Call me Sonic. Or Twister.

March 31.  And it's National Crayola Crayon Day.  I believe I first wrote about this "holiday" back in 2015 - and I wrote about the fact that Crayola has many great color names -  many of which would make great DOG names.  For example, some of MY favorites include: Yonder (from the color Wild Blue Yonder), Steel (from Steel Teal), Lumber (which would make a great name for a Bassett Hound), Sonic (from Sonic Silver), and Twister.

Although Crayola has produced more than 200 distinct colors since they began in 1903, we dogs cannot really see all those colors.  Contrary to popular belief though, we dogs are NOT color blind.  We actually DO see colors - but not in as great a range as humans.  One source on the net says we don't see the rainbow like humans do - instead our colors look more like dark and light blue, a brownish color, shades of grey, and dark and light yellow.  So you know how you think when you throw that bright fluorescent orange toy in the grass and you expect us to fetch it and you think that we are being stubborn and running past it and ignoring it?  Nope.  We likely don't see it.  Thank goodness I now have an excuse.

And one other thing... while I don't advocate EATING crayons - for those who are wondering and who have dogs with unusual appetites - like the FG, Crayola Crayons are NON-TOXIC.  So far, nobody in THIS house has pooped a rainbow.  Yet.

Have a colorful day!

Breakfast. And chewing.

Let's talk breakfast today.  They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day for humans.  And you know, our breakfast routine is really fun.  Well, it's actually my HUMAN'S breakfast routine.  We eat OUR breakfast - and THEN we eat hers. As we should.

My human shares her banana with us each morning.  And while Einstein and I sit and swallow our pieces, the FG has to take his under the table and chew it.  It's a BANANA for heaven's sake,  how much chewing can you do?  

Now the yogurt container is REALLY fun.  My human has yogurt for breakfast each day and she has to eat it while standing.  Because we are crowded around her.  When she finishes, she holds the lid in one hand and has some yogurt on a spoon in the other hand.  I get to lick the lid, while Einstein and the FG share the spoon.  And then comes the container... Because Einstein is the oldest, he gets to go first.  My human counts 1-100, 2-100, 3-100, 4-100, 5-100 and then it's my turn, with the same countdown.  Finally it's the FG's turn - so he gets no count because, well, he gets the leftovers.  Now for those who think there is nothing left - I assure you there IS.  In FACT, sometimes we EACH still get one more quick lick.  

IF my human has cereal for breakfast, we might get to lick the bowl.  She's not big on sharing toast or English muffins.  She also doesn't share her coffee.  I'm not so sure we dogs should HAVE coffee - can you IMAGINE the FG with caffeine in him?

And back to the FG and eating - how is it that he can destroy a carpet in .067 seconds, and yet it takes him 12 minutes to eat a baby carrot?  He has essentially ruined the area carpet in the dining room.  It is BEYOND repair.  I remember when he took his first little bite.  And my human painstakingly camouflaged the tiny hole with marker - so it wouldn't be visible.  Bwhahahahahahhaha.  NOW you should see it!  It now has a fringe along the edges.  Everywhere.  And holes that look like giant moths have taken over our house.  In fact, it's SO bad that my human couldn't stand looking at it.  So in her not-so-infinite wisdom, she ordered a new area carpet. Which arrived the other day.  But now she's afraid to put it out.  Let's face it - if you don't watch the FG ALL THE TIME, he gets into something.  Carpet, table legs, chair rails....But give him something edible, and it takes him forever to eat it.  In the time that it takes me to eat 6 carrots, he is still on number 2.   He is just SO interesting.

Well, it's Thursday and the forecast is FINALLY calling for something called sun.  We have had snow, freezing rain, freezing fog (yes - the forecast SAID freezing fog),  rain, and general grey skies.  Hopefully this means we will FINALLY get some longer walks.  We need it.

Anyway, have a good one! And don't forget to have a good breakfast.

News....

March 29.  Let's see what's new in the dog world...

Well, here's an interesting story.  Do you know what  NGHWD stands for?  It's the New Guinea Highland Wild Dog.  Never hear of them before?  Well you should know about them because they are the rarest and most ancient animal in the canine family currently living.  They are said to be the link between the earliest dogs in the world and current domestic dogs - like PONs and Picards.  In 2016, an expedition to remote mountains in New Guinea not only found evidence of the dogs - they were able to obtain photos of these rare dogs, previously thought to be extinct!  The unique dogs come in a variety of colors, have triangular shaped ears, and tails that they carry over their backs.  If you want to read a detailed account of the expedition, and learn more about these guys, here is a great article.

http://www.nghwdf.org/hwds

I love reading about things like this.  The internet and social media have made our world seem so much smaller - but clearly, there is still lots we don't know about our earth.  And that's why we need to take good care of it!

Meanwhile, in other news, in Calgary, Alberta Canada, a whippet by the name of Toby, just broke a Guinness World Record.  For popping balloons.   Toby reportedly burst 100 balloons in 36.25 seconds.  The previous record was 39.08 seconds.  Personally, it's not a record I would like to beat.  Now treat eating - count me in.  My human was so annoyed with me on Sunday when she came back from the extravaganza.  Besides the moose antlers and some dehydrated beef lung, she bought us these healthy snacks from a Nova Scotian company called Murphy's Munchies.  They are made of grass fed beef liver, organic brown rice, coconut flour, spirulina, tumeric, milk thistle, coconut oil, honey and green lipped mussel.  Not red lipped.  Green lipped.  Who knew mussels had lips?  Anyway they are these small, hard green balls about the size of a blueberry.  

