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phylny

phylny's Journal
phylny's Journal
August 8, 2018

Looking for advice: Brother's shih tzu has become aggressive toward dogs since older dog died

Hi all,

My brother and sister-in-law had three shih tzus (older female, male, younger male, all de-sexed) who were always friendly and got along with our dogs very well. The older male liked to hang out on a long leash for about 20 minutes each day, sitting on the grass on their front lawn and watching the world go by.

While his older brother was sick and dying, Petey was very subdued and didn't eat much and was very deferential to the older one. When the older male was euthanized, Petey started to want to sit outside - something he'd not usually done. Recently, he's become aggressive and attacked another dog outside twice. This was a dog he knows and previously had no issue with. My sister-in-law said she cannot understand it, unless Petey feels like he now has to "protect" the house. She said that he was always the dominant one, but perhaps Petey thought that the older male was. She talked to the neighbor tonight and told her Petey would not be outside anymore unless it was in their fenced backyard.

They are coming to visit next week and of course we'll be cautious, especially since we have a new male Petey hasn't met yet. Any suggestions as to how to introduce them (other than the usual "introduce them outside of the house or on neutral turf"?) Can anyone guess what's happened to Petey now?

I will crate my dogs if I need to, and she will do the same with Petey.

July 28, 2018

If we have a Democratic majority in the House and Senate, and a Democratic

president, what would you like them to accomplish (in addition to rectifying the damage done by this corrupt administration)?

Here's my incomplete list:

1) Universal, single-payer healthcare (Medicare for all).
2) Supreme court nominees must be brought up for confirmation within 3 months of a president's nomination.
3) Make election days a national holiday; require all states to have a paper ballot/trail (if read by computer).
4) Overturn Citizen's United/make a law that any entity that contributes to a campaign or PAC has a dollar limit.
5) Write law for citizenship for all DACA recipients.
6) Fix our immigration/asylum systems and allow give a green card/other legal papers to people who come here to work.

Are these feasible? Can they be done legislatively?

July 23, 2018

Hand-painted sign in Afton, Nelson County, VA

made me grin: PUTIN’S PUPPET

July 3, 2018

Happy update! Was: I need kitten advice!

Updated to add, Lady Liberty, AKA Libby, has found her forever home. She was presented by her new mom to her new brother as "his" kitten. He is over the moon happy. Libby spent the morning snuggling with her new human siblings. I purchased a case of cat food and gave her new mom some money to cover the cost of the first vet visit.

--------------------------------

Thanks to all. Oh, BTW, she not only pooped on the towel in the "shower hotel" last night, but pooped in the crate on the way to her new home today. Such a little thing made such a stink!

As I was driving today, I turned a corner and the car ahead of me was stopped. The door opened, an arm came down, and then they pulled away.

I saw something in the road, and thought it might be a dead opossum. Nope. It was a tiny kitten. It was 91 degrees and someone dropped it on asphalt.

I have a home for it starting tomorrow, but tonight it's safe in my glass-enclosed shower. A couple of questions:

I've put water in a shallow bowl, and it's eaten a bit of cat food twice. Is it okay for me to leave the cat food out for it? It hasn't had a drink that I can tell.

I have a towel in the corner of the shower for it to curl up in. I have made a litter box with a shallow cardboard box and some newspaper. I've given it some cuddles as well.

Is there anything else I'm missing until I deliver it tomorrow? How often to cats urinate/defecate? Drink water? What should I worry about? Will it make itself warm enough in the shower? Our air conditioning is at about 75 in the house.

Thanks, from a dog owner!
June 21, 2018

I fixed Melania's jacket for her.

[link:|

June 19, 2018

"¡Primero con Papa! ¡Primero con Papa!"

That little child, calling for Papá on the Propublica audiotape. Crying for Papá. I can envision a campaign commercial with this sobbing, bereft child's voice and Donald Trump's ugly face.

June 14, 2018

New rescue pup pooping in house

We got a new little guy, about 3 years old, from a rescue a bit over two weeks ago. He's doing well - knows nothing obedience-wise, but he's slowly learning. We've had two pee accidents and tonight was his fourth poop accident. I have had most of the house closed off to him and am opening it up slowly. Here's what I've been doing:

Wake up in the morning, quick potty outside, breakfast, and then an immediate walk where he'll generally pee and poop
Mid-day walk (me or dog walker)
Potty outside when I come home from work
Dinner at 6, immediate walk outside where he'll generally pee and poop (if I can't, I kennel him briefly, then walk)
Potty outside in the evening

I am praising him, "Good potty! Good business!" for #s 1 & 2, like I've always done.

This evening, I fed him dinner and he ate, bolted to the guest bedroom, and immediately pooped. I cleaned it up, didn't say anything (he's lightning fast) and put him in the crate. There he sits. I didn't reprimand him. I had JUST taken him out to pee at 5:30 when I got home, and he peed (reluctantly - I needed to encourage him and stay out with him), but didn't poop.

I'm at a loss. My next idea is to feed him in the crate, assuming if I can't get him outside immediately, he probably (!?!) won't poop in his crate.

Any other ideas are most welcome.

June 10, 2018

I'm in my car. Who is on CNN with Jake Tapper

right now? Thanks!

May 18, 2018

I'm taking our boy to his final visit to the vet tomorrow.

Our darling Jack, little ruffian rescue dog who barged into this house full of testosterone - and heartworms, as it turned out, has been with us for a little over 8 years. He has become the most wonderful dog. Everyone who visits wants him to sleep with them, and he does. When we visited my elderly dad, Jack looked at me as if to say, "Just to let you know, I'm going to sleep with Grandpa. Okay, bye." Off he'd go.

He has mitral valve disease and collapsing trachea. He coughs day and night, and I'm medicating him twice as much. He wakes me up panting at 3 a.m. I believe while he's not in pain, he's struggling.

This is the hardest decision - everyone in the family agrees, but I'm just plagued with uncertainty. Yet, I know.

I just lost it feeding him his dinner tonight. Boy loves to eat, still.

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