WAG / BARK

PETEY UPDATE: pending a miracle?

2009-11-10T11:22:00.003-05:00

Above, Petey's moment of meditative relaxation at this morning's (third) acupuncture treatment. This is a dog IN THE ZONE.

And now: story time.

As I mentioned in a recent post, we returned a couple of weeks ago to AMC mainly to be told that we had better (mentally? emotionally? FINANCIALLY?!) prepare ourselves for the prospect of surgery. A prospect which we were doing our very best to completely deny and shove in the deep, dark recesses of our brains. In the meantime, they took blood and commenced a round of tests and serums which no one was all together optimistic about, just to be on the safe side and to rule out every unlikely possibility.

Well what do you know, we got some very interesting news last week. That news is that Petey tested as having really high levels of antibodies which are known to be present in conjunction with a little thing called NEOSPORA. Neospora, dontcha know, JUST SO HAPPENS to cause our friend the SUBERARACHNOID CYST. And what I am now telling you in layman's terms is that he is believed to have an infection treatable with antibiotics. And what that means is that he could literally be cured of all his ailments. And what that means is the potential of no surgery, no wonkiness, no limp, no weakness, no gait, no crate rest, no nothin'.

CURED?!

I am now writing you from the beyond because this news basically killed me.

I have been told repeatedly since this moment just how rare this particular infection is and how most vets would never even know or think to test for it. It shows up most often in large animals (e.g. cattle) and Petey likely got it in utero, passed down from who knows what level of his family tree. Let this post be my personal valentine to Animal Medical Center and the city of New York expressing how lucky we are feeling to be in our capable neurological specialist's hands and to have the benefit of these resources.

With all that said, nothing is 100%, of course. Petey had already been doing so well with acupuncture that we're continuing it in the meantime (see above). But never throughout the course of this drama have I felt so optimistic. He's got a very long course of antibiotics ahead of him (don't even get me started on the doggie drug den that is our kitchen table these days) but he's handling them beautifully with little to no side effects. Steroids are being tapered (hallelujah!) and we'll just wait and see from here.

In the meantime PETEY + SCIENCE = FOREVER LOVE.

(P.S.: thanks to everyone for the ongoing kind emails and for continuing to read through these sagas. I am hoping to commence happier, product and merriment related posts sooner than later.)

PETEY UPDATE: rudely interrupted

2009-11-04T14:29:00.003-05:00

Just a tiny sneak peek into our home.

It's a chilly autumnal day in Greenpoint and naturally, Petey refuses to compromise on coziness.

PETEY UPDATE: alternative measures

2009-11-03T22:05:00.001-05:00

This morning we bore witness to Petey's second acupuncture treatment.

That's right, I said it: DOG ACUPUNCTURE!

If you're curious, it's approached almost exactly the same as it would be for a human and is thought to be equally as effective. I happen to have a particular belief in the powers of Chinese medicine and it turned out our new veterinary clinic has a certified acupuncturist (who's also a vet) on staff. After a well timed free presentation/Q&A we determined lil' P might in fact be a really good candidate. It's surprisingly more affordable than we'd initially imagined and we're going to go ahead and give it the ol' whirl. In spite of his bewildered appearance above, he's actually taken to it quite well. A star patient was the term if I recall?!

As I am known to do, I'll now share a breakdown of the process:

First, an examination of sorts. Our doctor had at this point already reviewed his history and diagnosis from AMC which, along with a few personality questions (!), determined the various points and channels to concentrate on.

First, a point on the head known to relax...

Then, after counting carefully along his spine (based on the information from the MRI), a series of needles are concentrated circa ground zero of Petey's spine.

A close-up of the assortment! Please note that Petey was perfectly calm throughout and never showed any sign of irritation or pain. His only trauma seemed centered around the fact that the needles were not, in fact, treats. That and the fact he was not free to roam and seduce female doctors.

Finally, two points on the backs of the legs.

And then we wait and wait and wait and wait (approximately 20 minutes).

Eventually our lovely doctor returns, the needles are removed, and he receives a bonus B12 injection on his back, thought to ever so mildly irritate, i.e. stimulate, the points.

