Pooping, Dogs and Humans

I get it. Don't poop on the grass. Even a "normal" dog can understand this!

Dad said that this was an "indelicate" subject. He told me "indelicate" means humans don't like to hear or talk about it. But, when I accepted doing this blog, I said I wanted to write about anything related to dogs and RVing. So, what is more related than a dog's poop. Just think about it.

Isn't this a bit insensitive to dogs?

What is the first sign in an RV park that you see besides "10 mph". (I can run faster than that, but usually don't.). Well, it's "clean up after your pooch", (I don't like the word "pooch" by the way, a bit insulting!). or "scoop the poop", or "remove the do-do" or Be kind: don't be fined", or my favorite one "Dog nuisances must be removed". (Another rather human sign insensitive to us dogs.) In England Dad says they call it "Dog Fouling". Humans have a lot of ways to say clean up our poop.

What's a nuisance?

How would you like it if this was a picture of a human pooping. See!!!

First, it really is embarrassing to walk around the park and see big signs with graphic images of my fellow dogs crouching with threatening words exclaiming the consequences of a left-behind poop pile. How would humans like it to see signs around the RV park that said: "Lift the lid", or "clean your toilet bowl", or "no human excrement on the sidewalk", or "don't pee on yourself". You get the idea. It's downright dis-respectful to make such a big deal about our poop the way humans do.

OK, I do understand that humans don't like to step in it. I'm sure some don't mind, because I do find a lot of it still laying around, ever so often with a big human footprint in the middle of it. I also know that humans don't like the smell of it and the house flies that enjoy it. (That's a little harder for me to understand since it smells good to me, but I'll give that to them.) Each species is a little picky about something. But.. why take it to the extreme that they do? Aren't most dog owners responsible people? Don't they really know that picking up after their dog is expected by both dog and RV park owners? Why do we need signs. Geez. You'd think humans were irresponsible or something!

If you are irresponsible, or just don't like the thought of picking up your poop, humans have businesses that will come to your home and pick it up for you twice a week. That's pretty creative for a human. Making money on our dog poop.

Pay humans to pick up your poop if your owner won't!

I have read that our poop is like human poop and contains a lot of nasty little critters that might get humans or even other dogs sick if they touch it. If this is so, then just pick it up, trash it, flush it or bury it, just don't TALK about it so much. And don't put embarrassing signs up all over the place mentioning dog poop. OK?

Dad, please don't say "Can you Poop" so loud around my friends.

Mom and Dad are downright obsessive about my poop. One reason Dad gives me is that he can tell a lot about my health by how often I poop and how firm the poop is. I guess he knows best about that, but geez, don't be so loud about it. They constantly remind me to "potty poop". I give Dad a glare when he says that and try to get him to say it little softer, but no, right in front of my canine friends, he shouts out "Reggie.. can you potty poop for me?" Can you imagine a human walking with other humans and his wife says "Henry, have you pooped yet today?" or "Henry, how big was your poop today?", or "John, don't poop on the grass!" Never. So, give us dogs the same respect please! After all, us we are canine and have feelings too!

I'm glad I don't have to pick up my own poop like this guy!

I'm glad that Dad doesn't make me clean up my own poop. See the picture of the poor dog that has to do that. I really don't know how he carries those scoopers. It would sure take the fun out of a walk if I had to drag those around and clean up my own poop. What are humans for anyway if not to pickup your poop?

Humans have lots of different ways to deal with getting rid of poop. I've seen some with little scooper shovels, some that actually put a shovel under the dog as he goes, little green or blue bags they put on their hands like a glove and pick it up, (some even have perfumed powder in them for those delicate human snouts), some use bags that they drop in their own toilet, some kick the poop with their shoes into the bushes, and Dad uses a Walmart bag.

Dad always carries a Walmart bag or two in his back pocket. Mom often tells him to stick it in further so that other humans don't see it. I agree. Again, it's embarrassing to know that Dad is always waiting for me to poop. What will other dogs think when they see that bag poking out of his pocket? He's always ready to pick up my poop. He also tries to be sure that the bag doesn't have any holes in it. But when they do, and he's already picked up my poop he swears at Walmart for making such holey bags. (and then rushes to a water faucet to wash his hands.)

Even more embarrassing is when Dad or Mom has actually picked up my poop and walks proudly around the RV park with a little white bag stained brown at the bottom and smelling like the best smell you can imagine and I meet one of my girl friends. I'm not really so embarrassed. It's actually a bit of a power-trip to know that you have a human carrying your poop around for you. (I wouldn't return the favor, you can be sure.)

