Long time no see!

 Hi all! Wow it’s been a long time. I recently heard that google will be deleting inactive accounts and as I didn’t want to lose my blog I thought I’d hope on and add a quick post. I really do want to revive my blog and I hope to be making posts again soon.

Flashback Friday - G+ post 12-8-2013

Originally posted on G+ December 8, 2013

Congratulate me, I've finally got Fussy convinced that I should be committed to the criminally insane. ~headdesk~ ~sigh~

Fussy and the saga of the butt harness continues......

I did have a tiny breakthrough with her, she didn't try to play "broken dog" when I put the harness on her for the second time. But as they say "one step forward, two steps back."

It was time to put the butt harness into action. I tell the dogs that we are going out, I get my coat on, grab Fussy while she is excited to be going out and strap the harness to her buns. So far so good. Send the younger dogs down the stairs and out the door while Fussy waits patiently for me at the top of the stairs. Still going smoothly. I go back up to help her down, but this time instead of just guiding her down I grab hold of she new handle. Ok, no longer going smoothy. She gives me a funny look and very reluctantly goes down the stair with me. Outside goes well with the harness still attached, now to bring the dogs back inside. They young ones fly up the stairs and Fussy once again waits patiently at the bottom of the stairs for help. I grab hold of her handle and life as we know it comes to a screeching halt. She flips out and manages to twist back around and out of my hand pushes the screen door open races out into the yard. Hmmm....I get the sneaky suspicion she doesn't like the harness. I let her cool off in the yard a moment before bringing her back in for another go.

Going up stairs - round two. I bring her in and this time make sure the screen door is shut tight. I grab her handle but this time instead of bolting she decides a new tactic was called for.....activate mule mode! She digs in an refuses to move. I try to gently nudge her up the stairs but as I push forward she pushes backward with stick stiff legs. Seeing as how we were not getting anywhere it was time to fight stubbornness with with stubbornness. I lift and push her handle just enough that if she doesn't want to fall on her head (not that I would ever let her) that she is forced to step forward. Stiff and stilted we inch our way up the stairs. I can see this thing is going to take time for her to get used to, short brief sessions for the time being.

Wait there is more! When I bought her this harness I also bought a single raise dish for her to eat out of. I didn't want her to have to keep bending so far down to have to eat anymore and I thought this would be a big help. Dinner time rolls around and I hand her the new dish. Have you ever been talking to someone and they out of the blue say the most asinine you have ever heard of in your life? You remember the look on your face when they said that to you? I swear to you that is the same face Fussy gave me when she stood in front of that "strange" dish. It is a good thing that dogs can't speak English or dial a phone or she probably would have had me carted off for being insane.

Throwback Thursday - G+ post 2-17-2014

Originally posted on G+ February 17, 2014

 

The Adventures of Fussy The Wonder Dog .... as in I wonder why that dog did that.

The weather hasn't been a big help in allowing us much practicing with Fussy's wheels. With icy patches, uncleared sidewalks, and mountainous crossing walk corners it's been slow going.

Yesterday I took her for another outing. As we walked down our extremely ice patched gangway Fussy decided she didn't want to walk in front nor behind me. For some odd reason that shall only be known to her doggy logic she demanded we walk side by side. Normally any other time this would not be an problem, however the gutters have been dripping terribly causing great hills of thick ice to form on the walk way below. I did my best to accommodate her demands but it sure wasn't an easy task and definitely not one I will be repeating. Sorry Fussy, but seriously that was just nuts and ain't happening a second time. The last 6 feet or so to the side gate was ice free so I let go of her wheelchair. I turned my back on her just for a split second to open the gate. The gate swings open but no dog goes flying through. What's the hold up? I turn expecting to see Fussy but all I find are spinning wheels and flailing legs. Yeah that's right she managed to flip her cart. I easily calmed miss kicking legs which thankfully she wasn't scared but just trying to right herself. She stopped kicking and right side up I got her to her feet.

