Adventures in Doggy Sitting

A hyper puppy, a skittish dog and a slowing, senior dog make for an interesting mix. When you add in the unexpected like a female dog going into her heat and a stomach sick doggy, you have adventures in doggy sitting.

I’ve been on a bit of a blogging break. Two weeks ago, I spent a week in Pennsylvania caring for my brother’s three dogs: two young Shetland sheepdogs and one senior Golden retriever. After coming home, I jumped right into prep for teaching Pre-K/Kindergarteners in Vacation Bible school, (but more on this second topic in a later post.)

Cinnamon, a partly merle Shetland sheepdog, three years old
Abby, a tricolor Shetland sheepdog
Princess, a senior Golden retriever

Abby, Cinnamon and Princess are all nice doggies, but their personalities are quite different. Abby, the tricolor Sheltie, has quite a bit of puppy in her still, likes to jump up on people and still likes to mouth things and “chew” on fingers. Cinnamon, the Sheltie with merle coloring, can be skittish and shy, acts submissive to her more rambunctious housemate but will still quietly seek attention. Princess, the Golden, is friendly and gentle, likes affection but takes a lot of naps and has some difficulty getting up and down.

Every day, I fed the dogs twice and let them out in the fenced yard several times. At night, I put the two Shelties to bed in their crates while letting Princess have her choice of two big dog beds. In between times, I gave them plenty of pets, cuddles and attention.

Dealing with animal care, just as with human caretaking or babysitting, can sometimes be a dirty job. This was a week where I think I dealt with nearly all of the possible bodily fluids, and I realize that I am not terribly squeamish. It makes me think I might have made a good nurse.

My brother and his wife are planning to start a breeding business with their Shelties, so neither Cinnamon nor Abby have been spayed. This made it possible that either dog could start her heat cycle while I was watching them, and it worked out that it happened for Abby.

I had to diaper her, and that process sometimes had its funny moments.

Abby is sitting on my lap here and making a fashion statement in her pink polka dots. Humorously, she seems to coordinate with my pink striped pajamas.

The first time that I attempted to diaper her was a little bit of a struggle. As you can see from the photo, I had to pull her tail through a little hole in the diaper. She didn’t cooperate too well and pulled out of it three times before I successfully diapered her. Then, I realized, to my dismay, it was time to let all three dogs out and I would have to remove it anyway.

It was also a rhythm, thinking about all three dogs and their needs when I let them out. The back deck had one set of steep steps that the Shelties could run down, but Princess, the senior dog, could not manage. I would lead her, on a leash, down some less steep side steps and then back into the fenced area of the yard via a horse gate. Because of the distraction of Princess and hooking her up to a leash, a couple of times, I forgot to remove Abby’s diaper before letting her out. She would dart out like a shot as soon as the door opened. By the time, I led Princess around into the fenced area, catching up with Abby and removing her diaper, she had already peed in it. So, I had the extra job of handwashing the diaper and swapping it out for another.

Abby
And a photo where you can see Cinnamon’s interesting merle coloring.

In spite of all this, Abby was much more cooperative with me after my first attempt to put her in her diaper.

These were not the only dirty messy jobs of the week. Cinnamon got sick to her stomach that week. I woke up in the early morning hours to the sound of her retching and found vomit inside her crate. This repeated itself multiple times. Sorry, squeamish readers, but I will try not to be too graphic. She vomited on the hardwood floor in several places the next day, and then again in her crate, so I had more messes to clean and blankets and towels to rinse.

Following instructions from my sister-in-law, I started Cinnamon on some doses of coconut milk to help her nausea, two teaspoons every two hours and, the next morning, a small piece of bread with honey and ginger. Whether it was just timing or the effect of the home remedy, she stopped vomiting after the first dose of coconut milk.

All of these extra duties could have stressed me, but it didn’t as much as it could have. Instead, I had a feeling of success from meeting these interesting challenges. I certainly would have been more worried if Cinnamon went on being sick without recovering. It’s not necessarily pleasant to deal with these messes, but it’s something we deal with out of compassion.

Certainly, caring for dogs has its rewards, and I enjoyed a lot of affection and cuddle time with this lovable bunch.

Abby again
Princess
Abby and Cinnamon

Choc’late Bliss, #Laugh-Along-a- Limerick

Photo by Lawrence Hookham on Unsplash

A dog found a big choc’late kiss

That’s toxic to dogs; despite this,

The dog, he survived,

Besides which, he thrived,

And didn’t regret choc’late bliss.

