tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33031082012-02-16T15:01:00.117-08:00Sandy lives in Kelowna, BC, which is nowhere near as dog-unfriendly as it used to be.catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.comBlogger561100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-19300940506513732892011-07-30T11:03:00.001-07:002011-07-30T11:14:28.088-07:00

We live in a cul-de-sac, and when we moved here it was a busy day if more than three cars went up and down the “main” road.  Time passed, new subdivisions appeared  around us, and the road is much busier. Sandy always has to WAIT before we cross the street, whether there is traffic or not.  But these days she sometimes has to WAIT while two or three cars perform a Canadian interpretation of a

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-77969966949402629092011-04-06T12:24:00.001-07:002011-04-06T12:24:16.930-07:00

The theme of today’s walk at the Capital News Centre is: Salad Bar. Capital News Centre walk I hope Spring has sprung.

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-48608969704097579492011-03-31T22:34:00.001-07:002011-03-31T23:38:34.061-07:00

It’s Sandy’s world, and we just happen to be passing through it.  She has her special friends, but if you’re not one of them, she doesn’t much care what you think.  This is especially true if you’re the one doing the grooming. She loves it when I use the Furminator, but when Sandy sees me with dog shampoo and cotton balls, she heads for her crate and tries to look really clean.  She will not get

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-55586329708398073512010-12-04T13:53:00.000-08:002010-12-04T13:53:20.145-08:00

So far this winter seems colder and snowier than most here in Kelowna.  This morning is the first time in a couple of weeks that Sandy and I have been able to go for a long morning walk together.  The weather cooperated.  The temperature hovered around freezing, and it was not snowing or raining when we left the house. Sandy loves the snow.  Even in her twelfth year, she wants to roll in snow,

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com3700 Barnaby Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W 4N8, Canada49.8101184 -119.483312249.8066564 -119.4906077 49.8135804 -119.4760167tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-75672806663889383722010-08-14T23:11:00.001-07:002010-08-14T23:19:56.823-07:00

In 1997, Walter Gray, then the Mayor of Kelowna, altered a proclamation to remove the word “Pride” when proclaiming “Gay and Lesbian Week.”  His contention was that being gay was nothing to be proud of. In 2000, a BC Human Rights Tribunal found him guilty of discrimination because everybody else could have proclamations issued. Immediately, Gray announced that he would simply stop issuing

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-74624674292742936232010-07-25T12:59:00.001-07:002010-07-25T12:59:09.105-07:00

Today in Kelowna, 116 dogs and 200 people walked from Strathcona Park to Kinsman Park.  There were no snarling balls of fury.  There were no “incidents”.  Just a peaceful gathering of families, including dogs, who walked for 20 minutes. The point?  Dogs should be welcomed in every park in Kelowna. Sandy did not attend --- this would have been far too much excitement for her.  But It would be

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-7995657111847356682010-07-11T14:20:00.001-07:002010-07-11T14:20:57.624-07:00

Sandy spends part of every day looking out the back door waiting for a chance to bark at a squirrel. Someone on Twitter posted a link to this:                 And when I tweeted asking if anyone knew where I could get this toy in Kelowna, I got a message right back. An hour later:   Happy Dog!

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-69931330044159385712010-05-31T17:42:00.001-07:002010-05-31T17:42:40.065-07:00

In all kinds of weather, I often take Sandy to the trails behind the Capital News Centre.  On one side of the road is a path that parallels the creek.  On the other side of the road are the sports fields, and paths that take you past ball diamonds, football fields, and soccer pitches. For a way to keep warm --- warmER, really --- during the winter, I’ve been showing Sandy how to weave between

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-3597499831358638872010-05-09T20:32:00.001-07:002010-05-09T20:32:56.947-07:00

Sandy and I were playing stick in the front yard this afternoon, when suddenly she just stopped, and looked like this: She stood there for over a minute, tail relaxed, ears not twitching, checking out something to which I was completely oblivious. Then, she just got on with her life.  She picked up the stick, trotted over to another section of the yard, lay down and continued with the important

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-73344116399023948792010-04-26T13:21:00.001-07:002010-04-26T13:21:56.867-07:00

If Sandy ever had her teeth cleaned before today, it would have been last time she was anesthetized, in 2004. Last year about this time, the vet said Sandy needed a cleaning.  For what seemed like a lot of money, he would put Sandy under and do the teeth. I looked for alternatives that (a) didn’t cost as much and (b) would get the job done right, with a minimum of trauma to Sandy.  A friend

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-82936919099170515552009-12-21T14:48:00.001-08:002009-12-21T14:56:54.951-08:00

No snow right now, so this older photo will have to do. Merry Christmas and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2010 from Sandy Dog and me!

