Five Minutes From the Pound

The saga between Hopper and Eowyn continues.

It was Wednesday evening at the usual time. Hopper came into our yard around 5:30 pm and Eowyn goes crazy. Nothing new there. Eowyn begged and begged to go outside and chase Hopper. (Note: I really should take a video of how Eowyn acts so y'all could see it.) I gave her a resounding, "NO!" because I've learned my lesson and I wasn't her out the door until Hopper has gone to his little burrow in the woods.

I was patiently waiting for Chris to come home so that I could head on to a end of the year MOPS party. I was trying to pick up the house before Chris got home and that included taking out the trash. I step out the door while sternly saying, "STAY!" Needless to say, you can't trust a Jack Russell to stay when a bunny is on the line.

Eowyn dashed out and stopped at the usual boundary. I thought, "Okay, good. She won't go into the woods this time. Maybe she's been shocked enough times now." (SIGH!) What was I thinking?! A bunny was on the line. Eowyn backed her little bottom up and shot right through the boundary. I'm thinking, "Shock! Shock! Shock! Dumb dog!"

I turn off the fence and patiently wait for Eowyn to come home. She knows who feeds her at the end of the day. After about ten minutes she pokes her head out of the thick brush and I notice something is missing. OH NO!! PLEASE, NO! She doesn't have her fence collar on anymore. She must've gotten her collar hung up on something (the brush was pretty thick and low to the ground) and she pulled out of it. (Note: Dog collars should always be loose enough so that they can pull out in an event just like this.) I felt a sinking feeling and I feared Chris coming home. Those collars are NOT cheap.

Chris comes home and I inform him of the situation. At this point, Eowyn has come home with a huge smile on her face and she is cooling off by laying on top of the AC vent. When Chris hears about the collar he is quite upset. I then say, "Um, in light of full disclosure, we are also up for getting more heartworm medicine. Eh!" That was the closest Eowyn has ever been to the pound. I said, "No, Honey! Our pound is a 'kill shelter!' We can't send Eowyn to her death!"

I think Eowyn sensed what was going on and she put on her best behavior. We could hear Caleb laughing in the background. Eowyn and Caleb were playing so hard and so well together. I could hear a very slight heart string plucked in Chris' heart (ever so slight, mind you). Chris says, "The good thing for Eowyn is that we can afford the collar and medicine." (Power of a budget, people.)

We may grumble all the way to the store to buy the collar, but Eowyn will live another day and with us.

What Will I Say Next?

I am learning that as Mom you will find yourself saying the darndest things to you child(ren).

This morning Caleb and Eowyn were fighting over Eowyn's most treasured squeakie toy, Mousers. Caleb would steal it and run away and then Eowyn would return the favor. Whenever Eowyn stole Mousers back, Caleb would come running to me, fussing, like he was saying, "MOM!! She won't let me play with Mousers!" There was a lot of fussing, barking, growling, etc.

When I finally had had enough I yelled across the house, "If you don't stop fighting over that toy I am going to have to take it away from BOTH of you!!!!"

Note: This is to my 19 month old son and DOG!

What will it be like with more children?

Give 'Em A Belly Scratch

I get tears in my eyes every time I see it. ;-)

Now, Go Hug Your Dog!!!!!

Note: Sorry about how the video shows up before you hit play. ;-) I guess that's just part of being a dog...and we're for that too, huh?

Homemade Dog Food?!?! Yes, I Did!

A few weeks I posted about making Homemade Doggie Biscuits and what a hit they were with Eowyn. She ate her last one last night. I guess I'll have to make some more, huh? After I posted that recipe I got an email from my brother. He had forwarded my blog post to a friend and his friend responded with another biscuit recipe AND a recipe for dog food. Hmmmm. I was intrigued. I read over the recipe over and over and came to the conclusion that I actually had all the ingredients on hand and it looked easy enough. All the ingredients were leftovers from previous Angel Food Ministries boxes except for the oats and the eggs.

I am stranded at home today due to Chris' van being worked on, so I decided to take the plunge and actually make this homemade dog food.

Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:

3 cups dry beans (I used pinto beans)
3 Tbs. minced garlic
3 cups rice
1 lb. finely chopped meat
2 lbs. frozen chopped veggies
1 cup rolled oats
4 eggs, beaten

Instructions:

Rinse beans and soak overnight in 6 cups of water (Or you can bring them to a boil, set aside, covered, for 2-3 hours until they are hydrated).

Add the garlic and simmer for 2-3 hours or until the beans are tender.

Here are the beans as they simmer away.

While the beans are cooking, brown the meat in a pot, then add 5 cups of water and the rice. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is done, then add the veggies, oats and eggs.

Here is the meat all chopped up.

