Tuesday chat

Above is a slightly better shot of Ginger. She looks at the camera until you are ready to snap the shot! 

(Please ignore the cigarette butts. My son's mess. )

she looks super sweet Tina - thank you for taking her in :)

I have nothing else - well actually my head is spinning so I can't decide what to say. I really need my life to slow up some

I was devastated to hear about Jessie :(

Meanwhile I feel like a dog abuser. I had to leave B for nearly 13 hrs yesterday. A friend comes to feed him on days like this but he will not go out and do his business. So when I got home he had a ten minute pee and rushed off to poop. Poor guy.  He went out at our normal time for end of the night business but from about 11 onwards I could hear him licking and swallowing. It woke me up 5 or 6 times and each time I asked him if he needed to go out. And he'd give me a sigh = no I am fine.

Finally at 1:45 he's doing it again, I ask him again if he needs to go out. Well he popped up and did his morning stretching routine so up and out we went. Poor guy had another huge pee and poop. We went back to bed and he was snoring before my head hit the pillow.

I don't know what else to do on these days, he absolutely will not go out for anyone but us. I don't know why either but he has always done it.

Fortunately today isn't as long, tomorrow won't be more than 10 hrs and my mom is arriving tomorrow night.

I think he'll be fine with her here.

He is such a quirky dog at times LOL

Oh, poor Bugsy. :(  Silly dog, just go poop and pee.  Hope you have a great visit with your Mom, Karen.

  Tina;  Ginger is a beautiful old lady and it is so wonderful of you to adopt her and make her last years very happy.

 Glenda; I'm glad you're feeling better and hope that you're truly on the mend.

 Karen; We had the same problem with Jessie; she wouldn't potty for anyone else either, or eat for them. Sounds like you lost a lot of sleep last night worrying about B. Glad you won't be gone as long today and that your mom's coming. I hope you get more rest tonight; give the goofy guy some kisses for me.

Another good picture of Ginger. How is she settling in to her new home. I bet she is loving all the attention. Does she seem to be a little shy or is she lovable. Hot was so scared of everything that he was shy and afraid of any hand coming in for a pat on the head. Now he demands the pat on the head and he is so lovable but it took some time. I think its always interesting how slow or quick they catch on to routine and who is in charge of food and love. Karen poor Bugsy, he just doesn't like a break in his routine. When I went away to help my daughter for 10 days in 2012 and my Mom and Dad for 4 days last year the boys even had trouble eating when Ron fed them. He is with them all day but it has always been my ritual to get dinner. It's a certain time every day they know somehow when I call at 5, it is 20 -25 minutes for me to get there. They are waiting at the gate to see me come up the drive. They will eat treats and snacks from hubby all day long but were leaving their meal the first few days I was gone. Now we have changed things up a bit, Ron will get their food somedays, I will get it somedays and our neighbor that helps watch over them if we take a day trip(rarely) he is around often so they will eat when he feeds them and go out and back in for him also. Still they do not like the change in their routine. Even if I am off for a 3day holiday when I go back to work it's like" where you go'in?" :) We found a long time ago our boys respond well to routine. It's sunny, 49 here today....we have been in the 50's for several days now. It's dry, with burn bans, amazing how fast it dries out once the snow melts and the wind picks up. I am happy that it is getting closer to spring :)

Another sweet photo of Ginger!  She looks like such a gentle soul.  Do you live near enough to your office, Tina, that you are going home to check on her at lunch or some point during the day?  I think you said there may be some incontinence issues.  I can't imagine a dog her age getting into any trouble (chewing things and whatnot) if you left her loose in the house while you're gone.  She's probably enjoying long naps, on a cozy bed, in a warm house!

Karen, nice to hear from you!  Poor Bugsy . . . he just doesn't like when his Mom is gone for so long!  Will your workdays stay this long indefinitely, or is there a point when they'll be shorter?

