Home Sweet Home: Oliver's Adventures While We Camped

I hope you had a good weekend. It was beautiful outside the whole weekend, so I hope you were able to get out and enjoy. Carrie and I were out camping and I will have pictures and update of our trip next week. Today is somewhat of a short post as we are both exhausted after being gone since Thursday. 

While we were away, we had Oliver staying with Joan and Eddie. We always love to get pictures of Oliver while we are away so we can see what he is doing. The first one to the left is of him in the bathroom sitting on a mat. Who knows what he is doing or maybe he wanted to find a quiet spot to wonder why we left him.

The next one is a video of Oliver barking at Lucky Dog. Granted, he barks at anything that looks like a dog on the TV which could include but is not limited to dogs, cats, and horses. Funny when he does it when not trying to nap, but he will startle you if trying to sleep and he starts barking at something on the television. Still, it is funny and he has done this since he was a little puppy.

We would have taken Oliver on our camping trip, but we attended the Washburn game at Missouri Western State University and it was best to leave him back in Topeka. More on our camping trip next week.

Like I said, it was going to be a short update for this week. About our dog Oliver and a hint of what we did this weekend that I will post an update for next week.

Until next week, have a great week!

A Dog's Love for Heat, a Fan's Hope for Victory, and a Delicious Feast: A Summer Weekend to Remember

100 out... Oliver Loves it!

Last week was another hot week with temperatures closed to 100 degrees the first part of the week. It found Oliver out enjoying the warmth of the sun in our back yard. Yes, he goes out and sits in the sun to warm up from being inside our house with air conditioning. He will sit out there until he starts panting and then head back to the door to go back inside. What a knucklehead. The picture to the right is from late in the week and as of Sunday temperatures have dropped to acceptable temperatures.

The weekend has been beautiful since Thursday with weather in the seventies or eighties. I am sure Oliver is not liking that as he wants more heat when he is outside. Looking at the forecast for the next week and the trend is supposed to continue. No complaints from me.

Shrimp, Crab, etc., Boil

Carrie and I had a treat planned for Friday night dinner. Our friends, Laura and Jason, invited us over for a shrimp boil. Ok, that was an easy answer. The dinner was tagged as shrimp boil and while it did have shrimp it also included crab legs. What a night! It was so good! Poured it right out on the kitchen table and grabbed whatever we wanted to eat for dinner. The potatoes were excellent along with all the other fixings. Following dinner, we went outside to hang out at the fire pit which was a lot of fun. A perfect way to kick off the holiday weekend!

Hoping the Royals can turn around the losing streak we have been on since Wednesday. A four-game losing streak going into the game this afternoon. We need to turn it around and snap this bad skid. It started late in the week when two players got hurt and we have not been able to turn it around since then. I will be wearing all of my lucky Royals gear today to try and push us in the direction of a win and point us in a new direction.

Have a great rest of your Sunday and Labor Day.

Walks, Wuffes, and Woofs: Celebrating Oliver's 13th with a Tail-Wagging Adventure

Oliver Walking on his Birthday

Oliver turned 13 on June 5. It was his birthday, and we showered him with greetings throughout the day. But the true highlight was going on a walk. I have been taking him on a walk following my jogging. He is anxious while I am gone and watching for me to return. This time though when I got back, he whined three times wanting to get going on his walk. Poor guy, his birthday and he had to wait for me to get back from a jog so he could show off to the neighborhood that it was his birthday. He had a grand time walking through the neighborhood. We walked one mile and I think he could have kept going.

Action Shot While we Walk

I wanted to get a picture of us walking, so I put my phone down by a tree and captured us on our walk. Oliver was a little confused on what we were doing as I placed the phone, backtracked, and then walked forward again. We did this a few times and I think he thought I had lost my mind. Nope! Just trying to get a picture of us walking together, Oliver. 

We spotted a few other dogs on our walk. Oliver, even at 13, can still be a bit excitable around other dogs. So, I usually try to avoid other dogs as much as possible on our walks. If we start down a street and I see someone with a dog, we might change routes so we avoid the dog. Some people we meet with dogs do not understand and want to approach for our dogs to meet. He has gotten better, but still a bit of a nut when meeting other dogs. Rather embarrassing when he acts like a nut. 