And voila! Organic treat and we're on our way. Or at least on our way after a few drunk seeming first steps (she later tells me this is really common and I will decide to take it as a sign that something was actually targeted and a-brewing in there).

These photos were actually from our first session but this morning's was much the same except he launched into a nap in the last five minutes.

So far as everything else is concerned since the last we posted RE: Back Problemz '09, we've been back to AMC as well. They acknowledged improvement, but after much discussion and analysis (behind closed doors, unfortunately) they informed us that it's not "enough" improvement and that we'll start to reduce steroids gradually but we'll still have to keep a possibility of surgery in the equation. But we have time. For now. Sigh. And we have optimism! And we have killer cuteness and what seems like an endless supply of antler chews. And, of course, we now have ancient Chinese secrets....

Things can't be too bad.

Howl-o-ween!

2009-11-02T10:51:00.010-05:00

Saturday was, as many of you know, the THIRD ANNUAL DISTRICT DOG HALLOWEEN PARADE. And as usual, my mind was blown both by incredible turnout and range of creativity and costuming.

Whoa.

I totally went into judging duties all willy nilly thinking it would be obvious and straight forward but let me tell you, I was sorely mistaken! Even after we divided the three honorable mentions into six, it was still an incredibly tough and stressful choice.

Fellow judge Miss Heather at newyorkshitty.com did the very best breakdown of winners.

A few more stars, both unsung and otherwise...

And finally, a very special, heartfelt mention to Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox whose combo costumes were rad yet they did not place (majority rules!)....

Weep! Loved you guys!

Further coverage (including video) here, here, and hopefully here soon!

In Memory.

2009-10-29T22:08:00.004-04:00

It's taken me a year to write this post and even now I am not sure I will be able to express myself to the extent that I want to.

One year ago today, my sweet Gordy passed away.

Some of you already know that, some of you don't. At the time, I made a decision not to post about it on this blog. First of all, we were in total shock and for a long time I didn't think I'd continue on with this blog at all. Once I started writing again, it seemed too strange. As much as I detailed the nuances of his life, this time it seemed too personal.

I sat down to write this post tonight to acknowledge what happened and to acknowledge Gordy. He was the true inspiration for this blog and, truthfully, one of the great loves of my life. I started to type out the details... but have once again decided to refrain. I know I would be curious if I were reading this so I'll tell you that the long and short of it is that he ate something he shouldn't have and as much as we tried to do everything we knew how to do, it was not enough and we lost him. Yesterday and today were sad days. However, we are so happy to have our surly, feisty little Petey who is actually, by a weird twist of fate, Gordy's half brother. We know just how short life can be are thankful for every day we have to spend with him.

If you're reading this and have a dog, give him or her a kiss and a squeeze.

Halloween Countdown...

2009-10-28T11:06:00.001-04:00

A friendly reminder that there are but a few days left to acquire or create festive attire for you and your beloved for Halloween this Saturday. Speaking personally, I am losing steam fast on the holiday all together. That, if you know me at all, is blasphemous to the extreme as I happen to love Halloweenie more than anything ever?! I can't quite explain it. However, so far as dogs are concerned, I have never felt more festive.

Above, Petey gets fitted with a borrowed wig (his David Lee Roth impression? don't ask...). Sadly, it was a temporary loan.

Regardless, If you happen to be in the Brooklyn area this weekend, do not miss the third annual District Dog Halloween Parade where yours truly will be a JUDGE.

Be there or be square!

October 31st
1pm
McGolrick Park
(corner of Driggs and Russel St.)
Greenpoint, Brooklyn

www.districtdog.com

PETEY UPDATE: modern medical advancements

2009-10-16T13:12:00.006-04:00

As previously noted, Petey emerged a champion after yesterday's MRI. And as predicted, it was revelatory and worth it (pet insurance coverage TBD... yikes!).

I have taken the liberty to nerd out big time and annotate the iPhone photos (?!) taken of the MRI with my feeble understandings of what's going on in each. There were words like SUBERARACHNOID being tossed around, so bear with me...

