tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60296062011-06-08T01:14:17.435-05:00The quest of a fat dog to be skinny again.Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.comBlogger571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1126890892708706522005-09-03T15:10:00.000-05:002005-09-16T12:41:27.776-05:00

The afternoon was clear, cool and sunny - nothing less that what Little Man deserved. The clear blue sky made a fitting backdrop for his burial. I buried Sparky at my farm, at the foot of flowering pear tree (bright orange leaves in the fall, white fragrant blooms in the spring) that was chosen and planted to provide the shade for his final resting place. You can see his grave in the foreground

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1126890125937468792005-08-22T16:59:00.000-05:002005-09-16T12:15:12.820-05:00

It is with an unbearable sadness that I report that Sparky is no longer with us. My apartment is so empty without his presence. I cannot begin to relate how painful this is. He will be buried at my farm over the Labour Day weekend.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1124147026536419782005-08-14T17:57:00.000-05:002005-08-15T18:07:07.050-05:00

I was called into service for an "dog delivery" mission. Grainger was up in Vermont and he needed to be in Manhattan so I headed up Sunday afternoon.What a great dog! Amazingly well behaved in the car and a really sweet dog on the leash. Here's a picture of Grainger on the road. (Don't tell Sparky - that's his seat!)Despite the rain and several accident-caused traffic jams by 4:45pm Grainger was

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1124147489592170792005-08-13T18:09:00.000-05:002005-08-15T22:06:28.806-05:00

Have you ever seen a prettier dog? I might be biased, but I think not! (Make sure you click the picture for the large version!)

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1124147182120465912005-08-12T21:04:00.000-05:002005-08-15T21:57:10.466-05:00

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1123811232348703882005-08-11T20:42:00.000-05:002005-08-15T21:58:15.496-05:00

The Spans and I have instituted a new routine most evenings where we go to Sant Ambroeus on Madison Ave to have a coffee and cookies. I was pretty worn out today and had decided to forego our evening trip and was relaxing on the couch watching a bit of TV. A little after 9pm (Sant Ambroeus closes at 10pm) Winnie and Sparky walk over (basically shoulder to shoulder no less) to see when I would be

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1123595602669276662005-08-09T08:47:00.000-05:002005-08-15T22:03:39.806-05:00

I finally got some pain killers from Dr. K yesterday evening and they seem to be helping. Sunday and Monday were really tough, with Sparky barely getting out of his bed all day long. He spirits improved significantly within 20 minutes after getting his pill last night, so for that, I was relieved. He even played fetch with me for a good 20 minutes before I had to leave for my guitar lesson. When

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1123597111924911502005-08-07T21:00:00.000-05:002005-08-15T22:03:09.120-05:00

Sparky, Winnie and I loaded up the car and headed out for a road trip. Sparky was not feeling all that well, but he loves to ride in the car, so off we went. The plan was to go to Boston to pick up an analog 8-track mixing board that I had purchased on eBay that was just too heavy to ship and then drive back down through CT on the back roads, working in a stop in Old Lyme, CT for some ice cream.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1123382511655096312005-08-06T21:37:00.000-05:002005-08-15T22:02:46.616-05:00

It saddens me greatly to have to report that Sparky is dying. I received the news about a week ago, and although I was holding out faint hope that the test results wouldn't confirm the worst, they unfortunately have. Sparky has a cancerous tumer at the base of his nose and the most aggressive form of cancer at that. Nothing holds out the option for a cure. The only things that can be done can

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1107795947482290682005-02-07T11:53:00.000-05:002005-02-07T12:05:47.483-05:00

Well, it has been some time since I have last updated "Sparky's Quest". I am posting some pictures from Christmas 2004 so that you can all see what a handsome boy Sparky is. These pictures were taken at my farm up in Canada at the end of December. I think you will agree that he's looking good! I had him in for a weigh-in yesterday and he tips the scales at 37.5 pounds now. The weight gain is

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1092235130833389462004-08-08T09:36:00.000-05:002004-08-11T09:38:50.833-05:00

