Henry is not allowed on the couch. What did I find when I walked into the living room yesterday?
We don’t even need a show trial. Henry is guilty, guilty, guilty!
Henry is totally unrepentant, clearly double-dog daring me to say something.
Any other bad dogs out there? Or good ones? What have your pets been up to?
Totally open thread.
Update: Okay, technically Henry does not appear to be actually touching the couch anywhere. He is lying on the blankie with the pillow at his back. I am a spirit of the law girl, so he is still guilty.
Kristine Pennington
Cute, cute, cute is my verdict 🥰
rikyrah
Teen who went viral after college acceptance learns he earned a four-year scholarship
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/living/story/watch-teen-learn-won-full-ride-scholarship-college-99762351
WaterGirl
@rikyrah: It’s dusty in here!
Alison Rose
Aww, but look at that face! How can you say no to that…
My cat tried to crawl into my book cart (utility cart I use for my unread books). I have no idea why and there’s barely any space, but she was on a mission, apparently. It wouldn’t really be a problem except that sometimes when I’m reading on the sofa, she climbs up on the arm and tries to chew on the corner of the cover, and I don’t want all those books marked up with little fang holes.
West of the Rockies
Throw the book at him! Lock him up, lock him up…
Kristine
@WaterGirl: @rikyrah: Yup. Dusty.
Kristine
Henry looks concerned. You should ease his mind and give him a treat.
West of the Rockies
@West of the Rockies:
Or at least give him a major dose of scritches.
kalakal
Just one look at that evil, unrepentant face smirking…
What am I saying, he’s ridiculously cute, there’s no way I could say no to that.
I’d be giving him a treat
Barbara
Henry’s expression says he has more important things on his mind than your rules. Anyway, doesn’t a dog’s comfort transcend all else?
My dog is in her second day of insomnia medication and I actually got 6 hours of sleep, rather than being disrupted after 3 or 4 because of night wandering.
bookdragon
My couch hogging greyhounds say Henry did nothing wrong. ‘An unjust law is no law at all’!
Josie
I’m with Henry. He looks lovely on that couch and would probably snuggle if you sat down with him.
raven
UGH, we’re having “issues” with Artie. Last week she nipped (the phrase dog owners us to minimize the fact their dog bit someone) on the lip. The woman knows her from taking he kid to school and thought it was a good idea to approach Artie and stick her face on the dog’s face. This was at our weekly dinner outside at White Tiger and, last night, it was really busy and a guy had a couple of pups so it was back to the house with Artemis. We were just at the dog park and I know that she’s not good with any dog she doesn’t know. I try to pay attention when someone we don’t recognize pulls up but I didn’t and she dutifully jumped on the dog causing a big ruckus. I felt shitty because the woman with the dog left even thought it wasn’t really her dog’s fault. I am getting a referral to the Vet Med school animal behavior unit to see if there is anything we can do to calm her down. We’ve had her almost two years and she is so good with us here at home but we worry about her all the time.
Steeplejack
Not just “on the couch” but “I’m on the couch a lot!” Just get him his own throw that you can wash as needed. You’ve already lost.
KayInMD (formerly Kay (not the front-pager))
I’d let him off on the technicality that he’s too cute to be just a dog.
My little cat, Loki, got cleared last week as still in remission from lymphoma – over 2 years now and chemo was supposed to buy us 8-10 months. His oncologist says he’s doing so well that if he starts to show signs of relapse he’ll probably only need 2-4 weeks of treatment to put him back in remission.
The big boy, Reilly, also got cleared; his liver tumor hasn’t grown in 6 months, which means it’s benign. Because of his size, though, he’s developed arthritis in his hips, wrists, shoulders, and tail, and is in a lot of pain. Now that Loki is feeling so much better, he wants Reilly to play with him again, but Reilly just hasn’t been up to running around playing tackle-tag. They’re both 12 years old, but Loke doesn’t seem to be aware of that. He still does drive-by zoomies and chirpy calls to try to pull Reilly into his games, but usually the most he can illicit is an upside-down waving of paws. The oncologist told us about a new medication called solencia that treats cat arthritis. It’s a monoclonal antibody shot that the cat gets once a month for 3 month, then every 6-8 weeks. Doesn’t cure arthritis, but slows it & treats pain. Reilly got his first shot from the vet this week. Reilly played chase with Loke last night for the first time in a long time, so I’m optimistic.
