October Chatting

No killing frost yet. Picked a really nice zucchini and a cucumber and tomato yesterday. Zucchini seems destined for bread, rest tasted great raw. Neighbors trees are bare, my two maples in front yard are holding tight. Wind blows all the fallen leaves into neighbors yard, where he vacuum s them up. Works for me.

Sk ys body clock got reset last week. At 9am, he will go out. I can try to get up by 9. Ran him at the WMA yesterday. Hot sunny and he had a great time. Found 8" of water in the swamp-my boots are 6". Then he had a nice swim in the creek. Will get up early tomorrow and run over to New Ulm to a nice WMA for a real hunt. Being retired, I prefer to hunt when the WMAs are vacant. Midweek.

I've been side-tracked with projects at work and at home the past week or two.  Too much going on.  A big fundraising event for our shelter on Saturday night, which has required committee work since February.  Our friends attend with us every year, and they come from 2 hours away, so they'll spend the night.  Then we'll have brunch with some other friends on Sunday morning before they head home.  It'll be a busy, but exhausting weekend.  

I always feel like this event kicks off the busiest 2-3 months of the year --- Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, all mixed in with my largest work deadlines related to year-end tax prep stuff and 1099's in January.  Holidays can be blue for me anyway, with all my family and oldest friends so far away, and the added schedule pressures don't help.

I heard about the cold temps you guys have  had, Kate and Glenda.  I talked to my Mom in CT on Sunday, and she said it was going to be 28 that night.  She took a drive with friends that afternoon and saw snow flurries in central CT.  We've had some grey days and some heavy rain here and there, but it's still in the mid- to high-60's this week, so not too chilly.  The mornings are a bit cold, so we put the heat on for Ruby.  She immediately lies down in front of the heater vent!

Doug, sounds like you had a lovely vacation.  I've never been to that part of VA.  Would love to see Monticello.  I bet Sky is thrilled you're home!

Glenda, congratulations on the impending arrival!  Can't wait to see some pics and hear updates.  Hasn't Callie had experience with deaf dogs?  I like the idea of a gently vibrating collar.  Surely a safe one exists somewhere out there.  My heart is already soft for this pup; I'm sure yours will be super soft in no time!  Definitely keep us posted!

Glenda I am so excited for you guys.  Dixie is a very lucky girl.   Both Shadow and Rocky were excellent at hand signals.  Neither were deaf but were far better with hands signals than voice command.   There will most likely be a period of time that you will be harder to train than Dixie :)

Cant wait for pics!  

Btw how are you feeling?  

Kate, Doug and Glenda this is all why I don't  want to live more North than I do.  

You guys must remember Gina?  Wasn't her Cleo a Pyr?    Also who on the forum, or maybe no longer on, has had deaf dogs.  I really want to do this right, and I can use all the help I can get.

Cleo was a Leonberger.  Gina can be found on FB.  Sadly Cleo is not longer with her but she does have another Leo that has that Momma instinct with Kitties :)   Be sure to check with Callie she will know someone for sure.  

Glenda you will get it right, for sure don't worry

Glenda, how exciting! In one of my first dog training classes (a million years ago), a woman had an Old English Sheep dog that was deaf. She used hand signals for all the commands (and said them, too, but that was more for herself and for the instructor--it was an advanced beginners class, I think). The dog placed 3rd at an obedience trial at the end of the class--it was quick to learn the signals. From what I've learned with Ronnie (who isn't deaf), just decide what signal you want to use and be consistent. (I'll find the info on the vibrating collar--I can't remember where I saw it, but it wasn't a shock collar; it just vibrated.) Pictures of Dixie soon, please!

Tracy, what a busy season for you!  I hope the fund raising event goes well.

Doug, I can't believe we had a freeze before you--that seems backwards to me.

I was thinking about Gina and Cleo the other day; I think I remember that Gina loves Halloween--doesn't she make some serious costumes? I am glad her new Leo has the Kittie Mama instincts.

