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Wolves in Dogs’ Clothing

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While they may appear sweet and innocent, don’t let their cute looks fool you. Capone and Cosmo have surpassed Moose and Red in one aspect of doggie behavior. Just when small animals thought it was safe to venture into the yard . . .

I’ve always said that Moose and Red were little gentlemen, so to see them dispatch another living creature would have been shocking. My memory may be incorrect, but I don’t recall either of them killing a critter. Maybe I’m in denial, because they were the perfect Italian Greyhounds to me.

I remember getting a phone call from my mom when I was out at a concert. Red wanted to come in from the yard and blew past her with a bird in his mouth when she opened the door. I thought she said it was a dead baby bird, but I had a hard time hearing between concert noise and her excitement over the situation. We had a tree out back at the time that was popular with avian families. Surely it must have fallen out of the nest, and Red sought to bring his grandmom a gift. I can’t imagine my perfect angel boy doing anything else. My mom was justly grossed out, and this escapade earned Red the nickname of birdface for a time.

The only incident I can remember of Moose confronting something in the yard was when he had a standoff with a vole. Of course, he was all bark and no bite, he never did anything worse than growl and refuse to come in until after he scared off the intruder. I wasn’t home for this incident either. Maybe that’s to preserve the illusion of Moose’s absolute perfection in my eyes.

When it comes to Capone and Cosmo, anything that moves is fair game. I’m convinced they dig up the yard because they hear something moving below the surface. I’ve caught them with mice and voles, the sad outcome the same every time for their targets. I’m careful to scan the yard for movement before letting the boys out (something I never needed to do with Moose and Red).

Fortunately, our yard is small, with just enough room for two exuberant iggies to run. I’ve never seen anything large in our yard; however, I do suspect I caught the tail end of a skunk exiting into the neighbor’s yard via a gap below the back fence. All I saw was something scooting along the fenceline when I turned on the floodlights. It was quick, and the scent was unmistakable. I’m just relieved I saw it before I released the hounds, because dealing with sprayed dogs is an issue I could do without.

To say Capone and Cosmo have more of a prey drive than Moose and Red is an understatement. As I mentioned, I have never seen a large critter in our yard, but if one bird flies a tad too low, or a squirrel falls from a tree or fence, the pups will take their misfortune for an invitation to pounce. I just hope I luck out again to not be home for the aftermath if this ever happened. 

Little Free Library Has Gone to the Dogs

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What do you do when you have a dream of owning a bookstore, zero business acumen, and even less money? You become a steward of a little free library. I named mine after my beloved pups, both past and present.

If I had the means, I would own my own bookstore, providing new and used titles to customers. In addition to selling curated gifts and hosting book clubs and events, there’d also be pets available for adoption from local shelters and rescues; and let’s not forget the resident bookstore cats! How wonderful this would be!

Unfortunately, this is a dream and not a reality. I don’t remember when I first heard about little free libraries, but I think they are a great idea. They can serve anyone in the community at any time, as most are accessible 24/7, available for any early morning/late night book cravings. This may be what motivated me to purchase and steward my own little library. Not only would it somewhat fulfill my bookstore dream, but it would accommodate patrons’ busy schedules. Some libraries have very limited hours for people who enjoy browsing physical books. As someone who works a traditional 9-5 with a commute, I have found this to be true. That is where the little free libraries come in handy, not as a replacement for the local library, but rather as an enhancement when it is not available. Some areas may not be fortunate to have a local library, and the little free libraries can provide books to those locations.

Our little free library is located between a ball field and an elementary school, an excellent spot for foot traffic. There are several people who walk their dogs in the neighborhood; perhaps their owners read. The library has stood for a couple years now, but it occurred to me that I should accommodate any four-legged visitors as well.

In the warm months, I will set out a water bowl for furry passers-by. Even if their owners aren’t encouraged to browse the offerings, the pups can cool off with a drink. There are dog-friendly items that can be added to the library, and I may be inspired to integrate them into my front lawn setup the future.

One item is a dog leash holder that attaches to the library post. While I love the idea of having a place to park your pup (while they enjoy their aforementioned beverage), I’m not so sure it would work in my situation. I do not have concrete anchoring my library, so I fear wear and tear may loosen the post that secures the library.

However, doggie visitors could enjoy a treat or two, if I installed a treat container to the post. I see this being added in lieu of the leash hook, as I view this being much more sturdy and less detrimental to the library’s stability. I don’t think I would get a complaint from the dogs.

By now you may be wondering what this post has to do with my furry family members. It doesn’t, other than it was named for Moose and Red, Capone and Cosmo. The former may be gone, but they will never be forgotten. I am proud to present Two Hounds Little Free Library.

