LiamLicks

Sunday, July 31, 2022

Can you teach an Old Dog new tricks?

not in this house

not this dog

but Liam can teach his humans new tricks

My first puppy Liam attains 15 on August 1, 2022

NEW

A new trick on us is sleeping everywhere

many moves

sleeping all over

this paragraph and link address it

“The older they get, the more sleep they need, and that's OK,” says Dr. Rossman. Just like senior citizens need more sleep, an older dog sleeps a lot when compared to their younger counterparts. On the higher end of the scale, a senior dog can sleep up to 18-20 hours a day,

How Much Should Senior Dogs Sleep? | BeChewy

NEW

trying to intimidate the kitties by his beastly presence

see top photo, middle and right photo on the side

unsuccessful

the fence is the known barrier to the kitties

NEW

rolling over

rollies are slower more focused and sometimes unable to be completed

NEW

Liam is barking much more

more consistently and louder

there are reasons

this link presents them

Why Do Dogs Bark More As They Get Older - Wag!

NEW

circling

pacing

Geriatric dogs tend to walk back and forth from one spot to another due to anxiety or compulsive behavior.

link

Elderly Dog Pacing - What Does it Mean?

Dogs get old. No matter how much we take care of their health and well-being and do whatever we can to increase their longevity, old age is inevitable. And it will always manifest in different ways. One common behavioral issue in senior dogs is pacing.

Geriatric dogs tend to walk back and forth from one spot to another due to anxiety or compulsive behavior.

Older Dogs manifesting in different ways

NEW

staring

mouth open

NOT So NEW

but more aggressively pursued

hating me in the ccc

NEW

scary eyes

looking a bit demented because of his senior eyes

Lenticular sclerosis or nuclear sclerosis is the medical term for a bluish transparent haze that develops in the in middle-aged to senior dogs. This is considered a normal change in the lens associated with aging, and is observed as a cloudiness or bluish discoloration on the pupil.

link

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj2k9Xhwbz4AhW0jYkEHTWeDwMQFnoECBoQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvcahospitals.com%2Fknow-your-pet%2Flenticular-sclerosis-in-dogs&usg=AOvVaw1px9zDbPRqRLsDA1UH2Y6a

NEW

eating huge

there is no satiating Liam

link

Help! My Senior Dog has an Increased Appetite - PatchPuppy.com

we the parents who never gave him human food now do

he shares in whatever leftovers we have as well as currently consumed meals

NEW

panting

thirsting

link

Why do dogs pant?

NEW

going out multiple times a night

for no reason that we can discern

NEW

the backyard is his playground

walks in the heat are not good

the backyard has kitties and grass

mice and birds and smells

and a vantage point to yell at other dogs and owners passing by

NEW

relaxing

and looking out on the world

Happy 15th Liam

Woof, Woof

Sunday, May 1, 2022

Bionic Boy-14 3/4 Today May 1, 2022

Liam now

drinking and licking my Starbucks drink

as seen on IG and Facebook

but a year ago

Liam chased one of our ferals and incurred a serious injury

the injury happened 3/19/21

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2021_03_28_archive.html

Liam ran after Tabby White Foot making a right angle turn into the backyard a full speed

the turn was so fierce and sudden I knew an injury had to have resulted

his back legs were bent in a unnatural position, the left leg being the pivot leg ripped

https://gardencityvet.com/

our regular Vet Dr Polley saw Liam on Wednesday and Thursday March 24th and 25th

He did blood work to make sure Liam is okay for surgery

sedated him for X rays

blood work okay

took two days because Liam was traumatized by the attempts at X rays

It seems like surgery is the way to go

Injury severe yet common and easily fixable

it is a cranial cruciate ligament CCL tear like the ACL in humans

here is some info

https://familyvetcare.com/cranial-cruciate-ligament-ccl-repairs-faq/

If not fixed arthritis may set in and really hobble Liam

The kneecap no longer anchored

Bone on bone

leg will wobble as he walks

Will exacerbate further if he runs

then transfer to right leg as he puts weight on that to relieve his left leg discomfort

and totally incapacitate him

and so it happened

the surgery 4/20/21

a refresher link to original story

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2021_05_16_archive.html

and in the year since Liam is still running and the tabbies are still escaping

The tabbies

Tabby White Foot Tabby Red

Tabby Bold Tabby Pink Nose

Colin Tabby Bent Ear

an anonymous animal activist had 5 of them neutered,,,we did Colin,,,one or two would disappear for a few days and then return with tipped ears...the sign to the world that a cat has been fixed.

Thank you to whomever did that.

they have evolved in their coexistence

the kittens have given him a new found love of exploring the yard and using his hound sniffing talents and they have worked out their own early warning system for when Liam propels out of the side door. He actually is slowed down in propelling by me.his warning is that he banged his head, they hear it and scatter in several directions

front fence, backyard, side

Next photos

1-Liam looking for the tabbies figuring if he waits by their bowls he will eventually catch one

has not happened

in fact Tabby Pink nose has refused to move from her perch on the backyard bench and Liam has approached then turned away

I think if everyone stops running there will be a calm accepting coalition

2-Liam trying to stick his hard head in the newly acquired tabby cabin he cannot and they know it

we have my creation out front and this prefab Amazon special on the side

Liam waiting by the tabby bowls

Liam looking in the tabby cabin

I know the tabby presence joy enhances his day and adds quality time to his senior life as the search is part of it

some Liam current life photos

he now watches TV through the lower ledge of the living room table

we include in his food whatever we have are having and mix with his dog food

he also occasionally get special lamb treats from our Fridays at Crabtree's

here he is with a lamb shank

Lamb shank from Crabtree's

March and April 2022 photos

Liam outside

mistaken for a puppy again this week

Liam, RBG and his wolfie

howling with joy of life

celebrating being 14 /34

being a TPLO poster boy

"The lone wolf dies

but the pack survives"

Game of Thrones

Woof woof

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Half Birthday

Liam has had them for 14 years...birthdays...

they have been announced, documented, celebrated

his birth date is August 1, 2007

and

when I attended school those with summer birthdays observed what were called half birthdays...those who had birthdays during the school year were feted with cakes, singing, corsages from classmates... those with summer birthdays were left out...an event device was introduced to fix that...

