Black and White Sunday

I disappeared again. Getting into the rhythm of working life and going full force on my home renovations. More to come, but let's keep it simple with black and white sunday. 

Puppies got haircuts, so some super cute frumpy pictures

 before the new slimmer summer look comes in. 

Black and White Sunday

Black & White Sunday is supposed to be short and sweet, but I can't resist but to give you a black and white recap of Miss. Daisy's experience over the past two days as we rip up our flooring and replace it with beautiful chestnut coloured bamboo.

The adventure's begin with the ripping out of the carpet.

No more carpet. 

A new floor! Subfloor time!

Just watching from my bed. 

Ah, the sunshine, such a nice spot.
There was a couch here once before, wasn't there?

Progress!

What's Uncle Phil doing?
Enjoying the serenity of the couch. 

Doggy time with Aunt Ashley!

Alas, the peace has arrived. 

A (not-so) Wordless Wednesday

This (not-so) Wordless Wednesday comes to you from my instagram account.

 A few of my favorite coloured photos from the past weeks. 

Daisy girl taking in some wind on the back dash board

If it isn't me and my fur babies on a beautiful Spring Day.
Loving the front seat on the way to the park. 

We have renewed Caper's interest in playing fetch finding
some of his small tennis balls. 

She's just a cutie. 

Black and White Sunday

I wish I could say this is one of the easiest posts of the week, but its not. I have SOOO many beautiful pictures of my babies, it's so hard. Easter was just another long weekend, so nothing themed! Well, the pics came from today and their visit to my in-laws! 

Puppies & Geography & Big Brother

I'll start with Geography. 

I am starting to dread the return to school. Maybe, I don't miss having to do research papers. 

Currently, my block course this turn is in the study of Indigenous/First Nation Geographies and our professor has challenged us to 2 things.

1. To do something creative that represents our idea/experience of indigenous geographies. 

this is so much fun, not. 

I think I'm knowing what I'm doing. 

I'm going to learn to Quilt something. 

Stay tuned for the final project! 

2. To do a research presentation on this topic of First Nation Geographies. 

that's it. nothing else. 

I have an idea --- Something Urban, butI don't know what I'm looking at, or for.

I don't know what my thesis is. 

 NEXT!

In the process of avoiding working on these projects I bring forward some pictures of PUPPIES!

As you may already know, we got a dump of snow. After our beautiful walk at the dog park we hit up another beautiful park. However, unfortunately not enough people go to Forests for the World, and the snow was deep and horrible to walk through. We just let the puppies play in the snow before we went home

 Subsequently got stuck in the snow. This required the help of some good old sturdy men! unfortunately, Ashley's is out of town, and mine was at the work! So to the Dads! Ashley's Dad came to the rescue. Now if any of you reading this are wondering what to get for her upcoming birthday, a small shovel for the car would be great! maybe a collapsable one. I'd get it, but I already have something else in mind. 

Just being Beautiful

Watching for Ashley 

cold wet puppy cuddle pile

FINALLY

anyone else following Big Brother Canada, what do you think? 

Too early to tell? 

I don't know if I ever really watch these types of shows.

Currently chilling out to Criminal Minds. 

Snow Puppies

Long haired small dogs = A SNOW NIGHTMARE! 

Why? 

The picture speaks a thousand words. We were probably 2/3 through our walk at the dog park when I had to pick her up and carry her back. I had picked her up a few times and broken the snowballs off her belly, but alas, no avail. She had no coat on that day, but her coat wouldn't have prevented the issue. 

Poor little havanese. 

Her poodle brother doesn't have this problem because we cut his coat right down. :) 

he just gets cold now. 

So what did we do? WE WENT TO THE PET STORE!

And found her something more practical. 

A PUPPY TURTLENECK SWEATER

Today we tested it out. 

Verdit --- slightly better option.

But she still got snow up on the bottom half of her legs and on the far end of her belly.

They did have a long underwear style sweater... that might have been better. 

I think she might have to rock her muttlucks! 

Especially if we continue to have this horrible, but beautiful, wet snow. It's been like a foot of snow in the past day or so... such a surprise after spring-like weather for most of January/February

Black & White Sunday

I don't know why I'm showing off my brats today since they just got on the kitchen table and ate an entire box of cookies. It was hard to decide which pictures, I have so many. I'll go with a set from last night when Ashley and her pup Rosey came over.

Daisy doesn't play when Rosey comes to visit.
She gets a little territorial and a little 'bitchy'

They just kept moving and fitting, helps to have a friend your size

BIG SMILE! 

Rosey.

Black & White Sunday

Last night my Sorority girls came over. 

Miss. Daisy was right at home.

She was the centre of attention - almost the whole night.

sorry, crappy photo on instagram.

Black & White Sunday.12.30

A Black & White Puppy Christmas Re-cap. Meet Caper's favorite spot at my inlaw

checking out some cool camera features

Letters to Santa

Tales and Tails have written letters to Santa from their dogs... I know it sounds silly, but it kind of sounds fun. Just like how i really wish I had taken them for photos with Santa.

Here's one from Daisy.

Dear Santa,

I hope you can find me. I've switched homes from last year, but I'm so very happy at my new home, with my new mom and dad, and even with my obnoxious little brother. I've been a very good girl this. I never get in trouble, and I always come when called. I know there have been a few times I got lost, and a few times I had accidents in the house, but I know my way home, and the vet fixed my leaky bladder.

