I just love the look on Barclay’s face – he’s such a clown!
Category: pets
RIP Chester
Chester took a turn for the worse this morning and we had to rush him to the vet. We knew it was time, but the vet wanted to try to give him some painkillers and see how he was tomorrow. We both felt strongly that enough was enough. The poor guy had artheritis, heart and lung problems, a dead leg, and couldn’t control his potty anymore. We had worked hard to keep him comfortable, but he was just miserable. We were waiting for the sign that it was time, and when he collapsed this morning we knew that was it. I couldn’t see bringing him home and putting him through anymore.
Good news!
Woke up this morning and guess who was sitting on the back deck, staring in the back door window? Mighty! And boy was she hungry! Wherever she’d been for the last day and a half, she was hungry and glad to be home. What a relief! Now guess who’s not going back outside today 🙂
Barclay and the cats
The cats have encouraged Barclay to play rough with them from the very beginning. Rougher than I would like to see, but it’s hard to play referee all the time. I figure if they don’t like it they will tell him. So I stay out of it and let them play.
Wool makes a comfy bed
This is what I found in the morning on my freshly washed wool!
Yawn and stretch, wasn’t that a great night’s sleep?! Dinner picnic!
I got the crazy idea yesterday afternoon that I would pack a sandwich, drink, and a book, and take the dogs to the park and have a dinner picnic. My only regret in this was 1) letting Alki see me prepare the kongs I brought along for them before we left – because she spent the entire walk obsessing about when she would get the kong, and then stole Barclay’s too! and 2) taking both dogs, because it was like having two little kids in the backseat on a long car ride! They cannot be happy sniffing the same bush, or one being ahead of the other. Actually, it’s all Alki who had her nose out of joint. Barclay is way too laid back to be much trouble. So I spend the whole time untangling leashes and being alternately pulled forward or dragged behind.
Once we got there and I laid out a blanket and tied the pooches to opposite ends of the picnic table, I turned to grab my sandwich only to find that while I was tying Barclay, Alki pulled the sandwich out of the pack, opened the container, and was munching on my bun!
Look, she’s not even sorry she got caught! Unrepentant eskimo!!
Barclay was busy watching squirels in the bushes. He didn’t even care about his kong.
Alki enjoyed it once she had polished off both Kongs and there was no sandwich left to worry about. Then she could relax! Doesn’t she look great for a dog who’s 13 years old and survived a serious bout with cancer last year? No matter how much of a ‘peskie eskie’ she is, I treasure our time together even more.
I managed to read a few pages before it started to get dark and we headed back on the wooded path home.
Finally – llama packing
I’ve been wanting to take the llamas hiking but have not been able to afford pack saddles. I was lucky to find some for sale on CL. I can’t wait for the boys to see this, I think they’re going to think this is pretty cool. Packing is a great way to teach the llamas all the stuff they need to know for 4H! Here Scoops models his new pack frame.
Please note, I am NOT bigger than the llama, I am just standing closer to the camera!
Barclay and Scoops are buddies.
And Barclay loves to grab his rope and try to lead him around.
All in all, Scoops was a very good sport about wearing his pack for the first time. I’m sure he’s had a pack on before though, but he was good about letting me do it to him.
Wore out!
Barclay had another puppy come over to play with him a couple days ago, and they ran and played and wrestled until they were both wore out! He spent the whole rest of the day like this in the middle of the living room, completely oblivious to what was going on around him 🙂 A tired dog is a good dog – an exhausted dog is the BEST dog!
Herding llamas
Barclay loves to herd the goats and sheep, but he can’t figure out why the llamas won’t be herded.
After running around like a nut chasing goats and sheep, what could be better than cooling your harbles in the water trough?
LOL :)
Barclay came trotting out in the front room the other evening and plopped down between us and the TV, and when we saw what he had we just about bust a gut laughing! Luckily he found it in the paper recycling bin, so he couldn’t burn down the house (if that was his intention). It was still pretty funny!
Steff Does Stuff! 