Roy's Birthday

The family got together on Wednesday to celebrate Roy's birthday.  Maggie loves to have company.   I don't know how she knows but somehow she always senses when company is coming.   As I was scurring around to get ready Maggie started to bark for no apparent reason.   I think somewhere in that fuzzy head she recognized the signs of company.   She did stir a little when the family arrived but soon found a place to sleep out of the path of little feet.   Even when we sang Happy Birthday she didn't rouse to join us.   I feel she is slipping away more each day.   It is breaking out hearts.  Roy got his new Schnauzer calendar for his birthday like he always does.   We looked through it today and both got weepy as we saw images so like Maggie.   He said if I had my way I'd have 2 just like her.   Something to remember when the time comes.

Maggie Needs a Bath

Since she was a puppy, Maggie has gone to the groomer once a month.   It was traumatic for her but she held herself together and came home a cutie pie with a new bandana around her neck each time.   A few months ago the groomer told us it was too traumatizing for Maggie to be groomed there.   Now that Maggie is blind and deaf she just couldn't handle it.  The groomer said she would do Maggie, if we insisted, but she hoped that we would not.   So Maggie no longer goes to the groomer.   Now she is a shaggy little thing.   We have given her a few baths but it was so stressful for all of us that we wait until we can't stand the odor to do it.   Her hair has been getting longer and her toenails click on the floor so we knew it was time for us to act.   We went to Youtube to watch videos on how to trim a dogs nails.  We went to Petco to get nail trimmers.   Cuting her hair... that is the challenge.   We borrowed some clippers several months ago.   Roy was to research how to use them and how to quickly cut her hair.   Up to today all we have done it trim Roy's hair.   I'll admit I'm better at it than I thought and there have been no slips that sent him scurrying to the barber.   So today we decided to trim Maggie's nails and give her a haircut.   I was sure if we gave her to dose of Rescue Remedy she would be calm and this would be a snap.   Wrong!  We managed to bathe her without incident although she trembled uncontrolably.   When we got her out of the tub she bit Roy, drama, drama.  We dried her with towels and let her roam around the house for awhile.   Then we sat her between us on the kitchen floor and tried to clip her hair.   I was biten this time.   We managed to clip her back using the clippers and trim her front paws using the scissors and then we had to let her go.   We had lunch.  After lunch I gave her some more Rescue Remedy and we tried to clip her nails.   We were able to get the back feet done.   Had to let her go again.   So now we have spent several hours and have a dog who has short hair on her back and the nails on her hind feet clipped.  Oh, and she has slept all eveing.  I don't know if we totally stressed her out or its the  Rescue Remedy.   Either way we're all beat.

Snow again

I can't believe it, snow again for the 3rd time this month.   Some years we don't get any at all.   Poor Maggie.   She hates the wet weather or any kind.   She paced and paced and we knew what she needed.   So Roy went out the garage door and shoveled the paved area in about a 5' by 3' area.   Poor dog has known all her life not to do her business any where but grass.   She really fought it but finally did what she needed to do.   Roy picker her and passed her to me in the door way.  I had a big bath towell ready because she was covered in snow.   I wrapped her tightly and she trembled and even took a few nips at me but I finally got her dry.   Roy took over once he got back in the house.   She is obviously more forgiving of him than me.

Maggie and Christmas

Young Maggie used to love Christmas.   We would put her new  toys in a gift bag under the tree and just wait for her to find them.   Usually it was shortly after we put them there.  I'm convinced that PetSmart puts some type of scent on their toys and bags so that dogs recognize it right away.   In the past Maggie would know the minute we came home with a PetSmart bag; she would poke her head around until she could get it in the bag.   This year she never even noticed the bag from PetSmart.   She slept while we opened our presents and never even made an appearance.   Graysea and Furby on the other hand immediately found the empty gift bag and Graysea had to go into to investigate.   Maggie still sleeps.   More snow due here today poor Maggie.

It Must be 2 a.m. Maggie needs to go out

Maggie has always wanted to go out in the middle of the night.  It doesn't matter how late we take her out in the evening, around 2 a.m. we hear her demand to go out.   In her younger days, Maggie would sleep on our bed usually between us and on cold nights under the covers.   When she needed to go out she would wake Roy and he would get up with her.   These days she will not sleep on the bed but prefers a rug usually in the hall outside our bedroom.   Maggie seldom barks anymore so we have to listen for her walking around on the hardwood floors.  Roy is about as deaf as Maggie so guess who hears her now.   It is so predictable that somewhere around 2 a.m.  I'll hear her little nails clicking on the floor, wandering  and trying to find one of us.   We close the door to the room across the hall from ours and sometimes I'll hear her scratching at the door.    The trouble with the 2 a.m. outing is that Maggie can't manuver the outside steps so someone has to carry her down the steps.   This is also the time that Maggie likes to wander the yard and sit.   Last night she stayed out 20 minutes just long enough for me to come wide awake and be freezing cold.   But she is so sweet when I pick her up to come in, sometimes she is trembling and she lets me hold her close and whisper I love you in her ear.   I think she hears me or maybe she just responds to a gentle touch.  I usually get a quick kiss for my efforts.

