Similarities

Hera is showing lots of similarities to several of my previous greyhounds.

1: She looks very much like my first greyhound, Patti, who was also red with black face accents.

2: Hera started out with a whining sound like Fleur.

3:Both Fleur and Hera are starers, and really like to stare intently at me.

4: Hera and Fleur like to lean on one elbow and practically hang off the sofa in their attempts to make me give into their staring.

Hera is staring!

Fleur is starring!

Dogs and repairs!

10 days ago, I arrived at Camping World again, and began the process of the repairs.  First they installed the new awnings.

Old awnings

I needed three window awnings, and two slide out topper awnings!  The day that I was at Camping world, it took about 8 hours for the fixes to be completed!

Four days later, the motorhome compressor for my road master auxiliary braking system was on the schedule, and I woke to a completely saturated motorhome floor due to a water leak.  Yikes!

The guys did find and fix the leak, at a less horrible price, and now I have to dry out the carpet where the leak occurred!

During the hours of waiting, the dogs and I waited at the dealership waiting room!  I noticed that Hera was more relaxed walking on the concrete floor (relief), but she wouldn't lie down on the cold floor, so I helped her to get on the sofa, and after a while she relaxed and enjoyed the staff and other customers making over her and being her "subjects"!

Power was very cool and laid down on the floor and relaxed!

Elevated

Since getting Hera, she has been very very nervous in the car and pants and shakes continuously!

A couple of days ago, she suddenly found a way to be comfortable.  I came out from a store and there she was...lying on a bed of blankets stacked on my folding chair and step stool which is stashed in the back seat on the passenger side of the car.  She was perched comfortably on this pile of belongings and then did not begin to pant till we were driving.

Each time we went out, I would see her on her "throne" when I came out of a store.  Again, she would be very comfortable and not panting until we drove.

Today however, I came out of Camping world store and she waited until I was in my seat and she hopped up onto the soft "throne", while I was watching in the rear view mirror!  She didn't even pant while we were driving!

I'm so relieved that she is finding her comfort zone!  Having her relax more is so wonderful in my mind, since I want her to be happy!

Loose

Every now and then, I have to tighten the allen screw that holds my driving mirrors in the correct position.

Looking for my allen wrenches

I never can remember where I store the wrenches.

And looking some more

I know they are in a toolbox, but which one.

Now what size do I need?

I cannot remember what size I need, either.

Will this step stool be high enough?

I always hope that I won't have to drag out my long ladder, but it's fruitless hoping.

Maybe my three step stool will be enough

I had to drag out my tall ladder  to reach this height of the loose mirror.

If the screw would loosen more often I would have more chances to remember the equipment!

The opera singer

My lovely Hera is a mezzo-soprano!  After about one month of such ideal behavior, she apparently decided that she could let "the good times roll" as they say in New Orleans.  She began to warm up her "pipes" with brief bursts of one note rooing.  I thought that this was very strange, since none of my previous greyhounds had Rooed.

Her second act consisted of two note warbling and it was louder than the first.

However the third act (about 1 week ago, came just after I went to bed, and began with one note, then two note, then an operatic aria!  I thought that if I ignored this display that she would stop, but after two hours she was still going full speed, so I got out of bed and entered the living room.  I decided to put on her jammies to see if that would help, and also put Power's jammies on him. He was standing on the sofa saying to me that his eardrums were shattered by the opera star.  He looked very bleary eyed!  After that, Hera settled down a large amount and we got rest for the last part of the night hours.

Hera hanging herself over the edge of the sofa and singing opera!


Each night after that, she began the same process, but I began to scold her for Rooing at bedtime.  After about the third scold she began to settle down.

Each night her behavior settled down somewhat, and is now much more normal.

However, she still warbles when ever she wants something during daylight hours.

If she sees another dog outside the motorhome, she starts singing again and it's a loud voice.  I guess she is showing enthusiasm for the other dogs!

My neighbor

When I was packing up to leave Bluewater Lake State Park, I had to disassemble my dog's yard.  I had multiple things to get either packed or throw away.

This beautiful salamander was residing under my outside dog bed, and today when I picked up the dog bed, he showed me his beauty!


I searched on the internet, and I think he is a Barred Tiger Salamander.

Do any of you know differently?

Shiny floor paranoia?

On a trip inside camping world, I knew it was possible that Hera would be afraid of the floors...they are polished concrete.  When I opened the door, Power walked inside with aplomb, Hera took one look and gave the GSOD!  It took me by surprise, since she had never done that before!  I eventually got her inside, but she was in full panic mode, and had all for legs splayed, and each leg had all toes splayed!  I decided to stand still and give her a chance to calm a bit.  Eventually I was needing to move out of the way so I pulled Hera a few feet to where a chair was located away from the store entrance.  

There we waited it out, and it took a long while.  I talked to several other visitors as time passed and slowly Hera let her toes relax, then she let her legs relax and finally she was standing in a normal stance.  When that happened, I stood and began to walk through the store.  Hera resisted at first and then started walking along without any trouble for about 40-50 feet.  Then she froze up again and we repeated the process.  This time she relaxed sooner and we went on through the store with her walking very naturally!  YIPPEE!  This is a huge victory!

Mom, no amount of talking to me will make me braver!

Now it is two weeks later, and today we drove back to the Camping world store in Albuqurque, and after parking, we walked up to the front of the store and in a travelled spot in the front of the store both dogs relieved themselves ( yes, I had poop bags in my pocket), and on inside we went! Hera walked along the polished concrete floors without any trouble.  I was quite pleased with her continuing progress on those floors.

During the month that I was at Bluewater lake state park, she never got over her fear of the vinyl floors in the office building, and she was very afraid of the vinyl floors in my motorhome.  I ended up buying those rubber pads that are meant for kitchen floors in order to help her be more comfortable in my motorhome.

When I get scared I jump into Mom's chair

One gigantic milestone!

Yesterday, the steps into the motorhome became a non issue for my goddess, Hera.  For the first time ever, she just walked up the steps and didn't bat an eyelash!  I was so astonished that I could hardly believe it!  I had been putting treats on the top step to entice her up the steps, but this time there was no treat and she entered before I could get a treat out of the fridge!

I praised her and loved on her and hoped that she knew what I was talking about!

I am currently staying in a state park which is out of cell phone range, and when I go into town I have poor internet connection, so this post is rather short and sweet, but I will be leaving here in a few more days and will be back in civilization!

Memorial

After Fleur died I was frozen for a few days, then Hera came to us.  She was a good distraction, but I remembered Fleur frequently.  One day I was on my computer and came across a greyhound memorial, so I ordered it.  Yesterday was the day that it arrived!

I think it is a christmas tree decoration!  I like the greyhound's wings! Also notice that the hound is wearing a halo!  They put Fleur's name under the greyhound!

Fly high, Fleur, and remember to use that halo!

a pretty sit

Late last night, I was trying to decide how to get Hera to do her potty activities before I went to bed, and suddenly she sat in this very pretty pose.  I knew from experience that she wouldn't stay in this position for long so I activated the camera on my phone and took this with no flash.  I later enhanced the photo on my built in editing program.  So you can at least she the pretty sit.

The original photo is less ell lit so here it is: