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| Full Moon Rising Above the Ridge |
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| Full Moon Just Above the Treeline |
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| Behind us, a gorgeous sunset was evolving |
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| And faded into dusk. |
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Wordless Wednesday - Moonrise and Sunset
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Shyla's Gradual Return to Normal
I think that Shyla is finally adapting to her new anti-seizure medicine. She's playing and training with enthusiasm.
I'm currently taking a fun training class with her. I am learning to teach her new behaviors by having her mimic me. We're still pretty early in the process but it's very fun to learn.
Until recently, most people believed that dogs couldn't learn by imitating either their human or another dog. That view has gradually been debunked.
In recent years, a scientist and dog trainer, Claudia Fugazza, figured out a technique for teaching dogs to imitate what their trainer does. For example, I put my hands onto a raised platform, and then I tell Shyla "mimic". When she mimics me, she puts her front paws onto the platform. There's a great book and DVD about this training technique, plus a Fenzi course that leads you through the steps. I hope that I can show you the training method in action sometime in the future.
In any case, the fact that Shyla is mentally sharp enough to learn a very novel training method speaks volumes about how much better she is now than even two weeks ago. Moreover, she hasn't had a seizure since starting her new medicine so I am feeling optimistic.
The one area where she is still lagging is her endurance. She has endless energy at the start of a mountain bike ride but is more subdued by the end. I'm shortening our morning rides until her endurance returns. Has anyone else with a dog on phenobarbital noticed a reduction in their dog's endurance?
Here she was today at the end of our ride. She still looked pretty good but wasn't running at her usually warp speed!
Given her amazing improvements in the past couple of weeks, I am hopeful that her endurance will return.
Thank you so much for all of your kind words over these trying 4.5 weeks since she started the medicine!
I'm currently taking a fun training class with her. I am learning to teach her new behaviors by having her mimic me. We're still pretty early in the process but it's very fun to learn.
Until recently, most people believed that dogs couldn't learn by imitating either their human or another dog. That view has gradually been debunked.
In recent years, a scientist and dog trainer, Claudia Fugazza, figured out a technique for teaching dogs to imitate what their trainer does. For example, I put my hands onto a raised platform, and then I tell Shyla "mimic". When she mimics me, she puts her front paws onto the platform. There's a great book and DVD about this training technique, plus a Fenzi course that leads you through the steps. I hope that I can show you the training method in action sometime in the future.
In any case, the fact that Shyla is mentally sharp enough to learn a very novel training method speaks volumes about how much better she is now than even two weeks ago. Moreover, she hasn't had a seizure since starting her new medicine so I am feeling optimistic.
The one area where she is still lagging is her endurance. She has endless energy at the start of a mountain bike ride but is more subdued by the end. I'm shortening our morning rides until her endurance returns. Has anyone else with a dog on phenobarbital noticed a reduction in their dog's endurance?
Here she was today at the end of our ride. She still looked pretty good but wasn't running at her usually warp speed!
Monday, April 10, 2017
A Wildlife Parade
Last fall, I was riding my mountain bike through an opening in the forest that I've traversed many times before. Suddenly, I started noticing wildlife signs that I hadn't noticed before, like a pine sapling with bear fur stuck in its sap.
I was instantly intrigued. Within a few days, I'd set up a trail camera in that area, pointed at the tree with the bear fur on it.
I discovered that a diverse array of animals use that area extensively. Most surprising was that mountain lions walk through the clearing more often than almost anyplace else.
A variety of other animals including black bears, bobcats, foxes, deer, moose, and turkeys frequent the clearing.
I made a compilation video of the best clips that the trail camera in that clearing has captured in the six months that it's been there. Almost no animals go to the area when there's deep snow on the ground so these clips are from only the limited times in the past six months when the ground was almost bare!
Enjoy the video either here or at Youtube.
I was instantly intrigued. Within a few days, I'd set up a trail camera in that area, pointed at the tree with the bear fur on it.
I discovered that a diverse array of animals use that area extensively. Most surprising was that mountain lions walk through the clearing more often than almost anyplace else.
A variety of other animals including black bears, bobcats, foxes, deer, moose, and turkeys frequent the clearing.
I made a compilation video of the best clips that the trail camera in that clearing has captured in the six months that it's been there. Almost no animals go to the area when there's deep snow on the ground so these clips are from only the limited times in the past six months when the ground was almost bare!
Enjoy the video either here or at Youtube.
