Fog's Down!

I always invite my former foster dogs to come and run in the yard and to get some greyhound guidance from my dogs.  All greyhounds and their owners are welcomed, but I especially enjoy seeing my former foster dogs.

Craig said Fog was getting grumpy, so I told him to bring him over and let him run in our yard, and so he can get some greyhound guidance from River and the boys.   Fog’s yard isn’t finished yet, so he has no room to run right now. Fog came to run in the yard Thursday evening. After a few minutes, he started running, with Macho hot on his trail.  YAY! Macho hardly ever runs.  Soon, River was out running with them, which means she quickly stopped them, but they got a couple laps in!   On my deck there are 7 dog beds.  So after the run, he trotted his happy self right up onto the deck and laid down on his favorite bed.  This is not running….

 I told Bill to go get the gator.  The gator is a John Deere yard truck. (Normally, when a football player gets seriously injured they haul him off on the extended gator), we have the compact version.   For some reason, the hounds love to run with the gator. I accidentally found this out many years ago. 

Gator outside of fence

So when I am too lazy to walk the dogs, I drive the gator outside the fence, calling the dogs.  I drive it around and around and back and forth and they run around and around and back and forth and wait for me to catch up with them.  It is great fun for the dogs, they are almost gleeful, that they can chase the gator.  So, Bill drove the gator for about 10 minutes, and Fog chased it.  Then Bill stopped, Fog got a drink and he looked at Bill like, “you’re not done are you?” so Bill let Craig drive the gator.  I should note that everyone loves to drive the gator, it brings out your inner child, and Craig was no different.  Fog had a great time.  Fog paced Craig for about 5 minutes, and Fog was slowing down, so Craig  stopped.  As Craig closed the gate, Fog was waiting for him.  Fog all of a sudden let out a yelp and laid down. (OMG did we kill him?)  Bill and I looked at each other like WTH? And Bill went heading to the fence to see WTH happened.  As he is walking across the yard I said to Bill, look at his tongue. (my cocker spaniel died from a heart attack, it was tragic.  The vet said when a dogs tongue turns from pink to Black, the dog’s heart is not working).  Bill and Craig are now on the ground one on either side of Fog.  Sandy and I are standing on the deck, secretly panicking.  I holler to Bill, how is his tongue.  Bill says, it is pink! (yay) Craig and Bill are touching fogs legs, feet, back trying to find any problem.  Nothing.  No yelping, not even raising his head.  He is breathing, his eyes are normal looking.  WTH is wrong?  I want take over, but he is not mine.  I tell Sandy to take this bowl of water out there and see if he will drink.  Bill takes the water and trickles it from his fingers into Fogs mouth.  No reaction.  Then, Oops, a little too much water, like a splash in the face and he pops his head up and then starts drinking!  Again I send Sandy out to the fence with a wet towel and tell her to rub him all over with it. 

Fog loves this attention, two men sitting with him, and the new lady rubbing him all over with a cool cloth, ah, this is the life.  I see him looking like he is enjoying the pampering, and by this time, my dogs are looking for their evening treat.  So the evil foster mom, gives a treat to each of my dogs and sends them onto the deck.  Fog knows the evening routine here, and sees they are eating something, and sits a little higher, almost getting up.  I say to myself, ok, he is fine.  So I give Sandy a treat and tell her to take it to Fog.  She does, he eats it and follows her up onto the deck so he can get another.    All is well. 

Saturday, Fog came to the meet and greet and had his new collar, happily coming for some loving from me, and hanging out with River and the boys.