Friday, December 9, 2016
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
40 Weeks
Dear Psycho Baby Child,
Every week you seem to discover a new way to completely exhaust and aggravate the rest of us.
Your daddy things you are good as gold and can do no wrong.
He only sees you at the end of the day, when you are TIRED thanks to my efforts to wrangle you into a decent representation of the canine race
All.
Day.
Long.
Plus, he decided (again) that you needed to be eating more.
Excuse me while I put my head through a wall.
The two days of mist/drizzle, followed by a day of overcast, damp and chilly were very much a struggle- for all of us.
Even now that the weather is nice again and you can spend most of the day playing outside doesn't really help.
Going outside to pick up all poop prior to letting you out doesn't really help.
Between the obsessive squirrel-chasing, the obsessive racing around the yard, nose to the ground, sniffing out phantom poop (because I already snatched it up), and the obsessive whining at the dog next door/pestering your sisters in the canine form of "I'm touching you. I'm touching youuuuu!"-
I'm fed up.
The excitement is uncontrollable.
There has been much yelling (and it has been discovered that yelling causes you to shut down, rather than cooperate, so... that's out).
God, I wish we could neuter you. That would solve so much.
Every week you seem to discover a new way to completely exhaust and aggravate the rest of us.
Your daddy things you are good as gold and can do no wrong.
He only sees you at the end of the day, when you are TIRED thanks to my efforts to wrangle you into a decent representation of the canine race
All.
Day.
Long.
Plus, he decided (again) that you needed to be eating more.
Excuse me while I put my head through a wall.
The two days of mist/drizzle, followed by a day of overcast, damp and chilly were very much a struggle- for all of us.
Even now that the weather is nice again and you can spend most of the day playing outside doesn't really help.
Going outside to pick up all poop prior to letting you out doesn't really help.
Between the obsessive squirrel-chasing, the obsessive racing around the yard, nose to the ground, sniffing out phantom poop (because I already snatched it up), and the obsessive whining at the dog next door/pestering your sisters in the canine form of "I'm touching you. I'm touching youuuuu!"-
I'm fed up.
The excitement is uncontrollable.
There has been much yelling (and it has been discovered that yelling causes you to shut down, rather than cooperate, so... that's out).
God, I wish we could neuter you. That would solve so much.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
39 Weeks (9 Months)
39 Weeks
9 Months Old
81.5 lbs
*sigh* upped your food portions (again), against my better judgements, because your daddy started harping on (again) that you "looked skinny". Tried explaining to him that, at 5c/day, you are still well within the bag's "8-12 month" range of "4 and 1/3-5 and 1/2c/day". 5 and 1/2 c was just too much a month ago. Maybe it's not now. I conceeded an extra 1/3c/ per meal, so 5 and 2/3c/day, not quite 5 and 1/2... I still don't think you need to be eating the 12 month range of food at 9 months old. Reminded him that puppies reach their adult "size" by the age of 6 months, though their weight (mainly increased muscle) continues to fill out for another year or so... You, at 80-something lbs, have plenty of time to finish growing. You don't need to gain 100lbs all in the first year. 15-ish more lbs, put on slowly, is better, and perfectly normal.
Geez.
Walking has been ok. You're not pulling quite so much. A few more loose dog encounters and near misses. The little dog on the opposite side of the street on Tuesday gave you much cause for concern, but it was fine, though you wouldn't trust me and just keep walking and ignore it like I wanted.
The pile of black garbage bags next to one of the yards we pass often sure freaked you out, today. They weren't a group of black dogs, I promise.
You're having fun chasing squirrels, now that the weather is cooler and they are actively preparing for winter. This also means you're having to polish your "going out the door" manners.
Nighttimes are hit or miss. We had another blissful week of you not waking up to go out at all, and we didn't even take you out at 10pm,l either, but this week, we're back to going out at least once, usually around 12 or 1 (instead of 2 or 4), and you're actually fussing to go out at 10pm...
Just go the fuck to sleep, already.
You and Airlie "had words" over a stray piece of kibble yesterday. She won, I think.
9 Months Old
81.5 lbs
*sigh* upped your food portions (again), against my better judgements, because your daddy started harping on (again) that you "looked skinny". Tried explaining to him that, at 5c/day, you are still well within the bag's "8-12 month" range of "4 and 1/3-5 and 1/2c/day". 5 and 1/2 c was just too much a month ago. Maybe it's not now. I conceeded an extra 1/3c/ per meal, so 5 and 2/3c/day, not quite 5 and 1/2... I still don't think you need to be eating the 12 month range of food at 9 months old. Reminded him that puppies reach their adult "size" by the age of 6 months, though their weight (mainly increased muscle) continues to fill out for another year or so... You, at 80-something lbs, have plenty of time to finish growing. You don't need to gain 100lbs all in the first year. 15-ish more lbs, put on slowly, is better, and perfectly normal.
Geez.
Walking has been ok. You're not pulling quite so much. A few more loose dog encounters and near misses. The little dog on the opposite side of the street on Tuesday gave you much cause for concern, but it was fine, though you wouldn't trust me and just keep walking and ignore it like I wanted.
The pile of black garbage bags next to one of the yards we pass often sure freaked you out, today. They weren't a group of black dogs, I promise.
You're having fun chasing squirrels, now that the weather is cooler and they are actively preparing for winter. This also means you're having to polish your "going out the door" manners.
Nighttimes are hit or miss. We had another blissful week of you not waking up to go out at all, and we didn't even take you out at 10pm,l either, but this week, we're back to going out at least once, usually around 12 or 1 (instead of 2 or 4), and you're actually fussing to go out at 10pm...
Just go the fuck to sleep, already.
You and Airlie "had words" over a stray piece of kibble yesterday. She won, I think.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
37 Weeks
Dear Asshole,
Oh, you 85-lb mouth...
Just when I think you're maturing and we're turning a corner, then you start eating poop.
And yesterday morning, you ripped (not chewed. RIPPED.) a hole in yet another bed.
Granted, it was one of the oldest dog pillows we've had, BUT it was also Leo's old pillow. Not that we were saving it. It was the only option after you ruined the nice, new one I bought you.
For the love of all that is holy, though, why can you not just leave shit alone?! I am so tired of spending money I don't have replacing all of the things you tear up.
Before you came along, I had just observed that I finally had everything I ever needed/wanted for the dogs, and marveled at the basket of still new-looking and mostly unused dog toys, a little bit sad that nobody really played with them, anymore.
Well, you made short work of those.
I spent and hour and a half yesterday morning sewing the torn fabric of that dog bed back together. Then, knowing you'd never leave that alone, I ventured out to spend yet more money I don't have buying iron-on patches, which I know from past experiences with other puppies, will only get chewed through.
That bed you chewed through? It was stuffing, inside a liner, inside a duvet cover,inside of another duvet cover- and YOU CHEWED THROUGH ALL OF IT!
I turned it over, thinking maybe that would keep you from being interested in the mended spots, for the time being.
Then, last night, you put yourself in your bed by yourself, even though it wasn't bedtime, and you just hunkered down, put a corner of the bed in your mouth and YANKED a whole new rip! In the other side! Real fabric that unravels, rather than the felt of previous dog beds.
I am really so sick and tired of this shit.
I'm tired of mending the dog toys, of having everything look some degree of damaged, of buying various training aids and calming diffusers, sprays, etc...
Walks are going better, at least.
And you're doing well with being told "off!" and "leave it!" from a distance when you get caught attempting to eat poop.
Sometimes, you even drop it when told.
Oh, you 85-lb mouth...
Just when I think you're maturing and we're turning a corner, then you start eating poop.
And yesterday morning, you ripped (not chewed. RIPPED.) a hole in yet another bed.
Granted, it was one of the oldest dog pillows we've had, BUT it was also Leo's old pillow. Not that we were saving it. It was the only option after you ruined the nice, new one I bought you.
For the love of all that is holy, though, why can you not just leave shit alone?! I am so tired of spending money I don't have replacing all of the things you tear up.
Before you came along, I had just observed that I finally had everything I ever needed/wanted for the dogs, and marveled at the basket of still new-looking and mostly unused dog toys, a little bit sad that nobody really played with them, anymore.
Well, you made short work of those.
I spent and hour and a half yesterday morning sewing the torn fabric of that dog bed back together. Then, knowing you'd never leave that alone, I ventured out to spend yet more money I don't have buying iron-on patches, which I know from past experiences with other puppies, will only get chewed through.
That bed you chewed through? It was stuffing, inside a liner, inside a duvet cover,inside of another duvet cover- and YOU CHEWED THROUGH ALL OF IT!
I turned it over, thinking maybe that would keep you from being interested in the mended spots, for the time being.
Then, last night, you put yourself in your bed by yourself, even though it wasn't bedtime, and you just hunkered down, put a corner of the bed in your mouth and YANKED a whole new rip! In the other side! Real fabric that unravels, rather than the felt of previous dog beds.
I am really so sick and tired of this shit.
I'm tired of mending the dog toys, of having everything look some degree of damaged, of buying various training aids and calming diffusers, sprays, etc...
Walks are going better, at least.
And you're doing well with being told "off!" and "leave it!" from a distance when you get caught attempting to eat poop.
Sometimes, you even drop it when told.
Monday, October 10, 2016
36 Weeks
36 Weeks
82-ish lbs.
Had a great time when Grammy, Pampy and Auntie came to visit. Did very well and enjoyed having new people in the house. Keeps looking all over for them now that they are gone.
Last week, Kal started eating poop- his own, the girls'... all of it- and I keep the yard pretty picked up, believe it or not. He literally will follow behind them and scoop it up as they're dropping it, or go out first thing in the morning and eat whatever he pooped out during his nighttime potty breaks (still having at least one of those each night) instead of doing his business. He's getting better at leaving it alone when told, though the first time he just stared right at me and kept on going.
I started giving him a pre-biotic last week, just in case the round of antibiotics he was on last month destroyed his gut flora. This week, I'm reducing it to every other day. Once it's gone, I won't continue. Seems to be helping with the diarrhea issues of two weeks ago, though it might also be the cause of the sudden interest in poop- especially since Kansas has taken an interest in his, and is also part of the problem.
Also, after luring him into the bathtub with a treat during his bath last week, instead of just picking him up, he's now decided getting in/out of the bathtub is a fun trick and climbs into the tub to go exploring pretty regularly. He's always been fascinated with the bathtub and routinely sticks his head behind the shower curtain to investigate, and then slides all the way behind the curtain to play around, but this takes things to a whole new level.
He is easily entertained, at least.
82-ish lbs.
