Paczki

Tuesday February 28.  And it is officially the day before Lent.  That time before Easter when humans give up the stuff they said they would give up for their New Year's resolution.  It's a second chance to succeed.  Maybe.

Now some people refer to today as Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day or Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras or in Polish circles it is called Paczki Day (which sounds like poonch-kee).  Traditionally, Paczki Day is actually on the THURSDAY before Lent and is celebrated on that day in Poland - but in North America it seems to be celebrated on either Thursday and/or Tuesday.  I suggest BOTH.  Because if you are not familiar with paczki, you are missing something amazing!  Paczki are deep fried pieces of dough, in round disc-like shapes and usually filled with something yummy and sweet like fruit jelly or creme.  They are basically like doughnuts - but that sounds too ordinary!  My human's grandmother made THE best paczki.  She still dreams of those tasty orbs.  Sometimes here in Nova Scotia, the grocery store will actually carry paczki from the US- I think Ohio.  Admittedly they are NOT as good as FRESH paczki, but they do serve a craving.  While we canines could easily finish off a box of paczki, it is not exactly encouraged.  There would no doubt be "problems" to deal with afterwards - so JUST a small bite is all we are allowed.

And speaking of diets - yours truly is going to be starting a new regime.  I must be special because I am going to be getting my very own food.  RAW!  My human is very concerned about these seizures - I had ANOTHER one Sunday night.  We may end up changing my medication but in the meantime, my human wants to also try changing my diet.  I get a super good kibble right now, but we are going to switch to a prepared raw diet.  She KNOWS she could mix the food herself - but frankly, she doesn't feel comfortable with her knowledge of dietary requirements, so she would rather go with frozen stuff.  Hey - it's all good to me - as we know, I'll eat ANYTHING.

Well time to go and beg for a TINY piece of paczki!  Before the fasting begins.  Wonder what she's giving up this year....and how LONG the abstinence will last.  I'm betting Sunday.

Happy Shrove Tuesday!

Dog show. Day 3. FINALLY

The Greeters

Well yesterday was the LAST day of the marathon.  Elroy went for Meet the Breed and met his adoring public.  He sat on the grooming table, licked faces, took treats and posed for photos. 

And when his time was up, he was READY to go.  He came home and we ALL crashed for the afternoon.  Dog shows are tiring business.  And after spending time there, I have made my own observations about them.  The  humans who come to dog shows represent their OWN variety of breeds...

 You have the owner handlers.  These are like my human.  They don't or haven't yet bred any dogs - but they just like getting out with their dogs and showing them for fun.  They still get excited by ANY ribbon they get and they still keep them all.  Then a step above that is the owner handler who HAS bred dogs.  I guess we can call them breeders.  These are the folks who like to get out with their dogs and basically are showing the efforts of their breeding.  They still like getting the points and finishing champions, but they really aim for the bigger ribbons.  Mind you - I guess EVERYBODY aims for the REALLY big ribbons.  Some of these folks go to shows quite frequently.  They are the people who have stamina.  And they know the drill well.  They know the judges.  And which judges they like.  And judges they don't like.  And they know which judges will like their dogs and which ones would sooner give the ribbon to a cat than give it to them.  Let's face it.  Judges began like my human once upon a time (owning a certain breed), then went on to becoming breeders  and they eventually became judges.  And of course, even though they have to learn about ALL the breeds, they are going to have the most knowledge about the breeds they owned.  Makes sense.  And breeds they have never seen much of - well you have to have a pretty special dog to get a placement from that judge.  Trust me - there is a formula to winning at dog shows.   I'm still waiting for them to institute a congeniality prize.  And THEN we have the PROFESSIONAL handler.  These guys really KNOW how to show a dog.  They can take a not-so-perfect dog look like a million bucks.  They've got the moves. And talk about set-up.  These guys sometimes even have color coordinated crates for the dogs in their care.  They are the dog show roadies.  They travel with dogs - often REALLY long distances.  I would love to see the miles (air and land) those guys cover in the course of a year.  Looks kinda like fun - mind you, I bet NOT every dog they are asked to show is cute and fun like the dogs in THIS house.  

Besides the people showing, we have the club members who spend hours organizing, setting up and  tearing down the show site.  Then there is the secretary who has a horrid, thankless job setting up all the entries and organizing times and schedules.  You couldn't pay ME enough to deal with all the crazy dog people. 

And we also have the public.  The people who come out to watch, to root for their favorite breed, visit a breeder or maybe because they are looking to get a dog.  Those looking to get a dog like to go to things like Meet the Breed - to check out the options.  The one question that my human was asked most frequently with both me and Elroy: " Do they shed much?"  I'm thinking because lots of "designer dogs" advertise "non-shedding."  But the other big question was about activity level - and that's a critical one to think about.  Certain breeds (like us herding breeds) DO have energy and DO need exercise. More than perhaps a bulldog.  So humans need to consider that when choosing a breed - or you'll have one unhappy dog and ultimately one unhappy owner!

But despite ALL the different breeds of humans at the show - they all DO have one thing in common.  Their love of dogs.  And whether you went home with a BIG ribbon or a little one, or maybe none at all, you won't love your dog any less.  And honestly, we dogs don't REALLY care about the ribbons.  We just like hanging with you.  And at the end of the day, that's REALLY what it's all about.


Have a good one!

Dog Show. Day 2

Photo taken by Barb Glanville for the HKC Facebook page

Day 2 at the Greatest Show on Earth.  OK - I guess that's the description of a circus.  Mind you when you have any of the dogs from THIS household involved, it does become a circus.

Starting with Meet the Breed.  So.  On Thursday, my human decided FRODO should go.  For a number of reasons.  So Thursday night, he got the FULL bath.  I mean the FULL bath.  Including hours with the jet engine dryer.  He looked marvelous.

Now you all know about Friday night and about Elroy's debut in the beauty pageant.  But what you DON'T know is that while Elroy and my human were at the show, and I was home with Frodo and my human's Mom, yours truly had a seizure.  We increased my medication after the last one - but apparently it takes a few weeks to kick in. Her mother texted her to let her know and my human immediately called and said she would come home.  But her mother said I was doing fine - it had passed so my human should stay with Elroy and show him.  Which as we know, she did.

So Saturday morning, my human reconsidered Meet the Breed.  She figured part of the reason I may have had the seizure was because I KNEW my human had gone somewhere cool with Elroy.  We dogs are pretty smart in watching things - like packing crates, and tables and filling pockets with extra yummy treats.  So now my human feared that if she left me with Elroy and took Frodo - well - I would again be stressed.  I agreed.  But I had not had a bath...

Well - I'm here to tell you that it is AMAZING what some spray product, lots of brushing and a jet engine dryer can do to a dirty PON.  I looked marvelous as well - and I never even went in the tub.

These Meet the Breed gigs are good.  You sit on a table, people pet you and you get treats.  What's not to like?  So many people admired my lovely coat.  Ha.  But the best part?  My human met this lovely young woman who recently moved to Halifax from Oregon.  And GUESS what her parents own?  PONs!!!!!!!  They had a wonderful talk about the breed and came to find out - get this -they work in the same building. 

So after my gig was complete, I went home and was tired - so my human knew I would be OK home with Frodo while she went back with the FG. Which I was - and Big Brother showed no seizures.

As for the FG in the beauty pageant?  Just like Friday he did a nice job when he first when in.  When it was time to go in with the whole group, "monkey Elroy" came out.  At one point he NARROWLY missed punching a Bouvier in the butt with his paw.  We're talking a fraction of an inch - which my human thankfully caught.  He loves the running around the ring part - the standing still, not so much.  So no big ribbons - but he entertained the crowd.  

Today is Elroy's turn for Meet the Breed.  He'll love that.  He likes to work the crowd - and he LOVES to give kisses.  Here he is giving kisses to a little girl who fell in love with him.

After that, we are done with the show for this weekend.  The only one who was unhappy with this whole thing was Frodo.  He wouldn't even LOOK at my human when she got home.  She had to do some serious treat make-up to make him happy.

Thank goodness my human is off work tomorrow.  She'll need some good exercise from all that standing around at the show.  And don't worry about it - we'll make sure she does!

Have a good one!

Dog show. Day 1.

So yesterday was the first day of the dog show.  Apparently there are 4 shows this weekend - one last night, two today and one tomorrow morning.  So yesterday morning my human went to work and took part of the afternoon off.  She went to the show site to unload the NEW crate (which can NEVER be taken apart), the grooming table with the sawed off legs, a blow dryer (just for fun), a chair, and another huge bag that probably has everything in it including the kitchen sink.  You would think she was going camping somewhere. For a month.  She lugged the stuff into the show site, and set up her "spot" with some friends.   Real estate at a dog show is a HOT commodity in some locations.  There may not be a lot of space - so everyone tries to get there early to scope out the best spots.  My human set up and then went to pick up her mother.  Her mother needed to stay with me and Frodo so she could give me my medication at the appropriate time.

My human had fluffed and puffed the FG the night before, but of course had to do it again.  The good news with the FG, is that grooming is PRETTY easy.  A quick brushing and away you go.  Unlike us PONs.  Or even worse - poodles. 

And before they headed for the show, he got to go for a walk - with the big goal being a poop. Mission accomplished.  So off they headed to the show, while we hung out at home.  They left for the show at 4:30 - and the show site is about 20 minutes from our house. AND the herding group wasn't scheduled until 7:30.  I guess they wanted to be sure they got there in time.  Talk about overkill.

Apparently the FG's head exploded when he first arrived.  He didn't know which way to look.  He wasn't too thrilled hanging out in the new crate - he was MUCH happier on the grooming table - where he could watch all the goings on.  When it was FINALLY his turn to be shown, he reportedly did a lovely job!  My human wasn't dragged on her knees, he didn't manage to bolt out of her hands, he was examined by the judge - AND he won the breed!  OK.  For all you non-dog show people - don't get too excited - he was the ONLY one in his breed.  But still, he did a great job.  So my human thought they would at least LOOK respectable in the group.  Unfortunately, about 15 minutes before he was to go in for the herding group judging, he got very fidgety. VERY fidgety.  So my human decided to take him out for a pee.  She was trying desperately to keep him OUT of the mud on the sides of the walkway to the building.  Instead, he dragged her into the snow.  And he had a BIG poop.  My human wasn't expecting that so she rushed him back in, put him in the crate and ran back to do pick up. Then she raced back in to dry off his feet and fluff him again - and made sure that heaven forbid, there were no cling-ons.  How to eliminate yourself from the competition - go in the ring with a cling-on.  There were none.  But by the time it was time for the group judging it was almost 9:00,  and the FG had had quite enough of dog shows for one day.  He was hungry (he never had any supper) and was basically ripping from my human's fingers any treat she pulled from her pocket. And he also took off half her thumb in the process.  They ran into the ring with a bleeding thumb and a crazed Picard.  Who thought it was PAR-TEEE time.  Every time he had to stand still he did anything BUT.  He jumped. He spun.  He sat. He grabbed treats. He sat.  He spun. He was DONE.  So needless to say, they didn't win any big ribbons.  But a lovely Bearded Collie who was in their handling class got 3rd place!!!! And a very handsome Bouvier that my human knows, got 1st place!!