I've heard dogs compared unfavorably to cats in this regard. Now, I realize that cats have learned a trick that make us dogs look a bit sloppy and uncaring in human eyes. They actually learn to go to a assigned box, dig a little hole, delicately fill the hole with poop and then cover it up. Occasionally, I'll scrape some leaves over mine, but I've never had the urge to bury it. Too many dogs enjoy the scent of poop for me to cover it up. Besides, cats are not to be compared to dogs. Us dogs just are too superior in all ways to be compared to a cat. You wouldn't compare me to an insect do you?

I'd be afraid that I'd fall in. Isn't this going a bit far to please a human?

I've also known some dogs that have learned to go on the human toilet. I don't think I'd do that. I think I'd slip into the toilet and get all wet. That would show those cats though.

Well, I hope you understand my feelings on the subject of poop. I try to poop where Dad or Mom doesn't have to pick it up. We often go into the forest, and I almost never do my thing on the trail. I like to go in the middle of a bush, out of the way of controversy. If I can't do that, I'll try to do it in front of a trash can, just so Dad or Mom doesn't have to carry that bag around the RV Park too far.

So, I hope I haven't hurt your feelings or made you uneasy talking about poop. It's natural and green (or brown).

Arf

Reggie




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The Vet and Me

Dr. Gill is my vet. He looks happier than I do here.

Oh me! I’ve been through a very bad time lately. I think I can write my blog myself this week, but I may have to rest after every paragraph. I hope you will understand. Dad told you last week how I had to go to the Vet so that he could cut me. Humans have a polite word for cutting up a dog: surgery. It’s just too smooth and nice a word to use for such a nasty thing!

I had been feeling a little poor recently. I had a few problems with my unmentionables (that’s Mom’s word for my Penis and nearby parts) and Mom wanted me to go to the Vet. Well, I always have liked to go to the Vet because they treat me well and give me treats. This time Dad and Mom introduced me to Vet Gill. He was a nice tall man with what Dad says is a turban wrapped around his hair. I liked him immediately. Of course the first sign of trouble was when the young human female poked a thin piece of metal up my rear end. Dad says it is to find out how hot I was. I told him I was just fine, but no matter. That thing felt weird and stayed up there for what seemed like hours. I was a normal warmth anyway. Geez!

Doctor Gill felt my bottom and my stomach and told Dad and Mom that he found some problems. Uh oh I thought. That sounds like more trouble. Of course when he was feeling around my stomach that tickled me. He found an infection (whatever that is) on my bottom glands and he found a big ball in my stomach that wasn’t supposed to be there.

So. he laid me down on a cold table and pointed some fancy human machine called an XRAY at me. Soon he was showing Dad the insides of my body on a large black sheet and pointing at a big white ball. I know I had not swallowed any ball. It would be way to big to swallow anyway. Doctor Gill said it might be a testicle (another unmentionable I think) that was not taken out when they made me less than a male dog when I was very young. Dad said that they gave me an operation to remove both of my testicles so that I would be a more calm dog. I don’t think it worked. Anyway, the Vet that was supposed to take it out years ago, didn’t. Hmmmm…. (Dad's not too happy with him right now!)

Dad said the Great Canine God was looking over me because this rainbow was pointing at me in the Vet's Office. I think he did.

So, Vet Gill recommended to take the big ball out of my body because it might keep growing and then I’d not be able to walk. I wasn’t sure how he was going to get a ball that size out of me. I certainly wasn’t looking forward to having him reach inside me with his arm to get it. I had no way to get it out. I tried shaking, but nope. It was still there. They never told me until later that they could actually cut me open and reach inside me and take it out with a couple snips of a sharp knife. I think I would have run away had I known!

So a couple days later, we went to another Vet place that Dr. Gill was working and before I knew it I was sleeping soundly. When I awoke, I had some really weird feelings in my belly area. I looked down there and saw a large line with little pieces of shiny metal all down my belly. I was really feeling weird, kinda like dreaming, but not.really. There were all these strange humans taking care of me. They were nice, but I just wanted to see Mom and Dad and they weren’t there. I was worried that they might also have a large cut on their belly too. I looked around and they weren’t there. I think I slept the rest of the afternoon and then I heard Dad’s voice outside and got real excited. Mom was there too. They came to pick me up and boy was I happy. I didn’t want any more cuts on me. (They didn’t have any cuts on them!)