Had a great time when Grammy, Pampy and Auntie came to visit. Did very well and enjoyed having new people in the house. Keeps looking all over for them now that they are gone.
Last week, Kal started eating poop- his own, the girls'... all of it- and I keep the yard pretty picked up, believe it or not. He literally will follow behind them and scoop it up as they're dropping it, or go out first thing in the morning and eat whatever he pooped out during his nighttime potty breaks (still having at least one of those each night) instead of doing his business. He's getting better at leaving it alone when told, though the first time he just stared right at me and kept on going.
I started giving him a pre-biotic last week, just in case the round of antibiotics he was on last month destroyed his gut flora. This week, I'm reducing it to every other day. Once it's gone, I won't continue. Seems to be helping with the diarrhea issues of two weeks ago, though it might also be the cause of the sudden interest in poop- especially since Kansas has taken an interest in his, and is also part of the problem.
Also, after luring him into the bathtub with a treat during his bath last week, instead of just picking him up, he's now decided getting in/out of the bathtub is a fun trick and climbs into the tub to go exploring pretty regularly. He's always been fascinated with the bathtub and routinely sticks his head behind the shower curtain to investigate, and then slides all the way behind the curtain to play around, but this takes things to a whole new level.
He is easily entertained, at least.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
35 Weeks
35 Weeks Old
8 Months Old
81.5 lbs
Not much to note, really. Kal is coming along nicely. His main issue at the moment still seems to be playing to rough with his sisters and not leaving them alone when they've indicated they've had enough. My poor girls. They are pretty beat up... Keeping them separated is all I can really do. It's nice to look back and recall all of the efforts and compare/contrast them against his behavior now and realize that he's really maturing and doing well.
Some days we walk, some days we don't. It depends on how I feel. Plus, there's so much construction in the neighborhood at the moment, it's really hard to find a route that's long enough while also safe enough at the same time.
8 Months Old
81.5 lbs
Not much to note, really. Kal is coming along nicely. His main issue at the moment still seems to be playing to rough with his sisters and not leaving them alone when they've indicated they've had enough. My poor girls. They are pretty beat up... Keeping them separated is all I can really do. It's nice to look back and recall all of the efforts and compare/contrast them against his behavior now and realize that he's really maturing and doing well.
Some days we walk, some days we don't. It depends on how I feel. Plus, there's so much construction in the neighborhood at the moment, it's really hard to find a route that's long enough while also safe enough at the same time.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
34 Weeks
79lbs (according to the vet's scale. We were expecting more like 82, given that he was 76lbs two weeks ago).
Ear Re-check #2
Another $28 office visit fee.
Another $20 culture swab, which I had been hoping to avoid, having worked with him to get him to sit still for the internal ear exam, which didn't go well last time and resulted in that visit's swab/culture. He did so much better, too! Sitting very still so she got a good look at each ear- and she still decided to do the dang swab, anyway! At least he was also really good for that...
No inflammation. Just a few yeast organisms, which is normal, but "given his history..." she wanted to sell us the $20 bottle of antifungal ear wash-to be used 1-2 times/week, in order to avoid a full blown overgrowth again.
I really wanted to say "no" to the ear wash. There are plenty of other, better, more holistic products out there that I would try, given the opportunity. I was really hoping to get in and out of there for only the $28 office visit fee.
I agree, however, with the rationale of using it to prevent coming in again.
But, Jesus! Vets and their ongoing cash cow of "ear infections"! There are other ways to deal with this, and I truly believe that, now that he is on another food, it won't be an issue. I mean, we pretty much GAVE him a full-blown, all-over, full-body yeast infection by keeping him on that food (one DH picked out, not one I would have gone with) for SIX MONTHS!
At least, whether I use it or not, I don't have to go back again (knock on wood), and when it runs out, I don't have to buy more...
He had a good time, at least, and the whole ordeal (almost $200, all told) has been good socialization for him. The clinic cat was hanging out atop the front desk, looking down at him, and he saw her, but was neither excited nor interested.
Walking is going better. If I have misgivings about taking him, we just play in the yard, and that works well, other than that he whines for a while when I leave the house with the girls. It really should make no difference, walking them vs. walking him, but between their older ages and ailments, they take a shorter walk, so we avoid a lot of the areas that now give me pause. DH has been good about sussing out new routes, too, so that helps.
The bite marks are still healing- not growing hair yet, but the shaved areas are filling in and helping to cover them.
The scab on my knee is almost gone. It's just a giant, pink spot against my otherwise tan body, now.
Other than that, he had two intermittent bouts of diarrhea last week. He actually slept through the night, not waking til 4:30 or 5am four nights in a row, then was up EVERY HOUR the next night, lots of mostly unproductive straining, with only two real puddles and two solid piles. Slept through the night the next night, up again every hour the night after that- with the same result. Other than it being something he ate in the yard, no real explanation. Airlie had two mornings of explosive diarrhea instead of her morning poop at about that same time, but no issues otherwise. I cut his food back by 1/2 cup, just to see if that would help. His body has been struggling to process the greater amount of food, anyway, and though he'd been off his antibiotics for a week and a half by the time this started, that could have played a role as well.
Ear Re-check #2
Another $28 office visit fee.
Another $20 culture swab, which I had been hoping to avoid, having worked with him to get him to sit still for the internal ear exam, which didn't go well last time and resulted in that visit's swab/culture. He did so much better, too! Sitting very still so she got a good look at each ear- and she still decided to do the dang swab, anyway! At least he was also really good for that...
No inflammation. Just a few yeast organisms, which is normal, but "given his history..." she wanted to sell us the $20 bottle of antifungal ear wash-to be used 1-2 times/week, in order to avoid a full blown overgrowth again.
I really wanted to say "no" to the ear wash. There are plenty of other, better, more holistic products out there that I would try, given the opportunity. I was really hoping to get in and out of there for only the $28 office visit fee.
I agree, however, with the rationale of using it to prevent coming in again.
But, Jesus! Vets and their ongoing cash cow of "ear infections"! There are other ways to deal with this, and I truly believe that, now that he is on another food, it won't be an issue. I mean, we pretty much GAVE him a full-blown, all-over, full-body yeast infection by keeping him on that food (one DH picked out, not one I would have gone with) for SIX MONTHS!
At least, whether I use it or not, I don't have to go back again (knock on wood), and when it runs out, I don't have to buy more...
He had a good time, at least, and the whole ordeal (almost $200, all told) has been good socialization for him. The clinic cat was hanging out atop the front desk, looking down at him, and he saw her, but was neither excited nor interested.
Walking is going better. If I have misgivings about taking him, we just play in the yard, and that works well, other than that he whines for a while when I leave the house with the girls. It really should make no difference, walking them vs. walking him, but between their older ages and ailments, they take a shorter walk, so we avoid a lot of the areas that now give me pause. DH has been good about sussing out new routes, too, so that helps.
The bite marks are still healing- not growing hair yet, but the shaved areas are filling in and helping to cover them.
The scab on my knee is almost gone. It's just a giant, pink spot against my otherwise tan body, now.
Other than that, he had two intermittent bouts of diarrhea last week. He actually slept through the night, not waking til 4:30 or 5am four nights in a row, then was up EVERY HOUR the next night, lots of mostly unproductive straining, with only two real puddles and two solid piles. Slept through the night the next night, up again every hour the night after that- with the same result. Other than it being something he ate in the yard, no real explanation. Airlie had two mornings of explosive diarrhea instead of her morning poop at about that same time, but no issues otherwise. I cut his food back by 1/2 cup, just to see if that would help. His body has been struggling to process the greater amount of food, anyway, and though he'd been off his antibiotics for a week and a half by the time this started, that could have played a role as well.
Monday, September 19, 2016
33 Weeks
We walked today (DH didn't have to go in as early, and could have walked him, but failed to plan to do so, ugh.) because the yard was too wet for our new play/training routine. I didn't want to, and my nerves are shot, but it was fine.
Friday, September 16, 2016
Stressful Situations
I've walked Kal twice this week.
It's really tough.
The anxiety.
My own.
The fear every time a dog barks behind a fence,
or a closed glass front door.
Or even coming from someone's closed garage.
The neighbors across the street (the ones with a "window" cut out in their fence for their dog to see out, a dog that's always barking and racing back and forth in something other than a happy, excited manner, are having work done) are having some work done, and, though I opted to avoid walking in that direction today (Kal wanted to, and balked when I saw the dog through fence boards and turned around), we ended up passing by on our way back.
The worker's were gone, but the garage was still open, and I could see through the garage that the side door- into the yard where the dog had just been 10 minutes ago- was also open.
I could hear him barking from the other side of the yard, and, as I know nothing about the yard, could not fathom anything other than that the dog would surely come around the house, through the garage and out into the yard.
Fine time for Kal to be stopping to sniff at every little thing.
Exactly what he'd been doing in the open field when a dog across the street was out in its backyard, barking and watching us through the chain link fence.
I've always allowed him to sniff and investigate, and it was all I could do not to panic and urge him to hurry up.
Nothing happened, mind you.
This is just my mental and emotional state these days.
I'm always on the verge of freaking out about it, now.
I've walked the girls along our usual route every day this week, and been wary of those dogs barking behind those fences, when they never bothered me before.
Today, we went a slightly different way. It was later in the morning, since it was raining today first thing.
The dog at the glass door, the one in the garage, the one on his usual tie-out... even the friendly one,
all pushing me into a mild level of freak-out.
I wasn't even sure which route to take home, after that, since I had no idea what sort of dogs might be out and about at that time of day.
Again, it was fine.
But I'm still freaking out.
He really is doing so good.
DH has been walking him in the evenings, and they've been enjoying it, although that sends me into a panic for other reasons. They've actually encountered loose dogs twice, with no issues, DH handling the situations the way I used to be able to.
But I don't like it.
I don't like that he is insisting on walking in the evenings- when other people are arriving home and letting their dogs out to run loose.
I feel like he's taking unnecessary risks.
It's all sort of moot, since in two weeks the time change is going to mean it's dark by 5pm, and since wrestling practice also begins that same week and he won't even be home before 7pm. The dogs' bedtime is 7pm (another reason walking later has been hard, Kal is too wound up or hasn't had a chance to cool down, and getting him to relax and go to bed on time has been impossible. I really need him to keep the same bedtime as the girls- it's practically the only thing they still do together as a pack. Having two packs in this house,this tiny house, which was ok when all I had were 3 older dogs who slept all day, has been really difficult. Plus, I need him in bed on time, so that I can finally have a break.
