2 very dry days with almost with 90 degrees and lot's of wind.
The grass already looks stressed.
The cotton woods release a small blizzard with their white seeds and the ash tree in the middle of the yard has the northwest half of the leaves open, while the southeast is still a few days behind.
There were no miller moths this month at all. For the dachsies, the hunt was on and they were all very successful catching the insects. The moths were bumbling and slow in daylight, especially when they got evicted from their dark hiding places.
This year we have peanut flies, some kind of a small moth that came from a 50 pound bag of peanuts in the garage. Maggots crawled up the side of the freezer and turned into moths. I told one early in the fall it could stay for the winter, but I had no idea they multiplied immensely and live in dark places. I found one in the check book today !
Schatzi shows a little bit of interest in chasing the squirrels.
The squirrels take the high road along the fence and she runs below. One even had to dash up a tree, after she scared it from behind the ornamental grass. I don't know who was more surprised.
A real surprise was Bill standing by the fence . She never saw anybody ever being in the next yard ! Schatzi yelled at Bill, running away from him, barking and barking, up to the deck still barking , into the kitchen barking some more and still seriously barking until she was satisfied that the danger stayed on his own side of the fence.
We certainly know now, she can truly bark and not just giving a little warning woof.
A robin had to be rescued. Schatzi noticed the bird, who was stuck on one of the lower branches in the blue spruce. Andy carried her back inside as not to hurt the bird. Dad and Andy cut a long nylon string off the robin's leg, who got all tangled up on a branch and could not get away . That birdie would have been fox food in about 2 hours.
Schatzi is the proud owner of a green " Silly Willy ", a squeaky toy that Thelma from the pool sent her.
How much fun that is !
It did not take long for her to figure out how to squeak , how to carry it up and down the stairs, how to throw it into the air, shake it, run run run with it, race around the yard with it and loose it too ! After that she was exhausted, the tongue was almost longer than the little body, she drank water several times ( hurrah ! ) and slept til 6 the next day.
This was great for Dad, because normally 5: 15 in the morning comes very early.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Going to the groomer
Schatzi went to the groomer.
She looks gorgeous, just like a little star. Briget Bardot never looked that good.
Her blond hair is puffed up, falls softly without any partitions in it and she still has a faint smell of doggie parfum. That we can do without.
Her little light colored nails got clipped and the curls on her paws and the hair in between the pads is shorter.
The cutest are her fluffy feathered pantaloons .
The white tail, curled up on her back looks like a feather chrysanthemum and she is waving it around like an entertainer on the stage.
Liz, who is a national certified groomer did a wonderful job.
She did not want us to stay with Schatzi, because she would be always looking for her Dad and his protection.
Liz said, dogs are just like kids, when you drop them off at the sitter. A big scene and as soon as mom is gone, they are having fun.
Schatzi did not make a scene, but she is still totally resigned to her fate without complaining.
Later in the evening a man getting out of his car smiled at her and said " Hi, cutie " and all she did was growl.
Accepting compliments needs to be learned too.
Schatzi loves to roll, especially under the blue spruce, under the bird food and what ever good smelling things she finds in the yard.
I thought, cutting her hair would make it easier to remove stickies and keep her cooler in the summer. Liz said no.
The double coated dogs need the insulation for both warmth and cooling and stickies in her hair have to be combed out, no matter what.
The fur never grows back the way it was supposed to be, could get thicker on some places and grows in strange patches in other areas.
So she stays as pretty as she is.
She looks gorgeous, just like a little star. Briget Bardot never looked that good.
Her blond hair is puffed up, falls softly without any partitions in it and she still has a faint smell of doggie parfum. That we can do without.
Her little light colored nails got clipped and the curls on her paws and the hair in between the pads is shorter.
The cutest are her fluffy feathered pantaloons .
The white tail, curled up on her back looks like a feather chrysanthemum and she is waving it around like an entertainer on the stage.
Liz, who is a national certified groomer did a wonderful job.
She did not want us to stay with Schatzi, because she would be always looking for her Dad and his protection.
Liz said, dogs are just like kids, when you drop them off at the sitter. A big scene and as soon as mom is gone, they are having fun.
Schatzi did not make a scene, but she is still totally resigned to her fate without complaining.
Later in the evening a man getting out of his car smiled at her and said " Hi, cutie " and all she did was growl.
Accepting compliments needs to be learned too.
Schatzi loves to roll, especially under the blue spruce, under the bird food and what ever good smelling things she finds in the yard.
I thought, cutting her hair would make it easier to remove stickies and keep her cooler in the summer. Liz said no.
The double coated dogs need the insulation for both warmth and cooling and stickies in her hair have to be combed out, no matter what.
The fur never grows back the way it was supposed to be, could get thicker on some places and grows in strange patches in other areas.
So she stays as pretty as she is.
Way Too windy
Sahara weather. Extremely windy, hot, dry and the air is brown with dust. One can only sense the mountains and you could imagine, you have white caps in the hot tub.
Schatzi's exuberant conquering of the known universe, the backyard , took a big step backwards.
Breakfast got messed up, because Dad insisted on her eating with 2 people in the same kitchen.
She said sorry, not today, and refused to eat at all. Some days eating works well, some days she is back to her old frightened ways.
Out came the machines from hell, a leaf blower and a hose to clean the deck. The hose is feared by mill dogs, because their cages are being cleaned with them in it and even a well adjusted former mill survivor can just bolt.
Schatzi did not bolt anywhere, she stayed put in her safety basket and did not move all day. If a dog can be depressed, this is what she looked like.
