Category Archives: dogs

Jul3

Tick Talk

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Ticks.

Not a critter I ever saw in Florida, and only once in Ohio.

Saw one in Ireland, in May, in a forestry planted forest. I can’t recall when, but it was probably ten years ago.

Himself and I went out foraging for mushrooms at the end of May; no luck, but I did find a tick on my belly a few hours later. I felt a small bump and figured it was a cat-scab (Lumi does like to make biscuits on all of my parts when he is feeling cute). I tried to scratch it off, it didn’t go, I tried harder, no luck. Tried really hard and it made a sound when it came off, a pop. Well hell I know scabs don’t make popping sounds! Yep, a wee tick, and I took it off by accident in the worst way. In any case, it was off, and I’m fine.

Now we all have an awareness ticks are about and local, right?

Fast forward to this week. Himself and I are about to go to bed. He is looking at something on the kitchen floor I cannot see (took my glasses off). ”

“What is that? It looks weird. What is it?” he asks.

“I got no idea, I can’t see shit.”

Figuring it’s a bit of food or something the animals have done (poo, puke, who knows), I grab a napkin and pick it up.

It is a huge, huge, squashed tick. Blood everywhere. Interestingly, it is still quite red, not the black or very dark brown of digested blood.

“Huh. It’s a dead smashed tick. Must have come off the dog? How did it get smushed?” I look at my bare feet. One is clean, one is covered in tick-dog blood in little round spots. So is most of the kitchen floor.

“Dammit.”

Apr21

Whaaat?

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The dog is shedding again. She’s an American Akita, so blows her coat twice a year – but man, to me it feels like she never stops! I brushed the hell out of her yesterday and only got about half of it out (if even).

Lumi, however, thought this was the best thing ever. To be honest, anything new to him is The Best Thing Ever. I’ve never had a more inquisitive cat in my life. He was right there underfoot, all six feet that were involved, and adding his four to the mix. Neko was not pleased as she always thinks I’m scary, and a cat sniffing around her feet didn’t help! She put up with it, anyway, and after I fought the static-cling and released her from the torture, I was left with half my kitchen covered in dog hair. 

And Lumi, still fascinated by the carnage.


Of course there is Lokii too, having a quick sniff and running off. But look at Lumi’s face! This needs a good caption.

Any takers? 

Feb4

I’m an Eejit – but LOOK at my Furry Ones Being Clever

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This is Lumi and Neko having their very first play session! 

Neko is trying to play with him like she did with Spot – but Lumi has no idea what is going on or what she expects of him.
I am very proud of them both. Neko is so gentle and always has her lips curled tight to her teeth to make sure she doesn’t do any harm. I do worry about those big feet of hers but she never stepped on him once. And Lumi? Just laid there purring while being poked by a giant dog and being drooled upon. Good wee man, just 8 months old now.

Apologies for my pyjamas being in shot. A Christmas gift and I needed to do laundry… But, I was standing there, refereeing, just in case.

Why am I an eejit? Because I still can’t remember how to embed a video in a post. So stupid me has to do a linky-dink to share this. Doh!

Jun1

I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watching Me

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In keeping with the last post with a musical title.

Our next door neighbors have started to let their cat outside. She is spayed, and has a bell on her collar – both good things!

But man, she sure pisses my Spottie-Cat off! The dog doesn’t know what to think. Chase? Not chase? She usually picks ‘whining in just that high-pitched-note that makes Spiders want to scream.’

Feb8

Musing on Cats vs Dogs

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I just watched iDJ succumb to the cats begging for treats, again. They know where we keep the treats, and pester him until he caves. This is not something I would ever do, but they have him sussed and play him like a piano.

Because he is a big softie and thinks that animals have human emotions like jealousy, he also gives the dog a treat after he gets suckered into the cats’ pleadings. 

This is something I strongly disagree with. The dog could kill any cat without trying very hard at all, and relating their food to her food is a terrible idea. She is food-motivated, unlike our previous dog, and hubby just doesn’t get the difference in how she thinks. The only good thing he does is to make sure that the cats get theirs first, which is vital to keeping the cats above the dog in pack order. 

   
All of that isn’t actually why I’m writing this. It’s because the dog eats her treat as fast as possible and then goes running back to iDJ, looking for more. Which never happens. Ever. It doesn’t seem to matter, however. She scarfs up the treat with barely a chance to taste it, and hopes for more she can’t even savour.