DH arrives home at around 4pm and promptly sequesters himself in the bedroom with his video games, ignoring all of us for a couple of hours, instead of taking over minding the "children" like I keep expecting him to...
I'm not sure what I'm going to do when the daylight changes and wrestling practice begins. The plan was for him to get up earlier and walk Kal before going to work.
But I just finally got Kal sleeping (or at least being quiet in his crate) until I'm ready to get up.
I'll probably have to start walking him again, though I'm not sure I'm up for that.
He's doing so well, playing Frisbee, ball and tug in the yard in the mornings, and working on skills and tricks. I can tell it's sufficient, both physically and mentally, and that he's learning things, and becoming calmer.
Now if I can just keep him from aggravating Kansas, and avoid her overcorrecting him during the day...
I can't remember when the last time I had a "good" day was.
It seems like they're all bad days.
The vet visit went fine. Everyone made a big fuss over him, and he made lots of new friends. He didn't really like having his ears messed with, and the vet was unable to actually see in them, so we had to resort to another $20 swab/culture, which came back with "still too much" yeast. That means another re-check in two weeks. She wanted me to start administering the meds twice a day, instead of just once, and asked if I needed more. I have plenty of ear wash, which I guess is still once, every other day, because she didn't discuss that (and that's the more expensive of the two), but I really didn't have enough of the actual ear medication to last two more weeks, especially at twice as often. I don't intend to double up, though. I really feel his body handles things like this on its own, so I'll continue with the daily drops til they're gone, and continue with the ear wash til it's gone. If need be, there are a couple of holistic methods I can then employ. But I wasn't going to spend another $60 in meds.
It's really tough.
The anxiety.
My own.
The fear every time a dog barks behind a fence,
or a closed glass front door.
Or even coming from someone's closed garage.
The neighbors across the street (the ones with a "window" cut out in their fence for their dog to see out, a dog that's always barking and racing back and forth in something other than a happy, excited manner, are having work done) are having some work done, and, though I opted to avoid walking in that direction today (Kal wanted to, and balked when I saw the dog through fence boards and turned around), we ended up passing by on our way back.
The worker's were gone, but the garage was still open, and I could see through the garage that the side door- into the yard where the dog had just been 10 minutes ago- was also open.
I could hear him barking from the other side of the yard, and, as I know nothing about the yard, could not fathom anything other than that the dog would surely come around the house, through the garage and out into the yard.
Fine time for Kal to be stopping to sniff at every little thing.
Exactly what he'd been doing in the open field when a dog across the street was out in its backyard, barking and watching us through the chain link fence.
I've always allowed him to sniff and investigate, and it was all I could do not to panic and urge him to hurry up.
Nothing happened, mind you.
This is just my mental and emotional state these days.
I'm always on the verge of freaking out about it, now.
I've walked the girls along our usual route every day this week, and been wary of those dogs barking behind those fences, when they never bothered me before.
Today, we went a slightly different way. It was later in the morning, since it was raining today first thing.
The dog at the glass door, the one in the garage, the one on his usual tie-out... even the friendly one,
all pushing me into a mild level of freak-out.
I wasn't even sure which route to take home, after that, since I had no idea what sort of dogs might be out and about at that time of day.
Again, it was fine.
But I'm still freaking out.
He really is doing so good.
DH has been walking him in the evenings, and they've been enjoying it, although that sends me into a panic for other reasons. They've actually encountered loose dogs twice, with no issues, DH handling the situations the way I used to be able to.
But I don't like it.
I don't like that he is insisting on walking in the evenings- when other people are arriving home and letting their dogs out to run loose.
I feel like he's taking unnecessary risks.
It's all sort of moot, since in two weeks the time change is going to mean it's dark by 5pm, and since wrestling practice also begins that same week and he won't even be home before 7pm. The dogs' bedtime is 7pm (another reason walking later has been hard, Kal is too wound up or hasn't had a chance to cool down, and getting him to relax and go to bed on time has been impossible. I really need him to keep the same bedtime as the girls- it's practically the only thing they still do together as a pack. Having two packs in this house,this tiny house, which was ok when all I had were 3 older dogs who slept all day, has been really difficult. Plus, I need him in bed on time, so that I can finally have a break.
DH arrives home at around 4pm and promptly sequesters himself in the bedroom with his video games, ignoring all of us for a couple of hours, instead of taking over minding the "children" like I keep expecting him to...
I'm not sure what I'm going to do when the daylight changes and wrestling practice begins. The plan was for him to get up earlier and walk Kal before going to work.
But I just finally got Kal sleeping (or at least being quiet in his crate) until I'm ready to get up.
I'll probably have to start walking him again, though I'm not sure I'm up for that.
He's doing so well, playing Frisbee, ball and tug in the yard in the mornings, and working on skills and tricks. I can tell it's sufficient, both physically and mentally, and that he's learning things, and becoming calmer.
Now if I can just keep him from aggravating Kansas, and avoid her overcorrecting him during the day...
I can't remember when the last time I had a "good" day was.
It seems like they're all bad days.
The vet visit went fine. Everyone made a big fuss over him, and he made lots of new friends. He didn't really like having his ears messed with, and the vet was unable to actually see in them, so we had to resort to another $20 swab/culture, which came back with "still too much" yeast. That means another re-check in two weeks. She wanted me to start administering the meds twice a day, instead of just once, and asked if I needed more. I have plenty of ear wash, which I guess is still once, every other day, because she didn't discuss that (and that's the more expensive of the two), but I really didn't have enough of the actual ear medication to last two more weeks, especially at twice as often. I don't intend to double up, though. I really feel his body handles things like this on its own, so I'll continue with the daily drops til they're gone, and continue with the ear wash til it's gone. If need be, there are a couple of holistic methods I can then employ. But I wasn't going to spend another $60 in meds.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
32 Weeks
32 Weeks
76 lbs
From Saturday, a mere ten days after Kal was attacked:
Once again, having almost completed our daily walk, Kal and I ventured down what is usually a much quieter street (than our old go-to street), one I have taken the dogs down at least twice a week for the past year... I'd made note of the barking dog at one corner, and the garage that sometimes sits open with a person and their leashed pit bull observing the morning activities. They haven't been out of late, all garage doors on the street remaining closed.
The opposite end of the street is home to a pair of Australian shepherds whose owners tend to let them out to wander in the front yard (and in the road- a very busy street corner) when they're doing yard work. We usually see them when we are driving by (having to avoid running them over). They aren't typically outside- not even in their back yards, though there have been occasions when they are, and have barked at us, as dogs are wont to do.
We were almost past the house when I heard someone calling to a dog. I could tell they were under the car port, on the far side, with three cars in between us and them.
I wasn't worried about it. The person sounded like they had control of their dog.
Kal, however, startled, and took off running, pulling me at a jerky pace across their driveway... and their walkway... and into the street,
where he bolted, screaming,
because the dang dog was calmly approaching from behind, wanting to sniff and make friends.
Unfortunately, being a shaggy, mostly black dog of the same size as the one who caused so much damage to Kal's body (and, obviously, psyche) last week...
it just wasn't good.
I ended up tripping and falling down.
Kal continued to run- in circles- the other dog following along on his tail. At least Kal and I managed to keep some distance between them, while the silly lady stood in the road calling to "Foster", who wasn't listening.
She eventually got him under control and sent him away, and after at least 3 complete circles, with my left knee being the pivot point, Kal stopped.
I'd just begun to think I didn't know how much skin I had left on my knee, and whether I could take anymore of the spinning.
My left ankle, entire lower left leg, knee, and elbow are completely scraped up.
So is my right pinky finger, missing several layers of skin just above the knuckle. I have no idea how that one happened.
The knee and finger are the worst. Down to the meat, if that makes any sense.
I continued to sit there, in the middle of the street, no desire to get up, or walk home, or anything.
The lady fussed over me, apologized, offered a band-aid (like that was going to fix anything), went on about how her dogs "were friendly" and how Foster "is such a chicken, he won't even pee in the back yard at night in the dark, so we have to let him out front (which explains why there is always dog poop on their street corner, and confirms my suspicions that it was their own dogs).
I explained Kal's recent experience, and observed that he obviously did have lingering issues, of which we suspected but had not yet been made aware.
She petted Kal, started talking about her other dog, Maggie, at which point I turned and saw both dogs were approaching.
I called her attention to that, saying "Here they come, again!"
She turned, and started yelling at them. Her husband came out, and brought them in, then began to approach while she explained what had happened.
Kal growled at him.
The guy didn't even leave the car port.
The woman petted Kal again, asked if my leg was broken (I still hadn't felt like getting up, was just sitting, staring at the damage, dismayed), and said "Well, I have to get ready for work..."
Sunday, my husband and I walked Kal together. The dogs were in their fenced yard when we passed by.
Kal growled at them, anyway.
It's a sign of discomfort, the growling but... it's only going to get worse. No matter what I know, or what I do, I just don't see me fixing this.
Here we go, again, with a dog we really can't take anywhere, or allow to be around anyone.
It doesn't matter that he still wants to play with the dogs on the other side of our own fence (one of them followed her kids right out the front door last week, as they were walking to school and Kal and I were almost home. I had to stop, and wait for them to put her back inside, all the while hoping she wouldn't see us. She's probably nice, but she's already protective of her kids when they're playing in the backyard. I wasn't taking any chances with her being loose- and this was BEFORE the first time we got attacked.
I don't even want to walk any of the dogs, anymore. Now ever barking dog behind a fence is just another one who might get out. The two quietest streets are no longer "safe", which is bad, since both of those roads go to the park and have a lot of foot traffic- both canine AND human.
I have my work cut out for me, it seems.
He goes to the vet for a re-check today.
I'm dreading it.
For no reason other than I simply don't want to go.
I've never not wanted to go to the vet before. I've always looked forward to it.
Technically, I could cancel, and save some money, since it's just about his ears, which are fine...
We've made a few changes this week, including my husband walking Kal after work, while I spend 30 minutes each morning working with Kal in the back yard. We play ball, Frisbee and work on tricks and skills. It seems to be working- mostly I struggle with allowing my husband do things his way, because they conflict with the way I want things done.
I had to walk Kal this morning, because it had rained just enough for the yard to be too wet to play, and I had work later and really needed him to burn off some energy before going back in his crate.
He pulled really badly, despite the addition of a travel harness, intended so I would have better control of his body, rather than just his neck. Probably it was the intermittent rain that had him pulling. He's been walking well, otherwise. We managed 20 minutes before turning back. So far, today has been ok, just disorganized, which is stressful for me. I still need to walk the girls, but the usual "walk as soon as I get home" routine doesn't work, anymore, when you can't walk everyone at once and one of them is a puppy who has been crated for two hours. I had to opt for backyard play. I'll try to walk the girls after I get back from the vet.