First, a side splice of P's spinal cord. (The off putting blur jutting off the top is his micro-chip wreaking havoc):

It's a little confusing to look at but from the top that's a layer of skin, etc. then vertebrae, then the spinal canal, then vertebrae, then guts and glory and so forth. The arrow notes the white fluid pocket which our vet believes to be causing the nerve compression etc. which is causing weakness and lack of feeling in is nether regions. (Note to the left along the top of the spinal canal there's no thick white line, i.e. this is abnormal. )

This is a frontal splice of Petey's spine. This was the most clear view of the fluid pocket causing compression etc.

Finally, a top view showing a clear perspective of Petey's wild assortment of malformed vertebrae, including butterfly, fused, hemi- etc. Sigh. Apparently this is to be expected to some extent for the breed but Petey's unique variety and possible trauma or inflammation is believed to have caused this fluid pocket or subarachnoid whatever. Again, my ongoing praises to AMC, they gave us a very thorough typed out description and explanation but I'll save the technicalities until after what will surely be hours and hours of googling and the what not.

The prognosis is basically this: Petey's spine is whack. Something (either the spine, a trauma, an inflammation caused from trauma or caused from existing with a spine like this) has caused this so-called fluid pocket. The fluid pocket is causing compression. Compression is causing everything we've been concerned about for the past month. Two solutions: medicinal or surgical. Obviously, we'll start with the former. I will spare you the descriptions of what the latter would imply but let me tell you, everything about it is terrifying (i.e. tempory and/or risk of permanent paralyzation). Medicinal means that Petey's going to start on steroids and an over the counter human medication that might also aid in reducing fluid. That's right, he's juicin'! Within the last 12 hours, we've already gotten past the first hurdle which would be his digestive system rejecting the steroids by means of puke and diarrhea... which hasn't happened. And now we wait to see if all of this has a positive impact on him. No fingers have never been more crossed in the history of time.

As for the crate rest, He's still on it (weep!) but he's allowed to walk around slightly more, just no stairs, jumping, intense playing, running etc. Believe me when I tell you that this small progression is already feeling like a miracle.

All in all, I am beyond relieved that the MRI went well and that we have some small sense of what's happening. FINALLY. Our vet also concurred that it's major progress to be able to pinpoint something that has treatment options. We are so NOT out of the woods but we're maintaining a sense of optimism and.... meanwhile Petey is so cute, adorable, and playful I think my head is going to explode.

PETEY UPDATE: all's well that ends well

2009-10-16T13:03:00.005-04:00

All went well with Petey's MRI yesterday. Screen shots and voyeurism forthcoming.

Above, Petey emerging with one of his many lady friends. According one of the vets, he came out of anesthesia licking and kissing. So not surprised.

PETEY UPDATE: Anticipation

2009-10-15T12:13:00.002-04:00

At this very moment, our little mister is getting an MRI.

Yesterday morning he had his follow up with our new (beloved!) vet to see what the progress was on his miserable crate rest. The progress was that there was no progress. Which we basically knew. An appointment was made for a neurological consultation at the Animal Medical Center (one of the single most fascinating establishments in this city, by the way) for this morning at 9:30am.

The neurologist (lovely woman who was so helpful and informative last week) observed him with us for a bit and then took him on a long stroll where we're told he charmed the entire staff of AMC. She then came back and told us her various theories. The oversimplified scenarios in order of perceived likelihood: a malformation he was born with (something surgery cannot fix), a herniated disc or similar injury (something surgery could potentially fix), or something infectious/cancerous/etc (least likely but cannot be ruled out). In her estimation, an MRI will reveal all.

So now we wait.

Can I just say, anesthesia is the most nerve wracking element for the very short time being. And/or leaving him there in general. I! AM! FREAKING! OUT! I will be getting a call in approximately one hour's time to let me know he's come out of it safely. Trying to stay incredibly busy all the while.

Pins! Needles!

To be continued, as usual....

Save the Date: District Dog Halloween Parade!

2009-10-13T11:09:00.001-04:00

Everyone: we are psyched!

District Dog has delivered their official save the date for their THIRD (!) Annual Halloween Parade in McGolrick Park. Believe me when I tell you this is one of my very most favorite events of the year.

The theme this this time around is "Dress Your Name" so put your thinking cap on. Too bad we didn't have the foresight to name Petey something like Taco or Susan Boyle...

