Even dogs like cookies, just not the tracking kind

You might feel like a trapped feral cat, but you have been warned. Apparently with EU laws, you have to be notified if Google is using cookies (not he eatable kind) and now i'm also responsible for letting my EU friends know. Or even third party cookies and i have no idea who is doing them. Consider yourself notified.

Damon biopsy results

Well Damon's biopsy results are in: He has a eosinophilic furunculosis of the face with hypersensitivity reaction possibly caused by an arthropod bite or sting: meaning he was bit or stung by a bug, and his immune system over reacted. after using a round of antibiotics after the surgery it is recommended that he has a large or double steroid dose to suppress his immune response.

Damon has another cyst

Damon has another cyst, this time on his snout. After a round of steroids and antibiotics it has shrunk a bit, but still bleeding and is scheduled for another surgery to remove.
It has only been 11 months since the last cyst was removed from his pad.

Update: Surgery went ok for biopsy and culturing to see what it might be causing him pain, swelling and bleeding on his nose. He is still groggy but doing ok. Will update in 4 days when the results are back.

New addition by default

Since my mother has moved away, i have had the pleasure of adopting and caring for her terrier. He is a good dog, but can be hyper at times. He still guards her old house and it has taken us a couple of weeks for him to realize he gets fed here, so here is where i now belong. Good with the kids, but will howl like a coyote at night if he hears a siren or train whistle.
Loves the kids and snow,  but got a little more than he bargained for while investigating what our grandson was digging. 

Too many dogs, far too much fighting for pack order, and indoor chaos

Due to the economy, underemployment, or just plain lack of money, my daughter and her family had to move into our home. Two small children and a female bully pit. Introduction into the family where i already have a 16 year old boxer, an adoptive mutt (when my mother moved out of state) and Damon, who is a pit bull and labrador mix. My daughters dog has been here numerous times before, and usually gets along with my other animals, so this was not the problem. It was when my daughter decided to add to the mix, an adonis of animals a beautiful bully pit, with more muscles than brains. As she is used to her rather lazy bully pit, this boy needs constant attention, exercise, and training.... None of which she can do with two very small boys and here is where the conflicts start. Too many people get an animal and not fully think of the ramifications when they do not give a specific breed, especially a muscular working class dog the training they need. His lack of proper exercise, meaning walking him 2-3 miles total per day, causes him to lash out by tearing up doors, pillows, toys, etc... This is the first mistake people make with an animal. 1. Walk and exercise the dog... 2-3 times a day. Dogs will naturally try to set up a pack order and young pups what to fight to prove they are the alpha male. This is the most frustrating, scary, and chaotic fact of dogs. This boy will be a very powerful adversary and needs to be separated and trained. 2. Take the dog to a properly lisensed dog trainer to keep this powerful animal under control, 'man handling' pushing, shoving, anger, screaming, gabing, hitting,etc... are never, never acceptable and will only result in injury... YOURS 3. Timely feedings, about the same times every day, so as not to frustrate the animal. and do not over feed. Give separate bowls to each dog to avoid fighting for dominance over the food bowl. 4. Do not add a new animal to your home when it is already chaotic from added people and other animals trying to adjust. This has been the biggest mistake and we are all now frustrated and causing more tension between the animals as they sense the temper tantrums building in the humans. There are many wonderful web sites with advice for training your animal and i have learned a lot from each one. But i'm writing this post out of sheer frustration, and hoping it may help someone else in a similar situation.

Drop the ball Damon

Teaching Damon to drop the ball has been one if our biggest challenges. Instinct tell him he has conquered and captured said ball, and you are too weak to pry away from my sharp teeth.  All true, i confess.
But pit bulls like to learn new things,  so we praise,  and pet him and praise when he gets it right.
And sometimes, Damon just wants to be the conqueror.

Someone to watch over me.

Baby sitting my grandson and daughter's pregnant bully pit. Every where the baby goes Jasmine has to follow.  She is very protective of him.