Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

My Dog Is a Doofus

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Remember how my mom fell and ended up in the hospital?  Then the hospital released her and sent her to a convalescent home, and they in turn gave her physical therapy and sent her home two weeks ago.

One of the things that happens when you return home from a convalescent/rehabilitation facility is you need to be monitored by the visiting nurses.  

Yesterday I came home at lunch to give Delilah her Benadryl and to walk the dogs.  After we got all suited up we walked out the door and started down the driveway only to discover one of the nurses was parked in the driveway.  

Sampson of course noticed her right away.

Someone is here! I'm pretty sure it's because they want to see me.

Someone is here! I’m pretty sure it’s because they want to see me.

I knew I could never get the dogs past her car, especially if she was sitting in it.  Sampson is so excited to see people, he would literally drag me down the driveway.  In fact, Tuesday on our walk we past a woman and her dog and he dragged me across the street in an attempt to greet them.

I noticed the nurse was talking on her cell phone, so I turned around and brought the dogs back into the house and went outside to wait.

I was on my lunch and while my boss wouldn’t be miffed if I came back late, I still don’t like to take advantage.  I waited a couple of minutes and was just getting to the point where I was going to knock and tell her to either get out of the car and into the house or move her car from my driveway, when she got out of the car.

She hollered up to me, “Do you have to walk the dog?”

“Yes” I replied.  

“You could have brought them down.”

“No, my dog is a doofus, he thinks everyone is here to see him, he would drag me down the driveway.”

True story.  He checks every car we pass to see if there is someone in them.  He gets a hitch in his giddy up when he notices a person either in their yard or walking.  He roos at them as he approaches and tries to drag me over to say hello.

Thank Dog she's not whining about me.

Thank Dog she’s not whining about me.

He really is a doofus.

 

Heart Like a Dog

Welcome to Thursday’s Barks and Bytes hosted by 2 Brown Dawgs and Heart Like a Dog. The Barks and Bytes hop is for anything at all and all bloggers are welcome. You don’t have to be a dog blog to join. For new blog hoppers, a blog hop is list of links that is shared on multiple blogs. In order to be fair to all participants Linda and I ask you to please use the linky list. If your blog does not support a linky list, please link back to either Linda or I.

A Wet Towel for Delilah, Some More Xanax for Me

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Yesterday morning I noticed a hive over Delilah’s right eye.  She has a tendency to get a large welt when she’s bit by a bug, so naturally, I assumed something had bit her.  Since we were forecast for a blizzard I had to run out to the store, and when I got home I checked her eye and the hive seemed like it might have moved slightly and her eye was a bit more swollen.  

I called the vet.

By the time we arrived at our 4:20 appointment, the bulk of the swelling around her eye was gone.  The vet could see a little swollen area and said to keep an eye on her and if it got worse to give her some Benadryl.  She said the Benadryl might make her tired.

I laughed.

Just before dinner I noticed she had a hive over her left eye.

Dog with hive

Does this arrow make my eye look puffy?

I gave her some Benadryl with her dinner, then Hubby and I ate ours and watched a show.  While we were watching the show Delilah climbed up on my lap looking for some attention.  I had noticed she was a tad bit clingy so I held her and rubbed her until she got down.

After the show was over I got up to do dishes and of course Delilah came with me.  When I looked at her under the kitchen light, this is what I saw.

Hives on dogs

It’s not a fancy new ‘doo, it’s an itchy, ugly mess.

 

It’s like she just went POOF.  The poor little thing was covered with hives.  On her nose, around her eyes and all over the top of her head.  She looked like her hair was standing up all over her head.

The vet gave us enough Benadryl for three to four days and said if I noticed the hive getting worse to start her on the Benadryl and keep her on it, to make sure we get whatever is in her system out.

I placed another call to the vet, but because we are in the middle of a blizzard, I didn’t hear back last night.   So of course I did the one thing you aren’t supposed to do.  

I consulted Dr. Google.  I know, I know.  BUT this time I found the Pet360 site, which basically said it’s an allergic reaction.  Not the best news in the world, because how the hell do you determine what the allergen is?  BUT it was enough to help me feel a wee bit better. 

Meanwhile I message Jodi Chick who suggested I wipe her down with a wet towel, in case it was a contact allergy.

Delilah was curled up sleeping on her bed, but I woke her up to wipe her down.  I wiped her all over with a wet towel and the hives seemed to have gone down quite a bit.

Funny, but the Benadryl worked with her, she went right back to sleep.  Me on the other hand…

Someone remind me to get a refill on my Xanax today.

Special thanks to my friend, One Person’s View for giving me the title for this post.

Delilah the Defender

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SlimDoggy had a post last week, How Protective is Your Dog?  As I began writing my response, I realized my response was more like a post.

I got a good thing going here. Thankyouverymuch.

I got a good thing going here. Thankyouverymuch.

I have one protective dog, Delilah.  I joke that Sampson would rush an intruder for a belly rub. He loves everyone.  In fact, he only ever growled at one person, it was a man on the beach in North Carolina.  Immediately I thought, that is not a nice man.  I found out after he was the neighborhood jerk.  

Delilah on the other hand is extremely protective.  The first time we noticed it was shortly after she came to live with us.  We were having a tag sale in anticipation of moving, my sister who Delilah had seen many times before, opened the gate to walk into the yard and Delilah wasn’t expecting it.  Growling she rushed towards my sister, thankfully we were right there to assure her everything was okay.

About five months later we were settling into our current house.  The process involved moving the washer/dryer hook up from the basement to the master closet.  Because of limited space, we ordered new appliances.

Our plumber happened to be here when the appliances were delivered.  Sampson was at daycare, but Delilah was home because she was recovering from being spayed.  When the delivery men arrived Delilah went ballistic.  I’m not sure what exactly set her off.  I’m guessing it had something to do with her life before us, but I don’t know with any certainty.  

The deliverymen were hispanic and one was wearing a hat while the other wore a bandana.  I had Delilah on leash to try to keep her from over exerting herself.  When the delivery men started up the stairs, Delilah lost her shit, she was barking and lunging so badly, I had to shut her in a bedroom because I was afraid she’d hurt herself. 

My plumber stayed until the deliverymen left and when I opened the door to let Delilah out of the room, she knew exactly where those deliverymen had been.  She tore into the bedroom intent on putting a hurting on someone.  Thankfully she calmed down when she realized it was our plumber.

One morning in early summer I had the back door open.  I was in the kitchen taking care of morning chores, my sister had dropped by and we were chatting.  I had completely forgotten the lawn was scheduled for a tick spraying and we were first on the list.  

I saw the man walk onto the deck the same time she did.  Her four legs were faster than my two.  She tore out the door with me behind her.  The bug man was quick (evidently he’s used to charging dogs) and jumped up onto our retaining wall.  She put her paws right up on the wall and was letting him know he was not welcome.  

Our oil fill pipe is at the back of the house, right next to the french doors.  I hate having to get oil when we aren’t home because I know a person in the yard tosses her over the edge, but the delivery people can never give you the exact time of deliver.  We had an oil delivery in November, I came home just as the man was getting back into his truck.  He said,”Man your dog wanted a piece of me.  She was barking and jumping at the door, finally I just knelt on the deck and bowed my head.  Then she was okay.”

It’s not just the house she’s protective of.  New Jersey is the only state on the East coast (probably the whole country) where you can’t pump your own gas.  This means someone has to come up to the car window.  This does not sit well with Delilah, she barks and growls trying to get out the window at the threat.

Typically Delilah is fairly aloof with people.  She may show initial interest but once she’s checked them out, she’s ready to move on.  One day this past summer a man approached us on a walk.  He was walking slowly towards us and talking softly.  Delilah growled.  I said not happening and moved her out of the situation.

I’ve no doubt she would die protecting me, but I’d rather not put her in a situation where she feels she has to defend herself or me, it’s easier to listen to her instincts and remove us both from a potentially scary situation.

Funny things dogs do.

Die? Let’s not exaggerate Mama.

Did you read SlimDoggys’ post?  Do you have a protective dog or would your dog trade you for a belly rub?

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