October 31st

1pm

McGolrick Park

(corner of Driggs and Russel St.)

Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Expect reminders!

www.districtdog.com

PET-a-PORTER

2009-10-13T00:56:00.009-04:00

I could not love this more...

Five Swedish fashion and design students were put to the challenge of designing fashion for dogs in conjunction with Carlsberg's new PET bottle launch (which impacts the environment more than two times less than a traditional glass bottle). Judging will be left to the public along with "four strong judges" from The Pet Elite, Black Market, the Swedish Fashion Council, and Carlsberg Sweden. The well-deserved prize is 10 000 sek in travel vouchers. Yowza!

I love every single one of these but a personal favorite is the above fashioned from POO BAGS (!) and, naturally, titled Eco Blue Poo.

In the spirit of my typical Tuesday morning procrastination antics, I encourage you to be one with me and peruse the site to read through all the brilliant descriptions (and, of course, vote for your favorite).

And here's a video!...

You have until October 21st to vote here.

Now back to work!

www.premiumpet.se

PETEY UPDATE: Convalescence, Days Three through Seven

2009-10-12T22:01:00.005-04:00

As the title of this post implies, we've not even bothered to chronicle the details of the last five days. Mostly because they've all melded together into one big lump of crate time, chew time, and sleepy time. To put it simply: CRATE REST SUCKS.

Ahem... with one exception. And this one's a revelation, folks:

Holy crap.

These might be the best dog chews ever? They're as tough to widdle down as they are irresistible... and during a time when laying down is all one can do (and remember, no rope toys!) these are a tiny little miracle. They're not stinky, they don't splinter, and as far as Petey's concerned, they're the equivalent of catnip. Or heroin? With three weeks left to go, I literally have orders in at several of my favorite sites and my eyes peeled at all pet shops. If you're in the Brooklyn area, you can buy the above ANTLERZ (the name!!!) at PS9 where I'm told a new order is en route. Petey happily tackled the large size of this particular brand and got it down to teensy weensy choke hazard size in two exuberantly chew-filled evenings.

Knowing me and my nerd-out potential, there's a high probability for comparison chew tests so stay tuned.

$7 and up

(Available at PS9, Olive, Uncommon Hound, etc.)

(photo from olive)

Mascot introduces Little Devil Toys

2009-10-09T17:02:00.005-04:00

Whilst strolling through the internet this afternoon, I found myself totally seduced by Mascot's recent introduction of Little Devil Toys. Here's why:

1) Love the names

2) Love the weird noises they make (check out Mascot for a preview)

3) They TOTALLY remind me of the Roger Hargreaves books of my childhood..

www.mymascot.com

$12

(photo from mascot)

Molly Mutt: New Products + 10% off!

2009-10-08T10:40:00.000-04:00

I was so happy to get an email this morning from the clever folks at Molly Mutt letting me know they've recently added new prints and products to their shop. No surprise, they're easy on the eyes, to say the least!

If you haven't already stumbled upon Molly Mutt, here's the idea: we've all got a shameful assortment of old clothes, blankets, towels, and the what not that we've failed to donate or tend to. My neighbors who stroll past my array of clothes-filled Ikea bags that I store in our hall with the best intentions to re-sell to Beacon's Closet yet never get around would happily attest to this sad fact. The very worst case scenario would be for me to throw it away, right? But given my undeniable laziness, what's the solution? Enter: Molly Mutt. They say stuff the clothes in their ingenious stuff sacks, cover it with one of their adorable, song themed, machine washable duvets, and everyone (you, your neighbors, your dog, and mother earth) can rejoice! Hooray!

And as a super party bonus, they're currently offering WAG/BARK readers 10% off when they wagbark at checkout ! You can pick and choose your duvets and stuff sacks separately or buy one of their ingenious DIY Kits. Free shipping on orders over $75.

www.mollymutt.com

$10-$72

(photos from molly mutt)

PETEY UPDATE: Convalescence, Day Two

2009-10-07T21:16:00.006-04:00

Another trip to the vet and things are, for the most part, status quo. More than anything we are feeling reassured and also very grateful to have stumbled on such warm, educated vets such as those we've seen and talked to in the last 48 hours. Poor little P is still prescribed strict crate rest but we're no longer keeping ourselves up at night wondering whether or not his circling around in his crate or standing up on the couch will result in his being paralyzed for life. And to be clear, he's not paralyzed - he's wonky! But, the vet is very concerned. And for all we know, this is going to be a challenging road ahead of us.