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Black Dog Sunday - R's Joyful Recovery
Just about a year ago, R had major reconstructive elbow surgery. It had taken me months to set it up because no surgeons in our area did "CUE" surgery. The road back from the surgery has been long and full of rehab exercises (to this day). The Runner and I each have a list of about 10 exercises that we do with him each day.
I think that this series of photos shows why we worked so hard to get CUE surgery for R and to do the rehab to make him strong again. I took these photos this morning.
It started as a routine recall.
Then R began to elevate.
And, for no particular reason except that he was bursting with joy, he flew through the air to finish the recall.
We love R, and we're thrilled that his joy can come out in the form of exuberant leaps!
I sent a copy of the last photo to his surgeon with a sincere thank you note.
I think that this series of photos shows why we worked so hard to get CUE surgery for R and to do the rehab to make him strong again. I took these photos this morning.
It started as a routine recall.
Then R began to elevate.
And, for no particular reason except that he was bursting with joy, he flew through the air to finish the recall.
I sent a copy of the last photo to his surgeon with a sincere thank you note.
Saturday, April 8, 2017
Positive Training - Canine Nosework!
This has been a good week. Shyla is slowly moving toward normal or perhaps a new normal, as my expectations shift. We've had tons of fun together, playing in our April snow!
I can't help but smile as I look at this happy photo of her doing a recall!
Throughout Shyla's epilepsy and medication odyssey, we've kept doing her nosework. When her brain was the most addled by phenobarbital (anti-seizure medicine), I made her nosework searches very easy. Now, she's ready for bigger challenges because her brain and motivation both seem very sharp.
One of the reasons why I love nosework is that it builds Shyla's confidence. I'm going to show you a video of a search in which she worked totally independently of me but never gave up on the tough puzzle of figuring out where the scent was.
In the video, she was doing a search for two scent sources. At the start of the video, she'd just found one, and she was starting to search for the second one which was about 20 yards uphill of the one that she'd just found. Truly, my only role in this search was to video her and give her rewards when she found the source!
Her independent competence is what helps her to feel more confident in the world. She doesn't always need me to help her! One of my instructors suggested letting Shyla do more of her nosework off-leash to help build her confidence. I think that it has worked wonders!
Nosework is a classic example of what you can do with positive training. We started nosework with very simple little games where I'd have the scent in one hand and treats in the other hand. She had to learn to put her nose on the scent and hold it there for me to give her any treats. From that simple foundation, we built up to the kind of search in the video where she was dealing with very complex air currents - and needed to interpret them to get to the source.
Here is the video which you can watch here or at Youtube.
The video is titled "Pooling Odor" because that second scent source was in the sunshine, doubtlessly heating up. When a scent (or gas) heats up, it rises. In the case of this search, I think that the scent had mushroomed up into the tree canopy above it and then fallen down into the "stuff" under the trees, like our snow blower, sleds, and lawn chairs. So the scent was "pooling" away from where the source was, and Shyla figured out where the source was hidden despite that trick!
There's more going on inside that brain than most of us can imagine, especially when it comes to smells!
Happy Positive Training!
I can't help but smile as I look at this happy photo of her doing a recall!
Throughout Shyla's epilepsy and medication odyssey, we've kept doing her nosework. When her brain was the most addled by phenobarbital (anti-seizure medicine), I made her nosework searches very easy. Now, she's ready for bigger challenges because her brain and motivation both seem very sharp.
One of the reasons why I love nosework is that it builds Shyla's confidence. I'm going to show you a video of a search in which she worked totally independently of me but never gave up on the tough puzzle of figuring out where the scent was.
In the video, she was doing a search for two scent sources. At the start of the video, she'd just found one, and she was starting to search for the second one which was about 20 yards uphill of the one that she'd just found. Truly, my only role in this search was to video her and give her rewards when she found the source!
Her independent competence is what helps her to feel more confident in the world. She doesn't always need me to help her! One of my instructors suggested letting Shyla do more of her nosework off-leash to help build her confidence. I think that it has worked wonders!
Nosework is a classic example of what you can do with positive training. We started nosework with very simple little games where I'd have the scent in one hand and treats in the other hand. She had to learn to put her nose on the scent and hold it there for me to give her any treats. From that simple foundation, we built up to the kind of search in the video where she was dealing with very complex air currents - and needed to interpret them to get to the source.
Here is the video which you can watch here or at Youtube.
The video is titled "Pooling Odor" because that second scent source was in the sunshine, doubtlessly heating up. When a scent (or gas) heats up, it rises. In the case of this search, I think that the scent had mushroomed up into the tree canopy above it and then fallen down into the "stuff" under the trees, like our snow blower, sleds, and lawn chairs. So the scent was "pooling" away from where the source was, and Shyla figured out where the source was hidden despite that trick!