How did she flip over? Well my guess is the wall of our house has an odd edge at about little more the a half foot up the wall, and I think she ran her tire up onto the wall and then onto the funny edge, voila one upside down doggy. It is initially scary to see her like that but she didn't get hurt and it is all part of the learning process.  Stories like this may be heart stopping at the time but thankfully become funny tales to tell later.

Pooper Scooper Tips

          Pooper scoopers aren't the most exciting or glamorous thing, but if you own a dog they are certainly a very helpful tool. Buying pooper scoopers for use in the dog yard will save your back and knees from needless bending over to bag poo the old fashion way. There are also so called portable style scoops that are marketed for when you take your dog for a walk....what I say is save your money when it comes to that type of scoop. Just do the old school way of putting your hand inside a bag (like a puppet), grab the dog poop, then pull the bag off your hand and tie up the bag. This method is much more portable and less cumbersome then dragging around a scoop.

          There are different types of materials the scoops can come in, such as plastic, wood, aluminum, and steel. I've tried all but the plastic type scoops, so those will be the only type I can't give any helpful tips or opinion on. There is also a variety of types, with plastic scoops having the most options. In the other materials there are basically two types scissor and separate/single. Scissor types look and work much like the name suggests, both the spade and scoop are riveted together to create the scissor action. The Separate type have single spade and scoop that are not attached to each other. Personally my choice is the separate style, I like the versatility being able to operate each piece independently. Then we come lastly to style, which are either spade or rake. I've used both styles and they each have their uses, but I'll choose the spade for its all around use. Not to get to graphic, but if your dog has a loose stool at some point you'll have a much easier time collecting it with a spade. Also if you live in an area where you get snow and ice I recommend going with the spade style.

The scoop with the red cap is made from aluminum, the other scoop and 2 spades are steel.

Wooden Type Dog Pooper Scoopers
          This material does best if stored inside out of the elements such as a shed or garage. If you live in a climate were you get snow and ice I would avoid this style, you'll want something hardier. The pros to this material is it is fairly lightweight and is often inexpensive. The cons to this material is that it can splinter or break if not properly used or cared for.

Aluminum Type Dog Pooper Scoopers
          If you have no place to store your scooper inside, or if you just find the thought of storing a pooper scooper inside yucky then this material is a good one to go with. In the photo above the scoop with a red cap is aluminum and the other pieces are steel. All four pieces have been stored outside leaning up against my garage through all manner of weather for years. As you can see from the photo only the aluminum scoop is not damaged by the weather. The pro to this material is it is very lightweight, which will make it perfect for anyone who can not wield heavy or cumbersome scoops. The con to this material is it can be easily bent and misshapen. If you anticipate having to chip frozen dog poop from the snow you'll want some thing sturdier.

Steel Type Dog Pooper Scoopers
          Steel is my choice material to look for in a pooper scooper, I like its strength and durability. It will rust if left outside in the elements as you can see mine has in the photo above. If you live in a climate that gets snow and ice then you may want to choose steel for its sturdiness. Steel keeps it shape much better then aluminum but that is not to say with the right amount of force you can't warp or bend the spade head. The cons to this material is it is heavy and the handles are often a larger diameter then the wood or aluminum scoopers. So if you have dainty hands or can not wield a heavy scoop you may want to pick a different material to go with. Lastly steel scoops often cost more then the other kinds.

Face your pooper scooper like this during the winter.

Winter tips
          If you store your scooper outside during the winter you will want to make sure to face your scoop like I've done in the photo above. Having it stored this way makes it harder to get completely frozen to the ground. I find I run into the problem more often when the weather warms up enough to melt some of the snow then drops back down to freezing causing any pools of water to turn into ice. Also if they are stored like this when you are expecting snow will make it easier for you to extricate them. Most likely were ever you store your scoops, whether inside or out, they are wont be in warm temperatures. This means the scooper will be cold to freezing so wear gloves to handle them. I also found that if you throw a thin layer of snow into the bottom of the scoop before you try and pick up fresh dog poop it tends not to stick to the cold metal.

Summer tips
       If you store your steel scooper outside and you know you will be getting lots of rain turn your scooper over (like I do for wintertime, see photo above), this will keep water from sitting in the scoop for long periods of time which can cause rust. I'm often lazy and will let the rain wash out the pooper scooper for me.


