Nellie

I Was Sick

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Nellie

One day I was fine, the next day I wasn’t so fine. It came on slowly and suddenly I got real bad. You can see from my picture I wasn’t feeling good. Mom put me on the couch so I could relax. She called it my sick bed.

I love my grub, and mom always says I’m a good eater. I’m picky about what I eat, but if I like it I clean my bowl every time.

I didn’t lose my appetite, but my innards got out of whack. First my bombs started to look like something a big bird dumped. Mom watched me real careful and made me a special meal with chicken stock and rice.

After three days of me staggering outside as fast as I could to take care of my business, mom took me off my grub for 24 hours, like the vet says to do. I also took some Immodium, just like people do when they get the runs.

That seemed to help a little. With nothing coming in, there wasn’t much to go out the other end.

When mom started me back on little spoonfuls of rice and stock, all hell broke loose. I had a bunch of accidents in the house. The other mutts sniffed my butt constantly, trying to figure out what was wrong.

Mom called our vet and he gave her some magic powder for me. Its called Panacur. It kills all the bad stuff in your gut. It kills worms and stuff like giardia.

Mom mixed the Panacur powder in my food. I couldn’t even taste it. Boy did it work good. After the first dose I felt so much better. Once I didn’t have to worry about making a mess in the house, I could finally get some good rest.

Nellie and Ash

My pal Ash stayed with me the whole time I was sick. Here’s a picture of me and Ash taking a nap. He sticks real close to me just like Codie told him to do. Us blue dogs. We got a special bond.

Everything is back to normal. I can eat all the stuff I like. Mom thinks I lost a pound or two, so I get an extra helping once a day.

Today it’s sunny and warm. I’m gonna walk around in the pasture and eat some spring grass.

I can hardly believe this will be my second summer at Asherpark. I was supposed to die at the shelter a year ago. But I didn’t because Old Dog Haven stepped in and saved me.

That’s why I look at each day as a gift. I wasn’t supposed to have any more days. I wasn’t supposed to learn what love felt like. I wasn’t supposed to have pals like Ash or people who love me. But I have all of that, and I feel really fine. Yippee!!

 

 

 

Tess

We’re Sorry

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Tess

We didn’t mean to go off the air. Ash kept up the barks while mom was at the ranch, but when she got home things fell apart.

We were really happy that mom was back. The boys took good care of us, but we ran out of our home cooked grub the last day. Life just wasn’t quite the same without mom.

Mom smelled soooooo good when she came home. She smelled of horses, and the desert, and strange dogs. She smelled of fresh air and happy times.

Ash kept worrying that Jack was going to pee on mom’s suitcase, but Jack was good and behaved himself.

Nellie was so happy to see mom. She tried to jump on mom and fell over.

Then things got busy. Us four mutts can take up a lot of time. First mom cooked up some grub for us. Next there was laundry and housework to catch up on. We begged her not to wash her riding clothes, but she threw them in the washer and made the horse smells disappear. What a waste.

Soon Ash and I got to arguing over who should do the bark. He’s got lots more energy than I do, so I expect him to do most of the barking. But Ash said he was tired of all the responsibility and I should help him out.

Meanwhile Nellie got sick for a few days. She’s better now. Jack had his weekly bath and then it was my turn. Mom can’t manage my superfine undercoat. It always gets knotted and I end up with these hideous hairballs.

Last week I got chauffeured to the salon. Yuck! I do like to look pretty, but I sure hate the process. The brushing goes on for hours until the groomer finally gives up and gives me a warm bath with shampoo and conditioner. It takes me hours to dry, then I get one last brushing. I have to admit I look simply marvelous after my day at the salon.

The neighbor came over last weekend. Mom told Ash to go to his bed and stay there. Me and Jack tried to get Ash to break his command, but he wouldn’t do it. Ash got lots of praise from everybody for being such a good boy.

Life is back to normal now. We get up early while the moon is still low in the sky. We eat our breakfast and sleep while mom writes. Today mom’s taking Ash to town. Just mom and Ash. Everybody knows they’re pals. They’re going to have some special time together. Wish I could go.

Anyway, that’s the news from Asherpark. Don’t expect me to keep up this barking. I told Ash I would help him out this one time, but then he’s got to take over again. Maybe Jack and Nellie will sub for him once in a while. I don’t care. I’m done.

Respectfully barked by Tess.

 

Asher

We Are Family

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Ash

I’ve been goofing off while mom was gone. I tried working on Codie’s story, but my heart wasn’t in it.

The  only reason it’s any fun posting the DailyBark is cause me and mom do it together. Without my  mom, I’m just barking in the wind.

Me and mom are tight. She’s my best friend. In fact, I don’t argue when the other mutts call me a mama’s boy. I’m proud her and I are such good pals.

I wish my mom would take me to the ranch. I’d be really good once I got over seeing the horses for the first time.

I’d be respectful of the ranch dogs and not make a pest of myself.

Soon as mom gets back from the ranch, I’m gonna talk to her about our family vacation. Maybe we can all go to Best Friend’s sanctuary in Kanab, Utah.

Mostly I want us to hang out together at Asherpark for a while. Jack will go back to sleeping in his big comfy pillow in the bedroom. Nellie will stretch out next to mom. And I’ll irritate the other mutts by tossing my binky around while they are trying to sleep.

I really do want to take a family vacation sometime. But I also love it when we stay home together. Summer will be here soon. We’ll get up early and listen to the owls. Then we’ll eat our warm breakfast. After mom makes her coffee, we’ll go with her to the studio and sleep while she writes.

Sometimes it’s nice when nothing much happens. I like it just fine when our pack enjoys the little things that happen every day. Maybe that’s because we’re family.

I gotta get busy. Mom is coming home tonight and I haven’t been keeping up with my barks. See ya!