Sage - Year 2 in Pictures (Happy Birthday!)

Happy Birthday Sage - and all members of 

the Oct. 21, 2008 Tree Litter!

Got fruit?

One of the things we learned about Sage during his second year with us was just HOW much he loves fruit! He will take it over anything else - even fresh meat! Accordingly, this year's "cake" will be a fruit plate (photos to come).

Looking at the year in pictures:

Starting with last years birthday celebration and a giant meat cake shared with two of his littermates, Cappy and Fig, and their guests!

Some of the party guests

Sage finally got his coat!

He shares Denali's toy fixation

In fact he shares a lot of things with Denali. 

They've become very strongly bonded.

Enjoying a morning sunbath has become routine.

Still very much the goofy puppy, 

Sage will make a toy out of anything.

Or anyone!

Or any slipper...as long as it is Moe's!

This is the SWEETEST little boy!

Everyone enjoyed posing for the Valentine's Day shot (NOT!).

Sage is allowed on our bed and one sofa. 

Most mornings he's here, waiting while I take a shower.

Like any good dog, he loves his chew bones. 

I am happy that he likes them more than my furniture now!

Did I say sweet?

Partners

in crime? 

("She's never gonna feed us again Denali!" 

"Watch and learn Sage. Just keep staring like this. It always works!")

Goofy puppy!

The best toys bounce and 

Roll!

Walking on the beach to benefit the 

Multiple Myeloma Foundation.

And just because!

Certainly not a show dog - but so handsome!

Sage as product model as the weather turns warmer.

Paws it Forward - a box for us!

Just what I wanted! (How did Janet know?)

Postal inspector sends his brother, Fig, a box 

and Paws it Forward continues.

It was Sage's idea to make this cup for Fig's mom, Alden. 

It shows a photo of her puppy, Watson, along with his dad, 

Chase, and brother Holmes.

Unfortunately, we also thought it was Sage's idea to eat the other half of this button.

So he got some bread to, uhh...help the process.

(Never did find the button.)

From the beginning, Sage has been our most oral dog. 

As a puppy he ate everything: our sofa, 

various plastic items, woven baskets, 

and a huge favorite, giant dirt clods.

A common sight, post FRAP.

Everything is a toy!

Yep, Fruit Dog!

One of my many favorite things about Sage, 

his always-happy smiling face. 

Now he's two, but he'll always be our sweet puppy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAGE

(We love you to pieces!)

Happy Birthday Moe!

Have a Great Birthday!

Denali - Toe Injury - Chapter 3

On Tuesday Denali was supposed to return to the vet to have the bandage on her dislocated toe removed, and an x-ray taken to see if we'd made any progress in relocating it. It was a great plan.

However, being Denali, she managed to remove her bandage (while wearing her E-collar) on Monday at 5:55PM, right after Traci left from a really nice visit with us. Of course she did this because this is the evening when I take Sage to his weekly obedience class. We leave at 6:00PM.

So, instead of putting Sage in the car, suddenly I was frantically driving Denali to the vet, hoping to get in without an appointment before they closed at 6:30PM. We did get in and here's what we found.

Just for comparison we will start with this as a data point:

This is a normal front paw, attached to a fluffy Cardigan Welsh Corgi.

This is the other paw, attached to the same fluffy Cardigan Welsh Corgi. 

Notice any difference in the spacing and orientation of the two middle toes?

How about now? See the difference? Ouch!

OK, how about now...! Ahhhhh!

Unfortunately, it appears that Denali is destined to go through life with one funky-looking foot from now on. No it won't always be pinkish (stain from her licking at the bandage), but her toes will never be the same. Why...?

Not only did she dislocate the toe, but she torn all of the ligaments. There is nothing holding the toe in place and bandaging it really isn't doing anything to help. If we put a pin in it she would have to wear a bandage, and leave it alone for about 12 weeks. That's just not going to happen with Houdini dog.

So the verdict is that we just let it heal as it will. Right now she is walking reasonably well on it. It isn't causing her pain (oddly enough she has never evidenced much pain and never made a sound when we've manipulated it). She favors it slightly when she walks quickly, but she walks at a normal speed, and runs as if there is nothing at all wrong with her.

Because ligaments take twice as long to heal as bone, we're now officially scratched from the next three Rally Trials (all located conveniently near us, so no long drives...sigh) in which we were already entered through the end of October! She might be able to go to the trial on November 7. We will have to review when the time comes.

The projected healing period is 10-12 weeks! That means she will have to be on a leash whenever she goes outside to prevent her from her usual squirrel hunting running and jumping antics. 

In the long run, it will heal, it shouldn't prove to be a problem for her - it will just look funny. But then, she is a Cardigan Welsh Corgi...and they already look a little funny, don't they?

Elbee's Walk to Fight Canine Cancer

Today was a great day for Elbee! Being our couch potato, and our "little dog," (a 15-pound Pembroke), she often gets overlooked when it comes to outings that require exercise, but the K9 Walk to benefit canine cancer research was a nice chance to show off our most well-mannered dog. Given that there would be hundreds of dogs and Elbee gets along with everyone effortlessly, she was a perfect candidate!

 Here's what the T-Shirt looked like! And Elbee got a matching bandana, which she was wearing during the walk, and still is!

 We also told some of our dog friends about the event. All three corgis in this photo are ForPaws Rescue dogs! My own, Elbee, plus Guinness, (black tri) and Scooter, (red tri). And of course, my long-time friend, Jennifer, with her sweet yellow lab, Molly! In this first picture, Elbee has just come from visiting the Pet Food Express booth. They hand fed her a selection of treats and she is still smacking her lips!

 Here's the "nice picture," in which all of the people and all of the dogs are smiling!

 This was the first K-9 Walk to Cure Cancer in our area. We walked through Vasona Park, which is one of the most beautiful, and largest, parks in our area. I've run here many times and it was a beautiful morning.

 I liked this special moment between Dave and Scooter. Scooter has just found his new furever home, but Dave and his wife, Linda have been taking Scooter out for regular exercise while he's been in foster care. It has been a great help to the foster person and Scooter has definitely bonded with Dave and Linda. But then, Scooter will bond for a belly rub - a very cheap date. He's definitely one of the sweetest corgis we've had in rescue. Next weekend he meets his new people!

 Jennifer, modeling her "Woof" hat. These hats were giveaways at one of the vendor booths! There were tons of great free items for dogs and people who love them!

 Virtually everyone there was connected to a dog...or two. This little boy was more interested in the souvenier balloons, while his dog watched.

 I told you there were tons of give-aways! We ended up with three bandanas, including the one Elbee is wearing, plus three tennis balls, which made Sage really happy, and lots more!

Dave and Linda brought friends too. This team of six people was the third highest fund raising team! Great job!

 When we got home, someone was very curious as to why Elbee and I smelled like a gazillion other dogs!

Sage knew we had some cool stuff in that big Home Depot beach bag! And he also knew that some of it just had to be for him!

 Now we're talkin'...hand over that tennis ball - my favorite!

 MINE!

 Someone else was tuckered out - but still fashionable in her pretty bandana.

Elbee, you're the BEST little dog ever! Even if I did have to carry The Princess for part of the walk! Elbee will be 12 years old in January. She has definitely reached the point where she'd rather survey her subjects than scramble about among them!