Crossing the Finish Line!

Happy post Christmas, blogging friends! How have your holidays been?  I don't know about you, but I ended up running around like a lunatic trying to get everything done. And yesterday, two days after Christmas, I finally got the last of my cards sent. Today two gifts go in the mail for my brothers and their families, and I will officially hobble across the Christmas-finish line. Hurray for me!

I have thought about my blog every single day since I last posted and really wanted to keep it up to date. But that just didn't happen. **Stephanie, thank-you for thinking of us and asking if we were okay!!** 

Last Saturday a friend and I were off to a matinee at the Kennedy Center to see the play, "Come From Away," which tells the true story of 7,000 passengers, who were on their way to different parts of America when the tragedy of 9/11 struck. As the American air space closed, 38 planes were grounded in the Newfoundland community of Gander, a town with only five hundred hotel rooms. My friend and I both loved it, and if you ever get the chance to see it, I highly recommend it!

~Hall of Nations - Kennedy Center~

Back at home, the Barkalot Brothers are still doing what they do best, barking. Abe returned to the vet for yet another glucose curve test, which he failed again. We've tweaked his insulin dose and food again, and next week, he'll go back for another test.

~Abe~

The Foster Home Coordinator has spoken to their previous owner, and the decision has been made to return Abe and George to him. However, the coordinator is adamant about not returning the two until Abe's medication is at its proper dose. This hasn't made *Paul* happy. And while I'll admit that I'm ready for them to leave us, I support the coordinators decision to keep them for a bit longer.

~George, left -- Abe, right~

Moving onto our only girl Sophie. Her appetite is off, and she's been coughing a bit more than I'd like and she's breathing pretty heavily at times too.  Sophie is due to return to the vet in January. I just hope this isn't a sign of the progression of the laryngeal paralysis, or the return of the thyroid cancer she was treated for before she came to us.

~The lovely Sophie~

The rest of our cast of characters are doing pretty well. Knock on wood of course. They're in pretty good spirits too.

~Max~

Well, Todd wasn't for about 5 minutes when he had to do another quick photo shoot for me. 

Another blogger calls these pictures, "The Hat Tax." She says it's a tax "for the costs our beloved dogs incur without contributing financially to the household, so several times per year, usually around holidays, they are required to pay the hat tax."  I am totally embracing this tax, and explained all this to Todd. Being a Scottie, and given that there were lots of treats involved, I think he understood, because in less than 5 minutes he was "paid in full" and the photo session ended.   

It was the same for Rhett. Who I think looks dignified no matter what ridiculous thing I put onto him.

And so with that, it's onto the end of the year!

~Outdoor kitty Gino~

Sorry About That!

I've left you all nearly a week without an update on the Barkalot Brothers. My apologies for that. I've not been feeling well, and have even missed work. I'm feeling a bit better this evening.

But thank-you so much for sharing your experiences, candid thoughts and support on my last post; they went a long way. They helped me to articulate my thoughts and feelings about returning George and Abe. They also gave me and the coordinator from the rescue, a few things to consider. At this moment, Abe and George being returned is on hold.

Abe returned to the vet on Friday for another glucose curve test.  He failed. His glucose was so low that they had to feed him to bring the level up. We've decreased the insulin, and increased his food.

~Chipper, on the left keeping George company while Abe is gone~

We all know that Labs live to eat, but Abe really is hungry and his continuing to lose weight is a concern too. The special/prescription food that Abe eats, I think, has no nutritional value, so it's not a surprise that he's hungry all the time. Abe goes back to the vet on Friday for another test.

~Abe~

Paul (previous owner) was contacted about returning Abe and George to him. He assured the rescue that he's financially able to provide for them. However, he was going back into the hospital today (Tuesday) for a couple of more days of tests and should be home in a day or so. This raised the nagging concerns I have about his continuing to care for Abe and George, concerns which the foster-home-coordinator for the rescue also shares.   

~George~

As I said, as it stands right now, we're on hold until the end of the week. Lab Rescue is in favor of their return to their former home.  However, the concerns we all share about Abe and George's ongoing care is first and foremost and will again be discussed with Paul.  And, the foster home coordinator feels strongly that we need to get Abe's diabetes stabilized as well. So, whether they will be back home in time for Christmas is anyone's guess.

Abe & George - Going Back Home?

Lab Rescue received the below e-mail yesterday from the previous owner of Abe and George. I spoke to the foster home coordinator last evening, who had discussed everything at length with the president of the rescue. 