So he came home with four small ribbons - his prize for showing up.  But he DID have a good time, and my human did too.  

So now we get ready for today.  And we see which PON goes to Meet the Breed. AND Elroy gets to go in the competition ring again.  Hopefully my human still has enough of the REALLY good treats left.  Or she is in BIG trouble....

Have a good one!

ANOTHER crate. Another crazy story.

Well.  No worries about the FG escaping from the soft sided hacksaw-repaired crate.  Are ya ready for this - my human bought ANOTHER hard-sided crate to take to the show.  Which will fit alongside a crate that is currently in the vehicle. It's hard to believe that with all the old crates in the dog crate graveyard that she could not find 2 crates to fit in the vehicle.   Which reminds me that  somehow I forgot to tell you about Ludwig....

 You all remember Harold, our trusty Subaru who had like a gazillion miles on him. Well in the Fall, Harold went to live somewhere else.  I hope wherever he went, they had a dog.  Anyway, for a number of reasons, my human decided to "downsize" our vehicle.  I understand as people get older, like my human (cough cough), downsizing is a common occurrence.  So she bought a smaller vehicle - a VW Golf.  His name is Ludwig.  I named him.  So Ludwig has taken each of us to the Vet and to classes and even to the pet store.  And all three of us have been in Ludwig at the same time - with the FG riding in a crate and us PONs riding shotgun.  Well not EXACTLY shotgun.  But behind the FG in his crate.  It's kind of amazing what one can fit in a smaller vehicle.

But after my human's lightning bolt realization that the soft sided hacksaw-repaired crate might not work with the FG for the show, she decided she should just get another crate because she needed another one that would fit in Ludwig.  So she went to the pet store and politely asked a store employee if she could "try" a particular crate in Ludwig.   The nice young man happily agreed and he helped my human load the "unassembled" crate inside Ludwig.  It was a perfect fit.

So to make a very long story a BIT shorter my human got home and tried to assemble the crate.  Now keep in mind that this woman has put together MANY, MANY crates in her life.  INCLUDING the pony-sized version in the dining room.  But for SOME reason the NEW crate required more than one person to put it together.  I know you are shaking your head - but trust me, we listened to much moaning and groaning and crashing in the garage while she tried to "slide" the weird top piece of the crate into the bottom part.  And then she needed to screw in the final supports.  All I know is that a hammer came out - for something that needed to be screwed in.  One thing for sure - that crate will never, ever, EVER come apart.

So then she goes to put the fully assembled crate in Ludwig.  Like the guy from the store did.  And SOMEHOW, the crate has grown.  Let's just say that after one hour of assembly, my human MADE the new crate fit in Ludwig.

So NOW, at the show, the FG will use the NEW crate and will ride to the show site in the OTHER crate.  Does ANY of this make sense?! If you're wondering why the FG couldn't just use the crate from the vehicle at the show, it would have meant lugging the crate in and out every time he went to the show - which will be three times this weekend.  So THAT would be a bit much - keep in mind these crates are big enough for the FG.  I guess the bottom line - we have yet another crate that will some day end up in the dog crate graveyard - BUT we can all rest easily that the FG will NOT chew his way out of the soft sided crate while at the show.

Phew.  So tell me again why dog shows are so much fun?! AND how humans are smarter than canines...

No dog left behind

We have a motto in this house.  No dog left behind.  For years and years my human has been owned by three dogs at the same time.  So what this means is that, as a rule, one dog is never left alone for any significant amount of time.  If my human takes us to a class, one dog goes and two are left behind.  Like the other day with the oven mitt fiasco.  So we almost always have a buddy with us.   Sometimes all three of us will go for a drive - or on a vacation.   During which chaos reigns.  Getting three of us in and out of the vehicle is always entertaining.

So we have a big question about this weekend.  Elroy is going to be making his debut in the conformation ring.  My human's ONE and ONLY goal is to not end up being dragged around the ring.  She's also hoping for no poops in the ring - which Frodo did the first time he was shown in the group.  Lesson well learned - poop before going in.  So while Elroy goes off to the beauty pageant, Frodo and I will stay home.  We'll be cranky.  But we'll survive.  Then Elroy is also participating in something called Meet the Breed.  Where you go and basically sit on a grooming table where people come and pet you and you get to be an ambassador for your breed.  Frodo and I have both done it in the past.  It's a good gig - you get lots of pats and treats and really have to do nothing but look cute. 

But here's the question...ONE of us PONs is also going to participate in Meet the Breed as well.  So WHO gets to go? And don't say both of us - because remember the motto - No dog left behind.  And NO - she is not taking all three of us.  Meet the Breed would totally take on a new meaning - and no doubt people thinking of getting a dog would be running the other way.  So.  Does Frodo get to go?  Or do I?  My human is really on the fence with this.  She's thinking mostly about me and my seizures.  Could the excitement of going trigger a seizure?  Could the crankiness of staying behind trigger a seizure?  I vote to go - but on the other hand, I realize it will involve a bath.  So actually, I'm on the fence myself...