Well, we got home and boy was I happy to be there. I was feeling kinda sore on my belly and it hurt to jump out of the car and walk the stairs into the RV, but it was worth it to be home.

Dr. Gill and Lynette helped me on the table. I just wanted to sleep.

Anyway, I’m sure you don’t need the details of my recovery from this insult to my body, but I did eat and it started to hurt inside again. Finally, I hurled everything I had eaten for the past three days and Mom and Dad took me back to Vet Gill. That started a daily routine of driving many many paw lengths every day to have Dr. Gill put a needle in my leg and a big bag of water above my head each day. I was told by Dad that it was to make me feel better. I slept a lot. I was not even interested in eating for 4 days! Imagine that about me! Finally I started to fell better, made a poop, and Dad and Mom were happy again.

They kept me locked up with this bottle of water hooked up to me. Can you see me running down the street with the bottle after me?

Now, I’ve been eating but they give me small portions and not my good ole food. I think they are trying to starve me to death. They seem to be very worried now that I can’t poop. Geez, give me a chance. You haven’t fed me enough yet!

Sorry for the gross picture of my staples and stitches (just a few of them). I got them out today. Hurray (and ouch!).

Today I got these metal things in my belly removed and I’m hoping that will make everything better. Maybe they will start feeding me more and I can get on with the more serious matters of chasing squirrels and scaring cats away from our RV.

Oh, Dad reminded me that I should tell you how gentle and good Dr. Gill (his full name is Dr. Kanwal P.S. Gill and his phone is 951-926-8000, tell him Reggie sent you!) and his staff were to me. (Hi, Mario!) They are at the French Valley Veterinarian Clinic near Temecula in California. Dr. Gill always handled me with gentle arms and hands (even when they were poking around in my gut and other unmentionable places.) He must really love dogs, just like Mom and Dad do. He has his own dog friends at home, so he probably has a lot of practice! Dad says he really cares about me and wants me to get well. I like that in my Vet! Dad says Dr. Gill saved my life, or at least made sure I didn’t die. (What a horrible thought!)

And one other thing: While I was sick, Dr. Gill and his assistant drove me over to the the California Veterinary Specialists (CVS) in Murrieta for an Ultrasound (another one of those weird human machines that only work when I’m on my back). They helped Dr. Gill make sure I was not sicker than I felt, or something like that. They were great people and they know a lot about my canine species, esp. in an emergency. Thanks for their contributions to my recovery too!

I had a better day than this guy we saw on the way home on Interstate 10 in San Bernadino!

Well, Mom and Dad are still wondering about when I’m going to poop, so if it means anything to anyone, I’ll report it here as soon as it happens. I’m sure the world needs to know this.

Arf and stay healthy… please.

Reggie

PS. I'm happy to say that the urge to poop hit me at 4 AM this morning. After waking up Dad and watching him bundle up, we went out into the cold rain and I did my thing. I hadn't done it for 5 days! Whew, what a relief it was (and 5 paw widths long too!).

Reggie is Sick or the case of the missing testicle

Reggie has asked me to write his blog today. Reggie is sick and doesn't feel like doing anything but getting well. We took Reggie to the Vet last week due to some minor symptoms and the Vet felt a large and abnormal mass in his abdomen. After x-rays the Vet was sure that there was a tumor. It appeared to be the size of a tennis ball. After some thinking by the Vet he asked if Reggie might have had a testicle that didn't drop after birth. I said yes, but the Vet that neutered him assured us that it was removed after some trouble. Well, guess what! That Vet in Nederland, Colorado didn't remove it and it developed into a tumor. When it was removed last Wednesday, it was confirmed that Reggie had been only partially neutered and the large mass was indeed a testicular tumor. It did not appear to have spread but we did not chose to get a biopsy to confirm or deny the presence of malignant cells.

Reggie was a trooper though. He faced his impending operation with bravery. Though he was telling me right at the last moment as we left him at the Vet Hospital that he was going to miss us. We told him we'd be back soon and to be brave. He said he would.

The vet told us that standard procedure when a patient seems to be doing OK after surgery, is to give him drugs to reduce the pain and induce sleep so they can stay without a human watching them overnight. The vet said that if Reggie developed more serious complications after surgery, they could take him to a nearby 24/7 emergency hospital for animals to spend the night. They were planning to leave him alone due to his relatively good condition after surgery. We asked if it would be safe for us to bring him home that night. They thought there would be no problem. When we went to pick him up he was crying and as soon as he saw us that wagging tail went into overdrive, even with all those meds in him.


