Four-Legged Clover

Spring 2013

2013-04-02T16:38:00.000-04:00

Stealing sunshine in the cold wake of a Spring afternoon

It's SPRING! Well, technically that is. You sure wouldn't know that April has arrived. We had flurries yesterday. Snow is not in my list of favourite things this time of the year. Clover's neither. The prolonged winter weather has gotten to all of us. We should be basking in the warm glow of the sun wearing cardigans around the neighbourhood, instead we all adorn down-filled fleecy coats and boots most days. I'm longing for flowers, vegetable gardens and days on the patio lounging with my beast.

Apart from the crazy unseasonable temperatures, we've been renovating again. This time due to an unfortunate horribly graphic death of a living room floor and kitchen cabinets by dishwasher drowning. The positive side is that we are fast tracking some other upgrades we were putting off. Clover is still my foredog and security guard for any tradesmen that passes through and attempts an escape un-slobbered.

Cabinet damage

Floor damage

All the soft comforts of home don't compare to that warm furnace spot on the barren floor.

We had a lovely Easter too. Its a big deal over here on both personal and religious grounds. My parents always hosted this holiday, and I have carried on the tradition. Clover was our resident rabbit for the annual egg hunt.

February-March 2013

2013-04-02T10:34:00.004-04:00

Uhm, what is with ALL this SNOW?

Maybe there's something good hiding in here...

Then again you can just run in it!

Snowflake pointing

We picked up a new fleecy kennel liner to warm her after trudging through the cold wet snow. She dove right in to test it out!

This is what she is will do to feel tucked in just right. Goodnight Clove!

Clover is TWO

2013-01-21T23:24:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PUPPY GIRL

I found this warm fuzzy bed at Homesense over the weekend. I knew Clover was about to turn two years old and any excuse really is a chance to spoil our beloved four-legged friend. I think she likes it!

I also picked up a filtered water dispenser. I'm always refilling bowls and cleaning up spills because both the cat and dog drag their dishes around the room until they've secured the perfect location.

November/December 2012

2013-01-21T22:47:00.001-05:00

Time to catch my breath, for the last couple of months have been like jumping hurdles through a blizzard of emotion and activity. I can't believe the end of another year has come and gone. Just a week after my previous post, I lost a cat of 18½ years. She was a big part of my life. We shared my first apartment, made it through college, university, finding a career (or three!), working long hours and crazy shifts, moving in with new animals and a husband, then becoming a mom. She was my cuddler, slept in baskets, loved yogurt. She amazingly endured countless medical exams, pilling and injections with excellent compliance. Pepper struggled with her immune system since she was a kitten, and in elder years, her kidneys began to fail. With every minute of her last twenty-four hours spent next to me, she slept peacefully in my arms as I softly whispered how much I loved her. I still long for her presence, but I am so thankful she was my cat and constant friend.

William and Pepper on our last morning together.

My sweet friends sent cards and Halo's mum brought beautiful flowers in her memory.

November quickly drew to a close. I enthusiastically began preparing for Christmas. I love holidays. I'm inspired by all the decorating, baking treats and comfort foods, listening to inspiring hymns, best of all is entertaining our loved ones. Those festive activities bring out the kid in me. Our house can often resemble a department store display. I have several themed trees and 6000 lights. Yes, I give Lampoon's Christmas Vacation a good run! This year we visited Toronto's Black Creek Pioneer Village Lamplight event and had the best victorian experience ever. William adored watching a live fiddle performance for the first time. I watched my dear cousin dance in The National Ballet of Canada's production of "Nutcracker". We hosted several dinner parties and Clover loved every second of the excitement. Needless to say, we managed to enjoy a lot of chaos.

Santa and his helpers haven't forgotten about our sweet girl. She was spoiled with a lovely basket of puppy toys, treats and a new coat. Her very favourite presents were the reindeer antlers. They keep her busy! She wore her Christmas collar and enjoyed a plaid sweater from Grammie too. In fact, for the first few days, Clover didn't seem to want to take it off. She'd snuggle it like a blanket or run away when we tried to unfasten the velcro. Silly dog, but it made my mum beam with pride!

