More from the Laboratory

I was so intrigued by the explanation Mars Veterinary provided after Brugge's results from her DNA test, I decided to ask if they could give me the rundown on Ozzie's too and sent them a picture. They obliged, and once again within 1 to 2 business days I had a fun little personal analysis in my inbox. Regardless of how you feel about the accuracy of their tests, you can't argue that their customer service is top notch.

I sent them the same picture of Oz at the vet that I've posted on this blog about a million times (OK, maybe three), so I'm not going to post it here again. If you really want to see it, go back to the original results post. Sorry, but I'm easily bored and recently got a spiffy new camera.

"The sample obtained from Ozzie was adequate and generated a good genetic signature.  The Labrador Retriever is clearly his top breed match in terms of chromosomal match and the algorithm is very confident about it being a parent.  The White Swiss Shepherd is also routinely coming up at the grandparent level and has a commensurate chromosomal match.  The other grandparent is a mix but the algorithm does find the Dachshund routinely, suggesting evidence of this breed in the mix.  The White Swiss Shepherd is a subset of the German Shepherd Dog though they do have genetically distinct signatures.  In Europe, they are considered separate breeds and our reference samples for the White Swiss came from Europe which is why we have made the distinction.  In the US, the White Swiss Shepherd can be registered as a German Shepherd but cannot be shown.  We are doing further analysis on US derived white German Shepherds to see if the distinction is as defined in this population.  However, because they are considered German Shepherds in the US, there has been more interbreeding of the lines which may complicate the matter a bit. 

Looking at Ozzie, we see that he has some similarities to his "sister".  He also exhibits a short coat and drop ears which again are dominant traits that we would expect in light of a Labrador parent.  However, he has a base erect ear set which is a bit more marked than Brugge's.  Though the drop ear (Labrador) is dominant, it is working upon the prick ear influence from the White Swiss grandparent.  Like Brugge, Ozzie is also unable to make black as he has inherited the chocolate gene from both sides.  He also exhibits a black and tan pattern which is a recessive pattern though in his case it is chocolate and tan since he cannot make black.  The Labrador does carry both of these trait as we noted with Brugge.  The White Swiss may also carry them as we do see it occasionally in the German Shepherd.  However, the second set may be coming from the mixed ancestor by way of the Dachshund, as well.  It also appears that Ozzie has a mask on his muzzle - this is a dominant trait which again is likely coming through the White Swiss though the mixed ancestor may also be passing it on.  It is interesting to see that on the surface your two pups may look somewhat alike but that their genetics tell us that they are a fair bit different!"

They also sent me a link about dog coat color genetics. My inner child, who still believes she may someday be a Mad Scientist Geneticist, is totally nerding out right now. Additionally, I did a quick google search for "chocolate tan points labrador" (and several other amalgamations with the same point) and found tons of pictures and information about them. Apparently it's not rare, but not quite common either. It's just a mismark, like any other marking not allowed in a show ring. Don't you just love how you can learn about a subject your whole life, and still discover fun new pockets of knowledge? I adore it. Once again, my experience with Wisdom Panel Insights and Mars Veterinary was a lot of fun. If you're curious, I would highly recommend purchasing a test of your own (Amazon carries them at a discount, and they pop up on daily deal sites from time to time). And ask questions!

The opinions expressed on this blog are my own, and I have not been compensated in any way by Wisdom Panel or Mars Veterinary to talk about their product. The only thing they've dropped is knowledge, no cash or swag.

The Results Are In!

Friends know I've been dying to do dog DNA testing since I adopted Brugge. To start, I'm a nerd (I know, BIG surprise, the person who blogs about her dogs is a nerd), and like most nerds, I love science. Genetics have always fascinated me. In elementary school I dressed up like a Mad Geneticist for our "dress like what you want to be when you grow up" assignment. In case you were wondering, I wore a borrowed lab coat and a furry monster glove.

