Just This Day

Today I shed more tears for the love of a dog.  Yesterday little Lucas left for Heaven.  Way, way too early.

Rest in peace little man!

We will miss you so!!


Lucas Easterling
July 12, 2011 - January 18, 2012

Puppy Update

Still loves to hang out with Dottie.  Belle prefers to do her own thing, shockingly enough.  Kala is no longer screaming at bed time, this is good news for everyone.  It seems like she has been with us forever.  Although definitely still a puppy, I look forward to the day when she is not!

I love this face!

Getting to Know You

It is always interesting to watch the girls play but especially when we introduce a new sister.  There was no disappointment this time around.  Of course we had the usual stiffing.  Happily Belle was her usually aloof self but with time I think she is realizing she has an ally.  She didn't even bark at her.  Dottie was ecstatic to have a new sister.  However, her enthusiasm is a little over the top.  It is hard for her to turn it down a notch.  But she is getting better.  Dottie is a blanket girl at any one time there are at least four blankets laying around the house.  She just loves to carry them around where ever she goes.  Well, this afternoon Kala laid down on one of Dottie's blanket and Dottie tried to take her for a ride.  It is never a dull moment!

It happened so fast.........but you get the idea!

Complete

I've been waiting so patiently for this little one to join our family.  I knew that she would just magically make her appearance when the time was right.  She didn't disappoint.  Meet Kala.  She is named after Meeka and Lola.  She has big paws to fill but I know she can do it.

I'm not sure where I am.............

Who are you?

Enough with the .............

Fine, I see you aren't going away with that camera!

Playtime

I love to watch them....

play together....

talk together....

 relax together!

I can't get enough!

This Girl

I love this girl for so many reasons.  But one of the reasons I love her so, is because she is curious.  And when she is in her curious state I love to watch her expressions change as she tries to figure out that which she is curious about.  Case in point.  Mr. Man loves to watch hunting shows.  And so does she.  When she hears a bird she sits up to attention and stares right into the television.  She loves dog shows too.  The Dog Whisperer for one.  She'll stop what she is doing and turn her attention again to the television.  I love that she loves to watch television.  She loves to carry things in her mouth too, mostly blankets; that's the bird dog part coming out in her.  So we have lots of blankets for her to carry around because she loves it so much.  This girl, I just love her!

Dottie Girl

The Price You Pay

I made 24 cupcakes Friday morning for our ward Halloween party.  Never leave your dog to guard the cupcakes. The cost 3 less cupcakes!  Really Dottie, tell me it isn't so?


Dottie On the Spot - At your service



Empty Nesters

We've been empty nesters now for almost nine years (had to stop and do some counting on that one). But our home is really not empty what with our lively life with the girls! But they have been away at "summer camp" now for over a week. It is crazy how empty our house is without them. Our home is very "girl" proof but now we can leave gates open and doors open with no worries. We can leave home without worry of being gone too long.......they don't like to left home alone. It is just sooooooo empty here.........I can't live like this! It is time to come home from camp ladies...............there is work to be done!

Keeping the gophers at bay!

Weeding the Garden

For the Love of Lola...........

Today it has been one month since Lola died.  Today it is time to share her story, this story for me is a story of healing. I share it because I would never want anyone to experience it. This story is about the awful outcome of rat poison.

This is the background. Our three dogs Belle, Lola, and Dottie spent the weekend (April 17 & 18, 2010) at the country home of my brother and his family and their two dogs, Sadie and Birdie. We picked our dogs up on Sunday night. Monday night Sadie was not acting like herself so Tuesday morning he took her to the vet. They kept her to do a thorough exam and for observation; initially they felt she might have a bleeding tumor of some sort. Sadie was days short of being 11 years old. After blood work it was determined that actually Sadie had ingested poison; either by eating the poison itself or from a poisoned animal. The veterinarian then called my brother and asked him to bring in Birdie so blood work could be done to determine if she too had eaten some poison. At this point Birdie wasn’t totally symptomatic however, she had been coughing and did act a bit lethargic. Birdie was tested Tuesday afternoon. Her tests came back positive. She was given a blood transfusion and started on Vitamin K. Vitamin K counteracts the deadly effects of the poison. This poison can stay in the body for up to three weeks; the standard treatment is 30 days on Vitamin K. Fortunately, Birdie survived, unfortunately Sadie did not. That same day my brother called me and asked me how my dogs were doing. They were fine, no unusually behavior here.


Then on Sunday morning, April 25, 2010, a full week after leaving my brother’s home Lola became sick. It started with her eyes, they were bulging and red and she was extremely lethargic. After an emergency room visit to our veterinarian, no answers for her condition were found. She was put on eye drops to keep her eyes moist and pain meds as it was apparent she was in pain, at that time we thought from the eye condition. The fact that her condition could have been caused from the poison seemed out of the realm of possibility because it had been at least 7 days since the exposure.

Monday morning (April 26, 2010) her condition seemed mildly improved, she had eaten some and her eyes weren’t nearly as swollen. However, by Monday night she was declining again.

Tuesday morning (April 27, 2010) we took her to another veterinarian, again they were mystified by her condition and felt she may have a brain tumor or an infection in her brain; again not really feeling that the poison played a part. While doing a test on her she had a seizure that last 4-5 minutes. Never had they seen a dog decline in such a rapid fashion.

Due to her grave condition and with no hope for a good quality of life it was determined it was time to tell Lola goodbye. Sadly, Tuesday afternoon that decision had to be made. At that point we were devastated to think that Lola would no longer be with us. Lola was only 5 years old.