Grammie ventured into the canine department of a pet store for the first time in decades to pick out a gift for her grand-dog

A tribute to Halo

2012-11-07T01:17:00.002-05:00

I walked up to the school yard one cold spring day. I had our little Clover in my arms, maybe 10-12 weeks old. Another mom approached us with the warmest smile. She enthusiastically said "a Vizsla!" Well much to my surprise, YES! I was immediately relieved to escape the explaination one more time that our puppy was not a dachshund. In a neighbourhood with hundreds of other canine companions, we both bonded over our beloved red dogs. That's all it took. We spent the last nineteen months getting to know each other, sharing stories, laughing at the craziness and validating the sanity in our Vizsla lives.

When I met Halo, he's everything you would expect; tail-wiggly, gentle, affectionate... thieving. He has a habit of counter-surfing to steal recyclables. I know first hand, it's tough to outsmart a V. If they want something, they'll devise a way to get it! I recently lost a debit card out of my pocket for Clover's chew toy.

Halo

Clover

In early October, Halo was diagnosed with hepatic (liver) cancer, leaving him anemic and anorexic. His illness came with great speed, very unexpectedly. In just a couple of weeks, his physical condition was critical.

I was heartstruck as we discussed Halo's prognosis and multiple visits to the hospital. I tried to give my best advice when it was requested and listen as much as possible. I've had a great deal of personal experience with pet loss. Nine of my own to be exact. Not all owners grieve openly. When they do, it's amazing, because they are sharing a raw part of their soul.

Halo, surrounded by love, said goodbye yesterday. It's a moment that will sear their hearts forever. His talented mom created a video online, demonstrating worldwide, the enchanted life of their four-legged boy and the family that adores him.

Thank you Sarah, for giving me permission to post your precious photos and video. I'm honoured. Sleep well sweet Halo

There’s a special place for grownups

A special place for kids

Me? I’ll be on the other side

The side called Rainbow Bridge.

Across the dark green meadow

A’top the hills I’ll run

Where the colours from the rainbow

Glitter from the sun

Anonymous edition of Part two of the famous poem Rainbow Bridge

Update

I commissioned a local creative mom (who just happens to have an Etsy store) to create these pendants for the boys. I also handmade a shadow box of lake rocks and a photo of Halo with the poem above. I didn't want to reveal this on the original post because I hadn't delivered it to the family but here is a look at the jewelry.

All Hallows Eve

2012-11-01T22:08:00.001-04:00

Halloween is kind of a big deal at our house. This year I was lucky enough to get a pretty amazing canine costume early on. In fact, after a few discussions with other V friends, I may have a vision for next year already! It's the first time I've been able to take her on the walk with us and she. was. amazing. Clover happily paraded down the street with all the surrounding commotion, licking a child or two or twenty. The neighbourhood families gave her tonnes of attention. What Vizsla doesn't ham it up for snuggly leg and gentle pat on the head?

Waiting for all the excitement to begin!

The pumpkin look was a huge success. Someone even stopped us along the route to take her picture!

One tuckered out pup, one spooktacular evening.

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN

October 2012

2012-10-17T13:04:00.004-04:00

The first 6 weeks of 'Fall' have been chaotic. We've been busy with back to school homework and starting extra-cirricular activities. We've also been diligently working on home renovations. It's a life of one project after another right now. Just getting into the swing of things proves to be an arduous task at times.

Part of Clover's daily routine is to walk with me as often as possible in the morning. We've been fortunate enough to gather a few moms and their pets in the neighbourhood for walking partners. The big treat half way, is time off leash at the lakefront. The dogs love it but the geese... not so much. Last week Clover and I logged 25 km in four days! I've now got plantar faciitis ...but that is another story.

This is Clover's halloween costume I found last month. I had to open the seams for the shoulders to fit better and prevent chaffing. I'll be sure to post pics later!

She still loves to destroy my neatly folded laundry for a warm comfortable nap on the chesterfield. One day, I will film this just for a blog post. You must see it to believe the lengths she will go to. Achieving the perfect sleep spot is downright ridiculous!

