Today was Spring’s very first trip to the ocean. I think she liked it.
Am I doing it right?
Although I’m sure *some* members of the family wish I’d left her behind (sorry this is blurry, but it was the only Mad Teeth™ shot I got today, and I know you want at least one)
Spring likes to outrun and/or chase down the other dogs, not unlike another small black and white foster dog I used to bring to the beach.
Why do you keep taking these things in? *I* am small, *I* am black and white, *I* am a cute female … what more could you possibly need?
Fortunately Spring doesn’t chomp ’em when she catches them, which is always, because she’s smokin’ fast!
Well, except Dexter … she can’t catch Dexter. But nobody can catch Dexter.
I am Master Of Evasion. Or an ape man.
Have I mentioned how LONG this dog is? He doesn’t look huge when he’s walking around or anything and people keep telling me “Food Lady, he’s not THAT tall” (he’s 22″ on the nose, I believe). It’s not until he stands up on his hind legs and stares them in the eyeball that they realize he’s a long legged, long bodied dog. One day he is going to fill out, and be overall huge. Right now, he’s still really skinny.
Or maybe it’s just an optical illusion because he has no hair left on his chest. My poor puppy, his contact allergy is the worst I’ve seen on a dog, much worse than TWooie’s. However, we are working on conquering it with the help of Vet’sBest Allergy Itch Relief Shampoo. I probably sound like I’m getting paid to endorse the product, but I’m not, honest. I snagged it out of the donation bin at work because we already have a cupboard full of allergy shampoos, and I was desperate … poor Dex, the other day I went to give him a friendly scritch on the chest by way of a hello, and he cried because it hurt when I touched him :( Someone, I forget who, commented on the blog that the buttercups were toxic and since he’s always laying in them, I decided to start washing his chest and legs with this shampoo every time he comes in from a play. The stuff is amazing – it almost immediately takes away the redness and the oozing blisters heal right up within the hour. He wears a sweater after application to stop him from scratching. As long as I wash him regularly, the rash appears to be clearing up very nicely. I hope the hair grows back!
He’s definitely feeling a LOT better!
But Woo is not fine. In fact, he spent our beach outing desperately trying to demonstrate to me why we don’t need another Spring-y dog.
I am Spring! I embody Spring!
Look at me! Look at me! Look!
Come ON! How much more air do I have to get to convince you?
I guess I’ll have to list Spring soon, but I’m holding off for a bit … not because I intend to keep her (though it IS tempting! But there’s no room for her in my truck except for in the front seat. I tried getting her to bunk with Piper today, but it ended up with her cringing in a corner while Piper lounged menacingly in 9/10ths of the space) but rather because the longer she is with me, the more I learn about her. And while she may *look* like a pocket lurcher …
…her Badittude is ALLLLL Jack. Strange dogs? MUST BE BARKED AND GROWLED AT, AND POSSIBLY CHASED AWAY. Strange people? MUST BE BARKED AT WHILE BOUNCING IN THEIR DIRECTION, ACCOMPANIED BY GROWLING. Strange noise? MUST BE BARKED AT WHILE JUMPING FEROCIOUSLY AT THE WINDOW. She’s quite the character under all that hiding-inside-my skin-business. If she were twice her size, nobody would think she is as cute as she is.
Is that something I should bark at, and chase away?
But I still think she’s cute!
We had a great day at the beach, and now I’m nursing a sunburn after mowing the lower pasture so a) no buttercups and b) we don’t lose the hockey ball whilst playing fetch. The dogs are all sacked out in sandy piles on the floor. Time for me to do the same (but probably not on the floor).
For no reason at all, I leave you with The WooTWoo, being one another.
kristy says
Very enjoyable post! Thank you!
Ben says
You think Dex is big?!? I just measured Hoot, and while he mostly thought I wanted to snuggle on the floor, he’s at least 24″. And built like a 2 x 6… I don’t think these dogs will ever fill out. Hoot also thinks children are evil, which is okay, as I agree with him.
Olga says
So sorry to hear about Dexter :( I hope he continues improving and the hair grows back.
Really beautiful photos, many thanks for sharing them and lots of hugs and kisses for Dexter.
Take care of yourself :)
clairesmum says
that last shot of the WooTwoo is terrific! there is a harmony about the two of them, somehow.
Piper is letting Spring know just WHICH b#*%ch is the boss, isn’t she!
glad Dexter’s rash is responding to the shampoo – I had a drug allergy once like that on my eyelids and eyebrows and boy was it miserable, and so hard not to scratch at it. I’m a human, I’m ‘supposed’ to know better, but boy, it was awful…and at night, I did wake up scratching my eyes!
glad you and the gang are all having a great summer!thanks for sharing it with us.
suzanne says
maybe you should keep her so you have a dog who can smoke all those shelties in the 16″ classes!
Paige says
I’ve used Vet’s Best before and really liked it, too. It’s great stuff. The moisturizing shampoop is great too.
riosmom says
Love the WooTwo picture – and all the rest, too, but I especially love pictures of Woo and Twooie morphing into one another. And Spring is a pistol. Great pics of her.
Tink says
I have a kitty, well 3 to be exact, evil kitties, they are Devon Rex kitties who have curly fur, non shedding and most have a naked tummy. One of the evil kitties Nyx, developed IBD. Which didn’t result in diarrehea or constipation but in an enormous contact allergy. We battled it for 3 years, changed vets, contributed a fair share to their second home in Aspen. Changed vet for the last time, she’s a newbie, not so long ago left vet school and combines east and west medicine.
Kitty Nyx had again a nasty attack and after a new battery on test that showed nothing wrt fungal, heart or whatever and she had been on prednisone for months to lightning the itching a bit, dr.R got her classmates and other peeps together and they decided to ask Novartis who brought a new medication for itching dogs on the market if it could be used for kitties as well. They said it could and gave her direction how much to give her and she is now still in care in the clinic and all her nasty spots have cleared and healed and especially under her armpits were red blisters etc. Anyway thought you might like to know about this doggy anti itch medication the name is Atopica and on atopica.com you can find more info. Nyx is now off her prednisone and the Atopica is being compounded for her in tunaflakes so she wees in as a treat. I’m happy with a vet who is not afraid to think outside the box!
Jennifer says
Seeing as you have reminded us of “Waggy Maggie,” (my favourite foster dog that you didn’t keep), could you possibly give us an update on her progress………..please!
PS Hope you find a good home for Spring too.
skeeter says
My friend’s cat had really bad allergies. So bad he was losing his fur. The cat had several acupuncture treatments and is all better and the fur has even grown back. Something to consider for Dex maybe?
Jenn says
Spring is awfully cute. Jack and Italian Greyhound, maybe? Love those ears.
I just picked up my next agility prospect in January, rescued a Patterdale Terrier from the local impound. So I can not be tempted by Spring.
She sure is cute, tho. Sigh.