He still doesn't sleep through the night. Last night, he was up at 12:30, then threw up at 3am, then wanted to go out at 3:30am... I checked on him again at 5, since his "regular" going out times of late are 1:30am and 5:30am...
I don't really sleep , anymore. He actually slept straight through til 4:30 once last week, and 5:30 once this week.
The girls still pretty much hate him. This house is too small to be raising an active, large breed puppy. The only reason living here worked at all was because, once upon a time, we had three adult dogs who were trained, well-behaved, and mostly slept all of the time.
It feels like this is never going to end.
I've ordered a slew of new Bach flower remedies, and I'll be implementing a Comfort Zone plug-in. At least the work I'm doing with him in the yard is going well.
76 lbs
From Saturday, a mere ten days after Kal was attacked:
Once again, having almost completed our daily walk, Kal and I ventured down what is usually a much quieter street (than our old go-to street), one I have taken the dogs down at least twice a week for the past year... I'd made note of the barking dog at one corner, and the garage that sometimes sits open with a person and their leashed pit bull observing the morning activities. They haven't been out of late, all garage doors on the street remaining closed.
The opposite end of the street is home to a pair of Australian shepherds whose owners tend to let them out to wander in the front yard (and in the road- a very busy street corner) when they're doing yard work. We usually see them when we are driving by (having to avoid running them over). They aren't typically outside- not even in their back yards, though there have been occasions when they are, and have barked at us, as dogs are wont to do.
We were almost past the house when I heard someone calling to a dog. I could tell they were under the car port, on the far side, with three cars in between us and them.
I wasn't worried about it. The person sounded like they had control of their dog.
Kal, however, startled, and took off running, pulling me at a jerky pace across their driveway... and their walkway... and into the street,
where he bolted, screaming,
because the dang dog was calmly approaching from behind, wanting to sniff and make friends.
Unfortunately, being a shaggy, mostly black dog of the same size as the one who caused so much damage to Kal's body (and, obviously, psyche) last week...
it just wasn't good.
I ended up tripping and falling down.
Kal continued to run- in circles- the other dog following along on his tail. At least Kal and I managed to keep some distance between them, while the silly lady stood in the road calling to "Foster", who wasn't listening.
She eventually got him under control and sent him away, and after at least 3 complete circles, with my left knee being the pivot point, Kal stopped.
I'd just begun to think I didn't know how much skin I had left on my knee, and whether I could take anymore of the spinning.
My left ankle, entire lower left leg, knee, and elbow are completely scraped up.
So is my right pinky finger, missing several layers of skin just above the knuckle. I have no idea how that one happened.
The knee and finger are the worst. Down to the meat, if that makes any sense.
I continued to sit there, in the middle of the street, no desire to get up, or walk home, or anything.
The lady fussed over me, apologized, offered a band-aid (like that was going to fix anything), went on about how her dogs "were friendly" and how Foster "is such a chicken, he won't even pee in the back yard at night in the dark, so we have to let him out front (which explains why there is always dog poop on their street corner, and confirms my suspicions that it was their own dogs).
I explained Kal's recent experience, and observed that he obviously did have lingering issues, of which we suspected but had not yet been made aware.
She petted Kal, started talking about her other dog, Maggie, at which point I turned and saw both dogs were approaching.
I called her attention to that, saying "Here they come, again!"
She turned, and started yelling at them. Her husband came out, and brought them in, then began to approach while she explained what had happened.
Kal growled at him.
The guy didn't even leave the car port.
The woman petted Kal again, asked if my leg was broken (I still hadn't felt like getting up, was just sitting, staring at the damage, dismayed), and said "Well, I have to get ready for work..."
Sunday, my husband and I walked Kal together. The dogs were in their fenced yard when we passed by.
Kal growled at them, anyway.
It's a sign of discomfort, the growling but... it's only going to get worse. No matter what I know, or what I do, I just don't see me fixing this.
Here we go, again, with a dog we really can't take anywhere, or allow to be around anyone.
It doesn't matter that he still wants to play with the dogs on the other side of our own fence (one of them followed her kids right out the front door last week, as they were walking to school and Kal and I were almost home. I had to stop, and wait for them to put her back inside, all the while hoping she wouldn't see us. She's probably nice, but she's already protective of her kids when they're playing in the backyard. I wasn't taking any chances with her being loose- and this was BEFORE the first time we got attacked.
I don't even want to walk any of the dogs, anymore. Now ever barking dog behind a fence is just another one who might get out. The two quietest streets are no longer "safe", which is bad, since both of those roads go to the park and have a lot of foot traffic- both canine AND human.
I have my work cut out for me, it seems.
He goes to the vet for a re-check today.
I'm dreading it.
For no reason other than I simply don't want to go.
I've never not wanted to go to the vet before. I've always looked forward to it.
Technically, I could cancel, and save some money, since it's just about his ears, which are fine...
We've made a few changes this week, including my husband walking Kal after work, while I spend 30 minutes each morning working with Kal in the back yard. We play ball, Frisbee and work on tricks and skills. It seems to be working- mostly I struggle with allowing my husband do things his way, because they conflict with the way I want things done.
I had to walk Kal this morning, because it had rained just enough for the yard to be too wet to play, and I had work later and really needed him to burn off some energy before going back in his crate.
He pulled really badly, despite the addition of a travel harness, intended so I would have better control of his body, rather than just his neck. Probably it was the intermittent rain that had him pulling. He's been walking well, otherwise. We managed 20 minutes before turning back. So far, today has been ok, just disorganized, which is stressful for me. I still need to walk the girls, but the usual "walk as soon as I get home" routine doesn't work, anymore, when you can't walk everyone at once and one of them is a puppy who has been crated for two hours. I had to opt for backyard play. I'll try to walk the girls after I get back from the vet.
He still doesn't sleep through the night. Last night, he was up at 12:30, then threw up at 3am, then wanted to go out at 3:30am... I checked on him again at 5, since his "regular" going out times of late are 1:30am and 5:30am...
I don't really sleep , anymore. He actually slept straight through til 4:30 once last week, and 5:30 once this week.
The girls still pretty much hate him. This house is too small to be raising an active, large breed puppy. The only reason living here worked at all was because, once upon a time, we had three adult dogs who were trained, well-behaved, and mostly slept all of the time.
It feels like this is never going to end.
I've ordered a slew of new Bach flower remedies, and I'll be implementing a Comfort Zone plug-in. At least the work I'm doing with him in the yard is going well.
Thursday, September 8, 2016
31 Weeks
Healing
Unfortunately, one of the deepest punctures is right at the crown of his ridge, and we have to wait to see when/if the hair grows in and whether any scarring messes up the appearance. It isn't a huge fault, but since DH had hoped Kal would be a show dog (with me doing all of the work, which I do not want to do)... that could be a deal-breaker. I'm using rosemary essential oil mixed in Castor oil- both are supposed to be good for hair regrowth... So far, any minor wounds he's sustained due to his sister's corrections have healed up nicely... It's just a wait-and-see thing, as to whether those pink areas of new skin are going to stay or grow hair.
He still seems to be a happy puppy. He just wants to play. Meeting Mom & Dad's dog, Nala (well, it was the second time), went well. They both really, really wanted to play with each other, but we couldn't allow that, because it would risk opening up his wounds again. Maybe at Thanksgiving...
We went out-of-town for Labor Day weekend. I did ok walking Kal in the OKC neighborhood last week- I just didn't really want to. I had such anxiety about it on Saturday morning that DH walked him, instead, before we left. DH also walked him in MF, because his excitement and energy level being in a new place was just too much for me to handle along with the other two. I would have done it in shifts if he hadn't wanted to get up and accompany us (actually, he didn't even accompany us, because Kal is impossible to walk when the other dogs are all getting ahead of him due to his pulling and DH constantly stopping to make him calm down before he takes another step). I would have taken Kal with Mom, Dad and Nala (and Little Sis' dachshund, Murphy), and then taken the girls by ourselves later.
Walking in the neighborhood once we returned to OK has been ok, just not something I want to do, anymore. I'm avoiding the street where it happened, but walking down a different street, although it's always been much quieter, with fewer dogs, still gives me some anxiety. A sweet friend sent me a care package with pepper spray this week, so I've got that, and it does help.
Today some dumb lady blew through the all-way stop at the street that goes right through the park, just as we were in the crosswalk. OKC has a bunch of idiot drivers. Nobody seems to know that pedestrians have the right-of-way, and things like that. I swear, taking Driver's Ed out of schools and allowing parents to instruct their own kids means a lot of pertinent info gets left out, because the dang parents don't even know the rules of the road or how to operate a motor vehicle properly.
I'm still jumpy whenever Kansas or Airlie corrects Kal. It's not unwarranted, or excessive, but I'm not handling it well, mostly because it startles me, and because I worry they'll put yet another hole in him...
Unfortunately, one of the deepest punctures is right at the crown of his ridge, and we have to wait to see when/if the hair grows in and whether any scarring messes up the appearance. It isn't a huge fault, but since DH had hoped Kal would be a show dog (with me doing all of the work, which I do not want to do)... that could be a deal-breaker. I'm using rosemary essential oil mixed in Castor oil- both are supposed to be good for hair regrowth... So far, any minor wounds he's sustained due to his sister's corrections have healed up nicely... It's just a wait-and-see thing, as to whether those pink areas of new skin are going to stay or grow hair.
He still seems to be a happy puppy. He just wants to play. Meeting Mom & Dad's dog, Nala (well, it was the second time), went well. They both really, really wanted to play with each other, but we couldn't allow that, because it would risk opening up his wounds again. Maybe at Thanksgiving...
We went out-of-town for Labor Day weekend. I did ok walking Kal in the OKC neighborhood last week- I just didn't really want to. I had such anxiety about it on Saturday morning that DH walked him, instead, before we left. DH also walked him in MF, because his excitement and energy level being in a new place was just too much for me to handle along with the other two. I would have done it in shifts if he hadn't wanted to get up and accompany us (actually, he didn't even accompany us, because Kal is impossible to walk when the other dogs are all getting ahead of him due to his pulling and DH constantly stopping to make him calm down before he takes another step). I would have taken Kal with Mom, Dad and Nala (and Little Sis' dachshund, Murphy), and then taken the girls by ourselves later.
Walking in the neighborhood once we returned to OK has been ok, just not something I want to do, anymore. I'm avoiding the street where it happened, but walking down a different street, although it's always been much quieter, with fewer dogs, still gives me some anxiety. A sweet friend sent me a care package with pepper spray this week, so I've got that, and it does help.
