Looking Good, Feeling Better

 What a difference a good bath makes!  It's taken a while, but I'm finally starting to feel better.  I'm not having the the gas or diarrhea that I have been, which is a relief...both for me and the humans.  Aunt Pat told me my gas smelled so bad it could be classified as a weapon of mass destruction.  I gave her a look, but didn't growl at her.  I had a little setback at the end of last week, but I think swallowing the stick had something to do with it.  I'm on a new food, a special diet for dogs with tummy troubles.  It's pretty yummy, I must say, but I do miss Aunt Pat's home cooking.

Anyway, about the bath.  I was finally able to go to the Groomer!  I was supposed to go with Chloe, but the humans decided to keep me home.  I think Chloe felt a little guilty about going without me, because Daddy said she didn't want to stay at first.  She also asked me not to post about our Groomer visit until I could go.  She's so thoughtful.  She really needed a good bath. 

 

She looks so much cuter now.  

Eating Off the People Plates!

Yes, it's not a mirage, I'm eating out of one of Daddy and Aunt Pat's salad bowls.  And no, I didn't get up in the cupboard and get it out myself because I'm sick of eating out of a dog bowl.  Daddy had nuked my dinner in the microwave and just gave it to me in this bowl instead.  We all know you can't stick a metal bowl in the microwave, because it can cause arching and can damage the microwave.  No, Daddy's not giving me anything really hot.  He's just getting it to room temperature so it'll be more palatable.  He's so good to me.  Aunt Pat wasn't upset about Daddy using a salad bowl.  She was happy to see me eat. 

I've been having more tummy trouble  lately.  The humans aren't sure what happened, but I started having some diarrhea and would vomit on occasion.  Of course, they've been very concerned.  Chloe has been too.  She's been coming around sniffing me frequently.  But,  outside of the stomach issues, I was my normal self.  I wasn't lethargic and would still eat.  The humans weren't sure if I'd eaten something on one of our walks, which I have done.  Paper is one of my favorite food groups.  The humans have also changed our food, and the guy at the pet store said that the new food has a lot of fruits and vegetables in it, which can cause irritation to a dog with a sensitive stomach.  Aunt Pat had to take a sample of my, err, output to the Vet earlier last week and that was okay.  She also took me to the Vet this past Saturday, and he took another sample.  I was more than a little surprised by that development, but now I can empathize with Daddy when he goes for his prostate check.  That sample was normal, too. So, for the last week or so, I've been eating Aunt Pat's home cooking!  I started on a mix of ground turkey, cottage cheese and rice, but that didn't seem to help.  Then, they substituted ground beef and sweet potatoes for the turkey and cottage cheese.  I was still having some problems so Aunt Pat switched the sweet potatoes for pumpkin.  That seemed to help.  My  output was more normal as of yesterday. This morning was a little loose, but not bad. 

  The guy at the pet store recommended a food that's lamb based.  It's made by the same people who made our old food, but according to the guy at the pet store, the company won't be changing the formula like what happened the last time our food maker was purchased by a large company.  The humans switched our food when they heard the company had been bought. 

So, the humans are making me take it easy.  I don't like it when they leave me home and take just Chloe for walkies.  I also don't like it when they make us turn around before we've gotten too far away from home.  The smells just start getting good!  But I love the extra tummy rubs and the snuggles on the sofa.  I guess there's a trade off for everything. 

Missing My Snow Piles

It's March, and Spring is quickly approaching.  We, well, Daddy and Aunt Pat set the clocks ahead this Saturday night so we could "Spring Ahead".  I don't like missing an hour of sleep, and neither do the humans.  At least I can take an extra nap during the day.  The humans should, but they don't.  It's not like Chloe and I don't try to get them to take our lead.  If Daddy's upstairs reading in his bedroom, Chloe will go up and lay on the bed with him.  She'll drift off to sleep hoping Daddy will get some rest, too.  When Aunt Pat is on the sofa, Chloe and I will get on either side of her and nap.  I'm sure she'd like to lay down, but we love to snuggle, especially Chloe.  She'll fling herself across Aunt Pat's lap for a little while, and then go on the pillow, or beside the pillow, or between the pillow and the end of the sofa and nap.