Oh and we have an alternative to the soft-sided hacksaw-repaired crate...see tomorrow's blog for THAT fiasco... 

In the meantime, the big decision - me or Frodo...me or Frodo....it's a tough one...

Dog shows. And hacksaws.

OK. It must be dog show season.  Why?  The hacksaw has come out.  Now I'm sure you are asking what do hacksaws and dog shows have to do with one another?  And I ask - Doesn't everyone preparing for a dog show need a hacksaw?  Well you have to know my human.  She fancies herself as a bit of a "handywoman."  She tries to repair things with often unsuccessful results.  You may recall the time she stood on a snow bank 10 feet off the ground trying to remove snow from the roof with a kayak paddle.  And it didn't work.  Although she was successful in loosening some roofing shingles. Or the time she "changed" an electrical socket and blew out the motor on a brand new fancy shmancy dog blow dryer - the kind that has a jet engine.  And then the time she used the hacksaw to make the table legs shorter on the grooming table.  The fancy grooming table with the wheels that SHOULD make transporting things into and out of show sites easier - but in fact is more difficult because the thing weighs 150lbs.  And the legs keep dragging on the ground.  She cut the legs because they were too tall to use with Bernese.  Then she started showing us PONs and the legs are now too short.  Not to mention wobbly...

So this weekend the Halifax Kennel Club is holding their first show of the season.  And rumor has it a Picard will be making his debut in the conformation ring.  So my human went into the garage aka grooming torture palace aka storage room aka graveyard for old dog crates.  She had to decide which crate to take.  Hmmmm....Not this one.  Too small.  Not this one.  Too heavy.  Hey - how about this soft sided crate?  The FANCY one.  With the panels that go up and down on each side.  The Canine Camper.  She took it out and zipped up the sides.  Unfortunately,  the  heavy internal wire that holds the crate up was broken on one end.  So the crate would kind of stand, but was equally likely to collapse on that end.  Hmmmm.   She needed something to brace the end.  Hey how about one of those metal poles that were SUPPOSED to be put out BEFORE the snow came?  The ones that go along the sides of the driveway so the plow guy would know where to plow.  Clearly that didn't happen.  So one of those would work - but they were too long.  So out came the hacksaw.  She cut the first two too short, even though she had "measured" the size she needed.  So she cut another one, braced it inside the crate and voila - a perfect new home for the FG at the show.  She was all excited.  So she went to get the FG to show him.  He waltzed into the garage, trotted toward the crate and put the brakes on.  There was NO way he was going in that thing.  She threw treats in.  The brakes stayed firmly locked.  So only one thing to do - she went in it.   Here she was sitting inside the crate while the FG raced around it outside.  I'm telling you - we should be a reality TV show.  

Long story short, the FG eventually tried to join her in the crate.  Then she got out and he went in and lay down on his own.  Perfect.  Problem solved.  Now to pack it up.  And then, like a lightning bolt she realized something.  This is the dog who, at EVERY chance he gets, tries to chew things.  The carpet.  The sofa.  The chair rails.  AND the hard sided pony-sized crate in the dining room.  Does she HONESTLY think he will just lie there in his crate quietly and content and NOT chew?  

The decision about which crate is going is still open to debate.  There IS a huge plastic version - also found in the graveyard- (other than the pony-sized one)  that she would have to assemble when she gets there because it is too big for the vehicle.   But all her work with the hacksaw would have been in vain.  Decisions.  Decisions.

I'm telling you one thing - there is NEVER a dull moment in THIS house.  We couldn't make this stuff up.  Oh. And by the way -  I have hidden the power tools.  For her own safety.

Have a good one.

I hear ya...

So I had a question.  Because Elroy's ears stand up on his head, does he hear better than me?   I decided to do some research on this.  You see, Elroy is always listening.  Always.  He goes outdoors and stares off down the road.  And listens.  He sits up suddenly in the middle of the room and he listens.  He walks over to a wall and listens.  Which freaks my human out because thoughts of mice immediately go through her mind.  It's been a small, almost non-existent season this year.  Traps have been set, but no evidence that the field mice have come to visit this winter.  Still - Elroy listens.  And the BEST part is when they are out at night or early in the morning before daybreak.  And he stops.  Stares into the woods and listens.  Honestly, I think he just does it sometimes to scare my human.  But no matter, it works!

I learned that dog ear positions have an advantage over human ears.  Human ears typically lie flat on the sides of their heads.  Unless you are one of Santa's elves.  Human ears, as a rule  don't usually have much movement.  Whereas we dogs have 18 muscles that allow us to move our ears in a variety of positions. Usually we pick up our ears when listening, and may put them down if afraid or ashamed.  Like after we have destroyed an oven mitt. Dogs hear higher frequencies than humans and are said to hear four times better than humans overall. 

It seems that humans have come up with a variety of different ways to describe dog ear shapes.  For example, Elroy has upright ears that are turned forward.  Some people call them upright or prick ears.  They are found on many Nordic breeds like the Samoyed and the Malamute.  Westies also have upright ears.

Then we have the bat ear.  Which is essentially an upright ear that is large in proportion to the head - like seen on a Corgi or French Bulldog.  Just like a bat. 