Of course she did not drink anything either, which is still a problem. The vet suggested an ice cube of chicken broth floating in her water bowl. Flavored water. On a very warm dry day and wearing a big wool coat, this sounds yummy. How do you get her to do it ?
A recent article about drinking water for dogs reiterated the same what we heard from the vet. A dog should have a minimum of 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight.That should amount to about 1 bottle of water. There is no way she drinks that much, mostly only the liquid I pour into her food.
The chicken flavored water was a bust. She sniffed and that was all. We gave her a bowl with clear water in addition to the chicken water, so she had a choice and not go on strike entirely. Cammie, one of my pool buddies, suggested a bowl with just ice cubes, some dogs like that. Schatzi does not.
Andy took her out to pee and almost had to tie her down. The wind was screaming, the crowns of the trees mashed together and the blue spruce reached for her with the long dark arms.
Too many plastic bags flapped sharply on the dead tree next door. There was a lawn mower and several never before seen other wild things like a weed eater, a big broom and a wall of black garbage bags.. Panic mode to get into the house . Just a day to curl up tightly and retreat completely. Poor little doggie , what a scary world
Schatzi's exuberant conquering of the known universe, the backyard , took a big step backwards.
Breakfast got messed up, because Dad insisted on her eating with 2 people in the same kitchen.
She said sorry, not today, and refused to eat at all. Some days eating works well, some days she is back to her old frightened ways.
Out came the machines from hell, a leaf blower and a hose to clean the deck. The hose is feared by mill dogs, because their cages are being cleaned with them in it and even a well adjusted former mill survivor can just bolt.
Schatzi did not bolt anywhere, she stayed put in her safety basket and did not move all day. If a dog can be depressed, this is what she looked like.
Of course she did not drink anything either, which is still a problem. The vet suggested an ice cube of chicken broth floating in her water bowl. Flavored water. On a very warm dry day and wearing a big wool coat, this sounds yummy. How do you get her to do it ?
A recent article about drinking water for dogs reiterated the same what we heard from the vet. A dog should have a minimum of 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight.That should amount to about 1 bottle of water. There is no way she drinks that much, mostly only the liquid I pour into her food.
The chicken flavored water was a bust. She sniffed and that was all. We gave her a bowl with clear water in addition to the chicken water, so she had a choice and not go on strike entirely. Cammie, one of my pool buddies, suggested a bowl with just ice cubes, some dogs like that. Schatzi does not.
Andy took her out to pee and almost had to tie her down. The wind was screaming, the crowns of the trees mashed together and the blue spruce reached for her with the long dark arms.
Too many plastic bags flapped sharply on the dead tree next door. There was a lawn mower and several never before seen other wild things like a weed eater, a big broom and a wall of black garbage bags.. Panic mode to get into the house . Just a day to curl up tightly and retreat completely. Poor little doggie , what a scary world
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Going out alone
There is a gigantic world out there and Schatzi knows how to navigate in it !
She is always careful discovering something new but strictly on her terms. Once she makes up her mind, there is no holding her back.
The backyard has been explored completely.
Fox trails, standing up against the whiskey barrels to see what's in it, smelling a little under the deck. Sometimes I am lucky, I can find small peanut butter sandwiches in the grass, just for me.
The deck is the last frontier to conquer.
She finally did it ! After 6 weeks living with us, Schatzi had the courage to go outside all by herself.
What are these mill breeders doing to mess up a little dog so badly that she is afraid to go outside ?
If Dad is on the deck, Schatzi considers it safe and goes with him. But going without him is quite a feat.
There are stairs on one end of the deck and Schatzi can do stairs ! The ramp on the other end however, she is not so sure about.
We had everything double since we live in this house.
2 fences, 2 glass doors to the deck, 2 decks with 2 ramps going into the yard and 2 doggie doors.
For the dachsies stairs were bad for their backs, so we had a ramp installed.
Sort of a chicken ladder with carpet tiles on it and little cross beams to slow down the speed. I am not sure the speed bumps were necessary, more of a hindrance in retrospect, but I saw them on a real chicken ladder and I thought, they were useful.
The ramp was snug on the side of the house and everyone used it.
After the first deck fell apart, the new deck had a much nicer looking ramp.
Only problem was , Fausti, our # 5, refused to use it . With putting little treats along the board and gently nudging her up, you could think you could change a dachshund's mind. Stubborn dachshund. No way. That's it. No more using the ramp.
I think, she was afraid to fall off the sides, since the ramp had a little space between the wall and the board where she was supposed to walk.
Schatzi tackled the ramp from the ground on up and suddenly found herself on the deck . What a surprise !
Using the doggie door, which really is not a true doggie door anymore, presented no problem. Schatzi just sailed over the threshold and in she was - right in the kitchen.
The opening is just an open space with nothing in the way.
5 years ago, after Waldi died, Dad attached a piece of wire mesh to the door frame to keep the squirrels and birds out and a rare mouse too. So it was easy to just unscrew the metal again.
There were always 3 dachsies on guard duty and nobody dared to come too close to the door. Now I am a little worried, because Schatzi is not a chaser and has no job currently to keep order among the critters on the deck.
The old door had a light weight flap built into the screen door. It worked well, until 2 dachsies dashed through it at the same second.
It probably was the time when we needed a new door anyway.
She is always careful discovering something new but strictly on her terms. Once she makes up her mind, there is no holding her back.
The backyard has been explored completely.
