Search Results for: blog clueless nights or clueless in portland

The Pets Blog Week in Review for May 12-18

What sort of personal anecdotes, as well as helpful info and animal folktales, did Aimee and I share with you last week? If you can’t answer that because you missed any days, check out the handy Week in Review below. Monday, May 12 Since the stroke, my mom’s being talking about “going home.” I wondered when it’s time for me to “go home” who will be waiting for me? Aimee told about her Mother’s Day and the nice things her friends (and dogs) did to make it special. Tuesday, May 13 An article Aimee read led her to ponder the … Continue reading →

Clueless Nights (or, Clueless in Portland)

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I often joke that my dog Moose is the world’s dumbest German shepherd. The breed is known for being pretty smart, but Moose doesn’t seem to have gotten much in the brain department. (Though sometimes he surprises me!) I love him anyway… but last night, he was driving me insane. It’s been a week of increasing temperatures in the Portland, Oregon area, culminating in the 90s on Friday. The overnights have been somewhat cooler, but I’m the kind of person who likes it COLD in the bedroom. I’m happiest when I can burrow down under a big heap of blankets … Continue reading →

Calling in My Assistant Dog Wranglers

As much of a handful as my dogs can be at times, I’m mostly able to take care of them without too much extra help. But this April, I’ll need the dog care backup team to take care of Moose and Lally for me. In case you don’t follow the Health Blog, here’s a quick recap: I’ll be having a hysterectomy thanks to some rather sizable fibroids (one is the size of a mandarin orange, one is the size of a football). The surgery requires a three to four day hospital stay, plus a grand total of ten days with … Continue reading →

Moose vs. the Patio Door

My dog Moose learned a new trick this week… one nobody taught him. I’ll start by saying that Moose doesn’t seem to be the smartest dog out there. When I first adopted him in January 2004, he was a handful. He didn’t answer to his name, he didn’t really know any commands, and he had very few boundaries. But over the years together, I’ve learned that Moose can be very clever when he wants to be. I already knew he could open doors — on more than one occasion, he’s managed to push the handle down on the bathroom door … Continue reading →

Spring Fever: Moose’s Version

My shepherd mix Moose is handling the change of seasons very differently from my boxer mix Lally. Lally welcomed spring with an allergy attack of massive proportions. She’s been to the vet three times, taken steroids, antihistamines, and antibiotics (plus three different kinds of skin cream) to clear things up and is FINALLY getting back to normal. For Moose, spring has been more of an emotional change. Moose isn’t the most active dog out there. My roommates and I sometimes call him “Speed Bumpy” because he’s often found sprawled and snoring. He is a dog of comfort. But the warmer … Continue reading →

Moose is Full of Mischief!

I guess even dogs can get a wild hair now and then. My dog Moose (a German shepherd mix) has been full of mischief lately! It started a few nights ago. The dogs and I went to bed around ten (our usual bedtime, give or take an hour or so) after one last quick trip outside for piddles. Around 1:30 in the morning, something drags me out of slumber. Fwee! Fwee! This is the noise Moose makes when he wants attention; it’s a pathetic cross between a whine and a whistle. Moose only has the one “distress” noise, so I … Continue reading →

Heat for Healing

Heat is a great natural healer. For pets with arthritis, hip dysplasia, and other joint conditions, heat can make the difference between a stiff, painful morning and an easy start to the day. A friend of mine takes her older dog into the sauna in the mornings to help loosen things up! Be careful! Electrical sources of heat like heat lamps and heating pads can be dangerous to your pet. These heat sources can burn the skin — so never apply them directly to your pet. Always supervise your pet when using an electrical heat source. Gentler heating sources are … Continue reading →

Sleeping in the Heat

I have a hard time falling asleep when it’s too hot in the room. I just can’t get comfortable! If you have the same problem, here are some tips to help you sleep easy in the heat. Heat rises. You might be cooler on a lower story than an upper one. Help prevent heat build-up inside. Use blinds to keep the sun out. Open windows at night if the temperature is cooler. Cool off with a shower before bed. Keep in mind that hot showers can increase the humidity, which can make the heat seem worse. Cool off with a … Continue reading →