At 5:00 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, the veterinarian called us to say that when Lola was euthanized there was such a gush of blood from her urinary tract that they then suspected that the poison may indeed been what caused her grave condition. We were asked to bring our other two dogs in for testing. Dottie’s tests were clear for poison; Belle’s weren’t perfect so to be on the safe side she is now on Vitamin K.

So what do I want you to do.............Three things:

First: If your dog’s becomes sick for no apparent reason and your veterinarian can’t find an answer through routine blood tests, ask to have them to run a Coag-PT/PTT panel. Remember we never saw the dogs eat the poison; this was learned after the fact;

Second: If your dog has been around other dogs that became sick from rat poison; take your dogs to be tested immediately, even if your dogs are acting fine, DON’T wait for symptoms to appear. The test is inexpensive and the cost of Vitamin K is cheap. Remember, rat poison can stay in a dog's body for up to three weeks;

Third: Please, please share this story with everyone you know…………for the love of Lola.

Movie Quote

So this quote came to mind today (names have been changed to protect the innocent)

I miss Meeka.

I'll always miss her.

But I ache for Lola.

Can you name that movie??

Routine

Many (really most) (ok every) evenings are spent upstairs, watching one our favorite shows. It's our relax time. Mr. Man can be found in his recliner with Belle at his side. Dottie sprawled out sometimes on her bed sometimes at my feet, sometimes at Mr. Man's feet.  I'm on one end of the couch generally with my laptop on my lap; which is where laptops belong.  At the other end of the couch was Lola.  I miss my couch buddy, the routine just isn't quite the same without her.  Thank you Rachael for capturing our happy girl!

Filling Our Bucket

During our ride home last night Mr. Man and I both reflected on how empty we felt. Just one of the several events of the last week could have emptied anyone's bucket. As we talked about each event and how it unfolded and affected us, we realized that during the week there were several tender mercies that came at just the right moment. A wonderful Skype chat, emails, phone calls, text messages, beautiful plants, numerous hugs, listening ears, yummy cookies, unexpected comments on my blog, helpful reminders to just breathe. Each of these tender mercies arrived at the perfect moment. Even a rainbow appeared as we headed for home. Each added upon the other re-filling our bucket little by little, even in the midst of our sadness. I was even reminded of a favorite quote "beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts the most."

Thank You!

We couldn't have made it through the past week without YOU!

Trail of Tears

Sadly today our lovely Lola passed away

December 25, 2004 to April 27, 2010

Sweet, Sweet Lola......

Happy Lola......

Together Again!

Family Dogs...........

My Family Dogs:

Duke - A Pointer, the first dog I loved.

Nanette - A Poodle, the first dog I called my own.

Liz - A Brittany Spaniel, the first dog we had as a married couple.

Andy - A Shetland Sheep Dog, the first dog to herd the kids.

Buster - A Boxer, our first boxer, he was adopted & loved to sit on the piano bench.

Kaze - A Brittany Spaniel, came to us after my dad died.

Meeka - A Boxer, I miss her still today.

Sutter - A German Shorthaired Pointer, my brother's dog, he was a gentle giant.

Hatcher - A Pointer, my brother's dog, we bumped heads playing once, I'm not sure my head was ever the same.

Sadie - A German Shorthaired Pointer, my brother's dog, when you think of good ol' dog you think of her..

Jack - A Golden Retriver, my daughter's dog, he was an angel on earth.

Belle - A Wirehaired Daschund, she is a noisy one but she loves me so, as I do her.

Jefferson - A Basset Hound, my daughter's dog, he has the patience of Job.

Athena - A Boxer, my son's dog, she touched my soul.

Lola - A Pug, everyone loves Lola, what Lola wants, Lola gets.

Birdie - A Wirehaird Pointing Griffon, my brother's dog, I love that dog, she makes me smile.

Chamaco - A Pug, my son's dog, everyone loves Chamaco; it's a pug thing.

Sophie - A Black Lab, my son's dog, she was rescued & knows what love is.

Dottie - A Wirehaird Pointing Griffon, she is my baby and loves to be loved and I love her.

Many are in Heaven, some left too soon,
but each in their own way remain in my heart!

All Dogs Go to Heaven

I don’t know what it is with me and dogs……….maybe I was one in a former life but my heart just breaks when one goes to Heaven.

In loving memory of Sadie

April 23, 1999 to April 21, 2010

"She was true and faithful to the oath of a dog...loyal and obedient, willing to protect, and eager to please!
Not all dogs live up to that.
When you think of good ol' dog you thing of Sadie."
~James Heath~

Happy Birthday Shout Out

It all started with my love for Birdie.  I couldn't stop loving her.

So we I (I'm the main dog lover, but thankfully Mr. Man supports me in all things dog) decided it was time for our own Griff.  First we waited 6 long months. Finally on March 28, 2009, you were born.  We waited another 8 weeks to bring you home.

I knew you were the one!  Not only were you the one but you are a direct sister to Birdie, pretty cool!

You are all grown up now.  It is hard to believe you are one today. You are everything I love about the griff and more. Playful, curious, full of energy, loving, obedient (my favorite thing) and a pretty good sister to boot.

Happy Birthday "Dottie On the Spot Von Herrenhausen"

Sister Sister

Sisters

Sisters

There were never such

Devoted Sisters!!

Sometimes....

Sometimes we see eye to eye.....

Sometimes we don't.....

And sometimes we just have to walk away.....

What Do You Gotta Do.........

to get a drink around here??

She's a Star

Last night on Dogs 101 on Animal Planet one of the dogs showcased was the Korthals Griffon; aka Wirehaired-Pointing Griffons. How fun to see Dottie's "kind" on television. The secrets out on this fun loving dog.