THE GIVING, A TRUE STORY

 

As I walk through the doors of the nursing home my mind wanders to the upcoming Christmas season. I think of all these who will not have a Christmas. They will not have a loved one come visit. There is so much sadness this time of year. Surely there is something I could do to brighten up the season for these people. So many are just old, can't get around, use walkers and canes and are in wheelchairs.  Then there are those who have been bedridden for years, do not speak or smile, have nothing to live for. 

My little black Sheltie pulls me towards the Alzheimer's ward and my mind snaps back to the present. We are here to bring these people a little joy and some contact from the outside world. My Sheltie, Amy, loves to come here. She does not mind that these people can't speak sensibly, that they pet her with shaky hands and faltering strokes. She wags her tail and smiles up at them. Some are able to smile back and others just stare at her. She continues on from person to person, she is happy to be there, happy to be giving of herself. She offers a paw to a hunched up old lady sitting alone. The woman reaches for the paw and speaks a little gibberish to her. Amy kisses her hand and wags her tail, the woman smiles for a moment.

An old man with a walker is leaning against the wall and holding on to the railing. He looks so thin and frail His head is bent and he seems so sad. He probably doesn't even know where he is. He reminds me of my old father who is in the beginning  stages of Demetia.  The ward is a horseshoe shape and as we continue around the ward he will be the last one we will see. As we approach, Amy seems to know that he is not really with us. She slowly goes around to the front of the walker; she does not want to startle him. She sits directly under his face that is staring at the floor. She is sitting, looking up at him and all of a sudden his eyes light up and he smiles at her. She stands and tries to lick his hand. His eyes are bright and alive, for a moment he is here in the present. Then just as quickly the light goes out and he has gone back to wherever his mind takes him. Even just for the two minutes it was wonderful to see him come into the present, to recognize my little dog.  As he went back into himself, Amy got up and headed for the door. She knew there was nothing more she could do. She was ready to continue on through the nursing home, making people smile and giving joy to many.

I wrote this story about 10 or more years ago. Amy was a little tri color Sheltie who was so intuitive and loved people.  She did many visits throughout her life time and was one of my best therapy dogs. She just knew people so well and she knew what to do. I had a sable male named Luke who was also an awesome dog. He was very gentle and perfect for visiting bedridden people. This is one of the short stories that will be in my Sheltie Heart book. I just need to set aside the time and finish it. 

Once the Covid crisis is over some of you may think of sharing your Sheltie with those who need some joy and outside contact from you and your dog.

Be safe, be well!

 

SHELTIES MAKE THEIR OWN FUN

 I had the dogs out for a little while before their supper time. I went out to the dog yard and I did not see Walter.  I immediately thought that he somehow managed to get out. But the snow was not high enough for an escape over the fence. I noticed that the others all seemed to be looking up. In my dog yard I have a lean to type of roof coming off the house which provides  shelter from the weather and from the sun. I looked up to and there was Walter up on the roof. The snow was starting to melt and slide off. Walter was having a blast, he was sliding off the roof and then running back up onto the roof and sliding off again. There is a dog house just below the bottom edge of the roof. It had several inches of snow on it, just enough to make a nice step up to the roof. I don't know what possessed him to even think to do that. But I watched him slide down and climb back up and slide down again. I guess a three year old Sheltie is just like a kid. I had my phone to snap a picture but so taken with what Walter was doing that I did not get a photo. This boy loves to learn new things. He loves to do a high five, with both feet. Time to get started training him for his novice trick title. I know that he would love it and it would be good for him to be learning. That sure made my day. Who says Shelties don't think have not met Walter.

WALTER

REASONS TO BREED

 I have been doing a lot of soul searching about breeding the past few weeks. It is a lot of work but can be rewarding and satisfying.

First of all is the anticipation of the possibility of that one special pup being born. Secondly I think of all the people who are happy with my pups. I have worked hard to produce happy and healthy pups, which are awesome family companions. That in itself makes me feel good.  And the  joy of watching a new litter nursing away with tails up. Most litters do well and have very few problems. Then the dogs do keep me busy and I am always reading and researching new conditions that occasionally pop up. Take Skye, she is happy and healthy and a struggle to get there. But she is worth every hour of lost sleep and stress.I had to feed her by hand round the clock for two weeks straight, almost lost her twice. Today she is small but so happy and just full of life. When I watch her do the zoomies, she makes me smile. Young pups are so entertaining. 

