A PIT BULL GETS THE BRUSH OFF

The days seem to get longer, especially when you have 2 pit bulls vying for  your attention.  I don't know if Boych does it for attention or not, but I do know he requires a lot of up close and personal work.

He is still taking mud baths:
 http://pitbulladog.blogspot.com/2014/06/spa-day-at-farm.html

and he is not using his pool anymore:
http://pitbulladog.blogspot.com/2014/07/mommys-home.html

He liberally intersperses the spas with manure packs, delightfully rolling in the neighbors horse apples.  He is persistent in looking for the not so fresh carcass that is left by the coyotes.  He has the biggest smile on his face when he returns from that adventure.

Today I came across a means of grooming him that I have used in other circumstances.   He came up and was nudging me.  He wanted to be petted.  I was in the process of doing dishes and had on rubber gloves....The yellow everyday cleaning kind.  I relented figuring I could wash off the hair that I knew would Velcro to the surface.  How did I know this?  Well it is my quick cure for getting cat fur off the chairs.

When I petted him that is exactly what happened.  When I begin using a scrubbing motion more hair began rising to the surface.   Voila!  Better than a brush.  I took him out on the porch and gave him a head to foot rub down.  The hair was flying and he was loving every moment, even when I hit the tickle spot.

I don't know if it would be an advisable treatment for a long haired dog but it sure works with my plush cut babies. I highly recommend it.

Have a Pittie nice day!

Other blog sites by me:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting,
cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening,
 Tutorial on how to make 5 panel Boxer Shorts.
 Check out "A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING"
A mystery quilt designed with the novice in mind.

  http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-mystery-in-making.html

 http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Where I have stories of my cats and other pets

a blog about my courtship with my husband,

and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.

A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.

  

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

 blogs about the wildflowers on our farm

Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,

blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures

Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle

All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.

I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .

Please do not copy without permission

TRIAGE ON THE FARM

After a traumatic first two days and discovering he had no idea what being housebroke was about, we wondered what we would find on the porch.  We had not barricaded him in for the third night.  He had not run off.  Doc had told us to not give anymore prednisone or Benadryl.  He said the swelling should be  on its way down.  We hadn't given the pred the evening before and we didn't give anything that morning.  At lunch when I went out to feed him the whole side of his face was swollen up the size of a foot ball.   His eye was swelled shut and he couldn't open his mouth.

I called Doc, he said he'd be out to the farm when the office closed.  Hunny came home early to be here when doc got here.  Doc pulled up and gasped when he saw the dog.  I wish I had taken a picture of the dog, but the dog was not the only one traumatized.  We all were.  Pictures were not a priority.

Doc lowered the tail gate on the truck.  I got some large towels.  He said it looked like an infection  of the salivary glands.  All the needed supplies were lined up.  We sat Boychik on a large beach towel and Doc gave him a shot to put him under.  We used the towel, like a sling, to raise him up on the tailgate.  Doc proceeded to lance the swelling at the soft spot (It felt and looked like a huge abscess).  When he aspirated it hardly any off colored blood was there.  He flushed the area inside and out with iodine and told me to keep it open and flush it 4 times a day.

He gave him a long acting penicillin shot and a cortisone shot, then a shot to wake him up.  I was handed a bottle of pain killers, a bottle of cortisone, and a bottle of a antibiotic that is used for dental surgery.  Boychik was in horrible pain. 

That night the temperature was to drop below freezing and the daytime temp the next day was not supposed to get above 35.  We were afraid Boychik would get chilled.

We thought the only solution was to bring him in the house.  But the cut was dripping copious amounts of blood and the dog was not potty trained.  We never thought about the crate.  In fact we didn't even remember we had it (out of sight out of mind).  We put him in the main bathroom.  I figured at least all surfaces can be scrubbed down.  I covered the floor with towels in case he decided to have and accident.  Decided to, he decidedly did.  In three hours I accumulated enough towels for a full load of wash.  Oxyclean to the rescue, in the washer for one full wash cycle, then run the machine again with a soap wash and I have clean, sweet smelling towels. 

It isn't punishment to be in our bathroom.  It is very large, built to accommodate a wheelchair.  In fact two wheelchairs can maneuver together in it.  Even though it is large he was still afraid;  being closed in , being in pain, and being alone.

