Cold Blooded Killers

So now, here’s what happened with the squirrel, as told by MissMuddyPaws (aka Lydia):

Milly saw a squirrel in some underbrush and chased it up a tree. Having always loved chasing and treeing squirrels, and having never caught one, I used this as the perfect opportunity to snap some pictures and watch her play. I’m not sure if something was wrong with the squirrel, or if it had weak nails, or just picked the wrong tree – but while Milly was attempting to climb the tree/barking at squirrel I noticed the squirrel was only half way up the tree trunk. This is a really tall pine – probably 70 feet or higher – and the branches are not until the very top, so the squirrel is clinging to the side of the trunk. The next thing I notice, the squirrel has gone around to the other side of the trunk, Milly and Hush follow, at which point I think to myself what the hell is going through this squirrel’s mind? Why doesn’t he just climb the tree. I decide maybe the squirrel is tried and scared, call the dogs to me, and we head down towards the creek. The next thing I know, both dogs have taken off and are back at the squirrel tree. Then, I see the squirrel. It was like in his little brain he decided the only way out was down, and he could run sideways and fast, and leap into the tree beside the one he was in for better coverage.

At this point, everything goes into slow motion – like I’m watching some predator show on the Discovery Channel and they are slowing down the antelope being attacked by the Mountain Lion.

As if on the count of 3, the squirrel leaps to the ground and starts high tailing (no pun intended) away. Had it just been Milly, he probably could have gotten away. But it was 2 against 1. Once again, like it was some Discovery Channel predator moment, Hush and Milly team up – they move as one. While one chases, the other corners, while one blocks the front, the other closes in on the rear. It was the most natural, effortless, and graceful thing I have ever witnessed. With no way out, Milly pounced onto the squirrel, grabbing him in her mouth on the first try. Proudly she flings her head about, like Miss America immediately after crowning, she has tried for this moment her entire life, and never thought she would be here. Meanwhile, a tear is trickling down my face. I start franticly yelling, “Milly, Drop it!”

I know Milly, and I know she has a soft mouth. This squirrel is alive and alright, as long as she drops it. The next thing I see was heartbreaking. Hush playfully grabs onto the other half of the squirrel, and they begin tossing it about, playing tug of war with it. I want to vomit, and I’m praying they’ve broken its neck. The situation has gone from surreal Discovery Channel to horrifying murder.

Hush wins the tug of war, and they drop the squirrel, but continue to ignore me. I suddenly remember the one surefire way to get a solid recall out of them is to walk away, making them think I am leaving them. I head down the hill towards the creek and dog park, if I can just get them far enough away from this squirrel they will be distracted by the creek. I turn around to see Hush running full-steam ahead right at me… the squirrel hanging from her mouth. I know at this point I should have stood my ground. I should have called her over, made her sit, and removed the squirrel from her mouth. But, I didn’t. I couldn’t.

Instead, I run the opposite direction, flailing my arms about, as she playfully prances behind me flaunting her new possession. My heart is racing. I want to cry and vomit simultaneously. Luckily, Hush has a short attention span – she drops the squirrel and bounds over to people playing in the creek. At this point, Milly is at my side, I grab her collar, and walk her to the creek. The squirrel seemed to be dropped on the edge of the woods, it looked dead in Hush’s mouth; we’ll just leave it there.

That would have been find, had the lab that was playing in the creek with Milly and Hush, yes, the one keeping their minds off the squirrel, not taken off running. A game of chase started, but Milly made a b-line for the squirrel, now the lab is chasing Milly. I look up to see something hanging from her mouth. I yell, “Milly, DROP IT!” And, somehow, SHE LISTENS. The squirrel tumbles from her mouth and she obediently trots over to me. It isn’t moving, I sigh in relief knowing it is dead, and hope it has been dead this whole time.

At this point, the lab’s owner has gotten to his dog; the squirrel is in the lab’s jaws of steel. I grab my dogs’ collars, and head in the opposite direction, putting on their leashes. The dead squirrel now becomes the lab owner’s problem.

We amble away, and I look down and notice blood on Milly’s muzzle. I think it is blood from the squirrel, because Milly is completely un-phased... so I walk down to the creek and let her splash about in it. There is now more blood. Crap.

I wipe the drool off of her muzzle and see two small puncture wounds. My mind starts racing as I think when her last rabies vaccine was, and whether or not I’ve heard of squirrels carrying diseases. I know she isn’t due for rabies for over a year, but draw a blank on illnesses. We head back home, I use the hose outside to lightly rinse the area, head inside, clean it with betadine and e-mail the vet.

“Apply pressure to stop the bleeding. Clean it with Betadine. Keep an eye on it, and if there are puncture wounds she may need to come in for antibiotics.” $$$$’s, The Vet.

