Chica's squeaky toy

I hope the squeak breaks soon!

Chica and her squeaky ball

Chica really loves to chew, of course. I don't like to give her much rawhide due to digestive and chemical concerns. I got her a squeaky ball that is fairly hard, hard enough to endure lots of chewing, but not so hard that she can't get a good satisfying jaw action going. She lost it. So, I got her another. Then, we went to the country and she lost that one there. I bought her another one and took that out to the country. The lost one resurfaced. It had a very high-pitched squeak; I counted the days till the squeak would break. (She loves them squeakless, too.) I left one in the country at Martha's for her when she goes there. I have bought a couple more and by now should have two in her dog drawer. But, no! They must be in a corner or hiding behind dust bunnies under the couch or who knows. So, tonight we went to Petsmart, which she loves as an outing because she gets to go in through the doors, smell all kinds of enticing things and meet other dogs. I got her another ball and now she is happily squeaking on it on one of her dogbeds. I have bought her a new dog hammock. I still haven't set it up, but I'm looking forward to seeing how she likes it. She tested one in the store for me.

Spice visiting Chica

Steve's dog, Spice, has been staying at Steve's brother's for quite a long time. Now and then, she comes to visit here. The cats don't like it, but Spice is now so elderly, they just walk around her. Spice can be quite testy, like the little old lady she is. Sometimes, if she is at the door and Chica runs up, Spice will try to pounce on Chica. Spice doesn't care how much smaller she is and gimpy and rolly-polly she is. Right now, poor Spice is recuperating from a horrible attack. Steve's brother, David, was walking her (on-leash) along a sidewalk near his apt. There were some dogs playing off-leash in an unfenced park across the street. One bounded across the street right up to Spice. She didn't care for that at all and did her usual grumble-snap-tiny jump at him. He backed off right away and bounded off. However, the other dog who was in the park, had his fighting instincts triggered and bounded across the street and grabbed Spice and bit her several times in the hindquarters. I wasn't there, but I saw the wound after an initial cleaning and operation and it was nasty. Weeks later, and after another operation, she is here visiting with her cone-head. Her incision is clean and looks like it's healing. She is supposed to get the stitches out in less than a week. She is a little trouper.

Chica takes these visits very well. I don't know why but when Spice is here, Chica stays downstairs at night most of the time. Usually she comes upstairs and sleeps on a dog bed in the hallway. Spice stays downstairs as the hard-wood staircase is too difficult for her. Is Chica guarding her space by keeping an eye on the other dog? Or, is she staying with the dog-part of the pack here?

Spice can't go to Bruce Pit yet, but I think once her stitches are out, we can try her again.

Oh, and the dog who so viciously attacked little Spice-girl? A poodle.

The owner is getting all of the hospital bills.