Merry Christmas from Petey

Here's a clip of Petey opening his gifts this year.






He hopes that everyone had as good a Christmas as he did!

Sorry, the video is not showing up. I don't know where the problem is. It could be the file is just too large.

Petey got a box of doggie Christmas cookies, that are even more repulsive than those things he gets at the bank. If I ever get the video clip installed you'll be able to see how he carries them in his teeth without his lips touching. He was quite excited about them until he got the first taste, and he has not messed with them even though they've been left in the floor near his ring bed.

He also got some stairs to help him get on the couch. That was the dog equivalent of socks & underwear apparently. Even after we got them put together and in front of the couch he'd have nothing to do with them. We think maybe he's insulted.

He also got three bacon treats, and was able to assist us in opening our gifts. That made him a happy boy.

I'll keep working on the clip.

A Moment for Misha

On Monday, my good friend from work Linda presented me & Petey this lovely Christmas gift. Linda and her dog Misha had made it for us over the weekend. Isn't it adorable!

Linda's job was to tie the treats on in a artful way. Misha's job was to sit patiently and wait for Linda to give her the broken or otherwise unsuitable treats. Much like what I am required to do when I'm baking and have a broken cookie. Someone has to eat it. It was a very sweet gift and one the both Petey and I appreciate very much. Petey appreciated it so much he actually ate several of the treats!

The gift was made even more special after sweet Misha died Monday afternoon. She fell down the steps Sunday night at home, and was unable to get up Monday morning. The vet thinks that maybe she punctured a lung in the fall. The vet put her to sleep and she went very peacefully. Misha was 15 years old. She'd been a faithful companion and was a lovable dog. I only got to see her a few times during her life, but she was always glad to see me.

Take a moment for Misha, and remind those that you love just how much you love them.

It is COLD

Some of long term readers may remember that Petey got a snuggi for Christmas last year and hated it. We tried various things like laying it in his bed trying to get him acclimated to it. He was quite resistant and still wanted mine no matter what. It has turned very, very cold and Petey does not tolerate cold well at all. We really do want Petey to be comfortable, so we've been searching for ways for him to keep warm knowing that it is a long way until spring.

We got the snuggi back out several days ago, and have been putting it in strategic areas that we know Petey frequents like his ring bed by the fireplace and the heating vent in the living room. We were hoping once again to desensitize him to the offending garment. Our thinking was that we might get him a sweater for Christmas, but the last time we tried that it was about as welcome as the snuggi. We were hoping that once he got used the the garment he already had we could move on to the sweater.


Yesterday, John decided was the day to actually put the snuggi on Petey. I was out shopping and came home to find Petey wearing the snuggi but it looked odd somehow. It was all bunched up around his neck, more like a scarf than a wearable blanket. I asked John if Petey had done that or had he. John said he did it. He knew it didn't look right, but he was having a hard time getting the thing on Petey since he was so resistant. We ganged up on Petey then, and put the snuggi on him properly. Boy was he mad.

He pouted and grumped around the house. He scratched at the bedding and flung himself around. You have not lived until you have seen a dog throw a temper tantrum. We were undaunted and left the snuggi on Petey. In a bit, Petey got under the covers on the master bed. He was scratching under the covers like a mad dog. He sometimes scratches around while he's under the cover because he doesn't like the fitted sheet too smooth. This, however, seemed much more excessive than typical. By the time I got to him to see what in the world was going on the snuggi came flying up, out from underneath the covers. That little goof had hidden under the cover and taken the thing off! Not only had he taken it off, he flung it. He FLUNG IT!!!

It is pouring snow & ice right now, and Petey is naked. He's having to brave the elements au natural. It is his own silly fault.

John's Belt

I was in the living room this afternoon, and noticed something odd in Petey's ring bed. I went to investigate and found John's belt in his bed. I asked Petey what is was doing there and he was quite tight lipped about it, so I went to John. John had no answers either. I picked up the belt and took it to John so that he could put it away and Petey followed me. He was not happy that I'd taken the belt out of his bed.

Just now, Petey got in his ring bed and growled when he laid down. I think he's mad about the missing belt! We have no idea why/how the belt got there. We do know why he's mad. He thought it was his, and he is quite possessive of his stuff.

Thins like this are hardly a blip on the radar anymore. It is just life with Petey...

Just for the record, there were no ill effects from the sage. We did find another spot for it, though.

Sage

We had a pot of sage, the spice, outside this summer. We brought it in a few weeks ago when the weather started getting cold. It is sitting in a sunny spot near the back door. Just now, John walked by the back door and began yelling for me to come quickly. So, I did only to find Petey eating that sage like a wild animal with a fresh kill!!

I hope it won't make him puke later, like grass eating does.

Petey Milks It

After my earlier post about Petey's 'injury', John & I started lifting him on to the bed. Our bed is extra high off the floor. Months & months ago, we put a chair beside the bed so that Petey could jump on the bed in stages instead of one big leap. He's used it ever since until his very serious injury. He wanted on the bed, but refused to jump up there. We lifted him on to the bed thinking that was still too much for his poor old back legs. He was still going up and down the back porch steps without too much trouble, and jumping on the couch & recliner until Saturday.

On Saturday, he tried twice to jump on the couch and couldn't make it. John put him on the couch and we figured that his jumping days were over. Petey will be 14 in February. It only makes sense that as an older dog, there will be things he won't be able to do as time progresses. We decided that we'd have to pick Petey up from now on. It was sad, but inevitable.

On Sunday, when we got home from church Petey didn't greet us at the door as usual. That is happening more & more, however. Once again we attributed it to him getting older. We thought we'd find him curled up in his ring bed. We didn't. I made it all the way to the bed room (John had stopped along the way) and saw the covers moving around on the bed!

Petey had jumped up on to the bed while no one was home!! He had either made a sudden & complete recovery or he'd been milking it. He knew he'd been busted. I told him that I was telling and I did. John & I agreed that he'd been hurting at one point, but probably not for as long as we thought. He's smart enough to figure out how to milk it, but forgot when he really wanted on the bed and no one was home to help him. He's also smart enough to know that the gig is up. He's been jumping up anywhere and everywhere he wants to ever since.

Poor Pitiful Petey

Petey's old hip problem has flared up again. We first realized there was a problem Thursday night at bed time. Petey would not jump onto the bed. I finally got up and put him on the bed. We didn't realize at the time that he wasn't wanting to jump up. We thought he was upset because John got in the bed first, and Petey likes his patterns.