Anyway, I purchase a lot of our pet products from Amazon.com. Their prices and selection are hard to beat, and while I try to shop local as much as possible, sometimes Amazon just is the way to go. As such, every once in a while I get an email about deals. One fateful day, an email landed in my inbox stating that they were having a day of pet-related Gold Box deals. One of those deals was the Wisdom Panel Insights dog DNA test. I had spoken to our wonderful vet, and while she echoed what the internet and several friends had already told me (that DNA breed tests aren't always super accurate), she had stated Wisdom Panel was the brand to use. The deal was too good to pass up, so I pulled the trigger and purchased one. Then Steven got me one as a gift. It's good to have a spouse who supports your hobbies... and neuroses. (Side note: I've found deals on Wisdom Panel Insights tests all over the internet from time to time. Or if you're impatient you can just purchase them straight from their website.)

The tests were simple enough to use. Each kit contains two swabs, a pre-paid envelope, and a sample information sheet. I made sure Brugge hadn't been to the dog park for a couple days prior to testing to avoid the risk of contamination from other dogs. Ozzie was still on restrictions. I used their online test registration, which was super quick and easy, and I really appreciated that you don't have to create an account and log-in credentials. They also have a "test tracker" where you can check in for results. Simply put in your last name and sample ID number and you're set! We made sure to do the tests in the middle of the day (well after breakfast) after giving them water and crating them for a couple hours so they couldn't get their mouths on anything. A using the swabs was easier than we expected, and after 5 minutes of drying time we packed them up and put them in the mailbox. Then we waited.

Ozzie's came back first. The advertised turn around time is two to three weeks, but Ozzie's results were ready in 6 days! Brugge's took a little longer, but still only 12 days. Now, without further ado... the results!

Ozzie:

I think his results were so speedy because his mix was much less complicated than Brugge's. Ozzie seems to be a White Swiss Shepherd and Labrador Retriever Mix. White Swiss Shepherds are a variation of German Shepherd; in fact, the breeds are so closely linked that one of the "breed profile" pages they included in Ozzie's results was that of the German Shepherd. The white genes were considered a fault and an effort was made to remove them from the German Shepherd breed pool. Other breeders liked the look, and developed their own breed from the "flawed" white genes. I wonder, though, if in Ozzie's case the test declared he was a White Swiss Shepherd because he comes from a line of German Shepherd that carries the white traits. I was somewhat surprised by the results, but I can definitely see the Lab in his behavior and love of water. He looks like a melanistic black and tan shepherd with chocolate standing in for the black, and his hind legs have some of the characteristic dip of a shepherd. When I did some more digging, I found there is a recessive "Liver" color trait in German Shepherds. I'm wondering if this gene could have combined with a chocolate gene from the lab side, activating the liver genes. Liver shepherds also have brown noses instead of black, as is the case with Ozzie. You can learn more about liver coloration in German Shepherds here.

What do you think?  Do you see the White Swiss Shepherd and Lab?

Brugge:

Brugge's results caused a fair amount of head-scratching. I, along with my veterinarian, had always assumed her to be a Doberman mix, probably with lab and a little more who-knows-what. Her results were so surprising that I had a lengthy correspondence with Customer Care at Mars Veterinary, the parent company of Wisdom Panel. I was really impressed by the thoroughness of their explanation, as well as the quick responses I received. Without further adieu...

As you can see, there is a very conspicuous absence. Her results showed no amount of Doberman whatsoever. After I contacted the company initially, they asked for more information and a picture. "Oh boy," I thought, "Now they're just going to really start making things up to appease me." I was happy to find that wasn't the case. Here is the picture I sent them, along with their final response about Brugge's results.

