Sunday, November 30, 2014

Pixel Weather Adventurer Extraordinaire - Snow In Appalachia Virginia for Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend!

Hello my friends! Pixel Blue Eyes reporting to you LIVE from the Appalachian mountains of Virginia where we've had one heck of a lovely snow event for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend!
I've been studying the weather for some time now and I'm a real champion for winter weather. Well, so is Sam Champion of the Weather Channel and his AMHQ team of fantastic meteorologists, so I'm channeling some of their fantastic weather reporting skills and giving it to you from a dog's point of view.
The snow we've seen in the last few days is perfect for people who love the beauty and wonder of snow but hate the shoveling. Early Wednesday morning we got about 2" of snow. It was so pretty, however it melted far too quickly. The good news was that it never stuck to the roads, so people were able to get out and about in their cars and not have to worry as much about snow covered roads. Of course, there's still always the risk of slick spots or unsafe drivers, so keep a safe speed friends, and always look out for other drivers and slick spots when winter precipitation is on the ground.
Thanksgiving morning we were blessed with a glorious blanket of sparkling crystal snow that was about 3"- 4" deep. It was just perfect for little dogs (and big dogs too of course) to run around and play in. My sisters Peanut and Sassy, the newest member of our family, had such a fun time outside in the snow. It was the first time Sassy had ever seen or experienced snow and it was love at first sight for this little snow dog Pomeranian. In fact, young Sassy, who is about 4 months old, was literally running circles around me  and Peanut while I was trying to test the latest weather conditions and Peanut was enjoying the Thanksgiving Day Winter Wonderland on our back deck. It was very charming, but I was glad we weren't doing a "live shot" weather report. That would have been interesting on TV with a tiny dog running laps through the report!
Dixie Mae, my short haired Dachshund sister, stepped outside in her warm coat but decided playing in the snow was not for her. She preferred to stay inside because of the cold, so remember that not every dog will want to go outside in wintry conditions to play. Some people believe that a dog must always want to be outside "where we belong" but we really want to be with our humans in comfortable conditions, preferably under a warm blanket by your hip on the couch. At least that's what Dixie Mae always says.
If you go outside with your pets, make sure they are well protected from the cold and elements such as rain or snow. Even though dogs and cats have fur, we still get cold, get achy joints and hate getting (or staying) wet in the rain. Just as there is for humans, there are rain coats, hats, winter coats, paw shoes and many other apparel made especially for dogs to keep them safe, warm and protected outside in the elements.

Dog weather reporting includes a few additional bits of weather information that dogs need to know about for the best outdoor weather experience, especially in snow. This includes:
1. Depth of snow - Dogs need to know this so we can calculate how much of our legs will either become wet or get those amazing little sticky snowballs on our fur if we have long fur. Very important information indeed. If a bath is eminent, we must plan for that as well.
2. Color & texture of snow - Since we love to eat snow, we must know if the snow is safe to eat. Snow must be clean, white and fluffy for best consumption. Dirty, yellow or icy snow is not a fun snack!
3. Anticipated snow melting days and/or rainy puddle days. Some dogs love getting muddy and then tracking those foot prints all over the place in their home, so dogs need to know the best days for maximum mud possibilities.
Well, I've now eaten several snow samples and verified that this is pure Appalachian mountain snow, fresh and ready for eating and playing in for dogs ages 8 weeks to 18 years! It'll be melting soon enough, so get your pups out there as soon as possible for loads of fun in the snow. Just remember to play it safe, stay protected from the elements and you'll have a great time in any kind of weather!
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So...what's the pet weather like in your neck of the woods??

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Nurse Pixel Saves the Day - Emergency Surgery on Randolph Monkey

When you are a nurse, you are always "on duty" in a way, because you never know when your helpful skills might be needed. This past Sunday was no exception. The day started out like any other. I was spending time with my family, laughing and playing, when a serious and life threatening accident happened. 















My dear friend Randolph Monkey suffered a severe 
spinal injury while playing an especially rigorous game of "Shake and Chase" and his tail came off! We've played many times before with no injuries, but this time proved to be different. 






At first I was mortified and feared the worst, but then my years of nursing took over and I jumped into action. I called upon the best person I knew who could sew him back up and save him. Time was of the essence and I needed Randolph Monkey to be okay. Luckily, Mommy was right there when it happened.
















She grabbed her stitching kit as I lay Randolph on the sterile white sheet in preparation for his surgery. Once she prepared what was needed for his surgery, I inspected the needle and ensured all was in order before we began. This had to be done right the first time! Of course, I didn't doubt her precision hands, I was just very worried about Randolph, as I hoped he was strong enough to take this type of injury and subsequent surgery to patch him up. 
"As bad as it looks right now, I have a good feeling about this Pixel. He's made of some pretty tough stuff(ing)," Mommy said as she began her work. I silently prayed as I assisted through every stage. 
Seconds seemed like minutes, minutes seemed like hours, then suddenly she was done.
I could not believe my eyes! Not only had she mended his back from being torn open, but she reattached his tail perfectly as if it had never been ripped off! Surgeon Mommy told me that she used extra strong reinforced stitching techniques so that his back and tail would be stronger than it was to begin with. He's practically Robo-Monkey now! Randolph needed to rest of course from the entire ordeal, but I was able to snuggle up to him and let him know it was all better and he was going to be just fine. Nurse and patient were two very happy campers!
So, the day ended well, in spite of this serious emergency, and that's all any of us can hope for. Just remember, if a sudden emergency occurs in your life, keep a level head, ask for help and do what you can to be of assistance.
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I am taking part in the Thursday "Barks and Bytes" Blog Hop, hosted by Heart Like a Dog and 2 Brown Dogs. Check out some of the links below to see what other blogs are sharing today.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

The Joy of Taking Time to Smell the Flowers

I have been away from my blog for over a month now and I've missed it. I've missed you. But I've been away because my Mommy has had some very serious medical issues occur that required my full attention, and while I was able to do the occasional Facebook post, I could not commit to a full blog post. I know you all understand these things.
This time away has made me think of how important time is. We are all only blessed with a short amount of it, so it is up to each of us to make the most out of each day we have. So I say, take time to be kind to a stranger. Take time to tell a loved one how much they mean to you. Take time to look at a sunset, and take time to stop and smell the flowers.
Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers. Photo of Pixel smelling flowers.
"You are only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry. And don't forget to stop and smell the flowers." 
~ Walter Hagen