Search Results for: blog my life with dogs part one mike and mackie

Life Without Murphy

Life without Murphy hasn’t been very much fun. “Wait a second,” you might be wondering. “Life without Murphy? Where did he go?” The Surgery We dropped him off at the specialist’s office early Wednesday morning for his paw surgery. Luckily Wayne was able to come with. Turns out we needed each other. It was surprising how much we both broke down once the vet tech came and escorted Murphy away. I think I’d always get nervous if any of my pets had to go into surgery, but I think I get especially nervous because my beloved Mackie died after what … Continue reading →

When a Dog Goes Blind

My next door neighbor’s dog, Simba, has had a rough road lately. First he was diagnosed with diabetes and Cushing’s syndrome, then shortly after that (not even a week later) he went blind. How They Knew Simba Was Blind When I was little, our family dog Mike went blind. I don’t remember exactly when it happened or how we knew. I’m fairly sure my dad was the first to notice it. I got to thinking about that because I asked my neighbors how they figured out Simba was blind. It’s not like he can just shout all of a sudden, … Continue reading →

Pets and Their Food Bowls

What’s your pet’s food bowl like? Plain and simple? Personalized? An old people dish making due as your pet’s food (and/or water) dish? Or did you buy one sold in a pet store? I got to thinking about pets and their food bowls because of a quirk the cats have when it comes to their bowls. And that led me to thinking about even more things, as represented by the headings below. How Many Bowls Do Your Pets Have? Do you have one food bowl and one water dish per pet? (For multi-pet households.) Or does each pet have more … Continue reading →

Going “Home” – Who Will Be Waiting for Me?

Ever since her stroke last Tuesday, my mom has been talking about “going home.” How her people are waiting for her. Aunt LaLa (her mom’s sister), Pearl (her sister), her mom, and her dad…all of whom have passed away. Yesterday she was particularly adamant that she had to get up and get going home because her people were there waiting for her. “Your people are here, Dorothy,” Wayne said. “Courtney, me, Murphy and the cats. You’re not going home just yet. No one’s there.” “That’s true. I do have to go by myself. But I don’t want to. I don’t … Continue reading →

Tough Decisions: Watch the Euthanasia or Not?

April always brings to mind Budly because he was born during this month and died during it too. (Born April 21; Died April 23) Among the many memories I have him, the one that is guaranteed to bring tears to my eyes and which still haunts my heart is his very last moments. The ones right before he was euthanized. We were given the option to be in the room, or to wait outside until it was done and then come in to say our final goodbyes. Wayne and I didn’t even need a moment to discuss it. We wanted … Continue reading →

A Breed By Any Other Name Is…

…perhaps a dog you once knew or are familiar with from a TV show or a movie. You might not know the breed name, but you identify it nonetheless. By some other name. Not in Kansas Anymore, ____ Take the case of Lollipop, a Cairn terrier. I had the pleasure of making Lollipop’s acquaintance on my morning walks when I went to my mom’s house last month. The first morning I met Lollipop, she and her mom, Martha Ann, were coming towards me on the path. Lollipop stopped dead in her tracks when she saw me, hunkered down, and was … Continue reading →

Witness to a Marriage Miracle

If you are the product of a divorce like me, did you ever dream of your parents getting back together? I never had that fantasy. I just sort of accepted the situation for what it was and dealt with the new circumstances. However, I did wish my parents could at least talk to each other. For the first few months after the split they did. Sort of. My dad would come get me at my mom’s house for his weekend visitations. Things were always tense between my parents, but then things just got downright nasty. TNT I don’t know what … Continue reading →

Modifying Behavior-Lesson 1: Know Thy Pet

Part of my resolutions for this year in the Pets Blog included writing more articles that you, Dear Reader, would like to see. To gauge just what those might be, I posted a poll in the forum and welcomed replies. One request that came back was about behavior. Mostly modifying it to encourage better behavior. First off, let me plainly state I am no animal behavior expert. Like many of you, I am simply owned by my pets and am lucky enough to have a forum where I can also indulge my passion for writing about animals. However, even though … Continue reading →

Adventures with Murphy: Spotting Albino Critters

Today while I was walking Murphy we spotted yet another albino critter –this time a pure white chipmunk. What’s the Deal? I don’t know what it is about Murph. I don’t know if he draws them to him because he’s a white critter magnet of some kind. I don’t know if it’s because we take so many walks and that puts us in the right places to spot them. I don’t know if it has something to do with where we live –that maybe albino animals are more prevalent in the South. All I know is that I’ve walked dogs … Continue reading →

Taking a Minute to Appreciate Squirrels for Squirrel Appreciation Week

Photo by MadMaven/T.S.Heisele We’re smack dab in the middle of Squirrel Appreciation Week, which runs from October 7th through 13th. Do you take squirrels for granted? It’s easy to, especially if you live in a place where you see them everyday. Unless you’re an avid gardener or backyard ornithologists, you may have no reason to pay the squirrels romping in the gardens and feasting at bird feeders any mind. I grew up in Denver and squirrels were a staple in our backyard. As a kid, I liked to watch Mackie watching them through the sliding glass doors. I liked it … Continue reading →