Happy Halloweenies

I’ve never been a big Halloween person. Your costume is either lame, time consuming or expensive and I’m not a fan of any of those things. I became more of a fan of Halloween when Brinkley came into my life and I could dress him for the same price as a child since they are nearly the same size.

Brinkley spent his first Halloween acting like a bronco. Video and pictures here:

The lesson I learned from Halloween 2011? Brinkley doesn’t like things on his head.

Halloween 2012 came around the corner REAL fast. My boyfriend, Brandon, mentioned that Target had dog costumes for a Wide Retriever and a Rufferee. This made perfect sense for Brinkley who is a golden and Ein who is a hound who makes too much noise. It was also cute because it would basically be a couples costume for them which I LOVE but Brandon refuses to do for us. These shirts were $7 and seemed like such a simple and inexpensive solution.

Mission Find Wide Retriever and Rufferee Costumes (Mission FWRARC) began.

Target 1: We found a medium of the Rufferee costume. Ein is still a puppy so that should work. Check. Wide Retrievers costumes out of stock.

Target 2: Large and XL Wide Retriever costumes out of stock.

(P.S. This is where a normal person would have given up.)

A pit stop was taken to get some lunch and for Ein to try on his costume. Yep. Too Small. It is now noted that Ein is not at small as we think. Will he ever be Brinkley’s size? No. Will he ever be small? No.

Target 3: Neither a Large of the Rufferee or an XL of the Wide Retriever costume were in stock.

Target 4: Neither in stock. Mission FWRARC failed. We decided to see what other dog costumes were in stock. We settled with Ein being a hot dog since he is a complete hog when it comes to food. It also fit his silly personality. For Brinkley? I had a sad “whatever, this will work” moment and grabbed a shark costume. Why? Because he likes to swim. I know, it’s a stretch.

We went home to try out the dog costumes. Ein’s worked wonderfully. Brinkley’s XL Shark Costume was too short on his body and then there was one of those “this doesn’t look nearly as good as the picture” moments.

Which reminds me of….

My Halloween enthusiasm was gone.

(Insert sad part of movie where people are alone and trying to find out life's meaning.)

A week before Halloween, I was at a Target picking up a few things and walked by an isle with all the dog costumes. Shining right in the middle of the display was an XL Wide Retriever costume. Cue angels singing.

Being a completely logical person, I immediately disregarded the fact that I had already spent $7 on a Rufferee costume that didn’t fit and $12 on a shark costume I was unimpressed with. I snatched the XL and walked merrily to check out.

I received a text from my brother that he wanted to have a Halloweenie Bash for all the dogs to show off their costumes on the 31^st. This made me feel better about my waste of money. At least there would be a “legitimate” reason for Brinkley to wear his shirt.

Overall, Halloween wasn’t bad. I didn’t buy an expensive costume, or spend a lot of time on something I’d only wear once. That probably puts me in the “lame” category but at least the dogs were cool.

Note: On November 1^st, Brandon came up with the best costume for Ein. Yep, he came up with the perfect costume the day after Halloween. So now you have 364 days to prepare for FRANKEN-EIN!

Pictures below of the Halloweenie bash.

The Perks of Being a Dublin Dog

I’d like to think that ever since Brinkley was born he’d prefer to be in water rather than on land. Even if Brinkley is too tired to swim he would rather just lounge in the water than be on the grass. With a dog so addicted to water, I knew he needed a collar that wouldn’t bring in all the water back inside with him.

Fabric collars are great for land dogs, but if you are the proud owner of a water dog, you need a collar that is durable, waterproof, and stink resistant. That’s where Dublin Dog comes in handy.

Dublin Dog has a line of dog collars labeled “All Style, No Stink” and that is exactly what they are. They have a wide range of colors and patterns to pick from. The best part is that they are all waterproof. A waterproof collar means that these collars resist moisture, retain dirt and will not harbor bacteria. Big bonus points, Dublin Dog.

Olive and Brown

Tahitian Sky

Persian Dawn

With these All Style, No Stink Collars you also don’t have to worry about mans best friend getting dirty. They can play in all the mud and dirt they want and all you have to do is put the collar in some water and, bingo, just like new.

Brinkley has worn multiple Dublin Dog collars in his life but the only reason was because he had outgrown them. These collars hold up so well and don’t fade, fray or age like fabric collars.

All these reasons and more make the All Style, No Stink Collars worth every penny. They range from $24-$28 dollars depending on size. Like I said, worth every penny. You will get sick of seeing your dog in the same collar before the collar gives up.

Check out the All Style, No Stink collars along with other collars, toys and merchandise at dublindog.com.

Doggie Earaches and Ear Infections

Brinkley has been struggling with earaches and ear infections ever since he was a few months old. Over the past year, I’ve learned some effective ways to lower his pain while avoiding costly vet bills.

Before talking about solutions, I wanted to share a philosophy that helped me understand why Brinkley is so prone to ear issues.

Galen, a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher, mapped a matrix called the Four Temperaments based on the Four Elements- Air, Fire, Water and Earth. The matrix consists of four elements:  hot or cold and wet or dry. This matrix has been applied to countless things, but in this case, it was used as a way to describe dogs.

A holistic vet shared that dogs can either be hot or cold, wet or dry. Brinkley is a hot, wet dog, which means that his internal nature is typically hot and wet. Heat and wetness are easy targets for infections due to the moisture. All of this makes sense when thinking about how much build up could get in his hot, wet ears.

Because of his hot/wet nature, Brinkley’s ears need constant care. I’ve come up with a strategy to keeping his poor ears clean. While the strategy is effective, it’s not enjoyed by Brinkley. It is a good way to avoid ear infections, unpleasant vet appointments, and the bills associated with it.

Cleaning Ears:

A dogs ears should be routinely cleaned out to prevent ear infections and big amounts of build up. Depending on what you think your dogs Four Element nature is depends on how often you should clean their ears. If you think your dog has a hot or wet nature, ears should be cleaned on a monthly or weekly basis. Brinkley’s vet recommended that his ears be cleaned once a week.

Supplies:

When cleaning Brinkley’s ears, I use the following products.

1.     Medical Gauze- medical gauze is used to get the build up out of the ears. It’s thinner and easier to use than a towel, but doesn’t disintegrate like a tissue or paper towel.

2.     Ear Cleanser- You can buy ear cleanser from your neighborhood pet store or your vet to flush your dog’s ears out.

3.     Ear Powder- I picked some of this helpful product at PetSmart.

How-to:

Have your dog lay on one of its sides. Pick up the ear cleanser and squirt a good amount in the ear canal until the ear is filled with the fluid. Massage the ear slowly while the fluid drains. Once the canal is empty, use the gauze to clean the ear of any build up. Once the ear is completely dry, use the ear powder to squeeze in the ear. The powder helps a lot if your dog typically has wet or hot ears. Once done, give your patient pup a treat and flip them over to the other side and repeat.

Warning: your dog probably wont like this. I don’t like having my ear full of cold liquid, and neither does Brinkley. In fact, he knows where his ear-cleaning products are. If I open the closet door, he will immediately try to quietly run away and hide. While not pleasant, his ears are in much better shape now that they are cleaned on a regular basis. 

Ein: Part Dog, Part Cheetah.

A lot of mystery comes with adopting a shelter dog. A lot of the questions I have about Ein, our shelter dog, are probably the same questions I would have if I adopted a child. Where did they come from? What is their breed/ethnicity? How old are they? What’s their story? Do they have any health problems? Are there any healthy problems I should look out for? Are they allergic to anything?

While I would hope that an adoption agency, hospital or biological mother would know these answers, the animal shelter definitely didn’t.  It didn’t change Brandon’s or my mind about Ein at all. But while I am still determined to figure out some of these answers, I feel like Brandon might enjoy some of the mystery. Why? I think I actually know that answer already.

My boyfriend, Brandon, was adopted when he was a few months old. His mom decided to adopt him because she thought he looked like her husband. To this day, Brandon does look like his dad, despite a big difference in height. Brandon’s mom adopted him without knowing all the answers. She saw a familiar face in the baby and that’s all she needed. I’d like to think Brandon felt the same way about Ein. He didn’t need to know how old he was, or what caused his face to get so infected. Brandon didn’t even need to know what breed Ein was. Brandon related to this little dogs story and that was all he needed.

Ein has been ours for a few months now and we’ve gotten some answers. We figured out a rough age based on his teeth. We’ve come to find out that Ein is allergic to chicken. For the first week we had Ein, he would make this hilarious but pathetic noise. It sounded like he had a hairball. He would make the noise constantly. His skin would be pink all the time. After about a week, I remembered that my brothers girlfriend, Libby, had mentioned that her lab was allergic to chicken. I tried to imitate the noise Ein would make at work and found out he was reverse sneezing. It took me a while, but I put two and two together and picked up some lamb-based food for Ein to eat. Bingo. No more reverse sneezing or pink skin. You can call me Sherlock Holmes. I don’t mind.

There is still one question that Brandon and I have yet to figure out an answer to that is KILLING me. What the heck is Ein?! When anyone asks, Brandon’s response is “part dog, part cheetah”. I somewhat don’t doubt it because this dog is the fastest animal I’ve ever witnessed running.

In an effort to keep my Sherlock Holmes name, I’ve continued to keep my eye on Ein to see if any clues come up. 

Note: I know there are tests to get this answered BUT 1. I’m cheap and 2. I don’t get to keep my Sherlock Holmes title if I don’t figure this out on my own.

The shelter labeled Ein as a Golden/Lab mix. Okay, kind of. He has some Golden Retriever or Labrador in him for sure. But what else?

Clue #1: Ein is vocal. He voices every emotion he has. If he’s acting fierce while playing, you’ll know it. If he want’s to eat dinner, you’ll know it. If he’s yawning, you’ll know it. And if he wants out of his crate, you’ll REALLY know it. Hounds are known for being vocal. Noted.

Clue #2: Ein has a white tip on his tail. Hounds have white tips on their tail. Noted.

Clue #3: Ein is freakishly fast. I’m not saying that he’s a good runner. I’m saying that he has chased down wasps and squirrels before. True story. Some types of hounds are fast. Noted.

Clue #4: Ein looks like an AT-AT. Seriously, it’s uncanny. He has these long legs and this small head. What breed is known for having a small head while still being fast? Greyhounds. Now we’re going somewhere.

I googled Lab-Greyhound mix and after doing some comparing, I think this case is closed.

Comparison 1: EARS

Both Ein and this other Lab-Greyhound mix have these quirky ears. They aren't flat, and they fold a bit awkwardly.

Comparison 2: SMALL, BEADY EYES

Both Ein and the Lab-Greyhound below have small, yet adorable little black eyes. 

Comparison 3: AWKWARD LAYING 

Okay, I'm half kidding on this comparison. But still.

This photo isn't a "rare opportunity" thing. This is how Ein sleeps. All the time.

COMPARISON 4: SMILES 

No comment needed. Just two happy pups.

Comparison 5: LONG PROFILE

Both Ein and this Lab-Greyhound Mix have similar profiles. 

Comparison 6: LOVE OF GOLDEN RETRIEVERS

Lab-Greyhounds love their Goldens. Just sayin'.

Comparison 7: PROOF

When looking at this picture of Ein and Lab-Greyhound Mix, it's like looking at Ein and future Ein. Both have quirky ears, black beady eyes, a beautiful blond coat, dark black noses, skinny heads, and essentially the same exact expression on their faces. Proof, I tell ya.

In the end, regardless if Ein is part greyhound, part lab, part pug, part cheetah or part alien, we will love him for the ridiculous, animated, dramatic dog that he is. 

A Golden with Luxating Patellas Part 2

August 1^st- X-Ray Day

The first step to getting a firm diagnosis was to get x-rays of Brinkley’s knees. It would be a day long event to knock Brinkley out, get the shots they needed, and get blood drawn to test for any complications. I picked Brinkley up once I got the 'okay' and worked from home the rest of the day to keep an eye on him. I worked while he made faces like this:

The dude was out of it.