After I put Petey on the bed, he ran the length of the bed several times. He'd lay down and pop back up like he'd been stuck and repeat the whole process. Finally, he left. We laughed about how he sure didn't like things to change and didn't think much more about it.

Friday morning, he was again acting strangely. But before we wrote it off to Petey being Petey we noticed that he was clearly favoring his back right leg. I coaxed him in to eating a baby aspirin in some peanut butter, and we left for work.

When we got home. He was glad to see us but didn't do the Petey dance that we usually get as a homecoming greeting. He spend the rest of the evening in his ring bed. John pulled it up close to the fireplace and turned it on so it would be warm for him. He tucked Petey in his blanket and Petey stayed there all evening.

This morning he's walking around a little more and stretching some. He's still not back to his old perky ways, but he's better. I've given him another baby aspirin and he's back in his bed by the fireplace. He'll be better soon. We're just glad that this time, he's not acting like the drama dog, making us think he's about to die.

There Are No Words...

Another Twist with the Treat

Typically when we leave in the morning, I give Petey a treat. He rushes out of the kitchen to eat it. I don't know why. And I tear up another treat and drop it in the kitchen floor for him to have during the day. I suspect that those are eaten as soon as they are discovered. Every afternoon when we return home the treats are gone, even the ones that have gotten close to the cabinets.

Yesterday, when we got home there was a rather large piece of a treat in the middle of the kitchen floor, which was quite surprising to us. I called Petey in and pointed at it. He sniffed it and walked away. Odd. Very odd.

This morning Petey decided to stay in the bed. I can't say as I blamed him. It was cold. I would have stayed in the bed too, if I could have. I still tore up a treat and scattered it in the floor before leaving for the day. Imagine my surprise when first Petey did not greet us at the back door, and then all of the treats were in the floor. All of them!

I feared the worst briefly, but then Petey came trotting in to greet us. I asked about the treats. He looked at them and walked away. This has left the two of us in quite a quandary. Petey has never refused treats. He's not sick. He is acting like himself in every way except eating the treats.

John thinks that perhaps he's reached his limit on the bacon treats. We stocked up on them while we were out of town so that his caregivers (yes, that is plural - it took three people to take care of him!)would have plenty to share with him while we were gone.

That is a possibility. He'll eat something like there is no tomorrow and then suddenly stop. I'm wondering though, if after having eaten two of the other treats he's decided he likes them. NOT!

It is just Petey being Petey. We should know that by now and not try to figure him out. It can't be done.

Yet Another Treat

John & I went through the drive-thru at the bank again and again got a treat for Petey. This time, there was no pretense, he immediately jumped in the back seat and began to frantically bury the treat. There was a plastic bag in the backseat this time, that had clothes to be donated. That seemed to be just the place to bury the treat until he really got in to it. By the time he quit (I made him stop), the bag was in shreds and t-shirts were strewn all along the seat. The poor dog finally gave up and at it!

Another Petey Treat

Tuesday afternoon, John, Petey & I went to the bank. When the teller was about to send the receipts back, she asked if we would like a treat for our dog. John agreed even though we both knew he would have nothing to do with it.

When the tube came out, Petey was in John's lap before he could get the tube in the car. It was as if he understood the exchange and knew that a treat was in there for him. He put his nose down in there trying to get it out himself as if he'd never had a treat before.

Once he got it out, he was hugely disappointed. It isn't as if this is a new situation. It has happened before. Again, he held the treat in his teeth without letting his lips touch it. It looked like an old man with a cigar. He decided that the only course of action was to bury the treat. It took a while to find just the right spot inside the car, but finally he settled under the floor mat in the back seat. After the treat had been safely buried, he got in my lap and watched where we were going, with an expression on his face that said, "What treat? I know nothing about a treat."

We got home and went inside without getting the treat out of the car. I thought several times about going to get it but never at a time when I could, so the treat remained in the car.

On Thursday, Petey and I were alone in the car driving from our house in Green Hills to a destination north of town off of Dickerson Road. The best way to go is on the interstate and it was about 5:30. I questioned my sanity for even making the trip at that time of day on the interstate, much less making it with Petey, but it had to be done. We hadn't been on the road very long when I heard Petey scratching around in the backseat area. In a minute he hoped up in the front seat with his treat/stogie hanging out of his mouth. I had to laugh at him. I'd even forgotten about the treat by then, but not him.

It became quite important to him to find another, better place to bury the treat. It is a difficult task to find just the right place to bury a treat. He bounced and bounded from one place in the car to another, scratching and clawing, trying to make a hole. It could not be done. He briefly considered burying it in my purse but decided against it. I was laughing hard at him by this time and more than a little concerned about explaining the ensuing crash to John & the police. John might understand, but the police never would.

Then he got the idea to bury it under the front seat. That was beyond hilarious. A plastic grocery bag had found its way under the seat and it needed a lot of scratching and clawing. I could see Petey's rump and stubby little tail sticking out from under the seat but the rest of him was under that seat working as hard as he could. Then I began to wonder what would happen if Petey got stuck trying to get out from under the seat. Petey is the type of dog to panic first, ask questions later. I was vigilantly watching for breaks in the traffic in case I needed to pull to the shoulder, put on the flashers and pull Petey out from under the seat. Thankfully, that didn't happen. Nor did he bury the treat under there.

We got to our destination, and got John who drove us back home. Petey once again got the vile, nasty treat and began to look for a place to bury it. Maybe by this time, he was thinking it was like a bad penny, always turning up. I put it in the cup holder and closed it. Petey really didn't like that, so I got it back out and handed it to him. It got dropped between the seat & console. It took a while of coaxing, but I showed Petey that he could get it from under the seat. Once he figured out what I was saying he got the treat, and ATE IT! Problem solved, treat gone, we can all move on with our lives, right? Wrong.

Yesterday John & Petey came to get me at work. One the way home I noticed Petey scratching around in the back seat. I mentioned to John that I thought Petey was looking for his treat again, and John said he'd done that all the way to get me. I tried to explain to Petey that the treat wasn't in the car any more because he ate it. I think he had a hard time believing me because he knows he doesn't like those things. We made it home, and so far we haven't let Petey in the car today. We're not sure what might happen.

Hide 'N' Seek

One of John & Petey's favorite games to play is hide and seek. John is always the hider and Petey is always the seeker. Sometimes they play when John does not realize that they are playing, but most of the time they are both aware of the game.

