Stay-cation with my grand dogs

Well, here I am on another Stay-cation with my grand dogs ... and extended 10 day stay-cation ... and I am on day 5 as I write.

On a previous stay-cation with my furry grand babies I waxed poetic on how restful and free these stays are.

He is a little large to sit on my lap, but his head fits just fine.

Liv is even larger.  She seldom sits by me, except for the first 24 hours when she is feeling a
bit lost by the absence of her owners.

I sleep at my son's house, I stay until about noon each day, when I drive to my home (about a 20 minutes away) to check in on my husband and to see he has dinner - then I return back to the dogs around 5 or 6 to spend the evening till noon the next day.  During these times, the only things scheduled are making these trips, making dinner and maybe a load of laundry.  The rest of the time is mine.  Knitting, binge watching TV series and dog love.

Except this time!

We have had a few problems medical problems - dog medical problems - this time.

Olivia, Liv for short, takes these absences of her family very personally.  She is a rescue.  She has abandonment issues I am sure.  She gets diarrhea - sometimes bloody diarrhea - when her owners are absent on trips.  This time it was 'normal' diarrhea, because they started her on medications before they left - and - also an additional medication should it be needed.  It was!  This problem is under control and she is adjusting.  She loves grandma (me).  But I am second best.  She can take second best when she has no choice.  On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being a scuzzy scum-ball of a human who hates dogs ... I will be raised from my normal position of 2.0 to 1.5 by the time her 'parents' return.  She is also the smart dog.  Very very smart.  Scary smart.  So I will never be #1 because she will never forget her resucers!  My son and daughter-in-law.  She will never be abandoned again.  If something should happen to my children - I would take her!  But she doesn't know that.  Poor baby.  I am happy with being 1.5 in her life for this 10 days.

Now, Rags!  The total opposite of Liv.  He has never been abandon.  In fact, my son paid thousands of dollars for his little butt from the breeder - his little English Bull Dog butt!  He is a lot of things:  very self confident, very energetic, very determined, very stubborn, VERY Bull Dog!  Except that as a full blooded English Bull Dog, he comes with all the typical inherited English Bull Dog medical issues.  I arrived 5 days ago to dog sit.  He was fine.  Three days ago he was licking his paws.

The start of a swelling in his left foot between the toes.

I noticed a swelling between his toes on one foot.  He has had these before, Interdigital Cysts.  I also noticed that one of the face wrinkles was red and weepy - and not a pretty color when spread open.  Two days ago I got him into his vet - a family vet who knows us well.  Three feet had cysts - one foot was infected and his wrinkle was infected.  We left with an antibiotic shot - good for 2 weeks - ointment for the toes and face and instructions.  Orders to return in a week.  Today things look little better, but one of his feet had some bleeding.  It has stopped now but ...

So here is what he looks like when I am gone - visiting my husband!  Pretty sad!

It is the only way to keep him from licking his toes in my absence.

And when I return - there is much joy!

They have a very large fenced in yard where they can safely
run and be crazy.

So this Stay-Vacation has included some nursing duties!  Good thing I have previous medical training - and I am not shy of diarrhea, blood, or icky green fluid build ups in a facial wrinkle.  And I am as determined and persistent as he is ... He sees me coming with tissues and he knows its wrinkle dab clean up time - and he goes in the other direction!!  Ha!  Grandma the enforcer is on the job!

Where do I rate on that 1 to 5 scale with him?  Remarkably I am sitting in #1 right now.  He is a smart bulldog - a fact he keeps hidden.  He is a forgiving bulldog - a fact he demonstrates all the time.  He is not worried about being abandoned.  He doesn't even know what "abandon" means.  He looks better today!  'Looks' are all I have to go on - because he acts very self confident, very energetic, very determined, very stubborn, VERY Bull Dog - even with his problems! Haha!

I know I will slip to #2 when his mom and dad return.  I am ok with that.

A Solid #2

That's me!

My Last Week

I have to say - the last week was pretty darn wonderful.  I know I set the bar pretty darn low on the "wonderful" scale, but it was.

My son, daughter-in-law and grand daughter were on a trip to Disney World in Florida.  As the official dog grandma, I get to spend quality dog sitting time with their funny and crazy dogs when they travel.  The white English Bull Dog is Ragnar - Rags for short.  The mixed Hound and Mountain dog mix is Olivia, Livvy for short.  They live about 20 minutes from me.

Rags - a photogenic little guy!

