With Thanksgiving coming closer it's a good time to look at your life and all of the good things that we have been blessed with. I, for one, feel that I have been a very fortunate pup. I have a Papa and Mama who love me and treat me like the princess that I am. I have Gryphon who has always been there for me, taking care of things so that I don't have to worry about anything. I have good food, a soft bed, a roof over my head. Not all dogs can say the same. I don't think I'd have ever made it as an outside dog. I know that people say you can get used to anything, but having to get my paws muddy every time it rained?? Eeewww! But, I digress. I'm even thankful for that little whippersnapper, Elsa, who has come into our lives. Sometimes she can be a pain, like all younger siblings have the ability to be, but she definitely has joy in her soul and is so silly that I get hours of amusement just laughing at her. She is sweet though and doesn't mean to be a bully. She just grew faster than any of us expected and she doen't realize that she is now significantly bigger than I am and when she falls over on me it hurts.
For all of you with people who treat you well, give Thanks during this season that you have a good life. For you rescue dogs, give thanks that your people took the time to pick you out of the crowd, and that you have life.
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. Where in the World is Misfit McCabe? To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
Ok, I thought I was done with Elsa stories, but she obviously likes my writing little stories about her. Last weekend Gryphon and I noticed that Elsa was drooling a little bit. Mama noticed too, but she thought it was that Elsa was sleeping so hard she drooled a little bit on the pillow she was laying on. Well, that was only the beginning. The drooling got worse, but Papa didn't notice it because he was busy working. Mama noticed some wet spots when she came home, but Papa thought he must have spilled some water - even though he didn't have the water anywhere near the wet spots!
That night as we went to bed, Elsa curled up next to Mama and Gryphon and I wanted to stay dry, so we snuggled against Papa. About 11:00 Mama realized that the bed was wet and she uncovered Elsa to take a look. Elsa was lying in a pool of drool (yuck). Her ruff was soaked, her tail was soaked, in fact the tail was so wet, it could be rung out. Mama didn't like seeing the drool pouring out of the corners of Elsa's mouth.
She woke Papa up, which took a few minutes because he tries to pretend that he can't hear anything so he doesn't have to get up. Then grabbed the laptop to look up what could possibly be wrong with Elsa. It turns out, according to the internet, the most common cause of excessive drooling in dogs, other than being a St. Bernard, is that something, like a stick, is caught in the mouth. With Elsa that could be a distinct possibility, because she does like to pick up sticks and carry them around outside. I choose not to pick up anything nasty like that off the ground.
Mama checked her mouth out, but didn't find anything, so it was time for the usual call to the vet to see what he had to say. Unfortunately, our vet had his phone on the message machine (something that occurs only a few times a year), so all patients were being referred to the Emergency Animal Hospital, and so Elsa's first midnight vet run began.
While Mitzi was alive, midnight runs to the vet were not uncommon as she had heart problems in her later years, and Mama said she thought they were done with those for awhile. But, the kid was sick, so something had to be done. The vet couldn't find anything in her mouth either and recommended a course of antibiotics, nausea medicine and allergy medicine, in addition to an IV to replace the fluids. Plus, he wanted to keep her overnight for observation, give her some X-rays and do some blood work.
Fortunately, Papa decided that Elsa was better off coming home to us, because Gryphon and I would have missed her. The next morning it was off to the vet again to see our regular vet. Elsa was diagnosed with an infection of the salivary glands which was causing the excessive drooling. He put her on a course of antibiotics, and she is now much, much better.
What a confused pup she is . . .first trying to be a Shar Pei, and now a St. Bernard. 'Til next time, Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. Where in the World is Misfit McCabe? To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
We are having a bit of an issue with Elsa because she keeps wanting to bark at the puppy in the mirror. While we are playing on Mama and Papa's bed, she'll catch sight of the puppy out of the corner of her eye and then she becomes obsessed. She runs to the edge of the bed and stares into the mirror and barks at the puppy.
Mama and Papa have both tried to show her that she is the puppy in the mirror, but she just won't believe them. She thinks another dog has snuck into the house and is going to steal her toys and treats. Once upon a time, that puppy used to bother me too, but then I figured since the puppy never did seem to get anything that was mine and Papa never gave any treats or scraps to that puppy, that I really didn't have to worry about it. Gryphon and I are trying to teach Elsa that too, but she won't listen to us either.
I guess we just have to wait this one out folks. One day she'll get tired of confronting the puppy in the mirror. 'Til then, Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
Elsa is a little trying when traveling in the car. She tends to get nervous and barks because she thinks that someone should be comforting her through the entire trip. Well, a couple weekends ago, we took a trip to GrandMuttMaw and GrandPupPaw's house to visit crazy Daisy and she was yipping on the way there. Trust me, she has a piercing yip that can shatter an eardrum. So, Papa put his hand back with us (Gryphon, Elsa, and I get to share the back seat) and kept stroking her, so she piped down and was pretty quiet the rest of the way.
Now, it isn't a long trip, only about 30 miles, so I think Elsa should be able to travel that far without requiring that type of attention, but I guess she's still a little young yet. Gryphon and I are pros at travel, although I will say my favorite vehicle to travel in is the van because we have a big picture window to look out of. It's nice to be able to see where we are going.