We have hooded ears - that are another variation of the upright ear.  The slight difference is that the ear curves in on either side - like a hood.  They are seen in the Basenji.

Who knew that there is something called a candle flame ear?! I guess it does LOOK like a candle flame - shaped wider at the bottom and pointed at the top.  The English toy terrier has these ears.

There are dogs with drop ears or pendant ears that hang down on the sides of their heads. Like seen in the  Bassett Hound.  And who knew that these were slightly different from the folded ear that hangs like a curtain - as seen in Blood Hounds. Those big floppy ears actually help them smell better!  Their long ears drag the ground, stirring up particles and scents.  Not to mention messy ears.

We have button ears that fold over to form a flap that hides the ear canal. The Jack Russel Terrier has these.  Apparently that folded over shape protected terriers' ears in tunnels!

Cocked ears or semi-prick ears are seen in Collies and in Border Collies.  They look just like the description - they stand up but fold down at the tip.

Then we have the Rose ear.  Does this vocabulary ever end?  They also stand up and fold kind of sideways.  They say if you look at the ear from above, it looks like a rose.   Maybe from 20 feet away.  Anyway, whippets have Rose ears.

And then we have filbert ears.  Because humans were running out of descriptors. They say the ears of the Bedlington Terrier look like the leaves of the Hazelnut tree.  Really.  That's EXACTLY what I thought they looked like.  Definitely not oak ears.

And finally (I think) we have V-shaped ears.  They are medium length v-shaped drop ears.  Like you see on a Vizsla. Clever. V for Vizsla....

So what about us PONs?  According to the FCI standard we have: "Hanging, set rather high, of medium size, heart-shaped, wide at base; the fore edge is close against the cheeks".  So there you have another word.  Heart shaped. I like that.  But I think I'll make up my own word.  PON ears?  PERFECT.  

But back to our initial question - does Elroy HEAR better? From what I read, dogs who have upright ears ARE believed to be more receptive to distant noises.  So maybe he IS more perceptive.  And that's what scientists think.  So in THEORY, Picards should hear better than PONs.  But this much I know, when my human opens the treat jar, Frodo and I beat Elroy every time.  So WHO has the better hearing after all?

Have a good one!

Busted. Caught on tape....

So my human was feeling pretty awful the past few days.  You KNOW it's bad when she goes to bed at 7:30 on a Saturday night!  We all just looked at her thinking it was a joke.  But no joke.  

On Sunday morning she dragged herself out of bed to take us on walks - mind you the walks were pretty short.  She debated whether she should take Elroy to his handling class - she had a wicked (as they say in the Maritimes) sinus cold headache.  But it was his last class and she KNOWS they still need lots of practice, so she figured they had better go.

Of course Elroy got all excited and Frodo and I got excited because we saw her stuffing her pockets with THE best treats.  And frankly, we wanted some.  Now as she was going out the door, she DID give us some tasty samples - but seriously - we knew the FG was going to get a LOT more....As my human went out the door, she had this sneaking suspicion that we might "do" something but she looked around and the DFZ was gated so she figured all would be fine.

Elroy's class was good - but now his feet go every which way when he stands still.  It's like he's playing that old game "Twister" where players put their arms and legs in weird positions.  That's Elroy - one foot points one way, while the other one faces a different direction.  They all go the same way when he is moving, and it's a pretty sight, but standing still it's different story.  With a pounding headache and feeling totally exhausted, my human was happy to see the end of class - even though she WAS glad they went.

When she got home, we all raced outside when she opened the door.  We barked and spun and checked Elroy over for any traces of leftover treats in the hairs on his face.  My human had stopped for groceries on the way home and she was putting things in the fridge.  And that's when she noticed Elroy with "something."  He was tearing something apart - and she didn't know what it was.  As she went closer, of course he ran.  She somehow managed to corner him and removed the object from his clenched teeth.  An oven mitt.  Which had been deconstructed.  The thumb was missing and it was torn in half.  She looked at me and Frodo and said those extremely intelligent words - "What did you do?"  We just looked as each other.  Why ask?  You see what we did.  And then came the next intelligent phrase "Who did this?"  As IF we would point the paw at one another.  We smugly shrugged our shoulders, thinking she would never know.  We figured it was payback for not getting all those treats.

But then she had one of those rare human "ah-ha" moments.  Something WE had not considered.  Big brother.  The camera.  It records everything...

She patiently went back on the recording to see what we did when she and Elroy had left.  Frodo laid down, but I'm afraid yours truly was just a BIT too angry about the whole treat thing.  I paced and I walked.  Around the dining room table.  Into the kitchen.  Back into the dining room.  Into Elroy's crate.  Back into the kitchen,  And then you could hear a noise on the tape (because I was out of sight).  And out of the kitchen I came.  With one red oven mitt.  BUSTED.  With NO defense.  

I just looked sheepishly at my human.  Think of the bright side - at least the recording didn't show me having a seizure!  What's one oven mitt?!  You still have another one!

Needless to say, I didn't get any of the leftover treats that were now like sawdust in her pockets.  Oh well.  I still DID make a point.  It was my way of protesting.  It's a free country.

Seriously, though.  I have to figure out how to reach that camera....

Have a good one.

Someone is not feeling well....