Maxim
It’s not Henry’s fault! You left that lovely soft comforter there. It was clearly an invitation.
WaterGirl
@Barbara: Oh, is your dog older? Or young and crazy?
I loved it when my kitties were little – as soon as I went to bed and turned the lights out, the party would begin.
glc
Just don’t let the pigeon drive the bus.
I once had a dog that barked angrily at a small child sitting on our people-only couch. The dog seems to have worked it out that the couch was operating under roller coaster rules.
Another Scott
I’m pretty sure that Darth would say that Henry was framed and deserves a potato product as consolation.
Cheers,
Scott.
Barbara
@raven: Don’t put her in situations where she can’t cope. Or use a muzzle in the high risk settings. I doubt if you can train her out of this kind of anxiety. At least she’s good at home.
WaterGirl
@bookdragon:
Henry approves! And I laughed out loud.
Michael
That look. Unrepentant. Guilty of being too cute.
kindness
In my house the critters can have the chairs/sofas but humans get first dibs if they want to sit there. I cover the couch with a plush blanket that I wash a lot so it doesn’t get too hairy.
raven
@Barbara: Yea, I don’t think she can be trained to overcome the fear that comes with her horrible abuse. But I guess we’ll try and see what they say.
Barbara
@WaterGirl: 15 years old and clearly in her dotage. The night wandering is new and we’ve tried many other things, none of which make a difference. She also now wears diapers inside because she seems to have decided that going outdoors is optional.
WaterGirl
@raven: It’s
toughimpossible to be vigilant every moment.Artie is a good girl, and she’s doing amazingly well after what she has been through. She’s only not calm when she’s out and there’s somebody or something new, right?
So she gets scared and “protects” herself.
Let us know what they say at the vet school.
raven
@WaterGirl: Yea, there are regular dogs at the park and she gets along with them. It’s new dogs that trigger her. The behavior clinic is out until June 15.
Steeplejack
@raven:
Man, that’s rough. Hope you can work it out.
WaterGirl
@KayInMD (formerly Kay (not the front-pager)): My Bailey’s arthritis got way better with shots of Adequan.
So glad things are looking up for you and your crew!
WaterGirl
@Michael: Totally!
“Yeah, I’m up here, what are you gonna do about it?”
Barbara
@raven: So sad. My little rescue dog was high strung when we got him but he was not abused and he has adapted to being in settings with a lot of people and other animals. He doesn’t play but he’s tolerant and well-behaved.
raven
@WaterGirl:
Omnes Omnibus
@Maxim:
Entrapment. Also, with all that comforter there how was he to know that there was a forbidden couch hidden beneath it. Also too, pillows. In addition, can we see the written rules that say no couches? Yes, I said written rules. Besides, that isn’t a couch; it’s a davenport. So there.
WaterGirl
@Barbara: I have seen kitties do the night wandering and howling thing. That was my niece’s cat, and it was hard, but she was a happy girl during the day.
Hopefully the drugs will resolve the situation. Sounds promising so far.
Baud
If on the couch he doesn’t sit, you must acquit.
Ken
I dunno, once a dog turns evil like that, sometimes the only solution is to forget about the couch rule.
WaterGirl
@raven: Fingers crossed! You guys in Athens do some amazing things with animals.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: Going forward, I can see that Henry will have you on speed dial!
Dorothy A. Winsor
Henry saw the couch and no one told him not to get on it.
Remember? What’s that?
raven
@WaterGirl: Yea, Lisa agrees that taking her might be good for her.
Omnes Omnibus
@WaterGirl:
Just be happy we aren’t suing you for malicious prosecution. Consider giving him belly rubs and a snack and I bet he’ll call it even.
WaterGirl
I will confess to pretending – just this once – that I didn’t see him there. :-) Just this once.
I may come to regret that.
But he was SO HAPPY on my little trip with all the people and the dogs (5 dogs in total). I had to double his food intake (literally) because he was constantly following people around and/or playing with one of the other dogs.
So much going on! People walking into the house! People walking out of the house! People walking to get a beverage! People getting in the pool! People getting out of the pool!
Not to mention that Henry must have walked the perimeter of the pool a thousand times.
So after all of that, when he wanted a break from lying on his bed looking out the window, who could blame him?
