3 Dog Blog--A Boxer Adventure

Momma Told Me There'd Be Days Like This.........

2015-02-27T21:26:00.004-06:00

Dog Agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy.

Dogs run off leash with no food or toys as incentives and the handler can touch neither the dog nor the obstacles. Consequently, the handler's controls are limited to voice, movement and various body signals requiring exceptional training of the animal and coordination of the handler.

As most of you know, I've been training Lord Malcolm and Lady McKenzie since the Vet completed their puppy vaccinations. We've had our ups and downs in training and in getting to know and trust each other. Malcolm loved agility as a youngster until I unfortunately put him in the very uncomfortable position of trialing him too early. He was not comfortable with the high amount of energy in the room and not only failed miserably on his first and only trial but began to act quite aggressive to other dogs that day. From that point on, he never really liked agility. He would do it if I made him, but he wasn't having fun. Had I had any sense at the time, which I admit that I didn't; I would have forfeited my entry fee and taken him home. Since then, he and I have been working on his reactivity to other dogs by taking him to strange places like Pets Mart and Lowe's where he can go in and be in strange places and where he is likely to meet other dogs. We also go to the dog park; not to go in and play, but to walk the outside of the fence. We appreciate any dog that will come to the fence to see who we are because that gives us another chance NOT to react negatively. After a couple of years of us doing this, Malcolm is learning to trust me and looks to me for guidance on how to behave. He is a much calmer and happier dog than 2 years ago. He has even been known to kiss a horse recently on a walk. This is something that could never have happened 2 years ago. The horse would have been bitten and the dog would probably be dead. We've come a long way.

McKenzie, while much slower to pick up on agility, and therefore having never done a trial, really loves going to class and learning new courses. As a team, I have to guide her where she should go and in what direction she should take each obstacle. She has to trust me and listen and watch me always. Something as simple as holding an arm out or bringing it down to my side will send her in a direction. She will either go out away from me or come back toward me. Well, that's in a perfect world. (BIG SMILE) Momma (should have) told me that there would be days like this!

Dogs have moods just like we do. Sometimes, they just don't feel like doing something. Problem is, they can't express it verbally. McKenzie had her mind on greeting all of her friends at the dog club, both human and canine. We had arrived a bit after most others were there and she had to go straight into a kennel so that I could go have a look at the course and figure out how to get through it. She got her wiggle-butt in a kink over anything that wiggled under her feet, even though she walks those obstacles all the time with little to no problem. Then she started refusing to jump. She made it perfectly clear to me that she wasn't going to play until she sniffed out what the other dogs were getting for treats.

Different course, same night. She wasn't doing it. And she's a Boxer, so she wins.

Malcolm happened to be with me that night so I tired him on the course. I had him jumping lower jumps because he hadn't seen this equipment in 2 years. He did very well for the 1st time in that long.

This is McKenzie the week before. I put this video in just to prove that she can do it and she does enjoy it when she has her mind on it.

A Beautiful Life

2015-02-09T19:05:00.000-06:00

A Rare, Beautiful and Gentle Spirit.

Nessie the Monster, Duchess of Hagg, Canine Good Citizen
Registered Therapy Dog

December 28th, 2003 - February 9, 2015
Twelve Years, One Month, Twelve Days

I'll begin my story at the beginning.

WishBone was a wild man. I always thought that he would calm down by the age of 3. But he didn't. At some point, it had occurred to me that he might be better with a playmate, though we had never owned 2 dogs at the same time. It just seemed to me like that's what he needed. Not being the greatest of dog trainers (which could explain why WishBone was so wild), I was nervous to go ahead and get another dog, so I waited. Finally, when he turned 4 and started to calm down just a hair, I decided I would be able to handle another so I began my search. My husband wasn't for the idea, but there would be no stopping me on this one. I was all in. I didn't want to spend a lot of money for a top quality dog, but was scared to go to a shelter for one, thinking that if other people couldn't handle the dog, then neither could I..... I've learned a lot since then. I found Nessie in the newspaper.

I took a short trip to another town to see about her. She was 10 weeks old, cute; but with splayed out feet and crazy. The place was filthy and I didn't want to sit on the man's furniture. I looked at her and she cuddled me. But I put her down and thought that this was a horrible place and I didn't want to purchase from him. I had nightmares about her living alone in that guy's garage though. I couldn't sleep much that night. I decided to go back the next day and pay the guy his $300 bucks and I'd just call her my 'rescue' dog.

I brought a cat kennel (Yes, I had a cat too. Taylor Bailey Alexander the Tailless Cat) to transport her safely. I put her in it. She stunk. But it would be a short 45 minutes home. As we were traveling down the highway, I smelled vomit. Trying to stop my reflexive gagging, I opened the window of the Jeep and let my hair fly, not really caring what I looked like anymore. Then some other horrible smell happened. It was so bad that all the windows in the Jeep were down and I was still gagging. So I drove the rest of the way with my head out the window like a dog would do..........

I remember telling her that no little girl should ever smell like that.

Well, we did make it home of course and when I let her out of that kennel, it was full of vomit and poop. My goodness! What a stinking mess! The first thing I did was hose the kennel out and take the dog into the kitchen. On came the hot water, soap and dish gloves. A nice, luxurious bath would make us all feel better! I don't think she appreciated it until she came out of the water and into that nice clean, warm towel. She immediately relaxed and curled up in my hands and let me dry her. I held her for a long long time and we got to know each other a bit. She seemed hungry so I fed and watered her. And after a quick trip outside, she curled up in my lap and slept for a long time.......

Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo

When I took her to the vet, he wondered out loud at why I would have chosen this dog. She was malnourished, he said. That's why her feet splayed out. But he couldn't find anything so wrong with her that I couldn't fix with a bit of TLC. One thing I know how to do is feed things, whether they are people or animals. I could get her healthy. So she had food available to her whenever she wanted it. And her new buddy, WishBone would see that she got exercise.

Grand Canyon

Just outside of Los Vegas

It was hilarious (for a while) to watch those two. Nessie was crazy. She felt so much better after a few good meals that she just couldn't sit still. She ran 100 miles an hour around and around the back yard and she and WishBone soon came up with what would be their very favorite game. We named it 'Duke of the Deck' because Nessie would take off and run around the yard with a toy in her mouth and WishBone would wait for her behind the patio table. If Ness came that way, he would stop her. He only had to move like 3 steps to play the game and Nessie had to run around and around the table and yard. He always won. She never did. But they played for hours on end everyday until WishBone finally died in 2009. That wasn't the only game they played though. He would stand patiently in the yard while Nessie ran and flung herself at him, puppy teeth grabbing on to anything she could. He was blood red for a year. She gave him a 'cauliflower' ear once. That was a $400 surgery at the time. His white chest was bloody. You couldn't see any white at all. We were so worried. We had thought that he would be the dominate dog being a male and that much older. But he never defended himself. Not once did he even attempt to tell Nessie to stop. He just stood there for a year taking everything she threw at him. I finally couldn't take it anymore and took them to a dog obedience school (which I would later join and train the Chamberlains there) to enroll her in obedience and ask them why they thought WishBone was so passive around her.

At the school, I remember him passing out on their cool concrete floor surrounded by other dogs and went to sleep, while Nessie was in class. The trainer just told me that when it was time, the dog would let the puppy know not to bother him. Never had I seen that much patience.......

Then, one day about 12 or 13 months after we had brought Nessie home, I was in the kitchen cooking dinner and I heard it. A snarl and growl unlike any Boxer play and totally out of character. It was a very scary sound so I dropped what I was doing and ran into the family room where I saw Nessie laying on the floor limp. Not moving a muscle. WishBone was standing over her with her entire bitty head in his mouth. I was horrified and shocked and aghast all at once. I had no idea what to do. If I made a sound, surely, he would kill her. I froze in silence like a deer in the headlights........

Then he laid her head gently on the floor. (There was not one mark on her. He had held her very gently and had no intention of chomping down) She got up, shook herself and turned and pranced away with a smile on her face like nothing had happened at all. But she NEVER tormented WishBone again. He had had enough. I believe that this is when she began to torment the cat....

I may be a Duchess, but nothing prevents me from a wee nip or two......

Nessie and WishBone were best friends. They were never apart until the day he died. She mourned him by howling for a good 30 minutes at the front door. She missed him and mourned him for at least 2 months. They had done a lot together, from playing in the back yard, to going to dog school, to traveling and hiking in the Rocky Mountains and all over the United States. They loved running on the beaches of Lake Superior and Lake Meade below the Hoover Dam. They loved seeing the Grand Canyon and WishBone even got to show her his 1st home in Virginia Beach. (He was very excited but she didn't seem to care too much). He took her to the Atlantic to mess around on the Boardwalk and they loved running along the beachy waterways in the marshy areas there. They were the life of the party in Florida, Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky, New Mexico, Kansas, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana too. But their favorite thing to do was hike the Rockies. We found many trails to hike and they loved going off leash and running ahead of us. I think they hiked the mountain 4 times to our 1. They ran ahead for a distance and waited for us to catch up or they would run back to us and try to get us to hurry. Once, we were walking along and a rock formation jutted up from our path. Nessie decided to take the rocks while we stayed on the path. Suddenly, the rocks ended. That didn't stop her though. She kept right on running and flew just like superman right off the edge, over my husband's head and landed somewhere in a tumble out in front. She rolled, but she never quit running. She kept right on going as though nothing had happened. Then, she and WishBone could be seen off in the distance, Gazelling and bounding through the tall grasses. We still laugh about the dog that thought she was a flying squirrel!

She has traveled from the uppermost point of the United States, to the lowermost point and from the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific. She learned Agility late in her life, but enjoyed going to the class and doing the obstacles. She was a registered Therapy Dog who visited Nursing homes, Alzheimer's facilities, Libraries and hospitals. She had her own school of etiquette and all dogs had to comply with her rules. While she was patient, she didn't put up with misbehavior, even from strange dogs. She straightened out WishBone a time or two and she tried to teach Taylor Bailey to be a Boxer. (He wasn't well for that and eventually went crazy) By the time she was introduced to her Chamberlains, she was a pro at teaching youngsters how to behave. It was her way or the highway, but she ruled with patience and love.

The Nessie Monster School of Etiquette
Class in Session

She was an ambassador to bring knowledge to her Boxer loving friends about her disease, Degenerative Myelopathy. She wanted everyone to know about it so that they would work to eradicate it from the gene pool by excellence in breeding. This is only one reason that we are so against backyard breeders and puppy mills. They have no knowledge of breeding to erase disease or to promote the qualities most desired in the Boxer Dog. Nessie, herself, is a product of backyard breeding by a guy who didn't care a rip about the breed; only his pocket. Even though she had a wonderful spirit, just to look at her reminded me more of a hyena than a Boxer Dog. She had a longish snout, a barrel chest and her body and head seldom looked much like a Boxer. All this is evidence of poor breeding.

Trying on her new wheels for the first time

Mostly, Nessie was a hugger. Her very favorite thing was to go limp in my arms and to hug me. Snuggle time was the one thing she lived for. She always made the effort, even when it was hard for her to walk, to come to me when she thought I was feeling bad, and snuggle. She was probably one of the best dogs I have ever known. She always had a need to do the right thing. And now she's gone. She's left a legacy and her Chamberlains will never forget her. May God keep her in the palm of His hand, May she find WishBone and Taylor Bailey (to apologize) and T-Bone and Satchmo and Prince and Puff the Magic Dragon and play with them until I come to find them. I will miss the warmth of her body. But the warmth of her love will be with me always. You are in my heart Sweet Nessie Bell. You are my friend. You are brave and courageous and smart. I couldn't let you suffer. Now go and play and be happy til I see you again.

Nessie died in my arms in her own front yard on a very warm and sunny day in February. She had had a great weekend of playing ball with her Chamberlains, walking in the park, watching some dogs play in the dog park and meeting a few new people. She had a great day. She was not ready to go and it killed me to do it. Her body had given up, but her mind had not realized it yet. She had many friends who were praying for her and for me. Sleep well, my sweet Nessie Bell. Find our WishBone and run and play until you see me again. You have left a hole in my heart that cannot be healed. You lie in a grave wrapped in a Black Watch Tartan. I know you will be looking over us until we meet again.

