Brut Magic

I had one of the best walks ever with Brut today!  We were both so calm and lucid we just flowed together.  With a little bit of treats and a short leash we passed by a gentleman on a bike, two older children playing, and the grand daddy of them all, my neighbor down the road going up to her house with her dog! 

It was fantastic!  Brut didn't even try to lunge and make any inklings to do so!  No dirty glares.  No lowering of the head and getting in attack stance.   HUGE progress!!

He was being such a sweetheart.  He was being the dog that he is when we are alone.  Which proves he has it in him to do it. 

I'm so proud of my boy!  He made my whole day.  ☺

 I'm just full of surprises!

Looks Like We Made It!

You'd think with six dogs, two cats and a duck that there would be a lot happening around here.  The funny thing is, usually it's very quiet with no troubles, out burst or attacks on anyone and I think I've gotten used to it.

Yes, it is actually quiet in our home.  Other than the normal barking, friends, I feel like I don't have much to write about.  lol  I feel like we have a normal life, with normal dogs and what seemed impossible five years ago with two packs of dogs and an aggressive Brut has dramatically changed.  I was afraid it was always going to be chaotic and crazy and I don't know when I really realized it, but it is pretty calm and serene around here. 

Have you ever seen a puppy born?

Have you ever seen a puppy born?  How about ten of them in a seven hour span?

I have.

And every moment was a miracle.

I thought I understood dogs, until I got Brut

And when I thought I understood Brut, we had puppies.

And when I thought I understood the puppies,

they grew and changed

transforming before my eyes.  

They taught me what I could have never learned in a book.

And sadly I think too many dog lovers miss out on witnessing this blessing.

  

The interaction, the connection and discovery.

It is so much more than just the cuteness factor,

It is witnessing the entirety of what makes a dog a dog

 

 Pure unconditional love from the beginning.

The Fifth Back Dog

For today's post we are flying to the other side of cyberspace.
To meet the fifth Back Dog of the 24 Paws.
Check it out! 

http://www.36clawsofattitude.blogspot.com

It had to be his decision

 Blaze, Mark, and Chance

After six years of hoping, praying, wavering, worrying, and fearing for Blaze to have puppies, I can proudly say that she is spayed.  In the last two years, I'd been favoring her to be fixed but I was waiting on hubby's decision.  After all it was really Mark's idea and he wanted it dearly because he missed out so much on Brut and Silver's litter.  He wanted to carry on the line and he has just fallen in love with our dogs so much, he was almost beside himself when Blaze came home from her abusive life and was still intact.  He is OK with the spaying, but is deeply sadden to have to make this decision.  He wanted it so badly.

B/W Sundays-You mean this doesn't look comfy?

4 Duckies in a Row

Naughty Dog, Bad Mom

Friends, it has been one of those days here at the 24 Paws of Love.  As you know Blaze was spayed  10 days ago and should be healed by all rights, yet I ended up having to take her into the vet, again, where they staple the middle part of the incision that was still open thanks to Blaze licking it when her silly Mom thought she needed a break from the cone and took it off for 10 minutes.  Talk about mom of shame. 

See the incision had opened up last Saturday and I was able to get it to close with a large band aid.  It didn't take long to seal and I sprayed some Liquid Band-Aid on it and it was working right up unto yesterday when I left her un-coned.  It didn't take long after that and all my hard work went right out the window.  I tried everything I could think of to use to bandage it, because I was without a vehicle, but nothing would hold.  I had to take her to the vet.  Nothing was working.

So she got a couple of staples and the vet said that everything on the inside was healed, the sides of the incision were healed and it was just in the middle of the incision (the skin) that needed to close up.  So this was all good news.

My problem is that I've been beating myself up for all of this and a miscommunication that happened at the vet office that I didn't realize until I got home.  They were all under the impression that the incision had been open since Saturday and I was just now coming in on a Tuesday to take care of it.  Really?  Do they really think I would leave such a wound open like that and then finally take care of it 4 days later?  Well they did.  And since I'd already been beating myself and shaming myself most of the day, I didn't even understand what they thought I did.  I just wanted to get my Blazer fixed and all better. 

Have you ever felt ashamed or guilty for something that happen to your pet and had trouble communicating with your vet? 

   

I'm starting to lose my patience...

Friends, my hands are full and I am exhausted.  It's been a week ago today that we took Blaze in to spayed and it has been a long week that we aren't done with yet.  help!