There may be a brother for Henry in his future. He was so happy with all the action.
Steeplejack
@Barbara:
That sounds like Woody, Italian greyhound late of Sighthound Hall, in his last years. Incontinence problems and confused wandering at night. Nothing seemed to help; it was just part of being very old.
Omnes Omnibus
@WaterGirl:
He stayed out of the pool?
CaseyL
@raven: I guess this is one of those things that people who’ve had and cherished animals have known for a long time, but Official Medicine refused to accept the idea until there was the correct type of research.
I’m so sorry Artie was scared enough to act out, and hope you can find a way to minimize/treat her PTSD.
Oscar went into an emotional shellshock when Jeannie “disappeared, never to return” (I had to have her euthanized, but all Oscar knows is that I took her away and never brought her back).
Now, 7 months later, he has recovered most of his joie de vivre. Which is great, but on Monday I “disappear” for a few weeks (going on vacation). He will have people taking care of him, but I don’t know what he’ll make of it, or how he’ll react when I return.
Kristine
@Barbara: Those issues you describe may indicate Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. I’m going through it right now with Gaby, my 16 yo terrier mix. I don’t often get to sleep the night through anymore. Some internal alarm hears her pacing and since that usually means she has to relieve herself I have time to get up and let her out.
Then there are nights like last night (more like 3am this morning) when I miss my cue.
Talk to your vet. Medications can help. So can a change of food. If your dog can handle corn, Purina Bright Mind has been shown to help–it contains certain fatty acids and antioxidants that help slow the decline. Supplements like salmon oil and Senilife may also help. Whatever the diagnosis, best wishes. It’s not easy to see them age.
tokyokie
We got home after a few days’ vacation earlier in the week, and after some coaxing, both Franco and his fat older brother Marvin came out of hiding. The friend who looks after them said he didn’t see either of them when he visited the house to check their food and water. This is not surprising with Franco, who seems terrified of all humans other than my wife and I, and he’s leery of her, but Marvin is somewhat sociable. But they’re now back to their normal selves, which in Marvin’s case is sleeping most of the day. But little Franco is once again curling up next to my head at night, so all is good.
raven
@CaseyL: Thanks, we ain’t giving up. Barbara is right, it’s our responsibility to keep her out of the situations. My wife can’t handle the dog park because she worries and Artie picks it up.
Juju
I used to have a no dogs on the couch rule, but then I got Ruby Jean and that rule flew out the window. In some sort of psychic moment a couple of years before I got Ruby Jean, I picked out a couch with a slipcover instead of upholstered, I realized I could wash the cushion covers when necessary. Now I love snuggling and watching tv and reading with the cutest, dearest little dog next to me. The blanket idea would also work.
KayInMD (formerly Kay (not the front-pager))
@Steeplejack: My son’s chihuahua didn’t wander after he went to bed, but it got harder and harder to get him to bed at night (I dog-sat while my son worked nights, and Nikko had to be in his bed before I could go to bed). The vet told us it was something that happens with elderly dogs with dementia, akin to human Alzheimer’s patients’ sundowning- that late-night wandering that is often a signature symptom. He was also confused, sometimes forgetting to use his ramp, forgetting where his pee pad was, etc.
He never did forget about treats though, not even to the very end.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: Yep! Not a water dog, apparently!
Maybe the 12 sessions of water treadmill after his ACL surgery had something to do with that?
BruceJ
Tikka is a big fan of Andrew Wyeth’s painting “Master Bedroom” obviously :-)
Jackie
@WaterGirl: I HOPE he gets a brother! Or sister!
Henry’s only guilty of cuteness – throw the book at him! Maximum treats and skritches are called for 😊
OzarkHillbilly
Billie Jean and Percy are gracious enough to share the couch with my wife and I. If I get up, I have to look at Billie Jean and tell her, “I’m coming back.” If I don’t, she’ll steal my seat. Sometimes she steals it anyway. Also, Billie Jean uses my blanket as a pacifier, so I quite often find it has a sopping wet part. or 3. Yesterday she had 2 blankets.
Manyakitty
@WaterGirl: Henry knows how to use his cuteness. What a precious little scamp 😍
Asimov likes to play aggressive games of fetch as soon as we go to bed. It’s adorable. 😻
Miki
Henry has such a sweet face …. I’ve never tried a no-furniture rule – am pretty sure it wouldn’t work for me, and for sure not if my doggo had a face like Henry’s, which, come to think of it, he sort of does.
