The Crotchety Old Man

Category: Mavis

  • Wearing Out Mavis

    In the past, minimal exercise requirements were a big factor for adopting smaller dogs. A daily walk or two and a little playtime were more than enough exercise for my little dogs. Mavis needs more–a lot more. I no longer go for runs or walks without Mavis. Our longest walk of the day is at…

  • My Big Girl

    At almost eight months old, Mavis is turning out to be a great dog. I started to say great little dog, but at nearly 31 pounds, she’s crossed the boundary from “small” to “medium”. Despite believing she’d be less than 25 pounds, I couldn’t be happier. Mavis is at least three times as big as…

  • Reunited

    The trip to my old Kentucky home was great! I had no expectations. Having finally learned they are mostly precursors to disappointment, I avoid them. From start to finish, my homecoming weekend exceeded any expectations I could have had. The drive up quashed any lingering thoughts of driving myself. Between heavy rain, road construction, and…

  • Trippin’

    My interest in travel has declined with my vision. The last night away from home was in early 2018. A friend from Lexington, KY picked me up on her way to Florida. Our birthdays are in the same week and she wanted to celebrate our 60th at the beach. Andy took care of Toodles. Without…

  • Marvelous Mavis

    I’ve always preferred little dogs–the smaller, the better. It’s not just cuteness. Among other things, little dogs eat less, require less exercise, and cause little damage ripping and tearing through the house. At her weigh-in this month, Mavis tipped the scale at 30.5 pounds. That’s more than the combined weights of Tico (10 pounds), Toodles…

  • Next-Level Retired

    I’m grateful to have been able to retire. Not having to work is great. A few recent changes make me even more retired than I already was. Getting Mavis was the first big change. She drags things into the house from the yard. She’s especially fond of pine cones and small branches, both of which…

  • Head of the Class

    We celebrated Mavis’s five-month birthday on June 19th with a new swimming pool. She loved playing with the hose as I filled it, splashed around in it for maybe ten minutes afterward, and then never went back. I emptied it two days later. We’ll try again. Getting towel-dried was the fun part for her. She’ll…

  • Better Late…

    My garden plans were disrupted early this season by drought, Tootsie’s demise, and the arrival of Mavis. With few exceptions, two flats of seedlings started indoors in early February didn’t make it. I never got around to planting two or three more flats. Even so, I do have a bit of a garden. When rain…

  • Puppy Love

    We celebrated Mavis’s four-month birthday May 19th. She’s had all of her shots and doesn’t need to return to the vet until this time next year. According to her DNA results, she’s 27.2% pit bull, 24.7% Australian shepherd, 22% super mutt, 20.6% Labrador retriever, and 5% boxer. My 20-pound puppy is likely to weigh 40…

  • Mavis: Unconed

    Mavis was sentenced to 10-14 days in the cone of shame after being spayed on the 20th–the day I got her. In truth, she was less bothered by the cone than me or her fans. I’d never seen her without it and was thrilled last Monday morning when the veterinarian took it off. Without the…