Combine the beans, meat, rice, and veggies.

Yum!! ;-) All Done!

Place in containers to freeze.

All ready for the freezer.

Note: The recipe I was given says this is enough for 12 meals for a 45 pound dog (1 1/2 cup servings). Eowyn is 13 pounds, so I expect it to last much longer.

I think we have a winner!

However,

It appears Eowyn doesn't like broccoli either.

Alpha Dog Gets Bumped to Beta Dog

We have a CRAZY dog who is rather neurotic most of the time. She is sweet as can be and she has loved Caleb since the day the met. They are the best of friends and I couldn't ask for more. I love Eowyn as one of my own...almost. She is a dog after all.

One of her quirks is how she is 13 pounds going on 100 pounds. She things she is top dog of the neighborhood and she makes sure everyone on the street knows that. She barks at anyone who comes by and I've even seen our UPS man (who calls her "The Monster" lovingly, of course) running to his truck because she was chasing him. She chases all creatures out of her yard and often stands guard when she is outside. Gotta keep the family safe.

Unfortunately, Eowyn is a bully too. She bullies the smaller dogs in our family when we all get together. It is frustrating for us and for everyone else too. We often wonder if we should just leave her with a babysitter when we leave town.

Well, there was a shift this past week. Our Alpha dog became a Beta dog.

I was in the front yard with Eowyn and Caleb at my sister's house, playing. We brought Eowyn's wireless fence with us so she wouldn't leave the yard. I didn't see how it started, but at one point I heard some awful dog-fighting sounds. I quickly turned and saw Eowyn in a terrible fight with the next door Golden Retriever. This Retriever is a good 3 to 4 times bigger than Eowyn and she had Eowyn down on the ground. Eowyn was being DOMINATED!! I felt safe enough to break up the fight and Eowyn was yelping like I've never heard her yelp. I thought she was either bleeding, something was broken, or scared out of her mind. It turned it was the latter.

I put Eowyn in her kennel to calm down for the rest of the afternoon and she just shook and shook. For an entire day I had to carry Eowyn outside to go potty because she wouldn't go out there on her own. She continued to have shaking spells.

I think the shaking spells are over now. She is so happy to be home and some of the barking has returned. One good thing about this incident is that she is definitely more cuddly now.

Chris and I hope this domination will teach Eowyn that she is not queen of the world and she will be more respectful of other dogs and people. Hmmmm. We'll see.

I Guess He Wants To Be Just Like His Big Sister

Homemade Doggie Biscuits

I have become much more adventurous in the kitchen this week because we have been inside most of the time due to illness and such. I reached a new level on Friday when I got the bright idea to try making our own doggie biscuits for Eowyn. I looked all around the internet and I found this one. It is called Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits. I stuck to this one because I had all the ingredients on hand and I didn't have to use liver or any other meat product for that matter. Not ready for that...yet.

Here is the recipe:

1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
3 tablespoons Peanut Butter (mine were pretty heaping)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup cornmeal

Blend liquid ingredients together. Whisk dry ingredients together and mix into wet mixture to form a soft dough. (Note: I had to add a good bit more of flour to achieve a soft dough. It was about 2-3 extra cups. I put it in at 1/4 cup measures and didn't count very well.) Roll out and shape. (I used a shot glass to cut them out) Put on a non-stick cookie tray. Cook 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Turn off oven and allow to cool inside oven until crisp and hard.

Here they are about to go into the oven.

My Taste Tester anxiously waiting.

Here they are just out of the oven.



Taunting the Taste Tester.


We have a winner!

I knew Eowyn loved her new biscuits when she started to run around the house, whimpering as she was trying to find the perfect place to hide or bury it. My in-laws' dog also loves them and she is pretty picky these days due to her age (9 years old). The true test will be when I bring them to the Thanksgiving gathering and test them on the rest of the family dogs.

Hint: These really do look like cookies that we might eat. So, be sure to warn family members they are doggie biscuits. Chris tried one and was not-so-pleasantly surprised. He said they weren't bad, just very bland.

ENJOY!

Caleb's Best Friend

Chris and I have returned from the camping trip and are thrilled to be back home and our family complete again. Caleb did stay at Chris' parents' house for the weekend and Eowyn went to a friend's house. When everyone was back home it was very clear that Caleb and Eowyn were so happy to be back together.

My heart swells everytime I see how well Caleb and Eowyn play together. They LOVE each other so much! Caleb will go into the utility room and steal a piece of Eowyn's doggie food and will run all over the house with that one piece just to taunt Eowyn. He will steal Mousers, the most favored toy, and will hold it up in the air and run and run until Eowyn can't handle it anymore. There are plenty of games of hide and seek. When Caleb is eating in his high chair Eowyn will always be right by his side to stand guard beg for food.