My Ty has been busy watching dog shows on teevee. Such a funny guy ….
WaterGirl
@BruceJ: Oh my gosh, Tikka is gorgeous! Is she an internet friend or a new companion?
Manyakitty
@WaterGirl: Heisenberg (15) occasionally walks around yowling until one of us calls his name or even just “hey kitty” Then he knows we’re around for him and he calms down.
WaterGirl
@OzarkHillbilly: Yeah, Henry has his “babies”, stuffed animals that he will suck on right after I return from being out of the house for an hour or more. It’s only for a couple of minutes, I think he has to tell them how much he missed me!
JPL
@rikyrah: how sweet!
WaterGirl
@Manyakitty: It’s hard to throw (whatever it is) when you are asleep! Maybe it’s the equivalent of “can I have a glass of water?” for kids at bedtime?
WaterGirl
@Manyakitty: Yeah, I would call out “it’s okay, Corona” when I stayed overnight. Sometimes it helped, sometimes it didn’t.
Manyakitty
@WaterGirl: he has an assortment of toys. We occasionally wake up covered in them and then he gets extra treats because we feel bad. Lol
Ceci n est pas mon nym
I don’t like dogs on the sofa, but Sammy and I have both learned that I’m fine with him being on top of ME on the sofa, or perching on the back of the sofa.
So he waits till I sit down / lay down and then uses me to climb to the back without making illegal contact with the sofa cushions.
But a few times I’ve left the house and come back unexpectedly for some forgotten item and found a dog hurriedly leaving the sofa, hoping I didn’t notice. Knowing the rules and obeying the rules are two different things.
Kristine
The first time I caught the late lamented Mickey on the couch, he slunk off and cowered so that I needed to comfort him and settle him. I knew he’d been abused at his former home and reactions like that served to drive the point home.
Fast forward a couple of years–I catch him on the couch and he jumps down, tail wagging, as if to say “you totally didn’t see that–I’m a good boy.”
Percysowner
Shiloh, my 10 year old Beagleish girl has me worried. A few months ago she started panting for no reason. It wasn’t hot, she wasn’t exerting herself and she was a bit lethargic and not really herself. I hoped it was anxiety. I took her to the vet. Today they just did a THIRD blood panel on her. The first one showed really high, like 3 times the right level, thyroid readings. The second (fasting) showed low thyroid and elevated cholesterol. So they put her on pain meds to see if that was the problem. No change. Today’s tests were a full panel, fasting, that will be sent to a Vet School lab and will take 2 weeks to get back. Plus they took her blood pressure and it was sky high 215, when it should be 120 to 160 max. They’ve put her on BP medications for now.. A lot of her symptoms look like Cushing’s disease, but she doesn’t have some of the most common symptoms, and the initial blood tests ruled that out. I’m just so worried about her. I’m hoping this last round of blood tests will provide some answers because I can tell she’s just not feeling good at all.
Butch
We own an upholstery shop and just redid an antique couch that some exponent of great grandparents brought from Europe in the mid-1800s. Miserably heavy beast to move….I gave in after a day and covered the couch with a quilt because the two goldens wouldn’t stay off it. It’s been in the 90s here, which is very rare, and they’re miserable in that kind of heat.
raven
Artie has her “spot” on the sofa and she’s very happy to have it.
OzarkHillbilly
@Percysowner: Best of luck to you both.
eclare
If you don’t want Henry on the couch, then why did you put the comfy and inviting blankie on there?
zhena gogolia
@WaterGirl: So cute. He deserves a brother.
Omnes Omnibus
@eclare:
That is the essence of the entrapment defense.
Dangerman
I don’t think that is “concern”. Given he was caught red pawed, I think he turned the dial to “maximum cute” (redlined it from all appearances, i.e., I think I can see the thought forming in his brain that a picture was going to be taken and shared with the entire world, so best crank it up).