Fox trails, standing up against the whiskey barrels to see what's in it, smelling a little under the deck. Sometimes I am lucky, I can find small peanut butter sandwiches in the grass, just for me.
The deck is the last frontier to conquer.
She finally did it ! After 6 weeks living with us, Schatzi had the courage to go outside all by herself.
What are these mill breeders doing to mess up a little dog so badly that she is afraid to go outside ?
If Dad is on the deck, Schatzi considers it safe and goes with him. But going without him is quite a feat.
There are stairs on one end of the deck and Schatzi can do stairs ! The ramp on the other end however, she is not so sure about.
We had everything double since we live in this house.
2 fences, 2 glass doors to the deck, 2 decks with 2 ramps going into the yard and 2 doggie doors.
For the dachsies stairs were bad for their backs, so we had a ramp installed.
Sort of a chicken ladder with carpet tiles on it and little cross beams to slow down the speed. I am not sure the speed bumps were necessary, more of a hindrance in retrospect, but I saw them on a real chicken ladder and I thought, they were useful.
The ramp was snug on the side of the house and everyone used it.
After the first deck fell apart, the new deck had a much nicer looking ramp.
Only problem was , Fausti, our # 5, refused to use it . With putting little treats along the board and gently nudging her up, you could think you could change a dachshund's mind. Stubborn dachshund. No way. That's it. No more using the ramp.
I think, she was afraid to fall off the sides, since the ramp had a little space between the wall and the board where she was supposed to walk.
Schatzi tackled the ramp from the ground on up and suddenly found herself on the deck . What a surprise !
Using the doggie door, which really is not a true doggie door anymore, presented no problem. Schatzi just sailed over the threshold and in she was - right in the kitchen.
The opening is just an open space with nothing in the way.
5 years ago, after Waldi died, Dad attached a piece of wire mesh to the door frame to keep the squirrels and birds out and a rare mouse too. So it was easy to just unscrew the metal again.
There were always 3 dachsies on guard duty and nobody dared to come too close to the door. Now I am a little worried, because Schatzi is not a chaser and has no job currently to keep order among the critters on the deck.
The old door had a light weight flap built into the screen door. It worked well, until 2 dachsies dashed through it at the same second.
It probably was the time when we needed a new door anyway.
Poodle foot
So many new things happened in one day.
To start the day, she tooted loudly, turning around and having no idea where that came from. That was a signal for Dad to high tail it out of bed and not playing " asleep" anymore.
After the inspection tour of the back yard, she checked for Andy's trash bag and whether there are any leather gloves still laying around by the fire wood. How lucky ! She can even run up the stairs carrying something in her mouth.
While Dad was putting all the bird food out, she decided to see how to tackle the deck. A slight step over the heat hole and there she was on the frozen deck carefully looking through the railing. 3 Humming birds were buzzing around the feeder and it snowed lightly.
The heat register right in front of the glass door is now doggie safe.
Waldi cut his little paw on the metal cover, which had a different design many years ago.
Waldi was licking and cleaning and swallowing the blood until he could not keep up with it anymore. And it took me a long time to realize what was going on.
Dad had to come home from work, because there was no way to keep that paw wrapped tightly with a towel and driving to the vet with an unwilling patient.
His foot had to be sewed up and one of the sticky bandages was wrapped around. Every time it was just moist outside, a plastic sandwich bag had to be put around the paw also. And you had to be sure, the paw stayed dry and did not get a fungal infection.
As an aside, Schatzi now has a " poodle foot ". While being in the hospital, she needed an IV to rehydrate her. For this, her left front foot had to be shaved and looks now like one of those crazed high maintenance drum stick hair cuts.
Upstairs in bed again waiting for mom and dad to put their fur on she wanted to speed up the breakfast preparations. If I am going down there ...... I could eat... at least, the dry appetizers are ready ....
Schatzi calculated the jump and gracefully sailed off the bed half way to the door. A safe landing and the knees seem to be fine.
A fast peek at several interesting places on the way to the kitchen, that's an office, another bedroom, look at that bathroom, there is a closed door and the stairs are fascinating too !
Schatzi then waits patiently in her basket. I always wonder why she is so contended , especially in the evening where she could sit with Dad or Andy on the couch and get petted.
Apparently, after living in that rabbit cage in the mill for 4 years, she is probably so used to being alone.
The dachsies had their reserved seating in the evening.
Waldi between the armrest and me and what was leftover from that couch was all Fausti's. She even threw several pillows on the floor which she deemed unnecessary.
Schnapps sat next to Dad on the other couch, mostly under some blankets, because he was always cold.
None of the guys were the slightest bit interested in TV, including the Westminster dog show.
To start the day, she tooted loudly, turning around and having no idea where that came from. That was a signal for Dad to high tail it out of bed and not playing " asleep" anymore.
After the inspection tour of the back yard, she checked for Andy's trash bag and whether there are any leather gloves still laying around by the fire wood. How lucky ! She can even run up the stairs carrying something in her mouth.
While Dad was putting all the bird food out, she decided to see how to tackle the deck. A slight step over the heat hole and there she was on the frozen deck carefully looking through the railing. 3 Humming birds were buzzing around the feeder and it snowed lightly.
The heat register right in front of the glass door is now doggie safe.
Waldi cut his little paw on the metal cover, which had a different design many years ago.
Waldi was licking and cleaning and swallowing the blood until he could not keep up with it anymore. And it took me a long time to realize what was going on.
