"Cheessssseeee."
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
PHOTO FOR THE DAY
Jovi may have won based on time, but Jojo definitely took the competition based on form.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
PHOTO FOR THE DAY
Studies showed on the 101 model aerodynamics were decreased considerably by the extendable tongue. Attempts to make changes were unsuccessfully implemented in future models.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
PHOTO FOR THE DAY
A little greyhound relaxation after crazy dog laps, complete with roaching and escaped tongue syndrome.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
PHOTO FOR THE DAY
"I can't understand why he looks so happy. You would think he actually likes sitting like this."
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
PHOTO FOR THE DAY
"I'd appreciate it if you would take the picture soon or I'll show you my other best side as I am walking away."
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
PHOTO FOR THE DAY
With the calm of a seasoned pro, RJ juggled twice before lifting the duck over the keeper's head and into the back of the net. Gooaaalllll! It was almost as beautiful as Wambach's header in the 122nd. This lifts the Fastdogs into the final. They better not be playing on Sunday, because I already have plans to watch The Final on Sunday.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
PHOTO FOR THE DAY
I know she's interested in the snackies in my pocket, but when I look at this photo I can't help feeling like I was being hunted and moments away from myself being a tasty snack.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
PHOTO FOR THE DAY
"Heyyyyy! Stop with the photo bombing and get out of my frame. I'm mugging for the camera here."
Monday, July 11, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
PHOTO FOR THE DAY
"Psssttttt. Down here. I won't tell anyone that you gave me snackies, if you were to choose to do so. You know, the ones in your pocket. That you want to share. With me. Soon. Like now would be best. Just put the camera down and reach on in. You can do it."
Friday, July 8, 2011
BREEZE UPDATE
My vet is going to start renting one of the rooms in the back of the clinic out to me. At an excellent rate, no less.
Willow’s dressing change went well. It was a good thing we did it. The bandage had slipped and was no longer fully supporting the toe. In addition there was a bunch of dirt remaining from the mud puddle party inside the bandage that would have rubbed her skin, and she is already dangerously close to having pressure wounds. This very well may be her last bandage change, so we can avoid any open sores.
Breeze didn’t escape quite so easily. Apparently it was a good thing I brought her in. Though the cut on her toe was not very big, under dime size, it is directly over the knuckle. So every time she took a step the skin pulled open. It was a full-thickness laceration, not really so hard to do on a greyhound toe since there’s not much skin to begin with, so there were tendons visible. The vet recommended stitching it up. We went over options and decided the best way to do so was to knock her out.
He sedated her first, boy did she fight that. After about 20 minutes she was lying next to me (vet visit trick number one – bring a blanket with you into the vet office so the dogs will lie down) with eyes drooping and head bobbing.
When they took her to the back room she did well until they tried to get her through the doors. She still had a bit of fear response going on. So the vet tech handed over the lead and I took her back for them to put her under. It was pretty interesting to watch how quickly the anesthesia worked. She just sunk to the floor, guided by us, like all her bones melted. The procedure went well and fast.
She was so freaked out (“high anxiety” as the vet calls it) when she started waking up, they gave her a bit of valium to help with nerves. When she was released she was still a bit fuzzy so when they brought her out to me she was weaving like she was going through agility poles. It was a slow and cautious drive home since her balance was off, her legs wouldn’t work right and she couldn’t figure out how to lie down. She’s now crashed out on her bed and, something tells me, out for the night.
Willow’s dressing change went well. It was a good thing we did it. The bandage had slipped and was no longer fully supporting the toe. In addition there was a bunch of dirt remaining from the mud puddle party inside the bandage that would have rubbed her skin, and she is already dangerously close to having pressure wounds. This very well may be her last bandage change, so we can avoid any open sores.
Breeze didn’t escape quite so easily. Apparently it was a good thing I brought her in. Though the cut on her toe was not very big, under dime size, it is directly over the knuckle. So every time she took a step the skin pulled open. It was a full-thickness laceration, not really so hard to do on a greyhound toe since there’s not much skin to begin with, so there were tendons visible. The vet recommended stitching it up. We went over options and decided the best way to do so was to knock her out.
He sedated her first, boy did she fight that. After about 20 minutes she was lying next to me (vet visit trick number one – bring a blanket with you into the vet office so the dogs will lie down) with eyes drooping and head bobbing.
When they took her to the back room she did well until they tried to get her through the doors. She still had a bit of fear response going on. So the vet tech handed over the lead and I took her back for them to put her under. It was pretty interesting to watch how quickly the anesthesia worked. She just sunk to the floor, guided by us, like all her bones melted. The procedure went well and fast.