Canine degenerative myelopathy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A dog with degenerative myelopathy often stands with its legs close together and may not correct an unusual foot position due to a lack of consciousproprioception

Canine degenerative myelopathy, also known as chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy, is an incurable, progressive disease of the canine spinal cord that is similar in many ways to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Onset is typically after the age of 7 years and it is seen most frequently in the German shepherd dog, Pembroke Welsh corgi, and boxer dog, though the disorder is strongly associated with a gene mutation in SOD1 that has been found in 43 breeds as of 2008, including the wire fox terrier, Chesapeake Bay retriever, Rhodesian ridgeback, and Cardigan Welsh corgi.^[1]^[2] Progressive weakness and incoordination of the rear limbs are often the first signs seen in affected dogs, with progression over time to complete paralysis. Myelin is an insulating sheath around neurons in the spinal cord. One proposed cause of degenerative myelopathy is that the immune system attacks this sheath, breaking it down. This results in a loss of communication between nerves in lower body of the animal and the brain.

[hide]

Testing[edit]

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has a DNA saliva test to screen for the mutated gene that has been seen in dogs with degenerative myelopathy. Now that a test is available the disease can be bred out of breeds with a high preponderance. The test is only recommended for predisposed breeds, but can be performed on DNA from any dog on samples collected through swabbing the inside of the animal's cheek with a sterile cotton swab or through venipuncture.

The test determines whether the mutated copy of SOD1 is present in the DNA sample submitted. It must be interpreted with caution by a veterinary clinician in combination with the animal's clinical signs and other lab test results.

The results reported are:

Normal / Normal (N/N, or 'clear'): The dog does not have the mutation and is extremely unlikely to develop degenerative myelopathy. There have been cases in which dogs that tested clear were found to have DM upon necropsy. This information was given to Dr Keller from the OFA. Dr Coates performed necropsy. It is important to note the OFA statement on their website that states "Recent evidence suggest that there are other causes of DM in some breeds".
Normal / Abnormal (N/A or 'carrier'): The dog has one mutated copy of the gene (is heterozygous) and is a carrier but will not have degenerative myelopathy though there has now been some cases of Carriers developing DM.^[3] It will be possible for it to pass the mutation to offspring. A thorough examination of the dog's pedigree and DNA testing should be undertaken prior to breeding a dog with this result.
Abnormal / Abnormal (A/A or 'At Risk'): The dog has two copies (is homozygous) for the mutation and is at risk for degenerative myelopathy.

Genetics[edit]

Breeding risks for degenerative myelopathy can be calculated using the Punnett Square:

If both parents are clear (N/N) then all of the puppies will be clear
If one parent is a carrier (N/A) and one is clear (N/N) then roughly 50% of the puppies will be clear and 50% will be carriers
If both parents are carriers (N/A) then roughly 25% will be clear (N/N), 50% will be carriers (N/A), and 25% will be At risk (A/A)
If one parent is clear (N/N) and one parent is affected (A/A) then all puppies will be carriers (N/A)
If one parent is a carrier (N/A) and one is at risk (A/A) then roughly 50% of the puppies will be carriers (N/A) and 50% will be At risk (A/A)
If both parents are At risk (A/A) then all puppies will be At risk (A/A)

Symptoms[edit]

Degenerative myelopathy initially affects the back legs and causes muscle weakness and loss, and lack of coordination. These cause a staggering affect that may appear to be arthritis. The dog may drag one or both rear paws when it walks. This dragging can cause the nails of one foot to be worn down. The condition may lead to extensive paralysis of the back legs. As the disease progresses, the animal may display symptoms such as incontinence and has considerable difficulties with both balance and walking.^[1]^[4] If allowed to progress, the animal will show front limb involvement and extensive muscle atrophy and paralysis. Eventually cranial nerve or respiratory muscle involvement necessitates euthanasia or long term palliative care.^[2]

Progression of the disease is generally slow but highly variable. The animal could be crippled within a few months, or may survive as long as three years or more.^[1]

Causes[edit]

The etiology of this disease is unknown. Recent research has shown that a mutation in the SOD1 gene is a risk factor for developing degnerative myelopathy in several breeds.^[2] Mutations in SOD1 are also associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) in people.^[5] More than 100 SOD1 gene mutations are involved in human familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and the pathologic spinal lesions of ALS are similar to those of canine DM, making canine DM a potentially useful animal model of ALS.^[6] .Known causes of spinal cord dysfunction should be excluded before accepting the diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy; disc disease (protrusions) or spinal cord tumors can cause compression of the spinal cord with similar signs to degenerative myelopathy.^[7]

Treatment[edit]

Degenerative myelopathy is an irreversible, progressive disease that cannot be cured. There are no treatments that have been clearly shown to stop or slow progression of DM.^[1]

Exercise[edit]

Exercise has been recommended to maintain the dog's ability to walk.^[1] Physiotherapy may prolong the length of time that the dog remains mobile and increase survival time.^[8] Canine hydrotherapy (swimming) may be more useful than walking.^[9] Use of a belly sling or hand-held harness allows the handler the ability to support the dog's hind legs for exercising or going up and down stairs.^{[citation needed]} A 2-wheel dog cart, or "dog wheelchair" can allow the dog to remain active and maintain its quality of life once signs of weakness or paralysis of the hind limbs is detected.

Use this link to order the DNA test for your dog. They are also currently conducting a drug study to stop the effects of this disease from progressing. Your dog may or may not qualify to participate in the study, but it's well worth checking out!

http://www.offa.org/dnatesting/dm.html

A Separation of Chamberlains and Other Comings and Goings at the Palace

2014-07-28T14:16:00.000-05:00

It has not gone beyond my notice that the Palace has suffered to some not insignificant degree in the current economic instability of our Dukedom of Hagg. This of course, is in large part due to the domestic policies set forth by the current King and Queen. HisRoyalHeiny, King Hogan

of MO and All the various Dukedoms within it's vast territory, including the Land of Hagg, has been forced by his Queen, Barbara of Argyle, to put in place policies that greatly benefit her heirs and relatives while leaving the rest of the Kingdom in a royal shamble, as it were. The King is completely and utterly useless and wholly without power when faced by the ravishing beauty of his Bride, Queen B.

King Hogan and Queen B

Using the 'trickle down' theory of economics, there is, therefore, bloody little left for the rest of us. I make this statement only with regard to your understanding of Our sense of responsibility to our dear subjects; that, of course, being you. We took (under duress) drastic measure to dis-employ our Press Secretary (thus leaving this blog and ultimately the Good People of the Land of Hagg in utter silence for the past some weeks) and that responsibility, along with many other important duties, have been temporarily heaped upon the one person we found we could not carry on without. Therefore, our Mopping Up Woman has kept her original duties and we have added to them that of Press Secretary, Royal Chef in charge of all state dinners, Guardian, Liaison to the much beloved (if not incompetent) Royal Highnesses, Diplomat in charge of foreign affairs, Librarian, Exercise Instructor, Physical Therapist, Body Guard and all round Companion to Our Royal Personages. The strain of implementing all of these responsibilities has left our dear Mopping Up Woman a wee bit crabby and tired and we daren't confront her for her lack of enthusiasm as Press Secretary lest she fall short with us and leave us much in a lurch. With all this in mind, we were right glad when she announced that she would be making a public statement regarding the State of Our Dukedom. We beg the Good People of Hagg, our Subjects, to take this news with compassion and understanding that the Mopping Up Woman is unaccustomed to Public speaking and will be telling the tale to the best of her meager ability. We humbly beg your understanding in this most urgent matter, Good People and as soon as circumstances allow, rest assured, we will take on a new Press Secretary who is more qualified to string two words together and make a sentence than our dutiful and dear if not uneducated Mopping Up Woman.

These things we humbly implore.

~Nessie the Monster, Duchess of Hagg

~Lord Malcolm, Chamberlain

~Lady McKenzie, Chamberlain absentia

Dear ~~People~~ Good People of Hagg, {in a sort of lower Cockney accent}

I, the Mopping Up Woman to their Royal ~~Pains in the Arse~~ er, Majesties, have been given the duty (one among countless) to provide you with information regarding the Royal Duchess and her two ~~spoiled~~ ~~worthless~~ beloved Chamberlains. Please excuse my penmanship as I seldom have access to quill and paper.........The ink splotches are inevitable. "NOOOO, My Lord Malcolm! IN-Evitable. Not Edible!" ~~Bloody dog~~!

First, let me explain about that Duchess.....

You know, I've worked for her for some 11 1/2 years and I worked for the Duke before her ~~demanding~~ ~~bossy~~ ~~cranky~~ loving presence was known to the Duke. When she came to the Palace, she was ~~wild~~ ~~unruly~~ ~~uneducated~~ beautiful and loving toward the Duke and all the staff of the Palace of Hagg. WishBone, Duke of Hagg was 'smitten' in no time and elevated her to be his Duchess which, quite frankly, made a lot of work for me. So I had to see to her education and eventually she did become quite the Lady of the Palace. All the Good People have loved her lowe these many years and I, even I have grown very fond of her for she is a warm and loving woman with great wisdom for her advanced years. Truth be told, that even though she claims to need me; I need her more. I realize that I would be ~~owner of the Palace~~ nothing without her......

WishBone, Duke of Hagg and his new Duchess, Nessie the Monster

Advanced in years though she is, she is beginning to suffer loss of control of her once beautiful body. I believe that you must know that she has a disease called Degenerative Myelopathy--a breakdown of the sheath lining of the nerves in the spinal cord. Her back legs have completely lost stability, though, with help, she can still stand. She is using her 'Hound Around' wheels now to stand and eat and to go to the Water Closet. She balked at the wheels for as long as she could and still feels quite beside herself and appalled that she must use them now. ~~She is a very proud person and has proved to be quite the pain in the butt in her old age.~~ While learning how to use the cart, she simply would stand there and refuse to move for what seemed like hours. I used tea and crumpets to lure her hither and thither and she certainly can use the durned thing because when she went on a recent tour of the outer regions of the Dukedom, she was scooting all over the place like nobody's business. She is simply ~~stubborn~~ ~~cranky~~ proud. Well, so she has to use it now for eating, drinking, walking -- she can still drag herself along thus explaining her adamant complaints when forced to use the wheels-- and using the er, ahem, facilities. I must say that it was quite a celebration the first time she was able to uh, er, number 2 while still in the cart. As it turns out, if she has to go badly enough and I ignore her long enough, she will go and take care of business. I rue the day that she begins to get even worse. Dogs loose control in their back legs first but the disease slowly moves up the spine and eventually they become completely paralyzed, even losing their ~~bark~~ voice.

Do to the obvious handicap of Duchess's current condition, Their Royal Heinies Logan and Barbie found it necessary to send one Chamberlains along with the Royal Driver (of course they have retained the driver even in these hard times) to the most northern region of the Kingdom. There have been many rumors of an uprising in this region and many of the Kingdom's fine relatives are dying. It was quite necessary to send someone to quell the violence and to visit with those who remain; to cheer them and to make our Royal Presence known to them, thus giving them courage to continue on the good fight. So Lady McKenzie was chosen to take this adventure and has been gone for at least 2 weeks. She has done a good job to bring many mercies and much laughter to the upper portion of the Kingdom and word has gotten back that she has been seen swimming and boating and walking amongst the crowds of People pressing upon her. She has commissioned a local artist to erect a statue to our beloved Duchess and has overseen it's completion.

Nessie the Monster--a stone sculpture in Grand Rapids Zoo, MI.

She has shown much courage and has thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality of the Uppers as they are called in the region of Michigan. ~~Some think she is getting a big fat head and thinking of herself as the Duchess rather than a lowly Chamberlain~~. I certainly think she takes advantage.

