Poo bags

I’m somewhat appalled by the quality of Fred Meyer plastic grocery bags lately. You see – I use them to pick up dog poo, and the number of holes has been alarming, and with serious consequence. Today I stuck my fingers into stuff I’d hoped to avoid by using a bag. Its not the first time either; this is about the 4th time this year, 2nd time in 1 week.

And its not that I’m not careful. I check the bags, usually before leaving. But sometimes I’m sure I can just work around the holes. But by working around the holes, you often creep up the edge of the bag, and your thumb or fore finger slips over the top and into the payload. It always happens early in the walk too, so you’ve got a stink finger for the next 20 minutes.

So – to the extruders of Fred’s plastic bags – do better. (not doo better)

Barley enters puberty

I think Barley is entering puberty. He’s suddenly become more interested in his bed, in the smells left by other dogs, and his own sexuality in general. Of course, he’s been neutered, so that explains why its happening so late. He’s now over 2 and 1/2, and he’s just catching on to the nuances of reproduction. And in celebration of his personal milestone, I’ve made a short movie.

Barley’s 6 month Checkup

This morning was Barley’s last checkup with Dr. Munjar. His knee looks great, and there’s been no additional arthritic development over the last year. His left hip looks great, and he’s got a strong thigh on that side, but he’s still limping on his right, due to his thigh. The bad news is that he’ll probably need a total-hip replacement surgery someday, but that someday could be quite some time from now. He’s getting enough exercise, and isn’t limited by it, so we’re pleased with that news. We’ll be back for a checkup next year, but in the meantime, we don’t have to do another surgery this year.

If your dog needs orthopedic surgery, we highly recommend Dr. Munjar. He’s very generous with his time, and helped keep Barley “On the road.”

The Saga Continues

Barley has developed a growth on his lip, and has been throwing up a bit. Two separate events that “conveniently” coincided so we only had to make one trip to the vet. The growth appears to be a wart, but we should keep watching it. The stomach, well, who knows. It doesn’t feel like he’s got a blockage, but no food for 24 hours.

In other news, Michelle finished her second year of law school. Barley sure knows how to celebrate.

Barley’s Last Physical Therapy

Yesterday Barley had his last physical therapy session. It was a good session for him too, because he got to lunge at the squeaky frog in the tank as much as he wanted. Aside from having symmetric muscle mass in both thighs (good), he can now go on longer walks with some jogging, and eventually jumping mixed in. Its nice to know we don’t have to keep him sedated and control him with an iron fist. Now he can roam around the house with some freedom, and if he “accidently” gets away from us, the world won’t end. Whew.

BarleySaurus Rex

Barley’s New Morning Routine

Barley's morning look
Barley’s had a new morning routine since his surgery. He gets up 1-2 hours before we would like to and sits and looks at me. If I don’t wake up, he shifts his weight so his collar jingles. If that doesn’t work, he walks to my side of the bed and returns to his glare. Some mornings I tell him to go back to sleep, others I just get up, carry him downstairs, and let him evacuate. He usually really needs it. Its kind of creepy though. His eyes suggest he’s capable of anything, and they’re convincing. How would you react?