Lola Fantastica

Queen of All She Surveys

2009-11-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

When I first got Lola, I lived near CalTech and we often walked those grounds. I took advantage of a large climbable sculpture and various ledges to teach Lola "up" and "off". She liked being high up, where she could survey all the land.

After we moved to the house, I began taking Lola to a local park (only a few blocks away). In the spirit of reinforcing her "up" and "off" training, I often took her to this ledge (which I think little kids are supposed to jump off of) and late one evening it occurred to me that she might like to go up on one of the jungle gyms. I thought she'd be a little hesitant, but she followed me right up like a trooper. She really likes being high up, where she can scan the whole park:

Her view (click on picture to see notes):

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T15:40:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Merlin, Lola wanted to be a dragon this year. (I wanted her to be a Cheerio, but she vetoed that.)

Nothing Much Changes

2008-11-17T19:31:00.000-08:00

This was Lola in the yard about a year & half ago:

This is her more recently as she now likes to spend her evenings in the yard:

She loves the yard...perhaps more than looking out the window from my bed. She'll spend the whole night out there if I let her. She'll run around the yard for a bit, then sit, then sniff around the edge of the house or the fence, then lie on the back porch, then run around some more, then...well, you get the idea. :)

Note: The orange tree is a little bigger & you can see the new composite fence.

Where in the World is Lola San Diego?

2008-11-08T20:20:00.000-08:00

Have a Wicked Halloween!

2008-10-31T00:20:00.000-07:00

...says Elphaba (I mean, Lola.)

Unfortunately, I left her flying monkey at the office.
(You can see the full outfit here: wormieness photostream)

Corporal Cuddling

2008-04-18T17:39:00.001-07:00

Lola is funny. Sometimes, when I pet her or cuddle up to her, she will first enjoy all the skritching (I am her personal back & butt scratcher) and then quite suddenly, as if she just had endured a terrible punishment, she'll be all "Mom! Stop touching me! It's embarrassing!" and then scamper off. Lately, though, she has been quite content to go to bed with me at bedtime. I rub her tummy till I fall asleep; if she's wired, she'll stick her face right in front of mine, ostensibly either making sure I'm asleep or not dead (not sure which) and then leave to her own bed. Sometimes she sticks around, trying to to stick her head under the temporary window blind and see whatever is OUTSIDE (yes, it's annoying & wakes me up). If she's not wired, sometimes she falls asleep too. (A year ago, she would NEVER stay on the bed with me, much less sleep on it. I guess she getting used to me. Or the bed. Probably the bed. :) ) Sometimes, she realizes she's drifting off & startles herself awake, as if saying, "OMG! I almost fell asleep on mom's bed. Eww."

She's currently hunting flies in the bedroom.

For more on Corporal Cuddling (or the aspect ratios of Kitties), watch this video.

Happy weekend!

Lola sez...

2008-03-23T11:07:00.001-07:00

Hoppy Bunny Day!

New Daycare

2008-01-30T21:47:00.000-08:00

Lola's long time daycare has closed for good and I'm quite sad. Lola had been going there for almost two years - she had a few doggie pals who understood her and the staff was always great with her. I was always comfortable leaving her there for cage-free boarding. The good news is that one of their employees also does dog-sitting & walking on the side and I feel very comfortable hiring her to doggy-sit Lola so that she can stay at home if I need to go out of town and walk her on the days when I have to work till 7pm (all the doggy daycares around here close at 7pm).

As for daycare, my schedule at work is improving & by next fall I may not even "need" daycare. (Lola has a lot more fun staying at home in the house than she ever did in the apartment and while Lola is not particularly doggy anti-social, she really does prefer the company of people over other dogs.) For the spring, though, I may have to find something. I've seen Hounds Lounge and Planet Doggy, and I hope to go see Wagville later this week (Wagville is a little out of my way, but I thought I'd check it out anyway). I'm also going to look around to see if there is a place near work.

I suppose the good thing is that this happened during winter break. :/

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-30T17:23:00.000-08:00

Lola wanted to be Santa's little helper. :)

(I had meant to post this while I visited family, but I didn't have internet access... I have much to blog about.)

I hope everyone is having a great holiday.

Merry Christmas (belated) & Happy New Year!

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T22:22:00.000-07:00

[Lola must head to her Luau now.]

She was supposed to have an ankle bracelet, but she kept flinging it off. She did NOT like having something on her leg. For more details, click on the pic.

We both hope everyone had a good Halloween!
I did mean to post this earlier but I work late on Wednesdays. Sorry.

I love...

2007-07-16T16:57:00.000-07:00

...coming home to this face:

I could have a good day or bad day, but it doesn't matter - Lola just makes me smile.

Jindo in the Yard

2007-07-09T16:19:00.001-07:00

Lola & I spent Sunday morning in the yard - she played with the dirty, disgusting ball as well as her KONG squeaker ball and chased flies & bugs. She had a grand time.

Cat on a hot tin roof...

2007-07-08T11:52:00.000-07:00

well, not exactly.

I was in the office typing away at the computer when I asked Lola to join me. She jumped up onto the Ottoman (where she usually takes a nap while I type away). And she just sat there. Looking out the window. She has seen squirrels and birds out the window, but never this:

She started barking like crazy ["Mom! OMG! A kitty! Right there!"] & I calmed her down. She stayed there, entranced, hoping against hope that somehow the kitty would be magically transported into the office (or she to the roof):

:)

But, mom, this one's dirty

2007-06-17T22:24:00.000-07:00

The landscapers found a dirty, muddy, disgusting tennis ball buried in the front yard; they thought it was Lola's (it wasn't) and left it on the front porch. When I went to take Lola out for a walk, Lola spotted it & immediately took it into her mouth. She was all, "this is the best ball ever!" I played with her a little, bouncing it & tossing & she dutifully chased it. Then she took it in her mouth, turned around and stood in front of the door until I opened it. She stepped into the house, dropped the ball inside and came back out ready for her walk...all with a very "oh, hey, that ball's neat. I will keep it. Thank you." attitude. When we got back from the walk, she wanted to play with it again. We did. Then she took it to her bed & settled in:

It's not like she doesn't have a half dozen of her own...but apparently she likes the ones that are left abandoned [This is the second one she has picked up & kept. The first was found in an alley near the old apartment.]

