Friday 19 November 2010

oh yays!

Sam's itchings cleared in less than a week. yay! the pill and gel combo probably helped, as well as avoiding any more shampooings. i cut a little more of his thick fluffy fur though, and i'm glad i didn't have to do more. shaved furmonster just isn't right!

i had to skip the vet followup appointment on account of my own health, and since Sam was clearly on the mend, didn't bother to reschedule. i hope the vet can live with the hanging plotline...

Wednesday 10 November 2010

oh noes!

Sam has been spectacularly good lately, so providing no amusing anecdotes for my blog. another plausible explanation is that we've gotten so used to his antics we hardly remark upon them anymore.

well, this week marks the end of that. something is being naughty, but we can't really blame Sam. he has a skin problem. i took him to the vet because i thought he'd injured himself on barbed wire, or something like that. when he shaved off some of Sam's thick, fluffy fur, we realised he had little sores all over his shoulder (after i'd taken him home, i found more all over his back). he suggested flea allergy, but the husband and i are discussing alternative possibilities: the ripe cow muck he rolled in last week? the sweet-smelling shampoo the dog walker used to get it off him? (that didn't quite work, quite the way. we got perfume mixed with barn smell instead).

currently, i'm feeding Sam delicious meals mixed with foul-tasting pills -- i know they must be bad because Sam, who gobbles up his deworming tablets, carefully licks bits of these pills clean. and putting special vet-prescribed cream on his poor, spotted skin. our poor, mangy-looking dog is getting a royal treatment, and quite enjoying it.

Monday 16 August 2010

snoozies


that's what holidays are for, aren't they? Sam found a perfect spot. in the holiday home, the garden was built in two levels. the lawn was on the upper level, which meant Sam could lie down comfortably and still survey everything. he never let down his guard! not once! well, maybe once.

Sunday 15 August 2010

dog-friendly holiday homes

this is the first thing i'll be looking for from now on: whether a place for rent welcomes pets or not. our grat experience with Direct Whitby Accommodation was something we'd like to repeat. the cottage we rented from them was so friendly the welcome pack included dog biscuits and fresh water. in contrast, i've seen cottages where they offer contact with animals, but people's own pets. for shame! i could never leave Sam behind just so i could cavort around with some real huskies.

the only problem with our dog-friendly accommodation was that we had to vacuum the dog hairs before we left. okay, this wasn't a very big problem, although it did refresh our satisfaction with living in a non-carpeted house back home. it also brought home an understanding of why some dogs go mad around vacuum cleaners. the one we have at home is really rather silent and nice, and Sam hardly reacts to it, apart from inhaling its interesting smells. the cottage one was big, loud and blaring, and caused everyone to become quite skittish.


Sam on vacation.

Thursday 5 August 2010

virgin voyage

Sam has gone through a lot of firsts lately, thanks to joining us on vacation (that was also a first). most importantly, perhaps: his first journey aboard public transport. he'd been on a bus before, but only for a few stops. the journey now in question would last for about two and a half hours.

we had two options: bus or train. we thought he'd be less upset by motor movements on the train, but that journey did involve a change and a forty-minute wait at an unknown railway station. if it was going to be big and busy, that would be a very long wait. so we went for the direct bus, and comically, had to wait for an hour at the bus stop because it was delayed.

while waiting, we overheard some old ladies talking (loudly) about how the bus driver would surely not let us on with that big beast, when there was bound to be a lot of children on board. with time (it was a long wait), they changed their tune and were full of praise for how calm Sam was, and when the bus finally did arrive, one of them attempted to help us by "directing" him onto the bus.

we had feared crowds (unknown to us, we'd booked our cottage for the start of the school holidays), but fortunately, there were a lot of empty places. they only happened to be upstairs. we climbed up to the deck without problems (down was a different story), and found ample space at the back. Sam used all the legroom to sprawl in. on the entire ride, he got a little anxious and curious about what was outside the windows a few times, but apart from that was a big, furry angel.

the problems only began after we'd alighted from the bus and had to find our way through crowds of people to a cottage we only knew from maps. i committed assault on a man by smashing Sam into him, all in an attempt to get him out of the way of an alsatian (remember those?) that looked suspiciously out of control. after that, i kept him (Sam, that is) on a short and tight leash, and avoided further mishaps... but feared how we'd get anywhere in that town.

fortunately, we found the cottage where a bowl of water and some dog biscuits were waiting for us. also some human bisucits, which we ate gratefully.