The next morning when we greeted him he was happy and the swelling in his face had started to go down. You could at least see an eye and his mouth could open even though chewing he would bite the sides of his jaw.  The swelling wasn't just in the face it went down the side of his neck and under his chin.  It was literally the size of a foot ball.  The bleeding had slowed to an occasional drip.  Now it was time to try to get the first dose of pills down.

It wasn't difficult at all.  He had not eaten supper because his face and throat were too swollen. So he was very hungry.  I had some sliced cheese and proceeded to wrap the first pill in one.  It was frustrate the human time.  He ate the cheese held the pill in his mouth and spit it out.  So I decided it was see if I could stuff the pill in the back of the throat and rub it down with a squirt of water.  He didn't mind that at all. I gave him a cheese treat after he endured each "stuffing".  I knew we would have to do this for the next five days, twice a day.  plus flushing the "hole".  I also had to give him Benadryl.  The next 5 days are a repeat of these pills and procedures.

While writing this I realized how hard it will be to recreate on paper the last five weeks.  I will instead pick out the most outstanding moments.

Back to the getting Boychik well.  With everything the Vet did and all the meds we did not have a good feeling about the swelling.  When we had thought it was just an abscess(before the face swelled up) treatment was to be fairly routine.  When we realized there wasn't an abscess the treatment drastically changed.  This Internet can be a big help but it also can cause worries to increase.

This was the case for me.  This was a dog whom I wasn't going to keep.  We were just waiting for when the owner saw the sign and inquired.  We didn't know if the owner would want to invest all the money we were putting into the dog.  Forget the time investment!

The Internet said SOP was operating and removing the glands.  Geesh talk about expense.  I had told the vet this dog was not a good fit for us.  If we were going to get another dog we would get one who was a house dog.  One who wasn't short haired (I don't care for the odor of a short haired canine.)  The other thing, when winter comes this poor dog and his short hair would be out in the elements.  I asked him if he knew anyone who might be a good home for him.  He said he had had someone in mind but he would need a picture of the dog.  He said he would come out day after tomorrow and picture him for her.

I breathed a sigh of relief, I'd get the dog well and find him a good home.  Two days later the vet came and checked him out and pictured him.  He was pleased with how the swelling had gone down.  Wasn't thrilled with the pocket of swelling in his throat. 

If you look at the left side of his face you can see the swelling.  It is half the size it was.  He couldn't close his mouth before.

At the time these pictures were taken he was able t eat and the only thing he dreaded was when I was coming with the iodine to flush the hole.  After 4 weeks the hole is finally healed shut.  I don't know if he will have a permanent scar but he sure does right now. 

During this recoup time we tried several times to potty train.  At this time we hadn't thought of the "Cage".  I wish we had because in two days it worked wonders.  I haven't had an accident but I have also been very vigilant to read his facial signs.  He is not a talker so vocal signals are non existent.  When he first came here, I presumed he was nervous and just didn't understand.  After we had him for a while I realized he didn't care.  I've watched him when he is outside, when he is playing he just stops and goes.  He doesn't sniff or look around for a place.  This was exactly how he did in the house.  Just stopped walking and tinkled.  He is the supreme tinkler.  Quarts at a time (He drinks that much water too)! 

 

Which is another story.  All water dishes in the house are recycled 2 lb. quart plastic cottage cheese containers.  For the cats it was perfect, and we put out a large dish for him.  The large dish has been removed.  He shares the cats water.  The water dishes are just the right size for a thirsty muzzle to fit in.  This was a necessity.  When he drinks in a large dish he wants to put his feet in it too.  If it is large enough he will lay down on his tummy and put his whole head in it.  He puts his nose underwater and blows bubbles.  He has a wonderful time doing it.   BTW, water does drain out of those flabby jaws! At least he isn't a slobber er.

 

He has survived and there have been no flare up of the glands (which is great I didn't want him to have to have an operation).  Every time we give him meds or chemical treatments we give a prednisone a couple of hours before to protect against an allergic reaction.  We have finally gotten him tick free (he did not come with fleas, but there was not an inch on him with out a tick).  He gets his heart worm pill each month.  The lady that might have wanted him, backed out because he wasn't house broke (Now that I have invested that time and energy she can't have him).  Some how I think we have become attached to the "little boy". 