Dad had to come home from work, because there was no way to keep that paw wrapped tightly with a towel and driving to the vet with an unwilling patient.
His foot had to be sewed up and one of the sticky bandages was wrapped around. Every time it was just moist outside, a plastic sandwich bag had to be put around the paw also. And you had to be sure, the paw stayed dry and did not get a fungal infection.
As an aside, Schatzi now has a " poodle foot ". While being in the hospital, she needed an IV to rehydrate her. For this, her left front foot had to be shaved and looks now like one of those crazed high maintenance drum stick hair cuts.
Upstairs in bed again waiting for mom and dad to put their fur on she wanted to speed up the breakfast preparations. If I am going down there ...... I could eat... at least, the dry appetizers are ready ....
Schatzi calculated the jump and gracefully sailed off the bed half way to the door. A safe landing and the knees seem to be fine.
A fast peek at several interesting places on the way to the kitchen, that's an office, another bedroom, look at that bathroom, there is a closed door and the stairs are fascinating too !
Schatzi then waits patiently in her basket. I always wonder why she is so contended , especially in the evening where she could sit with Dad or Andy on the couch and get petted.
Apparently, after living in that rabbit cage in the mill for 4 years, she is probably so used to being alone.
The dachsies had their reserved seating in the evening.
Waldi between the armrest and me and what was leftover from that couch was all Fausti's. She even threw several pillows on the floor which she deemed unnecessary.
Schnapps sat next to Dad on the other couch, mostly under some blankets, because he was always cold.
None of the guys were the slightest bit interested in TV, including the Westminster dog show.
Always progressing
Six days on the bland diet and Schatzi is doing well.
In the meantime she discovered ice cream, steak from the grill, camembert with Roquefort in it, tiny pieces of eye of round, crunchy unidentifiables from under the deck, peanut butter sandwich bites and if all else fails, dried cranberries with sugar from the backyard. So much for the diet.
I still feed her four times daily small amounts of rice and chicken with lot's of water. It looks like soup, but she eats it and that's all what counts.
One more day with the antibiotic and then I am hoping that she won't have to go out at night anymore.
Poor Dad is tired. Not only taking her out at an uncivilized hour takes it's toll, but in addition, Schatzi seems to be on East coast time.
When it is still dark, she climbs on Dad's chest because she can look out the window to look for squirrels on Betty's roof.
No squirrel yet ? They are still sleeping . If she can't see anything of interest, she invites Dad to play. He looks so bored, just sleeping there. She is flying back and forth, waving her white tail like a lamp and bringing a well chewed moist piece of raw hide. It is still dark . .. sleep some more ! She rearranges her little nest and sleeps a little longer.
Schatzi still does not like to be covered at night, no matter how cold it is. During the day, she loves her blankets.
After working 3 hours on a monumental amount of Schnitzel, Crissy came for dinner and Schatzi again had an I - am - not so - happy issue. She ignores Mike totally, but Crissy warrants at least a bark. Better be out of the kitchen.
With all her courage, she left her super safety basket for an even safer hidden secret place. Schatzi dashed into the last corner of the Eckbank where it is really dark and this way avoided any disagreement . I had no idea she knew about that hiding place. It is so rare that she makes a tour of that level in the house, and she must be a lot more observant than we think. So she kept that little corner under the bench as an emergency retreat.
Crissy is leaving in the morning for Pittsburgh for the summer and Schatzi let her pet her. Things are on better paws again.
There is not enough light in the backyard and Dad is looking into installing a solar flood light.
The fox won't like it, especially since his diet has been cut back already. No more left over chicken, pizza crusts, hard boiled eggs for protein and a luxurious fur, ham or fat trimmings -- strictly only one big piece of fast food to go .
Otherwise, there is too much sampling going on for Schatzi.
Is it thunder or the cannons at Ft. Carson ? Schatzi does not care ---- she won't go out. Other household noises don't bother her anymore. The phone, the beep from the toaster oven, pulling the curtain to the deck, the cow bell on the front door so nobody can sneak in and even Oetzi, the iceman who is working in the freezer and knocks frequently.
Stairs are not difficult anymore either. She visits Dad's computer room door -- but no further - she just peeks in . As long as nobody acknowledges her she carefully looks around in the house, but don't twitch an eye lid or Schatzi is instantly back in her safety zone
In the meantime she discovered ice cream, steak from the grill, camembert with Roquefort in it, tiny pieces of eye of round, crunchy unidentifiables from under the deck, peanut butter sandwich bites and if all else fails, dried cranberries with sugar from the backyard. So much for the diet.
I still feed her four times daily small amounts of rice and chicken with lot's of water. It looks like soup, but she eats it and that's all what counts.
One more day with the antibiotic and then I am hoping that she won't have to go out at night anymore.
Poor Dad is tired. Not only taking her out at an uncivilized hour takes it's toll, but in addition, Schatzi seems to be on East coast time.
When it is still dark, she climbs on Dad's chest because she can look out the window to look for squirrels on Betty's roof.
No squirrel yet ? They are still sleeping . If she can't see anything of interest, she invites Dad to play. He looks so bored, just sleeping there. She is flying back and forth, waving her white tail like a lamp and bringing a well chewed moist piece of raw hide. It is still dark . .. sleep some more ! She rearranges her little nest and sleeps a little longer.
Schatzi still does not like to be covered at night, no matter how cold it is. During the day, she loves her blankets.
After working 3 hours on a monumental amount of Schnitzel, Crissy came for dinner and Schatzi again had an I - am - not so - happy issue. She ignores Mike totally, but Crissy warrants at least a bark. Better be out of the kitchen.