Thursday 15 July 2010

every. time.

i give Sam yummy stick of chewing. he chews the chew with deep concentration as i prepare for bed, dress down, tuck under...
...and then he races down the stairs, and back up again, and comes to the bedroom door, whimpering in a pityful way.
"what do you want, lummox?" i ask, affectionately. not that i need to. it's clear what he wants.

i get up, trudge down the stairs, and open the door into the rainy garden, which Sam enters like a bullet. the garden he'd shown no interest in in the many hours before bedtime. i watch him disappear into the darkness, and settle down to wait.

why do i fall for it every time? he surely doesn't need to "do" anything out there, all he wants to do is play in the rain with all his chew stick energy, and perhaps "reward" me with some rainswept evening entertainment.

but i'd bet that if i one night decided to ignore his request, he'd have an accident some way or another. because that's just the kind of dog he is.

Sunday 20 June 2010

cheerleading

i've heard about dogs that get nervous if you stare at their food, or won't eat if there's anyone around. because i used to think Sam was a nervous dog -- hah! -- i would often serve his food in a different room, then leave to give him some privacy.

well, now he's on a complete dry food diet and the last thing anyone should do is leave the room. in fact, there are days when he won't eat unless he's accompanied by at least one human who patiently listens to his crunching. usually it's my daughter, who fortunately likes perching on the stairs or whatever, observing him. then she'll fill his bowl with toys and try serving it to him as a dessert.

Monday 14 June 2010

dogs in training

in norway, where one might occasionally meet a bear, hunting dogs are tested against this rather cozy brown fellow. as is evident, many of them are hesitant about the furry fellow.

the problem with dog dangers -- as seen by us and by them -- is that they can appear infrequently and unpredictably, so that there's often no time to get the dog used to them (if it's not really a threat) or taught to avoid them (if it is). where, for instance, can i get a steady supply of model planes or passing hot air balloons? and why do the dogs Sam is scared of always appear when i have little or no treats to distract him with?

perhaps i should construct some cats and dogs on wheels, after all. but wheely flying machines?

Thursday 6 May 2010

on second thought...

i needn't have worried about Sam's energy levels.

not about his energy levels being low, at any rate.
dog-shark
just another day in the gardenthe greased lightningSam in fine fettlei do love grass

comments disabled on account of repeated attempts to sell me chinese spam.

Sunday 2 May 2010

a dog called Rabbit

nice and calm, or sad and drained?
i'm not sure if Sam's fully alright after his stay in the kennel. he seems so subdued. either he's matured a lot, or he's a wee bit under the weater. or, as the husband claims, he's in starvation mode. we've dropped the wet food from his diet, and there's only so much dry food he will eat in one go.

however, i'm still willing to give the first theory its time. the reason is that Sam's relation to other dogs has really improved while he's been away, playing with the other kennelees. he basically knows how to meet and greet other dogs now.

the first demonstration came on our first walk together, when we met another dog. did Sam lie down, refusing to meet the other dog? no. did he try to flee? certainly not. did he leap towards the other one? well, he did turn towards it slightly, eager to have a good sniffff, but didn't pull and certainly didn't leap.

this could just have been natural progression, as Sam has been getting steadily better in relation to other dogs as he's gotten more used to seeing them. however, the true test came yesterday. i spotted someone walking three dogs a bit up the road. unsurprisingly, it was the Dog Lady. she had her two regular dogs, and a little shih tzu called Rabbit.

Sam approached the little pack with some apprehension -- ears down, body curled inwards and so on. he wagged slightly as he approached, then wagged more as he greeted his old friend Nanook. and then he greeted Rabbit. the two of them clicked instantly, and there was a lot of sniffing. however, what i'd come to expect did not happen.

in earlier times, Sam has become quite excited with such a meetingg. sooner or later, he would start leaping around like a... well, rabbit. this time, the whole thing was a very civilised affair. there's been a great change. hopefully, it's his brain that has improved, and not his health that has declined!