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-30269965430250606342009-11-30T14:25:00.001-08:002009-11-30T14:25:13.237-08:00

In the run-up to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver, BC, people in the Vancouver airport will be subjected to promotional videos of other areas in British Columbia. Kelowna has this video showing. Notice anything missing? I’ll make it easy for you, so you don’t have to watch the whole 3 minutes and 18 seconds: There is not one dog ---- NOT ONE DOG --- in the whole video. So

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-36618873638237445442009-08-20T12:19:00.000-07:002009-08-20T12:22:16.916-07:00

I was in Petsmart the other day to collect Sandy after her Hair & Nails appointment, and once again realized that there were hundreds of dog toys in that store. Sandy has toys.  Her best inside toy is a rope.  I think I paid maybe $3.00 for the rope, which seemed extravagant.  The phrase "money for old rope" came to mind.  But, you can spend a lot more than that if you want to. I've come to the

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-74655727273731990352009-07-07T21:14:00.000-07:002009-07-07T21:15:07.831-07:00

Cherries are just about ready for harvest. Between the fireworks for Canada Day and the propane cannons to keep the birds from the cherries, Sandy has been spending a fair amount of time in her crate. Or under the dining room table.This year has actually been better than past years. I've been giving Sandy some Rescue Remedy two or three times a day on noisy days, and we've been playing games

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-27463698879999144782009-05-31T16:06:00.000-07:002009-05-31T16:33:44.539-07:00

Sandy and I are outside enjoying the summer weather. Finally, it's summer. I'm on the deck, working my way through my RSS feeds on the laptop, and Sandy is wandering around the yard. Suddenly, a yelp and a jump...back. Sandy stepped on a bee! She limped up the stairs and presented me with her left front paw. She whined a little. She let me put some ice on it for all of twelve seconds,

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-28696407817949234462009-05-11T19:54:00.000-07:002009-05-11T19:54:56.111-07:00

The weather has been cold.  There was snow well into April.  But Sandy and I were at the trails behind the Capital News Centre yesterday, and the blackbirds are back.  I hope that means Summer is on the way.

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-48878597802393045932009-03-08T13:49:00.000-07:002009-03-08T13:53:25.997-07:00

Eric and I went to Vancouver last month for ten days.  It was good to be in a real city again, and there was lots to do.  But Sandy stayed behind in a kennel. When I dropped her off, she didn't look happy, but she didn't protest.  When the owner came to escort Sandy to her quarters, Sandy wagged her tail and went along willingly. When I picked her up, Sandy was so glad to see me she gave me the

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-21652099459595908822009-02-10T09:44:00.000-08:002009-02-10T10:04:23.259-08:00

Haiku - A Japanese lyric verse form having three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables, traditionally invoking an aspect of nature or the seasons; a poem written in this style. ~~~~ I wait on the floor In case some food might fall here. I am ready now. ~~~~ I sound the alarm! Paperboy come to kill us! Look! Look! Look! Look! Look! ~~~~ I must go out now! There are crows to be

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-83275796512724417132009-02-01T16:55:00.000-08:002009-02-01T17:34:44.585-08:00

Long story short, the Parks department here in Kelowna has spent years making sure that dogs and their people never have adequate off-leash facilities. And until 2006, City Council let them get away with it.  In 2006, City Council finally allowed dogs ON-leash to walk along the waterfront, but only after a trial period. So this week, City Council will receive a report from the Parks people

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-42385558530991727582009-01-21T21:26:00.000-08:002009-01-21T21:27:34.741-08:00

This policy is valid from 22 January 2009 This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact cate.eales@gmail.com. This blog does not accept any form of advertising, sponsorship, or paid insertions. We write for our own purposes. However, we may be influenced by our background, occupation, religion, political affiliation or experience. The

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-67808017112593789172008-12-25T14:04:00.000-08:002008-12-25T20:07:43.869-08:00

For Christmas this year, Sandy got over a foot of snow, and it's still snowing. It's also been minus-a-lot outside, so there haven't been nearly as many walks in the snow as she would like.But today I didn't have any work to do, so we took a long walk in the snow, and when we came back, Sandy got her other present: a huge beef shank stuffed with peanut butter and coated with beef something or

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-29295793261619659222008-10-01T17:04:00.000-07:002008-10-01T17:14:19.608-07:00

Sandy is 9 today. She's the very best dog that ever there was (although maybe not always the best behaved) and I love her very much. We went for a long walk today, and she got a cheeseburger (hold the onion, pickle, ketchup, mustard and bun) for lunch.

