Malamutes and Drill Team, hmmmmm ....

Two concepts intrinsically alien to one another. Case in point: on Saturday we attended the Travis County Kennel Club dog show. Allie was gorgeous and shiny, not a whiff of the chicken entrails she had rolled in, since I was able to get her an emergency visit at the groomer's on Friday. I won't say she was fluffy -- next to the show-mutes, her funny cowlicks and stegosaurus ridge look somewhat less than plush. But she was adorable, had nicely clipped claws and a perky red bandana. And that certain gleam in her eye. It should have warned me. We were called for one p.m. and were kept waiting interminably, and Allie got more and more Malamutey, while my back was aching and I was developing some 'tude of my own. After several eons, we finally entered the ring. To my shock, Allie did not immediately throw herself onto her back and present her tummy to the admiring multitudes. Instead, she was a perfect angel and performed the first half of the routine dead on. When we got into the big circle, however, and I put her into her "down," she did not settle all the way down, and I should not have had any confidence in her stay. As I moved away to walk around the circle, I glanced back, and of course Allie had broken the stay and gotten up to meander after me. The expression on her face was pure-as-the-driven-snow innocence. So of course I had to return to her and stand with her, face burning, while everyone else completed the manoeuvre. Fortunately, the next part is a comedy bit, so Allie and I had basically loosened the audience up ... we should probably have done a little schtick, if I could have thought of something. Of course, of all the parts of the routine, the down stay is one she NEVER gets wrong in practice. Malamutes! She was very tired afterward. The diva slept like a log til morning.

Rowan's plastic snack

When I took Rowan out of his crate this morning, his stomach was making funny gurgling noises. I looked around the crate and saw that one of his squeaky toys was missing. Only one shiny plastic corner had eluded his appetite. The silly galoot had devoured an entire big, white, bone-shaped squeaky toy with dental spines. His poop will be closely observed for the next couple of days! This is definitely a plastic-loving dog. He completely ignores the soft plushy toys in his kennel run and snubs the other dogs in favor of demolishing any and all plastic pails, planters, watering cans, handles of garden tools, and all other hard, jaggedy plastic items he can find. I swear he has a vendetta against his stomach lining. However, he has merrily passed everything else so far, so I trust this too shall pass; if not by tomorrow, we will visit the vet with very red faces (his red by nature, not embarrassment like mine). What a dog!

Rowan still moves very much like a cartoon dog. He loves to run, and when he has to stop short, the legs and big paddle feet go flying everywhere. He still thinks that the street is where you walk, preferably in front of the bus, and the lesh is only there to tell him how far he can circle around me -- our walks are more lateral than forward, because he's curious about everything. We have lots of laughs, and never a dull moment!

He and Allie have completely fallen in love and tend to lean against each other. They clean each others' faces and make googly eyes. It's very cute. He seems to realize that he can't be as rough with her as with Sascha and is really sweet, except when he's sitting on her. But he never hurts her. I really cherish that in him, because he obviously doesn't have any body consciousness, so he really has to put in an effort.

He loves to eat, but was having loose stools when I gave him too much; this has now settled down -- we'll see what happens with the addition of toy supplements! Of course he would rather eat all day and have the other dogs' dinners too! His coat is improving a bit, although I can't groom him after he ate the rake ... that Rowan! he's always good for a grin.

Rowan and the Chickens

So there we are in the backyard, Rowan and I. I'm teaching him a few tricks, or trying to, but he keeps sitting on me, the big galoot. Meantime, The Magnificent Ghost is bawling up a storm from his kennel because he wants to mix it up with Rowan. These boys are just too much. So I wander to the back of the yard to get a little peace and quiet, and what should I find but a passel of chickens! What a clucking and flapping of wings! Feathers everywhere! The intelligent Malamute hunkers down to allow the frenzied fowl to settle down and forget all about her presence. I cast an eye over my shoulder to make sure that Rowan isn't going to come galumphing along in full bellow to spoil this plan, like that young sprout Ghost invariably does, but the silly thing is gazing off into the distance and watering the bamboo. So I'm slowly creeping up on a particularly juicy hen, when the rooster spots me and flings himself over the fence with a wild cackling, and the hen goes after. Foiled again! I check to see what Rowan thinks of it all, but the goofy redhead is sniffing the ground, completely oblivious to the life-and-death drama unfolding mere inches away. >sigh< I have my work cut out with this one. Alexandria out.

Going to Work

Yay! I got to go to work with humom yesterday. First I had to throw up a little in the morning, so she went into a hysterical tizzy. What is her deal? She knows Malamutes can throw up whenever they want! Besides, a renal dog always has a bit of an upset tummy. Anyway, mission accomplished, she called in to work and got permission to bring me in. Well, duh. As if I could be anything but a highly desired guest! So we drove in, and I threw up a tiny bit more in the car, just as a reminder that I really needed to be Observed all day. In the office, I was not allowed to run up and down the hall chasing my squeaky ball like in the summer session, but had to stay in the office and receive my admirers there. Lots of people came by to give me lovin's and scritches on the head. We also went outside several times, where I had Little Chats with the squirrels, which are unusually fat. But humom did not alow me to eat them, although they did not run away, but just sat there waiting for the Malamute pounce. Very disappointing indeed. A few people shied away from the Big Dog, hahahah, but several asked about my breed and quite a few called me Beautiful, as is my due. It's amazing how many students are dog-starved and desperately need to hug and grab a nice substantial dog. I am always happy to oblige.
Today, for some odd reason, humom left me at home again. I cannot fathom this oversight. Clearly, I will have to throw up again on Monday. Humans! Alexandria out.

