Saturday, January 30, 2010

I Live....

SOUTH of the Mason-Dixon line!  We are not supposed to get 2 major snow events in one winter - barely a month apart.  We've got 5-6" on the ground now and it's still snowing.  It's very pretty but how am I supposed to practice agility in this???

So how do I spend a snowy Saturday afternoon?  I could sit in front of the fire, toasting marshmallows.  Or maybe curl up in a chair with a good book.  Maybe even take a nap!  Wouldn't that be decadent?  That's not what I've been doing though.  No, I've been doing that most dreaded of all dog chores.....grinding toenails.

I am ashamed to admit that I don't quite remember the last time I did this.  However, judging by the talons all my dogs were sporting, it was in the last decade. Around noon I gave Moira a sedative because that's the only way I can get her toenails done.  Even with assistance and a muzzle, she fights like I am planning to amputate her feet.  So she gets a few milligrams of Ace about an hour and a half before the event.

Gin is the easy one and, with Ann's help, she was done in no time.  Then Moira, who was a fairly limp rag by the time she became our next victim.  Lastly was Sam. Sam, Sam, Sam.....  Sam too fights having his feet messed with but will usually give in with fairly good grace.  Today was one of those days when he didn't think he should give in.  We ended up sitting in the living room window seat, Sam on his back, Ann at his head and me, mid-body.  Sam was wedged between me and Ann and the front window.  I can only imagine what the neighbors would have thought had any glanced out their windows or walked down the street.  Dog under glass, or rather, on glass.

Now everyone's nails are shorter and the clicking as they follow me up and down the hall isn't quite as annoying - imagine having six little kids wearing tap shoes following you everywhere.  Maybe I'll go get that book now.....

4 comments:

  1. Hey Dina just to let you know Ace is NOT the drug of choice for stuff like this. Ace paralizes the dog's body without sedating their mental state so instead they are totally freaking out mentally and unable to move their body or control their limbs at all. Really not fun if you've ever had that happen to you (hopefully not). Generally the better recommended drug is Xanax. That calms the mind and sedates the mind, making it a less stressful event for the dog overall. Just thought you might want to know. You can read any vet behaviorist literature and it will tell you that Ace is an "ancient" protocol for stuff like this and the newer psychotropics are a way better choice.

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  2. Katrin - thanks for the heads up. This was the last dose I had in house so the next time I will talk to the vet about Xanax. I don't care for the Ace because she can't control her body temp when she's on it - meaning she has to be kept warm until it wears off.

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  3. We call it Sunday dog torture at my house. Every Sunday we have the toenail party. I get so crazy I even invite my wonderful neighbors to bring a couple of their yap pack over for me to torture them too. We go till the dremel gives out. It takes a village :-)

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  4. I am south of that line too, and we got plenty of snow as well! And this morning it is 11 degrees!

    At my house, Wilson tolerates the dremel well (thanks Marla!) and Jimmy has to be clipped because he is horrified of it. But both boys are pretty good about it, fortunately.

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