By the time we left, it was night time and therefore dark. Elsa lasted to the freeway onramp before she started barking. A distance of approximately 3 blocks. Papa tried to comfort her just like he did on the way out, but she wasn't having any of it. Mama tried talking to her, but Elsa was too scared of the dark to listen. Even when Mama turned the overhead light on Elsa wasn't happy, and therefore no one could be happy. Gryphon and I always like to take a little nap on the return trip because we're tired from running around in the back yard, but with all of the yipping going on it was impossible.
Papa jokingly said, "Maybe she doesn't like country music." and Mama immediately started searching for the classical music station. Papa took over the station search since Mama was driving and the second that Papa locked in the station it was like someone flipped a switch. Elsa stopped barking practically mid bark.
She sat back down and started listening to the music, her ears tuning to get the best sound. Her body relaxed and she folded her paws (she gets that from me). She didn't bark once for the remainder of the journey - a record for her.
Mama and Papa thought the whole thing was incredibly funny because she calmed down so quickly, they turned the light off and Papa didn't even have to put his hand back with us to calm her down. She didn't make a peep the rest of the way home and only started to whimper once we turned in our driveway.
We now have a station programmed into the radio which has been dubbed the Emergency Elsa station. I enjoyed the music too but Elsa seemed to be enthralled by it. For all you music lovers out there - Paws Up!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
As I promised in my previous post, there are some Elsa stories just waiting to be told.
This story starts with Elsa getting her operation so that Mama and Papa could register her and get her license. Well, apparently Mama thought Elsa already had her rabies, but she didn't, so she had to go back to the vet to get the rabies shot. Gryphon and I went with because Mama also decided that we all needed baths. So, Papa packed all of us up and carted us off to the vet's office so Elsa could get her shot and we could all get sweet and clean. Elsa ended up having to have 3 shots because she was due for two others in addition to the rabies.
Anyway, Mama wasn't feeling all that well and stayed home from work, so when Papa brought us home, she was home too. Elsa was pretty well knocked out from her shots, and Mama kept fussing about her. She thought her nose looked puffy and that something wasn't quite right. Then she noticed that Elsa was getting dark circles under her eyes and she kept telling Papa that something wasn't right with her.
Elsa continued to sleep and Mama kept a close watch on her. Papa kept saying that Elsa was fine and he didn't see anything the matter. Then all of a sudden, Mama scooped her up and wanted to know if she hit her face on the cage because it was definitely swelling.
She then asked for the phone because in front of our very eyes, Elsa was turning from a dachshund puppy into a little Shar Pei. Her face was getting wrinkly and her eyes could barely be seen. After talking to the vet's office Mama told Papa that they were going back because Elsa was having an allergic reaction to the shots.
Gryphon and I went into the cage and Mama and Papa hurried out of the house with Elsa. I can tell you I was a little nervous. As much as I dislike going to the vet and think that Elsa can be a pain sometimes, I didn't want anything bad to happen to her. Neither Gryphon or I have had any problems with getting shots (other than not liking them), so this was a big surprise to everyone. I've never seen a reaction like that before.
After they returned, Elsa told me she had to have 2 more shots but she was starting to feel better. She said she really didn't feel well before going to the vet, and I thought she was being a drama queen. Oh wait, that's my job.
Anyway, things are now back to normal and Elsa has given up looking like a Shar Pei and returned to looking like a long-haired dachshund (which is a much finer looking dog if you ask me).
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
I don't believe it! It has been over a month since I could even put a paw on the laptop, let alone have a couple minutes to post a blog. Right now, the only reason I have a few minutes is that my Mama is out in the kitchen fixing some tea. It has been terrible. I haven't been able to surf the net, look for new treats to beg for, or even catch up on all of the dog shows.
My Mama has been working non-stop on her latest project with her book, Misfit McCabe and is just in the process of fully launching it. The problem is that every day she gets a new idea that needs research, or time posting articles elsewhere and I don't even have a chance to THINK about getting a paw in edgewise.
Actually, the project is pretty neat and I have been giving Mama a few pointers here and there on how to make the whole thing better. It's nice to know that she does listen to me. What she has done is created 8 special edition versions in hard cover of Misfit McCabe and sent them to someone in different states; California (where we are), Nevada, Washington, Colorado, Ohio, Texas, New Jersey, and Virginia. The people who receive the books will read them, register on the website, sign the blank pages in the back and put their location and then pass it on to someone else to do the same. She calls the project Where in the World is Misfit McCabe? The website is pretty cool because there is a map to show where all of the books are and all of the places they have been. Plus, there's lots of interesting facts about the places themselves. And now, thanks to suggestions by me, there are some pictures as well, so everyone can have a "snapshot" visual of where the book is.
Oops - have to go. . . .I hear Mama coming back. 'Til next time, Paws Up!
PS Next time, I'll have to share some Elsa stories with you. That pup is sure a character!
About the Author: "Just call me Your Highness" ~ Phoenix ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To buy Misfit McCabe, click here. To fnd articles for children on how to write fiction go to : Griffie World Bookshelf To vote in the Misfit McCabe book trailer contest, go to Griffie World to view the videos and Griffie World Talk to vote for your favorite under All Things Misfit McCabe.
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