For Christmas, I want you to bring Caper his own bed. I really don't like sharing the one brown bed we have. He sometimes thinks it's his, but it's really mine. But aside from that, I dont need anything. I don't really like toys and I really don't want any toothbrushes, though I do know that mom and dad would like that very much!

Anyways, I'll try not to wake mom and dad with my barking when you come to visit. Though you'll need to be super quiet and come in when I can't see or hear you.

Always good,
Miss. Daisy.


Here's one from Caper

Dear Santa,

It's my first Christmas. Mom keeps talking about presents and people, and the house looks totally different now. I think I've been nice, but I might have been more naughty. It's not my fault! I'm still a puppy and I'm still learning. I love chewing on things, so for Christmas can you bring me some more toys, maybe some with out stuffing, since mom and dad get angry when the stuffing is sprayled across the floor of the living room. I love the squeakiest ones possible please!

Also, I'm thinking that the best Christmas gift would be training lessons. I don't come when called, and I 'm not very well behaved. Daisy could also use some work and thne mom and dad would love us more.

Let Mrs. Claus know that I don't need any clothes. My poodle coat is warm enough, and I dont want to look ridiculous. how am I supposed to get the ladies?

Thanks! I'll try to be better, and stop chewing and eating on everything.
Caper

Christmas Puppy Outfits

In October I talked about dressing up my dogs for Halloween. I never did.

Now it's December. I've been looking for the perfect Christmas outfit for my pups.

After much searching, I found them. They are perfect. I found them at Winners. 

This is how I think Caper feels about his Santa Suit. 

It has a matching hat, but you try getting a dog to wear a hat! I think he hates it because it makes him too warm. He's getting his Christmas hair cut soon. It'll be good. 

Daisy is super sweet in her dress. She loves wearing clothes.

Well, I'm not sure if she LOVES IT. But she definitly doesn't mind it. 

Daisy's Hormones

We should have taken the health insurance offer from the SPCA when we adopted Daisy.

I knew we had a problem because she was 3 years 6 months when we got her and she wasn't house trained. But I shrugged it off. There were lots of changes going on in her life. 

It's been 3 months, and the accidents aren't getting better. Sometimes in the morning, sometimes during the day. Sometimes it looks like she was headed outside, but then, she just went. And, I've never seen it happen, but I THINK it's Daisy. I'm 95% sure it is. 

The boarder where we take our dogs suggested that Daisy drinks WAY LOTS of water. 

She suggested we take her to the vet. We trusted her. 

I hummed and hawwed. And then I woke up to pee stains on my bedroom carpet and the vet was being called. Brought her in the next day. 

***

She's lost a little weight. She's on the slim side the vet explains.

Oh Uh. 

As a shih tzu cross she is prone to kidney failure.

Awesome. 

We'll just do a blood work up to check and see whats going on. 

Okay. 

It could just be that she has a weak sphynctor. 

Oh, and I guess you can't teach your dog to do kegels. 

Or maybe she's anatomically built weird, like an extra large vagina which pools urine and it just releases. 

Oh F**k. I hope not. 

***

Anyways, after an anxious 8 hours, the vet finally called back with the results: NORMAL

Sweet. 

But, because it might be her sphnctory hormones.

Expensive hormones because the cheaper ones she says not the safest for my dog. 

Okay. I trust.

Now, twice a day hormones. And then one half a pill every week. 

The joys of having a furbaby.

Update: Success. It's been working.

Less accidents. 

On her follow up appt the Doctor suggested I get her dewormed since she shows an abnormailty in her bloodwork that is linked to having a weakness to worms... awesome...

Winter Dog Care????

I was going to wait till another day to post this.
But it snowed like a lot last night.
I feel so underprepared. My dogs coats aren't made.
They don't have booties. And they aren't loving the snow at all!

The snow has fallen.

Now, how do I take care of my puppies?

The First Thing I've done in prep is taken them to the groomers.

I had their paws trimmed.

From what I hear, I'm going to have to be careful of their paws getting frost bite and ice clumps, and of the deicing chemicals on the roads when I take them for walk. 

The Second thing I'm working on is dog jackets.

My boarder suggested coats for when it gets REALLY cold and windy. 

At what temperature should my dogs where there coats?

anyone have any advice on winterizing their dogs?

The Third thing I'm thinking about is dog booties.

I've been thinking of making matching ones to their jackets. 

Like this pattern here or this one

Or buying some from Etsy or the Pet Store.

What are your ideas on dog shoes? Do you let your dogs where the shoes?

I'm also seeing some information about balms... 

 Something like this or this one, Mushers Secret

or maybe homemade recipes like this one

The Fourth thing I'm thinking about is house training.

Daisy already has a disadvantage. 

But today, I came home to not one, not two, but 4 puddles on my linoleum. 

This is Capers first winter.

Daisy has already expressed disinterest in snow. 

Puppy Pads? How can I puppy pad train my puppies? 

Check out these Nine Must haves...

And I must remember this post too about small dog care in the winter.

Playing with Puppies

Yesterday was my Birthday. 

I am now officially as old as my husband. 

For one month.

I had to work yesterday.

It was scheduled for only 3 hours.

But worked more because my TL had a seizure the night before (sad, she's better) and my ASM now has a broken rib from a fall the day before. 

Before work, puppies were dropped off for a grooming appointment. They were then picked up.

When I got home, I wanted to go for a walk and take some pictures with my birthday gift - my new sony nex 5r camera!

So, we loaded up the dogs, I woke up my sleeping husband, and that's what we did.

The fresh snow and decaying leaves are the same colour as my dogs, and we admit, every now and then, it was hard to find them!