Chloe Tries To Make Everyone Feel Welcome

 Whenever we have company, or we see any of  our neighbors on our walks, Chloe goes out of her way to make people feel welcome.  She's also very welcoming to other dogs, insects or other wildlife we meet, especially when they come into our yard.  Chloe gets very annoyed when Aunt Pat tells her that other creatures, like bees, don't want to be her friend.  Chloe's a very trusting dog who takes people, and things, at face value. 

 Like this frog Chloe found under one of the peony's in the garden.  She had met him...or her, I can never tell the difference, the other night while we were out for potties.  Aunt Pat had to literally carry Chloe in the house so she wouldn't keep the poor frog up all night gabbing.  I had a sniff around to say hello, but I think Aunt Pat was afraid Chloe and I were going to mistake the frog for, well, an appetizer.  You know I have a hearty appetite, but there are some things even I won't eat.

Chloe would much rather play with a new visitor...and that's what she tried to do with the frog.  But, the frog didn't quite respond the way Chloe hoped.  I think it got scared and played dead.  Chloe patted it on the back to comfort it, but it didn't help.  In fact, Chloe doesn't really know her own strength and she ended up flipping the poor frog over!  Aunt Pat thought it was dead, so when she got the little shovel to bury it, it moved. 

Chloe was very happy to see the movement..so happy that she started to bark at it and jump around.  I think she thought the frog would play, but I'm afraid Chloe's enthusiasm scared it.  It's not the first time Chloe's enthusiasm scared somebody or something.  It still played dead, so Aunt Pat took us both inside so it could recover enough to hop back into the garden.  Unfortunately, by that time the frog really was dead.  The humans found it where it had been laying and gave it a proper send-off. 

Aunt Pat took me back to our regular Vet for my one week check up.  My eyelid is healing nicely, but one of the stitches is starting to come out.
The doctor thinks it should dissolve once it heals, but if it starts to irritate my eye, I may have to go back to have the stitch removed.  They'd probably have to knock me out to do it, since having my eyes checked isn't always my favorite thing.            




   

So, It's A Little Past Tomorrow

I know I said I'd have photos up on Friday, but now it's Sunday and I'm finally getting to it. Friday I was milking it for all it was worth...err more tired than I thought I'd be, and the humans were keeping a close eye on me. I'm a sucker for extra tummy rubs and sweet talk. I went for a morning walk, but was snoring when Aunt Pat was ready for our evening walk. So, she let me sleep and took Chloe. I know Chloe appreciated the time with Aunt Pat. Chloe wasn't much company for Aunt Pat on Thursday because she was very worried about me during my surgery. She moped around the house all day. When I got home, Chloe made sure I had something to eat, even though I wasn't supposed to. I wasn't supposed to eat until after 8:00pm.  Three hours is an eternity when you're hungry!  Plus, Chloe followed me around the backyard to be sure nothing happened while I was doing my business. She was the perfect nurse the rest of the night, staying out of my hair, but she was right there when she saw me move around, or if I looked like I needed something.

But yesterday, it was back to normal. I had to get out and see if there were any strawberries yet. I know, Aunt Pat says that strawberries don't come around here until June, but that's just next week! There may be some early ones coming that I need to eat, err, check on. It was a little too hot to go for an evening walk, but Chloe and I made Aunt Pat play fetch with us inside. We had a good time. Chloe was relieved I felt better. She stretched out on the sofa for a good nap.

Everything Went Very Well

My surgery went well today, and I would like to thank Dr. H and everyone at the animal hospital for their tender loving care  The wart on my left eyelid came off very easily, and they took off the other one in the lower inner corner of the same eye, and the couple I had on my right eye.  They left the one on the top of my head, though.

 I got a little upset this morning.  I knew I couldn't eat anything,  but I thought that treats didn't count!  Treats aren't real food, they're treats!  The Vet never said anything about snacks.  But, Daddy and Aunt Pat didn't see things my way.  So, Aunt Pat thought she could distract me by getting my harness on me.  Silly me and Chloe, both got so excited about going for a ride in the car.  We thought we were going to the pet store before going to the Vet.  Daddy and Aunt Pat were talking about getting Chloe a harness, and all they have to do is take Chloe to the store and they'll fit her for one.  But, we went straight to the Vet.

 I got upset when Daddy left.  I thought this was going to be an in and out thing, like getting my nails clipped.  I was wrong.  I wouldn't have been good company anyway, since I was pretty dopey until it was time for Aunt Pat to pick me up.    I was pretty wobbly when I first got home, but after finishing off what Chloe left for me, and having a nice drink of water, along with taking care of my other needs, I've been getting steadier as time as passed.  I'm very pleased with how I look.  I know I'll look a little funny for a couple of days.  I know all the celebrities who have their eyes done look puffy afterwards, but I just have some discoloration.  The humans wondered if I'd have a cone around my head or anything, but nope.  Aunt Pat will post photos tomorrow. 

Warts and All!