My dogs brought me through some hard times and I could not imagine living here alone in this house with no dogs. No question they kept me going. When I see photos of my pups doing so well in their new homes even years later, it makes me so happy.  

I think to myslef that I am getting older and maybe should not have the dogs but I also think I made it this far because I do have the dogs.

I have decided to breed again but only one litter per year. When I truly can't handle it then I will stop. When spring comes I will get out in the agility area and just have some fun with the dogs. Bonnie will be staying here. She and I have been through so much together with her producing 11 pups and raising 9 of them. She is being spayed this coming week as she was a very overwhelmed mother and did not enjoy it at all. But the funny thing is that she recognizes Skye and they play together. I never thought this would happen, but she is good with Skye, a little too rough at times so I have to get after her. 

I have bred Topaz, but I don't know yet if she is expecting. This was to be my last litter. Topaz usually has smaller litters and hope she will again this time. So one more litter to enjoy and make people happy with. After that we shall see. 

LESS TREATS

 I have used the dogs kibble food as treats for a long time and now they expect them for everything. I need to get them to not look for the treats so much. Even Skye who is 11 weeks is into the treats. Amazing how fast she has become a member of the pack.  When they come up early morning to have coffee with me, they immediately look for the treats. They have become too focused on the treats and not on settling down and just spending time with me. All my dogs are very food oriented and sometimes that is good but at other times it takes over and that is not good. I am going to cut them back to no treats in the morning. For now I use one small handful that I scatter and they love looking for it. For this week each morning I will cut back even more and eventually they will not look for them and just be content to be in the kitchen with me. I have done this to them and really need to retrain them to not expect a treat every morning. They get worked up and it takes awhile for them to settle down. So my goal for the end of month is to have dogs that join me for my morning coffee, who come up quietly and find their spot and lie down. I know Skye will not be able to do that yet. She has too much energy and curiosity about every thing. But she has not been getting the treats for very long and it may be easier for her to forget about them. It is amazing how fast a puppy learns.So I trained my dogs for a bad habit so I need to be very thoughtful on how I train. Retraining is not so easy. It can be done. I can't give in to their eyes or their pleading for treats. It is so hard to ignore the look on their faces, and Shelties really do know how to make you feel bad.

Everyone take care and be safe. Covid is not gone yet and we have to be respectful of everyone. 

All for now!!

SKYE

 Skye is the little girl who struggled to live, she had such a will, it was unbelievable. I tube fed her round the clock every two to three hours to keep her going. By her second week she was starting to nurse and I would separate the others while she nursed. One night she started to fade and I did what I could for her, glucose to keep her from dehydrating, feeding right before bed time. When I went to bed that night I was so sad as I thought for sure she would be gone. She was still with us in the morning. I had some puppy nutrocal which was vitamins and minerals for fading pups. I started with that, and went back to the tube. I had tried a bottle with her and she just did not like it at all. She started to improve, so I made sure that along with the feeding she nursed every two hours. This is what kept her going. She started to really grow and when she nursed she hung on for dear life. Her little brother that I had been feeding had really picked up fast, nursed along with her. By the time she was three weeks I knew she was going to make it. I still had her nurse without the others as that is what really brought her along. I started baby cereal early as the substance would be good for all the pups. Skye had her own little dish and was eating very well. I finally could relax. Now at 10 weeks, she is still very small but as feisty as they come and she makes me smile all the time. Bonnie was done with the pups at three weeks which is not usual. I had to hold her for them to feed and I did that until they were over four weeks and then I stopped. She had been so overwhelmed with so many pups and just did not enjoy being a mother. But now she and Skye actually play a little and I believe Bonnie realizes that Skye is hers.At eight weeks they went for their vet check. Skye had developed a cough and you could hear her breathing. I did not like the sounds of that, she could not get her shot as she had pneumonia and had to be treated. Fourteen days of antibiotics and she is fine. She has learned her name, knows go potty on the papers, too cold for her to go out yet and she knows "are you hungry"? All the pups learned that so quick. I would get them out to play in the morning while I fixed their breakfast and I would ask them if they were hungry, it was so cute, they would all sit around me and watch the food get ready.

Skye went for a check up on Monday and she is all clear of any illness. She had her shot and is so full of energy. Looking back I would not want to go through that again, ever. It was so stressful and Bonnie was so overwhelmed. Shelties don't have litters of 11. I was fortunate to raise 9 of the 11 pups.

Skye was worth every bit of the stress and I know all the other pups are making their owners happy and keep them smiling too.

Take care and be safe!

                                  Cookie please!