I was unhappy last week when Mom took me to the Vet for yet another major dental cleaning. This time the Vet pulled the incisors I had left and a pre-molar or 2. She told Mom that my bad teeth are probably genetic, but that little dogs also tend toward dental issues.
When I first came to rescue Mom 2 years ago (see picture below), my teeth were so rotten that the Vet had to remove a fractured molar and 5 or 6 teeth immediately. Remember that I lived in a cage for my first 6-1/2 years, and Mom suspects I got no healthcare. It’s a good thing that dogs have 42 permanent teeth (unlike humans with 32). Originally my upper jaw had 20 and my lower had 22. But as you can see in the picture when I first came (below), there were big gaps and crookedness.
Every tooth I have had a purpose – incisor, canine, pre-molar, and molar. Now I have no incisors, the little teeth that helped me scrape at meat and groom my coat. What will I ever do if I have to catch my own dinner? But Mom says that will never happen; I will never live in the wild and have to tear things apart. Let’s hope so.
Well, at least I have my fangs!
I must say that the pain drugs worked fine. And I got a lot of apple sauce and pumpkin.
What kind of mischief did you get into today? Remember to BRUSH YOUR TEETH!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: dog, dog dental care, dog teeth, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Mischief Monday, Pet, pets, shih tzu mix, vet care
Bearnard here. I want to tell you the story of our vacation. Someone thought it might be a good idea to take us on vacation with the family this year. Mom had been training us for months to ride nicely in the car with seat belts in the back seat (the blue straps). The first leg of the trip was from Annapolis, Maryland to Raleigh, North Carolina. That was about 5 hours. We did great. It was not Mom’s fault that Hurricane Debby was traveling with us. It rained 80% of the way. But we finally took a break in the drizzle and smelled some new stuff in a picnic area. Then we got to Aunt B in Raleigh and met her and her cat, Gracie (who did not like us much). It was our first time in a hotel and Jolie was terrified of the elevator. Mom had to carry her in and out.
We also hated all the noise in the hotel and I especially went crazy when people were making noise in the hall late at night. Mom did not get much sleep because she had to leave the TV on all night to try and keep me calm. We really liked being on the back of the couch in the hotel room and we took turns looking out the window at the parking lot.
The next day we got back in the car for another 3-hour drive to Sunset Beach in North Carolina. Mom had a nice apartment for all of us to stay in and we took lots of walks around the property. However, Jolie started to get really sick after a day or 2. Mom emailed the vet who said to put her on the usual rice and chicken tummy diet and try some CBD chews. She thought it was stress. She had already planned for me to take more of my stress medicine (which I live on anyway) but she thought Jolie would be ok. Then V figured out it was the WATER. Mom drinks bottled water all the time, so why not us! Once we switched to bottled water, in 48 hours she was much better. Mom never brought us to the ocean beach because we were having so much trouble just on land.
After a week we were back in the car but this time for a 9-hour drive: it was horrible. About 5 hours in, I could not deal with being in the back seat any longer and needed to be upfront with Mom. Finally, Mom gave in and let me be in the front (against her better judgment). She always has the passenger front airbag turned off because she worries about us being in the front if there is a car accident. The airbags would kill us instantly she thinks.
Did you know humans cannot pee at the rest stops along the highway with their animals. They actually have guards sitting there to make sure that people don’t bring their animals in with them even in the 100-degree weather. So Mom has special signs for the car. She carries 2 car keys with her and locks us in with the air conditioning and radio on. She puts signs on the windows because she drives a hybrid and people can’t hear the engine and figure we are in trouble. (DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG IN A HOT CAR – EVER!!!!)
Mom also downloaded an app for her iPhone called ‘iEXIT.’ This tells her where stores are off exits on major roads. This way she was prepared to stop at a PET STORE or HARDWARE STORE because they allow animals to be inside (so we could go to the potty with her). It is terrible that she can’t just go under a tree like we do.
Truthfully, we love being with the family, but can you leave us with a pet sitter next year. It was exhausting!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Blog, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, papillon mix, Pet, pet vacation, pets, shih tzu mix, sunset beach, vacation
The other day, V took a picture of a squirrel splooting on our deck.
What is SPLOOTING you may ask? Splooting is when a four-legged animal kicks out one or both back legs behind its body.
I have had many dogs and cats that sploot.
Here is Bearnard splooting (with one of my socks-LOL).
According to the internet, there are various types of sploots: a one-legged sploot, a side sploot, and a full sploot.
Here is Louise in a classic sploot with one leg remaining beneath her body and the other leg kicked out.
Charles was a big splooter (I couldn’t find a picture, sorry). I thought it was mostly a thing that little male dogs did. But now I know even cats sploot.
Do you sploot? Show us your pictures!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Blog, climate change, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Pet, pets, splooting, squirrels
Many people have asked me why I put knots in my dog leads.
I always do this to any new leash.
Specifically, it is so that I can step quickly on the leash if I drop it and it won’t travel under my foot. Thereby, stopping a runaway dog.
If spaced properly, it is also a quick way to jump to a shorter place on the leash to manage the dog better.
Some knots do happen by themselves when you have multiple leashes.
Then there is the 3 dog leash tangle; knots don’t help with that though.
Have a Wonderful Wednesday.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: dog, dog leash, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Pet, pets, walking dogs
Enjoy your July 4th holiday but remember that more dogs and cats are lost on this night than any other. Keep your animals inside!
The old dog crew had great fun in the summertime. Louise, Charles, and Sofie 2017
The old cat crew (Noel, Nine, and Mini Cooper) thought the 4th of July was stupid (2018). Mini still does.