On August 2nd I got the phone call with the x-ray results. The vet said that he definitely had Luxating Patellas and that he would need a consultation with a surgeon. When I called the surgery center they explained the following:

“You’ll have an 8 AM appointment. Bring the x-rays. The surgeon will look at the x-rays and talk over his plan of attack with you. If you agree, then you’ll leave Brinkley here and he will operate that day. We will keep Brinkley overnight to monitor him. You’ll be able to pick him up at 5 PM the following day.”

BAM. Just like that I’ll find out how they will fix Brinkley’s issue. I’ll find out if it will be one leg or two. I’ll find out how much it costs. I’ll find out the recovery time. And I’m supposed to nod my head and send him on his way. And that’s exactly what happened.

August 6^th- Appointment/Surgery Day

My brother joined Brinkley and I for moral support as we met with the surgeon. We discussed how Brinkley’s leg is working now, what he will do to fix it, and how it will work after the fact. They can only focus on one leg at the time so they planned to do the surgery on his left leg, which was giving him more grief. Fingers were crossed that fixing the left leg would make the right one get better since it wouldn't have to work so hard. 

The doctor explained, used fancy plastic molds, and big words that showed off his education. He attempted to comfort Brinkley who knew someone was wrong and wasn't happy about it. While I listened, Brinkley sat on the padded bench with me keeping an eye on the surgeon. While all the right things were said, and everything made sense, all I could focus on was the knot in my stomach from the thought of leaving Brinkley overnight. 

On August 6^th, I had officially spent TWO nights without Brinkley. Both nights were due to out of town weddings. For both of those weddings, I would get picture updates with hilarious captions from my mom who treated Brinkley like a king.  It made it easy. Picturing Brinkley confused and in pain was not easy. I knew it was for the best so I signed off and it was time to say goodbye.

August 6^th was probably one of the longest days of my life. I stared at my phone waiting for the phone call saying he was out of surgery. I waited so long for such a quick phone conversation. I attempted to console myself by saying that less time on the phone meant more time making Brinkley comfortable. The night was longer than the day, and also full of wine. 

August 7^th- Recovery

Brinkley was picked up from the surgery center the next day and it was obvious he was ready to be at home. While obviously sore, he moved as quickly as he could. He couldn’t use his back leg so they provided a sling to help him carry his back weight. He wore the cone of shame, which brought back the embarrassing days of his neuter. 

It was important to keep Brinkley from moving as much as possible for the next 8 weeks. 8 WEEKS. He could only go outside twice a day and other than that he should be in a confined space with his cone on.

The surgeon had explained that the best way for him to heal was to have nothing covering the wound. It would keep it aired out. Luckily it didn’t look as horrible as I had imagined. 

The first night he was home I slept on the floor with him since he was used to being on the bed with me. I couldn't handle the thought of him attempting to jump on the bed. I made a pallet for the both of us and was hoping to catch up on sleep as the night was sleepless. Apparently Brinkley had hated being apart as much as I had because all he wanted to do was have our heads right next to each other....with the cone on.  …..It was a long night. 

Week 1 & 2

The next few weeks were all about the same. I turned my bathroom into a space for Brinkley. I had a lamp in there so he wouldn’t have bright lights on all day and night. I added a small fan to keep him cool and calm. I kept his nearly twin size bed on the floor for him to sleep on. It was a boring few weeks as can be seen in Brinkley's face....

Two weeks later, he got his stitches out. All seemed well, but the cone stayed on. About a week later, it seemed like his wound was opening up a bit. I took him back for a follow up and they gave him some antibiotics. They continued to leave the wound open and able to breathe.

Week 5

5 weeks later and Brinkley is still recovering wonderfully. He isn’t confined to a small space and his cone is off. His hair is growing back, which I honestly think he is most excited about. He is off the pain medicine and he can walk short distances.

His other leg will still give out on him a couple times a week. Fingers are still crossed that the right leg is still overcompensating for his surgery leg and will be fine once he is fully recovered.

While still on the road to recovery, Brinkley is recovering fabulously. He is back to being his goofy self and is enjoying taking it easy with his brother. Stay tuned for more updates!

More photos....