So my human gave one to Einstein.  He chewed it and enjoyed it.  She gave one to the FG.  He chewed it for 35 seconds and enjoyed it.  She gave one to me.  I swallowed it. She tried again.  Same routine.  I just slurp food back.  She even TRIED to hold it in her fingers so I would  chew it.  Nope. Pull and gulp.  I wonder if there IS a world record for treat eating....

Anyway, it's mid-week.  Have a happy Wednesday!!!!

A birthday. And rats. And no, they don't go together.

OK.  It's a special day.  It's my human's mother's BIRTHDAY and she turns.....I guess I'm not really supposed to reveal her age.  So I won't.  I'll just say it's somewhere between 87 and 89.  Somewhere in that area.  OK - she's actually 87 going on 55.  She's a very cool octogenarian. She uses her email every day, reads Facebook and LOVES her iPad.  She was at our house for birthday cake the other night.  So we celebrated with her.  We dogs didn't actually GET any cake - we were too busy chewing on the moose antlers from the extravaganza.  Isn't it funny - all the bones or antlers can LOOK the same - but there is always ONE that everyone wants.  Happens every time.

And speaking of the extravaganza that WE didn't get to go to... while my human was there, she apparently learned about something NEW for us to try.  She had heard about this before - but never knew there was an ACTIVE group in Nova Scotia.  It's a group that runs barn hunts.  No - that doesn't mean you go and look for lost barns.  What you do is go and look for RATS in barns.  Seriously.  But it is ALL well controlled.  The rats are placed in protective containers - so they cannot be hurt.  And the containers are then hidden in bales of hay in a barn.  At least that's my limited understanding of this thing.  And then, a dog goes and tries to find the rats.  And it's not JUST for terriers - who are used to finding vermin.  Apparently ANY dog can do it.  Or at least TRY to do it.  They hold workshops and trials.  So you KNOW my human HAD to put her name on the list.  I think I could probably get the hang of it - and I'm thinking Elroy would probably enjoy it too.  But not Einstein.  I just can't see him doing it.  He's just not the barn type.   I think my human is figuring if she can get ONE of us interested, maybe we can help to get the moles.  She figures we can't ruin the lawn any worse than it is already.  

Well time to go on security patrol.  Ever since my human installed Big Brother, we feel the pressure to be on patrol if she is not home.  No lounging around anymore - we have to look like we are being ever-vigilant.  Unless, of course, we can manage to move just out of camera range.

So Happy birthday to my human's mother today - from her favorite grand-dog!  OK.  ONE of her favorite grand-dogs!  And cheers to many more!

Doggie Expo. And unhappy dogs.

I am just SO annoyed with my human I could trade  her in.  OK. Maybe that's a BIT dramatic - but ALL of us were VERY unhappy with her yesterday...

It seems there was a BIG event yesterday - The Doggie Expo. It's an annual event that is sponsored by the Greyhound Pets of Atlantic Canada - which is an organization that has helped to find homes here in the Atlantic provinces for more than 4,100 retired racing greyhounds over the years.   They are a great organization and for 13 years have been holding the Doggie Expo as a way to raise funds for their organization and to raise awareness about what they do.  The Expo has grown and grown over the  years and yesterday there were more than 110 exhibitors who included dog clubs, rescue groups, veterinary clinics, and vendors such as groomers, trainers, photographers and folks selling every type of food, toy, treat and apparel imaginable.   And get this - ANY DOG CAN GO TO THE EXPO.   But did any dog from OUR house go?  No.   And WHY did none of us get to go to the closest thing to Doggie Disney World in our neck of the woods?!  Well, here's the deal.  The event is popular.   VERY popular.  And it gets crowded.  VERY crowded.  VERY VERY crowded.  And while most dog owners are awesome and conscientious about their dogs, let's just say that not everyone is.  There are some humans out there who are not always ....hmmmmm....the most astute about making decisions.  Other humans might say "that person is not the sharpest knife in the drawer."  We dogs would say "he's not the bounciest ball in the toy box."  Or "his bowl of kibble is only half full."  You get my drift.  So those folks don't always pay attention to their dogs.  And it can make for a very stressful event when dogs are crammed SO close together - and some humans are not paying attention.   One example is not even noticing that Fee Fee is pooping as she is walking and they keep on going - leaving doggie poo for someone else to pick up.  Or step in.  And not every human reads the signals we dogs are giving off if we are stressed or worried.  Which can make for some tense moments.

So even though all of us are quite used to going to dog shows, and matches, and training classes, my human thought that maybe we should stay home. While she went.  At least that's her excuse.

Allow me to share some photos from the show we didn't attend.  
This is an overview of part of the arena.  

And here are some lucky Goldens sampling treats. 

OK.  These are called Snuffle Mats.  Apparently you put treats or kibble in between the fabric, so the dog has to sniff it out.  I'm thinking that would not work in THIS household.  We would either RIP the thing to shreds or, better yet, pick it up and shake out the treats.  No wonder my human didn't buy one.

This was the booth of a great organization that helps senior humans if they cannot care for their dogs. And they also help in the care of senior canines.   What a wonderful idea!!!

Here is one of MANY treat booths.  I'm drooling just looking at it.

And here is none other than Auntie Glenda and Brick - who were there with the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Canada booth.   Brick was a great ambassador. 

The ONLY reason we have forgiven my human for going without us, is that she returned with a variety of treats.  AND some moose antlers.   Who can stay mad at a woman with moose antlers in her hand?!

Next year, I suggest that she get a P2 booth.  That's what we will call it.  A booth to tell people all about PONs and Picards!  And THEN we can go.  And sit on the grooming table like we have all done at dog shows at Meet the Breed.   Perfect.  That's one way for me to get in that thing.   Maybe next year....I'll start making the display....

Anyway- congrats to the Greyhound people for putting on such a successful event!  Have a happy Monday.