Petey really does seem to enjoy finding John. Petey has is standard places where he looks for John particularly when John is not aware that he's playing yet. Petey goes to the recliner, the computer chair, the bathroom, John's side of the bed first before he begins the hunt in earnest. When John knows he's playing he is a very good hider. I've watched Petey plenty of times exhaust his little Petey brain of ideas of places to look, so he'll stand in a central location and put his nose up in the air. He has, more than once, found John by sniffing him out, literally!

When Petey finds John he always does his happy dance. He'll prance around and carry on almost as if John has been gone for days on end. John will rough house around with Petey for a couple of minutes and then go find another place to hide. This can sometimes take a while because Petey doesn't always, read 'ever', go to base and count to ten.

Until yesterday, this game has always been played in the house. John decided to kick it up a notch and hide from Petey while they were outside. John was walking back up the driveway from getting the mail and Petey ran ahead of him to get to the backdoor first. Petey is always the line leader in the house. Unfortunately, not everyone follows all the time. John detoured to the front porch.

Our front porch goes all the way across the front of the house and has a brick wall around the edge. It is about 8 steps up from the front yard. We often sit out on the front porch on pretty evenings, so Petey has been up there plenty of times. John went to the edge of the porch closest to the driveway, which is at the opposite end from where we swing/rock in the evenings.

When Petey got to the backdoor and John was no where in sight, the game was on. Petey came trotting back down the driveway and began the hunt. John watched as Petey looked all around the yard and walked up on the porch. Petey looked at the end where we sit, but never turned to see John at all. The wind must have been blowing the wrong way for him not to catch John's scent being that close. Petey went back down the steps and around to the driveway headed to the back door again. He really seemed to understand that they were playing their favorite game as he trotted around looking for John. He was not at all in distress or showing any signs of upset.

John watched Petey walk back & forth on the driveway a couple of times without ever looking up, so he decided to reveal himself by barking at Petey. Just as Petey got right below him on the driveway, which is several feet, he let out a big "WOOF!" Petey jerked his head up to the sound. His expression was one of suprise and joy. He couldn't understand how John had gotten on the porch, but was glad he found him. He immediately began his happy dance. He pranced and ran and the same time up to John on the porch. It was a great game made even better by being outside. This is great weather for playing outdoors too!

Petey's Reflection

We had one of the most glorious fall weekends ever this weekend. John, Petey and I spent as much as time as possible outside. On Saturday we were sitting outside near the garage. Petey was sitting in my lap and I was sitting at an angle with my back mostly to the garage, when I noticed Petey intently staring at something over my left shoulder. He was staring so hard, I had to look to see what had grabbed his attention. I quickly realized that he was seeing his reflection in the garage window. John was sitting across from me and also noticed what had captured Petey's attention.

So, he did what every sane dog owner in the world would do in this situation; he began to growl. Petey responded in kind. They sat growling for a while, and then Petey decided to launch an offensive by jumping off of my lap towards the window. It was a long enough leap that he didn't quite make it. He was barking madly now, so as the dog would know he was in charge, and ran over to the window. The window was too high for him to see into, so he got up on his hind legs to see in.

The dog was gone. He wasn't getting off that easily. Still all puffed up and ready for a rumble, Petey tore off behind the garage. I don't know why, Petey's been in the garage enough times to know where the door is. He circled the garage completely twice to secure the perimeter. Once he determined that we were all safe. He returned to my lap. He remained on high alert for a good while, but the dog never reappeared.

Another Detour for Petey

Earlier this week John and Petey came to pick me up at work as usual these days, when we ran into bad traffic. Rather than sit and idle, John decided to try cutting through some neighborhood streets to get around the trouble spot. I enjoyed it because I like looking at houses and yards.

I enjoyed it, that is briefly. Petey got quite distressed as soon as we turned of the street we usually take to get home. He assumed the navigator position of standing with his back paws in my lap and his front paws on the dashboard. When this didn't help he began vocalizing. John was undeterred by the stance and whining, even when Petey increased the volume. We tried to explain that everything was fine and we were actually getting closer to our house even if it was a different route. That didn't matter to Petey.

He jumped in John's lap. Perhaps he was thinking the view was different over there, but we think he was trying to take the steering wheel. He was trying to get his paws on it when I grabbed him back in to my lap. He struggled the rest of the way home trying to get back over there. We made it home without incident, but we are going to have to stick to the same path from now on, unless we are willing to teach Pete how to drive.

A Bird in the House...

On Tuesday morning I was ready to leave the house for work, and I went in to the kitchen on my way to the laundry room to get Petey's morning treat. John was brushing his teeth. Upon entering the kitchen I was distracted by something on the window. The window itself was open about 6 inches, and the shade was down to just above where the window was open. I pulled the shade to see what was going on, only to learn that what I thought was outside was actually between the inside glass window and the outside screen. The screen had a very small tear up near the top and a baby bird had gotten between the two windows.

Quick as a wink, the bird, probably already fearful and then further startled by the moving shade, slipped down to the open window and flew in to the house. I screamed. I didn't wait for Petey to alert John of the very serious situation in the kitchen. I had no idea if this baby bird had already learned the famous bird defense mechanism of pecking on the head. I could take no chances and assume that that is one of the first lessons baby birds learned and that this one aced the lessons.

John very calmly said it was OK that the bird was in the house and that he would get it out. He even finished brushing his teeth before he strolled over to the front door and calmly opened it and propped it open. During this time, I kept John apprised of the bird's exact location in the house. I used my very loud outside voice for this so that there would be no miscommunication, all the while assuming my own defense against the pecking on the head attack that might come at any second.

John finally sauntered in to the laundry room with a broom. He held the broom up and gently led the bird towards the front of the house. Once the bird flew through the kitchen it saw the open front door and flew to freedom. I was able to relax again, with no pecking on the head threat in sight. I got Petey's treat, so as to proceed with the day as planned, but Petey was no where to be found.

John thought he'd gotten in his box, with all of the screaming & defense against pecking on the head going on. Before I got out of the room to check, John opened the back door and there was Pete. He was calmly standing there looking at the back door, waiting for someone to open it.

John and I each have our own theory as to why Petey made a hasty exit from the house during all the drama. He thinks that Petey couldn't take all the screaming & defense against pecking on the head and left. I think Petey was leading the way for the bird to exit, and circled back around to throw the bird off his trail. He, I'm sure, was trying to save me from getting pecked on the head.

Petey's Car Ride

John and I have been sharing a car most of the summer while his is getting some long awaited and much needed body restoration work. In recent weeks, it has worked it that John has taken me to work each morning and then goes about his day. Classes aren't in session right now, so he doesn't have to keep a set schedule. Generally, he goes to his office until early afternoon and then home. He and Petey have a couple of hours of male bonding time until it is time to come pick me up from work. Petey always accompanies him. The scenario goes something like this: When it is time to leave John asks if Petey wants to come get me. Petey affirms his desire to accompany John by racing to the door and getting there first. Petey calmly rides in the passenger seat, not wandering around the car or trying to get in John's lap at all. Once I come out, Petey allows me to sit in the passenger seat and he rides in my lap. He often needs to sniff my purse or any other article I have brought along with me, but other than that, he's quite content to sit in my lap and enjoy the ride home. It is a lovely picture of domestic tranquility. It has worked well for the three of us. The only problem was one day last week when the car needed gas. The gas station is not on the same path we travel to and from the office each day. We failed to inform Petey of this minor detail. The moment we turned a different direction. Petey popped up out of my lap like a rocket. He put is paws on the dashboard and looked out. He immediately sensed danger and began to alert us. He paced around the car alternating between whining and growling. We realized our serious error and told Petey we were just going a few blocks down this road to the gas station. He would not be deterred. He ratcheted up the vocalization when John got out of the car to pump the gas, and did not stop until John returned to the relative safety of the car. He resumed his position with his back paws in my lap and his front paws on the dashboard until he was able to navigate us back to our usual path. Once we returned to the street we usually take to get home. He laid back down and enjoyed the rest of the ride.

Dogs Imitate Owners!

Oh my! Experiments that dogs imitate their owners, does that mean Petey acts like us? Oh, the horror!! John & I apologize to every one we have ever known for being so demanding.
http://http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets-dogs-imitate-people.html

A Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Update

I've blogged several times about Petey and the Sunday morning muffins. Here is the first one (sorry I couldn't make the link thing work) How he loved them and then suddenly stopped. http://lifeofpetey.blogspot.com/2009/03/petey-lemon-poppy-seed-muffins.html

About 16 months ago, I gave up the lemon poppy seed muffin routine too. I decided to cut out those carbs, at least temporarily. Last week, the muffins looked and smelled so good that I decided to treat myself to one. Petey happened to be in the kitchen as I got the muffin out of the tin, and galloped back to the bedroom. I thought the possibility existed that he wanted to share the muffin like the old days, but didn't think it was a very strong one. I was wrong. He was up on the bed and ready to eat by the time I got there. I was a little concerned because I'd just wrapped the LPSM in a paper towel and did not have a plate for him as he'd demanded towards the end of that era. It didn't matter. He was glad to share the muffin with me, even if it was crumbs on a paper towel. John and I both laughed that he remembered this little escapade and enjoyed it so much. I considered it a one time thing for myself, and really didn't consider if Pete thought it was a one time thing or not.

This morning, I walked into the kitchen and John immediately told me how he didn't know what was wrong with Petey. That Petey had been driving him crazy all morning. I thought little of it because that isn't an unusual occurrence. I got something to drink and started back to the bedroom to get ready for church. Petey galloped down the hall, passed me, and jumped on the bed in eager anticipation. I wondered if he was expecting a repeat of the LPSM from last week when he seemed so energized, but I went on with my morning routine. He got out of the bed and sniffed around the kitchen and looked at me quite forlornly. That was the confirmation I needed.

I called to John to say I thought Petey wanted another muffin, so John brought him one on a plate. Petey would not get on the bed to eat it, so I came in to the bedroom to coax him on to the bed, and he immediately jumped up there, but would not eat until I got on the bed. I had to put small crumbs on the plate too. He gobbled them right up. Perhaps, we've created a new Sunday morning LPSM routine.

It is hard to know with Petey though. He likes his routines, but once he thinks he's been figured out, he'll change. Stay tuned. I'll post an update next Sunday as to if he ate one!

Petey's Nose

I've blogged before about Petey's nose. He gives us kisses by touching us on the back of the leg with it. He communicates with snorts & sneezes. If he can't get his whole body under something, he has to at least bury his nose. If he is being ignored, which to Petey means having 100% of our attention all of the time, he'll rest his nose on whatever body part is handy.

He also uses his nose to open doors. I expect most every dog owner has seen their pet come up to a door that is ajar and use their nose to push it the rest of the way open. I know Petey does it because he's moved from room to room while no one is home and often doors are closed to facilitate air flow. I've also seen Petey do it, only he doesn't know I've seen him do it. This is the strange thing about it. If I am nearby, he won't use his nose to move the door. He looks at me with his pitiful face because he must leave the room right away and there is no way for him to exit with the door almost closed.

Just this morning, I was in the bedroom getting ready for work when Petey decided he needed to leave the room. Why? I don't know. No one else was there. It was vital that Petey leave and leave right then. He came to me, and walked to the door, his standard mode of communication. I knew he could leave, the door really was only about half way closed. I told him that he could do it without my assistance, but he wouldn't. I didn't push it with him. Some times if he's told something, he seems to understand. The possibility existed that if I explained to him he could do it, he would. He didn't, so I opened the door for him. It is just another Petey oddity.

Lonely Petey

I just got back from a trip to Raleigh. My Nashville family (mother, sister & 2 nephews) spent a few days with my Raleigh family (sister, BIL, nephew, niece & foster nephew). It was a blast. The Nashville contingent surprised the Raleigh contingent, except for the brother-in-law who was in on the plan.

While we were partying like it was 1999 in Raleigh, John & Petey were lonely. John knew where I was and when I'd be back. I explained it to Petey too, but he didn't like it. So, Tuesday night, the first night we were gone, he camped out in front of the bedroom door. Does that dog know me or what?!?! He knew that when I got home I'd be going to bed, and I wasn't going to get by him! John said there was no way he could coax Petey to any other place in the house. By Wednesday night, he was resigned to the fact that I was gone. He came to pick me up at the airport Thursday evening, so all was well by bedtime.

When Petey wasn't pining away missing me, he was out sunning himself in this glorious heat. Petey and I are the only two creatures in the south east that are happy right now! Here are a few shots of him.