With all her courage, she left her super safety basket for an even safer hidden secret place. Schatzi dashed into the last corner of the Eckbank where it is really dark and this way avoided any disagreement . I had no idea she knew about that hiding place. It is so rare that she makes a tour of that level in the house, and she must be a lot more observant than we think. So she kept that little corner under the bench as an emergency retreat.
Crissy is leaving in the morning for Pittsburgh for the summer and Schatzi let her pet her. Things are on better paws again.
There is not enough light in the backyard and Dad is looking into installing a solar flood light.
The fox won't like it, especially since his diet has been cut back already. No more left over chicken, pizza crusts, hard boiled eggs for protein and a luxurious fur, ham or fat trimmings -- strictly only one big piece of fast food to go .
Otherwise, there is too much sampling going on for Schatzi.
Is it thunder or the cannons at Ft. Carson ? Schatzi does not care ---- she won't go out. Other household noises don't bother her anymore. The phone, the beep from the toaster oven, pulling the curtain to the deck, the cow bell on the front door so nobody can sneak in and even Oetzi, the iceman who is working in the freezer and knocks frequently.
Stairs are not difficult anymore either. She visits Dad's computer room door -- but no further - she just peeks in . As long as nobody acknowledges her she carefully looks around in the house, but don't twitch an eye lid or Schatzi is instantly back in her safety zone
Sunday, May 9, 2010
List of Dangerous Foods
Clair sent a little note to see how Schatzi is doing.
Except again for not drinking anything, she must be on the mend. She eats small meals mixed with some water to get at least a few drops in.
She goes out with Dad, plays and runs a little but won't stay out long, because the wind is still strong and it makes it very cold, especially in the shade.
Clair sent a link about an " Ask the vet " column, where he discusses nuts.
Macadamia nuts are toxic, so are walnuts and almonds.
In another piece about " Foods not to give to your dog " from the PETMD it is the same.
Avoid all nuts, except for peanuts and pecans.
The problem here comes in with my german brain, that a nut is a nut, but an almond is an almond and not a nut.
Well, we got this cleared up. No more almonds, what ever they are classified as. What was Edgar Cayce thinking ? Certainly nothing about pets.
Here is the list of dangerous foods :
-------------------------------------
All nuts except peanuts and pecans
Almonds
Chocolate,especially dark
Raisins, grapes,
Avocados, alcohol, coffee tea and other caffeine
Milk, candy and gum
Fat trimmings - can cause pancreatitis
Bones --- injured teeth and splinter stuck in the intestines
Persimmons which cause inflammation of the small intestines
Peach and plum pits contain cyanide
Raw eggs can have salmonella and interfere with the absorption of Vitamin B
Raw meat and fish, again can cause food poisoning , in addition
Salmon,shad, trout and sturgeon ( raw ) have parasites, which cause " fish disease", which can be fatal within 2 weeks.
Salt, and over the counter medicines
Baking Soda and baking powder are highly toxic so are
Nutmeg and other spices
Yeast dough, makes the tummy swell and the fermented dough turns into alcohol and could cause alcohol poisoning.
Some things I knew, but it took doggie # 7 to learn about the whole list
Except again for not drinking anything, she must be on the mend. She eats small meals mixed with some water to get at least a few drops in.
She goes out with Dad, plays and runs a little but won't stay out long, because the wind is still strong and it makes it very cold, especially in the shade.
Clair sent a link about an " Ask the vet " column, where he discusses nuts.
Macadamia nuts are toxic, so are walnuts and almonds.
In another piece about " Foods not to give to your dog " from the PETMD it is the same.
Avoid all nuts, except for peanuts and pecans.
The problem here comes in with my german brain, that a nut is a nut, but an almond is an almond and not a nut.
Well, we got this cleared up. No more almonds, what ever they are classified as. What was Edgar Cayce thinking ? Certainly nothing about pets.
Here is the list of dangerous foods :
-------------------------------------
All nuts except peanuts and pecans
Almonds
Chocolate,especially dark
Raisins, grapes,
Avocados, alcohol, coffee tea and other caffeine
Milk, candy and gum
Fat trimmings - can cause pancreatitis
Bones --- injured teeth and splinter stuck in the intestines
Persimmons which cause inflammation of the small intestines
Peach and plum pits contain cyanide
Raw eggs can have salmonella and interfere with the absorption of Vitamin B
Raw meat and fish, again can cause food poisoning , in addition
Salmon,shad, trout and sturgeon ( raw ) have parasites, which cause " fish disease", which can be fatal within 2 weeks.
Salt, and over the counter medicines
Baking Soda and baking powder are highly toxic so are
Nutmeg and other spices
Yeast dough, makes the tummy swell and the fermented dough turns into alcohol and could cause alcohol poisoning.
Some things I knew, but it took doggie # 7 to learn about the whole list
Friday, May 7, 2010
In the hospital
Schatzi is sick and had to stay in the hospital overnight !
We have her exactly one month and she had two medical procedure in that short time, a lot for a little doggie.
Schatzi was listless, threw up and Andy thought, she looked " green".
Normally you don't get exited over just vomiting once. No breakfast the next day, not interested in dinner either. Nothing to eat, nothing to drink and still she threw up again. I saw tiny bright red spots when I wiped it up - to me, this means bleeding somewhere. Our vet's office was still open, but the doctors had left. So we went to the Emergency Clinic.
The doctor was very thorough and took plenty of time. Schatzi quiet and resigned.