Do you have any tips or advice you would like to share about pooper scoopers? Have you used any of the plastic scoops and want to share your knowledge? Do you have a funny pooper scooper story? Just add your comments below, I would love to hear from you.

Throwback Thursday - G+ post 3-4-2014

          I have been hearing rumors that Google maybe doing away with Google+, of course they are just unsubstantiated rumors. I've got my fingers crossed this is untrue as I really enjoy that social media platform. To be on the safe side I've decided to do #ThrowbackThursday and #FlashbackFriday were I will reprint my old G+ posts here. Even if the Google rumors are incorrect this will still give me "new" posts for my blog. If you've missed some of my G+ posts or if you've never even been to my page you are going to enjoy my reprints.

Originally posted March 4, 2014 on Google+

Fussy is burning rubber with her fancy wheels

Yesterday I took Fussy and her wheelchair for a walk again, but this time I was able to extend the duration. If the weather would cooperate and people would shovel the snow better we would be much farther along, anyway… She was having a great time even though we had to make detours to miss a few very icy sidewalks. It is amazing how many sidewalks were over salted, this also posed a problem for us. At one point Fussy walked all the way to the end of our flexi leash as it was time for us to turn back around and head the other way I called to her to come back. You wouldn't believe it, she ran back to me. That's right! She ran! Oh you should have seen the smile on her face, she was so thrilled to be able to do that again. OMG this wheelchair is such an incredible blessing.

We later got back home and went inside were Fussy being over stimulated for the walk went about barking and talking at me. She was so happy. Fussy has never been one much for licking so when she gives kisses you had better take them while you can. Boy, I tell you what! Fussy started giving me kisses and just wouldn't stop! She licked up and down my whole arm, just when I thought she might be done she kept on going. Wow, this dog was super happy, I nearly cried.

Yup, yesterday was a good day.

It is with a heavy heart....

          It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you of my dear Fussy's passing. The Degenerative Myelopathy and old age took its toll on her body and mind. I did my best to prepare myself for this day but it still doesn't lessen the grief of loss. I want to thank everyone for their heartwarming condolences, I know the "old sweet dog in the wheelchair" touched so many people. I am so grateful for the time I did have with Fussy, I was blessed to have been able to tell her story. Her story will live on in our hearts and in her adult pups Sunka and Cahokia.

Run free my sweet Fussy.

"Fussy"
BarLee Make A Scene
September 9, 2000 - January 15, 2015

What An Ending to 2014!

          Wowie, 2014 ended awesomely thanks to my customers! I had every intention to do at least one blog post before it 2015 came, but my customers kept me busy stitching instead. They were so on the ball and got their 2014 holiday orders in early. In past years the end of November and December up to Christmas week had been the time everyone would give me their holiday orders, having to stitch each item by hand from scratch in such a crunch was hard to say the least. When you order handmade it is savvy to order ahead of time to allow for the item to be made and shipped in time for when ever the order is needed. This time around my customers where so smart and started placing orders as early as October, making this my best year to stitch holiday orders. I hope this tread will continue into 2015 and beyond. This helped me accommodate more (and bigger) orders in time, it also took a lot of stress off me to get everything finished quick enough so as not to miss the post office's Christmas shipping deadline.

          I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store. I look forward to having more returning customers along with seeing new faces. Ok! Let's get this new year started!

My Videos of African Wild Dogs

          I thought I would share some videos I took of the African Wild Dogs at one of my recent trips to Brookfield Zoo. Occasionally the keepers will hang a butchered pig up in their habitat, this is the best time to see them active and interacting with one another.

          African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) is known by various names - African Hunting Dog, Cape Hunting Dog, African Painted Dog, Painted Wolf, Painted Hunting Dog, Spotted Dog, and Ornate Wolf.

Order Handmade Items Early For All Holidays

          Buying something from a handmade artisan isn't like going to the local big box store. At big box stores items are mass produced and you can take your purchase home right away. However with handmade you often have to wait for your order to be made, depending on what you are buying the wait time will vary. The quality and uniqueness of handmade direct from the artist makes going with them well worth the money and time.

