Jazzy's Belly Ache

(I wrote a really neat article for this post-then hit the wrong key and lost it. I HATE it when that happens! Blogger doesn't like Mac-it works better on the PC (to do things like italics. Oh well-here is round 2-the abbreviated version):

I came home from a trip out, and found torn up cookie package remains in the great room. I THOUGHT I had doggy proofed it. WRONG. Jazzy had eaten all of the cookies-there was at least half a package before I left-maybe more. UGH! My bad-what dog WOULDN'T eat cookies instead of kibble, when their owner wasn't looking?

Then we went outside and Jazzy helped herself to some dandelions. She loves them. Eats like a goat! She didn't just eat them to help her belly ache. She eats them all the time.

I'm wondering if the dandelions taste good, but then I think to myself, do dogs really have a refined sense of taste? Think about what ELSE they eat!

I figured Jazzy would be jazzed up from all the sugar, but instead she was a bit reserved for a few hours. I'm guessing she was embarrassed. Perhaps she was saying, "I can't believe I ate the WHOLE thing!"

BTW-Jazzy is weighing in at 15 pounds now. Not fat-in fact very lean. She is just "big boned" as they say, and on her way to being a BIG Boston Terrier. She is 20 weeks old today.

Kong

We have been told that Boston Terriers need to be entertained at all times, and not allowed to get bored, in order to keep them from getting into trouble. Since we have to leave Jazzy at times for 4-6 hours at a time, we have been experimenting with the best arrangement. We have finally dog-proofed the great room, and have closed the doors to the other rooms. She can soak in the sun coming from the French doors at the back of the house, or the large windows in the front of the house. And she can run down the stairs to go out her doggy door to enjoy the out-of-doors. Also, she can play with the cat, and watch the world go by through the windows. It seems to be the best arrangement.

To keep her from getting bored (and into trouble), we purchased a little toy called a Kong. It is a rubber ball, with ribs rather than a solid wall. And an interesting opening that allows you to put different treats inside. The dog then is encouraged to roll the ball all over, and to chew on the ball, and occasionally they are rewarded with a treat (or a bit of kibble food). It really keeps her occupied! And it is good for her teeth and jaws. A good purchase for under $10.

Wetting Accidents

Jazzy is having some unusual wetting accidents. She has wet her bed once, and our bed twice. This is not from squatting out of rebellion on the bed, but actually being asleep and being incontinent. As you know, it is unusual for a dog to urinate in his own sleeping quarters. She didn't just go a little, but lost a lot of urine.

Then there was the time she was playing with Russ, and just all of a sudden water gushed out of her. No squatting, no stopping, just total incontinence. Not excitement incontinence (she sometimes has that too, and that is just little dribbles), but a gush of urine. Poor thing.

The last 2 nights she has not had an accident. I'm pulling her water earlier in the evening, and when I get up in the night I get her up to go too. This is helping. And we are trying a more disciplined bathroom schedule, to make sure she is going when she should.

But-we had a weird thing happen last night. Jazzy climbed up on me as I was laying on the couch, and wet all over me. I couldn't tell if she was squatting or if it was an accident. But it was a LOT.

So, we are really going to watch her more and get this thing under control. If it is not a schedule problem, then we will have to have her evaluated for other things. We don't want the high vet bills, though!

Jazzy's Over 4 Months Old!

Last week Jazzy went to the vet. He commented that she is going to be a LARGE Boston Terrier, and is ahead on the growth chart. I weighed her today, and she is at 14.5 pounds. A SOLID 14.5 pounds, at that-all muscles, ears and legs, it seems!

She had a yeast infection in her left ear. Stunk, and was red too. But treatment has helped that. She now has all her puppy shots and next on the doctor agenda is to spay her. That should happen the third week in May.

Last night she did the craziest thing. We were letting her sleep with us, and she was sleeping SOUND. Then, guess what? She wet the bed in her sleep. Not a rebellious sit up and squat sort of thing. She just had an accident like a little child. I've never heard of a dog doing that. Weird.

Russ slept through it, but I woke up and knew right away what was going on. I scooped Jazzy up and took her out in case she needed to go more. Then I cleaned her up-and me too. Then I had to wake Russ up and explain that we needed to change the bed sheets, because Jazzy had an accident. What a deal!

She's just a crazy little girl-loving her sleep too much to wake up.