Well, there is almost a tail beginning to show, although withour some sort of surgery there is just too much skin for Sparky to have a regular bum. We went to the vet today for a weigh-in and he tipped the scales at 33.1 pounds. I have upped his food intake again as I want him to stabalize around 32 pounds. Of other note, I should have some pictures shortly (maybe even video) of Sparky "Speed

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1091123791657546502004-07-29T12:55:00.000-05:002004-08-06T12:17:55.090-05:00

Trip to the vet today for a weigh-in - Sparky 35.0, and Winnie 29.7.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1089308772100441732004-07-07T12:43:00.000-05:002004-07-08T12:46:12.100-05:00

and Sparky weighs 35.3 pounds - another .7 lost. I have incresed his food intake to almost maintenance now, so the weight loss should slow right down. He is very close to his ideal weight. He still has some fat deposits on his bum, and far too much skin there, but that should go away as the days pass. I spoke with Dr. Kalvig about his bum, and she said that it would be possible to do some skin

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1088786397539526362004-07-02T11:37:00.000-05:002004-07-02T11:39:57.540-05:00

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1087488399338938602004-06-17T11:05:00.000-05:002004-06-17T11:15:45.440-05:00

Do you think he's happier? We're almost there - that bum still needs a bit of work, but I think that its possible to see a bit of difference. ;) Groomer's tomorrow for a summer hair cut, so check back in a day or two and I will post a side-by-side comparison but for now, take a look at these.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1087488254019890072004-06-17T11:01:00.000-05:002004-07-03T11:05:36.603-05:00

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1087489480023037692004-06-17T10:55:00.000-05:002004-06-17T11:24:40.023-05:00

Here is a picture that I took of Winnifred (a.k.a Winnie) that I like very much.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1086104635558126022004-06-01T10:40:00.000-05:002004-06-01T10:46:50.576-05:00

Just back from a weigh-in at New York Vet and Sparky is 39.0 pounds. The thirties... wow! Sparky has now lost 31 pounds since November. We are closing in on the final weight - I think that healthy weight for Sparkyis going to be about 30 to 32 pounds. Now, as for Winnie, she was 30.0 pounds this morning, for a one-month weight reduction of one pound. She should be about 27 pounds, so she

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1084816479427287512004-05-17T12:53:00.000-05:002004-05-17T12:55:21.406-05:00

No, seriously... Elephant herd rescues antelope from KZN Boma

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1084401636596922022004-05-12T17:39:00.000-05:002004-05-12T17:42:25.350-05:00

I'm not sure if either of the Spannies would want to come across a cat that's this tough! Cat survives cross-country move in drawer

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1083776316024151992004-05-05T11:58:00.000-05:002004-05-05T12:09:25.250-05:00

Sparky tipped the scales this morning at 42.5 pounds (woHOO! 2 pounds), and Winnie, (who has put on a few too many pounds b/c of a switch in diet) at 31.0 pounds.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1083287431612937192004-04-29T20:45:00.000-05:002004-04-29T20:52:40.420-05:00

The following is an excerpt from the Times Herald-Record. It was published on March 24, 2004 and can be found online at 61 Spaniels Wawayanda – The 61 spaniels raced out of four sheds, their hair matted with feces and dirt. Their tails wagged, but the smell of urine staggered onlookers. The dogs' owners, Jack and Frances Stoltz, were charged with 61 misdemeanor counts of neglect yesterday.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1083289366258434112004-04-29T20:42:00.000-05:002004-04-29T20:51:28.170-05:00

This is the letter that I sent to Judge Gromacki, please do not copy it verbatim, the letters will have much more impact if they are written individually. Judge Gromacki Wawayanda Town Court 74 Ridgebury Hill Road Slate Hill, NY 10973 April 29, 2004 Dear Judge Gromacki, It is with great regret and not a little anger that I read about the 61 Spaniels that Mr. and Mrs. Stolz had on their

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1082491751613939492004-04-20T15:09:00.000-05:002004-04-20T15:13:16.716-05:00

44.5 pounds. Although the weight loss has slowed significantly over the past several months, Sparky continues to lose weight, albeit slowly. His tail is slowly appearing, and he is slowly getting his shape back!

