PET'S CORNER

[Stanley]

I see a man occasionally in Valley Gardens who has two border collies, one of them very old. So old in fact that he takes a pram with him so that if she gets tired he can push her home in it. She likes playing with Jack, I'm afraid that even at her advanced age sex does occasionally rear its head! The thing that grabbed me this morning was that because I can now see properly, I found out she only had one back leg! I hadn't noticed before....
Isn't it wonderful that someone can think as much of a mere dog that he goes to those lengths to ensure it has a happy life.... (She was certainly on top form this morning and if there is a better way of passing the time than watching two dogs interacting like that, I haven't found it yet!)

[Stanley]

Bit of a slip up this morning.... First thing when we get up Jack goes for a pee in the back street. Normally he returns immediately but this morning was a bit tardy so I left the gate open, came back inside and forgot him completely! An hour later I popped out to look at the weather and the poor lad was sat in the workshop waiting for me. He was not best pleased and I have had to give him TLC to repair the damage. He never barked or scratched on the door, he trusted me completely and I let him down.....

[Cathy]

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This afternoon I brought some freshly washed and dried sheets straight off the clothesline, still warm from the sun. My cat couldn't resist and settled herself into them before I could fold them and put them away. I didn't have the heart to say "C'mon, out of there". She happily slept in them for a good 1 1/2 hours.
Gosh, what a life...

[Wendyf]

Aaaw, nothing a cat loves more than a basket of clean washing.....usually when they have wet & dirty paws from being outside digging in the garden.

[Cathy]

No worries there Wendy, she is an indoor cat.

[Stanley]

I saw Jacky yesterday who runs a dog walking and pet rescue service in Barlick. She was telling me about a lady who found a stray dog (Pointed ears, brown ans wall-eyed if anyone reads this....) She and her husband stayed up with it all night and did their best to find the owner. They took it to Jacky but she didn't recognise it (and it doesn't ring a bell with me either) so it is with the Dog Warden. There are some very caring people out there.....

[Cathy]

I learnt today that a group of giraffes are called a Tower, and tho it was once believed that they didn't communicate thru sound with each other, they have discovered that Giraffes actually hum to each during the night. Sweet

[Stanley]

TC, the Lodger Cat attacked Jack yesterday and when I went too near it he got me with his claws as well! Must have been having a bad day. Cats can be so ungrateful.....

[Cathy]

Well if you were tiny and saw Jack and you coming for you, I'm sure you'd protect yourself as well... I know I would... Hehe

[Marilyn]

Weird things set cats off.
I was once sun baking on our balcony ( laying flat on a towel) and suddenly our beloved family cat attacked my head as I lay there. This snarling, scratching monster pounced on my head...it was unbelievable the way it happened. Son still laughs about it today!
Maybe my hair was moving in the breeze or something. I don't know. I loved that cat, but something set it off that day.

[Stanley]

Cathy, jack never bothers cats and normally when he walks past TC the cat never bothers but that day she lashed out him. Then she had a go at me.... Must have been a bad hair day!

[PanBiker]

Or she could be poorly, common behavior for normally benign cats, they tend towards survival mode.

[Stanley]

I was talking to Ian yesterday and it turns out that 'she' is a 'he'. Looks in topping form! He's just a one man Gestapo sqaud!

[Stanley]

One of my old mates in Oz was asking about Jack this morning so I did this pic of him taking his ease in the rocking chair as I do the site, he's waiting for his walk.... I looked his vet file up and was surprised to realise he is now eight years old! He's doing well, weight stable, fully bonded and a joy to live with.... Lots to be said for having a good dog about......

[Stanley]

Jack had his annual visit to our lovely vet, Mrs Marsh, for his jabs. As usual she commented on how well he is and when she weighed him he's 1lb down at 23lbs. No problem, just the right weight. Gillian Marsh is a treasure......

[Stanley]

Jack's acute hearing picked up his first firework of the year last night. He'll need lots of TLC until it is over. I hate fireworks and the distress they cause.....

[Stanley]

Had to put him on his l;ead last night to get him outside for a pee. Poor bugger. I've moved the sofa slightly so he can get into his favourite anti firework spot, I think he likes it because it's as far from the source of the noises as he can get.

[Stanley]

No fireworks last night, Jack had a good evening. Good! I wonder if there will be more next weekend.....

[Moh]

Thursday will be the worst - our Jack Russell was terrified so we got a tranquilliser tablet from the vet. Our Shih Tzu, Sam, was not frightened at all, and we could walk him out when they were going off.

[Stanley]

Funny isn't it, Big Jack the lurcher was bomb-proof. Jack isn't totally disabled by them but is frightened. Never thought about actual Guy Fawkes day, I always expect them at weekend. I hope it pours with rain!

[Wendyf]

The vet is coming today with a camera to look up little pony Sparky's nose. It was trickling blood for about 3 weeks, then one day last week he had blood in his mouth as well. After a vet visit the bleeding has stopped (she only rasped his teeth, and she thought the bleeding was coming from from his throat) but it's probably wise to have a look for the cause of the bleeding anyway, just in case it starts up again. The vet is wanting to buy a new scope for the practice, so she is getting it demonstrated today on Sparky so I don't have to pay.

[PanBiker]

A freebie from the vet, that's a bonus Wendy, I hope Sparky's OK.

[Wendyf]

The large animal vets are a different breed!

[Stanley]

They always were Wendy, some wonderful characters in the old days. I remember when I accidentally broke Fly's leg right up at the top and near the hip. John Clarke took him away and sent him up to Edinburgh where they pinned it. Two months later he was as right as rain and John sent me the bill. I forget whether it was 5 guineas or ten. Those were the days!
Not too many fireworks last night, Jack was not amused, he hears every bang within a mile radius! But all told, less than I expected. I suppose this weekend will be another hot spot....

[Wendyf]

Well, an interesting hour or so was spent yesterday looking inside Sparky's nose & throat. He was sedated and didn't mind too much but my knees were knocking and I was more than ready to sit down when they had all gone. Two vets, a salesman/technician and piles of very expensive equipment arrived in my barn, not the sort of attention a 28 year old pet pony normally gets...or little old me for that matter!
Nothing nasty was discovered, no obvious causes of the bleeding to be seen except, like very elderly humans, his skin is delicate and the veins are close to the surface and weak so very easily damaged. I was told that performance horses like racehorses & eventers are regularly scoped like this to check their airways, not under sedation, and the tube doesn't leave a mark. Almost every where it touched with Sparky it left a tiny red bruise or drop of blood.
Fingers crossed they don't send me a bill by mistake!!