Nellie

It Was Scary

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Nellie

Maybe the lady at the shelter was right when she said I wasn’t worth saving. She said I didn’t have long to live and mom should pick a better dog to rescue.

I’ve been at Asherpark for four months. I’ve had surgery to fix my teeth and remove a lump on my eyelid. I’ve had lots of supplements and good nourishing food. I was getting stronger all the time.

And then…..I went to sleep Sunday night like usual. My bed is on the floor right next to mom. That way she can’t get up without me knowing it.

At 4am Jack started moaning. That’s how he asks to go outside. I felt mom get out of bed and I jumped up to go with her. Boom. I fell into the wall. I got up again and fell in a heap.

Mom tried to steady me but my legs collapsed. The world was spinning and I felt like I was upside down.

Mom quick let the other dogs out and came back to help me. I staggered outside and did my business. When I tried to walk back I kept going around in circles. My head was tilted at a crazy angle and I felt sick to my stomach.

I lay down but everything kept moving. My eyes were twitching. I thought this was the end. I felt so bad mom had to see me like this. She wants me to get better and here I was getting worse with some goofy condition that made me look crazy.

Mom was really worried about me but she also had an idea what was wrong. She thought I had vertigo. Mom called and wrote all sorts of people about my condition. Our vet, Dr. Brad, said I have geriatric vestibular problems. Kinda like old age doggie vertigo.

Dr. Brad said I should slowly get better on my own and there’s not much he could do for me. Well, that was good news. I wasn’t going to die and maybe my head wouldn’t always be tilted like a hawk circling its prey.

Three days later I’m much better. I still stumble when I walk and my head is crooked, but I’ve got a big appetite and drink plenty of water. I’m really proud that I didn’t soil in the house even when I could hardly walk.

Mom says my getting better is the best present I could ever give her. She says I will always have a place at Asherpark, even if my head stays crooked. For now I’m taking life easy. Sleeping, eating and giving thanks that I still have time ahead of me. I’m grateful for each day, whatever it brings. Life is good!

 

 

 

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Summertime

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Asherpark has lots of gates. Mom says the trick is to make sure they’re all closed when us mutts get too full of ourselves.

You can see Jack, me, Pippin and Tess all waiting expectantly for our pal Freckles to get out of the car.

Freckles

Freckles has come to visit us a bunch of times. His dad likes to take a picture of all the dogs lined up at the gate.

One time there were seven of us, all barking and carrying on like a bunch of fools. Finally mom told us to pipe down.

We like to have dog parties in the summer. People bring their dogs. They sit in the sun and drink wine. They eat little plates of stuff they call appetizers while they talk. That doesn’t make any sense to me. Us dogs stop all the nonsense when it’s dinner time. Eat first, bark later.

When the people aren’t too busy, mom takes us down to see the goats. It’s no big thing for me. I visit the goats every day. But it’s a big deal for the guest dogs. Here, see for yourself.

Anyway, that’s summer in the country. People and mutts hanging out. Everybody getting along, having a good time. I like it.

Party Dogs

 

 

 

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Funny Little Fellow

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Huck

We’ve had a lot of different guest dogs stay with us at Asherpark. When we’re not too busy learning new stuff and playing with the goats, we babysit dogs for our friends.

This little guy in the picture is Huck. He’s a cranky old Dachshund. He stayed with his pal Pippin, the Corgi.

Huck doesn’t have the best disposition. First time he came to visit he tried to start a fight with Jack. Not too bright since Jack outweighs him by thirty pounds. But old Jack was so shocked anybody wanted to fight him he just ignored the Huckster.

Huck was supposed to spend the day in the outdoor kennel since he couldn’t get along with anybody but the Corgi. Mom washed it real nice and put his favorite crate and blanket in there.

Well, Huck didn’t like the kennel and mom felt sorry for him, so Huck got his reservation upgraded. Next thing you know he’s taken over the studio.

Huck’s owner warned us that Huck likes to be covered up. One day mom let him pick where he wanted to nap. Huck picked an old cushion from the couch that mom stuffed in a dog bed cover and forgot to zip it up. Turns out that was just the way Huck likes it. Took him no time at all to burrow under the cover and start a nice snooze on the cushion.

On a warm sunny afternoon Huck discovered his favorite spot. Like Goldilocks he tried out all the beds in the studio and picked the one just right for him.

Huck and Pippin went home with lots of stories about life at Asherpark. I heard they slept for days. I guess country life tired them out. We’re looking forward to when they come visit again. Maybe Huck will even try and get along with Jack.