Tuesday, March 23, 2010

As much as we have trained Maggie, she has trained us as well. Now that the weather is warmer Maggie enjoys being outside. When we try to bring her in the house she just stares at us. Most of the time it is not a problem, however there are times we need to leave, and securing her in the house is preferable. When she refuses to listen to us we offer her a "treat," and she comes running. Smart dog!

Friday, March 12, 2010

I took Maggie to the Gladwyne dog park. I knew this place existed but up till now didn't know its location. So after running google maps I realized how close it was to me. Upon arrival we were greeted by a few dogs and Maggie was in heaven!! We found an off leash trail and set out for a nice hike in the warm weather. Along the way we met two other hikers with their dogs and proceeded in their direction. At the end of the trail Maggie didn't want to leave and I had to bribe her with treats just to get her into the car. On our way out I found the fenced in area that is smaller then the one in Radnor, but looked equally fun. So the next trip I will give that a tray.
A day later I noticed these specs on Maggie's legs and realized they were tiny thorns. I assumed she picked them up when we were hiking on the trail. My daughter and I spent a good hour removing these thorns and eventually I had to cut the rest of them out of her fur. Interesting she didn't seem bothered by them, although I knew if left in the situation could get worse.

Friday, March 5, 2010

I was making dinner the other day and I turned to see what Maggie was doing. She was standing up and looking at something on the floor. My immediate thought was " what is she eating now!" But then I took a closer look and she was watching a ladybug walk across the floor. I guess the movement is what attracted her attention. She seemed content to just watch this bug. I have no idea what she was thinking but it was cute to watch her observing this bug.
I was afraid she would end up eating the bug so after a few minutes I decided to save the ladybug's life (these are bugs I actually like) and put it outside.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

I followed Maggie outside one morning and as she started to pee, stuck a plastic container under her and did indeed collect some of her pee. She had no idea what I was doing, but didn't seem bothered by it.
After dropping the pee off at the vets I treated her to a few hours at the dog park and waited for the results.
Got the call a day later to learn that her kidney function was normal and although she tested positive for Lyme disease she doesn't actually have the disease. Makes sense huh!?! Anyway, it is good news to us. The vet encouraged us to keep a close watch over her in the event that any symptoms would show up, but for the time being she is acting like the normal Maggie.
This week with the snow melting and some grass appearing Maggie has been enjoying her walks. I wonder if she forgot what grass was since it has been so long since she has smelled it.
With the temperatures set to rise to the fifties next week, we are looking forward to the emergence of spring and more outside time.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Got a call from the vet today. Maggie has tested positive for Lyme Disease. I had taken her to the vet last week for a shot and they took blood to run some tests. The results came back positive. This phone call came out of the blue. When the phone rang I checked caller ID and saw the vet calling. I knew this was not a social call, but had no idea they would tell me this.
Maggie does not display the common symptoms of Lyme disease, such as lethargy and arthritis. However they need to test her urine for kidney function. They recommended I put a Tupperware container under Maggie the next time she pees and bring the pee to the vet. This should be an interesting endeavor!! Will Maggie even pee into a plastic container? Will anyone else in the family step up to the plate and offer to take on this job??
I'll keep you posted.

Thursday, February 18, 2010


Haven't blogged in awhile.

Maggie continues to grow and amaze us. She is now eight months old and although still considered a puppy she is acting more like an adult dog. Her personality is more prevalent and she has adjusted to a routine.

Maggie had been enjoying the snow this season and she loves to play in it as well as eat it. With the heavy storms it has been a little difficult to let her out in the backyard to "take care of business." so at this point as long as she is outside we don't mind where she goes.

She still loves to go for walks but with all the snow on the ground she doesn't stop to smell the grass, and our walks take a shorter period of time.

A couple of weeks ago Maggie chewed through her leash, so I went out and bought a new one. Her first leash was made out of rope so I purchased one made out of leather thinking she would not be able to chew through it. But she got ahold of it and promptly chewed in ten minutes.

Moral of the story....keep Maggie away from all leashes!