The Winston Wagon » special needs

Snug as a bug

admin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:16:29 +0000

As we get older, there’s nothing that is more important than a comfortable place to sleep. I know some owners are very old-fashioned about where dogs should settle for the night. That place is usually the floor. For some people, an old blanket just has to suffice. My dog companions and I have had numerous conversations about this topic. We need comfort just like you do. As we age, it is just as difficult for us to get up from a night’s rest as it is for you. I think this is why we like to take our time out in the yard in the morning. Old bones need more time to get movin’.

: Ben in dreamland

Old beds need to be changed out from time to time and washed. The stuffing may need to be replaced or thrown out all together. Old blankets might have lost their ability to keep warm and snug too. A cold floor is no fun in winter. Please, put this on a ‘to-do’ list befor the real cold weather comes. We will be very grateful.

I think the sun is finally out today. It rained all morning. I just might be able to enjoy a nice walk outside after all. Arrrooooo!!!!!!

Take care of yourselves and your old pets.

Love,

Winston

Just checkin’ in on the boys

admin — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:13:22 +0000

Top of the mornin’ to ya!

admin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:38:21 +0000

Winston and the bone

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:37:08 +0000

We’re back from vacation

admin — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:03:51 +0000

We had such a great time in Maine. Their state motto doesn’t lie. It truly is how life should be. We finally had time together as a family for more than an hour at a time. Mom and Dad both work and they just had a baby in January so life for them has been busy. Taking care of me and an infant has put a little stress on them both so I think a little time away did them a world of good.

What we mostly did was lots of nothing. I am at my happiest when everyone is in the same room just hangin’ out. I don’t like a lot of walking about or going in and out of the house. I always think that I am going to be left behind so that makes me nervous. Mom and dad just played games, talked, ate, and spent some quality time with me and the kid. The kid loved it and so did I .

I did miss Benny though. I was completely bummed out for the first couple of days. I didn’t really do much of anything. This is when my mom took my for a walk in the center of town in Damariscotta. What a nice bunch of people that lived there! Well, I think that I caused a disturbance though. The folks there had never seen a dog with wheels before. People stared at me in there cars. Shopkeepers pointed from there windows. Pedestrians did double-takes as we strolled by. Several people actually came up to me and wanted to pet me. It was awesome. I felt like Elvis Presley. We met tons of people during our two week stay. Maine is chock full of animal lovers. Did I mention that people yelled to me from their cars saying that they loved my wheels? Isn’t that the coolest?

I forgot to mention the best part of my trip. We were on a walk in the town and my mom and I were approached by two very nice ladies from the town’s nursing home. They liked me so much that we got invited to come visit the residents there. We had a blast. I loved getting the attention from everyone and the residents perked right up when they saw me. It made me feel so good. I wanted to get some pictures to post on here from our visit but I had to get consent first. Oh well! Mom thought it would be bet if we just enjoyed the people’s company and not bother them with legal stuff. She’s right. This trip got me thinking though about becoming a therapy dog for nursing homes around here. I would love it and and my mom would too!

I do have some awesome pics to put up. Mom has to unpack the camera first though. They will be on tonight.

Take care of yourselves.

Love, Winston

Uh oh…Ben’s in trouble.

admin — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:46:38 +0000

I swear guy dog is like a goat. He is so bad about eating socks and underwear or anything that has a human scent on it. My mom got a phonecall from Nana. Nana said that Benny has eaten the toes off of three socks and destroyed a pair of bloomers. Can you believe that guy? He gives us all a bad name. We’ve talked about his goat issues. He says he gets terribly bored so he finds something to chew on to amuse himself. He can also open doors too. My mom gets frustrated with him because here she is taking all of these precautions and then boom….another sock bites the dust. Walking helps because it wears him out. After a good exercise session, Ben can do only one thing and that is sleep. Thank God!

Ok kids. We’re off to get some lobster. None for me though. I get to go with my family and sniff around the dock. It’s lots of fun.

Take care of yourselves.

Love, Winston

I shouldn’t have eaten that…

admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:42:25 +0000

Be careful what you feed your dog or what your dog has the ability to eat when you are not looking. I ate a piece of pizza when my family wasn’t on their guard and woah! Am I paying for that little slice of heaven or what!?! My stomach has been grumbling and grumbling all day. I do not feel well at all.
So please be mindful of what you leave out. Dogs just can’t help themselves to the good stuff.