When it is time to relax and enjoy a little tv there is sometimes a competition for who gets to stay on the bean bag. Caleb loves to sit there when he watches his Baby Einstein video and Eowyn curls up there with Mousers like it is one of her dog beds. Maybe I should tell her to put a bean bag on her Christmas list.

While there is plenty of competition and antagonizing between these two kids there is also so much love and affection. I feel like I am raising a brother and sister who will punch each other at home but will make anyone else regret they even thought about harming the other. If Eowyn forgets herself, gets overly excited, and knocks Caleb over she is the first to run over to him to check on him and lick his face. Just recently I caught Caleb walk up to Eowyn and give her a big sloppy kiss right on the head. I paused whatever I was doing and I reveled in the beauty of their relationship. Eowyn is most definitely Caleb's best friend. I am looking forward to the many years ahead with these two. It will be precious.

Going For A Swim??

I just HAD to post this picture because I laughed and laughed when I made this discovery. I knew Caleb had been playing in the bathroom and by the time I got the bathroom to pull him out there was no reason to think anything was odd. The toilet cover was even nicely put down. When I went into the bathroom to go...well, you know...I lifted the toilet cover and found this. I'm just glad I looked down first. That mouse (a.k.a Mousers to us) is the love of Eowyn's little heart. I put my needs to the side and ran for the camera and took some pictures. (Chris said the picture was kind of gross but I just couldn't resist sharing.) I pulled the mouse out by the tail which wasn't wet and carried it in a towel and dropped it into the washer for the next load. I know Eowyn is probably missing her dear friend and will be reunited very soon.

I'm just glad I didn't find this in my toilet.

"Their's was a Love Affair!"

UPDATE: The Reunion
Eowyn got Mousers back this morning after running the wash. Look how bright Mousers is now.
Eowyn kept sniffing and sniffing as if she was trying to find her scent.

Wait, I Thought That Beanbag Was Mine!

I guess I know where I stand, huh? Notice the blue mouse? That is Eowyn's favorite thing in the whole-wide world. Sometimes I think I have to compete for her affections.

My Baby Was Missing!

I had quite a scare yesterday. Chris and I returned from the YMCA and we were getting ready to go back out for a lovely time in town while Caleb was at his grandparent's house. I let Eowyn outside and said, "Go Potty, Baby. We're going to be gone for awhile." Chris and I showered and did a couple other things and we were about to leave the house when I heard a dog yelping outside. I rushed out the door and started looking for Eowyn.I called and called and she never came to me. I walked all the way around the house and still no dog. At this point I was getting anxious. I told Chris and he walked around too. He looked in the culverts where Eowyn goes sometimes to cool off in the afternoon. We called some more. At this point I knew there was nothing else we could do. I told Chris and turn off her invisible fence so she could get back in the yard and we left for our date in town. I knew there was a tag on her collar and I just prayed someone would call if they found her.

I called my Dad and Chris' sister and asked them to pray for Eowyn and us because I was rapidly getting very sad. They said they would and asked for me to keep them updated. I talked about Eowyn like she was gone for good. I was so sad!! I missed her so much.

After our date, Chris and I went to his parent's house to pick up Caleb and enjoy some hamburgers from the grill. I continued to miss Eowyn very much. Well, we went on home and as we turned the corner...there she was!! Eowyn was laying out in the front yard like nothing EVER HAPPENED! She had the mischievous grin on her face and she was FILTHY!! But, I was so happy to see her and she was thrilled to see us. Chris let her in the house and she slurped down her water and ate all her food. After Caleb was in bed I bathed her and the water was almost black with dirt. After she was dry, Eowyn curled up on the couch and she slept. She was relaxed and content and that made my Doggie Mommy heart beat a little faster. My baby was missing but now I will not take her for granted.

Our O.C.D. Jack Russell Terrier

My other baby is Eowyn, our Jack Russell Terrier. Three years ago, come February, Chris and I decided we should get a dog. I think Chris was trying to fulfill my maternal instincts with a puppy. That worked for about two months. We wanted to get a smart dog because Chris' parents dog is very smart and quite enjoyable to be around. We knew that Jack Russells are very smart and fairly small which was another requirement. The Lord blessed us by a friend calling me to say she knew of a lady who was GIVING AWAY full blooded Jack Russell Terrier puppies. I made all kinds of phone calls and finally one rainy night we brought our little bundle of joy home.