Lord Malcolm has truly enjoyed his time away from his ~~hysterical~~ sister. I think he quite likes taking care of the Duchess and has shown much affection toward me even though I a no-but a Mopping Up Woman. At first, he was quite lonely, I think, but has certainly come out of his shell and has been taking long (very long) walks every morning to visit the tenants who live small distances away from the Palace proper. He enjoys talking with them and especially the donkeys, cows, horses and even the bulls. They all love him so very much and are so excited to see his Royal ~~Wiggle-Butt~~ Presence that they run to the fences (yes, we have to use fences to keep them back and protect our Royal ~~Idiot~~ Chamberlain from such largess of muscle and attention. No one knows which might be crazy and actually try to disembowel our Lord Chamberlain). Lord Malcolm has also been sent on many mundane errands in order to keep the Palace in running order as he has also cut back on his staff. ~~Of course, that means that I am also doing all of His bloody wor~~k! Recently, he met many people and other animals at the local PetsMart. He totally entertained them with his charm by playing a game of "if you will bloody get out the Jeep, I'll reward you by letting you get back in". So out and back in. Out and back in. Out and back in. The People were watching and smiling and murmuring as we did this game for over 30 minutes in the parking lot. Lord Malcolm felt that this put the Good People at ease and much more comfortable with his ~~drooly~~ ~~cowardly~~ ~~nervous~~ ~~panicked~~ awesome presence. Soon (~~not bloody soon enough for me~~), they were all comfortable enough for His Lordship to enter the building. Lord Malcolm has definitely gained much in confidence and courage and is more and more relying on his body guards (~~yes. that's me too~~)-- having gained a beautiful trust between him and them--to protect him from danger. Much has been accomplished in the last year and especially in the last 2 weeks while Lady Sister has been away. I may be just the Mopping Up Woman to them Royal Butt Heids, but I'm a damned good 'un to keep around. They wouldn't be Royal or otherwise were it not for me. Granted, they do pay me well and give me a corner of the bed to sleep on. They are very demanding, especially now, of my time and effort and I ain't gettin' much younger myself, but I have to admit that I have grown to love them like my own and couldn't be able to carry on without their bloody whining and complaining and all of their coming in and going out all day. They are rich enough, even in these times. They should 'a put in a bloody revolving door, mind. Aye?

A Nose Off 'twixt the Duchess and Lord Malcolm

Thank you for your patience in awaiting the latest news from the Palace and for reading this rambling. We hope that you find it informative and well as entertaining. Our main hope is that you become aware of the many health issues and training problems that plague our precious babies and that you use your new-found knowledge to do your best to prevent them, help them to overcome and learn better training techniques so that you and your beautiful Boxers can live a long, happy and peaceful life together. All dogs, no matter their age, should be tested for DM. It is a simple swab of the mouth that you can do at home. You must breed responsibly. In most cases, to me, that means don't breed at all. Back yard breeding and Puppy Mill breeding should never happen. There are too many dogs abandoned and turned over to shelters because of people who don't know what they are doing and who have not done their due diligence to research the qualities of a breed. (I was just called the other day and someone told me they had no idea a Boxer puppy would have that much energy. Did I know someone who could take this dog off their hands?) Do not breed your pet just because you love them so much and want another one just like it. The puppy is guaranteed not to be like your original pet. They all have a different personality. Choose from a shelter and save a life. But if you DO breed, do the DNA tests first, and breed to the benefit the breed standard. If you don't understand science, don't breed. You may order your DM test and other tests from The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.

I took the liberty of naming King Hogan and Queen Barbie who are friends of mine. I used a picture of the back of their heads. It is not MY picture but belongs to +Amber Watson. The name of their town has been changed to protect the innocent.

The Duchess and the "Hound-Around"

2014-05-05T12:57:00.000-05:00

Degenerative Myelopathy: Canine degenerative myelopathy, also known as chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy, is an incurable, progressive disease of the canine spinal cord that is similar in many ways to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Onset is typically after the age of 7 years and it is seen most frequently in the German shepherd dog, Pembroke Welsh corgi, and boxer dog, though the disorder is strongly associated with a gene mutation in SOD1 that has been found in 43 breeds as of 2008, including the wire fox terrier, Chesapeake Bay retriever, Rhodesian ridgeback, and Cardigan Welsh corgi.^[1]^[2] Progressive weakness and incoordination of the rear limbs are often the first signs seen in affected dogs, with progression over time to complete paralysis. Myelin is an insulating sheath around neurons in the spinal cord. One proposed cause of degenerative myelopathy is that the immune system attacks this sheath, breaking it down. This results in a loss of communication between nerves in lower body of the animal and the brain.

See my blog post from last January on this subject

As most of you know by now, Nessie the Monster, Duchess of Hagg has this horrible disease. The definition clearly states that at the time of this writing, there is no cure. Since I posted last January, she has become increasingly weaker in her hind end and is now struggling to get up off the floor when laying down. We have done everything we can to try and help her. She has undergone hydrotherapy, acupuncture, physical therapy and has been subjected to an awful tasting powder on her food that was supposed to help and only made her throw up.

The Palace staff have carried her, and have tried using toenail grips (which didn't stay on her short toenails) have used booties and rubber socks, a sort of waterproof dog sock that is similar to a small balloon stretched over the paw. These all worked to varying degrees. The rubber socks seem to work really well to help her grip the slick floor inside and still protect her nails when she drags her feet outside; however, they fit so tight around the ankle that they have created sores that we have bandaged. This is becoming harder and harder to deal with as the disease progresses and new challenges arise. But our wee Nessie girl is a trooper and will not give up, so neither will we.

We bought her a wheelchair from Eddies Wheels. It took us a while to adjust the cart just so on her -- I'm not too sure we have it just right yet. It also took a while to teach her to want to use it. She can still walk, albeit very wobbly, and we don't put her in it all the time, but when she gets tired, we do. She has proven that she can use the cart to wheel herself up over the steps that go onto the porch and into the house. She can maneuver around (or over) most obstacles without problems. We have been able to go for walks to our road and back (some 2 football fields away). She can go up and down the hills with no problems. She just doesn't usually want to move when she's in the wheels without a lot of encouragement which comes in the way of clicker and treats. However, she was the hit of a recent party held at the Palace. She chased all the kids down in search of uneaten portions of mac-n-cheese.

In the following video, Nessie has been practicing for about a month on walking with the chair. I use lots of high energy encouragement, a clicker and treats to help motivate her. Her tendency is still to simply stand there unless food is involved. She has improved a tremendous amount in a short time and I think we will continue to see improvement as she becomes accustomed to the chair. As long as she can, I am allowing her to walk without the wheels unless she gets too tired. At some future point, she will no longer be able to use her back legs. We will then put them in 'slings' and hold them up off the ground so that she can still propel herself about using the wheels and her front legs. When the disease progresses to the point that she can no longer use her front legs, we will have to make that difficult decision to

give her relief from her misery. I am not looking forward to that day.

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals at the University of MO is doing research on DM. For $65, you can send off for an IN HOME DNA TEST. This very simple mouth swab is sent back to them and analyzed. If your dog has the 2 required recessive genes for DM, you will know what to expect as they age and be better prepared for it. If per chance, they have only one or none of the genes required, you are in the clear for showing symptoms. ANYONE WHO BREEDS ANY DOG SHOULD HAVE THE DAM AND SIRE TESTED BEFORE BREEDING. This will insure that you don't pass this dreadful disease on to another litter. If you have 1 of the 2 required genes in your dog; DO NOT BREED IT!

What Is Clicker Training? And Does it Work?

2014-03-31T19:02:00.000-05:00

Clicker Training is the fastest, easiest and most clear communication you can have with your dog.

So many people, (oh yes! including myself) get so frustrated with their dog because they know they are not clearly communicating. The dog just doesn't get what I'm trying to teach it!

Using a clicker is the most positive experience you can have while getting through to your dog what it is you want him/her to do.

Many people, unfortunately, don't know much, if anything on how to use it.

A YouTube video to show you the basics

I realize that I'm talking to all different levels here. Clicker training is easy to master. You have to have a clicker and a treat bag with you at all times. The dog will do ANYTHING for you if you are prepared with this tiny little device and a few good treats. If your dog is not food motivated, have his/her favorite toy in your hip pocket or use a game like fetch or chase as a reward. What ever motivates your dog to perform the activity is what you use as a reward.

What does the 'click' do? It marks the exact moment your dog began to do what it was you asked. You say sit. The dog bends it's hind legs to begin to sit. It takes you a minute to get over there to say good boy and pat him on the head. Then you have to go and get a treat out of the jar. By the time the dog gets his treat, he knows he did something good, but he's already followed you to the cookie jar. So he thinks he's being treated for following you to the cookie jar. If you had your clicker, you could click at that moment when the dog began to sit. It still takes a second to receive the treat, but he knows exactly what he did to deserve it. If you practice that over and over, pretty soon the dog is sitting without your asking. He knows that gets a click. He'll do anything to make that click sound happen. The click is precise. It marks the exact behavior you want. And that exact behavior is movable. You can start with a small thing, like "look", and end up with a finished product, which may be a dog approaches your dog, and your dog lays down with his back to him and looks at you. The cue could be anything from "ignore" to "uh-oh". The dog learns what that cue means and does it.

Since I'm talking with so many different levels of trainers and handlers, I'm going to try to keep this pretty simple. To those who know all about clicker training; I'll just say this one thing to you. When you really have a problem that you can't resolve, such as aggressive behavior; Don't forget your clicker and some high value treats! Clicker training is not just for teaching sit, stay, come or down. The key is to break the desired behavior down to the smallest steps. For example, if you want to teach your dog to go in his kennel, but your dog won't even go near it, click treat for looking at the kennel. When the dog has mastered looking at the kennel, up the anty and start to click treat for walking by the kennel. Then up the anty again and click treat for walking over to the kennel. Etc. Etc. Etc. Just break down the activity to the most simple steps and work on one step at a time. And remember. The behavior is a movable target. You may have started to click him for just looking at the kennel, but by the end, he doesn't get a click until he's in the kennel and laying down calmly. (This training could take up to 2 months depending on the severity of your dog's aversion to the kennel)

Having said all this; I've just completed a book that has re-opened my eyes to the clicker. It is called Click to Calm by Emma Parsons. Click (ha ha) on the picture below.

This book is wonderful, because she explains in detail how she ended up with a dog that was aggressive toward other dogs and how she tried everything that didn't work. (Sounded just like she was talking about me and my Malcolm) She puts in her book 'recipes' to follow for each step of the way. You don't have to think, you simply have to do. It is working, too, for Malcolm. Nothing happens overnight, but I have his attention and I'm keeping it this time. I highly recommend this book, even if your dog is not aggressive, because of the details she puts forth in the basics of sit, stay, come etc. All the recipes are there. You simply need to follow them. It's like painting by number.

Carry the clicker with you everywhere and you can 'catch' your dog doing a behavior that is natural to him/her, like spinning or jumping and you can eventually put a cue word with it and teach him to do that behavior on cue. You don't have to teach each behavior, you can simply put their own behaviors on cue and have a dog that performs 'tricks'. You both end up looking like you are super cool and your friends will think you are the best dog trainer ever!

It's positive. You only click and treat for behavior you want. There is no harsh correction or negative vibe coming from you. Your bond will strengthen and your dog will understand you. Clickers are amazing.

Lord Malcolm Dictates a Letter

2014-01-29T09:37:00.000-06:00

29 January, 2014

A dictation taken by a house servant to

the Good People of the Land of Hagg

My Dearest People of Hagg,

I write to you in a long awaited response to the malignment of my good name. It has long been advertised by some that I am hard to please, hard to deal with on a personal level and hard to control. I am here, today, to tell you my side of this untruthful (in my view) tale. As the budgets for running the Palace are tight in our troubled times, I have let my Royal Secretary take a very long leave. Therefore, I am dictating these words to the underling who cleans the Palace and sometimes helps out in the Royal Kitchens. I fear she is not the best choice, but alas, I must speak out against the malicious lies that have arisen concerning my personage.

For low these many months and yea, even years; you have been told that I do not get on well with others of my race. To this, I say "Pish-taw"! I have proven again and again that if I am put in a position of feeling safe and secure, (and especially if there is some deliciously yummy morsel available to me), I do not even look at others of my race, but ignore them completely! I recently went on an excursion where I proved that over and over again. A large unknown canine was brought over to sit so close to me that I could do anything I wished to him. And I wished only to taste that yummy morsel of goodness that was offered. Then a smaller version was brought in. I showed no malice toward him either. I even left that place and went to a big open store full of nice smelling and pleasant foods and other unknown canines. I layed down on the cool floor and ignored them to the point that the Commoners, who happened to be there, noticed me and came to tell me how absolutely wonderful I was. I tell you now, that I am not the monster some have made me out to be.