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1079724813016657142004-03-19T14:33:00.000-05:002004-03-19T16:56:27.013-05:00

Sparky went to the groomer this morning for the first time. (Although I know that he was groomed once right before I got him.) I am very proud of him as he was a complete gentleman! I have started growing out his feathers and chest, although we have quite some way to go before they are of any significant length. In anycase, I thought that I would include a picture for you this morning!

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1078502362058716772004-03-05T10:59:00.000-05:002004-03-05T11:02:23.093-05:00

Off to New York Veterinary Hospital this morning to pick up another bag of food for Sparky and for a quick weigh-in. Sparky tipped the scales at 47.5 pounds this morning - definitively into the 40's!!

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1077899823809039352004-02-27T11:37:00.000-05:002004-02-27T14:55:24.450-05:00

Here is a picture of Sparky taken this morning with my camera phone while he was helping me navigate. I have a loaner car for a week while the Range is in the shop. Check out all of that hair - what a fur ball! I haven't had him clipped since November as he was shaved right down just before I got him. I haven't decided for sure yet, but I think that I am going to take him over to the groomer next

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1077571373189913062004-02-23T16:22:00.000-05:002004-02-23T16:46:38.310-05:00

You can now email Sparky if you want. His address is: sparkysquest at hotpop dot com. (I have entered it this way to avoid getting SPAM - just re-enter this into your email program in normal format.)

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1077571193377972842004-02-23T16:19:00.000-05:002004-02-23T16:32:48.920-05:00

You should have seen Sparky when I got him home last night. (You might remember from yesterday's post that Captain Insaneo went to the bath room in my apartment.) Well, Sparky was no fool and the moment that he stepped foot in the apartment he knew something had gone down in his absence. It was really funny to watch him go around the apartment. "Hey buddy - what is it. What's going on?" I said

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1077568578873247412004-02-22T23:36:00.000-05:002004-02-24T15:53:54.763-05:00

Operation "Insaneo Drop" involved breaking a Springer ("Captain Insaneo") out of the CACC in NYC and transporting him to his new home in Albany. I had received a call from ESSR about helping this dog get to his new home, and after some initial hesitation, centered around the fact that Sparky hates all other dogs except Winnie, I thought "hey, how bad can it be" and agreed to get this fella home.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1077204308401044792004-02-19T10:25:00.000-05:002004-02-19T10:28:11.263-05:00

Sparky has just tipped the scales at 50 pounds! Forties here we come!

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1076168486641491232004-02-07T10:41:00.000-05:002004-02-07T10:43:50.686-05:00

Sparky wanted me to make sure that I told everyone that he is now 52 pounds! The "forties" are coming fast!

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1076038333870017762004-02-05T22:32:00.000-05:002004-02-07T10:53:33.903-05:00

Well, not quite, but about two weeks ago, I actually felt Sparky's tail wagging when I reached down to pat him. This confirms that there actually will be a tail appearing sometime. The bad weather has slowed things down recently, as we haven't been "marathon walking" not to mention that I spent the first two weeks of January sick in bed. However, the last time that I weighed Sparky, he was just

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-107586277434307172004-02-03T21:46:00.000-05:002004-02-03T21:48:33.496-05:00

Sparky's Quest now has a proper domain name. What this means is that you can type http://www.sparkysquest.com to find out the latest and greatest info about our boy Sparky.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1074622165539747412004-01-20T13:09:00.000-05:002004-01-20T13:42:38.483-05:00

I have added commenting functionality - if you would like to leave comments, click on the Comment link at the bottom of the post! Additionally, pictures are coming in the next week. (I promise!)

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1071708203177041962003-12-17T19:43:00.000-05:002003-12-17T19:45:58.453-05:00

Sparky had a weigh-in today, and we are pleased to report that he tipped the scales at 56.3 pounds! It is difficult to tell the difference in him as I see him everyday, however, yesterday I got the roll of film that we shot of him the first few days that he was here developed (yes, this means pictures on the site soon!) and there is indeed a noticeable difference in him. Sparky still has quite

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1070575687945149622003-12-05T17:03:00.000-05:002003-12-04T17:08:18.890-05:00

I have changed the seating configuration in the car slightly. Winnie, of course, is in the back seat as always, but I have folded down one of the back seats and Sparky now uses this as his "platform" and loves to sit and stare out the windows. Occasionally he will give a little and low growl out when he sees another dog on the street, but I verbally correct him and he is beginning to understand

