finally, a walk

We managed an early morning walk. It was only around the small block as we only had the end of the ideal window around 7.30am. The best time to go for a walk is from 6am to 6.30am, the coolest time of the day.

Later on, I left Kane to walk to the shops around mid-morning. I was also back within the hour and Kane was still looking out the screen door.

Today has been a dreadfully hot day. We spent much of the day indoors. After the sun had set, Kane preferred to lay on the deck and from where he barked at a few passersby.

send snow

Poor puppy. We didn't go on a walk again and missed the early morning window of the coolest time of the day.

Kane was indoors again today when I went to work. There is no respite from the heat for another week.

canine cooling

Poor puppy. We didn't go on a walk today. This morning, even Kane was still asleep when I woke up in the morning and it wasn't early enough for a sunrise walk.

As the heatwave continued, I left Kane indoors when I went to work.

CQ came over after work for beers and an early dinner of barbecued steak. Kane had his own steak later but it was diced and raw, mixed in with raw chicken hearts and a cooked brown rice/cabbage/carrot mix. Even in this heat, Kane still has a very hearty appetite. He barked from the deck a few times but I didn't check out the passersby.

Kane now has his own floor fan, which I move to wherever he chooses to lay. Installing air conditioning just for four weeks of hot weather every year is a bit silly, but tempting.

sunrise walk

We were up very early this morning. In fact, Kane was already barking at passersby at 6am as I had left the door open overnight, but the screen door locked. So without further ado (whatever that means) we went on our walk at 6.40am as it was cooler and pleasant.

We walked to Cook oval and back home via a loop and returned home at 7.05am. We met an elderly Kelpie along the way who was very friendly.

When I went to work, I left Kane indoors where it would be a few degrees cooler. After I returned home from work, I soaked Kane outside with the garden hose (not a bath with fur shampoo). After a few hours, his fur was completely dry.

This evening, Emily came around for a simple dinner (barbecued chicken kebabs/skewers, and broccolini).

Tonight it is far too warm to walk, even though it is dark with no sun.

summer sucks

This morning Kane barked at me. I thought he was looking through the front door, but he was looking at me in the kitchen when he barked. He looked at me and then at the front door. It was very clear that he wanted to go on a walk. So we did.

It was just around the small block and before I left for work. It was also overcast (cloudy) and cooler. Halfway, we met Lewis the Golden Retriever whom we met on Sunday. His people (a father and child in a stroller) were returning from the shops.

It was quite warm when I returned home from work. We didn't go on our walk until late tonight, but it was only past two houses. Kane's knee was not bending and he seemed very stiff so we turned around and returned home. Poor puppy.

The rest of the week is going to be even worse with a week long heatwave - every day up to and including Sunday has been forecast at 36 degrees Celsius (around 97 degrees Fahrenheit).

Monday Monday

Today was a public holiday (Australia Day) so I spent the day with Kane, except when I went to visit Tim and Toni down the road in the morning. I left Kane inside and he saw me through the screen door walking on the footpath and barked. Good dog!

The rest of the day was too warm to do anything so while Kane napped, I vegged on the couch with 100 channels.

We went on a small block walk tonight after the sun had set and it was cooler. The rest of the week will be even warmer so the walks will be night walks by torchlight.

finally a weekend walk

It was a cooler morning today. In fact, it was so pleasant that we went on a late morning walk.

We walked via the alleys to the shops, then around the outside, meeting a Golden Retriever called Lewis, then home via the woods. While we were in the woods we met Zulu and Kaz who were walking the other way. We hadn't seen them for months. They had walked back from the horse paddock, near Mount Painter. Zulu was ready to join Kane for a rest.



We had a short rest then walked home. We were out for about an hour, without the usual rest stop at the shops (I didn't go in).

This evening Devi came over for dinner (lamb barbecue). Kane barked at her as she arrived and it was the first time Devi had heard Kane bark.

finally a puppy party

Poor puppy. I did intend an early morning walk, but opted for doing laundry instead. In the end, it warmed up and I walked to the shops alone early in the early afternoon, somewhat guiltily for not taking Kane. In any case, it felt rather strange going to the shops alone.

This evening, we walked to Cook shops to find a puppy party in session. There was even a greeting party with Tosca, Margot, Tai and a new canine called Lucy. Lucy is Margot's new sister, a rescue from the RSPCA.



It was a fun session though we didn't stay long, perhaps 10 minutes. We then walked home without going via the woods and alleys.

Kane barked at a few passersby today from his vantage through the front screen door. I cannot work out whether he is issuing invitations or warnings.

dull Friday

We didn't walk anywhere today. It warmed up earlier this morning.