Jackie
Sec Buttigieg had to say goodbye to his Truman😢
https://twitter.com/PeteButtigieg/status/1664793475760439297?s=20
Jager
I had a German Shepherd Onza loved the water, he loved it so much, he’d jump off my sailboat just for the hell of it. I got really good at “Man Overboard Procedures”. In the mid 90s I got a promotion that required a move to West Palm. I bought a 50s era little Florida ranch, the entire backyard was a swimming pool. The first night there (no furniture yet) we hadn’t been in the house for 5 minutes, I heard a splash, and sure as hell there was my boy paddling around “his pool”. We slept on the floor n the TV room that night and he insisted on sleeping pressed against my back. It took a month to get him to stop tipping my floating pool chair over. He was such a pain in the ass, we’ve had 2 more from the same breeder. One of them hated the water.
JeanneT
@Kristine:
My senior dog Raleigh had CCD. He would pace and whine from sunset till dawn until I started feeding him Bright Mind. After 2 years I switched him to Hills prescription Brain Aging Care which had lower protein and phosphorus. He was showing the effects of kidney disease, arthritis, and loss of hearing and vision by that point, so I can’t blame the Hills diet for a sudden downturn in his health last month.
eclare
@Omnes Omnibus:
Brilliant defense, counselor.
NutmegAgain
Henry is adorable! If I looked that cute wrapped in a comforter, I would never leave the sofa …
My current foster boy, known around these parts as Beetlejuice* is up to his typical hijinks. He’s just a very active, bouncy, athletic … young Newfoundland. Yeah. Black & white. Totally cute, but wow! he did not get the memo on being calm and restrained. We’re working on it. He’s getting
tutored, er, neutered next week. I can’t wait! I was searching online farm tools catalogs for a do it yourself castrating kit. (joke) *Not his real name.eclare
@Percysowner:
That is so hard, not knowing! Paws and fingers crossed here for the best.
Kristine
@JeanneT: I tried Bright Mind with Gaby. She ate it and seemed to like it, but she was diagnosed with IBD and apparent issues with grains when I first got her, and indications were that the corn in Bright Mind was an issue. So I switched her to another senior food (Blue Buffalo Senior) and started her on Senilife. She was 14 at that point–I learned then that I should’ve started her on brain support at age 7, but she was such a little firecracker that brain support was the last thing I’d have thought she needed.
OzarkHillbilly
JeanneT
@Kristine:
We were lucky that the grains were not an issue for Raleigh – or at least didn’t appear to be. He was a bright and lively lad in his prime, but he went through lots of anaesthesia for cancer treatment and imaging and I think that was possibly cause of his cognitive issues. I wish I had known about Bright Mind then – it might have protected him somewhat….
Geminid
@WaterGirl: I ran into a good article about your new Representative, Nikki Budzinski. It was published May 4 in E&E 📰 a site that reports on clean energy developments, and is titled “Podesta protégé navigates labor, environmental divide.”
Budzinski met John Podesta while working on the 2016 Clinton campaign. She had worked the previous decade for the International Fire Fighter and United Food and Commercial Workers Unions.
She and Podesta had a common interest in creating an economically just and politically viable transition to clean energy. Clinton’s loss put this effort off for four years and in the meantime, Budzinski worked for J. B. Pritzger’s campaign and administration. She left to head a new advocacy group “Climate Jobs Illinois,” in order to help pass Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Justice Act:
Now, with the new IRA legislation being implemented, Budzinski is co-chair of a renewable energy caucus that educates Representatives about the opportunities presented by the legislation.
And over at the White House, fellow Clinton campaign alumnus John Podesta now has responsibility for implementing the IRA’s clean energy provisions.
Budzinski is also working hard on the next Farm Bill, but that’s another story.
Another Scott
Meanwhile, …
Good for her. More, please.
Cheers,
Scott.
tokyokie
@Manyakitty: Marvin, our older Siamese, will often do his “where is everybody?” meow, but then I’ll call his name, and he’ll come running and he’ll get a few scritches. But he’s done this a lot less since we added Franco to the household. Franco will keep Marvin busy, if not necessarily amused.
Geminid
@Another Scott: In other news from Southeastern Europe, Turkiye is sending 500-700 peacekeeping troops to Kosovo, at the request of NATO. There already are 350 Turkish troops in NATO’s Kosovo peacekeeping force.
