Tuesday, March 30

[Bethers]

My friend, Ginger, who is selling her place keeps trying to give me things. I couldn't turn this glider down.

I visited at Ginger's this afternoon and came back with a bunch of little things so I don't have to constantly move those kitchen items between the rig and casita. And some outdoor items that will stay here whenever I leave but will make my place look better. Then we went in her bedroom for something and I knew she planned to take her bed (really a day bed) and asked how since she decided not to rent a trailer. Next thing I know she's telling me it's mine and I'm saying it's too big. Well, the sofa I bought is hard, so I came home and measured and said her daybed is still bigger than I prefer, but if we can find a nice neighbor at either park willing to bring it here before Saturday, it'll be more comfie in there. I won't have time to sell the sofa, so that little room will be crowded until I get here again lol I keep saying I'm supposed to be downsizing, not accumulating more. Especially as it just sits here most of the time.

Barbie, great news on your electric usage and cost. That mini split will have paid for itself in a few seasons. Velda, glad you got a haircut. Hopefully I'll get one soon.

[snowball]

I too have been wondering about Lyn when I take Shadow out we walk past Lyn's spot
the only cruise I've been on was years ago we lived in Iowa at the time had one daughter and one of my high school classmates had married and her husband was a ranger at Isle Royal National Park hours out on Lake Superior one of the perks because of the distance was visitors were brought out on a cruise ship don't remember a lot about it other than I chose to stay in the room we had because of the age of my daughter
I would take a cruise up into AK it was always a dream of Larry's to go to AK one of my regrets that we never were able to do it always felt it was my fault ... I'd heard what it cost to go and said we need to have whatever amount of money in savings before we go... and he didn't want to tow the 5th wheel up there and we could never figure out what to do compromise was hard for us... on some things... I'd love to travel up the water way he not so much... oh well we can't go and undo can we???
it was a very windy day last night I could hardly get the door open to take Shadow out that was around 1 and as far as I know it was that way all night...
I knew that I wasn't going to accomplish much today so did what I planned on that maybe the secret make our lists shorter so we can get them done and if we do more yea for us!!!!
looking that the weather 10 days out thinking I will shoot for a week from Thurs hopefully it will remain decent
and whoever said that March has been windier than normal so agree... it's been horrible here
love that table Karen good find
Shadow never played with toys either... but does love his treats and none have seemed to bother him... hopefully you will find something that Sugar will keep down Martha.... I laugh at my sister's dogs they totally will eat anything tossed at them... I can't remember what it was but we so didn't think they would eat it ...they did... oh yes it was lettuce
Beth love that bench I would not have passed it up either

you all have a good day
sheila

[BarbaraRose]

Beth, you are not adding things, just replacing things (eventually).

[Cudedog]

Can anyone suggest a dog treat that is easy to digest? Sugar had an upset stomach for two days. It looks like she is feeling better today. She threw up twice with mostly undigested dog treats in it. I quit giving her any but she thinks she should have a treat every time she goes to the bathroom. She is not interested in toys at all and will only chew on something that involves food.
Martha

Thanks to all who invited me back. This group means the world to me. I am still fighting a case of the "gloom and dooms", also because I have been having a tingling feeling in my left leg and foot. I might think that this is vaccine related, but it has been a month since my first shot (go for my second tomorrow morning) so probably not.

On to Martha's question.

Hope I am not "putting my foot" in it here, but in the 40+ years I have kept Staffordshire Bull Terriers, I have never given any of my dogs any kind commercial "treats". Partly because a large portion of dog treats are made in China (even those not made in China often have the ingredients imported from China), and partly because either the ingredients are either not listed at all, or the list is made up of super-long words that it would take a certified chemist to decipher.

My Big Joe is a very eager eater, so he thinks that a random bit of his daily dog kibble taken out of my pocket is a "treat".

If Sugar is less interested in kibble, you might try something that I used as "bait" back in the days that I was doing a lot of dog showing. "Bait" in this instance is a small bit of a food item that the dog badly wants, so is trained to stand "at attention" looking at the bait one is holding in one's hand for a few minutes (long enough for a dog show judge to make an evaluation) before the morsel is given to to the dog.

The bait I used I always made myself out of hot dogs. Usually the chicken kind, because they tend to be more aromatic and tasty when microwaved.

This is how to make them:

1. Take a hot dog (or two, or three) and thinly cut diagonally (not length-wise) until you have a small pile of nickle or dime size hot dog disks.
2. Put a paper towel on a plate, and arrange these pieces side-by-side (one layer only - don't stack them up) on top of the paper towel.
3. Put the plate of hot dog disks in the microwave, and microwave a few minutes until crispy (but not burned - a lot of grease will come out and soak into the paper towel as they microwave). As they cool they will no longer be "hot dog soft" but kind of dry and crunchy, almost like bacon.
4. Try not to eat them yourself - they smell (and taste!) really good.
5. When cool, put the pieces (just the pieces, not the paper towel) in a zip-lock bag in the freezer, fish out a treat or two from the bag as needed. After cooking in this way the pieces don't freeze hard, but stay crunchy even when frozen.

This is a great training treat as well. Dogs figure out pretty quick that if they "sit" they get a hot dog treat, if they "down" they get a hot dog treat, if they "come" they get a hot dog treat. Dogs are kinda smart in that regard.

Now that I have written all of this out it occurs to me that what Martha really had in mind was a "chew treat" of some kind. I also never gave any of my dogs chew treats for the the same reasons listed above, adding to that that chew treats can be a choking hazard (dog have died choking on rawhide chews).

The only kind of chew "toy" my dogs have ever been given was the Nylabone Galileo (of the appropriate size - they come in many sizes):

https://www.amazon.com/Nylabone-Galileo-Souper-Original-Flavored/dp/B000084ERH/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=nylabone+galileo&qid=1617216826&sr=8-1

I don't know if it is the unusual shape of the thing, but all of my dogs loved these, but would turn up their noses at any other kind of Nylabone.

Since Staffords are very enthusiastic chewers, and have extremely strong jaws, I would not let my dogs have one unsupervised, because they would chew one of the "knobs" on these things to a point - with the potential to crack off the point, and swallow it.

Probably this wouldn't be an issue with dogs that don't have the jaw power of Staffords, but it is always good to keep an eye on things in the dog toy department IMO.

Good luck.

Anne

Ps. If you put these hot dog treats in your pocket, be sure NOT to leave the article of clothing lying around before it gets washed, because the pocket will smell like treats. Good chance your dog will chew a hole in the garment's pocket, hoping to find more morsels. Ask me how I know this.