospital today, and Katie's adrenal gland tests were normal. That means she doesn't have Addison's Disease. She seems to be a bit perkier every day. This morning, Daddy took Katie and Chloe outside around 5:30am. He heard rustling in the bushes, and wouldn't you know, the bunny rabbit ran out, and scooted under the fence into the neighbor's yard. Katie chased the rabbit!

When Aunt Pat had us both out a little later in the morning, Katie barked and jumped on me when Aunt Pat threw the ball for me to fetch. Katie hasn't done that in a while! We've also noticed that she's playing more with her toys, and her appetite is good. We're very relieved with Katie's progress, but Chloe and I are still staying close.

Aunt Pat loves to crochet and knit. She's even got a separate blog about her projects. She needs to post an update, but she's been focused on us, and she's been busy with some projects, she hasn't done it in a while. Aunt Pat likes to download free patterns from yarn companies on the web. Usually the patterns are for afghans, sweaters and baby stuff. Strictly for humans. But, I'm getting a little worried. Today, she got an email from Coats & Clark, and there were links to a couple of patterns for dogs! I wouldn't be worried if the patterns were for dog beds or a nice blanket. No, the patterns were for two Halloween costumes- a witch and a bee! Now, they might look cute on Katie or Chloe, but I'm a little too big to dress up on Halloween. I'm not against trick-or-treat. I already sort of do that when I bark for a biskee. I just don't need to dress up. Aunt Pat hasn't printed the patterns out, so I guess we're off the hook for now.

We all hope Aunt Allie had a nice first day of school today!

Chloe is So Happy...

and so are Daddy and Aunt Pat! Daddy dropped Chloe off at the Groomer this morning for a badly needed session. As you can see, Chloe was pretty shaggy...even a little chubby looking.
Now, I'm not one to comment on a girl's weight, especially since I gained a pound since my last Vet visit. But we know our Chloe isn't fat, just fuzzy.

And, here's the proof! Katie and I knew there was a dog inside all that hair! Chloe was so excited and happy when Aunt Pat picked her up this afternoon. Chloe jumped all over her and told her all about her visit once they got home. Aunt Pat let us all outside once she brought Chloe home, and Mrs. G. commented on how pretty Chloe looked.


Chloe was so thrilled, she pooped right out and took a nap. Heck, Katie and I had a nice nap while Aunt Pat watched the Mets game. She's really a Cubs fan, but she likes the Mets too. We find baseball on T.V. to be very relaxing...unless something happens and Aunt Pat claps or yells or something. If Aunt Pat gets too excited, Katie gives her "the look", which usually calms her down. Sometimes Katie will give her little "order" bark, which sometimes gets Chloe and I barking. Often Katie may hear something outside and will order Chloe or I to check it out. Once we all bark and go to the window, Aunt Pat will follow. There might not be anything or anybody out there, but it distracts Aunt Pat from the game...until the next big play.

Katie's Home!

We'd really like to thank the people at the Animal Emergency Service for the expert, loving and compassionate care that Katie received during her hospitalizations. We also want to thank everyone at our Vet's office for everything they've done for Katie, as well as Chloe and me. They make sure we stay healthy; are always very willing to answer Daddy or Aunt Pat's questions; they get us in to see the doctor quickly, and treat us, and our humans with care and concern.

After Aunt Pat posted yesterday, the animal hospital called to say Katie could come home! Once Daddy brought her home, I sniffed her thoroughly to make sure she was doing as well as she looked. Of course, Chloe, being the good little student, sniffed Katie too.

We also made sure she knew we missed her and were happy to have her back. Daddy told Aunt Pat that the bandage on Katie's leg, where her I.V. was, should stay on for an hour or so after she got home. We tried to get Katie to keep it on, but around 10 minutes after she got home, Katie had chewed off the bandage. Katie looked very proud of herself, but the humans didn't share her sense of accomplishment. Chloe and I kept an eye on Katie yesterday and last night once the humans went to bed. Daddy was up frequently to check on her, too, but we would've woken them up if needed.



Her blood tests for her kidneys look better, and we're waiting for the test results of her adrenal gland function. Aunt Pat took Katie to our Vet today, since she had a regular appointment to have another blood test done to check for Leptospirosis. He thought she looked better, and would let us know the results of the adrenal and the Lepto tests. He said he wouldn't change anything the Emergency Vets did for her right now. He also trimmed her nails and cleaned out her anal glands again, since Aunt Pat noticed Katie butt scooting again last night. Katie's on a special bland diet of boiled ground turkey mixed with low fat cottage cheese and rice that she gets anywhere from 4-6 times a day. She's also on another antibiotic, and is back on the stomach medicine. She's been eating well, and hasn't thrown up or had any diarrhea. Katie spent part of yesterday afternoon catching up on her sleep, but she's been peppier today.

The humans have noticed that I've been scratching at my ears more lately, and Daddy made an appointment for me to see the Vet next Wednesday morning. I wonder if I'll get to eat 5-6 times a day like Katie? Not that I don't eat whenever I want to now. The humans leave the dry food out, and they'll give me a biskee whenever I bark for one. It would be nice to have the humans surprise me and bring a bowl full of food when I don't expect it.

What a Week!

First off, we hope everyone is having a nice Labor Day weekend, and is staying safe. It's been nice to see Stella- the S's. daughter's lab again. But, I think our barking still scares her, because she's been shying away from the fence when we've been out there. We've also seen the rabbit again, in the next door neighbor's yard. It didn't come over to the fence to say hello, it just sat very still under their tree. I think we scared it, too. We're not trying to be mean, just neighborly. We'll talk to Lucky every so often, and he likes a nice chat...when Aunt Pat or Daddy isn't trying to hush us up. Sometimes, it's hard for a girl to get a bark in edgewise.

We also want to pass along our condolences to Deb C., who's our neighbor and works at the Vet's office, on the recent death of her mother. We'll all be keeping her and her family in our thoughts and prayers.
Katie went back to our Vet this past Friday, and the Emergency Vet on Saturday. Aunt Pat noticed that Katie was scooting on Daddy's floor, so he took her over. Sure enough, her anal glands were full, and the Vet cleaned them out. Saturday morning, Katie had some diarrhea that looked like it may have had some blood in it. She was still pretty perky, but she looked like she wasn't feeling well. She stopped eating again, but would still drink water. The Vet said her kidney tests were a little worse, but it could be from dehydration due to the diarrhea. Chloe and I sniffed her over quite frequently, but we couldn't tell what was wrong with her. Some dogs have been known to sniff out cancers and tell when humans are about to have seizures or diabetic problems, but not us. We can sniff out what the human's are eating, but we're not Doctor Doolittle.

Anyway, when Daddy talked to the Vet this morning, he was concerned that Katie still wasn't eating, and looked a little down. Her blood tests looked better, but they wanted to run a test of her adrenal glands to check their function. If there's a problem with them, it can be easily treated. So Daddy went to see her and took her some of the turkey she likes, heck, we all like it a lot. Katie ate it right up! She also did a big piddle on the floor, so we know she's hydrated. We won't say anything to her that we know about it. Some things a girl just doesn't repeat. Daddy won't know until later this afternoon if Katie can come home today. If not, she should be able to come home tomorrow. Katie has an appointment at our Vet tomorrow to have some blood drawn, so we'll see if she still needs to go. Since Katie's been in the hospital, Chloe and I have been staying extra close to Aunt Pat, just in case she needs anything.

Chloe will go to the groomer again on Wednesday. She can't wait to see everyone there!