The cats? They have had theirs, and are happy with what they have gotten, and proceed to leave him alone for a few hours.

I’m pretty sure this is why I’m more of a cat-person. I understand their thinking, and have more respect for it. I can’t really ever understand why you would rush through a pleasurable experience. Especially when there is zero chance of another one happening right away.

I wonder how many humans act this way? 

May26

Please… A plea from the Heart

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I know I personally don’t like to sign up to anything online that wants my email address. But The Petition Site has proven to me that they don’t sell my address over the years I’ve used it. You also can opt out of posting your name publicly.

So please – if you are reluctant to sign an online petition for those reasons, change your mind for this? “Stop killing stray dogs/cats and initiate a humane Stray Animal Management in Bar, Montenegro”

One of the first blogs I ever followed and had follow me in return was all about a simply stunning Oriental Shorthair named Osyaka. In the years that we have been blog buddies, I have come to call her a friend.

However, what she does when not taking stunning photos of her beautiful cat is heart-wrenchingly hard. Hard to read about, hard to see, and hard on her mentally, financially and physically.

My friend has a mission to help the cats of Montenegro, where she lives. It is a beautiful place, a member of the UN and an applicant to the European Union, with a harsh history of war and has only been independent since 2006. Montenegro is putting a lot of effort into to be a tourist destination and has had good success.

However, they aren’t taking care of their animals. Stray dogs and cats roam the streets. The dogs are roaming in packs and killing the stray cats. There are no shelters. Worst of all, the animals that don’t die by other means are being poisoned secretly without any interference by – and possibly the support of – the authorities.

Visit my friend’s blog here: The Cats of Montenegro Not updated recently, there are still enough photos and stories there to break your heart. Her Facebook page and Twitter have a lot of updates.

Please sign, please share. No one is listening unless we shout loud.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/737/955/372/?taf_id=13820749&cid=fb_na#

 Dog pack running wild in Bar, Montenegro. 

  Moosia, who has a tumour and is getting surgery but will be back on the streets if no one adopts her.

  He used to have two eyes, before he got sick. 

Apr17

Forgot to Title… Meh.

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I’m currently fighting for space in front of the fire with the two boys. I can’t get a picture as it is too dark, but Lokii is jammed between my thighs and Spot is making sure that I cannot stretch my legs.

Oh wait, iDJ just came in and I got him to take a pic of us. This is live-blogging, folks!

 

He Himself has recently brought to the house his old electric guitar, and bought a small amplifier. He was just playing, and I tried to get a pic but he stopped too soon. He is going to figure out how to hook up a microphone to the amp so I can sing while he plays. This is something I’ve wanted us to do together for a very long time!

 

An earlier, ‘action shot’ of Lokii when he was doing his stretching exercises. Along with my feet still in winter indoor booties and the dog bed (brown thing with green fluff) that Lokii is entirely responsible for chewing up. Little shithead.

I think our robins have abandoned the hose-reel nest. They weren’t expecting us to be outside so much, or throwing smoke in their faces every weekend when we grill. iDJ just loves to grill.

 

Not taken tonight: this was last weekend. But since I have shared kitty pics, I must include a doggie pic of Neko looking so sad that she can’t have BBQ. Tonight we are having sausages, drumsticks, and my homemade hamburgers. Maybe an ear of corn for me, if I get up away from the lovely fire and open the oh-so-difficult package of Spanish corn for him. *snark*

Back to the birds – we bought them dried mealworms. Because, supposedly, robins love them. I opened the package and they smelled really good. So I ate one. On purpose, and all. It actually wasn’t bad – like popcorn without butter and salt. Nicely crunchy, a slight taste of fat. So maybe they just need warming, and salt.

It didn’t bother me to eat one, as mealworms don’t have legs or a distinctive head. Does that even make sense? Maybe I’ve just been reading too much about alternatives to protein in our diets and wanted to give it a go. Seriously, it wasn’t disgusting at all. 

Mar31

Goodbye, Rua

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My sister’s greyhound, Rua, passed away in his sleep last night. He was a big clumsy goofball, and he will be missed.

I drew this of him back in November 2011, one of my first attempts at digital art.

 

Miss you, big guy!