We have "company" at the Ranch ...

[Freckles]

Great, Phred. That's the news we want to hear.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Here we are at Thursday, September 18, 2008 ...
And NO major crisiseze since the last one!

The first two weeks post-Findlay were rather quiet ... Heidi's been at the
Ranch the whole time, and the New Foot has been doing quite well.
She's been good about not bothering it - so the cone has been OFF since
the Findlay Gathurin. Too soon ...

Monday, the 8th, she 'bothered' the wrapper - Big Time!
The New Foot seemed to survive the attack ... we did a Tuesday PM
Vet Visit instead of our scheduled Wednesday morning appointment.
Doc D. gave her a re-wrap, but hinted it was about time for her to start
bare-footin it ... I look at that idea with some misgivings ...
That's now become a VERY Expensive New Foot - and I keep thinking that
it's "safe" inside the wrapper! Maybe she should get 'training wheels'?

This last week has been a Trial of many Tribulations ... the New Wrap was
*shreded* on last Thursday ... Cone ON! and I did a re-wrap myself.
She *IS* a good lil patient - stands on the puter desk and lets me work
with The Paw without much of a flinch or a wiggle.

DUMM me - I'd let her go coneLESS for meals and if I was *watchin her*.

Ever try to *watch* a lil Min Pin?

On Saturday evening I was re-wrappin for the THIRD time ...
I did a *super job* with Wally's imitation Vet Wrap ... she'll NEVER get
this one off! Then I worried I made it too tight ...

She pranced in (coneLESS) to see Doc D. on Wednesday (yesterday).
I saw the Tech parading MiniMutt in the hall while Doc D. observed ...
Doc appeared a few minutes later (in surgical scrubs) - my heart
fluttered. Tell me I didn't ruin her paw!

"NO more Bandages!" announced Doc D! We're doing more harm than
good to keep it wrapped up ... it needs air to finish healing.
"BUT - she cannot be allowed to lick it!!)

In came Heidi leading her Tech Buddie ... and BARE FOOTIN it!
She had a new collar - WAAAY too short to keep her away from the foot!
Tech said the next size would be way too big ... OK - I didn't argue. Her
BIG collar was at the Ranch - I'd refit her as soon as we got home.
Doc suggested we stop at the Pets Supplies Plus and grab a bottle of
"Bitter Apple" - use it on her toes, not the raw spots.
And we got a pill bottle of "Novalsan paste" to smear on The Foot.
"Oh, you can use the "Preparatioh H", too. Alternate that with the
Novalsan. And ... DON't let her lick that foot!"

Doc's last words - "Call me tomorrow --- I'm going to worry until I know
she's OK with The Foot."
(I just called Doc --- I think I could feel her *smiling* over the phone!)

Since yesterday, Heidi has been "using" the New Paw a little more every
hour. Yesterday it was usually "tucked & stored" up tight to her body.
By evening, it was partially lowered and occasionally "touched down".
Today, she's almost always on all FOUR when she's standing; and I've
seen her both walking and running with all FOUR a few times.
Wish us luck with wearing it in without any more problems!

I hope we're 'ready' for Sunday ... Unka Pat & Miz Joan are headed West
to celebrate Daughter Leslie's Birfday on Sunday and return on Monday.
THAT means we're Dawg Sittin for Miz Cali (the easy one) ANNND ...
Miz MOLLY - the rather Ruff & Tumble Houndy Girl I helped get adopted
at Cali's Howze. (Wonder if Pat & Joan will ever forgive me for that!??)

It's going to be a *challenge* to keep Molly from using poor lil Heidi as a
soccer ball / Squeekie Toy ... but we dropped in at Cali/Molly's Place
yesterday on the way home; and lil Heidi stood up and gave Molly a
faceful of Cone + Attitude after Molly got way too rough with MiniMutt.

Hopefully, by keeping Molly either leashed to ME or my chair, we'll be able
to prevent any TOO ruff playing with the Smallest Rancher.

As always, Wish us Luck; and whisper a Prayer if you can.

[gini]

Aww, Phred, I won't whisper a few prayers, I think I might shout a few - you need a break!!!

God Love you for all that you do for your pupsters.

There is a bench and some trees waiting for you in Heaven, I am sure!!
And sitting there waiting for you will be a few that you will immediately recognize - but that's a while off - so be patient.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Prayers being whispered in God's ear every morning from me for you and the pups too!

[RICHARD]

Wow, never a dull day?

Glad things are "bettur"!

[Cinder & Smoke]

MiniMutt (aka Heidi) has been a GOOD Kid all day!

I took pity on her about noonish and ditched the Lampshade ...
she traded it for the long 2-way Y-thingie clipped between her and the
puter desk. I figured 4 feet to wander is better than *smackin* your cone
into everything in the Ranch, including the poor BigMutts and ME!
(I hope nobody *tattles* to Dr. D. about this!)

She's been practicing her Lap Jumpin; the New Paw has increased her
success rate to about 50% of all attempts ... two or three tries and she
can make a Lap Landing; she's got the Up Onna Furniture Leaps down to
almost 100% on the first attempt.

So Far (knocks on wood) she has made NO attempt to lick, chew upon,
wash, gnaw, or otherwise *molest* the New Paw.
I just coned her and sent her out with Cinder ... let's not have wunna
'those' accidents, either.

In case anyone wonders - sleeping with THREE Mutts inna BigBed is a
real treat - ESPECIALLY when one of the lil Darlings is sporting a rather
largely 'oversized' Lamppy Shade - and she insists on being one of the
two approved Under-the-Covers members of the BigBed Crew!