I also would like to say that I seem to be unfortunately blamed for causing trouble within the Palace walls. I seem to be blamed for eating things I shouldn't. Let me tell you, Good People; if you found a half of a beautifully roasted leg of lamb on the floor, would you not pick it up? I say you would! As did I! I see nothing out of the ordinary in that! And when asked where I was going with it, I put it back on the floor for the cleaning lady to deal with it.

More so, when visitors come to view the Palace (as they often do--it is a grand place); Some would have you believe that I foam at the mouth with insane growling and barking. Nothing of the sort! I am a perfect gentleman while milady McKenzie screams and jumps and pounces on top of me in some sort of frenzied panic. Someone has to control her so that our guests can be greeted properly. So I take that on myself and put an end to her ridiculous behavior. I surely can not be blamed for that.

Just the other day, some old friends from our last Palace came by to visit. I had known them before. They were members of my Dog Club. They arrived and took a grand tour. During their visit, having known all of us in our younger days, they made these very comments, and I quote:

"Brenda, where are your dogs? What has happened to them? Look how good these dogs are being"!

And turning to each other exclaimed, "Do your dogs act this well behaved when people come over"?

"No. I have to put mine in a kennel or they attack".

"So do I. They go crazy"!

"Brenda, how'd you train this"?

Now, I ask you, does that sound like I am out of control? I think not. And I'm tired of hearing the malicious rumors continually being thrown out to you, concerning me. I'm glad to have this opportunity to tell you thus. You must make up your own mind as to who is exaggerating the Truth. I tell you now, it is not me!

Your Faithful and Handsome,

Lord Malcolm, Chamberlain

Degenerative Myelopathy

2014-01-18T15:14:00.000-06:00

A.K.A. Chronic Degenerative Radiculomyelopathy

An incurable, progressive disease of the canine spinal cord that is similar in many ways to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Onset is typically after the age of 7 years and it is seen most frequently in the German shepherd dog, Pembroke Welsh corgi, and Boxer Dog, though the disorder is strongly associated with a gene mutation in SOD1 that has been found in 43 breeds as of 2008, including the wire fox terrier, Chesapeake Bay retriever, Rhodesian ridgeback, and Cardigan Welsh corgi.^[1]^[2] Progressive weakness and incoordination of the rear limbs are often the first signs seen in affected dogs, with progression over time to complete paralysis. Myelin is an insulating sheath around neurons in the spinal cord. One proposed cause of degenerative myelopathy is that the immune system attacks this sheath, breaking it down. This results in a loss of communication between nerves in lower body of the animal and the brain ~Wikipedia~

You can see that she has no strength in her hind end.

While it's not entirely clear that Nessie Monster has DM, she does display symptoms that are in keeping with the disease. Today, I would like to discuss the little that I know about it and give you some resources to help you cope with the disease if you ever find your dog in need of medical treatment for it.
As Wikipedia states, it is an incurable disease. It begins to show it's ugly head in the rear end of the dog. You will see a weakness in the hind quarters and will start to notice that the back legs flail out in odd positions. The foot will start to drag and roll over and the dog won't be quick to put it right. Soon, the legs just won't stay underneath the dog at all. That is where our wee Nessie Monster is.

Booties are not recommended for DM dogs. I can't leave them on her. But they do help protect the back paws from dragging on rough surfaces and causing injury.

I have taken her to 4 different Vets. None of them can diagnose her and let me be clear why. I am not willing to take her in for an MRI. She is eleven years old. The average age of a Boxer Dog is ten. The MRI will cost at least $4,000 and it would tell us that she has it. Nothing more. There would still be nothing that they could do to cure her. DM as explained to me is a really big 'UMBRELLA' condition that can encompass a variety of different diseases, all of which affect the nervous system. I hear from my trusted Vet (and this differs from the Wikipedia statement above) that the dogs have to have 2 recessive genes to have DM. If they have 1 of those genes, they are carriers and should not be bred; but the disease will not be present in them. They have to have both genes to have the disease. On that note, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals at the University of MO is doing genetic testing for dogs and will sell you a $65 in home test that can determine if your dog(s) have these genes. We have taken the test and have sent it in. The results can at least tell us that we are barking up the right or the wrong tree. Knowing that she has the 2 genes will pretty much cinch it that we are dealing with DM. If she doesn't have these genes, we need to continue to look in other directions.

DM affects the lining or sheath that the nerves are enclosed in. That lining breaks down and the signals from the brain are lost out the hole, so to speak, and never get to the area where the brain is sending the signal. My understanding is that there is a Dr. Clemmons in Florida who has developed an herbal concoction that can help to rebuild this lining. I am still trying to get in touch with him. There is another treatment called Sanus-Biotex that I found when searching the web. It could be a 'snake-oil' treatment, I do not know. I have discussed this with my Vet and he tells me it can't hurt so I have bought some and am waiting for it to arrive. While treatments may not cure, they can slow down the progression and perhaps help to rebuild the lining. If it won't hurt, it might help. I'm trying it and I'll let you know.

Other therapies that we are using are acupuncture, which helps quite a lot and physical therapy including Hydrotherapy and physical exercise. I walk her twice a day, we do circles and she still goes outside to run and play on nice days. Inside we do doggie sit ups and we have a doggie exercise ball that the PT loaned us. All together, there are about 7 exercises that the physical therapist taught me. We make it fun and she gets lots of treats. All of this will help keep her muscles from atrophy. It will also make her think about placement of her hind legs. When she thinks about it; she can do it and we have to keep that line of communication going. There are wheelchairs available for dogs, but my Vet puts it this way; "If an older person can still walk and you give them the choice of the wheelchair or the walker, and they choose the wheelchair; you will not see them walking again because they don't have to". So, with this in mind, I've purchased some booties to help with traction on slippery surfaces, Dr. Buzby's Toe Grips to help her get a grip and a hind end sling so that I can support her and help her continue to walk.

We are doing the best we can for our Nessie Monster but we are also realistic. She is an older dog. If it is DM that she has, she will eventually be paralyzed. We may even have to make that very hard decision to end her misery at some point. But that time is not now. We will continue with the acupuncture and physical therapy and as long as she can function, we will be there to help her.

Some of the therapies and websites used are only examples. The sling I bought is not the sling I listed and I am struggling to keep the Toe Grips on Nessie's nails. She has worn her nails down so badly that I've had to cut the grips in half and they are not fitting as expected. I am even trying to hold them on with a drop of super glue. When they are on, they work well. Let me also be clear that most of these therapies are helping or I wouldn't have listed them. Some however, I have yet to try.

Malcolm's Progress

2014-01-04T20:19:00.001-06:00

Progress: n. prog-res or, esp. British, proh-gres

1. a movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage

2. growth or development; continuous improvement

Accoutrement: n. uh-koo-ter-muh-nt

1. personal clothing, accessories,etc.

2. the equipment, excluding weapons and clothing, of a soldier

With the new year comes renewed life, renewed energy and renewed determination.....

As many of our adoring public are aware, we have spent much time and effort in the past year to build anew, as it were, our beloved Palace of Hagg. There were many consultations with designers, engineers, builders and cabinet makers and much traveling to and fro to oversee construction crews and to shop for the many accoutrements that would adorn the new Palace. With all that work one can well imagine that there was little time for our usual Royal endeavors. Our twice-weekly visits to our dog club had to stop abruptly and while we tried to maintain a training and workout regimen; it became clear early on, that there was only so much time in a day. While Lady McKenzie was able to enroll in an agility class for a time, she had to travel great distances and it tired her so much that she begged forgiveness from attending another class. Needless to say, that our Lord Malcolm would have been expected to suffer the greatest loss in his education, as he has always been the Chamberlain in most need of discipline and developmental progress.

Here are just 4 posts concerning him, none of which are about his digestive habits. These are about his lofty attitude and are provided just in case you need a refresher or you are new to the Courtly life and need to catch up........

Struggling with Teenage Boxers

Help! I Can't Handle These Two Dogs!

The Freedom No Pull Harness

A Stressed Out Malcolm/Agility Trial

Lord Malcolm had developed a fear of unknown people, unknown places and unknown dogs. As it would be a very long story to go into all the whys and wherefores again, I suggest you dig through some of the past posts to find out all his issues. Or, better, you can trust me when I say that he is not lacking in issues that affect his behavior in public. So, he was always the chosen Chamberlain when it came to hanging out on the construction site during the building process. Terrified? Yes. He trembled and shook and drooled and never approached a worker. He was forced to stay at our Servant's side though as she talked with the people and watched what they were doing. All the crews were given instructions not to speak with milord Malcolm. They were not even allowed to look at him. But he was there at her side at all times, during loud noises and during quiet times and during times of much conversation. He was never in harms way as he came to find out. And he eventually realized that no one cared if he were there or not. In fact, they didn't even notice him. So he relaxed more and more as the building process dragged on. Lord Malcolm even turned events around a bit and actually made friends with many of the workers.

At some point, we were able to move in and the Chamberlains got busy helping the staff to unload and decorate the new Palace. Still, training was neglected. But now I realize that it is time to begin afresh, and with that in mind, I enrolled milord in a private lesson with an instructor the staff found on line. They were determined to send Lord Malcolm to boarding school to be trained away from his environment, but I, being the Duchess (as old as I am, I am still in charge), decided that at least we should see what this instructor would teach and what her methods might be.

So yesterday, I sent Lord Malcolm with my most trusted servant to a lesson. What I heard upon his return was simply amazing.

The teacher brought 2 dogs with her to the lesson, a Shepherd of some sort from Germany and a small Pincer or toy Greyhound. Malcolm was allowed to get comfortable as he was quite nervous when he entered the building. After a few moments, he decided he liked the instructor and they set to work. Clickers and treats (freshly roasted chicken) were used as rewards. The Shepherd came out first and Lord Malcolm completely ignored it. It even came and sat right next to him. Not one bit of reactivity. So out came little dog. Again, no reaction. Little dog was practically sitting upon our Malcolm and he completely ignored it. He did so well (as did my servant) that the instructor actually observed that my servant knew more about dogs that most (self called) trainers in the city. She was told that never had a dog of such good behavior and a handler of such quality come in for a lesson. Well. I fear she wasn't seeing what we at the Palace know to be true..........

See how Malcolm has his body positioned? He is stiff and tense and is further away from the worker-man as compared to the rest of us. I, of course, was the first to greet him and make him welcome. Lady McKenzie, as you can see is obsessed with her own enjoyment.

My servant was so full of herself after all those accolades and Malcolm's good behavior that she decided to stop at PetsMart on her way home. A little nervousness from Malcolm, but nothing over-wrought. He actually went in. There were many people around and a few dogs. Small dogs. Malcolm laid down on the floor and watched them, but never made a move to lunge or to eat them in any way. We are all very proud of him. He walked the aisles and bought some needed items and left.

He then spent the next 4 hours at Best Buy searching for the best computer and tablet combination with my servant. Again, slightly nervous at the new sounds and smells, but he calmed down very quickly and hung out with all the blue shirts for a very long time. The most funny thing I heard he did, was to shake and sling a snot ball at the feet of some lady who was not amused in any way. We all got a good laugh at that.

At the end of the day, Malcolm had had a marathon training session. It must have been somewhat like Boot Camp for him. We all marvel at his great attitude. He did not make one mistake yesterday. Not one. He was a perfect dog and no corrections had to be made. We couldn't be more proud of him. His progress and training will, of course, continue and he will go on other escapades. But the next private lesson will be for Lady McKenzie and we shall try and address her hyper-activity and barking (actually screaming) episodes. It is my goal that before I am rendered an invalid, I should have m'Chamberlains well trained and ready to care for the Palace upon my eventual demise. To be sure, it may be they who kill me.

~Lady Nessie, the Monster,

Duchess of Hagg

Birthday Wishes for Good Year and Good Cheer!

2013-12-28T14:12:00.001-06:00

I am thrilled to announce that

TODAY

is my Eleventh Birthday!

Many Boxer Dogs live much longer of course, but the average age is 10.

So for every year over that, I am grateful.

I have already outlived my beloved predecessor,

WishBone, Duke of the House of Hagg.

He was 1 month shy of 11 when he passed.

I have no doubt that he will greet me again someday,

but for now, it is time to celebrate!

