by Natalia

A few little moments in a blend of days

I know I skipped a few weeks of isolation updates. Just didn’t feel like talking. The days, although mainly good days (because who am I to complain!), blended into a phase, a stretch of blurry captures that become barely recognisable and hardly meaningful after a while. It’s like a photography hiccup – even though the beautiful object is out there before you, it takes a skill to focus on it properly.

We are still here. Isolating. And I am thinking of starting walks as the situation seems to be improving somewhat. By that I mean that we have fewer people dying and fewer – getting sick, and we are at slightly lower risk of catching the virus.

Of course, it’s not brilliant. And it will take a long time to feel different. But I am so tired of being afraid all the time. So we are going to try and get out.

This morning I needed to pop out to post a few cards. It was early in the morning. Just me and the birds. I walked through the village that felt unfamiliar, same but different, very odd.

The birds are reigning. They have never been particularly timid over here, but now they give you a piercing, quizzically judgmental look as if you came to their party uninvited. And forgot to bring the gifts.

But that was the good thing – to see them living the life as they’ve always done. Because the sun still comes out every morning, the sky is blue (most of the time), the rain is wet and the air is filled with the intoxicating fragrances of hackberry and lilac.

I came home, hugged my boys and finally, first time in many weeks, took out my camera. We shot a few photos, had a play before the rain hit the ground, and lived without agenda getting one more day closer to the moment when we can simply be again…

Dog nutrition tips / can my cocker spaniel eat dandelions / is dandelion toxic to dogs / diet advice for puppies / Perfect cocker spaniel dog blog / (C) Natalia Ashton
by Natalia

Can my dog eat… dandelions?

One of the most frequent questions recently was about dandelions. Does your cocker spaniel eat dandelions? Because a lot of dogs and puppies seem to enjoy them very much. Fred is one of such pups. Sometimes I wonder if the boy was a sheep in one of his previous lives. He is the only one among all of my dogs who grazes. My first two were into eating peas straight off the plant. Oscar didn’t care about grass at all – instead he loved to relax in a shade of his favourite hydrangea. Coop adores the lavender.

And Fred… Fred loves his dandelions. He can find them anywhere, hunting and sniffing out the youngest leaves, barely visible in the grass, just sprouting out… They probably hope for a long life in the sun. Fred his his own plans that don’t fit that brief.

Every morning we step outside and Fred goes off looking for his favourite snack. I often help because I have fingers and can pick smaller leaves. “Lets find dandelions” I suggest, and he (almost) patiently trots beside me searching….

CAN A DOG EAT DANDELIONS?

The answer is YES. Absolutely!

And spring is the best season for harvesting them. The leaves contain plenty of vitamin A (beta-carotene) required for healthy cells, skin, bones, and vision, plus immune-boosting vitamin C and vitamin K essential for proper blood clotting. Zeaxanthin in dandelion leaves is also a powerful antioxidant that protects the cells and DNA from damage.

The plant is also rich in calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and manganese.

Therapeutically, dandelion is known as a wonderful liver tonic that can also support kidney function and may help to purify the blood.

The dogs seem to know when they need to eat the plant, which parts of it are the best for  them, and can determine the essential quantities, too. So don’t panic if your spaniel starts munching on the leaves at every given opportunity. Just make sure the plants are organic (well, if they grown in your own garden free from chemicals and in clean soil, they are likely to be), not covered in pesticides and herbicides, and don’t grow near a road due to pollution.

The fondness for dandelion will not necessarily mean that your cocker has an underlying condition, but if your dog is on blood thinners, diuretics or have a diagnosed illness, consult your vet first.

If your dog is a picture of health in every way, yet shows zero interest in dandelion, you can either let him be, or, if you want to boost his vitamin intake, pick a few fresh young leaves, wash them and add about 1tsp of chopped dandelion into your spaniel’s food once every 2-3 days.

 

Image credit: Pezibear from Pixabay

Fred, chocolate and tan English cocker spaniel puppy / Covid coronavirus self-isolating with two spaniels / Perfect cocker spaniel dog and pet blog (C) Natalia Ashton
by Natalia

Self-isolating with two dogs | Week 2

Unlike my sourdough starter, we are doing relatively well. Two weeks of the house and garden. No walks. Perhaps a bit extreme for many but I can’t take risks…. Not because I am particularly concerned about dying. Frankly, I don’t give a damn. But I can’t go knowing that, should the worst happen, my boys will be left without their mum. As simple as that. I am responsible for their lives and so it is my job to ensure that we all get through without extremes.

Our days changed a little compared to the previous week. The late nights swallowed most of the early mornings, though nobody seems to be complaining. Pups still wake up at 6 for their breakfast and garden, but then return to bed for a snooze… And the extra two hours in the morning allow me to nourish the aftermath of my anxiety-induced insomnia.

At night I lie in bed inhaling the scent of Fred’s forehead and stroking Coop’s back. I watch movies until Fred starts to fidget and tells me off for the flashes of light and sound.  I hug him, and eventually fall into abyss of most vivid dreams. Somehow (and I have no idea why) I always feel that I will wake up to the new day where the world is free from the virus and the nightmare. I feel that not sleeping all night will bring this day closer at a much faster speed.

Then we wake up slightly blinded by the bright sunshine and the reality of “sameness”, get dressed (well, relatively) and walk into the garden for our morning training and play time. It takes us about an hour to work on the issues that need attention, learn something new, play, sniff, practise the old tricks and simply sit outside on a porch listening to birds whilst Fred feasts on dandelion leaves.

Afterwards, I still groom them as usual, as if we were out and got muddy paws.

I know the pups miss their walks, but they seem very, very content with our current activities. They are relaxed, happy, playful, so much so that they happily go for a nap mid-morning and allow me to continue with my studies and reading until late lunch.

After lunch we do everything all over again, cook dinner, play, and relax. Well, they relax whilst I often go back to my computer and dive back into my course work.

I have been inventing new puzzle toys and games for them, too. Will need to do a proper post about this as the list is getting longer. I won’t lie, it can get labour-intensive at times. Once every few days I get to the point when I just want to sit and watch TV for hours doing absolutely nothing. If I didn’t have the boys – I would… But they come to over for a hug or a kiss, bearing a toy or asking for a little bit of training outside. So I get off my bottom and do what every mum is supposed to do: make a cup of coffee to perk up – and leave it to go cold because I am outside entertaining the troops.

But that’s ok. It’s all ok. I only hope that we will soon get a glimmer of hope for better things to come.

 

Image source: Fred photographed by me