CERFs

They'll both get numbers, but both have notations.
Bailey-patch of corneal endothelial pigment, inheritance unknown, not a problem now
Buzz-2 torsal gland tumors left upper eye lid (yep, you did just hear me sigh because now he needs a vet appointment to have them removed)

Their actual eyes are just fine and dandy. Dr. Schoster said that Buzz's eyes are starting to show his age, but he's still clear.

I've got their forms filled out already, just need to write out the check (it's nice that reCERFs are only $8/dog as opposed to $12/dog). Reasonable fee for today ($30/dog) and the place was easy to find (getting home was another story... I HATE DRIVING). We're done for another year now.

Bailey-agility photos

Here are the professional photos I ordered.

(what? she CAN jump properly?!?!)



click to make full size

grrrr...

Came home to hairy dogs, was expecting that. Not a problem at all. Talons for claws... disgusting but, it happens when they're not done for months. What I wasn't expecting is all of my animals being overweight suddenly. GRRRR! I actually agreed with my mom last time I was home that the dogs were both just a little too skinny. Uhh, that means give thema LITTLE more food per meal. Not a whole bunch! Very annoyed. Baby the kitty is finally at a good weight (she needed to gain) but the other two are FAT again, after I worked so hard to get it off of them. ARG! Very, very annoyed.

The good though... this morning, not thinking, I fed the dogs first and that puts Bailey eating food right where I and the cats need to walk to get downstairs so they can eat. NOT A GLANCE in their direction! WOOHOO! GOOD GIRLY! She was SO SO SO good! Eating FOOD as cats walked by. I'm absolutely shocked. Not something I planned on doing but it's nice to know that well, the meds are working! SOMETHING is working! YIPPY!

I still need to bathe/towel but I may cheat again. Spray her down, towel her and then I can strip her the same day!

Hopefully doing C-WAGS next week, so I suppose I'll have videos to post, though I don't know where I'll film.

Grooming ESS

Even though I do the cheater version... it's much more time consuming than just taking a clippers and shaving them nekkid and less time consuming than a full show coat groom (and I don't even think I could do that... if I had the patience for it).

I strip Buzz's jacket in the winter, but I typically clip him in the spring. Stripping is just fine and dandy when my fingers are used to it. When they're not I can do maybe half a jacket before I need a break. It's not the same as stripping a terrier, as I use a stripping knife and thinning shears but it's the same concept. Regardless of the difference in how I manage their jackets (uhh... the hair on their back is called their jacket, but Bailey also wears a jacket/coat after her bath but it's not like a winter jacket... I need new pictures), they both get the same feet (trim between pads/around toes/dremel nails), face/neck/ears/tail trim. I love it when they're "freshly" groomed. They look so purty. One of these days I will find someone to take pictures of us just goofing around, with them groomed all pretty-like. The worst part really is redrying their belly and leg feathering straight. Mostly because I don't have enough hands. Still mastering the art of holding the dryer on my shoulder with my chin so that I can comb and spray with my hands.

I like my dogs being hairy beasties becauase they look prettyful.
Bailey


Buzz (only semi-hairy)

baths

I haven't been home in a long time (I don't want to count because that would make me sad) so my mom decided the dogs needed baths. Since I wasn't there to do it, she schedule baths at the vet. I hope everything went ok. I wish we had good groomers near home. I'd LOVE it if I could trust someone to actually groom them, since I'm sure it's going to take me hours when I am home on the 21st. They're really easy to do but it's just time consuming. And I'm sure that since Bailey wasn't jacketed after her bath, I'll have to bathe/towel, then strip and scissor her jacket, which I hope I have time for! Ah well, it's a good thing I enjoy grooming. The Buzz man will be easy: feet/face/ears/tail. Easy peasy compared to Ms. Hairy Thang!

I want to work at P&C just for the grooming privileges!

Therapy Dog stuff

Got an email from my mom about possibly using Buzz at Camp Triumph next year. I'd be more than willing, but the issue is he'd need to carry his own insurance, which means Therapy Dogs International Inc, Therapy Dogs Inc, or Delta Society Therapy Dogs.

There's testers in Duluth and St. Paul for Delta Society Therapy Dogs (and I really like that organization more, from what I've read). And there's a test in Minneapolis on March 21, 2009.

I really don't want to do TDI again, but their test is November 30th in North Branch. Their requirements and such just seem (and seemed) crazy to me.

Therapy Dogs, Inc seems to have the best vaccine policy... if only I can find out about testing in my area. I do know someone on SitStay who does ThD stuff, so she could probably tell me.

It's nice to have options. Very nice.

I'd be very happy to use/bring Buzz to Camp Triumph, but not if it's going to endanger his health with extra, unnecessary vaccines.