Nighttime escapades

My human woke up in the middle of the night and the first thing that ran through her mind was a game she played as a kid - called Twister.  For those not as ancient as she is - the game involved a floor mat with different colored circles.  A wheel was spun and it would direct the players where to place their right hand and foot, left hand and foot - on a specific colored circle.  Resulting in a variety of contorted postures! 

So why was my human thinking of that childhood game in the middle of the night?  Because that’s what it’s like with us sleeping on the bed.  She sometimes can’t put her legs straight down.  She has to be curled up, or lie crosswise.  She never knows if she’ll wake up with a dog sprawled out on one of her arms, effectively pinning her down on one side. She wakes up with her neck in a weird position,  sometimes resulting in a sore kink for the rest of the day.

Contortions are one thing.  She also has to contend with one dog on the bed. Two dogs on. Three dogs on. One gets off.  Two get off. One gets back on. Everyone gets off.  You get the idea.

And the thing that actually resulted in a total bedroom eviction the other night ( which RARELY happens) was licking.  Two of us were warned that inappropriate licking needed to stop.  One warning.  Two warnings. The next thing you know, all three of us were marched OUT of the bedroom and she put up a baby gate. Seriously?!  Seriously.  At 4AM, Einstein could no longer stand it - so he started barking out his demands to come in.  She relented at 4:30.

It would be nice if we could blame these nighttime escapades on a Full Moon.  But the reality?  The phases of the moon have nothing to do with it. We are just wild at night.  Come to think of it...it’s not that different from daytime!

Ya gotta love us.  Don’t ya....

Have a good one. Peace and paws up.

Seizure free days: 16

He did it....

It was only a matter of time...

On Thursday, my human had a super busy morning at work.  She was actually busy until 1:00, when she finally took a break to grab a coffee.  And while she was having her beverage, she decided to check in on the homefront via Big Brother. Perhaps not the best idea- or MAYBE the timing was just right.

She turned on the camera at the exact moment that the FG just “happened “ to be doing something - just below camera view.  But she could just see the top of his head.  And it was moving in an odd way.  And she had a feeling she knew what was happening.  He was chewing on the corner of the carpet- in the one area not protected by the chair barricade.  She turned on the microphone and like during the previous carpet chewing caper, instructed him to “Stop!” whatever it was he was doing.  He sat up and looked straight up at the camera.  

She realized she was probably too late- and couldn’t bear to watch any more.  Although about 10 minutes later she did tune in again and saw he had moved.  It’s like watching a scary movie - you want to see what’s happening- but you look through your fingers.

When she got home, she immediately came in to check the rug.  Sure enough.  He had started his handiwork.  Make that teethiwork.

She looked at him and sighed. He didn’t have a clue what he had done when she uttered the infamous “What did you do?” phrase.  As IF he would say”Why I chewed the carpet. Hope it’s OK.”

After supper, we were all sequestered on the deck while she attempted to repair the binding with some black fabric.  Trust me.  The following photo looks better than the actual rug.  Her steamstress skills are NOT her forte.  But at a distance of 40 feet, it doesn’t look bad.

Yesterday she was actually off, but went out for the day.  This time, the ENTIRE edge of the rug was covered by chairs- and the repaired corner had the vacuum cleaner sitting on it. When she came home, the carpet was intact. 

Next I predict that the legs on those chairs that form the barricade may become victim to some interesting wood carving experiments.  Not that a couple haven’t already been sampled while standing upright. 

Oh.  And remind me to tell you how I chewed an ENTIRE roll of toilet paper the other night while my human was sleeping....

Thank goodness she loves us....

Have a good one. Peace and paws up.

Seizure free days: 15

Confucius say...

Today is the birthday of Confucius - the famous politician, and philospher who lived a long time ago.  He was a smart guy who wrote a LOT and had many famous quotes. And, although I didn't read ALL of the literature on this fact - it appears that "Confucius was one of the first people in Chinese histroy to be recorded as the owner of a pet dog".*  Who knew?  If you want to read a detailed account about the role of canines in early Chinese history, I will attach an article at the end of my blog.  It's heavy reading - but kind of interesting... Now keep in mind that the article talks about the practice of eating Fido - so BE PREPARED.  That's OBVIOUSLY not a practice I support - but the article gives an idea of how the practice began. 

As I did a few years ago, I have taken a couple of his quotes and paired them with photos. Here they are:

And as I also did before, I have written my very own quotes.  Well, they are not entirely my own - and you may recognize parts of them....

• Great minds think... about how to get into the treat jar.

• Anything that can go wrong probably will... happen as my human is on the way out the door to work.  And we have probably caused it...

• Hell hath no fury... like a PON when supper is late.

• Ignorance is... not knowing how to counter surf.

• A penny saved... buys more dog treats. 

• I think, therefore I ...end up in trouble.

• I've never met a ...treat I didn't like. 

     

     That's it for my philosophizing for today.  It's hard work being a blog writer, a philosopher, 
     a guardian, and a comedian. 
    
     It is FRIDAY!!!!!!!!  Let the weekend begin!

     Have a good one!  Peace and paws up!
     Seizure free days: 14

Here is that article...
ccsdb.ncl.edu.tw/ccs/image/01_029_004_01_10.pdf 
   

Off line dating

Well the on-line dating project has had dismal results.   No really good local options.  My human thinks she could get a job helping people to write profiles about themselves - although I'm not so sure she should be thinking she is so good at it - her writing obviously hasn't resulted in any REALLY good potential partners for her.  But when people have names like "Biggest loser," "Trying AGAIN" and "Trainwreck," you have to wonder.  Why would someone call themselves that?!  One guy listed one of his sumer hobbies as "winnie roasting."  I THINK he meant "weenie” roasting."  Either that or Mr. Pooh better hide.

We suggested she more wisely put the money into more dog treats.  Or vet bills....

The other day we were having a fetch-a-thon in the backyard.   First the FG did his thing and then Einstein and I went out. As we know, I go crazy.  All common sense and ability to process and reason goes out the window when I play fetch.   My human throws one direction and I go first (because I HAVE to) and then while I take off, Einstein is thrown another fetch toy in the opposite direction.  He's pretty smart.  He knows we alternate directions each time - so while I am running to get my toy which has been thrown, he starts running in the direction that he KNOWS his WILL be thrown. 

Anyway, at one point my human tossed the toy and retrieving it meant either jumping up a three foot wall by an embankment or running around the wall.  Einstein went up the wall.  No problem. And then he jumped down the from the wall.  Then it was my turn.  And I followed his lead.  No problem.  We alternated and this time, Einstein chose to go around the wall.  And he jumped down.  And then it was my turn to go that way.  I was in a frenzy moment - and wasn't watching where I was going - I was so intent on getting the toy quickly.  Bam.  I made it half way up the wall.  And I tried again - and was successful.  And then I jumped down.  My next turn was on the flat part of the lawn while Einstein did the wall thing.  When I returned from my easy retrieve - my human took one look at me and I was limping with a sore front leg.  It likely was the result of my missed wall turn.  Of course I still wanted to play fetch.  My human traded for a treat and said "Oh no buddy, we have to stop."  I looked at her forlornly and hobbled unwillingly into the house. 

I was put on restricted walking the rest of the day and the same the next morning - when I seemed to be much better.   But when my human got home from work, I managed to bolt out before she could grab me to put my leash on.  I did my typical "attack Einstein routine" - spinning and barking and jumping like I haven't just spent the entire day with him.  Needless to say, I was hobbling by the end of my joy run.

