I'm not sure why this was such a big deal. Maybe because it was something I just couldn't do: I could never get a picture of Maggie sitting. We've had Truly six years and he's sat exactly twice. Maggie came along and she wasn't adverse to sitting. She does it every now and again but my camera was never handy. I was finally able to get these shots by putting my phone/camera in my pocket and carrying it around with me everywhere I went.
Goal 187:
NO LICKEY DOG
Truly was running up the deck stairs one afternoon. It had been raining and his front left leg slipped under one of the wet steps. His leg was skinned up pretty bad. It was a half dollar-sized abrasion for which there was no real treatment other than topical antiseptic. We tried the product everyone recommended - EMT Gel. He found it particulalry tasty.
It is because of this injury that Truly knows exactly what the phrase "No lickey dog" means. He hears it, sighs deeply, and stops for a while. The scrape will have almost healed and then you look over at him and he's licking it again. "No lickey dog, Truly." Sigh . . .
The vet says it's o.k., there's not much we can do to stop him. It's not infected. Apparently, when he's licking the wound, his brain gets an endorphin rush which is kind of like natural pain relief.
NAILS
My September post, Nails, described my method for keeping greyhound nails the proper length. The Dremel Tool works really well and Truly and Maggie don't mind it - too much.
Here are Walker's nails. Yes, he is, in fact, the Sweetest Boy Ever. However, he has special needs related to idiopathic fear. His anxiety makes it very hard to take care of his nails. I tried a couple of weekends ago to Dremel Walker's nails. Didn't work. At all.
Then I tried this type of nail clipper:
I thought this might work because all of Walker's nails are black. You can't see the quicks. This clipper has a quick-finder guide to keep you from hurting the dog. That is accurate. This clipper did keep me from hurting Walker. When I got it on his nail, I squeezed and the plastic handle broke into two pieces. Walker's nail wasn't even touched.
It's back to the drawing board now.
MAKES THE MEDICINE GO DOWN
Walker takes two capsules every day. When I heard his first foster Mom say this, I was concerned because I haven't had good luck giving Truly and Maggie pills. I hide the pill in a piece of hot dog. He/she eats the hot dog while almost surgically removing the pill from it. I wait and watch expectantly as the pill falls out of his/her mount while he/she waits excitedly for another piece of hot dog. You can go through a pack of hot dogs that way.
Then I was told Walker takes his pills just fine if you use these:
I had never heard of these. I'm VERY glad I know about them now.
So glad Truly's leg is healing up. Polly tends to be a licker:)
ReplyDeleteFab photos of Maggie:)
Must admit I get the vets to clip the nails. so far I have been able to keep them down by walking on the pavement, so usually only once a year at the vets.
What a fab idea those pill pockets are. I tend to put any pills into cheese.
The elusive sitting greyhound. Stanley is our main licker. Might have to do with the fact, that he gets the most banged up outside. If only he'd watch where he was going. We go two-fold with clippers then Dremel. Luckily it hasn't broken on us yet. Pill pockets are great. If we don't have any, we use cheese or anything we can find in the fridge they will eat.
ReplyDeleteBlueberry sits whenever someone has food that she wants or whenever my husband is trying to practice obedience with Kuster or Morgan! lol She has a very pretty sit, but she thinks it guarantees her what she wants.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should just take Walker to the vet and get his nails trimmed. That's what we ended up doing with Lilac because her nails were so hard they broke two nail clippers. Now we just grind the dogs' nails with the Furminator grinder.
Those leg wounds! We've been there and feel your pain! lol