Robbed of other vital senses, Ava relies on her nose for everything.
She gets close to people (no, not always in the crotch-al area) to categorize them, friend or foe, dog-person or cat-person, etc...
We have noticed recently that she has a pattern
of smelling the skin of the arm (where blood is typically drawn)...
and she smells that area with INTENSE interest.



I am still formulating a theory, but I am currently working under the
assumption that she can smell deep within the body from certain
points and that happens to be one of them.
A few months ago I injured my plantar fascia tendon
and she would lay her nose to my ankle for long periods of time during the day,
just smelling and breathing deeply.
It was like "lamaze-healing-dog-therapy!"
In any case, she reminds me daily that there is more to people
than meets the eye, or ear, or even nose.

Ummm, Misfits... if you are looking for that typical Azure Mojo... I think I found it. Did our dogs swap energy in some voo-doo mojo chanting earlier tonight? How did you get the mild mannered dog walking on the leash through the beautiful countryside and we get the crazed maniacal dog runnin' crop circles around us? (For reference point please click on misfitfarm.blogspot.com and find the source of this exchange)

Do you notice I don't move the whole time? That's not for the camera effect... it's for the health and welfare of my shins. See Luna run around the corner to hide? He does that regularly now as a defense. Can you hear him yell SANCTUARY? No good, she isn't listening. Even Teej sits in his chair and just giggles the chaos away. He was cut up twice tonight from their "play". Child is crazy poking at her with his toe when she is like that! He could've lost that toe!

In any case, please send a SASE to MajorDanes and we will send that MOJO right back where it belongs. She must be missing it by now? Enjoy Misfits and you too Streamers!

Well, we are back up and running at MajorDanes after a very long and somewhat chaotic trip out west. The Danes are back to their laxed ways as their pack is once again at full capacity. After taking the red-eye flight back to MN, I walked in my front door around 7am - then promptly shipped Ava off for her all day dental appointment ( which was made 3 months in advance ). Little did I know how I would miss each and every member of the Dane-gang (human members included), and how I just wanted the dental appointment to go away so I could snuggle and play all day with them.

Ava of course was fine with it and excited to be heading off for the day-long procedure. I loathed the vet techs as I imagined how much time they would spend with her and myself so little... I was pouty and homesick for the lot but thankfully my selfish nature did NOT win out. I was in for a monster nap and so off she went. She came home... minty fresh breath... shaved leg patch where the IV was stationed... and a sleepy face that told me she was ready for her own nap. Hard work getting all those teeth to sparkle?!! Oh, AND an ear swab tells me she has a bacterial ear infection... (unlike the yeast infection she had last time... meaning the meds left over would be no help?!). The infection is not painful and no danger of her losing her hearing... but still important to clear up says my vet. No matter, just happy her teeth are done and that I am home snuggling with the stuffed throw rugs that lay at my feet... and sometimes they lay on the couch when they have had a hard day.

I will be in San Francisco for the next week presenting at a conference. Just wanted to send out a heads up as my service may be sketchy and the Danes are staying home (talk about long faces all around?!)

On a brighter note, we have all survived the latest tragedy to hit our in-person community here in Minnesota.

I well utilized bridge on 35W near the UMN campus went down today at 6:05p during rush hour. The traffic was moving at less than 10 MPH and it was bumper to bumper. The bridge was undergoing superficial maintenance (as it seems to every summer) and so construction workers were on the structure as well. Seven people were killed and sixty were injured. The bridge spanned the Mississippi river and so falling debris as well as drowning were factors in the deaths. Co-workers of mine have all sent around emails to make sure everyone was safe and several added that they had just been on the bridge not half an hour before the collapse occurred. As always, once it fell the Minnesota Nice in people bubbled to the surface and people jumped to aid those in need. The bridge fell 64 feet and took down adjoining sections as it fell, trapping some vehicles like a vice grip. One that narrowly escaped was a bus of 60 kids on a summer field trip. For more info you can check out www.kstp.com.


A sad reminder to cherish everyday.
Be well in the stream and I look forward to returning next week!

You may be familiar with the yoga position of "downward facing dog".
Well, once again we sit and wonder about Ava and think she may have been a yoga instructor in her previous life?!


It would explain her grace and angelic movement... hmmmm?
She will typically stretch in the morning using this position and I swear... she moves directly into Cobra pose!

I stare and think how the heck?
She is a mystery! Makes me wonder what they do all day when I'm away?!
I mean, are the neighborhood canines attending classes in my living room?
(giggle... wouldn't that be awesome? - I mean wrong on many levels but hilarious too!)
She is pictured here using the pose to guard her ice cube treat from marauding invaders (namely Luna).

Luna just stares at her like she's cracked... "like, why would I want to steal a frozen cube of water?"
Nevertheless, she guards it from attack as she sees it as quite the prize.