Goodbye Summer

2012-10-17T12:23:00.002-04:00

The end of summer came quickly. The last week before Labour Day was spent soaking up the sunshine. We picked up a life jacket to allow Clover more swimming freedom. It was well worth the decreased anxiety about her nails puncturing the liner. This way she has to float, rather than stand on her hind legs, which by the way she does incredibly well! When I met her father Mojo, he stood and placed his paws on my waist, quite comfortably standing for some time. I'm not sure if that's a Vizsla thing, or an 'apple doesn't fall far from the tree' thing? She's definitely got an aptitude for 2 legged mobility....and hugging.

It took a little adjustment but with William's assistance, she's a pro now. There were lots of giggles to be had in the process.

Annual Pointblank Puppy Family Picnic

2012-08-12T22:19:00.001-04:00

Welcome back

It's the annual Pointblank Dog's puppy family picnic, and as always we're welcomed with open arms and great hospitality. It's become a familiar field. One filled with special memories of old friends, new friends and a whole pack of crazy beasts. Clover could barely contain her excitement as we arrived. The best shot I could get for 20 minutes was a passing blur.

It was a pointers paradise.

There were puppies to well seasoned dogs, each finding a soft spot in all of us. Collectively we spent the afternoon celebrating our appreciation for their quirky yet loyal companionship. There was a little fellow, a full sibling to Clover, only few months old.

William decided to try the behaviour training he's learned with the other pets. A few actually listened. I'm not convinced they recognized any of the hand signals or verbal cues, but they read his body language well. He was so incredibly proud.

Clover on some trail to nowhere in particular

Finding canine friends

I think this GSP is Buddy. Clover was very comfortable with him as she stayed close for a while. He was much more pond adventurous, as was our son! In the end we had to wipe down half a stinking mud-encrusted dog, wash one pair of brand new sneakers and replace one pair of what used to be white socks.

We got a good laugh as the Palmer obediently ran right past the girls (Clover & Mischa) when Liz caught the dogs during a break and enter on the tent buffet. In fairness they did employ our six year son who assisted then defended their tag along strategy.

Clover and Mischa

Five hours later and these V's are STILL running...

and chasing each other?...

and exploring every single square inch of the property.

William hanging out with the pack

Clover catching her breath

Craziness needs a short time out!

And I mean short, because, there are wrestling matches to be had...

Break out the ball for a game of fetch

Couldn't have had a more beautiful day filled with four-legged love♥

August 2012

2012-08-10T16:11:00.002-04:00

August 6, 2012

A trip to our 'private' beach

We are fortunate to have this quiet little part of the waterfront so close to home it feels like our own private sandbar. We were here most weekends last summer hoping to coax our pup into wading in the lake with marginal success. She preferred to make funny faces at the tireless labs that played some ridiculous game of fetch in the waves instead. After a few rounds of pool fun it seems her taste for swimming has improved. And, if the current relents, she will happily play amongst the fishes. Of course I still get Clover's casual over-the-shoulder nod "are you coming?"

July 2012

2012-07-04T10:56:00.000-04:00

July 1 2012 Canada Day!

We've moved the kennel to opposite side of the yard this year with future plans for a direct path to minimize the travelling damage in the winter. We are also considering a few other modifications to her run that I'll update as we tackle them later in the summer. The patio project is complete (special thanks to our amazing four-legged supervisor).

This is Clover pacing impatiently waiting for our holiday guests.

Are they here yet?

Canada Day was spectacular. Although we didn't get a lot of photos this year, we did entertain both new friends and old friends who got a chance to meet our sweet girl for the first time! It's always exciting when new people come to visit and Clover seemed to enjoy keeping a close eye on all the action.

July 4, 2012

William wanted to see what it was like to be Clover for the afternoon. After a walk around the house, he curled up in the kennel and fell fast asleep. Poor dog on the other hand was seriously confused.