The neighbors.

Today is Sunday March 26 - and it's the last Sunday in March.  And, according to the crazy calendar, is it Neighbor Day.  Although we can't see any of our neighbors' homes from our house - they are not THAT far away.  And we are very lucky that we have nice neighbors.  The neighbors on our road get together for social events - although I SHOULD point out that we dogs aren't generally invited.  I'm thinking that even if we WERE - my human wouldn't take us.  I mean people don't want to have to guard the cheese tray all night.  And mind you, my human DOES enjoy an evening off from us every now and then. When we let her.  Like once every 6 months.

We have some NEW neighbors who moved in around Christmas time and they have a Labrador Retriever named Hudson.  My human has met them - but we canines have not yet had the pleasure.  Well at least TWO of us haven't.  You see, the other day we were all hanging out in the backyard and preparing to take a walk to the lake.  When suddenly, Frodo put his nose to the ground, and he was G-O-N-E.  He vanished.  My human figured he would emerge from the woods - but he didn't.  And for a CHANGE, I didn't go.  The FG was on a leash so he couldn't join the escape.  The whole thing was odd, because as we know, Einstein is the GOOD dog and he generally does NOT take off around our property.  My human called.  And waited.  And called.  And waited.  She put me and the FG in the house and took one of the trails, that are on our property, down to the lake.  No sign of him - she was looking for footprints in the snow.  She went back to the house hoping he had returned.  Nope.  She was starting to worry a BIT as about 10 minutes had passed.  She took a different trail on our property down to the lake.  No sign of him.  She walked up to the road.  No sign of him. She walked back to the house.  No sign of him.  All the time she was calling him. And then she heard barking.  Einstein barking.  AND another dog barking. And it was coming from the direction of the new neighbors' house.  So my human cut through another neighbors' property and came through the back of the new neighbors' yard.  And the new neighbor came out on his deck.  My human asked if he had seen a shaggy dog and indeed he had - it seems Einstein went right up on their deck and was barking at Hudson through the glass door.  My human didn't dare ask if he peed on anything - she was already embarrassed enough.  But no doubt he christened their deck.  It's an Einstein thing to do.  She apologized that he had been there but the neighbor said it was no problem and he pointed my human in the direction of the wayward hound.  Long story short, she still ended up searching for him for about 10 minutes, but he actually eventually beat her back to the house.  When she saw him he just shrugged his shoulders, even though he could see the steam coming out of her ears.  He waltzed into the house when she opened the door.

So now I think that the FG and I will have to go up and say hello too.  The first chance we get.  It's the neighborly thing to do.  But my human warned us we are NOT allowed to go on the neighbors' property - unless we are invited AND she is with us.  Because she knows that if Einstein didn't christen their deck, rest assured, you know I would be happy to do it.  My human says that dogs were probably the underlying inspiration for the quote "good fences make good neighbors."  Well - certainly in our case...

Anyway, I hope you have a fabulously, neighborly day! 

The earth

Today is March 25 - and it's the day the world celebrates Earth Hour.  The event, which began 10 years ago is to highlight the fact that we ALL need to be more aware about the condition of the earth - and how we ALL need to take care of the earth.  So to symbolize a commitment to our mother ship, we are asked to turn out non-essential lights for one hour from 8:30-9:30PM.  This event which began in Sydney, Australia has grown to thousands of cities worldwide.  By reducing energy consumption by even one hour,  tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions are said to be cut. While the purpose of the event is not primarily to reduce consumption, but to raise awareness, it's cool if the reduction does happen.

Of course, with EVERYTHING, there are critics who argue that climate change does not exist.  I'm not going there.  I'm a dog - so I'm not getting into THAT argument.  But for me -  awareness about being kind to our earth IS a good thing.  I'm not planning a trip to live on the moon any time soon.  No trees to pee on there.  Ditto for Mars.  Anyway, take a minute to be kind to our planet today - whether you symbolically turn out your lights, you recycle that plastic bag, or you walk to the store instead of taking your car.  And here's a cool video I found of some dogs supporting the lights out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjNKdUPSnG8

Have a good one!

Subaru prize!!!

March 24. And according to the crazy calendar, it is International Day for Achievers.  Which coincides with something that arrived in the mail this week.  A certificate.  For an achievement.   It seems Frodo received something called the Subaru Top Show Dog award because he placed 3rd in Canada in 2016 for Polish Lowland Sheepdogs in conformation.  Go figure. I have to confess, I don't think there are many people in Canada SHOWING Polish Lowland Sheepdogs in the beauty pageants. Not that I'm trying to downgrade his achievement...well - maybe I AM. Mind you, he did compete and he did get the certificate - so I shouldn't poo poo it or take away his thunder.  I thought the award INCLUDED a Subaru.  But apparently you have to accomplish more than a ranking of 3rd place Polish Lowland Sheepdog to win the BIG prize.  And even THEN, I don't think that even the TOP DOG all breeds wins a car.  Heck, there's not even a cash prize for winning Westminster.  The winner gets a polished pewter bowl.  For Crufts, the largest dog show in the world, you win a "replica" of the solid silver trophy and £100.  Big deal.  From MY point of view 100lbs of dog food would be better.

Anyway, all this dog competition stuff isn't REALLY about the PRIZE.  It's about the time we get to spend with you.  So congrats to Mr. Show Dog for his achievement.  Still - a Subaru would have been nice....

Happy Friday!!!!

Puppies and kittens

March 23.  According to the crazy calendar it is National Puppy Day.  Oh yeah - and it's ALSO Cuddly Kitten Day.  You think we could have two SEPARATE days - but no, we have to share the day.

