Life Gold

Go away.

For some reason, my favorite pictures are the bad ones.

When Geordie got sick, a  neighbor told us about Life Gold – Dog Cancer Support .  Her dog had been diagnosed several months before and has been taking it ever since.  At his latest check up, the vet said that the dog is doing great and to keep doing whatever it is the family has been doing.

I started Geordie on Life Gold as soon as I could have it delivered.  At this point, I can’t testify to it altering the length of his life yet, but I feel confident in saying that it has significantly improved his quality of life.

Before his diagnosis, Geordie had been kind of laid back with lots of napping.  The clue we had that something was wrong was that he would cough from time to time.  Since giving him Life Gold, though, it is as if he is 5 years younger!  He has taken up playing with toys again, and he even invites me to play chase with him.  In the evenings, after Toby has gone to sleep,  he drags his little brother out of bed and insists Toby play with him.  This goes on every night!  Plus, he barely coughs now.

I realize that Geordie’s cancer isn’t cured, but it is wonderful to see him living such a full and happy life.  I wanted to share this in case someone reading has had a pet diagnosed with the dreaded “C” word. Life Gold isn’t expensive, and it might just help your dog to feel better and you both to be happier.

Picture of Life Gold herbal supplement for dog caner.I forgot to mention one other thing I noticed about Geordie and Life Gold.  Whenever he went for his chest X ray, the vet was a tiny bit concerned that he had lost 3/4 of a pound.  For a while, he simply hadn’t been very interested in his food.  After starting Life Gold, however, he developed a healthy appetite and has gained enough weight that he looks like a healthy terrier again.

Pick up a copy of A Tired Mommy Is a Good Mommy which tells of Bitey’s life before Toby.

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Flashback Friday

 

Tiny Cairn terrier puppy tucked into his kennel with his toys.

I was looking for a  photo today when I stumbled across this picture of itty bitty, teeny tiny Bitey.  Sometimes it is hard to believe he was really that little puppy.  Back then he didn’t like to go to sleep without his toys around him.

What you can’t see in this picture is that I used to put his brush on top of his kennel so that he couldn’t get to it and chew on it.  He managed to thwart me by jiggling the kennel until the handle fell through the bars then attacking the brush from the inside.

Why do pups only solve problems for evil and not for good?

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Theology of the Body with Father Man-Bun

Recently my Mom wanted to attend some lectures held by the parish, but she didn’t want to go alone.  I agreed to go with her to keep her company.

One particularly…odd?  bizarre?  frustrating?…lecture series was on The Theology of the Body – a collection of talks given by the late Pope John Paul II.  I could probably fill a month’s worth of posts about all of the “Huh?” moments I had, but this particular item stood out to several people who were there.

In the talks, Fr. Man-Bun told everyone that animals have no inner lives. That they don’t think.  That they can’t understand symbols or representations.  I couldn’t help but think, “Has this man never met an animal before?”  Shortly before this talk, I happened to read an article about what has been termed “Dog Sudoku” which resembles video games for dogs.  (Click here to read more about Dog Sudoku.)  Pups love these things!

I’ve watched my boys lost in thought or studying photos.  I’ve seen pups rat on a sibling who gets in trouble.  I’ve seen dogs move chairs around in order to climb up on to reach something the want.  I’ve even known dogs who loved to hide and then jump out and scare whoever was walking past.  In these I see planning and thinking and even tool use.

And what about crows?!?  Have you ever seen a documentary about how intelligent they are?  Researchers have identified a vocabulary of nearly 300 words in crow.  The birds can plan 5 steps ahead in solving a problem.  They can pass information to at least two generations of offspring.  Just because someone hasn’t thought to look for inner lives in other species doesn’t mean they don’t have them.

Sorry, Father Man-Bun.  I simply cannot agree.

Yes? Can we help you?

Seriously, is there any doubt about what these two are thinking?

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Watch Your Step

Watch your step. Huge hole in the garden!

I keep hoping a deer will fall in the hole and never want to come back to the garden!

It’s tough to get a decent picture of a hole: they are not particularly photogenic.  I hope this picture does justice to the huge hole that Toby dug this afternoon.

More than Geordie, Toby really enjoys being a dog.  He loves digging holes and playing in mud.  He likes chasing birds and catching tennis balls.  Geordie has always been fussy about his demeanor and appearance.  I’ve often said that if life were the TV show Frasier, Geordie would be Frasier and Toby would be Eddie.

Until recently, Toby has been able to get away with being the goofy puppy.  Geordie was more practiced at everything and always led.  Toby could afford to slack off and be the little clown.  Once he realized that the humans knew that Geordie had a problem, though, he immediately stepped up to be such a wonderful, helpful boy.  He pays attention to my moods now.  He is much more patient with things like being groomed.  I hug him often and tell him how much I appreciate all his help, but I don’t want him to stop being my goofy little puppy yet.  As life gets back to normal, I want him to keep misbehaving.