Patriotic Petey

Petey is a very patriotic pooch and wishes everyone a happy 4th of July. He just wishes that the celebrations didn't involve such loud displays of patriotism. Fireworks sound a lot like thunder and any loud noise is cause for alarm. Have a happy celebration, just don't expect Petey to participate if it involves anything loud & booming!

Poisoning Petey

This morning John thought that maybe we had poisoned Petey. It is Petey's worst nightmare. He is very, very careful about what goes in his mouth and now the two people he trusted the most (and that isn't much) just might have done the deed.

How in the world did such a thing happen? Remember the flood in Nashville back in early May? It resulted, of all things, in water restriction for about a month. One of the ways we conserved water in our house was to plug the tub when we took our quick, quick showers and use that water later to flush the toilets. It was a nice civic minded thing to do, but I would not recommend it under normal circumstances. John & I believe that the soap or something else in used shower water caused horrible water rings in both toilets. We have scrubbed and scrubbed yet they won't go away, at least not entirely. John thought maybe if we scrubbed them one more time and then put one of those tablets in the tank that continually cleans perhaps they would go away. So, I picked up two while I was out yesterday. Neither one of us considered Petey in this decision. Our big mistake.

This morning when we got up Petey was all lethargic, clingy and whiny. We couldn't figure out what was going on with him. He even turned his nose up at his beloved bacon treats. Needless to say we were concerned, but even a casual reader of this blog knows that Petey is the drama dog of all drama dogs. The most common reason for Petey's discomfort is a crick in his neck. His posture generally indicated that as well. We tried to make him comfortable and left for church. We got in big trouble for that. We got a barking like we haven't got in a long time.

We were discussing Petey's very serious condition on the way to church, when John suddenly remembered that each of us had caught Petey drinking out of the toilet two or three weeks ago. This had never been a problem before. In fact, the first time I heard Petey drinking from the toilet I couldn't figure out what the noise was. I thought perhaps something in the toilet had broken. I went into the bathroom to investigate this unusual plumbing malady and discovered Petey on his hind legs, getting a nice long drink. He quit as soon as he was busted. I caught him again a day or two later. When I mentioned it to John he said he'd caught him a couple of times to so we set out to break him of it before it became a habit.

Petey responds very well to our words. If we seem upset, it is very distressing to him. Once he figures out what is upsetting us, he'll stop. We thought we'd broke him fairly quickly and easily. Petey is smart and we are diligent. But, all through church I had to wonder what we'd find when we came home. I didn't know if you could induce vomiting on a dog, or even how. Should vomiting be induced in this situation? Would it do more harm coming back up? Had it been in his system too long?

Petey met us at the back door as eagerly as he usually does as if there had never been a problem. Since then, he's been a little draggy and hasn't wanted to shake his head much. We're back to our original diagnosis of a crick in the neck. He probably slept wrong somehow. He's also back to wolfing down the treats. John & I have closed the toilet lids too, just in case...

Petey, The Protector - NOT

So, Friday night Petey and I were headed to bed, one of our favorite activities. The light in the hall and bedroom were both off, but that doesn't usually matter. All we had to do was keep walking straight and we'd get to the bedroom and the light switch. Petey was leading the way like he usually does, when suddenly he seemed to stumble. I stopped to see what happened when a cricket jumped on my leg, so I screamed. It was more of a scream from startle than fear, but a scream nonetheless. John hurried to us to see what the problem was, but by then I realized that we were all safe. And that Petey's stumble was probably him trying to catch the cricket. By this time, maybe 2 seconds had passed. I turned to Petey to say we were OK and he was no where to be seen!! I called a couple of times but he didn't come. I decided he'd already gotten in the bed realizing that we were not in danger. He was not in the bed. He was in his box. His box is his ultimate safe place. Not only was he in his box, he was all the way back in his box and he was not coming out.

To give Petey the benefit of the doubt, he does not like loud noises so perhaps the scream upset him more than the cricket. We'll never know. We do know that he saved himself first. Alas...all the dreams we had for Petey to surpass Lassie in bravery have been dashed.

Petey In Charge

John was out of town for few days the end of the week. Poor guy had yet another conference to attend in Florida. The saddest part was I couldn't go. Petey and I had to stay here all by ourselves.

Having John gone twice in such quick succession was really difficult for Petey and therefore difficult for me. Petey held vigil for John on the back of the couch all day long. He needed to be the first to see John return. From his perch on the back of the couch, he could see out the front window and see both the driveway and the front door. There was no way John was getting in the area without Petey seeing him. At least that is what I initially thought.

Petey barked and/or growled at anything that came in to his field of vision while on his vigil. So I began to wonder if he was protecting me. He knew that John was my protector and not on the job, so he had to step up. That, and the fact if I left he'd be all alone. That is a fate worse than death for a Petey dog.

Fortunately, for the three of us John made it safely home last night. Petey accompanied me to the airport to get him. Petey's been to the airport several times now to pick up wayward family members. I think he recognizes the place now.

Sunbathing

Today was and is a glorious day outside. I decided that it would be a good idea to sunbath for a little while this morning. I could extend the deep, dark tropical tan acquired on our cruise and get a little vitamin D at the same time. So I put on my bathing suit, got a towel, sunglasses and a book and headed out. What does this have to do with Petey?

He was with me every step of the way. He's already a little clingy because of the aforementioned trip, but I think he knew what I was doing and wanted to share in the fun. He stayed in the bathroom with me while I changed, stood patiently by my as I got the towel and other items together. He followed me to the garage to get the lawn chair. He didn't go in because he doesn't really like the garage. Quite frankly, neither do I, but that is where the lawn chairs are kept.

I found a nice sunny spot in the back yard and made a cozy little nest for myself and Petey laid in the grass beside me. Ahhhhh....what could be better? Ice water, that's what. I'd left it on the kitchen counter. I tried to tell Petey to go get it, but he totally ignored my request. I contemplated trying to yell to John to bring it to me, but decided that wasn't a good idea, so I went in for it. I told Petey that I'd be right back. When I returned, this is what I found.
He had totally swiped my chair! I told him to get down, but he ignored me. I told him to scoot over, but he wouldn't. I know that he know the meaning of both phrases because he is told them almost daily. I acted like I was going to sit down any way, thinking he'd move. He called my bluff. What's a girl to do? I had to get my vitamin D. My only option...It seemed to work for him. We had a nice time, until he decided he was thirsty too. Then we went inside.