There's more going on inside that brain than most of us can imagine, especially when it comes to smells!
Happy Positive Training!
Friday, April 7, 2017
Fun on Friday
Friday seems like a good day for silly fun.
Sometimes, it looks as if she's about to snarf it.
But something goes awry at the last instant.
Fortunately, if you keep trying, you eventually win!
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Thankful Thursday: Shyla Plays in the Snow!
We were doused in snow in this last storm. For once this winter and spring, the snow exceeded expectations.
Shyla adores snow. She sparkled in it, leaping like a crazy puppy from the very instant that we left the house.
I've decided not let each day become a test of how she's doing with her new epilepsy medicine. I learned an important lesson during Angel K's cancer journey - treasure each day. I forgot about that lesson for a while.
If snow makes Shyla sparkle, then let it snow!
Today, the snow was so white, the sun was shining, and the sky was blue. And, Shyla wanted to play! What a day.
Traditionally, this is our big snow time of year. March was parched so I hope that April makes up for it.
Although K's cancer journey was one of the most painful things I've lived through, I am thankful for the lessons that she taught me during those seven months. Most of all, she taught me to find the good in each and every day - to wriggle on your back or leap through the snow - whatever makes you smile.
I'm thankful to K for teaching me that lesson and to Shyla for reminding me of it. After our snowy outing, Shyla was utterly exhausted and slept like a puppy for the rest of the day. But it sure was worth it!
Shyla adores snow. She sparkled in it, leaping like a crazy puppy from the very instant that we left the house.
I've decided not let each day become a test of how she's doing with her new epilepsy medicine. I learned an important lesson during Angel K's cancer journey - treasure each day. I forgot about that lesson for a while.
If snow makes Shyla sparkle, then let it snow!
Today, the snow was so white, the sun was shining, and the sky was blue. And, Shyla wanted to play! What a day.
Traditionally, this is our big snow time of year. March was parched so I hope that April makes up for it.
Look at that smile!
I'm thankful to K for teaching me that lesson and to Shyla for reminding me of it. After our snowy outing, Shyla was utterly exhausted and slept like a puppy for the rest of the day. But it sure was worth it!
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Wordless Wednesday: Snow and Spirit
A snowstorm gave us more snow than expected. It sparked Shyla's spirit!
I was overjoyed to see her spirit shine through! However, I'm taking a long view now to avoid big letdowns - one day at a time. Carpe Diem!
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
A Foggy and Frosty Day
This past weekend, a snowstorm was forecasted. It was one of our "fizzles" that turned into a foggy wet day with only a bit of snow. I'll admit that the fog seemed to suit my state of mind.
The forest was barely visible through the thick fog. As I rode, the fog condensed on my clothes and my bike, leaving all surfaces covered in a thin layer of ice.
It was tough to stay warm that day so I chose to climb the steepest hill around here to generate heat. As we climbed out above the dense forest, I noticed needle like frost protruding from all the tree branches.
Then I noticed icicles hanging from a wood surface. Each icicle had its own frost protrusions.
The world got even weirder as we got up to the exposed ridge. Old barbed wire still hangs between trees but it looked very odd. Yes, that is a string of barbed wire!
Here was a closeup of a short section of the wire. I have no idea why the frost forms in that way under certain conditions but it sure looks delicate and intricate. A single tiny gust of wind took down all the spikes.
I wish that I could predict when this kind of frost was going to form so that I could try to get a time lapse video of it forming.
Thank you for all the kind comments yesterday. You helped me to pick myself up and make the best of our situation right now. It could be far worse... and I need to remember that. Her seizures seem to be controlled right now, which is the goal. Now, I need to find patience until the side effects dissipate or we and the vets decide that we need to make a change.
The forest was barely visible through the thick fog. As I rode, the fog condensed on my clothes and my bike, leaving all surfaces covered in a thin layer of ice.
It was tough to stay warm that day so I chose to climb the steepest hill around here to generate heat. As we climbed out above the dense forest, I noticed needle like frost protruding from all the tree branches.
Then I noticed icicles hanging from a wood surface. Each icicle had its own frost protrusions.
The world got even weirder as we got up to the exposed ridge. Old barbed wire still hangs between trees but it looked very odd. Yes, that is a string of barbed wire!
Here was a closeup of a short section of the wire. I have no idea why the frost forms in that way under certain conditions but it sure looks delicate and intricate. A single tiny gust of wind took down all the spikes.
