[Originally posted to blogoSFERICS]

We timed Lucy’s heartworm treatment so she could get her second round before we left on our Fairbanks trip, and have her follow-up test done after we got back. She got a clean bill of health on that, and although she seems a little out of shape from getting so little exercise (I can relate) we are working her up to a greater activity level.

The day before we left for Fairbanks, Lucy exhibited signs that she is, indeed, not yet spayed. While we were gone she managed to get out of the yard once, but so far it doesn’t look like she’s in a puppy way. She’s supposed to go in again in December for another round of vaccination booster shots, and we think we’ll arrange to have her spayed then, if she still appears not to be expecting. That appointment still needs to be made…

Chris also wants to get her into an obedience class fairly soon. Improving her response to commands is on my list of Things I Would Like Very Much™. She understands “Sit” reasonably well, but “Stay” still eludes her.

She’s getting along better with our smaller cat, Suzie Q, and Chris reports that Lucy and Taz, the big, cantankerous (neutered) tomcat, have managed to sniff noses without Taz doing his usual growling or hissing. So maybe they’re getting used to her. She has gone out of her way to be inoffensive to both cats, except during the very brief time when we were feeding Lucy in the house—she gets jealous of her food dish if a cat even goes near it. (Heck, she gets jealous of her food if she hears a fly buzzing near it.)

One thing has given clear indication that she used to be an indoor dog (aside from her almost <pun> spotless </pun> record): when she hears the doorbell, she runs to the door. One time she was here with me and the computer made a ‘ding’ sound. Lucy jumped to her feet and raced downstairs.

Well, that’s the Lucy report for now.