Anyway, although I was right about there being six more weeks of winter, (never believe a silly rodent for weather forecasts)  I must admit I like the warmer weather.  The robins are back- we saw a couple last evening when we were out for our after dinner potties.  The bird had an attitude.  It stared at Aunt Pat before it finally flew off.  Aunt Pat must have given it her "I mean business look" and it scared the bird.  She gives it to us some times, so we buckle down and do what she wants.  But, I do miss the snow.  There's nothing like a good roll in the snow to take away some of the dry skin itch.

The melting snow, brings the puddles of standing water, and the mud.  Mud doesn't affect me too much, although I don't like to roll in it.  I will dig in it to get some grass, but I usually end up with just as much mud as I do grass.  I think that's one reason I've been having some tummy issues lately.  Nothing serious, I'm still eating, and drinking and begging like I normally do.  Also the things I've been finding along our walks, like an old paper towel, may have something to do with it.

Chloe is another story.  Every time we come back from a walk, she's filthy.  Her top looks fine, but her legs and her tummy are full of dirt!  Aunt Pat has had to almost give her a full bath at times...when she can catch Chloe.  Chloe will tear around the living room and rub herself on the sofa and love seat, as well as the rug before Aunt Pat can reach her with a towel.  Of course she usually does this right after Daddy changes the sheets on the furniture when he's cleaning.  Silly girl.  At least the mud doesn't drip off on the table in the front window.  Thankfully for Aunt Pat, by the time bed time comes around, Chloe is usually dry and clean, so her bed doesn't get all dirty.

Driving Miss Heidi...and Chloe!

 

     I was right, at least so far, about there being six more weeks of winter.  It's been very cold the last few days, so Daddy and Aunt Pat won't take us for walks.  They don't want us to get sick or hurt from the cold or ice.  Chloe isn't thrilled.  She loves her walkies.  Once Aunt Pat is dressed, Chloe will stomp her paws, whine and scurry around the bathroom until Aunt Pat is done cleaning the shower. Then, when Aunt Pat puts the laundry in the machine, she'll make this high-pitched squeaking noise that makes Chloe sound like she's leaking.  Chloe loves her routine.

 

 Mornings aren't so bad.  Daddy or Aunt Pat will take us out in the back yard.  Chloe will run around and if the wind blows, she'll go back in.  A nap usually follows.  But, Aunt Pat usually takes us for our second walk after lunch. Since Chloe's rested, she's raring to go.  She won't take "no" for an answer, and a trip to the back yard usually consists of Chloe standing in the yard, stomping her feet and whining. 

 

So, Aunt Pat has been putting our harnesses on, and putting us in the car!  We'll drive around the neighborhood, and pretty much stay close to home.  Daddy and Aunt Pat will sometimes drive by the Vet's office, which is nice.  They want us to know that a car ride doesn't always mean we have to see the doctor, so we won't get upset when we get in the car.  

I'm happy.  I love my car rides.  But, I think Chloe is getting converted, too.  A lot of times she's pretty hyper in the car, jumping up on the side of the seat, looking out the window. But she's calmed down a lot since we've been going for our rides. She'll still look out the window, but she'll sit down on the seat and enjoy the ride.  Aunt Pat puts her in the car first, then I get in the back seat.  I'll even fall asleep some times. 

 

It never fails, though.  Once we get back we have to stop in the back yard to make a pit stop before we go in the house.  The humans are like that too, though. It seems like every time they come home, the first place they stop is the bathroom...right after they pet us, that is.

Happy Grounddog Day!

Yes, GroundDOG day, not Groundhog day!  What does some oversized rat know about meteorology anyway?  I know more about weather forecasting than that Staten Island Chuck or that Punxsutawney Phil combined.  I watch the Weather Channel, as well as our local meteorologists on all three stations!  They're a wealth of information.  I can tell you what causes Lake Effect snow; how tornadoes form in super-cell thunderstorms, and how hail forms to name a few.  Groundhogs hibernate, which Aunt Pat thinks is a wonderful way to spend the winter, but I don't.  I'm sampling the atmospheric conditions multiple times a day:  tasting the snow; sticking my snout down into a snow drift to get the essence and moisture content; rolling around in the snow or sniff the air to see what might be coming.  Groundhogs are in their burrow, sleeping.  Granted, I like a good nap as much as the next girl, but there's more to life than sleeping!  Plus, dogs can sense when a storm is coming.  We'll be more active the day before, and spend a lot more time outside than usual.  We have to monitor the changes in the atmosphere, and have as much fun outside as possible.  The day of the storm, we don't want to be outside unless we absolutely have to.    

