Toby's Turn!

Toby, Coco and Milo lolling in the kitchen this afternoon...

I'd mentioned to Toby that the jury were still out in regard to their verdict on my last post, although it seemed most readers felt it had passed the grade. As you will recall, Toby had found it a great big bore and had no qualms about showing me just how very bored he was with the gigantic yawn he emitted. He scoffed at my comment and said he's not changing his vote! So, to attempt to appease him, I said I'd prepare a new post featuring 'just' him with the pups.  Since he's so much larger than they are, he looks quite grown-up even though he's only 14 months old and he rather liked that idea...so, here we go, strictly under Toby's direction! 

Please click the Read more button below to continue reading this post... 

 

"No! Take that one again...you gave me green-eye in the previous attempt!"

"OK...now we'll demonstrate how sweetly we can lie together...Coco, where are you off to...to piddle? Right then, it's just you and me, Milo...now lie down and pretend to be napping!"

"Good! She got that one right...now cosy up to me and show you aren't at all scared of me even though my teeth are so much bigger than yours!"

"Now let's turn on to our sides and tip our heads back so our noses almost touch!"

Same afternoon, but we'd moved to the frontroom to enjoy the fire and Toby and Milo thought it would be fun to demonstrate a game of wrestling...

Toby begged me to take this picture so you could see for yourselves just who has the largest teeth and mouth.

Now, I'm not sure whether this will get him to agree to retract his scathing comment on my last post, but hopefully he's feeling more kindly disposed to this one!

I asked whether I could mention that Milo and Coco had attended their first Puppy Socialisation class yesterday...he said provided I didn't make a big thing about it and take the spotlight off him!  Oh well, now you know what we did yesterday and, yes, it went quite well except that Coco decided it was a good time to discover her voice.  She barked at everyone!

Toby has developed a skin allergy, which we are trying to diagnose in conjunction with our vet. He has undergone two lots of treatment and today had to have a cortisone injection to stop the severe irritation. In order to do a skin biopsy, the condition needs to  flare up badly, but we really do not want to have him suffer anymore...hence the cortisone today. Thankfully, it has already helped and he has not been scratching this afternoon. 

He permitted me to take this picture so you could see the nasty rash he has under his armpits. It also affects the skin on his face, especially surrounding the eye area and the bridge of his nose. He has red spots on his back legs, too!

Milo is feeling sorry for him and suggested that it might be soothing for Toby if he gently rested his chin on the inflamed spot...Toby agreed to give it a try!

German Shepherds are unfortunately predisposed to skin allergies...trying to discover the source of the problem is the hard part! We have him on a special diet and he takes omega 3 oils every day, so we are doing our best to contain this outbreak and to get him to recover fully. In case it's stress related (the pups have been with us for a month now) we have upped his 'alone' time with us and we are allowing him to spend more time with Milo and Coco. They are getting on well, as you can see from their posed pictures. 

Toby has asked me to add that he's pretty sure you will have enjoyed this post considerably more than the one featuring "the annoying Ibis and dying leaves." (his words, not mine!)

To conclude this post, Toby has requested that I share this poem...to remind all of you to love and care for your animals for all time, not just while they're cute puppies!

My family brought me home cradled in their arms. They cuddled me and smiled at me, and said I was full of charm.

They played with me and laughed with me, they showered me with toys. I sure do love my family especially the girls and boys.

The children loved to feed me, they gave me special treats. They even let me sleep with them all snuggled in the sheets.

I used to go for walks, often several times a day. They even fought to hold my leash, I'm very proud to say.

These are things I'll never forget a cherished memory. I now live in a shelter without my family.

They used to laugh and praise me when I played with that old shoe. But I didn't know the difference between the old ones and the new.

The kids and I would grab a rag for hours we would tug. So I thought I did the right thing when I chewed the bathroom rug.

They said that I was out of control, and would have to live outside. This I did not understand although I tried and tried.

The walks stopped, one by one; they said they hadn't time. I wish that I could change things, I wish I knew my crime.

My life became so lonely, in the back yard on a chain. I barked and barked all day long to keep from going insane.

So they brought me to the shelter but were embarrassed to say why. They said I caused an allergy, and then, kissed me goodbye.

If I'd only had some classes, as a little pup I wouldn't have been so hard to handle when I was all grown up.

"You only have one day left," I heard the worker say. Does this mean a second chance? Do I go home today?

~ Sandi Thompson ~