Name Change - and VET HELP!

As in, we need some vet help.

First - we changed his name to Oscar. Very happy to have that name. We love it. And he actually responds to Oscar, so we must be a little closer to whatever his name was before!

Second - help, people. This dog is a contortionist and has gotten AROUND his cone and bitten his stitches! His area is very angry looking. My husband is a PA and said he isn't worried. We had to get him a HUGE cone and it's too big around the neck, so we have to tie it to his collar.. He can barely lift his head! lol. He only has to wear it when he's kenneled at night and when we are gone.

We see the vet in the morning at 9:00. Wish us luck. He hates his cone. I see LOTS of cone in his future. I pray to the good Lord above that he doesn't have to get put under and restitched and that his heartworm comes back negative. Then, I think I'll really feel like I can relax.

Poor Oscar. He's had a hard go of it so far. I hope he gains some weight. It's strange to think he needs to gain Frankie! She's 7 lbs!

Charlie?

We're testing out the name. Feel free to help if a great name strikes you!

Charlie slept great last night, I assume. I didn't hear anything from him until around 5 and my husband took him out to use the bathroom and he was quiet again until I got up to put Frankie out at 6:30! He sleeps with our big dog, Dixie (lab/coonhound) who we rescued 11 years ago. She's so slow now - all she does is sleep, sleep, sleep. She has some bathroom issues so she sleeps in her kennel in the house. We closed the door last night with Charlie in there, but Dix didn't seem to care. She is literally the most laid back dog on the planet. A Dixie blog would look like this, "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz." Every day.

Charlie started to lick his stitches yesterday and we had to give him the cone of shame. I hate doing that to him! He started trembling again and scraping it on everything but we had no choice. And he can STILL get at his area! He's a contortionist!

He and Frankie ate side by side with no big problems this morning. He is SO underweight. I don't think you can tell from the picture above. It makes me weepy to look at his bones above his tail. I just want to feed him 24/7. But, he left some of his food this morning - he and Frankie are both saving some, I guess.

Scheduled him for his free vet exam - we had to pick from a list of providers and our vet wasn't on there, but this vet is supposed to be good. We'll get his heartworm test done and hopefully get some tips on fattening him up. I will feel more relaxed, I think, when he's been seen by a vet.

Can you see Frankie in the picture, too? She just licks and licks his face in his cone! So cute. She's really happy - and I thought she was fine before. Now, I realize Dixie isn't the active companion she'd been looking for!

Took the children to school and went to the gym this morning - our usual routine - and worried the entire time I was working out that Charlie had to poop since he hadn't gone since 5 this morning. Found myself getting the baby (she's 2 but still) from the childcare, racing home, and he was fine. Just hanging in the kennel w/Dixie. He still hasn't pooped, but we'll try again later. No accidents in the house yet! Woo hoo!

My heart is positively swelling for this little guy.

It's a boy!

The hiding black & tan was a boy. Found that out yesterday. Called again this morning to see if he was still there and long story short, he's ours. Had his personals altered today & recovering nicely so far! Frankie just wants to run & play with him but he just can't yet. More later!

Dog Pound

Oh, dog pound. Why do you torture me so?

I admit, I did tear up shortly after arriving. There are just sooooo many dogs. It's impossible to fathom. And Phoenix has 3 different branches! Some of them were very scared.

We went to look at a wire-haired dachshund who was just precious. She was very sweet - not really timid at all. They had her listed as a "dachshund mix" because she "sort of" looked like a dachshund! lol. Anyway, we found out she was very aggressive w/other dogs so we couldn't get her.

We saw a black and tan little girl (adult, but small - still bigger than Frankie, who is only 7lbs). She had been brought in that day. She was so afraid and extremely underweight. Oh, she was shaking and hiding under her bed thing. No blankets in the pen at all and you could tell she wanted to burrow (and arrange her blankets for 20 minutes like F). She had a "bn hold." I asked what that meant. I was told that was not good at all. But then it turned out she just needed a behavior analysis as she had been brought in that day. Her owner, an elderly woman, came in looking for free food but when they couldn't give her any, turned over the dog.

I'm calling back today to see how her analysis went. I'm trying not to lead w/my heart on this but to think it through (as my heart tugs and breaks - lol). I mean, we have 2 dogs. We move a lot. When we go out of town, it costs a fortune to kennel the dogs as it is. Frankie needs a tooth pulled. There are a hundred reasons why we don't need another dog.

And truth be told, when I forwarded the email to my husband (damn you, Petfinder, for your daily emails!!!!!!!!!!!) I expected a sassy comment from him about how that was "great for someone looking for another dog." But, instead it said, "call and see if they still have it." This was for the wire-haired one. We didn't see the black and tan until we got there.

Someone talk some sense into me while I try and remember what the kennel # is.

P.S. Oh my gosh - if anyone is looking for a pit bull, I know where there are 100 to choose from. Easily 75% of the dogs there are pit bulls. I just thought, "you are all doomed." There are so many! Is there even a pit bull rescue group? ALSO, my husband fell in love with an English Bulldog/American Bulldog mix that (thank you Lord) got adopted right after we looked at it.

Off topic...

Motherhood - wow it's not easy. I didn't THINK it was going to be easy when I had my first child 13 years ago but it's so much harder right now than I thought it would be.

I wouldn't repeat my teenage years (at least the early ones) again for anything. Especially middle school. But to see this 13 year old and recall how much he used to adore us hurts. And I know how lucky we are - he's a good boy, everyone always tells us how sweet and polite and helpful he is. He's getting good grades, attends youth group at our church and is even going on a mission trip this summer and getting ready to take confirmation classes. The latter I know he's doing for my benefit - at least in part. But he's starting to be sneaky with things like his math homework. Now, I have to check it which takes 2 hours every evening because he's making the lamest mistakes.

I guess it's just easier when they are small and all you have to do is feed and love them. Or when they are small and furry like Frankie, who really does just want food and a lap! :)

Rain!

Ooooh, it's been raining here! I'll tell you who doesn't like to pee in the rain (well, who does?) - Frankie. I had to keep picking her up and putting her in the grass. Then she'd wait until I turned my back and run up to the door. And she hadn't been out in hours so I knew she had to go.

She came in after finally peeing and shook. Then, she rolled all around on the carpet for 10 minutes. She wasn't amused! :)

Guilt!

So much guilt! It's been forever since I've written anything.

Also, we left town again and put Frankie in a kennel again. :( I hate it. I wish we could bring her but there are times it just isn't possible. We got home tonight and I gave her a bath as soon as she got home (to add insult to injury). Now, she's settled on my lap under a fluffy fleece blanket dozing happily. I'm so glad she doesn't hold a grudge! :)

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone had a paper-tearing, present squeaking Christmas! ;)