The diagnosis : Probably an intestinal infection, with fever, half the heart rate she is supposed to have, severely dehydrated and a dangerous high count of red blood cells.
The doctor kept her overnight with an IV to rehydrate her, an injection of antibiotics, more blood counts and X rays of her tummy.
She is now on Clavamox for 7 days and eats several small servings of a bland diet .
A bland diet
------------
Choose One of the following protein choices :
1 jar chicken, turkey or beef baby meat
1 cup cooked and drained ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
Choose One of the carbohydrate sources:
2 cups well cooked white rice
2 cups well cooked pasta
Feed Schatzi a total of 1/3 to 1/2 cups divided into small feedings 3 to 4 times daily.
And water is the biggest problem. How do you bring the proverbial horse to the fountain and make her drink ? I just have to add water to Schatzi's food.
She is sleeping most of the day, covered all nested in her blanket, interested in food and actually drank a little water.
Things look better already.
We have her exactly one month and she had two medical procedure in that short time, a lot for a little doggie.
Schatzi was listless, threw up and Andy thought, she looked " green".
Normally you don't get exited over just vomiting once. No breakfast the next day, not interested in dinner either. Nothing to eat, nothing to drink and still she threw up again. I saw tiny bright red spots when I wiped it up - to me, this means bleeding somewhere. Our vet's office was still open, but the doctors had left. So we went to the Emergency Clinic.
The doctor was very thorough and took plenty of time. Schatzi quiet and resigned.
The diagnosis : Probably an intestinal infection, with fever, half the heart rate she is supposed to have, severely dehydrated and a dangerous high count of red blood cells.
The doctor kept her overnight with an IV to rehydrate her, an injection of antibiotics, more blood counts and X rays of her tummy.
She is now on Clavamox for 7 days and eats several small servings of a bland diet .
A bland diet
------------
Choose One of the following protein choices :
1 jar chicken, turkey or beef baby meat
1 cup cooked and drained ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
Choose One of the carbohydrate sources:
2 cups well cooked white rice
2 cups well cooked pasta
Feed Schatzi a total of 1/3 to 1/2 cups divided into small feedings 3 to 4 times daily.
And water is the biggest problem. How do you bring the proverbial horse to the fountain and make her drink ? I just have to add water to Schatzi's food.
She is sleeping most of the day, covered all nested in her blanket, interested in food and actually drank a little water.
Things look better already.
Good morning
Mornings is Schatzi's happiest playtime.
6:30 is time to wake up Dad.
She hops around the bed, races from top to bottom the tail flying and waving. Dad pets her, tussles her big hair, and tries to win a few more minutes peace.
The chewie comes out and she throws it around, hopping back and forth until it lands into the canyon down there somewhere.
Dad gets up, puts on warm clothes over the PJ and off they go to see if the back yard is still there.
The newly discovered western perimeter must be patrolled , there you can even look into the next yard ! Interesting view, since there is only a single fence on that side.
The east side has a double slatted fence, courtesy of Schnapps, our # 6.
He hated the neighbors on that side with a passion nipping them a few times. So Dad had no choice but to build a more secure fence, especially since Schnapps was so skinny, he fit right through it.
Schatzi follows the fox trail, occasionally finding a treasure ! A Pizza crust that the squirrels did not schlepp up the big tree and a dry piece of an apple that got over looked.
Running exuberant circles like a miniature pony around Dad who is getting colder by the minute, Schatzi is finally ready to go back in. Her knees must be getting better since she is exercising a little.
She is watching for her breakfast and finally made the big decision, that eating is more important with company than waiting until the kitchen is clear.
Tummy full, curled up and covered she takes a nap.
Schatzi is not good with cleaning the dishes.
She leaves a few little pieces which would have been unheard of in the dachsie's time . They all had their bowls, putting them down and saying the name at the same time prevented disagreements.
When they were all done with eating, Waldi waited for me to see if it is okay to check for left overs. It was always okay . You could have been putting the little bowls straight back into the cup board, so clean . Just kidding. Waldi also cleaned anything he could reach in the open dish washer.
He got enough treats, but some times you had to fake him out and everybody else too.
This I learned from Mausi in Germany.
Mausi is a wirehair dachsie and on a strict diet. Her mom takes a big plate and rubs liver wurst all over it. Mausi licks and licks and thinks she is getting a really big treat.
We let Ohren our # 2 dachsie clean a wide stainless steel pan too. He stood inside the pan with 2 paws, working hard like a dish washer in a steamy restaurant, almost taking off a layer of metal. Ohren had Cushing's disease and had an enormous appetite. The vet told us to add mashed green beans to his food. This would make more volume but not a lot of calories. Still, I think, he was always hungry.
Schnapps was starving when we got him. He weight 11 pounds, had a bacterial intestinal infection and you could see his ribs. He must have been on the street for a while, running with a gang of bigger dogs, the people in the Human Society told us.
No body inquired after him when he was jail. I like to think, his owner had to go into a home and who ever took him in, let him run away. Or how they do it in Germany when vacation time comes, they just kick the dog out on the Autobahn.
Schnapps ate a great big slice of german bread with liver wurst in the morning just as an appetizer. After taking Dad to work, all of them had the real breakfast.
6:30 is time to wake up Dad.
She hops around the bed, races from top to bottom the tail flying and waving. Dad pets her, tussles her big hair, and tries to win a few more minutes peace.
The chewie comes out and she throws it around, hopping back and forth until it lands into the canyon down there somewhere.