Friday 23 April 2010

hello postman

Sam is back from a month-long stay in a kennel. poor chap, he has both picked up a runny tummy and an, um, bedsore? on one leg. this despite it being a really good establishment which lets dogs run loose and play several times a day. we're not leaving him anywhere for a long time.

he celebrated his return by greeting the postman across the fence. as can be expected, this man was a wee bit nervous about being approaced  by such a ferocious-looking dog. fortunately, he soon realised the goodness of Sam's intentions, and gave him a pat. we're rebuilding trust between canines and mail carriers, one sniff at a time.

Monday 8 March 2010

neighbours

Sam's out in the garden, investigating barks from the house next door. some new people have just moved in, and they appear to have a dog -- as well as a cat, a white one which showed up outside the other night as we let Sam out and was unusually calm around such a big, monstrous dog.

unlike the cat, we've barely caught a glimpse of the dog, and heard little from it. until today. it seems to be saying "woe! ay am bored and lonely," poor thing. well, there's not much we can do about that, although i'm sure Sam would love to entertain it. fortunately, he tends towards the strong and silly type, so he'll run up and down the garden a bit, jumping on the fence if he's very intrigued, but he won't bark back.


photo Through the fence (cc-by-nc-sa) by Chromewavesdotorg.

Tuesday 2 February 2010

brave dogs

our Sam is much better now, thankyouverymuch. in fact, he's feeling positively frisky. who jumps over the little fence i erected to protect my kitchen garden, light as a feather? Sam. (quite elegantly too, i must admit) who locks himself into the bathroom and does nefarious deeds with toiletries? Sam. and who sneaks into the bedroom and lugs away heaps of clothing? why do i even bother to ask?

if Sam falls ill again because he's eaten another sock, i'll say he deserves it. here's another, much tougher canine who definitely did not deserve being Mauled By A Wolf -- Twice!



Bella the dunker was first bitten by a wolf while hunting with her owner in the norwegian forest. a fortnight later, on a trip to the forest, she was badly bitten once again. clever vets managed to patch her up, and the 7-year old bitch should be on the mend now. (story and photo from nrk.no, a norwegian news source)

maybe a wolf can help me contain my naught wolf-wannabe?

Thursday 28 January 2010

oh, bother.

Sam was remarkably docile on his morning walk today. usually he's full of beans and butterflies, charging ahead to snif at something, careening in front of me if something catches his eye. we're working on this. however, this morning it seemed like no work was needed -- he walked to heel like a lamb, or a sheepdog.

only when he started munching grass did i put that together with his smelly farts and realise he might be a bit under the weather. a bit later, i got solid evidence -- erh, in fact, liquid solid evidence.

when we got home he seemed happy enough sunning himself in the front yard. but he still refused my yoghurt treats and his meal. now he's curled up into a sad ball of doghood. hopefully, his tummy will become better soon, or it may be treatment time.

Monday 25 January 2010

Luath night

our scottish friends Martha and Bailey make the excellent point that while humans celebrate Robert Burns, dogs should glory in the memory of his sheepdog Luath.

He was a gash an' faithfu' tyke,
As ever lap a sheugh or dyke.
His honest, sonsie, baws'nt face
Aye gat him friends in ilka place;
His breast was white, his touzie back
Weel clad wi' coat o' glossy black;
His gawsie tail, wi' upward curl,
Hung owre his hurdie's wi' a swirl.

from "The Twa Dogs"


Sam does no poetry, but i'm sure i can get him to sing a little and raise his paws for the bard of hounds... or the hound of the bard.

