A Huge Compliment

 So yes.... we have two boxers.

Isabelle/Izzy is our female.

Now, Izzy had some eating problems when she was very young and was not putting on weight, but instead it would go... ahem... in one end and out the other in a very unpleasant manner.

So, the answer to getting her little delicate system turned around was to have her on probiotics for a while, and also to put some yogurt atop her kibble, which by the way she still expects on her evening meal.

 All of this soft food, i.e." yogurt, has made her a VERY messy eater for some reason.  Rowdy shines his bowl without food getting everywhere, but Izzy tends to push the food up and out the back of the bowl.  This was destroying the cleanliness of our wall, so some time ago my husband installed the plexi glass panel behind and around the eating area.  It's helped immensely and wipes down easily with just a wet paper towel.

 She can't help the mess.

It's just who she is, and we have done what we can to protect the house and floor from the mess.

I also have a rug under her eating table so that I can simply shake it off and wash it to keep the area clean.

In all other respects she is a very clean dog.... just not so much in the eating department.

LOL

Look at that mug.  LOL

If I get next to her when she is eating, she will stop, look up at me, and give me a kiss and then go on with her meal.

I take that as a HUGE compliment since to me it means that she is content in being our pup

and LOVES that I put up with her icky ways.

*having pets means giving them what they need*

Pet Personality

 These two.

Although alike in breed, and in so many other ways,

they are such different personalities.

This is typical of pack animals.

I've read that we, as owners.... all owners....assign personalities to our dogs, that we make up their personality.

I don't think we make up things,

I believe that different dogs within a household truly do have unique personalities from one another.

 For instance:

This is our Isabelle/Izzy, and she is adventurous and will always wander off by herself if not watched with eagle eyes by my husband or me.

She enjoys the company of a human, but usually at a distance, like 30 ft.  

She is friendly and fun, but watching the world from a distance is where she is more comfortable for the most part.

When in the house, which is most of the time, she will go to the basement to sleep where it is cool and dark and quiet, but she will come and find her mama (ME) when she wants a doggie biscuit or something to eat.  She has a strong inner clock that tells her what time of day it is and leads me to the laundry room where their food bowls are to make sure I do not forget to feed her.

She's like the badass badger on the internet.

She does not give a shit.

 This is Rowdy.

He is most secure when VERY near his people.

As you can see, he does NOT miss a meal, but usually comes to his bowl after Izzy has done the work of tracking me down within the house and leading me to their feeding area.

He is the one who reports any of Izzy's wrong doings to me, by making his grunting noise which alerts me to come with him so he can show me what she did wrong.

He obeys the rules.

His feelings are easily hurt.

He stays quite close to us, unless he wants on the back deck to keep an eye on the world below.

Rowdy follows me from room to room.

He is the protector of the pack.

Different dogs.

Unique personality to each one.

Don't believe everything you read, that 'we assign personalities to our pets'.

Whoever thought that up is just wrong.

Season Preparations

 This morning I headed straight to the kitchen because I knew there was good reason to get going early.

 Most of our Thanksgiving meal ingredients were purchased last week, but there are always those last minute items as most of us know too well, and the crowds from now until January 5th will be insane, so being organized is essential.

 I began writing down the few things needed, i.e. fresh whipping cream, French style green beans, butter, a Razzleberry Pie, for we humans,

and bag of dry dog food, as well as some Pill Pockets for Izzy's nightly melatonin pill.

 Now we are all home, tucked inside our house as my husband does a second coat of paint on the trim in the laundry room.  As you can see, Rowdy is hanging close in my office since any form of construction, ladder banging, etc., makes him ill at ease.

We will get through this, Rowdy.

Not only the noisy sounds of your dad as he does home improvements,

but also the holiday season which can be a bit un-nerving on all of us.

Are YOU ready for the busiest season of the year?