Vaccine Vacillation

DO I NEED ALL THESE SHOTS?

Just about the same time as our Silver Medalist Slope styler Gus Kenworthy was hugging and tweeting about the Sochi Strays we received an email about Liam's vaccinations. They were due. Our hero Gus had mentioned that he was getting his puppies vaccinated and I knew that was good. No vacillation about his decision. Puppies coming out of Russia and into the USA would have to get the first important round of shots. However Liam is 6 and 1/2 and not exposed to other dogs or adverse conditions on a regular basis. He is due for kennel cough and lepto. Necessary? I never would have questioned this had I not read the loving and intelligent and gently questioning book Pukka's Promise by Ted Kerasote. He raises this issue. He does not believe in a yearly round of vaccinations...see link for more info  http://www.kerasote.com/ Vaccines have been under attack for humans also. Folks no longer sure that all are safe and helpful.
What is a vaccine? Here is the wiki definition.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine
Sort of putting a little piece of the toxin in the body so the immune system will build antibodies to fight against the real one.
Why might they be bad? May cause weakened immune system, may lead to other illnesses or in fact the illness being vaccinated against.
I knew what I was going to do. Liam would be getting his vaccines. If he skips he will not be allowed to board or go to play group. Those are the vet rules. I am not confident in going against current practice.

The day comes, Friday February 21, 2014. Liam knows something is up.  I call him to come down. No jingling tags, no thump, thump on the stairs. I have to go up and get him. There he is. Settled on the rug.

 "Come on Liam, we have to go to the appt."  A stare off. Then a stand off.  Liam in the doorway. First step to going. I win. We get leashed and make it to the car.

I GUESS I HAVE TO GO

Then we are off.  A short car trip and soon at the Vet. One side is the boarding and the other is medical.  Uh oh.  Liam knows. We arrive and he immediately tries to leave. Then deep moans... not whimpering but sad and low. Almost inaudible. But I hear.

The assistant comes, takes him, I look away.

Over and done. He returns.  All seems fine.

Vaccines necessary?   Still vacillating.

I AM VACCINATED I CAN PLAY ALL DAY

 

Woof, Woof

Canine Count- All Gold

LIAM AND SOCHI SURROGATE FAMILY

An update on last week's blog Sochi Strays. As the medal count rises for each winning country, the canine medal count is also rising. These are medals for those who are helping the Sochi Strays. They are symbolic and as valued as the real ones by those who are helping and those of us rooting for them.

THINKING SAD ABOUT THE STRAYS

Good news. People have stepped up to help. A slopestyle skier, Gus Kenworthy, fell in love with a group of puppies and tweeted his pics.  His Olympic spirit compelled him to find and gather them up in hugs and then set out to save them. We love to see love rewarded and it was! Gus won the silver medal in his specialty with a Sochi slope ski performance. He added a gold for his act of saving the family of Sochi strays.
Joining in are hockey players, athletes from all sports and countries as well as Russians residents...all coming together to help these dogs. Here is a video of a CNN reporter's visit to the pups and the pup Mom. Gus is the guide. Spoiler alert, possible names for the pups are mentioned, any guesses? think s's
and a link for those who cannot view the video on their mobiles... link has a lick more, so worth a look for all
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/bestoftv/2014/02/17/gus-kenworthy-puppy-pkg.cnn.html

Sochi surprises

And more international interest may bring better endings to these stray stories. As we near the end of these Sochi games we see the shared spirit of mutual purpose in this endeavor. More athletes are leaving with strays. Some won medals and some did not. The canine count is being watched as closely as the medal count. We do not yet know the final canine count.

Liam takes care of his stray in this spirit of solidarity with his Russian rescue relatives

LIAM IS A RESCUE

LIAM'S ADOPTED STRAY

Woof, Woof

Sochi Strays

SETTING OUT TO SEARCH

Seems there are a good many "s" words in these Winter Olympics. Location, Sochi, Russia...Then we have sports of snowboarding, skiing, skating, sledding, skiathlon, swizzling, shooshing, sloping and searching for strays. Last category a new Olympic sport this year in Sochi. They would be the Sochi dogs living, watching and hanging out around the Olympic village and venues. Round them up...clean up the area of unwanted and unattractive strays...a sad savage Sochi story.

               Search

                                             Slay

                                                                             Save

                                                                                                            Shelter

One of the first stray stories...see story in link .http://nbcnews.to/1gKJQ90

Liam not happy
searching for Sochi strays  

sinking in the snow 

looking 

none here
listen to what Liam says

Sochi surprises! Some of its strays are saved. Someone has come through see story in this link http://fxn.ws/1bFXuTb
and if you want to adopt here is the latest story. It seems that the surest way to save a stray is to be in Sochi and bring one home. The following story gives guidance on Sochi stray adoptions.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/sochi/2014/02/10/how-to-adopt-a-sochi-stray-dog/5365519/
And BTW Sochi is a summer resort enjoying spring temperatures...no snowfall and back in the USA we have snow, sleet, snow...

I THINK I CAN SEE SOCHI FROM MY WINDOW

Woof, woof

Tale of Two Yogurts

LIAM LISTENING TO NFL AWARDS SHOW SAT NIGHT

Finally, a food Liam likes and licks has made it to the Super Bowl. He can participate. Chobani is our yogurt of choice...see link for story http://nyti.ms/1cNtqo0 
and link to ad after airing http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/02/02/chobanis-super-bowl-ad-features-a-picky-eater-bear/
                                                This is the tale of the two Chobani Super Bowl ads.

The Chobani Bear Ad
                                             

The Chobani Dog Ad 

Comparisons

The Chobani Bear Ad
The animal star is big. Not domesticated. Seems to live out of town. There is a cast of human characters. The bear does not eat or lick his yogurt but departs with it and heads home to enjoy it. We know he wants it. We suspect he knows it is good. He is persistent and focused in securing it.

The Chobani Dog Ad
Liam is small. Domesticated. Lives at home. No cast. He is the sole performer. Liam enjoys his yogurt on screen. We know he likes it as he keeps at it. He is persistent and focused in getting every last lick.

Different styles. Both are effective. Both accomplish the goal. Message-Chobani is a desirable snack.

Liam asks that we include the ad voted number 1 by several groups of voters. See link for the ad and more info. Though he has his own ad, Liam wants to promote puppy love.
http://business.time.com/2014/02/03/budweiser-puppy-love-super-bowl-commercial/

Liam fell asleep right after Bud ad aired...was a long day of Super Bowl activities.

DID NOT GET TO READ THE SUNDAY TIMES

Woof, Woof

Windows 14

JANUARY SNOW

If you have a PC you probably have a version of Windows...Windows Vista or Windows 7 or 8. In our house we have a second Windows operating system. During the January 2014 storms Liam has been posted at the window watching the happenings outside. From his window perch he can see all the dogs walking along the boulevard; though not many regulars are out and those he sees are sweatered in wool. Some wear booties. Liam insists on being bare on any outdoor trips. Likes his buddies, his walk schedule has been impacted by the weather. More time inside and more time to watch life from the window. Following is a photo montage of the latest version of Windows 14 at our house. Snow 2014...Enjoy the journey through Liam's eyes

I THINK IT IS SNOWING AGAIN

BETTER GET COMFORTABLE 

SETTLING IN

THIS IS TIRING, SIGH

And Liam closes out January with a walk right into February. See following YouTube. He is the smallish moving figure in the back by the fence. Watch as he exits the scene with the accompaniment of a jaunty Grammy worthy score...you may catch his momentary paws as he gives this snowy month its last mental lick.

Woof, Woof

Bounty of Boas

LIAM RESTING BENEATH BOUNTIFUL BOAS

We have a lot of boas. It started with New Orleans in 1998  feathers...then a few more for parties and holidays. Fabric followed. Made by friends... for fashion accessory decoration and for warmth in winter. And for Revlon Walk/Run for Women's cancer. Liam agrees to model them. He likes the feathers as they are both a promise and a memory of the birds he loves to chase. He willingly wraps up in these in his lion king posture. The others are a quick pic and for a cause so he participates.

We have three Boa Categories

1-The Feather Group made from birds, most likely turkeys or ostrich.

THE FIRST BOA NEW ORLEANS, 1998

COSTUME PARTY 2003

HALLOWEEN BOA MID 2000s

The Cause Group  worn for team unity and to promote awareness during walks for cancer. See some samples on top of Liam's chair. The two pix with Liam in pink are from the last two years of the Revlon Walk/Run for women's cancers. See link for info http://do.eifoundation.org/site/TR?fr_id=1150&pg=entry that's our team captain, Lori Phair,  in second place!
Team "We're Halfway There"  The team wears pink boas.

The Artisan Group designed and handmade by friends. Most of the collection are gifts from a Southwestern designer living and creating in Arizona. The navy and purple boas are the most recent acquisitions and were made by a Georgia craftsperson.

BOAS AND A NAP GO WELL

We have some red events coming up. Go Red for Women Day, February 7... think hearts... about women's heart health see link for info https://www.goredforwomen.org/
and then following the next week is the holiday that has a heart as its symbol, Valentine's Day, February 14.
Liam is ready to help advertise with a red artisan boa. He understands the importance of these events so he will sit for a shot.
Thanks for taking the boa tour. Not ignoring the weather, living it.
I know there is snow and I know it is cold...arctic invasion, bitter blast, polar vortex (old already) all often repeated phrases this week. Now you have boa bounty. That is our phrase this week.

LIAM BOA DRAPED FOR VALENTINE'S DAY 
and
GO RED FOR WOMEN MONTH (FEB)
Woof, Woof

Storm Sounds

THUNDERSHIRT AGAINST THE SOUNDS

It is Saturday, January 11. It is here. The big storm. We have been warned of it for days now. The polar vortex is gone and in its place we will have floods, wind, rain, icebergs floating by in newly formed street rivers.

We are upstairs. Liam is under my chair and I am in the chair. He hears the storm before we do and goes into scared dog mode. Lightning brightens the sky briefly and within seconds we jump to a boom of thunder. Liam tumbles down the stairs and I follow. I pull his thundershirt out of the closet. Liam wedges himself between the couch and table and wrapping him is a struggle. I have no wiggle room and Liam is dead weight. I get it done and he settles in position to weather the storm.

WRAPPED WIENER

He seeks to further lessen his anxiety with a visit to Daddy Paul. 

PAUL GIVES SOOTHING ADVICE

     And a few latte licks are always comforting.

LATTE LICKS WILL ALWAYS HELP

 
    Liam checks the rain.

No more lightning or thunder. The thundershirt does its work. Liam is lulled to calmness.

A switch to the loveseat, near his pet wolfie brings a deeper comfort and sleep.
For us the storm continues as rain lashes and wind builds. I go off to the health club which is packed with January joiners and college students on winter break. Liam is home safe and dry with his dreams of chasing squirrels.

DREAMING OF THE CHASE

Woof, Woof