I've continued to clean the wound. The swelling is gone, and I'm keeping an eye on the way it looks (and smells)... so far, it is healing nicely, so hopefully a trip to the vet will not be necessary.

Murder At The Dog Park:

After work on Monday, I decided to take the dogs on what I hoped would be a nice long walk in the woods, followed by some time playing in the creek. Our plans were cut short by the following events, as told to you step-by-step, by Milly.

Step 1: Sniff out a squirrel hiding in a bush

Step 2: Chase squirrel up a tree and weigh the options

Step 3: Begin to bark at squirrel

Step 4: Consult with Hush to formulate a new action plan

Step 5: Attempt to climb tree

Steps 6-11: Miraculously coerce squirrel from tree; with the help of Hush surround squirrel on all sides; catch squirrel; Play tug-of-war with the squirrel; Chase Lydia with the squirrel; Murder squirrel

Step 12: Realize the squirrel got his final revenge before death

Stop and Smell the Roses

Over the weekend, Hush and I took a few really long walks. At one point, it got really hot, so we found a clean part of the creek, and I let her get her paws wet. Dogs "sweat" through their paws (they don't actually sweat, but they release heat through their paws), and wading in a nice cool stream can really help them cool off. I try not to let her drink out rivers and streams, but I couldn't pour her portable water fast enough! So here is my little troll under the bridge.


After we played troll under the bridge, we continued on our walk until we got to one of Arlington County's many, many, many parks. This particular park has lovely rose gardens, and beautiful benches where you can sit and relax. We walked around the gardens, sat on a bench, picked and shared blackberries, and then took a nap in the grass together under a large shady tree.



Hush is a big fan of roses. First she wanted to smile with the pretty pink ones. Don't you just love this picture? When I showed it to her breeder she was blown away by how beautiful Hush is looking. She just gets better every single day!



But, Hush still does not have a very long attention span, so it did not take long before she was sick of playing photo shoot amongst the pink florals. Next we came to the yellow ones, and she decided it was time to stop and smell the roses. Of course, with all this trolling, posing and sniffing... we were exhausted. So, we collapsed in a ball of Lydiahushness under a big oak tree, and didn't wake up for over an hour! When we woke up there was a snow cone truck parked on the side of the road, so I bought us each a snow cone. Hush has hers with no flavoring, just shaved ice, but she doesn't seem to mind, and the snowcone salesperson usually discounts hers since there is no flavoring on it. You have to be careful feeding frozen treats or ice cubes, because of bloat, but the occassional frozen goodie is safe... just make sure you supervise your dog, and your dog does not eat the shaved ice too quickly.

It's Swimsuit Season!!!

For most people, you hear the words "Swimsuit Season" and start looking into gym memberships, spending more time exercising, and substituting a large salad for a big bowl of pasta. It seems everyone around me always loses weight during the summer, and sorry for calling friends out, but most of them gain a few pounds in the winter.

But then, there is me. I am the opposite. In the winter, I shed the pounds. Of course, you wouldn't know it, because I'm buried underneath oversized sweaters, big scarves, and cords that fit when I bought them in October, but by January are 1-2 sizes too big. I hear summer, and I think "Sangria while sitting in a rocking chair on a porch!" As soon as the weather starts to warm up and the flowers begin blooming I yearn for the smell of cheeseburgers cooking on the grill, and day dream of holding a ginormous Ben & Jerry's cone under the blazing sun, racing the rays to eat it before sticky droplets of Mint Chocolate Cookie dribble their way down my fingers, passed my wrist, and somehow land on my blouse. For me, summer is socializing time, floating in the pool, and indulging over lobster tails drenched in lemon butter.

But, this year is different. I have Hush as my motivation. She recently started swimming (and by that I mean going in the deep end and actually swimming), and she loves it. I've taken to walking her on long walks, we stop half way to lounge under the shade of a large tree and snuggle... usually sharing some granola while we do. So far, I seem to have not gained any weight, and if anything, may have lost a little. Ideally, I want to lose about 3 lbs and tone up a bit. Not too lofty goals, and things that should be easily attainable with my furry friend at my side.



As soon as she heard the pool was opening, I walked in my living room and found her like this. I didn't have the heart to tell her the pool does not allow dogs. She looks so good in a bikini that I think I need to work on my own body now!

Crate Buckets!

Since starting this blog, I have noticed a trend, some of the best products at the best prices are not geared towards the general dog-owning pet enthusiast, and instead, seem to be inside secrets geared towards your dog fanciers and those who compete in various dog sports. Insiders continue to have great secrets, at great prices, but your regular dog-loving pet-owner is forced to shell out big dollars on mediocre products. I’ve seen this with grooming supplies like brushes and shampoos, leashes and collars, and now, crate pails/buckets.