The half birthday-

mine is February 9th

wrote about it before...3 years ago in 2019

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/birthday%20half%20feb%202019

skipped 2020 because we tributed his cousin Buddy who had passed away in January 2020

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2020_02_02_archive.html

we got back in during the midst of the pandemic last year 2021

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/2021_01_31_archive.html

and here we are in 2022 at 14 1/2

the pack joins in

RBG

the direwolves

and our new painting on top left

from our friend

https://leannelainefineart.com/

there is no reason for this trio...other than I liked the photo and played with it

Liam is quintessential Liam in this pose

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate"

Oprah Winfrey

woof woof

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

And Just Like That...

JANUARY 16, 2008...TWO WEEKS AFTER ADOPTION

It has been 14 years since we made the trip to North Shore Animal League and found a muscular black puppy no one wanted; the light colors and spotted and white being the preferred canine colors. I was not aware of the black dog syndrome. The black dogs are the last to be selected in shelters and average a much longer stay. I did not know I was supposed to prefer other dog colors.

If my dog were a male, I knew his name would be Liam ...after actor Liam Neeson. Not Liam Hemsworth. We are baby boomers here.

From the beginning Liam was his own person, as my mother Ruth said. On the ride home from Animal League he sat in my lap and looked out the window. He did not snuggle, lick my face or get cozy. He sat erectly and curiously watching the passing scenery..

Liam would not sit, roll over or fetch a ball. NSAL instructors came and tried. We had a 9 week training course at Best In Show Pet Resort. Liam failed. In fact, the last week the instructor said "lets be like Liam and do what we want.'

Liam is my first dog. I knew little about dog world.

What I should do or expect.

As an illustration of my ignorance, have a look at this vignette.

I thought dogs pooped only in the yard and that was it. Liam and I went out on a late winter's afternoon in 2008, a month after his adoption, and walked a lot... as we neared our house on the return walk, Liam crouched down. I thought he was sitting and I stopped with him...we then crossed the street to our house and entered our side door...a few minutes later my neighbor knocked. He said "your dog pooped in front of my house." "No, my dog would not do that." I indignantly replied. I walked back across the street with my neighbor to prove him wrong. Sure enough there was a poop where Liam had sat. I came back with a bag and retrieved it.

People later explained to me that one always must expect pooping to occur on the walk. That's the point of the walk. Oh, did not know. I had only had turtles, fish and parakeets. They don't go for walks.

Liam was 5 months old when we adopted him. His birthday is August 1, 2007. So he is approaching 14 1/2 on February 1, 2022.. DNA has shown he is equal parts Irish Setter, Doxie, Beagle, Dalmatian. A rescue from Tennessee.

BABY YEARS

chews on everything

hides under the bed

terrified of storms and of fireworks

licks

MIDDLE YEARS

Chases squirrels and birds

loves Starbucks

does not play with dog toys

licks

CURRENT YEAR 2021

chases kitties

grooms his wolf plushies

runs incredibly fast

licks

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY ANNIVERSARY LIAM

JANUARY 1, 2022

Liam

does not fetch

does not cuddle

does not wear sweaters or neckties

does like rolling in the grass

does like sniffing on walks

does like to snuggle

licks

"He is his own person"-Ruth McNiff

WE LOVE HIM

woof, woof

Sunday, November 7, 2021

yogurt choices

Liam loves yogurt

I had not bought any in a while

a yoga friend had been encouraged to incorporate Greek yogurt into her diet...another yoga friend is an expert on Greek and was asked

suggestions were made of Greek brands

Liam and I decided to join in ...so there were 4 of us

an-initial purchase included two Icelandic whose claims seemed to put them on par with the Greek...but an intruder made its way in...a flavored Oikos had to be discounted not only because we are are doing plain but because it contained stevios a plant based sugar sub that I find leaves an aftertaste reminiscent of saccharine

and our impressions on consistency and feel

Chobani creamy fluffy

oikos tangy chunky

fage smooth pudding

Icelandic Provisions buratta cheese

siggi's dense rich

first three Greek

second two Icelandic

these were tried because of their high protein, calcium, nutritional values and no additives

Liam licking and

collage of his choices following

What Is Greek Yogurt?

Greek yogurt is essentially regular yogurt (made from milk that’s been cultured and then fermented) that’s been strained. Through this straining process, whey (the watery part of milk that remains after curds form) is very slowly drained, resulting in a much thicker consistency than regular yogurt. It also means it is higher in protein concentration and lower in sugar than most standard American yogurts. You can find full-fat versions, as well as low-fat and non-fat varieties out there.

I have been to Greece

and

want to go to Iceland

What Is Skyr?

Icelandic skyr (pronounced skeer) might be newer to you, but it’s been an important part of Icelandic food culture for over 1,000 years and has started to crop up in the States in a big way in recent years (popular brands include Siggi's, Sky.is, and Icelandic Provisions). It is an Icelandic-style strained yogurt that’s even thicker and more densely concentrated than Greek yogurt. Icelanders will tell you that true, Icelandic skyr is not actually yogurt at all but instead, it’s categorized as a cheese. Traditionally, skyr involves heating skim milk and then adding old skyr cultures. Curds will form and then the whey is drained for many hours until there’s a thick, sour skyr.

and link

https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/greek-yogurt-skyr

Bring it