well to all those out there

[Jeni]

To all those hibernating beagle lovers and those loved by their beagles - I just thought I would post something as it has been a while. Lucy is going well - nearly 10 years old - and still jumps around like a puppy - I have to sternly speak to her as she has sprained her back twice now and I dont want her go back on the heavy pain killers. The beagle rescue blankets are great she makes a nest with the two she has on her bed in the garage and snuggles in at night and I am sure during the day when I am at work as well. We both got ambushed by my cat the other day who was hiding in the bushes and neither lucy or I saw her and she sprung out at us - I screamed and lucy just about did a somersault. Lucy got her back with a chase around the garbage bins last night. Have noticed to quite a few beagles in other rescue organizations - very sad especially the older ones - I just hope my family would look after lucy if anything happened to me. On a sad note my best friend had to make the sad decision to put to sleep her beloved border collie Elle 2 days ago. Only 9 years old with total renal failure -could not do anything for her had not eaten in four days poor sausage. So thats the news at the moment. Keep warm and flu free (I have already had my dose - took one month to recover - as I could not take any more than 1 day off work -pretty angry about that - another story to tell). Take care Jeni and Lucy the beagle.

[Macnmill]

Hi Jeni

We're not really hibernating, just coping with walks in the dark and cold. The beagles clearly vote for a walk despite dark and cold, it helps to have a fur coat.

Millie had me in stitches the other night. Given her bad back Millie doesn't do much jumping up and certainly not onto beds. Anyway the other night she was so excited I was home she leapt up on the bed with Mac without thinking about it. She then had this absolutely horrified expression on her face of "OMG how do I get down from here?". It was so funny. She worked it out but hasn't been back up since.

The glucosamine must be working as she has been less lame over the last couple of months, has discovered how to get up on the sofa (which she loves) and even stands up on her hind legs some times. So we make slow progress.

At obedience classes she does well until asked to drop on the wet grass, at which point she just stares at me unless I have a really good treat in my hand. Perfectly understandable but not what I'm asking for. She has also decided that fetching is something I am meant to do with the toy, not herself. Beagles are definitely designed to keep you humble.

Cheers

Mac and Millie's mum

[Jeni]

How are you?? How old is millie??? Lucy will be 10 end of august. I have just noticed her face is getting even paler now - poor little sausage. Going grey like her mum. Does yours lie on her stomach legs straight out?? I know when lucy cant do that her back is playing up so she gets a nice massage which seems to help a bit. I dont think they ever grow out of the playful stage - part of their nature. I try and put her coat on in the cold mornings she hates it but I persevere. I think I need to take her for a bath next week as she is stinky and grey (not exactly the nice white). Hope all is well?? Jeni

[gregandali]

we've been too busy on Facebook! my lot are all the same, zooming around like mad!

we now have added Andy to the gang and that is going well so far, Cody loves him coz he's small like her and is older (7) so not all stupid. The boys love him coz he is happy to rough and tumble and run around with them. Just have to get him used to the cats or not so excitable around the cats.

the glucosamine is amazing stuff! the difference in Cody has been huge, situations where she would have been on tablets for sure, she now just limps slightly for a day or two. Trouble is finding it with chrondroitin in it, a lot of it is now just glucosamine and i'm not sure if it works as well. Ah well i will stick to buy a hundered bottles whenever i find it cheap HAHA

with the cold and wet weahter i have a dirty house as the dogs are constantly digging and eating mud! and just from running around need mud flaps

anyway i shall endeavour to come visit more often and not neglect the BRV forum for facebook

[Macnmill]

Hi

Millie is four. She was very overweight before she came to BRV and when we adopted her last year in November had dropped the weight but still hopped around on three legs quite a lot. Our vet checked her out and decided it was a back problem, causing the limping, etc. She's not flexible enough to lie with her legs out, she sits or lies down with her legs on one side.

She's now much better on Osteo-eze (glucosamine and chondrotin) and Metacam when necessary. We keep her weight down, she is a slender 17 kgs (she's a large beagle so this isn't much). They saw the vet on Friday and he is happy with her weight and the muscle she's developing. She's very dark, lots of black and some black markings on her face.

In contrast Mac is 10 and very, very white. No true tan or black left on him, he's now a study in pale shades. So they make a contrasting pair. He's a chunky pale dog and she's a slender dark dog.

As beagle owners you'll appreciate this. Last night I was putting away the shopping and Millie stole a mandarin from the bench. She took it to a quiet corner and I watched to see what she would do. She bit it, then proceeded to scrape out the middle with her teeth, leaving the skin behind. I was impressed. I thought it showed typical beagle determination to get the food she wanted.

Mac and Mille's mum