Petey, The Protector

John and I have laughed at Petey on many occasions when Petey has tried to protect us, by saying that we had no idea just how much danger we were in. This time Petey was right. There has been major flooding right in our neighborhood. There has been lots and lots of rain accompanied by lots and lots of thunder. Everyone knows that loud noises signal danger.

Poor Petey has had a hard time for about the last 48 hours trying to make sure that we are all safe. Between the thunder and the tornado alarms, there has been a lot of noise. At first John & I thought that Petey was afraid and trying to save himself, but at some point we realized that Petey was leading the way, much like the dog in Alaska. Unfortunately, John & I were not as cooperative as the police in Alaska.

Petey deemed the safest place in the house to be under the bed in the middle bedroom. John & I would not (read could not) get under the bed with him. Finally, he decided that being on the bed would be almost as safe after I got on the bed in an effort to appease him. Unfortunately, for John, it is a twin bed. Although the three of us could have all gotten on the bed, no one would have been comfortable for long - well, maybe Petey. He likes to snuggle.

Anyway, after much wrangling & pleading on Petey's part it seemed to satisfy Petey for the two of us to be on the bed and John to be in the chair. At least then, he could keep an eye on all of us.

So far, we've been safe. I hope everyone else is too.

Coyotes!!

When Petey moved in with us, his previous owner agreed to have an underground fence installed. Petey quickly learned the boundaries, and in time we stopped put the collar on him. If he began to stray beyond his limits, we'd get the collar out and threaten to put it back on him. For the most part, Petey stays in his yard so we've gotten quite relaxed about letting him out on his on particularly in the evenings when he almost always runs to the other side of the driveway to take care of business. We can stand at the door and watch.

He is rarely outside by himself any other time. On the weekends in the summer when he likes to lay in the driveway and soak up the sun, we are generally out there with him. The only time he's on a leash is if we are going for a walk.

But those days are over. Coyotes have been spotted in our neighborhood. When we learned that they'd been spotted a block over, we started going out with Petey all the time even at night. Last night one was spotted in our front yard. Petey & I had already been outside and were safe and snug in the bed so there is no chilling tale of horror. Since they are right in our yard, we can't take the chance. Petey doesn't know how small he is, and what a nice meal he'd make for a hungry coyote.

Petey's Vacation

John & I went to Ft. Walton last week. He was presenting a paper at a conference in Destin. I was bumming on the beach. We thought we had Petey-care all worked out for the week, but at the last moment we had to get Mama to fill in Friday night and Saturday night. Petey loves my mother. That is saying a lot. Petey doesn't even like very many people.

We left some food, treats and his leash on the kitchen counter for her to get when she picked him up. We let her decide if she wanted to take his bed or a blanket for him for security. He was ready for her when she came over Friday. He hopped right in her car and was ready to go.

Once she left the house, she realized that she'd forgotten her sunglasses. She decided that she'd do without rather than risk upsetting Petey by going back to the house. She was afraid that he'd get out of the car and not get back in. After she'd gone about a block, she realized that she really needed her sunglasses, so she circled back around to get them.

She pulled in the driveway and Petey made no effort to get out of the car. In fact, he would not get out of the car. She went inside and got her sunglasses while Petey waited patiently for her return.

I'm not surprised that Petey loves her and going to her house. She slept in 'the big bed' so that Petey would have plenty of room to sleep with her on Friday night. Saturday night it was a little chilly so she slept in the other bed with the flannel sheets. She made room for him even in the smaller bed. He loves, loves, loves flannel sheets. He stayed in the bed all morning. She fixed a little place for him at the end of her couch similar to the one he has here. I'm surprised that Petey came home with us!!

Petey and the Laundry

If you have read this blog for any length of time you know how much Petey loves the laundry room. He loves the warm laundry right out of the dryer and his treats are kept in there. Any time any one goes in there Petey is right there with them. There is always the possibility for warm clothes to burrow in or an extra treat. He can't take the chance and miss out.

Typically when I do the laundry, I sort the laundry by putting one type in the washer as I sort and the other in piles in the floor. Yesterday, I was putting the dark colors in the washer and tossing the rest in to their various piles on the floor with Petey in the midst. Petey seems to enjoy this. Even cold, smelly clothes are fun things in which to burrow. He was in a particularly playful mood, so I tossed some of the clothes directly on him. It was so much fun for both of us!!!

The laundry was progressing as usual and had just put the final load in, and decided to check out what was going on in the world via the internet. As I scooted up, my foot hit something soft under the computer table. I discovered a dirty, balled up sock.

Since Petey likes to sit under the computer table when I am sitting there, I was forced to conclude that he did it. I think that he was taking our fun with laundry to a whole new level, and I just didn't know it. We could be in for a whole new adventure, playing hide & seek with the laundry. I am going to have to make sure that I put my 'unmentionables' in first. I don't want to have to track those down throughout the house!

Happy Easter from Petey

After church, I thought it would be nice to take a few pictures of Petey in the yard with our trees. They are so pretty right now that they make a great backdrop for Easter wishes.
As you can tell, I had a hard time getting Petey to look at the camera.






John came along and took a couple of shots with me & Pete.
I'm wearing John's sunglasses because he didn't want me to squint in the sun.

Anyway - Happy Easter one & all. At least that was my plan...

It was such a gorgeous day outside that I didn't want to come in right away to blog and miss it. John & I will be in Destin in a few weeks, and I need to get a little sun on my body so that I don't blind anyone from the sun reflecting off of me.

I found myself a nice sunny spot, got a book and an nice cold water to soak up some Vitamin D. John was outside too, and since it is a rule, so was Petey. He found himself a nice soft place in the grass. All was right with the world. I was in the zone - not asleep, but not really awake, just enjoying the feeling of sun on my face, before I started reading. It was great. Then I felt a tap on my arm. It startled me and I looked over and saw Petey. I asked what he needed, but he must have misunderstood and thought that I asked him to jump up because he did. He settled himself in on my nice soft tummy like this was how we always did things. I didn't make him get down because I thought he'd tire of it fairly quickly. Once again, I was wrong. He really seemed to like it there. John grabbed the camera and got this.He was only able to get one, and it isn't the greatest, but you get the idea.

Interesting Article

If you have access to the March/April Christian Woman magazine, look on page 17. Read the large type sentence in the middle of the page. Report your reactions back in the comments section.

Petey's Potty Rules

Several months ago John got tired of getting up every morning and cleaning up pee from the hardwood floor in the living room. He told Petey that he'd much rather get up in the night and let him out rather than clean up puddles every morning. Petey understood.