July 14, 2012

Clover can swim! She's only ventured out knee deep in the past. We're pretty excited about her enthusiasm. The only mishap we've encountered was a tiny nail puncture. Regardless it's been worth the fun we've all had.

One Sopping Wet Happy Vizsla

June 2012

2012-07-04T10:33:00.001-04:00

June has brought some beautiful sunshine with plenty of lounge-worthy afternoons. Of course I am still sharing my chaise!

Clover was very excited to arrive in Prince Edward County! It's a five acre puppy paradise.

These are the canola fields behind my dad's house; so peaceful.

This would be her usual head-licking meet & greet ritual. My parents love Clover too.

A dog conversation. It's like she was always mean't to be part of our family.

Bring on the sunshine May 2012

2012-05-29T17:46:00.000-04:00

Hellooo summer!

.....and goodbye grass. We will remember you fondly.

Surgery

2012-05-29T16:51:00.001-04:00

Remember the panic stricken owner that struggled to get the spay debate all worked out? Well, it all came together in May. I was blessed with the support of my veterinarian who did all of her pre-operative testing. I found a practice that brought amazing technology to Canada just five years ago. I am so incredibly thankful for our breeder's recommendation because we're thrilled to have taken an unfamiliar path with laparoscopic ovariectomy.

Her first heat began in November while our son was recovering from pneumonia. Then April rolled around and I was just out of the hospital recovering from a serious case of pneumonia myself (it's been a rough winter). Clover seemed to be full of Spring fever or... wait (counting the weeks and months in my head)... where was the phone?

She was scheduled, and we prayed, because I wanted to have surgery timed perfectly.

The week before the procedure, Clover had her annual exam, a DHPP vaccine, heartworm and wellness testing. She has a heart like a champ, weighing in at 45.8 pounds. 48 hours later the bloodwork came back cleared for the operating room.

Post vaccine exhaustion

William says goodnight to his best friend

After a only a few hours of sleep, the car was packed and we hit the road for a family day trip. William wasn't happy about missing school but he was glad to be close to Clover while she was hospitalized. The ride was filled with crying, puking, drooling and whining. My day wasn't exactly unfolding as anticipated.

We admitted her at 8:30, greeted by a compassionate staff, which is nice when you're exhausted, sweating, covered in bile, tethered to a wired dog. Plus I brought an insatiably curious kid who was exploring everything in the veterinary wonderland (complete with foam fleas suspended from the ceiling). I barely remember answering questions or filling forms. Honestly, that was the most traumatic part of the day. Phew! Over.

We needed to get our minds in a positive space so I loosely planned an itinerary. First stop was to the local co-op but low and behold it had closed down! Mega disappointment. We ended up at a country store instead investigating hunting accessories. Then off for a leisurely drive up the river and across the countryside to Warsaw. I had seen online there were hiking routes and caves to explore and possibly canoeing. Well that sounded like a whole days worth of fantastic adventure right?

A 15 foot drop into a cave entrance

Sort of. I think it was closed. The gate was open, but not a soul to be found. My printer crashed upon departure so I had no information or maps for reference (yes, I'm one on the few travelling around without a data plan). I had to stop into a local Lakefield realtor where I luckily found a very helpful fellow who outlined directions and provided an area guide. We drove all this way. We're getting out of the Jeep!

On the lookout for animals

The woods seemed quiet with only sweet songs of birds and whispers of mosquitos. The scenery was breathtaking. Definitely suitable for trailing, except, there were no paths. Huh, we needed a compass? No people around mean't no one to help if you fell through a 20 foot crevice or encountered a bear that hadn't moved on from hibernation. Seems I forgot to pack pepper spray and repelling rope. Did I mention the cellular reception was dead? Perhaps this Speoleogy thing required more preparation. Then we encountered a pile of fish carcasses (including a fresh meal) next to large cave. It was time to high-tail it out of the forest before we ran into some formidable wildlife.

A riverside picnic became the next distraction. We watched the boat locks and ran through the grass.

After puttering around until 3:00 it was time to stop into the clinic and check the status of our friend. Luckily Clover was alert enough to make the journey home!