Selfie with Oliver on our Walk

We had a good time on our walk. A lot of sniffing, finding spots, and looking over the lay of the land. Oliver gets so excited at the mention of "walk" so of course we spell it out and he is starting to recognize when we spell it out what we are talking about. I recently started running again and in turn started walking Oliver regularly. He loves it so much that I need to make sure to walk him through the week even if I am not running. He has a happy look on his face and of course he sleeps so well on the days we do our walks.

Oliver October 2011

It is hard to believe our little guy is thirteen years old. I still remember him as a little puppy with a lot of energy, playing with toys, wanting belly tickles, and have a grand time. Ok, well, he still does all of that at thirteen which is fantastic. 

A quick shout out to supplements that Carrie got for Oliver a few months ago and completely changed his energy and ability to run around or jump on the couch. She saw an ad on FaceBook for Wuffes. Prior to us giving Oliver Wuffes, he had joint pain, sometimes he could not jump on the couch, and he really had no energy to play. We have been giving him Wuffes for a few months and can see a difference in how he acts and the energy he has throughout the day. Carrie usually gives him his supplement at night after his super. All she says is "want your supplement" and he knows what is happening. Gets excited and waits for his supplement to be broken out to him.

Happy Birthday, Oliver. I hope you had a great day of celebration.

Oliver Attends his First Kansas City Royals Bark at the Park Game and All is Fine

Oliver Tailgating and Ready

We have been talking about taking Oliver to Bark at the Park at the Kansas City Royals games since he was a puppy. We have never done so until this past Tuesday. I saw the date advertised a few times early in the season and we started talking about taking Oliver to his first game. Plus, it would be the first time in two years that Carrie and I would attend a game. We got it booked and planned out the night. 

It was a great time! So many dogs... I later heard there were around 900 dogs in the stadium. Oliver did really good. He barked and growled a few times in the line leading up to the gates. Once we got to our seats, he was fine until about the middle innings. Then he started sitting and growling at other dogs as they would walk by or he could see them in the stands.  Carrie took him up to the top to do his business and when he came back, he was a perfect little gentleman. 

Oliver meets Sluggerrr

Oliver met Sluggerrr at the game. We tried to get the attention of Sluggerrr as he was right next to us, but were unable to get his attention to hold Oliver to get a picture. At one point, they played "The Circle of Life" from The Lion King and in this case, Sluggerrr held up dogs on the jumbotron. It was funny although I think if that would have been Oliver, he would have been scared. 

It happened to be $1 hotdog night, so we had hot dogs for dinner. Oliver had a few bites of hotdog. We noticed some other dogs where that was their meal for the night with meat only and no bun. It was funny to watch all the different dogs and interactions.

The Royals snapped a three-game losing streak, so that was fun. We talked after the game on the way home, with a sleepy Oliver, that this might be a once-a-year thing. I really did not watch any of the first 1 - 4 innings as anxious about Oliver being good and trying to make sure he was not causing issues. 

While there were 900 something dogs there that night, there were not a lot of fans. The Royals playing well and scoring caused a few times when there were loud cheers, yelling, etc., and Oliver did not like that too much. He would coward and slink into the chair or our arms. He did great overall.

Oliver Cheering for his Royals

I think Oliver had a great time. He had a lot of things to see that were new to him. A lot of things to sniff that were different. He behaved well for the most part. He made people around us laugh at his low growling in the middle innings. He met some people that had previously owned a Japanese Chin and remembered his name each time they walked by our row saying "Hi Oliver". Nothing traumatic happened and for that I am grateful. The anxiety levels for both Carrie and I as we were headed to the game were at high levels. It went well.

Since that game, the Royals have been doing very well. Fun to watch and now Oliver has a little extra something to connect with when we are watching at home. As for Carrie and I, we plan to make it to another 2 - 5 games through the season. I cannot wait!

Until next time, have a great rest of the weekend!