Taking care of Blaze and keeping an eye on her has upset the balance of the other five dogs.  OK, maybe it hasn't upset their balance, but it upset mine.  The other dogs are handling the whole situation like champs, considering they haven't had a walk in a week.  Walking any of the dogs would excite Blaze to jump and run and we already had her incision split apart again on Saturday.  She's doing fine now, but I can't have her do it again and so no walks for anyone at this point in time.  So this has left everyone getting a little antsy, going in and out all day long now that the weather seems to have turned.  And I feel like all I do all day is go back and forth between the two packs more than I can remember doing before.  

It's difficult to have so many dogs and have one that needs most of your attention.  And my patience is starting to wear a little thin.  And I have struggled with sleep due to the extra stress with obviously hasn't helped.  So it has been a bit of challenge.

And don't even get me started on the cats!  Boxer has become pusher than usual for my attention and suddenly Princess Leia who hides most of the time suddenly wants to sit on my lap at night.  Except she doesn't lay down she dances around on her toes back and forth and all over me.  Then Boxer becomes jealous and finally I had to get them both off of me before I started bouncing them off the wall!  LOL!  They were driving me crazy!

So yeh, it's been an interesting week and I can't wait to get back to NORMAL!!  

Anyone for a Coney Dog?

I present to you, Miss Coney Dog!

You wouldn't believe what a natural Blaze is with the cone on.  I can't say she loves it, but she's been smiling and liking the challenge and attention she gets!  She struts around like it is her crown.  She is so adorable!  Her incision is almost healed and I'd say another day or so and she'll be as good as new.  Chance and I can't wait!

 

We are so Blessed

I am sitting with Blaze, watching her sleep and petting her ever so softly, when it really hits me just how blessed we were having ten puppies.  Ten puppies who were all strong and healthy.  Ten puppies who's lives were in our hands.  We were so blessed that we got to keep two of them (Zappa and Fiona).  We see two of the pups about once a year and they are always fine and well.  There are two we lost contact with and haven't seen since they were a year old and two that sadly died.  But we were also blessed ten fold with Blaze and Chance coming back into our lives.  It still blows my mind to this day that they called to return them to us-because we never really vocalized it, though we meant to.  I think our actions of visiting every couple of months that first year must have really said something.  And God intervened.  It is why I have no problem being two packs, if that what it means to have them back.  Because when you get down to the simple, basic line, it is all about the dogs and what's best for them.

WW-So how are you feeling Blaze three days after being spayed?

Quick update on Blaze

Didn't get a chance to let you know earlier, but Blaze came through her surgery to be spayed just fine.  She wasn't feeling too good for most of the day, but finally seems to be resting comfortably.  Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers.  Still have no regrets, we are just happy she made it through today.  Keep your fingers crossed we can "contain" her as she starts to feel better.  I can't wait to see that spunk in her eyes again.  ☺

Blaze's surgery

I've been spending a little extra time with Blaze as we take her in to be spayed Monday morning.  I can't help but think what could have been, but obviously it wasn't meant for her to have puppies.  We always thought it was in the cards ever since she came back to us.  It's a little sad to lose a dream.

For six years we left the option open for Blaze to have puppies and it was a difficult choice.  Twice a year we went through the heat cycles, which actually follow a year round pattern.  There is a constant flow that follows up and down that the whole pack moved by, especially Brut.  I wonder if he will notice the when that cycle doesn't start up.  When Blaze would go into heat the flow and rhythm would escalate in frantic proportions.  There is part of me that will miss the love that flows when a female was in heat, but I won't miss the whining and pacing of Brut and his heighten aggression.  The drive and strength to reproduce is awesome and powerful and something we never took lightly.  It has been an awesome and beautiful experience to learn and grow from.
  
After Blaze's procedure it will be the first time in 10 years, since getting Silver, that we won't have an intact female in our house.  And now that the decision has been made and we are going to follow through with it, there is relief, peace of mind and some sadness.  We know we are doing the right thing and that is a good feeling.   

I don't know what the future holds, but for now it means the 24 Paws of Love will be just that, 24 Paws of Love.  

Please say a prayer and send your good thoughts for Blaze and us and she has her surgery tomorrow morning.

Thank you and God bless. 

Paw Art-The Winter Version

A conglomeration of the skillful paws by Brut, Silver, Zappa, and Fiona.  An effort that took all winter long to perfect.

So what do you think?  Have any dog art work you could show off??

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