I have had an excellent life! I came up from humble beginnings and was made into a Duchess! What girl doesn't dream of that! I have lived a courtly life for years and years now and have a staff that cares for my every need. Not that I haven't given back to the community of course. The mythical Land of Hagg has many needs and I have dutifully gone about the business of doing what I can to help my people. I have visited the sick and infirm in the many homes where they stay. I have helped young children learn to read. I have been a good will ambassador at schools and generally done my best to make all the common people feel welcome and at home in my presence. For my endeavors I am happy to say that I have been given the titles and awards of Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog.

Now, mind you. I've had me own wee failures. Or, rather, works in progress. Those two Chamberlains that I hired some 4 years ago still have not raised a paw to help out a

commoner in need. The fact is that they have not raised a paw to fulfill their place at Royal Court. They seem to think that life is all fun and games! Pft! They are very immature. When they don't get their way, they are so spoiled that they throw temper tantrums and start fights until they have to be disciplined! I've never ever seen such incompetence in the work place either. My my. I haven't done my usual excellent job with them. But as I said earlier, they are still a work in progress and I will hold hope in my heart till the day I die that they will become responsible citizens and responsibly Royal. (At least I was quick enough to make sure they got their own Canine Good Citizen titles when they were young and impressionable. Yes. They did listen to me back then......)

So, today, I am celebrating a good long life. I couldn't have asked for a better one! Milady who cares for me is always kind and willing to provide my every need. She is even willing to provide some of my demands. But she hasn't spoiled me. She has made an effort to raise me correctly and I am so appreciative. I have been fortunate enough to travel this great land of ours from ocean to ocean and from the upper most tip to the lower most swamp. I've seen it all from the Great Lakes to the Grand Canyon. I've run the beaches of Virginia and North Carolina and sunned myself on the beaches of Lake Superior. I have sniffed out sea shells and dead fish in Florida and hiked for miles and miles throughout Colorado and New Mexico. I remember having a grand day hiking with WishBone once in the Rocky Mountains. As I recall, we were hiking a trail called The Craigs. There were many many large rock formations to climb up. I ran up one so fast that I didn't slow down and when the rocks ended, I kept going. They tell me I looked like a flying cross between a squirrel and a very large bat with my legs stretched out long and far! I flew through the air right over the heads of my guardians and landed in a roll in the tall grasses where my WishBone was bouncing. What great fun that was! Although, I do admit, it wasn't very Royal. But sometimes, one has to let their hair down!

These days, I'm afraid I can't dare do anything like that! My legs are going slowly paralyzed now. Soon, I may be in need of a wheelchair or walker to help me get around. But this doesn't break my spirit! No. Not in any way. I can still hold my head up high and go for short walks. And every once in a while, I run like the wind! I just look a bit odd doing it.... he he he. Yes. I'm not letting this thing get me down in any way. I must always remember that I am a Duchess. I must keep my Royal demeanor and my wits about me at all times. I am an example to the people of Hagg and I shall never give in to feeling sorry for myself. I have made it to my eleventh birthday! I am grateful for the life I have had. I am thankful for the time I have left and I intend to enjoy it to the fullest!

'Twas 2 days before Christmas.....

2013-12-23T21:31:00.003-06:00

A Poem of Royal Making.....

'Twas 2 days before Christmas and all though the town
Everybody was scurrying for that last day count down.
The decorations were falling, a wee bit worse for the wear
and the merchants were calling "We have the Teddy Bears"!

The Royals were snuggled all tucked in their beds, while visions of Kong Toys danced in their heads.

They dreamed on and on of big treats and great fields, where all day they could run and eat all their fill. They dreamed of soft toys to chew on and then, a great big fat man landed right on their head. He was dressed all in red, from his head to his feet, and Kenz barked and barked and barked out a Tweet!

"Hey Malcolm! Hey Nessie"! She shouted so loud. "A fat man down the chimney"! she was so proud

that she was the one who caught the big guy and she bounced all around him with ropes that she tied. And when he was bound she saw what she'd done. She'd taken that thing on which Christmas did run.......

"No more presents or toys", the Lord Malcolm did whimper.
"No more treats, no more fun, no more gay Christmas Dinner".

And Nessie the Monster, got down on her knees, and begged forgiveness for Kenz and said "Please.

Forgive us St. Nicholas. Forgive Kenzer-Doodle. But sometimes her wee brain is no more than a Noodle. She tried to protect us from foreign aggressors, but ended up "Grinching" the Pearls and the Esthers. The Agnes and Mollys and Hawkins and Drews. The Oceans and Chevys and wee Jojo too. Even the Aspens and the Mooses and Mochis, the Wendis the Pumpkins the Rockos and Lokis. The Hogans the Coopers the Barbies and Franks, the Shelbys the Sashas the Izzys and Tanks. The Billies the Myrtles, the Prestons and Dozers, The Bellas the Neos the Sweet Peas and Busters, and all of the Common folk who lived in the town; would be without Christmas because Santa was down.

Now Kenzie felt bad. Malcolm and Nessie felt badder. So they went to the cupboard and found a sweet cracker. With milk they did bring it and sadly they said, "Merry Christmas Santa, we've been bad kids again.
We've sure done it now. We have messed up your plan". And as they untied him, he gently did say...."I know what will make you feel better today".
"Some toys to play with, with squeakers and fuzz and lots of candy to give you a buzz! And don't worry Royal Clan for delaying me so! I needed the rest, but now I've gotta go"!

And UP he did spring like a Boxer on high and he bounded and bounced right on up to the sky! And we heard him exclaim as he bounced out of sight...
"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night"!

A Post Card From the Palace

2013-12-08T23:40:00.000-06:00

The Royal Pooches

would like to take this opportunity

to say THANK YOU to our

beloved and faithful readers.

We have been abundantly blessed to have such a wonderful and loyal following.

We know that we have neglected to post as much as we would like due to our preparation, planning and building of the new Palace. We have found ourselves fairly settled at last and just in time for the Holiday Season. We do hope to post on a more regular basis going forward and appreciate that you have 'hung in there' with us whilst we were away.

We sincerely wish that you enjoy your family and friends during the coming Holidays and that you remember that the Christmas Season is not about who gets or gives the biggest or most expensive gifts. It is not about who has the brightest lights or the biggest tree. We have already been given the One True Gift of Love and Life. It is our prayer that you enjoy the Peace and Joy that only Love can bring and that you are able to take it with you where ever your path may lead. Heal. Don't hurt. Bless. Don't Hate. Love. Don't envy. Honor. Don't destroy. Forgive. Don't look for vengeance. Give what you can. And give it with Joy and with Love. May these Blessings be yours and may your new year shine with Love, Prosperity and Happiness.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas

and a Joyous New Year

Nessie the Monster, Duchess of Hagg

Lord Malcolm and Lady McKenzie, Chamberlains

and all the Palace Servants and Staff

The Dough Ball Caper.......

2013-11-16T15:40:00.001-06:00

Dough Belly 1. Calling Dough Belly 1. This is Dough Belly 2. Do you read?

Yes. Dough Belly 2. What do you want?

Do you have the 'Goods'?

Calm down Dough Belly 2. This caper takes brains, not brawn. Where is Queen Bee?

I keep trying to tell you two that I'm a Duchess, not a Queen.

That's your nickname, Queen Bee. How many times do I gotta tell ya that we have to use nicknames for this caper! Did you distract that woman yet, Queen Bee?

Oh yes, Dough Belly 2. She is much distracted. I sent her to the garage to oversee the workers I hired to do some much needed work on the Palace. I ordered the work done to distract her and as you can see, it has worked.

This is Dough Belly 1. Can you two please Piper Down! This is delicate work I'm doing here!

Well. Hurry up Dough Belly 1. Dough Belly 2 is very hungry and I think that woman is coming back in!

We're meeting at the rendezvous spot now, Queen Bee! Hurry.

You nevah tell a Duchess to 'hurry', Dough Belly 2. Even when I'm role-playing as the Queen Bee.
And here I am.......
Oh dear. You have already eaten all 3 dough balls? Did you not save any for me?

Yes. There were 15 loaves set out to rest and rise. It was an offering for the 8th year memorial anniversary of my Dad's passing from this world. The pack conspired against me. The Duchess, Nessie and Lord Malcolm on the one side to distract me whilst the nimble, yet silent, Lady Chamberlain leaped up and snatched the beautiful dough balls, gently lifting the cover from them and turning it back. Three dough balls fit nicely in her ample Boxer mouth.

Then the dash and swallow. They dashed away to the designated rendezvous spot and very quickly swallowed a dough ball each. The caper took but seconds and the bewildered baker had no defense.

No one the wiser, right? ------ Until the Palace filled with the sounds of slumber, later that night, was violently interrupted by the sounds of regurgitation. The Chamberlains had it bad, but the Duchess didn't upchuck since her constitution is of sterner stuff due to experience.

This just proves that no matter how hard you train, Dough Bellies happen.

The Vet was called and whilst he laughed heartily, he made it clear there would be nothing to really worry about save the carpets.

Many many thanks to my co-writer +Su Ann Lim for such a humorous vision on this story.

The Dowager Duchess in her Golden Years

2013-09-20T13:00:00.001-05:00

Dowager (dou-uh-jer) --noun a woman who holds some title or property from her deceased husband, especially the widow of a king, duke, etc. (often used as an additional title to differentiate her from the wife of the present king duke, etc.): a queen dowager; and empress dowager.

an elderly woman of stately dignity, especially one of elevated social position a wealthy dowager

--adjective noting, pertaining to, or characteristic of a dowager: the dowager duchess; to prefer a dowager style of dress.

Any of you who have been following me for the past some years know that I try to keep my dignity at all times. It was difficult when I lost my dearest friend, WishBone who was the 1st Duke of the House of Hagg. I suffered terribly and I know it was hard on my staff and servants to see me thus. During that time, they graciously provided for me with much love and, when the appropriate time for mourning was passed, they helped me to adopt my much beloved Chamberlains, the Lord Malcolm and the Lady McKenzie. They were hired, of course to tend to my household and keep it in a manner to which I had become accustomed; well ordered and stately, punctuated with just a smidge of humor every now and then. It was to be my task, as Dowager Duchess, to train them to perform their duties in a dignified, loyal and regal manner; always keeping the palace in a state of welcome to the many guests and visitors who frequent it's beautiful gardens and halls. They were to learn how to oversee the staff in ordering and preparing the food for the many stately dinners and entertainments we enjoy, and for the keeping of the bed chambers and apartments and the upkeep of the gardens and lands. Our palace is quite grand and the king has honored us with much property so there are many tasks that fill our days. The Chamberlains were young and inexperienced when they were hired but full of enthusiasm and a strong desire to please. I knew I would have a great deal of work in their training, but this is just what I needed to bring me out of my sullen state. I dove into this work with great vigor and energy.

Now, I must admit, that I am beginning to acquiesce to my aging old bones. I have been so involved in raising these youth to be the fine upstanding nobles they have become that I nearly forgot to care for my own person. Today, upon gazing into the looking glass, I realize that I have aged a great deal in the past 4 years of their training. And why wouldn't I? They have proven to be much more difficult to train than they first appeared and I, after all, will be 11 just 3 days past Christmastide. I cannot stay young forever and more and more, I yearn to be with my old dear friend, WishBone, Duke of the House of Hagg.

The Chamberlains have required my servants and staff to document the progression of degeneration that has developed in my back legs. Mind you, my heart and mind are young and active and quite full of my usual vim and vigor. It's just my back legs that I struggle with. The Royal doctor calls it arthritis. It has the effect of slowing my progress as I chase down those two, so I tend to call out direction to them rather than show them what is expected. I struggle to hold my derriere at a proper level while standing for long periods, and my right rear paw tends to drag or turn at an odd angle while walking. It has become increasingly difficult to control where my right rear leg is, as it tends to slide in almost every direction except the direction it should. Seems it has a mind of it's own, my leg. Ha! Still, if I can get to the grassy lawn, I get better traction and one would have to be quite observant to see my legs flailing out the wrong way while I run. The Acupuncture and the Hydrotherapy do help and I enjoy the time alone at the spa. It's a good chance for me to catch up on my reading and to organize my thoughts and duty lists for the week. As much as I adore my Chamberlains; time away from them is precious and well enjoyed.

