Snuffen and Sniffen

Another story about Max, my lil dude with attitude! Max was not happy yesterday, I noticed it right after we returned home from the groomer. I don't know what the difference was, I took him the same place as always but his demeanor afterwards was much different. His face is so expressive and it was very sad, he didn't want to chase birds or bark at people on the mountain to let them know they were in his territory. He just laid on the floor or on his bed. I'm happy to report he is back to his regular self beginning early this morning. He probably had been awake for awhile, when I moved and that's all it takes. He had been on the foot of the bed and he ran up and pounced on my chest, all six pounds, eight ounces! If I hadn't been awake I was then!

After splashing my face with cold water to ward off the fog, I put on my sandals, still in my pajamas, and leaving the bed unmade Max and I fumbled (me,not Max) downstairs and outside. He took off for all his special places, checking every so often to see if I was still there. I was making this special Max time! And that's when I began observing him more closely. When he sniffs in the grass, he looks like a tiny little vacuum and he just goes along with his nose buried as deep in the grass as possible. Sometimes, like this morning, he snuffs ( blows through his nostrils hard) and afterwards he sniffs. He exhibits this little behavior anytime, but mostly outside.

We had delightful weather for coffee on the patio along with Max time. There was an intermittent cool breeze and Max was taking it all in. He would just let the wind blow on him and looking very intent on what he was doing, he did that snuffing thing and right afterwards would point his chin up and sniff the air a couple of times. He continued this for quite awhile. Then I had an awakening of a bygone memory. Some years ago, actually I could say a long time ago and be closer. Anyway, I received this very special gift of personalized perfume from Dick. What added to make it even more special was going to the perfumer. If you've never done this, give it a try! I had no idea what to expect, but enough to say it was an enjoyable time. Erne' was the owner and also the chemist in the shop. He asked quite a few questions of which I remember almost nothing, other than what my favorite flower was? After he got some ideas about me and what I liked and did not like he began giving me little strips of paper to sniff, either I liked them or I didn't. I was getting to the point of not really telling the differences between them and he gave me this little insight that I brought to mind watching Max. And that was between sniffing each strip, I was told to snuff or breathe out heavily through my nostrils. He informed me by doing that it would clear the olfactory organ of chemical sense in the nasal cavity. You know, he was right and now I know exactly what Max is doing as he goes about snuffen and a sniffen! He is clearing his olfactory organ so that he gets a better sense of smell. Smart dog, very smart dog because he didn't have to be told what or how to do this. He just knew!

Adventure, or A Very Scary Time, or Both?!

TOP PICTURE MAX

BOTTOM PICTURE PENNY

Returned home from vacation to Flagstaff and all is well. However, it didn't start that way. My friend, Shirley, my little dog Max and I drove to Pine, AZ to drop Max off for the week to be with his buddies Reggie, Molly and Penny for the time I would be gone. We arrived in time to have lunch with my sister, Jan before leaving. We went to the Randall House in Pine. A museum in its own right. We enjoyed the short time together and returned to Jan's to give Max one more goodbye. As always, when we entered the front door we were met with joyful barking and little dogs running about. Almost immediately Jan said, There's only three?!" Looking closer and checking behind the door, we found little Penny, unconscious! Jan picked her up immediately calling her name, and checking her vital signs. Her heart was faint and no sign of breathing, immediately she began resuscitation. Skills the Vet had instructed her in when Molly had pups just on the off chance one of them was not breathing when born. I don't know how Jan remained so calm. But she did, and just kept working on Penny while Shirley and I went to get Tom (her husband) at the Senior Center. I walked in, looked around but didn't see him. I then called out his name, he looked up, "We have an emergency with Penny!"

He said not a word to the others, just left to join me. I hurriedly tried to explain. He ran for his car because he knew he could get their quicker than we could. In fact, as we just turned onto their street we met them going the opposite direction, taking the little dog for emergency treatment. We found out later, by that time Penny was again breathing on her own! On their arrival, the office in Payson had already set up with oxygen and Vet waiting! But after the exam, there was not an exact diagnosis. They were told they did not know exactly what had caused the problem. It could have been her trachea, in which the yorkie and other small dogs are known to sometimes have a weakness, anxiety, or most likely an incidental seizure, meaning not something that would reoccur. We pray that is right. Penny is still recovering, just not as active and energetic little dog that she was before.

My little Max has demonstrated this trait with his trachea too, he didn't stop breathing, but I could tell he was struggling. It happened in the middle of the night a couple of weeks earlier and we made an emergency Vet trip first thing that morning. He was treated with antibiotics and cough suppressent. We return this next week for recheck, but he is doing well!

If you love animals and have pets of your own, you know exactly what we were all feeling!