Wolf's Den

After 6 months, he deigned to not only go downstairs, but out the back door to lay in the leaves I'd piled up there, waiting to be bagged up. Caena was wrapped around the garbage can and couldn't come anywhere near him, much to her dismay.

So, we moved the shelf portion of Mark's childhood desk back upstairs to the Studio. I needed shelving in here, we want to get a nice 6ft bookcase that matches the new ones in the kitchen for downstairs, as well as rearrange the living room- maybe, still undecided on that part.

His old desk is an antique now. It's a 2 piece corner desk, with the shelf part that is angled across the back, rather than just fitting into the corner. Means less actual desk space, but lots of shelf space. Now, I have a place to put my Bead&Buttons, my QuiltArts, my Cooking Lights, my various papers, and storage containers, etc, etc, so one and so forth. It's also the most organized/cleanest part of the Studio, currently. Heh.

Oh yeah, as well as a space for the Boys to claim as their own without fear of something falling over on them. Yes, a portion of the bottom always HAS to be set aside for the cats. Cat owners know this. Otherwise, they will TAKE it, hell or high water.



Between Mark's old desk and my actual desk, is a 3 drawer fabric storage caddy. On top of THAT, is a quilt in progress and a folded throw. Luckily, Aries and Max are relatively good at sharing a space. Max was the first to claim the new curling/sleeping spot on the desk, where, yes, I placed a folded afghan. I am not stupid after all, and it's either that or sacrifice yet another art quilt in progress to their comfort. When one is sleeping HERE, the other is across the room, in the Box on the makeshift table by the other bookcase. Yes, it is almost an imperative to have multiple sleeping places in the Studio. Otherwise, they'll take over my desk AND the design table. Being large cats, they do both quite easily.





Max likes to think he rules all he surveys. We accommodated him in this thinking and laugh at him when he's not glowering looking. From his vantage point here, he can snarl and hiss at Caena when she stretches up to look out the window. Surprisingly, Max has actually lost weight. This is good. Finally, he has stopped wheezing when he lays on his back. Raw food and Solid Gold Indigo Moon for the win. He's also finally starting to wander back downstairs. This is very good.





Aries... is the Instigator. Don't let this laid back look fool you. He's constantly thinking up new ways to get Caena into trouble. He generally takes over this spot in the evenings, when Max moves to the other Box. From here, he can see precisely when to jump down, nonchalantly walk past Caena sleeping on the floor, and wait in the hall for her to notice him. Then he'll either fly down the stairs, causing her to take off in hot pursuit, or he'll try to worm his way back into the Studio, yeowling at her in the process, waking Max up and causing HIM to come waddling running across the design table to yeowl/snarl/hiss at poor Caena, who just wants to play. He also likes to sneak to the bottom of the stairs, peer around the end of the couch to see where Caena is and when she spots him, go tearing off back upstairs, with her on his heels. This is getting old. He didn't do this with Dante.

Needless to say, much of this is a daily thing. So this, basically, was a Day in the Life of Max and Aries. Heh.

She got to experience her first REAL snow this Sunday/Monday...




This one reminds me so much of a Summer photo I have of Dante in much the same pose.



This one will be made into an Avatar.}:P

We got 2+ inches of snow earlier.

It's now ice out there and the wind has picked up.

They're calling for 3-5" MORE by tomorrow afternoon.

Caena, at least, is enjoying this.

Link- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-_vEXKyMCc

Have I mentioned that three quarters of Caena's toys are now outside? Yeah. She figured out she could pick them up and carry them around. So now, it's a game to get her to leave SOMETHING inside. Heh.

She's also 8.5 months old now.}:)




Her favorite game is for one of us to toss a Loofa Dog up the hill, or rarely, down the hill, for her to chase, and most times, bring back to us to throw again.



Sometimes, she brings it part way down, then lays on it, chewing on an ear, or a leg, or even the body. This one has a hole in the body that thankfully, she hasn't discovered yet, as there would be stuffing all over the back hill. I need to get it away from her to sew the hole up.





I'm loving what a raw diet is doing for her teeth. So pearly white.}:P She's also getting very strong as far as pulling.





There's the trademark Akita Smile. I loved Dante's and have fallen completely in love with Caena's.}:P Is it any wonder I'm spoiled for any other breed...


More in a few days.}:)

Let's play 'What's Wrong With This Picture?'

Photo behind the cut.
( Carry on! )

I have no idea what she found. When I saw her, she was busily digging out all the leaves and such. I had to go get the camera and came back to her tugging on the honeysuckle.

Ok, what the Hel? I can't get the Video to embed properly.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v391/WolfSilverOak/Dante%20and%20the%20Boys/Caena/?action=view¤t=100_4844.flv

Finally getting around to posting the photos from Caena's first official vet visit.