The following are the documentations provided at the request of my Chamberlains:

Notice the drag of the back right toes after she drinks her water.

Nessie barks when she can't keep up and just at the end, both her rear legs flail to the right.

Watch closely both back legs. The right toes roll in and both legs struggle to find a proper position.

Acupuncture

That's me in the Hydrotherapy Chamber. I love the spa!

Nessie's Hydrotherapy Chamber

The Many Faces of Exhaustion or Let a Sleeping Dog Lay

2013-08-31T10:19:00.000-05:00

Most Boxers Have

high amounts of energy.

They run and play and create havoc

all day and everywhere they go.

By late afternoon, they should

look like this.....

A Wee Lesson in Body Language

2013-08-13T18:55:00.000-05:00

Body Language: noun nonverbal, usually unconscious, communication through the use of postures, gestures, facial expressions, and the like

Dogs do have a verbal communication that we can sometimes decipher. But most of their language is communicated in the posture of the body. If we, as handlers, learned to read this language with a high degree of proficiency, we would be able to eliminate most of the issues humans have with our dogs. To begin to understand, simply go to a dog park without your dog and observe how the other dogs are communicating. Another good place to watch the language of dog in on TV. There is a new channel now just for dogs and you can see some dogs interacting. You will see a dog approach another. Sometimes the dog will turn it's back to another. Sometimes they will approach, not in a straight line; but almost a semi circle. Sometimes a dog will stop it's approach and simply stand there. Some dogs will put their head down and begin to sniff the ground while others might yawn or turn their head or begin to lick or even drool excessively.

All of these actions {and there are many more} mean something. I'm not a threat. I'm scared of you. I want to play. I'm too nervous. You may approach. You may not approach. Any dog who gets on great at a dog park is pretty well versed and fluent in this language. And they know when to play and when to back off. But there are many dogs who can never go to a dog park simply because they don't read the language well or because they are really too frightened to deal with all the activity. My Malcolm is one such dog.

I haven't figured out if it's because he is very slow to mature (he was the runt of the litter) or because he is simply too frightened. But I do know that he's not fluent in dog language. That is, he doesn't read it well and get how he should react. He's very good at giving the signals himself though. As most of you know, he was frightened at a young age by 3 charging miniature schnauzers. He was very scared and since then has been lunging at small dogs every chance he gets. I've been working with an animal behaviorist and many other dog trainers and doing research on my own to try and correct this nightmarish problem. He has good days and bad, like all of us, but he's generally getting better and better. Or, more correctly, I am getting better and better at seeing what's happening and reacting properly.

In addition to being frightened by the small dogs, I took bad advice and over corrected him in these situations. (You know, we all pick dogs that are similar to us in some respect. If you think a Boxer is bull headed, you should meet me.) Not realizing how sensitive he was, I made the situation worse. My over correcting resulted in him being frightened of new people and new sounds and new situations. So he's been scared of almost everything for a while.

When it finally got through to my brain that he was sensitive, I took an extremely opposite approach. Now, when I need to correct him, (and it's not that often any more), I actually slap him on the chest with my flat fingers. He's highly insulted by that and immediately will correct himself from what ever unwanted behavior is happening. He simply can not fathom that his Mom, who he knows loves him, would slap him with her hand. Forget prong collars and harnesses. They did nothing for him. But a little slap wakes him up out of what ever it is that he's focused on.

We recently went on a trip to the mountains and of course, Malcolm was nervous to go on hikes in unfamiliar places and meet new people. And of course, when you go camping, there are dogs galore. It was a good opportunity to work him and expose him to new things. I spent some time in each campground just sitting and holding his tail up into a neutral position and rubbing his belly to calm him down. When he was relaxed, he would start to sniff the ground and walk a bit and then we went back to our camp. It seemed to help him.

McKenzie was stressed out as we drove down the highway, because I wouldn't let her in my lap. She panted and calmed herself down.

Here are some pictures and a video. You can assess the body language yourself and see what you think. Look at your dog and watch closely other dogs and see if you can begin to understand what they are telling you.

A great resource that will get you hooked on listening to dogs is this book which is sold on Amazon. (I don't sell it myself, I just like it and give you the link).

Excellent Hygiene in the Royal Court

2013-05-20T10:15:00.000-05:00

I have always been an advocate for excellent hygiene, especially when it comes to oral hygiene.

The Royal Court could quickly start

smelling quite base without our taking great care.

Nessie the Monster, Duchess of Hagg

The Dog Drawer containing Enzymatic Toothpaste and 3 headed brushes along with clickers , vitamins and various medications

So many things are eaten and enjoyed in our Land. We are, indeed a privileged Royal Court. ~~Although, I will insert that as of late, our handlers have been quite obsessed with their own agenda and have much neglected us in all aspects in the past months. They are building a new Palace, it seems, and want to ensure that it is well appointed before they allow us a viewing. Humph! ~~ None the less, we are privileged. We are provided for. We have an adoring following and our staff, though somewhat preoccupied, are well intention-ed and are doing the best they can with so much on their plate.

We all must wait our turn.

Now. Speaking of plates and the Royal China.....Oh, yes. We eat from Royal China. I have a special pattern called "Her Royal Hiney's Cuisine". It is a basic white because it shows off the culinary designs much better. The Chamberlains have a different pattern called "Royal Court" with special hand-painted dogs decorating the edges. Our Royal Chef isn't too remarkable but she is sufficient to keep our bellies full. She will, on special occasion, add some extra flavor that is quite pleasing to our palettes. And she is prompt in her delivery. Our meals are always on time.

My Royal Chompers will be pearly white in no time.

With eating twice daily, though, it is imperative that we have our Royal Chompers brushed quite frequently. So I thought I would share with you our special time. We have a deliciously flavored toothpaste (tastes like chicken) and a special 3 headed toothbrush. Lord Malcolm, of course, is the hardest on the poor handler and the very toothbrush itself. He patiently waits his turn for brushing with no problem (he's always last, because he's so difficult). He tries to eat the brush and it's hard for the handler to get his massive jaws to unlock so as to get to the Chompers without getting bitten. But we women of the Royal Household are quite different. We love getting our teeth brushed and will stay calm and relaxed while it's being done.

Lady McKenzie

Here's the routine........

*It's one at a time.......Nessie, McKenzie and then Malcolm.

*Lay down and roll over on our side.

*Have 2 quads brushed, upper and lower.

*Roll all the way over and spin around the other direction.

*Have the other 2 quads brushed, upper and lower.

*Move out of the way for the next one and wait patiently til everyone is done.

*See who can get to the tube first, to have some more of that yummy paste squirted into your mouth! ^~^

Lord Malcolm is cute but a Royal Pain

It's important to brush, not only because of the smell our bad breath can create, but to take care that our teeth and gums last our lifetime with no issues. Plus, we do love it when our adoring fans love our beautiful smiles!

We take special care to get all around every tooth...

...so you can enjoy our beautiful smiles!

NO BARK

2013-05-03T18:00:00.000-05:00

And I mean it!

I really, really mean it!

OK. I really don't have a picture or video of this, but here's my story......

So I've been trying to teach NO BARK for, hmm, 3 1/2 years.

You know how schools of fish just suddenly change direction all at once? If the dogs want to bark, they all jump up at once and run in the same direction. It can happen from a dead sleep. They usually do this when I'm in the shower or still getting ready in the bathroom because they know I can't come and correct them. (I don't ever give a command that I'm not prepared to enforce, and from the bathroom, I'm not prepared to enforce; so whatever happens, I have to let it go). If I can catch them (or even one) still in the room and not barking all ready, I reward with praise and sometimes a cookie. Nessie has always gotten way more cookies for this than the twins.

Then McKenzie started to realize that Nessie was still in there getting cookies. "Hey! What's up with that" ? So she started jumping up and running into the bathroom instead of to the front room window. :0) I thought Malcolm was a lost cause though. He has always continued to bark at the window, but he's been doing it alone for a while now. No one joins him. He was left there to finally figure out that he wasn't attracting too much attention from his sisters. That couldn't have been very rewarding for him.

About a month or two ago, he began to realize that he wasn't getting the girls riled up. So he sauntered into the bathroom to find them both getting cookies. All he got was my finger shaking at him and the command NO BARK. And as much as he drooled, he never got a cookie.

The past two weeks have been hilarious! I now have a pack that jumps up from a sound sleep, runs in a panic in one direction (toward the front room), stops, turns, and runs in the same panic in the opposite direction (toward the bathroom). They do not make a sound with their vocal chords--just the sound of a herd of elephants running through the hallway. I see them all sitting in the bathroom, some drooling, some inching closer to the cookie jar until I give them a cookie and praise. :0)))))))))))))) My next step has already begun. I don't give cookies every single time. Sometimes they have to wait a long long time to get one and sometimes they don't get one at all. But they always get the praise for doing the right thing. It's so funny to see the 're-programming' that is going on. Jump up and run into the bathroom. HA!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! :0)

The Retractable Leash

2013-04-06T22:10:00.000-05:00

I might not be popular by saying this, but

I don't like them. I think they are very dangerous.

We've all seen them. The Retractable Leash. It is so common across the country that I can't imagine anyone not knowing what one is. But just in case, here's a picture.

To be sure, they come in all shapes and sizes and every color under the sun. They are made for toy dogs up to large breed dogs. You simply clip onto your dog's collar or harness and by operating a button with your thumb, you can allow your dog to extend the leash all the way out -- usually from 10 to 20 ft. -- or you can stop the dog from full extension and let them go only part way. Supposedly, you can also bring your dog back in by recoiling the nylon line. I say "supposedly" because I've never seen anyone actually be able to do that when they needed to. Oh. And you WILL need to.

There are a multitude of reasons why I think this type of leash should be banned from ever being sold. I understand that most Americans want to have a very relaxing walk with their little doggy and that they don't want to be bothered with actually having to train their dog to walk next to them. They want the dog to be able to sniff and pee and poo where ever it sees fit while they amble down the road oblivious to their own dog or to the other humans and dogs who might be around them. After all, their dog is friendly with kids and old people and other dogs so it won't matter if it gets close to any of those creatures. Their dog will be friendly and fine. They would rather the dog walk them; than actually walk their dog.

I cannot tell you how wrong and how lazy this attitude is.

The responsible pet owner should think about a few things.

1. Why are they walking their dog? So the neighbors can see it? Or does it need exercise?

2. Shouldn't they pick up the poop their dog leaves behind? (That would mean that they would have to be next to the dog.

3. Who is in charge? The dog or the human?

4. What will happen if a strange animal approaches my dog? How will I protect my dog from danger if the dog is 16 ft. away?

5. What if my dog sees a rabbit, squirrel or cat and it lunges at it? And what if it does that right at the moment the woman with the baby stroller got in the way?

You know, some of these things might not ever happen, but some are likely. And there is something else to consider. What if my Fido on a long retractable goes up to another dog just to say hi. And what if that other dog is a rescue who is terrified of other dogs? Or what if that dog is a new puppy without it's shots? Or in training? Or a police dog? Or a Schutzhund dog? Or a dog that likes it's own space. (I don't know about you, but I don't like a close talker especially when I've just met the person). Or a dog that's recently been rescued from a dog fighting operation? They were a good distance away from you, but you let your dog approach without asking. Now the dog fight ensues and I can tell you who will win. The dog that is fearful will win. Who's fault is it when your Fido gets hurt? I know what you'll do. You'll be aghast that that big dog just bit your precious little Fido. You'll rush to the vet and you'll expect someone else to pay your bill. But it was your fault for letting Fido into someone else's space unannounced and uninvited.

The walk is for exercise. Use it to work your dogs body and brain. Keep your dog by your side. It doesn't have to be in a perfect heel position, but it shouldn't pull you down the road either. Ideally, it will walk beside or a bit behind you. If you are the leader, it will happen. You decide when you want to let the dog sniff and pee and take care of other business. Come to an appropriate place and release it from the walk. "OK. Fido. Go Sniff". You decide how long to stay and where this will take place. And Fido shouldn't take this action on his own. He must wait for the release word. Why, you ask? Because you are the pack leader. When a pack of dogs is out on a hunt either for food or new shelter, they follow their leader. They don't go stray around willy-nilly where ever they'd like. The leader goes and the pack follows. When the leader decides it's time for a rest, then the pack can sniff and relax and take care of it's business. This is how a dog's mind finds order, discipline and comfort in it's world. And this is how you can get that respect you've been looking for from your dog. This also gives you a better chance of protecting your dog from strange animals who might not be so friendly. You are Fido's soul protector. You provide the food, the shelter, the protection. You can't do that from 20 ft away. And if that nylon rope does get tangled around an old woman's ankle or a baby stroller and your Fido does lunge at a cat; well. I know you don't want that.

