Here and Gone Again by Lucy

Early in the morning last Friday, right after Mom gave me my breckies, she packed the car and left. She took both my peeps brothers and my Auntie Jen – who I had just met! – with her. 87 hours later she sent this picture to Dad’s phone to let him know she got to wherever she was going:

Dad said Mom went to a place called Floorida. So here I was with no Mom, and Riley with no Dad. Dad replied to Mom with this picture of poor pitiful us. I wonder if it made her want to come home.

Dad claimed to be sad and neglected too, but I think it was just to make us feel better. After all, he did fix this for his supper:

 

And finished up with this:

Mom didn’t send any food pictures, but she did send some restaurant pictures to Dad. Everyone but Mom ate a lot of alligator. They said it tastes like chicken. I wonder where I can get me some alligator…

After 87 days, Mom came back home. I think it was Sunday. Now both Mom and Dad are packing their suitcases. And brother Andrew just left. I am worried. Who is going to feed me? And pet me? I am not going to let Mom out of my sight!

I will let you know if I survive.

Love and wiggles, Lucy

Grooming With(out) Lucy

I’ve given up. Mom’s never going to let me groom dogs. A couple of weeks ago she got a 15 year old miniature poodle dog named Muffy in to groom. Do you think Mom let me help? Right. Mom forgot to get a “before” picture, but she remembers thinking that under all that hair there has to be a poodle. It took her two hours to find the poodle, though. Muffy is also a screamer. Speaking of screaming, I can hardly wait for Mom to let me tell you what Riley did at the vet. (he, he)

 

 

This morning Mom did a mini-groom on Dora the shih Tzu and Maggie the schnauzer. I’ve told you about them before.

 

 

 

Then a newer client asked if Mom could groom Daisy, her cockapoo. Of course Mom said, “Come on!” and there was one more dog I didn’t get to groom. *sad sigh*  Daisy will be one year old next month and her Mom is planning her a birthday party. I bet she would have been tons of fun to play with. Oh, wait. Maybe that’s why Mom won’t let me groom.

Daisy before groom

    Daisy after groom

Love and wiggles, Lucy

 

Happy Dog and Cat Treats

I hit the mother load. 🙂  Twenty-one nutritious and delicious recipes for easy-to-make treats. I have been wondering about how I could give Lucy treats since she is on the Raw Diet. Even though the treats are baked (and one is frozen), they are still species appropriate and solves that problem. You can access this ebook here.  If you try any of these, I would love to read your-and your fur baby’s-thoughts on them.

 

 

 

 

Surprise Saturday Grooms

Emmy “before”

Last night I heard Mom tell Dad that it seemed odd that she didn’t have any grooms for this weekend. Right after that she got a message on the neighborhood apple or appie or something that said, “Do you by any chance have an opening to shave my hateful old bity this weekend? If not it is ok. She’s beyond trimming she is getting matted so a shave except for her face will be necessary.” The person left her phone number, so Mom texted her back and said sure, come at 9:30 on Saturday. The lady warned Mom that her Shih Tzu bites, which is why she is such a mess. “Emmy” even tries to bite her Mom when her Mom tries to brush her. I think that is a very, very bad dog. I would never bite anyone, especially my Mom. But Mom has done well with supposed biters in times past, but she has also been bitten – especially by shih tzus. As it turned out, Emmy was a handful on the table and took a long time. She tried to eat my Dad for lunch when he held onto her so that Mom could cut her nails. Dad was brave and did not shirk his duty, and every nail got safely cut. At one point, Emmy calmed down and looked Mom in the eyes. Yeah, Mom melted. After her bath, Emmy got still and let Mom finish up her face and head with no argument.

I think they might have become friends. Emmy is already scheduled to come back in two months. When her Mom came back to get her, she said that Emmy and another dog were rescued from a house where the owner had died. Two other dogs didn’t “make it.” She has lived in her new home for four years. She hates the man there too, so maybe her first Dad was mean to her.

Thank you Miss Amy for helping me feel better. I’m 14 and still a pretty girl!

So, just before Mom started grooming Emmy, another new person called wanting her little yorkie groomed.