Glenda, here's a link to some general resources: deafdogsrock.com/vibration-collars-for-deaf-dogs There is also a link on the page to deafdogs.org.  I totally forgot that my springer became deaf later in life (she had no hearing the last 3-4 years of her life)--the only thing I remember we had to be careful about was not startling her when she was asleep. So, I'd hold my hand near her nose until she woke up. Touching her to wake her up would startle her, which I didn't want. I also didn't stomp on the floor next to her to wake her up. I had used some hand signals with her before, and she was so used to the routine, etc., that I didn't have to reteach anything.

Learned more about Skys' travails while we were gone.  First place was friends from church.  They had been set up for day care, so Sky was treated like the spoiled child he is.  They had their 5 grandkids over for Sky to play with.  7th heaven for the little dog.  He was allowed to sleep in their bed..  Half a bag or treats are gone.  There was an extra toy in the bag when we got it back.  For some reason, Sky was glad to see us when we picked him up.

At the WMA yesterday and the little dog got lost in the deep grass for a while.  Enough wind so he couldn't locate my voice.  Now, he stays a little closer.  He seems to have figured out the hunt and flush part of the hunt.  He quarters well and uses his nose.  Now if I learn to shoot better, we can work some more on retrieving feathers.   Watching him move through rough ground is a treat. He was born for it and loves it.  I carry a water bottle for him.  Took him one try to figure that out.  Now he will put his paws on my chest if I am slow with the bottle.  He had a dust up with a Lab at the WMA.  Big lab, intact, little ESS, intact.  Lots of noise, lots of display, no bites.  Lab was about 100 lbs and fit.  Little dog won't start anything, but won't back down.

Maple trees have started dropping leaves.  Front yard was covered but there are a lot left in the branches.  I chewed up a bunch with the mower.  Now the wind can blow them into the neighbors yard and he can vacuum them.  His tree is bare, so I know he appreciates my trees contribution.

It rained last night-apparently heavy a few times.  The weak leaves left the trees, the strong still remain.  Yard is a thick carpet of gold right now-so is the street.  Apparently my little town is trying to keep up.  We have a vacuum wagon pulled behind a lawn tractor that the town uses to clean the curbs and gutters.  Takes forever, but we get to watch our tax dollars at work.

New windows coming today.  This will be the last replacements.  Now we can wait a few years and start replacing the replacements.

Ran Sky at the dog park.  He really enjoys most other dogs.  Running and bumping, boxing, gumming, marking chairs.

Thanks to everyone for all the info, links, etc.  And a huge thank you to Spiritdogs (Anne) for her great training tips.  Maybe we can get her to come back.  She's a wonderful resource.

If I can figure out how to post pics, will have lots for everyone on Sunday.  I CAN'T WAIT!!

Here goes nothing......

Maybe it's here somewhere, but it isn't showing up on Preview.....

I put a shot of her in the Gallery.

Hi guys.  Would really appreciate double prayers.  Sis is only a few weeks out from two major surgeries (hip replacement and elbow reconstruction).  Tuesday nite Mom got really sick with diverticulitus again.  She's on meds for that, but her BP has been nuts.....like 105/34, and then this morning she's at 197/67.  Mom is not in good shape and Sis is killing herself trying to recover, heal, and take care of Mom's needs.

Thanks in advance.

Glenda you've got them -- and I've had several deaf dogs (both dogs deaf from birth and deaf from various life incidents).  So let me know how I can help.  

Aging sucks.  I lost my Dad last week (91) which is where I've been for a while.  But in honesty?  I couldn't have asked Pa to stick around any longer.  he was **done** and he's better off now.  That leaves Mom (blind from macular degeneration but who is going to try to stay in her own home) -- but she's learned she can do more than she even thought she could after caring for Pa so long.

The fluctuating bp is difficult -- but then that's what can be so difficult with the aged.  

Callie-Sorry for your loss.  They (old folks) do get to a point where they are tired, they are weak. their friends are gone, and the whole world has changed.  They have no more fear of death, and they are ready to let go.  People working in  hospice facilities recognize this and know the signs well.  Survivors still hurt.