snow Archives - Smart Dog University

Gift of Snow: Levi’s Turn-In Rescheduled

January 13, 2015

Service Dog Turn-Ins are the Worst

I had written several “goodbye and good luck” posts to Levi at the beginning of the year. Thankfully, my computer was busted and my iPad kept losing the posts. Tuesday, January 6 was supposed to be Levi’s last day with us. I loaded him in the car before dawn and started the three-hour trek to the service dog organization. A light dusting of snow was forecast for our area, but central Virginia was supposed to be fine.

The snow saved the day.

Our roads were awful. Interstate 70 is a major highway that runs from Maryland to Utah, surely it would be snow-free, I thought. Nope. The highway was completely snow covered, no lane markers could be found. We were going about 45 miles an hour and slipping up the hills. It was ugly.

We went about 10 miles before I decided to turn around and get the heck off the road. If I did make it there without getting busted up in an accident, it would have taken double or triple the time. Three hours one way is bad enough, I didn’t fancy double or triple that!

We got back home, snuggled up in a blanket and called it a day. Schools had been cancelled, accidents snarled traffic, and we watched it all from inside the warm, comfy house. Later that day, after the snow stopped and the sun was this peachy, glowy, lovely shade of yellowish orange, I took my camera outside to get some of these “found” moments with Levi.

New Turn In Day

So, naturally, the snow didn’t change anything except Levi’s turn-in date. He still has to go back, I still have to say goodbye, but not until the end of the month! I’m hoping we get a few more days to play in the snow. We’ll certainly make the most of our extra “found” time together!

Lily’s Cancer Update

January 6, 2015

Our sweetest old girl, Lily, was diagnosed with myxosarcoma a couple months ago.

She’ll be 13 next week and I debated about whether to put her through surgery given her age.

When I talked frankly with my veterinarian about it, he reminded me that she was overall a very healthy older dog — no arthritis, mobility issues, heart, liver, or kidney ailments. To be honest, I couldn’t take knowing she had cancer and doing nothing about it. So, the surgery was scheduled.

The surgery was deep and the veterinarian removed as much tissue as possible (trying to get those clean margins) and still give her 100% use of her limb. She was liquored up on pain meds for several days and had some nasty looking drains at the surgical site, but otherwise did remarkably well. And now she’s got a really cool Frankenstein scar on her leg that gives her a little more swagger.

She was given strict orders: no running, no jumping — leash walking only!

I obediently gave the doctor’s orders to Lily, but honestly, she paid me no mind. Don’t worry that I dragged the huge, ridiculously cushy dog bed from room to room so she could be comfortable without jumping onto the sofa. No, no — Lily said to me “It’s the sofa or nothing, lady.” The sofa it was.

We may or may not have spoiled her rotten during her recovery. She wears the badge of Cancer Survivor proudly and no longer listens to anything we tell her.

Seriously, I did my best to keep her quiet for two weeks (veterinarian prescribed three weeks, but I compromised with Lily — she wanted just one week…) and then let her have her way. My husband drives a diesel pick-up truck and the dogs know when he’s turned onto our street. They all go barking and running and jumping out to meet him. This was usually the hardest part of my day: keeping Lily calm and quiet during the mayhem, so she was quite excited when I finally allowed her (after two weeks of sheer hell, she tells me) to join in the fray.

My husband came into the house through the backyard where the dogs are contained and told me Lily was acting like a puppy again — more “puppified” than ever, he said! He joked “Tell that veterinarian to operate on her other leg next week — he shaved 8 years off her age!”

The official results.

The veterinarian said all five biopsies came back with no evidence of cancer, so I’ve got my fingers crossed that we’re in the clear.

We got an unexpected snow day here today, and that old lady held her own with the boys.

Go, Lily, go!

A HUGE thank you to the wonderful veterinarians, veterinary technicians and all the staff at Kingsbrook Animal Hospital who made this lovely update possible.

Talk back! Do you have trauma, cancer, or injury survivors? Let us know and tell their story — leave a comment below.

Enough of Old Man Winter

February 1, 2011

Ok, I love snow as much as the next girl, but come on! This winter MUST end soon, lest I lose my mind!

Last year was different: there were back-to-back blizzards. Everyone enjoyed a solid week off work, we were all house-bound just long enough to really enjoy “roughing it.”

But this winter’s been nothing but cold. Not just cold, but F R E E Z I N G! And not very much snow. Just enough to make a mess of things and wreak havoc with the roads.

My classes and Orientations have been cancelled more than they’ve been on schedule. My dogs all have sore paws from the ice and crusty snow. We’re all just miserable.

I’ve gotten creative to help ease the dogs’ boredom (and to help restore my sanity). I’ve got three Labradors and a Hound/Dane cross. They want to do SOMETHING. Anything. Let’s just do, do, do it, they say!

Yesterday I wrapped rawhides up in newspaper, then put them into cardboard boxes. The dogs had to shred the boxes and the newspaper to get to the goodie. Yeah, it makes a little bit of a mess, but clean up is easy. And it keeps the dogs busy for quite a while, allowing me to get some work done.

Today we worked on Nose Work. The dogs each took their turns searching for food in cardboard boxes I scattered all over the kitchen. As they developed their scenting ability, I made the hides more difficult. The dogs seemed to enjoy the change of pace.

And I’m now enjoying a couple hours of computer time, minus the shenanigans that four bored dogs can create if not exercised properly!

What things do you do to keep your dogs out of your hair and mentally/physically exercised?

A Dog’s Walk: Snow Walking

January 29, 2011

I love getting the chance to step into my dog’s world every now and then.

I particularly enjoy snow walks, especially when I’m with Tango, my favorite dog.

Snow walks expose a secret world to me.

I see where all the little animals have criss-crossed the fields. I see the paths I’m sharing with other walkers. I see the dinner tables of the small animals where they’ve had their dinner of nuts and berries.

Tango enjoy this time together, too.

He sniffs a lot more. He’ll stick his entire head into a snow bank, snuffle and snort around, and when he finally emerges, he’s a white Labrador, not a caramel-y yellow Lab.

It’s interesting to watch – through Tango’s behavior – how the snow plows have moved the snow, and the scents, from their normal, reliable spots. Tango tries to sniff his favorite curb only to look slightly bewildered (when he can’t find the normal scents?) and then seem surprised to find that scent up the road apiece. I’m guessing all of this, of course, as I only have his body language as my guide.

In any event, I’d say our snow walks are the only good thing about winter. I’m ready for spring and all the melting and mud and mess that comes with it. Anything for green grass and warm breezes!

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