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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

A Quartet of Canines

There has been extended silence on my part because I've been dividing my time between more illness than I'd like and lots and lots of dogs!

Sweetheart keeping watch while I photograph snails.

At the beginning of April, I had a nine day gig with the ever-engaging Sweetheart the German Shepherd. The weather was abysmal much of the time, with record-setting quantities of rain falling on at least one of the days, but nothing could dampen Sweetheart's spirits. She was ready to come over with a big smile on her face anytime I looked in her direction, bringing me toys, licking any part of me she could reach, and sighing blissfully when I rubbed her ears. Aside from all the rain and the resulting blahs, we had a good, uneventful time together. (Well, according to Sweetheart it was far from uneventful because it was SO EXCITING every time we went up or down the stairs, in or out of the house, or if I got on or off the couch.)

Sweetheart's house has two alarm systems!

Game, anyone?

Poor Sweetheart couldn't keep her eyes open after we took advantage of some dry weather to go for a walk. Why the silly girl wouldn't just put her head down and go to sleep, I don't know...

Snoozing at last.

Oops, you blinked!

Much of the rest of April was spent coping with another acute attack of gastroparesis, taking advantage of some sunshine, and not being able to take advantage of said sunshine because of migraines. Then, at the beginning of May, I got to spend part of the day with the ever-attractive Cutie the Great Pyrenees!

Looking noble.

Looking handsome. 

Looking elegant.

Looking like the big silly girl that she is!

The very next day after I took care of Cutie, I was off to Mr. Gorgeous' house. He always looks fantastic, hence his nickname, but Mr. Gorgeous seemed even more resplendent than usual. The only thing more gorgeous was the weather while I was at the collie's house! It was spectacularly sunny and the highs got all the way up into the mid- and upper-80's!

A breeze lifts Mr. Gorgeous' backlit ruff as he comes up the hill to see what I am doing. (Photographing ducks in the pond, in case you were also wondering.)

Mr. Gorgeous likes to be color-coordinated with his surroundings.

The dude always looks handsome, but he seemed particularly so this visit!

Talk about classic, iconic collie good looks!

I made him pose for this portrait with me because he'll probably have had those flowing locks shorn off for summer by the next time I see him.

Two days after I finished up with Mr. Gorgeous, I set off to spend a long weekend with Lady! I haven't looked after Lady since Mother's Day weekend last year, so she gets extra pictures. She is now all of fourteen years old and has slowed down quite a bit. Arthritis has reduced her walk to a sort of waddle and she showed minimal interest in chasing a ball, but she's still very sweet and has a funny grunt she makes when she wants my attention and enjoys her walks, though they are shorter and slower than they used to be.

"Welcome to my home!"

Lady was more interested in standing with her ball...


...or rolling on it than running after it!

The weather continued to be hot, so Lady and I spent a fair amount of time relaxing in the shade in the front yard.

Every old dog needs a good nap now and then.

Age has not lessened the sweetness of Lady's soul!

There will be more canines and fewer blogposts yet to come--I'm off to hang out with Mr. Gorgeous again at the end of this week and am already scheduled to see Lady again in early June! Sweetheart, I am saddened to report, is moving out of state this summer, but I do hope to see her again before she goes. In the meantime, my life is continues to be all about dogs, dogs, and more dogs!

And, for a bonus, check out this video I made on how to give a dog a pill using a marshmallow!

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