So I started looking into the differences between puppies and kittens and found a site that explained why puppies are better.  Of course.  But as I went through their rationale as to all the "better" things about puppies, I actually started to realize maybe we were not REALLY better after all.  Just different.  Here are some examples:

1.  Kittens use litter boxes, which can become stinky and a nuisance to clean out.  But I started thinking that in the middle of a blizzard, lots of humans would LOVE it if they didn't have to take their puppy outside.  And let's face it, housebreaking IS a chore.  But once we understand the concept, we're good to go.  Literally.  BUT - litter box or not, humans STILL have to clean up even with puppies.  Poop is just part of the both jobs.  No getting around that one.

2.  Kittens can claw at furniture.  True.  Puppies don't claw furniture.  But do you want to see the teeth marks on the chairs in the dining room from Jaws?  Oh - and the carpet...

3.  Puppies Don't Produce Nasty Hairballs.  True.  However, IF we get into something unsavory, , we TOO can get the urky gurkies and leave a lovely deposit - usually ON the carpet.  In the middle of the night.  But not to worry.  We clean up.  I'm not sure kittens don't do the same.

4. Puppies love adventures and generally LOVE going for car rides -especially when we put two and two together and figure out we are going somewhere FUN!  As a rule, kittens may not LOVE car travel.  And some may NOT stop making noise while they travel.  It can be a challenging ride.  MIND you - if we puppies, as we get older, figure out we are going to the VET - we may not be happy either!

5.  Puppies love belly rubs.  And with kittens, rolling on their belly MAY mean they are just waiting to attack you.  Really.  That's what I've heard.  Mind you, some of us puppies NEVER want you to stop rubbing our bellies - so we also will attack when the petting ends...

6.  Puppies can be in training to become service animals.  The puppies have this advantage for sure.  You'll never likely see a seeing eye cat.  Or a military working cat.  Cats are a bit more "independent".  Mind you, not ALL puppies pass the training program.  I'm thinking the dogs in this household, smart as we are, would not make good service dogs or therapy dogs.  My human jokes that she NEEDS therapy because of us.  

So while I'm clearly a puppy fan, I must confess that there are good things about kittens too!  So we'll share our celebration today.  Now. Can we get one?

Have a purrr-fectly great day!

Crisp and Pilot and Mitch

So how many of you know the name Mitch Seavey? He's a pretty famous guy.  You see, Mitch just won the Iditarod - the famous 1000 mile Alaskan sled dog race which has been run officially since 1973.  There were certainly races before then - but the Iditarod race from Anchorage to Nome began in 1973.  As I understand it, there are actually two main routes, which sometimes change because of the weather and ice conditions and they even change in even and odd years.  This year, Mitch was not only the oldest guy (at 57) to win the race, but he and his dogs finished in record time - around 8 hours faster than anyone before.  He has actually won the race three times before - and get this - his son came in second place, who is, himself, a four time champion,  and his father also raced in five Iditarods.  Clearly it's a mushing family.  The total race time for Mitch was 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes.  His dogs usually went at a pace of 10 to 11 miles per hour.  I didn't know this, but mushers carry their dogs on the sled in rotations - to give them a break.  My human watched him as he was being interviewed after the race and she couldn't help but note the emotion in his voice when he talked about his dogs.  The dogs must be well cared for and they are checked by veterinarians - because honestly, tragedy can and unfortunately, does occur.   But with careful planning and an ever-vigilant musher, dogs finish the race tired and healthy - they are well conditioned athletes.  They are doing what they were bred to do.  The two lead dogs in Mitch's team were Pilot and Crisp.  I like the names. In fact, I may start calling myself Crisp.  It's catchy.  Actually, the word crisp is synonymous with potato chips.  And dogs are like potato chips - you know you can't have just one!

So cheers to Mitch and Pilot and Crisp.   Have a crispy day!

Memory Day.

Today is March 21 and according to the crazy calendar, it is Memory Day. So of course my human had to look into information about dogs and memory.  And boy did she find some lots of information and some of it was conflicting.  For example, according to some sources, they claim that we dogs live in the here and now.  And they say we dogs don't have "memories" the way that humans do- we have "imprints of occurrences"and associations.  So for example, if, when we are a puppy, we meet something scary, like a motorcycle going down the street, we then imprint the fear of that loud scary vehicle.  They claim that if we perform a bad behavior, like pooping in the house, there is no point in scolding us after the fact, because we don't remember or understand why we are being scolded.  And they say, as for remembering a person - or maybe even a dog from a long time ago,  it isn't really memory - but rather our recognition of the SMELL of that person or dog.  We associate that smell with that person.  We also associate things like the sound of the treat jar opening with the treat.   They say that our short term memory is like 70 seconds.  They claim that after that amount of time, we forget that you just gave us a treat.  The thing is, we dogs supposedly don't measure time the way that humans do.  They say that's the reason we get so excited when you return after a short period of time, and we are as excited as if you left us for a few hours.  So those sources basically say our "memory" is much less complex than that of humans. 

BUT - last year, other research indicated that we dogs DO remember more than humans once thought.  Researchers in Hungary claim that we dogs may have a type of memory that was once thought to be unique to humans.  They say there are two kinds explicit of memory - which is the memory you use when you specifically want to remember something.  The first is called semantic memory and it is the kind of memory you use to consciously remember or learn a specific thing.  Like language and words.  For example, you learn that a certain word represents a certain thing - and memorize it.  Like when we dogs are learning that the word "sit" means to put our bum on the ground.   And we know examples of dogs who have great semantic memory - like that Border Collie who can recall over 1000 words for various objects.  The other type of memory is called episodic - where you remember things from the past, without actually trying to memorize it.  So it's like remembering that trip you took last year.  Or the fact that you went to get gas for the car yesterday.  You don't specifically try to remember the event at the time, but you are able to recount it later.  Anyway,  people always thought that we dogs didn't HAVE episodic memory - because we live in the here and now.  And really, part of the problem is that we can't TELL you about something from the past.  But through a several step experiment, the researchers in Hungary were able to demonstrate that we dogs MAY have episodic memory after all.  Now this was preliminary research and not everyone is convinced that we have this complex type of memory. Yet.

