New old dog: it's love again.

Guess who doesn't like thunder! She didn't howl but certainly grumbled.

Sweet Katy got her nails cut by people who do that for the squeamish like me, this time the Jack & Rascal shop. Now she likes the shop too. I like their attitude, first about the ingredients in products, but secondly their general helpfulness. For example, I needed to go to Albertson's, the supermarket that is the equivalent of a block and a half away, for three or four items, and I decided to ask, so that I wouldn't have to leave her in the warmish car. I can tell by various hints that while she likes lying in the bath of the sun for a bit she is quick to want to come back in, and that's only going to get stronger as summer comes along, and she always wears this fur coat. Anyway, they were fine with it, said take your time, we'll put her in a kennel while you do that. Leaving, counter guy helped me with the dog food bag and dog.. said she is a sweet dog, quite right.

We discussed tartar, which she doesn't have much of per the vet. I want to forestall tartar accumulation. I purchased something described as The Mother of All Bones, supposed to last three weeks or so. Pacco failed to appreciate such items so I've little experience with them. Katy sniffed it, went away, went back, went away (etc.) Now is sitting by it in the kitchen as I am typing in the back room. I've been supplanted!

Glad she even likes the people who mess with her claws. Katy is one of those charming dogs that makes every one feel good.

Sally is another.

That's true, they have that in common, love bugs that they are. Got to get them together one of these days. Maybe one day when you are in town too. (I still remember when Pacco met Sally - I nearly crumped from anxiety, but Bob was right that time).

Roger, they told me that for a bit she needs to have the nails clipped bi-weekly, and then clipping can go back to more normal timing.

They don't seem overly sales-y - I was the one who asked about tarter chews, they told me stuff against them generally and said they only had one product. That was pricey and I picked the mother bone, 1/3 the price. Of course, like Pacc, she might keep it around for three years instead of three weeks.

Sigh, this reminds me of Kelly, the lumberyard setter. I got him a big cow bone from some market. He ran away from it.

Re Katy's positioning in space, I now sometimes call her Door Jam (a change from Princessa Caterina). That is, often when I am at the computer in the back room, she lies in the doorway between that room and the hall. Should I want to go to the kitchen, I do this two step hop scotch over the dog..

Good. I'm glad it wasn't just obsessing over the condition of the pedicure. I wouldn't waste time and money getting them finely sanded and polished, but she will be a happier dog when they don't interfere with walking. Might save wear and tear on the clothing - on the off chance that the Princess of Petroglyphia should put her dainty little paws on my chest.

Hello, obsessing about the condition of the pedicure? What on earth are you talking about? Walking on concrete, preferably when it is not blazing, will help sand nails.

You probably have your own background of worries about all this.

So princessa de petroglyphia has been backing away from the mother bone when I offered it to her.
Then I picked it up and rubbed the side of her muzzle with it. Um, more interest, she almost grabbed it.

Time will tell.

Hello, osso & Roger.
I just dropped in to say I am throughly enjoying reading both of your posts about Katy.
There's not much I can contribute, but this is terrific reading!
What a good dog she is!

this is what has to be done if a dog's nails haven't been regularly trimmed/clipped. It has to do with how the vein in the centre grows when nails are left untrimmed. Makes it harder for the groomers to figure out where the vein is, and nobody wants to cut that vein - hurts the dog and upsets a good groomer and can freak out owners. It takes a while to get things back to normal. I'm glad that they were on top of that. Wouldn't want Katy hurt by nails being trimmed too short at this stage.

I meant to say "Glad it wasn't just me obsessing about the nails". It was an obvious condition, though, and I'm glad you and her groomer are on the ball. There are lots of dog owners who love their dogs and just haven't been made aware of their needs.

I'll second this as these are very worthwhile suggestions. As a recent dog custodian of 3 yrs all this nail stuff came as a BIG surprise to me.

In my dog's situation (and being nearly broke) with Brady I've let my dog's nails get too long and the same procedure (short-term repeated trimming) was suggested. Regardless of my dog's walks on cement and asphalt it's still suggested that briefly for a 2x-month that I have them trimmed. Brady's nails are very thick, squarish and black and as such I'm just not comfy trimming myself. I'm following the Vet's suggestions because he is exhibiting tenderness when running and jumping while his nails got too long.

..and then there's the issue of dental care. I have a doggie toothbrush and I'm working on brushing his teeth daily to reduce the excess buildup of dental plaque. As he doesn't seem to have any outstanding decay problem (guessing...as no x-ray was done), I won't have him anesthetized for $450-$500 for the deep scaling. After a recent visit and a quick consultation I was told he has a lot of plaque. I said that I will brush his teeth regularly for the next 30 days and let's revisit this issue afterwards and assess the situation.

Osso is on top of the dental care, too. They've been cleaned recently, with no problems discovered. Everything seems under control, except maybe the coat. Dogs and cats in areas that have winter tend to shed in the spring and early summer. I go down wearing cat hair and come home with dog hair. If they were all the same color, I might invest in matching color.

Ahahah. That was both funny and familiar.

I posted what I did not so much as a cautionary tale/tail to Osso but to address this to others of us dog and cat lovers who, like myself, need to think about the issue and the expense of deep scaling and an anesthetizing vet visit.

Brush early and often.

True, and they're up to date on her story... well, as much of it as is any of their business to know.

You'd have to wear tweed..

Yah, I have the doggy toothpaste and brush, haven't gone with it yet. The vet said her teeth were in good shape but I know I should brush them as a preventative. That's part of what getting her this bone like product to gnaw on is about, besides being for her potential amusement.

Yes! Excellent! I'm in search of some good soup bones from supermarket or butcher now.

When I got Pacco from the humane society and took him to the veterinarian shortly thereafter, he estimated he was probably around nine. He wasn't the main veterinarian, just subbing that day. Pacco definitely needed his teeth scaled, poor chap. After that (not easy on dogs, especially when older, I gather) the main veterinarian said, he's probably about six. I tried the tooth brushing pizazz with the Pacc but no go, my lady.