Petey began getting John up at night when he needed to use the bathroom. He keeps on getting John up and not me. Not once, has Petey ever come to me to let him out at night - not even when John has been out of town. It is always John, and he'll find John wherever he is in the house. We have marveled as to how Petey really does seem to understand us at times. This time, though, Petey has taken it to another level.

He only asks me to let him out during the day. It is as if in his little mind when he got the idea that John was the night time potty patrol, I must by default be the day time potty patrol. Petey will find me, wherever I am in the house if he wants to go out in the normal waking hours. We have actually walked by John on the way to the back door to go out. In fact, we walk by John most of the time on the way to the back door to go out. I'm not complaining by any means, I'd much rather be the one to let him out when I'm already awake as opposed to getting up at night with him. Now if you'll excuse me, I think Petey wants out...

Petey's Bloody Paws

I got Petey some new treats by Beneful recently. Petey likes the Beneful brand dog food, so I thought he'd like the treats. He does, but probably not as much as the bacon treats.

The Beneful treats are shaped like vegetables. I suppose this is to trick the pet owner into thinking that they are feeding their dog something healthy. One is somewhat tomato shaped and red, another is green, made to look like peas in a pod; and there is one that is orange and shaped something like a carrot. I think they all taste the same because Petey does not seem to prefer one shape over another.

Petey had been outside and I gave him one of the Beneful treats, which is a very common occurrence in our house. I'd gone about my business and in a few minutes Petey came up to me with blood all over his paws, and a little on his snout from where he'd been licking his paws. I tried to control my panic but there was a lot of blood on his paws. He didn't seem very distressed so I got him to take a few steps to see which paw he favored. I couldn't really tell.

I didn't want him tracking blood all over the house so I picked him up and took him to the kitchen where John was. John immediately saw that he'd just about severed one of his toes. I couldn't see for all of the blood. John needed to finish what he was doing before he could address the situation. I put Petey down in the kitchen since the floor is tile and the blood wouldn't be so hard to clean up. I was still trying to figure out exactly where the problem was.

Then I began to notice that all of the blood was bright red. There was no dark red, where it was beginning to dry. I also noticed there was no blood in the floor. Petey didn't seem to be in any distress, especially since I put him down. (He really doesn't like his paws to be bothered.)

It hit me then. I'd given Petey a tomato shaped Beneful treat. He'd held it between his paws as he ate it, making both paws red and also a little around his snout!! I really don't know how he got the dye so far up each leg, but he did. It rinsed right off and didn't even leave a pink tint to his fur.

I didn't think to take a picture, so the reader will have to just imagine a little white dog with bright red food coloring half way up both legs, a sight to behold indeed!!

Petey's Very Good Trip

We took a quick trip to Tuscaloosa this weekend for John to attend an all class reunion at his high school. If you've read this blog for any amount of time at all, you know that Petey is not good in the car, so we drug him. He fights the effects of the doggie downer with every thing he's got. He's, once again, like a toddler that is sleepy. As soon as he is just about out, he has to move. We prepared ourselves once again for this situation. Then it didn't happen, or at least not to the general extreme.

We gave Petey his pill about 30 minutes before we left Saturday morning. He was too worried about leaving (or being left) to even notice. He insisted on waiting in the car, even though it was still quite chilly out. He did his usual back & forth between the front & back seats for a while, but settled much more quickly than he has in the past. I was even beginning to worry that maybe we'd given him too much. He is older now, and just might not need enough.

We we got to T-town, he got out of the car and could hardly walk. He staggered around outside for a while, but perked up pretty quickly. He recognized the place where we were, and was glad to be there in spite of the cats. He raised the alert level quickly and protected us from the cats the whole time we were there.

We only gave him half a pill on the way home. He was a little more fidgety and really didn't settle in to one place until we were in Franklin! He's on the couch now sleeping it off.

For Petey, however this was a very good trip.

Pete's Back!!

Petey happily ran up & down the hall in greeting as I got home. He's holding his head up and prancing around like nothing was ever wrong.

Another Update

Petey seems to be better. He's running around a little more, but he still doesn't want to shake is head. He'll start and apparently it starts to hurt, so he stops. John estimates that he's at about 75% capacity.

As I was logging on to do this update, Pete came over to check out the situation and walked right in to the corner of the computer table. He bonked his head a good one!! We may have a new issue to deal with now!

Petey's in a Baaaaaad Way

Petey did something in the night to injure himself. We speculate that he jumped down from something and landed wrong. The problem seems to be his right 'shoulder'. He's walking around with his back all arched, and favoring his right front paw some. He won't raise his head, so he looks like an upside down letter U. John and I have taken turns massaging him and feeling for something amiss, but we can't find anything. He seems to enjoy the rubbing. He definitely enjoys the attention. We've give him a baby aspirin too. That's about all that can be done for the little fellow. If his typical pattern holds true, he'll be fine tomorrow as though nothing was ever wrong. Stay tuned...

UPDATE 9:30 PM
Petey is better. He is keeping his back a little flatter, not so arched. He still won't shake his head. He went down & back up the back steps and when I gave him a bacon treat, he actually trotted in to the dining room to eat it. He usually goes all the way in the to living room, but progress is progress. I have a feeling he'll be much better in the morning, especially if we can figure a way to keep him from getting on, or more importantly off the bed. He just jumped up on the couch...

Petey's Birthday

Petey turned 13 on February 2. To celebrate the momentous occasion, he had his teeth cleaned. The poor dog had four teeth pulled. That is a total of 7 teeth he's down now. On the right side he has no teeth past his 'fang' tooth. It really hasn't hampered his eating however, and unless you pull his lip up, it isn't noticeable.

The vet, however, was quite concerned and told us that "at his age, he cannot afford to lose any more teeth". She went on to scold us for feeding him too much wet food. Of course that night was first time I'd seen the commercial with the dogs with dentures!!

Now Petey is on all dry food. He's not too wild about it, but when he gets hungry enough, he eats.

The vet, knowing Petey's flair for the dramatic, also told us that he could eat dry food without trouble in about 24 hours. That dogs healed quickly. Other than giving him a liquid antibiotic twice a day for 10 days, he should be just fine the next day.

It was a good thing she told us that. Petey knew that a serious thing had happened to him, and he was out to milk it for all it was worth. For several days afterwards he would raise his head pitifully when we walked in to the room, and then not be able to hold his poor head up and longer, flop back down. I really wish I had taken video of the pitifulness.

