Watching a dog's social life improve

Cliff's sister and her husband were here for the weekend; they had some things to tend to at the property they own nearby, so they stayed in "their" bedroom here.  Their dog, Mindy, came along as always.  
Iris had already met Mindy a couple of weeks ago on their last visit; she was not impressed.  Mindy made overtures at friendship, trying to entice my dog into a game of tag, but Iris was having none of it.  The hair on her neck would raise and a low growl would emerge from deep in her throat. 

On that visit when the two dogs first met (when this picture was taken), Mindy didn't eat the whole time they were here; we don't know if she was upset that her friend Sadie wasn't around (it was her first visit since Sadie's death), or whether she didn't like being shunned by Iris.  
Charlene, Cliff's sister, thought Iris would eventually come around and be friends with her dog; I had my doubts.  So I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when I saw the two sniffing one another's nether regions peacefully as dogs do when they're getting acquainted, and then trotting off together side by side.  The last time Mindy returned from the farm with Charlene before they left for St. Louis, Iris actually met her with a wagging tail.  
And I thought a friendship would never be formed between the two.  I guess dogs know more about making peace than humans do.  

Wow, did I actually go a whole day without blogging?

We're in a celebratory mood: I've been cooking and we've all been eating. We're enjoying having Cliff's youngest sister, her husband, and their dog with us. Cliff's other sister, Rena, is back from Wisconsin where she had her latest day in court with her ex. Last year she wasn't too happy with her lawyer; today she's proud that she didn't switch horses in midstream, because he earned his keep this time.

One of my readers, Vicki, left a comment saying she had an egg beater she hadn't used in the thirty years she's had it, so she's sending it to me. Merry Christmas to me, eh? My readers rock! I have to be careful what I mention here; last year I was mourning the fact that nobody has bubble lights any more, and a reader from Texas sent me some. I'm enjoying them thoroughly this year.

Have I told you that I always wanted a new Cadillac?

Cliff's youngest sister and her husband, Pat, mentioned to us that their dog, Mindy, has suddenly started getting on their bed, and she's never been allowed on any furniture. You'd have to meet Mindy to know that she is one of the most well-behaved canines you'll ever see. She obeys all commands. Pat can walk her in their St. Louis neighborhood without a leash and she never leaves his side, even when other dogs pass by.

They left Mindy here yesterday while they went to Pat's family Christmas get-together, and during a rowdy playtime with Sadie, she ran and jumped on my bed with her ball. I chided her and she jumped down, but I puzzled over this latest turn of events. What would cause such a change in the behavior of a dog who has been so nearly perfect for three years?

The light bulb turned on, and instantly I knew what had happened: The last time Pat and Charlene rode here on their motorcycle, they left their pet with an elderly neighbor who loves Mindy dearly, and has the most spoiled little lap dog you've ever seen. I could picture with my mind's eye the sweet little woman's brat-dog jumping on the bed with her at night as he's accustomed to doing, and the lady looking down at poor Mindy thinking it just isn't fair that she has to sleep in her bed alone on the floor. I visualize dear Miriam patting the bed, enticing Mindy up to join her.

When I laid out this scenario for Pat and Charlene, they agreed that had to have been what started this recent behavior. So now they're going to have to work at ridding Mindy of this unwanted behavior.

I have a slight issue with my cow, Bonnie: her calf, being at least half her size, is none too gentle when he nurses her, and he has her two front teats so sore that she kicks him away. It doesn't help that his belly is likely full from the tall grass Cliff turned them onto. This puts me in a position of doing something I had not counted on... milking every day. She isn't too "kicky" with me because I apply udder balm to the scabby places, and once it's worked into her udder, her pain stops. Hopefully this will pass. I've put Sir Loin up today, hoping he'll be hungry enough tonight to take all her milk... even if I have to put her in the stanchion and put a "kicker" on her so she can't shove him away.

It's always something with these pets, isn't it?

The local boy who recently had a wreck on slick roads, Kody, has to lie on his belly in the hospital for seven to ten days while skin grafts take hold. What an ordeal for a sixteen-year-old boy to face, and with pain from a broken pelvis, too! It's not exactly a merry Christmas for him. Even though Cliff and I barely know him now, we refer to him as "our Kody" because of the couple of years we babysat him as an infant.

He was a lifesaver for us at the time, because our son was in Germany, our daughter and her family were some distance away, and we didn't get to see our grandbabies much. We poured all the love we had for our grandchildren into Kody, and he soaked it up like a sponge. He was one of the best, most timely blessings ever sent our way.

I know he and his family would appreciate prayers for him, and I would too.

Poor Mindy

When Cliff's youngest sister, her husband, and her dog were coming here a couple of times a month, the dog, Mindy, seemed to feel quite at home.

This time it's been several weeks since she stayed here, and she's worried. Charlene went shopping with her sister, and Pat is working on a truck with their son. They left Mindy here, but she isn't all that happy about it. She kept worrying and whining and looking out the window, so I put an afghan down for her to lie on. She accepted it, but she keeps on watching for her mom and dad to return.

Rather sad, isn't it?

Added later: Pat is here now, and she's quite contented again.

When Sadie has company...

When Cliff's sister is visiting, that means her dog Mindy is here.

When everybody is up for the day, the dogs always have a little tussle. This is how it goes: