Me and you, and you and me.
The only one for me is you, and you for me.
I can’t see me lovin’ nobody but you, for all my life.
So happy together …
HEY HEY HEY… WHOA…not THAT happy, TWooie!
Class, does anyone want to tell me what TWooie did wrong there?
I do I do! He tried to touch Wootie in his naughty place!
I feel dirty.
Yeah, well, I feel like a big a$$hole :( Piper had her ACL surgery on Wednesday and she was so obviously in so much pain when I brought her home. I felt like I had done something terrible to her, even though the part of my brain that isn’t instructing my hand to wipe away my sniffles knows it’s for a good reason. She just looks so vulnerable and sad and lonely in her XPen in my bedroom. I don’t want to move her into the main room where we spend most of our time because she gets up to “enforce” the house rules too often. Mostly, she wants Kieren to JUST LIE DOWN FOR 10 FREAKIN’ SECONDS ALREADY.
Sawee.
It’s gonna be a long two months.
To make things worse, last night I left her a frozen stuffed Kong when I went to agility class. When I got home like over 3 hours later, she was sitting in her Xpen with the saddest expression ever, because the Kong had gotten stuck on her bottom jaw and because the stupid cone was on her head, she couldn’t use her paws to pry it off. Who knows how long she’d been sitting there like that?
I tried to give her a frozen pork bone instead this morning when I took the other dogs out for a run, but I caught her wandering around the XPen burying it in her blankets, so I swapped it out for another frozen Kong and this time I removed her head cone . Only to find she had chewed off half her bandages instead of eating her Kong.
Did I mention it’s going to be a long two months?
But at least the weather seems to be improving. Last week it monsooned for some many days in a row that my property turned into a lake. Which was fun for doggies:
(and Kieren is getting over his fear of water)
But not so fun for my hydro bill, what with all the dog laundry I had to do. You have no idea how many towels it takes to de-mudify and dry off 8 dogs! Then you gotta wash all those towels and repeat after the next walk.
Today was gorgeous, sunny and warm. We played outside for so long that I even managed to poop out Kieren, which is saying something. All the pooches are tuckered out after 2.5 hours of frisbee and running around.
Even left-out singleton Tweed, who is the only dog who doesn’t have a double. Although he is one of a kind, so it doesn’t seem to bother him too much.
Winter is getting his terrier on. Last week he learned to play fetch, which made him very pleased with himself. But he’s not sure yet that the point of Dumbball is the joy of getting the ball; he seems to think the point is to bring every toy back to The Food Lady for cookies or praise, even if it means stealing it from someone else.
The stocky little terrierblob that I brought home a few short weeks ago has morphed into a sleek, muscley little beast that eats more food every day than Tweed does just to keep his ribs from poking out, and who can almost keep up with his sister/daughter/wife when she’s running flat out. And she’s FAST.
He’s becoming a real dog so quickly that I can’t even tell them apart sometimes.
He’s nearly ready to be listed for adoption – we just need to get past the housebreaking block. He no longer leg lifts in the house just because he can, but he does still periodically pee inside when he feels the need to go. He just needs to learn how to ask and/or to hold it. His impulse control could use a little work too but he is, after all, a terrier.
As for Kieren, he’s totally ready to be listed. I’vejustbeensobusyandstuffthat’shwyIhaven’tlistedhimyepthat’sit.
*sigh*
I started teaching him some agility equipment before class starts every week and he can now jump, do the tire, do the A-Frame and the Dogwalk. And each piece of equipment took him exactly one repetition to learn. HE’S SO SMART!! And fun! And adorable! WHY CAN’T I HAVE ONE!!!
Stupid smart fun sweet good looking dog anyway.
He’ll probably get adopted lickity split, and I’ll end up holding nothing but a cracked out weasel aka terrier.
Now I must go spend some time with my poor be-Xpenned baby beanie so she doesn’t feel so alone. Happy sunny days, friends!
Kolchak, Felix & Jodi says
Oh…your gaggle of dogs makes me so jealous! I wish we had more, but the stupid bylaws only let me have two. I have so much more room and snuggles to share! I hope poor miss Piper feels better soon! I stuff trachea chews for my two instead of Kongs, since Kol kept trying to stick his whole head in his Kong. (He got stuck more than once. I didn’t laugh at him…much)
Shira says
Hi: Kieren is beautiful! How old is Kieren? Where are you located? I’ve been planning to get a BC … BTW, I love your blogs and try to follow every one. My website is a mess right now – I have to ‘reclaim’ it and get it organized again – I’ve had too many people ‘help’ :) Also need to get caught up on my blogs…
Tabitha says
Poor pup! And poor you too. Hope she feels better soon, but it’s hard to have to confine her. Hang in there.
Adrienne says
Aw, poor Piper! Can you get her the thing that looks like an inflatable doughnut pillow instead of a cone?
Clairesmum says
Poor Piper! Even tho that thing is called an Elizabeathen collar, it’s hard to be taken seriously as She Who Must Be Obeyed when wearing it!
Claire has a BiteNot collar to keep her snout off her rump for hot spots. Don’t know if it would work for Piper.
Everyone else seems to have made it to late winter ok at casa de Food Lady. Hoping for fast healing for Piper and a forever home for those who need them .
Liza says
Get well soon, Piper! Glad the surgery got done, and hope she recovers quickly. The confinement phase really sucks, for both of you.
Cricket says
I’m bad for saying this, I know, but when you already have seven, would an eighth make *that* much difference? Yes, you have a ton of dogs, a gaggle, as one of the above commenters said, but you’re also into competitive agility and have had to retire your two best agility dogs this year (no offense, Dexter). I think you keeping Kieran is good for your sanity, good for Dexter so he doesn’t drive you to drink, good for Spring cuz she’ll have some competition and a buddy to train with and she adores him, and good for everyone else because they mostly adore him too. I’m not saying you should keep him solely on his athletic merit, but I’m saying that from the perspective of this very long-time reader who doesn’t know you personally, Kieran belongs with your family. (Plus, Smoothies rock. I have one and he’s insane, but he makes me laugh every day of my life).
Lise says
The picture of Kieren running after the frisbee has no snarky mouseover text. In case there was meant to be some. I’m not obsessive! ;-)
Robin Layton says
Ummmm, maybe you should keep Kieren?
Alison Craig says
My BC had ACL surgery in January and instead of a cone I used a towel wrapped snugly around her neck from shoulders to ears, and held in place with a large collar. Worked a treat! She could hold her bones with her front feet but not get at her rear legs.
Riosmom says
I am not going to be bad like some others have been and suggest you keep Kieren but it sure is going to be hard to find a home where he will be as happy as he is at yours. Love the picture of him with his lip caught on his tooth. Gracie does that all the time and I call it her “What’s up, doc?” look.
Poor Piper and poor you. I hope she is pain free soon and the confinement time goes quickly.
Great pictures as always. Yeah, I know I say that all the time but it is true.
Kim says
Have you tried a bite-not collar? We used it with our acd when she had TPLO. She had both knees done 2 years apart. And have no fear, if she busts a stitch or 2 it is not that big of a deal. The no jumping and feet sliding out from under Piper are more important. I am sure you will figure out a good routine.