Bella is a tiny, four-year-old Yorkshire terrier (yay, another terrier like me – well, maybe not exactly like me). Oh, and Bella is a sweetie, just like me! Bella’s peeps didn’t tell Mom that she was a matted mess before they brought her.  Her Dad told Mom exactly what they wanted, and even showed her a picture they found on the internet. I guess that’s just Mom’s job, to turn matted messes into something pretty, right?

That’s it for this week’s edition of Grooming with Amy. We hope you enjoyed it.

Love and wiggles, Lucy.

One Lovely Blog Award

We are honored that Cino and his Mom LeeAnn nominated us for the One Lovely Blog Award. You can visit them at Animal Are Feeling Beings Too. 

One of the rules is to list seven facts about ourselves. Lucy, take it away!

1. Hi, I’m Lucy. (That’s a fact, but I won’t count it.) My Mom brought me home this year on January 14, the day before my Dad’s birthday.
2. Mom’s first words when Dad saw me were, “We’re not keeping her.”(That’s a fact, too, but I won’t count this one, either.) I am not scared of thunder or lightening or fireworks.
3. Dad’s first words were, “I’ve heard that before.” (Wont’ use that one either.) Mom says my picture should be by the word “compliant” in the dictionary, because as soon as I understand what is expected of me, that’s what I do. I am not a rebel.
4. Then Mom said, “Really, this time, we’re not.” (OK, you see how this is going.) I eat a raw diet and I dance in circles when I see Mom coming with it.
5. Then Dad laughed and said, “We’d better think of a good name.” I am about one and a half years old. Someone in this family is going to (had better!) make up a birthday day for me so I can have cake and toys and treats and other pressies.
6. Mom shook her head and said, “Really, I am going to find her a good home.”  I am a beautiful dark brindle bully, as pretty inside as out. Mom says that’s a fact!
7. Dad now says I am his girl and no one will ever take me away from him and Mom. 🙂 (That one counts – a lot – but let’s add something else.) My favorite thing in the whole world is to run and play with Riley and any other dog who wants to be my friend.
   

   Gratuitous picture of me.

I am supposed to nominate 15 bloggers for this award. Even though Mom is old hat at this (no Mom, I would never, ever call you old) I am new at it, so I am going to try to find some newer bloggers, or at lease some that are new to Mom, too, along with a few of our many other favorites. Let’s see, (drum roll, please) I nominate:

1. Mia from It’s a Pibble’s Life! We could be twins!! Of course I am interested in what another bully is doing, and I really, really want to play with her.
2. Benji from Life of Benji. Even though his blog’s been around since 2015, we just found him and love to read about his life. We think he is mostly a Treeing Tennessee Brindle, and he is a pawsome therapy dog.
3. Watson from Wednesdays with Watson  has also been blogging since 2015, and he helps Mom get her schnauzer fix. He always has something inspiring to say.
4. Abby Lab from The Book of Barkley is Blogville’s  caterer and runs the chow truck. Her Mom is an Amazon #1 best selling author, and also leads a very interesting life, so you know her blog has to be good!
5. Kosmo from Rantasalo Home Album. Kosmo is the cat from faraway Finland, and offers a photographic glimpse into the countryside and life in that land. We always learn something new on his blog.
6. Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge isn’t by or about an anipal, but has clever introductions, stories and comments about current affairs, especially in their neck of the woods. Usually some twist, and requires a bit of thought. Oops, just saw they already have this award…I see this can be tricky.
7. Cupcake from Cupcake Speaks is another rescued terrier who helps her Mom – a children’s book author – tell a story. She is also well-dressed and goes to the library so kids can read to her. Aww man, Cupcake already has the award, too. But it’s a different picture…
8. Sam and recently Elsa from Tails Around the Ranch keep us smiling with the sweet, goofy therapy dog Sam and his sister Elsa who was rescued from life at a puppy mill.
9. We would have nominated Noodle at Noodle for President, but guess what? He already got this award last year. We know this because he and Lexi (before she was Angel Lexi) were engaged or something. You can still be neighborly and go say “Hi!”