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1070574968949429722003-12-04T16:56:00.000-05:002003-12-04T17:02:50.110-05:00

Sparky is now under 60 pounds! He tipped the scale this morning at 59.2 pounds!! We had a bit of a scare today when Sparky lunged at another dog on the street. His back legs went out when I was holding him back and he then wouldn't put any weight on his left hind leg. I massaged it and checked it for sore spots, but he didn't complain over any specific place on his leg and was walking without

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1070169755035401132003-11-30T00:22:00.000-05:002003-11-30T00:22:44.663-05:00

Sparky continues to amaze. As with any rescue dog, it takes a bit of time before the dog's personality comes out. Additionally, the new home also has an effect on the dogs personality. Sparky is no different. As the days pass he turns into more and more of a character. Sparky is doing so much better climbing the stairs. (There are 4 flights to get to my apartment.) When we first started

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1069968858329328922003-11-27T16:34:00.000-05:002003-11-27T17:12:55.766-05:00

Dr. Kalvig has prescribed Eukanuba Veterinary Diets Restricted Calorie food for Sparky, and Eukanuba has generously donated all the food for Sparky's quest. Sparky and I would like to thank the local Eukanuba rep for her generous support.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1069968565056723862003-11-27T16:29:00.000-05:002003-11-27T16:45:28.430-05:00

I have been swamped with work recently, so I apologise for not getting the news up on the site. Sparky has been progressing quickly over the past weeks and I am very proud of him! We were at the vet's office two days ago and I am very pleased to report that Sparky now tips the scale at 60 pounds. (That's 6.5 pounds lost so far for all those of you who are counting!) I am not expecting this

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1069480539473909042003-11-21T23:55:00.000-05:002003-11-30T01:05:07.100-05:00

The weather has been miserable (well, not if you're a duck) here in NYC with rain falling constantly, today was the first day that there was clear weather. Sparky really doesn't mind the rain at all and was game for walking even though it was wet and cold. I thought that I might be able to convince Sparky to go for a swim since he was already soaked, but he shows no interest in getting into the

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1068578285538727682003-11-10T08:35:00.000-05:002003-11-11T14:18:41.330-05:00

Depending on your perspective one of the benefits (a good way to monitor the health of your dog), or detractions (don't forget the bags), of owning and walking a dog in NYC is that one becomes intimately familiarly with one’s canine companion’s poop! In any case, I saw evidence of tapeworms in Sparky’s morning stool and took a sample over to New York Veterinary Hospital for confirmation. Dr.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1068485393166663002003-11-09T21:55:00.000-05:002003-11-10T12:36:17.076-05:00

After a leisurely walk in the park (even a Springer in training deserves one day off), we loaded the dogs into the Rangie for a day of shopping. We were headed down to Chinatown for some Dim Sum and then on to Soho for some proper shopping. Sparky and Winnie were making friends all around Soho and shopping up a storm. Burberry was a highlight for the Spannies and Winnie looked smashing in the

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1068485355512707972003-11-08T23:28:00.000-05:002003-11-11T09:30:03.786-05:00

It was a beautiful fall day and I decided to load “the pack” into the Rangie for an upstate road trip. We headed out after picking up some breakfast and decided that we would head up to Woodbury, Connecticut to do some antiquing. Although most of the leaves have already fallen, we drove the back roads for a view of the countryside and what leaves remained put on a good show. We were driving along

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1068243312192799342003-11-07T18:45:00.000-05:002003-11-07T20:18:14.276-05:00

This morning was Sparky's vet appointment at New York Veterinary Hospital with Dr. Kalvig (who I think is just about as perfect a vet as one can find) to have a general check-up and have his ears examined. Kira and Winnie decided to come along for the walk so that they could keep an eye on things in a supervisory capacity as well as wanting to be there for the weigh-in. We were quite a sight

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1068244274061267942003-11-07T17:50:00.000-05:002003-11-07T17:55:09.930-05:00