Meanwhile, he's as peppy as ever. The vet confirmed he's almost definitely not feeling pain at all. Which is great, of course, but we can still see the WTF look in his eyes when we deny him all manner of fun and playfulness. To add to his frustrations, it's been decided he also needs to lay off the rope toys due to his overly physical habits i.e. entrail removal simulations. Sigh.

The quest for four weeks worth of entertainment lingers on. If only he could get into Lost and Mad Men?

GAME DAY CONT'D.

2009-10-07T14:40:00.004-04:00

We're busy catching up on some of our favorite blogs and stumbled upon this cornucopia of game day goodies via Phetched. In the spirit of thematic posting, we thought we'd share.

Behold: the Tail Waggin' Tailgaters Party pack (how's that for a name?). You got your orbee football, your popcorn, your buddy biscuits, and, let's not forget, your doggy beer (!)... what more could a game day loving canine want from this world?

Game on!

www.dogtoys.com

$25

(photos from dogtoys.com via phetched)

UNLEASH GAME DAY!

2009-10-07T12:50:00.006-04:00

We definitely owe the glory of Unleash: Brooklyn a full, in-depth post (I am so in love with this place!) but in the meantime, check out their current Game Day promotion....

So you want to go watch the games, but feel bad about your dog getting shafted while your away? Unleash has got you covered! Introducing our new service for the ENTIRE SEASON.
Playoffs and Superbowl Party Included! Enjoy Sunday or Monday Night. A Portion of the Game Day Proceeds goes to support Dog Habitat Rescue Dogs.

Need I say more?

I have been assured by someone in the know that I need not love football to enjoy these weekly events...only dogs and/or beer. And lucky for me, I happen to love both of those things!

Check out the recent coverage from the Daily News (including a video and, dare I say, dog cheerleaders in training).

Fingers crossed of my bizarrely full weekend schedule clearing sometime in the very near future.

www.unleashbrooklyn.com

PETEY UPDATE: Convalescence, Day One

2009-10-06T14:39:00.007-04:00

This is the back story:

We recently noticed that little P had some awkwardness in his back legs. This primarily manifested itself as a wonky gait and a scuffing of back toes, particularly noticed after prolonged activity and a series of action-packed vacations/day trips. A physical examination occurred, followed days later by an x-ray. As is common in this breed (and similar breeds such as boston terriers, etc.) it was obvious that there was a malformation of sorts in his spine. This could be hemivertebrae, block vertebrae, etc. Apparently this could not be determined with this caliber of x-ray. My vet, as per usual, went into a mild panic (which I can appreciate to some extent) and we scheduled another x-ray, which would have happened this morning. In the meantime, she didn't really have any advice other than to attempt to protect his toes from his scuffling and to wait.... We decided to seek a series of second and third and fourth opinions (oh, the googling I have warped my better judgments with!) and managed to connect with a friend-of-friend who just so happens to be a resident specializing in neurology. She suggested that Petey might have experienced some sort of injury/strain/bruising/tweaking/trauma during the seven days solid that he was romping and frolicking in Cape Cod and that only 4 weeks of strict bed rest a.k.a. "crate rest" were in order. Her advice was to forgo the second x-ray (which would have required mild sedation) and start immediately on "aggressive rest therapy". According to her, this will be the most indicative thing we could do. Throughout we are to observe him and if he got worse or stayed the same, we'd take him in for further analyzation.. i.e. MRIs and the what not. Meanwhile, we're going to go ahead and take him to yet another vet tomorrow morning for the purposes of confirming this treatment and obtaining yet another set of eyes cast upon his situation.

So. In the meantime: "CRATE REST".