Tummy Trouble Times Two

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When Bram first came to live with us, we noticed that he had a litterbox issue during his quarantine from the rest of the fur family. His stools were soft and bloody, which we thought might be from worms or some kind of parasite, since he was a stray. We had a similar experience with Barnabas when he came home, and his problem was the result of a parasite, which quickly resolved with medication. When Bram’s condition failed to improve on its own, we brought him to the vet. A special veterinary dry food diet of hydrolyzed protein was prescribed. We’ve been following this protocol since it was recommended, and it works well for him. Because he is the only cat in the house who eats this food, we are careful that he never gets into the other cats’ food, and treats are given sparingly. To date there have been no recurrences of his tummy trouble.

Capone has been to the vet for his own digestive issues. One day we noticed that his stool was similar to Bram’s when he was ill, and he was refusing food. His apparent rapid weight loss was concerning, as he has aways been thinner than his brother Cosmo. Our vet felt he was suffering from a bout of HGE (hemorragatic gastroenteritis). It was something I never experienced with neither Moose nor Red, and I had never heard of this condition.

We spent a couple days going back and forth to the vet. Capone was hooked up to IVs, as keeping him hydrated was important when fighting HGE. The vet was able to get him interested in food and eating again. Capone recovered from HGE, but I believe it’s something that could recur. Unlike Moose and Red, Capone and Cosmo do not eat table food, and I am particular about the treats that I give them, more so now than ever. It’s a shame that I am unable to indulge Capone with whipped cream from the coffee shop or special treats from places we visit. That was something I enjoyed doing for my previous boys, who had no food sensitivities. However, because we don’t know what triggered Capone’s tummy trouble, I’m careful not to trigger it again. His diet may be boring, but so far we have had no HGE recurrences. Perhaps he will be allowed special treats on occasion in the future. As for Cosmo, he seems to have no issues with his stomach at all. Fortunately, he is able to eat the same food as his brother to make mealtimes easier, and that has worked out well. The boys eat a formula for sensitive stomachs and skin that can be found at any pet supply store, while feline brother Bram is the only critter in the house on a prescription diet.

The tummy trouble for both Bram and Capone was caught early. Bram’s condition requires lifelong maintenance, while Capone’s requires lifelong monitoring. Hopefully they aren’t aware of all the goodies they miss out on due to their conditions. As for me, I’m just happy that there are diets that can maintain their digestive health and keep further flareups at bay.

Tooth Trouble

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Capone and Cosmo had an uneventful routine vet visit, the first since their neuter. They are considered biggie iggies, weighing an impressive 19 pounds each. They received their necessary vaccines, including for Bordetella which was administered orally. Although this is considered optional, I operate on a worst-case scenario basis. The boys will likely never need to be boarded anywhere, but what if there was some disaster in which we had to flee to a place that required the vaccine? I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Cosmo was examined and passed with a clean bill of health. Next was Capone, who passed scrutiny, or so it seemed. An unexpected broken tooth in the back of his mouth surprised us. How did that happen?

We’re not exactly sure what made Capone break a tooth, but I can only guess that it happened when he returned from the yard one evening with two cuts on the side of his face. Other than the visible marks, he seemed no worse for the wear, and it certainly didn’t change the way he approached the food in his dish.

We had two options, either a root canal or an extraction. Knowing that one day he will likely be relieved of this tooth in true iggy fashion, we opted for an extraction. The procedure was scheduled, and we were given some antibiotics and pain meds to take home. It was good that his exam occurred when it did, otherwise we wouldn’t have discovered the tooth issue.

I had tears in my eyes when we dropped Capone off for the extraction. It seemed like forever since we were in this situation, as Moose and Red stopped getting dentals when they reached advanced age. I’m sure he would do just fine given his youth, but it’s still nerve wracking. Apart from that, it was the first time he and Cosmo would be separated. How would Cosmo do without his brother’s company for a day?

It turned out that he did just fine, but he did miss his twin. Cosmo looked for his buddy in the house and in the yard. He seemed to realize Capone was missing, but he settled and didn’t appear anxious or ill at ease. He ate his breakfast in his brother’s absence, food having been withheld until Capone was dropped off. Cosmo didn’t whine or howl, which was a relief.

We received a call in the late afternoon that the dental had gone easier than expected, and we could pick up our boy in a few hours. We made the time we had to wait to retrieve Capone pass quickly by attending a local food truck event. We were able to eat some dinner before arriving at the vet, feeling a bit guilty as our pup was surely starving by now.

