Tag Archives: Lally

A Raincoat for Lally?

My dog Lally hates the rain. When I open the front door and she catches a glimpse of that horrible wet stuff falling from the sky, her demeanor changes immediately. Pre-walk, she’s usually excited and alert. Once she sees or feels those first few drops, her ears go down, her head drops, and she seems to draw herself in — as if to be a smaller target for the rain. Nothing bothers Moose, mind you. Rain, snow, hail… he’s unfazed. But considering how the Pacific Northwest is known for being somewhat rainy, I started thinking that maybe Lally would like … Continue reading →

Dogs and Cats Living Together: Six Month Update

Wow, has it been six months already? By my calendar, it has. Back in January, the dogs and I moved in with roommates who have two cats. Want to catch up on the story? Introducing the roommates’ kitties, Shiro and Kachiko The first meeting (before we actually moved in) Dogs in residence! Animal body language translates between cats and dogs How each of the animals reacted to the stress of living together Animal behavior isn’t what we expected. I don’t know if the dogs and cats are ever going to be friends — as we’d hoped. Moose and Lally still … Continue reading →

Pets on Steroids

Last week, I took my dog Lally to the vet for help with a major allergy attack. She had been itching her face so badly that the hair around her eyes was gone and the skin was raw. Benadryl alone wasn’t doing enough to relieve the itching, so the vet brought out the big guns: steroids. Steroids are very useful for reducing inflammation, and they’ve really helped Lally with her allergy attack. Almost immediately she stopped scratching at her face and ears! She’s got a ten day course of prednisone, and the vet told me to keep up with the … Continue reading →

The Difference a Day Makes

Spring is… well… springing, and that usually means allergy trouble for my dogs Moose and Lally. Lally is more sensitive than Moose is — especially as she ages. A few years ago, the vet suggested giving the dogs Benadryl when they need it for allergy problems. I’ve almost always got a bottle on hand and can dole out doses with dinner as needed. It’s worked really well for my furry pals. Lally’s been itching like crazy for the last week or so — especially on her face. She’s been rubbing her head and muzzle against everything for relief: the couch, … Continue reading →

Dogs and Cats Living Together: Not What We Expected

Before my dogs met my roommates’ cats, we had lots of talks about how we thought it would go. We discussed the best ways to introduce them, what to do if things went wrong, and our dreams of animal harmony. I thought Lally, my boxer/shar-pei mix, would be the problem child. When we’re out walking, she can be quite a cat chaser. If she saw cats inside the apartment, I figured she’d be trying to run them down. (I’m not sure what she’d do with a cat if she ever caught one, but that doesn’t stop her from trying.) My … Continue reading →

Dogs and Cats Living Together: Dogs in Residence

With the help of some very determined (and awesome) friends, I moved into the new apartment this weekend. Moose and Lally were troopers through it all; they acted as official Welcoming Committee for my moving helpers. There was only one attempted escape, much to my surprise and delight. Lally tried to follow a friend out the back porch door when he went to get my bicycle. She came right back in, though! For the most part, the dogs were closed into a previously-emptied room while we moved boxes and furniture. We spent our first night in the new place on … Continue reading →

Dogs and Cats Living Together: The First Meeting

The big move is this weekend, so we all thought it would be a good idea to bring my dogs over a few times to meet my roommates’ cats. First things first: we got a fancy pet gate with a human-sized door and a kitty-sized door and installed it in the hallway. My roommates M. and S. have been encouraging the cats to think of the master bedroom as their “safe space” — their food, water, beds, and toys are all there. So hopefully the cats will know to run there if they’re spooked. Once the gate was up and … Continue reading →

Appreciating Pet Photographers

I got the brilliant idea of a “family portrait” the other day — Moose, Lally, and I all in the same picture for once. (It’s rare that I can get that to happen.) Moose is the easy one. He’s pretty happy to lay there and pose for pictures without a problem for quite some time. All it takes is a little petting and you’ve got a Moose in place! I’m probably the second-easiest one out of the family trio. I’m not usually fond of pictures of myself, but I’m willing to pose and try not to blink. Lally is the … Continue reading →

How Not to Approach a Strange Dog

My two dogs have very different personalities. Moose (my eight year old shepherd mix) is very easygoing. He loves just about everyone, and would happily follow a stranger home if he thought there would be snacks or petting or both. Lally (my seven year old boxer/shar-pei mix) is far more skittish. She’s easily startled by things like sudden noises and quick movement. When we’re out walking, I have to keep a careful eye out for things that might frighten Lally. When she gets scared, she can exhibit signs of fear aggression, including growling, barking, and lunging. I saw trouble coming … Continue reading →

Attack of the Angry Dachshund

Oh yes. The dogs and I had another adventure! I have a few different walking routes through the apartment complex that I use at different times of day. In the early hours of the morning, it’s usually safe to go past the playground — no running kids to get Lally all riled up. During the day, I try to stick to the street side of the complex to avoid kids on skateboards (another trigger for Lally). Late at night, we can walk just about anywhere. One morning last week, I decided to take a chance and walk by the playground. … Continue reading →