SWIZZLE AND DUSTY UPDATE

Dusty

Swizzle

Dusty has her check up last Wednesday. A few x-rays were taken to ensure the cancer did not spread, as well as blood work. It looks like there is No Cancer to be found!!! :) :) :) We went and got her a new toy to celebrate. She also has lost just a tad over 4 pounds. She is walking over 1 mile each morning with Byron and a slightly faster pace. She is slowly walking a bit with mom in the later mornings and socializing with the other neighborhood dogs but stays with mom pretty closely. She tries to play now with Swizzle and Zia but they tend to run a lot so usually one of us will jump in a play Tug with her. She really likes tug toys. We have quite a few ropes around her know. She also loves it when our parakeets and cockateil sings. She will make a point to go watch them when they are singing for more then a few minutes. However she usually gets distracted by me entering the room so have not got a photo yet of it. :( She likes to go for rides even short ones when she can and has calmed down now that mom is home more. She still whimpers a few minutes when Byron leave for work if Mom leaves for her activities. Dusty's energy level is rising. We are planning on getting her an appointment for acupuncture here in a couple of weeks. The vet who does it is away for a family event and not taking any new appointments until she returns.

Swizzle has accepted the bottom of the pecking order so I tend to baby her a bit more. She gets nervous sometimes eating with the others so I've been putting a dish of food in my room for her to eat when we are getting ready for bed. She is still nervous with other dogs but likes to meet them and then tentatively play. I gave her a bath for the first time on Wednesday, mainly she got herself covered in dirt while we were turning some soil for garden and that included some fertilizer so for a while she kept hiding with Chris. She also loves greeting Byron in the morning. I know when he is stirring because she gets all excited and won't settle down much until he comes out of his room. She also has found that she likes trying to walk/lay in the front window sill to look out. We also know when our neighbor to the north come homes. She will recognize the van they have and get all happy and go look out the window until she sees her pull in and park. She is getting better on the leash for everyone but she enjoys running if possible. She likes chasing me around when I am rushing around and usually will watch whoever is cooking until dinner is served. Swizzle is growing into her own independent self. She is getting better at riding too with a car full of people and animals.

They have adjusted wonderfully. I am looking forward to when we can take them camping. It look as if CNM is only going to let Byron teach 1 class this next term and although he will be taking a class and with Chris and me both in school this fall there won't be as many weekday trips out but we are in hopes of having a few weekend trips when it cools down. We are looking at also going to a few new areas that allow primitive camping if it doesn't rain too much over the Autumn. The Rio Grande Bosque opened again a few days ago so we are going to see about taking them on a riverside walk soon. Sam