Neither of us got much sleep that first night and Reggie was spoiled with loving attention. Mom would gently stroke his head until he fell fast asleep.

Over the next 3 to 4 days Reggie improved quite a lot. We went on short walks several times per day. He even got really excited about a cat and squirrel outside our window. He barked to let them know that if he was well, he'd be out their chasing them!


He has a scar with stitches and staples about 10 inches long on his lower belly. He has been a good boy and not licked or chewed them. It is obvious that he is sore however in the way he moves. He does complain a bit about the steep stairs getting in and out of the RV and jumping up on the sofa to rest.


He had a couple good nights of sleep and seemed to be improving quickly. His vet gave him a prescription food that improves his ability to digest. However, Reggie being quite picky, decided after the second day he was tired of eating that bland food. So we started feeding him small amounts of his regular food.

Well, last night Reggie had a set-back. He threw-up all of his food and became very weak. We stayed up with him until 2:30 AM last night until he was fast asleep. He slept all night and at 8 AM he awakened and we went out. Unfortunately, he threw-up some more.


So, right now Reggie is feeling pretty rotten and we are waiting to hear from his Vet to see what to do next. He is resting on the couch, watching me do his blog. I know he'd prefer to be at the keyboard, but when a guys sick, he got to rest.

It's really hard to see the dog you love so much in so much discomfort. We are hopeful for his speedy recovery, but he still has some time to heal. I think we may have overdone our "care" of him seeing what appeared to be a quick spring-back to health.

I apologize for the serious nature of this blog, but we thought his fans would want to know that he is under the weather and hopefully their prayers and good wishes will be felt through that canine sense of perception.

I'll add to the bottom of this blog over the next week to keep you up to date on his progress. Hopefully next week or the week after, he will be back pounding the keys with his paws and relating the adventures of Reggie the RV Dog. I'm sure he'll have a different and interesting perspective on the whole thing to share with you.

Reggie's Dad

Feb 9, evening update: Reggie spent the day at the Vet. He spent 3 hours on an IV to get fluids balanced. He had several xrays and blood work. It's not clear what the problem is yet, except that he did have quite a lot of gas in his stomach. The blood work was good, except for his kidney which was just a bit off. So Tuesday we drive 70 miles to the Vet again for Reggie to spend the day on an IV hoping to flush his kidneys. Sigh.

Feb. 10, evening update:Reggie threw up again this morning. Reggie spent all day on IVs at the Vet hospital to replenish fluids again. He received several injections. He still isn't eating. As dire as it sounds to us, the doctor sounds optimistic for his recovery. He wants Reggie again on Wedesday. That's a 140 mile round-trip each day to the Vet. But... it's Reggie and I know he would do the same for me or Mom. Keep hoping!

Feb 13, afternoon. After spending each day Mon-Thur on an IV Reggie is now looking MUCH better. He's got an appetite, his blood work looks pretty good, he's getting back to some of his old habits (barking at cows, waking us up in the morning), and he was tentatively released for the weekend by the Vet. Plans are to have his stitches out on Monday. Here's hoping for a good weekend. I think he might be up to writing his blog about this mess, early next week.

Canals of California

Tall trees at Wilderness Lakes Thousand Trails RV park in Menifee, California.

It's time I told you about one of the RV parks we stay in a couple times per year in California. I like it here, not for a long stay, but it's fun to stay as we do. It's called Wilderness Lakes Thousand Trails Resort. That's a big name for a big place. It's like a human city here. There are always lots of humans and dogs here. Dad says there are over 500 sites and its full most of the time. Dad likes it because he can stay for no money using something he calls an ROD card. I wish I had one of those if it can get stuff like this for free!

It's fun to explore around the RV park in the mornings on our walk.

Canals are rivers that don't move and they have a lot of canals here with plenty of fish in them (the cat looking fish!)

OK, it's still just a place for RVers to park their RVs and sleep and eat, but its got a lot of extras for me. It has canals all over the place. Canals are little rivers of water that don't move. I don't get in them to swim (Dad says they are too dirty for dogs and humans), but they have paths along them and funny looking birds that float in them (Dads says there are Mallard ducks, geese, coots, herons, and many more.) Dad says that Florida (a place many thousands of dog paces from here) and Italy (a place on the other side of the world) have canals that are famous too, but there aren't too many in California, so this is special. Some of the humans look for fish in the canals with long strings and poles. I saw a couple fish that they found (they look like ugly slimy cats.) Sometimes I discover the head of one that a human has cut off as I sniff along the banks. Its not an especially inviting smell, but it is an interesting one.