She's met Dr Eick and her staff before, about a week after we first got her, when we dropped off her shot records. This was basically a check up and injecting of her microchip.

I know it's cheesy, and that they do this for every pet that has an appointment that day, but it's still sweet.



I have never been able to remember to get this vet tech's name. He's the only guy there though, out of 3-4 vet techs, and 3 Vets.}:P Basically, Big Lick does internships with the students at the vet school at Va Tech, I believe, so it's not surprising to see new vet techs every year or so.



Mom! He's sticking something in me bum! I know! I'll sit down, despite Dad's best efforts to keep me standing. (The tech was trying to get her temp.)

We ended up waiting about an hour as Dr Eick, who was the only vet on staff at the time, had a couples of emergencies come in (a 17 week old GSD pup with a piece of bone in her intestine, nothing big you'd think, but something about it was making her extremely ill, so Dr Eick was leery of cutting into her. I think she got some cooked bone and it splintered, possibly puncturing her intestine.}:/ She was sent to the vet school at Tech. A couple cats came in with paw injuries as well.) WE didn't mind, as neither of us had any plans for the afternoon anyway.



So we played with Caena. And I performed emergency sewing on the Loofa Dog, as she managed to split the belly along the seam and was trying to destuff it. Kudos to the Receptionist for having a sewing kit handy. Heh.



Unfortunately, no amount of sewing would have saved the poor Loofa Dog's tail. Yes, Caena 'detailed' the poor thing.



Did I do that? (You can see the tail in my right hand, heh)

Eventually Dr Eick was able to come in, apologizing profusely, to which we kept saying don't worry about it, it's no biggie, emergencies come first over a regular checkup anyday.

At 7 months, Caena now weighs 30.4 lbs. Her heart and lungs are clear and sound great. Ears and eyes
are clean, eyes bright, gums pink, teeth pearly white. Overall, other than the Chrondro, she's the picture of health. Dr Eick agreed to doing 4 month check ups for the first few years, to keep tabs on the Chrondro, just in case. She doesn't think it'll get any worse that it has, as it hasn't progressed any further than a mild curve to the right front leg and almost imperceptible curve to the left.

Naturally, she was spoiled rotten. She LOVES the Butler Lean Treats.}:P




Dr Eick is, in our opinion, THE best Vet in our area. We won't take our pets anywhere else, and highly recommend her to anyone.

(Coincidentally, this was the same exam room Dante passed away in. I believe that was the same quilt she was wrapped in too. Full circle and all that jazz.)

So Caena has her first REAL vet appointment on Friday. We took her down a week after we got her to do a 'meet and greet' type of thing, drop off her shot records, etc. But this is a real check up type appointment.

To that end, because Dr Eick has not had experience with a Chrondrodysplasic dog before, I'm doing what I did when we started taking Dante to her (Dante was her first ever Akita too)- I'm looking up and printing out information for her.

Except... I'm having little to no luck.}:/ The Akita Club of America website lists NOTHING as far as Chrondrodysplasia in Akitas. That surprises me, as lately quite a few have been taken in by Rescues.

I'm having all sorts of luck finding information on Chrondro in HUMANS, even in Malamutes, which isn't bad, as it's another Spitz family dog and distantly related to the Akita, and the Havanese.

But... nothing on Chrondro in Akitas.}:/

Time to ask the Akita Rescue list for links, I guess.

I will say though, the more I read up on this disorder, the more thankful I am that it's relatively mild in Caena, compared to all the things that she could have, that could be wrong with her. Wow.

CD - DEFINED
Chondrodysplasia Punctata (often referred to as CD) is the name given to a group of multisystemic, metabolic disorders of skeletal development, primarily characterized by mild to moderate growth deficiency, short stature, and bilateral or asymmetric shortening and/or bowing of the legs. Chondrodysplasia means, literally, “faulty cartilage”, and punctata refers to the punctate calcifications seen in the epiphyseal cartilage. Chondrodysplasia is generally considered to have a genetic basis. Different forms have different modes of inheritance; some forms are autosomal recessive, some x-linked recessive, some autosomal dominant, and some x-linked dominant.

There are many symptoms associated with chondrodysplasia- the skeletal/orthopedic problems that characterize it, ocular problems (cataracts, retinal abnormalities, lens luxation (detached lens), microphthalmia (small eyes), nystagmus (involuntary, rhythmical, repeated oscillations of one or both eyes) and glaucoma. Other symptoms are various skin problems including patchy alopecia (hair loss), abnormalities
of the skull and trachea, short necks, hearing loss, and patellar (knee) luxation are all known to be associated with the disease. Some forms of CD are also associated with various organ abnormalities, primarily the heart, liver and kidneys.