 

He is potty trained right now, only because he wants to please us.  He can't stand it when we make a motion that he interprets as being displeased with him, he melts at a raised voice.

 

I was really hoping to choose my own dog this time.  We've had gimme dogs for 50 years. We've only been able to choose a couple of our dogs.  I guess our guardian angle knows, we love to recycle and reuse.  Just call me Second Hand Rose.

 

The following links are recycle articles on my other Blogs.

The garden blog has lots of recycled hints,

 but none written in a single blog

 

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2008/09/recycle-those-bridesmaid-dresses.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2011/01/trash-to-treasure.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-re-cycledre-used.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-homemade.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-mans-trash.html

 

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-good-egg.html

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/2013/03/recycling-re-using.html

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/2012/05/reuse-or-trash.html

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/2012/06/cubby-holes.html

 

 

Other blog sites by me:

 

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting,
cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening,
 Tutorial on how to make 5 panel Boxer Shorts.
 Check out "A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING"
A mystery quilt designed with the novice in mind. 

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-mystery-in-making.html

 

 http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Where I have stories of my cats and other pets

a blog about my courtship with my husband,

and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.

A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.

 

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

blogs about the wildflowers on our farm

Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,

blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures

Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle

 

All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.

I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .

Please do not copy without permission

MY FIRST NIGHT

It was his first night, not as in, first night here; but as in, first night in the house. June 1, 2014 turned out to be a monumental day in the life of Boychik.

 

Hunny was getting ready for bed and asked me if I was going to try him inside tonight.   I said that I didn't want to get up in the middle of the night and to let him out of the "cage" when he started whining because he saw a cat stroll by.  We had tried him once before and when the lights went out in the house he started panicking and digging at the side of the "cage".

 

We have a wire cage (kennel) we are using for him.  It has a piece of carpet in the bottom of it.  I vacuum the carpet every day.  We also keep a huge bath towel on it so if he is extra dirty I just shake it off and throw it in the washer.  It also helps when he needs to finish drying after his spa treatments.

 

When we brought the "cage" out for him it was just to be used to potty train.  We had read about "crate" training.  We had never needed to do it for any previous dogs.  We decided this dog, who was a year old, who seemed to not know when he needed to go, may need it.  We didn't like the idea of closing him in.  It seemed too much like punishment. 

 

 

The web, just said do it and don't make internments too long.  No hints on how to get him in the cage.  This is a big dog and picking him up and putting him in it, is not an option (Maybe if I was still 35 years old I could do it.  At twice that, my muscle mass isn't what it used to be.)  We used the lead and led him to it and tried to get him to go in.  He balked and backed up.  I fed the lead through the back of the cage and we tried to pull him in.  He put his brakes on when his feet touched the metal threshold of the door.

 

I thought, this is a chow hound he will do anything for food.  I went and got a piece of cheese and fed him a couple of bites.  Let him see the rest of the slice and smell it and then I tossed it to the back of the cage.  Success.  I then went and did the evening chores while Hunny sat on a cushion at the door of the cage, cooing at him and feeding him treats.  While I was gone he got him in and out of the cage several times.  When I returned he had Boychik going in and out on command.  We put him in and went around the corner in the kitchen and waited to see how he'd do.  We heard no whining or panicking.  After 30 minutes we took him out side and walked him to where he usually went potty.  I said, "Go potty, go potty", while we were walking.  When we got there I waved my hand backwards as if I was "shooshing"  him saying "go potty".  Then I stood very quiet and turned my face away from him (all our other dogs seemed to always like their privacy...maybe our imagination but they never like us to watch...lol).  He walked around and sniffed and then squatted.  I didn't believe what I was hearing....seemed like he tinkled a gallon's worth.  I turned around and praised him over the top and put the lead back on and walked back to the house.  He literally pranced back, keeping a heel with out me asking.

 

I have gotten off the story line.  His first night in the house.  He was fed out side, given his nightly back rub and hug and kissed good night.  15 minutes later I peeked out to see if he had gone to bed in his outside kennel.  He wasn't but he was laying on the door mat sound asleep. (we always leave the porch light on till he is asleep).  I turned out the light and headed to get ready for bed.  About ten minutes later I heard very loud barking from the back of the house. Next sound I heard, was the sleeping parrots hollering "come here, come here" with a whistle that sounded just like me whistling.  Then Zepher goes "Woof woof, puppy dog".