Well it was bound to happen.  It's winter - which means it is cold and flu season.  And my human has been hit with a cold.  The kind that starts with a scratchy throat and then develops into a stuffy nose, heavy head kind of feeling.   And when she talks to us, she has this weird voice that sounds like some stranger.   Add to that her constant moaning and groaning as she reaches for ANOTHER Kleenex - and you have one very pathetic looking human.  She's bit dramatic - now you know where Frodo gets it from.

The good news is that we won't catch it from her. Transmission from humans to dogs is pretty much unheard of, according to several sources.   Human and canine cold viruses are very different - so we don't pass them back and forth.  Now we dogs CAN get colds.  And we CAN pass a virus to another dog.  Dog colds look a lot like human colds - a runny or stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing and watery eyes.  A cold is different from an allergy, influenza (with a fever), parasites or kennel cough.  Kennel cough is an infectious virus that results in a loud, honking kind of cough.  Kennel cough spreads among dogs quite easily, and while most dogs get over kennel cough without a problem, it can be dangerous for very young or very old dogs.  There ARE vaccines for kennel cough - but the reality?  There are different strains of kennel cough, so even IF you immunize your dog, he can STILL get kennel cough.  Kind of like the human flu vaccines.

Assuming your dog really does just have a common cold (and it's best to have your vet figure this out based on your dog's symptoms), the treatment is actually like human cold treatment.  Dogs should drink lots of fluids - including soup, use a humidifier, and get good rest. 

 We'll be sure to take good care of my human - making sure she gets plenty of fresh air.  And exercise.  OK, maybe we'll lighten up on the exercise part - maybe we'll let her actually have a nap.  As long as we can cuddle with her.  Now excuse me while I go and make some chicken soup.

Have a good one.

Snow. And more snow.

Well this past week has been QUITE the adventure.  Nova Scotia has been experiencing one snow storm after another.  I hear there is a warrant out for the groundhog.  My human's work was closed Monday, Tuesday and Thursday - all due to stormy weather.   And all of this snow has presented us canines with a unique problem not encountered in warm climates.  Excuse the topic - but it's a reality...where and how does one poop in two feet of snow?  It is a dilemma.  Really.  It is.  Elroy likes to leap in the snow and has figured out that if he races back and forth he can create a channel in which to make his deposit.  However, the snow is WAY too deep for Frodo and I - so we search out locations in the plowed driveway, where we can not-so-discretely leave our deposits.  There is no shame or modesty  in this behavior - ya gotta do what ya gotta do.  Personally, I prefer to at least go CLOSE to a snowbank. Frodo - he'll go anywhere.   Now SOME good humans will actually snowblow paths for their dogs on the lawn.  Not only do these paths serve as washroom locations, they also serve as runways.   My human, and many will find this hard to believe, does not own a snowblower.  She relies on her trusty plow guy to rescue us after every storm and she is quite adept at knowing how to use a shovel.  I haven't convinced her yet that she should shovel paths on the lawn....

When we went out during the 45 times that my human was shoveling this past week, Frodo and I raced around the plowed driveway.  It is kind of like having a fence around our yard now - the piles are so high.  Elroy on the other hand, believes that climbing to the TOP of the snow piles is THE best thing to do.  He thinks he is the Lion King. ...

And then he lies in wait for an unsuspecting PON. 

We pretend we don't see him, just to humor him.  Then he races down, tries to grab our tails (good luck with mine - it's short) and then he races back up to the top of the hill. 

My human tries desperately to take photos of the three of us in the snow. She got this one during one of our outings. This is early in the snowy week, shortly after our plow guy had been by.

And then she got this photo. 

She posted that photo on some non-Polish Lowland or Picard "photo" Facebook page and get this - it got over 1,000 "likes".  People want to know what breeds we are.  Everybody says how cute we are.  How sweet.  How adorable.  How innocent.  I guess  they don't read my blog.  Ya can't judge a sweet, wind blown cute face by its cover.  Someone  said we looked like we were channeling our inner wolves.  Sure.  Except for the part where we have to hunt for our food.  Having it served up in a bowl is quite acceptable to us.  We'll chase a bunny.  But eat it?  Ewwwwww.

It looks like this weekend it STORM-FREE.  And no snow forecast for the next few days.  The problem is, it's hard for us dogs to walk in the deep snow.  Now THERE'S a money making scheme.  Doggy snow shoes.  Excuse me while I go and draft my business plan....

Have a good one!

A sad time in Canada...

Well it's a sad time in Canada.  A Canadian icon and treasure has passed away.  Stuart McLean was a writer and storyteller extraordinaire. He was on CBC radio in Canada and I understand people in the US could listen to him on Public Radio.  He also traveled around the country telling his stories for large audiences.  McLean told the ongoing tales of a married couple - Dave and his wife, Morley and their two children, son Sam and teenage daughter, Stephanie.  McLean had a calm, melodic voice that engaged listeners in his stories of ordinary people, facing the sometimes not-so-ordinary-events that life serves all of us.  He wrote a number of stories that included dogs - in this story he talks about how Dave is thinking that the family is being a bit overindulgent when it comes to the family dog, Arthur.  Take a few minutes to listen - parts of it should give you a chuckle.

https://beta.prx.org/stories/5341

McLean also wrote about an adventure when Dave became a dog walker and another story of Arthur's death.  My human hasn't listened to that one - I think that's one that you listen to when you are ready for it.  I understand it's a real tearjerker.  Here is a quote about/from that story by Stuart McLean...

