Kiera, my Australian Shepherd, has a vocabulary of a hundred or so individual words and a couple dozen expressions — last time I counted. On the one hand it makes life much easier for me. For instance, I can just tell her to go get Cait for dinner, instead of yelling upstairs. Or I can ask her to help me find my other shoe that Graidy, my Border Collie mix, has hidden somewhere. The “helpful” list goes on and on. … Read More
Most of us have wills providing for our significant others and children in the event something happened to us. But what about our animals?
If you were in an accident, or delayed from getting home from a trip, or you suddenly died, what would happen to your animals? Do you have a plan in place? Do you have people lined up and willing to step in and help? Have you set aside the resources to pay for food, vet care, … Read More
From the Mail Bag: Renee asks: I have a mini Aussie a little over a year old. I’ve been thinking of getting another dog as a companion for her. I am home most of the time, so I have time for two. I play with Sierra a few times a day throwing Frisbee, etc. but she still badgers me to play at times when I’m busy. I thought having another dog may be good for her. My sister visits every … Read More
A visiting friend asks, “Do you want to me to let Graidy out? He’s pacing by the door.”
“Nah, must be around 4 o’clock,” I say, looking at the clock to confirm. “He wants to be fed.”
A while later the same friend, noticing Graidy at the door again, says, “Is Graidy hungry again already?”
“Nope, he wants to go out now.” I get up to let him out.
“This is like having a mother translate for her babbling baby!” … Read More
I’ve received several requests asking that I share how I introduced Finnegan, our Maine Coon cat to Kiera and Graidy, our two dogs at the time (Wink came after Finn).
First, a little background. When Kiera was a puppy, we had a cat with whom she got along just fine. And Graidy had been tested on cats by his rescue group. So I knew that both dogs, even with high prey drives, stood a good chance of eventually being fine … Read More
It never ceases to amaze me how little someone can know about dogs and still wind up with a decent dog. Really, think about it. What other animal, wild or domesticated, can so readily adapt to our crazy, inconsistent, often self-centered ways?
I can hear some of you suggest that cats fit in with us just as well. I would argue that cats are willing to put up with far less before they’ll try to avoid or escape us. Dogs … Read More
Graidy is my early bird; he likes to start the day around 5 AM-ish. Once he gets me up, it’s rare that I can get back to sleep. So we hang out and take in the early morning sights.
Once the sun came up, this is what we saw this morning.
There are actually five, all total, though it’s hard to see the fifth one. Two families of three and two.
Pretty scene, isn’t it?
And I’m glad my bumper … Read More
Cait’s little boy hasn’t been feeling so well. Feverish, tired and achy, all Wink wants to do is rest quietly. It’s sad to see this normally effervescent little guy so under the weather. (Though, in a day or so, he should be back to his normal self because he’s been started on Doxycycline, the antibiotic of choice for Lyme.)
Wink has been unlucky enough to contract Lyme Disease. I say unlucky because once a dog is infected with Lyme, it … Read More
Early this morning, around 2 a.m., I was awoken by incessant barking coming from downstairs. Not an altogether unheard of occurrence at our house, with so many wild animals engendering great interest as they traipse through our ten-acre kingdom.
Boy, was I never so happy to be roused from a sound sleep! I got up to check on where the missing Graidy was. As soon as I hit the upstairs hallway, I was bowled over by propane fumes. I got … Read More
It’s in the air today, along with the gathering thunderclouds. Everyone around here is hunting for something.
Our Great Blue Heron is on the hunt for his lunch.
He seldom misses.
He’s snagged himself a nice fish.
Oh, there’s something else fishing there along the side of the pond!
Is it our Fisher (a weasel)?
Nope. I’d recognize that fluffy tail anywhere. Looks like Finn’s found some good hunting by the pond too.
Kiera and Wink are hunting for a … Read More