I know I’m supposed to nominate more bloggers, but Mom said it’s a lot of (HBO word) work and time and we have done more than half. Some of you may already have this award, so that’s ok. Others may not want it, and that’s ok too. And still others may say the HBO word about taking too much time. To the last group Mom says just take it and run, don’t worry about the rules. (Mom is more of a rebel than me.)

Now for The Rules:

• Thank the person that nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
• List the rules.
• Display the award on your post of the award.
• List seven facts about yourself.
• Nominate 15 bloggers for this award and comment on one of their posts to let them know you have nominated them.

Love and wags,

Lucy the Conformist

Memory Monday with Lexi

 

Ahhh, rolling around in the ivy feels so good.

Anyone who has followed this blog for very long knows that our precious Lexi had a very good and full life. Below are a few pictures of Lexi enjoying her time “working” at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, or “the church on the mountain,” as she identified it. She guarded my office and greeted all those I permitted to enter (everyone), insisting on being pet and requesting food. Both were often obliged. (She gained five pounds during her two years of Wednesdays and Fridays there.) She enjoyed going into the enclosed memorial garden, whose entrance was directly across from our office. She took special delight in rolling in the vinca, after which I had to try to fluff it up. Ever try to fluff an ivy?

Lexi also had her memorable moments inside. I usually took her breakfast with us. Sometimes she did not approve, and did the D&D (Disdain and Dump). She was always a good communicator.

I do not approve of this breakfast. Get me something else.

Then came our last day at St. Tim’s. A friend gave us a plant. This was the last photo of Lexi  at “the church on the mountain.” More adventures were to come!

This flower is pretty and smells good, but hey, where are the treats?

 

Artsy Fartsy Ella’s Day

Ella, the sister of Piper the schnauzer

Ella is Piper’s sister, who has not appeared in Angel Lexi/Lucy’s blog very often, so you may not be acquainted with this young, vivacious boxer mix who loves everyone. Before Piper had to be kept calm because of his heart, they  chased and caught rabbits together in their backyard, along with other adventures. Ella helped him “stay young.” They still sleep together in their large wire kennel as best friends do.

During my visit at their house a week ago, I was naturally very focused on Piper, and Ella didn’t get much attention. Neither did she get mentioned in the blog posts about the trip. I’m afraid she is feeling a bit neglected and has demanded recompense by way of starring in the Caturday Art Blog Hop. “Starring” was her word, not mine – I think she must have had a visit from Angel Lexi.

 

So, without further ado, heeeeere’s Ella!

We have joined Athena Cat Goddess today in her Caturday Art Blog Hop.

Piper’s Day with His Aunt Amy

Do you see this, Aunt Amy? I have to go through all these moving boxes to get to my water. And I drink a lot of water. My Mama says it’s cause of my sugar being off. That’s the truth! I haven’t had any sugar on me since the great powdered sugar caper years ago.  Never mind that, now I need to go out again.

Whoa! I stood up too fast. Hey! Do you see these butterflies that just appeared all around me, Aunt Amy?

Where’d they go? I think it’s getting ready to rain. Maybe we should go back inside. I wonder if the butterflies went in the house.

What are you eating, Aunt Amy? I think it is my supper time. Or lunch. Or maybe second breakfast? I feel like no one fed me today.

Your Dad fed you this morning before he left for work.

That was 87 minutes ago. Maybe even 87 hours.

I understand, sweet boy, you are a schnauzer. I will give you a little bit of lunch. Just don’t tell your Mom.

Could you give me some of that food you are eating and I won’t tell my Mom about that either?

*sigh*

Wait, you don’t really have to leave today, do you? I am going to lay on you until it is time to go. I will miss you. Come back soon.

I will miss you too, Piper and I will try to do that.

I love you, Aunt Amy. ❤

I love you too, Piper. ❤
 
 
 
 
 

Aunt Amy Visits Piper

Aunt Amy! What took you so long? Mom told me 87 days ago you were coming to visit me. Did you get lost?

It’s OK, Aunt Amy. You’re here now. Just hold me.