Also: I forgot to take the camera on her playdate with Kaylee (which was just as well - when I got home, I discovered that the batteries needed recharging.) The girls had fun - Kaylee ran around and played nice, like the good girl she is. Lola watched the other dogs play. :) It was nice to spend time with D & Wes. Thanks for coming over guys!

Mom, I need a 'Paw'dicure...

2007-06-11T22:02:00.000-07:00

Lola sometimes sleeps like that - her front legs ramrod straight. That can't be comfortable. I have no idea why/how her hind paws ended up under Red, her bed buddy:

I wonder what was going through her head...

"Mom! Don't take a picture! My paws are horrible!"

OR...

"What? My paws were cold. I was trying to sleep here, woman, till you came over and woke me."

Tomorrow she's going on a playdate with Kaylee! Yay!

Glamour Wednesday

2007-03-20T00:24:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, I got a haircut & Lola got a bath (at home). Not even a bath kept her away from squirrel watching:

[note: she was mostly dry at this point so there was no sogginess transferred to my bed.]

Excuse My Mess...

2007-03-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

I guess she got tired of watching the squirrels through the window. :)
[And hey, look, my palm tree lamp!]

Must Sleep... & random updates

2007-02-23T20:37:00.000-08:00

Lola has been dreaming a lot lately. I'm not sure why - maybe she is dreaming of catching the squirrels she keeps watching from the window? :)

Have I told you how ecstatic she gets when the squirrels actually walk on our roof? It's so cute to watch her get so excited.

Her allergies had not really bothered her since we moved to the house - she had been just fine with just some Benadryll in the morning. A couple of days ago she started chewing her paws and her mouth was itchy [notice the swollen red area around her mouth], so she's back on Atopica. That stuff is like a magic. I gave her one pill last night and today she's been itch free. Yay!

Doggie TV

2007-02-17T20:43:00.000-08:00

Lola's newest bed is apparently a queen-sized Serta with a view (yes, squirrels and kitties right outside!).

Mind you, this was a bed that she didn't really like all that much in the apartment. I actually had to bribe her with treats to get her to join me. Now? She will sit there all day long if allowed, just watching the world go by [read squirrels are just outside!] She will even skip breakfast, if it means she gets to stay on the bed. Silly pup.

[sorry about the glare...again. I'm working on it. Also, you can see my temporary curtain/cold weather blocker (made of fleece & bought on super-sale at Jo-Ann fabrics).]

2007-02-16T21:50:00.000-08:00

Lola didn't used to like to go on the sofa before. At the apartment, I would ask her to come up so I could scratch her, then she'd endure that as long as she could then leave me to return to Bed #1. I could understand that, though; the sofa was a little slippery for her. Here at the house, I temporarily placed Bed #2 on the sofa and Lola luuuves that:

(click on picture for notes)

She's really liking the couch now. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that she can look out the window and watch the squirrels outside. :)

Back Soon

2007-01-28T21:51:00.000-08:00

Hi, all.
We've been busy moving to Casa Lola and were without internet access for almost two weeks (stupid cable company!). My camera is MIA, but I'll figure something out soon.

Lola has been pretty happy with the move - even though she's been pretty much confined to my bedroom whilst remodeling/painting continue. More soon (with pictures, I hope!)

Noeligator "rasslin"

2007-01-07T02:14:00.000-08:00

Lola & her Christmas present. I think she liked it. :)

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-27T20:39:00.000-08:00

We have a new holiday tradition here at Casa wormie/Lola: the Christmas Cayman (or, if you prefer, the Noel-igator). You can see it under there under the tree (it was Lola's present this year).

Please note that it is not a Christmas Crocodile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

note: I'm sorry this is a little late - I *thought* I had posted it on Christmas Day, but I guess not.

Parking is a Serious Issue...

2006-12-21T22:14:00.000-08:00

...even at the doggie dermatologist.

hee!

Deck the dog...

2006-12-06T20:02:00.000-08:00

...with faux holly, Fa-la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la. :)

Lola has new holiday collar ($5.50 at Old Navy).
And, no, Lola has not gone punk - the shaved patch is from her allergy skin test last week.

Note: I couldn't use the flash b/c it's reflective...and I was too tired to get perfect focus.

What are you thinking, Little Girl?

2006-11-28T21:38:00.000-08:00

Note: This picture is pre-allergies. She's on a new medication for her allergies; it's called Atopica. It's been working well so far. She's on a half-dose right now - she's a little itchy once in a while, but it's not that "scratch-scratch-until-she-peels-skin-off" itchy.

The Big News

2006-11-21T13:55:00.000-08:00

It's official: I own a home! (or, at least a mortgage). What that really means: Lola has a yard! A little one, but...yay! A yard!

It's a fixer-upper and I will chronicle the fixer-upping on another blog, Assorted wormieness...and I may also randomly comment on life in general. :)

An update on Lola meeting Kaylee (not that Kaylee ) & Lola's allergies will be forthcoming later this week.

No Halloween Costume This year

2006-11-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

I had much fun last year dressing Lola as a pirate for Halloween. Between work and "the potentially big news," life has been exhausting the last few weeks and so I was not able to dress Lola up this year. Super-sad! I had some good ideas too (hula girl, Mrs. Colbert, and Dancing with a Star). Well, you may see one of those next year. I feel really bad about that, but I promise something fabulous for the Holidays. :)

Lola is Special, medically speaking

2006-11-07T23:37:00.000-08:00

Lola (or more specifically, her anatomy/biochemistry, I suppose) seems to delight in stumping my vet (and keeping my creditors in the black). First was her urinary incontinence and you all know that ended with me taking Lola to a doggie "innards" specialist. Lola has had some itching on her paws and on her face; the itching on her face evolved into some irritation, accompanied with a little swelling that comes and goes every few weeks. They checked for mites & she seemed mite-free; the itching on her paws was due to allergies & has gone away with some allergy pills. The vet said her face showed the "classic" symptoms of allergies with a secondary infection. Antibiotics were prescribed. They didn't help. More antibiotics were prescribed. They didn't help.

