The Harder Edge to Soft Paws Anti-Scratching Solutions

So, before going any further, this is a gripe. In fact, this should be a consumer awareness article, but I won't be going as far as putting it up on any review sites.

Some context to start. I love my dog. My landlord loves her too (or has come to think she's very very cute) but before meeting my dog, she had requested that we do something to protect her hard wood floors from scratching caused by nails. This got me very worried, and so having turned to Mr Google for solutions, came across Soft Paws, among many other things to do to prevent your dog from scratching.

Developed by a veterinarian, Soft Paws are vinyl nail caps that glue on to your dogs nails. This amazing product effectively blunts your dog’s nails to protect against problem scratching; protecting against:

• Damage to Household Surfaces: Floors, Doors, Screens, Walls and Furniture
• Canine Skin Conditions Aggravated by Scratching
• Protects You from Scratches from Your Dog
• Dogs and Their Owners LOVE Them!

I bought a pack. It comes with 40 nail caps and 2 tubes of Soft Paws branded super glue that you use to stick the Soft Paws to your dog's nails. And so I did.

It worked a charm, for a while. Until I realised that the Soft Paws which were supposed to fall off naturally didn't. The glue that comes with Soft Paws really is super glue. Over time, the nails grow as they do, and the Soft Paws formed a thick, acrylic layer over the nails, changing the way Beanie walked.

Imagine artificial nails stuck on your toenails for months without coming off. That's probably what my uncomplaining dog had to put up with. I reckon when her nails started to curl, she probably just walked much less.

Dog lovers probably won't read this blog. But over time, I've found alternatives:

• Skilled nail clipping - it's not something only the groomer does
• Dremelling - A sanding tool which files your dog's nails down straight
• A nail file - God bless Manicure, it smoothes not just your nails

Any one of these options were far less painful for Beanie, more natural, and she's still not scratching the floor.

A sharp reminder to me not to opt for the lazy way out and do the right thing for the one living thing who always looks happy when I come home.

Neuticles - replacing your dog's neutered err... testicles

This is why I have a female dog. And also why I'm happy to neuter her without guilt.

You can now replace your neutered pet's testicles, "allowing your pet to retain his natural look, self esteem and aids in the trauma associated with neutering".

What is the world coming to?

Lil Miss Beanie has fractured her leg!

Beanie with Fractured Leg
Originally uploaded by metaphoric.

The lil miss fractured her leg recently in a series of unfortunate events. Well, unfortunately silly, that is.

A doctor's x-ray last Saturday recently confirmed that the injury was indeed a fracture around the joint (equivalent of the knee I suppose) on the right hind leg. LMB is now hobbling around with a rather cumbersome bandage cast on her leg and a Elizabethan collar to avoid her chewing the bandages off like a happy mummy.

How did she come about this state of affairs? Well, she had leaped merrily off the bed in pursuit of a friendly cat recently, thought she could fly and realised, with the sharp pangs that realization usually comes with, that she was sorely mistaken. By that time, the hind leg had already hit ground zero.

She is recuperating well with adequate bedrest and will be prevented from hobbling around on all 3's (which she can do pretty well) for the time being.

Merry Christmas Lil' Miss Beanie!

Beans and Bone
Originally uploaded by metaphoric.

Because it was fun, Beanie got a Christmas present too, a new multi-coloured rope toy that is now trailing bits all over the place. Despite not being able to extract it from the Christmas stocking it came in, when helpfully assisted, Beanie proceeded to start happily chewing away at it and it's fast turning into one of her favourite chew toys!

Day Out at the Botanics

KM & Beanie All Smiles
Originally uploaded by metaphoric.

So we finally checked out the Singapore Botanic Gardens which has a cafe (Cafe Les Amis at the Botanics) which serves food to both pet owners and their pets (says the cafe - but they serve mostly water to dogs).

Wonderful day out for both dog and SLR... and led to (among the collection) this one of both KM and B looking very posed for. I am absolutely delighted to say that this is one of my biggest successes in pet and people portraiture yet. Both of them look sharp, relaxed and happy looking at the camera.

This one is for enuwy... can't wait to get both our cameras aimed at these two highly photographic personalities.

I miss the lil' muppet...

Muppet Owns the Table
Originally uploaded by metaphoric.

Term of endearment from me (obviously inherited from Laura at some point in Berkeley) - muppet.

Was just browsing through my family photos from when I was a kid and came across these sweetheart photos of my niece, then probably around 9 months old.

And had that realisation that I completely missed the litlte muppet. I'm not gonna see her again for quite a while, and this time when I'm back in town she's not gonna be there... awwww....