And a busy guy - always on the run.

They are good friends generally.

Olivia is the smart one - like really smart!
Scary smart!  

Since these wonderful creatures are yard trained dogs vs leash trained dogs, I find it easier to pack my bags and move in with them for dog sitting.  I travel back home every afternoon to spend time with my husband and make him dinner - then I travel back to my exuberant charges who are always over joyed to see me.

What makes this time so special - beyond getting quality time with these mutts?  The answer is easy.  I do NOTHING.  Beyond making sure they are fed, medicated, and loved - and yard time of course, the time is my own.

And yard time does not involve just opening the door and letting them run!  Oh no.  If I do that, they pee and then return to the door looking in with sorrow in their eyes.  Yard time must include Grand ma standing in the yard and watching them.  The 'watching them' is critical to them having fun.  It is like they are performing for my enjoyment!  And, in truth, I do get enjoyment watching them run and play.

Beyond that - I do nothing.  Absolutely NOTHING.  It is grand beyond measure.

This visit, however, I had two very selfish goals!

Goal #1: Watch as much as I could of Game of Thrones on their cable connection (I did see the final episode in really time with the rest of the world.  Thrilling!)  And I was re-watching the previous episodes.  I made it through Season 5!  I will check out season 6 and 7 from  the Library.

Goal #2: Finish knitting Esk's dress while I watch Game of Thrones. I am at the hem.  Almost!

I didn't complete either goal - and you know ... that was ok!

I don't answer the phone, I don't talk to anyone, or do any household chores.  I eat and snack when I want to and what I want (sharing, of course, with my mutts), but except for my time at home in the afternoons with my husband, my time is my own.  It is freedom.

There is only one little downside - they wake and greet the morning at 5:30 am.  I do not!  BUT those early mornings did extend my day about 2 hours so that I had more Game of Thrones time and more knitting time.  Ha!  Who says there isn't a silver lining to every cloud!

Now back to the real world!

Grand dog sitting

So I am watching these two sweet dogs this week - my grand dogs.  Ragnar, Rags for short, is the white English Bulldog on the left, and Olivia, Liv for short, is the hound mountain dog mix on the right.  Rags came to us as a puppy.  Olivia was a rescue coming to us at approximately the age of 2.  They are buds.

This week my son and his wife are out of town and I am their regular dog sitter.  At times in the past I have kept them at the condo with marginal success.  They are big dogs with lots of strength.  Together they can easily overpower me if they are on leashes.  Individually I can manage them.  But they are really 'house' dogs - not 'condo' dogs - and they don't always understand the noise limitations of living so close to other people.  And they are used to their large fenced in yard - as pictured above - leash walking is sometimes hard.   So I decided to 'live' at their house with them and come back to the condo to visit with my husband each day.

And usually, dog sitting at their house is uneventful ... except when it is not!  Like Saturday.

Saturday I arrived at the house.  My son and his wife had already left.  The dogs were waiting excitedly for me.  A full week of Grandma - who spoils them, and loves them, and gives them treats for just breathing!!

To blow off some of their steam at my arrival, I opened the kitchen slider and let them run in their yard.  I proceeded to get myself unpacked.

At some point I opened the door and called for them.  Rags came running from somewhere deep in the yard at full gallop.  He raced for his water bowl.  He was alone.  No Liv.  I called for her again.  Nothing.  No worries.  She probably was fully engaged with a delicious scent she could not let go of (part hound after all) and I let Rags back out in the yard again.

I walked along the back of the house to the far side of the yard - calling her name, stepping carefully to avoid poop and dodging Rags who was still exuberant.  I didn't see her.  She didn't seem to be anywhere in the yard.  A small little voice of worry crept into my mind.

I turned and started walking carefully back the way I came, looking in the bushes and up the hill.  I was about halfway back when I realized that Rags was circling me and running back to where we had been - over and over again.  Hmm... I turned around and walked back.

When I got to the end of the yard, I noticed that Rags was walking behind a shed and running back out again.  It didn't take long for me to discover this ...

There she was!  Obviously under the shed and stuck!  She had squeezed in a small spot closer to the other side and could not figure out how to back out.  Actually she may have had very little room to make any adjustments except to go forward.

And, of course, Rags was so frustrated because Liv was 'having all the fun' and he couldn't get his chunky little body in that space.  (Liv normally is the brains of the pair - but she didn't show good judgement this time.). I had to take Rags back into the house - because he was 'helping' just too much.

And then I had to dig her out.  When we were done - she could squeeze out and she was very joyful.  Grandma had saved her.  The space, however, looked like this.

Just too inviting for another visit.  

One episode like this was enough for me.  

So I spent some time lifting and repositioning some cement blocks in that space.

That little episode took a few years off my life.  I don't have that many to spare.  But I knew I was getting her out, even if I had to call Rescue 911 - and have the fire fighters come.  

When we were done with this little escapade, the sun was starting to set.

Olivia has proven to be an exceptionally smart dog in many ways since we got her.  

Her vocabulary is impressive.  

She is very careful around my legally blind husband

 and waits patiently for me when she and I are going down my condo hall steps together.

But this day, she let her 'hound brain' take over!!

Love her bunches!!

Even the hound parts.

Prepared! Ready!

Who says you can't teach an 'old dog' new tricks?

  The 'old dog,' who is me ... 

is being taught by a young dog, 

who is Ragnar - or Rags, my new grand pup.

Ragnar - Rags

My son and daughter-in-law will be out of town for a week starting next Thursday.  Rags and Liv will be with me.  In preparation for this week long event, I suggested that Rags spend this weekend with me - just so I could do a dry run and be ready.

So Rags came to my house yesterday afternoon.  The day-before preparation looked a lot like this:

• Vacuumed the whole first level - so that no small objects, or leaves, or dust bunnies, or anything that could be found and swallowed.
• Strategically positioned paper towels and Nature's Miracle Pet treatment around the house for puppy accidents.
• Covered couch with crib pads.
• Set out chew bones for a small teething mouth.
• Arranged pet gates.
• Planned easy heat up left overs for 2 dinners - no elaborate cooking.
• Cleared to-do lists of everything - except Rags duty.

I was prepared.  I was ready.  

The first day went fine.  So fine, that when I reported back to my son after about 6 hours his comment was ... "So you get the calm sleeping puppy and I get the hound from hell."  Ha!

Last night.  Peaceful Pup!

Secretly I thought ... I am prepared.  I am ready.

Publicly I said ... oh, there is only one dog here, and Rags got a chance to play with the neighbor dog  so he is tired, and it is all new so he probably is just off his game a bit, and ... and ... and ...

BUT secretly I was thinking ... prepared and ready. (insert smug tone of voice here.)

Even as early as 6:00 am this morning I was thinking ... this will be a piece of cake.

Prepared! Ready!

Then I opened the crate door and let the fully rested happy puppy free.

Honeymoon was over.

A partial play-by-play:

• Out the front door for pee and poop.  Good dog.
• Puppy eyes noticed a yard full of cookies (mulch) - yikes!  Not good.  Much digging in his mouth to remove stuff. 
• Back in for his breakfast (eaten with breath taking speed!  So much for my own potty break.)
• Opps.  Poop on the rug!  Lesson #1 - always, always, always take puppy right out after eating.  Always! No matter how much they pooped and peed outside in the last 10 minutes, always!
• Out the door to pee!  Another mouth sweep for mulch cookies.  Another poop!  (wow, 3 poops).  Clean bottom of shoe of poop. *sigh*  Bright side, however, pooping done!
• Back in for more play .. and water. 
• Play with Grandma as she closes the sofa bed and covers the couch.  Puppy eyes - New game!!  tug of war with couch cover.  Lesson #2 - crate the pup if you want to do something that normally takes 10 minutes but with 'help' ... takes 60.
• Squat to pee on the rug - Lesson #3 - set the timer for 15-20 minutes reminders to take the puppy out. 
• Ding!  Timer goes off.  Out again.  Pee again. Poop again. (AGAIN! - this little dog is all colon.) Mouth sweep - AGAIN!
• Back in for more 'games."  Re-set the timer.
• Puppy Eyes - New Game!! The 'attitude adjustment spray water bottle' ... never assume it will be taken seriously.  Lesson #4 - EVERYTHING can be a toy, even a spray of water in the face.
• Barriers are no barriers for big bull doggie paws.  *sigh* Lesson #5 - wedge barriers firmly - and hope that visually impaired husband doesn't trip because he forgot about the gates.
• Ding!  And we are off and running again.

Those are big doggy paws.  I wonder about them!

All that before my morning coffee!

Later, nap time on the couch with Grandma!  It is 10:30 am.  Busy, busy morning for all.

Playing with a toy that no one has played with for probably 2 years.

Just like child birth, however, you forget what a pain he has been when he sits at your feet and looks up at you with that sweet puppy dog stare and that stubby tail shake.  He follows me all over.  Loves to sit or play touching some part of you.  I suppose he might take me more seriously if I wasn't laughing the whole time.

He loves to stay glued to your ankles.

It has been just a wonderful morning!  

Really!  

Puppy love.  It isn't forever.  Enjoy the ride.

Nothing says "I love you Grandma" than those eyes!

Life goes on ...

Our family are devoted pet owners.  

And "devoted" may be interpreted as obsessed.

We are truly obsessed with loving and sharing our lives with our furry family members.

Recently one family member, my Pug grand dog, Grimace, passed away.  

We are still in mourning for that dear soul. 

If we could somehow get him back whole and happy,

we would do it.

But life goes on ... each moment moves us in a different direction. 

And there are so many sweet little fur faces out there.

Here is my son's next sweet little guy.

Meet my new grand dog baby!

He is an English Bull Dog who is about 8 weeks old.  Right now his name is Sampson - the name the breeder gave him, but by Friday, the day my son picks him up, the name will be something else.

This little guy has wrinkles to spare and he has that wrinkly frowny face so typical of English Bull Dogs down pat already.  No need to wait until he is 5 or 6 years old to see it evolve!  We do love our smoosh face dogs.  Ha!

My heart still breaks for my dear Grimace, but there is room for this little guy to find a place there and start setting down roots.

So meet my next heart break - 8 to 10 years out into the future.

They just don't live long enough!

How can you not love that face!

The day after ...

 When a pet gives you his heart ... it is hard to not return the affection.

This is Grimace.  

He is my son's dog and Grimace loves his "papa" very very much.

He came into our lives as a rescue at the age of 3.  He made such a difference in our lives.

Such unqualified love and devotion he shared with all his family.

At some point he discovered he had a grandma.  

That discovery led to 11 years of a loving relationship that grew and grew and grew.

There was nothing I wouldn't do for my soul mate.

Towards the end of his life we became so close.

Yesterday, at the age of 14 1/2 my dear Grimmy's life came to an end.

 I was at his side.

He struggled and struggled until the very end.

I kissed his dear face, rubbed his floppy ears and gave him a last hug.

It was my last loving gift to him - letting go!

Today is the day after.

I am lost without him.

Start the New Year Right!!

I am starting the New Year right. 

Meet my adorable grand dogs who fill so many of my retired hours.

Grimace - my senior guy.
Grimace inherited the role of "King" and elder statesman of
our canines after Meathead died.  Grimace never wanted to be King, but
we all have to do things we don't want to do sometimes.

Dear, dear Grimace is my heart and soul.  All dogs have their unique inherited qualities.  Pugs are known most for being companion animals.  They are happy, cheerful, devoted, and, well ... stalkers.  I use the word "stalkers" in the most loving way.  Pugs MUST be at your side - even when you are planted on the toilet.  I know all dogs want to be with their owners, but Pugs value it at a level of importance equal to breathing.  No place is too horrible for them to follow you.  He has chosen his Grandma as his special person.  Grimace managed to squeak ahead of all the other pets in my heart  (including my own cats) through his blind devotion to me.  I think I am tied with his Papa, my son, in his heart.  He is an old guy now - about 13 years old.  He can't hear a thing and his vision is terribly compromised, but his heart is bigger than ever - and full of love.  Me too, dear Grimace.  Me too.  When your time comes to cross over the rainbow bridge to join your buddy Meathead, your Grandma's heart will be more than broken.  It will shatter into a million pieces.  Live a long long life my little buddy.

Milo - who has Napoleon tendencies!
Milo wanted to be 'king' from the moment he knew there was a 'king.'
Wait your turn, Mr. Milo.
Look at that cute face - how can you deny him anything!
Ok dear Milo, I will give you France!

Milo is a French Bull Dog.  That should explain EVERYTHING!  He is a handsome, affectionate, and cuddle bug who has delusions of grandeur and world domination - and who loves his mom (my daughter) above all others in the whole world.  Grandma is mom's back up and second in line.  French Bull Dogs are natural alert dogs. They alert you to all kinds of things.  Bad guys, good guys, delivery folks, kids playing outside, squirrels, leaves falling from the trees, a breeze.  There is no filter on that alert thing (barking) that they do. It is a busy life when you are a French Bull Dog.  He is at his best when he isn't sharing ... not sharing his toys ... not sharing his bones ... not sharing his peoples.  I know how you feel, dear Milo.  I am not a big sharer either.  Grandma loves your quirky little personality - and she wouldn't change one thing about you.  Well ... maybe you could be nicer to Grimace since he is the "King" now, but otherwise you are perfect.

