Back in Business

After 2 weeks of no-jumping, no-playing, no-fun being grounded, Charlie seems fully recovered. Having taken a few days to ease him back into action, we've taken the barriers down, and Charlie is free to go where he will. He's still hesitant to jump up onto things, though. And we're actually using that to advantage... having reclaimed it, the humans intend to keep the bed!

Watchdog

Charlie loves his spot in my office in front of the glass door. From here he can keep track of me. And he can see (and warn of) all the dogs, bikes, skateboards, cars, delivery trucks and people that might, possibly, in some eventuality, under some circumstances, and, who knows, even quite probably pose a threat. On a day like today, he can even bask in the sun while doing it.

Watchful.

A good watchdog can sleep and watch at the same time.

"What?"

 

How to Ground a Golden

I'm sure this will cause Khyra and the other Sibes more snickering; I know it wouldn't work if Charlie were a husky...

Babygate at the top of the stairs

Barricaded steps up to the terraces.

Barricaded lower west-side yard.

Strict instructions to sleep on his *own* bed.

No playing "Chase Charlie".

Just one little patch of lower east-side yard to roam in long enough to do "business".

"Awww... mom... please please please can I go up there?"

The good news is that Charlie's definitely feeling better. Not quite to the point of challenging the "sleep on the dog-bed" rule, but when he snuck past the baby gate, he was able to come back up the stairs on his own. So there's definite progress.

One week down; one to go!

 

Charlie is Grounded!

After watchful waiting to see if he'd get better on his own, yesterday I took Charlie to the vet.

A little over a week ago, Charlie quit jumping. He quit climbing on me to sing, quit jumping on the bed to sleep, and quit leaping the terraces to explore and hunt kitty poo. Worse, he quit being able to easily climb stairs - a problem in a house built into a hillside. Especially when your mom can't carry you!


Despite the fact that he is getting a little better, and despite the fact that I'm getting used to having room to turn over in bed, he still couldn't climb stairs, so it was time to drag him to the vet. And I do mean drag --- the floors there are well-waxed or else I don't think we would have gotten him into the examining room.

Of course at the vet's Charlie was on his most perfect healthy-dog behavior. He jumped all over me. He trotted around. He went up and down stairs. X-rays showed no problems (whew!), but on probing, the doctor could detect some guarding in his left hip and knee.

So it's probably a soft tissue strain, good news I think. And the bad news for Charlie is, well, good news for me. Charlie is completely and utterly grounded. For two weeks. Two long weeks that he's only allowed outside long enough to do business on a leash. Two weeks he's not allowed to jump at all. Two more weeks of spacious restful sleep for me.

How Not to Fold a Car Cover

"Hi Mom! Need some help?"
"Oh, yeah, I'm feeling a little sleepy.
Maybe I should just take a nap right here?"
"Hey, finders keepers; it's MY cover, now!"
"Thanks, but I don't want the toy, I want the car cover."
"Yeah, I see the ball."
"Yeah, you threw the ball over there. So what?"
"I want it over HERE!"
"Don't mess with me. I'm a big scary dog!"
"...and I'll chew on you if you try to take MY car cover!"
A well-trained dog is a blessing.

 

Open Your Wallet

and donate to the Victoria RSPCA. It will not only help provide emergency veterinary assistance to animals affected by the terrible Australian bushfires, but it will also go to supplying animal food to relief centers, reuniting pets with their humans, and providing temporary shelter for animals. So you're not only supporting the animals, but you're also helping people who've been driven out of their homes not have to choose between caring for their human and their non-human family members.

Hey, Charlie did it online -- you can too!!


If you want to donate, but not online or with a credit card, the RSPCA website also provides instructions on sending a check or money order or doing a bank transfer. If none of these work for you, call them at +61 03 9224 2222 (the + means dial your outgoing country code first, e.g. 011 if you're dialing from the US or 00 from Malaysia -- here's a site that can help you if you need it). The RSPCA welcomes international donations, so don't be shy!

Stay Safe

Our thoughts and prayers are with all our Aussie friends who are dealing with the terrible bushfires in Victoria.


The next few days threaten a wind change that could merge two fires still burning out of control. So our friends are not out of danger yet, but we hope the worst is over. If you get a chance, stop by and wish them doGspeed.