Next, he thought that maybe it was food allergies so Lola was only allowed to eat hypoallergic dog food (luckily available in venison which is what she likes) on a trial basis. (It might take 6-8 weeks to see an mprovement.) That's right, no treats or chicken or bits of whatever I was eating. It was a sad day in our house. Seven weeks of that have not helped.

She was scratching her face so bad the last few days (she even ripped some skin off her face) that I took her in this morning. The vet said, "She should have gotten better by now. I think it's time for a specialist." So yes, Lola now has to go see a doggie dermatologist.

Apparently, only specialists for my girl!

I've been meaning to submit her DNA to the doggie DNA database, so maybe it's a good thing that I keep forgetting about it. Now, I can include details about her resistance to meds.

I just want her to be okay. :(

Also: there might be big news early next week... :)

Another sleeping girl...

2006-10-23T21:35:00.000-07:00

Taking your lead, J, here's another sleepy girl

That's Lola with her head under Red. (Have I ever mentioned how Lola saved Red from the evil clutches of the vertical blinds?) She uses Red to shade herself from light and other distractions when she needs a nap. The first time I saw her do that, I was a little afraid she'd smother herself. But she's fine. :)

Stalking the Hunter

2006-10-16T23:29:00.000-07:00

During our morning walk the other day around the grad apartments across the street from my building, Lola came upon a kitty - a pretty, tiger-stripey kitty. The kitty was pretty unfazed by Lola. Lola could NOT believe the kitty was not running away. Then Lola barked at the kitty. ["Mom! It's a kitty! Look!"] And the kitty Still Did Not Run. I eventually had to drag Lola home. Cuz, you know, Lola gets "focused."

Later that afternoon, we again around the grad apartments across the street. Lola sniffed & sniffed, hot on the trail of Something. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the kitty again. Lola kept sniffing, oblivious to the kitty. We took a few steps and the kitty took a few steps. Lola kept following The Scent. The kitty kept following us. Silly kitty. :)

Nakedness

2006-10-04T21:55:00.000-07:00

I stood out in the hall, waiting for the elevator, when one of my neighbors came up the steps and passed by.

She said, "You look naked!" Then added, "without your dog."

:)

Mighty Huntress is She

2006-09-29T21:30:00.000-07:00

As we walked last night and came upon the corner, Lola snapped at something in her no-fly zone and injured it. (I guess all our tennis-ball-catching has honed her hunting skills.) I barely got a glance at it (something in the nature of a grasshopper or a preying mantis), since Lola proceeded to try to eat it, and I tried to drag her across the street away from her prey. Once across the street, she planted her butt down, staring back at her fallen prey with a big grin on her face and Did Not Want To Move. It was so cute.

She was sooooo proud of herself the rest of the night. :)

In Memoriam

2006-09-23T22:01:00.000-07:00

Lola has lost two fur-pals to mental illness this past year...

Grim - thank you for sharing your home with Lola. We know that was not easy for you.

Indy - you were Lola's first and only Valentine, and a very sweet boy.

You will both be missed.

Adult Entertainment

2006-09-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

I received a letter from Lola's regular vet a few days ago. Apparently, the new owners of the building next door to them (a defunct Shakey's Pizza) have petitioned the city of Pasadena to open an establishment for "adult entertainment" (some incarnation of strip club). You know, I pretty much a live and let live kind of person, but it seems like a terrible location - it's very residential, near grade schools & next to several family-friendly businesses like my vet's office (who are known to give school tours several times a year). Residents in that part of Pasadena are fighting it - not just to stop the strip club, but to have the city adopt a code requiring adult entertainment businesses be at least 500 yards from a residential area (similar to what was adopted in The OC). Interesting.

I read the letter to Lola & this was her response:

You decide what that means. :)

Can I Have Some Hummus?

2006-09-07T23:11:00.000-07:00

[Sorry for the long delay since the last post. I have no idea how so much time passed so quickly. It's not Lola's fault - she's been doing interesting things; I'm the one who's lame.]

I don't like red peppers per se, but I do like the flavor they give to food (if that makes any sense). In fact, one of my favorite things is roasted red pepper hummus (Trader Joe's or Athenos - both are yummy). I needed a snack the other day & grabbed a bag of blue corn tortilla chips & the roasted red pepper hummus and planted my butt on the couch. At the sound of the crinkling of the chip bag, Lola quickly came over to see what was in the bag. Oh, she knew it wasn't the "Opening Hefty Zip-lock Baggie Sound of Something Truly Wonderful Like a Chicken Jerky Treat," but a crinkly sound apparently intrigued her enough to see what "snack-age" might come her way.

Me: No corn tortillas for you, young lady.

Lola sat, sniffing the air, really curious, but never demanding. (She's awesome like that.) Translation: Can I have some of that?

That was the same look she had given me when I had eaten grapes in front of her for the first time; I had offered her a piece of one which she had promptly spit back out.

Me: I don't think you'll like the hummus, sweetie.

I know my girl likes garbanzos. [They will always be garbanzos to me. I didn't know they were called chickpeas until I was in college.] But I felt that the roasted red pepper hummus would have too much of a kick for her taste.

She shifted a little, still sniffing curiously in my general direction, trying to be polite, but frustrated that she wasn't getting some of what smelled yummy. Translation: Can I please have some of that?

Sigh. I had a quick internal debate between my mother's "you should try everything once" food philosophy and my "I don't want to clean hummus off the rug" philosophy. Then Lola gave me The Look. You know, the super sad puppy look with brow furrowed & sad eyes, where she's clearly wondering what she could have done that was SO wrong as to deserve the punishment of not having blank - fill in the blank with whatever you are eating at the moment.

Me: Alright. But you're not gonna like it.

I put some on my finger & she licked it a bit tentatively. Her eyes lit up, her tail wagged and she shifted in place again, as if resisting the urge to snag into the tub of hummus in my hand and politely waiting for more to be offered. Translation: That's nummy! More, please.

Oh, yeah, she liked it. Hm. I wonder if I should give her meds with hummus now instead of Easy Cheese. :)

Lola health update: urinary incontinence seems under control; allergies+possible bacterial skin infection are back. She's got quite a few bug bites, too, that have irritated her skin.

