Month 1

Aside from still looking rough, we're 100% back to our normal self. 

Funny how little things like jumping into bed, and burying under the covers, were so big during the past month. I'm just happy to have my dog back.

Getting back to Normal...

Whatever that is... Tuesday July 30, 2013 our month plus ordeal came to an end. With the final sutures out Texas was once again free to dog be used to be; though I think this ordeal had changed him. He's more accepting of strangers, and a lot more needy. Yes I have created as monster. In other ways he's much more subdued. But at the same time you can tell he's happy to be able to do "normal" things like sleep under covers without getting an e-collar caught on something, or even be able to get on the couch by himself.  Mostly he's just happy I'm no longer constantly yelling at him for licking himself. :-/ 

The Reaction

It's hard to tell, but the shiny is where his skin was dying

It's been a harrowing two weeks and a days.

It all started simply enough. Its summer time and with warm weather comes longer time spent out of of doors. With more time spent out of doors, comes more time to roll and play in things like garbage and poop; to put it bluntly.  On this particular Saturday Texas did both. Roll in poop and play in the garbage. So I did what any indoor dog mom does, and promptly bathed him. Both times.

It wasn't until early Sunday morning I realized something was very odd about Texas' fur. It was almost wavy ... as if perhaps the skin underneath was wavy.. but that couldn't be right. He must have gotten some grease on his fur, and if I rinse it of perhaps that will do the trick.

Fast forward to Monday night, when it finally came home to me that my dog's fur wasn't stuck together with grease, but something more serious was going on. This wasn't going away on its own. Tuesday morning dawned with Texas barely walking and his leg had swollen over night.

By the time I got to work I was hoping beyond hope that this was something simple, but when the doctor rushed to the front, telling me auctioneer style what was going on, before rushing back to the treatment area. My heart sank. I think I sat with my mouth open for ... a really long time.

What shampoo did you use? Don't ever use that stuff again! Your dog has a temperature of 105 that skin is (to paraphrase as I don't remember the exact words) dying and we're going to try and save it. HOwever I think we may actually have to remove that skin ok? I'm going to give him an steroid injection and some antibiotics to help his fever go down and we'll go from there.

We went home, sorrowful but with some hope. But by the time our scheduled recheck on Thursday appeared, we were grasping at straws. Wednesday had seen Texas trying to chew [the skin on] his leg off, which he almost did, prompting me to make a mad dash to Pets Supplies Plus for an e-collar and some gauze. Though I was afraid of that being the wrong course of action, I saw no choice.

The screaming on Thursday afternoon found me cringing behind the reception desk. Please don't let that be because of me? It was. Dr. R suggested we try soaking the skin in <insert technical term here> on a daily basis to see if that would help. However go ahead and prepare for surgery Monday morning.

Monday dawned with a very hungry and annoyed Texas as we made the 15 minute drive to work. Shortly there after I walk into treatment and see him out cold on the wet table, with his fur being shaved off. :(

Good news is, he doesn't look to bad without some of his fur ...Bad news his skin had to be removed. At that point the Dr. took about six inches total off his left side and sutured him back together with the remain skin. Since he didn't have enough to completely close the wounds, there were some holes. Monday we'd due to surgery again to close those holes, once the skin had some time to grow.

Since then we've been in for a bandage change on Thursday, in which they removed the sutures as that skin had died, and took some skin off the right side. Thus ensconcing him in bandages.

I now affectionately call him my little tootsie roll.
I don't think he enjoys it much.

Needless to say we've got a long road ahead of us.

He's can walk around, though doesn't like to do it much; and is eating and drinking regularly enough that I know he'll be fine. He's just miserable. He's struggled for about the last 20 minutes with his itchy bandages and not being able to itch himself; and it just breaks my heart.


So if you think about Mr. Texas, please pray that his skin grows back quickly and he can be back to his normal bouncy self!

Thanks So much.

Erin

Shampoo Used: Oster's Oatmeal Shed Control - 99% Natural

Puppy Diaries: Adopted!

Jack-Jack has been adopted, and is moving to his new home in a few weeks. The only thing I can say is "HALLELUJAH. Having the two of them together gets harder everyday, as they are extremely smart, and plot on a daily basis how best to get into as much as possible.

One on one they are great. Together? Not so much.

