Other recent events and happenings

Early last week, Monday actually, I called for an appointment and took Serena into the vet. Her digestive system seems to functioning normally again, but she was still limping on her right front leg. They took some x-rays, which unsurprisingly didn't show much, pointing to a soft tissue injury that won't show up on x-rays. Since her guts were back to normal we started her back on a new pain med along with my commitment to really keep her quiet this week. So we didn't hike and I didn't even let her come upstairs for several days. She hated that and I relented, at first just letting her come up at night to minimize the trips up and down. It's been almost a week of that regimen now, and I do think it's better, although I don't think it's resolved. She doesn't really limp on it now but I do still see her favoring it. I think if she went out to run again now she'd be back to limping. I think we'll continue what we are doing for another week. The next step would be to see the ortho specialist.

A Great Dane's head is just the right height for so many
things and so many places -- bedside, lap, counter top,
just to name a few.

Chester, the chocolate lab mix is a nice boy. TJ doesn't care for the fact that Chester is still intact, however. TJ may be old but he still considers himself the alpha male around here as evidenced by his constant position next to my chair. Chester came over to me for some attention and stepped on TJ, who proceeded to rearrange Chester's face more to his liking. Chester had a cut below his eye but it wasn't bleeding so I left it alone. The next morning that side of Chester's face was swollen up. I started him on an anti-inflammatory and an antibiotic. The swelling was much improved by evening and he went to the vet the next day to be neutered. He got neutered, thankfully, and they put a couple stitches in his face and gave me a full course of antibiotics for him. He's fine and the stitches add character. If he wasn't so goofy he'd look tough.

Chester went on his first walk today, five miles with Maya and me. He was ready for five more. I just hope it will tire him out so he'll be content in the crate when we go to bed. I had to get up and yell at him last night because he wouldn't stop barking from his crate in my office.

Coco has a prospective adopter but she can't take her for a couple weeks yet. So she's just sort of treading water here. She's not a difficult foster by any means, but she's a head count and we are still at 11 dogs.




























I took Angel out to the pasture today to run with Theo, Max, and Smokey. It's the first new dog Smokey as met and he was an asshole once again. She can handle him but she didn't enjoy being bitten on the ass. I picked up ax axe handle to swing at Smokey and even Max moved on him and chased him off her a couple times. The thing is, one moment he would be biting her on the butt and barking at her aggressively, and then he would stop and kiss up to her, as if he was trying to be friends. That boy's not right. He's just socially retarded. Smokey gets neutered this next week. I sure hope it helps.

She could handle him but she never felt comfortable turning
her back to him. He just doesn't know any good play behavior.

I finally put Smokey back in the dog yard so Angel would have a chance to run around the pasture. She did and she enjoyed it. She followed me as I rode around on the mower so she had a good run.

Here they are in a quiet moment, but you can see that her
tailed is tucked. She doesn't trust him, and for good reason.

Max and Angel. I was pleased to see that Max kept an eye out for her.

I miss Cheese. He was my shadow and he had a personality that was much bigger than his stout and sturdy little body. But he's in his new home and they sent me this picture en route. Cheese looks very happy and I'm sure he is. His new home is just what he needed.

I don't think he's the last Entlebucher that we'll have around here. So far, I'm a big fan of the breed.

And my little girl Maya. She's getting to be a mature dog now. She's very confident of herself and her place in our household, our pack, and in my heart. Consequently, she's very tolerant of the new fosters, even when they are needy and very demanding of my time and attention.