Despite many efforts to give positive reinforcement, she's not a great traveller. Clover gave the leather interior a shower of drool but spared me the vomit.

Home at last.

Two tiny incisions.

Day one; Lots of rest

48 hours post-op and Clover's supervising projects in the yard. She is also carefully creating a string maze with buoy line.

The Dr. made videos of her spay for us to watch and share with our vet. Bring on the popcorn! He also kindly invited me to return to observe more first hand. That is an incredible opportunity. So excited!

In the end I was glad our girl had a heat cycle. It allowed her growth plates to close and form at a natural rate. I won't worry as much about the possibility of ligament ruptures. Her protective risk from mammary cancer is still very good. Now that she's sterilized, Clover can participate in dog events and social situations without concern. We can add a brother anytime and let him mature too. The only real conflicts I face are worries about bone cancers and increased aggression statistics. Vizsla's as a rule are a trustworthy healthy breed. I know my pup came from amazing selection on the wonderful experience of Pointblank Dog's. I have to remind myself is that life is a lottery of circumstance. We just try to make the best individual plan for ourselves, our families and treasured pets.

In case you are wondering why I chose OVE over OVH here were deciding factors;

Progressive practice in medicine. There is no reason to remove a uterus from a dog since hormones are the primary source of pathological issues.
There is controversy that damage can occur when removing a uterus contributing to urinary incontinence concerns (the lack of hormones is considered primarily responsible).
Less invasive. Two tiny incisions, minimal bleeding. That means a much faster recovery rate. If you have a high energy dog or you're a Vizsla owner, I want you to imagine keeping them quiet for several days. Impossible without someone going insane, yes?
Quick procedure means less anaesthesia (roughly 16 minutes).

*Update. 2 weeks post-op. She JUST had surgery right? Clover is 150% back to her daily rousings. Despite the obstacles, we have some memorable stories.

Burrowing

2012-05-18T13:13:00.003-04:00

A blanket shall rarely be folded in my house ever again.

This dog is obsessed with burrowing behaviour.

Perhaps she's not Vizsla, but a rabbit in disguise?

We love her regardless the species...canine, feline, lagomorph whatever :)

Winter fun February/March 2012

2012-05-18T13:02:00.004-04:00

SNOW DAY

Clover is enjoying winter for the first time! She's seen it before of course, but as a little pup we limited her exposure to the cold temperatures. It's like someone dropped a giant snow cone in our backyard and from what we've observed, it sure is tasty stuff. No need for a plow around this property with Clover on the icy binge.

Run puppy run, the snowflakes are chasing you!

Tobogganing partners

You see, she's still very excitable. And when you call "Clover" at the top of your lungs, you better brace yourself for a bouncy greeting.

We've always played fetch with our pup so it was only natural that snowballs are also fair game. The kids however had their activity hijacked.

Be My Valentine

2012-02-14T23:56:00.001-05:00

She's stealthy!

Classic move. Nudge the kid into position.

Mission accomplished.

Happy Birthday Pupcake

2012-02-14T23:54:00.000-05:00

Clover's is ONE

2012-01-21T22:54:00.005-05:00

♧HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY♧

Party pictures to follow... YES, we celebrated in style!

Clover spent the morning resting up for the festivities.

So cozy

Hide and Go Sleep

Twelve months

2012-01-16T20:48:00.023-05:00

We've finally convinced Clover her pillow is far more comfortable much to the dismay of the kingsize bed loving cat. I've added an extra layer to the memory foam to fill out the duvet. The feline competition seems to have ceased for now...but I did catch them sharing the same sofa which may indicate they've moved on to bigger things.

Clover likes my moose. I'm pretty keen on it too.

We made it through Clover's first heat, unscathed. Around the 30 day mark her mammary glands were hard, swollen and slightly blue. That lasted for a couple of weeks, then subsided. It was about the same time that we noticed her vulva had reduced significantly as well. Actually is somewhat surprising to see how much they swell. Her appetite is now ferocious and no food can be left within tracking access. Thankfully there were no pseudopregnancy symptoms (that in itself called for a champagne toast of relief). I still have a second shadow but Clover's overall calmness remains a far cry from the demands of a young puppy.