And I'm here to tell you, we DO.  Just because we can't TELL you about what we did earlier in the day or last week, it doesn't mean that we don't remember!!  Case in point.  Human walks in the door and is greeted by a dog whose ears are all inside out.  Because he got in the garbage.  Ya THINK we don't remember or have a memory of what we did?!  And when we return from a "call of the wild" and we slowly walk back to the house.  Ya think we don't remember that we were just naughty?!  Some humans underestimate just how complex our brains really are!  

So that's the preliminary scoop on memory.  Now I must go and remind my human to give me another treat.  Because we know, she has a tendency to forget...

Have a good one!

SPRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

March 20. It's here.  That long awaited day.  The first day of spring.  Spring - a fresh new start.  My human was looking at an article having to do with dogs and spring - and it didn't make spring sound like such a good time of the year after all.  This article warned of the dangers of chewing sticks, eating poisonous plants, ingesting toxic spring cleaning products, problems with fleas and ticks, troubles with spring allergies... Wow.  Time to move to Antarctica!  We would have to live in a bubble if we worried about all of that stuff.  Not to say they aren't important - but seriously, let's not take away from the GOOD things about spring...like longer days to go for longer walks.  And more time to play games of fetch.  MORE time outdoors in the fresh air.  Grass to eat.  Butterflies to chase.  Holes to dig.  Moles to catch....

Just think - this is the FG's first spring.  I just hope he doesn't get MORE crazy with spring fever.  That would be hard to imagine.  The FG MORE crazy.  Heaven help us.

Anyway - I hope you enjoy this first day of spring - and even IF the weather isn't cooperating for you today - just now that there are sunny days ahead!

Happy Spring!

Well behaved dogs. One third anyway.

So yesterday morning we let our human sleep in until 6:15 and then insisted she get moving - we wanted our EXTRA LONG Saturday morning walks.  First the FG got his chance.  They actually went up to the golf course, with his long line in tow.  And guess what?!  He was WELL behaved!  My human never called him - unless he was within grabbing distance of the line.  And he was GOOD.  He came to HER for fun and pats.  She also paid no attention during those times when he was on his leash and started grabbing and pulling and acting like a bumblebee on drugs.  She simply stopped, didn't say a word, but would not move.  After several attempts , he FINALLY seemed to get the concept that if you act like a banshee, you don't go anywhere.  AND you get no attention.  So he would stop pulling and chewing the leash, stare at my human and then walk along quite nicely.  At which point she would reward him and tell him how brilliant he was.  So perhaps he IS trainable during this teenage stage!

And then you have us PONs.... So we went up the trail and then headed over to the golf course too.  Now we all know that Einstein is well behaved.  He can be let off the leash and will come when called.  99% of the time.  IF he doesn't return on a first call, but comes back after his name is called twice, he gets no treat.  A "good boy", but no food.  It's like saying to a three year old, you can't have that ice cream cone, but you are a well behaved little boy.  Who cares.  Anyway, Einstein KNOWS the drill.  Now my human wasn't going to let me off the leash.  She has spotted some of those white Easter bunnies lately and figured they would be too much of a temptation should I see one.  But I was walking along with her SO nicely while Einstein was trotting ahead, she had this momentary lapse - and decided to let me off.  As she was bending over to let ME off leash, she called to Einstein to come over.  He immediately headed our direction then suddenly put his head in the air, and then pressed his nose to the ground and he was off...at precisely the same moment that the clip on my leash snapped and released me from my bondage. So you guessed it. TWO PONs off into the brush.   My human called Einstein.  She called me.  No returns.  She started heading the direction from which we had come, and suddenly Einstein appeared.  Knowing full well that his time of freedom would now come to an end.  But no sign of yours truly.  She called.  And called.  And probably said some words not publishable here.  Anyway, when I emerged from the brush in what was probably a minute later, I met the end of a leash.  And Einstein and I had our EXTRA long walk reduced to a long walk.  In bondage.  Still the walk WAS fun.

As a last note - and I almost hate to say this - I haven't had any you-know-whats in over 12 days now.  Paws crossed the diet and medication  is working.  One thing we know for sure, though - neither the diet or medication change have altered my behavior.  Thank goodness.

Have a good one!

The Rock Star

OK so the day of green attire is over.  Put those props away for another year. Or better yet - destroy them.

So you know how humans collect things?  Like stamps, or coins, or in the case of my human - old dog things.  And lots of other junk.  Well, we finally figured out that Einstein is a collector too.  Of rocks.  Tiny little gravel rocks.  We first noticed it a few weeks ago.  My human had taken us for a nice walk up the road.  And when she got home, she noticed something on the kitchen floor.  And in the hall.  A bunch of tiny rocks.  No bigger than the size of a pea.  She wondered if she had tracked them in herself, because she HAD come in with her boots for a minute.  She swept them up and went to the kitchen sink.  Einstein followed her.  And when he realized she wasn't having anything to eat  he walked away.  Leaving a collection of rocks where he had been standing.  They must get caught in his fuzzy feet - particularly if the conditions are damp outside.  He has more coat than I do - so it's not really a problem for me.

Now cleaning up his collection is not the bad part.  The BAD part is that if you don't do it quickly, Jaws will help.  Which means he will pick up one and start chewing on it.  And just TRY and get him to drop a pebble smaller than a pea.  Ever open a dog's mouth when he has something he shouldn't?  Well you can open it, look inside and you will see nothing.  Like MAGIC, we can make the offending object disappear - only to start chewing again when we are released.  It's quite a unique skill.  And I'm thinking rocks are probably a bit more roughage than anyone needs in their diet.

It's the WEEKEND.  Let's see what kind of mischief we can get into for a change.  Bwhahahahahahaha.  Like the day of the week matters! 

Have a good one!

St. Pawtrick's Day. BLOOPERS.

Well here we are - the three unlucky Leprechauns.  I hope you readers are thankful for this latest display of Dollar Store attire.  Getting photos of each of us was hard enough.

 But THEN my human decided we should ALL dress up and take photos.   She started off with cheese as a reward.  Which she thought would work great.  PLUS she had a squeaky toy under her sweater.  I was delighted with the photo shoot while the cheese was available.  Frodo and Elroy - not so much.

THEN she ran out of cheese and switched to kibble.  And my excitement waned too.

While she went upstairs to get more cheese, I grabbed the toy with the squeaker which she had accidentally left on the chair.  Elroy and I proceeded to dissect it.  When she came back with the cheese, I was again happy to cooperate.  But you could have held a steak in front of Einstein and Jaws and they would NOT have smiled.

I can hardly WAIT for Easter.    Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

In the news

So it's time to review what's new in the world of canine politics...

Let's see.  In the state of Maine, a politician proposed a new law that would require that dogs wear seat belts or harnesses in vehicles.  Seems like a safe plan to me.  But WHO knew some humans would get SO upset about the fact that Fido can't hang his head out the window, that the politician had to withdraw the proposal!   While it may look cute watching Fido's ears flop around in the breeze, sticking one's head out the window of a moving vehicle can actually result in eye injuries.  Not to mention the fact that if, heaven forbid, you have an accident, Fido becomes a projectile.  Tsk tsk.   I think this was a bad human decision....

In the UK, a politician had another dog-related recommendation - "stick and flick."  An MP advised that to cut down the number of dog-filled plastic poop bags littering the countryside, people should not pick up poop - but flick it into the undergrowth.  It seems many dog owners DO pick up poop, but when there are no receptacles, they toss the bags or leaving them hanging somewhere - on bushes, trees, etc.  So instead, the MP was suggesting that people should let nature take it's course. They estimate there are 8 million dogs in the UK, depositing  more than 1,000 tons of waste - daily!  That's a lot of methane for some resourceful engineer!  I actually think that flicking is not a bad idea for rural areas, but I'm thinking that would not work in urban locales.  Imagine flicking it onto a passing car.  Or an outdoor cafe.  Yikes!  I'm not sure where this recommendation will end up...

And lastly we have the story about the woman who tried to dress three canines in holiday attire for a day honoring some saint who drove snakes out of an island nation.  Bad enough she HAD to take pictures with EACH dog, she was insistent on getting a photo with all three dogs.   At the same time.  IN the same attire.  Let's just say, ONE dog cooperated.  Sort of.  Well he smiled for some photos but needed 152,000 reminders to STAY.  The other two did not look overjoyed in any of the group shots.  And you MAY be surprised at the results.  Stay tuned!

The Ides of March

March 15.  The Ides of March.  The day that Julius Caesar met his demise. So then they named a salad after him.  Rumor has it that people in Caesar's time paid a lot of attention to their dogs.  As they should.  Dogs were featured in artwork, poetry and prose.  Dogs were seen as companions and were kept as guardians of the home and the flocks.  And they were later used in combat.  But Caesar reportedly rebuked the citizens of Rome and told them to pay more attention to their children than their dogs.  I guess he didn't own a dog himself.  But he did have a giraffe.  Which he brought back from Egypt - while visiting Cleopatra.  And then he fed it to his lions in the Coliseum.  Seriously.  I couldn't make this stuff up.  Seems to me that if Caesar had owned a big guard dog, he would not have met his demise.  Just sayin'.

And speaking of murder, one would have THOUGHT there was a murder occurring in the garage aka grooming torture palace the other night.  Which could mean only one thing.  Frodo was being groomed. Now we all know Einstein is the "good dog" in the house.  Yes - he DOES bark a BIT too much in the morning - but he claims it is just his morning wake up song.  But he doesn't run off, doesn't steal things, LOVES to pose for the camera like some kind of runway model and he remembers his obedience routines, even when he hasn't been trained in FOREVER.

But put the genius on the grooming table, and his behavior is well...in a word - pathetic.  He moans and squeaks.  And pulls his feet away.  And generally looks like he is being TORTURED as he is lying on the table.  But stop the process for 1/1000th of a second and he HAPPILY pops up to grab a treat.  No signs of anguish or pain in THAT face.  My human gave him three, yes THREE pockets full of treats throughout the process.  He is SUCH a drama king - he knows how to milk it.  Yup.  A temperamental runway model.  That's him.  But I BET he posed like a pro for the St. Patrick's Day photos.  We'll just see...

Have a good one.

Teenage Behavior.

Well, Crufts is over.  And which dog won the big silver trophy? A dog from the Gundog group.  Of course.  And although it wasn't an ENGLISH Cocker Spaniel - it was still a Cocker Spaniel.  An American version.  I lost a lot of money on my PON and Picard bets.  My human was able to watch parts of the PON breeding LIVE on her computer - with our terribly slow internet service.  She saw enough to catch some of our PON friends - and after it was over, was able to see some of the videos.  Congrats to EVERY single dog who made it there - whether or not they took home hardware.  Just standing on that green carpet is an experience not many get to have. Well done!