Yesterday I was NOT allowed to horse around at ALL.  NO OFF LEASH ACTIVITY.   I was much better - but my human wasn't taking any chances.   She thinks our car could go on autopilot to the vet.  No wonder he has gone into sem-retirement.

Hey - is there an on-line dating site where you can meet veterinarians?!  Now THAT would be a good match!!!!

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days:  13 

Vegan dogs. Seriously.

Vegan diets for dogs.  Are you KIDDING me?!  Here's an article about us canines and vegan diets:
 https://www.sciencealert.com/dogs-can-survive-on-vegetarian-diet-but-it-is-not-recommended?perpetual=yes&limitstart=1

OK, if my human goes that route, I'm moving out.  No offense to vegan humans - but I’m just not sure we canines could give up all meat or fish.  At least not the dogs in this house.  I mean technically I should be able to forage in the woods, right?   Like a  wild animal.  And I DO like to eat grass.  But let's face it, we canines have changed a lot since our wolf days.  I am not prepared to dig for grubs or eat tree bark.  I prefer my meals served in my silver bowl.  OK it’s stainless steel but still - I like to be served.  And I am NOT living ONLY on lettuce and carrots.

The whole dog food topic is enough to make a human's head explode.  Feed raw. Don't feed raw.  Feed kibble.  Don't feed kibble.  Make your own food.  Don't make your own food.  And it can result in some pretty intense battles on-line.  It's ALMOST worse than talking politics.  ALMOST.

We went the raw route for awhile.  And it was FINE as long as my human didn't want to eat herself .  Prepared raw diets are a bit pricey when you have a three dog household.  And then to prepare your own dog food, you really should know what the heck you are doing.  And she didn't feel she was an expert.  Not to mention that she barely has time to prepare her OWN meals.  So she buys THE most expensive kibble possible.  And then the picky Picard ALSO gets dehydrated food mixed in with his kibble.  Because he won't eat JUST his kibble.  Which is the polar opposite of us PONs who would eat rancid kibble manufactured in 1981 if it was presented to us. Vacuum garbage guts.  That's us.  Although I supose anything THAT bad COULD have some "after effects..."

You see these videos proclaiming the horrors of grocery store food.  They contain mostly ingredients that have 5-6 syllables, and LOTS of fillers.   Not to mention artificial colors.  I guess it's kind of like feeding your kid red candies (colored with the infamous Red Dye #2) and sugary cereal for breakfast every day.  Not a great idea.

That being said....remember Barney?  My human's first dog?  The one who came from the shelter?  The one who was labeled the "biter" and who lived up to his name?  The one who taught my human patience?   Well Barney was her FIRST dog as an adult - before she knew ANYTHING about canine nutrition.  I mean her dog growing at home up was fed grocery store food.  So that's what she fed Barney.  She even gave him those red burger-like patties that are probably made of ingredients that make you glow in the dark.  He got the kind of treats that cost like $5 for a 50lb bag.  He got any kind of leftover - some of which he foraged for himself in the garbage - like the turkey carcass.  The one he hid under the cushion on the sofa.  Yup - Barney ate crap.  Sorry for my explicit vocabulary - but that about sums it up.   And Barney lived to 17.5.   Not a bad age.  Heck - maybe all those chemicals and preservatives actually preserved him.  He was pickled.

So the article basically says the jury is out on whether a vegan diet IS good for us.  I'm leaning toward NO.  The one sentence I did like was the following:   "Chewing can be an immensely satisfying and relaxing experience for dogs." Now THAT - I can agree with. The question is - does that include carpets and linens?

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 12

In trouble. Again.

So we have the dog who likes to stylize carpets.  And someone who likes to eat linens...

Yeah, yeah, we all know that I’m the pillowcase culprit.  Leave me and a pillow alone and the case doesn’t stand a chance of survival.  And then there was the mystery of who chewed the fancy pillow sham on the new bedding.  I should remind you that no one was CAUGHT in the act, and it appeared to happen while we had our sitter.  Of course I was the likely suspect due to my previous pillowcase crimes - but let’s face it, there was no proof.  

Well imagine my human’s reaction when she found that SOMEONE has chewed the edge of the new coverlet too.  

So it now matches the pillow sham.  Paws are pointed at me, but until caught in the act, there REALLY is no proof.  I’ve always focused on pillows myself - so it wasn’t NECESSARILY me.

In addition to being the prime suspect in the linen crime, I also found myself behind bars on Sunday...

My human had some chores and work to do in the morning, but in the afternoon she took us out to test out the new Chuck-Its.  They are just like the old ones.  That I pretty much destroyed due to my over exuberant fetch behavior.  So my human took me and Einstein out first.  And we each did 20 retrieves.  Exactly.  I was counting. And so was my human. We were starting to slow down - well Einstein sort of was - but I could have kept on going, so she traded for some treats and took the toys away and went to get the FG - for his turn.  He likes the big ball with the handles.  She took us in the backyard and told me and Einstein to down stay.  Well of course you KNOW Einstein, the show off, did exactly as instructed.  Me? I refused to lie down.  My human said “Suit yourself - sit stay.”  And she put the fetch toys on the outdoor table.  Now does anyone see a potential problem with her action?  You KNOW there was no way I would leave those fetch toys there.  So as soon as she turned her back to get the ball to throw for the FG, yours truly broke my “stay” and went to help myself to the fetch toys.  While I was struggling on two legs to grab the toys, my human came up from behind me and said “Busted.”  She marched me into the house.  Where I had to watch the proceedings from the deck. 

 Little did she know I did some counter surfing while I was stuck in there but luckily for her she had put her thawing hamburger for supper, far enough back on the cupboard so I couldn’t reach it.  Trust me - I tried.

She actually did feel sorry for me so after the FG was suitably tired and Einstein (who got to fetch AGAIN),  was bored, she brought me back out.  She figured since we were all tired, she could try to get a photo of us.  Because she doesn’t already have 37,639.  Well.  The FG and I did NOT want our photos taken.  And try as she might - even with yummy treats, strange noises and throwing branches to get our attention, we would NOT look happy.  Of course the good kid smiled the whole time.  

Looks like I had better behave for at least a couple of days to get back in good graces.  Won’t be easy.  I’m feeling the fall call of the wild...

Have a good one. Peace and paws up.

Seizure free days: 11

Shattering the morning silence

Fall is here - signaling cool nights, misty mornings and sunny days.  Yesterday was a PERFECT fall morning. And bonus - it was Sunday so we got to go for a longer morning walk.  We even let my human sleep in - until 6:15!  Yes -we can be thoughtful...

So imagine bright skies, and mist over the lake and ponds.  And quiet.  Peace and quiet.  Except for the songbirds and the distant call of the loons - who have not yet left for the winter.  Ah yes.  Peace in the countryside.  Until the stillness is shattered by a woman shouting like a banshee “Leave it!  Drop it! NOW!”