She's enjoying the freedom of the outdoors again and miraculously regained her obedience skills. We are currently working to curb the urge to bounce upon the arrival of new visitors (she has yet to accept that Vizslas are NOT Kangaroos). Clove loves to pace (when I say that I mean at a running pace up and down the front hall) at the sound of a doorbell. I am desperately trying to correct that anxiously excitable behaviour (because frankly my floor can't take the wear).

Up until this past month she's been crated whenever unsupervised. I've been experimenting with small amounts of time alone in the house confined to the livingroom/kitchen. I continue to use the crate daily for about 2 hours and most nights. There is no intention of giving up the kennel, but I do want to feel reasonably comfortable with her wandering the house, in turn she continues to integrate into our family. Usually I find her burrowed into a blanket on the chesterfield where every area on the main floor can be observed.

Ooooooh SNOW

Clover is enjoying the warmer winter; she can still gallop through the waterfront trails of our neighbourhood on early weekend mornings. A hot bowl of chicken broth (and coffee for DH) is waiting upon the return home from a good "run".

AND; She still loves to steal toilet paper and shred it all over the house.

Eleven Months

2012-01-16T19:02:00.009-05:00

More evidence that she behave's like a cat

December is brewing with lot's of excitement as our once little pup is now 11 months old. We're extremely preoccupied with Christmas preparations and lot's of visitors. I managed to get some great pictures to document the very first holiday with our Vizsla girl.

Clover was trying to nap and nearly fell off after being startled by the camera

Climbing onto the dining room chair with the boy

Helping with homework

I picked up Molly & Mutt sleep sacks for our furry friends in my favourite Title Track print. They actually advertise the product with a Vizsla and you can find the link here. However instead of lounging on three feet of luxury, Clover prefers to squeeze onto the cat bed.

Barely fits

Dog thinks she's a cat

Cat thinks she's a dog

New tricks

Rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer delivered something special on Christmas morning after a secret letter was written by William. Our son wasn't the only one thrilled with the arrival of a vintage bubblegum machine. Clover discovered if you knock your nose hard enough against the base, the penny mechanism is by-passed. I taught her to catch objects in mid-air, so she's a pro at projectile candy!

The stomach flu guardian

William got sutures the day before his holiday break. Then mid-week he developed the stomach flu. His "best friend ever" didn't leave his side.

10 Months

2012-01-16T17:33:00.008-05:00

Clover going into her first heat was alarming and yet a huge relief at the same time. Never having witnessed this as a pet owner, it scared the living daylights out of me. I spent the first four days feeling guilty, panicked and downright physically ill. It sounds silly now (the thought of what we experienced could cause that kind of senseless apprehension). I was braced for all kinds of aloof behaviour, coyotes in my yard (since we live beside a conservation area), relentless cleaning for hours, and constant threatening health watch. What I got was about a 1/8th of what I expected. See? Completely useless waste of time fretting.

Talking myself through this natural event wasn't working and I called the animal hospital to again reschedule Clover's surgical date. They had no advice to offer about supporting a dog in heat. I was met with a sense of distaste and irresponsibility then told to call back in six weeks. Perhaps I read the receptionist's tone wrong, after all she was trying to mitigate between doctor and client, but I certainly didn't feel any better. In fact I felt a whole lot worse. I replayed the associate lecture from the last appointment when I tried to discuss my thoughts on paediatric spays. So I contacted our breeder Liz of Pointblank Dog's who not only corresponded with me to answer questions, but wrote a sweet, personal email a couple of days later. It was the emotional comfort I needed to ground my anxiety. I gave myself permission to just relax.

She wore little girl pull-ups purchased at the grocery store in which I cut a hole for her tail. In order to get the correct body length, the waist was too big. So, I hot-glued the paper elastic to fit. She walked like she had a broken pelvis for 2 days and then adjusted to having it on whenever she roamed the house. It also helped to slow down her threshold speed through the patio door and sit on the mat to dry wet paws with a towel.