 

I went to the front door and hollered, " Boychik, Home."  I had to holler three times and whistle twice and then he came thundering down the ramp.  He didn't come to me, he ran to the front door and shoved his nose in the crack. 

 

I said, "You want to sleep inside tonight?  If you wake me up you'll be camping out till the snow flies."  when we came in the door I said, "Cage".  He ran to it and went inside and flopped down hard.

 

I decided maybe I aught to cover all but the door, just in case night walkers stalking the caged animal, came by and woke him up.  I remembered he panicked when the house lights went out the first time we tried.  I went and retrieved the night light from the bathroom and plugged it in around the corner in the kitchen. 

 

Then I did the outside routine of the back rubs and hugs and put him back in the cage and said goodnight.  Went and washed short hair dog smell off my hands and headed to bed.  Shut our door and never heard another sound all night.

 

Hunny had to leave early today.  The alarm went off at 5:00 AM.  I needed to walk past the cage to go to the laundry.  He didn't wake up until I came back by 10 minutes later.

 

I opened the cage and put his lead on.  I wanted to start a routine we'd do every day he spent the night in. We went out on the porch, headed for the potty place and I removed the lead.  He wanted nothing of it.  He wanted to stretch and shake and scratch and preen.  He went through a whole morning routine which reminded me of hunny, who at that moment was doing his morning routine in the bathroom.  

 

Boychix was showing me there was a proper sequence to the morning toilette.  When he was finished he walked over to the potty place and turned his head sideways giving me the "look".  Which said to me, "turn your head".  It was all I could do not to laugh.  He very much wouldn't go till I turned my head.

 

When he was finished he gave a big shake and ambled over waiting for me to put on the lead.   I had intended to feed him that minute but he had other intentions.  He wanted back in the house. 

 

We went in, he ran to the bathroom and was going to say good morning to Hunny but when he walked in he got side tracked. There in front of him was the thing in his dreams.  Sitting on the bath bench was the Siamese cat.  The only one he had been able to get within 4 feet.  He was only 1 foot away.  He started his whining song of love and she responded with low rumbling growls.  When his whine pitched increased, she hollered back with spits and lashed out with claws.  He didn't back down and she didn't try to get her aim closer.  We had a stand off for at least 15 minutes.  He left her side when he saw Hunny drying his hands with a towel and went to claim his morning attention from Hunny.

 

The cat used the opportunity to charge out the bathroom door.  I wonder how long it will take or if they will ever learn they can walk in the same space as he does and survive.  My only fear is he will lick them to death if he ever gets the chance. 

 

We had another milestone this morning.  I was sitting here typing away and he came running over.  I asked him if he wanted to go out.  He didn't move to the door and looked quizzically at me.  I thought I wonder?  and then I went to the door.  He gladly went and when I opened it he went out but he was waiting for me.  I didn't get the lead.  I didn't say go potty. I walked him to the end of the ramp (he stayed at a heel with no command).  I just stood there, he looked at me and then walked over and hid behind the car and poo'd.  I'm not sure but I think he communicated with me. The problem is, I wish he would be more vocal about it.  What if I am distracted and don't see the signs?

 

BTW, He's in his cage right now.  He was cornering the cats and getting hyper.  He's asleep so I know he's in no distress over it.

 

BTW...we know people use "crate" or "kennel" for the command but when he heard them he had no response.  "Cage" rang his bell.  That's another BTW, We could never hang a bell on the door for him to ring to potty.  He'd be playing with it ringing it all the time.  Or he would grab it and play tug of war.  Everything is a toy to him.  It is a constant struggle to figure out what he is going to decide is his and teach him that it is ours and a no no.

I wonder what today will bring!

 

Other blog sites by me:

 

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting,
cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening,
 Tutorial on how to make 5 panel Boxer Shorts.
 Check out "A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING"
A mystery quilt designed with the novice in mind. 

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-mystery-in-making.html

 

 http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Where I have stories of my cats and other pets

a blog about my courtship with my husband,

and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.

A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.

 

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

blogs about the wildflowers on our farm

Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,

blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures

Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle

 

All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.

I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .

Please do not copy without permission