Saturday, January 28, 2012

Cooper the King Cav


My friend, Barcie, asked me to write something about my pack and our humans. My name is Cooper and I'm a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I've been with my family for about one year. 

My people, Steve and Susan, heard about me from their veterinarian.  I was living with a family who really couldn't take care of me and they were looking for a better home for me. When Steve and Susan saw me, they saw a scrawny, skinny, lonely guy, but underneath they saw a little dog with lots of potential.

I went home with them and to my surprise found I had a home with four other dogs, lots of cats, a bird, a horse and two donkeys.  The house was in the country with some open land (we call it the "dog park") where I could run as fast and as much as I wanted.

My brothers and sisters are all bigger than me; Nick, Sam and Miranda are retrievers and Morgan is a Keeshond, but I can run faster than all of them and boy do I love to run! Well, Morgan is pretty much my speed, but I'm still faster. 

In the summer we have water in the dog park and while Susan throws sticks for the others to retrieve, I play with Morgan.  There's even a big black cat named Bob who comes out with us.  He's as big as me, so I don't bother him too much. 

Last Thanksgiving I ran off and scared Steve and Susan.  It was cold and raining and I thought I would go for a walk without the rest of the gang. Not a good idea because I got lost. (Not as lost as Susan in the soybean field, but that’s another story.)

I could hear my humans calling for me. I was really miserable, cold and wet.  Steve was in his car looking for me and Susan was walking around out in the fields.  It was really stupid of me to run off and I wanted to go home.  I just focused on their voices and thought how much I wanted to go home. (Unfortunately I wasn’t wearing ruby slippers or it might have been easier!) I started running back, looking for something familiar. Finally, I saw the outline of the house and zipped into the back yard.  When Steve drove back to the house, I was so happy to see him! I ran up and jumped all over him!  

Susan came home, all wet and cold.  Funny thing, they didn't yell at me. They just kept hugging me and telling me how worried they were about me and how I should never do that again. We all got dried off and I snuggled under the blanket with them on the couch, watching TV and falling asleep in Steve's lap. You betcha I'm not doing that again. I have the best home ever. I’m not taking any chances!

You should see my coat now.  I look so handsome. I'm not scrawny or skinny anymore.  I'm loved.  I'm home.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Bone Wars


Bone wars. Yes, Kobe and I are having bone wars. That’s what we call it when both of us are given a sacred Purina® “Busy Bone”.

Our owners also call it “bone fever”. Symptoms include lots of frantic “burying” of bones under blankets, furtive scurrying up and down stairs, and scuffles with snapping, whining, growling and other canine drama. Of course, whoever actually chews their bone first is the loser.

The other day when we got these treats, I of course worked on acquiring both of them. Not too hard to do from my simple brother. I’m the alpha dog after all. In the whippet world, anyhow, that’s how female and males interact. 

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Winter Holidays Weight Gain


Does this coat make me look fat?

Well, the holidays resulted in a little weight gain for me. As a result, our vet at All Creatures Vet Clinic decided that we should not get canned food on our dry kibble anymore. To make matters worse, the vet nixed the “gravy” that the humans used to whip up with hot water and canned food. 

The doc blathered on about liquids, exercise and inverting stomachs in sighthounds. To add insult to injury, she examined me and had the audacity to proclaim me a “5 ½” on the Purina Pet Obesity Scale

I gained all of 2 lbs. and she loudly asked the humans to “feel the layer of fat" over my ribs. Such a humiliation! Where did my girlish figure go! Thankfully I have plenty of confidence and I will not allow any overeducated graduate of “Moo U” to insult me. (I am going to miss that gravy though…)