We were JUST heading home. Einstein and I were out for the first walk - and despite the fact that the puparazzi HAD to take a few photos, we had a great walk.  We sniffed and licked and peed - numerous times.  And as we were almost back to our driveway, Einstein went into the tall grass at the side of the road.  And he emerged.  With his head held low.  Really low.  Which as all people owned by dogs know, signals that he has SOMETHING he doesn’t want anyone to see. I was so busy sniffing the ground that I didn’t notice that my brother had bounty.  My human pulled Einstein’s leash close and instructed (well shouted) that he drop whatever he had. “El-Vik-Frodo” she shouted.  That’s what happens when you live in a mutiple dog household - everybody’s name is said as the human quickly is shouting at one dog.  Sometimes it is Vik-Fro- Elroy.  We have six combinations. She never says the right name first.  Must be an age thing.  Anyway, she went to pry open Einstien’s mouth and he dropped the treasure.  Part of a pizza crust.  Who knows how it got in the bushes - either some trash throwing human, a bird who found it too heavy to carry or a raccoon who raided a green organics bin.  Of course as soon as I spotted the treasure, I dove for it.  So now my human had to separate the two of us and get the crust out of my mouth.  All the while she is shouting at us - and no doubt waking up any neighbors who might have wished to sleep in. I don’t know how she did it - but we were dragged away with the treasure left right in the middle of the road.  What a waste.  There are dogs starving somewhere in the world - and she leaves perfectly good food in the road...It’s a sin...

Aren’t you glad you are NOT our neighbor?! 

Today she is off, so we are expecting long walks again.  Another prefect morning is in the forecast.  And with any luck - that pizza crust may still be there....

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

Seizure free days : 10

The curse of Big Brother

I almost HATE to discuss this topic.  For fear I will jinx things more...

My loyal readers KNOW that my the FG has a bad habit of decimating carpets.   We've been through several since his arrival as a puppy.  He starts his "teeth crafting" and then we PONs join in.  And when my human can no longer tolerate the unsightly floor covering, she buys a new one.  In fact, my human bought one for the dining room....and it was ceremoniously unrolled on June 28.  And we were taking wagers as to how long it would remain intact.  

Up until now, NO ONE has touched it.  BUT - the other day my human was at the counter in the kitchen and looked up JUST in time to see the FG holding one edge in his mouth.  She shouted "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"  and raced over to pull it out of his mouth.  He just looked at her.  

Fast forward to the next day and she is at work.  She was at her computer and she got a "ding" indicating that Big Brother detected some "movement at home."  She doesn't look at her phone to check on us every time she gets the "ding" but since I had those seizures she has been checking on me a bit more frequently.  So she looks at the screen on her phone and as the picture becomes clear, she spots the FG.  And he's pulling up the carpet.  

Imagine her reaction.  She's sitting in her office at work and watching the new carpet about to be "stylized."  That's one of the problems with Big Brother.  You see the train about to go off the track and you can't do much... So she does the only thing (short of getting in her car and going home) she can think of.  She runs and shuts her office door, hits the microphone on her phone and shouts "ELROY LEAVE IT."   Luckily the person who occupies the next office wasn't in.  Although they may have heard her on the floor below.  She anxiously watches as the FG drops the carpet and looks around.   Einstein immediately runs to the window closest to where Big Brother is located - with the FG following.   She doesn't want to say anything else - because she doesn't want them to figure out that she's not REALLY there.  I would have though Einstein would have figured it out - but I guess he's not as smart as I think.  They looked out the window, walked around the room, and looked out again.

She watched for a minute or two until they settled down. And then she said a prayer that the carpet would be OK when she got home.  And it was.

So now when she goes to work, there is a line of chairs lying on their sides - all along the edge of the carpet.  It looks like a small fortress surrounding the dining room table.  Hey - maybe we could use it as some kind of agility course.  Now THAT could be fun while my human is at work.  Imagine her watching THAT on Big Brother...

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 9

Fall. And other special stuff.

Ah.  The first day of fall.  Sunny warm days and crisp, cool nights.  And the leaves are starting to come down.  Which means the vacuum cleaner will be going into overdrive the next few weeks.  We PONs have a habit of gathering leaves at this time of the year and bringing them into the house for further examination.  It's our "collection."  Needless to say, our collection doesn't stay around for very long.

In addition to being the first day of fall, on this day in 1888, according to the crazy calendar, the first issue of National Geographic magazine was published.  But hang on.   Color me confused.  I looked at my crazy calendar and found that date.  But THEN I looked at ANOTHER date on the crazy calendar and it listed OCTOBER 1 as the date of the first publication.  In fact, I even wrote about that last year.

http://viktorsviews.blogspot.com/2017/10/national-geographic.html

Maybe they published two issues.  Who knows.  I think I need to write to the crazy calendar people...

Anyway, while searching around, I found this short video about the History of Dogs - created by National Goegraphic.  It's a pretty good summary.  A bit depressing bout purebred dogs - but that IS the reality.  I've ranted about that before - so I'll curb it.  For now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yti6ce5ik0

Hello - but does anybody see a resemblance between those baby wolves in the video and this critter?

OK, the baby wolves have their ears up.  While in this photo, the FG still looks like the Flying Nun.  But there IS a resemblance.  Do wolves toss their bunnies in the air?   Wait.  Don't answer that - I realize THEIR bunnies aren't stuffed.

It's Saturday.  So you know what THAT spells.  MORE walks.  Although maybe not - because we DID have a "Special Weather statement" about rain and wind for at least PART of the day.  Humans have a such weird vocabulary.  "Special" should mean something good - or even unique or remarkable.   But "special" paired with "weather" is never anything good.  They never use it to describe a great sunny day.   To ME - "special weather" would signal clear skies and sunshine.   That's SPECIAL.  There is NOTHING special about wet dogs.  Ever.

OK. That's my rant for today.  Stay tuned tomorrow for the FG's latest journey down the road of bad behavior ...

Have a good one!  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 8

We had a fever!!

Holy fetch toy!  A HUGE  thank you to all my blog readers.  I asked if people MIGHT "Share" my blog yesterday and when my human looked at our "stats" mid morning, she nearly fell off her chair!  She's really not all that savvy when it comes to this blog stuff - but she does look at something called Pageviews each day to see how many people have basically clicked on one of our pages.  At least that's what she THINKS Pageviews are.  Anyway, around mid-morning on an average day, she would be happy to see 300.  But it was more than twice that by mid morning.   And by the end of the day, we surpasssed our "most read" blog by a LANDLSIDE.  I don't know that it would be classified as "viral" but we sure had a fever!!!!   Thank you thank you THANK YOU!!!!!  To quote Sally Field: "You LIKE me!"  (And if you don't know who Sally Field is or what my human is referring to,  you're just not as ancient as her... )

Meanwhile, we had an evening of rainy weather here the other night - which meant no moonlight walks.  Yet as my human read her email after supper, she had three canines who were mesmerized with her every movement and who CLEARLY wanted to DO something.  She sighed and said those magical words we have not heard all summer - "Find the Bunny?" with a rather questioning tone.  Einstein and I went crazy and the FG looked at us (not knowing what all the hoopla was about) and joined in the excited dog dance.  Those of you who are owned by dogs know the dance - the spinning, leaping, barking four step that signals something GREAT is about to happen.  "Great" can simply include the opening of the treat jar.  Most dogs have a strong dancing gene that erupts frequently.  Especially in THIS house.  But I digress.

My human retrieved the somewhat lopsided stuffed rabbit from his hiding place in the garage.  And of course, I HAD to be the first to play.  Why?  Because I would bark and moan incessantly if anyone else went first.  It's the ONE time I actually out-bark Einstein.  Einstein and the FG were sequestered in the front hall where they proceeded to apply lovely olfactory art to the french door as they watched me play.