DEAR LAB RESCUE MY NAME IS PAUL ******* AND I AM THE OWNER OF ABE AND GEORGE WHO PLACED THEM WITH YOUR AGENCY FOR ADOPTION. BECAUSE OF FAMILY PRESSURE , I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL AT THE TIME .MY (THIRD TIME IN N2 YEARS) THIS CREATED A HARDSHIP ON MY FAMILY TAKING CARE OF ABE AND GEORGE AS THEY LIVE IN *****COUNTY AND I LIVE IN ***** .IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS HARDSHIP AND FAMILY PRESSURE THAT I REGRETFULLY PUT MY BOYS UP FOR ADOPTION. I IMMEDIATELY REGRETTED THIS DECISION .

        I NOW AM OUT OF HOSPITAL AND GIVEN A CLEAR BILL OF HEALTH ALSO I NOW HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WILLING TO TAKE CARE OF ABE AND GEORGE IN CASE I WOULD BECOME SICK IN THE FUTURE .SINCE I HAVE BEEN HOME I MISS MY BOYS GREATLY .I VERY MUCH LOVE ABE AND GEORGE AND MY HOME IS NOT THE SAME WITHOUT THEM .MY WIFE AND I HAVE HAD ABE AND GEORGE SINCE THEY WERE 10 WEEKS OLD MY WIFE PASSED IN 2017 AND NOW MY BOYS ARE GONE .PLEASE FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO REUNITE ME WITH ABE AND GEORGE ,I LOVE THEM VERY MUCH AND MISS THEIR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE . I AM PRAYING THAT YOU REACH OUT TO ME AND I AM REUNITED WITH MY BOYS 

 Returning Abe and George to their previous owner is being seriously considered.  The foster home coordinator is going to reach out to the previous owner today and she will make the decision. I told her that I trusted her to make the best decision. But I am not sure how I feel about it. Of course my first concern is for Abe and George. They needed all their care updated when they first came into the rescue. Also to consider is that Abe is diabetic. Also diagnosed when he came into the rescue. Will the owner be able to afford and give him the care he needs?

What do you think?   

The Christmas Hat!

One holiday down, one more to go as this weekend comes to an end with my wallet a little emptier. I've done a bit more online shopping than I typically do.

One of the things I try to get done is our Christmas card. For more than 20 years I've done a photo card with our dogs on the front.

This year I had an idea for our card when I was in the shop where we buy dog food, and I saw *a hat.* My idea was to take a photo of each of the dogs wearing it, and put them all together.

I chuckled as I took the first few photos.

~Rhett~

But then when I put a few of them together on what would be the front of the card

~Max~

I realized that none of the dogs were really showing that holiday cheer. So I decided to scrap that idea.

~The lovely Sophie~

However, I still can't help but chuckle when I look at them.

~Alf!~

Especially the ones of Todd.

Who I think  ....

given his expression....

and his reaction, totally hated the hat. Don't you agree? 

So, with that and the photos not showing any holiday spirit, I'm onto the next "great idea."

No Post Thanksgiving Energy

A much better past week with the Barkalot Brothers.

We're either getting used to their barking, or they're not barking as much. I think it may be both.

It was a quiet Thanksgiving day at home. The turkey just barely fit into a blue-enamel roasting pan that my Mom used for many years.  My brother and I always say that it's "all the love in the pan" that makes everything its used for turn out perfectly.

~The guest of honor at our Thanksgiving dinner~

And if we didn't have enough to eat yesterday or have enough leftovers, this evening we are enjoying another Thanksgiving feast with our good friends and their family.

~A full fridge of leftovers!~

It's coming around on 4 o'clock in the afternoon and I've not done anything all day.

~Alf, soaking up some sun~

Todd, as always is about the only one that feels like doing anything.

Especially if there are those gangs of marauding deer in the woods near our house.

But even without the deer, Todd always has enough energy for all of us. He is a Scottie.

What about you?  Are you feeling energetic on this post-Thanksgiving day?

Lessons Learned and Remembered

Thank-you all for your support and great suggestions on how to curb the barking problem we're having with George and Abe. You have been a tremendous help by reminding me of some of the tried and true tricks that I'd not thought to try or remembered. Another thank-you to kruzingwithk9s who reminded me about "Composure." I've used it before, and had good success with it. The more potent and vet prescription of it, called Composure Pro, should be arriving on Monday; thanks to Mobile Vet for letting me order it through him via an online pharmacy. I've also got new Lavender essential oil, and added another that I like, called Serenity. Our house smells really good now!