She became extra snuggly (if that's remotely possible) and calm. Yes, that's right calm. At least in the house. I put her on a lead every time she went out, which was often... like when she was learning to house train more than a dozen times a day. We exercised her early in the morning when there was less chance encounters that may have initiated a canine quarrel. Her crate blankets were washed daily (sometimes twice at first). Clover's appetite plummeted and she lost a couple of pounds that returned by Christmas.

My Debate

2012-01-16T16:49:00.006-05:00

It's now August, which means figuring out the Fall schedule, which quickly becomes one of the busiest months of the year. It's also the time I planned to spay Clover. In fact it's been a huge debate between us as new dog owners, our veterinary hospital and other members of the canine community. I remain very aware and supportive of the positive health benefits when performing an ovariohysterectomy. Though honestly, I've really struggled with the notion of rushing her into the O.R. Yep, feeling lot's of pressure. Not to mention on the receiving end of the odd lecture.

For all my other pets it was a no brainer; six months was predetermined, mostly by my veterinarian whom I'd fully entrusted to make that decision. I've even worked with many doctors recommending as early as 4 months. I have never wanted to raise a litter of my own. I just can't fathom the concern involved with potentially raising octuplets or more (Heaven bless our passionately patient breeder).

I've put much thought into this decision. After years of assisting veterinarians I've seen many opinions and procedures conducted with various outcomes, enough to follow the average life expectancy. Of course that means I've seen first hand the worst case scenario's from unplanned or unwanted animals, pups born with life-threatening complications or challenging deliveries, false pregnancies that lead to pyometra's (uterine infections), behavioural issues, mammary (breast) cancers and so on.

There seems to be more medical studies available for criticism on the subject, that didn't previously exist. Risks like early spay urinary incontinence, increased fearful behaviours in sterile dogs, altered growth patterns and plate closures that interfere with joint stability, regulatory hormonal imbalances and stats on specific types of cancers (like increased osteosarcomas) weigh heavily on my mind.

I am much more open to various perspectives today. Researching opposing opinions lend to voluminous confusion though I continue to be motivated by knowledge even if it causes anxiety in the process. Many a discussion had with owners, breeders, veterinarians alike and while most (if not all) agree that pets not intended for breeding should be spayed or neutered there is still the obstacle of planning the idyllic time. Without being armed with the knowledge of the exact moment of maturity it becomes a guessing game of circumstance and lottery of risk. Breed genetics can greatly influence that specific timing.

My current feeling is that I will likely lean towards late October early November somewhere in the vicinity of her ninth month. Hoping to give her the best benefit of hormonal influences within the nick of time for uncharted worry.

Weeks 39...9 months

2012-01-16T10:24:00.004-05:00

Note; her nose is often blurred from incessant twitching. She's got OCTD Obsessive Compulsive Tracking Disorder!

At nine months I'm bracing myself for another adolescent obstacle; defiance. Her recall seems to be fading. Fast. I figured it was time to shift gears a little and try some different rewards, change up the routine, but nothing seems to be improving the situation. I have been very persistent with training so I'm not about to give up, however it is extremely frustrating. The recall issue doesn't seem to be isolated to any one situation or circumstance. It's almost as if she's conveniently forgotten all her commands or rushes through the sequence because quite frankly this pup has other things to do such as...

play ball!

At 9 months, 2 weeks EXACTLY, we may have discovered the reasons for our behaviour struggle. Clover began her first heat cycle. Her surgery was rescheduled after my son developed pneumonia. Priorities. One of the most debated, nerve-wracking decisions I made as a dog owner was deciding when to spay. I wrote an entire post on this and didn't publish in fear the commentary would cause me more anxiety.

Catch Up!

2012-01-16T09:30:00.002-05:00

The last three months have been a whirlwind of activity around the house. My posts have really suffered since William began school full time. But that hasn't prevented me from logging all the milestones I want to share so it's time to get caught up! I'll continue to put everything in sequence so that the timeline isn't interrupted :)

October 25, 2011