Wednesday Wellness Blog

I want to share with you another article by Dr. Becker. I, for one, didn’t know that blue/green algae could be deadly.  Summer Killer Alert: Please Don’t Let Your Pets Breathe, Touch, Eat or Drink Here.

Story at-a-glance

• A summertime hazard many pet parents aren’t aware of is toxic blue-green algae, which are found in freshwater lakes, streams and ponds
• Blue-green algae contain deadly cyanobacteria that can cause severe illness and death, most commonly in dogs who swim in or drink from contaminated water sources
• Exposure to blue-green algae is a medical emergency and immediate veterinary care is required
• Since blue-green algae toxicity is often fatal even with aggressive treatment, play it safe by keeping your pet away from any body of water that is greenish in color
• Not all blue-green algae are toxic; harmful blooms usually smell bad and resemble pea soup, green paint or floating mats of scum

Picture of grass awns credited to Tails Around the Ranch

Also, just last week I learned about a dangerous plant called grass awns at Tails Around the Ranch, featuring Sam and Elsa, two great Standard Poodles. Their Mom writes, “… I know only too well that fox tails are very much alive and well in urban settings and can easily attach themselves to a leg or paw while walking. The result can lead to infection and extensive (read expensive) vet treatment.”  If you, like me, are not familiar with this plant, you can visit Mr. Google or just follow the blog link to learn more about it.

It seems we and our animal friends live in a dangerous world. It’s summer here. Be safe.

 

Friday Foodies and Piper Update

Mom finally realized that the food she bought from Chewy.com was not raw. She had searched their site for raw food, and it popped up and she didn’t read any further. She found this out when she couldn’t find the word “raw” on the package. Upon reading the package more closely she also found that the protein/fat ratio for raw food was way off. It should be 2 parts protein to 1 part fat, and it was half and half. (Maybe ’cause it wasn’t raw, Mom.)  When she called them, they were very nice, said they would fix that search engine, and gave her all her money back. The bag is now sitting in the freezer waiting to be fed on an “emergency” basis. I wonder what kind of an emergency I could have to get some more Tylees…

Then Mom got another revelation.

Yep, she finally looked closer at this danged fish and realized why I wasn’t eating it. She put on some gloves and took a knife to it, trying to just slice off the fin. Ha, ha, that didn’t work so well. It turned into one of Phenny’s DIY projects. I listened for some HBO words, but the worst I heard was, “Ow, that does hurt,” and “I need a sharper knife,” and “I wonder who I can get to do this for me.” She finally got it done with about the same results as in Phenny’s crib. I did get to eat the head and some meat off of it, though.

Anyhow, Mom thought it was time for me to share pictures (’cause I’m not sharing my food) of what else I’ve had for supper recently. In case you didn’t know, I am on the Raw Diet. Mom says it took some time to get her head around feeding raw meat. It took me, however, no time getting my mouth around it. Mmmmmm.

beef, kale and sweet potato

 

chicken, collards, egg and coconut oil

Mom puts down my bowl and I dive in. She has to be fast to get a picture while there is still food in the bowl.

num num num

I want to end with a quick update from Mom on Piper.

Piper is holding steady, even showing some spunk. Yesterday he moved with his Mom (his Dad was already there) to Nashville. Now Piper and his family are only 2 hours away from us instead of almost 6. We are always glad to be closer, and especially at this time in Piper’s life.

Let me snooze, Momma, while you take us to our new home.

Love and wags, Lucy

Piper Update

Piper went to an emergency vet clinic at 4:00 Eastern Time. Although we knew Piper’s heart is enlarged, and has been for years, it does not look like he is in congestive heart failure. His liver is extremely large because of his heart problem. His liver is pushing all of his organs, including his stomach, down, causing the distension in his abdomen. His food was just sitting in his very full stomach. The food had nowhere to go since his intestines were also full. The dogtor did something called a rectal (don’t know and don’t want to know) to clear it out. That worked, and Piper went outside and pooped for five solid minutes. He felt much better, as we all would in that situation.

