Edna Update

Has anyone noticed this food bowl is EMPTY?

Edna the great dane is staying with us for a bit while her humans are back East taking care of some family circumstances.  Although she is geriatric at 13 years old, Edna fits in great with the Bit of Honey herd.  She loves not having to be in charge of anything because there are border collies for that.  She likes to romp outside with the other dogs, and hang out in the grassy areas to watch the games of tug-of-war. 

Last weekend we took her with Miles the border collie to Owen's soccer game on Sat. in Wellington. Miles LOVES soccer, he intensely watches the entire game to see the running, the yelling, the balls in the air, the whistles.... Miles never wants to miss a thing!  Edna thought it was boring. She laid on the grass and waited for people to tell her she was a beautiful and good dog. Which they did.

Though she lacks enthusiasm for soccer, she makes up for it as a riding coach. Today she and the border collies helped me teach 3 lessons.  Edna stands right near me in the middle of the arena and watches the rider, occasionally doing her happy dance (swinging her head in a circle and lifting each front paw alternately) when I cheer for the horse/student. All three dogs were lined up with me in the center, we just didn't have a camera on us. Edna also wants to run with the border collies to chase the large birds in the pond, but she's too big to jump through the fence like they do, so she just trots laps in the yard watching them and cheering from the sidelines.

Because of all this activity she has lost some weight. She looks fine, but I can easily feel her ribs. I increased her kibble a bit, so she's getting 3 meals of 2 cups each. She's pretty pleased with the whole arrangement.  Dear Edna misses her family, but says she's having fun at Kamp Kim.

It is a sad sad thing to wait so long for dinner.

Edna Update: we took her to soccer again this weekend, but this time with Nase because 1. Miles was very swampy after his trail ride, and 2. We had 3 showings on the house and needed the dogs out. A thunderstorm rolled in as the game was going on, so Nase hid and shook under my lawn chair while Edna lay right next to him for comfort at the game. Then we headed to Petsmart to buy Nase a thundershirt. I've heard good things about them and it seems to be helping him a little. Edna was very sociable and visited with all the staff, all the other dogs, large or small, and was of great comfort to Nase in his time of need.

I sometimes get wrapped up in what I'm doing and forget Edna's lunch, so she has started approaching Owen and talking to him. When he asks me if he should feed her, she does her happy dance. This series of events has led us to refer to Owen as the Ned substitute, or "Nedstitute".
I've also noticed that Edna particularly loves little girls, old ladies, with the high voices and little petting motions. She almost seeks out the little girls at the soccer games, and the older ladies who come by the house for church things. It's very endearing.

Not to pester you with Edna stories, but this afternoon was pretty funny.  I was late getting her lunch and so she was a little nauseous.  I gave her lunch in her bowl, but outside on the stoop in case she threw up.  She didn't really want to eat, but stood there staring at the food.  Sabbath the cat sauntered over, since HE likes dog food, and went to put his face in her food bowl and help himself to some kibble.  Edna looked appalled, opened her giant maw and enclosed Sabbath's head in her mouth.  When he withdrew, slightly slimy, she gave him the stink eye.  So he turned around and walked with me to the feed room while Edna proceeded to eat the kibble herself.  I guess a little competition for food is a good thing? But Edna says to watch out for those kibble thieving cats.