August is Senior Pets Month - Meet Weasel!

My big brother Weasel will be 13  years old in December 2013!

  Weasel was around before I was born.  Weasel was rescued by my parents in early 2001 after they visited the Anti Cruelty Society.  Weasel was thrown out in a plastic bag by the side of the road.  He was taken to the shelter and adopted only to be returned three times.  During the third time my pawrents were walking in when they found a woman crying as she was returning him.  They asked why he was being returned and she said her sister kept kicking him.  Immediately, my Momma's heart gave way and melted for the four month old aussie/sheltie/chow mix.  They asked to adopt him but were told he had to be quarantined.  Four days later they brought him home and named him Weasel.  They already had a Border Collie (Ethel) a Maltese (Roxy) and a Sheltie (Captain Nemo).  They took Weasel home and soon learned that he had a very difficult time controlling his bladder.  He would pee all the time.  They decided to purchase a crate to train him and let him out several times a day - many, many times a day!  The first night they put bedding in the crate and soon found that was a bad idea - Weasel wet everything! He was soaked and needed a bath.  A couple of nights later, they just put newspapers and a water bowl - bad idea - Weasel was again soaked, the cage needed cleaning, and so did Weasel.  After 3 days and nights of repeated baths, it was decided  that no water and no newspapers would be in the crate (big lesson here). And with all these failures and waiting for Weasel to wake up without being soaked, he finally learned not to pee where he slept.  A month later he was going out with the other dogs, and no more wetting the crate.  Weasel was soon allowed to sleep in the bedroom on a dog bed like all the other dogs.  He is good with other dogs, children and people.  He plays frisbee and is the sweetest kindest dog ever.  He is also great with us chihuahuas and became a 'surrogate dad' to  my rescued brother Monkey.  

Weasel plays with Monkey and Me earlier this summer.

 Even though he has serious arthritis on his legs and does not move as he used to, he continues to try and play with me and little Monkey in the yard.  He chases us and we chase him back.  Sometimes my pawrents will throw a toy and Weasel will take it and make us chase him.  He plays tug of war with us but always lets us win.  He is a very good loyal dog who has been a good friend to Ethel, Roxy, Nemo and our 21 year old cat Hobie (who have all passed).  Recently, we had to take Weasel to the vet because he started bothering his leg again and could not leave it alone.  It was raw from all the licking and though they initially thought it was a hot spot, we were told it was actually a lick granuloma.  He was given small dosages of meds because of his age.  The doctor said he wanted to stay away from giving steroids to dogs over six years old so he limited what Weasel was given.  We also sprayed him with bitter apples in hopes he would not bite through the leg dressing. It has taken several months but he is leaving it alone again.  It appears he goes through cycles of bothering his leg different times of year. We are crossing our paws that he will leave it alone this time forever.  Weasel is a true senior dog who in spite of having had difficult beginnings, shaky arthritic legs, hearing loss and a bunch of crazy chihuahuas around him, he still is friendly and loving.  We hope Weasel will continue to have fun with us for years to come!