Dog Days

On March 26, 2012May 29, 2018 By stefrobrtsIn alki, barclay, navi, pets3 Comments

Seems like I only have a chance to take pictures of the dogs on the weekends, since I get home from work so late during the week. Today was a beautiful sunny day, and we got to play outside all day. Barclay was my subject today, between rounds of stickball.

I am still LOVING my 35mm f1.8 lens. I love the soft backgrounds and the sharp focus on the subject.

This is the two year anniversary of our little Alki passing away after a three year battle with cancer. I’ve been so lucky to have Barclay to soften the blow, and then a few months later Navi joined the party. Sometimes Navi looks so much like Alki, or does something that just seems so much like her, I take a double-take. Rest in peace, sweet little Alki, you’ll always have a place in my heart.

Alki

Plaques

On April 21, 2010May 29, 2018 By stefrobrtsIn alki, chester1 Comment

A few years ago I made a couple 10 inch wood-burned plaques – one of Chester the dalmatian, and one of a pattern of a Pomeranian, which was supposed to look like Alki, but I was never very happy with it. I used a pattern because I wasn’t sure how to make an all-white dog look good on a plaque. Chester was easy with all his spots!

I wanted to Make Alki a plaque, but after she was diagnosed with cancer I felt like I would be making her memorial plaque, and that just wasn’t right. So I put it off and left it for later.

So today I got out my woodburning tool, a plaque, and picked out one of my favorite pictures of Alki, and got to work. I drew what I wanted on the enlarged picture and transferred it to the plaque in pencil to start with. It’s so hard to get started on a project like this.

Mostly because at this stage I look at it and think ‘OMG, that looks like total crap’. Artists can be so hard on themselves.

Oh, hey, that looks ok! It turned out pretty nice. I had one little spot I messed up, but I was able to sand it off. Now I can have plaques in the hallway of my two friends who were such a big part of our lives for so many years 🙂

Update: I was burning my name and the date on the back, with a little inscription for Alki, and I looked up her records to see what her birth date was and today would have been her 15th birthday! What are the odds I would pick today to finally make her plaque?

Memories of Alki

On March 26, 2010May 29, 2018 By stefrobrtsIn alki, chester3 Comments

It helps to look back and remember what a full life she had with us, traveling, playing on the beach, romping through the snow, and just being a great dog. After being sick for three years, it’s easy to forget how active she used to be, and how much fun she had just running around and doing doggie stuff.

Rest in Peace, little Pup

On March 23, 2010April 1, 2024 By stefrobrtsIn alki, pets3 Comments

Just yesterday I posted how Alki seemed to be feeling great. I’m glad she had a great day and came out and enjoyed the sun, because today she woke up with a badly swollen leg. We watched her until afternoon to see if it was temporary, but it was bothering her, and she kept coming to me for help. We took her to the vet and she confirmed that the cancer had blocked something. She was able to let her go while resting peacefully in my lap. Almost three years since the cancer diagnosis, and it was no easier even though we knew it was coming. But it was the right thing to do. We never wanted her to suffer, and the time had come to let her go.

Alki was almost 15, and we got her when she was 8 weeks old, in fact we met her litter while they were still blind and in the box with their mama, who was also a wonderful dog and convinced us she would have a great temperament. One of my favorite stories is how we met her. The breeder had two girl pups left, and we got to choose. She said ‘take them out on the lawn and play with them and see which one fits you better, but I recommend this one’ and handed us a pup. We took her out on the lawn and put her on the grass and Dave called her and she toddled over to him, and then I called her and she toddled back to me, and she was so sweet and adorable. Then we went back in and she handed us the other pup. We took this one out and Dave called her and as soon as I set her on the grass whoosh – she took off running – away! Dave jumped up and grabbed her and brought her back, and I called her, and as soon as her feet hit the grass – zoom – she ran away again! Dave caught her and we took her back inside, the puppy wriggling and trying to get away, and told the breeder – we’ll take this one! ‘Are you sure?’ she said, knowing the other one was sweet and mellow, and we were first-time owners. ‘Yup, this is the one’ 🙂

And she was. Beautiful, full of spunk and trouble, she was absolutely evil as a puppy, destructive and pesky. But she grew up to be loving, and a great friend, loved to pin us to the couch with a paw on each shoulder and try to drown us in kisses. She knew all her toys by name, learned tons of tricks, knew hand signals, and would have earned her CGC except we moved across the state the week before testing. She would ‘go find Daddy’, and loved to say hello at the door, and wasn’t happy until everyone was home. When we moved out in the country and she stepped on thorns, she would hobble over to me and hold her paw up for me to make it better. We eat dinner sitting at a low table, and she would sit on the floor between us for the best view of the plates and potential for leftovers. Every morning she would wake up and come find me for a hug.

We did what we could about the cancer. She never complained a bit, and trotted off willingly with the nurse for every treatment. She got a couple extra years, and a chance to grow into an old dog. I’m glad we were able to give her that time, and keep her comfortable and love her for as long as we did. I know she never went a day without knowing how much she was loved, and in the end I guess that’s the best any of us can hope for.

Rest in peace Sweetie, Beautiful, Pup, Alki.

