Our Minature Pinscher Cowboy, despite semi-regular scares, is still truckin' along and looks really good right now. He's got more than his fair share of health issues, but right now they're all under control and he's looking and acting like a dog in his prime. Minor detail he's actually thirteen.
Poor little thing.You can see how he suffers. Actually, he really enjoyed all the attention that came with his costume. He had a lovely run around the apartment while his sister tried to grab onto the tail of his costume. Pretty good for a dog that was scheduled to be euthanized due to progressive paralysis almost two years ago. He gave us another fright this year when his coordination started to fail again and he couldn't really walk on his own, but a little tweak of his meds and he was right back to going on 15 - 20 minute walks with his sister unassisted. The vets are being very cautious with him, cutting back his vaccinations to rabies only and unwilling to change anything in his routine. Someway, somehow, it's working. We've been on borrowed time for almost two years now. Everyone is amazed that he's still happy, active, and with us.
The little monster is enjoying his golden years and the presence of his adopted sister. He had an aggressive relationship with his father, Cruizer. When Peyton joined the family, he suddenly had someone that thought he was awesome and wanted to cuddle and play. It took him months to figure that out. Now he barks and chases her around the living room, which she adores. Our neighbors aren't really big fans of it.
Speaking of his sister, this is what I usually come home to.
We've given up on keeping her in the play pen. She climbs out or squeezes out impossibly small spaces. She freaks out in a crate. Once she's loose, she just curls up in the brown chair and sleeps, so she has the privilege of being the only dog we've allowed to sleep loose. Little Peyton has changed from a skinny, quiet, uncertain, scraggly looking mutt to a glossy, lean, confident little dog. A grain free raw diet has her food allergies under control (our dogs eat better than we do, no exaggeration) and lots of socialization has her quietly handling just about any crowd. She loves visiting the barn, going to the pet store, and even trips to the dog park. Peyton's the first non-aggressive dog we've had . . . ever, so it's a real treat to take her out and not worry about her starting problems. Of course, at all of thirteen pounds, we have to keep a close eye on her with big dogs. It would only take the blink of an eye for her to get hurt.
Not to say she's a push over. Far from it. She's a dominant little bitch, just not aggressive about it. I should rent her out to owners of large breed puppies. She came across a Rhodesian Ridgeback cross puppy that was a couple months old at the dog park. It was a super friendly puppy, all ears and paws as he galumphed over to greet her. Of course, he was at least twice her size already so a boisterous greeting, even friendly, was not appreciated. She very calmly knocked the puppy over, corrected it's rude behavior, and walked away. The puppy's owner was so worried that I'd be upset, but I laughed. She did exactly what she was supposed to do and the puppy was much more careful with her after that. Most puppies get the hint when she gives them the 'look' and they settle down. She is not to be jumped on, thank you very much.
I frequently think that Peyton should have a job, but between work, school, and the princess, it's not really in my schedule. She's very smart and a quick learner, but she certainly doesn't mind all of the unstructured time. Her job is to make sure no one comes in the window, ensure that I get up and move regularly when working from home, and that her adopted brother doesn't get cold or lonely. It's a tough job, but she's up for it.
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