Napping...

2006-07-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

Napping
Originally uploaded by wormieness.

...is the only thing to do on a hot day.

Meds

2006-07-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

This is all the stuff Lola is currently on - mostly for her urinary incontinence. (The link will take you to a good, succinct summary of the problem and the types of meds used to treat it.)

Left to Right we have...

Phenylpropanolamine (aka, Proin) (Dose: 3/day) It's an "alpha-adrenergic agonist" which means that it helps the bladder sphincter by telling it 'hold it more'.

DES (Diethylstilbestrol) (Dose: started with 1 every two days for a week and now is 1 per week) It's a type of estrogen; it's not clear why this works (See the link above about urinary incontinence for more details).

Imipramine (Dose: 2/day) It's an anticholinergic, which means it helps the bladder fibers relax and store urine. (It does this by increasing serotonin levels in the brain.)

Lipiderm (1 or 2 per day) This is a vitamin & fatty acids(fish oil) supplement to help with her skin & coat. Lola's coat always seemed a little dry (even with good dog food) & her skin is sensitive. (I tried adding the liquid version to her food, but she would have none of that.)

Hydroxizine (Dose: 2 tablets, 3 times/day as needed) This is for Lola's allergies (which seemed to have hit her hard this year).

Antibiotic (Dose: 2/day for 10 days) She's been on two types of antibiotics in the last 2.5 weeks. The first one was prescribed because her paws were a little raw from the allergies. The second was prescribed for a cut on one of her paws. I have yet to figure when or how she sliced her paw (though I'm starting to suspect a nail I discovered sticking through a piece of threadbare rug. Stupid apartment!)

Easy Cheese Just like me, Lola will eat just about anything smothered in cheese. :) And it really is the easiest way (for me) to give her her meds - no fuss, no muss.

This combination of meds seems to be working for her urinary incontinence. [If they hadn't, my vet said, the next thing to try would have been collagen injections on her bladder sphincter - how very LA. :) ]

She's very good about taking her pills (as far as she knows, she's getting cheese for doing nothing more than looking cute). However, she's a complete brat when I've tried to put neosporin or Bactine on her cuts/wounds.

She now has some itchiness on her jaw - I thought it may be allergies, but it appararently not (the hydroxizine helped with the itching, but it didn't seem to go away like her other allergy symptoms). It's probably a bug bite (She continues to chase flying bugs like she's the mightiest of fly hunters.) She's going back to the vet next week about that.

Lola, honey, you are not a kitty.

2006-07-13T23:16:00.000-07:00

This is the conversation we had (in my head):
Me: Lola, honey, that's a cat toy.
Lola: So? The ball smells good. Like a kitty. And the tail is fluffy. Like a bird. And the rubber tip is fun to chew, too. I'm keeping it, okay?
Me: Okay.

Note: she was playing with it, then looked up at me when I took out the camera and gave me her "Mom, no more pictures!" look.

Lola, are you blogging again?

2006-07-11T00:52:00.000-07:00

What do you think she was up to? :)

Update: Lola Likes...

2006-07-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

Some additions to the Lola Likes list (in no particular order):

Bananas -small pieces given by hand (the mushier, the better)
Yoplait's Strawberry yogurt (she likes other flavors, too, but this one seems to be a favorite)
Barbara's Bakery raspberry fig bars (she luuuuved these)
Barbara's Bakery Puffins Cereal (peanut butter)
fruit-a-freeze fruit bars Coconut

Paging Nurse Lola

2006-06-28T22:30:00.000-07:00

When it comes to people, Lola can be aloof and also terribly sweet. When I first got her, she was being all aloof & cool. I knew in my brain that she didn't know me & I knew it would take time for her to think I'm okay people, but a little part of me worried that she'd never warm up to me. (It can happen.) Now I know that she's just super-aloof; she doesn't demand attention, at least not like most dogs. Now I know that her aloof exterior hides a really, really sweet doggie...she just needed to learn how to show it. About two weeks after I got her, I came down with the flu - I rarely get a cold or the flu, but this mutant uber-virus got me good & wiped me out. The first time I had a flu-induced cough, Lola came over to me, her face the picture of worry. It was such a sincere look that I could not doubt that she cared. She understood that I couldn't walk her too fast or for too long. And every time I had a hacking cough fit, she came over to see if I was okay. She'd come up close & study my face (maybe checking if I was still breathing?) until I told her I was okay.

The other night I lay on the couch watching a movie & Lola was in Her Bed. I got the hiccups and Lola came over to me, looking very concerned. Her brow was furrowed, worried that something might be very wrong with me. Another hiccup and she jumped up on the couch (which she never does unless I tell her to - I didn't "train her"; she's just polite). Another hiccup & her face was right up to mine. Perhaps she was ready to give me mouth-to-mouth if necessary. :) I reassured her that I was okay & she lay down next to me for a while - I guess until she had assured herself that I was reallyokay.

Now I guess I should teach Nurse Lola how to dial 911.

Hot in the City

2006-06-21T22:49:00.000-07:00

It's been pretty hot in Pasadena over the last week...so hot that apparently Lola's butt was hot:

Notice how she turned away from the camera; she was not ashamed of her hot butt - she saw the camera & was avoiding the flash. She's very media savvy.

Desert Dog - Joshua Tree 2006

2006-06-18T22:08:00.000-07:00

Lola and I were invited to go Stargazing over Memorial Day weekend by some very nice folks, Paul & Mary. Paul & Mary have a house in Joshua Tree which is both perfect for stargazing and for chasing desert critters. Lola ran around chasing quail & other birds, flies, chipmunks, bunnies and God knows what else.

Here's Lola...

...stalking...

...sniffing...

... and digging...

At one point, I watched Lola swallow something...whole. I'm not sure what it was - a bird or maybe a chipmunk? Yes, Lola is a mighty hunter. She was pretty pleased with herself. Since we've been back, she's been more excited about "hunting" things (like squirrels & flies). I think she's trying to hunt her breakfast every morning now. Silly pup.

Here, she's longing for the one that got away:

Thank you, Paul & Mary, for the stars & the hunting and thank you, D & Wes, for the good company. We both had a very good time.