For those who don't know, here is an explanation for Eowyn's name. First, she is named after a heroine in the 'Lord of the Rings' Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. Eowyn is the princess of Rohan which is a society based on or centered around horses. They are true horsemen. The Jack Russell Terrier breed was developed about a hundred years ago by a Parson Jack Russell in England. Parson Russell was an avid hunter with his horses and dogs. He had great fox hounds but they couldn't go into the holes to chase the foxes out. So, he set out to develop a breed that could dig and then chase the foxes out for the fox hounds to catch. That is how the Jack Russell was developed. Since Jack Russells were bred to hunt with horses there is a natural attraction between these dogs and horses even when the two animals have never met. There you have it. We named our doggie Eowyn because she is a Jack Russell (a horse loving breed) and because Eowyn in the books was a princess of a society that loved horses.

We love our baby but she is such an O.C.D. dog. OH MY GAWSH!! She can be beyond annoying. I think her intelligence has made her quite eccentric. Here are some examples:

For her birthday (November 2) I buy her a little toy. The toy is usually a squeaky toy from Walmart. For her first birthday she got a stuffed duck (a.k.a. Duckie) and for her second birthday she got a mouse (a.k.a. Mousers). Eowyn carries her toys around with her all the time. She sleeps with them and DON'T EVEN think about hiding them. She will go crazy and eventually drive you crazy to the point that you give in and give the toy back. Duckie has been completely unstuffed and I think is thrown away or hidden VERY well. Mousers is still going strong.

Let me tell you what an ordeal it is to take this girl out of town. (Which I am experiencing right now). I pack up her kennel with Mousers, leash, collar, food, pillow, etc. usually sometime during the day so I won't have to rush around when Chris gets home. I place the stuff in our staging area. Eowyn will lay by her packed kennel ALL DAY and whimper and whine. Very annoying! Then once we get to our destination I have to take her kennel out, put it in its place, pull everything out, and let Eowyn investigate. She sniffs everything and then runs around wherever we are several times all the while going BACK to her kennel to make sure everything is how she left it...several times.

Now there is a rabbit who comes into our yard in the mornings. Eowyn can't stand that rabbit. (Note: we have one of those wireless invisible fencing systems). I let Eowyn out because she'll bark so much and then I'll have to call her back in because she barks so much and we have to think about the neighbors. Today, I got so annoyed I put her in the utility room until she calmed down. Thankfully the rabbit had moved on by the time I let her out.

Squirrels are the same situation. We are getting more as they are gathering nuts for winter and they are no better than the rabbit. Except the squirrels taunt Eowyn from just outside the fence or from their trees. My dog is going to lose it pretty soon.

We also have moles in our yard. That's interesting. I'll see Eowyn running around the yard and all of a sudden her nose hits the dirt. She starts to sniff and then whimper and then she digs. Oh, she digs! Several times I have come across a tunnel shaped hole in the yard. She has never caught one but she digs like her life depends on it. I should've paid attention when I read that Jack Russells are obsessive diggers.

Our number of dog sitters are quite limited because most people don't understand our dog and how to keep her happy AND calm. She either goes to Chris' parents or his sister's house. Unfortunately, both families are leaving town for the holiday and we are "forced" to take Eowyn with us. I am glad we are going to visit dog-friendly family. Whoo!

We love our baby and all her quirks. She definitely makes our home a very interesting place especially now that Caleb is big enough to play with her. I am sure we have plenty more years of fun, annoying, and just down right weird days with Eowyn. God Bless her!

Would It Be Child Abuse...

...to put Caleb in a padded room? (Ha ha! That isn't a great title for a "family" blog is it?)

Anyway, today has been a bad one for Caleb. I think I've spent most of the day picking him from the most recent tumble, fall, bump, or scratch. He has bumped his mouth and made his gums bleed and when he was reeling from that he fell over on the kitchen floor and bumped his head on the linoleum. Then I pinched him, accidentally, while strapping him into his carseat. There have been way too many incidents today to make an account of everyone. I've even heard him make a very frustrated sound as if to say, "This has been a NO GOOD day!"

I know, Buddy. Mommy would put you in a padded room if she could. At least it wouldn't hurt. ;-)

Now I have to go deal with my O.C.D Jack Russell Terrier who can't deal with the fact that our neighbors are remodeling their house and making bumps and other sounds throughout the day. On top of that she sees my bags on the floor for a retreat I'm going on and is probably convinced that she is going somewhere, her world will be turned upside down and she won't be able to protect her precious stuffed mouse. My dog is a whole other post.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt

Theme: Shiny

I couldn't resist snapping this picture of Eowyn on her pillow in our utility room. The sun streams in every morning for about 30 minutes and Eowyn is always on her pillow for the full duration. She is enjoying the summer especially as the sun is that much stronger. I kept calling her name trying to see if I could break the spell but all Eowyn would do is barely open one eye and give me that "leave me alone" look. "Okay, Baby...enjoy that warm, shiny sun."