2009.06.16
Update on the ailing pooch
Thanks so much for all of the comments and well wishes for our greyhound, Coral. She spent a long quiet three days at home with medicine and easy-to-digest grub and, as of yesterday, she seems back to her old self. She had to miss out on a couple of play dates over the weekend, but we felt she needed the rest.
Dexter had been battling a nasty ear infection, so we are medicating both of them right now. Between the prescriptions and the specially prepared bland diet, it's like we are running a greyhound nursing home.
I think both hounds were a little feisty yesterday; after days of laying low and feeling poorly, they resumed their daily fun of rolling Stormy all over the backyard. When he came trotting back into the house last night happily covered in greyhound slobber, we knew they were feeling better.
Speaking of the little pit bull, his new favorite toy is a Kong Wubba. We picked it up at PetsMart on Saturday and he's having a blast. He really wuvs his Wubba. (Sorry, I couldn't resist that one.)
The long-tailed toy sails far and deep when pitched off our second floor deck into the back yard. On one particularly ambitious toss, it sailed all the way into the neighbor's yard. Thanks for bringing it back to us, Greg.
Stormy runs to grab it and comes gleefully galloping back with it, but hesitates to turn it over to us. He has figured out that fetch is kind of a goofy game, at least as far as the dog is concerned. Why should he give us his valuable prize if we are just going to throw it away and make him run after it again and again?
Smart dog. Lazy, but smart.
I know what you mean about not turning over the toy. Some dogs enjoy the "tug of war" game even more than the fetch game...
Comment by Mark — June 16, 2009 @ 10:41 am
It's not even that he wants to play tug, Mark.
He just looks at us like, "Uh, no, I am not giving you my beloved toy. You just make me chase it. If you didn't want me to have it, why did you give it to me in the first place?"
Then he hides under the furniture with his prize.
While he looks like he may have a little Lab in him, we have decided that the retriever gene was completely watered down to nil in his mix.
Comment by Nona Nelson — June 16, 2009 @ 10:55 am
My Pit "Tater" has to have 2 toys, one to fetch and one to ploy the first one back or else he is like Stormy and will not return the toy. He will even let go of the toy out of his reach so that you will have to get up and go get it for him, or else he keeps barking until you do, smart way to get you to play.
Comment by Mike T — June 16, 2009 @ 11:47 am
Nona,
The trick to that is have another toy (one that he likes just as well) waiting for him when he comes back. You then simply rotate the toys as he comes back. Mean, but it works. My parents Corgi, Maggie, makes you play the tug-of-war game when she comes back. I don't get to visit often, but she makes sure that the little time I have is spent playing or loving on her.
Comment by Eric — June 16, 2009 @ 12:03 pm
I am so happy to hear that Coral is back home and getting well. I laughed over the greyhound nursing home remark lol...that is how I feel here sometimes when the dog and kitties all get sick at the same time. I bet Stormy loves his new toy..he sounds like he is enjoying it! Actually he is doing what Holly does...I throw the new toy...she brings it back to me a few times and then just keeps it. No idea what she is mixed with...her daddy was a Cocker and the mother was a recuse dog that looked like a combination of Collie, Shepherd, Lab and who know what else! Hugs to all of the fur babies from me!
Comment by Deborah — June 16, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
Nona, much love to your Greyts. I had Greys for 10 years and yes, because they can be more sensitive to some things I was well acquainted with the emergency vets! So glad your girl is doing better! Props to the EVS folks, they are always so kind.
Comment by DivaDog — June 16, 2009 @ 4:13 pm
The Wubba is probably the second longest lasting toy that we got for Bauer. It claims to be indestructible, but Bauer is the master at finding tags, seams, and creases. He found a "crease" in the firehose material and worked on it a couple of days until he finally made a hole. AFter that, the hole continued to grow until the rubbery ball came out. We still have the ball-less outer shell that he likes to play tug with.
Glad the pups are better!
Comment by Ed S. — June 16, 2009 @ 4:23 pm
Oh, Ed. I am crushed. I was hoping the Wubba would last. If there is anyway caninely possible to destroy something, Stormy will find a way. He's a lot like your Bauer, he searches for the weakness and then go as it full force.
Tomorrow I may write about Monkey, the toy that just had to go away.
Comment by Nona Nelson — June 16, 2009 @ 4:51 pm
Eric, the two toy idea is brilliant. We will have to try that one soon.
Comment by Nona Nelson — June 16, 2009 @ 4:52 pm
My Golden Retriever, Tanner, is a highly skilled Fetcher, and would be glad to demonstrate the proper training of Fetch, if Stormy is interested in reading a post. I had planned one anyway, but this is a good excuse to get myself moving on it. I posted on swimming lessons last week, which is one way we play Fetch, but outdoors in a large grassy area is also lots of fun. Same techniques, just a different venue.
My blog covers all areas of dog stuff, with lots of photos of my pack of 3, along with others we meet and our friends at the dog parks we visit. All Things Dog Blog offers many posts on living a greener lifestyle for the health of your pet. Hope you'll stop by. I'll plan to link to your site when I post on FETCH training. Let me know if it's helpful. Good luck to Stormy.
Comment by Carrie Boyko — June 17, 2009 @ 9:38 am