Reason #1:
He went 4 for 4 at the PAC trial today! Two Masters Jumpers with Qs and 1st places, a 1st Place Q in Masters Snooker and a 2nd place and a Q in Steeplechase. He was just a titch slower than the 1st place dog because he ran past the weaves entrance, which was most unusual for him, as he is a “get his entry at all costs” kind of dog. However, we were running in a torrential downpour – not a drizzle, not a sort of heavy rain, but a driving, heavy, fat, splashy drops making noise as they hit, soaked me to the skin through my clothes kind of rain. I’m not totally sure he heard my “weave” command – *I* couldn’t even hear it, and I’m the one who yelled it!
Not 5 minutes after we exited the ring, we were standing under Auntie Cheryl’s tent when I saw a flash of light right in front of us. My brain said “what was that?” and then a split second later my brain answered itself: “oh, that’s lightning.” And a second after that, my poor brain went “Oh shit, that means thunder” and bent my body down to grab Tweed when the huge BOOM of the thunderclap went off right over our heads. Tweed jumped straight in the air and into my waiting arms. Poor guy, he is terrified of thunder! That he went on to get 3 more Qs this afternoon is testament to what a super dog he is!
Reason #2
I think this photo speaks for itself.
He did not want a caterpillar on his snout, but because he indulges my “stuff on my dog” predilections, he very patiently sat still for this photo shoot.
Reason #3
He makes awesome faces like this:
When Tweed is happy, he makes Very Happy faces. When he is sad, he makes Very Sad faces. He wears his whole emotional repertoire on his mug, and that makes me love him.
Of course, Dexter is also very expressive. Although, he only seems to have one expression.
Oh, HAI!
Wootie isn’t too bad at sharing his emotions either.
Alright fine, I’ll bring you this soccer ball. But do NOT kick it again. Are you feelin’ me, sister?
West Side Whacko is getting pretty comfortable here at Casa de Food Lady, and showing me that he wants to give Wootie a run for his money in the expressions department. Because he’s quite comical when he gets going, and makes all sorts of funny faces!
Like the The one with the bent ear is scary! face:
And the Wuh oh, I’m looking into the jaws of retribution face:
And the You think you can catch me and put me in the Pukemobile, but I’m faster than you are face:
Yes, West continues to hurl in the car. The Gravol only minimized the volume of puke, it did not stop it altogether. And this morning I slept in and was in a rush to get to the trial (I was also in a rush as I had to spend some considerable time catching West, who was Not Getting In The Car, Thank You Very Much), so forgot to not feed him breakfast. He left his turkey and yogurt in the crate in my car as soon as we hit the parking lot of the trial site. I think that perhaps this is beyond anything OTC or homeopathic. Someone told me about an anti-nausea shot you can give dogs that magically cures the car sickness, and now I can’t remember what it was called. Any ideas?
He also continues to fear humans, and despite having a big open field and many other dogs to play with whilst we were packing up the trial, he ran away and hid behind the car (I think this would be a case of the lesser of two evils – the car makes him puke, but it’s better than scary people). So then I put him back in the car, where the drooling and pre-vomit commenced anew. Poor fella. He can’t win for losing.
At home though, he’s very comfortable. He loves playing with Dexter (and doesn’t care if Dexter reciprocates or not)
and he is super keen to learn new things. He responds to everything in triple time and does this little happy dance when he gets praise. He’s very coordinated for a dog his age and quite athletic – he’d make a lovely agility dog, if he wasn’t so afraid of people. If I can conquer that little people problem, he’s going to be a really wonderful dog!
But never as wonderful as this dog:
who has symmetrical ears, unlike this dog:
who even at her most Earful, never had ears as excellent as this dog:
And say …. WTF kind of spider is this? I’ve never seen a spider so huge before!
Lynn says
Could’ve done without the spider post, thanks.
Otherwise, yea for Tweed!!
Caitlin says
I think your spider is some sort of orb weaving spider (family Araneidae) but I’m on the other side of the continent and am not familiar with your particular varieties of spiders.
I do, however, <3 your dogs and your photography.
Katt says
My googling has turned up these for anti nausea:
homeopathic – Nux vomica
medical – Meclizine Hydrochloride (Bonine, Antivert, Meclizine Hydrochloride), Dramamine…
Check this out, anti static strip for the vehicle: http://www.mizter.com/
(Disclaimer, this is google search advice, I am not a vet, just a dog-lover!)
