This and that

Good Thursday morning everyone, it's almost Friday.  I thought this morning that I'd talk a bit about what's up here at my house.  The biggest news is that Elsa was spayed last Tuesday; she is doing amazing and feeling back to normal.  The last few days have been a challenge, keeping her from running and jumping now that she feels fit as a fiddle.  Today she is going to the vets for her check up.  She does not have have exterior sutures, they were all on the inside so it's just a look see to make sure everything is okay.  Her incision looks wonderful, a skinny 3.5" line that in no time will not be visible.

Elsa has been on two walks since her spaying; or perhaps I should say two bounces.  She has so much built up excess energy that she finds it hard to just walk on a leash.  I am really looking forward to a week from now when she can get off her leash and rip.  Allowing a dog like Elsa to run free is essential to a happy home and a contented dog.  :)

Luke got a haircut yesterday; with September just around the corner it will be heating up here.   I always hope that we might not get the heat but it always comes.  September is our hottest month here in SoCal.  It took no time at all to get through those lose curls.  Grooming Luke really brings home the difference in coats.  Luke has always had a curl lacking coat; the only really thick part is around his neck.  He does grow a gloriously thick and luxurious mane.  But down by his ankles there are no curls.  He is generally in a state of scruffiness unless freshly groomed which makes him beyond adorable.  The great thing about a thin coat is that it never mats, unlike Elsa who mats if you look at her.  Her coat is amazingly curly, thick and gorgeous; but much more work to keep up.

Later this morning, after Elsa's vet visit we will be heading down to Just food for dogs to deliver my two books that I am donating for a fund raising charity event that they are having this weekend.   I am donating a copy of my Dogs in the OC and my new book PBJ and me. While we are there we'll pick up some of their great dried chicken and flank steak which Luke will adore.  His all time favorite flavor is beef.

The afternoon will be taken up with book work.  I also plan on getting in touch with a training facility that offers Nose work for Elsa.  I'm really anxious to get her started and know that she will excel in it.  She uses her nose a lot, most dogs do but some like Elsa even more so.  She is constantly glued to the ground and only after a very long sniff session can she pry that nose of hers off of a scent.  She locates us in the house by scent and loves to follow behind other people and their dogs sniffing their every footstep.  Funny girl.

Elsa will also be having an introduction to dock diving in a few weeks hopefully.  Not sure how that will go as she has not actually been swimming.  When we were in Connecticut she did lots of tearing around in the water but never waded as far as having to swim.  The beaches here will allow dogs once again in a couple of weeks and I plan on donning my suit and trying to see if she might join me.  We'll see how that goes.

Next week I am heading out to photograph shelter dogs.  I'm going to be doing a blog on "The faces of shelter dogs."  Not an easy emotional task but one I feel strongly about.  Life in a shelter is tough, really tough.  I'd like to be able to get around as much as possible so that I can capture some of the amazing dogs needing to find their forever home.  I'm sure that there will be a few shed tears during the process.    But as they say "you will never be moved to do something if you always look away."

Anyhow, have a great day and give all those canines of yours a big smooch for me.