Thank you for all the kind comments yesterday. You helped me to pick myself up and make the best of our situation right now. It could be far worse... and I need to remember that. Her seizures seem to be controlled right now, which is the goal. Now, I need to find patience until the side effects dissipate or we and the vets decide that we need to make a change.
Monday, April 3, 2017
I Want Shyla Back
So often, we all try to gloss over the tough stuff in our posts to make us all smile. I'm not going to do that today.
I'm discouraged about Shyla. We had one day last week when I saw the true Shyla shine through. Since then, she's been off - a bit clumsy and very tired. My athletic young dog seems as if she's aged years since starting phenobarbital to control her epilepsy.
We're now on Day 23 of phenobarbital, and my vet told me that most dogs are back to 100% by about Day 15. I feel scared that Shyla will never get back her old flair and flat-out amazing athleticism. I hate epilepsy, and I hate phenobarbital.
We will wait this out, as patiently as we can, hoping that Shyla gets back to normal. I hope that we never have to make a decision about whether to accept this new level of function as "normal" for the sake of controlling her epilepsy.
This is the girl who I want back. She used to love to run long distances, leap high logs, and play like a puppy. I want that back again!
This photo graces our April 2017 calendar. Yes, it normally snows that much in April. I'd cheer if it snowed a lot, and Shyla could take a leap as high as in the photo! Back when I made the calendar, I had no idea what 2017 would hold.
I'm discouraged about Shyla. We had one day last week when I saw the true Shyla shine through. Since then, she's been off - a bit clumsy and very tired. My athletic young dog seems as if she's aged years since starting phenobarbital to control her epilepsy.
We're now on Day 23 of phenobarbital, and my vet told me that most dogs are back to 100% by about Day 15. I feel scared that Shyla will never get back her old flair and flat-out amazing athleticism. I hate epilepsy, and I hate phenobarbital.
We will wait this out, as patiently as we can, hoping that Shyla gets back to normal. I hope that we never have to make a decision about whether to accept this new level of function as "normal" for the sake of controlling her epilepsy.
This is the girl who I want back. She used to love to run long distances, leap high logs, and play like a puppy. I want that back again!
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Sunrise and Sunset Sunday
The sunrise and sunset skies can be glorious here in the Rockies. We have a fabulous east-facing set of windows where I see the sunrise sky some mornings. This was the view from bed one morning recently.
Seeing the sky look like that usually means that it will be a cloudy day when we get outside. Despite the clouds, I was so glad that Shyla was back to playing by the second half of this week.
Just a note for anyone who wants to know the details of adapting to phenobarbital... After I declared that Shyla was "back", she regressed a bit yesterday. Her energy was low, and she was clumsy. Today, her energy was returning but she still had uncoordinated moments when her hind legs were out of control. The bottom line is that this is not a linear process where you get to steady state and then stay there forever. At least at the beginning, there are some fluctuations between great and not-so-good.
When times are bumpy, Mother Nature is wonderful for soothing my soul. On the same day as the sunrise outside our windows, we got to see a spectacular sunset from a nearby viewpoint. I loved this one.
The brilliant colors were fleeting, and the sun's orange colors rapidly faded to gray over top of our snowy mountains.
Happy Sunday!
Seeing the sky look like that usually means that it will be a cloudy day when we get outside. Despite the clouds, I was so glad that Shyla was back to playing by the second half of this week.
When times are bumpy, Mother Nature is wonderful for soothing my soul. On the same day as the sunrise outside our windows, we got to see a spectacular sunset from a nearby viewpoint. I loved this one.
The brilliant colors were fleeting, and the sun's orange colors rapidly faded to gray over top of our snowy mountains.
Saturday, April 1, 2017
A Fizzle?
The storm that was supposed to be dumping snow on us now was hyped for days ahead of time. When the clouds started building over the Divide, I thought that I was seeing the beginning of the big storm.
Shyla and I played like crazy, thinking that a big storm day was coming. Shyla can still romp in deep snow but I can't!
Alas, yesterday dawned too warm and the storm started as rain and freezing rain. The storm is supposed to keep dropping precipitation on us all night long so perhaps there's a chance that we'll really get snow.
Our morning ride was wet. Both Shyla and I had low energy so it wasn't our most joyous ride ever. I'm guessing that we're seeing side effects of phenobarb again in Shyla. I had hoped that they were gone forever - but I was wrong. As for me, I'm trying to fight a middle ear infection but exhaustion seems to be winning.
