On The Bed, A Permanent Fixture

Ever since I was sick with the covid, recovered and finally moved back home, I have allowed Rowdy up on the bed at night. His blanket that he slept on, on the floor, is now a permanent fixture on the bed and he knows his place whenever he jumps up on the bed. I don't exactly remember when the transition took place, but he now always joins me on the bed at night.

For a while, I still wouldn't allow him up there during any other time, except when we go to bed for the night. So I would shut the bedroom door, when I was away at work, or for other reasons and he would find somewhere else to lay, while I was gone.

Now, Rowdy's age and corresponding aliments, has hampered his ability to jump up on the bed, or even into the car. Now he gets up and puts his paws on the edge, waiting for help to get up. So he is no longer needing permission to get up on the bed. He waits for me to lift him up. It is so cute how he raises up with his paws on the edge waiting for me to lift him up. Then, I simply grab his hind legs and guide him up on the bed. He immediately crosses over and lays on his blanket and I take my spot beside him.

One night, a funny thing happened. Whenever he puts his paws up on the bed, waiting for me to lift him up, I usually ask him if he wants up here and I pat the bed. Fro some reason, on this particular night, he jumped up and I asked him and patted the bed, then he plopped his head over to one side and laid his head sideways on the edge of the bed. It was soooo cute the way he did that, as he sometimes drops his head against you in the same fashion, like a hug. 

 

 

A Long Time Since My Last Post.

 

It's been a couple of years since I have posted to this blog. To spite his age, Rowdy is still going strong. To estimate his birthday, or time of year he was born, he will be turning 15 years old, during the first two to three months of 2024.

He is showing his age, with his face hair graying. Now, he is having a little trouble getting around whenever he gets up from a rest and he has lost some of his hearing, estimating about 50% loss. He's also only half motivated to chase squirrels in the yard, when I let him out.

To explain most of our absence from here, in March of 2021, I came down with Covid and was in the hospital for 10 days and in recovery for several months after that. During that time, my cousin took care of Rowdy and then me, after I got out of the hospital. After recovery this blog was mostly out of mind and even though Rowdy did some things worthy of recording on here, I only posted a few times and then got too busy to post any more, after being back on my feet.

While staying at my cousin's, Rowdy picked up a new habit, which I am not certain to label it good or bad. He never barked at the door to let him back inside before, but somehow he learned to do that at my cousin's house and now he does that every time I let him out and he is ready to come back in.

I'll try to post a little more often, when Rowdy does something new or funny, or when I remember something I haven't posted in the past.

Time For His Shots

 In August, Rowdy's 3 year rabies vaccination was due.  I took him to the vet to get his shot and as soon as we were in the office for a few seconds, he recognized the place and was desperate to leave.  He was pulling on the leash at the door, to go back outside.  

His experiences there have not always been pleasant.  Back when his ear swelled up, I took him there and he had to stay overnight when they cut his ear open to drain it and then sewed it up.  He had laid in his own waste where the kept him, so he was a mess when I picked him up.  I think he was afraid that this time, I would leave him there again and he wanted to go before that happened.  I've seen videos where lots of dogs hate going to the vet.  Rowdy has not been much of a problem with this, however he does get a little scared when we go.

He was scared when I put him up on the table, but he took his shots well.  He got his next 3 year rabies and we added his 5 way + parvo shot this time.  I don't usually get this shot unless I am going to board him, but recently a friend lost a couple of dogs due to parvo, so I decided to get it, since it wasn't expensive.     

Nacho Cheese Freak

Whenever I am either snacking or having a sandwich with some chips, I usually will pass a few chips to Rowdy.  He is usually like ho-hum, yeah I guess I will eat that.  Though I am not generally a fan of nacho cheese chips, lately I have had a craving for several different kinds of chips including the nacho cheese flavor.  So I got some Doritos and when I was eating them, I passed him a chip to see if he liked them or not.  Boy did he!  Whenever I have those chips out and give him one, he gets excited for more.  All I got to do is hold up a chip and look at him and he raises up on his haunches to beg and then back down to bark for another one.  Whenever I feed him the other chips, he doesn't get up, he just lays there, sniffs it first and then takes it with some reluctance.  But you got to be careful with the nacho cheese ones.  He'll snatch it right out of your fingers and maybe a piece of your finger to boot.      

Afraid of a Rubber Duck

Once again, a new obstacle in our daily walk.  One of the directions that I walk in is along a highway, where I pass by a boat and marine shop.  They have just put out a large inflatable pool or lake duck.  It's one of those that an adult or a couple of children can sit in and ride in.  As we approach it, Rowdy starts trying to avoid it and pulls back away from it.  I have to drag him around it in able to get by it and continue our walk.  This is across the street from the giant sign monster that scared him several years ago.  You never know what he will be frightened of next.

Frightening Farts

Rowdy has never been one to fart much.  You seldom have to endure that 'all the sudden' smell that makes you want to leave the room. Because of this, with him it is difficult to blame the dog when you want to.  However, this is one dog issue that I am happy about.

Occasionally though, he does toot.  It is not the silent killer that rises up and punched you in the nose.  You can actually hear a little spurt.  Whenever he does this, he usually jumps up and turns to look behind him, like something attacked him.  A couple of times, he has been laying on his pillow and all the sudden, it sounds like he hit the wall behind him and he'll jump off his pillow and almost run away.  The first time it happened, I wondered what was wrong with this crazy dog and I got up to look to see what attacked him.  But since then I have figured it out.  

Yesterday, he came into the bathroom and as he got close to where I was, he spurted a little short one.  That startled him and he jumped and turned around to look behind him to see what happened.  Sometimes this little doggie provides a person with so much humor, as I had a good laugh over that.

I Missed My Doggie and He Missed Me!

I became ill with the Rona over a month ago, and ended up in the hospital.  I first had a friend and co-worker take Rowdy and care for him as I was not able to.  Then I had him returned to me. but I got sicker without even realizing it and had to be sent back to the hospital for an extended stay.  This time my Cousin took him and took care of him for over three weeks.  So Rowdy didn't get to see me all that time.  Though, I was confident he was well taken care of both times, I sure did miss him and they told me he seemed to miss me.

I'm so glad to be back together with him.  One problem though, he liked their dog food better than what I fed him.  Looks like I may need to change brands.