Drill Team

Tonight is drill team practice. This is the second week that we will have gone back to "class," and Allie is wriggly with excitement at the word. When I put on the music to practice the routine, her ears almost meet in the middle from anticipation. We still have to work on the down-stay -- her preference is to get up and do something interesting while I'm doing my walk-around --but otherwise she's perky and happy. It's so good to have her back in shape to participate in something she enjoys so much! We perform in two weeks, and Her Majesty will undoubtedly have come up with some neat trick to give me a heart attack -- lying down on her back before the first note, or something. Hurray! I will know she's feeling really good when she gets up to some mischief in true Malamute fashion.

Rowan and leash walking

Rowan has his own interpretation of how to walk on a leash! He's very nice about it, he's just clueless. I'm standing in the middle holding the leash, and he treats me like a maypole, dancing all around. He has no idea about cars -- dashing out in front of them, or running away scared, completely unpredictable. He doesn't understand "walk with me," much less "heel." So we're starting from scratch, just getting him around the next cul-de-sac and back, avoiding the block with the Rottweiler and the one with the Akita ... Poor fella is so weak that I can control him easily. I can just pick him up and move him where I want him! He's afraid of the stairs down the back of the house, so we're working on that -- I put up the other dogs and he has to descend the stairs to get his dinner, at his own pace. He has chewed up his collar and eaten a toy. He is such a hilarious character! Sascha has decided that he's her soulmate and just adores him. They're both bright red so they're very cute together.

Rowan just inhales his dinner! I've decided to feed him twice a day to try to avoid bloat and to aid digestion. That boy can eat! I want to start brushing his teeth but he's not thrilled about me touching his mouth ...

He LOVED the rain and all the mud on his big paws! my T-shirts will never be the same ;-)! what a goofball!

To S - first Rowan report

He is a PRINCE!! He is the nicest dog I have ever been around. I'm crying all the time, can't let myself think about this sweet angel being neglected. He already has a huge part of my heart.

L and S have a picture up on my wall -- I have a shrine to them! They are SAINTS! I can only imagine the work they have done with this little fella! We went for a walk around the block and when we went up and down curbs, he would stumble, and fell down once. He must have been a total wreck when they got him out. It's only their loving care that has made him able even to get around the back yard, I'm sure. But he has such a great spirit, and is always cheerful and game for any project; I'm sure he will bulk up soon.

He has some patches where the skin is really dry and the hair is brittle and broken -- I'm wondering if R even fed him decent food. But S and L have given him a good start, and he's going to get nothing but the best. I have to cook for Allie's kidney diet anyway, so I might as well cook for Rowan as well and give him a high-protein diet with extra canola oil for the skin. He's getting Omega-3, CoQ10, B-50, Vit E, calcium, and I'm throwing in Allie's glucosamine/MSM joint formula just for thrills. He's also getting digestive enzymes and an herbal mix sprinkled on his food to make it all bioavailable. Between them, these dogs are going to bankrupt me ;-)! But it's going to be so rewarding to see him blossom.

Rowan already had a cat encounter and completely ignored him, much to my relief!

I don't actually have any exciting stories to tell yet, but will be sure to write once he has settled in and I have something to report.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for bringing this little guy into our lives!! He is so good-hearted, and promises to be such a wonderful member of the family. It feels like he's always been here. Please give L and S my thanks too!

Introduction -- Rowan

It is with some butterflies that I introduce my new dog, Rowan ("the red-haired or ruddy man"). He is bright red! He was rescued by Mal-loving people from Brazos animal shelter and I adopted him on Saturday. He is a big, long fellow, with short squatty legs, and so skinny that you can feel every vertebra and rib. He has so little muscle tone in his hind legs that he has trouble walking, indicating long close confinement. He does not appear to be hip dysplastic. I am taking him in to the vet this week for a thorough checkup. His coat is dry and sparse, but he will be a gorgeous dog once I have fattened him up and worked on his nutrition. He is now getting handfuls of supplements and home-cooked food. The Magnificent Ghost still would like to eat him, so we are working on a desensitization program, but he gets along great with the girls, and completely ignores all cats, indoors and out. He is alert, responsive and sweetly affectionate. What a guy!

Rowan

Well, I wasn't expecting THIS! Humom went out for a drive with her partner in crime, Lynn, and came back with another DOG! Where will it end?

I should not be surprised. Lynn's house is where I lived for a year until humom finally got around to discovering and adopting me. Whenever she goes out, she comes back with another dog. They call it "rescue." I suppose it's a good thing.

So here he is, a big red Malamute, yet another male. He'd be handsome if he had an ounce of flesh on him and any muscle tone. Knowing humom, he'll be fattened up in no time and need to go on a diet. Two nice Malamute lovers, L and S, sprang him from the shelter a month ago and have been taking great care of him and getting him ready to be adopted. I'm glad; a shelter is a terrible place to be -- it smells like terror and death, and if nobody takes you, they kill you. S and R remembered that humom is kind of partial to Malamutes and told her about Rowan, whose name was something very bad before. Now he is called the red-haired man, which he is.

What I want to know is, is humom still going to pay any attention to ME?? I am the Queen of the Universe and expect the due amount of respect and adulation to be paid accordingly. I will be Extremely Miffed if this Johnny-Come-Lately thinks he's going to steal the limelight. Alexandria out.