          I want to give you all a little tip whether you order from me or some other handmade artisan -  place your gift orders early! You need to figure on how long the artist will need to make the order and then ship it. Talk to the person you are ordering from and let them know you are giving this as a gift and when you need to have your order. They will then be able to let you know how long it would take and the latest you can place your order for it to arrive on time. Christmas is usually the most busiest time for all made-by-hand artists, not only for them but also for the mail services. Handmade artists can only make a finite number of orders, which means if you don't place your order in time they may not be able to accommodate you until after the holiday.

Here is a list of gift giving times:

Anniversaries
Baptism
Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Birthdays
Bridal shower
Christmas
Easter
Father's/Mother's/Grandparent's Day
First Communion
Graduation
Hanukkah
Home-warming
New Baby
Valentine's day
Weddings (also wedding showers and engagement parties)


Do you know of any other times or holidays that people give or exchange gifts?

Fussy's Degenerative Myelopathy

          This video of Fussy was taken back in May. Currently she can't get around much without help, she mostly scoots on her butt but she can make it to her feet for a few steps once in a while. When her mobility issues started it was due to arthritis and old age issue with her hip. As time has passed it is become clear that she in all likelihood also has Degenerative Myelopathy. In a very basic nutshell it ever so slowly paralyzes the dog starting for the back end. However there is a one good thing about this disease is it causes no pain. So even though it makes dogs wobble and lose control over their legs it is completely painless.

          Fussy is currently dependent on her wheelchair when she is outside and is now at a point that she needs one of her legs strapped up in the chair's stirrup. Her bathroom functions are all in working order so far. I'm not looking forward to this disease progressing but for now she is doing just fine.

I Have Birthday Photos!!

          As promised I have taken photos of Fussy eating her birthday cupcake. I had her eat it on the couch sitting at a snack tray so I would have better lighting and a clear view of her to take my photos. At first she was unsure that this was a good idea because she knows she normally isn't allowed up there to eat, but after I told her it was ok and gave her a little bit of encouragement she was all in. (I had the two younger dogs out of the room so they couldn't see, only to keep them from getting bad ideas for later.) I cut Fussy's cupcake up into bite sized pieces to make it easier for her to eat, also hoped it would keep down any mess.

Enjoy!

My favorite photo of the bunch. Check out the cupcake hanging in her mouth!

"Fussy you have a little frosting on your nose."

Good to the very last crumb. Yummy!

Fussy's Idiopathic Head Tremors

          Fussy was never officially diagnosed with Idiopathic Head Tremors / Idiopathic Head Bobbing Syndrome, but it is very unlikely that it is anything but this. Do a Google search on Idiopathic Head tremors or bobbing for more information on what exactly it is. But essentially it is involuntary head shaking that lasts for short intervals, the cause of the tremors is unknown and does no harm to the dog. The cause of these types of head bobbing tremors aren't exactly known. If you think your dog has this please get him diagnosed by a veterinarian because there are other medical problems that can be similar to Idiopathic Head Tremors but require different treatments.

Fussy Is 14yrs Old Today, Happy Birthday!

          It is unbelievable how time can pass you by sometimes! Recently it seems to be just slipping by so dang fast recently, I had no idea it had been so long since my last post and not only that it is already time for Fussy's birthday. That's right, Fussy is now officially 14 years old. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY FUSSY!!!

          I'm writing this post ahead of time so I don't currently have any B-Day photos of Fussy to post yet, but as this blog post is publishing its self I'll be offline enjoying some quality time with my favorite wheelchair bound gal.

          Wow, I can not believe it has been 14 years. It seems like yesterday I was just watching her be born ..... tumbling around with her litter mates ..... going to her first dog show ..... where does the time go? Sure you understand time is fleeting and precious but once your dog gets up there in years you are just reminded even more how short of a time we have left together. I had worried if she would make it to 14 years old, at times it seemed iffy. But I did my best to focus on the here and now and that is how I plan to continue going into Fussy's 14th year. I hate to make Fussy's birthday sound like such a downer, that isn't my intention. I just want make everyone aware not to waste what ever time they have with their pets (and even people for that matter).