JoyceH
My couch is FOR the pets. I always sit in the recliner. I got a new couch last year, because the old one was several decades old and really disgraceful by that point. Probably overspent and got a nice leather couch. And none of the animals would sit on it. Didn’t want to sit directly ‘on the cow’, I guess. So I got a pet-friendly sofa cover and now they lounge all over it. Sometimes I take the cover off and put it in the wash, and think ‘oh, the couch is so pretty’ – but then replace the cover. I’m planning to get a puppy later this year and sort of cringe about the implications for the couch.
Yesterday I planted petunias in the front planters by the porch that had been empty for years – and Jazzy started rooting around in them. She uprooted one of the petunias, but seemed to be intent on the potty soil itself. Maybe because it’s nice and fluffy? I replanted and Spoke to her sternly, and keeping a watchful eye.
WaterGirl
@Miki: Too funny!
WaterGirl
@Manyakitty: hahaha
WaterGirl
@Kristine: Sweet story.
WaterGirl
@Percysowner: I was thinking Cushings before you even got there. Sounds just like my sister’s dog who had Cushings. There was medication that helped a lot, and the pup lived several more years.
WaterGirl
@eclare: Well, I actually put it on the chair when we left on our trip, so Miss Willow (the kitty) would have a happy spot while we were gone.
Then yesterday I wanted to sit in the chair, so without thinking I tossed it on the couch. oops
WaterGirl
@Jager: Sweet boy, sweet story.
Geminid
@Geminid: That’s E&E News with the Nikki Budzinski story.
WaterGirl
@Geminid: Interesting! Unlike the Rs, she is there to serve and make things better.
rikyrah
Where is the lie 😂😂😂
Her brother will become an episode on the ID channel.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRoVLLvA/
piratedan
@eclare: cut and dried case of entrapment
WaterGirl
I just put up my politics post from last night that I postponed, but I wouldn’t mind if we talked pets all day, so I hope that post doesn’t shut this one down.
Geminid
@WaterGirl: I like what Representative-elect Budzinski said to the cheering crowd at last year’s victory celebration in Springfield:
“Thank you, and let’s get to work.”
sab
@raven: I agree with Barbara on the muzzle. The dogs get used to them. Our goldens associated them with walks and used to jump up and down with excitement when we brought the muzzles out.
Ponyo has to wear one when she might misbehave. She has never bit anyone but she growls at the vet and the nail trimming people. She’d rather not wear it but it doesn’t upset her except at the vet (shots involved.)
Percysowner
@WaterGirl:
My vet thought so too, but the first test came back as fine. With the odd thyroid readings they did another more extensive panel and when the thyroid came back low no one could explain it. So here’s round three. I’m really expecting Cushings as well. I’m hoping we can get her treated, although I know there isn’t a cure, just meds to reduce the symptoms. As long as I can keep her feeling good, I’ll be happy.
StringOnAStick
@raven: I never had fear of dogs until my close friend in another city asked me to visit and her normally nice 110lb rottie/doberman mix lunged for my face. She had ahold of his collar because she was trying to introduce him, so she caught him and I “only” got a nip on the biceps, which now 2 months later is a scar with a perfect impression of his 4 front teeth (a serious pinch that drew blood); if she hadn’t caught him he would have gotten my face or a full arm bite, and that dog would have been required to be euthanized because I’m the second person he’s done that with. He’s perfect with them and was even OK with the contractor who was there for weeks, but the contractor had been gone for awhile and they live fairly backwoods so not a whole lot of people around. I love my friend and she’s a big part of why we moved to Oregon, but I will not visit her house again as long as that dog is around, and I hate that I now have some fear of dogs and had nightmares about it for weeks.
If you want to keep Artie from a bad fate, the training is essential but the risk will always be there so you’re going to have to adjust to that.
jackmac
Lost that fight with my dog — Bailey — a long time ago.
But he’s still a VERY GOOD BOY!!
raven
@StringOnAStick: Thanks
WaterGirl
@Percysowner: My sister’s dog also didn’t show it in the tests right away. Maybe ask if they could try the medication and see if it works?
StringOnAStick
@raven: I’m sorry Raven, I wish you could remove all the bad memories that are troubling her, she’s great with you two and that’s wonderful. It’s up to you to do what her prior owners refused to do, and that’s to keep Artie safe. Given her horrific prior treatment, she may not get as good a result from training and any results you see may not be stable. The other comments here about keeping her out of situations that trigger her sound right and considering a muzzle means she gets to stay with you, not get into trouble where her fate is out of your hands, and no one gets hurt.
