First Winter Walk

Maya only ate once yesterday, reluctantly. She wouldn't eat this morning and she wouldn't eat when I offered the same food again this afternoon. She's been whiny all day, bitching and nagging at me incessantly. I've been bored as hell all day too, and mad at myself for wasting the day. Clay's working, I've got nothing fun to do, and was generally in a foul mood.

I knew the problem, and the solution, for both of us. Our last walk was pre-Solstice. I've been involved with Christmas crap, and Rex's adoption, and Jackie and Sparky's medical issues for the last three weeks. There hasn't been enough Maya time.

I've been trying to include her. She's gone on ride-alongs to the vet numerous times. She went to Rex's new home. I've taken her shopping and today I took her along on my trip to the dump. But car rides are hollow succor for a dog who sees herself as a great deer hunter.

It was getting late, but I grabbed Maya and we headed up to Pleasant Grove in time to get in 2.5 miles before dark. No deer were seen, but smells were sniffed and scents were followed; it's being out there that counts. My mood was improved, her's too, and she ate when we got home. I expect we will both sleep better tonight.

One week

It was a week ago today, Friday, that Jackie had her surgery. I picked her up from the vet at 5:00 p.m. and then took her to the all night vet where she spent the night being monitored. I brought her home Saturday morning. Actually, what I brought home was a brand new dog, free of all the pain and misery she had endured for Dog knows how long.

I've been in rescue long enough to have seen a lot of dogs turn around, including many who looked far worse than Jackie. However, I don't know that I've seen many turn around from looking so pained and miserable to feeling so good and being so happy again. I'm still enjoying every minute with her and can't help but share her pictures. In another week the stitches will come out. Hopefully we'll have the lab results soon too. Even if next week were to be her last, I wouldn't regret anything that we did for her, only that it wasn't done sooner.

Sparky and Gigi were out in the
yard with Jackie when these pictures
were taken. 

Gigi's black fur may be short, but it soaks
up the sun and she likes a little outdoor
time on a sunny day. Then it's back to bed.

This is Jackie waiting for me to put her
food bowl down.

This is Jackie growing inpatient for me to
put her food bowl down.

Rex adopted!

I took in Rex quite a while ago because he needed heartworm treatment. That takes several months now but it was finally done and he had no complications. A complication developed in the adoption process, however, when we learned that Rex needed to be placed in a home without children. I'm not really sure what had happened in the past or if it was still relevant to the current Rex, but it's one of those chances that we prefer not to take.

Rex found a tennis ball indoors and worked on
it very intently until he had it in pieces.

Rex had an interested adopter earlier, but he wasn't able to adopt earlier. As it happened the timing worked out now for both dog and adopter and we made it happen today. The adopter has adopted two shepherds from me in the past and still has one of them, although he's now a senior. Rex will have to learn some of the old dog's rules, but I think they should be able to work it out.

Rex found plenty of toys around the new house and the senior dog had no interest in them, so that should keep Rex entertained without it being a point of contention between the two dogs. It's a very dog-friendly home. Rex has his own sofa, he just needs to learn to stay off the other one because it belongs to the senior dog.

It's a good gig for Rex and his adoption is good for Griffin too. Griff is the deaf white boxer I've had for a while with no adoption prospects. I have been keeping him with Rex but with Rex gone I'll keep Griff closer to me and begin to work with him a bit in the hope of making him more adoptable.

Any toy he finds will be thoroughly tested.

I just took a few pictures of Rex sitting on his sofa in his new home while he chewed on tennis ball.

The toughest part of any adoption is leaving without the dog, but that is the objective. It's a good home for Rex and I wish the best for Rex and his new home.

He wanted the ball back, but he didn't want to
leave his spot on the sofa to get it. Eventually
he put his front legs on the floor and reached
the ball without getting completely off the sofa.

This is Rex looking at the ball he had dropped.

Life is Good

Each day she seems better and better.

I've finished my two days of work for the week. I have Thursday, Friday, the weekend, and the following Monday off. Toquima went home his morning so we are down to 11 dogs. I'm taking Rex to meet someone tomorrow, so we have a prospect of being down to 10 dogs. Best of all, Jackie is loving life again.

Theo and Toquima engaged in shepherd play.

Today was chilly but the sun was shining and the temperature was close to 40. Some very cold nights are ahead so I took the opportunity today to fill the water tanks and install the stock tank heaters to keep water open in the dog yard and two kennels for the winter. Jackie came out with me. She's pretty much inclined to follow me anywhere these days, thinking that I do interesting stuff outdoors. She sure seems to be feeling good. I was throwing the ball for Theo and she gave some indication that she might like to play ball herself. I didn't encourage that because she's not up to Theo's level of ball play, but given that she's a lab, it's not unlikely that she would have some history playing ball. She's still got a belly full of stitches, however, so I didn't encourage any running but she sure enjoyed being out there with us.

Trooper in front, playing with Theo

The wind wasn't blowing and the sun was warm so I got Gigi out with us for a while too. Life is good.

Theo is the big one on the left, Trooper in front.
You can see the tips of Toquima's ears above
Theo's butt, and that's Max on the right.

Shepherd play is often blurry. That's Toquima
on the left, Theo looks like he's swallowing
Toquima's head, and Trooper front right
standing on his hind legs.

Meanwhile, indoors, Maya and Gigi have
managed to share the bed next to my work station.

Theo

Gigi came out for a while to enjoy the sun.

Jackie even came into the dog yard today.

Trooper's sweet face.

Jackie

Gigi in front, Theo on the left, and Jackie
is following Theo with the ball.

Trooper hanging out on Playstation K9

Jackie is loving life again.

Later, back inside, Gigi has most of the bed,
but she is still sharing with Maya.

Happy Days are Here Again

Merry Christmas and thank you, from Jackie. Thanks to everyone who helped, hoped, and wished her well. Just a couple days after surgery Jackie is a new dog. She eats, drinks, poops, and pees normally. She's happy and engaged in the household and her surroundings. She's a normal and happy dog again.

The dogs heard something outside and ran to the door to bark
and check it out. Jackie hopped up off her bed and joined in.

Last night she came up to me, put her head on
my leg and wanted some petting. She got it.

She's got a great appetite and is very
interested in food. Very lab-like.

Monday morning, strolling around the
yard, tail up, and coming along with me.

Spark and Vince join Jackie on yard patrol.

Yard patrol has been mostly Vince's domain,
but there is enough to share.