Cookie of Katonah

When Cookie wakes up in the morning, the action starts…

Playing “hockey” with tupperware is a great way to start the day!

After some peaceful minutes of good morning pets & cuddles, and a rapid breakfast, our puppy is ready to play and for our undivided attention.  We, on the other hand, are still groggily waking up and need to tend to the morning business of putting breakfast on the table, making coffee, packing lunches, getting dressed, and dealing with all the forgotten details of the night before that now need immediate attention: “Can you sign this?” or “You need to read this!” or “Where is my (fill in the blank)?”  Throughout it all, Cookie barks, nudges, and nips for our attention.  She watches and waits for that moment when we are not looking and leaps for the breakfast table, sometimes making off gleefully with a muffin.  If S’More Cat pops into the kitchen from the cat door leading to the basement stairs, Cookie chases her up onto the couches and barks, causing S’More to mew loudly as if to say, “Save me!!!”  Observing all this from her perch on top of her cage, the bird may decide to chime in, “barking” back at Cookie or imitating Cookie’s squeaky toys loudly.  If she gets really excited she’ll fly a bit and land somewhere that requires an immediate rescue from the puppy (merely curious, but potentially harmful) or the cat (curious and definitely harmful) or both. Meanwhile, I scramble to get lunches ready Cookie gazes imploringly and whines as I spread peanut butter on sandwiches.    Yesterday morning, I went to the front door to bring in our milk delivery, and Cookie spied two dachshunds going for a walk, and bolted out the front door like a shot.  I ran out to the street and called Cookie to come back, to no avail – she was having a blast running circles around the confused dogs, herding them and acting like she had not “heard” me.  So out into the street I went, in a wacky pajama combination no less, to get her.  I ended up just grabbing her in a mad lunge.  As I carried her to our back yard and the “pen of shame” as my daughter Sophia calls it – a de-facto doggie playpen we have in our yard, a safe place to hold her for a few minutes – she licked my face with joy, and I tried very hard not to smile, and to remind myself that Rome, and obedient dogs, were not built in a day.  In fact, my husband and I were expressly warned by one breeder we spoke to when we were seeking a puppy that mornings would be very challenging with an Aussie – and they were certainly right.  People-centered and empathetic creatures that they are, they long for your attention and affection especially in the morning, after being separated from you during the long night.  But then, just when it feels like the chaos will never end, it becomes time to walk our kids to school, and everything changes: Cookie is on her leash and walking happily amongst us all.  The crossing guard calls to her her warmly, the kids pet her and give her love as they walk by, there are fellow dog friends to greet, people smile as they pass by in their cars.  And in those moments, all that early-AM craziness melts away, and I just love this little dog walking by my side.  After we drop off the kids, we walk for awhile, and then close our outing by going up a hill that leads to our house.  By the time we are back home, Cookie is ready for a nap, and I’m just getting started with another full, and furry, day.  Warm & Fuzzy’s, Diana  

Yesterday was a long one for our Cookie-pup, as she underwent her Spay surgery. 

The three months since the above picture of Cookie at 8 weeks old was taken have flown by…and it was hard to believe it was time for Cookie, now 5 months old, to have this important procedure.  While I have no ambitions to become a dog breeder, it was nonetheless a bit sad for me to bring Cookie to the vet yesterday morning.  She is such a beautiful, healthy, strong puppy with the sweetest personality, and really smart to boot…so, knowing that there will never be any little-Cookies in the future felt genuinely like the world was losing something potentially beautiful.  But, for Cookie’s good health, our peace of mind, and our commitment to be responsible pet owners, there was no question that this was the right thing to do.  And so yesterday, Cookie underwent a Laparoscopic Spay.  Using a camera called a Laparoscope, her vet, Dr. Allison Glassman of Roosevelt Veterinary in Brewster, NY was able to perform the surgery with just two very small incisions instead of the traditional long one.  What did the less invasive surgery mean for Cookie?  I dropped her off at 8:30 AM, and picked her up at 3:00 PM and took her home for starters, instead of her needing an overnight stay.  Although she was groggy, she was not in pain, and able to walk up and down a few steps.  What was so sweet was that even in her post-anethesia fog, she was still very aware of us and trying to follow us around, ever our companion.  By early evening she was really perking up, and this morning, save her shaved tummy, was back to her old self: greeting us joyfully, gobbling food, chasing the cat (sigh) and running and playing.  Quite amazing.  Today I am so grateful for the wonderful job Dr. Glassman and everyone at Roosevelt did in caring for Cookie, and for Cookie’s good health, and that we our puppy is back home.  Now as long as Cookie remains healthy, no more vet visits for a year for us.   If you want to learn more about Laparoscopic spays and surgery for your pet, visit LapSpay.com or talk to your vet.  Also, check with your vet about the appropriate age to spay or neuter your puppy, as the appropriate age can vary by breed. Warm & Fuzzys, Diana