Olivia - or Livvy for short  (Sometime I call her 'girlfriend')
She is a polite, sweet, sensitive lady dog
 with baggage left over from a previous life.

Livvy is the latest addition to our family.  Olivia was rescued from a local no-kill shelter.  She was first adopted as a puppy by a shelter volunteer.  Two years into her 'forever home' her owner got cancer and died.  She was returned to the shelter after the adult children of the deceased owner determined they could not keep her.  She lived another month in the shelter until my daughter-in-law noticed her and recognized her worth.  At the time our family was recovering from the death of our beloved English Bull Dog, Meathead.  For Livvy and my daughter-in-law, it was love at first sight.  Livvy is a hound and Swiss Mountain Dog mix.  She is living proof that given enough time, patience and love, a shelter dog with a rocky start in life can make a sensational addition to the family.  My own status with Livvy falls somewhere behind my daughter-in-law (1st) and my son (2nd). And I have worked very hard - very, very hard - for 3rd place and her trust.  She is a gentle soul with many insecurities but we love, love, love the sweet charming personality she has finally let us see.  Livvy, you are now, finally, in your forever family!

As in past Christmases, I made my grand dogs their own holiday cookies ... from this book.

Yes, I bought this book mostly because there was an English Bull Dog on the cover!
But the recipes are very dog-dietary healthy and tasty.

The liver cookies are made with whole wheat flour, brown rice and, of course, liver!  What else would a loving grandmother do for her grand babies.

The first time I made these cookies I didn't have a cookie cutter.  I just made round disks out of the rolled out dough.  I had a plate of baked ones sitting on the kitchen counter cooling that year - when my husband passed through the kitchen.  He came into the living room munching and said quite causally, "so these are not chocolate chip cookies, are they."  Ha!

The next year I had a dog bone cookie cutter!

Anyway, today is New Year's Day!

  It is the first day of what I expect will be a sensational year!

  What better way to start the New Year then with my sensational grand-dogs.

All admiring comments
of my terribly good looking grand-dogs,
gratefully accepted!

Happy New Year All!

Love runs deep ...

... when you give your heart to a pet.

On this day a year ago, we lost a piece of our soul ... our family's soul.

Meathead, my son's English Bull Dog and my grand dog, passed away at his home a year ago.  He left such a big hole in all our hearts.  To this day we still mourn his death.

A looker!!
Meaty as a younger guy - charming, yet a stud muffin even from day one.

A few pictures of a short life well lived as a devoted family member.  

Cared for.
Struggled with bath time, but don't we all.

Pampered.
His grandmother always made sure there was a pillow to rest his chin on.

Devoted.
Recovering with his Papa from a near death illness
one year before he died.
One of my favorite pictures.

Adored.
Tucked firmly away in his Aunt's heart.
Such an old old guy in this picture.

Dear Meathead,

Rest in peace my sweet grand boy.

Your time with us was too short.  

But I know you stuck around as long as you possibly could,

  even though the last years were hard for you.

  Although I have many questions surrounding the afterlife

 I never doubt for a single minute that you are there waiting somewhere

for your family

 in whatever serves as a "heaven."

The thought of anything else is just too painful to bear.

Love,

Grandma  

A Yearly Bath

Trust no one!

Really!

Trust no one!

So here I am, the Meathead, the main dog, the man ...

at my Papa's camp grounds.  

Soaking in the beautiful sun.  

Life is good!  I am with all my peoples.

  No problems on my radar!

Suddenly the sun is blocked - by too many bodies!

Hmmm... too much attention focused on me!

Hey, Meathead, Milo here.  This doesn't look good.  Not good.

Not good at all!

What!!!  Water on my back?

I think I remember this happening before.

This is not a good development!

Crap!  Soap!  

This is not going to throw me!

  Proceed with dignity!

Sigh!  Water again!  

OK, guys.  You knew this was coming. 

The Shake!

Ah, better.

This is unacceptable.  I am not happy.

I will not forget!  

I am never going to forget this, Grandma.  You could have rescued me instead of taking pictures.

My eyes are closed. My expectations are totally dashed!  

Finally.  A towel!  

I repeat!  

Trust no one.