PrairieProf

I am very sorry. What a pretty girl, and what a perfect name she had.

I am terribly sorry. What awful timing. He does have the sweetest face!

There are numerous brands of pet-safe ice-melter out there (they say it right on the label). They're more expensive and don't work as well in my opinion, but they're all I'll use.

Welcome from Iowa -- cute pup, and congrats! I love the pic of him resting his head on the bag of kibble. Are you from Joisey the state (vs. the island in England)? I used to live near Atlantic City -- and boy, would I prefer their typical weather right now -- "sunbelt of the Northeast"! It's looking like April before we get to walk on open grass again.

Grace and Fenway have butt mohawks too! Grace also has this random long white hairs that stick out of her sides along her ribcage. And at the same time, she has a bald spot the size of my hand on her belly. Butt mohawks!! Love it! :lol Check out the "Let's see those fuzzy butts" thread I started . . . I want pics!

Maybe we need two more clubs, for bald-butt greyhounds and fuzzy-butt greyhounds respectively. My girl has way longer hair on her butt than any other part-- it sticks off in a little peak and has cute little whorls on both cheeks. It's funny what a variable part it is within the breed!

Oh poor Lucius, hope he feels better! I can't answer your question directly, but if the weather is getting colder, perhaps he needs a bit more food to maintain his weight? Playing aside, he'll be burning more calories just to stay warm. This is my first winter with Beth but I think I'm seeing that with her.

It has something-or-other sulfate in it, which supposedly has antiseptic or other healing properties. In other words, it's not just goo. I don't think it smells all that bad; Beth seems to find it rather alluring, at any rate!

Welcome from Iowa! Both pictures are just adorable.

It's still a square metal tin -- green. Beth does try to lick her feet after I put it on, and it seems to make the next poop a little loose if she gets much!

Welcome from Iowa! We want to see pictures of Davis! My girl also raced (not long or well!) at Dairyland, as well as Dubuque.

I got my Bag Balm at Walgreens, in the lotion section. It's pretty widely available. So far it doesn't hold a candle to Curel for my own feet, though! I'm using the Musher's Secret too, but I think of it more to protect than to heal damage -- don't know if that's right.

Welcome! I guess I have no right to complain about the weather in northern Iowa.

Welcome from Iowa! George looks great, and quite at home chomping on his goose stuffie. I look forward to hearing more about his doings!

Welcome from Iowa! Fun screen name too.

Welcome! Finn looks beautiful! I adopted my grey in August and, while I won't quite say I can't remember what life was like without her (it was certainly a little easier without all those potty walks), it's great!

Wow, those Pawz boots look cool and easy to use. Can you tell me more about them -- have they worked for you?

Darn, Beth's paws bled again today after I took her for a little run in the snow -- I guess it is the snow crust, not the salt, especially since I don't think the bleeding part really touches the ground on a flat surface. Guess I'd better order some kind of boots asap!

Thanks for the recommendation. Beth's "spots" are on her back feet. I've been using the Bag Balm and kept her off pavement yesterday, and things seem better today. I realized I should try to avoid walking in the street, which probably has a lot more salt on it than an average sidewalk, especially when the slush is wet. I also ordered a product called "Musher's Friend" that I found recommended online -- it's another sort of wax that's supposed to form a kind of barrier between their paws and the elements (yet their pads can still sweat through it), and lasts several days. I figure I'll give that a try first, then order boots if it seems she still needs more protection. Anyone ever use it?

How very cute (of course I think so -- her face looks freakishly like my Beth's). Hey, I even have the same dog bed, no wonder it looks familiar. Welcome home!

I am so sorry. Don't know much about birdies, but she looks very sweet and like a wonderful companion! May she continue to foment revolution at the Bridge!

You are most welcome! We're eager to hear about Marley and Keiki (and to see pictures!). There's another Greytgrandma (her actual screen name) active here too.

This is my first winter with a dog, and we're full of snow, ice, and salt already. This morning I noticed that Beth has a little wound by each of her rear paw pads (not on the black part, but sort of right beside it -- I would have liked to examine them more closely but she wasn't crazy about having them probed). And her large pads are showing cracks. I put some Neosporin on the wounds, and bought some Bag Balm to rub into her pads after reading it recommended several places online. I'm looking for guidance from more experienced folks. I guess I should get her boots -- what kind do you most recommend? But I take her out on leash generally five times in the course of a day, and I can't see putting on boots for every single quick potty outing. What other measures should I be taking? I guess I should be washing off her paws after every time outside? Are there other products that you recommend / have used successfully? Poor girl -- I feel terrible that I've been hurting her. Although she was jumping around playing on leash in the snow this morning so I guess she can't be feeling too bad. Now I feel torn between wanting to keep up her exercise as much as possible in this cold weather and wanting to protect her feetsies.

I am so sorry for your loss. A beautiful post. It sounds like Grandpa had a wonderful life -- many lives, really.

I think I read on here to use a child's soft toothbrush. I got one and it works really well! Beth's gum bled once when I was too vigorous with the fairly stiff toothbrush that came in the initial set I bought, but it hasn't ever with the kiddie toothbrush (and it's easier to grip, too!).