"Assassino!" ...

... muttered my friend and colleague Jolka, who disapproved of what was going on, as she passed me at the front door of our office building. And the look that Nora gave me when I picked her up at the Vet's late yesterday afternoon said pretty much the same thing. In fact every time I pick her up to take her out I'm getting the same look plus she refuses to kiss me.

So why the epithets, the cold shoulder and the looks guaranteed to bring on - and they do, believe me - fits of guilt? Well yesterday we had our Nora spayed. Now this was a decision that was not lightly reached however we felt it had to be done. Nicky and Nora had come into our lives as pets and it was never our intention to bred them. We leave that to people better equipped for that sort of thing.

Nora is now six months old and had given signs of having her first heat. This has led to some misguided attempts by Nicky to do what dogs do - though for a while there he was humping her head. When I mentioned to a friend of mine that he seemed to be unsure of the process she sneered: Typical of an Italian male! Whatever that may have meant.

Miss Nora on her first post-op foray out of her kennel. She's still very sore and, dare I say it, angry with me for it all. Hopefully both states will pass.

Now that brings up the subject of Nicky, who at the moment I might add is quite miserable. He is being kept separate from Nora and though they fight like, well, dogs and dogs he doesn't understand why he can't be with her. A good deal of his time is spent at the door of her kennel crying and I've caught him on at least one occasion attempting to open the door. So why are we not having Nicky neutered? It is not blatant sexism as a few people have suggested but based on past experience. When we had our Reese, who was a long-haired daschie, fixed his whole character changed - he became indolent and deferential. Physically he also changed - his coat became more fur than hair and he developed what we liked to call a "soccer player build" but was actually fat. This was one of the causes of his back problems later in life - always a problem with daschies. Now I know there is no guarantee that is going to happen with Nicky but at this point in time we have decided to leave things as they are.

In the meantime we are giving Miss Nora extra pats and a bit more careful cuddling and just letting her rest.

NEWS FLASH: She kissed me when I took her out to pee late this afternoon! I am now feeling a little bit less of an "assassino".

22 agosto - Beata Virgine Maria Regina