Oh Fleas....

This is kind of an embarrassing post, but its something I know we've all had to deal with at one time or another. In the 8 years I've owned a dog, this is the second time they've gotten fleas. Still... telling someone you have fleas in your house somehow implies that you don't clean or are a dirty person. 


However that indeed is the case in my home. Back in July, Pompei came in contact with the little buggers and they have given him a run for his money, one really bad skin infection and an expensive vet trip later we were loaded up with antibiotics and medicated shampoos for the infection. We also put him on Comfortis since Frontline and Sentinel were doing no good. 

Bubbles and Texas were on Frontline as well, but I put them on Advantage Multi after spotting a flea on Texas. I take no chances. I thought we were good. All dogs were medicated Pompei's infection was clearing up, school was keeping me busy and I hadn't noticed any fleas lingering on the dogs. 


Pompei's shampoo treatment requires me to bathe him every three days, I have to leave the shampoo on him for about 10 minutes before rinsing him off. I really can't tell you who has more fun during this 20 minute ordeal. Actually I can, that would be Texas who sits whining by the tub wanting to get in too. (If I let him, he'd sit in the tub with Pompei and I while i bathe Pompei. Don't let that last picture fool you, he likes his baths...)

Anyway as I was massaging the shampoo into his skin, I noticed something run for cover. NO. PLEASE? NO! It was indeed a nasty little flea, I quickly squashed it and glanced down in time to see another floating towards the drain. Hmph. But I didn't think too much about it since, I mean he was medicated, and I'm sure these fleas were going to die anyway. Right....right?


A little later, curled up in bed with a book I thought I felt something jump on me, but chalked it up to my imagination at seeing the fleas earlier. It wasn't until the little perp landed on my book did I freak out. Seriously? Fleas in my BED!? How am I supposed to sleep now?  I grabbed my phone and googled "natural flea repellents" and got some tips for ridding my house of fleas, cause I refuse to do the "bomb" route. Too much work. Hassel. Etc.


What I found:

• Salt 
• Baking Soda
• Apple Cider Vineager + Water
• Earl Grey Tea
• Vacuum Cleaner
• Washing Machine 
• Lots of Work.

Yay.

So if you don't "see" me around the intraweb much this week. Know this. 

I'm Cleaning.

PS -If anyone would like to write my paper for me while I do this it would be greatly appreciated!!

The Decision

After lots of thought, consultations with other trainers, and prayer; we decided not to place Zipper with the family who wished to adopt her. It was a hard decision for me, as while Zip is a great dog, having her in my house has been...interesting.. I was more than ready to see her find her forever home...but at the same time, I had to make sure I was putting her in a home where she could be happy. 


I have no doubt at all, that this family would have loved her too pieces, but I also had concerns about their dogs happiness as well. While Zipper is a cutie, she has made life miserable for my dogs over the last couple of weeks. 


Once I'd talked to the family, I called the rescue group to let them know, that Zipper needed to find another home,  but I'd put out the word once more, and see what happened. At the same time, I let them know I really needed to move her on from my home, as I wasn't able to do much with her, due to having three other dogs.

She's  been spending a lot of time by herself, which breaks my heart. While I don't particularly like her, I can't stand to be the one to be increasing her stress rather than decreasing it. At different points during the day I'll either put my dogs out or take her out alone, just to spend some one-on-one time with her. Wonder of wonder, she's a completely different dog, one that's much more relaxed and calm, when she doesn't have to monitor the other dogs comings and goings; I realized more and more that I did make the right decision. Now if only we could find an adopter who fit our criteria! 

I was preparing to email the rescue and arrange a transport to their facilities for her, when I noticed an email from a lady, asking if Zipper was still available and fit the bill perfectly! No dogs, no kids, very active lifestyle and fenced in yard. We've talked, and emailed back and forth got approval from the rescue and set up a time for the exchange. 

I am so happy that Zipper will be able to start a normal life, and leave the restrictiveness of my house.  I know my dogs will also be glad to freely roam their domain, with out having to constantly hide under my desk, or try and fight off the crazed JRT who is clinging too their neck. 

Having Zipper in my home, has definatly been an experiance and just confirms too me that every dog is not right for every home...but it has changed my mind about fostering pets...but not at this time. :) 


Zipper will depart for her new home Tuesday. Wish her luck!

New Camera

I promise I won't get into all the boring photog stuff, but in a nut shell.. I bought another camera, with more lenses to help me get better photos indoors, a better lens for long range shots and the standard "kit" lens.

So I am selling my Sony Alpha DSLR a200 it comes with kit lens (18-55mm),manual, wide angle/macro lens, battery,battery charger,computer cables, etc..etc.. for about $400-450. The only reason I am putting it out here, is because well I've had that camera for about two years and I strange just selling it to some random person. I'm weird I know. Email me if you are interested: toomanyemails07@gmail.com

P.S.  (Sorry will only sell to individuals not Bots or "company sites")

Pompei Posts #4

Happy Valetines Day! We has to take naps alllll day cause we worked real hard yesterday!! I had to help mom put her puter thing together and it was a real hard to get those screw things in their!  I even helped her pick out a new toaster thing, an vacuum!!! But mom didn't even say thank you?!? Nope! Sheez. See if Iz ever helps her again.

{Pompei sitting on top of an upside down desk piece}

{Pompei now laying on another piece of the desk,hindering progress}

{Pompei attempting to see if the desk screws were tasty..getting in the way of progress in other words}

{Pompei finally removed himself from the desk to check out a screw that feel}

{Pompei laying patiently in front of boxes of toaster ovens at Bed Bath and Beyond}

{Pompei laying half off of his blue and green dog bed surrounded by toys and a vacuum cleaner}

Note From Erin: (Pompei was in no danger of eating the cord, or screws as they were all kept out of his reach or in my hands.)

Lazy Monday

The weather was beautiful today, so abou an hour after I got up, the dogs and I headed outside to play. Well they did at least, I was busy moving boxes...into our NEW place!

There are three houses on the property I'm staying at, and one of them was vacated several months ago. I asked my "landlord" (my father) about switching places, as that one was bigger,"normal", and under 50yo... at the time it was a no because of ...you guessed it, the dogs.

The dog smell, fur, and of course the OCCASIONAL accident. Some how in the last week something changed...and I was given the "OK" to move over!

I'm excited as the dogs finally get a place for their stuff, and I can ditch my ideas to find some way to disguise the lab sized crates! I'm planning on get some kind of foam/rubber mats for their room in an attempt to cut down on the dog smell/fur/clean up time etc.

And I can finally have friends over, without having the dogs launching themselves all over them! My current house there is no where for the dogs to be separate....and the dachs..ok Texas is just annoyingly in your face constantly.

Yeaaah my fault I know....

After I was finished for the morning, the dogs crashed for the next 3-4 hours. I was begining to go stir crazy so Pompei and I hopped in the car and headed off towards town.

We hit up the mall and Wal-Mart...at his age we do a LoT of carrying as these guys walk slower than Methuselah, and I want to get where I was going sometime that day.

And this dude at (I'm guessing) 10lbs+ is HEAVY to carry around for an hour+. Needless to say we crept home, and well...they ate dinner and I left for choir practice. I would have brought him but I completely forgot.

For real!

This week i'm really hoping to start bringing him to classes, still waiting on my job to tell me he can or can't come...than we'll have to decided on how we are going to proceded from there.

Fingers Crossed its a "Yes!"