          I swear the older Fussy gets the more "crazy" she is. Those of you who follow me on Google+ have been reading of Fussy's exploits so you know what I'm talking about! For anyone not familiar here is an example of the stuff Fussy does that runs me ragged and nuts. Fussy's new thing is to have me put her on the couch then shortly after will start whimpering. "Fussy you want to get off?" I ask her, she just lays there whimpering and staring at the ground. I get up and grab her lifting towel (when she isn't in her wheelchair I use a towel to help move her around), I get it wrapped around her back end and help her off the couch. "Where to Fussy?" I ask and she starts walking towards the doorway. Just before we get there she turns and starts heading to the loveseat. Before I know it I find myself duck walking behind her and we are just walking in a large circle around the room like four times. By now I'm starting to get annoyed when surprise, surprise, she wants back up on the very couch she had gotten off of and even in the exact same spot. WHAT?! You Got To Be Kidding Me!! I help her back on it....ahhhh, just right! She lays down and goes to sleep. Yeah, I have no idea what that was all about. Maybe she was wondering if I would be dumb enough to do all that, which in that case her experiment was a success. Well played Fussy, well played.

          Everyday with crazy old Fussy is a new adventure, I just never know what to expect. Some days are quite ordinary (but those are few and far between), there are days she'll get into trouble aaaall day long (those are the days I'm pulling out my hair), then there are those "what the" or "well that was different" days when Fussy comes up with new and odd stuff I hadn't had the pleasure of dealing with previously. What can I say....Fussy keeps me on my toes, and despite the trouble she can create I always find myself laughing.

I can not wait to see what new adventures Fussy has in store. I'm ready.....bring it on!

Fussy whooped it up at the block party.

          Over the Labor Day weekend there was a block party I took Fussy to. Fussy though the idea of being able to run around in the street was very awesome. Fussy's strutting around attracted the attention of all the little kids and the flocked over to pet her and Fussy's buddy Beethoven.

          Fussy enjoyed all the petting, but she had hoped that at least one of the kids would have had food. What can I say....she travels on her stomach. After kids went back to playing it was time for Fussy to hit the tables and see if anyone wanted to share some of the tasty food with her. Sadly for Fussy all she got from everyone was a petting.

"Fussy quit begging food from people."

          Then it was time to once again zoom around! Fussy had a ball running this way and that. At one point we found ourselves in the path the kids were traveling with their bikes. Fussy wanted to follow along, who am I to squash her little dreams so follow along we went. The one thing I wouldn't let her do was jump the curbs, she kept trying to jump off and over them but each time I stopped her, I couldn't let her flip her wheelchair on the curbs. We walked this way and that way....Fussy was rolling everywhere, even the basketball game was no deterrent to her.

           The weather that day wasn't to bad thankfully, up to that point it had be hot and very muggy. I had worried if it was going to be cool enough for the dogs but it worked out fine, we even had a decent breeze blow through every now and again. When the dogs weren't wondering around we had them lay down on two big fluffy dog beds. Throughout the day the kids kept coming by to pet the dogs before they took off to go back playing. Everyone had a very nice day.

Splish Splash, It's a Dog Pool Party

Fussy in the pool

          It has been years since the last time we bought a kiddie wading pool for the dogs, so this year we searched around for a nice big deep one. With all that has been going on here I hadn't had the time to put it out and get it filled. This Monday I said nuts to this I'm putting out the pool for the dogs!

          I was so excited, I envisioned all my dogs splashing about in the cool water and running around with their pool toys. Ahhh, they are going to love it! Patio all cleaned up, put down the mat and placed the pool on top of it. At this point all the dogs were showing interest in my odd activity. Now to just pull out the hose and get this baby filled! At this point all three of the girls are just milling about the yard wondering why they haven't gone back into the house. Just you puppies wait and see what I've got for you.