Oliver's Night of Fear and the Case of the Mysterious Cough

Oliver is Scared

Monday Night Jitters

Oliver was acting out of sorts on Monday night. He hid behind my chair and restlessly moved from one strange spot to another. Topeka was forecast for severe storms overnight, and it seems Oliver could sense the approaching weather. He was scared and wouldn't leave my side.

A Stormy Night's Rest (or Lack Thereof)

By 10 pm on Monday, Oliver had calmed down a bit. However, around 10:30 pm, a low rumble of thunder jolted us awake, followed by a bright flash and a loud crack of thunder. Oliver cautiously approached the edge of the bed, then jumped down and scurried under the dresser. Under the furniture is his go-to spot when bad weather frightens him. It seems he stayed there all night, as heavy rain and constant lightning kept him tucked away and safe.

Licking and Coughing

The storm and his anxiety caused Oliver to lick excessively – anything he could find, from the carpet to the blankets. This soon turned into a cough that lingered throughout the week. Even though Tuesday night was calm weather-wise, Oliver continued to lick and cough. Carrie and I barely slept that night due to his constant coughing. It sounded like something was stuck in his throat, but thankfully, he still ate, drank water, and even wanted treats.

Vet or No Vet?

By Wednesday or Thursday, we debated taking Oliver to the vet. His cough had improved slightly, but it hadn't completely vanished. While he wasn't keeping us awake anymore, the cough persisted. Thankfully, by Friday, his cough had subsided significantly, and he sounded much better. We decided not to take him to the vet, and in retrospect, I believe it was the right call. The excessive licking seems to have been the culprit.

Sunday Update: Back to Normal (Almost)

Today is Sunday, and after my morning walk/run, I took Oliver for his walk. He started coughing again at the beginning, but it was likely due to his excitement and leash-pulling, which are typical behaviors for him during walks. However, with the lingering cough from earlier in the week, it sounded quite dramatic – like I was walking a walrus! Luckily, it subsided quickly, and we completed our walk over a mile, hitting all his favorite spots.

An Active Week Ahead

This week promises to be a busy one for Oliver. I'll share more about his adventures next weekend's post. In the meantime, I'm off to catch the Kansas City Royals game and cheer them on!

Oliver Lost Weight After Stomach Issues but Doing Better Now... Hoping Continues to be Healthy

Sleepy Oliver

Oliver finally seems to be back to his old self. He turned 12 back in June and then the first week or so of July he had a lot of teeth pulled. Since he had his teeth pulled, he had not been doing well. Eating oddly, although he has eat odd since he was a puppy, but mainly having bowl movement (BM) issues. Multiple visits to the vet, various bills, and finally this past week he got back to "normal".

When we took him to the vet on August 1 to get a shot to help with a urinary tract infection they had found the week prior after taking a urine sample. We wondered if this might have been what was causing him to have BM problems for most of July. As he was having stomach issues, we decided instead of pills, we would get the shot. While he was at the vet on August 1 they recorded his weight and found he had lost more weight. We noticed we could feel his ribs and bones on his rump. Sure enough, he had been losing weight. They told us to start having him eat a can a day. Typical Oliver though, he decided he did not want to eat the wet canned food any more. So, we switched him back to his kibble on Saturday and he is doing much better. 

Since he has started eating regular, we did start giving him treats again as well as his chicken he loves. It was tough when he was having BM issues but still hungry to leave the house and not give him a treat or biscuit. He would look at us as if we were made at him with big old puppy dog eyes. Yet he still greeted us when we would come home from work or being gone.

For now, we are happy he is doing better and make to himself. Hoping no more setbacks for him with eating, weight, or health. Thank you for the comments and share of concern for our baby Oliver. 

Oliver Turned Ten Back in June and September 24 it is Ten Years with Our Family

Sometimes it takes FaceBook to pop up a reminder to remind us how old our little puppy is in our family. Is that bad? For some reason, both Carrie and I were thinking that he was 11 this year. Until a memory showed up on FaceBook earlier this week to remind us that we brought little Oliver into our family ten years ago to the day. Although he was born in June 2011, we for some reason had been thinking the past year or two he was older. We celebrate his birthday in June and also celebrate his joining our family in September.