So yesterday morning my human took Frodo and I for our morning constitutional and then she had a date to walk the FG with his buddy Jackson, and the human Jackson owns.  The FG and Jack had not seen each other in a few weeks so to say he was excited is an UNDERSTATEMENT.   In fact, he was so "overjoyed" he assumed his previous alias - Jaws.  He kept biting poor Jackson's tail, his ears, his butt.  And unlike us PONs - who have hair to grab, Jackson, being a Labrador doesn't have much grab-able hair.  AND he is a very nice dog.  A VERY nice dog - who also unlike us PONs does not tell Jaws to STOP.  Several times my human had to put Jaws back on his leash - because his tormenting would go a BIT over the top.  She discovered that if Jaws has a stick or something else to carry, it is PERFECT - because they both play, tug and steal it from each other - and if Jaws has something in his mouth it deters him from attempting to gather Lab hair.

She came home exhausted - after the walk that went on for over an hour.  And Jaws?  He was STILL not tired.  My human looked up "teenage canine behavior" and of course it was like they wrote the chapter about Jaws...This was taken from Dogs Naturally magazine:  An adolescent dog can be rowdier, mouthier, jumpier, and more obnoxious than at any other time in his life. They tend to have short fuses, test you, and even downright ignore you when given the opportunity.  Who does THAT sound like???  And how long will this last - since he is just 10 months old?  Looks like it goes on until around 18 months.  Poor Jackson will have to wear an armored suit, or learn to tell Jaws off.  I can certainly teach him to do that.  My human announced that there will be "a New World Order" - with more manners being required in our household.  Bwhahahahahahha.  WHO is she kidding?  Now THIS should be interesting.  As IF she is in control here...

Have a good one. 

Good old days.

So we survived the time change.  Sort of.  My human went into a panic the night before - because I need to take my medication at 7 AM and 7 PM each day.  BUT - with the change, 7 AM would REALLY be 6 AM - and I would be getting my pills too early.  Long story short, she and Aunt Glenda figured out a formula for giving me my pills just 15 minutes early - so that by today I would be back on track at 7 and 7.  I can hardly wait to see what will happen when the clocks change the NEXT time.

So on Saturday, we (the FG and I) decided to drive my human just a LITTLE bit crazy.  For those who have been reading my blog for a long time, you may recall how Paxton used to run off into the woods at times - probably to get away from us PONs.  But he couldn't escape - I would be his loyal sidekick, following like a bee drawn to a flower.  Or a fly to drawn to...something not so pleasant.  We would race off and disappear, only to reappear 10-15 minutes later - or when my human would hunt us down - usually at the neighbor's place.  Ah.  The old days....

On Saturday, we had a dusting of snow.  Dusting sounds so light and pretty - but in March, humans do not associate snow with anything attractive.  So as my human was pushing off the white stuff with the shovel, we canines were running around the yard.  Racing, barking, chasing each other.  

When suddenly, yours truly felt the Call of the Wild - and off I went.  And my loyal sidekick followed.  My human expected us to return within 45 seconds.  But we didn't.  And when we dogs take off, 1 minute can seem like 1 hour.  So my human called.  And we heard her - but didn't come back.  And she called.  And she put Einstein, the good dog in the house.  She called us again.  We didn't come back.  She opened the garage door - as if the sound would entice us to race back.  But we didn't.  She closed the garage door.  She went in the house.  And she was JUST about to go and get in the car to drive up to the neighbor's when she heard a bark.  She opened the door and there I was.  And there was my sidekick - standing on top of a snow bank - kind of like this.  

She opened the door, and let me in. And she went out to get the FG - who I should mention was dragging a long line the whole time.  But the FG wasn't finished with his outdoor adventure. He took one look at her and raced by.  

Up over a another snowbank, and he was gone.  But this time she was in hot pursuit.  And she could follow him, because his line was leaving a trail in the dusting of snow.  Down the path she went.  She was pretty pleased with her tracking abilities, until she realized that his tracks had doubled back.  By the time she got back to the house, guess who was waiting by the front door?  She brought him in and said to the two of us something dramatic like "Don't even look at me right now."  We just looked at each other and rolled our eyes.  Good times.  Just like the old days... Paxton would be proud....

Have a good old day!

Batteries and Best in Show

Today is March 12.  And it is, according to the crazy calendar, Check your batteries day.  Humans are supposed to check and change things like the smoke alarm battery and the battery in the carbon monoxide detector.  It's a good practice to do this regularly.

Batteries can be very dangerous to dogs, if we swallow them or chew on them.  I'm sure there are many TV remotes that have been destroyed by dogs - and sometimes the batteries are swallowed.  My human used to have Bernese who loved remotes.  Thankfully, he never swallowed or punctured a battery.  She walked into an electronics store once, and asked where she could find the dog treats.  I hate to report, he destroyed more than one.  My human was actually careful in not leaving the remote handy  - but obviously not diligent enough.  He would grab one if he had the chance.

Sources say that IF a dog chews and swallows a battery, do NOT induce vomiting.  The contents of the battery will burn going down and will burn coming up!  Get your dog to a vet right away.  Batteries DO show up on xrays - so it is easy to confirm if one is in the pit.  If a battery shows up, the dog may have to undergo surgery - which is NOT fun, but a necessary procedure.