I was diligent in sitting and staying in one room while my human hid the bunny in another.  And I found the bunny in 6/6 trials.   And I came BACK every time.  But to get the bunny back, my human would essentially throw treats at me to get me to release my hold.  We KNOW how I LOVE to fetch things...and not let go...

Next it was Einstein's turn.  He cheats.  As soon as my human leaves the room, he gets up and tries to watch where she is going.  He also takes off before my human says the "release words" of "Find the Bunny."  When he breaks his stay, she makes him go back to his starting point,  resulting in an argumentative barking tirade.  She ALWAYS gets her way on this one.   Despite his cheating, he was also 6/6.

And then it was the FG's turn.  As soon we was released from the confines of the front hall - where Einstein and I now longily watched him - he ran to look for the bunny BEFORE it was hidden.   It was still in my human's hand.  That's our FG.  Still doesn't QUITE get the rules of the game.  My human went to get him and to remind him of the process.  Now mind you, he DOES  sit and stay while the bunny is being hidden.  Every time.  He literally THROWS himself into a sit.  And he doesn't move a muscle.  And when he takes off to find the bunny, I swear I can hear the dishes in the cupboards crash together.  And he finds the bunny.  He was 6/6.  BUT as for bringing the now soggy hare back - nope.  Never.  My human has to go into the room where she inevitably finds him staring at the rabbit on the ground, and then he grabs it and tosses it in the air.  My human gets extra exercise when the FG plays.  She also gets to retrieve the bunny.  So really, she gets to play too.

After 18 rounds of Find the Bunny (6 each - although the FG's turns aren't REALLY full rounds because he never comes back), we were all suitably tired.  And happy.

And GUESS what?  The big box?  I had two new Chuck-Its!  So now we can play fetch outside again!  As long as it stays light out....

Thank you AGAIN for  reading,  sharing and for your kind comments.  All of you know how special we dogs are - and isn't it crazy how besides providing unconditional love and incredible joy, we can ALSO bring people together?  It's clear.  So obviously, more dogs need to be in politics...

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 7

Share a blog day

It's a BIG day.   It's my blog anniversary!  1428 posts.  FOUR years of writing something almost every day.  I see in the beginning that we didn't INTEND to write every day.  And then... somehow it happened.  We have to be crazy and no doubt there are MANY people who think we are!  

We have shared good times, bad times, and some pretty boring times.  But because we have this steady core of readers who support us with comments and feedback - we keep plugging away.  

I want to know the record for the most blog posts by a dog.  I started doing a bit of research to see how we measure up with other dog blogs.  My research was pretty depressing. We didn't make the Top 20 Dog Blog sites.   Actually we are not even in the Top 100.  But  you know what?!  There are some pretty fancy dog blogs out there....but in all those fancy sites, I couldn't find one that writes every day.  And I couldn’t find one with over 1000 posts!!!! Yet they have a gazillion followers!  That's the depressing part. I think we either need to retire or up our game.   Or I need a PR rep.  I’ll have to advertise...

I looked back at one of my earlier posts about what I have learned about humans while writing this blog.  And I think the information bears repeating...so I will plagiarize my own words!

• Humans  get a license.  It allows them to drive.  It allows them to drink.  But not at the same time.  We dogs get a license.  It doesn't allow us to drive OR drink.  Seems a bit unfair to me. 
• For some reason, many humans love Fridays.  To us dogs, every day is Friday.
• Humans like to bathe and shower.  Every day.  Most of us dogs would be content with an annual cleansing.  You might think that given our superior sense of smell, we would want to be fresh smelling.  But our preferences in the odor department are much more "earthy" than those of humans.  So bathing and smelling like lavender is just NOT a goal for us. Give us a dead fish and we're happy to roll a dash behind our ears.
• Humans generally like to eat different things for each meal.  While variety is nice, most of us dogs are content to eat the same thing.  For every meal. 
• Humans will spend significant amounts of money on toys for us.  The reality?  Most of us would be content with the cardboard from a roll of paper towel or toilet paper.  Or better yet - give us the whole roll. Shredding can be entertaining.
• Humans do not need to circle, dig or ball up bedding before going to sleep. They are content to just lie down.  Very odd.
• Humans agonize trying to think of a name for us when we are puppies.  Then they call us a variety of "other" names.  Like me.  I'm Viktor.  Viktorino.  Vik.  And even Trino.  And then they wonder why we don't come when called.
• Humans set "rules."  Like no dogs on the furniture.  Or in the DFZ.  With patience and persistence, we dogs can generally have any rule changed.  We have the "power."
• Dog people are all alike whether they own a chihuahua or an Irish Wolfhound or a multi-breed dog.  They all like to share stories and pictures of us.  And they also do this thing where they gravitate toward other people who own the SAME breed of dog.  I guess misery loves company - in some cases...

Overall though, I do think humans ARE pretty cool and when they are well trained, they can be a pleasure to own... 

Thanks for reading today.  And if you want to do me a favor and you are reading this on Facebook, MAYBE just today (for my special day) you could Share my post?  I have a goal of making the Top 10,000 Dog Blog sites for 2018.  And with your help... maybe I'll make it!  But if you’re not one of those folks who like to “Share” that’s OK.  I do understand.  I don’t like to share treats either - so I get it. 

Oh - and by the way- a big box arrived in the mail yesterday.  I think she caved.  I think I saw some new Chuck-Its.  Wait.  I hope she doesn’t make me wait until Christmas to try them out...
Have a good one!  Peace and paws up! 
Seizure free days: 6

The list

We made a list.  Yup - one of those on-line lists that group a bunch of dogs together and categorize us according to some "important" attribute - like "easiest to carry in a Chanel handbag," "biggest appetite," "most likely to eat something inedible," "most yappy (hello Einstein!), "happiest living near a body of water," "most difficult to groom (hello Einstein again!)," and "least likely to graduate from obedience school."   OK.  I made up some of those.  Actually all of them - although I bet if I searched long enough I could find these lists.  But here IS a list that actually makes sense - because it is simply a list of rare breeds - based on statistics.

https://www.thestreet.com/personal-finance/the-most-unusual-dog-breeds-14701096

So we PONs made the list.  I like that they call us confident and clever.  They negelected to mention stubborn.  Well....stubborn sounds negative.   Let's say - "willing to demonstrate creative, individual reasoning".    Notice the Picard didn't make the list.  I'm not sure why - I don't really think of them as being "usual."  EVERY time my human takes the FG somewhere, she is asked what he is.   She is going to print up cards to hand out.  I think she should do it for us PONs too.

Tomorrow is a big day here.  BIG.  Anybody know what it is?   If you don't, you'll have to wait until tomorrow.  And if you do....you win a prize!!!  I'm not sure what it is - but I'll think of something...

Have a good one.  Peace and pawsup!
Seizure free days: 5

Creatures in the dark

Fall will soon officially be here - but we have already seen the difference in our daylight hours.  Which means the all-important headlamp has re-emerged.  When we walk in the morning now it is still dark, and evening walks are also dark.  And it’s a good thing my human isn’t really afraid of things that hide in the shadows in the dark, because in our early morning walk yesterday, at least three critters were encountered.