He went home with instructions to go to his regular vet and have his insulin level checked. He is an insulin dependent diabetic. He seems to be out of the woods for right now. As funny as it sounds, the digestive issue would have been life-threatening if it hadn’t been resolved today. We just don’t know yet what can be done about the enlarged liver and the problems it is presenting. Many thank to everyone for their POTP, prayers, concern and comments.
Piper was feeling much better, with a smile on his precious face even while his eyes were getting heavy on the way home.

Urgent POTP for Piper

When I woke up this morning I had this text from Piper’s Mom:

Piper’s been off today. Too much to type but just wanted to let you know we may not make it through the night. But who knows, he may be himself again tomorrow.

This morning she wrote:

Still here. Keeps pulling his head to the right. Like a nervous tick. Drinking tons. At one point last night he started twitching when I was trying to trim him some with just scissors. I cut his neck. 😦 He didn’t flinch. (My Note: Normally Piper would have been screaming at Mach 1 that his life was surely over if he got hurt.)

And a bit later:

He’s still holding steady. Still wanting food and treats. (My Note: Yes, he is definitely a schnauzer.)

 

Please pray and give Piper your POTP. He is my Super Schnauzer Nephew.

 
 
 
 
 

A Dog Grooming Double Entendre

My Mom was watching videos on grooming tek neeks when her new groom got to the house. She set her laptop on the floor with the you tube video still running. Can you guess what I did? Yep, I watched how to groom shih tzu faces and yorkie faces and malteses all overs and tons of other stuff. Dad put me out in the yard for a while, but I couldn’t wait to get back in to watch more videos. I ran right to the laptop and kept watching until Mom was all done in her groom room and came back upstairs. I hope I get to watch more videos of dogs today.

Zoe is a Papitese. She is half Papillon and half Maltese. Mom said she was a very, very good girl and got a treat and a fancy bow on her collar. Maybe I can groom Zoe next time, ’cause I have to get some paws-on experience. I will see if there is a you tube video for Papitese grooming.

Loves and wiggles,

Lucy

Friday Food for Thought

Lately, I have been doing a lot of research on dog-related matters, especially nutrition and meds. Every time I learn something new, I realize how much more I have to learn.

For some time now, I have been wondering how much harm I have done/am doing by using insecticides in the forms of flea spray, flea baths, flea prevention, heartworm prevention and lawn products.  The question, “Why am I poisoning my dog?” keeps recurring, with the obvious answer of “for her own good.” Huh?

I want to do better than that, and I believe I can. So, without promoting or suggesting any particular action, I want to share with you some of the things I have learned. I realize you may shrug and say that’s not for me, or, hopefully, like me, be interested enough to dig a little deeper. Today’s link is about worms and heartworms and is entitled Prevent and Treat Bug Bites with These Natural Solutions and includes a link to an illustrated Heartworm Guide.  I am very interested in hearing your thoughts.

Have a good weekend, all!

Getting Comfy

I have seen the people put their feet and even their legs on this thing called an Otto Man when they are watching a movie. I like to watch movies with them, so I thought, why not try this?

It didn’t work out quite the way I had planned. Darn Otto Man!

So I went outside onto the patio with Riley and found a much  better way to get comfy with my best guy.

A Fish Story

Hi friends! I am patiently – yes, this is my patient look, Mom – waiting for my whole fish supper tonight. Well, it’s almost whole. Someone scooped the really good insides out of it. See, this is what happened: Mom went to the grocery on her way home from work last week and came home with more yummy raw food for me. She is always doing that. 🙂 She asked Dad if he was ok feeding it to me, ’cause she didn’t have the stomach for it. Isn’t that funny? I’m the one who has to have the stomach for it, BOL. To Mom’s surprise, Dad said yes. I could smell something really good, so I followed Dad outside to see what it was. He laid down a long plate in the grass and slid something I had never seen before onto it from a plastic bag. Dad said it was my supper. It was curious looking with eyeballs still in a head still attached to a body that ended in a fin. I licked it for a while, not quite sure what to do. Then I started nibbling at the middle section. I eventually worked my way north and then finished off with the south end. I’m telling you, this fish was almost as long as my tail.