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-21017368215558377502008-03-16T19:48:00.001-07:002008-03-16T19:51:59.384-07:00

It looks like the snow is finally all gone, at least here. I can look up at the hills and still see plenty of snow. I'm fine with it as long as it stays there.Sandy loves the snow, of course. She rolls in it, she plunges through it when it's deep. Since I'm the one doing the shoveling and driving, I'm not as crazy about it. I'm happy to see the last of it.Sandy takes the absence of snow in

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-10861994851002032992007-08-15T22:01:00.000-07:002007-08-18T20:06:49.724-07:00

Is this the same squirrel that starts chattering outside on the deck at 5:30am? Or one of it's co-conspirators?Either way, Sandy and the squirrel seem to have reached an understanding. The squirrel stations himself just out of her reach. In the event she really can reach him, she rushes up and stops just short, giving him just enough time to escape. This guy didn't know she could jump.

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-29638135034802826792006-12-13T22:53:00.000-08:002007-03-16T21:52:45.930-07:00

Woof Woof Arf Arf Woof!Everyone recognizes that as the dogs singing "Jingle Bells," right?Christmas is a frustrating experience for Sandy. First of all, there's a tree in the house, but it's not for dogs. Then, there are all kinds of sparkly round things on the tree, but those are NOT FOR DOGS either.Worse yet, the tree is in the front window, blocking Sandy's view of approaching FedEx and UPS

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1163202027895572032006-11-10T15:36:00.000-08:002007-03-16T10:12:13.696-07:00

For almost a year, dogs and their people have been permitted, on a trial basis, to walk on-leash on the paths through the waterfront parks.Last weekend Sandy and I walked with our friend Rose and two of her bulldogs. When Sandy first met Coal and Louise, I don't think she was even sure they were dogs. She sniffed, she jumped back, she sniffed again. If dogs can shrug, I think that's what she

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1161380776942592852006-10-20T14:41:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.696-07:00

Sandy turned seven earlier this month. She's been with us about six and a half years. She came from the SPCA, where no one knew anything about her.If Sandy really cares what people think, she's not giving it away. It took almost two years before she wagged her tail. It took almost five years before she would play "fetch." (In contrast, it took only minutes for her to learn to play "guard," or

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1156619082767286142006-08-26T12:00:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.696-07:00

Heather Mallick wrote a column for cbc.ca, the online version of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, called Dogville. In it she rails against dogs and dog owners apparently because Tennyson, her friend’s child with autism, does not receive adequate medical treatment or the funding to pay for it.How is that dog people’s fault? According to Ms Mallick, . . . There is no float for autistic kids

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1145237481377605952006-04-16T18:17:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:16:02.412-07:00

The Poddog Show podcast is worth a listen. Daryl N Cognito hosts the podcast from Calgary, with his faithful canine companion, Kuma, co-hosting. Daryl talks about life and politics in Calgary, Alberta. Kuma recently interviewed "The Queen of Disobedience" at a local bark park.You don't need an iPod to listen to a podcast. If you have one, or if you have another kind of mp3 player, you can

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1144334785418714772006-04-06T07:38:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.697-07:00

While the Okanagan Dog Owners website is in transition, there doesn't seem to be a list of the places you can take your dog. I found this CommunityWalk website, and set up a map for places in Kelowna where dogs are allowed. (I say "allowed" because "welcome" would be overstating it.)Here's the map.Community Walk Map - Kelowna DogsClick on something to be taken to the site, and please add your

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1142806395726982562006-03-19T14:01:00.000-08:002007-03-16T10:12:13.698-07:00

Sandy and I don't have the same taste in music. Sometimes when I am at the computer I'll have the radio on. If it's a talk show, there's rarely a problem. Especially if the CBC is on, Sandy just falls asleep next to my desk.But if I want to listen to any of my mp3's while I work, that's a different story. She hates everything, from the 5.6.7.8's to ZZ Top, including all the Beethoven sonatas

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1138506946978717512006-01-28T19:46:00.000-08:002007-03-16T10:12:13.698-07:00

The Laughing Dog CD is here, finally, after a bit of a delay in Customs (because how could they charge a "handling fee" if they did not, in fact, handle it for a while?)Before Christmas, there was a story about the Laughing Dog, here. The story begins,SPOKANE, Wash. - An animal researcher in Spokane, Washington is gaining world-wide attention for what may be a breakthrough in understanding

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1138344420531017632006-01-26T22:41:00.000-08:002007-03-16T10:12:13.699-07:00

