When he got tired he laid down. I kept my hand on him the whole time encase he got skittish, but he didn’t. He put a smile on many faces and people were taking lots of photo’s with their camera phones, he loved it.

Bill bought me a little book about Westies so I could understand the breed better. I have his little bed sitting beside my chair and he usually comes over and curls up in it. I decided I’d flip through the book so sat down and crossed my leg, which happened to be over his bed.

He came over to lay down and the next thing I hear is him growling and backing up so I figured he was growling at my leg hovering over his bed. I laid down the book and moved my leg and he came over and laid down. So I resumed my perusal of the book and kept my leg on the floor.

He jumped out of his bed and started growling again and backing away and I was totally bemused and couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. I looked around to figure out the problem and decided he was just nuts so I picked up the book again and the growling got intense when he saw the book.

I turned it over and saw that face on the front and held it up and he backed away so fast that I cracked up when I realized he had been frightened of that picture. I had a blast for about 10 minutes teasing him with it before I decided to quieten down his nerves, yes I know I’m mean.

He now knows it’s not a real dog that is threatening him and I can now pick up the book and read without him going ballistic. This little guy is very entertaining.

He checked the spot and said it was just a scab which was a relief and ran the scanner over Obie to make sure the microchip was still there. I had always just assumed that they made a tiny incision to place the microchip and put in a stitch or two, but he explained that they used a needle. When I got Shadow I had him tattooed so I really didn’t know. He then checked the hernia repair. He said it was coming along nicely even though it was a little red and the area was protruding a little so I’ll take his word that everything is okay on the hernia.

Home Again Microchip and how they insert it. Bill had said that he thought they shot it in with a needle, but wasn’t sure and I actually didn’t know until I researched and found the video on the Home Again site which you can view at the link above. While reading about the procedure they said that it didn’t actually hurt, but the Vet usually likes to do it when they neuter or spay. Thankfully he is active and isn’t actually picking at any of his stitches and the antibiotics are helping him heal. I guess his body hasn’t told him yet that he’s not suppose to try and hump his Sister

He’s also growing hair around his eye again so he doesn’t look weird now. Bill and I took a break and rode to Gettysburg yesterday and when we got home Sadie’s food can had been knocked from the bench that we have them sitting on, thankfully the lid was still on, but even if it weren’t there was only a cup of food in it so they would have just had an early dinner even though I feed them separate types of food because of Obie’s breed tendency toward skin allergies. They aren’t suppose to have beef, wheat, or corn.

I had bought some all natural peanut butter dog cookies and broke them up in very small pieces  for treats and had them in a plastic container and apparently Bill had set it on top of the can, it was half full. As you might envision the container was in the living room empty and of course I know who the culprit is because Sadie doesn’t touch anything. I hope Obie at least shared the last good tasting treat he is ever going to have with his Sister. I swear if we ever get another pet it will already be housebroken and older with manners.

I think he got tired of her grabbing all his toys and played a trick on her.

He’s still a baby and with all the horrible weather he still makes a mistake every now and then, but it’s usually only pee. Too bad he was so excited because the poop was mushy and she is quick grabbing at everything in sight. Nate yelled don’t rub it on you, but she wanted to clean her hand and wiped it all over her little t-shirt, I would have been laughing if I hadn’t had to grab her quick and clean her up while Bill cleaned and deodorized the ceramic floor. Poor little girl thought it was another dog toy for her to play with, of course I am laughing today at the look on her face.

Obie usually comes to us and whines to let us know he needs to go out so he’s doing very well and we’re proud of the little guy. When I’m working on the computer Sadie and Obie lounge around or play, they have blankets all over the floor and toys strewn everywhere. I really do need to get my office cleaned up it’s a mess. Obie is very attached to Sadie and Sadie tolerates him and thinks he’s a pest and slaps him around sometimes. His hormones have been kicking in lately so he does try to get frisky.

Monday is his hospital day he will be neutered and his chip will be implanted and then hopefully we are done till next year. I hope he will heal quick like Shadow, I miss my Shadow so much. I really did humanise that precious animal. Of course I love these 2, but I don’t think of them in the same way I thought about my Shadow. I actually think of them as pets that we need to love and take care of and even though I refer to us as Mommy and Daddy I know we aren’t, but with Shadow I actually felt he was my Son.

As you can see in the photo above Obie’s eye is healing after taking an antibiotic for 7 days and the hair is growing back in around his eye, so thankfully it was an allergy. I am so happy to see that because otherwise they would have had to do a scraping for puppy mites. If it had been puppy mites and it had gotten worse and hadn’t cleared up then he could have had a possible immune system problem.

Bill managed to get the bike (trike) out and we were able to ride both Saturday and Sunday, we didn’t stay out for hours like we normally would because it’s still quite chilly, but it was fun. We went shopping for Obie and bought him some Doggles, a Harley T-shirt and a hat. The hat was too big so we returned it and got a smaller one, but of course that one is way to small so now we have to wait till they get a different size in.