This evening I fell asleep on the couch. Poor puppy, we will try and get up earlier tomorrow.

almost the big block walk

We haven't been on the big block walk for sometime. This morning, we went on an early morning walk at 7.00am. We saw Dusty from across the road who was also going on an early morning walk. Poor dusty has been having problems with his heart and lungs.

Anyway, we started on the big block walk but then cut through Macquarie oval. We went past Jack's house and called in for a drink as they were already up and out on their porch. Kane then proceeded to find Jack's food bowl and helped himself to dry food in the bowl. It was also homebrand, which cost about $1.10 a kilogram, considerably less compared to Kane's premium brand. Kane isn't fussy and will eat the cheap stuff, but at his age, deserves the best to maintain peak condition.

After visiting Jack, we continued the walk home. Even though we didn't walk the full big block, it still took 30 minutes.

We also managed a night walk. Kane had his dinner earlier, but it also stormed. When the rain stopped, we went on the small block walk. In between the time before dinner and before the walk, Kane enjoyed barking at passersby through the front screen door.

Wednesday almost

We went on our small block walk this morning.

Today has been a warm day and continued so tonight.

Though we didn't go on an evening walk we did have visitors. Emily came around and Kane barked at the door. Later Bernard came over (returning from a posting in Manila). Kane didn't bark at him. It seems Kane only barks at the first visitor.

By the time our visitors left (after a dinner of aloo gobi and tandoori feta with rice), it was 10.30pm and still warm, hence no walk.

dull Tuesday

We didn't walk anywhere today. I need to get up earlier so we can have our morning walks again.

It has been raining since late this afternoon so we haven't been able to go on a walk. Perhaps we should still walk when it is raining.

bad joint day

Poor puppy. We started on the small block walk tonight by torchlight.

Unfortunately, Kane's claws on his back legs were scraping the footpath, so he was having a bad joint day.

We turned around and returned home after reaching the front of the second neighbour's house.

Poor puppy. He is having a bad joint day. I can't wait for summer to be over.

dusk walk

Today was a very lazy day. Lazy Sunday. I spent most of the day vegging on the couch. CQ came to visit in the afternoon and we had beers and watched TV. Kane didn't even know we had a visitor. Then two more visitors, Martin and Mort, came for a quicker visit as CQ was leaving. Kane did greet them but they were already inside. No bark.

Kane did have a barking session with Scotch next door.

We didn't go on our walk until the sun had set, so it was dusk and darkening. We walked to the shops but cut via an alley before reaching the woods, and walked on a rarely walked road. Kane likes to take new routes every now and again. After the shops, we walked home via the alleys by torchlight.

We were out for 55 minutes. With 10 minutes in the supermarket, it was a 45 minute walk. Strangely, it was shorter than the big loop walk (no walk to Cook oval) but took longer.

almost

Today was almost a regular Saturday.

We walked to the shops early this morning, going the short way there and then the long way back via the woods. We didn't walk around the complex this time around.

I then left Kane at 10.30am and didn't return until 8.00pm. Poor puppy, it was almost like a regular work day.

I returned with Devi, having spent most of the day with her to help her with her notebook (laptop) - firstly shopping and then setting it up.

Thankfully, Kane's dinner was on time. It was steak with cuts in the cubes of meat to embed his tablets. Us humans had kebabs (chicken and kangaroo) cooked on the barbecue with broccolini.

Friday sunset mega walk

Today was a cooler day, but we didn't go on the morning small block walk as I was running late for work. After two days of being indoors during the day, Kane was outside on the deck today.

This evening we went on the big loop walk. At Cook oval, we discovered a puppy party with Melba, Jack and Margot. There was a new dog who was old and she was also nervous, barking at Kane. She was possibly the top dog who wanted to remain so. Kane wasn't terribly fussed.

We didn't stay at the oval long and continued walking, via the woods, a visit to Millhouse and then to the shops. I left Kane to rest for 10 minutes outside the video hire shop - I finally joined. After renting two movies (Lost Boys - The Tribe and Juno), we walked home via the alleys.

It was a good 85 minute outing.

Thursday

Today was a very warm day and Kane spent most of the day indoors when I went to work.

Today was also a rest day.

mid-week mega walk

We were up very early this morning before sunrise. It is the coolest and most pleasant time of the day. Kane and I walked to Cook oval and we met a five year old German Shepherd called Thunder. We met Thunder back in September. It seems that he was only being minded the last time we met and his person recently returned from somewhere and was re-training Thunder.

After our circuit around the oval, we walked via the woods and went to the shops. After a brief rest at the shops, we walked home the short way. It was starting to warm up and Kane was already tired. Our 40 minute loop even in the cool of the morning will need to be scaled back.

We started on our walk at 6.20am and returned home and hour later. Kane does not cope well in warmer weather. Earlier on in our walk, he even had a canter going at a good pace.



As today was going to be, and was a very warm day, I left Kane indoors when I went to work.

Tonight Kane barked at a number of passersby. Strangely, when Emily arrived for dinner (sausages and chicken chops/thighs with bone in, on the barbecue, with microwaved tiny potatoes) he did not bark at her.

house day

Poor puppy, we didn't go anywhere today at all. I did spend all day with him at home though, so he was content.

Early this morning two technicians came to install a satellite dish and cabling for our extra TV channels - pay TV. When they arrived, Kane barked very loudly at them. In fact, one of the guys asked if Kane would bite. Good dog.

Anyway, the installation work took an hour, and then I spent the rest of the time on the couch surfing all those extra channels. There was time enough to go to work today, but I had arranged the whole day off.

It was also a very warm day, and Kane's joints were a bit stiff. Poor puppy, he seems to cope better in cold weather than hot. I thought hot weather arthritis was a bit strange, but the lady we met at Cook oval (with Basil the little dog) mentioned she used to be a breeder of German Shepherds, and hot weather also affected her Shepherds' arthritis more than cold weather.

Poor puppy, there are more hot days forecast ahead.

finally, a puppy party

We went on the small block walk this morning.

In the late afternoon, we walked to Cook oval. We walked a circuit of the oval and then joined in a puppy party. Desker and Tully were there plus a new dog called Basil, soon joined by Carla a Kelpie who we hadn't seen for more than six months, and Kenya who we met last week.



We didn't stay too long. Kane was starting to have a bad joint day, particularly in his back legs which were going wobbly and his claws dragging on pathways, so we went home, completing a shorter loop than our usual one. Poor puppy.

slack Sunday

Poor puppy, after yesterday's excitement, we didn't do anything, not even a walk.

I had slept in and today was a warm day. I went over to Margaret and Mary's place in the early afternoon to help Margaret set up her router for her modem so she could go wireless. It took over three hours.

Afterwards at home, I did some tidying up and prepared for dinner.

After 6.30pm, Elizabeth and Fritz (visiting from Melbourne) came over with Sue B and her mother Betty for dinner. Kane barked early when he saw the car, but didn't bark again when the door chime rang. I guess he had announced them already.

Kane didn't get fussed too much and was content to lie on the deck with us. When we ate dinner of barbecued quails, with cooked fresh beetroot (microwaved) and blanched broccolini, he even laid under the outside table. Clever Kane.

Our visitors left at 10pm, and it is raining now, so we will have to make up with a longer walk tomorrow.

a super Kane Day Saturday

Today was a great day.

In the late morning I left Kane to visit Tim and Toni down the road. As I walked past the house (Kane could see through the screen door), Kane barked!

I returned after an hour, then Kane and I walked the short way to the shops with Kane unleashed until we arrived. After grocery shopping, Kane and I walked around the outside of the complex. We also met a lovely black Golden Retriever Kelpie called Tinkerbell. When Kane approached Tinky, a woman behind us nervously muttered to her companion (husband?) "they'll fight". What ignorance.

Anyway, we walked home via the woods and as we approached the street before ours, Emily drove past, waved and stopped. She was on her way to visit us! We hadn't seen Emily for a couple of weeks.

Emily stayed for a couple of hours, and we even ducked out for a quick shop at the electronics store.

Later in the afternoon, Margie and Luke came over to take Kane and me to the lake for a walk, along with Lola. It was a fun walk and Kane even slipped into the Lake but he didn't want to stay in the water for a swim unlike Lola who is a water hound.





Afterwards, we went back to their house for a nice barbecue. Kane had an early appetiser dinner there, demolishing Lola's dinner leftovers and then having a sausage.

We returned home before dark, and Kane had his normal dinner, but with a smaller portion.

It was a great day.

late night patrol

We didn't go on a morning small block walk.

We didn't go on a late afternoon loop walk.

We did go on a late night small block walk. It was night patrol.

finally, the big loop work

This morning we went on the small block walk. On the way, we saw Jet but he was across the road and being naughty. Dee tried to call him back, but he wanted to do his own thing. Bad dog. Anyway, he eventually decided to go to our doorstep so I cornered him then and leashed him to return to Dee.

After that, Kane (unleashed) and I walked around the block. As I left for work, I gave Kane the usual beef bone.

This evening we went on the usual 40 minute big loop walk, but it took longer as we called in to visit Jet on the way. Afterwards, we continued on to Cook oval, met a cool Border Collie cross called Kenya who wanted to play, then home via the woods and then the alleys.

It was a good joint day for Kane. We walked slowly at first to warm up Kane's joints and muscles, then quickened the pace through the woods, then slowed down through the alleys.

dull null Wednesday

We didn't walk anywhere today. Today was a very warm day indeed - 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

Before I left for work, I left Kane inside where it would be cooler than outside.