Finally. Kelowna City Council passed a bylaw that allows dogs on leash along the waterfront in Kelowna.Although dogs are not permitted to step off the paved paths, onto the grass, sand, or --- god forbid --- into the lake, people can now take their dogs with them along the waterfront.Did I mention that this is for a trial period? Yes. A six-month trial period. In winter.As luck would have it,

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1134766087953424602005-12-16T12:35:00.000-08:002007-03-16T10:12:13.699-07:00

Eric and I put have a Christmas Tree every year. Every year, the tree goes in the front window. Every year it blocks Sandy's view of --- as Eric puts it --- passing menaces, such as cats, pick up trucks with dogs in the back, and men in hats. This year is no different.This year's tree is up and available for viewing here.You might even see Sandy gazing forlornly at something --- although she

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1134103782851253522005-12-08T20:48:00.000-08:002007-03-16T10:12:13.700-07:00

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1129101274034460862005-10-12T00:14:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:16:02.413-07:00

K9Cast with Tara and Walter! A podcast about dogs, dog training, rescue, shelters, adoption and more!You've got to check this out. Great advice and stories about dogs and their owners. Tips for giving your dog a bath. How to give your dog a manicure using a Dremel.You don't need an iPod. You do need a computer (you're using one now!), and internet connection (you're using one now!) and

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1127966638170544512005-09-28T21:01:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.701-07:00

Last Sunday the ninth AIDS Walk in Kelowna drew several hundred people and no dogs.Well, actually there were several dogs, all well behaved. But dogs were not officially allowed to accompany their people on the walk. The organizers had signs up about not allowing dogs.I was torn. I wanted to raise some money and walk, but I’m still angry at City Council for not resolving the issue of no dogs.

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1119042355986214832005-06-17T14:02:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.701-07:00

This spring has been disappointing as far as the weather goes. It’s already well into June, and we’ve only had a little more than one week of hot weather. And that was in May. Since then, there's been one good day for a bike ride, and the rest of the time it’s been cold, raining, or cold and raining.It’s a good thing I have a dog living with me, or I’d probably never get to go for a walk in the

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1117344185847260252005-05-28T22:16:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.701-07:00

There’s a new walking trail, and it’s near where we live. Next to the new recreation centre, the trail is about one km out --- and the same one km back. A road, a paved path and an unpaved path all run parallel to the tributary to Mission Creek.TrailSandy and I walk there three or four times a week, even though it’s all supposed to be on-leash. I’m learning to lead; she’s learning to trust me

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1117341039260903872005-05-28T21:28:00.001-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.702-07:00

Thursday morning my dog Sandy scooted out the back door, ran through my yard, and ran through the yard next door. She came back when I called her. In the less-than-two-minutes she was running at large, she barked at some woman who happened to be walking by on the other side of the road.Hours later, Bob-The-By-Law-Officer arrived. While he patted Sandy and offered her treats, he issued a “

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1115079316674860232005-05-02T17:13:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.702-07:00

There’s a bird nest in the lights over the garage. Sometimes there’s a bird in it.I noticed the nest one afternoon when I came home and got out of the car. It got bigger over the next couple of days, but I never saw the bird.Bird's NestSomewhere in the back of my mind I knew that there would be a bird in it at some point. That point was last night.About 11:30, just before bed, I put Sandy on

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1113515061958353202005-04-14T14:37:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.703-07:00

Time for Sandy’s “Annual Wellness Exam.” She is so well that it took three of us --- Linda, the vet, Diane, the vet assistant and me to hold her still so Linda could cut Sandy’s toenails. “It was a lot easier when she was unconscious,” said Linda.My parents went to Italy and sent Sandy a postcard from Pompeii. It’s a picture of the floor in The Tragic Poet’s House. It shows a dog on a chain

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1102809941648691722004-12-11T16:03:00.000-08:002007-03-16T10:12:13.703-07:00

Earlier this week it snowed. It started snowing during the night and was still snowing early in the morning when Sandy woke up. This was exciting news from Sandy's point of view. She loves the snow, and it was such an important development that Sandy had to wake me up as soon as she noticed.Snow DogThe first day she woke me at 6:30am. She showed up at the bedroom door and whined the way

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1102807226495536362004-12-11T15:16:00.000-08:002007-03-16T10:12:13.704-07:00

In his new book, “How Dogs Think: Understanding the Canine Mind”, Stanley Coren spends a part of a chapter discussing The Mathematical Mind of Dogs. Dogs, that count, dogs that can distinguish which thing is larger than the other thing, and canine calculus.That dogs know math comes as no surprise to me. Certainly Sandy is much better at math than I am. We walk parts of the Mission Creek

