Hot Friday!

By the time Carol (that's me, Jake's Private Secretary) got dressed and ready to venture outside it was already 99 in the shade, so Jake and John went for a very abbreviated walk. Perhaps all three of us will venture out tonight! Dinner is leftover salmon, cooked on the grill w/ slices of lemon and also fresh dill on Wednesday. We'll steam a few veggies and call it good. Jake will get a bit of all of it, minced up and served over his kibble.

Jake loves his handmade Spaniel Bowls. I must get photos of him eating out of the food one, drinking from the water bowl that is nicely designed so his ears don't get wet. Cindy Koehring made the "Alfred Blue" ones for Jake!

We three got out for that Friday night walk. The sky was beautiful, but of course by the time I got my camera the best of it was gone, so I just took some night shots of Jake. This is interesting when it is pitch dark and you're shooting a black dog.

Friday was a gorgeous day

We spent the afternoon outside, going to the park, taking a long walk, visiting w/ neighbors. Carol took alot of photos!

We had blue skies, not a hint of rain. It was in the 60's with quite a breeze. That makes the flowers move around but the shots turned out sharp anyway!

It is time for Jake's annual routine visit to his veterinarian. He'll have physical exam, blood work, stool sample checked and perhaps urinalysis as well. (His physical is definitely more thorough than any we get these days, and this is a good thing.) Next comes the question of vaccines, and here is where the water gets a bit muddy. His last rabies was a year ago. It was for 3 years, so that is not in question. I'm leaning towards asking to have titers done before giving any other immunizations. The actual appropriate thing to do depends on the individual dog, the geographical area you live in, and also the general lifestyle of the dog and family. I lean towards the "older" way of doing things if dealing with a hunting dog, show or competition dog, one that goes camping all over in the USA, and those in "doggy day care." This would call for annual vaccinations, no question at all. Jake is much more exposed to things than just the average little housedog but much less than those involved in competition and exposure to large numbers of strange dogs.

Here is what the AAHA has to say on the topic of canine vaccination.

Then there is Dr. Jean Dodds recommended vaccination protocols.

Please vote no on Oregon Measure 53

Please vote no on Oregon Measure 53........

On the surface, it sounds like a good idea...give the police power to confiscate money,
guns, drugs, etc., and, oh, by the way... find loving homes for neglected animals without having to wait for
due process. Few people are going to find any harm in this measure
unless they understand the mentality of those who managed to slide in
the animal connection.


The problem with Measure 53 is that animal shelters and rescues
nationwide have become infiltrated with animal rights activists
associated with organizations whose agendas are not really to protect
animals, but to eliminate the rights of pet owners to have companion
pets or working dogs or horses at all. These groups are actively working
to have mandatory spay and neuter laws passed in a number of states and
communities, and we are fighting AB 1634 in California again,
after the hard work of many fanciers managed to get it tabled last year.
The quickest way to prevent pet ownership after all is to make it
impossible for any more puppies or kittens to be born. If they cannot
pass MSN (Mandatory Spay/Neuter) laws, the next logical step is to simply find ways to take
animals away from their legal owners without due process.
If there was any reasonable assurance that this sort of forfeiture law
would only be used in situations where animals were being neglected and
were at risk, it might be worth supporting, but given the political
tactics I've seen in the AR movement to date, and seeing how the humane
movement has been hijacked by the animal rights extremists, I am
personally concerned that this will become a means for ARs to target
even conscientious pet owners and breeders and gain control of their
animals, whether those animals need "rescuing" or not... but by the time
the situation is ever sorted out, the animals will be neutered and long
gone.

VOTE NO ON MEASURE 53!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
 
 
&nbs
Friday we went to the park, walked around the block and checked out all the flowers. When we returned home George came along (George is Jake's pal, the Aussie) All in all we just goofed off outside for about half the day. Good thing because today it was cool and raining. Tomorrow is supposed to be warm and sunny again, so we have plans to make the most of it.

Last day of April

Today was cool with clouds and rain moving thru, but off and on the sun came out. Jake loves to take long, brisk walks when it's in the 50's and low 60's but at the same time he hates rain. Today he got lucky and no rain on any of his walks! Can you find the single, long black hair on the face of the yellow pansy? That would be Jake's!