Tigger Walks at Heel

I'm so sorry my pages don't work right so I can see my photos but it looks like I can still use the diary.

I have three dogs - two of them have done off leash walking in the mornings for a year or two and the third one was just let off leash and heels nicely for the half mile walk around my property. We started out this morning and here comes Tigger galloping after us. He followed us nicely at heel too for half the walk and then two of the dogs chased him away. He came back when I called him and finished the walk nicely. Hope he does it again as it was surreal to have him walking nicely along in front of Patches and behaving so well. Was wishing for my camera!

Tigger is such a ham!

Have been enrolled in a photo workshop and submitting quite a few photos of Tigger which get great reviews (he's so handsome you know!). His head is really getting quite big but he does like to pose for the camera while the rest of my crew runs away as soon as I get out the camera.

Tigger Meets Snake

A huge bullsnake has been hanging around under the house for sometime. The dogs bark at him roundly but don't seem to hurt him. This morning the snake was outside the yard under a bed of cactus. I found him as I saw Tigger stalking something under the cactus. When I went to look there was big bullsnake. I ran to get my camera and got several good shots. Tigger was just cautious enough that I don't think he ever touched the snake and I banished Tigger to the house afterwards to give snakie a chance to get away. Chocolat likes to play with snakes but this si the first time I saw Tigger show any interest. I try to keep the cats away from them as if they claw or scratch the snake it seems to get infected and the snakes die. So far they haven't found a rattler.

Tigger has another accident

Poor, poor Tigger. He jumped on top of the wood stove tonight - he jumped off mighty quick but singed his little feet. I put aloe vera gel on them right away and he soon asked to go out so seems okay but feel so sorry for him - can only imagine how that hurt. Had no idea he might do that as the stove is red hot all winter long. Chocolat has eyed it sometimes but Tigger had shown no interest in it at all. Otherwise he is doing fine and looks so handsome. He occasionally gets hairballs but hairball remedy seems to clear him up right away. He has been spending the nights indoors quite a bit as it is below freezing already most nights where we are. He lays on me like a ton of bricks during the night!

Tigger plays with Alli like he does with Sasha - but Alli being a puppy has endless energy and Tigger gets tired of being wooled around and will slap her roundly when he gets tired.

Happy Boy Now

Have posted a new photo of Tigger relaxing on top of the file cabinet perch he has stolen from Chocolat. He is one happy camper now!

Pet Love

I was really amazed at the reaction of both Chocolat and Sasha to Tigger's absence while at the vet. Sasha simply stopped eating. Chocolat walked around as though lost though she had never gotten along well with Tigger - she needed something to slap and her slappee was gone! When Tigger came home Sasha slobbered all over him and then immediately went and ate her leftover dinner from the day before. Chocolat gave Tigger a good slapping and went off happily to sleep. Tigger is so happy to be home - he is eating well and happy to spend his time inside - he went outside to potty but came right back in and lays and looks at me with "love eyes." I was so happy to have him home too - my pet pot bellied pig of 11 years had died suddenly on Monday with no warning whatsoever so I was maudlin with grief and could not have stood losing Tigger as well, especially when it would have been my fault!

Tigger's Brush with Death

I hope people read this and take heed and you will never feel so guilty as when you make a mistake and do harm to one of your beloved pets. Tigger was scratching fleas in the middle of the night so I got up to put some BioSpot on him. I discovered I was out of the Cat BioSpot so thought to put a small amount of the smallest Dog BioSpot I had on him. By the next afternoon he was staggering around and I wondered what was wrong. Then remembered the BioSpot and got the package and on the back it says NEVER, NEVER use on cats. Since it recommended removing it with shampoo and water if a dog was sensitive to it I quickly gave Tigger a good bath. Next morning he seemed okay and ate a good breakfast. About mid-morning I went to the bathroom and he was in the bathtub and having seizures. I quickly took him to the vet along with the BioSpot and the vet called to get treatment. Tigger was put on an i.v. but the vet told me he would probably die anyway. He was on the i.v. for two days - when I checked the first day they said the seizures had stopped and he had eaten well. When I stopped to check on him the second day they said he could go home. He is a little disoriented but seems otherwise okay.

Tigger and Sasha Now Fast Friends

The friendship between Tigger and Sasha has continued and has become quite a fast friendship. Tigger has taken to sleeping on the foot of my bed at night and Sasha will come in in the middle of the night (despite hating the house) and climb up on the bed and sleep the rest of the night with Tigger. They also start a play runaround every time they see each other outside. I have to remind Sasha sometimes not to be too rough as she is so much bigger than Tigger but the play usually goes quite well and will go on for sometime as there is lots of room in the yard and lots of hiding places. Tigger loves to hide and jump out at Sasha whenever possible.

Tigger and Sasha

Tigger was very unhappy with the dogs when he first came but has adjusted. He is tentatively trying to play with Sasha - he will roll on the ground in front of her and playfully slap at her. Sasha quickly gets too rough and he runs away but he keeps trying.