Dad gets up, puts on warm clothes over the PJ and off they go to see if the back yard is still there.
The newly discovered western perimeter must be patrolled , there you can even look into the next yard ! Interesting view, since there is only a single fence on that side.
The east side has a double slatted fence, courtesy of Schnapps, our # 6.
He hated the neighbors on that side with a passion nipping them a few times. So Dad had no choice but to build a more secure fence, especially since Schnapps was so skinny, he fit right through it.
Schatzi follows the fox trail, occasionally finding a treasure ! A Pizza crust that the squirrels did not schlepp up the big tree and a dry piece of an apple that got over looked.
Running exuberant circles like a miniature pony around Dad who is getting colder by the minute, Schatzi is finally ready to go back in. Her knees must be getting better since she is exercising a little.
She is watching for her breakfast and finally made the big decision, that eating is more important with company than waiting until the kitchen is clear.
Tummy full, curled up and covered she takes a nap.
Schatzi is not good with cleaning the dishes.
She leaves a few little pieces which would have been unheard of in the dachsie's time . They all had their bowls, putting them down and saying the name at the same time prevented disagreements.
When they were all done with eating, Waldi waited for me to see if it is okay to check for left overs. It was always okay . You could have been putting the little bowls straight back into the cup board, so clean . Just kidding. Waldi also cleaned anything he could reach in the open dish washer.
He got enough treats, but some times you had to fake him out and everybody else too.
This I learned from Mausi in Germany.
Mausi is a wirehair dachsie and on a strict diet. Her mom takes a big plate and rubs liver wurst all over it. Mausi licks and licks and thinks she is getting a really big treat.
We let Ohren our # 2 dachsie clean a wide stainless steel pan too. He stood inside the pan with 2 paws, working hard like a dish washer in a steamy restaurant, almost taking off a layer of metal. Ohren had Cushing's disease and had an enormous appetite. The vet told us to add mashed green beans to his food. This would make more volume but not a lot of calories. Still, I think, he was always hungry.
Schnapps was starving when we got him. He weight 11 pounds, had a bacterial intestinal infection and you could see his ribs. He must have been on the street for a while, running with a gang of bigger dogs, the people in the Human Society told us.
No body inquired after him when he was jail. I like to think, his owner had to go into a home and who ever took him in, let him run away. Or how they do it in Germany when vacation time comes, they just kick the dog out on the Autobahn.
Schnapps ate a great big slice of german bread with liver wurst in the morning just as an appetizer. After taking Dad to work, all of them had the real breakfast.
Oh no, I got yelled at !
Schatzi is not consistent yet.
Some days she is skittish, barely wants to be picked up by her Dad and turns her head or crouches down when I want to pet her.
Other days walking into the house from the backyard only works when you prop the door open . It was better, when she was still on the leash. Now she will not come in when you are holding the door open, or when she sees someone in her path.
Going outside is totally out of the question and way too much asked at this junction. This will require a semester of " Basic 101 : How to go into the back yard "
The question also remains : Is she house broken ? I have no idea. There are no accidents in the house because we take her out . But Schatzi never gives us an indication, that she wants to or has to go outside.
Eating anything out of my hand still does not work.
We both like almonds in the morning in bed. Edgar Cayce said this prevents cancer . We might as well give it a try, at least, it cannot hurt. I hope it works, but he was wrong with a few other things too. I can put an almond on the pillow with my finger touching and she will pick it up. But Schatzi will not take it when I am holding it.
A chewie and a biscuit make her little nose wiggle, but taking them out of my hand is not safe yet.
When Crissy and Mike come, the kitchen activity goes into high gear. There are extra bags flying around, pots and lids clanging, casseroles come from their hiding places, there are countless trips to both refrigerators, up and down the stairs and Crissy's high heeled boots banging on the floor.
Schatzi in her basket, with a mean look in her face, barked at Crissy furiously and had to be told several times " NO ".
She set off the door bell again -- what a voice ! Very impressive, but unfortunately she still had to be corrected.
All in all, it was not a good dinner, she got yelled at for the first time. And nobody liked that and felt guilty.
To make this evening end really bad, mom kicked her accidentally when Schatzi dashed under the kitchen table and they both collided
Some days she is skittish, barely wants to be picked up by her Dad and turns her head or crouches down when I want to pet her.
Other days walking into the house from the backyard only works when you prop the door open . It was better, when she was still on the leash. Now she will not come in when you are holding the door open, or when she sees someone in her path.
Going outside is totally out of the question and way too much asked at this junction. This will require a semester of " Basic 101 : How to go into the back yard "
The question also remains : Is she house broken ? I have no idea. There are no accidents in the house because we take her out . But Schatzi never gives us an indication, that she wants to or has to go outside.
Eating anything out of my hand still does not work.
We both like almonds in the morning in bed. Edgar Cayce said this prevents cancer . We might as well give it a try, at least, it cannot hurt. I hope it works, but he was wrong with a few other things too. I can put an almond on the pillow with my finger touching and she will pick it up. But Schatzi will not take it when I am holding it.
A chewie and a biscuit make her little nose wiggle, but taking them out of my hand is not safe yet.
When Crissy and Mike come, the kitchen activity goes into high gear. There are extra bags flying around, pots and lids clanging, casseroles come from their hiding places, there are countless trips to both refrigerators, up and down the stairs and Crissy's high heeled boots banging on the floor.
Schatzi in her basket, with a mean look in her face, barked at Crissy furiously and had to be told several times " NO ".