Below he  is modeling his new Harley t-shirt and I think we may have to return that for a large because of his fur even though it’s the right length. We took both Obie and Sadie for a training walk last night and Obie whined the whole time because we didn’t walk in a pack because Sadie pulls so much Bill had her and I walked with Obie in front. I didn’t know a dog could walk and poop at the same time, I didn’t see Obie dropping the poop because we were in front, but Bill did and cleaned it up.

Below Obie is modeling his Doggles which he hates, but will get use to them once he wears them a few times on the bike. We are planning on removing the lid of the tour pack and make him a secure place to ride with his little bed using fasteners and clamps bolted down like a car seat so we can take him with us when the weather is nice. We were going to get a pet carrier, but he would be up too far and I don’t want him to be afraid.

We did take him for a ride inside my jacket when we first got him and he did okay. I just got a new camera and haven’t figured out the right settings yet so many of my photos are coming out blurred. I hope everyone had a nice weekend and I’ll be by later to check your new posts. Bill took an early day and since it’s so nice we plan on getting the trike out again.

When we got Obie last month there was pink around both eyes and the hair grew in around one eye, but the other one kept losing hair. When Doctor Dan gave him shots and checked him the first time it really wasn’t that noticeable. When we took him back for his second round of shots this past week  his vet then got a little concerned so we have him on an antibiotic called Cephalexin.

When I checked out the Cephalexin I found that it is FDA approved for humans, but not animals however it is widely used by all vets for bacterial infections.  He has been on it for 2 days and he does fine with the first dose because I give it to him soon after he eats, but the second dose he has been rejecting. These are in capsule form and at first it was hard to get him to swallow it even though I put it as far back as possible and kept his mouth shut and massaged his throat.

The easy way is to put it in a spoon full of applesauce, tilt his head back and it slides nicely down his throat. Applesauce is not harmful to dogs like chocolate and some other fruits for those that are wondering. The applesauce or jello technique also works well for you humans that have a hard time swallowing pills. I had to look up the side effects and the most common is of course vomiting shortly after giving it to them .

It’s usually not a sign of any serious disease, but it does indicate that your pet is sensitive to Cephalexin so since Obie doesn’t throw up the first dose with food in his belly I’ll just have to change his feeding times for the next 5 days and give him 3 meals a day and see if that works for us. If this doesn’t help his poor little eye then the next step is to take a scraping and see if it’s a mite. He hasn’t rubbed or scratched his eye at all since we got him so I really don’t think it will be  mites.

Cephalexin isn’t effective against infections caused by mites, viruses, fungi, or parasites (intestinal worms). Mites cause mange which makes the hairloss, but there are no sores, he doesn’t itch and there’s no ozzing of any sort. All we can do is wait for now and see if the Cephalexin kicks in. March 15th the poor little guy is going to be chipped and clipped (neutered) he’ll be 6 months old then, he’s really such a nice little guy and the vet is very impressed with him and so are we.

We’re very happy he’s sharing our home. If anyone has been through something like this with their pet I would love to hear your input.

I also ran across a version that you can read better:
The 10 Commandments of Pet Ownership

1. All companion animals should be treated humanely — with patience, compassion and understanding.

2. All pets have the right to have certain basic needs satisfied — regular exercise, play, companionship and grooming. They also have the right to a clean and quiet place to live, rest, eat and sleep.

3. All pets have the right to receive fresh water and a complete and balanced diet each day. They all have the right to receive proper veterinary treatment if they are ill.

4. Like people, all pets have the right to fulfill their lives within the social constraints of responsible ownership, which may include the curtailment of certain needs and instincts — such as the need to roam free or the instinct to breed — for the ultimate benefit of the animal, of society and of the environment.

5. A caring owner (or more accurately, custodian or guardian) understands animals needs and provides those conditions most conducive to ensuring their physical and psychological well being.

6. No person has the right to exploit any animal inhumanely for profit, pleasure, or other selfish purpose, without regard for the animal’s intrinsic worth, interests and needs.

7. Understanding owners respect and appreciate animals for themselves, independent of personal bias and selfish wants. Such owners attend and listen to animals, and even when they appear to misbehave endeavor to ascertain what the animals need or are trying to communicate. Animals should not be overindulged (‘humanized”) to the detriment of their physical or psychological well being.

8. No owner should physically or psychologically abuse, neglect or abandon an animal. The ultimate responsibility is to ensure that when the time comes, the pet will die painlessly and with dignity, if euthanasia is required.

9. Before obtaining pets or giving them to other people, all people have the obligation to the animals to assure that they will live in a home that will best satisfy their basic needs and also that their basic rights will be recognized and upheld at all times.

