07Nov
My days are currently spent grooming 8 shedding dogs, keeping girls in season away from the boys, keeping them all happy, managing various special occasions, preparing for Christmas and keeping my sons happy.
Autumn colours inspired me to take new photos. I wish I had more time to take photography to a higher level and get those images that I had in my head. Raven, Drake and Hendrix are my favourite to photograph. All the dogs are trained with basic commands but these 3 enjoy "posing" for photos. They have no idea what I am doing but for them, staying still and being rewarded is fun. Raven and Hendrix will offer new poses and interact with various things in the environment in the hope that it gets rewarded. To some this might not mean anything but for me this means SO much. They demonstrate their intelligence as well as the ability to want to work with me and offer more. Raven knows me very well and accurately predicts what I will ask her to do. From front paws on a fallen tree, head down on a platform, peeking behind a tree... and she focuses perfectly on the camera. I wish I had more time to train her and see what we can achieve together.
Alaska and Willow are currently in season. Willow is late with her season and as she has silent seasons, it makes it difficult to pinpoint her start date. I check them regularly so I noticed early signs of swelling. The boys do not react vocally to her scent when she is fertile and so I keep her separate from those early signs to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Alaska recently had a split season. She had what seemed like a normal season in August but in October, there were behavioural changes in her and the male dogs started flirting with her. I ended up separating them whilst I figured out what was going on. She had no physical changes but clearly she was releasing a strong scent. I worried that she may have a womb infection starting up as I have heard the scent can mimic the enticing pheromones. I took her for a scan and was prepared to book her for an emergency caesarean. It was a huge relief to see healthy organs. I then had cytology done to check her cells. Interestingly, there were a wide variety of cells and her body was confused. There were cells present indicating the start of her season, some for the middle and some saying she's at the end of her season. We put her on herbal supplements to regulate her body and kept her separate from the boys for another week. Thankfully it worked, she's healthy and she is back in season.
My youngest son and I went to a local play area with Raven. Whilst he had a play, I had a little fun with Raven. I had seen the red cape in our Halloween dress up box and wondered if Raven would feel comfortable wearing it for photos. I built up to her wearing it and then having the cape's hood on her head and when she stayed still for photos, I was ridiculously happy. Not just because I got the photo but because she enjoyed it as much as I did.
It takes around half a day to fully groom all the dogs and I may sound crazy, but I love it. I find it therapeutic to remove those tufts and loose bits of fur. I cannot stand seeing their fur out of place and it's like I need to sort it. They all enjoy being groomed especially on the grooming table. After creating positive associations with it, they ask to be next. Some even ask to come back up.
I have been able to take the dogs on school runs which is great for socialisation (for those who enjoy it). I have been careful who I take as I cannot control children who come out and do not understand how to greet unfamiliar dogs. The dogs do well in busy situations but some of the dogs would not like strangers running up to them, getting in their face, touching them and being picked up. Hendrix and Pepsi have been my favourite 2 to take. They are content to wait, Pepsi may chew some grass whilst waiting and they tolerate children well. Pepsi has started to jump up to children so I am taking action. He sees their hand coming towards him and he thinks they have treats for him... Training is always ongoing.
I have recently noticed how the smallest things bring great happiness. As a mum and dog owner, I have a lot to do. I feel like I buzz around the house, trying to get everything done whilst planning what needs to be done and preparing for the next few months. I love that feeling when the house and garden have been cleaned and disinfected. I can sit down and relax. I realised how happy it makes me when I feed the dogs and I know I have added extra things to their raw food that supports their health and nutrition. I add supplements to support their current ages, for fertility, hormonal stage and foods with varying textures for fun.
~Claire 🐾
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