They can spend very little time on their own, even blocked into a "puppy proof" room.  As they can make a mess out of almost nothing. It's mind boggling! I warn anyone thinking of getting two puppies, that are the same age. JUST DON'T.

When I get my next guide dog puppy, I'm positive it will feel like a breeze. One puppy, that can stay behind baby gate and doesn't have mad climbing skills? NO PROBLEM.

He'll hopefully be moving on in a few weeks and then we can focus on working on Mulan's (aka Moo-Moo) behavioral issues that have started to arise.

Here's to hoping I don't kill them in the next week or so! (Just kidding!) 

Also (RIP a few month old Converse Sneakers. You were the most expensive pair of shoes I bought. I'll miss you.) 

~Erin

Puppy Diaries: Sleeeeep

Day 36 

May 27, 2013 

Mulan & Jack-Jack 

There is no such thing as relaxing in a house full of puppies.
Its like having kids, except you can't really communicate. Well .... you know what I mean.
I woke up on this lovely memorial day with a stomach ache that has persisted throughout my six hours of work, and on into the afternoon. Side Note: I'm currently baby-sitting Paris my friends 6-month-old Yorkie, on top of Things 1 & 2; so I mean it when I say I have a house FULL of puppies.

Upon arriving home, all I want to do is take a nap. I spent an hour with them in the yard, completely focused on getting a nap. As soon as my timer went off,  I managed to corral M & JJ into the Kitchen, complete with PB cover toys, and a double-gated doorway and took Paris, Bubbles & Texas with me.

Paris is not a huge fan of the moster mutts and prefers to have nothing to do with them, so she was stuck with me. I soon found out why that wasn't the best idea for someone who was looking for rest.

She, like most puppies, doesn't like to be still. Like at all. In the minutes its taken me to write these paragraphs she's climbed over me at least 20 times.  Maybe more. She's climbed over the dachshunds, then over my keyboard, over me again, walked over my pillows now down to the end of the bed.

Now back onto the bed, stopped for a moment to sit and watch me type, before making her rounds yet again.

Is a nap really too much to ask????

Between a screaming puppy from the kitchen, (Thing 1 & 2 don't share very well) and a dancing puppy on my bed, I barely squeezed in an hours worth of shut eye.

Once I realized a nap was no longer an I option, I loaded up the puppies (M & JJ) and took them to my friends house for dinner. Both puppies are hitting adolescents and have deemed all dogs bigger than them the enemy... Despite the fact that Mulan has met and had no problem with Snowy in the past; Today she chased Snowy around the house several times before I corralled her. Snowy thought it was a big game, and wasn't at all deterred by Mulan's "wrath". So they were regulated to being outside or crated. But there were some moments when they could get out. So I let the kids walk them, it was good for the to interact with the kids, and get to do something they wanted.

 Disclaimer: Both puppies were completely supervised with the kids and given lots of treats! :) 

Puppy Diaries: New Food

Day 35
May 26, 2013

New Foodies 

Mulan models the new bags of food

My dogs typically eat a smorgashboard of kibbles. I'm not one to commit to one particular brand when it comes to my dachshunds. Variety is the spice of life IMO; and it keeps them from getting picky. I tend to keep my food standard at brands that can't be purchased at Walmart, and have had them on Natural Balance, Purina Pro Plan, Wellness, Back to the Basic's etc. However I have noticed Bubbles' digestive system was having a rough time on Natural Balance, and the puppies who were on Science Diet have been itching and scratching non-stop lately. So I've decided to go back to Wellness for the next few months and see if we can all get back on track.

I'm a fan of Wellness as its what I first changed my dogs to back when I realized what a big role food played in my dogs behavior. Bubbles lost weight and had a lot more energy, Texas stayed at a good weight and I think the puppies will benefit from not having so much grains in their diet.

Wellness we're back! :)

$$$$$$$$

Puppy Diaries: Houdini's

Day 34 
May 25, 2013 
Too Smart for their Own Good

Everyone liked to make fun of dumb dogs, and they make. Easy to do so. I know I because I just sent back one, that I made lots of fun of. I loved that dog to death, but he was a dog that would run full tilt forward while looking backwards. He's a dog that regularly tripped over his own feet.  Regularly. 

Now these puppies on the other hand, are INCREDIBLY smart. Too smart.  Hard to live with smart. What could they possibly think of next smart. 

Over the last 35 days I've been able to learn more about these guys and the more I live with them the smarter they seem.

