Luna's a Bit of a Klutz

I'm not actually sure how she does it, perhaps it's her Labrador exuberance but it seems every few weeks she damages some part of herself. Last month she strained/sprained her right front outside toe. Last year her other front leg was lame. Two separate times she jabbed herself in the belly while running through the woods. That last one has a permanent scar on her right hip. And of course, as a puppy she got stung by yellow jackets, ripped a read toenail out and tried to eat a poisonous mushroom. I'm sure there must be others I've forgotten over the past 8.5 years.

Last week she and Ziggy were racing around on our usual walk through the swamp and though I didn't hear a squeal this time, next thing I knew there was a cut under her left eye bleeding rather profusely. I blame Ziggy's teeth, he gets a little rambunctious when wrestling. I just let it bleed a bit and let it heal on her own. She'll probably have a little scar but I am sure she doesn't care.

I snapped a photo a couple days later. It's just a thin black line now.

Luna's Boo-boo

Looking for a Dog

I had actually found a sweet looking 9 year old chocolate lab at the shelter a couple weeks ago that was brought in as a stray but another family got there ahead of me and his photo is no longer on the website.

So I looked around some more and a different shelter has seven 9 week old male black lab/beagle mixes available. They are very cute. I am hoping I can take Luna in to see them later this week. Maybe we can find a new little buddy!

Ducks and Chickens and Dogs

The muscovy ducklings slept outside last night by the pond. I was a little worried but as I couldn't get them back into the garage I hoped for the best. They're fine this morning. I actually chased them down to the pond a few days ago because they often spent all day in the garage while they're supposed to be eating bugs and learning to fly. Yesterday was the first day I saw them swim. They definitely aren't swimming much as the other ducks but I've heard that's fairly normal for their species. Then again they've only been in the pond one day that I can confirm, they may be taking their time getting used to it.

In the meanwhile the chickens are enjoying their free ranging experiences. I only let them out of the run while I'm around, no sense in living too dangerously. Only problem is they like to climb onto the deck. I don't know if they're simply curious or doing it to let me know they're hungry. They're supposed to be eating ants and ticks and grasshoppers, especially the 2 guineas. The Barred Rocks may not be the best foragers though. Hopefully, the chicks coming next week, the Buckeyes and Golden Laced Wyandottes will be better at it. Otherwise next year I'll try a couple other breeds I have in mind.

I do believe Rocket and Luna are well trained around the chickens now, too. They hardly look at them while they're scurrying about. They are very good dogs. I'm probably very luck to have them. I am certain my neighbor's lab would have little problem killing my chickens if he had the chance, though if he was trained not to, perhaps he'd be okay too. But I know his brother would kill in a heartbeat as he and his sister killed 51 chickens last year in his own backyard (jumped the fence into the chicken pen). That's another reason never to let the chickens out when I'm not around, those 2 are escape artists and have been here in the past.

But for the moment life is harmonious in the swamp.

Amusing Myself, Vet Visits, and January Thaws

I guess I've been amusing myself the last few days, if you count taking the pups to the vet for shots, grocery shopping and taking down the Christmas decorations as amusing pastimes. I got the decorations all down and put away in one day, a new first. Of course, I had no tree to take down this time as I spent Christmas in my old hometown with my family. Not having to take down an 8 foot tree makes quite a difference in time saved.

We've been having a bit of a January Thaw as well which allowed me to take the lights off the gutter much more easily than in other winters. The ice dam on the roof was gone after 3 days with temps in the 40s, as is most of the snow. It was nice not having to chip the lights out of the ice. I don't like leaving the lights up year round or even until spring, it just bugs me to see holiday lights ringing peoples' homes months after Christmas is over. Looks a bit forsaken and forlorn.

The vet trip was mostly uneventful, just expensive. Three shots for each dog, exams by the vet and then a blood test for Rocket to provide a baseline against which future blood tests will be compared now that he's been put on an arthritis pill (half strength). That is one expensive pill!!! 15 of them cost me $50!!! If he has to take a whole pill a day that would be $100 a month. He's been on this one before (Deramaxx) for a short time and half a pill seemed to work quite well. I just hope his being on it long term won't cause health problems. Hence the blood work. I must say though, after one day, he seems peppier, he was actually prancing through the woods on our walk this morning. We'll see if that was just coincidence tomorrow.

Other than poor Rocket getting old, his health is good, his eyes are cloudy, but his weight is remaining about 102 pounds which is good for his size. Luna, on the other hand, is a tubby little girl. Seventy four pounds! I have not really been able to get her weight down, she scavenges and eats everything in sight, steals her buddies' biscuits and just makes a little pig of herself. The vet suggested she would probably be one of those dogs whose weight would just remain a problem. I just hope I can keep her from becoming obese. It seems to happen to a lot of Labradors. I refuse to let it happen to her. Maybe I'll get her a treadmill.