Don'tcha just hate it when...

you're greeted by "that smell" when you walk into the house?

Taenzer. Bless her heart. She pooped last night, but something upset her tummy because she left a sort of "mixed load"--part solid and part not. And she did it in her crate. Which is weird, but made it easy to clean up, since her bedding consists of newspapers shredded by Taenzer her own self (that's why she doesn't have a bed or blankie in her crate). So you just collect the solid part and the wet scraps, and you're done. Much easier than cleaning up a carpet or even linoleum.

Still, I'm a bit worried about her--her nose feels a bit warm and she's not too interested in fighting Timber for the tennis ball-- so the Ts got only dry food tonight (Royal Canin GSD formula) for dinner. If she gets through tonight and tomorrow okay, we'll go back to the full diet.

They say dogs don't feel guilty, but I'd have to say that Taenzer's greeting at the door this evening was more apologetic than joyful. I've never ever fussed at her for having an accident--as a puppy, I figured it was my fault (except the two times she looked me in the eye and peed on the bed), and now she's grown up, I know she wouldn't make a mess unless she just couldn't help it. But I sure would have to translate the flattened ears, lowered head, lowered tail with just the bottom half wagging as fast as possible, and anxious eyes as something akin to "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it!" Very different from her usual "You're home You're home You're home You're finally HOME!"

She and Timber both need grooming and claw-clipping. I've about given up hope that we'll ever get to the point that it's a relaxed and relaxing experience for any of us, despite quarts of ice cream and several pounds of liverwurst dispensed over the last 3 years. I try to be upbeat and generous with the goodies, which apparently makes the process tolerable, but only just.

OMG--there's actually sunshine outside! After days of overcast weather--and more predicted tomorrow. I put down more grass seed in the puppy pen today, which pushes the opening date back into May. Poor Ts. Three acres seems mighty tempting.

Grass! I've got Grass!

Sing along (to the tune of "Saved" from the Band's Moondog Matinee):

Because there's GRASS!
There's GRASS!
People, let me tell you 'bout the Puppy Pen
There's GRASS!
There's GRASS!
The puppy-poos are gonna run again
We are gonna be happy
There's GRASS in the Puppy Pen

(Yipee!! Judi does the DanCe of JoY!!!)

The Mudpit

It's 57 degrees out. Bright and sunny. The Ts are begging to go out. They want to go out to the puppy pen to play. I can't take them. Why not?

That's right, the puppy pen is a mudpit. The green in the photos isn't grass, it's indoor/outdoor carpet. We had rain yesterday, and the result is as you see. Tomorrow I hope it will be a little dryer, so I can put down grass seed and straw, which will, I hope, result in good grass for them to run on, but it will be at least 6 weeks before they can use the puppy pen again once I put down the seed.

Meanwhile, I have nowhere to take them to run that's safe. The local dogpark hardly deserves to be dignified by the name--it's just as muddy and since no one who uses it ever cleans up after their dogs, it's also wall-to-wall dog poop--not a good place to take Ts. I could probably take Taenzer to the state park and expect her to stay close, but I wouldn't trust Timber; nor would I trust other people's dogs. For some reason I don't know anyone with a farm where I might take them. So the poor dogs will have to make do with leash walks until mid-April or early May. Maybe I can let them play tomorrow morning before I put down the grass seed.

I must say, it makes the 3 acres in one of the local townlets seem very desirable. Or even the acre and a half in another, although that little town was pretty rough the last time I was there. But we all 3 wish for something larger than a postage stamp for playing on

I promise that my next post will be about knitting!

Current soundtrack: What Am I Living For, Moondog Matinee, The Band

Current book: Letters of Dorothy Wordsworth, ed. Alan G. Hill