I thought it was time to provide backstory of how Oliver became a part of our lives. Some already know this story, but use it as an excuse to post pictures and story of our little dog. On June 7, 2011 we had to put our dear cat, Sidney, to rest (see Sidney Our Friend). Carrie and I were both so sad even though we knew the time was fast approaching as he was old and could barely get around the house. He was having problems with going to the bathroom and not himself the weeks leading up to the decision to put him down. We had watched his body and character change over the previous months and in consulting with our vet, we made the difficult decision to put him down. We were so sad and decided we would not get a pet for a long time.

Then along came a Washburn Alumni fun run with friends in September 2011. We finished the run and our friends Shayne and Autumn asked if we wanted to stop by a local pet store to look at dogs. Of course we said sure and went with them to look at dogs. Lesson learned on that one and only go to a pet store if looking for a pet not just to look. We looked at a few dogs through the window and eventually we saw a little long legged dog with black and white fur playing, or trying to play, with his brothers and sisters. His little bottom up in the air as he was chewing on a toy, seeing him run around, and having the time of his life. Carrie said I think we need to see that one right there. 

We took him to a little space where we could hold and play with the little guy. The next thing I knew, Carrie was holding him and saying how we need to take him home. Tears were welling up in her eyes as she held the little puppy. We later found out that his name before we had him was Trooper II. So we still refer to him sometimes as little Trooper. Carrie crying and telling me I need to hold Trooper II, I picked him up and looked back at Carrie and had tears going down my face. He was perfect!

Some how it was only Carrie and I that came away purchasing a pet. Shayne and Autumn had the idea to look at dogs, but they managed to walk away without a new member of their family. Granted, we had to wait until the next day to pick up Trooper II. We did buy supplies so we could be ready for him when he came home and we Discovered the Moment to buy Trooper II and all of the supplies. 

The next day we brought Trooper II home and named him Oliver. For the first few years we had him, we would buy him toys just about every time we went to the pet store for food or came across something we thought it would like. He had so many toys that we had two bins where we kept his toys. We recently weeded out his toys and down to one bin. We donated his toys to friends with dogs and Human Shelter for dogs looking for a home. 

Oliver was my first dog to buy and have to train from as a little puppy. Other dogs that had been in my life were bought and trained by my parents or siblings with dogs they had acquired through the years. Having a new little puppy as so fun but also exhausting. Getting up multiple times through the night to take him out to go to the bathroom, get him acquainted with going outside, and making sure he was not chewing through the furniture. We bought gates so we could keep him in one room to keep an eye on him. 

Some of my favorite memories of Oliver was setting up a webcam so we could “watch” him while we were at work. I set it up so my parents could watch too. In the early years of Oliver being with our family, we kept him in his kennel during the day. We could not trust him in the house to not get into things or cause a mess, so I set up a webcam that broadcast with a private link so we could keep an eye on him during the day or when we were away. I recall when Carrie or I would get home from work, my parents would usually be calling at the same time as they were watching “Oliver Cam” to see his reaction as we returned home. I have some voice messages from my Dad when he would be on the phone watching Oliver and saying he knows we are home as he can see him getting excited.

To this day, Oliver still loves his kennel. We allow him full roam of the house, but his kennel is his safe spot. He goes there when the weather is bad or he is scared. He goes there when we are leaving for work. We leave the door open on it all the time but he still goes there to sometimes sleep or just wait for us to leave the house. One of our favorite things he does is that when we are leaving he goes to his kennel and we sometimes forget things so we come back and he will be in the middle of the family room looking at the garage door as if he is busted he is not in his kennel. He will quickly run back to his kennel as if to say he is a good boy. It makes us laugh each time.

           

A few photos of Oliver through the years. We love our boy so much and so happy he is part of our lives. He is the best dog in the world even if he is a little testy when taking him on walks, he is the best.

Happy joining our family anniversary, Oliver, and I look forward to celebrating with you again next year. We love you!