Today some dumb lady blew through the all-way stop at the street that goes right through the park, just as we were in the crosswalk. OKC has a bunch of idiot drivers. Nobody seems to know that pedestrians have the right-of-way, and things like that. I swear, taking Driver's Ed out of schools and allowing parents to instruct their own kids means a lot of pertinent info gets left out, because the dang parents don't even know the rules of the road or how to operate a motor vehicle properly.
I'm still jumpy whenever Kansas or Airlie corrects Kal. It's not unwarranted, or excessive, but I'm not handling it well, mostly because it startles me, and because I worry they'll put yet another hole in him...
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Seven Months
(aka Sucks to be Us or Fuckin' A...)
7 months
70.2lbs (according to the scale at the vet I never wanted to go to ever again)
26 inches tall
Saturday, after much trial and error with the Battle of the Recurring Skin Condition That Hasn't Ever Completely Gone Away Despite it Being SIX WEEKS Since the Great Hives Incident and the grass pollen count finally dropping, and twice-weekly bathing with various medicated shampoos that seem to help, for a time...
We switched Kal to a different food. It's the only other thing that's been consistent since we got him, that we haven't altered. I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to do it (although had it been up to me, that is not a food I would have chosen in the first place). My mom was the one who said "Well if he's been on that same food all this time and nothing else has worked..."
I was going to do it on my own, without saying anything, honestly. I was going to just order the food I thought he should have been on from the beginning since it was time to re-order puppy food, anyway.
DH had briefly entertained switching a few days prior, and even said he was going out to buy it that evening, but then (even though I printed a coupon- which happened to be expiring that same day) decided "he has enough food for now, and he's doing better..."
I told him what Mom said, and Saturday we went out and got the food.
I'd done a lot of reading of reviews in the meantime, and pretty much all of them were from people who said "We were feeding [the same food Kal was on] and our dog had skin issues/diarrhea constantly, so then we switched and, voila! No more issues!"
Hmmm....
We should be celebrating, right? Since the food switch on Saturday the skin outbreaks seem to be calming down. No new eruptions, at least.
And all of the fur he lost from the hives has finally grown in, his flaky skin is much improved and his coat is looking really pretty, even and appropriately shiny and the right color. Finally.
And then, today happened.
We got jumped by a black German Shepherd today. Out of nowhere. Did not even see him coming. Of all of the potential dogs on that street (and it's the quietest one, which is why I've chosen to walk down it almost daily FOR THE PAST YEAR), I was not even aware of that dog, or concerned. In recent weeks, another dog on that same street has slipped her collar, and we've wisely kept our distance. As early as last week, I noticed the larger of two (seemingly happy, friendly) dogs inside a chain link fence at another house was actually able to stand up, with his paws on the top rail, and could probably get over if he wanted to... and they live next door to a very sweet, well-behaved pitbull (also in chain link) who has never barked at us as we've passed by at all. Then there's Lily, the Basset hound, on the opposite side, who cheerfully bays her hellos when we pass, and races around her back yard to bid us adieu from the other side once we cross her driveway. She's who we were looking at when we got attacked.
I am fine, save a ripped back fingernail and a huge, soon to be ugly, bruise on my behind.
This dog landed directly on Kal's back, out of nowhere, and latched on.
Poor puppy. He looks like a big dog, but his mind is still just a 7-month-old baby. He did what babies do in those situations, turned submissive. Flattened. Never even fought back. I could not get in between them or get the dang dog off of him.
And then the other dog showed up.
Thankfully, that one was more like Airlie, thinking they were putting in their two-cents while really only just getting in the way.
I finally got us out of the middle of the road.
A lady driving by had stopped (after the dogs had darted right in front of her car), and, after a while of debating what to do, I'm sure, laid on her horn. I think she turned around and actually drove TOWARD the other dogs, while honking, trying to do something.
At about that time, a neighbor came out of his house.
At this point, Kal had given up, was curled up on his back, trying his best to protect his belly, and I had started punching the aggressor and was about preparing to let loose a flying kick (knowing from previous experiences that it would not have fazed him in the least). My punch did nothing. I was actually about to bodily insert myself. I don't care about being bitten. I never have. I'm not afraid. I'd stopped repeatedly screaming "SOMEBODY HELP!" and switched to "OH, MY FUCKING GOD, WHOSE DAMN DOG IS THIS? SOMEBODY COME AND GET THIS DOG!"
I heard the neighbor call the dog's name.
The dog stopped. Retreated.
I don't know if he was put inside the house, or back in the yard.
I don't know how he got out in the first place.
I began asking the neighbor what he knew about the dog's history.
The neighbor's wife brought out a bottle of water.
The lady still waiting by her car, who had gotten out to offer us a ride home, left after I thanked her.
The people across the street brought Kal a bowl of water.
The owner came out, apologizing, offering to pay for vet care, seeing if we were ok (nice, considering the past 3 times this has happened to me over 12 years, nobody came at all).
I asked to see vaccination records. Noted her address. Got her name and number, and the neighbor's name.
I honestly thought I could just walk home, bathe Kal with the medicated shampoo to clean his wounds, and then be able to make it to work as usual, just without walking the girls.
Thank God I haven't been able to walk all 3 of them together, anymore, or it could have been much worse.
Thank God, I guess, that it didn't happen 30 minutes later, when I was walking the girls, because people are dropping off their small children at one house, where someone cares for them while the parents are at work.
Kids are walking to school during this time, as it is!
Not great that it happened to us, just that it could have been so much worse.
The owner explained that the dog was one they'd adopted from a rescue, when it was scheduled to be euthanized.
Probably for the same reasons as what we experienced.
She regretfully stated that she and her husband were not equipped to deal with this type of thing, and that the dog would be euthanized. She would talk to her husband as soon as he got home today. They'd really hoped to help this dog, thought they'd made progress, but had already had to cease playtime with a neighbor dog that came through the fence, and now she was worried about her own, 8-year-old GSD.
Kal was actually interested in sniffing/meeting her, in spite of everything- and eager to finish his walk home.
I ended up texting my boss' boss (my boss is in Canada this week), asking for help securing a sub for my class, texting DH, all the while getting Kal's bath ready.
DH wanted us to go to the vet.
I called and they could see us at 8:45.
DH wanted pictures, which were not easy to take since Kal isn't that great (yet) about sitting still for photos.
I tried to call the number the neighbor gave me, to let her know we'd be going to the vet (I'd already told her which one, just in case).
"This number has no voice mailbox set up yet..."
I called two more times.
I really feared she'd given me a bad number or was blowing me off- as nice as she had been.
I sent her a text, and then I really did have to get changed, get Kal, and leave.
We ended up in the same exam room that Leo and I had been in, when I'd taken him in when he was sick last.
Seeing the same vet.
I honestly never intended to go there ever again, but they are very close by, and they have all of our information.
Now I wish I'd thought to take him to Dr. Schultz, instead, since she's been caring for him and everyone all this time.
Oh, well. It was fine, and the vet techs are nice, and also helpful, and informative.
Honestly, I feel the vet techs know so much more than the actual vet, in this particular facility.
I was finally able to take some non-blurry pics, with the tech's help, and send them to DH.
The neighbor lady called, and promised to call the clinic and set up payment. She also said she'd already talked to her husband, and that the dog would be put down by Friday.
We were there for two hours (just like with Leo), but Kal was good, and easygoing and everyone fussed over him and loved him and he didn't have a bad experience at all. He got shaved, so they could see the extent of his wounds, and irrigate the deep punctures. He has pain meds for 5 days, and antibiotics for 14 days.
They discovered yeast infections in both his ears, in the process, and I had that and the meds for treatment put on a separate tab. I figured he had as much, as it goes hand-in-hand with food allergies. Thing is, they're finding out it's better NOT to put medication inside ears, just leave them alone, and the body corrects itself, once you deal with the thing (allergy) that is causing the overgrowth of yeast. I already had a feeling his body was just overrun with yeast. I could tell from reading articles and looking at photos that that was what he was experiencing.
So, here we are again, another sick dog, more daily meds... and we were going out-of-town for the holiday weekend... Looking forward to Kal being able to play with Mom & Dad's dog, Nala, who hasn't had a playmate since Jax passed away, and Kal hasn't had one since he got too big to play with the girls. It was going to be really nice not to have to keep all of the dogs separated (because of Leo and Nala) and to be able to let them mingle.
Now it's going to be another weekend of everyone being crated inside the whole time.
I haven't been able to relax and truly enjoy a visit back home in I don't know how long...
Nala happens to be a German Shepherd so... paws crossed for no lingering ill effects of this whole thing.
Especially since Kal is smack in the middle of a crucial fear period where any sudden anything can effect him for life.
And yet, all day, he's been himself, living in the moment, wanting to play with his sisters, racing around the yard (when he shouldn't be), constantly trying to do things that his wounds currently prohibit him from doing.
He'll have to rest tomorrow, instead of walking.
Lord knows what I'm going to do with him, then. Walking at least took some of his edge off. Now he can't do that, AND can't play with anybody... How am I going to get through the rest of this week?
The girls didn't get walked today at all, so they are on edge, as well.
I need to make dinner. I didn't even get to eat all day, today. My only options are wine, and pancakes... that's all that I have the makings for, until payday on Friday.
So, I'm going to drink some more wine, before I play with fire-
because the stupid stove is gas and I somehow already singed part of my hair at some point last week...
When is this crap going to stop happening?
7 months
70.2lbs (according to the scale at the vet I never wanted to go to ever again)
26 inches tall
Saturday, after much trial and error with the Battle of the Recurring Skin Condition That Hasn't Ever Completely Gone Away Despite it Being SIX WEEKS Since the Great Hives Incident and the grass pollen count finally dropping, and twice-weekly bathing with various medicated shampoos that seem to help, for a time...
We switched Kal to a different food. It's the only other thing that's been consistent since we got him, that we haven't altered. I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to do it (although had it been up to me, that is not a food I would have chosen in the first place). My mom was the one who said "Well if he's been on that same food all this time and nothing else has worked..."
I was going to do it on my own, without saying anything, honestly. I was going to just order the food I thought he should have been on from the beginning since it was time to re-order puppy food, anyway.
DH had briefly entertained switching a few days prior, and even said he was going out to buy it that evening, but then (even though I printed a coupon- which happened to be expiring that same day) decided "he has enough food for now, and he's doing better..."
I told him what Mom said, and Saturday we went out and got the food.