Alki update

On March 23, 2010May 29, 2018 By stefrobrtsIn alki, mighty, pets1 Comment

Alki on the porch with Mighty (when she was at the vet hospital they had to shave spots on both her front legs for the IV – so she looks like she’s wearing furry boots until the hair grows back)

Alki is hanging in there. Everyone is over their doggie colds, though Alki still gets a bit of a cough now and then. She’s definitely feeling better, and is even downright perky sometimes. I thought for sure her time was about up, but she’s like the energizer bunny, she just keeps going…

Sick days

On March 9, 2010May 29, 2018 By stefrobrtsIn alki, barclay, pets1 Comment

Barclay, contemplating being sick

Alki is still having trouble with her coughing problems. She went to the vet yesterday and the vet x-rayed her and decided the coughing was caused by flabby old lady parts sagging into her airway. I don’t think I buy that though (though I certainly paid for it through the nose) because Alki has never coughed until the day after she came back from her hospitalization.

Then yesterday Barclay was kind of lethargic, and I thought he was still tired from playing so hard with the other eskimos on Sunday. But he did this weird backwards sneeze, kind of like a snorting fit, a few times, and by afternoon he seemed really miserable. By evening he was really pitiful, moping around, sleeping under my desk or by my feet, making gurgling congested noises, and freaking out everytime he had one of those snorty fits. Unfortunately this went on all night, with him miserable and snorty, and Alki coughing (despite the pills the vet gave her). I got no sleep at all, comforting poor miserable dogs!

This morning Barclay feels much better. He’s only done one little snort, and he’s up and around and wagging again. Alki had several bad coughing fits this morning, and was coughing up foamy stuff. I don’t know of that’s better than not coughing anything up at all. I gave her another pill and she’s resting now, and I have a call in to the vet. Hopefully this is just a bug that’s passing through and she’ll beat it.

Update: Talked to the vet this afternoon. By the time I talked to her Jack had started coughing, and she agrees it sounds like Alki picked up a bug and gave it to the other two. Nothing to do but wait it out. Barclay is much better. Alki quit coughing up foam. Jack is just heading into it, and looking kind of miserable. I’m just hoping for a better night’s sleep than last night.

Pets around the house

On March 8, 2010May 29, 2018 By stefrobrtsIn alki, barclay, jack, mighty, mouse, pets3 Comments

Mouse and Alki

I went to bed early, and by the time Dave came to bed there was no room left for him 😦 Sorry!

(Jack, Mighty, and Barclay)

Alki on the mend

On March 7, 2010May 29, 2018 By stefrobrtsIn alki, petsLeave a comment

Alki is doing fine, spunky and eating well again. And napping a lot, but who can blame her, it’s been a busy week for a little dog! She has been coughing a bit, so I’ll talk to the vet on Monday. We felt ok to leave her alone all evening and ran down to the beach to visit with our friends we were supposed to be camping with this weekend, if we hadn’t stayed home with the pup!

Alki is home again

On March 3, 2010May 29, 2018 By stefrobrtsIn alki1 Comment

I’m still a bit nervous, but Alki is pretty relaxed – because she’s home from the doggie hospital!

I’m so happy to be home – FEED ME!

I’m feeding her small amounts hoping her stomach stays on the mend. She’s hungry, and giving me sad eyes, so I guess that’s a good sign. Long as she keeps at it.

While at the hospital they did an ultrasound and confirmed there was a large mass around her bladder, which is the cancer. We pretty much knew it was back already. That old bastard is going to get her one way or the other. Thanks to the miracles of modern medicine, and our dedicated veterinarians, she has cheated death for nearly three years since her diagnosis. Even the oncologist says it’s an incredible result. Not much to do now but treat any symptoms as they occur, and give her lots of love.

Alki in the hospital, Barclay eats an egg

On March 2, 2010May 29, 2018 By stefrobrtsIn alki, barclay, jack, petsLeave a comment

Last week we tried a new antibiotic on Alki, because the vet thinks she has a kidney infection. Unfortunately it upset her stomach and she became reluctant to eat. Then the vet gave us some medicine to help her stomach, and some anti-nausea meds on Saturday, and she ate fine. But Sunday she threw up her food, and Sunday night she woke me up at 4AM throwing up. I tried to give her the medicine and a little bread to settle her stomach but she threw that up too. So I called the vet first thing in the morning and she said to bring her right in. She put her on IV fluids and took a urine sample to send to the lab to determine exactly which antibiotic she needs, and gave her a shot to settle her stomach. When we visited in the afternoon the vet said Alki had settled right down in her kennel and was resting. They had just taken her for a walk to go potty, and we could visit her if we wanted, but I didn’t want her to get all stirred up again. She said it was a good thing she was deaf because none of the noises around the busy vet hospital were bothering her, and although she had been nervous and shaking terribly when we brought her in, she seemed to be relaxing and just hanging out now. Tomorrow the vet wants me to bring her some of her favorite food and if she can eat it and keep it down she can come home tomorrow.

It’s so weird having her gone. It’s quieter around the house, and a bit more relaxing not worrying about her all the time, but I keep looking for her. I know this is what it will be like when she’s gone. It will still take some getting used to even though we’ve had almost three years to get used to the idea. But hopefully this crisis will pass and she’ll be home tomorrow and recovering from this little setback.

Meanwhile, out in the yard, I played with Barclay and gave him an egg to eat.