Field Trip!

Hey there!  Today was the perfect day for a “field trip”.  John and I decided to take both dogs for a ride (in one car, which was a complete non-issue) up to Johnston to Dogs In Harmony.  Lexi was very excited to see Denise, one of her favorite people, who owns Dogs In Harmony, and excited for all of the dog-related smells in Denise’s shop.  Zev wasn’t all that excited to be there – we think he mistakenly thought we were at a vet’s office, and he is huge baby for the vet.  He sniffed around a bit and then stood staring at the door!  He warmed up to it after a few minutes, though, and especially after some butt scratches from Denise and her volunteer.  Lexi was a bit anxious as well but was well-behaved, per usual, and clearly happy to see her friends and show them how happy she is.  Toward the end of the visit Zev gained his confidence back and relaxed once he realized he wasn’t due for any more shots, and Lexi then relaxed too and enjoyed the attention.  Zev is a great, calm teacher and Lexi really feeds off his energy, which is probably 99% relaxed and composed.  Our brief visit to Dogs in Harmony went really well for her first real “field trip” out in public with us.

In addition, we got a great deal on a 10-pound box of Lexi’s dehydrated food, The Honest Kitchen Thrive.  Denise has given Lexi a life-time discount of 15% off anything Lexi might need, and I also had a coupon from THK newsletter for $5 off a purchase of $50 or more.  In the end we got a 10-pound box of Thrive for $51, which is a great deal!  It retails on THK website for $69.99 plus shipping costs, so we are more than happy to support a local business and receive a much discounted price at the same time.  The 10-pound box should last us several weeks.  Thanks Denise!

Otherwise, today was spent relaxing on the couch and cooking (I made homemade baked mac and cheese – yumm!).  The dogs continue to get along wonderfully, and get closer and closer every day.  They hang out in the house freely when we are home – they sniff each other, rub shoulders, play with their own toys, etc., and Lexi follows Zev around like a puppy follows its mom.  We have not yet allowed them to really play together, though; both are rough players and we want to be sure we know Lexi as well as we know Zev before we take that next step.  Baby steps, but slow and steady works wonderfully for us!

Also, we are still waiting on Lexi’s Cyclosporine to arrive from the compounding company.  We have been treating her with OTC allergy relief meds for itchiness and redness as needed.  She is so good about taking meds with a spoonful of pumpkin!  Her right ear, which has had some issues in the past, also looked a bit red this morning and she was scratching at it.  We gave her a few drops of her ear meds and that gave her relief.  We will do this again tomorrow if need be.  Otherwise, Lex is looking pretty good.  Her skin looks good, her coats is soft and shiny, and her paws were not so sensitive today (nor did they bleed at all).  Learning the best ways to manage her allergies and other issues is a tricky process that will hopefully be made easier with a constant dosage of cyclosporine in her system.  It is also extremely helpful to know what steps Laurelin took to manage her issues while she was in foster care.  Lexi’s spirits are high, of course, and she is an absolute lovebug!  She makes the extra work to keep her comfortable and healthy completely worth it.

So, that’s it for today.  I am giggling at Lexi right now – she is asleep on the couch with John and making all sorts of strange noises in her sleep.  I hope you all enjoy a few pictures!

Lexi loves THK Thrive!

being a ham

sitting pretty!

curled up with Dad after dinner

doing what she does best!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!  Hugs and kisses, Lexi and Zev.