Many of the canals here have trails that follow around them and that allows us to walk further than we would in a normal RV park as we wind around the canals. There aren't a Thousand Trails here, (so I don't know why they call it so!), but there are a lot of places that we can walk. Outside the park there are large empty places to walk and a pond with lots of birds. Every morning and sometimes in the afternoon, Dad or Mom walk me a mile or two in these empty places. I get to go without my leash. By the p-mail I smell, lots of other dogs do the same. I've seen rabbits and squirrels and even coyotes in the field. I guess that's the Wilderness part they mention in the RV Parks name.

They grow grass for cows to eat across the street. I like to walk there (when this human machine isn't collecting cow food.)

Across the street, in front of the RV Park is a large field that humans grow stuff to feed cows. We walk along the field too. I like to roam in the tall grass and smell what's been there. Yesterday we saw a coyote come out of the grass and run away from us. (I wanted to chase it, but Dad made me sit and watch!) There are mountains in the not too far distance and Dad likes to watch the sunrise over them in the mornings.

Here I'm walking along a trail across from the RV park next to the cow food field.

Another thing I like about this park are the strong smells. There is a cow farm next door (Dad says it is a dairy where they get milk from the cows), and next to that is a big chicken farm where they get eggs from the chickens. (I'm glad they don't have dog farms, though I'm not sure what we could offer humans. Humans already get a good supply of dog poop without having to farm it!) When the winds blows from that direction the smells here are so sweet, but the wind changes direction enough that you don't always smell it. When it gets hot outside and the winds blow at me, the smells are even sweeter. Mom and Dad don't share my excitement about the smells however.

This place is full of dogs. Small ones, large ones, noisy ones, and even cute ones. Every time I walk I meet a few dogs. We sniff and exchange our smells in the hope that we will meet again and recognize each other at some other park. When I nap outside the RV I often introduce myself to all the dogs that walk by me that I haven't met before, or the ones that I think are especially cute.

Mallard ducks live here and make a lot of noise along with the Geese.

One thing I must mention is the noisy geese and ducks that live here. They sleep and play in the canal right outside our RV next to where I nap. (Not too close, but close enough!). All day and all night they are honking (that's a geese's attempt to bark like a dog and a poor imitation at that!) I can't understand geese language, but I'm sure it's nothing as important as it sounds. I even get wakened at night with loud honking from the geese.

Coots (or Mud Hens as Mom calls them) are waiting for one of my dog treats to be thrown to them. Dad shouldn't waste my treats!

When Dad and I get ready for a walk sometimes the little Coots (or Mud Hens as Mom calls them) all gather around the back of our RV (it's at the canals edge) and beg for food. It's funny because a coot is black and they have a white beak, so often at night all we see are about 50 white beaks all bobbing in the canal water begging for food. Sometimes Dad throws a small piece of my dog treat to them and they scramble fighting to get a piece of it. I think Dad shouldn't waste such valuable food on Coots though!

Our RV at the edge of one of the canals. The Coots live in this canal.

We are staying here in January and it has been very warm in the day and very cold at night. During the day we sometimes walk through the RVs that are under the tall trees that Dad calls Eucalyptus and they provide a lot of cool shade. Most of the RV park (except where we are) sits under these large trees. On these walks through the park, I get to see (and smell) all the different types of humans, RVs and Dogs that are living here. There are skinny, fat, long, short, smelly, clean and tall humans, dogs and RVs! It's a very interesting walk to break up the time between my naps!

A Night Heron sat on our Internet Antenna while we were here! He was surfing the web!

Diamond Valley Reservoir is closeby this RV Park. Humans hunt for fish here.

One day, Dad and I drove a very few miles from here to a nearby big lake. Dad says it is called Diamond Valley Reservoir. I haven't seen so much water since Henry's Lake in Idaho. (That's where I spend my summers, at RedRock RV Park.) Humans like to take their boats on the lake and look for fish. It's a pretty sight and you might consider going there. Unfortunately, I had to be on leash, but there were plenty of interesting smells along the trail.

There are mountains close to us at this RV Park.

As I said, even though there are nowhere near a Thousand Trails here, you might consider visiting since there are at least 10 trails and your dog will appreciate all the canine company and smells. Dad says it's about 3 miles to big shopping centers, and the freeway, but far enough to make you think you might be in the Wilderness.

Maybe I'll see you here next year.

Arf,

Reggie