Mite-y Oscar.

I keep wanting to write a blog but I'm really unsure what to say as the past few days with Oscar have been such an emotional roller-coaster that I haven't been able to decide if it's going to be an up blog or a down blog.

My problem is that I'm so, what word can I make up here?, completistic about things. If he wees outside then in my head he's completely toilet trained, amazing! High. But then he wees inside and he's completely broken, he just hasn't got it and it must be completely my fault. Low, very low. In reality he's just a puppy and he'll get there.

Also I have been on my own with him during the day now that S has gone back to work. It's been hard, not hard work just mentally hard doing all the minute by minute decisions for another creatures comfort all by myself. And even more time spent outside waiting for him to go to the toilet.

I still completely love him, obviously. And he is such a good dog. He's learning retrieve and improving and has started to do walking on a lead, which isn't going so well and is making me think that clicker training could well be the way forward. But he's trying!

Unfortunately he seems to have picked up a mite infestation! :-( Harvest mites are large orange mights that digest an animal's skin for 2-3 days at this particular stage in their life cycle. They are common this time of year in this area apparently. And Oscar's got a freight-load all over him. Round his back legs and in his armpits, all over his ears and between his toes! Poor little chap, they must be itching like crazy. I had a look at them with my hand-lens and saw one or two crawling about - proper yuck!

We took him to the vets today and I have to say that I wasn't very impressed with the particular vet we saw today. She was short and seemed uncertain and not that bothered somehow. She gave us some stuff to kill them, and said that it "might work". And didn't give us any other information or advice whatsoever. Thanks love. I've found out more from the internet than I have from her! They drop off in a few days anyway but the Frontline chemical stuff she prescribed will help protect him from them as well. We are going to use it and leave it for a couple of days then bath him in tea-tree shampoo - throw some natural remedy at the little shites as well.

I'm really angry that these tiny orange pests think they can just waltz up and prey on my gorgeous little Oscar. Ha! I will smite them to kingdom come. And then nuke the garden so that no more that can get him.

Or something.

I'm quite, quite tired.

xxx