"The sample received from Brugge was of good quality and generated a good genetic signature.  Her results do not indicate that she has had a recent Doberman Pinscher ancestor.  She clearly had a Golden Retriever grandparent with a great grandparent Labrador Retriever and trace Cardigan Welsh Corgi.  The other ancestors are too mixed too call.  Please see the attached graph which plots Brugge's genetic signature against all the Doberman Pinschers in our database as well as the signature from a representative of all the breeds we test for.  You will see that her genetic signature groups within the All Breeds Outgroup as opposed to being pulled towards the Doberman Pinschers as we would expect if she had any evidence of them in her genetic makeup.  Hypothyroidism is the most commonly diagnosed endocrine disease in dogs and we do tend to see it in Golden Retrievers more often than other breeds. In regards to the low T4 and low TSH levels, this may have been early in the disease process such that the feedback loop hadn't bumped the TSH levels up yet or just a slightly unusual presentation due to individual variation.

When we look at Brugge, we are able to see evidence of the breeds called.  She exhibits a short coat which is a dominant trait so she only needed to inherit a single copy of the short coat gene to exhibit this.  Both the Labrador and Corgi are short coated though the mixed ancestor may also have passed it down as well. She is a chocolate and tan dog - this is a recessive coat pattern so she did need to inherit a copy of it from both sides of her family tree.  The Corgi does carry this pattern as do the Labrador and Golden Retriever, though it is less common.  Please see the attached photo of a chocolate and tan purebred Labrador puppy bred from a champion sire.  Genetically, Brugge is unable to make any black because she has inherited two copies of the chocolate gene instead.  The color in dogs begins near the spinal cord and spreads from there.  In cases where they do not develop enough color cells, white peeks through.  This white spotting tends to be expressed in the lower portions of the body first so it is not surprising that she has a bit of white on her chest and toes, as these areas are the furthest from the spinal cord and tend to be white first.  However, she does have drop (floppy) ears which are a dominant trait - both the Golden and Labrador have drop ears.  They do appear to have a slightly base erect ear set such that there is more cartilage near the base than the tip; this commonly occurs when there has been a prick eared ancestor such as the Corgi that has contributed some influence.  Brugge did not inherit a copy of FGF4 which is the gene responsible for the shorter leg in the Corgi.  Therefore, Brugge does not exhibit chondrodysplasia.  Finally, head shape and ear shape and size are determined by a number of genes working together toward an average state in about approximate proportions to the breeds called though the mixed ancestor would also factor into the equation.  In light of the breeds identified, it is not surprising that she has an intermediate muzzle and an average width cranium."

Brugge vs. Doberman. She's the blue dot. Doberman traits are in green. Apparently never the two shall meet!

The photo Wisdom Panel sent me of a purebred Chocolate and Tan Lab. What a cutie!

The interesting thing is that her body has always looked a little long proportionally, and when she scratches she makes what I call her "duck face," which now that I think of it looks extremely close to the face of a corgi! I highly doubt the accuracy of the trace breeds detected, especially since Glen of Imaal terriers are one of the rarest breeds in America, and I doubt there are many running loose in North Carolina, impregnating strays. It seems that the science team concedes the fact that the trace breeds are dubious, and that actually lends more credibility to their position in my eyes. So, call it hindsight bias, or naivety, but I'm actually fairly satisfied with the explanations given. Considering my main motivation for the using the tests was curiosity and the opportunity to gain some knowledge while having fun, I'd say they were well worth it, and I really enjoyed my experience.

And there you have it, folks! The genetic histories of my mutts. What do you think?

UPDATE: Read about the explanation of Ozzie's traits I received from Mars Veterinary about Ozzie in my other post here! 

Please note: I haven't been compensated in any way by Mars Veterinary or Wisdom Panel. This post is merely a story of my own experience with this product.

Ozzie's Story, pt. 3; Recovery

As of today, we are one month out from Ozzie's surgery to correct his Osteochondrosis (OCD). Pardon me while I do a happy dance. His surgery itself was a perfect success, and so far the recovery is going very well. However, "well" does not equate to "easy" in this situation. Still, we prepared and were able to put certain measures in place to help make things a little less cumbersome, and I am so glad we had the foresight we did. Our surgeon has also been accessible and fantastic in working with us to find solutions to accommodate Ozzie's personality while keeping his recovery on track. One of my beliefs that goes hand in hand with my cardinal rule of Know Thy Dog is using professionals (vets, trainers, etc.) that will work with you to meet your dog's specific needs, rather than squeezing you into a one-size-fits-all solution.