Aside: Save the Ducks!

2006-05-27T00:32:00.000-07:00

...clearly they are all that stand between us and the alien invasion. Read the story here.

(What does this have to do with Lola? Well, it's the news story that aired while I was writing the previous post - that counts, right? You can watch the video here. It's the default video right now, but as the days pass, you may have to scroll through the choices.)

Dog Park!

2006-05-26T22:50:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts - all my fault, not Lola's - work was kinda busy.

I took Lola to Pasadena's newest dog park today (sorry, no pictures). Unlike last time, there were no chipmunks or birds to distract her at this park and plenty of nice dogs to play with. The majority of the dogs there played politely and, more importantly, introduced themselves politely. Lola doesn't like dogs to smell her face for very long & most of the doggies at the park sniffed the face briefly then went right to smell the butt. Lola very quickly assimilated.

She stuck close to me for a bit, so we walked around...then tennis balls were thrown & dogs were running and she looked up at me with her big doggie smile. ["Mom, can I go too?"] "Go on," I encouraged, and off she went to run and smell butts, er, I mean, make new friends. She chased tennis balls and did a pretty good job of bringing it back - not right to me, but close enough!

She seemed to be immediately smitten with one of two Bernese mountain dogs that arrived a little after we did. She particularly liked racing with them up and down.

Lola has shown some jealous tendencies when it comes to other dogs coming close to me, but she had no problems with the dog park doggies who came over to say hello to me (or to get skritches).

She did not like the slobbery water bowl, but other than that, I think she had great fun today.

Tomorrow - we return to Joshua Tree (or, as Lola calls it, the place with the bunnies).

Feral Parrots are a Lola Favorite

2006-04-28T23:03:00.000-07:00

Walking around the neighborhood, Lola stopped to watch a tree. I soon made out a parrot in said tree and thought, 'Wow. A parrot. Probably, an escapee.' Then I saw another one. And another one. And another one.... It was a whole flock of parrots. Lola thought they were fabulous. Two days later on the Colbert Report, Colbert profiled a Congressman from Pasadena (part of a continuing series) and in his blurb about the district, he noted that Pasadena was famous for its feral parrots. Feral parrots! It's true! They're even mentioned on the city's website.

Since then, we've seen them quite a bit (especially early in the morning when they are rather vocal). Lola seems to like them a lot. I daresay, she's infatuated with them. When they are nearby, she doesn't just stare at the tree (as she usually does). She starts sniffing at the overhanging branches. She barks at them. And when the fly away, she runs and leaps after them.

I think she wishes she could fly. :)

Lola visits the Dog Park

2006-04-17T23:39:00.000-07:00

(click picture to view a larger version)

That's Lola at the Dog Park. She's just sitting there, patiently waiting for the chipmunks and birds to come to her (or perhaps trying to figure out how to go to them). We tried to play with her. Other dogs tried to get her attention. We could distract her for about five seconds with a tossed ball, then she'd go back to that corner. ["Mom! There were chipmunks there!"]

Silly pup. :)

Napping with the Grandfolks

2006-04-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

My parents were here for about a week visiting Lola. By day six, they were all pooped:

:)

Quick Update: Word from the Radiologist

2006-04-04T23:45:00.000-07:00

The word is Lola's plumbing is okay. Yay! Her (mild) incontinence is now more and more likely to be the result of her spaying. They are not sure why this happens (though it is relatively common), but they believe it's related to hormonal changes which trigger loss of bladder sphincter muscle control. The vet said we had the choice of the next step: (1) put a scope up her girly parts to make sure her girly parts (and associated hormone stuff) is okay or (2) try the Proin again, but this time it will be supplemented with estrogen. We opted for #2. Once she starts on the pills, it will take 4-6 weeks to see if they are effective.

Lola & I would like to thank you all for your concern & good wishes.

Green Badge of Courage (or, Imaging Round Two)

2006-03-26T23:32:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday, Lola went back to the specialist for more fancy imaging. Radioactive dye was used to map her kidneys, ureters & bladder. (She has no super powers as a result. For now.) A urinary catheter was also inserted; this required putting her under anesthesia. The anesthesia part made me a little nervous (as anesthesia should), but she's fine. The tests showed that her ureters were a little far apart than what would be considered normal, but they appeared to connect to her bladder properly. The vet is consulting with a radiologist to determine if they were a "little far apart, but still normal" or a "little too far apart to be normal".

Her right foreleg was shaved when they put the IV in and later wrapped in that fantastic fluorescent lime green bandage. :) Lola spent almost 12 hours there and endured it all well. She was a little cranky when I picked her up, but I would be too if I hadn't eaten in almost 24 hours.

Razor Burn (or, Imaging Round One)

2006-03-18T22:03:00.000-08:00

[Life is busy. Sorry for the lack of posts. I promise to do better.]

I just wrote this detailed post about Lola's mild incontinence problem and it evaporated into the ether. Grrr. I guess you will have to wait for another post detailing Lola's diagnosis and prognosis about her incontinence b/c I'm not gonna re-type all that now. Borrowing a bit from Stephen Colbert, I will say...

What you need to know:
Lola had her belly shaved for her uber-ultrasound. Here's Lola's belly before the ultrasound...

and after...

(if you look carefully, you can see her sexy spaying scar). [Note: the areas on her skin that look dirty are not - her skin in those areas is a different shade. Go figure.]

And yes, her belly was all prickly, but I rubbed it anyway. :)

My Tropical Dog

2006-02-27T21:17:00.000-08:00

Here's the culinary evidence:

She luuuves white rice with black beans (a Cuban staple & my favorite food in the whole world)

She likes ice cream

She loves coconut ice cream.

She likes mangoes. (just like Bobby)

and today I can add:

She likes kiwi fruit.

That's my girl. :)

Playing!

2006-02-16T23:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a momentous day for Lola. She played "chase tails" with the other doggies at daycare! Yay! Lola has played with the folks at daycare, but not with the other pups. Oh, she has lounged about with other pups and watched other pups play, somewhat unsure of how to join in (or barked at them to chill out). She has even run around outside. But yesterday, finally, she joined in the fun. She chased tails and they chased hers. Yay!