I think today was a good start.

Cairn terrier pup looks between railing.

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A Late Easter Post

Snowy night scene.

Robin's egg sitting on porch step.

What a difference from last year to this year!  Last Easter brought a tiny robin’s egg to our step.  This year brought 6″ of snow.

I happen to love these early morning, above freezing snows, so I wasn’t disappointed to wake up to a frosted wonderland. It is so magical to be outside in the cold, damp, fresh-smelling air.  I am fortunate that my pups love this kind of weather as well. (Sorry.  My battery died before I could get a better picture of the snow.)

On this morning, Toby was so excited to see the snow that he practically burst through the front door to get to it.  I put him on his 50′ leash and just let him run and run as much and as fast as he wanted.  Scratch that.  There is no such thing as enough time in the snow to Toby.  Geordie wasn’t quite as thrilled as his brother, but I was happy that he got to see another snow.

It is still hard on me knowing that this will be my little boy’s last birthday and his last snowfall.  It is the natural course of events, but it is still hard.  I have been trying to give him everything he could possibly want, but instead of making a happy pup, I have created a tyrant.  Geordie was always strong willed, but now that he realizes that I won’t push him, he is taking advantage.  Will I stop? Of course not.  An obnoxious pup is a small price to pay for allowing myself to feel that I’ve done everything I can for him.

I am nowhere near finished telling stories of the times we have spent together.  You can catch up on what we’ve been doing with out latest book Poopiter.

Bitey Dog and Toby in POOPITER

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A Happy Barkday

 

A smiling, happy Cairn terrier wearing a party hat.

Friday was my little man’s barkday, and what a happy pup he was!

My mom had the idea to take the boys to the store to pick out presents for them to celebrate Geordie’s birthday.  The trip would be part of the present.

Geordie tells his story:

While we were good in the car, that all went out the window when we got to the store.  TSC is an agricultural business that sells supplies for all sorts of animals from bunnies to dogs to horses and cows.  At this time of year they also sell chicks and ducklings to farmers.  We could smell all of that as soon as we got to the parking lot.  Woo hoo did we pull!  Mom made us pee before we went in, and Toby did a poo.  Then we FLEW into the store dragging our humans behind us.  First thing we did was meet a puppy black lab girl. Then we found the huge pallet of 100 lb bags of dog food.  Then…then….I pooped all over the floor.  Well, I was just so excited!  We continued to do our best impressions of sled dogs as we tried to break all of the glass lawn decorations foolishly placed out where we could get to them.  (We failed).  When we got to the checkout, the cashier gave us biscuits, so I guess we weren’t too naughty.

Mommy says:  I am hoping that the ears the boys got as their presents keep them quiet so I can maybe get some work done and grab something to eat.  That will be MY part of the gift this year!

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To read more of Bitey and Toby’s adventures, pick up a copy of Poopiter.

Bitey Dog and Toby in POOPITER

Available at Amazon.

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The Flower Garden

A single yellow daffodil flower.

So far, this is the bounty of our flower garden.  I was fortunate to snap this picture before 6″ of snow fell on  the poor little flower and bent his stem.  Although the flower is intact, now it looks like he is kissing the dirt.

The flowers may not be enjoying the cold, but the puppies are going nuts for it.  Oh yes, and they peed on the flower.

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A Spot on the X Ray

Cairn terrier sits surrounded by Christmas toys.

I am still so upset that I don’t know how to process the information yet.  Real Life Bitey went to the vet today, and they found a spot on his lung.  If it weren’t for an occasional cough, I would say he was in great health.  He is very active and playful and everything a pup should be.

The vet had to send the X ray out to be read, so it will be several days before there is news about the spot.  It could be pneumonia (they gave him antibiotics just in case) or it could be something worse.

If you have a spare prayer for us today, we would really appreciate it.

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Welcome Spring!

After the Storm

Me:  Welcome Spring!

Spring: Hello!  Here, I’ve brought you a present.

Me:  Gee, thanks.

Geordie & Toby:  Yippee!!  Yippee!!

My boys are pretty excited about this recent snow.  Toby loves snow and would live outside in it if he could.  Geordie is thrilled because he was supposed to go to the vet this morning, but they cancelled because the staff could not get to the office.

I have a sneaking suspicion that March was weighing her options for “In like a lion, out like a lamb” and decided that lamby meant “white and fluffy”.  She is just keeping her promise to us.

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Or, learn what life was like before Toby’s arrival in A Tired Mommy Is a Good Mommy.

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