Jazzy the Snow Dog

Boston Terriers are not supposed to like cold weather and snow. Jazzy must be determined to be her "own dog." We had about five inches of snow yesterday, and Jazzy used her doggy door to explore the great white outdoors frequently. It was fun to watch her. She would plow her face into the snow drifts and come up with a snow-beard. How cute! I'm glad she likes it.

Jazzy's Growing Up-Some Cute Stuff

Jazzy has the look of a grown-up Boston Terrier now. She weighs about 13 pounds, 14 when she has been eating a lot!

Speaking of food-she makes a big deal when she is hungry. If her bowl is empty, she puts her foot in the bowl and moves it around. If she doesn't get our attention, she pushes it with her muzzle across the kitchen floor. She is hilarious! But, when we do fill her food dish it makes a tinkling sound against the metal bowl, and Jazzy always backs up when she sees and hears it.

Jazzy LOVES ice. She begs for it with lots of pitiful whimpering and nosing up to glasses filled with crushed ice.

She is doing much better about going outside to use the restroom. Only she doesn't think of it on her own very often. She will run to the landing of our split-level home, and that is our clue to take her out. She is only averaging about 1 accident a day now, and that is usually when we aren't paying attention. You know how it is, housetraining is more about training the owner than the pet!

When Jazzy is a good girl, I say "good girl." Duh-no surprise there, right? But every time I say "good girl" she runs to the kitchen island where here treats are, puts her front paws on the cabinet, and points her eyes and nose towards the treat canister. She figures she deserves a treat if she has been a good girl!

Jazzy still loves to sleep. She is sleeping through the night now-well, by that I mean she doesn't wake up to go to the bathroom. She does wake up if something startles her or she needs comforting and she wants in bed with us. Sometimes, not always, we let her in bed. She has forgotten that she learned how to jump on the bed, so at least for now she doesn't just jump up there! She loves to sleep so much that she often sleeps until 10:30 in the morning! And after being up for a while, she will go back to sleep until lunchtime. She takes an afternoon nap in the sun spot, and is active in the evening, when we are both at home.

She takes her pills with no prompting. When I go to get her pill bottle she actually begs for the pills. Most pets I've had, need me to wrap the pill in a bread ball or some peanut butter. Not this one. She will swallow it right down. She takes antihistamines to help with her itching. She still has two bald spots in front of her ears, and the backs of her ears have thinning hair. Her ears smell like infection too. ICK. I tried cleaning out the ears, but the "ick" is too deep and I don't want to hurt her. She goes to the vet Friday for her final shots, so I'll have them clean out her ears then.

Shot Day Went Well

Jazzy went for shots on Friday. She LOVES going to the vet, because she gets attention from all the staff. They adore her, and spoil her. In fact, two of the assistants came in to get Jazzy's vitals because they both love her so much. Later, when the vet was messing with Jazzy to try to get an exam squeezed in between the wiggles, she finally calm down. Guess why? Because she could hear her two girlfriends talking to a doggy in the next exam room, and she stopped wiggling long enough to tune her ears to listen. So cute!

She weighed in at 11.6 pounds, and the vet said she has already lost her puppy face. He thinks she has the looks of an adult Boston Terrier, with just more growing to do. We are guessing she will weigh about 20 pounds, full-grown. He said at 14 weeks old, they normally still have a puppy face, so he seemed a little surprised at how quick she is growing up.

He did seem a little concerned with the lost hair in front of her ears, and the thinning hair on her ears and along her arms and legs and behind her tail. He is concerned it might be a type of puppy mange, and says as soon as she develops the autoimmune antibodies, she will be fine. She is taking a little bitty antihistamine now, to help her with the itching, to see if that will help. We are hoping it MIGHT calm her down a little too! She is actually a calm puppy for the most part, but when she DOES get excited, watch out!

Our Student Is Learning-And Growing Up!

Jazzy learned several new tricks yesterday. We installed a doggy door, and after some coaxing and bribing with treats, she finally got the hang of it. She also showed us she could go up and down the steep steps from our upstairs deck to the downstairs backyard. So, she is now either asking us to let her out, or she goes on her own. Yeah!

She also learned a new command. "Lay down" has been added to her portfolio of tricks, including "sit" and "dance."

And, this morning, she learned what fun it is to chase the birds out of the yard. So now she wants out frequently!

And at lunch, she came to the French doors of our upstairs deck, looked in to our great room, and proceeded to knock on the door, asking admittance. So cute!

Things are coming along nicely for us.