Stella says you should celebrate quietly with your friends and family. You should read our post on how to plan for the fireworks. Keep Your Pets Safe
DogDaz wishes you a safe and festive Independence Day!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: 4th of July, DogDaz, Fireworks, Gratitude, Independence Day, lorian lipton, Pet, pet blog, pet safety
It has been 2 years this June since Louise left us.
And this Friday will be 1 year since Mr. Handsome, aka Charles, left us.
Grief is subjective. We all process loss differently. Having lost so many fur companions over the years, I guess I found my way to deal with the hole they all left in my heart. Don’t think that it is easy just because I can move forward. Look at the Angels Page and you will meet them all. I like to remember all the personalities of my cats, dogs, and guinea pigs. Each one was unique. Some were very serious (Louise, for sure), some had awesome senses of humor (Squash and Kitty), and others were cuddle bugs (Muffy). I feel blessed to have shared moments with these creatures. They are my heart. They heal me in a way that nothing else does. And, when it was their time to walk over the rainbow bridge, whether it was only a few years on the planet or many, I tried to provide them with the most compassionate and humane care possible. Those tough decisions were some of the hardest I ever had to make. I remember them all and can tell you stories about each one. They will always be burned on the memory of my total recall. When my brain no longer functions as it should, I hope I still remember the animals (sorry human family).
In memory of: 2024 Noel (cat), 2023 Charles (dog), 2022 Louise (dog), Sofie (dog), Nine (cat), 2012 Constance Kitty (cat), The Muffin Man (Muffy) (cat), 2010 Cuddles (cat), Georgia (guinea pig), Zachary (cat). Squash E. Bear (dog), 2009 Mr, Moto (guinea pig), S’more (guinea pig), Checkers (guinea pig), 2007 Gertrude (cat), Nikki (dog), 2003 Alice (cat), 2002 Sam (guinea pig), 1994 Rosie (cat), 1991 Baby Doll (cat), 1990 Wussy (cat), Eddie II (cat), Benny (dog), 1978 Barney (cat), Louis Pierre Andrea the 14th of Edgewood Lipton (dog), 1974 Eddie (cat), 1961 Fraya (dog).
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: angels, cats, DogDaz, Dogs, Gratitude, guine pigs, lorian lipton, Memories, Pet, pet blog, rainbow bridge
Why do dogs like to lie in the hot hot summer sun? This HEAT DOME is terrible. We walk at 6:00 in the morning before the air and pavement get paw-burning hot. Mom said that the pavement is very hot on paws even if it is only in the high 70s. Humans should put their hands on the ground for 5 seconds to see how it feels to them before taking us on a walk.
With the rising sun behind us, we still monitor what is happening on the street early in the day. Mom does not let us stay out too long later on because it is really bad and we have trouble breathing in the heat.
Ducklings in the pool; they were too little to get out.
Mom let these ducklings swim in the big pool, so why can’t we?
Happy Solstice – How are you staying cool? (Or Warm if this is your winter :-))
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: DogDaz, Gratitude, heat, lorian lipton, Pet, pet blog, Summer, summer solstice
No, we did not teach Jolie to do this. She has done this for as long as she has been with us. She can sit that way for a very long time. Usually, she is staring me down because she wants food, a walk, more food, or my attention. And, 99% of the time, she wins because I cannot resist that face!
What are you thankful for today?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: begging, DogDaz, Gratitude, lorian lipton, Pet, pet blog, shih tzu mix, Thankful Thursday
Back in March we realized that Stella wasn’t eating well, was getting skinny, vomiting often, and having bathroom issues. This was a major worry so we took her to the vet (which she hates). Dr. Sims took X-rays and determined that poor little Stella, who is down to 7 lbs, has Feline Lymphoma.
Feline lymphoma is the most common type of cancer in cats, accounting for almost 33% of cat cancers.
There are several types of lymphoma in cats: Mediastinal, in the chest, Renal, in the kidneys, Multicentric, in multiple lymph nodes, Extranodal, in the lymph nodes and other organs, and Gastrointestinal (GI). Stell has the GI kind. It is the most common form and includes the stomach, liver, and intestines. Then there are 2 types of GI lymphoma: small-cell and large-cell. We believe that Stella has small-cell lymphoma. We have chosen not to do a biopsy or anything invasive to confirm. Small cell GI lymphoma can be treated at home with medications and monitoring. The great news is that many cats can survive for 2 to 4 years after being diagnosed with small-cell lymphoma as long as they get treatment.
Stella is on 2 different meds every day and doing well (though still skinny). She will be 13 years old in September.
Here’s to several more trips around the sun for her. Cancer Sucks!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: cat health, cats, DogDaz, gastrointestinal lymphoma, GI, Gratitude, lorian lipton, Pet, pet blog, Veterinary medicine
Mini and Noel
2022
Mini Cooper
2021
Noel and Mini
2020
Nine and baby Mini
2017
How incredibly lucky we are to spend our life with Mini Cooper. She is such a precocious playful bundle of fluff. Over her 10 years, she has had some really wonderful adventures, especially with her best buddy, Mr. Nine. Mini has become the only cat in the general population with the dogs, Jolie and Bearnard, since Queen Noel, the Christmas cat, passed over in January. As you know Stella, the lone cat, has her own room, but Mini and Stella ‘play’ and hiss at each other through the door occasionally.
Mini Cooper stay as kittenish as you always are. We love you.
Happy 10th birthday, Kitten.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: cat birthday, cat blog, cats, dilute torte, DogDaz, Gratitude, lorian lipton, Mini, Pet, pet blog
DogDaz Zoo 