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

2006-02-10T23:20:00.000-08:00

I love watching Lola sleep, partly because I know why she sleeps. Sometimes, she is poopy-tired after a day of play at daycare or after playing with me. On warm days, she likes to take a nap after our afternoon walk. A nap is also good after a particularly satisfying meal. Sometimes, she falls asleep while I rub her belly, and she will sleep with legs in the air.

I have seen her dream, too. Her legs twitched a little and I'm certain she was chasing something in her dreams. Was it a squirrel? A bunny? A kitty? Or was she just running free, at full gallup, the way we sometimes do together?

When she sleeps, it is because she is happy.

[sidenote: next post won't be sappy ;) ]

One Year Anniversary

2006-01-21T21:25:00.000-08:00

One year ago today, I took Lola home for the first time.

One year ago...I'd met Lola a few days before, for only a short while - an hour at most. As I drove to her foster home in Sherman Oaks, I hoped she would remember me (though I doubted it). I hoped she would like her humongous bed and my messy apartment. I hoped she'd like the pretty red collar with the matching leash I'd gotten her - a pretty collar for my pretty girl. I still wasn't sure whether to call her Lola or Luna or if another name would seem more appropriate.

I'm not sure if she remembered me, but she was nice as she always is. She didn't mind me putting on her new collar. She gently ate some sliced turkey and ham from my hand. I found the spot on her back where she likes to be scratched. Her foster family said goodbye to her and I attached a leash to take her out. She was thrilled that I wanted to take her OUT.

I took her for a short, squirrel-filled walk then to my car. Understandably, she didn't want to get inside. Not even for chicken. I debated whether to carry her myself (would she bite me?) or to ask for help from the foster family. They are nice folks, but they are elderly so I went with choice #1. She didn't give me too much hastle, squirming just a little. As I closed the door, she looked a little concerned. I was ripping her away from a man (her rescuer) whom she loved and she didn't understand why. I told her it would be okay. We were going home. After ten minutes, she fell asleep on the backseat.

That night, we had a lazy night at home. I walked her quite a bit - she was so happy when she was OUT, I couldn't help it. She ate the chicken & turkey that was offered but passed on the dog food (unsurprisingly, since I'd been winning her heart with turkey slices throughout the afternoon). Several people stopped to ask my what kind of dog she was and to tell me that she was very cute (even with dirt & grime on her coat) and that kind of attention made her a Lola and not a Luna.

One year later, I know she loves her bed; it's her favorite place to sleep, nap, lounge and get belly rubs from me. I know she likes her collar - the sound of it jingling in the morning means we are going OUT and that's always good. Her fancy leash is on her shelf in the pantry - we only use it for special occasions. We spent a quiet day at home and played a little "Pseudo-fetch" in the apartment. The weather was perfect today, and I took her out a few more times than usual, just cuz. She had chicken with her dinner and now she's lounging in her bed, just waiting for our evening walk, no doubt. Which reminds me - I better go dig up her fancy leash.

Happy anniversary, baby girl.

SoCal Lola

2006-01-09T22:35:00.000-08:00

Apparently, Lola likes The OC.

She's also been known to watch Teen Titans. :)

Happy New Year!

2005-12-31T23:24:00.000-08:00

May the new year be full of love and may it bring you continued happiness & prosperity!

Love,
Lola & me

Lola's brother (almost)

2005-12-31T22:27:00.000-08:00

(click on picture for a larger view)

That cutie is Brownie, a nine month old mutt (~45lbs). (It's hard to tell in the picture, but his coat actually has a lot of red in it.)

Brownie's Story (skip if you wish):
His former owners are my aunt's tenants. They always kept him outside & underfed - they didn't seem to understand that a growing, large dog needs a lot of food. UGh! Stupid humans! Anyway, when the hurricanes (Katrina & Wilma) headed towards South Florida, my aunt took him in for his protection. My aunt & her husband reside in a condo, but they own a house across the street from my parents (my aunt's mother-in-law used to live there). Brownie now stays in that yard.

Brownie escaped from the yard & was hit by a car. As you can see, he's recovered very well - he still limps a little, but is doing very well.

Why I love Brownie
Yes, he's cute. And yes, he's a puppy (a large one!) which automatically makes him lovable. But that's not why I wanted to take him home with me. I love Lola for many reasons, but the main thing that made me fall in love with her when I met her was her totally mellow attitude (that, and her blonde eyelashes). I fell in love with Brownie for the opposite reason - he's a spitfire, full of energy, but not a spaz. He has this incredible joie de vivre. (That, and his goofy ears & spotted tongue :) And he's smart & eager to learn & too sweet. Other than some mouthing, he played really well.

If I owned my own place (with perhaps a little yard), there's no doubt I would have brought him home with me. I think he would have complemented Lola - Ying to her Yang, so to speak. Maybe next year... :)

Brownie starts training with my Aunt Celia in January. Good luck, Brownie! :)

Merry Christmas (Belated)!

2005-12-29T17:52:00.000-08:00

The antlers blink (click here to see).

Lola and I both hope that everyone is having a festive holiday season.
[More about holiday shenanigans in the next few days...]

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Grandma Loves Lola (possibly more than me)

2005-12-15T23:56:00.000-08:00

My mom loves Lola. She says Lola is not only beautiful, but also a very good girl, even though she has never met Lola. Lola can do no wrong - I am a mean mom, for example, if I don't let Lola bark at other dogs. Or if I don't let Lola eat treats just before dinner.

I'm pretty sure my mom loves Lola more than me.

Most recently, my mom and I had this conversation:

mom: I have a whole bunch of spare change in bags & tins. I want to give it to Lola for being a good girl.
[the hell?]me: What?
mom: I've been saving it for a while and I want to give it to Lola for being a good girl. Will you help me count it when you are here?
me: uh, sure...wait, are you saying Lola has an allowance?
mom:What's that?
[I explain to my Cuban mom what an allowance is for a few minutes, since she has no concept of what that is...which, yes, also means I never had an allowance growing up.]
mom: Yes, exactly. An allowance for being a good girl.
I repeat: neither me nor my brothers ever had an allowance. But Lola apparently does.

