It's been such a long time since she wore her backpack she no longer
remembers what the hell that thing is. She's alternating between trying to
yank it off, and looking at me pathetically enough that I'd feel sorry for
her and take it off. Turns out, she CAN eat treats with the pack on her
back, but it won't let her climb stairs.

Oh, and Khan healed up ahead of schedule. The stitches came out on Tuesday
instead of today, and his dog booties should get in today. Silly Rajesh
seems to think that he'd be happier if we put booties on both his front
feet, but IDTS.

Suja

Suja wrote:
Turns out, she CAN eat treats with the pack on her
back, but it won't let her climb stairs.

Meanypants backpack.

Oh, and Khan healed up ahead of schedule. The stitches came out on Tuesday
instead of today, and his dog booties should get in today. Silly Rajesh
seems to think that he'd be happier if we put booties on both his front
feet, but IDTS.

This is one of those places where logically, you're probably right
(why would a dog care if his feets aren't symmetrically bootied?),
but I bet I would have automatically put two booties on Khan. Just
one would be unthinkable.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

On 2008-07-03 12:53:26 -0400, "Suja" said:

Turns out, she CAN eat treats with the pack on her
back, but it won't let her climb stairs.

What if treats are upstairs? Will the evil thing still prevent her from
attaining treats?

OT: I started calling bits o' treats candy. It isn't a word we use
around here, so what the heck. It amazes me how dogs pick up on voice
inflection + something they want.

Both dogs understood "candy" from the second miniscule bit of treat
they hoovered.

But poor Pan. A working girl. How horrid! How déclassé!

Suja wrote:

I really wish I had a video camera. The way she was acting, you'd think she
was trying to navigate the stairs with a few extra legs that she had newly
sprouted.

Or at the very least, a hideous hump. Poor Pan!

That's weird. We're only doing this for practical reasons, so why put boots
on a foot that doesn't need it?

It's totally illogical, I know.

The boots got here, and I'm not quite sure what to think. Definitely
different from what I expected, and not as tall as I would've liked. Not
sure if these will stay on either.

Bootie garters? ISAGN.

It seems like he really dislikes the
Toughtek booties more than the other one.

Are they stiffer? Nubblier? Heavier? See, if he were wearing
booties on both front feet, he'd at least be walking symmetrically.
HTH!

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

"Shelly" wrote in message:

Meanypants backpack.

I really wish I had a video camera. The way she was acting, you'd think she
was trying to navigate the stairs with a few extra legs that she had newly
sprouted.

This is one of those places where logically, you're probably right
(why would a dog care if his feets aren't symmetrically bootied?),
but I bet I would have automatically put two booties on Khan. Just
one would be unthinkable.

That's weird. We're only doing this for practical reasons, so why put boots
on a foot that doesn't need it?

The boots got here, and I'm not quite sure what to think. Definitely
different from what I expected, and not as tall as I would've liked. Not
sure if these will stay on either. I got him a pair of these:
http://www.dogbooties.com/products/330decobo.html (in purple) and one of
these: http://www.dogbooties.com/products/toug90boot.html When asked to
walk on them, he was high-stepping. It seems like he really dislikes the
Toughtek booties more than the other one. For now, he'll wear the Cordura
one on the hike, and only switch over to the other one if we encounter
really rocky terrain.

Suja

"montana wildhack" wrote in message:

What if treats are upstairs? Will the evil thing still prevent her from
attaining treats?

Haven't tried that. Hold on....

Not if she runs up and down stairs, it doesn't. If she tries to walk, it
grows extra legs on her and trips her up a bit. Also, she can't climb in a
straight line if the pack's on her, unless she runs.

But poor Pan. A working girl. How horrid! How déclassé!

To top it all off, she's sporting a nice, green tail bandage, 'cause she
just started bugging it again. When we go out, she'll be wearing the
fashionable pink one with purple hearts. If they knew how, my dogs'd be so
embarassed.

Suja

In article , Suja wrote:
The boots got here, and I'm not quite sure what to think. Definitely
different from what I expected, and not as tall as I would've liked.

Part of the premise behind mushing booties is that they're
disposable. There are tales of them being scattered the
length of the Iditarod trail (booties are one of the big
expenses in running the Iditarod and the Quest) and if
you've seen video from the finish line you've probably seen
that almost as soon as a team arrives at the arch a bunch of
kids run up and start asking the musher for booties (and the
mushers always oblige).

The things dogbooties.com sells are basically sacks with
velcro closures, which is why they're so cheap. There's
also an assumption that they'll be running on snow, which is
not as abrasive as asphalt or dirt. I'm not sure they're a
great choice for hiking, although if maybe if you're
assuming that they'll be for only one trip it might work.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

"Shelly" wrote in message:

Bootie garters? ISAGN.

That might finally push him over the edge. That poor dog puts up with a
lot, but this will be enough to make him pack up his belongings and head for
the hills.


Are they stiffer? Nubblier? Heavier?

All of the above. It's that nubby stuff that you find on the inside of some
gloves that gives you better grip.

See, if he were wearing
booties on both front feet, he'd at least be walking symmetrically.
HTH!

Yeah, he'd be high stepping symmetrically. I'm sure he'll be thrilled.

All this hike talk, and it may well be that our entire plan will be washed
out, and we'll spend the whole weekend either sitting in a tent or driving
around. There is no doubt that there will be rain. Depending on which
weather gurus you listen to, it's either going to be intermittent or
constant. Really big help.

Suja

In article , Suja wrote:
Yup. I'm not worried about the material or construction or durability, but
it would sure suck if the thing wouldn't even stay on.

For hiking they sure should. Tight, but not so tight you
cut off circulation.

I'm jealous! One thing that's not great about having a
bunch of dogs is that it makes it really hard to go off
camping for the weekend (or anywhere else, for that matter).
The tradeoffs are worth it but still, I'm jealous! Have an
excellent time.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

"Melinda Shore" wrote in message:

The things dogbooties.com sells are basically sacks with
velcro closures, which is why they're so cheap.

Yup. I'm not worried about the material or construction or durability, but
it would sure suck if the thing wouldn't even stay on.

There's
also an assumption that they'll be running on snow, which is
not as abrasive as asphalt or dirt. I'm not sure they're a
great choice for hiking, although if maybe if you're
assuming that they'll be for only one trip it might work.

Oh yeah, this is totally a one time thing. And I have four boots (two each
kind), which should last us the 12 or 15 miles. I don't want Khan to be
uncomfortable in it, or for me to be running around picking up and putting
it back on him every 5 steps. I'm going to try it on him on this evening's
walk, and depending on how that goes, may rig up an alternate (quite
possibly involving duct tape).

Suja