He looks so innocent, doesn't he?

I knew from the beginning recovery was going to be a challenge. During the procedure, the surgeon removed the cartilage flaps in Ozzie's shoulders and ground down the lesions on his bones to get rid of the decalcified, unhealthy areas. This meant that not only would Ozzie have to heal from the surgery itself, but his body also had to repair the once-defective areas. OCD occurs when there is an inadequate blood supply to the top of the bone. Consequently, that area is only fed by joint fluid. The bone starts to deteriorate and decalcify. In an effort to protect the bone, the body produces cartilage flaps, but unfortunately they just make things more uncomfortable. By grinding down the defective bone area to the healthy bone, blood flow is restored. Little clots form, and from there the bone is able to regrow and repair itself. Healthy cartilage then forms, and voila, problem solved. As I mentioned before, there is an increased chance of osteoarthritis, and we have to be careful to limit high impact activity, but Ozzie is no longer lame and in constant pain.

Because his body has so much rebuilding to do, being meticulous in the management of his recovery is imperative. His shoulders need to be given the opportunity to regenerate in a healthy way. If they aren't able to do that, we would basically be back at square zero. No pressure, right?

Funny to think something sooo little can cause soooo much work!

Ozzie's recovery has a few stages, broken into two two-week blocks and one four-week block. I'm calling this last one the Home Stretch! That's a total of eight weeks, assuming everything goes according to plan. As the surgeon said, "I take care of the technical part, but the hard part really falls on you." It is incredibly intimidating initially, but now that we're halfway through, I can say it's ultimately very doable.

Weeks 1 and 2 Ozzie was on bed rest. He could be taken out to do his business, but that was the only activity allowed. Running, jumping, and basically all of his favorite activities are completely forbidden. We also had to limit his propensity for doing burnouts on the hardwood floors. Steven carried Oz from his crate to the grass and back when he was home, but I had to settle for walking him through the house, carrying him down the steps, the carrying him back up the steps and walking him back to his crate. Fifty pounds of wriggly muscle covered by loose puppy skin was too much for me handle other than for short periods. Ozzie had to wear his cone of shame whenever he was unsupervised. We found that it stressed him out too much to take it on and off, so we ended up just leaving it on him. We iced his shoulders 3 or 4 times a day for the first few days, and we were able to remove his bandages on the third day. Fortunately, during this period he was also on painkillers as well as an anti-anxiety medication, which kept him fairly mellow. Unfortunately, he was still too excitable to do one of his physical therapy exercises without injuring him.

Aerial view of Ozzie's haircut. I call it a Halfsies Backhawk.

Weeks 3 and 4 we graduated to letting him walk through the house every time he went out, allowing him to walk up and down the ramp we built from the back porch, and taking him for short leash walks around the back yard. He was able to come off of his pain medication and anti-inflammatory medications; for the first time since a week after bringing him home, he was off of Rimadyl! At the recheck he got his stitches out, and again I thanked my lucky stars that we went the arthroscopic route  because the healing was so quick and easy. We also were able to teach him a puppy push-up to get his extension movement we were lacking in his exercises. A puppy push-up is a great way to build muscle, stability, and flexibility for all dogs, not just those recovering from surgery! And it's super easy. Have your dog sit. Have your dog lay down. Have him sit again. That's it, easy peasy! We first learned about them when working on initial training with Brugge and trying to wear her out.

In this last phase, weeks 5 through 8, we're increasing his leash walks gradually up to 20 minutes, increasing the amount of puppy pushups, and reintroducing steps and steep inclines. In one month's time he should be back to doing everything a normal dog would do, just on-leash. At his final recheck, we will hopefully gain permission to finally "cut the cord" and let him do whatever he wants! We'll still have to gradually increase his activity and not let him overdo it at first, but he will hopefully be in the clear as far as disrupting his healed shoulders!