She was so freaked out (“high anxiety” as the vet calls it) when she started waking up, they gave her a bit of valium to help with nerves. When she was released she was still a bit fuzzy so when they brought her out to me she was weaving like she was going through agility poles. It was a slow and cautious drive home since her balance was off, her legs wouldn’t work right and she couldn’t figure out how to lie down. She’s now crashed out on her bed and, something tells me, out for the night.
AN EVENING OF CHAOS
I just wanted to take a moment to describe to you my evening. But, a bit of a warning, this is a long post. Read at your peril. I returned home from work around 7:30. I was fairly concerned because while I was at the office a monster of a monsoon came sweeping in, and as I was driving home I realized it had swept right across town and through my neighborhood.
My concern stems from the fact that Breeze has been in fear overdrive lately. I have found a new drug-free as well as a homeopathic product that is helping quite a bit with her fear issues. (In fact, she actually slept through the fireworks on the 4th, but that is a story for another post, hopefully coming up this weekend.) As a result of the fear issues, she has taken up the lovely pastime of peeing in the house. A few times a week for the past few weeks I have come home to a puddle on the hardwood floors. (May I just mention how difficult it is to get all the pee out from between the boards of a hardwood floor?) This new turn of events are the result of her being too afraid to go outside. The monsoons have started. With force and intensity the likes of which I haven’t seen in a while. Moving trees, creaking roofs, all manor of scary things reside outside. Now she really won’t leave the house. The buzz word for the week has been patience.
A little time travel…The other day I finally figured out what I think is the nasty scary monster responsible for wigging her out so she won't go into the back yard. When she goes outside, she immediately looks towards the neighbor’s yard. The other morning I was outside with the girls and heard the announcements for the local school over their PA system. Faint, but still quite audible, coming from beyond the neighbor’s place. The minute it started, she went on a mad dash to the safety of the house and wouldn’t come back out.
Now just to back up couple of months… We were at the dog park one lovely weekend in May and there was some sort of event occurring on the other side of the very large park that surrounds the dog park fenced area. Breeze was just trembling. Tail tucked. Back hunched. Ears flat. Just all over twitchy. We packed it in early and on the way back to the car I had a flashback of the summer I spent working at the dog track. The noise wafting over from the event sounded like the PA announcer before one of the races at the track. That’s when it clicked that if I had a flashback from over 20 years ago, it would make sense that she could be having one as well. That will go to show you how much she loved her time at the track. (that was a huge helping of sarcasm there) Once I got her in the car with windows rolled up she was fine. Oh the littlest things (or in this case, big) that set her off.
So skipping right back to the present - the puddle and totally freaked out dog that were waiting for me when I got home. Might I just add that she did catch a corner of the puppy pad that has been gracing the spot she favors for christening between the kitchen and dining rooms, but not the whole thing. Sigh. So I am trying to remain calm and not be annoyed as I cleaned up the mess, again. This is not something I can punish her for. Even if I were to catch her in the act. If I am home, she typically comes in to let me know she has to go. If I go with her she will hesitantly head outside. If it is windy and there is lots of noise and movement I have to put her on the leash and walk with her to get her to walk in the yard. Last night we had lots of noise and movement going on.
So imagine this: me walking Breeze on a lead in the back yard to try to get her to pee. I keep my yard fairly clean, but let me tell you there were prayers being offered that I didn’t find any deposits from today to sink into while walking around in the near dark. The wind picked up. Trees started moving. The shed door had come open during the storm and suddenly started banging against the side of the building. Something crashed in the neighbor’s yard. A kid a street over yelled. Breeze just hunkered and became my newest yard statue.
(Aside. For those of your who have or have had greyhounds you are quite familiar with the fine artistry of a greyhound statue. For those of you not privy to this phenomena, a bit of a description. Occasionally a greyhound will decide not to move a step further. I mean, not an inch. They freeze into a 65 pound chunk of flesh, muscle and bone. With Breeze it occurs when she is scared. Then she gets that determined look, the one that indicates that, short of dragging, she’s not moving any further. You would think it would be easy to persuade the now frozen beast to take continue with its’ journey. Nope.)
By now it is apparent, this is just not working. At all. So I decide the main problem right now, aside from all the obvious ones, is that there are just too many noises for her to worry about. So we all traipse back into the house. I decide I am going to work out a hearing protection thing of some sort. Lacking ear muffs (because, you know, Tucson and no snow in the winter) I decided on cotton balls nestled in her ears held in with two bandannas wrapped around her ears to help with soundproofing. Back outside. Better. She’s frantically scanning for any movement, but not reacting to most of the sounds. Finally, maybe she’ll pee in just one pass of the yard and I will escape having to hose my shoes off.