My human spotted the first animal walking across the road.  And before she spotted it, we smelled it. Einstein was first.  His nose went in the air and he started pulling with that stiff-legged walk that means “I am going to get it.”  Whatever “it” may be.  My human thought it was either a porcupine or a raccoon.  By the time we reached the spot where it went into the woods, there was no sign of it.  Still, Einstein was ready take on whatever it was.  Needless to say my human held onto our leashes very tightly.

Then it was the FG’s turn to go out.  This time she spotted the creature before he did.  It appeared to be a cat.  Whatever it was, it hid in the tall grass at the side of the road.  My human shone her light in the direction of the animal and two eyes glowed back at her.  And whatever it was, it wasn’t moving.  Just watching.  Meanwhile the FG didn’t even notice. My human kept shining the light at the watcher and finally got a good view.  A cat. Mystery solved.

As they continued on, they suddenly heard a loud rustling in the woods.  This time the FG did notice.  He froze.  He’s actually quite comical in his frozen state.  He looks wide-eyed at my human and then back at the woods. They waited, but no other noises came from the woods, so on they continued.

My human loves her headlamp.  I have a feeling we wouldn’t be going on those walks without it.  We do miss the early daylight - but we also enjoying the warm days and cool nights.  Gotta enjoy this weather - we know what comes next...

Have a good one. Peace and paws up.

Seizure free days: 4

I blew it...

I blew it.  Well really, I chewed it.  And as a result, we no longer have our favorite fetch toys....

As we all know, I LOVE to fetch.  I will literally fetch until my tongue is scraping the ground and I can barely walk.  I suppose it never gets quite that bad - because my human stops me before then.    But the PROBLEM in stopping me is that I KNOW she is going to end the game, so I won’t let go of the toy.  If she offers up a treat for a trade...well she has come close to losing a finger because I am SO keyed up.  Not a behavior I recommend. 

And heaven forbid she runs out of treats. I will not let go.  I mean I will NOT let go.  Ever see those posts of dogs who jump up to grab something and will literally hang by their teeth.  That’s me.  My human can lift me off the ground - and I will NOT let go.  As a result, our FAVORITE fetch toys have taken a beating.  We have had them for a few years - but yesterday, yours truly saw to it that they were destroyed.  I ran to get the toy and instead of coming back, decided to shred it.  That’s because all three of us were out playing and my human wasn’t just paying attention to me.  So I took the opportunity to shred our Chuck-It.  My human saw what I was doing and shouted “Hey- stop that!”  As she raced toward me I was pulling the thing apart. She luckily had a treat so I traded the now beyond-help toy.  She said “That’s it!”  She marched me in the house, and Einstein followed - gloating at the fact that I was in the proverbial doghouse. The fetch toys were ceremoniously dropped in the garbage.

Meanwhile, the FG was still outside.  He loves those toys too - but he is equally content with his Kong ball thing.  It has all the bells and whistles - literally. It has two handles so he can carry it, it has a tennis ball inside and it squeaks. He loves it.  Me - not so much.  Too bulky for my liking. He got to stay out and play fetch with his ball.  I shouldn’t say this, as I’m already in hot water, but watching my human throw that ball thing is rather entertaining. She tries to roll it like a bowling ball, but often ends up throwing the thing straight up in the air.  It’s a miracle the FG hasn’t been clocked  on the head yet.

Anyway, my favorite toys went in the garbage.  They were both beyond repair. I’ll have to put a new set on my Christmas list.  Although I would rather have them before then. Guess I’ll have to be on my best behavior.  No counter surfing.  For at least 3 days....

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

Seizure free days: 4

A regular day

Not too much new on the home front- which can actually be a good thing!  We had a lazy day yesterday. Well we did.  After we played outside and became suitably tired, my human went to cut some trees down.  OK.  Not trees - but branches on the trails to the lake.  We sat on the deck and Einstein barked out instructions. Unfortunately- still pretty squeaky. When he realized she wasn’t going to follow his plans, he went back in the house.

Oh - I suppose I should mention that my human went to the dreaded Dollar Store the other day and came back with a big bag.  We all know what holiday is coming. Can we come and stay with anyone until after the end of October?  

With the lovely day, of course the puparazzi was in full swing. So she took 4,539 pictures - and I thought I could share a couple.  Hope you enjoy them!

Have a good one! Peace and paws up!

Seizure free days: 3

Be responsible. Don’t be a zombie.

September 15. And according to the crazy calendar, today is Responsible Dog Ownership day.  It’s a day to remind the zombie humans that they need to be mindful and responsible if they own a dog. Most people ARE responsible - they understand that to own a dog you must give us the best food you can afford (steak every night would be nice, but kibble is ok too...), you must be sure we have fresh water ( and clean water as we don’t appreciate drinking slobber), you must take us to the vet when we need medical attention (even though we may not want to go), you must not keep us tethered outdoors at all hours of the day and night - in all kinds of weather conditions ( you live with a roof over your head - and so should we!), you must provide us with a safe place to sleep (preferably on your bed), you must train us to be obedient (whether we choose to do so or not is another story), you must pick our poop (and keep mental notes about quantity and quality), and you must not allow us to run free (besides being a nuisance, we could be hurt or lost or worse). Now most humans understand that these things are necessary to owning a dog.  But there are zombies out there, who just don’t THINK about these things. I know it’s hard to believe - but they do walk among us. 

Those humans who are responsible understand what an incredible joy it can be to share their  lives with a canine companion.  When you bring us home, you have essentially made a vow - for better or for worse...we are a lifetime commitment.  And in return, we will guard you, make you feel better when you are sad, we will make you laugh (and sometimes make you cry!) but most of all, we will provide you with unconditional love.  Every day.  Every single day...

Have a good, responsibile one.  Peace and paws up!

Seizure free days: 2

Epilepsy. The monster.

Thank you for all the good wishes.  I read so many wonderful, supportive comments - some from people who I didn't even know read my crazy blog!  They are clogettes- closet blogettes. It's kind of weird to know that there are people around the world who read about our adventures.  And I hope we provide information from time to time that help people. 

Like his whole epilepsy topic...

I have what is called idiopathic epilepsy - which basically means I have seizures for some unknown reason.  For example, when someone has a brain injury - or even a stroke, they may sadly have seizures after the event.  So they know the cause.  But in my case, we don't know why I have seizures. Mind you, it may have been from running into a tree at some point - I can be a bit reckless when chasing rabbits!   But that's probably not it.

One of the first and most common drugs used to treat epilepsy in dogs is phenobarbital.  It is a "go to" drug.  Unfortunately,  in my case, it didn't control my seizures.  So a second drug was added.  Potassium Bromide.  Which is kind of like salt. I'm not sure why I just can't eat potato chips. They are salty.  But no - I needed the drug.   The problem with phenobarbital and Potassium Bromide is that they can have side effects.  Phenobarb can affect your liver.  And both of them can cause a condition called ataxia.  Ataxia is, in simple terms, incoordination of muscles.  In my case, my rear legs do their own thing at times.  So I appear weak.  I run to fetch a toy - which as you ALL know, I LOVE to do - and when I get to the toy, I often go rolling.  I also have trouble jumping up on things - like into the car.  I used to be able to leap onto the grooming table.  Not now.  (Truth be told - I still can, but I pretend I can't).

Now before you start feeling badly - please note that my rear end is NOT so weak that I cannot stand and countersurf.  VERY easily.  In that particular situation, my back legs work JUST great.

