One month down

Like an Idiot-with-a-capital-I I decided to try a 365 project this year. I should really know myself better than that by now. See, I have this thing, if hobbies become a chore I ain't doing it anymore. January was sort of a chore. I am chalking that up to the newness though, the habit forming phase. I did manage to take a picture every day this month. Have been taking my camera to work, shooting things other than dogs. Time is an issue, though. A large portion of the shots are of dogs, at night, in my room, lots actually in bed or from bed.

 

We'll see how February goes. If dogs-in-bedroom account for more that 30% I am sacking the 365 thing. ;)

Dr. Weevil

Weevils have great faces. For bugs, I suppose. They always look like they're so concerned about something.

Camo

The dry is good for something.

Gopher hiding!

   

 It's so funny watching them come out of their holes. 

 Up, up, down. Up, down. Up, up, up, down. 

 I can't imagine spending your entire life waiting for something to kill you. 

And, any idea who's hair this would be?

 

Those are eucalyptus leaves if that gives you a length reference. Very coarse. Pretty long. Not dog hair. I thought skunk, but the pile looked newly in place and there was no olfactory evidence of something taking a hunk out of a skunk. Maybe skunks argue with each other without use of the defense?

Odd things happen at night in the wilds of Santa Clara.

New rule! BYOH2O

There are a bit over 6 million visitors to California each year.

We now ask that all of you bring a gallon of water with you.

Two gallons if you're going to Tahoe.

And...'cause...

Bonus Kate and The Wrist of Angst

Easy ears

The ear meds at home were easy-peasy. I think her struggle was more the strangers at the vet than issues with ear discomfort, so, yay for us. I can also degrease her now.

Not sure why she has boxer face there. Not that there's anything wrong with that. On a boxer.

Better bendy collie face!

And Kate continues to change her sleeping spot. Freaking me out a little. Kate doesn't change. Not her thing. Makes me wonder if she's OK. Hearing things? Uncomfortable? Just aging dog weirdness? She seems OK otherwise. It's just odd.

Kate on a bench 'cause that's what she does.

Also, if you have some spare water we could sure use it!

Moving on up

Kate has always been somewhat of a shadow to Bella. She has really thought of Bella as the bee’s knees since day one. As they age, though? Clingy! 

Background Kate…  

Has turned into Growth Kate  

New rule: must be touching Bella while bully sticking! Check! 

And, the dog who is so into her routines has decided that she kind of likes sleeping on Bella’s bed now, too. I am not sure why Kate has decided now is the time to end her 8.5 year rut. It’s cute, but also a bit troublesome. Kate’s Rainman routine has made it easy to control the spay incontinence. She hasn’t had an accident in ages and is well controlled by meds, but it does also put my anal retentive mind at ease knowing she is always sleeping on her pee-padded bed. Now? 

 The Great Wanderer. 

Bella does not find it as amusing  

Really just going to let her lie right there?  

She stayed right there all night. She will occasionally come up for a cuddle or a panic if she hears something weird, but only lasts about ten minutes before deciding she needs to get back to her spot. She just hunkered right on down. All please with herself, too. I guess she likes the view.

Best. Face. Ever.

Will they be like this from now on?

Ugh. Bella has never been a fan of the vet. The dog who will willingly make out with everyone she meets has been suspicious of lab-coated folks since she was a baby. This time, though? Oh man. This was the first time she has been back since her lump removal surgery and it was beyond just I-don't-want-to-be-here. Just full-blown panic. Normally, she has ants in her pants and clearly would rather be doing something else, but can be talked into standing still long enough with food. This time she wasn't having any of it. Took three of us to hold her long enough to get an ear swab. It was like trying to wrangle a buffalo.

She will be 11 in February and in those almost 11 years I have never had to clean her ears or have her anal glands done and now we had to do both. Heiny glands were "really full" and she has a bit of a yeast infection going on in her right ear. Her new lump is just another fatty one, so yay for that.

The tech was talking to me about her ear drops. Six drops in each ear? She's going to hate me for the next ten days. When they brought her out she looked like her head had been dunked in oil. They probably went through a whole bottle trying to get six drops to actually go in her ear. I'm glad I didn't waste time bathing her last week. She is bringing the Jheri curl back! I picture the dogs beds in the house having little grease spots like the couches in Coming To America.

Eleven years and no dental yet, though. The whites are still pearly!

Change and the wrong kind of growth

So much going on. I know we are only a week in, but so far 2014 is already kicking 2013's ass. As a general rule, I try to avoid career-limiting behavior like talking about my job on the interwebs, so I will just say, wow and yay! I am not normally a fan of change. I may have mentioned that. That is one of the things that Kate and I have in common, we are both prone to bouts of "Uh-oh, fifteen minutes to Wapner!" So the fact that sooooo much is going on and I don't have hives must mean we are in a "meant to happen" phase. I am very big on gut feelings. Whenever I have a big decision to make I do a ton of research, I make lists, I go over pros and cons, etc. But, in the end, it's really about a gut feeling. I know I have put the time and thought in so if I still feel weird about it I figure that's just some clue that it's not the right time, place, situation, whatever. When I don't feel weird about something it is just plain awesome! Right now, there is so much going on and I just feel calm, settled. It's odd to not be worried about anything. I hope it lasts for a bit.

Bella is off to the vet this afternoon for the six-month old lady check. She has one new lump to have looked at and has been really itchy. I am thinking that it is environmental. I have been having unusual sinus stuff going on, too. Lack of rain, me thinks. We have been so dry. The whole state is just...dusty.

I am not looking forward to seeing her, weight, though. They are both so fat right now. Kate was the heaviest she has ever been. Which is weird for a dog that has historically been hard to keep weight on. Bella is normally 33-34, I would not be shocked if she is 37. I guess that is part of getting old, too, yeah? It started back in March when they got sick while being boarded. I put them on kelp to help them get some weight back on and I guess I kept them on it too long. I have been unable to get them back down again. They are both eating less than a cup a day. Do we have to start counting kibbles?

Perhaps. 

Snow shoes

The longest hair on her body.

Makes no sense, yes? Why would her foot hair be of a braid-able length? Sort of a waste in CA. 

And, no, I will not trim it. :)

She can't wait for me to go back to work, either

Two more days, Kate, two more days.

A great start

We went up to Sunol Regional Wilderness for the usual New Year’s Day trek.

I really wish the rest of the bay area would get on board with the East Bay parks leash rules. Off leash,  if under control, in all undeveloped areas. Unless otherwise posted, of course - wetlands, bird breeding grounds, etc. We always meet such well behaved dogs. In such a large area that also has cattle, coyotes, squirrels, etc., you do need to actually, you know, train your dog or spend many hours chasing it. Also, because of the size of the parks, there is no social or spacial pressure. No forced interaction. Everybody just keeps moving. I think it is very sad that the simple act of being off leash is a novelty to so many dogs. Freedom should be the rule, not the exception.

People, cows, and dogs. And no one died.

It was just an amazing day. So much clearer over there than on the bay side. Low-60’s had everyone comfortable. Warm enough that no jackets required and cool enough that no miserable dogs.  

Except, perhaps when asked to pose.  

Or leave the cow shit alone  

And, hey, that goes for coyote shit, too.  

How about we just take all shit off the menu?  

I guess their priorities change as they age, too.

I hope you all enjoyed your holidays.
Let's hope this year is a bit smoother than the last one!