It always seems like an eternity waiting to pick up your fur kid from the vet after a procedure. When Capone padded into the waiting room, he was happy to see us but wasn’t up to jumping. He whined his greeting and was happy to get out of that place and go home, even if his annoying brother was there. He ate a bit once he arrived, and his recovery and follow up went smoothly. We have our energetic pup again, missing a tooth but otherwise unscathed.

(The tooth issue occurred in July 2023)

Door Darting Diva

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It was a rare, beautiful Saturday, an afternoon devoid of extreme heat and torrential rain. I took advantage of the comfortable temperature and blue sky by reading a book under the patio umbrella. Capone and Cosmo joined me in the yard, playing with toys and chasing each other, enjoying the day as much as I was. I bought them a larger water bowl for outside, and they lapped up the cool water in the shade.

I guess it’s because they’re a bit older now, but the pups don’t linger in the yard nearly as much as they did when they first came home. Last year it was tough to get them in from outside, but now they ask to go in more often. I chalk that up to the discovery of couches and air conditioning. When they stood outside the back door, I let them in and continued my book in relative peace.

The boys would appear at the door to come back out, then quickly want to go back in. I think they would have preferred it if I stayed in with them, but sorry boys, the good weather awaited me outside. I acted as the canine doorman a few times, and I couldn’t get into my book for fear of what the dogs were up to in the house left to their own devices. They are still too young to be left alone unsupervised.

Up the back steps I went to check on them. They were at the door looking out into the yard. Joining them were Bram and Tiki. The cats are no strangers to hanging out by the door, enjoying sunbathing on nice days and watching the birds. We often let the dogs in and out with assorted cats in the threshold without issue. On this day that changed.

The pups looked eager to charge outside, but they didn’t move when the door opened. They appeared as stunned as I was to see Tiki go out the open door. She made it only a few steps to the landing before the stairs before I got her back into the safety of the house, using my left hand to gently push her back through the door. I was fortunate that it worked out how it did, as I am not left-handed.

Tiki is a frail lady of about 16 years old. She was formerly outside but has been inside with us for around 11 years. This is a reminder that you cannot trust a cat to never dart out the door if given the opportunity, no matter how long they have been inside.

Since it’s the dogs’ belief that no one, including them, should wear collars, Tiki was relieved of hers by her canine brothers when she went out the door. With no external identification, I cannot stress enough the importance of microchips registered to a pet recovery service. I have my critters scanned periodically to be sure the chip can still be read, usually at their annual vet appointment. Cats may have nine lives, but Tiki’s escapade took as many off mine!

Introducing Capone and Cosmo

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We thought about what we would do when the unthinkable happened and we lost Moose and Red. Our intention was to adopt a bonded pair of Italian Greyhounds, preferably 1 to 2 years old, similar in size, but different colors, like Moose and Red were. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans.

Capone and Cosmo came home on May 14, 2022. They were born on February 15, 2022, just days after Moose passed away. They are male littermates, who look like twins, and if it weren’t for the size difference, it’s almost impossible to tell them apart. Capone is the larger of the two, but the difference is ever so slight. They have few white markings on their paws and are mostly solid fawn in color. On close inspection, Capone has a white patch that resembles a star on his neck, while Cosmo has a white streak on his. That is the way we tell them apart, because when they were this young they tore off each other’s breakaway collars and destroyed them, so we gave up on collar wearing. (Now that they are over a year and microchipped, they still do not wear collars in the house. They do have a tag collar for walks along with their martingale and leash. Also, Capone has grown to be long and lanky, while Cosmo is short and stocky, earning him the moniker of D.B. for Dad Bod).

It was one thing to raise one puppy when the hubby and I were 20 years younger, but two puppies 20 years older is something else! I think this is how my parents must have felt when they found out I was on the way, 11 years after my brother. Talk about starting over! When Moose was a wee pup long before we adopted Red, we had the benefit of my mom to let him out for potty breaks during the workday. She lived seven houses away and loved her grandpuppies, and was always available to lend a hand when needed. Sadly, these boys will never know their grandmom, but despite that, we couldn’t ask for better timing to bring home a pair of squirmy pups. These guys arrived just before my hubby’s summer vacation from his job. With one of us being home for a couple months, it was easier to house train them and acclimate them to the household.

It’s tough starting over with new dogs when your prior pups lived to such an advanced age. It will be a learning curve for us, but one that is well worth it. We entertained thoughts of other breeds, but there is nothing quite like an iggy. To know them is to love them. We have experience with IGs, so it was a no-brainer for us. (Corgis and dachshunds were considered, shh). What I wish for Capone and Cosmo is a lifetime of love and fun, plus the longevity to rival that of their predecessors. They have some huge paws to fill and although they can never replace Moose and Red, Capone and Cosmo are welcome and beloved additions to the family.