We all can't wait for more of this!!!

Like I said, it hasn't been easy, but this process has been 100% worth it. Two months of having to problem solve and work hard is nothing compared to a lifetime of comfort for Oz. I would even venture to say that it has been helpful in some ways. I've been forced to become more patient, which is one of my biggest flaws. Our household is on a great routine that was set up when we were giving Ozzie pills four times a day at specific times for those first two weeks.

Now you know the general guidelines for Ozzie's recovery, but I mentioned we had taken measures to make his recovery easier prior to his surgery. We all know I'm a little long-winded, so I'm wrapping it up here. I'll reveal my methods for preparing him for as smooth a recovery as possible, as well as things I wish I'd done in advance, in my next post!

Ozzie's Story, pt. 2; The other kind of OCD

Alternate name for this post: "Why can't you adopt a healthy dog?!"

Ozzie at the vet.

So, in the first part of his story, I mentioned that things with Ozzie got interesting after he recovered from his URI. I had noticed him limping from the day I brought him home from the shelter as a foster. I figured in his puppy enthusiasm he may have jumped and sprained something, and the limp wasn't bad, so after checking with the foster coordinator I decided to wait until his Upper Respiratory Infection recheck to get him checked out by the shelter vet. At that time, they noticed the limp, but like me thought it was just a strain or sprain. The vet prescribed Rimadyl (a common NSAID for dogs, much like ibuprofen for humans) and rest, and to come back in a week if it hadn't improved. Again, we diligently ascribed to the doctor's orders, but the limp remained. At the next check we left with another Rx for Rimadyl, and another order to give him time and rest. The next step would be to sedate him for an x-ray, and probably have him neutered at the same time.

I have an enormous amount of respect for the vet and staff at the shelter, but I decided I was too impatient to wait. We had already been considering making Ozzie a permanent member of our family, so I brought him to my vet. She and her staff are saints, and after 23 tries (and some excited weeing from Ozzie, sigh) they were able to get some good images without sedation. She was also able to pinpoint the source of his pain; both of his shoulders, the left a little worse than the right. The X-rays confirmed her suspicion; Ozzie had OCD.

"OCD?" you say, "But isn't that a brain thing?" Well, yes. I think it's safe to say most people are at least a little familiar with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and while dogs can suffer from that as well (especially certain breeds, such as bull terriers), this was the other kind of OCD. Ozzie had been dealing with Osteochondrosis. In layman's terms, Osteochondrosis (OCD) is a condition where a lesion forms on the top of the leg bone that intersects in the shoulder joint. In technical terms, that area of bone is the humeral head. To compensate, the body forms a cartilage flap over the lesion, which can grow quite large and cause pain with movement. Ozzie had lesions on both sides, with the left looking worse than the right.

Where the arrow is pointing, you may be able to detect a small divot where it looks like the bone should be rounded but instead dips inward. 

OCD has a few causes that can either work together or alone to cause the defect. The primary culprits are genetics, poor nutrition, and too much exercise. By poor nutrition, I don't necessarily mean low quality food, but certain foods are not recommended for puppies because they can cause rapid growth. OCD usually begins around a period of rapid growth, so it is thought those factors could be linked. Since Oz is a pound puppy, we can't know what caused his OCD for sure, but he does have a couple risk factors. OCD tends to affect large and giant breed dogs, and males are more at-risk than females. We're not sure what breeds make up his background, but at about 50 lbs. at 8 to 10 months, it's safe to say he's a large breed boy.

So, of course my next question was, "OK, what now?" Given that we had done the limited activity and anti-inflammatory drug route, our only other option was surgery, and he had to have it soon. Oh boy. Now, some people might not have quite the same reaction as I do when they hear their spastic foster puppy has a major medical problem that requires an expensive surgery to fix, but at that moment, after the little voice in my head was done shrieking, I thought, "I have to have him. And I have to fix him."

