The Washington Post

Hi all!

Well we have arrived, it is official. After a long journey (with a great stop over in Kamloops to visit) we made it here to the US. Customs was not a great time, they did not know what to make of a crazy dog lady travelling with seven dogs. I got detained for two hours. First they totally ignored me then they put me behind a wall on a bench (reminded me of the Group W bench from the Arlo Guthrie song Alice's restaurant!) so I couldn't see while they went through my truck. Yes, even with the dogs in it they went through it. Needless to say I was a quivering wreck by the time the inquisition began but we made it through, they gave me my passport back and off I went. Unfortunately, Heidi and Toque can not behave themselves left to their own devices in the front seat for two hours. Heidi ate all seven international health certificates and my address book (thankfully the customs agent had my passport or that would have gone bye bye too) and Toque, in casual Toque style flipped the lid off my iced tea and drank it all (about 750mls worth). So off we went, some of us shaking with anxiety (that was me) and some of us shaking with sugar rush (that would be Toque).

I stopped of at the Noah Centre to let the dogs out for a run (great place for some safe off leash exercise if you're travelling by the way). Playing chuck-it Toque (in her sugar rush not that she needs any extra speed) whipped herself into a frenzy for the ball and managed to get herself T-boned by Jorja. In her haste to tell off Jorja for standing in the way and get the ball at the same time she injured herself. One little scream and up came the hind left leg. She hasn't put it down since.

I drove the rest of the way down, got everything unloaded and the dogs all settled (by this time it was 8 o'clock). I spent the night worrying about my little Toque. She was off to the local vet yesterday morning for exam and x-rays. I had to leave her there for the day as the transport for the mini aussies was already planned.

The transport went well, I drove to North Bend to pick up the dogs (lovely spot, mountains and forest very pretty) and then drove them up to the Skagit Casino for the exchange with Kim. The casino cops were unhappy about us meeting there (apparently "transactions" on casino property are not allowed, ha!) but all was well in the end. Of course I forgot my camera yesterday to take pictures of the dogs during their adventure. They were all really good, Cyrus rode up front with me to keep my company (the whole time he would look over at me then look away really quick, he was trying not to get caught being social :) ) Penny is off to Kim's, Scruffy and Don Juan and Cyrus to the shelter and Shiloh (who needs a new name that does not contain the word shy) is here.

I arrived back home around 4:00 and was then off to pick up Toque at the vet. She has dislocated her knee. The vet tells me he put it back into place and showed me the xrays. A very nice vet, but not a sports medicine guy. Anyway as a side benefit I got to see her hips which are beautiful. She is still refusing to set down the leg which has me worried tremendously. Did the kneecap slip back out? What do I do now? I have a call in to another place that has a hydrotherapy pool and have sent a message to Dr.Jeff Bowra at the SPAW in aldergrove for advice. So much for weave training! I just hope that this is an injury she will be able to recover from without surgery. They were unable to determine the state of her ACL because of the swelling. So I guess we wait. Poor baby, she wants to play but she can't.

Shiloh the puppy mill dog is very much a puppy mill dog. Of course, night one she slips her collar and is loose in the back yard. Not a problem since the fence is excellent there is nowhere for her to go but definitely a pain in the you know what. Brian and I managed to corner her (she is a little biter the brat, thank god for down coats). I picked her up and brought her back in the house. Round one for her unfortunately but what the heck. She has started doggy detox. I'll write separate posts for her and her progress. That's all for now, I am off to work the dogs!