Big Charlie and Opy
Ellie and Baz
Penny
Asta (down under)

Hang in there, guys!

(Let me know if I've missed anyone.)

Patrolling Together

"You take the right, I'll take the left"

Conservation

A dog at rest tends to stay at rest...

...unless acted upon by an external force.

This One's for You, Mary!

Charlie's a happy guy! His Aunt Mary is home and recovering nicely after a recent little hospital experience. Yippee!!

Since she lives farther north, where it's months away from spring, we decided to give her a little taste of the coming flower parade to help keep her speeding along the road to recovery.

The daffodil foliage is sprouting.

And the snowdrops will be popping soon.

Then the camelias.

Followed by the azalieas.

And, of course, yummy sticks are always in season!

Keep getting better, Mary. Charlie says so!!

 

Putting Roo to Bed

Who knows how dogs think? I don't claim to. But as he's become more trustworthy with Roo, we've let Charlie have it more. He carries it everywhere. And I think he's now putting it to bed. At least that's what it looks like.


Almost every night, after "saying 'goodnight' to the yard," Charlie will pick up Roo and carry him into the bedroom. He then jumps on the bed, goes to the head, paws down the covers and drops Roo on or about the pillows (which was a lot cuter before Roo began taking on the color of Iams minichunks). Sometimes he even, and I swear I saw him do this once, pulls the covers back up over Roo... tucking him in sweetly.

I don't know what it means. I just report the facts. But it's pretty cute to watch. And it'll be even cuter once Roo gets a bath!

358 More Days Until Christmas Again, Sigh...

Merry Christmas!

We wish you and your peeps the merriest of holidays! Stay safe, eat lots of treats, and if the turkey presents itself --- well, try not to get caught!!


Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

Blazing a Trail for Pouncer

With over a foot of snow on the ground, the only way Pouncer can get anywhere is to follow in Charlie's footsteps.

Where Charlie goes...
...kitties follow.

OMG - Charlie's Up to His A(xle)s in Snow!

This morning we awoke to another 6 inches of snow, for a total of 12. It wouldn't be that unusual in Indiana, where Charlie & I are both from, but here... WOW! They're calling it a 50-yr snow in Portland, so we'll be out enjoying it -- probably won't see it again like this here!

Winter Snow

We had an amazing snow yesterday. Usually Portland gets a little bit in the winter, but there's 5 or 6 inches on the ground now. Apparently we got a little liquid precip last night, too, because this morning there's a thick icy crust on top -- almost thick and strong enough to hold Charlie up. Almost.


While he likes snow just fine, Charlie doesn't like breaking through that crust one bit, and for awhile pretty much refused to go back outside. Now I've got a path broken and, with a liberal sprinkling of treats, convinced him that it's kind of ok. But it may take an actual "walk" to get any business going today. We'll see.

Shaking Off the Winter Doldrums

A Pressie from Down Under

Recently Charlie received a very special package -- a stuffed 'roo from C$ and his family in Australia.

"Hmmm... smells good."
"Hmmm... tastes good."
"What's in there?"
"Here, I'll help."
"C'mere, you!"
"What are you? You don't look like a cat..."
Getting the cat "treatment", anyway.
Charlie and Roo.
This is Charlie's first stuffed toy in a long long long time. Not because he doesn't like them (he loved them) -- but because he eats them. As in "down the hatch", "chew, swallow, and repeat"... you get the picture. So I was curious to see his (supervised) reaction, now that he's a few years older.

At first, Charlie didn't seem to know what to do with the toy. He sniffed it cautiously and went to lie elsewhere. With some coaxing he gradually warmed up to it a little, even giving it the kitty 'sniff under the tail' routine. But he still wouldn't play with it.

I went in the bedroom to do some things, (accidently) leaving Charlie unsupervised in the living room with the toy. A few minutes later, I looked over and there it was - on the bed! As I watched, Charlie came back in the room, picked up the 'roo and proceeded to pace the house, carrying it in his mouth.

So now it's not "the toy" or "the 'roo", it's Roo. And Roo now plays a prominent role in "Chase Charlie", replacing the ball that Charlie likes to run with. Charlie still only gets supervised visits. But he often initiates them, going over to the mantel where Roo lives and staring longingly.

Thanks C$, Brooke, Greg, & Opie! For the toy and for helping Charlie show me how much he's grown up.