My vet went over the options with me. She knows of several board-certified surgeons who would be great for the job, but she recommended arthroscopic surgery and honed in on a list of surgeons with the facilities for that kind of operation. She gave me a ballpark figure that almost made me wet myself, and promised to call around for prices. Who needs savings anyway? I'm young, I can rebuild my nest egg. Sigh. Cue the "Why can't you adopt a healthy dog?!" line from my mother.

What prompted her to say that? Well, Brugge, despite not yet reaching two years of age, has a few different health issues. That's another story for another time. My answer? They need me. I could have adopted Willem and/or Tim, who were perfectly healthy despite their rough beginning; the time when they really required special care was short-lived. I'm a bleeding heart, so I feel I must reserve space in my home for dogs that really need a higher level of care, something other people might balk at, for issues that could (and do) land dogs in shelters. I've had two vets and three trainers tell me "Brugge is so lucky she found you; most people won't deal with this." With the "this" being either her boundless energy, high level of intelligence, chronic health problems, or some combination of the three. Dealing with various health concerns of my own throughout my life and having people who never gave up on me has made me want to pay it forward. But enough about me.

The quotes came in, and I picked a surgeon at a local specialty hospital. We met for his pre-op, and I was extremely impressed. Ozzie is enthusiastic, as many puppies his age (8 to 10 months at the time) are, and the surgeon took it all in stride. He hopped up in her lap, and she just said "Well you know what happens when you hop on a vet? You get examined!" and proceeded to check out his mouth. We discussed the procedure, she drew pictures, and we went over recovery and prognosis. The good news; Ozzie was an excellent candidate for the surgery they should be successful. The bad news; recovery is very drawn-out and demanding, and he may never be a completely normal dog. With all OCD dogs, there is an increased likelihood for osteoarthritis. However, due to the placement, his should be minimal. We just need to minimize his high-impact activities. Sorry, Oz, no high jump for you!

The day he came home; note the wagging tail! He has an irrepressible happiness.

As far as recovery, that deserves it's own post! Ozzie had his surgery a few weeks ago, and I'm happy to report it was a complete success! They were able to complete the entire procedure arthroscopically and completely remove all cartilage fragments, and he's right on track with his recovery. Stay tuned for part 3! If you'd like to learn more about Osteochondrosis of the shoulder in the meantime, I recommend these links:

http://www.acvs.org/animalowners/healthconditions/smallanimaltopics/osteochondrosisoftheshoulder/

http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/shoulder.htm

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2084&aid=464

Ozzie's Story, part 1, "The Twin"

I'm a believer that dogs choose you just as much as you choose them. I'm also a believer in fate, at least when it comes to dogs. Ozzie's arrival in our family is an illustration of those forces at work.

It started with a text from Jessica. Something to the effect of "Have you seen Demeter? He looks just like Brugge!" Jessica and I have a shared habit of trolling the county shelter's website on a daily basis. A throwback to our dogless days when we were both looking for a companion and the men in our lives hadn't quite warmed up to the idea of taking on that much responsibility. And then again when we were both looking for companions to our companions. Whatever the reason, it's a habit we can't break, and I'm not sure we want to.

I pulled up the animal list at the shelter. There he was, a 10-month-old carbon copy of our girl. Gut-wrenching. I had to go see him. Steven actually agreed to a trip up there; normally I'm forbidden for fear of an unexpected addition. Demeter had a winning personality and was sweet as honey, and indeed, very similar to our Brugge. Oh dear. But we already had Tim and Willem, we couldn't take another in as a forever dog right away. We left and hoped against hope that he would be adopted soon.

Two weeks went by and he was taken off the website. A little known fact is that can be a good or a bad thing. Our county shelter still euthanizes, as do most government shelters. It's a simple and tragic issue of numbers; too many animals, not enough resources. As I later found out first-hand, the staff do everything in their power to get these animals out of the shelter and into permanent homes or at least into their dedicated network of fosters. I called the shelter, my heart in my throat, and gave them his ID number (which I had memorized). He hadn't been adopted. He was sick with a URI. "URI" stands for "upper respiratory infection," or "kennel cough," as it's commonly known.