I'd done a lot of reading of reviews in the meantime, and pretty much all of them were from people who said "We were feeding [the same food Kal was on] and our dog had skin issues/diarrhea constantly, so then we switched and, voila! No more issues!"
Hmmm....
We should be celebrating, right? Since the food switch on Saturday the skin outbreaks seem to be calming down. No new eruptions, at least.
And all of the fur he lost from the hives has finally grown in, his flaky skin is much improved and his coat is looking really pretty, even and appropriately shiny and the right color. Finally.
And then, today happened.
We got jumped by a black German Shepherd today. Out of nowhere. Did not even see him coming. Of all of the potential dogs on that street (and it's the quietest one, which is why I've chosen to walk down it almost daily FOR THE PAST YEAR), I was not even aware of that dog, or concerned. In recent weeks, another dog on that same street has slipped her collar, and we've wisely kept our distance. As early as last week, I noticed the larger of two (seemingly happy, friendly) dogs inside a chain link fence at another house was actually able to stand up, with his paws on the top rail, and could probably get over if he wanted to... and they live next door to a very sweet, well-behaved pitbull (also in chain link) who has never barked at us as we've passed by at all. Then there's Lily, the Basset hound, on the opposite side, who cheerfully bays her hellos when we pass, and races around her back yard to bid us adieu from the other side once we cross her driveway. She's who we were looking at when we got attacked.
I am fine, save a ripped back fingernail and a huge, soon to be ugly, bruise on my behind.
This dog landed directly on Kal's back, out of nowhere, and latched on.
Poor puppy. He looks like a big dog, but his mind is still just a 7-month-old baby. He did what babies do in those situations, turned submissive. Flattened. Never even fought back. I could not get in between them or get the dang dog off of him.
And then the other dog showed up.
Thankfully, that one was more like Airlie, thinking they were putting in their two-cents while really only just getting in the way.
I finally got us out of the middle of the road.
A lady driving by had stopped (after the dogs had darted right in front of her car), and, after a while of debating what to do, I'm sure, laid on her horn. I think she turned around and actually drove TOWARD the other dogs, while honking, trying to do something.
At about that time, a neighbor came out of his house.
At this point, Kal had given up, was curled up on his back, trying his best to protect his belly, and I had started punching the aggressor and was about preparing to let loose a flying kick (knowing from previous experiences that it would not have fazed him in the least). My punch did nothing. I was actually about to bodily insert myself. I don't care about being bitten. I never have. I'm not afraid. I'd stopped repeatedly screaming "SOMEBODY HELP!" and switched to "OH, MY FUCKING GOD, WHOSE DAMN DOG IS THIS? SOMEBODY COME AND GET THIS DOG!"
I heard the neighbor call the dog's name.
The dog stopped. Retreated.
I don't know if he was put inside the house, or back in the yard.
I don't know how he got out in the first place.
I began asking the neighbor what he knew about the dog's history.
The neighbor's wife brought out a bottle of water.
The lady still waiting by her car, who had gotten out to offer us a ride home, left after I thanked her.
The people across the street brought Kal a bowl of water.
The owner came out, apologizing, offering to pay for vet care, seeing if we were ok (nice, considering the past 3 times this has happened to me over 12 years, nobody came at all).
I asked to see vaccination records. Noted her address. Got her name and number, and the neighbor's name.
I honestly thought I could just walk home, bathe Kal with the medicated shampoo to clean his wounds, and then be able to make it to work as usual, just without walking the girls.
Thank God I haven't been able to walk all 3 of them together, anymore, or it could have been much worse.
Thank God, I guess, that it didn't happen 30 minutes later, when I was walking the girls, because people are dropping off their small children at one house, where someone cares for them while the parents are at work.
Kids are walking to school during this time, as it is!
Not great that it happened to us, just that it could have been so much worse.
The owner explained that the dog was one they'd adopted from a rescue, when it was scheduled to be euthanized.
Probably for the same reasons as what we experienced.
She regretfully stated that she and her husband were not equipped to deal with this type of thing, and that the dog would be euthanized. She would talk to her husband as soon as he got home today. They'd really hoped to help this dog, thought they'd made progress, but had already had to cease playtime with a neighbor dog that came through the fence, and now she was worried about her own, 8-year-old GSD.
Kal was actually interested in sniffing/meeting her, in spite of everything- and eager to finish his walk home.
I ended up texting my boss' boss (my boss is in Canada this week), asking for help securing a sub for my class, texting DH, all the while getting Kal's bath ready.
DH wanted us to go to the vet.
I called and they could see us at 8:45.
DH wanted pictures, which were not easy to take since Kal isn't that great (yet) about sitting still for photos.
I tried to call the number the neighbor gave me, to let her know we'd be going to the vet (I'd already told her which one, just in case).
"This number has no voice mailbox set up yet..."
I called two more times.
I really feared she'd given me a bad number or was blowing me off- as nice as she had been.
I sent her a text, and then I really did have to get changed, get Kal, and leave.
We ended up in the same exam room that Leo and I had been in, when I'd taken him in when he was sick last.
Seeing the same vet.
I honestly never intended to go there ever again, but they are very close by, and they have all of our information.
Now I wish I'd thought to take him to Dr. Schultz, instead, since she's been caring for him and everyone all this time.
Oh, well. It was fine, and the vet techs are nice, and also helpful, and informative.
Honestly, I feel the vet techs know so much more than the actual vet, in this particular facility.
I was finally able to take some non-blurry pics, with the tech's help, and send them to DH.
The neighbor lady called, and promised to call the clinic and set up payment. She also said she'd already talked to her husband, and that the dog would be put down by Friday.
We were there for two hours (just like with Leo), but Kal was good, and easygoing and everyone fussed over him and loved him and he didn't have a bad experience at all. He got shaved, so they could see the extent of his wounds, and irrigate the deep punctures. He has pain meds for 5 days, and antibiotics for 14 days.
They discovered yeast infections in both his ears, in the process, and I had that and the meds for treatment put on a separate tab. I figured he had as much, as it goes hand-in-hand with food allergies. Thing is, they're finding out it's better NOT to put medication inside ears, just leave them alone, and the body corrects itself, once you deal with the thing (allergy) that is causing the overgrowth of yeast. I already had a feeling his body was just overrun with yeast. I could tell from reading articles and looking at photos that that was what he was experiencing.
So, here we are again, another sick dog, more daily meds... and we were going out-of-town for the holiday weekend... Looking forward to Kal being able to play with Mom & Dad's dog, Nala, who hasn't had a playmate since Jax passed away, and Kal hasn't had one since he got too big to play with the girls. It was going to be really nice not to have to keep all of the dogs separated (because of Leo and Nala) and to be able to let them mingle.
Now it's going to be another weekend of everyone being crated inside the whole time.
I haven't been able to relax and truly enjoy a visit back home in I don't know how long...
Nala happens to be a German Shepherd so... paws crossed for no lingering ill effects of this whole thing.
Especially since Kal is smack in the middle of a crucial fear period where any sudden anything can effect him for life.
And yet, all day, he's been himself, living in the moment, wanting to play with his sisters, racing around the yard (when he shouldn't be), constantly trying to do things that his wounds currently prohibit him from doing.
He'll have to rest tomorrow, instead of walking.
Lord knows what I'm going to do with him, then. Walking at least took some of his edge off. Now he can't do that, AND can't play with anybody... How am I going to get through the rest of this week?
The girls didn't get walked today at all, so they are on edge, as well.
I need to make dinner. I didn't even get to eat all day, today. My only options are wine, and pancakes... that's all that I have the makings for, until payday on Friday.
So, I'm going to drink some more wine, before I play with fire-
because the stupid stove is gas and I somehow already singed part of my hair at some point last week...
When is this crap going to stop happening?
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
29 Weeks
29 Weeks
70-ish lbs (was 68.6 on Saturday).
Received an email update on Saturday from the couple who acquired Kal's brother, they said he weighed 86.4lbs!
Still dealing with the recurring skin issues/outbreaks.
Nothing to note other than typical puppy antics. The Martingale collar is helping A LOT! Walking Kal in the mornings has been much more pleasant and easier- though he still stops suddenly to sniff -at everything, and often.
Last week, I put Kal in his crate and went to work. I returned two hours later, on the heels of DH, who had arrived and discovered Kal had partly unstuffed his crate bedding. This has happened before, when he somehow managed to work the zipper free. Apparently there is no inner liner containing the stuffing. It's just in there loose.
This time, he had ripped two holes in the underside of the pillow, as well as managed to bust open the seams on two sides.
I stuffed it all back in with the idea I'd patch the holes and re-stitch the seams. I left the pillow lying atop the crate for a full day and a half,
and then, while I was outside watering the front flower beds, with the door open so the dogs could see out and watch, as they like to do,
He decided to pull the pillow down and completely destroy it. Ripped the underside diagonally from one corner to the other- in addition to completely blowing out the two partially split seams.
There was stuffing blocking so much of the front entry way that I couldn't get back in, and Kansas couldn't get through it to get to the living room.
At least I caught him in the act this time and was able to deliver a serious correction. I debated just throwing everything away, but, instead I hot glued the split seams, then grabbed a spare pillow case, opened a couple of seams to make the fabric big enough, and sewed that over the ruined underside. The fabric the underside is made of is pretty flimsy stuff, not really cloth, so sewing it really wasn't enough, hence the hot glue.
It took me an hour.
Now, when Kal gets crated, he gets no bedding to destroy, and no toys to unstuff, either.
Also, after being reminded by my mother, I've decided to implement dosing everyone with their respective Bach flower remedy drops. For Kal, I'm just using up Leo's, it's similar enough as far as their personalities go. Kansas doesn't normally need one, but I went ahead and ordered one of her own, as well as a refil of Airlie's which is half gone. I mean, if I'm going to use them... I'm also adding a general remedy to their drinking water daily. It's only temporary. I used it for a bit when Kal was a puppy, but as stressed as the girls, particularly Airle (who won't even exit the bedroom in the mornings to go outside to potty now, because she's so fed up with Kal harassing her), are. Might as well. I have them, why not use them? Plus I'll make a point to give Kal the "Home Alone" one whenever I crate him to leave the house.
It wasn't money I was planning to spend... Oh, well.
70-ish lbs (was 68.6 on Saturday).
Received an email update on Saturday from the couple who acquired Kal's brother, they said he weighed 86.4lbs!
Still dealing with the recurring skin issues/outbreaks.
Nothing to note other than typical puppy antics. The Martingale collar is helping A LOT! Walking Kal in the mornings has been much more pleasant and easier- though he still stops suddenly to sniff -at everything, and often.