Today is the last day of Crufts.  AND it is the day that the PONs and Picards will be in the beauty pageant.  I hope one of them goes ALL the way to Best in Show.  I'm sure the oddsmakers would put them at a LONG, LONG, L-O-N-G shot.  I looked at the stats on the breeds that have won Best In Show and since 1928, when Crufts began awarding the Best In Show title (with a few years when the show wasn't held during the war), and dogs from the Pastoral Group have only won five times -  in 1965, 1969 and 1971 - German Shepherds won, in 1989 it was a Bearded Collie and in 2006 an Australian Shepherd took home the BIG prize.  And what breed do you think has won the most?  Well, let's start by saying that breeds from the Gundog group have won the most with 23 wins, followed by breeds in the Terrier group with 22 wins.  I bet you are guessing the Labrador Retriever. Right?  Well your answer would be wrong.  The breed who has won THE most Best in Show titles at Crufts is none other than the English Cocker Spaniel - with 7 wins.  Gundogs.  I guess their license allows them to carry a firearm.  And they certainly have shot to the top of the winners circle.  Sorry but I couldn't resist.

Anyway, have an active battery- charged day.  And may the best PON and Picard win today! I have money betting on you - so the payout would be HUGE if either of you win Best in Show.  But even if you don't take home the BIG silver trophy or even a small ribbon, have fun - and remember you are ALL winners - just for being there!!!

Picardisms

OK.  So the FG has a NEW routine.  According to several sources, Picards can be picky eaters.  It is a concept SO unfamiliar to me - it is hard for me to believe.  Since he was a little puppy, the FG would watch Frodo and I wolfing down our food, and he basically followed our lead.  But lately, he has decided to "eat at a leisurely pace."   I guess he read the Picard manual. He eats a bit, and walks away. A while ago he would start eating and then stare at his food so my human had to lift up his bowl.  Now he just walks away, or sometimes doesn't even START eating.  CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!!!!!!!!!   Luckily, he is sequestered in the front hall while eating - or Frodo and I would be helping him polish off that food.  We STARE at his unfinished bowl through the french door - while we are leaving lovely olfactory art on the glass.  My human has to PRY us away from the door to go in the pick up his dish.  He eventually eats all of his food later when she puts it down again - he just likes to think about it.

And he has another new routine.  This one is SO funny to watch.  Whenever my human has clean clothes on - especially when she is getting ready to go to work, he LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to wipe his face in her clothing.  Black pants are a favorite target.  She can be wearing the ugly dog sweat pants, and he won't do it - but put on a pair of pressed clean trousers - and they are like a magnet to him.  I am NOT joking.  It is QUITE funny to watch as she runs around the table trying to fend him off while he is lurching and trying to wipe his face.   Must be another Picard thing. 

On a different note - don't forget to turn your clock ahead tonight.  Which means my human gets even less sleep tonight than she usually does.   No problem for us - we are always raring to go.  Except the FG.  This could kill Mr.-I-Sleep-In.  

See you bright and early tomorrow!

Crufts 2017

Well it began yesterday and continues right through until Sunday.  To dog lovers, it is what my human calls  Doggie Disney World.  It's Crufts - the World's Largest Dog show and as you may recall, my human went last year.

It was the FOURTH time she visited the annual extravaganza held in Birmingham, England.  Crufts has it all - agility, obedience, Discover Dogs (booths where you can meet and learn about EVERY breed), the beauty pageant, flyball, heeling to music and LOTS and LOTS of shopping.  I mean LOTS of shopping.  You can find every type of grooming torture tool imaginable, attire (human and canine), toys and treats.  My human bought our realistic stuffed bunny last year - the one who has unfortunately undergone dissection.  We have not been able to find another.  I guess we'll have to let her go back again some day just to find us one.

This year, over 24,000 dogs are entered in the Beauty Pageant.  Each day, several groups are judged.  We're waiting excitedly for Sunday - when the Pastoral Group breeds are judged.  In North America, we call it the Herding group.  I like Pastoral.  Makes us sound kind of holy.  More like holy terrors.  We will be watching the 58 Polish Lowland Sheepdogs entered - some of whom we "know!"  Now I didn't realize that 2016 was the first year the Picards appeared at Crufts - and so I can't tell the number entered - as far as I can tell they fall into something called the Imported Breed Register - I guess because they are still a rare breed? There are 34 dogs listed in that group - but I don't know how many are Picards.  We'll just have to watch and you can too - the show will be streaming live!!!!  Check it out! 
http://crufts.org.uk/

I looked back at my blog stories about Crufts from last year, and I think for those going, the following bears repeating:
... they could have a reality TV show - Survivor Crufts - with points awarded for participation in the various activities - or challenges.  You have to make it through 5 exhibition halls WITHOUT buying anything at the one million vendors, you have to sit through at LEAST one breed judging that has more than 50 dogs - with extra points if you sit through ALL the Labradors, you must attend obedience trials for at least 20 dogs and you must stay until the whole program is done at the end of the night. Oh and you have to talk to people at 5 different Discover Dogs booths. And that's just for one day. 

But as always, a good thing like Crufts has to be marked with challenges.  Leave it to humans.  The big scandal at Crufts this year?  Bows.  Yes you read that correctly.  Hair bows.  Apparently in some places, Shih Tzus are shown with fancy bows in their hair.  But in the UK, they are not shown with bows. So the judge said elastic or rubber bands will be the only thing allowed.  So a controversy has erupted - with complaints from overseas exhibitors.  My comment?  COME ON visitors.  Get with the program.  When in Rome, follow the Roman rules! Seriously -you think your dog won't look good without a bow?  REALLY?!  Are you afraid your dog will fall apart because he/she is not decorated like a Christmas gift?  Just scrap the bow.  Fluffy will get over it.  I doubt he/she will suffer from PTMBD. Post traumatic missing bow disorder.  Uh-oh - I can see the ShihTzu hate mail rolling in...there goes that readership...

Anyway, we wish all of our PON and Picard buddies THE best of luck!  Without any bows.  Have fun, behave, and don't poop in the beauty pageant ring!  We'll be watching!!!  And wishing we were there!!!!