Sunday 24 January 2010

positive thinking

meeting another dog accompanied by Sam has always been interesting. he used to be scared, to the point of wanting to flee, whenever we met -- or even just saw -- another dog on our walks. once, faced with an enthusiastic free-running dog, he broke the lead and tore off -- fortunately down a cul-de-sac and not into the ill-fated big road.

he gradually calmed down enough to just lie down whenever he saw anything canine. he looked like a rather fetching furry rug, but was impossible to get up until the menace had passed... unless, that is, he unexpectedly LEAPT at the other dog, making it scamper.

so, scared or scary, Sam has been a far cry from the "polite" and "well-behaved" dog we'd like to see. in part because of this, he's often walked at unsociable hours, or in fairly deserted areas.

yesterday, the two of us took the road less travelled, a path next to a bird sanctuary which was even partially flooded. and... we met a dog. a happy black lab, which splashed through the water ahead of its owner, then came out of the brush to have a look at us.

now, usually i have Sam on a fairly tight leash when we're approached by other dogs. and yes, i do feel anxious about what he may unexpectedly do next. then, however, i just felt calm. i greeted the dog happily, and so did Sam. just a polite nose sniff -- no jostling, and absolutely no jumping. the lab's owner even praised him for being such a nice big dog.

i can't guarantee that the next time we meet a dog it will be in such a relaxed situation as this. but i hope so, and if it is, i'll be confident Sam will behave -- and he will.

Saturday 9 January 2010

below freezing

for those of you who have been distracted by the recent floods in Africa, i can tell you that Europe has had its share of dramatic weather too, stuck under a spell of cold, and ice, and snow.



Sam the Snowdog hasn't minded this course of climactic events one bit. he's spent many long, happy hours out in the garden, just Being with the snow. but best of all is a big, open field full of fresh, fluffy snow. watching him trying to sniff, eat and run in the snow at the same time is very entertaining.

on the day when i took him to the big stray as a real treat, i noticed with surprise that the river had just frozen. i then watched as Sam zipped joyously back and forth on the white expanse of fun.

then he zoomed past me and down the bank. he didn't come back straight away, so i followed, to see what he'd found. it turned out he'd discovered about ice. he was out on it. ouch.

i called on him and hurried down towards the river. as i passed a tree, the ice must have broken, for when i was past it he was in a big black hole of water. only his head was sticking out.

i held out the treat i'd planned to use to lure him off the ice, and called and called. Sam made a heroic effort, but only managed to make a bigger hole. he rested his head on the ice. now i was really worried. had he given up?

a passing dog walker on the other bank -- which Sam was closer to -- got hold of a life buoy, but it was not of much use, as Sam was still too far away, and neither of us could get to him. the man's little dog looked worried at Sam's head in the water. i told them to keep going, i'd call someone if Sam didn't get out on his own. i also promised that i wouldn't try to jump in after him.

somehow, i thought i'd have better luck from the other side, so i ran back into the park, across the old railway bridge, jumped down onto the road and crossed it. in the river i saw... an empty hole. ouch again.

but wait. there was a set of tracks leading towards the hole, and another one, which must surely be leading out of it? and who was that on the other side, who was happily responding to my calls? SAM! panic must have given him wings. or perhaps he hadn't put down his head in despair, but to rest, or test the ice.

he was bouncing anxiously, wanting to get to me. once again in a panic, i told him to stay, stay, i really don't want you to go back onto the ice, you know. and funnily enough, he was content not to test it again.

now i had to go the long route around some houses to get back across the bridge and fetch Sam. as i was leaving, i saw him heading towards the bridge himself -- perhaps he was coming to meet me? another worry, as a happy, bouncy dog on snowy roads where there are cars is not such a good thing, either.

but i got back over the bridge without meeting Sam. where was he now? once again i called, and now he came running right up to me for a joyous reunification. i clipped on his leash and we hurried home, where he was wiped with two towels until his thick fur was only a little bit damp.

and then he wanted to go out and play in the snow again.



how many lives does that dog have? hopefully, at least the same amount of lives as a cat, or he'll be in serious trouble soon with his luck.

Friday 1 January 2010

happy new year!


Sam is back from a most pleasant kennel stay, and has these new year's resolutions:
1. eat.
2. sleep.
3. finish off that blasted mattress so he can get a real dog bed.

oh, that Sam. always so ambitious!