Uhm, yeah. As obvious as it sounds, I am somewhat at a loss. Supposedly, this will entail 23 hours a day in a crate or on our laps if we are home (and presuming he is still?). He is allowed to go for short walks, a few minutes at a time, and otherwise must be carried to and fro, up and down stairs, etc. At this point, after one night, I implore you... if you have any experience in crate resting an active, surly, jazzy, snappy little one year old pup... please share your trade secrets. My current thoughts are that there is no amount of peanut butter stuffed goodies in the entire world that could quell my mister into sitting down, much less laying down for four long weeks, much less four long minutes.

To be continued....

PETEY UPDATE: they grow up so fast...

2009-02-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe, but our Puppy K days have already come to a close. Petey graduated with... some degree of honor. I won't claim to you that he ever effortlessly performed the Puppy Pushup during class.... in spite of the endless successful practice we did in the solitude of our home, thank you very much. Sack of Potatoes, sure. Hand targeting, sure. Overall adorableness, sure. But will Denise and Sebastian forever think I am a liar when I claim he can, in fact, lay down with some degree of command? Absolutely.

See below: In order, Petey hamming it up with his delightful classmates (from left, Roadie, Jackson, and Mattie); awaiting instruction; the infamous sack of potatoes act of submission....

Sigh. My love for Puppy K is endless.

www.empireofthedog.com

New products from GO!PETDESIGN

2009-02-05T08:57:00.007-05:00

The word on the street is that GO!PETDESIGN (creators of the much loved, much blogged about eiCrate) have finally - finally! - released new additions to their line of local and environmentally conscientious products. And, surprise, they are awesome.

Behold... a smattering of dog feeders and bowls:

Urban driftwood dog bowl, handmade from locally reclaimed wood.

One pint or quart single, $29-$35

1 pint or quart double, $49-$69

UPcycled elevated dog bowls, made of reclaimed PVC pipe, $25-$30

("Hand spun aluminum bowls" coming soon...)

Behold... toys:

Phony bones stuffable dog toys, $9

("Chuck the Duck" coming soon...)

Behold... a glorious sherpa mat:

Sherpa mat, $32

Sign us up, please!

With all of this said, I feel compelled to mention one thing: A single disappointment I have experienced surrounding the eiCrate - and please note that I do lovelovelove this crate - is the fact that the door does not stay open. And when I say does not stay open, I mean slams shut. And when I say slams shut, I mean right in Petey's face. And loudly. Which, in our humblest of opinions, is ridiculous. A crate deserves to stay open from time to time, am I right? If only for the simple fact of the dog being able to willingly come and go and therefore grow to appreciate said crate. I actually emailed them about it - honestly I thought maybe we'd gotten a broken one or had failed at its simple assembly -but I never got a response either way. The good news? They have decided to address the problem and have noted on their website that a door stay of sorts will soon be available. The bad news is that it's not free. Or even that inexpensive, relatively speaking. As much as I adore this company, I'm just not sure that I agree with having to spend more money for the "luxury" of being able to keep a door open for an animal without opposable thumbs. But I do like that it's bite resistant.

All of the above are available on the GO!PETDESIGN website. And if you're in the Brooklyn area, keep your eyes peeled at such fine establishments as PS9.

(photos from gopetdesign.com)

Petey Update: Young Love

2009-01-26T12:27:00.002-05:00

It's official: Petey has found himself a girlfriend. Sure there are other dogs in the neighborhood but none has captured his heart so wholly as Chopper. After weeks and months of gazing longingly across crowded rooms, they were finally allowed physical contact and have since embraced love and all that it entails. Which in this case is an alpha female with superior physical abilities and endless mind games. Petey will never be the same again.

Petey in Print!

2009-01-15T11:21:00.000-05:00

We think it is worth mentioning that Petey recently made his editorial debut within the context of office supplies for President-elect Barack Obama as suggested by New York Magazine . I have to say, we do not yet own this adorable dog bed from the Barking Zoo, but we're strongly considering purchasing one once Petey gets past that whole peeing on everything phase of his life. Never have I seen a young pup so quick to embrace a sitting surface in my life!

www.nymag.com

(photo from nymag.com)

PETEY UPDATE: a stink peek into our lives

2009-01-12T19:20:00.006-05:00

I feel the need, however disgusting and/or telling, to meticulously document the circumstances I was faced with upon my arrival home this evening. Mostly because I need to get a life... and also because I have no idea what may or may not have transpired today while we were at work....