Anyway, even with the combination of both of those drugs - I was still having seizures.  So we added a THIRD drug called Zonisamide.  When my human went to pick up the prescription (only available
through the vet) they didn't have the pricing.  So she picked up the 3 month bottle.  After three months, she ordered three more.  Imagine her surprise when the bill came to $500 for the two prescriptions.  I think that's when we added ads to my blog...

Also at that time, my human added CBD oil.  And as you all know, that cocktail worked like a CHARM for 112 days.  But while I wasn't having  seizures, my ataxia was evident.  So, my human and our vet decided to wean me off the Potassium Bromide.  And I was ALMOST off it....and we know what happened next.

So now we need to go back on the Potassium Bromide.  Only problem - it can take 21 days before it stabilizes.  So we could be in for a rocky road.

Epilepsy is a very tricky condition.  What works for one, may not work for another.  And it is a balancing act - between seizures and side effects.

While epilepsy can affect any breed - including multi-breed dogs, there are some breeds more prone to it including the following:

• Beagle
• Keeshond
• Belgian Tervuren
• Golden Retriever
• Labrador Retriever
• Vizsla
• Shetland Sheepdog
• German Shepherd
• Dachshund

There has been some research helping to identify a cause.  For example,  in the  Lagotto romagnolo, there has been a gene mutation identified which detects a juvenile form of epilepsy. Scientists have also found a gene for progressive myoclonic epilepsy in Wirehaired Dachshunds.  So research IS happening...

My human has been encouraged by people who have related stories of dogs with epilepsy who go on to live long lives.  To be honest - I don't feel badly when I have a seizure - but afterwards I am FAMISHED.  I mean FAMISHED - like normal PON starvation mode times ten.  Imagine THAT.  So I HAVE to eat.  Or I can't settle down.  I race around (rather wobbily) searching for food.  So I have to be fed.  I go CRAZY.  That's almost the worst part from my human's point of view!

Anyway, that's long - but really just a short snippet about epilepsy.  Well - about my experience with epilepsy.

We hope we can help others who may be sharing our journey by talking about it from time to time and we also hope to learn from others who are experiencing the same thing.  In the meantime - keep watching the counter - and we hope it continues to go up and up and UP!

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.
Seizure free days: 1

Bad news. The monster came back.

Back to square one.  I had two seizures yesterday.  The first one happened while my human was in the bathroom getting ready to shower and go to work.  She heard a clunk sound and then Einstein started barking like crazy.  She ran out - and sure enough...

We had been weaning me off one of my meds for a few weeks.  Obviously I need it.  So my human called the vet and she suggested I add it back to my cocktail.  Needless to say, my human is very sad. 

She called work and because she had no meetings booked, she opted to work from home.  She had plenty of work she could do - lots of paperwork. So she stayed with me. 

I was fine the rest of the day. But then just as she turned out the lights to go to bed last night...I had another one.

So my counter returns to zero...  Let’s hope for another long stretch.

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

Seizure free days: 0

Guarding

Well we still smell good.  So good that my human didn't want us to go for a run on the golf course before she went to work yesterady - for fear we would get "dirty."  Seriously.  So we just got to walk up and down the road. B.O.R.I.N.G.

I was scrolling through some articles on the net and came across a story posted by Good Housekeeping. They are the magazine/group that post a "seal of approval" .  Their seal is basically an approval rating on products that allows you two years to return any defective product that has their seal. They seem like a pretty reliable source.  So when I saw that they had an article about the 13 Best Guard Dogs to protect home and family, of course I HAD to check it out.  And here is their list:

1. Akita  - no surprise with these large imposing Japanese dogs.
2. Appenzeller Sennenhund - this one was a surprise. They are one of the four tri-colored Swiss breeds (which include the Bernese).  Who knew these small dogs were good guard dogs?  But I guess they did protect flocks.
3. Bullmastiff - kind of a surprise.   I mean they were bred as gameskeeper's dogs and they guarded estates.  I guess the big, affable guys we see at shows don't get a chance to show us their protective side.
4. Catahoula Leopard Dog - never met one.  Apparently they mature and act like adults by 10 months.  They are an American breed, and they are used for hunting.  Not leopards.  They hunt wild boar and have a crazy prey drive.  They are named for the leopard-like spots.
5.  Caucasian Shepherd dog.  Again - never met one.  They look pretty big and imposing - but are supposed to be great with families.
6. Doberman Pinscher - again - no suprise.  I expected them on the list.
7. Estrella Mountain dog - another one I've never met. They come from Portugal.
8. German Shepherd  - expected this one on the list.
9.  Giant Schnauzer - I know they were used during war time - so no surprise here.
10. Puli - who knew that the dustmops could be guard dogs.  The intruder might not know which end has the teeth...
11. Romanian Miortic Shepherd dog - Google these guys.  They look like PONs on steriods.  I want one.
12. Rottweiler - as expected
13. Staffordshire Bull Terrier - these guys can actually be pretty friendly - but they did make the list...

Note - no PONs on the list.  Or Picards.  Einstein is an EXCELLENT guard dog.  Hence the squeaky voice.  The FG...not so much.  Although....when he does hear something that concerns him, and he barks....ooooooeeeeeee - he sounds ferocious!  But he still didn't make the list.

I actually think ANY dog COULD make the list.  Becasue we like to protect our humans.  And our food bowls.  Except maybe the Italian Greyhound.  Sorry. I like them - but I juuuuuuuust don't see them as guard dogs.  Chihuahuas yes.  If one of those guys grabs onto your ankle it sure would hurt!  But sorry - Italian Greyhounds...no.....If anyone has a super protective Italian Greyhound- I’d love to know about it!

Well back to guard duty. 

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 112

Vet verdict

Well if it wasn’t bad enough that Einstein had to go to the vet yesterday, the poor guy also was groomed -AND had a bath.  Actually, the FG also had a bath.  Somehow I escaped the bath - but not grooming.  My human really appreciates me on grooming days.  She can actually forget that I ate more dryer lint - and she didn’t think about the hole in the sheets.  Why?  Because I am a PLEASURE to groom.  She even SAID that. Mind you, she started with the FG and then did Mr. Drama King - so in comparison to those two, I am a SAINT.  Saint Viktor. Hard to believe, isn’t it?

So Einstein got his bath and smelled all fresh and clean.  He waited in the car when he got to the vet until it was his turn.  You know my human and her fear of us picking up “something”in the waiting room.  Not to mention those human customers who become zombies when they walk in the door - and don’t pay any annteion to where their dog is.  But no worries, their dog is “friendly” so he can tower over other dogs in the waiting area, who are minding their own business.  Don’t get my human started on the zombie humans. 

My human came in to see the vet and said “OK, you are going to think I’m crazy.”  His response?  “I already think you’re crazy.”  Really that’s what he said!  And then he laughed in his ginormous laugh that can be heard throughout the vet clinic.  And probably across the street. He knows my human.  Too well.  She proceeded to describe the squeaky voice.  And then reminded the vet that she is a speech pathologist so she is trained in listening to voices.  He let out his ginormous laugh again. 

Well he gave Einstein a great exam.  And opened his mouth.  And low and behold.  Inflamed tonsils.  And a red throat.  The cause?  Hard to know.  But something irritated his throat and that’s likely why he is squeaky. So he told my human NOT to be concerned and to stop reading the internet. He prescribed some medication to relieve the swelling and irritation.  Einstein was apparently very well behaved.  Even when the vet was looking at his throat.

So all is again well in paradise.  And we all smell marvelous.  That will last for a day.  

