A most peculiar thing…

…has just occurred, chez nous.

While I was at the pet shop today, buying food for Piggly, I also bought her a couple of the chews that she particularly enjoys.

I’d forgotten about them until about 5 minutes ago, when–noticing that she was slumped around on the floor beside my computer, looking terminally bored–it occurred to me to go and get one, as P loves to chew them while I’m messing around up here.

So, I told Piglet I was going to get her a really lovely chew, and it was most odd! She behaved as though she’d actually understood precisely what I’d said, leaped up started bouncing around excitedly. She then followed–well, *led* more than followed–me downstairs to the pantry, bouncing up and down, drooling and panting at me with delight, and now she’s happily established on the floor again, attempting to gnaw her wee teethies away to little stubs.

I know it’s only a small thing, but it did seem odd that she reacted with so much excitement to what I’d said. I talk to her all the time, but generally she just shrugs and turns away unless I’m actively proferring something edible (or a picture of her boyfriend, Buster the Cairn terrier).

I wonder whether she somehow picked up on the mental image of a chew that my thought had created in my mind…? Yeah, I realise it sounds nuts, but then it’s not so very long since most peeps thought the earth was flat, remember… And There are more things in Heaven and Earth, etc etc etc Oh, and only a few months ago I’m sure I spoke to somebody who still didn’t believe in ghosts!

*is shocked*

p.s. And don’t forget all those stories of the cunning wee dogs who apparently leap out of their beds and dash to the window a few minutes before their peepses turn into the drive…

Antibiotics and steroids

Poor Piggly.

The vet says the patches on the fronts of her legs have been infected, and that it’s a kind of dermatitis, probably caused by the rubbing of the coat. He also confirmed that she’s come into season, 2 months earlier than expected. Apparently dogs’ immune systems are a little lower than usual when they’re in season, and he said that because of that she may well have reacted more strongly than she otherwise would have done to the rubbing of the coat.

He also removed a tick from the side of Piggly’s face. I found it this morning as we were having pre-vet cuddles.

So, Piglet’s now on antibiotics and steroids for a week. The purpose of the steroids is to reduce the itching, but if she can’t stop licking her legs in the next few days then she’ll have to wear a collar too. In the light of all that it’s clearly a good job we came home.

It just goes to show that it’s impossible sometimes to know what to do for the best. I thought the little softshell coat would have been just right–certainly it kept her bone dry on Loughrigg despite some truly horrendous wind and driving rain–and perhaps it would have been had it not been for Piglet’s depressed immune system. I now wish we’d stuck with her little Equafleece, though, which doesn’t extend down her legs and has no cuffs.

I got P a nice Herta harness too before we left, but I’m dumping that because the buckle rubbed some fur away behind her elbow I do think she needs a harness in the Lakes, but perhaps we’ll take a closer look at the Ruffwear one, which seems to be more padded. We met a Parson’s Jack Russell wearing one near Coniston Old Man two days ago, and the owners said it was great.

Interestingly, the vet does believe it’s important for small dogs like Piglet to wear coats in foul weather. I got her a coat because she sometimes shivers without one when we’re walking. It seemed obvious that she was cold. Doh… But over on the BT website that I regularly read I was promptly lambasted by a few moronic unimaginative owners/breeders who seem wedded to the idea that Borders have waterproof coats and should Never Have To Wear Anything Else. One of them–both a breeder and a judge–actually referred to dogs who need extra insulation as “cissies”. Um, hello?? I felt transported straight back to infants’ school. Then again, I suspect that many of their dogs never walk more than a mile, and only in decent weather. They’re show dogs who spend much of their free time standing around on tables in halls, simpering at judges.

So, once again: poor Piglet! I really thought she’d love the Wainwrights, and believed I’d done everything possible to kit her out properly. Now it turns out that I failed to notice the beginnings of the problem with her legs, because clearly it can’t all have happened the day before we came home.

Packing progress report

Hmmm… a week’s food for Piglet takes up a vast amount of space in my pack, and with her little night clothes, and a week’s food for me, I’m going to be struggling to get everything in.

It’ll go but it’ll be a squeeze, and I really don’t like cramming my pack to the top. Needs must, though.