All dogs that come into the shelter are vaccinated, but the vaccine takes time to be effective and is hit or miss since there are so many strains of viral and bacterial causes. Our county shelter can treat the dogs for one round (assuming there's space), but many become sick a second time and face euthanasia unless they can find a foster home for the duration of their illness. It is a more forgiving policy than that of most shelters. It's a heartbreaking reality that upper respiratory infections run rampant in shelters, despite the best efforts of the staff. You know those signs that say "don't stick your fingers in cages?" Those are there for the animals' protection to help prevent the spread of disease. Our county shelter even provides gowns and gloves for visitors to wear to help protect the animals. But there's only so much that can be done around highly contagious, airbone pathogens.

I immediately signed up to be a foster. I was already fostering Tim and Willem with Pawfect, but I had my mind made up that I had to get that boy out, and I decided to take matters into my own hands. I attended a foster orientation and got to see the inner workings of the shelter. The staff and fosters are amazing people who, despite the things they see and experience ever day, have not lost their compassion and love for these animals. I cannot say enough good things about them and their efforts. I left that day with a very grateful Demeter. In retrospect, I probably wouldn't recommend rashly bringing a sick and contagious dog into your home with other fosters. I was able to quarantine him in a spare bedroom we use for a home office, and we were extremely diligent with keeping him and the other dogs separate as well as hand washing and shoe changing between visits. It was a great stroke of luck that the other dogs didn't get sick (although we had them all vaccinated).

His name had to change. "Demeter" was too much of a mouthful for me; I prefer one- to two-syllable dog names, something that can easily be called out for attention and recall. We decided to change it to Ozzie. He recovered beautifully from his URI and I committed to keeping him until he was adopted, but really at that point we had already fallen in love with him. And then things got interesting. Stay tuned for the dramatic conclusion! Hint; it has a happy ending.

Brugge and Ozzie on their first meeting post-quarantine.

Also, on an unrelated note, we've gotten an application in on Tim! Fingers crossed that this could be his forever family!

Lace & Twill Lately

Clearly, things have been a little slow on the blog lately. I've been a bad blogger. However, things have been full throttle here at Lace & Twill Headquarters. A few highlights:

1. Willem has been adopted! His new family is incredibly sweet and a wonderful fit for him. He even has a kitty brother and sister!
2. We adopted a second dog! His name is Ozzie and he is fabulous and sweet. I'll be giving him a proper introduction and telling more of his story in another post. It's a doozy!
3. We still have Tim. He's doing great after being separated from Willem, in fact, he seems to really be coming into his own.
4. We made a big discovery about Brugge's health and diagnosed a new problem. Fortunately, it's treatable! Stay tuned for a post about that too.

So, while I may not have been posting lately, I've racked up tons of material for future posts! I'm excited to get back into the swing of things and continue sharing what I've learned. Thanks for bearing with me!

We've been a little lazy around here...

A Photo Friday; Fourth of July!

So on Wednesday, which happened to be the 4th of July, I was able to take some pictures without dealing with leashes thanks to our fabulous new fence! The fence was finished on Monday night, and it has seriously been life changing in the best way possible. I'm talking at least 600% more exciting than when I upgraded to an apartment with a dishwasher and laundry machines. I also lucked out in the fact that neither of the fosters have any storm or fireworks phobias. These are seriously some awesome (And do I dare say easy? Knock on wood!) dogs. But enough from me, on to the pictures!

Willem is a true All-American dog. And look at those soulful eyes; they just melt my heart.

This one shows the other side of his personality; a goofy, wiggly brick of fun!

Tim sure knows how to work a camera. What a model.

He's a real Yankee Doodle Boy!

Brugge got in on the fun too. I just love my baby girl.