Mulan seems to be the "thinking" pup. The decisions she makes seems as if she's evaluated the situation, and found the simplest solution.  

For instance I decided to baby gate them onto my front porch. Its about 8x8 with wooden slats about four inches apart. It's about 2 feet off the ground with steps leading down.  Since its higher than my back porch they haven't seemed inclined to leap off it. Yet. 

Well I needed to clean my house and so I decided to see if they would be cool with hanging on the porch with some toys. I put up the baby gate, and let Mulan onto the porch. She immediately walks onto the porch, walks to the open slat BESIDE the baby-gate, stretches her tiny self to the step that's being blocked by the gate, and is in the yard using the bathroom. 

I think I stood with my mouth open for at least five minutes. Sure I expected her to get out, but within seconds of seeing she was barricaded?! 

Jack, on the other hand, tends to attack things with his body first, before utilizing his brain. Its a method that tends to work for him. 

But what inspired this post was this: Since the puppies seem to have learned to control their bladders a bit more, they are given a BIT more freedom in the house. They have used that freedom to climb on every surface possible. Mulan QUICKLY figured out, that she could get from the couch, to the side table, to the little window leading to my kitchen and within seconds she was on the counter. 

Its official guys. 

NOTHING. IS SAFE.

Maybe I'm Just Crazy.

Puppy Diaries Week 3 

You know what's wearing on a body? Having two puppies. The same age mind you.
You know what's tiring? Having three puppies, two the same age, one much older.
You know what's exhausting? Having two other dogs, working full time, and have a full social life.

I would like to take a moment to go ahead and apologize to any and everyone who may encounter me over the next few weeks. My brain is fried people.

I know what you're thinking, so lets go ahead and get this question answered for you guys.

Reasons Why I have Two Puppies: 

BECAUSE I AM CERTIFIABLY INSANE.

The End.

The other reason is to find them homes.
Who are they you ask?
Well the whole story started about a month and a half ago, when my neighbor showed up with two fuzzy puppies in her yard. I'll admit (and have told her) I was a little surprised, as she didn't seem to be the type to willingly take on two puppies on top of her other responsibilities.

It was a cold rainy night the first time they escaped their little enclosure and trotted down to see me. Once I realized no-one was home, I scooped them up, popped them into a crate, and took them home. I texted my neighbor and let her know I had them. A couple of days later they went home.

As the weeks went by, we quickly realized these guys were not only super smart, they were going to be very difficult to make into outdoor dogs.

They regularly appeared when ever my dogs were out, and despite taking them back they kept  coming back. Though I really wasn't happy about the situation, they weren't mine, I let it go.

However, after I nearly killed the female because she'd hidden under my car, I knew we had to do something ... I started the "let me re-home these guys" for you campaign.

I know as they got older, they'd have to be chained up, and that's not a life for a dog, not to mention they seemed to be at my house more regularly than anywhere else, so why not?

WHY NOT?

Because ERIN, two puppies FULL TIME is a LOT of WORK.
TWO puppies, when you WORK FULL TIME is a LOT of WORK.
BECAUSE ERIN YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TIME FOR THIS!

That's why not.

So, now that we've got that clear, we're now officially looking for a home for the male. I'm calling him Jack-Jack (from the Incredibles). I'm not a huge fan of male puppies, Is why.

The female (who has yet to get a name) is more than likely staying with me, provided she keep her dachshund like physique. I'm not one who goes out looking for my animals, I figure between GDF & these dogs my neighbors keep finding, my next animal will find me.

And I think I've found her.

Bubbles is getting up in age, and I just think this just maybe "meant" to be.
If not, someone with the perfect home will come and scoop her up.
And that someone not being the lady whom smacked her dog just before inquiring how she could apply to adopt her. Um that's a NO.

So! If you have friends or family in or around the Knoxville area or even in neighboring states, who need  a little mixed breed love in their lives, have them shoot me an email! First Vaccines done on Saturday, will get them wormed this week.

pups4guides(at)gmail(dot)come.

I really don't want him to end up in a shelter, but I really need to get them separate!
 

Mmmmm...?

My Shoe Smelled Good? He was sleeping when I snapped this...

Each Moment

4 year old Bubbles BT (Before Texas) 

We had a bit of a scare earlier this year.
David had gone for a "puppy camp" for a couple of weeks and the dachshunds were acting down right ornery. Whining and complaining about EVERYTHING, as they are want to know when life as they know it goes through any sort of upset.