"We do this thing. We open our hearts to the world around us. And the more we do that, the more we allow ourselves to love, the more we are bound to find ourselves one day - like Dave, and Morley, and Sam, and Stephanie - standing in the kitchen of our life, surrounded by the ones we love, and feeling empty, and alone, and sad, and lost for words, because one of our loved ones, who should be there, is missing. Mother or father, brother or sister, wife or husband, or a dog or cat. It doesn't really matter. After a while, each death feels like all the deaths, and you stand there like everyone else has stood there before you, while the big wind of sadness blows around and through you."

Stuart passed away on February 15 at age 68.  His listeners are feeling that big wind...but we know that his stories will live on...and will warm our hearts...

Creepy stuff

So.  This Big Brother thing.  We know that it can be helpful when my human is away - because she will be better able to see if, heaven forbid, I have another seizure.  And I get that - when she's away she can see us.  But I didn't think about the fact that she doesn't just have to be "away" away to see what's going on.  For example, we couldn't figure out how she knew we were into mischief when she went to take her shower in the morning.  Elroy decided to continue his area carpet "redecorating" as soon as my human closed the bathroom door.  And Frodo squeezed his way through the bungee cords and into the DFZ.  But within .68 seconds my human was back in the room, telling both of them to smarten up.  We thought she was psychic.  And then Frodo glanced at the camera - and we realized that she takes her phone with her - so she can watch us.  All the time.  Not to mention the fact that she gets an alert on her phone if we so much as sneeze.  Now I'm beginning to think the thing is just plain creepy. 

And speaking of creepy, my human was out with the FG the other night, for his last pee and she heard a weird sound.  At first it sounded like squeaking.  And then it almost sounded like a howl.  And she started wondering if there were coyotes about.  She stood and listened and then the FG stood and listened too.  And then he headed quickly for the front door - which he NEVER does - he always likes to stay outside - and she has to usually drag him back in.  And when she realized he was spooked, she got spooked too.  She put him in the house and then took me out.  But I didn't hear anything and Frodo didn't hear anything when he went out.  Maybe the coyotes were watching the FG and thinking he was one of their own...

Well time to go and figure out how to knock over that camera.  JUST kidding.  Maybe.....

Ted

February 15.  On this day in 1903, the first Teddy Bear was reportedly introduced in the US by a company owned by Morris & Rose Michtom and simultaneously in Germany by a company called Steiff.  The name is said to have come from President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt.  The story is that Roosevelt was out on a hunting trip and when some of his hunting companions tied a bear to a tree, and told him to shoot it, he refused to do so.  Political cartoonists captured the scene - and Morris Michtom decided to create a bear to mark the event.  Long story short, Teddy Bears became an instant hit. 

My human used to collect bears, but no longer does. She still has a few, that come out of their den (closet) to appear under the Christmas tree each year.  She also has a small collection of stuffed Bernese Mountain Dogs.  You may recall the time she placed one of those Bernese in another room, and when I ran in, it scared the life out of me.  She decided to try that trick again the other day - just to see what Elroy would do.  The problem was, she set two stuffed Bernese on the floor downstairs, and then we ALL went down.  So of course, Frodo and I already know they are stuffed - so we ran to attack them.  And Elroy, seeing the frenzy, joined right in.  There was my human trying to wrestle two big stuffed toys from three maniacal canines.  Trying to rip their legs off.  Guess that wasn't such a bright idea.  She couldn't even get a photo - we were too crazed.

My human is amazed at dogs who adore their stuffed toys and carry them around.  Not us.  She has even purchased those crazy, "indestructible" versions made of a tough, durable fabric.  Tough for a chihuahua maybe - but nobody in this house.  I've said it before - we're big into dissection.

My human was off yesterday again - because of the weather.  It actually wasn't bad yesterday - it had stopped snowing - but it was blowing and roads needed to be cleared. So we huddled by the fire while my human read her book drinking hot chocolate.  Sure we did.  We made her take us out 65 times.  And then dry us off 65 times.  Well - not really - but she DID have to wipe the floor 65 times after we came in.   She also had to shovel a HUGE pile of snow up by the road that was left by the plow.  I thought I heard her mumble at one point that going to work is more relaxing.  She's such a joker.

Oh and I almost forgot - congratulations to the German Shepherd who won Best In Show at Westminster last night.  If a PON or Picard couldn't win, at least it was a dog from the herding group.  Two years ago, the winner got to meet Donald Trump after the show.  All kinds of comments come to mind - but since I know that Big Brother is watching, I'll bite my tongue on that one.

Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful day!  Stay warm, safe and dry!

Westminster, Blizzards and Valentines

Well we had a blizzard yesterday.  A real honest to goodness blizzard. Snow was coming down ALL day and the winds were blowing like crazy.  Nova Scotia was essentially closed.  Everything - the airport, schools, banks, offices, stores - everything was closed.  But of course, we dogs didn't care.  Well - at least Elroy didn't. He thought that gale force winds were just terrific.  And he repeatedly kept going to the door.  I think he just liked watching my human dress up in all her snow gear.  I didn't mind the snow - but Frodo thought it was just a BIT too wet for his liking, so he had to be coaxed out. And today is day 2 of the blizzard.  My human is home with us again.  We'll make sure she doesn't get bored with all this time off...