Liz says
I do believe the Wonder Injection you’re looking for is called Cerenia. In the US, it comes in injectable and tablet form, dunno how it works in Canada. Basically shuts off the part of the brain that tells the dog to vomit. Only available through your vet, shouldn’t be overly hard to get… “Yeah, see that drooly mug and nauseous expression? Happens every time he gets in the car. A little help, please?” should do it.
Adrienne says
Lovin’ the Tweed Happy Face!
Pouring rain… Cool. Might have stopped us dead. Last time Emma got rain gusted in her face she came right off the dogwalk. Before the contact zone of course. That was over a year ago and we haven’t had to run in the rain since. Course, lots of the local trials went indoors.
Scott says
Pretty sure that’s a common garden spider.
nickelsmum says
Appears to be Araneus diademantus (http://ivory.org/spiders/araneus.diadematus.html), a common orb weaver/garden spider introduced to BC. I found one website saying the females’ abdomens get very large in the autumn in preparation for breeding.
These are not dangerous (all spiders can bite and do have some venom to subdue prey, but these do not have venom that typically harms humans) and eat lots of bugs. But I have to say that compulsively researching this has made me totally queasy. I want to like spiders, but ick.
Carol says
Good boy, Tweed! You are indeed the bestest dog.
Abigail says
I got Cerenia tablets from my vet when I had to take Kota on a 6 hour ferry trip. Worked like a charm! I don’t know how happy they’d be for you to use it every day but speak to your vet about it.
lauren says
Dittos on the cerenia…. Used it in conjunction with chemo last year for my special version of Briggs (and now Tweed). It was the only thing that kept my girl from losing every morsel we fed her. Quite pricey though…
L
Mo says
I had a different thought on West’s vomiting…since the vomiting happens just as you pull up to where ever you are going, my thought was, he gets so excited/nervous he vomits. As opposed to car sickness, which is motion issue, his reaction might be a nervous reaction? Maybe try a homeopathic canine calmness pill and see if he improves. I Have lots of friends that have used Rescue Remedy. Good luck.
Robin says
I recently heard (after your first post on the vomit issue) of the use of Benadryl as an anti-vomit agent for dogs and googled it this morning: http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/health/benadryl.htm Since it is such a benign and available drug it might be worth trying with Mr. West.
gooddogz says
I have a puke jsut before we get there drooling foster pup to. She is afraid of the car and very uncomfroatble there. We are working on that. I have avoided puke the last couple of short rides, by pulling over and letting her get her sea legs before forging on. She seems to be ok on the highway, but switch to stop and go and she is all done. Riding up front or with a person seems to help to. That West is one of the cutest dogs on the planet. Well done (you and) Tweed! Canyou post the pic of Tweed in a motorcycle helmet again (please??)
The Food Lady says
“I want to like spiders, but ick.”
Ha ha! This is also how I feel about spiders! I appreciate that they eat the other things I don’t care for, but I would like very much for them to stay out of my house (and out of my bed. I’ve found two in my bed – which is not the same as finding TWoo in my bed) and it makes me unhappy!
“I recently heard (after your first post on the vomit issue) of the use of Benadryl as an anti-vomit agent for dogs”
Yes, I know it has those properties, but have never found it particularly successful at preventing vomit. I think if Gravol, which is absolutely only for preventing vomiting, doesn’t work then I am going to have to whip out the big guns.
“Last time Emma got rain gusted in her face she came right off the dogwalk.”
My friend Mary was in the ring doing the weaves with her Aussie, Avis, when the thunder and lightning hit. That was a very scary experience for them both, and we hope it doesn’t turn Avis off the weaves altogether!
“my thought was, he gets so excited/nervous he vomits. As opposed to car sickness, which is motion issue, his reaction might be a nervous reaction? ”
No, that is definitely not the problem. The problem is more assuredly motion sickness, maybe combined with nerves about being in the car. Obviously, the car makes him sick, and now thinking about being in the car, whether it moves or not, also makes him sick. It’s not excitement.
Jenn says
Cerenia is the magical anti-nausea injection. ;) I believe it last for 24 hours, though it comes in tablet form, too. Available only at your vet, but here’s more info.
http://www.pfizerah.com/Product_Overview.aspx?drug=CR&country=US&lang=EN&species=CN
Another thing to try if you want to stick to the OTC/natural route, however wacky this might sound, is an anti-static strip for your car. Yep, I know, sounds crazy. But we have a few clients who swear up and down that an anti-static strip helped with car sickness, both human and dog versions.