Chondrodysplasia is usually part of a syndrome; in other words, all dogs may not have all the associated symptoms. Symptoms range from very mild (slight asymmetry or bowing of the legs) to severe, which is pretty easily recognizable, and is often associated with multiple health problems. Severely affected dogs may require extensive orthopedic surgery to correct various skeletal problems, usually before a year of age.

Caena is currently being fascinated by a stinkbug crawling up a chair leg.

It's funny watching her poke her nose at it, then back off again.

Now she's just laying there... staring at it. LOL

She's discovered that it's so much more fun to play with a Loofa Dog on the bed.

Cause I realized it's been nearly a month since I posted Caena photos. Oops.



We start with the photos from the road trip to New Jersey so the MiL and FiL could meet the newest grand puppy. This one is Caena sleeping in the pet carrier that she's rapidly outgrowing.

( Warning LOTS of photos... )

Just one for right now. But I will have more up sometime this week.}:)



This was just this last week, with her new Kong Wubba, that next to her Loofa Dog, she loves.

5.5 months, and knock on wood, barely any evidence of the chrondro. The one ear is up 99.9% of the time, the other, maybe 50% of the time. Which just adds to the adorableness.

Our pets are being finicky eaters.

The Boys don't like their canned food because I added Flax Seed Oil.

Caena don't like the Old Mother Hubbard food because it's not ground (like the Neura 95% Meat food), it's sliced/chunks and has the Flax Seed Oil AND Bone Meal in it.

I picked up Caena's dry food and told her she'd either eat the wet food or starve. Told the Boys the same thing. But left the little bit of dry they have left.

Oh looky, Max is eating the wet now. Well, he licked at it.

They should just be happy I didn't add fresh garlic to it too.



Photos from last weekend and a couple recipes coming soon, as well as new scarves and finally, bandannas.

Heading to New Jersey with Caena, Mark, sister in law, the bro in law and niece tomorrow morning.

Going up to have an early Thanksgiving with the parents in law.

Kind of hoping they have snow, so I can get pics of Caena playing in it.

Should be interesting- 4 adults, a 7 yr old and a 5 month old puppy in a Chrysler Town & Country minivan (rental, my idea) for 8 hours...

Sooo I'll be back Monday.

Next week, I have 4, possibly 5 silk scarves to photograph and list, as well as the cotton bandannas. Thinking of running a End of year sale too, to try to clear out a bit of stock, so stay tuned for possible discounts on my silk scarves, chainmaille and beadwork.:)

Have a great weekend. Don't do anything I wouldn't do... which isn't much. Most of all, be safe out there.

Took Mark to work this morning. Now normally, when I take him to work, I grab my keys on the way out.

This morning, I didn't. Whoops.

Anyway, took, him to work and came home. Got laundry together to go do it, read emails, putz'ed around a bit. Then left.

Still didn't grab my keys.

This is important, because I , being strange, lock my car at the laundromat. Even though I can plainly see it, no matter where I stand. And the Car, being the Banshee Car-despite not actually wailing like one anymore, mind you, refuses to let go of the key from the ignition. No, it's not worth fixing, that's why we have 3 keys.

So, I do my laundry, think bad thoughts at the weird old woman who kept staring at me, Didn't her mom teach her that staring is bad manners? Yes, I have blue hair, take a picture, it'll last longer. No, I don't want your damn rugs, quit hovering over them and by proxy, blocking my laundry. That sort of thing.

Read my book- Shadows Return by Lynn Flewelling, realising I really don't like Phoria, and damn, the woman knows how to spin a tale to get one enthralled from Chapter one- never you mind this is the 7 book I've read by her and the 4th in her Nightrunner 'series', drink my Mountain Dew, listen to my Zune- loudly, keeps people from trying to talk to me, and fold my clothes when they're dry.

Then, after I've folded said clothes, place said clothes in the basket, am winding up my earphones, I realise... I left my keys at home and am now locked out of the car.

Yes, dear Friends, it took the better part of an hour and a half to realise this. Never said I was the brightest person that early in the morning.

Sooo... I go talk to the attendant, and leave my basket in the office and start hiking home.

The good- it's less than 1/4 mile tops.

The bad- IT'S COLD OUT THERE. They're calling for SNOW tonight, for crying out loud.

30 minutes later, I'm home, with the car, mind you and letting a confused Caena out to go play in the leaves while I cool off. That much exercise makes one work up a sweat when they're wearing a Tshirt, a hooded sweatshirt AND a flannel on top of that.

Good thing walking is good for a person.

Now I need some Tea.

Caena turned 4.5months old today. Hard to believe she's only been here almost a month.



( Warning, major adorableness and lots of pics ahead, not good for dialup users. )

That's become her lay in and get dusty spot. This was right after her first bath. *headdesk*

Caena turned 4 months old last Weds. We've had her 2 weeks as of yesterday. ( More cuteness ahead! )