So please, do your dog and your neighborhood a favor. Get rid of the retractable or flexi lead and train your dog to walk on a 4 ft or 6 ft leash. He'll get the steady pace of good healthy exercise and his mind will have to stay alert to concentrate on the wishes and demands of his leader. He'll be happier and even more tired when you get home.

Luck O' the Irish?

2013-03-17T14:39:00.001-05:00

Just a quick Note

To wish all our wonderful followers

Happy St. Patrick's Day

May the good Saint be with us all today. And if you become just a little more Irish and a wee bit less sober, make sure you have a friend to get you home safely!

Suffering the Indignity of the Royal Baths

2013-03-10T19:35:00.000-05:00

Royalty (roi-uhl-tee) noun

Character or quality proper to or befitting a sovereign; nobility.

Suffering (suhf-er-ing) noun

The state of a person or thing that suffers.

Indignity (in-dig-ni-tee) noun

An injury to a person's dignity; slighting or contemptuous treatment; humiliating affront insult, or injury.

An excerpt from the Royal Diary of Nessie the Monster, Duchess of Hagg

Dear Diary,

Some days it seems that Life dictates to me rather than the proper way 'round, which would be me dictating how m'life should be. From a Commoners viewpoint, I can easily see how one would imagine that life as a Royal Duchess would always be a grand affair. Commoners often dream of becoming a Royal. Of course, that simply isn't possible. One is Royal by birth. It is our gift bestowed upon us by God Himself. A Commoner simply could never ever become Royal. Indeed. But I digress as I, being elderly, am sometimes wont to do. My point is that some days, the Commoners who have been employed at the Palace of Hagg to take care of mundane day to day business which is, quite frankly, beneath the dignity of a Royal with the status such as myself, do take it upon themselves to overstep the bounds of their perceived servitude. I dare say that yesterday they undertook to demand that We must bathe. Bathe? I shall dictate when to bathe. And I say never. Not ever shall the Chamberlains and I step into that torture chamber. We do not walk on wet pavement. We do not walk (Heavens Forbid) on wet grass. We certainly forbid entering into a Chamber that leaks water and of which there is no escape!

But we were forced. Yes. I said we were forced to enter and we were indeed held captive and made to suffer through much abuse from the bare hands of a Commoner! A Commoner, I dare say! How on Earth did such a man find entry into the Palace in the first place? I must speak with the Chamberlains that they should be more careful of whom they hire. We were wetted from nose to tail and polished with some strange smelling bubbles. And if that weren't enough, we were then subjected to the rubbing over of every part of our bodies, privies and all. Then that woman took over and rubbed our bodies with giant pieces of common cloth. She then stuck something in our ears. Humph. I have never been so mortified. Our captivity was finally ended and we were allowed to exit that small room where this torture took place. I must say that it was quite an ordeal and I now smell sweet which is entirely repulsive to me. I have instructed the Chamberlains to report this abuse to the authorities; which they did. But being Commoners themselves the authorities have yet to make their presence before me. I shall have to succumb to the fact that they are jealous of the Royal status given us by God Himself. I may have to inflict some Medieval punishments upon these servants as I am spitting angry. But alas, I am Royal. Therefore it is my nature to forgive, so I must. There will come a day to be sure, that the Chamberlains will be required to submit evidence of our neglect to Parliament. These pictures will be handy here in my Diary til then.

A Few Thoughts About Breeding Your Dog

2013-02-23T15:18:00.000-06:00

I'm not an expert on anything really. But I am

educated enough to know what I Don't know.

Pure Bred Dogs are to be bred to the STANDARD

set forth by that breed's national club.

For Boxers, here is a link to the American Boxer Clubs Breed Standard

American Boxer Club Organization

When Judging a dog in a dog show, Westminster comes to mind,

the judges don't judge one dog against another. They judge each dog as it meets the exact standard set forth by it's club.

This is how a Boxer and a Chihuahua can come to be competing against each other for

BEST IN SHOW.

They have already beat all the other dogs that were competing in their own breed category.

For Best in Show, they are judged only to the standard set forth and therefore, can come to be in the same ring together.

Of course, it's all political and people naturally gravitate to the dog breed they really like, but that's not my point for today.

Let's assume you want a Boxer dog, you want it from a puppy, and there aren't any puppies in your local Boxer Shelter. Where do you go? To a breeder, right? But breeders come in all shapes and sizes, so to speak. I found my breeders in North Carolina which, as most of you know, is quite a distance from Oklahoma. What on Earth would make me go that far to buy a dog? It's the quality of the breeder.

The reason for this blog today is to get some things off my feeble chest. Some guy on G+ asked a question on a dog community page that just crawled up my spine. 'Does anyone know if artificial insemination works? Cause I just inseminated my dog.' (I didn't use quotes, because I didn't quote him. His grammar and spelling were terrible). I had several problems with this question, not the least of which, was his spelling and grammar. And I'm not talking about typos or typing as if he was in a conversation with someone. If he's not interested enough to learn the English language and not interested enough to learn about artificial insemination BEFORE he does it; how does he think anyone will believe that he is interested enough in the breed to be a responsible breeder?

This is just another guy who breeds bully dogs for money. He's a backyard breeder. He says he loves the breed. Then what does he do with the Bitches he uses to breed, when they get to old? Does he dump them in the country somewhere? Does he keep them healthy? What are his dogs' living conditions? Does he show or train any of his dogs? Does he breed to the standard? Does he KNOW the standard? How many litters does he require from his females? Who does he sell to? Does he know the health history of the Sires? Or is he just looking at dogs and deciding to breed on how they look, not knowing anything else.

My breeders can tell you the health and temperament of each dog they use to breed. They don't breed often, only when they are wanting another dog to show. They can't show them all, so the sell the other pups. But they don't tell anyone they have pups. They don't post pictures. They will not sell to anyone they don't know. I had to be recommended to my breeder before he would even send me a picture. This is a guy who does love the breed.

That backyard breeder only likes the looks of the breed. A good responsible breeder can breed out heart disease, thyroid and kidney disease etc. They scientifically do this all the time while still maintaining the standard. They won't let any of their dogs go to a home they don't know and trust. They love the breed. Period. And they do things with their dogs. They travel with them and go to shows and compare what they are doing with other responsible breeders. They are members of the American Boxer Club and other local Boxer Clubs. They are informed and in touch.

The puppy mills and back yard breeders don't care about the breed even if they say they do. They do not do things to enjoy the breed. They are in it for the money. They don't care who they sell to and that is a major problem for many shelters across the nation. Much of their effort ends in animal abuse and cruelty. I beg you. If you want a dog and can't find one to adopt from a shelter, make sure you are buying from a responsible breeder who loves the breed and wants only the continuation of a perfected Boxer. And if you are thinking of breeding, please think again. Don't mess around with something you don't know enough about.

Da Duke (and How I Came to Love Boxers)

2013-01-26T14:56:00.000-06:00

Jiddy or Giddy (Jid'-ee) (The first letter is a soft G sound, like George)

It is the Arabic word for Grandfather translated into English.

Other derivatives are Jid and Jiddo. (rhymes with tow)

Sittee or Sity (Sit'-ee) The Arabic word for Grandmother translated into English.

Other derivatives are Sit and Sitto. (rhymes with tow)

Over time, some people have asked me why I choose Boxers over any other breed. Well. Every dog lover has a reason why they are attracted to certain dogs over others and it's largely just animal attraction. :0) Although, some others would say that a person is attracted to a certain type dog because they look and behave in similar ways. In my case, you don't know how true that is! HA!

WishBone, Duke of the House of Hagg with
Taylor Bailey Alexander the Tailless Cat
This is the cat who whacked him on his topknot and walked away in a humph.

But I'll have to take you back to my childhood to tell you why I love Boxer Dogs! When I was a kid, my Sity and Jiddy were both very old. They had come to America from the Middle East in 1907 to escape persecution and to build a better life than they could in their old country. They could not speak English when they came, but quickly learned enough to get by. Jid worked as a construction worker building houses. Sity took care of the house and 6 children. She was one of the greatest cooks I've ever known and passed that talent and knowledge down to my Scottish Mother, who in turn, passed it to me.

One of my fondest memories growing up was when we got to go to Sity and Jiddy's house. The food was always laid out in abundance and they had Duke. I don't know how old he was, but he was a gorgeous flashy fawn Boxer who loved and took care of his people. Jiddy would sit out on their big front porch in one of those old metal rocking sofas you used to see back in the 50's and 60's. Duke always laid at his feet while the old man slipped his shoes off and rubbed the dog's side, pushing the rocker at the same time.

Sometimes, we'd pick up Sity and Jiddy and take them across town to our house. Duke didn't like that. He wasn't a trained dog. (He used to chase cars down the street trying to stop them). Our house had to be at least 6 miles away. Old Duke. He's just show up, looking for his pack. Busy traffic and all. I don't know how he did it. After a couple of times, we learned to put him in the car and take him with us, too!

Because Jiddo was so old, he didn't realize that the traffic on the corner of his street had increased by 10 fold in the time he had lived there. But Duke did. Jiddo used to walk around the corner to the old TG&Y to buy wee toys for us kids, not realizing that the street had gone from a 2 lane to a 6 lane with traffic lights. Duke would walk (untrained, mind you) right by his side with no leash and in a perfect heel position. ---- Until they got to the corner. Then, very bravely and knowing that Jiddo would just step off the curb without knowledge of traffic, Duke would bolt out into traffic, running from one side of the street to the other. He would bark ferociously at on coming cars and make them stop. If anyone dared to move an inch, he'd be right there to say "Nope, Buddy. You will not make one move." Then he'd hit at the opposite traffic until all four corners were completely stopped. Running wildly at each corner until the old man got to the other side. Then, Duke would go to the other side himself, and wait patiently by the door until the old man came out; and the process would begin again.

WishBone

That dog loved that old man. He would risk his life for him and did it regularly. He also loved children. He played and played with us when we were together. We loved him. And when he was tired, he would just lay down where we were and let us all pile on top of him while he slept. He was truly one of the greatest dogs I've ever known. And when I got older and wanted to choose a dog that was right for me, I always remembered him. I did a lot of research into the breed and found that Boxers are ranked high on the list when it comes to being with kids and old people. (I've since heard of another Boxer who saved a wee baby from rolling off the sofa. It wasn't the dog's baby. It was a visitor to the house. The baby had never rolled over before, so was left on the sofa for a minute. The Boxer stood there, holding the baby up and keeping it from falling on the floor -- all the while making strange noises to be sure-- until the owner of said baby came back from the bathroom.) Of course, I've never encountered a Boxer (I've owned and loved 4) that was anything at all like Duke. He was special. But when we decided to take in our first Boxer, we named him for Duke. WishBone, Duke of the House of Hagg. And from his legacy, all other Boxer names are derived at the House of Hagg. The original Duke and the Duke of Hagg are still thought of fondly and missed greatly. Someday, I will live up to their Regal standards.

Of course, I realize now, that having an untrained Boxer running up and down the street chasing cars is not a good thing. The neighbors didn't enjoy that aspect of Duke at all.

My point in telling this story is not to say that anything your Boxer does is OK.

I strongly believe in training both mind and body especially for this high energy breed.

I am always amazed at how Duke ever found our house that first time, having never been there, but he did. He would not be deterred from being with my Grandfather. It was his job to take care of the old man and he would not relinquish that responsibility.

I would bet that Duke would have been a very strong candidate for using the Bike Tow Leash. It would have run off some Toxic energy and he would have been much happier. Not to mention the neighborhood.

A Therapist, a Sofa and Lord Malcolm

2013-01-08T19:04:00.000-06:00

Therapist (ther-uh-pist)

a person trained in the use of psychological methods for helping patients overcome psychological problems.