After that, Mom decided that Monday was my “fast” day. Yes, I run very fast. I don’t know why that means no one feeds me on Mondays until supper, though. Dad said that meant they should give me my next big fish on Sunday night to “hold” me. Yuk! I don’t want no fish holding me. I just wanna eat it.

Wait, I smell something fishy.

Hello there, fishy.

 

Hmmm, you smell a bit different today. More fishy.

 

Here’s a little kiss for luck (he, he).

 

Oh, a fishy tail. You could be fun to play with.

Lucy: Mom, oh Mom…
Me: What is it Lucy?
Lucy: I don’t want to eat this fish. And I keep having to chase the flies off of it.
Jeff: It might have sat in the fridge too long.
Me: *sigh* Please go wrap it up and throw it in the trash bin.
Note: Lucy ended up eating chickie breast, Tylee’s Raw Beef Diet, and an egg. We have one more fish that’s in the freezer, so will try it next Saturday.

A Chilly Day

Today was a bit chilly and it seemed that everyone noticed I was cold. First, Mom tried to help while I took a nap. That was good.

When I woke up, my boyfriend Riley suggested we lay in a sun puddle. That was gooder.

Finally, we went out into the sunshine and played until we were both hot. That was the goodest.

May your days be filled with sunshine and cozy blankies.

Woofs and wiggles, Lucy

More Grooms by Mom

Hi, this is Lucy. I don’t get to meet most of the dogs Mom grooms. I don’t really even know what “grooms” means. So I will turn my blog over to Mom today to tell you all about it.

Lucy, you are one lucky dog to not know what it is to be “groomed.” But I do try to make the experience as good as I can for my little four-legged friends. I have been blessed to get the sweetest dogs coming to be groomed, and Chaz, Lizzie, and Shaggy Bear have been no exception.

I got the teacup yorkie, Chaz back in for his third groom with me. This time his Mom felt comfortable enough to leave him and go do other things while her little boy got beautified. I promised pictures last time, so I did better by at least getting an “after” of this five-year-old boy.

Next, Lizzie is a second-timer coming to me. She is a five-year-old shih tzu/ basset mix.  Lizzie has a beautiful coat, but gets hot, so her Mom has me shave her. Look at those little basset legs!

Finally, another good boy, eleven-year-old Shaggy Bear – and was he ever! This was another second time groom with me. The first time was the middle of February. Shaggy Bear lives only a few houses down the road from me.

Shaggy Bear’s grandma made his mom give him a bath the day before his groom. Last time, I had to bathe him twice before the groom and once after, mostly because of fleas. They also took my advice on flea and tick prevention and all I found under all that hair this time was some old flea dirt from before the fleas were killed.  His grandma brought him and she has already booked his next groom in six weeks. With him beginning to come to me regularly, I may be able to talk them into a nicer-looking style and maybe share my “green bean diet” for him, too. No wonder he gets so hot! I renamed this dear shih tzu “Sugar Bear” after he got groomed!

That’s it for another episode of “Grooming with Amy.” Have a great weekend!

 

Lucy’s Vacation

Hi Friends! I promised to tell you what I was doing “next weekend” which has turned into “last weekend.” I tried to pin Mom down last week to write my blog, but she kept pushing me off her.

I went on vacation – without Mom and Dad! I stayed at this really, really, really, really nice lady’s house. Her name is Martha and I had met her once before when I still had my job at the church. She gave me a frozen pig’s foot just like the one I had lost, and it kept me so busy that I only dug one hole in her front yard. Ms. Martha took me in her car to her son’s house. I met Jax and Brody and we played hard.

It was hot outside, so we cooled off on the patio together.

On Sunday we went back and this time there were little people and another dog. I had so much fun!!

We got back home to Ms. Martha’s just before Mom and Dad pulled in the driveway to take me home. I was happy to see them, but I didn’t want to leave. Like when I went to see My Grandma, I don’t understand why peeps can’t just all live in the same place. That way, we could all visit and play together all the time. Can someone please explain that to me?

That’s all I can tell you for now. Mom has to go to work. Maybe tomorrow I can pin her down to write in my blog and tell you about her visit with Piper while I was on vacation.

Lots of wiggles and wags, Lucy.