Last week, I put Kal in his crate and went to work. I returned two hours later, on the heels of DH, who had arrived and discovered Kal had partly unstuffed his crate bedding. This has happened before, when he somehow managed to work the zipper free. Apparently there is no inner liner containing the stuffing. It's just in there loose.
This time, he had ripped two holes in the underside of the pillow, as well as managed to bust open the seams on two sides.
I stuffed it all back in with the idea I'd patch the holes and re-stitch the seams. I left the pillow lying atop the crate for a full day and a half,
and then, while I was outside watering the front flower beds, with the door open so the dogs could see out and watch, as they like to do,
He decided to pull the pillow down and completely destroy it. Ripped the underside diagonally from one corner to the other- in addition to completely blowing out the two partially split seams.
There was stuffing blocking so much of the front entry way that I couldn't get back in, and Kansas couldn't get through it to get to the living room.
At least I caught him in the act this time and was able to deliver a serious correction. I debated just throwing everything away, but, instead I hot glued the split seams, then grabbed a spare pillow case, opened a couple of seams to make the fabric big enough, and sewed that over the ruined underside. The fabric the underside is made of is pretty flimsy stuff, not really cloth, so sewing it really wasn't enough, hence the hot glue.
It took me an hour.
Now, when Kal gets crated, he gets no bedding to destroy, and no toys to unstuff, either.
Also, after being reminded by my mother, I've decided to implement dosing everyone with their respective Bach flower remedy drops. For Kal, I'm just using up Leo's, it's similar enough as far as their personalities go. Kansas doesn't normally need one, but I went ahead and ordered one of her own, as well as a refil of Airlie's which is half gone. I mean, if I'm going to use them... I'm also adding a general remedy to their drinking water daily. It's only temporary. I used it for a bit when Kal was a puppy, but as stressed as the girls, particularly Airle (who won't even exit the bedroom in the mornings to go outside to potty now, because she's so fed up with Kal harassing her), are. Might as well. I have them, why not use them? Plus I'll make a point to give Kal the "Home Alone" one whenever I crate him to leave the house.
It wasn't money I was planning to spend... Oh, well.
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
28 Weeks
28 weeks
67lbs
About to outgrow his size "M" collar. Ordered an "L", and also a martingale (size "M" for now, according to measurements. Eyeing the 1 and 1/2-inch wide one in an "L" for later, if needed...). Walking him is just so exhausting. While it's been better this week, I realized that avoiding introducing a prong collar doesn't mean I can't use another type of training collar. Martingales are usually intended for dogs whose necks are wider than their heads, so they can't slip or back out of the collar and escape. He doesn't have a habit of doing this, but he pull so hard I'm afraid his regular collar will break someday, and he'll be out on the town without his ID. We don't normally walk our dogs on their everyday collars, but trying to teach him loose-leash walking without the aid of a training collar hasn't worked, so... This should be good.
I've had to start walking him on his own again. He's just too strong and nutty and ill-behaved. He and Airlie feed off each other's energy, which makes the walk unpleasant for all 3 of us. Even though I'd like to get it all over and done with at once, I'm just going to have to do this for a while. I take him for about 35-40 minutes, return him home, pick up the girls, walk them together for 15 minutes, take Kansas back home (15 is as much as she can do right now, without rendering herself unable to walk for the rest of the day, and she walks better with Airlie as company than she does if it's just me and her), and then take Airlie for another 15 minutes.
It's amazing how easily Airlie walks when it's just the two of us, at a pace that's right for her. She's always been an awful puller (despite the prong collar) and now, even her agitation when passing fenced yards containing other dogs is so much better. I think she enjoys the one-on-one time, and not having to deal with Kal pouncing on her at random.
It's exhausting for me, however. I used to walk all 3 dogs together, in the Houston humidity, for an hour every day, first thing in the morning. The past two years, owing to moving house and having new, more limited neighborhoods to walk in, and then ailing dogs, and young dogs... our walks have only been about 35 minutes.
This is kicking my butt. If I manage to wake up feeling refreshed, rested and not sore from the previous day's work/workout, by the time I'm done walking each of the dogs, I feel like I've been hit by a truck.
From walking.
SMH...
Again, the new collar should help with all of that.
I really hate not being able to walk all three of them together. It's been so weird...everywhere we've lived, for as long as we've had 3 dogs, I've been the marvel of the neighborhood. Everyone wants to know how I walk three dogs at once, with all of them so well-behaved.
Unfortunately, that comes from years of experience on the dog's part, and right now, adding a new, young dog to the routine just doesn't work. Now, instead of being cooed over, awestruck neighbors asking me how I walk three dogs, I get "Where are the other two?" and have to explain that one is too old and slow to keep up with the new kid, who is still learning, and the other just can't stand him.
This, too, shall pass... but it just isn't the same.
I really miss walking my former trio...
Kal's funny moment of the week:
Last Saturday night, after his twice-weekly weigh-in, DH turned Kal loose. Kal took himself back to bed (we tend to weigh him before WE go to bed, which is after the dogs all go out once last time for the night), and I noticed DH didn't follow and shut him in his crate. Instead, DH went to the kitchen, to write down Kal's weight at the time (66.6lbs, which we joked about). I made a mental note to check the crate, but I forgot.
Which is why when I awoke at 3:33am to the sound of jangling collar tags. Thinking he was just scratching himself, I continued to doze,
til I heard the sound of loud gulping coming from the kitchen, and realized that the 666 puppy was loose in the house, having managed to sleep five full hours in an open crate (responsibly impressive), then awaking and taking himself on a midnight tour of the house that included a stop at the water bowl. I got up to let him out to potty (he's still been going out at about this time all week...that's two weeks, now...), which meant encountering him in the hallway after he'd raided the toy basket...
It was, at least, more humorous than annoying.
67lbs
About to outgrow his size "M" collar. Ordered an "L", and also a martingale (size "M" for now, according to measurements. Eyeing the 1 and 1/2-inch wide one in an "L" for later, if needed...). Walking him is just so exhausting. While it's been better this week, I realized that avoiding introducing a prong collar doesn't mean I can't use another type of training collar. Martingales are usually intended for dogs whose necks are wider than their heads, so they can't slip or back out of the collar and escape. He doesn't have a habit of doing this, but he pull so hard I'm afraid his regular collar will break someday, and he'll be out on the town without his ID. We don't normally walk our dogs on their everyday collars, but trying to teach him loose-leash walking without the aid of a training collar hasn't worked, so... This should be good.
I've had to start walking him on his own again. He's just too strong and nutty and ill-behaved. He and Airlie feed off each other's energy, which makes the walk unpleasant for all 3 of us. Even though I'd like to get it all over and done with at once, I'm just going to have to do this for a while. I take him for about 35-40 minutes, return him home, pick up the girls, walk them together for 15 minutes, take Kansas back home (15 is as much as she can do right now, without rendering herself unable to walk for the rest of the day, and she walks better with Airlie as company than she does if it's just me and her), and then take Airlie for another 15 minutes.
It's amazing how easily Airlie walks when it's just the two of us, at a pace that's right for her. She's always been an awful puller (despite the prong collar) and now, even her agitation when passing fenced yards containing other dogs is so much better. I think she enjoys the one-on-one time, and not having to deal with Kal pouncing on her at random.
It's exhausting for me, however. I used to walk all 3 dogs together, in the Houston humidity, for an hour every day, first thing in the morning. The past two years, owing to moving house and having new, more limited neighborhoods to walk in, and then ailing dogs, and young dogs... our walks have only been about 35 minutes.
This is kicking my butt. If I manage to wake up feeling refreshed, rested and not sore from the previous day's work/workout, by the time I'm done walking each of the dogs, I feel like I've been hit by a truck.
From walking.
SMH...
Again, the new collar should help with all of that.
I really hate not being able to walk all three of them together. It's been so weird...everywhere we've lived, for as long as we've had 3 dogs, I've been the marvel of the neighborhood. Everyone wants to know how I walk three dogs at once, with all of them so well-behaved.
Unfortunately, that comes from years of experience on the dog's part, and right now, adding a new, young dog to the routine just doesn't work. Now, instead of being cooed over, awestruck neighbors asking me how I walk three dogs, I get "Where are the other two?" and have to explain that one is too old and slow to keep up with the new kid, who is still learning, and the other just can't stand him.
This, too, shall pass... but it just isn't the same.
I really miss walking my former trio...
Kal's funny moment of the week:
Last Saturday night, after his twice-weekly weigh-in, DH turned Kal loose. Kal took himself back to bed (we tend to weigh him before WE go to bed, which is after the dogs all go out once last time for the night), and I noticed DH didn't follow and shut him in his crate. Instead, DH went to the kitchen, to write down Kal's weight at the time (66.6lbs, which we joked about). I made a mental note to check the crate, but I forgot.
Which is why when I awoke at 3:33am to the sound of jangling collar tags. Thinking he was just scratching himself, I continued to doze,
til I heard the sound of loud gulping coming from the kitchen, and realized that the 666 puppy was loose in the house, having managed to sleep five full hours in an open crate (responsibly impressive), then awaking and taking himself on a midnight tour of the house that included a stop at the water bowl. I got up to let him out to potty (he's still been going out at about this time all week...that's two weeks, now...), which meant encountering him in the hallway after he'd raided the toy basket...
It was, at least, more humorous than annoying.
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
27 Weeks
Oh, this little growing pain...
The things he has learned, the areas of improvement, are so easily eclipsed by the things he has yet to reliably master. It could be said that his energy level is very frustrating, but the truth is that his excited mental state is what we are actually dealing with. He does much better if I take the time to do things like hold him back so that his sisters can exit the back door first, without him trying to wrestle with, chase, or pounce on them. Things really do go so much more smoothly if I have him sit and wait til he's calm, and then release him to go after them. Plus, they get to pee/poop in peace. Airlie's reached the point where she won't even go, if he's around. She'll just hold it indefinitely. She's the one who taught him that stalking innocent dogs who are just trying to potty was "fun", though. SHe did it to Leo all those years, and started it with Kal the first week. Payback's a bitch, right?
We're currently undergoing that fear period where everything new and out-of-the-ordinary in the neighborhood is suspect. Last week, it was the bag of mulch propped against a tree in someone's yard, that hadn't been there previously. Kal wasn't walking past it.No way, no how. Just kept stopping to stare... and growl...
Then there was the very large, pasty, bald man sitting on his front steps in his undershorts listening to music/watching something on his phone. I heard the music, but didn't notice the person- the sun being in my eyes. But Kal did and was having none of that, either. Not walking past that house. I don't blame him, the guy was kind of scary-looking...