Thanks for all your positive thoughts and good vibes.  What a relief that he’ll be back at his loud obnoxious incessant barking in no time.  And you know what?  I think my human will be happy he is....

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!

Seizure free days: 111

Off to the vet...

Trouble in paradise.  Einstein is going to the vet today...

The problem started about 2-3 weeks ago.  We all know that Einstein is a vocal dog.  A VERY vocal dog.  He is forever barking out orders - “get my food;  I’m hungry; speed it up; Where’s my biscuit?; Is that someone visiting up at the neighbors’ house?; I heard the dog down the street; get me some water...”.  That’s just SOME of his commentary.  In a 3 minute time span.  

Anyway, about 2-3 weeks ago, he went to bark out a command - and his voice squeaked.  Just a bit.  And then his bark sounded just like normal.  My human noticed it.  She didn’t think much of it, and it seemed to disappear.  But then it started again.  And now it’s pretty obvious.  Whenever he starts barking, it is squeaky.  And then it returns to normal.  Mind you,  if he is barking AT something - like a noise hears outside, it is completely normal.  

Well  in typical obsessive fashion, my human turned to her internet veterinary degree.  Bad idea.  Really bad idea.  The problem could be caused by anything  from an upper respiratory infection to something much more serious - like a tumor.  Now keep in mind - he is NOT coughing, he has NO trouble eating, his energy is fine, his gums look fine ...but he IS squeaky.

So off he goes to the vet tonight. 

Please keep your fingers and paws crossed that it is nothing serious....

We’ll keep you posted.

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up.

Seizure free days: 110

Washington

September 9. And on this day in 1791, the capitol of the United States was named after President George Washington.  Wonder why they didn’t just call it George?

Anyway, I have talked before about the fact that George was a big dog lover - and he was instrumental in breeding American Foxhounds.

http://viktorsviews.blogspot.com/2016/02/happy-birthday-george.html

So when I went looking to see if I could find out any more about George and dogs, I found this very cool video.  It came out a year ago - and maybe you have seen it before, but I don’t remember seeing it.  It’s a true story about how George was in the midst of a battle during the Revolutionary War - and his enemy’s dog ended up in his camp.  Check it out...

http://adage.com/creativity/work/pedigree-howes-dog/51567

I never knew that story.  Love the last line - and it’s so true.  We DO bring out the good in humans.   If we haven’t eaten their bed sheets....

Have a good one!  Peace and paws up!

Seizure free days: 109

The prime suspect...

So we have been behaving pretty well lately.  No running away.  No countersurfing.  Things were starting to get down right boring.  So SOMETHING had to happen.

It wasn't a HUGE deal.  In my opinion anyway.  And the criminal has not yet been determined - although yours truly is the prime suspect.  But to know for SURE who carried out the crime, my human would have to do forensic bite testing.  If there is such a thing.

The reason I am the prime suspect is based on past behavior.  We all know how I LOVE to chew pillowcases.  It got to the point where my human had to go out and buy new sheet sets.  She didn't have a single set of sheets that had matching pillowcases.

The first crime was noticed after she returned from her little trip with Marvin, early in August.  When we had the dog sitter.  She saw that SOMEONE had chewed one of the brand new pillow shams (that match the brand new coverlet.)  The damaged wasn't too bad.  If you don't happen to move the pillow sham.  My human had left a 43 page list for the sitter about all of our....hmmmm....quirks? - but she never mentioned the pillow case fetish.

My human is careful to ALWAYS the remove all the pillows - except those she is using - when she goes to bed at night.  And when she gets up, she takes the pillows off the bed and puts them on the dresser while she gets dressed to take us out.  So the opportunity to chew on pillow cases or shams has not presented itself lately.  So what does a fabric chewing canine do?  Turn to other fabric.  The flat sheet.  My human came out of the bathroom after she got dressed and went to make the bed.  And uh-oh....someone put a 6 inch HOLE in the sheet.   The new sheets.  The ones that match the new coverlet and shams.

We don't know who did it - because no one was caught in the act.  As I said, I am the prime suspect - but really, it COULD have been any one of us.   It COULD have....

I suppose I had better watch out because that blog treat money may be used to buy new sheets.  Now THAT would be a shame....

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days: 108

More name game

So I've been thinking more about this whole name game with us dogs.  We know the drill - you pick a name you love from a HUGE variety of categories.   According to one resource, 44% of all dog names are human names.  Like Elroy.  Mind you, I don't personally know any REAL humans named Elroy.  But I DO know a Viktor!

A source said that 53% of owners name their dog after a movie or TV character, or a book character or celebrity.  So we have Oprah, Buffy, Ivanka (too many syllables for MY liking), Yoda, and Sansa. 
So the OTHER 3% of names must come from some other category.   Like, for example,  some people name their dogs after internet terms like Fluffer and Clouds.  Then we have those dogs named after locations like Dallas, and Montana and Phoenix and Maine.  Really.  Somebody called their dog Maine.  Better than Connecticut I guess.

Then there are dogs named after "things" like Peanut, Oreo, Cricket, Tank, Cash, Biscuit and Tuppence.  I like Tuppence.  And Biscuit.  They have a cute sound.  That's kind of interesting, isn't it?  The name has to sound cute or cool.  I mean you can almost picture dog named Bullmastiff named Tank.   Or a cute Sheltie named Tuppence. 

I found a site that listed "unique" names like Blade, Won Ton and Wifi.  OK.  Won Ton and Wifi are just weird.

Here are some unique names that didn't appear in any lists.   Somebody has probably already used them - but I don't personally know any dogs by these names...  Pencil.  OK.  It's weird - but it could be a Dachshund.  Never mind.  It's just weird.  Lumber.  Easy.  Hammer.  Shocker.  Those aren't bad.  Not REALLY bad.

Anyway, I've been thinking about Oz a lot.  Wonder if he sleeps on a queen or king-sized bed?  Does he get along with Guy, the Beagle.  (Note:  another ONE syllable name...)  And how does he like the Corgis?   Does he get pheasant and quail for supper?  Is his food dish stainless steel - or sterling silver?  Does he have a BLOG?  I could help him get started...

Well it's FRIDAY.  Let the weekend begin.  We missed my human this week.  But we WILL make up for it!

Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days:  107

Ozzie

So they picked a name.  And it's NOT Viktor.  

Who picked a name?  Meghan and Harry.  For their new Labrador.  And the name?  Oz.  Oz.  Everybody knows your dog name should have two syllables. That's the prefect number when calling us.  Not one.  Not three.  TWO.  Can you hear them now....OOOOOOOOOOZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.  
A name should sound like a name - and not a command.  And most commands are ONE syllable:  sit, stay, down, come..... That's why Oz is TOO short.  In my opinion anyway.

Mind you, he will probably be called a HOST of other names. I've talked about this before.  You humans agonize over the perfect name.  And then you call us other things anyway.  He will probably be Ozzie.  Or Ozoz. Or Ozman.  Or Wizard. Hey.  If I can be called "Trino" - which is the short version of Viktorino (my other nickname), he can be called Wizard.  There is no rhyme or reason when it comes to humans naming us dogs.  The irony?  I'm as likely to respond to Trino as I am Viktor.

Some think that Meghan and Harry picked Oz in reference to their first royal tour which will be going to Australia.  I don't think that's necessarily why they picked it.  Maybe they just like the story the Wizard of Oz.  And Toto would be an odd name for a Lab.  Or MAYBE they just like Ozzy Osbourne.  Hope they don't have any bats in the palace raftors...