Then, shortly after:
mom: I need you to do me a favor.
me: Sure, mom.
mom: I want you to get Lola a Christmas present for me.
[For a moment, I'm shocked that my mom is being so practical, i.e., not making me bring Lola's present back from Florida.]
mom: And I want you to have the folks at the day care give it to her on Christmas day.
[Wha?Wha? Also: giggle] me: What?
mom: I want her to have a present on Christmas, like the rest of us.
[She sounded so much like a little kid, that I relented.] me: okay, mom.
mom: Promise me.
me: I promise.
mom: When are you going to get her present?
me: Thursday or Friday - whenever I have to get her food.
mom: Alright. And be sure to take it to the day care when you drop her off for boarding.
me: Yes, mom.

More evidence she loves Lola more than me: A few months ago, I was talking to my folks about bringing them out to SoCal for New Year's. My holiday visit is short, b/c I don't want to be away from the girl that much, and my folks wanted to spend more time with me. I thought New Year's would be great: they could be out here for the Rose Bowl parade - which is the only parade that my mom sits and watches. I live a few blocks from the parade route, so this was a good plan.

Then My mom hurt her foot -sprained & fractured - and needed a long recovery. Their trip to SoCal was now in doubt. I called my mom one day, knowing she had been to a follow-up visit with her doctor, to see if the trip was possible. Mind you, at this point (about a month into her recovery), my mom was going stir-crazy. She hates being dependent on other people and being unable to go wherever she wants; and she was stuck in the house.

mom: I don't think I'll be able to go. I'm walking better, but I'm still pretty immobile.
me: well, you could still come out. Even if you just stay at my place, at least it's a change of scenery.
[her reply, I kid you not] mom: If I can't take Lola out for a walk or play with her at the park, why am I going to go?

See? She loves Lola more than me. :)

Lola sez, "Check this out": Pious Jindo Pooch

Gobble, Gobble Day (finally!)

2005-12-11T23:50:00.000-08:00

Lola and I were invited to have Thanksgiving dinner at Denise & Wesley's place. [Okay, I was invited, and I asked if Lola could come, too, since it was our first Thanksgiving Day together. Because they are awesome people (and because Wes welcomes any opportunity to torment their cat, Grim), they graciously welcomed Lola into their home.]

Wesley made the turkey (as yummy, if not yummier than last year's) & the mashed potatoes; Denise made veggie stuff and her very yummy bread stuffing (did I mention it was yummy?); I brought candied yams & home-made flan. (See picture.) Lola luuuved the turkey and the mashed potatoes (and sez, "Thanks, Wesley!")

Now, what you really want to know about: When Lola met Grim

Grim is Denise's black kitty and Wesley's archnemesis. :) [I hear he had been taunting Grim for several days before Thanksgiving with something along the lines of "A dog is coming on Thursday, Grim. Just you wait!"] Whenever I've been there, Grim's been sweet...but he is a kitty & can be surly & evil. This was a test for both Grim & Lola. Wesley hopes to have a doggie someday & wanted to see how Grim would react; I wanted to see how Lola would do. Lola has seen kitties before, neighborhood kitties within a few feet, but she has never had the opportunity to see one up close and personal, since they usually run away from her. Then she barks at them which is really her telling me, "Mo-om! The kitty is running away! Let's go!" The bark is always playful, so I don't think she would ever harm a kitty, in that situation.

When we arrived, Lola and Grim had a face off. They both just looked at each for a long time. They weren't sizing each other up so much as coming to grips with what they were seeing. Slowly, they got closer (as I recall, Lola made the first move) & started to sniff each other. Grim had a little trepidation, but seemed okay, until Lola started sniffing his butt.

Grim's Expression: What the Hell...?
Wes: That's what dogs do, Grim.
Me: Hee!

After some more sniffing, Lola started to get a little more sniffy (maybe it was dawning on her that Grim was a kitty) & Grim was justifiably spooked. A quick hiss & Grim was off to hide under the futon in the office. Which of course only made Lola bark ("Mom! Let me go! He went in there! He wants me to chase him!")

We didn't want to close the door to the office, in case Grim decided to come out so we hitched Lola up to a heavy piece of furniture so she wouldn't go after him. To his credit (or his hunger), Grim did try to brave it out a couple of times, but Lola saw him & was immediately excited that Grim was coming back...which only spooked Grim again. Denise eventually retrieved Grim from the office so he could eat his dinner in the kitchen (I distracted Lola to keep Grim out of her line of sight.) Grim then curled up in a little spot in the dining area. At first, he was within Lola's line of sight ("Mom! It's Grim! He's right THERE!"), but with some distraction (and not letting her see Grim), she quieted down. There was no blooodshed, and no apparent animosity between the pets. I guess that means Lola & Grim passed the test.

We entertained ourselves making fun of "The Core" [Lola was happy to sit with us] & walking around downtown Glendora [You know how much Lola luuuves to be OUT.]

This Thanksgiving I was grateful for many things - my loving (if crazy) family, my awesome friends, and my Lola-girl.

Lola & I had a wonderful time - thank you, D & Wes! You made our first Thanksgiving very special.

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

2005-11-27T23:16:00.000-08:00

Turkey & a kitty named Grim - more about Gobble Gobble Day activites later in the week.

Butt Tag

2005-11-11T22:21:00.000-08:00

Last night, Lola and I had our first full game of what I can only call Butt Tag.

When I got Lola, her rescuer told me that he would play this game with her in which she ran around like a loon. He was never quite sure what was going on, but he was sure that Lola seemed to have a grand ol' time playing it. And while Lola has run around my place like a loon, I had never played this game with her...until last night.

I am also not sure what the exact rules of Butt Tag are, but I can describe the gameplay. First, Lola is in a playful mood, playing with a chewie on of her three lounging areas. I skritched her high on the back of a rear thigh (near the base of her tail - one of her favorite spots), and suddenly, TAG! She was It! Lola ran to the next nearest lounge area, on full (playful) alert and jumping toward any movement. She seemed to be waiting for me to do something, so I "tagged" her again and she ran to her bed. TAG! Back to lounge area one. TAG! She glances at her tail, chases it for a split second, then runs off to the nearest safe haven, lounge area two. Before I can tag her again, she goes to her bed. She quickly runs in a circle at least 10 times, then collapses like a runner at the end of marathon. She's a little out of breath but looking really happy.