My concern stems from the fact that Breeze has been in fear overdrive lately. I have found a new drug-free as well as a homeopathic product that is helping quite a bit with her fear issues. (In fact, she actually slept through the fireworks on the 4th, but that is a story for another post, hopefully coming up this weekend.) As a result of the fear issues, she has taken up the lovely pastime of peeing in the house. A few times a week for the past few weeks I have come home to a puddle on the hardwood floors. (May I just mention how difficult it is to get all the pee out from between the boards of a hardwood floor?) This new turn of events are the result of her being too afraid to go outside. The monsoons have started. With force and intensity the likes of which I haven’t seen in a while. Moving trees, creaking roofs, all manor of scary things reside outside. Now she really won’t leave the house. The buzz word for the week has been patience.
A little time travel…The other day I finally figured out what I think is the nasty scary monster responsible for wigging her out so she won't go into the back yard. When she goes outside, she immediately looks towards the neighbor’s yard. The other morning I was outside with the girls and heard the announcements for the local school over their PA system. Faint, but still quite audible, coming from beyond the neighbor’s place. The minute it started, she went on a mad dash to the safety of the house and wouldn’t come back out.
Now just to back up couple of months… We were at the dog park one lovely weekend in May and there was some sort of event occurring on the other side of the very large park that surrounds the dog park fenced area. Breeze was just trembling. Tail tucked. Back hunched. Ears flat. Just all over twitchy. We packed it in early and on the way back to the car I had a flashback of the summer I spent working at the dog track. The noise wafting over from the event sounded like the PA announcer before one of the races at the track. That’s when it clicked that if I had a flashback from over 20 years ago, it would make sense that she could be having one as well. That will go to show you how much she loved her time at the track. (that was a huge helping of sarcasm there) Once I got her in the car with windows rolled up she was fine. Oh the littlest things (or in this case, big) that set her off.
So skipping right back to the present - the puddle and totally freaked out dog that were waiting for me when I got home. Might I just add that she did catch a corner of the puppy pad that has been gracing the spot she favors for christening between the kitchen and dining rooms, but not the whole thing. Sigh. So I am trying to remain calm and not be annoyed as I cleaned up the mess, again. This is not something I can punish her for. Even if I were to catch her in the act. If I am home, she typically comes in to let me know she has to go. If I go with her she will hesitantly head outside. If it is windy and there is lots of noise and movement I have to put her on the leash and walk with her to get her to walk in the yard. Last night we had lots of noise and movement going on.
So imagine this: me walking Breeze on a lead in the back yard to try to get her to pee. I keep my yard fairly clean, but let me tell you there were prayers being offered that I didn’t find any deposits from today to sink into while walking around in the near dark. The wind picked up. Trees started moving. The shed door had come open during the storm and suddenly started banging against the side of the building. Something crashed in the neighbor’s yard. A kid a street over yelled. Breeze just hunkered and became my newest yard statue.
(Aside. For those of your who have or have had greyhounds you are quite familiar with the fine artistry of a greyhound statue. For those of you not privy to this phenomena, a bit of a description. Occasionally a greyhound will decide not to move a step further. I mean, not an inch. They freeze into a 65 pound chunk of flesh, muscle and bone. With Breeze it occurs when she is scared. Then she gets that determined look, the one that indicates that, short of dragging, she’s not moving any further. You would think it would be easy to persuade the now frozen beast to take continue with its’ journey. Nope.)
By now it is apparent, this is just not working. At all. So I decide the main problem right now, aside from all the obvious ones, is that there are just too many noises for her to worry about. So we all traipse back into the house. I decide I am going to work out a hearing protection thing of some sort. Lacking ear muffs (because, you know, Tucson and no snow in the winter) I decided on cotton balls nestled in her ears held in with two bandannas wrapped around her ears to help with soundproofing. Back outside. Better. She’s frantically scanning for any movement, but not reacting to most of the sounds. Finally, maybe she’ll pee in just one pass of the yard and I will escape having to hose my shoes off.
Willow and Dru decide this is the perfect time to take full advantage of the products of the monsoons, the extraordinarily large puddles that have magically appeared, for they were not there earlier. I look up from my intent scans of the ground and notice the two of them running and skipping through the back yard. Puddles, mud, broken toe be dammed.
In no way, at this time, am I thinking of the possible condition of her bandage.
That’s right, the fresh one applied on her dainty foot this morning. When she and I traveled the 40 minute (one way) trip to our vet. She had another bandage change and an x-ray. Her toe is healing phenomenally well. Not until we got back inside where there is full light does it register. My white dog is now a brindle. The bandage is soaked and covered in mud. It soggy and crumpled from loosening on her foot. Sigh. Time for another trip to the vet for an unexpected bandage change.
Willow and no longer effective bandage after her mud party.Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
PHOTO FOR THE DAY
"I will break through this protective force field. I will break through this protective force field"
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
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