We watched the Westminster breed judging on the computer.  We couldn't get it live in Canada - but could watch the video after it was over. That was after my human spent hours trying to figure out a way to make it work so she could see it live.   Now you know where we get our stubbornness from.  She never did get it to work - so as I said, we watched the videos.  There were 18 Picards entered and 11 PONs.  Elroy was smug because there were more Picards.  We PONs are just a well kept secret. 

Here is the video for the PONs:
http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/breed-results/breed-videos-2017/PON-video/

And here you can watch the Picards:
http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/breed-results/breed-videos-2017/BRGR-video/ 

All the dogs looked SO nicely groomed - so you KNOW what happened once the judging was over.  Grooming for the Three Musketeers. And then we had to play "pretend dog show."  Of course Frodo is excellent at that game - he puts his feet in a perfect stance, puts on his game face and never moves.  I do it for 3.7 seconds and then I start doing other things.  I sit.  I jump.  I move forward.  And Elroy. He thinks the whole standing still thing is very overrated.   You never know exactly WHERE his feet are going.  But he does have the ears thing down.  He stares and looks all inquisitive.  The reason why is because he's trying to figure out where his feet should go and why the heck has has to stand still.  Chewing on the lead is MUCH more interesting!!!

We WERE able to watch the herding group on TV at night.  We were disappointed that neither the PON nor the Picard made the cut.  But we'll get over it.  Congrats to the winners - and just remember, the fact that you were even THERE, means you are a winner!!!!

Today is round 2 of Westminster and it also happens to be Valentine's Day.  I had planned to go out and buy my human some flowers yesterday, but there was a ban on driving because of the blizzard.  She knows we love her - so I'll just give her an extra kiss. Oh and I'll recycle a Valentine that I wrote two years ago.  It still applies!

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

We three dogs are

So happy we picked you.

You groom us and feed us,

And take us on walks,

One of us steals things,

The other one talks.

You walk us in the morning,

You walk us at night,

When it happens to be raining

We may put up a fight.

We like to chase birds

And sometimes the bunny,

When we run off in the woods

You don’t think it’s funny.

 Having three dogs 

 

May not be economical

But our antics entertain you

We REALLY are comical.

We may be unruly

And sometimes just plain BAD,

But we really DO love you,

And hate if you’re sad.

We wait by the door

From the moment you leave,

And when we hear your car

A HUGE sigh we heave.

And when you return

No matter how long you’ve been gone

We break out in tail wags

And bark out our song.

Oh human, OUR human

You’re our Valentine sweet.

We love you and adore you.

Now give us a treat.

LOVE and LICKS,  Frodo, Viktor and Elroy 

Happy Valentines Day everyone!!!!

Westminster Apparel

So today is another big day at Westminster.  There is the second ever Masters Obedience Championship and the conformation part of Westminster begins.  That's the beauty pageant for those not into dog shows.  They added the obedience part last year to show that we dogs aren't just pretty faces.  We're smart too.  Today the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups will be judged in conformation.  Tomorrow it will be the Sporting, Working and Terrier groups.

My human went to see Westminster many, many years ago, when it was just conformation - and everything took place at Madison Square Garden.  She recalls feeling like a sardine jammed into a can as she walked in the grooming area.  Honestly, it was the first (and only time) in her life that she felt nervous by the crunch of the crowd.  Thankfully they added the Piers venues a few years ago, so it's not quite as tight a feeling now.  The very last time my human went to Westminster, you may recall that she won.  No.  Not the show.  But special tickets - that allowed her to go to a couple of parties. 

http://viktorsviews.blogspot.ca/2015/02/paws-for-news.html

And of course, now you can see what's happening right from the comfort of your own home - you can watch on the internet.  There was some concern that for some reason, Canadians would not be able to see the Group judging on TV, but it seems Westminster heard the anguished cries of the neighbors to the North and added another channel - so it should be more readily available in Canada.

I also see that on the Westminster website that you can actually click on the dogs that were tops in the breed for 2016.  You can even see who the dog's breeder was, who the dog owns, who the dog's parents are and even the dog's date of birth.  Hmmmmm.  One thing missing.....wouldn't it be cool to see the dog's health clearances too?  Now THAT'S a loaded question...

And from Nova Scotia, the dog who was THE top dog all around in Canada last year will be  competing.  His name is Jack and he is a Kerry Blue Terrier.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1440429-video-with-55-canadian-best-in-show-awards-foley-and-her-talented-pup-head-for-pres

I saw Jack walk by me at a show once.  He didn't pay any attention to me.   He was probably on his way to a photo shoot. 

My human likes to watch the handlers and how they show the dogs.  After taking Elroy to class the past few weeks, she really appreciates the job a good handler can do.  They even have to think about what they wear.  Seriously.  If it's a woman, she can't wear a skirt too short because she would have problems when she bends over the dog.  That would be a different kind of "show".  She also can't wear a skirt too long - so it doesn't fly in the dog's face.  Pockets are pretty important - to hold the EXTRA special treats.  Sensible shoes are a given - so she doesn't trip and fall.  And speaking of handler attire,  my human took THE most amazing pictures the last time she was at Westminster.  Check it out.  What are the chances that two handlers would be wearing the EXACT same outfit - AND end up standing next to each other?!  There should have been a prize for this!!!!!  Must have been QUITE the sale at the Dog Show Handlers Apparel Store.

Well we are sitting here amidst more snow.  Good thing my human is off today - we can go out and build snowdogs.  And of course, watch Westminster!  Especially the apparel.....Have a good one!