A Three Dog Night!

The Aboriginies' idea of a cold night is a "three dog night" - a night that it's so cold you have to sleep with three dogs to keep warm! Last night was definitely a three dog night. The temperature dropped nearly to zero , and this evening even my furry dog Nuala, who usually refuses to sleep in the house, decided not to brave the elements and came indoors. Soon all three dogs were lying in various positions around the house: Nuala in her usual position lying on her back in my bedroom with all four legs in the air, Suki curled up on her bed, finally spent after a hard day's work and a run in the yard, and Saoirse sprawled in the warmest place by the fire trying to warm her old bones. OUtside the wind is howling and rain is on the horizon. Suki's fur seems to be growing thicker and wavier all the time. I hope it keeps her warm enough: today it seemed to be all she could do to walk into the fierce wind.

Suki is, however, quite willing to go out and play. She pulls her toys from her basket, scattering them around the house, and picks up her new homemade sock toy and waves it at me. "Quit typing and come out and play!" So we head for the field in back and she had a wonderful time chasing her toy in the tall grass.

Some vetrinary tips: Suki was checked over by the vet and was declared flee-free, but the vet felt I was doing the right thing by not sufficing with monthly ampules againwst fleas, but also a spray once in a while. She's a working dog and should not have any distractions.

Be careful when bathing dogs or getting them wet in the winter! Petel, Liron's dog, had a case of "cold tail" - a syndrome in which the dog's tail becomes stiff and sore from exposure to water or cold. Petel is fine now and marching with Liron down the main street in Tel Aviv, Shaul HaMelech. Labrador retrievers are particularly susceptable to this condition, which is common in hunting dogs who retrieve game from cold ponds in the winter. Brrrrrrrrrrrr...

Now the next problem to solve: How to teach Suki to pick up her toys...
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