All of those dog classes finally paid off

I like to take Mugen to dog class. We have fiinished several and I was thinking of taking a break until yesterday. I have a newly fenced in back yard that Mr Mugen loves to run in. It also has a nice gate in the back into the common area behind our house in our neighborhood. My son was out in the common area collecting bugs (like all boys do on spring days), and as he was entering in the gate Mugen decided that he wanted to romp out in the common area. I was in the kitchen with the windows open making dinner and I heard my son screaming " MUGEN MUGEN!". I immediately grabbed the cheese on my refridgerator door and opened the back door and said in my happiest voice "TREATY TREAT". I looked out and realized that Mugen was over 2 doors down in the common area and I watched him hit the brakes as soon as he heard me. I walked to the gate and said again "Treat come hurry hurry hurry!" He saw the cheese in my hand and immediately ran back into the yard and sat to receive his cheese. I closed the gate and saw my son falling onto the ground very upset crying. Of course I had no shoes on and I told him that everyone was fine. Cameron came back and got a giant hug from me. He was really scared he was going to lose Mugen. I told him that was why we took dog classes and that I would teach him how to recall Mugen so he could do it as well.
In case anyone who doesn't know why this is so important to us, it is because we have had 2 dogs get hit by cars before. Both were due to the fact that we had never learned how to recall our dogs properly and that they just never listened. One of my dog's was killed instantly and the other ended up in a dog cart from a severed spine. I am just very grateful to my classes at Pup Scouts in Nashville that helped us learn this and has made it a normal part of training in our house. I think that we will get in more classes soon.

Six words

Okay I have been inspired by everyone's blogs to make my own.

Mugen: Hot mess, loves everything, Giant tongue

Duke: Loved rubs, super alpha, missed bunches.

We have decided about Duke

Well my husband and I decided that Duke just isn't a happy dog and all the drugs and stuff he is on really doesn't make him any better. I am beyond grief even though it's best for the little bugger. At least we have Mugen to help us get through.

Duke is fine

Well Duke just has a bladder infection so he will be on pills for the next 4 weeks. The vet did ask me to really look at his quality of life before we start with the dermatologist. Since the dermatologist is our vet's wife we are pretty sure she knows what is going on. So now I get to spend my evenings seeing how often he is active and how often he is passed out.

On another note Mugen has started his Relaxed Rovers class and training is very interesting. We are learning go to your place and getting him to pay attention to me and not a good treat in my hand. Also we are starting to learn clicker training which he is picking up faster than traditional so I again amazed at how smart the guy it.

Duke is still with us for now

We went to the vet this morning and he is now on some antibiotics. We will find out on Monday what his blood tests are. Me and the husband have agreed that if anything else shows up we will put him to sleep. He is comfy right now and we are giving him lots of love because we don't know what the tests will say. But we are fine.

Cameron is having his 2nd basketball game ever today and Mugen will officially start his "relaxed rovers" class this afternoon. We also have found some old pictures of Duke, he sure was a cute little thing.

Duke is going to go back to the vet

Well he hasn't gotten any better and now he is drinking water like a fish. So on Saturday morning we are going to take him back to the vet to see what is going on. I am afraid that it might be his kidneys. But at least I can rest in the fact that we have done everything for this dog and if this is his time then he had as good of a life that we could have given him.

Duke is getting sick again

Well for some reason Duke's allergies are acting up again in 20 degree weather. He isn't eating like he should and I am starting to give him pills again. So currently we have 2 good months out of the year that he is a happy dog. The husband and I are having that conversation again on how much more does this dog need to go through. Oh well we are in for a week of pills and see what happens.

Lazy dog day

The rain must being bring out the nappy time with Mugen and Duke today.

Mugen spent most of the day going from laying down by the computer to laying down by the couch. I finally got a picture of the both of them together. Normally when I try I have to go get the camera and then one of them (normally Mugen) follows me and the moment is over. Aren't they a funny pair!

Trying to knit really really fast

I realized that it is October and I have less than 3 months to get presents knitted and finished for Christmas. I am also in the middle of 2 sweater projects that I am trying to have done before it really gets cold. So my poor puppies have to put up with me knitting during TV and no major petting marathons right now. Don't worry dogs Hopefully I will be done with one of these soon and you two will get more babying.

Duke's back on medication

My husband just came back from the vet and we are going to put Mr Duke on major allergy drugs. We have 3 months to see how he does. If there is little to no improvement we will have to let him go. Hopefully he will do well on the medication and we will have a dog again.

Duke is going to the Doctor on Monday

Well we have decided to go back to the dermatologist on Monday to see what we can do about Duke. It's been a year since we started on the allergy shots and over a year since he as been on an antibiotic shot that was made for his blood type.  We thought he was getting better then the warm weather started in March and he is just as bad as last year. In fact I think that he is worse because now he is getting very mean about things that we have to do like nail clippings.  We are a bit lost on what to do for him. Oh well I might as well show a picture of the little guy. Here he his with Mugen taking away Mugen's bone in February when he felt a little better and was acting more like a dog than he had been in months.