Take care of yourselves.

Love, Winston

We’re off to Maine

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:31:21 +0000

Ok, this is really quick. Mom is running around like a mad woman trying to get ready for vacation. We go to Maine every year and preparing for it is nuts. Look for a few posts in my absence. It will be hard for me to blog every day, but I’ll try. Check out my archives of videos to those that are new to the site. People like my wheelchair videos the best.

Take care of yourselves. I’ll be thinking of you on my trip.

Love, Winston

Ugh…puppies.

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:59:16 +0000

I never thought that I would say this but these young puppies today get on my nerves. My buddy Ben and I have this discussion whenver we see one walking with a human. They are very annoying. It seems to me that most do not know when to leave well enough alone. Ya know what I mean? When I was able to get away from them, I didn’t mind so much. But now…no way baby. They bark. They paw at you. They try to chew on your ears. They want to chase you. I have neither the time nor the patience for any of that nonsense. It’s stressful. Just because a puppy is cute and lively doesn’t mean we all have to like it.

Older dogs like Ben and dogs like myself need space. We also need LOTS of attention. A puppy doesn’t do us any favors. Believe me. I’ve heard the stories from my other pals. It can be a little overwhelming for everyone. This happened to my pal Frank the lab. The puppy jumped on his back and Frank put him in his place. Well, Frank suffers from stiff joints and bad hips. It hurt when that little one did that. I couldn’t even believe it when Frank said that HE was the one that got into trouble. The nerve! I felt bad for the guy.

We do know why you want the puppy though. We know you love us. We know you care. We also know it will hurt like hell when the day comes and we are no longer around to greet you at the door. A puppy will help you through the pain of losing us. We get it. But please. Try to understand that we need you most when we are old. Think of the puppy too. The little squirt will need you to potty train it, entertain it, and teach it manners. Don’t take away from that. Getting a good start with the right education will turn that annoying little thing into an amazing dog like my mom did for me.

Think about it. That’s all for today. As all ways, take care of yourselves.

Love, Winston.

Trips to the groomer

admin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:34:12 +0000

For a special needs dog or even an older dog, a good groomer is worth its weight in dog biscuits. We need extra attention and time to get things right! Check with your groomer from time to time with older dogs to see if they notice any new behavior quirks. For example, we might not want to get our nails done anymore or we throw a tantrum when the groomer tries to pick us up. There might be a reason for it. Arthritis is a big issue for us. We get to be delicate little flowers in our old age. Please don’t fault us for that. Also, we might have vision or hearing loss when we get older too. That might also be a problem. If we can’t see or hear, it tends to make us a little jumpy with new smells and touches. Here are some words of wisdom for all of you humans out there that love a special needs dog:

Listen to your groomer. If they feel if your dog can no longer can safely get their nails done or tolerate any or all of the grooming process, then they are probably right. A good groomer will want to do what is best for your dog. This is why they got into that job! They love us too! Sometimes a vet will have a groomer on site for such a special dog. Do your research. Some groomers have more experience with this type of dog while others won’t allow a dog to get groomed at all if there is even a hint of a medical issue.
DON’T GET UPSET. Where there is a will, there is a way. Nails can get trimmed. Baths can be done. Haircuts if necessary can get done also. You may need to seek intervention and it may cost you. Ask your vet for help. If you don’t get an answer that meets your needs, then get a second opinion!
Try to do as much as you can at home. A groomer can only do so much. They are not miracle workers. They might see Fluffy every eight weeks if they are lucky. YOU are responsible for grooming for the time in between. If you need advice on this, please ask a groomer. I am sure that they are more than willing to throw good advice your way if it makes their job easier.

That is all for now. I think I have had this on my mind because I am starting to smell a little ripe. My mom is giving me a bath this week as well as getting my nails trimmed and my ears cleaned. I don’t mind getting cleaned, but it’s the getting dry part that is awful. The groomer turns on this big, scary loud thing. (Shiver)

Ok. I’m done for the day. Take care of yourselves.

Love, Winston