So, I think I'm more than qualified to prognosticate on how the rest of winter will play out.  Chloe and I went out a bit early this morning.  In fact, it was a little too early.  The sun wasn't quite up yet.  So, we went back inside and had breakfast.  By the time we were done, it was a lot lighter outside.  I started my scientific approach to my prognostication.  I walked around the back yard, sniffing and sampling.

Chloe really didn't care too much.  She was more interested in seeing what was in the neighbor's yard than forecasting the weather.

 I made sure I explored the parts that Daddy had cleared, and those he hadn't.  I had to make a pit stop, too.  When a girl's gotta go, a girl's gotta go.  Only until after I had checked the whole yard, could I make my forecast.  I didn't go prancing around some tabletop, no where near the snow, like Phil.  I saw my shadow.

No, not Chloe, although she does like to follow me around a lot.

I saw my shadow.  Aunt Pat didn't use any flash to take these photos, plus, she wasn't in a position to cast a shadow over me when these photos were taken.  With all the data I've collected, I can state, equivocally, that the Rodent is Wrong!  There will be 6 more weeks of winter.  Don't fret, though.  Pitchers, catchers and injured players voluntarily report on February 13.  Position players report on the 18th.  Baseball's return is the best sign of Spring I know! 

 

State of the Union

Tuesday night, Chloe and I watched the President Bark...err, Barack Obama give the State of the Union address with Aunt Pat.  Aunt Pat would say we slept through it, but I respectfully disagree.  It may have looked like we were sleeping, but we were awake.  When Chloe heard the President talk about energy, and the need for clean energy, she perked up.  Her got real perky, she rolled over a little and she got this really funky, happy smile on her face.  Aunt Pat thought it was due to her giving Chloe a tummy rub at the time.  Chloe and I know better.  Aunt Pat made a joke about using dog poop as an energy source, and it got Chloe very excited. Aunt Pat thought it could be dried and burned to produce power.   I swatted Aunt Pat with my foreleg.  She thought I was having a dream in which I was running, so she wasn't mad at me.  Good thing Daddy came home from work.  I got up to see what he was having for dinner.  Chloe still had that goofy look on her face, so Aunt Pat took her outside.  You guessed it, Chloe made her donation to the cause.  She stood there and looked at Aunt Pat, waiting for her to come get her contribution.  So, I went outside and distracted Chloe so she wouldn't be too disappointed.  But, come to find out, Aunt Pat wasn't all wet.  We just saw a commercial for GE who is using manure, among other things, to create energy. 

Anyway, today Chloe and I got to take another ride in the car!  Thankfully, it wasn't just around the neighborhood.  We got to go to the Groomer!  We really needed it.  You've seen our "before" photos.  Now here are our "after" shots. 

Note the very Spring-like color to Chloe's hair bows.  I'm sporting a spiffy Valentine's Day bandanna.  We were so happy when we got home, Chloe ran around the back yard like a crazy dog, and I made a snow dog in the fresh snow that had fallen while we were inside.

 

Having a Ball!

First and foremost, we'd like to extend our best wishes for a speedy recovery to our Groomer, D.  She had paw, err, foot surgery and we hope she feels better soon.  I was told yesterday I had big feet.  They were trimming my nails at the Rehab Vet and somebody commented on how big my feet were.  I wasn't upset.   I didn't take it as an insult.  Plus, the person who said this was giving  me a lovely foot massage at the same time. I know I have big feet.  I am a big dog.  Labrador Retrievers are a large breed dog, period.  Besides, Aunt Pat says the same thing, especially when I step on one of her feet. 

Anyway, at my visit yesterday, they had me do a new exercise.  They had this huge oval rubber ball that they put a towel over.  I was wet after doing the underwater treadmill and the towel was there to prevent slippage.  Well, one person supported my backside while another person lifted my front half over the ball.  The aim was to stretch my hip muscles.  I was a little unsure of what they were doing at first, but once I got the hang of it it was okay.  I really relaxed when they did a laser treatment right afterward.  I had a good night sleep last night, much to the relief of the humans.  More on that in our next post.