Have a good one.  Peace and paws up!
Seizure free days:  106

The flood

We had a flood.  A mini flood - but everything is OK.  And for a a change, we dogs can’t be blamed for this household problem...

On Monday morning we went out for our early walk.  We happened to run into Pig Pen and one of his humans on the trail.  We joined them for a good run on the golf course.  Yours truly can actually be a bit pokey on these runs.  Why?  Because I KNOW my human has left kibble out for the FG while we go on our walk.  And I just want to go home.  All the while we are headed away from home, I am a slug.  Unless I see a rabbit...But on the way HOME, I’m the leader of the pack, practically racing to get home. It’s all about the food...

Anyway, when we walked in the door, my human looked on the floor and saw a wet spot.  What?!  Did the FG PEE indoors?  He NEVER does that.  She came around the corner and quickly saw the problem.  A flooded kitchen.  With the dishwasher running.  Obviously we had a leak.

Thank goodness for the 58 “dog towels” we own.  She was able to throw them down to sop up the water - because there was too much for a sponge mop. While she was doing it, she didn’t need to worry about us PONs joining in the clean-up.  We didn’t DARE get our feet wet.  Meanwhile, the FG had tracked water throughout the dining room.  Of course he did.  But it was just water.

My human called Pig Pen’s human who had just walked with us because LUCKILY he is a plumber.  He came over and took a look at our 100 year old Maytag. And they discovered the problem...A heating coil had come off the bracket that holds it, so it was resting on the bottom of the plastic base of the machine.  And it burned a hole in the base.  Yowza.  Could have been a different outcome than a flood.   Anyway, the coil was reset and the humans are going to TRY a repair.  The machine still works great - so hopefully it will keep it running for awhile...  I mean dog treats or dishwasher?  If it comes to that, I vote she does the dishes by hand.  

Have a good one! Peace and paws up!

Seizure free days: 105

God Made a Dog

September 4.  And today is the birthday of a much-loved American radio broadcaster who passed away in 2009 - Paul Harvey.  Harvey was a newsman - but was probably best known for his series : The Rest of the Story.  He told stories of ordinary people - in sometimes extraordinary circumstances.  In 1978, he delivered a speech at a Farmers of America Convention entitled So God Made a Farmer.   The speech was later used in a truck commercial in 2012, during a Super Bowl game - and became quite famous.

And then somewhere along the line, somebody adopted the speech and created this....So God Made a Dog.  Although Paul Harvey didn’t write it, I’m sure he would approve...

https://youtu.be/0I0BBtjsln4

We are in mourning today.  My human goes back to work. She promised to be home early.  If she can.  I KNOW the University where she works allows dogs to come on campus to help students relax - what about dogs to help faculty relax?!  I have to start working on that...

Well back to sleep.  Oh I mean GUARD duty.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up!

Seizure free days: 104

Skinny Dogs

Three strikes.  And they are out.  

Well the FG went to his third show yesterday- and as they say in the dog show world- “no love for the Picard.”  From the judge anyway.  Now the adoring public - that’s a whole different kettle of fish.  He schmoozed with the crowd and even made friends with a very cute Baby Puppy Doberman named Cinder. They became instant best friends.  

The FG was actually entered in one more show today, but my human decided three was good enough for one weekend.  Not to mention the fact that they would have to be there by 7:30 today to be ready on time and I need my pill at 7.  The show site is about 45 minutes from our house.  So.  A speeding ticket would cost over $250.  You get the idea.  The timing was bad - and besides, Einstein and I wanted them home with us today.

One thing my human learned this weekend - she needs to put some weight on the Picky Picard.  It’s not that he isn’t fed enough - he just doesn’t eat it!   So my human got all kinds of advice as to how she can fatten up the FG.  Suggestions about different kibble, suggestions about additives to increase palatability - including a couple of spoonfuls of clear broth soup, macaroni and cheese and something called Satin balls which are said to put weight on even the thinnest of dogs.  If you Google it, you should see a recipe that includes ground beef, wheat germ, olive oil, oatmeal,  shredded wheat cereal, unsulphured molasses (?) and an egg - shell and all!!!  You make little balls and can freeze them.  I think they sound WONDERFUL- but then I’m a PON,  and I am NOT picky.  At all.

So this is my human’ s new mission.  If readers have other ideas to fatten a Picard, please feel free to share them.  

Today I suggest we play EXTRA games of fetch and go on some extra long walks.  After all, today is a day of mourning before my human  heads back to work tomorrow .  Worst four-letter word in a dog’s vocabulary.  Well - that and bath.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up.

Seizure free days: 103

Peeing and pooping and dog shows

The things you don’t think about at a dog show....

So do you know what the term “overmarking” means?  It does not refer using a yellow highlighter pen too much.  Although it does have to do with the color yellow...

Overmarking  is that less-than-desirable habit that we dogs have of insisting on peeing where other dogs have peed before. Some say that dogs mark or pee in a particular place to mark their “territory “.  In this house, we all love the overmarking game.  Take one of us out, and we’ll pee. To be followed by dog number two and dog number three - all on the same spot.  Another idea is that we dogs have a social order - so we try to cover up or conceal where another dog has “made his mark,” in an effort to be “top dog.”  Or at least “top pee-ER”.

Overmarking is typically practiced by male dogs.  With us PONs, it is not unusual to hear my human saying “watch out- you are going to pee on his head!!!”  Pee Head is a common phenomenon around here.

So imagine if you have dozens of male dogs all together in the same place - all vying to be the top pee-ER.  Like at a dog show.  It can be quite “interesting.”  Dogs are NOT supposed to pee indoors- but heaven forbid one dog lifts his leg to mark a trash can... It can start a chain reaction of pee brain.  And outdoors- well it’s overmarking heaven.

Yesterday my human and the FG went to the show again.  Nope- no ribbons again.  

But the good news - he didn’t pee on anything he wasn’t supposed to.  We know his affinity for peeing on the deck and on the BBQ - so my human watches him like a hawk while he is indoors at the show site.  Outside, he employs his best overmarking skills.  

In addition to monitoring peeing, my human also obsesses about poop before she takes him in the ring.  Yesterday when they were in the group ring, a Bouvier heard ( or felt) nature’s call - and had a big poop in the ring.  My human could sympathize with the embarrassed handler - recalling Einstein’s first trip to the group ring - where he also unceremoniously had a big poop.  She will never forget that moment...

Knowing when to take your dog out for a pee before going in the ring is also tricky - because who wants to show a dog to a judge who MAY have a wet leg.  Not all of us are careful pee-ers.  So it means getting us out and then cleaning us up before we go in the ring.  My human asked Connor’s human how THEY do it.  Connor, as you may recall is an Old English Sheepdog.  His owner just sighed and said “It’s not easy.”  No kidding.

Connor, by the way, got a Group 1 yesterday.  Go Big Fuzz. That’s my new nickname for him.

So no ribbons, but the good things yesterday : friends of my human came to see their first dog show and quite  enjoyed the circus; the FG made friends with a family who would have taken him home in an instant;  he did a nice job in the show ring; and he didn’t pee on anything indoors.  And he didn’t poop in the ring.  No big ribbon - but always look on the bright side!

Have a good one. Peace and paws up!

Seizure free days: 102