Of course, he learned about the antibiotic dropper right away. He acted like the stuff tasted terrible. He would fling his head wildly whenever we would squirt any in his mouth. The stuff would fly all over the place, especially since he didn't have any teeth on one side to hold it in.

It became a battle of wills between the humans and the dog. John and I would strategize as to the best way to go about getting the stuff actually down Petey's throat, and he would think up ways not to let that happen under any circumstances! We finally came up with John getting a very squirmy dog into a headlock, while I hid out in the other room with the dropper. Then I'd insert the dropper in the toothless side of his mouth and squirt while holding his snout closed. I'm glad we don't have video of that. John & I might be in big trouble with the animal rights people!

We always followed up with a treat though. I really wouldn't be surprised if that stuff did taste bad. He needed something to get that bad taste out of his mouth, right?

More Petey and the Snow

We didn't have church service this morning because of the very bad road conditions. It was clear from the view from inside the house that was the right thing to do. Curiosity, however, go the best of John and he decided to take a walk. Petey saw John leave and had a total fit. He whined and carried on, walking back & forth across the back of the couch (which looks out into the front) the whole time John was gone. John's curiosity was easily satisfied by the time he got to the end of the driveway and he came back. That was a good idea for all three of us.

As the day has progressed, the sun has come out and the snow plow came down our street. Now the road surface is just about clear. John went out again and this time Petey didn't seem to notice. I thought I'd check out the situation too, so I put on several layers and headed to the back door. There was a white streak that passed me on the way to the back door. Petey was not about to be left alone. The three of us made it almost to the end of the driveway.

Petey was doing fine on top of the snow. It was still icy enough in most places to support his weight without breaking through. He was getting a little braver and venturing in to the yard when BAM, he stepped on a soft spot in the yard and sank all the way to his belly. WHEW!! If John and I hadn't been there to help him he probably would have been completely engulfed in the cold, white stuff and died.

We headed to the back yard, to see what conditions were like there. Petey was finished being outside and was most unhappy when we bypassed the door for the yard. It is against the rules for him to leave us, so he stayed as difficult as it was for him. He was walking in a strange way, so we had mercy on him and John picked him up. I'm sure his paws were cold. We snapped a few pictures and came back in.

The rest of the pictures are on facebook. There are a few of him standing on top of the snow. Check them out.

Petey and the Snow

We got 3 or 4 inches of snow yesterday and a nice top coat of ice over night. It is a very pretty sight to look at - sort of sparkly. Last night before the ice, Petey seemed to cope fairly well with having to go outside to do his business. Once he came in with snow all over his nose where he'd checked it out. This morning however, he is most unhappy. He is too light to break through the ice, which I think is a good thing. He'd have half of his leg covered if he broke through. His problem, I think, is the severe cold. The temps will get in to the single digits tonight even before taking wind chill in to consideration. I put his snuggi on him which was further insulting, and then John left.

John just went outside to take some pictures of the house. My picture taking was limited to what I could get from the front or back porch. Petey let John have it. John was covered head to toe, so it was hard to tell who he was, but I think Petey knew it was him. He really, really got going when John decided to walk down the street a way to check on conditions there. I think Petey was telling him to come back inside where it was warm. When John came back from his trek, we were watching out the window for him and Petey tuned up again. John got a couple of shots.

The red thing covering Petey's face is a dead rose! Be sure and click on the pictures to make them bigger. You really need to see the expression on Pete's face.

Petey's Vet Visit

Petey went to the vet on Monday for his annual exam & shots. He was surprisingly good. They didn't have to muzzle him and he didn't try to climb up on John's shoulder to get away. He was rewarded for this in only having to get a rabies shot. The vet said at his age, he doesn't need any of the other shots. He will be 13 on February 2.

He got a good report overall. He'd lost one pound which is a lot since he only weighed 12 to begin with. The vet was not concerned, so we aren't either. Nor are we surprised. She did say he had some gum infection and needed to get his teeth cleaned, which may be why he's not eating well. He's scheduled for that on the 2nd. What a lovely gift for him! In the meantime we have to give him two antibiotics everyday for the infection.

After the 2nd, we will have a teenager in the house with clean teeth. WOOT!

A Plea from Petey

Petey here. I know that the humans in this house use this venue to communicate to the outside world, and I need help!! They have begun strapping this blue fleece device to me that is similar to a straight jacket. They say it is for warmth but I'm not so sure. The female has even taking to putting this vile device in the warming box in my favorite room to entice me to put it on. This is in addition to trying to keep the best blanket for herself. I wouldn't be surprised if they were responsible for the sudden dramatic drop in temperatures outdoors. They would do anything to strap me in that thing. The male moved a large portion of my blankets out of my main room saying it was to cut down on dust. See what I mean!?!

That is in addition to trying to make me eat all manner of disgusting items, but that is a plea for another time. I must make haste. I never know when one of them is nearby. Please, please send help!! I must go hide under one of the remaining blankets now.

Snuggi Update

Petey still isn't real sure if he likes his new snuggi or not. He is fine once it is on, but balks when it is time to put it on. We take it off at night. So, this morning I had the bright idea to put his snuggi in the dryer. He likes burrowing down in warm clothes from the dryer and I thought putting a warm snuggi on him would be helpful in him wanting to put it on each day. I also thought that putting it in the dryer would rid it of some of the fur that had come off on it.

I was wrong on both accounts.

The major flaw in my plan was allowing Petey to get in the bed while I was in the laundry room. He was most unhappy to be drawn out from his nice warm place int he bed to put on that infernal thing even if it was warm. I put it on him anyway.

I really don't know what it will take to get the fur off of the thing. I don't know why Petey isn't bald.

Happy New Year

Petey rang in the new year with a new smaller doggie snuggi. He tolerates this one better, so we're going to keep it. We got the smaller one in the afternoon yesterday and he wore it the rest of the day. Just to give you a small idea of how much he sheds, here is a picture of the outside of the snuggi after we took it off for the night.

Zoom in and notice all the little white hairs. This will give you a mild idea of what just about everything in the house looks like. Notice, that I didn't take a picture of the side that was against him. That would have been to embarrassing for Petey. He can't help how much he sheds.

Even though he now has his very own personal snuggi, he still finds it necessary to lay in front of the vent. Here he is just this morning, soaking up the heat, as I type this.
Apparently that position was too tiring, and he had to relax a little bit.