In crate (door open):

1 dog
1 hollow bone, licked halfway clean of peanut butter
1 half of stuff-able rubber toy (originally stuffed and left upon my departure), food approx. 90% consumed
1 pile of either spilled food or... vomit?
1 folded, clean blanket
1 Nylabone, originally left outside of crate, under blanket

Outside of crate, within pen:

1 soiled wee wee pad
2 indicators of what were once piles of poop, one on wee wee pad, one on floor
1 (other) half of stuff-able rubber toy (left for dogwalker to place upon departure), 100% full of food
1 kong (also left with dog walker to place upon departure), 100% full of peanut butter
1 bowl, half full of water

Outside of pen, within apartment:

1 leash attached to collar, hung on back of door just so, typical dog walker style

So... when I left, Petey presumably continued eating and consumed most of his morning meal and at some point either declined what was left (for whatever reason) or puked it. I also know that the dog walker must have taken him outside. What I don't know is when he pooped, whether it was pre or post meals, pre or post dog walker. I do however know that at some point, and of this I am certain, Petey decided to consume this poop(s). Simultaneously, he has also decided to reject portions of both his first and second rounds of actual food (very atypical for the french bulldog ) and, let me remind you, consumed poop instead. Again... he left the food, but ate the poop.

Now, did he poop, eat it, and then decide he didn't want his food? Or is poop infinitely tastier than food -even peanut butter and he just became full? DO french bulldogs even ever become full? Did the poop actually make him feel bad to the point he was on hunger strike? What made him ultimately abandon both the first and second peanut butter stuffed items? Did he or did not not vomit in his crate? Was he repulsed by puking enough to leave the food (and reject it later) and therefore still, ultimately, find the poop more appetizing? If he hates the food so much, why eat the poop which is full of said food? And, by the way, when did he bury the nylabone?

Of note is that when I walked over and released him from his pen, he IMMEDIATELY gravitated towards the peanut butter stuffed kong. Why now? What made him ignore it prior to this moment? Could the dog walker have worn him out so thoroughly that he simply went to sleep afterwards, thus ignoring the food and kong? Or was the dog walker's departure, in fact, the pivotal moment that the poop(s) dropped therefore distracting him permanently? Was this the second poop???????

??!?!?!??!??!

To be continued...

Just when you resolved to stop reading Perez Hilton in 2009...

2009-01-11T19:44:00.004-05:00

Introducing PEOPLE Pets.

Let's just put it this way: if you have the same affinity that I do towards procrastination and nerdy/obsessive animal loving, you've hit the mother load. The bad news? It's yet another website chock full of daily goodies continuing to contribute to overall lack of productivity. Enjoy!

www.peoplepets.com

PETEY UPDATE: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

2009-01-11T09:07:00.005-05:00

Little P had his very first foray into Puppy Kindergarten yesterday morn. Sadly there are no photos to document this monumental event as my better half has left us to our own devices for the weekend and therefore could not offer us his photo-journalistic stylings. I offer you instead a pitiful image from a few days ago of Petey being manhandled during bath time.

Regardless, it was a very productive morning and, as if hypnotized into submission either by Denise or that surly seventeen week old terrier, Petey has been nothing but a perfect gentleman ever since. If only every day were Puppy K!

Lessons learned and re-learned: the beauty of tethering and alone time (!!!), collar grabs with a treat reward, the brilliant notion of not calling luring your dog away from playtime only to remove him immediately and therefore teach him to ignore you, tiring the little one out mentally with puzzles i.e. no more food in a dish (sorry, man!) and the beginnings of the much feared (and much loved once mastered) PUPPY PUSH-UP...

Kong stuffing aside, he was so tuckered out by the hour plus of puppy hootenanny that he basically crashed all day and, for the first time since we got him, slept peacefully through the night. Which, to say the least, blew my mind. This makes me wonder quietly to myself whether we may or may not want to experiment with some day trips during the week to Eva's Play Pups once in awhile after this whole vaccine/house-arrest nonsense is over with. To be continued....