Category: dogs

Sick puppy

visiting the veterinarian
In the rainy afternoon Tilly began exhibiting behaviors I’ve never seen in a dog, attempting, with no production, to pee and poop once a minute. Whining, walking rapidly, circling, assuming the position. When she vomited I loaded her in the car for a vet visit.
In the movie, Tender Mercies, Robert Duval’s character said “I don’t trust happiness.”
When Sophie was little, I bumped into the insufficiency of a puppy’s immune system when she had the fever of unknown origin, walked the edge of death for three days.
In Tilly’s case, seemingly the presenting problem is a raging urinary tract infection. On Amoxicillin now, feeling better.

One of the three hundred?

Tilly started puppy class at All things Pawssible
Tilly started puppy class at All Things Pawssible
dog and cat
Started private Cat tutorials with Pepe.
poet film maker
Chris Hlad is teaching her to write poetry.
sidewalk is next
Till continued inspecting utility work on Franklin Street
dog soccer
Learned finer points of ball handling from Pearl
tick seed
did a “run through the flowers” scene in an independent film
pain management
Tilly’s human is too damn old..
Goes to the doctor a lot.
Goes to the doctor a lot.
Rivanna River
The relationship with water continues to develop.
cautious drinking
One of the 300? She is lapping the water but still looking around.
Judges 7:4-7
But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” 6Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.
7The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him.
Exhausted. Asleep in the foodbowl. Classic Labrador move.
Exhausted. Asleep in the foodbowl. Classic Labrador move.

secondary socialization

In between naps, trying to immunize the little dog against fear. Walking on bricks...
In between naps, trying to immunize the little dog against fear. Walking on bricks…
DT Mall
Puppies get their primary socialization from their siblings and momma. Secondary socialization is the human’s job. Live musicians, panhandlers, back-up beepers
Found a comfortable perch on Market to watch pedestrians, bicycles, garbage trucks, busses
Found a comfortable perch on Market to watch pedestrians, bicycles, garbage trucks, buses
Engine 5
It takes a village. Fire engine #5 arrived on east Market when an unmarked gas line was cut by excavators. People in uniforms, flashing lights, meet them now, no fear later.
bucket
During the temporary cessation of work, Scott’s Back Hoe’s dog whisperer taught Tilly to retrieve.
retrieving
I had tried to teach this unsuccessfully, the DW got 5 out of 5 returns.
Puppy inspector.
Puppy inspector.
Undaunted.
Undaunted.

Chow hound

Labradors love to eat, strong motivation where food is concerned. I left Tilly with a 32oz empty yogurt container. Came back a minute later to find her stumbling around the room, like wearing a hat that was too large. In the yogurt container up to her ears bumping into furniture. She wasn't in distress, there was still yogurt to be had.
Labradors love to eat, strong motivation where food is concerned. I left Tilly with a 32oz empty yogurt container. Came back a minute later to find her stumbling around the room, like wearing a hat that was too large. In the yogurt container up to her ears bumping into furniture. She wasn’t in distress, there was still yogurt to be had.

Housedog, Waterdog?

Thinking about venturing out.
Thinking about venturing out.
Tilly, puddle
How does a house dog become Waterdog?
shoreline Town Creek
Investigating this thing called water.
Yes or no?
Yes or no?
Knee deep.
Knee deep.
tug
Stress relief. Learning about water, panel vans, fire engines, front end loaders, bicycles, live musicians, meetings, strollers, babies, trains uniforms. Sometime the little dog lets off steam with a game of tug.

Road Trip

Tilly trots Market
Town is a great place. 4700 people per square mile. Lots to see and do. But threats abound. Vigilance is necessary.
Crate
Packed the puppy for a Slabtown visit.
Town Creek
Bigger horizon, 67 people per square mile.
Room to romp
Room to romp
Room to roam
Room to roam
I keep an eye on the sky, don't want the puppy to be a bald eagle snack but the chances of that are slim. A relief not worrying about cars.
I keep an eye on the sky, don’t want the puppy to be a bald eagle snack but the chances of that are slim. A relief not worrying about cars.

Neonate with teeth

dinner rule 1 eat
There is so much going on for the young dog, forcibly removed from siblings and mother, dealing with new everything, food, surroundings, people, words, rules, order, life and death everywhere.
puppy on exam table
visited Georgetown Vet on day 2. Been going there since 1974.
11 pounds
get weighed, evaluated, osculated, prodded, checked out up and down.
asleep at the point of transaction
made lots of new friends, exhausting.
dog phrenology mistake
Back at home, mistakes to be made. Neonate with teeth, curious about everything, the curiosity can be deadly, so the little dog has to be taught, chaperoned, watched, socialized. Fortunately, she was very cool about getting her head stuck, she waited, calmly.
New challenges at every turn, stairs…
New challenges at every turn, stairs…
Learning new means of conveyance, puppy as camera...
Learning new means of conveyance, puppy as camera…
carpetbag
going to meetings and attending quietly.
Pearl the wonder dog
Introduction to other (fully immunized) members of the pack
stopping traffic on Market Street
Cars, walking on a leash. The limitations and dangers of the new world.