However, I know that I have it easy compared to the animals and plants living out in our cold and wet world. Three bedraggled coyotes hunted in a nearby meadow, too far away to photograph. I bet it's not easy living outside right now.
And, our wild crocuses (Pasqueflowers) had been soaked in the misty rain and then the droplets had frozen on them. The incredible thing is that these flowers usually bounce right back after a spring storm that freezes them.
I hope that I can show you photos of fluffy fresh snow in my next post but I'm not sure that it will happen. Our world desperately needs a huge snow. Back in 2003, we got 6' of snow in one storm at this time of year. I actually wouldn't mind that kind of storm right about now. It would end our fire danger for a while!
Happy Saturday!
Shyla and I played like crazy, thinking that a big storm day was coming. Shyla can still romp in deep snow but I can't!
Alas, yesterday dawned too warm and the storm started as rain and freezing rain. The storm is supposed to keep dropping precipitation on us all night long so perhaps there's a chance that we'll really get snow.
Our morning ride was wet. Both Shyla and I had low energy so it wasn't our most joyous ride ever. I'm guessing that we're seeing side effects of phenobarb again in Shyla. I had hoped that they were gone forever - but I was wrong. As for me, I'm trying to fight a middle ear infection but exhaustion seems to be winning.
And, our wild crocuses (Pasqueflowers) had been soaked in the misty rain and then the droplets had frozen on them. The incredible thing is that these flowers usually bounce right back after a spring storm that freezes them.
I hope that I can show you photos of fluffy fresh snow in my next post but I'm not sure that it will happen. Our world desperately needs a huge snow. Back in 2003, we got 6' of snow in one storm at this time of year. I actually wouldn't mind that kind of storm right about now. It would end our fire danger for a while!
Happy Saturday!
Friday, March 31, 2017
Pre-storm: Elk and Magpies Hanging out Together
On a recent mountain bike ride, I ran across a small herd of elk.
Near the elk, I saw magpies in the grass. Soon, one had flapped upward and landed on an elk's back. In the photo, one magpie is on the left elk's back, and another is flying up onto the right elk's back.
Most elk don't seem to mind the magpies at all. The magpies eat fleas and other parasites that live in the elk's fur so it is a symbiotic relationship. If you look closely in the next photo, the magpie had a chunk of fur in his beak, probably accidentally pulled out as he grabbed a bug.
This youngish cow elk also had her own magpie.
Then, the magpie took off, showing us his distinctive plumage and tail.
And this young bull also stared at me with grass hanging out of his mouth. Although he's young, you can already see the great muscle bulk that he has compared to the cow elk.
We have a snowstorm headed our way that might drop a lot of snow on us (multiple feet). It is notoriously hard to predict the weather this close to the Divide. However, my last check of the forecast predicted about 2' over the weekend.
Meanwhile, some transients began living in our forest during the warm spell. Today, I wanted to warn them about the storm as I rode by them, fearing that they didn't know (and they even have 3 small children with them). If we get that much snow, they will be stuck for a long time. Alas, no one was out and about in the encampment.
Shyla and I will have fun in the snow. I am so thrilled to have my girl's spirit back again!!!!
Happy Friday!
Near the elk, I saw magpies in the grass. Soon, one had flapped upward and landed on an elk's back. In the photo, one magpie is on the left elk's back, and another is flying up onto the right elk's back.
Most elk don't seem to mind the magpies at all. The magpies eat fleas and other parasites that live in the elk's fur so it is a symbiotic relationship. If you look closely in the next photo, the magpie had a chunk of fur in his beak, probably accidentally pulled out as he grabbed a bug.
Everywhere I looked in the herd, I saw magpies on the backs of the elk, putting their beaks into the elk fur.
This youngish cow elk also had her own magpie.
Then, the magpie took off, showing us his distinctive plumage and tail.
As I stood still watching the herd, these two cow elk looked back at me. I loved how each elk had a grass piece hanging out of her mouth.
And this young bull also stared at me with grass hanging out of his mouth. Although he's young, you can already see the great muscle bulk that he has compared to the cow elk.
I always try very hard not to spook them. This was my last view. I could feel the tension among the elk rising so it was time for me to leave.
Meanwhile, some transients began living in our forest during the warm spell. Today, I wanted to warn them about the storm as I rode by them, fearing that they didn't know (and they even have 3 small children with them). If we get that much snow, they will be stuck for a long time. Alas, no one was out and about in the encampment.
Shyla and I will have fun in the snow. I am so thrilled to have my girl's spirit back again!!!!
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