~Our front yard on Thursday~

Longtime readers of this blog may remember a dog we had a number of years ago named Rudi. She'd come to us in 2003 as a foster dog for the Golden Retriever Rescue. At just over 2 years old, she'd already had 3 homes, and we were her 4th. Rudi had been mistreated, mishandled, and totally misunderstood. I struggled with Rudi for months. She was seemingly out of control, mostly because of her barking. Even a behaviorist considered Rudi unadoptable. I just felt like Rudi had so much potential, and I just couldn't give up on her. I tried every medication, including a citronella bark-collar, which by the way, made her even worse, because I think she liked the smell of it. But at some point, I stopped trying to control Rudi, and just let her be herself. Because when I tried to control her, her barking would escalate. Letting Rudi be who she was, was the biggest lesson she taught me. And this lesson became the cornerstone to how we have handled each and every foster dog since then - We let them be themselves, and add in the rules, the best we can, as we go along.

~Rudi on the left, Kasey on the right, with Cowboy and Charlie in the back~

I tell you this only because I was reminded of Rudi this week. I was out with Rhett and Max on a walk around our property when the two found the partial remains of a deer.

~On a walk with Max and Rhett~

A similar thing had happened several years ago with Rudi in about the same place. I remembered that when I'd told Carl about it, and asked him to dispose of  "the part" he'd asked how he'd ever find it in our big front yard. I told him to take Rudi with him, and she'd show him where it was. And she did. The photo below is of her rolling on "it" while Carl was trying to clean it up. The picture made me laugh then, and it still does now. . 

Okay, so if you're still reading, this brings me to the lesson I remembered this week. I understood Rudi, and I let her be herself. When I did that, it all came together for Rudi and for us. I've not let the Barkalot Brothers be who they are. We've tried to control them and their barking, which has made the barking even worse. YOU'VE reminded me that I needed to give and take time with George and Abe to understand them, and let them be themselves. So, I've started doing that, and believe it or not, things have been much better the last few days. No, it's not perfect, but perfect doesn't work for us anyway.

~Abe~

We still have progress to make. But I think the spray bottle, which I just have to show George, along with the essential oils are working, and I think the "Composure" will make a difference too. You know, it took me months to learn these lessons from Rudi. From the Barkalot brothers, it took me just over two weeks. That's progress. But it is a lesson that has come again because of a combination of my total exhaustion, your thoughts on my previous post and in remembering Rudi.

And so, as I sit here this morning, the sun is coming up and everything is peaceful. George is snoring on a dog-bed nearby with Abe. I am remembering my beloved girl Rudi and my heart is full of gratitude and I am humbled.  Thank-you all for your help and for cheering us on. I think we are going to be okay. I think Abe and George are going to be okay too.

~Adoption photos for George & Abe~

Now if someone could just help me to figure out Todd....

If you want a trip down my memory lane click here to read my blog post where I paid tribute to truly, one of the best dogs I've ever had, my girl Rudi.  

Trying to Settle In

Whatta week it was!  It has not been an easy week with the Barkalot Brothers. Their constant barking is an issue. Nothing we say or do can get them to stop.  So if any of you have any tried and true remedy about how to stop their barking, please feel free to share. 

~George~

Abe and George know very few basics, and teaching them anything has its challenges. Can you teach old dogs new tricks?  I had thought so.

~George, what a handsome boy!~

Added is the pressure to make sure that Abe gets his insulin at the right time. On work days, I chase the clock from the minute I get up in the morning and of course at the office. Doing it after work is something I haven't had to do. But Abe needs to be fed as close to every 12 hours as possible, so he can be given the insulin afterwards. It adds to the stress I'm already feeling. I'm hoping as we continue settling into a routine it'll get easier.

Abe spent all day Thursday at the vet for a glucose curve test. Five blood-tests are done during the day to check the effectiveness and level of the insulin he's being given. We're adjusting his dose, and also giving him more food, which I think he needs because he's pretty thin. I'm also hoping more food will help to curb, at least a little bit, his obsession with it. I don't expect his fixation with food to go away, he is a Lab after all! 

~Abe~

Even though it hasn't been the best first week with the Barkalot Brothers, it has had its good moments.

They get along pretty well with our dogs.

There's no question that Abe and George are nice boys. They are bonded and they do love one another. Despite all their barking and chaos they have brought, Abe and George are easy to love too.