Loading the BigBed is interesting - the BigKids flee in panic ...
Cone-Head bounces up & down till she either makes it up or gets a
butt-grab from above & leaps on with assistance. I try to slide in / under.
*Watch* the flying cone ... she wants the "knee-spot" - and flounces
around till she's happy. Never mind the leg gouging that's involved.
SmokeMutt is next - he leaps into his spot mid-thigh up to my lower
shoulder (he makes a great extra pillow).
Cinder is last aboard - she's a No Covers, Please, sleeper and demands
about the lower third of the BigBed, begrudgingly allowing space along the
edge of the bed for my two feet.

Last night Heidi churned around till she had the cone stuffed OVER poor
Smokey's butt & tail ... not sure how she managed to breathe.
This morning I awoke while all three of 'em were still in SlumberLand ...
I always try to *wiggle* my pieces & parts to see what's had it's
circulation cut off by dog parts laying on top ...

* MY feet were hangin off the side - Cinder had her full 1/3 of the
bottom. I convinced her to get UP, please; and whilst she was doing her
required 3 Spins before Laying Down, I got my feet back on the bed.

* Smokey was in good shape - pinning down my underside arm, back of
his head tucked into my face, his body spooned into my chest & tummy.

* Where's ConeHead?
She had the cone pointing off the side of the bed, tucked up tight to
Smokey's butt. Her back against his butt and my knees.
HUH? What's these two extra FEETS doing??
(Fumble, feel, pick up covers & LOOK!)

Smokey musta felt the need to *stretch out* - his back legs & feet were
laying on TOP of Heidi's back and against her cone. She didn't mind.

We should really get a bigger BigBed!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Sunday Morning - The Dinger >dinged< with Miz Joan saying they were
on the way to Leslies's Howze. The Kids were in the kitchen - ready to GO

I sent the Local Tribe out and then fed 'em; gave the "Be Rite Back" fib
and headed out to fetch the Visitors. Waited in their kitchen for a lil while
till Miz Molly finally managed to keep all FOR feet on the floor for longer
than 2 seconds; grabbed their 'stuff', and took a spin around the block.

Miz Joan had mentioned that BigFoot, aka The Mouth, had been through
one of her go out, come back in, and then BARK her fool head off for 20
minutes periods this morning. She'd been given the "Mom's GLARE" and
finally caught on and shut up. I said we'd try Cinder's NO-Bark collar.
I pulled it out of the glove box and set it for the lowest #1 setting.
*Zipp* and it was on --- no adjustment required.

We were greeted from the dining room window with two visible and one
unseen but quite well heard "Greeters". We stumbled up the stairs to
a hallway cluster of the Welcome Wagon.

Other than an initial attempt in the hall to 'Reach Out & PAW Her',
BigFoot Molly has been *really mellow* with MiniMutt! (Wonder if the
Power Steering (Pinch) collar and the tightly held leash had anyting to do
with that?) I'll take success any way I can get it.

I have to admit we "lost" the MiniMutt ... somehow she wound up on
the cellar side of the door whilst we were having the Meet & Greet at the
top of the stairs. I was calling her to de-cone her - and thought she was
Yipp Yappin from the bunkroom. Went in thinking she became stuck under
the BigBed with the cone ... NOPE, not under there. Another Yipp Yapp -
sounds like she's in the living room ... NOPE. Another YippYapp ...
I just LOOKED in the bunkroom ... is she throwing her voice?

Molly & I had just RE-searched the bunkroom and were in the hall when
Mini YippYapped again ... I opened the cellar door and the Lost became
the Found.

Since she's been de-coned, Mini has seemed to accept that BigFoot is
going to be here for a while, and the two of them appear to have agreed
to co-habitate without any major phuss or bother. I hope this continues
when I *don't* have a handpaw on Molly's leash! Mini has skipped past
Molly's nose a dozen times; leaped off my lap and landed among Molly's
outstretched feet; and in general taunted the BigFoot a few times.
Molly's Mom will never believe these tails!

Soooo Far, I don't think she's pushed the NO-Bark collar to the firing
point. She's made about every sound known to man & dog, but never
guite *BARKED* yet. I hope she doesn't panic when it finally happens!

Now, if I can manage to feed this herd without anyone getting overly
stressed with the serving order ... this may turn out to be a Good Gig!

Maybe wish us a lil bitta Luck!



/s Dawg Watcher

[Cinder & Smoke]

I snuck out on 'em - NASCAR on ABC has a less-louzy signal on the
bunkroom TV. The finish was gonna be good ...

* Cinder found me first - and hopped up on the BigBed
* Smokey wandered in next --- "Whatch doin, Dad?" He joined us.
* MiniMutt dashed in and FLEW up onto the BigBed pile - *Cozzie* bunch.
* Cali sauntered in - not a bed-jumper, she piled up beside the bed
* "WOOOF*! from the den ... BigFoot realized she was alone!
* Jingle-Jangle - BigFoot's here. She decided there wasn't room.

Later, I was in the puter/den when I heard THUNDERING PAWZ in the
living room. I assumed it was Cinder & Smokey doing a game of chase.
THEN I hea rd an excited small-voice "YippYapp" ... looked down and found
Cinder & SmokeMutt both at my FEET - THUNDER PAWZ still thundering!
Maybe we better *Look*!


MiniMutt was sprinting around the living/dining room with BigFoot not all
that far behind ... I HOPE they're havin PHUNN with this!
I guess they were - Mini dove under the table for a breather and Molly
didn't attack ... so I'll assume it was a mutually agreed upon play romp.

Will Molly's Mom EVER believe this?

Still not *BARKING* except one short one ... and I heard no "reaction" to
that one. Would be really nice if Molly accepts a NO-BArk as well as Miz
Cinners has. I can put it on Cinder and leave it *OFF* and she won't bark.

/s/ The Watcher