© Susan Joy Clark 2021

I sometimes hear stories from dog owners that their dogs survive with little ill effect after eating something which is toxic for dogs. Even so, be very careful to protect your dog from eating things that will harm him. If you’re in this situation, call your vet.

This was written for Esther Chilton’s Laugh Along a Limerick challenge, using the word “bliss.” I thought I’d join in, although I may be a little late to the party.

Rest Now, Little Doggies, And Sleep, #Poem, #Quatern

Remy left and Theo right

Rest now, little doggies, and sleep,

Find a nook that is safe and warm,

Perhaps in the crook of my arm,

Your furry head on my shoulder.

Silly doggies like to burrow,

Rest now, little doggies, and sleep,

Underneath the warm bed covers,

In the hollow between my shins.

Who will claim the favorite spot,

Snuggled next to your dear Susie?

Rest now, little doggies, and sleep,

You both should find a cozy nook.

Theo lies down along my legs,

Remy rests her bum against me,

Then moves to lean against my foot,

Rest now, little doggies, and sleep.

© Susan Joy Clark 2021

Theo left and Remy right

This was written for Go Dog Go’s challenge to write a quatern poem.

This poem has 16 lines broken up into 4 quatrains (or 4-line stanzas).
Each line is comprised of eight syllables.
The first line is the refrain. In the second stanza, the refrain appears in the second line; in the third stanza, the third line; in the fourth stanza, the fourth (and final) line.
There are no rules for rhyming or iambics.

I wrote another poem recently about sleeping dogs, The Dreamers, but that one is more fantasy. This one is more reality-based, inspired by Theo and Remy, two French bulldogs I take care of from time to time. They are accustomed to sleeping with people, with their owners and then with me, when I am with them. Their sleeping positions amuse me. I am surprised Theo and I both slept with his head on my shoulder.

The Dreamers, #Poem

Artwork by Lisa Finch

Here, we drift, floating quietly,

Along a dreamy, silver sea,

All my six furry friends and me.

Max, he dreams of his buried bones,

Rupert dreams of the hearth at home,

Chance dreams of bacon of his own.

George dreams of Frisbees in the air,

Winston dreams of old boots, a pair,

Rex dreams of an old comfy chair,

And we slip adrift on a pillowed cloud,

With only pleasant dreams allowed,

All seven of us — a small crowd.

Into a book’s pages I fell,

Dreaming of the stories I’ll tell,

My pen dipped into my inkwell,

And we fly along an azure sky,

‘Til our siesta passes by,

Me and six furry friends of mine.

© Susan Joy Clark 2021

I’m sharing this with dVerse’s Open Link Night. I was looking through my picture files for poetry inspiration and found this copy of artwork by Lisa Finch. I just love it for several reasons. Many of you know that I have an animal care business, so that was one reason. I love the glamour of the female character here, the fact that she has fallen asleep with an open book and the title of the artwork which is also “The Dreamers,” which seemed to speak of imagination and creativity.

Lisa Finch has an Etsy shop where she sells some of her work on canvas and also prints and note cards. I perused it and found so many more pieces that I enjoy. Animals seem to be a common theme, not just pets but wild and exotic animals as well. Many of her pieces seem to have a sort of female Dr. Doolittle character. She has some fantasy and almost surrealistic scenes with some old Hollywood glamour combined in there. I almost feel I should revisit for an art-themed post.

Fluffy Cuties in Black and White, #CBWC

I may be a step ahead (not sure) but this post is for Cee Neuner’s Black and White Photo Challenge with a Pets or Stuffed Animals theme.

None of these cuties pictured are my own pets, but in my animal care business, I come across dogs and cats in a variety of breeds (and breed mixes.) They may not be my pets, but I love them as if they were. Here are just a few of my animal friends.

Fluff, a Maine coon cat
Fluff’s Maine coon brother, Chance
Shultz, a Scottish fold cat
Franco — It’s less complicated to call him a cockapoo,
but he’s actually a mix of four small breeds.
Luce, a Brittany spaniel and dachshund mix
Ollie, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel
Roxy, a soft coated wheaten terrier
Theo, a French bulldog
Maizie, a bernedoodle puppy
Maizie once more

People often ask me what my favorite breed is (of dogs especially.) With all of these lovable cuties, it is hard to choose. Of these photos, which is your favorite?