Mark
The law should be rescinded. Henry obviously enjoys the couch and should have unhindered access to the couch like any other member of the family in good standing. And T-Bones for dinner on Saturday nights.
WaterGirl
@StringOnAStick: yikes! that would be frightening. Including the inevitable “what if?” scenarios that are hard to shake.
Percysowner
@WaterGirl: I’m pretty sure this next round of tests will redo the Cushing’s test. I’ll ask when we get the results. It’s so hard to see my normally perky girl just lying around, panting and not being happy.
raven
@StringOnAStick: I ordered a muzzle
WaterGirl
@Percysowner: When they thought my Mellon might have thyroid issues, they said the test for that wasn’t particularly reliable so the best bet was to give her the thyroid meds and see if it made a difference.
(Yes, it did, it was like night and day.)
I was suggesting that if they can’t come up with a cause, and the test for cushings doesn’t come back positive, that maybe they could try the bushings meds for long enough to determine whether they are making a difference.
Manyakitty
@tokyokie: We originally got Asimov for Heisenberg after our Schrodinger (his litter mate) died. He kept visiting Schrodinger’s spots and staring at me for a year. He loves Manya, our other cat, but is not interested in playing rough. The boys love each other (if I ask Heisenberg where his baby is, he looks around for Asimov). All that said, I guess he still gets lonely.
Fingers crossed for many more happy years with all our fur babies.
prostratedragon
Henry looks very hard to scold. And indeed, utterly unrepentent.
mrmoshpotato
He’s celebrating spring. (I guess.)
WaterGirl
@prostratedragon: Yes! Absolutely and utterly unrepentant!
WaterGirl
@mrmoshpotato: It is a fun pillow, but you can’t see most of it!
Denali5
My Sheltie Daisy chewed through her lead today. She showed no remorse.
Mel
@WaterGirl: When we lived in the backwoods of Kentucky, we drove back up to civilization to trade in our sedan for a Subaru. Our big Lab made the trip with us, and went with hubby to visit with her human grandparents while car shopping happened and the trade-in was negotiated.
I had spent several hours meticulously detailing the sedan prior to the trip. Doggie had been bathed and groomed until she gleamed so that there wouldn’t be loose Lab hair all over the car.
The salesperson shot me a startlingly low offer for the trade- in, saying that the car would have to be “completely sanitized” and needed “a full detailing after that”. He had already been annoyingly patronizing and mansplain-y the whole time, and that was the last straw for me.
I was really insulted, since we keep our cars clean and tidy, and I had worked my tail off in the 90-plus degree heat, detailing every little area of the interior. I told him that he was nuts, the car looked fantastic inside and out, and that he could give me the reasonable trade-in that I had asked for, or I would walk away and give a different dealership my business. I thought he was just pulling the “little gals don’t know anything about cars” crap, and I was in no mood for it.
He was clearly irritated, but finally, grudgingly, agreed on a fair trade-in price. Paperwork was signed, and I went to retrieve my sunglasses and a few items from the console of the car, which had been sitting in the afternoon sun while test drives, etc. took place.
I opened the door and a hideous smell about knocked me over. I couldn’t imagine what in the hell was going on, until I opened the back passenger side door, and – voila!
A steaming pile of Labrador vomit on the floormat, complete with an intact french fry sticking up out of the center like it was giving everyone the finger. I nearly died of embarrassment!
Apparently, hubby had slipped our girl a fee chicken nuggets snd fries from our road lunch, and right before I dropped her off, she silently unloaded. The dealership was just a few minutes from my parents’ house, and with the air conditioning cranking and my summertime allergies acting up, there had been. no immediately detectable smell.
The car had sat for a couple of hours in the blisteringly hot afternoon sun before the salesperson and the detailer opened the door and got blasted by the wretched stench. They must have thought that I knew it was in there, and yet had sat there blithely telling them how clean and well-detailed for the car’s interior was.
Oooh, the shame!!!!
Ken_L
All my household furniture are belong to my dogs. The poodle specialises in digging the bedsheets into a ball. But he’s a good boy, he only tears them occasionally.
WaterGirl
@Mel: Oh, no! Oh well, at least you got your fair price. I assume your hubby was in the doghouse for awhile after that.