When I returned home from work, Kane greeted at the door, but he didn't bark when I rang the door chime. Perhaps he doesn't bark when I am not at home to hear it.

We didn't go on an evening walk, opting for another rest.

The only exciting thing worth reporting is that I cooked really fresh whole sardines (scaled and gutted, but retaining the livers inside) on the barbecue for Kane's dinner. The sardines were caught off Eden, which is not far from here (three hours drive).

nothing day Tuesday

This morning we did end up going on the short small block walk. I had intended to leave Kane indoors when I went to work, but he came to the door with me, so we just had to go on a walk.

After the walk, I left Kane on the deck. Even though today was a very warm day, Kane does have a favourite shady spot outside on brick pavers which stay cool.

We didn't go on a walk this evening, opting for a rest.

Kane and the dog next door, Scotch the Dobermann have been having chatty barks with each other.

Monday malaise

Early this morning we walked to the vet for Kane's last Pentosan injection for his arthritis. Unfortunately it was already getting warm early in the morning and Kane walked very slowly, also partly because he was on a leash and wanted to meander and smell things along the way. When Kane doesn't want to be on a lead, he knows how to make the collar look like a millstone around his neck.

When we arrived at the vet, Kane didn't want to move, but I managed to get him on the scales. Kane's weight today was 38.8 kg, very close to his ideal weight of 39 kg. The vet also gave Kane his injection in the reception area. At some stage we may have to consider non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs.



The other vet also kindly gave us a ride home. Actually she phoned her father who came to give us a ride. Perhaps we should have arranged a house call originally. Last Monday was cooler and we went on an even longer walk. Kane just has some bad days.

Poor puppy, I then left him to return to work after 16 days at home.

This evening CQ came over for dinner (barbecued lamb chops and mashed potato) and Kane greeted him with a big bark upon arrival.

We are having a restful evening and will resume short slow walks tomorrow.

slow Sunday

Today was a bit warm and we didn't do anything all day. I did spend most of the day completing a job application for a promotional round where I work.

This evening, we walked to Cook oval when it was a little cooler. Jack and Tosca were there and were pleased to see Kane. We didn't stay too long as Kane didn't want to play rough, especially with Tosca. We continued walking the loop home without going via the woods and alleys as Kane looked a bit sore.

In between, Kane barked a few times at passersby. He certainly is taking his sentry duties seriously, though I suspect he senses that I am pleased when he barks as I go and investigate.

visitors and Saturday slow day

This morning we had visitors! The front door was closed but the chime sang, so I opened the front door and Kane barked. It was Beryl and Ted who came especially to visit Kane. They used to have a German Shepherd also named Kane who died in October last year. I used to ask them to borrow their Kane on the occasional weekend.

Anyway, they remarked how similar Kane is to their late Kane in temperament. They still miss their Kane. He was also a lovely dog.

After Beryl and Ted left, Kane and I walked to the shops. It was the short way both ways as it felt warmer, even if the temperature was 25 degrees Celsius.

A few passersby walked past the front today, eliciting barks from Kane as he eyed them from the front door.

This evening, we didn't go on a walk making today a rest day.

Super Kane Day Friday

Today was a Super Kane Day.

This morning, we walked the long way to Macquarie oval (though there was no puppy party in session), on to the hardware store, then the market. At the market, we went to see Splat the resident cat at the pet store. The staff had a fuss over Kane, especially Chris who has five Boxers and loves Germans Shepherds. A few different staff members gave Kane treats. The store also had a sale on clothing so we bought a Driza-Bone dog coat. It has two side pockets, so Kane can now help carry small items! We were out for nearly two hours.

photos taken at Macquarie oval


New coat




Today, Kane barked a few times at passersby from the house, including at two kids walking their small dog. Even without Jazz around, Kane is keeping up his sentry duties. Good dog!

We went on our evening walk early, firstly calling in to visit Jet at his house two doors up and then to Cook oval, where there was a puppy party in session, with Millhouse, Jack and Margot. Melba also soon arrived.



It was a great party and a great day.

multi-walks and Jazz departs

This morning, after an early breakfast and a rest we walked the loop walk to Cook oval. On the way back we met a Border Collie puppy called Harley and walked back a part of the way with him and his person, then we continued home via the alleys. It was a good 30 minute walk.

Later in the morning, Kane barked at the door. It was Jazz's people coming to take her home. I think Kane became quite fond of having her around. We'll see whether he keeps up his sentry barks.

Later this afternoon, we walked to the shops via Jake's house for a quick visit then the alleys and returned home via the woods. It was a very outing, and we even circled the outside of the shops just like a normal Saturday walk, but in reverse.