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1101615944121125532004-11-27T20:25:00.000-08:002007-03-16T10:12:13.704-07:00

Winter approaches and with it comes snow. It snowed just a little bit last night --- enough to stick but not enough to cover the green stuff completely. Sandy loves the snow. She couldn't wait for my alarm; she had to get me up at 6:30 this morning (Saturday) to let me know about the snow outside. If you were to ask her about it, I'm sure she'd tell you it took me way too long to get ready to

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1095634098470312922004-09-19T15:47:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.705-07:00

The road to recovery was fairly short this time. I picked Sandy up at the vet, brought her home, and opened the liftgate on the van. Stoned on morphine and general anesthesia, Sandy tumbled out. So now she had a fat lip, but that didn’t deter her from having a pretty good bark and a lunge at the neighbor’s cat. “Well," said Eric,” she’ll be fine, then." The vet wrote a prescription for

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1095223352013428922004-09-14T21:41:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.706-07:00

Sandy got torn up by a Rottweiler cross the other day. This was a dog she knew and had been around many times. There were three dogs and two people, and suddenly the Rottie had Sandy on the ground with her paw on Sandy’s chest and her teeth buried in Sandy’s neck. I pulled the other dog off, took a look at Sandy and phoned the vet to say we were on the way. Sandy had a deep wound in her right

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1094088283003496342004-09-01T18:24:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.706-07:00

Last weekend Sandy had to stay in the kennel. She never has a real good time, and I can see why. The lady who runs the kennel is nice to her. She's nice to all the dogs. But it's not great staying in a cage all day, and wondering what happened to your people. When I came to pick Sandy up on Monday morning, she was ecstatic. She ran to me. She jumped in the air. She barked. She rushed into

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1093151727746666332004-08-21T22:13:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:12:13.707-07:00

Sandy likes the Enterprise off-leash area. There’s an interesting pond there, and it turns out its so shallow she can run across it to the other side. Enterprise Off-Leash AreaThe first time she realized that, she was already ON the other side. I thought she’d head for the hills, but when I called her, she came running around the pond and showed up at the gate to the OLA. She was so proud of

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1088650409528536802004-06-30T19:49:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:14:01.455-07:00

Shortly after Sandy came to live with us, I won a bag of Pets First dog food. I fed that for several months, and then I changed to Nutro. She liked it better, it cost about the same, and I didn’t have to get it 40lbs at a time. More than two years later, someone from Pets First phoned to say they’d noticed I hadn’t been getting Pets First food, and why was that? I explained that I was feeding

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1088258360038403582004-06-26T06:58:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:14:01.455-07:00

Sandy is an All-Canadian, and maybe part Belgian Malinois. She stands on guard for us. Sandy has been key in the development of the Milkbone Threat Advisory System. It is a model of All-Canadianism.The Milkbone Threat Advisory is bi-lingual, and although modeled after the system used by another large North American nation, this system has six levels instead of five.Milkbone Threat

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1088258215483390002004-06-26T06:53:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:14:01.456-07:00

Before Sandy came to live with us, she had been staying at the Kelowna SPCA. Picked up after a storm. No one claimed her. The vet figured she was five or six months old. All the paperwork said “Shepherd X” but what kind of shepherd, and what was she crossed with? All ears and ribs. It was hard to tell. Maybe Akita, because of the tail. Maybe boxer because of the way she uses her front

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1086240888795823232004-06-02T22:34:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:14:48.794-07:00

Trying to make it better for dogs in Kelowna

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-108596497579303712004-05-30T17:56:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:14:01.456-07:00

Hey, here's a useful program for your handheld. FreewarePalm: PetPal v1.0

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1085961844112860882004-05-30T17:01:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:14:01.457-07:00

Kettle Valley TrailsSandy and I used to walk the trails behind the Kettle Valley housing development in Kelowna. They were excellent trails. Five minutes by car from here, and 500 feet or so higher than we are. In winter, it would snow there before and it snowed in our yard. That was good for Sandy; she loves the snow. In the summer, the trails were hot and dry, but the creek ran through a

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3303108.post-1085281699481474412004-05-22T20:04:00.000-07:002007-03-16T10:14:01.457-07:00

Hello and welcome.This is my dog Sandy. She came to live with us after being in the Kelowna SPCA, where she had been locked up for being a stray. We think she was born around October 1, 1999.Sandy is the best dog that ever there was, even though she's not always the best behaved. You can find more pictures of Sandy here.

catesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13866229084232691423noreply@blogger.com3