About a year ago I discovered crate buckets, or crate pales. At this point in time, I had read of the benefits of elevating your pet’s food and water to prevent rushed eating and drinking, and possibly reducing the risks of bloat (whether or not elevated food and water does prevent bloat is controversial, but it certainly won’t hurt your dog), and a crate bucket seemed like a really great product. These stainless steel buckets are great for providing your crated dog with water throughout the day, without the spills associated with a regular water bowl. Most of them are flat on one side, enabling them to hang flush against the kennel or a fence in your dog yard without tipping or rolling. Being made of stainless steel, crate buckets don’t rust, crack, or chip. They’re also very easy to clean (I toss mine in the dishwasher), making them more sanitary than traditional plastic dog bowls. Some crate buckets come with a hook built into the flat side so it is easily attached to a metal cage or fence; while others are attached from the bucket handle using a double ended snap.

When I first started seeing these buckets hanging in the crates in dog fancier’s photos, I recalled seeing similar set-ups in the cages at veterinarian offices, but could not recall a single pet-owner I know using this method. I decided to purchase a crate bucket, and headed to my nearest Petsmart, where I asked, “Do you carry crate buckets?” The sales associated looked at me like I had two heads, and lead me to the crate aisle, and the bowl aisle, but neither aisle contained crate pails. I started looking online, where after some research, I found many options, but was uncertain what size to order. Months went by, and I managed to push the idea from my head.

Recently, I ordered my first crate bucket, and I am sold. I decided to get the 1-Quart size (they come in larger sizes), and it’s perfect. I would probably go up to the 2-Quart if I start using one for food, but for water, the 1-Quart is perfect. At just $7.49 this is cheaper than many dog bowls on the market, and because it is stainless steel, I anticipate having it for years to come. I am amazed that crate buckets are a trend that has not caught on with more pet owners. I wish I had discovered them much sooner!

Encouraging Your Dog to Drink More

I recently received a question from a reader about parched puppies. In the summer, with these terrible heatwaves, it's easy for dogs to get dehydrated, and it is important to keep fluids in them as much as possible. I am not a veterinarian, and this is not medical advise, but I did experience problems with Milly and drinking water, and this post is about things that I found helped.

If your dog does not drink much water, and you are concerned, the first thing you want to do is go to the vet to clear any potential health problems. If your vet deems your dog healthy, you might want to try some of these tips.

With Milly, I found that she was reluctant to drink water if I was not with her, and even when I was with her, she would only drink if I held the water bowl for her. I was concerned that she wasn't drinking enough, and began adding water to her food at each meal. She happily lapped up the water, and it had the added bonus of slowing down her eating, which is always a good thing. By adding water to her food, I was able to ensure she drank a certain amount each day.

However, I still had concerns that she did not drink regularly. I began adding some low sodium chicken broth to her water dish at non-meal times. I did a 2 to 1 ratio, two parts water, one part broth, but you can adjust this based on your particular dog. If your dog is not enticed to drink at all, you might try doing straight chicken broth. To make sure it is super healthy, you can even boil some chicken in water until the chicken is cooked, shred the chicken and serve this homemade "soup" cold, but not ice cold.

After a lot of thinking I started noticing a trend. I always kept Milly's food and water bowls up against a wall, and she would happily eat this way, but would never drink this way. Sometimes, after walks, if I presented Milly with a fresh bowl of water in the center of the room she'd happily drink it. With this in mind, I moved her bowls so they are no longer up against a wall, and would you know, she started drinking on her own!

I have noticed that when Milly is outside by herself she is much less likely to drink than when she is inside. I have played around with a lot of different bowls, and found that she prefers ceramic or metal bowls, and they must be in the shade. I also started giving her frozen Kongs that contained water. I simply plug the small hole with peanut butter or a mushed up "pill pocket" or other chewy treat, then I either fill it with low sodium chicken broth, or a combo of water and yogurt or water and canned pumpkin (just make sure it isn't pumpkin pie mix, because that has a lot of sugar in it), pour it in the Kong. To prevent spills, I place the Kong in a drinking glass in the freezer so it can stand upright. This is a great treat that also helps with hydration.

I've also discovered that Milly absolutely adores water melon. Last weekend, I was frying some bacon (for me), and made myself a bowl of seedless water melon. Milly smelled the bacon and walked up to me with those big ole' brown eyes. I don't allow Milly to have bacon, because it is too fattening, and instead gave her a piece of seedless watermelon. She went bonkers! This is now her favorite treat, and the only food that she begs for. A small amount of seedless watermelon is a nice snack that is primarily made of water, so it aids in hydration.

I hope this post helped people who have been worried about their pup not drinking enough water in this hot weather. Please remember, with these extreme temperatures it is very important to keep an eye on your dogs, and not have them outside for long periods of time where they may get overheated.