Our dogs sure are creatures of habit and routine.  I often think that it's kind of a conundrum:  it's so important for them to have some routine and structure so they feel their environment is more calm and predictable.  But on the other hand, when we stick so closely to our routines, it sure does upset them when we have to alter things, even for a short time.  We see that with Ruby.  I tell myself we should try to change things up a bit for her now and then, but I guess we humans are creatures of habit and routine, too!

A little sunshine today (at the moment, anyway).  I already ate my banana and am starving.  Might have to walk to the store for a lunch snack since I have no leftovers with me today.

@shadowsgin

Another good picture of Ginger. How is she settling in to her new home

Ginger, she's doing well, all things considered. She likes to keep checking to make sure I'm still nearby. She's not shy with others though.

 Last night I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth before bed and she was in the living room. When I was done, I went into my bedroom and she was already laying on her bed in there.

ETA: Tracy, we were typing at the same time. I live all of 1.25 miles from my office, so I do go home at lunch. Even if she didn't have some incontinence problems, 8 hours is a long time to hold it. Bugsy must have a ginormous bladder or he is that stubborn. LOL

@sharismom

When I was done, I went into my bedroom and she was already laying on her bed in there.

It sounds like she is settling in. She is probably thinking, wow am I a luckygirl, I have my own room and my own bed and everything I better make sure my new lady friend doesn't go anywhere :)

@tacran

Will your workdays stay this long indefinitely, or is there a point when they'll be shorter?

Right now DH is away and I am training all day long - thus the extended days - 'work' is about an hour away so add that to either end of the day.  So yes, my work days (when I am training all day) will remain this long, however usually DH works from home or is close by.

Tina I feel it is a combination of both stubbornness and bladder size LOL Bugsy is known to be fairly stubborn  However, he has always, and I mean always, been able to go excessive periods of time without going. I still recall our first night's with him, he would turn into dead weight when we called him to come out of his crate at like 11 or 12 at night and we'd have to 'drag' him out to pee. He could easily go 8 hrs a night at whatever age he was (12-14wks). Then when we first traveled with him he'd refuse to go and once went about 18 hrs without going.  I am one of those people that always goes so it freaks me out.
Anyway, I can't understand why when my friend comes he won't at this point. He loves her, has gotten to be more excited when she comes to feed him (at first he was like, put the food down and just go) but she says when she goes to the door and asks if he wants out he walks away. Shrugs. That's my whacko!

Thor was odd about toileting too.  When we'd go camping, the camp site was just fine, but he would NOT do his thing at a nice, doggie smelling rest stop on the way to or from the campground, forget about it.  Shaking head.....

What happened to Jessie?  Is there a link?

I've managed to feel pretty decent for most of the day so I count that as a win.  Tired as heck, but I'm not eating much of anything, so guess that's to be expected.

Glenda, here's Janice's Rainbow Bridge post about Jesse. ((((Janice))) http://community.dog.com/life_stages/rainbow_bridge/f/29508/t/121244.aspx

Thanks so much Jackie.  Just awful.

Tina, I'm remembering now that you sometimes ride your bike to work, so I'd forgotten that you do live close to your office.  That'll work out great for Ginger!

We always said Tonka had a huge bladder, too.  His first 4 years with us, we both had jobs with long hours, and I couldn't always get home mid-day, so sometimes he'd go well over 8 hours without a potty break.  It upset me way more than it did him -- when one of us did get home, he didn't even care if he went outside.  We'd have to put him on a leash and take him out!  I felt so bad about that schedule affecting him that it was a main reason I got the job I have now, so I could get home earlier in the day.  

Ruby has only had a "baby sitter" once, and it was our friend who she knows, and she went out fine for him.  But, she is VERY stubborn about going out when it's really raining.  She just puts her head out an inch or two, sniffs, and goes back to the couch.  When I knew it would be a few hours before one of us would be home again, I used to force her out there, but now I don't because I figure she's making her choice and knows the routine by now!