Dexter's Spring Haircut

Dexter is doing quite well, although he (like me!) is slightly overweight still. He does look very cute with his new haircut, though.

Running in the Rain

I woke up this morning a little after 7 a.m. Sadly, these days, I tend to wake up as late as 8:30 or even 9:00; gone are the days when I was up and active at 5:00! Hopefully that will change when summer comes here to this arctic land. But anyway - as I was saying - I was up a little after 7, enjoyed two hot cups of tea before taking Dexter for a run.

Now, due to his having had pneumonia when I first adopted him, and then the holidays, and then the surgery, and then the snow and cold, Dexter has never been for a real jog before. He loves to run, of course, but has only ever run for a few minutes at a time. This morning the temperature is above freezing for the first time in ages, so I wanted to get out and figured to take Dex with me. However, it was raining. I'd forgotten, but Dexter absolutely hates the rain. So, the run became more of an enforced walk, before I dropped him off at home and then set off again on my own. I then ran just under 5km in the rain which alternated between rain and snow.

It was my first outdoor run in months. I realize now that the treadmill and gym workouts just do not free the mind and spirit as much as real outdoor exercise.

I woke up this morning a little after 7 a.m. Sadly, these days, I tend to wake up as late as 8:30 or even 9:00; gone are the days when I was up and active at 5:00! Hopefully that will change when summer comes here to this arctic land. But anyway - as I was saying - I was up a little after 7, enjoyed two hot cups of tea before taking Dexter for a run.
Now, due to his having had pneumonia when I first adopted him, and then the holidays, and then the surgery, and then the snow and cold, Dexter has never been for a real jog before. He loves to run, of course, but has only ever run for a few minutes at a time. This morning the temperature is above freezing for the first time in ages, so I wanted to get out and figured to take Dex with me. However, it was raining. I'd forgotten, but Dexter absolutely hates the rain. So, the run became more of an enforced walk, before I dropped him off at home and then set off again on my own. I then ran just under 5km in the rain which alternated between rain and snow.
It was my first outdoor run in months. I realize now that the treadmill and gym workouts just do not free the mind and spirit as much as real outdoor exercise.

Dexter

No only do I have to lose 15 to 20 pounds, but Dexter, too, needs to lose a good 10 pounds.

I took him back to the SPCA last week to have him neutered (which is included in the adoption fees), and when I walked into the clinic, the lovely vet said to me, "Um, you DO know he is obese, right?"

Well, taking her advice, I soon went to the pet shop and bought some high quality, light dog food, and poor Dexter is now on a diet, limited to 1 and 5/8ths of a cup of food each day. I also am getting him to run a bit more, and do more and longer walks. Perhaps he and I can shed a few pounds together.

Dexter, the Smoking Dog...

Dex is doing great. He is home from his hospitalization at the SPCA clinic, and is more energetic and cheerful every day.

Though I've had dogs before, he is my first shelter dog; and six months is the oldest I ever started with a dog. My little Brutus, for example - an immortal dog if ever there was one! - I took home when he was only a week old (long story - he was the runt, his mama tried to move him to let him die, so...there I was).

Dexter is not Brutus. He is not like our other dogs at all (Poochie, Chico, etc). He is an individual. And I really don't know what to do with an older puppy. And Dex really doesn't know what to do with us. I was reading about rescue dogs, and that it takes about four months for them to settle in. I think Dexter is doing better than that though...He already acts like a member of the family!

About Dexter

Um - so I ranted in that last post, completely neglecting to say that Dexter is on IV anti-biotics to fight the severe kennel cough/mild pneumonia at the SPCA clinic, but his prognosis is very good!

And that is a very good thing, because, although he only came to us last week, the house feels sadly empty without him in it.

A New Family Member: Dexter, an SPCA Rescue Dog

I've been very busy in both concrete ways as well as emotional ways re-settling in Canada. I don't know how permanent I will make my Montreal base, but I've been making new friends, and making an effort to improve my French (without which, I will never be able to work here!).

And though it may seem a rash decision, indeed it was a very very long time coming. I've always had an animal companion, but had to relinquish that during my life in Japan; this was due to apartment restrictions, lack of kennels or reliable friends, and basically being away more than not. However, now that I am back in Montreal, and my mother is retired, we agreed to welcome a dog into our lives again.

To that end, on Thanksgiving Monday, while I still had the rental car I used to get to my brother's place in Ottawa, we dropped in to the SPCA. Just to look, of course...

But then we saw Dexter - a small, scruffy mutt. Actually, it was the playful Labrador-mix puppy in the next cage that I initially enquired about, but realized he might not be a good match for our small home. Oh - I would have been very happy to invest the effort required for the over-active Lab, and,  in fact, he would have been very suited to my own personality - y'know, a bit high maintenance! No, seriously, the lab would have been great, but I did actually notice the scruffy mutt in the next cage first, and my mother, though not complaining, would not have been as happy with a dog that ate her sofa, her shoes, her carpets...we have been through all that before, and I would be cruel to subject her to it again.

So, when I mentioned instead the, and I quote the way I indicated the dog to the SPCA staffer working the adoption desk, the 'old, small, scruffy dog', we got the low-down on his history.

• He was not old, we were told, only 6 months old, in fact, despite his gray beard and calm demeanor.


• He was brought in by a family who had found him wandering their neighborhood, kept him for a week, then brought him in (the SPCA is actually suspicious - they said that maybe the dog belonged to that family and they were embarrassed about abandoning him)


• He was friendly, only barks sometimes when he sees strangers


• He was a Schnauzer mix


• His name was Bambi (gag~!)

We went into a little room, and 'Bambi' (who we would later rename!) was brought to meet us. We spent some time with him; he loved my mother instantly, was very calm and friendly, and a little bit stubborn! We loved him! And there was no way I could send him back to that cage, in that smelly room with all the barky dogs.

While waiting to complete the adoption procedures, we thought that his name, Bambi, did not suit him at all. And really, it was so saccharine that I think I would never have been able to say it! So I suggested Dharma (as in the teachings of Buddha). A few minutes later, my mother said, 'Oh, what did we name him? Did you say Dexter?' Hmmmm....nope, I had not said Dexter, but I quickly realized that it was a great name for this little Schnauzer mutt. So - meet Dexter! (Click images for larger view)

I've had him home for less than two days, and he so far is completely trouble free. Almost more like a cat - so calm and undemanding. We spent the afternoon together in the yard, where I did some work to make it usable again after not being maintained for about the last five years, and Dexter played a little on his own, occasionally getting underfoot when he wanted to see exactly what I was doing. He is chubby and scruffy, and needs a good bath. However, he has a touch of kennel cough; once his medicine is done and he has stopped coughing, I'll have him straight to the groomers!

PS - A Rant:
I do not and will not buy animals from pet stores. Nor will I buy pet supplies from a pet store that sells animals. Ever. Those poor pups come from puppy mills, not reputable breeders, and buying from there just perpetuates the inhumane crime. Likewise, I won't buy puppies from newspaper ads. There are plenty (PLENTY!) of unwanted but perfectly adoptable dogs at shelters and rescue groups all over. And as you can see - you can get a pretty amazing mutt out of one of those sad places.