BeeBee Chronicles

Although a certain lip-service is paid to health and temperament, for a fair number of people an animal’s looks are the primary concern. If a breed, such as a corgi, is known for its erect ears, then these become the immediate focus of attention. Such people would look BeeBee’s drooping right ear and think that her left side was her “good” side and hope that her right ear gets with the program so it doesn’t spoil her looks. In reality, the left side of BeeBee’s face is the side that’s compromised. That eye doesn’t blink and her vision from

A friend stopped in unannounced yesterday and was taken aback to the point of appalled that I’d taken on a dog like BeeBee. His comments’ effect on me surprised me for two quite opposite reasons. My immediate response was to lash out at him for his anti-canine comments because Bee and her problems have become such a normal part of my life I’ve already forgotten that others might not see her the same way I do. Fortunately, I realized that this was my problem not his and didn’t say anything I’d later regret. Whew! But after he left (after offering Bee

Previously I mentioned that BeeBee appears to have learned to bark in a “normal” way from observing my other two dogs. In addition to using this bark when she joins in greeting visitors, she also uses it when she greets and wants to play with other dogs. Unfortunately, the latter yields less successful results than the former because the average human has no idea what she’s saying to them but it doesn’t matter, especially with cute puppies. On the other hand, it does matter to the average dog and, judging from other dogs’ responses to her, whatever she’s saying

Actually, I doubt she has. Or rather, she may have, but her skills at reading body language are probably much better. Like other dogs born deaf, she has a distinct vocalization which in her case is half-way between a low bark and a moan. But since she’s been here, she has also develop a bark that is indistinguishable (to me) from that of a dog who can hear. That animals, including humans, learn by mimicry is well-known, and one day several weeks ago I saw what I can only describe as a conscious attempt on Bee’s part to mimic my other dogs in

BeeBee has less control over the left side of her face. That plus her much shorter lower jaw causes saliva sometimes to collect on her down side when she sleeps. There’s never been much of it so I forgot all about it. But yesterday I looked down at her sleeping under my desk and noticed a distinct pink color around her lips and immediately thought, “Oh, my God, what’s happened to her!” Ridiculous visions of that as yet unidentified damaged part of her brain leaking out through the roof of her mouth vied with those of some unacknowledged infirmity

House-training BeeBee has caused me to realize that there’s room for yet another dog-training book even with the gazillions already out there. I came to this conclusion when BeeBee started giving me her, “I have to go” look. The problem was that we were in my upstairs office and, call it sympathy pains or post-menopausal bladder, I suddenly realized that I really had to go, too. I immediately picked her up and carried her downstairs, fully intending to take her outside immediately. Unfortunately, my bladder had other ideas. Even more unfortunately, I couldn’t recall a single training book that

It’s been almost exactly one month since BeeBee joined my household and, during that time,  defining her and our relationship seemed like a particularly pressing task. I say this, not because I felt any pressing need to do this, but because others did. And I admit, there is something comforting about assigning such labels. Somehow doing so implies a certain amount of control. One common view is that BeeBee is broken and everything that can be done should be done to fix her. Another sees her as impaired and in need of some sort of environmental and bond bubble to protect her from the real world at all

Stop by the website in October and meet my new addition, BeeBee, and get the inside scoop on why I decided to give her her own category. Then watch this space as the saga unfolds.