The Almost All Canine News

Yesterday's post was almost all about the cats, so today I will focus on the dogs. This typical scene in the kitchen corner included all the dogs plus little Caspar, who likes to snuggle up to his giant buddy, Seamus:

The beloved dog beds and floor pillows in the kitchen corner with Clover, Fergus, Jack and Daphne:

The dogs have a fenced yard with a ramp down into it. They often stand at the gate and wait for me to let them back in:

But they also enjoy their time outside, especially when there is freshly fallen snow:

Seamus likes the chilly, snowy outdoors so much that he often resists coming back inside:

Jack developed a bad cough which the vet says is from infected teeth. He's been on antibiotics for over a week but is still coughing. When his cough is cured, he'll have most of his teeth removed:

Seamus and Fergus seem to be good friends, and spend much time together:

Seamus, Fergus and Daphne, keeping me company while I'm at the computer:

The big, green floor pillow was put there for Seamus, but the little dogs most often get it. In this case, it was Jack, Daphne and Clover:

Seamus, Daphne and Fergus, again watching me while I was at the computer:

We had a winter thaw, then a bit of fresh snow once again. That was cause for joy although they would have liked the snow to be deeper:

But the most common scene in my house is always the dogs (and Caspar) in the kitchen corner:

Safe, Warm And Comfortable Indoors

The dogs and cats have been relaxed and comfortable indoors, even as the weather turned frigid, icy and snowy outside. This splendid collection of cuteness on the farm house kitchen floor consisted of Clover, Daphne, Jack, Bugsy, Seamus and Rocky:

Cuddle-buddies Clover and Bugsy. Bugsy was a throw-away kitten, left at my barn, very sick and skinny, and crawling with fleas. Now he's healthy, happy and nicely socialized:

Here's Bugsy again, this time with Daphne:

I keep a variety of dog beds and floor pillows on the kitchen floor. Fergus, Clover and Daphne were enjoying them on this wintry day:

Jack and his buddy, Seamus, though Seamus had chosen a dog bed far too small for his gigantic body:

Daphne was keeping company with cats - in this case, Bramble and Rocky:

The Poodle watchdogs, Seamus and Fergus, at the foot of the stairs:

Clover and Jack. Jack was another rescue, the most recent of the dogs. He was found as a terrified stray. He bit the Animal Control Officer and wouldn't let anyone come near him at the shelter. Anyone who reached toward him caused him to begin screaming and cowering. If they persisted, he'd bite them. The shelter wasn't sure how they'd place him, but one woman there made friends with Jack, so I knew it was possible. I spent time in his kennel with him, just standing quietly. Then I came back with Clover and Daphne, with whom he instantly fell in love. That sealed the deal and Jack spent most of the ride home trying to crawl onto my lap (while I drove!):

Bugsy again, this time with his big buddy, Seamus. Bugsy likes dogs for cuddling, cats for playing (especially wrestling):

Georgette was abandoned in an apartment with her one kitten and brought to the shelter. There they put an orphaned litter with her to nurse and I fostered the group. Once all her kittens were adopted, she remained unwanted and seemed to insist on staying with me. She got her wish:

Daisy, dumped at my barn with Bugsy, had a long period of severe illness, followed by months of eye infection. Then her cornea developed a hole through which the one remaining corneal layer was bulging dangerously. More antibiotics and a miracle working corneal repair gel brought her back to health:

Silly little Jack, keeping his eyes on me. One never knows what mischief I might get into:

January Dogs And Cats

In the bleak midwinter, Bramble lounged comfortably and passed judgement on all he surveyed:

Jack and Fergus waited for me at the bottom of the stairs. These are the two who sometimes pee in the house, so I like having them where I can watch them:

Playing outside in the snow is a favorite pastime:

But not as much of a favorite as sleeping in the warm kitchen:

Little Jack is particularly fond of PeeWee's old doggy bed:

Daisy's eye was not healing and the ointment I'd been using wasn't helping, so I began putting medicated drops in it. Her eye began opening, little by little. She's still on several antibiotics so there is no guarantee she won't relapse once they are discontinued. But she acts happy and healthy. She also has perhaps the best personality of any cat in the house. It's hard to imagine the hard hearted person who dumped her off at my barn, along with three kittens:

Daphne always has a concerned look on her face, but she's really a happy girl:

And Jack loves to romp in the snow. He's another small miracle, an abused and terrified dog who wound up at the shelter. His behavior was such that they doubted anyone would want him. I spent time in his kennel with him. He just cowered, but came around when I brought Daphne and Clover in to meet him. He really liked his two new sisters:

Rocky wore his best tuxedo for his photo shoot:

And Bugsy just wanted to play:

Update On The Household Pets

It's been a comfy winter for the household pets, and this collection of Daphne, Clover and Jack would be a good example of what it has been like for them:

Bramble rested up high, where he could keep an eye on Seamus and Fergus down below:

Feeling pretty smug and good about yourself, Bramble?:

All five dogs and Bramble in the farm house kitchen. I was about to go outdoors and they were hoping to go with me. They didn't get to, as I had chores to do:

Seamus has taken to resting beneath a window and over a heat register, in just the right spot so that his head rests between my two hanging gloves. He looks, at first glance, like a mini-moose:

Slumber party - Clover, Daphne, Seamus and Fergus:

Chirpy the parakeet seems to have hurt his feet. There wasn't anything I could do for him, but he was smart enough to discover a notch on a branch where he could sit on his butt, keeping his feet in the air and giving them a rest. When necessary, he also grabs onto the bars of the cage with his beak for stability:

All five dogs on the fleecy dog beds. Notice that the big floor pillows are no longer there. That's because someone was peeing on them. I removed them for about a month and am just now giving them another try on the floor. I'm hoping they won't get peed on anymore but the verdict, as of this writing, is still out:

All five dogs in their fenced yard. It's hard to imagine any winter days without snow around here, but we've had quite a few this year:

Jack, Clover, Bramble and Daphne on the newly reintroduced floor pillow. No pee yet:

Bramble, again up high so he could keep a watchful eye on us. One never knows what mischief we might get into without his supervision:

Clover, Daphne, Bramble and Fergus:

Sleepytime Corner - All Through The Night

You have probably noticed that I post a lot of photos of my dogs and cats sleeping together in the corner of the farm house kitchen. You also likely noticed that those photos were not very good because the corner was dimly lit and the walls were dark green. Well, I recently bought a used floor lamp for $12 which I've put in that corner and have since taken lots of pictures. I present some of them here, accompanied by the lyrics to the famous lullaby:

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT

Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee, All through the night:

 Guardian angels God will send thee, All through the night:

 Soft the drowsy hours are creeping:

 Hill and dale in slumber sleeping:

 I my loved ones' watch am keeping, All through the night:

 Angels watching, e'er around thee, All through the night:

 Midnight slumber close surround thee, All through the night:

 Soft the drowsy hours are creeping:

 Hill and dale in slumber sleeping:

 I my loved ones' watch am keeping, All through the night:

 Guardian angels God will send thee, All through the night:

All through the night: