Ossi, wearing his new "power steering"
Power Steering
As you can see above, Ossi finally got a harness. L-Dawg was convinced it would help alleviate the tugging on the leash. B-Dawg was convinced L-Dawg was full of it. L-Dawg prevailed! After just one walk with the new harness, B-Dawg commented that it was, "Like Ossi, but with power steering." We all love the new power steering!
A Hike
Now that spring has sprung here, B-Dawg has been taking Ossi for long hikes in a nearby wilderness area. Ossi absolutely loves this. Not only does he get to spend "guy time" with B-Dawg, but he gets hundreds of new things to sniff and he gets to jump and swim in lakes and ponds. Also, B-Dawg decided to trust Ossi and let him off-leash. Ossi earned that trust by staying close and coming back when he was called. Wow. I think, perhaps, aliens have invaded and this is Bizarro Ossi. We'll take him, though. He loves hiking and more than loves being off his leash so B-Dawg has found a winner of a spring-summer-fall activity.
A Tick
Along with hiking and spending more time outside comes bugs. During a routine belly rub the other day, L-Dawg discovered a tick the size of her pinkie fingernail attached to "the Oss". GROSS. Emergency "surgery" was performed, B-Dawg assisted while L-Dawg pulled the tick off with tweezers. Remarkably, Ossi laid still the entire time like he knew it was for his own good and whatever it was had to go. I wish he'd do this when he gets his nails cut!
The next day, we tried out the flea, tick and mosquito gook that you dribble down a dog's back to repel those bugs. It made Ossi's fur really oily and, since L-Dawg found another (tiny) tick the other day it doesn't seem to work. Next up, flea and tick collar for Ossi and hosing down the yard with Neem oil (natural insect repellent that isn't harmful to pets or people).
On that note...if you're using lawn chemicals and fertilizers STOP IT! L-Dawg is super vigilant about not walking Ossi over chemical lawns because he licks his paws when he gets home and it gets into his system. Would you want your dog, cat or kid crawling all over that then licking themselves (or sucking their thumbs, in the kid case)?!? I didn't think so. Okay. Lecture over.