She set off the door bell again -- what a voice ! Very impressive, but unfortunately she still had to be corrected.
All in all, it was not a good dinner, she got yelled at for the first time. And nobody liked that and felt guilty.
To make this evening end really bad, mom kicked her accidentally when Schatzi dashed under the kitchen table and they both collided
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Doggie Blankets
Christmas snow flakes and Thunder -- this they should imitate in Hof !
The Germans are frequently in competition with me how warm it is here already. Did you buy bedding plants yet ? Not yet.
I am very happy about the big wet snow flakes and the moisture that will sink in slowly. I love it cool and and Schatzi seems to like it too. She still wears her big fur coat , not her choice , and loves to be covered up in her basket.
We have 6 doggie blankets. One for each dachsie and a clean set for when they are in the laundry. The blankets are all leftover sweat shirt pieces, chenille sweaters, that were good for one season and stretched to the next house , a lining from a winter coat from Dad and a Lufthansa blanket.
The airline blanket came from my mom. She was on the inaugural Frankfurt - Denver flight and she brought all kinds of gifts. " They gave it to me," she said. Some were souvenirs but not the pillow and the blanket. But Momi had serious dementia by then and did not make a distinction between what is her's and what 's not.
We still have a sheep skin car seat cover, about 40 years old. This covers the bottom of Schatzi's basket now.
There were two sheep skins in my father's Mercedes when Andy and Crissy were toddlers.
Going to Austria one summer, my father drove down a pass following the extremely winding road along a white water river. Both kids drinking a bottle with red Kool Aid got car sick and threw up over one of the seat covers.
The non red pieces turned into little winter coats for the dachsies. Fur on the inside, denim on top, very rugged and fashionable for the West.
When Waldi got older and had arthritis and Schnapps got sick, we had 2 big soft heated pillows for them. Fausti had hot flashes, she did not care for the heated baskets. The bigger pillow is still in use without the heater. The other one is used by Skeeter and Mandy, two black Schnoodles.
Rosalie gave me brushes and combs for Schatzi which came from Thor's estate.
Thor was a busy Pomeranian who worked in a salon. He was charming to the ladies and wrapped them around his paws and got good tips with doggie cookies and slices of turkeys and sausage.
Schatzi is on the fast track to expand her world. Contrary to a puppy, which is always in discovery mode and gets into all kind of trouble, Schatzi is like a blank canvas and is carefully adding paint to the picture.
She is now looking around the corner to peek into the living room through both kitchen doors. There better be no movement or talking to her -- or a super dash back to safety.
The same goes for Andy's basement apartment. She is stretched so far, practically laying on her tummy and sneaking a peek over the edge of the stairs to see what 's down there.
Since she is allowed to go without a leash in the backyard during the day she visits all kind of interesting spots and pees more often. This has to be better for her.
Do I hear a lawn mower ? Kids ? Or party noises on someone's deck ? Keep the door open, I am racing home !
The iron bladder is in effect again.
The Germans are frequently in competition with me how warm it is here already. Did you buy bedding plants yet ? Not yet.
I am very happy about the big wet snow flakes and the moisture that will sink in slowly. I love it cool and and Schatzi seems to like it too. She still wears her big fur coat , not her choice , and loves to be covered up in her basket.
We have 6 doggie blankets. One for each dachsie and a clean set for when they are in the laundry. The blankets are all leftover sweat shirt pieces, chenille sweaters, that were good for one season and stretched to the next house , a lining from a winter coat from Dad and a Lufthansa blanket.
The airline blanket came from my mom. She was on the inaugural Frankfurt - Denver flight and she brought all kinds of gifts. " They gave it to me," she said. Some were souvenirs but not the pillow and the blanket. But Momi had serious dementia by then and did not make a distinction between what is her's and what 's not.
We still have a sheep skin car seat cover, about 40 years old. This covers the bottom of Schatzi's basket now.
There were two sheep skins in my father's Mercedes when Andy and Crissy were toddlers.
Going to Austria one summer, my father drove down a pass following the extremely winding road along a white water river. Both kids drinking a bottle with red Kool Aid got car sick and threw up over one of the seat covers.
The non red pieces turned into little winter coats for the dachsies. Fur on the inside, denim on top, very rugged and fashionable for the West.
When Waldi got older and had arthritis and Schnapps got sick, we had 2 big soft heated pillows for them. Fausti had hot flashes, she did not care for the heated baskets. The bigger pillow is still in use without the heater. The other one is used by Skeeter and Mandy, two black Schnoodles.
Rosalie gave me brushes and combs for Schatzi which came from Thor's estate.
Thor was a busy Pomeranian who worked in a salon. He was charming to the ladies and wrapped them around his paws and got good tips with doggie cookies and slices of turkeys and sausage.
Schatzi is on the fast track to expand her world. Contrary to a puppy, which is always in discovery mode and gets into all kind of trouble, Schatzi is like a blank canvas and is carefully adding paint to the picture.
She is now looking around the corner to peek into the living room through both kitchen doors. There better be no movement or talking to her -- or a super dash back to safety.
The same goes for Andy's basement apartment. She is stretched so far, practically laying on her tummy and sneaking a peek over the edge of the stairs to see what 's down there.
Since she is allowed to go without a leash in the backyard during the day she visits all kind of interesting spots and pees more often. This has to be better for her.
Do I hear a lawn mower ? Kids ? Or party noises on someone's deck ? Keep the door open, I am racing home !
The iron bladder is in effect again.
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