What a week!  We had a nasty wind and rain storm last weekend and it got really cold out!  Thankfully, our power stayed on, but there were a lot of people whose power went out, even in our neighborhood.  Daddy and Aunt Pat noticed that I've been scratching at my left eye a lot.  I have a wart on my eyelid that's started to bug me.  Plus, I've been rubbing my face against the rug, the sofa, sofa pillows, etc, trying to get it off.  Daddy took me to our regular Vet this past week and he gave the humans some ointment for my eye.  I'm going back on Thursday to have it removed.  The wart is getting removed, not my eye.  Although I might look pretty dashing with an eye patch.  Kind of like a pirate.  Yes, there have been female pirates in history.  Grace O'Malley, for one, was an Irish pirate.  She stood up to the English takeover of Irish lands and made life interesting for shipping interests.  Hmm, I could do that.  The humans can barely resist my deep brown eyes and wide smile as it is.  And if those scurvy dogs don't hand over the loot, I can be very fierce.  Really, I can be fierce.  ARRGH!  You see?  With Chloe as my first mate, we could take over the world!


Oops.  Sorry, I got a little carried away there.  I guess I'll have to stick with daydreaming while I'm in the whirlpool at the Rehab Vet, or pretending while I'm on the underwater treadmill.   Friday, I walked for 17 minutes!  I've been a bit stiffer, and didn't want to walk that far this morning, but that's because Aunt Pat's been sick the last couple of days and I've been sticking to her more closely than usual.   But don't worry, Chloe and I are watching the garden and the yard very closely.

Chloe's been keeping the birds out, and we actually got close to a baby bird this afternoon! It was taking flying lessons from it's mom and dad, and stopped to rest in the forsythia at the back corner of the yard.  Chloe saw it, and, being the sociable girl she is, went over to say hello.  The bird flew over to where Mrs. G. was working in her garden by the back fence.  Chloe followed.  Aunt Pat heard Mrs. G. yelling at Chloe to leave the bird alone.  Turns out, the bird landed on the grass, and Chloe got a little close.  She was sniffing the bird, but Mrs. G. was worried that Chloe might hurt the bird, or the bird might hurt Chloe.  The mama and papa birds weren't too happy with Chloe's efforts to be a good neighbor. 
 
I said hello, too, but Aunt Pat shooed me away.  The bird flew/hopped a little more towards the S's yard, and hid under one of the Lily of the Valley leaves.   Mrs. S heard the commotion and came over.  She tried to distract Chloe, so the bird could fly away.  It helped, but the bird only made it to near the side fence.  Chloe tried to say hello again, but Aunt Pat kept getting in the way.  Finally, Aunt Pat picked Chloe up and brought her inside.  She got her camera to get a photo, but the bird must have gotten its strength back and either flew or hopped into the neighbor's yard.  When the weather's nice, all the neighbors come out.

First The Weight Loss....

 Then the makeover!  I got to go to the Groomer this morning with Chloe!  It was so nice to have a ride in the car, and then get pampered!  I'll admit it, I needed a bath and a trim as much as Chloe.  You probably can't tell so much from my before 

and after photos, though.   Aunt Pat thinks I smell and look better.   I do look much happier and I have a gleam in my eye. 

The difference  in Chloe is more obvious.  Here's Chloe before








and after:

I got a bandanna with green frogs in pink circles while Chloe got larger pink ribbons. It almost looks like she's got two ribbons on each ear! I guess that's what being cute will get you.

Anyway, she looks and smells her best. Just in time, too. Chloe was pretty wired when she got home, so Aunt Pat took her for a longer walk. She hasn't limped or held her leg up like it hurt in several days, and, Chloe refused to come in the house when we got home. So Aunt Pat took her around the neighborhood. Wouldn't you know, she met more neighbors and another dog! Chloe was well behaved while the humans talked. She and the other dog had a nice sniff, and the other dog's people said how cute Chloe looked. They sounded like very nice people and hopefully I'll get to meet them if they take their dog for a walk.  There's another new dog in the neighborhood we saw the other day.  We have new neighbors around the corner, and they have a poodle.  Chloe's part poodle so we can see some resemblance, only this dog is smaller.  Now that I feel more presentable, we'll have to drag Aunt Pat over, err, say hello when we see him or her walking. 

What Do They Think I Am?

A sled dog?  I know this area can look like the Great White North, but our walks aren't the Iditarod....no matter how much I pull on the leash.  What's wrong with a girl wanting a good sniff of something, or a nice roll on a freshly cut lawn?   The Rehab Vet wanted me to wear this whenever we go for walks so I don't pull so much.  She's concerned that the pressure may be causing some compression on my airway, which causes me to sound a little raspy at times.  So, I humored them and wore it...until yesterday.  I scared Aunt Pat, though. 

I'd had enough, so I sat down on the neighbor's lawn and wouldn't get up.  She was afraid I had done something to my back or my hind legs because we finally spent most of our time in the family room over the weekend.  I did a lot more stairs, and moved around a lot more than I have recently.  But, I had my forelegs splayed out in front of me to let Aunt Pat know I wasn't going anywhere unless she took that thing off.  She didn't get the message.  We didn't walk with it today, but Aunt Pat said that we'd be using it tomorrow when we go back to the Rehab Vet.  We'll see what happens.










Chloe is just fine.  We went to our regular Vet last week for a routine check up and to have blood drawn for heartworm.  He looked at her paw and told Daddy and Aunt Pat to keep giving Chloe buffered aspirin and to have her take it easy for the next couple of weeks.  Chloe doesn't like the take it easy part.  She's been a spaz, running up and down the stairs, whining, jumping, etc. So, Aunt Pat took her for a little longer walk yesterday just to see how she'd do.  It wasn't a long distance, but Chloe enjoyed it without any ill effects.  Aunt Pat will still take it slow, but still it won't be fast enough for Chloe.  I just hope she really doesn't hurt herself with all this running around like a crazy dog.