10. All pet owners and those who care for animals have the right and responsibility to share with others, especially children, the ten commandments of pet ownership and to intercede in defense of any animal when its rights are violated and when it is being treated inhumanely, either through intent or indifference (neglect). The same principles hold true for the custodianship of laboratory, farm and zoo animals — indeed, all creatures under our dominion, including the wild creatures of the land, skies and water of our planet.

Michael W. Fox /From The New Animal Doctor’s Answer Book/published 1989

Click on  Dr. Fox to learn more

As a rule I don’t usually dress my pets unless it’s a kerchief around the neck or a jacket to keep them warm when it’s freezing outside. I have a feeling Bill will be buying all kinds of Harley attire for Obie though. He does look cute in the Harley t-shirt and he hates when I take it off, of course we have to get him some doggie goggles for the trike also. Bill always wanted a biker dog, he’ll probably start leaving me at home now.

Well, he is a nice little guy, but I’m fricking tired and my bones are getting old and cold. What crappy weather to housebreak a puppy in. If it’s not snow and ice then it’s raining and he does make a bunch of mistakes even though I’m using a crate and watch him like a hawk when he’s out, he’s pretty darn quick. Of course unless I catch him in the act it does no good to scold him. I need to teach him how to let me know when he needs to go out, we haven’t gotten that far yet.

I had forgotten how much work and responsibility it takes to have a well mannered and behaved housebroken companion. I am finding it difficult training because of Sadie and I feel guilty that she isn’t getting the same attention, but she already knows all this stuff. With Shadow I used a shaker can with coins in it to curb his bad behavior, but I can’t use that with Obie because Sadie thinks I’m punishing her for something.

We are also socializing Obie so we have been taking him in the Jeep and yesterday we took him for a short ride on the trike to get him use to the noise and the new adventure, he did very well all snuggled up in my jacket. We plan on getting a carrier for the trike so we can take him with us and there again we feel guilty leaving Sadie behind, but it’s something we’ll just have to get over and so will she because it’s what Bill wants. He wanted to take Shadow, but he was just to big and so is Sadie.

I also know it’s confusing for a pup when both people and everyone else in your household do not use the same commands. I think when one person can do the training and make sure the little pup knows what is required then it really doesn’t matter what anyone else says when they’re older they seem to just realize once they are on a schedule. I bought all natural small treats to help with the basic training like sit, up, and down, but there again Sadie thinks she’s suppose to join in the training and get the same treats.

They also recommended Royal Canin33  puppy food since that’s what they were feeding him and he was pooping all over the place and lots of it, yuck talk about smelly, but when I checked about Westies it said they were prone to allergies and shouldn’t have food with beef, wheat, and corn so we changed him to Nature’s Recipe and I didn’t have to search all the labels everything I needed to know was right on the front of the package and believe me it’s made a big difference he doesn’t poop as often and not as much when he does and it doesn’t stink as bad.

I can  feed this as a puppy, adult, and senior. I’m sure there are many great brands out there, but so far so good with this one so I’ll stick with it and only natural treats and carrots. I’m learning a lot about this breed and I love the fact that there’s very little shedding and very low dander which is great since Bill has asthma. Well, I need to go see what the little brat is into now, he has mastered the stairs with those little short legs and cracks me up going down, first the front paws then the back ones sideways until he gets to the bottom few then either takes them head on or jumps the rest.

Sadie was lost and going from room to room looking for him and sniffing. I’m sure she also felt our depression which didn’t help matters and when she got sick on January 1st of course her vet was closed same as Shadow at Christmas.

I will never understand why pets get sick when their regular vets are closed for the holidays and you have to take your beloved animals to the only emergency animal hospital that is open. How they get away with jacking up their prices I’ll never know and make you pay half before they even look at them.

In Shadow’s case it was too late, but we had to arrange a private cremation with them because we wanted his ashes. Our vet would have charged around 80 dollars, but they charged 200. It took 9 days to get them back, but at least I feel better having them with me.

In Sadie’s case we ended up paying over 600 dollars, but thankfully she seems to be doing okay and they couldn’t even find anything wrong with her. No other dog could ever take Shadows place, but that doesn’t mean we can’t love another.

We were all so lost that we decided to get a puppy just to take our mind away from our baby. The minute I laid eyes on Shadow when he was 7 weeks old I fell in love and it only got stronger. We checked several places and Bill decided on the little guy below and I agreed. I’m glad he doesn’t look like my Shadow though.

We named him Obie and he’s a nice little guy and believe me a big mind distraction for all of us. Trying to potty train him in this cold is driving me nuts though, but keeping me occupied. He loves Sadie and she tolerates him. We bought him a little jacket because it’s just too cold outside.

He’s already growing on us and I try not to compare him with my Shadow because he has his own little personality. Since he wont get any bigger than 18 pounds if we don’t over feed him he will be a lot easier to take care of since we are getting older and we can even take him with us on the trike. Of course we need goggles and a carrier for Obie.

Our New Companion Obie/4 months/9 pounds