My sister has just taken Piglet to the beach for a walk. It’s the first time I’ve ever let anybody (other than Dee, who I trust implicitly: she has two dogs of her own) take her out. My heart is now in my mouth

Piglet gets a softshell!

Piggly in Ruffwear Cloud Chaser softshell, and Huurta padded harness

Although Piggly has a nice Equafleece tankie for bombing around in cold, wet weather, I was a little concerned that it mightn’t be enough to protect her should the weather turn truly foul.

I was also keen to get her a harness, partly so’s not to be pulling on her soft little neck, and partly because it’d be very helfpul to be able to lift her easily over streams and up scrambly things.

Anyway, I drove over to Camddwr Canine, today, in Wales, and now she’s kitted out in lovely comfy things to keep her warm, dry and safe. She chose a Ruffwear Cloud Chaser Softshell, and a Hurtta padded harness.

She seems to have good taste in kit. I haven’t seen any other dogs wearing softshells on the hills… *g*

Piccy?

Crubeens crossed…

Recommend dog-friendly accommodation in Lakes?

Rufty-tufty little backpacking dog as she is, Piglet does enjoy snuggling up at home.

If anybody knows of any dog-friendly accommodation in the Lakes then please mention it here. I can find B&Bs and stuff online, but I’m wondering whether it’s possible for dogs to stay in any hostels or camping barns. I’m also wondering whether peeps know of any walking or climbing clubs that have barns etc up there. I could join if Piglet could stay. It’d be useful to use something like that as a bit of a base for a couple of/a few days. Ideas welcome ♥

Some weekend backpacking pics

Pulling faces with Piglet on top of Scafell Pike

Piggly and I took a trip to the Lakes this week. See here for lots of piccies.

I see that Piglet has added a few words to her blog about it…

Piglet gets her own blog!

Piglet with her rat

Wee Piggly has started her own blog! Clever wee monster

It’s here.

Illness all round, chez Peewiglet

I’m beginning to wonder whether The Sty has fallen foul of some sort of vile lurgy.

1. I spent the whole weekend feeling like death, but I thought it was clearing up yesterday.

2. Last night Piglet sat staring as I ate dinner–begging for a scrap (she didn’t get one)–and then half an hour later she puked 6 times. Yes, folks, that’s *six* times… 3 lots of kibble mixed with carrot (where the hell did it all come from, I wonder? And apparently the old adage about carrots in puke holds good for dogs as well…) and then 3 lots of greenish phegmy-looking gunk. Then she lay down in her little bed and trembled for 30 minutes.

I rang the emergency vet, who advised me to give her no more than 2 tablespoons of ice-cold water, and the same again in an hour or so. She wouldn’t drink at first, but she licked some water rather pathetically off my finger later in the evening. An hour or so after that she dragged herself out of her bed to try to torment the cat–a clear sign of improvement–and this morning she’s 100%.

3. Meanwhile, I now have the one-sided Sore Throat From Hell. I’ve had a sore throat for 10 days, but today it’s so painful that I can barely swallow. Whine… I’ve made an appointment with the GP for later this afternoon, and will have to take my antibiotics (if he prescribes them) up to the Lakes with me this evening, as that’s where Piglet and I are headed, come what may.

Let’s hope the cat hasn’t developed a mysterious wasting illness by the time we get home…

Piglet’s new tent suit!

Piglet in her Polartec tent suit

I’ve noticed that Piglet has been a bit chilly without supplementary heating when we’ve slept in the tent together. The solution–the one she chose, and now insists upon–is for her to sleep wrapped in my down smock. That’s all very well at the moment, but when nights get colder I’ll need to be sleeping in my down smock myself.

So! I ordered an Equafleece suit for wee Piggly, and it arrived this morning. Doesn’t she look warm? (I had to bribe her with a chew to get her to pose for a photograph.)

I also got her a little Tankie, for wearing out and about at times (as now) when she’s been stripped and so has very little coat, and generally for standing around. That swamps her a bit, though: it’s too deep on the chest, and so I think that one will have to go back.

When I rang about the Tankie this morning the woman at Equafleece suggested that I might be able to put a few stitches into it myself. I had to laugh… I have absolutely *no* ability to put a few stitches into anything. Not in the right place, anyway. It occurred to me that Colin or Bob would have had it sorted almost immediately, though, with their sewing machines. I feel inadequate again… *g*