Tall, broad-shouldered, silver-haired, shirtless older gentlemen out working in their own yards are met with equal suspicion.
This week, he did well when encountering a lawn sprinkler operating in someone's yard, conveniently blocking our path on the sidewalk. He likes drinking from the hose, and doesn't mind having the water bowl filled while he is drinking from it. Baths are improving, though running water is still a source of panic. He will sit nicely while having small amounts of water poured on him, and has graduated to being able to sit still while the faucet is on and I'm filling the pitcher for another rinse. He hasn't been swimming yet, and has avoided the baby pool outside other than his initial foray playing in it when he thought nobody was looking. I was sure the sprinkler (one of those rotating ones that throws water out in a circle from two different ends) was going to be a problem, and, not seeing the person sitting on her front porch on the phone (again, sun in my eyes) said "I know. You're not going through there."
"But it will be fun!" a disembodied voice exclaimed, and then began explaining to the person on the other end of the line (on speaker) about the "lady walking her dog, and doesn't want to go through the sprinkler."
Not me. I wouldn't have minded. I just knew it was going to be a no-go situation. But, instead of walking him off the sidewalk and around it via the street, I let him watch for a while, and, mostly for the benefit of the homeowner, I decided to let him try it. He didn't really mind all that much at first, then took a flying leap off to the side in a last-ditch effort to get around the thing. But, he survived.
Yesterday, we got stopped on the same street by a guy working on his motorcycle (he's usually backing out as we pass by) and his two daughters who were playing in the yard. I stopped to answer a few questions and listen to him talk about his own dogs. The girls didn't seem interested in meeting Kal at all (sort of disappointed at the missed opportunity), but Kal stood for it, albeit straining at the leash to continue on our way.
Today we tried the park, again. I haven't taken him, myself, since Sunday when I ended up losing my temper and giving him an earful- in front of most of the neighborhood. It was a bad combination of heat, humidity, sweat, the end of the walk, the dogs in the neighboring back yard, Airlie's reactivity to barking dogs in other yards- even if she can't see them... and she'll do the same even if the yard is empty at the time. Kal thinks it's all a game and was trying cut behind me to jump on Airlie. Then he made his classic mad-dash attempt right across my path, almost hauling the three of us into oncoming traffic. My hands being literally tied, all I could do was mouth off. Hopefully everyone in the park who heard me had already witnessed the previous half-hours antics, constantly being halted in our tracks for whatever he wants to sniff, dealing with his sudden attempts to dash around behind me and change sides. Every once in a while, DH offers to walk him, sensing my frustration. But he gets frustrated, as well- with Kal's multiple pauses to poop, even though the dog poops every hour or two, beginning at 3pm, and not ceasing until late morning, with the exception of holding it overnight... for the most part.
Also, Kal doesn't recognize "daddy" as an authority and routinely tries to cheat and end the walk early by refusing to continue on past the point where we used to turn around and head home when he was younger and couldn't go as far.
Or, he'll just lie down and refuse to move- usually in the middle of the somewhat busy street that runs right through the park.
I really, really did not want to be spending my time and energy on this at this point in my life.
This week has been a trial of sleep interruptions. He still doesn't sleep past 6:15, but now he is revisiting the wee hours, whining to get up for no apparent reason at 4am Sunday night... and then was up again at 5, and 6:30... Monday he was up at 5:15... Tuesday it was 12:30... and 5:30... last night, he started barking like mad at 11:30, after I'd only been asleep for about an hour (thank you, Summer Olympics, for keeping my husband (and myself, by default) up past my bedtime... Ugh.). I can only figure this was because somebody dropped one of the neighbors off. They make a lot of noise over there, and it is heard more easily from the dogs' room than our own, though both are on the same side of the house. Something about the space between the houses seems to magnify everything. Then he threw a huge whining fit at 1:30... but when I let him out he just sat there. I figured out that he'd apparently puked in his crate prior to that, and was fussing because he wanted to eat the vomit that had landed outside of the crate, but couldn't reach it.
I think that's what's been happening the other nights, as well, because both the other dogs have been sniffing around his crate of late, and he's been obsessed about scavenging around the edges, as well.
I really freakin' wish they'd all stop with the dirt-eating, and the chewing bark off the tree out back... and I'm beyond ready to discontinue the evening feeding. He's old enough to phase it out, and I've been gradually cutting it back, but DH is refusing to comply with just ending it completely.
Paws crossed for DH going back to work soon, then I can do everything my way.
Because 1/2 cup of food in the evening is just ridiculous- and is also probably what's contributing to the early morning wakefulness.
...and if he's just going to puke it up, anyway...
All of this, mind you, I can hear behind closed doors, with earplugs in my ears,
while DH sleeps through the whole damn thing.
I just want to cry...
DH has begun wiping Kal down with Hibiclens (which I've been trying to get him to do for some time) which trumps my bathing and coat spray routine for now, but seems to be working. I just wish, when he'd "help", that he'd be consistent about it.
27 weeks
65.8lbs
Seems leggy and skinny, less muscle these past two weeks. Rate of weight gain is slowing. Now feeding 4 and 3/4 c. food per day...
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
6 Months Old
6 Months Old
64lbs
25 inches tall
Teeth look great. Skin appears to be improving. No further drastic hair loss. Maybe there is even new fur growing in. The second version of the coat spray recipe (posted previously) seems to be working really great!
64lbs
25 inches tall
Teeth look great. Skin appears to be improving. No further drastic hair loss. Maybe there is even new fur growing in. The second version of the coat spray recipe (posted previously) seems to be working really great!
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
25 Weeks
25 Weeks
62 lbs
25 inches tall
Still dealing with hives, wondering about the source of the hives (I still blame the change in shampoos for the initial outbreak, and the grass pollen for the rest. DH insists it's chiggers, though he does not have the bites on his belly, or bugs between his toes that all of the websites I've read point to...), observing hair loss, waiting for hair regrowth... Monitoring the itching that has begun intermittently in recent days... I don't feel there's been any new hair loss, and the itching seems to mostly be on his sides, with the hives seeming to be recurring on the hips and flanks. I bathed him yesterday (with one of the usual shampoos) without incident. The homemade skin and coat spray I've used in the past on the other dogs has been helpful. I've also experimented with variations of that recipe, depending on what I have on hand. I'll post them all below.
Skin and Coat Spray
2 bags chamomile tea
2 c. water
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1 t. lavender oil, or dried lavender
1 t. rosemary oil, or dried rosemary
Simmer chamomile tea in water and set aside to cool (if using dried herbs, put them in to steep).
Strain tea when cooled (if using dried herbs). Add ACV (and essential oils if using those). Pour into spray bottle. Store in refrigerator. Mist (and brush through) as needed.
Variations:
I have used a combination of 2 black tea bags + 2 Twinings Lemon and Ginger tea in lieu of chamomile because I didn't have any. All other ingredients were the same. It seems to work just as well.
Also in lieu of chamomile, try 2 bags Twinings Lemon and Ginger (I bought this for colds/sore throats, but it is funk nasty!) tea, plus 1/2 c. witch hazel.
62 lbs
25 inches tall
Still dealing with hives, wondering about the source of the hives (I still blame the change in shampoos for the initial outbreak, and the grass pollen for the rest. DH insists it's chiggers, though he does not have the bites on his belly, or bugs between his toes that all of the websites I've read point to...), observing hair loss, waiting for hair regrowth... Monitoring the itching that has begun intermittently in recent days... I don't feel there's been any new hair loss, and the itching seems to mostly be on his sides, with the hives seeming to be recurring on the hips and flanks. I bathed him yesterday (with one of the usual shampoos) without incident. The homemade skin and coat spray I've used in the past on the other dogs has been helpful. I've also experimented with variations of that recipe, depending on what I have on hand. I'll post them all below.
Skin and Coat Spray
2 bags chamomile tea
2 c. water
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1 t. lavender oil, or dried lavender
1 t. rosemary oil, or dried rosemary
Simmer chamomile tea in water and set aside to cool (if using dried herbs, put them in to steep).
Strain tea when cooled (if using dried herbs). Add ACV (and essential oils if using those). Pour into spray bottle. Store in refrigerator. Mist (and brush through) as needed.
Variations:
I have used a combination of 2 black tea bags + 2 Twinings Lemon and Ginger tea in lieu of chamomile because I didn't have any. All other ingredients were the same. It seems to work just as well.
Also in lieu of chamomile, try 2 bags Twinings Lemon and Ginger (I bought this for colds/sore throats, but it is funk nasty!) tea, plus 1/2 c. witch hazel.
Friday, July 22, 2016
24 Weeks
24 Weeks
59lbs
Hair loss from the hives has begun, resulting in bald patches all along Kal's ridge. I can't tell how much is seasonal shedding and how much is from the hives, really. They still haven't totally gone away, and we're wondering about other possible triggers, though the shampoo still seems the most obvious culprit. The skin on his back is flaky (Leo's always was) and dry, but nowhere else. He's a bit itchier than usual, but not much. Another sore between his toes (rear left, this time) to keep redirecting his attention away from and focus on healing...
We'v'e had to limit his interactions with Kansas, because he plays too rough and keeps hurting her bad leg. This is the second time in a week she's had to mostly be on bed rest. We haven't actually seen him play rough with her, but we know he's constantly body-checking her when outside, and even in the house. She's good about just sitting down and being still when he tries to initiate play, but her balance isn't great, and her hips get strained easily. Poor guy, he doesn't understand why his main playmate can't play with him, anymore.
Airlie does her best to avoid playing with him at all, too. He's just too big and too rough now.
59lbs
Hair loss from the hives has begun, resulting in bald patches all along Kal's ridge. I can't tell how much is seasonal shedding and how much is from the hives, really. They still haven't totally gone away, and we're wondering about other possible triggers, though the shampoo still seems the most obvious culprit. The skin on his back is flaky (Leo's always was) and dry, but nowhere else. He's a bit itchier than usual, but not much. Another sore between his toes (rear left, this time) to keep redirecting his attention away from and focus on healing...
We'v'e had to limit his interactions with Kansas, because he plays too rough and keeps hurting her bad leg. This is the second time in a week she's had to mostly be on bed rest. We haven't actually seen him play rough with her, but we know he's constantly body-checking her when outside, and even in the house. She's good about just sitting down and being still when he tries to initiate play, but her balance isn't great, and her hips get strained easily. Poor guy, he doesn't understand why his main playmate can't play with him, anymore.
Airlie does her best to avoid playing with him at all, too. He's just too big and too rough now.
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