The Firebrook FireSmush

Below the hurried footsteps of kids in brightly colored swimsuits and rubber swim caps, Linus romped across the damp grass of Pinnacle swimming pool grounds Saturday afternoon. As a mini-mascot, he sported a red 'F' painted on his back. No, the 'F' didn't stand for Frenchie. Linus was joining me as an avid fan of the Firebrook Firefish.

Since moving home this summer, I've rekindled my connection to the neighborhood where I grew up. Sixteen years ago, I was nine years old and competing for the first time ever with the developing Firefish swim team. I was just like these kids on Saturday, nervously awaiting my heat to be called as I munched on healthy treats in the refuge of a giant team tent. Stretching, playing and painting the bare legs of my friends with our team colors. Watching these kids Saturday made me miss being a kid.

My brother is the last Troutman standing with the Firebrook swim team. It's his second year as the head swim coach, and likely the last year he'll be involved. Just as he has done since he was a mere five years old, he shaved his head for the championship meet, one last time. Below, Linus shares in the excitement of the summer swim conference with his Uncle Noah and some of the swim team kids. See how the "FireSmush" and Noah are both sporting the 'F' (in their own special ways)?

Go Firefish!

All-American import

The skies above our suburban neighborhood gleamed with color and boomed like thunder Saturday night. While most dogs were trembling under beds, Linus joined crowd of neighbors and our family at the hilltop mansion for the annual neighborhood fireworks show.

As a true member of the "home of the brave," Linus was not in the least daunted by the powerful volume of the fireworks. He enthuiastically sat in my lap and watched the burst of fire sparkle over the lake. Still, with my concern for those big, sensitive bat ears, I used my hands as ear muffs for him when the fireworks show reached its most climatic point.

By birth, Linus is an all-American boy out of Oklahoma. By heritage, he is of course, French. On Independence Day, his French roots reminded me of our trusty allies during the Revolutionary War. The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of that alliance. The nation we love was fought for and won with the aid from a country that birthed the breed I love. To me, this makes the Fourth all the more special!

Below: Linus and I attend festivities downtown on July 3.

Linus gets some love for being so good during the fireworks show.

Linus chills out during the show.

Some of the kids give Linus a glowing halo during the show.

Happy Fourth, everyone!

In the heat of flea season

I'm stepping away from my series on "Boundaries" today to address a timely topic affecting all dogs everywhere: the curse of the flea. If you're a dog owner, it's almost impossible to dodge flea treatment, especially during the summer months. Don't kid yourself. All it takes is one missed month for your dog to become infested with them. And it's not pleasant.

Yesterday I stopped by the vet to pick up some flea treatment for all three dogs. Mind you, it's not cheap. I'd much rather take the $400 Dad and I spent on the dogs' eight rounds of flea treatment and heartworm preventative and buy Linus a new toy or save up for my impending vacation. But that's one of the the hardest parts of being a responsible dog owner: there's no skimping on your animal's health.

Ponying up the cash to treat your dog every month with Frontline (R) or another vet-recommended flea treatment is the best way to prevent fleas. If you are thinking "it's just little fleas...what's the worst that could happen?" or "that's too darned expensive," then I would encourage you to take the flea threat a little more seriously. Because I once thought like you, but now I can speak from experience: you don't want to let fleas in your home or on your dogs. Linus HAS been infected with fleas before (when we had missed our regular dosage of Frontline) and subsequently he was infected with tapeworms. Tapeworms are caused by the larvae of fleas and they make your dog very sick. What's more, tapeworms will make you very sick if you are ever graced with their lovely presence in a warm bed of your dog's feces. Please excuse the candor here, but experiencing this is not something I wish for any other dog owner.

So, there's my horror story. I hope my regular readers realize that I am no expert at this, I have made mistakes as a dog owner, but I only mean to speak from experience so others won't make my same mistakes. Even missing a week of treatment can make them susceptible to these little bugs. So, I beg of you, don't just shake off your vet's recommendation to stay on top of flea treatment. As a pet owner in a down economy, I know we are all thinking: Where can we skimp? Is my vet ripping me off? And, in this case, I have to warn you that taking care of the fleas now will prevent strife, additional costs and further treatment in the future. Avoiding fleas will just lead to inevitable misery. And preventative treatment is easy. With a snip and a squirt on the nape of the neck, you are through with that worry!

The Companion Animal Parasite Council is a great resource for information on flea treatment, preventative tips and the scoop on other pesky parasites that can threaten the cleanliness and safety of your home, as well as the health of your dogs. Click here to read their article on how to test for and prevent fleas.

Below, Linus gets a bath - this is not a happy time.

Bathtime is a great opportunity to investigate your dog's coat and check for signs of fleas (little brown bugs or little black specks under your dog's fur). Flea baths are available your local pet store. Keep in mind, these baths will not take care of the problem for good. Legit flea treatment is only available through your vet's office.

Now, I've got to stop talking about this... it's making me itchy! Long live summer, and down with those fleas!