Cower (kou-er)

to crouch, as in fear or shame

I have this hilarious picture in my head of a person similar to the character of Lilith on "Cheers", Frazier's wife. Hair pulled back in a bun. Stiff demeanor. Always in a suit and reasonable shoes. Glasses sitting on the end of her long pointy nose. No personality. Cold as ice. Perhaps rather matched to Spock on "Star Trek" than Frazier in the logic department. But there she sits, legs crossed. Glasses adjusted. Pencil in hand and notepad resting on her knee................

The patient is here, comfortably resting on the sofa and recounting a long story about how his handler laughed at him when those 3 mini Schnauzers came charging and he cowered in fear and trembling. Laugh she did.

"And how did that make you feel"? the ice sculpture asks. The reply is filled with the same fear from that day, and with eyes full of tears and a trembling voice, Lord Malcolm replies without hesitation; "I felt scared of the dogs and humiliated and vulnerable. Like my PR Handler wasn't there to protect me and keep me safe." "And what was your response to those feelings"? "I decided to attack every little dog first, before they could ever attack me".

This is not my picture and is not my dog.
Coreen Tossona originally shared this picture.

"And how did your PR Handler react?" "Irrationally. She completely misread my actions and rather continued to do so for another year to follow. I overheard her talking with others about what she should do, but regretfully, she never asked me. The others she talked to were apparently clueless, but she listened to them anyway, correcting me harder and harder. During this time, she read books on aggressive lunging and bought a very funky harness that was intended to keep me from pulling and lunging."

A pathetic Lord Malcolm in the Freedom No Pull Harness.
This picture was originally shared in the blog post dated Aug. 20, 2011
and titled "Mighty Malcolm and the Freedom No Pull Harness"

And 'Icy Fingers' who is, by now, furiously taking notes and breaking down the pencil lead; probably hoping to throw said PR Handler in the slammer with only bread and water, has a brilliant idea as she quickly gets up to sharpen the lead on her ice pencil. "Do you think or feel that she intended to humiliate you when she laughed? Or that she wants you to feel vulnerable and without protection?"

"Well. In point of fact, I do not feel that she is purposefully misusing me. In fact, I know her to adore me just as most people do. I think she would not want to see me harmed in any way".

"Right then. It is settled. Would you feel comfortable if she were to demonstrate her understanding more clearly and to overtly offer protection at just those moments when you feel vulnerable?"

And very eagerly, Lord Malcolm agreed and he and his Therapist devised a full plan to present to the PR Handler so that she could do her best in handling his up start career.

And so the story goes. Malcolm and his PR Handler worked very hard at communicating with each other and both grew in understanding and trust. As the months rolled by, they practiced going to home repair stores, pet stores, liquor stores, stores that sold to the building industry, the dog club and anywhere where there was room to practice around lots of strange activity as well as other small and large dogs. Lord Malcolm began to trust that the PR Handler was able to read the situation and believed that she was much more enlightened in her ability to analyze the language of 'dog', while he let go his fear and trusted that she would, indeed, keep him safe from harm. They recently went on a trip to 2 huge box hardware stores and the box pet store all in one afternoon and had no incidents of any sort out of the ordinary to report. While it is still a 'work in progress', it is more and more clear that the PR Handler is finally on the right path. Lord Malcolm trembles less in new situations and rarely lunges at other dogs. And the best part is that the PR Handler never corrects him anymore. He is given time and space enough to correct himself and he is doing a wonderful job. The PR Handler has been paroled and is now required to wear a bag of treats at all times, vowing to never again laugh at, or correct her highly sensitive boy.

The End

Jimmy Duranty; Eat Your Heart Out

2013-01-02T17:30:00.000-06:00

A Nose Is A Nose

But A Nose With Character

Is A

Schnoz

I've never been much on the new fad of 'social networking'. I guess I'm a bit old fashioned. I think that a conversation is meeting someone face to face and actually looking at them while we talk and maybe have a cup of coffee, lunch or a nice dinner. But since I've been selling the Bike Tow Leash, I've been looking for a way to get the word out to the general populace about what a great product I think it is. So that's why I got on the G+ band wagon. And in doing so, I've found a lot of wonderful dog owners who have many discussions about behavior, various breeds, slobber, training, unconditional love and literally every aspect of dog ownership. It's been a wonderful opportunity for me to get to know people from various backgrounds and different cultures. The one great thing we all have in common is our love of Canines. ( I have to admit now, that I am hooked on social networking. There should be a government mandated warning on the sign-up sheet--Warning: G+ is Addictive).

Well, I say all that to bring you to my point. I've been involved in 4 different communications in the last month about a very specific health issue that I happen to know something about even though I am not a medical professional or associated with any Vet. I have two Boxers with the same condition. It's called Hyper Keratosis of the Nasal Planum. Here is a brief description of the symptoms according to Cedar Hill Vet Clinic (found on the web).

SYMPTOMS
The skin of the nose becomes dry, thickened, and hornlike. The callused nose may crack and develop fissures, then become irritated and infected. It can stay confined to one part of the nose or encompass then entire planum nasale (the moist, black part of most dogs' noses). It may or may not also involve the pads of the feet.

Of the 4 communications I had about this, 3 were with Boxers and 1 with an English Bulldog. I have no idea if that is relative. I do know that Boxers tend to get every skin related issue that can possibly occur. That's part of accepting the breed; knowing the health risks you face when you decide to take them home. I've talked with my Vet about it before and again just recently. His take on the matter is that it's certainly non threatening to the dog (in my case). There is no cure or prevention for it although it can be corrected by Laser Surgery. They simply use the laser to 'smooth down' the callous on the nose and make it perfect again. My Vet told me he wouldn't do it yet in my case because there is no ill effect to the dog and he could always do it later, if I wanted to. (Perhaps if Malcolm's agent lands him a big role in the movies!) I will say that I sometimes apply Neosporin and then "protect" that from the usual tongue lashing by putting a bit of Musher's Secret over that. I don't do it often. Both Nessie and Malcolm have the condition and neither one has ever complained about it. Until recently, I just thought it was normal for Boxers and have never really worried about it.

Just threw this picture in...McKenzie does not have this condition.
She is beautiful-- like a Super Model for Boxers,

Nessie has Buggered Her Eye......Again.

2012-12-26T19:07:00.000-06:00

Nessie the Monster, Duchess of Hagg

will be 10 years old on Friday, December 28

She would love to accept your well wishes for her birthday.

You can do so by making a comment on this blog.

From the Home page, click on the title of this blog to get to the page and scroll to the bottom to find the comments.

The poor old girl has gone

through so much with her eyes.

Thankfully, she is on the mend.

With all the busy hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season, it's hard to find the much needed rest that my ol'fart body really desires. It seems that the best part of my day is the part where I'm finally crawling up into my really fluffy, comfy, warm and toasty bed. Don't get me wrong. Hard work, dog training and lots of friends to attend to keep me happy, healthy and young --(at heart), at least. But dragging my tired behind up into that bed at night and snuggling down into my blankie is the 'Ahhh' moment of my day.

So, I know I've mentioned to you before that Nessie has had to endure some eye injuries at the paws of her young Chamberlains. I mean she's old like me and they play so rough......she's had a time of it keeping them in line.

This is a very blurry photo of Nessie trying to control the very young Lady McKenzie.
McKenzie just wasn't listening to anyone that day and was pushing the limits. Nessie could see that my husband and I were over our heads, so she fixed the problem.
Thankfully, I have become a stronger pack leader since, but this was one of my big lessons on 'how to'.

She has had both corneas scratched by paws. She's taken it like a trooper but it's been hard on her. Boxer's eyes don't mend as easily as other breeds. Most breeds can mend a scratched cornea in no time flat. With Boxers, it usually takes an eye grid along with a lot of drops, ointments and tender loving care; not to mention the Vet bill. For those of you who don't know, an eye grid means, in extremely oversimplified terms, that the Vet uses a scalpel to make a tic-tac-toe grid on the cornea. You can imagine how that feels. It seems that Boxers lack a certain gene that helps with the regeneration of the cornea cells. The grid helps to give a rough edge for the new cells to stick to and begin to heal the eye. Poor old Nessie has had at least 4 eye grids in the 3 years since she's hired these two worthless Chamberlains. Chamberlains are supposed to take care of running the Palace household, you know, but the Duchess has been the one doing all the work for the past 3 years. She's had to train them in everything, from sitting politely to take a 'cup o tea' to politely greeting a guest at the door without KO-ing them to eating from their own plate and not from anyone else's. There is evidence that Santa Paws has magically delivered their brains without any knowledge on the part of the household servants. They do seem to be improving leaps and bounds in the manners department and are actually showing signs of listening to those who care for them. They are improving in many areas, but this story is not about them.......I digress.

So imagine how I felt when on Saturday, only 3 days before Christmas, I was awakened from my much enjoyed slumber with the softest of whimpers........Quietly. Softly. Barely heard......whimper. Wait. Repeat. One eye open, searching for the clock. 6:30am. Crap. Go back to bed. Another whimper that I try to ignore. No, I can't. Okay. My eye -- the one that's open -- struggles to focus. Holy Moley what's wrong with your eye?!? I see a dog's face just about eye level with my face. But instead of 2 symmetrical eyes focused on me, I see one eye and one giant, swollen red blotch with the 3rd eyelid so swollen that the eye can't even shut. I thought for a second that I might be hallucinating, but no such luck.

This was taken after we saw the Vet. He had numbed both eyes and tested for scratches on the cornea and for glaucoma.

A quick call to the Vet who wasn't open yet... I left a frantic message, brushed my teeth and threw some clothes on. By that time, they were there and called me back. His biggest fear when we arrived was Glaucoma. He first put the stain in her eye to check for corneal scratches. Yay.....the only good news so far, that the stain didn't stick to anything. So he numbed the eyes and checked the pressure. Wasn't good. She was 17 in the good eye but 26 in the swollen eye. He put her on a steroidal drop, Neo-Poly-Dex, to reduce swelling. He'd have to recheck on Christmas Eve before he could determine what was going on.

My heart was filled with hope and I told Nessie that I was going to make her eye feel better. It wasn't as bad as it looked and I didn't believe that she had glaucoma. That wasn't going to factor in. I was 'willing' it to be so. No scratched cornea. I was leaning on the good news and I diligently gave her the drops 4x's a day for the next 48 hours. By the time we went to bed on Sunday night, I was loosing my hopeful attitude. The eye had not changed at all.

We had an appointment for recheck @ 9:30am the morning of Christmas Eve. I opened my own eyes with fear and trepidation on that Monday morning. And what to my wondering eyes did appear? But a wee Nessie Monster with her eyes all so clear! Happiness! Wiggly dogs and happiness! No worries according to the Vet about the Glaucoma. Not that. Must have been some kind of trauma. What? Who knows? But she's suddenly better. She will stay on drops til the 4th when she will be checked again, but happiness abounds because we are all in good health.

Next; Nessie gets a blood work up ahead of a dental exam......that will happen on the 4th also.

Taken the day after Christmas, just 4 short days later...

3 Dog Blog--A Boxer Adventure

Momma Told Me There'd Be Days Like This.........

A Beautiful Life

Canine degenerative myelopathy

Contents

Testing[edit]

Genetics[edit]

Symptoms[edit]

Causes[edit]

Treatment[edit]

Exercise[edit]

A Separation of Chamberlains and Other Comings and Goings at the Palace

The Duchess and the "Hound-Around"

What Is Clicker Training? And Does it Work?

Lord Malcolm Dictates a Letter

Degenerative Myelopathy

Malcolm's Progress

Birthday Wishes for Good Year and Good Cheer!

'Twas 2 days before Christmas.....

A Post Card From the Palace

The Dough Ball Caper.......

The Dowager Duchess in her Golden Years

The Many Faces of Exhaustion or Let a Sleeping Dog Lay

A Wee Lesson in Body Language

Excellent Hygiene in the Royal Court

NO BARK

The Retractable Leash

Luck O' the Irish?

Suffering the Indignity of the Royal Baths

A Few Thoughts About Breeding Your Dog

Da Duke (and How I Came to Love Boxers)

A Therapist, a Sofa and Lord Malcolm

Jimmy Duranty; Eat Your Heart Out

Nessie has Buggered Her Eye......Again.