If any one knows more about Butt Tag, please let me know.

Lola says...

2005-10-30T19:43:00.000-08:00

Too Much Puppy Love

2005-10-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

[sorry for the lack of posts - been really busy] Because of my work schedule, Lola goes to Doggy Time daycare 1-3 times a week. She hangs out with other doggies and plays a bit and it's good for her. :) I did not witness this Tale about Lola with the two black lab puppies (they are Doggytime regulars with Lola), but it was told to me by Doggytime owner, Tara. Also note: these puppies are just about Lola's size.

Lola likes her personal space. She does NOT like dogs to be in her face (at least, not without her permission), nor does she allow other dogs to take a long time sniffing her butt. She will give these 'rude' dogs a warning growl: "Yo, step back." If they persist, she will not hesitate to let them know they are not cool by barking/snapping at them: "YO! I said, step BACK, bro."

One day, the two black lab puppies flanked Lola on either side, cutting off any means of retreat, and proceeded to lick either side of her face. Lola was frozen in place with a look (according to Tara) like that of a deer in headlights. Tara, ready to step in if they bothered Lola, waited for Lola's warning growl/bark. But it never came, much to Tara's (and my) surprise. Getting no reaction from Lola, the puppies moved on to another victim. As soon as they left, Lola's relief was evident in her doggy sigh, as if she had just endured some great test of faith.

And now I have to wonder - did she not snap at them because she was outgunned or because they are puppies? If the latter, is it a female instinct for the young or did she have puppies of her own some time in the past (which gave her some infinite patience with the puppies)?

...sigh...there's so much I'll never know about my Lola...

No Fly Zone

2005-09-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

The skies immediately surrounding Lola are restricted airspace. Any mosquito, fly, moth, butterfly, jumping cricket or other small animal that enters Lola's space is summarily engulfed by a quick snap of her jaw. And sometimes she misses, but she will pursue the intruder.

Yeah, Lola is a mighty fly hunter.

Silly pup.

The Forest for the Trees

2005-09-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

Jindos were bred as hunting dogs, and Lola, being a Jindo, likes to "hunt". During one of our afternoon walks, she picked up A Scent and proceeded to sniff it out. She tracked the scent with focused intensity, sniffing along a row of bushes, not even bothering to give me her patented "exasperated with mom because I move too slow" look. So focused and so intent was she, that she did not see the object of her hunt lounging on the sidewalk about thirty feet in front of us: a black kitty cat. Hee. I had to laugh. Hard.

As for the kitty, he watched us for a bit with that look of disdain unique to kitty cats and then scampered off. Lola never saw him.

Hee.

Lola Meets Her Bed (or Why Lola has a Giant Bed)

2005-09-11T17:19:00.000-07:00

[approximately 8 months ago] I brought Lola home for the first time on a Friday afternoon. She was a little apprehensive (understandably so, since she had only met me briefly a few days before and had no idea what was going on), but she was going with the flow - she's a mellow dog and that's what she does.

I led her around my apartment (so that she understood she was allowed everywhere) then to her water bowl (so she would know where it was) and finally to Her Bed. We stopped in front of the bed, and I looked down at her. She looked up at me, then back at the bed, and back to me. Her face lit up with a doggie smile and had an expression like, "Is that my bed?" I nodded to her and before the words "Go on" were uttered from my mouth, she had jumped into Her Bed and made herself comfortable. The apprehension was gone, replaced with...self-possession and, I think, happiness. In that instant, she may not have known what was going on, but she knew she would be okay with me.

On the day I went to get Lola's moving-in supplies, the pet store only had x-small and x-large beds. I opted for x-large(which is more than a little big for her), figuring I'd exchange it for a large or medium in a few days when they restocked. She was so happy when she saw that bed, though, that I couldn't bring myself to exchange it (not even for one just like it except for the size).

I guess I'm just a sentimental fool.

So the Tales Begin

2005-09-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

I needed a place to keep my Lola stories (since I cannot rely on my "wetware") and here it is. Although Lola is pretty awesome (at least to me), there may not be a tale to tell everyday. I have had Lola for a while now, so some of these stories happened a while ago - I'll make a note of that.

Lola Fantastica

Queen of All She Surveys

Happy Halloween!

Nothing Much Changes

Where in the World is Lola San Diego?

Have a Wicked Halloween!

Corporal Cuddling

Lola sez...

New Daycare

Happy Holidays!

Happy Halloween!

I love...

Jindo in the Yard

Cat on a hot tin roof...

But, mom, this one's *dirty*

Mom, I need a 'Paw'dicure...

Glamour Wednesday

Excuse My Mess...

Must Sleep... & random updates

Doggie TV

Back Soon

Noeligator "rasslin"

Happy Holidays!

Parking is a Serious Issue...

Deck the dog...

What are you thinking, Little Girl?

The Big News

No Halloween Costume This year

Lola is Special, medically speaking

Another sleeping girl...

Stalking the Hunter

Nakedness

Mighty Huntress is She

In Memoriam

Adult Entertainment

Can I Have Some Hummus?

Napping...

Meds

Lola, honey, you are not a kitty.

Lola, are you blogging again?

Update: Lola Likes...

Paging Nurse Lola

Hot in the City

Desert Dog - Joshua Tree 2006

Aside: Save the Ducks!

Dog Park!

Feral Parrots are a Lola Favorite

Lola visits the Dog Park

Napping with the Grandfolks

Quick Update: Word from the Radiologist

Green Badge of Courage (or, Imaging Round Two)

Razor Burn (or, Imaging Round One)

My Tropical Dog

Playing!

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

One Year Anniversary

SoCal Lola

Happy New Year!

Lola's brother (almost)

Merry Christmas (Belated)!

Grandma Loves Lola (possibly more than me)

Gobble, Gobble Day (finally!)

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Butt Tag

Lola says...

Too Much Puppy Love

No Fly Zone

The Forest for the Trees

Lola Meets Her Bed (or Why Lola has a Giant Bed)

So the Tales Begin

But, mom, this one's dirty