          The pool at this point is now a quarter way filled and a great point to put Fussy my 13 year old disabled dog in. Fussy comes wandering over and goes "Great a drinking fountain!" She starts drinking and I then pick her up (because there is no way she could get in on her own) and put her in the water. Now Fussy when she was younger loved swimming in lakes, real pools, and even in wadding pools. The look on Fussy's face was unsure but she continued on with drinking the water. At this point I'm feeling fairly good about this and grab my camera for some photos. As soon as she spotted the camera it was all over (she hates having her photo taken). Fussy was like "Yup, now I know I really don't like being in here. Get me out!" Not to worry I though, I still had the other two girls who I know is going to have a great time. I pull Fussy out of the pool and she makes a mad dash away, well, in her her own fashion of dashing away which makes her look like a seal as she drags her back legs behind her.

"Get me out!"

          The pool continued to fill. Now it was time for Cahokia and Sunka to get in. Cahokia was the first to wander over, she to started drinking the water. I told her she could get in which peaked her interest. This time I had a dog who looked like she wanted to get in. With a bit of a nudge I got her in. She walked around slurping up the water and then stopped, stood there smiled. Score! We have a happy doggie!

Cahokia enjoying the cool water

          Sunka your are up next! With her sister drinking and splashing around in the pool Sunka felt compelled to see what this pool was all about. Maybe a drinking some pool water will put her more at ease, all the while she kept giving me glances. She even tried to put her foot in the water and then thought better of it. So I helped walk her in one foot at a time. She took a few steps and then looked up at me as to say "Why would you do this to me?" It didn't take much longer after that that she hopped out and wondered away. This is not how I thought my pool party would go. Two dogs out of three didn't want anything to do with the water, not only that but Fussy insisted on going inside. Does that make me a failure? The odds weren't good that was for sure but there was on silver-lining and that was Cahokia.

Sunka came over to see what her sister was up to.

          Cahokia was having a ball digging in the water and chasing all the pool toys. She just kept bring us the toys for us to throw into the water. I had her jumping in and out so many times she started to get tired which was something because it is so hard to tire her out.

       
Stop by my Google+ pages for more photos and videos of my pool party.
https://plus.google.com/117288703281079315811
https://plus.google.com/b/116865961144889959657/116865961144889959657

Two New Options Added!

New and improved Bloodhound

          I want to thank everyone for bearing with me and waiting for me to finally get my website back up-to-date. This year has just be insanely crazy but so far things look like they might be getting back to normal (or semi-normal). Anyway there is just a little more tweaking I need to do on my website and then it will be good to go.

          Now to introduce my latest additions! If you love Bloodhounds you will be very happy to know that I have redone my pattern so now it is better then ever. I must admit I'm very pleased with how this one turned out. It took quite a long time to get this new pattern just so, particularly the ear which is my favorite part.

NEW Double Dappled color

          This year I had a lovely Dachshund costumer place an order for some new colors, which I was excited to do. Thanks to her I now have a black/tan dappled and double dappled in the Dachshund Longhaired to offer. I just love it when I get to work with a customer that is knowledgeable in their breed that they can give me feedback on how I can improve my pattern to get it as close to the breed standard as possible. I want to get each breed and color just right so that they pass muster with my customers who are very passionate about their particular breed.

NEW Dappled color

          If you are looking for a particular dog breed or even a coloration just send me an email with your request and I'll do my very best to make it happen.

Fussy Puts On Her Wheelchair & Heads To The Forest

Annnnd she's off!!

          On Thursday, we took Fussy once again to the Fullersburg Woods but this time in her wheelchair. The last time we went she could still walk on her own, nowadays she can't go any where without support. It must have been perfect timing when we went as the weather was optimal for walking outside. The trail for the most part was fairly empty, but we did pass people (mostly bikers) every now and again. The wildlife was even out and about making the walk even more fun and enjoyable. And to top it all off the vegetation was so green and lush with flowers blooming throughout the way.

Fussy was so excited she was running everywhere.

My baby niece went with us.

Pretty much the whole trip all we saw of Fussy was her tail wagging butt.

Every view was lovely.

Run!

"Hey Fussy! Did you have a good time?"