Dangerous Common Sense

Day 134 – The Final Puppy Shots!

By Galen|2019-03-08T17:09:31-08:00February 4, 2019|dachshunds, Uncategorized|

Finally! Ever since Auroara (aka then as MUNI) started venturing out of the whelping box on to the floor where people stepped, we have been taking off our street shoes at the door. And, washing our hands before petting her. Puppies are not immune to many serious viruses that are Out There. They need a series of shots and booster shots against common illnesses. Parvo is the disease the vets are most worried about, but there is distemper, canine influenza, kennel cough, leptospirosis, and other nasty bugs out there. So, we've kept our shoes off and asked visitors to de-shoe [...]

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Day 127 – Auroara Goes Down

By Galen|2019-01-28T14:31:40-08:00January 27, 2019|dachshunds|

Geoffrey did it! He got Auroara to go down all five steps to the back yard! Up until about noon today, Auroara would willingly only jump down one step to the back door landing. Then she'd fuss and bark to get lifted up, held, and moved down to the ground. This past week, I started lifting her down one more step from the top. She'd be scared and completely stiff. I'd do it again, and she would loosen a little, look at the final stair and the waiting ground. She'd often take that two-step adventure on her own, although a [...]

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Day 121 – Playing Around

By Galen|2019-01-22T20:21:41-08:00January 22, 2019|dachshunds|

There was lots of morning play. In fact the older dogs were exhausted early on. Only Apex stayed outside to monitor the puppy... and occasionally join in some random ball play or twig gnawing. AuRoara has been expert going up the stairs for a while. She still doesn't go DOWN all the way, though. She'll take the first step down to the landing, but then stops. She's also started going up one stair, going along it, and then she's able to jump down to the ground again. Today she practiced the bottom stair maneuver a few times. Incremental progress is [...]

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Day 120 — First Bath

By Galen|2019-01-21T18:37:23-08:00January 21, 2019|dachshunds|

Our vet thinks we should have done this earlier, but she reminded us of some good techniques for puppy bathing. Today, after breakfast, AuRoara took the plunge! AuRoara starts her first bath nonplussed. One tip was to put a washcloth in the sink underneath AuRoara so she wouldn't slip in the tub. There were lots of new sensations, but she tolerated the experience pretty well! AuRoara ready for Drying

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A New Year’s Resolution, 3 Years Later

By Galen|2019-01-01T16:48:59-08:00January 1, 2019|Personal Life|

I was inspired on New Year's Eve 2015 to start exercising regularly. Doug Wilcoxen, a fellow Pomona College student and resident of Wig Hall 30+ years ago, wrote on Facebook that day that he had been to the gym 315 times during the year. I remember Doug in college as being sane and not a freakish jock, so I thought that if Doug could exercise regularly, then maybe I could, too. I decided to go to the gym or do something physical daily as long as I could. I also decided that if I missed a day or two, I [...]

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Day 94 — Christmas is Over. No Need to Hide Our Naughtiness!

By Galen|2019-01-21T14:44:35-08:00December 26, 2018|dachshunds|

AuRoara (note the updated spelling) says that now that Christmas is over, there is no need to feign angelic behavior. Like any child, she saves the worse (and cutest) temper tantrums for Mom. Mother Zenith does look like she can handle the pressure, though! Christmas is over. It's okay to talk back to Mom now.Remember to click on this and any other picture for a larger version. Do it twice! Even the human dads find it hard to ignore the snapping of teeth! Geoffrey and a Snappy AuRoara on the Bed

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Day 93 — Merry Christmas, Auroara! “Auroara”??

By Galen|2019-01-01T17:04:47-08:00December 25, 2018|dachshunds|

It was a big, busy day for the pack, both human and canine. There was breakfast to enjoy, presents to open, dinner to prepare, friends to enjoy, and occasionally a moment to play with a puppy. For her part, Aurora did a good job exhausting herself with the early morning play session. By the time serious cooking or serious present opening started, she was into a deep nap! Aurora on the Hide-a-Pet The development in the puppy world today was reading her signature on the Christmas cards. Apparently, she is spelling her name Auroara. We don't know if the non-standard spelling will stick. [...]

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Day 92 — Christmas Eve

By Galen|2018-12-31T19:34:24-08:00December 24, 2018|Uncategorized|

The girls continue to be uncomfortable with the disruption of additional beings in the house. Zenith is quick to launch into a major alert whenever she hears any movement from non-Ozdachs, and the activity level remains high. Even Aurora seems to need recharging more often... like in this picture! The humans spent the morning going to the Cliff House for breakfast and then collecting turkey and desert from Noe Valley stores. Galen then made his cranberry sauce and did other pre-Christmas preparations before the humans went to the candlelight service. Tony the Heathen avoided the church service and gave the [...]

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Day 91 – Still in an Uproar

By Galen|2018-12-31T10:51:44-08:00December 23, 2018|Uncategorized|

Well, maybe not an uproar, but the Force is definitely disturbed by the non-pack canine in the house... to say nothing of dealing with his owner! Lots of to'ing and fro'ing, with Aurora generally in the middle of the watching pack. She's careful to have protection all around her. All pack members were especially interested in getting reassured by their dads. Here's the 2:30 afternoon shot with the girls helping Geoffrey check on the last-minute package deliveries.

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Day 90 — A Day of Play

By Galen|2018-12-30T17:06:20-08:00December 22, 2018|dachshunds|

Twas the Saturday before Christmas and all through the house... there was activity! The pack went off during the night when Ric took Shiloh by our bedroom door so Shiloh could use the backyard. INTRUDER ALERT! Then when I got up Zenith went into the kitchen in front of Ric's closed door and tried to declare an ALERT at 5:30 in the morning. That rebellion was quelled, but the tone was set for the day. Aurora was initiated in Dealing with Family! Ric and Geoffrey went out shopping early, leaving the pack +1 with me. More whining and pacing! Most [...]

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