Graidy is 14ish now. He sleeps the sleep of the dead most of the day. That is, unless he hears a twig snap outside anywhere within a mile radius of the house.
Case in point. Out of a sound sleep, Graidy leaps up, rushes outside and commences barking. I go to check on what it is–because I know he doesn’t bark at nothing. It takes me a while to spot what woke him up…
There is a doe hiding in … Read More
We got Graidy through a BC rescue outfit, so we don’t know his birthday. But they thought he was around 10 months when we got him, which would put him at around 14 years old now. He’s still going strong.
… Read More
A Dog’s Perspective on FireworksFireworks—classic component of the July 4th holiday weekend. Large crowds gather to watch the night sky turn technicolor. Often spectacular. Always noisy.
Almost always anxiety-producing for dogs.
If Wink could climb inside my skin to hide, he would. Graidy, who never used to be that bothered by fireworks, now turns into a quivering mess, courtesy of chronic Lyme disease. (Lyme can affect neurological functioning in all kinds of weird ways, this being one of them.)… Read More
Some vets will tell you that dogs don’t get the common bulls-eye rash that humans do when infected with Lyme disease. I’m here to tell you that dogs absolutely do.
Right now, Graidy’s got a beaut of a rash on his inner thigh. His fur is white and very fine, so it’s easy to see down to his skin. (That’s a photo of his bite. Sorry, I couldn’t get a better shot, Graidy wasn’t interested in staying still, but it … Read More
What’s the matter with using a Flexi-leash?
Flexi-leashes require tension on the leash in order to keep the line pulled out and thus teach dogs to pull.
And if you already have a dog who pulls (because maybe you haven’t had the time to properly train him how to walk on a leash?) then a flexi-leash will ensure that you will always have a problem walking your dog. I know. Harsh, but true.
Here’s just one of the all-too-frequent occurrences … Read More
With the holidays (and lots of company) approaching, if you want to enter our house in relative peace, it’s best to come bearing gifts.
Specifically, dog food treats are most welcome. But if you’ve forgotten yours at home, no worries. I’ve attached a container of kibble right at garage door knob level. You can’t miss it coming in.
Think of it akin to entering church, where you bless yourself with holy water before entering. Kinda like ensuring good luck–
Only, … Read More
I’d talked about getting Graidy’s DNA test done. Well, the results have come back and, in a million years, I never would have guessed American Eskimo Dog! I can absolutely see the Border Collie and some kind of spaniel mix–though not English Springer Spaniel. My best guess was Border Collie/ Brittany Spaniel. The mystery is finally over.
Graidy went to visit friends the other day and had a great ol’ time! Actually, this is just a Graidy look-alike. When a friend sent this photo, I had to do a double-take.
Since we got Graidy from a wonderful Border Collie rescue place, we’ve always wondered what he was mixed with. While he certainly had the high energy of a Border Collie, he had zero herding instinct. That is, if you counted herding anything on two or four … Read More
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