And She Sings

Our Maggie is a singing Schnauzer.   We didn't always know this.   One year we were out of town on a special birthday of our friend, Becky.   So we called her to sing happy birthday.   As we were singing Maggie started singing along.   We were all thrilled and it became a tradition for Roy and I to call our loved ones on their birthday and  have Maggie sing along with us.   This morning Roy picked up Maggie to hold her for a few minutes.   He snuggled with her for a few minutes then started to sing.   The ole girl managed to squeak out a long howl but it seemed to take a lot out of her.   It does reassure us that Maggie is still in there and we know she stills hears high pitched sounds.

Nap Time

Nap time is a very important time at our house.   Roy of course doesn't take naps as he recently informed his doctor.   I snapped this picture one Sunday afternoon.  That red blanket is a particular favorite of Furby who looks like a white blob here.   Maggie did raise her head for the picture but quickly returned toher nap.

Graysea and Furby Meet Maggie

I mentioned this occasion in an earlier post so I dug out the picture that says it all.   This was the day Maggie was introduced to Furby and Graysea.  When Roy and I were first married I told him to give the animals a week and they would be friends.   It has been nearly 10 years and they still give each other plenty of room to pass.   I do think Furby, the black and white one, would be friends but Maggie has too many scars from the early days to let that happen.   Furby does try to rub against Maggie.   There is a little jealousy there too because Furby does make an appearance when she hears me talking to Maggie.   She tries to get between us.   Graysea on the other hand still takes swipes at Maggie every chance she gets which would be funny if it wasn't so sad since Maggie never sees it coming.

Schnauzer's Do Love Their Kisses

If you've never had a schnauzer you may not know that they are really people dogs.   They love their people and love to give their people kisses, too.   That's one of the ways we know our Maggie is still with us.   We can pick her up and hold her and she will lick our faces as long as we allow.   She can't see us or hear us but I guess she smells us or through some sense that we don't understand she knows it is us.   I'll never forget an incident when Roy and I had been married about 2 weeks.   I was preparing dinner when I realized I needed an onion.   I asked Roy to run to the market for me.   He agreed and I turned to go back to the kitchen when I heard him say, "can I have a kiss before I go".   I turned around smiling and said "of course'.   I noticed the funny look on his face.  He said, "I was talking to Maggie but you can have a kiss too".   Good thing  I love this dog too.

Maggie and Bad Weather

This week it snowed in Hampton.   It's a pretty sight unless your a mini schnauzer who hates wet weather.   Poor Maggie had to be carried in and out each time nature called.   Her little paws had snowballs attached each time she came in.   She was not happy about having each paw detached from the snowballs and wiped dry.   This reminded me of an event that happened a few years ago actually early in my marriage to Roy.   It was a dark and rainy summer night.   Maggie really needed to go out (or outy out as Roy called it).   After many attempts to coax her out, including Roy and his large umbrella.   I offered to walk her.   During those days there was nothing Maggie loved more than a walk.   So my idea was to offer a walk which she accepted excitedly.   I doned my raincoat and grabbed her leash.   The moment we stepped into the yard Maggie took off at a very fast pace.   We made it 2 doors down before she made her stop to do her business.   She immediately turned and headed for home so fast I had to run.   As I opened the front door we were both dripping rain and soaked to the skin.   Roy took one look at us and said "Oh, you poor baby!".    He ran to grab a towel and proceeded to dry Maggie as I stood there dripping rain water on the only Persian rug we own.   I cleared my throat to get Roy's attention.   His response was..."uh, you know where the towels are".    Yea right.   Maggie is still his first love.

About Our Maggie

Before I met Roy,  he met Maggie.   It was love at first sight.    They shared everything.   When I came  into Roy's life he shared Maggie with me.    She has been devoted to both of us.   Maggie is a very typical Mini Schnauzer.   She is a people dog and a barker.   In the early years I used to say she would bark if a leaf fell off a tree.  Not anymore.   Our dear Maggie has now lost her eyesight and hearing.   She rarely barks anymore.   It is unbelieveable how much we miss the barking.  The sweet little dog that used to be such a ball of energy and fun now just sleeps most of the day and night.   She lets us take her out when necessary and still eats when encouraged especially peanut butter but it is all an effort for her.   As her time to leave us draws near we try to cherish every day with her by recalling all the love and devotion she brought to us.   The first time I met Maggie was a test.   I didn't know it at the time but it was.   Roy and I had been dating a few weeks when he brought me to his house to meet her.   During those days Roy would put a gate up at the kitchen door to confine to that room when he was away.   While this was hard for him to do it did protect the chair legs from further attack.   Anyway, Maggie greeted me that first day as though I was a long lost friend.  She was barking, jumping and just so excited.   I loved her at first sight too.   As Roy and I became closer we decided it was time introduce Maggie to my cats.  Not fun.   Interesting that while Roy was driving to my house Maggie started to whine and cry about a block away.   Intuitively she knew what was coming.   My two cats, Graysea and Furby, ran for high ground the minute Roy and Maggie came through the door.  I have a wardrobe that they could get on top of and there they went.   I'll post that picture sometime it really shows their anger.   The funniest memory of that night is Roy sitting in my kitchen holding Maggie.   One cat was at his feet and the other on the table both taking swipes at he and Maggie.   I thought it was hilarious;  Roy not so funny.   Anyway, Maggie needs to go out so that's all for now.