Angela says
I’ll add my vote for Cerenia. Back when my old boy was feeling his worst from liver disease, he was constantly nauseous. A very, very slow car ride down residential roads would have him vomiting. Gave him a Cerenia pill to stop the nausea and it worked like a charm!
riosmom says
Congratulations to Tweed – and you – four for four and three firsts is pretty damn impressive. As was the caterpillar on his nose. Good Tweed.
If West is learning things does that mean he is hearing things, i.e., that your concern about his hearing is gone? Have you tried in-the-car out-of-the-car ad nauseam (oops poor choice of words) maybe with a bone when in-the-car? Especially if it is now part dread of the car. We are pulling for you and for West on all fronts.
riosmom says
The anti-static strip sounds whacky to me but several people have suggested it and I would sure try it as an easy cheap possibility.
Jean B says
I’ll add my vote to the anti-static strip. I think I mentioned in the comments on an earlier post, I recently purchased one and had it attached to the frame of my new van. For the first time in her 13 years, my border collie Charley no longer drools with nausea in the vehicle. People had been telling me to get one for years and I thought “yeah, suuuure a little strip of rubber hanging from the back of the car will do the trick….suuuuuure” – but it did! AND the good news is, they are only about $10 at Lordco (or any automotive store).
Rossie says
awww….I love Tweed’s happy face. Good boy, Tweed!
pam says
I’m afraid that I love Wootie the bestest.
Trish says
Don’t be too quick to dismiss Benadryl just because Gravol didn’t work.
My Finn is a champion hurler and I tried over the counter Dramamine and Bonine (same stuff as Gravol) and even went the very pricey Cerenia route. None of those helped one single bit.
But if I give him 2 regular adult strength brand name (generic didn’t work as well) Benadryl about 15 minutes before a trip it works like a charm. Only gives a few hours of hurl free travel, but that’s all I need.
And it’s cheap and safe.
Ailsa says
Good dog Tweed. You are my favourite too (shh – don’t tell the others …), mainly because of your tweird expressions and ‘what you see is what you get’ personality. No scheming there (I’m not talking to you Woo-TWoo).
No anti-barfing suggestions here, sorry. :c( I’ve not been blessed with that problem … yet.
However, as I am babysitting a 7 month old lab at this moment (for three weeks AAAKKKK!), I am developing a re-newed appreciation for bc smarts and sensitivity — sorry Emma.
Katherine says
I’m with “Jean B” ( Hi Jean B !!) the static strip works like a miracle – its cheap – easy to install- and no puke/drool – I also thought it wouldnt work but it really does. In fact we had it on one car – bought a new one – went for a drive…..yup….dog barf – put a strip on the new car……no barf since.
jackie says
I love all your woofs, but I was a little sad not to see the Twoo here…
: (
Mistysmum says
I worked at a vet for a summer when I was in university, and they would sometimes give a shot called Reglan as an anti-emetic after surgeries (because the anaesthetics usually make the dogs nauseous). Maybe it’s similar to Cerinia?
Sheri says
OK, so I’m not a vet (and I don’t play one on t.v.), but I know that in humans inner ear issues can cause nausea/vomiting and that (for my husband anyway) having an inner ear infection makes his motion sickness much worse. I’m sort of assuming that the vet who performed West’s neuter checked his ears, but if not, perhaps he has an ear infection or other inner ear issue (could also, if you haven’t already ruled out deafness, affect his hearing). My pups, fortunately, outgrew the motion sickness and never did hurl while in the car although we later dealt with vomiting due to kidney disease and old dog vestibular syndrome.
Also, *love* how Tweed is doing! The caterpillar/snout photo is priceless.
Jenn says
Mistysmum – Cerenia is an updated, more effective anti-emetic. If I can remember right, it’s only been out on the market in Canada for a year or two. Reglan (metoclopramide) is still used by lots of vets, though. I use it for my cat when I need to bring him in – he’s a chronic car barfer!
Beth F says
Oh, its the Fall Invasion spiders. Every fall these attractive arachnids invade my yard and gardens in multitudes…there’s 3 sizable with lovely webs in my front garden right now. So long as they stay outside, I am ok. Last year one made web *right over my side of the bed* causing much girlish squealing and heebie-jeebies when I laid down and looked up.