Thanks to customer support at Blogger.com, I now have an upgraded site. All of the pictures I took earlier this week were with a film camera, and I still have some photos left on that roll before I can get it developed. I will take some digital pictures this weekend and I'll upload them as soon as I do.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1068220297551583802003-11-07T07:51:00.000-05:002003-11-07T17:23:23.080-05:00

One of "the regulars" noticed the improvement in Sparky when he saw him running with me this morning. This was an encouraging sign! I am convinced that you can see a difference already, but then again it is hard to tell when I see him on a daily basis.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1068219923101059732003-11-06T23:55:00.000-05:002003-11-07T10:51:26.930-05:00

We had a really rainy day today and this evening was no different. Fortunately, by the time that Sparky was ready for his evening walk, it had stoped raining in ernest and was only misting. The girls weren't interested in going out in the rain for an evening walk (I swear that Winnie rolled her eyes at Kira when I suggested it) but Sparky and I were up for it. We walked about 40 blocks up and

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1068089276488451962003-11-05T22:27:00.000-05:002003-11-05T22:48:46.653-05:00

"The Pack" just got back from an evening walk during which we toured down Madison Ave and did some window shopping. (Sparky and I are partial to the Beretta store - I'll leave it to the reader to surmise why.) I am astonished by how quickly his endurance is improving and Sparky continues to be amazed that he gets to go out for a minimum of two walks a day. The evening walk was uneventful, but

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1068068784565668852003-11-05T16:46:00.000-05:002003-11-05T17:02:13.856-05:00

Pictures are on the way. I have to upgrade my blog*spot account to something other than "free" and then get some photos uploaded. I will visually chronicle the changes in Sparky as the weeks and months go by here on the blog so that all of his "fans" can experience the transformation.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1068060589021888012003-11-05T14:29:00.000-05:002003-11-05T16:37:10.390-05:00

I had a good look at Sparky's ears last night, and I have only one word to describe them - YIKES. They are in terrible shape and are going to require a lot of attention. (As if Spaniel ears don't require a lot of attention to begin with!) I scheduled an appointment for Sparky with my vet for Friday to have the ears examined. He is currently being treated once a day with a product called "clear".

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1067973513532951512003-11-04T14:18:00.000-05:002003-11-05T16:16:53.343-05:00

Sparky made a stellar showing at the park this morning, although we're still working on being friendly to other dogs. He managed the whole circuit through the park without too much trouble, including the stairs. We rounded out the morning walk with a game of fetch, which Sparky didn't realize he could play outside in the park. (He generally walks around the house squeeking his squeezy bone

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1067895461935687182003-11-03T16:37:00.000-05:002003-11-05T15:43:01.103-05:00

I took him to my vet this morning to use the scale there for the official weigh-in. He tipped the scales at 65.6 pounds! His target weight should be between 32 and 35 pounds - he is literally going to be 1/2 the dog that he is now when he reaches his final weight. Sparky's Quest begins! After the vet we were off with Kira and Winnie on the morning circuit through the park. Generally we spend a

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1068062410734434982003-11-03T06:45:00.000-05:002003-11-07T16:48:58.093-05:00

Sparky was previosuly fed breakfast early in the morning, a fact that I must have "conveniently" forgotten after going to bed late on Sunday night. Undeterred by this late bed time Sparky was up and ready to go at 6:00AM this morning and although I rise relatively early it was a bit of a suprise to be greeted by a Spaniel face an inch from mine as a wake up call. I rose to the occasion and took

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1067974657067908092003-11-03T02:30:00.000-05:002003-11-05T16:18:37.936-05:00

Sparky and I had an interesting experience last night. At about 2:20 AM I awoke to a terrible howl of anguish. (Anyone who has heard this knows that you're instantly awake when you hear something like that!) It was Sparky howling in his sleep. His previous owner had mentioned that this happend on a relatively regular basis, so I knew it was his recurring nightmare. As he was sleeping right

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6029606.post-1067897211895897292003-11-02T23:30:00.000-05:002003-11-05T22:42:13.876-05:00

Sparky has settled in to his new apartment with out too much trouble, although Winnie isn't so sure she is happy with the new addition to "The Pack". Sparky rides well in the car and has claimed the rear cargo area in the Rangie as his own. He loves the space, and can look out the rear window at the passing world.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12171998343349863074noreply@blogger.com0