However, when Bubbles started drinking water like it was going out of style, I began to get concerned, and thoughts from the online community (although helpful) were really having me worried. So I sucked it up and took her into work with me to get her checked out.

I was a bit concerned that she would freak out about begin the kennels but she was perfectly fine, and actually was sleeping whenever I went to check on her.  They ran blood work, which came back mostly normal, but no signs of diabetes (and now having seen blood work of dogs with diabetes I can definitely verify she's in a good range.) So we decided to approach it from a behavioral stand point and restrict her water to daytime hours, and remove it during the night.

The first night was hard, and I eventually caved, seriously this dog can whine for HOURS (or so it feels!). I quickly realized that I wouldn't be able to really tell what was going on if I didn't follow the instructions so I crated her the next night. (which was hard on me) and then after that began to soak her food, so i KNEW she was getting some water.

The Vet had asked me if anything had changed in her life in the last few weeks, and the only thing was David leaving, but I didn't think it would effect her that deeply... but apparently it had, as soon after he arrived home, she's been back to her normal lazy self.

We all breathed a sigh of relief, but only temporary as we're faced with his immanent departure in about a month ... sigh. Guess I may *HAVE* to get another puppy after all. :)

 

Yeah, She's Fired

So I'm thinking of firing my mom as our blog manager. I mean two whole months of no posts is completely unacceptable. I mean there is really no excuse to not be posting about me, myself and I every minute of the day.

I mean, I would if *I* were my human!

I mean, yeah she's got a couple of valid excuses like starting a full-time job as a vet receptionist, and no longer owning a computer, but COME ON, we live in the age of smart phones, and smart cars, and smart.. well you get the point. There is no excuse not to at least post pictures of my awesomeness to the blog, right?

So what have I been up to in the last few months? Honestly, nothing really, with mom working all the live long day, I spend a lot of my time patrolling the house, keeping birds at bay (we've had TWO in this house, mom was not happy that I tore up another set of blinds, but HEY I was keeping her safe. Geez woman.)

David's been going with mom to her work place, but me and Bubbles can't cause we're not up to date on our vaccines. I know, I know ... eeek. Except well, Mom's not so sure all those vaxs are all they are cracked up to be. So! There is that. Which is fine, cause I don't really like going places like that ANTIWAYS.

What you guys been up too?

Togetherness

Project 52: Doxie Edition

Week 1: In The Kitchen
Fifty-two weeks, of dachshunds? Can y'all handle the cuteness? :)

Texas stares me down, trying to figure out if the treat jar I'm using as a camera stand, will start popping out treats soon.

Bubbles doing what she does best. Complain, complain, complain.

I love Bubbles to death, but good Lord this dog can whine like no bodies business. Here lately if I'm doing anything other than pay attention to her, she's whining. And trust me, she can whine for .... at least 15 minutes straight. My patience is throughly shattered, and I'm giving her what I think she wants.

However, I'm done. I've been making the "she's 13, she deserves to do exactly she wants" excuse and its no longer cool. I've realized, just as with puppies, older dogs can develop bad habits if you let them.

 As of yesterday I've come up with a new plan. Bubbles starts whining and I KNOW she's had all she NEEDS... aka frequent potty breaks, water, and food. She's going to her time-out chair. Even at 13 years old, we're practicing some tough love. So far tonight we've been outside at least four times, she's had dinner (and some snacks) and has a full bowl of clean water. Other than wanting attention/thinking I'm eating from the table I'm typing at... I know she's good. :)

So to the chair (a comfy arm chair) we go!

And off she came, and the whining started again.

So back we went.

And despite the mournful stare she's giving she's staying.

Now that's she's good, I'm off to snuggle with her.

:)

 

Spring is HERE!!!

How do we know this for a fact you ask? Well if the warm weather wasn't an indication, these muddy toe nails are a great one!  I foresee weekly baths beginning again in 3...2... 1....

-Erin

I think we can relate...

Sometimes I feel sorry for people who don't have a pet or don't want one. They will just never know how awesome pets are. Regardless of what they are. Sometimes you don't need words, you just need someone, something just be there and love you.

Even if it is just because of the cookies in your pocket. :) 
Sometimes you just need to be needed.

 

Snow Day!!

-Posted from my iPhone